Celebration

Dress: Spense;

Sash: Old Navy, from this dress;

Bag: vintage, thrifted;

Shoes: Tayla platforms, Target;

Earrings: gift, from Costa Rica.

How I've worn the dress before: here.

If there's ever a day to play hooky from work, it's for an anniversary. I celebrated with Jeremiah by going to Chili's for an all-you-can-eat salad/soup lunch, buying seasons one and two of "Dead Like Me," and stocking up on snacks for our impending tv marathon. It was a quiet celebration, and a perfect day.

I love finding more places to take pictures at this farm. We went inside the barn and peered inside the stalls. No animals, but tons of really old farm equipment. There's also a secret stairway inside one of the stalls that leads up to the barn's attic. Maybe one day we'll find a way to look up there. I like how the photo of the purse on the wheel turned out. Isn't the "American Gothic" cutout too perfect for a Depression-era farm park?

Hope you lovelies have a great start to your week!

One year ago

One year ago today, I got up early and put on some jeans and a tank top. 
I went to the hair parlor and got my hair updone. I watched as my sister's hair was curled too. (My stylist was so cool I've since gone back to that place to get my haircut.)
I bought a Coke at the dollar store and chugged it as I flew down the road to the church.
I walked into the back room and saw several of my girlfriends in a state of flurry: fixing hair, putting on makeup, eating.

I hugged everyone, and got to work on my own makeup. I used a coterie of MAC, Nars and Clinique products on my face. They lasted all day.
I wore a flower wreath in my hair. Many people asked me if there was a significance as to why I didn't wear a veil. I liked the scene from "Little Women" where they all wore flower wreaths at Meg's wedding. The March sisters influenced me in many ways.

I put on my dress that I bought at David's Bridal. I wasn't a bride girl. I was way too casual for that. This dress worked. I liked the beading on the back.

I drank lots of champagne. Maybe way too much. I ate some crackers to fill my stomach. It didn't work. I sounded giddy in response to everything.

I took pictures with my sister and bestest girlfriends in the world.

They wore the dresses I let them pick out on their own, based on my favorite colors. It was my first time seeing them altogether. Some of them already had them in their closets. I wanted them to wear what they already loved on themselves.

I took lots of pictures.

 

I pondered my flowers.

And then I waited. 

As other activities happened.

My cue was one particular part of "Clair de Lune." It was also his cue to walk up the aisle to me.

If my father were still alive, he would have probably walked me down the aisle. Instead, I walked with Jeremiah. It worked this way. It symbolized how we wanted our marriage to be -- on equal footing.

I got married.

There was lots of picture-taking. 

And dancing.

And cake. 

In reality, we had way more people show up than the number on the original guest list. Luckily, we had extra food so it didn't matter. It also didn't matter because we felt honored that so many people wanted to see us that day. People from Boy Scouts, and church, and from out of state. It was a giant reunion.

And then, after all of it was done...

We laughed at the newness of calling each other "husband" and "wife," and drove off to the airport for our honeymoon.

Hemispheres

Dress: Spenser Jeremy, thrifted;

Shoes: Tayla platforms, Target;

Necklace: thrifted.

This dress typifies every internal monologue I seem to have with myself when I go thrift shopping. Here's what my brain discussed when I saw this dress:

JoAnn's Left Side of the Brain: You don't need another dress. Get out of this section now. Run.

JoAnn's Right Side of the Brain: Oooh, green! I love this color. And it's Grecian-inspired. Isn't the little side-tie just darling? Just darling! And it fits well. Think of all the possible outfits!

Left Side: Be reasonable. Green, aqua, turquoise already have taken their place in the closet. You know this. We had a Dress Project after all, in which we discussed the merits and pitfalls of every single frock. Come on, don't make me get the frontal lobe involved here.

Right Side: But it's 100% silk. You can feel that it's a good thing. Natural fabrics. Sofffft.

Left Side: But you could use that money in a practical way. Save for graduate school. Open a Roth IRA.Whatever you want. Let's discuss.

Right Side: It's only $2.

Left Side: You're speaking my language. I give up.

Welcome to the club, new dress.

Treasured: Hawaii bracelet

This installment of "Treasured" comes at a special time --- this Sunday will mark my one-year wedding anniversary with Jeremiah. To celebrate, I decided to share one of my all-time favorite pieces: my bangle that I purchased while we were on our honeymoon in Honolulu, HI.

On the fourth day we were there, we did some shopping at Aloha Stadium, which is a giant open marketplace around the island's stadium. Lots of clothing, jewelry, food and trinket vendors were there, and we were trying to find items to take back home to our family. I was also looking for something for myself -- I always like to get an item to wear so that I can always be reminded of the great times I had while on vacation.

Monetarily, this bracelet is insignificant -- I paid $4 for it, and looking back I should have bought more. I loved the design and the colors, and that at the time, it matched a lot of items already in my closet. It already seemed so cheerful slipped on my arm while we drove back to Waikiki. [See all the ways I've worn it here].

Personally, the bracelet has meant a lot more. I wear it when I feel happy or when I need cheering up. We haven't been on a major vacation since then, so the memories of Hawaii have had to sustain us during this year. When I look at it, it reminds me of everything from that honeymoon trip, especially the many good things --- playing in the ocean, climbing Diamond Head, going to the Polynesian Cultural Center.

But more than that vacation, the bracelet reminds me of our marriage. Every time I've worn it, I'm reminded of how life has been since we've been together, and though this year hasn't been completely perfect, the bangle seems to symbolize the promise that life can be wonderful.

Where the ancient roam

Dress: Liz Roberts, thrifted;
Belt: Ann Taylor Loft;
Shoes: Tayla platforms, Target;
Shell necklaces: Aloha Stadium;
Charm necklace: Forever 21.
How I've worn the dress before: here.

I loved doing this shoot at the farm park, but to be honest, the photos seem a little creepy to me. The building in the photos is the old tenant house on the farm property, and it's been there for almost 100 years. I feel shivery every time I walk by it. Knowing that the previous owners are long dead and gone, but that their belongings are still there and preserved -- chairs and beds and blankets and the outhouse --- well, it's spooky and I feel like I'm intruding. I wonder how the farmers would have felt knowing a girl prances about in their old fields and takes pictures of herself. They'd probably laugh and throw cow pies at her if they were still alive.

Sorry I've been MIA the last couple of days. Work has been really busy and I'm still adjusting to my new sleep schedule.