Happy Birthday, Sweet Ada & Thursday Moda Link Up

May 3, 2018 / 35 Comments

Today is a very special post to celebrate and honor my dear friend, Ada of Elegance and Mommyhood. For this is her 38th Birthday and the 6th Birthday Celebration on her blog where she invites her closest fashion loving blogger friends to join in her a huge collaboration. This year there are 24 of us posting on our blogs over two days to show our support, our love, and our gratitude for Ada and for all that she does within this blogging community.

Happy Birthday, Ada!

“Every year that I have been blogging, since I became a mom, I thought it would be fun to have a Blog Birthday Party on my blog, including other fashionistas and blogging friends. It started in 2013 and this is the 6th year of this fun birthday tradition. When I first started it in 2013 as a beginner, I invited my closest 5-6 blogging buddies who came to visit, read and comment my blog on a daily basis. Over the last 3 years this fun party has grown and it has become a two-day celebration. This year I am joined by another 20 fashionistas who I am lucky to call my friends and who are all super stylish to boots. A lot of these ladies have been celebrating my birthday with me on the blog other years too and I am very glad and flattered to see them return. Thank you beauties for making this tradition super fun, joyful and fashionable once again! Cheers with a Pinot Noir! Here is to another year of getting older and hopefully wiser!!” –Ada

I have never met Ada in person, but I have FaceTime chatted with her and communicate with her via messenger and email on a weekly basis. She really is one of the kindest, most generous and giving, nonjudgmental and understanding, worldly and talented, strong and beautiful women I know. She is a trusted friend who holds some of my deepest secrets as she has trusted me with some of hers. She is an amazing mother to Vivian, whom by the way, is just as sweet and kind and beautiful as her momma. My little guy, Ralphie, who is the same age as Vivian, blushed when he spoke to her on FaceTime and whispered to me, “Mommy, she is so beautiful. Can she be my girlfriend?” I nearly died from my heart overflowing!

When Ada asked me to join her Blog Birthday Celebration again this year, my response was, “Is that even a question? Of course I will join you.” Then sh*t got crazy around here, I took a short blogging break, went to Lake Placid for a long weekend, and took one dress with me for the purpose of styling and photographing to celebrate Ada’s birthday. And the photos were the worst things ever! Completely unusable. On the day Ada needed our outfit photos, I emailed her with a broken heart stating that I had no photos and was going to have to back out of the collaboration at the last minute. I felt terrible for letting her down as she always comes through…because this woman can seriously work through exhaustion and stress unlike anyone I know! And in true Ada fashion, she would not allow me to back out. She is a woman who knows what she wants and she accepts no excuses! She basically told me to go get it done and she would accommodate my tardiness. How does a person say no to that?

So just yesterday afternoon (past the final hour), I decided I would attempt to style this black lace trimmed party dress from Rosegal. I mean, it isn’t called a party dress for nothing. And this here is a party today! So I put it on…and it was awful! It looked kind of like a nightgown. The fabric is a bit too thin for my taste and it clings in ALL the wrong places! But I am still obligated to share it on my blog, so in true Shelbee fashion, I started thinking outside the box. Who wants to be confined to a style box anyway?

*This is a sponsored post.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

*Black Maxi Dress: Plus Size High Low Party Maxi Dress c/o Rosegal

And I had this Torrid floral maxi dress hanging right at the front of my closet room that was screaming Spring and Celebrations and New Beginnings. So I grabbed it and layered it on top of my black party dress. Some sky high heels in blush, some fabulous jewelry, and I was ready for a party!  Also, I kind of like my new Rosegal party dress now as it makes the perfect layering piece because it is so thin and lightweight and adds a little bit of sass with its lace trim.

*Floral Dress: Torrid Black Floral Challis Maxi Shirtdress

*Shoes: Charlotte Russe. No longer available.  Other cute options here, here, and here.

Won’t you all please hop on over to Ada’s post and read all about the past year that has brought her to this new beginning. You will find links to all of her other blogging friends who are joining today’s celebration. Also be sure to check back with her tomorrow for the next group of birthday party goers!

Ada, I want to wish you the happiest of birthdays. May your day, your week, and the next year be filled with so much joy and happiness. May all of your wishes come true. May you find peace and love and all the things that make your heart sing right there at your finger tips. You deserve only the best, my dear friend, for you get what you put out into the world. And you always gives us your best! I love you! Happy Birthday!

Won’t you now join us for a link up! It is a party celebration after all!


Celebrating on the edge,

Shelbee

Linking up with these Fabulous Link Ups.

I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.

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35 Comments

  • ADA

    May 3, 2018 at 2:21 pm Reply

    This post was the sweetest. You are the sweetest. And bold. And brave. And striking. And fierce. And fashionable. And cool. And modern. And funny. And a great writer. And fun. And energetic. And beautiful inside out. And a whole-around awesome person. When I visit New York one day, we will have a few dates. And I am so happy our kids get along too. What you said about Vivian was wonderful. This post was beyond amazing. Every word lifted me up on this super rainy morning with an 11-hour work day ahead of me. And your wishes were just perfect. Couldn’t agree more: you get what you put out in this world!! Thank you. Thank you!!

    Love you kindly. ❤ Ada.

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      May 3, 2018 at 2:24 pm Reply

      Aw, you are too kind, sweet Ada! It is so rainy here as well and your words have me given me a much needed lift! Thank you for that. I have tons of writing to do today and a cinco de mayo outfit to photograph in the rain for Saturday! Happy, happy birthday!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

      • Ada

        May 4, 2018 at 3:29 am Reply

        I just re-read your post again, by the way. Loved it so much. Thank you once again from the bottom of my heart. What a great surprise and gift for me, for my birthday!

        I am so lucky and blessed to have you!

  • Roxanne

    May 3, 2018 at 3:10 pm Reply

    Oh my goodness little Vivi and Ralphie! My heart is exploding! Happiest of birthdays to Ada! you’re such a bangin’ friend, Shelbee, for your undying dedication and sweetness.
    –Roxanne
    p.s. – I adore this floral dress of yours!
    http://glassofglam.com

  • anne the spygirl

    May 3, 2018 at 3:40 pm Reply

    OMG! When I saw your photo on Facebook, I thought it was a picture of my pal Susan Matheson!
    The sunglasses, the hair, the dress-worn-as-coat — you’re my visual memory of Susan in 1994! CRAzY! (Will send you a photo so you’ll see what I mean). Susan is a costume designer who lives in Palm Springs. She has an impressive list of credits: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0558580/ So you’re in good company, style-wise!

    Is it spring yet? I’m getting my first shipment of ramps from my cousin in Barneveld. MAYBE it won’t snow until October/November.

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      May 3, 2018 at 11:14 pm Reply

      Oh my goodness, Anne, your comment sent me straight to Google to conduct multiple searches! First, Susan is an absolutely stunning and very intriguing woman, so thank you so much for that wonderful compliment! Second, I really did not know what a ramp was…I thought perhaps you were installing inclined walkways for skateboarding or something…being that Spring is here and all. Ha. Then once I found out what ramps you were talking about and why Spring was relevant to your shipment, I needed to see where exactly Barneveld is located and how far from me it is. So I learned 3 new things today just from your comment! And now I am trying to figure how exactly I want to present my hotel lobby photo series from Lake Placid which was all done with you in mind! I am waiting for a lightbulb to go on my head! Stay tuned…

      xoxo
      Shelbee

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      May 3, 2018 at 11:03 pm Reply

      Amy, thanks so much! It’s funny you say that it amazes you because I get amazed by how many people will only wear certain things exactly as they were shown in a catalog or in a store window. I love being creative and finding new ways to style different pieces. A dress is never just a dress…it can be so much more than that! I hope you are having a wonderful week.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Gina

    May 4, 2018 at 3:02 am Reply

    You look absolutely amazing here. Isn’t it crazy how sometimes the best things come out of nowhere at the last minute?

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      May 4, 2018 at 10:07 am Reply

      Gina, thank you so very much! I am often so surprised at how that happens when we are quickly throwing something together and it works out so well. In fact, I said to my husband when I first put on the black dress, “Ugh. This dress is awful but I am required to style it.” He responded, “You will figure it out in some brilliant way. As you always do.” And I suppose I did! I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Melissa

    May 4, 2018 at 3:49 am Reply

    This is probably the cutest post ever! You truly are a great friend and its so nice seeing other bloggers hold a relationship personally! I am glad you like this dress again!! Creating an outwear out of it is a great idea.

    xo
    Mel

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      May 4, 2018 at 10:04 am Reply

      Mel, thanks so much! You do know how I thrive on supporting my friends and spreading kindness and love all throughout blogland! And I do believe I will get lots of wear from this fun dress! Have a wonderful weekend, my friend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Suzy Turner

    May 6, 2018 at 12:43 pm Reply

    Shelbee, I love the way you styled this party dress. I can’t understand why you didn’t like it to start with because it really looks fab on your with or without the floral overdress. Speaking of the florals – OMG, LOVE LOVE LOVE!! And the shoes too. My friend, you always manage to pull out all the stops to look seriously stunning.
    Have a wonderful week!
    Hugs
    Suzy xxx
    http://www.suzyturner.com

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      May 6, 2018 at 1:18 pm Reply

      Suzy, you are too kind! I think I shared the best photos of the black dress, but for real, it was not that flattering! But I am completely in love with the floral dress, too, and will be wearing it often, I suspect! I hope you are having a fabulous weekend, my friend.

      xoxo
      s1

  • Chrissy

    May 7, 2018 at 12:13 am Reply

    Shelbee, you are so fun and beautiful inside and out. YES to a girl date. How creative is the way you styled this dress, which btw doesn’t look awful on you but I get it. We have to feel good in it or it doesn’t matter what anyone else says. Thank you for being an encourager, a teacher and a friend. Have a fabulous week my friend!!

  • Emma Peach

    May 8, 2018 at 1:45 pm Reply

    You pulled it out of the bag again Shelbee! I love how you’ve layered the two dresses, the floral print is gorgeous! How lovely of Ada to be so supportive, not that I’m surprised, you are both so kind and incredibly hardworking. I honestly don’t know how you two manage to keep up with posting so frequently, as well as commenting on blogs and replying to comments. I think I get distracted too easily! Hope you have a wonderful rest of the week!

    Emma xxx
    http://www.style-splash.com

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      May 8, 2018 at 1:51 pm Reply

      Emma, thanks so much for this wonderful comment and vote of confidence! I feel like I fall short on commenting and visiting blogs on a daily basis! And don’t even get me started on my social media shortcomings! I get through the days somehow creating content and doing some freelance writing on the side. And every day, at the end of the day, I feel as if I fell short yet again. So I really do appreciate that you think I am doing a good job! That means the world to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

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