Peach tea (+ giveaway winner!)

Outfit Details:

Nishe handbag & shoe dress: ASOS

Cardigan: ModCloth (similar here)

Tea ring: find it at SheInside

Bow headband: Forever 21

White t-strap flats: Urban Outfitters (similar here)

Oh, how I love this dress.  Nishe is one of my all-time favorite labels anyway, but this particular frock had been calling my name for quite some time before I finally snatched it up.  It was one of two Black Friday purchases, and I think it was money well-spent.  Peach is such a perfect color for Florida (and I always associate one with the other because peach is my grandma's favorite color, and she has lived in Florida my entire life), and I knew I had to pack this dress for our Disney trip.  When we decided to have tea at the Grand Floridian, I thought this outfit would be an excellent choice (I kind of ended up matching the hotel decor, actually).  Nishe always has the most charming embroidery on their clothes, but there is something about the darling shoes and handbags on this one that just tickle me!  It's the kind of dress that my Barbie dolls would have had, and I would have given anything to have one in my size -- so now I can, albeit a few years late! 

This day was the warmest day we were there (though I still had to wear tights and a jacket), and after we had our tea, we took the boat over to the Magic Kingdom to see the Electrical Light Parade (which was magical and I got to see my friend Brett -- who performs in many of the parades -- go right by me!) and Wishes (the fireworks show with Tinkerbell).  We had a very late dinner at the California Grill in the Contemporary Hotel, which was sadly sort of disappointing.  We've gone there in the past, and their menu was always on the upscale side, but now it's a little too high brow for my taste.  Kind of pretentious.  But we had so many great meals on our trip that it didn't dampen our spirits much.

Mom's banana trifle from our tea

Beautiful boat ride scenery

I'm kicking myself for not getting this purse!

Since coming back from Disney World, I feel like I've been in a very strange tug-of-war; on the one hand, I feel really sluggish and not very motivated to do things I should (though that is not an especially new development), but on the other, I feel renewed and happy about certain things.  Hopeful, I guess.  I feel very fortunate that my blogiversary giveaway has resulted in some new followers (thank you and welcome to those who fall into this category!!), and I hope very much that these newcomers will stick around after this giveaway is announced!  I haven't done giveaways very often in the past, but I am quickly realizing that they can play an important part in terms of increasing readership and drumming up interest of current followers.  I'd never want to be solely driven by these things, mind you, but as blogging has steadily become even more meaningful in my life in recent months, it's something to consider.  Since this giveaway was funded out of my own pocket, I think bigger giveaways like this are going to be reserved for once or twice a year, but I'm really happy when things I decide to do resonate with people (to which most people can relate, I'm sure), and I have been thinking a lot about new ideas for content and posts for my second year of blogging.  It's difficult to start new things in the winter, I think, but the wheels in my head are definitely turning!  One more reason I can't wait for spring.  :)

So, without further delay, I am pleased to announce the winner of my 1-year blogiversary giveaway (who will receive a $50 gift certificate to ModCloth and a whole bunch of goodies from ASOS and Forever 21) is Rebecca T. of The Cinnamon Slipper!!!  Congratulations, my kindred spirit in style, and I hope you enjoy your prizes!  <3

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have a beautiful Monday, and a huge thank you to all who entered my giveaway!!  :)

xox Sammi

I otter be sailing

Outfit Details:

Dress: YeYe Vintage

Flats: Urban Outfitters (similar here)

Hair bow: Forever 21 (similar here)

Ahh, these Floridian photos are giving me a nice break from the snow!  I'm so glad I was able to wear this dress from YeYe Vintage before spring came.  It is absolutely darling (don't you love the embroidered collar?) and I adore it so much.  I think I got more compliments from strangers while I was in Florida than I've ever gotten where I live, and this dress certainly got a lot of them!  I can't wait to remix this dress in different ways.  It's kind of screaming for a boater hat, but I opted for a hair bow this time.  I went kind of simple with my accessories while I was in Florida.  I think it was the first time ever that my suitcase was almost 20 lbs. under the limit!  Then again, I pretty much packed only dresses and was freezing at Disney, so maybe that wasn't such a good thing!

I took these photos on our last day visiting my grandma, and the most special thing happened: I saw otters!!!  For those of you who don't know, otters are my absolute favorite animal in the world.  I had always heard tell of people seeing them where my grandma lived, but had never found any myself (and I had always looked every time we visited).  I love them so much, but they've been wrapped up in sadness for the past few months; my ex took me specifically to see otters at a zoo on our first date, and we always identified with them as a couple.  For a long time, I couldn't see a photo of one without being emotionally distraught.  Even now, I feel like I have lost "my otter," and I hate that I've felt like I can't even love my favorite creature without being reminded of my heartbreak.  I had also been feeling kind of weepy on this trip, as my grandma is not doing well -- which is emotional enough -- and I found myself wishing that things were different and that I'd been able to take this trip under other circumstances, with the person I had loved for three years.  When I was going to take photos on this day, I finally saw otters swimming in the water!  They were making the cutest little noises while they were playing and diving.  I cried when I saw them, not because I was sad, but because I was so happy to see them.  I continued to see them throughout the time I took photos, and they brought me so much joy.  Although I am still sad when I think about losing the person who made them so special to me, they also make me feel hopeful.  I will not always feel sad (and in truth, I am mostly quite happy these days), and I don't have to stop loving what makes me happy, just because of a sad association.

This one came so close to me!  He swam right over!

I feel very fortunate to have had this little experience.  It's yet another reminder to try and look for the joy in situations.  Philip Seymour Hoffman passed away on Sunday under really tragic circumstances.  Not only was he an actor I greatly admire, but he was an alumnus of my high school.  He even came back to visit when I went there, gave a really wonderful, candid talk, and I met him afterwards.  He was always a very genuine, articulate and down to earth man.  I certainly can't get behind those who use Facebook as their personal soapbox to condemn his choices.  I hate drugs and I hate what they do to people, but I find it so insensitive to taint the memory of such a talented, kind-hearted person in this way.  My all-time favorite teacher (who also taught PSH) gave a really beautiful interview to a local news station about him, and essentially said that we should focus on the life he lived, rather than on what surrounded his death.  I couldn't agree more.  I'm so so sad that this happened.  It's an incredible loss to the acting community and my hometown.  But I hope that there is joy to be found in remembering the towering talent he possessed, and the inspiration he gave to so many.

Have a beautiful day.

xox Sammi

PS: Don't forget to enter my 1 year blogiversary giveaway!  One winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to ModCloth, plus a huge haul of goodies from ASOS and Forever 21!  Details and enter to win here.

Out on the lanai

Outfit Details:

Tilly Dress: Voodoo Vixen

White belt: eBay (similar here)

White flats: Yeswalker (on sale!)

Ahh, I like these photos so much better than the ones in my last post!  It helped that I waited 'til later in the afternoon to take these (that whole golden hour thing is very true).  I still don't fully have the hang of things, but I'm trying to make myself read a lot of tutorials (most of which I pinned a long time ago and subsequently forgot about).  I kind of have to do it in small increments though, haha.

It also helps that this dress just makes me smile.  It always makes me think of Blanche Deveraux from The Golden Girls for some reason (or maybe just Florida in general?), which is where I got the blog title from (if you're a diehard fan, you'll get the reference).  I'd been eyeing this dress for a long time a while back, and then it seemed to be sold out before I could purchase it!  I'd assumed it was gone forever, but then I happened to check the Voodoo Vixen website on a whim, and saw that it was back!  I had to order it immediately (after consulting with my friend Jana of Small Town, Big Smile on sizing -- thanks, Jana!), and I'm so glad I did.  Granted, the sizing is a *little* wonky on this dress, but it kind of has to do with my proportions more than anything else; the top gapes a LOT (I kept having to make sure all the buttons were buttoned), but the waist is quite roomy.  The latter was solved with the addition of a belt, but I think I'll need to find a matching camisole to wear under this before I wear it again, as I did experience a bit of a wardrobe malfunction a couple of times!  Oops.

It's strange to be posting these photos when the temperature here is in the single digits (and with the windchill, it's around -10 degrees -- which is like, -23 for those not in the USA).  I tried to take photos outside yesterday, forgetting how blasted cold it is, and I immediately regretted it.  I only took about 3 photos before I had to call it quits.  Sad, too, because I really liked what I was wearing.  I'll have to try again and hope that it warms up a little.  I really hate taking photos inside.  There's never enough light in my bedroom, and I'm still not satisfied with it as a backdrop.  I'm already anxious for spring to arrive.

I love my bangs so much more in these photos, too!

Have a wonderful Thursday!

xox Sammi