flashback friday: birthday countdown

 Ichetucknee Springs, June 2011.

Glasses: Forever 21. Bathing suit: Handmade, my mom. Shorts: Almost Famous.

My birthday is eight (eight!) days away. And while I do have a pretty crappy track record with birthdays, it doesn't stop me from getting super excited and giddy with glee.
This year I hope to keep things simple and fun. I usually start planning birthday festivities months in advance, but as I've gotten older (I'm so old!), I've realized how much I just want a simple night with great food, great company, and a great outfit.
Last year, the husband decided we take a trip up north - north Florida, that is - to go tubing down a river and hang out in a natural spring.
We got a small group of us together and made our way up.
A speeding ticket, a late arrival, the middle of nowhere, and one disastrously epic car dilemma (it took us 6 hours and about $250 to get a wheel bearing off. a wheel bearing!), and it was definitely a trip to remember.
And one that we probably won't do again..
Happy Friday!

Infamy.

flashback sunday: happy mother's day



my grandma, my uncle, and my mom (in a handmade dress, of course), 1975, at my uncle's graduation. snazzy, huh?
happy mother's day!

flashback friday: missing

I have been rather uninspired lately.

And also irritated and the loss of a box of clothes that seems to have been misplaced in the move.

Boothbay Harbor, Maine, July 2007.

When I was younger I had a Barbie that wore this fantastic hot pink one-shoulder dress, similar to this shirt.

Every time I wore the shirt I thought of that.

And, really, doesn't it just scream springtime?!

Well, it was in that box. And it's missing.

Which makes me rather upset.

I need a wardrobe update.

Shirt: Forever 21.

Happy weekend everyone!

flashback friday: beach babe

March 1987.

Today's heat is unbearable. The end.

I'm pretty sure my trip to the dog park will result in a sun tan (or burn).

So let's take it way back today and check me out frolicking on the beaches of Argentina.

Can you say total beach babe?

And also, so strong! Holding up that umbrella and everything.

Happy Friday!

Even if the weather on your side isn't beach weather just yet, it will be soon enough.

Bikini: handmade by my momma!

flashback friday: barbie, who are you wearing?

"Just Married". Trying to keep the Ken and Barbie union legit.

When I was about 7 or 8, my mom would pick me up from school and take me back to her workshop where we would stay til the evening, or until the work was done.

Almost always finding ways to entertain myself, one fateful day I decided to pick up some of her fabric scraps, sit down at a sewing machine, and make clothes.

And I'm not talking about clothes for myself, but for my Barbies. The best models, duh.

Just hanging out on a fire hydrant. No big deal.

I like to think I was way ahead of my time. Of course I wasn't, but I had some really interesting ideas.

I would make them pose and take pictures for my, you know, fashion portfolio.

Apparently this was a wedding-themed shoot.

While nothing ever came of that (and my mom was rather saddened by the fact that I chose culinary school), I do find inspiration every now and then and cut up some old denim, transform some old shirts, or even make pillows (I spent an entire summer making countless pillows just for the hell of it. And they were great!).

But I digress.

Back to Barbie fashion. It was fun and it's nice to look back at the creativity I had flowing at 7.

flashback friday: be mine, creatively

circa 2006 and quite blurry.

ceramic heart and glitter heart found at dollar stores; valentine made from felt and ribbon; filled with chocolates and a cupcake; wrapped in cellophane.

I used to really love Valentine's day. Not to say that I don't now, but it was always so fun.

While my girlfriends were moping about being single on such a cookie-cutter Hallmark holiday, I was celebrating friendships with homemade goodies.

Every year I made a new homemade valentine card and paired it with a sweet treat like heart-shaped cookies, pink cupcakes, or even loads of chocolate bars.

The idea was simple: here's a little something I made to say "I love you".

And what better way to show that than with something made from the heart?

It's been years since I've made Valentine's day goodie bags, to be honest, but I did implement a $5 gift rule for my husband and I.

Though, he kind of hates the rule and he always breaks it.

But regardless, the creativity is there.

I really don't like red roses and even in high school, I hated the girls that crowded up the already-crowded hallways with enormous teddy bears and an unnecessary amount of red heart balloons.

So I like to be a little out of the box on Valentine's day.

So should you.

A couple of ideas to help:

Cupcakes and Cashmere's Conversation Heart Cookies

A Beautiful Mess' Wall Art

The Foodie Physician's Stay-at-home Romantic Meal

Bakerella's Cake Pops

Lots of love and creative energy your way!

And for the single ladies moping around on this "holiday", remember:

flashback friday: santa, is that you?

Santa has seen some better days.

circa 1993?

Have a nice weekend!

flashback friday: my first

It is officially December! It is officially holiday season!

Up until I met the husband I'd actually never had a real tree. I never even knew about real trees.

Most of my childhood was filled with a 4 foot artificial tree we propped up on side table and filled it with lights, garland, tinsel, and numerous ornaments. It was fantastic.

But I have to say that I'm pretty sure I've become a real tree fan for life.

Everything about it screams holiday fun: picking and choosing, taking it home, opening it up and getting a whiff of that pine smell, watering it, and decorating.

This year we put on Pandora's holiday station while decorating and Sandy puppy watched from her little pillow.

We even got a little fence around it and some fake fluff snow to puppy-proof the tree.

But enough about that tree!

The first time going out to pick a tree was exciting to say the least.

Can you tell??

That cross-body bag was found in the Target clearance section. I loved it cause the color screamed "HELLOO!". I have since grown tired of it, of course, but that sweater?? The best $7 sweater I've ever owned.

Here's to the holiday season.

flashback friday: birthday boy

With the husband's birthday quickly approaching, I thought we'd take a look at a picture taken around the time we started dating, circa 2007.
A co-worker's band was set to play downtown, but when that got cancelled everybody's plans shifted to a house party.
So we packed the place and hung out all night.
That shirt I'm wearing? I got it as a gift and swore by it for a good year or 2. I'm like that with most of my clothing, really.
I haven't decided if that's a good or bad thing yet.

(belated) flashback friday: marilyn

The whole week, including the weekend, has been busy and hectic so Flashback Friday has arrived a little late this week.
And in honor of Halloween quickly sneaking up on us, here's a goodie:

This costume actually came together like most do: I needed a costume for a party at the last minute so I went to Party City and bought a costume. The end.
Terrible, I know.
This was about 8 or 9 years ago. And while I still have the dress, the wig has gone missing.
I really wish I still had that wig.
These days I mostly enjoy really fun, really silly DIY costumes and a good wig is always a great start.
I did consider doing a Marylin Monroe costume this year, but I'm not too sure yet. I haven't done anything in about 3 years since I always have to work.
But this year will be different!
I hope.

flashback friday: diy jewelry

Continuing in the theme of teenage fashion, let's a trip back to when bright, tacky jewelry was the norm. And leading the pack for me was a serious favorite: toothbrush bracelets. In cleaning up and looking through old things, I found that I still had mine. Well, one of them anyway.

I've made many toothbrush bracelets in my day.
The trick is to get a kiddie toothbrush since they're thin and plastic and they're much easier to manipulate.
I do love to manipulate a toothbrush.
Moving on! The best instructions are here. I like to use oven mitts to help me shape the toothbrush once it comes out of the water. It seems to work best.
Talk about a fashion statement. And possibly a lovely addition to a Man Repeller arm party??

flashback friday: memory lane

How charming.

This picture seems slightly apropos today, since he randomly appeared in a strange dream last night.
This was taken New Year's eve 2003, I believe. It really does depict my high school choice of apparel. I loved my Dickies pants and usually combined it with a basic tank top and that tiny zip-up black hoodie. Can't say I was fashionable, but as a 16 year old, I thought it was great.
Isn't it funny how many great ideas you seem to have as a 16 year old? Or even an 18 year old? Or even a drunk 21 year old?
But I digress!
A friend and I went over to Ryan's house and we did some picture taking, this being one of them.
Jen and I tied extra pieces of fabric around our heads and, even though you can't see them, we wore two different brightly-colored socks.
Sixteen-year old fashion: gotta love it.