Feelin' gaudy today

I started by just putting on the orange one. Cute. Then I put on the yellow. Cuter. And so on, and now I am wearing 5 necklaces (and one wound around my wrist as a bracelet.)

Necklaces - mostly thrifted, one from Kohl's

Tube top - Target, of all places

Skirt - Fake Target

Shoes - Linea Paolo

Have I mentioned that I am Norwegian? And thus I HATE heat. Don't get me wrong, I'm as ready as any Minnesotan when spring rolls around (you know, in like May). But it is like 90 today and I am miserable. Time to turn on the A/C for the first time this summer if it doesn't cool down by tonight. Geez!

Granny Tranny cruise-wear

What do I look like with my hair down? THIS! I rarely wear it down... it's just frizzy and crazy and I look like Little Orphan Annie and it's always in my face and gets nuts when it's windy and I got used to always wearing it up when I worked with disabled kids cause they liked to pull it and I just like it out of my face and etc, etc, etc. Anyway, here is the outfit I wore to the Twins game last night. Awesome baseball, good times. I'm off to bartend! oh, P.S. I just gave myself this haircut yesterday, so it's still a little nuts, but this is pretty much what my hair looks like, and you won't see it down again for like six months I'm sure...

when the circus comes to town

I found two fun blazers at the 50% off sale at Valu Village last Thursday. I think I'll wear the other one later today when I go to the baseball game, but here is the one that I wore on Saturday. I call this outfit "The Leggy Ringmaster", not that I name my outfits or anything... I wish it was more ringmaster-like and the stripes were thicker, but well, seersucker is seersucker, and I got to wear my new black patent leather heels. Laterz...

Brand new

I rarely buy any clothing new. Aside from a Target t-shirt here or there, almost all of my clothes are from thrift stores or sewn by me. Shoes however, most of my shoes are new. I've been meaning to buy a few new heeled summer shoes. I tend to wander around in a few of the same flat sandals all summer. I have a ton of heels, but they are mostly winter-ish since is is cold here so much of the year. After finally seeing the Sex and the City movie the other day, I was motivated to stop by TJ Maxx and pick up a few heels for summer. Here they are in all their glory, they're no Jimmy Choos, or Christian Louboutins, or Manolo Blahniks but they're not bad for me.

Steve Madden





















Nine West


















BCBG Girls

And the best part, they were all on clearance. Whoo! I continue to be a cheapskate! So I'm off to go stomp around in style!

P.S. In case you can't tell, those are 5 ants on my foot (not spiders) I've had it for 6 years and I still love it.

Speaking of bugs, I hate to say it, but I love bugs. Yeah, not good in the house, not good when they bite or sting, but I generally am a bug fan. I've been meaning to get myself some mounted dried Cicadas cause they are pretty and remind me of being a kid and moving from Chicago to Wisconsin and being amazed by bugs. I really hate that there aren't fireflies here. I like to go home at least once a summer, just to see the lightning bugs (and last year the Cicadas!!) If you don't know anything about them, look them up. They don't make it this far north but they burrow in the ground for SEVENTEEN years and then they all come up at once! It's like a plague! And they are SO loud and a million birds migrate in to town to eat them all! And Asian tourists!(they are a delicacy in some countries and people literally flew to my hometown to collect garbage bags full of them to cook and sell there!) It's crazy! Anyway, I found this $2 art at the thrift store the other day, and now I have two giant grasshoppers over my bed that match my room perfect! Fate!

Sorry about the angle, the picture and my bed are in fact straight. Oh, and can I also say that I love my bed, desk and dressers. They are all a set from the 50s from Norway. They are solid oak (none of that modern IKEA particle board shit here) and they are so simple and chic. No handles, no ornate details, just great Scandinavian style. My dad and his brother had them in their rooms when they were little boys. My grandma let me have the 2 desks, 2 dressers, and 2 twin beds when I was a kid. When I got too old for a twin bed, my handy father made the two little beds into one queen sized bed for me! Love!

insulting Jay

Who else loved season one of Project Runway? Don't get me wrong, I like all the seasons, but the first one was the best (other than Wendy, for reals, how did she make it to the finals? Jaws!) But Jay McCarroll was the best designer on that show, EVER! I loved his personality and his final show, jeez was I blown away by the colors (which Michael Kors called too "DTM, dyed to match" and made some reference to dying satin bridesmaid shoes at Payless... it's okay though, I love Michael Kors and his bitchy little comments, they are my fave). So, what is the point of all this? I have the day off today and hit the holy grail of thrifting awesomeness at the Arc's Value Village in New Hope. I haven't tried it all on, and haven't put anything in the shop yet, but will soon, but I found the most magnificent quiled (a la Jay) vest! I seriously never would have looked twice at it, let alone bought it if it weren't for Jay and his quilted coats and whatnot. So, in his matchy-matchy style, I bring you... MAUVE! (seriously insulting him here with this less than chic outfit, but I will find the right combo to rock it properly one day soon...


I'm off to go model my new stuff for my etsy.
P.S. I am watching Harold and Maude and have I mentioned how much I LOVE it?

prediction...

Two posts in one day?!?! Don't worry, they are both boring. I just wanted to put up today's outfit before I go to Ryan's to eat a "big salad" (I love Seinfeld, or more specifically Elaine, because she, like me, has only guy friends, but it somehow works.) Sorry for all the commas in that sentence. Anyway, Ryan will HATE this outfit but I need to figure out if I want to keep this leather biker vest or sell it, so he can live with it until I figure that out. Actually, he hates a lot of my clothes and knows to be quiet unless he wants to compliment something (or really dislikes something.) He liked the jumprope necklace from a few days ago... so, he's got that going for him. Anyway, here's hoping the Yankees don't stomp all over my poor Twins, again!

keeping it simple

Hmmm, nothing big here. Ryan and I have been swimming at my pool a lot. Jim and J-Rod came swimming with us on Sunday before baseball. We're thinking of making it a Sunday tradition. The only problem is that we miss the Twins game, but just took turns running inside to check the score. I got this Banana Republic shirt at a thrift store and I love it. Ryan says it makes me look like I work "at a gas station." What does that even mean?! Whatever.

I know, it's a bit much

Went to Ryan's last night. Watched Twins game (yes! They won, again!) Ate sushi (again! I seriously eat sushi like 2-3 times every week. I'm addicted and I don't care.) Went to Mortimer's and had a few too many cocktails (again!). Anyway, I've had this "necklace" that I have been meaning to wear. The reason I put necklace in quotes is, well, it's not a necklace but I say it is. It is actually a jump rope from Mexico that is made of rubberbands. It is a bit much, but I rocked it pretty hard.

See... rubber bands. A $1 investment from a thrift store that totally makes the outfit... don't worry, it hasn't been jumped with. It's brand spanking new.

The only problem is, while wearing it, I always smell rubberbands. It's not the worst smell, but it's a bit much.

recipe for hilarity

So last night, my boyfriend's roommate Chris convinced me and Ryan to go see the 12:01 showing of... no, not the new Batman flick... but Mamma Mia! There were crazy Batman nerds to stare at, some of whom had been in line for tickets since 10 am when the theater opened! There were also the pissed off pseudo-fans to laugh at, who showed up at 11:50 and were so mad that all three screens were sold out. Anyway, we got tickets for Mamma Mia and a suspicious look from the cashier, I guess we look more like Batman fans that Abba fans... So, we snuck in flasks, spiked giant $5 sodas, and Chris and I sang and laughed our butts off (do I need to point out the fact that Chris is gay? I don't, do I?) Anyway, I had a hella good time (even Ryan said it was fun and he was pretty apprehensive about going at all). I would highly recommend grabbing a musical-loving friend, saying who cares to the fact that I am a Broadway nerd, and having a few illegal cocktails.

two outfits, no waiting

I have finally put on clothes other than my uniform. It's weird how much I don't feel like myself when I have to wear a uniform. I just feel... shier, insecure, more out of place, etc. Hopefully, I will have a "real" job again soon. I applied for the first one I liked and got through their preliminary process. I doubt I'll get it, it is a stretch for me in terms of my knowledge and experience, but who knows? When a $9 an hour raise is on the line, you stretch like hell. Anyway, here is yesterday and today's ensembles...

Oh yes, I am getting my $2 worth out of that white and brown belt. It is now my most favorite belt eva!


Otherwise, nothing much here. No baseball to watch during the all-star break... boo. However, Morneau winning the home run derby... yeah! Morneau scoring the winning run in the 15th inning and nearly 5 hours into the all-star game... double yeah! Also, I am pretty happy with my etsy... I just sold a vintage skirt last week, then a vintage shirt this week, and I just sold a t-shirt the other day. Go me! I'm about breaking even I figure, with all the thrifted stuff I am keeping... oh, well. I wasn't meant to be rich, clearly, or I wouldn't work in social services. Loves!

Boo on you, crime

I hate crime. This is not a revolutionary statement, I'm guessing that everyone but criminals and fans of heist movies hates crime. On Saturday morning, someone came in to Ryan's house while we were sleeping and stole his laptop. They had to move the couch, unplug it, and get out the door. Unfortunately, a friend who was at the house left for about 5 minutes, and left the door open. When he returned, the computer was gone. No one really cares about the computer, it was a few years old and our rather intense friend "Shut-up Chuck" had stepped on the computer last year, thus cracking the screen in a major way. We are however, horribly torn up over the thousands of photos on the computer. Years of memories will not be seen again. Yes, I have a few of them on my computer, and there are still a lot on Ryan's camera that were never uploaded, but still. Boo on you, dude who stole the computer. Boo on you to the dude who totaled my car in that hit and run like two weeks ago. Boo on you to the guy who mugged me at 8am on Hennepin Ave last August. Boo on you to the dude to mugged James. and Joel. and Chris five times. Boo on you to the drunk guy who pulled a knife on us last summer. Boo on you to the dude who just stole Claire's laptop on Friday too! Boo on you to the guy who tried to get in my house "to go to the bathroom" and then showed me his penis when I wouldn't take the chain off the door. Why are me and my friends such victims? I hate feeling paranoid and unsafe. I'm getting ready to kiss Uptown and downtown goodbye and stay in the 'burbs where I feel safe. Boo indeed.

I'm going to go to Goodwill and make myself feel better I hope. I have the day off and can photograph some stuff for the shop. In the meantime, stay crime-free.

FORRR-E-VERRR

Ok, first things first... I LOVE the Sandlot. LOVE it. FORRR-E-VERRR. I've always liked it but as my baseball obsession grows in general (boo on you Red Sox for what you did to the poor little Twins), my love for the Sandlot grows too. I love all things related to the '50s. It just seemed such a great time to grow up. I love all the cliches... the dresses. the music. the innnocence. the malt shops. the drive-in. the dances. Grease. Stand by Me. THE SANDLOT. Wendy Peffercorn. Geez, do I love it all. Oh, I know it had it's major flaws, but it all seems so romatic, innocent, and simple. Okay, on another note, here is the outfit for today...



I'm off to go watch the Sandlot. Again.

Never gonna get it (cue EnVogue)

This whole etsy thrifting venture is blowing up in my face... yeah, I've sold a few things... yeah, I have a lot more stuff to photograph, measure, and post... but I wind up keeping MORE STUFF. One of the points was to clean out my stuffed closets. Anyway, since it was bound to happen, here are a few of the things I can't bear to sell...

The little boys fringed suede vest from Mexico ($2 at a thrift store!) Ok, it doesn't really fit over my boobs but COME ON, it's adorable.


I also can't give up the granny-ish shoes. I don't know why I like them, but I just do.

I mean, they are from Talbots for goodness sakes! The ultimate preppy grandma store (One of my gay boyfriends does call me "The Granny Tranny" sometimes for dressing like an old lady/tranny combo at times.)

This weird little shirt which it is too hot to wear now, but I will rock it come fall. It's SUPER thin jersey, with a thick elasticy waist and arm cuffs. There is also a tiny bow up by the neckline. $2 CUTE!

Very granny tranny.
This little maroon vaguely Asian top (am I paranoid that those little characters are saying something nasty about me? a little.) This was a big $3 and once again, I cannot close it due to my exorbitantly large boobs, but I don't like mandarin collars on me when they are closed anyway.

I just got that belt for $2 and I love it! It is white, wide, elastic, and has a huge brown buckle in front. LOVE! I also got that skirt at a thrift store, but it is just Isaac Mizrahi for Target, but I love it's fake wood grain pattern. I am a little obsessed with fake and real wood grain. Anywhoo, that is all for now, but that is not all I have kept. There was also the little brown '40s or '50 dress, the little blue suitcase, and a ruffly shirt I may wind up selling. But in the mean time, I put up a few pairs of shoes I was tempted to keep (including these awesome navy blue sandals)

I will post some more new stuff in the shop soon. Time to go running for the first time in like 10 days!

I did NOT fall off a porch in this later in the night...

Well, after running around like a madman, buying baseballs, watermelon, bugspray, chips, etc... I am home. Now, to pack a bag for Ryan's cause I won't be home until Monday. BBQ at my friend Kai's house tonight, baseball and grilling tomorrow (Ryan's birthday!!!!), sailing all day Saturday, baseball and pizza party Sunday. Quite a weekend! And most importantly NO WORK till my Tuesday double shift. Ooh, and Carl the car will be repaired starting on Monday! Hooray! In my running around after bartending today, I found this XXL shirt on super clearance at Target, removed the bottom drawstring thingie, ironed it and viola... new dress to wear lots of bangles with.

And I love these shoes and have had them forever but never get to wear them. They are made of wood and they are SO LOUD on tile/wood floors. I would get so many dirty looks when I wore them around to classes at the U. They would clop clop down the hallway and echo into classrooms. I just acted oblivious with my headphones on. Hee-hee!

no clothes!

No, I have not run out of clothes, there are oodles of those. I just haven't been wearing clothes much this summer. For example, I am waitressing from 11am-10pm today. Why bother? I've been wearing a dress I threw on to go to Ryan's at like 11pm last night until I have to change into my glamorous waitressing uniform. Actually it's not bad, just a white oxford, black pants, and black apron. Anyway, I will try to put on clothes tomorrow since I only bartend till 4pm. In the mean time, I dressed up my chairs! I bought these chairs at IKEA like four years ago when I bought my condo. Actually, my mom bought them. She was feeling generous and while I didn't love these chairs, I figured they were neutral enough so I could change the pillows and get a new look. I've changed the top pillows a few times but they were still never my favorite things. Now, I reupholstered the bottom cushions and viola, I am in love. They sit on either side of my fireplace with a sweet little chess table in-between. I think it looks fab! Behind door #1



Behind door #2


So, there are the chairs' new outfits! Gotta go get ready for a long day on my feet, laterz.