Wearing hats and sewing seeds.

             So, remember when I went to the farmer's market the other day? Well, I also got this lovely hat! I stumbled upon a very kind woman selling her handmade beanies from behind a little table as I was walking to get an ice cream cone. I just love the colors and decided it was a must-have for fall and winter. Perfect. Love it. I love supporting local artists! (If you consider knitting/crocheting an art...?)

       I also came across a table selling hand sewn dresses, totes, and little bags from Tanzania. This great organization called Sewing Seeds of Change teaches women in Tanzania to sew and sells the things that they make. They are paid to make these things and the money that is made from these items is then given back to their community to help send children to school, ones that would not otherwise be able to without the sponsorship given by these funds. The dresses were really cute, but I decided to buy this little pouch to support them in some way! I believe this is a wonderful concept, one that could really make a huge difference in the lives of many. Just think of all the children who will now be educated, and the families that are supported by this craft. Pretty amazing. I urge you to visit their shop here and pick something up for yourself or a gift!


P.S. Tonight I decided to organize and edit my photos through iPhoto and Photoshop on my MacBook instead of PC, and HOLY MOLY it was frustrating! I lost about half of my sorted photos and have to redo a bunch of them :( I need to go take a class on this Mac contraption. Not good.

Sweet Thursdays

                   Oh my goodness we love the farmer's market. We especially love this one, which happens every Thursday evening during the summer. It is in a cute little down town area with cute little shops lining the sidewalks and cute little dogs everywhere. Tonight, we got some awesome blackberries, strawberries, cherries, peaches, plums, and nectarines, as well as tamales and chicken with roasted potatoes. SO GOOD. We then topped off the night with an ice cream cone. What a wonderful summer night. I've always wanted to get some fresh cut flowers, just because they make me happy, so maybe we will get some next time!

                  Also, I had to take placement tests today for college. I wore my smart girl glasses for that extra boost of confidence, you know. I did wonderfully in English, but not so much in math... Oh well! Life will go on. And it won't really matter that I don't know what the f(x) aslfriewrjsadlfkj + g(x) adlkfjadkgjadf is.

 

               Hello my friends. To me, summer means sipping iced tea and feeling the warm sun on my skin. There is a Starbucks right next to my work, and whenever I pass by I want to get a refreshing drink. Until I realized they are ripping me off. I have lemonade. I have passion tea. Why have I never thought to put them in a glass together and save my $4 for something worth my while (you know, like 16 gumballs from a machine, or 8 hours of parking in downtown SM)? So that's what I've decided to do. Now I can happily skip past Starbucks on my way into work, with my to-go cup in hand, snickering at how I have outsmarted the system. In case you'd like to join me, here's a really obvious recipe, but it was fun taking photos and I love how they turned out :)

              I've decided to just make a big batch of tea that I can have handy for whenever I want to have a glass. Also, you can either chill the freshly steeped tea before serving, or just throw in a bunch of ice to cool it. I am far too impatient to wait for such silly things, so I just keep adding ice! And a sugared rim adds a nice touch :)

             Hope this helps you beat the heat this summer! Have any summer drink recipes you love? I'd love to try them too! :)

I got a new chair and I'm excited.

               I went to some garage sales this weekend, and at the very first one, I found this lovely chair! I bargained for it and got it for only $40! I have been searching for the perfect chair for the corner of my room for over a year, and since I will be staying home for a few more years, I figured I should really find one now. And I have found it! I must now say good-bye to the laundry and books and boxes that find their way into a pile in that lonely corner. It's been a good year, but you will not be missed. I think Marly approves.

P.S. It also reclines! This is a reading and blogging heaven.

                 We went to a gloomy and misty Off the Grid at Fort Mason in the city on Friday night. There were a lot more people than I like, but it was still a fun time. Food truck events have been so popular lately. You see them everywhere in the city these days. There was a live band and some dancing, as well as 30+ vendors. We got some Korean BBQ (meh), tamales (pretty good), and fish tacos (best). Found some cool places, like a creme brûlée stand (WOW!), a kettle corn place that sold horchata flavored kettle corn (wish I bought some), mexican-asian fusion trucks, and of course a cupcake truck. What a wonderful place for a dog, let me tell you! Marly spent the entire evening with his nose stuck to the floor, scavenging for whatever he could find. He was definitely a happy camper. Good times were had by all. By the end, I felt a little damp and moist, and like my hair had gotten all frizzy. Not ideal weather. Typical SF.

What's your favorite item at food truck events?

             Lately I've been loving animal prints in neutral colors, especially my leopard print pants. They are super soft and stretchy and go with so much! Today, I thought I'd show you three ways I like to wear them: comfy, flirty, and edgy. Animal print can be scary and risky, I know (this is the only animal print piece in my closet so far!), but when in neutral colors, they can be a staple that gives any outfit a little flair.

Pants - Lucky Brand
Sweater - Old Navy
Circle Scarf - Cotton On
Necklace - American Eagle
Shoes - Nine West

                  First, we have comfy. I'm all for over sized sweaters. So cute and comfy. This grey one brings out the slight grey of the print in my pants. When paired with black or a colorful pair of flats, you have a great outfit for those lazier, colder days. I also added a scarf and necklace so there wouldn't be so much empty space on top and to break up the grey. (Let me tell you, I was sweating while taking those photos! A sweater and scarf in June??)       

Pants - Lucky Brand
Shirt - Kohls
Cardigan - Old Navy
Heels - Style and Co.

                   Second, we have flirty. I wore this outfit the other night out on a dinner date and loved the feminine touch the soft pink shirt and nude Mary Jane heels gives these pants. These pants can be a nicer and dressier alternative to jeans when you want them to be. I also love this outfit paired with a jean jacket instead of a cardigan.

Pants - Lucky Brand
Tank Top - Old Navy
Jean Jacket - American Eagle
Necklace - Lucky Brand
Wedges - H&M

               Last, we have edgy. This is my favorite look and usually how I wear these pants. I think the black wedges are what really  give this look its edge, especially when paired with a black shirt. I added a jean jacket to soften the look just a bit and to add more color variety. Plus, I love jean jackets with everything these days! Also, long necklaces are great with any outfit, and I especially love this layered one because it goes with EVERYTHING. Plus, you can adjust the length! Oh, and of course black sunglasses are edgy, right? :)

              How do you wear your animal prints?

                  P.S. While we were taking these photos, Marly dog successfully chewed through his leash. The guy has been working on that one so diligently for the past four or five years while I get milk tea, grab a sandwich, or wash my car. Proud moment for him I'm sure.

Summer Bucket List

             I have been looking forward to summer for so long. My senior year was pretty stressful, and between working and schoolwork, I hardly had any time to do things that I actually wanted to do. But now I am free! So with the time to do what I would like and my love for lists, here are my goals for this summer!

• Take a train
• Make Pinterest recipes
• Have a bonfire
• Go camping
• Shoot more film
• Organize my closet once and for all!
• Order Instagram photos
• Take morning walks with Marly
• Take road trips
• Go thrifting
• Explore the SF Haight
• Explore the SF Mission District
• Read books that I've been wanting to
• Make a jewelry holder
• Watch a sunrise
• Go to Big Sur
• Make cards
• Make candles
• Learn to paint
• Practice block printing
• Learn to sew, and sew well!
• Design my own pair of shoes
• Go to Sol Food, pretty much my favorite restaurant
• Get rid of stuff I don't need. There's too much of it...
• Volunteer with this awesome organization, City Impact.

             Hopefully I can get through this list and it will be a great summer! So far it's been going pretty well. What are your summer goals? :)

Skirt - Gap
Shirt - Lucky Brand
Jacket - American Eagle
Necklace & Earrings - Lucky Brand
Sandals - American Eagle
Bag - Theit

              I have been enjoying the warm (and slightly windy) weather! I love long skirts and dresses, and this is the perfect time to wear them. I picked up this jersey knit maxi from Gap last month and it was the best purchase I have made in a long time. It is so soft and comfy, as well as a wonderful neutral that can be paired with just about any color. A wardrobe must have! Also, I just recently invested in a new jean jacket from American Eagle (the last one I had was from when I was 12. Yikes.) and have been loving how it goes with so much. Another staple in my wardrobe. And I got it 40% off :) What. A. Steal. Now, the bag. That bag is such a wonderful piece and (you probably won't believe me) is actually a CAMERA BAG! (more on that later) No more having to lug around an ugly black camera bag AND a purse. Efficiency at it's finest!

           In other news,  my life is making some big changes lately without my consent. Flipping everything around and making new plans. I thought I had everything figured out, but now I really don't. I'm starting from scratch, but hey, when you're 18-years-old, that's okay. It was my original plan (up until a few days ago) to leave for college in Virginia this fall, but that is not the plan anymore. Instead, I will stay here in the Bay Area and go to community college with my best friend and work. You know, I am definitely disappointed, but I know that it is out of my control. It was just not meant to be right now. Perhaps there's a bigger plan for me here. Who knows? Though I may be distraught about the uncertainty of my next steps, I can be comforted by the fact that God has a plan for me and I do not have to dwell on this seemingly unfortunate event. Everything will work out the was He has decided it will. And I will follow.
               The biggest thing that I am happy about in this situation (besides saving a crap load of $$$$$) is that I do not have to leave my dear Marly dog. Thinking of that the past year or so has made me sick to my stomach, and I could not bear to miss out on four (four!!) years of his little puppy life. Plus, who would I be if I weren't 'the girl and the little black dog'? :)