GREAT NEWS!!

I just saved 15% on car insur.....no, wrong good news.

Actually, I lost 3 pounds on my first day with Nutri-System (and I even had a handful of candy corn!). Yea!!

And no, Nutri-System is not paying me to endorse their product.

I know myself too well. If I know that 1200 people a week (the average hits I get) are watching then I'm more apt to stick with it.

That and the 300$ I spent.

Outfit of the Day.....

Naahh, not really.

I'm using this as my 'before' photo. I ordered my Nutri-System package yesterday and am expecting to get it in the mail any day now.

Sitting on your butt writing all day is NOT, I repeat NOT good for the figure. Yes, I do exercise. I walk the dogs several times a day but somehow I think stopping to sniff and pee at every mailbox (the dogs, not me) doesn't burn too many calories.

Anyway, I have to do something. With all this travelling if I gain anymore weight the airlines will start charging me for two seats.

By the way, anyone you'd like to see for Hillbilly Debutante of the Month? Send your nominations in!

'til next time,

Kathie

Do you know the answer to this question?

There are tons of 'preppy', 'trad' and 'wasp-y' writers out there in the wild, blue yonder we call 'blogland' and I love every single one of you to death! Some of my favorites are "Summer is a Verb", "Social Climbers" and "The Daily Prep" and 'Maxminimus', on whom I have a secret crush.

There are just as many that focus on vintage clothing (The Vintage Housewife) - Muah! big fat red lipstick kisses to all of you!

But what if you're more Elizabeth Taylor than Jackie Kennedy? Nan Kempner than CZ Guest? Joan Collins than June Cleaver?

Look, I am aware of what they say about us Northern Virginia and D.C. women. Come closer and I'll whisper it in your ear - We're Hollywood for ugly people!

Whoever coined that phrase was looking for love in all the wrong places because I can assure you that there is glamour galore in our nations capital - it's just not on Capital Hill.

I am well acquainted and quite friendly with the many glamourous ladies who lunch (ahem - none of which are 'D.C. Housewives'). These gals don't reserve their glamour for the nightlife, either. No siree. They are all dolled up whether they're puttering around the house, attending a fashionable luncheon, or dancing the night away at one of the many galas.

So, once again I ask you, where are the glamour bloggers? I need inspiration!

Pictures from my book signing in Maryland

My book tour schedule is jam-packed from now until a few weeks before Christmas, so writing may be very sporadic. I haven't even touched my new manuscript in over a month. Yikes!

Here are some pictures from the private book signing at the beautiful estate of Tom and Susan Kreamer.

It's the best of both worlds. A small farm that backs up to the bay. Photos don't do it justice.

Enjoy!

I have been looking for 'HER'...and I've found her..

....my style icon.

Yeah, go ahead. Snicker about how vain and shallow I am. You're probably 23 and have no clue what it's like to 'feel' 19 but pushing 50 and try to find something fun to wear thats's not trashy or it's polar opposite sister - frumpy. And sometimes it is so freaking hard to discern where the cut-off line is! There doesn't seem be anything in between the 'Brittany Spears' or 'Mrs Doubtfire' realm. It's one extreme to another.

For instance take these over-the-knee boots.

Yep they're mine and that's me in the above picture.

I do always tend to gear towards the 'edgy' stuff. Big jewelry. Unique accessories. Lots of makeup. Short, spiky, funky hair. No matter how hard I try to go 'clean and classic' I always go back to 'edgy'.

Anyway, back to the boots. I wanted to wear them on my book tour, but was kind of scared. Were they too young? Could I pull these off without looking like some over-the-hill tart?

The night before I left I tried them on with a leopard print shorter tunic-style top with leggings. (disclaimer: the tunic waaaay more than covered my butt. Show the ol' buttster? Ain't gonna happen).

Me (to 16-year-old son William): "Can I wear this?"

(Man, how I miss my daughter in times like these)

William, annoyed that I am standing between him and ESPN: "Yeah."

Me: "No, I mean would you be embarrassed if I picked you up from school wearing this?"

Will: "No."

Me: "Okay, what if we were walking through the Mall - would you be embarrassed to walk beside me?"

Will: "No."

Me: "What if it was a high school football or basket ball game?"

Will, (now extremely annoyed): "Mom, it looks okay. Really, I mean it. If you don't mind I'm watching the game!"

Me (almost falling for it): "Oops sorry....wait a minute! It's Wednesday night! There's no football."

William (now really disgusted): "I know, Mom. It's last weeks Cowboys game - ESPN always plays re-runs."

So, I stomp downstairs to Mr. T.

Me: "Can I wear this?"

Mr. T (in a very seductive, come-hither voice): "Oh Baby, you sure can."

Me (ignoring him because he's completely missing the point): "No, I mean...really, can I wear this? Do I look like a 48-year-old woman trying to be 25 again?"

Mr T: "Oh yeah, you can definitely wear that. Come over here and I'll show you just how much you can wear that, hee, hee.."

Giving up, I get the camera, make him take a picture and send it to my daughter who quickly texts me back, "Yes, Mom. You can wear that. It looks really nice, and yes. Age appropriate."

Bingo! Now how hard was that?

So, I wore the outfit and as far as I know no one burst into fits of laughter, nor did Mama faint or ask me if I was 'really going to wear that,' so I suppose it looked alright.

I've heard that throughout our life, we need to have a style icon. Someone who is our age or even older. A fashion mentor.

I finally found mine.

Her name is Barbara Daseke and she's the President of Barbara Elliott Interior Designs in Dallas.



I love everything about her. I love that she goes against the mainstream and seems to have a ball with fashion.


I love that she wears lots of color.

Texas women aren't afraid to show their glamorous side. They were lots of makeup, lots of color - and are bold when it comes to fashion. I'll betcha 10 bucks Mrs. Daseki doesn't stand between hubby and the television and whine, "Don, would you be embarrassed if I wore....".

I'm betting that the glamorous Mrs. D owns whatever she decides to put on and whoever doesn't like it can kiss her Texas grits.

She oozes that kind of confidence.

(fashion shoot photo shamelessly stolen from Mrs. Daseke's facebook page)



Barbara and her handsome husband, Don
(Both are well-known in Dallas social and philanthropy circles)



After perusing the 'net for about an hour, I got the nerve to message her and then 'friend' her on facebook. And much to my delight, she accepted.


So Barbara - if you're reading this I want you to know that I've worn the pictures out on your Facebook page.....Ummm...can you please post new and post often?

And um....is it too early into our friendship to ask for your cell phone number? When I shop I can take a picture, text it to you and ask if this is a "SBWW" - something Barbara would wear. Okay, maybe that's a little too forward....

To my readers - WHO is YOUR style icon?

Until next time,

Kathie

It has been wonderful meeting so many of you on my book tours! I love it! This weekend I'm doing a private book signing in Kent Island, Maryland and next week I'm doing a signing in Borders at Baltimore Airport! If you're passing through or know someone who might be flying in and out please send them my way.


P.S. Scroll down to see October "Hillbilly Debutante of the Month" if you haven't already.

Book Tour pictures for you to review (because I'm too lazy to actually write something)

Barnes and Noble in Columbia, Missouri

My girl Carrie Edwards

Private Book Club in Fredericksburg, Virginia (these are my favorite!)

Mrs. Missouri 2002, Mrs. Missouri 1996 and Mrs. Missouri 1999
(Natalene Johnson, Yours Truly and Sonya Wise)
at Barnes and Noble in Springfield, Missouri



Blanche Robison and her son Kevon in Borders at Springfield, Virginia
(Blanche is actually Blanche Burns in the book)

One of my favorite people in the world - Jose, at Barnes and Noble in Columbia, Missouri. He lived with us for a while and I consider him a member of our family as much as if he was my own brother! (Gals, he's single!)

Whew! What a whirlwind few weeks. I'm home for a couple of days then off to Kent Island, Maryland for another private signing.

'Til next time,

Kathie

(ALSO: scroll down to meet October's Hillbilly Debutante of the Month)

On the Road Again & Hillbilly Debutante of the Month...

I'll be signing my book "False Victim" in Barnes and Noble in Columbia, Missouri Friday night October 8th from 6-9.

Then I'm packing up and headed south to Springfield, MO at the Barnes and Noble on Glenstone/Battlefield. You can catch me from 1-3.

Click on the link below for more information/synopsis of the story

www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978

Now hold on a sec....before you go pushin' that delete button scroll below and check out our beautiful Hillbilly Debutante of the Month for October.

Hillbilly Debutante of the Month - OCTOBER

Today's post is extra-special because not only are you meeting October's "Hillbilly Debutante of the Month" but you are getting an incredible visual treat. Nothin' but eye candy, y'all.

Ladies and Gentleman, meet Kim of Bella Della. Kim - it's all yours.

The Simple Life

by

Kim of Bella Della Farm

"I definitely lead a simple life. And I work to keep it that way.

I work.

I commute.

I spend time with my husband and family. We love amusement parks and football. We love eating out and our trips to Target.

We tend to keep to ourselves.



I'm a thrifter and a coupon girl. I think it's safe to say that most everything in my life is second-hand - my house, furniture, accessories, and most of my wardrobe.
Even my pantry is filled with freebies.




I am a coupon nerd. I have a binder.
One of my favorite things is to get up early on Saturdays and hit the road looking for yard sales.

I love the thrill of the hunt and the wind on my hair and country tunes blaring on the radio.

I lead a simple life and I think I'm a simple girl.

Okay, I can be a tiny bit high strung, controlling and opinionated, but still simple.

I don't ever pretend to be anything that I'm not.

I'm real.

I like to thing I'm pretty funny.

I read something recently that said "I can speak three languages - English, sarcasm and profanity."

Amen.

My family and Fella show love in three ways:

hugs, kisses and endless teasing.

I'm the girl that wears a $3.99 thrifted dress to her downtown 9 to 5 job and I don't hesitate to meet a compliment with 'thanks, it was was $4.00'.

I'm the girl that can rub elbows with industry executives at fancy dinners. But fancy at my house means springing for the Bounty towels under the silverware. I'm clueless about silverware. I don't know what side it goes on and I don't really care. I'm more concerned about how my gravy turns out.

Bella Della

It's my home. It's my 'pretend' farm. It's my blog. It's me.

Belladellasfarm.blogspot.com

One woman's story of her little farm and old general store...decorating, yard sales, vintage, trash to treasure, the garden, family, friends, the beagles, the cats and one wonderful, amazing husband - otherwise known as the fella.

The name just came to me one day.

I had stumbled upon the wonderful world of Kim McCole at Dear Daisy Cottage and I was hooked.

I decided to dive into Blogland and it would be known as

Bella Della Farm.

Della is my Grandma's name.

She passed when I was nine. But she's always with me and gosh, she would love all this stuff.

The Little Farm

The fella and I set out one Autumn Saturday to just browse (drive-by) a few houses. Well, we pulled into the driveway of the little farm and never left.

Picture me with my face plastered to the windows of the old general store

(pictured below).

I staged sort of a dream house/real-estate sit -in.

By dinner time we had a contract.

That was three years ago.

We have a little over 6 acres.

Along with the house we were blessed with the store, a barn and a chicken coop.

The ultimate accessories if you ask me.

I always sort of giggle to myself when I use the word 'farm' to use our home.

It might be a bit of a stretch or maybe not.

Most days it feels more like the funny farm than a real farm.

We grow more weeds than crops.

And by crops I mean corn, beans, tomatoes and cucumbers.

We have no farm animals.

I'm pretty sure pretending to own the neighbors cows do not count.

We don't own a tractor but the Fella does look cute on his John Deere.

But on the other hand, I've been known to parade around the yard in my overalls.

I own cowboy boots and I'm not afraid to use them.

We have a garden and its in front of the barn.

While we have no chickens in the chicken coops and no cows in the barn, we do have all the old fence posts, a daily reminder that Bella Della was a working farm in her former life.

I know what tobacco sticks are and whippoorwills.

And I love the smell of tractor fuel.

We definitely live in the country.

We live in a rual county that has one stop light, and one grocery store, and a small newspaper. A newspaper that keeps reporting we have bears in the area. To which the Fella says, "Well, you wanted to live in the country."

True.

Our county has more cows than people.

And they make great neighbors.

The cows, that is."

Congratulations to Kim of http://belladellasfarm.blogspot.com/

Hillbilly Debutante of the Month

(If you'd like to nomimate someone (or yourself!) for future HDOM e-mail their name and info to kathietruitt@msn.com