April Blog Recap..Let's Get Mathematical

Let's Get Mathematical

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OK class, let's get started shall we?  What.....you didn't know there was going to be a quiz today? Uh oh....don't worry...this will be pretty painless. There's only one question......get your pencils sharpened....I'll wait.

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Ready now? OK, here goes.  What does the number nine have to do with today's post? 

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To help you, I've made the question multiple choice. Choose the answer you think is correct.

a. Nine is the answer to 4x4

b. Nine is my shoe size

c. Nine is the number of months I've been blogging

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Even Gracie, my cat, can answer this.....if you answered "C" ......you're correct!  Hard to believe, but I am nine months in to this great blogging adventure and I'm linking up with Julie Wunder of Running In A Skirt for her monthly blog recap link party. So without further ado, let's get this blog recap party started!

Most Viewed Post

Without a doubt, folks enjoyed my fun post where I dressed for Dancing With The Stars. The only thing missing from this post was the music....and a dance partner.....come on Mr.thisandthat....let's dance!!

Food And Style

A close second was my post that included casual Saturday Fashion..

and my yummy biscuits with a nostalgic family story thrown in for good measure. What could be bad? 

Devotional

I only did one devotional post this month based on Galatians 6:4-5 in which I discuss looking at the glass as half full or half empty. This post generated interesting discussion for sure. 

The Biggie

For me, though, the most exciting post was this one.....in which I expressed my delight at having purchased my own domain! A big step for me as I move forward as a blogger!!

To Recap

This has been an amazing month for me as a blogger for sure.  Nine months for a mother usually means coming to term, labor and delivery. Well....for me, I feel like I have been "laboring" for the last nine months to grow as a blogger and I certainly feel that I have come "full term" this month as I finally felt comfortable enough to venture forward into owning my own domain. It has been a labor of love for me these last nine months and I hope to keep "delivering" quality content in the months ahead. Here's hoping you will continue to follow me in my journey. Know how much I appreciate my readers!

Please remember to visit the "Between the Lines" 10 week series each Tuesday at Katherine's Corner. I will be featured next Tuesday, May 3rd, so please be sure to check out the series and my post. 

Please leave a comment. Thanks for taking my number nine quiz. You get an......A+!!!

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Loving Lavender...Skirt and Top

Lavender Love

Lavender is one of my favorite colors. So I couldn't resist styling this ensemble of thrifted skirt, top and scarf belt.

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The skirt was a Goodwill find and falls in layers with an uneven hem. It is so lightweight and feminine. I feel very "girly" wearing it. The tag says "newsworthy" and the skirt is lined which is also nice. No slip needed for this lightweight fabric.

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The top is by "Fashion Classics" and was a long ago purchase at Hamrick's. I purchased similar tops in pink and salmon which I also enjoy wearing in Spring and Summer. Recognize the scarf belt? I wore it here with my Dancing With The Stars dress. 

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And I'm wearing my "thirty minute" shoes again....lol!  You last saw them here. Oh for twenty years younger feet!!

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I'm accessorizing with a faux pearl multi-strand bracelet....a Colorado summer purchase....

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And this sweet vintage purse which I found on a dollar table at Goodwill buried under a pile of other coin purses, hats and belts. It has the "old fashioned" snap clasp opening that I remember from my mother's purses and has little gold faux stones along the top and on the clasp. Inside is a cute little coin purse attached with a chain. I read a lot on blogs about vintage fashion and this is one of my first vintage "finds" so I'm excited about it! 

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Would you like to hear a purse story from my childhood? This may take awhile, so I'm going to sit down and get comfortable. My feet are killing me! As a child I hated going to the doctor (as most children do) and I always seemed to be getting sick. So one day when I wasn't feeling well and my Mom knew I would need to go to the doctor, she promised me a new purse if I didn't cry when the doctor gave me a shot. Now....I really hated shots......BUT.....I REALLY wanted a new purse. So I was determined to do what it took to get one. So....when the inevitable happened....and the doctor started to administer the shot.....I could be heard all the way into the waiting room hollering...."IT DON'T HURT, IT DON'T HURT!"   

My poor Mother.........

And, yes, I got the new purse....it was a beautiful white purse, with a chain handle and a snap clasp.....very similar to the black purse I'm holding in these pictures. Ahhhh....sweet memories....

Please leave a comment...let me know you're there. Do you love lavender or another color? Have any fun purse stories? Hate getting shots at the doctor?  ( I never outgrew that by the way...but now I try not to holler!) I love to hear from you!

Until Next Time,

Debbie 

Linking to Not Dressed As Lamb, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, The Pleated Poppy, TheFabJourney, Katherine's Corner, LivingOnCloudNine, A Good Hue, Today I am linking up with Tania on Wednesday’s Wardrobe.

Springtime Centerpiece Vignette

Azaleas On The Table

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Happy Monday, dear readers! Yes, it has been a few days since my last post. I fully intended to post this past weekend, but I felt the need to take a technology break. Too much time on the computer makes Debbie a grouchy blogger! But, I'm back full steam today with a peek at my kitchen table "Springtime Centerpiece Vignette."

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For this vignette I'm using a colorful striped placemat that I fashioned myself as a base and then added a beautiful gold pitcher, a cute candle lamp that echoes some of the gold tones and then two of my favorite Willow Tree angels. 

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Now, I didn't want to get too "Fall like" with the gold tones, so I added some cuttings of my beautiful azalea plants which are finally in bloom all along my driveway right now. 

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The colors I chose bring out the colors of the placemat and add just the right Springtime touch to this vignette! 

They're Baaaaaack......

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And look who's back......the Bear family! This is the same family that visited our backyard last year. Except the little cubs are now yearlings and Mama Bear appears to have gotten larger! There are still five cubs, although one is behind Mama Bear and one is out of the picture climbing partway up a tree. 

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There was nothing in this container for the bear to eat, but he bent the pole anyway and kept trying to get something to come out of it! Oh well....so much for the pole! Looks like he was hoping this was a Pez container!

Here's hoping your week if off to a great start. Please leave a comment below. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a post! I look forward to hearing from you!

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Between The Lines Blog Series

Extra, Extra Read All About It!

Just a quick post tonight, friends, to ask you to please stop by Katherine's Corner to read the first in a 10 week series on over age 50 bloggers entitled, "Between the Lines." I will be one of the featured bloggers on May 3rd so I hope you will visit each Tuesday when the next group of bloggers is introduced. And....look for me on May 3rd! 

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Saturday Jeans Outfit...And Biscuits!

(No compensation was received for this post. All writing and opinions are my own).

Saturday Styling

Happy Saturday Dear Readers!  I'm styling in comfort today with an all jeans outfit. In my opinion, there is nothing like the comfort of jeans and a soft t-shirt style top. Add a jeans jacket and some comfy shoes and you know you can go about your Saturday errands in a relaxed and breezy manner. 

I know some folks call elastic waist jeans "Mom jeans." I call them comfortable! I don't know if this happens to you or not, but I find as I go through the day some "bloat" happens, especially after I eat. Elastic waists are great for giving that extra "expansion" that is needed throughout the day. I do have regular zip jeans, as well, but Saturdays are for comfort, right?! I have several pairs of these jeans. The brand is White Stag and I bought them at WalMart. The shoes are Skechers Lite Weights and were a Stein Mart purchase. Similar seen here.

And I couldn't be happier with my Gloria Vanderbilt jeans jacket! I actually bought the jacket first in white and discovered after wearing it all day how comfortable and soft the jacket really is. So, I went back and bought it in blue! I purchased mine at Sears and both jackets were on sale. Score! I love how these jeans jackets are much lighter to wear than jeans jackets typically are. I know I'll be wearing and enjoying these jackets for many years to come. 

And I have to show you this cute little jeans purse I found at Goodwill for a dollar!! It has jeans material on the outside, but the lining and the underside of the handles are red plaid. Too cute! 

Now, you know I like a little bling, so this t-shirt with a colorful peacock on the front adds that to the outfit. The peacock feathers are made out of blue and green metal ovals that cascade down the front of the shirt. So.....now that I've shared a comfortable jeans outfit with you, how about I share some biscuits with you? It's OK...go put your expandable waist jeans on...I'll wait!

I had hoped to get this post written earlier today, so you could see these mouthwatering biscuits closer to breakfast time. But, errands got in the way. That's OK, though, biscuits are good anytime of the day! I made these biscuits for dinner last night and I made them "from scratch." I basically use the old Betty Crocker biscuit recipe as a guide and adapt the recipe for my taste. I use half white flour and half whole wheat flour so the biscuits have some whole grain in them. I use olive oil for the shortening and a low sodium baking powder to cut the salt content. 

My favorite part of biscuit making is the kneading of the dough. I find it satisfying to form and shape the dough until I begin to feel the "elasticity" happening that tells me the dough is ready to be cut into biscuit shapes.

I can never make biscuits without thinking about my Aunt Beulah. When I was growing up in West Virginia, my family spent quite a bit of time at her house in Gilmer Station. No matter when we might drop in for a visit, you could always count on Aunt Beulah serving two things at her dinner table....brown beans and fresh, hot biscuits. Now, that was some fine eating my friends! To this day, if I go to Cracker Barrel and order pinto beans and biscuits I call it an "Aunt Beulah Special!" I can still picture her kneading the biscuits and cutting them with a little round metal can she kept just for that purpose. Of course, she used buttermilk for her biscuits...not fat free milk like me!

But, once I get them in the oven......

And then onto my plate....I can almost hear Aunt Beulah's voice laughing at the table with my Mom, my sisters and me! A happy memory to be sure. 

I hope that your weekend is giving you some happy memories! Please be sure to leave me a comment.....do you enjoy wearing jeans? Do you like elastic waist jeans/pants? And what is your opinion of biscuits? As always....whatever you feel like sharing....I love hearing from you! 

Until Next Time,
Debbie

                          



Linking up with Not Dead Yet Style and Not Dressed As Lamb and SydneyFashion Hunter and TheFabJourney.

Shopping My Closet...Surprise Compliments!

Styling and Compliments
(No compensation of any kind was received for brand names mentioned in this post. All opinions/writing are my own.)

Hello dear readers! Tell me...has this ever happened to you? Today, I wore this outfit to work and the compliments just did not stop!

Now, I'm not sharing this to brag. I actually began to wonder how I must look every day, because I certainly don't usually get so many compliments ! I like it when I shop my closet and a "happy accident" of style occurs! I think I got it right today with this salmon color dress and black jacket combo. 

The dress was purchased a few years ago at Stein Mart and is by MSK. It was a true bargain on one of their sale racks. Literally, an under 10 dollar purchase. I haven't worn it much but, after today, I think I'll be pulling it out more often! I've had the jacket forever and don't recall where I purchased it. The label says weekenders.com.

This shows a closeup of the skirt of the dress which is a drape style with a black/gold decorative belt insert at the waist. I think the drape style is what appeals to me most about this dress. The drape is great for hiding/diverting the eyes from those trouble spots like the tummy area. I couldn't find the exact dress, but here and here are a couple of pretty drape styles available at Stein Mart. 

And I'm loving my Skecher's wedge sandals! The memory sole on these shoes give my feet such a bed of comfort. I own several pairs of Skechers in various styles and enjoy wearing all of them as a comfortable shoe. Again, they were an on sale item at DSW. Love those sale prices!!

So, that's my "happy accident" of style post for today! Think I'll get it right tomorrow? Stay tuned......Please leave me a message, I truly enjoy hearing from you. Have you had any happy accidents of style lately? Or are you spot on with style everyday? Or...what else would you like to share? Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Until Next Time,
Debbie 

Linking with Elegantly Dressed And Stylish ,Sydney Fashion Hunter, Katherine's Corner , Not Dressed As Lamb.

I'm So Excited!!!

Great Moments In Blog "Her"story

Photos Courtesy of Public Domain Images

No, I didn't misspell History in the above headline. I meant to spell it herstory. Because....today is a great day for me in my blogging story. I am now the master of my own domain...literally! Did you notice the blog address? I am officially....

debbiethisandthat.com

I'm so excited! I feel like I just bought a new house...or at least maybe a new car....it's exciting for me, OK? Buying my own domain has been on my mind for awhile now and today I went ahead and did what I wanted to do! I look forward to many more happy posts ahead as the owner of my own domain. Hope you'll come along for the ride and celebrate with me!! You are always welcome in my domain!!

Hope you'll leave a comment....I love to hear from you.

Until Next Time,

Debbie (Proud Domain Owner)

Is Your Cup Half Full or Half Empty? Galatians 6:4-5

Living Creatively For Christ

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What do you see when you look at the above image?  Do you see a glass half full of water, or a glass half empty of water? As I was having my devotional time this morning, reading the scripture from Galatians 6:4-5, the water image glass came to my mind. Here is the scripture I am referring to, with Paul doing the talking. The text is taken from The Message. 

"Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life."

This scripture seems quite timely this morning, as I have had some issues in my life recently where I have been comparing myself to others, wondering if what I do is really worthwhile....if my work really counts or not. I've been pretty down on myself, quite frankly, and find myself looking at the glass of "work" water as half empty....not half full. So, it's no surprise that the Lord has brought me to this scripture this morning. I often find that scriptures come to me...or I am led to them...at just the right time. Can you relate?

If I am honest....I have to admit that at times (not always) my personality leans more toward seeing the cup half empty rather than half full about many things. I have really worked on that throughout life and feel that I have improved a lot. But then....discouragement comes.... and once again, that water glass just seems to be emptying, rather than filling up. It is an endless battle. 

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Today's scripture speaks to living creatively, doing the "creative best" we can with our own lives. Creativity is defined as "the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work," (google.com definition). If I use my imagination and my original ideas, then I am using the gifts that God gave me. God has created me to be the person that I am....a person who has unique abilities and gifts. Therefore, there is no room in my life for comparisons to others.....so, why is it still such a challenge at times? Why do I still want to compare myself to others? Why does that glass still look half empty at times.....and not half full?  Paul warns us not to be "impressed" with ourselves. So, perhaps the green eyed monster of envy comes into play here? Perhaps rather than focusing on my work, I'm too busy focusing on other people and then the comparisons come....the envy....the thoughts of, "I should be able to do that, to receive those kudos, to be seen differently, to look differently", and on it goes.....

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Ugh.....not a pretty picture at all!

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At times like this, I need the reminder in today's scripture to make a careful exploration of who I am and the work I have been given to do. I need to slow down and remember that I am a child of God. And that those around me are also children of God. And we are all at play here on Earth. 

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And just like we tell children, "We need to play nicely together."  And that can begin with me. In other words, what do I need to do to see things differently? After all, I can't control others, but I can work on controlling myself. (With God's help and leadership). 

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So, for today, I'm going to take a detour from the half empty way of looking at things and work on getting back into living the creative life of being myself that God calls me to live. For today, I'm going to express gratitude for the gifts God has given to me and try to use them as creatively as I can.

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My glass is looking more full already......

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And my prayer is that I will continue to see the glass half full.....

How about you? Do you see the glass half full or half empty? What would you like to share? I so enjoy hearing from you. Have a great day!

Until Next Time,

Debbie