Friday, August 26, 2011

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday everyone!   I've been hard at work editing the photos from the Aug. 14th shoot for Laura Whitney Couture and I thought I'd share this one with you (done in sepia just for fun).  Such a lovely picture!  She reminds me so much of Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady!  The hair and make-up was done by Irma & Sienna of Mixx Salon in White Bear Lake. The photograph was taken by my friend Ali Karbassi, and the gown and headband was designed and made by me!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Picnic Pretty!

I have to share this really adorable engagements session from Love & Lavender!  It is just too sweet!


Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Workwear Wednesday

In keeping with the early autumn theme, for today's Workwear Wednesday I wanted to focus on one of the GOOD things about autumn: Jackets!  Specifically the trench coat.  My favorite thing to shop for might be jackets & trench coats and I SO do not need another trench but, oh how I love them!  When ever I'm checking thrift shops I always see these fantastic vintage London Fog trench coats and have to resist buying them.  But I'm always on the look out for the perfect, yet elusive, plaid trench!  Trenches are great because they give you just enough warmth in the evening when it cools off and are light weight enough to sling over your purse strap in the warmer afternoons.  Plus they classy up even the roughest of outfits.  They are good transitional pieces for formalizing your laid back summer work wardrobe for fall.


Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Tuesday Shoesday

My husband, like many others returns to school this week.  *sigh*  It's officially autumn then I guess.  The return of academia each year also brings the return of formality of dress, darker & duller colors, and the inevitable return of the oxford shoe.  The oxford gets to shine once a year as both men and women realize with dismay that it's time to get back to business as usual, that the frivolity of summer sandals must be exchanged for something a bit more tight laced and serious.  For those of us not returning to class the change from summer to fall is strangely without punctuation; no new academic ambitions embarked upon, simply a change of weather & of wardrobe.   At least the oxford comes in a variety of incarnations to ease this transition.  Here are two I like from Urban Outfitters.

Mens wing tipped oxfords by Urban Outfitters

Ladies wooden heeled oxfords by Urban Outfitters

Monday, August 22, 2011

New Week, New Projects!

Good Morning my dears!  I hope you all had a lovely weekend.  Mine seemed to last a long time, probably because a lot happened!  One of the most significant things was that yesterday evening our clunker Chevy Malibu gave it's final death rattle on the highway and was towed off to my brother's garage in Mankato, where I await him to pronounce it legally dead.  So while we start looking for a new "every day" car our beautiful 1963 Mercury Comet is going to be our main ride.  Not bad for a back-up car!  My father has already suggested another 1960's classic car to be the Malibu's replacement. I told him, while that'd be fun, I was concerned about driving a car like that in the winter, to which he exploded with "Well for Pete's sake little girl!  We drove those cars year round in the sixties! No reason you couldn't!"  All I know is the comet takes corners like a pontoon boat and I can't imagine trying to control it on the ice!  ...So that's a project to think about for a while!

My other more fun project which I've been putting off for months is re-decorating our bedroom!  It's not the worst room ever but I've never been happy with it.  It doesn't need a total re-design but just some updating really.  Most important things on the list:
  • New nightstands!  We still have the junky ones from college.
  • New lamps!  My bedside lamp doesn't even work anymore.  
  • New sheets!  A little touch of luxury would be nice.
  • De-clutter!  A box from when we moved in a year ago became a permanent fixture, acting as a side table. Many other items without homes seem to end up stacked in this room.  This will end now! 
  • New dresser for Dylan!  Again, the junky one from college which has broken drawers and is totally falling apart. 
  • New Headboard! I'm excited about this.  We don't have a headboard and it's going to bring the room sophistication I think!
Perhaps the most challenging thing about this is that I'll be doing it on a shoestring budget.  But small budgets seem to bring out the creative & clever side of me so I'm not too worried.  I'm going to check out a few of shoppers secrets (as well as craigslist) but this weekend I mostly just collected inspiration.  This is what's on my mind so far!

I really like the nightstands and lamps in these pictures!  {source}
I'd love to add a side chair too.  Which I will have room for if I de-clutter!
I love how calm and luxurious this room is.  The curtains are so sumptuous!
Headboard and canopy are to die for!  So romantic!  The window/door/flooring situation in this picture is similar to my room.
I love full canope beds but I don't think it would work in my small room. This 4 post bed is a nice compromise I think.
Love this nightstand, and it's an Ikea hack too so budget friendly!