10.31.2011

A Weekend to (Barely) Remember…

Halloween is today, but I had to celebrate this past weekend, as “real life” takes over on Mondays. It was an excellent weekend. I dressed up both Friday and Saturday, but Saturday was the less awkward of the two. More people in costume. Yay!
Not that I cared…I loved being in costume and I wish I could do it more often. Who doesn’t like to play dress up?

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Top photo taken by Robert E. Hanlon at Rodano’s.

I didn’t bring my camera and had to rely on my iPhone. But we were too busy having fun to take many photos anyways.
But let’s not forget the craziest part of the weekend, the snow. We spent most of Saturday watching the flakes fall in our pajamas until we were ready to go out. I didn’t really appreciate the cold, wintery weather (especially in terms of my costume), but it was nice to stay cozy and warm indoors and watch the huge flakes fall (I think we got about 6 inches?).

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Hope everyone had an excellent weekend. Here’s to a great week! And, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

10.28.2011

Happy Hallo-weekend!!!

I’ve been planning my Halloween costume for a while, so I am super-excited that the Halloween weekend has arrived! This is honestly the most effort I’ve put into something in a long time (maybe ever…I’m really not very crafty), but I’m so happy with it.

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In case you aren’t familiar, my costume is the Black Swan, from the Darren Aronofsky film. If you may remember, I absolutely love this movie, Natalie Portman, ballet….I have been wanting to do this costume since I first saw the movie. I purchased the easy parts (ballet slippers, a tutu, tights…)over time, but it was this last week that I finally sat down and designed the top portion and my crown (huge thanks to The Sorry Girls on YouTube for their post…I was overwhelmed before I watched their videos!). What a relief to have it done!

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The makeup is definitely one of the best parts of this costume. Again, as a not-so-crafty person, I was overwhelmed by the idea of doing it myself. But I sat down and watched this video on YouTube, and it seemed like a piece of cake! (Sorta…it takes a while for me…) One great thing to consider about this costume/makeup is that it’s kind of supposed to be…ugly and frightening a little. So it’s not perfect.
And I’m okay with imperfections…less pressure!

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Just a couple of little details…the painted hands and, my favorite, her scratch marks with a little sprouting feather! Brad did an amazing job with my back. And he helped a lot with the costume (he can actually sew!! I can’t even sew…).

Maybe I shouldn’t be showing off already, when I’m not sure what I’ll be doing for Halloween. But I was just so darn excited!

I hope, whatever you do for Halloween, you have tons of fun and stay safe! Enjoy, everyone!

10.27.2011

Flo, You’ve Done It Again…

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I have blogged about Florence + the Machine and Florence Welch quite a few times (like here and here and here), and I’m sorry, but I have to do it again. I’ve been listening to her latest album, Ceremonials, non-stop. No sophomore slump here, guys. It is a beautiful album and she just has such power, in her voice and the emotions that she conveys. I am obsessed. Re-obsessed.

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All photos from We Heart It

One of my many favorite tunes off the new album. Her voice kills me.

10.26.2011

Outfit: Autumn Roses

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It was a beautiful day on Sunday. After a week filled with gray skies and super chilly wind, it was nice to see the sun and go outside without a coat on. This outfit really uses a lot of Autumn colors and perfect items for transitioning with the weather. The combination of shorts and tights is highly debated in the fashion world. Clearly, I’m all for it. Especially when it comes to this corduroy pair. I got these at a steal (you’ve seen a navy version here) and they are excellent year-round, with or without tights. I paired mine with a pair of Betsey Johnson rose tights I found at Marshalls. They are a little too small on me, but I couldn’t deny the print. Could you? I doubt it…

Cardigan – Old Navy/Tee – Old Navy/Shorts – Old Navy/Tights – Betsey Johnson/Shoes – Bass

I didn’t realize how much of this outfit was from Old Navy until I wrote that out. Wow…haha.

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10.25.2011

Crystal and Alex, Engaged…

I am SO EXCITED to finally share with you the photos from my shoot with Crystal and Alex. Crystal and Alex are two very good friends of mine and an adorable couple. I am so happy for them, and incredibly honored to be a small part of their wedding process.
These photos will hopefully be cherished for the rest of their lives, and that’s a big deal.
I truly hope they are pleased with them…I am!

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Aren’t they the cutest ever? The easiest part of the photo shoot was how ready/willing they were to jump right in. These smiles are genuine. This love is real. And that’s why these photos are so great. I didn’t have to egg them on. The love flowed naturally.

I am so happy for you guys!!!! Thank you for letting me be a part of this special time in your lives. It is such an honor.

P.S. Isn’t it hard to pick a favorite? The last one is a classic, though.

Sunday Brunch

I’ve mentioned this before, but one of my favorite parts about Sunday morning is making breakfast. I often let Sundays get me down (they do lead to Mondays, after all), but it’s impossible to be moody when you’re whipping up a tasty morning meal.

I am super disappointed that my stomping grounds don’t have a brunch spot (Maybe I’m mistaken?). There are tons of diners to go to, and I do love me some diner food, but I’m talking a place with fancy sandwiches and quiches and Bloody Marys and Mimosas. The best option, in our case, was to bring the brunch spot to ourselves. Brad made freshly squeezed orange juice, which we spiked with Spumante, and we ate a super-delicious Eggs Benedict Salad (we got the recipe from his Primal Blueprint cookbook). It was an excellent way to start a beautiful day.

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10.24.2011

Outfit: Casual Friday

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I wore this outfit for a little engagement photo viewing party at my friend Dana’s house. It sort of reminds me of what one would wear to work on a “Casual Friday.” The blazer is all business, but the laid back tee and denim leggings bring it back down to Earth. The shoes?
I found those at a place called the Dreisbach House in Jim Thorpe. 10 dollars. Vintage. Mint Condish.
They are a project to put on, but they were just my size. How does someone say no to that? I couldn’t. I love them. A lot.

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Blazer – Thrifted/ T-Shirt – Wal-Mart/Jeggings – Pac Sun/Shoes – Vintage/Earrings – Flea Market

I also had fun reintroducing earrings back into my life. When I was in college, I used to feel naked without a pair. But as my hair got shorter and shorter, I felt it looked strange. I bought these earrings more than a year ago, and finally decided to wear them. It added a little funk to the outfit…we’ll see if I can keep adding the little (or kinda big) accessories back into my life.

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P.S. This week’s nail treatment: Wet N’ Wild’s Everybody Loves Redmond + OPI Shatter. Sally Hansen’s Black Out on the ring fingers.

This Past Weekend…

I am so sad to say that the weekend is already over. But we are getting close to Halloween, which I am so excited for, and my first weekend off in a couple of weeks. All good things! This past weekend had me all over the place. Friday was the viewing party for Crystal and Alex’s engagement photos. We had a nice little cocktail party set up (I even gave a toast) and am so excited that they enjoy them.
I will be sharing them with you later this week! I spent the rest of the weekend figuring out/decorating my Halloween costume. I am very very pleased with how it is turning out and I am anxious to share the final product with you guys.
This is the most effort and DIY-ness I’ve ever done with anything…like, ever. But I am so pleased.

Here are some fun photos from the weekend!!!!

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Here’s to an excellent week, leading up to an AMAZING HALLOWEEN WEEKEND! I hope y’all have your outfits planned.

P.S. Expect some doublin’ up on posts. There are lots of things to showcase this week!

10.21.2011

Friday

We are almost there! I have yet another work shift tomorrow, but I’m going to try to make the best of the rest of my free time. Looks like I’ll be doing a lot of work on my Halloween costume. I know I could go the easy route and just buy one that’s all nice and pretty and ready for me in a bag, but I’m excited about this. And I really think it’ll be worth the work (fingers crossed…I’m lacking in crafty genes). Unfortunately, I’m keeping my costume a secret (for the most part) until the end of next week. Which, by the way…Halloween is next week? All this fuss for a weekend of fun and then…no more? We need Halloweens (or costume days) every month. Seriously.

Anyway, I’ve decided to start sharing outtake photos from the previous week on Fridays (Been kinda doing it anyway).
iPhone photos I took, memories that weren’t showcased in the past few days. The little, good things in life.

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My mom is so cute.

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My sister’s sugar skull pumpkin.

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A glass of white wine, some popcorn, and a cute movie.

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Getting in the Halloween spirit.

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I got to bring a bunch of balloons home from work. Hope they last long enough for a cute photo shoot.

I’m still going to include a song for you. The weather is so chilly lately, and this song really fits the bill.
Kaki King is amazing at the guitar, and I just love her little voice.

10.20.2011

Bon Iver

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Yesterday was a gloomy, rainy, chilly day. So I listened to Bon Iver’s music on repeat and my life was complete.
Justin Vernon’s voice is a beautiful thing. I am at peace listening to this lovely music.

10.19.2011

‘Tis the Season

Fall foliage is in full effect (in fact, some of the trees are already becoming bare). Halloween is quickly approaching, so, when my friend Jenna recommended getting outside this past Sunday, I was quick to recommend a pumpkin patch.
Dymond’s is no Maylath’s, but it was the perfect chilly Fall day activity.

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