My brother is performing in a talent show coming up, and my mom asked me to take him shopping for a stage outfit.  Upon going shopping I found this superman shirt, yes in boys section, on clearance for $5.  I immediately fell in love with it, and decided to live vicariously through my brother and make him get it.  Then I saw...there were two.

This is exactly the type of behavior that is bound to land me on "What Not to Wear" in the near future.  I know that I am not a boy, and therefore should not be shopping in the boys section.  I have actually seen this addressed on several episodes of What Not to Wear, where they tell the poor person that they are too old to be wearing superman paraphernalia.

I was having this thought as we were up at the register, both shirts in hand, but decided that 22 was still young enough to love a superman shirt.  Maybe at 25, I will throw it out...but I'm still young enough to get away with this childish behavior.  And then the unthinkable happened.  My brother was playing with this Christmas Aflac Duck, who's inventor needs to be punched, and I glared at him.  He started laughing and explained to the woman helping us that I hated that sound.  (Umm...who doesn't?)  And she said, "Mom's don't really like things that make too much sound," and then smiled sympathetically at me.  My brother is 13!!! Do I look old enough to have a 13 year old child? I had people give me dirty looks when I appeared to be a teenager holding a baby, but for real? Now? I immediately felt ten years older, but the shirt was already rung up.  I guess I will just have to wear it in shame, humming the song "Supergirl" to myself between sobs.

When I was a little girl, I had an imaginary friend...

If you are not a doctor who fan, I apologize...because then the title of this post just seems creepy.

Sometimes when I am utterly sick of my surroundings, I try to channel a little doctor who in my outfit, and pretend that I can time travel at any time.

(That picture is the sun setting in this gorgeous place I live)

If time travel were an option for you, where do you think you would go?  I think I would love to live in the time of Jane Austen. that's definitely where I belong.  Girls didn't wear pants.  Cross-stitching made them accomplished.  The dresses are breathtaking.  However, I would have to be in a wealthy family, because being in poverty at that time was particularly awful.

Oh well. Until my tardis arrives, I will have to continue living in this land wear animal print is acceptable and women have to have real jobs to be considered successful.

Song I can't stop listening to today: 

Can't Go Back Now//The Weepies

A Muumuu-raculous Transformation

Welcome Back! To me...not to you. Sorry buds.

People have been regularly touring our house to rent for next year.  I personally think it's insane how early people begin to look for houses, but it is what it is.  Awkward things are bound to happen when other people are coming into your home to picture themselves living there.

Awkward thing #1: A girl looking in my room and saying, "OMG your headboard is like...wood."  She then continued to look at the pictures I had up, and was wondering if she could find anyone she knew.  Meanwhile, I was in my pajamas.

Awkward thing #2: Being locked out of my own room, and attempting to pick the lock as I hear a tour group coming up the stairs.  They find me kneeling outside of my door with a knife and a screwdriver.

Awkward thing #3: Me forgetting to throw away the remnants after cleaning out my brush this morning, so a group of five guys were welcomed to my room by an abnormally large clump of human hair sitting on the table in the doorway. Sorry bout it.

I am counting the days until someone signs a lease on this dump.  I say dump in a loving way...in case you one of the many who has been round these parts.  

Featuring photos of Sir Alex, because they make me happy.

Song I can't stop listening to today:

Long Time Traveller/The Wailin Jennys

Please, won't you be my neighbor?

Well it's the time of year where I have to start thinking about pants.  Let me tell you, this is not a good thing for me.  Pants are just so much...harder.  So in light of the upcoming fall season, I hacked up this boring red dress and made a cutesy little peplum top.

Fall is actually my favorite season, but at the very moment I am hating it.  And let me explain why.  Because as I am writing this, all of the bros and brosephines who live around me are moving back for the school year.  Life without them has been...quiet.  Since they have gotten back:

a. Firecrackers. Stupid.

b. Chants of U.S.A!, U.S.A!, U.S.A! 

(You have to lower your voice about five octaves before chanting, of course)

c. Substantially more police sirens. Youths.

d. 90's music constantly echoing through the neighborhood.

e. Weaving my bike in and out of crushed beer cans.

f. Drunk girls asking me if this is where the party is. No. This is my house.

Why is it that I feel like I am 22 going on 90? For real. I don't mean to be a total buzzkill, it's just that I really appreciate chant-less sleeping.  I can't wait to be a real grown up.  And live around other grown ups.  Who have bedtimes. And jobs.

Song I can't stop listening to: We Will Become Silhouettes/The Shins

(The Shins+The Postal Service=Happiness)

Sorry about all the ranting. Wait. The chanting has resumed. I'm not sorry at all.

Turning Tables

I have stayed away from circle skirts because they are really time consuming and involve a lot of fabric.  However, if you use something that is already round, and hemmed on the end...something like a tablecloth? Yes! Brilliant! I am so proud of myself! I found this tribal table cloth at an antique shop for $4 and I couldn't pass up the pattern, even though we don't have an actual table for me to put it on.  What can I say, we're in college.  We eat in our beds.  But I had to use it for something!

There is a little math required for a circle skirt.  The circumference of the circle will be the measurement of your waist, or where you want to waist to hit.  Mark down that measurement as "c".  You will have to fold the fabric in half, then in half again to form a triangle.  You will now figure out the radius using the following equation:  r = c / (2 x 3.14159).  (Yes, that's pi! Hey there high school math!) You will need to allow a little extra for the seam.

From here, measure that distance from the point of the triangle, and create a curved line.  Cut this line, and this will be the opening for your waist.  Cut down a straight line down the back to create a seam.

    The waist band was going to look better if it started at the pattern, so I removed pie-shaped segments from the skirt to make it smaller, and sewed along that curve.  Once you've sewn your waist line, sew in an invisible zipper on the back seam.  Finish off the seam, and you have a circle skirt.  This whole process took me around 45 minutes and I was very satisfied!

Warning: This skirt will cause excessive twirling, and may have side effects.  These side effects include dizziness, lightheadedness, vertigo, and nausea.  

You think I'm joking, but the afternoon I spent twirling in this skirt almost lead to me vomiting on the side of the path you see below while yelling, "Can't stop twirling. Skirt so full. Must twirl."

Song I can't stop listening to today: Hey Ho/The Lumineers

This song is best listened to while making pancakes. Good day!

She Sells Seashells By the Seashore

I usually enjoy things that most other people are hideous.  Which is why, whenever I hear people laughing at thrift stores, I turn to see what they found.  Chances are, I'll love it.  That is exactly what happened with this sea shell romper.  I shortened up the bottoms, switched up the neckline, and now it's wonderful!  I apologize for the horrendous before picture. 

A lot of things are changing.  New blog layout (ah hem!) that I slaved over.  One day I'll get the hang of these things.  What do you think?  The roomies say it seems more adult, which leaves me with mixed feelings.  I am giving ombre hair a try, courtesy of a lovely up-and-coming hair genius named Paul.

I used to live right next to a building that was perfect for picture taking.  But since I moved, I have had a hard time finding a home for my blog pictures.  So, I have decided to take blog pictures in some of my favorite places in La Crosse, and that way you guys can understand why I love it here, and why I am getting nervous about saying goodbye to  this place.

I'm just trying to soak up some of the last bits of Wisconsin summer, before I inevitably freeze to death.

And my official pick for song of the summer is: Photosynthesis by Frank Turner. 

While this song is not new by any means, it's just so...relevant.

A Goodwill Miracle.

So usually when I go thrifting, I stumble into the store, half asleep, hair uncombed, chai tea latte in hand, hoping to god I see no one I know because I may/may not still be wearing an outfit from the night before.  Is that shameful? Too bad, I have no shame.  I usually graze the racks waiting for something to amaze me.  Often times, I walk out with nothing.  When I first started, I got something almost every time because I was far too easily impressed with finds.  Now, I expect much more out of my little adventures.  Today, I scored.  And I'm talking big time.  I would through a sports analogy your way if I could think of any sports analogies that were suitable.  Who am I kidding, if I could think of any sports analogies period.

So here's the play by play.  I walk in, looking pretty disheveled.  I spot from across the room a tan tartan pattern associated with Burberry.  Now I'm not exactly into brand name anything, since a majority of my clothing has an old woman's name scribbled over where the brand would be, but this was exciting to me.  I ran over.  Like actually ran.  Halfway through I realized I was running and became a little embarrassed, but kept running anyway.  I got to it, and could not wait to try it on.  I looked up on my phone how to tell it was authentic, and it was! My first thought, I am so going to sell this on eBay.  Then I tried it on and thought, and I am so never going to sell this ever.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this shirt retails for over $300.   I paid a mere $2.99.  If I never thrift again, I will die knowing, I one day witnessed a true thrifting miracle.  Good day.

Song I can't stop listening to: (seriously, like errryday) Capitol City/Wilco