Introduction to Style

This was how I styled a navy maxi a while back.

As you can tell from the title, I'm starting a new project today called Introduction to Style. It will be a series of posts that I don't really need to describe, because the title gives it all away. :)

I am by no means a fashion expert, but I want to share the knowledge I have in hopes that if you are style savvy, you will enjoy this series and maybe pick up a tip or two, and if you aren't but want to be, this will serve as a solid first step and nudge you along in the right direction. Plus, fashion blogging is just fun!

Now, quick! Pick one. (And let me know in the comments.)

Style is...
a) a tiny part of my life.
b) a part of my life.
c) one of my passions.

I'm so excited! Let's do this.

xoxo,

Ireland

Perspective

If everyone on earth had access to nutritious food, clean water, and healthy living conditions, the world would be a drastically different place than it is now. We take these things for granted, but in reality they are luxuries. They are amazing blessings. And in addition to them, I know I for one have plenty of clothing, several different kinds of soaps, little tools made for the express purpose of cutting my nails.....


So, to those of my readers have access to all of life's necessities and many amenities as well, like I do, I just want us all to remember how blessed we are and to remember to appreciate what we have. The things we consider basic, other people may only dream of having.

I do not think it's wrong to like fashion, to buy pretty clothes and nice makeup,  etc. I think God has made all of us unique and placed us in different walks of life. Maybe so we will reach different people. There may be some of us who are called to sell everything we own and become missionaries in the streets of an impoverished city, and some of us may be called to enter the design world to reach the people at Paris Fashion Week.

A lot of what God wants us to do is black-and-white (don't use His name in vain) but some is not (this college would not be a healthy environment for me). My best advice would just be to direct you to God and take His advice for you... on everything, from how much time you put in your appearance to how much you spend on clothes... everything. And let me tell you, I do NOT have it figured out. I'm still not sure exactly how this applies to me. I just know it's the truth, and I believe it.

Let's keep all this in the forefront of our minds as we continue on this blogging journey together.

In love,
Ireland

Spring Break in Tennessee (All of It)

Waiting for mom and dad's plane to arrive back

In addition to what you saw in the pictures, I...

 

Went to see Captain America on Tuesday with my aunt, uncle, and cousin.

Saw The Amazing Spiderman 2 on Wednesday with my grandmother and brother.

 

Watched Frozen for the first time several times, courtesy of the Dishners.

 

Ate delicious home-cooking, including a banana pudding that my Nana made with Jeffrey.
 

 Got together with everyone on my mom's side of the family, most of whom I haven't seen in a whole year.

Wished my grandmother Mary a happy 68th at her birthday party.
 

 And picked up my parents on Thursday afternoon from the airport.

 

 

So there you have it, folks. That was my Spring Break in Tennessee... all of it.

 
Part 1: The Cookout
Part 2: The Zoo
Part 3: Thrifting with the Girls

xoxo,

Ireland

Spring Break in Tennessee: Part 3

Southport is great. Definitely. But I lived in Knoxville for thirteen years, and I have some amazing friends there! Last week I got to see a bunch of them and we had such a great time.

After hanging out at Kathryn and Jessica's house, we went to Goodwill and Karm to go on a thrift store scavenger hunt and ended up taking a bunch of awesome, ridiculous pictures that still make me laugh to look through them. And when I say laugh, I mean I am CHUCKLING and SNORTING. It is not glamorous but I wouldn't want it to be... I mean, hello, laughing is fun. Okay, I'm not just sure where I went with that... let's move on and just look at pictures <3



Kathryn (left) and Maddie looking through the books.



 

 

One of our scavenger hunt lists.

 

 

Look at her hand! HEHEHEHEHE!!!!

 

 

Who knows?

 

 

I think these may be the most unflattering shirts on the planet.

 

We are rockstars. In shiny green satin.

From left: Jessica, Samantha, Kathryn, me. Let me just tell you, these girls are awesome-- they are kind, friendly, faithful friends, and I am so thankful they are a part of my life.



 I do not have the right words to describe our outfits in this one. But I will try :)

I am one of the reupholstered cushions on an old lady's couch. Samantha is a  teenager from the 1980s getting ready for her glamour shot. Kathryn is... a gaudy eskimo? And Jessica is a furry red monster with an affinity for Western culture. Maddie is just plain cute.

 

I hope these pictures make you smile like they do me!

xoxo,

 

Ireland

 

Spring Break in Tennessee: Part 2

So last Monday (not two-days-ago-Monday but the Monday before) Nana and Pa took Jeffrey and me to the Knoxville Zoo. It was Jman's first-ever zoo experience, and when we got home he said "it was the best day of his life".
 

Here we are at Black Bear Falls.

 

* I don't know about you, but when the word "fashion" pops up, my mind does not immediately jump to the zoo... :) Sometimes function trumps style (and for good reason), so please forgive my slightly-off outfit.

 

Jeffrey #coolasever

 

 

The Elephants.

 

They have a kids' corner at the zoo... and guess WHAT?! There is a carousel! Don't you just love that word? Carousel, carousel, carousel...

Don't judge me pretending I'm five again. Just pretend with me because I know you want to.
 



Gorillas have big hands.

Hey, look, it's a curious monkey :)

 

Okay, so now I wanna know... Do you guys like going to the zoo? And do you have a favorite one? I went to the one in Washington D.C. once and it was really cool. I bet the one in NYC would be fun too... maybe that would be a fun thing to add to my bucket-list. :) Looking forward to hearing from you!

 

xoxo,

Ireland



 

Hold Me // Music Monday

Good morning, my lovelies! It's Music Monday, which means I have an awesome music video for you guys to watch.... this week it's "Hold Me" by Jamie Grace featuring TobyMac.

 

Some of my other favorite Jamie Grace songs are "Beautiful Day" and "Show Jesus". And when it comes to TobyMac, I really like "Suddenly" and "Good Morning" (the latter of which is actually a Mandisa song). And OF COURSE, "Jesus Freak" by dcTalk (the band Toby was in during the '90s, along with Michael Tait and Kevin Max). I remember being six and bopping along to that song in the car. Good times, good times...

 

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

 

xoxo,

 

Ireland

Spring Break in Tennessee: Part 1

I know it's only been a week, so I haven't been gone from the blog long. But it felt like a long time! I've been in Tennessee this past week on my spring break (I'm homeschooled, so we have spring break whenever we choose), and it was hard to get to a computer to blog. But we got home last night, and now I have lots to share...

 

My parents spent five of the ten days in Chicago, but Dad snapped this Mother's Day pic for 2014 right before they left on Sunday. So here's my family, minus dad.

 

Later that day, after my parents had safely departed from the airport, my grandmother took my little bro and I to a cookout at Aunt Linda's. Here are some pictures :)

Jeffrey striking a serious pose with his toy gun.

 

Jeffrey and Mimi (my mom's mom).



#Selfie.

 



Does this boy ever take a bad picture? He is so photogenic. Look at that beautiful little face :)

 

I'll be here tomorrow with a Music Monday post. Expect some other snaps of my Tennessee trip throughout the week!

xoxo,

Ireland