Dressing up a t-shirt

When I am at Target...... for let's say ziplock bags, I have a tendency to pick up an extra clothing item or two. In particular, I like to stock up on these Mossimo v-neck tees. They come in a variety of colors, are perfect for layering, working out in or even dressing up a bit.

I had some leftover fabric from when I had my wedding dress made, so I found a pretty cluster of flowers, cut out around them and sewed them directly onto my t-shirt. In about thirty minutes, I had a custom t-shirt for very little time and money.

The simple things in life.....like a peacock feather

I snapped this photo a couple of weeks ago, but I have been getting a lot of mileage out of this little peacock number ever since I first put it on. A dear friend gave me this unique piece of jewelry and I have been finding reasons to wear it ever since. This quick iphone photo does not quite do it justice, but wearing it not only makes me think of my friend, but wearing a feather actually makes me giddy. It really is the little things in life which make me oh so very happy. Happy weekend!!

FashionABLE scarves

Part of experiencing a more meaningful holiday season, is giving more thoughtful gifts. I came across a list of gifts which give back and thought this was the perfect place to start. FashionABLE scarves are made by women in Ethiopia who were once former sex workers. The most amazing part of the company is that they recruit their workers by going out onto the streets and convincing them there is a better way to live. I just picked up one of these scarves and it is not only beautiful and thoughtfully made, but creates a meaningful job and purpose for another woman on the planet. Women should support other women and buying a scarf is one small way you too can do that.

Downtown Seattle Rocks the Runway

Across the globe cities participated in Fashion Night Out and Seattle was no different. It was an after hours shopping extravaganza and fashion show of the Fall/Winter collections. Nordstrom, Eileen Fisher, Macy's, Baby and Co. and many other retailers participated in a runway show in the middle of Pacific Place. There was food from the many restaurants in the mall and surrounding area, fun people watching and loads in inspiration as to what to wear this season.

Go bold or go home

The decision to cut my hair is never something I fuss about. Once I get in my mind I want it done, it is like an itch which must be scratched. I either take matters into my own hands (quite literally by cutting it myself) or I drive to the nearest salon and have them do it. I do not have a particular stylist I prefer or a particular salon I trust. I figure they are all trained professionals and as long as I stay away from a hair cut under $20 I should be fine. Getting my hair cut is just something I feel in my gut so I go with it. I do not have patience for all hoopla associated with having to make an appointment and guesstimate my approximate hair length at said point. The hassle is just not worth it to me. Instead I enjoy the unpredictability of a new friend for an hour, a new look and more importantly feeling like a new me. In my experience men seem to prefer longer hair, but the shorter my hair is the more feminine, pretty and authentic I actually feel.

Do you act impulsively on anything people usually devote a lot of time to figuring out?

The eight dollar committment

Oftentimes, I see a particular look, but don't want to spend the money because I am not totally committed to it. Enter Old Navy or H&M. I wanted to purchase a striped t-shirt, but I did not want to fork over the $30 at J.Crew so I headed over to Old Navy and found this beauty. I liked the neckline so much I also bought it in red.

In an effort to jazz up a simple black dress I purchased a large hot pink flower ($8) from Old Navy and then belted it with a contrasting brown belt. Voila, instant personality with minimal financial commitment.

What is your favorite new spring item for under $8?

Steinunn Vala

Jewelry is one of my all time favorite items to bring back from vacation. It is small, easy to transport and something you can wear often. A unique piece of jewelry can serve as a constant reminder of the great time you had on your vacation and perk you up throughout your day. While in Iceland I came across these fantastic rings by a woman named Steinunn Vala and just knew I had to have one. The hardest part was determining which color to purchase because I wanted them all. For all you Etsy shoppers out there, she has a shop and will happily mail to anywhere in the United States. Check her shop out here or her website here.

Revamping

Do you ever look in the mirror, the closet or at photos and think your wardrobe could use a little revamping? As much as I love Summer, I never truly enjoy the clothing associated with it. I always find myself wearing the same few shirts and shorts only to be sick of them come the end of the season. Since it never gets too hot here, it hardly seems worth it to invest in very many warm weather clothes, but come Fall my fashion sense goes into full stride. I am excited by the textures, layers and colors which Fall collections have to offer. In a concerted effort to infuse my wardrobe with color and texture I went out for an afternoon of shopping. Here is one such addition to the wardrobe.

Befriend the trend

For me, it is always a weighty decision to befriend a trend or not. There are so many trends out there that are just not for me....

skinny jeans, nope.

belting everything in sight, nope.

leggings, refer to skinny jeans reason.

BUT when I saw these shoes with the zippers up the back in the pale nude color, I stepped right into them and swooned. I love them, they make my feet look sexy and they match everything.

Big decision

Which one should I buy? A or B?

Reduce, reuse, recycle

Embellished t-shirts are the rage, but it is hard to justify the $40-$70 price tag that comes which such a shirt. After putting my thinking cap on I remembered I had a bag of scraps from my handmade wedding dress. I merely snipped out a grouping of flowers that looked nice and hand stitched them onto my favorite Mossimo Boyfriend Tee from Target. Voila! A new look, sentimental fabric repurposed and a shirt I love all for just for $7.

In other repurposing news, I have been able to use this flower that I ripped off a straw bag I purchased in Costa Rica whose strap broke and I tossed after two uses. I paired it with a sash from some of my Summer capris and voila a new accessory. I have also been seen wearing this little number as a headband. I just cannot get enough of this repurposing, it is so fun to see what you can come up with a little time and creativity.

Ruffles are all the rage

The other night I got the idea into my head that I was going to add ruffles to something.....a shirt I thought, sounded simple enough. As I proceeded to determine which shirt to cut up and which one to embellish I became overwhelmed with the endless possibilities for my wardrobe. If only I knew how to sew or owned a sewing machine. So hand stitch by stitch I longed to be adept at the art of sewing. Until then, I will enjoy my slightly unconvential, very homemade looking treasures.

Bouquet Pillow

I saw this pillow on Etsy and knew if I spent some time I would be able to create something with my own flair.

Here are my results and a little sneak peek at our new place.

Bye bye plain white tee

I would rather dabble in all things, than be proficient in one thing. This is both my downfall and source of constant joy. Last night I made this scrap fabric necklace. I had seen something similar on the Cakies' blog, but I wanted to make it my own. I am wearing the necklace today with sherbet colored stripe pants, just the thing to bring out the little blue stripe in them. I also made it long enough to wear as a headband, so you might be seeing me sporting that soon.

Handle and Spout

Feminine, fun and flirty are the best words to describe the wondrous line that is Handle and Spout. If there earring cards are not clever enough to make you smile and their flower clips make you dream of wearing them in your hair than this site is not for you:
http://handlespout.bigcartel.com/

The need for green

I just happened to find these beauties from Karlita's shop in Belgium on Etsy today and with free shipping I am literally fighting off the urge to buy one of them. I mean, I need something green for St. Patrick's Day, especially if it is the most beautiful use of felt I have ever seen.