The Wildwood Flower

As the French Say 'Au Revoir'

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 03:46:00 +0000

So it's been a while since I've updated this little corner of the internet, hasn't it? Last summer I found myself falling out of love with blogging. To this day I don't really know what caused it but I just felt uninspired and unmotivated - I didn't even really feel like reading blogs. So I just stopped pushing myself to blog, and then I had some personal issues come up that put me in a fairly dark place in my life where I was struggling with self esteem, body image and loving myself - among other things. Long story short I just never came back to this blog.

I'll always love Beautifully Pure and what this blog was to me for the three years I updated it, but it just isn't who I am anymore. I started this blog as a modesty fashion blog when I was a sophomore in high school, but I've been through so much since I started this blog. When I started it I was trying so hard to be one of the "cool kids," but since then I've become comfortable in my own skin and who I am. Beautifully Pure just doesn't fit me and my life anymore.

So earlier this year I started a new blog that I've been quietly blogging away at. I don't post as often as I'd like to, but I'm making an effort to post more often.

It's called That Katie Girl - after a line from Anne of Green Gables (since Anne Shirley is pretty much my spirit animal). Disclaimer, though: That Katie Girl isn't a fashion blog or a lifestyle blog. I'm going to continue featuring my "what I wore" posts, but mostly it's just going to be whatever I feel like posting at any given time. I'm going to post about my new life living outside of my parents house for the first time, the awkwardness of becoming an adult, and whatever else is going on my life.

I really appreciate everyone who's followed along with this blog the last 3 years, and I hope that you'll continue to keep up with my adventures on That Katie Girl. If you do leave me a comment and let me know - I'd love to hear from you!

Lovely Sponsors for September

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 05:43:00 +0000

My apologies for the lateness/lack of posts lately. If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram you'll know that I recently lost my dear, sixteen year old cat and I've not been keeping up with my blog or email. These are just a couple of my lovely sponsors this past month:

Adored Vintage is an online vintage boutique featuring lovely, handpicked pieces. I know vintage is a huge love of many of my readers (and people of the world, for that matter) but it's so hard to find good quality pieces sometimes! I really love this black lace dress (very Gatsby!) and this black cloak. Perfect for the cooler days we've been experiencing in Chicago-land! ♥

Swing the Day Away is a personal style/baking/travel/lifestyle blog written by the lovely Sara. She's one of my dear friends. I mean, she loves the Lord of the Rings and autumn festivities as much as I do - how could I not love this girl!? Definitely give her blog a read - you won't be sorry. ♥

♥ This is a round-up of my lovely sponsors this month, that help support the Wildwood Flower, but all opinions expressed are my own. ♥

Brick Walls Are Closing In // What I Wore

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 17:31:00 +0000

This is my last post from my trip to Ohio/Pittsburgh last month. As I said in my last post, I got to spend the night with Lauren and explore her town a bit before leaving. I took so many pictures that I thought it would be best to split them into two posts.

I got this dress at Lauren's favorite thrift store, and boy can I see why she likes it so much! I got this dress for a mere $2, and it is the perfect with eyelet dress! Every white eyelet/lace dress I've had before has been too short, but this one is seriously perfect. Not to mention that I also got a lovely purple shift dress for $1, and the most beautiful black velvet strapless dress known to mankind for $2. Seriously, I cannot wait for the weather to cool off more so I can take that dress for a spin.

Hope you all have a great weekend! Maddie and I are heading down south after I get off work to stay with our grandparents tonight before continuing on to Missouri tomorrow morning. I cannot wait to drive on the open road again! (I really am a Missouri gal at heart.♥

♥ ♥ ♥

dress: thrifted

denim shirt: Plato's Closet

belt: Talbots

necklace: Little Black Bag

bag + Me Too flats: Forest Bootery

watch + bracelet: Francesca's Collections

lipstick: Urban Decay Revolution in Anarchy

Relax // Where I Ate

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Close your tired eyes, relax and then
Count from 1 to 10 and open them
All these heavy thoughts will try to weigh you down
But not this time

~ Owl City, Shooting Star

On the way back from Pittsburgh I got a chance to spend a night at Lauren's house, and the next day we had a few hours to kill before I had to leave so Lauren got to show me all around her lovely, little town including this sweet coffee shop! It was seriously one of the cutest places I've ever seen, the coffee was delicious, and Lauren is a total doll - so all in all it was a great trip.

Thursday or Friday I'll be sharing pics of what I wore to explore Mansfield, before "jet-setting" (in theory - really I'm taking my car) off back to Missouri for another week-long excursion. I'm so excited to get back into the country again! That was what I loved about Mansfield, OH. It's the perfect little county town and I love that. I just want to retire down south, pick up a southern accent and spend the rest of my life driving a big, stick shift pickup truck down back roads in floral dresses/jeans with my cup of ice tea nearby. ♥

Lovely Sponsors and Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 04:11:00 +0000

Adored Vintage is an online vintage boutique featuring lovely, handpicked pieces. I especially love this floral blouse and this 1950's, garden party dress. ♥

Swing the Day Away is a personal style/baking/travel/lifestyle blog written by the lovely Sara. I got a chance to meet her in Pittsburgh last month, so I'm speaking from experience when I say that she really is the sweetest girl. I especially love her most recent post about our brunch at Meat and Potatoes (she got way more photos than I did!), and her outfit post in Philadelphia (I want to go there so badly!) ♥

Elegant Steps is an online wedding shoe retailer. As a shoe sales person I'm super impressed with their selection - especially since they have narrow and wide widths (which are super hard to get!) and vegetarian shoes (also very hard to get)! There are so many gorgeous styles, I love this bow platform heel and this pair of sling-backs! ♥

♥ This is a round-up of my lovely sponsors this month, that help support the Wildwood Flower, but all opinions expressed are my own. ♥

Designer Skyline // What I Wore

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 13:00:00 +0000

{photos courtesy of Laura and Hannah}

I had so many photos from the Blog Days of Summer picnic, that I decided to split them up into two posts, and this is my proper "outfit post" post. *wink*

I've always been really interesting in traveling, and I was so, so excited to see Ohio and Pennsylvania for the first time, but the best part by far was getting to hang out with so many lovely gals! Laura and I ended up (by a really amazing set of parallel circumstances) sharing a hotel room - despite the fact that we'd only talked once or twice before this trip. In all honesty, I was more than a little nervous that we wouldn't end up getting along and it would be really awkward, but when it came down to it, it was really more like preschool- instant BFFs! Seriously, within the first two hours of meeting Laura, Hannah and I were crashing in my hotel room venting about crappy former-love interests. (What did you expect from three teenagers/20-somethings??) And I was so, so sad to say goodbye to her. For reals, you guys, if you've never checked out her blog do it now because she is such a doll. ♥

I don't really have all that many photos of the dinner after the picnic or the brunch on Sunday (I looked like such a mess on Sunday due to a wardrobe emergency and not having a blow dryer in my hotel room. Grrr!) but I'm probably going to do one more Pittsburgh with some random posts of Pittsburgh in general. Just as soon as I finish editing those pics... Ugh! Let's do that next week, kay? Kay.

♥ ♥ ♥

dress: ModCloth

belt: Pitaya

necklace: vintage

Steve Madden wedges: Forest Bootery

watch: Francesca's Collections

bracelet: vintage

sunglasses: Betsy Johnson via Little Black Bag

Blog Days of Summer Picnic

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 13:00:00 +0000

{photo credits to me, Katherine and Hannah, Sarah and Laura}

Phew! I've been slowly, but steadily going through all my photos from last weekend, and goodness, there are a lot! These are all the non-outfit photos from the Blog Days of Summer picnic last Saturday. It was held at Grand View Park in Pittsburgh, which is ridiculously hard to find using Apple Mapas, as Laura and I found out the hard way. Boo! Construction is what started it - we couldn't turn left where we needed to, and Siri could no for the life of us figure out how to route us around it. Add in a few extra long turns, and we ended up being lost for nearly two hours! Yeah, it was pretty much hell.

I (mistakenly) thought that since I've been frequently driving in Chicago for the past year and half, that I was prepared to drive in any city, but Pittsburgh proved me wrong. Let's get one thing clear: I live in the prairie state. The prairie state. And while my aunt and uncle's ranch in Missouri has made me accustomed to driving on hills out in the back woods, driving on San Fransisco-like hills in the city was a totally new experience for me! And then with the whole Siri thing, the whole "driving in Pittsburgh" part of the trip was just miserable! Laura and I didn't get anywhere on time except brunch on Sunday. Way to go, us! *sarcasm*

Later this week I'll share some proper outfit photos from the picnic, including one of my favorite ModCloth dresses. Eep!

Hope all of y'alls week is starting out well, and good luck to all who start school today! I'm really excited for life to get back to normal. :)

(P.S. Thank you all for the kind and encouraging words about my re-brand! All the lovely comments/Instagram comments have seriously made my week. ♥)

Change

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 06:18:00 +0000

Before I get more into posting about this weekend I wanted to take a minute to stop and talk about this blog and what it is in my life.

I started Beautifully Pure when I was sixteen years old. I was still in school with no drivers license, and few friends. I was lonely and needed a creative outlet, and loved blogging before, so why not start a new one? I chose the name somewhat hastily - it fit what I wanted my style to be, and sounded very Christian.

Since then I have got my drivers license, graduated high school, started working full time, and made numerous new friends. This blog just doesn't fit me and my life anymore.

I'm not the same shy, mousey girl I was three (or even one!) year ago. I've learned that being a "good" Christian girl doesn't mean I have to let myself get walked on. I've learned how to stand up for myself, and done incredible things, to boot! I still can't believe I drove nine hours by myself to meet a bunch of online friends in strange city!

So, to keep this blog in line with my life, and so I can continue to share my life honestly, Beautifully Pure is undergoing a re-branding. The new name is "The Wildwood Flower." I'm in the process of switching the domain over (don't worry! Beautifully Pure will auto-redirect, so no need to update your book marks!), and I have a few tweeks to make to the new layout yet, but this is tenitively how things will be looking around her from now on!

Thank you so much to everyone who's followed me these past almost three years, and I hope you'll stick around for this new chapter in this lil' ol' blogs life. *kisses*

This Weekend in Instagram Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 15:02:00 +0000

{from left to right: me in Ohio // outside Lauren's favorite coffee house in Mansfield // me and Lauren // after I checked into my hotel room // the Pittsburgh skyline // Sara, me and Katherine // me and Laura // me and Hannah // me and Sara at brunch}

This weekend I was in Pittsburgh for the Blog Days of Summer get together. It was so much fun! I got to meet so many lovely gals and see Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh for the first time! The only part I didn't like so much was driving in Pittsburgh. It's crazy!! But more on that later. *winks*

Umbrella Beach // What I Wore

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 14:00:00 +0000

The summer hasn't been too great here, lately, so unfortunately I've hardly gotten down to the beach, but a couple Sundays ago my friend Natalie from work and I decided to head down to the beach together. It was a perfect time to do it, too, because I'd just got a new bathing suit from ModCloth! I've wanted an Esther Williams bathing suit for years, and after three years of promising to buy me a new swim suit, they finally got me one!

This bathing suit is super cute, and flattering and comfy and I had so much fun at the beach with Natalie - even if she did try to drown me. *winks*

How have you all been spending your summer?

♥ ♥ ♥

shirt: J Crew

shorts: Maurice's

bathing suit: ModCloth

scarf: DIY

sandals: Plato's Closet

sunglasses: Betsy Johnson via LBB

Cocaine Blues // What I Wore

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 13:39:00 +0000

Hello, all! Goodness! It feels like forever and a day since I've posted! I can't believe how crazy work has been lately, not to mention I've been in a bit of a lull lately - this is the first time I've felt really happy wearing a dress in I can't remember how long!

Speaking of this dress, I'm so glad Emily talked me into buying it! It's so pretty and I love the cut-outs in the side! For $14 it was a total steal! I'm so excited to take it to Pittsburgh next week for the Blog Days of Summer!! (Heck! I'm just plain excited to take a trip without any parents!) It'll be so much fun to meet Sarah, Katherine, Hannah, Lauren, and all the other gals!

In other news, I have some big changes for this blog upcoming in the next few weeks that I'm really excited about, so keep your eyes out for that!

♥ ♥ ♥

dress: Francesca's Collections

belt: Talbots

bandeau: Coobie Bra via Forest Bootery

shoes: FitFlops

necklace: vintage

Sunlight Conspiracy // Daily Outfit

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 14:54:00 +0000

Man, talk about abandoning a blog, huh? About a month ago I went full time at my job, and what with summer coming as well, and actually being involved with a church, I've been really busy.

I've also been feeling off and on emotional lately (I won't get into why), and on the ride home from work last night, I suddenly had this "omgsh I just want to talk to my aunt!" moment. My aunt Mary is one of those special people in my life, who has always loved me unconditionally, and always accepted me exactly as I am. I really don't know who (or where!) I'd be without her, and it was so nice just to talk to her again. It kills me that I won't be able to get time off to visit her and my uncle Duane in Missouri this July, but I'm determined to get back down there before the year ends!

In other news what do y'all think of my new TOMS? I got them courtesy of TOMS for being the store I work at's TOMS representative. Pretty cool, huh? I can't believe how much I love them. They are all I want to wear all summer!

♥ ♥ ♥

dress: borrowed from Molly

belt: thrifted

shoes: TOMS

headband: gift from Molly

Starting a Hope Chest

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 19:30:00 +0000

Traditional Hope Chests

Some of my readers may be unfamiliar with the term "hope chest," despite the fact that it used to be a popular gift for girls on their 18th birthday all the way up to the 1950's. The idea of it is that when a girl turns eighteen she would be given a chest in which to store anything she might want to keep for her future house (example: linens, books she loved as a kid, etc.). Then, when she's married and setting up house, she'll unpack all the lovely things she put away when she was still a girl.

The idea has mostly died out, but it still remains popular in some Christian circles. Molly's older sister got one for her birthday, as well as several of our older cousins. But by the time Molly and I turned eighteen our parents had abandoned the idea.

Our Twist on the Original Idea

About the time Molly and I turned 18 we decided to start our own hope chests. Molly has a lovely wooden chest she's painted a weathered blue color, and I - well, I don't have a chest yet, but I do have plenty of stuff to put in it! Lol! We like to collect more dishes, and kitchen ware than most traditional hope chests, but the fun thing about starting your own hope chest is that you can do it however you want! Since Molly and I both love vintage Pyrex (and have no use for it right now!) we love storing it away for whenever we get our own place. The great thing about this, too, is that once we get our own place, we'll have a good start on all the stuff we'll need for living on our own!

The Contents

I have way too much stuff to do just one post on, but I thought I'd take a moment to show you just a few of my absolute favorite finds.

1. What: A nine-piece set of matching condiment containers. There's a mustard pump, a ketchup pump, a sugar shaker, a container for syrup, a creamer, and two sets of salt and pepper shakers (I couldn't find those to photograph them).

Cost - $6

2. What: This is one of my favorite finds ever. A beautiful, handmade crocheted afgan in the loveliest colors. I found it at a garage sale on a rainy Sunday afternoon. The owner wanted $10 for it, but I didn't want to pay more than $5. They went down to $8, but I was still hesitant so I decided to leave without it. As I was walking down the driveway the lady called after me that she would do $5. Haggling FTW!

Cost - $5

3. What: Vintage metal mixing bowls. I love the pansy pattern on these, and they'll be perfect for baking, or even just eating popcorn or cereal in. I don't remember exactly how much these were, but definately no more than $7.

Cost - under $7

4. What: Hand crocheted pot holders/coasters. I picked these up at an antique/thrift store. They match the colors I want in my future house perfectly and will be so useful!

Cost - $5

5. What: vintage Pyrex mixing bowls with clear bottoms. When I saw Molly's bowl like this teal one I was so jealous, so when I found it on eBay with a matching pink one, I had to get them! One of my favorite finds ever!

Cost - $9.99 + $8.52 for shipping

6. What: Clear glass Pyrex nesting bowls. I've had one of these bowls for months but I just recently re-discovered it and it made me want the whole set! I looked around on eBay but shipping is just so expensive, so I was thrilled when I found the full, four bowl set at a thrift store earlier this week!
Cost - $12

7. What: A non-stick frying pan in the most gorgeous teal color - it matches the colors I want my kitchen to be! I just couldn't pass it up.
Cost - $8

So what about you gals? Do any of you have hope chests? If not, would you ever consider starting one?

How I Became the Sea

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 05:39:00 +0000

{credit}

I'd be lying if I said I never thought of you anymore. I'd be lying if I said nothing ever reminded me of you. Shoot, I'd even be lying if I said I never cried for you. But I'd also be lying if I said that I didn't know that would get less and less every day. I'd be lying if I said there was still a hole in my heart left by you.

I have good days where you never cross my mind. I'm so happy with my life right now. I know that you probably think I've wandered off the straight and narrow path. That I've given into the world. It makes me happy to thing that I'll never have to undergo your judgement about that again. I feel free knowing that you can do now is judge me from afar. I don't have to deal with your judgement anymore.

But I also have bad days. Where I miss having a "best" friend. I don't have a best friend right now - at least, not the way you and I used to be. But that's a good thing. Sometimes I envy my friends who are "bffs" and so close. They do some of the things you and I used to do, but now I'm on my own in that sense. But then I think back to how closed off I was back then. How you were the only person I had room for in my life - and I know that I wouldn't go back to that even if I could. I feel like the person that was cowering inside myself our whole friendship has finally busted out and I love her. I love who I am, and I know you wouldn't approve.

I've made peace with who I am and how I got here. I can look back on our friendship and smile on them as part of my past. That's all behind me and "no one can be mad [or sad!] about the past!" as Phoebe would say.

I know I'm not what you thought I was.

xo,

Katie Burry

How Missing Me Feels // Daily Outfit

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Well you thought I’d wait around forever
But baby get real
I just kicked you to the curb
In my red high heels

Oh you can watch me walk if you want to, want to
I’ll bet you want me back now don’t you, don’t you
I’m about to show you just how missin’ me feels
In my red high heels

~ Red High Heels by Kellie Pickler

Do you know what feels amazing? Closure.

I'm one of those people who hate "what if" situations. I avoid them like the plague. I'd rather make a mistake that I have to fix later than go through life wondering "what if." It's a big part of the reason I have so much trouble making up my mind about things. So when an old friend I haven't talked to in over a year came back with a short apology and a request to be friends again, I really wasn't sure what to do. Especially not when he admitted that he knows I used to have a crush on him, and that he realized that he likes me, too. What??

After a lot of thought - and a good night's sleep - I decided that I couldn't get dragged into that, and so refrained from going all Kellie Pickler/Carrie Underwood on him, (I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to send him a link to Red High Heels as my entire response!) and responded as nicely as I could. And as thanks for that I get back a response saying how I'm not as great as he thought I was. Are you kidding me!?

But in a strange way it was really satisfying, because now I have complete and total closure. I will never wonder what would have happened had I tried to be friends again. I'll never, ever again miss him. I've seen his true colors, and I know I deserve better. (So I busted out a little of the Carrie Underwood spirit in me, and replied one last time before blocking him on FaceBook *winks*)

I really can't tell you all how good it feels to finally be away from him and his family. It's such a relief and a breath of fresh air. ♥

In other news I'm pretty sure this outfit is the perfect summer outfit for work. It's cute, light, breezy and I don't have to worry about flashing anyone while bending down/standing up. I picked up the shorts at Francesca's Collections last week for a whopping $10. They're a bit big in the waist, but a safety pin fixes that until I can get them to the tailor. *winks*

Hope your week is going great so far, lovelies!

xo,

Katie

♥ ♥ ♥

shorts: Francesca's Collectiosn

blouse: Maurice's

shoes: Sofft

necklace: Pitaya

tote bag: gift from M odCloth
lipstick: Kat Von D 's Painted Love in Underage Red

title: Red High Heels by Kellie Pickler

I'm Free to be Me // Daily Outfit + Accepting Ourselves

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Wed, 29 May 2013 14:25:00 +0000

In my pre-teen/early teen years I remember that there were two things I was really self-conscious of: the first was my height, and the second my humongous overbite. (No, seriously, it's almost a centimeter in length.) I thought that I couldn't wear any heels over three inches tall because I was already 5' 8" - even though my favorite look was four inches and above, and I thought I looked like a gopher when I smiled, so I wouldn't ever post any photos online of me smiling "with teeth."

Over the past couple of years, though, I've come to appreciate myself for what I am. I'm tall, and I like heels that make me at least six feet high - so what? Does that mean that I should stop wearing them? Absolutely not! I love big heels and I'm tall - that's just who I am!

And as for my overbite, it actually kind of fits my personality. I'm not elegant and I'm not graceful. I am, to be honest, I'm a lot like Anne Shirley - especially with the getting into trouble doing stupid things. (I would totally chase a cow across a muddy field in my nice dress if need be!) I'm pretty crazy, I talk loudly, and my teeth aren't perfect, and that's ok. I kind of like that about myself, because it's what makes me unique. It's like my mom says: I've got the personality of a dwarf with the looks of an elf - which means that I got the best of both worlds! (Come on! You *know* you were at least a little irritated when the elves wouldn't even help the dwarves get everyone out of Erebor in the Hobbit.) And when my photos turn out a little silly looking, that's ok, because that's just how I am. I'm actually starting to enjoy posting the crazy ones - all the neat and proper ones are all well and good, but that's definitely not all there is to me, and I'm starting to like showing the crazy side!

So what I'm trying to say is: if there's something about you that you don't like, instead of hiding it and trying to pretend it doesn't exist, try to find a way to rock it. Because it's our "imperfections" that make us unique. There are thousands of Victoria Secret's Angels out there, but what makes the characters were love in books so much so loved is their imperfections - just like with us. ♥

♥ ♥ ♥

dress: borrowed from Molly

JC Litas: Urban Outfitters

belt: Pitaya

bracelet: vintage

jacket: Old Navy via Ebay

title: Summer Day Dreams by Breanne Duren

Summer Day Dreams // Daily Outfit

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

One of the things I love about working retail is getting days off during the week. Hardly anyone else is out at those times, and since my family is busy with school/work I get the whole day to myself. Days like this are heaven sometimes. I get all dressed up, run some errands, take photos, and work on my blog. Basically I get everything done that I want to get done.

I've been feeling really great, lately. It's so nice to have some time to worry about myself without bending over backwards trying to apease other people. It's a great feeling to be able to go through life without worring that someone will be judging me because of the skirt I wore; or dropping what I wanted to do/planned on doing so I won't get yelled at later on. Basically, it's really nice to have a little less drama in life. ♥

In other news, what do you all think of my new skirt, bracelet and necklace? The skirt is from Shabby Apple via the gift certificate I recived from the giveaway over at Bubby and Bean's last mont. I was so excited! This was the first time I've ever won a blog giveaway. It really is the little things in life. *winks*

The bracelet is from the lovely people over at Fleet for participating in their Found by Fleet contest. It was a really unexpected surprise, and even though I'm not a huge fan of silver, I really like this piece! (Is it possible that silver is gowing on me!?)

And as for the necklace, well that's just a little something I picked up at one of the antique stores on Mother's Day for a mear $3. I swear this is the fourth time in a row I've gone to the same little antique store and walked out with another piece of jewelery. They have the best stuff + prices! ♥

♥ ♥ ♥

skirt: Shabby Apple via gift card

blouse: Maurice's
JC Litas: Urban Outfitters

belt: Pitaya

necklace: vintage

tote bag: gift from M odCloth
gold bracelet: vintage
silver bracelet: gift from Fleet
lipstick: Kat Von D 's Painted Love in Underage Red

title: Summer Day Dreams by Breanne Duren

Livy Love Designs 50% Off Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

If you read my room tour post you may remember that I have multiple prints from Livy Love Designs. So when I heard that she's having a 50% off sale, I knew I had to let all you lovely guys and gals in on it!

I am such a huge fan of Diana's work! The designs are gorgeous, and the quality is great - not to mention that there are so many perfect prints! I really want to start collecting one state print for every state I've been in. I hope to have at least 48-50 some day! ♥

If you've never ordered any of Livy Love Design's prints (or stickers, or buttons!) I encourage you to use this opourtunity to get some great artwork! Just use the code: summer50 to get 50% off, now through the 27th!

Lovely Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This month I have some super awesome sponsors to share with y'all! I just love Sarah's balloon-themed photoshoot, and ModCloth's newest road trip lookbook is making me wish I had a pickup and could go driving off right now! ♥

Blog :: FaceBook :: Twitter

Website :: FaceBook :: Pinterest

Blog :: FaceBook :: Twitter

Website :: FaceBook :: Blog

Mother's Day // Daily Outfit + Little Adventures

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:40:00 +0000

On Mother's Day my family has a tradition of making my mom brunch, and then going antiquing in some of the little towns out west of us. This year was no exception, except that it was bitterly cold! (Ok, "bitterly" might be a bit of an exageration, but low fifties in the middle of May is pretty stinkin' cold for Chicago land!) There's an ice cream stand that offers free ice cream to mothers on Mother's Day out in one of the little towns, so we always go there for ice cream, and this year we got hot dogs and fries as well - it was delicious!

The night before I had a mini-fit because I had no idea what to wear (sometimes I take things like clothes a little too seriously) but I ended up deciding on my little shop-printed dress, since it seemed apropriate. *winks* I even added my Gettin' Hot Rod in Here necklace from ModCloth, so there's a car to drive on the roads! I know, I know, I'm really lame, but I don't care.

Mother's Day is one of my favorite holidays. We get to spend a lot of good, family time together, and show my mom how special she is to us. It's been an especially special holiday to me the last couple years, since I've realised just how much I owe to her. I honestly wouldn't be the person I am today without my mom. I love you, mom!

P.S. Check out my FaceBook page to see what my littlest sister did while my mom was taking my outfit photos!

xo,
Katie

♥ ♥ ♥

dress: made by Molly

belt: Plato's Closet
JC Litas: Urban Outfitters

cardigan: Maurice's

necklace: ModCloth

tote bag: ModCloth
jacket: Old Navy via Ebay

Experimenting with Freelensing // Photography Post

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:03:00 +0000

Last weekend while I was hanging out with Molly, we decided to head to the park and play with our cameras + my new lens (guess who finally got the 18-55mm!). While we were there I decided to try out some freelensing with a lens I had for the film camera I used for Molly's graduation pictures.

These definately aren't the best freelensing shots known to mankind, but considering that this was my first attempt and I didn't even do any research on it before hand, it could have turned out worst. *winks*

Have any of you ever tried freelensing or select focus lens like the Lensbaby Spark? Do you have any tips? I really love this style and want to experiment with it more in the future!

I Hope Your Dreams Stay Big // Daily Outfit

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Well if you plan to motor west

Just take my way it's the highway that's the best

Get your kicks on Route 66

~ Route 66 by Chuck Berry

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I hope your work week is going well so far! It's nice to be home and settling back into the norm after a drama-filled weekend with the fam.

While I was out of town this weekend Molly and I had a great talk about finding the balance between being practical, and yet not giving up on our dreams at this delicate time of our lives, and it made me realize something. I want to travel. I've wanted to for years, but lately I've been trying to stuff the idea down because it seemed so impossible. But now... now I have a plan.

I'm currently saving up for a pickup truck that I hope to get by the end of the year (prayers much appreciated!) after that I'm going to dive head first into saving up for a vintage trailer - another of my teenage-long dreams, and after I get that, I hope to have it in working order and have enough money saved up for a trip along the course Route 66 took: all the way from Chicago out to L.A.. It's been a dream of mine for years and I don't want to get married and settle down without being able to say that I at least tried to make that trip happen. How sad would that be?

So that's my plan, and I'm really excited! I know it's kind of a long shot, but I'm going to do my best to make it happen! Life's no fun if we can't dream, right?

♥ ♥ ♥

dress: Dahl Clothes

Converse: the Forest Bootery

denim jacket: Old Navy via Ebay

title: My Wish by Rascal Flats

More Beautifull than You Believe // Daily Outfit

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

It feels like I haven't written in forever and a day. I've been in a weird place, emotionally, but I feel like I finally have a sense of clarity about what I want to do with my life.

For as long as I can remember I've wanted to help girls. Every single time one of my friends was going though a hard time I wanted to be the one to help her. I've learned so much about eating disorders, sexual abuse, and the like in trying to be there for my friends.

I used to feel guilty because I had never been through anything like that. I guess you would call what I was feeling "survivor's guilt." I wondered why God had given me such an "easy" life. It wasn't fair while my friends were going through so much, but it makes sense to me, now. Those issues just aren't who I am - not that someone is less than me for having them, those just aren't my battles to face.

I used to want to be a councilor, but then I thought that I got too emotionally invested to do something like that. I had to take a big step back to realize that I think that's what I'm supposed to do.

I love girls. I love being around little girls, I love hanging out with girls younger than myself. I love feeling like I'm making a difference in someone's life. Because even though I'm not the wisest person in the world, I have been around the block once or twice, and I do have some knowledge I can pass on to girls younger than myself.

I used to be so scared, nervous and so insecure, but I've come a long way. I'm doing things now that I still can't believe. Things I know I wouldn't have had the nerve to do two years ago. I don't think that coincidence. I don't think it's an accident. I think that God has a plan for it. I want to teach

♥ ♥ ♥

shorts: Top Shop via the Buffalo Exchange

blouse: Maurice's

cardigan: c/o Conversation Pieces

necklace: flea market

stockings: Forever 21
shoes: c/o Blowfish Shoes

necklace: flea market

title: More Beautiful than You Believe by Summertime's End

Photography Wish List

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

1. A lens hood for ever lens I have! I don't need them often, but when I do, it'd be nice to have!
2. White balance lens cap. This would save hours of editing!!
3. A pretty cover for my camera strap. I'd love to not have the "Canon 60D" in big red letters on my camera strap (in other words: "I'm a good camera, steal me!") This one from Etsy is gorgeous.
4. A remote for my camera. IFB recommends this one.
5. 50mm f/1.8 camera lens. I used to have one, but it brook a couple weeks ago. Time to replace it!
6. Another Jo Totes bag! I already have the Rose in teal, but I really want the Missy in pink! They don't make it anymore, but I'm still hoping to find it on Ebay or something, sometime!
7. The 40mm f/2.8 "pancake" lens. This is very similar to the 50mm, lens, but a bit wider with a lower f-stop. I kinda love it, though, after seeing the review on Our City Lights!
8. The 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens from Canon. I didn't get it with my camera since I bought the body + 50mm lens separately, and it's certainly not the best lens out there, but I really love the wide angle look of it for certain pictures, and a lens that wide is hard to find for a reasonable price.

One of my Nineteen Before Twenty goals is to practice more photography, and I really want to try experimenting with more gadgets instead of just sticking to the same old lens day in and day out. These are just a few of the things I would love to have in my camera bag by the end of the year!

Taxi Down the Street // Daily Outfit + Small Adventures

noreply@blogger.com (Katie Burry) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

After working six days in a row, I finally had a day off, and what better way to spend a day off than browsing around Wicker Park in Chicago? It was a really lovely day - the weather was pretty good, albeit a little cold; and I even managed to park! (Parking in Chicago is one of my biggest fears.)

One of the biggest reasons I decided to drive all the way up to Wicker Park was so I could stop by the Buffalo Exchange, which is basically a really nice, upper-end resale shop. They sell gently used clothing along with vintage clothing. I've only been there a few times, but I usually find at least one nice piece. This time it was this adorable pair of shorts. They fit great (a rarity for me when it comes to shorts!) and are the prettiest color of brown leather. I was a little unsure of them at first, to be honest, because of the leather, but after texting Lauren, Amber, Sarah and Emily for advice, and getting back a bunch of "yes!" texts (Amber's wins best text: "Life without those shorts is an abomination." Lol!) I took the plunge. Twenty-seven dollars for a pair of Top Shops shorts!? Yes please!

Afterward I picked up a couple other small pieces + a soap cupcake from Mojo Spa for Maddie, I grabbed a thing of green tea froyo from iCream (not the best flavor out there, but it wasn't bad), took some outfit photos in front of this gorgeous flowering tree, and headed home. All in all it was a great, albeit tiring day!

Did any of you do anything interesting with your day off this past week?

♥ ♥ ♥

dress: Francesca's Collections

jacket: Old Navy via Ebay
shoes: Xhilaration via thrift store

necklace: flea market

bag: Jo Totes

lipstick: Kat Von D Foiled Love in Valentine
title: Metropolis by Owl City

The Wildwood Flower

As the French Say 'Au Revoir'

Lovely Sponsors for September

Brick Walls Are Closing In // What I Wore

Relax // Where I Ate

Lovely Sponsors and Friends

Designer Skyline // What I Wore

Blog Days of Summer Picnic

Change

This Weekend in Instagram Photos

Umbrella Beach // What I Wore

Cocaine Blues // What I Wore

Sunlight Conspiracy // Daily Outfit

Starting a Hope Chest

Traditional Hope Chests

Our Twist on the Original Idea

The Contents

How I Became the Sea

xo,

Katie Burry

How Missing Me Feels // Daily Outfit

xo,

Katie

I'm Free to be Me // Daily Outfit + Accepting Ourselves

Summer Day Dreams // Daily Outfit

Livy Love Designs 50% Off Sale!

Lovely Friends

Mother's Day // Daily Outfit + Little Adventures

xo,Katie

Experimenting with Freelensing // Photography Post

I Hope Your Dreams Stay Big // Daily Outfit

More Beautifull than You Believe // Daily Outfit

Photography Wish List

Taxi Down the Street // Daily Outfit + Small Adventures

xo,
Katie