some favorite thrifted finds.

My mama and I went thrifting yesterday. We headed to our favorite thrift shop, run by the most adorable old ladies, the ones who call you sweetie and give input on the clothes you're trying on. I sifted through the clothing, laughing with my mom as I held up the craziest pieces.

Thrifting is magic. I'm convinced. There's something about the thrill of the hunt, buying things you normally wouldn't be able to afford, coming home with a bag filled with ten new pieces for only twenty dollars. I love perusing the racks, sifting and hunting for treasure. And then in the midst of terrifying vellum jumpsuits, silky neon green button ups, and gold opaque track pants, it happens. A gem is found.

And yesterday? I must have had the luck of the thrifting gods, as my gem just happened to be a like-new Theory blazer that fit perfectly. I scooped it up, and nearly fell out of my chair when I found the exact same blazer listed for just under five hundred dollars on their site. I got it for four dollars. Yes. Excuse me while I squeal.

Some may think it annoying to sift through so much to find something special; I call it treasure hunting.

Do you have a favorite thrifted find?

xo

ps thank you for your feedback regarding the new design -- so glad you love it!

Wednesday is library day. In the midst of a busy schedule, it's my favorite mid-week haunt. I like the feeling of being surrounded by books, breathing in their papery, dusty scent, and the quiet atmosphere. Each time I walk in a library, I pause a moment and scan the shelves, in awe of the stories and history and discoveries hidden in a code of dotted ink. It's good for people watching too -- one can tell so much about a person based on the book they're reading or the magazine they're flipping through.

It's November second, and I'm situated in an easy chair at this magical place, a place that's capable of transporting you to foreign countries and taking you through all sorts of adventures without even leaving your chair. The dark sky spilling droplets of water combined with the knowledge that these adventures and discoveries are only a finger's touch away makes me excited and leaves me thinking about history.

It's no secret that I'm enamored by the years gone by. When gazing at photographs of how my city looked sixty-five years ago, I can't help but pine for what is no more...what I wouldn't give to spend a day in the nineteen forties.
My family tree has roots stretched and twisted across Chile, Germany, Spain, America, and the tales of how we came to be are richly intertwined with life at that time. And last night I listened to story after story about my family seventy years ago, the spoken words spinning and weaving a vivid, deep tapestry. Being the history geek that I am, I find myself enraptured.

And I sat and listened last night, I realized that those people in the photographs, the ones that I'd dreamed about? They're still alive. They're just seventy years older. The elderly people now are the very same ones that lived in a time that I yearn to visit. I'm the first to admit that spending time with older folks isn't exactly my idea of fun. But when I actually sit down and talk with them, it's enthralling and the stories they have to tell are oh so wonderful.

So happy November. I'm vowing to spend my month in thankfulness and time spent discovering and listening to the tales of the older people. Because the present is the key to the past, no?

on a side note, I realize pomegranates really have nothing to do with this topic. but they're pretty and I like them and so pomegranates it is.

xoxo

ps thoughts on the new design? it's different, yes, but it was a change i was ready for. ;)

I've come to dread the chirp-chirp of my alarm in the morning. It's all too cheery for a time when my eyes are still droopy and the sky still inky black. It takes me awhile to muster up the courage to crawl from the billowy folds of the blankets, the pleasant weight that never fails to lull me into slumber. I've even taken to setting my alarm ten minutes earlier, knowing full well that I'm not going to get out of bed when it actually goes off. Once my feet hit the floor, I know that the day has started and there's no crawling back into bed, hence my trying to prolong the inevitable.

Nevertheless, the days have been passing quickly, settled into a regular routine of work and school. I've been making a conscious effort to spend time under the vast blue sky every day, a vain attempt to seize each sliver of the fleeting autumnal hours (how can it be that tomorrow is November?). Hours that consist of piles of leaves, the ones that have already drifted lazily from their perch on the tree, lots of socks (my feet are perpetually cold), plaid flannel shirts, sunshine-y, cool weather, hot apple cider, mustard yellow anything, planning for and anticipating the upcoming holidays, and just plain living.

It's evening as I write this now. The fairy lights are still twinkling from the patio umbrella, decorated with tissue paper pompoms and chinese paper lanterns. The embers of the bonfire are still glowing, chairs arranged in a half-circle around it, and the remnants of s'mores and homemade pretzels and memories of a good time linger, a feeling that's almost tangible. I'm curled up into my favorite easy chair, the one with the fluffy sheepskin and overly plush back. The last guests from our party just trickled out the door -- I'm not a huge fan of the holiday known as Halloween, but this little (what has become annual) get-together is one of my favorite parts of October.  It's nights like these, reflecting after a party, that make me so very thankful for friends.

sweater: thrifted / jeans: american eagle / boots: my mom's / belt: forever 21 / scarf: my grandfather's

Tomorrow is November. October is a time of full blown fall, but by the time this next month rolls around, it's more of a blustery, wintry feeling. Yes, I'm sad to see October go, but I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving and the Christmas season (because let's face it, the weeks before Christmas are just as good, if not almost better, as the day itself).

Life. I like it.

How have you been spending your days lately?

ps guest posting over at beauty like a kaleidoscope today -- come say hi!

Yesterday was not my day. I got frustrated, raised my voice a little louder than I should have, my makeup was smudged from tears by the end of the day, and I just was not a real fan of life. In those moments, it's so easy to succumb to emotions, to speak and act without thinking, to want to give up on life. Honestly, all I wanted to do yesterday was crawl in a little hole, cry in misery, and not talk to anyone for five years.

As I was editing these photos for today, I realized why I'm so enamored with the little moments. Because bad days are going to happen. They're inevitable. But in every bad day, there are always good moments. Yesterday it was the walk around the neighborhood I took with MeMe. We skipped and laughed and ran in the rain. That fresh air and alone time with my sister made everything a little brighter. And I think if I hadn't had a bad day, that time with MeMe wouldn't have stood out so much. But yesterday, it did -- even though it was wet and cold, the sun was shining in my heart.

And family? Thanks for putting up with me even when I'm not a very nice person. I love you so much.

So these are the everyday moments from October. Another month gone, another set of photos documenting life. Any favorites?
Also, be sure to check out Ellie's photos that will be up soon! (read the story behind everyday moments)

xo

ps a few advertising spots for november are still open! email me for deets if you're interested.