Dooney & Bourke: Counting the ways

During my birthday month of May, my hubby bought me a beautiful Dooney and Bourke Vacheeta Leather Florentine Satchel in Natural and I am enjoying the pleasure of carrying it.

This bag works with so many different outfits.

I love taking it to work because I can fit every thing in it that I need for the day.

JT on her way to work

Inside of the satchel, the green material is so soft and the chain you see inside is to hold your keys. Also, there is ample inside pockets for eyeglasses, lip glosses, or lotion. The sky is the limit.

Inside the purse

The trim is a nice touch. It gives off equestrian-look to me and the saddle color tops it off. The stitching on the handles is so awesome because it gives the purse extra detail.
Tassels and stitching on handles

This outfit is one of my favorites because this is an actual maxi dress that I put a black top on over it and added a belt and wore it to work. The satchel gave it that chic edge.

Satchel with Maxi dress combo

I was feeling the sari skirt and the  necklace, the silk is so comfortable in the spring and summer. The satchel is so versatile.

Sari skirt

I wore this outfit to church on Sunday because it was a hot day.The handkerchief blouse and capri pants felt so cool.

The Dooney and Bourke Vacheeta leather satchel not only goes with all my outfits. The picture below is my Evan Picone printed dress with light green blouse and my Vince Camuto booties. It is a total work horse for my wardrobe. I will do individual future posts on each outfit, I just wanted to show you how this purse is so cool. Win-win!


This post is linked to Not Dead Yet Style.

Memorial Day Remembrance!

My hubby is guest writing this post on Memorial Day.

Today, we celebrate Memorial Day. It does not sound right to me when someone says to me “Happy Memorial Day!”. It is not a happy day, but a solemn day and a day of remembrance. Too often we get caught in holidays meaning that we must head to the mall to check out the latest sales; we must be barbecuing the pork steaks, chickens and ribs; and heading off to someone’s house for a party. But let’s take a moment to remember what holidays are really about, not just Memorial Day. Christmas has gotten to the point now where it is all about giving and receiving presents and Thanksgiving is about eating too much, watching football and getting ready for the next day’s shopping adventures.

Today is Memorial Day, the day set aside to honor the men and women who sacrificed their life so that we could live in this country. The foundation of the United States has always been a country where people come to so that they can be free – free from government oppression, free to choose their own religion and free to speak their own mind. Men and women of our armed forces have gone to war to preserve that freedom for over two hundred years. Many of have fought and paid to keep that freedom possible with their life. They gave their life so that you can have a life of freedom. It is quite an amazing testimony to their commitment to what they believed in and to this country. Let us never forget them or their sacrifice.

My wife’s Uncle Fred and Uncle Thedo served in the United Sates Army. I am grateful to them for their willingness to join the Army and preserve my freedom as an American citizen.

Uncle Fred serving in the United States Army

Uncle Thedo in his full Army uniform

 

Also my father served in the United States Army. He too served to preserve the United States as a beacon of freedom for all the world.

My daddy, also serving in the United States Army

 

Shaw Nature Reserve

May is my birthday month and it has been awesome. One day is not enough for me to celebrate so I have decided to make it a month-long celebration. Part of the this year’s celebration included a day at the Shaw Nature Reserve, about an hour from our house.  We walked four miles through wildflower gardens, prairie lands and wetlands. We had a blast on such a beautiful day. I wanted to share some photographs of the adventure. Even though I am a ‘girly-girl’, I do like to be ‘one-with-nature.’

JT and hubby

We saw a family of turtles as we started on the trail through the wildflower garden.

Turtles

The Butterflies are so pretty.

Butterfly on coneflowers

Getting a picture outside the Bascom House.

Bascom House

 

The coneflower meadow was so lovely that we had to take a picture of it.

Coneflower meadow

Walking with my hubby makes me feel so thankful and joyful. When I look at God’s creation I know that I am so blessed to see such beauty.

Waterlilies

So green, just beautiful.

On our way back to the Jeep we saw a turtle in the water.

Turtle

And some beautiful white flowers and, oh my, a bumble bee.

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend and remember it is not about the barbecues, the parties and picnics. It is about the soldiers who gave their life, fighting keep our country free so we can have the barbecues, picnics and parties. Take a moment to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for you and your country.

The FIRM video… cardio boost

I have been working out with the FIRM for about  seven years now and I never get bored. Alison, FIRM Master Instructor has a great workout that can fit into other FIRM cardio or sculpt workouts I have however  if you don’t workout with the FIRM this a good way to add in a cardio boost. I tried it tonight and boy it will get your energy pumping.  According to the video if you do the routine three times through it’s a great cardio workout and I totally agree.

If you try it let me know what you think about it.

 

Have a great weekend.

Lia Sophia Jewelry…I won the Giveaway!

I won the Lia Sophia giveaway that Shasie was hosting on her blog “Live Life Style A City Girl’s Personal Blog on Fashion and Style.”  I was elated and overjoyed, I couldn’t wait to receive the package. I received my package today and I had to style  the jewelry with my outfit. The jewelry came packaged secure and in a pretty white pouch. Shasie is so classy she has her own blogbusiness cards and stationary (Go girl!). I advise everyone who has a blog to get business cards and I learned from Shasie that I should pick up some stationary too.

Lia Sophia package

When I took the jewelry out the package, I had an outfit that had the perfect colors to accentuate the jewelry.

Lia Sophia jewelry

The jewelry looks so pretty and it look so chic. The Cabana necklace is very well made and felt substantial, but not heavy.

Cabana Necklace

The Sweet Spot Bracelet  and the Swiss Dots Bracelet will go with so many different outfits. The Amedeo NYC cameo cuff is mine, the more bracelets the better.

The outfit with the Lia Sophia jewelry popped and the colors in my dress by Connected Apparel formed a happy marriage.

My Dooney and Bourke Vacheeta leather satchel is a gift for my birthday month (May is my birthday month celebration).
My burgundy shoes are from DSW and they are by Kelly and Katie. The flats are really comfortable and I love the patent and the buckle trim.

Shoes by Kelly and Katie

This is how the Connected Apparel looks without the cardigan.

Styling the Lia Sophia jewelry was a pleasure and I am thinking of so many ways I can style the necklace and bracelets with outer outfits I have.