popsicles and croquet

So we had a little party on Saturday to celebrate mine and Amanda's birthdays. Played croquet, ate homemade popsicles and carrot cupcakes (with cream cheese frosting, of course), and just hung out. I wore my mom's prom dress, which means it would have been from about '81 or so. I think. I've always loved the dress, but it's really really small on me now. My mom was so thin! There used to be a purple ribbon at the waist, but I misplaced it, and there's also a little vest of the white and purple material that I didn't wear.




dress - vintage

Justina also wore a very cute dress. It's from Romy and her shoes are from Target. I'm not sure where her headband is from, but she wore it at our prom Senior year.

party preparations

Not much to say about this outfit or today. I haven't been doing anything exciting. Making a ton of popsicles. I'm having a late birthday party with Amanda on Saturday, and we're making homemade popsicles. They're gonna be delicious. When it's hot and I'm not walking a lot, I like to wear my sneakers really loosely tied. Shit, I really have nothing to say.


shirt - thrifted, tank - gift, shorts - diy cutoffs, shoes - converse, bandana - claire's

alien me

I just found this sketch of myself I did about a year and a half ago. I really enjoy sketching with colored pencils like this. Something about using color in a non-realistic way frees me up. Using cooler tones for shadows and warmer for highlights works best because the warmer tones really pop against the cool. As always, I'm rather frustrated with the quality of the scan. I tried to adjust contrast and such after I scanned it, but my scanner simply cannot handle subtle variations in tone. So it looks overworked in some areas (and it very well may have been, but it's not nearly as apparent in real life) and underworked in others and that frustrates me. The sketch was not done from life, but from a picture I took of myself in the breakroom when I used to work at Bed Bath & Beyond.

Also, I am pissed because I was supposed to go into Seattle today for an Exclusive Deftones Live in Hawaii Party and it was cancelled. Because my stupid friend who was hosting it decided he wanted to do mushrooms today, instead of playing Deftones related drinking games at 2 in the afternoon. And he didn't even tell me it was cancelled, I only found out because I texted my friend to see if she needed a ride and she told me. Lameness.

ponyo

jacket - cotton on, scarf - vintage (mom's), shirt - pacsun, jeans - pacsun, shoes - converse

I've gotten into the most terrible sleeping habits lately. Sleeping in wayyy to late and then not being able to fall asleep at a reasonable time. It also means the only time I'm up and dressed and doing things is at night, so pictures are a little more difficult. So I'm sorry for another odd picture, I have yet to figure out what to do with my white balance on this setting (which otherwise gives the best results).

I wore this outfit on Saturday to see Ponyo with Justina and Amanda. Totally adorable movie. I have yet to see (500) Days of Summer, but I've already decided Ponyo is cuter. I think I may wait to see (500) Days of Summer until it comes out on DVD because, well I'm just not excited about it like when it first came out. And I was too broke to go to the movies then, so I think I missed my chance to have a good theater experience of (500) Days of Summer. Oh well.

bumming about

I've basically not been wearing anything cool since...the Depeche Mode concert probably was the last time I wore something interesting. It's been all jeans and t-shirts and boring-ness since then. I don't know what's up with that.

It might be the weather. We had a few hot days and now it's just all boring and blah. Not rainy and misty or stormy, not pleasantly warm, not sweltering heat, just blah. Meh temperatures, somewhat overcast, boring. I hate it. I like WEATHER. I like it to be hot or cold. I like it to be rainy or sunny. I hate this inbetween bullshit.

I promise I'll start dressing better though. I'm also looking at eyeglasses frames, so expect a post on those soon. I'm having a bitch of a time deciding what to go with. I'm thinking about finding the ugliest frames possible at a thrift store, huge old grandpa style ones and getting my prescription put in them. I'm also really digging clear plastic frames, big black plastic (thick and square) frames, tortoiseshell, and half rim plastic frames (think Malcolm X). Yeah, I don't like metal frames whatsoever.

So maybe I'll have a post soon with some of the frames I'm considering. In the meantime, this is what I wore on Thursday for a random trip in Bellevue with Amanda. She had to bring her dad's forgotten wallet to him and I tagged along so I could get some film developed (except I decided I hate the place I took it to because I'm not happy with their print quality) and we went on an epic adventure to find gelato. None was found so we settled for Coldstone and hung out in Robinswood Park.


shirt - pacsun, pants - urban outfitters, belt - found, shoes - target, sunglasses - thrifted humphrey's

By the way, if you know any sources of cheap eyeglasses, let me know in the comments. I've been looking at Zenni Optical, the frames section of Coastal Contacts, and 39 Dollar Glasses (they look pretty good for using your own frames if I go the thriftstore route), but if you know of some other places, please share.

pack your shit and leave and take my memories of her with you

jacket - cotton on, shirt - diy tie-dye, pants - urban outfitters, shoes - some online store, purse - vintage coach

Yesterday I went to Seattle to visit a friend. Another friend from Bellingham was supposed to be meet us, but he missed his bus. Again. I picked Justina up from work on the way, and Amanda and her new boy came over later. We ate at this little Trinidadian restaurant called Pam's Kitchen (it's featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives this month!) and it was amazing. I've had Trinidadian food before, I've made some myself and I have family from Trinidad.

This picture is kind of terrible, but I forgot about it until I got home, quite late, so I had no light. I actually think the weird color balance looks kind of cool, but it doesn't show the clothes I'm wearing that well. That said, this jacket always makes me happy because it reminds me of Australia, where I bought it. It's also the perfect summer jacket. I was also wearing some sweet jewelry, a big amber ring, a broken watch with turquoise inlay on the handle, a beaded peyote bracelet, and a tiny seashell on a thin chain. Most of the pieces are my mom's but she doesn't wear them any more.

can't hula hoop worth a damn

shirt - old navy, pants - urban outfitters, shoes - random gladiators, purse - vintage coach, peacock earrings - gift from j, bracelets - mom's (bought in england when she was 12) and gift from my aunt (aquamarine and silver tennis bracelet), rings - great grandmother's

Amanda invited me to a work barbecue thing today. I never pass up free food, so I went and it was pretty fun. Her coworkers are all really nice. Food was good, and there was croquet and hula hoops and all. It felt hilariously date-like though. Like when I was getting ready before she picked me up, it felt like I was getting ready for a date, and then everyone else brought their boyfriends and husbands, so it was pretty funny. We hung out in the park afterwards too, talking about girly things.



I wear these rings every day. They're very special. They were my great grandmother's wedding and engagement rings. I never really knew her. They're white gold and diamonds (very very small diamonds, ha) and I just love the design of them. The bracelet was a birthday gift from my aunt, along with a matching necklace and earrings (simple pendant on a chain and studs) but I wear the bracelet alone most of the time. I love sparkly jewelery. It makes me feel so girly. The floral bracelet my mother gave to me and it reminds me of England, even though I wasn't there when she bought it. (Obviously, since she was 12.) But it's so delicate and elegantly designed, with a very vintagey feel.

watermelon and ladders in the garden

I finished one housesitting job and immediately had to go to the next, where unfortunately the internet seems to be not working so I'm only able to get online when I come home. Luckily this one is just five minutes away from my house, and over tomorrow, so hopefully I'll get back to regular posting. In the meantime, I wore this outfit a couple days ago.






shirt - pacsun, jeans - pacsun, shoes - converse

I seriously have so many of these exact shirts in many different colors. They're on sale nearly all the time at PacSun. Unfortunately the last time I was there it looked like my favorite style of jeans is no longer being sold. I loved their straight leg jeans, the ones I am wearing in these pictures because they fit me so perfectly and don't have any weird washes.

I know I take pictures in this spot rather often, but there's a retaining wall at the perfect height to set my camera so I don't have to get out the tripod, and the tree is a nice background. The ladder happened to be there because my mom was picking apples to press into cider. Yum! Can't wait for that. Hard cider is one of my favorite drinks, unfortunately we usually finish it all off within a few months of making it and have to wait a whole year to drink it again. I have also been eating huge amounts of watermelon, obviously. So yummy and refreshing. I can eat an entire melon myself over a few days.

words are spoken to be broken

shirts - all from the depeche mode concert

Classic day after a concert outfit: concert tee, jeans, dirty hair, tired face. Best when you have school the next day. I remember going to school like this many a time back in high school. I'm sure I looked even grosser back then because I had to be at school at the ungodly hour of 7 am. Now I pretty much just do it for old time's sake. And by the way, I did not stay with Liam and Justina, they came over in the evening on Tuesday. We just all went with the concert tees. Because they're cool.

DEPECHE MODE: Tour of the Universe

As I'm sure you've gathered, I'm a huge Depeche Mode Fan. When Justina and I found out they were coming to Seattle there was no question in our minds that we would be there. We were all set to to buy pre-order tickets when Liam's manager told him he could get the three of us tickets for free. He knows people. We make sure he's sure he can do it, and say ok. I mean, I'm broke, I'd always rather get into concerts free.


hat - gift from j, earring - mom's (she lost the other one), shirt - pacsun, sweatshirt - old navy, jeans - thrifted/diy, tights - urban outfitters, shoes - converse


headband - h&m, slip (worn as a dress) - thrifted, shirt - h&m, coat - old navy, shoes - thrifted

Justina and I have been planning our outfits for ages. We're inspired by Depeche Mode fans from the 80s and general "Depeche aesthetic." The words "that's so Depeche" are common utterances for us. We go shopping and put together the perfect outfits, and I have fun beating the shit out of a pair of jeans.







Finally, it's the 10th. So stoked. Driving to pick up Justina, with the mp3 on shuffle, a Depeche Mode song comes and I, honest to god, get the shivers. Driving to the Key Arena, Justina gets a call from Liam. Our tickets have been given away. Apparently there was a disagreement between the band and Live Nation and Live Nation released all the band holds. Live Nation sucks. We get there, and wait for Liam to show up. Our options are buying tickets from scalpers or the box office. Liam's manager feels so bad about it all that he gives him $400.







Liam gets there and we decide to check at will call. There's a chance we might still have our original tickets. They haven't gotten any of the band's holds yet. We wait for awhile and get worried that we won't be able to get good seats if we wait to long. Check what's available at the box office. For $80 a piece we can get three seats on the floor, 14 rows back. That's good. Damn good. In fact, I've never had seats that good. We have the cash and decide to go with that. The seats are better than what should have been on hold for us anyways.





There's still awhile until the show, so we go get dinner. Paid for by Liam's manager, as he doesn't expect any of the money he gave Liam back. Like I said, he feels bad. He also sounds like a really decent guy and a good manager. Justina and I plan to make him a card and some cookies. At least once, I hear the words "Depeche Mode" when someone is looking at us and am glad that our outfits are so obviously Depeche. They're close to being costumey, but I honestly love it and am extemely inspired by the clothes Depeche Mode fans wore in the 80s.







We head back to the Key Arena. No bags to have searched so we hardly have to wait. Right when we get in, there's merch. We have $120 left after tickets and food. Shirts are $40 each. It's perfect. While we wait, we hear Peter Bjorn and John start. We decide what shirts we want. There's so many to chose from. Plus all sorts of random things like mugs and hats and tote bags. We wait. And wait. God, it takes forever. Finally get our shit and head to our seats. Which are amazing. There's a runway sticking out from the stage that goes almost all the way to our row. I've never had better seats. Granted, most concerts I go to don't actually have seats, but of those that have, this is definitely the best. Peter Bjorn and John were done playing before we even got out of line.



I think I just about peed myself from excitement when the band came on. Seeing David Gahan, in person, so close, made my life. And Martin Gore and Andrew Fletcher as well. They all looked amazing. Well, Andrew Fletcher is kind of fat now, but he has nice glasses. Martin Gore was the best, in his silver sequined 3-piece suit. He changed guitars throughout the show, but at one point he was playing a silver one shaped like a star and that was my favorite. He took his jacket off after the first few songs but still had the sequined vest and his arms and face and basically every bit of exposed skin was covered in silver glitter. He seriously glowed when the spotlights were on him. My camera couldn't capture it, so he looks sort of holy. David Gahan wore a black vest with a little bit of sparkly-ness, but not nearly as flashy as Martin Gore's. My favorite thing ever is David Gahan spinning and twirly around and shaking his ass on stage. Justina and I both agree, he's kind of hot. But Martin Gore makes me want to wear the most ridiculous clothes and paint my nails black.



They didn't play a lot of songs that I was hoping they would play, and they played some songs I wasn't as familiar with. Kind of made me feel like a poser instead of a true Depeche Mode fan, but I pretty much just listen to whatever tapes I can find at Half Price Books or Neptune Music, so I can't help it. They did play Master and Servant and Personal Jesus. And they had TWO encores. I've never been to a concert with two encores, but they are just that badass.







It was basically the most epic and amazing concert going experience I've ever had. The drama with the tickets only added to it, and ended up being a good thing since we had the money left over for shirts. Which, by the way, look awesome. In conclusion, I have a deep and everlasting love for David Gahan, Martin Gore, and Andrew Fletcher. (And fuck the drummer and other keyboard player, by the way. They're total lame-asses.)