Sparkles with a Skirt

I might have worn this outfit back in December....oops. But I had to post it because it was such a fun outfit. I love my sparkly H&M sweater paired with this happy thrifted skirt (I took it in and made it shorter after buying it from DI). And boots. They're just fun too.

So I'm still going to keep posting on this blog for a while longer for certain reasons. I'm not sure when I will fully transfer everything to my other blog. But if you just want to follow one, I'll be posting these same posts on my other one as well plus more on that one, so I'd recommend following it if you want the most updates. This is my fashion-only blog :)

And it's Friday! Tomorrow night my roommates and I might be going to this thing on campus called the YBall. It's a formal attire event but free, which is super cool. If we do go, I'll be wearing a beautiful coral formal dress that I made so stay tuned!

A Dress...and Choices

Is it just me or do I look super awkward in these pictures?! Except the last one, I like that one. This is the dress that I made a while ago. I made it without a pattern and still, almost 6 months later, I love it so much. Obviously it isn't perfect or perfectly made, and I do not want to brag, but this dress makes me happy. :)

Ya know, it's funny. Well not funny. My life is...crazy. I have so much going on right now and life is so hard and struggles come my way every single day. It's also good too, I love my job, roommates, school, and I feel so blessed. Life right now, is just...life, at it's best. And I am pretty darn happy living it right now. I think I am realizing these days that we choose happiness in our lives, nothing that happens in it, good or bad--although it can influence our choice--can make or break the fact of how happy or unhappy we are. So maybe instead of me saying life's good, because it isn't always good, I should just say that I'm good. I'm doing well in the life that was given to me and that I'm living.

We always hear so much about how attitude influences everything and it tends to go over our heads. But it's true. Listen to those true words, because I'm realizing that it does. I am happy in my crazy life and that is all pretty much my choice. You can choose too. :)

Look Mom, I Made a Shirt!

See that pretty purple flowery skirt in the above photos? Do you like it? Well, I hope so, because whether you like it or love it or hate it, I made it! Sooo great, huh? I guess it just feels great to me to make my own clothes. The wonderful thing is that my grandma gave me a ton of fabric that she wasn't going to use, so this shirt was also FREE! Life doesn't get much better than this.

Storytime: When I was younger (aka junior high/high school) I hated sewing. I really did not like it at all. I was just pretty darn terrible at it, or so I thought. Like for Personal Progress (a goal program thing for girls 12-18 in the LDS church) I sewed a skirt as one of my projects and I am pretty sure that I needed help on that thing every step of the way. My mom probably did more work on it than I did (sorry, Mami!). And it wasn't a super enjoyable process for me because I just did not like sewing and I thought I was awful at it. The most enjoyable part was wearing it. And in sophomore year of high school my friends Courtney and Laura and I decided to sew matching cute bags to take to school. Well, they probably did a lot of the work on that bag because I was so clueless. I didn't even know one bit how to use a sewing machine! The funny thing is that I still use that bag all the time today and when people say "Oh that's so cute, where did you get it?!" I say "I made it," and they say, "Oh of course you did," because a lot of people know how much I love to sew. But I just smile because that bag is a remnant of my sewing-hatred days.

I'm not really sure what changed inside of me, but I have always been very crafty. I used to make cards and stuff all the time, I made pen pals (see below), then I moved on to fabric flowers (also see below) and eventually I just wanted to sew clothes and my love of sewing has blossomed since.

Pen Pals! I still love these. I got the idea from an American Girl magazine forever ago!

Fabric flowers--I apologize, these aren't the best flowers I've made, but they work

The funny thing with me is that I am a very obsessive person, so I really love some things (sewing, Carrie Underwood, purple, wearing coral, etc.) and I really hate others (vegetables, spiders, heights, any talk of blood or gross bodily stuff, and back when I hated sewing). So I am like super obsessive with something (sometimes more than one thing) at a time. I used to be a very avid reader. I'd take a book everywhere. My parents would come downstairs and tell me to go to bed so I'd turn off my light, and then when they were gone I'd turn the light on again and finish the book that night. I'd read during school while teachers were lecturing (and still get a good grade in the class! ha!). I'd take my book in the car or I'd take a book into a restaurant and read while waiting for my food or while I was eating my food (my parents got annoyed by that one) and all the time I would read. I was reading at a college level by 8th grade.

And now...I sew. People will ask me to hang out, and if I'm the middle of a sewing project, I always decline. My motivation to get my homework done during the week is so that I can sew on the weekend. I have to keep going until I finish and I will lock myself up in my room until I'm done. Basically, I'll see people in my ward and they say, "Where have you been? I haven't seen you for a while, did you go on vacation?" And my answer is always, "I've been sewing." Gah, I am sooo pathetic! But I'm a sewing hermit and I don't mind at all.

So that's my super long schpeel about my process of sewing going from a hatred to an obsession. It just goes to show that we really could probably love anything if we just let ourselves. :) Have a fab Tuesday!!

This Dress=Pure Happiness :D

So this is the dress! I am oh so proud of it...its my little baby or something hehe. I designed it and sewed it all by myself..even without a pattern! I am so impressed that it even turned out ha. But now that it did, I'm afraid I might wear it every chance I get! And that's ok. :)

Do you guys have something that you're just really proud of because it came from your talent? Like maybe a great work of art, or a dance you choreographed, or even like a cool hair do or lego sculpture. haha. Well, this dress is that for me. I feel SO proud. And it makes me so happy!!! Plus I got a lot of compliments on it which made me feel good because I was getting complimented on something that I made.

It's just a really happy dress and I'm so happy it turned out cute. You could say you hate it and I wouldn't care (well, I would a little bit probably) because I love it that much.

P.S. It has pockets.

P.P.S. I had the most wonderful weekend! It was a long one at home and I spent it all with my family. I saw both of my sisters' ballet recitals and they both did such a great job! It made me miss ballet a lot so I decided I'm going to dance again because I love it. We went out and took a bunch of cool pictures of ballet stuff and my brother does gymnastics so he did some cool things too. I will share soon..maybe tomorrow?

k bye :

Miss Photographer

Sorry there are so many pictures! Okay, let's be honest, I'm not really sorry, because I had SO MUCH FUN taking these pictures! I found the railroad tracks and once I got started taking pictures I couldn't stop. It was super fun! I will never be a photographer, but I do love taking pictures and doing photography, so this blog is a great outlet for me to let that out every once in a while. I love the vintage feel of these pictures along with kind of the preppy look of the outfit. {Oh, the cardigan is black, although it may appear blue.}

The weather has been so perfect the past few days! Yesterday it didn't rain and there was a slight breeze but I felt fine in this outfit. And guess what?! If it's even possible, the weather is going to get perfect-er! Cuz it's going to be above 60 degrees today and tomorrow. And that is just simply amazing I tell you.

I've been into finding different artists than what I usually listen to (ahem, Carrie Underwood, cough cough) so that I can become more "musically cultured" and have more a range of music so that there will always be something for me to listen to for my mood. I just feel like I find genres and artists I like and then stick with just them. But there is so much music out there that I feel like I'm missing out on! Anyways, Mindy Gledhill has become one of my recent finds in artists. I particularly like the song called, "Whole Wide World" (I've been listening to it all day and it's still in my head!). I like songs that are inspirational and about dreams, because they just, well, inspire me! I want to go do something great after listening to them. This song does that to me, so I thought I'd share it with you. :) {Pssst....the family featured in here and the two little girls running in the front are Stephanie Nielson's family from NieNie Dialogues! Cool!!}

Oh and guess who has 102 FOLLOWERS?!! Yep, this girl right here! You peeps are the best. Really truly. In celebration, I'm thinking of having another giveaway soon. What do you think? Yes? (Btw to April Showers, the package got returned because the wrong address was on there but your package is on the way! ) I love you guys!

An Outfit A Day...

Cardigan? Lauren Conrad, secondhand

Plaid Button-Up? Gifted

Belt? Thrifted

Jeans? Paris Blues

Shoes? Thrifted

...Keeps the Fashion Police Away

Comfort? 9

Original? 7.5

Did I like it? 8.5

Overall? 8

A Button-Up and Some Boots

I wore this outfit on Thursday I think? But it's being posted on Sunday just because. I think this weekend was a lazy weekend. Well maybe not. I wore cute stuff but I just didn't take pictures. Which actually, for me is super unusual. Even if I don't post them, I almost always take pictures. I still have some from like two weeks ago that I must post because I made the skirt! Next time I don't take pictures or don't wear a "cute enough outfit" (to my standards anyways) I will post that. It'll be soon friends, I promise.

Hmmm...not sure what else to say. Sundays are great. Don't you all love them? I think one of the best things about being LDS is the fact that you get to rest on Sundays. Some people complain about not being able to go to the store or not being able to do normal stuff on Sundays. And I definitely admit that I'm one of those people sometimes. But on days like today, I really appreciate the fact that we have to rest, even if it is forced. We all need some relaxation in our lives, no? So do me a favor and do something great for yourself today. Paint your nails, take a nap, cook, read, write in your journal, etc! And if you don't have time today make time this week. We will get exhausted and irritable if we don't learn to take care of ourselves every once in a while.

Have a wonderful relaxing Sunday! :)

An Outfit A Day...
Button-Up? TJ Maxx
Jeans? Ross
Boots? Ross
Necklace? Mall Kiosk

Keeps the Fashion Police Away...
Comfort? 8.5
Original? 6.5
Did I like it? 6
Overall? 7

I Feel Like a Proud Parent

I really am so happy with the way my pictures have been turning out lately! I think they've been undergoing a huge improvement, which is great. I finally got a tripod after going home this weekend so that's what I used to take these pictures. It's way easier than trying to find something to balance my camera on ha. :P

Guess what...30 for 30 is almost done! And I really just can't wait. It was super fun when it started...and now I understand why it's called a "challenge," because these last few days get to you. I can't wait to be exposed to my whole closet and go shopping again! Because seriously, I feel like I've worn almost every outfit possible with my clothes I picked out. And I think I left one of my items at home when I went so now I only have 29 to wear. And I can't trade it because I've already worn it! I don't think people realize how valuable clothes become once you only have 30, and then you lose one. And I think I just understood the point. Does this mean I can be done now? ;)

An Outfit A Day...
Cardigan? F21
Purple blouse? Ross
Necklace? Rue 21
Jeggings? Charlotte Russe
Boots? Ross, gifted

Keeps the Fashion Police Away...
Comfort? 10
Original? 4
Did I like it? 7
Overall? 7

Busy Girl

I wore this amazing outfit (that I did love quite a lot) while....working at the bookstore, baking cookies, going back later and doing inventory at work (afterwards, I just had beeping ringing in my head :P), going to a J.Wride concert (which was pretty amazing..you should go to their website or facebook page and listen to their music! The new album is incredible), and then hanging out with my roommates and some guys in our ward. That sums up Friday night perfectly. Now I'm home as I'm writing this and so happy to be with my family! So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go play with my four year old sister. Because as much as I love this blog.... I love her a whole lot more. ;)

An Outfit A Day...

Blouse? TJ Maxx

Scarf? Gifted

Belt? Thrifted

Jeggings? Charlotte Russe

Boots? Ross, gifted

Keeps the Fashion Police Away...

Comfort? 8

Original? 8

Did I like it? 10

Overall? 8.5

P.S. Speaking of J.Wride, one of the band members, Court, asked if I could blog about their outfits! Haha, and how could I refuse a request like that. So here they are, lookin all nice and sharp

I have no idea where they got their clothes from (although Court mentioned he got his shirt from American Eagle I think? haha), but I can still rate them, ya? :)

Comfort? 9.5...they had to look nice but if you're up on stage playing instruments and rocking out, you better be comfy!

Original? 8? I stink at guy's fashion...no idea really. But I thought their matchiness and coordination was pretty original ;)

Did I like it? 10...how can you not like how they look?

Overall? 10...basically they get extra points for putting on an awesome show, so they are winners for the day! Haha..go J.Wride! Seriously go check out their music here, it's amazing!!