Tagged! (Fashion "Always and Nevers") & A Blog Award

Thanks so much to one of my favorite fabulous chicks Kate at hello lindello for tagging me! Kate's alter ego is Hello Victory, another great blog and one of my absolute favorite Etsy shops. The rules of this tag are as follows: list "5 fashion always-es"• {things you always like or cannot do without}• for you personally• conversely, list "5 fashion nevers"• {things you would not be caught dead in}• for you personally• then tag 3 bloggers.
Always

Tall Black Boots, heels and flats. I'm still looking for the perfect brown boots. (photo of Milla's boots from Resident Evil:Extinction)

50's inspired (or better yet, actual vintage) Patio or Garden party dresses

A Ponytail (even when I cut my hair short, which I do every few years, the length requirement is that it must still fit into a ponytail. Thankfully, I love a stubby little pony).

Big Earrings, either hoops, dangly, or chandelier. But they must be delicate, not chunky.

Preppy: Madras, Seersucker, Kelly Green. I love preppy.

Never

Palazzo pants.

Sneakers or Tennies with heels.

Super Short hair. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE the look, but I can't carry it off.

Shoulder pads. Rumor has it that designers are trying to bring these back. I don't like it one bit.

Mauve anything.

I tag: LenoreNevermore, Blythe Hope's Vintage, Blog Goggles


I also received a blog award this weekend from Beth's Take on Life. Beth lives in Maine and her beautiful photographs just make my crush on the state grow even bigger. Thanks Beth!
The Rules
1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award to other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I'm passing this award on to Down and Out Chic, whose blog I've just recently discovered and can't wait to read more.

Tagged by the Lovely Tina Tarnoff!

A couple of days ago I was tagged by the lovely and Talented Tina Tarnoff on her beautiful blog Thought Patterns. I feel so honored, as Tina is an incredibly talented artist and an all-around lovely person. Do check out Tina's amazing papercuts in her Etsy shop. So many of her works are on my wish list! For this "tag" I am supposed to name six (un)important things that make me happy, so here they are:

Organic Heirloom Tomatoes. I love food, just a little too much perhaps. My boy and I are already thinking about the organic heirloom tomatoes that we buy at our local weekly artist and farmer's market, and they won't even be available for another couple of months. We go to the market almost every Sunday in July and August for these. While there we imbibe in a fresh local beer and pick up a bottled Coke with real sugar (no corn syrup, thank you) from the Mexican food stand to enjoy later in the day. I love our summer Sundays. We often lunch on what I consider to be a southern (U.S.) delicacy: the Tomato Sandwich. Toast some good wheat bread, slice up a ripe non-refrigerated tomato, add a little mayonnaise, salt, and pepper and you have the perfect summer sandwich. I like to add a sprinkling of oregano to mine, although a true southern belle would shun me for that. (photo via sheknows.com)
Watching the night sky. The vast darkness and the twinkling of the zillions of stars and the steady glow of Mars and Venus can captivate me for hours. I love to look for shooting stars and play the "did you see it?" game with The Boy. And of course, if you're watching the night sky from a deserted beach or quiet island, all the better. (photo via theerrantaesthete.com)

Butterflies. (photo via mo.gov)
The luxury of sleeping in on a weekend (or even better a weekday) with the window open, listening to the rain as I drift in and out in that place between asleep and awake. On these very rare mornings I actually feel relaxed... (photo source forgotten - sorry!)
Minor League Baseball. I haven't been to a game yet this year and I'm craving it! (photo via flickr)
A spring, summer, or autumn evening on the patio or deck with My Boy, my two pups, and a few beers. We talk politics and brainstorm about project ideas and we talk of dreams for the future (both completely unattainable and those possibly within reach), while we stare out at the garden and the birds. Our yard draws quite an array of birds, even a few species that are not commonly seen in my area anymore. I just love watching the Bluebird pair and the Oriole pair that have returned this year. They like to hang out in the woods behind my house.
I tag:

Hello Victory
KB Design Stage Inspiration
Atomic Tea Party
mondmelodie
drollgirl
pretty. little. world.
Sara Says Awesome

Really, I tag ALL of my readers because I'd love to see what little things make you happy!

I've been tagged!

I have been tagged twice in the past week, by my pals Biba at inspiration bubble (whose blog is total eye candy for modern design lovers) and Blythe Hopes Vintage (beloved vintage fashion diva). Thanks Ladies! I don't usually talk about myself much on my blog. Although, there was that Valentine’s Day post but I’m blaming the wine for that one!

Rules: Write 6 random things about myself, link to the person(s) who tagged you, post the rules. Tag six people and link to them. Let them know they have been tagged. Ok, here goes:

1. I renovate houses. Working with my hands is in my blood. My grandfather built beautiful mid-century furniture (I’m lucky enough to have several of his pieces) and my father is also an amazing carpenter.
2. I get squirrelly if I don’t see water for a few days. My father built sailboats while I was growing up, so I spent a lot of time on or near the water. I could never live in a landlocked city. There must be a big river, lake, or ocean that I can drive to within 15 minutes. Water is life - I find it very soothing
3. I have two dogs: Molly and Dodge. They are both mutts, and were rescue dogs. I adopted both of them 3 years ago. Molly’s nickname is “Velcro-Doggie” because although her favorite thing to do is run through the woods when we hike, 97% of the time she really just wants to lay right at our feet and gaze at us in a kind of stalker-ish way (see pic above). Dodge still acts like a puppy, and though not the brightest in the bunch, he is the sweetest and most loyal boy ever. He's also a handsome devil and gets a lot of attention for it.
4. I speak of “us” because I’m getting married this summer to a guy I’ve been dating for many years. We run our renovation business together. He’s ruggedly good looking, he always thinks he’s right about everything just like I do, and he’s good for me in so many ways. He's a very private person and won't let me post a pic. Sorry ladies, I can't share the eye candy.
5. I want to live in a tiny town in northern or central Florida. I’m torn between the mountains that I love so much and the charming laid back lifestyle of small-town Florida. The hundred year old tin-roofed “cracker” houses nestled amongst Spanish-moss draped live oaks and palmettos have my heart. There is water everywhere: hundreds of natural springs, rivers, the Gulf of Mexico AND the Atlantic Ocean. I’m feeling serene jut thinking about it (refer back to #2).

6. Please don't shun me now, but I like sci-fi. Ok, but in my defense, only really well-written high budget sci-fi such as Battlestar Galactica, Lost, and the movie Event Horizon. Although, I still have to love some old school Star Trek. Who doesn't like cheesy Shatner, hot green women, and tribbles?

Ok, your turn! Tag, you’re it!:

yummychummy

Blog Goggles

Jolly Polly Pickins

Sara Says Awesome

Books by Rachel

Bitching in the Kitchen