what i wore to church

i wanted to start a new series on the blog today called 'what i wore to church'.  a lot of times i will photograph the outfit i wear and put it on instagram, but i thought it would also be fun to start sharing it here.

dress  //  madison - belk (old)
tank top   //   apt 9 - kohls (old)
necklace   //   jcrew (i've seen lots of similar styles of this necklace EVERYWHERE lately)
shoes   //   rock & republic - kohls
belt   //   calvin klein (purchased at tjmaxx)
watch   //   michael kors

- jess

tjmaxx for the win

if you know me at all, then you know that i LOVE tjmaxx.  you can find me shopping at my local store at least once a week.  and if i'm going out of town, even on vacation, you better believe i've already looked to see if they have a store i can stop at too!  why do i love them so!?!  affordable styles in home and fashion that you'd find at your local department store for WAY cheaper.

i will admit that i wasn't always a lover of tjmaxx.  years and years and years ago, when i was in my early teens, the only tjmaxx that i had ever been too was rather junkie and left a bad impression with me.  then, when i was around 14 or 15 tjmaxx came and put a store in my local town...and it was nice!  never junkie or run down and always fresh with new merchandise.

so when i started looking for a job at 16 i headed on over there and put in my application...and i was hired!  now working there for me wasn't all glitter and rainbows.  working in retail can be rough and i was trying to finish high school and then go to college.  but that job was really perfect for me.  good hours and it definitely helped me overcome my fear of speaking to strangers...i was terribly shy when i started working there.  plus i was able to shop EVERY time i went to work...score!  i'm pretty sure that at least 1/2 of those paychecks went right back to them...ha! fast forward 5 years later and upon completion of my college degree i was offered a job working in my degree field.  even though i stopped working there after college, i'm still walking through their doors nearly as often as when i worked there ;-)

as a follower of tjmaxx on both instagram and facebook i became aware that you could share pics of your purchases and tag them #maxxstyle. so i tagged a couple photos and then forgot about it, knowing i'd always have more to tag.  well, unknown to me one of my pics was chosen and was up last week for votes...and i WON!!!  i've been completely over the moon about it since finding out.  i'm so thankful to every one who voted for me!

here's a screenshot from facebook

this post is NOT sponsored by tjmaxx... but as i'd tell any of my girlfriends, go check out your local tjmaxx and see if you can score some awesome deals!... of course then go share them on instagram or facebook so you too can have a chance to win a gift card :-)

- jess

31 before 31

as much as i can't seem to accept it, i've joined the group of thirty-year olds.
i'm still having a rough time getting over the fact that i'm no longer in my twenties.

for the past two years i've been making these lists (28 before 29 and 30 before 30) so i thought i'd go ahead and make one this year as well.
the first year i made one it was a bit pathetic how many things i accomplished.
this past year was better.
i hope to keep the momentum up and accomplish a lot more things on my list this time!

1  //  learn calligraphy

2  //  rework my handwriting

3  //  bake french macarons

4  //  lose 20 pounds

5  //  crochet a scarf

6  //  start a 'bucket list'

7  //  learn an instrument

8  //  drink loose leaf tea 
• 06.2013 - i've been making delicious loose leaf iced teas and LOVING them!

9  //  start a heritage scrapbook

10  //  create a second youtube channel for crafting
• i'm going to just have one channel for now with playlists; after researching i realized that i do not have enough subscribers to have 2 channels at this time

11  //  keep a prayer journal
• started 06.2013

12  //  pray before i start the day

13  //  read the bible through in 90 days

14  //  update my etsy store

15  //  make a sale in my etsy store

16  //  start a sketch journal

17  //  keep working on watercolor illustrations

18  //  paint a portrait

19  //  stargaze for an hour and count shooting stars

20  //  make a quilt

21  //  read 5 non-fiction books

22  //  read 5 classic books

23  //  read at least 31 books
• 1 - the yard by alex grecian - 07.2013
• 2 - love, charleston by beth webb hart - 07.2013
• 3 - beyond all measure by dorthy love - 09.2013
• 4 - blue asylum by kathy hepinstall - 09.2013
• 5 - miss peregrine's home for peculiar children by ransom riggs - 12.2013
• 6 - divergent by veronica roth - 12.2013
• 7 - insurgent by veronica roth - 12.2013
• 8 - allegiant by veronica roth - 12.2013

24  //  try and blog about 31 pinterest recipes or projects

25  //  blog every day for 31 days

26  //  take a 31 day fast from social media

27  //  create 31 videos for my youtube channel(s)

28  //  create 31 scrapbook/card challenges for myself and use them
• 1 - all white layout
• 2 - purple layout
• 3 - quilling
• 4 - letterpress
• 5 - pop-up card
• 6 - ombre
• 7 - one color
• 8 - cross-stitch
• 9 - white, black and gold
• 10 - stitched title
• 11 - watercolor
• 12 - art inspired
• 13 - paper piecing
• 14 - origami
• 15 - chart
• 16 - list
• 17 - masculine card
• 18 - lyrics
• 19 - fabric
• 20 - lots of layers
• 21 - grid format
• 22 - silhouette cut background
• 23 - two-page spread
• 24 - lots of journaling
• 25 - translucent
• 26 - rainbow
• 27 - x-large photo
• 28 - line of embellishments
• 29 - pockets
• 30 - non-scrapbook or non-art products
• 31 - 5-minute card

29  //  photo a day for 31 days using my dslr

30  //  walk at least 31 miles (7.1 miles to date)
• 08.15.2013 - 1 mile
• 08.19.2013 - 1.3 miles
• 08.20.2013 - 1.8 miles
• 02.18.2014 - 1 mile
• 02.21.2014 - 2 miles

31  //  run at least 31 miles

i will be sure to keep you updated on when i am working on these things and mark them off the list!

- jess