December?

Despite the fact that I'm obsessed with planners and calendars (I have 5) and that I cross of the finished day every evening, I am at a loss as to how this has happened.

How is it December? Summer wasn't that long ago. Fall hasn't really happened yet. I've barely gotten used to writing 2011 on checks.

And while I'm at it, why was I able to wear this outfit outside without freezing my ass off?

I hope one day to move farther north again- December 1 should not allow for t-shirts, green grass and foliage!

But I do love the outfit.

shirt- my bestie's closet
skirt- Anthropologie
tights- Target
{hidden in the grass} shoes- Born
jewelry- Kentucky Horse Park

I recently cleaned out my jewelry cabinet and found this necklace that my parents bought me years ago at the Kentucky Horse Park. I'm in love with it all over again- the bright yellow/gold, the size, the pretty pony. Perfect!

The birds looking on were not impressed with my fashionable glory. Their loss! I do like how this picture looks a bit like winter when put into black and white. It seems so bleak that way.

What is the weather like where you are?

Branching out: a tutorial

I've recently developed an addiction to Pinterest (I know, I jumped on the bandwagon rather late), and for the first little bit, I wasn't sure if I was doing more than just looking at the great ideas of others but losing my own productivity.

Then I saw her.

source

I wasn't happy with how I was dealing with my necklaces. I'll spare you the 'before' shot because a) I forgot to take one and b) it was ugly. You are welcome.

In either case, I decided that this couldn't be all that hard to do, so I spent a few hours wandering antique and second hand shops. I'm sure you could find something at a frame shop, but it seems silly to buy something brand new just to paint it.

By the way- wandering antique shops is a great way to find all sorts of projects and items that you didn't even realize you needed! Mr. Pony doesn't even know how much he appreciates me holding back from buying all the inspirations! But I digress.

Good old J.T. I knew I could count on him.

So I found a frame for all of $8, bought some craft paint {Spicy Mustard- my current color obsession}, and went to work!

Of course, that wasn't the color I wanted. As always, I put a coat of primer on first. This helped cover up the old frame color, and filled in some of the beat up parts so they wouldn't soak in so much of my pretty paint color. {I recommend always having a can of primer on hand. I bought a gallon of the Lowe's cheap stuff for ~$10 and have so far used it on this and this and this. Well worth it!} Then I followed up with 2 coats of my mustard paint. Yay!


I liked how my inspiration used branches, but I didn't want to have to deal with actual branches {shedding bark and bugs all over the place}, so I pulled out a pencil and some 1/4" plywood and sketched out some branches. I cut those puppies out with my handy dandy jigsaw, then sanded them down a bit.


Definitely do a dry run of the branches before you paint anything- I ended up playing around with mine to make sure I had them fitting in the frame like I wanted. It took some playing with, but not much time.

For the branches I used a pearly white craft paint that I had left over from my owl project. Once everything was dry, I  used wood glue to put the branches in place and clamped everything down. I just left it overnight, but check how long the glue you use asks for. 

My next step was going to be screwing dozens of little eye hooks into the branches to hang necklaces on, but I liked Mr. Pony's idea of just hanging the necklaces around the branches. Not only was it WAY faster, but it would give a prettier finished result!

Of course, right when I thought I was done, Mr. Pony said "How are you hanging it?". DOH! I didn't want to put it up as a normal frame since I'd need to be able to reach the back of the branches to hang stuff. I ended up cutting for 3/4"x3/4"x1" wood blocks, painting them yellow and gluing them to the back with wood glue. Add a couple of hooks to the top two blocks, some wire, and you are set!

What do you think of that?!

Also- Mom, I'm sorry for my new addiction to yellow. I will do my best to become addicted to something less... yellow... soon:)

 

Obsessions

I tend to obsess. Over lots of things. Constantly. Its a personality flaw that I'm working on {not really}.

My current obsession is getting a girly camera bag. You may not know this, but most camera bags are a bit less than glamorous. The bag that I'm using now is a utilitarian Lowepro Slingshot 200. It is really quite fabulous for my current needs, but it isn't... cute... or fashionable... or pretty. {tears}

Of course, the options for meeting the above mentioned titles are few and far between. But it can be had {for a rather magnificent price, for poor-yours-truly}. Feast your eyes on this beauty.

Pardon the drool.

Beautiful leather. Cute little attached wristlet-thingy. Lots of padding. Optional shoulder strap. {Swoon}. This bag does not scream 'TOURIST' or 'PHOTOGRAPHER'. Rather, it whispers 'I have pretty good taste. Look how awesome I am.' Plus, it comes in brown, red, black or white, to match all one's obsessive fashion needs.

The company who makes her is called jill-e, and they have several sizes and colors of beautious bags for the camera-woman in the know (or on the go?) who wants a fashionable AND functional camera bag.

Of course, the bags I want run from $140-$240 {hellllooooo eBay!}, so I won't be rushing out to buy a brand new one anytime soon, but that doesn't stop me from checking them out 4-5 times {8-10} times a week.

But don't call me obsessed. It just isn't nice to name names.

Cure for an obsession: get another one. - Mason Cooley

New fave

I'm not trendy. Just isn't my thing. That makes shopping for clothes at the local mall somewhat depressing- most of the stores cater to trend whore teen-to-twenties who follow all the fashions and who don't bat an eye at throwing away 1/2 of last year's clothing because it's so last year. *blink* Nope, can't do it. So I'm constantly looking for pieces of clothing that I can adore for multiple seasons. It can be frustrating, this search for actual wearable clothing, and it can be frustrating. And then I received a catalog from Garnet Hill. I'm now in love! Not only do they have wonderful clothing, but they've got great stuff for the home as well. I <3 them!

Here are a few of my favorite things. Crap- now that song will be stuck in my head all day.







Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly. ~Epictetus

*all photos from Garnet Hill

Fashion for all {me}

After spending a semester in Ireland during college, and various autumnal European travels, I've made an an {arbitrary} association between fall and fashion. As September 22 approaches, I'm now thinking about some wardrobe revamping my wardrobe with some new fashions. Of course, while I like looking gorgeous, I've always been budget-minded, so finding clothes that don't break the bank is something of a passtime for me. I've found that Old Navy has fairly good quality clothing, and they've got some wonderful items this year that I hope I can add to my wardrobe!
The finest clothing made is a person's skin, but, of course, society demands something more than this. - Mark Twain

*all photos from Old Navy

NEED

Buy it here, then send it to me. Kthnxbai.

Everything in the world exists in order to end up as a book. - Stephan Mallarme

*photo from spoonfulofchocolate's Etsy shop

Snazzy

Who said comfortable shoes can't be darn cute, too? I'm on the prowl for comfortable flat sandals now that my favorite pair of $10 Wal-Mart kicks have given up the ghost. Of course, my taste in shoes has changed since I purchased those [2 years ago]- now I crave nicer shoes. Its really true that the nicer shoes make you feel so much better after a long day of wear. For work and walking-heavy travels, I swear by Privos by Clarks- that $80 price tag looks like a lot up front, but once you've been in them all day and your feet barely hurt, they are worth every penny! So now I'm drooling over these shoes, and any like them. Now I just need to convince Mr. P that buying $200 worth of shoes isn't ridiculous!Funny that a pair of really nice shoes makes us feel good in our heads — at the extreme opposite end of our bodies. -Levende Waters

*shoes, in order, Caroline by Born, Renny by Sofft and Un.Coast by Clarks Un.Structured

This shirt

Somehow, this shirt needs to find its way into my closet. In view of the saddening decision by California's Supreme Court, I think the shirt is particularly true. Plus, the company is a small Des Moines, IA based shop that is coming up with several awesome shirts (both political and just plain funny). So by purchasing this shirt, you not only show support for a marginalized group, you support a small local store. Huzzah!

Equality is the soul of liberty; there is, in fact, no liberty without it.- Frances Wright

L.O.V.E.

Or in this case, M.A.C. I recently went to The Big City (TBC) and found a M.A.C. Cosmetics store and, quite literally, went to town. I've never been a make-up wearing kinda gal- I own horses, I spend a lot of time outside, I'm a tomboy. However, I'm also a bride-to-be AND the wedding is now *13* days away. What does this mean? Oh yes, I should learn how to do my own make-up!


Now, for those of you who, like me, have not spent a lot of time practicing the art of make-up application, let me tell you this- 13 days is NOT enough time. The intricacies of eye liner alone are enough to make one tremble, which is not conducive to a thin, non-raccoon like lines! However, the artist at the M.A.C. store was very patient with me and did her best to help, and I walked away after spending a criminal amount on make-up.

Strangely enough, buying this more expensive make-up has actually made me want to wear make-up more. This isn't a guilt reaction to spending more than was judicious on pretty eye colors- the stuff honestly just feels better when I wear it. Its like buying Sofft shoes after a lifetime of Payless- you feel the difference, and suddenly can't go back. In a very strange way, stopping at M.A.C. helped me reach a MUCH deeper realization than make-up normally allows. Having the ability to spend money on quality goods made me appreciate what Mr. P and I have earned together- yes, I spent more than I should have, but the fact is we can afford it. We can afford to buy quality foods, but nicer shoes and yes, even purchase a lovely home. We have money set aside for a rainy day, we can easily afford to care for my pasture ornament ponies, and we each get to have some 'fun money' every month to blow on frivolous pasttimes. Maybe my purchases only go skin deep, but wow is it nice to be able to make such a choice!

There is only one success - to be able to spend your life in your own way. -Christopher Morley

*picture from this site