30 June 2011

TiLT #19


♥ Key Lime Pie ♥ lazy weekends ♥ Nair - so necessary for small showers ♥ the return of True Blood ♥ my TOMS (I feel torn after reading this article, but they're still real comfy!) ♥ the Keira Knightley version of Pride & Prejudice ♥ tea ♥ finding a job that I love (here's hoping..) ♥ having 100+ posts in my tumblr queue ♥ elephants, in particular, baby ones ♥ making new outfits ♥ simple meals ♥ having a schedule ♥ Luna the Fashion Kitty ♥ Blogger! ♥ Deadliest Catch & Pretty Little Liarsfresh, homemade bread ♥ free returns ♥ morning news shows ♥ ladder golf ♥ trashy YA lit series (The Lying Game, anyone..?) ♥ blueberry muffins ♥ iced Passion Tea Lemonade ♥ morbid fascination with the Casey Anthony trial ♥ Get-Your-Life-Together to-do lists ♥

What's making you smile this week?

29 June 2011

Housewifery Wednesday: Laundry Edition

Laundry is something that I'm kind of obsessive about - but I can kind of justify it.


Let me begin by saying:

1. I do laundry MULTIPLE times a week, which may seem ridiculous since it's only me & Boyfriend.

2. I've been on prednisone since Thanksgiving-ish and I've gained a lot of weight and - TMI! - gotten sweatier. Sooo attractive.

Pleasant, right? So here is my justification for obsessive laundering: since I'm fatter than usual, there are limited outfits that I'm willing to wear 'cause I'm too cheap/vain to buy Prednisone Made Me Fat Clothes. And since I'm sweatier than usual, these choice pieces of clothing must be laundered more frequently.

MOVING ON.. I've been having some Laundry Issues lately - detergent stains (which of course only happen on favorite fancy clothes) - which is a Major Problem, since I have a restricted wardrobe. I switched from bright a$$ blue Tide to a clear detergent, but am STILL finding those annoying blue spots (while we're on the subject, do YOU know why detergent is blue?), so I have begun to explore non-detergent options of laundering.

I found a number of homemade detergent options, but most of them result in what has been referred to as a "gelatinous slime," and I'm not really into that. So when I found this recipe on DIY Natural, I was sold. It has the same basic ingredients as the others - shaved soap, borax, and washing soda - but where the other recipes ask you to boil everything together with some water, thus producing the slime/gel, the DIY Natural recipes only asks you politely to mix them into a neat powder. How easy can it get!?

I had to try it. If only for you, my dedicated and loyal audience of Kristen and Stacy. Also for my clothes' sake.

The recipe is very straightforward and not all that pretty to look at, so I didn't take pictures, but I have some advice:
  1. If you use a box grater, like me, use the smallest side. I used the second smallest side and my ingredients did not mix as well.
  2. BE CAREFUL while grating! I managed to grate myself only once but dang. It's not fun.
  3. If you're using a hard soap (like Fels-Naptha), don't worry about grating the  e n t i r e  thing - I saved the last nubbin to use as a pre-treater.
  4. If your soap is scented, be sure that you like the scent. My laundry now smells wonderfully clean thanks to the Fels-Naptha, but I can only imagine my misery if I'd gone with something like Irish Spring.
I've been using ~1 tablespoon per load of laundry and that seems to work out nicely. Because my soap shavings are bigger than they should be, I try to stir my detergent up before I measure it out, just to make sure that I get a good combination of soap, borax, and washing soda. It's a very simple recipe and MUCH cheaper than buying the liquid stuff at the grocery store!

What kind of detergent do you use? Any laundry tips or advice?

28 June 2011

Autumn Dreaming, part II

I have several dreams for the fall. I like to aim high.

  1. Be gainfully employed. I really shouldn't complain, but I am so bored of sitting on the couch all day, watching Gilmore Girls, and playing the Sims. It's getting kind of depressing, guys. I need something to DO! I need money in my bank account!
  2. Take full advantage of health insurance. This is an important part being gainfully employed, since I was denied private coverage. Health insurance means actually GETTING better instead of only FEELING better (more on this on Wednesday!).
  3. Drop some lbs. Also related to health insurance. It's all connected! Get a job, get health insurance, get HEALTHY! I've been feeling badly for myself for being sick, which results in a lot of emotional eating - which I am working very hard to resist. Actually being sick is very discouraging when it comes to exercising - which I am also working on combating.
  4. Own a J.Crew Schoolboy blazer. Yep. Totally frivolous. But hellooo, the Schoolboy blazer is totally iconic and timeless. Oh, the gold buttons.. the gold buttons!
What are you looking forward to in the autumn?

27 June 2011

Give Me Your LINKS!


My Lovely Links page is in DESPERATE need of updating, so let me know if you've got an amazing blog I should add or if your URL has changed! ♥

Alternately, discuss how awesome those Transformers cufflinks are and/or how excited you are for the new movie.

Autumn Dreaming

I am a well documented autumn enthusiast. So much so that it is barely summer and I'm already planning my fall wardrobe. I can't help it! Autumn has SO MUCH going for it! For example:
  • many tasty flavors, such as apple & pumpkin
  • the BEST weather - so cozy!
To me, autumn - September especially - always feels like a new beginning. New school year, new clothes, new chances.. I love it! And, despite it being barely July, I am 100% obsessed with this outfit. Maybe I'll land a job in an over-air-conditioned building with a Casual Friday tradition and be able to make this dream a reality before November. Fingers crossed!
autumn 2011

26 June 2011

Quote of the Week

The invention of the ship was also the invention of the shipwreck.
- Paul Virilio
Don't let the threat of a shipwreck keep you from creating a ship. Have a beautiful week, dolls.

24 June 2011

Summer Wishlist

Lazy afternoon picnics

BIKE RIDES!

An easy, comfortable summer wardrobe

Evening cocktails on the porch

Summer camping!

What are YOU looking forward to this summer?


23 June 2011

brb!

The weather is beautiful and I'm restless and pale, so I'm packing up an adventure bag (contents: water bottle, book, Luna bar, cell phone, camera, wallet, sunglasses) and heading out with my picnic blanket. No Things I Love Thursday this week, but hopefully I'll be back with some sweet pictures and in a better mood. Happy Thursday! ♡

16 June 2011

TiLT #18


Google Music! (the "instant mix" feature needs some work, but Boyfriend gets AWESOME instant mixes so maybe it's my fault?) ♥ Game of Thronesthe Glitter Guide ♥ ModCloth (I've yet to buy anything and I've heard mixed reviews about the quality.. can anyone set the record straight?) ♥ walkable errands ♥ The Black Keys "Too Afraid to Love You" ♥ sunny & 70ยบ ♥ clean sheets ♥ getting mail! ♥ cold brewing coffee ♥ Sally Hansen Softening Foot Spray ♥ mid-morning walks to Starbucks ♥ M.A.C. Pro Longwear concealer ♥ mashed avocado on everything ♥ The Dear Hunter's "The Color Spectrum" ♥ reading at the Arch ParkTypeKit! (did you notice the blog's new fonts?) ♥ coral nail polish ♥ summer tv - Pretty Little Liars, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, True Blood, RW/RR Challenge... ♥ catching up on the Daily Garnish (and Baby Garnish, aiyeee!) ♥

What are YOU loving this week?

15 June 2011

Don't Call It a Comeback

IT HAS BEEN SO LONG, FRIENDS.

Between wrapping up student teaching, finishing the semester, graduating, and moving, things have been cray-cray around here. But I've been in St. Louis for a few weeks now and things are pretty settled... or they will be, until I get a job and my lazy day routine is thrown out the window. (Crossing my fingers that'll be SOON!)

I'll be back tomorrow with some fresh things that I love on a Thursday.. and trust me, there are lotttttttts. Hope everything's been fabulous, dear Internet! ♥