come on spring!

I'm getting pretty good at pushing Picnik to it's limits. I really wish they'd come up with a product I can buy and keep forever, rather than having to continually pay for the upgraded account. I paid for it a couple months, and it had some cool features, but I've gone back to the free stuff. It's not as involved as Photoshop, but it gets the basic job done.

[Cardigan - BP from Nordstrom/Dress - Forever 21/Tights - Forever 21/Boots - Oh Deer!/Belt - J.Crew Outlet]

This outfit is from last week. The weather has been hovering in the high 30s, low 40s here in New England and I would give just about anything for things to warm up! I was saving this dress for a nice warm, sunny spring day but finally caved and wore it even though it was cloudy. I just love everything about it.

It came with an attached fabric belt, but I like switching out belts, so the attached one had to go. A couple quick snips and voila! Belt was gone. Luckily it was only attached with two small stitches. Now I can mix and match belts to my heart's content, and the one that I snipped off is still totally usable.

I've been itching to do some sewing/crafting lately. Jessica from What I Wore has been seriously inspiring me with all the super clever things she's been posting lately. I have a dress I started making out of one of Boyfriend's old shirts, but it got abandoned somewhere along the way. I think I'm going to dig it out this weekend and finish it.

Boyfriend and I have been trying to think of things to do when we hang out. Instead of sitting around, drinking wine, eating, and watching Jeopardy. Not that there's anything wrong with that...but we're 25 and we have plenty of years of Jeopardy ahead of us.

Anyone have any good (cheap) date ideas? If you're from the Boston area, any cool places we can check out? We're open to adventures!

it's over

This post title has a kind of double meaning. Winter is over. Hence my bare legs on the one 65 degree day we had a week or so ago. I was the only one exposing my bare, white legs, but it was amazing. Also, my 30 for 30 is over. I just can't bring myself to take those last two pictures. I know, I know it's two pictures! But I just don't feel like it. And I feel like I've been avoiding blogging because of those two damn pictures. So to hell with them, I say! The 30 for 30 is not for me.

I have all these outfits planned out in my little notebook and I am so excited to finally get to wear them and post them! Now that the weather is finally improving I want to start really planning out a couple "photoshoots" a month. I'm also going to take a Photoshop class so I can start making the blog all funky and fresh. First I need to obtain Photoshop. Blergh.

[Jacket - Old Navy/Dress - ModCloth ModCloth/Shoes - Aldo/Bag - Linea Pelle for Target/Sunnies - Ray Ban]

I really loved this outfit. I think this dress is going to be an awesome staple this spring and summer. The color is a great starting point for so many looks. The dress is a teensy bit big on me, but not to the point where it looks bad, I don't think. I have such a hard time figuring out what size I am now that I've lost some weight.

The bag is Linea Pelle for Target. I didn't even know Linea Pelle was doing a line for Target, I just happened to stumble upon this when I was in there a few weeks ago and I just couldn't say no to the bright blue color. I thought it was a nice pop against all the neutrals I was rocking this day.

I also got these oxfords awhile back and have just been waiting for the weather to be decent enough to wear them. Plus, the leather is super stiff and they pinch my toesies. I have the same pair in black and they are so comfortable. I think the black ones needed some working in too, so I'm going to give these ones some time.

Well I am exhausted and there is a noisy puppy that needs some disciplining, so until next time!

sunday funday

I'm going to take those last two thirty for thirty pictures today! I swear. For now, here's a fun little post that was on Refinery 29. What does your signature pose say about you?

30 for 30: day 28

I know, this is becoming comical how long this challenge is taking me. Only two more outfits to go, and you guys are definitely getting them crammed into one post. I am done with this bad Larry.

I am so obsessed with this blouse. I love it. I wish I had bought it in the other color it came in - white with black polka dots. I want to buy more sheer blouses for spring, I think. I'm just craving light and flowy right now, and I wish the weather would cooperate with my clothing urges! It's supposed to be snowy and rainy and gross tonight. Not cool, spring.

I know I've been really behind on my posting lately, but as soon as I get up those last two 30 outfits I should (hopefully) be back on track. I've been busily assembling spring outfits and I can't wait to wear and share them. Life has also just been a bit hectic around here at the moment. I guess I've been doing a bit of life spring cleaning as I've just been getting a lot of things done that I have been putting off. It feels good to have them off my plate though!

[30 items: boots, skinny jeans, blouse/belt - H&M/watch - Fossil]

If any of you follow me on Twitter, you know I had jury duty on Monday. It was awful. I had jury duty last year, and I just went in to the courthouse right in my town, sat for a couple hours, and got sent home. It was great. This was Federal court jury duty, which you can't be exempt from, and I had to haul all the way into Boston on a Monday morning during rush hour. Unfortunately, I overcompensated how bad traffic would be and showed up an hour early. Then ended up not getting to leave until 4pm. Luckily I didn't get picked to be on a jury, but a whole day of being trapped in a courthouse? Not fun. I couldn't even have my phone. I brought my book, but reading for nine hours straight is not as nice as you'd think.

Luckily now they can't call me for any kind of jury duty for three years! Yesss. Okay gotta go get ready for yoga. I have a weight loss goal I am no where near reaching! :x

the cake curse

I have a Cake Curse on me. I'm pretty sure it started the year I got my Easy Bake oven. There was a blizzard on my birthday that year, so we couldn't leave the house to pick up the cake. I was secretly grateful - the parents had planned a bowling birthday and I couldn't imagine anything I wanted to do less. So we ended up having an Easy Bake oven cake with a candle in it. Yeah. Sad. I mean, anything that came out of the Easy Bake oven was pretty much just lukewarm batter.

I don't think I have ever had a decent cake since then. A few years back I asked for a cake from a fancy bakery I'd heard about somewhere. They had cakes that looked like the ones they made on the Food Network - you know, fancy fondant and fun shapes. I wanted one so badly. So my mom went to the bakery to check them out. My mom bypassed the ones shaped like Louis Vuitton bags and Tiffany boxes and high heels in favor of one that looked like it was meant for baby's first birthday. It was pastel. It had little rosettes on it. It was a beautiful cake and had she not told me beforehand that they had ones shaped like Tiffany boxes and Louis Vuitton bags I probably would have enjoyed it more. It's not that I didn't enjoy my Baby's First Birthday cake, but I really wanted that Tiffany box cake.





"I don't know what I was thinking," Mom said, "The Louis Vuitton bag one was really something..." Thanks, Mom. Rub it in.


Then I tried asking for cupcakes instead of a cake. Like, a tower of cupcakes. How amazing right? Mom either forgot or totally half-assed things, but I ended up with gross, dry cupcakes from one of those warehouse stores that sell things in bulk. Like she was grabbing 50 rolls of toilet paper and saw some cupcakes and she decided that would be a good idea.

Last year, my aunt decided to make me a homemade cake. It was a perfectly lovely, if maybe a bit lopsided, cake. I mean, it wasn't poisoned or anything, so that's always good, but it also wasn't a Louis Vuitton bag cake.

Oh and my college graduation cake? Hannah Montana. No, that's not what we ordered. Do you know how embarrassing it is to have all your friends watch you be presented with a Hannah Montana cake when you've just graduated college?

This year my mom and aunt were super excited. They thought the cake was going to be AMAZING. They had this thing in the bag this year. But of course, when Mom went to go pick up the cake, it was the wrong one. I'm not even kidding. I don't know how my mom didn't burst out laughing in the middle of the bakery. What could she do? They didn't have time to make a whole new cake. She brought it home anyway. They showed everyone pictures of what the cake was supposed to be - all cupcakes arranged in a flower shape with Tinkerbell on top! A princess cake! Because I was the Birthday Princess! We ended up with what we thought was a regular sheet cake with the same Tinkerbell on top.


But lo and behold, when we went to cut the cake, it was actually the cupcakes! For whatever reason the people at the bakery had decided to slather frosting on the sides of the cupcake wrappers to make it look like a sheet cake. It was bizarre, but I still got my cupcakes! And they were delicious. So maybe my Cake Curse is finally reversed? I hope so, because I don't want to think of the disaster my wedding cake will be if I'm still cursed.

Yes, I wore my Gryffindor Quidditch shirt on my birthday. ;P

30 for 30: day 27

I was sitting here, trying to think of something witty and fabulous to write about when I realized I hadn't really talked about my birthday celebrations yet. So that's what I am going to share today.

Saturday Boyfriend and I celebrated, since on Sunday he left for a cruise. Without me. Let's not discuss it because it only makes me depressed.

We went into Boston to go to Buffalo Exchange where I sold some of my clothes for a sweet $50. Cha-ching. Then we drove all the way out to the Natick mall to go to the Fossil store (can't believe there's not one in Boston!) so Boyfriend could get me my watch. I had hinted/asked for it months ago, but of course he didn't get it then. He says he wanted me with him so he could have it sized properly. I couldn't argue with him there. I have petite wrists.

We went out for a delicious dinner that night too. I got to eat calamari, and steak, and learned I don't like blue cheese. But I do like blue cheese dressing. Go figure. I love when days are all about me. ;)

Sunday was my family party. That's when the whole family comes over like it's a holiday, my mom panics that we won't have enough food, then we end up with tons of leftovers. It's awesome.

[30 items: chambray shirt, jeans, JC wedges/necklace - Mom's, from Aldo]

There was also a mild incident involving my Cake Curse (more on that in my next post) but it ended up being a blessing in disguise.

Also, look!

That's all the snow left in our front yard! That's our little tree behind me! Remember when you couldn't even see him?

30 for 30: day 26

I'm back! After a brief birthday related blogging hiatus, I am back and ready to finish out this damn 30. I am never doing this again.

I love the idea of the 30. But to be honest, remixing my wardrobe is one of my favorite parts of getting dressed every morning. Sure, I love shopping and buying new things, but it's not like I never wear the same thing twice. It made me miss all my other clothes. I felt like they were just gathering dust in my closet, and with Spring approaching, I feel like I missed out on remixing some of my favorite winter items before it was too late.

It was also tough to time this challenge with the changing of the seasons. When I started, it was bitterly cold and snowy. Now it's beginning to warm up and my 30 clothes are becoming harder and harder to remix. I know this is supposed to be a challenge and all, but boots and sweaters are becoming impractical.

[30 items: striped tee, black jeans, black desert boots, rhinestone cardigan/watch - Fossil, gift/necklace - American Eagle]

Lastly, it stressed me out. I'm not a post-every-day kind of blogger, so it was hard for me to keep up. I'd rather leisurely blog at my own schedule than feel pressured to take pictures and post them every day. The 30 for 30 is just not for me. Sorry Kendi! But I'm glad I tried it, because now I know!

In other news, check out the sweet watch Boyfriend got me for my birthday! I'm so obsessed with it. I think it makes me look super cool. Haha.

it's my birthday!

It's my birthday today! Be back to regular posting this week. :)

via

30 for 30: day 25

Gosh I am awfully cheerful today. Even though my pictures today are kind of dark.

Let's see, Thursday is weigh in day for me, and when I weighed in this morning I discovered I lost almost two pounds last week. That's reason enough to be cheerful if you ask me. That puts me two pounds away from my April 1st check point goal. I've been setting up check points along the way, for instance "I want to weigh xxx on April 1st" then that's what I work towards. Baby steps like that work for me. And I also set up rewards. This check point reward is a massage. Which is an awesome motivator.

As a reward for today's successful weigh in I treated myself to coffee from Dunks instead of coffee from the cafe at work. I also decided to treat myself to a day off from the gym. I really love treating myself. So instead I cleaned my room, got some freelance things done and I'm going to snuggle up with some magazines soon. All in all, a fantastic day!

[30 items: dress, hoodie, black desert boots/belt - The Limited]

I was insanely comfy in this outfit all day. My favorite dress + cozy hoodie = perfection. I'm going to start wearing my hoodies more. I have about 80 trillion and I usually just wear them when I am bumming around. But I think it looks cute with the dress, instead of a cardigan.

P.S. Anyone catch my little nod to The Breakfast Club up there? It's one of my favorite movies!

eat your heart out, dorothy

glitter, and platforms, and laces....oh my!

30 for 30: day 24

Almost finished! I have all my outfits planned out until this is over, so we're good to go. Just gonna stroll right past the finish line here. Mom's sick of me wearing the same things again and again.

As you can see, I am still on a photo editing kick over here. This attempt was less successful. I like the feature, but I don't think it is suited for outfit pictures. That's why I stopped using it after two pictures. Sorry for the inconsistency.

This outfit looked better in my head. Don't get me wrong, I was comfy and content all day, but I think I underestimated how see-through this shirt really is, and the short sleeved striped shirt looks funny peeking through on the arms. I was trying to copy this look:

from Madewell

Maybe their Madewell shirt isn't sheer like mine. Oh well.

[30 items: gray sweatshirt tee, black and white striped tee, skinny jeans, black desert boots/necklace - American Eagle/watch - Guess]

Today I've been really stressed out about work and a job and what I want to do with my life. I decided to take the GRE's and look into grad school. I have some ideas of what I want to go to school for, but I want to shop around. I think maybe I might want to look into going to school someplace other than New England too. Maybe California. Or someplace warm, anyway. I'll have to run it by Boyfriend, since he'll (hopefully!) be Husband by the time I'd finish grad school. Anyway, I figure I'll take small steps - get the GRE's out of the way and start applying to different jobs.

I already have been applying to different jobs but nothing has come through yet. It's tough out there. But my job gives me anxiety day in and day out. Not even because the job itself is high stress (it shouldn't be) but because I feel like I get no support or help. Every day I just wait to see who's going to throw me under the bus that day, or criticize the way I do things. No thank you.



I'm also switching banks. I've had enough crap from mine. Bank of America used to let you sign up online and now they don't. Such a bummer, I have to haul myself all the way to a branch now before they close. Sigh, turds. Okay, enough whining from me for today! I am going to curl up with my new Lucky magazine (with Zoe Deschanel on the cover! Love!).