Style Peek: hearts dress + boho accessories

2 more sleeps! Woo hoo! I can't wait to get married...when you wait 34 years to find Mr. Right, you kind of can't wait to get going. Today is my last day of work, the wedding is Friday and Sunday we're taking off for a week of rest and relaxation at J's cabin in Killarney. Our 'proper' honeymoon will be next year to Boston and Cape Cod. The next few days are filled with a whirlwind of visits, finishing up projects, rehearsal and other fun things. My mom scheduled us for mani/pedis tomorrow which is a TOTAL indulgence for me...can't wait! I'm working hard to set up all my amazing guest posts that will be happening while I'm away. So don't stop reading - you will be introduced to some awesome bloggers and cool stuff.

So remember this hearts dress I bought a month or so ago? I raved about the versatility and it doesn't disappoint. I paired it with super casual boho-type accessories, like this linen floral scarf, long pendant and sweater vest. I'll admit, I wore the vest trend the first time around (hello 1991!) so I cringed a touch when I saw them in stores - but this cute $5 sale rack number from Old Navy is turning out to be one of my fave new accessories for fall! Sometimes you gotta just try something new!

 

hearts dress - Forever21+

floral scarf - H&M

sweater vest - Old Navy

pendant necklace - gift from J

brown flip flops - Joe Fresh

Here's a reminder of how I styled the hearts dress last time I wore it - more preppy, girly and polished! Yay for remixing, it's like a totally different dress.

Which look do you prefer? I'm having trouble deciding...

Hope you all have an awesome day friends!

Style Peek: casual striped top + chambray skirt

Eeek! I can't believe it's only 3 more sleeps until my wedding day! It's just flying by...I hope I'm able to take in and savour ever moment on Friday. Winnipeg has been blessed with a summer of beyond amazing weather and I just need it to hold out for a few more days :)

Despite the craziness, I still have to get dressed and go to work in the morning so why not share a style peek? I've fallen head over heels for tucking in (who would have thought??) and it's doubled my wardrobe remixing options.  My love affair with stripes also continues, here I paired a casual striped top with a chambray a-line skirt. Simple, classic. *Sorry for the hit or miss photos, I getting lots of practice but there's soooo much to learn!

striped top - Old Navy (similar)

chambray skirt - Old Navy

teal skinny belt - Target

necklace - gift from J (local boutique Silver Lotus)

gold flats - Steve Madden

Have an amazing day friends!!

Something Borrowed

It's only been a few weeks since I lost my grandma...but I am honoured to wear her signature pearls for my wedding day.  It means she will be close to my heart for the entire day. Love you grandma!

Have a good night friends.

Lather in Flea Market Style Magazine

Good morning! I hope you all had a fabulous last weekend in August? For my bloggy friends on the US east coast...so glad Irene wasn't as bad as expected and sending warm and dry thoughts your way!

Wedding week just happened to start with something fantastic - I got the new issue of Flea Market Style Magazine in the mail and I couldn't be more excited about being featured as a fave vintage blogger!! Yay! I love this magazine, poring over all the cool upcycled projects and unique ways of repurposing vintage treasures. Thank you so much for sharing my blog with your readers!

 

The other cool thing is that I just sold the 'All you need is love' Blue Half-moon Table (in the pic) on the weekend and I was able to share the feature with my customer Carrie! 

If you get a chance to pick up the Fall/Winter issue of FMS, it's a great magazine full of very cool ideas!

Have an amazing start to your week friends!

Delightful DIY: Vintage Birdcage Wedding Card Holder

Hey friends! Hope you're having a good Sunday! I'm on the homestretch and finishing up all my last-minute wedding projects. I finally got my act together and started putting together some posts for you all. Here's a project I've been working on for the welcome table. I knew I wanted something very three-dimensional and vintage-looking to hold cards and when I found this reproduction birdcage at Value Village for $7, I snapped it up.

I didn't love the boring silver colour, so I dug around my paint supplies in order to give it a bit more character. *Please note: many of my wedding DIYs will be very 'corner cutting' oriented so take my steps with a grain of salt, you could easily put a bit more effort into this if you want!

I had white rust primer on hand, so after cleaning it, I set up outside and gave it several coats of spray primer. If I had more time, I would have painted over the primer with a nice antique white spray paint. But I settled for white due to my giant 'to do' list!

After the paint was dry, I used a sanding sponge to go over it and take off bits of the paint to give it a more aged and rustic feel. This was followed by a few coats of clear white spray finish to lock in the paint.

I printed off a label using the same paper and font used for the wedding invites and tied it on the birdcage with twine.

Supplies Cost:

-reproduction vintage birdcage: $7 at Value Village

-Spray primer and spray finish - on hand in my studio

-cream cardstock and twine - on hand as part of my wedding supplies

There you go, fairly simple and definitely 'my' personality! Can't wait to see the whole welcome table come together....there's lots of other goodies I'm working on.

Have a lovely Sunday friends!

The Story Behind...Elinor's thrifted cottage decor!

Good morning everyone! I hope you're all have a great start to your weekend. I'll be busy puttering around with last minute wedding details, but I wanted to share this amazing 'story behind' that was sent in from Elinor. This lucky lady has her very own cottage on Vancouver Island - one of my dream destinations. She did a great job furnishing her space with all kinds of fantastic budget finds. She shares the details with us today!

I spent a whole month this summer going to garage sales and flea markets and furnishing our new house in Qualicum Beach, on Vancouver Island, from scratch. I'm calling it Palm Tree Cottage because it even has a palm tree in the back yard. I decided to go for the mid-century look because that was the vibe of the house, and that style of furniture is plentiful and way cheaper than antique.

 

Here's a photo of my family room. OK, I won't lie, I did buy the couch on sale at Sears! But everything else in the room is a flea market find:

 

Floor lamp, $15, garage sale.

Table lamp, $2, garage sale.

Authentic vintage Danish teak coffee table, $40, junk store.

Orange vinyl armchairs, $35 each, junk store.

Teak end table, $10, garage sale.

TV stand, $35, thrift store.

Drapes, half-price at Fabricland and I hemmed them myself.

Cushion, half-price at Fabricland, $5.

Buddha batik on wall, free, my husband brought it home from Thailand in 1972.

Even the patio furniture was bought used from a second-hand store.

 

All the other rooms in the house are pretty much the same. I even found a whole range of orange and brown flowered dishes, and vintage glasses, for my kitchen!

What an oasis you have there Elinor! Talk about stretching your budget - I love love how you thrifted and hunted and found such great treasures to make the space your own - lovely job!

Have something special that you'd like to submit for 'The Story Behind...'? Send me a picture to lhume1@mts.net and include your story (don't forget your blog link or Facebook/Twitter page so I can include it!). Have a question? Drop me a line over on Twitter! 

Have a lovely Saturday friends!

Friday Spree

Happy Friday! The countdown is on...one week until the big day! It seems the busier I get, the more my shopping addiction kicks in...what can I say - it's all in the name of blogging and fashion! Plus it's a stress buster!! I mentioned ordering online yesterday and there are two shops I've been eyeing for a very long time...

The first one is UK retailer ASOS. They offer smart and chic looks plus extended sizing in their ASOS Curve line. I've read great things about their clothes from other bloggers plus they offer FREE worldwide shipping! I spotted this lovely chiffon midi skirt in the clearance section and decided to go for it. I think it will work well for winter with black accents and tights and boots.

image via Asos

My other coveted site is Modcloth. They've been introducing a sprinkling of larger sizes but they were always hard to find until they introduced a new 'search by size' feature that makes it SO easy to see what's available. I love Mocloth because of their unique prints and so I chose these two lovelies to try. Can't wait to get them!

image via ModCloth

image via Modcloth

Online shopping is always a risk with sizing and fabrics but one of my fave things is to read the Reader Reviews - real life accounts by others who've bought the items. They offer a great perspective on fit, fabric feel, quality and more. Modcloth has a fab reader review section!

I'll be sure to keep you posted on how they turn out...

Have you had any experiences with either shop? Do tell!

Style Peek: aqua tie blouse+ denim skinnies

Hey friends...how is your Thursday going? I'm busy as a bee but of course, I can't stop blogging - I just love chatting with you guys and reading all your blogs (I do you know, even if I don't always have time to comment! My fave way to read blogs is on my mobile...). So thanks for hanging out with me as I head into the last week pre-wedding. I have a fabulous line-up of guest bloggers scheduled while I'm away so don't think about going anywhere!

For yesterday's outfit, I tried out a bit of a new silhouette for me. I was totally drawn to this vivid aqua tie-front blouse/cardigan on the sale rack at Forever21+ and a little marker spot on the shoulder gave me a further 10% off - score! I paired it with my white slouchy pocket tank and my denim skinny jeans, I think the flowy top works well the the tighter pants. It's not the most versatile top in my wardrobe but with the cream embroidery details, it's definitely one of the prettiest!

aqua embroidered tie-front blouse - Forever21+

white slouchy pocket tank - Old Navy

denim skinny jeans - Gap

bronze sandals - Zellers

I try very hard to share accessible, affordable style with all of you - so just wanted to make sure you knew...you can order online at Forever21 and Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic to anwhere in Canada. 

For Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic, you can shop all three stores in one order, prices are in CDN$, you don't pay duty and shipping is free on orders over $50. I've ordered from all three and been very happy.  Returns can be done via the stores or through the mail.

For Forever21, all prices are in CDN$ and they are currently offering free shipping on orders over $60. I haven't ordered from them yet but it's a great alternative to hitting the malls or waiting for a vacation shopping trip. You can return to the store for credit or exchange, or by mail for a refund. All the links are attached above! 

Happy shopping friends and let me know if you have any questions...

Style School: Thrift Your Style Fears...

Hello and welcome to another edition of Style School! It's actually more like a group study session since I am learning as I go... :) 

Today we're talking about clothes thrifting. Some gals are old pros at this, some (like me) are total greenhorns. I've always had a bit of a fear of clothes thrifting (even though I thrift everything else you can think of!) because I'm a hard to fit size - I live in size purgatory somewhere between regular and plus sizes, throw in that I'm 5'11" and it becomes an extra challenge. But this girl-on-a-budget is determined, to say the least. I had a few thrift shopping misshaps and went home, made notes and adjusted my game plan. Cause that's what us Type A's do, right ladies?

I needed focus - so I decided to pick 2 trends/styles I've been wanted to try but have been too scared to invest in with any real money. For me, it's the oversize boyfriend blazer and the maxi skirt. I LOVE seeing these on other bloggers but never had the guts to try them myself. Plus you can only wear so many cardigans....I hit the thrift store with these two trends in mind and ignored the rest of the store. Okay, ever other section except the books - I can never resist!

Here's how I did:

 

I hit up both the mens and women's blazers, because you never know. I found this classic in the ladies section - it's super old and came from Sears originally. At home, I opened up about 2 inches in the inside shoulder seams, ripped out the shoulder pads and voila! A modern update.

For the maxi, I searched the skirt section and tried on several options - looking at both a size up and a size down from my usual (you never know!). I found this little eggplant gem and would you believe it has pockets?? So awesome. Don't tell anyone, but it's a brand I would NEVER buy in the store...go on gut, if you like something - that's cool! Make sure you style it in a way that's you. I paired the maxi with a simple slouchy white tank and gold accessories.

So the moral of the story is...try thrifting for specific things you're interested in or have been nervous about trying - it will give focus to your shopping trip, easy you into clothes thrifting and save you $$ on styles you're just trying out!

Tell me friends - what's your biggest style fear? Would you ever consider thrifting to try it?

Find me today at Owl Really

Hey friends! I'm being interviewed today over at Owl Really for Jamie's Favourite Finds column. Jamie writes a lovely life and style blog about some of my favourite things - design, home decor, thrifting and all things vintage! I'm sharing one of my absolute fave thrift finds with her readers today.  She'll also be guest blogging here while I'm away getting married, so watch for that in early September! Thanks so much Jamie!

Hope you hop on over and say hi! Have a lovely day...

So much love...

In the months, weeks and now days leading up to my wedding, there have been many humbling moments that make me eternally grateful for the love in my life.  It is so easy to get wrapped up in your own world, your own insecurities and your own head - that you can miss out on the energy that's constantly being sent your way. For me anyway...

On Saturday I came home to his bouquet from my girlfriend Jess who lives in Saskatoon. A new mama, she won't be able to make the wedding....but wow did she knock my socks off with this simple gesture. I can't lie, there were a few tears shed.

Then I got a call from a friend here in the city, there is a new group of amazing girls I've become friends with since getting together with J. They are the wives, girlfriends and friends of his group. Shannon, Shauna, Anna and Sarah have planned a dinner for me as a little mini-bachelorette party before the wedding. I had insisted I didn't want one earlier in the summer and they thoughtfully planned this special little evening for tomorrow. Wow. These girls are keepers.

My sister and mom have gone above and beyond in planning my amazing shower, countless 'wedding craft nights' and support. She sister is seriously a bridesmaid dream - she even made her own dress!

And my awesome dad and stepmother, my in-laws to be, my girlfriends far away, my amazing co-workers and many others have shown their love and support in so many ways. I am so so blessed.

Last but not least, the ongoing support I get from J. The amount of love he has to give on a daily basis never ceases to amaze me.

Sorry to interrupt your regularly-scheduled Style Peek, but this is a love letter to the people in my life. I couldn't do any of it without you. Thank you.

Style Peek: silky graphic top + embroidered skirt

Welcome back from the weekend friends! I can't even believe it's only 12 days until my wedding...it's flying by so fast. But I'm at the point now where what's done is done and what's not done is what's not done! You gotta just let go right? It's going to be so much fun!

On another note, bet you didn't think I could remix this top again?? Ha! I managed to squeak out another look with it! I actually quite love this combo, because the colours in the top are almost exactly the same as those in the skirt embroidery. It feels super feminine to me - perfect for a work meeting...see friends? The more you play in your closet, the more you can get out of it! Have fun with your clothes, they express who you are...

silky graphic top - Forever21+

embroidered skirt - Gap

woven belt - Alfred Sung at Zellers

brown pointed toe flats - Aldo

white doily earrings - Stella Bella Boutique via Etsy

Thanks for your great feedback on the first edition of Style School! I'm already planning the next one... :)

Have a great day friends!