june 8th

 

I thought I would share some photos (and a video clip using an 8mm vintage film app on my iphone!) from my birthday last Saturday. Jed and I had such a fun time celebrating! I can't believe I'm 29 years old! Some would say that is young while others say it is old. I have given up figuring out which one I am, I'm just happy to be a year older! I don't think anyone should be unhappy about their age, whatever it is. I say, embrase it! Although I've often thought that I might be able to pass for a little girl if I tried, at least it would be fun to see if I could pull off what Ginger Rogers did in the adorable 1940's film The Major and the Minor. Do you think I could? ;)

For this birthday I made a chocolate chiffon cake with pink frosting, and it turned out quite good I might add! My cake making has been hit or miss in the past couple years and I think I've finally found the perfect cake recipe! Maybe my taste buds are changing but anymore I find that cake recipes are way too sweet or heavy. But this cake has the perfect lightness to it and there isn't an excessive amount of sugar (I even omitted a quarter of a cup, just to be on the safe side). I love how fluffy it is and the frosting is the best I've ever had! I didn't have rosewater, as the recipe called for, so I used almond extract instead. It was delicious! I gave away most of the cake after my birthday, otherwise I know I would eat it for every meal for the next week! I also made strawberry frozen yogurt. I think I have discovered the recipe I'll be making this entire summer. It's truly the best frozen treat I've had yet! And it's so simple to make, I almost can't believe it turned out so well. I used traditional Greek yogurt and I really think that made all the difference. Next time I'm going to try different types of berries or a mixture of several different kinds. I bet raspberry would be to die for!

I wore a new dress I purchased a month or so ago, which really worked out perfectly since the day wasn't too hot, but a tiny bit chilly. The heels I chose reminds me of footwear from the late '60s. I just love the chunky heels and how comfortable they are! I would wear them for more than just special occasions. I believe in fashion AND comfort when buying clothes and footwear!

I'll be spending my summer back home in Iowa, starting next week (can't wait!) so I'm thinking up a fun pajama party, complete with some silly 1960's beach movies. They make me nostalgic for my 16 year old self. My friends and I LOVED watching the fun girly beach movies back then. Perhaps even a Nancy Drew party is in order, since Mildred Wirt Benson was born July 10th (incidentally, her hometown is also in Iowa). And you know how much I love Nancy Drew! ;)

Have a perfectly lovely summer everyone! xx

(My birthday outfit- Dress: Uniqlo x Celia Birtwell, Shoes: Bass Amberly, Hair: hot rollers.)

happy june!

 

 June is here and along with it comes the hot weather and pretty roses! I don't really care for the hot weather so much (especially our humid hot weather) but I adore the blooming flowers! I've always felt I was fortunate to have been born in June. I absolutely adore roses and it happens to be this month's flower. On my sixteenth birthday I received an heirloom garden rose from my parents. Too bad it mostly died one harsh winter! But it was so pretty when it was alive and blooming. Loads of pedals and buckets of the most delicious scent! Someday I would like to plant my own flower garden complete with old fashioned roses. Perhaps someday that will happen, but for now I'm happy to visit the rose garden at my parents home. There happens to be one particular climbing rose that has taken over, which I am dying to see when it starts blooming. Any day now I imagine! xoxo

(Outfit I'm wearing: hat: aerie, sunglasses: anthropologie, top: zara, skirt: uniqlo, bag: cabbages & roses x uniqlo, flats: bloch) 

cleaning house

It seems I spoke too soon the other day about the yardsale update. I've added many more items today! I have been cleaning the apartment and I found more things to part with. I am trying to clean out as much as possible before our move. I have even more piles of clothes that are intended for the thrift store. It will feel so good when we finally do move into our new apartment next Fall to start with a clean slate. Well, that is the plan anyway! That, and I am finding out that my style is changing and I am growing out of some of the things I used to like. Perhaps I am just bored of what I have and need a fresh wardrobe. I am slowly going through each item and if I don't absolutely love it or find it a necessity, then I try to get rid of it and replace it with something that fits better in my wardrobe. Otherwise I have piles of clothes that take up too much space in my tiny closet. Sorry to be a bother again with my constant yardsales! I hope to have a lot better content on this blog this summer. I have a few projects I am excited to work on over the summer. Before long, Fall will be here (my favorite time of year)! 

Please check out my clothing sale...

fabric for sale and other yardsale goods..

I added a few more items to my yardsale shop! This time some floral linen fabric, black flats and a denim sample skirt from the fall/winter collection. Also reduced prices on a few previous items. Please take a look if you are interested! xoxo

: : : Y A R D S A L E : : :

spring/summer 2013 preview

I'm making several different tops and dresses for the shop (along with a lighter denim skirt). I'm still working on a few more things and then I can take pictures of everything and update the shop. It has taken a little longer this year, but I'm not going to stress over it. We are planning a big move at the end of the summer so I have a lot to do between now and then! I hope to gradually update the shop with new items throughout the summer months. I don't have a definite date yet to open shop for the spring/summer items, but...soon! Enjoy this little preview until then! xo

lately on instagram

Spring is finally here and I am loving it! I've been inspired to sew with lots of different pretty floral fabrics lately. I am so close to finishing some new spring items for the shop. Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll update the shop and show you everything I've been working on. In the meantime, you will notice I've shared some sneak peeks on instagram. I also managed to make a little spring top for myself to wear, just in time for an afternoon at the botanic gardens! xo

the yardsale continues... {sold}

 I found more things in my closet! I splurged a bit the other day on a few spring wardrobe staples, so I decided to clean out a few more things from my closet. Let me know if you are interested in anything! I will probably continue to update the yardsale as I keep finding things I don't wear anymore! And I'm trying to really only keep things I actually wear. Hope you enjoy the new selection! xo

YARD SALE!

playing dress-up

Today I just sold a wedding dress I designed and made years ago. It is kind of bittersweet because I spent a long time making it and it took so much fabric! But it has been sitting in a plastic bag in my closet for years. I finally brought it back here to Evanston so I could try selling it. Today someone was interested in it and decided to buy it. I'm so happy that it is going to a good home! I just had to try it on one last time. Here are some quick photos Jed took with my iphone. My hair isn't perfect or anything, but it will at least document this dress that I made. Kind of makes me want to dress up more often! xoxo