Bringing Up My Baby

When I look back at some of my first posts I am amazed at how much better my photography and styling has got since I started nearly ten months ago. I think sprouts from a combination of two things a) the constant practice I've gotten since starting this blog, and b) the benefit of having such lovely young ladies to learn from.

When I found this dress at a thrift store near my cousin's house I was thrilled. I reminded me a lot of the Aviary Enthusiast Dress ModCloth is selling, and it was very flattering on. I tried styling it during the week end I stayed at with my cousin, but didn't have the right pieces with me to make it work. A week later I pulled it out of my closet and - rather discouraged from the attempt (and fail) I made at my cousin's house - wondered what in the world could bring out the modern, chic vibe of this dress.

Knowing that Rebbeca of The Clothes Horse had the Aviary Enthusiast Dress from Modcloth, I quickly ran over to her blog to see how she had styled the ModCloth counter part to my dress. And while I gave up before I found the post I was looking for, I did, however, find this post of hers, with a dress even more like mine. Encouraged by the fact that I had a very similar pair of sandals as well as a denim jacket similar to hers, I attempted the styling. Unfortunately for me it was far too hot to wear my denim jacket, so I finished off the look with my lovely, tan Charlotte Russe belt, instead, and loved it! My mom even gave me an old red purse of hers that matched perfectly.

This dress is so comfortable, and cool and the skirt swings when I walk and makes me feel like a glamorous lady from the 40's. Does it get any better than that??

Outfit Details:
Dress - Vintage, thrifted
Sandals - Merona
Belt - Charlotte Russe
Sunglasses - ModCloth via my sweet big sister
Purse - My mom

Play Day in the Park

The weather man said it was supposed to rain all day on Sunday. Thankfully, however, it only rained in the late afternoon. Which meant I was able to spent a bit of the morning just wondering through the park, taking pictures, dancing, climbing trees, smelling flowers; like a little girl - and all while in the company of Enya, and Adam Young.

I really love this outfit. I bought the shorts from a thrift store a couple weeks ago with the intent of cutting them off into shorts and stamping them as is a popular style now. I still want a pair of stamped shorts, but I think I like this pair un-stamped too much to use them. They are so comfortable, and just the right length - and if I don't stamp them they'll be a great staple for the summer.

Outfit Details:

Dress as a shirt - ModCloth
Shorts - Thrifted
Cardigan - Merona
Necklace - ModCloth
Belt - I can't remember the name of the store, and anyway I wouldn't like to shop there again.
Sunglasses - ModCloth via my sweet big sister <3
Shoes - Rue 21

Once She Dreamed of Romance

I got this dress at the thrift store last week. When I got it it was much longer. My family thought I was crazy for getting it, but I knew it just needed a hem and it would be lovely - at least I hoped so. I'm so glad I got it now!! You can't tell very well, but I gave this dress a wide hem (3" or so) like I did on my homemade dress as well. It's one of my favorite details on dresses - I think it adds so much character!

My younger sister, Maddie (she hates when I call her my "little sister") helped me take these pictures Friday night since my original plan of taking pictures at the beach didn't work out. We had fun and I got some good pictures of her and the dog that I'm going to post on my photography blog later this week.

Outfit Details:
Dress - Thrifted
Ballet Flats - H&M
Belt - Thrifted
Cardigan - Merona
Sunglasses - Xhilaration

Music Monday - Blackmore's Night's Far Far Away

Blackmore's Night was my favorite band for a long time. This song has become especially dear to me since it reminds me of myself. Two years ago I was a little girl day dreaming about the "wedding novels" I wrote and pretending I lived in a far away, fantasy land. Now I am a young lady working hard at what I've been called to do, and that little girl is far, far away.

Brace the Wind

I am a bird. A little bird that has spent her whole life hopping from place to place - unable to fly. All my friends are flying and now it's my turn. But in order to fly one has to leap out of the nest - and that is scary. I don't want to do that. I want to stay high up here, safe and sound like Rapunzel in Tangled, but, like her, I'm starting to feel in my heart that this isn't possible anymore. I am seventeen - going on eighteen - hiding from my fears is no longer an option. I have to face them head on. I cannot hide in the mind of a grade schooler anymore.

For once in my life I feel free. I feel as if I can go anywhere, do anything. That is a new feeling for me. I've always looked older than I am, and I've always acted older, to an extent. I've always had very high ambitions, and I've always believed that if I just work hard enough I can reach them. I guess now it's time to put those ideas to to the test....

I got this necklace when we went antique-ing with my mom on mothers day. There was a sticker on the back that said it is made out of an egg shell. When you look closely, you can sort of see the ridges of the shell on it. I love this necklace so much since finding that out. Not a bad find for $5, huh?

Outfit details:
Tank top - Merona
Cardigan - Old Navy
Jeans - Old Navy
Hat - H&M
Shoes - Rue 21
Necklace - Vintage

The Bird and the Worm

I wore this outfit on Friday when my friend Christina and I took a walk through our favorite park. I really like this outfit. I think it is one of the the most perfect summer outfits ever.

So, I really just want to thank you all for the wonderful comments on my last post. I'm feeling much better now. The truth is, I'm not always very confident, and I don't like change. But I'm seventeen years old, and next year is my last year of high school - change is imminent, and it scares me. And for the first time since I met her, my big sister doesn't have the answers, with is unusual and odd feeling. I'm a first born, and I'm used to stepping up and being the leader when everyone else is lost, but that's a lot of pressure right now. I guess I just have to realize that sometimes none of us will have the answer and all we can do is stumble around together, trusting God to lead us out again. Thank you all for your encouragement right now - it means a lot to me.




Christina made this stop motion film of us in the park. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.

Outfit Details:
Dress - ModCloth
Jeans - Old Navy
Jacket - Old Navy (swaped)
Shoes - H&M
Sunglasses - Xhilaration
Hat - H&M
Ring - Charlotte Russe
Necklace - Clairs, from my big sister
Nails - Based after this photo

Music Monday - #12 Owl City's Umbrella Beach

Music Monday is back at last!! *throws confetti*

So, last year I became a fan of Fireflies by Owl City. I looked up some of their other songs, but didn't really care for any of them. My sister, however, found them a couple months ago and now has a new favorite band. She listens to them all the time, and I found them a little more enjoyable this time. Not enough to listen to them, but enough to put them on my iPod. While I was on my trip, I stumbled onto them again, and now I have a new favorite artist. Here is one of my favorite songs by them, and the one I listened to most on the trip: Umbrella Beach.

Someone Said Goodbye

Sometimes I feel as if I haven't a friend in the world. Like I will die the same way I am living now - having done really nothing of anything significant. But that's probably just me being depressed. I get that way sometimes. I make myself believe that things will be better when such-and-such happens - but they're not. They never are. And this trip kind of only made things worse. For two weeks I got to be with friends - real friends who care about me, and respect me. But it couldn't last, and now I face the summer - and it will most likely be very lonely.

I just want to spend the whole summer with my big sister. I keep thinking back to the trip, and how much fun it was. Two whole weeks with friends that didn't act like I'm a dumb little girl who doesn't know anything about the world. I'd give anything to be able to spend a whole summer with those friends.

I wore this outfit the day my big sister left. It was my one last chance to show her - in real life - what I can do. Because, to be completely honest, I want so badly for her to be proud of me. I get all dressed up and do my hair and make up so she will be. So she can see the one thing I'm really good at - because she is so good at writing and just about everything.

Today I applied for the community college and - if all goes well - I'll be taking some classes this summer. I just need to decide if I want to take a compute graphics class or a photography class. I think I learn enough about photography on my own, without a class (I am so happy with how my photography has improved in the past six months) and I really want to learn more about computer graphics, but I'd love to meet some photography lovers that live in my area, so we'll see.

While we're on the subject of computer graphics, however, what would you all think if I started selling custom blog templates? They wouldn't be super fancy, but also not super expensive. I'm thinking $15-$30 dollars depending on how much the customer would want done. Anybody like the idea?

Outfit Details:

Dress - Thrifted
Jeans - Old Navy
Cardigan - Old Navy
Belt - Charlotte Russe
Ballet Flats - H&M
Hat - H&M
Sunglasses - ModCloth via my sweet big sister
Purse - Mulberry for Target