Five

Dress: BCBG MaxAzaria via Buffalo Exchange...Belt: thrifted...Shoes: MaxStudio via DSW...Earrings: Beijing market...Bag: Longchamp knockoff

Well, it's happened. Bri Marie tagged me in 5 Things and peer pressure took a firm grip, so here I go. I've already done a few random fact posts, but I promise not to cheat and swipe from the archives.

1. I'm an Elvis Fan. I love his music and kind of despise the jacka-- he was in real life, so, I guess that means I'm a fan of Elvis' legacy and the idea of Elvis. I sing "Can't Help Falling in Love" to my critters all the time.

2. Beaches? Yeah, they're nice. But, I'm a mountain lover at heart. There's something wonderful about feeling so small, looking up from the foot of a mountain. If someone said, "Hey, here, have this 600 sq. ft. house with an awesome view of those mountains to live in with your whole family," I'd say "Sweet! bunkbeds!" and enjoy the heck out of the view.

3. I have been collecting scars on my left knee and I kind of love it. My best friend's husband rocketed a horseshoe directly into my kneecap (no joke, 20+ foot bounce) and it bruised and swelled up immediately. The incident of the metal pedicab gash, the Beijing communal sink wash-off, and bandaid made from tissue and coffee lid tape. And then the time I fell off my bike and had to pedal my bloody stump home since I did it in Hermann Park. Less than a year ago.

4. One of my very favorite things is to host big, enormous dinners for friends. Cooking dinner for 8 and getting to absorb the energy of big group conversation from the kitchen is the best. One level better? An old-fashioned potluck (legit, if I could eat a buffet catered by octogenarians and invite all my friends, that would just about be the best thing ever).

5. I did a lot of ballet as a kid. I was a mouse for 11 years in the Nutcracker. I'm not joking. And when we did a version of Alice in Wonderland, I was the Walrus. Let that sink in. My skinny butt was the Walrus. Momma didn't donate enough extra for a good role. You can't make this crap up. At 14 1/2, I had my first, horrible run-in with petty politics. And quit soon after.

Anne, In Residence
Salazar, 14 Shades of Gray
Amber, Easy Petite Looks
Dotty, Dash Dot Dotty
Audrey, Putting Me Together
Ally, Shybiker
Daryl, Unlost
Nikki, the Ginger Diaries
Terri, Stylish Sass
Lisa, Respect the Shoes
Rebecca, Rebecca Lately
Danielle, Little Bit Of Wo We
Faith, Sweetened Style
Megan, Feathers and Freckles
Marion, Marionberry Style

Overkill list? Maybe. Don't care. Hop on it, crew! And hop over to Pleated Poppy... because it's What I Wore Wednesday!

Crappy light, fake peplum and Thank You's

Yuck, these morning photos are the pits. Sorry, guys.

I thought I would try out the sleek vs. cozy look, all while replicating the peplum look with a belted fluffy sweater. Thoughts? Opinions? I kinda like the pairing of a slightly tweed-y skirt with a sleek silky navy blouse and nubby cardigan and snakeskin accessories.

Skirt: Banana Republic, thrifted...Blouse: Gap, via Buffalo Exchange...Cardigan: Banana Republic...Belt: thrifted...Shoes: MaxStudio via DSW...Necklace: Target

Moday this week, I was blown away and received a blogger award from Natalie of The Closet de Natalie. Thank you, thank you, sweet thang! (And of course we'll thrift together. When will you be in town?!)

Additionally, I'm the world's biggest inadvertent jerk. I juuuuust found a comment in my Contact section showing that Rachel over at Yummy Mummy's Galore awarded me with the same thing... in November. I'm so sorry the thank you is so belated, I feel awful, but am so grateful!

The Liebster Blog award is given by bloggers to other bloggers with fewer than 200 followers. Liebster in German means dearest, beloved or favorite, so it's a great way to tell other bloggers how much you admire their blogs. In order to accept the award, I need to do the following:

1. Link back to the blogger who nominated me. 
2. Copy and paste the award on my blog.
3. Award five more blogger and let them know I chose them.

My fave five, alphabetically by blog:

Salazar from 14 Shades of Grey

Amber from Easy Petite Looks

Loren from The Inclined Plane
 
Kimmie from The Kimmie Chronicles

Marion from Marionberry Style

Check these girlies out, they're all fashionable, charming, and completely sweet!

Blogger Love

 30 Days Hath November- Day 12: Three Four Blogs I Can't Get Enough Of:

Sheesh, this was tough to narrow down, but I decided to stick with some of the ladies I've been writing back and forth with, whose blogs I found because I was so drawn to what they have to say and the quirky, real-girl sense of style each posesses.

1. Jenn of Complex Cardigans.
As a teacher, she is wildly committed to her students and their success. I admire her fierce devotion to seeing her students thrive, her empathy and her careful consideration of the people around her. I started following her blog because I looooove her perfectly polished style, especially the femenine skirt and cardi looks, but, upon reading daily, I have come to admire this fashionable teacher extraordinaire as a person.

2. BiblioMOMia.
Hysterical, cheerful.  Knows a lot about a lot and happily shares the tidbits with the group. I also adore that she has opinions and they're so smart. Her real-world mommy-hood is blogging at its best- adorable stories, confessions of nearly all day PJ's, . Being real-world has never looked so good. Or worn lipstick so well. Sigh.

3. Loren of The Inclined Plane.
May we say Flirty Geek Chic? Every time I look through her outfit photos, there's always one piece that I covet. And then I scroll down to her credits and the piece I like best is ALWAYS thrifted. Her sense of humor, zest for life and how funny it can be shine through so clearly in her posts. Additionally, I may or may not swipe her dog. I think Ian-dog and Miles would be friends. Just like I think Loren and I would be friends.

4.  Salazar of 14 Shades of Grey.
Admittedly blogging to push herself to find her personal style, I adore how fearless she is in the endeavor. There have been many occasions where I mentally file away the way she wore a pop of color, the silhouette she chose, the sweet little "bonus" photos she took while doing her photo shoot. She's also incredibly thoughtful about the other content she includes in her blog, like TV and book reviews.