• budget,  fashion,  summer

    June Favorite Outfits Shopped from my Closet

    The key for me to shopping my closet successfully is to use favorites and combine them with something I haven’t thought of before. Of course, there are several outfits that I do repeat, but having a nice variety of clothes sure allows me to exercise some creativity. Since I am attempting a no shopping summer, creating new outfits from what I have curbs the desire for new things because I am technically wearing something new by combining old pieces. Here are my 7 favorite outfits from June. Tank and Maxi Skirt I’ve worn this skirt several times since I bought it last fall and it was featured on the blog…

  • outdoors,  travel

    Lake Chatuge, Hiawassee, GA

    One of our favorite vacation days was the day we rented a pontoon and spent half a day on Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee. We packed some snacks, wore our bathing suits and made sure we had our sunscreen on. It had been quite a few years since we had been on a lake and probably 17 years or more since we actually rented a pontoon ourselves (we typically visit my husband’s uncle who has a lake house in Alabama). At first the boys were not sure their dad could drive a boat, but they soon realized they were safe. We also rented a tube and my oldest had a blast…

  • fashion,  summer

    Another Beach Coastal Outfit

    Remember the outfit I shared a few weeks ago featuring these tan pants? I was inspired to wear a similar color palette to today’s outfit after KellyAnn shared some inspiration on IG. Now that we are in full summer form here, a lighter color palette feels cool and this time I wore it to a girl’s night in with church friends! Linen pants are just perfect for a hot day and pairing them with a tank was a simple solution for not getting too hot. Shortening these pants (using fabric glue) was the best thing ever: I am now able to wear them comfortably with flats without worrying that the…

  • budget,  fashion,  summer

    Neon Cropped Linen Shirt 4 Ways

    A few months ago, I picket up this neon shirt at Target when it was on sale. I thought the bright color and lightweight material would be fun for late spring and summer time, and then I was on a mission to wear it several different ways as part of my daily outfits. Bookending my look! It is always fun to create a look where you bookend with the same color: I added orange earrings I bought on Etsy and my bright orange sneakers. Over a Dress I am not sure that the neon shirt toned down my dress for Sunday church, but it was the perfect lightweight topper for…

  • hikes,  outdoors,  travel

    High Shoals Falls, GA

    The same day we visited Hamilton Gardens in Hiawassee, GA, we drove about 20 minutes away to visit High Shoals Falls. We had seen pictures of the pretty falls so we knew we would enjoy the hike. The dirt road up to the fall hike trailhead was very manageable and there several parking spaces. Since the first week in June was still fairly cool for Georgia and the hike had lots of tree coverage, it was a very pleasant hike. Hiking with children ages 5 to 16 also insures that we are not walking too fast. The hike is 2.6 miles total (in and out) and starts high up going…

  • budget,  fashion,  summer,  Sunday Showcase

    4th of July Outfit Inspiration for the Sunday Showcase

    Each year, I enjoy sharing some outfit inspiration for the holidays by using some older and newer pieces in my closet. The first outfit is completely shopped from my closet with pieces at least 2 years old. The 2nd outfit features a new pair of fun pants from the Brindle Boutique (use code MIREILLE for 25% off) and other pieces from my closet. The pants were purchased in May so I am still doing well with my summer no shop. Shop you Closet For patriotic holiday, I like to shop my closet for pieces in the red, blue and white color scheme without being too obvious and literal with my…

  • budget,  fashion,  inspired by,  summer

    A Neutral Outfit Inspired by this Blonde Shopping Bag

    KellyAnn from ThisBlondeShoppingBag has been sharing some outfits on IG that she has been inspired to recreate from Pinterest. As I see these, I have been taking a screenshot to remind me to recreate them myself. Earlier this month, the following outfit really appealed to me so I went through my closet to find what I had that was similar. I knew my pants were very similar to hers which is why the outfit caught my eye. Mine are from Target a year or two ago, and this year I used fabric glue to create a hem as they were really long on me. I only have one pair of…

  • outdoors,  travel

    Hamilton Gardens in Hiawassee, GA

    Hiawassee is just 15 minutes or so from Hayesville, GA and home to a beautiful lake, Lake Chatuge. We first caught a glimpse of the lake on our way to Hamilton Gardens. The gardens are free except during the Rhododendron festival which had actually just ended a couple weeks before our visit. Sadly, most of the blooms were gone but the views were still beautiful and we did find a few bushes with colorful blooms. The garden has several trails that loop and we made sure to follow one that went all of the way down to the lake. On the way, we stopped to admire the sights and relax.…

  • budget,  fashion,  summer

    How to Dress up a Skort

    The last time I shared this skort on the blog, I wore it casually for a hiking outing with a tee and sneakers. Today, I am sharing a few tips on how to dress it up and these ideas can be applied to a variety of casual pieces. I only have one skort and I keep it folded along with my burmuda short and my camo mini skirt. One way to get more wear out of your clothes is to organize them in a matter that makes sense to you so you do not forget what you have. All of my clothes (minus my pajamas, undergarments and workout clothes) are…

  • hikes,  outdoors,  travel

    Fire Creek Falls and Recreation Area

    Our Airbnb host had emailed me a list of activities nearby before our trip and this spot caught my eye as she said we could tube down a natural water slide. In anticipation of this possibility, I had packed some river tubes we had, as well as our pump which could be plugged in the car to inflate the tubes quickly and effortlessly. We also packed water shoes for everyone. Fire Creek Falls was about 20 minutes from our rental and we enjoyed it so much the first time, we returned for a second afternoon of fun. To get a decent view of the falls, you must cross the river…