Anywhere, Anywhere, I Don't Know

When We Were Very Young by A.A. Milne

“Where am I going? I don't quite know.

Down to the stream where the king-cups grow-

Up on a hill where the pine-trees blow-

Anywhere, anywhere. I don't know.

Where am I going? The clouds sail by,

Little ones, baby ones, over the sky.

Where am I going? The shadows pass,

Little ones, baby ones, over the grass.

If you were a cloud, and sailed up there,

You'd sail on the water as blue as air.

And you'd see me here in the fields and say:

"Doesn't the sky look green today?"

Where am I going? The high rooks call:

"It's awful fun to be born at all.

Where am I going? The ring-doves coo:

"We do have beautiful things to do."

If you were a bird, and lived on high,

You'd lean on the wind when the wind

came by,

You'd say to the wind when it took you away:

"That's where I wanted to go today!"

Where am I going? I don't quite know.

What does it matter where people go?

Down to the wood where the blue-bells grow-

Anywhere, anywhere. I don't know.”

Shopping Info: Judy Blue Skies Floral Dress in Cobalt from ModCloth

Don't Wait to Say....

....anything.  I took these photos this year on Mother's Day holding a corsage that my mother bought me.  My dear sweet mother already knows how much she means to me, but just in case she didn't, I wrote her a love letter two years ago.  I poured out my heart to her about just how much she means to me.  I also wrote one to my father, and one to my grandmother who passed away 20 years ago.  I didn't say to her what I meant to say and then it was too late.  

    I promised myself I would never wait again....but life gets busy and schedules fill up with demanding things that seem unimportant in the end, and the things we mean to say, should say, they get left out.  Never wait for a special occasion to tell someone exactly how much you love them.  

    For me, it was all at a very dark time and my mind went back to happier times, so I painted each of them a portrait with my memories of how I loved them so and how thankful I am to have had this time with them.  And now, no matter what comes, they will always know they are loved.

Outfit info:  Esley dress is old

Valentine's Day at Home: ootd

As I mentioned in Wednesday's post, we have been busy making cards and getting them mailed out or stashed way in anticipation of the big day.  Each year we do a theme, sometimes elegant, sometimes silly.  This year since my little ones have become skilled enough at origami to make folded hearts as their valentines.
    My all time favorites though are these cameo cards that we made about four years ago.  It was very detailed and time consuming work making these cards, so while I won't be making more like them any time soon, I kept all the supplies for that distant someday that I have more time for a project like that.  This year, we're keeping it simple from the cards to the clothes.
    A few months ago I found the most comfortable and gorgeous blue peasant dress.  It instantly became the most worn item in my closet.  A little while later I saw the same dress pop up in red for about $20, so I decided to buy it too.  Perfect for a Valentine's day at home since it's supposed to storm all day long, I love the long length and soft cotton.  Or, if we celebrate the day before when the weather will be glorious, this dress will still be perfect for a stroll down to our favorite fresh produce stands or maybe to the beach.  

Shop the look:

Harissa dress from Anthropologie purchased second hand

Cardigan from ModCloth

Necklace from Forever 21

Embroidered Vintage

    I've always loved those boho dresses covered in embroidery and so airy and light they dance in the breeze.  When I was a kid, I secretly hoped that my parents' travels would take them deep enough into the southwest for them to buy me one, but sadly they never did.  Instead I had a lovely pair of beaded moccasins that I wore until there were holes in them and life was good.
    I've never really actively pursued owning one of these dresses since then, but sometimes great things just come to us if we wait.  I don't remember how I stumbled onto this vintage dress about eight years ago, but it was love at first sight and I saved oh so many profits from my Etsy shop to afford it.  It is still my favorite example of an embroidered dress and one of my daughters has already called dibs on it. 

    For this outfit, I wore my vintage glass emerald earrings that I made myself, a beaded pink cardigan from American Eagle Outfitters and and my rocket dog flats from ModCloth.

Some other embroidered lovelies:
Floral Embroidered Gauze Dress at Forever 21 for $24.90 in sizes S M L

Whispers of Romance Dress at ModCloth for $64.99 in sizes S M L

Myra Dress at ShopRuche for $52.99 in sizes S M L  *currently out of stock, but sign up to get restock notifications.

Oh, My, Oh, Myra

    This is the Myra dress by Esley and it's available at ShopRuche.com  It's a soft cotton and falls just above my knees, so those are two pros if you're looking to buy this little beauty and overall, I'd recommend it.  It's also worth noting that new members at ShopRuche get 20% off their first order.

    I really like ShopRuche.  Their prices are really good and usually they charge less than places like ModCloth for the exact same dress.  Their sales are also pretty good and their coupons are constant.

    I happen to fall outside the range of S-M-L, so my options on shops that carry my size can be limited.   When I saw this Myra Embroidered dress was 25% off of the regular price, I decided to buy it even though it didn't come in my size.  It was a good price, there's always a chance I can tailor it and if not, I can return it.

     I don't shy away from a little tailoring, and I encourage everyone to be bold in that regard.  A few darts in the back can fix the top and a new seam down the side can fix the waist.  

    Dresses that go lower than my knees really aren't flattering for my height, so I always take up the hems of longer dresses.  Sometimes, you have to work with a piece to make it just right.  And, it's worth the extra effort, especially if you really love it.

And I do love this dress, so I ordered it in a bigger size and I'll just make a few adjustments to make it my own. 

Shop the Look:

Myra Embroidered Dress at ShopRuche.com 

Qupid Heels

Kling Purse

Earrings & necklace, and rings are made by me.