March Budget

Target got all of my money in March, I can't even lie.  I bought all you see here in the first two weeks of March.  The last two weeks, I didn't buy anything.  I was too sick (and then, the kiddo) to even care about my wardrobe for the last two weeks. I am hoping April is better and I can really start getting my wardrobe amped up for Spring and Summer.



What I Bought:
1.  Black and Blue Maxi Skirts (Target $17.99 ea.) 
2.  Coral and White Striped Maxi (Target $17.99)
4.  Leopard Heels (Target $14.98 ***CLEARANCE***)
5.  Leopard Skinny Belt (Target $5.08 ***CLEARANCE*** )
6.  Wide Brown Belt (Target  $3.55 ***CLEARANCE***)

Budget Breakdown:
$62.66 (Online Target Order) + $41.32 (Target Store Purchase) = $121.97
$150.00 Budget - $121.97 = $28.03 Left


Overall, I am pleased with what I bought.  I want to make a note that the two belts above were on clearance at my local store.  I know the link is listing them online at full price-I have no idea why.  Anyone know how Target works?  Ha!

There are a few things in my head to purchase for April, one of those being a chambray shirt.  I want one.  Very badly.  I keep seeing them styled all over Pinterest and it's making me long for my own.  I'm also going to purchase a new pair of black flats.  I am ashamed of the condition mine are in.  Ugh.  They are so bad.  So, those are two for sure things I am looking for this month.  I can't wait to see what else I can come up with!

This post is linked up with Franish and the rest of the Budgeting Bloggers!





5 Key Pieces for Spring: Harem Pants

I am finally getting around to writing this post!  This week has been horrible!  It started out with me having a sore throat on Sunday morning and progressively getting worse until Wednesday morning when I could breathe through my nose again.  Then, L got sick.  She woke up Wednesday morning with that horrible barking cough that usually means croup.  This time, though, it's an upper respiratory infection.  She seems to be on the mend and now The Hubbs is feeling puny!  Lord help this mama!

So, anyway, here I am to write this post for you all and then I will go back to swigging Robitussin every four hours for this horrendous cough and spraying Lysol over every surface of my house.  The cat's are going to be pissed.

Today's key piece is something that you probably won't see me in.  I'm just not one for pants unless they are wide-legged, black, dress pants.  Seriously.  I call those my "teacher pants."  Express used to make an Editor pant (anyone else remember that?) that I just adored.  I wore them all the time when I taught.  They were so comfortable.  Anyway, I digress...(It's the Robitussin...)

The key piece that InStyle says is one to have in your closet for Spring is the Harem Pant.  Yes, yes....the Harem. Pant.

Lemme just show you....

choice 1 || choice 2
They don't look bad, I just don't think they would do much for me and my curves. The tapered legs turn me off big time.  However, as I was searching around for harem pants, I did find that they can be styled casually, dressed up for work, and dressed up more for evening.  So, they are a pretty versatile pant and would be a great closet staple, if you can pull them off.

I took the liberty of pinning several ideas to my Fashion: Style Ideas board on Pinterest for you guys to look through.  You will find a lot of stuff on there!  If you like what you see, well then just, follow me! :)








That's all for today!  If you haven't liked the new Facebook page yet, you need to do that now!  The widget on the right hand side of the blog has been updated or you can just click here and then click "LIKE"!  Thanks guys!  Have a great weekend and see you next week!  Oh, and remember!  If you like what you see, please share it with your friends!  Share, tweet, and pin to your hearts content! :)

This post is linked up at:
#FashionFriday

An L&L Facebook Update

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This is just a very quick post to notify my readers that the A Plethora of Ponderings Facebook page will be shutting down on Saturday, the 31st.  If you wish to follow me over on my new page, you can do so here:


Eventually I will update the widget on the right hand side of the blog, for now just follow the link above and click the 'ole "Like" button and make sure you are receiving notifications from the new page!  I don't want you guys to miss out on anything! 

Okay, I believe that is all for now!  Hopefully I will be back tomorrow with a more substantial post! 

Take care!



New Design + Focus

Hello everyone! Welcome to my new blog, Life & Leopard!  Soooo.....how do you like the new look?  Take a minute to browse around and get a feel for the new look.  You are going to notice that some links are dead links-I know and I'm sorry! I am still trying to get things transitioned over to the new blog address, so bear with me on that.  Hopefully I can have that all taken care of by the end of the week!

First off, I want to give a HUGE shout out to Jessica Lynn from Creations by Jessica Lynn.  She is the one that did this whole entire layout for me.  Her process was super easy and she's a dream to work with.  She was even nice enough to offer a coupon code for all my readers who may be in the market for a new blog design, social media buttons, or even some handmade goodies from her shop!  Go on over and check her shop out and if you see something you like, she is offering 10% off using the coupon code LifenLeo until April 23!  So, go check out her shop and get you a little discount!

Secondly, this space is now more of a lifestyle blog where I will jabber on about finding my style again, the kiddo, how I get my craft on sometimes, and how I go through phases where I think I'm a goddess in the kitchen.  As for more of my introspective writing, that is all going to be done here.  (I know, it's a little dead over there right now, but that is my next project to tackle.)

Lastly, you all have been really patient and I thank you for it.  I am still in the process of changing social media over so please be sure you are following me, in some way, other than Facebook.  I will be shutting down the current Facebook page and opening up a new one.  I realize I have almost 600 likes on there, but I don't know how many of them are actually genuine, if you know what I am saying.  As bloggers, we get sucked into these link ups and giveaways and we go through and like all these blog pages on Facebook and then half the time, we don't even look at the page again.  It's kind of silly.  Besides, I would rather have 75 interactive Facebook fans than 7500 silent ones.  :)  I'm not about numbers.  I'm about having fun!

And that's all I got for you today!  This week I am looking at posting another spring must-have for your wardrobe post, so be looking for that!  I am currently in the throes of a sinus infection, so I am not going to promise anything else this week.  That way, you'll be surprised. :)  Have a great week guys!

5 Key Pieces for Spring Series: Striped Dress

Last week I started this short series in hopes to give my readers a more budget-friendly approach to looking stylish.  I know how I feel when I see something I like in a magazine, only to be completely disappointed by the price tag.  I have always searched out budget pieces, but to those who may have to cut back a little bit or are starting over again wardrobe wise (like me)-this is definitely a series that is for you.

Last week, we talked about denim jackets  and today we are going to talk about something that is most certainly a many seasons piece.  You can't go wrong owning this one.  Dressed up or dressed down, it's the perfect closet staple in general and it just so happens to be hot for the spring time too!  Bonus!

I happen to have a striped dress in my closet.  I bought it last summer on a whim and it hid in my closet all fall and winter.  I pulled it out when I was doing my closet purge and realized I knew how to wear this dress now and I shouldn't hide it. 

Here's a couple of outfit inspirations around the striped dress:


The Red Lady



The Monday Blues




I also just had the crazy idea that you could probably wear a denim jacket with a striped dress and throw on a pair of Chuck's in a fun color with accessories to match.  Ooo, my wheels are turning now!

Tip: I used to freak out about stripes, but then I discovered that different kinds of stripes look
different on everyone.  So, I started trying to find what kind of stripe works best for my body shape and I discovered that once I found the right kind,  I loved stripes!  My body shape is slightly curvy (ya'll...I got hips...) so a small to medium black stripe works best for me.  I'm short (5'1") so a vertical stripe works best.  Don't be afraid to try on 15 striped dresses until you find one that makes you go, "Alright....this is not so bad..." 

As a side note before I sign off, I am hoping to start doing more outfit posts now that the weather is starting to break a bit.  I have purchases and new outfits I need to show you guys! So, be on the lookout for those!

Next week, we are going to see a piece that may not be for everyone, but that could be fun on the right person.  I am not totally sure how I feel about this piece, but I'm going to do a little research and see what I can come up with. :)  Until next time! 

This post is linked up with Random Wednesday




Literary Junkies: March Edition

Pink Heels Pink Truck
Hello Fellow Book Lovers! It's the 3rd Tuesday of the month...Literary Junkies Link Party Day!! And Literary Junkies Book Club Twitter party (tonight at 7pm CST). A time where all our fellow book lovers get together and share our love and joy of books!

Grab our button, grab the questions below, write your post and link up with us!!





LITERARY JUNKIES HOSTED BY LIFE WITH A SIDE OF COFFEE AND PINK HEELS PINK TRUCK

YOUR MARCH CO-HOST: SARA FROM A PLETHORA OF PONDERINGS
 



And now it's time for the questions!  

1.  What are you reading right now?  Tell us about it!
I'm not currently reading anything right now because I have been so busy with the blog re-brand...and potty training a toddler....
2.  What was your favorite series to read when you were a kid? 
The Little House on the Prairie series.  I adored those books.  My aunt got me hooked on them (she also did that with the Nancy Drew series) and those books transported me.  That series is what really got me into reading. 
3.  The world is ending: What 3 books do you save from your collection in hopes to contribute to whatever new society forms?
This was one of the questions I made up for today's link up and I always wonder this about other book lovers.  (If you have read Fahrenheit 451, then you know where I'm coming from when I ask this. If you haven't, go...read it now.) Anyway, my three books would be: Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales & Poems, The Norton Anthology of Western Literature, and Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. 
4.  What is your favorite genre to read? Why?
I will read anything as long as it isn't those mass produced Harlequin Romance type of books.  Those are just not for me. 
5.  If you wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?
Shadow Girl
6.  What is next on your "to read" list?  Tell us about it!
My mom brought me a book recently that was written by the actor that plays Kurt (Chris Colfer) on the show Glee.  It's called The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell and I'm pretty excited to read it.  Mom said it was pretty good, so I'm going to give it a whirl. Here's the Goodreads synopsis: 


Alex and Conner Bailey's world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairy tales. 

"The Land of Stories" tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about. 
But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought.

Like I said, I will read anything as long as it isn't Harlequin Romance stuff. :) 


And that's it for this month!  If you want to participate in our link up, write a post up answering the questions provided and link up!  I love going around and seeing what everyone is reading and how they answered the monthly questions.  It's a lot of fun and you can wind up adding new books to your "to read" list! :) 









Mint for Spring

Happy Monday and a happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!  I thought since today was all about green anyway, I thought I may show you that you can wear green even after St. Patty's Day is over!  Yep, that's right, mint is a big color for Spring this year.  I do love the occasional pastel in my wardrobe and this color just happens to be one of my "go-to pastels".

I found a lot of pretty things when I was doing my research and I think I may have to purchase the pretty lace button up.  I don't know-we shall have to see.

pants || necklace || lace blouse
skirt || purse || lace tee
I know I have been really sporadic with posting lately, and when there is one, they are a bit different than what you are used to seeing.  There is so much behind the scenes work going on right now.  You guys would flip if you saw my blog planner and my to-do lists.  The new layout for this space is still being created, I'm trying to set up the other blog for my personal writing, and a lot of other little things that need to be done for the re-brand to take place.  That's just in the blog world.  In my real life, we have been going to birthday parties, gearing up for a six hour car ride with a toddler at the beginning of April, and potty training.  I'm just swamped.

I will be back tomorrow for my monthly Literary Junkies post (which I am actually co-hosting this month!) and I have two other posts planned for this week.  It's going to be a full week of blogging here, so please be sure to check in!  I'm getting really frustrated with Facebook as of late-no one is seeing my posts.  I have tried everything!  I don't know what else to do! So, if you are following me on Facebook, you may want to follow me on Twitter or Google+ too so you don't miss anything. You can also subscribe by email at the very top of the blog on the right hand side, above my picture.  Just enter your email address and you should get an email every time I publish a new post.  

Okay, I think that is all for today.  I will see you all tomorrow and thank you for being so patient and supportive.  I love ya for it! 

This post is linked up at Trend Spin

5 Key Pieces for Spring Series: Denim Jacket


A couple of weeks ago, I sat down one evening to flip through my March 2014 InStyle and I found a really cool article on the five key pieces you should have in your wardrobe for Spring.  I was really excited about some of the pieces-until I saw the price tag on them.  (Who spends $400 on a denim jacket?)  I said, "Oh no, I can create these looks for way less than that!"

And this series was born.

Over the next five weeks, I'll be showing you five key pieces for your Spring wardrobe, a couple of outfit inspirations, and some budget versions of the key piece.  Sound good?  Great!  Let's get started with this weeks key piece!

I actually happen to have this key piece in my closet and I am so glad I do!  I have worn it in this post here and am really excited to wear it this Spring.  A denim jacket works great for me because I am usually chilly wherever I go.  Fashionable and warm!?  Sign me up!

Here's a couple of different ways you can wear a denim jacket and I am definitely going to be trying these two looks out! 
Casual Leopard


Turquoise Dream

I'm pretty excited about the rest of the key pieces.  Next week is a really versatile piece that could be worn for more seasons than just Spring.  See ya next week!

This post is linked up at:
Trend Spin Link Up



Saying Goodbye: A Lesson in Self-Worth

At the beginning of this year, I decided that one of my goals for 2014 was to feel better.  I wanted to have more energy, a better frame of mind, and I wanted to feel good in my own skin.  I didn't realize what I was unlocking within myself when I set that goal.  This goal of mine has actually opened my eyes to a lot of things and has helped me to start undoing some of the things that I believed to be true.  

I have a little story...

Saturday I was kid-free, and after I did my grocery shopping and the unloading, I decided I would head out to a couple of stores to see if I could find a pair of jeans for myself.  If you have been a reader for very long, you know about my struggles with jeans.  I wasn't exactly looking forward to this, but the one pair of jeans I already owned had gotten too big, and I like having at least one or two pair in my wardrobe.

Kohl's didn't have crap, so I went to Target.  I stood looking at the jean wall and decided to grab a pair of 12s (my current size) and a pair of 10s (a size I hadn't been in almost two years) and I headed off to the fitting room.  

The 12s were as big as the ones at home, so I removed them and stood staring at myself in the mirror for a bit, thinking there is no way in hell those 10s are going to fit me.  However, I wasn't going home without a pair of jeans, so I grabbed them and pulled them on.

They slid up over my thighs and hips without a problem.

I buttoned them.

I zipped them.

And I could breathe.

There I was, for the first time in two years, in a pair of size 10 jeans.

I think I may have scared the little teenagers trying on their bikinis the way I shrieked and did a Snoopy happy dance all over that little dressing room in my size 10 jeans that made my ass look like a million bucks, but I didn't care.  After my celebration dance, I changed back into my clothes and headed for the check out.

My mind was racing on the drive home.  I couldn't believe that I had actually did it.  I had manged to do something that I never thought was possible again.

And then it hit me:

When I let go of the number on the scale and started making better choices about how much and when I eat (not so much what I eat-because I still love my junk food), and just trying to be more active-it all seemed less daunting.  I still haven't weighed myself and I don't care what it says-I feel better and I will no longer allow a number on a scale to define how I feel about myself.

I have stretch marks, a flabby tummy, and my hips are wider than they used to be, but it's my body and it can do amazing things without being a size 6 and weighing 120 pounds.  It wrangles a toddler, it cleans our home, it cooks meals to feed my family, and it surrounds and protects my unique heart and soul.  

It doesn't matter how much we weigh or the size of our jeans or even how much flab we have on our bodies. Those things don't define you as an individual.  They never have and they never will.

You will not be remembered at the end of your life by the number on the scale or the size tag in your jeans.  Your going to be remembered by what your body protects: your heart and soul.

Linked up at:
Motivation Monday via A Life in Balance
Mommy Monday Blog Hop via Squishybaby

Style on a Budget: February

Happy March everyone! As I write this, we are awaiting yet another polar vortex to come crashing into our state and freezing everything for a good portion of the week.  Yay.  I'm so over this. I'm just...so over it.

Anyway, despite the crappy weather, I am here today to talk about clothes!  (Everybody say YAY!) I have a new thing I'm starting on the blog and I have waited a whole entire month to write this post.  I'm nearly bursting at the seams here!

 I caught a post a couple of months ago from Marissa over at The Modern Austen and it caused a very large light bulb to go off in my head. Marissa does a post at the end of each month documenting her clothing purchases for that month. She has a budget, she breaks down what each piece cost, and how much she spent overall for the month.  Genuis!  Then, she takes her post and she heads on over to see Franziska from Franish and links it up with the rest of the bloggers who do the same thing!  Double genius!  They call it budgeting bloggers!

All of these findings got me thinking about when I purged most of my wardrobe and was left with virtually nothing.  Ah, see, now it's all starting to come together as to why you haven't seen a style post from me in a while, right?

I talked to The Hubbs and he agreed on a monthly budget for clothing for me.  I kicked off February with my clothing budget and spent half the month figuring out what to buy.  Ha! Next month won't be like that-I already have ideas! :) 

I kept it simple this month because I really needed to get some basics (and by that I mean I bought socks and sports bras...I'm not joking.) I was testing the waters a bit, but I knew there were pieces that I needed to replace in my wardrobe that were important i.e. socks and sports bras. 

Enough of this chatter!  Gah!  Here are my February purchases!



Breakdown: 
(Not pictured...because...really...) 
Package of your basic, run of the mill, no show socks $6.00
3 pack of your basic, run of the mill, sports bras $7.00

Budget for February: $100.00
Total Spent: $77.48 
Leftover: $22.52 (Which I turned around and spent on the kiddo.  She was in need of some new pants and shirts because she won't. stop. growing.) 

I think I did okay this month.  I needed those plain crew neck tees.  I purchased a blue one that I wore here and a black/white striped one (worn here) over the summer and loved the quality so much, I knew I wanted more.  They are thick and they don't loose their shape after washing.  However, they do shrink at least one whole size, so, order up! I ordered a large and it looks massive out of the bag, but once you wash them, they are, well, the perfect tee. :) 

I splurged on the clutches.  I am tired of carrying my big 'ole bag with me when it's just The Hubbs and I.  If we don't have the kiddo there isn't really a need for it. These clutches will work well for date nights and, every lady needs at least a black clutch, amIright? 

The scarf, flips (or flops...I use them interchangeably), and the random v-neck tee were all, "Oh hey, I like those, lemmebuythemnow" purchases.  Every year I purchase black and white flips from Old Navy.  (I've done it since college.  You can't change me.) While I am sad that they changed them, they still work okay.  It just takes longer to break them in.  Meh. The scarf I just couldn't pass up.  I totally have an outfit in mind that uses that scarf and I can't wait to show you guys.  I have caught myself just randomly putting the scarf on throughout the day.  Just wearing it makes me happy.  That's a good scarf, ya'll. 

Okay!  I'm done!  Geez, I'm so sorry!  Next month won't be near as long!  If you have actually made it this far, you are awesome.  I love you.  Bless you.  

Have a great week guys! I will see you later this week!  I have a couple of other posts planned for your entertainment! 




This post is liked up with Franish and the rest of the Budgeting Bloggers. 








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