Winter Pin Ups

RASPBERRIES!!!

So I've been a bit lazy about my Pin Up posts- so I'm making up for it right now with a marathon Pin Up extravaganza.


Or just a big post.


Ok... Here it goes!

Wish List: Black and Brown

It's always annoyed me when people tell me what I can and cannot wear.

I mean, I appreciate advice, but when a magazine screams at me that yes, I CAN wear polka dots or someone says "oh, you CAN'T wear a dress with those shoes" or "you CAN'T possibly wear a fanny pack" something snaps in my brain. 

Whatever that person has declared unacceptable, I must wear. Right. Now. Even if I agree with the person, like with the fanny pack (they just don't need to work- can we all agree on that?), I must prove that person wrong. It's part of a stubborn streak I have that flares up at fairly useless times. 

The most annoying "you can't do that" I've encountered in my travels is the no black and brown together rule. I personally LOVE this combo and have never had any issues with clashing-while-wearing. In fact, I usually get some kick ass compliments when I wear this combination. 

So for this wish list I thought I'd put a dream outfit together, black and brown and red (lipstick) all over. 

1. black blouse, f21

2. lipstick, chanel in pirate

3. rhinestone collar necklace, f21

4. waxed jeans, j brand

5. bon shopper, kate spade

6. jane 14L boots, frye

7. d-ring belt, DKNY

End-Of-Year Goals

It's almost 2013.


I feel like I should do something-make a calendar, a promise, some kind of pledge; but lets be honest. I'm not exactly Captain Follow-Through (I TOTALLY just figured out next years halloween costume).

I'm not what people might call a self-motivating person. I honestly don't know what truly motivates me. Every form of motivation has worked for about a week at a time. But they all fail.

Observe: Guilt just makes me lie or avoid people, negative reinforcement sends me into a really self-depricating shame spiral, and 'fooling' myself just ends in a complex argument with myself that inevitably ends with marshmallows.

Basically the only thing that works for more than a week is consistent waves of positive reinforcement. The key is it cant come from me. When I say "go team this guy!" I feel (and sound) kind of like an idiot. And no one has the time to follow me around telling me how fantastic I am. I'm not Brad Pitt.




Unless you all have something very important to tell me...






Anyways, I'm bring this up now because, as you may have noticed, its November now- almost December, really. Seeing the leaves change and the weather crisp up makes me think about wrapping things up and new beginnings and all that. And that 2012 is almost over and i better have something to show for it. So I've been thinking about some goals- not overly large ones, but smaller, meatier goals. Goals that can be stepping stones to broader life goals or habits. So here's my little list of things I'd like to do before the end of 2012.



1. Do more yoga. There was a time when I did yoga every day for an hour. It was hard, but it was fantastic. I was a human rubber band, and calmer than I've been maybe ever. I had never been able to clear my head the way they say you're supposed to in meditation and before you go to bed. Somehow though, that year it clicked. For that hour, either my mind would quiet down or it would get so foggy and full of thoughts they would meld into a white noise; either way I felt quiet. Every class I left feeling centered. I miss that. I think that doing just 10 minutes of yoga a day- just yoga, in the quiet with just me- would be nice.

2. Go to the gym at least twice a week. I'm not an active person. I've tries to be a few Ike's but it always ends with me on the couch. I don't enjoy exercising. In fact, I kind of hate it. It frustrates me that the rewards are so hard to achieve; you don't get a six pack and loose 10 pounds in a week. The combination of this and the fact that it's hard and boarding make it really easy to just... Not. But I know I feel so much better when I do get off my butt, and the health benefits are undeniable. So instead of jumping into a big workout plan I will inevitably not be able to keep up with, I'm setting a simple, no-guilt goal: go work out twice a week. With any luck, it'll become a seamless part of my life. Like TV or mascara. But better for me.

3. Eat only vegetables twice a week. I love vegetables, So this one won't be hard. It's just so easy to get in the habit of eating far too much meat and starch and carny goodness this time of year. So going veggie twice a week seems like a good way to break it up and,ale sure I'm not falling into the meat trap and stay feeling vibrant even in February.

4. Moisturize. A lot. I get so dry and crispy feeling this time of year. So I want to take the time to coat myself in lotions and potions. I always feel so lavish and soothed after I just put on some lotion. I have some nice, rich creamy ones that I don't use enough and, well, what time like the present?

5. Take more pictures. I always love looking at photos- two of my most precious possessions are photo albums, one from my parents and one from my grandparents. They're filled with baby pictures and little snapshots. Looking at these reminds me that pictures are so much more than posing for Facebook or composing a flattering angle. But it's more than that- we have several albums in my house filled with pictures from our adventures when we lived in London and traveled around Italy and France. But instead of pictures of the Eiffel tower or the colosseum (which we totally have don't you worry,) these albums are filled with doorknobs, manholes, graffiti, tiles, street signs, hinges, all sorts of little details my parents knew we would never see the likes of anywhere else. It's those details that make exploring so invigorating. Don't get me wrong, I love to see the sights and bask in the big history, but those weird small things are what make your journey so special and your own. I want to remember those little things better and I think this might be a good way to start.

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Wish List: Flats

Ok, I love the look of heels, but let's be honest: they're hardly practical.

As a result, the bulk of my shoe collection is flats. Unfortunately they're all wearing out at the same time. OH NO- now I have to shop.

Here's some of my favorites

Wish List: Vases

Here at our apartment we've gotten into the habit of having fresh flowers in our living room and... foyer? welcome nook? front hall? I don't know what it's called, but its the first thing you see when you get home and I like it. Anywho, since we've had flowers around a lot, it's got me thinking about vases. So here are some vases i've had my eye on.

Enjoy!

Wish List: City Prints

Theres a blank space on my wall.

It's so sad, like a duckling that just cant catch up with her siblings or the dog that legitimately can't understand why he can't catch his tail.

Naturally, I wandered over to etsy to find a little something to make my wall feel a little less sad. And I found something. A few somethings, actually:

I love them so much. I want to get one for each city I've lived in (plus Paris). Now the only question is... do I get all the same series OR do I do all different?

Quandaries...

Wish List: Small Purses and ID Wallets

So I have a bus pass. And I'm not gonna lie, its kind of annoying having to dig through my purse, grab out my wallet just to flash my bus pass every day. So I'm looking at those little tiny wallets with the ID space on the outside.

Take a look:

What do you think?

Things I Want To Make.

Living with a master crafter makes one want to do nothing but craft. It's literally all I want to do. You may have noticed that my Pinterest has been inundated with DIY after DIY... this is no coincidence.

Seeing this, I decided this morning to focus in and maybe zero in on some crafts in particular that tug at the heartstrings. Or make me say "I-want-to-go-to-there". Either way.

Let's take a look, shall we?

Ok, lets break it down.

There are a few different categories going on here. There is jewelry, home, and cute little things.

The biggest category is jewelry. I have always been drawn to jewelry making, and have even worked for jewelry designers, so it makes sense that my brain would click when I see jewelry ideas. I really like that the DIY ideas I choose also happen to be my styles of jewelry: small and delicate or simple and linear.

 Then there's the home things. These consist of mainly shelves or vases. The shelving ideas is mostly wishful thinking (let's be honest), but it's really fun to look at. Maybe Future Katie will get around to those things.

Some of the projects I really get excited about are the vases, especially the ones with gold leaf or gold paint. I swear I must be half magpie; I just can't resist a sparkle!
I mean, look at those square vases with the little succulents- how cute are they?


Then, last but not least, there are the too-cute-to-stand things. like this guy:

I mean... do I even need to justify these guys?

I didn't think so either.

Wish List: Tea and Coffee

Is there anything better than a warm cup of tea or hot chocolate in the morning?

I really don't think so.

My love of the warm beverage in the morning started when we lived in London fifteen years ago. On saturday mornings, I would wake up to watch cartoons. During the commercials I'd jump up and sit on the counter, placing a mango ceylon tea bag at the base of the mug while I patiently waited for the electric kettle to cluck its tiny *click*. Then, dloop, dloop! Two sugar cubes and a quick stir, then back to the couch for the remainder of whatever Blue Peter re-run I was watching.

I loved these mornings- they were so quiet and warm. I still get that wave of serenity when I waft of the warm, sweet tea or feel the heat against my palms as I cradle a mug.

So for this weeks wish list, I compiled some of the mugs and teapots I'd like to add to my collection.


Go grab a mug of something toasty and see what you think...

Wish List: End Of Summer Dresses

It's that time of year when the dresses turn from floaty gauzy numbers to more structured, deeply colored dresses; Just as the leaves turn, so does my wardrobe! I popped by my favorite websites to see how the transition is coming. Much to my excitement and chagrin of my thin wallet, there were many many fantastic dresses out there that were neither too summery, nor too autumnal. Check it out!

anthropologie

free people

mod cloth 

mod cloth

Inspiration: Lacy Things

I love lingerie.
It's my favorite thing to buy.
By far.

However, buying really pretty and fantastic lacy bras and matching undies (I hate the word 'panties') is not exactly possible on a post-grad budget. But, thanks to the internet, I can fill fake carts and leave them stranded in the middle of the store, minus the guilt. (Note: anyone who has done this in a real store will know the cold flash of guilt that trickles down your back when you do this. The glares from the clerks as they watch you slink out the door will amplify this feeling).

To be fair, my collection is fairly extensive. But theres always room for more... Right?

Wish List: Wall Decals and Papers

I love a pop of pattern on a wall.

So I've been investigating wallpapers and decals for a possible decorating idea in the new apartment. Looking at all them together, I clearly have colors and patterns I'm drawn to... mostly trees and geometric patterns. Anywho, here are my inspirations and ideals for a splash of fun in my new room:

Wish List: CHANEL

All I need is a million dollars.
Because then I could slather myself in head-to-toe Chanel products EVERY DAY.

so... pretty....

Until then, I'll just have to pine away from the glow of my computer screen, dreaming of that magical day when I find thousands of bills in the family banana stand.

theres always money in the banana stand.

Wish List: Kitchen Bits

I think my favorite part of the kitchen (besides the food and eating part), is accessorizing it with the cooking utensils and tools. That wall of single-purpose toolset Williams Sonoma is heaven. So I went on a ModCloth an Anthropologie rampage to find the sweetest little kitchen tools possible.

kitchen brush, oven mitt, bottle opener, s&p shakers

yellow apron, measuring spoons, teapot, geometric apron

dish towel, spice jars, measuring spoons, ceramic farmers market basket, utensils set 

How ADORABLE would this kitchen be?

Inspiration: Dream Closet

I had a dream about a closet once. It was one of those floaty, fantastic dreams where you wake up feeling refreshed and glowing, like you slept on an animated cloud. You drift out of your dreams as lovingly as you would poke a soufle- only to realize that you can't for the life of you remember the details.

This is exactly what happened. I dreamed my perfect closet, and I cannot remember the details to save my life. Since then, I've had a fascination with closets; to find that perfect closet has become my mission. So I sifted through my pins and found the closest things I could. Hopefully they'll help me in my quest!

 

 

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Wish List: Airplane Essentials

You know how celebrities always have that magical product they love that makes all those long flights better? Well here's my wish list for if I was much fancier when I fly...

origins no puffery; rosebud salve; l'occitane cuticle cream; masque*ology brightening mask; mural oil-control mattifier; hello kitty bag

jcrew cashmere hoodie; jcrew minnie twill pants; hermes scarf; kate spade bon shopper; ipad

I would also like it if Stephen Fry would follow me around in his Jeeves costume and bring me martinis. And be my best friend.

very good, miss... 

Just the best friend part would work too.


(hint hint).