Bridal Shower Flowers

Just in case you didn't know, I'm kind of a master bridesmaid. Let's see... I've been a bridesmaid 6 or 7 times and a maid of honor (okay, matron...) one of those times. I think I've mastered some of the skills you need to become a master bridesmaid and one of them is creating a tail kicking bow bouquet. At the bridal shower, one of the bridesmaids uses a paper plate and all of the gift bows to create a bouquet that the bride will use as her stand-in on the night of the wedding rehearsal. Have you seen a better one?

Hey, Jen, please don't kill me for putting you on the blog. I love you! You're the most beautiful bride and I'm sooooo excited to watch you become a Mrs. in less than 2 months!

Jen has been one of my best friends since we were 13! Or maybe it was 14, but I'm pretty sure it was 13. Okay, 8th grade. That makes it a hell of a lot easier. She was a bridesmaid in my wedding (almost five years ago!) and I'm so happy she asked me to stand beside her while she marries the man of her dreams in September! Most of you know that I traveled up to Virginia to visit my parents last week. The main reason of the trip was to get to Jen's shower! I elongated the vacay, of course, to spend time with family! Bridal showers are tricky business when you don't know the crowd, so I had to choose pretty safe attire. I kept it classic and comfortable, but tossed in some color so I could express myself a bit!

dress: Simply Vera*Vera Wang via Kohl's

belt: New York & Company

shoes: Bandolino via Ross, gifted by Rochelle

This little photo shoot was courtesy of my little brother and took place on my parents' deck. I asked him to take interesting pictures and look around for good background opportunities. His idea? Blow Little S' bubbles. Done.

To keep everyone safe and private, I won't name names! But here's Jen (oops, hey name dropper) and some of her bridesmaids (and that amazing bow bouquet).

What are some wedding traditions you love?

Accidental Perfect Purple

So, remember that skirt I was talking about, this morning? 

Oops. I hemmed it too short for a work event.

So I had to get something professional, purple, and STAT.

Kohl's never disappoints!

The rain, however, ruined my outdoor photo plans.

 dress: APT 9 for Kohl's

belt: New York & Company

shoes: Bandolino via Ross, gifted by Rochelle

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the Mommas out there!

I'm headed to graduation, then to the BEACH!

Intense Adoration: 4.30.11 Inspirational Blogger Outfits

For this week's Intense Adoration, I'm doing something a little bit differently. I ran across a few outfits to file away in my inspiration folder, this week. And instead of sharing food or products with you, I really wanted to share five outfits that I'm totally digging and hope to recreate!

Andrea: Peanut Butter Handprint

Bee: Atlantic-Pacific

Kendi: Kendi Everyday

 Rochelle: Rochelle Approved

Maegan: ... love Maegan

Any outfits you might file away for later inspiration?

Have a wonderful weekend!

It's the Thought that Counts

I have to tell you the truth.

I'm not really wearing this.

But I was... I got dressed this morning, took Little S. to daycare, and then, on my way to work, something bad happened. I had some severe cramping that turned into a sharp pain in my chest. 

I had to pull over... 

And then I called my husband, boss, and doctor. In that order.

Then I called my dad.

I had an EKG and it came back fine. My blood pressure was skyrocketed. I don't know if it was high from the cramping I had or from freaking out about it- probably a combination of both.

Long story short- they're sending off some blood to do a bunch of testing, I have severe anxiety still, and I'm taking the remainder of the day off to rest and re-evaluate some things. Doctor's orders. Promise.

In theory, it was going to be a very pink and green, southern prep, cute day.

And now, I'm in my Old Navy grey jersey pants, yellow ribbed tank, and turquoise sweatshirt. 

Here's to you, Old Navy, for providing the best lounge clothes, ever.

satin and chiffon blush top: H&M

green, yellow, and pink tweed skirt: Thrifted

nude wedge sandals: Target

necklace: Banana Republic, gifted by ML

bracelet: gifted by Rochelle

It's the thought that counts, anyway, right?

I'm not tweeting or reading blogs 'til later tonight or this weekend. I haven't watched the royal wedding, yet, and I don't want it to be spoiled! Hope you all understand.

Now, I'm crawling into my bed with some hot tea and my laptop.

It's writing time. 

Hope you all have a nice Friday and weekend!

How Much is Too Much?

If you know me, you know the answer to the title question is that when it comes to color, I don't really think there is a "too much" zone. Okay, I guess I don't want to look like the product of rainbow vomit, but really, I like to mix it up. Kind of a lot. So, I featured these tights last week, on We Love Colors Wednesday, and then, I did a Ways to Wear Guest Post for Rochelle on Friday. This was one of the outfits I posted and I got quite a few compliments on it, via email. I decided to go ahead and give it a go. What do you all think? Too much for the work place? Remember that I don't have a strict dress code. And remember people have come to expect even more quirk from me than this little ol' outfit.

Really, when it comes to color, how much do you think is too much?

fuchsia blouse: Walmart, thrifted, from Rochelle!

grey dress shorts: New York & Company (tags still in.. can't decide)

scout green tights: c/o We Love Colors

shoes: Nine West, handed down from Whitney

necklace: The Body Shop

belt: New York & Company

p.s.- What do you think about the bangs to the side?

p.p.s.- Husband, I love you for making my legs look thin and my whole self look much, much taller than 4'11". Note to readers: These photos are total eye tricks. I have cottage cheese thighs. Even in tights.

Husband + Camera = visual miracles.

I hope everyone had a really nice Easter (and if you don't celebrate, I hope you had a great weekend)! We really enjoyed the time off of work and away from North Carolina. Friday, Husband worked on the car all day and Little S. and I rode around, looking at the tornado damage. It was devastating, but kind of awesome to see how neighbors were all rallying together to clean up the debris and make repairs. I cried. A lot. And then I prayed, thanking God that Husband's parents (a mere mile from where the tornado took down trees, houses and power lines) were safe and unscathed. Saturday, we took Little S. to the in-laws' church for an egg hunt. Because we weren't members, the munchkin didn't seem to get the same treatment as the rest of the kiddos. For instance, parents weren't allowed in the egg patch, so the church volunteers were leading the 1-4 year olds around to find eggs. No one knew S, so she was left in the dust. I hopped in to point some things out to her and was promptly yelled at. Don't worry, though. She found 14 goodies AND won a prize basket. Take that. Easter Sunday was the most fun. We woke up to amazing baskets from the Easter Bunny. Little S. got a beautiful wooden doll cradle, crafted by the Amish. She also got coloring books, reading books, the movie "Tangled," some adorable Spring outfits, and way too much candy. Husband and I shared a basket, mostly comprised of goodies from Harry & David (sesame garlic tortilla chips, pineapple salsa, moose munch, and Cold Stone flavored Jelly Bellies)! We each got a gift card, as well. Mine is to Kohl's, so I'm hoping to snag one of Lauren Conrad's new floral dresses before I make a surprise visit this weekend. After getting ready on Sunday, we headed to the Virginia zoo, where S was amazed by every single animal. She also only had ONE (count that, again) wet diaper ALL DAY. I was so proud. 

I was a good Momma and put sunscreen on Little S' sweet skin 4 times while at the zoo. I only put it on myself once. 

Sun: 1

Kimberly: 0

It's on.

Only two more days to enter the

Doe Run Jewelry Giveaway!

Guys, you get a CHOICE of which item you want to win.

Hello... DON'T miss out! Get your tushie over there, now!

*****

And don't forget to go enter the Biggest Giveaway EVER with Jackie Ranson Photography!

Today's the last day!

*****

One more! You have just 'til the end of this week to enter Heather's 100 Follower Giveaway over at Blonde... Undercover Blonde! DO IT!

And Today, You'll Find Me...

... standing in for my dear friend, Rochelle, as she moves from the US to Japan.

If you'd like to read more about the three ways I styled my We Love Colors Scout Green tights, 

JUMP over to Rochelle Approved!

And if you have yet to check out my Doe Run Jewelry giveaway,

get your adorable tushie over there, now!

And OH.MY.GOSH, my best friend, Jackie, of Jackie Ranson Photography, is having the Biggest Giveaway EVER, right now. There are 4 huge prize packages as well as 11 easy ways to win! You seriously do not want to miss it!!!

GO ENTER, NOW!

One more important order of bidness, today - If you have a fashionable post this Friday, go link up with Blonde Episodes for Fashion Friday!

Grab this little button, go leave your link and a comment, and VOILA!

We Love Colors Wednesday: Scout Green

It's my favorite day of the bleek, again! I love when this day happens. Although, it's going to be a sweltering 90 degrees, today. Let's so how much longer I can manage tights every Wednesday. You just wait. You'll be surprised how long I can last! (That's what she said.)

Today, I just HAD to wear this new dress that my MIL bought for me two weekends ago. We were in Target and she basically told me to pick one dress out and she'd get it for me! I reeaaallly wanted to get something from the Go International collection, but for as many times as I remix (not often enough), I didn't want to ask her to pay $40 for something. Then, I saw this beauty. I hardly own any red, so that was my first draw. Second, I remembered this post by Kendi and the little red, floral Target dress went in the basket.

I never claimed to be a talented self-photographer. Setting the camera on top of my grill and hoping for the best in my ill-lit back yard was probably not the greatest plan. But it's We Love Colors Wednesday! I couldn't wait for Husband to come home, tonight!

Ooolala, that dress is SHORT!

dress: Target

cardigan: Old Navy

scout green tights: c/o We Love Colors

heels: Bandolina, via Ross (gifted by Rochelle)

belt: Old Navy

earrings: New York & Company

 

I've checked my work email, had my coffee, and am about to send off a bunch of admissions packets. Hooray for a productive Wednesday morning! Even more hooray that Friday's a holiday and I'm FREE after 5:00, tomorrow. C'mon, Thursday!

Stay tuned for TWO surprises coming up tomorrow & Friday!

Also, have you checked out my AWESOME giveaway?

You'd better do it, now! 

A Royal Blue Disco Ball for SBS Awareness

You may have caught my tweets and facebook requests asking you to wear royal blue, today. Maybe you didn't, but I'm asking you, here! Please wear one item of clothing or accessory in the color ROYAL BLUE before the end of April and email your photo to my dear friend, Happyness Magnet, at stateofmyheart {at} gmail {dot} com.

April is Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness month and Happyness Magnet lost her 10-month-old daughter, Madilyne (Madi) when a licensed child care provider shook her to death. Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is very serious and much more common that we think or would like to admit. If you are a pregnant mother-to-be, I plead with you to watch the video about SBS when you are in the hospital. Your nurse will give you the option. I said, "No, thank you. I would never shake my baby." And thankfully, I knew better. But some people truly don't and some people let their emotions, sleeplessness, and frustration get the best of them, leading to a time when they don't even notice what harm can be done by hardly a shuffle.

Happyness Magnet is bringing SBS awareness to the surface, discussing the risks with families across the country. Since the passing of Madi, my friend has created Shaken Baby Support, which as grown from 100 to 5500 families strong in five years. She organizes yearly vigils or families who have suffered a loss due to SBS, and will be streaming this year's event LIVE on April 15, 7 p.m. ET. For your friends, family, and loved ones, I ask that you tune in.

 image via

This post is in NO WAY meant to scare you. It's meant to help spread awareness and prevention. In support, I ask that you post this blue ribbon, in memory of children lost to SBS, on your blog for the month of April. If you want to link back to Happyness Magnet's story to help support her journey to peace of heart and success in educating families and supporting those who have lost children, I know she would be so touched.

sequined dress: Charlotte Russe

grey ruffle cardigan: New York & Company

black pumps: Bandolina via Ross, birthday gifted by Rochelle

long crystal bead and chain necklace: Christmas gifted by ML

lucky horseshoe necklace: Birthday gifted by Jen in college!

blogger bun that's mega huge: Inspired by THIS post of Collette's

I've been *patiently* waiting for an appropriate time/event to wear this sequined stunner to work. As soon as I read Happyness Magnet's post, asking us to wear royal blue in support, I knew this was the number to help bring awareness. What better way to raise questions and get a chance to speak when people are asking me why the heck I'm wearing a disco ball to the office? I got to wear my favorite dress AND I'm raising awareness everywhere I go, today. 

Take THAT for a win-win!

 

Last night, Happyness Magnet caught one of my pins on Pinterest, via a tweet. She wanted to buy me a dress I've been coveting for weeks. I declined and declined and hesitated, as my tweet was a sarcastic remark, like most things that come out of my mouth. When she told me, "You'd better send me your address or I'm not sleeping, tonight!" I adhered. She told me she wanted to celebrate my motherhood. During the wee hours of the morning, I was forwarded a confirmation email from Forever 21, including FIVE items from such a giving lady. All I could think was, "I am blessed. I don't know what to say..." I realized that I gave my dinner leftovers to a homeless man on the corner of the two busiest streets in town last night. And this was Karma... the good kind. So, pay it forward, my friends. And stay tuned for Pay it Forward posts in the future. I hope you'll all join me, not only in supporting our friend, Happyness Magnet, and all of the families affected by SBS, but also by making this little world of ours a happier place because of random acts of kindness.

It sure does feel good.

So wear your royal blue this month and please send an outfit photo to

stateofmyheart {at} gmail {dot} com

before the end of April.

Photo submissions will be used in a Royal Blue Roundup to help bring awareness to the blogging community! 

Prim & Prismatic: Rochelle Approved

Readers, I am *SO* beyond all kinds of excitement to bring to you my brand-spankin'-new monthly blogger feature, Prim & Prismatic! On the first Monday of each month, I will interview a fellow blogger about two of my FAVORITE things: Color and style! To help me kick off Prim & Prismatic, I asked my dear friend Rochelle, of Rochelle Approved, to be the guinea pig (in the nicest, most beautiful, and colorful way possible!). I hope you all enjoy!

Prim & PRISMATIC

Style Bloggers and Their Use of Color

4.4.11 - Rochelle Approved

{one}

Do you think you’re bold when choosing colors to wear? If so, what makes you so attracted to colors and why are you comfortable in them? If not, why?

I am still working on being more bold with my color choices.  For a while my closet consisted of a lot of grey, black and dusty blue, but now it has expanded to include a much wider variety of colors.  When I look for colors I gravitate towards vibrant, cool jewel tones because I know that those are colors that look great against my skin and help my eyes stand out.  The other reason I am attracted to those colors is because I love them, and I know I will be confident wearing colors that I love and look great! 

{two}

If you could choose to put a bright, flashy piece in your wardrobe, would you choose an accessory or a basic staple?

Ohhh this is a hard one!  I think I would have to choose an accessory, because I picked up a pair of fuchsia jeans over the weekend. 

{three}

What is your favorite boldly colored wardrobe item in your closet?

At this moment it has to be the fuchsia jeans!  I grabbed them on a whim and they fit perfectly!  Now I’m thinking of all of the ways I can remix them to add an incredibly fun pop of color to outfits.  The other reason why they are my current favorite is that they only set me back $3!

{four} 

D   Do you incorporate bright colors in other aspects of your life (ie: decorating, art, gardening, etc.)?

Absolutely!  I have a bright orange chair that I re-uphostered.  Another way I add a lot of color with decorating is through canvas paintings.  Recently I completed a painting of a Bird of Paradise and I also have a set of three paintings that my grandpa gave me!  To me color is a great way of expressing yourself and your personality, even if it isn’t a color you choose to wear.

   {five}

    Fill in the blanks:

If I could only choose one color to wear for the rest of my life, it would be 

just the perfect shade of blue that makes my eyes stand out.

Most people think my personal style is 

eclectic 

because 

I draw inspiration for outfits from so many different people and eras.

If I had to wear hot pink or kelly green, I’d definitely pick 

kelly green!

The craziest color combo I’ve ever rocked is 

a kelly green cardigan with a skirt that has a ton of colored squares on it.

Thank you so much, Rochelle, for participating in my first Prim & Prismatic feature! Your answers were fun and insightful! I LOVE your use of color in the three outfits you shared with us and those fuchsia jeans are KILLER! I'm sure I'm not only speaking for myself when I say that I can't wait to see all of the remixing that's gonna happen with them!

Please stay tuned for Mansome Monday, which will continue next Monday!

If you just can't wait 'til then to get a little Jason in your life, follow him on Twitter!

And if you are interested in seeing a specific style blogger featured on Prim & Prismatic, please email me! I can't wait to see and hear more about everyone's use of color in their wardrobe!

Awkward & Awesome & Outfit Fail

Sometimes I think really hard about an outfit, have it all hanging up, properly layered on a hanger, jewelry included, and it looks awesome. Then, I get up a little later since I don't have to think about what I'm gonna wear, get dressed with my geniusly pre-planned outfit, and feel a bit disappointed when my master plan turned out to be a flop. Thank goodness for adorable, fashion-forward toddlers who are walking around, playing with the perfect shoes to compliment an outfit and make it a little better. Guys, I seriously couldn't decide on shoes this morning. I was so wishy washy about the outfit in the first place, and Little S. walked up with these shoes and all I could think was, "Kid, you are a genius." I'm still not pleased with the look as a whole, but the oxfords definitely made it better.

I did about two Awkward & Awesome Thursdays and got overwhelmed with other stuff, a while back. It's making a comeback, and Awkward & Awesome Thursday, hosted by Sydney, will be a regular weekly event around here, now!

grey dress: Old Navy

purple peasant top: Miley Cyrus/Max Azria for WalMart

powder blue cardigan: Old Navy, gifted by ML

studded oxfords: Ross (brand is worn), gifted by Rochelle

long beaded knot necklace: gifted by ML

short flower necklace: gifted by my aunt

Wow... I didn't buy a whole lot of this ensemble, huh?

Thanks for contributing to my wardrobe, everyone!

I'm always open to donations, btw.

Awkward:

- Taking outfit pictures outside of my favorite Mexican restaurant and hearing the security alarm going off on the inside... Yikes!

- Starting the P today and having a Mounds bar, S'Mores pop tart, and an iced Cocoa Cappuccino for breakfast. Hello, chocoholic?

- Having the Chair of my department comment on yesterday's outfit like this: "Wow! Look at those stockings! HOLY COW!" All I could think was, "Is this inappropriate?" But we totally don't have a dress code, really... 

- Signing up to get text updates from American Idol so I can vote... like a 13-year-old, then voting for Casey, Haley, and Lauren 30x, each.

Awesome:

- JLo's dress, last night! Hell yeah! I want it. Can someone work that out for me?

- We Love Colors. That is all.  

- We're going to Olive Garden for lunch, today! Woo!

- My boss' relationship with his wife (he brought her to work today so they could hang in his office). They are SO CUTE!

- Bloggy friends that are super extra supportive.

- Third day hair success! Extra yay!

Grab one of Sydney's adorable buttons and link up for 

Awkward & Awesome Thursday!