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.

Black and Roses

Lately I've been painting, and I've had a lot of ideas.  Well, I usually have a lot of ideas, but lately they've been a little more focused which is always nice, because sometimes I feel like they're so varied, it's what my marine dad would refer to as a cluster-eff-you-sea-kay.  I seem to have roses and flowers on the brain, and here's a little bit of what I've been working on...

They're all currently available as prints in my art shop, and I'm having a little sale as well because I've got way too many prints on my hands.  Just enter the code BLOGREADER20 during checkout for 20% off everything in my shop!

I haven't been working on mint, but don't you just love it?!  It's time to replant this mint that's been in my kitchen window, and unfortunately it's going to have to go in a pot that's to big to fit.  Aside from smelling it or adding it to tea, what do you use it in?  And can you juice mint?

rain or shine?

we were so lucky last week.  it rained (a lot) AND temperatures were only in the 80's!  i was so excited to be able to wear sleeves again that i didn't even know how to act.  the only problem: which sleeved items do i love and miss wearing the most?  easy.  this yellow sweater...

sweater: thrifted // dress: c/o oasap.com // sandals: kork ease via ebay // necklace: vintage, thrifted

do you ever wear an outfit that you never want to take off because you just love everything about it so much?  this is that outfit for me.  i can't say enough about that dress from oasap.  the color is perfect and matches with everything, the fabric is so soft you almost can't feel you're wearing it, and the back has the prettiest sheer and button detail (which i'll show you later this week).  also, i'm a kork ease lover for life.  i've heard people talk about how comfortable the sandals are, but now i'm a believer.  so i have a feeling you'll be seeing A LOT more of those shoes!  and the necklace i think is gaudy in the best way.  it's so bold and gaudy that i think it's the perfect necklace for plain clothes.  all in all, i plan to wear this outfit a lot.  a whole lot.

so how was your weekend?  and what did you do?

one pattern shy of crazy

you know that feeling you get when you love the outfit you're wearing - you feel confident and awesome and you kind of don't want to take it off?  this skirt makes me feel that way about my outfit.  also, it has pockets so i know what to do with my hands which we all know adds a ton of bonus points.

shirt: banana republic (thrifted) // skirt: target (thanks, birthday money) // sandals: aldo // necklace: dinosaur toes

there is one accessory i decided to leave out of this equation.  i love pattern mixing to the point it can cause my eyes to hurt from all that's going on, and if i had the confidence i wish i had, i'd mix like that.  BUT, since i can be a little insecure, and because this conservative little town isn't ready for stripes and polka dots AND floral unless the wearer is crazy (bless their little heart), i opted for the tan belt instead of the floral on i was this close (my thumb and forefinger are nearly touching) to wearing.  maybe next time.

so how was your memorial day weekend?  great, i hope!  we pool partied and cooked out, went exploring through the woods, and playing in the creek, and i loved every minute of it!

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! 

solid: an outfit post

here's one of my first world problems: i like solid colored clothes, but i tend to have a harder time finding them than i do finding patterned clothes. and sometimes, i'm so used to wearing patterns that i actually forget about some of my solid colored things! this blouse is an example of my sometimes-unreliable memory...

blouse: vintage, thrifted // skirt: vintage, thrifted // bag: vintage // clogs: lotta from stockholm // sunnies: tumbleweeds

i'm actually really glad i suddenly remembered i had this blouse because it's lightweight, super soft silk, and as far as clothing goes, it doesn't get much better than that. i actually didn't buy it intending to wear it regularly, though. when my pop, stepmom, sister, sister's boyfriend, and husband went to the thrift store shortly before christmas to get our tacky christmas outfits, i picked it out only because it would clash with my red and black furry sweater and my hideous wool plaid pants. it's been washed and patiently waiting wear on a hanger in flojo's room ever since, only i never thought about it; but when i suddenly remembered i had it, it was one of those lightbulb moments. now i can't wait to wear it more often! one more thing, the next time i wear this skirt, i'm getting pictures BEFORE i leave the house so i can prove to you it looks and fits better before all the wrinkles and stretching out!

i've been MIA for a few days trying to get some things accomplished and tending to life's demands, so how have you been doing? how was your weekend, and did you do anything for easter? i ate too much, but hey, what's new?

i'm (not) on a boat: an outfit post

nope, i wasn't on a boat, although i wish i had been, i just decided to go a little nautical. i'm sure you recognize the shirt because i pretty much wear it every other day. okay, not that often, but once or twice a week; it goes with everything! i was also excited to wear that skirt because it's been freshly hemmed, taking it from mid-calf to mini!

sunnies: tumbleweeds (best eyewear ever), necklace: i made it, shirt: banana republic, skirt: vintage/thrifted, shoes: rugged wearhouse

so, yeah, this might be one of my favorite outfits in a long time because 1. it has stripes, 2. it has a vintage and/or thrifted element, 3. i can't believe i almost didn't get those shoes but now that i have them i want to wear them with everything, and 4. it's kona approved.

so how was your weekend? mine was nice. i worked most of the day saturday to continue filling orders from all of the sales i've gotten from the lonny magazine feature. then on sunday chris and i had a fun day until i learned a lesson... i always think it's better to be silly than serious, but it's all fun and games until someone breaks a shoe. in the midst of my mc hammer dancing, exaggerated limp walking and ballet in the grocery store aisles - meant to get a few laughs from chris - i felt something that just shouldn't be: a ripped off sole on my clog. it was almost a sad day, but then i epoxied that baby back on an all is well with the world!

also, we watched the cider house rules because i finished reading that book a couple months ago. you'd think i'd know by now that it is an absolute mistake to watch a movie after reading the book because movies NEVER measure up, but apparently i'm some sort of masochist that likes inflicting two hours of movie-watching torture upon myself. all i can say is, if you've read the book, just enjoy that and never, EVER, under ANY circumstances watch the movie. you will want to punch your tv. repeatedly.

stolen from a friend: an outfit post

i'm as big a fan of stripes and florals as i am of richard simmons nutella on bagels, and with spring just a split second away, i want to wear a floral print every day! my good friend beca posted pictures of what she wore (and i wish she'd do it more often) the other week and i instantly fell head over heels in love with her outfit. so naturally i stole it, sort of.

sweater: target, dress: vintage/thrifted, belt: came with a dress, shoes: old navy, necklace: i made it

so i didn't exactly copy her look, but if i could get my hands on a twin cardigan and skirt i would have. seeing her cardigan though reminded me that i had this striped one just hanging in the closet not being used (the tags were still attached). i got it a year or more ago with a gift card but never wore it because i always thought it didn't looked right. and then beca posted pictures. it's amazing what a little inspiration can do for a lack of imagination!

also, i love that second picture! right as the picture was being taken chris held flojo in front of the lens, and i just love that she's in focus and getting the attention, because she's so pretty!

prints charming

good vs. evil, republican vs. democrat, coke vs. pepsi, and the battle in my head: prints vs. solids. buying clothes (or even housewares) causes a jan-like war of the voices, only in a much less creepy way as i can't for the life of me decide which is better. the sensible side says, "solids are more transitional and age appropriate considering the big 3-0 is just over a month away." but the fun side says, "F the rules, let's have fun!" where do you stand? do you prefer one over the other or do you like an equal amount of both?

from the top: 1., 2., 3., 4., 5., 6., 7.

i don't spend as much time browsing etsy as i used to, not because i don't enjoy drooling over things i want in my life, but because it's one of those things you tell yourself you're going to do for 10 minutes, but next thing you know it's two hours later. the other day, since i wasn't very busy with anything, i decided to just search for random things, like "yellow stripes" or "floral print" and i definitely added some things to my wish list!

one more thing. that pretty floral dress up there is handmade, can you believe it?! i have the greatest respect for those that can make clothes because i know it's a lot of work. leah's shop is filled with great handmade clothes made from vintage fabrics! p.s. i just bought myself a tank top from her shop that i've been watching for a while, and i can't wait to wear it!

spring and king ding-a-ling

it's fun when post titles match, isn't it? lately i've been rearranging a few things and wanting to clear out some clutter; clutter in my house and clutter in my life. something about spring, i guess the rebirth of leaves, flowers, and warm weather, always makes me want a rebirth of sorts in my life, mainly, less clutter! i've put a few things in boxes so i have a bit less sitting around (not that i have many knick knacks sitting around in the first place), but one thing i pulled out of a box is the rest of my collection of old dishes. i love old dishes. the delicate patterns, colors, tiny chips, everything about them is beautiful. i moved some things around in one of my kitchen cabinets with glass doors so that i could show off these pretty plates. i've also been taking advantage of the pretty blooms in my yard and bringing them inside to take advantage of nature's perfume.

i've got a few thrifting finds that i can't wait to share, but i got home too late friday and today to take pictures, so it's on my to do list. i'm taking a little trip in just a few weeks (more on that later) so of course i'm thinking about almost nothing but 1. how excited i am, and 2. WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR?!?!?

now, moving on to king ding-a-ling. crazy, right? today all of the women in my family spent the day at my aunt cindy's house for my cousin ali's bridal shower. if i've never told you before, and i think i probably have, my family is nuts. completely. i'd like to say i laughed at least part of my butt off, but considering all the food i inhaled, i'm pretty sure i didn't lose a single ounce of it. anyway, our conversation/hysterical laughing went from food, to talking about boobs and naughty stuff with grandma, to singing a ding-a-ling song, to naming a bird king ding-a-ling. anytime i'm around someone's family and they're really stuffy with no sense of humor, i always remember just how INCREDIBLY lucky i am to have a family as insane as mine. too bad it couldn't have turned into a slumber party!

i hope you've had a good weekend (and, hey, since i've been away from my blog since last tuesday, a good last week, too)!

noses rejoice!

i was about to start this post with, "you know one of my favorite things about spring" but seriously, i have about 853 favorite things about spring, so that could be a slippery slope. one of my favorite things about this spring day is lilac blossoms! we have a lilac bush in our front yard, and for the last few weeks i've watched the leaves fill in and the tiny purple buds start to sprout. a few days a go the flowers were finally blooming, and they're sweeter than any perfume i've ever smelled! since the bush gets covered in so many flowers, i never mind cutting some off to bring inside. i put my clippings in some of the old bottles i got the other week, and they look so pretty i wish they'd stay that way for the rest of the year!

my sweet little kona bear might be a little camera shy. well, that or he just doesn't see the point in sitting still if he isn't having his belly scratched or on my lap. what an attention hog. i tried to make the lilac look like a boutonniere so he'd be a little gentleman, but he wasn't having it (i think it looks like he's sighing and saying, with an annoyed tone to his voice, "are you almost done?!? get this thing off of me!"). either way, what a handsome guy!

what sorts of flowers do you have in your yard? are you planting more this spring or summer? what is your favorite thing about spring? i know i am, and as boring as this may sound, i told chris i wouldn't mind getting mulch for my birthday! i love landscaping, and i have my pop and high school job at the greenhouse to thank for that!

from film, with love.

because i love film so much, and i love sharing and seeing film pictures, i've decided to try and post a few film pictures maybe once a week. i had two rolls of film from two different cameras developed on thursday, and i knew i was in for a surprise. one of the rolls was taken last august when i was in san francisco and carmel, ca, but since i have six rolls of film from that trip, i don't know what's what! the other roll i took with my vintage olympus pen ee half frame camera, and i'm still really learning on that one. i have so much fun with it, and it's always so exciting getting those pictures developed!

the third picture is my favorite. i love how from frame to frame the colors and light leaks can change! ahhhh, i'm smitten with film. do you have any film pictures on your blog or flickr? i finally brought my flickr page back to life and hope to add mostly film pictures.

i'm turning into a granny and i'm not even 30.

you remember yesterday how i told you that i wanted to share my latest project? well, i've really been having fun with it, but i do realize that it probably makes me seem like such a granny to get so much joy and satisfaction from crocheting. i mean, seriously, my dad called last saturday and asked what i was doing. when i told his i was crocheting, he said, "CROCHETING?!?!?" and laughed. i guess it is kind of funny because the stereotypical crocheter (is that even a word?) is double my age or more. but what can i say? i like it. be that as it may, here's what i've been crocheting...

those bottles are old, not just knock-offs! the house where chris' grandpa grew up is, sadly, caving in, but we walked down to it a few weekends ago and i got a few old bottles from the parts that didn't threaten to collapse and take me along with them. i don't know that i'll use all three, but i like having one out though for a flower vase! and speaking of flowers, chris came in on tuesday afternoon after a hike through the woods with a handful of flowers! now i feel bad about saying such nasty things about him. i kid!