A Case of Mommy Closet

What happened?! Had two babies, that's what.

It occurred to me recently that about 70% (or more) of my closet is un-wearable. This mama's style has been neglected for way too long, people. If you know me well, you know I'm not very fashion forward.

 Basically every item that fits me is blue. Like every. Single. Thing. Some of my clothes are maternity (yes, I am one of those moms who wears maternity clothes when her baby is 1 ½. Glad you can't see my red face right now :/ ). Some of my clothes are WAAAY too small (pre-baby), but I can't seem to get rid of them. I think, "Maybe someday in the unforeseen future I will magically lose 15-20 pounds and get my pre-baby body back." That's coming from the girl who dislikes almost every form of working out, with the exception of strolling outside or yoga (are those even considered exercise??). Finally facing the fact that I am in denial and that the Calvin Klein little-black-dress will never look the same, I needed a new plan.

 The other day I was perusing Facebook when I came across an article which had a link to un-fancy.com. WOW. Loved her closet solution immediately - it's called a capsule wardrobe. Simply put, this is a wardrobe made up of a smaller quantity of clothes with much higher quality. When creating this wardrobe, you only include pieces you absolutely adore and would wear any and every day. In her plan, she uses a general guide of 37 items per season - for example: 15 tops, 9 bottoms, 9 pairs of shoes, 2 jackets/coats, and 2 dresses. PJs, workout, and special occasion clothing don't count as part of the capsule. You can reconfigure the combination any way you want (I will probably do fewer pairs of shoes and more tops) to suit your needs.

 Read more about capsule wardrobes here.

 It's kind of nice starting my wardrobe (almost) from scratch ;)

 5 reasons to love the "capsule wardrobe" method:

1. It solves the "What do I wear?" dilemma. Since you love everything in your wardrobe, you won't be standing in front of a full closet and moaning, "I have nothing to wear!" It will take almost no effort to throw together an outfit that will look great. 

2. It simplifies life. Less laundry. Enough said.

3. It increases confidence. When you know everything in your closet fits well and flatters you, you always feel beautiful.

 4. It helps you discover your personal style. When you are limited on the amount of clothing you can purchase, you'll only buy things that scream "YOU." Chances are you will start to see a pattern in what you gravitate toward, learning more about your individual style. I see my style as simple, artsy, feminine, and vintage. But this may change the longer I practice this method.

5. It provides more money and time for things that matter. This method eliminates buyer's remorse, because each piece purchased will be thought-out and planned. It also gives you more time for family, friends, hobbies, and service because you will probably spend less time shopping and getting dressed!

 The challenge for me will be choosing pieces that compliment each other so I can create lots of different outfits with less. As my mama used to say, "Less is more." In my opinion, this type of wardrobe is awesome because can help foster contentment in our lives.

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” - Hebrews 13:5

Would you ever try a capsule wardrobe?

 Joy,

 Mary Page

My Happy Place

Do you have a special place that makes you smile just thinking about it? A sacred moment that's just your own? For me, it's bath time. (Do you see the heart in the picture above?) Nothing is more relaxing than sinking into my deep tub full of warm bubbly peace. What sold me on this house was its big soaker tub!

Here are some things that help make this my happy place:

Reading. One of my favorite hobbies, and it's even better in the bath! It's one place where I can relax and usually get a good 30 minutes of reading in. Most of the time, my hubby watches the boys so I can take my time. Another post to come about my favorite authors.

Decor. For Christmas, Richard got me this elaborate timepiece to "pretty up" the space. He said it represents taking my time to enjoy the experience - no rushing allowed! It's a 30 minute timer, and I've been known to let it run out twice before emerging ;).

Another special decorative piece is the stained glass window depicting a harp and a Bible, made by my creative mother in law. She is an artist and made this piece for our wedding.

I love this consignment store treasure! It's just the most charming little bath print, and I love the artist's style. Looking at it from the tub makes me happy.

Bath Salts. Epsom salts are great to help you relax. Especially this brand, which has lavender oil infused into it. Perfection!

I'm still searching for the perfect bubble bath that's a bit more natural, while still being sudsy and not too pricey. Any ideas?

What's your happy place and what makes it special to you?

Joy,

Mary Page

I Am... Am I?

I am a bookworm. An ideal day for me would be spent browsing and poring over books at Barnes and Noble. Becoming a character in a story is rejuvenating, but my affinity for self-help books overwhelms me at times! College job? Library worker. All 4 years. And Page is my middle name - literally.

I am an editor. Greene County spelling bee winner of 1997, right here LOL! Senior year of high school included many hours critiquing my peers' articles as yearbook editor. Typed (much of) and edited (all of) my husband's 100-page Master's thesis. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes are my nemesis. The only problem is I tend to edit my husband's long-winded stories for him. Oops ;)

I am an artist. At least, I used to describe myself as such. I spent my free time as a kid in an awkwardly scrunched-up position on the floor, drawing in my sketch book. What began as copying Disney pictures led to pieces a bit more sophisticated (I hope)! Art gave me the desire to travel to Europe and see the Greats in person. Amazingly, God blessed me to be able to do just that in a study abroad program in Verviers, Belgium. Strange when the thing which used to define me - art - I now almost never do. Being an artist is also a convenient excuse for being disorganized, right? 

I am a mama. These days, my art consists of molding and shaping the lives of my little boys, ages 1 and 3. Wouldn't change it for the world. Kudos to their Creator, they are THE cutest boys on the planet. In typical parental fashion, I think people are looking at my children and saying, "I wish my kids were that cute."

I am a wife. Still can't believe Richard picked me! When I first met my husband, it didn't seem particularly special. But the day I saw him lead "The Pearly White City" in college chapel wearing a full suit and tie with Converse sneakers, I knew my life would never be the same. I was like, "I HAVE to marry this boy!" And I did.

I am a God lover. My life became His at age 13 and nothing has brought more meaning to it. Writing this paragraph gives me that I-am-overwhelmed-where-do-I-start kind of feeling. His gifts to me are innumerable and his Love incomprehensible.

Am I a writer? Guess I'll find out as I create this blog. The goal is for me to share the pieces of my life with you as a means of discovering more about myself and a life rich with His blessings.

How do you define yourself?

Joy,

Mary Pagehttp://maryspagesletsgo.blogspot.com/p/geeky.html