Friday, April 12, 2013

Getting Organized With Stylebook

     Do you ever feel like you have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear? Have you ever purchased a black tank top, only to get home and realize you already have three of them? Do you ever find really cute shoes in the store, but just can't remember what you already have that you can wear with them? This happens to me over and over...for more than three decades!
     I've recently found a tool that is helping me stop the madness. Stylebook is an app for the iPhone that allows me to take pictures of my clothes and accessories, then organize them into meaningful categories. This is helping me not only clean out my closet, but now I know exactly what's in my closet. When I go to Ann Taylor and see a cute pair of white jeans, I can look on my phone to see what I have in my closet to wear with them.
     I can shop for items on my phone and save the picture/information to a list, which will help me get what I need and not spend so much on spur of the moment purchases. Wow...thats a win-win situation for me!
     I can also keep track of what I wear, so I can figure out what really works for me and what is just taking up valuable space in my closet.
     It takes a bit of time to take all the pictures...I'm still working on it, but it's worth the time. There are plenty of helpful videos on the website, and the cost of the app is just a few dollars.
     Below is a picture of a  'Look' I saved with the app.
     I took the pictures of the jacket, tank and bracelet myself. I had a hard time getting a good picture of the jeans, so I took the picture from the Ann Taylor site with the app. I also took the picture of my cute Sperry's from the internet.
     I'm well on my way to having an organized closet and spending my clothing dollars a bit more wisely. I'm not sure it means I won't spend as much money, but maybe I'll have a better wardrobe.
     I'm up to the challenge. How about you? Is your closet organized? If so, what is your strategy?

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

What a Difference a Day Makes

     Over the last week I've been enjoying all the blog posts showing spring flowers, and patiently waiting for mine to start blooming. Yesterday it was a sunny 79 degrees here in Oklahoma, and a few of my tulips opened up. I was so excited I grabbed my phone and took a picture...

     What a difference a day makes! Today it's 30 degrees and we're getting freezing rain. My delicate tulips are frozen to the ground.
 
     Here in Oklahoma we have severe and sudden weather changes, but this is a little ridiculous. Come on, Mr. Sun!!! I sure do appreciate all of you who are posting pictures of spring flowers!

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

The Perfect Travel Purse

     When traveling, I like to carry a lightweight purse so I'm not bogged down. It needs to be a crossbody bag, so I can throw it on and forget about it. A crossbody bag feels secure...if a theif wants to snatch it from me he/she will have to really work for it. I just purchased a Coach legacy signature swingpack.
 
      I have one of these in tan and red, so I know it's the perfect travel bag for me. It has an adjustable strap, so I can choose whether or not to wear it as a crossbody bag. This bag measures 7 1/2" X 8 1/2" and has two outside pockets. It's the perfect size to carry my wallet, lipgloss, comb, iPhone and a few other small things such as a camera. Everything is zipped and secure. The two outside pockets are great for carrying maps and museum pamphlets.
 
What do you carry when you travel?


Sunday, April 7, 2013

Feels Like Home in Paris

We're off to Paris for two weeks in May. We've be living in this apartment in Montmartre.
It comes with a Mac with WIFI, 50% off on a cooking class at Cook'n With Class cooking school and the use of an iPhone loaded with helpful apps and free calls to the US.
 

 
 
Doesn't it look too CUTE?!!
 
Source: Images


Thursday, April 4, 2013

Favorite Vacation Tech Gadget

     I’m always looking for the best tech gadget to take on vacation. I need something that gives me access to the internet, allows me to journal my trip each day and has enough storage to hold all the pictures I download daily. My latest solution is the iPad.
     I use a white 16 GB iPad with Wi-Fi, but no cellular. I added an app that allows me to journal my vacation. The iPad has enough space to hold two weeks worth of vacation pictures and a nice size screen for viewing. I also added an Apple soft case, which protects the iPad nicely. I only use the iPad when I’m in my hotel room, so I don’t need to have the added expense of an iPad that requires a data plan. This machine is slim and lightweight, so it’s very easy to pack.
     When I’m not using it on vacation it gets plenty of use at home.

What's your favorite vacation tech gadget?

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

I Love My New Steamer!

     I really enjoy picking up my dry cleaning, because I don't have to iron my clothes. I wish I could afford to send everything to the dry cleaner, but that's not very practical.
     Recently I purchased a Rowenta IS6200 Steamer, and it seems to be helping my mood when it comes time to iron my clothes. The steamer heats quickly and the wrinkles just fade away. There's an attachment to make creases, so I can still put a nice crease in my jeans without using an iron. I think the steamer is easier on fabric than an iron, because the steamer never actually touches the fabric.

     It took me a little time to get the hang of using the steamer, but short of having someone else do my ironing, the steamer is my new friend.

Source: Image

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

New Shoes

     Last spring I discovered Sperry Top-Sider shoes. I bought a pair to wear with jeans and capris, but did not realize I would want to wear them every single day. They are made well and have good arch support. They're so comfortable I can wear them all day, even if I am doing a lot of walking.
     I had a hard time choosing a new pair for this spring, because there are so many styles and colors. I finally chose the Angelfish Slip-on Boat Shoe in navy.
     Aren't they cute?

Source: Image

Monday, April 1, 2013

April Fool's Day

Real friends are those who, when you feel you’ve made a fool of yourself, don’t feel you’ve done a permanent job. ~Unknown author
 
Source: Image