Uniform

I apparently have a Friday uniform. I was unaware of this until this morning, as I was walking into my office it dawned on me that I had worn the exact same outfit last Friday. I love fun clothes and during the week I find it easier to embrace this love with fun dresses, skirts, and tops. However, the jeans casualness of my office on Friday didn't feel as fun or interesting. Thankfully, the fashion gods decided to bring back colored denim this season and it has given me a whole new love of Friday casual. Apparently this love has translated itself into cardi, striped top, colored pants, printed flats. Its fun, comfortable, and fashionable, I call that a win all around.

We enjoyed the Hunger Games last night. Obviously the books were better but that's always the case, isn't it? This weekend I'll be finishing planting the garden and working on some Pinterest DIYs! I'm pretty excited for a cork board on the pantry door and a chalkboard too! I'm sure I'll be posting photos on the twitters and instagram, so look for exciting craft up dates there!

Cardi: Target
Top: Banana Republic Outlet
Jeans: Target
Flats: Target

Statement Necklace

Have I mentioned I have awesome coworkers? Because I do. Not only are they great to work with, they are also very fashionable and willing to share where they find things. For example, this awesome necklace. My coworker Kelley was wearing it last week and I feel in love. She shared that she found it at World Market for $10! Obviously, I had to take a trip this weekend to see if I could find my own, and thank goodness I did. I just love it and while Pete isn't the biggest fan, I can wait to wear it all summer long.



I won't be around the interwebs tomorrow night, we've got a hot date with a big group of friends for the Hunger Games at the Alamo Draft House and I am super excited! They have a special menu to go with the movie, so I will be eating Basil Wrapped Goat Cheese, Katniss' Lamb and Plum Stew, and Mellark's Bakery's Strawberry Upside-Down Cake, while drinking some sangria and enjoying the movie. Yeah, its going to be awesome.


Cardi: Target
Shirt: Old Navy
Skirt: Target
Wedges: Target
Necklace: World Market

Paprika

We're holding interviews in my office this week, so that means lots of dressing a little more professional than normal. Since I don't really own a suit, for me that translates to black with fun accents. Hence, my current go to black skirt and a polka dot blouse. Simple, business appropriate, and still fun.



Does anyone have any favorite recipes involving paprika? My mother-in-law just got back from Budapest and brought us an awesome assortment of paprika. I'd love to find new things to make using it, so if you have a suggestion please share. Hopefully at our next beer tasting, I'll also have something delicious and paprika-y for folks to enjoy!


Top: Jason Wu for Target
Skirt: Old Navy
Belt: From a Lulu's dress
Wedges: Target

'Ello

This is the dress I got from LuLu's at the Texas Style Council Swap. I've never been inclined to make a purchase from Lulu's, but after seeing some of their pieces in person, I might be able to look past their terrible website styling and purchase some things. For now though, I will enjoy this adorable dress. I wore it to work with black flats and a black cardi, but for our evening walk with the pup, it was so lovely that no cardi was needed and Toms were far more comfortable.





Can we talk about this random phone booth for a moment. Its in our neighbors yard, a block down or so from our house. Its real, like I think they might have stole it off the street real, and has a no trespassing sign inside of it. Why they have done this, we have no idea, but it seemed like an appropriate place to take photos.
I went strawberry picking this weekend, so I'm off to prep strawberries for freezing and decide which kind of pie or cobber I'm going to make!


Dress (came with belt): Lulu's
Shoes: Toms
Earrings: Target

Terrifically Tall

Over the weekend I found these great wedges at Target. I can't explain it, but they were the only pair in the store, in my size, and on sale for $8, yet online they are still full price. I'm pretty sure this pair was destined for my closet. I am not normally a lady who wears 5 inch heels, but I figured for the price, I could take the chance. They were actually fairly comfortable but then again I spent most of my day sitting at my desk sorting data. Maybe next time I'll be brave and try them out on a busy day.



This evening we went to Lowe's after I got home from work. Its time to begin gardening here in Central Texas and we're really excited about it this year. We finally have a yard to spread out in a bit, so we're going big. I can't wait for delicious tomatoes, peppers, herbs, onions, and lettuce, basically its going to be awesome! I also decided I'd try potting geraniums this year, so hopefully I'll have pretty hanging pots of flowers in a few months!

Cardi: Target
Top: Banana Republic Outlet
Skirt: Target
Belt: Target
Wedges: Target
Necklace: In Pink

Swap Skirt

This skirt was my big score from the Texas Style Council Clothing Swap. It came from the lovely Elizabeth at Delightfully Tacky. Its a great length, weight, and color. Plus the awesome buttons make me feel a little bit like I'm in a marching band. There is nothing better than feeling like your one of 76 trombones all day! I paired it with my favorite little birdy blouse and people loved it, apparently I am known around my office for wearing things with cute prints on them. I am totally okay with this!



The weather has been crazy around these parts. We had a super scary thunder storm last night, I can normally sleep though a storm, but last night that was not the case. Thankfully Peter chilled me out and I did manage to get back to sleep. Petunia on the other hand is totally unfazed by big storms. She didn't make a peep and wasn't even annoyed that her yard was wet this morning. She might be tiny but Miss Petunia Jean is very brave, kinda like that toaster, but much cuter!


Top: Old Navy
Skirt: Vintage via Swap
Tights: Spanx
Flats: Target

Perfect Pop of Spring

Today I wanted to hang out with an old favorite, so my trusty black wrap dress it was. I love the simplicity and versatility of this dress. I felt really put together and professional, yet it took me less than 2 minutes to get dressed. I found this scarf last week at, of all places, Walmart. I ran in for Reese's and came out with 2 scarves. I can't ever turn down a row of pretty scarves and well, pink roses just seemed to be the perfect pop of spring I didn't know I was looking for, plus it was $3.



I hope everyone had a lovely St. Patrick's Day! I dressed in my most favorite rainbow striped top and went to Target were I bought a really great owl lawn ornament and some shoes. I also met up with my lovely friend, Caitlin, for a delicious Guinness. Which was then followed by a late night pie run. I think from now on I shall celebrate every St. Patrick's day with chocolate cream pie and Guinness. I believe my many Irish relatives would certainly approve.


Dress: Target
Belt: Target
Scarf: Walmart (sorry mom)
Bracelets: Target and Stella & Dot
Shoes: Target

TxSC - Saturday

Saturday
Speed Mentor Breakfast, Thrift Adventure, Hunt.Gather.Style, Posh Party

Hook 'Em with my fellow Longhorn, Sara
Photo credit Peter Tung, edited using Instagram by me


Saturday was packed, in the best way possible. The morning started off with the event I was least excited about, the Speed Mentor Breakfast. I'm not a fan of forced conversation, I'd rather let things develop organically, so I had thought about not even signing up, but I'm glad I did. The format was changed last minute and instead of making everyone move from blogger to blogger at the sound of a bell, folks were allowed to talk as long as they liked with whoever. Which is great, but made it hard to interject in conversations. Because of this, the breakfast was the event I got the least out of, which in part is my own fault for not being pushy enough. While I didn't talk with any of the bloggers there, I did talk to John from Snoball and learned some fascinating things about activism and fund raising through social media. I also got to chat with Julie and Sara again, which was super fun.

Julie looking lovely at breakfast

Next up was the Thrift Adventure, sadly because of the rain the South Congress portion of this day was canceled, which ended up being just fine. As we were loading up for the day it was discovered that the bus drivers did not know how to get to the Savers on North Burnet. Luckily this is my home thrift store, like I go there at least twice a month, so I ended up at the front of the bus giving directions. Thankfully, I remembered my left from my right and got us there safely.

Front of the bus

I think everyone was worried, that because there were 70 of us going on this adventure, there might not be enough awesome stuff to go around, but we were all proved wrong. I found 2 great belts, 2 skirts, and a pink blazer. Jentine, Jessie, and Elissa were great guides, and even though I consider myself a thrifter, I certainly got a lot out of the experience. Sometimes its good to get fresh eyes on an old love.

After thrifting, Julie and I ran down to Etcetera, Etc. for the Hunt.Gather.Style. pop up shop. Once again the ladies knocked it out of the park and there were many wonderful pieces to pick from. I walked away with a dress, and two great tops and Julie got this awesome skirt along with some other great items. As soon as we finished at HGS it began to pour, we're talking monsoon type rain. Julie and I thought about trying to give shopping on 2nd Street a go, but once we'd been outside for about 3 minutes, we gave up and went home.

Posh Party outfit:
Dress, Ruche; Tights, Target; Boots, Steve Madden; Necklace, In Pink.

Despite wanting to stay home in my pjs and cuddle the dog, I got myself dressed up and headed out for the Posh Party. I could complain that I got there too early and had to park too far away. But, both of those things lead me to walking past the LOVELY Jesse Williams (you know, Dr. Avery from Grey's Anatomy) I can confirm he is even better looking in person.

In love with this chandelier at the headquarters, trying to find a way to make it work in our living room.

In the end I was really glad I went to the party, not only did I get some great swag, I also go to hang out with some awesome people. Sara and I wondered around and took many photos. I chatted with Haley and Julie. Got to meet he lovely Megan Nielsen, I'm even more certain I want a few of her pieces in my wardrobe, she could not have been sweeter. I even got to talk comics with Kyla, her husband owns a comic book shop and I instantly felt a bond with her. Fan boy wives, unite! I also met the awesome Whitney, she's a Stella & Dot consultant, so watch out Austin friends, I'm hosting a trunk show in the next month or so and cannot wait.

Photoboth fun with Sara

Awesome clutch from Francesca's Collections!

I ended up not staying out crazy late (no one is surprised, I know) but I had a blast and am so glad I made myself go and not loaf around in jammies all night.

Petunia was happy to get her dinner when I got home.

You can see more awesome Posh Party photos here and here, including a few with me!

TxSC - Friday

First, let me say that I am really bad at taking photos in the moment at big events. I want to enjoy, and talk, and soak everything in, which is awesome, but hard when you have a blog. So, please, bare with my few Instagram photos.

Second, I have been working on this post all week, it got crazy long. So I decided to break it up into 3 parts, one for each day. Get ready for lots of TxSC adventures.

Friday Night
Clothing Swap


Things started out a bit rough this evening, I left work a little early to get ready and head down to the swap and maybe a little happy hour beforehand, but thanks to terrible traffic and rain, that didn't happen, which ended up being totally okay, because it took me an hour to get downtown which is normally a 15-20 minute drive.

This night was mostly about people watching and feeling things out, I met up with the lovely Julie who introduced me to Sara. We spent most of the night chatting and discovered we all work in non profits and fund raising. We might even start a meet up group, but for now we will definitely be doing champagne brunches! From the swap I ended up with an awesome skirt from Delightfully Tacky and a great statement necklace that had no tag (if it was yours, let me know!) I also got a very cute dress from Lulu's. I'm excited to style all of them in the coming weeks.

LOVE that the dog lover sticker was a weenie dog, WTG Indiana!

After Julie and Sara left I hung out with Bryan and Kendi and met some other awesome bloggers, including Jentine. I loved My Edit before but now I love it even more. It is so great when people are actually more awesome in real life, and she is seriously awesome.

After a delicious dinner, it was time for sleep, which was only briefly interrupted by a howling puppy not happy about play time being over and creeper cats.

Serious Petunia, is serious, about play time and has a new found love of air mattresses, which she believes are actually bouncy castles.

Next up: Saturday and more rain than Austin has seen all year.

Spring Break for Elephants

This was suppossed to be my Saturday outfit for Texas Style Council, however, there was rain, lots and lots of rain. So to celebrate the sun and that everyone else in Austin is on Spring break I wore the outfit today. I first fell in love with this dress when it was for sale at Bloom, but I waited until I got home to purchase and by that time it had sold out in my size. I was a sad panda but then Ruche had the same dress, and as soon as I saw it, I grabbed it. I've had thing for elephants since I was a little girl, so it was only natural that I add a pink and purple elephant print dress to my wardrobe.



So I've been thinking about dying my hair. I used to dye it all the time, but then stopped for about 8 years. In November I died it a dark brown, which has been great for the winter. However, now that I'm letting it grow again (I'll be honest, I really miss being able to do a proper blogger bun) I'm thinking about dying it this awesome auburn but I'm still not sure. Every time I see photos of my hair in the sunlight I get the itch to switch it up, so stay tuned, eventually I'll make up my mind.


Dress: Ruche
Belt: Target
Shoes: Toms
Sunglasses: Spex Club which is now apparently Lookmatic?
Bracelet: Stella & Dot (thanks Whitney!)

Saving Time

Happy daylight savings time! Normally I'm not a fan, but now a time change means no rushing for blog photos in the morning! Yay! It also means an increase in Petunia on the blog and we could all use a little more Petunia in our lives.
This dress is my new favorite Hunt.Gather.Style piece. Not only is it super cute with polka dots and paisley but its American made, complete with union made tag still on the collar! Also, I feel totally librarian-ish in it, and I LOVE that!



As I mentioned previously, I spent this weekend at the Texas Style Council conference, it was a wonderful weekend full of fashion, shopping, networking, learning, blog talk, and rain. I made some wonderful new friends (Hi Julie & Sara!) and got to see a few of my favorite people (Hi Kendi & Bryan) I have so many ideas and new goals for this little blog and I cannot wait to put them all into action. For now, please bare with me as we switch over to a .com (the comments will be wonky until that is all figured out)

Dress: Vintage via Hunt.Gather.Style
Belt: Target
Shoes: Ruche

exhausted but excited

Sorry I've been MIA for the last 3 days. I just finished spending those days with over 200 amazing style bloggers from all over the country at Texas Style Council. I had an amazing time and have so many new ideas and thoughts floating around in my head. I'm excited to think on them and flush them out, hopefully some exciting things will be coming soon, so stayed tuned!

This is my favorite photo from the weekend, I'll be blogging this outfit next week!