Went to the store, and guess what Aldis had?  Driscoll strawberries for $0.99 a container!  I have a coupon for $2 off one, but I’ll save that for later since it’s such a good buy, so got 2 of them.  Memorial Day picnic plannings are underway..(insert evil chuckle)… no, nothing weird planned at all.  It’s just going to be my immediate family (me, my sister and her family, and our parents).  For the meat eaters – bacon-wrapped fillet mignon, hamburgers/hot dogs, for the non-meat eaters/everyone – veggie pizza on the grill; extras – coleslaw, macaroni salad, pasta salad, a green salad, possibly red beet eggs (do other people eat these or is it just a PA thing?), and strawberries for dessert.  I was thinking of different things to make, but then I just decided sometimes simple is best.

Oh, in other news?  I just got an email from Zulily – (my link is on the sidebar on the bottom right) and they’re having a Memorial Day Blowout with stuff starting at $1.99. (Warning:  I won’t be held responsible if you start wanting everything! lol  Oh, and when they have sales like this, their site can often be slow, so just an FYI).  I even saw a Coin1804 dress on there.  But stuff sells out quickly and some things are only in certain sizes.  Here are a few things that caught *my* attention:

(for less than $10?!)(Marika pants for $15!)

(for less than $5!)(for $17.49!)

pretty dress (I had a $15 credit, so I just got this for $2.99! I think I got the last one, though) (the Coin1804 dress)

Aren’t these shoes cute?  (of course not in my size) I am still on a mission to find cute and *comfortable* heels.

Well, I’ll be back on Monday or Tuesday with some yummy talk!

I’ve decided to get rid of some clothing that is either too big on me now (not a bad problem to have I suppose) or else just don’t wear for one reason or another.  I was going to do the Ebay thing, but thought I’d try here and let you all have first dibs.  If you’re interested in anything, email me at leafynotbeefy(at)hotmail(dot)com

Jewelry/Accessories

top left – pretty big and pretty fancy silver earrings with clear crystals; greenish ones from DYT; flower ones that are a bit hidden from Fossil; bottom ones little knots – all $2 each

lots of little charms and pink/clear beads – $2

on left – longer necklace with pink ribbon bow and bird cage with a dangling bird behind it (sorry picture didn’t capture it) nothing on the right is being sold – $2

bracelets – top one has a buckle closure and is stretchy and comfortable with little scrolly panels (click to see details) -$2; the bottom one is from 1928 and is pretty and has an antique feel to it with a pretty closure – $4

Scarves are $4 each

left – blue with multicolor threads and some gold threads, very happy! right – a darker teal blue with ruching

left – pale pink long scarf with tassels; from Echo; right – shades of green scarf from DYT store

brown and blue from Lulu’s

Clothing (prices as marked)

1.  Oh Mommy maternity top size M (fits L) has ties in the back, $2

2. Lauren Conrad top size M (love love love this, but is too big at the neckline for me), $4

3.  Lauren Conrad ruffle front cardigan with hidden buttons size M (another one I just love but is too loose) $4

4.  Down East Basics dress, never worn with tags still, size XL, a taupey gray color, $15

6. April Cornell yellow sundress, size S (fits M too) $4

7. Mossimo sheer green dot shirt with tie – love this! size S,  just don’t wear it much $2

8.  J. Jill semi-sheer top, cut on the bias I believe, looser on the top, size 6P, $3

9.  Cardigan/open sweater from Chadwicks, size M, cream with a burnt gold lines $3

10.  Down East Basics lavender dress with flower aplique on shoulder – size XL – another one that was never worn – I LOVE this, but sadly, it’s too tight in the rear, and once it fits there, it’ll be too big in the chest; $15

11.  Lightweight cardigan with attached shell, a taupey brown color with ruffles; worn once; size L, belt loops, but no belt; $3

12.  Kariza multi-wear wrap skirt (can be worn like 50 different ways or something, as skirt or dress, is reversible) worn 1 time, one size fits most; $5

13.  Kariza multi-wear wrap skirt, worn 1 time; $5 (shown with both sides)

14. Sonoma shirt size S; $2

15.  Old Navy cardigan with gold and silver sequins size M $3

16.  J. Jill lavender sweater size M; $3

17.  B. Moss ivory knit sweater; size M, never worn $4

18.  eShakti chambray denim jumper size 14 long dress *very long – It drags on the floor a good 5-6 inches on me, so probably best for someone  5’7-5’11.  The bust/rib area is more fitted and then the waist/hips are very free) worn once; $10

19.  Formal dressy gown, pale pink, size 10P, never worn (with tags) $10

20.  Formal dressy gown, pink, size 16, includes matching scarf, is a $200 gown, never worn $20

21.  Sage colored skirt, size 8 $2

22.  Ditsy purple print below the knee skirt, size 10; $2

23.  Chadwicks size M blue waterfall top; $2

24.  Massimo Dutti deep v-neck cable sweater; a light mauve color (a little lighter than pic is making it look); size M/32; only worn once; $5

25.  Daisy Fuentes size L; color is a beige/putty; $4 (this fits like a L/XL in my opinion)

26.  J Jill blouse, size M (fits like a large), purples and grays, pintuck details at the shoulders; $4

27.  Macrame LOFT dress (new with tags) I have 2  1 of these – 1 in a PM  in PS; taupe color; soft stretchy material,$10 each

28.  A little below knee length skirt in pastels size M, cut on the bias, very flowy/flirty hem, has an underslip; $4

Shoes

CL by Laundry size 8.5M, suede taupe (I got these at the store and wasn’t thinking when I tried them on – with socks! lol; and they are too big without socks for me) $10

I’ll try to keep the blog updated as things sell.  Thanks for checking them out!

I just came across this article and thought it was worthwhile sharing.  Have an amazing weekend everyone!

[source]

The Death of Pretty

Pat Archbold

December 21, 2011

This post is intended as a lament of sorts, a lament for something in the culture that is dying and may never been seen again.

Pretty, pretty is dying.

People will define pretty differently.  For the purposes of this piece, I define pretty as a mutually enriching balanced combination of beauty and projected innocence.

Once upon a time, women wanted to project an innocence.  I am not idealizing another age and I have no illusions about the virtues of our grandparents, concupiscence being what it is.  But some things were different in the back then.  First and foremost, many beautiful women, whatever the state of their souls, still wished to project a public innocence and virtue.  And that combination of beauty and innocence is what I define as pretty.

By nature, generally when men see this combination in women it brings out their better qualities, their best in fact.  That special combination of beauty and innocence, the pretty inspires men to protect and defend it.

Young women today do not seem to aspire to pretty, they prefer to be regarded as hot. Hotness is something altogether different.  When women want to be hot instead of pretty, they must view themselves in a certain way and consequently men view them differently as well.

As I said, pretty inspires men’s nobler instincts to protect and defend.  Pretty is cherished. Hotness, on the other hand, is a commodity.  Its value is temporary and must be used.  It is a consumable.

Nowhere is this pretty deficit more obvious than in our “stars,” the people we elevate as the “ideal.”  The stars of the fifties surely suffered from the same sin as do stars of today.  Stars of the fifties weren’t ideal but they pursued a public ideal different from today.

The merits of hotness over pretty is easy enough to understand, they made an entire musical about it.  Who can forget how pretty Olivia Newton John was at the beginning of Grease.  Beautiful and innocent.  But her desire to be desired leads her to throw away all that is valuable in herself in the vain hopes of getting the attention of a boy.  In the process, she destroys her innocence and thus destroys the pretty.  What we are left with is hotness.

Hotness is a consumable.  A consumable that consumes as it is consumed but brings no warmth.

Most girls don’t want to be pretty anymore even if they understand what it is.  It is ironic that 40 years of women’s liberation has succeeded only in turning women into a commodity.  Something to be used up and thrown out.

Of course men play a role in this as well, but women should know better and they once did.  Once upon a time you would hear girls talk about kind of women men date and the kind they marry.  You don’t hear things like that anymore.

But here is the real truth.  Most men prefer pretty over hot.  Even back in 6th grade I hated the “hot” Olivia Newton John and felt sorry for her that she had to debase herself in such a way.  Still do.

Our problem is that society doesn’t value innocence anymore, real or imagined.  Nobody aspires to innocence anymore.  Nobody wants to be thought of as innocent, the good girl.  They want to be hot, not pretty.

I still hope that pretty comes back, although I think it not likely any time soon.  For every Taylor Swift, there are a hundred Megan Foxs, or Lindsay Lohans, or Miley Cyruses etc.

Girls, please, bring back the pretty.