Weekend Clothesline: It'll Stick to You

Joe with our Irish session ale wort.

Joe is in Chicago this weekend, which is lovely. We're going to spend the weekend going to museums, being productive, having fancy schmancy cocktail parties, and sleeping in. I thought I'd share some of the pictures I took last weekend, during our days of beer-brewing and chicken-pot-pie-making.

Top to bottom: wort, bubbling away; chicken pot pie, hot out of the oven

Pumpkin beer bread, with butter and hot coffee

Wisconsin's finest: New Glarus deliciousness (I felt like I was in Anne of Green Gables; cordial, anyone?)

Have the happiest Halloweeniest weekend!

Title song: Cream, "Strange Brew"

Review and Giveaway: Sperry Top-Sider Boots - CLOSED

Happy Friday! It's been a hard few weeks, no? I think we all need a bit of a pick-me-up this morning, something exciting to start your weekend off with a bang. I think I have just the thing...


I was contacted a couple of weeks ago by Sperry Top-Sider, who offered up two pairs of boots from their new fall collection for me to review. I was thrilled about this, understandably, and picked two lovely pairs of boots to call my own, the Women's Northstar Boot and the Women's Pelican Tall Boot. Let's talk about the rainboot (the Pelican) first, since I don't have a picture of it with which to woo you (I mean, come on, I wore them during the Chiclone, I think my camera would have just up and blown away if I had attempted a picture). I don't know if you know this, but I broke some rainboots awhile ago. I wore them in January, because I didn't have snowboots at the time, and the freezing temperatures literally cracked the rubber. So I've been in the market for a new pair ever since. And to be honest, I love these. I've only ever had galoshes from Target or Old Navy, and while they do the trick in terms of waterproof-ness, they are decidedly uncomfortable. The Pelican boots are cozy and warm and comfortable, and totally chic. Yes, it's a steep price tag ($75), so I probably wouldn't have sprung for them myself, to be honest, but they are clearly superior to my old, cracked, brokedown pair.

Now for the Northstar Boot. I heart this boot. I plan to wear this boot as often as possible. I want to be known as the girl who wears the same boots everyday, because that means I'll be wearing these boots everyday. Again, in all honesty, they're way out of my price range (these lovelies come in at $180). There's also something a bit goofy about the design, kind of as if someone attached a tall leather shaft to the classic Sperry's boat shoe style, but I'm quickly coming to love that quirkiness, and can forgive the high price because of the insanely soft leather, ridiculously comfy footbed, and undeniably fantastic style.

Now for the good part! Sperry has also offered to giveaway one pair of select Sperry-Top Sider Fall 2010 boots to a very lucky Between Laundry Days reader! All you have to do is follow Between Laundry Days, check out the Sperry-Top Sider Fall 2010 collection, and fill out this handy-dandy form. Then just start wishing away (or pray to the pagan gods, or Satan, since it is Halloween weekend. Whatever you'd prefer). Good luck!

From Sky to Ground

Oxford shirt: thrifted * Cardigan: NY & Co., thrifted * Pants: Old Navy * Wedge oxfords: Bass, remixed * Belt: thrifted, remixed

Guys, I don't know if you've heard, but it's been windy as shit here. The Chi-clone (or windpocalypse, depending on your preference for puns) rolled through this week, and shit got crazy (okay, that's the second time I've said "shit" in this post. Now third. It actually wasn't as extreme as all that. I don't want you to get the wrong idea. Please replace the phrase "can be" for the first use of the word "shit", and the word "things" for the second. And then just delete the other ones. They're not necessary). Seriously, though, it was windy. It was windy and awesome. Buildings set on fire, babies fell over in parking lots (that part isn't really awesome, but I guess it goes with the "shit got crazy" piece from above. Dammit. Things got crazy), and there were probably more Marilyn vent moments in the past two days then in the entire history of Chicago. Unless everyone was smart like me and wore pants.

It was the kind of really awesome, fun storm that was really cool to watch from a safe place (like my office or the roof). I actually really wished I had been downtown for some of it, especially on the roof or walking bridge of the new modern wing of the Art Institute, since that spot seems to have the most spectacular view of downtown, and cool weather stuff. Joe and I once saw one of the buildings along Millennium Park get hit by lightning when we were up on the roof of the AIC. It was rad. Anyway, I love big storms like this. It makes you feel so involved with nature and the weather patterns. You can't avoid massive windstorms that last for two days. Even if you're only outside a little bit, you can hear them and feel them throughout the day. The whole thing made me so excited for the rest of autumn and winter, and I'm suddenly in this very holiday-esque mood. Bring on the pie!

p.s. I told you this was my new uniform.

Title song: School of Seven Bells, "Windstorm"

Let's Go Out and Feel the Night

Rust tunic: c/o Happy Pappy Vintage * Lace skirt: Target * Blazer: thrifted * Boots: Rockport, remixed * Socks: Target

It's official: these lace skirts from Target are the best things ever. Classy (and just long) enough for work, sassy and casual for weekend wear, totally on-trend, and insanely comfortable. And at under $10 a pop (I think some people are finding them for $4 now that they're on mega-sale), their cost-per-wear gets whittled down pretty quickly. I love this particular pairing, with my favorite tunic, courtesy of the happy pappy vintage (she was BLD's first sponsor!). I've worn the shirt a few times, and fail to document it each time, but it's fabulously comfortable and has just about the best vibrant autumn rust color ever. Also, I finally found a blazer with elbow patches (this rivaled "owning a house" and "having a long, happy, successful life" as my lifelong dream). For $3.99. And I almost didn't buy it. Thankfully, Kelli and Emily talked me down (or rather, talked me to the cash register). That's what friends are for, right?

I'm also crazy about the lighting in these pictures. This is just about what it looks like right when I get done with work now. The lake is spectacular at dusk this time of year, and between the sunset, the crashing waves, and the abandoned beach, me and my tripod had a great detour on my walk home. I especially love how bright and clear and full the moon is in these pictures. Pretty soon it's going to be too dark (and damn cold!) to get out to the lake after work with enough light to take pictures. I'm hoping to have a few lunchtime photo ops, but I'm guessing that we'll be working more and more with indoor and back porch backdrops for awhile. Or at least on the days when I'm in Chicago. I fully intend to make Joe tromp through the woods with me throughout the winter when I'm visiting him on the weekends.

Also, you've all been clamoring at my door (err, comments section) to get the recipe for the pumpkin beer bread I made. Well, here it is! I actually substituted regular ale for pumpkin ale, and then added pumpkin butter to the dough. Delish (Emily can vouch for me on this)!

Title song: Neil Young, "Harvest Moon" (I will never tire of this song)

Send Me up a Drink

Maroon shirt: Paix, remixed * Skirt: AA, remixed * Cardigan: UO, remixed * Mocha tights: We Love Colors, remixed * Shoes: UO, remixed * Fur stole: borrowed from Emily * Belt: thrifted, remixed

I started to write a post about how busy I am, and how it's hard to be motivated when you feel behind, and how I'm days behind in posting pictures (it's safe to assume that unless I say otherwise, the pictures I post are not from the day I post them). But then I deleted it. I don't want to write a whole bunch of posts about being stressed and overwhelmed. This is my space for stepping away from those stresses, so it shouldn't be the focus of them. I want to write instead about the things that get me through those stressful moments, the habits and routines and meals and people that make the tough days worth getting through.

I got to talk to an old friend on the phone last night. He's living in Ecuador now, and I don't get to talk to him often at all. We exchange emails occasionally, but even his internet access is sporadic, and we haven't truly chatted since February. He's randomly in the country for a week, and called me out of the blue. It was amazing how much I realized I missed him as soon as we started to talk. He and Joe were my very closest friends during my first year in Chicago, and we formed an incredibly tight friendship. He's the kind of friend that, while making fun of me and being entirely inappropriate, reaffirms for me that I am a good, capable person, with so much to offer the world and the people I know. He inspires me to be better at things, to reach for things that seem impossible, and to be okay when things go wrong.

My friendship with him has always sort of astounded me. We got very close very quickly, and have remained at that level ever since. Even not talking for eight months, we slipped right into the same friendly intimacy when we were talking last night, and it didn't feel strange at all to hang up with an "I love you". It astounds me, I think, because I'm amazed at how you find those people in life. How do you connect with people in such an real way, so quickly? What are the odds that of all the people in all the places of the world, each person still has a network of relationships that truly fit, that understand more than just what you like or dislike, but understand, more deeply, who you are.

I'm incredibly flattered that eek! has taken up Joe's daily "three good things" mantra. It's been wonderful to read her three things each day, and has consistently inspired me, and reminded me, to keep doing it myself. So today's three good things will be about Patrick, who, out of the blue, knew I needed to hear from him, and reminded me how wonderful and reassuring it is to have friends who love you, unconditionally. 1) Taco Tuesdays and Tila Tequila; 2) Encouraging me to keep writing, and not taking no for an answer; and 3) Offering up his home in Ecuador for Joe and I to visit someday (next summer?). I think that those will get me through the day just fine, no matter how stressful, busy, or windy it gets.

Title song: Peter Schilling, "Major Tom" (Patrick once made me a mix tape with this on it)

Yesterday and Days Before

Shirt: Gap, remixed * Cardigan: Forever 21, remixed * Cargo pants: Old Navy * Socks: Target * Boots: ShoeTrader.com, remixed * Scarf: UO

Guys, I had a fantastic weekend. It was chilly and rainy the whole time, and felt unbelievably cozy. Joe and I got to relax, be productive, have a mini-date on Friday night, catch up on all the errands that have needed running since August, sleep in, and eat well. I guess it was probably the weather, but I was in a cooking/baking mood this weekend. I made pumpkin beer bread (oh my gawd so good), homemade chicken pot pie, vegetarian chili and lasagna. Plus, Joe and I spent much of Friday night stirring a 5-gallon pot of wort for our new beer (we're making an Irish heavy this time)!

I thought I should group together all the pictures where I have my arm up. Gah, I'm such a blogger!

We also got some great photoshoots, if I do say so myself. Again, I think it was the weather, and the low light, that made everything so misty and beautiful. I felt like I was in a fairy tale, trekking through the woods in my lace-up boots, peering at Joe around trees, and smelling the perfect smell of autumn between the fallen leaves and recent rain.

I have another busy week this week, but I feel rested, rejuvenated, and ready to go into it with guns blazin'. I'm hoping to get caught up on some of my blog reading, too. I've been reading each post, but have been doing so through my Google Reader, so I haven't been commenting much (if at all). Hopefully that will change in the next few days.

I'll leave you on this Monday morning with a few thoughts: skinny cargo pants are fan-freaking-tastic. I hope autumn never ends. I'm so grateful for the things and people in my life: Sunday night family dinners, hot coffee, Joe, my down comforter, watching the sunrise in the living room every morning, my delightful roommates, being able to walk to work every day, my wonderful and supportive family. This morning I'm grateful for 78 degree days and beautiful weekends.

Title song: Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?"

Have you got your Belle on!

Gals

The Sept/Oct edition of Belle Armoire Magazine is available to purchase now. If you get your copy check out our Bonzie Tattered Couture Regular Column inside. The issue featuring our textile wearable art pendants.

Belle Armoire Here

Musical Fruit

I Hate the Way You Act

Gray long sleeve t-shirt: Paix, remixed * Cardigan: Rodarte for Target, remixed * Pants: The Mexican Shop, remixed * Oxfords: Kmart, remixed * Belt: thrifted, remixed * Scarf: Forever 21, remixed

I think it's time to tell the saga of my stolen lunches. Bear with me, as some of you have heard this over on Twitter, but this is a story that must be told. I bring my lunch to work almost every day. Of course, I miss a day every now and then, but there's usually a sandwich, or leftovers, or fruit and a granola bar waiting for me at noon. A week ago I decided to indulge myself and buy bagels and cream cheese with lox for my lunch. The first day that I did this, I was having a terrible day at work. I had forgotten something, I was in a rotten mood, but I just knew my bagel would turn my day around. Now imagine my surprise when I went to get my delicious lunch from the fridge and it was GONE! I looked everywhere for my bagel, and tried to detect remnants of it in the trash, but it was no where to be found. We had a bagel thief on our hands.

Fast-forward to this week. I've brought lunch on multiple days since that dark day of the bagel theft, and each time, though I was nervous about it, my lunch has remained intact. What the hell, I thought, I'll risk it with the bagel again. So again I brought my delicious bagel and cream cheese sandwich to work, in an obvious from-home bag. Noon rolls around and, highly anticipating the lunch I had missed out on last week, I dash to the fridge. Now, you probably see where this is going, and yes, the bagel was gone. Again. Only this time, it had been taken out of its grocery bag, but the bag had been put back in the fridge. As if to say, "oh no, there was never any bagel in here. You're going CRAZY." Which, to be honest, I almost did. I felt a lot like Ross. With that empty plastic bag just staring me down, daring me to lose my shit, I knew that this was more than just a single accidental lunch switcheroo. This was a nefarious, malicious lunch-napper.

What makes this all so perplexing is that there are three people in my office. THREE. And I know that neither of the other two people ate my sandwiches. One is vegetarian, and would have to be a bit of a masochistic klepomaniac to steal a smoked salmon bagel two times. And the other always goes out to lunch and was positively irate when she found out about the bagel thief. So, the question remains, who took my bagel??? And who, for the love of all things delicious, would steal somebody's lunch (and the same lunch) twice??

So, it's been a rough week, guys. I'm bringing another bagel (my last) in to work today. Suffice to say it will be marked with all kinds of threatening notes, and possibly armed with a bear trap. I may also put one of my part-time workers on 24-hour watch (and before you ask, no, it wasn't her. We already fake-fired her to see if she would crack).

Title song: Ben Harper, "Steal my Kisses" (there are no songs about lunch thieves)

I Was a Cartographer

Plaid shirt: Lark & Wolff, UO, remixed * Cardigan: Target, remixed * Pants: Old Navy, remixed * Platform wedge loafers: Bass, remixed * Scarf: gift from my parents, remixed * Belt: thrifted, remixed

Guys, this outfit is my jam. I've been wearing some variety of it pretty much nonstop for the past week or so, and I see no signs of slowing down. There's something so adorably '50s about the button-down/cardigan combination, and when paired with cropped pants, there's really no stopping it. I'd brace yourselves, if I were you, 'cause you're going to be seeing a lot of this in the next few weeks/months/seasons.

Things are so busy right now, I can hardly keep up with everything. It's getting so hard to get up in the morning! I'm normally a major morning person. I've gotten up at 6:00 or 6:30 everyday for years, and I love my early morning alone time. It's the only time I regularly have to myself, when I can cozy up in an armchair with my coffee and get ready for the day. But every year when the days start to get shorter, it gets close to impossible to pull myself out of bed, in the dark, and start my day. I'll readjust soon, I'm sure, and daylight savings time will help a bit, but right now, in my comfy armchair with my hot cup of coffee, all I want to do is get back in bed.

Title song: Andrew Bird, "Armchair"

Put Another One On

Dress: thrifted * Skirt, layered under dress: American Eagle, remixed * Scarf: Target, remixed * Booties: Dolce Vita for Target, remixed * Sunnies: vintage, remixed

I love these photos, you guys. One of my favorite things about Joe and my new setup is that now we have a whole new city to explore. And the amount of fabulous green space we're finding is so fantastic. I've showcased the woods near Joe's place in a number of photoshoots now (I'm thinking of doing a roundup of the pictures after all the leaves fall to see how the woods changed over the course of autumn), but I feel like we've barely scratched the surface when it comes to awesome natural areas. The best part is that they're all walking distance from home (some are literally across the street).

We've been getting into a routine, that I'd very much like to continue, of taking long walks together before I have to drive home on Sunday. It usually starts with my desire to get some outfit shots in the woods, and often turns into a wonderful exploratory romp through the trails and hills near Joe's home. This Sunday involved Indian burial grounds, a community garden, woodpeckers, and getting somewhat lost. It was lovely.

It's been nice to have these weekends away, even though it's a bit exhausting to be constantly on the go, because it gives me a chance to get away from the city for awhile. I have so much going on right now, and I spend at least 12 hours a day doing something on the computer, so it's a bit of a relief to get to explore little cattail marshes and walking paths that feel like a lifetime away from the busy noise of Chicago. I do adore Chicago, and it's been a wonderful home, but it's not a particularly relaxing space for me.

I feel much more at home in open spaces, where I can see stars at night and hear birds and bugs and little forest animals in the woods. Waking up to chirping in the mornings has been one of my favorite parts about my weekends lately, and one that I didn't realize I was missing in Chicago. It's nice having little things like that in my mini-getaways. With all that's going on right now, and all the deadlines and projects and stress that I'm facing in other parts of my life, it's so rewarding to get to escape to a world that is less driven by timelines and goals, and more driven by seasons and sunlight.

Title song: Laura Barrett, "Escape to the Sun Dome"

Weekend Clothesline: Hazy Afternoons

Top to bottom: Me with Elena; the super-delicious pumpkin pie that Elena made and brought to Madison for a yummy mid-day picnic; Elena, her sister Anna, me, and Joe, walking around the capital after our picnic

Last weekend was awesome. As I mentioned earlier this week, Elena and Adam were in Madison to hang out with her sister, Anna, and Joe and I met up with them for a mid-day stroll and picnic (hot and spicy cheesebread and homemade pumpkin pie, with a farmers' market doughnut to wash it all down). It was lovely to see Elena again, and to finally meet Anna and the man behind the camera, Adam.

Top to bottom: a sugar maple near Joe's apartment; cattails and hilltops

Joe and I spent a good chunk of the weekend being productive and getting stuff done, but we also made time to appreciate the lovely autumn weather and breathtaking fall colors. We also saw some fireworks.

Top to bottom: the Terrace; me; my new thrifted satchel; my badass boots; homecoming fireworks

Title song: Gordon Lightfoot, "Pussywillows, Cattails"