The Ever-Changing Entryway

Now that the weather is getting wetter and the days are shorter I'm finding new places inside to take outfit photos and the entryway is one of them. Above are a few detail shots of the entryway 'storage box' (aka dresser which we use for hats, gloves, scarves, and 'entryway' things) as it is currently, but the design elements are always changing. I'm always moving things and changing little details, like adding a curiosity here or there. Both the dresser and the wood cabinet were free and I think they're such beautiful pieces! I lined the shelves of the cabinet, to help break up the wood a bit, with a gorgeous floral paper which I see now I didn't really get pictures of - next time! Abalone shells on the dresser hold trinkets like sage, amethyst and quartz as well as a collection of Rhode Island beach findings like sea glass, shells, and porcelain (thank you lovely Beetle!). The glass lid box holds a silver charm bracelet that my Grandfather brought back from across the world for my Grandmother; I could never wear it but it's fascinating to look at and play with!
The apartment I rent has been relatively unchanged since the 1930s (?!) so it has a lot of great quirks like an out of commission icebox in the kitchen. Also it the kitchen is a small, strange space that would be ideal for a second counter, prep space, eating space...something...and finally we've found SOMETHING! After shopping around it became clear we would need to McGyver something because the space is so awkward, anything too big blocks off the sink and the cabinets. Money has been so tight and we hadn't found any frugal solutions until....ta-da! New table and chairs! Yay! Some friends traded us for this neat vintage diner table and sparkly, cherry vinyl diner chairs and I love them! I thoroughly enjoy getting to sit at the little table for each meal, like this afternoon's Pho. I also found out that our kitchen was originally painted this same Aqua color! Kinda still wish it was...

Currently:

Feeling guilty cooking up lots and lots and veggies! To counter the veggie karma, I found some vegetable poetry to munch on. As a petitioning vegetable I think I'd be the potato..."POTATOES." Hahaaa

Allowing some corny kitty inspirations to work while meditating on this neat fountain!

 Wondering if the state fair light festival will be fun to go to, the fair starts SOON!

Reading a lot about ammonites and hoping to one day find some of my own! These two are incredible!Wanting a kitteh!! Especially one like this, a Norwegian Forest cat. Awesome. Letting crystals and good stuff inspire some blog changes. I've really been appreciating the fact that I get to talk about rocks and gemstones throughout the day and how much I enjoy that. One customer asked me why I didn't major in geology and I didn't really have an answer! Always something to think about I suppose!

I've been listening to "Summer Hits of the 90s" on Pandora constantly, and it's flipping awesome. Really. Cheesy dancing galore. 

/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

I also signed up for the Reddit teachers exchange! It's a win-win-win...I get to have fun buying school supplies, teachers catch a break and kids have fun, yay! Sign up here!!!!

Snail Mail #3

This package was too long overdue! When I first started working at Nature's Twist I immediately thought of this friend and had been waiting for the right piece for her, and it ended up being labradorite!  Normally I would mosaic or sticker a jewelry box but since this piece was special I thought it should have it's own box. These wooden boxes are 1$ at craft stores and can be painted, mosaic-ed, stained, whatever your hearts desire or covered in fabric like I chose to do this time. You can buy cheap fabric squares at the craft store or use scraps!

I took out the screws and wrapped the box like a present, using Mod Podge to secure and cover. The only problem I ran into is that the box has a hard time shutting now that there are two layers of fabric in the middle but it looks pretty! I took one picture of the pendant with flash and one without, trying to capture the coloring in the stone but it's difficult to capture the iridescence of labradorite! Let me just say this piece is ten times more beautiful in person! Of course, another funny address label and an Oscar Wilde card to inspire - 'Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.'  Happy Birthday!! 

Snail Mail #2

Mail! I really really enjoy sending things in the mail! I like to collect random things that remind me of someone and then eventually I'll send a little box of those things to them. My friend is out on the East Coast and apparently finding lots of sea glass; I have these cool old empty vials so I figure, send em out there! In case you're wondering, and even if you weren't, the wrapped package is leggings that I needed to give back, hee. I had a lot of fun with these packages - the mailing labels are macro shots of household items! Can you guess, haha!?

My best friend got published (!!) and engaged (!!!) so I had to send her something. Just a congratulatory card with some mini roses for the engagement and a necklace that I hope she likes! I had picked it out for her and was saving it, but what a better way to celebrate a job well done? 

Orange You Glad

Ok so this isn't the best photo, cause it was blown out so I just decided to play with it, or the best 'outfit' but I'm posting both anyways because I love that my toenails match my agates in the window, I love that these leggings and tee are so soft and so comfy I want to fall asleep in them and I love love love this new necklace. I did some work trade a while back for some gorgeous pieces from Nature's Twist in Seattle and I'm enjoying creating outfits around the pieces to let them shine! This outfit is a fairly simple, easy, comfy day kinda outfit for me, but of course I gotta pile on my gypsy jewelry! Vintage silver bangles plus a few others, still lovin' on ma cicada ring and of course, my twisted Tree of Life Labradorite pendant. 

According to an Innuit legend, the Northern Lights were once trapped inside the cliffs up and down the coastline. As two great warriors were fighting, one struck the stone with his mighty spear, releasing some of the shimmering lights into the night sky, but not all the light could escape and the rest is found as Labradorite stone.

I love wearing this pendant, it's like wearing the Northern Lights! 

Morningside

I've been having a lot of fun just taking photos about the house. The other morning I realized that the first 1-2 hours of being awake are my best hair hours, totally wasted, right when I wake up. I started taking photos of my alter, aka bedside table, and I wanted to try and capture this good hair feeling in my Good morning, Morning! photo shoot. 

My hair would dread up in a day if I let it. As you can see when I wake up my hair is practically in perfect rings, but give it a few hours and it will all unravel and be back to its unruly self. So, for this morning, I just laid back with my book, some tea and enjoyed it!

This little saucer is one of three from a cute little tea shop back in CA. Each saucer has a delicate floral pattern that I just fell in love with, they had lost their teacups so she was selling them 3 for 1$. I use saucers all over the house because they are perfect for collecting little things, or as candle holders, serving snacks - anything! A saucer is perfect beside for catching all my necklaces, hair ties and tiny stud earrings which I usually forget to take out until the very last second.

My friend made and sent me this dreamcatcher with feathers, beads and lichens - it's nice to feel like I'm always sleeping with nature. Is it dangling off of the most gaudy slash borderline tacky candleholder ever, yes...yes it is. This Chrysantemum stone above is one of my favorites, usually a mixture of dolmite, limestone and gypsum, its often looks like the flower, or has that 'burst' kinda shape. To surmise, this stone is often seen as an aid of good fortune and for me opens the mind to opportunity and positivity, helping me to be fully present. I won't geek out on the details but for those interested in gemstone healing email me, or this is a great summation of its properties. 

This little bowl of goodies was a wonderful gift that arrived just in time to be the first 'new new apartment' warming gift, haha! I've added a couple little things like pieces of driftwood but the little box has Desert Rose (aka Gypsum crystal), Blue Peacock, Kyanite, Agate, Amethyst, Palo Santo, Sage and Lavender. It was a perfect addition to my bedside alter!

Snail Mail!

Back in October I challenged myself to send more bits of sparkle, snail mail style. Sending and receiving mail definitely something I enjoy, especially if I can spread a little nonchalance!

I have a lot of fun making/finding things and sending out those bits of randomness! I love making presents for my friends - partly because I really like the fact that my friends are the type of people who appreciate and enjoy swapping handmade goodies! The necklace is from a local market artist and the earrings I made myself. Fun and funky decoupage (ish) packaging and these babies are ready to ship! 

 

I also like to decorate the outside of the packages, quotes, pictures, glitter, stickers, whatever! Why should they be plain when they can be fun and weird?!