Tinamou Stitched Tunic

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I had tried The Tinamou Stitched Tunic (now sold out, but the same designers made this gorgeous top more appropriate for winter) on over the summer. I fell in love with it, but because it was sleeveless, I put it in my wishlist and made myself forget about it.

By the way, did you know “Tinamou” is a type of bird? Each time I look up an unknown Anthroplogie word, it usually means “bird.” I think I have cracked my head the code.

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Then one day, many months later, it popped back into stock after being sold out. I scored it for $20. The Mothers Jeans were a different popback at $8. Retail price for those was over $200. I knew I wanted to layer the fun tunic for the fall, so I paired it with a simple long sleeve tee from H&M.

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The fun details on this top are so intricate and bright. There are black pompoms on the bottom. It is hard to tell because of my black pants.

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I also wore my fringed booties. We took these pictures in a nearby park, because my husband had to get to work. But I wanted a picture of this outfit.

Winning.

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These over the top neon hoop earrings are recently from Forever 21. They were less than $5 and they stole my heart. The neon bracelets garnered their own post a few months ago.

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I wore this outfit to my son’s junior high school, because it was parents eat lunch with their kids day. I thought he would not want me to go.

I was right.

His exact words were, “Mom, I’m not embarrassed by you. Well, only a little embarrassed. But they play music at lunch. I don’t think you can control yourself.”

He knows me too well.

But I promised I would behave. And by behave, I meant not dance on the lunch table. It was a promise I have avoided making for years. Thankfully my husband did not hear me say it and therefore still does not know that I am capable of such actions.

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To the vast relief of my son, we could not hear any music from our lunch table.

Phew.

It was a close one.

Have you scored any deals lately? If you have children, do you embarrass your kids? Do you dance to music in public? Do you keep unknowingly buying clothes named after birds?

Ginette Callaway: Landscapes

I love art. I like my walls to be crammed full of pretty things to look at. It is important to me. I think a home should be filled with the essence of the people who reside there. It should shout or whisper whatever emotion you are trying to convey. I hope our house screams, “FUN!”

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Besides my children’s paintings, I have more paintings by Ginette Callaway than anyone else in my home. I love her impressionistic style and the bright colors that she uses. I have been collecting her art for well over ten years. Last time I shared my bird paintings by her on this blog, including the peacock painting often seen in my outfit posts.

This time I wanted to share some of my landscapes by Ginette.

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First there is this beautiful fishing village painting. I love the size of it. I am currently rearranging the art in my house. This is how the art is arranged above our bookcases in our living room right now. She also painted the butterfly on the left.

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There is my incredibly fun painting by Ginette of an underwater fish scene.

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Miniature paintings are my favorite. This little guy is small and pretty. It depicts a small home in the Bahamas. Man, I would love to go there right now!

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And this painting is even smaller. I told you, I love small paintings. This is a lovely quaint city scene.

You can find Ginette Callaway on her website. And she sells her art on her Etsy store.

Do you have art in your home? What is your favorite item on your walls? What would you want your home to say about you?

It’s The Little Things: Paper Straws

Folks. I have a problem. We can joke about. Pretend it is a silly thing. A small thing.

But it is getting a bit out of hand.

It is kind of my habit or need, if you will, to have a supply of every possible thing. Imaginable. Just in case. You never know.

“Just in case. You never know.” That is the mantra of my life, by the way. In one word it can be summed up to: greed paranoia.

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I have always been a Straw Freak. I bet you didn’t know there was such a thing. Well there is. Here I am. “Nice to meet you.” I cannot drink out of a glass without a straw. I make weird slurping noises. It is like I have been drinking out of puddles all of my life. My lips cannot form properly onto the glass.

I am sure at this point you are crossing off the word “straw” in Straw Freak.

I don’t blame you.

Also. I cannot drink water with a straw. Or milk (unless the milk is from a donut shop in a small container purchased on the way to the airport between the hours of five and seven thirty in the morning. Jealous of my husband now?). It is simply not done. Sends shivers down my spine, it does.

If I am at a restaurant, I always grab extra ones. Especially at Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf. Their straws are the absolute best. They are big. They are purple. They live in my purse where I can stroke them daily.

Shhhhhh!

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So, I started seeing these gorgeous paper straws popping up all over the place. And the Need Beast in my heart grew.

I finally caved and purchased some hot pink paper straws from Amazon.
.

But the Need Beast was not satisfied.

So I bought a small pack of twenty yellow polkadot and stripe ones.

But he longed for more.

He wanted. All. Of. The. Colors.

RRRROOOOOAAAARRRRR!

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But I did not want to pay for them. Well, the other day Anthropologie had free shipping on anything. That’s right. Anything. Do you want to know what I bought?

Clothes?

Nope.

Shoes?

Nope.

Jewelry?

Nope.

Shocker: I bought straws.

Eight boxes of fabulous clearanced paper straws. Eight boxes of 144 count straws (seriously, the best price I have found is on Anthropologie. Who knew?). This, combined with my previous Amazon purchases, left me with a total of 1,196 straws.

My husband was very impressed with this number, folks.

You should have seen his jaw clench.

I think it was in anticipation of the fun sipping he will be doing all season.

Don’t you?

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I am so ready for this summer. For margaritas by the pool. For lemonade. And piƱa coladas.

All made more exciting with the use of colorful, happy straws.

It’s the little things: Making a drink even better.

Do you have paper straws in your house? Do you drink from a straw? Do you have weird rules about straws? Please share. My Need Beast really wants to know.

* The Amazon link is an affiliate link. The straws for this link are $1 more than what Anthropologie is selling their straws for. However, I provided the link in case Anthropologie runs out. Also, I get free shipping on Amazon but not on Anthropologie. Purchasing through the Amazon link will result in a small commission for The Need Beast this blog.