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Archive for October, 2011

Carving Pumpkins During The First Snow Of The Year

Posted in Our personal history, Portland, The Holidays, tagged , , , , , , , , , on October 31, 2011 | 2 Comments »

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On Saturday night, we finally carved our pumpkins.

I took the above photos a little while before Ryan came home from work. After that, we had some dinner, and began carving. It didn’t take us very long. We had the original House On Haunted Hill playing in the background, and before the film was even half over, we were done with our jack o’lanterns and I was peeking out the windows. Do you know what I saw? SNOW.

Yup. And as I sleepily moseyed on over to work the next morning, there were still some snowflakes falling to the ground. We had a couple of inches in places! As I mentioned the other day, I can’t recall any Halloweens where there was snow on the ground. So, this is certainly a first for me!

Alas, Happy Halloween from us to you. We had fun trying to get spooked {okay, getting spooked is pretty easy for me}, sawing through gourds, and taking these photos in candle light.

If nothing else, the snow made this year’s pumpkin carving ritual distinct in my memory from all the rest. I’m happy to live in a part of the world that gets to see and enjoy all four seasons. Today is Halloween, tomorrow I begin NaNoWriMo, Thanksgiving is next, then I’ll fully throw myself into winter mode by getting really excited for the Christmas season and all that it entails.

Have a wonderful time tonight, friends!

xx.

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SWAPmaine — Fall 2011

Posted in Style, Vintage + Thrift, tagged , , , , , , , on October 30, 2011 | 5 Comments »


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Yesterday’s SWAPmaine event was such a success!

Chelsea + I arrived early to help out, + we met some lovely new people. I had never realized how many fashion bloggers there are here in Portland, but yesterday it seemed like maybe we were all in one place. It was such a stylish group of ladies who hosted the event! I am so happy that I was able to be a part of it.

I had so much fun sorting through all of those generous donations. I especially loved knowing that every piece would either find a happy new home, or be donated to Goodwill! So, if you participated in the event, you deserve a round of applause {as well as all of that excellent new clothing you took home}!

I know you’re just dying to see what I scooped up, so here you go.

My finds from the day:

I also snagged the darling little brooch pictured below, + a pair of warm wooly tights {that I’ll wear as soon as they’re washed, seeing as it’s currently snowing…}

I made out pretty well, huh?

xx.


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Are You Ready For This?

Posted in New Hampshire, Portland, tagged , , , , , , , on October 29, 2011 | 2 Comments »

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Rumors are circulating that we’re getting snow tonight.

7 to 14 inches of it. New Hampshire has already covered its ground with a powdery white, + we here in Maine await its arrival. It seems like the snow just melted. Now, we’re all getting ready for it to start up again.

I’ve seen a lot of snow in my day, but I actually can’t recall any on Halloween. This may be a first for me? Thanksgiving, sure, there have been plenty of those with a frosty ground, but not Halloween. Here’s hoping everyone’s costumes include a wool coat + that all the landlords are nice enough to turn up the heat!

Happy first snow day!

xx.

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Anonymous | Things I Love!

Posted in Reading, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , on October 29, 2011 | 2 Comments »


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I have been waiting for this movie to come out for such a long time.

I’m so fascinated by the debate about Shakespeare. Did he write or did he not? Was he even a real human? What’s the story behind one of the greatest storytellers in history? Of course, I know he was real, + an actor, but this whole mystique about him is captivating to me. And, no matter what conclusions I may draw, the truth is long lost + never to be uncovered.

So, you can imagine my excitement about Anonymous. I can’t wait to see it + get caught up in that world again. I highly suggest you see it, too, if you have any interest in this sort of thing. If the only bit of Shakespeare that you’ve gotten is from some droning high school English teacher, then you should try him again starting with the book above. Bryson’s wit + the simplicity of his writing style make Shakespeare totally approachable {and -gasp- interesting}! Go on, have a look, then!

Have a lovely Saturday!

xx.

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Put Your Imagination To Work!

Posted in My portfolio, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , on October 27, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

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Have you heard of NaNoWriMo?

It stands for National Novel Writing Month, + this will be {my 4th year} participating! Essentially, the task at hand is to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Sounds tricky, right? It’s actually a lot of fun.

The first year I participated, I didn’t finish. I don’t even think I came close! I let my word count get away from me, + had to wait an entire year to start again. But, last year + the year before I crawled across the finish line. Now, for some reason I’m really excited to do it again. In fact, I may or may not be pretending that I’m writing my new novel right now…

But, the point of all of this is that I’d like to invite you to join me. It really isn’t hard! There are no guidelines, no editing — no one else even has to read your story! It’s a personal thing. It’s about setting goals + proving to yourself that you can attain them. Spelling doesn’t count, grammar doesn’t count, just strive for that perfect Kerouac-esque flow + reach those 50,000 words. In December, you can go back + fix stuff if you really want to.

So, start brainstorming! It’s not too late to think up a couple of characters, a setting, + a vague plot, then let your imagination loose! We set sail for adventure on Tuesday!

Oh, don’t forget to add me as a writing buddy!

xx.

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Here, Take My Clothes {FOR FREE}

Posted in Portland, Style, Vintage + Thrift, tagged , , , , , , , , , on October 26, 2011 | 2 Comments »

So I’ve got this big huge basket of clothing…

I don’t want it anymore, it’s all yours. It’ll be waiting for you this Saturday, at the East End School, from Noon – 3 pm. Oh yeah, and hundreds of other people will be dropping off their stuff, too. It’s called SWAPmaine.

You can sift through all of that clothing, for free, and take home whatever you want. Just show up the night before between 5 pm + 6 pm to drop off the clothes that you don’t want anymore. Or, come in the morning with your clothing + something delicious for Chelsea + I to eat while I sort through all of the stuff that you’ve dropped off.

If you don’t bring your clothing the night before, or in the morning with a treat, you’ll have to pay to get in. But you don’t have to pay much, + you’ll definitely get way more than what you pay for. Really I just want your delicious baked goods. So that’s what I’m suggesting you do.

Anywho, will I see you there?

xx.

P.s. Brownies are my fave.

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Red Convertible Dress | How We Wore It

Posted in How We Wore It, Style, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

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Welcome aboard for the first ever How We Wore It!

We’re starting this series out with Liz’s American Apparel convertible dress. We each played around with the dress on our own, and figured out how we’d most like to wear it, then gathered together to share with each other {+ take photos to share with you}! This dress has so much potential!

| Here’s what we came up with |

The only time we could meet up was at night, so the photos are a bit dark, but we did have a lovely time swapping the dress around, chatting, + sipping wine together. How We Wore It photo shoots are rapidly becoming a new favourite of mine!

I wore the dress with the straps crossed in the front. I belted it just above my natural waist with a thick black belt, tossed on a striped cardigan, + slipped into some black flats. It’s a simple look, but something that I feel very comfortable in. This is a great combination for any event. It’s casual enough because of the flats + the cotton in the dress that I could wear this out during the day, but it’s also dressy enough for a date night.

Chelsea kept it casual by adding jacket, but really played up the details in her look. I love the locket, textured tights, + oxfords. And by tying the straps of the dress into a bow, she gave the outfit a focal point. This look would be great for a library date. She looks adorable, but still practical, + also a bit studious. Looks lovely, my dear!

Liz totally wowed us with her exotic look! The cropped top is daring, but not scandalous because of the way she chose to wear the dress — as a high waisted skirt! The slouchy boots, gold medallion, + head scarf are so reminiscent of a gypsy-like style {Esmeralda anyone?}. What a fun way to wear the dress! Liz was heading out the door to our friend Don‘s show as soon as we finished snapping photos, + this outfit was perfect for the occasion!

So that’s it for our first How We Wore It post! Hope you enjoyed seeing our remixes, + that you come back to see some more! Next up is a super cute Top Shop crop top {say that ten times fast!} that I got while I was over in London last year! Can’t wait to share!

How would you have worn it?

xx.

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Pinterest | Things I Love!

Posted in Things I Love, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 25, 2011 | 7 Comments »

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Have you joined Pinterest yet?

I love this website. It’s really brilliant. While browsing the internet, if you see a beautiful image that inspires you, you can “pin” it to your pinboards with a simple click! Organize your pinboards so the images you pin are categorized, and come back to the boards when you’re ready to utilize that inspiration.

Each image that you pin retains its link back to the original place where you found it, so you know who to credit for the source, + if you need more information it’s really quite simple to find. This website is ideal for planning parties, room redecoration, or style inspiration. I’ve got so many boards going, you’ll have to see the possibilities for yourself!

A lot of the boards I follow {oh yeah, you follow other people’s boards, too!} often pin DIY tutorials. It’s so nice to see what other people are making, + pin the instructions for myself for later use.

It’s currently invite only, but I would be happy to send you an invite if you leave your email below. I’ve started looking at my pinboards for style + hair help in the morning, ha! It helps me get more out of my day because I browse in my time off, save the images I like, then quickly pull them up in the morning when I’m limited on time!

If you decide to join, don’t forget to follow me!

xx.

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Homes Without People (And Still People Without Homes)

Posted in New Hampshire, Our personal history, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 24, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

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If you follow this road along the side of the mountain

you’ll come across the loveliest little stream. I grew up on this road, about a mile + a half in the direction of civilization (sort of…), and when I used to run my five mile route, I’d often stop there to splash myself with water, and quench my growing thirst.

I grew up drinking the water that runs from the top of this mountain (of course at my parents’ house they do have a well), + so did the rest of my family. My maternal grandparents first drove this road when they bought their Camp on the lake in 1952. The water that is pumped up to the house from the lake isn’t drinkable, so they would stop at this stream on the way to fill up jugs of water. I didn’t know this fact until two weeks ago when my uncle told me. I had just been drawn to the stream on my own.

I’ve certainly spent my fair share of time on this plot, though I’ve never been sure of who owned it. Most likely, it’s town property by now since I’ve never seen a soul come in or out, and there isn’t so much as a foot path to its front door.

In our curious younger years, my best friend + I would peek around inside this house innocently. We rarely touched anything, and if we did it was very carefully put back in the dust where it was found, we just wanted to see what it was like in there. We knew it would be lovely. We’ve always had an affinity for obsolete homes abandoned decades before our time. This house never even had electricity.

Rachel over at Smile + Wave just posted some beautiful photos that she took in a similar house recently. I couldn’t help but think of this cabin, and the Airstream trailer also located on this road that the other Julia (my BFF) + I used to explore.

If you need a bit of inspiration, definitely have a look at Rachel’s post. As for me, I’m now planning another trip inside the cabin. This time, with camera in tow.

I hope you’re all well.

xx.

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Throwing A Dinner Party Any Time Soon?

Posted in Crafting, Good Eats, Home Decor, My portfolio, Sewing, Social Consciousness, Tuesday How-Tos, Upcycling, Vintage + Thrift, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 23, 2011 | 4 Comments »

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Check out my post on the Goodwill Industries International blog!

Goodwill International asked me to write a blog post for them about hosting a fall themed dinner party with nearly everything thrifted from their Goodwill stores. It was such a dream come true! My two favourite things are thrifting + blogging, so to do that for a company so wonderful as Goodwill was ideal.

Have a look at the post to see what I came up with! I have photos of the first installment of Harvestfest that Ryan + I hosted, as well as more information on the DIY tutorial above! You can also find out how to make your own fall themed bunting. It’ll be perfect for any dinner party that you’ll be hosting soon, especially Thanksgiving!

If you found my blog through my Goodwill International post, then welcome! I’m so happy to have you here. If you like what you see, please don’t hesitate to subscribe! We’ll have so much fun together :)

Enjoy your Sunday, friends!

xx.

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