An Early Spring

I should note that we're not having an early spring, because even though the windows are up and a nice breeze is flowing through the living room and it looks like it's going to rain later, it's supposed to cool off again next week (because I live in North Carolina and our weather is notoriously wonky). But whatever, it's almost spring, and for some reason I'm really looking forward to it this year! I think it's because we didn't really have a proper winter, so I'm just over the whole thing and want to start gardening and going outside again. I already ordered tons of seeds to start indoors, and I'm working on the lettuce and tomatoes right now.

Since yesterday was so nice, we went to the park to take pictures and inadvertently found the best light ever. It reminded me of the light from the old Albuquerque park, and it looked so pretty with all the cypress trees. There were bushes everywhere in my little area, so Jeremy climbed in an azalea to get that first shot! A noble gesture considering how bad his allergies get around them.

Thrifted bag and wedges
Buffalo Exchange skirt
Jason Wu for Target blouse
Target tights
Bunny ring via Modcloth

Winnings From A Bag Sale

I haven't been to a bag sale in ages, so when my old trusty favorite thrift shop announced it was having one, of course I had to give it a shot. I got there early, but there wasn't much to choose from because of the week-long half price sale that led up to it (boo).

I snagged a few of those '50s plastic and melamine dishes (in my favorite colors!) and an old GE clock radio that still works. And then there were the patterns. SO MANY PATTERNS! I felt like I was on Supermarket Sweep, just dumping them into my bag. I haven't been through them yet so I'm not sure how complete or cut-up they are, and I know a lot of them aren't even in my size, but I figured it was worth it to at least grab them and go through everything later. If the larger ones are in good enough shape I can always sell them on Etsy, so at least someone would get some use out of them!

Asheville Interlude

We spent the weekend in a cabin in Asheville, NC. It was my first time there, which always shocks everyone because it's full of vintage/antique shops and hippie-type people, both of which are my favorite things. The mountains were beautiful and the city seems very laid-back. I said on facebook that I felt like I cheated on Wilmington, and it's true-- I kind of want to move there now!

A friend gave us a few recommendations and we had breakfast at Early Girl Eatery, dinner at The Laughing Seed, and shopped for vintage house-things at Screen Door. At Screen Door I found a coconut purse in one of the booths (!) and a metal chair that folds out into a step stool, which is a must have for the kitchen because I'm short and can never reach anything. Sunday we picked up brownies at French Broad Chocolates.. I think I want to move there just because they have more than one fancy chocolate shop! Ahh!

It was cold so I forgot to take a proper outfit photo, but look! New coat! I found it at my favorite thrift shop-- or I should say the wonderful Ruth had it hiding it in the back-- and it was only ten bucks. It's made of sheep's wool and desperately needs to be dry cleaned because it's awfully yellowed, but its the warmest thing ever.

Coconut!

The Knitted Odd-bod Bunch

This is my current favorite pattern book-- The Knitted Odd-bod Bunch by Donna Wilson.

Well, I've never been compelled to actually buy pattern books until I saw this one, because the creatures are so weird and I realized that I need to make all of these things right away and give them to people and keep a bunch for myself and omgfun. For Christmas I got a little stack of hobby books, including a baby hat book (because I love to give those as gifts) bringing my total number of pattern books up to Two.

The style of the book is very homemade and oddball and reminds me a lot of Amy Sedaris's books (this would be right up her alley, really). Some of my favorites:

Love them. I'm in the middle of making the twins right now.

They're knitted flat on straight needles and then sewn together (or at least the twins are, I haven't tried anything else yet), and I forgot how little I knit on straights. I pretty much do everything on circulars. I would have used them for this but I don't have circs in a 4. I should really get some sort of set and just chuck all the straights out the window..

The Year In Outfits: 2011

I've been looking forward to making this post because I always seem to forget about a lot of the photos from earlier in the year. It's left me feeling a little bittersweet, though, because it's painfully obvious that my posts became more sporadic and less fun once we moved back to NC, which is sad! I know the most boring thing in the world is for a blogger to promise to post more (as if you're on the edge of your seats!) but I really do want to get back on track for 2012. I also want to make my posts more fun and location-centered like they were in St. Louis and Albuquerque-- there are plenty of cities to visit around here, so that's what I'm going to do.

January: Leaving St. Loius. The last photos taken at Tower Grove Park, near the frozen lake.

February: Roswell & The Bottomless Lakes. Such a fun trip! We spent the day in Roswell and then spotted a sign for "The Bottomless Lakes" and decided to see what that was all about.





Runner up: Sepensortia. Rattlesnake Museum!

March: 10,378 ft. At the top of the mountain at Sandia Peak.



April: & Old Lace My 26th birthday photos!

May: The End of the Desert. The last photos at that gorgeous park in Albuquerque.



runner up: Tea Please! A fancy afternoon at the St. James Tea Room!

June: Greenfield Lake & Coming Home. Photos at the lake near our new place.

July: A Delicate Interest. A dainty and delicate old dress.

August: A Summer Uniform. Basically what I wore all summer. All hail those shorts!



September: Peppermint Dream. The dreamiest color palette ever.



October: New Hair, Old Dress.. I went red! Even though you can't tell in the picture..



November: Adventures in Red Hair. There! Red!



December: Everything Fancy At the river-- probably the new default outfit photo location.

So yes-- more day trips! We've been talking about going to Charleston soon, and Asheville..

Happy New Year to everyone!

Christmas Dress

Just a quick outfit post re: my holiday dress for this year! We stopped by the river to snap these photos just before driving home on the 23rd-- the dogs were staring at us from the car wondering what on earth was going on.

I'm kind of obsessed with peachy colors and red hair together. This was the other Modcloth dress that I bought on sale around Thanksgiving.. I'm so happy with it, even though it kind of desperately needs to be steamed/ironed-in-a-careful-way and I couldn't find my iron in all the pre-trip hubbub, and I refused to stress out about it because I was already worrying about a zillion other things. I think it still looks nice!

How was your holiday? Eat anything yummy or wear anything fantastic? I haven't planned a New Year's Eve outfit yet but I suppose I should get on that..

Modcloth dress
F21 cardigan
Chinese Laundry tights
Seychelles heels
Bat bracelet c/o My Selvaged Life

Bonus George-amongst-Christmas-rubble photo: