As Good As Her Petals

A Very Wisco Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 02:45:00 +0000

This weekend we headed to our neighboring cheese state to see Rob's brother, his wife & their baby {our Godson}. We also took a day trip to Rob's parents' place and hit up an anniversary party. It was sunny, breezy & beautiful.

The party was held in the couples' gorgeous barn & outside on the farm which had a barn roof slide, an awesome balcony, large spools tipped on their side, stocked with snacks & a nearby root beer keg.

I wore lots of thin garments, piled into layers, thick socks and boots & had a jacket handy.

It kept me perfectly toasty.

dress: H&M, long sleeved tee + cardigan: Merona, boots, leggings + shades: Target, earrings: Forever21 {gift from mom}, bag: Miche.

My sweet 'sconie boy.

photos by Peanut.

trans•atlantic petals:The Hague

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:32:00 +0000

If Amsterdam is a quarter-life musician in chuck taylors & a breton stripe sweater, The Hague is it's rule-following lawyer cousin -- with a quirky sense of humor.

Our buttoned-up 2nd stop was quite a diverse one; with the cool, architectural artwork @ the MC Escher Haus & the surreal Lewis Carroll whimsy of Madurodam {a 1:25 scale model of a Dutch town; complete with all the famous landmarks}.

Here are a few shots from the royal courtyard.

jeans: tulle, blouse:Bit by Bit, cardigan & boots: Amsterdam, bag: Duluth Pack, rain jacket: Amazon {FREE with credit}, earrings: Forever 21 {gift from my mom}.

Another wise decision I made in packing for this holiday was to represent our home by carrying my Duluth Pack cross-shoulder bag. I recommend Duluth Packs for anyone, anywhere. They are beautifully crafted, rustic•chic backpacks, purses, totes, & more. The fine folks who make these satchels value their Midwest|Nordic integrity by guaranteeing all purchases for life with free repairs.

Learn about it.

photos by Peanut.

trans•atlantic petals:amsterdam trippin

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 17:19:00 +0000

Amsterdam was a wonderful part of our trip. We got to stop back at the end before we flew out, too - so it was my starting & ending point of the trip. We loved it there. We had amazing food and enjoyed the beautiful city for about 3 days before heading on to The Hague.

trans•atlantic petals:amsterdam fine style

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 02:27:00 +0000

The cool daytime temps in beautiful Amsterdam continue to dip with the sun.

This means that my tricky afternoon turned into an emergency evening.

It was time to bundle a bit. I stopped into the H&M: Dam Square and purchased a pair of sturdy brown boots, a couple of cardigans + some knee-highs.

This combination of staples actually sustained me through most of our trip ~ it certainly made a lot more of my items feasible via layering.

This new striped cardigan of I picked up flaunted it's camel colored elbow patches and it was a no brainer.

These boots literally saved our trip. There's no better way to say it.

I made a pretty blatant rookie mistake that I was well aware of & I know better than, and I ended up taking a risk and getting a wonderful pair of boots by the magic of fate.

So I'm not sorry that I made this decision.

dress: Forever21, cardigan, boots & knee highs: H&M, leggings: Target.

photos by Peanut.

trans•atlantic petals: i amsterdam packing mistakes

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 03:31:00 +0000

•Wise decisions I made on this trip;

1. Deciding to try to see things even if they might be closed.

2. Carrying this rain jacket with me at all times.

•Poor decisions I made on this trip:

1. Not checking to see if things might be closed...

2. ...while walking long distances to them in flip-flops.

Probably the two most important things to have with you on a trip to Europe are a positive attitude & a sturdy pair of walking shoes. I overlooked the latter. I checked the weather in Amsterdam & London every day/3 months leading up to our trip. It turns out that the 2 cities have very similar climates as each other as well as to Duluth.

So I packed a bunch of stuff that I would wear in my location during the current season. What I did not anticipate was that the weather {in all 3 cities} would shift and become very cool & rainy for days on end.

I did pack my new wonderful rain jacket that I got for FREE with Amazon credit - suckahs.

But I did not pack (or dress) warm enough on my first afternoon. Amsterdam has many broken, cobblestone sidewalks with sharp curbs, tram tracks & puddles.

My feet were cracked, swollen, muddy & freezing by 4:00pm {and I nearly snapped my ankle about a dozen times}.

It was time to {cautiously} march myself into a solution.

{A little over exposure and some red toenail polish really gives the illusion that my toes weren't actually bright purple & quaking.}

dress, earrings & headband: Forever21, cardigan, scarf & leggings: Target, flip flops: Old Navy

photos by Peanut.

trans•atlantic petals: i amsterdam

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:30:00 +0000

First of the 4 amazing stops we made on our summer adventure was to amsterdam. I had to seriously rearrange my idea of day {and night} wear when I met Rob at our inaugural destination. Further detail to follow.

Here I am, enjoy a generously proportioned Italian coffee in The Dam Square. In my experience, European coffee seems to have a sort of robust flavor, accompanied by a cloud-like texture.

It's foamtastic.

Don't Call it a Comeback

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:30:00 +0000

There are various reasons which have lead me to this nearly-one-month long absence from this here blog. Some are big {Rob in Europe/no photag, deeper consideration of my philosophies re:this blogging endeavor...}. Some are small {being gone myself to join Rob for 10 days, thinking breaks are good in any case...}.

I really liked blogging when I first started. It felt like a fun stress release, a creative focus & an exciting way to reimagine my personal style & the styles of others. It helped me understand style more as a fabulous art-communication hybrid. Then it became something that I felt tethered to & guilty when I neglected. Then it became something I began to over-think myself out of even wanting to do. But then...

I went on an incredible trip {a couple of weeks ago}, and snapping the sites & moments on our big adventure made me remember something that I always loved about blogging nomatterwhat; I love the avenue that it provides for me to experience 'moments' {outfits, evenings, adventures, et al} that much more, to revel in it that much longer, to remember it that much clearer.

I don't want to give that gift up yet.

I've had some moments lately. I'm excited to share them with you.

blouse & tights: Gap {outlet}, cardigan: Merona, skirt: Uncommon Items {Milwaukee}, belt: Charlotte Russe, earrings: Urban Outfitters, hobo bag: Miche, scarf & oxfords: Amersterdam, nail polish: Sally Hansen Salon Series ~ Summer Plum.

photos by Peanut.

pretty nice little saturday

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:50:00 +0000

•••

On this day three years ago, it was a Saturday. It was a date that was a palindrome. It was warm.

•••

On this day three years ago, the whole entire world existed in one small Minnesota town.

Happy Anniversary.

To being in the same country for the next one.

To another 1,095 days of love.

•••

Mama Bear + Baby Bear

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 01:39:00 +0000

My 2nd weekend as a bachelorette, my mom came to visit. She is such a calming, comforting influence to have around. We also did a lot of eating. Does everyone else eat a lot when they are with their families?

I love my mom. We had a great time.

The drink we named Let Them Drink Cake; cake flavored vodka, orange soda + alcohol infused whip cream. Tastes a lot like orange dreamsicle. I preferred it without the whip {more fruity}.

Our lupper {lunch + supper} feast. We watched movies, did our nails, drank our fancy new invention & grazed on all of this fresh, yummy grub. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of our red velvet cake!

Any weekend with my family ends with a proper Sunday morning breakfast; scrambled eggs {2 whites/1 yoke}, whole wheat toast, steamed asparagus, pineapple orange juice + coffee.

photos by Me.

I Smile {it's Wednesday!}

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 01:23:00 +0000

I Smile {it's Wednesday!}

You should smile too. Wanna? Go here.

With my favorite person out of the country, it has been a bit more challenging for me to find those smiley moments. But sure enough, they are always waiting behind the everyday beauty of my life.

This week I smile at...

...our garden that has gone a-wild and is a constant explosion of surprise blooms...

...tiger lilies. among my top favs...

...my gorgeous lake view apartment...

...the sweet indulgence of a mocha coconut frappuccino...

photos by Me.

When Dad Comes to Town

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 01:07:00 +0000

Rob's 1st weekend away was especially tough on me back at the ranch. My dad just so happened to be alone for an extended period as well so he came up and kept me company. We mostly chilled. He brought his grill and made us a delicious lunch on Saturday afternoon. He blogged his recipe you can see it here.

Besides lugging his grill all this way, Dad also gifted us with a portable air conditioner/dehumidifier. It's awesome. The animals are especially grateful. We also did lots of talking, some movie-watching & some more eating. It was great.

Heavenly...

the cutest car I have ever seen; Midget.

strawberry ice cream + chocolate sauce. yes.

apple+ walnut quinoa cakes at Pizza Luce.

Daddy-o.

photos by Me.

Oh, Blogger, Where Art Thou?

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 20:18:00 +0000

I've been basking in every moment of alone time I've been able to steal with my dear husband who is venturing out for a big adventure and very soon. The blog has taken on some inevitable neglect in the wake of this. Naturally.

I wore this dress recently when we attended my stepsister's wedding at a vineyard & winery {photos to follow}. It was $20 at a little vendor stand during Sidewalk Days. Her tent had no name. She was just a quiet woman with lovely, affordable dresses. Magical.

The wedding color was purple, so it was fun to have something breezy to match. I did do quite a bit of surveying about the questionable tact of wearing white to a wedding. It's a a largely outdated notion, according to my sources. So, I wore it happily. What do you all think about dress rules for wedding attendees? Is this a polarizing issue?

I got to have him with me on this pretty day.

ps: I colored my hair red{ish-goldish}.

dress: the mysterious vendor, cardigan: Merona, belt: Charlotte Russe, earrings: Forever21, sandal wedges: Attention, nail polish: Sally Hansen Salon Series ~ Thinking of Blue.

photos by Peanut.

I Smile {it's Wednesday!}

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:10:00 +0000

It's Wednesday. Which means I am reflecting on my Smiles. You should too. Join in here.

Looking back on my fabulous week/end, all of my smile moments {at their root} are due to beautiful moments with family + friends. Lucky me...

Two-part fireworks this year. Chapter 1 was a shockingly enormous quantity of super close country 'works on the lake.

Chapter 2 was giant, far-away city 'works with an amazing view {+ gorgeous weather} from our friend's rooftop.

{our fair city}

This lovely sprite is Ms. Kate. And you can read about her fashion adventures over at her blog, Carry On Dancing. She is as talented as she is adorable. Visit her.

{smiley face}

photos by Peanut.

Forfa Jewel-eye.

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 04:49:00 +0000

Things I Learned This 4th of July; babies are the best addition to any weekend • doritos taste even better than I remember them • I am not good at bean bag toss • SPF 50 is not a guarantee • sparklers don't burn every person who holds them • I like sleeping in tents • I like coming home.

I'm rekindling my love affair with our window AC. It's hot in herr.

earrings: The Electric Fetus {gift}, flower pin: Vintage Duluth {gift}, everything else: Target, nail polish {toes}: Sally Hanson Salon Series ~ Thinking of Blue, {fingies}: SH Salon Series ~ Gilty Pleasure.

photos by Peanut.

I Smile {it's Wednesday!}

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:38:00 +0000

It's I Smile Wednesday.

What? You don't know?!

Learn about it.

My smile moment this week should come as no surprise. Rob and I became Godparents to our gorgeous little nephew. It was the best and most beautiful smile moment of far more than just the past week.

what up, cuz?

...that face!

Of course, these didn't hurt. And the shiny thing behind them.

Hallelujah.

photos by Peanut.

Take From Me My Lace

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:03:00 +0000

Everybody|Everywear {lace}

This month's EBEW invitation is lace. I don't wear much lace {though I adore the antiquated appeal of it}. Fun fact; my wedding dress contained not a stitch of lace, in favor of gauze.

Whether white & crisp or black & slinky, it's tough to deny that lace balances young, doll-like qualities in masterful measure with elegance & wisdom.

I met this challenge by creating a faux bib on this sundress, layering a full lace blouse beneath it.

dress & earrings: Forever21, lace turtleneck: United Colors of Benetton, cardigan & boots: Target, tights: Gap, nail polish: China Glaze ~ Flyin' High.

photos by Peanut.

The Day I Became a Godmother

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:30:00 +0000

On Sunday, our lil nephew nugget was dedicated and we became his Godparents. It was a gorgeous, perfect day. A few sweet moments are sure to follow in a not-too-distant-future post.

dress: Vera Wang {thrifted ~ $15!}, cardigan: Merona, heels: Bongo, necklace: Two&Co., earrings: The Electric Fetus {gift}, nail polish: China Glaze ~ Flyin' High.

photos by Peanut.

costume

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 03:12:00 +0000

I bought this for this year's Lumberjack Tea Party Costume Bash.

{just kidding}

tank: siksu, cardigan & corduroys: Charlotte Russe, loafers: thrifted, earrings: gift, button bobby pin: Sassy Peaches.

photos by Peanut.

Highs in the 70's

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 00:10:00 +0000

Things are glorious up in here. My new job is smooshing up my brain quite a bit {in a good way}, and I really really like it + everyone I work with is really coolsmartfunnynice.

Summer is creeping in slowly {which I actually prefer... hotter than hot temps spend plenty of time around the big lake, and with no a/c, I'm more than fine with lows in the high 40's to highs in the low 70's}. Speaking of 70's, I just got these jeans last weekend and I'm super into them. It's not often I buy jeans with plans to tailor them, but these comfy pups were more than worth the few pennies it cost to have it done!

These earrings were a gift from a dear, dear friend of mine. Aren't they special? And they move so well...

blouse: fun+flirt, cardigan: Mossimo, jeans: Epic Blue, clogs: Sanita, earrings: The Electric Fetus {gift}, nail polish: Sally Hanson Salon Series ~ Yellow Kitty.

photos by Peanut.

I Smile {it's Wednesday!}

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:53:00 +0000

Time for I Smile Wednesday.

For this happy little project's origin, visit Monster Cakes.

On with it...

This little man is my #1 smile moment/s of the whole week and weekend. My nephew babe. He is so much bigger already than he was on his birfday. I love him so.

...this storm on the lake which, however disappointing to have replaced would-be sunshine, was gorgeous to watch and allowed for lots of this... {photo by dan branovan}

...this! and the following treats, also compliments of the weekend weather. indulgent bliss...

...and this sweetness...

...+ this wisdom nugget ~ two smiles for the price of one!...

unless noted, photos by Peanut.

Under the Sea

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:05:00 +0000

This was not intended as a fish costume. It did, however, come out a little aquatic life waitstaff.

Oh, well. Maybe it was the rainy weekend that had me feeling all swimmy.

I had a sweet weekend. Got to see a lil bit of friends, a lil bit of fam and have a lil bit of quiet time. It was very balanced. Y'all's?

tee: blah blah blah, skirt: be bop, cardigan, tights, boots & belt: Target, scarf: thrifted, earrings: The Electric Fetus, nail polish: Sally Hanson Salon Series ~ Yellow Kitty.

photos by Peanut.

Bruiser

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Thu, 26 May 2011 02:06:00 +0000

I am sporting all the technocolors of a bruise. Black, blue, purple, green, floral print.

I love this bubble dress. It's well-made and reminds me of my youth. If only my tresses were long enough for a crimped side-pony.

Also, I never want this pretty green grass to end. We're in love.

dress: Charlotte Russe, cardigan, boots & tights: Target, cami: Old Navy, necklace: Two & Company.

photos by Peanut.

I Smile {it's Wednesday!}

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Thu, 26 May 2011 01:24:00 +0000

It's time for another I Smile Wednesday Post! Hooray!!

Interested in where I Smile started or how to get your own badge and join the fun? Visit Monster Cakes and learn all about it :0)

Here we go; I Smile...

...at discovering these - Cake Pops! - birthday cake + rocky road flava'd - how had I not heard of them sooner?!...

...during nearly every single page of this book {hysterical!}...

...at these beautiful blooms, every time I am greeted by them in our kitchen...

...upon discovering this love-gram in our mailbox ~ a sweet card and adorable barrette from my bestie! awwww...

...at these gorgeous berries ~ pretty & delish! ~ summer really is coming!

photos by Peanut.

Bright Sunshine-y Day

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Mon, 23 May 2011 04:55:00 +0000

Actually it was super-duper foggygloomyrainyhaily on Sunday. But the mood of the day, + the days preceding it, made it seem sunshine-y anyway.

We spent Friday night enjoying an Italian feast dinner party with friends, which ended with late-into-the evening talks + laughs. Saturday we took advantage of the delicious lunchtime buffet at India Palace & then ran some errands separately before re-joining over take-out & DVR catch-up. Sunday was church, around-the-house projects, more wine & these gorgeous flowers that I couldn't pass up buying for myself!

blouse & hat: Target, vest: Derek Heart, jeans: Charlotte Russe, earrings: Express, tennies: Converse All Star, ring: gift. :)

photos by Peanut.

I Smile Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (-smatz-) — Wed, 18 May 2011 16:33:00 +0000

Howdy, strangers! I've missed blogland dearly & am excited to return with outfits next week. I wanted to make sure I completed my I Smile Wednesday post first!

I've had a really bizarre time since my last post. Literally moments after we finished photographing last Thursday, Rob left for the rest of the weekend. Friday was my last day of work @ my {now-"old"} job, & I was in the throws of a beastly cold. I was in an empty house for the weekend, but had some seriously smile-able moments despite that. Then, on Sun. night {thankfully after Rob got home}, we had a pretty hardcore emergency, which ended up ok in the end. Phew!

I started my new job on Monday ~ I'm so into this new role, I can't even tell ya! But it was definitely an overwhelming 5 days, starting to get my head wrapped around all the new info.

Here are my I Smile moments for last week...to learn more about this feature, visit Monster Cakes, where it all started. :)

I Smile...

...during a fun project; office party favors that I gave my coworkers on my last day at work. known for my brightly colored desk accessories/office supplies, these cuppies included colorful pencil top erasers, mini-post-its, colored ink pens, paperclips, & funny erasers in the shapes of stilettos, guitars, toilets, etc...

...for this scrumptious dinner for one {that I had delivered from Pizza Luce!} after my last day at work {Friday}; Cesar salad, baked potato pizza, + wine}...

...close-up, please, on this amazing pizza ~ it's own smile-able moment. let me explain, for those of you who haven't been blessed with experiencing it. baked potato layer {in lieu of red sauce}; cheese, tomato + broccoli {side of sour cream}. mmmmm...

...at this giant brownie + delicious glass of vino to go with the hokey-but-sweet movie that I watched {and, confession, cried at least twice during}...

...these furry babies who kept me company all weekend...

moments not pictured: coming home to 2 new "congratulations" dresses sent to me from my mom on my last day of work/amazing, giggly, sparkling ladies night last Saturday/going out to lunch on Tues. with Rob/homemade dinner by/with friends who are moving back to town on Wed. night ~ vegan deliciousness!

photos by me.