On Wednesdays We Wear Pink

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Today was a pretty special day -- my uber-talented husband got his first real office!! I am so proud of him.

I've watched his business from the beginning, and this moment feels really huge. When we met, he was working at a booking agency outside of Boston and recording shows on nights and weekends. I still have texts from him from the winter of 2011 saying, "I booked a gig for this weekend! And I'm charging for it!!" That spring, we moved in together (right around our 5 month anniversary), and we starting talking about the future... I knew I wanted to move back to California, so we made plans to visit LA, just to see if we liked it. When we returned to Boston, he made plans to quit his job at the end of the summer, and move out west.

He bought a new camera and sent me pictures of his new, beautiful, color-coded recording rig. He filmed his friends perform in bar basements and recital halls. He mixed tracks hunched over our Ikea coffee table. And when the end of August came, a few days shy of his 23rd birthday, he gave his two weeks notice.

He bought a car and we packed it full of everything we could fit. We filled two palettes full of even more stuff, and we set out on the cross-country road trip that would seal our fates. When we arrived in LA, he hit the ground running. He solicited gig after gig, often working for free or very little money. I even let him work on my 23rd birthday, because I knew how much he needed the work.

Months passed and he started working more consistently. Pretty soon, he stopped soliciting work -- it was an endless stream of recordings he could barely keep up with. Watching his business flourish gave me the courage to quit my retail job and take a stab at making my dream happen, too.

We moved into a new apartment, with a more spacious layout and separate room for me to use as my office. Alex still worked out in the living room, but he now had a beautiful mid-century desk he bought from a local vintage store. It was the kind of purchase that said, "I'm really doing this!" Work kept streaming in. Clients came over to hear mixes and sat on a folding chair next to his desk. I made them lemon bars to make them feel more welcome. Alex worked and worked and worked. He'd come home well after midnight most nights and still rise before nine in the morning to try to keep up with all the editing and mixing. But it was a lot of work and his backlog was simply piling up. I tried to help by coming on shoots with him, carrying gear to his car, typing up title cards and credits for him. But even with my help, he was still in a hole. So, last week, Alex hired an assistant.

With the assistant, came the urgency to move his work space from where it was spilling over onto our new dining room table. On Monday, we went to look at this light-filled, newly renovated, local office. Today he signed the lease.


I am so filled with pride and excitement, I feel like I might cry! Alex has worked and planned tirelessly not only to grow his business, but to provide for both of us, and I couldn't be more grateful! Here's to my hard-working husband!!


We took these photos in his new, empty office with the sunlight streaming through, using Alex's new favorite camera -- his GH4. He's so excited about this 4k camera, I've been calling it his girlfriend... All he wants to talk about is her!


I planned this outfit specifically for today because "on Wednesday's we wear pink!" I haven't worn these jeans and quite some time and what could be a more perfect occasion to break them out again than the 10 year anniversary of Mean Girls!?


I got real matchy-matchy by carrying my very own baby: my pink Marc Jacobs bag. I tried to tone down the pinkishness of this look, but grounding it with a black and white bird print tunic (shout out to Maija!), and a pair of muted mint and grey striped flats (shout out to Mom!). Bonus points if you can spot my dinosaur earrings and Mrs necklace.



Bird Tunic // Similar
Pink Jeans // On Sale!
Striped Flats // Right here
Pink Bag // Pretty close

Into Idyllwild

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

When: Monday, April 21st, 2014

Where: Idyllwild!


Thing are always somewhat busy over here, but since getting back into LA after our trip to the Bay Area, it seems like life is more hectic than ever. Bucket is getting used to life back as a civilian, Alex just hired an assistant and is taking on more work then ever, I'm starting to do two markets a week, ramping up my etsy shop, taking on custom and freelance work, working a handful of odd jobs that I do more for love than for money, and we just threw the biggest EastOver party ever (that was so much fun, we forgot to take even a single photo)! So, when Alex booked a job in beautiful Idyllwild, we decided to drive up in the morning and make a day of it before the evening recital he would film.


Alex and I are seriously the worst at taking days off. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that we both work from home, so we always feel guilty if we sit on the couch too long when our desks are a few steps away, but it also stems from the fact that we are both obsessed with our jobs and love what we do so much. It was awesome to walk around the quaint town and remind ourselves, "We are here for work," so we didn't feel too guilty about actually having a break. 


The weather was so perfect! It was warm and sunny, but with a nice breeze, which made it perfect for fuzzy jumper and mini skirt wearing. Since winter never came this year, I can't really jump for joy with the rest of the world screaming, "Spring is here!" But I do like thinking that the seasons are changing, and having an excuse to wear more springy colors, shorter hems, a floral-printed anything. That includes sunglasses.


Recently, I've been washing my hair a lot less -- don't get me wrong, I still shower, but I wear an old lady shower cap and skip the lather-rinse-repeat. It's a lot of work to wash these long tresses, and I don't like drying out my strands with too many harsh chemicals. So, I just find creative way to cover up 3-day old hair. These Heidi braids are my new obsession. I felt suuuper duper cute wearing my hair in a crown like this, an no one was the wiser to my unwashed do.


Idyllwild was so much fun, and I'm so glad we got the chance to get of out LA for the day and enjoy some time in a quieter world. It was such a treat to get to slow down and sip an iced honey latte while walking hand-in-hand with Alex and the pup. We loved looking in all the cute shops and taking in the incredible views. I'm hoping we can go back again soon and stay for a few days. I'm gonna need another one of those lattes.


Plaid Sweater // Similar
Schutz Flat (sold out) // Similar
Kate Spade Bag (old) // Similar

Bucket's Big Adventure

Sunday, April 13, 2014



On Wednesday, the worst thing imaginable happened: Our dog, Bucket, escaped from my parents house while Alex and I were away. When we arrived back from a long day shooting in the studio, hungry and tired and ready for dinner and bed, we were greeted by a frantic search party circling the neighborhood for Bucket. Panic stricken, I dropped everything I was carrying into the hands of my neighbor and took of running, calling him name endlessly hoping he'd crawl out from wherever he was hiding at the sound of my voice.

We called the local police and humane society to report him missing. We printed up flyers. We emailed a photo of him to our neighborhood newsletter. We searched, we called for him, we whistled, we cried.

Darkness fell, and we combed the park with flashlights for hours to no avail. Finally around 2 am, we had to give up and rest. Alex nor I had eaten anything since breakfast, but we went to bed with empty stomachs and our shoes on in case we needed to jump up at any minute.

I can not explain to you how much this dog means to us. And how desperately I knew he must have been missing home. Bucket is an unusual dog. He is extremely sky, skiddish, and nervous. He is deeply attached to me, and usually follows me around like a shadow. I can only imagine that he escaped from my parents' yard in search of me. I knew that no one would be able to approach him because he is so scared of other people, and that the greyhound in him would enable him run faster than any human could, making him even more difficult to catch. My only hope was that we would find him and that he would come to us when we did.

Sleep never came. I tossed and turned, trying not to think about what Bucket was experiencing. Having read that Italian Greyhounds are uncomfortable -- at best -- in temperatures under 70 degrees, I shuddered to think what 55 degrees outside would do to him.

As the sun rose, we pulled ourselves from our sleepless bed and resumed our search. We hung our flyers all over the neighborhood, parks, and schools. We handed one to every person we met. We called him name over and over hoping he would hear our voices and run to us. We walked the quiet streets from six am until nearly one in the afternoon with no leads or signs of him.

We drove the street, hollering his name out the window until we both went hoarse. Subconsciously, I started scanning the sides of the road, praying I wouldn't see him lying there.

At about one in the afternoon, eight hours after we had began our morning search, seventeen hours after he went missing, we went home to see if he had come back on his own. He hadn't.

Fear rolled through me. Was he dead?

Alex decided to take a shower while I drank the coffee my mom had picked up for us. While he was in the bathroom, the first call came in. A glimmer of hope. A neighbor, named Ron, had seen him across town, recognized him from the flyers and neighborhood newsletter, noted his location, and circled back here to get my phone number off one of the flyers. By the time he called, it had been about 10 minutes since he saw Bucket casually walking down the street all the way across town. According to where he had been spotted, Bucket would have had to cross two major motorways -- a least four lanes of traffic each -- and gone over the tracks of a frequently-running train. That seemed impossible.

I jumped in the car, anyway, and drove the two and a half miles to where he had last been seen. I parked the car on the corner and lept out, desperately screaming Bucket's name. Alex and my mom arrived a few minutes later, his hair still wet from the shower. We scoured the winding streets of this cross-town neighborhood for an hour. Ron even left his job at a local elementary school to show us the exact location where he had seen Bucket, and walked the beat to try to find him.

No sign of Bucket.

Doubt began to set in. Was Ron lying to us? Pulling our leg? Was he just mistaken? Had he seen Bucket, or some other dog? Maybe he reported the wrong intersection? Worse: was Bucket hit by a car? Would we even be able to find his body? How would we get the closure we so desperately needed? We needed him back!

We sat in Alex's car silent and dumbfounded.

Suddenly, a miracle. A call from the humane society came through the car speakers. Someone had a very scared, small dog matching Bucket's description in their back yard. So full of hope, we both shouted, "Where? Where is he?!" The operator told us to calm down and connected us to the man who had called in. He was right around the corner! Bucket was in this neighborhood! Ron had been right!

In less than 30 seconds, we arrived at the house and dashed into this man's yard. Huddled in the corner of his yard, there was Bucket. Dirty, covered in cuts and scrapes, crying, and indeed frightened of even us.

I scooped him up, tears of relief and gratitude rolling down my face. We gave a thousand thank yous. We could not have been happier. We didn't even get the man's name. I carried Bucket to the car and he yowled and winced in pain. We headed home.

Twenty excruciating hours later, the nightmare was over.



Bucket was missing for less than 24 hours, but they were undoubtedly the worst of my life. Losing a pet is something no one ever wants to experience, and even when you are very careful, pets can run off. Based on our experiences, here are a few tips: some of the things we did right and some things we wished we had done. 

HERE'S WHAT WENT RIGHT:
1. Report him missing to the Humane Society, Local Police, Animal Shelters, Vets, and Animal Control. Don't just ask if they have found him. Insist on leaving his description and your contact information. You'll want to tell them his name, breed, size/weight, gender (and if he's fixed), any special markings or tattoos, what he's wearing (collar color, etc), and microchip number, if you have one.

Here's why: The person who cornered Bucket in their yard couldn't get close enough to read his collar and my phone number before he began to bear his teeth at him out of fear. Instead, they called the Humane Society and described Bucket to them. Because they already had a record that he was missing because Alex had called and made a report the night before, they were able to contact us and patch us through to the man. If they didn't have our information, they would have sent a dog catcher (who likely wouldn't have been able to catch him), and we would have had to go pick him up from the pound, rather than getting him right then and there.

2. Microchip your pet.

Here's why: We were lucky we didn't have to identify him by his chip, but if he had gotten out of his collar and vest, that would have been the only way to know who he was. (Side note: when we adopted Bucket, we were told that his microchip could not be updated with our info, and that if he were ever lost, the finder would call them, and they would call us. NOT TRUE! It is absolutely possible to change your pets microchip registration after you adopt him. Do it.

3. Put flyers up and spread the word.

Here's why: Bucket was found because our neighbors actually took the time to read out signs and the message we sent to the local newsletter. They actually work! Post flyers, make an ad on craigslist (put one in the Pets section and one in the Lost and Found section), submit to local newspapers, newletters, and online bulletin boards. They will make all the difference.

4. Do not stop looking.

Here's why: It's been proven that searching for your pet is the best way to recover him! Bucket did not know where he was or how to make his way back to my parents' house, so we had to go for him. If we had given up or stopped searching, I'm confident he would have never reversed his path all the way back to us and walked home. 

HERE'S WHAT I WISH WE HAD DONE:
1. Stop what you're doing right now and go take a good picture of your pet. I'm sure you have hundreds of photos of him making a goofy face or taking a nap. Those won't do. Take one that shows his size and shape, particular markings and any special traits. Take it against a white background so that if you have to print it in black and white, your pet will be recognizable.

Here's why: It was midnight when we decided to make posters, I was exhausted, frantic, panicked, and numb. I couldn't find a picture that really showed the way Bucket looked. All I had were silly instagrams of him. It upset me even more going through old photos of him trying to find a good one.

2. (Are you back from taking that photo?) Make a Lost Pet poster template so that, god forbid, when you are in a pinch and can't think, you'll have one ready. Leave off date and time, and last place seen and fill that in if and when your pet is missing with the proper information. Put "Lost Dog" (or whatever your pet is) on the top in bold letters. Write a description of your pet, and tell your reader what they should do if they see him. Give a phone number and an alternate way to contact you. Make sure you include that great photo!

Here's why: I was so panicked that I could barely type. I couldn't think of what should go on the poster, and as a result, I left off some information I later wished I had included. I didn't know the best way to describe Bucket. It was so stressful having to work on this project when all I could think about was where the heck he was.

3. Expand your search. Don't just look in your local neighborhood. Look everywhere. Print a map of your town and as you search each street, check it off. Go through systematically, and keep widening your search area.

Here's why: We recovered Bucket in an area of town that was inconceivable to me that he would ever have been able to reach. We spent countless precious hours searching and re-searching the same few streets and area of our park. He wasn't even there! He was clear across town! Perhaps, if we had checked off the places we searched as we went and kept pushing our search radius wider, we would have found him sooner.

---

That's just a short list of what you can do. I also found this list helpful. If you've lost your pet, there is hope. Never, ever give up. Your pet wants to come home as much as you want him home. Don't forget that!

On The Road Again

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

When: Tuesday, April 8th, 2014

Where: I-5


Today Alex and I drove up to the Bay Area from LA. Al booked 10 days of work in Berkeley, and my parents live on the Peninsula, so it was the perfect excuse to get out of dodge for a minute. I saw this mini-road trip as the perfect change to test drive (see what I did there?) my new-ish wide leg trousers. When Alex asked when I got them and I replied, "I've had them for a while," he made me re-evaluate what a couple weeks really amounts to in the grand scheme of things. Other reactions to these pants include (from my mother, as I walked in the door): "What are you wearing? Is that evening wear?!"


I thought these extra roomy pants were perfect for a long ride; they were so comfortable. Though, I'm not really sure if they count as pants in the first place -- they feel more like wearing two skirts at once, just one for each leg.


For the rest of my outfit I kept it really simple. I skipped makeup because really who's going to see me besides my husband and the drifters at the truck stop (and whoever reads this blog... oops.)?! These fun daisy patterned sunglasses covered up my tired-looking, mascara-free eyes. I've been wearing this A necklace I made a lot recently. I started selling these hand-embroidered necklaces at the flea market last week and I couldn't help but take one for myself. Keep your eyes trained on my etsy for these necklaces, coming very soon!


I'm looking forward to a week back in the Bay. I've heard things have changed a little around here since I've left. Mostly, I'm interested in what there is to eat these days. Anyone got suggestions for places to grub? I like food.


Etsy is Updated!

Monday, April 7, 2014
I am so in love with my newly updated etsy shop! It has never ever looked so good or been so full! I literally spent the last 12 hours uploading, writing, and posting... And now it's all ready for you to shop it!

Here are a few of my favorite new items. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them!

Beatrice Reversible Monster and Flag Print Baby Dress

Jackson Lemon and Red Polka Dot Printed Reversiable Baby Harem Pants

Beatrice Pink Desserts and Polka Dot Print Reversible Dress

Jackson Whale and Abstract Chevron Blue Reversible Baby Harem Pants

Boo-yah Little Mermaid Sebastian Embroidery Hoop Art

Little One Mini Hand Embroidery Hoop Art

Check out the rest of my sixty-six other listings at www.expectclothing.etsy.com

VC Makers CoOp: Not an April Fools Joke!

Friday, April 4, 2014

I was lucky enough to kick of April with a trip to Ventura for a really wonderful show. The VC Makers CoOp featured a small selection of local handcrafters, shop owners, and provision makers, as well as a plethora of food trucks boasting delicious food.


Due to *gasp!* the weather (read: wind), we were relocated from our intended places on the patio near the food trucks to the ball room above the parking lot. No matter, the view straight out to the ocean from my booth was breathtaking!


The sunlight streaming through the window set the scene for what would become a lovely evening of scarfing down a bahn-mi-rito from the Scratch Ventura food truck, oogling the goodies from Summer Camp and Marley and Alfie, and sampling the jams and nut butters from Sweet Lady Cook, and Rock Rose Provisions, respectively.


I introduced pieces from my new home line for the first time. These mini pillows are made from uncirculated (or "dead stock") vintage handkerchiefs, on which I hand embroider silly and colorful phrases.


I'm also introducing embroidery hoops of the same nature for wall decor. I sat and made a custom set with the words "Welcome Babies" to be used as nursery decor when a pair of twins arrive! They were so cute; I wish I had taken a picture of them. I'm also fully prepared to make custom name embroideries at the flea market tomorrow. I can make yours while you shop!


Huge thanks to Katherine from The Habitat Factory for having me. I sure hope our paths cross again!


 
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