Blog Lovin'

I was mentioned on a fellow blogger's blog.  I do not really know how this whole blog world functions but I thought I would give it a try.  Thanks to Glamamom, I now have two readers/comentors (the other person is my mom). 

In an effort to make use of this thing, I am going to share the love as well.  I am not sure how useful I will be since I only have two readers but it is the thought that counts right?  Jill Seiman, of Glamamom is trying to gain exposure in the blog world for mothers.  Vote for her blog here.

While I am not a mother, nor expecting, her blog is still relevant to anyone looking for fashionable ideas.  I stumbled across her blog via the TJ Maxx profile on Facebook.  She is giving away a $100 gift card to TJ Maxx, my favorite store.  Take a look at her blog and enter here. 

I still love J. Crew

A few posts ago, I bashed on J.Crew.  They are straying away from some of their classic designs and getting extremely expensive.  However, this past weekend in Seattle, I was able to find some great items at a discount.  J. Crew will always be one of those stores where I wait until everything is on sale (and then wait for the additional 30% off) before making a purchase.  They definitely redeemed themselves this past shopping trip.  If only I lived closer to a J. Crew and could catch more of their extra 30% off sales...

Today I went to work at 8:45 and was off at 12:15pm.  I work at a movie theater.  Yes.  I just said that.  I am nearly 21 years old, and entering my fourth year at Brigham Young University.  I make slightly above minimum wage by serving people popcorn and working with high school kids.  That said, I cannot complain.  I attend church with the owners of the theater, which makes it very easy to get the shifts I want.  Also, I like the managers and they recognize my efforts and have become my good friends.  Anyway, that is beside the point.  When I work at the theater each summer, I get frustrated with dressing myself.  I am either in my oversize burgundy polo and black pants or in a swimsuit catching as much sun as possible.  Therefore, when I had to dash to a dentist appointment today, I took a few extra minutes to put on a cute outfit - because who knows when I would have a chance to dress up again!  All of my recent J. Crew purchases were at hand and I was able to put on a simple outfit that is stylish and more than just jeans and a top.  Here is what I put together.  Do you like it?

Here is the breakdown of everything I am wearing.
top: J. Crew $45.00 (I paid 30% off of $19.99)
skirt:  J. Crew $88.00 (I paid 30% off of $19.99)
belt:  J. Crew $39.50 (I paid 30% off of $19.99)
shoes:  thrifted Steve Madden

My mom was considering making our own embellished J. Crew-esque shirts.  She has been inspired by all the talented ladies who sell their items on blogs and etsy.  But by paying just $14 dollars for the real deal, it is not worth her time!

I have been looking for a cute denim skirt for a long time.  I wanted one with this shape that could be dressed up or down.  When I found this skirt for such a deal, I could not pass it up.  And I think it looks pretty cute on me too. 

I love shoes.

I love shoes.  There is no denying it.  My grandmother loves shoes.  My mother loves shoes.  I love shoes.  I bought and returned two pair today because I loved them so much but didn't have the money to keep them.  I still got satisfaction in taking them home trying them on multiple times and seeing how cute the looked on my feet.  While returning at Nordstrom, I came across these beauties.  I hope they don't sell well so they end up at Nordstrom Rack and eventually in my closet.  I would take them in any color - but I love the navy best.

I also picked up some adorable Betsey Johnson earrings.  I have been wanting some like this for a long time.  They are more than I usually spend on earrings and I will probably end up returning them because of buyers remorse - but I love them just the same.  I'd show you a picture but I can't find them on the Nordstrom website or anywhere else.  I guess that means they are popular!

Summer Reading

While sitting in class today, I decided to start a list of books I want to read this summer.  My summer will be short this year.  I stayed for spring term and I have to be back on campus August 18th for work.  However, I am determined to make it through as many of these books as possible.  In keeping with the theme of this blog, if I find the book to be significantly above average and worthy of the term "favorite", I will feature a little synopsis on this blog and explain why I liked it.  Some of these books are for pure enjoyment, while others are of a more serious note.  Here goes - if you have any suggestions, please add to my list.

• Night - Elie Wiesel
• Uncle Tom's Cabin - Harriet Beecher Stowe
• The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
• Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
• Twenties Girl - Sophie Kinsella
• Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Middlemarch - George Eliot
• The Age of Innocence - Edith Wharton
• The Portrait of a Lady - Henry James

Last on my list is to finally finish Henry James' Daisy Miller.  Even though it is a short story, I have started and restarted it too many times to count.  This summer, I will read the entire work straight through so I do not have a chance to forget what I read only to restart it a while later.  Also, now that I am looking over these books, I have decided I am in the right major.  So many of these books deal with American topics.  I am excited to really delve into my program this fall - hopefully I still like it in the midst of a busy semester!

I am in a contest.

I randomly decided to submit a picture to a local facebook contest.  I am a finalist.  I need as many people as possible to "like" the photo I submitted on facebook.  Here is where I need you.  Please log on to facebook and "like" Skweez's profile.  Then follow this link to the picture and "like" it as well.  Easy as pie.  If I win, I get a gift certificate and some other goodies.  

Bargain Find

I coveted these shoes for the longest time.  J Crew is so expensive I thought I would never own them.  The shoe gods are on my side however, because yesterday I scored a brand new pair at Down East Outfitters for $24.99.  When they first appeared in the catalog a year or so ago they retailed for $165.  Take that J Crew!

Shopping at stores like Down East, TJ Maxx, and Ross require frequent visits.  Fortunately for me, I find hunting through things very therapeutic and a great break from school work.  I will definitely be going to Down East's tent sale in Orem and Draper June 9th - June 12th.  See you there?