Lemon Slice

I love lemon prints and I'm crazy about striped sailor tops, so I was thoroughly tickled to find this top and shorts.  It wasn't quite warm enough to be shorts weather for me when I took these pics in May, I usually wait until July, so pardon my goose bumps.

 Shopping info:
Shorts and top from OldNavy.com

Colorista Review

I don't often do reviews of beauty products, but I decided to do a review of Colorista temporary hair dye.  I used the blue color on my daughter's hair at the beginning of summer.  We chose it because it supposedly fades out in 6-10 shampoos.  However, after nearly two months, her light brown hair still has a pale green tint to it.  So, I approached with caution and chose the tangerine color just to give my own color a pop.   

  I started by coloring my hair the usual bright Auburn that I use about every 4-6 weeks.  I waited a week of it to begin to fade and then used Colorista.  I followed the directions exactly except for one thing:  I didn't wash and air dry my hair first.  It was probably about 2-3 days between washings when I colored it with Colorista. 

   I have to say that I'm really surprised at the results.  As I write this, three shampoos later, It's still going strong and I can't imaging it fading significantly in another three washes.  My daughter's hair which has no damage to it at all didn't seem to hold the color past one washing though it did hold that green tint as I mentioned.  My hair which has significant damage at the bottom half due to last year's experiment with bleaching it, so that may be the reason that it has held the color so well. The best thing about this stuff is that it will fade out eventually and they make a shampoo to help the process along.  In the end I may have to give that a try and I'll keep you posted if I do.

Colorista Tangerine available from Amazon.com

A Walk in the Creek

The thing I think I missed most about home was the quiet places.  Japan is a beautiful country of course, but in all my years there, I never found a place where no one else was.  I'm afraid I need that now and then--a place full of life but not full of people.  I find those quiet places are all around me here in the hills, and even though I miss so much about city life, at moments like this truly I am glad to be home.

Shop the Look:
MakeMeChic Contrast Top
Handmade Skirt
Hat from GU
Flats from Forever XXI

Up to 40% off at ModCloth

Summer not hot enough yet? Well, ModCloth's heating things up with some major markdowns! Right now, you can nab up to 40% off 100s of new items.  Discover everything from skirts to shorts to secret gems you didn't even know you wanted. Quick put some cute stuff in your bag before it's gone!

Peachy Day Dreams

There's this quiet little spot that I drive by on my daily commute.  It has a couple of huge old trees and a serene pond with a little dock.  I've noticed its trees are in bloom, so I decided to stop by today and take a few pics.  The old house that used to be next to the pond has been torn down as part of a neighborhood rejuvenation project.  I thought I'd better hurry and visit this place before it sells and someone who is perhaps less of a daydreamer comes in and changes this place.  My oldest daughter demanded, in her very loving way that I wear this dress with these shoes and it had to be today, so this post is for my little budding fashionista who is also a daydreamer like me.

Shop the Look:

Connect the Dotted Dress by Down East Basics

Throwback Brilliance Heels from ModCloth

Vintage Style from SheIn

SHEIN Contrast Collar And Cuff Knot Gingham Shirt $9

Half Placket Fold Pleat Dress With Contrast Belt $32

SHEIN Self Tie Shoulder Fit & Flared Plaid Dress $21

SHEIN Allover Dog Print Tied Neck Blouse $12

Contrast Lace Zip Back Cami Dress $34

Button Detail Belted Circle Dress $26

Blueberry Picking

Blueberry picking is one of my favorite summer activities.  I don't even care how much we take home.  Just to be out there in fields in the cool of the morning with the dew on my feet and berries warm from the sunshine for our breakfast.  These are my most treasured moments of the season.

Shopping Info:

Lazy Weekend Crochet Embellished Dress in Yellow from ChicWish

Summer Sun Suit

When I was a little girl I wore "sun suits."  That's what my mother called them back then and it seemed like they were only in style for a few brief years of my youth.  Then they went away and didn't return to my wardrobe until a few years ago.  My childhood sun suits were made of a very soft cotton and loaded with rosebud floral prints, smocked tops and plenty of eyelet flourish.  Now we call them rompers and they've gotten a little more sophisticated.  I bought my first romper and loved it.  Unfortunately, I am one of those people who attached emotional value to clothing.  If I have a bad day in a certain outfit, if every time I see it it reminds me of that bad day I will likely never wear that outfit again.  Such was the case with my last romper.  So, as cute as it was, I gave it away.  Time to get back into the romper saddle, this year I found this nautical inspired striped number and decided to give rompers another go.

Shop the Look:

MakeMeChic Women's Self Tie Halter Romper Striped Print Sleeveless Jumpsuit

Yes, We Can!

My great grandmother was about as sassy and classy as a lady could get in the war years.  When she met my grandfather, she dropped out of nursing school, hopped on the back of his motorcycle and headed to California.  While there she was a waitress at an upscale place and her best customers were Laurel and Hardy (Hardy was the better tipper according to her), and when the US entered the war, my great grandmother got a job working in an airplane factory as a Rosie the Riveter.  For years I had a denim jumpsuit that she owned and probably wore during that time.  It was so adorable.  But over time it's gotten lost like so many other things in all my moving from place to place.  I used to wear her jumpsuit when I was a teenager.  I'd play dress-up around my house with it since it was terribly out of fashion back then.  Yes, I continued to play dress up well into my teens, then I took a brief break to go to college and start a family and now I'm back to dressing up.  Well, it just so happens that denim jumpsuits have come back around as so many great fashions do, and I managed to get my hands on one.  I haven't considered my figure to be suitable for something like this and I sort of tried it on as a joke, but the minute I spun around and looked in the mirror, I remembered my dear granny, whom I am so privileged to have known, and decided to keep and wear this little gem whenever I think of her.

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Summer Surf Shopping at SheIn

SheIn has some really great vintage and nautical themed summer items, so here are a few of my favorite picks:

Crayfish Print Polka Dot Tee $14

Contrast Collar Ruffle Hem Shirt And Flare Skirt Set $24

Animal Print Polka Dot Halter Dress $24

Mixed Print Contrast Collar And Cuff Shirt $15

Button Accent Color Block Circle Skirt $17

Summer Sundress

Another of my latest picks from The Other Sparrows.  I loved this floral sundress, but it sold out.  I was over the moon to see it as one of this spring's restocks.  This is my first purchase of this style of sundress from TOS.  The straps are not adjustable, so I did have to alter them a little, but other than that, I love the length and the fit.

Shop the Look:

May Peony Floral Sundress from TOS

CoolWay Sneakers from ThredUP

Necklace from ModCloth