my baby bwuver went and growed up

GAH!

*sigh*

it seems that I have come to a point in my life where I must accept that I am, in fact, OLD.

Ancient, practically. :P

My baby bwuver, Anthony Nicholas, just graduated from Jesuit High School in the class of 2010. I have no idea how that happened. I swear yesterday we were hanging out in SoCal, in the big plastic kiddie pool in our tiny SoCal backyard.

Now I am 21, he is 18, and he will be attending university next fall. That doesn't even make sense to me. Really, now. I feel like when I went to college, he just kinda stagnated. It feels like he's been in high school for EVER, and that I've only been at CMU for the blink of an eye.

Life goes by so quickly and I was so amazed at the person that my brother became when I wasn't looking. He is handsome (practically a ladykiller), classy, and very intelligent. But more than any of these things, he has grown into a young man whom I am proud to say is my brother. He is polite, courteous, but most of all, loving. He has a heart for the world, and he lives his life for Christ. It's something really refreshing to see in a young man -- someone not so scrupulous, but on fire in his faith. It's heartwarming, and encouraging for me.

And now I'm getting a little teary-eyed because, goshdarnit, I am so proud of who he is.

And the thing is -- he did it without me around at all. It's kinda sad that I didn't get to witness it.

*sigh*

I only got to see the "end result"

Of course, only an intermediary end. All things are temporal and he will continue to grow and he will become a great man and maybe a father and a husband, maybe a priest, maybe a single dude, I dunno. I don't know what he's called to. But either way, I know he will be a great man.

Love you, baby brother.

~~

so these pictures are from my brother's Baccalaureate Mass. It was a beautiful service -- not my style, but still very reverent and a great joy to be a part of.

sweater: Tulle, pocketwatch: via Modcloth, skirt: thrifted, tights: Target, shoes: Lifestride via FF, belt: vintage, jacket: BB Dakota via Jupe

CSN Product Review & GIVEAWAY!!

Hey everyone! So a few months ago I discovered CSN Stores, which carry SO MANY wonderful and creative things for the luxuries and the quotidian needs of life. There are over 200 brands associated with CSN, so they have so many of the things you could need, from cookware and ironing & cleaning supplies (yay domesticity!) to LED lighting and tools & hardware for sprucing up the home. They also have shoes, accessories, jewelry and quirky things from Alessi to other high-end designers. I have been eyeing a few different things from Kikkerland, which is one of the many CSN brands, and was surprised and honored to get the opportunity to do a review and a giveaway for them!

here are some of the things that I would love to get, if i had the money to invest in stuff for my home. unfortunately, as a college student sometimes I just can't...

beautiful, beautiful iron...

i love to iron...

great shoes!!!

(i'll be doing a post on brogues sometime soon, i promise!)

and i saw this randomly after watching some old videos of me rolling a pram around my backyard... it made me want a pram so badly!!! of course, i have no baby for the pram, but I saw it and just about died of love for this. its gorgeous!

~~

I'm not going to tell you quite yet what I will be reviewing, but I will tell you that I am having a GIVEAWAY for a $20 CSN Gift Certificate,

that you can spend however you like in any of the 200 CSN stores!

To participate in the CSN Giveaway,

Here are the rules you must read to enter. Read carefully darlings!

~You must be (or become!) a follower to enter my giveaway. That is a requirement - this is a giveaway to thank my followers :)

1. To enter, simply write a comment saying "Enter me" (or anything along those lines :)) and your e-mail address below this post. The e-mail address is a must, as I will contact you that way if you win ;)

2. For a second entry (which doubles you chances of winning, so it is well worth it), post about my giveaway on your blog. You must include a link to your post about my giveaway. A second entry must be a separate comment!

3. For a third entry (or, of course second - in short, an extra entry), add me to your blogroll. Add a link to your blog, so that I can check you actually added me :)) Again, an extra entry must be a separate comment!

~I will choose a winner using random.org - so no matter when you enter, you all have an equal chance of winning!

The giveaway will end on June 26, at 11:59 PM, PST.

(Get your 3 entries in by then!!! :D)

:: For now, I am going to limit this first giveaway to readers within the 50 US States and Canada, but hopefully soon I can have an international giveaway. ::

i AM Mary Poppins incarnate, after all...

Today was frabjous. After being down for so many days it's a relief to finally feel like I'm on the upswing. I got to wear one of my all-time favorite skirts, have a blast with the boys today, and best of all, as I mentioned in my prior post, it is Kyle's and mine one monthiversary. :P

which means I got flowers and extra calls and prayers from my doting beau. he's wonderful, really.

But today my experience with the boys was just grand! The youngest was very well-behaved in the morning. We played trains and cars and even pretend supermarket this time. It was wonderful. After lunch and his nap, we picked up his brothers and we went to get frozen yogurt. From there we went to the park. I swear, these boys have great arms on them -- they are FANTASTIC at throwing a disc (frisbee for the less haughty among us :P). They throw straight and flat and right to the target 9 out of 10 times. I swear, they have the makings of great ultimate players someday!

To go with my frabjous day, I wore a great conglomeration of clothing -- all fit for only the best -- Mary Poppins!

You can probably see my nanny-ness showing in this one outfit though... hehe!

shirt: Tulle, skirt: thrifted, sweater: Gap, hat: vintage via Eons (Pittsburgh), pearls: thrifted

Just out of curiousity, what is your take on childcare?

I love my job as a nanny, but have since learned through the experience that I want nothing more than to stay at home, take care of my children, and teach them if possible. I really do love children and I find the home environment to be the healthiest (in a stable, loving Catholic household anyway) of the options. After mother/father care, though, I have a ranking for how i best see the childcare options that society offers us today...

1. Mother/father care

2. Close relative care

3. in-home Nanny care/close family friend care -- (tied)

4. in-home (as in a daycare in a home, not your home necessarily) Daycare

5. pre-school/daycare

6. extended day is horrid, so it goes last.

And though I don't necessarily think that the wife should stay home and watch her children, it is true that having a parent around is beneficial for children, and really reflects love and sacrifice on the part of the family. My Daddy watched me growing up, was a stay-at-home dad, and it was what worked best for our family. It means that I have a phenomenal relationship with my father, and I realize the sacrifice both my parents made for that living situation to be so (my dad to sacrifice the "manly" thing of "bringing home the bacon," my mom to sacrifice "mothering" us on a day-to-day, hour-by-hour basis, which I know she would have loved to do). You'll probably notice that I put pre-school and daycare down pretty low. I know that sometimes, families do need two incomes (I think it's much rarer than what we currently have in society, but I do think there are situations...) or the mother wants to work, and I also think that's fine. But I do think that having the nurturing influence of someone who really loves and has a vested interest in the child is really important.

As a nanny, I love my job, but I hope that I never have to put my children in a situation where they might get confused and call a nanny "momma" (this has happened to me). I love taking care of children, and I think that my nanny position has given me great insight into the real world of motherhood. Not a whole LOT of insight, but a peek at least. And it's been enough for me to say and know that my position as a nanny is valuable to the family I work for, because I am loved by and I love their children, very much; however, I do hope to never have to do the same.

Happy One Monthiversary!

So today is the "one-month" mark for Kyle and me ~ I know it's not that long, but i figured I should make some sort of a post on it. :)

Kyle and I at the Denovo wedding :D

He and I have been apart for over 2 weeks now, and for only one month together (and another 70 days to go on the other end of this summer) it could be long. But absolutely endurable, and worth it!!!

here are five (of the many) reasons why i've fallen for this gentleman...
(yes, these are some of the slightly superficial ones, but i'm not letting you into the deep recesses of my mind THAT easily...)

1. he's Catholic. very much so. he supports me in my faith journey and prays for me often.
2. he's shorter than me (not by much) yet he doesn't care.
3. he's a geek. (loves board games, video games, books, other geeky type things...)
4. he's classy. (this is a must for me... absolute must) -- he knows how to dance, dress well when the occasion calls for it, and he darn well knows chivalry. speaking of which...
5. he sent me my favorite flowers (yes, he took note of my favorite flowers -- Stargazer lilies) for our "one monthiversary." i cried. tears of shock and awe and wonder and gladness. they're still in their bulbs but they'll be blooming soon! beautiful!




Bon mois, ma chere!

and i would cry all night if it weren't for kind words

wishing you were here somehow...

sometimes i deal with inadequacy -- feeling worthless and just downright like an abyss that everything just falls into hopelessly. It's sad when it happens, and I get tearful and depressed and I just don't want to see the world. but tonight, dear Kyle managed to help pull me out of that before I could fall too far. He lifted me out and reassured me, but set me on the right way gently, ever so gently, without hurting my poor frail self. (its hormones, i swear). i'm strong 28 days out of every 32, i swear.

it was so the opposite of how this day went though -- i was so upbeat and the 3 boys were great today and i even got my reading done for the Kant paper. my outfit was rockin and i was feeling on top of the world. then i had to go and bring up stuff. and my self-conscious nature related to stuff. goodness. why in the world do i do that?

long distance is tough but its not too much to fret over. its been about... 18 days since i last saw Kyle... so I can't complain too much. or at all, really. it's only hard when i cry.

it's then that i really need someone to just hold me and tell me it'll be alright.

and right now i have to pretend to be held.

though his words do a pretty good job... for now.

*sigh*

i'm being such a downer, i really am sorry bout that.

now lets post outfit pics because my outfit pics from today were happy and joyful and tons of fun to take. loved my outfit today -- it felt like a mix of "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" + "Austin Powers" + "The Network" all at once. it was fabulous.

floss?

brush-a-brush-a!

"what we try to do every night, Pinky... we're going to take over the world!!"

::strike a pose::

bow headpiece: handmade, corduroy jacket: Tulle, rainbow minidress: vintage handmade via Etsy, leggings: Sidecca, boots: via ebay, belt: vintage, "mirrorball" necklace: found in Rome -- Fossil I believe, heart necklace: Target

Pixie Dust giveaway!!!

For my faithful followers:

A fellow fashion blogger is doing a giveaway for little baubles and makeup things! Entering the giveaway is SO easy, i highly recommend it! :D

http://fraupixiedust.blogspot.com/

And for a little teaser -- i'll likely be having a giveaway of my own soon, so stay tuned!!!

trains, planes and automobiles!

So if you didn't know, i am nannying this summer -- i watch 3 boys, 4 days per week for 8 hours a day. But until the older 2 are out of school, I have just the 3 year old during the day. :)

And today, we played with his trains, his airplanes, and his automobiles. The kid has a great imagination and is always looking for ways to get his mobiles mobile. I love helping him and watching him interact after I'm done setting up whatever track or building he wants me to help with. He really is such a wonder to behold -- imagination is so absolutely beautiful!!!

And as I was playing with all 3 of the boys after school today, as I was romping through the sand volleyball courts and throwing a disc with the middle boy, my phone rang. I answered it to my wet and disheartened boyfriend who had a flat tire in the middle of Montana, shortly after dropping off his friend and traveling partner in Helena. So sad story of the automobile ~

but all in all, today was a great day, sunny outside in the latter part, which makes for a very happy Aimee. I think this outfit rather fittingly reflects today's mood as well -- and don't you think it would make a splendid traveling outfit?

dress: gizzy denim via modcloth, belt: vintage, skirt: thrifted, owl necklace: Tulle, leaf cuff: F21, hat: Kimchi Blue, shoes: lifestride for FF

"you could be a part time model"

So recently i re-discovered the musical and comedic genius that is The Flight of the Conchords. Bret and Jemaine are just dreadfully wonderful, their humour is fantastic, and they have musical skills to match their looks: awkward, goofy, yet suprisingly seductive. :P

take for example this brilliant song~

I pulled out this song for a friend of mine who helped us out and modeled for Second Stitch earlier in the week, isn't she beautiful?!

alysia finger in 3PT, photo © Second Stitch Limited, 2010

So i guess you could see where the inspiration came from with the song and everything, perhaps?

anyway, so i have been photographing randomly, i love todays outfit but i have yet to take outfit pics today. so instead i'll post pics that kinda go with todays mood -- i'm a little down (i blame hormones), but its kinda a beautiful sad today. so these pictures, though not from today, do represent today's mood rather well.

skirt: vintage, shoes: lifestride for FF, jacket: Tulle, blouse: f21, tank: sidecca, tights: target, owl necklace: Tulle, headpiece: handmade by myself

THOUGH --yeahhh... i did start taking fish oil for my depression (its mild, and i don't think anything that would need more severe medication for) so we'll see if it works out! I am very hopeful, because its supposed to be a great "home" remedy for depression and the sort. Also started taking some vitamins in hopes that maybe it will help me start on a healthier daily regimen.

here's to hoping for sunny skies in my mental view!

california dreamin'

Oh hai!

So today i am studying up in my room -- reading more Kant and wasting away as we speak. Actually, quite the opposite, but it is kinda boring to be up here reading Kant when there is a party going on downstairs (for my brothers' graduation... a collection of his friends are here from middle school timez). But I am upstairs, wishing to get out of this tower and reach the world again someday. Hopefully by this time next week I will be completely done with my work and be able to socialize like a normal 21-year-old.

so i'm stuck in my room, and i'm daydreaming, and sometimes that turns into real dreaming. Like last night i dreamt that my brother was engaged. And that he was Mormon. or something like that. so strange.

so i thought about futures... and things to come and the reality that is going on around me. my life is changing -- my brothers' as well. i'm gonna miss him, little bugger. i mean i miss him already as it is, but this is it, really. this is the last chance i have while we're this young to be close. cuz after this, who knows when i'm coming home... who knows what he'll be like once he heads of to college. I dunno.

I guess I've gotta embrace this.

*sigh*

oh, random addendum!

i would also appreciate some suggestions on shoes--

I have a 20% off coupon for Famous Footwear so I have a nice little selection of ones that i really like. Please comment about which is your favorite to help me decide!!!

hot kiss women's rumor

natural soul by naturalizer women's haver

bc footwear women's trolley

steve madden women's stomp

ciao women's pause

Fashion and Philosophy: ooh la la!!

So today I am working a lot on two different things: Kant and Second Stitch Limited.

I am reading the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals for my Ethical Theory course -- I didn't finish up the course during the academic year so I got an extension and am finishing up the stuff now! Kant is a brick wall, basically. His stuff is extremely dense and difficult to get through. I sometimes wish he were easier to read (like Socrates or Chesterton or something), but nonetheless it is interesting and I'm sure writing the paper will be good times.

And don't get me wrong, philosophy is interesting stuff! I just would much rather read about public policy decisions in relation to philosophical structures than just the straight up normative philosophies. *sigh*

Otherwise, I am also working heavily on Second Stitch Limited - the clothing company that me and my friends started back in January. James Lomuscio came to me in January and proposed the idea for a clothing company based on a sustainable ethic: all clothing would be reconstructed from old, gently used garments that we found at Goodwill, or got through used clothing drives. It would be a green company with an edge to it -- our target demographic is the "hipster" crowd: youthful people with an eye towards preserving the planet!

I was very excited to say the least, and we jumped right in. We grabbed Grace Ginn along the way, a great artist and a good contribution to our team. Unfortunately, life took a turn for the worse for me and made things much more difficult. But we're back on our feet now -- we have a seamstress who is pushing out our "3PT"s (they are the first garment we are focused on), and I am in the process of new design for dresses, skirts, and pants. It's simple, but it has the power to make a really big impact locally and globally!

Sustainable fashion is often thought of as something out of reach: people think that sustainable needs to be 100% organic, or made of old newspapers or something. Now don't get me wrong, that stuff is fantastic, wonderful, and straight up cool. But to the average Joe or Joette, clothing can't cost bundles of money. Clothing is an everyday adventure, and for young people, fashion is not only a self-expression but a necessity for daily life. And daily life can't cost $440,000!

So here we are, humble little Second Stitch Limited, just trying to make our way into the fashion world. Our clothing is green and sustainable, because we are taking the old and making it new. We are green, hip, and affordable!

l2r: James, Grace, me

So I know this has been an episode of shameless self-promotion, but I really do think that what we're doing here is a GOOD thing. Please check us out, spread the word, and become our fan on Facebook too!

www.secondstitchlimited.com

Movie suggestion: Cracks (2009)

Outside-Inside

Outside the sun shines
like the calm before the storm
everything is in its place
or is it really?
facades can only cover
just so long what is beneath
when a picture falls
protective glass cracks
hearts will weep when broken

~Lorraine Stark

First, please watch the trailer here. The film is a beauty to behold -

the costuming is gorgeous and hearkens back to the classy days of old.

How I wish I had lived then sometimes.

"Cracks" is about Fiamma, a Spanish Catholic girl who is new to the

elite boarding school in England. Miss G is the diving coach for the

young women, and has a secret that has yet to be completely exposed.

To sum it up... as the movie tag line goes...

"Innocence isn't lost. It's taken."

I highly recommend watching the movie at the least -- the plot is simple,

yet intriguing. And to the untrained eye, at least, it is filmed beautifully.

an apology~

Hiya lovely followers and friends~

I write with the deepest sincerity, please know that.

I wanted to apologize for my infrequent posting and the hiatus that I took for far too long. My camera has died, my time has been monopolized, and I haven't had much time to think about fashion, much less write a blog about it.

So I apologize. And I also would like to say that I hope to be posting about many different things in the coming days -- from my excursions around California during my summer, to music i love to movies i'll see to yummy foods to eat! Also, you may be able to expect a small smattering of fun other things like posts about my faith, feminism, or fun finds... who knows! I want to be more active on this blog, as this is where people follow me more. This one's just so much more fun, too!

So please bear with me as I pull this back together and hopefully get this off the ground. :)

And maybe when I get Leopard running on this computer I can finally get CS3 running so I can get Photoshop and Illustrator working again.

ANYWAY!

So today I wore a lovely outfit to Mass ~ complete with a white Easter bonnet for the spring season. As you may eventually notice, I have a new penchant for hats, and have purchased a good fair amount to wear to parties... around.... or whathaveyou. ;)

Skirt: vintage via Etsy, shirt: Tulle4Us, shoes: LifeStride via Famous Footwear, hat: Target

i know its cheap and the labels aren't really anything to croon over (except maybe the Tulle, love Tulle), but its so adorable and really, when it looks good, who cares about the labels, right?