I'm cranking these babies out...

The latest:

 

I am loving that with each apron, I can see how I am improving and progressing. 

This one was a lot of fun! The fabric is from Mood Designer Fabrics (I made it work!), and the legit vintage buttons and sash were {awesome} finds at the last Rose Bowl Flea Market. 

I seriously considered keeping this, but it was my first for-realsie-paid-apron-order, so I wasn't allowed. Thanks mom! :]

 So I have officially decided to start an Etsy shop. Soon.

But first, I am really excited about checking out the  

Renegade Craft Fair on July 16. 

Are you going?

I am planning on being thoroughly inspired there--regarding styles, business names, marketing strategies, pricing, etc. etc. So my plan is to launch my online shop something by August 1. We will see how that plan goes! 

Until then, I have 4 apron orders from friends 
and family to keep up with. Woot!

another apron!

This is my latest work! I am really proud of it.

I am definitely learning as I go, since I am a self-taught seamstress, here. This took me awhile to figure out, but I have been wanting to challenge myself with harder designs each time!

I also made some simple tags, since this is a gift :]

I have another one in the works right now that I am excited for, too! I bought some really great fabric from Mood, and vintage buttons and trim from the Rose Bowl Flea Market--it is going to be amazing!

one for the record books

The Urban Outfitters Sample Sale was incredible. BEYOND incredible.

Best $50 I've ever spent.

Lessons learned:

-Get there EARLY! I was about 10th in line and I got there at 10:40am--sale started at noon. Worth it.

-Sorry dudes, but if you are shopping for strictly menswear, this sale is NOT worth the $50. Not even close.

-Don't get excited about finding housewares, their samples were lame-o.

-If Black Friday sales or store like Ross stress you out to the point of paralysis--this sale is NOT for you. This is all about digging through TOTALLY unorganized tables and racks, and fighting ferocious crowds.

-Remember, this is a sample sale. Things are sample sizes--there are smalls and mediums, but nothing bigger.

-Quick judgment skills are key--pick it up, decide what you think of it, and stuff.

-Go for the shoes first (Paige took the cake on this one. See below.)

-Check for holes. A lot samples are destroyed to avoid being worn or sold. Some slashings are obvious (like the whole back is cut out), and others are subtle (a one inch square cut out along the bottom). If you are sewing machine savvy, some of it is salvageable. But inspect before you stuff.

-Wear sunscreen (learned the hard way)

 

Total loot: 

6 tanks

1 purse

3 belts

1 wallet

1 leather jacket

1 pair of jeans

 2 ties for the hubs

2 sweatshirts for the hubs

3 pairs of tights

4 underthings

10 tops

1 dress

1 romper

2 cardigans

1 pair of earrings

1 bracelet

= 40 items

Paige and I decided that I did better regarding being quick and selective--there was literally only one thing that when I got home I said "What was I thinking?"

However, Paige definitely won the award for best bang for her buck--she made out with TWO leather jackets and an AMAZING pair of Frye boots. She also snagged a few more accessories, which upped her total items to 50.

Yeah, I kinda wanna kill her.

I couldn't even count how many times we sang "Ohh, ohh, ohh... Just throw it in the bag!" 

Definitely the song of the day.

come to mama!

I can't even begin to describe how excited I am about this!

Urban Outfitters samples, $50 to fill a bag, 10% to the Red Cross, and as if I needed another reason-- Komodo will be there!

You best believe I will be there an hour early on Friday. 

Hopefully I will have some fabulous finds to blog about this weekend :]

new obsession

If you're in LA, and are coming to visit anytime soon... You NEED to eat from the Komodo taco truck.

This is not your typical greasy-sketch-machine taco truck.

This food is legit.

{ komodo Java Beef Rendang tacos }

Their offerings are not your typical taco fillings. My personal favorite is the Komodo 2.0, which is a seared skirt steak with Jalapeno aoli and southwest corn salad.

 

Hubs' fave is the Asian marinated chicken taco. Check it out:

 

{ komodo }

Now wipe off the drool from your keyboard.

Other offerings include (super awesome) garlic Parmesan fries, the Blazin' Shrimp (no joke--my mouth was on FIRE, but it was so good!), vegetarian option of the soy taco with peanut sauce, and the fish (Alaskan cod to be exact) and grapes taco.

Hubby and I have tracked down this truck twice this week to bask in it's goodness. That is almost embarrassing... But it's that good.

 

Follow it on twitter at @komodofood, or check out their website for their whereabouts (there are two of these heavenly trucks!).

Hot October

I'm not sure who long it will take me to get used to year round hot weather...

It has been upwards of 100 degrees all week... it is October! What the heck! I miss the rain and weather that is cold enough to wear cute wool coats, rainboots, and beanies.

In October's past, I liked to ring in autumn with a Pumpkin Spice latte from Starbucks.

This year, hubs and I rang it in with Pumpkin Pie froyo with graham cracker crust crumbs from Yogurtland.

Yum.

Refreshing to the body temperature, 

yet surprisingly warming of the soul :]

the loot

So here they are... The Santee Alley purchases! There were so many other wonderful things that I passed up, but these all just had to come home with me.

This hat is so fun, and it fits my ginormous head. Lauren snagged a brown one. 

The color offering made it really hard to choose!

Straw fedora - $8.50 (2 for $17 split with Lauren)

...

 I bought this for the hubs, but I may be borrowing it...

Scarf - $5

 

Sweater flower headband - 50 cents

Umm... yeah. 50 cents.

 Skinny jeans - $10

The back pocket detailing is really cute. A little hard to see... 

Just try not to stare at my ass too long. 

That would be weird.

 

 My favorite find... One day I will have to tell you of my zebra obsession.

I LOVE this wallet. PLUS it matches my debit card--which I have gotten comments on that fact pretty much daily since I got it.

It's almost a little embarrassing.

Almost.

Wallet - $5

Excuse the dorky face... but these glasses basically blow my mind. I love them.

Another shopper told me "You have to get those. Those glasses are pimp!"

Who says "pimp"?

I didn't need her convincing, but I bought them. :]

Pimp glasses - $5

Did you notice my Give a Shirt? I'm actually wearing the husband's. I liked how baggy and cute it was with leggings!

 $34 well spent... Wouldn't you say?

Shopping Santee Alley

FINALLY ventured out to the LA Fashion District when my lovely friend Lauren came to visit a few weeks ago. 

It was life changing.

First of all, did everyone but me realize that said district is over 90 square blocks? Umm...what?! 

I know my friend, and I know she can get overwhelmed with too much stuff. I told her we should just check out Santee Alley and call it good. Wouldn't you know it, that I was the one feeling overwhelmed after an hour or two in this place! So much good-deal-goodness crammed into one little street.

AND I had an opportunity to barter, which was fun, because if you remember from a couple posts ago, I didn't barter at the Rose Bowl Flea Market.

 

So as not to overwhelm with photo overload, these are just the shopping photos. My next post will show off my [freaking awesome] finds.

Santee Alley reminded me of all the things I love about Canal St. in New York City. Oh how I love creepy alleys with sketchy foreigners selling me illegal goods. Hmm... is that PC to say?

I am already excited to go back!

my dream home

Last week I made a new friend here in LA, Kelly (yay!). Kelly has been house sitting at a home in the Los Angeles area. We decided to go hang out here to make dinner (homemade pizza with Trader Joe's ingredients... delicious), drink wine, and hot tub. It was divine. But this was all after I picked my jaw up off of the floor from taking in the absolutely impeccable interior design of this house. This place was my dream home. I could move in today and not want to change a thing--except maybe swap out their family photos for mine.

I won't try and put the perfection into words. Let your own jaw drop too. (Be prepared for a ton of pictures.)

Living room:

 

  {This was my favorite space. I couldn't stop staring or talking about it!}

 Dining room/attached to Living Room:

{One of my other favorite spots in the house}

Kitchen:

 {Umm... how many favorites am I allowed?}

 

 {Amazing storage--I love old houses}

 {Another favorite--I love this little niche!}

{I've never seen this done before as a counter top, and I totally love it}

Hallway:

 

 {Wainscoting abounds in this house, and I LOVE it. 

I especially love the no-fear color choices}

Bedroom:

 {It's hard to see, I know, but check out the fabric covered headboard. 

I love the shape, and the olive tweed!}

 {So serene and homey feeling}

Playroom:

 

 

 

 {Colorful, whimsical, retro, and beautiful. I love it.}

Kid's bedroom:

 {Big, bold, floor to ceiling statement curtains were a common theme in the house.}

This wasn't even everything. It was dark outside, so you are missing out on the back porch (picture low benches with a slew of colorfully printed, mismatched shape and sizes throw pillows, vintage lanterns, and zen succulents), the back yard (a huge old mirror hanging on the fence above a sofa, raised stone fire pit, hot tub, umbrella covered picnic table), the guest house (still being decorated, but comparably adorable as the main mouse), and the exterior (Mexican style stucco painted chocolate brown, a front gate, a front lawn enclosed in manicured 15 foot tall bushes, and an adorable bungalow-esque overhang with pillars around the front door).

So do you understand my love affair?

What does your dream home look like?