LOVE this crazy awesome vintage dress from Archivia in Brooklyn.  Her whole store makes me drool!!

This cute original art from Stephanie Levy in Germany, um…because who doesn’t love freshly squeezed lemonade on a hot (Portland) spring day?

This bag from Pansy Maiden in Boston…because I love Salmon colored anything right now and I need a new bag—though, I need a bag I can strap over my body for bike riding…hmmm.

I love love love this wedding dress by Sarah Seven.  The awesome thing is that she randomly visited me in my studio one day, checking out the space that was open next to mine.  We hit it off immediately and that was before I knew I would be getting married soon.  As soon as I found out, I contacted her to see if we could work together on a special custom piece for me.  She also really digs my jewelry (huge plus), so we’re really going to make this one something to remember.

…and this accessory to go with it, from Austie—another amazing talented gal who popped into my studio one day.  Austie and Sarah Seven are quite the dynamic duo.

Lastly,

I would want this print from one of my new favorites, Apak.  I first discovered their work when on my SF/LA tour.  I stumbled into Little Otsu in SF (and just recently saw them featured on the new Handmade Nation movie) and fell in love with Apak Studio’s work, immediately.  I was so chuffed to discover that they are also from Portland and that I can purchase more of their work on Etsy.

***Song of the Moment: I Was a Daughter, by Basia Bulat***

We’ll start off with the Robin’s Egg Wonder:

Dress:  Grandma’s basement (sorry, no link for this one)

Socks: Sock Dreams

Shoes: Shoe Fly

Earrings: betsy & iya (duh!)

Yellow Sunshine Dress:

Dress: Grandma’s Basement

Pants: Thrift store brown corduroys

Shoes: Imelda’s dark brown Euro dansko boots

Necklace (suggestion): A brand new betsy & iya listing, Old Door No. 7

And these earrings would go with this perfectly (if you’re a matching kinda gal):

As mentioned before there’s nothing like the customer service you’ll find in your Grandma’s basement and there’s also nothing like shopping local.

Gotta get to work now…uh…will I EVER catch up!?!!

***Song of the Moment: Undo, by Bjork***

I have discovered this store and must keep away–the way a fat kid should keep away from cake (and I can only say this because I WAS a fat kid for a moment so I know how it feels…OKAY).  My reasoning is that a fat kid doesn’t really care what she looks like so she’s not really going to try and stop herself from going in for that delicious red velvet cake with cream cheese icing; however, she understands somewhere in her innocent developing mind, that she has some kind of responsibility to herself to take care of herself.  And after she eats her second…or third… or fourth piece of cake, it might not actually feel so good.

Before I went to Vashon Island yesterday (pictures/post to follow), I went in for a 2nd piece of the most amazing stocking cake I’ve ever tasted.  In order to curb my obsession and subsequent sock weight gain, I will reveal my addiction occasionally here, through my OOTDs.

Tonight’s Outfit of the Day is dedicated to one element: those imperfect things that grace my sometimes not-so-rosy feet.

Black.  and Blue.

Oh oh how I love you.

pretty toes.

(look at my little housemate poking his head in.  he’s SO gonna be famous one day.  Stellan Malmstrom, he’s already got the name to prove it.)

***Song of the Moment: Maps, by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs***

shower me with love: this picture taken in one of the Pittock Mansion's crazy all body spray shower. If only I could shower in a chamber like this one.

This could count as my OOTD, BUT I recently wore pretty much this same thing, so I’m going to let you refer to days past to get the real scoop.  I worked like a crazy woman to get enough designs ready for a show that turned out to be a bust (= valley).  But the folks over at the show (Hip Happening) are trying really hard to have an awesome show and this is just the beginning, so I see good things for their future (= peak).  After the busted show, we (I’ll explain the extremely exciting plural pronoun in a follow-up post) headed to the Pittock Mansion atop Portland’s beautiful West Hills on a clear Saturday evening (= double peak).  We were attending a photo shoot where I was asked to bring some fancy new designs.

new coin necklace design on a pretty model

Here’s one:  old coin, multi-layered gunmetal silver necklace.  I will list this in my online shop soon.  Isn’t it lovely?  I brought along my new camera and pretended I was an excellent photographer myself.  It was funny trying to take photos amidst the pros; but they didn’t make too much fun of me.

love this pittock red piano scene

disappearing bride

She has run away.  She ran away years ago.   Here she looks for the boy she really fancies.  Love is fleeting.  Love is gone.

I really like taking pictures.  I have no clue what I’m doing.  I’m hoping to take some photography lessons from a friend soon who recently moved into the most awesome house with my other friend, Jessica.  Last night, we headed over for some drink and fellowship.  Man oh man, I love friendship (the biggest peak).  It’s so big and full.  Time flew by and before we knew it, all of our respective bedtimes had passed.  With failing eyelids, we hugged goodbye and began the short grueling trek to facing the week ahead.

I'm not ready to say goodbye to my weekend.

***Song of the Moment: Somedays, by Regina Spektor***

sweet home prairie city

rich berry dress:  awesome Idom on Alberta Street.

charcoal textured tights and long sleeve navy blue tee: anywhere local and cool.

aqua thick knee high socks: sock dreams on Powell.

frye boots: Johnny Sole downtown.

I love how I look slightly done in this photo.  Maybe subconsciously I’m mad at myself for getting out of bed too early which was actually too late and I had to rush to work…eek…hate rushing.  The studio is all out of sorts right now as I’m attempting to upgrade my filing and shipping systems.  So…walking in to chaos didn’t really help either.  Despite the aforementioned, I actually feel really great today—it’s super sunny, I’ve stayed busy after the holidays,  and minus the three day old hair, I think I’m lookin’ pretty darn smashing.

Three day hair:

I’m pushing the fluff with my hair today.  One step farther than my comfort zone.  Natural “product” adds texture and height.  I’m liking it the more and more I sit with it.

***Song of the Moment: To Go Home, by M. Ward***

embracing fluff

Before I set foot in that monster of a sale, I HAD to be armed with coffee.  I looked a little disheveled, similar to the picture above.  So…I set out with some top ladies over to Whole Foods and ran to the coffee counter.  There, I discovered a woman working behind the counter, who inspired me greatly.  She had short curly hair, much like the lady below, but even more curly and much more wily:

wily wily hair

I asked her to disclose her wild curly secret.  She said the secret was that there was no secret.  She gave up years ago on her muddy dirty wiry kinky  journey for the perfect curl.  That’s precisely when she found bouncy bliss.  She does nothing.  So…today’s OOTD is in honor of her: embracing the fluff.  Check it:

sliding it out

racer jacket

Scarf purchased at bargain price from new favorite store/designer Idom…more from them to follow.  Yahooey!  The sexy jacket was purchased in Sweden; when I first bought it, I wore it everyday.  It was a little too small for me at the time—oops.

Obey Me Owl Tee

This sweet tweet shirt came from another new store (to me) called Adorn.  Yummy: another new local store to fall in love with.  In this photo, I swear I’m not trying to poke my heehaws out in a provocative way, I just want you to get a good look at the colorful hooter.  I really do like this shirt and it’s incredibly comfortable–highly recommend their stuffs.

Ode to the Hair:

FLUFF master

Yeah.  I really like being careless with the hair–pushing it up and out ON PURPOSE is wildly liberating.  I felt like a nude hippy running through the flowery fields yesterday, alone.  It was magical.

Embrace the Fluff, people.  There is no better way for us kinky-haired folkadees.

mama's little reflection

Today, I remind myself of my mother.  It’s a beautiful, comforting  reminder full of breath and weight.

sexy mama

We love HANDMADE!  This cutesy cowl-neck sweater(ish) dress was handmade by my great friend Jen and given to me for Christmas 2007.  I have loved and used it ever since.  The sweet little expandable oldy goldy skin ‘n’ bones belt was snatched up at a ridiculously awesome RV-type estate sale (I know, such a perfect oxymoron) for 50 cents.  Can I just say:  Boo.  YAH.   I seriously wear that accessory belt with so many different outfits.  It spices them ALL up and makes me feel sleek and sexy.  Awesome jeans were made in LA by Freedom of Choice and purchased at a local store that I keep raving about, Pin Me Apparel.

boots boots boots

Two words:  frye. boots.  I’ve told you before–I LIVE in these boots.  They’re so comfortable.  They’re so rough.  They’re so classic and feminine (by not being feminine at all).  I love them.  They were made in the USA and purchased at an awesome local store, Johnny Sole,  to boot.

most important ingredient: mama's scarf

Over the holidays I ran into an old friend, one that used to soothe me on dark days and amplify the bright ones:  mom’s old scarf drawer.  I am seriously addicted to mom’s old scarves.  And I have been, ever since I was old enough to appreciate true style.  My mom’s got it.  I LOVE it.  Wearing her old scarves is much much more than pure style.  It’s familial, it’s like holding an old baby blanket and still sucking my thumb, it’s looking through favorite books on a solo day, eating my favorite meal, smiles, admiration, a deep deep love and more than that, they smell like her—like home.

And so, on these days, I make sure home goes with me wherever I go.

***Song of the Moment: Sweet Heart Fever, by Scout Niblett***

best workout look EVER

WHAT!?! Possibly the worst color combination for an outfit—ever.  Deep rich brown (um, swimming trunks, no less) matched with an old bright green comfy collar shirt from Levi’s (and a perfect little stain on the back):  good for trees, bad for bodies.

workout king

After I wiped the tears from my eyes, I was actually extremely proud of this outfit.

We often get a kick out of the RIDICULOUS choices people make when searching their wardrobes for the perfect thing to wear to the gym.  (seriously, reread the last part of the last sentence.  I truly believe it should never even happen.)

workout king #2

really. I mean, really really!?!!

If the above two meet at the gym, GREAT!  But really, who wants to pick someone up at the gym???  Especially if they look like one of the two above pics?  Sweaty, possibly stinky, out of breath, red-faced, tennis shoes, all on machines and/or doing stupid movements with heavy things…ask yourself—is that the best way to get to know someone? Also, is that the best way to spend your good outfit money?

yeah, that’s what I thought.

I’ll take my sweaty tree over these “sexy” workout oufitters any day.

***Song of the Moment: Physical, by Olivia Newton John***

I'll thriller you.

another awesome scarf from Sloan Boutique on the fancy 23rd.  friend exchange racer back weird see-through black thingy tank top (this adds spice to SO many boring things in my closet).  red corduroys…duh.

racer back tank, sliced through turtleneck

The simple gray undershirt with the cute white buttons was perfect for this outfit.  Keep lots of simple undershirts in your drawers–they go a long way.  I’m a huge fan of layering and accessorizing; you can still support local stores without having to spend a ton of money—you’ll look different and spice up your old garb!

***Song of the Moment: Dirty Diana (slash: betsy), by Michael Jackson***

Frump Chic OOTD

betsy & iya sexy earrings. sexy sweatshirt (is that possible?) from Pin Me. Cutesy hair accessory from beautiful bridget.

Colorful Chic

blue feet

pants: old roomy puke green wool from high school (wowzers.), shoes: old simples.

sweatshirt off

under the sweatshirt:  amazing one-of-a-kind handmade shirt from reclaimed materials, by Atomic Daylight, in St. Johns, Portland, OR.  I LOVE MY BIKE!  (it’s true.  This awesome shirt is a tribute.)

innocence

This picture reminds me of being a child.  I really loved being one of those; I’m glad I had the chance.

***Song of the Moment: Carry Me, by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds***