The Girl with Everything

The Cut

2012-05-07T07:48:00.000-07:00

Before

After. Highlights are Matrix Red Violet

Baby Girl wanted some color too (wash out)

I have been wanting to cut my hair off for quite some time. I like to grow it until it drives me crazy and then chop it all off. Then I am instantly sad that it is gone. This time is not too different. Don't get me wrong, I love my cut. It's just difficult to say, "goodbye" to all that hair. Thank you so much to my lovely mother in law. She is a wonderful stylist and cuts and colors my hair whenever I like. She refuses to take my money so I try to pay her by cooking dinner.

For the first time ever, I have donated my hair to Locks of Love. For those who may not already know, this charity organization makes highest quality hair pieces and wigs for children in need. If you are chopping off a significant amount of hair, I highly suggest mailing it all to these great people rather than letting it fall to the floor. Now I have a fantastic makeover and my hair is going to someone else who can enjoy it. I must say that while I do miss feeling my hair down my back, this is probably the first time I do not regret cutting it all off. I am very proud knowing that a child will walk around feeling a little more confident wearing my hair.

Leather and Lace

2012-01-31T12:10:00.001-08:00

Leather and Lace by thegirlwitheverything featuring chanel jewelry

Lace top
$88 - anthropologie.com

Jacket
$138 - shoptaintedkiss.com

Cynthia Rowley leather skirt
$495 - cynthiarowley.com

Pretty Polly knit tight
£7 - debenhams.com

Chanel jewelry
vestiairedecopines.com

Jane Norman black bangle
€17 - janenorman.co.uk

Every little bit helps

2011-12-12T07:06:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. Its been too long. Here is an extremely helpful e-book I found to help save on groceries without just buying junk food. It is totally worth the $3.49 The winters can be an especially rough time financially for my husband and I. Let me know what you do to save money.

<p><a href="http://www.budget101.com/freebies/142791-2012-guide-groceries-under-250-month.html"><img border="0" src="http://www.budget101.com/hotlink/cover.jpg" width="175" height="242" alt="Visit Budget101.com"></a></p>

Study Hard, Play Harder

2011-11-22T06:51:00.001-08:00

Study Hard, Play Harder by thegirlwitheverything featuring a velour hoodie

Victoria s Secret velour hoodie
$60 - victoriassecret.com

Victoria s Secret victoria secret panty
$13 - victoriassecret.com

Pajama Party

2011-11-22T06:40:00.001-08:00

Pajama Party by thegirlwitheverything featuring sparkly tops

Victoria s Secret plunge bra
$47 - victoriassecret.com

Victoria s secret
$25 - victoriassecret.com

Fierce Friday

2011-10-25T10:56:00.003-07:00

Fierce Friday by thegirlwitheverything featuring printed scarves

H M fitted dress
pressdesign2011.hm.com

H&m shoes
pressdesign2011.hm.com

H M studded bag
pressdesign2011.hm.com

H M gold tone jewelry
pressdesign2011.hm.com

H M flower jewelry
pressdesign2011.hm.com

H M printed scarve
pressdesign2011.hm.com

Project 333 October - Decemer 2011

2011-10-04T07:01:00.000-07:00

I did it. I have selected the wardrobe that I will be wearing for the rest of the year! I did break the rules a little. I have about 45 items when I include all of my accessories but less than 33 if I don't. I truly enjoy my accessories and want to enjoy Project 333 so a compromise was born. Maybe I will surprise myself and see that I don't really wear as much as I thought I would. I did count my shoes and coats. Please check out my Pinterest page. This page shows images of my entire fall wardrobe. I would love to see what you think. I think it would be really great if some of you left comments telling me how you would wear my items. I do love a fresh perspective.

Today, I am wearing, charcoal LS t-shirt with yellow flower design, black pencil skirt and black stiletto boots.
I am still trying to figure out how I am going to manage daily portraits. I don't have a tripod and my husband is not a good or willing photographer... I think I need to buy a tripod.

Currently Following

2011-10-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

Thank you, it is you lovely ladies who made me realize that enjoying my reflection is reason enough to dress up:

My Edit - Jentina oozes with effortless style. I love her ability to layer. She makes keeping warm look chic.
Kendi Everyday - Most beautiful skirt collection on earth. Kendi will inspire you to burn your boring twin sets.
Dressed Up Like a Lady - Cammila is sexy and fun.
Not Your Ordinary Beauty Queen
26 and Counting

Project 333

2011-09-15T12:25:00.000-07:00

I love fashion and style and beauty. I shop less than I used to but still too much. I am constantly whining (I think whining just awful, but I do it) to my husband that I have nothing to wear for x event or even just to go to work.

Enter Courtney Carver and Project 333. Courtney is a minimalist inspiring people to live off of 33 items (including outerwear, shoes and accessories) for 3 months. I learned about this project in July and was inspired instantly. I cleaned out my closet and dresser packing away 108 total items! I sent everything off to charity and admired my clean closet and even an empty drawer in my dresser. I have to admit, since I have done this, I have like everything I have worn for the past 2 months. It is a breath of fresh air. I wear my favorite clothes everyday! People at work have complimented my outfits and I don't look like I am wearing the same thing everyday.

October 1 starts my first official Project 333 cycle. View my fall wardrobe in progress on Pinterest, user Coribeth80 Aside from just donating some old fall clothes I will be sure to carefully choose only 33 items to wear until the new year. My plan is to take photos of my outfits to show you that 33 is plenty and you will look fabulous. You old ugly standbys will be gone. Wear your cashmere sweater and pretty shoes! They are not bringing any joy to you sitting in your closet waiting for a special occasion.

*Thank you Etsy for the photos of my vintage boots.

I need to be commited

2011-08-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to start this blog then never went anywhere with it. I need to do a little sprucing up to make this page look like something someone may want to read. This is how I am, I get new ideas and all these things I want to do and then...nothing.
Now I am at a time in my life where big changes need to take place. I need to find a new job (one that will offer health insurance) I need to wrangle in my debt as my upcoming insurance costs (if I don't get a new job) and my daughters daycare costs have added a large sum to my monthly budget. I need to write a resume, this is scary as I have been at the same job for 5 years, and start applying. I tend to get so nervouse I do nothing. Total paralysis. This needs to end.
So I write. Wish me luck.

So Tired, So Busy.

2011-04-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

Wow, am I tired. Do you have those days? I will get these days, even unfortunate weeks, that I am just exhausted. I could put my head on my desk right this moment and fall fast asleep.

I am still working out ways to quit shampoo. I started shampooing every other day so that when I switch to the baking soda. My hair feels a little greasy and heavy today but does not look dirty in the least bit. I can't stand having my scalp feel oily though. It makes me feel just a little self conscious, like I don't look my best.

Shampoo Free

2011-04-01T19:53:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago I would not have even entertained this notion, now I am obsessed. I don't know why I feel surprised, this is how I operate. All or Nothing. I want to quit shampoo. No, I do not want to smell bad or look grimy. I can't even tell my husband for fear of disgusting him.

The truth is, I have become increasingly aware of the amount of chemicals we are exposing ourselves to. I want to live healthier and greener. If you look up sodium lauryl sulfate you may be alarmed to see what we are constantly, and quite liberally, applying to our largest organ. It hardly seems necessary to me that we should have to expose ourselves to toxins in the name of hygiene. Ok, ok, I know we have been using these things for quite some time and we all seem relatively unharmed. I still thing there is a better way. There is!

I did not just wake up one day and decide to stop washing my hair (far from it). One morning I was sitting innocently at my desk and pushed my bangs out of my eyes. To my shock and embarrassment, a small flurry of white flakes swirled in front of my eyes. This seemed so sudden. I did not remember seeing any flakes the day before. I have long shiny dark hair and side swept bangs. I felt like the white flakes were shouting for the world to look at them.

I decided to look up natural remedies for dandruff. There it was, apple cider vinegar. This first article promised that the vinegar would restore the pH balance to my scalp and remedy the dandruff almost immediately. I chose to do more research, this is where is really became interesting. I quickly learned that fashionistas and the eco-conscious alike were quick to brag about the benefits of apple cider vinegar and baking soda in their hair. Shiny, free of tangles, no dandruff, silky smooth... the list goes on. I decided to stop to get some cider vinegar on my way home from work.

Tsh at Simple Mom really drove the idea home for me. Here is a link to her blog. Tsh explains how shampoo is a detergent that strips your hair of its natural oils and creates a need for more shampoo. I do remember my very wise great grandmother explaining all of this to me (in less scientific terms) when I was young. Of course, I did not listen. Sorry Do-Do. These chemicals are cleaning our hair by stripping all of its natural oils and nutrients. Our hair is left stripped so our scalp works overtime creating even more, excess oil. It is that simple and that hard. The more shampoo and conditioner you use, the more you need. For a daily shampooer like myslef, this is a tough chain to break. Just a day without shampoo used to make my hair look stringy, greasy and limp.

HOW DO YOU DO IT?

Ok, I discussed apple cider vinegar but this does not clean your hair. To cleanse your hair without shampoo, a simple baking soda and water solution works really great. I keep a solution of baking soda and water in a squirt bottle in the shower. I wet my hair, spray the solution into my roots and scrub. I squirt a little into the length and ends but I feel the solution runs through my hair anyway and the roots are what really needs to be scrubbed. After a quick and vigorous scrub on my scalp I rinse with cool water. The apple cider vinegar comes next. The solution I use is about 50/50 vinegar to water. I use about 4 ounces each time I wash. I squirt the vinegar liberally through the length of my hair and sometimes soak the ends in the bottle for a moment. I comb my fingers through my hair and rinse with the coldest water I can stand.

Try to avoid applying the apple cider vinegar directly to your scalp, this may cause your hair to feel greasy. Yes, you read correctly, too much vinegar will cause greasy hair. I won't try to explain why because science is not my strong point but there is a lot of information out there. Also, I cannot stress the importance of the cold water rinse enough. The cold water smooths the hair's cuticle leaving it to feel smoother and look shinier. I also believe that the cold water rinse leaves the natural oils in my hair with a far less greasy feeling than hot water.

Be warned, these bottles get cold sitting in the shower! If the cold liquid bothers you you can avoid this by mixing smaller batches right before each wash. I use about 1/4 of the bottle every time I wash. I know some people use much less.

So I have tried it and quit and tried it again. To be honest, I really like the way my hair feels and my dandruff is gone. So, why do I keep quitting? I will follow up with more on this topic, including pictures, soon. I fear this post is getting too long and I need to get to bed.

I'm just a girl. I'm a lot like you.

2011-03-15T19:43:00.000-07:00

I have wanted to start blogging for a while now. I am quite oppinionated and have a lot to say. This will be a good outlet for me, a place to say all the things that are swimming around in my head.

I'm a surbaban wife and mother. Life is hard and messy, silly and exciting.  Somedays I am totaly bored and others absolutley thrilled with all that I have.  Maybe by writting about my life, it will make someone else feel they are not alone. I have a college degree that I pay out the nose for in student loans but do not use my education and possibly never will.

I have everything.  Husband, daughter, family, friends, house, car, jewelry, clothes, deep debt, stress, the desire to have and do more. It's not easy to have it all. We are all so different yet we are all the same with so much to learn from each other.

I have many passions and love to change my mind.  My dream (everyone's dream perhaps) is to work for myself.  I want to have my own successful business.  I will write about my ideas and hardships in the future.

Over the past 4 years or so, I have had an increasing interest in being green and chemical free. My focus is mainly on what I put into my body and around my house. I am pretty new in executing these ideas and have been trying some interesting new to me ideas. I would like to share these with you and hear your thoughts and advice. I am sure there are many of you out there that are better at living chemical free than I am and I would love to hear from you.

Statistics say there are hundreds of new blogs start each day. I really hope someone reads and enjoys this.

Girl with Everything.