Pinky

I've not been buying much clothing this year, for various reasons, but this skirt haunted be since I saw it in the store weeks ago. While shopping for cheap work duds, its hot pink swishiness caught my eye, but at a full price of $16.00 I couldn't bring myself to buy it. Especially considering how many other skirts I currently own.

Glasses - Walmart

Top - Gift from Heather

Skirt - Walmart

Clogs - Gift from my grandmother

However, to my pleasant surprise, it was in clearance for just $5 when I was back in the store. So I snatched it up. I figured after four weeks of having seen it and it being on my mind almost daily, that it was really something I wanted and not just a passing whim. I'm glad I purchased it, even if I do usually frown upon clothes from Wally World. Either way, it was worth the five bucks. I hope you all have a great Friday! Cheers!

Frustrating

Plenty of things make me frustrated these days, and it's really hard for me to just keep calm and let it go. Especially if I'm frustrated about not being able to fall asleep when it's 2am hah. I'm also pretty frustrated with the fact that Blogger seems to be eating all my comments on other people's blogs. I've tried everything, every option, but my comment just disappears into the ether. So... I'm not avoiding you or ignoring you, I just can't actually comment on your blogs to save my life.

Top -Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Moccasins - Sears sale, Hush Puppies

Another recent frustration is that wearing long skirts on daily 45 minute walks just doesn't really work out so well. Especially if it's windy. Now that I'm wearing leggings, the skirts get all tangled up around my legs or snag on my boots. I'm actually wishing I owned more pants. But I don't even have the money to go thrift any because I still haven't started working yet. That's another frustration... the restaurant that hired me is still waiting on the delivery of their tables, which clearly are required to run the place. Soon hopefully? *sigh*

It feels like I'm trapped in Limbo again, in the middle and going nowhere. It's left me far too much time to just sit around thinking and feeling things. Last evening, I was staring up at the glow-in-the-dark stars on my ceiling, upset by my inability to properly emote. I'm like a caveman bashing rocks together on the emotional evolutionary scale. I thought I'd made some progress but that was only just being aware of the fact I'm a terrible communicator. Anyway, we're having a student lunch with our Chefs today which I'm looking forward to. Hopefully I can get a word in edgewise against all the uppity 18 year old girls. Have a good week! Cheers!

Lemon Tart

Yay, it's Saturday! Time for rest. I've only been attending the Cordon Bleu for two weeks now but I've already baked up a génoise cake, lady fingers, custard sauce, pastry creams, and yesterday an entire lemon tart. From scratch. By hand. Intense! But so much fun! I really get into the zone and do my thing, but we all work really well together too. If one person is done before another, they usually wind up helping someone else etc. and giving each other tips and pointers or steering the other in the right direction if they appear to be doing something not quite right. I've never really been part of a real team before, one that actually works together and enjoys it and does it well.

Top - Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Mocassins - Sears, Hush Puppies

Sunglasses - A shop in Cape Breton, NS

It's still very intimidating and a little scary every time I go into a practical class to make something for the first time, but the Chefs are all fantastic teachers and great people. Some of us are having a better time than others - an unfortunate classmate of mine has failed to finish the required recipes during two of our three practicals - but I guess it has to be this intense to weed out the ones who won't make it in the real world.

So far my forty-five minute walks to class have been enjoyable, but I haven't been caught in any heavy rain or blowing snow yet. I have a feeling in a few weeks once the weather gets cooler I won't enjoy it so much. October is usually a nice month though, and if you're lucky you can run around without a jacket like I did the day I took these photos. Thankfully I managed to thrift myself an amazing down winter jacket a short while ago (80% down and 20% duck feathers) and that will keep me toasty come time.



This is the lemon tart I made yesterday! It's a base of sweet dough, with a layer of almond cream, a layer of lemon curd, and is then topped with Italian meringue and sliced almonds. I made this whole thing by hand and didn't use a single appliance except the electric stove in which it was baked. When I finally ate a piece, I was almost surprised at how good it tasted. I don't give myself and my abilities enough credit sometimes, I think.

Some of you have commented that ya miss having me around on your blogs... and I'm so sorry for disappearing like that. I really haven't been reading any blogs at all the last few months - not even my most favourite - so it's not that I dislike you now or anything. I became a bit disillusioned with all the shopping and spending and constant 'need' for new things and distanced myself from the whole fashion blogosphere. I recently read Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline, and it really was the clincher in the whole thing. I read the book in one day, in one sitting, it's fantastic and I recommend it. But anyway, I should probably get around to attacking the giant mound of dishes that's accumulated in my sink before it starts to come to life. I hope you have a great Saturday! Cheers!

Colourful Soul

This skirt never fails to draw attention whenever I wear it. I guess it's difficult to ignore a fluttering rainbow in a sea of boring! My most favourite t-shirt helps keep the colour going. I'm not usually a fan of t-shirts with designs or images but I love all the butterflies on this one.

T-shirt - Thrifted from Value Village 

Skirt - Gift from Heather 

Shoes - Sears 

I wore this on a day off, out to the mall with my grandparents. While I did find a few things at the Sears, I rarely leave a mall with clothes. It's all too cheap, too expensive, or just not my style. Thank goodness for thrift stores and super awesome friends who send me wicked clothes!

We stopped in at a Lush store, and I tried one of their lip tints; a Million Kisses. I've been using my mineral makeup as lip tints recently but as a longtime Lush addict, I may wind up buying one of their colours too. This one was very bright, but I'm not used to bright colours on my lips in the first place. I could get used to it. I like it looking back on the photos now, when it had had the chance to mellow out a little. It was pretty intense at first.

I received an e-mail from my dear friend Becky yesterday, finally clearing up the details with her return from Africa! She'd at first planned to return sooner but last-minute decided to stay a while longer. She's flying out today though, and arriving back here in good ol' Canada sometime obscenely early tomorrow morning. I'm hoping I can see her soon enough. I have months and months of hugs to give her and we have tons of adventuring to catch up on!

It blows my mind that it was nearly a year ago she first set out across the country to B.C. and then off to Rwanda in the autumn. Our friendship had only just started to blossom and I haven't stopped missing her. There are some people you just click with right away, and she was one of those for me. I've mentioned here before how deeply I care for and cherish her friendship. I can't wait to see what the summer will hold for us. We're both going to be such different people and it's going to be so much fun getting to know all the new things about ourselves again. I hope you're all having a good week so far. Cheers!

Woops

So apparently I mucked myself up yesterday and skipped an outfit from earlier in October. My outfit timeline is now officially non-existant. These are things I have worn, at some point in time, somewhere. Maybe someday I'll get back to posting on the day of, or the day after, but eh. I'm okay with willy-nilliness. Things are rather willy-nilly for me lately anyway.

Blouse - Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Shoes - From grandmother

Belt - Ardene's

My grandmother gave me these shoes the last time I was down for a visit, since we've got the same shoe size. I wore them this one time and I have since donated them to the thrift store. As amusing as having duck-bills for feet was for the day, my feet were too wide for them and it felt peculiar while walking.

I really love this outfit. Which is a shame because the blouse is now in my mending pile. I noticed on my last wear that a seam in the back is coming undone, but I'm not certain I'll actually be able to sew it back together since the material is pretty wispy. Everything in my mending pile is currently made of some suspect material though. I really need to tackle that soon.

I had to post this shot just because of what the wind is doing to my hair. It's so 70's glamour. And you can tell this was early October because the leaves behind me are still green! I hope you're all having a good Tuesday. Cheers!

It's all in the colours

The first time I posted an outfit with this top, I paired it with a dark brown skirt. It looks so different with this white skirt instead. I really like how easily I can switch things up by just using a different colour. I'll have to try with tan and green next.

Top - Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Fairweather

Sandals - Lulus.com

In keeping with my weird polish habits, my toes are currently yellow and green. Why? Why not! Although I figure soon enough I'll switch over to orange and black, to be in the Halloween spirit.



I picked up some fuzzy leopard print pajamas as my zombie costume for the Zombie Walk in two weekends. So far I've been... home-reno zombie, then an office worker zombie the year after, and a lady-in-white zombie last year. This year I'm a zombie in PJ's! It's going to be so fun, I can't wait.

Is there anything weird or spooky you do around Halloween? The Zombie Walk is pretty much my "thing" for the season. That thing I look forward to attending next year the minute it's over this year. I haven't decided yet if I'll bother carving any pumpkins... but having at least one for Halloween night is always a good idea. Anyway, I hope you're all having a good week. Cheers!

Knotty Business

After seeing so many awesome bloggers knotting their button-downs, I had to get in on the game. Due to my rather limited selection of button-downs, this look had to wait for a weekend. As many wacky things as I wear to work, I just don't think a red checked shirt will ever fit the bill for office attire.

Shirt - Fairweather 

Skirt -  Thrifted from Value Village, Le Chateau

Sneakers - Walmart 

Yeah, I'm wearing sneakers again. But all I had to do that day was get some groceries and I was lazy. I just fail at finding attractive yet comfortable flat footwear that I won't walk through within half a day. Hence the sneakers. Cheesy footwear and crooked photos, that's what we have around here.

 I actually wore this very same skirt and button-down back in early January. I like that my wardrobe manages to stretch itself across the seasons like this. Which is important, or my already-stressed closet would burst. And I don't even have that many clothes!

 

I have to admit, this outfit makes me think of a cross between Morticia Adams and a Lumberjack. But I'm down with that, Morticia was always my favourite Adams character. And any hipster worth his beard will tell you lumberjacks are the shit!

 

Tomorrow is Friday and I finally get to go to the Toronto Zoo! I'm so excited! And then attending the Reptile Expo on Saturday... more me being excited! I'm going to spend this evening running around like a headless chicken, tying up all my loose ends and making certain I have everything ready and waiting for when I bring my new babies home.

Hopefully I can restrain myself and not come home with too many unplanned animal acquisitions, hehe... I wish you all a happy Thursday. Cheers!

Because It Was Raining

We're either scorching to death in the sun here, or hiding from torrential downpours and thunder storms. Many parts of Ottawa and surrounding towns have undergone flooding in the last few weeks. I am very thankful for living on the 2nd floor of a building up on a hill. So if the worst of it for me means taking indoor photos with flash during a power-out, so be it!

Top - Fairweather

Skirt - Fairweather

Sandals - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

I bought this blouse way back in 2008 when I started my first office job. I don't wear it all that often, but it was the only thing I could think of pairing with this skirt that would be office-appropriate.

I love these sandals. I thrifted them for $7 and they're so fun. The strap is a little tight around my ankle, but nothing I can't live with, and they're surprisingly comfortable for something with such thin strips to press into my feet.

This skirt is lined but it's still pretty much transparent. I felt a little bare at work but I was desperate for what to wear until I got laundry done. Not too sure I'll be wearing it to work again unless it's with a longer top.

And frankly, it's best worn where I can prance about and enjoy its flounciness to the full. I mean, what a waste if I can't spend all day spinning about, right?

I have some great shots of a yet-to-be-posted thrifted dress from a few weeks back, and some colourful eye shadow I've been letting loose with lately. I'm trying to decide if I want to organize some scheduled posts for my two weeks vacation or not. I don't think anyone will notice my absence, it seems everyone is busy as bees these days.

I hope you all had (or are having) a great weekend! Cheers!

Sunny Sunday Memories

My mother lives 5 hours away so I didn't get to spend Mother's Day with her. I kept busy though! I wore this outfit on Sunday, May 8th, to run some errands and buy groceries. The top I actually just thrifted this past Saturday when I was hunting for some wardrobe basics. It has a great braided neckline and cute tie-off sleeves, and I only paid $6!

Blouse - Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Yard Sale, $1

Belt - Ardene's
Purse - Aldo

Sandals - Thrifted from Value Village

I bought this belt a while back but so far hadn't been able to find an outfit I was comfortable incorporating it into, but finally the time has come! I wanted something to break up the long expanse of brown in the top and this belt was perfect. I like the contrast between the belt's geometric woven pattern and the skirt's fluid floral.

You can't tell, but this skirt is huge. I could easily wrap it around myself twice and still have fabric to spare. I rarely wear it because it always winds up hanging on my hips - which is fine with me - except most of my tops are too short and I wind up with a flesh gap I just won't stand for! This new top is perfect to pair with it though and I know I'll be wearing this outfit more than once this summer.

I paid a whole $1 for those shell earrings!

Sunday was an absolutely beautiful day. It seems all our days are beautiful lately and I am so happy about that. I've had the patio door wide open letting in fresh air and sounds of the city in the evenings before bed. I doubt I'd be able to sleep with the door open - it's pretty noisy out there - but I love my terrace and knowing I can pop out there any time I like. The tree growing up from the sidewalk below is finally blooming and sprouting leaves and it's lovely having that in my view.




I was in a pretty good mood, and it was so cheery and sunny out, I couldn't resist snatching up a bouquet of flowers. I imagine most folks assumed they were for my mum, it being Mother's Day and all... But a girl should be allowed to randomly buy herself flowers! They do certainly add some cheer to my living space.

That pillow cover was crocheted by my grandmother, and the shawl draped over the other chair was knit by my mother. You can see my little jade plant back there too! He seems to be the only thing with roots I've managed not to murder. I named him Frank.

I'm excited for tomorrow's outfit post because this month I participated in the Paper Doll Project. I was paired with the lovely Louise from Coffee and a Cardigan. I can't wait to see her in the outfit I styled and I'm excited to share the outfit she styled for me too. Hope you're all have a great Tuesday. Cheers!