Kitschy 'til the Cows Come Home: Neon Trees and Jujubes

Top: Madden Girl, Kohl's; Skirt: Wild Fable, Target; Boots: Betsey Johnson, Zulily

Sunset Ranch Necklace

Bag: Zulily

Clips: Marshalls

Hand cream: Cath Kidston, Kohl's

Top: ModCloth; Skirt: Trixxi, Kohl's; Bag: Dolls Kill; Shoes: Madden Girl, Amazon

Glamazon of the Galaxy Necklace

Lipstick schtick.

Purple clip: Lisa Frank, Kitsch

Yellow: Always appealing.

 Skirt: So, Kohl's

Clips: Every '80s baby's Kitsch wish come true.

Bag: Amazon

Top: Care Bears, Dolls Kill

Just kidding.  There are no jujubes.  Just two candy-bright fits that I wore to work and one I wore in my yard.  Partly because I can't drive in those boots and partly because even I have my limits.  Still, my coastal-cowgirl-going-to-a-rave look holds a special place in my heart.  Maybe one day I'll get to wear it for real.

Stagecoach, here I come.

Pink Lemonade Parade: Markers and Muumuus

Tunic: Cool Melon, Zulily; Kimono: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

The yellow rose of Jersey.

Dress: Nine West, Kohl's

'80s-rific Sharpies I found in my office.

Bag: Delia's, Dolls Kill

Cowgirl clip: Wild Fable, Target

Big necklace and bow bangle and choker: Simply Vera, Kohl's; Fringe bangle and barrette: INC, Macy's; Collar clip: Hobby Lobby

Vest: Lisa Frank for XOXO, Macy's

Dr. Brown's has come to town.

Kimono: Love by Design, JCPenney; Bag: Elly & Ella, Zulily

It seems that I've entered my muumuu era slightly ahead of schedule.  But June is just around the corner, and so is this baby.  My docs tell me that I'll be induced as early as June 6 on account of my oldness.  They should have a definite date for me later this week.  It's all happening. 

Until then, I'm living the Whac-A-Mole life of completing one baby prep job only to have five pop up in its place.  That and the paperwork of pregnancy, i.e., making calls and filling out forms to continue my benefits.  But I still make time to read, craft, and blog to block out the impending assault on my body.      

Because it takes a village to raise a mom.  And that village is a self care retreat.

Ring Thing: Relishing the Embellished

Sweater: Hooked Up, Macy's; Skirt: H&M; Bag: Royal Monk, Mocloth; Shoes: Ami Clubwear; Necklace: SHEIN; Headband: Express; Vertical striped bangle: Amrita Singh, Zulily; Horizontal striped bangles: B Fabulous

Ring: PinkBopp

Hat: Wild Fable, Target; Sweater: Bar III, Macy's; Skirt: Mudd, Kohl's; Bag: Betsey Johnson, Amazon; Boots: Simply Vera, Kohl's; Necklaces: Amrita Singh, Zulily; Maroon bangle: Iris Apfel for INC, Macy's; Yellow bangle: B Fabulous; Green bracelet: Cloud Nine, Ocean City; Purple bracelet: Etsy

Ring: PinkBopp, Etsy

As you know, I'm a big fan of PinkBopp rings, which are handmade by the lovely and talented Samantha.  Each one is bursting with beautiful embellishments, a colorful collage at your (and on your!) fingertips.  So when I saw this red, yellow, and blue butterfly dazzler, I knew I had to have it -- and ended up getting the purple one too!  

Both rings inspired me to build super bright outfits.  The rainbow sweater is an old favorite that I wear a lot, whereas the checkerboard sweater is new (I bought it last summer on clearance but never wore it).  The butterfly ring reminded me of Snow White, so I went with red, yellow, and blue pieces to complement it and set off the rainbow.  The purple ring demanded (what else?) more purple, plus green and orange to make it pop.  Without meaning to, I ended up with one look in primary colors and one in -- yes -- secondary colors.  Talk about a happy accident, art class edition!  Even if this isn't an art class, but a blog.     

So yeah, I had a lot of fun styling and wearing my new rings.  But I can't sign off without showing you their packaging.  How cool is this fruit-tastic box, beach-themed ribbon, and thank-you written on Lisa Frank stationery?!  

Samantha put so much thought and creativity into every detail, making for a one-of-kind handmade shopping experience.  So if you love unique accessories that will make people ask, "Where did you get that?," (my mom asked me this when I wore the butterfly ring yesterday!) then be sure to check out PinkBopp.

And, as always, keep that color wheel spinning! 

The Religious Experience of Bold Tunes and Tees

Sweater: Hooked Up, Macy's; Skirt: Almost Famous, Kohl's; Shoes: Anne Michelle, JCPenney; Bag: Zulily; Sunglasses: Amazon; Bracelets: So, Kohl's

Yummy Bear Necklace

Shoes: Katy Perry Collection; Sunglasses: Party City; Yellow bangles: B Fabulous; Mint bangle: Decree, JCPenney; Dark blue bangle: So, Kohl's; Light blue bangle: Burlington Coat Factory; Striped bangle: Mixit, JCPenney; Bag: Francesca's

Dress (back view!): Rewind, Kohls; Tank: Worthington, JCPenney

Four Leaf Fabulous Necklace

Skirt: Tinseltown, Macy's; Shoes: Jessica Simpson, DSW; Bag: Betsey Johnson, Amazon; Striped bangle: Miami accessories cart; Dark green bracelet: Parade of Shoes; Yellow bracelet: Sonoma, Kohl's; Purple bracelet: Etsy; Blue bangle: B Fabulous; Neon green bracelet: Amrita Singh, Zulily

Lucky Day-Glo Necklace

Tee: Lisa Frank for Local Celebrity, Delia's

I was driving to the ATM to get tip money for the lovely ShopRite delivery people who help make my hermit life possible when I caught Joan Osborne's "One of Us" on the radio.  I was so happy to hear this '90s classic, especially the chorus "What if God was one of us?/Just a slob like one of us/Just a stranger on the bus/Tryin' to make his way home?"  When I was in seventh grade, our music teacher used to let us bring in our favorite songs to sing, which was pretty cool of him, and someone brought in this one.  When the "just a slob like one of us" part came on, our teacher balked, "I'm no slob; speak for yourself!".  Apparently, his coolness had limits.

Today's outfits have nothing to do with this.  Unless you count the tenuous connection of Lisa Frank and Ms. Osborne being '90s pop culture icons.

Which, of course, I do.  Because they're both passengers on this bus called life.

You too, whether you want to be or not, Mr. Z.

Reinventing the Rainbow

Top: Mossimo, Target; Skirt: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's; Shoes: Lucky Brand, Zulily; Bag: Amazon; Woven belts: Belt is Cool, Amazon; Skinny belt: Izod, Marshalls; Floral bangle: Decree, JCPenney; Yellow and striped bracelets: Amrita Singh, Zulily; Sunglasses: So, Kohl's; Chartreuse clip: Wild Fable, Target; Tulip clip: SHEIN

Rustic Rainbow Necklace

Most of my life, I've thought of rainbows as residing firmly in the realm of the sparkly.  I blame this on Lisa Frank and, to an extent, My Little Pony.  So, when more rustic rainbows with ragged cream "clouds" came on the scene, I was like, what?!  No princess would ever slide down that thing!  But, as with so many trends, those boho bands of color eventually wrapped themselves around my heart.  And before I knew it, I was purchasing my very own ragged rainbow pendant to use in an enormous necklace.  Two rows of fruit beads later, and the Rustic Rainbow Necklace was born (like I'd call it anything else!).  Its hint of hippie vibe says, "I'm fun -- but I also have a social conscience."

What more could I -- or Lisa Frank -- want?

Palm Tree-A-Palooza: Hey You, Unicorn

Skirt: H&M

Bag: Amazon; Mint belt: Wild Fable, Target; Neon belt: Izod, Marshalls; Sunglasses: Amazon; Flower clip: Capelli, ULTA; Ring: Express; Striped bangle: Mixit, JCPenney; Rainbow bangle: B Fabulous; Glitter bangles: Target; Mint bangle: Decree, JCPenney

Top: Rebellious One, Macy's

Shoes: ALDO, Macy's

Skirt: Decree, JCPenney

Bag: Zulily

Shoes: B.A.I.T., Zulily

Skirt: Arizona Jeans, JCPenney

Shoes: Betsey Johnson, Macy's

Top: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

You know how you spot a grove of palm trees and breathlessly wait for a unicorn to emerge, its flowing, rainbow mane threaded with hibiscus and a pina colada tattooed on its rump?  

No?

Maybe I've watched one too many of those scenes of horses galloping on the beach after one too many pina coladas.

Just kidding.  You know I don't drink.

And I never kid about my adoration for unicorns.  That's why I pulled out my favorite tee, a fifteen-year-old-plus relic featuring one that's also a pegasus.  

Top: Next Era, Kohl's

It was the perfect thing to complement my two new wonderfully whimsical unicorn rings from PinkBopp.  Here they are beneath an explosion of pompoms and rhinestones:    

And here they are au naturel (unless you count my nail polish):

And, finally, here they are in their Lisa Frank sticker-bedecked keepsake box:

If that's not magical, then I don't know what is.  

Unless it's a unicorn drinking a Shirley Temple and playing the ukulele.