Giveaway from Chicnova!

I'm so excited to be teaming up with chicnova to offer you $30 to spend on whatever you'd like on chicnova.com!  I've been looking through about every category on the site and I have too many favorites to even fathom (maybe because I'm a clothes hoarder).  Please see the entry rules below to get a chance at winning!

Find my favorites show above here:  knit top, leopard pants, denim vest, lace dress, tank dress, gold top

To be eligible for the giveaway, you MUST follow the giveaway rules.  No exceptions.

1. Become a fan of chicnova on either facebook, pinterest, or tumblr.
2. Register on the chicnova site.
3. Leave a comment with a link to your favorite item from chicnova AND the email address you used to register (without this you cannot be awarded your prize).

There you go, easy peasy!  This giveaway will last for 10 days, and the winner will be announced following the giveaway's end.

turtle pee

do you have that one thing (or maybe a few things) that you love so much you can't pass up; no matter how much you already have, you just feel like you can't get enough?  that thing for me is lace dresses.  but something i haven't worn before is a lace dress with turtle pee...

jacket: american eagle // dress: h&m via ebay // leather belt: vintage, thrifted // sandals: kork ease // sunglasses: tumbleweeds // necklace: dinosaur toes // turtle pee: c/o eastern box turtle

if you've been reading my blog since last summer, you already know that i stop and get turtles out of the road.  this little girl is the absolute smallest i've ever saved from cars, and i almost didn't see her!  good thing for the tailgating state trooper behind me - i was forced to drive slow.  she probably looks big in the picture thanks to my infant sized hands, but her shell was only 2" long!  she was so cute i couldn't even remember where i put my key or how to start the ignition.  and she was so cute i wasn't even worried about the fact that she peed on me - twice - and left a little puddle of turtle pee on my dress.

also, i'm so happy with the way my necklace turned out!  i made two, and since i can't part with one, the other will be added to my shop sometime soon!

hoochie dress

i don't know about you, but to me the word hoochie has always been hilarious.  it just seems like the perfect non-dirty word to describe an array of things... like this dress.  as with most forever 21 "dresses" - and i use that word very loosely - it barely covers the belly button, much less the unmentionables.  good thing beca got me these awesome pants...

dress: forever 21 // pants: old navy, gift from beca // necklace: vintage // shoes: kork-ease via ebay

do you have trouble with dresses being entirely too short?  i'm only 5'2" and i often feel like i need to layer a longer dress underneath just to cover up, so i can't imagine how frustrating it must be for people of average height!

details.

good morning!  i wouldn't normally do more than one outfit post in the same week with the same dress, but when i showed you this dress on monday, i didn't get to show you the best part of it - the details!  it was hot like an armpit when i wore it sans sweater, which means the best part wasn't covered up...

 dress: c/o oasap // belt: old navy // necklace: vintage, thrifted // shoes: payless

i love that there are buttons up the back, but my favorite things about this dress is that there are pockets (why don't more dresses have pockets?), and that the top half and over the shoulders is sheer; so pretty.

moving on, i have good news, at least for me!  my toes are no longer broken, and my leg is healed up (running injury) which means I'M ABLE TO RUN AGAIN!!!  i'm so excited about it that i want to run every single day!  it's hard to tell myself to take it slow and not run too often because that runner's high is addictive, but i'm going to be smart about it...i think.

ditsy?

sometimes i see words or phrases on the internet and, although i may know what they're associated with, i have no idea what they actually mean.  it makes me feel so old and out of touch.  for example: ditsy.  and to think all this time i've just thought my dresses had a floral print...

dress: vintage, thrifted // belt: came with another dress // shoes: aldo // sunglasses: tumbleweeds // bracelets: vintage and san francisco street vendor // ditsy flowers: courtesy of my husband

i wasn't sure about this dress when i first saw it because it was made to be the jumper type that you wear over a shirt, and i don't think i've done that since 4th grade when my turtlenecks were printed with teddy bears.  but, i like the pattern, the fabric is soft, it fit, and i knew that it would be a simple alteration that wouldn't take more than 20 minutes.  i still can't believe what i'm about to tell you, but i actually had the dress fixed and ready to wear less than a week after i got it.  i know, it's insane, but i swear i'm not lying.

so how was your weekend?  mine was so nice but went by WAY too quickly!  i got a painting almost finished, i got a new tattoo, and we went riding by the creek and through the woods (and had more encounters with nature than ever before) because several of you guys said you wanted to see more of the farm - and what my friends want, my friends get.  so i'll show you soon!

the case of the missing eyeball

on friday afternoon a little gold bird was victimized right under my nose, quite literally.  while i was busy making faces at my husband, i heard a crunch, i heard a crack, and i realized that a crime had been committed.  one of my little blue-eyed brooch birds had been assaulted and was lucky to escape the attack with its life, but only one of its two eyes.  it didn't take me long to identify the attacker thanks to exhibit A:

jacket: american eagle // lace dress: h&m via ebay // neon belt: gap // bird brooch: vintage // sandals: aldo

a few things about this outfit: first, i almost died when i saw that i'd won this dress on ebay.  i've been wanting a lace dress for so long, but seeing as how i'm a cheapskate, i wasn't willing to pay what most of them went for.  and then i found this one.  $17 later, i'm the proud new owner of this brand new dress with a €30 price tag.  next, i've had this neon yellow belt for years, and although i love it so much, i've never been sure of how to wear it because i'm pretty low key and i didn't want it to make me stand out so much.  i guess this is another reason i really needed this dress.

so how was your weekend?  mine was nice, and i'll tell you more about it tomorrow!  but until then, be sure to enter the giveaway i've got going on from printrunner.com for 100 postcards with your very own design! 

navy dress number two: an outfit post

the last time i wore this dress, carla and beca said they'd like to see it worn three ways, and when my friends want something, something they shall receive. i knew that today i wanted to wear shoes that were flat (thanks to a new pair of shoes that left a blister on one of my toes no smaller than the state of virginia) and my new tights. and then i figured, well, if i'm wearing comfy shoes, why not go ahead and show comfort who's boss by wearing clothes that are almost as good as pajamas? enter the navy dress worn the second way.

sweater: target (gift from chris), dress: lulu's (gift from myself), sweater tights: target (gift from chris, necklace: maurice's (gift from my sister), boots: vintage/thrifted, camera used: olympus (gift from beca) i pretty much wanted to just add gift to everything to let the givers know how much i appreciate it :)

as i was wearing this outfit, feeling like i could fall asleep, i decided two things: 1. it's good to wear when you're bloated and sucking in doesn't help, and 2. it's good to wear when you know you're going to eat too much and you can't suck in even if you want to. oh yeah, that's my kind of outfit - the kind that transitions from everyday to over-eaters anonymous seamlessly. i also painted my fangurnails last night because i'm really starting to like grey polish. also, today is the first time i've worn my hair down and straightened in about three weeks. yeah, now i remember why i don't straighten it more often...

and one last thing. i don't know if you read beca's blog (if you don't, you should), but i was so excited a month or so ago when she told me that she was getting a violin for christmas, and then yesterday she posted a video of herself playing! i played a violin for years and years, and still have one but don't play often thanks to the nerve damage that came from drilling a hole through my finger (it's pretty painful), so i couldn't wait to hear how she was coming along and what she'd learned, etc. then when i found out that she's moving to tennessee and playing a violin, my brain just automatically made my start thinking of beca when i listened to this song and vice versa. they're both awesome. wow, i talked a lot about beca, didn't i? i'm her stalker.

from austin powers go-go dancer to modern day: an outfit post

friends, before i go any further, please let me say that the sun is BAAACK! and so is my good mood! whew, i was getting a little worried there! anyway, the sun is back, i have a new dress, and christmas is almost here! now if i could just figure out a way to work on getting the snow here... anyway, i bought myself a gift on cyber monday from lulu*s and i was so happy when i saw the UPS man in my drieway on monday because i knew my dress had arrived!

jean jacket: american eagle, dress: lulu*s, belt: forever 21, blouse: vintage, boots: vintage, socks (which you can't really see but are cute and comfy): target

i knew today was supposed to be chillier, with a high only in the upper 40's, and since this dress is sleeveless, i knew i'd need something other than a jacket over it to stay warm while i had to be outside. enter the bag of clothes in my bedroom floor waiting to be taken to the goodwill. i have this 1970's vintage blouse that i've never worn but have had in my possession for several years now. it was one of those deals where i liked the print, knew it was just my size, and couldn't pass it up at only $3, so i got not really knowing if i'd wear it or not. all i can say is, i'm glad i've hung on to it all this time because it turned out to be the perfect match for this dress! i got chris to take my picture today, and since i get all shy and worked up high on giggle juice when he's behind the camera, i completely forgot to get him to take a closeup picture of the neck tie on the dress and the pretty floral pattern on the blouse. crap!

okay, so to clarify the title of this post, the blouse is very vintage, and the dress without a belt has a straight shape, so without the addition of the belt and the jacket, all i could think about was how it would work perfectly if i wanted to be one of the go-go dancers in austin powers (you know, with the awful white patent leather boots).

so that's my story. i hope you've had a good thursday!

get in my closet! (now, please)

first let me say, the weather here is disgusting. it's like a vampire's dream - no sun to be found, and lamps even have to be turned on in the middle of the day. i hate it. i want to see the sun again, and for the love of everything holy, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE PICTURES AGAIN! who knew a couple days without the sun could be such a nightmare? anyway, since i haven't been able to take any decent pictures to share, and i don't want to go another day without blogging, why not share what i'm hoping will jump in my closet while i'm sleeping tonight?

from the top, find these beauties here: Vacation Vintage, bless that dress, carton company, Hottmilk, carton company.

i love vintage like i love fresh air, clean water, and french fries, but vintage in my size?! JACKPOT. it's so difficult (for me at least, in the store around here) to find vintage in small sizes that will fit me, so when i find gems like these on the internet in just my size, i seriously try rationalizing in my head how i can justify spending that money even though i know i shouldn't. it's terrible, itsn't it? it's probably an illness. anyway, hopefully tomorrow will be sunny so i can take some pictures to share!

dinner will be ready by 5, i'll put on lipstick and be waiting by the door with a cocktail...

...ooorrr not. i just felt like naming this post something 1950's-ish because of this awesome dress! if my other dresses were alive, i imagine they'd weep in it's presence because of the glory that is this 1950's handmade dress that fits me like a glove! i got this little gem about 4 years ago, and can you believe i've never worn it? i'm not kidding, i used to have such a dress phobia, and i'm still not quite sure why. i mean, i wouldn't wear this to the grocery store or post office or anything, but i can't believe it's been hanging with no lovin' for all those years. anyway, tomorrow i'm going to my aunt's wedding, and i'm ready to twirl.

please pay no attention to the awkward color. i used the timer a different way this time (taking 5 pictures at once rather than 1) and i forgot to adjust the white balance, so you see what that equals? an amateur.

anyway, i love the details of this dress! it amazes me that it was handmade, but i guess that's what women did in the 1950's. and you know what amazes me even more? i only paid $4 for it.

oh, and one really BIG thing i want to mention... you can't imagine how much i appreciate your comment on my last post about friendship. i was so scared to post it, but i'm glad we can all talk openly with one another. and speaking of friends and meeting new people, is anyone down for planning a virginia, or even mid-atlantic meet up? that would be awesome.