Just Say the Words and We'll Beat the Birds

Sweater: thrifted * Jeans: Gap * Socks: Target * Scarf: thrifted * Boots: Target * Belt: thrifted

If you can't tell, I'm miserably behind with posting outfits. I haven't been taking pictures every day, but since I took a somewhat prolonged break from the interwebs, I still have a few old photoshoots to post (if you can call posing awkwardly in O'Hare a "photoshoot"). These, as you might guess, are from pre-Christmas, before I took off for sunny Arizona.

Emily and I actually flew out of O'Hare only an hour apart, so we split a cab, shared a breakfast, and aided each other in getting some last-of-the-year Chicago outfit shots. We also made friends with a very informational staff member at O'Hare. I think he had a crush on Emily (and I'm not unconvinced that Emily didn't have a crush on him, too...). :)

This sweater is my new favorite addition to my closet. Kyla found it for me on our thrifting expedition back when she was in Chicago. You can't tell from these pictures, but it has the most adorable boatneck hem, and the little anchor detail on the front is too cute. It's also wool, so I was happily warm while flying (and I wore it more than I thought I would while I was in AZ. The desert gets cold at night!). Ain't it cute? (Also, check out that rad photobomber in the picture! That guy didn't know he was about to be famous!)

There are surprisingly (or maybe unsurprisingly) few good photoshoot locations in an airport. The lighting sucks balls, there are loads of people everywhere, and more ads than you can shake a stick at (though wouldn't it be kind of cool if American Airlines was a new sponsor of Between Laundry Days? Cool and kinda weird...).

I don't know that I've ever really hung out in an airport with someone, and it was fun to chill with Emily for awhile before I had to board. We also sat near this kid who kept talking to us about the flight. Turns out he had never been on a plane before, and was flying alone, and more than a little freaked out about the whole thing. I tried to reassure him, and told him when to get in line and everything. He tipped his hat to me once we got to Arizona, which would have been cooler had he been wearing a cool hat. He was not.

Title song: Frank Sinatra, "Come Fly with Me"

Weekend Clothesline: I Said It's Arizona

Me and Joe on Christmas Eve

This is the last photo-heavy round-up of vacation pictures, I promise! I have another couple of warm weather outfit posts to share, but I promise I won't have so many "weekend clothesline" posts all in a row again. I just wanted to share some of my favorite pictures from my time in Arizona. Enjoy, happy Friday, and happy 2011 (I don't think I'd said it yet)!

I cooked. A lot. From top: homemade ciabatta and butternut squash corn chowder

Acting silly with randomly-placed cowboy mannequins in Scottsdale. I saw one that was a girl wearing a denim miniskirt and Uggs, texting her friends, but then I realized it was just an ASU student (zing!).

Happy New Year! Me and Joe on the first day of 2011, eating traditional good luck ham, black-eyed peas, and cabbage. Yum!

Title song: Kings of Leon, "Arizona"

The Key to Happiness

Where You're Meant to Be

Shirt: Urban Outfitters * Lace skirt: Target * Mocha tights: We Love Colors * Boots: Target * Gray socks: Target * Scarf: Christmas gift

Isn't this statue the coolest? On one of our days in Arizona, my mom took Joe and I out for a day of exploring, soaking up the sunshine, walking around, and eating ice cream while my dad and sister took care of business stuff. It was amazing how fast the trip went by. The first few days were taken up by all the festivities of Christmas (which was exactly as it should be), and then on most warm days we were out and about, hiking or kayaking or exploring the area. The weather got chillier at the end of the trip, so we spent those days in museums (and restaurants!). So this day of exploring was kind of the one day of "city" stuff we had while the weather was still cooperating. I loved wandering the streets, popping into galleries and antique booksellers, and having ice cream for lunch (I don't know how long it had been since I'd had a banana split, but it was delicious). Plus, new cities always have great options for cool photoshoots.

I spent most of my time in the southwest wearing jeans and various layers. Because of the somewhat unpredictable weather (and how different it was in the morning versus at midday!), I spent many days wearing cardigans and scarves. I also wore these boots almost every day, and am now convinced that they are the best shoes ever. Comfy, durable, super cute, and look fantastic with both jeans and skirts or dresses. I've worn an almost identical version of this outfit before, with a chunkier cable-knit scarf and loafers. It was a favorite look then, and I love it just as much with a slight warm-weather twist. After my banana split lunch, however, I did have to loosen my belt a few notches (or take it off entirely, whatever).

Of course, Joe and I had to pose in front of the sculpture, though I don't know that we look very full of love in this picture. I do like how tiny I look, however. And I can't say how wonderful it's been to be able to see Joe every day for a couple of weeks. His Christmas break is longer than mine, so he was able to not only be in Arizona for almost a whole two weeks, but he'll be staying in Chicago for awhile as well before having to go back to school. It's so nice to see him each day again, and it makes me nostalgic for our old apartment and routine, though I'm still so happy with how things are working out now. He's so much happier now that he's pursuing his dream, and I feel like our relationship is so much stronger and supportive with all the changes that the year has brought. We'll see what 2011 has in store for us. I'm sure it will be great.

Title song: The Beatles, "All you need is love"

Weekend Clothesline: I Must Catch Up to You

As I've mentioned before, Emily and I were the happy hosts to wonderful Kyla of Blue Collar Catwalk a few weeks back. I know I've posted about the holiday brunch we attended, but I also wanted to do a mini-recap of our weekend together. One of the things that I love about blogging, and probably the main reason that this Flickr debacle won't have me hanging up my hat altogether, is that I have met some of the most incredible women through this community. Living with Emily is a big part of that, of course, as we never would have met, become fast friends, or moved in together without our blogs. And each time I meet a new blogger, one that I feel like I already know, I'm amazed at how easily the conversation flows and how quickly we "click" and understand each other.

Waiting in line for deliciously unhealthy Garrett's popcorn w/Kyla - photo credit Emily (see her reflection?

I've been reading Blue Collar Catwalk since before I started my own blog, and Kyla has been, from day one, a daily must-read, and quickly became what has been termed a BBFF (best blogger friend forever). We'd been trying to conjure up ways for her to come to Chicago, or for us to get out to PA for months, and finally this weekend popped up on our radars and just worked perfectly for everybody. And it was fabulous. The bizarre thing about blogging is that I felt like I already knew her. Picking her up from the airport was like picking up an old friend, and it was weird to say "nice to meet you" while we were hugging and catching up on things. The weekend was great in so many respects. It was hilarious (to the point of crying - the biggest giggle-fests I've had in a long time), touristy (in a perfect way; I love getting to see my city with a fresh pair of eyes), bloggerific (it's so fun and refreshing to be with someone who knows exactly what you mean when you talk about tweets or comments or html), and surprisingly eye-opening (from many conversations that got my wheels turning about my life, my goals, and myself, as cheesy as it is).

Pretzels and bloggers at Chicago's Christkindlmarket

The day after the blogger brunch, on Sunday, Kyla and I decided to do up the downtown sights, and hit up all the must-see shops and landmarks (and clock towers) in the city. We each made happy-dance-inducing purchases, froze our little toes right off, and warmed up and filled our stomachs with Chicago-style pizza. We met Emily at the Christkindlmarket for glugwein (say it: glooog-wine) and almost lost our feet to frostbite on the way home, finishing the day with a dinner of salad, leftover tamales, and popcorn. Overall, we had a ridiculous, happy, heartwarming weekend, and I can't wait to make it out to PA to see her again. Thanks for warming up our cold December weekend, Kyla! We miss you already!

Title song: Ingrid Michaelson, "December Baby"

Weekend Clothesline: I Need a Change of Pace

I'm back in the heartland. The windy city. Chicago. After almost two weeks of the most perfect vacation, I flew out last night over a breathtaking Arizona sunset and back into the city of big shoulders. Honestly, I kind of feel like I have culture shock. I'm still mentally in the land of sunshine, perfect hikes, incredible Christmas cookies, self-pedicures, sleeping late, board game marathons, cooking well, eating more, and generally being relaxed, centered, and amongst the people I love the most. Give me a few days and I'll be back in full form, I'm sure.

On that note, some of you have probably noticed the overall wonkiness of some of the posts on the blog. I use Flickr to host my images here, and in an effort to tweak a few privacy settings, I unwittingly re-set the html code to every photo that I've posted on the blog. I've talked with the folks at Flickr, and this is apparently an irreversible thing. It would take me an exorbitant amount of time to re-create links to almost two years of posts, so I'm trying to conjure up ways to move forward. I'll be hiding the archives for the time being, until I can figure out a better way to deal with it all, and I'm brainstorming new, better, fascinating directions to take the blog as I move forward into 2011. I'd love any ideas, tips, thoughts, questions, or anything else (recipes? treasure maps?) you'd be willing to throw my way. Also, if there are any of you who may have had this same problem with Flickr, how did you deal? I'd be very appreciative to hear your experience and/or tips on how it went for you.

But you know what didn't get lost? This picture of me in a tiger hat. I think maybe the black hole vortex that sucked in my Flickr pictures may have also sucked in any remaining sense of fashion that I had. You be the judge.

Title song: Albert King, "Change of Pace"

Eye of the Spider

 

My daughter is especially creeped out by spiders lately. She finds their numerous eyes especially spooky. Since this spider only has one, maybe she will like it better.

Wire and Fimo (sculpey clay), appox. 4.5 inches tall.