Fall Style!

I never in a million years thought I would be one to endorse the wearing of ponchos. When I was younger, if you wore a poncho, you were a weird kid. But now, things have changed. I bought my own poncho, and can't wait for Portland's fall weather to allow me to wear it. Ponchos are perfect for fall! ( Just make sure they aren't those clear saran wrap ones you get when you forget your raincoat. Not a good look. Though I've worn them, in times of need.)

Catch Up!

Hello everyone! My blogging break has been nice, my summer really got crazy, and the transition into fall is looking even crazier. Big news! I signed the lease to my first apartment! It is a perfect little studio off NW 23rd (which is an awesome, adorable and SAFE part of Portland.) I am going down this weekend to move in some of my belongings and to go vintage furniture shopping. Words cannot describe how excited I am for this! I can't wait to share my space when I am finished!

Here are a few photos from my summer!

I went to Whistler with my family and one of my best friends ever! The week consisted of a lot of drinking, (obsessed with long island iced teas.) We went on crazy gondolas, went ziplining through the forest, and even went clubbing, which was such a fail. At one point we were in the village enjoying mojitos and a black bear came down from the woods and was walking around. He was such a little cutie.

Most disgusting picture of me ever. I didn't know I was capable of making such a face. In my defense, Connor was lifting the safety bar on the ski lift, giving me panic attacks.

I went camping! I know this doesn't look like camping, but I honestly spent most of my time in town than out in the "wilderness." Every year my family and some friends go camping at Fort Worden, which is in Port Townsend, Washington. I have fallen head over heels in love with this little coastal town. the downtown area reminds me a lot of Portland, just condensed to one little street. I have convinced myself I will live there one day!

aaaand last but not least, here is a little sneak peak of my apartment building! I fell in love with it the moment I saw it, it feels like fate. The building was built in the 1920's. My studio has hardwood floors, a walk in closet, an awesome adorable kitchen. My lease is for a year, so come down an visit me!

Oh hello

Taking a break from blogging is fun! Though I love it, sometimes it is better to live in the moment, than worry about documenting it for other people. So for now, I am taking a break. I just got back from an amazing trip to the beach with someone I love very much. He always comes back into my life right when I need him. Tomorrow I am going camping for the weekend. It won't be nearly as fun as it is, because none of my friends can go, but I am going to use it as a time to get a lot of solo reading, exploring, sleeping and thinking done. Those are probably my favorite things. Soon after that, I am going to Whistler BC for the week, where I will probably die of alcohol poisoning. Things are changin' in my life, it is scary, but I kind of love it.

My Personal Style

This is seriously the most awkward, self-indulgent, silly blog post ever. I am kind of embarrassed. But a few people asked for it, so here we go.

Its no secret that I like to change my appearance up. My hair goes through hell all the time, though I am trying to stop that, I like being ginger. I like to mess around with makeup, though half the time I fail miserably. Most of all, my style is constantly changing. Entering middle school I was a die hard Hot Topic girl, then Freshman year I switched it up and had a deep passion for all things Hollister (bless my heart.) In high school I started trying all sorts of things, shopping at Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, BP.. normal stuff. Now, after a few years of experimenting, I think I finally know what I like.

Bloggers like Elsie Larson of A Beautiful Mess, have seriously inspired me. Her style, which I would describe as retro, vintage, quirky, feminine (the list goes on) is something I think about every time I go shopping. Elsie has inspired me to go thrift and vintage shopping more, or at least look for clothing that is timeless. There are countless other women that inspire my style. Zooey Deschanel, obviously, Charity Rose Thielen, Katy Perry in the beginning of her career, etc. So here goes nothing. The most awkward photobooth pictures of all time, showing off the awesome things I got at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale :)

please excuse my messy bedroom, its a work in progress

This is the outfit I am wearing today, and these are probably my favorite purchases! The top I got at BP, I love the collar, it goes with about a bajillion things and makes an outfit look put together and proper. The high waisted shorts I got at Free People for.... wait for it.... 20 dollars!! It was marked down three times. A miracle.

dress from BP. Cringing over that pose. Duck face for life.

skirt from BP. This is my favorite style of skirt, with buttons down the front and a bit longer of a length. Cuter than any denim mini skirt.

oh, this top. It is huge and billowy and pretty much a lace cape but I love it.

Stuff I love Monday!

I hope everyone had a good Monday! I did! I went to the Nordstrom sale and picked up a bunch of clothes that are good for the summer, and into the fall! I am excited. Maybe I will even do a blog post about them :) But for now, here are some things I am currently diggin' this evening!

Teeny tiny living spaces. The independent, loner, hermit in me would love to live in the woods in this tiny cabin. The bedroom loft above the little kitchen is what sold me on this. Heaven.

Vespas! And vintage Vespa posters. When I was driving today the most beautiful man drove past me in a Vespa, and I may or may not have followed him for a while. I kinda need to be on the back of one of those babies with a man taking me somewhere wonderful.

Charley's Tumblr might just be the best thing I have ever seen. She is beyond gorgeous, has amazing tattoos (check out her unicorn tat <3) and has awesome style. I don't know whether I want to be her, be her best friend, or make out with her. Probably all three.

Seattle girl bands FTW. Lemolo, ur good.

Workin' and Dreamin'

Today I was able to work at the boutique I am interning at, alone! I was a little nervous at first, but the day ended up being really slow, so I enjoyed organizing the store, and putting outfits on mannequins. Let me tell you, the mannequin I worked with was feisty. She bitch slapped me in the face multiple times, so rude. The boutique carries plus sized clothes, probably the cutest stuff I have ever seen. I want some of the clothing so badly. I guess it is a good thing I can't buy them, I would spend so much money if that were the case. I am learning so much about owning your own small business, and it is really making me more and more excited to reach my career goal of having my own boutique one day. I have so many good ideas!

I made a few outfits of things I would wear. It is fun seeing something that looks unappealing on the hanger, then seeing it do a complete 180 when you put it on a body. Sometimes you can find your favorite clothes by trying on something you would pass by at a first glance!

ps, i am in desperate need of re dying my hair. I love being a fiery ginger, but I hate the upkeep, it fades sooooo quickly.

OBSESSED.

Hulu has some damn fine programming right now. I am impressed. If you have not seen either of these shows, I suggest clearing your schedule and watching them now :)

I heard a lot about this show way back when I had a tumblr. I never listened to the hype, but I have finally given in. And a word of advice, drop everything and watch Misfits. That is an order. I am telling you, you will not regret it. This show, from the UK ( I swear all good shows come from Britan) is about a bunch of delinquent kids, ordered to do community service. Something crazy happens to change the course of their lives, and intense drama ensues. This show is scary, intense, funny, sexy, sad. I am addicted. Plus, I am in love with one of the characters, the awkward loner Simon, who of course is in my eyes the sexiest.

I can't even describe the show Wilfred. You have to see it for yourself. It is completely original and hilarious. Give it a chance, you will love it.

What I've Been Up To

I've been up since 6:30 this morning! That is extremely early for me, seeing as I have been waking up at around 11 since I've been home from college. It felt good though, I have gotten so much done today already! What a concept! Here is what my day has looked like so far.

I've been putting the finishing touches on my tote bags, they look awesome! The floral print is a sneak peak of one of the bags, the other two designs are not as girly. All of the bags have a different fabric on the inside and outside, it is so fun to choose! Also, that beautiful Huskystar is my trusty sewing machine. I love her. She sits next to my bed all day everyday. I have just decided that her name is Reba. Good ol' Reba never lets me down.

My sister and I made cupcakes for a family friend who just had brain surgery to remove a large tumor. It is crazy how life can change in an instant like that. One minute he was healthy, the next minute he was in extremely intensive brain surgery! Really makes you evaluate your life, let me tell ya. These cupcakes were fun to make. The cake is lemon with fresh blackberries, and the frosting is cream cheese, made light pink. They are the bomb.

My cute doggie wanting to desperatly go outside. You can see the yearning in his eyes, it breaks my heart he is so cute. This picture looks much better in black and white than color, because the glass on our doors is appallingly dirty, and the B & W helps a teeeny bit. Not really.

Happy Friday. C'est le Weekend!

Gettin' Thrifty

Time and time again I come to the sad realization that my photography skills are seriously lacking. Ohhh well. I went thrift shopping the other day at Value Village. The Value Village in Redmond can either be a hit or miss, and this time it was a hit. I tried on at least 2o awesome items, but due to my lack of $$$$, i could only choose a few. I left with a really cool skirt, (the rose floral print one.) It is super long, and has buttons down the front. I am contemplating hemming it to make it a bit more modern, but a part of me really enjoys the Amish look. I also got that black and white floral top. It is meant to be a shirt, seeing as it is XL, but I wear it as a dress. It looks really cool belted and with some tights. I really need to go thrift shopping more, and to Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters less.

also, is this not the most beautiful thing? I bet he would look so good with a beard ;)

1950's Dreamin

Sometimes you find inspiration at 3 AM and just gotta blog it. While browsing wedding blogs, I stumbled upon this wedding on 100 Layer Cake. I pretty much died and went to heaven when I saw this wedding. The 1950's are one of my favorite decades for fashion and music, and this couple made the wedding feel retro without being tacky. The bride's dress is beautiful, not to mention her awesome red hair. And don't even get me started on the groom. Slicked back greaser hair styles are always a good look, I'm telling ya.

Take notes, future husband, this is how things will be done.

Crafty Business

Yesterday, I went to the Urban Craft Uprising show in Seattle. It was such an awesome experience. I am kicking myself for not being able to use my camera to snap some shots of the booths. I temporarily lost my charger, I have a serious talent for misplacing things. The show was amazing. Vendors sold everything from amazing art prints, jewelry, pillows, bags, cupcakes, even handmade cosmetics and soap. It was awesome, I was seriously inspired. I purchased a beautiful pair of earrings from a woman that takes vintage buttons and jewels and reworks them into seriously funky awesome retro stuff. I also bought a journal that was made out of a recycled children's book. I had seen those all around Portland, but I guess they are just making their way to Seattle. ( Yet another reason that Portland is more awesome than Seattle.) My dad also bought about a bajillion vegan soaps in scents that range from lemon basil to grapefruit. My dad loves soap. So much. So much love for soap.

My earrings and journal. I will probably never take these earrings off.

Also, sneak peak! These are the fabrics I bought a week or so ago when I decided to start making bags again. It has not been an easy process, let me tell you. I have finished a couple, but they are no where near good enough to sell. I wouldn't feel right selling bags that have teeny errors in them, they have to be perfect. So for all that are interested, be patient! I am going to get more fabric today, I am excited about that! And my lovely, Isabel, one of my goals is to open an Etsy Shop one day, if I ever get my act together. PS, I miss you! :)

Stuff I love Sunday!

This cute little dress. So adorable for a little girl, but seriously. I need one of those in my size.

The Head and the Heart can do no wrong. They made these stickers a while ago, and while the majority of the time I favor Portland over Seattle, Washington will always be home. This decal always reminds me of my favorite THATH lyric, "you're already home where you feel loved." They need to make more of these puppies because my laptop feels sad without it.

The blog Sunshine and Carousels has probably the most awesome cupcake recipes I have ever seen. I want to try every single one of them before the summer is over. For my first one, I think I am going to make the Berry Lemonade cupcakes. Those look like summer time heaven.

If you have not seen the 3 part interview series Stephen Colbert does with Jack White, shame on you. Its on Hulu, it is hilarious, and you will love it. I mean, I loooooved it. When I am bored I go and watch it. Jack White is extremely attractive. Ugh.

Triumph!

Tonight I am going out with some of my favorite people in the entire world to do one of my entire things in the entire world. Who are these people, and what am I doing?!? I am going out with some of my best gay friends and we are going to a drag show! I seriously love and respect drag queens so much, they are beautiful and fascinating and talented and hilarious. I can't wait, this night has been a long time coming. So for tonight, I have been trying to figure out what to wear, it is a crucial part of my night to be dressed perfectly. If you know me, you know I hate wearing jeans. So it was quite shocking when I decided to put on the one pair of jeans I do own. I bought them at the beginning of senior year. When I put them on, yeah, they were a little snug, but damn, I liked it. So I might be brave and wear them tonight. and who knows? I am inspired to go out and buy some new jeans! What is this world coming to!?

Sheer joy in my face after wearing these puppies. Thanks to photo booth, they look black, but they are really just a dark indigo blue. Pretty nice stuff.

Also, I never wear heels. I am not good at walking in them at all, I look like such a fool. But I found amazing black velvet thick heeled pumps at Urban Outfitters on sale, and I had to get them. They really do look amazing with the jeans, and I think my tattoo looks badass.

I've read from numerous bloggers that if you have problems finding jeans, you should go to Levi's. I have had problems with jeans my entire life. Being short and not pin thin leads to weird issues. I usually find that my jeans are always too long, and sometimes too big in the booty, which is depressing. But Levi's has soooooo many options. They have petite jeans, which is a god send for little midgets like myself. No more going to the seamstress to get them hemmed! Also, they have amazing skinny jeans, because lets be honest, who wears boot cut anymore? So not hip.

A little DIY

Since I have come to the realization I won't be getting a summer job, I've decided to become crafty. Literally, I am going to spend my time doing crafts until I die. I've been sewing tote bags for a while, and I am picking that back up. Once I have perfected the bag again, I will probably be selling them, so if you are interested, hit me with a text. I am also scouring the web for fun project restyles, I have been so inspired! I only hope to one day have enough creativity as Veronika from Tick Tock Vintage. She is amazing!

I was just at the fabric store yesterday, and I tried to buy some suede, but it was about 20 dollars a yard! whaaaaaaat. Going to a thrift store to get fabric swatches from random clothes is such a smart, cheap alternative.

come on, this is seriously amazing. It just goes to show you that with a little DIY hard work, anything you can get at a thrift store can be transformed into something cute. I want to try!

also, I am convinced this is one of the most beautiful songs eveeeer. I can't stop listening to every live version of Conor J O'Brien on youtube. So good!

4th of July!

I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July, mine was interesting. My dad is quite the pyro, and he played a little prank on me in the morning. He bought a huge smoke bomb, and lit it under my car, so when I went outside my car was smoking like no other, it looked like it was about to explode. I couldn't get mad at him because it was his birthday, but Terry. I will be getting you back.

My sister and I decided to make fourth of july red velvet cupcakes. They were made from scratch, were super easy, and turned out quite delicious. They were a little too bright red for my liking, but it seemed appropriate for the holiday. We topped em with some home made cream cheese frosting and they were all gone by the end of the night!

I went to one of my best friend's houses for a party. Sadly he wasn't there because he thinks he is too cool and went to Florida, but I still had fun anyways. There was much pranking, mischief, and drinking involved. Which is always the case when it comes to my family. After having to take my dad home ( lets just say he had a little too much fun) we lit fireworks and all that other fun stuff. My sister and I tried to take cool sparkler pictures, but we didn't really know what we were doing and were too lazy to figure out how to do it right. They were on the verge of looking extremely cool though.

My sister looks like a wizard. I love that picture.