Hannah J. Holmes

Ten ways to wear a silk scarf

2013-05-01T17:02:00.002-05:00

Suomi Underground, a shop that carries beautiful silk scarves, recently posted an illustrated guide of ten ways to wear a scarf. My favorites are the front knot, the handbag knot, and the beachy headscarf, which are pictured below. You can view the rest of the illustrations here. Do you have a favorite? How would you wear a silk scarf?

The Panera Diaries: The quiet hours

2013-04-30T19:34:00.001-05:00

I usually arrive at Panera Bread early in the afternoon, two hours or so after lunch, and I am usually one of only a handful of customers, many of whom are sitting alone like me. These are the quiet hours, when Panera is my own and I am so at ease and so comfortable at my cafe table for two that I may as well be at home on my couch and in my pajamas. Sometimes I even prop my feet up on the chair across from mine and become so lost in scribbling in my notebook that I completely forget my surroundings until I'd like to refill my tea.

Business picks up around four, at which point I become distracted by the hustle and bustle of the people around me and the buzzing of the pagers that let customers know their order is ready. (I used to check my phone every time one of the pagers went off but now that I am a seasoned veteran of long afternoons in Panera Bread, the buzzing blends into the other sounds, such as the blender, the espresso machine, the conversations, and the hammering footsteps of people in a hurry.) Fortunately, as soon as Panera reaches it's peak dinner hours and suddenly there are people waiting for tables, it is time for me to go to the dance studio next door.

I don't mind the hustle in the evening too much (the background noise of chatter and footsteps and silverware clinking can be soothing in it's own way), but I always long for the quiet hours, when I am alone with my notebook and my tea, when the rest of the world fades into the background and the pen in my hand glides smoothly across my paper.

Photo by photojenni

(I created the image in this post using the following fonts: Pea Ellie Bellie, FFF, Cabin Sketch, Architect's Daughter, and Pea Shelby Raye. I also used a vintage spoon and teacup from the Graphics Fairy and a sheet of notebook paper by Pugly Pixel.)

Enormous bear sits down to a delicate afternoon tea

2013-04-29T23:03:00.000-05:00

Russian Tea Bear by David DePasquale

Today I was feeling like I was stuck in a bit of a rut, but every time I looked at this illustration by David DePasquale, I couldn't help but smile. DePasquale describes his illustration: "Even the most fearsome of creatures need to break for teatime." As I poured my own cup of tea this afternoon, I couldn't help but picture the Russian Tea Bear. Although he may be a fearsome creature, I think he is also rather charming, and I wouldn't mind having tea with him (so long as he didn't eat me with his crumpets).

Three pretty Mother's Day gift ideas

2013-04-25T10:50:00.000-05:00

I love the soft and feminine style of the shop Layla Grayce, and on the shop's blog, you can find their top ten Mother's Day gift ideas, which are all beautiful. And here are my top three favorite Mother's Day gift ideas, all from Layla Grayce...

My love of teacups is no secret and because I tend to give people gifts that I would like for myself, I am drawn to this pink and gold teacup candle, which has a scent that includes vanilla, jasmine, and sugar dipped rose. (I'm not sure what a sugar dipped rose is, but it sounds like something out of a fairy tale.) The candle comes in a beautiful vintage inspired gift box--no gift wrapping necessary.

My mom rarely wore aprons when I was growing up, but lately, it seems like every time I visit, she wears an apron whenever she's in the kitchen. I'd love to give her one that is functional but also beautiful, like this pink and green gingham number.

And last but not least, my mom changes the decor on her table with the seasons, and this tablecloth would be lovely for the spring and summer months.

P.S. Layla Grace is offering 15% off of all Mother's Day Gifts with the code 4URMOM.

Have you ever had a macaron?

2013-04-24T11:49:00.000-05:00

Photo by Julien Haler

After I wrote about macaron trinket boxes last week, I started twiddling in Photoshop with some macaron clip art. Damian kept looking over my shoulder and asking, "What is a macaron, anyway?" And I kept telling him I wasn't quite sure. He kept pestering me, saying he wanted to know more about macarons, and finally, I answered that a macaron is a French dessert. But he found my answer to be unsatisfactory.

"Yes, but what kind of dessert? What does it taste like? What is a macaron?"
And finally, I confessed: "I don't know. I've never had one."
"Then why are you blogging about macarons, if you've never even had one?"
"Because macarons are cute."

I laughed and felt a little ridiculous. In school, my teachers taught me to write what I know. I did not listen, apparently.

How about you? Have you ever had a French macaron? Was it as delicious as it was cute? I've heard that macarons are mostly made of powdered sugar and melt in your mouth. Is that an accurate description?

(I created the "Happy Macarons" graphic using clip art by Pugly Pixel with Kawai details by Karli Plant. I also used the following fonts: Airstream and Pea Shelby Raye.)

Happy Birthday, Momma!

2013-04-23T17:21:00.000-05:00

Today is my mother's birthday. I decided to make her a tribute, in the form of a photo spread of her life, from babyhood to motherhood to grandmotherhood. Love you momma, always and forever.

How to survive an entire afternoon in Panera Bread

2013-04-23T09:58:00.000-05:00

If you ever find yourself spending several hours at a time in Panera Bread (or any other coffee shop or restaurant for that matter) then you may find the following survival guide (which is in no way weirdly specific to my unique situation) incredibly useful and informative, and so, without further ado, here are my wise words about how to pass an afternoon (or at least how I passed an afternoon and how you can too) at Panera Bread...

Count the ceiling tiles. Get tired of counting ceiling tiles.
Read a few pages of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Notice that lots of business meetings and job interviews happen at Panera and try your best to eavesdrop, because you think people are fascinating.
Think about the ethics of stuffing several handfuls of packets of Sugar in the Raw into your purse and eventually decide that doing so would in fact be unethical.
Wonder if the reason your chair shakes occasionally is because of a ghost, the ghost of Panera Bread.
Realize you have read the Harry Potter Series too many times.
Look at the clock and see that only ten minutes have passed since you arrived.
Notice that your chair only shakes when people walk past your table and feel like a dummy about the whole ghost idea. Continue to wonder about the shaking and try and decide which is more unstable, the chair or the foundation of the building, and then wonder how precarious your situation might be: how likely are you to tumble from your chair and onto the carpeted concrete floor and into certain doom?
Spread cream cheese on your asasgio bagel, slowly. Notice that you spelled asiago incorrectly and feel like a dummy.
Eat your bagel, slowly.
Notice that all the people who were sitting down when you arrived have left. There has been a complete turnover of customers.
But not you. You shall stand (or sit) your ground. You shall not be swayed, because you are resilient (and because you have nowhere else but Panera Bread to call home for the next three hours).
Note that 30 minutes have passed since you sat down and you are only halfway through your bagel, which is impressive, you say to yourself.
Maybe you could call this a sit-in, a political protest of some sort. By sitting in Panera Bread for 3 hours, 45 minutes and taking almost that long to eat your bagel, you are making a statement, a statement that Americans eat too quickly.
It's not healthy to eat too quickly, you know.
And since you did not break the world record of the longest time ever spent drinking a mocha, you declare a new life goal: achieve the longest amount of time ever spent eating a bagel. You are aspirational.
Have an epiphany and realize that you are a writer (or at least you'd like to be) and thus spending inordinate amounts of time in a cafe sort of environment is quite normal and could even be rather beneficial to your career. J.K. Rowling wrote large portions of Harry Potter at The Elephant House, after all.
Fill pages and pages of your notebook with your sloppy handwriting until your hand aches so much that you decide to take advantage of the free WiFi and read blogs until it's time to go to ballet class.
Look at your cell phone and see that it is 6:00 pm. Pack your things and go to class next door.
On your way to the studio, realize that hanging out in Panera is not so bad after all and that strangely, you are already looking forward to your next visit.

And that's how you spend an entire afternoon in Panera Bread.

Photo by Stephanie Watson

(I created the first image in this post using the following fonts: Pea Ellie Bellie, FFF, Cabin Sketch, Architect's Daughter, and Pea Shelby Raye. I also used a vintage spoon and cup from the Graphics Fairy and a sheet of notebook paper by Pugly Pixel.)

Step into a silk painting

2013-04-22T08:13:00.000-05:00

These gorgeous works of art that are pretty enough to frame and hang on the wall are actually silk scarves from a shop called Suomi Underground. I like the idea of art that is not only beautiful but also functional; I'd wear one of these scarves in my hair or wrap one around my shoulders on a breezy summer night. (I'd feel like I was stepping into a painting.) The scarves are 100 percent silk and made in the United States, and I'd love to splurge on one someday, how about you?

Right now, for Mother's Day, you can buy one as a gift and have a personalized message printed in the corner, which I think is so sweet. What you would you have printed? I'd probably say, "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always," which is a quote from a book my mom used to read to me.

Macaron Trinket Boxes

2013-04-17T11:04:00.000-05:00

Speaking of things that are not what they seem, how adorable are these macaron shaped trinket boxes from Layla Grace? You could use one as a delicious looking package for a small Mother's Day gift, like a ring or necklace. But you'd have to resist taking a bite (since ceramic probably doesn't taste quite like a macaron).

Introducing: The Panera Diaries

2013-04-16T15:51:00.001-05:00

When you are without a car for large portions of the day, you may find yourself in some rather unique situations. For instance, you may find that on a certain day of the week, one person brings you to point A, while another brings you to point B, and then by the grace of yet another kindhearted, licensed vehicle owner, you arrive back home in the evening.

You may also find yourself on an entirely different day of the week, patiently waiting in Panera Bread for your evening ballet classes to begin next door in approximately three and half hours.

You do own a car. But you have to share it with your husband, who dropped you off at Panera Bread on his way to work. And you can't be bitter about sharing your car or being stranded at Panera Bread, because your husband does it all for the children. (He really does work with children.)

And so you sit in Panera Bread and think about your husband and the children and how you are bored, bored, bored.

I love my husband. And I love children. And I am infinitely proud of Damian for working a field that he is passionate about and in which he can truly make a difference in the world.

But I am bored.

I also have to pee, but I don't want to pack up my laptop and all it's amenities and haul my computer bag to the restroom. And I obviously can't abandon my laptop, lest someone steal it and run away too quickly to be caught, mischievously giggling all the while. (This person would of course be wearing a black mask like Zorro and a black and white striped t-shirt.) This is why people get married, you know, so they have someone to guard their things while they pee, someone to valiantly protect their belongings from cartoon bandits.

But I have a husband.

He left me at Panera Bread.

And thus I introduce you to a new blog series in which I share my suspenseful, harrowing, and hauntingly beautiful tales from the trenches of my weekly hours in Panera Bread. Spoiler alert: I may count some ceiling tiles. I may also drink some coffee and eat a cookie or two.

And in the meantime, just for fun, here is a photo of a cupcake. You're welcome.

Photo by Pugly Pixel

P.S. I am stranded quite often.

(I created the first image in this post using the following fonts: Pea Ellie Bellie, FFF, Cabin Sketch, and Pea Shelby Raye. I also used a vintage spoon and cup from the Graphics Fairy and a sheet of notebook paper by Pugly Pixel.)

I'd hang teacups on my wall anyday

2013-04-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

Teacups by Laura Amiss

I remember when I was in elementary school and almost every morning my mother made me hot tea with milk and sugar to drink with my toast. She started me young, and I have loved tea ever since. I was an anglophile from ridiculously young age as well (probably due to reading books like The Borrowers, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and The Chronicles of Narnia), and so my long lasting love of tea and all things related to drinking tea is no surprise. My childhood daydreams of sitting down to tea with Mr. Tumnus still rest casually in the back of my mind each time I enjoy a cup of strong, sweet, milky tea (which is the best way to take your tea).

I like to hang pictures of things I like on my walls, and speaking of tea, here are five lovely illustrations of teacups...

I love how lackadaisical teacups look when stacked (one sways this way and the other that way), which is why I am drawn to this illustration by Traci of Seven Olives. (I especially love the blue and white cup in the middle.)

Rhianna Wurman of Ello Lovey managed to fit all of London into her teacup. I'm impressed. How about you?

And here is one lonely cup and saucer by Illustrating Mummy. Despite it's loneliness, this cup is bright and cheerful. What a little trooper.

These little birds would like you to know that it's time for tea. One is bringing you a sugar cube, while the other pours your drink. What helpful little birds! This illustration is once again from the imagination of Rhianna of Ello Lovey.

Sitting in a teacup (especially a spinning teacup) is quite a lot of fun. This girl looks a bit bored but that is part of her charm (and her boredom is excusable as her teacup does not seem to be spinning). This last but certainly not least (for this one may be my favorite of all) illustration by Studio Meez has me daydreaming of a miniature world in which I can relax in a big blue teacup filled with branches while birds fly overhead.

Are you a tea drinker? Would you hang illustrations of teacups on your wall?

P.S. Perhaps I should have titled this post "Ode to Teacups."

Things that are not what they seem

2013-04-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today I am sharing with you several things that look deceptively like other things. Can you guess, from the photos above, what each object is? The answers are below, and you might be surprised...

1. A set of coasters that look weirdly and awesomely like a cheeseburger.

2. A vintage camera that doesn't take very good pictures, since it's actually a pencil sharpener.

3. A doormat that looks hauntingly like the moon.

4. Another set of coasters, this time made from cork board in the shape of toast. (Admittedly, the packaging on this one, which reads "Toast-It Coasters," gave a bit of a whopping hint.)

5. If these records don't work very well in your turntable, that's because they aren't records but cool placemats instead.

6. And lastly, I really love the moon. The moon is beautiful. Don't you agree? If you love the moon so much that you don't want to step on it, then instead of using it as a doormat, you can hang it on your wall and use it as a lamp instead. I think the moon would appreciate it.

A wise man once said that things are not always what they seem. And I for one think he was onto something.

(I created this post using the fonts Bebas and Pea Shelby Rae and a chalkboard background by How to Nest For Less.)

Let's go to the beach

2013-04-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Photos by Lizzie Roe

Since the weather in Springfield has finally started getting warmer, I have started daydreaming about the beach: sitting under a palm tree, drinking coconut water straight from a coconut, and splashing in the cool waves while breathing in the salty breeze.

If I could go to the beach today, I'd love to wear a floppy straw hat...

...a vintage inspired swimsuit...

...and a pair of silver Salt Water Sandals, specially designed for wading in the...wait for it...

saltwater!

I'd love to go to the beach today, but being as far inland as Missouri, I'll probably have to settle for the pool at my apartment complex. It's nice to daydream, though, isn't it?

Stranded on the third floor

2013-04-03T14:29:00.000-05:00

Photo by Christian Haugen

Toy car from Mill Cottage Vintage

I have a bit of a fever, but I'm not sick, as in I don't have a high temperature. I have island fever. Have you heard of it? But I'm not on an island. And it's not the type of fever that makes you crave something, like how baby fever makes you crave a baby, as in it's not that I desperately want to visit an island (although I wouldn't mind visiting an island, particularly a tropical one). No, I'm using the term "island fever" more like a metaphor or something.

Wait, forget the metaphor. Let's call it like it is: I have apartment fever. Wait, don't forget the metaphor. Island fever sounds better than apartment fever. I am so tired of my apartment (which is kind of the whole point of this post) that even the word "apartment" annoys me and therefore the term "apartment fever" is out the window, a victim of metaphorical defenestration. (Whoa, I used a big word. High five!)

"Cabin fever" is probably the most logical term I could use to describe my ailment, but then again, who wants to sit around thinking about cabins when you could be thinking about islands. Islands make me think of the Neverlands, which are much more pleasant than my apartment or some cabin in the woods somewhere in the Appalachians.

Are you following me? I'm not sure I'm following me.

Here's what I'm trying to say: I feel trapped. I run from one end of the island (which is my apartment) to the other end, and then I feel claustrophobic and like the shores (which are the walls) are drawing closer together and my world is shrinking.

(I want my writing to be clever, but some days, like today, my mind doesn't work very quickly. Have we established so far that my apartment is an island and that I have a fever that makes my apartment seem quite small and isolating? If so, good.)

But why does the size of my apartment offend me so? And why do I feel so trapped?

I could, theoretically, leave my home (which is not literally an island) and see the bright blue sky and the Missouri plains that stretch for miles, but here's the rub: I couldn't go far. I could only stare into the distance or gaze at the clouds, because I do not have a motor vehicle. And right outside my door there is a parking lot and a busy road with no sidewalks or bike lanes. That is what stands between me and the rest of the world: lots of asphalt and hundreds of cars going really, really fast, which makes me wonder why I ever leave home at all? The world is scary.

In short, I am stranded on the third floor.

And it's all Damian's fault.

Toy car by The Barn at Belmar

He found a job before I did, and everyday, he takes our one and only car on his long commute to the north side of town and doesn't return for about ten hours. And he is on call for overtime 24/7, which means that even when I am not stranded on my island, I am only a phone call away from being marooned.

My days are long and lonely.

I am accustomed to having free time. It's not that I am the sort of person who constantly needs something to keep me busy. But I am used to having free time with Damian, which is quite a different sort of free time from what I have now. Damian and I tend to spend our time together hanging out and chatting and watching television and eating ice cream. We are rarely productive when we are together. Now, I have nothing to do but try and make something of myself, in so far as I can make something of myself without leaving this apartment, which is a bit difficult. I keep telling myself to use this time to focus on my writing and my ballet dancing, but I only say that to feel a bit less like a lump on a log. I am searching for remote or telecommuting jobs, but most of those listings are either complete scams or someone trying to sell you something that you can try and sell to other people.

And that's the fascinating tale of how I came to be stranded on the third floor.

Toy car from Grace Your Nest

I don't want to live in an apartment forever

2013-04-01T16:34:00.000-05:00

Tudor dollhouse with a thatched roof, by Lovely Day for a Picnic

One of my dreams is to rent a little old house with big windows and hardwood floors. I know renting isn't usually a dream. Buying is usually a dream. But I am tired of apartments. And I know Damian and I are in no way ready to buy a house. We have no idea what we will be doing in a year or two, so the idea of committing to a 30 year mortgage seems both intimidating and limiting. We wouldn't be able to pick up and move on a whim or when a new opportunity arose.

I spent my morning looking at sweet little houses for rent on Craigslist. (I had to limit the amount of time I spent looking, though, because I could have daydreamed about those little houses all day.) Now that Damian isn't working from home, he doesn't need an office, and we are both willing to downsize quite a bit. (We are thinking 900 square feet or so would be plenty of room for us.) Because we are willing to downsize and because I am drawn to older homes, I have found so many options that rent for about half of what we pay now, which is making me a bit too eager. I don't want to wait for our lease to end. I want to move today. I want to live in a cozy house surrounded by a wooden fence, with a little patio out the backdoor where we could keep a grill.

In our current building, the apartments are nestled so closely together and the walls are so thin that I hear my neighbors doing their dishes and their laundry and having arguments. I used to practice ballet for hours everyday, until someone complained to management about all the noise coming from our apartment, which was probably the pitter patter of my pointe shoes. (Yes, that really happened. And it was really embarrassing and awkward. For months, even turning on the television stressed me out. I wondered if the neighbors could hear what we were watching and if they would complain. I turned the volume down very low and sat very close to the screen but still worried we would eventually get evicted for being too noisy.)

Damian and I have been married for a little more than two years and during that time we have only lived in apartments. We were drawn to apartments initially because the advertisements make a good case, about having a pool and a gym and a few utilities included with the rent. We also didn't want to worry our lazy selves about yard work. And we assumed apartments were always cheaper to rent than houses, but that was a misconception on our part. Now, I feel ready for a house. I am tired of walking on my tiptoes and worrying if I am making too much noise. I want to stomp around and jump up and down and turn the stereo on full blast if I feel like it. I want to practice pointe without any inhibition. If that means mowing the lawn, paying for water and trash, and giving up a bit of square footage, then that's okay with me.

We are ready for a house, a tiny little house, filled with sunshine, and I am feeling anxious. But our current lease still has about four months left. I wonder if I can hold my breath for that long? I might turn a little blue.

Miniature wall shelf, handmade in England and decorated by Lovejoy Bears

Longer lace dresses

2013-03-27T11:52:00.000-05:00

Last week I posted several lace dresses that I love, but a sweet blogger named Ti commented that although she liked the styles, she felt the dresses were too short for her to wear to her job working with children or to church. I could relate, as I also go to church, and I often help with children's programs.

And I think it's important to be mindful of what we wear, especially in specific situations, but I'm not preaching, I promise. Honestly, for me personally, modesty is less about spiritual or moral enlightenment and more about feeling comfortable around other people and in my own skin. I simply feel more confident when I wear longer dresses with sleeves, whether I am at church or out to dinner with Damian.

I pictured myself wearing the dresses I posted last week with tights or skinny jeans underneath. But sometimes I don't want to worry about layering. Sometimes I want to put on a dress and be finished with my outfit, especially if I am going somewhere nice, for if you wear a pair of blue jeans with your dress, you are no longer dressed up and the dress becomes more like a blouse than a dress.

I searched the internet high and low and found a few lace dresses that hit either at or below the knee and have at least a cap sleeve. Most of these dresses are from shops I already love, such as ModCloth, Shabby Apple, and eShakti. I also found a couple of dresses at a new shop called Junie Blake, which I am loving so far. (And of course eShakti dresses can be customized. You can add or subtract sleeves and skirt length to your heart's desire, which is awesome.)

1. Breathtaking Belle Dress by ModCloth

2. Esther Dress by Junie Blake

3. I'm Late! I'm Late! Dress by Shabby Apple

4. Grace Dress by eShakti

5. Florence Dress by eShakti

6. Madison Dress by Junie Blake

P.S. Many thanks to Nadine for her gorgeous lace Photoshop brushes.

Let's all wear lace!

2013-03-20T12:05:00.000-05:00

I have written about polka dots and scalloped edges, but today I am sharing what is perhaps my most favorite clothing detail of all: lace. I think lace is timelessly beautiful, an absolute classic. You can't help but notice the intricate details of lace, yet the fabric has a delicate and subtle beauty that is in no way flashy or overstated.

Lace does not beg attention. It is simply worthy.

I'd love to wear lace all spring, wouldn't you? Here are a few lovely lace dresses:

1/2/3/4

(I created the above images in Photoshop and used a lace brush from this set. I also used this font, this font and this font.)

Put on your roller coaster face

2013-03-19T10:01:00.002-05:00

There was a contest recently in which you could win free tickets to Silver Dollar City (a theme park near Branson, Missouri) if you posted the best "coaster face" on Instagram. My family embraced the challenge wholeheartedly and my sister Lizzie, talented photographer and Instagram enthusiast, snapped a few photos one weekend at my parents' house.

She was quite creative with my nephews' toys, which were strewn around the yard, and as you can see, my nephew Billy appears to be riding an enormous toy truck, I appear to be riding Percy the Train, and my brother-in-law appears to be in grave danger, due to a ferocious dinosaur.

My parents' house is a magical (and frightening) place.

P.S. I think my niece Lila should win cutest coaster face. Is that a category?

Becca Stadtlander Illustration

2013-03-18T10:38:00.001-05:00

I love to connect with art in small (perhaps seemingly insignificant) ways. Take for instance these illustrations by Becca Stadtlander. I feel as if I have seen the shelf filled with teapots in person, many years ago, at my sister Cara's apartment in Texas. (She collects teapots and due to her influence, I do, too.)

And when I look at the illustration of breakfast, I think of my mother's Pflatzgraff dishes, which my family used at every meal when I was growing up. In fact, we still eat off those dishes when I visit my parents. (My mother also collected Delft Blue porcelain, and my sister Cara received Blue Willow china as a wedding gift. My life seems to have an overarching theme of blue and white dishes.)

I have nothing tied to a family memory to say about the wall covered in plates (pictured below), except that I like it and feel as if I have seen it before. I am not sure when or where or how, but the wallpaper and the patterned plates seem distantly familiar. I was initially drawn to this picture, simply because I have been planning to comb though thrift stores in search of vintage plates to hang on my own walls.

I think Stadtlander's still life illustrations are beautifully crafted and capture something special about the quiet moments of life. When art causes me to reminisce on my own experiences and fills me with a sense of longing or nostalgia, that's when I realize that paintings and illustrations are so much more than pretty pictures and that visual art can communicate in unique ways, in ways that words will never quite achieve. (As a writer, it hurts a little bit to admit that.)

P.S. Click here to see more of my favorite artists.

Small moments of love

2013-03-13T08:59:00.002-05:00

Today, Emily of Oh, Hello Love! is featuring a piece of my writing in her series called Radiant, which is about small moments of love between two people. I intended to send her a few words about a friend or family member, but when I sat down to write about love, my mind kept returning to my husband. I decided to follow the ebb and flow of my thoughts, and yesterday, when I read the post aloud to Damian before I emailed it to Emily, he and I were both quite emotional. I hope you will visit Emily's blog and read a few of my thoughts on my marriage.

James Gulliver Hancock is still drawing buildings

2013-03-11T11:21:00.000-05:00

One of my earliest blog posts (almost two years ago) was about artist James Gulliver Hancock and his ambitious plan to draw all the buildings in New York City. I started wondering the other day what Hancock was up to and if he was still drawing buildings, so I visited his blog to find out.

I quickly discovered that Hancock is definitely still drawing buildings. In fact, he has a new book, soon to be released, called All the Buildings in New York: That I've Drawn So Far.

Hancock may one day complete what for most would seem an unapproachable goal. There are over 900,000 buildings spread across five boroughs in New York City. Sharon Krum writes in Wish magazine that Hancock has drawn buildings from every borough except Staten Island, "although he's drawn the ferry that gets you there."

Hancock's work doesn't stop with the buildings in New York, however. He has drawn bikes in Berlin and cars in Los Angeles, as well. In his interview for Wish magazine, Hancock stated: "I have been a little obsessive, sure. I feel I should draw everything in the world at least once."

I'd love to keep Hancock's new book on my coffee table and flip through it everyday. I've been looking through his buildings for hours on my computer, but the idea of having a book to hold in my hands is so much more appealing.

Keep drawing buildings, Hancock. I hope you never stop.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2013-03-07T12:06:00.002-06:00

Toy ship, built by my dad for his grandson. Photos by Lizzie Roe.

My dad turned 56 yesterday. Whoa! He is an old man, and he has the white beard to prove it. (For some reason, my parents are forever 35 in my mind.)

My family is going to celebrate my dad's birthday this weekend, and one of our traditions is that you can choose any meal you like for your birthday party. When my mom asked my dad what he wanted, he chose hamburgers. Of all the food in the world, he chose hamburgers. Hamburgers! And when she asked him what kind of cake he wanted, he said, "There are a lot of us now, so we need a big cake."

I suppose with three daughters, three sons-in-law, and three grandchildren all coming, he does need a big cake. Hamburgers and a big cake: that sounds like a party to me.

French blue scallops

2013-03-05T15:00:00.002-06:00

I have mentioned that I am trying to become a more stylish person (which sounds really silly to me when I say it out loud) and that I am making a list of all the little details I love on clothes. I first thought of polka dots, and second on my list is scallops. I think scallops are sweet and feminine, with a touch of whimsy. In the photos above, I am wearing a poplin blouse with scallop trim, from a boutique called eShakti, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite shops.

When I received an email from an eShakti rep offering me a sample in exchange for a review, I was skeptical, at first, as I have received some strange pitch emails in the past. (I was once offered a fruit basket in exchange for writing about a textbook rental service.) However, after browsing eShakti and finding many dresses that suited my style (or the style I am working toward, anyway), I was completely smitten by the shop. I was especially drawn to the customization options, as I often wish I knew how to sew or that alterations weren't so expensive.

One of my weird quirks is that I don't like wearing short sleeve and sleeveless shirts or dresses. Longer sleeves are kind of like security blankets for me; I feel comfy and cozy when my arms are covered. (There may or may not be some deeply repressed psychological reason for this.) As you can imagine, there are a lot of beautiful clothes I would never wear because the sleeves are too short for my taste.

I loved this scalloped blouse the moment I saw it, but it was originally designed with a cap sleeve. I was disappointed at first, but then I looked over the customization options and added three-quarter length sleeves to my order. It was so easy! I simply clicked the changes I wanted, and then I was done. I also opted for my shirt to be hip length, since another one of my pet peeves is worrying that when I raise my arms my middle will show.

eShakti allows all kinds of customization, which I think is brilliant. You can alter skirt lengths and necklines. You can even have clothes made specifically to your measurements. I personally would love to have a dress made especially for me in every way; I have always dreamed of having at least one gorgeous dress that fits like a glove and is a complete joy to wear.

I think this is quite a special little shop. I hope you'll give it a look and let me know what you think.

P.S. eShakti is offering Hannah J. Holmes readers 20% off with the coupon code HNNHJHLMES, now through March 25.

Have a product you would like me to review? Feel free to email me an inquiry at hannahjholmes at gmail dot com.

"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"

2013-03-04T11:08:00.001-06:00

Photo by Malias

Something terrible happened yesterday.

I dropped my cell phone in the toilet. I was groggy and disoriented, turning off my phone's morning alarm on my the way to the shower, when I stumbled over the bathroom mat and heard a clank as my phone hit the porcelain and a splash as it landed in the water.

Despite spending eight hours or so in a bowl of dry rice, the phone fizzled and died early this morning. We did everything we could. Rest in peace, little blue media phone. Rest in peace.

In other news, today is Damian's first day of training for his new job.

For the past two years, Damian and I have both worked from home and spent approximately every waking moment together. Today I am alone, which feels strange, sort of like that feeling when you lose an important paper and search every nook and cranny of your office for hours but to no avail, and finally, as you give up, a strong sense of frustration settles in your stomach, but you try your best to get on with your day and make due without your important paper. (Damian, you are like a missing paper. I hope that makes you feel loved.)

I have discovered that I am rather jumpy and skittish when my big, strong man is not around to protect me from the world. I think every creak and groan of the apartment building is a burglar who wants to eat me for lunch then steal my television. Completely rational, I know.

I won't get any of Damian's texts today (as my phone opted for a short career in high diving) which makes me sad, since I want to know how his day is going; new jobs can be exciting but also stressful. I'm sure he will do wonderfully, though, since this job is in a field he is deeply passionate about.

Another phone related problem: I should be job searching (not blogging) but I don't know what number to include on my resume, now that my cell phone isn't working. I could use our home number, but I don't know it, as we rarely, rarely use that line. (I actually just sent my mother a Facebook message asking her for my number. That's called winning at life.)

I just realized I haven't eaten today. I forget to eat when Damian isn't here. What would I do without that man? Starve, I guess.

Until Damian's return, I'll be singing "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" as I wander aimlessly around my apartment and desperately wonder what I should do about my phone situation. I'll also send out a resume or two and read job listings until I fall asleep tonight and dream of Craig's List. (There will be a short reprieve from reading job listings for ballet class.)

My life is fascinating at the moment. Can't you tell?

Disney World and Bagels

2013-02-27T15:12:00.000-06:00

Bagels by Lilly's Home Style

Damian and I were rich once, for about five seconds. We'd never been rich before and we were confused and overwhelmed, so we did the most logical thing we could think of and went to Disney World. Damian had never been, and I thought that was terrible and needed to be alleviated immediately. Priorities, you know. But not being able to predict the future is one of humanity's great flaws, and that's why you should never go to Orlando with a credit card. You might find yourself eating a ten dollar lobster roll in Tomorrowland, and then five seconds later you will be poor again and still paying off your lobster, along with your student loans that never seem to disappear, no matter how badly you try and forget about them.

And so, my time is up. The seat of privilege has been ripped from under me, just as I was sitting down, and I have fallen flat on the floor. I need a job, a real one, that pays in money, not in giftcards or free eyeglasses. (Thank you, blogging.) I can no longer spend my days merely dancing and pretending to be a freelance writer. There are bills. There is debt. And there is a new development that has pushed us over the edge of our own personal fiscal cliff: Damian received pay cuts, at approximately 45 percent.

But still, Damian doesn't stress over our debt as much as I do, because he is a confident person and a hard worker and because yeah, man, Disney World was awesome, as were the bagels. (Disney World, you see, only accounts for 40 percent of our credit card debt. We spent the other sixty percent on bagels.) In his way of thinking, visiting the most magical place on earth is never a mistake. (Memories last a lifetime.) And neither is eating bagels. (Bagels are delicious.)

When Damian and I were about to be married two years ago, we were barely into our twenties and many people told us more than twice that we were being silly, that we would never make it financially. He was still in college full-time in Mississippi, and after the wedding, I moved to be with him, even though my only job was writing a few freelance articles each week.

We lived in income based housing and our income was so low that our rent was $79 a month. Our apartment had yellowed walls and a gray carpet that reeked of cigarette smoke, and when you ran the hot water, the whole place smelled like sulfur. The pipes hadn't been used sufficiently in years, the landlady explained to us, because the previous tenant, an elderly man, hadn't bathed in years. She said if we ran the hot water often enough, the smell would fade. The day we moved in, there was a magnet advertising a hospice center on the refrigerator. I quickly threw it away, but still, I often felt sad and distracted, thinking about the old man who didn't bathe, who had lived alone in my home for many years, who had slept in my bedroom and cooked his meals in my kitchen, all while smoking his cigarettes.

I know Damian and I will be okay and that in the grand scheme of life these problems--the debt, the pay cuts--will fade into the background, deep into our past. In the same way that we laugh about how overwhelmed we once were by $79 for rent, one day we will say, "Oh, remember when you got those pay cuts and we were so stressed? And we had just gone to Disney World like a couple of idiots!" "Yeah, what were we thinking? But at least we had fun, and it all turned out okay in the end, didn't it?"

Damian has already found a full-time job with benefits. It pays less than his work fixing computers, but that only means I need to work, too. And I should have been working before now--it's just that getting a real job is one of my great fears, paramount to asking for favors and driving. But it's about time to work through those issues, anyway.

I've been to one interview so far. That's a start, at least.