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Thanks grandma + grandpa

Five years ago, it would have been expected to unwrap an American Girl box during the usual day-after-Christmas festivities at my grandparents', but it was a complete shock yesterday, when they surprised me with one of Kit's new outfits. I felt 10 again--and that was a good thing. Doesn't she look nice?

For some reason I really dig this song


Full Moon by The Black Ghosts



Oh and I'm still completely obsessed with The Killers. What's new?

Happy Holidays!

Timmy makes me look like an elf in comparison...
(+ thanks to my grandma Marcia, I now own my favorite dress in the world. I would literally wear it to my wedding if I could. I love it so much.)

chapped lips, runny nose, scratchy throat: Symptoms of Christmas?

It hadn't struck me until tonight when I made myself some tea to ease the wrath of my allergies, that endless days of inhaling hot tea and wrapping myself in blankets to warm my desert skin that rejects any sort of cold, that these are the things that define my entrance into the holiday season. Call me an optimist, but this is oddly comforting.

Drink in Nutcracker Sweet Black Tea (who knew! I have always been a strict green tea drinker, but this stuff smells like those warm magic cookie bars my grandma makes)--and the holiday spirit.

Wait, why is California so cool?


ReForm School, I want to meet you. Why do you have to be all the way in Los Angeles? I guess I could be content with your online store, since it has a killer layout. Okay. But just for a while.

P.S. You make me dream of birthdays where I will buy out all your goodies and give them to my friends. This is not good for the health of my wallet, who barely eats as it is. I forgive you.

It's Christmastime!

(My algebra 2 teacher had old discs that we could decorate for extra credit. She did not know what she was asking for when she handed one to me!)

When I wear my glasses, I get the whole, "You look like a librarian" thing. In fact, I do lend my books out to 3345 people already.

Okay, so I'm not so good at math, but I do tend to hand out my books to a LOT of people. So I pretty much need this kit.

Day + Age


It was 6th grade. I had finally begun to shred my long years of Disney soundtracks and needed musical guidence. The Killers graciously held out its hand. My first band love was born. To this day, I turn to their CDs first for comfort. So when I say I am deeply anticipating Day & Age's eminent replay in my bedroom once I get my hands on a copy, I mean it.

accidental crafting



In our attempt at this necklace, we stumbled upon these headbands! It was Katie's call--she's so smart!

Twilight in a few words


I was impressed. They actually accomplished making a vampire romance sans the overwhelming cheese--it was a mild and lovable cheese. I don't know if I was the only one to realize this since the majority of the audience was glazed over in a Twilight frenzy, but it was actually made really well and the music and cinematography was actually really really good. (I thoroughly enjoyed the pale skin and grays and blues.) The credits were really nice too. I pay an abnormally large amount of attention to details, it seems. And anyways, who doesn't like a vampire love story with ridiculously good-looking people?

my main mice

Disneyland was swell! Minnie and Mickey are the classiest mice I know. Disneyland in the fall is always very nostalgic for me.


I even picked up some new heart-shaped glasses to replace my broken red ones (R.I.P.) at this awesome vintage store at Newport beach! I've seen it while driving by in the past, but had never had the chance to go in. It was heavenly. I think the adorable red-headed 40s-inspired woman who worked there thought I had never seen so much vintage clothing in one room in my life. And I have to say that this is entirely true! I have never thought of moving someplace else until realizing vintage stores like this are the norm in other places...

Whether you like it or not...

...this is the next family to reside in the White House come January.
I hope everyone was able to hear the speeches last night!!

I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO JEALOUS IN MY LIFE

Remember that blog I am in love with? Well. Look at their costumes. When I saw, I kind of flipped out. I kind of exclaimed a huge OH. MY. GOSH. which I will admit does happen. But we won't tell anyone that, will we?

Maybe I should explain. Violet and Klaus Baudelaire are fictional characters in the children's series A Series of Unfortunate Events. In the fourth grade, it was a hot commodity. I would lend the books to all my friends. We even "played" it at recess. I was always Violet--I would literally wear a ribbon in my hair as she would have while inventing some contraption that would help the Baudelaire orphans escape from the clutches of Count Olaf.

Being reminded of the past is a pretty nice way to begin a week. Happy Monday!

Halloween

Zebra Erin, train conductor Domenico, Italian Spiderman Katie, hippy Rylee, clown Dahlya, tooth fairy me, creepy mime Timmy, and Rambo Caleb.

My now infamous macaroons?

The bumblebee amongst us.

Her nose kept falling off when she smiled.


The zebra being adorable.
(The hat was used for charades.)

Hope you had a sweet Halloween!

my heart breaks


I have just found out in the most devastating way that Blueprint, a magazine from the Martha Stewart brand, no longer exists.

In a sudden spurt of longing, I type in Blueprint magazine and can't find its website. I go to the Martha Stewart website and click on 'magazines' and it's not there. I finally click on a little link while I'm googling, and it announces, so bluntly and with no concern for my fragile heart, that Martha, my dear Martha! shut the magazine down.

And I just thought my subscription had run dry! It's gone! I miss it! MAGAZINES FOLDING! SCARIEST THING EVER!

I love you, Blueprint. I miss you and will save your issues forever.

When I'm the next Martha Stewart this will never happen...

And I am STILL HAVING A FAKE PINK CHRISTMAS TREE SOMEDAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!



(Thank goodness for Domino...)

a few notes on Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist


  • TOO. MANY. TRENDY. TEENAGERS. IN. ONE. THEATRE.
  • great playlist (REALLY???)
  • those girls down there better close their mouths when Micheal Cera is on screen
  • and PLEASE stop laughing when there is no joke
  • but regardless, realistic teenage wit
  • Nick and Norah ARE SO DARN CUTE DANCING (see above)
  • I like Kat Dennings' lipstick color
  • oh oh and I want Nick to make me some CD mixes pronto, thanks

I LOVE YOU

VAMPIRE WEEKEND

TOO MUCH


I can only hope to ever be this embarrassingly cool.

you look tops



Heh, had to post this. It's from an old Sally Stitch book. My mannequin happens to be a Sally Stitch! I never knew she was so well known...

friday night craft

So I had a pretty undeniable urge to stitch this sky blue crocheted collar to a cashmere sweater that was a hand me down from Nicole a few years back. I have no idea where the collar came from or if it was even intentionally meant as a collar, but I am quite glad it found me. I chose magenta embroidery floss to offset the evident old lady vibes the collar possessed and settled in on my bed with Bravo (so good!) to accompany me. I think it turned out really nice, especially paired with my trusty khaki pants that I have had since literally the fourth grade that have since been cut and rolled up to act as shorts. The whole look seems a little Lorick, but I could just be flattering myself.

Motivation

I love my room, but even I am beginning to notice how cluttered it has become, especially with the holiday season's many crafts looming about. I am only starting to realize clutter doesn't always equal creativity and even I, a mere Pisces, can be a bit more maintained in my habitat. I have concluded that I MUST take this issue into control the next couple of weeks, and I thought it might help me to pinpoint some areas.

I think I'll start small, with my hats and scarves...


It looks all fun and games until retrieving one sliver of a silver belt becomes an avalanche of scarves slithering to the floor.... Imagine a game of Jenga, except it's 6:15 am and all you want is to have a belt to wrap around your dress.

...and yes, the denim hat is a relic from my Girl scouting days.

I think I have mistaken my room as a keepsake box that is shoved haphazardly under the bed.


*Update: While sorting my scarves, hats, belts, and purses (that I should probably use more often now that I think of it), I pretty much began three new craft projects. Oops? I did complete the task at hand, although the outcome kind of freaked me out. I don't do well with the initial look of organization. I have to let it gradually develop more organically... Until it's an overgrown garden of acessories. Double oops. Oh well. I try.

someday


I am pretty smitten with this blog.
Please let me be forseeing my crafty future?

Kit Kittredge: style icon?

You would not believe how hardcore I used to be with American Girl. My Grandma Marcia was my most loyal supporter--going as far as escorting me along with my great-uncle and great-aunt to American Girl Place in Chicago for my tenth birthday. Side note: Yes, my family is as cool as they seem.

My first doll, the beginning of it all, was none other than a resourceful girl of the Great Depression, Kit Kittredge. She was clever, adventurous, creative, and optimistic. I remember secretly writing issues of 'newspapers' in my journal to recollect my day because of course Kit had her own homemade newspaper. Go figure.

One other thing can't be dismissed--she totally rocked the thrifty Oh I just crafted this sundress out of a flour sack look. Looking at her wasn't a depression at all.



KIT dress, Mod Cloth shoes, Marc Jacobs



(While browsing through Mod Cloth I discovered this dress and immediately thought Kit! My mind works this way. Pretty crazy, right?)

inspiration


pretties from ban.do.


I think I found myself a project!
Too bad it is about #324 on my list.

a late summer project

















I embroidered this blank canvas bag I found at Micheal's for Kendal. Her birthday is in November, but you can never be too ahead on craft projects--especially with Halloween coming up! I stuffed it with the new Jo Bros CD. She sure loves those three stylish brothers lately. I can honestly admit I don't blame her. They are fashionistas. Okay. Enough of my dork-talk.

School has begun...I am now directing my creativity into school projects. Yes! Two already this weekend. It's all good fun though.

newsflash


confessions of a teenage harry potter fan




A year ago today, I was in Hawaii anticipating the release of the final Harry Potter installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. Just so you know, Harry Potter is kind of a big thing. My aunt Keli specifically made sure before we left that a bookstore was in the radius of the house we were renting near the water.



There was. It was this tiny thing, with books stacked to the ceiling and a friendly lady who helped us pre-order a copy when we visited days before the release to assure its existence.




Naturally, the night of the release, a serpent (basilisk, anyone?) of people had formed from the entrance of this independent bookstore. A few doors down, a small coffee house was open all night to serve Harry Potter-inspired drinks, such as Butterbeer, that I had, which was really a hot butterscotch drink. I was in nerd heaven.



When it drew closer to midnight, they separated the line and created a pre-paid line, in which I was second. You better believe it. I felt so hardcore. I had my face in the windows, looking longingly at the cardboard boxes marked DO NOT OPEN in that classic lightning script. I think I was saying Accio book! in my head. No joke. I am this nerdy. My aunt was there along for the ride, sipping her themed drink watching me be all anxious and profoundly excited.


I think I squealed when the doors open. All muggles were cheering. My line slithered first (we were Slytherin? WOW) through the open doors and I think there were brownies, which is really nice. All I know is a woman handed over that book and I thanked her and wanted to hug her, but instead I hugged the book to my chest and we were out of that door with it.


I read all night on the futon.