{For Fashion's Sake} Saturday: New Years Eve

12.31.2011

I've been waiting patiently for this skirt to go on sale. I almost gave into temptation once and bought the not-quite-as-amazing navy blue version that was on sale, but I held onto hope that the cobalt blue would in time make it's way to my favorite rack in the store. And it did, just before New Years Eve, it did.
Patience, my friends, is a virtue.
Being as pale as a ghost? Less of a virtue...
the breakdown:
on the mark necklace: christmas gift from marcus
glasses: c/o glassesUSA.com
liquid silk skirt: jcrew sale
monogram watch: urban outfitters
burnt orange flats: forever21

nativity scene+white elephant=christmas eve at the bagley's.

12.30.2011

it was a joyous evening before christmas with delicious food, gourmet hot chocolate, cute kids, a traditional nativity reenactment, and a hilarious white elephant gift exchange packed with true, true treasures!
what's the best white elephant gift you've either given or received?!

life lessons from the littles.

12.27.2011

indoor skydiving experience with all my brothers, but at the point this picture was taken, he had no idea why i had given him this toy...
This year we woke up casually around 7AM and exchanged a few gifts with marcus' parents, but it sure didn't feel like christmas until we got to andrew and reachel's house and the little ones were in their christmas jammies with smiles on their faces. it seems christmas isn't christmas without kiddies.
we ate breakfast and visited a bit before andrew and reachel announced that today was the day they could unwrap the gifts under the tree! coco was giddy and because coco was excited levi was too.
once we started unwrapping, the kids opened a toy or two and then when andrew asked if coco wanted to open her next present, her simple reply was, "No."

she was thoroughly content with her homemade swing and levi was sitting pretty with a bottle of milk in hand. they had something they liked, and that was quite enough.
sometimes it takes the contentment of a child to teach us a lesson in simplicity.
(and sometimes it takes watching older siblings spend a lot of time and money on presents for little ones to realize that you're never buying your kids anything for at least the first few years...)

Hope your Christmas was lovely! 
Send links to your recaps so I can see!

merry christmas, darlings!

12.25.2011

i hope you're all off work and enjoying the day with all your favorite people!
merry christmas

{For Fashion's Sake} Saturday: Red&Green

12.24.2011

Outfit Details: 
gingham top and leather belt: j.crew, monogram watch: urbanoutfitters, green AG jeans: borrowed from Reachel, sperrys: online sale, lipstick: covergirl Really Red.

I've been trying to wear red and green together as much as possible the last few weeks. 
Sometimes it appears in tights, shoes, skirts, or lipstick, but it almost always appears and it find it quite fun.
dress: vintage gift from Lauren, cardi: target, belt: j.crew, hair: beach curl, lipstick: covergirl Really Red
details here.
details here.

I do not however find it quite fun to work on Christmas Eve...
People of the world: Get your Christmas shopping done BEFORE the last day. Let's change the retail world and let the employees be at home with their families instead of in the back trying to dig out one long lost last size in the stock room for your little nephew Timmy. K?
Merry Christmas Eve!

Cotton Candy Skies Awaken My Tired Eyes.

12.23.2011

This morning I lay in bed cursing my demanding alarm clock. It was cold and dark outside and the warm sheets made it almost impossible to listen to that blaring noise that meant it was time to get ready for work.
I wasn't feeling well and driving to work in the dark was just about the last thing I wanted. 
I'm pretty sure I was scowling all the way down the 101, when I noticed it--One arm was glowing a gentle, golden orange. 
It was then that my eyes made their way to the passenger side window and my mouth dropped. 
The sun was making it's daily debut and the clouds benefited from his arrival--pink, orange, yellow, and purple, and then a smile. I quickly looked to the cars around me, hoping that everyone had at least caught a glance and the spectacle at our right, but as far as I could tell, they were all in the terrible trance that I was in only minutes earlier. A trance that broke so quickly once I opened my eyes to one of God's signs of love for us. My testimony is strongest when I am looking and really seeing His artwork. It is all around us, and it can make a bad day, good.

take me to the show.

12.22.2011

Our good friend Ty recently proposed a weekly cinema night.
We of course said YES. 
Because, one, we like Ty and the other members of the 'club' (Sierra, Lauren, Ted, and Mac the dog)
And two, because we like movies.
Watching movies with other people is especially fun, other than the fact that you can't shamelessly snuggle--but this too has it's perks, because then you actually WATCH the movie...
Each person is assigned a week that they are responsible for choosing the movie, and every night is a jammie party.
This week it was Marcus' turn to choose, so he picked Sixty Six
We had watched it before and really loved it. 
It was well-acted, quite hilarious, beautifully shot, and incredibly touching in a rather quirky way.
I implore you to get together with friends (preferable one's that have Netflix because it's on instant play) and enjoy this charming little film.
There's a chance Marcus cried...just a bit.


63 strings winner announced here.

{Tunes} on Tuesday Featuring: The Avett Brothers

12.20.2011

I just heard about this group while I watched the CMT Musician of the Year Awards on DVR at my parent's house. I liked their style, so I'm excited to check out some more of their stuff and see if I really love them...
Know of any new musicians I should check out?

a woodland christmas party.

12.19.2011

My sweet friend Beth invited us to a Woodland Christmas Party this weekend and it was such a pleasure to mingle with couples who we'd never met or only see on occasion, along with a few regulars!
We got to learn a little bit more about each other as we went around the room introducing ourselves and proclaiming what "kind of nerd we were..."
We had computer nerds, star trek nerds, star wars nerds, online gaming nerds, unicorn nerds, german nerds, language nerds, book nerds, know-every-theme-song nerds, teen drama nerds, thrifting nerds, music nerds, and the nerdiness went on...
Obviously many laughs were shared.
We had a beautiful enchilada centered spread with sparkling cider that tickled my very taste bud.
Stephanie, can i have your salad dressing recipe? YUM!
the hosts: jared and beth
i just loved Aileen's facial change in this one. she's so spicy.
Marcus really loved this picture of Ted, I really loved everyone at the party.

Are you all ready for Christmas?!

{For Fashion's Sake} Saturday: and then you see it.

12.17.2011

Have you ever been told, your whole life by various people, that you look like somebody and you just never really saw it? And then one day you see yourself from an angle you've never seen before, and BAM! you realize they weren't all just crazies, you really do look like that person?
I have two sisters and my whole life people have said i looked so much like my older sister, Heidi, but I never saw it. Sure we both had fair skin and blonde hair, but that's about where I thought our similarities stopped. 
But when Marcus snapped this candid of me, it finally clicked. For the first time in my life I saw what others saw and I agreed!
Yay for family resemblances! 
Do you look like anyone (in your family or famous)?
the breakdown:
blazer: forever21
gingham shirt: jcrew factory
jeans: forever21
shoes: c/o Wanted
watch: urban outfitters
vintage bag (I'M OBSESSED WITH IT!): c/o 63 Strings
(lookin' a little messy after a full day...)

shot through the heart giveaway!

12.16.2011

When I first got the email from my sponsor 63 Strings about this giveaway, I died a little bit.
And then when i revived myself  i got on their website and bought myself a pair (using their holiday promocode for 30% off which can be found on their Facebook Page or their shop site). 
Please tell me you immediately thought of Katniss when you saw these. 
Or maybe Foxface because of the beautiful red-headed model?
Anyways, I'm really excited to introduce you to this cute little shop and i'm also really excited about Hunger Games, obviously!
To win this pair of arrow earrings, simply visit their shop and tell me your favorite thing (other than the earrings)
For extra entries (new comment for each):
"Like" 63 Strings on Facebook.
Tweet/Facebook/Google+/Pinterest about the giveaway (@mention me or send a link).

Good Luck and Happy Friday!

The Winner is Dani Shapiro!
email me girl!

{Tunes} on Tuesday Featuring: Coldplay

12.13.2011

gorgeous video, gorgeous group, gorgeous song, perfect for the holidays? I say yes. to all of those.
can i please go to a coldplay concert in my life. please?
I also decided to do a little fashion post today, because it's Christmas-y and because this is my blog, so i can do whatever i want. 
I used to have this things against red. i loved the color, but i thought i looked freaky when i wore it because i have green eyes and i thought they looked crazy green in red. 
i then thought i could still wear red, i just wouldn't put it right next to my face. but today i actually bought a red shirt and i'm even thinking about getting that red shabby apple dress. 
i've learned that sometimes you try something once and you decide you don't like it and then you never try it again, but you might be missing out on something really fun. the key is to try different shades. i believe everyone out there can wear every color, they just have to find the right shade!
What color do you have a hard time with?

the breakdown:
lipstick: covergirl really red 575
cardi with elbow patches: h&m
necklace: DIY
red skirt: thrifted/vintage
leather belt: jcrew sale
'a' watch: urban outfitters
green dot tights: c/o welovecolors
shoes: steve madden via ross or tj maxx

lately.

12.12.2011


lunch at a local favorite: urban picnic/ still enjoying the beauty of fall around here.
loving that it's finally cool enough for welovecolor tights/ scenes from one of our many recent trips to ikea
dinner at another favorite, la grande orange and a movie with ty, sierra, ted, and lauren.
especially loving these tights/ trying to come up with as many ways as i can wear green and red together this season.
more holiday fun at the Hale Theater, seeing The Christmas Carol with the Nielson family.
trying out the three twisted buns again.
kicking myself for not waking up early and bidding on this cute 'snack set' at the auction!
some many things to thank lauren for, one being the ceviche recommendation, and another being this adorable vintage camera she gave me for my birthday! xoxo

I also wanted to thank everyone for their well wishes after the flood in our house. It made me so happy to know there were people praying for us and thinking about us. We're getting things fixed up and it's not going to be as expensive as we had originally thought, so that's a huge blessing. life is good. 
How's everything going for you? I'm starting to really stress about how soon Christmas is and how Marcus has like two things on his amazon wishlist: a $7 screwdriver and a $800 camera lense. So ya...not sure what to do about that one...Enjoy the Season!

shabby apple winner was announced here.
© i believe in unicorns. Maira Gall.