Fashion inspirations

Check out these cute shoe clips! They remind me of something my friend Alex would absolutely love. She made her own blue flower clip for her white graduation shoes, and complimented it with blue jewelry - genius!

Check out these crazy bone necklaces! I don't think I could pull one off without channeling the Flinstones, but I'm loving the girl's fiery red hair.

I'm loving this outfit from What I Wore - very Anne Hathaway! 

Big event this weekend? Check out this amazing red dress above! Oh, to have an event suitable for this little number! It reminds me of something my friend Annie would pull off flawlessy. She has beautiful blonde hair just like this model's and could rock it like no other classy broad I know. 

What I ate today

Welcome back! I thought I would share some photos with the new camera today. About 90% of this blog features food, so why change things now, eh?

mozzarella and tomato sandwich with parmesan cheese, made with...

MOZZARELLA BIGGER THAN YOUR HEAD!

 Guess it's been a red foods kinda week. 

 Don't worry, I didn't eat Bailz.

No matter what, she'll always be the most photogenic little thang I ever did meet! 

Tea pots

Some friends of mine are moving into apartments this Fall, and one friend mentioned she just bought the cutest teapot. It got me thinking about how crazy moving out of your parent's house into an abode of your own really is! Hmm... What kind of necessities would I need to acquire? A teapot would be a must! 

This one makes me laugh! It's from fugly teapots tumblr. It's also probably what I looked like when my Dad would make me tea back during the braces age - acne and all. 

It's going to be weird when the day arrives when I'll need to search for my own dishes and other musings. Until then, I'll just be online shopping, prepping for the day, and taking full advantage of someone else stocking the fridge!

Rebecca Black and Nyan Cat

Have you SEEN this video? 

The piano sounds so upbeat and punchy! I'm assuming the whole world is familiar with "Friday" by Rebecca Black, but I had no idea "Nyan Cat" was as bad. Here's the original:

Yes, it is just a flying pop tart cat. For three minutes and thirty-seven seconds! I guess two negatives really do make a positive! 

Baking Wednesday

Yo yo yo, buds! Hope this Wednesday finds you well. 

I finally got me a new camera. It looks something like this one. 

Now I can take extra-professional photos of stars flashing the camera, and middle aged, balding men who have eight children. Excellent. 

Naturally, it was time to test it out on some of tonight's eats before I tackle Hollywood!

First up - homemade cupcakes. 

Step 1: Open the Pillsbury box. Add eggs. Only one, according to this photo. Err, add egg.

I can see why cook books take forever to assemble! I swear I took twenty shots of batter dripping from the whisk. That'll win ya a Pullitzer. 

Especially if the photographer gets distracted by taking pictures of their mom. Lookin' good, woman!

Or delicious pizzas! 

I swear this pizza's cheese was as stringy as you see in commercials. Costco, for the win! 

Tunes Tuesday

Here we are again: Tunes Tuesday!

I am 100% completely obsessed with this song. My cousin Hannah recently showed me "Sit Down Beside Me" by this same artist and it is just as good, but something about this song just gets me every time. 

(Plus, I cant help but love the way he shakes his head while singing. He gets so into it! Reminds me of poor man's Stevie Wonder.)

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday, everyone! 

These past few days at work, I noticed people were calling me a wide variety of names. It seems like our society has an awkward time referring to waiters and people helping them out. Here are some of the winners: 

1. Popcorn lady

2. Ladykins

3. You! 

4. Ma'am. (Ugh, i don't think I'll ever like the sound of that.)

5. Fair Lady Emma Watson (I should have referred to him as Neville in response.)

6. Miss

Hope your week is off to a good start! 

A quick look at what's going on in the world around us. 

I have no idea what this person has written, but I like what I'm seein!

Anyone up for a trip to Copenhagen  to play on this family's rooftop?

I love the title of I lay my hat and wish to stay. Reminds me of Other People's Houses.

Raspberry tart? Yes, please!

Other people's houses

What DO our homes say about us? Check out this project that explores just that! My personal favorite is Kris Atomic. 

I'd like to give this project a shot (pun intended) within my own house before going back to school. I imagine it would be a lot of dog photos and books - two things my family holds very dear. What would your shoot look like? 

Happy Saturday!

Happy Saturday! Looking for a new perspective? Check out Tom's bubble project! Dear sir, looking for a new best friend? Or just a bubble cohort? I'm your gal! Love, an interested fan. 

Or just looking for some new clothes? Check out these shoes! 

Maybe Zooey Deschanel is your style. 

Or perhaps it's a Lady Gaga kind of a statement weekend. 

What a cute red cut-out dress from Urban Outfitters! Happy shopping (or lusting, in my case)! 

National Parent's Day

I just uploaded some pictures, and found these gems on my Mom's camera. I've yet to sit down and hear all the tales about their trip to NYC, but the photos had me laughing and "aww"ing whilst viewing them. 

The UK has an entire week devoted to celebrating family. Who knew! The U.S. has national Cherry month, Penguin Awareness Day, and even Grandparents Day! Now, according to Mad Man Mike, I'm approximately one day early for National Parent's Day. Excellent.

So, here's a post dedicated to the rents and their recent trip. Madeline, I hope you get a kick out of some of these :) 

...Moments before Mom got worried. Anyone see the airplane scene in "Bridesmaids"? Yup. That would be her!

That's my Dad and sister. 

He's a pretty jolly guy. And we like that about him. 

That's my Ma. If Mrs. Weasley was American, I'd like to think she would resemble my mom. 

My parents kind of oddly match all the time. How married, right? 

They like old things. Like this stone block. And each other! (Did I mention they're kind enough to put up with my humor?)

Even Sir Grdina can admit to needing a map. 

Thats 3/5 of ma fam! What a bunch!

Huh. This pose looks familiar... 

Did I mention my family likes posing with food? What can we say! Mom likes to capture every moment!

 And sometimes that can get a little annoying... 

But at the day's end, they're always there to lean on each other. 

And that's why we love them! So, Happy Almost Parent's Day, friends! Maybe it's the Greg Laswell playing in the background, but family always gets me all sentimental. And if you're not as close to yours as you'd like to be, then you can always share mine! Heavens knows there is plenty of love to go around, and I heard Ma just got a new memory card. 

How convenient!

Scurry storms and feathers

Hello again, friends! Been enjoying some lazy summer days, I hope? My sister just left from visiting us hurr in the Midwest. She hails from the land of celebrity spottings, large fruit, and square times! And she left just in time, what with this crazy weather in the Chicagoland area. Eek!  

Check it out... Voldermort's descendin upon the 'burbs with his dark mark... Or just a really embarrassing Photoshop job. Let's go with the former! 

Speaking of Harry Potter! Who else is terribly upset the movie's are officially over? Speaking of fabulous dresses! Who saw Emma Watson at the premiere?

(Answer: I did! I'm the crazy with the "visit my chamber of secrets, Rupert" poster. Duh.)

Well, I can't help but wonder if feathers will be making a huge appearance this Fall - headbands, dresses, accessories. They've already taken over the hair revolution! Are accessories next? 

Or is this a trend best left to the one and only Carrie Bradshaw? 

Tunes Tuesday

Happy tunes Tuesday, friends! I read somewhere that this duo was married, and then I saw that they are actually brother and sister (maybe?). I would imagine bandmates sometimes wish they could do this to each other... Well, minus the blood factor, maybe. Although I wouldn't know, I've never been in a band [and the brother-sister factor probably only increases the tension (I wouldn't know, though, I've never had a brother, either)!].

Check out the making of the video! If I become a drummer, would my arms look that good? 

Also, this seriously makes me want some Converse! Too preschool? Then again, ya can't go wrong with the classic! 

New reads

It's not often a book comes along that has you laughing out loud, looking like a fool at the kitchen table (but if you can't look like a fool in front of your family, then who CAN you look like a fool in front of?). Tina Fey's book is the exception. Lately, I can't put down "Bossypants." Her humor is to the point, and every chapter has me rolling.

Enjoy this little paragraph before you decide to ultimately check it out from the brary, buy it at Borders, or download it!

"Give it up. Retouching is here to stay. Technology doesn't move backward. No society has ever de-industrialized. Which is why we'll never turn back from Photoshop - and why the economic collapse of China is going to be the death of us all. Never mind that. Let's keep being up in arms about this Photoshop business!"*

*This is not the funniest part of the book. It just happens to be the last page I read.

Pick me ups

Check out these comfort boxes. I'd love to make a 2-D version to send to a friend. But then I guess it would be more of a comfort letter, in which case it would just be a cartoon square. Either way, they're adorable and would be such a fun surprise! 

I think Ingrid could use one... Beautiful songs, yet so sad. 

Also, before I forget! Check out this couple who married in Norway! Talk about balancing past with present. I love the shot of the bride in front of the... house on stilts? (for lack of a better term) :)

Happy weekend!

Oh my! Look at this cute happy couple! They have such a wonderful home full of all their adventures and lots of love, and it actually looks lived in too. It reminds me of what my sister Madeline's apartment will look like!

And while you're at it, check out this woman's photos of Paris! It's been a summer of serious wanderlust, and these shots have me drooling. Anyone else see Midnight in Paris? Owen Wilson gets in a cab every evening at midnight and travels back to Paris in the twenties, where he meets the Fitzgeralds, Hemingway, and even Toulouse Lautrec!

It's a summer of great European-inspired films!

Wedding dresses

It might be too soon to say, and I might be a little biased because it's called the Emma Gown, but I think I've found my wedding gown from J.Crew. With a little sparkle belt? Tres chic! 

Also from J. Crew

How about this little number from Anthropologie's wedding collection BHLDN? Looks like it was hand-painted! Beautiful.

Love the color on this one! What do you think? Would you wear a non-white gown? Or one with fabric polka dots like J.Crew's?

Sundae

Did I mention I also bought an $8 sundae at Ghirardelli...? 

I had a wonderful little sack lunch, and then indulged in mint chocolate chip ice cream with a brownie and hot fudge. I can count that cherry as a fruit serving for the day, yeah?

It's located off Michigan and E. Pearson, right across from Water Tower Place, and I highly recommend it! 

City visit

Today I spent a wonderful day in Chicago: the land of people who hold doors open and men who wear socks with sandals.

My mom let me borrow her 35 mm to shoot some pictures which I am taking to develop soon. Hooray! I left my pod home, so there was no soundtrack besides construction, the click of the shutter, and all the taxis honking. I felt very artsy, with my army green button down to boot. (Although I probably looked like I should be leading a safari.) Who knows how the shots will turn out! It's going to be a whole lotta subjects lined up in the third of the frame. ...Because everything looks better a little off center, right? 

Well, whilst in the city, I picked up a few things I shall share: 

1. No one looks good in white sunglasses. No one. 

2. You can't go wrong with anything bought at Anthropologie. If you aren't familiar with the store, I urge you to visit their site. They're ridiculously out of my budget, but they have great sales! 

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/index.jsp

3. People pose insanely similar in front of the bean. It's the exact pose people strike in NYC, as well, trust me...

(me, circa last summer)

4. Children should not be on leashes. 

5. Why do you keep waving to yourself in the bean's reflection?

6. Colored jeans are an absolute fashion DO. 

7. Fanny paks were never in. 

8. If you're lost, don't stand in the middle of the sidewalk yelling into your phone, "I have no idea where the hell I am." Unless you want to have your bag stolen. Then, be my guest.

9. People are extremely obtrusive when it comes to their children. I was sitting in Millenium Park minding my own business, watching the young'ens play in the fountain, when a very ghostly-looking smelly older lady with shoulder length unbrushed red hair sat right next to me. I mean, there was a good three feet she could have scooted over, but she proceeded to tell her kids to take off their socks and "Go play!"And then she glared at me when I didn't scoot ma boot.  Ok, you can take your knee high tube socks and Skechers elsewhere, lady! As much as I would have loved to tell her that her absent-minded pictures on that crappy digital Kodak camera were going to suck (I mean, it didn't even make the shutter noise*!), I just picked up my bags and moved elsewhere. But the more I watched, I saw mommies culprits of invading the young peoples' space left and right. I'm gonna watch out for that one when I've got kids. That, and the leash thing. 

10. An alphabet tattoo down the length of your leg does not make you look smarter... Or more literate. 

*Disclaimer: Digital cameras that don't make a shutter noise are just as good as those that do, unless all the shots are in the center, or none of your subjects have necks all of a sudden. Then we're gonna have to talk.