April Stylish Monday - Everyday Luxe

On the second Monday of every month a group of style bloggers and I pick a theme, style an outfit based on that theme, and then do a link up together where you can join too!  This month's theme is "Everyday Luxe".  This was a hard theme for all the ladies;  everyone was uncertain what "Everyday Luxe" even meant.  So we finally decided as a group to interpret the phrase for ourselves.

I looked at the two words "Everyday" and "Luxe" and diagnosed them separately.  "Everyday" for me would be something I would wear on a normal day at home or on a casual outing since I don't work outside the home.  "Luxe" is short for "Luxurious" which could mean anything from diamonds to fur, whatever one would consider "Luxurious".

Although some ladies in the group really didn't like the theme because they were so perplexed by it, I thought it was actually a pretty good idea.  We are now one year into these crazy lockdowns and let's face it, most of us are growing weary of wearing leggings and sweatshirts everyday.  This challenge provided an opportunity for me to show how I could wear something comfortable at home, yet still feel confident about my appearance.

For the comfort part of my outfit, I chose elastic waist leggings, and the softest, coziest cardigan ever!  The luxurious part of my outfit is the pretty lace trimmed camisole, the sparkly gold sequined flats, and lots of jewelry!

My jeggings are from Liverpool and they are one of my all time favorite Stitch Fix items.  Like I said, they have an elastic waist, the "zipper" and "pockets" are faux.  You just pull them up, and they do stay up all day without a belt.  The fabric is stretchy, and doesn't sag at the end of the day.  They are seriously the best, most comfortable pair of "jeans" I ever owned.

My sweater I picked up at CJBanks.  I was so sorry to hear about their brick and mortar stores closing. There are not enough clothing stores for us older women as it is.  They still have an on-line store, but I really don't like buying clothes on-line except through styling services where I can easily return what I don't like.

This sweater is SO SO SOFT.  I feel like I'm wrapped up in a cozy blanket when I wear it.  I think they call this type of sweater a "popcorn sweater", for it has a raised texture like little kernels of popcorn.

For jewelry I chose large rose gold hoop earrings, a single pearl necklace and a multi-strand bracelet.  The lace in my camisole adds so much luxurious romance to my outfit.  And don't forget how much just a little change in your make up can alter your look from "everyday" to "luxurious".  Here I used pretty glittery pastels from the Naked 3 palette and shiny rose pink lipstick.

For footwear, I wanted something comfortable, yet "luxurious" (Are you sick of that word yet? 😀) so I wore these gold sequined flats from Old Navy.

And now lets see what the rest of the ladies in the group are wearing:

                                                   Nancy

Nancy -  Nancy’s Fashion Style - Everyday luxe for me means that I am able to work out! Well, not every day, some weeks I do though, but at least five days a week. What makes it a luxury for me then? I have a hereditary lung disease and working out is so very important for my health. The fact that I can work out is a luxe. Most lung patients don’t have  the energy for it. And I can still work out at the gym at my physiotherapist twice week and I have a gym at home. That is everyday luxe to me!

                                                                             Shelbee

Shelbee - Shelbee on the Edge - “Everyday Luxe to me means combining luxurious fabrics and prints into an everyday outfit. A combination of leather, leopard print, sequins, and laced up suede seemed like a perfect pairing for this theme.”

Nicole

Nicole - High Latitude Style - For me everyday luxe means that I wear what I love  even when the piece would be considered Sunday’s Best by my Mom’s or Granny’s generation. An example is this teal silk skirt. However, I pair it with typical everyday wear like this cardigan with bold colors abstract huge floral  print that I probably wore more often as a top than cardigan.

Emma

Emma - The Style Splash - “When I think of everyday luxe, soft textures and bold prints immediately come to mind. Velvet is my ultimate luxe fabric and these trousers are so comfortable (the elasticated waistband helps!). Paired with a bright retro print shirt and I’m feeling groovy and comfy!”

Ada

Ada - Elegance and Mommyhood - “What is Everyday Luxe?! It can be interpreted many different ways, I think depending on your lifestyle and your profession, too. In my opinion it’s pieces that are timeless, well-made and classic! Take a pair of leopard flats for example. I have always owned a pair of nice (not cheap) leopard flats. This new Sam Edelman calf-hair pair replaced by White House Black Market ones. I also think every woman needs a nice neutral knit dress and this cable-knit Zara dress is the one. Ditto on a beautiful blazer: go for a black, or another neutral color; think of a classic pattern like herringbone or glen plaid print which are classy and timeless.”

Julie

Julie - Fashion Trends and Friends and Instagram FashionTandF -  “Everyday Luxe for me is taking an average relatively plain item like a t-shirt, a jean jacket, a pair of sweatpants but knocking it up a level or two by adding elements of interest like rhinestones, sequins or glitter!”

Gwen

Gwen - Gwen Lives Well and Instagram - GwenLivesWell - “Everyday luxe to me means adding a little something that changes the whole feel of an outfit and my mood. And for me, that’s shoes! Just by picking a pair of fab shoes, my mood brightens, my step is livelier, and my outfit is elevated.”

And Me!

Amy - Amy’s Creative Pursuits - For me, Everyday Luxe is something you would wear at home or for a casual outing that is comfortable yet has some small luxurious elements to make you feel confident and beautiful.

Have A Great Day! Amy

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Fun At Wonder Tree Farm

This week's travel post is part of a travel series of our visit to see our grandchildren in Carmel, Indiana.  If you want to start at the beginning, go HERE. Other posts in chronological order are HERE,  HERE, HERE, HERE,  HERE,  HERE, and HERE!

Visiting farms is a fun educational way to teach children where their food comes from.  While visiting our kids in Carmel, Indiana last fall, one of the things we did was take the grandchildren to a local farm.  It's pretty funny since my husband and I already live in a farming community and the children could visit a farm anytime when they are visiting us...but we did it anyway!

The farm we visited was Wonder Tree Farm in Zionsville, Indiana.  It is a working farm that is open to the public on Farm Days, and they have an on-farm market where you can purchase some of their products and visit with some of their animals.  

Their market offers locally raised pastured meats, farm fresh eggs, raw dairy, and local honey.

Right when you walk through the barn doors, there are many animals ready to greet you.  They were all pretty friendly too, with the exception of one grumpy old billy goat who can you meet in the video at the end of this post. 😀

Of course, my favorite animals of them all were all the kittens!  My oh my, the barn was filled with the most beautiful, adorable kittens!  I wanted to take them all home with me.

Alethea and Atticus both love kitties too.  Just look at the smile on her face!  

Horses and goats were ready to greet us as we entered the barn.  They did not mind being petted at all and seemed to really like the attention.

Is this not the most adorable photo ever?  It's as if the farmer put the kitty here on purpose just for a great advertisement, but he assured me he did not.  The kitty really picked this spot for a nap.

Did you know chickens love watermelon?  I sure didn't.  The farmer got everyone's attention and told us to watch as he threw a watermelon on the ground.  All the chickens came running over and they ate that watermelon as fast as you could blink your eye!

A modest chicken coup can be seen in the distance.  Looks like the donkeys are enjoying the tall grass too.

Some cute ducks.  I've sure been enjoying seeing the ducks come back this spring, have you?

And this baby goat was my absolute favorite.  He was so cute.  He kept trying so hard to get some food, but the bigger goats, especially the big old mean billy goat, would push him out of the way.  Eventually my husband and I figured out a strategy but you will have to watch the video to find out what that was.

You can buy a cup of feed to feed the animals.  They seemed to really appreciate it.

Before we headed home, I had to stop and check out the kitties one more time.  I was amazed the kittens left the chickens alone.  My Jackson would have had one for lunch. 😂

They sure all loved curling up in the hay to nap!

Finally, I have to sneak a picture in here of Atticus with his grandpa.  He wasn't walking yet and was in the stroller the whole time so he didn't get as many pictures taken as Alethea did.

And now the long-awaited video.  This baby goat is so cute, you don't want to miss it!

Have A Great Day!  Amy

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February Bible Journaling Pages

Once a month I like to share my Bible Journaling Pages and what God has been teaching me.  In the month of February I finished the books of Jeremiah and  Lamentations,   Because I have been working on renovating my bathroom, I didn't have a whole lot of time to create my own pages so I basically just read the Bible and colored in the pre-printed images already in the "Inspire Bible" (available on Amazon). 

 

Unless otherwise stated, all the images are colored in with either gel pens or colored pencils.  I tend to color larger areas with pencils then get the more intricate spots with pens.  I high light my Bible with gel highlighters, and I usually use gelatos or  craft paint for my backgrounds

My first page picks up where I left off in Jeremiah in last month's Bible Journaling post.  This page is significant because "lord of heaven's armies' is used 82 times in the book of Jeremiah.  One of the best Bible Studies I have ever taken in my life was on the Names of God:  what they mean and why they are important.  I memorized all the names of God and their meanings and now, years later, whenever I see them pop up in the Bible I always highlight them, for I understand their significance!  Needless to say, I underlined "Lord of Heaven's Armies" a lot in the book of Jeremiah.

"Lord of Heaven's Armies" describes God's might, His authority, His victory, and His purpose for His children.  God is a warrior for His children.  We are not left helpless in this world. He is fighting for us.

Ah, Jeremiah 29:11, one of mine, and perhaps every other Christian's favorite Bible verse.  It is always so reassuring to bring this verse to mind when going through a difficult time. What I found most interesting when reading this chapter was that God told His people this BEFORE they were going to be taken into captivity by the Babylonians.  God knew the horrible things that were about to happen, but He still said he had "plans for good."  I think a lot of people read this verse out of context.  They interpret it as if all they will experience in life is good things.  This verse was given to the people of Israel to help get through difficult times...to give them hope,  and we can use it for ourselves today when we go through hard times.

This is another beautiful promise from God to the Israelites, but also for us today.  Chapter 31 is all about the Hope of Restoration:  when all of Israel will be home again,  and live together in peace and happiness. We will rest from all the problems of this world, and our sorrow will be turned into joy.  I can't wait for that day!

I love this verse.  It is a great reminder of how powerful our God is.  I really love the sentence that comes before it too:  "I am the Lord, the God of all the people's of the world".  He is everyone's God, even if they don't acknowledge Him.

Mercy is one of the Lord's many attributes.  In chapter 39 God has mercy on Ebed-melech and said "Because you trusted me,...I will rescue you and keep you safe".  God has mercy on us, when we come to Him and put our trust in Him to save us.

God's name is great.  In verse 26 of Chapter 44 God Himself says "I have sworn by my GREAT NAME".  We are to call on His great name, worship His name, fear His name, and glorify His name.

Jeremiah was a long book,  as much as I enjoyed it, I was relieved to reach its end and move on to a new book.  Here is the cover page of the book of Lamentations.

Lamentations is a short, but powerful book for it expresses the grief (it laments) over the suffering of the fall of Jerusalem.

What a beautiful verse this is.  God wants us to pour our hearts to Him...to "rise during the night and cry out" to Him,  and to lift our hands to Him in prayer.

God rewards those who depend and search for Him.  

I thought this "sign post" image was the perfect image to end the book of Lamentations.  The Israelites were still in captivity, waiting to be rescued and returned to their homeland.  They were longing to be restored into a right relationship with God once again.  

Have A Great Day!  Amy

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