Gulf Shores

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Tom and I were recently visiting my family in Alabama and snuck away to the Gulf of Mexico for one night.  When I tell people here in Lancaster that we went to the beach in Alabama, the response is usually, "there's a beach in Alabama?"  Yes!  Quite a lovely beach if I may say so myself.   I grew up going to the Gulf every summer but since moving away, I hadn't been in, oh... ten years?  I can't believe it had been that long.  As soon as my feet hit the white sandy beach I felt right at home.  The water was warm, the skies were clear.  We waded out to the sandbar and walked down the beach collecting seashells.  There was even a rainbow when we woke up in the morning!

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A Piece Apart

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I love the simplicity of both the photos and the pieces featured in the new fall A Piece Apart lookbook.  The collection is made up of really classic basics that could easily be mixed into many wardrobes.  I would love the get my hands on a pair of the Matchstick Trousers and one of those flat brimmed hats. 

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Pennyweight x Madewell

Pennyweight x Madewell from Pennyweight on Vimeo.

Don't you love it when two of your favorite things come together?  Pennyweight is one of the few Instagrams that I follow.  I love her laid back style.  And of course, we all know how I feel about Madewell.  So seeing the two together is twice as nice, no?

Pendleton Portland Fall 2013

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The Pendleton Portland Collection this season feels like the quintessential autumn collection.  The colors, patterns, fabrics and styles all scream instant classic.  The perfect pea coat is, to me, the holy grail of winter coats.  All the ones I've found so far have been not-quite-right but this grey one looks to be pretty flawless. 

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Diana Mini

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Some time last year I was given the gift of a mini Diana camera from the Lomography collection.  For one reason or another, I kept putting off trying it out.  With our upcoming trip I knew I wanted to shoot some film as well as digital so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try it out.  But first I wanted to shoot a practice roll to make sure I knew the ins and outs of working the camera.  Last week we walked around town and snapped away to finish an entire roll.  In the end I got a few good shots, some not so good and learned a little bit about what to do and what not to do.  Here are a few of the results, double exposures, chopped off heads and all. 

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Etsy Update: Summer Finds

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I've just updated the Etsy shop with more summery finds: pretty printed dresses, cool summer rompers, super soft cotton shirts, and an amazing pair of printed denim cut-offs!  All available now!

Chickies Rock

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A while back I purchased a refurbished digital SLR (a Canon EOS Rebel XS) with the intention of learning to use it to improve the quality of photos I take.  The first few times I used it I just felt frustrated and it went into a drawer to be ignored for months on end.  With our upcoming trip, I knew I wanted to try one more time to master the darn thing.  So, the other day, Tom and I took advantage of the unseasonably nice weather (seriously, it feels like fall in August here) and took a hike out to Chickies Rock so I could practice taking photos. 

Chickies Rock is part of the Lancaster County park system and it's so close to us and such an easy walk I can't believe we've never done it before.  A short walk through the woods pays off with a beautiful view overlooking the Susquehanna River.  I snapped about a hundred photos in half an hour until I finally figured out all the buttons and gizmos.  Now that I have that figured out, I'm getting really excited about our trip!  On the way back to the car, we passed a spot where we joked we once would have stopped to take blog photos.  So... here's me in my rolled out of bed outfit, no make up and unbrushed hair! In other words, what I usually look like. 

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Ace & Jig Fall 2013

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Previously I posted a video of Sharon Van Etten modeling the Ace & Jig fall 2013 collection.  Being a big fan of both, I enjoyed the video, but I couldn't really see the clothes.  Ace & Jig is quickly becoming my everyday uniform:  soft, comfortable, ethically produced... who could ask for more?  I'm eying a few pieces that I'd like to add to my closet. Specifically one of those maxi dresses.

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