Lately {8.10.15}

It's been a while since I just sat down and wrote.

Over the past week, I posted a project that I've been working on for awhile-- and I am so happy with it! It's interview/photo based, but actually more than a little mixed media in presentation. Check it out if you'd like! :)

Wednesday, I spent quality time among flowers with a good, good friend.  

Thursday and Friday were spent with random + lovely individuals, serving some of the world's greatest leaders (beautiful accents and all), during which: I was perceived to be 17 (repeatedly), realized I'm not all that bad at interacting with people, and I learned a lot about leadership that I still need to process.  

Oh, and I spotted a guy with a Boba Fett tattoo on his leg (I wish I had a picture of that).

Clearly my head is really, really full at the moment (to have stuff like that^ leaking out). It's always strange coming back to Earth after wonderfully-unusual happenings. My reality is awesome, but it is hard. There are so many new, growing things happening, but even with good, good change, comes a long to do list.

At the end of July, I found a studio work space to rent, and by that, I mean that God dropped it squarely into my lap.  It could not be more perfect for me, or for the little business I am trying to grow. :)  I haven't posted much about it here, but I've been making handmade canvas bags and backpacks that will become an added element to my vintage stock. I'm still tweaking, but will probably start listing them for sale sometime in the next month.

So many good things, and so many thoughts. The real challenge of this season so far, is that it's required almost constant action from me-- uh, remember, I suck at that?  Well, apparently yours truly is being grown, and I can't say that I hate it.  

Action is, strangely, becoming my friend. :)

Wolf Creek Trading Co.

And then I got Bronchitis. :( I finally went to the doctor yesterday and started antibiotics, so hopefully I'm on the mend.  My fever the past few days insured my accomplishment of pretty much nothing, so without further ado: the second Ohio post I promised!

After settling in at the B+B, my Mom and I decided to explore the area a bit-- one of the things I love about my Mother, she tends to always be up for adventure. :)  After driving for no more than a couple minutes, we spotted this place:

And what vintage lover could resist that, right? None.  So we tentatively pulled into the gravel lot and got out to investigate.  The proprietor was on sight and welcomed us to take a look in both the barn full of vintage furniture and housewears, and in another building full of local art and handmade items.  We had arrived at Wolf Creek Trading Co. and began to look around.

As you probably know if you've been reading my blog, neither I or my family of origin are strangers to history and old things-- it's kind of in our blood.  As mine is clothing, one of my Mom's specialties is home furnishings, so we both spent a good amount of time in here. We, unlike many vintage enthusiasts, are actually good at not over buying though, and each walked away with only one small thing-- a stack of small bowls for my Mom and a hat for me!  My favorite feature of this barn (besides everything) is the beautiful stained glass that was put in the front windows.

I didn't take many pictures in the handmade building because it felt rude to photograph people's artwork-- I know, I'm weird and over-think everything.  Everything was beautiful, jewelry, candles and soaps, textiles and fine art were all present.  I did take this one picture because I was so taken with her work and wanted to remember her name (Lisa Merrick)!  Her pressed botanicals and butterflies remind me of a childhood favorite book of mine, A Girl of The Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter.

All-in-all, such a surprising and wonderful weekend!  Boy am I glad I didn't come down with bronchitis until afterwards! :)  If you are ever in the Akron, OH area, Canton is such a sweet spot to check out.

Lately - July Fade

Lately, I've been finding more vintage stock, when I still have stuff to list from Spring-- yikes!

One of my most recent finds is this amazing and demure 40's gown, coming to the shop soon!

I've been under the weather, and found that drinking hot tea in the summer is just weird.

Lately, there's been a lot of baby holding in my family-- Gunnar is already a month old! Here he is with my Mom (Grandma!).

I'm drawing nearer to cranking out my own pair of shoes at my apprenticeship-- these are a pair I'm assisting with while I learn.

I've been beyond blessed by this dear friend and her willingness to adventure and dream.

I've been trying to hold on to summer, while most seem to be rushing toward fall.

Unrest + Umbrellas

Sometimes I dress for my mood, or symbolically-- today, I kind of did the opposite.  Bright colors to combat inner gloom and unrest.  I actually just started a study with some friends called Restless-- I'm only a chapter in, but I think it will be good for me.  Because I am.  Life seems stale of late, which I know is just a false perception based on my circumstances.  In reality, my life truly is full.  It's newly summer, my nephew will be coming into the world soon, and I am alive.  Not just alive, but learning and feeling-- even if those things cause me pain at times.

Summer will bring iced tea, swimming, walks through tall grasses and clematis to climb my porch.  That last one I'm so excited about! There was one growing near the front door at the last place I lived, and I quite fell in love with the flower.  I'm looking forward to having one nearby again, something about those wildly beautiful purple blooms was like a whisper from my heavenly Father.

And with that, I will focus on the good.

Details

{umbrella tank} - U.O.

{skirt} - vintage 70's, inherited

{cardigan} - J.Crew

{shoes} - Lollipop

The Drawing Board

I'm back at it.  The drawing board, I mean.

I quit my admin job last week,  it was a rock + a hard place situation so I've felt a lot of peace and freedom since.  God really used the time I spent working in an office though, to open my eyes to how much I really could do with my shop and creative skills.  Pre-office job I was a bit complacent when it came to entrepreneurship-- I'm not taking it for granted anymore. 

I resigned on the 8th, since then I've been hit with this weird shock at actually having time to work on things I love again.  It's an awesome thing, but figuring out how to work successfully alone again is a challenge.  Having worked by a set schedule with specific tasks for awhile, I'm feeling kind of lost.  Self motivation and focus are key when working independently-- both of which are hard for me, especially working from home where distractions abound.  The dog, that book I've been reading, that dress I was going to hem, there's just no structure when your work space is in your living space.

I really prayed against  that this morning and am feeling a bit better as the day goes.  Keeping in mind (literally) that my God is bigger than any situation, and He's given me the power to make my thoughts captive to Christ.

This outfit was from Sunday, and it think it's the third time I've shown this skirt-- it was one of my Mom's closet staples in the 70's.  The other ways I wore it are here in 2012 and here in 2011.  Weird to think I've been blogging that long...?

Details

{skirt} - Mother's, vintage 70's

{lace tank} - worn underneath, Target

{floral/bird tank} - Kohl's

{necklace} - gift from Dad

{flats} - ?

Citrus Floral

It's been a little over a week since I last posted an I feel like so much has happened, mostly positive.  Sandblast was wonderful-- it's a camp for the high school kids at my church, but it was so spiritually nourishing for me as well.  I've realize lately how much my involvement in youth ministry keeps me on my toes, even just as a volunteer small group leader.  Through the teaching and worship of course, but also through the thoughts and questions that my small group girls express.

Maybe it has something to do with attending a month of sleep away camp every summer growing up, but I love the camp environment.  I'd seriously live that way if I could.  Funny enough, but I think Sandblast challenged me socially this year too-- I'm pretty standoff-ish and awkward in large group settings, but last weekend I surprised myself by being much more open and amiable.  I have no idea how that happened, but I've been praying for God to continue to thaw and sweep me up in His plans.

Ugh, there is so much more to speak of in the past week!  I'll have to save it for another post though, so this one doesn't become a novel. :)

This dress is one of my summer favorites, I wear it as much as possible (probably too much) in the warm months because I just haven't found it to be wearable in the Winter.  I'm generally not a fan of "fashion rules" about when and how things must be worn-- I wear most of my dresses year round, albeit styled differently for the current season.  This is not one of those dresses.  Come September, I'll pack it and a couple other "summer only" dresses away, and unpack my few "winter only" ones.

Hmm, though maybe if I had a rust hued pair of sweater tights...?  :)

{Dress} - vintage 60's, thrifted

{Bag} - vintage, shop stock

{Necklace} - gift from Mom

{Flats} - Modcloth

Raspberry Sailboats + Henna

I'm posting this in kind of a rush because I'm headed out early tomorrow morning to serve as a small group leader at my church's summer youth camp #sandblast13.  Today has been full of last minute errands, packing and visiting with my Brother who came out to the burbs for the day. 

This skirt is a summer staple for me, but it's strangely accented in a dark raspberry-- a beautiful, but not very summery hue.  I've tried pairing all sorts of tops with it, and so far this studded raspberry one is my favorite.  With most of my traditionally girly vintage skirts and dresses, I like to add a hard, industrial element.  The studs on this top were perfect for that, especially when I added my steel necklace!

And as promised, my free hand henna piece is complete!  It consists of mermaid scales, the words "on land" and a bow and arrow aimed at my foot-- I do always shoot myself in it.  There's something really awesome about sporting your own artwork.  I at least know from this experience that if I ever do get any ink, it'll be from my own drawing and imagination.

I'll be posting a henna tattoo tutorial soon! :)

{Top} - thrifted

{Sailboat Skirt} - vintage 50's, Rue 23 Vintage

{Flats} - ? had forever

{Steel Necklace} - gift from Dad

Stepping Stones

Maybe I'm unobservant for not realizing how beautiful these flowers near my front door would turn out to be, but woah!  It's funny that at the start of this blog, using my front door as a backdrop for outfits was a last resort.  I wanted on location and adventure-- still things I like, but how wonderful to see the seasonal progress in this humble little spot in my world.

Life has been interesting of late, full of unexpected ups and downs-- some exiting, some sad.  These pictures are from Sunday but things have just been too busy to post until now!  Lately God has been teaching me the value of building everything I do (not just myself) on His firm foundation.  One of the aforementioned recent changes is an internship I'll be starting in August with a company that I love!  It's a perfect example of something I feel strongly about giving to God.  After many years of being unsure of my future and feeling stuck, one by one God gave me a trail of stepping stones-- beginning small and seemingly random, growing larger as they went.  Some of those stones were not places I desired to be, but I trusted my God and endured until another door was opened for me.  This internship is a place I do desire to be!  It would be so easy for me to make it about myself and my own progress, and forget who led me here.  I want to be very intentional about that as I begin in a few weeks, planting my feet firmly on the Rock and being His hands and feet to those around me.  If you're interested in where the inspiration for these thoughts came from, check out Luke 6:46-49.

P.S.- This dress is shorts...right? Yep.

P.S.S - My henna tattoo is complete! I'll share it in my next post!

{Seersucker Romper/Dress} - 40's Vintage via Moxie

{Red Belt} - 50's Vintage thrifted

{Flats} - Modcloth

{Gold Lockett} - Grandmother's

7-5-13

Today I deliberately drove over an hour to an Estate Sale that I thought would have vintage clothing, but wasn't as certain as I usually like to be.  As crazy as that sounds (especially since I did end up empty handed), the drive was beautiful and ultimately the outing itself was well worth it.

{dress} 50's vintage, thrifted

{tee} thrifted

Huh, that was simple.