Scarf it up

Now that my hair is short again, it's super easy to get incredibly bored with it.

Sometimes I watch pin curl or braiding tutorials just so I can sit there and feel sorry for my Justin Bieber-tressed self.

But really, I do love having short hair. It's easy, it looks the same every day. It's possible to dye it lots of damaging colors without having to worry about years of hard hair-growing work going down the drain.

Even better is that I've now discovered Scarving! Tutorials!

This means a) I have a new thrift/vintage shopping obsession b) My hair isn't cramping my head's flamboyant style anymore and c) I can wear EVEN MORE of my grandma's stuff.

I'm sporting this look right now with a vintage Hermes key scarf (this is hands-down the fanciest thing I've ever written about myself):

It's super easy and I didn't swear once when trying to do it.

Also, this Hermes scarf tutorial is the business. I mean, a purse? Seriously so great. I'm off to hunt for silk and scarf rings.

Oh, and also also. I'll pay anyone to try that JLo dress-scarf getup and send me a picture. That one is pretty intense, even as a bathing suit cover up.

This weekend

This weekend, I believe Marc and I singlehandedly--I guess that would be doublehandedly, technically--pulled the U.S. economy out of this nasty recession. What started out low key enough with a BYOB Indian dinner on Friday ended in an ORGY OF RETAIL CONSUMPTION (albeit a very tame one).

It was a good weekend (Except for the fight we got in Sunday night at Target about leggings. What have you done to the fabric of America, Lindsay Lohan?)


I got these adorable clogs on sale at Anthropologie, which means they were still expensive, just not as high as my portion of the mortgage. They're so very comfortable and I think it's true love. If you're a size 7 or 9, they can be yours too. We can be shoe twins.

No pictures yet, but I also stopped by the Jayson Home and Garden warehouse sale and picked up an old schoolhouse light to install above our kitchen sink. Right now, we have one of those Ikea Fado deals up there. It's not bad, but it's super hard to change the lightbulb and it's kind of blah and filthy.

Jayson Home and Garden is kind of like the Anthropologie of home stores. Stratospherically out of my budget, but it was kind of fun and worth it to go to the warehouse sale for this one item. Plus, there were ladies with dogs in their purses there, which makes any shopping experience extra fancy. Was the light as cheap as a Fado? No way man, but it was a steal at $99 vs. its original $550 (say what!) price tag.


It's not unlike something you'd find at Schoolhouse Electric, but it's the prettiest pale jade green.

Not to be outdone, Marc went and bought himself a bike.


It's so pretty. I usually don't like new bikes (I had my grandma's 1960s Schwinn until it got stolen a few years ago, and I replaced it with the exact same bike in red), but it's a really simple and lovely thing. No joke, people were nudging each other and pointing at the bike and stopping him to ask about it when he was walking down the street yesterday. It was like he was strolling around with a super hot lady. My clogs and I were a little jealous.

So all of our consumption may mean we're going to be eating lots of canned goods and spending quality time with ye olde Netflix queue, which is more than fine by me. It's getting to be about that time of year in Chicago when everyone hibernates anyway. Ugh. Sick of it.

P.S. Posting may be light this week (not that it hasn't been this whole year...but hey, blogging is something free I can do, right?). I'll be in New York until Sunday for work. Have a great week, everybody!

P.P.S. I almost forgot--I dyed some chunks of my hair pink! It's so fun. Circa 2000, Gwen Stefani, look out! I'm coming for you!

I found you!

While our weekend trip to Southwest Michigan was wonderful, I found the shopping to be a bit lacking. Shit was crayspensive! On the hunting and gathering scale, I definitely lean toward the thrifting end of things, and this scene was most definitely full-on antiquing.


So, after settling comfortably into window-shopping mode, I really did enjoy myself. And if I had to part with any of my sweaty, crumpled wad of cash, it definitely would have been at Marco Polo. The pretty would just not stop.

More than that, the owners have serious vision, plucking things out of obscurity that I would have definitely passed over a million times. It gave me a whole new focus for re-stocking the shop (which will happen soon). They also happen to be incredibly nice and friendly.


It also made me realize we need to repaint our place. Badly. You can't go buying a beat-up old pie safe and position it on your nicked and scuffed old wall and expect it to look chic. Our house needs paint and it needs it NOW.


The bummer is that we're probably going to paint everything close to the exact same colors the walls are now. It's great that the colors work, but it kind of takes the joy out of such a huge process when there's not going to be any big reveal happening. Then again, maybe it's for the best: We all know how very bad I am at choosing paint colors.


So coming up, mini shopping/restocking road trip with my best pal Shan (who, as a wedding gift, got us a household membership to the Chicago Architecture Foundation. How cool is that?) and paint up to my eyeballs.


Anyone have a killer matte/glossy white wall/trim color combo they're dying to share?

Whys and why not

So guys, things are a little tired over here. I got back from a show in Atlanta and we are busy setting up for the next show in Chicago. As much work as it is, it feels so luxurious to be able to go home and settle into my own bed this go-round. But yeah, I spent many an hour chalking up and then erasing blackboard painted walls, so my arms are a little bit sore.

Which, honestly, is a little pathetic. I probably need this kind of work to avoid developing some serious bingo wings. Mmmm, wings. <----See? There's my problem.

Anyway, I've been on a sort of doing stuff/buying things for the house moratorium (spending thousands of dollars on car repairs will do that to you). So that means I haven't been shopping or junking or even reading too many blogs in fear that temptation--and even worse--envy, will rear its ugly head.

Things will turn around soon and I'll be able to do some projects around the house (I'm thinking painting and maybe a little tiling, recaulking the bathtub. Mmm sexy.) and the shop will finally be restocked. Slight digression: HOLY CRAP. The next Vintage Bazaar is just a month away at the Congress Theater. Don't fret; the treasures we do have we've been hoarding, so we'll be ready.

Anyway, not much these days makes me start plotting and planning on how Ima get it, but boy I did see this and salivate a little:


Chen Karlsson pendant lamp.

Love it or hate it, you know how much I enjoy putting things into other things (no, not like that, sicko). All I can think now is how enjoyable doing dishes would be with this guy casting away shadows above me.

What kind of treasure would you put in it? I think I'd like to somehow replicate our kitchen table set up in miniature with little dolls that look like Marc and me. Nice and creepy like The Dollhouse Murders. Anyone else remember that book?

In heaven everything is fine

Ladies and gents, I'm way excited to let you know that The Big Heist, the Etsy shop my friend Shannon and I run (and I have been sorely neglecting since the Vintage Bazaar) will have a booth at Heaven Gallery's Vintage Heaven this Sunday (here's a little interview with us) in Wicker Park!

The event goes down on Saturday too, but we'll be there all monster-truck-rally-style on SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! Well, I can't say we'll be there. Sadly, I have to go out of town for work, but Shan is going to hold down the fort.

She's great. So great, in fact, she was patient enough to go wedding dress shopping with me yesterday. Whereupon we discovered that I am not an Ultimate Bride and I should just go with the first dress I tried on that I liked in the first store I visited over the weekend. I hope if I post pictures here after the fact you all aren't thinking, "Uch. She shoulda looked longer. Who does she think she is? Stevie Nicks in that thing? What's going on with those dolman sleeves?" We shall seeee.

Anyway, come say hi if you're around! It looks like a lot of the other vendors will be selling some seriously amazing vintage clothing, so maybe it's for the best (cash flow-wise) that I'm not around all that awesomeness. We have lots of new housewares that aren't up in the shop yet (this is the spot for you if you're looking for bell jars. I'm going through an intense cloche phase these days).

Top of the muffin to you!

Last week, I went to the Gap to buy some jeans, which is crazy because I almost never wear jeans and I almost never buy anything from the Gap that's not on Sale. What? Everything seems to eventually go on sale there. But, I read Nicole from Making it Lovely's recommendation about their forever skinny midrise jeans. She's not kidding. They're super cute and totally eliminate any sort of muffin-top issue.

So that's nice and all. Definitely great to go into a store a buy the first two pairs of jeans you try on without sighing or crying or whatever. I was so happy, I ended up buying these adorables:

But in a prettier marigold color. A tip: At stores (at least in Chicago), they're on sale for $24. See what I was saying about the full-price thing? And you know how super-flat sandals are usually really hard and stiff when you first get them and you feel like you're walking around with a roof shingle strapped to your foot for a few weeks? Not these. They're really soft and bendy and super comfortable.

Buying them has got me pairing marigold up with lots of colors--and it's quite striking. I'm really into marigold and purple. Ooh, but a magenta--or turquoise--would be nice too.
Anyway, clearly I've got marigold on the brain, and now I want to buy these and be super a super matchy-matchy dork.


Come on! How pretty are those colors together?

How bazaar

Lest this blog turn into pictures of dudes holding cats, here's some news you can use:

The Vintage Bazaar

It's THIS Saturday! It's going to be awesome! Beer and jams will be there. I will be there, and so will some seriously awesome vendors. I'm really hoping this doesn't turn into New York Gift Show Part Deux, in which I buy so much stuff I offset any sort of profit or gain or whatever.

If you're planning to attend, come say hi to us at The Big Heist. We have so much stuff that's not posted in the Etsy shop. Seriously, guys. I've been hoarding like I belong on A&E.

Note: I would take pictures to preview some of my loot, but I recently discovered I left my camera at a Steak N' Shake in Rosemont, IL. Party down.

Get behind me Santa

In terms of being greedy, I am most definitely on the naughty list. Whenever I seem to ask anyone I know what he or she wants for Christmas, I get a bunch of hemming and hawing nonsense: "Oh, I don't know...there's not really anything I need. I haven't even really thought about it at all. Can I get back to you when I come up with something?"

Oh boy. That's so not me.

Ask me that question any time of year and I'll whip out a pretty hefty list or direct you to my Amazon wishlist.

So, instead of concocting a gift guide, here's a list of stuff I might add to my own list. (Not that I think I'll get anywhere close to all of this loot--I love surprises more than presents, so keeping a big old list ensures I'll have no idea what's in the box I'm shaking in a few weeks. Plus, we have strict budgets and I feel like it's cheating if the giver goes over. Control freak much?)

It's my hope that you find something that a friend or loved one might like (most likely a girl friend or loved one) or maybe even something to pipe up about when someone asks for your list!

1. Alcove wall shelf from CB2. I'm into the simple industrial look of this and would love to hang it in the living room and show off some of my vintage planters.


2. Charley Harper appetizer plate set. We have four of these and a mish-mash (not in a good way) of other salad/dessert plates. Eight would be conducive for a proper dinner party.


3. Um felt tote. I've wanted one of these for years, but I keep on forgetting ask. Read my mind, people! They're so chic--the opposite of trendy. I could see an artsy 75-year-old-lady rocking one of these. Plus, I love the way they fold flat.


4. Lilla Peep-toe wedges. Is it weird to ask for shoes as a gift? I don't really care. Plus, how hot would these be with some textured tights?


5. Fear of Flying. Everyone in my book club is cooler than I am and therefore has already read this. I'm thinking my mom should give this to me since she already gave me The Diary of Anias Nin and How to Save Your Own Life last year.

She should probably also replace me in the book club.


6. Metallic dot necklace. Yeah, at $40, this organic paper necklace is pretty flashy.


7. Everyday I'm hustlin' poster. Usually improper usage of "everyday" in place of "every day" AND posters that are just a phrase (keep calm and kill me now) bug the crap out of me. But I could see this poster (and a little Girl Talk) inspiring me to stay on my grind and hang in there like a champ kitten.


8. Geometry art necklace. This is just pretty and reminds me of the Sol LeWitt wall at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.


9. Tartella tea towel. This was one of the few things I saw at Renegade that I found to be sweet in a retro kind of way. But not too cloying or annoying.


10. Keisuke Serizawa calendar. I like the fun, folky vibe of these.

Happy listmaking and shopping, you merry band of elves!

Can't stand it

As someone who loves hats (in a non-Blossom kind of way), it KILLS me that I can't buy all of these:





No joke, Hats by Behida is knocking it out of the park.

Which has kind of been the theme this week....Becke's house tour....Mariano's shop...Pressure is on, guys. I'll try to keep up.

In other news, we have plans this weekend to meet some friends for lunch, and this is what Marc had to say about that: "I'm going to eat the shit out of some Indian food on Saturday. And you can blog that."

Check. Please.

And. And and! We have a Nutty the Squirrel winner! With an official roll of the dice from my old Monopoly game, Macy of Me Oh My Oh became the proud new owner of the brightest-eyed, bushiest-tailed candy dish on the scene.

I know where I'll be trick or treating next Halloween.

Quick links: The I-can't-afford-it edition

Awesome, interlock-y Deco-y stacking rings.

Ceramics that look like funky, spiny sea creatures.

If anyone liked the First Aid box posted yesterday but is looking for something a bit less rustic, here ya go!

Tord Boontje jewelry, which I think actually works better than the home stuff. It's pretty but would get so dusty. And since I'm the only girl in my house, I know it would get vetoed lickety-split.

Leather and lace, or just studded ballet slippers.

Beautiful, delicate quail egg necklace.

Good idea! Decorative bands to snazz up your boots.

Sweet-as-hell Mr. Zipalot bag.

J'ai besoin de ceci.

Wall decals can be a bit lame, but this one has a little I don't know what...

This could be very good for me. I always was bad at conjugation.

I love this bench so much...

...that I wouldn't mind all of the funky skin imprints it would leave on the back of my thighs if I sat on it while wearing shorts (or jorts even!)
I think I might balk at the $1,790 price tag, though. Sad trombone noise.

Maybe a more reasonable option might be that Nervous System jewelry I was going on about last fall. Pretty, pretty.

(Hive bench via Mighty Goods)

I'll be on the water

(See a larger version of this image here)

Lately I've been drawn summery colors that remind me of sunlight sparkling on water. A relaxing but vibrant mix of warm yellows and cool blues. Here's where I found what's inspiring:

1. Azure Chrysanthemum Maillot from Anthropologie
2. Alexandra Ferguson recycled felt pillow
3. Artwork by Cindy Stockton Moore
4. Southside gin cocktails
5. Sport Ring Necklace from Slow and Steady Wins the Race
6. Rock Goddess Dress from ModCloth

Enjoy your sunny days and mellow nights while they last, my friends!

Great, just what I needed

Good God. 1st Dibs is now selling vintage clothing? Perfect.
Fantastic! I was just thinking I needed another reason to moon about their site fantasizing about things I don't need and will never be able to afford but still love.

Hand over the Pucci and no one gets hurt, ok?

What's that?

Accessories, too?

Oh I wasn't aware...how lovely.


Uggnh, it almost hurts to look at all the pretty. As a favor I didn't even post my most favorites. It'd just be cruel.

Chic Chicco

Guess what!

I've read TWO whole articles this week that say the recession is over. So it must be true, right?
I'm not so sure. So I thought I'd do some fantasy jewels shopping. Isn't fantasizing what I do here all day anyway?Lately I've been enjoying some nice daydreams while poking around Zoe Chicco's site. Isn't her stuff pretty?

It's simple but not boring. Artsy but not too rough hewn.
Now on to my fantasy that it's 5 p.m....

Mobile home

Can I please have one of these to hang in my kitchen...way, way high up where the cats can't get to it?


Reasonably priced and available from Konrad's.

Also an option (but maybe not for me specifically, given my performance with painting this weekend...and week) is making your own Calder mobile. There's a shout out for the IMA on that page, too. Woot!

The cat city is out of the bag!

Here’s what I got Marc at Muji:


New York in a bag!


I thought it was a fun souvenir that was a little more original than a snowglobe or a Statue of Liberty pencil sharpener (though those are cool in their own right).

Once I saw the Guggenheim, designed by Illinois’ own Frank Lloyd Wright, was included, it was a must have. Quite possibly my favorite museum in the world.

Speaking of cats, who’s lazier than these guys?
I swear to god they're sewn to that couch.