30 April 2012

Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams...

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 - Steven Alan dress
 - vintage oxfords
 - vintage Coach purse
 - vintage Rayban sunglasses
 - listening to:  Led Zeppelin "Going to California"

I don't know how it happened but suddenly our trip is only a week away.  It seems like yesterday that I started the countdown at 95 days.  Time flies!  I have an immeasurable amount of things to do in the next week before we leave.  As much as I've thought about what to pack, I haven't even taken my new backpack out of the box yet.  I better get to work.

29 April 2012

28 April 2012

All that summer we enjoyed it wind and rain and shine...

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- Fletcher for Lyell sweater
 - vintage shorts
 - vintage Coach purse
 - J. Crew ballet flats
 - listening to:  The Hollies "Bus Stop"

27 April 2012

Wool & the Gang

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I just discovered the company Wool & the Gang (clever, huh?) while I was browsing through the Steven Alan site.  I was attracted to their simple shapes in earthy colors that seem appropriate for any season.  The pieces are knit from Peruvian wool, each collection containing a selection of basic pieces.  Or, if you're patient and talented they also sell knitting kits so you can make your own version.

26 April 2012

A Mad Men Question

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 - 60s dress via Etsy
 - Zara sandals
 - vintage Coach purse
 - thrifted belt

Have you all been watching Mad Men this season?  I always hesitate to say too much about the show because I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't seen it yet but... I do wonder what you all think about this new season.  It just feels so different from the last ones.  Stranger.  Every time I watch a new episode I find myself saying, "that was the weirdest episode yet".  Don't get me wrong, I'm still loving it.  It's just... strange.  What do you think?

25 April 2012

Etsy Update

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I've just (finally!) updated the shop with lots of lovely spring items.  These are all available plus lots more!  Hop on over and check it out.  Thanks so much for stoppin' by! 

24 April 2012

These ideas of mine percolate the mind...

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 - Madewell shirt
 - 60s skirt
 - J. Crew ballet flats
 - vintage straw hat
 - Fiona Apple "Every Single Night"

After the Fiona Apple ticket debacle a few weeks ago when her shows were selling out before tickets even went on sale to the public, I am happy to report that I was able to snag tickets for her Washington DC show in June.  That will be even better since the new album will be out by then and I'll be able to know all the new songs.  I can't wait!

23 April 2012

Roslyn Estate Sale

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I awoke early Saturday morning and headed to a local estate sale.  Only this was no ordinary estate sale.  It was a kind-of-a-big-deal estates sale, at least in Lancaster terms, for a number of reasons.  First, the house where it was held was designed by a local legend of an architect by the name of C. Emlem Urban.  If there's a building of note in this city, chances are it was designed by Urban.  Second, it was once the residence of the Watt family, one half of the duo that was responsible for the Watt & Shand department store that occupied downtown Lancaster beginning in 1879.  And even if the house didn't have such an impressive pedigree, the imposing chateau style mansion is still quite a spectacle. 

The house, named Roslyn, was on the market for a cool $5 million when Tom and I moved to Lancaster four years ago.  At the time, we joked about hitting the jackpot and buying the house but then realized that even if we had the $5 mil to buy the place, we'd still have to work full-time to afford the $33,916 in yearly property taxes.  Ha!  Now the price has been reduced to $1.25 million.  What a bargain! 

The morning of the sale, I figured it was going to be a bit of a madhouse so I headed out early.  But not early enough!  It seems that people from far and wide had heard about the sale and I ended up parking about a mile away and walking because there were already cars lining both sides of the road.  There was thousands of people walking all over the sprawling grounds of the house and a line of people wrapped around the side of the house waiting to get in.  I took a deep breath and got in line.  I'd heard rumors of vintage clothes in the sale, but I didn't want to get my hopes up since there were some serious hardcore auction hunters there.  I finally reached the front door of the house and it turns out only three rooms on the first floor were open to the public.  The line snaked all the way through, shoulder to shoulder, but I managed to snap a couple of photos of some of the furniture that was up for auction.  But no vintage clothes...

So, I made my way to the carriage house where all the small housewares were displayed on tables.  Some really amazing things!  I wanted to take so much home with me but I knew I didn't have all day to wait at the auction booth for the items to come up.  Then in the corner of one of the stables I found the vintage clothes.  There were only about five dresses and a handful of coats.  The dresses dated from the 1890s to the 1920s.  And they were beautiful.  I tried to take a photo of the silk chiffon flapper dress but it turned out a blurry mess.  I was too overwhelmed by the whole situation to think much about taking photos. 

Long story short (well, this is already kind of long) there were some vintage hats and purses in the box lots that I wanted to bid on, but by the time I stood in line for nearly an hour just to get my bidder number, most of the boxes had already been claimed.  It was so disheartening to be standing in line and watching all the pieces that I wanted to bid on leave in other bidders hands.  I guess the early bird gets the vintage!  I ended up bidding on one box and bringing home some vintage brass planters to put my house plants in.  I'm happy just to have something from the estate and to be able to say I've been inside the house. 

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20 April 2012

Weekend Plans

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 - Madewell silk blouse
 - 70s knit skirt
 - Rachel Comey boots
 - vintage Coach purse

This weekend, unlike recent ones, holds some promise for excitement.  There's an estate sale that I'm going to on Saturday morning that I'm pretty excited about (hopefully I'll get to take some photos and show you more later).  I really don't know if I'll buy anything... I mostly just want to snoop around the house and marvel at all the antiques. The sun is already out which means I'll get to spend some time in the garden.  That means a trip to the garden center which is one of my favorite places to wander around for hours.  I want to take everything home with me.  And, since Tom is out of town until Monday I have a lady-date with a girlfriend for Thai food on Sunday night (followed by Mad Men, of course).

19 April 2012

Dream & Awake

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As much as we live in a digital world and I don't know what I would do without my digital camera, there is just something about a photograph that you can hold in your hand.  I really like this series that is a collaboration between photographer Eefje De Coninck and online vintage shop Dream and Awake.  

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17 April 2012

I want to rock your gypsy soul...

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 - Dusen Dusen dress
 - vintage denim jacket
 - Rachel Comey boots
 - vintage Coach purse
 - listening to: Van Morrison "Into the Mystic" 

I wish I could say the slow blogging was due to some exciting activities around here, but the truth is actually quite boring. It's just the daily grind of working and cooking dinner and taking care of the house and blah, blah, blah.  At least the weather has been nice which means lunches on the patio and fresh herbs from the garden.  And I must admit I've been suffering from a case of blogger apathy lately.  The best days have been the days when I haven't even turned on my computer. 

So... this is what I've been wearing a lot of lately.  Isn't it nice when you find a dress you've been wanting has gone on sale and it's still available in your size (and only your size)?  That's exactly what happened with this Dusen Dusen dress.  It's silk and light as air and I feel like I'm going to live in it all summer.  The only downside is the skirt is quite full so I risk having a Marilyn moment any time there's a breeze.

15 April 2012

American Hipster Presents - Bex Finch



Have you seen this series from American Hipster Presents?  When I first heard the name of the series, I thought it was going to be some sort of comedy thing or making fun of people.  But, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a thoughtful series of shorts featuring talented people making their own way in the world.  I related to this one of Bex Finch the most, as I think any blogger who has tried to master the self-portrait will.  I checked out the rest of Finch's photography and really enjoyed her series of Big Sur.  It reminded me of our time in California and driving up the Pacific Coast Highway to San Francisco. 

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10 April 2012

Juliette Hogan

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I remember seeing some runway photos from this Juliette Hogan collection during New Zealand fashion week and falling head over heels for the floral prints and layered jumpers.  Now there is a new Juliette Hogan website that includes lookbook photos of the collection as well as a web store where you can grab a piece for yourself (if you have really deep pockets). I really love that first dress above!

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09 April 2012

Brixton

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I was looking around for a simple, classic style hat and ran across a Brixton one that really caught my eye.  By the looks of the hat, I thought Brixton was an older company that had been producing hats for decades but I was wrong.  It's a fairly new company, founded in 2004 by three friends who wanted to provide timeless yet modern products.  Their lookbook has a really laid-back California vibe that screams summertime.


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08 April 2012

The Twilight Sad - Another Bed



Tom always teases me that I have a weakness for Scottish bands.  It's so true. 

06 April 2012

Mes Dames Spring 2012

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This is such a lovely set of photographs from the spring lookbook for Mes Dames.  Often, I'll see a lookbook and like the clothes but not the photography, or like the photography but not the clothes.  In this case I think the two compliment each other perfectly.  It makes me want to take a trip to the nearest botanical garden. 

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05 April 2012

Spring in My Backyard

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The other day I wanted to try out my new 50mm f/1.8 lens (it's actually Tom's old lens) that I got to go with my new digital SLR camera. I didn't have to wander far to find somewhere to practice... our own backyard!  Last year was the first time I'd planted anything in the previously barren space, so I was curious to see what, if anything, would reappear this spring.  I was happy to discover lots of new growth peeking through the soil and new buds flowering here and there.

I'm never sure if you want me to bore you with lots of gardening talk, (seriously, I could go on and on about it) but here is a look into our little piece of earth.  We have (starting at the top) creeping jenny, new blossoms on the blueberry bush, heuchera, mint & cilantro & basil in pots, green onions that somehow survived all winter, hostas, a cherry tree that will blanket the patio in pink blossoms and what's left of the two daffodil blooms we had this spring (last year there was only one - progress!). 

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04 April 2012

Etsy Update: Spring Dresses

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I just got through stocking the shop with lots and lots of lovely cotton dresses.  I wish I could keep all of these!  But since I can't (although I'm seriously tempted by a few of them) I'm hoping you'll help me find new homes for all of them.  They're perfect for this spring weather we're having. Thanks so much for stoppin' by!

03 April 2012

So Long, Marianne

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Wardrobe: Summerland, Photography: Anja Verdugo, Model: Skye Velten, Styling, hair & makeup: Megan Hart

You've probably already seen these photos floating around on other blogs, but I couldn't help joining the fray.  The photos are from the spring 2012 editorial for Summerland, a Portland based shop that stocks independent designers as well as vintage finds.  The photos were taken by Anja Verdugo of Clever Nettle.  I get so excited seeing a fellow blogger having so much success and transcending the personal-style-blogger rut that so many of us (I'm guilty!) fall in to.  Way to go Anja!

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02 April 2012

Easy Outfits

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Ace & Jig dress, Madewell sandals, The Row x Linda Farrow sunglasses

Last week's tease of spring-like weather left me with the incurable desire to leave the house everyday wearing an outfit as simple as dress-sandals-sunglasses.  That's it.  No need to wonder if I need a sweater for layering, or if my feet will be cold or if the clouds will hide the sun and all of its warmth.  As much as I love winter clothes and the colors and textures that come along with the wools and tweeds and layers, getting dressed in the summer months is just so easy
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Secret Squirrel skirt, Peter Jensen blouse, Repetto flats, Karen Walker sunglasses

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Charles Anastase skirt, Madewell blouse & sandals, Illesteva sunglasses

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Aubin & Wills dress, Repetto flats, Madewell sunglasses

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TBA dress, K. Jacques sandals, Karen Walker sunglasses

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Band of Outsiders dress, Marais sandals, Topshop sunglasses