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Monday, December 31, 2012

Happy New Year!

I'm sending warm wishes to all of you a wonderful and safe start to the New Year.

2013 was a challenging year for my family, but I am grateful for every experience and tiny bump, or giant mountain in the road.  I keep pushing forward and tell my sons (always) to do the same, no matter what blessings or setbacks we encounter.

Usually, I'm dancing in the New Year, but his year, I opted for a quite evening at home; changing some things in my home, beautifying my home and preparing anew for the New Year.

There is no fancy NYE dress and bling for me this year.  I did a little shopping, and if I keep my resolution, I will be doing very little shopping in this New Year. **Since I get to dress up often throughout the year, I don't miss this one night of not dressing up**

I am actually imposing a spending moratorium on myself for 2013; I'd like to see how little spending I can do, and how much mileage I can get from my wardrobe without putting out any of the green stuff.  

Yesterday's mini shopping excursion is meant to precede a year of making due with the clothing that I have  and making the most of my wardrobe.  
Hopefully....YOU, my dear readers will agree to help keep me accountable.  
:)
I know this is my responsibility, but would not be at all offended if someone gave me a gentle nudge when I talk about purchasing new-to- me (ask Sheila calls them) clothing.
DANCE doesn't count!  The spending moratorium doesn't apply to dance and dance comps or dresses, shoes and accessories if needed. Dance is the REASON for scaling back!
 One of the primary reasons for scaling back the spending is so that hubby and I can indulge in our hobbies (his is golf) more.  I enjoy EXPERIENCES far more than I do acquiring things.  I love pretty clothes, but I have a closet full of beautiful thrifted clothing and I'm going to make them go to work for me.
I still plan to thrift, because I really enjoy it and its an activity that I can share with my cousin-twin, Rhonda, but I intend to buy only items on my 'hit list' of missing wardrobe items.  At this point, its a pretty short list.
My intention this year is to dance in MORE competitions and take more lessons.  I'm working on moving up the ranks...and will be dancing in a higher category at my next competition!
Here's Barbara Lesser coat I've posted about recently.  It was a lot colder more windy outside than I thought it was.....so I wasn't wearing it well enough to show you how pretty and the cut and silhouette is.  BRRRRR......

I paired gold and turquoise Lia Sophia jewelry...

.....with this pale yellow fine gauge turtleneck sweater. Turquoise and hello look great together, don't they?

These earrings are so much fun.  I  the  love the tiny little hoops on the larger hoop.  I really enjoy wearing my LS jewelry and always feel a littler prettier when I wear it.

This  pic was taken at the dance studio after my lesson last Friday....the boys photo bombed me!  I love Jayme's expression and although he wouldn't want to hear this...his "dance line" is fabulous!  Can you see Peyton's head and arm in the foreground?  Photobombers!

Instead of dancing and dressing up for NYE.....I decide to tweak my house, personalize a bit more, give it the character it was lacking.  Mostly, I used things I had and moved them around to make more sense.  I was looking for warmth, romance, character and charm.  
The larger clock was already on the wall, the black faced clock was on another wall and the other two I purchased on clearance at a little shop in my hometown.  This wall is at the top of the stairs of our bi-level and it was begging for some fun....so I make a "clock wall".  

I've had these caricature drawings of the boys and I for awhile and finally decided to put them in the black frames that the boys generic school photos were in.  

This chest was hiding in Peyton's closet, but was begging to come out.  I put Target closet cubes that I had in my closet into his to replace the chest of drawers and put this beauty front and center in the living room. 

The stoneware vase that I placed on the chest is filled with these glitter twigs will bells on them.  The delicate twigs add just a touch of dimension and texture.



Since the first day of 2013 is the start of the spending moratorium, I purchased this mirror yesterday as a last hurrah.  I had admired it a few times in the Antique store, but it wasn't really on my radar.  On this trip, it jumped out at me!  I think its perfect on top of this dresser (which was thrifted this past summer and was being used in my 'mom cave to store office supplies).  I put the dresser in my bedroom, topped it with the mirror and the floral arch from another spot in the house and now its a perfect place to display my LS jewelry collection.

Isn't this art deco style girlie (jewelry tree) pretty?  I've had a thing for the glamor of the art deco era for a very long time.  She's so pretty!

In my kitchen I added a 'fake' ladder as a bridge between cabinets.  Yeah...its a dated style...but I like the way it looks...

It still needed a little something, so I our white bell and branch Christmas garland on it.  Its staying year 'round.

So that's how I spent my New Year.....making my house pretty.  Dance can wait one night.

WISHING YOU ALL THE VERY BEST IN THIS NEW YEAR.
Hugs and Kisses my friends.

34 comments:

  1. I love changing my house around, especially at New Year! Brings a new feeling of purpose. I am also trying hard not to spend as we have some work being done on the house this year! I am going to be inventive with what I have as well! Happy New Year to you!! X

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    1. We will both have to be working hard to keep our priorities straight!

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  2. Good Luck with the spending resolution. I think you have a wonderful hobby and look forward to sharing it with you.
    Happy New Year.

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    1. I hope I can stick to it! If I can get my Lia Sophia business going stronger I won't have to buy jewelry, I can earn it for free. Although I do get a great discount as it is!

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  3. Ok, that makes two of us. I am definitely going to cut down on shopping too. So you could give me gentle nudge too, if needed. I also aim to get outside more during daytime for short or longer walks to decrease the risk of infections, that I had too many of last year! If it would mean a little less fat it would be an extra bonus, and in case that would happen I will have a lot of clothes that has not been worn in a while. But enough about me. Your house look very cosy, and you are cute as always! I hope that 2013 will mean that we get to see each other in the Big Easy at GSA! I wish you all the best for 2013!

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    1. Anna...even if I don't get the results from my surveys back in time to apply to present at GSA..I'm still going. I HOPE it does not fall on the same week as my BIG ballroom competition, the Ohio Star Ball.

      We can give each other nudges about our spending....! I should actually be fun to work with the clothing I have and see how many iterations of each piece I can come up with.

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    2. I know that a lot of people send in preliminary results, and then work on the analyses until the conference. So even if you have not finished the analyses, I would recommend your to send in an abstract. Fingers crossed that it not fall on the same week as your competition, I would love to see you in person!

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    3. Do you know the dates for the GSA? I can check out the competition right now.

      My faculty advisor says I can work on the analysis and just send in the preliminary results, however, I have to get permission from the review board before I can send out surveys and I have to have the application in by March, I think. I don't know if I will have any results by that time. Either way, I'm planning on going.

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    4. Hi Lisa, Yes it is Wednesday, 11/20 to Sunday, 11/24 in New Orleans. You can read more at http://www.geron.org/annual-meeting/2013-annual-scientific-meeting
      The deadline for the submission of the abstract is mid of March, so it sounds like it might be tricky. There is usually also an opportunity for a late breaker poster, which will mean that you can submit your abstract later, but it will not get into the normal abstract book. If I remember correctly it is usually due in September.

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    5. My Competition is from November 13 to November 18th. This is going to take some precision scheduling !

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  4. Happy New Year! Good for you for making things work with what you have:) You know if you feel the urge to get something new maybe you might consign something in your closet? This way you are purging and also getting something new:) I need to do some consigning this year:)

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    1. That's a great idea, Joanna. I do visit a wonderful consignment shop in the area and I need to take some things in there the next time. I have done it before and loved that I had store credits to shop with!

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  5. Happy New Year to you as well !

    I'll look forward to your thrifty finds and dance competition news in the new year :-)

    Monica
    www.pear-shaped-gal.com

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  6. It's valuable to make adjustments in our spending, etc., in accordance with our changing priorities. You seem to be doing that in conscious, smart ways. I agree with you that experiences are more important than objects, especially in hindsight. Happy New Year!

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    1. Yes...wish I would have understood that when I was much younger!

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  7. Happy New Year! I was wondering if you would dress up, but as you noted, you get to dress up many times during the year so one night of not doing it wouldn't be a big deal. LOL!

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    1. I do love any opportunity to dress up....but I wanted to "dress up" my house a little more than I wanted to go out! LOL!!

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  8. You always have such good thrift hauls - I can imagine this cut back will be hard, so I wish you good luck!

    Try as I might to stop shopping, shopping really is my main "hobby" I mean, what would I do on the weekends if not shopping?

    Happy New Year Lisa!

    Chic on the Cheap

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    1. Shopping is fun and therapeutic. I enjoy it too....but dance is so much more essential for me. Lyddie, you need to find a way to make shopping work for you. I mean WORK. You should be working in the fashion industry if you aren't already. You have an exceptional flair for it.

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  9. Happy New Year, Lisa!
    Love your jewelry against the cream sweater. Very pretty!
    I need to do a little closet check....time to utilize more of what I have than to go buy new things on a whim.
    I love the caricature drawings of your boys! Too sweet!

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    1. Hi Jeannie......well..you do have some beautiful clothing. Would be fun to see your closet!

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  10. What a neat idea to redo your house!

    I am also on a shopping diet: no shopping in January for me! And I'll be working on cutting back on the whole clothes shopping overall as well.

    Happy New Year, Lisa!

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    1. Its hard, isn't it Sheila, when we find so many great things thrifting?? And they are usually one of kind finds that are too good to pass up??

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  11. Nice touches to the home...looks lovely. And I totally support your "shopping diet". You can do it!! I also use one of those art deco looking necklace trees. My lady is wearing a diamond studded pink gown. :)

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    1. Maybe you can post a pic of your lady. I nearly purchase a black and white one too, but I resisted! I like my gold lady :)

      Thanks for the support!

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  12. I did not dress up for NYE either, it was a very different way to end the year for me.
    I look forward to reading on your moratorium. I did a shopping ban a few years back and it lsted 6 months. I can't believe i was able to pull it off. I learned A LOT.
    Hope you have a great year Lisa, hugs.

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    1. Thank you Lorena. I would be very happy if I last six months without shopping. I'm going to give it my best shot.

      Wishing you a wonderful year too!

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  13. Love those bracelets!!
    I did a 100 day no spending challenge last year
    It really wasn't that hard after the first week or so
    Good Luck
    Brett

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    1. I'm going to do my best. I was looking at my clothing, and I realize that I have so many awesome things in my closet. Most of them are black....LOL!

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  14. Happy New Year, to you too, Lisa! Good luck with the spending moratorium. I'm with on that one. I want to scale it back quite a bit this year, so I'm rooting for you.

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    1. We will have to encourage one another to stick with it....we are not alone; several of the other posts mention cutting back too!

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  15. Oh, you have just inspired me to do some things around my house. It has been static for far too long.
    I love your jewelry! Turquoise is my favorite stone in jewelry(well, other than diamonds!)
    Happy new year to you.

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    1. Debbi...

      I hope you post what you change! Would love to see the changes.
      I love turquoise too; its really versatile and goes with almost every color.

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"When you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect"--Mark Twain