Llena de moras

The last outfits of 2011

2012-01-02T14:51:00.001-07:00

St. Vincent show this week!

2011-10-16T22:25:00.003-07:00

I haven't been able to update lately because I've been so busy with school. It's been going well. We had our first choir concert on Friday and I've been getting all sorts of compliments on my fierce outfits that I'm too lazy to blog about. But trust me, they are fierce. I'm beyond stoked because I'm going to see my favorite musician on Thursday at the Crescent Ballroom. I'm excited to see the venue itself as it's supposed to be a pretty awesome music destination with awesome food.

Happy Weekend!

2011-09-09T13:29:00.004-07:00

I wore a sort of Autumn-y outfit yesterday for 2 reasons: because I had to go straight from school to FNO and because I couldn't shave my legs because the water heater was turned off. The kids at school seems pretty appalled that I was pretending it wasn't a million degrees out yesterday. I was actually pretty pleased with the look; it's kind of off-kilter schoolgirl which is a fun way to usher in the fall. Are you stoked about fall dressing, or are you clinging to your racer back tanks and cut-off shorts? I always look forward to the weather cooling down, because
with necessity for more layers come more opportunity for fun and creativity.

dress: Anthro
belt: thrifted
tights: Hue
shoes: Target

Speaking of creativity, have you seen Rookie? It's a new online magazine for teens created by Tavi Gevinson of Style Rookie. I am loving the content so far. She has a great article on how to overcome girl hate and some inspiring fashion tips for fall that are accessible on a low budget and totally in the vein of the old Sassy mag. I love the aesthetic of the magazine, the honesty, and how fashion is presented as something that's fun, not something you do to impress people or fit in. Tavi is such an inspiration.

Well, I better get back to reading boring lectures for the worst online class ever. Have a fun weekend everyone!

Be excellent to each other

2011-09-03T20:40:00.006-07:00

I'm feeling a little powerless today. Negative body talk is everywhere. Last night I went out with my girlfriends and for the most part it was fun, but it took a turn when my two of my friends started snarking on other women's bodies. I was kind of dumbfounded. I didn't call them on it either, I got all tongue-tied and awkward. I was mostly just sad, because I know that they are no strangers to feelings of body shame, but instead of fighting it, they dished it out to others. Today at work, I tried in vain to convince women that they look beautiful, one of which was a size 26 and felt too fat for skinny jeans. I try to make it a special mission of mine to make customers feel good about themselves, but I'm just one voice amidst cacophony of negativity. I'm left feeling exhausted.

At the beginning of the summer, one of my goals was 'no negative body talk'. I'm proud to say I've done pretty well. It's an intention I have to set every day. If a negative thought creeps into my head, I literally have to talk myself out of it. I'm beginning to embody myself; meaning, I understand what my body looks like, how it feels, and I accept it. Best of all, I'm learning to love myself. But it only goes so far as myself. Leading by example is a start, but I think in order to make a real difference I have to set the intention to help other women, but I'm not sure what that looks like. You can't tell someone how to feel about anything.

I think the first step I need to take is to learn how to call people out in a way that doesn't start conflict, but generates discussion. I will try not to remain silent. Last night I could have said "there is nothing wrong with that woman's body" and then maybe that would spark some dialogue about why there is an 'ideal' body type, and who decides what that is.

Another idea is to build each other up with dialogue that is not appearance related. The other day when I was in the cafeteria (or "Thunder Alley" in 'lope talk) and I ran into a classmate; an older lady who is returning to education. She gave me a really simple compliment: "I love your comments in class". This made me feel really happy, and really confident, and it had nothing to do with my appearance. It just made my day and it made me feel much more at ease about my first week at school. Complimenting each other on our appearance is important, but I think we should acknowledge each other's talents, intelligence, interests, dreams, goals, and personalities more often. It can be hard not to default to the superficial, because it is just that; superficial. It's easy because it doesn't require us to dig any deeper. When we engage with each other about things other than looks, we form stronger bonds of friendship, we inspire each other (I actually signed up for school right after having an awesome conversation with a coworker about goals), and we learn that our appearance does not dictate our value.

This is all I have for now. I wish I could start a revolution or a protest or at least make t-shirts. But I'm just one person and I've got my life to live. Maybe in due time. What about you? Do you have any ideas on how to help women see how awesome they are? What are some things we can apply to our everyday lives that can make a difference?

Back to School

2011-08-29T11:45:00.003-07:00

Today is my first day of school! My first class was in the morning and my other class was at 5pm (my schedule is wonky). Within 30 seconds of arriving on campus, I met a girl named Paige who was asking me for directions and I had no idea where I was going either, so we walked together and had a very pleasant conversation! Non-awkward human interaction ftw! First impression of the student life: everyone seems really nice, but I think I'm going to miss the diversity of Phoenix College. I feel like I got a lot out of my community college experience just by brushing elbows with people who have a different life experiences.

Anyway, on to the business at hand. In my last post, I wrote up a little proposition, and since nobody commented, it would appear that nobody is excited about it. Or maybe you don't want to get volunteered to write an essay when you have better things to do. I did a little thinking, and things are still up in the air, but I think it might be easier to digest if I did it interview style. So instead of each writer feeling pressured to come up with some nuance social commentary, I'd just present a series of questions and each contributor could answer as they please. I'm not sure what will become of this project or if it will even catch on, but the purpose is to reflect on things we've learned and counteract some of the negative messages that are thrown at teen girls from every angle. I would love for it to be a collaboration, so if you are interested in contributing, or have any ideas for the questionnaire format, email me at kristenefournier@gmail.com.

I feel just like a child

2011-08-27T21:40:00.004-07:00

School starts for me on Monday and I am getting more and more antsy. You know that feeling in your stomach you get when you wake up at 5:30 on the first day of school? That simultaneous hunger and nausea? I've been feeling that for the past three days. All this nervousness and excitement has me reminiscing about high school; the outfit I wore on my first day (facepalm), the boys I made out with, the peanut M&Ms I ate for lunch, and all the things I learned later but wish I had known. I guess if I had known those things already there wouldn't be opportunities for growth. Nonetheless, I think I'd like to start a series in continuation of my Girls and Lobsters post, but invite others to submit their writing about their own high school experience, and what they are up to now. I want it to be focused on surviving high school while female (is that catchy enough to be the name of the series?) I don't know if any high school aged girls read my blog, but perhaps it can be an exercise in self reflection for us that can give hope or inspiration to any girls that happen to stumble upon it. So stay tuned. Tomorrow I will post more details.

outfit details
Dress: Dreamgirls boutique in Ocean Beach (it's not a strip club, I swear)
belt: thrifted
shoes: Worishofers

A quick outfit post

2011-08-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

Just stopping by to share what I wore to work today.

necklace: Erickson Beamon for Target
top: thrifted
skirt: Anthropologie
shoes: Target

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Before and After

2011-08-26T05:53:00.004-07:00

Today I'm bringing some outfit action with a twist. I got a new haircut! Here's what it looked like a couple days ago. It was getting a little fluffy and blah:
I usually had to braid it in the front or pin it to the side to make it look acceptable.
And here's my fresh new do, thanks to Darci, the best hairstylist in Phoenix!
What a difference it makes! Now I feel more confident for my first day of school on Monday (it's about to get real). I can not speak highly enough of Darci and her talent and attention to detail. She does a great consultation and communicates clearly to make sure you're on the same page about what you want. She uses cool techniques to get the exact look you want. She works with precision and attention to detail and continues to fine tune and clip away little bits until it's just right. And she's an expert at curls. With curly hair, it seems I never know what to expect when I leave the stylist's chair. With other stylists, I've ended up with straightened hair, crunchy eighties curls, and pageant hair. Darci always uses the right products and techniques to coax my natural curl into the perfect shape while still leaving it looking natural and fresh. You can find her at E's Urban Hair in Phoenix

outfit #1 details:
tank: "Closet" in Ocean Beach San Diego (4 for $10!)
belt: thrifted (came attached to a skirt)
skirt: thrifted
shoes: Worishofer

outfit #2
t shirt, tank, headband: Anthropologie
jeans: Target
shoes: Worishofer
necklace (both pictures): mine tour in Bisbee, AZ

Epic wedding weekend

2011-08-24T14:54:00.003-07:00

This past weekend, my Mom, my brother, and I went to San Diego to see an old friend get married. It was beautiful. Here are just a few snapshots, there are more on my flickr. I loved the nautical theme and the casual elegance. The ceremony took place at Sunset Cliffs and then there was a relaxing afternoon picnic in the park. We had a delicious picnic lunch of sandwiches from Con Pane, and lawn games were played. It was fun, laid back, and care-free. More weddings should be like this.

Gifs of my weekend

2011-08-21T23:05:00.002-07:00

I went to San Diego this weekend to watch an old friend get married and spend some time with my Mom. This is just a glimpse.

Things that are awesome

2011-08-12T18:33:00.006-07:00

It's time for some positivity up in here.

1. My mad braiding skillz. People are always impressed with an interesting braid, and this took me about 5 minutes:
2. Rachel Comey shoes. Sometimes I sit and cry about all the Rachel Comey shoes that exist that I will never own. Okay, maybe not but look at all these!

3. This affordable alternative from American Eagle (that's random!)

4. Free birth control for everybody. USA! USA!

5. Stephen Colbert miming a t-rex trying to put on a condom:

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7. Getting my life figured out. I'm going back to school in the fall and studying Music Education. I'm so excited!

8. Remember those problematic articles I got so worked up about in my last post? Well Don Miller ate his words and apologized.

9. St. Vincent. I've been obsessed with Annie for awhile and I cannot stop listening and watching her performances on youtube. I'm so excited to see her in October. She deserves her own blog post (coming soon) but here's one of my favorite videos of her.

10. Ron Swanson. Requires no explanation.

Christian, Feminist, and Pissed Off

2011-08-07T00:19:00.006-07:00

I've been wanting to delve into writing about my personal opinions and beliefs, in sort of a 101 type of format, just kind of easing into it. I didn't want to get too heavy too fast, but I've had something on my mind the past few days that I have literally lost sleep over, so I need to get it off my chest. It all started when I read these two articles. In them, Don Miller, a popular author among the 'emerging church' movement, gives advice on how to find love and build a lasting marriage. He wrote a separate article for each sex. While I usually have no problem with his writings on spirituality, I think this type of subject matter is inappropriate for him. He is not a counselor, or an expert on relationships in any respect. He is also not married. So where did he get his information? Most likely from pop culture romance, cultural gender roles, and thin air. Qualifications aside, it wouldn't matter what his area of expertise is, if only he had backed up what he said with research, and thoughtfully examined the implications of his message. Instead, he dished out the terrible advice I've been hearing for years from youth pastors, Christian literature, and pious radio hosts. Don Miller's advice is only symptomatic of a greater problem, but since it pretty much bullet points everything that's wrong with Christian teaching on relationships and gender (thanks for making it easy!), I'm going to analyze it, focusing mainly on the advice he gives to women (after calling us 'girls' in the title) along with the lies it reinforces.

1. "Don't hook up". i.e. Don't be a slut. Nobody wants to marry a slut, and if someone does marry a slut, they will need to 'forgive' you for you past. If you have sex, you lose a part of yourself. You go down a notch. You are a commodity. He warns:

"And when your husband finds out you were the “hook up” girl he’s going to have to have a lot of grace, which is fine, it just puts you in the category of “charity” in his mind and not “equal” or “partner.” He may still love you, but he will have serious questions about whether you’re in the kind of shape it takes to run a marathon. Unless you get over it and move on and do a period of time where you put it all behind you, he will and honestly should lose respect for you. Respect is not free. Respect is earned. Grace is free, but grace and respect are different."

Honestly, this is just gross. I don't even have to explain why. Just, ugh, I can't even. If a man doesn't respect me for whatever reason, then I don't need to be with him. If someone views me as less than equal, that is his problem, not mine. If you feel like you must earn your partner's respect because he thinks your past makes you unworthy, then the relationship will have an unhealthy power dynamic.

While so many people commented on how this was a 'brave' and 'honest' thing to write, it's actually quite cowardly. I've heard this my message my entire life, and I've been afraid of my body, my desires, and natural urges as a result. It's not new and provocative, or even controversial. It's the same thing I learned at church camp every single year for five years. It is accepted. I even remember a break out session where they split up the girls and boys to talk about issues specific to each group. Wouldn't that have been a great time to tell us to love ourselves? that we each have a calling? that we can do awesome things in the world? Nope. It was 'sex is bad' and 'don't wear spaghetti straps, because boys just can't help themselves.' This is the same sort of dichotomy I'm seeing in the articles. The girls are advised to guard their hymens, while the boys are being primed to lead, to 'write a great story', to pursue their goals in life. Therein lies the problem. There's nothing wrong with encouraging the pursuit of holiness, whatever that looks like, but it is damaging when we fail to acknowledge that women are autonomous individuals, with our own calling, our own hopes and dreams, and our own strengths. If purity is all that matters, we are set up for failure.

"According to Add Health data, evangelical teen-agers are more sexually active than Mormons, mainline Protestants, and Jews. On average, white evangelical Protestants make their 'sexual début' -- to use the festive term of social-science researchers -- shortly after turning sixteen. Among major religious groups, only black Protestants begin having sex earlier." The New Yorker

We are told that our value is contingent on our ability to repress natural urges, yet we will statistically fail at doing so. Where does that leave us? We are left with a whole demographic of young people that are depressed, have low self esteem, unhealthy relationships, and most frighteningly, will fail to protect themselves from STDs and unwanted pregnancy.

“There is a moral panic in America over young women’s sexuality—and it’s entirely misplaced. Girls “going wild” aren’t damaging a generation of women, the myth of sexual purity is. The lie of virginity—the idea that such a thing even exists—is ensuring that young women’s perception of themselves is inextricable from their bodies, and that their ability to be moral actors is absolutely dependent on their sexuality. It’s time to teach our daughters that their ability to be good people depends on their being good people, not whether or not they’re sexually active.”
-The Purity Myth

Evangelicals have a strange obsession with virginity, and it's hurting young women, and once their self worth has been completely dismantled, telling them "but Jesus still loves you!" brings little solace.

2. "Make him work for it: When a guy is made to fight for a girl, he esteems her much more highly. She becomes more attractive in his eyes, and for that matter she becomes more attractive to other men, too. That said, most of the time this will backfire because lots of guys are just looking for cheap and slutty sex and for her to get lost afterward"

First of all, he doesn't even believe his own advice, because he says it will backfire, so that was useless. Second, this relies on the assumption that women want to be pursued and men want to chase. It is a prescription based on a generalization. Sometimes woman want to chase and men want to be pursued, and that doesn't make them defective or their relationships any less meaningful. Not to mention, this philosophy is exclusionary of gays and anyone who identifies outside of the gender binary.

3. "Weed them out"

"Guys who are just looking for a hook up need to hit the road. By weeding them out you definitely end up with a smaller pool of guys to choose from. It’s unfortunate and that is truly bad news. But there’s good news, too. There are fewer girls with the strength to not have one night stands, and those girls become much, much more attractive to men. Those are the girls who present a challenge, and who are esteemed more highly. These are the girls guys recognize as the kind of women they want to partner with in raising a family. In other words, it’s a great strategy to be more attractive to a smaller group than cheap and easy to a larger group. Plus, the stronger guys are up for the work while the weaker guys are just trying to get laid."

I'm not even sure what to say about this one. Once again, he is appealing to this virgin/whore dichotomy to refer to those who are worthy and those who are not. Other than that, he just says a whole lot of nothing.

4. "Be Willing to Suffer. What this means for you is that your love story needs to have a lot of lonely crying in it."

So, I'm supposed to cry about not having a man in my life? Then wait for a man to rescue me? then tell him about how much I cried? And that will make him love me? Ironically, in his next bullet point he says that life isn't a Taylor Swift song, but here he is essentially telling us to cry ourselves to sleep at night over the guy who chose the cheerleader in a short skirt. I'm not really sure where he is going with this advice. First he (a man) tells me (a woman) how to navigate my own sexuality and now he's telling me how to feel about it? Am I supposed to feel certain emotions to make me a more special snowflake? Meanwhile on the other side of the link, he's telling men to "bring peace into chaos". So, to summarize, women are hysterical hot messes and we just need a man to come hold us and tell us everything is okay. It would appear that life really is just like a Taylor Swift song. Sidenote: If you are so lonely that you find yourself spending many nights crying, than you don't have to suffer. There are hotlines you can call, and counselors you can talk to. Depression is real. For the love of Pete, please don't take his advice on this.

5. "Have some faith: I’ve noticed that most women who complain a good man won’t come along are actually interested in the wrong guys. They make lists of their perfect gentleman coming to rescue them meanwhile they’re hooking up with guys who have a track record of just having sex with random women."

Dude, totally! Women totally always do this! This is totally what's wrong with most women! Even though you have no basis in fact and are speaking from a generalization presented to us through pop culture and romantic comedies, that's like totally spot on! Girls never go for nice guys! Those crazy bitches! Okay, now I'm realizing how quickly my commentary has derailed into full on snark, but I just can't help it when the advice is so laughably misguided, especially when you see what comes next:

6. "Don’t be thirteen: Unless you’re thirteen, ladies, grow up." This just sounds like bitterness from a past relationship thinly veiled as advice. He goes on to say:

"And a victim will attract a predator. Stop acting like a victim. If you want a strong man who can protect you and your children, stop trolling for predators by crying all the time."

That last part doesn't even make sense. I don't know any women who cry all the time, or what that has to do with attracting a predator. If he's referring to an actual predator, than that would logically make the female in the situation an actual victim, who has every right to 'act like a victim.' If he's not referring to an actual predator, than that's just poor word choice. Also, he's giving mixed messages by first telling us to be passive, and then saying don't be a victim. This sounds an awful lot like the victim blaming so prevalent in mainstream society, but especially in the church. We're told to let the man lead, but if anything bad happens to us, it's our fault. Also, he uses this image to illustrate his point:
???

Just in case you thought it couldn't get more patronizing, he gives some tips on how to redeem yourself once you've failed at following the rules. I'm not going to analyze them as deeply, because I'm getting tired, and, to put it like Cher Horowitz, it would be like "trying to find meaning in a Pauly Shore movie". Just read what he wrote. It's all bad. I'll just highlight some gems.

"Be honest about it" Oh good. Finally something reasonable. Oops, not so fast:

"Don’t hide it. If you went through a slutty season, don’t act like you were a helpless victim, a sweet girl who got caught up. You probably weren’t."

But what if you really were a victim? What are you even saying? Is this a joke? Am I being punked? When I read this, all I can see is that smug face staring me down from the top of the page:
Go away Don.

"Work through your need to be validated by men....And stop using alcohol as an excuse. Nobody gets drunk and accidentally sleeps with a hamster. You know what you’re doing, drunk or not, so cut it out. In other words, become the woman who fits the character in the love story you want to live."

A lot of this article relies on the assumption that women only have sex because they are "trying to fill a void only God can fill" or some other church-y cliche. It's assumed that a woman who likes sex doesn't respect herself, and is using sex to feel validated. This may be true for some, but we are not a monolith. Sex feels good, and that's why people like it. End of story.

And that whole hamster comment is problematic on a whole other level. Yes, nobody accidentally sleeps with a hamster, but women do get sexually assaulted, and this whole "you know what you're doing" attitude is often used to excuse rapists and blame the victims. Sure, it's not a good idea to get black out drunk, but if you get assaulted while black out drunk, it's still not your fault. Got it? Good.

So I'm not sure how to tie up the loose ends on this and make it pretty. It's just that reading the article really made me rage and I had to let it out somewhere (especially since the comments on his blog are moderated for civility). Here is a man who is speaking into the lives of women. He is a popular author and his words have influence. He has the ability to question the status quo, and instead, he just reinforced oppressive gender stereotypes that has been fed to us for years. I believe he does have the ability to research and thoughtfully consider the implications of his advice, but I've seen Yahoo articles written with more nuance. Something else that I find surprising, is that this is coming from someone who speaks of the Bible as a narrative about hope, love, and redemption. When you view the Bible this way, the individual passages that have been used to enforce outdated rules don't seem as important. Yet in this particular piece he de-emphasizes the narrative aspect and focuses on the legalism. His advice does not reflect the good news of a God who loves you. It does not speak to a greater narrative about God's amazing timing and grace. It is just a bunch of shaming words, laced with contempt for the female population. When someone who seems so progressive and aware proves to be that hateful, it just shows how pervasive these messages are. And that scares me. We need to change the paradigm. I like the way this commenter put it:

“I take huge issue with the ways you assume that women ought to wait around and practice being pure while men should make a plan and “lead” a woman into a great love story. That story is a fairytale. Women mentioned in the bible (Ruth, Naomi, Lydia, Miriam, Mary, Deborah) were certainly not submissive, passive, or even necessarily sexually “pure” or virginal. The “don’t be a slut” love advice is old, tired, oppressive, and worst of all, unbiblical. God uses whomever God pleases, and it’s usually someone far from pure. And the Spirit works within and between us, creating relationship and breathing life into love stories, without regard to presupposed, culturally-inculcated femininity and masculinity.”

Surprise Road Trip Adventure: Bisbee, Arizona

2011-07-14T01:08:00.003-07:00

On Tuesday Marc took us on a day trip to a surprise destination. I love adventures and surprises, so I was totally down. As we went through the tunnel and turned a corner, I was delighted to see this colorful little cluster of old brick buildings and brightly painted bungalows. It looked miniature, like something constructed for the set of Thomas the Tank Engine.

Bisbee is a town full of history and old world charm, and everyone was really friendly. The highlight of our adventure was going on a mine tour where you get to wear hard hats and go deep into a mine. Marc and I sat on the back of the train and made October Sky references.

On girls, high school, and lobsters.

2011-06-18T18:28:00.007-07:00

I spent most of my high school years trying to be part of the boys club. On my first day of high school, I wore a Jetsons t-shirt, baggy jeans, my Dad's tie, and Chuck Taylors. I was not like the other girls. I was an exception. I was into punk music, but the other girls who liked punk were posers. They only liked it to impress boys. I could ride a skateboard. I could play bass guitar. I was funny (debatable). All of these things made me different from the other girls. (Slowly I gained a few girl friends and I have always had my bff from childhood, but I viewed them as fellow exceptions. )

(my brother and me)

I got a strange sort of pleasure out of eating disgusting cafeteria calzones and waxing nerdy about Adult Swim cartoons alongside the boys. Understandable, as they were and still are super smart, weird funny dudes (I married one of my high school dude friends and remain friends with a few more). But what I really craved was a way to rebel against the girl-y norm. I was part of the boys club, or so I thought.

When you hang out with hormonal teenage boys on the daily, eventually the conversation can turn sexist and it's hard to call out the very people you rely on to lend a sense of legitimacy to your decidedly unfeminine nonchalance. "That girl is too skinny, that's freakin' gross" or "That girl is way too fat to be wearing that skirt" eventually started popping up in conversation. Something about those comments didn't sit right with me, but I kept my mouth shut because I thought as long as I'm sitting at their table, they're not saying those things about me. What I failed to realize was that I'd never actually be part of the boy's club, I was not an exception, and girls are pretty awesome. "I don't get along with girls as well as I do with boys." "Girls are catty." "I have nothing in common with other girls." All of these phrases were thrown around by my high school self because of internalized misogyny.

"But if you are the exception that proves the rule, and the rule is that women are inferior, you haven’t made any progress."
-Ariel Levy

Allow me to reference a song by one of my favorite bands in the 9th grade. Lobster Bucket by the Aquabats talks about how when lobsters are captured and being held in a bucket, they prevent each other from escaping rather that teaming up and tipping the bucket over or something (I don't remember all the words, it was a long time ago). It was a song full of sage wisdom and fake Cajun accents. Women can be like those lobsters, in that we are oppressed by a patriarchy that polices our morals, belittles us, and pits us against each other. Yet instead of standing together to fight it, we police each other, belittle each other, and unwittingly buy into that sense of rivalry that is foisted upon us. In that sense, female friendships are a subversive political act. Women are expected to be jealous of each other, but when we look around and recognize how smart and cool our fellow females are, amazing things can happen.

As I'm growing more mature and figuring out my life, I'm appreciating friendship with other women more and more. Women are badass. They are editors in chief of their college newspaper. They can beat all the boys at paintball. They collect records. They read comic books. They make delicious cheesecake. They win Pulitzer prizes. They geek out. They have interests and talents and are generally awesome to be around because they are exceptional humans; not in spite of their femaleness, but in conjunction with it.

If I could communicate with my high school self I would tell her this:
Girls are cool. You are a girl and you are cool. There are other girls who are also cool. Next time you feel resentment towards another girl, get to know her first. You may learn that she plays guitar or something. Start an all girl band. Be good to each other.

My Summer Jean Alternative: Frumpy pants!

2011-06-13T15:00:00.005-07:00

Currently, I only own one pair of jeans, and that's only if jeggings count as jeans. A couple weeks ago, I cleared out my closet and made 78 dollars at Buffalo Exchange in an effort to add to my bicycle fund, and most of that transaction involved getting rid of a lot of jeans that were lurking in my drawers. You know the ones I'm talking about. Those denim atrocities that you fully intend to take to the tailor to mend the gap that inevitably occurs when manufacturers do not take into account that sometimes our butts are big and our waists are small; the jeans you bought because they were such a good deal for ::insert whatever upscale premium denim brand the kids are buying theses days:: but are so full of intentionally placed tears that sometimes your leg slips through one of the holes when you try to put them on, perhaps causing you to fall over and injure yourself, notwithstanding that they are super ugly; I know I'm not t he only one with whiskered, stone-washed skeletons in the closet. I've been known to throw on a dress to go to the grocery store in lieu of jeans because it's easier (It's an outfit in itself, and chances are it has less closures to fuss with), but looking girl-y all the time can make me feel like, well, a little girl. (sort of off topic, but I'm a little creeped out that every time I put a picture of myself in a dress on my flickr, I get invited to join a group called "To Pretty to Wear Pants") Enter the casual jeans alternative! For me, it's a pair of early 90s-ish, pleated, paper bag waist, cropped trousers. They are probably frumpy. I don't know, and I don't care.

I think the best way to pull off a pair of old man pants (embrace the frump), is to play with juxtaposition. Think menswear infused with bombshell sex appeal, waspy prep mixed with urban cool. This applies to any trend. Whatever your inspiration, add your own flavor to take it in an unexpected direction.

top: vintage Levi's
pants: Anthropologie (I bought these before I made my oath in the last post, I swear)
belt: thrifted
shoes: Target

Summer Rules

2011-06-10T11:35:00.008-07:00

I always find myself setting goals for myself every summer, and then being disappointed with myself when I don't meet them. It goes something like this:Why do I never learn that my summer is not going to play out like a Coke commercial?
Anyway, since goals are for people with money, free time, some sort of motivation (still trying to figure out what that is and where I can find some), I will instead issue a set of rules for myself that I will try to live by.
1. Henceforth, there will be a moratorium of spending any money at my place of business.
Sorry Anthro, I love you, but you are eating up a disproportionate amount of my income. Yesterday, Marc and I stopped in the St. Vincent De Paul store and I left with an awesome skirt (brand new with tags on) for one dollar. My favorite recent purchases have been from thrifting, and they get me the most compliments too. When your wardrobe is all from the same place, your style just gets boring. Have you ever seen someone's engagement pictures, you know the ones with balloons and suitcases and baked goods and vintage furniture in the middle of a field for some reason, and the girl's outfit is the most twee looking getup you can imagine, and the whole thing is so saccharine and contrived? Her entire outfit is probably from Anthropologie. That's how I feel like I look sometimes. And this is not to bash Anthropologie, or anyone that buys lots of Anthropologie; they have a ton of cute stuff; but it's just to say I have enough, and I need to evolve my style.

2. No body negativity allowed. Not in this blog, not in everyday conversation, not when I'm alone, not ever.

Accepting myself and loving my body is a journey that I've not finished yet, but I've made a lot of progress in the past few weeks. Loving yourself isn't just personal, it's a statement. It's putting up a middle finger to all the voices that are shouting at us that we're not good enough, we're not hot enough, and our bodies are offensive and wrong. Body positivity doesn't just switch on when you decide to change your mind. It's an intention we have to set every day to not take to heart the negativity that bombards us. Sometimes we fail, sometimes we succeed. That's why it's a journey. A lot of ladies I know are trying to lose weight, or have already succeeded in losing weight, and that's awesome. You do you. For me, it's nearly impossible to love my body while I'm counting calories and weighing myself. I even think that our obsession with losing weight makes us less healthy, because rather than focusing on our insides (both physical and mental), we focus on a number. And when that number doesn't go down, we can get discouraged, even though we could have made some real progress in terms of health. So, I will endeavor to eat my fruits and veggies and get all those good phytochemicals and nutrients and all that stuff because it's good for me. But if I want to eat some rad pizza, you can bet I'm going to eat it. I'll keep running at least three times a week because it builds my endurance and fills my brain with good feelings and makes me feel like SuperWoman. But if I want to chill with Marc and watch Office re-runs on the DVR, I'm not going to beat myself up about it.

3. If I spend all day on the internet, I better have something to show for it other than a collection of hilarious cat pictures.

Meaning, if I'm inspired by something and I don't share it, if I'm moved to tears about some sort of injustice in the world and don't try to do something about it, if I'm learning new things everyday from all sorts of people and nobody could tell the difference; then it's time to close my laptop and go DO SOMETHING. Doesn't the look in those cats' eyes just beckon you to action?

So there you have it. There are, of course, more specific things I'd like to do with my summer, but if I shared them I'd go into a list making frenzy that would bore readers and overwhelm me.
So what are you doing this summer? Any plans, goals, or rules? Grab a cold one. Here's to doing stuff.

Hello Strangers!

2011-06-09T22:35:00.007-07:00

So what's up with the long hiatus? Well, it wasn't really planned, it was just something that basically happened as a result of my growing indifference toward what this blog is all about, which is....well, I don't know what it's about. It started out like any other hipster, whimsy blog; I wanted to show off cool looking stuff I found on the internet, and eventually create my own cool-looking content. To be real, I just wanted to be cool. And I still do.

Somewhere along the way, I started to feel like a phony. Not that anything I post is contrived or staged; I just began to feel like I'm leaving parts of myself out. On top of that, I find myself taking pictures for the sole purpose of blogging. I focus on the documentation instead of enjoying the experience for what it is. Often bloggers orchestrate experiences in their life that are fodder for their blog (there's nothing inherently wrong with this; if you blog about food it would make sense to go to restaurants just to blog about it). The problem I find myself in, which probably just speaks to a greater cultural phenomenon in the age of social media, is that I find myself living my life how I would like to be photographed. I then present my life, my interests, my opinions in a way that is most aesthetically pleasing and inoffensive as possible. When you're trying to figure out what the hell you're doing with your life while simultaneously trying to convey to online followers that your life is peaches, you get one heck of an impostor complex.

On my tumblr I don't have a filter. I reblog the things I like or agree with, I post webcam pics of myself when I'm feeling extra fierce, I talk about body positivity, feminism, human rights, and my faith with reckless abandon. I follow all kinds of people, from pastors to lgbtq activists, discussing everything from theology, to pizza, to cervical fluid (yeah, my dashboard is that random). When I look at my tumblr page, it doesn't look pretty, it doesn't have the continuity of one theme, but I think it accurately reflects the things I'm interested in. The only problem is most of the content is not originally mine. I'm recycling other people's ideas and photos to convey what I'm all about. This is all sounding way more deep and "what does it all mean?" than I wanted it to. But hey.

So rather than give up on one medium or the other, I want to reconcile the two. I'm going to keep using tumblr to gather my inspiration, and I would like to use blogger to put my own voice in the mix. I'm still into fashion and taking pictures, so outfits photos and pictures from outings may still make appearances, but I'd like to add more of myself to the equation. I'd like to talk about things I'm passionate about every once in awhile, even though sometimes it's not pretty.

p.s. I got a tattoo.

Two Years!

2011-05-30T20:05:00.003-07:00

Marc and I have been married for two years today! It's been so wonderful and I'm excited to see what the future has in store!

Payson

2011-04-27T21:33:00.004-07:00

On my day off yesterday, Marc and I drove to Payson on a whim. We were probably there no more than 3 hours, but as with any exploration around this state, the destination is the journey. Arizona truly is a weird and magical place.
Too bad we can't make it out on a Wednesday, the only day this junk yard is open for business. There were acres and acres of bikes, motorcycles, cars, and who knows what else. You could probably find yourself a nice bike frame to salvage from there. There had to have been thousands.
Marc gets nervous around gratuitous animal heads.

It wasn't what we expected, but you never know what you'll find until you check out a place.

Rest and Relaxation

2011-04-16T12:24:00.002-07:00

I wore this outfit last night to spend time with a dear friend who is going through a hard time. We distracted her with sushi and shopping.
I'm trying to grow out my hair, so it's at a really awkward length, especially the bangs, and this is my go-to style for weird bangs. or hair that I haven't washed in four days.

sweater: H&M
skirt: thrifted (the Salvation Army in south Phoenix rules)
shoes: Target

Marc wanted to take this picture to show off the print we got from Berkley Illustrations. He mounted it on the lamp so it glows when you turn it on.
Mortimer thanks you for your time.

Happy Monday!

2011-04-11T12:04:00.002-07:00

How was your weekend? Mine was pretty awesome because my sister, Anna drove up from Tucson to hang out and I had delicious sushi with my family. Even though I had to work right after, that few hours of laughter really got me pumped for an awesome closing shift. Here is what I wore:cardigan (that I am not looking forward to stashing away for the summer): Anthropologie
plaid button down: vintage Levi's
skirt: American Apparel (free via secret sale=SCORE!)
tights: Hue
boots: vintage

It was unseasonably cold over the weekend and I loved having a chance to wear some of my cold weather gear for probably the last time until next year. Bring on the triple digits!

Gray Day, Gray Outfit

2011-04-08T21:39:00.004-07:00

A couple days ago, I received this package in the mail. I was delighted that it was wrapped in tissue paper and tied with twine. It was like a little present.
I opened it to find the skirt I ordered from Mammal and Lamb!
Since the weather this weekend is rather dreary, I saw it fitting to pair it with all grays. Plus, I wanted an excuse to wear this amazing cashmere grandpa cardigan that I got on sale. Score! This outfit must have brought some good luck, because Miss Brianna made an appearance in the store while I was restocking! What a nice surprise. I'm so eager to see all the blogger ladies again, so we can get to know each other a little better.

Outfit details:
sweater and t-shirt: Anthropologie
skirt: Mammal and Lamb vintage
shoes: Worishofers

Wednesday Cuteness

2011-04-06T21:01:00.002-07:00

Just thought I'd stop by and share some of this cuteness with everyone. Mortimer has been especially precious today. He loves spooning, licking noses, and staring into your eyes lovingly. Marc was hanging out with Mortimer today and Mortie looked at Marc and gently places his paw on his arm, as if to say "It's going to be okay."
He is our little gentleman.

Two Saturdays worth

2011-04-05T12:35:00.004-07:00

Here are a couple of outfits from the past two Saturdays that I worked. It's usually just on Saturdays that I put effort into what i wear, because on the weekdays, I spend most of my time in the stockroom being a hermit and processing shipment.
I love playing with unexpected color combinations and mixing different inspirations. I paired this rugged, ethnic (don't mean to be culturally insensitive, I just don't know the origin of it) belt, with an early sixties inspired shirt dress, and pulled from a color in the belt to match the shoes. This reinforces my number one fashion maxim: it's not supposed to match, it's supposed to 'go'. Whether or not this 'goes' is debatable, but I think it's that sort of conflict that makes outfits interesting.
Dress: Anthropologie
Belt: Goodwill
Shoes: Target
Excuse my perpetually dirty old floor. And if you're wondering about the nail polish (yeah, I actually took time to paint my nails, the world is not ending), it's Merino Cool by Essie and I loooove it.
Another work outfit, worn on the last day I could possibly wear boots and tights. It has been in the 90s lately and I'm not happy about it at all.
Dress: Tucker for target
Belt: Anthropologie
tights: Hue
Boots: an Etsy vintage shop that has since been taken down

Better Late than Never: AZ blogger meetup post!

2011-04-05T11:58:00.003-07:00

The Arizona Blogger Meetup was over a week ago, and the whole thing was so magnificent and amazing that I have been totally overwhelmed by the idea of posting about it. What could I say that hasn't been said already? I met some really cool chicks, ate delicious food, did fun crafts, got a lot of exercise, lusted over fabulous vintage clothes, ate hot dogs, and generally had a really good time. Here are some images from the event in totally random order.

For more images, visit the flickr pool!

AZ blogger meetup!

2011-03-18T06:19:00.002-07:00

I'm super excited about going to this! I got the day off work and everything. It's taking place Saturday, March 26. For more information about going, I will direct you to this post.

A couple outfits

2011-03-17T21:52:00.005-07:00

Striped tee: Urban Outfitters
dress: Erin Fetherston for Target
belt: Anthropologie
watch: Marc's Timex Indiglo
shoes: Worishofer

This is an outfit I wore to work a few days ago. I totally forgot I had this dress, but it is so fun to wear. I remember when it was in stores, my Mom went to several different Target locations to try to get it for me for Christmas. Speaking of Target, I'm super excited about them re-releasing the best Go International dresses, including this gem from 2005:

Today after work my friends and I tried to go to an advanced screening of Jane Eyre. I was super stoked, so I put together a pretty genius shirt/sweater combination. Allow me to toot my own horn.

Unfortunately, the theater was full. Even though I had free passes, it was first come first serve and apparently Jane Eyre fans are die-hard. I think I'll shell out the cash to see it tomorrow. We ended up grabbing some sushi and going to Lux.
collared blouse: Dear Creatures
sweater: H&M
jeans: AG jeggings
spider broach: borrowed from Sara
shoes: Anthropologie

A strawberry for your time.

International Women's Day!

2011-03-08T11:50:00.004-07:00

"At the same time that women produce 75 to 90 percent of food crops in the world, they are responsible for the running of households. According to the United Nations, in no country in the world do men come anywhere close to women in the amount of time spent in housework. Furthermore, despite the efforts of feminist movements, women in the core [wealthiest, Western countries] still suffer disproportionately, leading to what sociologist refer to as the “feminization of poverty,” where two out of every three poor adults are women. The informal slogan of the Decade of Women became “Women do two-thirds of the world’s work, receive 10 percent of the world’s income and own 1 percent of the means of production."

— Richard H. Robbins, Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism, (Allyn and Bacon, 1999), p. 354

We've come a long way, but are we equal? Until the answer is yes, we must never stop asking.
Celebrate International Women's Day by being there for each other, standing up against sexism in conversation, being yourself, loving your body the way it is now, donating to a worthy cause, signing an online petition, writing a letter to your representatives, following your dreams, supporting others in the pursuit of their dreams, and continuing the fight for equality for everyone.

Happy Weekend!

2011-03-03T21:55:00.001-07:00

What are your weekend plans?

30 pictures of something good

2011-02-27T21:51:00.006-07:00

1. Someone I spend a lot of time with
2. A picture of myself

3. A picture of someone in my family

4. A picture of something that makes me happy

5. An old picture of myself

6. A picture of my sibling

7. A picture I never posted on this blog before

8. A picture of a person I miss

9. A relative of mine

10. A picture of my favorite place

11. A person I can tell anything

12. A picture of my everyday life

13. A picture from a place I love

14. A picture which reminds me of old times

15. A picture of friends from my childhood

16. A picture of myself

17. An unusual picture

18. A picture of my spare time

19. A picture I'm satisfied with

20. A picture of people who are closest to me

21. A person who's always there for me

22. A picture from a time in life I miss

23. A picture from last summer

24. A picture that makes me happy

25. A person who always makes me happy

26. Someone I'm always having fun with

27. A picture I always laugh about

28. A crazy picture

29. The latest picture of myself

30. Someone I will never let go of

Tulips

2011-02-26T11:33:00.005-07:00

Last week, Marc surprised me by planting a bunch of flowers while I was at work. I was delighted, but then skeptical that they would survive longer than a week. Miraculously, everything he planted is still alive! We've been slowly adding more and more flowers and plants to the little garden in our front yard.
Outfit details:
t-shirt and skirt are from Anthropologie
belt is from Salvation Army
shoes are Worishofer
Excuse my crazy face. Marc was making crazy faces at me and this is my first reaction.

Day Trip to Flagstaff

2011-02-24T17:33:00.006-07:00

On Friday my BFF, Sara, and I went on a random adventure to Flagstaff. The trip basically involved us arriving, being really cold, looking in shops, eating food, drinking coffee, and getting bored and going home. This is not to say the Flagstaff isn't awesome, because it is. I think next time we just need a game plan. But sometimes the destination is in the journey. or something.
Outfit details:
button down shirt: J. Crew via Buffalo Exchange
belt: Salvation Army
jeans: AG jeggings
boots: vintage
sweater: Anthropologie
bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs
spider broach: borrowed from Sara

Hip old lady

2011-02-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

Geriatric Chic by kristensmellis featuring skinny jeans

We love Vera

2011-02-16T20:23:00.005-07:00

Just thought I'd share an outfit I wore the other day to work. It's a pretty easy outfit, but I really wanted to share this blouse. It's one of my favorite things in my closet. It's from a collection at Anthropologie call We Love Vera that celebrates the drawings of the inspiring artist, Vera Neumann.
You may be looking at these pictures and wondering, "why does she look so in focus?" Well the answer is having an actual human take the pictures rather than a self timer. Marc always makes me look better in pictures. Now I know why all the other fashion bloggers drag their boyfriends and husbands along for the ride.

(Gotta love awkward in-between shots)
The jeans are my trusty AG jeggings and the shoes are from Anthropologie.

Worishofers

2011-02-16T20:02:00.003-07:00

I just ordered these. I can’t tell if they are good ugly or bad ugly, but I’m tired of my toes being squished and my arches unsupported.....And Michelle Williams wears them, so I think that makes them okay.
Michelle's are a little different but the same idea. And here's Kirsten Dunst rockin' a pair.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! and a peek at BHLDN

2011-02-14T10:55:00.004-07:00

The BHLDN website launched today! Have you seen it? My wedding is long over, but this new wedding brand is bringing back my wedding fever. Luckily there are some party dresses, shoes, and accessories that can be enjoyed by non-brides too.

And now for the mushy stuff.
I love my husband!

Taxi Driver

2011-02-06T20:23:00.003-07:00

Taxi Driver style

This spring, the 70s are back in full bell-bottom swing and I am loving it! I love my skinny jeans, but my calves need some breathing room, and this seasons high waist flares are a welcome change. One of my favorite style muses is Jodi Foster's character in Taxi Driver, and it looks like Marc Jacobs' spring 2011 collection was possibly inspired by her a little too.

Something else to get excited about for spring is H&M's collaboration with Swedish Hasbeens. I have been drooling over their candy-colored clogs since last spring, but they are way out of my price range. Now they will be available to the masses with a sub-100 shoe budget.

Jeckyll and Hyde

2011-01-31T23:15:00.003-07:00

Here is my attempt at demure:

And here is my attempt at Nicki Minaj fierce face:

I suppose my future in rapping and scowling is dim.

New Haircut

2011-01-28T21:43:00.002-07:00

Some recent outfits and a name change?

2011-01-28T15:33:00.003-07:00

I'm brainstorming a possible change in name for this blog. When I made it, I just liked the way it sounded. I'd like the name to have something to do with Phoenix and fashion, without being too punny or cheesey. Any ideas would be lovely.

A work outfit

2011-01-24T21:23:00.003-07:00

blouse: vintage Pierre Cardin (hand me down from Grandma)
skirt: Anthropologie
tights: Hue
shoes: Anthropologie

Turning a New Leaf

2011-01-22T11:26:00.003-07:00

On New Year's Day, I sat down to write a blog post about resolutions (one of them being 'to blog daily'), but I got side-tracked before I even started typing. This is pretty indicative of my life in general. I have trouble focusing long enough to even set my goals, let alone stick to them. I need to do something, anything, that will get me out of this rut. So I'm turning this blog into something different.

I'm going to focus on the personal style of people I know, local entrepreneurs, and people on the street. I've been wanting to do this for a long time, but I have let my fears get the best of me. I'm inspired by blogs like Urban Weeds, and I would like to provide something similar that will focus on Phoenix. I'm going to start photographing friends and coworkers until I gain enough momentum, and, hopefully, followers, so that I can start approaching people in the community.

This is my one month plan. If I don't follow through with this, whoever is following me needs to hold me accountable and give me lot of crap for blowing off another goal. I will keep blogging about other things, and share my work outfits until this idea launches. Stay tuned!

p.s. If anyone is interested in partnering with me to make this happen, has ideas, would like to be photographed, let me know!

Maeby

2010-11-03T21:51:00.001-07:00

We pretty much make out. Deal with it.

2010-11-01T17:11:00.002-07:00

I'm such a lazy blogger lately, and tumblr is the perfect venue for lazy bloggers to keep the inspiration flowing. So that is what I have started to do. This blog may go on a brief hiatus while I gather my thoughts and find a new focus. I've been in a rut for a bit, and I've forgotten what I love to do. Now I'm feeling a little more motivated to get all my ducks in a row, and I feel like something good is about to happen.

Anyway, you can find me on tumblr here.

Polyvore post

2010-08-25T23:13:00.003-07:00

I've been making ensembles on Polyvore like crazy. I'm constantly clipping pieces I like, and I make the collages whenever I'm bored.

Circle skirts by kristensmellis featuring skull handbag

Leather and Love Letters by kristensmellis featuring frye boots

Femme Fall by kristensmellis featuring j brand jeans

Autum Glow by kristensmellis featuring frye shoes

My Life Lately

2010-08-25T22:58:00.002-07:00

It's been awhile. Here comes a massive update:

I'd like to introduce you to my new buddy. We've started calling her Maeby. She's super loyal and friendly, but a little bewildered by the camera.

Just don't let the human factor fail to be a factor at all

2010-07-25T21:28:00.004-07:00

I try to keep things positive on here, but I've been getting down on myself lately about my lack of motivation, mainly in my social life. I heard about a woman who made it her resolution to never decline an invitation. While such a philosophy would open up a world of opportunity, I can't fathom how she got started. Lately I've gotten myself into a slump where I'm not only afraid to make plans, but afraid to accept invitations. I guess deep down my reasoning is that it's easier for me to bail then to put myself out there and not be accepted, liked, etc., Now that Facebook allows people to invite all 200 of their friends to a social gathering, I find myself doubting whether someone actually wants me to attend their gathering, or if it's just easier to invite everyone rather than selecting people they like. I know a lot of my doubts and insecurities are not rational, but when you get used to not being social, it's hard to get back into it. Sorry about my melodrama, but I just want to put it out there in hopes I'm not the only one who thinks like this.

Anyway, on to the fun stuff. I made a collage of my dream fall wardrobe, based on the colors and styles I've been drawn to lately. It's no surprise that most of it is from Anthropologie, because these clothes grow on you when you have an employee discount. I'm loving neutrals, stripes, and mixing preppy feminine with rugged utilitarian.

Bits of my summer

2010-07-16T14:48:00.003-07:00

We are slowly but surely settling into the new digs. It's a work in progress, but a much more enjoyable work in progress than our old apartment, which never seemed to feel like home. I'm loving the new location, and I have a new-found love of cooking with my new kitchen.

Mortimer is loving the new place too, with the exception of a traumatizing confrontation with the neighbors dog that landed him at the emergency vet. A few weeks and one extracted canine tooth later, he's doing fine.
Since I've been going for weeks without internet at the house (this explains my lack of update), I've found ways to occupy myself, one of them being a motion picture project starring Mortimer.

A Day in the Life of Mortimer from Kristen Fournier on Vimeo.

I love getting my hands dirty and trying my hand at gardening. It's mostly unsuccessful because the Phoenix heat is a plant killer, but I'm confident it will get better when fall comes around.

Squeeling in Excitement

2010-06-13T01:01:00.003-07:00

I am so happy it's almost time to move! We get the keys on Wednesday! Since I'm so excited about it, I can't help but keep gushing and share some more photos. These were provided by the owner to put on websites like Zillow to sell the house. You can tell she put a lot of love into the maintenance and staging of the house, and that's really important for a historic home.

I probably won't be updating for a few weeks, but after I get settled in expect to see lots of updates about decor and the July 4th family get-together I'll be planning. I'm going to have a wonderful fresh start and I plan to carve out some sort of niche with this blog by documenting changes I'll be making in my diet and lifestyle as well as spiritual and personal growth.

1 year

2010-05-30T00:27:00.005-07:00

This is what went down on May 30, 2009.

I love my husband. We've been married for a year, and I still feel like it was just yesterday that we were staying up until 3 in the morning, wandering around the suburbs, playing basketball (illegally), and eating grapes outside of Super Walmart. It still feels like yesterday that we were watching Forrest Gump in his studio, and I decided that I wanted him to be my boyfriend. Best guy friends make awesome life partners. I'm excited to see what the future has in store for us.

When you try to hold onto it, it makes you let go.

2010-05-22T12:15:00.004-07:00

Sometimes the most amazing things happen when you just let go and trust that there is some divine plan. I know it's kind of lame to get all deep and spiritual over a house, but this past month or so has really been a journey for me. I've confronted some of the things I've been holding in my heart that have been holding me back, and I've learned to let go of material things and the false value I put in them. I stopped praying for a house, and started praying for a change of priorities, and acceptance of whatever comes my way.

We told Tomi, our real estate agent, that we couldn't do the six month lease-to-purchase deal, and she told us that the seller would love to rent to us for a year instead. Since our alternative to buying this house was renting for another year, we figure renting the house of our dreams was the next best thing to buying. Then she said if we want to buy it when our lease is up, we can do that. I am so happy with this outcome, and it's even better than we planned. We don't get the 8000 dollars, but we get acquaint ourselves with this house before purchasing, which can be helpful when buying a historic home.

So now I can resume fantasizing about rugs and sofas and backyard gardens and collections of aqua glass jars without getting all depressed about it.

image from Ikea

On to the Next

2010-05-11T21:37:00.002-07:00

After signing tons of papers, weeks of waiting, hoping and agonizing, we are closing escrow and not buying the house of our dreams. The appeal for a new appraisal was unsuccessful, and now the deadline is up for the $8000 tax credit. We were offered a lease-purchase deal, where we rent for six months and hope that at the end of the six months the appraisal will be higher so we can proceed to buy it. I would love to hang on to the tiniest thread of hope that we can still get this house, but we have to put our practical hats on. It's just too much uncertainty. I was really upset for awhile, but it's only a house. God has something different in store for us. But here's to what could have been.

Happy Mama's Day!

2010-05-09T19:29:00.000-07:00

This is my Mom (in the middle) and her sisters at Disneyland in 1985.

Happy Mother's Day weekend

2010-05-07T12:12:00.002-07:00

I found this picture of my parents when my sister and I were digging through old family photos last time she came to visit. I think they were engaged and visiting my Dad's parents in Arizona at the time this picture was taken. My grandparents still live in that house, and it looks pretty much the same. I just love how happy they look, my Mom's high-waisted pants, and my Dad's awesome 'stache.

Give your Mom a big hug for me!

The New Decornographers

2010-05-01T17:28:00.004-07:00

"I fell down the picturesque-vintage-design-craft rabbit hole a few days ago and emerged three hours later, bleary-eyed and full of self-loathing. I'd started with the fashion sites — beautiful, thrifted and homemade getups photographed against romantic backgrounds. This led me down an Etsy path of young women crafting gorgeous needlepoint and stationery and jewelry made from re-purposed antique buttons."

This article about bloggers with seemingly perfect crafty lives is spot on. I started my blog obsession when I started planning a wedding. That led to religiously checking Once Wed, 100 Layer Cake and countless others. The wedding blogs led to married couple blogs, and my most recent ailment is blog-induced baby fever. Side effects include lucid dreams about pregnancy, hallucinations of pristine baby rooms full of gender neutral Swedish-designed toys, and general feelings of inadequacy.

The house is so close to being ours, but still so far. We currently have it under contract with a contingency because it was appraised too low. We are trying to appeal for another appraisal. When I found out we were having these setbacks, I cried. A lot. I wasn't really sure why. I was convinced that we were destined to be in that house. It's absolutely perfect. It has original interior doors with skeleton keys. It has a refurbished 1952 Chambers stove. It has wood floors. It has a big ash tree in the front yard. I imagined that once we had this house, I'd start riding a bike, rediscover my hobbies, eat healthier, the list goes on. I almost hate myself for admitting all this, but I guess I secretly thought that having this picturesque house would make our life better. I'm trying to let go of all of this. I've prayed about getting the house, and felt guilty about asking God for a material thing. Is it frivolous for me to really, really want this house? I feel more hopeful about the whole situation now that I'm letting go of this desire for perfection. A perfect house doesn't make a perfect life, the same way a perfect wedding doesn't make a perfect marriage. We could keep living in our stinky old apartment with green carpet and accomplish amazing things, and we could even live in a 1927 bungalow and fill it with clutter, let weeds grow, and spend more time watching movies on Netflix than gardening. Our life together is what we make of it. Also, life is not a photoshoot. I have to keep repeating that to myself.

Image from Design Sponge

Recent street style faves

2010-04-15T23:34:00.003-07:00

1. The sartorialist
2. Urbanweeds

A Buyer's Market

2010-04-15T00:18:00.005-07:00

Things are about to get REAL. Marc and I spoke with a mortgage lender, and he pre-approved us and gave us the go-ahead to start writing up contract on the house we love. I haven't blogged about it yet, because I didn't want to get my hopes up about it, but now we're feeling pretty confident that it's going to work out.

We have our hearts set on a house in the Cherry Lynn district of Phoenix. It was built in 1927, but has been very well loved and cherished by the previous owner who can tell you all the history of the house. She has updated what needed to be updated, but kept the original details that give it character. This is something that we have learned is hard to find in Phoenix historic homes. I think some of the soul of the house is stripped away when you replace wood floors with travertine, and knock down walls to create an 'open floor plan' in what would have been a cozy space.

My mind is racing with ideas and possibilities, and I'm imagining the memories we will create in our new home. There are so many things I'm looking forward to doing that we couldn't do while renting. I want to plant a garden in the backyard (which is surprisingly big), and put chalkboard paint on some surface (I dream about chalkboard paint). I want to put up wispy white curtains in the room with the big windows so I can sit in there in the mornings, drink my coffee, and take in the light. I want to hang a birdhouse from the big tree in the front yard. I've been reading Design Sponge and Apartment Therapy like crazy for inspiration, and lusting over furniture and decor I see at work that I can't afford.

I've been trying to contain myself and not 'count my chickens before they're hatched' but I can't hold it in anymore. I'm stoked!!!

photos from Apartment Therapy (the first one is from Kate Spade's house)

Exploring Sonoma County

2010-04-05T21:09:00.002-07:00

On the Road, Part II

2010-03-31T23:35:00.003-07:00

On the Road, Part I

2010-03-31T01:45:00.002-07:00

So I never really got around to updating about our trip to California. I can't really explain how great it was because my words will not do it justice. Marc and I decided to take the scenic route up the coast, and it was insanely beautiful, and it took forever. We saw some amazing sites, droves on some of the scariest roads ever built, and got lost at least 4 time between L.A. and Petaluma. If you have the time (and the Dramamine), I highly recommend taking that route. We also passed through some charming towns and cities, and Marc made fun of me a lot, because every time we passed through another city, I'd say, "OOOoooo I wanna live here!"

Our Trip in a Minute

2010-03-22T14:30:00.001-07:00

Rambling throught the Avenues of time...

2010-03-14T22:46:00.002-07:00

I keep getting this song stuck in my head:

Anyway, we're off to San Fran. Have a good week!

March Moustache Madness

2010-03-11T01:44:00.003-07:00

It's sort of spring! The weather in AZ has been totally crazy. It has rained like crazy for about 5 consecutive Sundays, but has started getting hot and sweaty on other days of the week. Our spring break is next week, and we plan to make the trek to Northern California to visit my sister and her family. I'm super excited. If anyone has any recommendations for things to do/eat in the San Francisco/Petaluma/Sonoma areas, please share.

Thursday Photo Dump

2010-03-04T11:40:00.005-07:00

I have a really bad case of digital hoarding. I grab pictures from various blogs and tumblr pages without writing down where I got them, so unfortunately I can't remember the sources for most of these. The exception is the picture third from the bottom which came from the Sartorialist.

Fresh Spring Looks

2010-03-03T15:48:00.004-07:00

All pieces from Anthropologie

Someone told me it's all happening at the zoo

2010-02-18T19:25:00.002-07:00

For our Valentine's Day celebration (which was two days later that actual Valentine's Day because of our work schedules) Marc and I spent the day at the Wildlife World Zoo. I had not been there since childhood, but there have been a lot of improvements made since then. They now have a flume ride and a top notch aquarium exhibit. We had so much fun wandering around the zoo, especially since it was the day after President's Day and almost completely empty. There was, however, a pair of ditsy teenage girls we kept encountering who pronounced rhinoceros like "rhino-SAIR-us" and made some of the silliest comments after reading the plaques. Oh well.

What I wore:
my new Odille blouse from Anthro that I love!
Forever 21 cardigan via thrift
J Brands that I wear pretty much everyday
Target oxfords
my trusty old Volcom bag

Valentine's gift ideas: I know what boys want...

2010-02-11T23:28:00.005-07:00

For that special guy in your life who has everything, here are a few Valentine's Day gift ideas.

The Making the the Fantastic Mr. Fox book
pictures from for me, for you

Set of 2 mugs with vintage camera print, for the photographer who also enjoys a good cup of joe.
from Acero Studio

A T-shirt with a fox riding a fixed-gear, just because.
From Dark Cycle Clothing

And a print of an animal in a dandy outfit, like this T-Rex cowboy. Isn't he darling?
From Berkeley Illustration

Valentine's gift ideas: I felt your shape

2010-02-05T15:49:00.005-07:00

Valentine's gift ideas: Owl love you forever

2010-02-03T22:51:00.006-07:00

Just in time for Valentine's Day, or in this case "Owlentine's Day," I'm bringing you some cute gift ideas brought to you by my favorite animal and Etsy.

Dessert for breakfast

Meantime Designs (located in Phoenix, yay local!)

The Cupcake Girls

Diantiques

Freshy Fig

Free Bird

2010-01-29T18:02:00.003-07:00

I've pretty much been a deadbeat blogger lately. Mainly, it's because nothing is happening in my life that would really interest anyone else. I could just turn this blog into a picture dump for everything I find interesting on the internet, but that gets old fast. I want to keep the content on here original, and that means that sometimes things get slow. I want to try to get out and do things to generate content and be a little more proactive, but it would be another thing I would have to make time for.

The weather yesterday was breathtaking! I was driving home from my yoga class, and on one side of the valley, the sky was glowing bright orange as the sunset diffused through rain clouds. On the other side, it was complete darkness, with a rainbow separating the two sides. As I was driving, I had to call Marc and tell him to go look outside, and when I got home, he was on the roof, snapping pictures.

So now you know what I look like when I'm not trying. My shirt has a hole in it, I have some ratty old leggings on, and my hair is super gross.

Here's a recent outfit that took a little more thought:

Top: Lux via Buffalo Exchange
Belt: Seconds to Go thrift store (on Central in Phoenix)
Jeans: J Brand six eighths jean via Anthropologie
shoes: Seychelle via Anthropologie

And I realize I haven't blogged about this sweater yet. I've been wearing it all the time, and it can be worn a gazillion different ways. I normally wear it as a short cape, or wrap the top around like a cowl, but I thought I'd show some more ways it can be worn as well. It's by Sleeping on Snow from Anthro, and I got in on sale about a month ago.

Tattoos

2010-01-21T19:56:00.004-07:00

I have been wanting a tattoo for a long time, but I am so indecisive about everything, it's impossible for me to choose something that permanent. Nonetheless, I am pretty intrigued by these abstract tattoos by Amanda Wachob.

And her more traditional work that still has a fine art edge:

A little Vintage

2010-01-04T22:35:00.003-07:00

A few months ago, I got a package in the mail from my sister, Meghan. Inside was this beautiful powder blue 50s party dress.

She lives in northern California near Sonoma, which is one of the best places in the country for antiques and vintage. I can't wait to visit her during spring break!

I find it very Deschanel-esque, yes?

And, as promised, here is the dress I got from Kennedy Holmes Vintage:

Grandma's House

2009-12-17T23:56:00.005-07:00

Today I visited my grandparents house, one of my favorite places to visit. We dined on homemade spaghetti, and afterward my Grandma and I made a batch of delicious caramel corn. Having grandparents that lived through the depression is a good thing, because they keep EVERYTHING and are super resourceful. I'm always finding cool stuff at their house and every nook and cranny has some cute nick-nack that could sell at Anthropologie for 80 bucks. My Grandma gave me some clothes that don't fit her anymore and I love all the pieces. I took some pictures to see how things look (I lack a full length mirror), and the outfit just started to evolve.

The items that my grandma gave me are the scarf blouse, polka dot blouse, and the skirt. She gave me some other items that have great potential, but they need to be taken in or modernized a bit.

Also, I'm debuting my new haircut, which I love. It's the first time I've gone to a hairstylist who knew how to style my curly hair without making it crunchy and poofy. If you live in Phoenix, get your haircut by Darcy at Way Cool Hair Pollution. She's awesome.

Boots

2009-12-12T18:23:00.002-07:00

I'm really happy with the boots I bought on Etsy. I've been wearing them everywhere. The vintage dress has not made its public debut yet, but when it does, I will supply a picture of it on. The name of the shop I got the boots from is Boom Box Blitz. The shop has a really great selection, but I wish more care was put into shipping. The boots arrived in an envelope that was ripped in one corner. I suppose that can be overlooked because the boots were fine and they fit perfectly.
The dress I bought is from Kennedy Holmes vintage. I will try to post a picture of it sometime in the near future.

Christmastime is here...

2009-12-11T20:19:00.004-07:00

Let me introduce you to our newest family member, Mortimer.

He meowed outside our front door until Marc opened it, then he just waltzed right in and made himself at home. He thinks everything is fun to play with and he loves to cuddle.

Around the Fournier household, we are getting into the Christmas spirit.

Idle hands

2009-12-04T13:16:00.008-07:00

I've been working a seasonal job at Anthropologie and its been really wonderful, but we have lots of 'on-call' shifts. This means I call an hour before my shift would begin and ask them if I'm needed. It's basically a back-up shift in case someone gets sick or they get extra busy. Since I live an hour away, this requires strange planning. This morning I was on-call from 9-1. I woke up at 7 to get ready (just in case), then I called at 8 and they didn't need me to come in. So I was awake and could not go back to sleep because I'm weird like that so that left me at home with the cat, at 8 am, scanning The Sartorialist archives from 2006, watching First Aid Kit videos on Youtube, laughing at Regretsy and eventually coveting things on Etsy. I ended up buying 2 things for myself on impulse (and forgot I was saving for a haircut). Oops.

Also: Go see The Fantastic Mr. Fox. That is an order.

Blue Christmas

2009-12-04T09:52:00.001-07:00

Their voices are so hauntingly beautiful. I wish they had more Christmas songs.

It's almost bokeh season

2009-11-22T15:34:00.001-07:00

Every year during Christmas time, I have so much fun snapping pictures of all the beautiful twinkle lights. Last year, I learned how to manipulate the bokeh (blur) using cutouts. Here is a tutorial on how to get heart shaped and star shaped bokehs.

My pick for the win

2009-11-13T14:58:00.003-07:00

I know ANTM is pretty much a joke, but I think Nicole is the best contestant ever to be on the show. I hope she wins the finale on Wednesday.

wet plate photo by Mark Sink.

edit: I'm so happy for Bloody Eyeball!

Bright Star

2009-11-06T14:52:00.001-07:00

Regarding the slow posting lately

2009-10-17T17:13:00.008-07:00

Marc and I no longer have internet in our apartment (actually, we never bought it, we just mooched off a neighbor, oops), so that means fewer blog updates. It's frustrating because I'm always thinking of things I want to look up or write about, but then when I actually get to a computer with internet, my mind goes blank, and I have no idea what to do.

The above picture is from the new online magazine called Lonny. It's 195 pages of gorgeous photos and tips on everything from interior design, to sustainable fashion, to gardening. It's awesome. I just wish it was available in a format I could put in my purse and take with me everywhere.

Fall is here!

2009-09-23T03:06:00.005-07:00

I got a new/old skirt from Goodwill the other day.

Spooktacular

2009-09-17T15:26:00.003-07:00

Marc said the colors in this dress remind him of Halloween. Whatever.

miscellaneous monday

2009-09-14T21:14:00.008-07:00

I haven't been blogging much, but I have been saving lots of random pictures in my junk photo folder. Now I'm dumping them out here in a massive picture post. Enjoy.

sources:
1. sorry, don't remember
2. Sexy People
3. Wendy of CoedUgly
4. don't recall the source, but the girl in the picture is SoKo.
5. The Snail and the Cyclops
6. The Sartorialist
7. Vogue UK (I think)
8. Sea of Shoes
9.Glass Orthodoxy
10. Kate Spade's fall collection (amazing!)
11. still from Little Women
12. still from Bonnie and Clyde

View from here

2009-09-06T23:19:00.002-07:00

I've been opening the blinds a lot lately to enjoy the natural light of the late afternoon. The sunsets have been pretty amazing lately. The golden light even makes the stinky old air conditioners look pretty.

photo by me

Happy Sunday

2009-09-06T06:59:00.002-07:00

photos by me

Taking Woodstock

2009-09-05T22:07:00.002-07:00

Yesterday Marc and I finally saw Taking Woodstock. I had such high expectations for this movie, it had so much going for it. The trailer was awesome, it has my favorite comedian in it, and it's about hippies. Even after it started, there were relationships between characters, and plot line development that had so much potential for some hilarious and compelling cinema. But when the end credits rolled, I was still waiting for the loose ends to tie up, and there was no footage of any actual bands playing, just a shot of a huge field with a tiny stage at the bottom of the hill. It was like basically all the good dreams I have, where something good is going to happen and it feels so real, and then your alarm goes off before you get to finish the dream. There is so much buildup for nothing and in the end you're looking at a panoramic shot of a trash-filled field and Demetri Martin says "beautiful" and then it's over. Whahh?

ugh, so jealous.

2009-09-03T13:37:00.003-07:00

I have the biggest style crush on this girl.

Speaking of Lightning

2009-09-01T19:45:00.001-07:00

Our friend Erik makes these really great stop motion movies. I love this one. Anyone who lives in the Phoenix area can appreciate this.

Recent Meteorological Conditions in Arizona from Erik Franco on Vimeo.

So long summer

2009-09-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

It's been real.

Pretty girl on a bike

2009-08-31T18:57:00.003-07:00

I'm really drawn to this look I saw on The Sartorialist. She looks really striking, but comfortable and fresh at the same time. Pure perfection.

Recent Outfits

2009-08-30T22:27:00.005-07:00

This was before my last haircut. I threw this outfit together for church two weeks ago. I bought the dress from Gap a couple years ago on clearance. It's really comfortable, but it's only lined on the top (which is really illogical), so its basically see-through. I have to wear a slip and nude underwear. I hate it when clothes dictate my underwear. I should probably overcome this. The cardigan thing is from a thrift store in Sun City that had the strangest mix of stuff. The sweater is originally from Forever 21, which I decided to stop giving money to, but since its second-hand and only 3 dollars, I felt it would be okay.

The phone was not a way for me to look fashionably occupied. I had just set up the self timer when Marc called me. Then the picture looked better than the ones with actual poses (I'm awkward), so I used it instead. The V-neck is an AA summer shirt that I got second-hand from the aforementioned Sun City thrift store. I'm wearing the necklace I showed in a previous post. When you see a necklace with so many colors, you would think it'd be more difficult to match with stuff, but it's actually pretty easy because you can pick one of the many colors on it and just pull that into the outfit. There's a purple pendant on it that matches the purple shirt. The cuffed pants are mostly a failed attempt inspired by the styling in the J. Crew catalog, which I now realize just looks good on waif legs.

more Jason Schwartzman? yes, please.

2009-08-29T20:17:00.006-07:00

found here

Love love love love crazy looooove!

2009-08-27T14:13:00.006-07:00

I'm really loving these portraits taken by the talented Sloan Photographers. The fun loving couple is Mesa's own Stacie and Geoff who blog over here.

Marc and I would like to start our own photography business one day, and take cute pictures like this of people in love.

Birthday swag

2009-08-26T14:18:00.009-07:00

Here is a taste of some of the things I scored on my b-day.

Erickson Beamon for Target necklace I bought on clearance with some of my birthday money. I've never been all that into accessories, but just look at it! It's crazy cool! I'll admit the purchase was partly inspired by Princess Lasertron, but that's not creepy... I wore it to school yesterday and within seconds of walking on campus I got a compliment. Sweet.
Ann Taylor Loft shirt with rosettes. I also got a teal shirt with ruffle flower detailing at the collar and gray modern slim jeans, both of which couldn't really be photographed well because I had already worn them and wrinkled them like crazy and I don't have any quarters for laundry at this time.

My sister took me to Buffalo Exchange and bought me the embroidered cardigan and the Diesel jeans. My friend, Sara, got me the pointy flats from Target, which I plan on getting in more colors. They are my new favorite shoes. Also, I look really awkward in photos lately. Please forgive this.

So the great thing about having a family of procrastinators is that instead of buying you a present they just take you shopping to buy whatever you want.

Happy Saturday

2009-08-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

photo by Diane Arbus

It's my B-day!

2009-08-21T17:22:00.007-07:00

So far my day has consisted of this:

lattes

sushi

new haircut from Way Cool

all crappy cell phone pictures taken by me.

Our Apartment

2009-08-17T00:43:00.002-07:00

I've taken some pictures around the apartment to share with the blogosphere. Currently I can only show vignettes of what it looks like because we still have a bunch of boxes in the living room, the dishes are piled up, and we have an unsightly broken drawer in the kitchen.
For good measure, I threw in some shirtless photos of my grizzly bear.

He's so cute!

Happy Sunday

2009-08-16T15:04:00.000-07:00

photo by me

Materialistic Birthday Wishlist

2009-08-15T11:57:00.012-07:00

I'm turning 21 on the 21st. These are some things I've been covetting.

Felt flower composition book cover by Princess Lasertron

Love Letter to New Zealand by Polka Dot Dot Dot

The Sartorialist book

Vintage Skirt from Dear Golden Vintage

Bronze Twig hairpins by The Sparrow's Nest

Little Things Necklace from Anthropologie

Artistic TZ film from Polapremium