susannahbean

Sponsor Love! - January

2012-01-31T14:11:00.000-06:00

Hello lovelies! I had some lovely ladies over there in my sidebar this month, so here's a little bit about each of them. Take a minute to get to know them, they're all awesome! There's still time to get a spot in my sidebar for February! If you're interested, email me at susannahbean AT gmail DOT com for more info!!

Hi friends! My name is Thursday. Well okay, it's not really Thursday. In real life my name is Chantilly, which means that I was named after a 1950's tune about a gold-digging hussy. Thanks Dad. Anyhow, I'm the kind of girl that's into all the best things in life: thrifting, baking, crafting and making baby (just one please, I can't handle any more). I blog about these things and much more over at My Girl Thursday. [blog] [twitter]

My name is Vanessa and I'm the voice behind the blog, HelloVanny. I'm currently residing in Las Vegas with my boyfriend Aaron and our american bulldog, Molli. I'm a baking and pastry graduate whose going back to school in the spring for my true passion, design. HelloVanny is where I share my life and inspirations. Stop by and say hi xo

[blog] [twitter]

We think personal style is just another form of self-expression, and we make shoes for creative girls who can put together a look with effortless originality. Blowfish takes a break from the ordinary and a cue from the past. There’s something unexpected in every shoe we create, just as there’s something unexpected about every girl who wears them.
[site] [facebook] [twitter]

Tumbleweeds is an itty bitty sunglasses shop run by Beca and Doug. Our sunglasses and eyewear are veneered with exotic and vintage wood species using traditional old-world craftsmanship in our home studio. We make each pair, now 500 and counting, by hand and every one is unique. XO![shop] [blog]

Hey hey!!! My name is Mo and I'm a 20-something New Orleanian who works in the film industry. I'm a animal-lover (with 3 cats and 1 dog), bicycle commuter, food appreciator, and a women's college graduate. Come stop by my blog Fleur De Moi and share in my experience of adulthood puberty with me!

[blog] [twitter]

Hi! My name is Maryam and I blog over at Pamplemousse1983. I am a former elementary art teacher turned stay-at-home mom. I love to cook and share recipes regularly in addition to blogging crafty tutorials and a little bit about daily life and pretty things. In addition to blogging and raising my daughter I also take photographs and sell them in my Etsy shop.

[blog] [shop]

Hi everyone, my name is Maria and I am the lady behind Little Tree Vintage. I love inspiring others through my love of vintage and providing a new home for pre-loved items... if you love making vintage modern, then you have come to the right place!

[blog] [shop]

Hello! I'm Kate and I blog at Scathingly Brilliant -- a mish-mash of personal style, music, movies, cats and astronomy. I spend most of my time working on my etsy shop, Flapper Doodle, where I sell my illustrations and things with my illustrations printed on them. When I'm not blogging and etsy-ing, I'm usually watching The X-Files and classic movies or playing with my adorable cats Chloe and Hypatia. The rest of my time is filled with eating, sleeping, procrastinating and anxiously refreshing my inbox to see if I received any new blog comments... so please stop by and say "hello!"

[blog] [shop]

Sara is a Jesus loving, tattooed, crafting, thrift-o-holic, wife and mom (with number two due in June). She makes and sells knit and crochet toys and blogs about handmade, motherhood and fun things. Stop by and say hi![blog]

Hey there! I’m Polly, a full time crafty mama to three home-schooled kiddos. I blog over at This Enchanted Pixie about my life, my crafts and my inspirations. I also design and create bohemian jewellery that I sell in my Etsy Shop. I’d love it if you dropped by to say hello!

[blog]

Over at my blog you can find all sorts of pretties, food and my random babbles. I try and be positive and live my life I want. I enjoy a good cup of coffee and a piece of vegan pie. I love animals and learning new crafts. I'm known to be a sassy pants who loves to meet new people!

[blog]

Hi! I am Andrea from Little Life of Mine where I share all of the going-ons from my life in Nowhere, Ohio. In my little corner of the internet you will find things like Bookworm Wednesdays, unbelievable but totally true stories about my insane kitty, and how I struggle mixing my country heart with city living. You'll also read all about how I'm making my dreams come true by crafting for my Etsy, Scarlett Key. I can't wait for you to stop by and say hello!

[blog]

Today.

2012-01-30T15:37:00.000-06:00

Dress: Vintage

Knee-Highs: Target

Shoes: Thrifted (vintage Cole Haan!)

Chris and I have the day off together, which is a complete rarity in these parts. We've been *realllllly* lazy, but I'm totally loving it. I decided to catch up on all the pampering I haven't been doing for a while, like shaving my legs (seriously, it'd been way too long), curling my hair, and painting my toes. I used my curling wand today and I'm feeling a little ridic, but I also feel a little like a mermaid so it's cool.

I got this dress when Kaelah and Mike were visiting. Apparently I can only find vintage dresses in this color family. I own a dozen vintage dresses in various shades of teal, blue, and green... guess I need to branch out! These shoes are really comfortable, but I think they're men's shoes. Oh well!

I'm getting really distracted writing this post because Chris is cooking lunch and it smells so good! I'm starving, so I'm gonna sign off here and chow down. Have a super-awesome-fantastic day dudes!

Etsy update, and Shop My Closet!

2012-01-27T12:59:00.000-06:00

I added a bunch of new items to my Etsy shop, like cowls, heaadbands, and barrettes, and I'd love it if you checked them out! I'll be adding more colors soon, but if you're looking for something in particular let me know and I'll see what I can do for you!!

I also wanted to let you know that I've opened a new Shop My Closet store! I have sooooooo much stuff, and I need to make room! I've listed a bunch of dresses and coats so far, and it's a mix of vintage and new. I'll hopefully be adding more soon! Check out my Shop My Closet store here!

Happy shopping! Please email me (susannahbean at gmail dot com) if you have any questions about anything I've listed!

Featured Sponsor: Cheeky Cheeky (now closed)

2012-01-22T08:00:00.001-06:00

Hello everyone! I need to start off by saying thank you so much for all the support you gave me about my last post. I love being able to share my thoughts (which can make me feel isolated), and hear back that so many of you feel the same way. It's humbling and comforting, and you guys filled my heart with happiness :)

Today I'm excited to introduce you to my lovely featured sponsor for this month. Carmen is such a sweetheart, and she has a fantastic vintage shop (seriously, look at this!) that I just know you'll love! So here she is to tell us a little about herself!

Tell us about your shop/blog/both! How did it start?

I started Cheeky Cheeky after I decided to quit my job and move from New York City back to Ohio this past Summer. A big motivation behind my move was my desire to explore my passions a bit more and figure out what I want to do with my life. Turning 23 certainly brought on a cliche (almost) quarter life crisis, but truly in the best way possible. Instead of freaking out- I blog! I try to write things I like to read- funny stories, advice, fashion bits, life adventures, and now- shop updates!

I launched Shop Cheeky Cheeky with my dear friend Megan last month and I'm so happy about it. It is a little Etsy vintage shop with lots of dresses, accessories & all around cuteness. It's the most exciting thing I've ever done and I'm so stoked to document it all on my blog!

What inspires you?

Oh, goodness. I couldn't possibly pick one thing. But some of my constant sources of inspiration are music {Yellow Ostrich, Grouplove & WU LYF are my current obsessions}, beautiful Midwest seasons, 70s style icons {Debbie Harry & Bianca Jagger}, funny ladies {Tina Fey & Kristen Wiig} and alwats tons of lovely blogs {A is for Ampersand, The Dainty Squid, SRSLY LIZ, & of course, Susannah Bean are some of my faves.}

Describe a day in the life of Carmen :)

It usually goes something like this- rub the crusties out of my eyes, check my email & my favorite blogs, dance around my room for 15 minutes to horrible pop music, head to work for a bit, go to class {I'm taking business classes because apparently college wasn't torture enough for me the first time through} and then head home to work on my blog and Etsy shop. I try to keep myself busy, for sure. At night I can usually be found with my Mac on my lap, my puppy, Hala, at my side, a beer in one hand, and an X Box controller in the other. Can I call myself a video game nerd if I only play one game? Halo 2, reppin'!

Tell us about your biggest supporters!

Well, when I relocated from NYC to Ohio, I moved back home with my parents. My Mom & Dad are my biggest supporters in the world. I know it makes me a huge loser, but my parents will always be two of my best friends. My big brothers, Shane & Wes, are also HUGE supporters of my blog. They read daily, basically waiting for their names to appear in blog posts. Shout out! Not only do I have a super supportive family, but I have some of the best friends in the world. They're located all over the country, so I can't see them very often. But they're some of the only people I've ever met that share my sincere love for My Little Pony, faux lisps, and early 2000s pop punk music. I'm lucky to have such weird & supportive people in my life.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Happy. That's all I know really know! If you would have asked me 6 months ago, I would have told you I would be living in New York City & working in the music industry. I couldn't have said I'd be happy, though. Now, I'd say living somewhere I love, hopefully working on my vintage shop, blog & freelance writing. Nothing in the world would make me a happier girl. I definitely see myself blogging for a very long time to come. I have many more Top 5 lists and unsolicited advice columns to write :)

She's the cutest, right?? Here's the exciting part...

"We're giving away any item of a $30 value or under, plus free shipping, or $30 towards the purchase of any item in the shop, plus free shipping. "

Here's how to enter:

Be a follower of susannahbean.com and visit the Cheeky Cheeky shop and leave me a comment with which item is your favorite! Please include your email address so I can get in touch with you if you win :)

You can get additional entries by:

[1.] Follow Carmen's blog Cheeky Cheeky (leave her a comment saying hi!)

[2.] Like Cheeky Cheeky on Facebook

[3.] Follow Carmen on Twitter

Leave a separate comment for each (with your email address!)

for each entry to be counted! There's four chances for you to win, and a

winner will be chosen January 29th!

GOOD LUCK!!

Late Night Ramblings.

2012-01-19T02:05:00.000-06:00

For those of you who are new to these parts, let me introduce to you the sort-of regular kinda series thing in which I ramble on and on about some insecurity or internal conflict I have and, in that so-sleepy-you-feel-drunk late night haze, I actually hit publish. Usually I title these posts Late Night Ramblings, but sometimes I don't, and sometimes they aren't written late at night. This one is both of those things, and it will surely be very rambling. So bear with me :)

Since hitting that pretty big milestone of 1000 followers the other day, I've been thinking a lot about this whole blogging thing. I truly never thought I'd have a blog that people were into, and I'm still sort of shocked that that number has grown as it has. Here's why this is weird to me... I don't feel like I fit in with most of the bloggers I know. I read a fairly substantial group of blogs, most of which you probably know, and I don't feel like I have much in common with them. Sure, I love thrifting and vintage dresses, but as a person I feel like the odd one out most of the time. A big difference between me and (what seems like) everyone else is that I'm not an overly positive person. It seems like most of the bloggers I read are besties with positivity. Yeah, not me. I have plenty of crap days. I'm a happy person, but I'm also realistic. If I have a bad day, I don't want to force myself to look at the positive side. Sometimes I want to be pissed off and yell and cry and feel sorry for myself. Sometimes that feels a hell of a lot better than deluding myself into positivity. Now, I'm not saying anything is wrong with those lovely ladies who are good at finding the positive side to a shitty situation. In fact, I admire them. I just don't know how to do it. And frankly, it's not in my character to be that kind of person. If it works for you, that's awesome. But I say if you're having a bad day, own it. Go through all those negative emotions and the crankiness and bummer attitude. I think the key to remaining sane and rational is knowing when to be done with it, but as long as you can figure that part out I say roll with the negative. Being positive is great, but don't deny your feelings if you don't want to.

Here's another thing: I don't like everybody. There are some bloggers out there who honestly make me mad. The smugness and superiority complex that blogging can induce is outrageous. There's really only one personal run-in I've had where someone was completely and totally ass-hatish to me, but there are plenty of other bloggers who just rub me the wrong way. And there's nothing wrong with that. Just because we're all bloggers doesn't mean we have to all get along. It can become troublesome if you can't let that go, or you can't keep it to yourself, but I don't like feeling pressured to like everyone. Maybe I'm creating that pressure for myself, but I feel like it's there, and I'm not too into it. I've been trying to come up with some clever analogy for what blogging is like and why it's ok to not like everyone, but nothing is working... The closest I got is that blogging is like a mall, you don't have to shop everywhere.... That sorta works, right?

Then the next thing that I've been pondering is, like, what the hell do people even blog about?? I seriously ask myself this multiple times a week. I think it's because I've been in a rut, I've really only been taking awkward blurry shots of the clothes I wear and writing a little blurb about them. I feel sort of disconnected from this space, mostly because I haven't had the time or coherence to sit down and actually write. Like I'm doing now. So maybe this one will go away soon! I sometimes feel like I don't have much to offer in terms of content though, and that's something I'd like to fix. But I don't do anything exciting, I work a lame job and come home and sit on the couch and watch Netflix with my boyfriend. Sometimes I dress up. Sometimes I make stuff. Usually my day-to-day is pretty boring though. So I find myself struggling to come up with stuff to write about, but that's dumb because this whole thing is supposed to be about my life, even if my life is pretty routine. I really like writing these posts though, so if I can get over the anxiety of writing (and sometimes posting) them, then that'll give me something real to share. Don't hold it against me when I do an outfit post though, because sometimes a girl's gotta show off a cute dress...!

The other thing is that I suck at a lot of the stuff that seems to be necessary to bloggers. I don't "network", and I DO NOT do well with deadlines. I don't talk to people very much, because I'm an awkward and fairly shy person. I'd love to meet people and develop closer relationships with some of them, but making the first move is terrifying. I do my best on Twitter, but even then I keep quiet most of the time. I don't know what it is, because as a blogger I feel like I should be chatty and I should want to talk and connect with people. Which I do, I just can't muster the cajones to do it. Plus I'm easily distracted. Gimme some yarn and a TV and I can zone out for hours. Not a good recipe for getting to know people. I also can't get things done in a timely fashion to save my life. Emails that need replying to often get lost, or things that I'm supposed to do get forgotten. It's a problem that has hounded me my whole life, homework was always done last minute, and important things were too easily forgotten or misplaced. But now I don't have the fear of consequence looming over my head (I was a goody-two-shoes who never wanted to upset the teacher, so I would squeak by at the last minute. And I got really good at forging my dad's signature...). With this blogging life o' mine, it's all on me. And I am a very irresponsible adult. So to all of you who have emailed me and I never wrote you back, or if I forgot about something I said I'd do for you, I'm sorry. Also, if you were thinking of suggesting a planner or schedule of some sort, I've already tried every possible option. The thing about planners is that you have to remember to use them... And I don't do that.

I think those are the big bullet points I've had rolling around in my head for the last couple of weeks. I don't really have any solutions or even game-plan for dealing with any of that, but it was nice to get it out there. I don't even feel like I have a definitive thing to say about these ideas, they're just sort of there... And, truthfully, I don't really feel like I need to change any of it. I am this person, and I can make myself the best me I can, but I don't wanna change myself to do it. I'm cranky, shy, and chronically late and forgetful, but that's me! And I'm cool with that.

What I hope to accomplish with this post (and the others that have come before it), is to maybe make you feel a little less alone. Maybe you feel something of the stuff I feel, but you don't see many people talking about it. Now you know that I feel that way too. Or maybe you think I'm full of crap, which is cool too! I'm off to bed, now, so goodnight, and thanks for listening.

Wow. Just wow.

2012-01-14T14:11:00.000-06:00

Guys, today this little blog of mine has reached a pretty freaking cool milestone. I hit 1000 followers early this morning, and I couldn't be happier! I know numbers aren't supposed to matter, but it's pretty crazy to think that there are so many of you out there who check in on me :) You guys are amazing, and so so supportive, and I'm so thankful to have you. So thanks for sticking around! I hope you're having a great day, I know I am!

What I wore: a Wisconsin Thrift

2012-01-11T08:00:00.001-06:00

Dress and belt: Thrifted

Tights and boots: Target

A few days after Christmas I made the not-too-long drive up to a little town outside of Racine, Wisconsin to pick up my niece Isabelle for a day together. She was in town for the holidays from California, and I haven't seen her since my sister's baby shower last July, and I wanted to spend some quality time with her before she packed up for home. We did some shopping, ate lunch, and talked about everything under the sun. I'm only ten years older than her, and even though we live so far apart, we get along so well when we're together that she feels more like a sister than my niece :)

We ended the day at the local Goodwill (of course!!) and I found this little gem of a dress. I've been digging wearing warm colors lately, more pinks and reds than I normally do. I don't mind wearing bright colors at all, but usually I stick to aquas and blues and greens. But I really love this dress, and it fits well and has pockets, which are the the basic essentials for something to become a staple in my wardrobe :)

Kaelah and Mike left the other day, and OF COURSE we didn't take any photographs together. Well, one single blurry (but still pretty awesome) polaroid on an old camera of mine that I'll post eventually. And, we didn't film the vlog we wanted to. Maybe we'll Skype each other and answer your questions then! I guess we just get distracted from the 'blog world' when we're around each other... Not totally a bad thing!

Have a beautiful day, friend!

Blowfish Shoes Giveaway! (closed)

2012-01-09T13:48:00.003-06:00

I'm so very excited to host this giveaway for you guys! Blowfish has awesome and affordable shoes that are really well made, and it doesn't hurt that they're super cute, too! Blowfish is giving away a pair of shoes to one lucky SusannahBean reader, and the best part is you get to pick what pair! Here's how to enter:

Be a follower of my blog, and comment with your favorite pair of Blowfish shoes!

Please leave your email address so we can get in touch if you win!

Earn extra entries... (Please leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry, along with your email address!)

- Tweet about the giveaway using: Win your choice of @blowfishshoes on @susannahbean's blog! http://bit.ly/zF8qNV

- Follow Blowfish on Twitter.

- Like Blowfish on Facebook.

- Blog about this giveaway. Feel free to use the image above, and make sure you link back to this page!

That's five chances for you to win! It's open to international readers, too! The winner will be chosen on Monday, January 16th! Good luck!

What I wore... to Christmas with my mom!

2012-01-07T08:00:00.001-06:00

My mom was in town from California a few days before Christmas, so we all decided to get together on the 22nd to celebrate. My sister Lauren had arranged a family photoshoot with her photographer friend Jen. It was really fun and the photos turned out cute! This is the outfit I picked, although I wore my brown Target boots rather than my Blowfish Heda wedges. I think these wedges are way cuter though!

Kaelah and Mike got into town last night, and we're having such a good time! I'm so thankful to have these two in our lives. Oh, and this happened...

We both said yes, of course :)

Hope you're having a fabulous weekend!

Our fifth anniversary.

2012-01-03T20:06:00.000-06:00

Today was our fifth anniversary. It's hard to believe it's been five years, it feels like we just met yesterday, but also like we've been together forever. We've been through so much together, and Chris is truly the best friend I've ever had! We wanted to do something special, and originally our plan only consisted of going out to dinner at a nice restaurant. Late last night we started trying to plan our daytime activities. I thought it'd be sweet if we went to the coffee shop where we first met (around 8 years ago!). After a little digging on the internet, we found out it's now closed :( We suggested a million different things to each other- museums, bowling, movies, a mini roadtrip- but nothing sounded fun. The last thing I suggested was that we should go to the casino. Chris and I have been talking about going to the casino in Elgin, which is about 45 minutes away, for a while now, but we've never been able to justify taking the risk of losing money. But we figured it was a special day, and we made a rule that we'd go with $50 and see where we ended up. We cashed in our change jar for another $25 which covered lunch at the buffet (which was really freaking good, and I'm not one to enjoy buffets) and headed out.

Here's Chris enjoying the buffet. We're kinda weirded out by buffets because our only experience is with Old Country Buffet and this one Chinese buffet we used to go to all the time in college... Not the greatest experiences, haha!

They had surprisingly good lattes!

This is the face I made after Chris told me about how some people wear diapers at the slot machines so they don't have to give up their spot... Ew.

We went into the casino, and it looked like Chuck E. Cheese for adults. There were *plenty* of awesome people-watching candidates, which was a total bonus :) We ended up downstairs at the cheapest slot machines. The first ones we picked were weird, so we moved on. I picked the next ones, mine was Dean Martin themed and Chris's was medieval themed! Chris got up to get change, and I played my Dean machine. I really didn't know what I was doing, I had put in $5 and pressed a few random buttons and hit spin. While he was up, the machine made a loud noise, Dean Martin started singing, and I won $100! I cashed out then, and Chris played a few rounds at his machine. After a few seconds his machine went off, and we thought he won $20. He played a few more times, then cashed out, which is when we realized he ALSO won $100! We decided to play one more machine with $5, which we turned into another $50, and after that we decided to call it a day. All in all, I think we spent maybe an hour actually in the casino, but we were up a little over $200! It may not be a fortune, but we were really freaking excited :) We had made a pact on the drive there that if we won anything we would be reckless with it, instead of putting it towards bills. We don't get to spend a whole lot of money of fun stuff, so we made that decision and stuck with it. Chris wanted to get a Kindle Fire with our winnings, and I agreed, so we were off to pick one up. At our local Target, they had a repackaged (but brand new) one for $60 off, so we snatched that up and used the rest of our money to get a little bit of groceries and I *might* have gotten myself a clearance jacket :)

Chris has already set up the Kindle and is currently playing games on it :) He's a happy dude right now!

We decided to save our dinner plans for another day, so now we're hanging out at home and enjoying our new toy. I think this has turned out to be our best anniversary yet!

Christmas Eve.

2012-01-01T13:45:00.000-06:00

Dress: Thrifted

Cardigan: Target (clearance)

Tights: We Love Colors

Boots: c/o Blowfish Shoes

This is the outfit I wore to Chris's mom's side's Christmas celebration (that's a mouthful!). I got my Blowfish Wellington boots in the mail the day before Christmas Eve, and the timing was perfect because I've had this outfit planned out for a while, but I wanted to wear it with these boots. I was totally unsure of the color combo, but I think it works!

I hope you guys had a wonderful New Year's Eve! Chris and I stayed in, cooked dinner, watched Sons of Anarchy, and had a little champagne. It was nice to have a low key night in! Plus, we have our five year anniversary on the 3rd, and Kaelah and Mike come in on the 5th! So we've got a busy week ahead of us :)

Have an awesome first day of 2012!!

Sponsor Love! - December

2011-12-30T13:49:00.001-06:00

December has just FLOWN by, and I can't believe 2012 will be here in a couple days! I'm excited to introduce you to my December sponsors (even if it is at the last possible moment!!). You've already met Crystal, from CAPow! (you can read more about her here!), and now it's time for you to get to know everyone else! So, without further ado... :)

I'm Erika and I'm a blogger, dreamer and etsy shop owner. My etsy shop is filled with pretty accessories for you and your home-- pillows, sleep masks and headbands. I live in Seattle with my husband and crazy dog Nesby and work 9-5 in the corporate world and dream of one-day pursuing a creative business. My blog is filled with tales of everyday life as well as inspiration, my love of thrifting, fashion and handmade.

[blog] [shop]

Hi! My name is Sandy and I blog over at Sandy a la Mode. I blog about my adventures in DSLR photography, delicious recipes I have tried or invented, fashion, inspiration, and my baby bump (due this month)! Some things I love are bubble tea, cupcakes, frozen yogurt, dim sum, dresses, shoes, jewelry, Skittles, shopping, and my husband of course. I like to host giveaways every week on my blog and sharing with my readers cool shops I come across! So grab a cup of hot cocoa, come on over and read away!

[blog] [twitter]

[blog] [shop]

Hi everyone, my name is Maria and I am the lady behind Little Tree Vintage. I love inspiring others through my love of vintage and providing a new home for pre loved items..if you love making vintage modern, then you have come to the right place!

[blog] [shop]

Hi, I'm Mandi. I'm 29, recently-engaged, and a soon-to-be step-mama. I'm a professional geek, avid knitter and crafter, animal-lover and hopeless daydreamer. Life In Beta is a lifestyle blog where I share my adventures, photography, and projects. I love meeting new people, so stop by my blog and say hello!

[blog] [twitter]

I'm Carmen and I run a little gigglefest of a blog, Cheeky Cheeky. I post a girlie mess of internet loves, outfit attempts, (hopefully) funny writing pieces, music obsessions, book reviews, unsolicited life advice, and tons of life adventures. Having just relocated from New York back to the Midwest, my life is very much in a state of weirdness, in the best way possible. My most recent project is the fast approaching launch of my very own online vintage shop, which I could not be more excited about. Come say hi and join in on the fun!

[blog] [twitter]

Hi, I'm Tessica! I have one amazing daughter, a cat that watches Criminal Minds with me and a love of all things crafty. I blog about my daughter, my crafts and my life at "I Fly Like a Bird." My Etsy shop, Bird on a Branch, is where I sell all the papers and pretties I make. There are bright hairbands, upcycled paper goods and other handmade one-of-a-kind accessories to make your day more fun.

[blog] [shop]

I'm Caitlin and I live in Maine with my husband and beastie. I blog about life, love, tattoos, photography, awkwardness, food, juice, and other things that capture my fancy.

[blog]

Hello there! My name is Heather Marie and I'm a hairstylist/make up artist in Sacramento. My true love is writing and through Paper Doll Smile you will be able to hear all about my aspirations to become a published author. I also enjoy blogging about life and getting to know new people every day.

[blog]

Hi! I'm Megan, a lover of crafts, pretty things & anything nerdy! I'm also the voice behind Lovely Miss Megs where I blog about my life, inspirations & my new job at Disney as a Canadian representative! It's an exciting time in my life right now & I'd love for you to join me!

[blog]

I am the owner of the Livy Love designs. Most of my prints are inspired by babies and love. I love using bright colors and eye pleasing patterns.

[shop]

I'm Philadelphia artist Jenn Hall. At my day job I'm a pastry artist, at my freelance job I paint dinosaurs, and by life calling I'm a fine artist/crafter. I daydream about being a badass in the zombie apocalypse. On my blog I share everything I make (including jokes, some of them not so good) and obsess over whether to center my photos or not.

[blog]

Christmas revisited.

2011-12-27T12:02:00.000-06:00

This last week has been exhausting and overwhelming, but also so much fun! Last Thursday Chris and I did Christmas with my mom and sisters, then Christmas Eve we did Chris's mom's side of the family, and Christmas day we did brunch with his mom, early dinner with my dad, and cocktails with his dad. Then yesterday I drove up to my sister's house in Wisconsin to pick up my niece for a day out together, and finally I have some down time before work today! So busy, but so worth it.

I thought I'd share my favorite gifts with you because I'm so smitten and I know you will be too! My mom and I share a love for all things vintage, and she always seems to find the perfect stuff for me. This year is no exception :)

She made the necklace and the pillow, and the ornaments are from my sister and nieces. They know me so well! I hope you had a wonderful holiday :)

PS: The CAPow giveaway winner has been chosen (a while ago, eep!). Congratulations Ashley! Thanks to everyone who entered :)

Thrifted Denim.

2011-12-20T08:00:00.001-06:00

Dress and belt: thrifted

Tights: We Love Colors

Boots: Target

Scarf: Gap

I thrifted this dress a few months ago, it was brand new with tags, and it's quickly become one of my favorites. It fits perfectly, and the denim is just sturdy enough to feel well made but not uncomfortable. I've worn it a dozen times or so since I bought it, but I've never taken the time to photograph it. This is one of those dresses that I can style completely differently every time I wear it which makes it soooo worth the $7 I paid for it! Of course this is the most boring way I've styled it yet, but I think it's cute anyway :)

Chris and I knocked out a big chunk of our Christmas shopping today. Of course we left it to the last minute, and we're not even totally done, but I think we did well! How has your shopping gone?

PS: The Big Bow Scarf giveaway is closed, congratulations to commenter #34, Sarah! You still have time to enter the Featured Sponsor giveaway for a chance to win prints from CAPow! It ends tonight, so get on it :)

Checking in.

2011-12-16T14:34:00.000-06:00

I've been a little lacking in my internet presence lately, but the upcoming holidays have put a little extra stress on me and I've been focusing on my family and relationship more. This has been a tough month personally, but we're all getting through it just fine :)

Monday I babysat my nephew so my sister and brother-in-law could go out for his birthday. It was the first time they've left him with someone, and I'm honored they chose me! It went perfectly easy, Emerson slept the entire time. I went out again yesterday to help out with the baby, and had my first spit-up experience. I got a lap full of puke, which was just... unpleasant. But that's baby-life for ya! My sister and I went out shopping later and had a really great time, it was nice to spend time with her without being totally focused on the baby (not that I don't love when we are!). We really felt like sisters last night, and it was so nice.

I also wanted to bring up sponsoring my blog in January! Spaces are starting to fill up more quickly now, and the XL spot is spoken for in January and February, but there are plenty of medium and small spots left! You can find out more info by clicking here.

Don't forget, I've got two giveaways running on my blog! The Featured Sponsor giveaway with CAPow! ends on the 20th, and the Big Bow Scarf giveaway ends in two days, so get your entries in quick!

I hope you're having a stress free (or at least nearly free!) holiday season!

Featured Sponsor: CAPowCAPow!

2011-12-13T08:00:00.001-06:00

Today I'm excited to share this month's featured sponsor with you! Crystal of Windshield Diaries and CAPow! is a lovely lady who recently got married, had some adorable pets, and an Etsy shop full of truly original prints. So here she is!

Tell us about your shop/blog/both! How did it start?

I started the CAPow! shop in 2008 as a place where I could sell things that I sewed. Specifically, wallets. After about 6 months, sewing started to feel more like a chore and less like a hobby so I stopped sewing and decided to list my art and photography to see if anyone would be interested. The shop flourished from there!

I started my blog in 2009 as a way to document the week-long road trip my now-husband and I were taking down south. Once we got back, I decided I didn't want to stop blogging!

What inspires you?

We live in a small historic city full of artists, and I work in another small historic city full of artists. I love walking around these towns and seeing the contrast between old and new. I find it really inspiring.

Describe a day in the life of Crystal :)

On an average day, I'm up at 8am to walk and feed our puppy and get ready for work. By 9am I'm out the door with Emmett the puppy, and we are on our way to work! After driving an hour, we arrive at the best office full of the most awesome people (and dogs), and Emmett gets to play with my co-worker's dogs while I do my work. Once we get home from work and have dinner with my husband M, it's time for me to get my shop's orders together. Once I'm done working on that, usually M and I have a little time to sit around and relax or visit friends before it's time to go to sleep and start all over again!

Tell us about your biggest supporters!

My number one supporter is hands down, my husband M. When I wanted to start a blog, he was totally behind me, and he's always bragging to people about my shop and my art. The rest of my family are also amazing supporters, they have always believed in me from day one. I have to say, the cats and puppy...not so much supporters because they would rather my attention be on them and not my shop or blog! ;)

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years, I hope that M and I have renovated the basement apartment in our house and have started working on the floor we live on. I'm hoping to still be running my shop, and perhaps expanding it to other things. I definitely want to still be blogging. I really hope to still be working for the company that I'm now working for. I'm really happy where I am right now, and if I can just continue to be successful in the same places I will be so happy.

Crystal is giving one lucky reader the chance to win some lovely art from her Etsy shop! The winner will be able to select either one 8x8/8x10 OR two 5x5/5x7 prints. There are so many to choose from, and I know you'll find something perfect for you :) Here's how to enter:

Be a follower of susannahbean.com and visit Crystal's Etsy shop and leave me a comment with which print is your favorite! Please include your email address so I can contact you if you win!

You can get additional entries by:

[1.] Following Crystal's blog Windshield Diaries (leave her a comment saying hi!)

[2.] Like Windshield Diaries on Facebook

[3.] Follow Crystal on Twitter

Leave a separate comment for each entry to be counted. There's four chances for you to win! The winner will be chosen on December 20th!

GOOD LUCK!!

Christmas decorations!

2011-12-10T15:36:00.000-06:00

I've had a lot of fun making my Christmas decorations this year! Lots of paper snowflakes in all my windows, cinnamon pine cones, and vintage ornaments everywhere. Did you make any of your holiday decor?

Aqua.

2011-12-09T15:46:00.001-06:00

I'm finally back with an outfit post! With the weather starting to turn into full blown winter I haven't been feeling very motivated to get out of jeans and sweaters, but I got this dress in the mail a few days ago and I knew I needed to put this outfit together. If I look composed in these pictures, I wasn't, haha. I ripped both armpits of the dress when I put on my cardigan, and I put in a run in my tights when I pulled them on. Oh well, that's just how things go sometimes :)

Dress: Vintage, from eBay

Cardigan: Thrifted

Tights: Target

Brooch: Vintage

Shoes: Heda wedges, c/o Blowfish Shoes

I wore one of my favorite vintage brooches but I didn't get a very good picture of it! It's a cute little bunny with a jade belly and a ruby eye. So so adorable.

I got my Heda wedges from Blowfish earlier this week, and I could not be happier with them! They're super classic, and I can wear them just as easily with jeans and a t-shirt as I can with a fancy vintage dress. They have this pin-up look that isn't cheesy, but goes so so well with my style! They're totally comfortable too, and I don't have the easiest time in heels :)

Chris and I both work late today, so we're enjoying a little quality time before we head off. I cleaned up our house yesterday, and it's always so nice to just hang out in a tidy and organized place (which is an embarrassingly rare thing in these parts!). We're going to make a conscious effort to keep it up, I think my problem is that I just get so wrapped up in my routine of work-work, come home, etsy-work, sleep, that I just skip by all the responsible stuff. We're ready to make some changes to our way(s) of life though, and I'm really excited about it! Kind of a pre-New Year's resolution :)

I hope you're having a wonderful (and warm!) day!!

Christmas wishes.

2011-12-08T13:00:00.000-06:00

Wow! You guys have really made me smile with all your sweet comments on the Big Bow Scarf giveaway! I'm really excited to share one of my favorite creations with one of you :)

I thought it'd be fun to share my Christmas list with you guys, and mayyyyybe it might help certain someones in my life out :)

Back in college Chris and I used to go to a used bookstore down the street about once a week. We would read so so much, but since we moved back I feel like I haven't been reading enough. A Kindle would be nice to throw in my purse to read whenever I have a second. Amazon Kindle Touch

I've had this sign in my Etsy favorites forever, and I think it'd be perfect to display in our entryway. Even better that it's in my favorite color! Recycled wood sign by WilliamDohman

I'm totally in love with this fox pin! I don't usually wear pins, but I can see this one becoming a quick favorite! Fox Origami Pin by hugaporcupine

I found a pair of framed butterflies at the thrift store a while back, and I would love to have a collection of my own. This one is the prettiest! Pale Mint Morpho Butterfly by BugUnderGlass

Of course I need to throw in a pretty Modcloth dress! This one reminds me of Orla Kiely, and the back is just gorgeous. Back in the Game dress from Modcloth

And finally, the one thing I want (well, I'd rather have one of these babies, but this lens is more realistic). Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens

So that's my 'impractical, Dear Santa' kind of list! In reality, I'd be perfectly happy just seeing everyone I love :) What's on your list??

Bow Scarf Giveaway!

2011-12-04T08:00:00.001-06:00

I'm excited to share this one with you! I'm going to give one lucky winner a Bow Scarf in your choice of color! This scarf is one my favorite things I've ever designed, and I hope you love it as much as I do! I've got tons of colors available, and it will be custom made for you! Here's how you enter:

Follow this blog with Google Friend Connect. Leave me a comment with your first name and email address. That's it!

You can get additional entries by doing one or all of the following and leaving a separate comment for each:

[1.] Post about this giveaway on your blog or Tumblr. Feel free to use that image up above, and please link back to this post!

[2.] Tweet about this giveaway! Use the following message:

Wanna win a Big Bow Scarf from @susannahbean?
Go to http://www.susannahbean.com/ to enter!

[3.] "Like" Susannahbean on Facebook! You can do that by clicking here!

~~The giveaway is only open until December 18th, so get your entries in now!~~
This giveaway is now closed! Thanks for entering :)

DIY: Peter Pan Collar

2011-12-03T13:32:00.002-06:00

A little while ago I shared this DIY over on My Girl Thursday, and I just love it so much I had to share it with you guys! I seriously want to make a hundred in every color and pattern possible. They're so quick to whip up, too! Let me know if you try it out, I'd love to see what you do!

You'll need: fabric (at least 1/4 yard, but 1/2 yard is better), cardstock, scissors, snaps (or hook-and-eye closures). Not pictured: sewing machine, needle and thread, iron.

//1. Sketch out the shape of the collar on the cardstock. I winged it, but you may want to take some measurements to be safe. You could change the shape of the collar too! // 2. Fold your fabric over itself so you can cut two pieces at once. Pay attention to your fabric's pattern if you need to! Pin your paper collar to the fabric and cut. Leave a little room around the stencil for your seam allowance.//

//3. You should end up with this shape. Make another one for the other side of your collar. //4. Pin your two pieces of fabric with the right sides facing each other. Make sure you keep the right pieces together, you need them to line up as best as they can.//

//5. Starting at one corner, begin sewing around the edge, using your sewing machine's foot as a guide. //6. Sew almost all the way back to where you started, but stop about an inch before. Use the little opening you left to turn your tube inside out. You may need to use a pencil to get the corners pointy. Do this for both halves of your collar.

//7. Iron both pieces flat. Hand sew the two halves together at the center. //8. Sew a snap (or hook-and-eye-) at the back of the collar (the top corners of your collar). That's it!

Hearted.

2011-12-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

This is yet another eBay find that I'm totally in love with! It's a little mod mini with a red and navy blue heart pattern. So cute! eBay is dangerous, man, I can't stop looking for dresses. It doesn't help that I have the app on my phone, so any time I have a few minutes I check it. I just can't help it! I can find super adorable vintage dresses for under $10, all while I'm in bed watching The Office. Pretty darn cool :) I paired it with mustard yellow tights, a black cardi, and moccasin (slippers) all from Target. Easy peasy!

I'm spending my day whipping up lots of Etsy product, and putting up more Christmas decorations. I'm really not ok with the fact that it's December already, except I am because I love Christmas, but that's the only reason. I know there's snow coming, and I'll enjoy it for a day but then I'll just be miserable and crabby about it. But! December does give me an excuse to buy cinnamon pine cones and make dozens of paper snowflakes, so it's cool :)

Speaking of the new month, I hope you'll check out all the lovely new sponsors over there on the right! I'm thrilled to introduce you to a bunch of lovely new faces, and some lovelies you might have seen before! There's a whole lot of awesome over there, so stop by and say hello!!

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Sponsor Love! - November

2011-11-28T08:00:00.009-06:00

Hi friends! My name is Thursday. Well okay, it's not really Thursday. In real life my name is Chantilly, which means that I was named after a 1950's tune about a gold-digging hussy. Thanks Dad. Anyhow, I'm the kind of girl that's into all the best things in life: thrifting, baking, crafting and making baby (just one please, I can't handle any more). I blog about these things and much more over at My Girl Thursday.

[blog] [twitter] [facebook]

[blog] [shop]

Hi, I'm Chelsea and I blog over at Love, Chelsea Lauren. I'm a graduate student, photography lover, crafty lady, and etsy shop owner. I just opened my newest etsy shop, Rewritten, and it will soon be full of pretty vintage and handmade jewelry for you to see! Stop by and say hello!

[blog] [shop]

Tumbleweeds is an itty bitty sunglasses shop run by Beca and Doug in San Diego, California. Our sunglasses and eyewear are veneered with exotic and vintage wood species using traditional old-world craftsmanship in our home studio. We make each pair, now 500 and counting, by hand and every one is unique. Besides making shades, we have a little local odd shop, a house full of animals and did I mention, we are offering free shipping the entire holiday season! XO!

Sponsor Susannahbean in December!

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

I can't believe November is almost over! It's that time again! Are you looking to advertise your blog or shop in December? I'd love to have you around! Check out this link for more info, and shoot me an email at susannahbean [AT] gmail [DOT] com to chat about it!

Black Friday & Cyber Monday SAVINGS!

2011-11-24T22:12:00.000-06:00

Hey guys! Use the coupon code BLACKFRIDAY11 to get 20% off your total order in my shop! This coupon code is valid from this very moment through Monday! Enjoy :)

A t-shirt kinda day.

2011-11-21T16:46:00.000-06:00

We all know that I love a good deal. When I was at Target the other day I was checking the clearance racks in the men's section for stuff for Chris, and I saw this Budweiser tee. It's too small for him, but for $2.50 I had to get it for myself. I don't even drink beer, but I kinda love this shirt. As in, I've worn it for like three straight days...!

I really love pencil skirts, too, even though they're pretty unflattering on me :) The pleating in the front kinda gives me more of a gut than I have, but I don't really mind. It's classier than wearing jeans all the time and some days I just wanna bum around, so this is my solution. I thrifted this sweater the other day and it's my new favorite, so so cute! I think this brings my collection of mustard yellow sweaters up to four, haha.

Chris and I went out to our favorite diner for lunch, and then stopped at Target (again, we have a problem). I got some new Christmas ornaments for our tree, which I put up last Friday! I'm pretty pumped about decorating this year, I've been scouring the thrift stores for cute stuff but haven't found much. I've also been making some new decorations that I'll hopefully share with you later this week! I felt weird about starting to decorate for Christmas already (especially since we took down a forgotten Halloween decoration last night, oops!), but I couldn't wait any longer. We're totally the type of people who leave the tree up way too long, so why not start too early too??

Have you started decorating for the holidays yet? I'd love to see what you do! Leave me a link in the comments if you have one :)

iPhone photos!

2011-11-19T12:30:00.000-06:00

Phew! Things have been a little busy in these parts. I picked up an extra shift at work, hung out with my sister, met up with a friend from high school that I haven't seen in six years (!!!), put up my Christmas tree, and worked on Etsy orders. Lots going on!

I have a few hours before work and I have to hustle to get some work finished, so I'm off to do that! Can you believe Thanksgiving is next week already?? I'm excited :)

Pretty cake.

2011-11-14T13:05:00.001-06:00

I don't have much to update you on, I've been busy working my real job and working on Etsy stuff and haven't had the time or motivation to get dressed up and take pictures :) Here's a little peek into the birthday celebration we had for my niece Vivianrose, though, because my sister Lauren made the prettiest winter themed cake! My niece (and sister Cara) just moved from California to Wisconsin, so this winter will Vivianrose's first! We did all winter themed gifts, a huge sled, snow boots, and a lovely headband from my shop :)

How was your weekend?

On a snowy day.

2011-11-10T13:15:00.000-06:00

It started snowing today, and I figured there was no better time to bust out some pretty vintage than on the first snow day of the year. I got this coat last year from the local Goodwill for $15. I'm not a huge fan of fur, but if it's vintage I'll wear it. This style is so perfectly 50s to me, and I want a huge collection of coats like this! I bought the dress on eBay, it was deadstock (which means it still had tags on it and had never been sold). I love finding deadstock clothes, the tags are an added bonus!

I wanted to say thank you for all your sweet and supportive comments on my last post! I'm so glad that so many of you feel the same way, and it's comforting to know it too. I hope you have a fantastic day!!

Late Night Ramblings.

2011-11-05T02:58:00.000-05:00

So I'm sitting on my couch, eating Oreos dunked in a glass of milk that my cat has been sipping out of in between bouts of running around like he's on fire (which I know for a fact, but we will not discuss that time when the power went out and Jeans caught himself on fire, at least not right now), and I decided to finally write out something that's been on my mind lately. For the last few weeks I've been contemplating this one thing, this one realization about my life and who I am that's been pretty liberating to give a name to. It all started with a skirt.

This skirt, to be exact. I put this skirt on with a stained hot pink t-shirt while the white one was in the dryer, and asked Chris how I looked. He gave me the face, the one where I know he thinks I look like a hobo clown or a colorblind bag-lady. I asked him what he didn't like about it, and he told me the skirt was far down on his list of favorites. That's when I realized: I don't actually care. At that moment I recognized that the affect his distaste for my outfit had on me was not instant embarrassment, it didn't result in me running to my closet to throw on something else. I liked my skirt, and I wanted to wear it, so who the heck cares if he likes it or not?

Now, I don't mean to say that Chris's opinion doesn't mean anything to me. Of course I want him to like the way I look and dress. It was more of an 'a-ha' moment where I learned that I have decided to not let other people's opinions of me determine the direction of my life. I know this skirt story seems like a small drop in this big-pond-kinda-idea, but that moment was when I finalized this truth about myself that I've been working towards my whole life. And it feels freaking awesome.

For the majority of my life I was a shape shifter. In high school I had very few friends, and the ones I did manage to get didn't stick around for very long. I was so desperate to fit in that any group of people who would let me into their circle became the determining factor on what my personality du jour would be. I was the weird girl who wore hot pink snakeskin pants once a week in freshman year, I hung out with the Polish guys who were really into cars sophomore year. Junior year I hung out with the punk rock crowd for a little while and then had a brief stint as one of the hippie girls (complete with a patchwork dress and Birkenstocks), and senior year I made some friends in the art department and got into indie music. I wasn't terribly un-confident, but it was enough for me to let the people I surrounded myself with determine what kind of person I was, at least on the outside. It was pretty much the same thing in college, I wore the stuff that everyone else wore and did the things everyone else did, even though it didn't especially make me happy.

This past year I've been making my own choices. It could be because I don't really have time to be influenced by other people, but I think it's mostly because I've found the confidence in myself that I've been lacking for years. It's outwardly apparent in the way I dress, but it's a reflection of a change I've made within myself too. I just don't care! It's not out of rebellion or apathy, it's the happiest "I don't care" out there. I am so assured in who I am now that whether someone else judges me for what I look like or how I act, or the choices I make in my life, none of that matters to me because I am happy. I'm wearing these clothes and doing these things and making these choices because it makes me happy. And in turn, my happiness affects other people. Sure, I have crappy days and get pissed off and yell and cry, but at my core I'm a happy person. I spent a lot of time in my life searching for someone to be like, but now I can be myself. I sound like a cheesy after school special! But really, this is sort of a new thing for me.

I don't know what I expect to get out of writing this for the whole internet to see, but I'm proud of myself for coming to this conclusion, and I hope maybe you can get something out of it too. To end, I'll leave you with a quote that I really love, and we'll leave it at that...

"Choosing to live a happy life is not only our greatest gift to ourselves,

it is also the greatest gift we can give to those around us. When we are happy,

we radiate happiness, and that is infections. Consider giving the gift of
happiness to yourself as being your gift to all humanity." -Dalai Lama

PS: Chris ended up liking my outfit in the end. Not that it mattered :)

New in my Etsy shop!

2011-11-03T21:12:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to show you what I've been working on the last few weeks! These little cuties are so fun, I love making them and I hope you'll love wearing them! Check them out in my shop, they'd make a great gift for the holidays!

Happy Halloween (and adorable baby photos!)

2011-10-31T23:59:00.001-05:00

I hope you all had a fantastic Halloween! My adorable nephew Emerson sure did! It was his first one, and my sister and I worked on his costume together :) I whipped up his hat the other day and she crafted the rest out of stuff she already had. I mean, come on, how freaking cute is he??? So cute. She also sent along some photos of Emerson in the very first thing I made for him, this adorable little bear hat! (here's a link to the pattern) Look at those cheeks!!

I worked a little shorty shift today, and then headed home to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters. I wasn't going to dress up, but last night I decided to try to throw something together! I tweeted about needing some ideas, and I got some awesome ones, but a "cowgirl" was the easiest for me to do! I threw on a plaid shirtdress, a vintage scarf as a bandana, and did some fishtail braid pigtails.

I had a good time passing out candy, although I was all alone since Chris was at work. The kids were adorable, and super polite (which is a surprise, last year didn't go quite so well!). All in all, it was a nice-- if uneventful-- Halloween!

How was yours?? Did you dress up? I'd love to see your costume! If you blogged about it leave me a link in the comments!!

PS: The November sponsors are up over there on the right! Check them out, and leave them some love!!

Confessions of a Thrift Store Junkie.

2011-10-29T12:56:00.000-05:00

It's no secret that I love to go thrifting. I'm not as serious about it as some people I know, but over the last year it's become one of my favorite things to do. I love the thrill of finding something fantastic, and knowing that I got it for a fraction of what I'd spend on something new. But one thing that I've noticed is that I'm sort of competitive with thrifting. Not that I have a specific person I'm competing against, but if I find something awesome I have to have it. Even if it doesn't fit, even if I'll probably never wear it.

I've been collecting these vintage pieces that I know I have no use for. I honestly sound like a hoarder when I say that! It's not like I have bags and boxes full of vintage stuff I don't need, but a handful of things that I buy even though I know I don't need it. This jacket is the latest purchase that I probably should have skipped over. It's so perfectly 70s, red and white polka dot polyester with huge lapels, but it's way too small for me. I can get it on and button it, but it just looks silly. I knew it was too small when I tried it on, but I bought it anyway. Part of me justifies that maybe one day I'll sell some of my vintage stuff, and part of me says that maybe someday it'll fit/I'll have a use for it. But these are tendencies I'm going to really try to nip in the bud! I'd love to have a huge vintage collection someday, but what good is it to me if it doesn't fit?

Do you have any bad shopping habits you'd like to confess to? I'm sure we all have little things we do that we aren't especially proud of. Feel free to share in the comments!

Sponsor Love! - October

2011-10-25T08:00:00.001-05:00

I can't believe October is almost over already! This month seriously flew by. With the end of the month approaching, I'd like to introduce you to my lovely sponsors! Each one of these ladies has been a source of inspiration for me, and I really think you'll love them! Check them out, they're all amazing!

Stop on by their blogs, shops, or twitters to leave them a little love! Thanks so much, ladies! If you're interested in sponsoring susannahbean.com for the month of November, email me at susannahbean@gmail.com and I'll set you up!

A cute dress and a thank you!

2011-10-24T18:16:00.001-05:00

Dress: vintage [eBay]

Cardigan/boots: Target

Belt: thrifted

Thank you all so much for your love and support in my last blog post, on Twitter, and through my Etsy shop! We're doing much better, this kind of thing is impossible to prevent and happens to everyone. It's a bummer to deal with, and it's gonna be tough on our wallets for quite some time, but we'll get through it!

I've been looking on eBay for vintage dresses for a while now, but I never came across anything worthwhile. There are tons of dresses labeled vintage, but they aren't anything spectacular, and if they are they're super expensive. This little gem popped up for around $6 and I had to have it! It's interesting, because on the inside it looks handmade, you can see that pinking shears were used and the sewing looks less-than-professional, but it has a company label on it. You never know with vintage dresses! The colors are fantastic, and the price was perfect, so I knew it had to be mine :)

Tonight we're gonna have some wine, catch up on some of our favorite TV shows, and cuddle on the couch. We need it! I hope you had a great day, and thank you all again for being so kind.

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

2011-10-22T21:05:00.000-05:00

This morning Chris left early to go to his second day of training for his new job. He was headed downtown for the day, and I was planning on sleeping in and getting a bunch of stuff done. I had today off, which is a really rare occurrence, and I really wanted to take advantage of it. I heard Chris leave and fell back asleep.

It felt like a second later that I heard my phone ring. Chris was calling me, pretty freaked out, because his car broke down on the highway. Yep, the car he's had just a few months that replaced the one that drunk guy ruined... I told him no big deal, he wasn't too far from our house so I'd head out and pick him up. He was able to get his car dropped off at a dealership, and I met him there. We made really amazing time getting into the city, it looked like he might only be ten or fifteen minutes late to his training. We exited off I-90 onto Ohio, and the hotel we needed was just a few blocks away.

I don't often venture into downtown Chicago, I usually make the trek to my sister's house in the Ukrainian Village and we stick to her neighborhood. I get stressed driving in the city anyway, but downtown is just so much busier and more crowded that I usually steer clear. So little did I know that Ohio was completely ripped to shreds. There was one little sign that noted the terrible condition of the road, but for a good six or so blocks there was no indication that the roads were pretty much undriveable. Except, of course, for the manhole covers that were poking up out of the road. They were impossible to swerve around because they were everywhere. I tried to get into the left lane because it was the only one that was paved, but no one would let me in. I was getting ready to merge left to make my turn when BOOM! I hit something. I hit a really high manhole. I drive a VW Bug, it sits about four inches off the ground. This was loud, and I knew it was bad. I made it about forty feet before my oil warning light came on and started beeping. I was so close to the hotel we needed, I just had to get through one intersection and make it to the parking garage.

I pulled into the first spot I saw, got out and looked at the thick trail of oil leading up to my car, and bent down to see the giant puddle that had formed under my car in the seven seconds since we'd parked. I instantly started crying, because that's what I do. Chris went in to tell his boss everything that had happened, and came back to help me figure it out.

We called a tow truck and got it taken into a repair shop a few blocks away. My sister picked me up so Chris could go to his training, and we waited for the call. And then it came: $600. It was gonna take $600 for two hours of labor and a replacement oil pan.

I was just thinking to myself last night that we went through a rough patch a few months back, but that things seemed to be back on track. I guess I got too cocky and the universe needed to put me in check, so it tossed two broken cars into my lap. Chris's car is over double what my repairs cost. We just aren't prepared for something like this, not all in one day. On a day that I was gonna get stuff done, feel accomplished. Nope, that wasn't gonna happen.

So, as you can imagine, this has been an extremely frustrating (and tear-filled) day. We're trying to come up with a game plan for handling these repairs, and part of what I came up with is my Etsy shop. I don't want to beg, and I'm not asking for charity, but if you're interested please take a look at my store and see if you find something you like, and know that it'd really help a girl out. I've listed a few new headbands (including a new color, Georgia Peach!), and I finally got some scarves up! So check it out and feel free to message me with any questions!

Thanks for listening, and to everyone who kept up with me on Twitter this morning, you were so helpful and kind. Thank you.

WIWT: Sky Blue and Sailboats

2011-10-19T08:00:00.002-05:00

Dress: H&M

Tights: We Love Colors

Cardigan/Flats: Target

Scarf: vintage/thrifted

Kaelah and I thought it'd be fun to wear one of the many dresses we both own and see how each other styled it up! We picked this little H&M number, which reminds us both of sailboats, and this is how I wore it. This is the first time I've worn these aqua tights from We Love Colors, mostly because I've been a little timid about how bright they are, but I really loved them with this outfit!

Kaelah and I had a similar color scheme in mind! She wore it with a mustard yellow jacket, a sky blue bag, and the same color shoes as I did! Great minds think a like, huh?? Pop on over to her blog to check out more pictures of how she wore this dress!

Chris and I have started watching Friday Night Lights on Netflix, and I am so so in love with it! I finished Felicity it record time, and needed a new show to get emotionally wrapped up in, and BONUS! Chris likes FNL too! I've been busily working on headbands, and I'm *thisclose* to getting my jewelry line up and running. Don't forget you can still get 15% off of everything in my Etsy shop, but hurry because the code expires tomorrow!

Jewelry!

2011-10-18T13:28:00.000-05:00

Hi guys! I've been busy working on my jewelry line the last few weeks, and I thought I'd share a little peek! I'm really excited about it, and I can't wait to get the shop up and running! What do you think?

DIY: Lace and Fabric Coasters

2011-10-14T15:06:00.000-05:00

Cork coasters, lace, Mod Podge, fabric (I used a vintage bedsheet), paintbrush, scissors

[1.] Cut a piece of fabric slightly larger than your coaster. [2.] Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge. [3.] Smooth out any bubbles. Let it dry for a few minutes. [4.] Carefully trim the excess fabric.

[5.] Cut a piece of lace slightly larger than your coaster. [6.] Apply a thicker layer of Mod Podge. Let it dry for a bit, then apply another coat. [7.] You can do some of your coasters with just fabric, or just lace. I used two layers of lace for these ones. Make sure your Mod Podge seeps through all the little holes in the lace. [8.] Apply some Mod Podge to the edge of your coasters, then set them on something plastic to dry.

There you have it! There's so many combinations for these quick little coasters, the possibilities are endless! I'd love to see how yours turn out, so leave me a link if you give it a shot!!!

Susannahbean Handmade Coupon!

2011-10-13T18:19:00.000-05:00

It finally rained today, and it really felt like fall, so in honor of it actually feeling like my favorite season, I decided to have a little Etsy sale! From now through Thursday October 20th you can use the code RAINYDAY15 to get 15% off of anything in my shop!! Spread the word, and happy shopping!!

What I wore.

2011-10-11T14:59:00.000-05:00

dress: Modcloth (sale)

tights: WeLoveColors

cardigan/socks: Target

boots: Rocketdog

It's not feeling very fall here. We had a couple weeks where the temperature was in the 60s, it was perfect jacket weather and just felt like fall. But now it's back up in the high 70s and low 80s, and it's hard to comprehend the summery weather when the leaves on the trees have all changed color. I've been trying to make it feel a little more like fall with the colors I've been wearing, and this one really worked for me. I got the dress from Modcloth's Last Hurrah sale, along with a couple others. I've been wearing so much vintage stuff lately that when I go back to new dresses like this one, I get really self conscious about how short they are! I wear shorts under everything anyway, but it's especially helpful with outfits like this so I don't flash my booty all over town.

Yesterday Chris and I went grocery shopping, and of course bought way more than we planned. We snagged some wine from Trader Joe's and planned a movie night at home. We've been having more and more nights in like that, and I really love it. It's nice to cuddle on the couch and hang out, but it's different than our normal hanging out... I guess the wine makes it more special?? Who knows, all I know is I had a blast, and it was nice to relax and just be.

What's your favorite way to unwind? And don't say bubble bath, because that's my all time favorite and I don't have a bath here, and I'm still upset about it a year and a half later! :)

Jewel Tones and Baby Love.

2011-10-07T10:00:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I went into the city to visit my sister and nephew. It's been a couple weeks since I visited, and since then Emerson turned one month old! It's funny, I'm not normally afraid or nervous with babies, but when they're brand new it can be a little nerve-wracking. Now that he's officially one month old, though, it was a lot less pressure interacting with him. I was snatchin' him up and snuggling on him as much as I could!

Skirt, Cardigan, Belt: Thrifted

Tee: Target clearance

Scarf: Gift from my momma

Lauren and I took Emerson out by ourselves (my sister's first time out sans hubby!) and had a nice little lunch at Caffe DeLuca in Bucktown. Emerson was a teeny bit fussy, so while Lauren dealt with him I ate, and then we switched! It was a great little venture out, and I loved being out with my sister again :)

We came home and addressed a hundred or so birth announcements to send out, I held the baby as much as I could before he went down, and then I headed home, tired but so so happy. I feel so lucky to live close enough to my sister and brother-in-law that I can pop by on my free days to hang out. I don't want to miss anything in this little bug's life!!

The time I almost lost $160.

2011-10-05T10:00:00.002-05:00

The other day Chris and I were out grocery shopping when I got a phone call from my dad. He told me about a letter he got from the state about toll violations made in my car. The letter said I owed $83 for going through the toll without paying. I have an I-Pass (which is Illinois' version of the EZ-Pass), and I knew I had recently gotten an email saying my balance was low, but I hadn't actually looked at the balance on it. I told him I'd look into it when I got home, he gave me a number to call and that was that.

I went home, found the email, spent ten minutes trying to remember my login id and password, and finally saw that my balance was $0.29. I was able to see the violation notice, and the other violation notice that they hadn't even had time to send yet. $167. That's how much the state said I owed. I was freaking out. I'm broke, I don't have $167 to spend on stupid toll violations. I tried calling the number from the letter, but I was on hold for too long and I was getting really bummed out. I came really close to paying online, but it's a good thing I didn't!

I called the number, got through to a very nice man named Justin, who told me that since I had a valid I-Pass my fee was only $7. I was honestly ready to jump up and down out of pure happiness. I came so close to just paying the $167, because I hate talking on the phone, but I put on my big girl pants and called, and that's how I saved myself $160. Best phone call EVER!

PS: The Bamboo Tablet Giveaway winner has been contacted, congratulations comment #273, Brandy!! Thanks to everyone who entered!!

Chris's birthday!

2011-10-02T10:00:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was Chris's birthday! We spent it hanging out with his family, and it was such a good time. I even convinced Chris to take some photos with me :)

I made one of his birthday cakes at work. It's Early Cuyler from Squidbillies!

It's one of our favorite shows, and we think Early's rotation of ridiculous trucker hats is one of the best parts, so I wrote "Happy Birfday Chris" on Early's hat (with a couple backwards letters for fun!). If you haven't seen the show, well, it's hilarious and weird, let's just leave it at that!

I'll be picking a winner of the Bamboo giveaway tomorrow, so stay tuned to see if you're the lucky one!!

How to tie a scarf hair bow!

2011-09-29T14:10:00.000-05:00

I'm always shocked how intense my accent is on video :)

A little reminder!

2011-09-27T13:14:00.000-05:00

Don't forget, the Bamboo Tablet giveaway ends this Friday! You have until midnight on Friday (or would it be Saturday morning?) to enter :) Click the image above or this link to go to the entry page!

Pastel houndstooth.

2011-09-26T17:41:00.000-05:00

I am so in love with this dress. I feel like an Easter egg in it, but I honestly think it's my favorite dress I own. Last week I dreamed I found a pretty little mod dress in the perfect shade of mint green. I think this is pretty close to that dream dress :) The sash it came with is a little weird, it was pinned to the collar and it's an odd sort of trapezoid shape. It's just barely long enough to fit around my waist, so I don't think it's intended to be a belt, but the dress has belt loops in the same color.

Do you have any ideas?? Maybe a headband? A neck scarf? Leave your guess in the comments :)

Sponsor Susannahbean in October!

2011-09-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

Hello lovelies! Would you like to sponsor Susannahbean in October? Check out my sponsor page for more information! Email me at susannahbean@gmail.com if you're interested!! I'd love to have you :)

New Bombshells listed!

2011-09-23T15:29:00.000-05:00

I just listed a handful of Bombshells in pretty fall colors in my Etsy shop! Pop on over and check them out :) I'm steadily working on replacing sold items and getting Blooms and Big Bows made in these colors, too! Lots and lots of work, but I'm so happy with how everything is turning out!!! What do you think?

A little dose of adorable.

2011-09-22T17:06:00.000-05:00

Isn't he just the cutest?

A little Etsy news.

2011-09-20T13:06:00.000-05:00

I'm excited to show you a sneak peek of some new colors that I'll be adding to my shop soon! I've got Bombshells ready to list in black, cream, pumpkin, avocado, gray, coral, chocolate brown, and butter yellow. I just need to take listing pictures and they'll be ready to go!

I'll add Big Bows and Blooms in these colors as I finish them! If you're interested in getting a Big Bow or Bloom in one of the new colors before I list it, just shoot me a message on Etsy and I can set it up for you!

The other little bit of Etsy news is that on October 1st I'll be changing the prices of everything in the shop from their introductory price ($18) to their regular price ($22). So snatch 'em up while you can!

If you have any questions at all, feel free to email me or contact me on Etsy!

Sponsor Love! - September

2011-09-19T10:00:00.001-05:00

I'm so pleased to introduce you to my sponsors for September! These are some of the sweetest girls in town, and you should definitely check them out and show them some love!

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I want to thank each of these lovely ladies for sponsoring my blog! I really love them all, and I hope you do too!!!

Scarf style.

2011-09-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

It's been getting pretty cool around these parts the last few days. We kind of abruptly went from summer to fall, last weekend it was in the nineties, and then this week it's supposed to be rainy and in the 60's and low 70's. I'm excited, though, because fall is my favorite time of year (I think every blogger says that!). I can't wait for layering, tights, cardigans, and boots. I'm also getting into wearing jeans again. I went through about a year of only wanting to wear dresses, and saving my jeans for when I was bumming around the house. But now I've found I'm leaning towards jeans more often, and it gives me an excuse to wear (and shop for!) cute tops :)

I've been wearing a silk scarf in my hair almost every day for the last few weeks. I had a handful of scarves collected just because they were pretty, but now I'm snatching up every one I see to wear in a cute little bow. I'm totally obsessed, I love wearing normal headbands but they end up giving me a headache after an hour. The scarves don't bug me at all, though! I've got a pretty substantial collection going on, and it's only growing, so I've been kicking around ideas for a DIY scarf display. I think I've got a cute idea, and all I have to do is get a few supplies and give it a shot!

Do you have any vintage scarves? How do you store or display them?

The hutch of a lifetime.

2011-09-13T11:22:00.000-05:00

While Kaelah and Mike were here we took a little trip to the thrift stores. It was kinda spur of the moment and I wasn't really into it, we were pretty hungry and I didn't want to bore them. We went to the Goodwill first, and we all found some good stuff. We went to the Salvation Army next, but I came really close to skipping it. It's a good thing I didn't, because I found this amazing hutch at the back, and I've never been happier with a thrift store find in my entire life!

It's seriously beautiful. I spent $25 on it (getting it home was a little bit pricey, and I drove a pickup truck for the first time ever... ha!). I'm totally in love.

I'm officially on the hunt for the perfect stuff to keep in it, right now there's an odd little assortment of things.

Best friends.

2011-09-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

Whew! Things have been a whirlwind the last few days! Kaelah and Mike got in late on Thursday night, and as soon as Chris and I both got home from work we started our (long) weekend of fun! We've been having the best time so far, lots of great conversation and I couldn't be happier.

I have some super fun things to share with you, but I keep forgetting to take pictures (I guess that's what happens when you're having tons of fun!!). I promise to remember :)

Be my little baby.

2011-09-05T15:41:00.000-05:00

Emerson James.

September 4, 2011

7 lbs. 4 oz. 20"

My sister did such a great job, I'm beyond proud of her! Emerson is here, healthy, and he's a happy little boy. We're all so thrilled to have this little boy join our family!

Busy, busy, busy.

2011-09-02T10:00:00.001-05:00

You guys should check out the feature post I did over at Windshield Diaries! I got to talk alllllll about how Mr. Littlejeans came into our lives (my favorite subject!). I think Blogging Buddies is such an awesome feature, I love love love hearing about people and their pets! Thank you so much for having me, Crystal!

It's been an exciting couple of days in the Bean household! I've been working like crazy getting my Etsy shop up and running (again), and things have started out better than I expected! I seriously cannot thank you guys enough for all the love. Warms my heart :) I've been working on some new colors, too, so expect those soon!

My sister went into the hospital, and although she didn't have the baby yet, he's definitely coming soon! I went down to her house to hang out with her and our mom to finish up the nursery. We made one last pretty thing to hang in his room, and it turned out so cute! I'll share photos soon :)

Kaelah and Mike are coming out next week and I seriously can't wait! We have so much fun, ridiculous stuff planned! One of those fantastic things is we're going to film a vlog together! It's gonna be the silliest and most awkward thing ever, but it'll be fun :) BUT!!! We need your help! Do you have any questions for us to answer?? Anything you've ever wanted to ask either one of us, or both of us? Leave them in the comments and we'll be sure to answer them!

Wanna win a Bamboo tablet??

2011-09-01T10:00:00.002-05:00

Chris and I recently got a Bamboo Pen and Touch tablet, and I've been having so much fun playing around with it! I've never used anything like it before, and while it's taking some time to get good at, I've loved figuring it out! It's got so many great features, and I love how you can use it as a giant mouse. It comes with a full version of Photoshop Elements, too, so it's perfect to use for editing photos! I thought I'd share the love and pass a Bamboo Pen and Touch tablet on to one lucky reader! Here's what to do:

Follow this blog with Google Friend Connect. Leave me a comment with your first name and email address. That's it!

You can get additional entries by doing one or all of the following:

[1.] Post about this giveaway on your blog or Tumblr. Feel free to use that image up above, and please link back to this post!

[2.] Tweet about this giveaway! Use the following message:

Wanna win a Bamboo Pen and Touch tablet from @susannahbean? Go to http://www.susannahbean.com/ to enter!

[3.] "Like" Susannahbean on Facebook! You can do that by clicking here!

Don't forget! You have to leave a separate comment for EACH ENTRY for it to be counted! I will double check that you've followed the directions, so make sure you cross your t's and dot your i's :) So that's FOUR chances for you to win! Anyone can enter, no matter where you live. I'll choose a winner at the end of the month. Good luck, and thanks so much for reading!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!! Thanks for participating!

Etsy Update!!!

2011-08-30T10:00:00.002-05:00

I've listed a few things in my Etsy shop, and I couldn't be more excited! I've brought back the Bloom and Big Bow headbands, and I have a new design! Meet...

The Bombshell.

I'll be adding more colors as I finish them, and I have another pretty thing up my sleeve! What do you think??

Connections v.6

2011-08-28T11:00:00.001-05:00

I'm so excited to share a new Connections post with you, because this one's pretty special to me! Danielle of Sometimes Sweet and Jess of The Doe or the Deer are two of my very favorite bloggers, they've inspired me so much and are downright amazing ladies, and they were actually the first pair of girlfriends I thought about contacting for a Connections post! So here they are!

Names: Jess and Danielle
Blogs: thedoeorthedeer.blogspot.com and sometimessweet.com

1. How long have you known each other? How did your friendship begin?
Jess: About 4 years ago we randomly started following each other on Flickr. After a few months I realized that our husbands bands (Hour of the Wolf and Bleeding Through) had toured together... It's a small world.

Danielle: Gosh this is hard to think back so far. I think we've known each other for at least a few years. We met via Flickr- I fell in love with her adorable family and then realized that my husband had played shows with her husband before! I messaged her some silly kind of message I'm sure, and started to get to know each other from there.

2. How do you two normally communicate?
Jess: Twitter, Facebook and texts.

Danielle: We text, talk via twitter, read each others' blogs, facebook, you name it. We've also talked on the phone a couple of times- I know that if I ever needed to, I could call her and she'd be there. Jess is such a great friend and is so supportive.

3. Have you met in person? What was it like to meet that person face to face for the first time? If not, do you plan to?
Danielle: Yes! We actually have. We met at the AZ Blogger Meetup in the spring and talked non-stop with excitement up until then. We had a funny joke that she would be carrying me around in a Baby Bjorn or pushing me in a stroller since she is very tall and I am very short. Before meeting Jess I wasn't nervous at all- it may sound nerdy but I honestly felt like I had known her in person for years. When she walked into the restaurant I ran over to her and we gave each other the biggest hug. No awkwardness whatsoever.

Jess: Last year I attended the Arizona Blogger Meetup (although, I live in California) and we met there. I didn't find it awkward at all!... Well except our height difference... That’s a tad awkward in photos. We've both said that our friendship feels like we have been friends forever. We are totally on the same page.

4. How is your internet friendship different from friendships you have offline?
Danielle: It's weird because if you would have told me years ago I would meet some of my most favorite people in the world online...I would have laughed and then said "no way, that's creepy!" Well, look at me now. I feel like a lot of the time these online friendships have the potential to be a bit deeper than a regular, in-person friendship because you're in a contact a lot more, and we often feel comfortable talking to these "outside" friends about things we may not always feel comfortable discussing with people who are directly involved. Being a pretty serious blogger comes with a few annoyances and when someone else understands that and you can vent about it, it's such a nice thing. "Real life" friends don't always get that.

Jess: I can really confide in Danielle when I just need to vent. No judgement. No cattiness. Just 100% support and honesty. I'm not totally sure why it's so different, but it just works for us.

5. What drew you to the other person initially? What do you love most about them?
Danielle: This is hard because I love EVERYTHING about Jess. She is one of the most genuine, real, loving, caring people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, and to know her is to seriously love her. She also happens to be THE funniest person I've ever met, and that's a crazy thing to say when you know some of the funny people I know. Witty, hilarious, intelligent...shall I go on? She's just a gem.

Jess: I thought she was really cute (does that make me sound like a creep?) I also loved that she was a high school English teacher. I grew up in a teacher household and felt like I could relate.

6. Do you have any other thoughts about the role the internet plays in building new relationships?
Danielle: I'm all about the internet, so naturally I have no problem building these new relationships with my online friends. Next month there's a whole group of us internet mamas (and two non-mamas) coming from all over the country to meet in Vegas. Jess and I will be rooming together and will also be meeting up with a few other internet friends we haven't met in person yet. Totally another one of those things that I would have thought was insane years ago, but it makes perfect sense now. Yay for internet friends turning into real-life ones too! :)

Jess: I've met sooo many incredible women! It seems almost easier to find friends with the same interests, because online, you kinda lay it all out there. You can weed out the "meh" people and really connect. Surprisingly A LOT of the people I've become friends with, through the internet, we actually end up having a few friends in common. I told you it’s a very small world!

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Aren't they just adorable? Danielle's blog was one of the first I found that I really connected with, and I found Jess's equally amazing blog through Danielle's shortly afterwards. Both Danielle and Jess are so down-to-earth and honest, and I admire them so much. These two can teach us a lot about positivity, support, love (of all sorts), kindness, and grace. I truly believe that, and have learned a lot from them! Thank you so much for participating, girls!

My new favorite thing.

2011-08-27T11:00:00.004-05:00

I feel a little silly writing up a whole post about this, but I'm really more excited about this than I should be :) The other day I tweeted about needing a solution for Mr. Littlejeans's insane amounts of fur. Seriously, you couldn't pet him without a pound of hair falling off. A few people responded that I needed to get myself a Zoom Groom, which I promptly ran out and bought!

This thing is fantastic. I love it, Jeans loves it, and my vacuum cleaner loves it (because it has to do less work.... ehhh?) He hates being brushed by a regular brush, but this, I hold it up and he comes running! See how happy he is now? Alright, I won't lie, he lays like this all the time. But inside he's happy!

He's pumped! Do any of you guys with short haired kitties have any other tips and tricks for keeping their fur in control? Let me know in the comments!!

Asymmetrical and angular.

2011-08-25T13:05:00.000-05:00

I can't quite make up my mind about this dress. On one hand, I love the colors and length, and the top is interesting, but on the other hand I feel like I'm wearing a hospital gown. Or not so much a gown, I guess, but it reminds me of a hospital because it makes me think of these blankies they give to newborns. But whatever, I still like it!

Last night I tried the no-heat curl thing that's been making the rounds in the blog world. I watched this video, and the girl in it is just the cutest! It worked pretty well, a little too well actually! It's very curly, and maybe it's just because I haven't been curling my hair lately, but I feel like I have totally crazy hair today. I'm weird, if my hair is big in a vertical sense I'm totally cool with it, but if it's big in an --outward-- sense I hate it!

Today I have a few crafty things to catch up on (like making pillows for my nephew's nursery!), and I want to check out some different thrift stores in the area. I didn't realize it, but right down the street from one of the Goodwills I go to is a huge Salvation Army! I'm excited to check it out :)

Did you see my lovely sponsors over there --->? They're some of the sweetest girls ever, and I'm so excited to have them here! I'll be back in a few days with an introduction post so you can get to know them a little better!

Oh Monday Monday.

2011-08-22T16:55:00.000-05:00

I'm back to working my thirteen hour shifts two days a week, and I had my first one yesterday. Let me just tell you, it was rough! I felt completely useless by the time I got home. But I have today off, and I was determined to get some stuff accomplished! I threw on a pretty thrifted (new, not vintage) dress, and headed out!

We went by the auto-body place that's going to fix up my car first, and they said it's going to take about five days. Ooof! At least I can get a rental car. Next we headed to the Goodwill, where I picked up two brand new Target dresses, a few cute mugs, a pair of Minnetonka booties (in really good condition!), and a tripod! I seriously don't want to buy anything new anymore. I can find everything I've been wanting and needing at Goodwill for so much cheaper! I'm going to start phasing out all the newer mass-produced stuff we have and replacing it with vintage treasures soon. I'm so excited about that!

Tonight we're having some of Chris's work friends over, and then I'm going to play chauffeur and take them to a club/lounge place nearby. It'll be interesting, Chris and I have never been to a club of any sort, so we'll see how much we stick out!

In case you're interested, I posted something kind of morbid that I found today on my Tumblr. It's not for the faint of heart or easily upset, but I thought it was incredibly interesting. If you're intrigued, check it out here.

Style Obsession: Animal Prints

2011-08-20T12:22:00.000-05:00

I've never been one to wear leopard or zebra print clothes, they're too flashy for me and not something I gravitate to. But I've seen so many animal print dresses lately that I'm totally swooning over! The ones that I like have teeny tiny animal shapes, and I picked out a few of my faves to share with you!

1. City Bird Dress, Modcloth, $52.99 // 2. Do Re Mi Fawn Dress, Modcloth, $47.99 // 3. Orange and White Cat Print Dress, Dorothy Perkins, £28.00 // 4. Like What You Zebra Dress, Modcloth, $44.99 // 5. Elegant Equestrian Printed Dress, Ruche, $42.99

What do you think of this trend? Are there any animal print dresses you're loving lately?

Playing dress up.

2011-08-18T11:47:00.000-05:00

I'm a wee bit obsessed with this tee lately. I wanted to wear it in some outfit pictures, so I threw it together with this skirt and some new heels just for fun.

Shirt: Target

Skirt: from my mom

Heels: Target

I got a new pair of glasses, too! I wasn't sure if they'd look good on me but I really love them! I usually stick to square ones, but I went with round ones, and they're pretty darn perfect :)

Crafting for my nephew.

2011-08-17T11:00:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I made the trek into the city to meet up with my sister. We had plans to make a mobile for my nephew's nursery, he's due in less than a month and we're down to the final details of putting his room together! My sister had a few options that she'd narrowed it down to: this one, this one, and this one. We couldn't settle on one, so we're incorporating all three into his room. We worked on the last one today to hang over his crib, and I think it turned out pretty darn adorable!

[here's the link to the tutorial for the cutest mobile ever!]

Doesn't he have the cutest room already?? I'm going to make a few throw pillows for the chair, Lauren has some prints from Etsy that she wants to hang, and we're working on the tissue poms and yarn balloons for another cute decoration that I'll share once we finish. I had so much fun crafting with my sister! I usually fly solo with my DIY endeavors, so having a partner in crafty-crime was so awesome :)

Just a few recent thrifted finds.

2011-08-14T13:55:00.000-05:00

I went to the two nearest Goodwills the other day, and I had a pretty decent time. I found some cute vintage stuff, like this strawberry sauce pot and green plastic mug.

I also got the pretty dress on the left. It's brand new (with tags) from Target, and it's the same style as this one. Every time I go to the Goodwills around here they're packed full of brand new stuff from Target! It's all from the clearance section, and last time I found about a dozen of this dress! Do you ever see Target stuff at Goodwill?

Jeans was being a little helper while I took these photos.

He always acts a little weird when I go into the upstairs room. It's supposed to be my craft room, but I don't get to use it very much, so mostly it's Jeansy's room. I feel like he's my teenage son who's going "Moooommmm, get out of my rooooooom! Stop touching all my stuuuuuuuf!!". (Anthropomorphism, much?).

I get to go into work a little later than normal today, so I'm working on some baby booties for my sister (and nephew!). I'm going into the city on Tuesday to help her set up the nursery, and we're going to make a mobile! We've been scouring Pinterest for inspiration, and I think we have it narrowed down to a few options.

I still have a few sponsor spaces available, if you're interested! Don't forget, if you sign up for the month of September, you get the last week of August for free!!

Confession: I love scary movies!

2011-08-13T11:00:00.002-05:00

I'm the worst when it comes to watching scary movies. I hide behind my hands if I have even a minute inkling that something's going to jump out on the screen. Even if a movie isn't very good, I still get scared to the point that I'm afraid something's hiding under the bed or behind the door. But I still watch them, regardless of how much they freak me out! We watched Insidious recently, and Chris really liked it, but I thought it was a little hokey. It got me thinking about my favorite scary movies, though, and I came up with two of the best I've ever seen...

DRAG ME TO HELL

Drag Me to Hell was an awesome combination of cheesy horror movie and legitimately freaky film. I loved that most of the scary scenes were also darkly humorous. I have a soft spot for terrible B list horror movies, and this one hearkened back to those cringe-worthy 80s flicks.

THE DESCENT

The Descent is one of those movies that no matter how many times I see it, it still scares the bejeesus out of me. The premise of a group of strong women getting caught up in this terrifying situation in an unknown cave is so disturbing to me, but that's what I like about it. I really liked the way this movie was filmed, too, it made it very realistic (even though what you're watching is totally unreal).

Have you seen either of these? What did you think? What's your favorite scary movie? I need to add some to my list of must-sees!

Sponsor Susannahbean!!

2011-08-11T11:48:00.000-05:00

Big news, guys! I've decided to open up my blog to sponsorship! I'm really excited about offering my blog as a space to advertise your blog or Etsy shop. I had so much success with the ads I took out for my blog and shop last year, and I really hope you guys can get the same return out of advertising on my blog. I'd love to support up-and-coming blogs and Etsy shops by providing affordable ad space with a whole bunch of extras! I'm offering up three different sizes for you to choose between:

EXTRA LARGE - $20

There will be one extra large ad available monthly. This ad will be featured at the top right corner of my blog, and will stay there for the whole month! When you purchase this ad, you'll be included at the beginning of my monthly sponsor highlight post, with a full bio, up to three links, and one large photo. You will also have the option to do a giveaway!

MEDIUM - $15

Medium ads will be featured right under the Extra Large ad in the right sidebar. You will be included in my monthly sponsor highlight post with a full bio, two links, and one large photo. Your ad will be shuffled for maximum visibility! There are a limited number of medium sized ads available, so grab yours quick!

SMALL - $10

Small ads will be located directly under the medium ads. You'll be included in my monthly sponsor highlight post with an introduction, one link, and one small photo. These will be rotated for maximum exposure! There are a limited number of small ads available!

I'm also offering an extra special treat for my first round of sponsors! If you sign up to advertise with me for the month of September, I'll put your buttons up the last week of August, so you'll get 5 weeks for the price of 4!

If you're interested in sponsoring Susannahbean, email me at susannahbean@gmail.com and we'll get started! Check out my Sponsor page for more information!

New Button!

2011-08-10T11:42:00.000-05:00

Hi guys! Just a quick little note to let you know I made a new blog button, and it's going up over on the left side if you want it :)

Today I'm watching crappy reality tv (Celebrity Rehab!) and crocheting before I head into work. Last night Chris and I watched the movie Cedar Rapids and it was so hilarious! I honestly don't think I've laughed that hard at a movie in months! Have you seen it? Or any other super funny movies lately?

My new favorite dress.

2011-08-09T17:00:00.000-05:00

I have fallen in love with this dress. My mom gave it to me when she was in town, and I've worn it at least a half-dozen times. I can't help myself! I just think it's the perfect vintage dress. The colors, the fit, the collar.... Perfect!

Dress: Vintage

Cardigan: Target

Sandals, sunnies, and belt: Thrifted/vintage

The only thing I don't like is that the way the fabric lines up, well... The two green flowers there? Yeah, those ones. They just... highlight.... my boobs. Yup. They're just a little bit under where my boobs are, but still, it's a little *too* coincidental. It makes me wonder if someone did it intentionally! It doesn't make me love this dress any less, though, I'll put up with two giant neon green flowers over my ta-tas if it means I can wear an adorably bright vintage dress :)

I was editing the first batch of photos and I got so frustrated with how they turned out! I know I over-edited them but my camera is just getting more and more annoying... I actually went out on the deck and took some more of myself, Myspace-style! They turned out a little better. I've decided that unless the camera is within three feet of me the pictures are gonna be poop. Oh well! It'll be quite some time before I can afford a new DSLR, but believe me, I'm saving my pennies and hopefully I can have a new Nikon to ring in 2012!

In other news, I'm *thisclose* to reopening my Etsy shop and listing new headbands for the fall! I'm seriously so excited, I have a whole array of colors available and a new style that I think is just ADORABLE! So pumped. Also, there may or may not be a jewelry line in the works!!! I want to get my headbands up in time for winter, and then the jewelry will follow soon after. Guys, I'm so excited! I can't wait to share it all with you, I really hope you like it as much as I do.

Instant Collection

2011-08-06T15:14:00.001-05:00

My sister's shower was technically supposed to be a tea party, but with the unbelievable heat in the studio that day, no one wanted anything but gallons of water (and lemonade). We had all gathered tea cups to actually drink out of, but we used them as decorations instead. A few days before the shower I had a stroke of crafty genius and decided to re-label dozens of tea bags.

So instead of using the tea bags, I laid them in the tea cups!

My mom flew in with a box full of china, and she decided to give me her collection instead of flying back with them again. I don't blame her, I'd be so nervous to fly with so many pretty little breakables!

I think this green one on the left, the blue floral one, and the little scalloped one are my favorites. I have to find a cute way to display them! And now I have a new collection to add to, although I kinda feel like I'm cheating because I got an already-established collection instead of starting from scratch :)

Lots of Instagram photos!

2011-08-04T12:02:00.000-05:00

I've been taking more Instagram photos lately, and I figured I should share some here :) Are you on it? You can search 'susannahbean' to find me.

Lovely new (to me ) vintage dress.

Sneaky Jeans on top of the fridge.

I asked Chris to help decorate the shower gift bags, and they turned out a little like jack o' lanterns.

Date night in Chris's new car.

A little kitty arm trying to get me while I'm in the bathroom.

Buttons!

Snugglebug.

Blanket progress.

I couldn't believe Jeans was sitting with Chris like this.

Both of my boys piled on top of me for a nap.

I caught Jeans lounging like this while I was sewing.

Red velvet cupcake from Sweet Mandy B's with my sisters.

Chris and I went bowling together for the first time! I wanted to steal these shoes :)

Today I'll be relaxing before I head into work. I'm working on some new ideas for my shop that I'm super excited about, and I'm so anxious to get started! I know I'll be up too late tonight fleshing out my ideas. But when inspiration strikes, you gotta run with it, right? I hope you're having a wonderful day :)

Lauren's Shower

2011-08-02T10:35:00.000-05:00

The last few weeks have been a flurry of activity around here, all in preparation for a big event in my family: my sister Lauren's baby shower! My mom and our sister Cara (along with her two daughters) flew in from California, and since I'm the only one that lives nearby I was in charge of a lot of the decorating. I actually picked this role, and I really had fun making sweet decorations for the shower. I didn't get to make everything I wanted to, but I still think it turned out pretty adorable!

I ended up being pretty crunched for time the day before the shower (I did most of my baking, finished the gift bags, did the paper wall-decoration, and finished my gift), and ended up working until about 6am! I slept for a few hours, and then haggardly tried to finish everything up and pack the 90 million things I needed to bring into the car. I only forgot one thing: my camera. Can you believe it? Luckily my sister Cara had a (beatiful, gorgeous, drool-inducing) Nikon D90 on hand so I borrowed some of her photos to share with you.

A few details: We held the shower at Lauren's friend's photography studio in Chicago. She had the cutest props throughout her studio, so it made it easy to decorate! If you're in the area, check out Jennifer Shaffer Photography, she's just the sweetest! Unfortunately, her air conditioning had broken just a few days before the shower, and it was unbearably hot in the studio! So in most of the photos, we're all shiny and have goofy hair because we were DRENCHED in sweat. Poor Lauren even needed to use a wet napkin on the back of her neck to keep from overheating! In hindsight, it's pretty funny, but experiencing it was tough.

The sweets table: I made the homemade Oreos (found via Oh Mishka) and lemon cupcakes.The cupcakes were a hit! The Oreos were good, but I should have cut the sugar like the recipe mentioned, they turned out REALLY sweet!

I made this paper decoration because Lauren loves the Beatles, and she wants to use this line in the nursery somehow.

We had a tea party theme, which was so silly because in that super hot room, I think the last thing on anyone's mind was hot tea!

My mom hung up baby photos from our family along a wire across the room. It was fun to look at them and try to guess who was who!

The gift bags! Lauren's mother-in-law made some cute favors, and I made felt brooches and a cute tea bag set for each guest.

The gorgeous momma-to-be!

Me and my niece Isabelle. She's fifteen and so, so beautiful! It took a lot of effort to try and pull ourselves together for this photo, we were absolutely melting!

My other adorable niece, Vivianrose! She's the sweetest kid you'll ever meet!

The only game we played was where everyone guessed how big around Lauren's belly is, and cut a piece of string to that length. Whoever's string was the closest match won. Vivianrose's strong was the perfect length!

My pretty mom in a fabulous dress, giving a little speech.

Lauren opening gifts.

And finally, Lauren opening my gift. I crocheted a baby blanket in the colors she's using for the nursery. I really loved this pattern, and it worked up super quick! For all you crocheters out there, I used this pattern, but changed the numbers (I've forgotten how many chains I made to start), and I used a P hook with the yarn held doubled.

I had a really great time, despite all the day's foibles and my serious lack of sleep. It was so great to be with all the lovely ladies in my family, some of whom I haven't seen in a couple years! My mom is going to come out and visit Chris and I at our house today, and then we're off to have dinner with everyone before they head home. If I come across any more photos to share, I will! I have a few more details I'd love for you to see :)

Busy Busy Busy!

2011-07-28T10:59:00.000-05:00

I've been running around like crazy trying to finish up the last little bit of stuff for my sister's shower this weekend. Ok, that's a lie. I put 99% of it off until the last week and I'm rushing to get it all done! I'm a total procrastinator. But things are on schedule and I'm feeling really confident I'll get everything done! Right now I'm off to do some baking before work, so I'll leave you with a picture of my new baby! She doesn't work, and if she did she only sews zig-zag stitches. Oh well! She sure is pretty.

A new face!

2011-07-23T21:18:00.000-05:00

What do you think of the new look of susannahbean?? I am seriously beyond thrilled with how it turned out. Kaelah did such a fantastic job! I still have a few kinks to work out, but I couldn't wait to get the new layout installed! A billion thanks to Kaelah for fulfilling my every whim, and for answering all my html-noob questions!!

So this happened...

2011-07-18T15:55:00.002-05:00

On Saturday night (or Sunday morning), at about 3:30 a.m., I woke up to Chris hurriedly throwing on some jeans and running outside. I followed him out, and that's when I saw it. A drunk driver had plowed into his car, which in turn crashed into mine. The driver had also hit our neighbor's mailbox, as well as ours.

The police were called, and they found the guy within fifteen minutes or so. Turns out he's a neighbor, he lives right around the corner. His car was totaled. We found out it was his second DUI in as many months.

Luckily he's insured, so we spoke to his agent and we're waiting for someone to come out and assess the damage.

I'm not quite sure where we'll end up. Hopefully we can get enough money out of it to buy Chris a new car. Repairing the damage to his car would probably cost more than he paid for it.

I'm also hopeful that we can get a rental car or two while we figure out what happens. For right now, we're using Chris's dad's car and we have today and Tuesday off, so we're fine with just hanging out at home as much as we can.

It's unbelievably frustrating that this happened to us. We live on a street with plenty of big houses and fancy cars, and *of course* it happened to us. We're very lucky no one was hurt, but it's still hard to think positive in a situation like this.

At least I liked my outfit today! I got this dress for $6 at Target without trying it on, and today I realized it has pockets! Dresses with pockets are my absolute favorite!!!

I got these white loafers at the thrift store for $4, and I'm pretty sure I'm in love! They're so cute and old-ladyish, and I think they're going to be my new favorite summer shoes.

Today I plan on getting a lot of crafty stuff done, especially some cute things I have planned for my sister's baby shower at the end of the month! I'm getting super excited to see how it turns out, and I have so many plans for decorations and favors that I'm really looking forward to!

Do you have any baby shower activities that you'd like to share? I'm at a loss in that department, and we will *not* be doing the crushed candy bar in a diaper one! EWWW! Please please please share any cute ideas in the comments, I need allllllll the help I can get! Thank you :)

Connections v.5

2011-07-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Hello lovelies! I've been having such a rough time staying on schedule lately! Do you ever have a span of a few weeks where you just feel like you can't keep track of anything, no matter how hard you try? I've always felt like I was someone who didn't need a schedule or routine to feel centered, but I'm starting to realize that I really do need a sense of regularity to feel right. I've been all thrown off ever since my birthday, with taking extra time off, having visitors, then the holidays, a weird schedule at work covering for someone who was on vacation, and then this week I finally got back to my regular schedule and our power was out for a day and a half! We woke up at 7:30 am on Monday to our smoke alarms going off, one of which was 15 feet off the ground, and another was in the unfinished crawl space under our house... We ended up having a really fun day (that ended in our first bowling adventure together EVER! Besides Wii bowling, ha!). Hopefully after this week I'll be able to relax. I'm really hoping that I can get back into my groove soon!

Today I'd like to share a new Connections post with you! Stephanie and Jackie are so hilarious, and I know you'll enjoy reading their answers!

Names: Stephanie and Jackie

Blogs: femmenamala and travelgirl

1. How long have you known each other? How did your friendship begin?

Stephanie: We've known each other for almost a whole year! Last fall, I signed up for the site 20sb.net (20-Something Bloggers) and Jackie was one of my first "friends" on the site. She quickly started following my blog, and I, hers. We were fast friends! She entered some AWESOME travel inspired items in my huge giveaway last December, and as a result ended up consulting with me (her lovely internet-know-it-all blogging friend.) It all started through email. She'd ask questions and I'd answer and then I took the plunge - and IMed her on Google Chat. I felt like a creep, but she was cool with it. EVENTUALLY, we befriended each other on Facebook and that let to my awkwardly asking her for her digits. Pretty sure I used an awesome friend pick up line like: "Are you from Tennessee? Cos you're the only 10 I see..." Just kidding. But for serious. Cliche, but I feel like I've known her forevs. She rules.

Jackie: Stephanie and I have known each other for several months now. It started as most of my friendships start, with stalking and me being awkward. Unlike most, Stephanie found this to be charming.

2. How do you two normally communicate?

Stephanie: Primarily, we talk via text messaging and also Facebook chat. We sometimes have ridiculous conversations about David Duchovny. And his amazingness.

[oh girls, I understand the Duchovny love! source]

Jackie: We started communicating via blog comments, and then progressed to g-chat and facebook, and finally took the plunge and started texting! Now I send her creepy texts all day.

3. Have you met in person? What was it like to meet that person face to face for the first time? If not, do you plan to?

Stephanie: We have not yet met in person, but Jackie, being the amazing friend that she is, has GRACIOUSLY offered to let the boyfriend and I crash at her apartment in August while we attend Lollapalooza. Basically, my plan is to spend as little time as possible at the festival and have as much girl time as possible. Because, duh. She conveniently lives in Chicago, which is an amazing city, and I can't wait to see it! And her! Don't worry, I plan on showering her with gifts because she is amazing.

Jackie: We plan to drink a lot of wine, have a lot of girl talk, and we will probably decide we should never be apart again.

4. How is your internet friendship different from friendships you have offline?

Stephanie: This internet friendship is probably the most serious (is that the correct adjective?) that I have ever had. I am pretty sure I have never (ever) exchanged phone numbers or Facebooked with someone that I met through a blog before. I have many online blog friends but that are not "blog friends, irl," as Jackie and I creatively call ourselves. Also, as far as offline friends? This friendship is pretty awesome because, unlike other friendships (offline) there's not a constant pressure to "make time" for each other. We are both pretty easy going and get along really well, so it's very laid back and fun. Just, FUN. Basically, it rules.

Jackie: In a lot of ways, I feel like it's the same, at least for me. I just moved to a new city and so I don't have many friends here yet, so it isn't weird to me that she isn't in the same city as me, because none of my close friends are in the same city as me. She really just feels like a friend that I've had for a long time and that I get along with really well, and I never really think about the fact that we met online and haven't actually seen each other in person yet.

5. What drew you to the other person initially? What do you love most about them?

Stephanie: Jackie is the female version of my best guy friend. This makes her infinitely more awesome because she is a girl and not an awkward guy. Also, she is snarky (like me) and funny. She's totally sarcastic and 9 times out of 10, I am LOLing irl. Was that too many internet abbreviations? Sorry, guys. Also, she likes movies and Netflix and blogging and crafting. This means we have a lot in common which equals a lot to talk about. I love that her blog is quirky and light hearted and it makes me laugh. We are both at the same point in our lives (young, newly graduated + employed, no kids, no time) so we really understand each other.

Jackie: I think she's adorable, and I was really jealous of her cute blog design when I first stumbled upon her. She's also just a really genuinely nice person, and it makes me want to get to know her more. You don't always get to meet such a genuinely nice person so easily. She is very thoughtful, funny, and easy to talk to, and I think we're on the same page about a lot of things in terms of blogging, friendships, where we are in our lives, and where we see ourselves going. She has been a very comforting friend to have when I've been trying to adapt to an unfamiliar city and unfamiliar people.

6. Do you have any other thoughts about the role the internet plays in building new relationships?

Stephanie: I think the internet, especially blogs and communities like 20sb.net are amazing ways to get in touch with people who have similar interests as you do. I really think that Twitter is, hands down, one of the most instrumental ways to make friends around the world. In most cases, I enjoy talking to people on Twitter, whom I don't know irl, more than I do on Facebook. I'm SO glad I got the opportunity to meet Jackie and to learn more about her. Also, I am glad she wasn't creeped out when I asked her for her phone number. ;)

Jackie: I think that as the internet continues to develop, it is changing the way we interact with everything in our lives; I don't see why our relationships with people should be any less affected. I think that a lot of people my age have sort of become used to this idea; I remember having a penpal that I met through a different website when I was first starting high school, and that was over eight years ago. It has almost always been there as a way for us to explore the world and discover new people, and I think that the recent, sudden increase in blogging (and in female blogging, in particular) is encouraging this branching out and this feeling of camaraderie between people, especially women, on the internet.

Thanks so much to Stephanie and Jackie for participating! Jackie really hit the nail on the head in her last answer, I think. Blogging can be such an amazing tool for finding a community where you belong, even if it is with strangers you may never meet. My internet-friends (whatever level of closeness we have between ourselves) are usually the most supportive friends I have. I cherish that, and I agree with Jackie, the sense of camaraderie that I've found through blogging is something I've never experienced before in my life. I hope you check out these lovely ladies' blogs! And maybe I can crash your girl-time when Stephanie visits Chicago :)

susannahbean on Facebook!

2011-07-08T00:53:00.000-05:00

I'm excited to announce that susannahbean is now on Facebook! You can click here to visit and 'like' my Facebook page, or you can click the 'like' icon over there on the right!

Thanks for your support :)

Thrifted finds.

2011-07-07T15:38:00.000-05:00

I've been working a lot this last week, so I haven't had any time or energy to do much of anything. But I finally have a day off, and I'm trying to get an even amount of productivity and relaxation in. I already got my license plates renewed, paid my rent, ate lunch, and got some knitting done. I'm gonna hit the thrift stores soon, and hopefully I can squeeze in a Starbucks run (I finally found "my drink" at Starbucks! Iced Caramel macchiato, upside down, with an extra shot... YUM!).

I've been having a good-luck streak at the thrift stores lately! Here's some of my favorites...

I'm feeling fancy today with my red lipstick! I took about 70 Myspace-y style photos with my camera trying to get one that looked decent, but they were all awful. I took two with my iPhone and got better results! Someone get this girl a tripod (and remote)!!

What are your favorite things to find at the thrift stores? What's your gameplan when you thrift?

What I wore today! (featuring We Love Colors)

2011-06-30T17:38:00.002-05:00

I think I've finally recovered from our whirlwind weekend with Kaelah and Mike! I had so much fun with them, and I really can't wait to have them visit again! Hopefully they'll still love Chicago enough to make the move up here :)

Today I have a super exciting post to share with you. I was contacted by We Love Colors a few days ago to do a review of their tights, and I was able to film a little video sharing my thoughts. So, without further ado...

Dress and Cardigan: Target

Tights: Nylon/Lycra Microfiber in Scout Green c/o We Love Colors

Shoes: H&M

I wanted to add that I was really impressed with how fast We Love Colors shipped my tights! I think it took two days for me to get my package once I was notified it'd been sent. I really do think these are fantastic tights, and I'll definitely be ordering more from We Love Colors! Don't let that price scare you (like it scared me!). You're paying for quality here, these tights are comfortable and well made. Do you have anything from We Love Colors? Let me know what your favorite product is in the comments :)

You can follow We Love Colors on Twitter and 'like' them on Facebook! They have great style tips and giveaways you don't want to miss!

Ketchup.

2011-06-25T17:03:00.000-05:00

Holy bananas, guys! I have been MIA for the last week and a half! After my birthday, I had kind of a tough week. I felt old, which is so silly, but I was struggling a little bit with my age. I was also pretty bummed out because I realized no one could make it to my birthday party (which is today). A few people had RSVP'd, but most of our close friends couldn't make it. Little did I know, one of the best surprises of my life was in store!

Thursday night I got off of work and headed home. I picked up dinner for Chris and I, got gas, and eventually made it back to our house around midnight. I opened my front door, and who do I see sitting on my couch?!?!

Kaelah and Mike had made the nine hour drive up here from Tennessee to surprise me for my party weekend! Seriously, how awesome is that??? Chris was in on it, and I CANNOT believe he kept it a secret!

These past couple days have been some of the most fun times of my life, and I couldn't ask for better best friends. We're currently lounging around and waiting for some friends to show up for my party. I hope you're having a great weekend! I know I am :)

My Birthday!

2011-06-16T17:22:00.000-05:00

sorry if it's super quiet!

Check out the guest post I did for Val in honor of her birthday (which was yesterday!) There's a little giveaway too :)

Did you know? #17

2011-06-09T13:00:00.000-05:00

I went skydiving for my 18th birthday. I'd love to go again! I have the video somewhere, I'd love to find it! It didn't hurt that the guy I tandemed with was a SUPER cute Australian guy :)

Knitting Tips and Tricks

2011-06-09T10:00:00.002-05:00

In my last Did you know? post some of you left comments saying that you'd given up on learning how to knit. It's also the topic I get the most emails about! So I thought it might be fun and helpful if I shared some of the tips and resources I've accumulated in the years that I've been knitting. I hope it helps you rekindle your love affair with knitting (or maybe it'll start one!).

1. The book.

First things first, you're going to have to learn the basics of knitting. When I first attempted to teach myself how to knit, I picked up a junky little kit from Walmart that had these crazy grandma sweater patterns, and reallllllly terrible instructions. It was too technical and too under-explained for me to understand, so I gave up. Fast forward a few months, I discovered the book Stitch 'n Bitch by Deb Stoller (of BUST magazine fame). I couldn't have been more satisfied with a knitting book! She explained things clearly, and in terms I could understand! And there were diagrams! Cute diagrams! I highly recommend using this book as your starting point. The patterns aren't all the most *fashionable* things out there, but they're awesome for learning the basics.

2. The videos. Even with the amazing instructions that Stitch 'n Bitch provided, there were some things that I just couldn't figure out without seeing it (I did my purl stitch backwards for the first few days.... ok months!). I stumbled across knittinghelp.com and could not have asked for anything better! They have tons of videos that show you different techniques, in English and Continental (I'm an English girl :P). I still refer to this when I have a brainfart and can't remember how to do a kitchener stitch or turn a heel.

3. The website.

After a few months of knitting, I heard about this site called Ravelry. When I learned about it, it was still in beta testing, so you had to wait for your invitation. Since then, it's opened up to regular sign-up, so now you can just register and log in! It's an AWESOME tool for any knitter or crocheter. It's half social-networking site and half help forum. You have a profile, and you can upload information about your projects, as well as catalog your yarn stash, find patterns to suit ANY need, and don't forget the forums! There's groups for just about any type of person, but the ones that are super helpful cater to newbies who need help. You can search through previously asked questions to try to find an answer, or start a new thread and some awesome experienced knitters will come to the rescue!

4. The tips. I've come up with a few tips and tricks that might help you out a little. These are just things I've found have helped me over the years :)

It's easiest to start learning by using bulky weight yarn (the thick stuff!), big needles (size 13 -15), and your needles should be bamboo. Bamboo needles are less slippery, so there's less of a chance of your stitches dropping off. Bigger needles and bulky yarn make it easier for you to see exactly what you're doing, plus your fabric will knit up quicker, so it's quicker gratification (and hopefully seeing the progress you've made will make it harder for you to get discouraged!).

Count your stitches often. Unless you mean to increase or decrease your stitches, you want to have the same amount throughout your project. If you're knitting a scarf, and you started with 15 stitches, you want to end with 15! It's easy to drop stitches, or (especially when starting a new row) accidentally turning one stitch into two. If you end up with more or less than you started with, you know you messed up somewhere along the line.

If you find that straight knitting needles are too awkward to use, try to find a different length. You can usually find knitting needles between 10 and 16 inches in length. If it still doesn't work for you, try using circular needles. I strictly use circular needles, even to knit flat pieces. Circs are typically used to knit tubes, like hats or sleeves, by joining the first cast on stitch with the last to make one spiraling tube. But, instead of joining the first and last stitch, you can knit across your row and just flip your project over to work back across them. You need to make sure the length of the cord between the two needles is long enough to reach comfortably. If you're serious about it, you can look into buying an interchangeable needle set. I have both a Denise set, and an aluminum KnitPicks set. I prefer the KnitPicks ones now, but when I was just starting I loved my Denises.

KnitPicks is a great resource for nice yarn that's inexpensive. Sometimes when you work with cheap acrylic (like Red Heart), it can be discouraging because your work ends up feeling like something your grandma made in 1974. There are TONS of nice brands of cheap(er) acrylic yarn that are readily available. Lion Brand yarn is pretty nice, especially Vanna's Choice (seriously, Vanna White has a yarn line!). It comes in really pretty modern colors. If you have a yarn shop near you, check out Cascade 220. It's a 100% wool yarn that comes in a zillion different colors, and it's pretty affordable (it should be between $6 and $8 for 220 yards).

Check out your local yarn shop. The ladies (or gentlemen) there should be willing to help you with anything you need. Sometimes they try to steer you into signing up for classes, which you might consider. These are usually small independent stores, so you don't want to take advantage of their services. But more than likely, they'll be willing to help out a new customer!

I hope you'll find something useful here! I'm always willing to help out if you have questions, although I'm no expert :) Let me know if any of this is especially helpful, or if you have a tip or trick of your own, feel free to leave it in the comments!

Did you know? #14,15,16

2011-06-08T10:30:00.000-05:00

Oops! I guess I got a little behind on these :)

I don't like drinking water. Except before bed and first thing in the morning.

I'm hate hate hate bees and wasps. I've had bees fly into and get stuck in my hair way too many times for us to be on good terms.

The first time I tried to learn how to knit, I got so frustrated I gave up. A few months later, I was really bored and gave it another shot, and seven years later here we are!

What I wore today! Lazy day version.

2011-06-06T20:28:00.000-05:00

Chris and I had a super relaxing day today. We started off by eating a late lunch at our favorite restaurant in town, Bulldogs. We've started a routine where we go every Monday, and I'm really enjoying it! Bulldogs is a cute little burger joint in downtown Wauconda. It has a retro-feel, and a crazy menu. Chris tried their daily (weekly?) burger, El Capitán, a huge burger topped with lettuce, tomato, bacon, onion, cheddar, half an avocado, a fried egg, and chipotle mayo! It was HUGE!

After that we headed off for Target to get a random assortment of groceries. We're trying to get our house in order for my upcoming party, so we got nice, new versions of things (like a garbage can for the kitchen, and hand towels for the bathroom). I get way too excited about things like that, we spent a good ten minutes deciding on what kind of garbage can to get! I love getting house things from Target, their in-house line of products are great and affordable. We got pretty aqua colored stuff for the bathroom, and I'm more than pumped about it. I'm a big dork :)

It was so super hot today, my car said it got up to 100°! We didn't put our air conditioners in the windows until later this afternoon, so when I was getting ready this morning I was dyyying! I made a quick pair of cutoff jean shorts before we went out and threw on a baggy v-neck tee in an attempt to beat the heat. Sometimes I need a lazy day where I throw my hair up in a crazy messy bun and wear jeans and a t-shirt, because trying to keep my hair in place and feel pretty in a dress is just unachievable. I really love these shorts though, so I'll probably wear them a lot this summer!

Earlier in the week I got a cute little package from Miss Kaelah, and I couldn't wait to wear my pretty new Hive+Honey fascinators! I love them because they're big and attention-grabbing, but they're almost completely flat against my head. I really don't like huge hair pieces that stick out, I feel like I have some weird fluffy frilly thing growing out of my skull! But these are perfect because they mix sweet and dainty with statement, and HELLO! Pale aqua is my fave!! Homegirl knows me well :)

I love pairing a cute hair accessory with a schlubby outfit, it makes me feel instantly cuter and presentable. Thanks so much, Kaelah!!

Now I'm ready to crochet the night away, and maybe work on designing my sister's baby-shower invites. With the weather as hot as it is, I can't imagine doing anything else!

Happy Birthday Lauren!

2011-06-05T12:52:00.000-05:00

Today is my lovely sister's birthday! Happy birthday, Lauren!

I can't wait to see you! Just a few more weeks :)

I love you so much!!! Just think, on your next birthday you'll have a 9 month old!! :D

Did you know? #13

2011-06-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

I've been the youngest, an only, and the oldest child in my household in my life. I have six brothers and sisters, but none are full-siblings to me.

Did you know? #12

2011-06-04T13:07:00.000-05:00

I'm obsessed with crime shows. Especially ones about serial killers. They fascinate me. I feel like I should have gone into forensics, but I've never been very good in science.

DIYs- The Pinterest Edition

2011-06-03T14:00:00.000-05:00

I've become completely and utterly obsessed with Pinterest, as I'm sure many of you have :) It's so full of inspiring and beautiful images, and I love collecting and hoarding all the pretty pictures I love. My favorite thing, though, has been all the DIY stuff I've come across there! There are so many helpful links, as well as plenty of "Why didn't I think of that??" things too! I have a board on called 'Make' on Pinterest that I use to pin all my favorite DIYs and crafty inspiration. Here's some of my favorites! (The 'this' links to Pinterest, and the description links to the source).

This embroidery tutorial.

This felt flower tutorial.

This genius picture hanging idea.

This simple bow tutorial from Elsie.

[the click-through on Pinterest doesn't go to her blog, but the second link I put does.]

This paper flower tutorial.

This [blurry but helpful] bow tying instruction.

This simple pom pom trick.

Do you have any favorite DIY/crafty tips-and-tricks links? Share them in the comments!

Did you know? #11

2011-06-03T10:00:00.002-05:00

I sing along to every song on the radio when I'm driving alone in my car. Even if I hate the song, I still sing along. I don't have a (working) cd player, and I can't hook up my iPod in my car, so I listen to the radio. Normally, it's the rock station (Q101) that I grew up listening to. Every once in a while I switch to the pop station (B96), and I have some especially dramatic sing-alongs to Katy Perry and Kesha :) I have to admit, too, I'm actually liking Lady Gaga right now...!!

PS: I've switched back from comment moderation to word verification, and embedded the comments below each post. I don't want to delete anymore of your wonderful comments! I hope you don't mind :)

Did you know? #10

2011-06-02T17:00:00.000-05:00

Much like my search for the perfect chapstick, I'm still looking for a favorite pen. When I was in school, I used to carry a minimum of six pens on me at all times. These are my favorite, but in fine, not micro, which I can never find (when I'm looking)! I have one purple one that still works, and I love using it :)

Promises.

2011-06-02T10:00:00.008-05:00

That I will breathe easier.

That I will refrain from speaking ill of others.

That I won't sweat the small stuff.

That I will comment on blogs more.

That I will remember to love even if it seems hard.

That I will be gracious.

That I will take more pictures.

That I will be proud of myself and the things I have accomplished.

That I will appreciate the time I have.

That I will allow myself to get upset.

That when I get upset, I will move on and focus on happiness.

That I will be present.

Do you have any promises you want to make to yourself?

Did you know? #9

2011-06-01T16:00:00.001-05:00

I can't sleep with my feet hanging off the bed. I'm afraid of monsters! Imaginary ones, and little furry ones that like to hide under my bed and bite my toes...

Memorial Day

2011-06-01T11:26:00.000-05:00

For the first time in a while, Chris's and my schedule synched up with a holiday and we were actually able to enjoy it! I feel like we've worked every fun holiday for the last year. Not this time though!

We got up early on Monday morning and got dressed. We wanted to ride our bikes to Main Street to watch the parade. It was super hot, I think it got as hot as 90°! We rode most of the way there, but when it started to get crowded and there were little kids running around I got nervous about being on bikes, so we walked the rest of the way. We staked out a spot right at the beginning of the parade and watched all the groups go by. I don't know if this happens in other areas, but there were about a dozen different Shriner groups that went by! These two were my favorites:

He's playing a pipe organ!

These guys were riding coolers! The main guy had a chain of five coolers, but the other guys all rode a single one.

We came home from the parade and freshened up a bit before we headed over to Chris's dad's house. We live five houses down the street from his dad and stepmom, so we always end up at their house for parties and dinners. They had a bunch of people over, and after sitting on their deck for a while we decided to go down to their boat. We've had so much rain lately that we could go out on the lake because the water was too high, but we tied up right next to the dock and sat for a while. I unintentionally got really sunburned, but I think most of it happened while we were at the parade. I made the mistake of wearing a racerback dress, so I've got goofy tan lines now! It was a ton of fun, and I'm glad we had a chance to hang out with family and enjoy the day.

Tuesday was pretty lazy, we were wiped out from Monday. We ran some errands, stopped for lunch, and then came home to hang out and watch movies. We skyped with Kaelah and Mike in the evening, and headed off to bed. I wore this dress around for most of the day, but I changed when I got home because I felt like I was in pajamas!

I still feel exhausted from all the sun and fun, so I'm going to try to rest a little bit more before I head into work. Did you do anything for Memorial Day?

Did you know? #8

2011-05-31T15:55:00.001-05:00

Oops! I skipped yesterday's Did you know? because I was out on Chris's dad's boat getting sunburned! So you'll get two today :)

[via Pinterest]

Throughout my childhood, and into my first year at college, all I wanted to do was be an artist. Or an art teacher. But after my first year of art classes in college, I got discouraged and quit drawing and painting all together. I didn't pick up a pencil for years, and now I fear I've lost all my talent. I did channel my artistic and creative energy into the fiber arts, so it worked out well!

Did you know? #7

2011-05-29T13:53:00.000-05:00

I'm the messiest person in the world. I keep hoping that with age and experience, I'll snap into tidy-person mode, but it hasn't happened yet. I would include a photo of my messiness, but it's just too embarrassing!

Did you know? #6

2011-05-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

I've been searching for the perfect chapstick/lip balm since I started middle school. I'm very particular. Because of this, I've amassed quite the collection! These are what I carry in my purse. There are more stashed around my house, and my car, and a zillion other places!

PS: Do you have a favorite? Let me know in the comments :)

Did you know? #5

2011-05-27T10:48:00.000-05:00

I have dreams of owning a cute pie shop someday. I've never baked a pie. I blame Ned and Jenna.