A Real Weekend

 This past weekend was a real weekend for me! Woo hoo! Saturday I spent some time in the garden, tearing out the dead tomato plants and preparing the ground for some winter veggies. We'll see how that goes. . . Our backyard gets very little sun this time of the year.

Winter weather is most definitely here. I'm finding myself planning my outfits around which sweater I want to wear that particular day. Lately I've been hankering to get back to the outfit photos (especially for Wardrobe Remix) but just never seem to find the time. . . and, well, my outfits aren't as cute as they used to be! This is what happens when you work for yourself and the work is never done. I find myself wanting to wear the clothes that will feel

one of my coziest sweater

 the most like pajamas all day long!

Ultimately tho, the blog and outfit posts from other everyday gals are the ones that feel the most real to me. I want to know how the gal who only has a bike to get around town makes her outfits work. Or the stay at home mom. How does she manage it? Or the self-employed artist. I don't seek perfect polish or panache. Outfits that don't feel contrived, or sponsored by clothing and shoe companies. . . Just real gals posting the clothes they wear to go about their very real days.

In case you wondered, some of my favorites are:
* The Girl Who Married a Bear
* Astral Boutique's Blog
* Clothes Cameras and Coffee
* Thrift Candy
* Making Nice in the Midwest

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the more polished gals with the gorgeous style. I LOOK at these blogs and drool over the clothes, the style, but I guess what disappoints me sometimes is that I started following these DIY fashion blogs because it was inspiring what gals were doing with very little money. . . I feel like so much of it has become commercialized in a way that's just not for me. . .

I've been thinking about growing my bangs out. . . 

What I'd really like to see is a resurgence of the "non commercial" style blog. Blogs that are true expressions of the person ( the gal, yes, since I mainly follow blogs written by women) behind it. And I am finding those blogs. Sometimes tho, the internet is such a crowded place it can be hard to find the things you want to find. So, if you know of any awesome, feisty ladies who like to post about personal style, life, politics, food, road trips, etc, let me know about them!

This bag went everywhere with me this weekend

 

Saturday night Jeff and I cooked dinner together. Sauteed some veggies and fish. Also baked an acorn squash with some brown sugar and butter. Mmmmm. One of the yummiest (and easiest) fall foods!

Today I'm working on pieces for my holiday fairs. There are so many of them: fairs and pieces to work on! Having a "real" weekend definitely helps me focus more during the week tho.

Here's to a "real" weekend as often as possible!

Fashion Obsession since Forever Ago

I've been obsessed with fashion since. . . well, since as long as I can remember. But I was raised by parents with a very utilitarian take on getting dressed. They hardly consider fashion something worth wasting one's time on. Which, I completely understand. Over the years though, I have figured out what fashion is for me, how I value it, how I choose to pursue it. While I am the first one to admit that I love to flip through the most recent issue of Vogue or Elle, most of my influences come from my peers and those I see on the streets (and in street style blogs.) My style is fairly feminine, with a strong 60s-70s edge. I love long skirts, layers, big jewelry.

But lately (ahh, you knew there was gonna be a "but" didn't you?) I am finding that the way I love to dress is not exactly meeting my daily needs. I think my lifestyle has changed a bit while my preferred mode of dressing hasn't quite kept up. . . How shall I explain this? My weekdays are primarily spent working at my new studio space. My weekends are often spent either one: at a craft fair, two: catching up on un-glamorous chores and things like gardening or three: (but more rarely) traversing flea markets, hanging out with friends, but mostly, keeping it casual and comfortable.

Basically, I'm finding the distinct urge to scale back on the dressing drama. I want to be able to get up in the morning and get out of the house within an hour (that includes eating breakfast, watering any plants that are thirsty, taking care of my cats, packing a lunch, not an hour on my attire, just to be clear.) I found myself thinking this the other day: "The sexiest women I see on the streets are the ones who know how to dress to meet their life's needs and then dress as well as they can."

So, what am I saying? I'm saying that I'm finding myself more and more attracted to more practical things. Shoes with low and supportive heels, well made jeans that are made to last, practical purses that can carry a lot but aren't so large I'd loose things in it.

Like these clogs, discovered courtesy of Cali Vintage, from No.6. I love the color, I love that there's a sling back to keep them firmly on. And I love that the wedge isn't too high. I feel like these could easily be worn any time of the year (at least in the bay area).




My other recent obsession? Finding the perfect high-waisted, two piece bikini for summer swimming. Once again, I'm being patient and trying to find just what I want instead of the cheapest thing that'll probably fall apart after two summers (if not sooner.) There's so much to love about all of Mara Hoffman's styles. Especially this one:

For now tho, I'm saving my pennies and working with what I have. I wanna take a day or two to go through my wardrobe and pick out the things that are still really working and figure out where my "fashion" holes are. Most importantly tho, I think I'm moving more towards carefully selecting items that I feel strongly about. Doesn't mean I won't hop in my car, head out to the suburbs, and stock up on bags and bags of thrifted goodies every now and then. No, I just think I'm ready to invest a bit more in the pieces that really matter.

And hey, any suggestions from you guys on your most favorite brand of jeans? Leave a little note for me in the comments, if you have the time!

Fashion: also known as juggling vanity with real life? Maybe. . .

Craft Fair Duds

Today's turned into one of those catch all days - things needing to be repaired around the house, getting ready for a craft fair, general chores. But it makes me feel a little nutty sometimes, like I'm spinning a dozen plates in the air at once! 

I thought I'd share a quick wardrobe post with ya'll. This was from in July, when I sold at the 25th Street Collective in Oakland for Art Murmur. Which, by the way, I sell at EVERY first friday of the month in case you wanna drop by and say hi!

jumper ~ vintage shop in Austin, TX

bangles and belt ~ thrifted

necklaces and earrings ~ Tangleweeds

K, back to packaging up some Etsy orders. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Back When

 Photos from back when I wasn't setting up to vend my goods at a craft fair every single weekend. Back when I actually had time to photograph my wardrobe choices. . .

 This outfit is a perfect example of what I love: a mix of colors, texture, pattern, and comfort. Oh, and a kitty cat!

 outfit details:

top ~ the lovely vintage shop Pretty Penny

skirt, purse, belt ~ thrifted

earrings ~ Tangleweeds

shoes ~ UO

Have a lovely rest of your weekend ya'll!

Sunspots

Let's see, what did I do with all my time on the weekend? Lots! Sometimes I have a harder time remembering what I did yesterday than what I did a month ago. . . 

On Saturday I headed out to Livermore, with Jeff and his son Sean, to see my family for an early mother's day celebration. On Sunday it was mostly a day spent at home working on new jewelry creations for Tangleweeds. 

dress ~ Pretty Penny (my favorite vintage store)

shoes, belt ~ thrifted

leggings ~ Target

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous, so I've been gravitating to dresses with movement. And simplicity lately. I find, more and more, that I want to wear what I feel good in, otherwise I'm just wasting energy trying to be comfortable when I'm not that I could be using towards my day.

I always wear my own jewelry. . . I feel like I'm cheating on myself if I don't wear at least one piece I've created! These earrings are my Asymmetrical Brass River Bed Earrings. I love their movement and texture. 

I  snapped these photos super-quick before running off to a work meeting at Peaberry's on Sunday night. Hence the off-focus, sunspots, and all. But I kind of liked how they turned out so I decided to share them with you all!

Maybe a last

It's been a while since I posted to Wardrobe Remix on Flickr, or posted any outfits here at all. These photos are from over a month ago! February 11th to be exact. And even thought it's taken me forever to get around to it, I really wanted to post these ones, mostly because I just had to share these shorts-skirt-skorts with you!

I don't usually get this goofy, but I was having fun.

Arlo, chillin', and hanging out with me in the backyard.

Mostly, I'm just finding that I don't have the time to take wardrobe photos, let alone post them here and on Flickr. I'm finding myself in a very reflective mood these days about how I spend my time, and taking outfit photos has become one of those things that has fallen by the way-side as I weed out the non-essential in my life. I'm sure many of you too find yourself needing to weed out the non-essential when life gets especially busy. So, this may be a last outfit post for a while. I'm not saying my last forever, but maybe my last for a while. 

And it's not just about life been super busy all of the time. It's also about me wanting to make time for certain things in my life that I struggle t make time for: like reading more, and studying and using herbs, and growing a vegetable garden, and traveling, and, always, more time for my jewelry.

I'm turning 30 in less than a month, and I am completely at peace about this. But I'm also ready to finish growing up and really dedicate myself to what's important to me.

outfit details:

shoes, cami, skorts ~ thrifted

belt ~ Mars Vintage

cardigan ~ Christmas gift

tights ~ Hue

most jewelry ~ Tangleweeds

Outfits Galore

 I can never seem to keep up with these outfit posts, so I bring you an outfit marathon, collected from the last month or so. . .

 this skirt, one of my favorite kitschy pieces

braids!

red-red dress worn to go gallery hoping during the last art murmur

 casual work-at-home wear

coffee-shop wear

this dress is one of the pieces I recently found at the Goodwill in El Sobrante

        

Most clothes thrifted, a few bought new. 

Have a lovely day, and don't forget to check back tomorrow if you entered my jewelry giveaway contest from last week! 

I wear this sweater a lot

I'm wearing. . . 

layers and jewelry! My standard for getting dressed.

skirt, cami ~ thrifted

belt ~ Pretty Penny

tights ~ Hue

boots ~ Ross

cardi ~ Modcloth

sunglasses ~ Flashbacks (it's like a cross between a vintage store and a Crossroads and it's in SoCal)

necklace ~ made by me

earrings ~ gift from a customer at Peaberry's

bangles ~ thrifted

It has been a busy busy day! So many errands. I can't complain tho, I do it to myself intentionally. I'd rather have one marathon day of errand running once a week (or once every other week) than a few every day. 

Back to the rest of my evening. I'm making a giant batch of carrot-fennel soup tonight. Half for eating right away and half for freezing. 

French Influence

So, I'm not exactly sure where the inspiration came for this outfit. . . mostly I just wanted to dress up and get fancy, even if it was just to go out and have beers and pizza with Jeff. I am feeling a bit of a french vibe from this outfit. I think it's mostly the thigh-his and the lacy top.

This is a new necklace design (I haven't even given it a name yet!) but you can expect to see it in my Etsy shop later this week. 

I scored this vintage Dooney & Bourke purse from an old roommate of mine. She was moving away after graduating from Cal and was seriously purging her closet. I hated these purses as a teenager (my mom always carried one) but now they really appeal to me. I love the hardware, and the craftsmanship. 

outfit details:

~skirt, booties, bangles ~all thrifted

~blouse and thigh-hi stockings ~ UO

~blue-grey stockings ~ Hue

~earrings and necklace ~ Tangleweeds 

Have a beautiful day!

Casual Day

Sometimes you find and skirt in a store that is just so perfect you have to buy it even though it's too big, too small, has a cigarette burn front and center, whatever. This skirt was that a loooooong time ago. I've had it nearly from the beginning of my thrifting days (so I've had it at least 10 years). 

It was too small, simply put, and too long. So I shortened and re-hemmed the bottom and then cut the waist out and lowered it. It was a very full skirt so there was plenty of fabric to play with. In the end the waist turned out to be sort of like a paper-bag waist, which can be attributed mostly to my self-taught and remedial sewing skills more than anything else, but I like the effect. 

skirt, cami, sandals, belt, bag ~ thrifted

earrings, longer necklace ~ Tangleweeds

amber necklace ~ gift

cardi ~ xmas gift last year

leggings ~ Target

bracelets ~ thrifted

These sandals are my new favorite pair of sandals. We've been having such unusually warm weather (at least we were a couple of weeks ago) that I've been able to break them out of the closet already. They were only $3 at the San Leandro Thrift Town! Next time I go on a buying spree there I'll try to take photos. Last time I went with two good friends, one of whom has a blog here: The Dandy Brimborion.

Back to making jewelry! I'm trying to build up a healthy inventory since I'm trying to do more crafts fairs this year than last year. Which means A LOT!

An Ode to Handmade

Part of the reason I got into the business of making and selling my jewelry was simply because I love to create things with my own two hands. I love the art of the handmade, the process from start to finish. I especially admire the crafty and cunning folks out there who through one way or another attempt to thoroughly immerse themselves in the process. Whether it's a jewelry maker who creates their own findings rather than simply buying pre-made ones, or the artist who creates their own poster designs and then screen-prints them themselves in their kitchen (yes, most of those close to me probably know who I'm referring to: Jeff of Crumble Diamonds), they all have earned my deepest respect and admiration.

Besides wearing my own handmade jewelry, I love donning the wearable of art of others'. It's a good feeling knowing that I was able to help someone do what they love to do by purchasing one of their gems. Because what I do is made possible by the hundreds of folks who decide they want to wear what I make.

This outfit is from last weekend (I get so horribly behind on posting to Wardrobe Remix). My parents came out to Oakland for the day. We did some shopping at bookstores in Berkeley and my mom and I went to our favorite bead store in Berkeley as well, Baubles and Beads.  (My dad also helped me install my torch! Eek! I'm so excited to start using it! More details to come on that later. . . )

You can see them better in the first shot, but I'm wearing earrings by Molly M Designs and a feather hair fascinator by Remastered Virgins. You can find Molly's earrings and other jewelry at stores all over the east bay, but the feathered hair piece is another story. The two girls I bought it from were selling at the Telegraph Avenue holiday fair in Berkeley and they pretty much only do fairs, but their work is really lovely and they combine unusual elements in their hair-pieces like driftwood, pieces of fossilized coral, even dried mushrooms!

That's the great things about selling at so many craft fairs: you get to meet other creative folks, some of them doing it for a living, some of them clearly just doing what they do because they HAVE to, as in their conscience and their soul wouldn't have it any other way. The two girls with the feathered hair-pieces seemed to be those kind of magical people. I loved their work so much I bought 3 of them. Maybe they'll be selling around here again soon.

All of these shots were taken in the backyard of my Oakland home:

outfit details:

skirt, blouse ~ thrifted

stockings and knee socks ~ Hue

necklaces ~ Tangleweeds

earrings ~ 

hair fascinator ~ Remastered Virgins

bangles ~ all thrifted or gifted

booties ~ DSW shoes 

Have a lovely day! Time to get back to making some more jewelry.