Delightfully Tacky

The Tacoma Social

2012-01-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

Last night I went out to the Tacoma Social and met up with Mandy, who is one of my favorites. I'm still pretty new to Tacoma, so I'm making (feeble) attempts at getting out into the community more. One of the coffee shops I go to has started doing open mic nights, so I might try to start doing open mic again. Regardless, I like the idea of the whole Tacoma Social thing. It's put on by this new organization/website that's devoted to sharing the beautiful people and places that Tacoma has to offer, which reminds me a lot of the magazine I started back at college trying to do the same thing for Spokane. Unfortunately my magazine only lasted a few months until I graduated college and then moved away from Spokane, but I still like Spokane's culture and feel like Tacoma has a lot of the same living-in-Seattle's-vast-cultural-shadow to overcome when it comes to our little city. But I love the culture here and I loved the culture in Spokane as well. It isn't as easy to find, but when you do, it's a rich wealth of creative people making the city their own.

top(dress)/free people :: skirt+hat+scarf/thrifted :: cardigan/gap

shoes+jacket/courtesy of modcloth :: tights/target :: bag/ona :: photos by Dan

My Favorite Corner

2012-01-27T16:00:00.000-08:00

Now that I have a proper stand for our record player, this is one of my favorite corners of our house. When I spied that odd little metal industrial table at Value Village I was so excited. It fits our record player perfectly and it was only 8 bucks, as opposed to the ones I found in stores for $50 or more. Our little house is coming together slowly but surely.

BBQ Pulled Pork Quesadilla

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

I love quesadillas. They're so easy to make and they are super delicious. I like to make a batch of either shredded chicken or bbq pulled pork every week because they last the whole week and are really easy to throw into a ton of different recipes. We had some bbq pulled pork that needed to be finished off so I decided to make a quesadilla out of it and it was the best idea ever.

I threw in some shredded cheddar, bbq pulled pork, bbq sauce (can you really ever have too much?), avocado, and onion. A few minutes grilling it up on the stove and bam! A most delicious quesadilla which promptly disappeared into my very happy stomach.

The Long and Short of it

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

Yup! I cut my hair off! I've considered cutting it for a couple years, but I ended up going ginger and then rainbow instead of changing the length, but it was time for a chop! I figured my hair would be happy being rid of the over-processed portions. Even though my hair is beastly enough to withstand a lot of processing, it was feeling kind of sad, and I could tell that my curls weren't as happy as they used to be. They're happy now, though!! I cut off almost all of the hair that had been bleached & dyed, so now I can grow out au natural hair! I haven't had my hair this short since elementary school. For reals.

It took me a long time to figure out how to deal with my curly hair. I still don't think I've figured it completely out, but at least now I like to work with it instead of against it like I tried to in jr. high and early high school (oh, the poofy hair woes). I still feel like I'm kind of winging it in some respects and I'd like to try to do more research on how to really take good care of my curly hair. It seems like most resources out there are for people with hair that is straight or thin, trying to make it more voluminous, but I've come across some books and websites that have stoked my fire for learning more about keeping my hair healthy. I also want to start investing in products specifically designed for curls, like the Ouidad and DevaCurl lines. I just conditioned my hair with Ouidad's 12-minute deep conditioner and it feels pretty awesome!

jacket + tights/target :: dress + cardigan/courtesy of modcloth

scarf/thrifted :: boots/courtesy of blowfish

I think of of my biggest inspirations to go short was spending time looking at Christina's awesome, sassy, big, curly hair. My hair isn't quite as big as hers, but it's close enough that I figured I'd give it a go. It'll be interesting to play around with proportions now that I don't have massive hair... well, at least not massive length-wise. Also, it's weird seeing my shoulders.

A Guide to Mixing Prints

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

Over the years I think I've gotten about as many comments about my print mixing as I have about my hair, so I'm not sure why it's taken so long to come up with the idea to share some of my print mixing tips. This certainly isn't a comprehensive list of ways to mix print effectively, but hopefully it'll those of you intimidated to mix prints to just go out and do it!

Keeping the prints in the same family of color keeps them from competing against one another. While the fabrics will have different prints on them, the color family gives them a continuity that draws the prints together.

Put a floral on a floral, stripes on stripes or dots on dots. The difference between prints that are similar, but aren't the same, will create interest and can be pretty fun! If you're afraid of this being too wacky, try applying some other print-mixing tips like keeping the two similar prints in the same color story.

I have a few floral pieces in my wardrobe that seem to mix well with a ton of other prints (you'll note that the dress I used in this example shows up in this post a ton of times...). They usually aren't super bold florals, and tend to be more understated, but the print gives them enough texture to be more interesting as a pairing option than just a plain colored item. I have a feeling I'll end up mixing prints with this dress a lot too!

I think plaid tends to freak people out a lot, especially when it comes to mixing plaid with other prints or (gasp!) other plaids! Plaids are pretty easy to mix with understated prints, but you can also mix plaids with eachother, with florals, with stripes, with stripes and more stripes, and with some crazy other prints. I'm kind of just a fan of plaid, so it tends to work it's way into being mixed with everything in my closet. It's a pretty bold textile, though, which makes it intimidating to mix, but give it a go!

A pretty easy way to mix prints is to keep them in the same color. Marigold prints with marigold prints, navy prints with navy prints, etc. The color immediately connects the prints and creates continuity. This outfit does this with mint green, and also incorporates the next tip...

Sometimes something simple like a scarf can create some drama in an outfit. Plus, since most scarves have a print, it's an easy and inexpensive way to experiment with mixing prints. You can go for something bold like the scarf in the example, or pair a scarf of the same color as your outfit, or something understated.

I think stripes and florals just like hanging out. It might be some sort of conspiracy between the two, but they always seem to go well together. I don't know if it's the juxtaposition of the straight lines of the stripes against the organic lines of the florals, but I just love how they look against one another!

When you pair a really bold graphic print with one that is more understated, like a light floral or watercolor type print, the print that is more intense will draw the attention, leaving the less dominant print to act as more of a neutral background. Plus, paring a graphic print with a dissimilar print like a floral creates an interesting contrast!

Let be real, it's silly to be scared of mixing prints. They're just patterns on fabric, they can't hurt you! And so what if you're wearing a crazy outfit? It's fun! Sometimes it's just one of those days where looking like a fabric store threw up on you is just the ticket. Have fun!

Break Up

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

Well, the past week Tacoma smashed 6 months of Alaskan weather into 6 days and now we're experiencing the season whose name seems unique to Alaska: Break-Up. I used this term last week and I was met with bewildered stares and queries about the state of relationships. "Break-Up" is the time of year which comes around April in Alaska where the months and months of snow piles that have built up come face to face with temperatures which are finally warm enough to reduce them to disgusting, brown wads of slushy mush everywhere. This happens for at least a month, but here in Tacoma, it's only likely to last a few days. Most of our brown, slushy snow is already streaming down the roads in tiny brown rivers.

dress/moon collection :: cardigan+ socks/forever 21 :: scarf/thrifted :: umbrella/lands' end tights + coat/target :: bag/ona :: boots/courtesy of blowfish :: photos by Dan

Unfortunately it's set to rain for the next week, so I suppose I'll be stuck inside for most of that time, as it's quite annoying to try taking photos out in the rain, especially with a tripod. But I do have some crafts I've been wanting to make for a while, so it'll force me to do them! Plus, I have another letter to write for my 52 letter challenge, which is an indoor activity as well. All this nasty weather has got me pining for warm summer days. Thankfully we're on the upswing and the sun is staying out a smidge longer every day, which is making it a bit easier to manage some outfit photos before I look outside and realize the sun has disappeared!

A Delightful Giveaway

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

Hi guys, if you're thinking about trying to get a little exposure for your blog, brand, or shop, consider advertising here at Delightfully Tacky! If you're interested and would like to find out more about pricing, options, and statistics check out my sponsorship page. It's such a pleasure to be able to work with and support independent businesses, blogs and shops that I love!

Since February is a love filled month (what with Valentine's day and all) I thought I'd share the love by offering a giveaway of 1 month of large ad space to one lucky winner! To enter, just leave a comment on this post with a link to the blog/shop/etc that you'd like to advertise so I can go visit! If you're drawn as the winner but don't have the ability to create an ad, don't worry! I can help you create your ad, so don't let that stop you from entering! The giveaway will be open for entries until Saturday, Jan. 28th at 9pm PST. One entry per person.

And on the subject of giveaways, the winner of the ShoeMint giveaway is... Danica! Congrats! And if you didn't win, but still want a deal on your first pair of ShoeMint shoes, use the code DELIGHT for 20% off! Expires 1/31/12.

The Joys of Thrifting

2012-01-22T12:57:00.000-08:00

The snow finally melted enough for the roads to be decent so I decided to go on a thrifting adventure, and it was a great success! One of my favorite finds was this awesome Madeline-esque hat! It's for sure one of my absolute favorite hats now. I also got a stand for our record player! It's just been sitting on a cardboard box for the last few months and I was looking online at Urban Outfitters lusting after their cute record player stands when I thought I'd try checking the thrift stores before paying the big bucks for one from UO. Lo and behold I found the perfect one at Value Village for only $7.99! It's this old metal table thing with little wings on the side that can fold up and make it bigger. With them folded down, though, it's the exact same width as our record player, and it has space underneath for our records too! Bam! Thrifting wins again.

top(dress)/ruche :: cardigan + shoes/courtesy of modcloth :: hat/thrifted

vintage skirt/gift :: tights+coat+belt/target

Snail Mail

2012-01-21T12:00:00.000-08:00

I decided I want to try to write more letters this year, and also to challenge myself to not just scrawl a note on a piece of notebook paper and shove it in an envelope, but to make it a creative challenge as well! Getting real letters in the mail is fun, but I think it's more fun to pull something pretty out of the envelope. In college I got an invite to a tea party that was collaged and crafted with such love and I still hang it on my wall because I like it so much. Plus, it has a little pocket where the actual invite once was and I now use it to keep new treasures!

I'd like to make this a weekly tradition, writing 52 pretty letters this year, but who knows if I can keep it up! I'd like to try though. It's such a nice little way to slow down and bring a bit of creativity into my life.

Avocado Bacon Melt

2012-01-20T17:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks again to pinterest, avocados are once again a must-have in my kitchen. Well, they're always a must-have, but I try not to splurge all the time on avocados... it's hard not to though. They're pretty much one of my all time favorite foods. I'd been seeing a ton of avocado toast/sandwich/melt pictures on pinterest and it was only a matter of time before it came to this: Bacon Avocado Grilled Cheese. Yeah. I know.

When I was a kid I hated grilled cheese. It made me gag, literally. I hated melted cheese on any kind of sandwich. I think I was probably just not a cheese fan in general. I avoided them for ... okay until I was an adult. And then I had this one grilled cheese at a coffee shop in Spokane and it changed my life. I'm pretty sure it was a Muenster, Provolone and Feta grilled cheese and it blew my mind. Now I love making grilled cheese, especially if I can melt two or three tasty cheeses together. And what can go better with three tasty cheeses than bacon and avocado? For this one I used cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan. Yum!

Six Style Staples

2012-01-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

I've been going through my closet trying to give it a little bit of breathing room, and have been thinking about what kind of pieces I really love, so I thought I'd do a little post on what my style staples are!

A floral dress that fits perfectly and has a beautiful print will get so much wear! I have a few in my closet that I just love to remix. I like that a floral print is almost a neutral, so it's really easy to mix with other prints. Plus, a dress that is pretty and fits great will almost always make you feel really amazing.

I never used to wear hats, but in the past couple years I've grown to love them. Not only can they salvage your look on a bad hair day, but I always think they add a little bit of bohemian flair to an outfit, as well as a touch of sophistication. Perhaps it's because people used to wear hats all the time, but I love the vintage touch it can add.

I have a few cardigans in my closet and they all get quite a bit of wear. I find that I get cold pretty easily, even in the summers (though, Northwest summers aren't quite sweltering...), so I usually like to have a cardigan on hand. In the winter they can give some added warmth and in the summer they're light enough for layering without being too hot. Plus, I like getting cardigans that have fun prints and patterns, to add interest to an outfit!

Boots are such a staple for fall and winter. I don't know what I'd do without them! One of my favorite things to do is to layer socks on top of tights underneath the boots, with a little bit of the socks peeking out. The layering not only keeps your toes warm, but also adds texture and interest to your outfit!

Brogues and oxfords are just so easy to wear. They're a comfortable flat that has enough interest to add some zing to an outfit, rather than your plain ol' ballet flat. I like that they evoke a menswear feeling as well as a vintage vibe. There are so many different styles of brogues and oxfords, it's fun to have a bunch! I have plain brown ones, black and brown contrasted ones, and white lace ones!

I love tights. It's true. They're such a great way to be able to keep wearing dresses in the colder months, and they add so much to an outfit. Lately I've really been drawn to bolder colors in my tights, and I adore my rust colored pair. I also can't get enough of polka dot tights. I just bought a new pair because my old ones were ripped to shreds, and I even wore white heart-polkadotted tights under my wedding dress!

Drifts of white

2012-01-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

Day two of being snowed in. Today it's warmed up a bit, so now everything has turned to ice! Powerlines are falling and the roads are outrageous! So strange, just a week ago there wasn't even a hint of snow. Yesterday it was beautiful outside with the fluffy snow. All the neighborhood kids were outside building snow forts and having snow battles. Now it's just an icy, crunchy mess! Unfortunately I have errands I have to do, so I'm trying to scheme how to get stuff done out in this mess. I think I may need a grilled cheese sandwich to fuel my excursions... and maybe a bowl of tomato soup to keep me warm.

top + tights/target :: jacket/courtesy of modcloth :: mittens/handmade by my grandma

dress/dainty june courtesy of emerging thoughts :: boots/courtesy of blowfish

Back when I lived in Alaska and it looked like this outside for about 6 months, I would get comments (both in real life and on the blog) saying, "aren't you cold?!" It was funny how frequently that question would come up. I never felt like dresses + tights were really all that much colder than just jeans and t-shirts. Plus, the only time it was really cold were those brief moments between a warm car and a warm building. And when I would take outfit photos without a coat on, it's only for a couple minutes and then the coat is back on, keeping me warm. Plus, I suppose growing up in Alaska, you don't really think of the cold as something odd, it just... is.

Well, I'm off to try and accomplish the errands I have to do today despite the yuckiness outside... Oh, and my wedding is featured over at Green Wedding Shoes today, check it out, I'm super excited!

Snow Day!

2012-01-18T10:00:00.000-08:00

On Saturday night it started snowing and it turned the world into a magical wonderland! These photos are from a couple days ago, but as of this moment it's blizzarding in Tacoma! I'm sure all the kids running around outside are enjoying their snow days. It's so funny having grown up in Alaska because we almost never got a snow day. I think the one time we did was when we got 30 inches overnight. Of course, down here people don't know how to drive in snow, don't have the studded tires for it, and there aren't enough snow plows to make the roads decent, so snow day it is!

I guess fortuitously, I'm pretty under the weather today, so being snowed in isn't really a bad thing at all! Last night I whipped up some chicken noodle soup and so I'm eating the leftovers now to try and pump up my immune system with protein. But nothing is gonna stop me from going out and playing in the snow!

dress/courtesy of modcloth(last year) :: top/courtesy of free people :: tights + coat/target

boots/courtesy of blowfish :: necklace/courtesy of jewelmint :: outfit photos by Dan

While Dan was out and about, I ventured outside in the beautiful falling snow to capture it on film. It's been a while since I've made any videos for the blog, but I think it'd be fun to start making moving-picture outfit posts. One of the main reasons I wanted the Canon T2i was because it had HD video capabilities and I haven't really made the most of it! It's one of the things on my 25 before 26 list too, so hopefully that'll be a good reminder and motivator throughout the year.

Unplugging

2012-01-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I was at camp helping out with a high school retreat, so I was MIA on the internet. It was a nice escape from the daily grind though. When I got back I didn't even want to open up my laptop and start diving back into the "real world." I think it's important to take a step back from the internet, though, and enjoy some tech-free time. I want to make it a more common occurrence. While I like blogging and reading blogs, sometimes it gets easy to spend the whole day in an internet haze.

A new routine that is helping me get out of the house and get the blood pumping is our gym membership. We like to ride our bikes to the rock climbing gym (6 - 7 miles round trip), get a smoothie beforehand, climb for about 30-45 minutes (and I like to go to pilates, but I haven't convinced Dan of its awesomeness yet), and then ride back home. It's fun because I always have hated going to a normal gym all by myself, and rock climbing is so much more awesome than awkwardly trying to figure out how all those crazy gym contraptions work. It's competitive and super goal-oriented and you can work at you own pace/level. I'm really glad Dan wanted to get a membership, it's awesome!

top/forever 21 :: skirt/thrifted :: coat/tulle :: necklaces/courtesy of jewelmint

gloves/target :: shoes/lulu e. bebe :: photos by Dan

Dan is doing a darkroom photography class this quarter in school, so we've been going on photo adventures together. He's borrowing my 35mm Olympus OM-1, and it's making me really want to start taking film photos again! Developing and printing photos was always such a magical experience. Maybe someday I'll have a house with a basement or garage where I can have a darkroom/printmaking studio. That would be so much fun!

ShoeMint Giveaway!

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

I think my favorite are the Janice suede cowboy boots but one of you lucky folks will win your favorite pair of ShoeMint shoes! If you haven't seen ShoeMint before, it's a lot like JewelMint: you sign up, fill out a little style quiz and then they show you the shoe designs you might like based off your style! All the shoes are designed by stylist Nicole Chavez and Rachel Bilson, and produced with the expertise of Steve Madden. Pretty fancy!

To enter:
Go to the ShoeMint website, sign up and choose your favorite pair of shoes. Then leave me a comment with your pick! It's super easy to sign up and you can sign in with your twitter or facebook account if you prefer. Make sure you also leave a way for me to get ahold of you in your comment so I can contact you if you're drawn as the winner!

The giveaway will be open for entries until Saturday, January 21st at 9pm PST. One entry per person.

If you're too anxious to get your hands on a pair, you can use the promo code DELIGHT for 20% off your first pair of shoes! Valid until 1/31.

Style resolutions

2012-01-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

Modcloth recently asked a few bloggers what their style resolutions were for the new year, and I hadn't really thought of a style resolution yet, so it was fun to come up with a style challenge for myself. My style resolution would be to wear more shorts or pants. I usually wear skirts and dresses simply because I always feel like they're more flattering on me. I'm only 5'1", and I don't have super skinny thighs like those model-type girls whose legs are 5 feet long and the same diameter from calf to groin. Instead, I carry most of my curves in between my knees and my hips. While I always wish I could rock that I-just-walked-off-the-runway casual jeans/cutoff shorts look like those girls whose thighs could never touch (even if they tried), it's more challenging for me to feel like it looks good. But I do like wearing jeans, and especially when the summer comes around, shorts too. So my style resolution is to try to make shorts and pants work for me! Do you have a style resolution for 2012? What is it?!

top/tucker for target :: shorts + coat/courtesy of modcloth :: tights/the stylish fox

bag/ona :: boots/courtesy of blowfish :: mittens/knit by my grandma

Black and White and Red Velvet all over

2012-01-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

I was pretty excited when I heard that the Delightful Dozen was going to style up one of Elsie's dresses from her fall Red Velvet collection. I wore it as I sewed my dress, as a sort of inspiration. I've been trying to be more creative lately, and every time I accomplish something new I feel really awesome. Even if it's just figuring out a new html trick. I think that even if you set little goals for yourself, your confidence goes up each time you accomplish them. In childhood it seems like you're constantly learning new things, I think it's important to continue pushing yourself and trying new things as you get older.

dress/red velvet via delightful dozen :: cardigan + shoes/courtesy of modcloth

hat/borrowed :: tights/target :: glasses/wet seal

These photos were taken down at Titlow Beach, which is actually where Dan & I got our bride and groom photos taken. If you're thinking, "Wait, I don't think I've seen those yet!" you are indeed correct. After the new year happened I kind of forgot to post the rest of my wedding photos/was tired of my blog being wedding central. There aren't too many left, but our bride & groom portraits are some of my favorites so I should post those soon!

Inside my Bag

2012-01-13T17:00:00.000-08:00

I haven't done a what's in my bag post in ... I can't even remember. Probably three years. Most of the time I don't carry anything that's worth noting. My phone (the ancient and faithful Nokia 6010), my keys, and my card case are usually the only things I take with me for most outings, but on other adventures I like to bring more with me.

I got this ONA camera/laptop bag from Santa, so now I can bring my camera and laptop with me without fear of them getting bashed around in my other, non-padded bag. Oh! And another Christmas present featured in this post is my new pretty iMo camera strap! Now my camera looks so snazzy (and kinda matches the dress I just made!).

The journal I covered in vintage fabric and embroidered for my upcoming e-course, so I've been carrying it around with me a lot. Not pictured, though sometimes in my bag, is my laptop. It's nice to get out of the house to work at a coffee shop or bar, just for a change of scenery, and maybe to run into some friends. I also try to carry a few business cards around with me, just in case. I usually don't have occasion to give them out unless I'm at a blogger meet up or conference, but they're fun to carry around, and they make me feel so official. I just got new ones from Moo, to match my blog redesign!

Handmade with Love

2012-01-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

I guess I'm starting off my 25 before 26 list with a bang, because I'm doing pretty good so far! I've been rock climbing pretty frequently so far, went to pilates this week and I just made this dress this week, which was a great success! "Sew Dresses" is on it's way to being checked off, though I'd like to make many dresses, hence the plural. I ran across this fabric at Hancock while I was scouting some ideas for blog design backgrounds and I knew I had to buy it and that it'd be perfect for a fun dress, so I scoured the pattern books for a dress pattern that would be cute and got that as well. When I started, it felt out of my league as I'm a sewing novice, but thanks to the internet, I was able to figure out the words I didn't know (understitching, who knew!) and finagle my way around an invisible zipper. I was so surprised when it all came together and actually fit like a glove! I was so proud that I wore it around all night. I got so many compliments on it and people kept asking where I got it.

dress/handmade :: tights/the stylish fox :: shoes/courtesy of seychelles :: belt/thrifted

It's been getting colder lately, and it's supposed to maybe snow on Sunday, so this dress is making me long for summer. The bright colors would be perfect paired with my favorite strappy wedge espadrilles and maybe a big widebrimmed hat and vintage shades to block the sun. Ok. Now I want to be at the beach. Stat.

Tortilla Soup

2012-01-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe thanks to my new forays into the world of pinterest. One of my new favorite things to do is browse the food section and peruse all the delicious photos and recipes. This probably accounts for the recent increase in food related tweets. Either way, I think it's a pretty awesome way to find some amazing recipes and definitely helps me want to ~~eat~~ cook.

One of my mom's good friends back home in Alaska always makes tortilla soup when we have parties or get togethers and I've been wanting to get her recipe, but once I saw this one I figured I'd give it a go and man... what a go it was. SO good. I'm pretty stoked that there are a ton of leftovers. I know what I'll be eating for the rest of the week.

What you'll need:
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. olive oil
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
32 oz. chicken broth
1 14-oz. can corn, drained
2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded.
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
Avocado
Mozzarella
Tortilla strips (just cut up a tortilla or two into inch wide strips w/ a pizza cutter, or you can use tortilla chips)

In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic until they're soft. Then, stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin, tomatoes, and broth. Bring this to a boil and let it simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes. Next, stir in the chicken, lime juice, and corn. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Now you're ready for the delicious part!

In the bottom of your bowl, sprinkle some mozzarella and chunks of avocado. The hot soup will melt the cheese and make it oh so tasty. Once you've filled your bowl with soup, throw in your tortilla strips (and maybe some more cheese and avocado if you're like me). Consume. Repeat.

A Tale of Two Tops

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

So, I couldn't figure out which version of this outfit I liked better. I started with the black top, but then was feeling on the fence about it, so I switched to the lace top. At the end of the day, though, as I was going through the photos, I ended up liking each one for differing reasons. So it goes!

Lately my drive to start a coffee/vintage shop has started to reignite again within me and I've been looking at commercial property. It's kind of daunting, but it's something that hasn't really let go of me. I just like the idea of being a part of the community in a physical and contributing way. I like the idea of having a place where people can come and relax, spend a few hours getting homework done, or meet with a friend for a chat. I also really want to support the local community by being able to make a space available for young artists and musicians to be featured. That's one of my favorite things about coffee shops. If you're a new artist or musician it can be hard to get your work in a "real" gallery or play at a "real" venue. A cafe is a great place where you can get some experience and a bit of exposure. I know there are a few places in Tacoma that already do this, but I still feel a void I want to fill.

lace top/forever 21 :: printed tee/scrapbook :: tights/target :: skirt/thrifted

necklaces/courtesy of jewelmint :: shoes/courtesy of le bunny bleu

My moccasin collection has now increased by one more pair, thanks so Le Bunny Bleu. I always like when moccasins have a boat sole because they're that much more durable for running around outside. These cheery little minty moccasins will be especially fun for summertime paired with a sundress and a pair of shades. It's super sunny outside at the moment and I'm wishing it was 75ºF instead of 39º... so deceptive! Lately I've been remembering all the fun times I had in Tacoma last summer before I left for camp. I'm excited to spend a whole summer in town this year. I really want to have fun parties in our back yard with tasty cocktails, lights strung up in the trees and the warm fire glowing from the fire pit we got for our wedding!

Pillow Cases in the Shop!

2012-01-10T17:00:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! As you can see, I had a ton of little throw pillows at my wedding, and I don't really need them anymore but they're so cute, I thought you guys might want to give them new homes! I'm selling almost all the pillow cases in my shop (except for a couple of my absolute favorites that I'm keeping). They're in sets of 2 or 3 and some are made of vintage fabric and some aren't. It'll say on the listing which ones have vintage fabric. They're all about 12x12 inches and fit the Ikea "Irma" pillow perfectly. Check em out here!

photos by arrow & apple

DIY Tassel Garland

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

I made a ton of garland for my wedding, and the most time intensive to make ended up being these little tassel garlands, but I loved them! I actually put them up for Christmas too. They take a while to make, but they're relatively easy to put together.

What you'll need:

Fabric

Scissors

Yarn (or twine, to hang the tassels from)

Cut a pile of strands for each tassel. I think I used about 10-12 strips for each tassel, appx. 2 ft long (though you can make them longer or shorter depending on how long you want your tassels). While this is easy peasy, it takes a while if you want a lot of tassels. Enlist netflix or hulu to help pass the time.

Here's the more complicated part. Set aside 1 strip out of the bundle. Twist the center and fold in half, pinching right below the loop so it doesn't come undone. Take one of the strips you left out and wrap it around and around the twisted loop part to secure it and then tie it off at the base of the loop to finish it off. It's not completely necessary to wrap the loop, but I found that it kept the twist from getting loose and made it sturdier.

Now just take your yarn and tie on each tassel. Yarn tends to stretch when it's hung with the tassels, so make sure to keep that in mind when figuring out how long to make your yarn. My tassel garland was various shades of white, but they'd be super cute to make in fun bright colors or pastels for a party! I also think it'd be fun to include a couple strands of metallic ribbon for a little bit of glitz...

1st & last photo by arrow & apple

Featured Sponsor: Eager Beaver

2012-01-09T17:00:00.001-08:00

Hi guys! Today I'm featuring Eager Beaver, a cool website where you can chronicle your dream chasing and adventuring by adding things to your list which you want to accomplish, and then checking them off when you've done them! So far on my list I have 25 things I've completed and 16 that I want to do. Pretty Fun! Sara Kinninmont is the founder of Eager Beaver and quite the adventurous gal! See what she has to say about being an Eager Beaver:

Hello Delightfully Tacky denizens! I’m Sara Kinninmont, a writer, dreamer, adventurer and, most importantly, an Eager Beaver. I created my website as a means of not only combining my loves, but in hopes of inspiring myself and others to Live Like You Give a Damn!

Being an Eager Beaver is more than just abiding by a daunting bucket list. I prefer to see it as choosing to live boldly with intention. Adventures great and small can expand your life in ways you could never imagine. Don’t worry. It doesn’t necessarily mean packing your bags and trekking Annapurna, though kudos if you do! You can start small: taste lavender gelato, do a laughter yoga class, make your own sauerkraut. The possibilities are endless. Not to mention, you could discover your very next favorite thing.

It can be far too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routine and simply go through the motions. I’m the first person to admit that I could compete at a gold medal level in the napping Olympics. Starting the site was as much to inspire myself as others. Updated daily, it is a tool to not only help track your past adventures, allowing you to feel both gratitude and pride in them, but also to inspire you to plan many more. Whether it’s going on your very own cross country Winne adventure or thrifting to your heart’s content, get out there and Live Like You Give a Damn!

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Bedroom Sneak Peek

2012-01-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Our bedroom doesn't quite look like this anymore as I took down the fringe. It felt way too feminine for our room and though it was pretty magical, I've got more practical things in mind for our bed. If you've seen my 25 before 26 list, you probably have an idea about what that may be...

quilt/urban outfitters :: throw pillows/target (last year) :: lights/target