Lulu Letty

new adventures = new blog

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:52:00 +0000

I never thought my blogging break would extend into a 4 month long hiatus. Many of you have emailed and left comments wondering about my absence and the short answer is- Cole and I bought a house!! During all the craziness that comes with purchasing your first house and moving, I kept thinking and rethinking the future of Lulu Letty and kept coming to the same decision- it was time to move on. While I've cherished each and every minute of this blog, and have had the most amazing, supportive and patient readers, it's time for me to head in a new direction. And since it seems I can never truly give up blogging all together, I've created a new space to enjoy new adventures. I hope you'll continue to read along...

Yours,

Lilydale, Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 12:32:00 +0000

Whew, it's taken me a week to get these photos posted! I've been quite busy recently taking care of an exciting endeavor for Cole and I and if you follow my instagram (lulu_letty) you probably already know what I'm talking about. Mums the word for now. ;) This weekend is Cole's birthday. My old man turns 32!!! I can't believe this will be the 12th birthday we've celebrated together as a couple and how old that makes me feel!! Ha. Love you forever, Darling!!

Photos by me & Cole. Thanks, darling!

Midi dress and straw boater: UO
Sandals: c/o ModCloth
Sunglasses: Chloe
Watch: J.Crew ...Here's the first shoot I did in Lilydale last November.

Happy Weekend!

Yours,

Lulu Letty's Wardrobe Shop

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 21:26:00 +0000

I just added so many awesome pieces to my wardrobe shop! There's a wide mix of new dresses, vintage dresses, jackets, sweaters and lots of shoes (vintage Ferragamos)!!! Whew. If you find something you're interested in, email me (mariaconfer@lululetty.com) with your item and paypal address. Feel free to haggle and ask questions!

Yours,

Como Park, Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:38:00 +0000

I'm back from my unexpected hiatus. The last two weeks have been a bit rough with my Hashimoto's flaring up in a bad way. I'm not sure if others with Hashi's have this problem but anything from stress to illness to even bug bites can make my thyroid go berserker. And in the last two weeks I've dealt with all of the above. First was the stress of the pop-up shop, then I got a cold/flu, next came a nasty spider bite that got all gross and swollen. Bah. The good news is that I finally found a MN doctor and made an appt for Wednesday.

In other (more fun) news, Cole and I spent Saturday afternoon at SnowGrade, a men's pop-up shop, in NE Minneapolis. After seeing an excellent axe restoration demonstration hosted by Best Made and given by Nick Zdon, we walked around drooling over Red Wing boots, Faribault blankets, Best Made axes, Leather Works, MN wallets & suspenders and Levi's Vintage Clothing from BlackBlue. I kid you not when I say I really envy boys and their sartorial options. The best part of the afternoon came right as we were leaving when a lovely reader and blogger named Jess spotted me and stopped to say hi! This was the first time I've ever been approached in public and it was quite lovely! I just hope I wasn't too awkward and didn't freak her out. :o

Photos by me & Cole. Thanks, darling!

Barbour Bedale jacket: xmas gift from Cole
Barbour hood: xmas gift from sister
Vintage sweater and dress: thrifted
Old Sporto boots: my sister's from high school
Charcoal tights: F21
Egypt tote: AA
...You can see my first two Como Park shoots here & here!

Yours,

Day Tripper

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:34:00 +0000

How was your weekend? Mine was both crazy busy and completely wonderful! Our first Band of Thrifters pop-up sale was a great success! Friday night was so packed we could hardly move around the shop! I can't thank everyone enough for coming out and supporting our new endeavor! I'm a bit behind on emails and comments but I hope to catch up early this week.

As promised last week on instagram, here I am sporting the lovely "daytrippers" set from the awesome Valentine's Day team-up of Melie Bianco and Seychelles! They're offering discount rates on different pairings of your choice and the offer ends Feb 14th! You know I have an unhealthy obsession with tassels but what could be more perfect than having them on both your bag and loafers. I say the more the merrier!

Photos by me & Cole. Thanks, darling!

Silk paisley dress: Ella's in Traverse City, MI
Cape coat: Topshop
Camel tights: AA
Vintage belt: stolen from mom
Sandy tote: c/o Melie Bianco
Ballad loafers: c/o Seychelles...Love her or hate her...I adore her.

Happy Monday!!

Yours,

White Bear Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:39:00 +0000

Cole and I have driven through the quaint town of White Bear Lake twice without stopping to explore. Sunday was our evening to right that wrong. While most of the shops were closed (an excellent reason to go back), we stopped for dinner at Washington Square Bar, where we both had tacos and shared a basket of fries. All was quite yum and I must say the staff was very friendly and attentive (which I've sadly found is not the case in most MN restaurants)! Our bellies expanding with deliciousness, we decided to stop at Memorial Beach and take advantage of the lovely sunset. Even though it was quite warm, there were many cars and fishing huts out on the lake. Cole asked if I would like to take a drive on the ice and my response was "only if it's 12 below and there's a foot of solid ice!" Even then I would probably say no!

Photos by me & Cole. Thanks, darling!

Vintage chambray shirt: thrifted
Majestic Gardens maxi dress: c/o Ruche
Vintage boots: Etsy (so long ago can't remember shop)
Locket & watch: J.Crew
Vintage bag: Coach
Leather bracelet: H&M ...Thanks for all the love on yesterday's post! I'm glad you all missed me enough to still care about my ol' blog!

Yours,

Road Trip with Band of Thrifters

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:37:00 +0000

Oh boy have I been a busy beaver! Sadly that's my only real excuse for such a long blog silence (well that and Cole, my camera man, was gone for a week and I'm useless without him). I'm still painting away in my house, which is coming along quite nicely (you can find photos on instagram lulu_letty), and getting ready for my very exciting collaboration with my friends John & Amanda! This weekend, Feb 10-11, is the launch of our pop-up shop and brand, Band of Thrifters. You'll be able to find impeccable vintage for men, women, children and your home! Come for music and drinks from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday we'll be there from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. having a grand ol' time!

I hope that all my friends and readers in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas will be able to stop by and say Hi!

Photos by me. Styling by me, John & Amanda.

To see the rest of the photos, visit our blog! ...Be sure to check back tomorrow for a long-delayed outfit post!!

Yours,

Taylors Falls, Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:35:00 +0000

Cole and I returned to one of our favorite spots, Taylors Falls. Some of you may remember the first time we stumbled upon this pretty little town last fall- the day was hot, the park was crowded and I was wearing improper hiking clothes. But ever since our first glimpse, I've been itching to go back. When I received the gorgeous new Bianca tote (conceived from the brilliant collaboration of Melie Bianco and Dear Creatures) I immediately thought of Taylors Falls as the perfect location for my shoot. It was darn cold and the wind was mighty brisk, but I couldn't have asked for a more lovely spot.

And of course I had to stop by and say hello to my favorite bison...I think I shall call him Billy.

Photos by me & Cole. Thanks, darling!

Vintage sweater: thrifted
Silk blouse: J.Crew
High waist khakis: Steven Alan for Dockers
Bianca tote: c/o Melie Bianco loves Dear Creatures
Beret: AA
Fair Isle socks: Target
Boots: F21
Glasses: Simply Fabulous, c/o BonLook
...Happy Hump Day!

Yours,

Ramsey Corner

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:13:00 +0000

How was your weekend? Mine was pretty busy with lots of redecorating and rearranging! The most important task we started was priming our hallway. Bit by bit, we're going to paint pretty much the whole house. It will be so exciting to see the transformation. Another important event that happened over the weekend was that Cole and I joined a gym! I am not a gym going person at all and truly despise them, but once my clothes start getting too tight, I know it's time for me to bite the bullet and get fit again. Wish me luck!

Photos by Cole. Thanks, darling!

Majesty pea coat: J.Crew, gift from parents
Vintage chambray shirt: thrifted
Old jeans: UO
Beret: AA
Nancy handbag: c/o Melie Bianco
Booties (that I altered): Jeffrey Campbell, via ebay ...How do you like my new blog look?

Happy Monday!

Yours,

To the shore

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:14:00 +0000

Happy New Year!! How was your holiday season? Mine was jam-packed full of family get-togethers! So many parties, so little time. Even with all the stress of driving all over the place, it was still so wonderful to spend the whole month in Michigan and see all my loved ones. We arrived back in home late Monday night. It was a long 11 hour drive, with a few of those hours spent driving through whiteout conditions. I think we're all happy being back in the normal swing of things, but I can't say I'm enjoying the crazy amounts of laundry and cleaning. Bah!

Photos by Cole. Thanks, darling!

Dress: F21
Striped shirt: RL, thrifted
Vintage belt: from mom
Kate Spade ring: gift from Cole's grandma
Sailor collar: Wayward Daughter
Beret and tights: AA
Vintage Ferragamos: Anxiously Red, Etsy
...Happy Hump Day!

Yours,

2011: A Review

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 00:06:00 +0000

January: Woodland Wishes & Bell Telephone Co 1926

February: My Funny Valentine & Chesterfield

March: Flowers in Your Hair & Camp Dear Creatures

April: No one sleeps when I'm awake & Wayward Daughter

May: Millicent on the Boardwalk & Picnic Ale

June: ModCloth Travel Bug & Imogen at Como Park

July: Fourth of July & By the Mississippi

August: Nicollet Island & Come back here

September: I'm afraid of everyone & Someday back when we were young

October: Sail into the sunset & Birds of a feather

November: Lilydale, MN & Tapestry

December: A Mink and a Kiss & Follow me in merry measure

You can also see the reviews for 2009 & 2010!

...I have two giveaway winners to announce:
Chosen by random.org, the winner of the Poshlocket giveaway is Marissa Pipitone. Also, chosen by random.org, the winner of the Victoria Camp giveaway is Romina. Thank you so much to everyone that entered and a big Thank You to my lovely sponsors Poshlocket and Victoria Camp Designs.

Happy New Year to all my amazing readers! I love you all to bits!! xxxooo

Yours,

Sponsor Lulu Letty this January!

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:18:00 +0000

Photo Credit: LIFE

Ring in the New Year by sponsoring my blog!

As always, my sponsorships are small-business friendly, with affordable monthly rates. Discounted two month packages are also available. Etsy sellers most definitely welcome!

Please visit my Sponsor Page for more information on my blog.

If you're interested, feel free to email me at mariaconfer@lululetty.com.

...Check back later for my annual Year in Review post!!!

Yours,

Victoria Camp Designs Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:07:00 +0000

I'm having a wonderful time up north. It's cold and beautiful and the only thing that could make it better would be some fluffy white snow! Cole and I snapped these photos this morning for today's awesome Victoria Camp Designs map locket giveaway. The lovely Victoria contacted me a few weeks ago and wondered if I might be interested in one of her custom map lockets. I of course said, "Yes, please!" and since Boston holds a very special place in my heart, I chose that for my map's location. Speaking of locations, I couldn't have asked for a better Boston-inspired-nautical-looking backdrop than Torch Lake to compliment my preppy attire. :) And the best news of all is that one of my very lucky readers will get the chance to win a custom locket of their own!

To Enter- visit the shop and leave a comment:

1) with a link of your favorite item from Victoria's shop

2) follow Victoria on Facebook or Twitter

3) leave a way for me to contact you

Open to all readers. Giveaway ends December 26th at 11pm est. Good Luck!

...Yours,

Holiday Look No.2: Follow me in merry measure

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:04:00 +0000

Cole is finally home!! It feels so wonderful to have him with me again! Those 14 days apart were torture. Now that Cole's back, I get to shoot more Holiday Looks! Yesterday we went to the beautiful Cranbrook campus to take photos among the exquisite statues. I was freezing my booty off and trying not to look too disgruntled. We're leaving in a few minutes to head up north to my parents' cottage, where we'll spend a blissful week all alone!

Photos by Cole. Thanks, darling!

Cape coat: Topshop
Faux fur hat: asos
Evening Sleigh Ride dress: Miss Patina, ModCloth
Tights: Target
Blimey oxfords: Seychelles
...Chosen by random.org, the lucky winner of the BonLook giveaway is Stephanie Renee of Dores. Thank you so much to everyone that entered and a big Thank You to the generous people at BonLook!

Yours,

Poshlocket Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:00:00 +0000

Nikki Cone cuff - Eudora Lucite earings - Bo Geo-Chain necklace - Toni Icicle earrings - Paris Circle cuff - Mia Stacked ring

This week my lovely readers have the chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Poshlocket! Above you can find my most favorite pieces from their well stocked shop! I'm really drawn to the simplicity and toughness of the cone cuff and icicle earrings.

To Enter- visit the shop and leave a comment:

1) with a link of your favorite piece from Poshlocket

2) follow Poshlocket on Facebook or Twitter

3) leave a way for me to contact you

Open to US readers only. Giveaway ends December 20t at 11pm est. Good Luck!

Also, you can get 20% off your entire purchase by entering HOLIDAY20 at checkout.

... Yours,

BONLOOK Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:25:00 +0000

Hey there all my bespeckled friends! Today I have quite an amazing giveaway from the lovely people at BONLOOK! They're offering one lucky reader the chance to win a pair of their choice. Above, I'm wearing Simply Fabulous in Havana and I am in love!

To Enter- visit the shop and leave a comment:

1) with a link of your favorite pair from Bonlook

2) follow Bonlook on Facebook or Twitter

3) leave a way for me to contact you

Open to all readers but shipping fees will apply if the winner resides outside the US. Giveaway ends December 14t at 11pm est. Good Luck!

...Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments on my first Holiday Look!!

Yours,

Holiday Look No.1: A Mink and a Kiss

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:13:00 +0000

It's so nice to be back in Michigan! I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I was to venture back to my old favorite boardwalk and do this shoot! As much as I'm loving our new home, I have yet to find spots as beautiful as my favorites in Michigan. This shoot is also very special to me since it's the first in my third annual Holiday Look series and I'm wearing my lovely vintage (and freshly cleaned) mink coat!

I dropped Cole off at the airport on Saturday and miss him sooo much already! I can't believe he's going to be gone for 14 days but I'm excited that he has this opportunity to travel to Asia even if it is a business trip. He's currently in Hong Kong, then he heads to Tokyo and lastly to Shanghai. Whew. As much as I miss him, I'm having a splendid time hanging with my mom (since my dad is also in China on business) and eating lovely homemade banana muffins!

Photos by me & Cole. Thanks, darling!

Fancy Fine dress and Under the Equator heels: ModCloth
Vintage Mink: thrifted
...Happy Monday! ;)

Yours,

It's the most wonderful time...

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:07:00 +0000

My annual Holiday Look series will be starting again next week! In the meantime, here are my favorites from years past...

Clockwise from left: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

I think my absolute favorites are the Bonnie & Clyde and 60's schoolgirl inspired looks!
...Tomorrow morning Cole and I and the pups are leaving for Michigan! I'll be spending the whole month of December there and Cole will be spending the first two weeks of the month in Asia! It'll be nice but weird spending so much time in my home state again and I know I'm going to terribly miss all my new friends.

Yours,

Amber Snow

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:04:00 +0000

Do you ever have outfits that look better in person than in photos? Well I think this is one of mine. I really loved this outfit and even Cole said it looked good but the photos say otherwise. I think the skirt length is probably the culprit since it hits at a weird spot. Oh, well. We took these photos last week when there was still a lovely layer of snow on the ground. Now everything is melted to an icky brown! I hope we get more snow soon; I just love a white December.

Photos by me & Cole. Thanks, darling!

Vintage blouse and belt: thrifted
Skirt and booties: F21
Sunglasses: Zooey, Oliver Peoples
...Chosen by random.org, the first winner of the Sora Designs giveaway is Mitzi of Night Lights that won the owl necklace! The second winner is Gracie of Doing it the Gracie way that won the deer necklace! Thank you so much to everyone that entered and a big Thank You to Wen of Sora Designs for her beautiful necklaces!

Also, you only have a few days left to use the promo codes from two of my sponsors. Anirtak is giving my readers 10% off with the code LULULETTY10 and Penguin Palace Photography is offering 20% off with the code LULULETTY20!!!

Yours,

Sponsor Lulu Letty this December!

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:31:00 +0000

Photo credit: LIFE

It's the most wonderful time of the year to sponsor my blog!

As always, my sponsorships are small-business friendly, with affordable monthly rates. Discounted two month packages are also available. Etsy sellers most definitely welcome!

Please visit my Sponsor Page for more information on my blog.

If you're interested, feel free to email me at mariaconfer@lululetty.com.

Tapestry

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:17:00 +0000

It snowed on Saturday, which meant messy roads and terrible driving, but pretty photo shoots! I know I will be cursing the fluffy white stuff two months from now, but I do love the first few snowfalls of the year! So magical and pretty!!

What do you think of my coat? Isn't it completely amazing?! I bought it from my buddy Amanda and just love it do death. With a coat this bold I had a moment's hesitation on how to style it while still letting the coat take center stage. In the end I opted for a seventies inspired look that kept the coat casual but fun. You can also see an awesome illustration of the coat that Emma did on her blog! I have some seriously talented new friends!

Photos by me and Cole. Thanks, darling!

Vintage tapestry coat: Salvaged Strawberry
Cable knit sweater: asos
Bell bottom jeans: Gap
Beret: American Apparel
Heels: Seychelles
...Happy Monday!??

Yours,

Sora Designs Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:03:00 +0000

I have a really amazing giveaway for today! The lovely Wen at Sora Designs is giving two of my readers the chance to win either the Owl magnifying necklace or the Deer perfume locket!

To Enter- visit the shop and leave a comment:

1) with a link of your favorite piece from Sora Designs

2) leave a way for me to contact you

For a bonus entry: follow Sora Designs on facebook and be sure to mention it in your comment.

Open to all readers. Giveaway ends November 21st at 11pm est. Good Luck!

...Yours,

Lilydale

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:11:00 +0000

We're back from San Francisco! I can't tell you how nice it is to be sleeping in our own bed again and to see my boys. As much as Wellie and Pip drive me batty, I miss them so much whenever I'm away. I had a really amazing time on the trip- San Francisco is beautiful and spending time with my family was so precious! My sweet little nephew has grown so much since the last time I saw him and all I can say is that I'm completely smitten and love spoiling him! One thing I did notice while in SF is that, as much as I love cities and spending time in them, I am truly not a city person. I prefer quiet and solitude and nature. I guess I'm just a country mouse.

The location of this photo shoot is easily a place I could live. So serene and beautiful. Cole and I found this pretty park in the tiny town of Lilydale and couldn't help but stop for a quick shoot. I had started off by snapping a bunch of scenery photos, then passed the camera to Cole. He took about three photos before my camera started to die. We were able to squeeze in a few more but then my battery gave out completely. In the two years that I've owned my Nikon D60, this is the first time my battery ever died during a shoot. Luckily, the photos Cole was able to capture didn't involve me blinking or talking.

Photos by me and Cole. Thanks, darling!

Crochet blouse: c/o Ruche
High waisted trousers: F21
Vintage belt: from mom
Beret: American Apparel
Bag and heels: H&M
...Yours,

Vallejo Street

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 22:00:00 +0000

Times are crazy in San Francisco! Cole's gone from 6am to 10pm, which means I'm left to my own devices. If you follow me on instagram (lulu_letty) you know that I spent yesterday emptying my wallet in Union Square. I hit up H&M and found a perfect satchel and two scarves, then to Brooks Brothers for Cole and last to American Apparel where I bought three new berets, three nail polishes, an adorable striped onesie for my nephew, a unisex breton top and a sphinx tote bag!! Whew.

Our first day in the city, Cole and I decided to hike from our hotel in the financial district/Chinatown to Coit Tower. Well we made a wrong turn somewhere, hiked up another gigantic hill and accidentally found this quaint little park behind some townhouses on Vallejo Street. So in spite of our failed journey we ended up with a perfect view for our little impromptu shoot. I have to tell you that I've done more walking in the last two days then I've done in years!! The thighs are a burning!

Photos by me & Cole. Thanks, darling!

Blossom dress: Dear Creatures
Tights: American Apparel
Vintage boots: thrifted

...Yours,

Lulu Letty hearts Melie Bianco

noreply@blogger.com (Maria Confer) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 03:00:00 +0000

ModCloth necklace – Dear Creatures dress – Ruche booties – Melie Bianco satchel

Check out my guest post on Melie Bianco's blog! I styled four outfits for four of my favorite MB bags. Also, be sure to view the rest of my outfits and as a special treat leave a comment on the MB post (not here) for a chance to win the gorgeous Sabrina satchel (pictured above)!!!!!!!
...I'm in California!!!!! Heading up to Napa tomorrow!

Yours,