Wrapped in Merino

It's time for another fun campaign from the Woolmark Company. I'm honored to have been asked to be a part of it and it excited to share it with you! Click here to watch the promo video. You might see a familiar face ;)

 For this campaign, their goal is to wrap the entire World in a scarf! Visit the Wrapped in Merino website to wrap yourself in a scarf, and you will have a chance to win a Merino prize pack as well as a Net-a-Porter voucher!

If you live in the northern hemisphere, it might seem a little silly to be wrapping everyone in a scarf right now, but Woolmark is from Australia, and if you paid attention in school, you'll remember that their seasons are opposite ours. It's pretty chilly down there right now! One thing they didn't teach us in school, though, is that wool is great for all seasons! It's just as good at moisture-wicking as any of those fancy yoga pants, which makes it great for activewear. On top of that, wool is anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial, which means it stays fresh much longer than most other fabrics. To learn more, visit the Woolmark website, which has a special section on the many features and uses of wool.

current color obsession: neons & neutrals

neons + neutrals by fleur-d-elise featuring short mini skirts

UPDATE: This Polyvore set has been featured on the Polyvore Blog!!

things to come

“I'm a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it” 

― Thomas Jefferson

It's been one of those weeks where I've been alternating between bored and excited. My husband was out of town all week, so the evenings were slow and my dog just doesn't get the jokes on 30 Rock.

On the other hand, I've started nannying for a new family. The little girl is about 18 months, so the action is pretty much non-stop when I'm with her! I've also been working on two exciting projects. One is with a local boutique and the other is international (!). I can't say too much about the projects right now, but you won't have to wait too long. They'll each get a separate post sometime this coming week! What I can say, though, is that I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of both; the local one especially. I got to work with some really lovely people and hope to work with them again in the future.

I hope your weekend is filled with the same kind of lovely weather that we're having here in Seattle :)

In Photos: Wedding Anniversary

Today, I am celebrating my one year wedding anniversary with my one-and-only Trevor.

A year has gone by so quickly! In fact, it went so quickly that I never even had time to share pictures from my wedding reception!

Let me do a quick recap, otherwise you might be confused. We were officially and legally married on May 19th, 2011. I posted pictures from that, like the one below.

However, I did not post any from our reception, which was held in August. 

So I'm gonna stereotype here: I'm guessing most of my readers are female. I'm also going to guess that a large portion of you are like me and really love wedding stuff (even though I'm married, I still want a subscription to Martha Stewart Weddings), so I'm sure you won't mind a long, rambling post about a wedding reception!

Our nuptials were very casual, so we decided to keep the reception pretty laid-back. I borrowed a (beautiful!) dress, we rented a community building at a city park, and dinner was potluck-style. We provided drinks and desert and my amazing father-in-law served pulled pork.

{the invitations}

I think the fanciest part was the invites, which I designed with help from my lovely step-mom.

{the dress}

 It belonged to my husband's grandmother. Miraculously, all of her clothes fit me perfectly. She was quite a stylish lady back in the day (now she's too old to care).

That's my dear, sweet cousin Molly.

{the centerpieces}

My aunts are geniuses. On their advice (and good experience) I went to Pike Place Market a couple days before the reception and ordered 10 bouquets from one of the many flower vendors. I told them what colors I wanted and for $50 they made me the most beautiful arrangements! I put them in vases and jars I bought at  various thrift stores. The candle holders are also thrifted. Some are actual candle holders, and some are neat antique jam jars. They were fun to shop for; it was like a treasure hunt.

{the favors}

We had a candy table, which turned out to be a bad idea, because NO ONE ate the candy. I had about 10 pounds of candy in my trunk for months. The envelopes with champagne drops and buttermints worked out pretty well, though (idea from Martha Stewart Weddings)

{the cake}

OK, this part was pretty fancy, too, and, like the candy, I ate it for months. It was classic yellow cake, with apricot and almond filling and a buttercream frosting. My mom and sisters spent days slaving away on this cake. I'm pretty sure they didn't realize what an ordeal it would be when they offered to make it. We were just gonna get a Costco cake or something, haha. Needless to say, my family is amazing. My sister made each and every one of those marzipan fruits. (I can't remember where the recipe is from, but can find out if anyone is interested)

{the wedding party}

They weren't officially our wedding party (just some friends, sisters and a niece), but it wouldn't have been possible without our wonderful friends and family. Seriously, that's the main reason I had the reception, so I could hang out with ALL of my favorite people all in one room! I feel like I should write Thank You notes again.

A big thank you to Laurel, Tara, and Alana for taking pictures!!

Look of the Day: layered lemon-lime and stripes

It's been just lovely here. This is my favorite time of year: bright and sunny and not too hot. The rununculus are cheap and plentiful, and I can start wearing fewer layers.

H&M mini dress (similar) - Vintage Bill Blass button-down (similar) - Forever21 bracelets (similar) - Asos bag - Vintage Nine West shoes - Felicee leopard print belt - Kate Spade iPad case

DIY: Little world

I love plants, especially little ones that fit in terrariums. 

Here is a terrarium I've had for a couple years now.  

One of the funnest things about terrariums are the little surprises you get. Ferns, for instance, are very particular about the conditions they germinate in, but if your terrarium is damp enough, you might get lucky and find a little "Irish valentine" (aka a heart-shaped fern gametophyte). The fern in the terrarium pictured above was a volunteer. It's a happy little fern. I collect moss from outside to cover the soil (this keeps moisture in) and that's like getting a grab bag of little plants. I usually pull out the grass, but I've grown some adorable little shamrocks this way.

Here's an easy step-by-step on how to assemble your own little world.

What you'll need:

1. A deep glass container or fish bowl (make sure it's clean)

2. Potting soil

3. Clean gravel or decorative glass bits (buy here)

4. One or two tiny plants

5. A shovel or spoon

6. moss and decorative rocks or figurines

Step 1. Carefully pour close to an inch of gravel into the glass jar or bowl.

Step 2. Add 1 to 2 inches of potting soil and position your plant(s).

Step 3. Add more dirt to cover the roots of the plant, then water.

Step 4. Arrange moss and any decorative knick-knacks.

 Don't forget to water as needed (this depends on the types of plants you have). You might also want to keep a spray bottle handy, if you have ferns, since they prefer high humidity.

Look of the Day: little old lady

My hair has kind of gone over the platinum edge and is now is blue-gray country. I quite like it. I was feeling cheap, so decided to dye it myself, instead of going back to my stylist. She told me "I hope it doesn't turn orange!" She was WRONG. It's blue. Shows what she knows!

I am now, head to toe, the same color as my apartment building. Hurrah. I should use my property manager powers to have them paint the building a cool new color. I have grown weary of this one. It probably won't happen, though.

 Vintage Liz Claiborne bag - Cooperative canvas wedges - J.Crew jersey cardigan - Forever21 lace tank top - Vintage belt - H&M sunglasses (similar) - vintage polka dot skirt (similar) - vintage and handmade necklaces

Look of the Day: namesake

Dear Suede Jacket,

Poor neglected little jacket. I'm sorry I forgot to style you. You see, I just wasn't sure you worked with "my style". I was wrong, and I'm woman enough to admit it.

 Thanks for bringing so much boho-vintage chicness to my basic jersey maxi dress. It was in dire need of some bad-assery! (note: I just made that word up). Thanks for making me feel a tiny bit like Kate Lanphear.

Sincerely, Catie

 P.S. I got this super cool, GIANT vintage leather bag at Kaleidoscope Vision on Capitol Hill when I was hanging out with all those cool ladies from the Seattle Style Bloggers meet up. 

H&M Maxi Dress (similar) - Felicee leopard print belt - Vintage suede jacket (similar) - Vintage Liz Claiborne bag - Urban Outfitters sunglasses - DIY infinity scarf - Bracelets are vintage & Forever21