You guys! Madewell is having a 20% off sale this morning, and I am doing everything in my power not to hit "add to cart" on everything!! Seriously, I've loved Madewell for some time now, but only own a gold bangle from them (given to me by my lovely and thoughtful husband!). Here are the top 5 things I wish I could buy for spring! (That is, if it ever decides to change seasons around here... Notice a theme? White!!)

clockwise from top left: skinny skinny ankle jean in mapview!  /the transport tote / two-tone sweater /  the linen tee in ink print / the Chelsea boot in black leather

Here are a list of my favorite things on the MSP Craigslist right now. I wish I could afford to get all of them!

round Room & Board end table, $160  // For the Living Room.

round tulip-style table for the kitchen $150 // Though I'd prefer ahem... a white marble top.

beautiful teak wood patio set $375 // Though I'm not completely sold on those super bright red cusions. I would probably want to recover them in Black, Grey or Tan.

This great wooden storage unit! $200 // For the basement workroom area.

Set of two industrial light fixtures, $25 each // For the Master Bedroom.

Midcentury chrome desk lamp $40 // For the Master Bedroom or Guest Bedroom.

The perfect rustic wood bench, $50!! // For the Foyer!

Alex and I went out to breakfast at the Day by Day Cafe on West 7th the other day and it was awesome (and awesomely cheap!) Then we stopped at an antique store next door when we noticed they were having a sale. I picked up an adorable little first-knuckle ring with a hand on it and Alex bought a pristine vintage Kodak darkroom timer to use as a kitchen timer! Then we decided to haul ourselves over to the mall to get Alex some new work shoes (which we did not find) but lo and behold I found a pair of great tan wedge booties on super sale (of course I did), and could not resist bringing them home. Alex also picked up new perfume/cologne for each of us from Banana Republic (they were all so good, guys! it was hard to decide!) since we were both out. So I decided to take a photo of our goods, since they looked so nice together...

I was lucky to pick up this great vintage coat a while back, while out thrifting. It is right up my alley, with its classic drab green, quilted style coat, complete with a great faux fur shawl collar, it is the perfect mix of utilitarian american heritage style for me! I havent been able to wear it until recently, because it has almost been too cold to wear anything other than my trusty down coat that goes from my nose to me knees! But on the warmer days this past weekend (read: about 20 - 30 degrees),  I was able to throw it over a wool shirt, and was plenty warm for running errands. Yay!

 





I also picked up these tan ankle wedge boots the other day, and have been wearing them nonstop! To work and out in the evening (even though it's been a bit slippery here and there!).

wool shirt: vintage, thrifted at Mighty Swell Vintage! (for the boy, actually, but it ended up being much too short for him :( )
tank underneath: F21
jeans / leggings: Target
ankle boots: DSW
coat: vintage, thrifted

I got me some new (vintage) glasses! The frames I found while thrifting at Value Village a long ass time ago for, can you believe it, 39 CENTS?! The old glass lenses were extracted by the folks at Visionary Optical in Uptown (my favorite glasses boutique and purveyor of loads of vintage eyewear... love them!). I am so happy to have finally gotten them filled!

Also new, are these crazy red velvet matchstick pants that I have been wanting from J.Crew this holiday season (below). They were on extra-sale when I went to spend a gift card I got for Christmas. Happy day! Plus, I had to wear them for this wardrobe remix photo, as they almost match my new glasses! PS: sorry about not wearing any shoes (I probably wont be wearing shoes in my remix photos for awhile now), wet boots are not good for clomping around the house in.

the deets:

new (vintage) glasses: frames thrifted from Value Village, lenses from Visionary Optical in Uptown
vintage wool sweater: thrifted from Savers
denim shirt underneath: Target
striped tank underneath underneath (peeking out!): H&M
red velvet matchstick pant: J.Crew, bought with an xmas gift certificate!
wool socks: Target? borrowed from the boy...

Image c/o This Old House

It's the world I live in people. Ceiling Medallion world. It is a beautiful world, sure. But also a frustrating one. In which, I am swimming in options and sizes (thank god for the internet), but cant find one to match the authentic casual Victorian feel of our house that ALSO has an inner diameter of at least 4 1/2" to save my life. You see, I've collected these three modern globe ceiling fixtures to replace the ugly outdoor-looking ones that were installed in our house when it was flipped. And the canopies need at least 4 1/2" in the center to fit them into the ceiling medallion (which, This Old House recommends, should have an outer diameter of at least 18" to fit the scale of rooms over 140 sq ft with up to 10' ceilings). All I can find are inner diameters of 3 5/8" or there arent dimensions listed (internet fail). GUH.

I wish I could just blink my eyes and 6 perfect matching ceiling medallions would appear on my doorstep, instead of sifting through the internet for the thousandth time (my head hurts!)

Image from Architectural Depot

Okay... vent over. Other things sitting on my to do list that I am itching to get done asap?

+ Paint the guest room
+ Hang the 2013 calendar that Alex got me for Christmas!
+ Cut boards for missing shelves in several of our closets, paint boards, install
+ Buy a small touch up can of white for the trim, touch up scuffs and chips!
+ Cut wood for small upstairs bathroom shelf, paint, install
+ Take down all Christmas decorations and re-arrange living/dining room

Hey, look at me! I am blogger, hear me roar!

Here is another outfit post, where I am wearing a dress! This dress was purchased at the two*birds sale this weekend, which I luckily had time to stop at, during an eventful weekend this past weekend. I LOVE the polka dots! So perfect! I cant wait until this next weekend too, when I have my first of several holiday parties to attend, where I will wear (another!) fancy holiday dress! I am feeling so festive, guys. Expect another feeling festive post. For sure.

PS: Can you spot the "little something extra" in this outfit photo?

That's right! I got a new tattoo! I am loving it. AND I am loving Steady Tattoo on University. Best tattoo artist experience so far. Though I did have to wait a loooooong time for a walk-in appointment, it was worth it.

dress: two*birds sale!
tights: random
boots: vintage, thrifted

I just received a pair of new boots in the mail! A pair of vintage, Red Wing Irish Setter's in a darker cognac colored leather. I cant tell you how long I've been pining for a pair like this. And I thought it would be prefect timing if I let myself splurge on a pair, as this week is the Annual MCAD Art Sale! I am on my feet all day, for long 10 - 15 hour days all week, installing art in the galleries, gathering lunch for the crew and general non-sense. These work boots have Lug soles and should be the perfect thing to keep my feet from aching (at least a litte bit), especially when I drop in a pair of the highest-rated Dr. Scholl's on top of that! I bought a half size up just for that reason.

After wearing them for the first couple of days, they are every bit as comfortable as I thought they would be, though they still need some breaking in, especially in the leather upper, which is still a bit stiff. Cross your fingers that they were well worth the wait and the dollahs!

You were so good to me. And I will miss you, dearly. But I am confident that MPR appreciates the donation! Soon I hope I'll have a new little car to get me around St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Oh pinterest, you slay me! (know what else slays me right now? These amazing hydrangea bushes bursting into life at MCAD right now! Ughhh my goddd drooooool... So big and fluffy and conical shaped!) My right brain loves the simple way I can visually categorize every item into the proper section, for later viewing and shopping. (This is sounding eerily like a blog post I would have posted about 2 years ago...) But my left brain thinks I'm getting a little out of control. You see, the other day I felt inclined to make a whole new board just for... wait for it... light fixtures. And I stopped dead in my tracks. Are you seriously so obsessed with these physical objects that you need a whole board dedicated to their deliciously mid century minimal styling?!?  (The answer is yes, but that is a whole other affliction that I wont get into here.)

And who am I making this board for, really? I'd like to think that I'm making it only for myself. So that I can virtually bookmark something I may want to come back to when I actually have the keys to our house in my greasy little hands, and make a decision to purchase one (or two, or maybe eventually three). I guess I really dont care if other people decide they want to follow my boards or repin my pins, because that, my friends, is getting into dangerous territory. A territory that I am not prepared to enter. In fact, I would much rather have the option of making my pins private, and for my own use. BUT, I think that's really more because I am embarrassed at the sheer number of lighting fixtures I pin (or exterior paint color schemes, or variety entirely-white rooms, or etc). More embarrassed, I have to say, then the whole lingerie board I also keep. Nope, no shame there. :)

More to the point, I guess I ask you this... When is enough enough? (Is Victoria from sfgirlbybay's 76 boards enough?) Is this an obsession that I need to quit? Or is it merely a side-effect of jonesing for a house that you do not have yet for a whole 6 months of waiting? Is it a way of coping, or of day-dreaming the stress of it all away? Opinions? Should I begin to dissect and categorize my boards to my hearts' content? Opinions and advice would be appreciated.

PS: I've found a few new blogs (that may help to alleviate my house-induced stupor, and instead replace it with a food-obsessed one) called Bon Appétempt (amazing cook-it-yourself blog featuring the lovely Amelia. Has hilarious little videos made by her husband Matt) and bigBANG studio (which I have come across once or twice in the past, but never really delved whole-heartedly into. Think valuable life lessons about work, love and marriage, amidst yummy food recipes and lovely travel photos galore. I adore it.) Recently added to the blogroll (do people still call this thing the "blogroll"?), check em out!

Time for another round-up of things I want on Craigslist! Yay! What a treasure trove you always are, Craigslist...

The Coolest vintage steamer trunk I've ever seen! $95

A beautiful house plant, Mother in Law's Tonuge, I think?? (Sorry for the TERRIBLE PIC)

Fake house plants, more realistic for my black thumb, $10

I'm in love with this awful vintage 70's sofa! $400

OMG these mid century pendant lights! $50

A great pair of tall white bookshelves, none of that Ikea Junk, $160

Mid Century Etagere/Room Divider! $750

Great walnut veneer credenza! $350

Cute lil grey dresser/nightstand (wayyyyy overpriced at $450)

I kind of love these rattan chairs (bebes!!), $15 each

I've been doing a bit of shopping lately... (I now have a shopping ban firmly in place) And most of it has been vintage, yay! I thought I'd share with you the vintage I've scored: the navy dress and sundress are from Mighty Swell, Yellow gingham dress is from Lula and everything else is thrifted! Stripes, colors, and patterns seem to be my themes lately! I love the summer!

On Monday night, Emma and Maggie and I attended the first-ever Mighty Swell Vintage customer appreciation event! Which was also, of course, a preview of their annual Summer Sale happening this weekend! So much fun! And way less crazy packed/sweaty as their usual sales have come to be known for (Bonus! Though honestly, I'd brave the crowds either way, they have the BEST selection of wearable vintage and the BEST prices around. I'm dead serious, you guys.)

I really wanted to wear my best Mighty Swell piece, but then I realized that most of the things I get from Mighty Swell are those things you LOOK and LOOK and SCROUNGE for and then finally find when you're not at all expecting to. Exhibits A, B and C: a 70's one-piece crochet swimsuit complete with low scoop-back (just what I wanted for the summer), a lovely 50's black velvet cocktail dress with little embroidered flowers all over it (that I wore to last year's Holiday Party), and a square leather tote bag that I use all the time. So, even though these are exactly what I wanted right when I wanted them, what I wanted for this event was to wear a bright and summery (Emma nailed it on the head with "kicky") dress. So I chose this vintage yellow gingham homemade dress I recently picked up from Lula Vintage, and paired it with with red lipstick and a red clutch I never get to use. ("real" outfit photo above, and some film photos I took of us ladies, below!)

It was a great event, as always, and my faves were the raspberry vodka cocktails and Nutella puppy chow! There was also a braid bar, providing already-adorable ladies super-adorable braids! Not me of course, people with HAIR. Here's Emma in her beautiful braid! I brought home a couple of dresses, of course. Both lovely summer dresses, I am sure they will be making their appearances on here real soon.

Thanks as always Mighty Swell ladies Meghan and Rae Alexis. And also for the friendship bracelets!!

dress: vintage, Lula Vintage
handbag: vintage, Spinario
heels: originally Target, thrifted from fake Target
bracelets: H&M and Mighty Swell!

As I sit here, three days into fighting a sore throat, bundled up on the couch in leggings and a circle scarf, I find myself pondering lounge clothes. Not just any lounge clothes, but my faaaavorite pajamas.

I feel like a real grown-up for finally having an actual assortment of actual pajamas, rather than just sleeping in underwear, tshirts, or nothing (tmi?). So I thought I'd share them with you. If this is too much information, the clothes that I sleep in, I suppose I'd like to know. However, I love lingerie and I know a lot of you ladies out there do too! I would love to someday get my grubby hands on a set of quality underthings, and swap them out for all of my crappy target undies. This is about the same thing. Although, this Henley from Steven Alan was on my list and got away last year. I still mourn not getting it! Whyyyyyy!

J.Crew Nightshirt

Ruffly white number from Macy's awhile back

Vintage 60's Cotton Nighty (the triangles!) from Mighty Swell Vintage

Vintage Dior Romper from Dear Golden Vintage, gift from Alex for Valentine's Day!

Do you guys have any favorite jammies? Or lounging around the house clothes?

I think everyone should have clothing swaps. I can't believe I had never participated in one until this past fall, with some of my new blogger friends. Well, aside from a few close girlfriends asking if we wanted something before they got rid of it, that is... I always look at my old clothes and accessories as kind of boring and yuk. But when brought to the swap, girls were grabbing for them! One blogger's trash is another blogger's treasure, I guess! And that is definitely true of the new items I was lucky enough to take home at the last one we did, in January. I have been wearing my new items non-stop!

Red Gingham shirt: vintage, swapped

Last time, the majority of items I ended up grabbing originally belonged to Nora, or Maria, I found out. This time, most of the things I brought home were my best lady Emma's, and I didnt even know it at the time! (There's a super cute photo of Emma and I over on her blog, in some of our swapped items, btw. ISNT IT SUCH A CUTE PHOTO?! Best ladies <3 <3 <3) Also, if one the items below was yours, let me know. It is super fun to know who's clothing I'm giving a new life to.

Vintage Fair Isle cardigan, skinny double-wrap belt and basic black dress: all swapped

Equestrian Print flannel shirt: vintage, swapped

Can you tell I cant wait for summer?!?! White cotton blouse and leather bag: swapped

These amazing green cuffed shorts with belt: swapped!

Here are the things I got from the swap. Remixed! And how I've worn them so far! This was a lot of fun to go through and think about different ways to wear my new pieces. I feel like I get into a sort of a style rut most of the time, since I dont have any time to put a lot of thought into my outfits. Especially in the mornings before work. I know I know, I think I grabbed a bit too much this time, the point is to GET RID of clothes, isnt it?!? Oh well... I'm in love with all of these pieces. Like, to bits. Especially that pink H&M dress. I knew I would want to wear it for Valentine's Day! However, I dont think it will be warm enough to go tights-less tonight, like I was hoping it would be. So tights-version it is. I'll let you know what Alex and I end up doing on our Valentines date, we dont really have any plans yet, but I think its way more fun to wing it sometimes and see what happens.

Pink H&M dress (and white cotton blouse again): swapped

Happy Valentines Day everyone, have a great night!
xoxo