A Very Unique Fashion Friday

Well hello my lovely readers. How have you been? Well I hope. I must say things with me have been pretty wonderful, lots of life changes seem to be happening all at once. Since we’ve last spoken I’ve moved into an apartment closer to work and my fella, I’ve had a birthday (24 now) got a raise at work whoop whoop, oh and ya…I GOT FREAKING ENGAGED! On February 12th I celebrated my birthday with my *then boyfriend* now fiance, we went to breakfast and he gave me the sweetest necklace of an acorn and thimble, if you’re a weirdo like me then you know the wonderful peter pan story that accompanies such a gift. Well after breakfast we went to work…sexy stuff I know. But it was the next day that made my birthday gift all the more special. I knew my sweet fella had a day long date planned and he seemed particularly excited about it so I thought I best dress the part, and I could think of no better company than Unique Vintage for my special birthday dress. I’ve always been a sucker for retro clothing and vintage dresses and particularly anything with a plentiful skirt, and if it just happens to be pale blue I have to have it. So it was a no brainer for me to pick the High Society Swing Dress… but oh man I could not have predicted how perfectly that dress would suit the day. Cause you see, my love had planned a peter pan themed scavenger hunt of sorts, and my dress is very reminiscent of Wendy.

In each little numbered box was a peter pan figurine and had a corresponding envelope with some sort of punny peter pan joke and instructions for which destinations to go to. The day started at my favorite coffee shop, then to one of my fave brunch spots, then we got pie cause anyone can do cake for a birthday but we all know pies really where its at, we then went to the butterfly gardens in Dallas which was beautiful, and then the last box and letter came for that one we were instructed to go to a park in downtown Plano. This park has always been dear to me, I celebrated my 8th birthday there and I remember seeing a couple get married in the gazebo and I think about them every birthday and how theyre doing…well it has now become a great deal nearer and dearer to me because this is where the love of my life asked me to marry him. The last box  had a single red feather in it

me looking way too focused about putting a red feather in my babes beanie.

and the letter was the most beautiful heartfelt speech/proposal in the world…its just a shame I was too swept up in emotion to remember a word of what was said after the fact…sorry babe.

Someone was having a little trouble opening the treasure chest that had the ring in it…and someone else had a terrible case of the giggles

after a very teary yes and a kiss he told me to turn around cause he had another surpriseMy face at seeing my dearest Amanda who lives all the way in Maryland taking pictures.

needless to say I was happy about that surprise…but he also made sure my family was there and even his parents my soon to be in laws flew out for the big event too!

I was all giggles and Dane was all types of smug 😉

couldn’t quite believe what had happened

and then of course we proceeded to act like weirdosI certainly have found my match

Cardigan: Doll Me Up Darling

Necklace: Hooligan Alley

Dress: Unique Vintage Thank you thank you a million times over for making me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world on the happiest day of my life! It never ceases to amaze me how accurate UV’s size chart is and how flattering their cuts and choices of fabric are. I always feel like a princess in their pieces and I would imagine anyone else would too!

Shoes: Miz Mooz/Similar

Photography: The incredible Amanda of Gilded Isle Photography I just wanted to say thank you again to my love for knowing how important it was for this moment to be captured and for knowing no one could do a better job than Amanda. Girl these pictures my frosty personality melt into a puddle of feels! You’re the greatest!

So basically I’ve been living in a state of I cannot believe this is my life…and how does one even plan a wedding? Haha so forgive me for the lack of posting consistency and the abundance of mushy pictures and posts but hey I’m in love and I’m not the least bit sorry about that. Happy Friday my dears and I hope you all have a beautiful weekend and that you buy yourself that Unique Vintage outfit you’ve been eyeing…because hey ya never know when the love of your life could propose and your best friend could be hiding behind a tree documenting it all so you want to look your best 😉

#iamunique

Hello my dears its been a while since I’ve posted anything that wasn’t a strictly fashion post. Yes this one will have to do with fashion but I promise it will be so much more than that.

One of my favorite companies in the world: Unique Vintage has started a campaign I could not be more pleased with. The #iamunique  campaign encourages people to really love themselves for who they are. Basically you use the hashtag and talk about what makes you different and why you love yourself for it…Sure it sounds simple enough but openly stating your truest self and your rawest emotions can be a little scary especially on the interwebs, where kindness, understanding, and acceptance aren’t exactly a common theme. But I felt called to take the plunge and put myself out there.

Basically I used to wear what was “in” and pretend to enjoy the things that “everyone else” did and in turn was miserable, truly miserable. By wearing what was “in” I felt ugly because #iamunique I have a less than common figure and most clothes aren’t designed to flatter someone with short yogi legs, a ridiculously long torso, and line backer shoulders. I only wish I could go back in time and talk to little Sarah who was crying in dressing rooms wishing to be like everybody else and tell her how happy she would become the moment she embraced her truest self.

I have loved the pinup style for most of my life, even at the age of 4 I worshiped Audrey Hepburn and her flawless glamour. But since pinup was considered over the top by so many I had resigned myself to boring socially acceptable clothes for far too many years. I was denying who I really was everytime I bought myself a pair of skinny jeans and a graphic t-shirt. But all of the denial stopped the very moment I slipped on my Unique Vintage wiggle dress “just for kicks”. Needless to say I bought the dress, but honestly it was so much more than that, it felt like I had bought myself the freedom to be ME.
My first real pinup dress changed everything for me.

By realizing how right I was about my fashion choices I carried that same confidence into other areas of my life. I no longer pretended to enjoy the music that everyone else was listening to, I would unashamedly tell people my big plans for the weekend consisted of  of staying home baking, marathoning Doctor Who, and and snuggling my dog, and if I found something funny I would laugh my witchy cackle and maybe snort a little too. I was no longer ashamed of who I was. I loved me and I didn’t have to fit societies rules to do so.

 Going steady dress

Brenda Dress.

I’m not like everybody else and that’s okay, in fact its more than okay, Its fan-freaking-tastic! By being my truest self I have had so many opportunities open up to me, I’ve become bolder, braver, happier and the people who have chosen to love me for the real me are absolutely irreplaceable. In all honesty I probably wouldn’t have half the friends I do now if I hadn’t started dressing pinup. I discovered myself, and a community of so many beautiful hearts and minds. I just want to extend a huge thank you to Unique Vintage for starting this campaign of self love as well as to my wonderful pinup community that inspires me daily and reaffirms me. Like I said in my #iamunique insta post “yes I am unique but that doesn’t mean I don’t belong”.

Pinterest Recipe Success!

Hey guys, so lately I’ve been wanting to incorporate more of my interests into my blog, don’t worry I will still be doing fashion posts, but I thought it might be fun to share more about my first real passion: FOOD! I’ve always had a real love for food. I enjoy eating, cooking, and even shopping for ingredient, well not always shopping for them, weekend grocery store trips are a special kind of hell. But most of the time I do enjoy perusing the grocery store looking at ingredients wondering how I could change them into something incredible, another fun place to peruse for food inspiration is Pinterest. However Pinterest has some notoriously bad recipes so you know you’re always making a bit of gamble when you choose to tackle one. But I am happy to report the Caramel Apple Hand Pies recipe is fantastic! I needed to bring something to a potluck, and me being the wannabe Martha Stewart I am opted for individual pies, because they look Martha impressive but theyre simple enough for even the most basic baker. 

Ingredients:

For the dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup cold sour cream

For the filling:
2 cups small diced (peeled) Granny Smith apples (Approx 3)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
8 store-bought soft caramels, roughly chopped
Egg wash (1 egg lightly whisked with 1 Tablespoon water)
Crystal sanding sugar (optional)

Start off by whisking all of your dry ingredients together, then cut in your butter, I usually prefer a pastry cutter but you can use a fork, whisk, or even your hands. Cut in the butter til your mixture resembles wet sand, then stir in your sour cream.

Once you’ve incorporated the sour cream turn dough out onto a well floured surface and knead til mixture comes together. If the dough is too sticky to handle you can always add a little more flour. 

After you’ve finished kneading your dough, roll it out to an 8″ x 10″ rectangle, fold into into thirds, turn dough 90 degrees and roll it out again into an 8″ x 10″ rectangle and fold into thirds. Wrap your dough into cling film (I didn’t have any so I used wax paper and foil) and let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes while you prep your apple filling.
Peel your apples, if you’re one of those people fancy enough to peel an apple in a single winding strip congratulations I am overcome with jealousy at your skills haha. Once you’ve peeled your apples chop them into little cubes and place in a mixing bowl. As you can see my apple cubes are not as uniform as they ought to be…this is what happens when you need your knives sharpened. Then add your lemon, cinnamon, sugar, and flour to your apple filling.Stir thoroughly Preheat oven to 425 degreesRemove the dough from the fridge and roll it out to a 14″x 14″ square onto a well floured surface.Then cut out your desired shapes, I opted to 3″ hearts, cut out as many pieces as possible. Re-roll the scrap dough and repeat the cutting process. (you should have approximately 20 cut outs) Place 6 pieces of dough onto either a silpat or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Unwrap your caramels and chop them into bits about the size of the apple pieces.Spoon your apple mixture into the middle of your dough leaving enough room for the border, then add a sprinkling of your chopped caramels. The original recipe also called for a sprinkling of large flake sea salt but I opted not to, its whatever you prefer. Then top your pies with a piece of dough. And crimp with a fork to ensure closure.Then brush each pie with the egg wash mixture and make three slits in your pies with a sharp knife.

Top your pies with a sprinkling of sugar and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving and your done!Everyone who had one of these pies loved em myself included, the crust was so delightfully flaky but not dry and sweet apple and caramel filling just knocks it out of the park so they’re a definite repeat. I would also like to experiment with different fillings or perhaps even pair them with ice cream! The possibilities are endless really. If you give em a try let me know how you like em! Happy Baking everyone!

 

P.S. I had a bit of apple mixture left over and used it to top pancakes and oatmeal and both pairings were a big hit with my family, so if you end up with extra apples too you might also want to give these pairings a try.

Kool-Aid Hair Dye DIY

Its been a while since I’ve done a DIY, and by a while I mean YEARS! So I thought I might share how I dye hair with Kool-Aid, from what I gathered from my mother this was a fairly popular trend back in the day, and like most things from a few years back it works even better than today’s counterpart.

 

Now for the supplies you will need unsweetened kool aid packets (I had 3 of them), conditioner doesn’t matter what brand, aluminum foil or cling wrap, gloves, and something to spread the dye either a professional hair dye brush or even something as simple as a tooth brush, and a bowl for mixing.

Oh and you need willing participant, my dog Charlie didn’t say he didn’t want his hair dye so I took that as willing 😉Step1. Empty the packets into your mixing bowl. Step 2. Add your conditioner I usually end up adding about 1/4 of a cup. Step 3. Stir mixture. Step 4. Add more conditioner if necessary, stir out any lumps, and finished product should be about the consistency of lotion.
I took charlie outside because he’s a bit of a brat and will shake and get the dye everywhere…and I’m a klutz who spills so taking this somewhere where spills are okay is a good idea. I chose to dye Charlie’s ears and tails, simply add the mixture to the area you want dyed and massage it in to ensure even coverage. After you’ve finished applying the hair dye wrap it in either aluminum foil or cling wrap.See what I mean about Charlie being a brat? He shook his foil right off…and yes red hair dye results in a rather gruesome looking scene haha. Well after you apply your foil or film (it was my second time applying the foil thanks charlie) you simply wait for the dye to really set, the longer the better. I put Charlie in the kennel to ensure he wouldn’t go around the house dyeing everything. If you’re dyeing your hair it might help to wrap your hair in a towel on top of the film or foil, or find a human sized kennel its totally up to you 😉After the dye has set (Charlie’s was in for at least 3 hours) simply rinse it out with lukewarm water. Do not shampoo it out, as you’ll lose vibrancy of color. Once rinsed out I towel dried my pup, but you can use a blow dryer if you like, my dog detests the noise of one so I don’t use it on him. Also if you happen to get hair dye on skin or on hair that you didn’t want dyed you can use toothpaste to lift the color, not sure why this works but it does.
And here is the finished product! A rather lovely cotton candy pink! Of course results will vary due to differing setting times, hair color, and hair texture but you get the idea.
Also fun tid bit, I noticed the hair dye seems to keep bugs away from my dog. Fleas tend to prefer lighter haired animals but whenever I have Charlie’s hair dyed they leave him alone and the mosquitoes also stay away. So not only is this look pretty darn adorable it keeps pests at bay!

I hope you all enjoyed this DIY and if you try is out please let me know how it goes for you! Charlie and I are quite pleased with the results…okay well I’m pleased at least. Happy Tuesday!

Fashion Friday Heads to PUG

Happy Friday my lovelies! Words cannot express how excited I am to share this week’s post with you all. Last month I had the great fortune to take a trip to the Los Angeles area, I got to check out Hollywood, Venice, Santa Monica, a few other surrounding areas and best of all I got to visit Burbank! Now what is so special about Burbank you may ask? Well it just so happens to be where Pinup Girl Boutique is located! I did it, I lived the dream of every girl who loves pinup style, I actually got to walk through those magical doors that transport you back to days gone by simply by surrounding you in all things beautiful. I can only compare the experience to that of being a small child who just got their allowance and walked into a candy store. When I first arrived I hardly knew where to look first, there was something I “needed” everywhere my eyes landed, dress after beautiful dress, separates that were so beautiful they could make you cry, and accessories so fantastic you finally understood what it would be like to be an actual Barbie Doll.

   I was in my element you guys!

Seriously Pinup Girl Clothing has something no other stores have nowadays, not only are there clothes like that of days gone by, but there window displays are witty and beautiful, and they give you the individual attention that used to be the norm in our grandparents day and age. True customer service to go along with perfect products? Yes please! As soon as I walked in I was greeted with warm smiles and hello’s, while I was going through picking out dresses to try on, one of the lovely ladies of the store said she could go ahead and put them in the dressing room that way I didn’t have to carry them around while shopping, and while trying on the dresses I was praised with the sweetest of compliments, that truly made me feel beautiful and special. The girls of PUG are beautiful, sweet, and incredibly friendly and helpful if you ever have the chance to go to the boutique BY ALL MEANS GO! Oh also they’re having a yardsale this Sunday so if you’re in the area you certainly don’t want to miss it. If however you do not live in the area you can at least buy the clothes on line, and let me tell ya never in your life are you going to be able to buy ready made clothes that will flatter and fit this well! Yes PUG is a little on the higher end but in this case you’re not paying for a brand you are paying for true quality!

Now on to the dresses. I already knew what I wanted when I walked into the boutique. I am a planner shopper 😉 but I did try on a few things just for kicks, just a few things mind you. I knew if I tried on everything I would inadvertently want everything.

Now I knew that I wanted the Ella Dress but I wasn’t entirely sure what color I wanted. It was nearly impossible to choose they were all so beautiful, and never in my life was I more tempted to blow the budget and buy a second dress when I tried on the ever so sexy Vamp dress! I mean wowie wow wow! This dress does magical things for ones curves…I feel a future purchase coming on you guys. After lots of giggling, going back and forth with which dress I wanted, and conversing with the girls in shop over which Ella I should get I finally picked a color.

The Blue Ella! It was difficult to decide as all the Ellas were just delightfully beautiful, but there was just something about the blue I couldn’t pass up!Needless to say this dress made me feel like a star!I just cannot get over the skirt of this dress! So much glorious fabric, honestly this is why I didn’t feel the least bit sorry about buying this dress, not only is it beautiful, but when you think about how much the fabric would cost you if you were to make this garment yourself it would be well over the cost of this already constructed perfect masterpiece. Plus all of PUG’s pieces are made in the USA, now talk about feeling good about your purchase.Oh ya did I forget to mention? This dress has pocket!!!

Clearly happy about my purchase

Sunglasses: Urban Outfitters

Dress: Pinup Girl Clothing How can words even do this dress justice? The colors are spectacular, the fabric quality is out of this world, the fit is superb and very much true to size, plus its just so pretty! The moment I walked out of the dressing room I couldn’t help but say “I feel like a princess” which is what every girl wants right? This dress is all about detail the gathered peasant bodice, grosgrain bow under the bust, wide waist band, and pockets make for such a glorious combination. I heard all sorts of incredible reviews on PUG pieces and I felt like maybe they were too good to be true. But it is absolutely true. PUG is quality and beauty wrapped up into the most perfect garments you will ever have the pleasure of wearing. Its easy to waste money on cheap pieces of clothing and make do, but wouldn’t you rather buy something that will last through trends as well as wear and tear? I say yes to investing in ourselves, our closets, and in a business that really listens to its customers, and caters to women of all shapes and sizes.

Petticoat: Malco Modes

Shoes: Payless not the exact pair I am wearing. The ones I bought were on clearance so they’re no longer available.

I really hope you all enjoyed this post and that you check out Pinup Girl Clothing. Happy Friday!

Forshaw Family Shoot

*Caution this blog post contains pictures of the cutest little family ever*

Sometimes I just really really love my job! Taking portraits of my beautiful family would be one of those times. I know I am biased but even if I didn’t know these people from adam I would have to admit that they are undoubtedly one of the most beautiful families I have ever seen.

Good job big bro you picked yourself an incredible wife and you guys brought the sweetest, smartest, most wonderful little boy into the world! It was my absolute pleasure to capture these special moments.

Overdosing on the preciousnessOh that nose wrinkle

I love you guys so much!

I hope you all enjoyed my gushing and photography. Happy Wednesday everyone!

Seth’s 6 Months Portrait Session.

I admit I am a little biased, but is my nephew not the most beautiful baby boy you’ve ever seen? Here are some of his photographs from his “6 months” portrait session.Such a happy boy.Oh that smirky smile.Hope you all enjoyed this post as much as I did. Happy Wednesday!

Fashion Friday Featuring Onzie’s Fall Line

Hey guys sorry I didn’t post a Fashion Friday last week. I was feeling awful. But I am feeling much better now, I think part of my feeling better is due to the fact that I am in love. I am in love with Onzie’s new fall line! The prints, cuts, colors its all so perfect! You can check out their entire fall collection here http://www.theonzie.com/ and here are the goodies I received from Onzie

as always its all giggles during the shoot

I am completely obsessed with my top, the back detailing is so feminine and fun!

Always laughing!

Criss cross sleeve top: Onzie http://www.theonzie.com/criss-cross-sleeve-top/

Criss Cross Bra Top: Onzie  http://www.theonzie.com/criss-cross-bra-top/

Sport Short: Onzie http://www.theonzie.com/criss-cross-bra-top/

Yoga Mat: Affirmats http://www.affirmats.com/collections/all-products-1/products/look-how-pretty-you-are

I hope you all enjoyed this post and that you get yourself some Onzie gear. I cannot sing enough praises for Onzie, they are an all American made company which is very hard to find these days, the clothes are just as comfortable as they are beautiful, not to mention very well made, and their customer service is incredible. They are so sweet and helpful you feel like you’re talking to a friend not a business person. So I encourage you to show this company some love and I hope you all have an incredible weekend!

Fashion Friday Featuring Vincent Reeve

So I haven’t ordered anything from Vincent Reeve just yet, but it’s mostly cause I cannot decide on what I have to have, it’s all so great I’m having trouble deciding.

Vincent Reeve was created by Jacob Olds, and is run by himself, Bethany Olds, and Nathan Currin. I have to admit I sort of fangirled the moment I found out Jacob was going to be doing a clothing line. For those of you who don’t know Jacob is the drummer for Family Force 5. So what kind of clothing can one expect from a musician, stylist, and just all around great guy? There is definitely a vintage feel to these clothes but they have their own street style edginess that makes them unique, quite like Jacob himself. Fashion isn’t supposed to be serious, its supposed to be fun, it’s how you make a statement without saying a word. I think every single piece in this line makes the statement of fun, but still gives you the ability to put your own particular spin on it.

Here are some of my favorites for the ladies:

Can we all take a moment to appreciate how great this top is?http://vincent-reeve.myshopify.com/collections/women/products/snakeskin-skull

I really love this print on this one! http://vincent-reeve.myshopify.com/collections/women/products/aztec-red

This is a unisex top so the boys can promote Vincent Reeve too! http://vincent-reeve.myshopify.com/collections/women/products/heather-grey-tank

Now some of my favorite picks for the guys:

The perfect blend of put together yet still casual http://vincent-reeve.myshopify.com/collections/men/products/hombre

Okay so I just picked a random bow tie because I couldn’t narrow down a favorite. They are all so perfect. http://vincent-reeve.myshopify.com/collections/men/products/bow-tie-striped I love bow ties!

And who doesn’t love a colorful tank top like this? http://vincent-reeve.myshopify.com/collections/men/products/neon-yellow-tank

I cannot stress enough how great this line of clothing is and these pictures are just a sampling of the genius that is Vincent Reeve so by all means go to their site and order yourself something http://vincent-reeve.myshopify.com/

Have a happy Friday everyone!

Fashion Friday Featuring Ellie

This week I am featuring Ellie on the blog, an awesome athletic clothing company for women. What I really think is cool about this company is you can either order individual pieces as you wish, or you can sign up with their fit fashionista club and pick any two pieces for only $49.95 a month! Which is great because they releases a new collections every month so you’re always in store for something new and fabulous. Ellie’s clothes are comfortable, functional, made out of quality materials, and are just super cute. So I encourage you to check em out, in fact if you use this link http://ellie.evyy.net/c/66016/83385/1664  you can get 20% off your order. How great is that?I don’t just do yoga for fitness I also dance awkwardly. I mean who doesn’t love the silly pistols at your hips dance?

and playing on playgrounds is always a fun way to stay fit 😉

Here’s the link to the complete outfit I am wearing http://www.ellie.com/outfit/56 now I must say I’m still getting used to my “new body” after I lost so much weight, so a lot of the time I’m not certain about sizing, but Ellie’s size chart is spot on (some size charts are way off, talk about frustrating) but I ended up being a small in my top and and medium in pants just like the chart said. These clothes are so great, working out can be hard enough so having something beautiful to wear that is supportive and flexible enough for ones yoga practice is wonderful. I highly encourage you to get some Ellie gear for yourself.

yoga mat: Affirmats http://www.affirmats.com/Store/Products.php?id=8

I hope you all enjoy this week’s Fashion Friday and that you check out Ellie and get your 20% off discount http://ellie.evyy.net/c/66016/83385/1664 have a great weekend!