I'm still around so...keep checkin' in:)

I've rather been.... a.w.o.l. {absent.without.official.leave}...as of late. Let me just say this- March {always and without fail} is a ridiculous month. A little of everything gets thrown in to make it a really fun and adventurous time of year *but* also craaaazy busy. I've a few posts in the works but since I'm currently working on 1) catching up on Chem and Am Lit h/w{amongst other h/w-- but these two are especially time consuming} and 2) filling 18 basketball image CD orders... blogging gets put on hold. {Oh and I would love.love.love to catch up on some personal photos somewhere in there- they've been too forgotten}

{Hopefully soon} be looking for some posts that have to do with a silhouette mini-shoot, an overview of my March {*I hope* to have personal photos edited by then to go along with that post!}, a load of inspiration that hit my inbox a week ago, an introduction to my two film cameras and another gorgeous day mini-shoot. Oh yes- I'm also in the works of refreshing my blog layout and design but that might just have to wait longer than I wish it to.

Until then, here's a few links waiting to be discovered {by you of course!}

Online Auction in honor of the Burns family- Thurs., April 7th 9a - Sun., April 10th 9p {This is a local family whom I don't know personally but have many mutual friends with. They were on their way to Florida March 18th for vacation when their car was struck by a semi. The Daddy/Husband was killed instantly, leaving two boys and a Mama/Wife who was sent to the hospital with injuries but will live. This auction is one of several fundraisers to support them as they didn't have life insurance.click here to encourage them}

say YES! to hoboken is my new favorite blog to follow! fashion,diy,food,home... a lil' of everything!

I want to make one of these. Love the cut and length...not to mention the color is so purty!!

The bright pops of color here in contrast to the overcast background coincide with Indiana weather so well. Little peeps of spring are starting to show but we keep getting dreary & cold winter days!!

Cannot *wait* to make several of these garlands to string across my room as a ceiling cover.{Mama just reminded me that I won't have time for personal projects like that for at least two more months. You have no idea how sad that makes me!}

Teacup {and teabag!} Art

{This has been sitting in my drafts for a while now... all it held was some links {to amazing things} but I needed time to pull those links together into an entry.}

I love seeing how others have been inspired by teacups {and teabags!} to create truly unique items.

I'm a huge tea drinker {yes, it won out over coffee a long time ago. It isn't that I don't like coffee...I just like tea more!} but also as a result of the many tea parties held at my home, we've collected quite an amount of tea cups and saucers.  Some of those in our collection might eventually be turned into a few of the projects listed below;) The teacup clock is one of my favorites <3

 Watercolor painting using steeped tea! Find the tutorial from Ez at her Creature Comforts blog

Mary from Nova Scotia uses tea cups and saucers as mini bird baths. {A tutorial isn't given, but I'm sure it something as simple as drilling and screwing them down into the post}

 Kate gives a great tutorial on how to make these teacup candles! It can be found here: Kate's Teacup Candles

Love these teacup bangles from StayGoldMaryRose {though I'd be likely to break them!}

Teacups can always be used as wall decor whether done in a simple fashion as seen above or something more elaborate!

And why not grow a moss garden {or any mini flower garden} in a tea cup?! Such a cute idea! IsisMade features her moss garden tea cups.

Love the way this tea comes packaged... and as someone else said- shouldn't they be called "TEA shirts"?!
More photos can be found on this site, but I'm not sure where they are sold.

Tea bag art by Armen Rotch

No-sew teacup pin cushion tutorial from punk projects

Marvelous cup and saucer clock from Vintage Revivals {Check out the tutorial and make your own!}

The teacup "candl-ier" from ThreadSociety

{I did my best to give direct credit/link to each artist. If I featured your work and you'd rather me not, I will be happy to remove it}

Stripes: On the Lower Half

As you may have noticed- STRIPES ARE EVERYWHERE right now! I picked up a vintage striped skirt at Goodwill recently and though I felt completely blank with how to wear it, it came home with me because there were things I just loved about it. I WOULD FIND A WAY TO WEAR IT, YES I WOULD!!

 See?! Isn't it just marvelous? {ooh and when I say vintage- I mean that it was originally supposed to be worn at the waist and hit between the shin and ankle. I love tons of vintage styles but...not that one.}

I loved the length of it (to the floor maxi skirts=my fave) and I had ideas with how I wanted to wear it...but I was stuck primarily because I'd never worn stripes on the bottom half before! It didn't help that the ideas I had didn't fall within clothing I already had in my closet! I also wasn't crazy about throwing just a solid top with it-- I wanted something with detail but not too much so that it was overkill.

Here's a few ways I've worn it so far-- but hey- as you know from this post- I'm better behind the camera than in front! 

 My favorite so far. I borrowed an over sized graphic tee from my sis for a little slouchiness (my wardrobe could use it's own graphic tees) and threw the bright cardigan on top to cheer up a lousy late-winter day {spring. please.please.please come soon!}

How would you wear a striped skirt? I would *love* your ideas, thoughts and suggestions!
Oh and looking for a striped skirt for yourself? Forever21 and Anthropologie have a few!

Striped Slub Knit Maxi Dress and Vertical Stripe Skirt from Forever 21

Seamingly Maxi, First Mate, and Patagonian Maxi from Anthropologie

 

Anthro had this cute tulip version a few weeks ago when I first drafted this post but unfortunately it's gone already!

So how do you like to wear stripes... and have you considered wearing them on your lower half?? 

UPDATE:

I found this skirt clearanced on ModCloth but it probably won't last long so snatch it up!

Practice Your Lines Skirt

Thoughts | Ramblings

Sometimes, you get caught up in the whirlwind of life and think, "if I can just get past this crazy week, or month, or year...then afterward things will slow down and I'll have more time to spend with people". Until a week ago- that was me. Through my senior year, I've been incredibly busy and on the go...there's always something else that needs done. But though I can oftentimes go without time with friends thinking, "I'll be much more relaxed when I hang out with them if I put it off until after I've studied for this test or I've gotten a good amount knocked off my ever growing to-do list", what I hadn't thought about is that sometimes, people need me to invest in them! Even if it's just homework, it's selfish of me to put that in front of people. My feeble excuse of "school will be over soon and then I'll have more time to hang out" was essentially saying I didn't care much about those around me-- even if I didn't intend it that way. My 8 yr. old lil sister opened my eyes to all of this last week when out of the blue she said, "Emily! You have been *so* busy all school year that we haven't had a date since last fall! You and I are going to have one this Friday."

As you can imagine, it was more than a wake up call for me! She was pointing out the fact that though I had spent time with her at home and such, I had not taken the time to do something special with just her.(something which means a lot to her)  Many of my siblings are in crucial stages of their lives where they need investment from me as an older sister. The same goes for friends and others around me. This may mean simply chatting, having tea, praying, writing a note or taking the time to do something that they really want to do. In the end, it all comes down to giving some of my time to let them know I love them.

So Elisabeth and I set up one-on-one time for Friday night. We had less than two hours free because of other events but that time was sufficient.  Elisabeth loves details, sophistication and girlishness so our date was full of those! On our way to the mall, we picked up an Apple Crisp muffin at Panera for her. Then as we walked through Macy's we admired prom dresses and spritzed ourselves with Juicy Couture perfume;) Next we settled in some comfy chairs at Starbuck's and ordered two Passion Iced Teas to enjoy with conversation while Elisabeth ate her muffin. Then we pulled out the latest Anthro catalog and used it to play I Spy while singing along to Norah Jones and painting our nails. And right before we had to leave, we did a little window shopping and found some new hair flowers for Elisabeth. You would have thought she was walking on air after that night! It just meant so much to her that I took the time to treat her like a little lady-- and blessing her, blessed me in return.

Ciao.

 This was taken a few years ago... but currently, Elisabeth is about to turn 9-- which is how old I had just turned when she was born;)

layering skirts and dresses

If you're tired of dark clothes and completely ready for spring-- well you're not the only one! I've been craving Spring and everything it brings since the first week in February! This post may be a little dragging though since it's all about layering. But maybe you'll be able to take something from it and implement it with spring layers.

  I've grown so attached to layering this way that I'd be awful loathe to give it up come spring weather so I'm already exploring options for layering short and knee length spring skirts. I should have pulled this post together months ago -when it'd be more useful to the rest of y'all in warmer climates... but for those of you who are someplace like me (where Winter just does not want to let go) and warmer clothes are still a must , these ideas can be a way to throw some spice into that winter wardrobe.

Sort of a patriotic 40's look here;) And super comfy. I layered a skirt *on top* of a dress this time and it worked great.

Yes I want spring!!! For this look I layered several pieces that would be too thin by themselves but combined together create enough warmth for day in the high 50's or 60's. {oh and don't you love that lil' sprig 'o hair? teehee. I didn't notice it until afterward:) }

Here are two of the ways I've worn this dress/skirt combo. This dress was a slightly awkward length above the knee and all had a tendency to stick to my tights or leggings when I walked... but adding the skirt underneath lengthened it a bit and took care of the "stickiness".

Another outfit with the same gray dress as before.

It's hard for me to give definite guidelines for how to layer skirts and dresses because when it comes down to things, it really depend on the two pieces you're layering and how they fit together. Here are a few tips though and if you have questions, I'll do my best to answer them!

• Try to keep the width between layers to a small amount so it looks intentional and flows well. (It just looks silly to layer a mini skirt with a below-the-knee skirt.)

• Pay attention to the fabrics you're layering. You typically don't want to layer a spandex/cotton skirt with a wool, etc. 
• You also don't want to look like you just threw two skirts on that day-- the under layer should look more like an *extension* to the other skirt.

{thanks and kudos to Ellyn who snapped all of these for me:) I really need some modeling lessons though!}