my new/old obsession: 2013

12/27/13

Ponderings

So I've known how to crochet for a long time (my grandmother taught me when I was just 9 or 10) but this season I've gotten really into it. I'm considering starting an Etsy shop. I just think it would be so much fun, and besides, my own closet will only hold so many scarves.

The tricky part would be the pricing. I haven't kept track of how much time it's taken me to make my different scarves and hats, and that's really important. I don't want to be averaging out $2 per hour!

But I do love to crochet, it's fun to just put on a tv show or movie and go to town. And once it starts to get warmer, I think I'll make less winter scarves and hats and more afghans.

Anyways, I just needed someplace to think out loud, so I apologize if this post was boring for you. To make up for it, here are some pictures of my crochet creations from this season.

Have a very wonderful New Years! As I tell my roommates, don't do anything I wouldn't do! (I'd do everything :P )

"Find what you love and let it kill you."

-Charles Bukowski-

12/22/13

Winter wish list

So, my birthday happens to be two days before Christmas. This is really fun for me (double presents, you say?) but not my mother who, as my sisters and I have gotten older, has increasingly not known what to buy us. So every year I make her a wish list, a little present guideline. This makes shopping easier on her and she doesn't worry about getting something I don't like. (And I feel very grateful that she is able to buy me presents every year. You've got to remember to appreciate the little AND big things.)

So here is the wish list I made up. (Honestly, it's hard for me to make wish lists, because I'm always trying to restrain myself. I feel like if I give in and just go for it, my list is going to be a million miles long.)

Olay ProX face brush

I've heard good things about these types of face brushes. (And this picture certainly makes it look exciting.) I'm not sure if it comes with face wash or not, but I'll still just use my own. The great thing is, this brand only costs $22!

DVDs: The World's End / The Hobbit extended edition

I absolutely LOVE Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Hot Fuzz is one of my all-time favorite movies, and The World's End has the same cast as Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. If you haven't seen either of those, particularly Hot Fuzz, I highly highly recommend it.

JRR Tolkien is one of my favorite authors, and I think Peter Jackson does a marvelous job of translating his books to the big screen.

Skin Game by Jim Butcher

The Dresden Files is a terrific book series by Jim Butcher. It's about a Wizard/PI living in Chicago. It gets pretty crazy and awesome. Skin Game is number 15 (!!) in the series. The first one is called Storm Front. Check it out.

money for yarn

I am absolutely obsessed with crocheting right now (I've made 7 hats and 6 scarves since September) and there's this great little yarn shop in Wichita where they spin their own yarn. It's really high quality. It's also really expensive. But the people who work there are super nice. So if you like crocheting or knitting and ever find yourself in Wichita, the place is called Twist Yarn Shop. It's in the Delano district.

MoroccanOil intense curl cream, conditioner, shower gel, oil

Best hair care line ever. All of their products smell the same. It's a really distinct smell. At first when I tried it I was kind of like, wow, I'm not sure if I like this. Now I just want to infuse that smell into my skin, so yeah. It's amazing. Their products are sold in most salons and online.

Sock Dreams bamboo cable tights

This is a great little online shop I found, they sell pretty much every kind of socks and tights imaginable. Pretty reasonably priced (the tights pictured above are $16) and the best part is the shipping is super speedy. You'll probably get the stuff just two days after you order.

Injinji socks

I have a pair of Vibram FiveFingers, which I absolutely love, but these are the only socks that you can wear with them (that I've found so far). The bad part is each pair of socks is around $12. You can wear the shoes without socks (it sounds gross but it's mostly not), which I do sometimes in the summer, but then I end up having to wash them all the time so they don't smell. So it's just easier to wear socks with them.

I also really want to get a pair of boots. I recently bought a pair (Raggae-01 by Qupid) that I'm in love with, and I want to find something that is similar but knee-high.

Raggae-01 by Qupid, Amazon $43

knee-high moto boots

2 Lips Too Too Jasper, DSW $70

Carlos by Carlos Santana Hanna, DSW $70

G by Guess Hertlez, Macy's $80

Report Neves metal boot, Macy's $40

Madden Girl Cactuss, Zappos $81

Madden Girl Legacie, Zappos $63

So do you all make wish lists? What do you ask for?

12/21/13

Happy holidaytime

7/10/13

Mélange of prints

Guys, I don't know what's happening to me. I'm going from solids in white/gray/black/navy to actually searching for prints and colors (case in point: I've bought three neon items so far this summer). Not only am I uncharacteristically interested in prints, I'm wanting to (gasp) mix them! I have a fever, and the only prescription is more prints.

I've noticed a lot of the photos I've been gravitating towards have involved a mix of stripes and floral.

I feel bad because often I save inspiration photos on my computer then completely forget where I found them

bsoup.blogspot.com

manrepeller.com

I forget the source :(

bsoup.blogspot.com

I believe I already posted this photo,
but I never thought I'd love an outfit that had two different floral prints
plus the color purple and the color pink
source

does ombré count as a print...?

thesartorialist.com

so I know these two prints aren't on just one person...
but they should be
thesartorialist.com

"Anything that gets your blood racing is probably worth doing."

-Hunter S. Thompson-

7/4/13

4th

Happy Fourth of July! I love this holiday, it's a wonderful summer day complete with barbeque, fireworks, friends, and family.

Is flag fashion big where you live? Here smack dab in the middle of Kansas, it's all over the place. As a little kid, I always looked forward to getting my annual flag t-shirt from Old Navy, and yearned after their flag bikinis (to which my mom always said no).

So what do you think of wearing the flag? Cute or kitschy?

Old Navy's classic tee...

...and swimsuit

chicnova.com

trendunited.com

chanluu.com

madebyhankshop.bigcartel.com

freepeople.com

source

these shorts are super cute, and there's even a diy!

"America is another name for opportunity."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

[let's keep it that way]

4/25/13

DIY altered book

Not too long ago, I started a journal called an altered book. I used an old hardback book, painted the front and back covers, and started adding things to the inside. Sometimes I just sketched or wrote stuff right over the words on the page. Other times I glued momentos or cutouts from magazines in there. It's kind of part diary, part scrapbook. And it's an ongoing project, which is nice. When I'm bored I can just take it out and work on a few pages. It's a great way to keep memories. So why not give it a try?

front and back covers

song lyrics, fortune from fortune cookie, sketch

favorite quote, tornado (Kansas, holla)

random stuff, quotes

drawings courtesy of my half-siblings

quote and favorite scrapbook paper

quote, favorite wedding dress

Hope this look into my "journal" inspires you to start your own!

4/22/13

Inspiration: Miranda Kerr

My current obsession is Miranda Kerr. First off, she's married to Legolas. Jealous! Secondly, she has killer style. I'll definitely be using her for inspiration this spring and summer.