burgundy boots

Columbia Gorge

2012-02-12T15:32:00.000-08:00

So I am sitting here at my sisters house in Utah finally getting a minute to myself, oh wait, here she comes, Carley wants to play another game, after she shows me her bouncy ball of course. She sees me eating a quesadilla, and now all of the sudden she's hungry too! I love being here with the kids, but man is it exhausting sometimes! Last time Gordon and I came up here to watch them for 4-5 days, we we're definitely more busy going to school, soccer practices, games, play dates, church etc. This time, my cousin Katie is here watching the kids too, so we have 3 adults to the 5 kids! Its been pretty fun!

Last weekend, we drove up through the Columbia Gorge to check out the amazing scenery! It was one of the windiest days I've ever experienced. Every stop we made we almost froze to death from the wind chill. I couldn't move my hands, or even my mouth to talk. We stopped and saw some waterfalls, drove through some of the smallest cities, and acted like tourists taking pictures of everything we could.

Here's what we saw.

the sunshine goes a long way

2012-02-06T23:43:00.000-08:00

i know its been awhile, and Im sorry. I finally got to take some pictures because the sun was out the entire weekend! Its amazing how much my life has changed from living here in Portland. No more sun to allow me to do what I love, so Im glad I got to do a little bit of it this last weekend!

We ended up taking a drive east along the Columbia river to see the Gorge, the amazing scenery and country side. I'll let you in on those picture tomorrow. But for today, I have a little "what's in my closet" for you guys!!

I hope all is well!

Shoes, Pour Le Victoire. Jeans, Missimo from Target. Top, Kimichi Blue via Urban Outfitters. White hooded, RVCA.

january

2012-01-31T21:21:00.000-08:00

Another day at the zoo. The sun came out this last Saturday, so instead of running errands, or staying indoors, we decided to go to the zoo! We got there around 3pm, so the animals were getting tired, and didn't want to perform anymore. I think we got there right at poop time, and male & female 'naughty time.'

I don't know why else to call it. After that, I got my hair done for the 2nd time with a girl whom I can now say is my first official friend here in Portland. I had just walked into the salon a couple months ago because it was in an area I really loved, the decor and look of the place caught my eye, and I liked the product they represented. Turns out, the girl I set the appointment up with, is a lot like me. We get along great, have a lot of the same interests, and are pretty much in the same stage in our lives. Im pretty excited. We got each others numbers, and are trying to plan a girls snowboard day!!

I've still been stressfully working with no end in sight, but look forward to stopping in California next week for a day (I have court for a speeding ticket back in May), and then I'm off to Utah for the weekend!! I can't wait to get some sunny weather. I don't even know how I'm going to handle it.

Anywho. I miss you all, and I'm sorry I have slacked. I knew I wouldn't be doing this forever, I just didn't think it would come so soon.

my thirty fourth

2012-01-23T21:43:00.000-08:00

My birthday was yesterday. I am now 34 years old, and cannot believe it! I really feel like Im still 24 and figuring out my life. I wish I we're married, living in my own home, working a job "i love," and 2 or 3 little guys at home waiting for me. But that hasn't been my life. It hasn't been easy in the least, but it has been worth the fight. I am truly a better person for everything I have endured, enjoyed, and experienced in my life. Thank you to all my wonderful family, for always being there for me. And thank you to my friends and followers for always supporting me! Im so thankful for what I have right now in my life at age 34. I know my time will come for all that I desire, and that I will always continue to enjoy each day to the fullest.

feeding the ducks birthday morning

one of the gifts my love got me! a python rib necklace.

Peace

a change in scenery

2012-01-18T22:57:00.000-08:00

Im sure if you watch the news, then you have heard that up here in the pacific northwest, we have experienced an extremely large storm! A storm with lots of snow here in the city! It started this last weekend, slowly, and then really came down last night for about 8 hours. I managed to get a few shots of the beauty outside our house at about 11pm, but most of it fell while we were sleeping.

Its feels pretty amazing being a part of it. We couldn't stop looking out our windows and smiling at the scene. By the time the day started, the snow was melting back into water. Boo. I wish it would come back!!

Peace. In the middle east.

A little Portland Timber

2012-01-16T23:47:00.000-08:00

It has been snowing on and off here in Portland for the last 24 hours! It's so amazing! So very cold, but worth it because how of beautiful it is! It seems a little weird seeing the snow come down, because it doesn't stick to the ground, and it's not really supposed to snow in the city. It would be like snowing in LA! it just doesn't happen! It's very sporadic, on and off in areas, cold and windy, and then the bright sun coming through the clouds! I love it. and I am loving living here!

So like I was telling you all before, G and I decided to go to Timberline Lodge this last weekend to celebrate my birthday. It's a little early, but that's only because he has to work next weekend. Now I wonder if it we're such a good idea because it was a holiday today (didn't think about that one). It was one of the coolest places I've ever stayed. The lodge just celebrated their75th anniversary, and most everything is original, or made to look original. The ambiance, hospitality, and sense of family was amazing. I could go on and on, but I will let our pictures tell the story.

feeling blue?

2012-01-10T23:09:00.000-08:00

Hey guys!! Hope you all had an amazing weekend!! We did for sure. We went exploring of course, did a little shopping with our gift cards from christmas, grabbed some breakfast at our favor joint, and bought G a new snowboard! Why would we buy him a new snowboard? Well, because we are going up to Timberline this weekend for my birthday! My birthday is on the 22nd of this month. I originally wanted to take the train up to Seattle for the weekend, but after much deliberation, we realized that we should wait until spring, and take advantage of the snow right now! So we are pretty excited to be going this weekend!! G's board was about 5 years old and worn out, so it was time. I also got some new bindings because mine were literally falling apart!

Have you heard of Timberline? Check it out, it's where "The Shining" was filmed! And we seriously love that movie!

Blue pants, Mossimo, via Target. Top, Urban Outfitters. Leather vest, Target. Obey Hat, G's closet. Whits boots, F21.

Brownstone for sale

2012-01-05T00:03:00.000-08:00

Another long day at work today. Yesterday I clocked out at 11 1/2 hours. Today was 10. I just get going with things and cannot leave until Im finished with at least some of the things. I also leave everyday with piles of charts, insurance companies needing to be called, treatment plans created, etc. But I must walk away at some point, come home, and see my honey!

This last Sunday G and I drove around some areas in Washington looking at homes! We've tried to do a little each weekend, getting to know different areas, see some homes for sale, and try to decide where we ultimately want to buy a house! So it's gotten my interior creative juices flowing again! I catch myself planning out bedrooms, bathrooms, and how I want my 2nd kitchen to look like! I also do some browsing online looking for inspiration. Yesterday, I stumbled upon this site featuring Jenna Lyons' town home up for sale in NY! Of course I would love to buy it, but we all that'll never happen! I heard there's a bidding war going on. So instead, I'll just lust after this amazing style, furniture, craftsmanship, and only wish that some day I can achieve something so amazing! Her style is pretty much EXACTLY what I dream of. The black, grays, and pops of color are majestic. Each little piece of every room has been thought out, and placed there for a reason. I am in love.

BTW, Jenna Lyons is the Creative Director over at J.Crew!!!

Welcome to 178 Garfield Place

fuzzy hat

2012-01-02T23:20:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting here watching the Bachelor, one of my favorite shows, thinking about all my other favorite shows that are going to start airing again! Jersey Shore, what??? Grey's Anatomy, Castle, The Real World Challenge! Lots of shows to start watching folks! Although this time of year is freezing cold, gets dark too early, and causes us to get sick with the flu, it brings great entertainment! Oh yeah, and Justified on FX is by far my favorite show.

I have Mondays off now, so I am going to try to take some fashion pictures on these days. This is one of my new years resolutions. I hate that it has to be one of them, but since working this job, my time has been consumed with it. I works 87 hours last pay period in 8 days. I think it's been a little overwhelming, to say the least.

Today was just below 40 degrees, but felt warm because he sun was out. I am taking full advantage of this fuzzy hat I picked up at H&M! My favorite head warmer!!

Shoes, Pour Le Victoire. Grey denim, The GAP. Army green top, H&M. Fuzzy vest, Old Navy. Hat, H&M.

PEACE

Ending 2011.

2012-01-01T22:35:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday night, January 1st, 2012. I sit here thinking back on this year, everything that has happened in my life, and all the ups & downs that came with it! I always love seeing the magazines, news channels, MTV, VH1, etc. sum up the year with memorable moments, accomplishments, and failures of all the rich & famous. But what ever happened to real life? We don't experience a platinum record, an Academy Award, the Presidency, or a million dollar wedding (ahem, Kim Kardashian)! We experience graduations, moving from one place to another, the birth of a niece or nephew, a death in the family, changing our hair color from blonde to brown, getting a new job, or losing one. Most of these things I've experienced this year, and I'm sure you have too. I love being normal. I love that I went through heartache in order to find happiness. I love that I left my job to move to a new state. I love that I went blonde, and now I'm back to brown. These things in our lives make us normal. They make us human! I know this is an interesting way to sum up the year, but I view things differently now. After going through a lot in my life, I am finally in a place where I'm comfortable and happy!

G and I didn't want to go out for New Years this year because we didn't want to fight the crowds. Lame excuse, I know, but it was well worth it. We ended up getting some food from BJ's pizza, and then going to see Sherlock Holmes at 9:30pm. We got out of the movie at 11:45 and got to celebrate New Years in the car!! It was actually quit fun because we got to see all the firework shows going on around Portland!

I hope this new year brings happiness to you all! I hope that my life will continue going in the right direction. And I also hope that i can accomplish some of the goals I set for myself!

I thought I'd start the year with an inspiring, unique, 90's inspired, warm photo-shoot featured in Oyster Magazine. It has been so incredibly cold here, that I try to envision myself in warm weather, a place I can lay in the sun, or walk around wearing my flip-flops! I really miss that. And I really miss being around anything to do with fashion. So this simple set of photos just really gets me excited!

Source

Red Hunter Boots

2011-12-29T20:26:00.000-08:00

It's surprisingly overwhelming the amount of people that have viewed my Flickr photos from this post! I usually upload and edit my photos on Flickr, and then when I get some time, I post them on here! Since I uploaded these yesterday (or maybe it was the day before), they have been sitting on my sidebar for everyone to view without any script to go with them! So how did you people find my photos? Is it because I used the words Hunter Boots, or Wellies in the title of the pictures? There sure are a lot of you that are interested in these boots!

I for one, have been wanting them forever, but never had a good reason to buy them since I lived in So-cal! But now that we're here in Portland, I had a great reason to buy them. Plus it was christmas, so my love bought them! I am in love. Straight up, head over heels! They are so comfortable, they keep my feet warm, and they keep the rain out! And the red! Totally obsessed!

Hunter Boots, (tall semi-gloss), gifted from REI. Jeans, Levi's. Black tee, H&M. Black sweater, Billabong. Black leather jacket, F21. Leopard belt, Target. Ray Ban aviators, gifted for christmas. Infiniti scarf, gifted last christmas! Red ring, H&M.

new traditions

2011-12-26T22:47:00.000-08:00

Merry christmas everyone! Sadly, my parents left yesterday morning after a fun, relaxing, plentiful christmas weekend! We took them to our breakfast spot, showed them some shops we love to visit, ate out on christmas eve, visited Powell's books (ah-maz-ing), opened lots of presents, and made a prime rib dinner (my first by the way)!!

It was a very different christmas for us and my parents. We are used to lots of kids, lots of family, and different traditions. So it was new for us all, but a great christmas by all means!

What did you all do? Any fun stories, sad stories, or funny stories??

a very merry

2011-12-23T00:51:00.000-08:00

I look back on christmas a year ago, at all the christmas season posts I made, the boyfriend (with kids) I had, and of course living in LA! But this year has brought on all new memories, a feeling of stability, and in the relationship that I missed! We've both been working our tails off the last month. G has been working 11pm-7am shifts, or taking the train 12 hours, staying at a hotel and coming back almost 48 hours later. I have been working 10 hour days, plus a 45 minute commute there and back, trying to get ready for my parents coming into to town, and still trying to see my chiropractor twice a week because my neck is still pretty messed up. I look forward to friday nights for my 3 day weekend. Im sorry for not being on here like I used to. I really miss this creative aspect of my life, and the relationship I have with you, my readers.

I wanted to give you a little something of my life over here. I managed to decorate a little in this house, but because of time and the cost of electricity, I didn't do a whole lot.

Our freshly cut tree, and 3 christmas wreaths (I made the top 2)

new ornaments mixed with gifted ornaments

G's mom brought us this nativity from Jerusalem a few years ago.

Stockings for 4!

I only made the Gordon and Whitney ones.

Tried to sparkle it up a little.

these 3 green glass candle holders were given to me by my mom. She put them up for christmas every year since a was born. I love these things.

Used some extra trimmings for some table decor!

Im going to pick up the parents tomorrow night from the airport. They'll be here over christmas, which is so great because we would be alone otherwise. I hope you all have a great holiday, and I will be back in full swing by January.

Peace.

cutting a tree

2011-12-12T23:14:00.000-08:00

going back to my camera feels pretty good! Other than fashion posts here and there, I don't use my camera very much anymore. My Instagram pictures seem to have taken over in that department. I love using Instagram for all the options it offers, the socializing I get to do without using many words, and for my love of photography. I would love if anyone would like to follow me @bugundy_boots, or ask me to follow you!!

So I took my camera with me while I surprised the Mr. with a trip to a Christmas Tree Farm on Sunday. I told him to dress warm, wear boots, and bring the truck! He was happy to know that we we're getting a christmas tree, and even more happy that it was from a farm and not a parking lot. Our first year together, we were in North Carolina and got to cut one down ourselves, the following year we got one from a lot, and the next year, we weren't together :( So this year needed it to be special again. We both love Christmas, and love the traditions it brings.

We've been fighting again lately, but had a super great therapy sesh (with ourselves, hashing things out) on Saturday, so having that activity together was much needed. I love being with him, I love how he makes me laugh, and sometimes makes me mad. But no matter how much we fight, we both adore each other and couldn't imagine spending this life without each other.

Hope you all are getting ready for this amazing time of the year, put those you love first, and think about the true meaning of Christmas!!

a hard week

2011-12-06T22:20:00.001-08:00

im so incredibly sorry that I've been taking a leave of absence for the last week. this new job is taking such a toll on me, my personal time, and still of course, recovering from my neck injury. It's actually getting worse every day. Sitting in front of the computer for 10 hours a day is NOT good for this head of mine. I just don't have another option though, you know? suck it up, bare the pain, and earn some money!!!

I normally would snap my daily photos before work or at lunch, but before work for me now is 5am in complete darkness, or no lunch time, no going home during lunch, or taking pics at work. Im still trying to figure out how Im going to continue sharing everyday, so thanks for baring with me.

Just wanted to add a couple snaps of my day yesterday. Went to run some errands, and came upon a few fun spots near Mississippi. Just some eye candy.

a visitor

2011-11-28T21:28:00.001-08:00

I mean seriously, doesn't this look super delicious? I think so. I am very proud of my work. Like I mentioned before, this was my first time making a turkey, let alone all the fixings! I brined the turkey (24 hours prior), cooked the turkey, made the stuffing, potatoes, creamed corn, cranberry sauce, AND baked an apple pie all from scratch. again, very proud! It took me about 12 hours, and I was extremely exhausted by the end of it all, but it was well worth it! my favorite part is all the left-overs i get to have for the next week!

Its been a long weekend. Gordon's dad has been here since Thursday, and Im definitely ready to have my house back to myself. We had a great time, played games, went on some drives, took him to our favorite places to eat, went to Astoria and visited the Maritime Museum, and went to the movies. All in all, a good time. it was nice having a visitor up here!

in other news:

I got a call this morning from the Dr. I will be working for. He just wanted to confirm my employment starting wednesday! So awesome! Im excited to finally start working, but a little sad thinking that I didn't get what I wanted. I will still continue to look though. Still have a small little dream up here in my head!

We took him to our favorite breakfast spot.

On a drive through some forest!

a quick stop at a bakery!

And a visit to the Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon!

until next time visitor!! we had fun!

Thanksgiving day

2011-11-24T23:26:00.001-08:00

I hope you all survived today!! This is the first year that it has not felt like Thanksgiving in the least. No turkey, no soccer game before meal, no nap! Felt kinda weird, but we had a super nice day anyways. After we found out the G didn't have to work (would've been nice to know), we picked up his dad from the airport, visited for awhile, played a game, watched the rain, ate some homemade chili and are now watching a movie! We had a good day, just no thanksgiving. We will still have our meal on Saturday as planned!

In the mean time, we're seriously trying to stay dry in this 5 day raining streak!!!

Wedges, Messeca, via Piperlime. Jeans, Mossimo, via Target. Red sweater, Old Navy. Peacoat, F21. Scarf, Urban Outfitters. Gold watch, Nixon.

getting crafty for thanksgiving

2011-11-23T09:02:00.001-08:00

I don't know about you guys, but this time of year not only brings joy to my heart, it brings craftiness to my mind!! So with that said, and the fact that I am hosting Thanksgiving, I have come up with a few ideas to make my table look a little less brown, and a little more fun!

My first idea (which I saw on a wedding blog here) was to take some of my old vintage silverware and dip them in a vibrant paint color! My 2nd idea was to purchase some white cloth napkins, dip them in dye to create an ombre' effect! I chose to use the color red, because I know I can re-use these things for other holidays like Christmas, Valentines Day, and 4th of July. It would've looked great to do them in a bold gold, or even white, but I went with red. And I think it looks awesome!

I'm going to place these at the table with my all white dinnerware, some small vintage bottles (found in antique stores) with some dried twigs coming out of them, and each place setting gets a little ornament forest animal I found at West Elm. These guys are in place of place settings. I'll share pictures of the actual day!

So if you are interested in knowing how to make these yourselves, here you go:

1. pick up some old silverware from antique stores, yard sales, grandmas house, whatever!! I picked up 4 forks and 4 knifes, each having its own unique pattern.

2. Go to the craft store and pick up some Porcelain paint, a cheap paint brush, and some kind of tray to lay every thing on. You don't want to get paint on things.

3. Start painting (without watering down the paint) the handles of the silverware. As much as you want. I wouldn't do the actual part you eat from, but the entire stem would look great!

4. Let dry for about an hour. Re paint each peace one ore time, lay to dry without touching the painted end. Let dry for 24 hours.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake in over, on cookie sheet for 30 minutes. Take out and let cool.

6. Use when cool!! Have fun! Can you see my bottle and little animal in the picture?

building

2011-11-21T20:29:00.001-08:00

Hope you all had a great weekend! Are you ready for Thanksgiving? For family time? Football games, leftovers, and black friday (which I always avoid)? I'm not. I'm still getting my recipes together, asking family, mapping everything out! This kitchen is extremely small, and is no way going to hold a turkey and other items all at once in the oven. So I have to map out the order of cooking, what can be cooked on the stove, ahead of time, or even a few days prior! Im sure some of you have gone through this before!

Over the weekend, after shopping for some items we don't have in the kitchen, we started and finished building our new bed frame! You see, we had picked out a Queen bed from West Elm 2 months ago (right before we moved), tried to get it when we got here to Portland, but of course they didn't have it in stock. So we got on the waiting list. 6 week waiting list. Well 6 weeks came and went, bed never came. We decided to go back to the re-claimed materials building, buy some wood, and build one ourselves.

Mission accomplished. Mr. G. was amazing at the building part, and I took care of picking out all the pieces, and designing the actual bed. We are proud!

We spent Sunday morning at breakfast (we've been going to the same place every Sunday morning since we've gotten here), and then to this great park in the middle of the Pearl District!

a sunny day

2011-11-19T01:06:00.001-08:00

Oh man what a horrible blogger right? I've been on a blog road block or something. My outfits seem to get a little boring to, my life pretty stagnant, and my days full of other things needed to get finished first! Now I'm planning a full thanksgiving feast for me, G, and his dad. Although there are only three of us, I still need to make all the necessities, turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, rolls, etc. So since it's my first, I've been working on some recipes that will be oh so delicious!

I hope you all have a great weekend! We will be finally building a bed frame we've been planning for a few weeks now. We bought a bunch of re-processed wood, and are planning on building the headboard and attaching it to the existing frame. So nervous to see if it will work, but I will let you know how it goes!!

Shoes, Troppa Boots, Steve Madden. Jeans, Levi's. Sweater, chambray shirt, The Gap. Hat, Obey (the boyfriends).

Continued list of must-haves for Winter

2011-11-17T10:28:00.001-08:00

As promised, a continued list of my Winter top 10 must haves! Although some are pricey, you can find similar finds at discount retailers, or these items could already be in your closet!

I hope you all can use my guide and appreciate what I've put together! I'd love to hear some feedback!

BTW, my interview went amazing. They love me, appreciate how much I know about the dental field, and want to hire me as a consultant AND a front office manager. So excited.

Levi's $88

Marc Jacobs via Net-a-Porter $360

Jeffrey Campbell via Urban Outfitters $149

Belle by Sigerson Morrison via Piper lime $450

American Apparel Clutch $50

Anve 189 euro

Madewell $32

Burton $25

Porthole Peacoat via Madewell $250

Toggle Coat via J Crew $325

forecasting

2011-11-14T23:51:00.001-08:00

Yes, the Police were too busy last night because of "Occupy Portland," and that's exactly what the dispatcher told me. I have 2 thoughts, one, I think It's really making a statement and impacting society the way it's supposed to be, or two, there are people like me getting ignored, and "bad guys" getting away with things because the police are too busy! It's a little frustrating, to say the least.

In other news, I have an interview tomorrow with the dentist I substituted for a few weeks back. He seemed to want to hire me, said I was a perfect fit for his office, but I need to meet his wife and talk a little more about what we all want. I hope it goes well because I could seriously use a job right now.

Today's forecast: rainy.

Shoes, Messeca, via Piperlime. Jeans, The Gap. Sweater, Levi's. Leather jacket, H&M (3 years ago). Beanie, American Apparel.

A list to follow

2011-11-14T12:17:00.001-08:00

I hope you all had a great weekend! We did, up until yesterday at 5pm. I got rear-ended by someone who minutes before, I knew was a reckless driver, tried to avoid by going around him, but still got hit anyway. And then, the guy was rear-ended himself, AND THEN, took off weaving in and out of traffic trying to lose me! I was so pissed. So after driving around a bit, I decided to just go to the grocery store as planned. I thought I would just drive around the parking lot to see if I noticed anything! Low and Behold, there was the car, sitting there parked, nobody in it, smashed up. It first made me nervous, I didn't want the guy to see me and do something stupid, you know? So I parked a distance away took some pictures, and waited to see if someone would come back to the car. 45 minutes later, nothing. So I called the police in hopes someone would come out to try and find the guy, I mean come on, a hit & run in California is a huge offense! But not here. Nobody came out, they "didn't have the time." So I filed a police report and now hope that the guy will be caught and take responsibility for my thrashed car.

I also wanted to get this list out last week, but it took a lot more time to put together than expected. I wanted to give you all a top 10 list for winter must-haves. This is my opinion only, so if you purchase, wear, and don't get compliments, i'm sorry. This is what I will be wearing! I tried to include at least 2 options (high end, low end), but I know you all can research yourselves and probably find some great deals!!!

The first 5 on my list:

1. Anthropologie $98 Agent Provocateur via Net-a-Porter $500

2. ASOS $80 Trina Turk via Piperlime $338

3. Troopa Boots Steve Madden $100 Sorel Boot via Nordstrom $140

4. H&M fur vest $19.95 Joie Thelma Faux Fur Vest via Piperlime $554

5. Oversize Tortoise Shell Burberry $200 Loveless Electric $100

falling for tights

2011-11-11T00:06:00.001-08:00

i swear i don't know where the day goes. G gets home around 5 this week, and by the time he does I feel like I don't have even half of my day accomplished yet. I still have 4 or 5 hours left of work to do, and he's already finished. I guess I need to get used to our different schedules. I guess a little good news, is in regards to the dental office I subbed for last week. The Dentist let me know how great it was working with me, how efficient I was, loved that the office flowed better then it ever had, and wanted to offer me a job. The only thing is, that he already has a front office girl, so he would have to let her go, which bums me out. But a job is a job and need one of those!

So I tried some tights with my outfit today, being that its been so cold. Im not sure if Im really loving this look. The brown and navy is really hard for me to put together. Although I love the colors together, maybe its the tights. I don't look good in tights, they make my legs look on the thick side. Oh well. I did what I could with what I had i my closet!

Boots, Boutique 9 via Nordstrom. Tights, picked up while in Italy. Dress, via Piperlime. Ecote' vest, via Urban Outfitters. Necklace, Earings, UO.

relaxed look

2011-11-09T23:15:00.000-08:00

Just a little quick post because I haven't had the time that i'd like to really focus on this. I again am back to searching for a job and trying to finish some projects here at home. I have my top 10 must haves for Winter coming for you tomorrow, which has taken a lot of time. So I'm sorry for the short entry.

Shoes, Pour La Victoire. Skirt, F21. Sweater, F21. Tee, Obey. Stripped bandeau, American Apparel. Beanie, Obey.

a little early

2011-11-07T23:12:00.000-08:00

So I wanted to try this new feature on Blogger with all my posts as single pictures. I really need to know what you all think? It needs some adjusting and tweaking, but I'm still not sure it even works the way I want it to. Can you let me know please what you all think? I've already gotten a couple responses, but the more I get, the better. So lay it on me!!!

Side note: After going to the zoo yesterday, we decided to go into downtown and do a little shopping. Nordstrom was having their half yearly sale (amazing), and G needed some long sleeve flannels and such! I found these Boutique 9 boots via Piperlime a few weeks ago, and then after walking into Nordstrom's and seeing them front and center on the sale rack I have to admit was a little dreamy!! So after much deliberation, G decided to buy them as an early Christmas present. You see he won't be able to do a lot of shopping because of his work schedule. Win win right? Love them.

Boots, Boutique 9. Jeans, The Gap. Blue flannel, F21. Gingham tee, tweed vest, Old Navy. Gold bracelet, H&M. Watch, Nixon.

zoo keeper

2011-11-07T18:37:00.000-08:00

we went and bought a year pass at the Oregon zoo yesterday, so we get to see these guys whenever we want!!! Sweet! I love the zoo. I had a pass for LA zoo this last year and was really sad to say goodbye! I loved the new elephant exhibit, the giraffes, and the huge ~~chimpanzee,~~ ~~ape,~~ monkey arena. It was major. The monkeys would throw poop on each other, pick the bugs out of each others fur, and scream like, well, Monkeys!!!

It was pretty cold this weekend, in the 40's, I know some of you probably think thats for babies, but I was cold. But because the expected showers, turned to clear skies, thats when I had the idea to go to the zoo. Next time I'll take my mittens, scarf, and beanie.

sorry i've been gone, but....

2011-11-06T21:27:00.000-08:00

seriously, in love.
1. J Crew 2. Jill Stuart 3. Anthropologie 4. Madewell 5. Badgley Mischka

urban

2011-11-01T23:44:00.000-07:00

What a long day, seriously. Why is it that Tuesday's seem the longest? I don't know, but it's really annoying. I'm also wondering why it is that I can't get anything done. After getting my day going, I have a list of things to do in my head, and then it's 11 pm and my list never got done. I know I'm crazy and I've talked about this before. But Im really starting to wonder what the heck is going on! When I worked a 40/hour week, I was super woman, worked out, made dinner, finished blog posts, ran errands, etc. But now, I guess I don't feel as rushed, so I don't finish it all! I think I need a boss that will tell me what to do everyday. Anyone want to volunteer?

I'm a little excited because tomorrow I'll start a temp position at a dental office. Thanks to my cousin Ken for a contact he had, that turned into a contact, into another contact. I will now work about a week for their front office girl who is on leave. It should be fun getting back into the office, but a little nervous because it's different dental software, and of course different peeps! Wish me luck!

Oh Im dreading getting up at 6am though. Night Y'all!

Boots, Piperlime. Grey denim, The Gap. Blue top, blazer, and scarf, via Urban Outfitters. Oh and those cute gold earrings, Urban.

boyfriend

2011-11-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

since it's been colder than usually for me our here, I have had to get used to the warm clothes. Sometimes I love adding a ton of layers, but other times, I just like to grab a big comfy sweater and chill in it all day. Today was one of those days. After a great weekend of Golf, yummy BBQ steak dinner, and the Antique roadshow yesterday, I was ready to just chill. And that I did.

I found this sweater at the Levi's store in the Nobb Hill district here in Portland. They have descent woman's clothes, but fantastic mens pieces. I had been eyeballing this sweater in the mens section for a few week now, and finally made the plunge last week and haven't looked back! I love that it's literally a boyfriends sweater, and I can wear it with just about everything.

Today I paired it with my Billabong cut-offs, and Frye boots.

Boots, Frye. Shorts, Billabong. Sweater, Levi's. Glasses, The Mr.s. Socks, U.O.

relaxed

2011-10-29T21:50:00.000-07:00

I have finally played a round of golf relaxed! The only thing G said to me before we started this morning was, "just please don't get mad." Sad right? But it's true. Im super competitive with most things I do, and just because I don't play golf every week, doesn't mean I wouldn't be with this. So I tried my hardest to just let things slide. I did well, met a nice couple (that probably helped me not embarrass myself), and had fun with the Mr.

Now seriously, I have never played on a course this beautiful in California. Although they may be better, they were not this green. No pun intended.

getting creative

2011-10-28T23:46:00.000-07:00

as you all know it's Friday night and you're all probably having fun at the movies, or a game night with friends, maybe a pre-halloween party! But not me! I'm sitting at home, watching "Captain America" by myself until I go to bed. G won't get home until around 2am, so there's no point in waiting up.

the other thing you well know, is that I've been sending out my resume to try to find a new career in fashion. So since I have some time on my hands, I thought I'd get creative with presenting it. I came up with the idea to print out my 2 versions of my resume and the cover page onto transfer paper. Then, I ironed it onto white fabric. I just used left over white sheet from when I made my shower curtain. Next, I cut it out to the shape of an 8.5x11. I found some really thick felt fabric and some gingham, and sewed my new fabric sheets onto those pieces of fabric.

I think it looks pretty cool. After making a few, I thought I'd switch up the color from Pink to Orange. I walked in a set of these to a company that later asked me back for an interview. Im still hoping I got the job, but we'll see what happens. I definitely think I have an edge with my new design!

hope you all have a great weekend! If the weather behaves, we will be golfing tomorrow! But as of right now, it's still raining.

shoes on sale

2011-10-28T09:38:00.000-07:00

Friday again. I swear these weeks go by like days over here! So glad it's G's last day at the late shift though, I don't like that much either. It gets a little boring every night sitting here by myself. Making dinner twice a day, one before he leaves for work, and one for me around 6pm. And also there's me sitting here trying to light a fire every night! I was taught how to do it, but for some reason it just never turns out like I want it! Its been freezing, so my need for a fire is high on my list of priorities!! and by freezing I mean in the 40's-50's. Is that freezing? JK I know it's not, it just seems like it.

The great Leopard shoes I wore 2 days ago ended their life early. The poor zipper broke on one. I was so disappointed since I just purchased them at super discount (Urban Outfitters Fall Catalog, from $89.00 down to $29.00). So i took them back last night hoping to switch them out for a new pair, but of course they don't have my size. And the half size bigger, which I could've gotten away with, had a broken zipper too!! Now i realize why they were marked down!! Piece of crap.

Shoes, Pour La Victoire ( on sale here). Jeans, Levi's. Tee, Urban Outfitters. Black trench, Wood necklace, Old Navy. Earings, F21.

2011-10-26T20:57:00.000-07:00

today has been a rough one for me. Although I love being home catching up on projects, getting things done that never could before, but I'm starting to get frustrated that I'm not working. I had another interview today with a company I really want to be a part of, but I'm not sure it went well! I left feeling like I didn't answer the questions based on what they wanted to hear! So the rest of my day was spent replaying the entire 30 minutes in my head. How could I have answered that differently, or maybe I should've said this!

Now that I think about it all, I know that I did what I could, and I'll hope for the best. No sense in beating myself up right? Probably still will.

Leopard booties, Deena & Ozzy. Black denim, Old Navy. Sequin blouse, Kimchi Blue via U.O. Fur vest, Ecote', vie U.O.

new to us

2011-10-24T22:37:00.000-07:00

What a day I tell ya!!! I can't believe how much stuff we are still trying to get figured our here. Our house is still on the market back in California, which isn't good because we're making 2 payments right now. G is working the late shift this week, 3:30 pm to midnight, so it's gonna get a little crazy around our house. Food schedule is off, work out schedule, and well, just about everything right? Not good. We went to the gym this morning and after an errand he ran, her lost his wallet. Turns out he left it on top of his car, it fell into the street, we freaked out for awhile, and then he got a phone call that someone had found it. Whew!

I on the other hand, have had a few interviews with a few companies (don't want to mention them on here), so I'm crossing my fingers that something will come through for me in the next week or so!!! Oh man it will be pretty awesome if it works out!!

This place out here is just amazingly beautiful. We have loved every bit that we've discovered, and get excited every time we see something new. Hope you all can enjoy these pictures like we enjoyed the moment.

a lesson you probably already know

2011-10-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Hope you all had a great weekend! Me and the Mr did a lot of site seeing and exploring over the weekend and fell in love with this part of the country even more! I will post some fun pics later today!!!

But this morning I have just a little lesson on layering. Since living in this weather I've really had to be creative in mixing fabrics, layering up, and dressing warm. Doing this without looking like a cotton-ball, is no easy task! So I always try to first put on a simple tee or chammy that will act as a protection layer. I like something a little longer than all the rest of my pieces, so that way it shows on the bottom if I have my coat buttoned up.

Next I will find a long sleeve shirt, sweater, or light jacket that is a little longer than the first layer. This should be something that is the most bold piece, the layer with the biggest print or funnest color!

Lastly will be your main jacket. I would grab something with a lot of style, not too heavy looking, and that is solid in color. That way it doesn't clash with any of your other pieces.

The other bit of advice would be to lay every thing out first, try different pieces, and try different fabrics and prints with each other. You may be surprised at how some fabrics can look amazing next to others.

Good luck!

Striped silk pumps, F21. Silk pants, The Gap. Blue & black tee, Urban Outfitters. Plaid button-up, F21. Pink tuxedo blazer, H&M. Brass necklace, UO.

St Johns

2011-10-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday G and I decided to go exploring for awhile, as we try to do once a week. We ended up over in a little up and coming neighborhood historically known as St. Johns! He wanted to show me a little bakery that he discovered a few days prior, but when we drove down the main road, we discovered a lot more!

The one thing I love about Portland is that it's small districts are surrounding the numerous water ways, rivers, and bridges. It's so confusing to get the hang of driving around it all, but so awesome to see the majestic creations up close! Being from LA, they don't have any majestic pieces to the city other than the tall buildings in downtown. So I love it here.

We drove across the incredible St. Johns bridge, drove down the 30 highway a bit and ended up driving up a road called Germanntown. This took us along the top of a super huge hill or mountain, and down the other side. It was so gorgeous. The trees tower over the road, the greenery makes you want to smile, and the smell of the air is so fresh it could have it's own name!

I forgot my camera, so I have a few pictures from Instagram on my iPhone. I will post more pictures tomorrow.

lovin this blog {tec petaja}

2011-10-20T17:28:00.000-07:00

Oh wow you guys, this guy is at the top of my list as far as photographers go! I mean go over here and see for yourself what he is capable of!!! So Amaz-balls! His name is Tec Petaja (cool name right?), he's traveled all around the world, and now he resides in Nashville with his wife. He shoots weddings, lifestyle, musicians, and just about anything that's awesome! I follow his blog daily, although he doesn't post daily, I still check! You can also view his entire portfolio here.

So the reason why I wanted to feature him today is because of this shoot he did at Treehouse Pointe in Seattle. I am seriously in love with this place. It's basically a hotel in the trees! I don't know about you, but when I was a kid I used to build tree houses all the time with my BFF up the street William Bozung! We would gather all the wood we could find, steal some nails from our dads stash, climb the trees after seeing the perfect branch, and build until we were finished! I was always the king of the tree house club FYI!

So seeing that someone had turned my childhood memories into a reality is so great. I told G about them, and let him know that we need to plan a trip asap!!! Wouldn't it be grand to have our wedding there? Each family group can stay in a different house! Check them out here.

and you should see his real work! This was only a small weekend trip he and his wife took!!!

an interview

2011-10-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Its sunny again this morning, and it is so great! I almost expect to wake up to gloominess everyday since I've been here. So when this happens, my body can't wait to get up and enjoy it!

Yesterday, I went to my 2nd open interview over at Urban Outfitters. My 1st was about 10 years ago at Abercrombie & Fitch. I remember sitting in that interview with chairs full of young, naive, beautiful kids, and thinking how much I hated the process of an open interview. So going yesterday, the kids were not 16, 17, & 18, but in their early 20's, and I still felt like I was the old hag in the group. It went well though. I really hope I can work as a sales associate for a bit, and then move up into a visual marketing position. After doing a little research and asking some employees who work for the company, it seems like that's the way to do it. Work my way up. And Im definitely not above working retail again! It actually might be fun!

Of course Im still hoping to land a full career position at the lovely Nike Co. here in Oregon. Crossing my fingers.

This is what I wore to the interview yesterday!

Fyre Boots, circa 2004. Striped skirt, H&M. Sweater, Bass Pro Shop. Kulture tee, Quiksilver. Polka dot bra, American Apparel. Black tights, bought while in Italy. Socks and feather necklace, Urban Outfitters.

2011-10-18T23:49:00.000-07:00

today was one of the first sunny days for a few weeks now. When I woke up, the sun was staring into our bedroom like if it were trying to say, get your ass out of bed! And I listened! I wake up these days around 8:30, which is a little late compared to when I used to wake up around 6:30 everyday. It so nice to get the extra few hours of sleep, but I feel almost more stressed out knowing that I should be awake dong things, being productive, and getting my lists completed!

Instead of my normal gym first and then photos, I chose to get ready and take some pictures first, just in case our sun went away. It tends to happen around these parts. I wanted to throw on some shorts and a tee, but the weather was still a tad chilly at 75 degrees. Well chilly to me. So I settled on my favorite pants from Anthropologie, and Tuxedo blazer from H&M.

Tomorrow Im going to a Job Fair at Urban Outfitters. Im totally prepared for the worst, but hoping that they love my unique personality and want to hire me on full time.

Jenas, Anthropologie. Sequin tee, F21. Pink tuxedo blazer, H&M. Shoes, Messeca, via Piperlime. Gold necklace, H&M. Ring, Kris Nations, Madewell stackable ring. Bag, Marc by Marc Jacobs.

leather for fall

2011-10-17T17:37:00.000-07:00

I am currently loving and obsessing over these Lumi bags. Aren't they major? I love how simple and sleek they are, and how perfectly they would be with some amazing short heeled boots, a pair of harem pants, a simple silk blouse that ties into a big bow on the collar, and an oversized dark brown fur vest?? These guys are in Finland, so I doubt I'll be picking one up any time soon, but it's great to want right?

floral splash

2011-10-17T10:02:00.000-07:00

It's just a little bit of floral that's left over from my spring/summer season. I have decided to throw it in my wardrobe with some other woolen, heavy, masculine pieces like my American Apparel red beanie, and my Forever 21 navy pea-coat (bought 2 winters ago). I also decided to wear my floral Doc Martens, with some skinny classic Levi's. With these gloomy days here in Portland, I have been in love with getting dressed in the morning. Being in California, it always seemed too simple. Tank, shorts, sandals, maybe a belt, necklace, and sunnies. But here, I get to be creative with layers and looks. I'm in love. It's all new to me, so be patient with me while I have some trial and error days.

Denim, Levi's. Floral top, Billabong. Pea-coat, F21. Beanie, American Apparel. Shoes, Floral Dr. Martens.

a stillness

2011-10-16T22:49:00.000-07:00

a sunday evening out on our docks. pretty beautiful when the water is still right before the sun sets right? living here does has it's perks!

our house, the brown one with white window panels and a blue roof!

2011-10-16T00:51:00.000-07:00

my life on a Saturday. The coffee brewed at 8:30, woke up to the smell, and a cuddling Mr. next to me in bed. We laid in bed talking a giggling about our week, and what we had planned for the rest of the day. I always make breakfast on the weekends, and this morning I made the perfect pancakes! And if anyone remembers, I cannot make pancakes to save my life, I never have. I found the recipe on my favorite food site Smitten Kitchen, and it was 100% successful and a huge hit!

After breakfast we headed out for some more exploring. Tried to find a few shops that G needed to buy some work clothes from. But several hours later we ended up back to Mississippi street again. Home to several boutique shops, The Porch Light, and some restaurants. We had been eyeballing the Little Big Burger for a few weeks now, so we stopped in. Can I say, the yummiest burger EVER! Hands down. Only three things on the menu. Cheeseburger, Truffle Fries, and Veggie burger. You need to put that on your list of restaurants while visiting Portland.

Until tomorrow, another day to sleep in a bit, and enjoy some breakfast out this time!!!! Hope you're all having a good weekend!

a glamourous mexican piñata

2011-10-14T17:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a little more fashion inspiration for you guys! a little Friday love! I don't know if I mentioned this before, but when I was in school, I took a class called, "Current Designers," no joke. And I'm not gonna lie, I went into that class knowing nothing about designers. Who's who, who's amazing, who's iconic, etc. But I left the class knowing almost anyone you can think of. Of course there are new designers everyday, new fashion lines that become popular or noticeable because Jennifer Aniston wore their dress, or because they were featured in a magazine Ad, who can keep up!!!

My little secret is Style.com! It's amazing. This site is the mother of all fashion media, Vogue, Glamour, W Magazine, Lucky, and Style, they own it. "Offering comprehensive runway coverage, authoritative trend reporting, the latest social, celebrity, and fashion news...". Spring 2012 is what they have currently been showing, but we need to really turn our focus on what they presented last March for Fall 2011 right? Well, I still am captivated by the current shows and get a lot of my own fashion inspiration from many of these designers.

I would like to introduce you to, if you haven't already heard of them, Balmain! You can read a little bit about the show and see the whole collection here. The design house had lost their designer last earlier this year due to an illness, and a kid named Olivier Rousteing has taken the reigns. And I must say, has done a super job! I love the glam of the gold, silk embroidery, floral wallpaper prints, and the black & white leather. The whole collection is Mexico meets Vegas, his words. Love it.

He's 25 years old. Super major!

sparkle & fade

2011-10-12T01:16:00.000-07:00

so I've been really busy still trying to get things in order and finish my endless list of things to do. I wish I could wake up in the morning, drink my coffee outside on my deck feeding the ducks, eat some oatmeal, check some emails and/or favorite blogs, get dressed for the gym, go to the gym, come home and shower, get ready ( by no its about noon), and then take pictures for blog, have some lunch, and the next few hours are to get my list accomplished. But this hasn't been happening. How come my list is always 20 items or more? I seem to watch people sitting at starbucks enjoying their time, or watching people hanging in the park working on a painting, or a couple riding their bikes just for fun! I want to be able to do that? Why do I always have so many things to get done?

Oh well, maybe tomorrow will bring me a day closer to perfection!!

Shoes, Steve Madden. Pants, H&M. Top Sparkle & Fade, via UO. Belt, Old Navy. Bangles, F21, thrifted, and H&M. Bow, American Apparel. Pink ring, H&M. Scarf, The Gap.

a little blue

2011-10-10T23:09:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Hope you had a great weekend! We had one day of sun on 'Sunday,' what are the odds? It rained every day last week, so it got a little gloomy around here. But Sunday was nice. Sunday was the Mr's only day off his first week of work, and he loved it! His first week of work that is. He learned how to conduct the train and how to engineer it! Sounds fun right? It's all been pretty exciting around here.

So we spent our one day this last week by each others side running errands, eating great Portland food, and listening to the stories of our week! Great day I must say.

Today it only rained in the afternoon, the sun peeked through this morning giving me just enough time to come out and say hi!

Shoes, F21. Navy Dress, worn as skirt, Ark & Co. via Piperlime. White lone sleeve, blur striped sweater, The Gap. Necklace, H&M. Gold cuff, and glasses, F21. Turquoise ring, Urban Outfitters.

second glance

2011-10-07T23:44:00.000-07:00

so, continuing on with a tour of our little house, I give you our bedroom, bathroom, and office space!

Gordon picked out these pieces for his bedside table from The Porch Light here in Portland. He got pretty creative don't you think? An old wood crate and some vintage metal file boxes. These store all of the "stuff" he's collected over the years and has no place for. I added some antlers we picked up at the flea market, my teal owl piggy bank from Urban, and a few vintage books from his grandmother.

This metal industrial dresser is one of the pieces we picked up this last time we went to the Rose Bowl Flea Market. We love the look of it, but it is soooo squeaky!!!

I found this great yellow industrial stool at the same Porch Light here in Portland. If you live here or ever come out here, you must go see what she has! Great stuff.

Another glimpse of the family room, and the other piece from the flea market. A library cart we found to hold our TV. It looks so small because our TV is so ginormous!

Here's just one peek at the bathroom. Its bigger than small, but it's not big enough for two. The maroon color is super outdated, and the washer & dryer make it look even worse. It's not my favorite part, if you can't tell.

My office of course is packed with all things sewing, crafting, scrapbooking, fabric, etc. Stephanie took the time to unbox most of it when she was here, and organized some of my stuff in a fun way on the shelves! Thanks mama!

a little green

2011-10-07T23:10:00.000-07:00

a little fall fashion post for you guys. I was up until 2 am last night, silently laying next to a snoring love browsing all the new spring 2012 runway shows! Have I ever mentioned that I was in Milan for these same shows back in 2007? It was so amazing to actually see the hustle and bustle of fashion week. It would've been nice to actually see some top designers, but we saw a few fun ones.

Anyways, for the last month I have been really dreaming of Kelley Green. Anything in that color will do. I've been so inspired by it mixed with colors like aqua blue or heather grey, and I love seeing it s staple pieces in a living room or bathroom, but what I can't stop imagining is Kelley Green as my winter wedding color. Mixed with sequin silver, wooly grey, and woodsy textures.

So when I clicked through these pictures from Elie Saab's collection, my jaw dropped. So A M A Z I N G!!! I want these dresses. The 70's style silhouettes are breathtaking aren't they?

see his full collection here.

a little shady

2011-10-06T23:27:00.000-07:00

I finally felt productive today. I got half of my list done! Yeah! You see, every night I write a list out of what I want to accomplish that next day, hoping that I can get it a lllll done! But nope, I haven't been able to do it once. But today I got the closest to it. Maybe tomorrow Ill get more done, but you know those last few items from today are going on the top of the list for the morning. Wish me luck!

Shoes, Messeca via Piperlime. Silk Leopard pants, H&M. Top and Sweater, F21. Belt, thrifted. Scarf, H&M.

Our new dwelling

2011-10-05T21:39:00.000-07:00

So I know some of you have been waiting to see our new home here in Portland. Since I have the exact same "style" as I had 2 months ago while living in LA, our house looks pretty much the same, just a different layout, thats all. So I'll start with the front door and go from there....

walking into the front door is a nice little mud room to keep boots, umbrellas, and coats, which I seriously LOVE... then it opens up into the living room and kitchen...

Lots of open window space is so great.

we have a nice stove that heats up the entire house, because there is no heater in the home. Gordon's grandma from Whittier, gave us these 2 wood captains chairs. They fit perfectly next to the stove.

and now Im walking backwards into the family room, where we've decided to put the couch and TV. The bathroom, and 2 bedrooms are off of this main area.

now turning around facing the room and the back deck. Bathroom is directly to the left, 2nd bedroom is the open door on the left, and our bedroom is the open room with the chevron bedding!

This odd looking room straight ahead is supposed to be a queen loft, you know, for visitors! But we're not that far yet. We need the space for storage!

My favorite part of the house is the back deck. The owner of this place built it all about a year ago. Isn't it grand?

I have taken so many pictures, I think I'll share the rest of them with you tomorrow. Still have our bedroom, the bathroom, and the 2nd bedroom turned into an office. What do you think so far?

2011-10-04T23:52:00.000-07:00

Again, I'm sorry for not posting more. I swear this "not working" thing has thrown my entire schedule off. I do enjoy sleeping in until 9, taking my time getting ready while sipping coffee and watching the news, going to the gym in the morning, getting things done during the day rather than the weekend, and having time to prepare a nice meal and even dessert all in a calm relaxing 12 hour day. I don't mind that at all. But it does seem like my day goes a heck of a lot faster, I don't get any of my "lists" done, and when I do sit down to start something, i.e. my blogging, I get distracted by something else!! What is my deal?

I also wanted to say thanks to those of you who reached out and sent me words of encouragement and advice after my speech about money last week!!! It's so rad knowing people care about other people. I want you to know that no, I don't have CC debt, and no I didn't have to file bankruptcy or have my car re-poed ( oh my gosh I can't even spell that). What happened was that I got a speeding ticket back in march. I filed an extension on it because I didn't want to spend $360 on it, and then because of my change of address, I didn't get the letter in time with the new court date on it. That turned into a triple-times-the-amount "thank you for speeding" letter from the state of california! Thanks Gov. Brown! So it turned into an argument about "being responsible Whitney," like my valiant B teacher taught me in Sunday School when I was 9! At least it wasn't a DUI and some jail time that I had to hide from my family and friends right?

Back to the point of this entry. Gordon started work yesterday after being off work for almost 5 months. It's been a crazy 4 years with this boy, that it's about time we had some normalcy! I still need a job though. And a good one!

I have all the pictures I've taken of our new floating home and finished edited them all today. So I will give you a nice long introduction tomorrow, after I feed all my new duck friends off my back deck! And like forewarned by MANY, it has been raining every afternoon here, so the background in these pictures is pretty gloomy! I love it! I burn my pumpkin spice candle and try to enjoy all that fall has to offer!

Until next time. Love.

Jeans, Levis. Sweater, Abercrombie & Fitch. Wedges, via Piperlime. Vest, J-Crew. Gold bangle, F21. Wood bangle, H&M.

downtown

2011-09-29T23:12:00.000-07:00

its been a crazy week here with G getting here, and still trying to get our lives back on track. its amazing how much stuff you need to do when you move. new drivers license, car insurance, gym, post office, grocery store, etc. and new systems and ways of doing things. we both really like consistency with the stuff in our lives, like eating dinner at the same time, or going to the grocery store on sundays, so all this change is messin with our minds!! seriously. not fun.

so today we needed to go into downtown to pick up G some new work shirts from american apparel, and some new work boots. we also were on the hunt for a yummy sandwich place, which we found. and now i've forgotten the name sorry. but it was good.

by the way, did i mention that although me and the mr. have been fighting a lot, he surprised me with a new diamond ring that I had been eyeballing! not a real diamond ring, but it's called the "diamond ring" by the artist. pictures to come when i get it sized! these are the reasons why I love this man. he pays attention to the small things.

Money matters

2011-09-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

Ha, so I'm in tears again this morning, this time it's about money. Sore subject with Gordon. Really sad story of money problems growing up. He was affected by it to the furthest extent of it. I wish I made enough money so neither of us would ever have to worry. Fat chance right? I'm sure some of you couples fight about money, some it comes easy, one pays bills, the other sits back and enjoys! Well not us. I know I take after my mom when it comes to this subject. She spends what she makes, pays bills at the last possible second, but also spends all extra money on husband or family. No 5 year, 10 year plan (except retirement), and no saving for a rainy day. Sorry mom. But I know I have these tendencies, so I have to watch myself.

Since I am not working right now, I obviously don't have income. So it's been tough for Gordon to have to help out. Financially he's fine, he has the money, but psychologically it's been like ripping a finger nail off. I come from a Mormon family where they teach you about family and mothers that stay home to be a housewife, cook, cleaner, an at home mom, etc. So it's just natural to me to except this kind of living. Although without kids, it would drive me nuts. But he views it as, both work, both provide. It's a hard pill to swallow. I knew what I was getting into, and we have come to several compromises, but the fact still remains.

It seems like every financial "relationship" I have, has charged me more, increased interest rates, or just screwed me all together. I won't get into details, but I just wanted to express how frustrated and sad I am that these kind of problems can cause so much turmoil in a home. I hate that we fight, and I hate these companies that screw everyone for what they're worth.

discovering

2011-09-27T23:55:00.000-07:00

So when G and I came up here a month ago, we drove around every ~~street~~ area in Portland. Trying to find a place to live opened our eyes to all these unique little areas that we probably wouldn't have known about otherwise. So when we heard about Mississippi district (from a blogger), we just had to go explore it a little more.

Gordon got home last night, or I should say this morning, at 4am. I stayed awake the entire time waiting for him! What a good wifey right? Wrong. I only did it because he needed help unloading the truck, in the rain. Bummer huh? He couldn't stop and stay at a hotel because he had a ton of stuff in the back of the truck, so he drove straight through. Trooper.

So we slept in this morning until 11am, which never happens. And then after getting a little breakfast in us, decided to go to The Porch Light. An awesome boutique that sells flea market items. Great items. We discovered her other store in Downtown Portland a few months ago, so since we needed a few things for the house, we decided to go down to Mississippi district and shop the other store.

Discovering Mississippi, what a great way to start our adventure.

night y'all

living on the water

2011-09-27T00:55:00.000-07:00

so i'm sitting here patiently waiting for my Mr. to arrive. he's finally left LA for good this morning, and is still about 2 hours away. OMG I can't imagine having to make this drive in the future. especially all in one day!! holy cow! it's been 6 days all by my self, not only in a new city, but a new state. did I mention this before? no friends, no family. i get pretty scared right before i'm about to go to bed, realizing that i'm falling asleep alone, in a strange new neighborhood. ever since i can remember, i have been afraid of the dark, not even joking, so being alone like this has been a nervous breakdown every night as i lay down. but it'll all be over in a few hours.....

i also need to apologize for being m.i.a. the last week. most of you know that i've been moving, but it's no excuse right? well, i've needed the time off....sssoooo bad. it really wasn't time off at all because of how hard i've had to work at getting our new place unpacked and in order. we will for sure hire movers the next go-around.

i must say that living on the water is pretty amazing. it was a nightmare getting our stuff down here, but now that i'm settled, it is well worth it!

and here are the last bit of our moving pictures. looking at this makes me think two different things, 1. the horrible move, the horrible fighting, the horrible drive or 2. the great memories, the best friends, and family that we love and appreciate so much!!!

my new closet. little small, but that's ok.

pulling a late nighter

2011-09-22T00:41:00.000-07:00

It's been 2 more days, and as expected I'm extremely exhausted. I have been busy putting things away, trying to get things set up for our home, installing things, still looking for a job (desperately needing one), and just trying to make this place our home. I slept in this morning until 10 am when I received a call that finally woke me up. I can't believe I slept in that much! never happens.

I am going to try to start my fashion posts tomorrow, but can't share pictures of our new home until I have finished getting everything unpacked, organized, and livable! I am doing everything myself because as I mentioned, G went back to LA to finish some last minute things. I miss him so much, and really wish he were here to share these first few days with me. We haven't slept next to each other since last Friday night, and I miss him soooo much. I can be pretty strong, but still need him to lean on, and just be here to be my best friend. It won't be until this next Tuesday until I get to see him again.

I'm sharing with you our road trip from picking up Stephanie (the best friend) in downtown LA, to unloading our boxes.

Have a good night! Peace.

A quick hello

2011-09-20T00:39:00.000-07:00

It's been the longest 4 days of my life. Each day has felt like it was 3 days, so that it's been 12 days of packing, driving, eating bad diner food, driving, unloading, unpacking, and trying to do it all with a smile on my face. I'm not only trying to take care of me and Gordon, but my best friend Stephanie, gordon's dad, gordon's best friend and girlfriend, and my parents! It has been long days with no end in site.

On a lighter note, I will say that although the drive was long and bumpy, it was so incredible to drive through California and get to see most of it. My parents drove my car up the scenic route through PCH, but we drove straight through the middle. Through Fresno, Sacramento, and Lake Shasta. So worth it, if you've never done it.

So I'm laying in bed in our hotel room. Stephanie is already asleep in the bed next to me, but I wanted to say hi, and give you a little peek into our days so far from our move to Oregon.

Not sure if this worked out and you were able to get a life pieces of our trip so far! More pictures to come. Good night evryone!

a sad goodbye

2011-09-13T23:12:00.000-07:00

Im sitting up in our room right now with tears in my eyes. Not because this is my last fashion post from California, or that it's my last Tuesday in the first house we bought, but because me and the Mr. have been fighting again like cats & dogs. I'm so sad that because of how much stress we are both under, we can't help but take it out on each other. Be angry with each other, and treat other other with the worst respect possible. Sad right? I know. I just don't know what to do. We both are being pushed to our limits, and going through things that we've never experienced.

This was my last full day at work, and tomorrow will be my last few hours. I'm only going in for a few hours in the morning to basically hand over the keys. I hope the office will run smoothly after I leave, and I hope my parents will be okay. I also hope that a great, amazing company will want to hire me soon. I can show off my abilities and talents, and have my happily ever after!

I will apologize now for taking a few days off, but you all know what's going in my life for me to be unable to post here on my blog. I hope you will leave me some kind words of encouragement, cause heaven knows I need them.

Shoes, Steve Madden. Black denim, Old Navy. Silk blouse, Silence & Noise. Gold necklaces, F21. Turquoise ring, UO. Gold watch, American Apparel. Neon pink watch, Nixon.

flea market sunday

2011-09-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! How was your weekend? I am so exhausted right now from our long weekend, my eyes are heavy, my body aches, and my brain is fried! We were extremely busy with everything, had 2 parties at our house, went to the flea market on Sunday, and got quite a bit of packing done. I just wanted to check in to say hi, and show you some pictures from our day on Sunday.

We ended up buying 4 pieces that we needed, and love them to bits! A ~~new~~ old dresser, a push cart to hold the living room TV, a storage case for G's amo, and a storage case for all his extras in the garage. Of course I could have picked a lot more, but money is tight, and we don't want to have too much stuff right?

Here's the cart we bought to hold our TV!

I'll show pictures of the actually pieces when we get all moved in and settled! Toodles!!!!

when will it

2011-09-09T23:56:00.000-07:00

It's late over here and Im about to hit the hay in our queen bed. You see, we sold our king bed this morning, and had to move the old queen into the master. It's all part of our de-clutter thing. I had an emotional week this week because of everything. Way too stressful for me. I have been trying to keep up with everything I need to do, but it's not quite working out the way I hoped. The only thing I'm really looking forward to is a scheduled massage tomorrow at Burke Williams! Stephanie and I are both having one hours at 2 and then some spa time. Much needed for both of us I tell you.

We are having a going away BBQ tomorrow night for friends, and then a family dinner over here on Sunday night. We're squeezing in the Flea Market on Sunday, my last yoga class, and Gordon's soccer game. Oh I'm looking forward to this all to end!

Soon my friends.

Heels, F21. Wide-leg denim, The Gap. Denim shirt, Tuxedo jacket, H&M. Necklace, F21. Turquoise ring, UO.

2011-09-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

Madewell is one of my favorite stores to shop. Did you know that its' part of J-Crew! I love J-Crew, but it's a little too pricey for my budget right now, but hopefully some day in the future!!! But Madewell is just as fun, and super good quality fabrics. You can find just about all the basics you need, and any style denim you love. I have a few pieces from their store, and because I have really started loving the online shopping experience, I have gotten a few pieces off their site here!

I also get really inspired for my own wardrobe based on all fashion companies, which is what I was saying yesterday. These guys have the perfect mix of trend, seasonal, and basic needs for us women!

1. Charmed Ring Set
2.The Saturday Morning Sweatshirt
3. The Scenic Strip Top
4. The Almanac Boot

I have purchased 1 & 2, but WANT 3 & 4. Peace, to the middle East.

falling in love

2011-09-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

i have said it before, and i will say it again, I Love Fall!! Best part of the year for me, hands down. I love the weather, the changes in nature, the smells of cooking, Halloween, and Thanksgiving! I especially love the changes in fashion. I am starting to collect a few staple pieces for the season, a few trendy pieces, and studying all the magazines and fashion blogs. I have decided that since we're moving (I won't be close to my hair stylist), since I won't have income for awhile, and because it's fall, I have changed my hair back to it's original color. I have super dark brown hair, and the second she turned my chair toward the mirror, I almost had a heart attach!!! I got so used to the blond and the way it looked on my face, that it freaked me out a little!!! But I seriously love it now! I swear I change my hair more often than some people change their underwear!!! jk

I know I have it up in a ponytail, but you can see the color. I also have purchased this amazingly comfortable Kelley Green sweatshirt from Urban Outfitters that I love for this season. I had to fem it up though with a pair of wedges!!!

Wedges, Messeca, via Piperlime. Black Lace Skirt, boutique in Big Bear. Grey top, Obey. Kelley Green Sweatshirt, UO. Gold Necklaces, F21. Turquoise Ring, UO. Gold Stacked Rings, Madewell.

workin too hard

2011-09-07T23:07:00.000-07:00

I am so incredibly exhausted right now that I'm falling over in bed. That's not even possible!!! Anyway, I took the day off, which I will start doing this next week until Im done, so that I could spend some time packing. My sister in law came out to help for a few hours (she lives an hour away), so awesome, and the G and I went to the Box Store to stock up on what we needed.

It ended up being about a 12 hour work day. I don't like this packing thing, but at least I can look good doing it right?? sssooooo kidding right now. I did play around a little with the camera while I was working.

Russell's in Pasadena

2011-09-06T23:34:00.000-07:00

Although we are extremely excited to be moving to a new state, starting new careers, making new friends, and changes lifestyles all together, we are going to miss a lot about southern california. This place, for one, we will miss the most. Russell's Restaurant in Old Town Pasadena has the best breakfast ever. If anyone is ever near Pasadena, then you've gotta try this place at least once. We have loved it since before we started dating, we've been going there for waffles, french toast, and pancakes every sunday morning for the last 5 months, and are so sad to leave it behind.

This last weekend we went to a restaurant next door from Russell's called Akbar (indian food that I love) for dinner, and it reminded us of the fact that we're leaving the places we love, the city we love, and the people we love. I love Pasadena. Don't you? Man we'll miss you.

Pasadena from a roof top. The buildings are so gorgeous.

and then, yesterday after a long day of packing, organizing, moving furniture, getting no sleep, and missing out on a perfectly good holiday, the Mr. brought home some of these babies, My favorite midnight treats!

im so sorry

2011-09-06T17:19:00.000-07:00

I have been so swamped with things in the last week that I haven't even had time to pee!!! jk

I will post a couple fun things tonight for you guys. I have once again changed my look!!! I am leaving work now, and am going to try and relax at yoga. Talk to you later!!

lovin this blog {wit + delight}

2011-09-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

I have been following this blog Wit + Delight for about a year now, and I have no idea who authors it (I probably haven't looked hard enough)! I seriously love everything about it though. The layout of it is something I've never seen before, which I love, and the colors of everything posted is just amazing to the eye! You've got to go over and check it out and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. She (I'm assuming it's a girl) posts inspiration on just about everything from fashion, to interior design, cooking, traveling, color palettes, patterns, vintage, and how to clean. So many fun things every day!! I love the simplicity of it, and she always has links on where to see or find something. So great! These are just a few of the pictures from some posts. Perfection!

someone you love

2011-09-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night when I got home from work, there were about 8 cop cars outside our house. It made me a little nervous at first, but after realizing it wasn't at my house I was okay. But Wednesday morning as I was in my room getting dressed, i saw my neighbor outside his house getting ready to move a couch from his living room with another one on his friends truck. Weird right? This guy and his wife are maybe in their 50's, work for JPL, no kids, bought a house in Colorado, and were going to retire in a few months.

So I saw what was happening and started to eaves drop by opening my window and listening. I basically heard him saying that his wife had committed suicide the night before and he needed to switch out the couch because of it. It really hit me hard for some reason. Of course we know them because of the fact that they're our neighbors, but we would also see her all the time walking, swimming, and she was on the HOA board. It made me think about how her husband was feeling. I can't imagine losing the person i love the most, my best friend, the person that i share everything with.

I went into Gordon and immediately asked him if he's ever thought about it. And I let him know how emotionally damaged I would be if that ever happened. We had a really good conversation about it, which we've never talked about before. I'm sorry to anyone that has lost family or friends over something like that. I wish it would never have to happen, but I guess that's the reality of being human.

Their family and friends are in my prayers.

Shoes, Piperlime. Skirt, Old Navy. Silk blouse, F21. Necklaces, UO & Vintage. Quartz ring, Kris Nations. Watches, New Army green, Nixon & American Apparel.

and....

2011-08-30T17:28:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Lisa from New England! You get a free new pair of Moccasins!!! Im so excited for you!

This comment was picked randomly just so everyone knows, but you all still have until the end of the day tomorrow to get 20% on purchases over $50 (just use code:bugundyboots) from Langston's!

I want to give a HUGE thanks to all of you who left me a comment. I don't get much feed back from you, my readers, so it's nice to know that people are reading! If I can get some of you commenting more often than I can have more giveaways and fun stuff for you'all!!!! I love it, don't be afraid! Even if it's negative, let's hear it!

Lisa, email me at warnerlwhitney (at) yahoo (dot) com, and I will explain how to collect your new Moccs!!!! Yeah!

Peace

living on water

2011-08-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

Oh boy!! We have experienced one of the hardest weekends of our lives!! We fought like no other, broke up for 30 seconds, got back together, got lost 100 times, drove the wrong way down a one way street, ate too many carbs, had way too much caffeine, drove into neighborhoods that were creepy, and drove through some of the most beautiful country i've ever seen!

Our house hunting started out Friday morning. We had several showings set up for the day, had planned out our journey using a huge map of the city, and were optimistic about the whole experience! In our heads we we're thinking that because we had so many houses to see, at the end of the day we we're going to be picking from a large pool of options! UM, nope! Not a chance. One after the next the houses were horrible. Bad areas, beat down houses, graffiti, homeless everywhere, bad. We drove through all the districts we had heard about through friends or websites, but had no luck.

Fast forward to sunday morning. We were tired, and wanted to give up on the entire experience. We had one house as a back up plan in case we couldn't find anything, but it was in an area that wasn't our favorite place by any means. We found an ad on craigslist that said "floating house" and it was in our budget. Luckily they were having an open house from 1-2 so we could go check it out! Has anyone heard of these? If you're from the NW then Im sure you know what I'm talking about, but if not, these are houses built on the water. They are very nicely placed in rows, and look like real homes, not mobile homes or house boats. We had so much excitement thinking about living on one for a year! We got to the house right at 1, just in case others were interested, we could be the first ones!!!

side note: another problem we we're having was that we were always the second or third offer, or the house was run by a management company that was closed on the weekend so we couldn't view the home!! So frustrating!!!

We met the owner, a guy our age with a wife and baby. He was so nice and helpful, even asking me about what I was looking for with jobs. We hit it off, we loved the house (although a little downsize from our house now), we asked if we could rent it, and he said yes!!!! So there you have it guys! We will be living on a floating house come September 18th!!!!!

I didn't get to take any pictures with my camera because of our time crunch, but these are what I managed to get from my Iphone!

These last couple pictures are the docks that we will be living on. Our house is one of these in the top picture! More pics of course when we move in.

Also, I will be announcing the winner of the Moccasins by the end of the day. The winner will be picked randomly by the Mr. to be fair. He doesn't know any of you!!!!

we're off

2011-08-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

We're at the Long Beach airport right now waiting for our flight. Im sitting here reading all the comments you have left me regarding the Langstons giveaway. My heart is fluttering because I feel so loved right now! I know it's really not for me, but for some nice new Moccasins, but either way, I love that you all have taken the time to look at Langstons and love the shoes like I do! I wish I could give you all a new pair to wear!!!

So we have 4 days to find a house to rent and we have about 7 scheduled appointments set up. Hopefully one of them will be our future rental!!! Ha ha! I can't wait to buy again that's for sure! We will also be visiting the Apple store for some brand new presents! Both of our Dell laptops have taken a fall for the worst. The batteries don't work, the cords to the computer have to stay plugged in the entire time. If I move to the right or left, it might unplug by accident and shut it all down!!! So frustrating. They are also 5 years old and slow as turtles. So we've decided to go with Apple because well, they rule!!!

Shoes,

Shoes, Piperlime. Skirt, cut-up F21. Top, Madewell. Necklace, F21.

I won't be back until Tuesday so Im sorry for the lapse of posting, but I will be announcing the winner to the new Moccasins! So let me so those entries!!!!! Have a great weekend everyone!

my first giveaway CLOSED

2011-08-24T19:14:00.000-07:00

I can't even tell you guys how excited I am for this. I am hosting my very first giveaway today!!! cheers, hooray, yeah, awesome! This is all because I love to wear fun things, and I want you guys to be able to have that same opportunity! You all have seen me wear my Minnetonka Moccasins right? Like in these pictures?

Wellllll, wait for it, Langston's Western Wear, which sells all the Moccasins that I love, plus tons of cowboy boots, all kinds of denim, and cute western tops, are giving away one pair of the Thunderbird Beaded Moccasins to one of my super amazing readers! Yep, that could be you my dear friends! So what do you have to do to win them? Go over to Langston's facebook page and check em' out, check out their online shop at Langstons dot com (anyone who orders anything today will receive a 20% discount on orders over $50. You gotta use code:burgundyboots), lastly, in order to offically be in the runnning, you MUST come back over here and leave me an awesome comment!

Pretty easy right? So let's go! Can't wait to see how many of you are interested!

Good Luck

*sorry it's now closed

a little warm

2011-08-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

So I know that this outfit makes you a little hot just looking at it, but remember, I work indoors where it gets really cold!!! So this sweater is awesome for that, then when I go outside, the sweater comes off and I have the nice breezy tank underneath! Perfect!

I found this sweater at Bass Pro Shop this last weekend when we were there looking for a gun case for the Mr. I was browsing the women's section thinking I would never find anything in there, when I saw this sweater, tried it on, and left it on because it was freezing inside the store! I loved it so much from wearing it that I purchased it. My excuse? Oh you're moving to Portland soon, so you need a bunch of cold weather gear! Funny right? Not so much to Gordon.

I have a little fun surprise at the end of the day, so stay tuned!!!!

Heels, Old Navy. Black denim, Old Navy. Tee, Obey. Sweater, Bass Pro Shop. Necklace, UO. Ring, H&M. Glasses, Von Zipper. Watches, American Apparel & Nixon.

Ark & Co

2011-08-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

So I found this dress on Piperlime a few weeks ago on sale! Yep, if you're part of their email list, you get updates about sales and stuff. So they let me know about the pre-fall sale they were having for a week! I am loving this little thing! It lays just perfectly, it's just the right length, and the fabric is amazing! ~~You can check it out here.~~ Oops, now I can't find the dress anymore, but you can see similar ones over here! I'm sorry you missed the great sale price!

Shoes, Steve Madden. Dress, Ark & Co, via Piperlime. Scarf, The Gap. Black ring, H&M. Gold watch, American Apparel. Earings, F21.

a loaded weekend

2011-08-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Hope you all had a great weekend! I know, so cliche right? Well I really mean it!! I had a pretty good weekend. Some highlights were, hanging with 2 of my closest girl friends at our house Saturday night, going to watch my 15 year old niece play in a soccer tournament (all the way from Arizona), and going to the Bass Pro shop for the first time. By the way, have you ever been to one of these? It's seriously ginormous!!! You can check out their website here, but if you ever pass one by, I recommend you check it out. It's pure insanity!

Other than that, we just did the normal. I'm starting to really get nervous about moving though. We've reserved a moving truck, and are leaving for Portland Thursday to go find a place to rent. We have looked online, but like I said before, we can't seem to find anything that we like. Now that's makin me nervous. What if we go up there this weekend and don't find anything? What if we sell our house here and don't have a place to live up there? What if we move everything, sell our house, and then the job falls through. OMG can you see what I'm going through?

Deep breaths.

Putting a smile on my face is my gorgeous niece Ansley. She takes after me in the athletic department, which is Freakin Awesome!!!! no I'm kidding. But she really is. She's totally natural at all sports, especially soccer. Doesn't need to practice, doesn't even have to try out!!! This is her club team that traveled here to so-cal over the weekend. She was playing on an injured ankle and still managed to look rad!

she headed this ball off a corner kick, and it just went over the goal. so close.

isn't she gorg???

a modern pancho

2011-08-19T22:59:00.000-07:00

I had the day off today, which was marvelous!!!! Me and the Mr. woke up late, made breakfast, went to the gym, and ran a few errands! I love these kind of days! The only thing that wasn't good was the weather. It has been close to 100 all week, and I'm sure most of you know that it sucks. Too hot to do anything outside, and if you sit inside you feel lazy for not going outside!! aggghhhh! We also seem to fight more when we both are home all day, not sure why that is, but I feel horrible now that the day is over and I was mean all day. sorry babe.

Shoes, Toms. Cut-off shorts, Billabong. Pancho, Urban Outfitters. Red ring, H&M. Watch, Nixon. Bangles, F21.

lovin this blog {Let's Talk Trunk}

2011-08-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to start a new little series over here featuring a blog or blogger that I'm loving at the moment!!! I'm going to start off with these 4 little sweeties over at "Let's Talk Trunk!" These four are all about fashion in an affordable fun way. I'm loving that they have a theme each week, and they each post based on their point of view on that particular subject! Like this one over here called Lords of Boytown, a little advice from each girl about how to incorporate boyfriend clothes into a feminine outfit! So clever! AND they post some bloopers each week which cracks me up!

Not only do they give advice about fashion, but they help out with applying make-up, sewing skills, fitness, and a few DIY'ers!! You gotta go check these girlies out, and throw your support their way! We all love some advice, and we all love some new friends!

serenity

2011-08-18T22:56:00.000-07:00

When we get married, it will be like this. This is us. Simple, easy, light, and each other. Can I have this please?

photos by Tec Petaja

the other half

2011-08-17T22:56:00.000-07:00

This top is the other half of my leopard bodysuit that I daringly cut in two!!! Like it's counter part, I am loving this top. I know it's a little revealing, and a little 80's style with the belly showing, but I really love it! I grabbed the jacket because I love the pink with the leopard print. so rad. anywho, it's off to bed for me! we're just finishing watching Rivals right now, and can't wait until the finals next week! anyone else watch it?

Shoes, Minnetonka Moccasins. Boot-leg denim, The Gap. Leopard top, H&M. Tuxedo jacket, H&M. Necklace, F21. 2 Watches, Nixon & American Apparel. Quartz ring, Kris Nations.

mulligan

2011-08-16T22:11:00.000-07:00

I know this is totally random, but do any of you ever get a random pain somewhere that really, really, hurts?? For example, a pinch down your back, or a buzzing on your scalp. Just weird, and never happens again. Well, I'm having one of those now. Im having a sharp throbbing pain underneath my right ribs. It's coming really sharp, and then goes away a bit. Comes back, goes away. ANNOYING!

Anyways. So I thought I'd try wearing these shoes again because I wasn't really feelin them yesterday. A little better I think. I love these shoes so much more looking down at them, rather than looking at them in these pictures, but oh well. I love them all the same!!! You can too if you visit one of my favorite online stores Piperlime!

ps do you like my new glasses? i really wear them when my contacts aren't in.

Shoes, Nine West, via Piperlime. Pleated red skirt, H&M. The Clash tee, Thrifted. Chambre button-up, The Gap. Belt, Dads closet. Necklace, UO. Glasses, Eyebob.

penny loafers

2011-08-15T15:33:00.000-07:00

oh man what a fast weekend right? is it just me? i am slowly counting down the days until we move and I get to take a few weeks off! hopefully no more than that, otherwise I lose money.yikes! we are going to Portland on the 25th to look for a house to rent, and i am so excited!!! we've been looking online, but have had no luck. I'm pretty sure that we need to physically be looking around neighborhoods with our eyes peeled open looking for "For Rent" signs! anyone know any homes up for rent? areas to look in? we've also done some research online and are looking in a few districts, but of course don't really know what the heck we're doing.

We also need advice on moving trucks!!!! I've called a few places and got some estimates, but they are ridiculously high! has anyone made a big move like this? how did you do it? did you hire movers, or rented a truck? help me!!!!!

On another note, I'm not stoked on this outfit today, but I really wanted to wear these new shoes!! They will look a lot better with a knee length skirt, or skinny jeans, but I need to wear my white jeans a few more times this summer, so there you go!!!

Penny loafer high heels, Nine West via Piperlime. White denim, The Gap. Stripped tee, Old Navy. Necklace, gold chain bracelet, Yellow belt, F21. Watch, Nixon. Black ring, H&M.

rockstar

2011-08-12T23:35:00.000-07:00

I'm feelin a little rockstar in these pants! You've seen me wear these before, but it was time for a change! I am notorious for changing my mind, with my wardrobe that is!!! So these leopard silk pants used to be a jumpsuit, that I maybe wore twice this year. Now they are an awesome addition to my closet that I can wear with just about anything! I know they can be a little loud, but I am in love. Well, I'm in love again.

Hope you all have a great weekend! I'll be meeting my bff Stephanie at the beach tomorrow for a little R&R before we're off to Portland, and then my parents are coming over for birthday dinners Saturday night. And then we have an open house over here on Sunday, so cross your fingers! We need this thing SOLD!!!

Shoes, Steve Madden. Jumpsuit turned into pants, H&M. White tank, American Apparel. Denim jacket, The Gap. Gold watch, Nixon. Snake bracelet, Old Navy. Feather Necklace, Urban Outfitters.

a big day

2011-08-12T22:24:00.000-07:00

hey guys! i know it's a little late to be trying to get your attention, but I really wanted to share these pictures with you because I think they're so major!!! i know I've got a lot going on in my life, but I really can't stop thinking about planning a wedding. I can't stop looking at wedding blogs and pictures of ceremonies! I've even added a few links to a few of my favorite sites over there on the left side of my page! you should check a few of them out!

so i was checking out Snippet & Ink this morning, when I followed her link to Kate Moss's wedding over at Vogue!!!!!! I mean come on, how beautiful is that? It's totally inspiring to see what one of the most influential women in fashion, has done for her big day! I love the whimsical, classical, totally Vogue feel of the entire wedding! I'm hoping my big day feels just a little of what this day did for them!

i mean, come on!!!!

changing

2011-08-11T19:21:00.000-07:00

Just had another showing tonight, so we had to disappear for a half an hour! we ended up taking a walk around the block and talking about our day! this never happens folks. i usually get home from work, throw my shoes off, start some yoga poses, and ice my back! maybe I'll give him some kisses, and maybe he'll stop what he's doing on the computer to say whats up! not good right? we both are comfortable with the way we do things, but after talking about our day tonight, without the distractions of the TV, computers, or phones, I'm thinkin we need a change!!!!

Wedges, Old Navy. Dress, The Gap. Belt, Gordon's closet. Aviator's, Gordon's. Earings, F21. Snake bracelet, Old Navy. Cream stone bracelet, vintage.

Our Dwelling {Guest Bedroom}

2011-08-10T19:05:00.000-07:00

sorry I've been so MIA lately. you all know that I've been busy with all the stuff in my life i.e. getting ready to move, selling our house, training a replacement at work, looking for a new house, looking for a new job, etc. I wish wish wish I could have more time in the day. I did manage to get some pictures of another room in our house. Our guest bedroom. The one thing that I would have loved to do is put some wall art up. I never got to it because it was the last room to really decorate, and my time ran out (remember we're moving? so no point!) But my plan was to frame black & white prints of all my nieces and nephews and hang them in a big grid. White mat background, black 3 inch frames, perfectly lined up along the long wall, sort of like these?

I think I've mentioned this before, but I use this room as my dressing room as well as a guest room! This is my closet and my dresser. I've decorated all my jewelry in a fun way so I can see what I have every morning when I get dolled up!

This bed is from Gordon when he was single! What a girly bed right? I would never have picked this out, its way too feminim for me, but it is what it is. I bought the bedding from Urban Outfitters online, and the navy quilt from Urban Outfitters store. I use the bed to hang my hats and furs. The bedside table houses a stack of vintage yellow books, and a small collection of vintage alarm clocks that I've collected over the years. I also have 3 small posters I bought while in Paris 3 years ago. I love the memories I have from that trip.

My dresser holds all the jewelry that I currently wear. Rings are placed in a wooded dish. I have another vintage tin penny bank globe (the other one is in my bathroom), and these two anthropologie dishes that my sister Danielle made me as a christmas gift last year! one has a gold stem, and the other has a wood stem. So creative right?

A print I bought from an Etsy shop (im sorry I dont' remember it now) that reads "let the sunshine in." Perfect way to bring in the yellow in here. A brass tree jewelry stand that holds my necklaces (UO), a vintage fan, my favorite owl piggy bank from Uraban, and a deer printed tray from Target that holds my bangals!

We never got around to putting doors on this closet. Not sure why. But I think a sliding barn door would be fabulous. Don't you?

You can also view our own website here! This is a way better show of every room in our house rather than the one I linked you to last week.

simple

2011-08-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

I'm not feeling myself today, at all. I'm not sure what's going on, I feel sluggish, lazy, and super tired. It could be because it's that time of the month, but I never get this way during my special time!!! Speaking of that special time, when I went to the fertility specialist exactly 12 days ago, he did another ultra sound to make sure everything was free and clear. Well, I went in at day 10 (i hope you know what I'm talking about) hoping to see an egg ready to drop, but the Dr. looked and said, "oh that's weird. it looks as though you've already ovulated this month." huh???? that didn't make sense. I always have a 28 day cycle (TMI), so that would mean I would see aunt flow on day 20 or so? Well, he was right!!! First time ever that I've been early. So weird. So maybe my whole system is messed up. i don't know!

Heels, F21. Jeans, Madewell. Blouse, Silense & Noise. Necklace, F21. Gold rings, UO. Snake bracelet, Old Navy. Watch, American Apparel.

a Hipstamatic weekend

2011-08-08T12:07:00.000-07:00

for all of you who possess the iphone and all it's amazing apps, will probably be familiar with the incredible app called Hipstamatic!!! its basically a digital old plastic toy camera from the early days (in like 1970's & 80's, not the 1700's like when my mom was born!) it comes with the ability to swap camera lenses, change your film, and switch some flash options! The pictures that can be taken have instant character! I love using it whenever I can. It saves me from going in and photoshopping every picture!

So our weekend was spent cleaning, walking aroung the mall, running our oh so boring errands, locking myself out of the truck, while it was running, with groceries inside (including ice-cream, milk, and eggs) boo, and a fun trip down to Long Beach. I took pictures using Hipstamatic instead of my Nikon because, well, it's just easier and a lot more fun!!!

We went down there to check out a big antique mall, which we eventually found after ending up in the wrong spot 3 times (thanks mapquest, AHEM...cue sarcasm). We drove around a bit, stopped by some other fun looking shops, and then found our way to the most awful seafood spot overlooking the ocean! We had a good day despite our constant nagging at each other.

my purchases this last weekend. A couple new essie colors, a good book, and my new glasses finely arrived!

heat wave

2011-08-05T14:33:00.000-07:00

most of you have probably experienced this heat wave we've been having in So-Cal, and other parts of the country. it sucks, except for I'm indoors all day in the freezing air conditioned office! I have to wear one outfit out the door, change when I get to work into pants and a sweater, and then change to go back home! it's getting annoying! it'll be a lot different when we move to Oregon that's for sure!!

I'm so excited that our house is on the market, but not so excited knowing that there's a key right on our front door! you have to be an agent to open it of course, but you never know if some crazy will use their privileges to come right in! but since we're sharing our house with the entire world, we might as well share it with you right? you can check out our listing here, and let me know what you think!!!! The photographer did a really great job making all the rooms look a lot bigger!!!!

Shoes, Steve Madden. Skirt, Roxy. White undershirt, Anthropologie (awesomely comfortable). Tan Blouse, from a boutique in Big Bear. Fedora, Black Ring, & Bangals, F21. Necklace, UO. Gold Watch, AA.

neon pink

2011-08-03T17:07:00.000-07:00

house is up on the market guys. it's a little scary to think about the fact that we won't be living here in about 60 days. We'll be off on our new adventure living in another state where neither of us knows anyone, and neither of us have ever lived there. we've put so much into this place that even though we knew all along that we wouldn't end up here, I'm so incredibly sad that I'm leaving it to someone else. every bit of the place is customized to our style, our design. it's like giving up a child!!! jk, i wouldn't know, because I don't have child.

the photographer just left our house to go post it all online. In the next day or two, I'll give you all the link to our house! you can see all of it!!!

Wooden Clogs, F21. Black Maxi Dress, Target. Scarf, The Gap. Neon Pink watch, Nixon. Orange ring, H&M. Belt, Thrifted.

tomboy

2011-08-02T22:38:00.000-07:00

have I ever mentioned that I used to be the biggest tomboy ever?? ask anyone who knows me and they will laugh while saying, "yes, she was a tomboy!" But I must say, I was a pretty stylish tomboy, at least I thought! So my outfit today is a reflection of who I used to be. AND the nerdy glasses! We were watching home videos while in Big Bear over the 4th, and noticed my big ol' horrible glasses that my mother made me get. I swear they were these exact pair! I look soooooo dorky back then, but they are now a stylish piece to add to my wardrobe! Maybe Ill find an old picture of those glasses and let you peek at it! maybe.

Moccasins, Minnetonkas. Boyfriends jeans, Machine Denim. Lace tank, UO. Seer Suckered Blazer, H&M. Feather Necklace, UO. Glasses, Bleubird Vintage (2 years ago). Bandeau, American Apparel. Snake bracelet, Old Navy. Watch, AA. Ring, F21.

a day in pictures

2011-08-01T22:47:00.000-07:00

my computer crashed on me this afternoon. that's never happened to me before! im glad my computer was able to restore some stuff, and re-boot as if nothing happened! maybe it didn't crash, i don't know, but it sure seemed like it!! so I apologize for not posting sooner today.

our weekend was full like I said it would be. We did our usual errands, yoga, and a dinner date! We met our real estate agent and have officially put our house on the market! Portland here we come!

this was my day in pictures...

9:00am

10:00am

11:00a.m

12:00pm

1:00pm

3:00pm

4:00pm

7:00pm