Spring Capsule Wardrobe Unveiling

For about the last three weeks, I’ve been wearing items from my newly-crafted spring capsule wardrobe, but I haven’t shared with you the full update of what it looks like! I was waiting because I still had a couple of elusive pieces. In full transparency, I still have one piece I haven’t been able to find, but I will go ahead and share the rest with you today! (The elusive piece is a light colored blazer.)

            This post by Clothed in Grace served as my inspiration for the wardrobe. I loved what she put together, but I do confess that mine strayed just a tiny bit. I have a few more pieces than she has here, and my reasoning behind that was twofold. One, our spring has been/will probably continue to be quite the pendulum swing in weather. I felt like I needed some specifically warm and some specifically cool weather pieces, so I had to broaden what I included. Secondly, I am doing more speaking in this spring season than I did in the winter, so I needed some things that were more appropriate for that – and then I also want some casual pieces for at home!

            My winter capsule had a lot of black in it, and I was ready for some lighter, brighter colors. I moved over to more blues and pinks this time. As I move forward, I will probably continue to hone the pieces I have in my wardrobe at large to be more cohesive in color schemes. I’m learning more of what I like!

            One other note: I will mention the brands of my pieces in case you are curious, but I purchased almost all of them at thrift or consignment stores, so they are likely from previous years.

            So…without further explanation…here is my spring capsule!

Skirt:

            I just have one skirt in this capsule, and it is the same tan skirt I purchased from the consignment shop during the winter to have as part of that capsule. It looks a bit olive-colored in this photo, but it is tan. I carried it over because it works just as well for a spring piece. I can easily dress it up or down, and tan is one of the anchor colors I’m using in this capsule, so it works great for that! (Brand: Merona)

Long-Sleeved Tops:

            Again, because of how cold our spring can be at the start, I decided to keep a pullover sweater in the capsule. I purchased this pink sweater from the consignment shop during the winter – mostly to have something for Valentine’s Day. I love everything about this sweater, from its shade to its softness, so it was an easy choice to keep it around for the spring. (Brand: Karen Scott)

            I also kept this coastal-feeling white long-sleeved hooded shirt that I purchased from the consignment store ahead of my winter capsule. In the winter, I used it as a base under sweaters and jackets, but now I’m using it as a layer-over piece that I can take off if I get too warm. The fabric is thin and it feels beachy – appropriate for lake life, right? I also like it that the sleeves can cinch up with a button tab, so it feels more like a ¾ length top. (Not sure on this brand. Someone cut out the tag.)

T-Shirts:

            I kept this “It’s a Good Day to Write” shirt that my sister gave me for Christmas. I used it in my winter capsule with sweaters over it, and now it will work under layers or standing alone as it gets warmer. This is one of my favorite shirts I own, both from a fit perspective and from the message. I wear it on almost every writing day I have! (Source: Flourish Writers’ Boutique)

            I found this “Grow in Grace” tee at the Goodwill last week and purchased it for about $3.00. I love the color. This shade of green is one of my favorites for my clothes, and this will be a good casual or dress-it-up tee for me this spring. (I’m guessing someone made this with a Cricut, so I have no idea where it originated.)

            This black v-neck t-shirt came from a thrift store for a couple of dollars a few weeks ago. I didn’t have a plain black tee anymore, and this one looked brand new, so I grabbed it. It will be great under sweaters/shirts or on its own! (Brand: No Boundaries)

            This light pink plain tee came from the same thrift store for about the same price at about the same time. It seemed like a great mix and match option in a spring color, so I chose it. (Brand: Christopher and Banks)

            This is not really a tee, but it’s a short-sleeved shirt! I found this one last fall at a consignment store and saved it over the winter. I love the fun little print and how flowy it feels. It’s beachy in all the right ways! (Brand: Sonoma)

Sleeveless Shirts:

            I received this long navy sleeveless shirt probably five years ago as a hand-me-down. The fabric is dressier than t-shirt material, and the length makes it perfect with white pants (covering the backside if the pants are thin)! It was free to me and I like it, so I added it to the capsule. (Brand: Fashion Caribe)

            I found this tan sleeveless shirt on the clearance rack at a consignment shop and paid less than $2.00 for it. I love the dressy detail that makes it great for speaking or date night! (Brand: Rewind)

Button-Down Shirts:

            I have been looking for a plain white button-down shirt for a while and haven’t found one I liked. When I was at the Goodwill last week, I was failing again, and on my last sweep of the store, I found this one on a mannequin hanging on the wall. Did I pull down that mannequin and undress it? YES. And for less than $5.00, I now have my white button-down! I can wear it on its own or use it as a light layering piece with any/all of my other shirts! (Brand: Ana)

            This plaid button-down was not in the plan for me, but I saw it and couldn’t resist! I found it for about $3.00 on my Goodwill run last week. It was brand new with stickers still on it, and because of the lighter colors, I will wear it now – and probably again in the fall and/or winter! (Brand: Sonoma)

            I also had been looking for a button-down denim/chambray shirt for a while and hadn’t found one I liked. I saw this one at the consignment store and it is in my top 5 favorite shirts right now. Ryan compliments me EVERY TIME I wear it. It just fits well. It has a slight flaw on the shoulder, but if we buy distressed jeans on purpose, why should a slight shoulder flaw annoy me? (Brand: Maurices)

            I was looking for a good blue-and-white-striped coastal button down and never did find exactly what I wanted, but I did find this one at the consignment store. It was cheap, close to what I wanted, and will work for now! It’s a little dressier than I wanted, but in this season, that’s not the worst thing in the world. (Brand: Maurices)

Dresses:

            I have more dresses in my capsule than I did in the winter, and I like it! This denim dress surprised me! I saw it at the consignment store, liked how it looked, and decided to go for it. I’ve gotten great compliments on it, and I can see how it’s going to be easy to dress up or down. It’s long enough to be appropriate and short enough to be cool on warm days. I like the drawstring belt, and the sleeves can button up, which I also love! (Brand: Gloria Vanderbilt)

            This striped t-shirt dress was another surprising find at a thrift store. I like how it fits, it feels like jammies, and I can dress it up or down! I’ve always wanted a dress like this one and have never found one that fits well. This is a winner! (Brand: Divided)

            I found this dress for about $10 at the consignment store back in January and purchased it for my Easter dress. I love it and received many compliments when I wore it on Easter. It’ll be a good speaking/wedding dress. (Brand: Rue 21)

The Mystery Piece:

            Is it a shirt? A dress? A jacket? All three? It’s a heavy canvas material that can be a chameleon of a piece. I found it for a few dollars at the thrift store and decided to weave it into the capsule. (Brand: Thread and Supply)

Layering Pieces:

            I received this tan utility vest several years ago when I did a product review. I still love it. It’s better quality than I would probably buy for myself! It has a hood, but I’ve never liked it, so I unzipped it and haven’t worn it since. This is a great layering piece for spring! (Brand: YMI)

            I received this pink zip up hoodie several years ago as a hand-me-down and have loved it. I chose to include it since it was pink and different from the hoodie I used over the winter! (Brand: Christopher and Banks)

            I thought about moving my black sweater to the spring capsule, but I found this lightweight navy one at the consignment store and decided to go with it instead. It felt like it fit the color scheme better. It’s comfy and has POCKETS!! (Can’t read the tag for the brand.)

            You might recognize this long tan cardigan from the winter capsule. I’ve had it for a few years, and it came from a Goodwill haul. It’s great for these cooler days of spring. (Brand: Karen Scott)

Pants:

            I redid my collection of jeans for this capsule so I could get versions that fit better! All the jeans you’re about to see came from the consignment shop for no more than $7.00 each – and some less. This first pair is boot cut, which I never thought I’d buy again, but here we are. I chose them for their lighter wash. (Brand: So)

            I chose this pair for the darker wash. These are straight leg. (Another thing I never thought I’d buy again.) (Brand: Free Assembly)

            This pair was a fun purchase mostly for date nights. Ryan likes the distressed look, so I got these. I also like that the bottom is a little shorter than the boot cut/straight leg, so they work well with flat shoes. (Brand: Rancan)

            This lighter wash pair was another fun one for home/date nights. I know this level of distress isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and my mom did offer to give me money for better jeans. 😉 (Brand: Lucky Brand)

            You might remember these tan pants from the winter capsule. I kept them for spring, since they’re lighter and can be easily dressed up. (Brand: Gloria Vanderbilt)

            These white pants were hand-me-downs several years ago. I haven’t worn them just yet this spring but think they will be a good addition even though it’s before Memorial Day. (Brand: Peck and Peck)

            These black joggers were left from the winter capsule, and they’re lightweight and casual, so I decided to keep them around for this season too. (Tag cut out, so unsure of brand)

Shorts:

            These tan shorts came from the consignment store and replaced the ones I owned that no longer fit! They look brand new! (Brand: Gap)

            I’ve owned these denim shorts for several years. I’m not sure if they’ll end up staying, but they work for now! (Brand: Apartment 9)

Shoes:

            I feel like the shoes are much…too many! But part of that is because at the start of the capsule, I didn’t have some purchased, and part of it is because it was still winter at the start of spring! So I’ll carry over some of the boots that I’m phasing out as it warms up and then introduce the spring picks.

            I kept these black and brown Chelsea boots I bought at Walmart over the winter, and the tan ankle boots I also got at Walmart in the winter. I also kept the little black sneakers (not surprisingly, from Walmart over the winter.

            New to the capsule are these tan slip ons. They have a canvas/coastal feel. (Brand: Time and Tru brand from Walmart.

            These cute little pink mule flats are from a couple of summers ago. They’re fun and different, and I like how they look. (Nine West)

            It’s getting warm enough to bring back these black wedge shoes from a couple of summers ago! (Amazon)

            These nude heels are from many Easters ago and are still going strong! (Amazon)

            I got these shoes two Easters ago, and they must be popular because I saw them in the stores again this year! (Time and Tru – Walmart)

            I got these white sneakers for this year. Really comfy! (Time and Tru)

            Saw these in Walmart and couldn’t pass them up. They fit the capsule! (Time and Tru)

            So there you have it! It feels big, but it’s the capsule for spring! Several of these should carry over into summer and/or work again for fall.

Solar Eclipse Adventures!

 I know some of you come here to read each day from places all around this country – and world! – so some of you know that yesterday was a big deal day here in Indiana. Others of you might not have any idea that we had a solar eclipse yesterday, and our little corner of the world was right in the path of totality.

            I’m not an astronomer and am not one to chase one of these for the experience of it, but since it took place right here in our literal backyard, I wanted to enjoy the experience…and I certainly did!

            A couple of weeks ago, our friends who come to visit every winter messaged to see if they could camp out in our yard for the eclipse. I told them they most certainly could not sleep outside, but we would happily give them room INSIDE! So Sunday night, they arrived late, bearing the coolest gifts, including these sugar cookies that Jenna made. They were so delicious.

            Our night of wrangling two pets with six guests in the house is a hilarious tale that I shall save for another day. But eventually everyone got some sleep, and we awakened to a GORGEOUS morning. I don’t think I’ve said that phrase for a while. We’ve had some beautiful sunsets lately, but they’ve all come at the end of a gross and cloudy day. To have beautiful skies throughout the day? What is this madness?

            I had some work meetings in the morning, and our guests got ready for the day, and then we all piled in their van and headed for Ryan’s work so we could enjoy their “Solarbration” party. I took along all my work stuff and spent time working remotely from Ryan’s office. (He was a golf cart driver for the party!)

            I took breaks to enjoy the fun festivities they had planned for the day. I did not participate in the bounce houses, but the kids did, and they had fun. I did join everyone for lunch. Several food trucks came for the day, and Ryan and I shared a “Mericatots” from the Drop it Like it’s Tot truck.

            When the time came for the actual eclipse, I rejoined our friends, and we sat in awe of the experience together. It amazed me how light it remained outside while looking through the glasses told me only a tiny sliver of the sun was showing. It amazed me how dark and cold it got right in the middle of the day. It amazed me how quickly the light reappeared on the other side!

            I was so glad Ryan talked me into coming to the party. Originally I planned to stay home, but he reminded me I can work from anywhere and thought I would have more fun hanging out at work. He was so right. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss it.

            What a fun day. I may not understand everything about the eclipse, but I understand family, friends, and fun, and my day was saturated with all three!

The Perfect Bags

 

For years, I’ve been a collector/recycler of bags and purses. At any given time, I always had a massive tub full of bags, some purchased and some gifted, and to be honest, many went unused most of the time. I’ve noticed in the last year, I finally have the standing collection of bags and totes we use the most, and I think it’s time to weed out anything that doesn’t fall into this group.

            I wanted to share with you what we have that works really well, so if you’re looking for some ideas for yourself, you can have some ideas!

            Two years ago, for my birthday, Ryan gave me my first ever “fancy” purse. I put fancy in quotes because the purse isn’t flashy in any way, but it just cost more than we usually spend on purses. I wanted to support local artisan friends of mine who make leather bags, and I wanted a purse that was made of quality materials and with quality labor. I have carried it every single day for almost two years now, and it is going STRONG. They no longer make the exact one I have, but here is the link to their site so you can see what they offer. They make a great product! Sometimes I miss switching up purses for fun/fashion reasons, but I also really love the consistency of not having to worry about which purse I’m carrying or how it functions. Mine has a long strap and can hang on my shoulder or function as a cross-body bag, and I like that.

            The purse has no interior pockets, so to keep it from becoming a massive junk drawer on my shoulder, I organize it with separate little bags. Back when we lived in Kokomo, a young girl from our church made and sold snap bags at local markets. I bought three of them and have used them every day since as part of my purse organization. She doesn’t have an online shop, but here is a similar product from Etsy. These little fabric bags are perfect for holding loose items like hand sanitizer, lipstick, gift cards, etc. tops snap shut to hold in the items inside, but they easily pop open to grab something out. Love them.

            Several years ago, Lynnette gifted me this essential oils travel bag, and it also lives in my purse. I am able to carry with me the oils I use most often, so they’re at the ready in case of emergency! I love how the bag keeps them separated and upright in the bottom of my purse. This was a GREAT gift idea. Thanks, Lynnette!

            When Ryan’s mom passed away, and we cleaned out her belongings, I snagged her Vera Bradley laptop bag. It was perfect because I have a huge laptop and it’s hard to find bags that are big enough for them. Vera Bradley is heaquartered here in Indiana, but I confess it’s outside my budget range. The bag has kept my computer safe all these years and is VERY cute – and it’s certainly something I never would have gotten for myself. They change up their fabrics all the time, so the one I have is no longer current, but I don’t care because it’s cute and in great shape! Here is a link to their current laptop bag similar to mine. (I also love it that it has a shoulder strap, so if I’m juggling a lot of things, I can carry it there.)

            When I started working at the church before the pandemic, Ryan bought me this rolling bag to carry back and forth to the office. (This is almost exactly like mine, though I couldn’t find the pattern I have.)  I have gotten more compliments on this bag over the years, and I still use it all the time! I carry it every time I have to travel for work, and when we go on vacation, this is our official laptop/Bible/journal luggage. I love it that it is flexible and can store flat, has a little side pocket for drinks, and is cute. 😊 The only thing to note about this bag is that it can easily tip over, so you might want to prop it against something.

            Almost done! I promise! This past Christmas, my sister got all of us matching monogramed totes, and this little bag is the bag I never knew I needed for church. I’ve had a number of totes over the years I’ve used to cram our Bibles and notebooks into, but this one is superior, because it has a flat bottom, and I can stack our Bibles up without damaging the covers or pages. I’m also able to put my water bottle, church snacks, winter hat, etc. in there and keep everything together.

            And finally, when I worked at WBCL, Lynne gifted me this (similar) insulated Sachi lunch tote, and I probably use it more now than I did then! It folds up nicely to store in a drawer but is thick enough to keep things pretty cold. We use this ALL THE TIME when traveling around for the day to hold water bottles, snacks, coffee creamer, etc.      

            So there you have it! My perfect bag lineup. This whole set will continue to be my go-to for as long as they continue to hold up! I love having a collection of pieces that work exactly how I need them to work, and the fact that most of them were gifts or hand-me-downs is just a great bonus.

Sunday Sentiments: It's the Little Things

 

Yesterday was a writing day for me. I hunkered down and worked hard to knock out some projects that were on a deadline, and it brought me MUCH joy. Also wrapped up in the joy? A whole sunny day! We’ve had some stunning sunsets around here lately, but each one has shown up at the conclusion of a rainy, gray day. To have a whole day of bright blue skies and fluffy white clouds was kind of amazing.

            Ryan was working on other projects all day, so when I finished the writing that had to be done, I turned my attention to a little project that’s been awaiting my time for the past 8 or so years. (As my sister said, “What’s your hurry?” Ha! Exactly!)

            My office bookcase holds a shelf of three-ring binders that contain everything from some studies I’ve written to book manuscripts to notes from Bible classes to recipes and probably half a dozen other things, too. I’ve tossed binder after binder onto the shelf, pulling from whatever random assortment Ryan and I have collected over the years. Some had pretty labels and others had none. Most had good, old-fashioned label-maker tape down the spine to identify the contents. Some of the binders were falling apart, others were new, and it all looked…messy.

            So yesterday afternoon, I pulled some Canva tabs on my laptop, created matching covers and spines for each binder, and heated up the laminator to make the sheets extra sturdy. I consolidated some materials, I threw away the things we truly don’t need, and I had a binder beautification project right there on the office floor.

            At the end of the afternoon, I set aside the non-matching binders to go in our rummage sale, stood back, and nearly cried with joy at my beautiful, matching binders.

            Going through each one reminded me of some projects I have started and could (should?) revisit to completion. They reminded me of hard work I’ve done over the years. They’ve reminded me of studies I need to complete.

            They’re an important piece of that little office space of mine. They’re the hub of my creativity, and now they look gorgeous.

            It’s the little things. It’s a day at home to write and a few hours set aside to knock out a project that’s been far too long in the making. I loved every moment.