GFS Feature: Roses and Thorns

I haven't done a Roses and Thorns post in a while. Remember, sharing roses means sharing something good that happened to you or that you are grateful for. Sharing thorns means sharing something that just SUCKS (so eloquent, right!?!)

(Zara Cardi, Seychelles Booties, Target Tank/Earrings/Skirt)

Me First!

My Thorns of the week..in no particular order.

1. I completely missed the new episode of my favorite show The Good Wife! Forgot about it:(

2. I caught a virus Monday that had me on my face! It literally lasted less than 24 hours!

3. I had two students tell me they hate my class because I am strict...(not really that bad of a thorn though)

4. Money still won't grow on trees no matter how many times I check the trees in my neighborhood.

5. Learned that people will dismiss you if you don't agree with them all of the time.

Now the ROSES!

1. Thursday night tv is back! Grey's Anatomy, Project Runway, DC Housewives!

2. Had a pretty good hair week.

3. Fall is officially here! The mornings start off in the 60's! YAY!!!

4. A reader of this blog contacted me about a wonderful opportunity.

5. I went to ZUMBA (salsa aerboics) this week!

...there are more but that would be me "showing off"...

Share some of your Roses and Thorns of the week!

Don't forget to enter the first ever GFS Giveaway! Ends October 8! Click here!

Wanted: Forks, Slips and Socks

(Vintage dress I got when I was in ATL, Anne Klein shoe, Target Belt, JCP necklace)

Does anyone else have an invisible monster thief in their house? It can't be just me! I lose socks and slips and forks all the time! I have no idea how it happens! It baffles me. I never have forks in my house...never...and  I practically live alone!

Socks? Forget about it. If you ever ran up on me while I work out (which is never) and yanked my pants up, you will expose one foot with a gray puma sock and the other foot with my nephew's little league footbal sock.  I never keep socks!! NEVER. It's crazy!

The same goes for this dress. I have a black slip that I wear under this because it's so sheer. I've seen it all week and this morning when I woke up...SLIP GONE! I don't get it. I will admit that I schlep a travel bag sometimes because I'm visiting the dude...but geesh... Who is stealing my stuff!?!

 If you see a random person walking around with socks and a slip while eating their dinner with my forks...tell them I said GIVE ME MY STUFF BACK!

Have you entered the first GFS Giveaway? Click here!

And thank you Mary for making me a Sensational Woman! (click here)

And help me win a purse that I designed! Pick #5!! I'm losing...per usual:)

GFS Goodies and Giveaway!

 I have a treat for you! Shoe Clips  is sponsoring the first EVER GFS giveaway! Remember those shoe clips I rocked last week?

 Well, one of you lucky people will get to win a pair of your very own shoe clips. Specifically...these Ultrasuede Bow Ocelot shoe clips valued at $42! I figured since animal prints are all the rage this season...why not rock the clips on your shoes. Chances are you can use them to cinch a jacket that's a little loose in the back or even clip to a belt to add a little interest to a simple outfit.

All you have to do is:

1. Be a follower of my blog (or subscriber) (International readers are welcome!)

2. Leave a comment telling me how you would rock your Shoe Clips.

3. If you tweet this giveaway, leave a separate comment here in this post as a second entry. (My tweet tag: godsfaveshoe)

4. If you link this giveaway, leave a separate third comment here.

5. That's It! I will randomly draw a winner after the contest closes.

No more entries after Friday, October 8. Good luck! Thank you Lynn @ Shoe Clips for the giveaway!

Also, I got to DIY my own purse over at I SPY DIY! My purse was chosen as a finalist! Hop on over there and look at the pretty, pretty purses then choose #5 because it's mine...that is if you think I deserve it:)

(Of course, mine would be the only one with an animal print!)

Click here to make me a winner!

Have  a great week!

(Oh, you know I'm in a thrifting challenge...click here to see  some of what Juanette got!)

(Oh again...according to Mary, I'm a SENSATIONAL WOMAN!(click here) Thanks Mary...I've got your gin ready!)

Decisions, Decisions

 Since yesterday was the "official" start of Fall (happy dance), I decided that I should wear the brightest colors in my closet. Make sense? Right...it doesn't...I'm backwards like that.

 I ran into a student today that looked at me and said "You look pretty in your spring colors but it's fall...so let's say you just fashion forward." Really, you little...ugh...forget it, I'm supposed to be the adult right? Right.

I wish I could chat but it's TV NIGHT! Grey's Anatomy, Project Runway and DC Housewives...in one night! I don't know which one to watch first! BYE!

P.S...I have a fab giveaway on Monday! YAY!

(skirt worn here and here)



I Didn't Get The Memo

So, I had a meeting today that wasn't at my normal job site. I walk into the meeting and what do I see? EVERY SINGLE PERSON had on school spirit t-shirts, jeans or khakis and flip flops. What the what!?! What is going on? Here I am rocking a cute cardi/pencil skirt and wedges with bows and everybody looks like they are about to go to a cookout!

Why wasn't I informed of the dress code? I even had the nerve to have a big flower on the side of my head looking like Niecy Nash from Clean House!  I'm looking at people look at me while I look at them! It was hilarious!

I get over the shock and sit down. What's next? Yeah...a team building activity! Really? Really. So we all had to play this game much like musical chairs and I am the only one teetering on my wedges trying not to get knocked over by the Blue Man T Shirt Group! I got bumped a few times as I tried to get to the next chair but I swear to you I was about to "Roy Jones" the old lady teacher from Mississippi if she made me fall!

Is it better to be overdressed or undressed at a function??

I didn't post my outfit I wore today because you've seen it before but I did rock some shoe clips sent to me from Lynn over at www.shoeclips.biz.  Lynn offered to send me a pair of shoe clips to jazz up my shoes and I accepted. I had no idea that she was going to send me so many!

I absolutely love them...and they DID NOT ask me to say that. Matter of fact, she never even mentioned blogging about them.  She just wanted me to have them. I spent all of last night in my closet looking for shoes to rock my clips with! I am more than smitten by them! Thank you LYNN!

P.S...I didn't post my outfit today because you've seen it all before. I wore this cardigan, and these shoes and pencil skirt

Thrifting Challenge!

And it is on! As you know, I met Juanette from Fashionnette-Work this summer through my blog crush. We met when I was in Dallas for business and we became immediate friends.

(We refer to each other as Sisters from Another Mister because we think so much alike!)

Juanette took me around the entire time I was in town and we noticed that we have the same taste in clothes. We decided to partake in a monthly thrifting challenge where we shop for each other. Well, this week I got my first package!

We gave each other a list of things to look out for but weren't limited to.

My wishlist:

1. Tuxedo jackets that I can nip and tuck to be fitted.

2. Shirtdresses or dresses that make me feel like Wulona from Good Times or Mrs. Roper from Three's Company1

3. Swing/Sherlock Holmes inspired swing coats

4. Riding Boots

5. Long vintage clutch purses

6. Belts with fabulous buckles

7. Authentic kimonos

Well...J...YOU HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK! I heart this tuxedo jacket with all my heart and all my soul! I can't wait to rock it when it gets a little cooler!

This dress is actually a little big but I love it because it gives the sleeves a slouchy/blouse-y feel!  I am going to have the bottom so it is a pencil fit. It's also extremely sheer which could be a good or a great thing...depends on where you are going and who you ask!

I got so excited about the first installment of our thrifting challenge, I styled up a few looks to show you guys!

I admit I kind of heart vintage blazers and blouses. So this taupe dress wasn't that flattering as a dress but I threw on a belt to define my shape and I'm going to have it altered into a peplum blouse.

This jacket is fantabulous! It's supposed to button down the middle but I criss-crossed it. I wouldn't wear this belt with it...I just wanted to offer a visual of what it should look like!

I can't wait to work these new items in my closet! This definitely curbs my appetite for shopping because it gives me something to look forward to every month. Juanette should get her first package in a few days. I can't wait to see what she thinks of my finds for her!

I have something to look forward to every month now!

Paper Bag Boy

(Pretty sure this dress was less than 3 bucks)

I have to share this story with you. Yesterday was my bday and my students were really sweet and bought me a trough of golden oreos (if you're new to my blog...you'll learn about my relationship with Golden Oreos soon enough). At any rate, I was about to leave for the day and one of my students was running to catch me before I left.

He was drenched in sweat, clutching a wrinkled paper bag. This is how the conversation went...

Kid: (out of breath) Ms. G, I...just..wanted...to...give..you...a...birthday gift.

Me: *looking at the bag suspiciously* Okay, what is it?

Kid: *handing me the crumpled bag* I know Golden Oreos are your favorite but I know that you said you wanted to lose weight...so I bought you a small box of oreos so you won't gain that much.

Me: *about to tear up* AWWWWW!! Thank you!! I am so touched!

Kid: *looking away* Okay...I'm gonna miss my bus.

Me: *clutching the cookies* Run, Charlie, Run!!!*

How sweet was that!

I know what you're thinking.

"Surely, she is going to keep THAT box of cookies as a keepsake."

Baby Crunch! Those cookies are gone! But we are having a cookie party in class with the other bajillion bags of cookies I racked up!

*not the kid's real name*

35

So, this is what 35 looks like:)

You would think that I would be rocking a glittery frock for my bday since I would normally wear such a thing on any given day. Not today. For some reason, the best I could do was a flower in my hair (you can't see it), a grey t shirt, black jacket and skirt. That's all I could do. I did enjoy my bday. My students were super sweet...I collected a grand total of 8 bags of Golden Oreos as gifts from them and I was treated to a new fancy fabulous camera and dinner from dude and good friends:)

Thank you for the bday shout out Cathy!

And thank you Juanette for my bday post!

It's My Birthday!

I'm 35 today and I'm breathing. Good day so far. I kinda have been ho-hum about my bday but for no good reason I will admit. I am excited that I am alive because somebody didn't wake up and I did! Thank you God!

This will be a quick post but I'll update later. This is what has happened already.

1. My dude called me first this morning and played R. Kelly's It's Your Birthday over the phone and guess what I did? I CRIED like a big baby for NO reason! NONE. Just bawled. I think it may have been "awww...he thought about me enough to find the song and have it played." Well...I cried and did the two-step (Chicago Style!) in my robe:)

2. Then my mom and niece/nephews called me this morning. One nephew told me "Happy Birthday...okay...bye." He's a man that's straight to the point.

3. Then I got text/calls from my circle of friends

4. Even my bloggy friends text me (Thank you Cathy, Juanette, Chastity, and Erin ) today!

5. Then before I got out of the car to go to work, I heard a Bruno Mars song that has nothing to do with anything and teared up! Being 35 is making me crazy!!!!!

6. I get to work and found an African Violet, Bubblicious Gum and ten dollars for a shopping spree at Goodwill at my desk from my favorite coworker. (Who apparently got really pissed off because she couldn't find any BDAY cards with a white chick and black chick sitting at a table drinking coffee? I tried to console her by admitting that I don't drink coffee! LOL!

....and it's only 9 AM!

Roses and Thorns

Every week I have my students share their Roses and Thorns. Basically, they share something good and not so good with the class that happened during the week.  I tell them that if they share a thorn, they have to back it up with a rose. So let me practice what I preach...

Thorns:

1. Attended the funeral of a friend this weekend.

2. My car is starting to make bubbly stomach noises.

3. I almost lost my dog again today. I took him outside to let him do his business. I got distracted and went back into the house. I didn't notice he was missing for about 30 minutes.

4. Found out one of my students has cancer.

5. My feelings kinda got hurt this week...had an argument with someone I love. I hate when that happens...but what's the point of arguing with someone you don't love, right? RIGHT. Hopefully, that someone will get that I'm really an Angel on earth who wears pretty shoes and trips and falls and likes to skip (without falling, of course) down the yellow brick road of happiness rather than pick fights:) I digress...

*5 thorn limit*

Roses.

1. My dog is too stuck up to become homeless so he chilled in my neighbor's yard until I remembered that he existed. (He was a stray when I got him so I think he rebels against the thought of ever really running away)

2. I'm alive.

3. God loves and God forgives...and so shall I...within reason of course.

4. I finally wore this thrifted Indian silk dress that I got for 2 bucks earlier this year.

5. I finally got to the gym once this week to release some frustration...and then ate a fried chicken sandwich right afterwards. (That's gotta count as a double rose..no?)

6. I might have some interesting/fun news to share soon:)

7. I joined a church this Sunday.

8. I have yet to trip or fall this week.

9. I really enjoy my new job but I'm pooped every single day.

10. I'll celebrate my 35th birthday next Tuesday:)

*No limit on roses*

What was your rose and thorn of the week?

(The pics suck...sorry)

Most of these pics are cropped because my fake smiles were too obvious or I just couldn't muster up the energy to adjust the camera lens.

Every piece of today's outfit came from a thrift store.

The dress actually had long sleeves but I hacked them off. The sleeves were too reminincent of a Gordon Gartrelle shirt.

If you have no idea who Gordon Gartrelle is...please refresh your memory with this little clip. Fast forward to the 5:30 mark if you are in a rush!