Bangs!

Yep.  Finally got bangs.  

This first picture is the closest to my actual hair colour.  

Didn't realize how different instagram makes it look but it didn't change.  Still brown.

Wow, do I look different.  And I kinda love it.

In our Easter Best

R's bow tie is a bit floppy because I made the strap a bit too long.. too bad. But still cute!

Pinspiration- Altered T shirt

I saw a great grey t shirt on pinterest quite a while ago. I loved its shape and detail but the fact that it was totally casual at the same time. It was perfect for me so I looked up the link. I could buy it, it's by Marc Jacobs for just $535 canadian. So, uh, NO I will not be buying a five hundred dollar casual t shirt.

Plan B. In my PJ drawer I have a grey t shirt that has been there forever, soft and worn in and the perfect grey. No before picture because honestly I didn't expect much. I sat down at the sewing machine after the kids were in bed and while my hubby was working evening shift and just tried a few things. If the shirt is old and free you can't really lose right?

So a snip here and a pintuck there with left over thread while I watched a little nostalgic netflix (Seaquest anyone, ha). I cut the bottom off, cut the neck and arms, then sewed up the armholes so they wouldn't gape. I sewed a few lines then tried it on then continued on like that. When the thread ran out I stopped. And this is what it looked like:

Awesome instagram photos I took while shopping by myself- a rare occasion.

But you get the idea.

Next time, yes there will definitely be a next time, I will do before and after proper pics so you get the idea. It was just so much fun to finish a project and have it work like I pictured!

Pillowcase dress

I (finally) made a pillowcase dress for L. I got the idea a long time ago and took her to Value Village to get a practice pillowcase.

She was this big.

Oh so squeezable, look at that face.

This particular pillowcase had polka dot fabric in all our favourite colours, and it was cheap! Perfect.

Except I didn't get back to it for a long long time. Like a few years. Cough, procrastination, cough.

But I recently had the urge to sew and this project had everything I needed, bias tape, thread, some contrasting scraps for the ribbon at the shoulders. It took no time at all! Not perfect but easy enough that I plan to try again. In the mean time I have to convince her to wear a shirt underneath if she insists on wearing this dress in January!

A few new things

I have a very lovely new camera.

It has a cool vintage-y snap off case that makes it look all tourist in the 60's.

The pictures my husband takes with it are lovely.

The pictures I take are not.

They stink.

SO here are some stinky pictures of 2 new purchases for fall...

nude t strap flats from Aldo

...and a vintage key necklace from Jewelscapes on ETSY. It seems the shop has changed/closed so I am glad I finally ordered this necklace I had my eye on.

I love it!

Maybe soon I will have house pictures if I can figure out the camera:)

The answer for my hair

I am kind of hair challenged. When I was younger I wore a ponytail every day. Then after I became a mom I got my hair cut shorter so I would be forced to style it every day. And I have styled it- the same way every day. I just can't get any fancy things to work. I have 2 or 3 hairstyle choices I use on my daughter and I feel pretty proud about that level of variety.

I was trying to do something new the other day as I was getting ready to go on a date with my hubby, a rare grown up occasion. Anyway, I loved the idea of this easy hairstyle I saw on pinterest but just couldn't make it work. My sweet babysitter suggested I buy spin pins as she uses them in her lovely long hair to make an easy bun. So I bought them.
I tried the style I talked about earlier but still can't quite master it. But this:

This I can do. Plan on seeing my hair in a bun all summer people. It's my new everyday style.

Photos by the crazy and talented 5 yr old K.

WIWW- a few colours beside grey and navy

I didn't get many real outfit pics, but here is a bit of visual proof that I was trying to get outside my grey and navy box from here.

Purple cardi and grey dress

Navy cardi, green striped tank and green skinny cargos

Grey cardi, flowered tank and turquoise necklace

And the weather has been mostly rotten. Here is my brown and purple look. Don't be shocked by y colourful creativity.

Brown cardi- Banana Republic

purple top- Old Navy

jeans- GAP

brown loafers- Lands End

This was what I wore on the day that was sunny.

top- Old Navy

jeans- Gap

sandals- Sseko

The rest of the days I was wearing scrubs as I have been working a ton lately.

As always linking up to the Pleated Poppy.

Happy Birthday Sandals

I bought myself some sandals from Sseko a company in Africa. I first saw them on my very stylish friend and co-worker Sarah Jane's blog. I went to the website to look around and read about their 'not just for profit' concept and loved it. If you go there, don't read the blog with out at least a little kleenex. The stuff they are doing is so wonderful. Direct quote from the website:

"These women will not make sandals forever. They will go on to be doctors, lawyers, politicians, writers and teachers that will bring change and unification to a country divided and ravished by a 22 year-long war."

See you are getting a little excited aren't you?

But the sandals, the sandals are awesome too. They have interchangeable straps that can be tied many different ways. I bought 3 strap colours so that equals about 3 hundred different sandals all in one:)

And I tried tying them a few different ways already!! Look at how thick and comfortable the sole is. I love shoes but they must be comfortable.

Someone else in our family had to put on her pretty sandals too. And get in on the backyard photoshoot. I can't wait for summer!!
Please excuse my very un-pedicured feet. I was very excited to post these and my white legs and unruly feet haven't seen the light of day for quite sometime. Please just check out the sandals. I promise to at least paint my nails before I wear them in real life.

wiww- grey and navy

Talk about a limited colour palate - apparently my entire wardrobe is comprised of grey and navy:) Here are a few of my outfits for What I Wore Wednesday at the Pleated Poppy.

First three outfits from this week. The next two from April but never made it into a post. Last three shots are big K getting in on the action again.

#1

Grey jacket- Old Navy (a few years old)

Grey T - Old Navy

Scarf- Joe Fresh

Jeans- Reitmans

Converse- Target (boys sz 5)

#2

Purse- Aldo

striped shirt- Joe Fresh

jeans- Gap

navy shoes- Toms

grey belt- Zellers

#3

Navy striped scarf- Joe Fresh

Sweater- Joe Fresh (this is lower in the back with a tiny little gather- cute)

Jeans-Gap

Shoes- Toms

#4

Sweater- Gap

Polka Dot T, grey tights- Joe Fresh

Belt- Zellers

Skirt- Le Chateau (this was actually part of my going away outfit from my wedding 11 years ago!!)

Grey city flats- Gap

This outfit was a blatant copy of A from Academichic, seen here.

#5

Grey long cardi- Target

T- Joe Fresh

Jeans- Gap

Leather bracelet- H&M

Shoes- Lands End from Sears

Socks- Costco

Two notes on my model Kobester- he is indeed wearing grey and navy (dressed himself) and he seems to expertly pose by repositioning his left foot. Wonder where he learned that:)

Next week it's my goal to wear a different colour:) or at least put my kid in a different colour!

Wearing our flowers

This weekend we had quite a few opportunities to wear the felt flowers I made with Good Friday, Easter and L turning the big 3. So we did wear them...

In her hair:

She was sick all weekend- doesn't she look pitiful? She sounds even worse.

And on my belt:

And we were cute :)

Full birthday details here.