• Camelias are blooming and there are buds on some trees in Richmond!

• Warmer weather makes me want to eat like this every day.

• Like spirograph designs, I am really digging this string work for a wall. It would take a bit of time to map out a perfect circle and place all the nails neatly but it is so flippin neat and you could do any type of design in any color.

via

• I love wall decals and I love rodents. These are adorable!

via - buy them here

get these here! I just got 2!

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• Alzheimer’s. It sucks beyond anything I thought that sucked could suck. My mom is experiencing the beginning stages of it now. The double-edged sword of her already struggling with MS, is that it’s better that she’s immobile because she would probably wander off or set the house on fire. Right now, she gets fixated on things. For the past six months it’s been her checking account, which I manage. She can’t remember her balance, I have to tell her every day, she doesn’t believe me, we have to call the bank, she thinks there are mystery checks from unknown sources tucked away in drawers that I have to dig through every day to keep her from having a fit… all while trying very hard not to have a fit myself. Before the money stuff, there were mysterious things in the bed with her under the covers that I had to constantly show her weren’t there. There was the broken mirror she said she had cut herself with, the strange plastic bits, the wire wrapped around her finger, her thinking she had pulled her catheter out – all this and she knows intellectually that she can’t move but reality separates itself from her brain every day. This went on for 2 years until we figured out what was really going on. Like I said, it sucks.
• Spring is coming! Can you feel it!? I have a few fashion requests for the general public. Can we all try to avoid wearing scarves when it’s hot outside and can everyone stay away from boat shoes? Oh, and dirty looking dudes in sleazy tank tops… stop the madness. Thanks guys.

• Hipster Puppies! The captions kill me.

- clara is always first to change the subject to politics, but gets 90% of her information from gawker and the daily show

- muffin arrogantly insists that she doesn’t “own a tv,” but still watches mad men and arrested development on her macbook pro

- trigger says the words “bike culture” out loud at least once a day

- lucky thinks this unagi is too salty, and he knows because he lived in japan for a month

• Retail therapy and spoiling myself a bit. I am an extremely generous person but there comes a time when you have to say to hell with a bit more debt and get yourself something you really really want. Having a birthday coming up is the perfect justification – because I’m beginning to feel as though if I don’t spoil myself, no one else will. I can’t wait for these to arrive! They’ve sold out twice already so I put myself on the waiting list and as soon as I received the email, they were mine! I have no idea when, where or what with I’m going to wear them. Yes, I know they’re ridiculous but sometimes ridiculous things just speak to your heart – like my two pet rats, red eyeshadow, that time I let my friends dread my hair, and rhumba panties. No regrets. They can sit next to me on the sofa while I watch Hoarders for all I care.

• I’m finally meeting some of my favorite Richmond Twitter ladies for coffee on Wednesday night! I’m really excited! Between this and my lady friend dinner last week I’m giddy about getting out and about with cool chicks. This winter has driven me mad!

• How does one forget they have a brand new red wool pea coat in a storage closet for oh… say, 8 years!? No idea. It’s from the Victoria’s Secret catalog and I bought it new with tags off of eBay for like $20 one summer, put it away in a garment bag and just recently found it, thinking something else was in the bag. I’m a genius.

• My painting project is coming along nicely. Slowly but nicely. I will post finished pics soon!
• Moggit picks out the most nonsensical and utterly stupid examples of modern design. Hilarious.

via indexed

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• I’m in no way a PETA nut. I love meat – try to buy humanely raised meat/dairy every chance I get, but I seriously will not give it up. I am one pork chop away from being an anemic mess. Anyhow… I hate the circus, I hate zoos, I hate Seaworld, etc. I am sorry that trainer was killed but we needed a wake-up call. No animal should be used for entertainment (under the guise of education) unless it’s already a domesticated breed (petting zoos and pets in general), is receiving medical attention/rehab to be released back into the wild eventually, or there is no way it could survive in the wild on its own for whatever horrible reason.  If it’s possible for people to take a little peek at these animals then fine. Large fish aquariums don’t bother me that much but for christ’s sake! Mammals! Killer whales are intelligent mammals who live in families, travel hundreds of miles a day, have sophisticated modes of communication – all reduced to some deluded  egomaniacal asshat standing on its nose to pop music so someone can make a buck. Give me an effin break! I’ll get my animal education from documentaries thank you very much.
• Let’s get back to the retail therapy thing. I used to be a compulsive clothes/shoe shopper. I wouldn’t make major purchases but stuff starts to add up and after I got rid of over 50 pairs of shoes and purged my closet in preparation for a move, I thought I had seen the light when I saw all that money I had spent get donated to Goodwill. I have been sooo good for almost a year. Well… I really just redirected my spending on my bf’s and my first apartment together. That was healthy and fun spending for legitimate things we needed but it still satisfied something inside me that needed to be excited about something. Lately, I’ve been stressed/disappointed like whoa and well, I’ve caught myself getting sucked into the clothing/shoes spiral again. Today, I went out for an hour to blow off some steam (shop) and had about 20 things in my arms to try on. Had all of it fit, I seriously was going to buy every damn thing and eat ramen until the end of next week. Thankfully nothing fit right (damn tits) so, I stepped back and reassessed my stress and bad habits. This is something I’m going to have to keep in check for the rest of my life.

• grilling in the snow!
• this blog getting nominated by RVANews as a “Best Kept Secret”! Go VOTE!
• Beautiful little terrariums by Lítill (via). I have got to get going on making one! Using all air plants would make it maintenance free.

• Sunday brunch!
• I loved this article demystifying the virginal façade that is Taylor Swift.
• Purging my closet for the millionth time and realizing most of the stuff would be perfect for a friend in FL, packing those items up, being motivated and actually making it to the post office, and making her super happy!
• Getting together with girlfriends at Balliceaux on the 25th of this month! I can’t wait! We haven’t had a girls’ night in forever and since I live 2 blocks away, they’re coming over for drinks at my place first! Yay!
• Okay, this is so disgustingly cute, I could stare at it all day! A baby African pygmy dormouse! (via)

• Stuff My Girlfriend Says is exactly that. This guy is dating a comic genius and my favorite quote of all time is when he “asked her if she thought she’d be good at writing an advice column.” Her answer: 

“No fucking way. I only have two pieces of advice. If you’re under 25 –- shut the fuck up, junior. If you’re over 25 — grow the fuck up, loser.”

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• Scrapbooking. I get it. I really do. What I don’t get is how expensive the supplies are. If you really want to go all out, you could end up spending a fortune just to do one page with maybe 3 pictures on it! I saw a tiny paper punch in the shape of an airplane for $15 this week. $15 for one obscure shape because you couldn’t simply draw an outline and cut it out with a cheap exacto knife. (Don’t get me started on the money pit that is the Cricut.)  I don’t like how the craft stores are so scrapbook-centric these days either, and let’s face it – things go out of style. Things fade and age and what you thought was so cutting edge and adorable today is going to look dated and stupid 10 years from now. It also smells of pre-fabricated creativity for bored housewives, if you ask me. You know what I think is nice if you want to take a little time? A big scrapbook with black acid-free pages, a white gel pen and those sweet old-fashioned photo mounting corners, à la your grandparents’ time.

• Potholes! My god the potholes in this city from all the snow! It’s like driving through an obstacle course to avoid bending a rim!
• The bf and I made an adorable little punky snowman and someone stole it from our front porch! He found one arm on the neighbor’s car in the alley and I found the other by the trash cans in the alley. The plot thickens.

• When I was a kid, my mom let me build a terrarium in this gigantic round glass vase she had. It had tiny plastic deer, soft moss, mini trees, everything! We had to set it on the floor one day and I accidentally kicked it, and was ruined for terrariums ever since. I don’t think I could do anything too terrible to this tiny gem!

via

• I didn’t think the chrome look for nails was truly possible. Having tried every silver polish making the claim and being sorely disasppointed, Wendy B shared an out-of-the-box approach to getting cybertastic nails! The directory on the site will let you know who in your area provides the service. I’m definitely hitting up one of the Richmond locations soon!

This lace effect is killing me as well!

• Back in the day, I used to want to be covered in tattoos. I had big serious painful gorgeous plans. Then… I changed my mind. Imagine that. I still managed to get two. One is an Olivia pin up girl on my stomach in flesh tones which is finally fading away after 12 years. The coloring I wanted was so light that no one could make it stick. It would heal and when it peeled, the ink came right out with it. So yeah, over 8 hours of pain for nothing. I couldn’t take it anymore and went to the renowned but expensive Timothy Hoyer (when he was still in RVA and had Alive Gallery). He made it happen in no time. The other tattoo is peonies at the top of my back (done by one of my best friends Scott at True Tattoo). I have been wanting to add a slew of exotic flowers and ivy to my back with a bit curling down my shoulders and up my neck but I vacillate between being ready to make the appointment or totally bailing and making an appointment for laser removal. That’s no way to be when you’re about to permanently mark yourself. Either way… the point of this whole revealing rant was to show you this neat thing I found. It’s some application that will add ivy to your pictures. I haven’t tried it yet but here you go. If only tattoos were that easy.

one day maybe

• Oh! I love me some CERN and they just started the Large Hadron Collider, had some first collisions and Earth didn’t explode! Here are some pics right before they got to banging those atoms! Oh, and I really want a print of particle tracks for my wall. Geek! Anyone know where I could get that done?

•  She’s been blogging for 3 years but I just discovered Kristopher Dukes and I think I’ve found my personal style idol/hero. She hates patterned clothing, loves nude heels, loves simple elegant clothing and sticks with what works, is a product fiend, appreciates well designed luxury, wreaks of sex, called satin elastic ankle pants a year ago, and she is unapologetically superficial in a brutally honest (and sometimes offensive) way. Obviously she has a much larger well-earned income than myself but it’s fun to live vicariously through others sometimes and it’s nice to read down to earth, quick-witted critiques on so many glamorous things I would love to have. Her post format is great – a particular thing broken down into what she already has, what she would rather have, and what she hates. Love it.

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• I looked at my Google Reader the other day and was wondering why the heck I was subscribing to blogs that I couldn’t relate to in any way whatsoever. I’m not going to name names but my life isn’t sparkly and full of rainbows and unicorns. I don’t wear hot pink, nor do I have a constant positive spin on life. I also don’t like wondering where the hell a 25 year-old is getting all that damned mysterious money to waste on total crap. All that being said… I do like a good voyeuristic romp once in a while so I will probably revisit these blogs every blue moon. I just don’t want to see them or the tweets every day. Because I’m going to vomit.
• My hair is taking forever to grow out from my scene boy cut. It’s finally past my shoulders but it’s all sorts of crazy layers and then I gave up on the blunt bangs and they’re growing out at well. So how to you begin to take care of split ends when it’s a mess? I guess I’m going to have to get out the tiny scissors.

I wish

Last week I had a very nice day and tweeted this:

The Checkout Girl wrote a lovely post about being nice, and the comments are worth a read as well.

I think public restroom paper towel art would be a fun way to brighten people’s days… only I would leave notes like “you are wonderful!” and “today is your chance to make the world a better place.” Kindness Girl’s acts of Guerrilla Goodness really knocks my socks off!

There was a two-part article in the NY Times called 100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do. (Part 1 & Part 2) Whine Me Dine Me also recently did a post on exceptional service. I’m sure most servers don’t look at their job as something they want to do for the rest of their lives, which probably contributes a bit to the bad service we’ve all had from time to time but; I think most waitstaff truly want you to enjoy your dining experience and maybe just don’t know all the little things that would make it that much better, ultimately benefitting them in the end with a bigger tip (hopefully). If people were simply more thoughtful, less hurried, and less selfish, most of these things would come naturally. Same goes for customers.

Making a lunch for yourself or someone you love is nice. Check out these adorable Nutella and banana bunny sandwiches from Bentomom! Inviting someone over for Thanksgiving dinner who doesn’t have anyone to share a meal with is also nice.

Taking note of things people say in passing about what they want or need so that you can try to give it to them for Christmas is nice. Christmas doesn’t have to cost a thing either. Giving of yourself and your time is even nicer. Is your best friend losing her mind in a cluttered home and could use your OCD help? Do you know a couple with kids who could really use a night out? Would your grandma and her friends like a chauffeur for the afternoon?

When was the last time you hand wrote a thank you note? Finding a reason for the most mundane of things would be nice! These cards from Paper Victory would suit any occasion!

my favorite mouse house on Vine St.

• Same goes for pumpkin ale, although I can never remember the one I like the best!

• The added mystery to life when the sun starts going to bed earlier.
• costumes and the way people really let go when they’re wearing one.
• Long afternoon walks with leaves crunching under your feet and the sun setting the trees ablaze overhead.

(Hollywood Cemetery pic via *wanderlust*)

• Squirrels are going nuts for nuts this time of year
• The scents of Fall filling your home

• Kids are back in school and out of everyone’s hair.
• You can scare the hell out of kids and get away with it.
• Indian food feels right.
• Soft German gingerbread cookies lightly iced and dipped in dark chocolate.

• Halloween sized candy feels less guilty.
• Martha Stewart’s Halloween issue is the only one worth looking at. Amazing.
• I only wear hats with bear ears.

• HOODIES!
• Bear ear hoodies!

• Cold weather food like hearty soups and stews and bread puddings.

• boots
• over the knee socks!

• caramel apples!

• date nut bread and cream cheese
• all the insects are dying away!

Anyhow, I pretty much wore this. There you go. An outfit post of sorts. Basically what I wear every day but I threw on a blazer and heels.

J Brand dark skinnies. I live in my two pairs. The newer darker pair made an appearance.

2 tanks layered – grey and black – bought from the Target clearance rack for $2 each. Yeah! Seriously, these are the best tanks I’ve ever owned. Some were racerback and some regular. All are pretty low cut and longer in length and fit perfectly. Not too tight but not maternity style either. I went to 3 different Targets and scooped them all up. I think I bought 6 or 7 in grey black and white. They have a new style out now which is the same thing only they did that little Alexander Wang style tiny pocket on the front.

black blazer with sleeves rolled up – Last Fall I had a terrible time finding blazers. I just wanted simple black, 1 or 2 buttons, lined and well-made but not outrageously expensive. I hit a few department stores and was disappointed with everything I saw. They all had some stupid embellishment. I wanted sharp and fitted. As usual, the place that always has come through for me with simple basics at a good price was NY and Co. If you need some decent black pants, a pencil skirt or a blazer, they’ve got it. I got two $70 blazers from the clearance racks at $10 a piece! Hell yes!

My new trusty grey bag (not the one pictured)

I didn’t know the heels I bought were Sergio Rossi rip-offs. They’re grey snake (not pictured) and I like the cone heel way better. I saw this pair in TJ Maxx on 4 different trips and tried them on each time. No one was biting so I saw it as a sign and finally caved and bought them.

The usual jewelry I wear every day – silver hoops ($3 a pair that I throw away when they get funky), hammered silver band, Nixon watch (yay bf!)

A good time was had by all. It was nice to see my girls and get out of the house and feel like a grown-up.

What do I have to offer you, the reader? Well other than simply sharing with you the things I love, I have been slightly agonizing over the fact that I am not more personal with you. There’s a fine line and I have been firmly planted far away from that line for many reasons. First off, I would love love love to do “what I wore” posts but I will be honest with you. As much as I love fashion and think I have rather specific (and pretty damn rad) taste, I only wear a tiny fraction of my wardrobe on a regular basis. My lifestyle/work doesn’t allow me to get all gussied up very often, which also means I haven’t done much shopping lately either. I’m pretty much a t-shirt and jeans kind of gal most of the time, so I don’t think you’d be interested in seeing boring pictures of me in dark skinnies and deep-V boyfriend tees every day. Secondly, I enjoy being a curator and sharing with you things that fit into my ideal esthetic, which for me, is a deeply personal thing. Lastly, some things are just none of your darn business. My love life, my friendships, my downtime, my family… I sometimes allow myself to let some tiny details slip out. I certainly do enjoy being a voyeur and reading the blogs of other people who really let it all out but; I don’t think I will ever be one of those bloggers. I’m too private of a person. Although, if you have a question, I most likely will answer it.

I will do this though… in the spirit of not being some anonymous entity on the interwebs. I will interview myself. :)

Lara: First off, how old are you? You don’t look a day over 21! I’m sure you get carded ALL the time!

Lara: Oh, you! Thanks so much! I turned 30 this year.

L: What do you like to do for fun?

L: Lately,  I’ve been trying not to let life get the best of me so, relaxing has been foremost on the list. I used to go out to bars and see bands a lot but lately, I would rather have a nice one-on-one conversation than be surrounded by a sea of people and not be able to hear myself think. Throwing away $50 on a bar tab on a regular basis seems a bit foolish now but I do love to cook and go out to eat.

L: Let’s talk about food!

L: Yes. Let’s. I consider myself a foodie but there are enough food blogs out there so I will keep it out of mine. Years ago, for a few months, I was lucky enough to work in the kitchen of a traditional upscale chophouse as a fill-in for just about everything that needed to be done. I had zero kitchen experience but quickly had to learn just about everything on the menu. It was an amazing experience and I would love to work in a kitchen again. The fast-paced high pressure setting suited me perfectly and instilled in me an appreciation for the process of creating good food. So, much like the way I appreciate the process an artist went through to create a piece, I am fascinated by cooking techniques. I could eat rare steak fromage with walnuts every single day.

L: You post a lot of beautiful and expensive things. Can you even afford any of it?

L: Are you kidding me? Of course not! This blog is more like an inspiration board when it comes to showcasing items. Many of the things I post in “Decor” can be recreated with a bit of creativity and effort. Making your home (or room) a reflection of your heart takes time when you’re on a budget. I have a mile-long list running in my head of things I need to attempt to build, make, find, refinish, paint, re-imagine, etc. Likewise, the pricey fashion trends I gravitate towards can also be recreated but, the older I get, the more importance I place on quality classic pieces with some personality that are worth saving up for, with a few cheap things thrown in for fun. It’s all about being realistic, having priorities, and making the most of what you have. I will always appreciate pretty things though.

L: What did you dress like when you were a teen?

L: When I was a pre-teen I tried to replicate things I saw in magazines. I wore black pretty much every day. Kristen McMenamy was my idol. I was a teen in the 90s so, I fell into the grunge movement (slept in my Docs the first night I got them), then moved on to industrial goth for a while (it really was too much trouble). Most of my friends were into punk. That has always been a major influence on my style and I still lean towards it. Around the age of 22, I began to appreciate the value of a good pair of jeans and some killer heels. When I was younger, I wasted a lot of money buying cheap trendy pieces that fell apart after a few wears but, it was what I could afford. That bad habit is over.

L: Before you moved into your new place, you purged your wardrobe and gave away over 50 pairs of shoes. How are you feeling about that now?

L: It was like a weight had lifted. I barely wear the shoes I kept (over 50 pairs still) but they are all comfortable and well made. It’s a carefully edited collection and I’m prepared for anything. I’m also more careful about all new purchases. It has to stand the test of time.

L: What are your favorite pairs of shoes that you own?

L: Here are some pics of my favorites-

I bought these last year on clearance and only got to wear them twice. So comfy.

I got these two years ago when the peep toe ankle boot craze started and have worn these more than any pair of heels I own. My absolute favorites.

These earned my girlfriends and I a free round of drinks from some anonymous gent who wanted to thank me for wearing red heels.

My favorite summer wedges.

These have a tortoise shell finish. I have a black pair as well. They go with everything.

Have these in black as well. Believe it or not, they are more comfortable than regular heels.

I have been waiting to pair these with a fuschia dress I’ve had laying around.

L: Favorite pieces of clothing?

A few years ago, I bought this skirt on clearance from Urban Outfitters. It is a knee length super fine corduroy wrap skirt that has printed on it a German children’s storybook scene. I have only worn it twice and it really isn’t my ideal style but I can’t help but love it!

An asymmetrical, one shoulder, open side top from Need that has birds across the neckline – I guess you really have to see it on. 

Grey double breasted cropped jacked with belled cuffs that really tidies up the most mundane outfit, also from Need. I like interesting details.

I love blazers but I also love short sleeved jackets. The detail on this cap sleeve is pretty sweet.

This was an F21 purchase that was later ripped off by Banana Republic for 5 times as much.

my favorite strapless dress

L: So, what do you do all day that doesn’t allow for fun outfits?

L: Well, I suppose I could get dressed in something more than a tee and jeans but when you’re the primary caregiver for someone with Multiple Sclerosis (my mom), and you’re helping run a construction company (my father’s)… it seems a bit pointless. I do all this plus run errands and take care of my parents’ home which is stuffed to the gills with antiques and something always needs to be done. I can’t really get things organized and clean in something I’m afraid I’ll ruin. I also have my own home to take care of when I get out of work. I finally finished college this summer but when I was in school I didn’t understand the girls on campus wearing 4″ heels. Walking like you’re in agony at the end of the day is not sexy so, I guess comfort and practicality ends up winning out. If I had an office job, it would be a completely different story.

L: What does your RSS reader look like?

L: I subscribe to almost 200 blogs. Ridiculous right? They include blogs focussing on art, fashion, shoes, food, decor, design, packaging, architecture, tech, DIY, photography, cute fuzzy animals, comics, funny people, satire, personal style, personal journals, science, psychology, politics, various industries, friends, local characters, the local food and art scene… it’s difficult to keep up with it all sometimes and I’m constantly unsubscribing and adding to the list.

L: If you could travel anywhere right now, where to?

L: I’ve been dying to go to Puerto Rico, would love to take a train up to Morimoto in Philly just for a swanky evening and I really want to experience S. Korea and Germany with my boyfriend, since he’s lived in both countries. I would love to experience the dry heat and vast emptiness of the desert al la Tarsem Singh.

L: Hobbies/talents?

L: I love to sew and I do architectural drawings fairly well (here and here) but I haven’t in a while. I used to make and sell dresses at Need over 10 years ago when they were Blues. I did a lot of needlepoint when I was a kid. I have made jewelry and sold it on etsy. I tried my hand at silkscreening last year and I can knit a scarf and refinish furniture. When something needs to get done, I will find a way and I like to teach myself new things but get bored pretty easily once I have it mastered. I still have a room at my parents’ house with my sewing machines and crafty supplies. It would be nice to have it all at my home but we just don’t have the space. I would love to learn metalsmithing and auto mechanics. I’m currently working on some major projects to get something on my bare walls. Pics will be coming soon.

L: Pet peeves?

L: Rachael Ray, bad drivers, the unending generosity my cats bestow upon me in sharing their fur, liars and assumption makers, insomnia, selfishness, clutter, local gossip, dust, people with no class, slow growing hair, the revival of bad 80s fashion, low standards, Starbucks, chipped nails, arguments over politics and religion, knowing I’ve loaned something to someone but forgetting what and to whom.

L: Things that make you smile?

L: Pistachio gelato, lipgloss, Japanese maples, rodents, San-X notepads, no flash photographs, Schleich animal figurines, snail mail, gummy bears, good old fashioned coffee brewed at home, inside jokes, a fresh dye job and pedicure, houseplants, brunch, Kenzo Amour for me and Bulgari Aqua for him, homegrown vegetables, receiving flowers, the amount of German translations I get of my posts, that one time we got the basil lemonade right, Carr’s ginger lemon creme cookies, wrapping paper and ribbons, projects, 2am cereal attacks, clothes on my cats, shots of Van Gogh double espresso vodka when I’m out and feeling froggy, long phone calls with old friends, Korean BBQ, the Large Hadron Collider, Halloween, and I don’t even need to mention hugs and kisses.

L: Education/ Ideal job?

L: When I was a kid my family was pushing for MIT for a while. Math makes more sense to me than anything but I would be sooo bored! Then there was talk about art school and Corcoran was considered. I had a hard time settling on which side of the brain I should make the most of. Then, out of state college ended up not being a possibility. I have a degree in psych and got accepted into nursing school but quit. Long story. Now, I would be happy working at a battered women’s shelter, in a genetic research lab (microscopes, test tubes and all), doing statistical analysis, or getting paid to blog! :)  I’ve had the unfortunate luxury of being able to take my time to figure things out, but also being held back by taking care of my family.

L: From your last answer and your daily routine, an interest in fashion sure seems odd, right?

L: My mother was a snazzy dresser as well as an amazing sewer and diy goddess. My aunt is a seamstress and has worked at some seriously swank boutiques in Richmond as well as being a private seamstress for many ladies who lunch in this city. She would take me along with her to see her clients on the weekends when I was a wee one. I saw a lot of amazing closets. I was surrounded by fashion magazines growing up and would study them, every detail, every seam, styling choices, photographic angles, etc. I was mildly obsessed with socialites and demanded a subscriptions to luxury magazine when I should’ve been playing with She-Ra dolls. (Well, I still made time for She-Ra.) Lynn Wyatt still is my favorite southern socialite. I also began to sew and I loved to draw and would do photorealistic copies of gorgeous draped gowns I saw in magazines. (All of those drawing were lost to an unfortunate incident.) I love to shop. I love shoes. I love the process of presenting yourself to the world accurately. I love patterns and the work involved in constructing a piece of clothing. It’s all art. Who doesn’t enjoy art?

L: How do your friends and family feel about your blog?

L: I don’t think many of my friends even read it. I have mentioned it a few times in passing but it’s not really their thing. My boyfriend is supportive and wants it to be successful but I try not to spend too much time working on it when we’re together. My mom is utterly fascinated with all this newfangled technology and tries to give me ideas when she sees something cool on TV.

L: Well… this has been fun. Anything else you would like to say about yourself?

L: Be true to yourself and those you love. This is going to be a great 2nd year! Thanks for reading this far! Leave comments! I want to know what you think! :)