Rain Is An Excuse To Bake and Cook

It really is. In the last few days I've made three separate cream soups, pizza dough to freeze and then a fresh pizza, French macarons and several cakes. I would need more stomachs to keep up with my production. It's still raining today and I'm cooking up spicy chicken thighs for my father's birthday supper. These outfit photos are a few weeks old but they're nice and cheery compared to the weather so this is what you get!

Shirt -Thrifted from Value Village

Dress-as-skirt - Giant Tiger

Sandals - Thrifted from Value Village

Black forest cake usually has chocolate decor around the side and sometimes on top, but seeing as how I don't know how to properly temper chocolate and I think chocolate sprinkles are tacky as hell, I left it plain.  I soaked the cherries in rum myself so I'm interested to see how this thing tastes. Hope you're all having a good week. Cheers!

Mustard Greens

Tomorrow I have an interview at a local bakery, which if I'm lucky will lead to a good job. I've got my fingers crossed! They were looking for someone with two to three years experience but I'm hoping my Basic Pastry certificate will help me out there. Clearly I'm good enough to at least call in for an interview. We'll see how it goes.

Blouse - Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Belt - Second-hand shop

Shoes - Bayshore Mall, years ago

It's raining like mad outside, has been since last night, and it's supposed to keep raining for several days. My front door has been leaking too, which is rather unpleasant but at least it's nothing extremely serious and it should be fixed soon enough. I just wish it would stop precipitating long enough for me to go biking again! If it's not snow, it's rain, and if not rain, snow! Bleh!

It was a gorgeous day yesterday, but I woke earlier than usual to spend time with my friend and her baby, and after a large sushi meal that evening all I wanted to do was nap. I slept right through the time I'd planned to go biking haha, but ah well, I guess I needed it. There's a whole summer ahead for me to enjoy outdoors. I hope you are all having 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!

Who are you?

I'm not bothering with excuses, I'm beyond really caring about my blog's slow death at this point. I've stopped looking at clothing online and I haven't read a style blog in weeks and weeks. I don't miss it. I also don't find myself desiring any silly object I don't really need either, which is pretty groovy. These photos were the last outfit shots I took at the end of August.

T-shirt - Fairweather

Skirt - Garage sale

Sandals - Thrifted from Value Village

I never thought I'd be a wearer of white, much less a white t-shirt, but I bought a few and I really dig their crispness and simplicity. And I'm even managing to keep the darn thing clean! No mustard or blueberry stains yet!

 Just a few days ago I returned from my trip out to Nova Scotia to visit family. It's lovely country, and wonderful people. I have photos from that but considering I haven't even posted all of those from my Montreal visit yet, who knows if they'll ever even get up here.

Hopefully the month of September has been treating you as well as it has me. Cheers!

Mane Musings

If this outfit looks oddly familiar, it's because I wore the skirt and shirt together styled quite differently back in February. The first time around, I knotted the blouse and wore the skirt higher up so it would hit me roughly knee-length. This time I wore the pieces to give a longer silhouette. The belt was necessary or else I would have just been wearing a giant flowing sac!

 Shirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Belt - From Heather

Skirt - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Shoes - Lulu's

Not too long ago I contemplated hennaing my hair a crazy red. The urge passed (mostly because I don't think hazel eyes and red hair jive). Then this morning I read Kate's post about buzzing her hair, and it got me wanting to cut my own. Short. Very short. Which it used to be, in my mid-teens. Now with summer coming, I'm not looking forward to all this hair being heavy and humid and hot on my skin. Last summer I spent most days with my hair up in a tight bun because I couldn't stand having it down, it was just too hot and sticky. Short would be nice and refreshing.

Not that I don't love my long hair. I wouldn't have worn it this way for so many years if I didn't! But while cutting bangs in December spiced things up, I'm itching for another change. While I don't do a lot to my hair other than wash and comb it, it's still pretty demanding. It knots easily, frizzes up in humid weather and takes ages to air-dry! I'm constantly brushing it during the day. Maybe I'm just super extra lazy, but I'd like to be able to go out on a windy day without worrying about being blinded by my hair. Or whether or not my hair will fall over my shoulders and into open flame / food / someone's mouth.

Not to mention I look frazzled and disheveled most of the time. My hair may as well be styled in a way that plays that up instead of it just making me look well... frazzled and disheveled. I've spent a few hours going through tons of photos and I've settled on two looks I'm considering if I do take this hair chopping plunge. The first is shorter, and can be worn fussed up or smooth.The second is slightly longer but again is messy and cute. I'm leaning toward the second... it looks like something that would take half a minute's worth of fussing and a handful of hair mousse to fix up in the morning, which is right up my alley.

Some people might go halfway first and cut their hair to shoulder or chin length... But that's not how I do things. It's all the way or no way, so far as I'm concerned. I just know it would drive me mad to have hair flipping around my shoulders and it not being long enough to tie up, and long enough to tie is just still too long to even consider it worth cutting. If that makes sense. And my hair is so thin anyway, it's not really meant to be this long. Anywho. Hair rambles. I hope you're all having a good week. 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!

Just Another Day

This week feels interminable. I'll be sitting here at 9am and it'll feel like it should already be late afternoon! My work hours drag on endlessly, and my home time goes by in a blink. My frog was singing this morning as I got ready for work, but I didn't have time to linger and listen. I feel bad for the little guy, all on his lonesome now. Once I'm certain it's warm enough outside, I think I'm going to release him in the wild and he can go back to being a wild froggy again and have little froggy buddies to sing with too.

  

Blouse - Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village

Today is the first day I wear this new-to-me button down sleeveless top. It was one of the things I picked up while thrifting a few weeks ago.  I have a feeling it's going to get a lot of wear because its print incorporates a lot of colours that are popular in my wardrobe. I took these photos last evening, before ever actually wearing the outfit, which explains lack of rings or earrings. Since I have belly dance class tonight, and I need to go buy myself new walking shoes again (I keep having shoe disasters) I knew I wouldn't have time to document it today.

 

I'm excited for dance class, and to dance with the jingle-belt my wonderful grandparents got me for Easter. I just hope I can find some sturdy hiking boots or something, I'm tired of wearing cheap footwear that dies on me. The zip on my leather boots gave out this week and it's not worth replacing since I've nearly walked the heel into nonexistence. Again.

I'm also very excited to go dancing on Friday and to finally see my friend Becky, the one returning from Africa. And I think I'm going on a coffee-date with a long-haired fellow on Saturday but I haven't planned things out that far ahead yet haha. I hope you're all having a good week. Cheers!

Red Hot Shoes

I can go outside again! It's finally not bitter cold outside! It's supposed to be gorgeous all weekend, which is great, although it's too bad I'm still a little under the weather. This cold really kicked me when I was down and I spent a few days feeling really rough and not even leaving my apartment. Today's the first day I really feel 'normal' again, although not quite back up to full speed.

Tunic - Thrifted from Value Village 

Jeggings - Hue 

Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village

I caved and bought myself some jeggings. The odds of my wearing them as actual pants is pretty slim and this is probably the closest to that I will get. I'm still just really not comfortable with everybody being able to see every single curve and cranny, you know? However I am totally comfortable rocking these killer shoes. Red suede for the win! I scored these when thrifting with my friends Kirsten and Omar last Friday. I was happy to trot them out for a late breakfast with my grandparents today.

 

Things are going to be changing big time for me, in the next several months. I was notified a few days ago that the library in which I work will be closed in April of 2013, part of the recent sweeping budget cuts the Canadian Government has passed. My position will no longer be necessary, and this puts me in a special place. Long story short, I can either have them try to find me another job when the library closes, or I can take a large lump sum of money as well more optional money for education.

 

 

I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself yet, except that the 2nd option seems to be the one I will take. I really hate my current job and if I can get out, with a nice chunk of money, that sure looks good to me. I hope you are all having a really fantastic Easter weekend for those who celebrate, and a good regular one for those who don't! Cheers!

Mustard and Fries

I can't be the only one who eats french fries with mustard, right? I used to do that a lot in high school especially, to keep other people from stealing my fries haha... My current favourite mustard thing is this blouse, which I thrifted last Sunday. It had shoulders pads, but I quickly snipped those out. I've been seeing bloggers wearing mustard-everything for ages now. I'd never been super drawn to it but when this shirt appeared for $5, I couldn't argue. I could however, forgo ironing out all the wrinkles, because gravity eventually does that for me.

Blouse - Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Belt - Ardene's

Tights - Christmas gift

Heels - Lulu's

This outfit feels very early-80's to me. Like I should be running around some old school typewriter-filled office, chasing after my boss with a stack of papers and a coffee. I really love how the bright colour of my skirt looks with the mustard though. Trust me to choose, of all colours possible to pair with mustard, a bright violet.

The above photos prove how bad I am at taking photographs with true colours, and at editing said photos. I don't know what I did to that close up shot but that is definitely not the skirt's true colour. I'm glad I took the photos the night before though, because when I put these tights on again the next day, there were two significantly-sized holes in one leg. Which is weird since I'd never even worn them before trying them on the night before. Ah well!

One of my friends had a pile of jewelery she was trying to give away and I picked up these and another pair of earrings. I'll probably be trying to give away some stuff soon too, or maybe re-sell. I plan on going through my closet and dresser this weekend, including trying everything on to make certain it still fits. I know a lot of my dresses are probably way too big for me now, but I'm really not looking forward to the reality of parting with some of my vintage beauties.

I'm so very happy it's Friday. I plan on spending most of the weekend at home, doing nice relaxing home things. This has been a crazy busy month in general for me. I'm looking forward to baking some mushroom-dill muffins, and finally getting my closet in order. I hope you all have a great weekend too. 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!

Embroidered Love

I'm super happy to be sharing this outfit with you all! This lovely embroidered blouse was an excited purchase I made on Etsy a while ago. I saw it minutes after it was listed and I just knew it had to be mine. And since the asking price was $12, I wasn't going to argue, and promptly purchased it. I am so happy I did!

Tunic Dress - Purchased from Mr. Idaho's Vintage on Etsy
Leggings - Some store in a mall
Sandals - Dr. Scholl's, thrifted from Value Village

Belt - From Heather at Moonshine Junkyard
Purse - Thrifted from Value Village

I wore this out just to do groceries and run a few errands. I never expected it to be such a hit! Three separate cashiers complimented me on the blouse, it really made my day. It's little things like that that make a difference.

I picked up this amazing leather purse for $8! The purse, these sandals, and the purse and sandals from this post were all purchased at the same time actually. I got super lucky! I wasn't even going to go thrifting, but after contemplating spending $30 on some sandals at Walmart, I figured I'd get more bang for my buck at the thrift store... and I was right! I left with 3 pairs of shoes, two purses and a nightie and still spent less than what the one pair of sandals at Walmart would have cost me! And everything was like new, to boot.

I loved this outfit so much it was all I could do not to wander around smiling like a ninny, especially after all the nice compliments. The leggings work great with this, but I look forward to trying to style it some other way. This feels a lot like wearing pants to me and in the summer it'll be too warm for the leggings anyway.

I spent my weekend pretty much just packing and playing too much Sims 3 (I admit, I'm addicted) but it was enjoyable nonetheless. When you're packing everything away to move someplace else, you wind up finding things you don't see much of most of the time. I spent a good half hour reading old diary entries from when I was 14 years old. Seems like a lifetime ago when it was less than a decade!

Oh, and before I forget... I've joined Chictopia! I kept hearing about it and being linked to it, and finally actually took the time to look. Seems like a fun community. I'm loving seeing so many outfits, and it's a whole new source for fashion blogs since so many of the people already blog about style.

I hope you all had a great weekend! Cheers!