an apology and a style shocker

Between fighting a cold, nursing a rowing injury, finalizing details on our new home and packing up our old place, I've been slacking on posting. I hope to be back on my regular schedule really soon!

And now - a brief story on how I surprised myself by actually liking a shoe line I said I'd never wear...

I can appreciate that TOMS shoes are socially conscious. In fact, I really like that about the company. What I don't like? The shoes. I know they're comfy and supportive, but they look like they belong on prisioners' feet, not on fashionable men and women.

But TOMS may make a wearer out of me yet. Look what I've spotted!

The ballet flat line is launching next spring and I'm excited to try a pair or two on. I'm loving the pink and blue ones. Which is your favorite?

elsewhere in the country...

...people are all about autumn, but someone forgot to tell Phoenix that it's time to cool down. It's supposed to be 108 degrees today. Ugh.

So instead of wearing something like this

~via~


  

I'll still be wearing something like this

~via~





make a statement

Big, chunky statement necklaces are a staple for fall and can instantly take your ensemble from ho-hum to fabulous with just the click of a clasp. Pair them with your favorite jeans and a t-shirt or mix them into your work wardrobe for some punch to complete your look.

~chic, affordable - a must have from Spike the Punch!~

~from Anthropologie~

~from J. Crew~

~oh, Kate Spade, how I love thee~



some of my favorite things

Isn't Etsy wonderful? There are so many wonderful things that people are creating, selling and sharing. Here are just a few of my favorites.

Loving this queen bee tote from this Etsy seller.

Sure, I've been married for 46 days {Mark has an app that keeps track of the days}, but that doesn't mean I can't think of great ideas for our first anniversary - the traditional gift is paper, and wouldn't a hand-sketched rendering of my wedding gown be a great gift {hint}?

Dress forms are all the rage, and this papier-mache sheet music dress form takes it up a notch.

What a gorgeous distressed cabinet.

Sweet letterpress thank you notes.

Another great wedding-related gift! First-dance lyrics, a romantic sonnet by Shakespeare or your favorite E. E. Cummings poem on the black hearts and personalized with your initials and wedding date. Perfect for a wedding gift or a {ahem} a first anniversary gift.

birthday cake all over your face

Last night, a few friends and I headed downtown to see Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes and The Walkmen in concert. And it was amazing.

It was a hot ticket since it was the only time that these three acts would be performing together anywhere in the country. How lucky for Phoenix that it was here! {please forgive the fuzzy photos}

I have to say, though, I saw Bon Iver two years ago when they were still relatively unknown and promoting their debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, which was truly an experience. And although this time wasn't nearly as intimate, it was no less spectacular, and in some ways moreso with the the bigger spread of band members and flashing lights. Check out The New Times' review of the show - there's some good videos and you'll better understand this post's title.

~from 2009~

I'm currently obsessed with Justin Vernon's cover of "I Can't Make You Love Me." It never fails to give me the chills in a wonderful way.

mad for missoni

The launch of Missoni for Target was crazy! Websites crashed, stores sold out, fighting fashionistas were spotted. All I wanted were these ballet flats...and I'm happy to say my nearest store had a pair!

I also picked up a few other treasures. Mark laughed when I showed him..."You really are obsessed with chevron."

~plates, pillow, towel, makeup bags~

sugar fix | rosy red velvet

Currently dreaming of a red velvet cupcake adorned with a ruby red rose petal from Something Sweet.

speaking of weddings...

A few wonderful things came in the mail yesterday {i love getting packages...} but the most wonderful was a wedding gift from two of Mark's friends in Canada. The surprise was carefully packed in paper and sealed with a Papyrus hummingbird sticker {i'm obsessed with their cards, so this detail really got me excited for what could be inside}. And what was inside?

Our wedding invitation.

Mounted in a matching blue-gray frame and mat.

What a perfect wedding gift! It's so personal and romantic. I cannot wait to hang it alongside our engagement and wedding photos in our new home. It's going to look amazing - just wait.

a surprise proposal

Who doesn't love an amazing proposal? Girls dream of how, when and where the man of their dreams will ask them to be his forever. But can you imagine being this girl?

The amazing two-part proposal below was created, choreographed and coordinated by Mark's cousin, Markwell. I wish I could have been there to see it first-hand, but I'm so glad he and his friends captured it.

Congratulations!

the perfect long weekend

We spent our Labor Day weekend relaxing in the pines of Northern Arizona with my folks. They have a cozy cottage 30 minutes outside of Payson and it's just perfect. We checked out an arts and craft fair, ate tons of good food, watched movies and made s'mores.

~in downtown Pine~

~he wanted so badly to win~

~the pepper jelly lady~

~i got a freshly squeezed lemonade and tossed some of Mark's strawberry flavored shave ice - instant strawberry lemonade!~

~the creek near my parents place~

A long weekend worth of happy hearts and happy tummies.

before and after : full fringe

I love to change up my hairstyle. From sleek ponytails and wavy locks to pin-straight styles and fluffy ballerina buns, I'll even change my style throughout the day.

One style I've been loving for a while is a full bang. Since I'd been planning our wedding for more than a year, I didn't want to do anything drastic before the big day. As soon as I officially became a missus, though, I headed straight to the salon and had my stylist chop away.

I haven't had full fringe since I was a kid {I was one of those little girls who had 80s bangs that started in the center of my head - can you relate?}, and  I have to say I'm so happy with my new look.

before



~one of my favorite shots of Stacey and me~



after

in the trenches

It's still more than 110 degrees here, but in my head - and in other parts of the country - we're just on the cusp of fall. And one of my favorite things about fall is the fashion.

I especially love coats and have cultivated a nice collection, especially for someone who lives in the desert. My favorite style of coat is the trench. Classic, polished, lightweight or woolen, trenches are always in style. And this season, they're perfect in camel or bright red.

BurberryBrit / Valentino / J. Crew / J. Crew / Lauren by Ralph Lauren