Painted Lady

Two brief stories for today:

1. I absolutely HAD to paint my nails this color last night because I'm working on repainting a little nightstand a moss green color... and the spray bottle leaked all over me. After using acetone and a scrub brush on my hands, the paint color was still pretty noticeable. So I figured this was my best shot at camouflage. Whoops.

2. I love these jade bracelets. I love them even more because I really had to work for them. In south Beijing, there's a junk/antique/art market called PanJiaYuan Market. This roughly translates to "Dirt Cheap" Market. After a run-in between my knee and a sharp hunk of metal (another story for another time), my sister yanked my funky hobbling butt from vendor to vendor so we could see as much as possible. There was crappy jade and cheap-o enameld bracelets galore, but my eye landed on a neater stall with thicker jade bands and none of them were ectoplasm green the way fake stuff is. I knew I wanted to see what fit my tiny wrist (another problem with the cheap stuff) and do my best to haggle down the price. I was asked for 250 RMB (about $40) each, but I worked the guy down to 175 RMB for the pair. I had to walk away for it to happen, though. Which scared the crap out of me, because I really wanted these as my souvenir to self, the fit was perfect and the veining is gorgeous. It worked in my favor, he chased me down and said "OK."

Pants: Zara...Button-down: J Crew...Sweater: Sparkle  & Fade via Buffalo Exchange...Shoes: Nine West Outlet...Scarf: Liberty of London via Buffalo Exchange...Bracelets: Beijing PanJiaYuan Market (We haggled them super-cheap!)...Polish: Essie Sew Psyched

New little nightstand, before:

I'll be back in a few days with finished project photos!

Being Green

I realized St. Patty's is coming up this weekend and, while I don't care much one way or the other, it's Bromance's very favorite day of the year and he will complete his second Doctoral recital tonight (WOOOHOO!). In honor of his affinity for the "holiday" and in celebration of his getting through the daunting degree requirement, I will spend the rest of the week in green. Not that he reads this mess of a blog, so he won't care one way or the other about my little tribute, but it's fun to have a little bit of direction and a theme. And I bought him some shamrock twisty straws for the weekend, so that's fun, too.

Pants: Gap Really Skinny...Button-down: J Crew...Cardigan: Target...Belt: Target...Shoes: BCBGeneration via Ross

You knew it was comin':

YouTube Time-Suck

A storm system blew in and it got cold again. Big boo-hoo and an extra thick sweater for me. I planned ahead to wear this blouse with a much different outfit and was pumped about it, so when the temps dropped, I added an underlayer and wore this silk beauty anyway.

Pants: Zara...Blouse: Banana Republic, thrifted...Sweater: Banana Republic...Shoes: BCBGeneration via Ross...Scarf: Target

Last Friday, Bekah from Matters of Merrymaking (endlessly adorable, check her out now) posted a video of the Civil Wars' "Poison and Wine," which was a wonderful reminder of how very much I like that song, but also kickstarted some trouble. All of a sudden Friday night came and went, Saturday 2 am rolled around and I was still YouTube-ing favorites and discovering new songs. And then I realized I'd forgotton about the live version of Imogen Heap's "Just for Now." Shame on me. 

The thing about the song is this: With my Guy in school specifically with a focus in electronic music composition, I rewatched this goodie with fresh eyes and a deeper understanding of the process, the technology, the equipment, the limitations, the precision, the computer programming and interface required to pull this off... watch it once, enjoy it and be blown away. Then watch it a second time and watch her hands flying over the recording equipment then jump right back into clapping like it was nothing. And pay attention to HOW QUICKLY the sound becomes so dense and full. I adore this video.

Blank

I wrote and deleted 5 topics so far. I throw in the towel today- I'm tired and I was typing drivel.

I hope you like this belted blazer- it feels just a liiiittle lumpy and makes me anxious. I really need to quit trying blazers with dresses, I'm too bony for it to look the way I see it in my head.

Whining aside, it's Friday and I may or may not spend the evening reading. Which isn't bad at at all. Especially since I have a tub of trail mix left over from last weekend.

Dress: Target...Blazer: Gap...Belt: Target...Shoes: MRKT via Buffalo Exchange

Jackpot

Spring can come. I'm ready now.

The fun of being "too busy" is this: when you finally have time to shop, you have many budgets that have lumped themselves into a bigger sum, all your good luck collects itself,  a hallelujah chorus strikes up and all of a sudden, you walk out of Buffalo Exchange with your spring wardrobe for under $75. Here's what I scored last week (and clutched to my chest happily for the following 4 hours that evening):
Calvin Klein leopard pointed kitten heel shoes, made to fit my feet
Theory tropical wool cropped trousers in my size, NO ALTERATIONS NEEDED
Sparkle and Fade lightweight green heathered sweater (I found one in a grey-green and white heather and am in love)
Fei coral sleeveless blouse with adorably random buttons and tie waist
Liberty of London floral silk scarf in all the colors I've been purchasing lately
MRKT green and tan colorblocked heels, again, which match everything I've been purchasing lately.

I got them all ready to wear as quickly as I was able and dove into the stash.

Forgive the horrendous photos of my OOTD, another  busy day and party prep at Boss Lady's house- lots of running, hauling, lifting, moving... I had to run out the door and forgot my tripod. Oops.

Pants: Gap Really Skinny...Sweater: Sparkle and Fade via Buffalo Exchange...Shoes: Calvin Klein via Buffalo...Scarf: Liberty of London via Buffalo...Bracelet: gift from Jie Jie Sue

Return of the ROUS

I had another opossum run-in. We were on our way to a friend's house to celebrate Boogaloo's birthday and my guy and I threw a few things away in the dumpster area before we left our place. Long story short, I hopped out of the car to pitch our little bag and my Guy hollered "KATE! OPOSSUM!" No direction, like 'Kate, opossum at 10 o'clock.' No indication that I was out of harm's way, so I panicked and jumped about 35 feet away in a single leap, only to find out that he was a solid 10 feet away from me on the ground, around the corner. I started giggling like a lunatic and discovered that a neighbor was just around the corner painting a table under the carport, calmly watching both my hysteria and the opossum. It was almost like he and the critter were hanging out.

Weird and gross.

These meetings have got to stop- it's freaking me out (And as evidenced by my weekend trip away, nature doesn't generally gross me out- the surprise factor is what's killing me).

Pants: Zara...Tee: J Crew Outlet...Cardigan...Target...Scarf: Gap Men...Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction via Piperlime

Blue Again

A return to cobalt... I can't stop myself.

It's getting to be that time of the semester for my Guy- you know, the part where he gets busy and all of a sudden he's feeling wildly overloaded and I rarely see him because he's working on projects, papers, and pieces and before you know it, I have to dole out a little tough love and butt-whoopin' to keep him from freaking out.

Maybe that's why soothing blues and greens are so prevalent in my wardrobe.

Probably not.

Pants: Gap Really Skinny...Button-down: Old Navy, thrifted...Cardigan: Gap...Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction via Piperlime...Necklace: thrifted

I'm Baaaack.

It was awesome. Dog was well behaved, growled into the night and protected me like a champ and my lips are delightfully wind-chapped from a day of reading on the beach. I also started 3 (count 'em- THREE) fires with one use of the lighter. I was always good at getting a fire going, but I wasn't so sure about my ember-coaxing-skillz after a 4+ year hiatus. Aaand I started the first one in the dark. I win.

Today's the last day of boss lady's trip out of town, so I took the opportunity to dress up a pair of jeans. I really wish I had the opportunity to wear jeans more often. 

Jeans: Gap Always Skinny...Blouse: Kimchi Blue via Buffalo Exchange...Sweater: Gap...Shoes: Payless (old)...Necklaces: thrifted

Highlights from my solo + dog camping trip:

Billy Goat dog scrambling over the granite pier

My reading nook on the beach, facing the water.

Residual sandstorm in my reading nook.

Me and Miles in front of the Big Tree. 

Other Live Oaks in the grove with the Big Tree. 

Nearing sunset and watching the bay.

My awesome campsite with hidden tent area.

Coffee and noodles via camp stove. 

Bad Idea Jeans

Remember that sketch?

Except this trip is a truly awesome idea. But, I love how wonderfully clunky and unflattering camping clothes are. I know one wouldn't know it to look at me, but I did my fair share of 5 day backpacking trips with a 50+ lb. pack- no easy feat for someone my size. Over the last few years, I've lost a lot of my muscle tone in my legs and back, which would really hinder my ability to successfully backpack now, but a little light hiking, hauling my equipment to the campsite in a single pack- that I can still do. In very lumpy pants. 

This is Miles excitedly giving me a High-5 for our camping trip. It's so funny how intuitive he is about trips- he knows instinctively when he's joining and when he's being left behind. He clearly knew what was up last night while I was packing up my gear and is very excited to join me. 

Solitude Style

My guy is on Spring Break this week, but has worked his butt off instead of doing anything fun. So he and some friends went out of town last night and tonight to a cabin (I think? I don't really know about where he is, dog wasn't invited so I didn't pay attention once I knew the group would be off having fun and I would get to camp with the pup). Anyway, there's talk of board games, cards, hot tubs, good whiskey, and a collection of people with very corny senses of humor. He's in good hands.

And that meant I was aaaaall alone last night and got to pack myself up for camping. I can't even tell you how excited I am to pitch a two-man-tent just for me and the dog, hatchet up some logs, cook stuff on a tiny backpacking propane stove and quietly enjoy fresh air. Aaaand, three days without washing my hair. Is it sad that I'm so pumped for this part?

I'll be scheduling a post for tomorrow a.m. filled with my camping garb, the mess of putting my gear together, and all kinds of other goodies. Check back in for bad jeans and clunky boots, it'll be a thrill- I promise.

Pants: Zara...Top: Zara, thrifted...Sweater: Men's Gap, shrunken and stolen...Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction via Piperlime