Nightlife - MGMT

Saturday night my co-workers and I went to see MGMT play at the Civic Center, courtesy of our tip money. I didn't stop for outfit photos before I sped downtown to pick up hot wings for the pre-party, so this is about it.

 I'm wearing a self-made striped skirt as a top, black jeans, thrifted necklace & gold shoes.

MGMT was pretty awesome. The singer made a crack about our "lovely basketball stadium" but really, it's the biggest space we've got in my pop. 49,000 town! I've seen Rent and The Nutcracker there, too haha. Afterward, we went dancing at the Blue Lagoon, made fun of the skanky girls dressed "up" for the Tech 9 concert, and went for a Taco Bell drive-thru at 1 a.m.
What a great night!


* Helen:  yes, it is a C. Rowley pattern! I found it on sale for $4! Good eye ;]
* Karen-Beth: you can custom order a leopard-print dress in your size! Contact me!
* Lisa Lisa Lisa - I want to try making dresses with cut-out backs, especially a heart shape!

Fashion Therapy - Welcome to the Jungle

The last day of Me-Made-May! Phew, it's been both a long and interesting month. I am glad I did it, it really got me thinking about what I like and don't like, and I'm more amped on sewing. Sometimes I was hard pressed to compose an outfit that I liked that included something I made; I'm looking forward to some solely store-bought outfits in June! Check back soon for the last May outfit pic: what I wore to see MGMT.

The weather has grown beautiful again, just in time to debut the latest dress I made. To go animal-print overboard, I wore complimentary shoes & bracelet. I Googled  pictures of leopards and cheetahs, but I couldn't really discern a difference between their patterns, so I guess I'll just assume I'm wearing both. Gotta rep all the cat breeds in one outfit.

I wore this to work where I have to reach overhead quite a bit, so I have on cut-offs under the dress for safety reasons.  Anyone who's a fan of Arrested Development will understand why I was giggling to myself all day about being a Never Nude...

t-shirt dress - self made** | shoes - target | jewelry - crossroads

**There's more of this fabric left! If you'd like to custom order this dress in your size, please contact me or place an alchemy order at my etsy store! The price is $36 plus s&h, and can be any length you desire.

Today's Yays 

♥ I bought a giant oreo cake basically because my dog's name is Oreo. It was/is delicious

♥ closing early on Memorial Day

♥ fresh cucumber & mango salad, mmm

♥ finishing Slaughterhouse-Five & starting Pharmakon. I also have a list of books to buy!

♥ finding two scarves & a replacement belt for the one I broke, all for $10

What made you yay today?

 

Fashion Therapy - Supersize Me

Just a few more posts and I'll be all caught up, just in time for the end of Me-Made May! It'll be nice to wear some of the outfits I've been planning all month but didn't wear. Last night I went to an awesome show and a fun after party. I never go out anymore, but last night was a nice change from the usual routine. I had some nice conversations, some hugs and a sip of Goldschlager - mmm, cinnamon-y.

In case polka dots, criss-cross contrast stitching, and oversized wooden jewelry wasn't enough to make ya dizzy, I thought I'd throw in a shot of my everyday bag, also oversized and patterned oddly. I love being able to use it as a shopping bag and carry all my crap in it, too.

necklaces - thrifted | top - self made | cardigan - uo sale | jeans - wet seal | shoes - ross

any exciting plans for the weekend? I'm going to see MGMT tomorrow night!

 

Fashion Therapy - Brown & Green

I'm trying to catch up with Me-Made-May outfit posts. I can't believe the month is already almost over! I wore this to work a few days ago. It's cooled back down to tights and sweater weather, boo. My co-worker and I have decided that Summer will officially begin here on June 15th, so weather, take note. You better shape up soon.

Has anyone outside California seen the new "Come To California" commercials? Do those things actually work? Does seeing freaky Maria Schriver & The Terminator "eating" in a really expensive restaurant really inspire fuzzy emotions? They scare the hell out of me.

top - crossroads | cardigan - tresics | skirt - self made | boots - uo

Happy Friday Everyone!

Fashion Therapy - Black Clad Beach Bum

This isn't a beachy outfit, but well, it wasn't a beachy day, either. It's back to clouds and cool weather and some rain showers. I was taking the scenic route home from work, and decided to stop for photos at a deserted beach.

It was very pretty out, regardless of the temperature. There was blue sky peeking through the clouds, as well as a few rays.

I love the tights from Urban Outfitters. Yet at the same time, I wish they were beige. These are a kind of light pink, and I'm unsure of pink. It's a little scary. I don't know how to match it to things. Pink & navy, okay but I don't own any navy. Pink & brown, cute but I don't own much brown either. Ooh, okay pink & gray will be good, I like that. Okay, I feel more comfortable now.

hat - h&m | cardigan - thrifted | top - self made dress | skirt - thrifted | tights - uo | boots - steve madden

* Kristen — yes, it is an Edelweiss tattoo on my leg. I'm surprised someone recognized the flower! My mom was born in Austria, and the national flower is the Edelweiss, which only grows high up in the Alps. Folk lore has is that the flower is a great symbol of love and devotion, because in order to get one you have to climb into the dangerous, craggy mountains. My mom and I just went to a tattoo shop for these ;] She has a small one on her outer ankle.

** Daily Fashionista — I don't remember quite how I first learned to sew, though my mom probably taught me to sew by hand. I got my first (and only, actually) machine when I was fourteen or so, from Costco, and took some lessons at Beverly's Fabrics, where I would end up working for three years ;]

Fashion Therapy - Candy Coated

I got some cheap, peppermint-candy printed fabric to try a new skirt pattern. I've got it planned in a pretty blue rose fabric for the store, and maybe the houndstooth knit too? Even though it's a slightly effed up first draft, I still like it. Pockets on anything have that effect of me, as does sugar...

I didn't want to look like a candy striper, so I paired the skirt with a black band tee and some "tuff" boots.

tee - the national, altered  |  skirt - self made  |  boots - crossroads

I like The National a lot, but I love the tree on this shirt and it's the main reason I bought it, haha. On my lunch break today I got some earrings for the next giveaway and found Slaughterhouse Five in the used bookstore today, yay for new reading! Thanks again ladies for giving me your recommendations ♥

Fashion Therapy - Stoppin' Short

This is what I wore on a lazy Friday of fabric shopping, sewing, eating, watching Friday Night Lights, and more sewing. I'm really pleased with all of the above. I love days off work! I can't wait until my hobbies and work can merge...

top - self made  |  shorts - hurley, altered  |  shoes - mervyn's
 

I still have enough of this black and grey houndstooth sweatshirt knit to make something new for my etsy store. 

What do you gals think: a full gathered skirt, or a more fitted one?

Shop Update/Outtakes

I didn't actually get dressed today, except to quickly go get fitted for a bridesmaid dress. Mostly I've been in pajamas, watching Friday Night Lights on netflix and cutting out patterns. That show is so good, I get so emotional watching it!

These are just some outtakes from today. I took pictures of these new additions for my Etsy. Since I made them, I guess they still count toward Me-Made May. I thought these pics were funny, considering in the first one I'm trying to pull my skirt down without falling backward & I look mad in the second (I wasn't, I was cold though).

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend ♥

Fashion Therapy - With Both Hands In My Pockets

I lagged most of yesterday, and when I finally got dressed and went to the post office to mail out an etsy order and the giveaway prizes, I arrived about 6 minutes after closing. Damn. While I was out there, I took the opportunity to photograph another section of the train tracks that run through town. This is slightly south of where I live, but I love how there's redwood trees everywhere out here.

I went to the hardware store after to try to figure out how to hang a shelf on my shifty wall. The old gentleman helping me just seemed annoyed that my dad couldn't just do it for me. Hey man, I can do anything he can do, better!

Being up on this trestle and trying to not drop my keys or camera through the rails down onto the cars rushing below was a little more extreme than standing on the tracks behind my house. The top is one I made with really long tails, and it took some interesting maneuvering to get it tucked in without too many weird bulges. I like the color scheme though, and the different colored poppies of the fabric. 

hat - crossroads | top - self made | shorts - f21 via crossroads | wedges - target | ring - crossroads

Happy Weekend everyone!

P.S. Last night's 30 Rock - Matt Damon as Liz's dream man? I wish it could last forever!!

Fashion Therapy - Flower Power

*This was an Editor's Pick on chictopia, thanks gals!

Nothing like a little sunshine and a flowery dress to brighten up a dreary work day! In keeping with Me-Made May I pulled a skirt on over the dress, which made a sort of dirndl effect that felt fun. I found this dress at a half-off sale, always a wonderful thing, and I want to wear it every day. I almost can't wait for June, when I can take a break from wearing self made clothes every day.

The seashell belt is an interesting accessory, but my favorite is this locket ring I recently found. I put in the only picture of my pup that I have, though it's a little hard to see... anything...

cardigan - h&m | dress - new deal | skirt - self made | belt - thrifted | jewelry - crossroads | shoes - payless

Today's Yays ♥ sleeping in mmmm ♥ tons of fresh fruit for breakfast ♥ no rain! ♥ flowers everywhere! California poppies blooming, a fresh bouquet of sweet smelling roses ♥ blueberry muffins

and I leave you with a song I'm obsessed with right now:

Fashion Therapy - Cherry Cola

Centering an outfit around a scarf and sort of boat-neck sweater kind of sent me down a retro spiral this morning. It was raining and I was out of time and bored with the plain driveway background, so I thought I'd hop up onto the fence for a sort of 50's pose, which just ended up being terrifying since the other side drops sixteen feet into brambles and the train tracks. Well, there's my one scary thing accomplished for the day!

I have to credit Zoe of Haiku Ambulance for being pretty much my sole motivation for trying the head scarf thing. She rocks one almost every day, and I'm kind of obsessed now. I need to get more solid colors, and wear them for the next oh year or two while my hair grows out. Problems solved! The cherry earring, well I just thought this outfit called for more kitsch...

Due to a massive scheduling error, I had no one to open the store with me this morning, so I basically got paid to walk around and shop and not work for three hours until someone finally came. I found an awesome dress on sale, some cute rosebud studs and another Obey t-shirt. Scores! Oh, and some instant oatmeal.

top - self made | scarf - thrifted | coat - diy redo | jeans - macy's | shoes, earrings - ?

How was your Monday?

Fashion Therapy - Clean Slate

Oh hi, that's just me and my adorable dog Oreo stalking each other. Her idea of playing is either biting or running away from you when you need to catch her. There's no "fetch" with this one.

Our lovely/lame weather pattern continues. Half the day the sky is white, and then some blue shows through in the afternoon while the wind blows leaves into my work. Me-Made May is a little tough when it's cold, I've never gotten into making trousers! Doughnut holes and chai lattes help. So does a light color palette and floral wedges. I felt like the sand, sea & sky today!

cardigan - new york & co. | top - self made | necklace - thrifted | jeans - wet seal | shoes - Crossroads

Today's Yays ♥ my co-worker got his dream job ♥ jammin' (and by that I mean air guitar) to Radio Moscow ♥ girl talk (not the band this time) ♥ Costco muffins mmmm ♥ finishing my shelf refinishing (I love decorating!)

Fashion Therapy - Night & Day

Yesterday was such a glorious day. One, because I wasn't working, and two because I got to do so much enjoyable stuff! During the day I needed to so a bunch of errands, but the fun kind. I'd planned on going thrifting too, but well, circumstances got in the way. I dressed comfortably in flip flops for walking and trying on shoes, and wore the new skirt I'd just finished. I was still a bit cold all day but the sweater materials helped. Warning: this is going to be a wordy post, so you don't need to bother reading all the words, I just had such a long day I want to record!

I went to my trusty Beverly's Fabrics (working there was actually my first job, from age 15 to 18) and totally scored. Simplicity patterns were on sale for $3.99 which is UH-mazing, and I found gorgeous fabrics on the remnant tables to make the first drafts, plus some cute pink jersey to make wrap scarves for my etsy store and the giveaway I'm planning. [I also found a cool raw wood shelf on sale, and bought gold paint to make it pretty. It's going above my bed like a headboard, full of fresh flowers, photos, candles and what now. I started a little spree of redecorating/rearranging and it's been really fun!] 

Moving on, I also went to the mall for the first time in many moons and discovered that...I like it a lot less than I ever have. I only ended up getting some hand soap at Bath & Body Works. When I got downtown to eat and go thrifting, I realized: there's soap in my giant purse, but no wallet. I never lose my stuff, and I frantically started calling the mall and my bank and putting a hold on my debit card, and imagining all kinds of horrors involving getting cash and a new ID and all that. The mall stores I'd been to said they hadn't found any wallets, but I drove like a bat out of hell back there anyway with half-assed plans of retracing my steps and hoping my wallet was on the ground somewhere. To my infinite luck and relief, at the last place I stopped, Bath & Body Works did have it, tucked safe in a drawer. I was so relieved!

 sweater - black harts, via crossroads | skirt - self made | shoes - target | coat - billabong

That catastrophe averted, I felt super light and giddy, went home, threw the new fabric in the washer, pulled on tights and some fun bright wedges, and headed back downtown to meet a friend for dinner at Hula's (turn your computer's sound down if you check their website). This is one of my favorite places to eat, and if you live near Santa Cruz or Monterey I suggest you try it. The decor is fun, the lighting is dim, and fun music is usually playing in the background. Michael Jackson hits started soon after ten, which was fun. We had kamikazes, sweet potato fries, the Duke's Luau Pork, tried pineapple wine from Hawai'i, and finished with an amazing slice of a passion fruit/key lime pie thing that tasted like heaven. We went to CVS around midnight to debate zit creams and mascara, and damn was that place scary! So many crazy people around. I took the second set of photos when I got home, so I was a little tired and cold and impatient. 

What is your fun weekend happening?

Fashion Therapy - ...A Few of My Favorite Things

Dandelions are one of my favorite flowers, even though I think technically it's a weed. Queens of the Stone Age is one of my favorite flowers. I didn't consciously put together these two favorite things, I only realized it later!

Standing in the alley by a giant door thing was the only place I could find that was relatively shielded during my lunch break. There were all kinds of teenagers around, the ones who'd ditched the nearby high school to hang out and scream at each other and then make out, and they totally love alleys.

tee - qotsa show | skirt - self made | belt - thrifted | tights - uo | shoes - classified 

I've recently passed 100 followers, and I want to do a little giveaway to express my excitement and pleasure! While I don't have big sponsors or much money to put together cool packages, I want to give a some fun stuff back. As little as it is, this blog give me so much, I want to share some pretty little things with others, so check back soon ♥

Fashion Therapy - New Territory

Oh boy, train tracks that are slightly different! I got off work at rush hour time, so I drove the long way home, which is just the coastal route. Much more relaxing and better looking than the freeway. Still congested though, so I decided to pull over a few miles from home and take some pictures up on the trestle above Capitola Village. It's overcast and a little chilly today, though I can't complain since it's not raining, yay!

I used to spend a lot of time in this area growing up. The annual Ducky Derby (as in a fleet of numbered rubber duckies) on the river, boogie boarding all day every day after school during El Niño, getting ice cream and thick crust pepperoni slices from Pizza My Heart and walking around looking at boyos during high school.

 dress - self made | vest - f21, via crossroads | necklace - crossroad

leggings - crossroads | shoes - michael kors, via crossroads

I love the mustard/deep blue/milk chocolate color scheme and different cozy textures of the cable knit leggings/tights, wool dress and knit sweater-vest. Please ignore the cat hair! I just love macro shots so much I can't resist. The cool wooden and metal necklace was a recent find that tinkles like a little wind chime when I move.

Fashion Therapy - Hungry for Houndstooth

I worked on Mother's Day, so my mom and I celebrated on Saturday. I drove us, Oreo and a little chihuahua friend up Highway One to Davenport for brunch and some sight seeing. I couldn't decide between fresh blueberry pancakes and huevos rancheros, so I had one of each haha. It was delicious. There's a teeny tiny one-room "jail" behind the restaurant that was built in 1914, and my mom loves to go peek in the windows every time we go up there. I had her take a few photos as proof that I'm sticking to Me-Made May. I don't know what happened to Rose or her Jail Garden, but maybe that single pink flower is all that's left!

It's supremely windy in this particular part of California, so it's always a challenge trying to dress for a trip North, even though it's only about 25 miles away. We went down the cliffs to the beach for a bit so the dogs could play, and we lay our full bellies in the warm sun while the wind whipped sand into our faces every few minutes. When we left I had sand in my pants, in my eyes, stuck to my face! It was so beautiful though.

top - self made | scarf - self made | DIY jacket redo - forever 21 | jeans - wet seal | boots - steve madden

The houndstooth-print top is made of a thin sweatshirt material which I love. I have some left over and am thinking about making it into a skirt. I'm also not a big knitter, but I found some enormous needles that made scarf making a lot speedier and more satisfying. The great thing about infinity scarves is that they don't fly off in windy weather!

The Day's Yays ♥ quality time with mammy ♥ watching my little terrier wrestle with an even littler
chihuahua — priceless ♥ Choco-Latte body wash mmmmm ♥ a good hair day ♥ fresh, soft while towels

What made you yay today?

 

Fashion Therapy - Fringe Elements

More rain = more color! I felt like punching it up a bit today. Someone asked me if this was my family's plaid (no it isn't, but I kind of wish I could go to Scotland) and if my legs were warm (why, because they look bright red??) It was pretty chilly today, which is why my photos are so weird; I was mostly running around trying to keep warm, and I wanted to show off the fun swingin' fringe that I added to this plain tank top.

tank - diy fringe  |  cardigan - h&m  |  skirt - self made  |  tights - we love colors  |  shoes - payless

Now I made this skirt last year, out of material I bought at least two years ago, when I was in college. So imagine the shock of recognition I felt watching Project Runway's finale a few weeks ago — Seth Aaron's collection featured the exact same plaid yellow fabric! That's pretty nifty, I think!

Yays ♥ I have a new sponsor, the sweet & talented Mariel of Lumikha Studio! ♥ um, have I mentioned doughnut holes this week yet? ♥ Orange Pop scented Revlon nail polish; I haven't had time for a pedicure yet but I'm super excited to try it! ♥ Me-Made May is getting easier, and it's almost half over already! Is it just me, or does blogging make the time go by faster?


In response to comment:
*Eleonore - thank you for your compliments on the Rose Red dress! Unfortunately, I bought that fabric as a scrap some time ago and do not have any more, or else I would make you one!