a little jcp collab

soooooooo, about a week ago i was contacted by chictopia to participate in a collaboration with jcpenney for the holiday season.  i was immediately ultra flattered, i mean i've had many a jcp garment in my day and i think it's kinda cool that i was asked to partner with them.
really, this blouse is a great example of the timeless pieces that jcpenney has to offer.  i love the pretty front pleats.  blouses are kinda my jam right now.  i've amassed quite a collection of them.  i think it's the short hair.  i sorta crave those little fem touches.  but the weather has been just abysmal so the only right shoes to wear with this were my trusty boots.  but i also love how versatile this blouse is and that there are a myriad of ways to style it (my english major skillz are gettin' a workout).

but you should totally head over to chictopia and check out the jcp page as well as everybody is ugly.  there will be tons of opportunities to earn points to redeem for great chic rewards this season (and what is available right now).  and who doesn't want something new and exciting for holiday parties and whatnot??  

and no i'm not the only gal who is participating in this.  nine other very stylish ladies will be rockin' some jcp.  please go and see what they have going on.
arianna alexis: cool girl style
andrea k: blonde bedhead
amy choi: choi de vivre
chelsea bird: blog
monica london paris: f & ml
hello lyndsey: blog
the vintage society: b. jones style
kileen cheng: cute & little
danidaniramirez: nany's klozet

details:
blouse-worthington
jacket-vintage, my shop
jeans-thrifted
boots-vintge, ebay
bag-vintage, shop
scarf-vintage (with poodles on it), my shop

a little shaky

it has been raining like all kinds of cats and dogs the last two days.  i'm about ready for some sunshine.  and, believe it or not, we have had crazy earthquakes!  one on sunday shook the house and you could actually hear the rumble of the earth.  i can't imagine how much stronger it would have felt on the ground floor.  but we had a mini quake last night.  just a bit of a shake for about 5 seconds.  still.  this ain't california.  we aren't used to such things in arkansas.
and thanks SO much for all the book suggestions from yesterday.  i love that i got a lot of the same author recommendations.  that tells me they are must reads.  as soon as i finish 'to the lighthouse' i will be going through the list you guys gave me.  so excited to get started!
i really loved this outfit.  i wore it on sunday for church and then for our holiday open house at my shop.  i fear it didn't translate quite as well in photos.  oh well.







details:
jacket-vintage from a shop in austin, tx
shirt-vintage, my shop
dress-vintage from a little shop in fayetteville, ar
bag-vintage, my shop
boots-h by hudson, ebay

currently

reading: to the lighthouse by virginia woolf.  i'm really wanting to read more from women writers.  you guys have any favorites??  i'm always looking for recommendations.

training for: the fayetteville half marathon on december 11th.  and it looks like i'll be running in the rain today.

listening to: mumford and sons.  matt brought this home the other day.  so good.

wearing: plaid, leather, pink, and boots.

drinking: coffee.  yummmmmmmmmmmm.

looking at: the pretty colors outside my window.
have an awesome day!!!!

she's a maniac on the floor

ah, legwarmers.  worn by dancers, became mainstream fashion in the 80s, fell from grace in the 90s, experiencing a resurgence today.  i've been looking at buying some on etsy but just hadn't found the right pair.  then a friend of mine suggested i make my own from a thrifted sweater.  well, i have already deemed this the year of the sweater so it was just kind of perfect.

so first, you have to find a totally rad sweater.  maybe you have one already?  that would be even radder.  i on the other hand headed out to my favorite thrift and searched for a pattern i liked.  i didn't tell the ladies what i meant to do with it, sometimes they look at me funny.

so after i got it home, i used my seam ripper to remove the sleeves at the shoulder.  then slipped it over my legs to get the fit and pinned it in place.

then i got out the sewing machine to sew up the newly fitted sleeves.  then trimmed off the excess.


i kinda wanted to use the bottom trim to finish off the top of my legwarmers so i cut it off to sew.  this is where it's good that i did a photo diy and not a video.  there may or may not have been some colorful language used.  i tend to make stupid mistakes and have to start over...and over and over :)  and then tend to jam up my machine so i have to remove knots of thread and on and on the troubles go.  so take it from one who knows, make sure you sew the top band outside to outside.  otherwise your seam will be on the outside and look really bad.

i kept pulling the solid green band tight so it would help the top to stay up on my knee.  it took me a couple tries, but i really love the way they turned out!  so for just a couple bucks, you can have some really cool legwarmers to keep you cozy this winter.  i plan on making loads of these.  i get awfully chilly in the winter!

fall colors

i have a feeling this is the last week of the pretty fall colors.  soon all the leaves will be on the ground and the trees will be bare.  the days will be short while the night comes too soon.  this year has flown by, no?  and i am determined to make the most of what is left of 2011.  we are at the beginning of the holiday season full of parties and family and friends.  this is the time to take a step back from the busyness of life to reflect and be thankful.  because pretty soon, it will all be over and it will be january.  and january sucks. 





details:
sweater-thrift
dress-old navy, thrift
boots-h by hudson, ebay
rad eagle bracelet-barefoot and vintage

halloween hangover

whoa.  what a day it was yesterday!!!  fun but super busy.  i started my day with frantically finishing isaiah's costume.  i bought an XL ladies robe from salvation army for 50 cents and cut and sewed him an emperor palpatine cloak and used cardboard and foil for the electric 'force' that emits from his hands.  then i ran 11 miles, ate lunch and headed to the store for candy upon candy bags for the downtown trick or treating.  


hundreds of people lined the sidewalk and i handed out candy one piece at a time until i ran out.  i felt bad because i gave out my last chocolate then abruptly turned around and went inside!  i'm so bad.  i just didn't want anyone getting mad at me!

i wore a '60s wedding dress for my costume.  i had these visions of painting my face and being a corpse bride and also taking really cool pics in the cemetery, but i ran out of energy for all that.  still, lots of little girls loved my dress.


isaiah went to a friends party after school while i handed out candy.  then the three of us went trick or treating and pulled in an impressive amount of sweets.  mmmmmm, nothing like the smell of halloween.  

and now, i start decorating for christmas......sigh.

leopard

happy halloween!  and although i am wearing leopard, this isn't my costume.  that comes later today.  from 3:30-5:30 i will be handing out candy to a few hundred little dressed up kiddos in front of my shop.  it's probably the most tiring thing EVER.  having to smile and compliment the same princess and super hero costume over and over not to mention all the sullen teenagers who just think they can put on a mask and ripped up tee covered in fake blood and ask for candy they put in a dirty pillowcase.  but, it's for the children.  the children, they love it.  so i will dress up and hand out candy one piece at a time, and smile.  i will smile.  then drink wine :)
here's to a happy halloween!!!!!!!!!!!



details:
jacket-fancy treehouse
sweater-thrift
jeans-gap, thrift
shoes-vintage ferragamo, thrift