Roses in Fall

I love moving and becoming acquainted with a new area and the intimate relationship that is formed from exploring your new neighborhood. I find it's best as a slow process, often in short bursts, only taken in one direction at a time. One hour here, a few there - today we will walk only North and find out what lies there! Shortcuts here, hidden stairs there, everyday something new to add onto the mental map of my new neighborhood. On one such recent exploration we discovered that we are super close to the zoo! And, the Zoo has an incredible Rose Garden, totally free! 

 
I never plan on going to a rose garden, but somehow I always find a way there. I don't particularly like roses, they're difficult to grow and way to expensive. But I'm always surprised at how much I enjoy walking through them. Somehow all the roses, all together, they just take over your senses and everything just sort of becomes lovely. I'm always blown away by the variety and the colors, I feel like I see a new one each time. It's as if breathing in the perfumed halos surrounding each bush temporarily get you rosey high.

The most exciting part of this walk was the discovery of the Sensory Garden! Each plant had a unique characteristic  to convey through one of your senes. We stopped at each plant, sniffing, feeling, or marveling. The educational walkthrough is fascinating, bringing a huge variety of sensory flora with labels like 'textural interest.'

I'm definitely so glad to have found both gardens! Since they are so close I'm excited to visit often and watch the fall changes in the garden and along the walk. Fall is really when I like to walk with no purpose. I get giddy over each changing tree and each unique leaf changing in its own pattern, I have to stop and examine each leaf, see it veins, colors etc. Although it lasted hardly a few hours I felt happy to celebrate the fact that I'm learning to relax and and really appreciate the small moments. Cheesy Sunset Story in 1 Run-on: Walking along the top of a hill, the sun was setting, casting amazing sun love glow (yea thats a real time of day) and the clouds were still dark and heavy, waiting, but earlier rain had cleared the air and across the gleaming canal is a hillside speckled with houses and bursts of fall, yellow, orange, red, gold coming to a point at Salmon Bay, beyond is the Sound and beyond that, the sharp Olympic range swallowing the sun. It was just like, yea, I think I'll just stand here a minute.    

DIY Glitter Oxfords

As a person who is disgustingly obsessed with glitter (seriously, I will glitter anything) let me just say that Mod Podge is heaven sent. In all my glitter trials nothing has ever come close to the happiness I get from Mod Podge. And no, they didn't pay me to say that.

The hardest thing for me to find was the shoes. I'd been looking and looking, but sometimes it's very difficult to find anything in my size (I have dinosaur feet) so when I saw these at some random DSW-esque store I was stoked! I also found true love. Yes, true love in a shoe. Shoes I will probably never wear but shoes I love all the same. Could there be a sweeter deal...two for one? Don't mind if I do! Hopefully one day I'll share the other pair. 

Glittering is so easy, just a little bit of MP and a lot of glitter! I mix mine in a shallow container, picture here is the bottom of a plastic cup, and you want the glitter to glue ratio like 5:1 - more glitter means less coats. These shoes took at least 5 coats and there are some spots that literally refuse to have even one tiny sparkle on them. Whatevs. For loose glitter, I gotta hand it to my girl Martha, she knows what she's doing. I toyed with the idea of painting the lacing area, but couldn't decide, so when I was done I just dipped my shoelaces in the leftovers. I'd like to replace the laces with either, real glitter laces or maybe some fine gold ribbon. Either way, voila!

Ode to Fall

My oxfords were feeling a little bland, here and here. So, in my true essence I decided to sparkle them up! I'm super pleased with how they turned out aaaand they are getting me super excited for Fall! I need more pumpkin in my wardrobe. 

Trying out the hi-low hem above. This skirt falls a few inches below my knees, so I've been testing it at different lengths in the hopes of hemming it (sadly my sewing machine is far away in storage!). The same with my shirt....why are these sleeves so long!? I'll never know. I always buy concert T's, even though they never seem to fit anybody right, and plan to do neat stuff with them which I never end up doing. Add it to the long list of alterations! So the skirt, to go shorter or not to go shorter?

As I was shooting this outfit I happened to notice my roommates most excellent top hat sitting well within reach, so why not?! I added a top hat! 

Said most excellent top hat is a creation of Bubbles & Frown, who makes amazing custom designs as well as a whole slew of incredible feather headdresses. I love fall, October and Halloween...in fact I think this house is going to be spookified in the very near future!