eggplant pigtails

A little sneak peek at my bedroom! :)

Right before the new year I re-dyed my hair and it came out so dark! It was one of those really cold icy days and I was still getting over being sick and I was dead-set on dying my hair, so when I saw that I was out of the conditioner I use to dilute the hair dye I thought "oh what the heck" and just applied it as-is. And wow does it come out dark when it's not diluted. It was basically black with an ever-so-slight blue/purple tint. I mean, this photo was taken after it had faded a bit with a few shampoos and it's STILL super dark. Right now it's getting a little closer to what I consider acceptable lightness (ex: if you follow me on instagram you can see what it looks like now, here) but I'm really looking forward to when it fades even more. It's funny, I have naturally dark brown hair and lived with it for 17 years but as soon as I (accidentally or on purpose) end up with a dark hair color now I hate it so much.

If you're curious, I used punky colors in violet. I like it most when it's almost completely faded, and it looks kind of grayish-lilac. When it first goes on, even when I dilute it, it's a little too blue. I bought some punky colors purple and I'm going to try mixing them for my next touch up :) I'm also going for a haircut this week and taking along a photo of Phryne Fisher from Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries -- is anyone else hooked on that show (and her hair?!) I love it! She's like a living flapper doodle!

dress - modcloth | blouse - thrifted | bow - topshop | shoes - c/o bait footwear

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happy new year!

I hope everyone had fun ringing in 2014! I'm more excited about starting fresh & resolutions & such than I think I've ever been before. My mini personal goals for the new year are to go back to school to finish my degree, thrift more of my wardrobe, and to start cooking at home more often (Chinese food & pizza are major weaknesses for me!)

My big huge super resolution is more of a life mission. I've decided that I want to do everything in my power to spread kindness. In my day to day life, online, in my business, at school, everywhere. I want to find new ways to appreciate the kindness I receive and reciprocate it. I want to find ways to intertwine the things I do on my blog with my favorite charities (more on that later this week!) I want to come up with ideas for fostering a higher level of civility on the internet and spreading those ideas as best I can. I want to create artwork that inspires kindness and thoughtfulness. I want to shine a spotlight on sweet souls doing kind deeds and lovely bloggers who brighten the web with their good-hearted warmth.

In this era I think we're surrounded by negativity more than any generation has been before, but the world would be such a happier, more lovely place to live in if we all lived by one simple rule -- be nice to each other. I know it would be impossible for me to actually make any sort of dent in the collective rudeness of our species, but starting this year I'm going to try so hard.

dress, shoes, and hat - vintage

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Looking back on 2013

Usually I'm able to look back on a year and conclude if it was a good one or a bad one, but 2013 is a lot harder to define. It was phenomenally wonderful and horribly, horribly bad. I lost Hypatia in February and my business suffered its worst year ever, and both of those things clouded all 12 months for me. But I also adopted Arrietty, got my first apartment, saw Niagara Falls, went to Disney World twice, and met Steve Carell and other cast members at the Office wrap party in Scranton. I finally realized what I want to be when I grow up (an elementary school art teacher) and I started driving again after almost 10 years away from the wheel. 2013 might very well have been the worst year of my life and the best.




Favorite outfits: first outfit of 2013 & everybody pants now
Favorite posts: The slumber party kit & good things that happened in 2012
Moments: I was modcloth's blogger of the moment, and I discovered Yogurtland which started a year-long obsession for me and my dad




Favorite outfits: polkadots and moonbeams & shamrock shake
Favorite post: DIY cat toe shoes
Moments: We celebrated Hubble's 1st anniversary and Chloe's 10th, I said goodbye to Hypatia




Favorite outfits: the happiest place on earth & to distraction
Favorite post: sweet & gentle
Moments: I adopted Arrietty, I read The Hunger Games books and loved them, I celebrated my 3rd blog anniversary




Favorite outfits: lilac ruffles & with a smile and a song
Favorite posts: my disney outfit posts
Moments: my dad turned 60, Jurassic Park 3D came out and I saw it multiple times, I went to Disney World with my mom




Favorite outfits: backwards buttons & daisies
Favorite post: if you like it then you should have put a coat of paint on it
Moments: I went to the Office Wrap party in Scranton, met Steve Carell, and had the best weekend of my entire life, I did my first art show in 2 years, I got my first tattoo




Favorite outfits: posh frock friday & I have no idea
Favorite post: what's old is new again
Moments: I saw Niagara Falls, I met one of my best friends in real life, my bedroom was featured on Teen Vogue, I got a new car and took it on its first road trip




Favorite outfits: fit for a princess & periwinkle and sea foam green
Favorite post: television cozy DIY
Moments: I dressed up like a minion, Mental Floss started carrying my Puns Intended prints in their store, I shared 10 things you might not know about me, Dahlia produced a dress that I designed (inspired by Hypatia!), I finally realized what I want to be when I grow up




Favorite outfits: polkadots and moonbeams & clouds and rainbows
Favorite post: ode to a very sweet cat
Moments: I went 2 straight years with at least 1 sale per day in my etsy shop (that streak has since been broken, but it was lovely while it lasted!), I participated in GISHWHES (the greatest international scavenger hunt the world has ever seen) and had a complete blast




Favorite outfits: paws for thought & summer nights
Favorite posts: the elusive chloe & daisy button restyle
Moments: I dyed my hair purple, ever + mi crush started carrying my Hypatia dress, I went to Disney World again and got to participate in Dapper Day, I celebrated the 20th anniversary of The X-Files pilot, I got to meet up with Polly in New York




Favorite outfits: hearts again & sweatshirt weather
Favorite posts: my hypatia dress outfit posts
Moments: I got my apartment!, I had my first party at my apartment, I dressed up as Princess Unicorn from The Office for Halloween, I went to NYC to attend a lecture with my dad and we had so much fun!




Favorite outfit: trousers and cats & christmasitis
Favorite post: my cat friendly menorah
Moments: I turned one year older, I finally finished my 2014 Flapper Doodle calendar, I officially moved into my apartment (and also bought a bed for my room at home so I can still sleepover!), I passed 9,000 sales in my etsy shop




Favorite outfits: time flies & mirror mirror on the wall
Favorite post: pet name book display & christmas freebie
Moments: I went to The Film Forum's Barbara Stanwyck tribute with Kyle in NYC (we saw The Two Mrs. Carrolls), my Aunt Annie turned 102 (though I sadly missed her party since I was sick), I had my first Christmas with my new apartment & Arrietty. I shared my new private instagram account.



Some things I was absolutely obsessed with in 2013:

TV: Fringe, 30 Rock, The Walking Dead, Ancient Aliens, Supernatural, Derek, Breaking Bad, Terriers. MUSIC: Goldfrapp, Joy Division, New Order, Marianne Faithfull. FOOD: Frozen yogurt, coconut everything, fried green beans, eggs in a basket. BOOKS: The Hunger Games, Where'd You Go Bernadette, Gulp, Is It Just Me? VINTAGE: The perfect pink robe (found it!), bell-sleeved lace blouses, 60s party dresses, scalloped lamp shades, lace bed jackets. RANDOM OBSESSIONS: decorating my apartment, Greg Kinnear, dinosaurs, finding unique white blouses while thrifting, documentaries about the plague, searching "kitsch" on pinterest, salt and pepper shakers, Disney pin collecting.

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time flies

Yesterday was one month since I officially moved into my apartment! I can't believe it's already been that long! It's been so hectic, but I've really enjoyed my first month. Me and the cats have our own little routines.. Hubble has this choreographed dance he does every single time I walk in the bathroom where he stands up at the counter, leans backwards and stretches his left paw towards me. It's so weird and adorable!

I know I keep promising an imminent tour but seriously I'm SO close. There are still a couple things that I need to finish, mostly involving painting furniture (I am so, so tired of painting furniture!) and then I'll finally be ready :)

dress - modcloth | shirt - vintage | lady tie - flapper girl

belt - asos | shoes -  bait footwear | hat - gift from casey

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pink and mint christmas

I love how everyone has their own specific color scheme for the holidays -- my mom always goes for the traditional red and green, my grandmom goes with silver and gold, and I prefer pink and mint (or basically any pastel colored decorations) myself.

On Saturday me and my brother went over to our Grandmom's house to help decorate her (mostly silver and gold) tree, and we had so much fun! Kyle stupidly got his hand stuck in the metal crate that the tree was resting on, which resulted in plenty of laughs and a healthy stash of future-blackmail photos. I wore this festive (at least to me) outfit with my new favorite cardigan. This was one of the ones I mentioned in my last outfit post, when I went to Old Navy for pajamas and left with cardigans, tights and some shirts (oops!) But this mint color was just too perfect to pass up. In general I don't find too many things at Old Navy that suit my style but boy am I a sucker for their cardigans. They just have THE best colors, don't they? They also had one in a beautiful peachy orange that I might just have to go back for..

cardigan - old navy | skirt - h&m | hat - handmade gift from casey

shoes - c/o bait footwear | brooch - vintage | tights - h&m

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dinosaurs and polka dots

I went to Old Navy on Monday to get my Christmas pajamas (every year my mom buys everyone in the family new pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve) and ended up finding these amazing tights (and maybe a couple cardigans, too...) The photo didn't really capture the pretty mocha color but they're lovely in person! They're also pretty thick so I think they'll be getting a lot of traction this winter.



I've been wearing this coat constantly -- it's actually surprisingly warm and toasty. I tend to gravitate towards longer coats (like this one. OMG!) but I like having a shorter one to wear this year so my pretty dresses and skirts aren't always hidden.

On Wednesday I threw a little last-night-of-Hanukkah party. My parties are always goofy and totally amateur but I have so much fun! While I was grocery shopping for party food I came across the matzoh and a lightbulb went off in my brain -- a matzoh-bread house. I had NO idea if it would actually work but I was pretty certain it would make for a fun party activity. So I picked up some icing and gumdrops and crossed my fingers. My family and I had a blast putting it together and -- surprise! -- it actually worked. The icing held it together and it's actually still standing in my kitchen two days later! I sense a new holiday tradition ;)

dress- forever 21 | t-rex necklace - sweet and lovely | coat - c/o oasap

cardigan and tights - old navy | shoes - asos | hat - forever 21

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mirror mirror on the wall

I finally have a full-length mirror in my apartment, yay! I don't think I ever realized how crucial it was to getting dressed until I had to go almost a month without one. I kept getting dressed thinking I looked totally spiffy, then I'd go out and practically shudder if I caught a glimpse of my reflection. There's really something to be said for the art of trying things on, taking things off and fiddling with accessories until you feel like it's *just right.* I wasn't aware of how much I refine each outfit until I started noticing how absolutely horrible they looked without any refining at all, lol!

Anyway! Things are finally starting to come together at my apartment -- mirrors and more. Most of my furniture is arranged to my satisfaction (it took a while!) and I haven't one blank wall left in the place, which, to me at least, means it's starting to feel like home. I have a few things left to tweak before I'll be ready to start doing an apartment tour but I'm SO close! If nothing else I think I'll have to share my Christmas decorations soon just because I'm so smitten with them :)

dress- asos | tights - we love colors | shoes - c/o bait footwear

brooch - c/o sugar cookie | belt - from another dress

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baby it's cold outside

I thought I'd change things up a little and give a peek at another part of my apartment (one of my favorites!) I don't really love it as an outfit post background but I didn't feel like taking new photos again after this and the lighting was already starting to get bad so... there you go.

This is my little entryway, right when you get to the top of the stairs. I already had one dresser that I was using as a nightstand in my old bedroom, so I just bought one more and painted it to match to create the illusion of one long cabinet. Ideally I'd like a nice big vintage piece there someday but it's just not in the budget yet. In the meantime I do love how this turned out! I framed a bunch of old family photos in embroidery hoops (post on that coming soon!) and it's the ideal place for my lilac Christmas tree!

We're starting to have some really cold days here now (hence the coat & cupcake beanie!) but it's still fluctuating a lot. One day you're all bundled up and want to swim in a tank of hot chocolate and the next you're guzzling lemonade and wearing shorts. Make up your mind already, mother nature. Today is one of those freezing days so I'm layering up and enjoying it very much! :)

coat - c/o oasap | shoes -  bait footwear | tights - target | sweater - f21

skirt - asos | faux fur collar - asos | cupcake beanie - modcloth

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