Festivus for the Rest of Us

Pictures taken by my tripod

When:  Friday, December 23, 2011

What:  Banded Top - Fashion Bug; Tiered Skirt - Lane Bryant; Tights - Fashion Bug; Boots - Trusol; Necklace - gift from friend; Bracelets - old.  



Where:  Work for our day 2 of holiday festivities, out to the grocery store for foods for the holiday weekend, and Cincinnati Zoo's Festival Lights (minus the skirt - I changed into jeans).  OH!  And of course Festivus!!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!  Mine was awesome - but I am tired today...  It all started Friday night when Matt and I took the little one to the Cincinnati Zoo's Festival of Lights!  This has been a tradition of ours since the year we met.  We even became zoo members this year so we could go as often as we want throughout the summer, fall, and for the festival!  Of course I changed into jeans we before we left the house that night (actually about 2 minutes after I took these pictures).  It's been unseasonably warm in Cincinnati this year, but it was definitely too cold for a skirt and fishnets to go starring at Christmas lights, the polar bears, and other fun zoo things!

Wearing my boots....  Again....  Go figure....  These are becoming a part of my winter uniform!  I'm only afraid that since they are not real leather, they won't be that warm once the temperature starts to really drop!  In that case, I think for next winter I'll have to spill the money for a pair of real leather boots!  I also really like this tiered skirt.  The only problem though...  It's a really light fabric, completely made for the summer months.  So when walking to and from my car while doing the last minute grocery shopping on a windy day, my bum was definitely freezing!  This necklace is a Christmas gift from a close friend of mine last Christmas.  I feel like I always forget about it for some reason, then it catches my eye again and I am delighted every time!  I thought the colors were perfect with this skirt too!

Not only did my work celebrate the holidays on Thursday, we did it again on Friday too!  We originally planned it for Friday only, but found that many people had taken the day off.  So we decided to do it both days!  Free lunch Thursday and Friday?!?  I'll take it!  This all followed by the Festival of Lights, and then a ton of eating, laughing, and drinking with my family all weekend!  It was truly an awesome holiday! 

Also....  Matt and my mother-in-law gave me quite a few things off my Christmas wish list from this blog!  How cool is that?!?!  I can't wait to show them all to you in future posts!  But for now I am sitting in a t-shirt and jeans, as the long, fun weekend made for a lazy day of clothes my first day back to work.

Have you heard of Festivus?  December 23rd's special day filled with the Airing of Grievances, the Festivus Pole, and finished by the Feats of Strength?  We are big fans of Seinfeld (the TV show) in this house, and every year we always remember December 23's special meaning!  Check out this website for everything you need to know!  Including videos of the original Festivus celebrated on Seinfeld!

1 Month Blog Anniversary!

Today marks 1 month since I have started Luckey's Goods!  YAY!  How exciting!  I have really enjoyed every minute of it!  (A quick note, I apologize for being away so long...  The holidays have totally kicked my butt.  I have been frantically running around trying to finish all my holiday prep.  And this past weekend was my friend's wedding which kept me busy almost all weekend as Matt was in the wedding.  I know...  Excuses, excuses...)

To commemorate my first month, I am doing a double post - An outfit of the day and a recipe!  First, lets start with the recipe.  Tomorrow is my company's holiday party.  I am bringing in a new recipe that a friend just gave me - Buffalo Chicken Cheese Ball.  With minimal ingredients and minimal time you can make this for one of your holiday parties too!

Buffalo Chicken Cheese Ball

Ingredients

2 blocks of cream cheese

1 large chicken breast (I used 1-1/2 because I only had small ones)

1/4 cup plus some extra squirts of Franks Red Hot

2 cups pepper jack cheese

 

 

Pictures Taken by Luckey

I softened the cream cheese in the microwave for about 1 minute.  Then I combined the cream cheese, hot sauce, and half of the pepper jack cheese.  It's not pictured, but after I combined it all, I felt it didn't pack enough heat for my taste, so I added in a few shakes of dried cayenne pepper.

At the same time I was also cooking up the chicken breasts.  The picture shows three because I made a second cheese ball for Matt to take to his work holiday party too!

When the chicken is finished I shredded it and added it to the cream cheese mix.

Finally after everything is mixed well, I form the mixture into a ball and roll it over the other cup of the pepper jack cheese. 

There you have it!  Easy-peasy!  And quite tasty too!  I'm excited to see if everyone likes it as much as I do tomorrow at the party! 

And now...  The clothes...

 Pictures by Matt M.

When: Wednesday, December 21, 2011

What: Dress - Sonsi.com; Cardigan - Lane Bryant; Boots - Trusol; Tights - Fashion Bug; Belt - Lane Bryant; Necklace - Target

Where: Work, and a marathon of stores to finish my Christmas shopping, and then home to make the cheese balls and catch my brother-in-law up on Showtime's "Shameless" so he can watch the new season with us in January.

Heh.  I had Matt take a picture of me with some of my shopping bags.  As you can see in these pictures I am surrounded by gifts that still need to be wrapped!  Ugh, something else to do...  Any-who...  I wanted to look festive today.  What is more festive than red and green I thought?  This is actually the dress I wore to my own rehearsal dinner.  If I wasn't wearing the cardigan, you could see it was sleeveless (we were married in July).  I love this dress, it's so light and airy.  Adding a cardigan and tights is a great way to winterize it!

Wore my calf boots again.  Love these things.  The necklace is also what I wore at my rehearsal dinner.  It was an absolute awesome find as I love it and I always get compliments on it!  I originally put on my black skinny belt this morning, but I started thinking that the animal print one might be more fun!  I'm glad I switched!

Is anyone else as excited about the season premier of "Shameless" as I am?!?!  Oh my!  It became one of my favorite shows when it first came on early this year.  It's about a family of misfits in Chicago.  If you have Showtime, it's on demand right now so you have time to catch up!  (Note - this is NOT a family friendly show.  No kiddies around, okay?) 

Others ways I have rocked my animal print belt:

All I Want For Christmas is THIS!

For anyone living under a rock, it's Christmas time!  It seems that a lot of bloggers like to make wish lists, and I am totally on board this.  Hey - maybe even my husband and/or family and friends will find their way here and purchase a thing or two for me! 

Tops

1. Forever 21 Dove Print Tee - I know, I'm kind of late to the bird print party, but I just think this tee is adorable.  And I'm trying to incorporate more patterns into my wardrobe.  Most of my clothes are solids.

2. Old Navy Ruffled Chiffon Cheetah Print Top - The animal print look seems to be in still.  You see it every where.  I think this top would be perfect with some trouser jeans, a great blazer, and a pair of pumps.

3. Forever 21 Zig Zag Stripes Top - These stripes are so cool!  I think the lines could really do some great things for my figure too!

Bottoms

1. Old Navy Medium Wash Flare Jeans - I am in desperate need of new jeans.  I tend to go for boot cut or flare.  Nothing fancy about these jeans, but they are a basic I do need!

2. Forever 21 Stretch Skinny Jeans in Red - I WANT COLORED JEANS!  I think they are so cute!  And I always get captivated by the red ones!  The stretch in these would be nice too! 

Cardigans

1. Sealed With A Kiss Designs Signature Wrap Cardigan in Royal Blue - I have been obsessing over this cardigan for about 3 months now.  Still haven't bought it.  Still want it.  It's because this isn't any cardigan, this is a cardigan that can be wrapped 8 different ways for 8 completely different looks!  I am sure there are even more ways a creative individual could wrap it too!  Love the blue color too!  So pretty!  (FYI - I don't have this because they are always out of the color/size I want.  I guess everyone else likes it too!)

2. Mossimo Boyfriend Cardigan Sweater in Teal Heather - I think this cardigan is too cute.  I love the pockets and the longer length.  Wouldn't it be so cute with that dove print tee?

3. Sealed With A Kiss Designs Open Cardigan in Red -  This would be another great versatile piece from SWAK.  I love how it flows open with the extra fabric, tiered to the front of the cardigan.  Another great color too! 

Dresses

1. Mossimo Long-Sleeve Shirt Dress in Earth Worm Grey - To me this dress just looks so soft and comfy.  An easy piece to wear to work, on a lazy weekend day, or even out with some friends!  I also love the skinny belt detail.

2. 6 Degrees One Shoulder Party Dress - How awesome is this dress?  So cute!  The one shoulder, the pleats, the belted waist?!?!  What's not to love?  I'm actually really upset I didn't see this before I bought what I'm going to wear for Christmas.  But I'm now thinking maybe New Years?

3. Old Navy Wrap Front Dress in Serpent - Green is my favorite color.  Anything green instantly draws my attention and this dress is no different.  I especially like the style because the wrap dress always looks good on my curves.

4. Sealed With A Kiss Designs Joan Maxi Dress in Taupe - Another SWAK design that is always sold out.  I just keep wishing and hoping it will come back in stock soon!  Lately I am really digging the color taupe (hence the first dress too).  Any color accessories would look great with it.  Again, this dress just looks so soft and comfortable.  I especially like the large sleeves.

Outerwear



1. Merona Long Trench Coat in Bare Canvas - Can't go wrong with a classic like this!  Now that I am *cough-cough* 30, I think it's about time I have one of these classics in my wardrobe.  The wide belt that comes with this one is nice too!

2. Old Navy Frost Free Zip-Front Vest in Saucy Red - Another fall/winter staple I have missing from my closet.  I especially like how this one has a shiny look to it - almost sparkly!  Wouldn't this look great with the flare jeans and maybe a a crisp white tee?

3. Coffee Shop Full-Length Pea Coat - What a fun coat!  I love the herring bone pattern.  Wouldn't it be great to own all 3 pieces?  (heehee) All three of these are really affordable too!

Belts

1. Sealed With A Kiss Designs Santa Fe Double Buckle Belt in Black - I really like all of SWAK's belts.  But if I had to choose just one to get now, I would get this one.  I think it's a great, sexy belt.  I could wear this in a million ways, especially since I've been belting my waist with a lot of different outfits lately.

2. Forever 21 Knotted Leatherette Stretch Belt - Not only is this belt a unique design, it's also a great color.  I'm thinking it could be a great belt with the Mossimo Long-Sleeve Shirt Dress!

Necklaces

1. Old Navy Angular Chunky-Bead Nacklace in True Blue - Who knew Old Navy had such pretty jewelry?  Not me!  I don't think I have ever clicked on their jewelry link before, but I'm glad I did!  This necklace gives off a vintage vibe that I'm digging. 

2. Old Navy Owl Pendent Necklace - Another cool one I found on the Old Navy site.  The owl fad is still going strong and I still haven't hopped on!  This little guy is just adorable and would be a nice whimsical touch to almost any outfit!

3. Old Navy Teardrop Chandelier Necklace in Brown - I'm thinking the one shoulder party dress for New Years???  Uh-huh!  The silver bead accents is a great touch too.

Shoes   

1. Not Rated Drum Kit Flat - These would be fabulous with a dress or a skirt when I just really don't feel like wearing heels.  I love the vintage look of them and I just really think they are the cutest shoes I have seen in a long time!

2. Coconuts Becky Wide Calf Boot - So I have black calf boots, it's only natural I would want a brown pair too!  And aren't these great?  I love the buckles on the back!  And I know they would fit my big 'ole calves because the measurements are the same as the black pair I bought.  Seriously obsessing over these!!

3. Bandolino Jolly Jo Python Flat - Why not take the animal print look to your feet?  These are fun and the buckle detail is nice.  (They come in wide width too!  SQUEEEE!)

Infinity Scarves

So...  There are so many of these right now, and I love them all (I can't choose)!  I thought a great place to find a great scarf would be etsy and I wasn't wrong!  There were sooo many I decided to do a short few words about each scarf and let you click on the link if it interests you!

1. Slate Grey Infinity Scarf - Unique crochet pattern.  Looks super soft too!

2. Crochet Ribbed Infinty Scarf in Sage Green - Wonderful large scarf.  Made to order too - 35 colors to choose from too!

3. Jersey Knit Infinity Scarf with Flower Pin - Beautiful scarf with a lovely pin!  Very unique!  Wear it with or without the pin for a different look!

4. La Boheme Fire Engine Red Fringed Infinity Scarf - Awesome fringe!  Pretty material!  Very eye catching!

5. Custom T Shirt Infinity Scarf - Made from reclaimed tees.  You tell her the color, she makes it!  Fun design too!

6. White and Green Infinty Scarf - Also made from t-shirts with a cool "stringy" look.

7. Fall Mustard with Grey and Blue Lines Jersey Infinity Scarf - Loving mustard lately!  Great price too!

8. Grey Crochet Inifinty Scarf - Awesome crochet pattern!

Well...  That's it!  That's all!  An evening later and a few beers down, I'm finally ready to hit "Publish Post"!  I haven't been too naughty this year....  Right?

 

Turkey Day

Photos Taken by Matt M.

When:  Thursday, November 24, 2011 (THANKSGIVING!)

What:  Brown short sleeve cardigan; Brown Cami; Green & Brown Love Your Size, Love Your Style silky skirt; Brown SWAK Havana belt; Brown tights; Brown heels; Gold, Copper & Brown beaded necklace; Silver & Orange bracelet; Brown & Silver cuff watch.

Where:  Thanksgiving at the in-laws!

This year we went to Matt's parents for Thanksgiving.  We always do an every-other year thing with Thanksgiving and Easter, as we have found this is the easiest way to keep everyone mostly happy!  (The hardest part is remembering where we were the year before which usually means we are searching old emails to help determine!)  Diane, my mother-in-law made dinner this year and it was absolutely delicious!  Oh my gosh - I ate so much that about an hour after dinner I had fallen asleep on Matt's shoulder while sitting on the couch!  My favorite parts of dinner was corn pudding and the sweet potatoes (guess that's a little bit of the old vegetarian coming out in me?)  I MUST get her recipe for corn pudding.  Matt told me it's actually an old recipe that has been passed down his Dad's side of the family - so I'll definitely have to keep that tradition going!

This skirt I just recently purchased online from Kmart's Love Your Style, Love Your Size collection.  You can get one too here (and it's on sale for $9.99 right now!  HECK YEAH!)  It's an absolutely great skirt and I would highly recommend it!  The belt came from Sealed with a Kiss Designs (here).  That website has many things I would love to own, but at the moment my budget doesn't really allow me to buy much more.  My shoes are actually from Payless and are probably about 8 years old!  I have had them forever and because they are some of my favorite I don't wear them too often as I want them to last as long as possible!  I'm not exactly sure where the necklace came from one...  But it's another oldie but goodie of mine.

It was a wonderful day and I truly am grateful to have such awesome in-laws - all of them, from my new parents to Matt's aunts, uncles, and cousins!  I hope everyone had such a great day too!