Wearing: Recycled T-Straps
Wearing: 1 Skirt 3 Ways
In fact, by changing out my shirt, shoes and accessories I can create 3 distinct looks with the same skirt.
Look #1
Top: brown fitted t-shirt
Shoes: gold ballet flats
Accessories: brown button ring, gold oak leaf necklace
Where I Would Wear It: grabbing brunch, running errands
This Looks Says: I'm casual and comfortable without sacrificing style.
Look #2
Top: white ruffled button up
Shoes: brown peep-toe pumps
Accessories: brown cocktail ring, chunky pearls
This Looks Says: I'm serious without being bland. I deserve attention and respect.
Top: cream camisole, raspberry cardigan
Shoes: brown boots
Accessories: yellow glass ring, caramel braided belt
This Looks Says: I'm classic yet stylish, and well put together.
Watching: Amazing Proposals
These proposals are the stuff of dreams. Not likely to happen to the average girl, but it did for these two lucky ladies. The grooms-to-be put a lot of thought, effort and planning into these never-to-be forgotten moments.
I love the first one because the woman has no idea it's coming. This guy even manages to get down on one knee without raising suspicions.
The second one is a wee bit over the top and the bride immediately knows what's up. But would you expect anything less from a Disneyland proposal?
Both videos were found via Smitten.
I love this sort of thing as a spectator but I would hate it if that were me getting proposed to. You see, when I am the center of attention* I turn bright red and start sweating because I know all eyes are on me. It is particularly bad if the focus is on me when I'm not actually doing anything (wedding toasts, for example). I am terrible at acting amused and charming for more than 30 seconds. I learned this when the hubby wrote and played me a song for my birthday many years ago. He was looking at me lovingly and singing wonderful lyrics, but MY GOD, that was the most awkward 2 minutes of my life. I told him it was a sweet gesture, but please never do that again.
Anyway... My neuroses aside, those are darn cute proposals. I hope this brightens your morning!
*Oddly this doesn't happen when I am acting on stage. I only get nervous if I am 'playing myself' so to speak.
Buying: Thrifted Delights
First I stopped in the GCF Store on Hargett Street. I walked through the door and immediately spotted this tartan scarf. It is medium weight, not too bulky. It will be perfect for fall, and the pop of color will look so good with my white wool trench coat. I might wear this beauty clear into spring!
While waiting to use the dressing room, idly flipping through the womens' sweaters, I came across this find. Banana Republic... extra-fine merino wool... in my size! With all womens' sweaters only $4.50 there was nothing to think twice about. Who could resist the button front or full sleeves?
My last stop was Get Dressed For Less on West Street. I picked up these brown leather boots for only $12! From the looks of them they had hardly been worn. That's about to change big time because I'm going to wear these babies with jeans, skirts and dresses all season long.
Shopping thrift stores is the ultimate way to go green. You pay a fraction of retail cost, so you're keeping money in your wallet and you give an old piece a new life, keeping it out of a landfill and reducing the need for newly produced goods.
What interesting finds have you gotten from a thrift store?
Living: Happy Friday
I don't care if Monday's blue
Tuesday's grey and Wednesday too
Thursday I don't care about you
It's Friday I'm in love
Watching: I And Love And You [a music video]
In Focus: Pets On Furniture
For more see the Pets on Furniture post at Desire to Inspire.
Wearing: Tights + Boots
First of all, I am loving the new retro graphics. I am well aware only a dork photographs packaging for tights, but I couldn't resist.
Here are the two of us, me and Tights, enjoying the early morning light while getting dressed for work.
Coveting: Linen Case for iThings
I was worried about the white fabric getting dingy and gross but the seller assured me it was machine washable, and that I could Scotchgard it. I love Etsy - I can actually communicate with a designer before I shell out my money.
Decorating: My Bedroom
Vanity
Vanity Top
The main reason I wanted a vanity was to display my jewelry and get rid of my old Victorian style jewelry chest. My chunky necklaces hang from the jewelry branch and my small necklaces hang from the necklace board. I have projects in the works to store my rings and earrings but they’re not finished yet. I have always heard that it is better to store pearls laying down rather than hanging them – something about pearls are usually strung on silk, which could break if the strand is stressed – so I draped them across a necklace bust. Even if the pearls aren't actually strung on silk, I think it adds a bit of interest. Lastly I put a ceramic bowl on my vanity to hold my iphone fund. I can upgrade my phone in November and I think I will be better at saving if I can see the money piling up.
Dresser
I don’t love my dresser, so I didn’t take any full photos of it. Someday I will replace it but the immediate goal is to save for a house down payment. Because of my love for owls I bought this lamp as soon as I saw it. It looked a little lonely on the dresser by itself so I grabbed an old bowl and threw some necklaces into it. Instant decoration!
Bed
As I have already explained here, the bed is simple, contemporary and big enough for ample wallowing. When we bought the bigger bed we upgraded to a down comforter and I love it! It's so fluffy and crisp, there is no going back for us!
Hubby’s Bedside
His nightstand is another piece from my old bedroom suite. In time it will be replaced, but it serves its purpose. Also, if you stand in the doorway of our room the bed blocks it from view and you hardly see it.
My Bedside
To avoid a symmetrical and overly matchy layout I chose to use mismatched nightstands. I repurposed the original vanity bench as a place to hold books, remotes and other bedtime necessities. The fabric had seen better days so I bought a pashmina to drape across it. This way if I ever decide to recover the bench, I can use the pashmina for something else. I put my items on the bench but they looked disorganized – not to mention they begged for my cats to knock them on the floor - so I corralled everything in a woven basket. I grabbed an old floor lamp from our office to use as a reading lamp and put a large photo in the void on the wall. The two bedside areas aren’t symmetrical but the items are similar in function, scale and height so it still feels balanced.
Chair
This chair was another piece that I instantly gravitated toward. I was milling around the Habitat Home Store with my mom, not really shopping for myself, and I spotted this chair. I don’t remember how much I paid for it, but I know it wasn’t much. Eventually I will have it recovered – pink tweed isn’t really my thing – but that’s not in the budget right now.
Closet Wall
This area speaks for itself. A laundry hamper is a necessary evil, and the wall above it was boring, so I hung some art.
SOURCE LIST
VANITY vanity vintage / storage stool Target / necklace branch Urban Outfitters / ceramic bowl Crate & Barrel / vase gift / necklace bust Michael’s / necklace board DIY
DRESSER dresser piece from childhood bedroom suite / lamp Urban Outfitters / lampshade Target / glass bowl thrifted / bead necklaces thrifted
BED bed frame Rooms to Go / mattress Sealy / bedding Bed Bath & Beyond / sheer curtains Wal-Mart
HUBBY'S BEDSIDE nightstand piece from childhood bedroom suite / lamp Target / lampshade Target / photo frame Michael’s
MY BEDSIDE bench vintage / brown pashmina Target / photo frame Target / floor lamp Target / basket Target
CHAIR chair Habitat For Humanity Home Store / pillow Bed Bath & Beyond
LAUNDRY WALL linen hamper Bed Bath & Beyond / art DIY / frame Michael's
Making: Going Away Cookbook
The book itself if the simple part: tiny binder + tiny page sleeves + blank index cards = cookbook. The adornment is where the genius comes in. Cydney, being the better seamstress, whipped together a book cover with green and white striped fabric. On the inside cover she whip stitched a short but sweet inscription. I took on the task of embroidering a cupcake with an orange fabric base and button icing. Without directly intending to, Cydney and I put our signature elements into this project: I frequently craft with buttons and Cydney loves anything orange.
Having only a few hours to put together a going away gift, Cydney and I did a great job, if I do say so myself. This proves it doesn't always take lots of time or money to make something meaningful and memorable.
Living: High/Low
Normally I try to keep my content fun and impersonal - I don't want to bore you by talking about me and my life. However, this is not one of those posts.
Yesterday the hubby and I went to look at a house. It was the first house showing for us and I had nervous excitement - six year old on Christmas Eve excitement - all day at work and I could barely focus. We saw the house and it was adorable. Not our dream home, not our forever home, but something we could see ourselves calling "home." Even my reserved hubby was over the moon for this little house. We stopped by his parents house to talk strategy - do we like it enough to put in an offer? if so, how do we do that? are we really doing this? - all the typical questions flying around the minds of two maybe-first time home buyers.
Still giddy on the ride home we called our best friends. We had plans to get together but we got so wrapped up with the house we needed a rain check. In the middle of the conversation they dropped a bomb: they're moving... in 9 days. All I could say was a startled "oh!"
When I hung up I wasn't sure how to feel. I know no one talks about grief in this way, but I have to say I'm feeling it. It's like when you and your high school boyfriend part ways for college. You say "we can still see each other" and sometimes that works out. But more often than not you drift apart. You find new ways to fill your time, new people to tell your stories to. Sometimes your relationship evolves into being friends, even best friends, but you know things will never be the same. What I'm saying is if Hallmark made a "I'm sorry your best friend is moving away" card - and they totally should - I could use one right about now.
So that's my life right now. A wonderful, exciting leap forward along with a sad, staggering step back. Like I said, high and low.
Love,
Me
Making: DIY Cameos
This project couldn’t be simpler. It only took me two hours to complete, not including the time it took me to get my cats to pose for the camera.
TIP #1: This project will be much simpler for those working with dogs or people. Cats aren’t exactly cooperative.*
Materials
profile photo(s)
decorative background paper
cardstock or thick paper
tracing paper
picture frame
painters tape
elmer's glue
Tools
x-acto knife and cutting surface
pencil
metal edged ruler
TIP #2: To maximize textural contrast I chose linen cardstock in ivory for the silhouettes and a soft green art paper with a raised floral pattern for the background.
1) Since I was using two profiles I first opened the images in my photo editing program and scaled them to the same size before I printed them.
2) Take the picture frame apart and set the glass and frame aside. Lay the backboard of the frame onto your decorative paper and cut it so that you have a one inch border around the backboard.
3) Folding like you would wrap a package, bring the border of the paper onto the backboard and secure with tape. This will probably look a bit sloppy but it's ok because it won’t be seen. Set all frame components aside.
4) Use a pencil to trace your image on tracing paper. Once you are satisfied with your outline, go over it again with your pencil to ensure a thick, heavy line.
5) Place your image on the cardstock, drawing side down, and tape to secure. NOTE: If your cardstock is textured or patterned, make sure you tape the tracing paper to the “back” of the cardstock.
6) Transfer the pencil lead from the tracing paper to the cardstock. You can either re-trace your outline with a ballpoint pen or rub over the paper with a hard object (I used the rounded end of my x-acto knife handle). Lift your tracing paper occasionally to make sure the image is fully transferred. It doesn’t need to look perfect, just have enough of an outline to cut out.
7) Using your x-acto knife, carefully cut out your silhouette.
8) Glue the silhouette onto the paper-wrapped backboard, applying glue to the “back” of the cardstock. Allow a few minutes to dry. NOTE: I thought the silhouettes alone looked a little sparse, so I cut out two cardstock borders to add a little structure. This is optional.
9) Reassemble the picture frame with the paper-wrapped backboard. Do this gently so as not to tear your paper.
10) Enjoy your handywork!
As you can see, Yo-Yo likes the finished product.
*When I was trying to photograph him for the silhouette I got quite frustrated. He wouldn't sit still, he kept walking over to sniff and/or bat at the camera. I literally stalked him around my apartment for an hour with a camera in one hand and a bag of cat treats in the other. Later when I was trying to photograph my finished product he wanted to be in the picture. I would set up my shot only to end up with a black and white blur in the foreground. Move cat, adjust focus, cat ruins shot, repeat. Like I said, uncooperative.
Remembering: Patrick Swayze
There is a special place in my heart for Patrick Swayze movies. He was ruggedly handsome, masculine yet tender and a bad-boy that your mother would love anyway. And don't forget he could dance, sing and looked fabulous in drag.
I challenge you to find a girl that didn't want to go on family vacations in the mountains on the off chance the dance instructor looked like this*:
And who never got inspired to buy a pottery wheel?**
I can honestly say I have Ghost and Dirty Dancing memorized word for word. Sit me down with my old VHS tapes and I can't help but quote the whole movie. During my angsty teen years I couldn't get enough of The Outsiders. I thought Holden Caulfield was a whiny brat, but Johnny and Pony Boy were more my speed. What would they have done without Darrel looking out for them?
*That is if hoky, family-oriented resorts still existed and had ballroom dance lessons.
**Sadly, hunky man and Righteous Brothers not included.
Watching: 9
See the official trailer here.
*To be fair, this is a children's movie. Post-apocalyptic fiction can be overwhelming and I'm not sure how easily a child could follow an adult-level plot.