Still alive!

Hello all you lovely sweet folks,

I'm still alive!  I've just been really enjoying myself and our new house and it turned into a rather long blog break!




We put up a clothesline in our backyard to enjoy the beautiful sunshine that's finally made its way here.

I reupholstered a footstool that my mom bought me almost 10 years ago from TJ Maxx.

Before:



After:



We made a stool with our bare hands after my husband drew it up in Sketchup.



I made some pillows out of these awesome double-sided napkins from the (kinda short-lived) Privet House designer collaboration at Target.  Because I was NOT going to pay $40 for a pillow when I could pay $4 for a napkin.



And I've been baking texas sheet cake cupcakes for various parties that we've thrown in our new house!



All in all, it's been a glorious summer so far.  I hope you are all having a fabulous season, whether it is summer or something else where you are.

Have you made anything recently?  I also made a maxi dress but it, umm, didn't really turn out all that great, so I'm going to try to rework it before I share pictures.  I've had better than usual project luck lately, but they can't all be home-runs, can they?

April and May

April and May have been wonderful and mostly sunny.  Here I wore a short skirt and a long cardigan.  Everything is super old.  

My favorite dress, currently still for sale at Target.  I am wearing it backwards.  The wind was whipping the dress when the pic was taken, so I have a weird dress outgrowth on my left knee.  Cardigan is from Old Navy.

My very close friend Leah visited us in April - it was so much fun.  This pic was taken at Carkeek Park.  Shirt and cardigan from Target, Torrid jeans, scarf unknown.

And one of Waffles - I love the diffuse light from sheer curtains.  This is our bedroom.  She is adorable, as always, and loves the house and yard so much that she seems much younger than her 8 years lately!

I hope you are all having a wonderful spring.  Blogging has been light but things are good!  I'm hoping to get back into the swing of blogging and, more importantly, commenting on your wonderful blogs.  I'm still reading though!

Backyard clothes-drying, and an ootd

Hello lovelies - I hope you've been enjoying the spring so far! It's been shockingly gorgeous here in Seattle.

So much so, that I decided to dry some clothes outdoors :)

That tree is a super old lilac bush-turned-tree. We have two of them, they smell lovely!

Lest you think it's all classy "dresses drying in trees", here's how I'm drying our jeans:

That's right, a camp chair and a tv table. Because this blog is not about a carefully curated life, nosirree :)

We mowed the lawn on Sunday - I did the whole backyard all by myself! I've never used a lawn mower before. I was so proud - I even started it by myself.
(hello you sexy beast of a lawn mower)
Waffles is really digging the yard too (not literally, thank goodness) I've also been wearing clothing lately, so here's a very belated ootd:
I think the back yard is going to be a great place to take outfit pictures! Outfit details:
Dress: Asos curve (now on clearance)
Cardigan: target, years back
sweater clip: gift from Bob's family
old lady boat shoes: fred meyer

I hope you are all having a wonderful week!

All moved in!

It's been radio silence here lately because, well - we FINALLY found a wonderful house - in our budget - and we were able to make it ours! We moved in last weekend and it is glorious. Seriously, no buyers' remorse here!

(pic via our realtor and friend Leigh Buchan Harvey)

I'll definitely be posting more pictures, we're still unpacking so things are presentable just yet.

I have a little more room for creativity, so I decided to take some time today and make two tiny container gardens via Rachele's great tutorial.

Aren't they adorable? I sure hope I can keep them alive. Let's just say the last succulents I bought (to put in those exact containers) didn't make it more than a few weeks.

I can't explain how relieved and destressed I feel now that this 7 month house hunt is over with! I really did not know what we were getting ourselves into when we started back in August of last year. I thought it would be easy and would only take a month or two. But I'm so grateful and glad the process brought us to this wonderful house, because it is everything we wanted + a few things we didn't know we wanted!

Anyways - how are all of you doing? I hope you are all wonderful!

Let's work together! I'd be honored to help you discover your personal style!

Hello lovelies,

Have you been thinking about revamping your style? Perhaps you'd like help putting together new looks for spring, or you have an upcoming party and you need help finding the perfect cocktail dress?

If you're local to the Seattle area, check out my In-Person Style Services. If you live a bit further afield, no worries, I also have great Virtual Style Services too!

Also, any service includes a free 30 minute consultation.

I've got some space in my schedule to take on new clients, so shoot me an email if you'd like to work together - I'd love to help!

OOTD: buzzcut 2, buzz harder

I went in for a trim of my buzzcut and decided to go a level shorter - this is with a #3 guard. I like it better! It looks more intentional, more even, and less shaggy.


(btdubs, I love my double chins in this picture. Double chins forever!)

Outfit details:
black cowl-neck maxi dress: old navy
lace cardigan: target, 2010
cowboy boots (not pictured): lucchese
scarf: nordstrom clearance

I've been loving the maxi dress as colder-weather-wear lately. It doesn't just have to be for sandals and pina coladas! I put it with cowboy boots and a scarf here, and an (admittedly not warm) lace cardigan. Trufax: I've worn this dress 4 times in the past 5 days. I love it that much. And yes, now I am putting it in the laundry because the pits smell.



Though I love the shorter length, my scalp may not be - is a little bit in revolt and it's breaking out and gettin' flaky with it. Luckily, it's not noticeable, even up close. Nothing some gentler shampoo and better conditioning can't handle I think. I've been lazy and using my husband's 2-in-1. No more of that!



Do any of you wear maxi dresses in the colder temps? I know it is officially spring, but Seattle hasn't gotten the message and it is still highs-in-the-40s right now.

I'm guest posted over at Eat The Damn Cake!

The wonderful Kate over at Eat The Damn Cake asked me to do a guest post about my buzzcut.

Head on over to check it out, and while you're there, stick around and read some of her fabulous and thoughtful writing.

She's one of my "read immediately whenever she posts something" blogs, and I'm honored that she would let me write a guest post for her!

Real quick: I'm selling some of my clothings

Head on over to the Fatshionxchange if you'd like to own some of my wardrobe.

OOTD: when life gives you bad pictures

Make with the post-processing effects. Today's blog post is brought to you by the "Lomo-ish" effect in Picnik.

Honestly, all the pics of this outfit came out bad. It was dark, I hate using a flash, so they are all blurry or weird. But still! I will subject you to them. You are WELCOME.



I wanted to try the bib-necklace-over-button-down look. This wonderful lace necklace from Whiteowl is one of my favorites, and the only one I own that is bib-ish.



I paired it with a black shirtdress from Land's end (this one) and over the knee boots from Avenue. It's more black than I typically wear (actually, I almost never wear black), but I liked it.



Fun fact: Land's End let me return the larger size of this dress even though I had worn it, and they sent me the next size down for free. Free shipping, free return shipping, etc. I was actually wearing the dress when I called to return it. So, if you order that dress in a black size 22, you may get my cooties. Just saying.

Another fun fact? The avenue otk boots bleed and make you look like you have unsightly bruises on your knee, if you wear them against bare skin. So I put leggings under them. I don't think I'd recommend the boots, which is why I'm not linking to them. They are comfy but the bleeding thing is really annoying. Does anyone know how to stop fake leather from rubbing off its fake color on you?

Welcome back into my life, tights.

Everyone here knows how much I love wearing dresses. And I love the look of dresses with tights, but I just can't stomach (ha!) wearing tights. They are so uncomfortable. They cut into my soft candy-filled middle. It doesn't matter if I buy them several sizes too large, it's just the way of things. Tights, worn for more than a couple of hours, result in stomachaches for me. And nothing fashion-wise is worth a stomachache, in my opinion!

I've tried thigh-high stockings, but they don't stay up on me (even the ones with the grippy silicone on them). I've tried garter belts, but they don't stay up or have the same digging-in problem as tights.

Well, the other day, I came across these GARTER SHORTS by etsy seller Allihalla. Where have you been all my life?*

I ordered a custom-sized pair (no extra charge for custom!), gave Alli my measurements, and she made them that very day and I had them in my greedy fat hands less than three days later.

And they are fabulous. Comfortable. They stay put and they don't roll or bind.


(I will not show you them, but I will show you this much of them and let you fill in the rest).

I took a pair of my old Avenue microfiber tights and chopped them off at the tops of the legs to make my own stockings. They roll at the edges, which keeps them from unraveling.

(ok, I will show you a little more, but this is still very far down my leg and not as salacious as it looks!)



Outfit details (I'm etsylicious today):
dress: forever 21 plus
cardigan: target, ages ago
necklace: whiteowl.etsy.com
bracelet: local designers Ravennagirls.etsy.com
garter shorts: Allihalla.etsy.com
shoes: Dankso Rory pumps in black

I'm so excited to add tights to my fashion repertoire! Do any of you have similar hatred of garments that are too binding? I feel like the older I get, the less able I am to deal with uncomfortable clothing.

-------------------
*Alli has no idea I'm writing this post, and she didn't give me the shorts or any kind of discount to blog about her. I just think these are that great! Also, she custom made me a pair of high-waisted bike shorts awhile back that are amazing. I recommend her wholeheartedly!

Real quick: Waffles hates it when the humidifier comes out

I've had a little bit of a cold for the past week (finally clearing up), so I've been sleeping with my *awesome* frog humidifier.

Thought I think Waffles is even cuter with frog eyes than the humidifier:



She hates it, but like any pup with parents that like to dress her up, she forbears.


This is the look of forbearance.

That is all.

OOTD: The more daring haircut

So, readers, I got a buzz cut.

And the thing is? I love it.



It felt like such a radical, daring act. I'd been wanting to buzz my hair for months. I think the first daring haircut was just a rest stop on my way to buzzcutville.



It's taken away all of my anxiety about my hair, about it not looking right, the annoyance I felt when I got in my face and eyes.



And it's so easy to deal with! Just wash it and towel dry and it looks the only way it is capable of looking.

Outfit details:
Dress: avenue, clearance, 2011
cardigan: target, 2011
sweater clips: gift from husband's family
boots: payless

So, yeah, daring? Maybe, but I gotta say I kinda love being the fat lady with a buzz cut wearing a super girly outfit. It's... challenging, somehow. I love it!

OOTD: The daring haircut

Here it is:



And the other side:


The back:


The front:


Outfit details:
shirt: avenue
cardigan: target
black skinny pants: torrid "source of wisdom" - (order 2 sizes down, these stretch out)
oxfords: target

The top:


I'm still feeling a bit unsure of how to style it. I think I'm going to get it way thinned out on the top because it's kind of like a big hair loaf right now :). I love the back and sides though! Just the top and front need.... taming.

I definitely like it better than the last daring haircut I got!



Have any of you ever gotten a daring haircut, or made an otherwise daring personal style decision? How did it go?

Beauty at 100, 200, and 300 pounds

Hello lovelies,

Last Thursday, hanging out at Liberte's, we were talking about how there are so many different ways to be beautiful. How bodies don't come in the same sizes. And then we realized that, between the three of us (Janessa, Liberte, and me), we represented beauty at 100, 200, and 300* lbs.

This was a fun way to change the way we typically (or at least, I typically) think about bodies and beauty. I think, too often, we compare ourselves to each other to see where we fall short, how we can be different and thus "better". But just sitting around and talking about ourselves and what we like about our bodies and our style, rather than being wistful about changing ourselves - it was so great and so freeing.



What Liberte is wearing:
Blazer: Nordstrom Rack
Top: Encanto Ballard
Cords: Fred Meyer Izod (yes! Izod!)
Flats: Resoul
earrings: Red and Me (local designer)
brooch: antique victorian butterly wing (ebay)



What Janessa is wearing:
bdg sweater (urban outfitters)
shirt: H&M
pants: miley cyrus (thrifted)
oxfords: target (thrifted)





What I'm wearing:
dress: Asos curve
Cardigan: old navy
floral leggings: fatshionista sale
boots: Joe Browns (from simplybe.com)

Also, this week at I had an unexpected accessory - Lincoln, Liberte's new puppy:



Don't you die to look at his puppy eyes? I DIE.


*I don't actually own a scale, and haven't for years, so I'm guessing, but probably pretty accurately since I'm good with numbers. :)

Upcoming post, also, even shorter hair ideas!

Hello lovelies,

I've got a great post in the works that shows three beautiful ladies (ok, I'm one of them :) and how beauty comes in all sizes!

In the meantime, I've made a hair appointment for Monday, and I'm going to go even shorter on my hair. I don't know why I'm so drawn to this idea, but I think I'm going to get an undercut! I made a pinterest board with some of my inspiration pics if anyone would like to check it out!

Do any of you have super short hair? If so, please link a pic, I'd love to see it and hear about how you love it (or if you don't love it, tell me that too!).

OOTD: more house shopping

Hello lovelies,

It's been busy-ish around these parts lately.  We're still house-hunting!  I can't believe it, I really thought we'd find a place and it would have all worked out by now!

Here's what I wore to tromp around looking at largely disappointing houses in the rain:

Outfit details:
Sweater shirt: Macy's, clearance, $20!  It's a linen blend and I love it.
Jeans: z cav's, torrid, awhile back
old lady boat shoes: grasshoppers
hat: target

Yesterday, as we were going to yet another open house, the annoyingly chipper agent asked us why we hadn't "pulled the trigger" on a house yet.  Well, the truth is, lady-that-I-don't-know, we HAVE.  FIVE TIMES.  Just none of the offers have worked out for reasons outside of our control, like the house inspection revealing catastrophic problems, or a short sale going badly after months of waiting, or being outbid by other offers, etc.

We're understandably more than a little frustrated, and more than a little ready to be done with the search.  So the chipper agent-lady-we-didn't-know?  Said, and I'm not kidding, "Well, you've really missed out on those historically low interest rates by not finding a house yet".  Yep.  Way to kick us while we're down.  Thanks, lady. **


I smile to hide the tears.

Anyways, sorry to vent!  I never do that on here.  How are all of you doing?  Tell me something good that is going on for you!

**ETA: This wasn't our agent! Our agent is great! This was just the agent at one of the open houses we dropped by.

.... and we're back!

Thanks to everyone out there that signed petitions, read more about SOPA and PIPA, and longed for wikipedia all day :)

stop SOPA

This blog will return to regularly scheduled programming on 1/19/12.  If you'd like to learn more about SOPA and why this blog is joining thousands of other websites on strike:

Stop SOPA (craigslist)
SOPA blackout template (reddit)
sopastrike.com

OOTD: Thursdays at Liberte's

Hello lovelies!  On Thursdays, I work out of Liberte's Skin Wellness studio.  It's a fun change of pace, and she's an utter delight.  If you're ever in the Ballard area, please stop by to say hi!  I'm usually there from 11-4, and it's a great chance to catch me in person to give fashion advice or to book one of my packages.

Here's what we both had on today:

Lovely Liberte:


Outfit details:
dress: Horseshoe Boutique
Leggings: H&M
Socks & Booties: Market Street Shoes
Earrings: Grow Salon
Bracelet: Antique jade, China, c. 1950 :)

And me:



Outfit details:
Cardigan: Target.com
Ponte knit pencil skirt: Lane Bryant, clearance, $12!
Floral print t-shirt: estate sale, $3!
Tights: Avenue
Oxfords: Target
Brooch: clothing swap

I'm hoping to make these posts a weekly thing - it's so tough to get good pictures during the darker months here, so having Liberte to take my pic is a real blessing :).  Plus, I just love her style and am happy to be able to share it with you!