Goodbye 2009!

As 2009 winds down (okay, I began this post last night) I've been reflecting on the past year. And I'll share these reflections with you, because why else would I even bring this up? Since my memory is really bad we'll start in late May/early June.

In 2009 I...

** Confirmed my faith / got a new dress in the proccess.

** Was accepted into National Honours Society (good thing for my transcript!)

** Bought my first pair of Cheap Monday jeans. They've changed my life (for the better).

** Was featured in Canada's "Snap!" magazine (I never blogged about this...I forgot. Bad blogger.)

** Cut my hair super super short (never again, but the experience was good)

** Suffered a strange illness, similar to swine flu

** Turned 16

** Discovered my family. Or at least, my father's side of it. Most of my family died before I was born or while I was very young. In July when I found all these photo albums and yearbooks of them, it was life changing and made me realize how important family is.

** Hosted a rather goofy French exchange student named Alexandre. I sort of miss this kid. I wonder what sort of shenanigans he's gotten into since he left...

** Had my wisdom teeth removed/got hooked on Vicodin.

** Fell madly in love with a fellow named Fred Astaire. I'm still in love with him, but unfortunately I was born a century too late.

** Began posting my first full length novel in a blog titled Soren

** Rode my bike everywhere.

** Began participating in Seven Day Art Collective with several other lovely & talented artists.

** Began university with 3 of my best friends.

** Also began karate. Bad idea, lots of early mornings, bare feet, and unflattering gis.

** Watched It and discovered the true brilliance of Clara Bow. (Expect a post on her soon)

** Went to my cousin's wedding. No, I had never been to a wedding before. I was able to get a new dress & a new pair of shoes.

** Had my foray into film photography. Very expensive, also very time consuming. Impressed older gentlemen with my 35mm camera.

** Also had realization that most artists/photographers are stuck up and unfriendly.

** Went to three Owl City and two Nevershoutnever concerts, as well as a smattering of other artists.

** Took the bus everywhere.

** Ate a lot a lot of bagels from Einstein's Bagels. Employees have learnt my name and my order. Success? Yes.

** Was named Teen Vogue's Girl of the Week

** Celebrated Halloween and had a good time doing it, for the first time in 6 years.

** Developed a mysterious swine-flu-like illness / got rehooked on Vicodin.

** Fell in love with Gene Kelly.

** Loved the snow even though it was a bitch.

** Watched Home Alone three times in one Holiday season. Also decided that if my future son doesn't look like Opie Taylor, then Macaulay Culkin would be pretty good too.

** Built an igloo AND went ice skating. Had a pretty good time doing it and wasn't even bothered by the Minnesota cold.

** Didn't celebrate the New Year alone with Anderson Cooper and a cat named Chuck, but instead with my friend.

** Watched a couple hundred movies throughout the year, ranging from silents to foreigns, the brat pack to the rat pack.

If I've forgotten anything, I'll come back and post. Expect another update sometime next week...I went vintage shopping yesterday & got some cool new things (: I hope that everyone had a pretty great 2009 and even if you didn't, you at least tried to look on the positive side like I've done. I also hope that 2010 and the new decade can start with new excitement, new hope, and perhaps a clean slate for everyone.

igloos are for eskimos

Hello my little elves! How were your Christmases (if you celebrate)? Mine was so great, filled with sparkly snow and yummy cookies. Christmas is my absolute favourite holiday and I begin preparing months in advance by breaking out the Elvis Christmas CDs and watching Christmas movies until my DVD player actually dies of exhaustion. Home Alone, The Santa Clause, Jingle All the Way, It's a Wonderful Life, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Holiday Inn, Christmas in Connecticut, White Christmas, A Christmas Tale, A Christmas Story, The Polar Express....oh! There's nothing like a good Christmas movie. Here (above) is a photo of a pretty tinsel-y bauble on my tree, which I'm admiring as I blog to you.

One present which I got is this blue leather jacket, from my boyfriend Jacob. It's very wonderful and I love it much.

It's also got a wonderful hood. So thank you Jacob, and I'm quite sorry that I was making fun of you last night on the phone because you get hit on by so many guys. And also for discussing your sexuality and sense of style with your best friend when we went Boxing Day shopping.

After I took a number of photos via webcam, all varying in silliness, I sent in a job application to Caribou Coffee (fingers crossed I get the job!) and then went to build an igloo with my best friend Rachael.

She and I have built an igloo almost every year since we were 6. This is our best one yet. I also went sledding (on top of our igloo) and hurt my tailbone a lot because of the drop off to the sidewalk.... (I have a really annoying voice, I'm sorry about that)

Oh, Minnesota is such a frosty wonderland right now! So lovely. I believe I'm going ice skating with a group of my friends tomorrow. Maybe I'll have photos from that? (:

you flew across my eyes and out into space

It was 24°F out today! I didn't have to wear two coats outside, three layers of sweater or even a pair of tights under my jeans! It was so warm out, thank you Minnesota!
I bought this Tommy Hilfiger sweater a couple of weeks ago at Macy's (I shop there a lot. A lot a lot a lot). It was in the little boy's section and on sale for 50% off. I grabbed both a large & a medium and then asked an employee where the dressing rooms were. She paused, eyed me over with confusion, and then pointed me over to the boys' dressing rooms, opposite from the girls'! Haha! Oh, to be androgynous!

Sorry I look like a bitch in this photo. Or a hedgehog. It just showed off my (very snowy) wedge booties better. I'm also holding my Pentax KX, as I have three rolls of film to shoot before tomorrow. I'm half way done with one, oops. My photo portfolio is due noon on Saturday, my unstarted US History capstone essay is due Saturday at 5pm, and I have my French final tomorrow at 6:30pm. And then I'm finally done with my first semester at uni! Oh, I'm rather excited.

In my last bit of news, I wrapped books at Barnes & Noble last week and, since I'm rather awful at wrapping, I recycled old bits of wrapping paper and made bows! And a bow headband for myself & my friend! Ta-da! Festive, isn't it? (Sorry my skin is all red & blotchy. The winter wind has made my skin so raw! Thank goodness for Cetaphil lotion...)
I'll be done for today, as I have to finish two rolls of film, study for my French final, and begin my paper. Ohhhh, and maybe squeeze in a Christmas movie? Only 8 days left!

winter inspiration

The Twin Cities (Minnesota) got its first legit winter snowfall this past Wednesday. It's a little late in the season for a first snow, but I'm not complaining as we got 5+ inches of lush winter wonderland. It also made my life hell, a hell which included my foot going into the sewer, the wind blowing me over into a snowbank, and a 2 hour commute home. But, I'm still happy. I've decided that as a mark of this first snowfall, it was time to whip out my winter inspirations, which include fur (faux, please!), arm warmers, tights, blazers, and bouncy skirts. Let's take a look...



Fur hats are good, especially if they're going to be on Guntars' head.



This looks so cozy. It's like a belted blanket. I love this. I love Cheap Monday. I love plaid and flannel. That is all.


What about this would I not like? Wide legged pants, suspenders, fuzzy hat, pompoms! And the angelic Philippa Bywater, to go with it all.

Guntars overload yet? Not possible. The layers and colours here are perfect! Red plaid, navy cable knit, grey blazer, grey armwarmers, fur collar. Perfection.

Skiing anyone? The one time I went I ended up half way down the hill stuck in the splits. However, if I had a down blazer, I might give it another go. Or maybe just if Cole went with me.

Valentino is king. So classy. The big collar is amazing, and who wouldn't want to walk into a New Year's party all glitzy and glam in either of these outfits?
I cannot remember this blogger's name (if you know, tell me!) but she's pretty much amazing. White tights! Those are a must for winter.


Cheetah print has been totally growing on me. Sorry to say.

Belted blazer with fur collar. Ahhh!!!! Honestly, I was unimpressed by this Teen Vogue editorial but this blazer is a thing of beauty.

I'd say that coat is pretty fantastic.

I dunno what that shirt thing is, but it's fantastic. Applause for Ruffian.

Russian approved. Tibi fall 09.
Hello pants. And red trimmed coat.


Turtlenecks. I love them. However, boobs can really ruin a good turtleneck.


This reminds me of a newspaper delivery boy. So cute, I'd wear this in a heartbeat (and probably everyday). Lovely lovely Luella.

The gloves!! (RIP Daul Kim)

Peter Pan collar (: I wonder what a fur-Peter-Pan collar would look like....?


Those pants look fantastic! And I love the polka dots on the jacket collar, so funky but understated.

Boy by Band of Outsiders. I could live on this brand...

Case in point (or photo).

I love the tulle collar. And the tiny dotted tights!

White blazer. I need one. Time to head over to H&M, aka blazer heaven.

The bow belt is so lovely! I love the colours here and also the horizontal and vertical stripes mixed together. Lovely, Erin Fetherston.

Best two of the collection for last? I think so. The red satin-y fabric is amazing! It's so holiday-ish. It reminds me of The Nutcracker.

it's me, eloise!

There are very few characters in pop culture who I like more than Eloise, the precocious little 6 year old living in the Plaza Hotel with her British nanny, her pug Weenie, and her turtle Skipperdee.

She's overdramatic, spoiled, and raw-ther loud, but her lively nature has captured readers for over 50 years. Her story has also been put into two live action movies, Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmas Time.

The stylish and chic little girl was also depicted in an Elle editorial, showing that even 6 year olds can have influence.

After watching Eloise at Christmas Time again last night, I was put in quite the pink-skirt-bows-and-ordering-room-service-type of mood. So today's outfit was influenced by everyone's favourite resident at the Plaza.

If you want to capture Eloise for yourself, think sequins, hearts, bows, floral, and of course pink pink pink! Betsey Johnson & Forever 21 will probably be great places to look.

Dress by Betsey Johnson, sequined pumps by Steve Madden, headband by Fred Flare, skirt by Betsey Johnson, socks by Modcloth, sunglasses by Girl Props, Beginner's French Reader from Amazon.

And remember that if you want your own Weenie or Skipperdee, check your local shelters or search through Petfinder to find your own little rascal to skibble around the Plaza with. Now have fun ordering room service, being très élégante, and always remember that kleenex makes a very good hat.