Sunshine Beats the Blues

Top-- Target

Cardigan-- H&M

Skirt-- ModCloth

Ombre Stockings-- Urban Outfitters

Blue Stockings-- Target

Belt-- Target

Shoes-- ModCloth

The winter blues have been getting to me.  Most days are dreary and overcast.  It's easy to go days without seeing the sun.  Then when the sun does come out the temps drop, and it becomes brutally cold outside.  So I rarely dress up.  The idea of putting on a skirt sounds like torture, even with tights or leggings I just don't stay warm enough.  I love wearing jeans and a sweater through out the winter, but it can get old.  I start to feel like a cartoon character.  Yesterday there was no reason I needed to go out, so I decided to dress up a bit.

There are so many things I love about this outfit!  First, I love all the colors in this.  If you added a pink this would be all my fave colors together.  This top is one of my favorite tops right now.  The detailing around the neckline is awesome.  The skirt is new, it was a present from my mom.  It wrinkles easily, but I like the feel of the material and how cute it is.  The colors are great, and I love how it looks when I twirl in it.  

My favorite favorite part of this outfit are my layered tights.  The ombre tights are new too, and I totally dig everything about them.  It was too cold to let my bare skin show through them, and I love pairing a solid pair of tights with a lacy pair.  I'm pleased with how the two pairs I have on look together, but I also can't wait to try them out with other colors.  I'm head over heels for my flats.  They're so cute, and look awesome with this outfit.  

If this outfit can't help me shake the blues, then I don't know what can!  Have a great weekend everyone, chris!

Colorful Textured Layering

Hey all hope you're doing well this weekend.  Aaron usually works on the weekend, but luckily he got all of today off.  It's the first Saturday he's had off in a long time.  We visited the local farmer's market, bought some breakfast, beef pot pies, homemade breakfast sausage, and a phone case for me.  Oh yeah and some chocolate chips, cause I'm thinking about making something with them.  Then we headed over to our favorite garden center, because my gerber daisy desperately needs a new pot.  In the mid-afternoon we hung out watched the brand new Downton Abbey together, and ate some air popped popcorn.  

 Sweater-- Forever 21

Lace Tank Top-- Urban Outfitters

Tank Top-- Target

Pants-- Forever 21

Shoes-- Rocketdog

I love bright colors and combining different prints and textures.

  

This sweater is so comfy.  I wear it practically everyday in the winter.  

I don't own much jewelry, but I love these three necklaces together.  My Rocketdogs are my favorite winter shoe.  I love how colorful they are, yet they are warm, and comfortable.  

Have a good weekend, and happy DIYing, chris!

Farmer's Market and ModCloth

This is what I wore today.  I've been pretty much living in this outfit 24/7.  I love how it's comfortable, yet I still look stylish, and not like some schlep bumming around all day.  Let's be honest during this time of year that's all I want to do.  Sit on the couch, curl up to a good book, and a warm cup of coffee.  Though while we're being honest, replace the good book with a terrible TV series.  I've been getting into Pretty Little Liars.  That show is insanely addictive.  I want to cram as many episodes as humanly possible into one day.  Who's A?! And who killed Allison?!?  What's Jenna hiding?!!?  I'm only on episode 6 of season 2, so no spoilers, please.  

Scarf -- ModCloth

Jacket --  Target

Shear Plaid Top -- ModCloth

Tank Top -- Target

Jeans -- Levi's from Kohl's

Boots --  Farmer's Market

I realized as I was typing up where I got everything, that saying I got the boots from a farmer's market sounds ludicrous.  Though I honestly did.  Yay for Amish people!  Well the people that own the shoe store aren't Amish, but the shoe store is in a predominantly Amish farmer's market that's only open on Fridays and Saturdays.  It's called Booth's Corner.  It's been around forever, and it is a fantastic little treasure trove.  It doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside you can find all sorts of delightful goodies.  I forget how much these boots cost, but I'm fairly certain they were less then forty bucks.  I love sneakers, so I don't wear these much.  I mostly own them for wet wintery days, and cause everyone needs a knee high black boot.  

My mom gave me the scarf for Christmas.  I was so happy to see that she did, cause I noticed a few days ago that this scarf went out of stock on ModCloth.  I knew my mom had bought me something from them before Christmas Day, because I spied one of their boxes stashed away at their house.  Of course I didn't know what she had gotten, and I was worried I might have missed out on getting this scarf.  A pretty scarf is essential for keeping warm during the winter months.  I love nuzzling my face into a good scarf.  

Well I have some friends coming over later on, and I was going to make some cheese dip, so I better get on that!  Have a great Saturday, chris!

Christmas Tree Shopping

I had the day off on Thursday, so Aaron and I took that time to buy our Christmas Tree.  We thought it would be a good idea to do it during the week to beat the weekend crowds.  It was a great decision, there weren't too many people there, and we didn't waste any time waiting inline.  Which also meant there weren't tons of people everywhere, so it was easy to snap a few photos, and I only felt awkward about it once.  At one point we took a break from checking out the trees to photograph the experience (and my outfit), and then mid-photo this nice guy came over to check if we needed help, and that made me super uncomfortable.  I didn't want him to think we just came to take pictures, and not actually buy anything.  

This is where we got our Christmas tree from, Linvilla Orchards.  We could have cut our own, but we were feeling lazy, so we just picked from the precut trees.  Though, while we were checking out the cashier said the precut trees were a little better looking then the cut-your-own trees this year.  Which made me feel better about being a bit of a slacker.  I love their giant poinsettia made of red cloth and wire.  DIY inspiring!

I usually always make the hubby pose for a photo for me, before I hand the camera off to him.  I don't always show the pictures, but he's got such a cute smile, I had to share.  

The jacket is Aaron's early Christmas present to me.  I absolutely love it.  When I tried it on I knew I would be going home with it.  It fits so well, like it was tailored just for me.  The rest of the outfit is my go to look for this season.  A plaid flannel, and jeans just scream fall/early winter.  I have a rather long torso so I always pair my tops with a long tank top, and I enjoy playing with the combo of colors together.  I love a good pair of jeans, and this is the pair I measure all other jeans against.  I bought them from the Levi's store in Manhattan on our honeymoon.  They are from their Bold Curves line, which is so perfect for my body shape.  I usually have a problem with jeans having too much material in the waist, and then the back always gaps open, but that is not a problem with this pair.  

Jacket--  Land's End from Sears

Flannel Top--  Delia's

Tank Top--  Target

Jeans--  Levi's

Shoes--  DSW

Belt--  Target

Sunglasses--  Flea Market in Los Angeles

Hope ya'll are having a great weekend.  I spent today getting the rest of our Christmas decorations up, including dressing our freshly bought Christmas tree.  I plan on sharing photos of all the fun festivities tomorrow.  Happy DIYing, chris!

Fun Friday Fascinations #33

#1.  I love homemade soup.  Soup from a can just doesn't compare, and tomato soup is one of my fave go-to-soups.  This Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup from Delightfully Tacky looks amazing.  

#2.  You can never have too many dish towels, and this set form Target is totally my style.  

#3.  I've been thinking about homemade advent calendars a lot, and I'm torn between this one from A Beautiful Mess ...

#4.  and this one from the Norwegian blog Englemor.  Though I'm cheap and might not make either, so I don't have to buy 25 little gifts.  Even if I only bought stuff from the dollar store, that's twenty-five bucks that could have been spent on more necessary items.  

#5.  This ornament is beautiful from A Subtle Revelry, and I think I have all the needed materials already.

Happy Fun Friday Fascinations, chris!

Wine Rack turns into a Shoe Rack

I love finding small nooks and crannies for my belongings to go in.  A while back I saw a wine rack on display at Target that looked like the perfect size to store my shoes.  After having one for a bit, I bought another!  With the move it's in an odd space, but it makes it easy to photograph.  So I thought I would share how it looks today.  

I think this rack comes in a couple basic color picks, and it's rather inexpensive.  It's the perfect size for my shoes.  I wear size 8, and some of my shoes can fit as a pair in one hole, and other pairs need each shoe in a hole.  If you're looking for a cheap and easy way to store your shoes, that looks nice to try out an inexpensive wine rack.  

Hope you enjoy, and happy DIYing, chris!

Celebrating Near the White House

Today Aaron and I went to his cousin Hannah's wedding reception in Washington D.C.  It was at a lovely location called The Hay-Adams, which is right around the corner from the White House.  

So I asked Aaron to take a few outfit photos of me.

Dress -- ModCloth

Sweater -- H & M

Stockings -- H & M

Wedges --  Target

Sunglasses -- Bodega in Los Angeles

Bracelets -- Target & Forever 21

Ring -- Forever 21

Hair pins -- ModCloth

Earrings -- Target

Necklace -- Pendant made by my cousin, and the chain is a family heirloom from Aaron's family

When I first saw this dress on ModCloth I knew I had to have it, but before I grabbed it up someone made a not so nice review of it. They said that it wasn't worth the $75 price tag, and they would have only paid $25 for it.  I'm not sure where this person shops, but I've never owned a $25 dress this nice.  Besides the obviousness of how beautiful the print is, and the lovely vibrant colors, the dress is simply amazing.  The material is lush, and feels fabulous on.  The pleating is perfect, and I love how perfectly the print lines up on the pleating.  There is also an invisible zipper down the side, which works perfectly.  I've had some bad experiences with invisible zippers on cheaper clothing getting stuck, and not being easy to use, and that is not the case with this awesome dress.  My only negative feedback is the belt that comes with it is made with inexpensive material.  It feels cheap.  Otherwise I love the dress, and give it two thumbs up.  I definitely don't regret spending $75 on it.  

If you've been pining after some ModCloth items, but have yet to buy something from them, right now they are running a promotion where I can give my friends a $20 credit for a purchase of $50 or more, bought before 10/2/2012.  If you'd like a $20 credit to ModCloth, and you don't have a pre-existing account comment with your email address, and I can send it your way.  

I'm not sponsored by ModCloth it's just my favorite online clothing store.  H & M is my favorite brick and mortar store.  I could spend all my money at both those places.  Luckily they are both rather affordable, so I don't have to break the bank buying the fashionable clothing pieces I like from them.  Plus ModCloth always gives a little gift with every shipment, which always makes me happy.  With this dress I received those cute red and white polka dot hair pins I'm wearing.  I look forward to discovering my gift every time, it definitely keeps me coming back.  

I hope ya'll had a great saturday, and happy DIYing, chris!  

This Is Me #13

Last week I was happy to have a break from my Saturday series This Is Me.  Which made me think, if I'm not enjoying a series, why keep at it?  I should revel in everything I create for my blog.  So it got me thinking about how much I enjoy putting together a fun outfit, and sharing my style with ya'll in outfit posts.  In a way sharing outfit photos are still in line with the idea of This Is Me, but instead of five tidbits about myself, I'll share photos of myself.  

Romper -- Urban Outfitters

Tank Top -- Target

Stockings --  Urban Outfitters

Necklace -- Handmade DIY

Belt -- Target

Braided Bracelet -- Handmade DIY

Yellow Bracelet -- inherited from my step-grandmother

Ring -- Forever 21

Cowboy Boots -- Cowtown, NJ

When I saw this romper at Urban Outfitters I was drawn to the fabric immediately.  I love the color, and the pattern is fantastic.  I was hesitant to try it on though, because I don't usually wear short shorts, and though I love the look of rompers, I never thought I had the right build to pull them off.  I tried it on, and I really liked it, but I decided not to buy it.  Then I spent a week thinking about it, and when I found myself back in Urban Outfitters I knew I had to get it.  I bought it to wear on my honeymoon in New Orleans (April 2011).  

I wore it on the honeymoon, but felt a bit naked the whole time.  The shorts are mega short, and the top is way low cut.  When I got home it got hung in the closet, and hadn't made it's way out since.  I've thought about, and I've even tried it on occasionally, but I never felt comfortable or appropriate in it.  

After I got home from working on the house today I wanted to put on something that would make me feel stylish and pretty.  This romper did just that, and I found a way to wear this without feeling totally exposed.  Pulling on some dark stockings underneath helped keep the shorts in place, and my thick thighs covered up.  I also wore a tank top underneath because otherwise my bra would show in the front, and with the tank top in place I didn't need to worry about showing more than I wanted to.  The dark belt helped break up the top and bottom of the romper.  I love my cowboy boots and accessories with this look, they all play off each other so well.  

Do you have any piece of clothing you don't feel comfortable in, but love anyway?  I dare you to experiment with restyling it.  Who knows you might even find a way to feel amazing wearing it!  Have a lovely weekend, and happy DIYing, chris! 

This Is Me #11

Today I am going to try something a little different with This Is Me.  I'm going to use outfit photos with my five tid-bits about me.  

1.  Stitching together eloquent words that form a cohesive sentence, that fill you with emotional wonder, is not my forté.  

shirt -- H&M + DIY

tank top -- Target

shorts -- Target

shoes -- DSW Dirty Laundry + DIY

bracelet --  DIY

2.  I almost failed spelling in fourth grade.  I had a special teacher that I sat with in an empty room who helped me during spelling tests.

3.  I'm good at remembering names and faces.  If I forget someone's name I really give myself a ration of poo for letting it go.

    

4.  My most popular date spot with Aaron is Ikea.  We usually leave with a stuffed animal in hand, and our bellies full of swedish meatballs. 

5.   We used to have two pet rats. Rink-rat and Shanks.  Now we have two stuffed rats to commemorate them.  Of course not real rats.  We aren't in to taxidermy.  

Hope ya'll enjoyed, and happy DIYing, chris!

Bright Patterns Make Me Happy

More photos from Bennington, Vermont.  This is the outfit I wore on Friday for the graduation ceremony.  Well, really just Peter Dinklage's speech.  

This is a new dress I got at Target recently.  I was having a rough few days, and I decided to do some retail therapy.  This dress did just the trick.  

I didn't think I liked this photo at first, but I like this in-between moment Aaron caught.   

I love the angle of this photo.  I think I look thinner and taller.  I'm making a funny face, but everything else is so lovely I couldn't leave this one out.  Aaron took this photo standing at his normal height.  He must tower over me all the time.  I always seem to forget he's a foot taller than me, and things must look different from up there.  Hehe.  

Uh-oh, my hair kind of looks grey on top.  Maybe it's just the way the light is hitting my head ...  I don't dye my hair, so it's not like my roots are growing out, and showing under hair dye.  I always forget to take photos of the back of my outfits.  I thought this back was worth remembering.  :)

For this photo Aaron stood like a sumo wrestler, with his knees fully bent, and his feet spread wide apart.  It was easy to smile.  

I love the colors and pattern of this dress.  This is my first maxi dress, and this one makes me feel so pretty.  I want to go buy more.  The material is luxurious, and makes me want to lounge around all day.   I guess I was hesitant to jump on this trend, because I was worried a long flowy skirt could label me a hippie, which for some reason is a label I've always resisted.  I guess I've always been adverse to labels though.  Anyway, back to the dress, the colors and pattern on this dress are anything but hippie, perfect for outdoor events in the spring/summer.  :)  

Dress -- Target

Cardigan -- H&M

Sandals -- DSW by Mix No. 6

Sunglasses -- Target or H&M

Hope ya'll are having a great week so far, and happy DIYing, chris.