i love a good cardigan: an outfit post

wow, it's been probably since the winter of 2010 that i did an outfit post. for the most part, i'm really casual and tend to have my favorite things that i wear all. the. time. lately, i've really been trying to put a little bit of thought into what i wear, or at the very least, i try and work in accessories that i wouldn't normally wear for a different look. i know that the high waist trend is one that has been around for a while, and call me a creature of habit if you will, but it takes me a long time (so long in fact, by the time i've embraced some trends or styles, they're over) to like and actually wear a lot of trends or styles. now that i finally feel comfortable wearing high waisted skirts, they're all i can think about! and of course i always love cardigans...

cardigan: say what?, blouse: vintage/thrifted, skirt: forever 21, shoes: old navy, necklace: dinosaur toes

please excuse my wrinkled skirt. i really love that skirt, but my only complaint is that the fabric gets ultra wrinkled when you sit in it, and it gets kind of stretched out so it's a little loose and makes my hips look wider after wearing it for an hour or more. but i still think it's pretty! i think my recent need to look a little more put together stems from the fact that i've been watching the show ringer. i love so many of the outfits that sarah michelle gellar wears, and it makes me realize i need to step up!

okay, so i have to share this with someone, and it may as well be you. last night i went to bed at about 11 and woke up at 2am. i was wide awake, and at 2:30 i finally got up and took my pillows and the book i'm currently reading out to the sofa. the book is so terrible it usually puts me to sleep, but i read until almost 4am and still couldn't go to sleep! when i finally did drift off, i had the weirdest dream. i was riding with chris, some cousins, and friends in one of those big 15-passenger vans down the highway. i yelled out, "LOOK, THERE'S A GIANT TURTLE! NO, TWO!!! STOP!" then i looked on the other side of the road and saw more turtles, a zebra, a giraffe, and a gazelle. i yelled out for everyone to look at them, and chris gave me a weird look and said, "they're humans in costumes," the implication in his tone suggesting that i must have been smoking crack to think they were real animals. then i was so confused - everyone else knew they were humans in costumes, but i just knew they were real animals that escaped from the zoo, and i couldn't figure out why they were walking into the woods. i woke myself up laughing. it was strange.

shopping can save lives.

on april 8th of this year, chris' second cousin, rachael horton, and her husband, aaron, were killed in a tragic apartment fire. although emotions are still raw, and their deaths are no easier to accept, their memory continues to live on through the legacy they left. rachael was a lifelong animal lover who gave money from her own paycheck to help pay for treatments that could save an animal's life when their owner couldn't afford it. after her death, the rachael horton compassionate care fund was set up in her memory to continue making her dream a reality. i've donated a percentage of sales to the lynchburg humane society before, and i was happy to do it, but i have to admit, this is something so much more special to me.

from now until november 18th, 15% of sales from my website will be donated to the rachael horton compassionate care fund in hopes of saving lives. no monetary value can be placed on the life a furry (or feathered) baby, and it shouldn't have to be; i hope this is a fund that will outlive me and everyone i know, because i think it is just that special!

works in progress

let me preface this post by saying: i know i've mentioned it before, but i feel arrogant calling myself an artist, so i'm just going to refer to myself as a person who likes to make things. now, as a person who likes to make things, i generally don't stick to just one specialty or one medium. i'm sure that most all people who like to make things would feel a little trapped making only one thing, and as a person who likes to make things, it's only natural to branch out and have various methods in which to be creative and express yourself. so, i've been doing just that.

the first work in progress is a tote bag or two. it's been at least a month ago that i told my soul sister i've had an idea for a tote forever and still haven't made it. as much as i love the finished product, i'm never a big fan of the actual act of sewing, thus the procrastination. earlier this week i got a text from beca asking me if i had plans to make more totes, and i guess that was the push i needed to get started! the new thing i wanted to try on the fabric didn't turn out quite like i was hoping, but it's a start, and i still think something pretty neat can come from it!

no, i have not been making apples. what i have been making is fried apples. MMMMM! chris was working with a man last week who had more apples than he and everyone he knows could eat, so chris brought home several gallons of liberty apples. i made several batches of fried apples, and tonight i'm making apple turnovers for dinner delicious snacks!

last, i've been working in my sketchbook. that drawing is nowhere near complete, but it's so fulfilling to be able to draw, regardless of the subject or level of completion. i plan to add a face, obviously, and to make it a little more interesting, watercolor!

do you have any works in progress, or anything you're excited about finishing?

hey, this is really exciting... today i ran into a friend of mine from middle school. it's been over 15 years since i've seen her (whoa, that makes me feel old!), and if she hadn't said her name, i'm not sure i would have recognized her. we ended up talking for a long time, exchanging numbers, and planning to get together very soon. i know i was smiling for the rest of the day because of that. i think those are the friendships that are the most special - the ones that never change no matter how much time has gone by!

be still, my beating heart.

i found this shop a little while back whilst searching for something else (what, i don't know, probably because it wasn't as amazing), and i knew i had to share! sometimes, when you find something so incredible beyond words, do you start dreaming about how you could incorporate it into you home/outfit/life? i know i do, and all i can think about is how the mantle in my living room will look bare without one of these amazing birds. oh, and i included one that wasn't a bird just to mix things up a little. *wink*

seriously, i need to think of some way i can make some extra money so i can buy one of these for myself for christmas! WHOA! i've seen a lot of bird sculptures made from wire, fabric, papier mache, etc., but i think it's fair to say abigail brown wins. hands down.

and this is something that's been on my mind for a while now. in addition to making and selling my jewelry, i also do some freelance web design, graphic design, occasional wedding photography, and i have a part time job. although no one in my family seems to understand no matter how many times i tell them (can you tell i get a little annoyed?!), my days are busy. i have so many new ideas for jewelry, new ideas for tote bags, websites i'd like to be able to get started on for people, etc., etc., etc., but that part time job really gets in the way of my productivity. i know i shouldn't complain since it's only part time, but i hate it. i loathe it with every fiber of my being and i can't wait until the day i can walk away and never look back. i feel like i lose SO much time working on my own ventures on the days that i work there, and i'm just frustrated. to those of you that have a job outside of the home and also run your own business or businesses, how do you find the time to make it all work without losing sleep, taking time away from your spouse, or giving up the free time you use to exercise, see friends, etc.? is there a balance or am i fighting a losing battle? i'd love to hear your input and advice.

that's all for now; kona is growling, barking, twitching, and just about to get up and run in his sleep, so to keep him from ending up like this dog, i'd better wake him up!

what i've been working on.

coming off of such a great weekend, it's kind of hard getting back into the regular monday routine, but one thing that keeps me from getting started on the boring work is blogging! i have so many things i want to share, but it's just a matter of making myself blog. i want to get better about it though, and that's why one thing on my to-do list for today is taking pictures for posts! in the meantime, i'll share a few pieces of jewelry i've been working on for my shop...

i always have new jewelry to add to my website, it's just a matter of taking the time to update that i'm bad about. last week though, i was on top of things! i listed 12 new necklaces and one pair of earrings, and i even have a few other things that i plan to add later this week! the mr. t saying comes to mind right about now, "i love it when a plan comes together."

in addition to adding new jewelry, i also gave the homepage a little bit of a new look. i think i like the way the image turned out, and i have my amazing husband to thank for that since he's the one who found that deer skull complete with antlers for me during one of his walks through the woods!

aside from jewelry making i... celebrated an anniversary with chris, got together with some great friends, saw some family, ate way too much, ate way too much again, discovered some new favorite edibles, bought some books, and did so much walking i actually can't walk right now. whew!

how was your weekend?