Testing testing one two (70?)

I was very lucky this holiday and received a new camera (thank you dear!), so today was my first time trying it out.  The title comes from the fact that this camera has a continuous burst setting, meaning I can take (in this case) 10 shots, with one click of the button.  About 10 minutes later I had 70 shots to pick from... oh my!  There are a lot of functions to learn on this camera (Canon SD 40000 Elph). 

Going out for barbeque tonight, and I am really looking forward to it!  I want to test out the camera with indoor nighttime shots, so this will be a good place for a trial.

Sage green, dusty rose (oh my gosh I am wearing pink!), and ivory, one of my favourite combinations.

In a twinkling dress - anthro

Open front sequined drape cardigan - rw & co (big sale on now!)

Knit beret - anthro (picked up in NY, not sure of the name?)

Purple tights - gap

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Just stopping by to wish everyone a merry christmas and happy holidays!  Your support and comments mean so much to me and I am beyond thrilled to have people who follow my blog, so thank you so much!  I hope everyone is having a great holiday and all that good stuff.

Larger photo for easy sign reading!

Off to go relax away a very food induced drowsiness. Ta!

Good tidings to you!

Happy Christmas Eve everyone!  Hope your day is full of good food, good company, and relaxation.  We are having a non-traditional dinner tonight of homemade Taiwanese beef noodle soup, but I am secretly hoping that it will become our family tradition from now on.  With dumplings too!

It has been pouring out for the last few days, so I guess instead of a white Christmas, we are having a wet one.  Typical Vancouver weather.

 Gap dress and tights, forever21 drape cardigan, hayden harnett riding boots.  Perfect get up for last minute grocery shopping, and deal finding.  And yes, belt is riding up a bit high in the photos, oops!

I have three days off in a row, that means nailpolish! Detail shot, it is a greyish-mauve colour.

 Have a great day and night everyone!

What I saw today...

Someone walking around the city wearing Lycra shorts, an overcoat, knee-pads on both knees, and rubber boots.  I am not sure what to think.  Not judging, just confused...

Blue Velvet

Yay! Monday!  A short week this time thanks to the holidays, just have to get through the week.  Tim will be up too about half way through, and then we can start our holiday cooking, movie going, shopping, etc. What fun!

Before I found out about Anthropologie, I was a huge fan of JCrew.  With there being no brick and mortar presence in Canada, I found that their clothing options were unique, the quality was pretty decent, and with sales, the pricing was great.  The Bella velvet blazer was my only full-priced purchase from them, and I have never regretted it.  The colour is fantastic and the detailing throughout is superb.

 Jcrew Bella velvet blazer, Citizen of Humanity slate invader skinnies, Anthro sweater-cuffed booties, necklace from my mom (thanks mom!)

Wasting the day away

I am feeling very tired these days, so all I want to do is curl up in front of the television or computer and just waste the day away.  I think between the mad rush of the holidays and the change in work hours during December, I am running out of energy.  That or I am getting older, let's go with the first option though, please?

Finished up wrapping all the Christmas presents this morning, all sitting pretty under the tree.  I was thinking it would be cute to have matching paper to the tree (red, gold, and cream) but that would almost be too much for me, so I threw in some cartoon penguin paper for fun.  Do you go with all matching/coordinating paper or mix it all up?

 Anthropologie Steadfast and Whimsy skirt, Winners cream sweater, Gap sparkly buttoned grey cardigan, yellow scarf (random mall store?). Hat from The Bay, same old boots as always.

Oh and apparently I am completely off my rocker these days, this skirt? No green in it!  Blue, yellow, black, and cream/taupe.  Yup, I don't know...

  Hello bad hair day, meet Hat.  Hat will be your new best friend.

Anthropologie opening in Vancouver!

Not sure where (maybe Robson Street area?), or the exact time frame, but looks to be Spring 2011.  The website is currently accepting applications for many positions in Vancouver.  How exciting!

Anthro-inspired outfit part 2

Having already covered the Anthro-inspired look for casual wear, the next step would be the dressed up one.  When I think of Anthropologie what first comes to mind is one part whimsy, one part pattern, and one part unique.  Using these three parts, I can create my own inspired looks using different brands and price points.

This is an outfit I wore on Saturday to one of my work's holiday parties.  I will have a few more chances to dress up this month, and while I considered wearing the ruffian dress + cascading tulle cardigan (as worn here by Laura at Anthro Closet Chaos) at the last minute I changed my mind.  It was a good thing too, most people showed up in jeans or leggings.  Granted we were at a house, but I was still over-dresses.

So looking at my outfit, it was broken down into whimsy (the floral patterned tiered dress), pattern (tights), and unique (sequin drape vest).  Throw in a pair of boots, and I was all set.  My first choice for shoes were a pair of brown heels with snakeskin patterned wrapped heels from Aldo, but it was pouring rain out.  Not too practical to walk around Vancouver in.

I will admit that the best part of the outfit was that outside of shoes, the total cost was $37 before taxes.  All pieces can be worn again in different way, dressed up or down.

Dress and sequined vest from winners, tights are old navy, boots are corso como theresa.

As I was poking around on the Ruche website, I found my dress! It is here, but apparently sold out.  The brand is called Mine, and if you are in Canada, check your Winners, it was on clearance for $20 there.

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Anthro-inspired outfit part 1

As you might have figured out by now, my favourite store is Anthropologie.  Sadly for me, there are none in my near vicinity, but happily for my wallet the same applies.  If I had a great income I bet most of my clothes would come from that store, and quite a few home goods as well.  

I have found that if I look around, I can similar pieces at a much more wallet-friendly price point.  Winners is one place that works well for this.  The one here at least gets a wide range of styles, and if you have the time to look through the racks, you can find some neat little items.

This short-sleeved sweater instantly reminded me of the sweaters from Anthropologie with the asymmetrical buttons and different ways to adjust the neckline.  The black skinny jeans and boots are also common in many different catalog stylings.

 Sweater- Pink Rose (Winners), black skinny jeans (Winners), Hayden Harnett joey cuff, Seychelle's At Last boots in tan

 Close up of the button detailing.  You can play with the neckline too.  If you button it all up, you get a funnel neck, or can undo here and there for a more textured look.

Orange you glad it's Thursday?

I suppose it would be better if it was a Friday, but I like Thursday just as well.  I get most Thursdays off it seems, The Big Bang Theory and The Vampire Diaries are both on tonight.  My work place received excellent results on a bi-annual assessment and I am extremely proud of them.  So yay for Thursday!

I finished up about 1/2 of my holiday shopping today, and had lunch with friends.  I have such trouble shopping for the men in my life though, it would be so much easier if they liked jewelry, or shiny things.  Or if I could just hit up an Anthropologie for them.  Is there a male equivalent?  Think-geek.com is pretty cool if you live in the states, otherwise the shipping to Canada is a bit pricey.

My issue with the backdoor is all fixed now, I can use the backyard!  Now I just need to figure out this winter lighting now.  The leaves from the tree before added a nice filter to the light I think, not sure what to do about it now.  Any suggestions?  I just have a simple cyber-shot camera.

I was slightly stumped about what to wear today, but kept on wandering back to the Compeer dress. So I threw a sweater over top.  Added some tights for warmth, a cozy scarf and jacket, and away I went!

I'm a yellow-necked turtle!  Or not, just my scarf.  Danier leather jacket, yellow scarf from random shop.

  Old Navy tights and Hayden Harnett boots.

 Compeer dress, cardigan (not sure of the name? by knit & knotted), and Jcrew scattered locket necklace.

Texture and patterns and lions oh my!

I lied, there are no lions in the following post.  Why would there be lions walking around my house?  There is a stray orange cat wandering around the neighbourhood, but he is not in my house.  But oh, how there will be patterns and textures.

I can't quite pull off the polka dot and floral trench yet, but how about herringbone and a modified plaid print?

I love this cardigan but it does absolutely nothing for my middle section.  Why the love?  The back  is frigging awesome and it has tulle!  Like, prancing ballerina tulle, without looking like I am wearing a tutu.

 

Too much pattern?  Not enough pattern?

Jcrew vintage cord mini in purple, Sparrow Cascading Tulle cardigan, Old navy herringbone tights, Schuler & Sons sweater-cuffed booties (not really visible)

I should have gone outside for pictures, but there are technical difficulties with that area of the house at the moment, hopefully outside pictures can resume in this upcoming week.

I hope everyone is having a nice and relaxing weekend!

I've been tagged!

So the lovely Jodi over at day2daywear tagged me!  This is my first time being tagged and I am absolutely thrilled, so thank you Jodi!  Now to get to know me a little bit....

1.  What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a teacher first, then that went away to wanting to be a geologist.  I even started my university degree heading in that direction, but the math got in the way.  Still love rocks, and the earth etc, but was not the path for me.

2.  Favorite childhood game?

Pinochle! The adults would all play it at my grandparent's house down in Bellingham, and kids would gather around to watch.  When our hands were big enough to hold the card, we got to play.  Many many fond memories of that game and the family.  I would never bid, but I like to think I was a killer partner!

3.  Most favorite birthday?
When I was 16, my friend Rachael and her dad let me have a sleep over at their house (ours was too small).  It was just so nice of them, and it was a lot of fun, so thank you Rachael :)

4.  Something you have always wanted to do and haven't yet?
  Go to Taiwan or Paris.  I see Taiwan being more feasible, but oh Paris...one day!

5.  What was your first love?
Like Jodi, "what"?  Hmmm if you ask anyone who knew me as a little girl, it would be unicorns! Prancing, shiny, purple unicorns.  Of which I have grown out of by the way, no more unicorns please.

6.  First musical idol?
I don't remember....maybe...Raffi or Fred Penner?  I was a child of the 80's....

7.  Favourite gift?
I gave my mom a little koala bear years ago, and it now lives in her car.  When ever I visit her I see it there, and it makes me happy.  Favourite gift given to me?  Engagment ring!

8.  If a theme song played everywhere I went what would it be?
Sunshine and lollipops!  Ok not so much, but how cool would that be for a theme song?  It would more likely be something pretty tame these days.

 

9.  Favorite city to visit?
Ohhh this is a hard one, I was wavering between New York and Seattle but Seattle would always win out! In fact, so  much so I hope to be down there by this time next year for good.  I think it is because it is like Vancouver, but not at the same time, plus, Tim is there.

Speaking of Tim, here is a picture of us last year at my friend Shayna's wedding.  It was the end of a long and fun night hehe

I don't have a good title today...

Ninja edit: it is also World AIDs Day.  Want an easy way to support? Stop by any starbucks and they will donate 5 cents of each handcrafted beverage to the AIDs fund.

Today is one of the "Pay it Forward Days".  Remember that movie with Haley Joel Osment?  Same idea, do something random and good for a stranger.  I am not sure what I will do yet, but hopefully when running errands, something will present itself.  Doing my roommate's dishes does not quite cut the mustard.  Now doing a stranger's dishes would, but I don't think knocking on someones door and offering to do dishes would be the best idea ever.

Wish I had a catchy title today but I don't.  Can anyone help me out?   That could be your random act of kindness!

Note to self: overcast weather = bad lighting, lesson learned.

 Jacob dress/tunic (It would be a dress on a shorter person, or maybe during the summer)

Hayden Harnett Riding boots

Danier ponte+leather leggings (first time wearing, kinda outside the box for me, but I can't stand the feel of the pleather ones)

Same old gap cardigan, are you tired of it yet? I swear I don't wear it everyday