• books,  debut author,  giveaway,  publishing,  writing

    A Glamorous Vintage Giveaway

    The launch day for VINTAGE is almost here! On Tuesday, March 25, it will hit bookstore shelves and  e-reader screens everywhere. ***Pops champagne and sprays it all over everyone*** To celebrate the launch of VINTAGE, I’m running a Glamorous Vintage Giveaway this week for anyone who purchases the book. If you pre-ordered it months ago, it still counts, assuming you still have your receipt or other proof of purchase. The prize is a package including the following goodies, as pictured blow: A vintage Louis Vuitton “Looping” handbag. This is a mint condition item from my personal collection, shown in the picture at right. Classic brown leather with iconic monogram. Suede interior. Includes the…

  • 80s,  budget-friendly,  fashion,  green living,  style,  vintage

    Vintage Obsession: 80s Power Pumps

    My latest obsession is 80s pumps. I just love the shape of them, from the pointy (but not too pointy) toe, the fat-to-skinny heel, and the ladylike curve of the side of the shoe. They’ve got a sassy, fun feel to them. Here are a few favorites I’ve found recently. [topcollage] Clockwise from top left: 80s heels from Etsy sellers SkinnyandBernie, TigerlillyFrocks, CleverlyCurated, StarletsVintage, OldSchoolSwank.  

  • budget-friendly,  design,  family,  green living,  vintage

    Baby, You Look Fabulous

    Those who follow this blog know that I am expecting a baby boy any day now. I don’t write much about kid or baby stuff because (1) I have no idea what I’m talking about and (2) I’m sure my life will be consumed soon enough with thrilling topics like nursing bras and cloth diaper covers, so why blog about it? Given that I’m just four days from my due date, though, I thought I’d allow myself a baby-themed post this week. I have to admit that when I found out we were having a boy, I had to give myself a day or so to get used to the idea.…

  • fashion,  holiday,  vintage

    Baby It’s Cold Outside

    I live in Wisconsin, where below zero temperatures for days in a row are not uncommon. Many midwesterners suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). I have discovered that SAD has an ugly cousin, FAD. FAD stands for Fashion Apathy Disorder. It’s a disease that strikes downtrodden souls during the winter months, encouraging them to just give up on the notion of looking good because no one will see what you’re wearing under that down parka and ski mask anyway. FAD can strike anyone at any time, and is most prevalent during the dark days of January and February. There is no need to be alarmed, though. There are ways to…

  • blogging,  design,  fashion,  vintage,  writing

    Vintage Vixen

    I have not been posting as frequently in the last couple of weeks because I’ve been working like a crazed woman on my second novel, Gently Used. The novel tells the story of a fictional vintage clothing store, the women who work and shop there, and the garments that come through the door. It is loads of fun to write, and whenever I get blocked, I do research on vintage fashion, which has led me to some fun discoveries online. A recent search for 1950’s ball gowns led me to the Etsy store of Timeless Vixen, a vintage shop based out of Beverly Hills. The shop carries an impressive range…

  • blogging,  design,  fashion,  nerdiness

    Geek Culture (and Couture)

    If any of you happened to stumble upon my blog yesterday, you may have been greeted, not with pictures and posts as usual, but by hostile gibberish that looked like this: Parent directory wp-content wp-admin wp-includes No, that was not supposed to be an experimental concrete poem. In a fit of what can only be described as temporary insanity caused by too much time online, I decided that would try to move my blog to a new web address. By myself. I can’t explain why I decided to do this without the assistance of a professional. I can only say that I was motivated by a surge of geeky empowerment…