the merits of hats and not doing one's hair.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmZ029HQQb6Ta6cPA8w7H-e4-idtkq1acwhBG4oMyXhdqQiAaCRO5wOdjHN7bUqGe5mTUaq7npVgJd9m6MsvkknDdvsnmDoXlz9CVOVoc95g-6cG5InPr48-msIzytSGk0tvsC-Nt0KFy/s1600/C1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmZ029HQQb6Ta6cPA8w7H-e4-idtkq1acwhBG4oMyXhdqQiAaCRO5wOdjHN7bUqGe5mTUaq7npVgJd9m6MsvkknDdvsnmDoXlz9CVOVoc95g-6cG5InPr48-msIzytSGk0tvsC-Nt0KFy/s400/C1britt1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">shoes: unionbay brand. jeans: kohl's. cardigan: vintage. shirt: don't recall. bracelets & necklaces: hodgepodge of places. hat: thrifted. belt: forever21.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg963a-d5ZwBCkuqPCNRL9eklzXF3tLsIdrZbNhNGRlJFsLC8s1zfVf69A1dtwtiGQq1Wf73p9Y78C77f8viJUjZsY6_vxRGC9rWpACC2x0f94Xg568qhA4xJYKL2V-2rfwjcVvSre9ccwq/s1600/C1britt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg963a-d5ZwBCkuqPCNRL9eklzXF3tLsIdrZbNhNGRlJFsLC8s1zfVf69A1dtwtiGQq1Wf73p9Y78C77f8viJUjZsY6_vxRGC9rWpACC2x0f94Xg568qhA4xJYKL2V-2rfwjcVvSre9ccwq/s400/C1britt3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpMmhLAybNTSk9UtKfIN4HQYyqUVb-ncLMCtZV-5wsqWb4-SptT2IdbfP4nZ29Df-Q8bAfmSgmZ6ynIEAHmyTTBiJ3BeoZi6JqQvP-P6V4B9ykoxFxzYIBy-XnMxzMYjS9WsvwSMot4IM/s1600/C1britt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpMmhLAybNTSk9UtKfIN4HQYyqUVb-ncLMCtZV-5wsqWb4-SptT2IdbfP4nZ29Df-Q8bAfmSgmZ6ynIEAHmyTTBiJ3BeoZi6JqQvP-P6V4B9ykoxFxzYIBy-XnMxzMYjS9WsvwSMot4IM/s400/C1britt2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center">I wasn't going to get dressed today. But then I did. In a pretty predictable ensemble, until I piled on the accessories. Over-the-top? You betcha. And, strangely, I'm okay with it. Sometimes that hides the mundane-ness. Like putting cinnamon and nutmeg on apple slices. Unexpected and maybe awesome.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">So. There you have it. Broke all sorts of rules today, like wearing random flats, totally and unnecessarily over-accessorizing, adding a hat with no rhyme or reason, and getting dressed at, like, 3 p.m. But it's good to keep life spontaneous. <em>"Will I eat 1 handful or 1 bag of pnut m&ms?"</em> I never know. And it's terribly exciting to contemplate...</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Happy Monday!</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Want this look? Askew your belt, then shop below:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="background: white; border-bottom: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-left: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-right: #bfbfbf 1px solid; border-top: #bfbfbf 1px solid; display: block; position: relative; width: 430px;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="150" scrolling="no" src="http://widget.shopstyle.com/widget?pid=uid6676-2041974-73&look=3071868&size=Small&width=6&height=1&layouttype=0&border=0&footer=0" width="430"></iframe><br /><div style="bottom: 2px; height: 18px; left: 0px; line-height: 12px; position: absolute; width: 100%;"><div style="left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px; position: absolute;"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/browse/Eddie-Bauer#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; color: #606060; font: 11px verdana, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;">More Eddie Bauer...</a></div><div style="padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 3px; position: absolute; right: 0px;"><a href="http://www.shopstyle.com/#pid=uid6676-2041974-73" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;"><img alt="ShopStyle" src="http://resources.shopstyle.com/im/widget/ShopStyleLogo_powered_small.png" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></img></a></div></div></div></div>

the merits of hats and not doing one's hair.

  shoes: unionbay brand. jeans: kohl's. cardigan: vintage. shirt: don't recall. bracelets & necklaces: hodgepodge of places. hat...

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HomeStyle: Chairspiration

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For some reason unbeknownst to myself, I'm not getting dressed today. It's already after lunchtime, and I'm still in some semblance of my pajamas. I'm not even sick or anything. Just have too much to do...or nothing at all, but I'll never tell. Plus, I haven't worked out yet. So I'm holding off awarding myself a shower until that happens.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Could be a stinky few days...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But. To tide you all over, I wanted to show you a recent reupholstery project I did. Saw this sad little number on craigslist a while ago and thought it had potential. I also thought, after I scored it for a mere $10, <em>"Sweet, I can pick up some fries for the drive home."</em> Nevermind the fact that the drive home was about 5 minutes. I just love fries, okay? </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXshGYc7t4988cFrazgrKEs4F2HXGcyODK_xbJ9FXKOzSEyCZMEHW08YvdTAhL391GFAEM3GTQlRq5ndIHHAJMsuO2lKfxWIUV1BZfefK96z7EzCcwRqxCGhD-up-eQdiHrhtWi9cP2NMF/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXshGYc7t4988cFrazgrKEs4F2HXGcyODK_xbJ9FXKOzSEyCZMEHW08YvdTAhL391GFAEM3GTQlRq5ndIHHAJMsuO2lKfxWIUV1BZfefK96z7EzCcwRqxCGhD-up-eQdiHrhtWi9cP2NMF/s400/002.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">What would you do with a chair like this? A few things about it: it reaked like smoke and other weird smells, the frame was terribly scuffed up, the rattan-type siding was starting to fall apart, and the velour was aging in an undignified way. Oh, and also? The thing was extremely comfortable and well-built.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I'd originally intended this chair for my girls' room, which already had lots of pink and pattern, so I wanted the new look to be fairly neutral and in-the-background. After scouring the Internet for fabric, I finally found this awesome greek key-esque print at (surprise!) JoAnn's and snatched it up. eBay supplied me with some nailhead for the finishwork, which helped to ground a chair that would otherwise be pretty floaty-away-ish. (Feel free to enter term that into Wikipedia.) </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vu3d5_5_DMd6j4FcbykDMHZMuWACOoywIYYRIUGACfulyfEvAH252EIvl0gY-htqPkfCgGWSbYfs4cFFvzL_w_IH9-5MtcsavC70_1TMBfy7acOmw5m2dYVCsLa4yyV3qH3YkJp83T4C/s1600/rocking_chair_detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vu3d5_5_DMd6j4FcbykDMHZMuWACOoywIYYRIUGACfulyfEvAH252EIvl0gY-htqPkfCgGWSbYfs4cFFvzL_w_IH9-5MtcsavC70_1TMBfy7acOmw5m2dYVCsLa4yyV3qH3YkJp83T4C/s400/rocking_chair_detail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I used the tea candle method to distress the frame as I spray-painted it (Heirloom White, I think) for a kind of French provincial effect, and I padded up the tufting for a more modern look. I also completely gutted the rattan (does anyone know what that stuff is actually called?) to make the chair more contemporary and, let's be honest, good-lookin'. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's a little Before & After for your viewing enjoyment:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbe-DH8yFLXyXvxCZ7qT_tob5NnITdSw3UjZPl_awtFrOqK4xRqtxvFmE9LGnJ5BkHkJTN0yMleTbzFoGX6p-tlJ3mnx1mkkEs4UyX2DccKBAI2h57QYwUCxPIeH1OISUMVmszd1H6zpwg/s1600/rocking_chair_B%2526A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbe-DH8yFLXyXvxCZ7qT_tob5NnITdSw3UjZPl_awtFrOqK4xRqtxvFmE9LGnJ5BkHkJTN0yMleTbzFoGX6p-tlJ3mnx1mkkEs4UyX2DccKBAI2h57QYwUCxPIeH1OISUMVmszd1H6zpwg/s400/rocking_chair_B%2526A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"> I like how it turned out. But here's the deal: I scored another beauty of a chair (translation: hideous piece of furniture with exceptional potential) from craigslist and now am on the hunt for a look I love. Anyone have any ideas? I think for the next one, I want the print to be a little bolder, and it needs to fit into my living room scheme (where I normally take my outfit shots). </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">I'm not afraid of boldness; as proof, here's one of a set of old boring office chairs I redid for our basement:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNj1Qx8_oUQGHmChdbc49xZbA5WNYG3OVU5qHICwMjJBw-ROzCJoarU45JASChX57qFKClgWtCUBucFWnIEuu6KA4dzGvy-a6vr8XZKCuROC6O7nMgKIWiVe4M0Hre6ncAXve8Nk9BYLSd/s1600/chair.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNj1Qx8_oUQGHmChdbc49xZbA5WNYG3OVU5qHICwMjJBw-ROzCJoarU45JASChX57qFKClgWtCUBucFWnIEuu6KA4dzGvy-a6vr8XZKCuROC6O7nMgKIWiVe4M0Hre6ncAXve8Nk9BYLSd/s320/chair.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><div align="center">I'm not afraid of bold statements. Just, y'know, a time and a place.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">So. I'd love to hear your ideas. What color combos on furniture do you love? Like? Hate? Or...if you don't care anything about chairs and want to see photos of my pajamas, I suppose you could leave a comment expressing that sentiment as well. We're all friends here.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Happy Monday!</div>

HomeStyle: Chairspiration

For some reason unbeknownst to myself, I'm not getting dressed today. It's already after lunchtime, and I'm still in some sembla...

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Just like they say in German: donkey-shins.

<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8pk2Z09chfTJ5NL3bJyhyckVDXjH7lKppOLF_JSAkKvkkWiSVMpD0spE1zryvgm712697G0tApKYjGoX9OKQb74CfiA34cWewVtlq_UrJDlvEs_H4YLJhFn0dbg9tCk-0iqBXJ2hxhdN/s1600/D1britt3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8pk2Z09chfTJ5NL3bJyhyckVDXjH7lKppOLF_JSAkKvkkWiSVMpD0spE1zryvgm712697G0tApKYjGoX9OKQb74CfiA34cWewVtlq_UrJDlvEs_H4YLJhFn0dbg9tCk-0iqBXJ2hxhdN/s400/D1britt3.JPG" width="355" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">  <span style="font-size: x-small;">shoes: steve madden. skirt & shirt: gap. skirt extender: </span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/aslipshop" target="blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">a slip shop</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. cardigan: don't recall (more than a decade old). turquoise necklace: forever21. silver necklace: </span><a href="https://beta.lds.org/young-women/personal-progress?lang=eng" target="blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">earned</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGYOYUfc1qjIGaU5Ra_0-9xgS938rWwg29OnfUdB5MjG-DD_XU-gstITPcZ3JTx7_1QG6wHG19O6qPY2kXZ4M_HmEkuLaXq6VpwdkV9OetmR9zSXsztNHuXLpYkq0gvqrFSlZCTS0wLd0/s1600/D1britt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGYOYUfc1qjIGaU5Ra_0-9xgS938rWwg29OnfUdB5MjG-DD_XU-gstITPcZ3JTx7_1QG6wHG19O6qPY2kXZ4M_HmEkuLaXq6VpwdkV9OetmR9zSXsztNHuXLpYkq0gvqrFSlZCTS0wLd0/s400/D1britt1.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I felt brighter/springier/fresher in this ensemble than these photos reflect. That's kind of becoming a pattern for me. Maybe I'm in denial about how my outfits actually come together? Hmm...</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9c2jWmCG7qO1-IIUsqng3PYJb9R33wEYk4fqTxYITvOV8qL36Jqw5KvOBSlMseqXsQVXApBv7QhxQimmZy7y3yM9YRHwtNj3FhM7Psbxwg8Sp3JgGIRsK-Cv4SIe3B4a4eeDKDtAPlLoB/s1600/D1britt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9c2jWmCG7qO1-IIUsqng3PYJb9R33wEYk4fqTxYITvOV8qL36Jqw5KvOBSlMseqXsQVXApBv7QhxQimmZy7y3yM9YRHwtNj3FhM7Psbxwg8Sp3JgGIRsK-Cv4SIe3B4a4eeDKDtAPlLoB/s400/D1britt2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">This week I'm grateful for:</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- primary kids (3-12 years old) singing their hearts out.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- spending quality time with my husband. Like, one night we sat talking and looking out our living room windows at dusk after tucking the kids in...and before we both knew it, it was well into night-time. He makes me laugh and understands me and doesn't judge me and is my best friend. So cheesy, I know, and you can all roll your eyes, but in this weekly gratitude list, it must be said. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- electric beaters.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- food from a box that, actually, turns out delicious. Okay, fine, edible.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- an 80-cents-off-a-gallon surprise coupon at the gas pump. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- jogging.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- sometimes not jogging.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- my kids when they don't talk rudely. These moments are becoming sparser these days, so I'm particularly grateful when they do happen.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- the temple.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- big dreams.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- going to bed by 10:30 p.m. instead of 3:30 a.m.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- homemade oreos.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- house slippers.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- when my daughter compliments me, several times, on how "nice" or "cute" I look that day.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">- creative outlets, like this blog and home design projects and grantwriting.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy Sunday!</div>

Just like they say in German: donkey-shins.

   shoes: steve madden. skirt & shirt: gap. skirt extender: a slip shop . cardigan: don't recall (more than a decade old). turquoise...

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