Thursday, June 16, 2011



I love my hairdresser, but lately I haven't been happy with my cuts. It's not her fault, she does a good job, it's just not what I want. It's hard to convey "Louise Brooks meets 90s indie rock girl" to someone who has no idea who that is & wasn't 16 in 1994.

After spending an hour doing some intense youtube research on cutting a bob with clippers I decided that I could do it myself. If I really ruined it I could always get another pixie cut at a salon, and besides it would be good for a laugh. I dug out Randys clippers but the guards were missing. Instead of doing what a sane person would do and finding the guards or getting a new set, I decided that I didn't need the guards. Holding a hand mirror in one hand and the clippers in the other I went to work.

And somehow I ended up with this:





I'm really happy with how it turned out, and surprised that I managed to pull it off. All I need to do is straighten out my bangs. I saved myself a bit of money with this and to celebrate I think some serious headband shopping is in order!



Check out this adorable card on Etsy by Montreal artist Cyerly. This is the same look I had on my face yesterday while cutting my hair.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

I discovered Larabars recently while looking for some help to get through my workouts without feeling weak afterwards. I had tried protein shakes but found them too chalky. Boost is good but it's also expensive. Larabars were like a godsend because they were gluten free, rich in protein without being full of crap and delicious. I could eat one (or two) every day.. if I could afford it.

Looking at the ingredients on the Peanut Butter bars (dates, peanuts, salt) I realized that I could probably come up with my own version. A quick search on google confirmed that homemade Larabars are easy to make & just as good as their name brand counterpart.

I picked up a package of "red value" brand pitted dates today for $2.99 and a bag of unsalted peanuts for $3.50 at my local Safeway. I wasn't sure if these were the right kind of dates - they had larger unpitted ones for $15/box but these ones were nice and sticky and worked great.

I used about 3/4 C of dates (loosely packed) and 1/4 cup of peanuts along with a dash of salt and a splash of vanilla for each batch. This is the kind of thing that can be made to preference, more dates for sweeter bars and more peanuts for saltier. Some recipes I found called for cocoa powder for a fudge version.

I made two batches, the first one I made by mincing the dates first and then adding all the other ingredients and the second batch I tried putting all the ingredients in at once. I recommend doing it the first way as the peanuts were not chopped as finely in the "all at once" method. I shaped them into bars with saran wrap and put them in the fridge.

I made 5 bars with just under half the bag of dates and barely any of the peanuts for a total of $2. That's just twenty cents a bar. Now I can indulge in two a day, guilt free.



Let me know if you try making your own Larabars & any variations you make. I'd like to try a version with cashews, and maybe one with shredded coconut.

Monday, June 13, 2011



I have always loved vintage skirts, especially the large circle skirts of the 50s. They are so flattering for every figure and they're just fun to wear. They can be expensive though, and it's not always easy to find a vintage skirt in your size. (23" waist? Maybe when I was 10.)

I wanted to recreate the vintage silhouette in casual, everyday wear. These are the kinds of skirts you can put on with a fitted t-shirt and sandals and wear while doing your errands, or pull on over a pair of tights while on your bike. They are all machine washable & made with solid french seams that will last so long that they will become vintage themselves some day.

Most of the skirts in stock are in size 31/32/33 with lots of stretch. However I would be happy to take custom orders to fit any size! Send a message on Etsy to discuss custom options.

Mavis Knee Length Full Swing Skirt sz 33 M/L

Anna Knee Length Floral Aline Skirt sz 31 M/L

Ethel Knee Length Vintage Fabric Swing Skirt sz 32 M/L


Check out the skirt section in my shop to see the rest of the skirts available!

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Be More Creative



It's not quite summer yet but it sure feels like it. I've even had my first sunburn already, which will hopefully be my last sunburn of the year too. Sunburned knees hurt A LOT!

These pictures were taken a couple weeks ago. I am going to attempt to upload photos on the same day they are taken now instead of dumping my camera once a month, being overwhelmed by hundreds of photos and shutting down the computer. It's part of my "be more productive" goal that will hopefully lead to a "be more creative" outcome.