What I Wore while feeling New Years Eve-y

sweater dress: thrifted / skirt: thrifted / belt: from a thrifted shirt / necklace: gift (Chicos) / shoes: thrifted

I didn't do laundry last night. You can tell by the fancy-pants skirt I'm wearing. When I start wearing glittery stuff you know it's because I literally have nothing else to wear. Not that glittery stuff isn't pretty, but I generally keep those pieces for special occasions and usually feel quite uncomfortable in them when I wear them on a normal day. For some reason today though I don't think I'll have that hang up. I'm really digging this outfit.

The black turtleneck is a dress, really, but it's kinda short...the kinda short that requires leggings. My leggings are currently all in the laundry pile. I'd been looking at how other bloggers wear dresses and one of the things that I like is how many gals out there will wear a dress over a dress. Smart. After donning this sweater dress, I looked back in my closet and spotted this skirt. I thrifted this little lady during the summer, but it's fully lined and moderately heavy, so it didn't work well for a muggy Chicago summer day. With New Year approaching I figured it wouldn't seem quite so out of place at work today, so I threw it on and asked G what he thought.

"That's really cute!" was indeed the correct response.

An outfit was born.

This goof was born many years ago, however.

Gluten Free French Bread - Adventures in Baking

This looks a bit...liquidy. Hmmmmm.

Risen? heh. Not so much.

FLATBREAD!!!

Gluten free french bread. That's right, kids, today's lesson will be all about how to mostly follow instructions and thus miff on your gluten free french bread. First, make sure you have a bottle of wine handy...this will come in to play after you've mixed your wet ingredients and before you "proof" it by not putting it into the oven like you were told. It's important that you have a few glasses in you by this point so you can miss that part of the instructions.

Once that's happened, it doesn't matter what you do, your gluten free french bread will not rise. Since it does not rise, but still tastes like french bread should, you will be left with gluten free flat bread. I recommend drizzling it with olive oil and parmesan cheese and accompanying it with oil cured black olives. Sound good to you? Tasted pretty durn good to me too.

See? Simple. And yes, that is how it went. The french bread that was intended to be part of our new traditional fancy-pants homemade Christmas Eve dinner was instead Christmas Eve flatbread and that was just fine by us. :)

Recipe from: Celiac.com a great web site for those going gluten free.

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins: Adventures in Baking

Every year for Christmas the entire clan gets together at Grandma's for feasting and white elephant gift giving fun. By entire clan I mean almost all the aunts and uncles, nearly all of the cousins, all of the second cousins (and nephews) and all of the third cousins (seconds cousins once removed? I don't know, my second cousins' children.) There's anywhere from 30-40 people in the rec room at Grandma's apartment complex and we get very loud. It's a lot of fun. It's high energy and exhausting, but it's a lot of fun.

The only part of this I don't look forward to so much is the food. It's not that the food is bad. It's excellent - it's every hot dish/casserole/jello salad ever introduced to Northern Indiana in one location. Lots of cheese. Some broccoli in cheese. Some rice in cheese. All of it as tasty as family can make it...and my family can make it tasty I assure you. The reason I don't look forward to it is because G and I are the lone vegetarians and G's allergies really limit even the vegetarian things he can eat. The fam does their best to accommodate, but they shouldn't have to. G and I try to bring something he can eat so he's not starving and we supplement with cake. Cake is good for you, right?

Anyhow, these blueberry muffins were the offering we brought this year. Gluten free, though you'd never know it, and no butter (we used a vegan butter-like spread instead). It has eggs in it, because, as mentioned, until I get a spice grinder we won't be making egg alternatives, but the recipe's otherwise vegan as well. Score!

These are some seriously good blueberry muffins. Soooooo tasty and they hold together like regular muffins would, though you do have to be more careful getting them out of the muffin tin (that stuff all over the top of the tin is sugar...sweet sweet sugar). Overall a success and a recipe I will certainly use again. I think I mentioned it in a previous post, but this recipe is unaltered from Gluten Free Girl, one of my new favorite Gluten-Free recipe blogs.

What I Wore 12/27 - Back to work

blouse - $8 thrifted
tank - $5 Target (many moons ago)
jacket - gift
skirt - swapped
tights - $5 (or so) Hue via Marshall's
boots - $85 (or so) Bare Traps (Bear Traps? it's a good brand. I like 'em)
earrings (not shown) - gift from Grandma's collection

I need to do laundry. I need to do laundry in a bad way. When I was in college the impetus for this statement would have something to do with a stunning lack of clean underwear or pants, as the Brits like to call them. I AM that person who went on a Walmart run to buy new underwear rather than take the 2+ hours and $5 it would have cost me to launder my existing unmentionables in the dorm laundry room. It took less time and it was probably cheaper...though I don't honestly remember how much it cost at the time. Those days are now behind me. I have enough underwear to last me a month at least. There's that excuse out the window. Onto the new, more adult, excuse: I have no clean shirts to wear. I do Not have 30+ shirts that I like wearing.

And so, yesterday's outfit was based on the white ruffled blouse...one of only 3 or 4 shirts I feel good in that was also clean. While the overall effect of the outfit is cute, I am actually quite proud of the maroon top/white blouse combo. Why should I be pleased with something so regular? so ordinary? Well, I'll tell you (would it be horrible if I just decided not to tell you? To just leave you hanging like that? No? Oh. Well.) it's because I have never used a tank top as sweater vest before and I found that I rather liked it. Now, the tank is old enough as to be a bit too blousy, but it was inspired (for me) and has opened a whole new batch of possibilities with regard to my extensive tank top collection. Sing it with me, "A Whole Neeeew Woooooooooorllllld" I am on a magic carpet, kids. A magic carpet OF TANK TOPS!

So it started with the blouse and progressed to the tank top/blouse combo. When the time came to put something on my legs, I thought I'd like to wear a skirt. Now, this skirt is really white and black, but it's really hard to tell...and it feels rather more like it should be white and brown...so I treat it as a brown most often. This skirt meant brown tights were needed and my winter boots would keep my feet toasty all day long...besides my work bag was full already and I couldn't bring along other shoes. At least that's what I tell myself.

The blouse is as sheer as sheer gets while still a cotton. I knew, winter coat or not, that I would freeze if I didn't have something more substantial on my arms. Thus, brown velvet jacket. I heart this jacket so much. Vintage, warm and soft. Yum.

Welcome back. Hope everyone had excellent holidays.

Back to Work - Teaser

Bonjour!
So this is a teaser since I'm not near my camera or anything else needed to make this blog post anything more than text. Tonight I will be posting:

- pictures of the glorious blueberry muffins G and I took to Grandma's Christmas Brunch
- an outfit post from today (What?! I know, contain your excitement
- possibly also pictures from the holiday party set up and maybe Christmas morning. Depends on what actually came out well on the ole camera.

Hardly fair of me, is it, to entice you this way. Come back after 7p CST for all the goodness.

What I Wore - Purple & Greys 12/23

Jacket: Casual Corner from 2000...that's right, kids, this was my move-to-the-big-city purchase 11 years ago ($50?)
Tank: Hanes Men's from Target ($2)
Skirt: Old Navy ($15)
Tights: Hue via Marshall's ($6)
Boots: Bare Traps via DSW ($85?)
Earrings: unknown brand via swap
Belt: Target Gift Card purchase

Again, I did not have time to get a picture of my outfit actually ON me this morning, so you'll be getting the next best thing...sort of...with this scrapbook look at the elements of my outfit today.

For once I'm wearing mostly clothing bought at full price from retail stores. I'm not going back on my serial thrift lifestyle or anything, but I should point out that even though these pieces were all bought retail, they have all also lasted me multiple seasons, so the cost per wear at this point is minimal. Also, I bought most of these items before I discovered the joy of thrifting, so go a little easy on me, here, K?

This outfit was put together this morning starting from the skirt and jacket. It was a bit of a chicken before egg scenario. I'd been thinking about the jacket off and on thinking I should wear it again sometime and while I knew I wanted to wear a skirt today, I hadn't thought very far through the process to pin-point Which skirt I wanted to use.

*Standing at closet door, staring at skirts.
"Hmmmmmmmmmmmm"
*Stall by playing with Williams who would rather be left alone.
*Look back at closet.
"Hmmmmmmmmm. Haven't worn This skirt in a little while. Why not today?"
*Grabs skirt
"Oh hey, there's that jacket I've been thinking of. I bet I could wear these two together."
*Grabs jacket
"But with What? Hmmmmmm. Well, if I wear the skirt as a dress and put a tank underneath, that should work OK."
*Grabs tank
"Crud. Skirt needs a belt."
*glance at belts
"Black!"
*grabs only black belt noting with annoyance the chewed off end *mumbling about omnivorous kitties
"Needs a slip for warmth *yoink and tightssssssssbut in what color....the outfit's a bit grey, so boost with color is good..."
*looks through minimalistish tights collection, "black, black, black, brown, black, nude, maroon...I think we have a winner!"
"HONEY?"
"Yeah?"
"What's the weather today?"
"Cold."
"Boots, then."

And that's how that went.

What I Wore - 12/22 Plaid and woven brown

Plaid shirt - F21, $5, via Crossroads Trading Company
Black Jeans - brand unknown, $12, via Crossroads Trading Company
Necklace - brand unknown, $3, via Crossroads Trading Company
Undershirt (not shown) - Hanes men's tank, $2, Target
Belt - came with the shirt, yo
Shoes - So, $9, via Ebay

Hello Hello. Please contain your shock. Yes, people, two posts in one day. You see I can't always get a snap shot of my outfits. It's dark when I leave for work and it's dark when I get home. I work in a bad part of town so there's no way I'm traipsing around taking snapshots of myself during lunch. Plus I like eating, and lunch time is for eating...or going on imgur. Or both.

Anyhow, above is my outfit for today as best as I could find on the good ole interwebs. I wanted comfortable pants, so the stretch skinnies came on. Soon as those were decided I hunted for a shirt. My hips being my least favorite part of my body at present I like to downplay them a bit by wearing longer shirts (especially when I have skinnies on).

"Let's seeeee here....what is clean that would be longish...,"*rifles through shirts...*explains predicament to surprisingly unperturbed kitty...*stares at closet...,"Plaid'll do." And so it was that the plaid shirt was chosen.

Shapeless plaid shirt, that is. Hmmmm. Belt. Needs a belt. Skinny belt. harumph. All I have is a shiny black belt a cat tried to eat and my woven brown belt. Woven brown belt wins!

"Well, hell. Now I have black pants and a brown belt on. I should add more brown so it doesn't look like I got dressed in the dark," *casts eyes onto shoe collection, "Brown woven flats, FTW!"

"Now. Hm. Finishing touches...necklace? eh. Why not. Wood bead necklace!!!"

*steps on edge of bathtub to get a view of lower 2/3 of body in bathroom mirror. "Cool. Not terrible." Done and done.

And yes, this is kinda exactly how I plot my outfits on a daily basis. Drives my husband nuts.

Blueberry Muffins and my Jerk Phone

I win. Not to sound too proud, but I totally win.

G has been seeing this nutritionist, see, because he was talking to his GP about his food allergies and after explaining everything he was allergic to (apples, bananas, all nuts, avocado...the list goes on and on) and describing the reactions he has to them (mostly very upset stomach) his doc suggested that it might be gut related rather than a real allergy. G started seeing a nutritionist to get to the bottom of it all. The nutritionist, to get his stomach back to a healthy level, she had G cut out all kinds of things. We basically became gluten free vegans. At first it was something we Had to do to follow his doc's orders. But now, after blood tests revealed he's only actually allergic to egg and cow products, we've been enjoying how we've felt on this modified diet. I think it may stick for life. That's cool. But not why I win.

I win because of the blueberry freakin muffins I made (gluten free) yesterday that would satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. These things are seriously serious. They're good. I found the recipe via the Gluten Free Girl and didn't modify anything this time. Next time (and after I get myself a spice grinder) I'll be able to replace the eggs. The yogurt doesn't seem to bother G, so that may stay and these may never been fully vegan because of that, but I'm OK with that for now. I still win.

And once my phone decides to send the pictures I took of the glorious muffs to my email like I kindly asked it to 30 minutes ago I'll even be able to show them off to you.

Also made yesterday, was a test batch of tofu scramble. Again with the yum! Perfection on a plate. This time the recipe was grabbed from this site which I also found just yesterday. Yesterday was a good day, it would seem. Again, a picture will be forthcoming as soon as my phone stops being a jerk.

Red and Pink

Black Sheath Dress - Express from loooooong ago ($?)
Pink Cardie - unknown brand from Crossroads Trading Co. ($8)
Belt - Target ($10)
Tights - Hue via Marshall's ($6)
Shoes (not pictured) - Clarks from 2008 ($75)

I'm sort of glad I remembered to take pictures of this outfit, because now (almost a month after I wore it) I didn't recall putting this combo together. And I like it! Red and Pink have been fall/winter colors along with orange and black this year and while I don't set out to trend along with anything, I do like how this turned out. I've also lost some weight recently and the dress I have on is one I bought early on in college and hasn't fit for a number of years. I'm pelased as punch to say that now it's even a little big. Just a little. I love the dress, so it'll be seeing quite a bit more wear.

The cardigan is a purchase I made after the most recent ladies clothing swap and the red belt is a Target purchase from years ago when wide belts first really came back in. It too is getting too big to really wear, but I'll keep on putting it to use until it starts to look slovenly. I just bought my first few pairs of Hue tights and I totally agree with every other blogger out there that these things are awesometastic. I kid you not. My CATS can't even snag these puppies. Winners.

The shoes, which are not pictured, are my old trusty Clark's. I haven't taken very good care of them, but they still take incredible care of me 3 years after the purchase. I can wear my own arch support in them and they are incredibly comfortable. They deserve a good polish and shine. Maybe in 2012.