5-7 October 2015: All About the Nails

So I finally updated to ios9 and it’s mostly great except iCloud did weird things and took away my PhotoStream that I rely on to post, and I had to fight to get it back. But I did! Yay!

Gap sweater, Old Navy sweetheart skinnies, Arrow necklace, Avengers charm bracelet, booties

I am blanking on the shoe brand. I love them madly still, but I fear they are not long for the world. The bottoms feel very thin, and my feet hurt when I take them off. Ugh. Gotta figure out how to save them, outside of not taking long walks on days I wear them!

Gap top, Old Navy sweetheart skinnies, JCrew Jackie cardigan, Mickey necklace, Avengers charm bracelet, Clark’s shoes

Black is a trend, mostly because I was trying not to compete with the nails – my mom and I went for manicures the weekend before, and they seemed to call for dark and dramatic tops. Very Black Widow.

 

Anne of Green Gables top, H&M cardigan, Old Navy Sweetheart skinnies, Tardis bracelet, BoC Canty booties

So of course this top is what I chose to wear the next day. It is, indeed, the full text of Anne of Green Gables, stretching front and back. It’s delightful.

Here’s my manicure, sadly on day 5 after there had been some chipping. It was Under the Mistletoe, and easily swayed between autumnal and Merry Tidings, depending on light. Sometimes it looked dark purple, other times blood red. It really was awesome.

14-16 September 2015: Autumn Fun

This has been such a weird, crazy, non-routiney week. I am not fond of those! I like my routines! But it has been fun, at least. But I really want a normal week soon.

French Connection top, Old Navy Sweetheart skinnies, Avengers charm bracelet, Converse

Cute and walkable because we went shopping for our next round of American Girl Dolls!!! There was a chance I was going to walk a few miles, which didn’t pan out, but comfort is still key. We shopped for an hour and it was SO MUCH FUN omg.

Coldwater Creek shirtdress, Limited shrug, Agent Carter necklace, Avengers charm bracelet, Clarks mary janes

My favorite dress and important Agent Carter message to myself to present my summer reading program results to our library board. It went really well, they really connected with our goals and stories, and I felt pretty great. I picked this shrug up back in June with my friend Krissy, and, um, finally got around to ironing it yay.

Forever 21 striped top, JCrew Jackie cardigan, Old Navy Sweetheart skinnies, Captain America necklace, Avengers charm bracelet, Dansko sandals

I don’t often pull this necklace out, and I’m not sure why. I love Cap, I’ve read, like, a dozen of his trades and watch his movies and do genuinely like him as a character. But this somehow feels more in your face that my Tardis necklace or Cap bracelet? But I do like how it looks with the stripes.

This weekend, my mom and I went for pedis and I went totally autumnal with OPI’s new It’s a Piazza Cake (pumpkin) and Romeo and Joliet (brown). I super super love how they look together:

I used Mom’s OPI’s Schnapps Out of It on my fingers, which is a near match for the Piazza but a bit more rose than orange with the brown. I adore the color, which looked great with one coat, but it chips something fierce, boo. I’ve had entire halves of nails flake off, even with 2+ coats!

Bonus Bingo Baby:

And the American Girl haul: 4 historicals, 4 girls of today, 2 sets of Bitty Twins, and outfit changes for them all.

I am super excited that we got MaryEllen, the new girl from 1954 who just came out a few weeks ago. She is an adorable red head, and we got her a poodle skirt outfit and super cute cherry gingham play outfit and I want it ALL OMG. I also super want Kit’s new radio, which plays snippets of 30s radio broadcasts and also hooks up to iPods to play anything. I am such a history geek.

4, 5, 7 June 2015: Start of Summer

It’s here! Our summer reading adventure has begun. I very smartly scheduled a massage for me for today, knowing that predicted crowds for yesterday would have me stressed and exhausted. And I was so right.

Junk Food Captain America tee, Old Navy Flirt capris, Optimysticals Avengers charm bracelet, Keds

Slow launch, so a pretty quiet day. But still had to celebrate with a beloved superhero.

Woot Princess tee, BP cardigan, Old Navy Flirt skirt, Forever 21 leggings, Optimysticals Avengers charm bracelet, White Cliff flats

I know I’ll default to capris all summer if I don’t catch myself, so I caught myself. Love this tee, which is so cheery and awesome – We’ll Save Ourselves, Thank You! ❤

WeLoveFine Hawkeye shirt, Old Navy Flirt capris, Optimysticals Avengers charm bracelet, Keds

I delighted a young lass named Violet with my hair, glasses, shirt, watch and nails, ha! Her mom was sure she’d be hearing about me for the rest of the day. It was a super crazy insanely busy day at work, hordes of families gathered several people deep around our desk on 2-3 sides, nonstop. By the end of the day (7 hours total, though the first 2 were slow), I was at the point where my face hurt from talking and if I didn’t say another word until I got back to work tomorrow, I’d have been happy!

Which is why I was primed for today’s massage, for sure.

Also, nails:

Incredible Hulk colors, comics stickers from my assistant director. Fun, right? OPI Lost My Bikini in Molokini and Wet and Wild Sage in the City. I figure I can do other superhero colors this summer – red/gold is probably next.

I’m still going with Couch to 5K – I’m in week two, a little longer, and ran across this bizarre little tableau in a front yard:

I don’t even.

26, 27, 28, 29 May 2015: Spring-Like

 

 

 

 

 

My mental brainpower for outfits is at a low point. We are T-2 days from our summer reading program launch (which I am running) and I am in the superhero mindset but not ready to pull the shirts out until we start. Plus, it’s been going from the 80s to the 50s and it’s confusing. And I’m afraid of all my skirts. Why am I afraid of all my skirts? I wish I knew.

 

 

anthropologie Novelty Collar tee, Old Navy Flirt capris, ANA cardigan, BAIT flats

I love this top. It makes me happy. I also like this cardi untied, which I’ve not tried before. Good to know. Also, this is one of the very few days where I planned to get lunch instead of bringing it, so OF COURSE it was a torrential downpour, the likes of which we haven’t seen in ages. My jeans were soaked all day and I had to empty water out of my shoes, after going a block down to get a sandwich and back again. Sigh.

 

floral dress, Loft cardigan, handbeaded necklace, Keds

Love this dress! Should have worn different socks! I haven’t been very awake in the mornings lately. I don’t think I’ve warn this cardi with the dress, but I think it goes great and the pink matches the flowers. Also, necklace! I haven’t been wearing many lately, just 2-3 fannish ones, but I still have a bunch of others. I need to get back into the accessory habit.

 

Maurice’s top, Loft zebra skirt, XO crown necklace, Marvel charm bracelet, White Cliff flats

I put actual thought into this and got past my skirt fear and I like it. The skirt is still comfortably roomy, and this is one of my more fitted ones, so it’s not like my skirts don’t fit. Meh. Maybe once it’s consistently warm again.

 

 

anthropologie Twirled Tiers top, Gap camisole, Old Navy Flirt capris, Captain America necklace, Alex + Ani bracelet, Keds

So tired. I take photos in the morning and evening for a chance at a decent shot, but all my morning ones look like this lately. (And I didn’t get evening shots because I headed up to visit my parents.) Bleary eyes and bad bangs. SIGH.

I usually have issues with this top, feeling wide/especially pear shaped, but it didn’t bug me like usual. Hmm.

I’ve always loved the OPI DS Reserve (pink with sparkles) and was inspired to buy the blue DS after seeing Hayley Atwell’s manicure at C2E2 – hers was more stormy, slatey blue, I think, but the pinks lined up well.  And I liked the contrast of blue and pink, so, score.

 

I made sure to add a top coat immediately and the pink never chipped, which was a first, but the blue needed two touchups in 6 days. I love the sparkles, and it only took a few extra minutes to get it off, nothing problematic.

2, 6, 7 April 2014: Yikes

Seriously, where did the last week go?? I can’t believe how behind I am. Lots of outfits. Lots of Bingo.

Teefury Flash shirt, Old Navy Flirt Skirt, Forever 21 leggings, Aerosole heels

I’ve really been loving the new Flash show on CW! I’ve loved Jesse L Martin since I saw him as a baseball playing alien on The X-Files, and I watched Grant Gustin on Glee for a year – I like him much better here, ha. It’s funny and science-fictiony and a little dark and it’s really just ridiculous fun. So when I saw this shirt a few months ago, I had to go for it.

 

Elie Tahari top, Old Navy Flirt skirt, Forever 21 leggings, BAIT flats

New shoes!! Pink shoes!!

 

Aren’t they cute? My parents went old school and surprised me with Easter outfits this year. I’ve loved BAIT shoes for awhile, and these were on sale. \o/

French Connection robin sweater, Gap tank, Old Navy sweetheart skinny jeans, Crown Vintage booties

It’s that lovely time of year when it’s barely out of the 40s but you can’t bear to wear winter clothes. I just can’t do tights right now, I’m so sick of them, so I’m stuck with jeans. Sigh. But at least I can sparkle with a robin.

Modcloth had their bi-annual surprise sale, for $15 I was surprised with this:

It’s not bad? It’s a little normcore for me. But polka dots are cute?

I also picked this up from Teefury:

It’s a Karen Hallion design of Agent Peggy Carter. I wish it had the second line of the quote (No one else’s opinion matters), which is on the print of it but not the shirt. Weird. I still like it, though.

Despite the cold, things are finally starting to grow. Tiny buds on trees and flowers blooming:

Not by my parents, though. It was cold for Easter. So I snuggled the puppy:

Who adorably got into an Easter basket and could not hide it:

It was a nice weekend – my mom and I went for a pedicure together on Saturday. We both are madly in love with OPI’s Hawaii line. I chose I Lost My Bikini in Molokini, which is a blue-violet that doesn’t seem to have dupes anywhere. I super loved it, and then realized I chose Hawkeye purple. Awesome.

It was just warm enough to sit on the deck for Easter brunch before giving up and getting warm again inside. Yay spring!

26 and 27 January 2015: Patterns

I got a kilt! I think it’s too big, which is why I wore it to work, to test that theory out. I’m still unsure. I mean, it is too big. But the next size down loses 2 inches, which may make it more fitted than I prefer. And there’s no exchanges, just rebuying. HMM.

Gap sweater, ASOS corduroy kilt, Tardis necklace, grey tights, Crown Vintage booties

Yeah, yeah, it’s horridly wrinkled. I know. I suck. I still can’t decide. I can’t wear anything tucked in with it like this, and most of my tops cover the buckles, which is half the fun. But I love it. I’m torn, ugh.

 

Elie Tahari high-low top,  Old Navy sweetheart skinnies, Tardis necklace, Froever 21 necklace, Crown Vintage booties

New top! My mom found it for me on Zulily, only marked down to $12 from $88. I love the fit and the style. It tucks into skirts super super well, too.

I got a collection of China Glaze polishes for Christmas and I have been having such fun with it! I’m struggling to find the collection name online, so I’ll add it in later. My current choice appears much darker blue/purple on my nail, with purple shimmer. Very bold and fun.

 

There are two amazing raspberries and an orange that I’ve used in a few combinations already. This felt very summery for January, but whatever, it made me very happy.

 

Also, check out these amazing street style shots from London- in 1906. I love the attutide!

10, 11 and 15 September 2014: Sudden Chill

The temperature has hit late October lows. You can imagine my complete and utter delight! Even better, I spent four days up at my parents where it was even chillier. Also, there was nail palming and puppy playing.

Anthropologie Loosened Shelby Blouse, Old Navy Flirt capris, Loft cardigan, Keds Champions

I was so excited with how this came out! This is a swap cardi I got and apparently haven’t worn since November or March (there was an I Voted sticker still on it…) but I think it looked great with the green. Perfect for autumn.

Gap tank, anthropologie skirt, JCrew Jackie cardigan, White Cliff flats, cowl

Again, digging the colors! I love this skirt.

The cowl, I am still debating. I borrowed 35 and 50 needles from my coworkers and sat down with two patterns to replicate Claire’s cowl, as mentioned in my last post. I was really loving how the yarn knit up on the 35s, but I didn’t have enough for comfort. It only took 2 hours to knit, though, so I decided to drop the stitches to extend it, because if I had to buy a second skein, it’d be easy enough to reknit. Dropping it made it the perfect length, but might have loosened the stitches too much. I had some fears that it looked like a plate of spaghetti, but my mother and a coworker assure me that I am crazy for thinking that and it’s cute. And my mother, especially, does not mince words. So I take it to you all: am I wearing spaghetti or a Claire-ish cowl? (It should be noted that I do not have Claire’s very long neck, so a cowl like hers might not actually work for me anyway and the extra drape could work in my favor…)

This is the cowl mid-drop – it knit up like the bottom half  and draped into the top half.

Anthropologie plaid shirt, Claire’s flower, old choker. Not a full outfit shot, because my jeans looked super weird and bunchy to allow for a pedicure, ha.

 

 

 

 

 

I am so, so, so in love with my new nail polishes!! The dusky purple grey is Released and the black glitter is Boundary of Memory, both from China Glaze’s new The Giver line. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I love the book (less so the others in the series, most of which I skipped. The last, Son, is pretty good, though). It feels sort of weird to be wearing a polish color named after the Community’s term for legal killing (people no longer relevant to the Community were released), but I don’t care, it’s gorgeous and I love it so much. The black glitter is also just incredible. Great application and perfect for autumn. Two thumbs up.

PUPPY WEEKEND!!!

 

 

Every time I get on his level or aim a camera at him, he takes it as an invitation to charge. This was right before he threw himself into my lap!

LOOK. When we got him in May, he fit perfectly along the side of this bed. It’s insane how big he’s gotten! Every time I sit on the floor, though, he hops right into my lap. Actually, he usually backs in. It’s hilarious.

 

Project 365 x2

Two weeks of Project365, plus manicures.

July 27: Amazing ice cream on a warm summer day

28/Bingo Baby in the sun ❤

29/My favorite street to walk down – the trees are so very tall and old and offer a lot of great shade.

30/Caterpillar entering its chrysalis. This was pretty amazing to watch – he sheds his skin and the chrysalis is the next layer.

31/Balloon Astonaut from our summer reading finale party.

1/Tiny lizards from the Mexican place down the street where my department celebrated the end of summer reading. (You’d think after all these months I’d pick a picture that actually represented the SRP – detritus, crowds, cart of prizes, downed decor, etc, but no. Largely because I was so busy that I forgot!)

2/Laying out quilt strips for my first lapquilt! I love these colors – they’re 1930s fabric reproductions. Super cheery.

3/Half of my strips sewn together. I’m going to cut the long strips into squares and then alternate their directions to make a Fence Rail pattern.

4/Gorgeous bright clear red flowers that inspired me to wear my red cardi the next day.

5/Very odd bleeding art tree. Seriously, what is this?

6/Lunch in 1957.

7/Bookmarks made by our summer reading aide on her last day. They were all cool, but I chose the Wish Bright one.

8/Superhero exhibit at work – lots of superhero facts and photo ops. So cool.

9/Ariel manicure!

I seriously, seriously love the glitter color – I’ve been using it everywhere for a week now. It’s Wet and Wild Shine in Sparked. It’s on my toes, too.

Great on two different colors! I’m a little nervous about the taking it off bit, though – it’s kept the purple on my ring fingers from chipping or tipping at all for over a week, ACK. So maybe I’ll just let it wear itself down, and change the colors on the other 8 nails, ha.

Julep!

Julep has long been sending me emails about the Maven boxes. I love the idea, but that’s a lot of nail polis being sent to me. I was intrigued by their chemical-less formulas, but $14 for a tiny bottle made me cringe.

Then came their post-Christmas sale! Tiny bottles for $2, $3 or $4? Bring it on!!!

I’ve been looking for a sheer-ish champagne color since the Lizzie Bennet Diaries last spring. Enter Ellie and Lois.

Lois is the browner shade on my fourth nail, Ellie is on the others. They are very similar in color. Lois only took two coats and has lasted a week with no chipping and a tiny bit of wear. Ellie took three or four and has major chipping on my right hand and a tiny bit on my left hand. I didn’t use top coat, though.

I wanted a bit of sheen and shine that wouldn’t show chipping for my adventure this week, and this was exactly what I needed. I do love them both – I think Ellie especially looks best with short nails, which I don’t often have, but I plan to use it anyway. I think it’ll go better with touch ups (I didn’t bring the polish with me) and top coats along the way.

Now, would I pay $14 for these? Unsure. I’ll let you know after I’ve tested the amazing copper penny color I also bought, to test out pigmentation.

3 and 6 January 2014: Insanely Cold!

So, I am sitting at my computer in fleece pajamas and socks, under a blanket. That’s because it’s -14* outside, with a -37* windchill. Thank God my library closed today – I was really anxious about getting in and out of my parking lot, since walking isn’t safe. Getting my car into its spot between two other cars on Friday in the remnants of 6 inches of snow was nervewracking and scary, and that was 8 inches of snow ago. Fingers crossed I can walk tomorrow morning.

It wasn’t this cold on Friday, it was probably about 10 or 15*, but the library has been pretty chilly lately, so I layered up.

Eddie Bauer thermal shirt, Old Navy Sweetheart Skinny jeans (with fleece tights under), anthropologie Incantation Cardigan, kadyellebee Wren shawlet, Sweet 554 Mary Janes

For some reason, I have always had a hard time introducing not solid socks into my outfits. I am trying a little bit, though – these have stripes, at least, and the brave outfit had snowflakes. It’s something.

I loved the kick of orange from the shawl, but it was also super cute and coordinated on its own. I’d never thought to wear these two tops together, but they went together perfectly.

And then there’s yesterday/today. I must brave the cold to start my car a few times a day. Whimper.

(Picture the scarf over my nose with just my glasses and bangs peeking out.) That’s not even my heaviest coat, since I’m just taking a few steps out the door, but it is on top of two layers of clothing.

The extra time does, however, mean I did my nails last night since I could stay up past Downton Abbey:

An homage to the foot of snow on the ground. OPI I Don’t Give a Rotterdam with Sinful’s Ice Dream. I’ve been browsing Pinterest’s nail ideas again, heh. I like how the colors look together. Unfortunately, the OPI has gotten thick and goopy since I last used it a few weeks ago, augh. Must see if I can fix it. It’s a perfect color.

Gotta figure out my snow day marathon – Clueless + Romola Garai’s Emma, perhaps? Something to ponder while I go start my car and wish I had a garage…