sun dance

Wearing:
Vintage swimsuit from Kudzu Antiques
Oversize cardigan stolen from mama
Vintage scarf
Anne Taylor Loft outlet flip flops
Vintage Tennessee Aquarium canvas tote uncovered in parents' attic.

I call it a dance because I balanced my camera, set the timer, then pranced into the frame for a quick shot before retreating back into the safety of shade again. As you probably know, I prefer to stay more covered up under the UV rays, but I just had to show off my vintage swimsuit! I got it at Kudzu Antiques in Atlanta for pretty cheap (I think around $10); the cheapness was probably due to the strange bra-shell. It's got a firm lining that's a bit puckered and wrinkled with age, but that kind of thing doesn't really bother me. It's got plenty of peach-toned preciousness to outweigh the flaws. Maybe next summer I'll treat myself to an Esther Williams original.

P.S. I know for a woman who claims to shun flip flops on principal, I've been wearing these Anne Taylor Loft ones a lot lately. What can I say? I dig the bows, and December in Florida changes a person. Perhaps the sun has gone to my head :)

Stay warm, lovelies! 

Christmas Island

Merry Christmas, friends! Since a lot of people have asked me about my pink ukulele in the past, I thought I'd offer the gift of song to you all for this holiday. As you'll see from the video, I am no ukulele genius, but I do have an awful lot of fun with it. So I hope you enjoy! No matter if you have a traditional or a wacky or a non-observing day, I hope it was filled with merriment. Xoxo

As you can see from our "Christmas tree" we are a family with wacky holiday traditions. We don't do egg nog and Christmas hams, but instead we go on fantastic vacations during the holidays! Normally we wouldn't even exchange gifts, but we thought it would be fun to go buy each other some tchotchke to exchange. Thanks Real Simple Magazine for providing me with my "wrapping paper" this year... go green!

For my fellow uke enthusiasts (I'm thinking of you, Linda!):
Christmas Island chords (adapted by me from those provided here).  Also, if you aren't familiar with some of the chords, use this super awesome chart that I live by.


C F C D7
(C)How’d you like to spend (F)Christ(C)mas on Christmas (D7)Island 
G G7 C
How’d you (G)like to spend your holiday (G7)way across the (C)sea 
F C D7
How’d you like to spend (F)Christ(C)mas on Christmas (D7)Island 
G G7 C C7
How’d you (G)like to hang your stocking on a (G7)great big coconut (C)tree(C7) 

F C
How’d you like to stay (F)up late like the islanders (C)do 
D7 G G7
Wait for Santa to (D7)sail in with his (G)presents in a (G7)canoe 
F C D7
How’d you like to spend (F)Christ(C)mas on Christmas (D7)Island 
G G7 C
You will (G)never stray for every day your (G7)Christmas dreams come (C)true!

the pirate shorts for me!

Wearing:
striped shorts from thrift store
crop top from China
Floppy sun hat stolen from mama
Vintage scarf wrapped around hat.
Bracelet gift from friend in China
Anne Taylor Loft bow flip flops (I am wearing flip flops in public?? Florida does strange things to me).
Ribbon worn as belt.

I actually didn't even think of these shorts as pirate-y until my mom called me out on them.   I bought them in a little thrift store in a North Carolina mountain town for about a dollar. I wasn't sure how I was going to make them work, but they lept out of my suitcase this morning and demanded their turn in the sun. I couldn't deny them. 

the skirt, the sea, the sun

I hope you don't easily tire of windy gifs... or pictures of girls in gigantic sun hats and flowing skirts looking pensively towards the sea... because I just can't help myself when it comes to some things!  

Wearing:
Floral maxi skirt found in a thrift store in NC
Lace crop top: Easy peasy DIY with scissors and thrifted top
Sun hat: stolen from mama with a vintage scarf wrapped around

The sun is my friend. I love the sun. It grows the food I eat and allows Jupiter beach to be 70 degrees in late December. But I'm not very into "getting sun" as you may have surmised. I actually removed my giant black cardigan for the pictures, but when I'm under the rays, you better believe my arms are covered! I would even carry a parasol if it weren't so windy out!

The skirt is a bit looser than I like. Ideally, I hold to the I Dream of Genie standard... I don't care for exposing my belly button (I actually tried to edit it out of these pictures, haha). But in Florida, I don't mind somehow! Either way, I have to give a shout-out to long loose garments, for letting the breeze in and keeping the rays out. <3

winds of Jupiter

Wearing:
Striped maxi dress: China
Tropical tank: H&M (in China)
Oversize cardigan: Stolen from mama
Hat: Also stolen from mama, with a vintage scarf tied around it.
Bracelet: gift from friend in China
Moccasins: Cherokee, NC

Oh yes, it is windy, but it is also wonderful. My flowing clothes today were excellent guards against sun and winds, but I soaked the hem of my dress when the surf caught me off guard! No outfit is perfect, I suppose. A dusk walk along the sea with my two favorite people more than made up for it. I feel sorry for all my fellow ATLiens out there freezing right now... I extend salty Floridian sunbeams your way! xoxo

to Jupiter we go

My parents and I arrived at Jupiter Beach, Florida last night, where the weather was balmy, salty, and perfect at 65 degrees. We wasted no time running out onto the nighttime beach, and I wasted no time in taking the cliche beach pictures we've all seen a thousand times. Oh well. Here they are again, this time through my lens!

This morning I woke up at 6:30 and walked outside to watch the scene above for an hour or so.


My heart just overflows with gratitude in moments like these! My life is truly a gift. I hope I can pay it forward into the cosmos before it's all said and done.

Thank you, beautiful inspiring people who read and comment on my little blog. My heart overflows for you, too. xoxo

nailed it

How about a little gray and gold for the holidays? It's been a while since I've shared one of my silly manicures so I thought I'd go ahead and show you this not-so-great photograph of my latest nail job.

My sister and I were on a sister-date, and we were going to go to our usual haunt, Sugarcoat in VH... but they were full! So we quickly rallied and took our crying cuticles to Midtown Nails where they treated us right. It was more of your typical asian nail place, with a lot of activity and the sound of a TV on in the background, but they were super sweet and did a great job.  A slightly older lady did my hands, and she threw in a nice shoulder rub. Fabulous!! The price is right, and there are plenty of technicians available (is that what you call nail salon employees?), so no worries about a wait.

minnie mouse dress

Are you more t-shirt or dress, big red Minnie Mouse garment? Doesn't matter. You're perfect for throwing on with tights and boots. You keep me warm but you don't constrict me. I could do the twist in you all day long. Thanks for being a friend.

Wearing:
Dress: thrift store
Boots: Underground Atlanta
Scarf: France

I notice a trend in myself where I stop blogging as much in the winter. I think it's a mix of being sloth-like in the cold, and the lack of satisfactory daylight by the time I get off work. Perfect circumstances for browsing all your blogs underneath my electric blanket, but not so great for setting up tripods and photographing myself in my dusky apartment. I did manage to get the photos above with the help of a neighbor's car and some interesting sharp afternoon light.

Stay warm, lovelies <3

paisley playground

Best job ever? One where your day might include catching a little air on the ole neighborhood swingset. You have to dress prepared for these things! 

I broke my usual pattern of dresses and oversize sweaters to wear some old favorite jeans unearthed in my parents' attic. I modified them into skinnies years ago by sewing up the inner legs, and just recently my knee popped through. That happened to another pair of self-made skinnies too. Weird! As for the shirt, I found it a few months ago at Last Chance Thrift Store in Decatur. It's a little like a turtleneck and a lot like a glorious deep ocean of paisley. Expect to see more of it once I figure out more ways to wear it!

Smiling faces blur.
Hi, sky, going up. Hello,
woodchips rushing down.

Wearing:
Dollhouse brand self-converted skinnies
Paisley shirt from Last Chance
Sunglasses found in school basement costume box
Sparkly black Toms.

Farewell to Fall

At least winter was gentlemanly enough to hold off until December. I'll miss the pretty colors and mild weather of Autumn, but electric blankets and hot water bottles should get me through.

Above, is not me. I thought I'd give you a break from my ugly mug all over this blog. Instead, feast your eyes upon the adorableness that is M of Good Day Sunshine (almost every image on her blog was taken by her). I love her outdoorsy, bright, sweet style, so full of color. And she gets her best clothes at thrift stores. Can you believe those boots? Pretty sure they're from a thrift store, too. Enjoy!

the only thanksgiving dress you'll need

Nice and baggy, yet made of warm chocolate corduroy, it has to be my favorite dress. And I'm a woman of many dresses. I have to practice restraint not to wear it several times a week; It's perfect for every day, all the time, even sleeping. Feeling a little chunky, or planning to after a thanksgiving feast? Well, it's perfect for that occasion too.

This dress is one of the few not-dirt-cheap things I bought for myself in China. I did most of my shopping at places you can barter, little shops or stands where I'd spend something like 50-70RMB for a dress (7-10USD). The dress above, however, I bought in a shopping mall, at this ultra cute girlie shop called Honey. It was more like... 200RMB (30USD). I LOVED the clothes at Honey. They were always very feminine, yet kind of dust-bowl farm girl looking. Unfortunately, they were also expensive in Chinese prices. I brought home 2 pieces by them, but drooled over dozens.

Here it is in action this Thanksgiving...

          Sitting with the lovely sister                                       helping to cook by stirring that for 5 seconds. 

I hope your meals were as tasty, and your waistlines as forgiving as mine were this year! Thanks for all the comments on my last post. You lovely readers and your inspirational blogs are some of the things I counted among my blessings this holiday. <3

P.S. Does anyone know anything about Honey? I can't find a website. The tag on the dress says "Cinema Club" but all I can find in searches is this Chictopia post.

wonderfully witchy

How I love to wade in a sea of fabric all day! Oversize scarf, oversize sweater, loose cotton dress... It makes me feel wonderfully witchy when paired with my lace-up boots. I can hide in these safe folds and spy on the outside world as much as I please. I'm still a young witch, though, so I make sure to remember my gold leopard leggings.

Wearing:
Leggings and boots: Underground Atlanta
Dress: H&M (in China)
Oversize cardigan: Stolen from mom
Oversize scarf: bought in France

The boots and leggings are both from shops in Underground Atlanta which I feel really bad for not knowing the exact names of. I know UA might seem rough around the edges or too touristy and cheesy, but I swear by their accessories and shoes! Ghetto fabulousness is still fabulous; they always have that little bit of sparkle you're looking for, and so cheap! I can't vouch for the quality of everything, but these leggings are going on their third season with me... and being a member of my wardrobe is no gentle experience.

As a "teacher" outfit (this distinction is beginning to fade), these clothes fulfilled all my requirements: Comfortable, modest, and fun... As a teacher of small ones, you WILL have your clothes pulled on, you WILL be occasionally groped, and you WILL spend much of your day squatting to talk to short people. You might also get to run around and maybe even climb something if you're lucky. There are many things to worry about throughout the day, and inadvertently flashing one of these short people shouldn't be one of them. I'd love to wear pencil skirts, but not here I'm afraid; I'm bag lady all the way!

Georgians-- How amazing is this 76 degree weather for Thanksgiving?? Everyone else-- Hope you're finding your own special ways to stay cozy and content this week. XOXO

Fall is not just for leaves

Photo taken by M of Good Day Sunshine

Wore my yellowest of yellow skirts and happened upon this pretty sea of petals. I love when nature decides to compliment my outfits. My friend took this with her iphone which I hardcore covet; I need instagram. She has other really adorable pictures on her new blog, Good Day Sunshine, which I recommend looking at if you like babies, beer, and being in a super good mood! 

Happy Saturday!