good things

2013 was the second year in a row that I kept a "good things" jar. (You can see my 2012 post here.) The idea is really simple -- just keep a jar somewhere in your house and whenever something nice happens, write it down with the date and slip it inside. On New Year's Eve, open your jar and you're reminded of all the pleasant things that happened to you that year!

Some of my big highlights from 2013 included adopting Arrietty (actually that was THE highlight of the year. She's amazing!) meeting Steve Carell, going to Disney World twice, meeting Sarah and Polly, getting my apartment and seeing Niagara Falls. I also wrote down a lot of little happy moments like baking cookies with my family last month, decorating my grandmom's christmas tree, when my dad & I surprised my mom with a gag gift of a year's supply of paper towels for her birthday, the first time that both of my cats snuggled up with me and we all fell asleep together, the first time I successfully made a soufflé (and it was delicious!) The little things are the ones I enjoy reading the most because they're usually the ones that slipped my mind. It's pretty hard to forget that you met your favorite actor or that you adopted the sweetest little cat on the planet, you know?

I already started my 2014 jar! If you haven't tried this before I definitely recommend it. I don't know if it really comes across here, but I struggle with being a naturally glass-half-empty sort of person and things like this definitely help me to look on the positive side. At the end of 2012 and 2013 I had jars overflowing with beautiful moments and happy memories. It's really the best way to start a new year with a good attitude and sunny outlook on life :)

ps. I reopened all of my shops yesterday if there's anyone out there who wanted to know that information.

Read More

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

Read More

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.

Read More

good things

At the end of 2011 I saw an idea on pinterest to write down good things that happen throughout the year and keep them in a jar. On New Years Eve, open the jar and read all of the lovely things that happened to you during the year. I decided to try it out last January, and I actually stuck with it through December!

I wrote down big things (adopting Hubble, passing 6,000 sales on etsy, my first airplane trip), little things (playing board games with my brother, holding Chloe for the first time) and nice things that people said to me. It was so nice to relive all those wonderful moments, and I really couldn't have picked a better year to try this out. Overall 2012 was clouded with family heartbreak and professional disappointments for me. I honestly wouldn't have looked back on 2012 with even the least bit of fondness if I hadn't kept track of all of the nice little things along the way and reminded myself of them on New Years Eve. I am definitely doing it again this year!

If you're thinking of trying this for 2013, I do have one suggestion. If something awesome already happened, write it down. But if something awesome is potentially going to happen - no matter how exciting that something seems -- don't write it down right away. There were quite a few things in 2012 that I got SUPER thrilled about (particularly Flapper Doodle opportunities) and they ended up being huge let-downs. If I had written them down and forgotten to take the paper out, I would have been reminded of my failures on New Years Eve. That wouldn't have been fun. So if someone emails you about an exciting collaboration or project, or if you get an interview for the job of your dreams, just hold off for a little bit before writing it down.

Read More

Looking back on 2012

Most people probably start these posts with "wow! this year just flew by!!" but for me this year dragged on like no other. It was one of my least favorite years so far, and I'm pretty happy to be bidding adieu to 2012 tonight. With that being said, there were some happy moments sprinkled throughout the year and thanks to this blog they were documented, so I can remind myself that 2012 wasn't entirely as gloomy as I thought it was. Here are some of my favorite outfits, posts and moments from the past year!




Favorite outfit: sick day and black and grey
Favorite post: My top 5 storage solutions for small spaces
Moments: I saw Beauty & The Beast in 3D with my mom and grandmom, I dyed my hair pink again starting a new year of indecisive hair coloring, I got hooked on LOST, I made my first fonts for Flapper Doodle




Favorite outfits: pastel fade and I have to see some dinosaurs like right now
Favorite posts: DIY business card valentines, Bright hair care Q&A with Kelsi from Brighter Sides
Moments: I adopted Hubble!! I hit 4,000 sales in my etsy shop, we celebrated Chloe's ninth anniversary and Hypatia had an amazing recovery from a scary illness




Favorite outfits: Posh frock friday and This outfit is my favorite outfit of all outfits
Favorite posts: My Pi Day festivities
Moments: Getting to work on the Sucre paper doll poster, seeing Dinosaurs!!, I celebrated my 2nd blog anniversary, and I finally got some much-needed closet space (still haven't posted photos of that yet, though! whoops!)




Favorite outfits: dots and dots and my first thrifting find
Favorite post: DIY 3D embellished dress
Moments: I started The Book Fair, attended the science festival in Philadelphia with my family, and dyed my hair light red.




Favorite outfits: Confetti salad and buzz buzz buzz
Favorite post: my wardrobe in review video for a modcloth contest
Moments: I celebrated five years with Hypatia, I rediscovered my love for painting, I updated my blog layout and dyed my hair dark blonde.




Favorite outfits: Look what I made: unicorn dress! and lilac & leopard
Favorite posts: Scalloped stamped dress DIY and my unicorn dress!
Moments: I met Amber in person (!!!!!) I hit 5,000 sales in my etsy shop, my family and I started spending Saturdays at the beach (it was so perfect!), and Danielle asked me to be a part of the Kitschy Digitals launch




Favorite outfits: would you like fries with that? and Inspired by The Nard Dog
Favorite posts: a happy hypatia post and lipstick organizer DIY
Moments: I was featured in Vogue Girl Korea, my laptop bit the dust (but I love my new one!), my grandmom turned 75, I took a day trip to NYC with my mom & grandmom and had a blast, and I dressed up like Andy Bernard from The Office.




Favorite outfits: pink! and bridesmaid gown restyle
Favorite post: how to make a seamless repeating pattern
Moments: I went one whole year with at least one sale-a-day in my etsy shop, Chloe (aka the assassin) let me hold her, and I dyed my hair pink again.




Favorite outfits: my favorite outfit EVER and ballet memories
Favorite posts: I miss the 90's, how one dress changed my life, and my top 5 closet storage solutions
Moments: I saw The Birds on the big screen, I finished my 2013 Flapper Doodle calendar (my favorite FD work to date!) and I started saving for my own house.




Favorite outfits: Pumpkin pie and Back to normal
Favorite post: Just a couple of kittens out on the town
Moments: I launched Sweet and Lovely!, made a dress specifically for apple picking, saw Lawrence of Arabia on the big screen and dyed my hair dark blonde again (last hair color change for the year, hooray!)




Favorite outfits: birthday frock and such a wholesome place
Favorite post: we're clearly soldiers in petticoats
Moments: I was officially one year older, I went to Disney World!!, I flew on an airplane for the first time ever and I hit 6,000 sales in my etsy shop on my birthday :)




Favorite outfits: a new favorite and jeepers creepers
Favorite post: some thoughts on the christmas spirit
Moments: My Aunt Annie turned 101, I had a really fun day in New York with my brother, I decorated my room for Christmas, and enjoyed some time off with my family :)

Read More