Friend Friday Mishmash

TGIF! Boy does that mean a lot to me today. This has been one long, frustrating dragging-along week. Not to mention ungodly humid and hot... 100% humidity? Really?! Even my flat-as-a-pancake hair has been frizzed up and fussy this week. Anywho, may as well jump into this week's Friend Friday questions!

1. Since you began blogging do you notice a change in the types of  things you gravitate towards while shopping?
Blogging has changed what I shop for most definitely. I used to just go about willy nilly and bring home anything that caught my fancy, but now I go shopping with goals in mind, and these are usually things I'd never have thought of purchasing before I blogged. I used to avoid florals and couldn't understand the use in having so many cardigans. Now I'm drowning in flower patterns and constantly on the search for a new cardi!

2. Do you find, as a fashion blogger, that you dress differently from your family and friends? Do they comment on that?
Oh most definitely, but that's mostly because my family are all country-folk. Fashion and style aren't really what they think about when they get dressed in the morning. And then most of my cousins haven't quite yet progressed past the collegiate-clothing stage (hello sweatpants and baggy tee) and my relatives do tend to take note of the fact I dress with more thought and effort than the rest of them.

3. What’s the weirdest fashion that you secretly like, even if you aren’t bold enough to wear it?
Anything open-backed. I've been seeing lots of pretty dresses with open-back details and I think they're lovely, but I'd never wear any of them. Figuring out how to hide my bra and worrying about whether I have random back pimples (it happens to us all!) is just too much.

4. Looking at current trends – what would you like to try but need to build up the courage to do?
This is more in general than just current trends, but I really need to build up the courage to wear denim shorts. Yeah, I know, jean shorts, what's the big deal right? But I was traumatized as a teen by jean shorts and my thigh-hatred so I really need to work at this whole denim shorts thing. I want a pair! I think they're adorable on others! I just feel like utter crap when I wear them and this needs to be sorted out.

5. Toot someone’s horn – what fashion blogger out there inspires you with her bold fashion choices?
It's more than just her bold fashion that makes her inspiring to me, but I am really loving Tiffany over at A Reason to be Fabulous. Not only does she make a lot of her own clothing and jewelery, she has super fun taste in colours and pattern. She's a styling lady and just exudes confidence.

FIN

I am going to try and take it easy this weekend. I feel like I've been running around like a headless chicken lately. I had a few outdoor activities lined up but they're calling for more crazy rain most of the weekend so they'll probably all get scrapped.

I'd like to promise that I won't post again unless it's to show an outfit, but that might be a while. Everything I wear to work has been seen before, and I don't really wear clothes all that much at home... *cough* Hah. I hope you all have a great weekend! Cheers!

FBFF - Summer Food

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all had a good week. Mine was very good, and very busy. A friend's birthday dinner, transferring pets into bigger aquariums and terrariums, kayaking last evening... Which by the way, was extremely fun. Even if I am now very sore hah.

I really like this week's FBFF topic... summer food! Because I love food. I could never be one of those girls who goes on a strict diet and deprives herself of tasty things. This a lady who will munch on potato chips and then have ice cream and not feel an ounce of guilt.

I'm supposed to share my favourite summer recipe. Except well... it's summer, and it's hot enough as it is without turning on the stove or the oven. So instead, I shall regale you all with delicious food-photos from Pinterest!

I've mentioned quite a bit lately how a lot of my clothes are too big for me now. I'm contemplating selling them on Etsy. I figure, I already have a shop open, so it can't hurt to try. And I'd much rather my pretty dresses go to someone who will love them as much as me, than to just send them off to the thrift store where they might wallow unappreciated for who knows how long.

I hope you all have an awesome happy weekend. Love from me to you! Cheers!

Friend Friday - Summer Trends

Happy Friday everyone! This week actually went by quite quickly, which I am very happy about. The only bummer is that friends and I were supposed to go hiking tomorrow, but now it's calling for lots of rain, boo! Hopefully we can figure out something else to do. But yes, since it's Friday, it's time for FBFF. This week, the topic is this summer's trends and which are our top favourites.

I'll just go ahead now and say - like I did in my last FBFF post about seasonal trends - that I really don't pay all that much attention to trends. If I see a ton of bloggers wearing something similar, I just safely assume it is probably a trend and roll with what I like. New trend rule! Whatever style or item makes you happy this summer, are this summer's trends. Voilà!

The White Dress

Crazy Nails

The Colourful Maxi

The Espadrilles

FIN

Technically I was supposed to name five but for the life of me I couldn't come up with a 5th one that wasn't really broad like "bright colours" or "boho style" so four it shall be. Almost all the photos here are from my Pinterest, still addicted, probably will be forever. And before I end things... is not this wicker-horse purse the most amazing thing ever?!

I hope you all have a super great weekend! Cheers!

Friend Friday - Vacation Style

Happy Friday everyone! I'm sorry I missed out on last week's FBFF but I was in training at work and it completely slipped my mind until days later. I'm not letting myself slip by so easily this week though, especially not when the subject is what to wear on vacation.

1. When it comes to packing for vacation what’s your mantra?
I spend a lot of time checking out weather reports before heading anywhere for any amount of time. Then I try to pack items for any possible weather occurrence. And then I pack a little extra, in case those original pieces somehow get dirtied/ruined during my adventures. I guess my mantra is paranoid over packing?

2. What are your must packs?
About a bizzilion pairs of socks (there is nothing worse than cold or soggy feet) and a good snuggly cardigan. Of course my MP3 player for the long boring transportation time. Oh, and a snack! I am notorious for packing snackables no matter where I go, and boy do the security staff get a laugh out of it when they search my bags sometimes haha...

Australia's first ever captive-born Galapagos tortoise.

3. What are you happy to leave behind?
I am most happy to leave behind the stupid little sock things I wear inside my closed-toe shoes at work. 8 hours in a shoe = gross, and the socks keep the grossness to a minimum, but they're ugly and uncomfortable and when I'm on summer vacay, my toesies go free!

4. Any packing secrets that help you get everything into one suitcase?
I'd hardly call it a secret, but I need to sit on my suitcase at the end to flatten everything enough so I can zip it shut. (Like I said, over packer!)

5. Beach reading… what are you taking with you to read in the sand?
Whatever I happen to be reading at the time I guess. I'm not a student or anything, so my reading habits are all purely for my own enjoyment. Right now I'm reading two books, one is a fictional zombie novel and the other is a non-fiction work about the marijuana business in Canada.

FIN.

To keep this from being too boring, I posted some photos from my Pinterest. Like most every other person I see using the site, I am also addicted. This is just a smattering of what I've got up there. The fare ranges from knick knacks, food, clothes, shoes and nature photos to craft DIY's, vintage photos, home decor ideas and animals. If you haven't joined already, let me know, I'd be happy to send you an invite! Just beware the addictiveness.

I hope you all have a super fun joy filled weekend. Cheers!

Cosmic Fried Eggs and FBFF

Okay, so I happen to be wearing this outfit today. But these photos are from last Friday on April 29th. I'd actually worn something else during the day but switched into this to go to a friend's art show at a gallery in the market. Sadly I had some issues while doing some laundry in the new building for the first time and wound up not going. Woops!

T-shirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Dress - Thrifted from Rebuilt Resources

Shoes - Spring

I snatched up this dress over Easter weekend when I went thrifting with my parents. I paid $9 and it needed a little repair work since the fabric from one of the straps was fraying on the edge but it only took a few minutes and now you can't tell. I love the fabric too, the design makes me think of crazy psychedelic fried eggs.

My kitty Caramel watching me from inside.

I wish I could wear this without the t-shirt, but it's cut in a way that ALL my bras show around the arm area. And I'm too modest to wander around showing everybody my bra. Hopefully this weekend will involve some much needed basics shopping (thrifted of course!). I realized I have tons of funky pieces but no basic solid coloured pieces to mix them with! This isn't a new problem, but it's definitely getting more pronounced.

My super awesome spider watch, gift from a friend.

A woman complimented my dress while I was out window shopping for shoes, which definitely made me happy.  It's also fitting since this week's FBFF questions are all about shoes.

1.What is your go-to pair of shoes?
I'm actually in a really awkward shoe stage in my life. I like to walk a lot, but heels aren't good for walking. I'm torn between fashion and function. For the moment, I'm depending on several different colours of this pair from Spring. They're cheap, comfortable for reasonably long walks and come in a variety of colours.

2. What goes into your shoe buying decisions?
Price, comfort, look. I will only pay so much, a shoe has to be a certain level of comfy and I have to find it absolutely irresistible to the eye.

Earrings also gifts from the same friend.

3. The majority of the shoes in your closet are what color?
Browns and blacks for the most part, although there's some grey and plaid and a random leopard print. The colour spectrum of my shoes is growing however!

4. When it comes to design shoes what are your favorite brands and why?
Like I mentioned in yesterday's post, I am in love with Jeffrey Campbell shoes. Why? They have a fun, funky vibe and I hear good things about their comfort level.

Disgruntled kitteh is disgruntled!

5. If price wasn’t an issue, you’d own which shoe?
Any shoe I felt like wearing, pretty much hah. I could have left with a dozen pairs just while at the mall over my lunch break today. I really do love me a good shoe. Or three.

I do not like green eggs and ham!

I hope everybody has a great weekend! Cheers!

FBFF - Fitness and Fashion

Happy Friday everyone! I am ever so glad the weekend is upon us. It seems like this week dragged on forever. I attribute this to my lack of home phone or internet (which hopefully will be connected tonight) and the poopy weather. It's been wet and windy here all week. They actually closed off a large section of the road in front of my work to not only auto traffic but foot traffic too because the winds were so strong they were ripping sections of the buildings' exterior tiling off

Anyway, I'll just jump right in to this week's FBFF, which is all about physical fitness.

1. Do you keep some kind of fitness routine? Why?
I was trying to for a while, but to be honest, I don't work well scheduling in exercise. For one thing... I like sleeping, and so waking up earlier to get some exercise in just really does not appeal to me. And going out of my way to go to a gym, with the time it takes to get there, change, exercise, change, and go home... not my bag. Not to mention that my body isn't always capable of certain actions and I need to roll with that. I usually randomly throw in 50 jumping jacks or a few dozen squats or something before grabbing a shower in the evenings if I'm in the mood.

2. Has working out, maybe training for a marathon or something of that nature, helped with your own perception of body image?
Two years ago I was seeing a personal trainer at a gym. This is what it did to my body image: I felt like a giant fat cow. Maybe I just had a horrid personal trainer, but he told me I needed to lose a set amount of weight before I'd be healthy and I wound up injuring my back and getting depressed from the whole ordeal.

3. When you are hitting the gym or just going out for a long walk what do you wear? Is it about functionality or fashion? 
I am not a person who was pretty clothes in which to exercise. Back when I was going to the gym, I just wore sweatpants and an old band t-shirt. I mean, it's going to be getting all sweaty and gross anyway right? I do walk to work everyday (lucky me!) though and I like to dress in functional clothing that are at least slightly flattering. I had a bit of a hard time finding sweat pants that didn't make me feel frumpy or naked though (I have a thing about pants) and settled for a mix between sweat pants and harem pants. Then I just wear a nice tank top and off I go.

4. Do you feel there is a cultural perception of what you ‘should’ be doing for your own physical fitness?
I think people expect someone trying to get into shape to be going to the gym and doing all these crazy exercises and jogging and junk. I recently lost a lot of weight, but I didn't prescribe to any of the popular methods of such. I actually barely exercised (other than my regular walking) but instead changed my eating habits (not a diet, but a permanent change) and that was a far easier and safer (no back injuries from snacking on raspberries) way for me to lose weight. Today's culture seems obsessed with the fast and immediate way of getting into shape and that's just not one I buy into. 

5.  Dream big… what would be your ultimate fitness goal. 
I want to be stronger, more toned. I've achieved most of the weight loss I really feel I need for my body to be comfortable and healthy (I went from about 185lbs in the spring of 2008 to 135lbs now in 2011) but now I want to pay more attention to building muscle. I've always been a strong girl, doing manual labour growing up and in my teens, so my legs are very muscular as is but I want stronger arms too. I just want to reach a point where my body feels strong, healthy and capable. Luckily, I'm quite near that!

FIN.

In the word's of Porky Pig, "Th-th-that's all folks!" Cheers!

FBFF Gratitude and Love

Happy Friday everyone! *does the Friday dance* This felt like such a long week for me, what with packing and moving worries. But tonight my parents arrive to help me finish packing and pick up their last things, and tomorrow the move! Exciting, exciting times. (Plus I admit I look forward to being able to walk across the street from my new apartment and have me some tasty 'pho soup with the parents tomorrow night, once all is said and done!)

Now for this week's Friend Friday! The topic this time around is gratitude towards others, those people who have helped us along, been there when we needed them, taught us important things, or simply helped us grow into a better person.

1.  When it comes to be personally – I owe a lot of who I am to: My father. He is the person most responsible for making me who I am today. He instilled in me a love and respect for nature, a pride in my own hard work, and the belief that I deserve as good as everybody else. He taught me that even when times are tough, you have to keep going, but that things will get better. I learned from him to love unconditionally, and to love freely, and to be true and loyal to those I love. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be me.

2. When it comes to be professionally – I owe a lot of who I am to: Honestly, no one. Very few of my relatives work in any sort of office environment, and those that do were never ones I was ever very close to. My professional life, and how I act in the professional world, is all based on how I perceive others to require or want me to be. I behave, keep quiet and do the best I think a job deserves.

3. When it comes to the art of blogging, I’m grateful to these people for helping me through some rough spots: I've never really had any "rough spots" with blogging. I have had some slow moments where I didn't post much, but mostly due to things in life taking the front seat, and blogging just not being important during those moments.

4. One blogging challenge I’m grateful happened because it made me stronger was… Again, I've never really undergone a huge "blogging challenge". I may have fallen into fashion ruts from time to time, but I just learned to start posting about other things if I really didn't have the desire to post outfit photos. I actually enjoyed posting about other things, making dream outfits and doing this FBFF thing for example.

5. To my readers, I’d like to say… I really do appreciate all of you more than you'd know! Comments from you brighten my day and bring a smile to my face. I do consider you my friends in a way, especially since I read many of your blogs, and it's wonderful when you start to really know another blogger and build a friendship and history. I love being able to post an outfit, and say I got a certain item from so-and-so who just happens to be a reader too. We share a connection that others don't understand, but it's marvelous and I'm glad to share it with you!

FIN. Oh I liked those questions, especially the first and last. Soul searching and an honest sharing of good feelings is always nice. But speaking of sharing! I want to share a few quick photos with you of some new boots I got yesterday. Or maybe they're socks. Or woolen mukluks? I've been calling them sock-boots anyway, heh.

I bought them at a small stall in the Byward Market yesterday for a whole $20. Considering I've seen a very similar pair on Etsy, dirty and worn looking with age, also selling for $20, I think I did good.

There's a thin leather sole on the bottom, but it really almost feels like walking around in socks. They're super comfy, and I so look forward to wearing them at a festival this summer and dancing my silly little heart out in them. They don't look like they'd be too complicated to make either. Maybe if I learn how to knit I could make and sell some... hmmm...



I also bought the most amazing vintage wooden and suede clogs this week, for $22 at Funk Your Junk in the market. But those are so spiffy, I want to save them for a special outfit post once I can go out and do a proper fun shoot somewhere.

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! Cheers!

FBFF Spring Trends

This week's FBFF is about favourite spring trends! Okay, so I am going to go ahead and admit I have no idea what the "spring trends" really are. I don't really pay that much attention to trends or the latest fashions - although I'm starting to. I'm just going to wing this and go with what I've been seeing a lot of lately!

Feminine Florals

Bold Blocky Colours 

Delicate Neutrals and Lace

Flared Jeans

I am definitely happy that floral patterns are in this spring. Fun, feminine, I can't get enough of it. And as a fan of bright fun colours, the bold colour blocking going on is another thing I'm digging this season. I also have to admit I've fallen in love with lace and delicate pieces. They're a bit impractical but just so cute! As for the flared leg jeans... while I don't wear pants myself (very rarely anyway) I really think this is a fun take on the bell bottoms from days gone past.

Are you digging this spring's trends or are they not your thing? I think this is the first time I've ever actually really liked a lot of what's considered "trendy", so I'm rather surprised I like so much of it myself.

And it's Friday! Glorious Friday! I hope you all have a great weekend. Cheers!

Blogger Rules of Engagement FBFF

Happy Friday everyone! I had a very odd morning. I thrifted a pair of shoes last evening that I hoped I'd be able to wear to walk to the bus and from the bus stop to work. I made it about a block and turned around. My feet already hurt. I'd probably have suffered through it anyway, but I'm going dancing Saturday night and I need my feet to be in tip top shape. So I turned around and went back to change shoes.

I set off again, but just as I shut the front door, I remembered my bus pass had expired. I had to run back into the apartment to find change so I could take the bus to work.  This on top with rushing around doing last minute tidying because my landlady was showing the apartment at 8am this morning. Somehow with all of this, I managed to still get in on time.

This week's FBFF is about blog exposure, and how to get others to notice and follow your blog without being rude or over the top about it. Let's begin!

1. Guest posts are a good way to gain new exposure. What do you think
is the appropriate way to go about securing a guest spot?
I have no idea how people wind up doing guest posts. I just assumed the person who's blog they posted on asked them to do it, not the other way around. It seems like it would be rude to go ask someone else if you could do a guest post for them, at least to me, unless you knew they wanted someone.

 2. Leaving comments is essential to growing your blog. But how can you leave a comment without coming across as ‘Follow Me. Follow Me!’?
I never leave comments simply to get someone to follow me. I comment because I have something to say in relation to the post. I do tend to comment a LOT though, nearly on every post of the folks I follow regularly, especially on the blogs of those with less followers. I adore getting comments, and if my name keeps popping up in association to positive, topic-related comments on other folks blogs, I think that's much more incentive to take a look at my own than it would be if I just said "Cute! Here's a link to my blog, follow me!"

3. We’ve all gotten a mass email at one time or another asking for
blog exposure, a link exchange, etc… But the mass emails don’t work.
How do you make your email stand out from the crowd?
I've actually never received such an e-mail. And I've never sent one with such intentions either. Do I live in a strange e-mail free bubble?

4. In interacting with other bloggers where do you draw the line
between seeking support and begging for exposure?
The closest I'll come to openly asking someone to check out my blog, is casually mentioning it, in context to what I'm already commenting. I'll say that I made a similar post in my own blog, or agree I have some difficulty taking outfit photos for my blog. It puts it out there that I do have a blog, but not in your face and demanding attention.

5. What’s one rule of engagement error you made and how have you
remedied that?
I'd like to think I've never broken any rules. It's not like I'm trying particularly hard to get more followers. I enjoy writing my blog, and I enjoy the comments, but I don't NEED more followers. People will make their own way here naturally, I don't need to sell myself for followers.

Have you got plans for the weekend? I might be attending a bachelorette party tonight, depends on my mood. But the idea of getting dolled up and drinking with some ladies is quite appealing. And then of course tomorrow I'm heading to Montreal for a great dance party. It's Vibrasphere's last live performance in Montreal, since the duo are officially breaking up. Too bad, such beautiful music! I was at another live show last year and it was wonderful, so I definitely am not passing this up.

I hope you all have a great weekend. Cheers!

FBFF with a look at Feminism

Happy Friday everyone! Before I do anything else... these boots! Amazing? Amazing! After spotting them in a shop window this week, they've been all I can think about. I wish I had a pair of each. But their price tag is waaay more than this girly spends on any clothing item. Ah well!

Now for the FBFF post. Here we go!

1. Do you think there is an incompatibility between feminism and a
love for fashion?
Quite the opposite! I can't say I know a lot about Feminism, but seems to me that it's about having the power to do what you want to do, be who you want to be, and that should include wearing whatever you want to wear. Even if that happens to be a cutesy floral skirt and sheer risque blouse.

2. There is more to each of us than a love for fashion, how do you
incorporate every aspect of yourself into your blog?
I just throw in whatever is going on with my life that I like and want to share. I don't think about it too much, just roll with it. I've been posting photos of my pets, and recipes with photos of the baked foods, photos from visually entertaining events etc. If I think someone else might be interested, I'll post it.

3. With the fashion industry still being a male-dominated profession,
how do you think it would differ if women played a larger role?
I think there would be a lot more comfort-aimed fashion lines. A lot of the lines with female designers tend to be geared towards comfort first over anything else.

4. How is your self-image and the way you carry yourself informed by
your beliefs?
To be honest, my beliefs have very little to do with my self-image.

5. Do you think clothing/makeup/hair helps communicate the truth about
yourself or are those things superfluous add-ons?
I'm not so sure about the truth of myself, but they certainly communicate a lot. A sloppy young woman in a stained sweat suit communicates something much different than a neat young woman in a 60's mod dress or prim 70's secretary dress. I do very little with my hair, which could perhaps show that I either am comfortable with how I look without going overboard, or that my appearance is of little concern to me. Depends on how the other people see things.

FIN.

You know, I really thought I would do a better job of answering those. That really did not go well. I'm a tad dissapointed in myself. I'm just not managing to communicate all that well tonight. Ah, chalk it up to stress I suppose. My parents are pretty much all packed up and ready to move now, just some last few things before we start hauling stuff the 300+kms to their new home. Weeee...! Not.

But hey, it's Friday! And I'll likely be making another post tonight, or tomorrow, with some photos I took outside (yay, outside!) and maybe a few more of some pets.

Hope you're all doing great! Cheers!