my husband might say i collect boots...

...and i would tell him i need a few more pairs before it's an official collection (wink). here's the problem i have: all of my boots are suede, and suede does not protect your feet well in rainy, snowy or icy conditions. my part time job as a field representative requires me to go from client to client to #1 get advertising information, and #2 be the happy, friendly face of the company, and i get to do it in all types of weather. i've been looking for a year or so for a pair of leather boots to keep my feet dry, but the main thing i wanted was a pair with a large enough circumference to fit over my skinny jeans without being so tight. i hadn't found any until lauren did an outfit post on her blog with this amazing pair of boots. i went to target the very next day and saw they had my size...jackpot #1. then i tried them on and saw that there was enough room for jeans...JACKPOT #2!!!

i got them in taupe because i thought that color would work with everything. the best part is that they were only $49.99, and while i know that isn't just pennies, it really is a hell of a deal for real leather boots. so i'm foreseeing many, many outfits for years to come that include these boots! the dress is french connection, but i was lucky enough to get it at the thrift store for $3!

you may remember me posting (a lot) back in the summer about the tiny baby kitties that i was raising. well, i've been missing them like crazy, and i swear every cat i see makes me miss them more. yesterday when micaela and i were at our favorite antique shop, i couldn't help but stop and rub a pretty long-haired black and white cat relaxing in the sun by a window. on my way home, i was so sad thinking about that soft kitty cat because i so badly want a feline friend to live with me. it's really crazy though, because i've always liked cats okay (we always had them when i was a kid), but i didn't give much thought to having a cat child...until i raised the kittens. now i'm cat crazy and all i can think about is having one curled up in my lap. that's random, i know, but i just can't stop thinking about cats.

thank you to miss stringbean studio for featuring dinosaur toes jewelry!

thank you to carla for being one thousand kinds of awesome, and for the blog feature!

if i'm forgetting anyone, please remind me, i'm terrible at remembering things.

what do you wear to find dusty treasures?

today micaela and i met up at our favorite spot for all things old and dusty to get jewelry for kjrsten's vintage jewelry swap. it feels like fall is finally here as today's high was predicted to be in the mid 50's, which means i finally get to make use of the best items in my closet/on my chair/on top of the dryer: cardigans! so, here's what i wear to search through overcrowded rooms for dusty treasures...and this face is for you, carla.

when it comes to my clothes, i'm incredibly plain. just throwing that out there. blouse - vintage from ebay years ago, cardigan - forever 21, jeans - i can't remember but they're my favorite pair, mocs - vintage minnetonka from mere trifles, turquoise ring - dinosaur toes. and of course micaela looked cute as always in a dress and heels (i swear, i need to start being more feminine).

i can't show you all of what i got because most of the items are for someone else, but here's what is staying with me:

the fabric is completely awesome. it was in a box with some really unfortunate 70's stretch polyester fabric, and of course that did not come home with me. it has some staining, but i'm going to wash it, and if that doesn't get the stains out, i'll still use what i can for lining or pockets of tote bags. if i haven't already told you, i'm completely obsessed with old frames. if in the future you see me on an episode of hoarders, it will be because i've been buried alive by old frames. this one is simple, but i really liked it, and i have a large art print that i think is this size exactly. the arrowhead thing was the focal piece of a bolo tie, but since i don't wear bolo ties, i'm going to drill through the top so i can put it on a chain as a pendant. it was too awesome not to come home with me!

last but not least, micaela and i are now engaged, so if you were thinking of asking for my hand (with the crooked fingers as you can so clearly see above), it's too late.

oh yeah, i almost forgot... i'm going to be emailing the winner of the ma cherie creations giveaway!

what i've been working on

do you ever have those days when you feel like your brain is a little schizophrenic and you have multiple things you want to say, but no real order for them? that's how i am today. so, first is the pictures, then it's my schedule, then it's my dream, then it's outfits. if you decide to look at the pictures and not read, i can't blame you, because i have a feeling these fingers are going to do a lot of typing! so, here's a little peek at what i've been working on the last week (and i'm almost embarrassed to post these pictures because my camera has been having tantrums lately, giving me less than favorable pictures)...

now, onto my schedule. i've been working on custom orders, and trying to continue to make plenty of items for my shop, plus i really need to get into serious sweatshop worker mode because in a few weeks, i have to take things, tons of things says sarah, to the bridge in charlottesville for their holiday gift market, running from black friday through the end of january. i'm also going to be doing the wedding photography for my cousin next fall, but until then, i'll be doing engagement and miscellaneous pictures. so i feel almost like i need a clone (but with this mouth/sarcasm, i don't think chris would be happy). so, if you're waiting on a convo or email from me, i promise i'm only about two or three days behind!

when i feel like i have so much going on and need to really get busy, i tend to sort of shut down because i just don't even know where to begin. so i had this dream about a turtle at the beach, and i decided to get an interpretation this morning. this is what i came up with, and i'm feeling okay with it: seeing a turtle in my dream suggests that i will make slow but steady progress, and that something will happen, bringing me much enjoyment and will improve business. also, it signifies that i need to pace myself and stop to take a break. verdict: awesome and true. next, i was on the beach helping this turtle stay safe, and although i wasn't looking at or facing the water, i knew that it was unusually calm for the ocean (side note, it looked like pebble beach, but i think that's just because i want to go back so badly). interpretation: the sea is a place of fertility, creativity and birth, and is associated with one's true creative potential. a dream of doing work on a beach symbolizes a business venture that will consume most of your time. verdict: spot on. and in case you see fertility and feel the urge to say, "YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A BABY!!!!! AAAAHHHHH!!!!!" please save it for someone who actually is going to have a baby. i see it as the birth of new ideas and opportunities. and i welcome them.

last, outfits. okay, so i did two outfit posts which isn't my typical thing. in one way i liked it because i always like seeing what everyone else is wearing, so i shared, too. then again, i felt weird about it. i'm sure that anyone who does regular outfit posts maybe feels strange at first, and maybe that weirdness wears off after a while. and, i just feel funny posting pictures of myself like i think i'm a model or something. so, my question (and point of this paragraph) is this: do you like seeing outfit posts, and should i do more or quit while i'm ahead?

just because she's so pretty, and because she keeps me company while i have tons of work to do. i love my baby dinosaur toes!

it's the weekend and i've accomplished nothing

so i've been incredibly lucky to see a spike in business, and i have a gallery event that i need to make tons of things for, aaand i have another possible opportunity to sell in an e-boutique, so i told myself on friday that i was going to lock myself inside today, turn off the phone, and create until my hands were blistered...and then maybe create some more. as anyone who knows me can tell you, when i'm feeling swamped, i do my best procrastinating. today i procrastinated like a champ and got a total of almost nothing done! instead of churning out new items like a machine, i met up with chris' family, then had a nice long chit chat with auntie amy, then came home and wasted hours doing nothing. and i have to say, i thoroughly enjoyed it! our family meet-up started at the cemetery where we all saw the new grave marker for chris' grandpa, then we went to ruby tuesday for lunch. what does one wear to a cemetery and lunch? i took pictures for you...

i really hadn't planned what i'd wear, and because i wasn't paying attention to the clock this morning, i had a total of 20 minutes to straighten the really curly parts of my hair, brush my fangs, clean my face, get dressed, and feed flojo. so this is what i came up with. i sort of think it looks like i was channeling my inner equestrian, only i didn't realize i had an inner equestrian as i haven't ridden a horse since elementary school. anyway, it worked and it was comfy. dress - converse, jeans - can't remember the brand but i got them from tj maxx, boots - vintage, ring - remade vintage, bangles - dinosaur toes.

i feel really strange taking and posting pictures of myself, but i feel even more weirded out when i get chris to take pictures of me. i get a serious case of the giggles, and as hard as i try, i can't keep a straight face. so for your viewing pleasure - the shame is on me - here are today's outtakes...

friday i got my good ol' grandma to ride to work with me. my job is mainly me riding around in the car going to meet clients and get advertising information. it's not too glamorous, and it gets really lonely; that's why it's always a treat to have someone ride with me! we talked so much that i'd forgotten even driving to some of the places, and she came along with me to get some new stones. here's just a little hint: citrine.

i hope you've had a good weekend so far, and i hope you have a happy halloween!

it's time to talk bidness

first, i have to tell you that i do NOT say "bidness," but i do have a redneck client who says it, and every time he does, i want to scream, "there is no D in business!"

anyway, i'm getting to my point. so, business talk isn't all that fun, and that's why i'll never be a high-powered mogul. well, that and the fact that i'm happy being a wallflower and working behind the scenes. but, a little business talk is necessary no matter how powerful your empire may be. if you hadn't noticed, i added a section over in my sidebar about dinosaur toes sponsorship. it's $10 a month for a 200 pixel by 150 pixel space. many of the dinosaur toes readers are crafters, photographers, etsy sellers, independent business people and all around inspirational. a sponsorship would be good for your blog, website, or store. if you'd like to be a dinosaur toes sponsor, or if you have questions about my blog's views or other specifics, please send me an email; i'd love to hear from you!

last, i made a new blog button! the smaller size is also over there on my sidebar complete with the code for you to copy and paste if you'd like to share it on your blog or site!