the velveteen girl

Once upon a time...

Yesterday's outfit and the bright prickly green of the desert in the budding Spring had me feeling like a character in a fairy story. There's something magical about the colors of the desert at sunset at this time of year. Green, grey, purple, blue, pink, yellow. These ethereal feelings might also have something to do with the book I'm currently reading, which is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley. It has me in an imaginative spirit. I recently went on a book-seeking voyage in my old room, and found a small pile of unread books that I had collected 10-15 years ago. I used to love wandering through Barnes and Noble and picking out new books. Nowadays I read mostly on my Kindle and choose books by popularity or recommendation - I miss choosing something based entirely on cover art, character names and instinct. I'm finally getting around to reading some of those old choices, time capsules of my first serious reading years. 

I like to think that maybe I was channeling a little royal Beast yesterday with the deep velvet dress. Yes, I wore velvet - I know you're shocked. You and me both. If anyone's to blame, it's Greer from Reign. I think maybe her green velvet dress finally broke my resolve to be anti-velvet forever.

The truth is, this velvet dress felt like a cushion for my fragile state of being. Like wrapping myself in something truly luxurious, it made me feel dressed up and pretty and beloved. It's silly how much clothing can mean to me sometimes. I'm sure I'm not the only one who can feel transformed by what I wear. The last two weeks have been largely pajama-clad, and while the solitude and relaxation were needed and cherished, there comes a point when you have to put on your boots and walk outside of yourself again. 

Dress (similar)/Blouse: Ruche, Sweater: Target

I tell my story in bits by blogs and texts and memories, and reflecting back on my life is always surreal. It goes by so fast, doesn't it? Time heals all wounds and it goes ever on and on. It helps to know that the world is a big place, and I am infinitely small. That even the earth is just a speck of thriving life, and it's not all there is. It's easy to be overwhelmed and to forget the big picture. To stay in that pajama-clad universe (introverts unite) and disappear within. But life is not a wish granting factory because it isn't (shouldn't be) a selfish endeavor. Living is only worth it when shared with others. I am just a velveteen rabbit on that journey for realness. A worn and torn beloved being, made real by love.

I think that's the magic. I obviously don't believe in fairy tales (much), but I do believe that there's power in lying on the cold ground and trying to count the stars, feeling the odd emotional sensation of staring into an endless space. Realizing how gargantuan the universe is and how teeny tiny you are. A pinprick in someone else's telescope. That's the only way we can ever let go of the small things and become better, realer people. To discover that there's a Creator and we are purposeful. That life is short and time swallows it in great gulps. But it is marvelous and worthwhile. Every single moment, every single life, every single teeny joy. Things like coffee and velvet dresses and Spring colors. Fragrant creosote flowers and good books and cool breezes.

Pack up these moments in your arms and carry them with you. Gather others into your heart and love them. Sacrifice and embrace and become a beloved. It's a simple world of velveteen people, and we're all made real by love.

summer mint recipes

Have you ever had something define your summer?
Maybe a certain scent, or a particular playlist, or even a group of people.
I love summers because every single one is totally unique. Sure, you could say that about every season, but there's something about summer that is different. I think probably because summer is the season of play.

Maybe it's because I'm from Arizona, but summer is the most creative, most inspirational, most exuberant season of all. The heat is so intense you have to be innovative to enjoy your days; it forces you to dress differently, plan your days differently, break out new ideas. Some of those ideas include travel and road trips to better weather, which means a lot of beach and mountains and road trip music. Pool parties, sunflowers, iced drinks, bubbles, bikinis, bright colors, new sunnies, outdoor misters, porch lights, movie nights.
Summer also brings with it a host of new recipes and for me, this summer has been all about mint. 

My favorite mint recipes this summer have been the mint watermelon appetizer with goat cheese, the grilled zucchini and walnut salad with mint from M loves M, and of course a few yummy drinks from Starbucks, like the low-calorie cool lime refresher (ask to get it fizzed! yum!) and the blackberry mojito iced tea lemonade. 

You can also get really creative with infused water! I love cucumber/lime/fresh mint water. If you wanna kick your water up a notch, fill up your glass with ice and infused water and add an herbal tea bag to the mix. I added a raspberry tea to my cucumber/lime/mint water this morning, so refreshing!

I'd highly recommend trying out a watermelon and mint combo. I'm going to share with you a really simple and delicious recipe that my dad created after having something similar at an upscale restaurant in Phoenix.

Mint Watermelon Appetizer with Goat Cheese Ingredients: ·         Watermelon, cut into bite-sized cubes ·         Goat Cheese ·         Citrus Ponzu Sauce ·         Fresh Mint ·         Toothpicks for serving! Directions: Easy peasy! Grab a bowl and toss the watermelon, goat cheese crumbles, and fresh mint (lightly shredded/torn) together. Then lightly spritz the concoction with ponzu sauce, and hand out the toothpicks! You could also serve them a bit fancier on a platter, separated into individual portions. Watermelon cube topped with the goat cheese and a leaf of mint, finished off with a dash with ponzu sauce.  Get fancy with it!

I'd love to hear more tried and true mint recipes. If you have any, send them my way!

Also let me know if you try any of these minty delights. They all have my stamp of approval.

Hope you're having a uniquely wonderful summer. It's quickly coming to an end!

the vintage slip

Vintage has been a cherished theme and idea for pretty much my entire teenage years/adulthood.

Vintage weddings, parties, clothes, dishes, decor. Antiques. 

Perhaps it stems from that long-time love of all things Jane Austen, and the generation that fell in love with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy is finally growing up and getting married and decorating things. 

It could also just be the inevitable infatuation with nostalgia, which every generation seems to have in common. (I will always love you, 90's.)

Some bloggers out there are experts at thrifting and shopping vintage clothing and accessories.

I must confess that I have little to no experience in this area, mostly because I have trouble not knowing the history of an item -- in some cases it can be romantic, like a chipped china teacup or a bit of lace trim. 

But with clothes, I'm always nervous and my most germophobic self comes out in all its irrational glory. 

I have no idea where that item has been...I seem to recall some incident where I tried on an old hat once, and someone yelled at me that it could have lice in it, for all I knew. Maybe I was traumatized?

Whatever the cause for my aversion to vintage clothing, I finally had a must-have moment in an antique store. For a slip, of all things.

I've seen this trend, where a particularly fancy lace-trimmed slip is used to achieve a lengthened skirt, or to simply add some flair. Ruche has a nice collection of slips to choose from, and their winter lookbook Once Upon a Time even featured an outfit with one.

When I saw the vintage slip for a mere $9, I couldn't help myself. I had to get it!
It was something I had been wanting to try, but couldn't bring myself to spend a lot of money on.
I was surprised by how much I loved the way it turned out.
What do you think? Would you wear a vintage slip?

print mixing and baby soft suede

I've found myself on my own a few times in the last few weeks, picture-taking wise.
I would never claim to be an expert, and am still quite unashamedly gobbling up every "self-portrait tutorial" tips I see on other fashion blogs.
Whenever I have to take my own pictures, when my dutiful husband is studying late or has some other commitment, I wander over to these treets to the side of our apartment complex. They're below our parking lot on a hill, and besides a passing car or two, no one is ever around.
I'm still pretty awkward-feeling when it comes to setting up my tripod and posing. I have an idea of how I want something to look like, but I find myself wandering into the same poses, unsure and startled any time I hear a noise.
On this particular venture I stepped up onto a log and the camera kept snapping as the log shifted and I nearly fell over.
I think it's definitely time I invested in a remote -- and hopefully soon, an even better lense.

I loved the way this dress and skirt went together. For you pattern-shy people, this might be like an explosion of pastel that totally repels you.
I think some print mixing can be a quite healthy endeavor. There are a few key tricks, and this outfit demonstrates one I haven't used very often. Pair a tight pattern with a more open one - in this case, the color schemes are pretty much identical, so they complement each other quite nicely.
If the dress was a tight bird print, it wouldn't work as well. Since the prints are different concentrations, I give it my stamp of approval. (Again, I'm much more liberal in patterns than most.) What do you think?

Dress (remixed)/Skirt (remixed): Ruche

On Tuesday I finally pulled out a heart sweater I got on super sale at Old Navy last year.

I almost forgot about it -- I bought it in the warmer months, so I knew I wouldn't be wearing it until it started getting cold again. I found it while I was rummaging through the things at the top of my closet, and was so excited!

It ended up being a part of a very colorful, playful ensemble. I wanted to remix this polka dot dress, and this sweater was the perfect solution. I kind of loved it. 

Dress (remixed)/Boots (remixed)(shop 1, 2) : Ruche, Sweater: Old Navy 

I've talked before about how much I love these boots, but now I almost just want to put them on a pedestal and stare at them instead of wear them because they're the soft suede that is so easily scuffed.
It's a part of boot-wearing life, so I need to just let them live out their life without fear. But I want them to live a very very long time.
Or maybe I'll just buy like 3 back-up pairs.
On that note, Ruche is almost sold out, but I found them a bit cheaper on Urbanog, if you're interested (in buying me back-up pairs)!

work the skirt

Dress: J. Crew

Day 22: Last Tuesday I did something crazy and wore a skirt under my dress, instead of over it. 

It was a bold move, but I was feeling risky, and felt the need to try it out.

I got the idea from another blogger friend (Stephanie of Anie Inspired) who made this post, featuring a Frocktober outfit that layered a classic black dress with a cat-print skirt underneath it. 

I've seen ruffled and laced slips used beneath dresses in the same way, and it can be a really great tool to lengthen shorter dresses! But for people like me who have yet to invest in a fancy slip, this is a great alternative.

It can also add an extra layer of warmth, which I'm definitely going to need! Today I decided that it has finally hit the morning temperatures that require a coat and gloves before leaving the house.

Day 23: Wednesday was a comfy day for sure. I reached for the closest cozy sweater I could find, and happily it was this bright pink one!

Dress (remixed): Ruche, Sweater: LOFT, Booties: Urbanog

I was still working through my cold, and knew all of my makeup would most likely be gone by lunchtime. I wanted something easy and comfortable, but still interesting! The result was this multi-layered outfit that was bright and oh-so-comfy.
This floral dress has seen a lot of wear in my closet.. I love the colors, it's comfortable, and it's easy to put together with other things in my closet. A floral dress is definitely something every girl's closet should have. In my humble, floral-loving opinion.
I wear this one with jeans often, because it's on the shorter side. It looks really cute with my pineapple colored pants, too!

flutter on by

I love Monday and Tuesday nights.
For the last few months, we've had two of our favorite friends come over almost every single Mon/Tues for The Bachelorette and SYTYCD (So You Think You Can Dance).
We order pizza, or make crepes, or grab ice cream, and/or make coffee and enjoy some quality television together.
The result is hours of fun conversation revolved around the dramatic happenings of a woman trying to find love and a group of dancers that just want to try and make their dreams come true.
We've had a blast. With the finale of The Bachelorette this past Monday, there was gasping, crying, screaming, laughing, throwing things. It was the best darn 2 hours of television I've ever experienced.
(And by the by, I was #teamChris from the very beginning!)

Dress: J. Crew, Necklace (shop!) (similar!)/Earrings/Shoes (shop!): Ruche
Bangles: Kate Spade

Yesterday's outfit was very minty fresh.
This dress was one of my favorite buys from our local J. Crew Outlet two years ago, our first year living in Virginia.
It has served as one of my favorite go-tos, and has encouraged my love for anything and everything mint in my life.

During Ruche's jewelry sale last week I snatched up one of the very last listings for this layered necklace!
It's absolutely perfect for this monochromatic look, and I can already see it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
(Especially since Ruche included a surprise pair of matching earrings for every necklace I purchased! They're the best! I would highly recommend scanning their jewelry section.)

After my husband kindly took these pictures for me out on the damp rainy asphalt, we wandered back towards our front door when we noticed all of our friendly butterflies happily grazing away at our front bushes.
There are literally hundreds throughout the summer, and I try never to take advantage of how beautiful they are to watch.
We spent the next 15 minutes or so just taking a few shots of our dear friends, watching them live their lives, just fluttering on by.

Our front door :)