8 difficult questions...

( photo via Rostbiff on flickr)

Sorry for the radio static, I've been having some computer issues (try whole computer virus takeover/crash, possible loss of all my photographs and everything I've written for the past four years...I am so bummed). I'm trying to figure out all the workings of the home computer, and thought I'd drop by and let you know why I've been quiet!

Since I don't have anything on this computer to share (although I have a ton of cool stuff I've thrifted recently to show you, plus a slew of outfits queued up) I thought I'd finally get around to answering the 8 difficult questions that Miss Madeline of Swellegant Ponderings tagged me with a few weeks back! Here goes...

1. What never fails to cheer you up?

If it's nice out, then I'll go sit outside on the lawn and read one of my favorite books, and if it's better to be indoors then I'll sit inside and catch up on my blog reading!

2. If you could live one day of your life over again what would it be?

That's a hard one...I guess I'd relive any day the summer after Sophomore year of high school; I was just discovering my friends then and it all seemed so wonderful to be a part of a group after staying shy for so long!

3. What do you like best about yourself?

I like that I don't feel the need to fill every silence, and that I'm a great listener (so I'm told). I can't understand why some people need to be entertained all the time! Take a breath and chill!

4. What would you change about yourself?

I'd like to be a bit more confident and outgoing, and a little less shy. Blessing and a curse, I suppose.

5. What have you enjoyed most about blogging?

Aside from all the wonderful people out there, and being able to connect with people continents away, /I really love to be able to look back at my life through the blog. It's a lot like a personal diary (although mine looks a lot more like a "this is what I bought today" list! Oh, well.)

6. Who or what is your ultimate source of inspiration?

That's tough... I guess I'd have to say that the use of fabric and texture in the 20s, the drape and fit of the 30s through the 50s, color and cut in the 60s, and free spirited-ness of the 70s all have influenced me at one point. As for a particular person, I think that Kirsten Dunst and Natalie Portman are the bees knees. Lula Magazine is also fantastic. And Nabokov's Lolita. And Atonement, both the book and the film. I cry every time.

7. If you could be anywhere in the world where would you be?

I would sacrifice all spending/ an arm and a leg for the chance to experience the french countryside in the flesh. That or Italy, especially where my grandparents came from.

8. Who would you invite to your ideal dinner party?

The women mentioned above, Sophia Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio circa Romeo and Juliet, all of my friends and whomever they choose to bring... and it would be fantastic.

Well, there you are! I also have to tag 8 bloggers,, so if they please, would The Girl in the Paper Dress, Belle Vintage, Buttons and Accordians, Maps and Fragments, Daisy Dayz, Papillon Vintage, Naked Tile, and A plus B in the Sea kindly pass it on!

I pinky swear that as soon as I get everything straightened out I will be back in business. Promise.

the sweetest thing

Oh, how I let time escape me! While I spend my days dreaming up ideas and posts to share with you on this blog, I tend to forget to actually bring these posts into fruition! Shameful!

Well, here I am, alive and well. And I have an outfit post to share as well (though you must excuse the wet hair, I detest blow drying and always let it air dry.) I'm wearing vintage dead stock 70s clogs, old H&M belt, and I just bought this dress (which is much more pink in real life) from Forever 21, and have worn it consistently. New favorite dress! Now, if only I could whip up several more dresses like this, I'd be set! Speaking of sewing, I wanted to share the dress I made as a part of my senior project last year, in which I source vintage and thrifted materials and built a line of skirts as well as this single dress for me. It's also much more pink in real life, and shiny. The dress is really special because I worked on it with my Grandmother, who is the driving force behind my interest in dressmaking and sewing, as she was a dressmaker for Hattie Carnegie in New York before she was married! She is a really talented lady, and I'm proud to have her as a Grandmother. I really hope to make more dresses with her in the future, maybe more easy to wear pieces. This dress in particular is something I'd rather wear to a special occasion, so it hangs on my closet door waiting.
And finally, I wanted to show you the sweet cake stand type jar and base I thrifted a few weeks back, which now houses one of the little collections of things that make me happy in my room, including that amazing vintage beaded collar necklace I got at that funny little flea market I mentioned last post. Also pictured is the beautiful vintage 50s party dress I bought at that flea market, which I can hardly believe I was fortunate enough to find, and it fits! I think this dress is destined for the President's Ball (a glorified high school type gropefest) that my University hosts in September, although it may be a bit too...sophisticated...for such a thing. Well, I don't really care, as long as I get to wear this dress somewhere!

P.S. does the lighting and location of the dress shots do the objects justice? I was getting tired of the crazy colors photographing all my finds on grass gave me. I was hoping to set up an Etsy really, really soon, and lack space to photograph the goods. Hopefully this space will work!

the fourth of july

How was your fourth of July? Mine consisted of waking up very late, driving to the fringe of New York state and going to a little church flea market (even though it was overpriced), finding a dress and a necklace that I can't stop staring at (!cannotwaittoshowyou!), and eating too much at my Grandmother's house, followed by some fireworks. But I totally forgot to take photographs. Oops. Overall, it was a pretty great holiday, and I don't even like the fourth of July all that much. Halloween is still my favorite.
The three blouses up top were thrifted on three separate occasions, as were the basket and vintage leather cowboy boots below. The striped tank is from the 60s, the middle blouse is probably 40s/50s, and the floral and dot tank is likely 90s. The basket is holding all my projects at the moment, and I can't believe I thrifted boots that fit me, especially after I was going to cave and buy some off Etsy for way more than I paid for these ($8, had to brag about that one).
As soon as I get batteries for my camera I'll post the dress and necklace I found at the flea yesterday, as well as my little DIY post (I haven't forgotten!) and another sweet dress I got when I went with my friend Anna and her sister on a thrifting adventure a couple of weeks ago. There's so much to tell you!

i wish that i could stay outside, and linger with the fireflies

During my brother's last few days of school, I was able to persuade my mother to trade me a few things on my wishlist for a few days of my help, which entailed my undivided attention and editing skills on papers. After a few sleepless nights, my new things were shipped and sent! Thank you mom :)

As soon as the package from Urban Outfitters came (late! I was so mad!) I put on this dress and found a neighborhood barn to stand in front of. The dress is really nice, well made and a sweet light gray, but my only problem is that it's a little too short for me, and the arm holes are a bit large, which was mentioned in the reviews. I like it though, so I'll be keeping it! I also ordered these Jeffrey Campbell wooden heeled shoes (on sale for $60, half off regular price from ) which I've seen circulated around a few blogs, and I think these are my favorite shoes! (Besides my triple strap Chloe's, of course) As I've mentioned over and over again, I've been dying for a really high wooden platform, preferably vintage 70s, but I can never find any in my size or price range. These definitely did the trick! Now if I could only muster up enough courage to wear them in public...I definitely get some stares with these, and I'm not a person who likes to get noticed!

I also got this chambray romper and high waist swimsuit bottoms, both on sale at Urban. So great for summer!

Ok, got to run, it's time to take some of this stuff for a spin!

in which a lazy girl wants to start something new

I've been feeling really tired lately, probably because of all the late nights I've been having. Now, before anyone starts to think I actually go out and stay up partying (ha!) it's because of late night TV and my younger brother's exam schedule )as I moonlight as his designated editor/paper correcter). Oh, the wild and crazy life of this American teenager...
Anyway, now that I'm feeling better, I thought I might as well start up a weekly posting thing, much like other bloggers have, in order to stick to a better blogging schedule. I feel that if I don't set a due date for myself, then I tend to let time get away from me, and I don't want to spend my whole summer without posting!
So, since I really wanted to create as much as possible during break, I thought I'd start up a weekly DIY post. Also, I have a feeling that these shoes are high on the list of things I want to create; who's up for DIY dyed sneakers? Someone find me that purple, please!

photo cred; SWNKDLLR

this lady and her knits! how freaking amazing would it be to make something like these!? I just discovered her blog and literally went through the archive, and found these shoes, which she hand dyed, and inspired me to try it out. I'll let you know how it goes!

(oh, and I'm so lazy that I haven't gotten around to putting batteries in my camera and photographing my recent finds, but I pinky swear I will this weekend!)

take the tracks of time

Sorry for the silence, I've been a little bit caught up in end of the year festivities for my younger brother and haven't had much time to do much of interest! I did manage to pick up a summer read (and also managed to get through 3/4 of it by the time I got home from the bookstore) and I set up a hammock and actually spent an evening sitting in it, reading. Making progress on my summer '10 wishlist. So for now, at least until I get around to photographing some new things and some outfits, I thought I'd share some beautiful things bouncing around in my mind lately. This photo is from my new favorite blog. I'm such a sucker for each and every dreamy, beautiful photo I come across, and this seems to be the mother load. source: the hymn for the cigarettes.

I have a sadly persistent and unattainable daydream in which I fix up my aunt's old VW bus (impossible, as it is so rotten) and just drive across the country. It's a nice dream, though. This dress, from Allen Company vintage on Etsy, have me obsessed and started a frenzied search for off the shoulder Mexican dresses. So far nothing compares, and of course this dress is far too small for me to ever fit. Sadness! I also became obsessed with white crochet or lace dresses because of The Snail and the Cyclops. Wouldn't it be nice to look this put together, even in the heat? I love this photo, found off the Urban Outfitter's blog/flickr set, and really, really wish my hair would stay put like that. It's super long now, about to the small of my back, but impossibly thick and heavy. And refuses to hold anthing more than a braid. So it's not so great for piling on top of my head, and it barely stays put in a ponytail! Blessing and a curse, I suppose. Source: here.

I have a lot to share, I've been busy making and sewing (!) and buying and dreaming and reading and such. There's never enough time in a day!

sweet disposition

On Saturday I took a short trip to the next town over to see if I could snag anything cool from the local church fair. Unfortunately, I got there just as it was closing, but I managed to take a few halfway decent outfit shots outside one of the many historic buildings. I'm lucky to live in an area rich in history and old, old buildings, and I hope to take advantage of that for my outfit shots in the coming months!

I'm wearing the dark rinse overalls and white peter pan collared blouse from my last post, leather belt from h&m, thrifted vintage coach bag, and old flats from J Crew. I hopped out of bed and threw this on to beat the humidity, and it worked fairly well. I'm on the lookout for long ones in a dark rinse, or maybe even white. I'd roll the hems and wear them all fall.

I also got to thrift a bit before picking my brother up from school on Friday, and here's all my finds!
A vintage dish drying rack which I'm converting into a basket for the back of my bike; it's perfect for holding books from the library, and thrift store shopping bags!

My first copy of The Little Prince; can you believe I've never read this book before? I sat in the car and read it through in one go. So pretty and sad, this might just be my favorite story yet. (the illustrations get me too)

This is one of my favorite finds yet. A tooled leather bag, with roses stamped into the leather. Also, I love that shade of leather, it reminds me of the natural colored Swedish Hasbeens.

A plain silk tank top in a neutral color, for tucking into jean shorts when it's too hot to think. I might just collect these.

Another (I know, I know, but I'm a sucker for all things soft and comfortable) plaid flannel, this time in blue.

Another piece that I can see becoming a warm weather staple; a perfect vintage blouse, airy and light, and the blue stitching kills me. I need more blue in my life.
Sorry for the funny faces, for some reason I can't keep a straight face when I'm being photographed! Let's hope the good weather is here to stay, because I also finally put up a hammock, and I plan on using it to loung about (as if I don't do enough of that already). Till next time :)

back to basics

Here's a look at some of the stuff I've been finding lately at the thrift store/estate sales/flea market; pretty sweet if you ask me!
Two mini bottles of Chanel N5 and Chloe Narcisse. Personally I've always thought Chanel N5 smelled awful, but the bottle sure is pretty.

I got myself some dark rinse overalls, a nice buffalo plaid flannel, and crazy ass Levi's daisy dukes. The shorts are not for me by a long shot, but are perfectly worn in and frayed.

I got this wonky 80s belt and funny black purse at the same place; normally I hate gold but with black I suppose I can stand it. I also got these leather men's brogues at salvation army for free, because the shoes are a mismatched pair! It's hard to tell so I got them anyways, and they are super comfortable and broken in.
These four white blouses are pretty and clean, exactly what I want for summer. The first is from the 40s or 50s and is handmade, a really awesome find! I just about cried when I put it on and the bust was too tight; I've been searching for a simple sailor blouse for ages! The next two shirts fit me, thank goodness; one is linen and the other a soft Swiss dot cotton. I've already worn the peter-pan collared one, and actually took some outfit shots so hopefully you'll see that next time! The last is crochet, I guess from the 60s/70s. It's funny because I turned to my mom and mentioned that I was looking for crochet dresses, and there this was! Pretty lucky I guess.

These last four dresses I'm exciting to have found; they are so beautiful! The first is a formal dress from the 50s/60s, I wish so bad it fit me! The second is a 60s dress, likely hand made, and it reminds me so much of this Lover dress, with the high neck and longer sleeves, that I grabbed it right away. It fits everywhere but the arms, does anyone out there know how to re size arm holes!? Help would be appreciated! The last two are from the 70s, and they pretty much speak for themselves.
I have been planning for something special for you guys, and I can't wait to let you know about it! Next time I have some more finds to show off, and an outfit post (a commodity around here, haha)