Time Traveler

I don't often get all dressed up these days but when I do, I go all out and pay attention to tiny details. This outfit makes me feel a bit like a time traveler, as if I could go back to say... 1972, and just blend right in. My clothes were most likely around back then!

Blouse- Purchased from Aliya & Lucas on Etsy

Skirt - Purchased in Paris, France

Belt - Gift from Heather
Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village

I have written exams next week, and then my in-kitchen exams the second week of December. I cannot wait for this semester to be finished! I'm enjoying it, but I am absolutely exhausted mentally. Being around people so often is really taking its tole on me. I can deal with a tight knit work group fairly well once I get to know them, but 40 or so students just stresses my very being.

While there are some students who's company I enjoy, most I wish I could just avoid. Their presence, their voice, just grates on my nerves and makes me want to scream. The fact that people can't just be quiet is beyond me. What's so wrong with just sitting with yourself and not making a constant racket or trying to get attention by whinging or blabbering on about something nobody cares about?! I don't understand people at all.

At least I'm doing fabulously in all my classes. Academics were never much of a challenge for me, especially not now when it's a subject in which I'm actually interested. My grade is high enough in the one class that I'm actually exempt from the final exam, which is great. Now if only all the teachers instituted such a rule, because I'd have no written exams at all hah.

I spent my morning ironing quilt squares for a lap quilt I'm hoping to gift my mother for Christmas. They were originally meant for a double bed sized quilt, a project I started years ago and lost steam for when I realized how big of a job I'd set up for myself. A lap quilt is much more manageable, and some of the work is already done which is encouraging. Fingers crossed it gets done! I hope you are having a good week. Cheers!

Procrastinator

I'm really quite a horrible procrastinator. Usually in theory it's not so bad because I just envision myself doing in the future when I know I will have time, but then between the future and now, something else comes up to take up that time and leaves me in a bind. Like the position in which I am currently, where I have a five page essay due Tuesday with only two written up, and basically Sunday is the only time I have to work on it now.

 Jacket - Vintage, purchased in Paris, France

Dress - Thrifted from Value Village

Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village

It also means that these outfit photos are from back on October 18th, three weeks ago. It seems my active interest in blogging waxes and wanes, as does my time available to do it. And really I should probably be working on my essay right now heh, but hey, procrastinator!

I'm out of saved up outfit photos after these ones too so I suppose I'll just have to stop being lazy and take photos again. Now that winter is setting in, and that I've started up a part-time job (I'll mention that some other time) I have less time to photograph even less outfits. There's not much point in getting all dressed up if I'm going to just take it all off to put on my chef whites. But anyway... I need to work on that essay. Cheers!

Sundown Sand Boa

The rain is coming down again today, so my pumpkin-picking trip with friend and baby is postponed until tomorrow. I don't mind too much, having a lazy day in my pajamas feels good. My parents, grandmother and I went for a dinner at my college's culinary-student run restaurant last evening. I was gifted a paid meal for four there and it was absolutely delicious.

Top - Thrifted from The Salvation Army

Dress as Skirt - Purchased from Sally Jane Vintage on Etsy

Leggings - Ardene's

Shoes - Gift from grandmother

It was a really nice way to end my week of mid-terms. Next week is reading week so I have no classes. Time to relax! I have one essay I want to work on but otherwise, I plan to spend my time relaxing, visiting friends and family, and making good food. I'm going to clean out of my animal room and attempt to organize it as best as I can. I still don't have a garden shed so I think I'll just box up my things and bring them over to my grandmother's, since she said I could store things there.

My lovely female Kenyan Sand Boa has finally reached her full adult size. From this point, she may get fatter, but she won't get much longer. She's such an adorable chunky little thing! I love my pretty Halloween, and I'm still glad I named her such, it's so fitting. But she's one of the snake-babies who's tank needs a cleaning so I'd best get on that. Cheers!

Backed up in the Present

While my outfit photos are rather out of date, I blame this on the fact that I live in the moment. I enjoy taking the outfit photos when I do take them. Everything I wear because I enjoy it, it makes me feel good. There's no intense need to post them though - for one thing I'm fairly certain I'm the only person who even reads my blog anymore hah - and that's fine. I get around to it eventually.

Top -Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Vintage shop in Ottawa

Shoes - From grandmother

There's a bear somewhere out near my home. I found its leavings, full of choke-cherry seeds, smack dab in the middle of the driveway. These are the things I missed when living in the city. I hope the dear thing sticks around, it can help itself to all the berries if it wants! If I'm lucky, I may even catch a glimpse of it some early morning, or in the evenings.

I was putting my garden to sleep for the winter the other evening when I inadvertently harmed a hibernating frog with my hand tool. The poor thing was so injured that I had no choice but to put it down. It's buried in the middle of my garden now, with a little heart, and a spiral, drawn above it in the dirt. I felt absolutely horrible for it, but I suppose it's better to mourn its loss than to be a person who feels no pain at the death of an innocent living thing. I'm off now to pick up my grandmother and head to my parents' for Canadian Thanksgiving dinner. I hope those of you who celebrate it now have a good holiday. Cheers!

Foreign Goodies

This outfit has another shawl that I picked up while in Belgium. I really like the earthy colours here. While I do wear a lot of bright colours, browns, greens and golds are my favourite pallet. Not a whole lot to say again today. I'm going to school, trying to get into the swing of things.

 Shawl -Vintage shop in Brussels, Belgium

Top - Value Village

Skirt - Value Village

Clogs - From my grandmother

It was pretty breezy that day so my attempts at photographing the shawl opened up really didn't go so well but it gives you a good idea of it. While I'm sad that summer is coming to an end, these coolers temperatures do let me snuggle in a nice light shawl and that's a welcome change.

The cooler weather is also allowing me to wear my green velvet jacket, and now that I drive most places I don't have to be as concerned about being weather-ready. I love my black leather jacket but it can be nice to wear something dressier or less practical every once in a while. Hope you're having a nice week. Cheers!

Over All

These camouflage overalls are another find I brought home from Belgium. They appear to be hand made, and there's no telling how old - or new - they are, but I've had a longstanding thing for camouflage, so there was no way I could leave these babies behind.

Overalls - Thrift shop in Brussels, Belgium

Shoes - From my grandmother

I might shorten them in the future, but we'll see. They suit me fine like this for now. I do have to adjust the straps and their button placement but otherwise I'm happy as heck with 'em. I hadn't added any camouflage to my wardrobe in years so I was due, I guess hah. Hope you all have a great weekend. Cheers!

Flash Bang

Bright colours are something I love, but I love them even more in the summer months. I know 'colour blocking' was a big thing a while back, and I don't know if it's still 'in' or not, but frankly, I don't care! I love this outfit. It felt bright and fun and I enjoyed wearing it.

Sunglasses - Walmart

T-shirt - Walmart clearance

Skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Clogs - Gift from my grandmother

I'm making spur of the moment plans to attend a festival with this weekend with a friend I haven't seen since way back in March. I'm really excited, both to see her, and for the weekend of great grooves and dancing that awaits us. This weather is perfect for it. I'm so excited!

I hadn't expect to be able to attend any festivals this year so this is a nice surprise. I'll be visiting another friend afterward too, since the festival will put me just a little over an hour away from them. I'm making the most of my 3-day weekend! Anyway, I hope you are all having a good start to the week. Cheers!

Will Back the Sunshine

It was a gorgeous day yesterday and I spent it with family, hosting a yard sale in the morning and afternoon, then spending the evening at an aunt and uncle's having a few drinks and laughs. It really feels good to be here near them again. Unfortunately today it's cool and rainy again, so I'm posting this late-April outfit to try and will back the sunshine!

Sweater - Thrifted from Value Village

Tunic - Purchased from Mr. Idahos Vintage on Etsy

Jeggings - Hue

Moccasins - Sears

I'd been hoping to go do a little fishing today, but I'm not dedicated enough to go out in the rain. I'll wait for the weather to improve first! At least it's nice enough that the seeds in my garden have begun to sprout. Unfortunately the frost seems to have killed my green pepper plants, even though I'd covered them. I have slim hope that the roots survived and they'll grow up again, but we'll see.

I took these photos a few weeks back when it finally started warming up again and everything started growing in full force. Our spring has been odd this year; late and halting. At least the rain now is good for my garden. I hope you are all having a great weekend. Cheers!

Rainbow Garden

After all the rain we were having recently, I have absolutely no complaints about all this gorgeous sun! I've already got a bit of a tan and a sunburn haha... Things went from winter to summer and sort of skipped spring, which is a bit confusing, but I'm getting used to the heat.

Dress - Purchased from Siam2u on Etsy

Sandals - Fluevog

Necklaces - Thrifted from Value Village

With the help of my parents, I've made a lot of progress with my little garden. I'm kind of early, but the weather is so warm that there's really no fear of frost. I've got potatoes, green pepper plants and some strawberry bunches planted already. I'll be putting in so catnip seeds later today, both as a treat for my cat and as an added insect repellent along with the marigolds I planted around the edge.

I never thought gardening would be for me, but I've found it more fulfilling and enjoyable already than I ever thought possible. I really like digging around in the dirt, putting down little living green things, planting seeds that I nurture and tend to as they sprout. It's exciting!

The only thing I could wish for right now is that the lake were warm enough to swim in already! But there's still ice, floating to and fro depending on the direction of the wind. Not to mention all the rivers and creeks are so high and rushing into the lake with their cold water, it'll be a good long while before it warms up enough for comfortably swimming. Something to look forward to though. I hope you all have a good Saturday. Cheers!

Massive Glasses

These vintage shades are pretty ridiculous, but I love them and can't help wearing them a lot now that the sun is out and shining. I'm not usually a fan of huge glasses but these just got somethin' goin' on. I'll probably look back on these photos in twenty years and think I was crazy haha...

Top - Custom print

Skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Moccasins - Sears

I drove out to a friend's to pick up a little loveseat today. The drive was nice, I always love driving on beautiful days, with the windows down and music loud. It felt almost like summer rather than spring, it was so warm today.

Now I'm going to curl up on my new couch, with the last coffee for the day, and do some reading. I hope you all had a great weekend. Cheers!

Today before Yesterday

Because I really want to share today's photos and the ones from days prior can just wait. It was another lovely day today and I spent the afternoon cycling up and down my long driveway, fine-tuning the gears on my bicycle. My yellow sweater seems to have become one of my favourite items this spring, which makes me glad I decided to keep it. I just couldn't bare to part with its cheery yellowness.

Sweater - Thrifted from Value Village

T-shirt - No idea anymore

Skirt - Gift from Heather

Moccasins - Sears

The landscape is still pretty drab and brown, but the pussy willows will soon bud out into leaves and fresh green grass will sprout through last years dry dead stalks. Spring peepers and other frogs are already singing happily outside, and I'm seeing little spiders scurrying about. The world is warming!

Tomorrow will be another gorgeous and warm day, and now that my bicycle is all in order, I'll probably go for a nice little ride. I'm also hoping to go pick up a little loveseat a friend of mine is giving me, so I'll finally have a proper couch in my living room. I hope you all had a lovely Saturday. Cheers!

Floral Maiden

Why I've never worn this red skirt with this top before is beyond me, because it looks lovely. If I may say so! I've already fallen behind in posting my outfits - big surprise - so this is from a few days ago. I didn't do much that day, just went to another small town with my grandmother and great-aunt. The later got her hair permed while my grandmother and I tooled around wasting time. It's nice being near family again, even for simple stuff like that.

Blouse - Purchased from Aliya & Lucas on Etsy

Belt - Gift from Heather

Skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Moccasins - Sears

It's a gorgeous day out today, sunny and comfortably warm. I might get out for a short bicycle ride later this evening, after my father and I go for a chip. It's just too bad with all the rain we've been getting lately, the water is so high, but the lake still hasn't broken its ice. It's messing up fishing opportunities. Apparently the smelts have already begun running but trying to catch them in an overflowing creek isn't exactly easy. Looks like I'll have to wait another year before I can go smelting. I hope you all have a great Friday! Cheers!

Spring Flowers

Unfortunately it's still too early - and mostly too cold - for real spring flowers, but I sure looked and felt springy in this outfit yesterday! The sunshine and warmth was lovely after all the cold rainy days we've been having lately. I was even able to go bare legged! This year's first bare-leg day!

Cardigan - Thrifted from Value Village

Dress - Thrifted from Value Village

Mocassins - Highway Trading Post

Vintage Glasses - Young Jane's in Ottawa

It's set to rain again this evening and into tomorrow, but I don't mind too much. I'm happy because my landlord's given me permission to make a little garden and set up a compost box. Already I've got the box set up - just an old wooden rabbit hutch from which I ripped the bottom, and hauled into the yard from the back field. If it weren't windy as hell and about to rain at any moment, I'd be out piling stuff into it already.

I'm trying to fill my spare time best as I can until I start working at a local bakery in a few weeks - if nothing changes between now and then - but I can't keep baking so much! I'm packing on more weight than I'm happy about and having tasty sweet things laying about doesn't help. I still feel good about my body, but if I get much heavier and bigger, I won't for long. I'm feeding myself plenty of tasty fresh veggies and trying to enjoy more time outside. No punishing myself, no depriving myself. I'm just giving myself more of good things, because my body and mind respond better to that. I 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!

Just Peachy

Not a whole lot to say today, but at least I've got an outfit to show you. If I hadn't slept so late - again - maybe I'd have more tasty food photos to share too, but I'm slowly turning nocturnal. Waking up at noon really puts a wrench in food-related productivity for me.

 Sweater - Thrifted from Value Village

Tank top - Fairweather

Pants - Thrifted from Value Village

Mocassins - Sears

I might get ambitious a little later and whip up a batch of croissants dough, to shape tomorrow, but we'll see. Putting on a full face of makeup is accomplishment enough for this lazy Sunday. I foresee plenty of hot coffee and an afternoon of gaming and not much else today.

These photos were taken in my newly set up living room. I have a lot of knickknacks and strange collectibles and tons of stuff up on the walls. It may seem a little overwhelming to some, but this is what feels like home to me and I wouldn't have it any other way. I hope you all had a good weekend. Cheers!

Snakes in a Kitchen

Tomorrow makes it a week my having lived in my new apartment and it's really starting to feel like home now. I still have some boxes to unpack, but most of it is photos and nicknacks, nothing particularly crucial to my ability to live in my home. I have a lot of organizing ahead of me, but at least I don't live in box-central anymore. My snake babies don't seem to have been at all affected by the move either, and that's relieving.

 Top - Gifted from Heather

Skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Ball Pythons - Mother Nature

Even my toes are multicoloured! I really don't look like what most people probably think a snake enthusiast should look haha... I stopped worrying what people thought of my appearance a long time ago though, and it'd be hard to go back to blandness.

It's hard to believe I've had these boys for about four years now. They're such sweeties, as are all my snakes. My animal room is all set up for them now, and I just need to unpack my sewing machine and set up my craft station and the room will essentially be finished too. I love that I'm a lady who sews and keeps snakes, who loves shoes and collects animal furs and other odd 'morbid' bits and bobs. A personality made of bright juxtapositions. Speaking of which, I have more boxes of bones to unpack. Cheers!