Deck The Halls: Mistletoe Ornament

I think hanging up mistletoe is super cute. Excuses for more kisses are never a bad idea in my book! But why is it so hard to find fresh mistletoe? I tried to find some a couple years ago to bring to a Christmas party, and I went to a bunch of Christmas tree stands 'cause I figured they would have it and grocery stores with floral departments, but no one did. Finally, this year I got some at Molbaks, but I think you can probably find it at florist shops as well. Since finding it was so hard, I didn't want to be boring and just hang it right up with the tacky plastic ribbon it came with, so I came up with this: Terrarium Style Clear Glass Ornament with Mistletoe! It's a great project if you're throwing a holiday party this year. Just make sure to serve some spiked punch or eggnog, and things could get really wild.

Materials:

large clear glass ornament*

ribbon

fresh mistletoe

string

*Clear glass ornaments can be found at craft stores in a variety of sizes. You want the extra large size for this project, mine are about 4 or 5 inches. I don't recommend smaller because the opening will be too small to fit your mistletoe without ruining it.

Process:

Remove the metal cap and hook from your clear ornament. This should come out easily. Cut several pieces of mistletoe, of varying lengths but all shorter than your ornament. I like to do one that will almost touch the bottom and a bunch about half that length. It fills the ornament best that way. Tie pieces of string to each stem of mistletoe and carefully insert them one by one into the clear ball. Your mistletoe stems need to be pretty narrow, unfortunately, to get them through the opening without damage. Adjust the strings so it all hangs nicely and tie together as one bundle. Now, tie the strings as closely as possible to the metal cap and replace the cap (squeeze the wires together to get them inside the opening). Add a nice ribbon to hang it from and a pretty bow and you're done! Now find a high traffic place to hang it for maximum smooching opportunities. Pucker up!

bookstore bookclub booktime

Today seemed like a good day to head home and work on some projects at the 'rents. I'm redoing a chair for my new room (one of my roomies moved out and I decided to take her old space) and my mom and I wanted to put up the tree together. I'll post some pictures soon.

On my way home I stopped at one of my favorite places in the whole world, Duvall Books. It is the most beautiful, lovely, and perfect place I've ever seen. Bookstores are my weakness and I think that can be traced back to the wonderful worlds this place showed me as a child. The shop is jam packed with books and curios and old photos. Just, you know, all my favorite things ever. It's a place everyone knows my name and I never fail to leave with a treasure or two. 

This time I bought The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and Anna Karenina. The former has been on my to-read list and the latter is for The Clothes Horse bookclub. I'm so excited to have new stuff to read and a bookclub is just what I need. I was in a great mother-daughter club back when I was a kid and used to sit in on my mom's bookclub too. But since I've grown up, all my bookclubs have been with cute boys and there were . . . distractions. And then, in all cases, the relationship fizzled by the second book. A nice online club hosted by one of my favorite bloggers seems like a brilliant idea!

cozy cowl

dress - target, cardigan - thrifted, wool tights - mp, boots - thrifted

I'm trying to post a little more often and more immediately. This is actually what I wore today (well, yesterday technically). I love this dress!

Work has been insane lately, with the holidays coming up and all. Today we had a really sketch looking dude in the store, testing pens and leaving creepy little skull drawings all over the place. He had face tattoos and seemed really suspicious so we were watching him really closely which always makes me so anxious. There was also a guy who must have had jaundice or something because his face was totally yellow. And a couple really needy customers. Bleh. Just glad to have two days off for Thanksgiving! I'll be posting a last minute Thanksgiving craft this afternoon, so check back for that!

spotty dots

 
sheer polka dot chiffon blouse - target, wool skirt - target, sheer polka dot stockings - target, oxfords - aldo, amethyst crystal necklace - diy, glasses - joseph marc

I am just loving polka dots lately. Big ones, small ones, even or random, they all look good to me. This blouse combines several things I love: polka dots, blush/nude pink, and sheer chiffon. I also love the way the soft chiffon contrasts the darker wool, in both texture and tone. It also rather delightfully reminds me of the work of the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. Her dedication to a single, playful form has always intrigued me and I love how she plays off of a very defined style. 

Source: vogue.it via Rachel on Pinterest

"...a polka-dot has the form of the sun, which is a symbol of the energy of the whole world and our living life, and also the form of the moon, which is calm. Round, soft, colorful, senseless and unknowing. Polka-dots become movement... Polka dots are a way to infinity." -Yayoi Kusama

some of my favorite things this week

Source: republicofyou.com.au via Rachel on Pinterest

My new hero is an 8 year old from Omaha who dresses up as a different inspirational woman every school day.

This should be creepy, but somehow it's not: Ask A Mortician

Kaylah over at The Dainty Squid has an excellent post about pressing plants. It makes me want to pull out the beautiful wood flower press my stepdad made and his sister painted for me. I think I got it for my sixth birthday.

I made this butternut squash and chicken stew for a roomie dinner last week and it was a hit.

My dear friend Aly has a pretty great blog about her experience teaching English in Korea.

I happen to like my polka dot tights enough to own several permanent pairs, but this tutorial for temporary dots would be fun for some of the colored tights I own. Better pick up a chalk marker from work!

of monsters and men - - - mountain sound

we will miss you "sew" much

This is a little card I made for a coworker of mine who retired. I used Crate Paper Acorn Avenue and On Trend for the paper, cut in strips and mounted on a kraft paper card. I also used a white pen to add stitching lines around the perimeter and made a little double point pennant for the sentiment. We really like puns at my store and since this gal worked in the fabric department, I had to say "sew" much. The green letters are done with Amy Tangerine Thickers and the rest I think were from Cosmo Cricket, the Tiny Type letters. I think I like this card so much because I think it was really perfect for her. Not only did she work in the fabric department, she also makes these beautiful scarves out of recycled saris. The paper patterns reminded me of fabrics that might be used in a sari and therefore in her scarves.

last bare legs

silk blouse - vintage, skirt - thrifted, shoes - borrowed, purse - dooney & burke

There's something quite sad about the last day of the year you are able to go bare-legged. Of course, you don't know it at the time, but the next time you put on a skirt, you'll roll some sheer tights on as well. And the next time, and the next, and then a bit later those sheer stockings are replaced with thick opaque ones, maybe even woolen ones. And then you might look back on that day, if you can remember it, and miss the ease and appeal of bare legs.

I didn't use to like bare legs as much as I do now. I used to wear tights in inappropriately hot weather and I still wear sheer or lace tights sometimes throughout the summer. After all, summers here in the PNW are not necessarily hot. (I believe today, a rainy day in November, was a pretty average summer temperature for us.) This past summer though, I was all about the bare legs. I discovered I could show skin with not only sundresses and shorts, but also with more demure pencil skirts and silk blouses. It just feels nice to let your legs out in the world, unfettered by nylon. All the same, I am enjoying my current tights wearing weather. Just feeling a touch nostalgic for a time when getting dressed in the morning could skip one or two pieces (I wasn't wearing a lot of cardigans then either).

summer day, missed train, arctic club

Just feeling a little nostalgic for summer fun, hanging out with my roommates, and drinking absinthe at fancy bars in the middle of the day. I miss it all.

orange sweater, polka tights

 

sweater - target, skirt - thrifted, tights - target, boots - thrifted, purse - thrifted dooney & burke, glasses - joseph marc

Like the idiot I am, I lost my damn purse, with my camera in it (still hoping it's hiding somewhere in my very messy car) so that's my excuse for the lack of blog content lately. I did, however, get a new phone that takes much nicer pictures than my old one (a little advice, don't tell a boy that unless you want to send him dirty pictures, because he will ask) so I might be able to make do if it doesn't turn up. In the meantime, I have some older pictures kicking around that I ought to post. These for example, were from early fall. I love that time of year that you can wear wool skirts but mix them with sheer tights and lighter tops. This bright short sleeve sweater I wore a lot over the summer because it's light weight and made of cotton, but it also worked nicely for this time of year. I kind of miss that part of the season now, with all the grey and rain now.

ann + chuck = 50 years

dress - target, tights- target, boots - modcloth, cardigan - uo, bag - thrifted dooney & burke, sunnies - target, necklaces - talonalia and handmade (a birthday gift)

Last weekend my mom's whole side of the family (minus my aunt from New York) ventured across the mountains to celebrate my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary. We went to some wineries in Woodinville and then had a lovely dinner at the Grange in Duvall before heading back to my parents' house for brownies, more wine, and to look at old pictures. It was really wonderful to have everyone together and my grandma brought some old pictures I had never seen before. They were such a cute couple.

macklemore & ryan lewis - - - same love

I forgot to post this yesterday, but I didn't want to wait until next week. This Tuesday we get to vote on a lot of important things. Many states, Washington included, have the opportunity to pass marriage equality. More important than who our president is for the next four years, this would ensure that everyone is able to marry the person they love. This should be a right denied to no one, and I very much hope you vote to approve Referendum 74. (Or whatever is on your ballot, in your state.)

harv adams

letter sweater - vintage, polka dot pants - else, boots - modcloth, bag - thrifted dooney & burke, lippy - revlon really red

I like to think about who may have owned my vintage clothing before it came into my hands. Usually it's pure conjecture, but with this vintage letter sweater, I have a name. Harv Adams. He played basketball. Or baseball. I'm not not a sporty sort and can't tell what the ball on the big letter "A" is supposed to represent. He was either tiny or maybe...not in high school? Because this sweater is small. Other than that, I know either he was in the class of '60 or he was number 60 on whatever team he played on and he went to A-something school. Then, we get to start guessing. I think he played basketball and he was really tall and skinny. He was kind of shy and although he wasn't the star player, he was good. He liked academics and hoped to study at a good school. What do you think Harv Adams was like? And do you make up stories about your clothes' previous owners?

pretty parlor

A couple weeks ago I went shopping with my roomie in Seattle. We hit up a few vintage stores and bought a few things but by far my favorite was this shop. Pretty Parlour is a beautiful, fun place to shop, and while I didn't get anything on this visit, I'll be returning. It's one of those places that is just enjoyable to browse and everything is displayed to perfection. The petticoats hanging from the ceiling are particularly lovely and they have a store kitty and gal working there had outrageously fun personal style. And they have a shop kitty which is always a good thing.

pretty dots and flowers

 

Is it incredibly vain to say that that right there is one of my favorite pictures of me ever? I love the way I look with shorter bangs way more than I ever thought I would. I've been cutting them shorter and letting them grow out quite a bit before trimming them again for quite some time now and I always am happiest when they're really short. Occasionally I think about growing them out again because I think I would have more options for hairstyles but I think bangs are just right for me. That's not saying I won't try something else, but it's pretty great to find something that suits your style and face. Which is also what I think about winged liner. I've been liking myself a lot lately, ok?

 

blouse - target, shorts - target, shoes - gift

heidi braids and orange lippy

Oh my goodness you guys, Fall is here for real. Thank god I have cozy sweaters and crazy patterns to mix otherwise I would be mourning the loss of bare legs and little sundresses. And I got the best new lipstick EVER, making my life fulfilled. Just kidding. But I have been obsessed for ages with that great orange/red they use in the J.Crew catalog. I realized awhile back that they sell the color, but it was online only and shipping was a little ridiculous for such a small item. But then they had a free shipping promo and I snapped it up! I actually bought both colors they had available, but Chili Flake is the one you want. French Martini is a really weird light pink that looks AWFUL on me.

This was one of those days that I thought I looked awesome, but my coworkers all looked at me like I was crazy. I guess I can't blame them, I count 4 different patterns on my body in these pictures (can't forget the plaid socks!) and maybe that gives some people headaches. But I like having fun with what I wear. I like getting dressed to be a little bit like playing dress-up.

shirt - thrifted, sweater - icelandica (reykjavik), pants - else, socks - sockdreams, shoes - steve madden, purse - thrifted dooney & burke, glasses - joseph marc, lippy - face stockholm for j.crew in chili flake

diamond rings - - - i'm just me

rough and tough summer

 

tshirt - weekdays (copenhagen), skirt - thrifted, boots - thrifted

 

Sometimes I just want to dress like a badass and pose with propane tanks and lawn mowers. What? You don't do this? The shed at my parents' house is always an interesting place to take pictures because of all the construction type shit my stepdad keeps back there. I kind of love poking around back there. And sometimes chipped polish looks best.

shirt skirt

tshirt - gap, skirt - thrifted flannel shirt, boots - thrifted

I think flannel shirts might be the most useful item of clothing ever. I learned this trick to wearing them as a skirt from a blog (I've forgotten which one) and I love it for lazy coolness. Perfect for getting waffles with my roommates. I'll try to show you better next time how to do this, but it's basically buttoning the thing as high as you can and tying the sleeves around your waist. Too easy to not try it.

green suede shoes

 

I told you you'd be seeing a lot of these boots! I just can't wear them enough, you know? They're so great. I like wearing them with stuff that kind of clashes best, or lots of bright colors. The pink lace tights are kind of perfect too.

 

dress - target, tights - target, cardigan - uo, boots - modcloth, sunnies - topshop (london), necklace - vintage

 

I love love love this necklace. My dad gave it to my mom back when they were dating. It's bone, handcarved, and has the cleverest little handcarved clasp. I think it's supposed to be a dragon or something.

california deaming

Can you believe I've never been to California since I was a baby? My godmother lives down in northern Cali and I figured it was high time to visit her. I took the last week of August off from work and drove down to Arcata. I camped on the way, found the cutest one-eyed kitten, and picked up a pair of hitchhikers on the second day. It was cool to do this without much thought or planning. The campground office lady was surprised I was solo, and I'll admit camping is less fun alone, but I fashioned a ghetto headlamp out of the free key-chain flashlight and a couple hairpins so I could read some Mishimi and drink beer in my tent.

 

The long drive was exhausting but beautiful and it was wonderful to see my lovely godmother Karol when I arrived. My parents and her lost touch when I was young and I didn't really know her growing up. But a few years back she found me on facebook and we've been keeping in touch through the magic of the internet. I wondered if it would feel strange to visit her but as soon as I arrived I felt like I'd known her forever. And in a way, I really had. Karol was there when I was born and I am so thankful to have had the chance to get to know her in person.

We ate a lot of delicious food, but of particular note was Kyoto Sushi in Eureka where we had the MOST amazing Golden Dragon roll (not pictured but it involved salmon, avocado, salmon roe, and thinly sliced lemon and was SO GOOD). We also went to several cute vintage shops and used bookstores. Daisy Drygoods was particularly good and will get its own post soon as I go through the many, many pictures I took there. Missing Link Records in Arcata was also a highlight. The kind gentleman there hooked me up with some great tapes for the drive home. Definitely worth a visit if you're ever in town.

 

 

One thing I was most excited about was seeing the Redwoods. Driving through the forests on my way down there was incredible. I wanted to stop a million times but didn't, so Karol and I went on a little walk/mini hike at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park and I was in awe. Honestly, I feel like this was something I had been waiting my whole life for, without even knowing it.

And then, coolness of cool, we saw a GIANT herd of elk in the middle of a campground. Just milling around the trailers and campers and a bunch of people snapping pictures. We didn't get out of the car because those beasts are dangerous but we pulled into the lot and took some pictures leaning out of the car. I was so stoked on seeing all these crazy animals.

 

 

My last night before heading back Karol and I picked a bunch of blackberries from her yard and made a delicious cobbler, watched movies, and drank gin and tonics. It was a lovely evening and I did not want to leave. I feel so lucky to have gotten to know Karol, she's really an amazing woman and I get why she was important to both of my parents. I drove almost all the way back in one day, listening to my new tapes to keep me up. Finally, I had to stop at a rest stop and nap in my car for a few hours otherwise I think I wouldn't have made it home.