Delightfully Tacky

what i'm reading

2013-05-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

A couple readers asked about what I've been reading lately, so I thought I'd do a little post about the books I've read so far this year. I've really enjoyed all the books I've read so far this year. I feel like I'm reading a lot more this year than last year, but that could just be because I've been on quite a few plane rides the last few months. I get most of my reading done on planes. I like that planes are pretty much technology-free zones, though now most of them seem to have internet. Still, my computer's battery is so old that it will barely hold a charge for 30 minutes now, and onboard internet between Seattle and Alaska is spotty at best, so reading is a better option anyway.
My mom gave me One Thousand Gifts for Christmas and I quickly ate it up. I think I'd nearly finished it before getting off the plane from Anchorage at SeaTac. I loved it. Ann's writing style is very interesting, unique, and visceral. Even if you don't have any faith in a God, I still think that Ann's message about the life-changing effect of living in a state of constant thankfulness and thanksgiving is invaluable. Especially for those of us living in the blogosphere constantly, it's easy to adopt an attitude of jealousy and/or comparison, instead of realizing how blessed we are for what we have right in front of us. Replacing comparison with thankfulness is something that I know I need to be constantly doing in my life. I also loved Ann's attention to the smallest of things. She gives thanks for things like freckles of light dancing on her kitchen counter, the crisp smell of autumn air, the sound of a child's unadulterated laughter. I think we forget how many gifts are around us all the time, and in order to see them we only have to open our eyes. I've long held the belief that in order to experience daily miracles, we need only be aware.

Omnivore's Dilemma was a book Dan had on his shelf for a while, and after contemplating my diet and making some changes, I decided to borrow it. Loved. I absolutely love Michael Pollan's writing style, and way he wrote about the topic was very engaging. I'd definitely recommend Omnivore's Dilemma to anyone, especially those considering changing their diet to be more local and sustainable. It gives you a ton of valuable information, without reading like a textbook. He weaves his own experience in with the information in a very readable way. So much so that...

I immediately went out and bought his other book, In Defense of Food. Again, loved his writing, loved the content, would absolutely recommend. This book is a bit shorter and a faster read than Omnivore's Dilemma, and less about facts and figures, and more about the philosophy of eating. He boils things down to: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. I appreciate the simplicity he advocates when it comes to eating, especially since we're bombarded with so many complex and confusing diets and nutritional information these days. This is a great book to read after Omnivore's Dilemma, as it is more about the practice of eating, after learning everything about the food industry from reading Omnivore's Dilemma.

I've been advised to read Quiet by quite a few people, since I'm an outspoken introvert (oxymoron? haha), and I loved Susan's TED Talk. I only started it a couple days ago, but I'm in love. It's so great. I've long believed that the world these days is very extrovert-centric, making it feel like an unfriendly place for us introverts, and making us feel like something is wrong with us for being the way we are. Group projects? No thank you. Small talk? I'll pass. Parties? Super fun! For a while, until I'm ready to go home and be alone again. It's nice to have some validation that I'm not just an antisocial weirdo. If you're an introvert, or think you might be, you should read this book. I mean, I'm only just starting it, but I can tell it's going to keep getting better. I'm glad people are out there dispelling the myth that extroversion is the way everyone should be. I would love to be able to advocate more for introverts, especially in school settings where it's so in vogue to teach in a way that is very exclusive to extroverts (group projects, seminar settings, etc.). It can definitely make kids feel like there's something wrong with them, when really they're just introverts and learn better by being more introspective and doing projects alone, rather than in a group. But anyway, all that is a topic for another post entirely, perhaps after I finish reading and am teeming with introverted thoughts.

brick + plaid

2013-05-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to a party downtown and I was reminded how cool all the old brick warehouse buildings are. They have such beautiful light and texture. Some of them have been converted to lofts or businesses, and while I love our house, sometimes I wish we could live in a converted warehouse loft, with huge open spaces and enormous windows. Granted, practically speaking, that doesn't make much sense. Heating one of those spaces alone probably costs a fortune. I would love to have a studio space in one of those warehouses though. Ever since I saw Katie's studio space, it's been on my mind even more so. There are just so many of these beautiful buildings downtown begging to have new life breathed into them. Lately I've been trying to do things that I say I want to do, rather than saying I want to do something and then just... not doing it. I have a hard time taking all the ideas I have and actually putting them into action. But I realize that the only reason things aren't happening is because I don't do them! I saw a quote once that said, "A year from now, you'll wish you'd started today" and I feel like that so frequently. I want to live more fully. Less regrets. Less wishing and hoping. More doing and being.

top (similar) + boots/thrifted :: jeans/courtesy of for elyse jacket/courtesy of asianicandy :: bag/joy of ex :: photos by Dan The next few weeks are looking pretty crazy for me. I have meetings, two weddings to attend (one of which I'm photographing), a road trip, a photo shoot, graphic design work, planning for some events, and blogging on top of that. I'm excited, but also a bit anxious. I'm usually pretty good at planning well, but I still get anxious when so many things are happening in such a short amount of time. It's like running straight from one thing to the next, either mentally, physically, or both. But at the end, it feels great to have accomplished everything.

my fitness routine pt. 2 // what i wear

2013-05-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

A few people have been asking what I wear when I work out/ rock climb, so I thought I'd share that with you guys! I mostly try to find work out gear at thrift stores because you can sometimes find some gems in there hidden among other, less desirable items. I found the Patagonia sports bra in the first photo, and the Lululemon leggings in the bottom photo at thrift stores! Pretty much every time I thrift I like to flip through the activewear section, just to see if there's anything good. Most of the time there's nothing, but every once in a while I score!
bra (similar) :: shorts (similar) :: headband :: mat For Insanity, I have to wear almost nothing otherwise I'll completely overheat, especially now that the weather is warming up. In the winter months I'd start with a top on and then strip it off midway through the warm up. I like doing Insanity without shoes, though I know they recommend doing it with shoes to keep you from pounding your legs and also to avoid rolling your ankles. I really dislike doing workouts with shoes on (well, except running), as I'm used to doing pilates and yoga. Since I workout on hard floors I use two yoga mats to keep from hurting my feet and legs. I also have to have my hair off of my face completely, otherwise it drives me nuts. I pull it back in a pony tail, lash my bangs down with bobby pins and put on a head band for good measure. Insanity has a lot of jumping around so I have to make sure my hair is pretty secure. Also: WATER. Lyke whoa. top + leggings/courtesy of ellie (use the code GETFIT for 20% off!) :: shoes/evolv For rock climbing I'll always wear leggings, as they give me the best range of motion. These leggings from Ellie are my new favorite pair, on par with my Lululemon pair (below). Good stretch, nice support, and they're not see through at all. I usually wear a sports bra when I climb, though it's not necessary, and then layer a cute top like this, this, or this over it. I don't really need a sports bra for support, but it is nice to not get a regular bra all sweaty and gross. I wear Evolv's Elektra VTR Women's rock climbing shoes. I like them a lot. I have another pair of Mad Rock shoes that never get worn because I just prefer these Evolvs so much more. They're pretty entry-level as far as shoes go. They don't have a very agressive arch or anything, but the rubber is super sticky, which I love. I made my own chalk bag because I figured it looked pretty easy and I couldn't find a cute one that I liked. Plus: cheaper. I had some leftover fabric from making this dress, so I threw it together in an evening. So far it's held up really well! I made it over a year ago and use it all the time!

top (similar) :: tank(DIY) :: leggings (similar)/lululemon This is another pretty standard rock climbing outfit, and I plan on this being one of my running outfits, once I start running. I'm doing the Warrior Dash in July, so I want to at least train a little bit for that. It's only a 5K so I'm not super worried. I know I'll be able to finish it even if I didn't train, but I would like to start running. I'm already pretty heavy into cardio training from doing Insanity, so a couch to 5k program seems like it wouldn't be rigorous enough from where I'm starting. Does anyone know of any good 5k training programs for someone who is already relatively fit? I also really like wearing the above outfit for yoga and pilates classes. I like to have a tight fitting shirt on so I don't flash everyone when we do downward dog, but I do like a loser fitting top over it. The white tank top is just a DIY I did by altering a plain white tee. Just cut off the arms, the bottom hem, and the collar, and then tie some of the excess that you cut off to make a knot on the back. If you don't feel like DIYing it, though, Ellie makes a great top that's pretty similar! I've been enjoying my Ellie pieces. They are very high quality, and feel similar to my Lululemon pieces, but are more affordable. Plus, they tend to have more stylish workout clothes than just your standard leggings and sportsbra tank, like this super cute top.

a bit pin up

2013-05-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

Last week was about crop tops. I think I wore crop tops the majority of the week. It was a good week in my book. I actually bought this outfit last summer, and only wore it once, but never photographed it. I had gone on a Forever 21 retail therapy trip after finding myself frustrated with the lack of anything "sexy" in my closet. Sometimes you just want to put on an outfit and feel like a bombshell, right? Well, I had looked in my closed and only found cutesie, modest, vintage silhouettes and nothing made me feel like hot sex on a stick and I wanted at least one outfit that made me feel like that, dammit! Well, I bought this outfit and then proceeded to never wear it again. I blame the shorts because they're really not super comfortable. They're all right, but they get all up in my business when I sit down, and they were also on sale (for like $3!) because the side zipper is broken, so I have to undo all the little front buttons to get out of them. But hey, fashun. It's important. I'm glad I kept these shorts, though. I really do love their style and despite being slightly uncomfortable when I sit down, they're still cute enough to overcome that minor downfall. I suspect I'll wear them more this summer

top (similar) + shorts (similar)/forever 21 :: shoes/courtesy of modcloth bag (similar)/courtesy of handbag heaven :: photos by Dan Dan and I took these photos downtown after taking a local adventure to a restaurant we'd been wanting to check out for some time: Stink! It's kind of a wine and cheese type of place (though they do serve other things). We're kind of cheese fiends, we've discovered, so we got a 5-cheese plate and enjoyed stuffing our faces with all kinds of cheesy deliciousness. I definitely want to go back. I love finding little restaurants and businesses run by local folks who have a passion for something and go for it. It's fun to be able to support someone else's dream and vision, especially being someone who might end up as one of those small business cafe owners one day! Dan was taking my photos and told me to act sexy, so I did whatever is happening in the photo below. Apparently that face is "sexy." Yup.

lisa leonard necklace giveaway!

2013-05-12T14:25:00.002-07:00

Happy Mothers' Day to all you moms out there! I hope you're all having a wonderful day! Before we get to today's giveaway I want to announce the winner of the AT&T giveaway for the LG Optimus G Pro! Congrats to Harmony Burmeister! I'll be in touch with you to get you your brand new smartphone!
Today I've got another awesome giveaway for you guys, this time from Lisa Leonard! She makes tons of beautiful necklaces, bracelets, rings and more. She's got some perfect jewelry to give to mom for Mothers' Day (if you totally forgot and are panicking about what to get! You can also get 15% off by using the code DELIGHTFUL15 when you check out!). I picked out this pretty pale pink quartz necklace to style and I get to give away one to a lucky reader as well! Just follow the directions below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

remix archives // tropical maxi

2013-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

This dress is such a perfect summer maxi. I haven't worn it much over the past six months, but I know I'll wear it a ton this summer. The dress works well on it's own, but it's fun to remix things and see how they work in new ways. I usually tend towards styling this dress more minimally, since the print is so bold and really carries its own weight.
I actually wore this dress tonight to go out to a fancy-ish dinner with Dan and my dad. It's a super easy dress to throw on when you need to look a little fancier, but don't have time to put together a nice, thought out outfit. I had been wearing a jeans and t-shirt all day and it was really warm out and I felt all sweaty and gross, so I quickly ran upstairs, put on this dress and a pair of heels and I was ready to go!

mother's day party in a box!

2013-05-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

If you live far away from your mom, like I do, it can be hard to do something for Mothers' Day that isn't just sending a generic bouquet of flowers. I wanted to do something for my mom and I'm obviously a last minute person, since I only did this and mailed it out today, so it probably will make it by Monday. Better late than never! But I had a ton of fun putting this together. I was inspired by the pretty little boxes Emma and Elsie sent to announce their new photo app. Mailing a party in a box seemed like the perfect way to send some Mothers' Day love to my mom!

What you'll need:

A box

Fun tissue paper

Assorted candy + treats (avoid chocolate as it might melt while being mailed)

Confetti

Balloons

Party poppers, pinwheels, etc.

Personalized little gifts like nail polish, lotion, gift cards to her favorite spa/restaurant, etc.

Put some confetti into the bottom of your box, add your tissue paper and start adding items! I gave my mom some candy so I put it into a plastic bag so it would stay separate, and also not get covered in confetti. You can also put in some fancier treats like macarons, petit fours, and anything else your mom loves. I really wanted to put in a mini bottle of champagne, but apparently mailing alcohol is illegal. Damn.

I made a little mini banner for my mom to hang up. I just cut out the letters from cute scrapbooking paper, taped them to a string, and put it in an envelope to keep it safe during transit. If you're not great at free-handing letters, you can always print out letters instead, or even buy a customizable letter banner from a party store!

Make sure to write your mom a card or letter and throw that in along with your mini party!

I added some more confetti to the package before closing it and filled the extra space with some bubble wrap to make sure things didn't rattle around too much. My box wasn't too pretty (I had recycled an old box), so I wrapped it in butcher paper. To make my boxes cuter I like to tape them with washi tape first, and then use clear packing tape over it. That way it's pretty, but you still get the security of the packing tape (plus, the PO gets mad at you if you use anything but packing tape. Masking tape gets you dirty looks).

lg optimus g pro mother's day giveaway!

2013-05-08T21:32:00.000-07:00

Mother's day is around the corner, so I thought it'd be fun to partner with AT&T again to do a fun giveaway of another awesome smartphone! This time we're giving away an LG Optimus G Pro, which sounds like a Transformer so it's bound to be awesome. It's a bit of a phone and tablet in one (phlablet? tabone?) so all you tech-savvy moms out there can have a nice big 5.5 in HD screen so you can share all those hundreds of cute kid photos with your friends and family without making grandma have to squint to see them! Plus, the LG Optimus G Pro has a 13 megapixel camera with which to take those cute kid photos. Win-Win, right?

The giveaway will be open until mothers day (this Sunday people!), and there are multiple ways to enter below. AT&T also has a fun Mothers' Day campaign going on where you can make a personalized Mother's Day E-Card video and send it to your mom via Facebook, Twitter, or Email which you can do anytime between now and May 12th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The phone will operate on AT&T’s network and wifi. If you win and you're not an AT&T customer, you have three options: 1) become an AT&T customer, 2) use the phone with wifi – all of the phone’s features (i.e., Facebook, Apps, Twitter, Calendar, Web Browsing, Contacts, Games, Linked In, etc.) will work on wifi with the exception of making calls and text messages. It’s like having a mini tablet (this is what I did with my iPhone for months before my previous phone kicked the bucket). 3) you could sell it – a new LG Optimus G Pro retails for approximately $550 without a two-year wireless contract. Please note that the giveaway is open only to those in the US, sorry for the inconvenience!

eighty sixed

2013-05-07T22:45:00.003-07:00

If you follow any PNW bloggers you're probably tired of hearing about the mindblowingly awesome weather we've been having this week. But PEOPLE. This is kind of a big deal. I'm soaking it in as much as possible just in case it goes away and never comes back. 86 degrees in May? Where even am I right now?
The farmer's market nearby opened up today and we took a sunny, pleasant walk down to browse around and ended up grabbing some fresh asparagus and a delicious little bite of artichoke focaccia bread. I could ~~probably~~ definitely eat a whole loaf on my own. Our CSA share starts in June and I'm excited to supplement that with weekly trips to the farmers market. I have a rear rack on my bike that I'm gonna put a basket on so I can carry home all my fresh produce. Hopefully in a few months my garden will start producing food too! I had a bunch of strawberries that I had to move out of the way to install one of my raised beds, and I transplanted them to one of the raised beds and they are not happy. I hope they survive! They are totally wilty and sad looking. I'm crossing my fingers that they're just shell shocked from being dug up and replanted and will bounce back soon. This is my first year doing a veggie garden so I'm sure I'll learn a lot and probably kill a bunch of things. It's a learning experience. Eventually I want to build a few more bigger beds but maybe for this year I'll keep it just my three small beds. It's so magical to plant a seed and see a little sprout push its way out of the dirt a week later.

dress + shoes/courtesy of modcloth :: purse (similar)/courtesy of handbag heaven turquoise necklace/courtesy of peerless charm :: shades/vintage pink necklace/courtesy of lisa leonard :: belt/thrifted :: photos by Dan

Q + A // style on a budget

2013-05-06T14:32:00.003-07:00

Shopping on a budget has always been important to me, mainly because I'd much rather spend my money on other things. I can't justify spending $500 on a pair of shoes because I think about all the things I'd much rather have for $500 than one pair of shoes. A whole new steering column for my El Camino! Curtains for my entire living room! Gas for a big Winne trip! So I like to keep my clothing costs as minimal as possible in order to spend elsewhere. Hit the thrift shops With the exception of sponsored items, most of the clothes in my closet are from thrift stores. One of the reasons I started thrifting in high school was that I lived in a town where there weren't a lot of places to shop so it wasn't odd to see someone else at school wearing your same top which is like totes embarrassing in high school, amirite? So I started thrifting because I figured it would be easier to find unique items and I was a huge fan of wearing little boys' tee shirts, which were super easy to thrift. Once I started moving away from little boys' tees and jeans and began developing my style I found that thrift shopping was an easy way to try out new styles without breaking the bank. I could try out maxi skirts or sheer tops too see if I liked them, and I didn't have to feel bad if it turned out they weren't for me because I'd only spent a couple bucks. Plus I could always donate them right back to the thrift store! I still love thrifting because of the unique items that can be found. Plus, fashion is such a cyclical beast that some of the current trends are just recycled trends from decades ago, so you can sometimes find some pretty on-trend items that are actually just some old lady's donation!
Something to keep in mind when thrifting is to see things with their potential in mind. Maybe you found a skirt with a great print, but it's full length and kind of matronly. It's really easy to hem that skirt up to a more youthful length! Did you find a dress that is just a bit loose? It could be really simple to take it in just a bit to make it fit perfectly! And make sure to shop the whole store, not just your size, your gender, or even your age (I've found some awesome dresses in the little girls' section!).
Since you might not find everything you're looking for on one thrifting trip, keep a running list of certain items you're looking for. I have a list on my phone that I update and check every time I go thrifting. You might not find that lace top you've been coveting the first few times you go thrifting, but keep it on your list and keep looking each time! I do this with items I know I can find thrifting (though I might have to go a few times before finding it). If I know I can find something at the thrift store I won't go to a regular store to buy it, as a general rule.
Find some of my Tips for Thrifting here!
Buy with remixing in mind Whenever I buy something, I like to be able to envision myself wearing it multiple ways. That way I know I'll get my money's worth out of it. Think of this especially with some items that are a bit more pricey: what will your cost per wear be? If it's $70 and you wear it only twice, that item cost $35 per wear. But if you wear it 10 times, it only cost you $7 per wear! So save your pennies for an item that you know you'll wear multiple times. I love doing remix archives posts because I think it's really important to look at clothes with their remix potential in mind. Not only does this keep you creative, but it saves you money because instead of constantly shopping at stores, you shop your own closet, constantly re-imagining items you already own.

Shop at discount and outlet stores Places like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Ross almost always have really cute clothes that are new, current and pretty trendy. It will probably be easier to find something you like that's in your size because they'll have multiple sizes of the same item, rather than the thrift store where each item is unique and something might be awesome but not in your size.

Spend the big bucks on classics Things I know I'll wear lots of times are items that will have to be a bit higher quality so they're not threadbare by the end of the season. Winter coats are one of those items. I still try to save money by finding winter coats at the thrift store, but a good winter coat will last multiple winters, so I feel more comfortable spending a bit more on something like that, rather than a cute summer top that I may or may not want to wear next year. The coat below is one of the more expensive items I own, but it's so high quality and awesome that I'll be wearing it for years to come!

Browse Etsy and blogger closet shops Etsy can be a great resource for vintage clothing as well as independent clothing designers. While independent designer items will likely be a bit more expensive than most of the vintage on etsy, I love knowing that my money is going straight to an independent creative entrepreneur doing what they love. A couple of my favorite indie designers are The Velvet Bird and Vanilla and Lace. You can also find some cute clothes by browsing bloggers' shop-my-closet shops. I know that Tieka, Kaelah, and myself all keep online shops selling items from our closets that we no longer wear. There are tons more bloggers that do this, so if you're one of them you should share the link in the comments! I also know that bloggers sometimes do instagram sales, so keep you eyes peeled for those too!
Host a clothing swap with friends Swapping clothes can be a great way to not only get rid of items you no longer wear, but also pick up some new items as well! Plus, it's a fun way to get together with friends. Typically everyone brings a few items and everyone puts them on a table or hangs them on a rolling rack and then you go through and pick out the items you want out of the items that everyone else brought. For this to work, you should typically have people bring some cuter items (like, not old ratty t-shirts). Have people bring stuff that is still cute but no longer fits them or they simply no longer wear. At the end of the night you can either have people take back the items that no one picked up, or you can just donate everything to a thrift store! If you're doing a huge clothing swap it can be helpful to have a rule that everyone can only bring 2-3 items and can only take 2-3 items. A few years ago I started the Delightful Dozen, a group of bloggers who swapped clothing across the country. It was really fun to swap clothes and see how other girls styled my items, because when they made their way back to my closet I'd have a ton of new ideas on how to style them!

remix archives // neon cardi

2013-05-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is another piece that has been in my closet for quite a few years. It's just a simple little cardigan from Gap, but I love the bright punch of color it adds to an outfit. Here in the PNW cardigans are that perfect layer for cool summer evenings, especially if you plan on biking. It can get a bit chilly! And while it's a very spring/summer friendly color, I find that I wear it in any season. Sometimes a bright color in the middle of a grey winter is just what you need.
Do you guys have items in your closet that go through phases? There are periods of time where I just wear one item non stop then for months, maybe years, I don't wear it at all. And then I'll randomly pull it out and love wearing it again and then it's back on the main rotation. This is why I have a hard time getting rid of things. I look at something and while I know I don't wear it often, or haven worn it in a while, but maybe it just hasn't come around again! I can't get rid of it, what if I want to wear it again someday? I try to overcome this in order to keep my closet from getting full of things I actually do know I probably won't wear again due to my style shifting and changing, but still there are some items I just can't bear to part with.

black tea cake with lemon buttercream frosting + blackberry lime jam

2013-05-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

You know how sometimes you get an idea in your head and regardless of how silly it is, you just gotta do it? I got the idea in my head the other day to bake a cake, and so even though I don't need a cake for any reason, I decided to bake one. Sometimes baking is just so therapeutic. You make a total mess, get to taste-test sugary goodness, watch silly tv shows as you bake, and at the end you have a (hopefully) yummy result. Plus, I make such a huge mess when I bake that I have to clean the kitchen afterward, which means I get cake and a clean kitchen. Of course, now I have a cake in my fridge and no one to eat it. Our neighbors brought over cookies for us when we were siding the house, and last week they brought Dan some barbecued chicken legs while he was working on the house. So I'm thinking I should take a couple generous slices of cake over to see if they'd like some.

The cake and blackberry lime jam recipes can be found here. I didn't have any black tea on hand, so I used some Republic of Tea Ginger Peach Green Tea instead. I'd love to try this with some Earl Grey black tea, though. I didn't have the frosting ingredients for the Honey Whipped Cream used at the original cake recipe, so I decided on a simple buttercream frosting, but with a zesty lemon kick. I figured the lemon would pair well with the blackberry lime jam. Ugh, it's SO good. Frosting is usually too rich for me, so the citrus lightens it up enough for me to really enjoy it fully. And fully is an understatement. And speaking of frosting... let's just say that this is the "rustic" method of frosting a cake. That's just fancy-speak for "messy."
Lemon Buttercream Frosting: 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter softened 1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp lemon zest 1/4 cup of milk 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice

1. Mix together the butter, lemon zest and vanilla, mixing until smooth and free from lumps.
2. Alternate adding the confectioners sugar by the 1/2 cup and the milk as you continue mixing.
3. Once all the sugar and milk has been added, cream for two minutes and then add the lemon juice.

coffeeshop days

2013-05-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Since having a working bike again I've been enjoying getting out to coffee shops to work instead of staying at home. We live far enough away from our favorite shops that walking would take too long and driving just seems excessive. Plus, with all the nice weather lately taking a ride through the breeze with the sun on my skin feels so great. It's supposed to be in the 80's this weekend and I'm dreaming about basking in the sun in a bikini with a cool drink in hand. Last year we had a weekend of 80 degree weather in May, but I had flown up to Anchorage to attend my little brother's high school graduation, so I missed it! We didn't have nice weather in Tacoma again until July. People always say summers in the PNW are unbeatable, and I'm inclined to agree.

dress/courtesy of nectar :: shoes (similar)/courtesy of modcloth :: belt/thrifted bag (similar)/courtesy of handbag heaven headband/just lovely things :: jacket (similar)/lulu's
These shoes are my absolute favorite summer shoes. I got them back in 2010 and wear them to death every summer. They started getting a bit frayed last summer so when I pulled them out yesterday I had to superglue them back together. Hopefully with a bit of repair they'll last through this summer! I love wedges for summer because they're easy to wear while pedaling a bike. I even decided to paint my toenails to match the shoes. I don't paint my fingernails anymore because they get ruined in a matter of days or hours due to rock climbing. Plus, I have to keep them short to climb, so they look like little boy fingernails anyway, not really worthy of taking the time to paint. Maybe someday if we stop climbing I'll grow them out and have pretty nails again, but for now my third-grade-boy-nails prevail.
Oh, and before I forget, I'm participating in Vanity Fair's Best Dressed Challenge, so if you feel inclined to check it out and vote (or participate as well!), click here!

pnw blogger meet up!

2013-05-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I went up to Seattle to attend the PNW Blogger meetup. I initially missed the ticket sale, but thankfully got on the waitlist and was able to buy a ticket from a girl who couldn't attend. Honestly blogger events and meetups are usually pretty awkward for me. Unless there are activities planned it's typically just me standing in the corner near the food. I think most bloggers feel at least a little awkward at IRL blogger events. I mean, we all blog... which means we carefully craft what we want to say behind the scenes before posting, edit our photos and usually choose only the best/most flattering images, and rarely have to speak to other people in real time. It's not really surprising that we're an awkward bunch to shove in a room together and say, "go socialize!" Uh... do what? I know that my typical reaction in those situations is to find someone who I'm familiar with, converse with regularly online, or have met up with before and immediately glom on to them. Not only is it nice to catch up with someone you know online, but at least you can actually have a conversation that goes a bit deeper than the, "So what's your blog? Do you live in Seattle? What do you blog about?" conversation that is a necessity at blogger meet ups.
Honestly, I need to get better at small talk because I find it quite emotionally draining, as an introvert, to meet so many new people and make conversation with someone you only just met. I should probably go in with a game plan like, "Meet 5 new people and have a 3-5 min conversation with each person," because otherwise I see a sea of people I'm *supposed* to go meet and immediately get overwhelmed. Cue hiding in the corner behind a stiff drink. I know that my introversion isn't an excuse for hiding in the corner, it simply explains why such events are so draining. It's been so long since I've gone to an event like this that I kind of forgot how hard they are for me. Next time I'm going with a game plan to avoid being lame!
The meet up was at a pretty cool place up in Seattle called Von Trapp's. They had indoor bocce ball, lots of brats and sausages (interestingly there was a lot of sausage at an all-women event), delicious and pricey cocktails (holy $11 batman!), and it was a huge restaurant! We got to hang out in a neat loft space overlooking the bocce. There were tons of prizes that were given away and I won a confection cookbook! I'm looking forward to trying my hand at making some truffles, chocolates, and other delights. Candy making is one thing I've never even thought about trying to do, but it looks like so much fun.

For about a year I've been wanting to organize a PNW blogger social. I'd love it to be here in Tacoma, not only for ease of planning it, as a Tacoma resident myself, but because it's in between Portland and Seattle and I'm a big fan of Tacoma and want to share its awesomeness with the world. Having attended a few blogger events, I've found that the ones I enjoy most are the ones where there are activities or mini events within the large event. So, say, there's a table where you can make a certain craft, or there's a station where a glasses sponsor has brought a bunch of frames to try on, there's a photobooth with silly props. Activities like those are great ways to break the ice, and they give introverts something to do other than hide in the corner drowning their introversion in wine. If there was a craft table at a blogger meet up I would probably be there the entire time, because not only does it give me something to do with my hands and feel engaged in the event, but it's also a perfect icebreaker to talk to new people. "Oh man, I'm terrible with glue guns!" "Ugh, I know! I burn my finger almost every time I use one." It's a nothing conversation, but it opens the door in a more natural way than *walk up* "uh... hi, I'm so-and-so... what's your name?" Which might be a perfectly natural thing for some people, but sounds so uncomfortable to me.
What kind of blogger meet up would you like to go to? Or, if you've been to a blogger meet up what did/didn't you like about it?

investing locally

2013-04-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

I feel like a newb here in Tacoma, though I've lived here for about two and a half years. Despite still feeling like I'm getting my footing in my new city, I find myself fiercely defending it and the people who make it great. I felt the same way about Spokane when I lived there. So many college folks transplanted from the Seattle area would complain about how lame Spokane was. I still love Spokane and love hearing about the great things that people are doing to invest in the community and make Spokane a better place. When people have a negative attitude about the place they live it never does anything except create a feedback loop of disappointment and dismissal. Disappointment that the town isn't better, and then dismissal at any assertion that you should invest in the town because you don't want to invest in a "lame" place. It's like cultural brain drain. People with the means to make a real change want to leave and go to somewhere better and cooler, rather than investing in the community where they already live. I saw it happen in Anchorage, with kids graduating from high school and wanting to "get outside" (aka: go to the lower 48).
dress (similar) + top/courtesy of modcloth :: shoes/minnetonka :: jacket/lulu's bag/courtesy of rouge & whimsy :: necklace/courtesy of adorn by sarah lewis Not that it's always bad to leave a place. It can be necessary to get out to gain a new perspective, and sometimes you really do need to leave to live the life you want to live. But it's disappointing to me when people leave a place because of a cultural anorexia without ever doing anything to feed that local culture. Tacoma, Spokane, Anchorage... they won't ever be New York City or even Seattle or Portland. They have their own history and culture to offer. Comparison is the thief of joy, they say, and while this is good advice for individual people, it's also sound advice for our local communities. Tacoma isn't Seattle and we shouldn't try to be more like Seattle, we should try to be a better Tacoma. The best Tacoma. Instead of pining to be more like Portland, which is a great city in and of itself, we should shift our gaze to our own communities to see how we can invest here and now. It can be hard and overwhelming, which it why I imagine so few people feel up for the task. I myself feel ill equipped having lived here for only a couple years. I feel like I lack the history and knowledge of this place that more long-term residents have. But I realized that someday, assuming we stick around, I will be a long term resident and I'd better start investing in this place now if I want it to be better by the time I've lived here for a while.

new york sour

2013-04-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Spring this year has been awesome. Last year at this time I was so over the dreary, wet weather and constantly dreaming about moving somewhere less yucky. This year? 70 degrees in April? Yes please and thank you. The sunny weather has made me excited about concocting fun beverages, because what's better than basking in the sun with an ice cold cocktail? Dan made me one of these the other day and I loved how pretty the wine looked floating on top so I decided to share the recipe. A New York Sour is a pretty standard cocktail, so this isn't anything too crazy or special, just a nice, solid cocktail that looks super fancy. The best part is that it's a rather simple and easy cocktail to make, so you won't have to be at the bar doing a bunch of crazy mixologist stuff while your friends enjoy their cocktails.

New York Sour

2 oz bourbon
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
1/2 oz red wine

In a cocktail shaker 3/4 full of ice, add bourbon, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake until frosty. You can either strain into a chilled cocktail glass or a collins or rocks glass with ice. Over a spoon, pour the wine onto the top of the drink. This will keep the wine floating on top of the drink and give it that cool gradation, pretty fancy! You'll probably want to mix the wine in before you drink it, just to mix the flavors, but it's fun to serve it with the wine floating on top. You can garnish with a cherry and/or lemon/orange slice if you like! I thought the wine float was fancy enough so I went sans-garnish. And since I always get asked where the spiral paper straws are from, you can find them on Amazon in tons of different colors.

photos of me by Dan

remix archives // floral shirtdress

2013-04-27T12:28:00.004-07:00

In the grand scheme of (blog) things, this is a pretty old piece in my closet. Back when I first started my blog in 2008 and I was in the process of trying to figure out my style, shopping became a new experience. I remember pretty distinctly going shopping one time and purchasing an outfit. Like, a complete look. Dress, top, shoes, maybe even tights, I can't recall. This dress wasn't one of those items, but it was right during that time when I started to see shopping differently. Instead of just buying a single item like, "oh that t-shirt is cool," I started thinking about how an item would function with the rest of my wardrobe. What would I style it with? Could it be worn in different ways? I bought this dress from Ruche in '08, and it's still in my closet! I find that I usually tend to wear it more in the autumn and winter months. Something about the print is so autumnal to me, though Dan pointed out last time I wore it that it kind of looks like a Hawaiian print too. It's a bit tight around my hips, so I wear it most frequently as top paired with a skirt. I might try styling it as a dress again, though, because I kinda like that outfit where it's worn as a dress! It's funny how going back through my old outfits can inspire me to try styling something in a way I haven't in years.

shoemint giveaway!

2013-04-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hi there guys! Today I've got a giveaway for you from ShoeMint! If you're not familiar with ShoeMint, it's pretty cool. Rachel Bilson and stylist Nicole Chavez collaborated to create some fabulous shoe designs and then partnered up with Steve Madden to produce them! They add tons of new styles on a monthly basis, which is dangerous for a shoe fanatic. I've been watching Hart of Dixie lately and it's funny to see how Rachel Bilson's New York City girl character totally reflects the style of the shoes she and Nicole designed. I keep wondering if I'm going to spy a pair of ShoeMint shoes in the show! Anyway, on to the giveaway deets:

One winner will win 1 pair of shoes of their choice. To enter, just go to Shoemint and sign up (completely free, no obligation to buy), browse around and then come back here and leave a comment on this post letting me know what your favorite pair of shoes is (and make sure to leave a way for me to get ahold of you as well)! The giveaway is only open to those in the US and Canada and will be open for entries until 11:59 pm on Sunday, April 28th.

Not the winner,? You can still get a deal on your favorite pair of shoes! If it's your first time purchasing from ShoeMint, you can receive 20% off your first purchase, just click here! And if you're not happy with your purchase, don't worry, ShoeMint offers free shipping and returns.

daffodil yellow

2013-04-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Oh baby. We hit 70 degrees yesterday! And today it's supposed to be 72! Tights-free, at last. I finally got my new bike all fixed up and I'm so excited to start riding. It's the perfect shade of daffodil yellow. It's a lot heavier than my simple fixie, but it's kind of nice having a step-though frame, especially when riding in skirts and dresses. No more finagling my leg over that top tube. I'm glad the weather is warming up so I can break out my crop tops. I had a mid-winter obsession with crop-tops, which was rather untimely, climate-wise. Thankfully I'm still loving them and it's now an appropriate time of year to actually start wearing them.

skirt/free people :: top/american eagle :: cardigan/thrifted :: flower crown/diy shoes/minnetonka :: necklace/courtesy of adorn by sarah lewis

chipotle whiskey sour

2013-04-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Dan really enjoys smokey drinks, like mezcal and peaty scotches, so we were trying to devise a way to infuse smokiness into a drink without having to go out and get an expensive liquor. Since I've been having fun infusing simple syrups we figured that'd be a good way to go about it. So we made a chipotle pepper infused simple syrup! After making it we were trying to think of what would go well with the smoky flavor of the chipotle, and whisky was an obvious choice. I love the combination of the chipotle's smoky spiciness paired with the zesty citrus of the lemon in this drink. And by now you probably know that I love drinks with egg white, so I made this one with egg white, but it's totally optional if it grosses you out. I just think it adds such a great texture and gravitas to a drink. A little extra "umph." This is such a great summer drink. The last couple days have been so nice here in Tacoma, and sipping on this drink while soaking up some vitamin D was a great way to spend a few quite moments of the afternoon.

Chipotle Simple Syrup: 1/2 cup water 1 cup sugar 3-4 Chipotle Peppers (I used chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
In a saucepan, bring water to a boil and add sugar. Simmer until sugar has completely dissolved. Add chipotle peppers. I washed the adobo sauce off of my peppers, but if you wanted to add some of that flavor, feel free to keep the sauce! Remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes to let the pepper flavor infuse. Strain out the peppers through a fine mesh or cheesecloth and place in a container in the fridge. It should keep for a pretty long time

Chipotle Whiskey Sour: 2 oz whiskey 1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 oz chipotle simple syrup 1 egg white (optional)
Fill a cocktail shaker 3/4 full of ice and add all ingredients. Shake until the shaker is frosty and strain into a glass. Garnish with a cherry and a little pepper!

garden sphere

2013-04-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

I didn't plan on going to Garden Sphere on Earth Day, but how appropriate! Dan built a vermicompost bucket and we needed to go get wormies for it. I'm pretty excited to finally have a composting bin, especially as we now have our raised beds built and I'm almost ready to transplant our veggies. Yes, I have paint in my hair and all over my arm in these photos. We're *this* close to having the exterior of the house done! I spent most of the day in dirty jeans and a paint stained sweatshirt, but threw on this flowy dress to go get worms. Because it's important to look nice to buy a bucket of worms. Dan found some Hop plants at Garden Sphere, so we might start growing our own hops to brew with!

dress/courtesy of mata traders :: hat/courtesy of yiskah knits :: shoes/minnetonka necklace/courtesy of moorea seal :: bag/courtesy of handbag heaven photos of me by Dan

goodbye little friend

2013-04-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Dan and I went to visit a litter of new five week old Corgi puppies and spent two hours playing with four baby pups and five or six grown Corgis. It was so wonderful. As we drove home I was remembering when my family got Little Bit. She was one of the puppies from my horse barn's Jack Russel's first litter. She was born during a horse show in one of the stalls. I remember peeking into the stall between classes. They named her Little Bit because she was all white with only one little brown spot on her face. We took Little Bit home to, "just try it out." She never left. A couple years later the barn's Jack had another litter and we got Pansy, Little Bit's younger sister. We lost Pansy a few years ago after she got Glaucoma. On Saturday my parents made the decision to put down Little Bit. It was strange to have just returned from playing with brand new puppies, and been remembering Little Bit in her young years, to find out that she was gone. She was one of the best dogs I'll probably ever know. Athletic, brilliant, happy. She came with me on my trip around the country and got to run around the edge of the Grand Canyon, boat with me on Lake Mead, run along the Atlantic on Tybee Island's beaches. Little Bit. Bitsy Doodle. Doodle Dog. Little Doodle. LB. She loved playing with her blue ball. We couldn't say "ball" without her ears perking up and getting excited, so we started referring to them as blue "spheres". You could throw that ball endlessly. If you didn't stop, she'd probably have run herself to death. Her ears never did fold the right way. When you threw the ball into fresh, deep snow, she's chase after it bounding through the deep snow like a gazelle, burying her nose into the snow, snorting away the snow until she found it and ran back to you with a faceful of snow, but triumphant. She loved being involved and would insist on riding in the front seat, regardless of what mode of transportation. Snowmachine? Perched in front, paws on the handles. JetSki? Same. Car? Driver's side shoved between my dad and the side window. That window was covered with wet nose marks. She even wanted to be in the front seat when we flew, but we forced her to sit on the copilot's lap. Canadian Geese used to come every year and poop all over our yard and if we said, "Geese!" LB would run down, barking, and shoo them away.

It's amazing to me how much companionship a little dog can provide. They come to you when you are crying and nuzzle their way into your arms. They have a constant smile on their faces. They love you so much they can't help but come up and lick your face. I love that there are programs that bring dogs to hospitals to soothe patients, because I can't think of anything more healing than petting a happy dog. I am sad that Bitsy is gone, but glad that she is no longer suffering. And though it is sad to see a companion pass away, I do hope that Dan and I get to bring home a dogfriend someday soon.

I did a post a couple years ago about the adventures of Little Bit with more pictures (some of the same) of her adventurous little white self, if you want to see more of her.

bella pop photography course giveaway

2013-04-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hello fine people of the internet! Today I've got a fun giveaway for you today from Bella Pop! Bella Pop was started by Brandy, a wedding photographer turned photography teacher, who shares her expertise through Bella Pop. Bella Pop features tons of photography tips and tutorials, from how to find good light, to how to clean your DSLR, as well as photography courses for beginners, novices, and beyond! Today we're here to giveaway one of Bella Pop's awesome photography courses to one lucky winner! The winner gets to pick their choice of course, either the Hello Photo! 2 week crash course or the Snap Happy! one on one lessons. If you're wanting to get better at photography or get feedback on your photos, this would be a great giveaway to enter! Bella Pop also has lots of other fun courses you can purchase, as well as tons of free helpful content, so go check them out!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FEATURED SPONSOR // skyline nail art diy from of corgis and cocktails

2013-04-20T18:29:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I hope you're having a lovely Saturday! Today I'm here to share with you my featured sponsor this month, the amazing Katherine who runs Of Corgis and Cocktails. Corgis and Cocktails? Two of my favorite things! Seriously though, I'm super jealous of Katherine's adorable Corgi, Teemo. Katherine is clearly a girl after my own heart, not only does she love Corgi's and Cocktails, she also loves remixing and is a big believer that style is about expressing your creative self in a visual way on the daily through clothing. Booyah. She's also great with DIY projects and the like, so she's here today to bring you guys something fun that you can do yourself... a fun nail art DIY! My nails are tiny little things that don't get to grow out to a length that's worthy of painting due to rock climbing, so I don't get to do fun nail art, but I always see fun nail art on Pinterest that makes me wish I could! I hope you guys enjoy Katherine's nail art DIY! Katherine? Take it away!

Well hello readers of Delightfully Tacky! My name is Katherine, and I am the girl behind Of Corgis & Cocktails, a fun blog about a lot of things. You'll find me traveling the east coast in cute dresses, photographing my two adorable pups, and crafting yummy recipes over there. This post focuses on something I really love to do - nail art. Growing up, I began drawing on my nails and other neighborhood girls - everything from little fishes to bears. Thirteen years after, I'm still drawing scenes and graphics on them. I wanted to share something that didn't necessarily require a steady hand and a toothpick, so I decided this skyline at dusk idea would be the perfect starter.

You'll need to gather a few things : a pale blue nail polish(Essie in boxer shorts), a royal blue nail polish (Essie in in the cab-ana), a pure black nail polish, a clear top coat, scissors, masking or painter's tape, and a foam sponge of some sort. I use foam brushes from the craft store I pick up with coupons whenever I can. Optionally, you can use a pale cream or yellow to add on lights to the buildings at the end.

You only need a bit of your sponge - so cut off just enough to cover your largest nail (presumably the thumb).

1 - Paint your nail with the pale blue nail polish. Use two coats. Allow to dry. I often paint this shade a day before.

2 - Paint the sponge 1/3rd of the way with the pale blue nail polish. Paint the rest with the royal blue.

3 - With the pale blue part of the sponge at the top of your nail, lightly press down the sponge on the nail for the ombre effect. The first nail press very lightly, but by the end, you will use more pressure. I generally only refill my sponge with paint once. Allow to dry.

4 - Take a stretch of tape and begin cutting small blocks and building shapes into it. I simply made them up as I went along. Then, cut your tape to fit each nail.

5 - Place a piece of tape onto each nail. If using masking tape, you may want to press the tape against your skin or a piece of fabric first to help it not stick to the nail. Press the tape firmly onto each nail so there are no gaps. Paint over the nail - as sloppy as you want! You can always clean up your nails with nail polish remover and a q-tip afterwards! Or, usually the extra nail polish comes off in the shower the next morning if you are feeling a bit lazy ;)

6 - Once the black is dry, use a paint pen or toothpick dipped in yellow / cream nail polish to add small windows to your skyline. This is totally optional. Paint with a clear coat and allow to dry.

This was a huge hit with my friends and perfect for sipping local beers while overlooking my hometown's lovely skyline. That's a lot of steps, I know, but I promise the techniques are easy! If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed, try just doing the ombre effect by following steps 1-3 or simply the skyline effect by following steps 1 then 4-7. If you are interested in more nail art tutorials from my blog - you can click here to see them!

Q + A // what's your post processing routine?

2013-04-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

I don't do a ton of post processing on my photos. I like my photos to have a pretty natural look. In the past I've tended towards more vintage-y feeling processing, but these days I like to make my photos look as natural as possible. As far as software goes, I currently use Photoshop CS5 along with some Totally Rad actions* for most of my post processing, but I just got Lightroom and I want to start playing around with VSCO presets and figure out that crazy animal. I've been using Photoshop pretty exclusively for about a decade, with some Illustrator and InDesign thrown in there for various jobs and projects, but I've never used Lightroom, so I'm excited to dive in. I hear it's amazing so I'm looking forward to seeing how it works. Images on the blog are taken with a Canon 6D with a 50mm f/1.4 lens, and images taken before March 2013 were taken with a Canon T2i with the same lens.

I begin by transferring my photos from the camera to the computer and then proceed to cull out all the ones that I know I won't be using- blurry shots, out of focus shots, shots where I have a stupid look on my face, etc. Once I've cut out all the ones I know I won't be using, I go back through and look for the ones that really stand out and I start dragging those into photoshop. I like to limit my outfit photos to about 5-7 photos per post, simply because I don't feel like you guys need 15 photos of me in the same outfit. 5-7 gives me enough photos to show different poses, do detail shots, and get some variety in there. For food posts I usually do 4-6.

As far as what I actually do to photos in photoshop, I like to keep it as minimal as possible. I want my photos to look like they came straight out of the camera, and on a good day I only have to resize my photos and save them and I'm good to go! But usually I have to do some tweaking to get my photos to where I'd like them to be. Sometimes this means doing some color correction. I shoot with auto white balance, and usually the camera is good at figuring out what white balance to use, but occasionally it's a bit off, so I'll correct for that. I usually like to kick up the contrast and brightness a bit. I like to use Totally Rad's Punch Out and/or Clarify actions for my photos if they need a bit of a boost, and I usually dial them back a lot. The nice thing about actions is that you can go in and edit how strongly each element acts, so I usually play around and get it looking just right. Sometimes I give my photos a bit of a touch of a matte look, because, you know... it's like "in" these days. Haha. No I like how it looks, but not always. It depends on the photo set and how I want it to look.

I personally find too much post processing to be a bit distracting. I prefer clean, crisp photos that don't look like they've been ran through 5 instagram filters. When it comes to post processing, my philosophy is to try and get it as right as possible straight out of the camera, and then if I need to make a couple tweaks to color or contrast to make the photo look its best, then I'll do it. The less time I have to edit my photos in post, the more time I have to write and come up with other fun stuff to share on the blog.

Do I think post processing is necessary to create beautiful images? No. But it can definitely help, especially if you're a beginner and still figuring out how to make all the settings on your camera work (which can be daunting). You can fix exposure errors, white balance errors, and even photoshop out trash cans in the background if you want! Ultimately a photographer's goal should be to do as much in camera as possible to create the perfect image, but the beauty of digital is that we do have the option of editing in photoshop.

*an "action" is basically a set of filters you apply to a photo. So when you apply a specific action, it takes adds a set of filters and/or edits to your photo automatically, and you can then go in and edit how much of those filters you want to show. So the Clarify action I use frequently ups the brightness and contrast a certain amount, which I can then adjust manually to suit the photo. For more info on actions, click here.

Want more photography help? Check out these photography related posts: My Cameras (I've since acquired a Canon 6D which I'm hoping to review after using it a bit more), Should I invest in a great camera body, or great lenses?, and Tips for taking your own outfit photos.