A Peek at My Bedroom

I've gotta document the look of this bedroom before I officially move the heck out, come March.  I'm really sad to leave this little place, but it's time to move on.  So here's the bedroom....

Getting a little SAD?

Seasonal Affective Disorder is something that most people deal with when the time changes and it's just dark the moment you go to work and then moment you come home from work.  Depression is such an ugly place to be in.  Especially in the darker months.  This season is a bit different for me though.  I really like the idea of sun lamps and such, but I'm on a budget, and they are just so ugly!!!  So I decided to invest in some pretty candle light.  It's cheap and it makes my home feel so much cozier in the evening hours.  I have a cozy throw on my couch and just light some candles then cuddle with the boyfriend.  Or just cuddle with myself and turn on some 30 Rock.  Thank you Netflix!  hahaha..

Obviously, when you're dealing with a depression where you're just so full of despair, it needs to have the attention of a doctor to prescribe to you meds or alternative therapy.  I've been suffering with some form of depression since high school and my doctors were really more for the alternatives to medicines.  So check with the docs please!

An Off Sunday

 

It's like I look surprised that I decided to do style photos!!  It was a deary Sunday morning and nothing was feeling right.  You know what I mean?  It was an off day.  I was in an off mood, I was just feeling blah and overly exhausted.  Too be more clear, I suffer from anxiety, and this past week was horrendous!!  Today I started to feel more normal and everything is settling into place like it should.

Oh, so this outfit.  It's your basic, roll out of bed and try to figure something out, type of outfit.  I took inspiration from some photos I saw in a magazine and threw this together.  I'm digging the sheer tights with the shorts.  It's sexy but not overtly so.  The blazer really tones down any sort of va-va-voom for a Sunday morning look.  Hehehe..

Hat, Blazer, & Blouse, Thrifted

Shoes, UO

Shorts, Target

Coach Purse, Antique Store

I Made the Bed!!!

One of my goals is to try my best to be neat and tidy.  So here is my documentation that I made my bed!!!  Holy crap on a stick I actually made my bed!!!  Baby steps people, baby steps.  Having a new duvet set with a puffy down converter makes it even easier.

Dress and Belt, Thrifted

Ring In The New Year!!!

 

Thank you 2012 for being so good to me!!!  There was so much change in my life those last 12 months.  It's unreal to even think about.  The year started off shaky, with my divorce from my husband, then all the money problems that are associated with that.  I had to give up my Starla (roughest part of everything) to my mom and then Archie to my mother in law.  But then by the middle of year I had fallen in love with a great wonderful guy who's name is Adam.  He is one of the most sweetest, honest, adorable, smart, handsome, etc...guy.  Sometimes I pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming him up.  hahaa..too much?  And I have my health, an excellent set of parents, a very supportive sister and a great roommate.

So, listen here 2013!!!!  I've got some goals and special reminders to give to you for me! 

1. Pay off those damn credit cards.........by moving back in with my parents.  So scared about this   next step in my life.  If I can pay them off in 9 months...all will be good.
2. Get more organized.  I always enjoy nice cleaning living in other people's homes...why not mine?  I am perplexed at how their time management works with day life and daily cleaning.
3. Revisit the yoga studio.  I did Ashtanga yoga for years, then I switched it up to hot yoga. And then I got lazy and stopped going to them all. 
4. Stop obsessively buying clothes.  God, please help me!!
5. Take my first college math course (the one I was saving for last) and be on my way to graduation!!!!  Pretty Please!!!!

Little Things

Finally!!!  A true to life style post!!!  These won't be too common, but they will be included.  I was feeling rather Christmasy so I donned an appropriate cream white thickly knit sweater and a faux fur collared red jacket.  Something about cream and red really make me feel comfy cozy.  Especially when the bitter wind is biting right through you.

I only wish I could give you a close up of my fancy shoes!!!  My wonderful guy surprised me by painting my shoes with a funky gold pattern.  I truly love them to death!!  Every time I glanced down I'm reminded that my boyfriend is quite a charming lad and super creative when it comes to giving me a surprise.

 

Jacket, Vintage

Jeans, Sweater, Thrifted

Shoes, UO then handpainted

Necklace, Made by me

Christmas Skirt!!!

One of my good friends recently let me go through their vintage collection of gorgeous dresses.  While I'm no where near their size, I decided to not let it stop me from creating something that would fit me.  The green silk fabric was just fabulous and I thought it would be perfect for a cute Christmas skirt to be worn with a cute vintage kids holiday sweater.

It's super duper easy to make a skirt like this.  I just chopped off the bottom of the dress and then cut up vertically to create a long piece of fabric.  Then I took the fabric, wrapped it around my waist and pinned it where it fit, then cut off the excess.  Then I folded and sewed a 1 inch hem at the top.  I am using the original hem for the bottom of the skirt since it's even easier that way.  Then you just thread some elastic (cut to the size of your waist plus maybe an inch and a half) through that hem you made, gather the elastic then sew the ends of the elastic together with the fabric.  Done and done!

 (don't mind the missing needle...I had just broken it before I decided to take this photo.  hehe)

Tour My Living Room

After much moving around through the apartment, I decided to turn my dining room space into my living room space.  Living in a turn of the century apartment definitely has it's advantages.  Such as, really big spaces!!!  Currently I'm just using my original living room as a bedroom for my roommate.  Win Win!! Without further adieu, here is my new living room!!  Complete with a newly acquired bar space, just in time for the holidays.  Many thanks goes to my awesome boyfriend for figuring out the best furniture placement and for making the bar and buying some liquor.

Rainy Day Boredom

One thing always leads to another.  On a rainy afternoon I decided it would be in my best interest to go ahead and clean out my closet.  Of course I start getting sidetracked and opening up old purses and whatnot to see if I had forgotten about anything cool.  Like my favorite vintage necklace, which just so happened to have broken.  Here's what I did to distract myself from cleaning!

Super easy!  I just used some old jewelery chain I bought from Micheal's and slid on the beads then added the clasps!  Easy Peasy!! 

Staycation!!!

A nice staycation was in order for me last week.  I had a glorious 10 days away from work and the end that glorious time off, I decided to head to DC for a weekend with my beau.  Unfortunately, we were planning on spending a whole Saturday afternoon wandering through DC and visiting museums, but what is normally a 3 hour drive actually took us 8 hours, so those plans were smashed.  But we did treat ourselves to a really awesome dinner at this place called Dirty Martini and then spent the following morning walking all around DC for about 3 hours.  It's amazing how much ground you can cover in 3 hours of walking!!!

 

Thankfully, after hours of walking around DC we were able to retire to a really sweet hotel.  Seriously, if you're in DC you have to stay at the Mayflower!!!  I've never been to a hotel so pretty and hospitable!

Bar Night

I'm not sure about you, but I enjoy visiting a bar that feels cozy and fun.  I'm definietly not one to go out to dance clubs (too loud) so I enjoy the more simpler pleasures of heading out with my guy and friends for an evening of drinks and pool.  I mean, the dudes even play chess at this bar.  That's how cozy it really is.

Changing Direction

My life has changed so dramatically in the last year.  And accordingly, my blog tastes have changed as well.  You have already noticed that I haven't updated my blog since August.  Life slowed down for me in a way and then sped up.  I have seriously limited my time on the internet in the past few months and have started living life and finding beauty in everyday things.  While I do enjoy this new point in my life, I've noticed I haven't been documenting it!!!  I was given a wonderful gift of my Nikon and lately its been a dust collector.

Now, I have come to a point in my life where I can better handle my time management with life, internet, and finding the beauty in the day to day life.  I can't wait to change the direction of my blog!!!  I am keeping the blog url, in case you want to follow along, but have changed the title.  This may or may not be a temporary decision.  I hope that when I do change the url, that you all decided to continue to follow along!!!  But this direction is also a little more personal for myself.

So, as you may have guessed by this point,  I am now a lifestyle blogger.  No longer a style blogger.  But I do plan on throwing some cute outfits in the blog on a weekly basis.  Just for kicks, ya know?  hehe..

Classic Lace

What's not to love about a white lace dress?  It's so classic and pretty.  This particular one is very reminiscent of something a young lady would wear during the 1960s.  I know this because I've become obsessed with Adam-12 (a cop drama from the 1960s) and mini dresses are a recurring theme amongst the damsels in distress.  haha..  I mean you're kind of helpless when your dresses are so short that you can't even bend over or reach up high for fear your whole rear end will be exposed.  Who came up with the idea of dresses that are so short they are almost impossible to walk around in?  I'll look that up later.

Anyways, again, it was once again hot as Hades and the idea of wearing anything was becoming troublesome, so that's where the mini dress came in.  Complete with short briefs underneath for some modesty.  Oh and I am definitely having a love affair with these sandals from ASOS.  They were such a steal too, during their summer sales.  I'm so glad I bought them when I did.  I hope they last me at least 2 more summer seasons.

A note about my heart ring.  I've been wearing this everyday for the past few months.  After taking off my wedding rings, my hand started feeling bare and naked and off balanced.  I found a ring that belonged to my mother when she was 20 and decided to borrow it for awhile and it's now become a part of my entire being.  Its a nice connection between my mom and I.  A heart shaped turquoise stone is timeless and its now my favorite piece of jewelry.

Dress, H&M
Sandals, ASOS
Sunnies, Urban Outfitters
Necklace, Etsy
Ring, Vintage (mom's)

Photos by  Molly

Day Trip to Williamsburg

Wanna know what I love?  A good deal.  Any time I find something that intrigues me from Groupon or Living Social, I geek out and buy it.  A couple of weeks ago a few deals popped up for Williamsburg and I snatched them up and planned a fun day trip for myself and my friend.

Since it was going to be hot as hell, I decided on a very sheer and pretty floral blouse, some linen shorts with little ruffles, and then my super comfy and cute leather sandals.  It was quite perfect for the hot hot humidity (hey I live in southern Virginia, so I feel compelled to complain often about the heat) and it was also something I felt stylish in.  I try to look my best for traveling for some obscure reason.  Hehehe....

And so our trip to Williamburg included a fun outting to Colonial Williamsburg, which was free, a tour of Williamsburg Alewerks with a free tasting afterwards, and then we finished off our day of fun with a yummy dinner at a bakery.  Here's some pictures of our sights.

It was so nice to have a cold one after walking around for two hours in Williamsburg.

 

Top, Modcloth

Shorts, ASOS

Sandals, ASOS 

photos of myself and the skull by Adam