My So-Called Chaos

Well Hello There... A Re-Introdcution

2013-05-18T21:15:00.000-07:00

Thanks to amazing sponsors, giveaways, and people I am sponsoring-I now have so many new readers! Hello new readers! It's been a while since I introduced myself, so I wanted to take a moment for a re-introduction. Not only for me, but for all of you new people too! :) Blogging is a community, and I want to focus on building and loving that community as much as possible.

For those of you who don't know, my name is Miss Angie. Well it's Angie, but I go by Miss Angie around these parts-I just like it. It's cute, it's sweet, it's me. I am a natural brunette, but I dye my hair red because red is SO much more my personality. Fire!

Speaking of fire, Astrologically speaking I'm an Aries sun (FIRE!), Leo Moon (FIRE!), and Scorpio Rising (Water...), and my Chinese Zodiac is a FIRE Tiger. Crazy, no? It means basically I'm a whole lot of headstrong with an underlying emotional nature-boy howdy isn't that right! If you read my blog you will always see my emotions, and I'm almost always getting myself into trouble somewhere.

I am a twenty-something (well 27 since April) girl living in a little apartment in Salt Lake City with my roommate, his rabbit Pitre, my pet snake Tess, and my fish Galileo. Oh and plants. I adopt plants like they were little orphan children that desperately need me. I have a house full of plants.

The weekends usually consist of hanging out with my friends, and we often host parties at my apartment. Parties usually include copious amounts of alcohol and karaoke or rock-band, but they always include the people I love. I really love people, especially my people.

Interesting facts:

I fancy myself an artist, though I don't devote enough time to it.
I have an Etsy Shop, but I need to get back to working on it.
I also have two other blogs I work on-My healthy living blog Health NOT to Health NUT and Chaotic Goddess Swaps which I co-host with Beth.
My OCD only shows when hanging art or buying books. If I am reading a book series and I own them in Paperback (Sookie Stackhouse *cough*) I have to wait until the newest book comes out in Paperback to buy it. They need to match.
I have curly hair, and I embrace it's messiness.
I love bright colors. Mostly Teal, Purple, Pink, Green, Mustard Yellow, Red... etc.
I'm spiritual, but not religious. I find god in nature.
I overshare, and really don't have any secrets. I'm an open book about everything from my bad habits to my menstrual cycle. People just learn to deal with it because hey-honesty is so much better than the alternative.
I'd pick a fruity dessert over a chocolaty one, and Julie thinks I'm nuts because of it.
I volunteer with rescue animals, and I'm big on animal advocacy.
I give everything I have, love to hard, and usually get hurt-but I wouldn't change it for the world.

Now, tell me something about you! Comment, and in your comment introduce yourself to me. Tell me who you are, why you are, etc. Also, make sure to leave a link to your blog and I promise to get to know you a little better and stop by! :)

Blog Sale

2013-05-17T08:34:00.002-07:00

These goodies are up for sale at discounted prices! (I'm trying to buy a DSLR)

Please read under the photos for description information and whether it's still available.

To purchase something, email me at mysocalledchaos@gmail.com.

First come first serve, please be polite. I hope you find something you love!
All pricing is for shipping in the USA. If you are outside the US please email me for a quote.

Also if you're hosting a blog sale, feel free to link up yours in the linky below my sale!

Buy all four pictured above/listed below for $25 shipped!

Julep Olivia - Brand New & Sealed - $7.50 shipped. (See what it looks like HERE)
Julep Nikki - Brand New & Sealed - $7.50 shipped. (See what it looks like HERE)
Julep Claudette - Brand New & Sealed - $7.50 shipped. (See what it looks like HERE)
Julep Ellie - Brand New & Sealed - $7.50 shipped. (See what it looks like HERE)
~~Julep Simone~~ - SOLD!

Buy Stella & Coco together for only $11 shipped!

Julep Stella - Swatched on one finger - $6 shipped. (See what it looks like HERE)
Julep Coco - Swatched on one finger - $6 shipped. (See what it looks like HERE)
~~Julep Jennifer~~ - SOLD

Buy both Essie Fiji and Essie Clambake together for $10 shipped!

Essie Fiji - Swatched on one finger - $6 shipped. (See what it looks like HERE)
Essie Clambake - Swatched on one finger - $6 shipped. (See what it looks like HERE)

Follow the break to see more!

Zoya Kotori - Swatched on one finger - $7 shipped. (See what it looks like HERE)
~~Nicole by OPI Fresh Squeezed~~ - SOLD
Mineral Fusions (Whole Foods) Blue Nile - Swatched on one finger - $6 shipped. (Teal shimmer)

Dreamstate Sleep Spray - Sprayed Once - $18 shipped. (I paid $24 + $6 shipping only 2 weeks ago-I am just not as fond of it as I thought I would be)

Buy both together for $13.50 shipped!

Bamboo Wear Silk Bronzer - Brand New in Box - $7 shipped
Revlon PhotoReady Primer - Brand New - $8 shipped (due to weight)

Buy all three of these together for $10

~~Parissa Wax Strips~~ - SOLD
Skin & Co Sicilian Body Gel deluxe 2oz Sample - Brand New - $4 shipped
Bodycology Cucumber Melon Body Cream 2oz - Brand New - $4 shipped

Buy both together for $15 shipped!

I bought these at a charity event but they're on the wrong side for my head! So sad!

Pin-up Yellow Skull Hair Clip (handmade) - Never Worn - $10 shipped.
Pin-Up Hot Pink Bird Feather Hair Clip (handmade) - Never Worn $10 shipped.

Buy both for $15 shipped!

These are both on roughly 21"+ chains and are sadly too long for me!

Nerd Glasses Necklace (handmade) - Never Worn - $9 shipped.
Clock Jewel Necklace (handmade) - Never Worn - $9 shipped.

Buy All 3 bracelets and the Earrings for $10 shipped!

Red & Silver Bracelets set of 2 - Never Worn - $4 shipped.
Blue String Dangle Earrings - Never Worn - $4 shipped.
This Enchanted Pixie Crochet Bracelet - Never Worn - $4 shipped.

Get everything in this picture together for $8 shipped!

Hair barrett - Never Worn - $3 shipped.
H&M Flower Hair Clips - $4 shipped.
Anise Touch of Seduction - Used 2x - $3 shipped. (See what it looks like HERE)

Kangaroo Keeper Purse Organizer in Black - Brand New in Box - $7 shipped.

AND! Use the code MAYFLOWERS at Chaotic Creations by My So-Called Chaos to get 25% off any flower hair clips during the month of May! It's a sale there too!

Having a blog sale? Link it up below!

Please feel free to grab the code and share the linky!

What I'm Loving This Week (& a Giveaway!)

2013-05-16T08:20:00.002-07:00

Zoya Happi - Seriously my new favorite polish and the only color I've wanted to wear for two weeks in a row! See my swatches HERE.
Rip Curl Cascades Shoulder Bag - Isn't it pretty? I want it so bad!
Aveda Damage Remedy - This is seriously helping my hair so much! It's awesome!
Mixed Media Owl Eggs by Painting Bliss - These are sooo cute, and she was featured in Cloth Paper Scissors for them!
The new design I've been working on for Art @ Home. It's so cute, go see!
Star Wars Mini Chewbacca V-neck Tee from Torrid - I bought this and I LOVE it!
All of the pretty pretty yarn at Fluff due Jour-and the cute button I made for her!
Behind My Eyes art by Joanna Marie Art - I just love this piece so much!
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Loved this book, see my review HERE.
Octopus Wood Burned Art by The Nautical Owl - Love these colors and the whole look!

Also, while you're here, enter the Mega June Sponsorship Giveaway!

Quick! Insta-Sale!

2013-05-15T18:10:00.002-07:00

Follow me on Instagram: http://instagram.com/mysocalledchaos

I've decided to list all of my blog sale items on Instagram first and give my Instagram Followers first dibs! Starting tonight-in just a few minutes! Don't miss out!

Help Me Celebrate Health NOT to Health NUT's Blogiversary!

2013-05-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

Hello gorgeous readers. Yes, you are gorgeous each and every one of you. I just wanted to take a quick moment to offer you guys the opportunity to participate in a group giveaway I'm putting on over at Health NOT to Health NUT to celebrate that blog's Blogiversary! I'm so excited, and I'll be sharing it here on My So-Called Chaos too!

There are going to be a lot of perks offered to people who participate in this giveaway, and a lot of options to satisfy your budget and need for promotion! Here are the options for donating to the actual giveaway:

$5 for 2 Links in the Rafflecopter - You get a FREE month of Medium ad space on HNtHN
$10 for 3 Links in the Rafflecopter - You get a FREE month of Large ad space on HNtHN
$15 for 4 Links in the Rafflecopter - You get 2 FREE months of Medium ad space on HNtHN
$20 for 5 Links in the Rafflecopter - You get 2 FREE months of Large ad space on HNtHN

I'm also going to be putting on an awesome giveaway that is private and only the people who donate to this giveaway are allowed to enter it-just as a bonus for those lovelies! You are welcome to donate something (ad space is a great donation-but it can be anything) to that giveaway as well in return for MORE free ad space based on the value of your donation!

$5-$10 Value - An extra month of free ad space in the size chosen above
$10-$20 Value - An extra 2 months of free ad space in the size chosen above
$20-$30 Value - An extra 3 months of free ad space in the size chosen above
$30+ - 2 months of FEATURED ad space

If you have any questions at all, feel free to email me or leave a comment. If you'd like to be included please fill out the form below:

Flood Wood Care: Staining Guide & Sweepstakes!

2013-05-15T00:00:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Flood® Wood Care for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

The hardest part of any project is getting started-or at least knowing where to start. If you're anything like me you get the idea in your (let's be honest, you saw it on Pinterest right?) and head to the store but end up standing there in the isle thinking "Wait, what exactly do I need?" It's always good to be prepared, expecially when it comes to staining projects-and luckily Flood® Wood Care has you covered with their Staining Made Simple guide.

The Staining Made Simple guide walks you through making your decisions on colors, style, etc. and then it provides you with an intuitive list of the product you are going to need located at your choice of store near you! This way it's easy to know exactly what you need before you leave the house-and your trip in and out of the store can be quick (thank goodness!) so you can actually get started on you project! So anything you want to stain, from a small piece of furniture to a humungous outdoor deck, can be stress-free! Hence the Flood tagline: Simple across the board™!

It really is simple, all you have to do is answer a few questions, such as:

What kind of project you are working on
Which prep and finish you'd like to have (there are pictures for easy picking!)
How much you need/how large the area you're staining is
Which store you want to get it from

You can even choose more than one color if you're going for a really creative look in your project! Try their awesome Staining Made Simple widget (Screenshots to follow.)

What's better than projects made simple? Not much I'd venture to say, HOWEVER right now you can enter to win $1,500 for staining and other backyard projects. PLUS win a $10 gift card INSTANTLY! Flood Wood Care is giving away 12 a day! It's all part of the Flood Better Backyard Sweepstakes!

For details and to enter the Better Backyard Sweepstakes, go to http://goo.gl/CFN2U.

Then share the sweepstakes for more chances to win the grand prize!

The sweepstakes ends May 17, 2013.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) 18 years and older. Ends 5/17/2013. To enter and for Official Rules, including odds, and prize descriptions visit http://goo.gl/CFN2U. Void where prohibited. This Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You understand that you are providing your information to Sponsor and not to Facebook.

How to Save Money on Your Next Summer Party

2013-05-14T15:16:00.000-07:00

Summer is the perfect time to have backyard parties and family get-togethers. Between the warm weather, and holidays like Memorial Day, Labor Day, and 4th of July summer breeds celebrations and fun gatherings.

However, trying to have all the parties you want and still have enough money in the bank for day-to-day can be challenging. But with online deals, coupons, and expert tips you can throw parties all summer long for less cost than you might ever think possible.

The Experts Speak!
Check out these 6 "Money-Saving Tips for Summer Parties". Author Dana Dratch writes:

Keep it simple! It's all about family, friends, fun, and the sun!
Think kabobs, mmmm. You can save half to 1/3rd by adding chunks of seasonal vegetables in between a few pieces of meat.
"Slice the price". Choose "lesser" cuts of meat like London Broil or flatiron that taste great but cost less.
Go local and seasonal when you pick your menu items.
Drinks can quickly add cost, so keep the selections simple with water, and one or two flavored punches.
When the sun starts to fade, don't turn on the lights but light up candles! Small inexpensive tea lights in mason jars look good and give great light.

Keeping things simple not only keeps the cost low, but it keeps the stress low and reminds everyone the focus is just spending time together outside.

Crazy-Fun Coupons

Coupons can be your best friend for sure! Not only can you go online and get coupons for your food, plates, and other dinner trimmings, but you can find coupons for things that will add fun and memories into your summer parties. Coupon codes for Oriental Trading are one of your best assets available. Oriental Trading is a company that offers larger quantities, and lower prices on all kinds of party items. You can get large inflatable fun objects, 'carnival games' that can be reusable all summer long, or packages of toys like kites, airplanes, squirt guns, and so many more items that your kids AND you can have fun with!

Unique Styles for Less

Angela Colley gave a glowing review of Etsy on moneycrashers.com, and she pointed out "you can find cheap deals on one-of-a-kind items". Etsy is an online marketplace where artisans and artists can create their unique products and you can purchase them for low costs. To make it even better, you can get a NerdWallet coupon code for Etsy and save even more! Some of the things you could save on for your summer bash:

Summer party lights.
Mason jar mugs with lids.
Pool party decorations.
Summer picnic table décor.
4th of July burlap banner.
Hand painted glasses.

Etsy is a great way to add a few special, but affordable touches to your party environment. You can find practical, reusable items like flatware and glasses, or just one-time fun items like fondant cupcake toppers or special holiday decor.

Bring It Together

Once you have your affordable food plan, fun ideas, and one-of-a-kind tableware and party items, you can add a few easy touches that won't tack on a huge price tag, but will infuse a little pizazz into your backyard festivities! Party enthusiast Jenny Lee gives some extra tips on redbookmag.com:

String up Christmas lights for a little mood lighting.
Fill a punch bowl with a jug of inexpensive wine and add:

Maraschino cherries.
1/2 dozen wedges of each:

Lime
Lemmon
Oranges

Make a mixed cd or iTunes list.
Rent a small karaoke machine!
Set out a bowl of temporary tattoos.

Summer time is nature's gift for any family who loves to party. Take some of these suggestions, and as long as the summer nights last your family can party on!

Chocolate Mint, Mother's Day, and Happiness.

2013-05-14T07:28:00.003-07:00

This weekend was pretty laid-back, which is always nice. Friday night we had Bingo, and it was good to see Julie since we don't see her very much anymore.

Saturday I slept way in, and then we got up and went and got donuts for breakfast. I know, that's terrible but it's been so long since I had a donut! Everyone deserves a little cheat now and then. We mostly relaxed for a few hours, then met Shawn for Pho before going and hunting down a Mother's Day gift for Josh's mom. While doing so, I managed to find myself a new little plant to adopt-so I've happily added some Chocolate Mint to the west window. Here's hoping it makes the house smell lovely when the sun hits it!

Sunday Josh and Max (who has been crashing on our couch) both left early, and I was so excited to have a little alone time I managed to get a bunch of stuff done. I ran to the grocery store, deep cleaned the whole kitchen, and repotted some plants that needed to make a big move. I also managed to get all caught up on Revenge while enjoying coffee out of the disappearing Tardis mug Josh got me for my birthday. Yum!

Then Sunday night I made the trek down to my grandmother's for the Mother's Day BBQ. It was very nice hanging out with my family and celebrating my momma and grandma. Also nice playing frisbee with my little brother-especially since he had shoulder surgery so we could only play lightly. I only busted 2 fingernails instead of all of them! haha

My mom and me.

Other things making me happy this week:

I'm working on a new design for Art @ Home and am loving it so far!
I'm talking to a new guy... Meeting someone new is always ~~scary and~~ exciting. I'm all about experience and learning new things, and a new person in my life brings those things! Who knows what will happen, but at least I'm putting myself out there right? Right. lol So we probably are going to go out this week-and we have a mutual friend who assures me he's not a serial killer or anything.
I'm probably buying a Canon T3i in the next few weeks. I am so ready for a DSLR!
There are so many awesome giveaways happening here on the blog still. See the sidebar for details!
The gorgeous Jolene from With a Little Help from My Friends was taking pictures, and took a "tribute" picture for me... Not only is she pretty, but she totally cracks me up. Look, I'll put them side by side-and I even draw myself that way lol!

What is making you happy this week?

To Whom it May Concern {Musical Mondays & Giveaway}

2013-05-13T07:25:00.000-07:00

What is Musical Mondays?

This Week's Song:

To Whom it May Concern

by The Civil Wars

Why are you so far from me?

In my arms is where you ought to be

How long will you make me wait?

I don't know how much more I can take

I've missed you

But I haven't met you

Oh but I want to

How I do

Slowly counting down the days

'Til I finally know your name

Oh the way your hand feels around my waist

The way you laugh, the way your kisses taste

I've missed you

But I haven't met you

Oh but I want to

How I do

I've missed you

But I haven't met you

Oh how I missed you

But I haven't met you

Oh but I want to

Oh how I want to

Dear whoever you might be

I'm still waiting patiently

I am loving The Civil Wars, and almost every one of their songs has at least one line I relate to-which I love as well. I love songs that make me feel-songs that tap into some inner emotion and pull it to the front and make me feel it, even if I had forgotten it was there.

When this song came up on my phone last night in the car I connected with it. That is exactly how I feel-I miss someone I haven't met yet. Sure, I do fine here on my own-but there's still that part of me that feels this ache for something it doesn't understand, for someone it's never met... It's exactly that-missing someone you haven't met yet. Some days it gets stronger and along with that feeling comes another, a voice in the back of my head saying "soon!" It makes it feel close, almost as if I should expect to come around a corner very soon and find what I'm looking for, even if I'm not sure what it is now. Other days it feels as if it may never come, but I go on.

It's interesting and strange, and I love learning more about myself through the someone else's words. Connection is a powerful thing.

What are you listening to this week?

*Please if you are linking up put the Musical Mondays button in your post*

<a href="http://www.mysocalledchaos.com"></a>

The Giveaway!

I want to start offering a giveaway along with Musical Mondays again, so this month I'm giving away a $10 Amazon Gift card to one lucky reader! Next month expect something even better! (If you'd like to sponsor a Music Related Giveaway in an upcoming month for Musical Mondays please email me! I'd love to find some music related giveaways and drive a little more attention to your blog/shop/album, etc!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open worldwide and it ends/winner will be announced on 5/31/13.

Please make sure to follow instructions thoroughly-they are verified!

Please read full terms and conditions in above RC widget.

The Weekly Round-Up

2013-05-12T08:19:00.001-07:00

This Week's Favorite Posts:

Not a blog post, but I found this article about Elizabeth Smart (a girl who was local to me and kidnapped and held hostage for 9 months at the age of 14) and how she is pushing for proper sexual education-because abstinence only education leads to a sense of worthlessness and a damaged psyche in cases such as hers where she was raped. (It also leads to a higher level of pregnancy and STDs because let's face it-some kids are going to do it anyway-but if they haven't been taught about birth control then they're going to end up in a bigger mess.)
Reese, over at The Importance of Being Reese wrote a post about how Abercrombie & Fitch and refuses to sell a size larger than 10 because they want "only the cool kids" shopping in their store. Their CEO outright said it. It's not really a big surprise, and it makes it easy to not shop there even if you can fit in their clothes or have children who can-and also can I just point out that if they're selling clothes and hiring based on attractiveness they should probably get rid of the CEO...
On that same note, Dan Pearce from Single Dad Laughing wrote a good reply to it-they have a right to take that business approach and tell everyone that's their business approach-and we all have a right to say "hey, that's douchy-guess I'll let everyone know not to shop their if they don't want to." Easy.
Beth shared a tutorial on how to make your own Body Butter, which I want to try!

Don't forget the giveaways happening here on My So-Called Chaos:

~~> Enter to win an iPad Mini <~~

~~> Enter to win 2 months ad space on 2 different blogs pt 1 <~~

~~> Enter to win 2 months ad space on 2 different blogs pt 2 <~~

~~> Enter to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card <~~

~~> Enter to win free blog design!<~~

How it works

Throughout the week keep an eye out for blog posts by other bloggers that you love, and keep track of them. You can save them in a draft post, bookmark them, write them down-whatever works for you.

On Sundays, grab our pretty button (code above) and create a blog post with a list of those blogs that you loved, inspired you, or you generally want to share with everyone and link up with our link! You should also follow both High-Heeled Love and myself who host!

Why do we do this?

We believe sharing posts and focusing on other bloggers is important for building community and creating friendships! It's time to stop being so self-focused and branch out to others as well!

New Reads & Shops for You pt. 2 (Giveaway)

2013-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Back Home Again is written by a blogger named Holly, who I recently met through the Carabox Swap! She is such a sweet girl writing about living her life, weight loss, her goals, and more!
Keep up with Back Home Again: Blog | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | G+

Use code TEN for 10% off any ad spot on Everyday Life!
Everyday Life is a blog by Rebecca, who is such a sweet and wonderful bloggy friend to have. She always takes the time to read and leave thoughtful comments! Follow her blog for great reviews, creative writing, giveaways, and more

Keep up with Everyday Life: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Pinterest

Use code MySoCalled10 for 10% off anything in her shop!
Happily Rambling is the personal blog of Bethany from Stella Kenton Body Shop, who you've seen on my blog multiple times. She's life lover, soulmate, and mommy who blogs about her life and shares handmade goodies!
Keep up with Happily Rambling: Blog | Shop | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Use code BlogLove for 15% off anything in the shop!

Keep up with Mrs. Lawler's Lovelies: Shop | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Keep up with Joanna Marie Art: Shop | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Craft Cherry is run by a sweet blogger named Cerise. Not only does she blog and keep me encouraged in my working out, but she just opened a cute new shop up for her handmade goodies!
Keep up with Craft Cherry: Blog | Shop | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Don't forget last Saturdays post and giveaway with it too!

And again in a new giveaway, enter to win 2 months of small ad space here on My So-Called Chaos, AND 2 months medium ad space on Health NOT to Health NUT (with free design) just for reading this post! You could be featured on the blog to get more traffic to your blog/shop!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open worldwide, ends 5/28.
Please read official rules in above Rafflecopter.

Confessions, Fancies, and Nail Polish!

2013-05-10T14:35:00.001-07:00

I confess...
I owe you guys some confessions. Especially one about my break-up letter. Last Thursday I received a text from Rocky asking what exit my work was on. I couldn't get away from my computer since he came while I was on shift-so he said he had something for me and he'd leave it on my car. When I got down to my car I saw an Envelope with Doctor Who on it.

Turns out it was a break up letter. The minute I opened it up and started reading the first line I realized that and started laughing... Not that I was cruel or anything, I just thought it was hilarious because I figured we were already just friends-since we hadn't done anything remotely date-like in a while (other than him buying me flowers on my birthday). The rest of the letter told me how it wasn't the religion thing (him being Mormon and me not) because he'd broken up with "the mormon girls" he was dating too. Haha, which made it sound like he was dating like a twenty women or something lol. It's all good-I texted him to say "LMAO cutest break up letter ever" and Shawn asked me if my laughter was a hysterical response. Nope, it was just hysterical!

I Confess...
I am starting to think that receiving flowers equals the death of the relationship. Even though with Rocky I'd pretty much already determined that we were friends, the only two times I've ever gotten flowers from a guy I was dating were a week or two before they "ended" it. LOL.

I Confess...
While we're on the topic of dating... About a month ago I got an email on OKC from a guy telling me we had mutual friends and he wanted to get to know me. I replied, but when I checked to see if he had replied later he'd deleted his profile. A few weeks after that (on my birthday) I got a message from the same guy on Facebook letting me know he'd closed that account because he didn't like it (can't really fault him there-online dating is horrible!) and still wanted to go out sometime. Since it was my birthday I was crazy busy all weekend, then out of town, so I told him we could definitely do so in May.

So I messaged him back a few days ago, and he wrote back... We'll see. Gayvid (our mutual friend) assures me that he's "very sweet" and not a serial killer-so I gave him my number. We'll see what happens.

I Confess...

This is pretty much my style lately... Although those pants are way too expensive-I wont pay over $50 for cropped pants! lol

Friday's Fancie's Casual Weekend Wear by mysocalledchaos featuring chain jewelry

I Confess...

While I bought and put together (well made Max put together since he's sleeping on our couch at the moment) a new dresser from IKEA to replace the old one my ex gave me that I hate and is falling apart-I haven't actually finished transfering stuff over so I can junk the old one... Hopefully I can this weekend, currently they're just sitting side by side...

I confess...

I have GOT to stop buying things... I bought more nail polish, and a bunch of stuff on sale at Torrid... But I want a DSLR this month so I need to be saving! Wanna see my haul? Hey to be fair-the following pictures is like 3 weeks worth... Also my mani this week is Zoya Happi-one of my newest favorite polishes!

Happy Friday Friends!

Win an iPad Mini!

2013-05-09T08:36:00.002-07:00

Hey Readers! Ok, so I have to admit something... I want an iPad mini really bad. I mean before this weekend I though "I have an iPhone. I have a Macbook. Why on earth do I need an iPad or iPad mini when both of those things do all the things it does?" But then I went to the Apple store with Josh... He picked up a brand new shiny black iPad mini and the more I watch him play with it, and the more he lets me play with it... The more I want one. You can totally use it for reading, Social Media, games, watching movies and more-it has a bigger screen than my phone (reading on the phone sucks!) and it's light so you don't have to haul out the whole laptop. Want.

So when Chantilly from ChantillySongs contacted me to see if I wanted to go in on the iPad mini giveaway with a bunch of other awesome bloggers, I was super ~~jealous that I can't win it~~ excited to give my readers the chance to win it! So go enter, and good luck!

Chantilly ~ ChantillySongs ♥ Marisa ~ The Shades of Monet Chronicles ♥ Lisa ~ Lala Faux Bois ♥ Shell ~ Kitty and Buck ♥ Marilyn ~ Pulp Sushi ♥ Sammy ~ The Cookie Button ♥ Amanda E ~ Little Lady Little City ♥ Regina ~ Acute Designs ♥ Katherine ~ Of Corgis and Cocktails ♥ Amanda A. ~ Little Tranquility ♥ Joanna ~ ModaMama ♥ Roxy ~ GrrFiesty ♥ Vanessa ~ Take Only Memories ♥ Sabrina ~ The Little Owl ♥ Miss Angie ~ My So-Called Chaos ♥ Shai ~ Vagabond Studio ♥ Chelsea ~ Life Unpublished ♥ Lauren ~ A Wild Tonic ♥ Jenna ~ Kitty Cat Stevens ♥ Jessa ~ Caked Blog

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please note: This giveaway will be open until May 30th, and will be open only in the US, Canada, Germany, the UK, and Australia.

New Blogger Series: Blog Design Tips

2013-05-08T07:34:00.000-07:00

You may or may not have realized this by now, but your blog design definitely impacts your readership. If your blog is hard to read, too cluttered/messy, or genuinely painful on the eyes people wont continue following and/or visiting. You may keep a few dedicated friends/bloggy bffs visiting out of sheer love for you, but if you want to increase your readership and build a larger and wider circle of readers, you have to be aesthetically pleasing.

I know they say "you can't judge a book by it's cover" but I'll be the first to admit that I do judge blogs by their design. It doesn't mean I wont keep following you (because goodness knows I probably love your face) but I can usually tell the blogs level of professionalism within the first few minutes. Advertisers/sponsors and other readers can too.

The colors you choose are going to make a big difference in what your design looks like. Make sure you pick a color theme and stick to it as best you can throughout you're whole design. A color scheme really can have as many colors as you like in it, as long as they look good together and seem to have some kind of order to them. Usually I would recommend picking 2-3 colors and going with that-as it's a really clean look, but if you want more colors-go for it! Just stick with colors that go well-such as all pastels, all bright colors, all dark colors, etc.

Also, when choosing the background and basic post font colors, make sure to make it easy to read. Dark colored words on a white background, or light colored words on a dark background. If it's not easy to read people generally wont read it...

When I was helping Carrie of The Carrie Gland with her design, she came well prepared. She used a website called Color Scheme Designer to pick four colors she kind of liked together, and then as we worked through it she ended up choosing the Purple from her original choice, with black and gray as her scheme. The great thing about that site is it will help you choose colors and shades that go better together than others, and it's a resource I'm going to be using more often.

Just a few blogs who's color schemes I admire:

When choosing a basic font for things such as typing and titles, it's best to go with something basic. The curly or cursive fonts look cute, yes, but are also harder to read and less professional looking. If you like it and don't care-go for it (I'm not here to judge) just understand that some people may have a hard time reading and thus may not come back as often.

When choosing fonts for your design, you should generally choose three. One cursive/fancy font, one bold font, and one basic font. Personally I used a cursive and bold font for my header, then the basic font for my info graphic. I also then used the same cursive font for my gadget headers (and these topic images above!) Just make sure your fonts look good together, and go with your color scheme. This doesn't always apply, sometimes you find different combinations that work great-it's just a general suggestion for getting started.

You can find a lot of fonts for free places like dafont.com (which I use), just make sure to read the terms some of the fonts include, as some may allow you to use it for everything, and some may only allow you to use it for personal use and require a license for profit use.

Just a few blogs who's font choices I admire:

What Jean Likes | High-Heeled Love | Little Chief Honeybee | Kitty and Buck | We Took the Road Less Traveled

Your blog header should introduce your blog and show new readers a little of what to expect from you and your personality. The blog header should also fit within your chosen color scheme and font. Make it stand out-and make it represent you! It can be simple and elegant or unique and witty, it can be just words or include a graphic that expresses exactly what your blog is about! You'll also see that most of those blogs also have buttons that either match their header, or go along with the theme well! Buttons are great for people to show their love for you-or you can use them for your ad spots.I find examples show you better than me trying to explain it:

Just a few blogs with expressive graphic blog headers:

Just a few blogs with simple & elegant blog headers:

Wifessionals | Chaotic Goddess Swaps | A Beautiful Mess | The Anna Delores Blog | Sunny with a Chance of Sprinkles

Blog design can be hard to pull off if you're not skilled with web design tools and creating graphics, in which case there are tons of blog designers out there! It just depends on what kind of look you're going for-and how much you want to spend. The more you spend the more you're going to get, but you can also go simple and keep it cheaper-but still have a really good look.

For example, Dana from The Wonder Forest does AMAZING blog design in her shop Envye. She can do just about any type of coding for just about any service-but since she's so good and well sought after her prices are a bit higher (though well worth it if you can afford it! Seriously awesome.).

I also do blog design, but mine is less expensive because there's a lot of her skill that I don't have yet, but I can do some really great simple and inexpensive designs for those on a lower budget. :) You can check out some examples of my work by thumbing through my Designs, and you can order work from me through my Etsy store:

Use code NEWBLOGGER for 20% off your purchase of $25 or more!

Whomever you choose, you should always look through their designs and prices to find out what fits you best. There are a few other blog designers I love, and if you want to check them out they are:

Hope Squared | Caked Designs | Little Chief Honeybee

Here are some great DIY Design Resources and Tutorials to help you do your own blog design should you not want to hire a designer.

Tutorials:

How to Center Post Titles, Gadgets, and Dates in Blogger.
How to create Image Maps (multiple links in one image)
How to make Headers & Navbars using PicMonkey
Create Your Own Social Media Icons
The Blogger's HTML Cheat Sheet

Free Stuff:

Because I love you all and want to help with your design, I'm giving away one design package which includes a custom header, matching buttons/ads in 3 sizes, social media icons, a blog intro graphic. I'll even help you set it up and choose colors/a background that match it! I'll also give three other winners a custom set of buttons/advertisements in 3 sizes using their photo!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to residents worldwise and ends on 5/15/13.
Entries will be verified-make sure to follow the instructions.
See above RC widget for full rules and regulations.

Weekend Recap + Mug O'Comfort & Carabox Pacakges!

2013-05-07T07:24:00.000-07:00

This weekend was pretty laid back, so I didn't take very many pictures. Friday night Josh and I got Calzones (I was REALLY bad with my eating this weekend...) and watched movies, and Saturday we did some shopping

Yay for happy mail! This weekend I received both my Mug O'Comfort Swap package and my Carabox Swap package!

The Mug O' Comfort Swap was a swap hosted by Beth and I over at Chaotic Goddess Swaps and I was matched up with Katie from Katie Blogs. After emailing Katie I quickly found that her and I would be good friends-what a great match! She opened my package and emailed me to say "I think we're the same person!" lol, I love it!

She sent me an awesome package with an adorable "Do not speak until coffee" framed image, a Philadelphia LOVE mug and mini statue, TAZO Chai and TAZO Cucumber White tea, Ghiradelli chocolate, and tasty cakes! She also sent a little bonus pink notebook and nail polish! Girl knows me!

As for the Carabox Exchange, hosted by Wifessionals, this month's theme was Going Green and I was paired up with two lovely bloggers. I sent a package to Mary Catherine over at Fun-A-Day. It was fun picking out things for her, see what I sent her HERE. As for the package above, it was sent to me by sweet Holly at Back Home Again, who ended up liking me so much she signed up to sponsor me! Thanks Holly!

She sent me a cute little Sweet Basil grow kit (I hope I don't kill it, herbs hate me!), natural nail polish remover (yep, she knows me too!), Burts Bees Cuticle Cream (so can use this!) and lip balm (I can never have enough of this stuff!), a cute green notebook, and wonderful recipes to make my own green stuff!

As for the rest of the weekend we really watched a lot of movies and hung out. We ate good food, that was bad for us... But it was nice and fairly relaxing-because I felt exhausted all weekend long. Saturday morning we went to Pierre's which is a place we love, and since the owners love Josh so much I got half my meal free, and he got his whole meal free. It was so sweet of them! Then for dinner we drove way out to Copper Creek Pub and I tried their Monte Cristo-which ended up being completely deep fried-but oh so tasty! To be fair, I only ate half of it and then pawned off the other half on Megan and Josh. lol

Don't forget about the Itty Bitty Beauty Swap! Sign-ups close on Thursday the 9th and it's cheap and fun!

How was your weekend?

On Friday I'll tell you all about my break up letter (from Rocky) and about finally getting rid of that stupid dresser my ex (Sneeze) gave me. I hate that thing so much.

Love is Looking For You {Musical Mondays & Giveaway!}

2013-05-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

What is Musical Mondays?

Musical Mondays is a weekly linky party where we share a song we're into for the week, and talk about why we like it-or why it effects us. I'm also going to do monthly giveaways now with lots of bonus points for those who participate. This month's giveaway is for a $10 Amazon Gift Card (but they only get better from here!)

This Week's Song:
Love is Looking For You
by Miranda Lambert

Maybe you're just jaded from some nobody's unforgotten words
Maybe you're just faded a little gray from every time that you've been hurt

So you're looking for your skin
That you never did fit in
But you can't hide when you're turned inside out
Love is looking for you now

Maybe you've been burnin' but you can't blow out a flame that you can't find
And maybe you've been thirsty but the rain just aint enough when you're this dry

So you're runnin' from the water
And the fire's getting hotter
I think you better find some level ground
Love is looking for you now
Love is looking for you now

Maybe you've been wearin' shoes that someone else is wearin' now
Maybe you've been swearin' forever might have already run out

But you can't love yourself
At the expense of someone else
You can't hide a liar from the truth
Love is lookin' for you
Love is lookin' for you

I've been lookin' for you
Baby I've been lookin'
I've been lookin' for you

I like this song. It's a good little reminder that no matter how much you hurt or think otherwise-love is always looking for you. It's easy to get discouraged when things just keep not working out... But you have to keep your heart open or it'll always pass you by-because someone out there is looking for you. It may not be exactly what you expect, but you will find that when it finally happens-it'll be exactly what you need.

Keep your head up and heart open! Love is lookin' for you!

What are you listening to this week?

*Please if you are linking up put the Musical Mondays button in your post*

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open worldwide and it ends/winner will be announced on 5/31/13.

Please make sure to follow instructions thoroughly-they are verified!

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The Weekly Round-Up

2013-05-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

My Favorite Posts I Found This Week:

This week I stumbled upon some old posts I just had to share too!

I already have big love for The Militant Baker, but when a friend shared her post titled Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls... So I WILL! on Facebook, I fell in love all over again. Seriously-she is such a beautiful soul! That also led me to find her site Body Images-which is so beautiful. She took photos of women almost naked (tastefully-it doesn't show anything too private) of all shapes and body sizes and they are ALL beautiful.
That post also led me to this xo Jane article I Look a Lot Like Lena Dunham, and I've Banged Super-Hot Guys. Sooo true. I've only seen one episode of Girls-but why on earth are people getting outraged about this storyline? I'm here to say I'm a lot bigger than her and I have banged super-hot guys. Get over it, not all guys are babies when it comes to big women-some care about more than that and yes-some even like it!
Poetry lovers, check out the talented Rebecca from Everyday Life's poem Damaged.
Lena is so brave, and I love this post she wrote about her son called One Face of Austism. Smart, strong, and a great mother!

Don't forget to enter read about some of my favorite blogs from yesterday and enter to win ad space on two of my blogs! Also don't miss out on the Itty Bitty Beauty Swap we're hosting at Chaotic Goddess Swaps!

How it works

Throughout the week keep an eye out for blog posts by other bloggers that you love, and keep track of them. You can save them in a draft post, bookmark them, write them down-whatever works for you.

Why do we do this?

We believe sharing posts and focusing on other bloggers is important for building community and creating friendships! It's time to stop being so self-focused and branch out to others as well!

Post about your favorite posts this week and link-up!

New Reads & Shops for You pt. 1 (Giveaway)

2013-05-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

High-Heeled Love is a blog that chroncicles the life of Aubrey, her husband, and their fur-babies. Aubrey is one tough cookie-she does Jiu Jitsu, and she's also my go-to wine and coffee officianado! Follow this blog for (our co-hosted) The Weekly Round-Up, Shoe Lust Saturday, Friday Confessional, and Wino Wednesday!

Keep up with High-Heeled Love: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin

Le Chateau des Fleurs is a blog run by Isabelle, a French girl who moved to Utah with her husband to raise their children. Isabelle is gorgeous and talented! Follow this blog for great DIY, party planning ideas, the French Obsession Party, awesome aps for android and iphone, as well as her book!

Keep up with Le Chateau des Fleurs: Blog | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Super Sweet Life is a blog written by Laura, who loves chocolate and organizing. She offers fun printables and labels in her shop, and even offers free printables to people who sign up for her newsletter! Follow this blog for tips on how to make life sweeter, more organized, and how to become healthier!
Keep up with Laura: Blog | Shop | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter

The Zale in Vail is Betsy's blog. Who's Betsy? Betsy is a spontaneous adventure-loving Sagittarius who once went by the name Bob. She has dogs named Koda and Cash, a kitten, a tarantula, and some fish-animal lover all the way! Follow for adventure, fashion, music, and lovely outdoorsy things!
Keep up with The Zale in Vail: Blog | Pinterest | Facebook | Bloglovin

Use code MySoCalled for Free Shipping on your order!
Keep up with Arizona Sunshine Girls: Shop | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Use code NAHLA for 30% off any Ad Space on Girl Booklet!
Girl Booklet is a blog where Jessica, a 21 year old girl studying marketing with dreams of working in the fashion world, can write about her life. Jessica is very sweet, and it's so awesome to see her and her little family which consists of her boyfriend, and their puppy Nahla (who is just too stinkin' cute!)
Keep up with Girl Booklet: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Use code MAY for 50% off any ad space at What Jean Likes!
What Jean Likes is the personal blog for Jean, a single mother who takes beautiful photos, has a lot of faith, raises her son, and works a day job in order to pay the bills. This Hawaii (born and raised) girl takes some of the most beautiful landscape and starscape photos I've ever seen! She's such a sweetheart too!
Keep up with What Jean Likes: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin | G+

Painting Bliss is a blog about art. The Art of Ashlie Blake that is. This girl is crazy talented, and her blog not only expresses and shows off that talent, but it delves into her deeper thoughts and inner workings as well. She's one of my absolute favorite blogs to follow. Follow for Art, deep thoughts, compassion, and more!
Keep up with Painting Bliss: Blog | Shop | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Dear Miss Traci is a space where Traci can talk about her life. She loves to write about causes she believes in, recipes she's loving, fashion and beauty tips, and most recently-the joy and stress of planning a Wedding! She's getting married on May 11th! So if you don't see her around for a little while it's due to that!
Keep up with Dear Miss Traci: Blog | Shop | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Green Mountain Couple is the blog of newlywed couple Kayla and Dan. They blog about their lives, their love of canning and sustainability, the fur-babies they have, and their love of target shooting. Kayla is such a sweet girl to blog befriend too-she never hesitates to stop by and say hello or message you with questions.

Keep up with Green Mountain Couple: Blog | Shop | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Come back for part two next week!

But in the meantime, enter to win 2 months of small ad space here on My So-Called Chaos, AND 2 months medium ad space on Health NOT to Health NUT (with free design) just for reading this post! You could be featured on the blog to get more traffic to your blog/shop!

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Open worldwide, ends 5/28.

Please read official rules in above Rafflecopter.

Literary Friday: The Fault in Our Stars

2013-05-03T09:00:00.001-07:00

Synopsis provided by Goodreads:

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumors in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumors tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

What I thought:

When I started this book, I was prepared to cry due to what I'd heard from other people who have read it. I mean it's a story about teenagers with Cancer, how can you not? However I was pleasantly surprised to find that I didn't through most of the book. John Green uses a language that is clear and concise, and his characters take quite a bit of humor in their own illness even going as far as to call themselves side-effects of the human race and genetic malformation. I quickly found myself involved with the characters and their stories, because they felt so very real.

Don't get me wrong... There was definitely a certain point when I cried. I wont give away any spoilers here, but what really got me was when the main character explained how throughout all of her treatments when the nurses asked her to rate her pain on a scale of one to ten, she never said ten. She used a nine once, but she was saving her ten... When her ten came, it was an emotional pain worse than any physical pain she'd endured through all of her years of having cancer. It broke my heart.

Seeing as I started this book at 11:00PM on Sunday night, and finished it around 1:00PM on Monday (I had the day off of work-and had slept and watched some tv and done other things in between) I'd say it was one of those books you couldn't put down... It wasn't very lengthy, as I believe it's YA so there are only 313 pages and the type is larger-but I poured through it. I wanted to know what happened to the characters I'd fallen in love with.

I highly recommend it and give it 5 stars.

Top 20 Hottest Male Celebrities: 2013 Edition

2013-05-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

20 // JOE MANGANIELLO // TRUE BLOOD & MAGIC MIKE // SOURCE

19 // GERARD BUTLER // PS I LOVE YOU, 300, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA // SOURCE

18 // JENSEN ACKLES // SUPERNATURAL, MY BLOODY VALENTINE // SOURCE

17 // ZACHARY QUINTO // HEROS, STAR TREK, AMERICAN HORROR STORY // SOURCE

16 // ARTHUR DARVILL // DOCTOR WHO // SOURCE

15 // CHRIS HEMSWORTH // THOR, THE AVENGERS, CABIN IN THE WOODS // SOURCE

14 // NATHAN FILLION // FIREFLY, CASTLE, DOCTOR HORRIBLE // SOURCE

13 // JAMES MCAVOY // XMEN FIRST CLASS, WANTED, NARNIA, SHAMELESS // SOURCE

12 // ALEXANDER SKARSGARD // TRUE BLOOD, STRAW DOGS // SOURCE

11 // BRADLEY COOPER // VALENTINE'S DAY, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK // SOURCE

10 // TAYE DIGGS // PRIVATE PRACTICE, EQUILIBRIUM, RENT, CHICAGO // SOURCE

09 // JOSEPH GORDON LEAVITT // INCEPTION, 500 DAYS OF SUMMER, LOOPER // SOURCE

08 // RYAN GOSLING // LARS AND THE REAL GIRL, THE NOTEBOOK, DRIVE // SOURCE

07 // HENRY CAVILL // THE TUDORS, STARDUST, THE IMMORTALS // SOURCE

06 // CHANNING TATUM // MAGIC MIKE, 21 JUMP STREET, SHE'S THE MAN // SOURCE

05 // IAN SOMERHALDER // THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, LOST, PULSE // SOURCE

04 // CHRIS O'DOWD // IT CROWD, BRIDESMAIDS, FAQ ABOUT TIME TRAVEL // SOURCE

03 // JOEL MCHALE // COMMUNITY, THE SOUP, TED // SOURCE

02 // DAVID TENNANT // DOCTOR WHO, HARRY POTTER, FRIGHT NIGHT // SOURCE

01 // ADAM LEVINE // MAROON 5, AMERICAN HORROR STORY, // SOURCE

Think anyone's missing from this list? Let me know!
See the my 2010 Top 20 Hottest Male Celebrities post.

May Monthly Goals {Linky}

2013-05-01T09:02:00.002-07:00

It's that time again, and a big thanks to Megan from The Nautical Owl for keeping me on my toes!

How it works:

The linky goes live on the first Wednesday of each month.

Follow all three hosts: My So-Called Chaos, A Peek at Karen's World, & Jenee Thompson
Write up a post recapping previous goals & setting goals for the next month. The post needs to include the Monthly Goals button, use the code above!
Link-up your Monthly Goals post in the linky below!
Visit other blogs in the linky to show support!

Recap of April's Goals

~~Read a Book~~ - SUCCESS Almost 2 books...
~~Exercise more often~~ - SUCCESS Could still do more, but I did more than usual!
~~Stick to WW for the whole month~~ - SUCCESS Even when I thought I was cheating, I didn't!
~~Have an awesome birthday~~ - SUCCESS Thanks to my amazing friends!
~~Take a Trip to Oregon~~ - SUCCESS I had so much fun!
~~Host really cool giveaways~~ - SUCCESS my sponsors rock!
Write more in the New Blogger Series -FAIL
Keep Fat Ass Friday going over at Health NOT to Health NUT - FAIL I missed too many...
~~Host the Mug O' Comfort Swap with Beth at Chaotic Goddess Swaps~~ - SUCCESS

♥

Goals for May

Write more in the New Blogger Series
Keep Fat Ass Friday going over at Health NOT to Health NUT
Host Cool Giveaways
Drink More Water
Lose 10lbs (I lost 8 last month!)
Stay dedicated with Weight Watchers
Buy a fancy DSLR (I'm looking at the Canon t3i!)
Host the Itty Bitty Beauty Swap over at Chaotic Goddess Swaps... Announcing:

What are your goals?

Please grab the button if you are linking up!

My Trip to Oregon-Insta Style.

2013-04-30T13:49:00.006-07:00

As most of you know, I was out most of last week due to being away in Oregon taking a vacation. A vacation that went by much too quickly I should add. Vacations often seem to go by fast, but this one felt like it was over in the blink of an eye, and it left me feeling a bit melancholy in it's wake... The minute my plane landed in Salt Lake City I came down with a case of depression that still hasn't fully lifted. I'm glad I went through, it was so much fun!

On the first day my old pal Mr.Bingo picked me up at the airport and we stopped for a quick bite before making the long trip back to Coos Bay where he just bought his new house. The house is nice, but his yard is to die for. I'm not kidding, I want to live in the yard forever-it's like a magical secret garden, or a forest all to himself. Here's a little walking tour I took:

The next day we went down to the High Tide Cafe for lunch. I decided to try their clam chowder (which was absolutely to die for) and their grilled shrimp and cheese sandwich, which wasn't as good. It was a cute little restaurant with a lovely view of the bay though!

Then we went for a nice little hike out to try and find the lighthouse. After winding through the forest and finding the coast, we couldn't see a way to even get over to the lighthouse, so when we got back to the house I looked up the information and found out that it was decommissioned in 2006, and the bridge going out to it was removed in November of 2012 when they turned the island the Cape Arago Lighthouse sits on back over to the Coos tribe. The site says a condition of turning it over to the Coos tribe was that they have to eventually open it back up to the public, but there was no time frame and the removed the bridge to prevent access until then.

One of my favorite things while I was there was cooking with fresh seafood. We went to Chucks Seafood in Charleston and got some fresh Salmon (which Mr. Bingo actually grilled with lemon and terriyaki and I watched and learned-so tasty!) and some fresh clams-which I turned into Linguini and Clams that night. I also attempted (and failed at due to not having Baking Soda and forgetting the egg-whoops!) Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, and we made pretty good Peanut Butter Chicken Mole (I think our version still needs some perfecting though) which we ate with chips. And of course, it was required that I make my homemade Guacamole while I was there.

One thing I didn't mind, my view while cooking. To. Die. For.

On Friday we mostly just stayed in and watched movies and cooked due to feeling lazy, but on Saturday we went to the Charleston Oyster Festival and it was tasty, then we went hiking again and up along the coast to the Shore Acres Botanical Garden. Also Mr. Bingo has a cat (the last owners just left it with the house because they couldn't catch it) and I convinced him to start listening to Neil Gaiman books on tape.

I hate flying, but got a pretty shot of the clouds from above them while leaving Oregon. It was depressing being back home in my own bed, but Shawn made it better by taking me to lunch the next day! Pho makes things better!

Inspiration Mix from The K.O. Story {Musical Mondays}

2013-04-29T11:39:00.001-07:00

What is Musical Mondays?

Musical Mondays is a weekly linky party where we share a song we're into for the week, and talk about why we like it-or why it effects us.

This week instead of choosing one song, I'm going to share the Inspiration Playlist I received from Kim at The K.O. Story. There were a lot of songs on it that I'd never heard, some I almost sent her, and one I did send her!

Inspiration Mix by Miss Angie on Grooveshark

People by Awolnation - "The chorus. There are always going to be people out there who can relate to you. Never lose hope."
Walk by Foo Fighters - "When you feel like you've lost your way, you have to pick yourself up and start relearning how to enjoy those things that once made you happy."
Put it Behind You by Keane - "Again, the chorus: sometimes there are too many things tying people down because they wont let go. Letting go of all of those bad feelings is always a good thing to work towards."
On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons - "This is just a happy song. When you work hard to get what you want you can celebrate!"
Hotel Song by Regina Spektor - "This song isn't as inspirational as the artist who sings it. She's from Russia and she doesn't write down her music... She just keeps everything floating in her head, how impressive is that?"
Carry On by FUN. - "When I'm having a rough day, this is my inspiration to keep going." (I sent her this one too!)
Anne Braden by Flobots - "This is such an inspirational story about the civil rights movement. Nobody is too small to make a difference."
Otherside by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - "I wrote a two-partner post about this song because I feel like I've lived part of it. I've been constantly listening to this song on repeat for over a month and still can't get enough."
Cassie by Flyleaf - "This song is based on the story of one of the girls who was killed in the Columbine shootings-it's such a powerful song." (I almost sent her this one too-I love this song.)
Hallelujah by Jason Castro - "You know how some songs just have a way of moving your soul? For me, that is one of those songs."
Million Faces by Paulo Nutini - "The bridge of this song is my favorite: throw your cares away and let the ocean wash them away."
Cookie Jar by Jack Johnson - "We're human. We need to stop placing blame on everyone else and accept responsibility for our actions. That's a truth that I forget on a regular basis."
Belief by John Mayer - "I've loved this song since the first time I heard it. We can't ever argue with someone's beliefs and expect to change them or 'win'. This is a reminder that everyone could get every now and then."
The Cave by Mumford and Sons - "My favorite line, 'and I'll find strength in pain', encourages me to make the best of even the worst of situations."
Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac - "The inspiration is in the title. Sometimes you have to let people go and trust that they'll be better for it. That can be the hardest part of loving someone."
Little Victories by Matt Nathanson - "The smallest victories can still give you strength. Relish those moments."

Want to know what I sent her?

Let Go by Frou Frou - Sometimes you just have to leave things behind and go!
Whether I Do or Don't Mind by Eric Himan - You can't change it, it's going to happen. Accept it.
Because I Am Queen by India Arie - You are beautiful! Remember that!
Incomplete by Alanis Morissette - One day things will come together, and it's ok to be incomplete.
Let It In by Eric Himan - "You can't chase love, you have to let it in."
Let The Rain by Sara Bareilles - Another about acceptance, that's a big theme for me.
Raise Your Glass by Pink - We're all different, raise your glass and cheer it on!
Inner Glow by Blue October - "If you fail, at least you know you tried"
XYZ by Jack and White - "That's life!" Acceptance, again. lol
Carry On by FUN. - Just carry on, that's all you can do sometimes!
Shake It Out by Florence + The Machine - Shake it out! Shake out those worries and regrets!
Accidental by Garou - Life is accidental, things just happen, move forward...
You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet by Bachman Turner Overdrive - Because you haven't!
Vanity by Christina Aguilera - because there's nothing wrong with loving yourself! *explicit*
Sweet As Whole by Sara Bareilles - People are always going to be A-holes so sing it out with me and then let it go! *explicit*

What are you listening to?

*Please grab the button if you are linking up*

Dear Miss Traci: Bangle & Clutch Giveaway

2013-04-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

I first met Traci of Dear Miss Traci when she started following my blog and commenting on a continual basis. She always left such sweet and thoughtful comments, so I couldn't not start following her back. I was extra excited when she decided to sponsor me and offer lovelies from her shop as a giveaway to my readers!

Traci is one of the sweetest girls, and she is so down to earth. Currently you wont find her much on the web due to the fact that she's getting married, so her shop is temporarily on vacation and her blog isn't getting updated as much-but when she comes back you wont want to miss it! She posts very real posts, full of wisdom-and she's such a great blog friend to have!

Sweet Traci also runs an Etsy shop named LolitaRose, which is currently on vacation until after the wedding, but she is still offering an adorable Bangle and Clutch from her shop to one of my readers! :) Are you as excited as I am? Well, you're probably more excited since you can win it! haha!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open to USA & Canada and ends 5/2/13. Entries will be verified.

Please see official Terms and Conditions in the above widget.

Super Sweet Life: Vinyl Labels & Printable Giveaway

2013-04-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

I am an organization junky. I also may be the most un-organized person in the world. Either this is a contradiction, or the fact that I'm the most un-organized person in the world leads to my desperate need for organization, therefor I'm addicted to buying new storage systems, labeling planners, etc. Even if I don't always put them to as good of a use as I should!

For this reason I was super excited to welcome Laura from Super Sweet Life to my sidebar! She is an organization queen, and gracefully shared her knowledge and skills with us through her Etsy shop where she sells labels, printables, and gifts-some of which are really customizable! It's all so adorable!

You can even download some free printables from her blog to help keep yourself organized and they are just as adorable! She's also going to give one lucky reader here a set of 12 Vinyl Labels and a Deluxe Printable Set as seen in the photo above! They're so cute!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open worldwide and ends 5/1/13. Entries will be verified.

See full Terms and Conditions in the Rafflecopter Above.