Outfit Planning: 9 to 5

November 15th, 2012 // 1 Comment

cowl // denim jacket // trousers // loafers // bag // sweater

I decided we needed some outfit planning inspiration up in here – what do you think? I tend to be helpless in the face of my closet most mornings (truthfully, I’m helpless in the face of just about anything at 7:00 AM) so I am always searching for images that will do the thinking for me. The only problem is, there just doesn’t seem to be enough out there that suits my lifestyle of work/school/business meetings/homework/trekking around campus/more class/more homework…you get the idea. Grad students (and any young professionals, really!) ask a lot of their clothes – we need to look professional and put-together, but comfortable enough to hike a mile or so between our office and that big meeting, and then another mile or so to class, and did we mention we’d like to be impervious to the cold, as well? Great, thanks. So heeere we have it: an outfit that would do a pretty good job at fulfilling all of the above. I’ll keep them coming.

PS – I need those loafers, stat.
PPS –  9 to 5 is such a lie…we all know I really meant 7 AM – midnight.

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Have you read…

November 14th, 2012 // 1 Comment

Have you read Kelly Cutrone’s book, If You Have To Cry, Go Outside? I was skeptical, but I’m a Kelly Cutrone fan so I thought I would give it a try. Turns out – it’s awesome. There’s a little bit of Kelly’s TV persona in the mix (the “fashion power bitch,” as she calls herself), but there’s also plenty of thoughts on discovering your spirituality, finding your calling, and learning to be true to yourself. Plus, I loved hearing her tender story of becoming a mother…it even made me think maybe I could do it, too, someday. We’re heading into prime cuddle-up-with-a-book-and-hot-tea weather – you should totally put this one on your list. You’ll laugh, you might cry, you’ll definitely think a lot about where you’re going and what you believe. Not bad for a Saturday afternoon.

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Up to Speed

September 24th, 2012 // 7 Comments

My oh my, a lot has happened since my last post. There were days that I missed blogging like crazy but it was refreshing to take a break, too. Not that I had much of a choice – I struggled just to keep up with all of the “new” that life was throwing in this direction for the past couple of months, so documenting it at all as it was happening really wasn’t an option. So let’s get up to speed, shall we?

The last time I posted, Micah and I had just gotten engaged (it still feels new to say that!) and we were about a month away from moving into our new apartment in Michigan and I was about two months away from starting grad school. I can’t believe three months have gone by since then. In those three months, Micah and I set a date for our wedding (May 4th), I wrapped up my work with Habitat, Micah said a heavy-hearted goodbye to his work family, and we packed up our lives and the kitties and moved to Michigan where we now live together in just about the most charming neighborhood you can imagine. I started work on my masters degree and started a new graduate assistantship and Micah has started teaching music lessons to new students in the area and the kitties thank their lucky stars every day for all of the windows in this place.

These days, life is challenging and scary but it is so. good. And I can’t wait for more.

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Well, this changes things…

June 26th, 2012 // 19 Comments

We’ve been on a roll with New Things lately, so why break our streak? Micah and I finally made our decision to marry one another official on Friday and I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything quite so surreal or quite so right as seeing that guy down on one knee. (For the record, I was grinning like an idiot and was totally awkward about the whole thing. But we still ended up engaged at the end, so it’s cool if I didn’t quite master the “pretty cry” like in the movies, right?)

I’m still struggling to find my equilibrium with all of the changes coming at break-neck speed these past couple of weeks, but I trust that it will come. And until then, I’ll try to treasure these moments of feeling elated, terrified, overwhelmed, and hopeful. And I’m going to enjoy the heck out of calling this guy “fiancé.”

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Little Bits of Home

June 20th, 2012 // 21 Comments

Welp, we’re back from the MOTHER of all whirl-wind trips. Our 5-day trip to Michigan started with apartment hunting, ended with a seriously beautiful drive through the Appalachian mountains, and had a job interview (I got it!),  a bachelor party, rehearsal, wedding, and two Father’s Day celebrations in the middle. Lest you underestimate our abilities, though, we still found plenty of time for Yesterdog and the beach…we’re not slackers.

I haven’t fully processed yet the extent to which my whole life is about to change completely in just a matter of weeks, but I am so excited for everything coming up. It’s going to be one exciting ride. I better take a nap.

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Batch // 1: Things you Should Check Out

June 13th, 2012 // 10 Comments

We’re on the road on our way to Michigan today and we’ve got some great things planned while we’re there including more apartment hunting and, most importantly, our dear friends’ wedding. (Congratulations, Stephan and Sarah! Love you guys!) Today I’m sharing a batch of great things I’ve found around the web recently. Be sure to check these things out – they’re all so worth it. Promise.

1. Swedish singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson (aka The Tallest Man on Earth) just released his new album this week and it’s fantastic. This one will be on loop in the car this trip. You can listen to the whole album on NPR Music’s First Listen page.
2. I just discovered this super-easy tutorial for making that awesome graphic triangle pillow on Erin’s blog, House of Earnest. Really, her whole blog is pretty great. You should definitely take some time to dig around over there!
3. Katrina of Pugly Pixel just posted a great tutorial on how to access all the great font variants that are usually available through OpenType font downloads. This is so helpful – I never knew how to find them before and was stuck feeling bummed I couldn’t use the awesome characters I would see in the font previews.
4. I love this quote from Chase Jarvis. Whatever you do, do it well and stand behind your work!
5. Kelly Ann from The Flowerchild Dwelling just posted some of her favorite instagram accounts to follow and I am amazed at how stunning some of the photography is – it’s hard to believe all of these photos were taken on a phone! I added quite a few of these talented folks to my instagram feed.

Enjoy, guys! And have an awesome Wednesday – I’ll be waving atcha from the Mitten State!

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Summer Reading: On My List

June 12th, 2012 // 7 Comments

1. Comfortable With Uncertainty, Pema Chodron // 2. Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro // 3. Walden, Henry David Thoreau // 4. The Sea, the Sea, Iris Murdoch

Do you have anything on your list that you can’t wait to read? These are a few of the books I’m hoping to read this summer. I’ve started both the Chodron and Ishiguro books already and I’ve really been enjoying them both. Comfortable With Uncertainty has essentially been life changing for me…I have always been an impatient person and someone that likes (er, more like needs) to plan ahead. I want to know what’s going to happen and I want to know now. Waiting and uncertainty have always been like dirty words to me, even though I’ve known all along that it wasn’t the healthiest attitude to have. If you’re in the same boat, I absolutely recommend that book! It’s written by a Buddhist nun but can absolutely align with any sort of belief system – it’s all about accepting the true nature of the universe, living fully, and being compassionate along the way.

So what are you reading? I have a stack (ok, several stacks) of books waiting to be read but I am always looking for that next great book to read. So share the wealth – what are your must-reads this summer?

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The New As Luck Would Have It

June 11th, 2012 // 9 Comments

I am so happy I finally get to share the new site today! I had the honor of working with Amanda Genther to design the new As Luck Would Have It – site design, branding, and all. That means I have a whole lot of new to share with you guys today so I hope you’ve had your coffee.

Let’s talk about the new look for a second, shall we?  The whole site is completely new so of course everything looks different, but one of my favorite parts is the new logo. I knew I wanted to incorporate elements of nature into ALWHI’s branding but I wasn’t quite sure how that would look…until we talked about including a feather to represent lightness, freedom, and simplicity. I can’t possibly think of a better image.

Just as important as how the site looks is how much more functional everything is now. You didn’t know you’d be getting a gift today, but (surprise!) it just got a whole lot easier and more enjoyable to navigate your way around ALWHI. Let me show you around…

There are several new pages to check out in the navigation bar: an updated About Page (which includes new information about ALWHI’s purpose!), a Buttons Page where you can grab a new ALWHI button to share on your site, a  Sponsor Page with advertisement and promotion information, and a Freelance Page that I will be updating soon. I’ve also added some great new sites to the Favorites Page – be sure to check them out!

 

All of the other navigation tools are on the sidebar and they are so simple to use – you can browse through posts by date in the archive, or choose a category you’re interested in to find all of the posts related to that topic.

Now that ALWHI has moved to a new URL and is no longer hosted by Blogger, you’ll need to subscribe again if you’ve been reading for awhile. The good news is it’ll be painless. Just go on over to the sidebar and choose your favorite way to subscribe: add the RSS feed to your reader, follow on Bloglovin (you can also do that by clicking here: Follow my blog with Bloglovin), or enter your email address to have new posts sent straight to your inbox. If you like to use the Blogger Reading List – you still can! Just click the “Add” option at the top of your reading list on the blogger homepage and add alwhiblog.com.

One of my favorite way to follow blogs is via social media. If that’s you too, you can follow me on twitter to keep up with each new post and be sure to like the new ALWHI facebook page!

I am so excited to give ALWHI a new internet home and a fresh start with the branding overhaul. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience than the one I had working with Amanda Genther. I can’t recommend her work enough. I am thrilled with the result of all of our work and I hope all of you are, too – I’m so glad you’re here and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for ALWHI!

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