Dressember starts tomorrow!!

 Sorry about the sudden disappearance from the blogosphere- I was caught up in the Thanksgiving hubbub, helping my sis plan and put on the meal. I made a delicious salad, asparagus & heirloom tomato bruschetta, and poached pears in raspberry sauce for dessert....that latter didn't turn out as I had hoped. Note to self: With pears, err on the side of over-poaching. After Thanksgiving, I fell into a bit of a post-holiday stupor. Anyway, enough excuses, and on to the main event: DRESSEMBER. It starts tomorrow. Tomorrow! Are you ready?? Have you gotten the skirt-wearing and pant-wearing out of your system for awhile? Good. Me too.

The rules of Dressember are simple: wear dresses all month (with the exceptions of pajamas, work out clothes, and when you job requires you to wear pants). You're allowed to repeat dresses. You're not allowed to wear skirts.

Last year, I wore a different dress all 31 days (had no idea I had so many dresses until doing so). This year, I'm taking it up a notch: my plan is to wear the same 7 dresses repeatedly throughout the month, styled in new ways. With 31 days, this should mean that each of the 7 dresses is repeated either 4 or 5 times. I've finalized 6 of the 7, and can't wait to show you my choices!

I ALSO can't wait to see your Dressember-application! This is really so exciting to me! We have more participants than ever before (not difficult, given that in its first year last year it was really just me and Amy....who fizzled out about two thirds of the way through the month. If you're reading this Ames....it's ok. This year will be better.)

 Now I will attempt to list as many of you Dressember participants that I know of, along with links to your blog. This is my way of saying: "I see you! I'm glad you're on board! Happy Dressembering!"

Without further ado,

Amy - Art and Musings of Amy Hood
Beatrice - Dear Beatrice
Cami - Cami Jane Photography
Cara - Hide & Seek 
Chhan - Chhan's Wardrobe
Claudine - Moi Peux-tu venir?
Jacqueline - Always Freyday
Katie - Tinda Keelie
Lauren - Sparrow and Urchin 
Lindsay - Little Miss Thrifty
Lindsey - Spiral Static 
Liz
Louise - Coffee and a Cardigan
Nona - A Red Robin
Priscilla - Living Everyday... 
Purdey - Kittenish Behavior 
Sandra - Madam Owl
Stephanie - La Bon Vie

Let me know if I left you off the list- or if I wrongly included you, or made errors on any of your names or blog names!
I have a feeling I'll be adding and editing the list as time goes on, so don't hesitate to contact me!
Also, if you are participating, feel free to help yourself to any of my Dressember graphics/headers.

Happy prepping (mentally and wardrobe-ally...) !! :]

Let's

print from fifi du vie, via design crush.

Dressember is coming [again]!

Some of you might remember Dressember last year- I decided to wear a dress every day in December and post the photos here. Here's a link to last year's Dressember posts.
It's back for it's 2nd annual run, and this year's festivities are bound to be bigger and better than ever! Joining me this year are Amy, Beatrice, and Cami- and you could too!!

Dressember is: a month of dresses! Wear a dress everyday for all 31 days of December. Only dresses, no skirts (still toying with "Skirtember," so stay tuned for that!), and you're allowed to repeat dresses (not all of us have 31 dresses, after all....). I'm thinking about creating a personal challenge, like the same seven dresses, one for each day of the week, re-styled four times (some of them five times)? I'll be thinking that over. Anywho, you take a picture of you in your dress each day, and post the pics to your blog either daily or weekly (or semi-weekly). This is largely on the honor's system, so no cheating and taking multiple pics of yourself on the same day and then prancing around in pants the rest of the month! That would be cheating. Duh. Besides, you'd be missing the spirit of Dressember: reclaiming/embracing/celebrating femininity! And just being fun and not taking life so seriously all the time.

Beatrice was so kind as to start up a flickr group for us as well, so if you're on board, check that out and email me at blythehill@gmail.com with the subject line "Yes to Dressember!" and send me your blog url to add to our Dressember roster (coming soon)!

Tell your friends! Post to your blog! Dressember is coming!

iWooly

LOVE these "iWooly" iphone, ipad, laptop, and pencil cases from The Good Flock.
The colors! The patterns! The wool! Those buttons! = Perfecto.

Thanks Shannon for showing me these gems!

a moderate obsession

from a set of six beautiful quilts
via an ambitious project collapsing

U.O Wishlist

Urban Outfitters' got me crushin on all their new goodies; namely, these babies (click to enlarge):

1. Deena & Ozzy Toe Cap Oxford Shoe
2. BDG Aztec Printed Legging
3. Cooperative Laptop Case
4. Kimchi Blue Suede Bow Skimmer
5. Transistor AM/FM Radio and Speaker
6. Mineral Pendant Necklace

I'm thinking

it's time for another one of these:

any volunteers?

J.Crew....you slay me

J.Crew's done it again. Remember their Fall line? They have me swooning over every item and combination, yet again.

 [Click to enlarge..it's worth it]

[the muted hues, the pop of red lips, the shoulder buttons!]

[gold-dipped! sparkly add-ons!]

[tights + socks + suede = loveforever]

[heavenly color combo]

[je ne sais quoi]

first pic via calivintage, rest from jcrew.com

Lazy Saturday

I had a quiet day today, which was much needed after my busy week- I went on a walk to get coffee with my sister, then made lunch at home (quinoa with black bean and corn salsa), then watched You've Got Mail for the ga-zillionth time and laughed and cried at all the same parts. Such a good film. It's especially fun to listen to that old familiar sound of dial up internet- keee oooooooo beebeebeeeeep!

Later, I met up with Gina for a thai dinner. We shared a "hot pot":

And hey, remember my post about wanting lace up wedge booties? I found them at H&M!

[dress - vintage | blazer - nordstrom | necklace - forever 21

tights - nordstrom | boots - H&M]

Didn't think to take a close up of the boots, but this kind of gives you the idea. 

Hope your weekend is off to a great start!

Inspiring

Currently in awe of: Brandi Strickland's portfolio -

so. beautiful.

via size too small.

Lovely Crocheting Tutorial

 

I love this striped doily shawl on dottie angel's blog. Now, I just need to learn how to crochet....!

"Florified" bag

I was flipping through anthropologie's fall catalog a month or so ago and noticed this bag,

and I thought, "hey, I have that bag." Well, a bag kind of like it. My sister was closet-cleansing a few weeks ago and I snatched up this bag she thinks she got at Forever 21,

So then the wheels got turning. I could make my own little fabric flower appliques!
I cut up some fabric scraps into little strips around 2 inches long, layered them, and then used my handy new sewing machine (a b-day present from Jordan <3), and sewed an X through the middle.

 

I made 7 of them,

and then loosely sewed them in clusters on the bag,

I like how it turned out for now, but I can always make more little flowers to look even more like the anthro bag, or I can easily cut them off if I get tired of them, since I sewed them loosely. I love how the flowers feminize an otherwise pretty masculine styled piece.

Long Beach Antique Market

I struck GOLD yesterday at the Long Beach antique market. I went in the morning, with Beatrice and $60, and found some golden loot.

like a sweet old Coca Cola crate for $10 (bartered down from $15, which was already a good price),

[shirt - h&m | pants - old navy | boots - steve madden

purse - thrifted | necklace - claire's]

I came home with: a globe ($12!), the crate, a potted succulent, 2 wooden necklaces ($5 and $2.50), a pewter dino pin, 4 little glass bottles, a cameo ring, and a round table cloth with a pretty indian block print design ($10!).

There's a reason I only go to these things once every 6 months or so.....
I love me some deals. !!

check out Beatrice's pictures and finds from the day on her blog!