"i don't know how to walk in heels."

after our giant baked potato lunch, chris was asked to take part in a womanless beauty pageant with our friend josh and stuart. josh's wife, cossandra, told me about josh's goodwill hunt for the perfect dress, the anatomical problems of men wearing dresses, and the difficulty of shopping for a man in women's sizes. i couldn't wait. when chris was given his royal blue dress and lime green heels, he looked at me with nothing but fear on his face and said, panicked, "i don't know how to walk in heels." of course i replied with, "it would surprise me if you did."

stuart (in the yellow and pink) won the contest, but if i'm being honest, i was hoping josh won. he's mexican, so he really played up the accent and even did the finger snap in the air. it was perfect! also, sarah, i know we just finished talking about cell phone pictures, but don't be mad. i had to, otherwise i couldn't document this beauty!

fishies need your help.

this is just a quick little blog post because i need your help! okay, so last week after seeing gale's post about aquatic plants, i decided that this house needed a fish. i've always loved fish, with the exception of these nasty eels that my mom decided to get for our aquarium when i was younger. those things were so freaking gross, and sometimes we'd come home to find them flip flopping around on the floor because they'd jumped up and knocked the top open, landing them on the den carpet. so, yeah, kind of a tangent, but aside from those, i pretty much like most fish! anyway, i saw the blog post and got to thinking about the goldfish that look like they have brains on the outside of their heads (they have a fancy name, but i can't remember it). i had to drag chris, kicking and screaming, no less, to the pet store on friday afternoon to get a fishy!

unfortunately, they won't have the brain goldfish until next week, but i didn't let it stop me in my quest for an aquatic friend. so i just decided on the little goldfish like i used to win at carnivals. i told the girl i wanted two of the white ones with orange spots, but when she came back, she gave one orange fish, and one white fish, but not even white, like a dirty white. they're not pretty, so i guess i have to love them even more because of it. of course the dirty white one swam behind the orange one right as i went to take the picture (thanks, fish). so here's where you come in... i don't know what to name them, and unless you can help me think of something, the white one will be called cal and the orange one will be called mars, and i'm pretty sure they don't want to shares a name with a fish! so HELP ME!

P.S. i've decided to try out what many other bloggers are doing to pass on some items from their closet. i've started another blog where i'll part with a few clothes and bags from my closet (i can be such a hoarder when it comes to clothes, because i always feel like if i get rid of something, i'll want to wear it and realize i no longer have it). you can see it HERE.

from film, with love.

i've told you several times now about my vintage half frame camera (an olympus pen ee) and i finally scanned in some pictures today! these are from my first roll, and as with any new camera (since i'm not a professional), there's sort of a time in the beginning when it's all new and you really have no idea what you're doing or what the outcome will be. there is a little bit of a light leak (which i've fixed for the roll of film that's currently in there) that was visible on some pictures but not others, but overall, i'm happy! i mean, come on, i get 48 pictures from a 24 exposure roll, what's not to like?!

one little note about my camera, i first found out about them from a post kjrsten did with some of her amazing photography, and i instantly knew i HAD to have one, there was no way to keep living without it. i found mine on ebay and i've been taking pictures with it nonstop since i got it!

take a look at these treasures.

apparently i'm not the only one who was about to go into nervous breakdown mode yesterday because the mail didn't run, and i'm glad to know it! i pretty much camped out by the living room window this morning checking about every two and a half seconds to see if the mail had been delivered. finally, it was delivered. and it was glorious. i got a certain supply i've been wanting so i can get on the ball with tote bag making, and i got two other special somethings that i can't wait to show off!

one thing i've been anxiously awaiting is this pretty amethyst core sample from sarah's etsy shop, sadie. because of chris' crazy mixed up employment ordeal, i've been really good about not shopping with the exception of necessary supplies (and it's sucked, i won't lie, because i have so many talented and creative friends i want to support). this necklace, however, had to be mine no matter what. sarah had a valentine's sale in her shop, and that pretty much sealed the deal! sarah has a blog as well as her shop, and i think you'll really like her!

the other thing i've been excited about for the last few days is this amazing, earth-shattering, heart-stopping pair of boots! i don't think boots can get much better than this, and i'm happy to say that they're now mine! one of my absolute favorites, maria, and i did a trade and this is what i got! i'm thinking she got jipped because there's no way she can be as happy as i am! i'd been eyeing them in her vintage shop, little tree vintage, for a while, and i kept hoping that somehow i'd make some extra money so i could buy these! not that her prices are high, i'm just pretty much broke. when she agreed to do a trade with me, i almost roundhouse kicked through a wall i was so excited! if you're looking for vintage or handmade jewelry, check out her shop, or if you're looking for some new reading, be sure to check out her blog!

and how awesome is it that she drew a picture of flojo for me?!? i was amazed and i was smiling so big it almost ripped my face. also, i love the nickname she gave me, "toes." and speaking of nicknames, another one of my favorites is, "beans" courtesy of my soul sister, carla.

blooper: when i first started to take pictures, my big kona bear was pretty curious about the camera flashing on the tripod...or maybe he just wanted to be on my blog, i'm not sure. he's a cutie, so i figured i'd include his picture, too!

the jewel thief.

i had originally planned to scan in pictures from the first roll of film i used in my olympus pen ee half frame camera, but i ended up not really thinking about it until just a little while ago, and if i'm being honest, i didn't feel like it! i had a long ichat today with my good friend brittan, i jumped on the trampoline, and much to the surprise of my floors, i vacuumed them. i like a clean house as much as any marine (no, i am not a marine, but my dad was, so i think i get my cleaning tendencies from him), but sometimes life happens and it's just more important and enjoyable than cleaning! anyway, flojo is crazy and things with her are black and white; either she loves something or she hates it. we didn't realize until the other night that she got so crazy over watches and wanted to kill them! if i were you, i wouldn't trust her with my jewels - you may not get them back...

i love the way she pushes it around and tries to pick it up and throw it even though it weighs as much as she does! also, you'll notice a pair of mangled blue jeans. those are flojo's. she knows that she dominates blue jeans, and if i even say blue jeans to her, the reaction ranges from an afro and wide eyes to an afro, squawking and maybe even a warning bite! i told you flojo is crazy!

meet our sponsor: sadie rose

if you look over to the right, you'll find sponsor buttons from fellow bloggers and shop owners. be sure to go say hi if you get a chance! today's interview is with sadie rose, blogger and owner of the eclectic shop sadie deluxe on etsy. sadie's shop is filled with a collection of vintage clothing and accessories as well as handmade items from her line "lost boys and lovers."

1. tell us your name, where you're from and where you currently live.

My name is Sadie Rose - I'm originally from the Bay Area and Lake Tahoe, and then I spent college and the 5 years after that in Oregon. Now I'm back in Northern California, surrounded by fruit trees and flowers and endless sunny skies.

2. what are some of your favorite hobbies?

Clothes times a billion. I love to find, fix, and sell vintage, and I also reconstruct anything and everything. Textile art is what I love spending my time on. I also make jewelry and accessories - another hobby that I love. Other than that, I don't have time for too many hobbies...I'm also a mom, so I spend much of my time raising my sweet little boy, too.

3. because we all love a good laugh, tell us an embarrassing story about yourself.

Oh jeez. I try to avoid these things as much as possible. I suppose what first comes to mind is this: a while ago, I sent an ex-lover a sort of dark and steamy email. The next morning, I had a reply to the email - but it was from the female web developer that had been hired by the company I worked for (I had been corresponding with her, and somehow her email address popped up in the auto function, and I didn't notice). She simply said "Sadie - I don't think this was intended for me."

I COULD HAVE DIED!!!

You never realize how ridiculous your sexy emails are until you realize they've been read by the wrong eyes.

4. what are some of your favorite blogs and daily reads?

My absolute favorites are by people who I know, or who I've come to know through the Etsy community. My latest daily reads are Urban Revisions, Scout & Catalogue, Gather, and The Girl Who Married a Bear.

5. where do you find fashion inspiration?

Everywhere - especially the internet. I'm constantly taking notes when I'm out in the world, too. Watching who wears what, and how. In Chico, I'm surrounded by lots of reconstructers-of-clothing, so that's cool. Online, my tastes vary. I love the vintage bohemian Northern California look, and my favorite of these is Nicole of Flaming Hag Folkwear. She puts together the most amazingly killer outfits ever. But sometimes I do get a little nostalgic for the classic hipster-ness that I was immersed in up in Portland, and then I'll usually browse through the archives of Urban Weeds.

6. please tell us five things you think we should know about you.

five whole things!? well - i love cleaning (it makes me feel good), and i rarely brush my hair. i don't really like to drive and i longingly dream of owning a clawfoot bathtub (or two - one for outside). and finally, i lost a spelling bee in high school because i spelled "rhinoceros" wrong. I'm still a little bummed about it.

girls on trampolines.

i decided today that i was going to show you my new dress that i got the other week with a christmas gift card. but then, since it ended up being almost 80 degrees, i thought, "what about an outfit post ON THE TRAMPOLINE?!?" one thing i love about spring-like weather is being able to get outside and jump on my trampoline. it's great exercise, but more than that, it's just super fun. funny story about the trampoline... chris saw it in the classified section of the newspaper a few years ago and went to get it for $20, but the woman ended up just giving it to him so she could get rid of it. we spent so long time that evening putting it together, and once we finished, he got on for the maiden jump, bounced a few times, and then did a butt buster and went right through the mat. springs flew everywhere, his eyes were the size of watermelons, and i laughed so hard i probably peed myself. we got a new mat shortly after that, and luckily no one else has gone through it!

i called chris on my way home this afternoon and told him to be waiting for me when i got home so he could take pictures. there were lots more, but you wouldn't imagine the way body parts shift whilst suspended in air. it's a little scary, so i can't share all of the pictures! also, i meant to do a flip for a picture, but i forgot.

i hope you've had a good week! has the weather been nice in your part of the country, too?

if i haven't called or emailed you, it's not that i've fallen out of love...

...it's that i've been busy. sometimes i like being busy, and i truly am thankful for the things that are keeping me busy, but i feel like there are so many things i need to do and so many people that are pulling me in different directions. that kind of sounds like i'm complaining, doesn't it? well, i promise i'm not. just getting it off my chest, i guess. anyway, if i owe you a phone call, blog comments, emails, or a large amount of money, i promise i'm on my way! aside from jewelry making, here's what's been keeping me busy...

last saturday i spent a lot of the morning working on designing, redesigning, redesigning again, printing and cutting business cards. i still haven't taken the plunge and ordered any like a real professional, but until i do, and who knows when that will be, this will be my current business cards design. i'm pleased, and i'm really liking the white background as opposed to the brown kraft paper color of my old cards.

okay, i feel like i should always give you some sort of a warning or disclaimer before i show a picture of myself. something like, "1. i do not claim to be a model, nor do i take myself seriously. 2. i feel like a dummy. if you laugh, i might cry." self confidence issues? sure. i really need to find someone to model for me. like one day a week for about an hour or two would be perfect (hint, hint anyone who lives in the lynchburg, va area). so yeah, i've made some turban headbands and i think i like them. just be sure to look at the headband and not the wearer!

next, and maybe most exciting of all, i'm bringing back dinosaur toes totes! you can thank the people who voted yes for totes yesterday on the dinosaur toes facebook page. i'm not really sure why i quit making them, but i see sewing in my weekend plans! i've got some pyramid studs and leather, and that's all i'm saying for now. i'll show you more once i get a few made!

i hope you've had a good week so far. what have you been working on lately? and, have you entered the giveaway yet? you should! you could win a $40 gift certificate!

february 16th is the best day ever!

because it's my baby's birthday! miss flojo, love of my life, celebrates her hatch day today! she's six years old, and honestly, i have no idea where the time has gone. from the moment i laid eyes on her, i knew i was in love. she was three weeks old, completely bald, and had barely opened her eyes. many would say she had a face only a mother could love, and maybe it's true, but the fact is, i love her enough for a thousand people and know that i've never seen anything as beautiful as her. so, happy hatch day to my best friend, my partner in pretty much everything, and my reason for getting up each morning!

speaking of birds, chris and i went up to the blue ridge parkway today (in the blue ridge mountains) to watch the banding and release of a golden eagle. it first came into the custody of the wildlife center of virginia when someone discovered that it was stuck in a coyote foothold trap. unfortunately one toe was severely injured and needed amputation, but only after the eagle was stabilized because of anemia due to severe blood loss. after about a month of recuperating, it was released today. because golden eagles are so rare around here, there were TV and newspaper reporters there, along with a pretty sizable crowd! i took my half frame camera to hopefully get twice as many pictures (but because i'm short and there were so many people, i wasn't able to get as many as i'd hoped) so i'm going to show you those soon!

i hope you've had a good hump day!

bag lady.

first, let me say that i know this isn't wednesday, so it isn't my usualy wish list post, but tomorrow is a pretty special day that i'm going to share with you through pictures! no hints, you'll just have to come back. anyway, i don't know about you, but for some reason i always feel like i want new bags and new shoes when i know spring is coming (much to the dismay of husband). in all honesty, i don't really know of any shoes i want or need, although i'm sure i'll find some once the weather starts to get a little warmer. one thing i've been seriously lusting after is a new bag. and not just any bag, but one of these fun, woven, southwest style bags. i haven't done any thrifting for several months, but i'm itching to get back out there specifically so i can hunt for one of these bags! if i can't find one while thrifting, or even if i can, i'm tempted to treat myself to a new, well, old, storage spot for my phone, lip gloss, wallet, etc.

i found these beauties here (from top): santoki vintage, mammal and lamb, lesaispas, scottie in a canoe.

you know how sometimes your brain doesn't really go in order? well, that's how mine is today. okay, most every day. anyway, rather than trying to write the next few thoughts in some sort of rational order, i decided to make you a list: i'm excited today because:
-i got a closet in the exercise/shipping/whatever room organized and cleaned up so that i could hang my coats, jackets, dresses and sweaters in it. it was too packed having chris's things and my things in the same small closet. whenever i get a closet cleaned out, i feel such a sense of accomplishment!
-tomorrow afternoon chris and i are going up to the blue ridge parkway to watch gwen, or favorite wildlife rehabilitator, release a golden hawk! it was injured in a foot trap and had to have toes amputated, but now it's ready to get back out into the wild! yes, i am taking three cameras.
-i got my first roll of film from my olympus pen ee half frame camera developed! i'm going to scan in some pictures to show you very soon!

also, before i go, be sure to enter my giveaway for a chance to win a $40 gift certificate! okay, over and out.

here's another GIVEAWAY!

here's a little treat for you that i think you'll like...a giveaway where you get to choose your prize! CSN Stores has been kind enough to offer a $40 gift certicifate to one lucky lady or gentleman! use it for yourself, someone else, to decorate your home (like i would if i won; remember these modern bar stools i mentioned in my last wish list?); it's completely up to you! THE RULES: to get a shot at winning, leave a comment telling me what one thing you'd like to own (anything in world, like a pony, a bentley, a cotton candy factory, etc.) if money were no object. and don't forget to leave your email address, that way i can get in touch with the winner! PLEASE be sure to follow the entry directions to ensure your name gets thrown into the hat, otherwise your entry WILL NOT BE COUNTED.

what i've been working on.

the last few weeks i feel like i've been spending so much time editing pictures, packaging orders, updating my website, etc. that i haven't been able to make items like i should. this week i've made it a point to get some new bullet and stone, and orb and stone necklaces made! i've got a few more in the works right now and some fun new pieces with feathers to show you soon. until then, here are a few things i've been working on...

the last bullet necklace has an amethyst AND a quartz stone, and i'm thinking i kind of like a necklace with two different stones! the only bad thing about making lots of new things is that i start wanting more stones, and i'm not kidding, i can barely hold back from just going crazy and buying every stone i see! speaking of jewelry, i'm going to choose a winner tomorrow for the turquoise necklace giveaway, so be sure to enter if you haven't yet!

aside from jewelry making, i also plan to design and print new business cards this weekend which i'm pretty excited about! i pretty much just like having a reason to play with photoshop. i've also been wanting to make a certain hair accessory, but since it requires a lot of sewing, i may get lazy. i hope to have pictures to show you, though!

what have you been working on lately? do have a link to pictures? i love seeing your projects!

wishlist wednesday!

okay, i'm going to warn you now, i'm going in the home decor direction again. i promise you i'm not turning this into a decorating blog because that's way out of my area of expertise, but lately i've just been wanting to change things up in my house! anyway, since none of you have been to my house (but you can come and we'll have a slumber party!), let me tell you that it's been a hell of a lot of work to get it to the point it's at, and we're still not finished! it was completely trashed when we bought it, and we basically had to rebuild or repair everything except the outside walls. to make it simple, we're trying to turn a crack whore into a beauty queen. we still need to replace the kitchen floor, and once we do, chris is going to build an island since it's a large room, and what better to compliment an island than modern bar stools?

want to win a bar stool? or maybe something else for your home? be sure to check back this weekend for a giveaway where you get to pick your prize! doesn't that sound very car sales commercial of me? ah well.

i hope you've been having a good week!

the winds of change are blowin' 'round these parts.

i feel like i'm channeling my inner cowboy or something, and i blame it on the rifleman. have you ever seen it? chris and i watch it every now and again when it comes on retro tv sunday afternoons, and we always wish they'd do a marathon so we could see more. the night before last i bought a dvd with three episodes of the rifleman on ebay, and now i can't wait to get it! i see many, many more chuck connors impressions in our future. anyway, wow, i get way off track, don't i? the point is, i've been changing some things around and i thought i'd show you!

the first change i made was in my bedroom. in some ways, i'm very much a creature of habit, but when it comes to how i decorate my house, i get bored easily. i took all of the antique and antique-looking prints out of the frames in my bedroom and replaced them with photos, taken by me and some other very talented ladies (anabela, kjrsten and elle moss). i'm thinking i like this grouping MUCH better than the last one...for a little while anyway. next: my necklace trouble. i had a victorian couple statue that i hung all of my necklaces from to keep them from getting tangled, but i'll be honest, i just never thought victorian couples and bling went together. enter the antlers. i wrapped some wire around a small section of the antlers (by the largest point) and then left a loop so i could attach it to my wall. voila, instant jewelry holder!

no, i'm not changing from digital to film for all of my pictures as i would go broke in a matter of days, but instead of using a bigger, bulky film camera, i'm changing it up and playing with my new toy, an olympus pen ee! i just recently got it in the mail (i got such a deal on ebay i almost felt like i stole it) and i can't wait to develop my first roll because it's a half frame camera, so i'll get two frames in each picture!

this morning i moved the changes into my pink room/jewelry room/guest bedroom/flojo's room/dumping ground for all of my things. i used to have a few of my polaroids hanging on that line, but recently i've been feeling like i needed to change it up and give other pictures some display time. rather than sticking to one theme, i decided to add the things i thought were pretty. i have photos taken by me, photos taken by other people, original drawings, prints from etsy, and even a pretty postcard! i think i like the combination; it's more interesting.

have you been doing any redecorating in your house?

in the name of sanity, i need your help!

you may read the title of this post and think it's something serious, then read further down and think, "danielle's insane." well, my friends, this is serious. it's a matter of sanity, happiness and everything being right in the universe, and you just can't fight that! several months ago i was lucky enough to experience pure heaven in my mouth; it was as if world peace, cotton candy and independent wealth became one on my tongue. and i don't exaggerate. what caused this unbelievable and short-lived euphoria? this bilar candy...

so here's where your help is needed. i'm not in sweden (or another country that sells them, maybe?) so as far as i know, i can't go to the store and buy a bag or two hundred of these delicious treats. if you're in a country where these are sold, do you want to swap those for some american treat? i'm like a woman obsessed, but i can't help it! these are just SO delicious! please help me!

UPDATE: thanks to some friendly bloggers, i've discovered that this candy is sold in the u.s. at ikea. the only problem is: the nearest ikea is several hours away! AAAAHHHHHHH!

i've never been to sweden and bought these candies for myself, but i received a bag of them from a swedish blogger during a blog swap, and she helped to form a serious addiction.

in completely unrelated news, for a few days (and i recently saw that it wouldn't last), we've been having some almost spring-like weather. it's still been a little chilly, but nice enough to want to go outside. chris, kona and i did a little hiking yesterday and playing by the creek, and today kona and i took a walk. while we were out, i noticed that my irises were starting to come up, so i figured i'd clean up all te dead iris foliage from last year so i could see the sprouts a little better. in doing so, i grabbed on to some week with serious thorns, and one of them found a home under my pinky fingernail! man did it ever hurt, and then when i came in and washed my hands with hot water and soap, it hurt even worse! the thorn has been removed and my finger feels better, but just a warning, wear gloves around spiky things!

because i love you: a giveaway! CLOSED

i've been feeling like i wanted to do a little something to thank you for continuing to visit and comment on my blog, so i decided to do a giveaway. *side note: chris took the laptop from me while i was in the middle of blogging, and when i got it back, this is what he wrote, "i'm giving away my husband...just kidding." back to the normal post... i've really enjoyed getting to know you through your comments, your blogs, and some of you in real life, so here you go...

the fine print:
-to enter, leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite stone.
-for an extra entry, become a follower of this blog, or let me know if you are already.
-for an extra entry, tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave me a link.

good luck! i'll email the winner once the giveaway has ended.

hey, hey mama said the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove

good day. in case you've noticed it too, i feel like i need to admit that i've gotten kind of boring lately. i want to blog, i really do, but sometimes i feel like it sort of takes a back seat to other things. there's been a lot going on lately, some good things, some bad things, and i really have come back to my computer with the intention of sitting down and posting something awesome, but my brain just doesn't work so i end up posting nothing. i promise i do have a few fun things lined up for you, but i just have to get around to actually posting them! in the meantime, i hope you find this as hilarious as i do.

last week during one of our weekly conversations, carla and i started talking about our shared love of leslie hall and her creative genius. i'd seen her videos craft talk and blame it on the booty, but somehow i'd completely missed this video! being the good friend carla is, she sent me the link and i've been watching it ever since. even flojo dances to it! don't those dance moves make you want to have a dance off? i know i do!

i hope you're having a good week! keep those legs moving and hips thrusting, my friends, and i hope you look better when dancing than i do.

new things.

i've become the proud new owner of a few things, and i'm so excited about them that i wanted to share! i wanted to get my pictures taken a little earlier while the sun was out before the clouds and rain moved in, but i got really into cleaning in the kitchen - the microwave to be precise. sounds fun, right? it wasn't, but as long as i get to smell cleaning products, i don't mind so much. oh, and if that isn't exciting enough, i washed two loads of laundry yesterday and cleaned the floors! i'm such a rebel.

first is the surprise package i got from one of my new and favorite twitter/blog friends, lauren. she has a beautiful collection of prints and postcards including pretty perfume bottles that i told her i loved, and guess what? she sent me some! i got a whole stack, but i wanted to show you a few of my favorites. i know those three will go on my clothespin art line in my art room, and i'm not sure where i'll put the others because it has to be just the right spot, you know?

the next thing i got is this shirt from arlie! her shop urban revisions is full of shirts and scarves on which she does an incredible shredding technique. i'm not quite sure how i would describe it, but the finished product is beautiful, with a very delicate quality. we did an old fashioned switcheroo which was long overdue, and now i'm waiting for nicer weather so i can show that baby off!

last is a print i won in a giveaway from city of blackbirds. i'm a hardcore architecture fan (blame it on my architect husband), and even more so a fan of architecture in europe. plus, how sweet are those hearts? i definitely got lucky!

i've got a giveaway coming up soon, so be sure to check back for that, and i've also been working on lots and lots of dinosaur toes jewelry that i want to share! i hope you are having a good week!