a box of paint

fill in the blank friday

2012-02-09T23:05:00.002-07:00

This week is a special treat because I got to create the blanks for Lauren's Fill in the Blank Friday series. Skip over and check out her blog for directions on how to follow along. Lauren is a very sweet and stylish new mamma living in Portland. Her blog, The Little Things We Do, is one of the first blogs I ever started reading regularly. Aside from having impeccable style and a great blog, she's just a really good person. So, here are the blanks:

1. I started my blog because I'd bought my first home and wanted to share my decorating projects, the art I was picking, and some before & after photos of our house. I'm also an obsessive documentarian, so blogging just made sense.

2. One thing I love seeing on other blogs is "what I wore" posts (because I don't ever do them)... and I enjoy peaks into other people's homes. I don't know why. Of course, I really love people's personal stories the most. It fascinates me to see how other people live, what they do, what they think, what they struggle with, what makes them happy.

3. Something I love about blogging is receiving comments and emails from strangers who've been reading along and want to introduce themselves.

4. A favorite blog post of mine is probably my "This I Believe" post or the post I did about my dad because I love reading all of the comments people have left.

5. Something my friends in real life know about me that I've never before mentioned on my blog is that I was raised Mormon.

6. My new favorite blogs to read are Hello Sandwich and XO, Azuree.

7. Some things I tend to avoid doing on my blog are discussing politics and religion. I think it's simply because I don't want to invite heated discussion from strangers. I also try to avoid complaining about people. You never know who might run across your blog, but more importantly, it's good to follow the Golden Rule, even in Blogland.

Hope you all have a nice Friday and a good weekend. I'll be partaking in Stout Month, (looking forward to trying the coconut stout or the chai stout), I'll also be doing some thrifting, making jewelry, and working on another contract job for the publishing company that I've mentioned. And, if I'm feeling really motivated, I might even take a yoga class... It's been so long though. I am sort of afraid.

i still love records

2012-02-08T18:05:00.002-07:00

I've been listening to a lot of records lately because I want to try and take advantage of all the things I'm able to do while I'm still working from home- like wearing yoga pants and my favorite new purple hoodie, sitting next to the space heater, and blasting music whenever I want.

{Cat Power: Dear Sir}

Record covers are so pretty. I think the exact same album cover looks so much prettier on a record than it does on a CD because it's bigger and doesn't have the ugly glare of the plastic over it. That's why I think people will keep collecting vinyl but eventually CDs will be gone from everyone's home.

{The Black Keys: Thick Freakness}

Book covers are beautiful too. That's another reason I think some people dislike the emergence of eBooks. When you are reading on your eReader, you don't have a beautiful book to hold in your hands. Lately, I've been trying to alternate between eBooks and real books. I'm fascinated by the way that technology changes how we experience art, music, and literature, and how some people completely reject new technology and others embrace it. I find myself someplace in between. I want both- digital and analog.

What about you?

on writing and other random thoughts

2012-02-07T11:13:00.001-07:00

{image source}

I read someplace a while back that the bravest thing you can do when you're depressed is to create something. I don't know if that's really true, but I like the way it sounds. No matter what is going on in my life, January and February generally suck for me. I'm just being honest. I used to think I hated February because my dad died in February, a couple of weeks before my birthday, and while I still think that's a big part of it, I've noticed that the winter months suck for other people too.

Last night, I was trolling around Facebook, (not exactly the best thing to do when you're feeling bummed out), and I ran across this video that Joshua Mohr did, in a series of tips for fiction writers. He's the author of some of the books I've recently read and mentioned here on the blog. This video, in particular, was about creating a kind of narrative Stockholm syndrome between your reader and your protagonist.

I've been working on writing a novel for what seems like forever. It's a fictional account of my life as a teenager and traces the years following my dad's death. And it kind of sucks. However, the video was exactly what I needed to feel inspired to pick it up again. After watching his video and considering the Stockholm syndrome metaphor, I realized that my book needs a lot of character development. I can easily sympathize and empathize with the protagonist, but that's because she's basically a version of me. Anyone else reading it wouldn't necessarily understand her or even like her. The plot needs some flashbacks, so I started to insert some of her memories into the narrative. Even after I stopped writing, as I was trying to fall asleep, I imagined other things that had happened to her, that would happen to her, and it was a really nice escape from my current reality. That's the thing about art and fiction- it can be cathartic, therapeutic, and it can also be a fantasy and a distraction from your normal, everyday life.

I'm really not good at writing fiction. Not at all. I can write an essay like nobody's business, but fiction does not come easy to me. But I'm just going to plug away at it because it's something I enjoy doing and it serves a purpose for me. I was reading Steven's post about film photography and realized that frustration is normal when you don't feel like an expert at something, especially if it's something you really value. But, if it's something you enjoy, then it's worth putting in the time.

*P.S. Speaking of using creative outlets to combat the winter blues, I decided to take an intro to crocheting class over at Fabric Bliss. That's right, I am going to learn to crochet myself a scarf. I should have tried it out while my mother-in-law was here (she's a master of these things), but at least she and Beth inspired me to get started.

weekend stuff

2012-02-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend didn't turn out quite like we'd expected. Aaron's family flew in on Thursday to celebrate his birthday with us. On Friday, we got a huge blizzard, which meant we had to cancel his birthday party. On top of that, his poor mom hurt her back, (likely because our heat wasn't working), so they spent the afternoon driving through the storm to urgent care and waiting in line at the pharmacy.

Fortunately, she's feeling better, and the sun came out on Saturday, so we rescheduled the party for Saturday night. We went to Fabric Bliss to drop off some of my consignment pieces. My sister-in-law got some pretty fabric to make a skirt. We also did a bit of shopping for Aaron to make up for his real birthday- got him some cool new shoes and a snazzy Ben Sherman cardigan sweater. At his party, I made him model his sweater for everyone, but he seemed more interested in showing people the expensive bottle of scotch his friend got him...

I know these aren't great photos, but I couldn't resist posting them. Penelope had a field day in the snow once the sun came out on Saturday. She spent about 45 minutes dog paddling through it. Even though we shoveled a path for her, she insisted on venturing into uncharted territory. It was extremely entertaining to watch, especially when she dunked her head under and literally swam through it.

Aaron's cardigan and my friends playing the big Jenga- both very exciting.

Eric is a photographer, and he made Aaron a hilarious card with Aaron's head photoshopped onto the body of Pete Townshend from the cover of The Who Sell Out.

Aaron's sister got him these hand-painted Japanese figurines, which were very fun to photograph.

And, I got a box of boxes in the mail! By far, the most exciting aspect of the weekend...

In spite of the snow, the trip to urgent care, the rescheduled birthday, and my idiotic forgetfulness, (I left the cake and party decorations at home), it actually turned out to be a nice birthday weekend for Aaron... At least, that's what he tells me. And, even though we were snowed in on Friday, we were fortunate to be stuck inside with good company. It's always nice to see family; it doesn't happen often enough for us. Happy Monday, people.

my kindle needs an outfit

2012-02-04T10:51:00.003-07:00

Right now it's "nude," as Kayla would say. She prefers "nude" gadgets. I prefer protection, and I figure if I'm interested in protection, it may as well look cute. I went for super protection on my iphone case because I've shattered an ipod screen and didn't want to risk it with my iphone. But now, I'm regretting its plainness- solid black Otter Box. Safe but boring.

I got the above ipad cover for my sister-in-law as a gift from this Etsy shop, and now that I've seen it in person, I sort of want one for my own e-reader... Most of the handmade Kindle cases are relatively inexpensive ($12-24). So these are the ones I like:

{sources: one, two, three, four}

I noticed that I really like black & white, modern, geometric patterns. I like Danish modern designs (#2) and love Japanese art (#3). And the first case has a cute little Polaroid camera tag on it, which are on all of her products. Very cute idea.

{sources: five, six, seven, eight}

I'm usually not a yellow person, but I love #6. Such pretty, modern fabric. The pink elephants might be better suited for nursery decor. But I like them.

{sources: nine, ten, eleven, twelve}

Numbers 10, 11, and 12 are the most expensive, but I like that they are very simple and look like little journals when they're closed (image 12). I sort of like the idea of being able to keep the Kindle in the case while I read... Then again, one reason I love reading on my Kindle is that I don't have to keep it open (like a book); so I can keep my hands under the covers in bed.

{sources: thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen}

I love the camera fabric (#13). You might think #16 is a little plain, but I like the two-tone, and it's another one with pockets on the inside, so you don't have to take the Kindle out. Pretty cool.

Which would you get?

PS- I used to be one of those people that scoffed at electronic books- even when I worked for an eBook publishing company. I always said I'd never stop reading "real books." And, this is still the case. However, I've found that there are some really wonderful things about having a Kindle. I borrowed one first, to be sure it was something I wanted. And, I'll have you know that I'm embracing both. Real books are great for lending, for holding, and for writing in (yes, I write in my books). Ebooks are great for immediacy, availability, for taking to the gym, and for traveling. Personally, I think it's like vinyl and mp3's. Both have their appeal.

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happy birthday, aaron!

2012-02-03T08:33:00.000-07:00

My husband is turning old today... And I love him a lot.

I went flipping through the photo albums and scanned some pictures from over the years. I even took some polaroid pictures (headband photo, below) from his little polaroid album/band touring journal, where I found many funny things, including lots of scribbled song lyrics and even some random girls' phone numbers (Nikki? Who's that?)...

Headband, honeymoon, bookworm costume, a small attempt at a mustache, guitar, Penelope, skateboarding, grading papers... and unicorns!

I love my husband for SO many reasons. Here are some of them:

1. He's hilarious.
2. He's so creative.
3. He loves dachshunds.
4. He loves every member of my family for exactly the reasons that I love them.
5. He cooks like a boss.
6. He makes me little drawings and paintings.
7. When I do weird dances around the house, he claps and creates a beat for me to dance to.
8. He supports me in everything I do.
9. He's active: soccer, snowboarding, skateboarding, golfing, fly fishing.
10. He adores his family.
11. He pours his heart into his career: He teaches books and gets excited about Shakespeare, he coaches girls' soccer, he's the gay-straight alliance advisor, he played drums in the school production of the Wiz, and he's always trying to be better at everything he does.
12. He has strong social and political convictions.
13. I can go to an art museum with him, have an interesting discussion about literature with him, ride bikes with him, or just watch trashy T.V. with him.

Happy birthday, Aaron! You are my favorite person in the whole world.

latest obsession: japanese washi tape

2012-02-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

Ever since I received my print in the mail from Pretty Little Thieves, I've wanted Japanese washi tape to use for my own Etsy packaging. I love finding creative ways to make my packages look more personal, and washi tape is perfect because it's like ribbon and tape all rolled into one; it's pretty and functional. I ran across this little DIY on Ciera Design and asked her where she found her washi tape. She directed me to Pretty Tape, which has a large selection of, well, pretty tape. So, of course, it's become my new favorite Etsy shop. These are some of my favorites:

In case you are wondering how this stuff could be used, see the packages below. I had to buy the camera/film tape (above) for the Fisheye shop. I just couldn't resist. I think it'll be perfect for wrapping photos, cameras, etc.

*All of the above images from Pretty Tape. Because things have been a bit slow for the shop lately, I've been working on improving my packaging, my photos, and on organizing my inventory. So, I'll probably do some posts on these topics soon. I've found, that lately, I'm obsessed with creative packaging and paper products. I've been trolling around the stationary aisle and trying to figure out how I can make things myself. Below is an example of how I used the camera tape I purchased:

PS: Some of you asked about the confetti tape pictured in a previous post. That was from Pretty Tape as well.

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finding time to be creative

2012-02-01T00:17:00.003-07:00

{holstee manifesto: source}

I mentioned in a previous post that I’ve started doing somecontract work for a digital publishing company. A friend from grad schoolhooked me up with the job. I just finished working on a really interestingpodcast with a female artist, writer, and photographer named Jan Phillips.

A few of the things that she said in her interview reallystruck a chord with me. She starts out by discussing the concept of writer’sblock (and artist’s block). She mentions some of its causes as well as someways to get past it. One of the arguments she makes it that American culturegenerally doesn’t value creativity for the sake of creativity alone. She arguesthat because so few people can actually make a living with their artisticendeavors, many Americans simply stop creating. As children, too many of usheard our parents say things like, “It’s great that you love music and art, butyou can’t make a living doing that.” Because we are so focused on our jobs andon making money, we don’t put aside time to be creative. We simply say, “I'mtoo busy.”

I’ve always considered myself as someone who values mycreativity. However, I have to admit, that lately, I’ve had moments where Ithink about other people my age with hefty salaries, a cushion of savings,medical benefits, (you know, financial stability), and I wonder why I chose thepath I did. I look around at my piles of vintage photos, and paper, and books,and my spread of jewelry tools and metal glue… And these are all things I love,things that make me happy. But, truthfully, they’ll never make me much money. Sowhy bother? Why spend so much time and energy on things that don’t actually paythe bills? When you get to be a certain age, you’ve got a mortgage, you’ve gotstudent loans, and it’s difficult to find time to immerse yourself in yourcreative endeavors.

One of the things this woman said in herinterview, is that if it’s important to you to be creative, you really need to make a serious commitment to your creativity. Likeexercise, like fostering your relationships, or like anything else in life,creative endeavors take a lot of work, time, and energy. They have to become a regularpractice. You may not always feel inspired, but if you set aside time topractice your craft, the inspiration will come later. I don’t think she meansyou should push yourself to the point of dreading your hobbies but thatsometimes feeling uninspired might be the time that you most need to meditateon your writing, or your music, or whatever it is that you do.

In thinking about her words, I realized how grateful I amfor the way my parents raised me. I’ve come to really value my creativity. Forme, it’s something that’s completely essential to my happiness. That doesn’tmean it’s always totally enjoyable. Sometimes I feel lazy and uninspiredand have to force myself to set aside time to do creative things. But usually, when I make the time for it, I really do feel better after.

Even though it’sfinancially difficult to be without full-time work, I am doing my best to savorthe time I have now to blog, to take photos, to write, and to make jewelry. Myhope is that if these things become habit, I’ll stay committed to them evenafter I’ve begun teaching full-time. I also think that it's helpful to think of your hobbies as something as essential to your mental health as exercise or making time for friends. And while I, too, wish that our society placed a bigger emphasis on the value of creativity, I'm thankful for the venues that I have found to help me stay inspired-- Etsy and blogland. There are so many people making regular time to paint, to write, to blog, to knit, to embroider, to draw, to take photos, and to share all of their creations with others. In that respect, setting aside time for your hobbies is just as important for your own well-being as it is for the community- for the well-being of those around you.

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thrifty finds and upcycled vintage jewelry

2012-01-31T10:41:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, whether I am aware of it or not, I end up on a themed thrifting trip. I think the theme for this trip was girly-girls: bows, butterflies, and wedding jewelry- generally, not exactly my own personal style- but I did find some pretty pieces for the Etsy shop.

This butterfly locket is full of perfume, which I'll need to wash out before selling it. I do love orange. And, I found some interesting information about it here. I made these bow earrings from little necklace charms. I don't think I'd wear them, but I know that some girls go crazy for little retro bows right now. That's the weird thing about having an Etsy shop- you have to find a balance between selling things you, yourself, would wear and things you just know other people would like.

Would anyone like to tell me what letter they think this is? L? F? P? S? Not even a letter? Because I seriously have no idea... I posted it on Facebook and Twitter and got all of the above as well as a couple of votes for a Greek letter.

If I buy these kinds of 1950s clip-on earrings, I usually turn them into something else (cocktail rings, necklace charms, or wedding earrings for pierced ears). Most people don't want clip-on earrings these days. Still, there is something so fun about mid-century modern clip-ons.

More bows, and some sparkly, pretty wedding earrings. Wedding season is around the corner, so it's always good to be on the look out for anything sparkly, shiny, and white. And, even though I was never a crazy bride-lady, I find that I really do enjoy finding vintage pieces for unique brides. It always makes me happy when I get an email from someone saying they found something for their wedding in my shop.

And finally, this was my favorite find (below), and perhaps the only thing I'd actually consider keeping for myself. Green is my favorite color, and this is such a pretty, tiny stone. It was on a really chintzy-looking chain, so I put it onto an antiqued gold chain as soon as I got home. 100% improvement. What do you think, keep it? Or sell it?

things that make me happy

2012-01-29T13:27:00.004-07:00

And a mini Much Love Monday... Even though it's not quite Monday.

1. I got this candy dish in the dollar bin at Target to hold my vintage buttons. Buttons sort of look like candy. I love it.

2. I get to substitute teach my students from last semester, and I am really excited to see them and to be back in the classroom, if only for a day.

3. My husband's birthday is on Friday, and I have some fun things planned. We'll be going to an awesome 80's-themed video arcade bar that has life-sized Jenga, skee ball, and sit-down Pac Man!

4. His family is coming to stay with us on Thursday. Yay for family visits!

5. Listening to records and drinking tea make working from home so much more enjoyable. I think this is going to be a good week.

*To participate in Anna's Much Love Monday series, link up here. Or, just go check out her awesome blog.

thank you cards: a little diy

2012-01-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me, know about my obsession with old photos. I even have an old photos blog, which has been seriously neglected. I do a number of things with the photos I collect, but one of my favorite things to do with vintage photos is to turn them into cards. So yesterday, I decided to take some of my favorite old photos and create little thank you notes for my Etsy shops.

You may remember this photo from a recent post. All of the negative space makes it perfect for adding text. Plus, once you've scanned and saved it, you can use the image over and over again for any kind of card or project. I have a folder on my computer with tons of scanned vintage photos. Here are a couple of the photos I've scanned that are good for card-making:

Once you've scanned your photo, you simply add your desired text. I, personally, prefer to use Adobe Illustrator when I'm dealing with text, but you can use whichever photo editing program you have. You can download so many fun fonts from the internet for free these days.

You can add color and graphics...

Or, make it clean and simple.

When printing, I like to experiment with lots of different sizes and paper. You never quite know how something will actually look when you print it out. Colors tend to change, so you should expect things to look slightly different.

I cut out my altered photos and paste them onto a thicker card-like background. You can get card blanks at any craft supply store or, simply cut up sheets of cardstock. I use acid free rubber cement to secure the photos onto the cardstock.

I made them small so that they are the perfect size for my gift boxes. And you can punch a hole in it if you want to make it more like a gift tag.

...Et voila- you have a custom vintage photo card. I've thought of selling these in the Fisheye shop, but I think I'd need to get a much nicer printer for that... for now, I'm just sending tiny versions of them along with my orders. They are so fun to make!

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here's what i'm reading

2012-01-25T19:38:00.000-07:00

One of the best things that has happened to me since I left my Ph.D. in English is that I started reading for pleasure again. And, when I went back to school to get my teaching license, I became less of a literary snob and discovered the value in reading anything and everything that strikes my fancy. Lately, this happens to be lots and lots of young adult fiction.

Alycia's recent post reminded me that it's been a while since I've blogged about what I'm reading, so I decided to catch you up. The first book I read on my new Kindle was Gayle Forman's If I Stay. Definitely teen lit, but I really enjoyed it. It's being turned into a movie too. If you enjoyed The Lovely Bones, you might like this as well.

(image source; book info)

I really liked the characters, I liked the plot structure, and it made me cry a lot... I think it was just what I needed at the end of the semester.

(book info)

The other young adult novel I read around Christmas was Thirteen Reasons Why. I'd had it on my list for a really long time and was pretty disappointed. It's a popular one though, you you might like it. Definitely a creative idea, but I have to admit, the creative plot seemed a little ill-matched with the topic of teen suicide.

And, lest you think I exclusively read teen lit, I just finished reading Some Things That Meant the World to Me by Joshua Mohr. We had read his other book, Termite Parade, for book club. And I think it's probably been my favorite book club pick so far. I'll be honest, Some Things That Meant the World to Me was seriously depressing, but also so good. I was very excited to have an email correspondence with the author, where he told me a little about his inspiration for the book and about the process of developing the protagonist- cool, right? How often do you get to ask an author all of the questions you have upon finishing his novel? The above photo is my friend Kayla's signed copy of his most recent book, Damascus. Her boyfriend surprised her with a coffee shop meeting during a visit out to San Francisco. How rad is that? You can read about Kayla's exciting experience here.

And here is what's on my nightstand right now. Also in the line-up is Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, which I'll probably read on my Kindle. It's for book club. Which book should I read next?

i heart vintage: danish modern

2012-01-24T08:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I look around at my home decor, I think about how trendy mid-century modern furniture is right now, and I think I am a little bit cliche, but I always end up deciding, "Meh. Who cares? I love my retro house."

And, for some reason, all of this reminds me of something that happened during my field experience at Denver School of the Arts, (one of the most amazing high schools I've ever been to). They had a "Post Secret" wall up for a while. One of the students had written on her post secret card, "I was the first to wear vintage Ray-Bans," which totally cracked me up, and I thought to myself, "I'm in my 30s and my friends have been wearing vintage Ray-Bans since before you were born!" which is probably exactly what my mom thinks of my so-called originality. Because she was wearing vintage when it wasn't even vintage... So- trendy or not- I like what I like. And I like Danish modern decor in a big way.

I like the bright colors, I like the clean lines, I like the teak wood.

I like the fish and bird motifs, I like the geometric designs... I like it all.

{sources: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine}

Which is your favorite?

giveaway winner

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Please send me an email with your address. Oh- and let me know which item you've selected. Thanks to everyone who entered :) All of the unselected items will be in the shop available for purchase.

weekend stuff

2012-01-22T21:57:00.000-07:00

The best part about the weekend was definitely going over to Marissa's for book club on Saturday. This month's book club was more tame than usual. We didn't go out after, but we ate delicious food, and ended up talking, laughing, and watching YouTube videos together (as usual). I love my book club.

I went on a mini-thrifting trip Sunday-- only bought two items. I got the above necklace and a matching bright, red belt. Red, for Valentine's Day. I think I'm going to make handmade valentines this year.

I got a package of old photos in the mail from my sister-in-law, Liz. These are two of my favorites. Maybe I'll make valentines out of them.

And I went to Meininger's to grab some new paper to use for backgrounds when photographing my Etsy items. I could spend way too much time in this place. Being in art supply stores reminds me of being little and going to them with my dad. I always want to buy every journal, and sketchbook, and pretty box of oil pastels... But I didn't. Just the paper this time.

Hope you had a good weekend too.

PS- Announcing the giveaway winner tomorrow, so check back.
PPS- I just realized I posted a heart photo on a Monday, which reminded me to go check out Much Love Monday on Anna's blog, which I love, so I'm linking up. And you should too.

things that make me happy

2012-01-18T15:56:00.002-07:00

1. I went snowboarding with Aaron on Monday because he had the day off... and, these days, I always have the day off... I'm glad that we have this common hobby. Even though he's a thousand times better than I am at it, it's really fun to go up to the mountains with him, to listen to music in the car, and to be outside doing something we both love. And he pushes me to go a little faster and to be a little less afraid.

2. Book club makes me happy! We are going to Marissa's on Saturday to discuss Delirium, and I can't wait. Plus, I'm curious to see what Melisa picks for February's choice. Working from home these days, I don't get to see people as much as I'd like, so I get overly excited for book club and other social things. Dorky. But so fun! Plus, my friends have some exciting personal things going on for us to discuss-- job prospects, moving prospects, baby prospects... It'll be a fun night.

3. A good friend of mine from graduate school hooked me up with some contract work for a digital publishing company. It's only a little bit of work, but I am excited to have something to do. And more than that, it makes me happy that I have people looking out for me.

4. This article in the Orange County Register that mentions my brother and my dad. Proud of my brother and miss my dad. The fact that people still remember him makes me happy.

january vintage giveaway

2012-01-16T08:27:00.001-07:00

I decided to do another vintage giveaway for the Etsy shop. I prefer to allow the winner to select the item, so here are your options:

{vintage accessory shop, vintage photo shop}

The winner may select one of these items:
1. Pleated leather clutch
2. Mid-century glitter photo frame
3. Cherry blossom necklace
4. Owl bell
5. Photo locket keychain

1. Follow My So Called Vintage on Twitter or Facebook and leave a comment here telling me so.
That's it!
2. For an extra entry, you can Tweet the giveaway or post it to your Facebook wall. And leave an additional comment telling me you've done so. Okay... That's all. I swear.

Easy enough, right? Thanks for entering and for helping me spread the word about my Etsy shops!

**International readers are welcome to enter. Giveaway closes at Midnight on Monday, January 23rd. I'll announce the winner here on the blog on Tuesday the 24th, so check back!

thrifty finds vol 31: vintage cameras and watches

2012-01-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

I went thrifting last Saturday and found some rad items for both shops as well as something good for myself.

Vintage Minolta SLR with 4 lenses! I have too many old SLRs, so this is going into the Fisheye shop. Going to test it first, which means I've got to dig up some film and put my old skills to use. We'll see how it goes...

A little gold photo frame, which I could not resist. Keeping it for myself. Though I think it could be fun to sell vintage photo frames and photo albums in the Fisheye shop at some point. We'll see. This watch pendant necklace is awesome too. Perhaps a good giveaway item? I'll be doing a giveaway for the shop pretty soon.

Two beautiful vintage watches. The silver one has tiny diamond chips in it (fancy). I just love finding vintage watches and photographing them. They are so pretty.

And, I turned this Bulova watch face into an upcycled necklace.

Happy weekend. I'll be avoiding football at all costs.

analog nostalgia

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

I was looking through my old photos the other day for some inspiration to start using my film cameras again. They made me nostalgic for my year in Spain and the years following in graduate school.

{Barcelona and Sevilla}

{Bess, wearing her old glasses that we were talking about recently}

Mariola came to live with me during my last summer in Northern California. She kept me company on the drive out to Colorado and helped me get settled in my new place before starting grad school.

This was my old apartment building in Granada. I always loved that it was yellow. I'm going to slowly scan my favorite photos from my albums and do regular posts here on the blog. I really miss Spain and my friends there. I am glad I was able to capture some of the experiences on film.

a list for wednesday

2012-01-11T10:28:00.002-07:00

A list for the unemployed or self-employed... or for grad students slowly chipping away at dissertations:

{The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender- Thanks, Meg!}

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to be kinder to myself.Another was to try to be in the present moment. I’m finding that these are bothvery difficult things for me to do, especially right now since I am basicallyunemployed and can’t help but worry about the future. I’d forgotten how whatunemployment can do to a person’s mental state. Let’s be honest, there isnothing fun about financial stress, boredom, and the constant rejection thatall go along with job hunting.

I am trying to find ways to combat the general sense ofanxiety I’ve been feeling. Some days are better than others. I've found, that I'm happiest when I am busy doing something that I feel is both challenging and important. Studentteaching last semester was the closest I’ve come to this feeling. Right now I sort of feel the way I did while working on my Ph.D.-- long, empty days with very little human contact. I know thatsomething will come up eventually, but it the meantime, I’ve got to find waysto stay busy and fulfilled. These are some of the things I find helpful:

1. Exercise.

Regular exercise helps me sleep, it keeps me in a bettermood, and it generally decreases anxiety.

2. Keep a routine.

Having a daily routine and some structure is so helpful. Planning little things to do outside the house each day forces me to shower and getready. It’s easy to fall into an all-day-in-sweats rut if I don’t force myselfto leave the house.

3. Continually remindmyself of the things I do have.

I have a small business. Although I do not make enough moneyto call it a my job, it is something that keeps me busy, lets me be creative,and helps me feel fulfilled. It gives me a small sense of purpose in life rightnow.

4. Get out and bearound people when possible.

I met Marissa at Linger last night to get out of the house. The view is beautiful, and we got ice cream at Little Man after. Spending time with friends makes me happy.

5. Stay hopeful.

Blogging and writing help me with this.

6. Find ways to relax.

I know this is going to sound really new-agey, but Irecently downloaded a progressive relaxation track to listen to before bed.Progressive relaxation is basically just a routine of tightening your musclesand then relaxing them, breathing deeply, and training your mind to help yourbody relax- sort of like yoga and meditation. It’s been immensely helpful. Sorry, TMI?

7. Read.

I got the above book in the mail from Meg. It totally made my bad day yesterday. Reading can be a nice little escape from your everyday reality.

8. Be creative.

The other day, I finallypulled out the novel I started a while ago and just started writing. I don’thave any big plans for it. But it’s nice to write.

PS: The fancy font above is called "CourierTxt."

tips for starting an etsy shop

2012-01-09T10:54:00.000-07:00

{some of my Etsy necessities}

I started writing a long post with tips that were categorized into different sections (marketing, branding, finance, etc.) and then decided to keep it really simple. Below, I've listed some random tips that I feel have really helped me with my business. There is a lot out there to read if you are interested in starting an Etsy shop, or if you are a new seller wanting to improve your business. These are just a few things that I've found have helped me. So that is my first random tip:

1. Research, research, research. There is so much information out there, and no one is an expert on anything, so chances are you'll need to do some research on something (Design? SEO? Business structures?). Read the Etsy Seller Handbook. It's super user-friendly. Search for articles on topics in your area of weakness (finances, perhaps). Bookmark them, print them, keep a folder, do whatever works for you. It might seem overwhelming at first, but try to think of it as a fun, new challenge. There is a learning curve in business. Soon you'll be an expert in some areas. It'll just take time and hard work.

2. Try things out and then keep records of what works and what doesn't. This year, I've decided to keep a log of my advertising with stats. I really don't do a lot of paid advertising for my Etsy shops (almost none) and rely on social media, word of mouth, and Etsy's internal search for most of my advertising. But I've decided to advertise on a couple of blogs this month as an experiment. I'm going to log how much I've paid for them, and how much traffic they bring in. You'll need to set up analytics (I use Google Analytics and Sitemeter on my blog) to see where your traffic is coming from.

3. Find a bookkeeping system that works. Most Etsy sellers are a one-person show. If you have to do everything on your own, sign up for Outright or keep track of everything in Quicken. Outright is really new for me, so if you have feedback, please provide it in the comments. But so far, I think it's pretty amazing. It syncs your accounts and categorizes your transactions. It also provides you with an estimated tax amount. The day after I discovered it, a friend of mine who has a few shops told me she'd just signed up for it as well. We'll see how it goes.

4. Start small. I started with less than 10 items in my shop. You don't need an enormous inventory to get started. You do need to learn what sells and what doesn't. You can get started without a huge investment and slowly build up your business over time. That is the beauty of Etsy.

5. Be nice! Etsy is a business venue, but it's also a wonderful community. That is why people are attracted to it. It has something very personal, creative, and communal about it. Be attentive to your buyers, package your items with care and personality, and be nice to other sellers. I have my own code of ethics for doing business. I figure, it's like anything else in life: honesty and kindness pay off.

6. Start an email list. I simply have a spreadsheet on my computer with emails of buyers, etc. I rarely send emails to the whole list, (no one likes that). However, if I am doing a giveaway or having a sale, I'll send a quick email out. It's a great tool to bring people back.

That's all Ihave for now but here are some links to more awesomeness:

Kyla Roma's tips for living a creative life
Understanding CSS
Product packaging tips via Freckled Nest

Have another useful tip? Please post it in the comments.

weekend stuff

2012-01-08T10:17:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a good one. On Friday night we went to the Meadowlark to check out our friend's art opening. He was showing some of his recent photography. He's finally set up a shop on his blog so that people can purchase prints. Go check it out!

I didn't take a lot of photos at the Meadowlark because I was busy catching up with friends. But it's an awesome bar/music venue. Aaron's band played there a while back. The above images are some of Eric's fridge magnets :)

Saturday Marissa and I went thrifting. She's a good model/shopping buddy. It started snowing out, so we headed to US Thai for some hot soup. Hands down, my favorite thai restaurant ever... with the exception of, maybe, Sophia's in Davis, which I frequented in college. With days like these, I don't mind the winter at all. Besides, today the sun is out and the snow is melting. Typical Colorado.

I found some great vintage watches for the shop (more on that later). And, I did a lot of reading on my new Kindle Touch, which I love. I had an Amazon store credit, started to purchase a few books, and then realized I could just get a Kindle with all of the money instead. Yay! I'll never stop reading "real" books, but a Kindle is a nice gadget to have. I think I'm going to love it when I travel. It's also perfect for our book club, because you can lend books on it. I was the only one without one, so now I can officially join the cool nerds' club. Yes!

a visit & a photo collage

2012-01-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

I didn't get too many photos while my mom was in town. But here are some iphone pictures I snapped during the week. I miss her already :( We had a lot of fun. I wish she didn't live so far away.

My mom and I have a lot in common:

We are both addicted to candy.

We both love teaching.

We are both a little outspoken.

We have strange, kitschy collections.

We like dachshunds.

We lost our fathers in elementary school (both in sudden accidents- weird).

We both married creative, outgoing men (both teachers).

I am sure this list could go on and on....

Anyhow, I love my mom a lot and was very happy to have her visit.

i heart vintage: cake stands

2012-01-03T14:00:00.000-07:00

If you know me, you know that I do not cook. It's strange because my mom and sister are both phenomenal cooks. I'm not very good at it, I don't enjoy it, and never have... I don't know what else to say... Except that I am very lucky that my husband is such a great cook. I do really like baking, however. I find it very fun. So the last few times I made cupcakes, I wished we had a cupcake stand to put them on.

I had a look around Etsy to see what was available in the way of vintage cake stands. Some of these are original vintage and others are upcycled from vintage dishes. I love them all.

{sources: one, two, three, four, five, six}

I've noticed that I keep doing these types of posts, so I decided to make them a proper series, named after my stickers. You can read more about it here. My only problem with series posts is that I can never settle on one specific day for them. I'm not really sure it matters... though I do like consistency. What about you people? Do your regular posts fall on one day of the week?

PS- The fancy font above is called "Lemon Chicken."

things that make me happy

2012-01-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

I finally finished framing and hanging some of the photos and prints I'd planned on putting up on the wall above my desk. I also pulled this little 1940s bookcase out of the garage, so now I have matching ones on either side of my desk. This one is a little scratched up, but it was less than $10 at a thrift store and matched the other one perfectly, so I grabbed it. I love my little office, and this wall, in particular, makes me quite happy.

I call this my "rad wall" because it houses some of my favorite items to look at. On the wall so far: embroidered deer and Argus camera via Flex Family Arts, old photo of my mom, prints via Pretty Little Thieves, Clare Elsaesser, and Erin Paisley.

Aaron constructed this ribbon holder for me. It's perfect for organizing all of the ribbon I use for packaging my items.

I've been baking more lately. Baking makes me happy. And I got my first rolls of washi tape in the mail (more info on this to come).

Getting little things in the mail makes me quite happy, especially handwritten letters. They are just priceless. I also got these lovely little rosebud earrings and a card in the mail from Irena the other day. She is so thoughtful.

new year's resolutions

2011-12-31T21:46:00.000-07:00

Some people don't like making them, but I do. I love lists. I love setting goals. It keeps me motivated. And if I don't reach them all, well, it's not a big deal.

These are some of the things I'd like to work on in 2012:

1. Improve my photo skills-manual settings on my digi cam and relearn the stuff I did in college on my manualcamera. I used to be able to shoot the film, roll it, develop it, and make all of the prints by hand. What the heck happened?

2. Get super organized with my Etsy business.

3. Devour books. Sincestudent teaching has been over I’ve been reading for pleasure again, and I wantto keep it up.

4. Stay mentally healthy.Be nice to myself. That little voice in my head could be more supportive andless critical. I've noticed that it's so much easier for me to see the good in others than it isto be kind to myself.

5. Make things and becreative. This includes practicing graphic design, doing collages, cards, etc. I'll try to blog about my creations as much as possible, though it's sometimes intimidating to put your stuff out there.

6. Live simply. Spend less.

7. Be in the presentmoment. This one is really a struggle for me.

8. Take yoga and danceclasses again. This will help me achieve number 7.

9. Be charitable andcompassionate.
10. Write in my journal on a regular basis. I've kept a journal since I was little. I've kind of stopped journaling regularly since I've started my blog. I'd like to get back into it.
11. Create a website for my dad and make archival prints of some of his paintings.

12. GROW OUT MY BANGS…Clearly, my most important goal for 2012...

Happy New Year!

fill in the blank friday

2011-12-29T21:44:00.000-07:00

I did my own New Year's resolutions but haven't posted them yet. Maybe Monday. For now, I am going to fill in the blanks.

1. New Years is a nice fresh start. People usually finish off December feeling alittle crappy. A let down is normal after a holiday or any big event. I wasjust telling a friend that people often get the winter blues at this time ofyear. New Years gives you an excuse to set some goals and to feel alittle motivated. I like it. It gives me a false sense of productivity :)

2. One of my New Year's resolutions will be to be nicer to myself. Idon't mean I need to buy myself things or whatever. Just to change that littlevoice in my head that can be self-critical. It's okay to tell yourself nicethings and to celebrate what makes you unique!

3. A New Year's resolution I've made in the pastwas to be more creative. Ithink it's on this year's list too. Being creative always helps me feel morealive and often gets me out of a funk.

4. The most time consuming resolution I ever madewas classes. Sometimes Iput "take a dance class" or "take a design class" on mylist. It's worth every second though.

5. This year I will be spending New Year'sEve with some close friendseating good food and playing games. Nothing fancy. This is the kind of NewYear's Eve I prefer.

 6. If I could wish one thing for my new year itwould be to get a job.It's not exactly a resolution because I simply don't have much control overwhether or not it happens. But it's definitely my number one wish for 2012.

7. 2012 is going to be a good one. For me and for my loved ones. I can feelit. I am sort of a gypsy, so I just know :)

If you'd like to fill in your own blanks, visit Lauren's blog and follow her instructions.Happy New Year!!

little design project

2011-12-27T17:34:00.000-07:00

Aren't books pretty?

Now that I have some time again, I've been trying to practice my design skills (which are quite amateur). A while back, I took an Adobe Illustrator class at a local community college and loved it. If I had all the money in the world, I'd just keep taking them. For now, I just practice on my own, learn things through trial and error, and occasionally check out web tutorials if ask friends when I am stumped.

I wanted to redesign our book club blog, so I started by looking at color palettes on Color Collective, one of my favorite sites for design inspiration.

I finally settled on this combination because I thought it was feminine but modern. I took a hundred million photos of books to use for the banner background. While they were pretty, (books can be so beautiful), none of them really worked in the banner, so I finally decided on a text-only banner (below).

What I've discovered in my very limited design experience, is that sometimes you have to just start experimenting, perhaps even drawing with a pen or pencil, and you may end up in a totally different place than you initially expected. I've also come to the conclusion that design doesn't have to be so literal. See- there are no actual books in the banner. You can do a lot of fun things with typeface alone. I'm still learning, but I very much enjoy the process.

It's simple, but I like it. I'm still working on the blog, which is very minimalist, but you can check it out here. If you ever need a bit of color inspiration, go over to Color Collective.

weekend stuff: christmas!

2011-12-25T13:51:00.001-07:00

We had a lovely little mellow Christmas here in Colorado. In fact, I think it may have been our first Christmas in our very own house. Last Christmas we went to Mexico. This Christmas, however, was much more low-key, which actually turned out to be perfect. Just some small gifts, some good food and drink, and a visit from my mom.

As a gift to my mom, I scanned, printed and framed some old photos. My dad took this one of her in Laguna Beach. He was a surfer dude, and she was a classy lady who majored in Art and sewed her own clothes. My parents were the coolest.

My mom with her dad.

I fell in love with this strangely beautiful swan-girl print a year ago, when I did a art post on Black Swan. I love her work and eventually want a twins print too.

I got the Muppet movie soundtrack. Yes!!

Stocking stuffers are my favorite to buy and to receive. It was fun for me to play Santa this year. It made me feel all grown up. I even put a couple of things in my own stocking, including the hipster Hello Kitty tin, which I'll later use as a pill case, a pack of Haribo gummy twin cherries, and a marzipan pig because I have to have marzipan at Christmas. I have a weird thing about candy. I pretty much know every candy that my loved ones like and dislike. I just always remember. I'd say I'm a bit of a candy connoisseur.

I got these guitar-knob-things for Aaron. I don't even know what they are exactly. "Top hat" knobs? Whatever. They made him happy, and they look pretty on his 1977 Magnum- that is all that matters, right?

My mom is the best. I am soooo excited she came to stay with us. She's pretty much the easiest guest in the world. And I have some fun things planned for this week.

I got this beautiful handmade scarf from Aaron. We tried to be somewhat conscious about our gift choices this year. A little bit of Etsy, vintage, and handmade. And Aaron cooked us the most delicious Christmas dinner complete with prime rib, green bean casserole, and potatoes. I feel so fortunate to have family, friends, and the little life I do.

Hope your holiday weekend was a good one as well!

thrifty finds vol 30: vintage jewelry and bags

2011-12-20T20:39:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted any thrifty finds. Here are some from the last few trips I've taken.

I find a lot of cute clutches, but people don't tend to buy them because they are quite small and impractical. I couldn't resist these two though. Maybe I'll use the leather one in my January giveaway.

{jewelry shop} {camera shop}

esty christmas picks

2011-12-20T02:00:00.000-07:00

Our tree has been up for over over a week, complete with lights, and I still have not decorated it. Why? I don't know. I think I am kind of crashing after this long and tiresome semester. I slept almost all day on Sunday. Perhaps I'll get the energy today. For now, some virtual Christmas decor via Etsy.

Sources: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight

Sources: one, two, three, four, five

weekend stuff

2011-12-19T09:30:00.000-07:00

Friday was my very last day of student teaching. I got these cute little chalkboard mugs for my supervising teachers with Hemmingway tea, which I thought was appropriate. Friday night we went out to dinner at El Diablo on South Broadway. The food was good. I like places that do authentic tacos on small corn tortillas.

Saturday night was book club at Kayla's. She made delicious food and drinks, and we did our secret Santa gift exchange. We decided to shop local, handmade, vintage, or Etsy and to avoid big corporations. Kayla got me this awesome brass unicorn, a vintage dachshund letter holder, and she is stitching me a wiener dog!! I can't wait to see how it turns out.

I slept most of the day on Sunday and watched Bridesmaids before bed. Kristin Wigg is hilarious, and I am excited to have a new celebrity crush on the dude that played the cop/love interest. I don't even know his name, but I found him extremely charming. How was your weekend?

thoughts on teaching

2011-12-18T18:37:00.002-07:00

The school where I student taught has a very interestingstudent demographic. It’s in a tiny town outside of Boulder, but it doesn’t feel stereotypically suburban because it’s so rural.The high school itself is surrounded by farms, cows, cornfields, and countryroads. Because the school has anInternational Baccalaureate diploma program (an advanced, academically rigorousoption for exceptionally bright students) it’s a bit of a magnet school, meaningthat some students travel from far away to attend the program. The students atthe school are predominantly white. Some of them are extremely wealthy, andsome are very poor.

The largest ethnic minority at the school is the Latinopopulation. Most of these students are not in the International Baccalaureateprogram, unfortunately. This wassomething I noticed right away because I taught 3 sections of freshmen IB. Among my 90 IB freshmen, only 4 of themwere Latino. Much to my frustration, all four of them had the lowest grades(high Ds and low Cs) when I took over the classes. This led me to believe they might not make it in the IBprogram. I felt concerned and discussed the issue with my supervising teacher.I wanted to know if there was any kind of support system for minorities in theIB program. Unfortunately, there wasn’t.

She told me about a very bright Mexican-American girl whohad started the IB program last year. During the personal essay presentations,she read a very heart-felt piece of feeling like an outcast at school. Shedidn’t fit in, culturally, and students in the program had made racist commentsabout her. My supervising teacherdiscussed the matter with the school counselor and with the IB coordinator, butthe girl eventually left the program and went to another school. I find this soextremely discouraging.

During the semester, I did what I could to make my Latinostudents feel like a part of our classroom community. I knew what one studenthad moved to the US when she was 5 and didn’t learn English until she was 10.For our outside reading list, I chose one book that had a side-by-side EnglishSpanish translation. We read a lotof multicultural texts and discussed segregation and the importance of culturalbelonging. I created a blog and encouraged students to post their creativewriting. This was a great tool to give my timid students an opportunity to havea voice in the class.

One of my students, Bianca, posted a really cool identitypoem to the blog. It was so wellwritten, and so personal. I decided to project it on the overhead the day Itaught the term “stream of consciousness.” It was a great example of thetechnique. Because Bianca didn’ttalk a lot in class, her classmates had no idea how smart she was. After usingher creative writing during my lesson, Bianca began to open up and to share heropinions during our class discussions. She also started studying for her quizzes and turning things in on time.Her grade in the class improved. Often, students’ performance is based on their emotional associationswith a class. If they like the class, they genuinely want to do better. When we are compassionate with ourstudents, when we get to know them, when we make them feel important, they wantto do well.

Much to my dismay, Bianca ultimately decided to transferschools to be with her friends. She won’t be coming back to the IB program nextsemester. I am frustrated, but I understand. She gave me a letter on the last day of school called, “Mystream of thoughts to you.” Theletter talked about how much she loved the class. What really struck a chordwith me was that she said, “You made me feel good about myself. You made mefeel smart.” The thing is, she issmart. I didn’t do that for her. ButI suppose teenagers need acceptance and encouragement to succeed. I am sad that Bianca isn’t stickingwith the program, but the whole experience has made me realize that these toughthings don’t change over night. I don’t expect to rid schools of racialsegregation, but I would like to make efforts to create support systems, likementoring programs for students like Bianca, who might stick around if theydidn’t feel so alone.

When I drove away from school on Friday, right after readingher letter, I cried. I felt sad to leave the school. Sad that I don’t have ajob. Sad that I won’t get to see those students everyday next semester. I also felt really happy and fulfilled. Bianca’sletter reinforced for me this is what I want to be doing with my life. I can’t wait to see where I will end up.

fill in the blank friday

2011-12-15T20:08:00.001-07:00

It's been so long since I've filled in some blanks. But I was looking forward to doing it today for some reason.

1. My most favorite "little thing" is getting Christmas card from a student which read, "Dear Mrs. Hendricks, My friends tell me that you tell stories about me in their class. This amuses me. -Robert" as well as a plate of cookies from a darling sophomore girl complete with rum balls that she indicated were "very potent" and probably needed to "mellow for a few days." Teenagers make me laugh.

2. I give anything to get a job at a school I love.

3. I can't believe that I will be done with student teaching tomorrow. I've been going at full-speed for so long, I am not going to know what to do with myself.

4. The one thing I'd like to achieve today is trimming the tree so that I can put away the large tub of ornaments taking up space in the hallway. My house is a pig pen.

5. The last thing I want to do today is grade essays. But I don't have to! Because I'm done!!

6. I am really looking forward to seeing my mom in a week! I really love my mom. I am also looking forward to book club at Kayla's this weekend. Yay! Book club! Nerd out!

7. My favorite candle scent is anything that smells like lavender. So calming.

To fill out your own blanks or to read more, visit Lauren's blog and follow her instructions. Hope you have a good weekend.

a list for tuesday

2011-12-13T01:30:00.000-07:00

I love lists. Did you know that? They help me feel better. They keep me organized. They put things into perspective. So here is a list of a few random things I learned from this whole crazy experience I had while student teaching.

1. There is not enough timein the day to accomplish everything. Do what matters most, and then forgetabout the rest until tomorrow. Taking some time to unwind before bed is more important than accomplishing another task.

2. You can please a lot ofpeople, but you can’t please everyone. That’s perfectly okay.

3. Be compassionate. Be kindto others, but most importantly, be kind to yourself.

4. Celebrate youraccomplishments.

5. Surround yourself withpeople who love and support you.

6. When criticism is useful and constructive, listen to it, but don't dwell on it. If it's not constructive, ignore it.

7. If you are doing what youlove with passionate and enthusiasm, you are making a difference. It’s bound torub off on someone, and that is important.

weekend stuff

2011-12-11T17:32:00.001-07:00

I can't believe the weekend is over. Sigh. Friday was a big grading day, which I attempted to break up a bit by doing some fun things including buying some ribbon for the Etsy shop, (which was all 50% off!), getting happy hour sushi for dinner, and taking random photos of retro signs around the neighborhood.

Retro signs give me design inspiration. I want every retro font in the world.
I need to find a creative way to organize my ribbon. Anyone have some good ideas?

I also went to a strange estate sale. There was an outside dealer selling very expensive jewelry there. It wasn't part of the estate sale, but she had set up in a back bedroom. Her prices were high, and she was also very pushy. I found it extremely annoying. I guess these colorful characters make the hunt for vintage all the more interesting. And I did find a few cool items for the Fisheye shop. The teak fish will just be a prop for my item photos. I like it. It matches my Danish modern fish plate I've been using.

Because last week was so stressful, I thought it would be fun to have an impromptu game night to distract myself from my troubles. It's always nice to laugh and be silly with your favorite people. It helps to keep other things in perspective. We played the name game wherein each participant writes down 5 names (celebrities, political figures, book characters, etc.) to put into a bowl. Then, you take turns pulling out the names and trying to get your teammates to guess them. The first round is with words, second round with Charades, and third round is with one word only. It got completely hilarious and had the desired effect of distracting me and cheering me up. There is something about game night that seems particularly festive and nice around the holidays. Especially if it's accompanied by hot chocolate with Baileys and marshmallows. Diana's blog gave me the idea.

Now just one more week! I can do it!!

cardigans are a teacher's best friend

2011-12-09T17:15:00.000-07:00

I've always loved cardigans. But lately, I rely on them more, since I need to cover my arms for work. Plus, it's been completely frigid out.

Sources: Miss Farfalla, Thrush, Ginger Root Vintage

I just can't help but love them because they look so very academic.

Sources: LuncheonetteVintage, Moonand Soda, AllenCompany Vintage

All of these are vintage and come from various Etsy shops. I'd like a cardigan in every color.

Sources: Thrush,RedsThreads Vintage, SalvageLife

Sources: R einvintage,PullOver the Car, MagnoliaVintage Co

Instead, I'll settle for a little apple necklace, by Sarah Coventry, which I purchased for myself from this Etsy shop. I thought it would be the perfect memento to celebrate finally finishing my teaching program. I just have to finish grading a stack of 50 essays, teach on Monday, do my final review on Wednesday, and I'm done!!!! Hopefully, we'll actually be able to get a Christmas tree up soon. What are you doing this weekend?

typewriters and turntables, of the vintage variety

2011-12-07T10:41:00.001-07:00

I recently watched part of a Woody Allen documentary where he talked about how he's been using the same typewriter for 30 years. He writes every screenplay and every joke on it. I've been dreaming of a vintage typewriter for my little office- not just for decoration- but to use. I think it would be fun to write letters with, etc. Obviously, they look really cool too. And they remind me of Charlie from Perks of Being a Wallflower.

{Sources: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven}

My other dream piece of vintage equipment would be a portable turntable for the office. I have a really small office... I don't really know where all of this would go, even in my dream world, but I think it would be super fun to have. We have a record player in the sunroom. But it's my husband's so it's covered in skateboarding and punk rock stickers that say things like "strip clubs, not strip malls!" ...Not really very "me." So... mine would be orange, teal, or mint green. Something like this one. Only in my dreams... But they are still fun to look at.

iconic musician costume ideas

2011-12-06T20:33:00.000-07:00

I was going to go to a rock and roll themed birthday party on Saturday night but didn't make it because of the weather. It's too bad because I had some fun costume ideas. Based on a) coolness, b) fashion fun, and c) who I actually thought I could pull off, I was trying to decide between the following:

{source}

I think another rock-themed party is in order. Maybe for New Year's Eve?

Who would you have dressed as?

weekend stuff

2011-12-04T20:30:00.000-07:00

My weekend was pretty uneventful. I graded a pile of freshmen essays and tried to use fun colors, listen to good music, and drink tea to break it up a bit.

Annabelle kept me company in the office. It snowed a lot on Saturday. I graded beside my space heater, looked through the window at the falling snow, and tried to avoid worrying about everything I have to do in the next two weeks. But I worried anyway. I've been trying to think less about the future and to focus more on the present. It's really hard to do. I'm not at all religious, but I started to think about the serenity prayer. I like this part of it:

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Acceptinghardships as the pathway to peace

I think I am going to turn it into a little banner and put it above my desk as a daily reminder to live in the present.

Friday we went to Vine Street with friends for dinner and scrabble. These activities keep me sane. They remind me that even if the world were to fall apart around me, I have friends and family, little moments of laughter and total happiness. On our way home, we drove by the Jesus Saves shelter in downtown Denver. There were entirely too many people standing in line outside, trying to keep warm. It put my worries into perspective a little.

It snowed a lot on Saturday, so I opted to stay in. I was going to drive out to a friend's rock and roll themed birthday party. It would have been fun-- I had a couple of good costume ideas. Maybe next time?

I think the best thing about this weekend was getting enough accomplished that I've finally begun to get genuinely excited about finishing the semester. I also went and bought myself a spiffy blazer and pair of heels for my interview. That always helps. I think I have more to look forward to than I allow myself to acknowledge. New Year's resolution number one: stop preparing myself for the worst. It's okay to believe that things might be wonderful.

things that make me happy

2011-12-01T09:47:00.001-07:00

{image source}

1. One of my supervising teachers put string lights all over her classroom for the holidays. String lights make me happy.

2. The other morning as I was driving to work, I started thinking about how bummed out I've been about this whole thing ending and about not yet having a job. But I was listening to Cee-Lo Green's cover of No One's Gonna Love You by Band of Horses. I absolutely love the original as well. It just made me really happy to listen to a beautiful song on my beautiful drive into work. Music can have such a strong effect on me sometimes. I began to think about how thankful I am for the experience I've had this semester. It's been one of the hardest but one of the most rewarding things I've done.

3. I had my last observation yesterday. It was a weird day, full of quirks, bad news, and mistakes. I even saw a mouse run across the floor of the office I've been using at school and screamed in front of my advisor, "A MOUSE! I knew there was a mouse!" Anyway, in spite of all the unplanned and annoying things that happened during my lesson he observed, he told me, "I think you are going to make a really good teacher." He's sort of a hard-ass, so I took it as a compliment. He also said, "I know it'll be difficult, but do your best to enjoy these last few weeks of student teaching." He's right. It will be hard, but I am going to try to enjoy this time. Sometimes someone says one thing that resonates with you, and you can just keep it in the back of your mind to pull out when you need it.

4. There is only one English position posted for next semester at all of the high schools within an hour's drive of my house. Somehow I found it the night before the applications were due. Let.Me.Tell.You. Those district applications are long. They involve a lot of writing, uploading transcripts, resume, cover letter, essay questions, and three letters of recommendation. I struggled to complete it and somehow managed to get it in in the nick of time. Getting the job is a long shot, but I was called for an interview! That made me happy. Even though it's a competitive market and I'm not likely to get the position, the phone call was just what I needed to remind me that someday, somewhere, I will be teaching. It may not be for a while, but it'll happen eventually.

my conflicting feelings on gift-giving

2011-11-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

Here is my conflicting position on holiday gift-giving: on the one hand, I really dislike the stress surrounding holiday shopping. It's not just the crowds I hate, it's the pressure to spend lots of money on material things. I don't care what your beliefs are, buying tons of stuff shouldn't be the focus of any holiday season. Friends, family, rest, enjoyment: these are more valuable things to dwell on during the holidays. Sometimes we lose sight of that.

When I really start thinking about the pressure our society places on consuming material items during December, I start to consider scratching gifts altogether. Seriously, I do this every year. This year I stayed home on Black Friday. The next day I went to the Disabled American Veterans thrift store and spent less than $10. And that has been the extent of my holiday shopping thus far. However, (and here is where my conflict comes in), I really do enjoy giving gifts. I do! I like finding a little something that will make a friend happy. I even like wrapping it up. I just find it really enjoyable. I've always been like that. I also like sending things in the mail. It's nice to give someone a little something.

I wanted to make a pledge to completely avoid large corporations this holiday season. But I just don't think I can stick to that promise. Just being honest. So I've been thinking about other ways to create in a less materialistic holiday experience.

{for links to the above items, check out the entire treasury list}

These are just a few ways to get around spending mass amounts of money and hours at the mall: make things by hand, complete acts of service instead of giving physical gifts, shop at thrift stores, or support locally owned small businesses. Even if you're not an artist or a seamstress, you can probably make a mixed tape or bake some cupcakes. And if you're not into making something by hand, I've listed 10 reasons to shop Etsy for the holidays because I've got to be honest, I feel better about buying something from Etsy than from Walmart.

TEN REASONS

to shop Etsy for the holidays:

1. You can run a search for local sellers so that you are shopping local.

2. It's a great way to support small business.

3. Etsy supports artists. Many artists are able to do what they love for a living because of Etsy.

4. Purchasing vintage is a great way to recycle and re-use.

5. Etsy fosters community. Most of my online friends and fellow bloggers I've met through Etsy. I've found that rather than being competitive, Etsians are supportive and helpful.

6. Etsy supports women in business.

7. If you've ever purchased something from Etsy before, you've probably noticed that your items are packaged with love and personality. There is a person on the other end creating gift tags, wrapping items with recycled materials, and standing in line at the post office to make sure you get something nice in the mail.

8. Etsy sellers take their business seriously, so if you are unhappy for any reason, they'll do their best to remedy the situation.

9. Etsy items are unique.

10. There are so many RAD things on Etsy.

I know that sometimes it's difficult to avoid shopping at big corporations, but I really do prefer to support small businesses when possible. And here is a list of some of my favorite Etsy shops. Only some of them. I have so many:
{list}

Etsy shop owner? Feel free to provide a link to your shop in the comments so that we can check it out.

weekend stuff

2011-11-28T18:13:00.001-07:00

This weekend was full of grading and beginning the grueling process of applying for jobs. I was trying to prepare for going back to school, but nothing could have prepared me for waking up at 5:30AM this morning after a whole week of sleeping in. On the bright side, the drive in was absolutely stunning.

I tried to fit in a few fun things over the weekend, including seeing the Muppet movie, which was awesome. I adore Jason Segel, the jokes were funny, and the songs were great-- I believe some were even written by the guys from Flight of the Concords. I also really appreciated the overall messages. Ironically, the Muppets helped to restore my faith in humanity. Anyway, it was definitely worth it. You have to go see it. Especially if you are a 70s baby or anyone else who grew up on Muppets.

On Friday, we went up to Boulder to have dinner with Kara for her birthday at Radda Trattoria. One of my favorite things in the world is spending a few hours eating, drinking, and talking with friends. If it's in a good restaurant, all the better. Kara and her parents met in Boulder for Thanksgiving. It was good to see and spend time with her, but it made me miss her more. Alison and I spent the second half of dinner trying to convince her to move back soon. It probably annoyed her more than anything else, but at least she knows she's loved. You can read about the initial move to Boston here.

I have a lot going on in the next 3 weeks: applying for jobs, finishing my Teacher Work Sample, my final review, and of course, grading. Piles and piles of grading. Thankfully, there is a light at the end of the tunnel: I'll finally get my teaching license! My mom keeps reminding me that this is really the worst part of it all. I've been trying to keep that in mind on the harder days.

Hope you all have a good week. And go see The Muppets! Right now.

"Someday we'll find it, that rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me."
-Kermit the Frog

i've changed my name!

2011-11-25T11:11:00.001-07:00

I hope you like it. I've had a bit of blog schizophrenia over the past month or two and finally realized I was just really tired of the name (My So-Called Denver). I didn't want it to have "Denver" in the title anymore. Also, because this is my personal blog, I didn't want the name to be so similar to my Etsy shop (My So-Called Vintage). Just a personal preference. I know people don't like change, and believe it or not, I prefer consistency on a blog as well. But sometimes a little change is necessary. I may continue to tweak the design a bit, but this is the new name, like it or not. It's here to stay. I promise. I hope you'll continue to read. I am very thankful for the blog friends I've made over the past few years.

Oh yeah, and in case you're curious, the new name is a lyric from my favorite Joni Mitchell song, "A Case of You." It worked out because nearly every title I thought of had the word "paint" in the title. I also look at several of my dad's paintings for inspiration. "Midnight Mouse" was among my ideas, but it was taken. It's really hard to find a blogspot address and a dot com that are both available! I somehow started thinking about Joni Mitchell lyrics, and settled on "a box of paint," which I thought sounded nicer than "box of paints."

Oh I am a lonely painter
I live in a box of paints
I'm frightened by the devil
And I'm drawn to those ones that ain't afraid

You can still get here via the old url. I'm very happy that Google partnered up with GoDaddy and created such a streamlined way to purchase a domain name and redirect your blog to your new url. And the new color scheme was inspired by my office decor- mostly blues and greens, and a bit of pink and orange in the mix. Anyhow, hope you all had a good Thanksgiving! I look forward to getting caught up on my blog reading. Happy weekend.

Okay! That's all.

thrifty finds #29: owls and earrings

2011-11-21T18:43:00.001-07:00

I like vintage enamel earrings in pretty colors.

I found a bunch of owls.

Isn't he cute?

Updating the shop this week now that I finally have a bit of time. If I get enough grading done, I'll be adding some vintage photos and perhaps a vintage Nikon to the Fisheye shop. Happy holidays.

weekend stuff

2011-11-20T20:08:00.001-07:00

This weekend was a good one. My vacation started on Friday. I took my two cooperating teachers out for happy hour after school, which was very fun. Saturday morning was a baking and cleaning frenzy. I hosted our book club on Saturday night. The book was Stargirl, so I came up with some star-themed treats.

I bought star cookie cutters and a star candy mold to top the cupcakes with candy stars.

I attempted to make some carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting... Attempted about three times. But they just wouldn't rise (yes, I added the right amount of baking soda). Carrot cake is my favorite, and the frosting was so delicious that I really need to find another altitude-friendly carrot cake recipe to try again. My sister experienced a similar problem with the recipe, so perhaps altitude was not the issue.

Fortunately, the cookies turned out. And I had two types of frosting for them. Yum.

The drinks were good too. I made a modified Crantini, as well as a Swedish hot spiced wine, called glogg. When I lived in Spain, we used to go to a Scandinavian bar for their glogg in the winter. I've linked a recipe for interested parties. I definitely want to make it again. It's like hot, spicy sangria. What could be better at this time of year?

Kara is visiting from Boston for the holiday, so she came over early and we had some time to catch up. I am still scheming about getting her back to Colorado. I think 2012 is going to be the year.

{my new sparkly headband, which I wore and loved}

I'm excited to have this week off. I spent most of today sleeping. I think I have some major sleep debt. This week I've got piles of grading to do, I need to finish my teacher work sample, apply for my license, look for jobs, and do a million other things, but I'm excited to sleep in, to eat turkey, to thrift, to work on Etsy, and to hang out with friends and family. Ah, holidays. If only there were more of them. What will you be doing this week?

Playlist for the night (nearly all of this music I've discovered through my awesome brother, Scott):
1. Sweet Jane: Cowboy Junkies
2. Welcome Home, Son: Radical Face
3. I've Got a Feeling: The Besnard Lakes
4. Wedding Bells: Lissie
5. Pursuit of Happiness: Lissie
6. New Tradition: Company
7. Lola: Cud
8. T.K.: Clinic
9. Seven Nation Army: Nostalgia 77
10. Crying: T.V. on the Radio
11. Little Girl: Dark Night of the Soul, featuring Julian Casablancas
12. I Walk the Earth: King Buscuit Time
13. Infinity Guitars: Sleigh Bells
14. Rill Rill: Sleigh Bells
15. Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me: The Pipettes
16. Seven Nation Army: Ben (L'Oncle Soul)
17. Can't Stand Me Now: The Libertines
18. Lights Out: Santogold
19. Single Ladies: Pomplamoose
20. Gangsta: tUnE-yArDs
21. That's My Bitch: Jay-Z and Kanye West
22. More Than a Feeling: Boston (this song doesn't totally fit in, but it got Bess singing)
23. No One's Gonna Love You: Cee-Lo Green
24. Stop Stomp-Stompin': The Coathangers
25. Whip It: Devo
26. Bad Reputation: The Hit Girls
27. Oh Bondage, Up Yours!: X-Ray Spex
28. A Mihna Menina: Os Muntantes

favorite blogs?

2011-11-17T19:41:00.001-07:00

{random photo I took in my neighborhood today}

I've been so busy this semester that I haven't been reading other blogs as regularly as I used to. I also haven't had as much time to explore the blogosphere to discover new blogs. Reading blogs is one of my favorite ways to spend my Saturday mornings. I'll finally have a little bit of time over the break to catch up on my blog reading. What are your favorite blogs of the moment? Please share them with me. I'd love to find some new reads. I also wonder sometimes if blogging tends to be something that women do more than men. Or maybe I just haven't run across as many male blogs that interest me. Are there fewer male bloggers out there? Or are men just blogging about things outside of my personal interests?

In any case, I am very excited for some free time. Yay! This weekend I'll be hosting the book club at my house. I've already made some candy stars to top the cupcakes, and I've made an awesome playlist with lots of good girl-power songs. My friend, Kara, will be in town to join us too. Lots to look forward to this weekend. I can't wait. Yip, yip!
I know that doesn't make sense, but I still like to say it... Yip!

the end is near

2011-11-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

The semester is nearing an end, and I am pretty heartbroken about leaving mystudents. I love them. I’ve learned so much about them, especially during this last unit because I allowed them to do a lot of creative writing. In my freshmen classes, we focused on identity,on the things that make us who we are—ethnicity, gender, religion, family, age,etc. The main focus was theliterature we were reading, but the students kept journals where they respondedto relevant but slightly more personal prompts. I collected their journals over the weekendand learned so many fascinating things about all of them. I discovered thatsome of my students feel like outcasts at school because they aren’t skinny,pretty, or popular enough. Some of them have parents from other countries that expect them to achieve academic perfection. Some of them have parents in jail or siblings with AIDS. Some of them feel extremely close totheir family members, while others can’t wait to move far away.

{on the wall of one of my classes. It brings me back to high school}

As a final project, my students expanded one of these journals into a personal essay that they read aloud to the class. It was really neat for me to see each one of them share a piece of themselves with me and with their classmates. Many of them continue to publish their writing on our class blog. These kids constantly inspire and amaze me. They make me laugh a lot too.

{student artwork for our Antigone unit}

I feel good about what I've accomplished in the past year and a half, and while I'm excited to finish this program, I'm also really nervous. There simply aren't many jobs out there. It's an odd time of year, and there have been additional cuts to education. I might be able to substitute teach here and there, but I really need a full-time job with benefits. I've been trying my hardest to avoid worrying about things I cannot control. It's just not that easy to do. I need an income, and I want to be teaching full-time. I feel ready to pour my energy into lesson planning, teaching literature, mentoring students, and even grading piles of papers. I've been happier teaching than I've ever been with any other job.

{sock puppet above my desk, complete with a feather earring left behind by a freshman girl}

I suppose I should feel fortunate that I've finally found a career path I love and that I was able to go back to school to obtain the necessary credentials. I just can't help but feel nervous as I face the unknown. And to make matters worse, the idea of not seeing my students after this semester really just breaks my heart a little. I've come to know and adore them. I am proud of them. And this is one of the things I really enjoy about high school teaching that I never experienced teaching college. You see your students more often; they stick around longer. You really get to know them and to watch them evolve. It's incredibly rewarding. I’ve learned a lot from my students this semester. I hope they’ve learned something from me too.

{at my favorite family-run market down the street from the school}

I just keep trying to remind myself that there is a job for me out there. It may not come right away, but someday I'll have my own classroom, my own students, and a little place carved out for me to do what I love everyday.

some tips for etsy photography

2011-11-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

I was looking back at some older photos of my Etsy items. I think my photos have come a long way. I still have a lot room for improvement though, and I’m always practicing because a) I enjoy photography and b) I think great photos are the key to a successful Etsy shop.

I am in no way a professional photographer. It’s just a hobby for me. It’s something I love to do for fun, and now it’s become a part of my “job.” I did take several photography classes in college, (like old-school analogue photography, where you roll and develop your own film), which I’m sure has helped a bit. But what has helped most has been practice, practice, practice. Here are some of the things I’ve learned along the way:

Some Tips:

1. You don’t need an expensive camera; however, if you are trying to photograph items up close, you definitely need a camera with a good macro setting or one that allows you to make some manual adjustments. It's okay to have a shallow depth of field, (see how the necklace above is in focus, but the chain behind it is not?), but you don't want a bunch of blurry photos.

2. Natural light is always best. If I don’t have natural light, I simply wait until I do. Natural lighting creates shadows that give photos depth. Unless you are experienced with lighting and studio photography, it’s hard to get good contrast in artificial light.

3. Find a neutral background. A neutral background with a little bit of character or with a unique look is ideal. A neutral background is also more likely to get your items in treasuries. And a neutral background detracts less from the item itself. You can go buy two pieces of think white poster board to create a really easy homemade light box for photographing your items. It’s also easy to move so that you can follow your light source or even take it outside.

4. On the topic of backgrounds- try to use the same one or alternate between a couple that look nice together so that your shop has a cohesive look and feel. I've provided some shop examples below.

5. You should photograph each item from different angles; however, I always look for the “money shot.” This is the prettiest, most aesthetically appealing picture that will make someone want to click on the item. It doesn’t have to be the most representative image. It just has to be an attention-grabber.

6. I try to take the best photo possible and then only Photoshop what is necessary to save time. Cropping, upping the contrast, and brightening a photo are some of the easiest ways to improve a photo’s appearance for Etsy.

7. Etsy does its own cropping, so that is something to keep in mind when you select your first image. Someday, I have a feeling Etsy will update so that you can drag to create your own cropping (like you can with your Facebook profile pic). For now, you've got to work with their default shape and size.

8. Create a Flickr account where you can store some of your best photos and also attract new customers. It's also a nice way to track your improvement with photo technique.

If you have your own shop, you probably know all of this already. Feel free to add to my list in the comment section. And those of you who photograph clothing have a whole other set of issues to deal with—real models? Body forms? Hangers? Wrinkles. Yikes! Seems stressful. I commend you for your efforts. Seriously.

And here are some of my favorite Etsy shops. They have stunning items and beautiful photography that is simple, clear, and cohesive.

{am radio}

This shop makes a rustic saw blade look gorgeous. Impressive.

{every eskimo}
This shop often adds succulents and greenery to the accent their items.

{thrush}

I love the boot on top of the wooden crate.

{dear golden}
Someday I'll find a beautiful vintage dress form like these.

Have your own Etsy shop? Feel free to provide a link to it in the comments so that we can check it out.

penelope

2011-11-13T09:07:00.001-07:00

Sometimes serious.

Sometimes silly.

Always a dachshund.

And on a totally random note, if you need something good to read, my book club is reading Stargirl next. Grab it and read it with us.

deer for the holidays

2011-11-10T10:07:00.001-07:00

For the holidays, I'd love to put little, vintage deer all around the house. I have a couple in my office but always seem to find more I love on Etsy. Some of these are vases, some are bookends, some are planters. Others are just figurines for decoration. I love them all.

Which is your favorite?

{1. green doe and fawn vase, 2. vintage blue pottery deer, 3. mid-century cream ceramic deer, 4. yellow deer ceramic planter, 5. rare stuffed polka dot toy deer, 6. large vintage brass deer figurine, 7. vintage 1970s Blue Mountain Pottery deer, 8. 1950s Japanese ceramic deer figurine, 9. modernist Austrian 1960s deer, 10. pink and blue retro deer figurine, 11. wooden deer bookend, 12. honeysuckle pink deer, 13. vintage paint by number framed deer, 14. vintage baby deer figurine}

home sweet home

2011-11-07T21:22:00.005-07:00

The other day I felt very frustrated with the back of our house. It was added on to the main part of the house, (built in 1948), in the early 70s. I'm sure I've complained about it before. But we had to turn on the heat back there and everything smelled a little weird. And then I began to obsess over the gross carpet, how it never seems to get clean, how I wish it were hardwood... how I can't replace it with wood until I get a job, how much I need a job... and so it goes. The truth is, however, I feel very, very lucky to have a home. It's not a perfect house, but it's my house. I love all of the original details in the front part of the house: the floor, the doorbell chimes, the molding, etc.

I love that we still have so many of the original fixtures- the light fixtures from the late 40s- early 50s, the porcelain switch plates.

Our tiny chandelier, the French doors leading into the sunroom.

Our crazy retro bathroom, for which I've found matching hand towels, and a bathroom-themed print in turquoise and brown.

My vintage decor fits in perfectly. I am thankful I have a nice little place to call home, especially at this time of year. I am very fortunate.

thrifty finds: vintage watches #28

2011-11-06T20:01:00.002-07:00

If you know how much I love vintage watches, then you can understand how excited I was to find a Ziploc bag containing 20 of them at an antique mall. Some of them were in pretty bad shape, but I was able to find several gorgeous mid-century watches still in tact.

These two are sort of fancy and would be a nice "something old" for a bride.

This face is so lovely and intricate. I need to attach it to a band or turn it into a pendant for a necklace.

I'm a big fan of gold vintage jewelry, but I was happy to find so many silver watches in the bag. They are harder to come by. I really like the shape of this face.

Pretty, aren't they? Definitely my best thrifty find in the past month. And when I have some free time, (maybe over Thanksgiving break), I'd like to turn some of the faces with missing bands into upcycled watch necklaces.

*These will be in the shop soon.

things that make me happy.

2011-11-05T10:57:00.008-06:00

1. Having creative friends. My friend, Kayla, embroidered this book cover as a part of a contest. Isn't it awesome? I love having creative friends. It keeps me inspired. Also, I am going to force her to stitch me a wiener dog. To help her win the contest, you can visit the Flickr page and leave a comment.

2. Paint by numbers with glitter! My husband brought this home for me from Target just because. It made my day.

*I bought myself some nice pens to make grading less of a drag.

3. I had a completely exhausting week at school, (more parent-teacher conferences, staff meetings, and observations), but I still love it. That is a good feeling. I love talking about books and literature, and I love my students. They make me happy. It's going to be really hard for me to leave this school. I've become very attached.

november: what i'm looking forward to

2011-11-01T15:35:00.004-06:00

*What does this photo have to do with this post? Nothing. It's just to show you the progress of my "rad wall" -- the wall above my desk. I still need to hang my Pretty Little Thieves print and my camera embroidery, but it's coming along.

I think that November is going to be a good month. I can't believe it's already here. This fall has gone by faster than ever before, mainly because I've been so insanely busy with student teaching. So here are some things I'm looking forward to in November:

1. Turkey and cranberry sauce. I love Thanksgiving dinner. Maybe even more than sushi.

2. Thanksgiving Break will be my first vacation in so long. We don't even have Veteran's Day off. I cannot wait for a real vacation.

3. Kara is coming out to visit from Boston. Yay!!!

4. Snow, tea, and cold weather. It's easier to stay inside reading and grading when you can bundle up and drink some hot tea. It's supposed to snow tonight. I'm not looking forward to the long drive to school, but it makes more sense to be totally immersed in school when the weather's bad.

5. We are ending this big unit on identity and House on Mango Street, and I'll get to hear my students read their personal essays. I'm excited for that.

6. I am hosting November's book club. We are reading Stargirl. I think it's going to be a good month.

fill in the blank friday

2011-10-29T09:17:00.007-06:00

It's been a long time since I've done Fill in the Blank Friday. But it's the weekend before Halloween, so it felt like a festive and appropriate post.

*Old photo of me photoshopped by Scott. Used the same one last year on my Halloween blanks.

1. When I was a kid I wanted to be a children's book writer and illustrator when I grew up.

2. As an adult, my dream job would be an English teacher and Etsy shop owner. So, basically, I just need a real paying teaching job and I'll be set. I think graphic design is really fun too, but I don't know if I'd like to do it as a career (I mean, even if I had the experience and credentials). I think it would be really hard to come up with a design you liked only to have your client tell you they want something that looks bad... Not sure how designers do it. But it's definitely creative and oh-so-fun.

3. W hen I was younger I wanted to be just like Vicky from She's a Small Wonder. She was a robot, and it was a really dumb show. I also always wanted to be like my brother, Scott. Is that weird? Because he's a guy.

4. The childhood Halloween costume that I remember most was when I was a witch because I like the photo (above). My mom made all of my Halloween costumes and I usually had an identical one for my Cabbage Patch doll, a little redhead named Callie Liz.

5. My favorite childhood toy was my Barbie dolls. But I always really loved drawing, painting, and writing stories too. And I played outside a lot with the other neighborhood kids, building forts, bossing them around, you know.

6. The time I got into the biggest amount of trouble when I was a kid was when I I got suspended in high school. I won't tell you what for. But it was a pretty nerdy infraction, to be honest. And it wasn't for cheating!

7. I get daily inspiration from my students, Etsy, blogger friends.

If you'd like to fill in your own blanks, visit Lauren at The Little Things We Do and follow her instructions.

more twins: online art picks #51

2011-10-27T20:44:00.008-06:00

{Colorful Conversation}

I have a strange obsession with twin art. That is one of the many weird things about me. I've posted various pieces from Pretty Little Thieves in the past because she's got some especially cool twins (above). I finally broke down and bought a little print from her for my office (below). I am excited to frame it and hang it above my desk. I am slowly creating my "rad wall," which will host the items that make me happy and that I love to look at. I want to print and frame some of the old photos of my parents and put them up there too.

Jealous? It's like a whole cluster of twins!

If you'd like to see some additional twin art, here are some older posts containing more awesomeness.

weekend stuff

2011-10-24T17:11:00.013-06:00

This weekend Melisa and Nick had a fall party at their new house near the Santa Fe Arts District. It was fun to get out and see friends. I know these photos are pretty blurry, but I didn't bring my real camera over to Melisa's. So this is all you get. Even still, I like the colors in them. Especially with that weird, pink chair in that weird, little hallway. The chair is an antique. It belonged to Melisa's grandmother, and I think I'm going to steal it.

*Aaron, Bess & Jared

Everyone drooled over their house. It has a great, big dining room that leads into an awesome kitchen. They've got ten-foot ceilings, which is something that you just don't get in a 1948 ranch house, unfortunately.

*Marissa and Kayla

I think this might be my favorite photo ever of Kayla. Her mid-century necklace looks good with the vintage chair, does it not? The same peach hues. Very pretty.

All of the bookworms were there, so we were able to discuss our next book club meeting, what we might be drinking, and what we might be wearing- Halloween costumes! Can you guess what we'll be dressing as? I'll give you a hint: it's book-related but not nearly as exciting as you might think.

The rest of my weekend was spent grading, planning, and cleaning. Nothing really photo-worthy. Y vosotros? What did you people do this weekend?

things that make me happy

2011-10-22T11:01:00.007-06:00

Oh my. This was a hard week for me. I had my midterm review on Tuesday but had to reschedule it because I was rear-ended on the highway driving to school. Somehow, it got me all shook up and anxious. Everything else this week that would ordinarily seem like no big deal turned into a big deal. You ever have those kinds of weeks?

When you are completely sleep-deprived, it's really hard to be a good teacher. And if it's important to you to be a good teacher, then not doing your best makes you feel worse and worse. And so the downward spiral goes...

Fortunately, the week ended on a good note. My midterm review was rescheduled for Friday. It went really well. My advisor and both of my cooperating teachers gave me some very nice compliments. But even more satisfying, were the discussions I had with my freshmen over their outside novels. I had them do an activity on relating all of the books they are reading on their own to The House on Mango Street. I wasn't sure how it would go over, but I was pleasantly surprised at how seriously they took it. I was so proud that they are actually doing the reading on their own, enjoying it, and making connections among the novels. It reminded me of everything I love about teaching. In tandem with the reading, the students are writing their own personal essays. I conferenced with each of them and loved reading about their lives and getting to know them through their writing. I discovered that one of my students is expected to have an arranged marriage. Another didn't speak at all until the first grade. One of my shyest students wants to be an actress. Another really shy kid does stand-up comedy in his Speech and Debate class. Who knew? These kids have stories to tell. They are eager to learn. I absolutely love my job and feel so very lucky to be working with this particular set of students. They inspire me to read and write, to be creative, and to work hard for them.

*Hanging out with some of your best friends at a good bar with a beautiful view is another nice way to shake off the week's woes. This is how I coped with my car accident- with a Moscow Mule and some lady time.

*I know this is a very grainy photo, but it was dark in there. And sometimes I like grainy photos. They look... old.

thrifty finds #27

2011-10-20T18:43:00.010-06:00

Fortunately, my most recent thrifting trip was less gross than the last :) I also stayed far away from the lingerie. I found this beautiful, little Trifari bow brooch. Still trying to decided whether I should turn it into a necklace or sell it as is.

I really love this vintage Timex watch. The band is sparkly. And I decided that like taking photos of jewelry on top of this pretty book cover.

This is just a necklace I made over the weekend out of some vintage pearls, a vintage brooch, and some newer chain. It's pretty fancy- would make a good bridal necklace.

I think this ring looks like little gold bones. I also got a jade cluster cocktail ring but I don't really like the way it photographed, so I didn't post it on the blog. If you are a jade-lover, check the shop for it.

P.S. I am SOOO glad it's Friday. This has been a hard week. Got in a car accident on my way to my midterm review Tuesday (not my fault) and had the shakes all day. The very next day, my window decided it no longer wanted to roll up, so I took it to the shop. $360 dollars to fix it. My poor little car. Such a piece of junk. Just fighting to hang on until I get a real job. Hope you all have a good weekend. I'll be sleeping in.

my new favorite thing.

2011-10-19T08:58:00.006-06:00

I'd wanted a piece of Flex Family Art embroidery before I even knew who Amanda and James were. After featuring her jackalope and other circus-themed pieces here, I ran across her blog and was able to stalk her properly. I finally got lucky enough to win a tiny embroidered deer in a giveaway. And then James came up with this awesome Argus camera pattern for their All Night Diner shop. I broke down and bought it as a little treat to myself for finishing the big section of my Teacher Work Sample. At least, that's how I'm justifying it.

It came in the prettiest wrapping, and I am thrilled to put it up on the wall next to my deer. Someday, the jackalope will join them. And maybe even Johnny Cash or the Log Lady too. If you haven't already checked out Amanda's blog (Flex Family Arts) go have a look. She and James are two very creative people. And nice too! Aaron asked me, "How do you know they're nice? You've never met them." But I feel like I have... Is that weird?

And it even looks a little bit like my tattoo. I love it!

weekend stuff

2011-10-17T07:20:00.002-06:00

This weekend was pretty nice. The biggest part of my Teacher Work Sample was due on Friday night. Luckily, I had Friday off, so I spent the better part of the day working on it. All 45 pages of it... Aaron took the day off too and it almost felt like summer- both of us home on a weekday.

I took a break from my work and got a haircut. It was nice to get a mini head massage.

About 10 minutes after submitting my big project, I hopped in the shower and we ran out to dinner at Jeff and Anna's.

Anna made delicious tostadas for us. Her house is one of my favorites. She's a vintage collector and seller, and I pretty much want to steal everything they have. I got to see her little workspace office and got some good ideas for how to organize my own space. I'd like to go over there with my camera someday.

She also made a pumpkin cake with frosting. So good. I could have eaten the whole thing.

Luna is a doll. And she's got a lot of personality. When she gets really silly, she reminds me of me when I was little.

On Sunday I had a lot time to myself because Aaron went on an all-day golf outing with his soccer team. I got a pile of grading done, went thrift shopping, bought some ribbon for Etsy packaging, and stopped my this outdoor flea market sale by Linger that Anna told me about. I didn't find anything, but it was nice to be outside on such a beautiful fall day. And this is one of my favorite neighborhoods in all of Denver. How was your weekend?

Oh, and by the way, what do you think of the enormous photo sizes on this post? I usually choose the "large" size and this time went for "XL." They seem rather big, but maybe I am just not used to the size. I wish there were something in between. I especially don't like to see my face this up-close, but I really do prefer larger photos on blogs. What do you think?

happy birthday, big brother

2011-10-16T11:18:00.007-06:00

It's my biggest brother's birthday today. I sent him a wiener dog pez dispenser in the mail, but I wanted to do a little post in his honor as well. Scott is 10 years older than I am, but we've always been extremely close. We have a lot in common either because I've looked up to him and copied him or because we're wired the same. I don't know which.

*Baby Scott

I love him because he does weird dances around the house, because he always knows which music I will love.

*Dad and Scott

He is probably the smartest person I know. He is sensitive and thoughtful. And he's really, really funny.

*Scott and Christina

He is extraordinarily creative and artistic. Every time I go to Tim's house, he points Scott's painting on the wall and tells people, "Scott's the one that got all of Dad's artistic talent."

Happy birthday, Scott. I love you a whole lot.
But get that cigarette out of your hand!

things that make me happy

2011-10-13T21:33:00.002-06:00

1. I talked to my sister on the phone and complained about how busy I am, how Aaron is gone, and I barely have time to make something to eat for myself. She invited me to come over for dinner, (which I couldn't do because she lives in Kentucky), and asked my niece, "Shouldn't Courtney get on a plane and come over for dinner?" Lutece wanted to know if I was really coming over for dinner. She is so cute. I miss those little monkeys, and I like hearing their voices.

2. I have one student who was giving me some problems towards the beginning of the semester. He never stops talking, he can't sit still, and he's constantly throwing his pencil, hitting his neighbors, or pulling someone's hair. Freshmen boys... they take so long to mature. I've moved him twice, much to his dismay. He now sits right in front next to my desk. He still can't sit still, but I think I've finally won him over. Yesterday he walked up to me and said, "I read my outside novel last night. The whole thing. I just didn't have any homework... It was good. It was really funny." He read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. I'm glad I chose to let them choose an outside book. Sometimes you just need to find the right book for a kid.

3. Haircut! It's been so long! I am getting my hair cut tomorrow, and I can't wait. Still trying to grow out these bangs. We'll see if I'm able to successfully avoid cutting them this time around. We'll see.

thrifty finds #26

2011-10-11T16:57:00.008-06:00

These thrifty finds are from a couple of weeks ago and from two separate trips. I did go thrifting this weekend; however, it was not a successful trip. It was raining out on Saturday, (which I liked), and my favorite thrift store was crowded as all get out, (which I did not like). It was also full of hipsters. This leads me to believe that someone blogged about it and leaked it to the Denver hipster public. Good thing I have lots of other spots. I found a few cute, vintage slips. As I was running my fingers over one checking for stains, I found a pube. A pube! Stuck to the slip! And down in the nether region too! I got so grossed out, I put all of them back on the rack, I went home, and washed my hands. Maybe I need a stronger stomach. If you have a grosser thrifting story, I'd like to know about it.
In any event, I'm glad I found the three above items earlier this month. Aren't they pretty? I love vintage watches.

weekend stuff & a winner!

2011-10-10T06:29:00.004-06:00

The giveaway winner was Heather from 29 Skirts! She also happens to have one of my favorite personal style blogs ever, so stop over and check it out.

It was Bess's birthday this week, so we went out for Mexican food on Friday night to celebrate.

El Noa Noa is down on Santa Fe where the art walk happens the first Friday of every month. It was a little hard to find parking because of all the art walkers, but it wasn't too crowded in the restaurant. I like going to El Noa Noa in the summer. They've got a great, big patio.

A bad picture of me, but proof that I was there! I was too tired to art walk and so spacey that I forgot Bess's gift. Sigh. Anyhow, it was nice to get out and see some friends. What did your weekend consist of?