shadowlands

cardigan: Gabriel brothers

silk dress worn as a skirt: Target

black fishnets: Gabriel Brother's

blue tights (under fishnets): Gabriel Brother's

cream knee high socks: Gabriel Brother's

grey leather boots: thrifted $2

jeweled bling bling hoop earrings: Texas store $1

My dad named this blog post. It gave me chills when he suggested it because of what we've experienced with losing our loved one.  "Shadowlands" is also a movie about the life and love of C.S. Lewis. His wife dies from cancer.  Here's a poignant quote from the movie.

"Why love, if losing hurts so much? I have no answers anymore: only the life I have lived. Twice in that life I've been given the choice: as a boy and as a man. The boy chose safety, the man chooses suffering. The pain now is part of the happiness then. That's the deal."

-Jack, from the movie Shadowlands 

I was thinking of calling it "Light and Shadow." My dad thought that was boring. Shadowlands plays into the pictures.  With the shadow and light.  In the last 2 pics I feel like I echo my surroundings. My burnished hair is like the golden sun on the trees behind me and my outfit and skirt are like the black and white of the snow, dead branches and footprints. 

Today was a better day.  I worked for hours on my sisters invitations. Got to hang out with her for awhile. (smile :)  I was inspired by another blog to pull out this dress and layer a sweater over it.  It's cream on the top, which doesn't go well with my complexion. But turning it into a skirt works.  And it's fun.  

I've realized that a shorter skirt length works better on me.  I will still be modest.  In some ways modesty is relative.  There's certain ways of dressing I just don't feel comfortable with.  But I'm not as conservative as I used to be.  

I actually grew up only wearing skirts and culottes (aka baggy long shorts.)  I've been on a journey the last few years of walking in more freedom In Christ.  I know there are girls and guys on here that are from all walks of life. I can understand the more conservative or even "orthodox" way of dressing. I've been there.  But I've really enjoyed being more relaxed and able to explore more ways of dressing since I've come into more personal freedom.  

I started wearing pants/jeans in my early 20's. I also got my ears pierced when I was 20.  I've realized that when I wore skirts all the time I actually judged girls that wore pants. In some ways I felt better then them.  More holy or something.  

I have also realized I'm the same person. It's only clothing. I feel the same inside.  I feel like I can relate to the world better. I'm not so different. I know we are to live lives that look different. But I also personally feel that if I'm too different they won't feel they can relate to me.  

This is the journey that God has me on.  I know that some of you won't agree and that's OK. We're all at different places in life.  I believe we can all love and respect each other, and agree to disagree. I think ultimately it comes down to love.  Can I accept someone even if they dress differently and believe differently than I do? 

button down and bows

boots: Madden girl, gifted from parents

Calvin Klein jeans: $2 thifted

sweater tights under jeans: Gabriel brothers, $2/3

long sleeve chambray man's shirt: free

sweater: thrifted $2?

cameo: from Grammie

vintage ring: $6

flower earrings: vintage cabuchon's $7

total: $19

 

blue and the grey

Steve Madden boots: gifted form parents $75 (?)
black tights: cheap, $2?
berry tights: $2?
socks: $2?
grey dress (as skirt): $6?
sweater: free from sis
sm. man's button down: free
belt: $1 vintage thrifted
earrings: $2 Target


total: $90 (around)


I went into town later today to meet up with my sister.  We did some browsing/shopping for wedding invitation materiels. Yup we will be making them.  She bought some glittery peacock green/blue embossing powder, a stamp that has an invitation layout and a peacock stamp.  


She had to go to work so i continued on for awhile without her. I looked for vellum, that clear paper that is on top of invitations sometimes. I found it for .40 cents a piece at an art store in a complimentary Peacock green.  I also looked at Staples for envelopes and cardstock. I didn't buy any of it but used my handy dandy cell phone and took some pics. :) 


We will be making the invitations!!! We might make about 300!!!  It's a wedding on a budget.  It will be fun. It means I get to spend even more quality time with my bestest sister!  


Yeah tomorrow we're looking at a church, that I mentioned in another post.  We will see. We will go before I go to work.  We have an appointment for 9am.

in the red

So silly me. I came home from work last Friday night and changed my clothes, put some make up on and added a braid to my ponytail. Actually it was relaxing.  And it was nice to dress up a bit.  I was in my own little world.  

It was late and I got the impetus to take pics of my outfit, (which I thought was cute.) Even my dad complimented me on it ;)  I and my brother took a lot. It's hard to get good indoor shots.  A lot were kinda dark, or awkward. I did quit a bit of editing even to the ones I posted.  A friend complimented me on my outfit (the top pic) on my FB page so it made me decide to go ahead and post this outfit on my blog.

Like I've said I wear rather serviceable clothes to work.  Usually jeans a long sleeve shirt with a cardigan or zip up sweatshirt and a scarf.  The sweater and scarf to pull on and off if I'm gettin' to warm or chilly.  I don't really put much of an outfit together for work.

My sister and I worked on the guest list yesterday.  We made 3 lists.  One long list of everyone she'll send invites to, and she can add to that list.  The "probable" list, everyone that will probably come. And then the "Intimate" list.  If, worst case scenario, she had to have a small wedding.  It was fun.  

Tomorrow we're going with my dad at 9:00am to a local church to scope it out.  The problem is that the church only holds 100 people. But the plus side is since my dad knows the pastor we'd only have to give a donation to use it. We might look for a meadow around here and do an outside wedding then use the reception hall for the reception.  We live in cow country, rolling hills and meadows and mountains. A meadow wedding would be beautiful! See the picture?!!!  (We might have to look out for cow patties though!!)

We need to decide on a venue and a date SOON!  I know a number of you ladies in the blogging world are also doing wedding planning.  God bless us all!! ;)

boots: thrifted $1 or $2

leggings: ? (have had them for a long time/

don't remember where I got 'em)

socks: Gabriel brothers $2?

skort: thrifted $2?

long sleeve thermal: free

short sleeve cardi: Walmart/Kmart $3

scarf: $5 Walmart

belt: vintage thrifted $1

locket: from my Grammie

earrings: Gabriel brothers $3

guestimated total: $18

 

on track

So I mixed neutrals, (well almost neutrals) with this spring skirt. I'm wearing blue jean and teal as a neutral. Wouldn't you say blue jeans are practically a neutral?  Today I actually wore 2 PAIR of tights.  One pair in teal layered under a pair of grey nylons.  (I have a confession to make. I "cheat" with my pictures. I have to wear glasses to see, but I look a lot better without them, so I take them off for pics. Shhh, don't tell ;)  I want to get new glasses for my birthday, which is in 21 days!!

I went with my mom to bring the garbage but both places were closed. I asked her to stop at the railroad crossing and she took these shots. I'm impressed with my brother and my mom with the pics they both take!  

Look I ONLY posted 6 pics... I'm picture happy (think "trigger happy"), so normally I post 8 pics or more.

Today I posted 6 new pairs of earrings in my Etsy shop!  Check 'em out. I guess I'm all about 6 today.  Better not do another thing in 6...jk! :) There's still a New Year's Eve coupon up in one of my blog posts if you want to get a discount.

boots: $1 or $2 thrifted

teal tights: Gabriel brother's

grey nylons: from Grammie

skirt: free

grey thermal: Gabriel Brother's

jean jacket: Old Navy $25

feather earrings: gift from my brother, 

probably from Peru

shell ring: from Grammie

necklace: star of David from Israel, 

sparrow from thrift store, chain from another necklace

the green eyed girl

I wore this yesterday to the young adults Bible study. Every week that we go the family that hosts it cooks dinner.  Last night was breakfast for dinner, and boy was it good!  It was one of my favorite meals they've cooked so far.  We had grits and shrimp (my first time ever!), biscuits and gravy and some sort of French toast bread pudding with blueberries.  Some good eatin'!

 I think certain colors work on me better than others. I really like coral, in many different shades and I like green and sage green. I haven't been so sure about this sweater, thinking maybe to get rid of. But I've rediscovered it and I do like it.  I wore it in my first post,  (which wasn't my favorite look.)  I've really been getting into the fashion world more lately.  Looking at fashion blogs a lot. Doing my own fashion blogging. I even read a lot of Tim Gunn's book "A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style" .  

I want to be more deliberate about getting nicer pieces.  I do a lot of thrifting but that can give me many things instead of fewer nice things.  Don't worry I'm not going to give thrifting up completely.  I've gotten some nice shoes and boots thrifting.  

Big news!  I am going to Texas. My parents paid for a last minute ticket for me to go. My sister needs someone to ride with her as she drives her home from school in Texas. She graduates the 10th. Since my mom has some physical issues it's better for me to be on a road trip for 2 days instead of my parents.  So I get to see my baby sister (7 years younger than me) graduate from Bible School! I'm happy I get to go. Thanks God :) Yeah!  Ohhh I get to see my nephews, my brother and my sister in law.  

I had fun editing the pics and making some of the pictures more Artsy Fartsy!  Ohh and I added my two "funnies" of me (truly singing) and then pretending to play the piano.  I can play but I don't much.

J. Jill army green corduroys:  thrifted in Michigan

Ann Taylor coral long sleeved shirt: Gabriel Brothers

Ann Taylor lime green sweater: thrifted

Brazilian leather booties: $1 thrifted

vintage necklaces: Grammie

pearl bracelet: reused vintage beads handmade by me

rough cute emerald ring: $13 Thai/Burma border

fresh water pearl earrings: made by me for a friends wedding

thank you, Daddy O'!

I took these pics on Friday.  I did get "blog burnout".  I am an extremist at times, also I have tendencies toward perfectionist and over achiever. If I'm into something I can put hours into it at a time. Balance and moderation are a bit healthier. :)  

I had this look in my head, I wanted to use my dad's flannel shirt with skinnies.  I found this one, and liked it because of the bright red.  Definitely a POP of color!  ( I actually forgot how to spell color for a second!)  

skinny jeans: Ross $15

flannel shirt: from my Daddy O's closet

sweater: department store sale

socks: Gabriel brothers

boots: Salvation Army, $1

Old navy leather belt, men's: yard sale $1

vintage locket: with pics of my grammie and grampy when they were young, from my Grammie

I could have also called this blog something about a Lumberjack. This is definitely a lumberjack's shirt. Like stereotypically Lumberjack.  "Man of the woods, and cutter of trees!" Yeah that's me ;)  I did learn how to make a fire today in our wood stove!  I'm keeping it alive too!! (does that mean I have a red thumb?)

My parents are going to TX for my sister's graduation from Bible school on Wed. My dad wanted me to learn how to build a fire. Keeping the furnace on costs a lot of money.  We are thrifty country folk!

I went and filled out an application at a nursing home here in the country and left my resume. I'm willing to start part time. The owner said they'd call me! Hope so!!!

Ohh, last night I finally got the "groove" on to decorate the Christmas tree. Mom and Dad helped a little bit. I'm the family  "decorator." If it wasn't for me, who knows when it would have gotten done. (Maybe when my sister moves back home.)  I even put evergreen branches on the piano with our nativity scene with red glass balls and pine cones.  Maybe just maybe I'll posts some pics sometime.   

It's official, Christmas has come to our house.