Sorry! Sorry!

I’m going through pre-finals week here. It’s crazy with a capital CRAY. You will likely not be seeing much of me until after finals, and then it’s back to your regularly scheduled programming. I’ll post if I find a good window of time that doesn’t involve me smacking my head against a door frame in agony.

I promised two weeks ago (heh heh) that I would post the project I’m working on, but I haven’t had time to take pictures yet (double heh heh). So this is an older project I did for a new baby, which is one of my favorite projects I’ve ever worked on. It’s much bigger than it looks (three feet across), and while I don’t have any pictures of it framed in the nursery, just trust me that looks gooood.

Have a happy week! I’ll see you when I see you (triple heh heh),

the ten: stud earrings

Well, I was thoroughly discombobulated today. I don’t know whether it was the effect of the flooding we had yesterday (that’s right, flooding. I awoke to some very early emails from my mother updating me on the state of the family homestead’s basement, received another frantic call from my landlord demanding that my roommates and I go down to our basement to check our sump pump (sad that I even know what that is), and then witnessed street after car after parking lot turn into lakes), my sinus infection, or staying up to an ungodly hour to finish my roommate’s birthday present…but in any case, I was asleep in every class, in the front row of chapel, and even on the floor of our kitchen. Hello, train wreck.

Thankfully I had rounded up all of these beautiful studs yesterday, so this required minimal thought (should I be saying this out loud? Don’t care). I have been on a stud kick recently – usually I’m a dangly earring kind of girl but one of my lobes is ripped and I’m trying to heal – and these are some of my absolute faves. So, without further ado, my top ten stud essentials!

* * *

1. Diamonds These are from Kate Spade. I own the rose gold pair and they are hands down my favorite pair of earrings that I have ever owned. They go with everything, dressy or casual, and have just the right amount of sparkle…they’re perfect. I won’t even do them the injustice of putting up alternatives, if you’re in the market for some good glass earrings, these are the way to go.

2. Pearls I was given these Anthropologie earrings as a Christmas present and they are another great go-to that match just about everything. If you’re really looking for another good diamond earring there are diamond versions of these earrings, but if you’re in the market for more pearls check out these black pearls and these freshwater and sterling silver studs.

3. Monograms I think I’m late on jumping on the bandwagon for monogrammed earrings, but I think if they’re subtle enough like these Swell Caroline initial studs they’re actually quite tasteful (I have been a ruthless critic of the monogrammed jewelry trend a la Michelle Money from the bachelor, but they’ve worn me down). I also like this silver scroll version and this gold version and these initials.

4. Drops This is one of my favorite kinds of earrings because they’re such an echo of what I usually wear. This pair of turquoise drops are subtly round and my absolute favorite color. I’m also liking this black version, this tiny gold version, and this silver version.

5. Bars This is a new favorite style I’ve been seeing around. I love this pair from In God We Trust, and this rounder style, this more geometric style, and the silver version.

6. Sapphire I’ve always loves sapphire studs. This pair from Steven Alan is subtle and delicate and perfect. If it’s a little out of your price range try these and if you’re looking for something a little more edgy look at this pair.

7. Geometric Aside from my Kate Spade diamonds, geometric studs are my favorite everyday earrings. I’m loving the bigger size and bright color of these Vince Camuto earrings, but also check out this Mark Jacobs pair, this emerald pair, and this smaller, gold version.

8. Charms I don’t think you can ever outgrow the charms (okay that’s not entirely true but roll with me here). I love this delicate horseshoe pair from a-thread, these spade earrings, and these anchor enamel studs.

9. Button These are a preppy essential. I featured the Laura Lance lobsters, but you have to love a style that can feature zebras and anchors and neon…oh my!

10. Knots I found so many of these that I liked. The J. Crew pair was my favorite, but you should also seriously consider this enamel pair, this Kate Spade pair, and this gold pair.

Phew. I’m gonna go take a nap. Have a great weekend!

grown ups

Setting the scene: between Monday and yesterday I received 79 emails, all school related. I have a 12 page literary analysis paper due on Monday. I’m coordinating a scholarship, performing qualitative research for a professor, and trying to finish a hand lettering gift for my roommate’s birthday on Friday. In times like these, my closet is first to go. My poor roommate.

Poor Roommate: Ready to work out?

Me: (pantsless) Um. I can’t find my yoga pants.

PR: What do you mean

Me: (pointing to closet) They’re…in there.

PR: Oh.

Me: I can’t face it.

PR: Well you can’t go looking like that. Dig.

Me: (frantically digging) they’re…not…oh. Here they are.

PR: This is getting out of hand.

Me: (panting and shoving clothes into closet and slamming doors) Clearly I am not ready to be a grownup yet.

It’s official: my life is chaos and I am in no position to take care of myself. My parents have failed to equip me to be a productive citizen. There is no hope.

At least these pictures of model Lindsey Wixon taken by the talented Paul Wetherell are beautiful and polished. She clearly has her life together. I’ll bet everything in her closet is pressed and hung with care and folded and put away. I’ll bet she knows where her iron is. Talk about productive citizen! My closet and I can only aspire to be half as put together as she is. Maybe one day…

Happy. Wednesday (oh lord is it Wednesday already? I really am in trouble).

word

I can’t remember if I’ve posted a quote by Mary Oliver before, but she is my absolute favorite poet. I don’t know a time in recent years that her words haven’t spoken directly to my experience, and she expresses feelings in such simple, elegant ways that I could never duplicate. I woke up in such a good mood this morning, the sun shining, the breeze brushing lightly over my face, and this popped right into my head. Hello, sun in my face!

I have been on a creative k i c k  lately, so hopefully I’ll be able to post some of the lettering I’ve been working on this week or next. I really need to buy myself Illustrator one of these days, staying in the lab a half mile from my house until 1am is getting a little (cough LOT) old. But I should be finishing up a few projects this weekend, so get excited. If anyone needs any branding/calligraphy/illustration work done, let me know. I’m looking to expand my portfolio and will be taking on some free projects if you’re interested. A link to my email is over there ----->

Have a beautiful Tuesday! Don’t take any wooden nickels.

on windows + tacosOh, aren’t you lucky, you get a late night Saturday post because I already finished up all the images for a post I was supposed to do Thursday! Procrastination, thy name is Kate. Sorry not sorry.

Today was the first Saturday I didn’t have to work in oh, I don’t know, EVER, because I quit my most interesting job and am now free, free, free! I spent it in Geneva and Oak Brook with a friend shopping and enjoying not pulling my hair out at entitled people clamoring for a table or drunk guys clamoring for my number. I’m telling you, I feel so good.

If you’re ever in the area, you should really check out Bien Trucha (best Mexican food I’ve ever tasted), Cocoon, and The Paper Merchant. I struck gold at all three today, and then my wonderful Mother surprised me withmy favorite pie from Hoosier Mama Pie Company (not in Geneva, but if you are a sucker for banana cream you need to find a way to eat this. Not joking. Need.)

It was all so relaxing and so crafty and reminded me of The Renegade Craft Fair where I not only discovered Hoosier Mama for the first time but also the work of Jose Guizar, whose newest project, The Windows of New York, has got me enchanted. He walks around New York taking pictures of windows and then digitalizes them absolutely brilliantly. I need to find where I can get prints of these.

Go take a look at the rest of his work and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

pinterest picks: rainy day feel

I swear, there is no better feeling than waking up to a thunderstorm. Window cracked, light breeze, warm blankets, a rumble of thunder…this is my symphony. I was joking with a friend yesterday that I would be perfectly fine living in the Pacific Northwest, but I think it’s actually true. At least until I got bored (I have about a thirty second attention span, notoriously bad at seeing things through. This blog: case in point).

These musings flew out the window as soon as I stepped onto a muddy embankment outside my front door and splattered mud all up and down my jeans and coat, but I’m trying not to dwell on that. Instead I’m dwelling on all of these images that greeted me on my Pinterest feed this morning and continue to remind me why I think rain is the most magical of weather. Have a lovely Wednesday!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 

true gentlemen

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but in order to bring home the bacon I masquerade as a hostess at a local restaurant for around 15 hours a week. I say masquerade because half of the things I have to do/experience when I’m on the clock no sane person would ever want to do or experience in their normal day to day life, let alone in their job. As a sane and (hopefully) productive citizen (shoutout to my Dad there), I like to think that this is not my true identity, but only a dress up game I have to endure on the weekends and occasional weeknight (Lord in heaven I hope I don’t ever say that about a real job).

Anyway, one thing this job is really good for is boosting my self-confidence. I’ve never been hit on by so many guys in my life (granted, most of them are some degree of intoxicated, but that’s beside the point). It’s also minorly depressing to see how deflated they get when I have to (kindly, mind you) get them to go and enjoy their meal and leave me the heck alone.

For example, this happened to me a few months ago:

Drunk Guy: Heeeeyyyy.

Me: Um. Hi.

DG: Whassyourname?

Me: Um. Kate.

DG: Kateeee. You know, you’re realllypedasdfasdf

Me: What?

DG: You’re really prettttyyyy will you marry me?

Me: Heh, heh, you’re funny?

DG: No, serrrrrsly, marrryy meee?

Me: Ask me again in the morning.

Very flattering, I know. Or this gem:

T (name reduced for privacy of pervert): I swear, Kate, every time I come in here you look even hotter than the last time.

Me: Oh stop it T, your eyesight’s going (T is over 50).

T: No, I’m serious, if you went to Wheaton back when I was there you would be the hottest girl on campus. Those chicks were trolls.

Me (dryly): Oh, stop, you’re making me blush. Red really isn’t my color

T: I know I’m too old for you, but just look at my son. (Shows me picture of very ugly son) Would you please date him? He’s desperate. I need you in my family.

Me: Tempting, but I’m just too busy hostessing! Either ask M (my boss) to let up on my hours or ask me in five months.

T: You’re a firecracker.

Me: You’re an idiot. JUST KIDDING I probably just smiled and told him I had to go find menus or something.

Anyway, needless to say my view on men is a little cynical at the moment. Mostly because the majority of the men hitting on me are drunk, but who am I to say? I saw this post this morning and my faith in men was instantly restored. These pictures are absolutely stunning and with wedding season coming up (one of my good friends just got engaged last week!), I’m getting majorly in the spirit. This is my favorite part of the wedding, when the bride makes her big entrance and the groom breaks into the most genuine smile of joy you can imagine. There’s nothing more beautiful. Enjoy these heartwarming pictures of the sweetest grooms seeing their brides for the first time and send a little prayer my way that I, too, will be lucky enough to end up with a guy that doesn’t view standing up on the bar and singing “Every Breath You Take” as a good way to impress a lady.

Happy Tuesday!

                                                                                                  1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6