Mint condition

Outfit Details:
Dress: purchased from Kate
Necklace: Forever 21 (similar here)
Heels: estate sale store

I always seem to luck out when Kate sells items from her closet.  It sort of goes without saying that she and I have a similar aesthetic, and it's fortunate that she and I wear the same size in most of our clothes.  I managed to snag this beauty in her latest sale (along with a fantastic citrus print dress), and I couldn't wait to wear it.  I was beyond thrilled that both dresses fit well, and this dress wasn't nearly as see-through as I had feared (thank goodness!).  With its little cape-like bodice, this dress feels so special that there isn't much of a need for fancy accessories, so I paired it with a simple wishbone necklace from Forever 21, and the best vintage shoes ever (a $10 estate sale store find!).

This week was rough.  In addition to dealing with all the stress that comes along with tech week for any show, my grandma passed away on Friday morning (if you missed my post yesterday, you can take a look here).  My mom went to Florida on Wednesday (she's coming home this morning), and I'm glad she was able to make it there in time.  She and my grandma were quite close, just like my mom and I are.  My mom is essentially my best friend.  I've been thinking about mortality and aging a lot because of this, and frankly, it scares the hell out of me.  I am not exactly a realist, by nature, and I'm so sensitive to the thought of change that I can't bear to think about losing my own parents.  I don't want to lose anyone I love.  I know it's a part of life, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.  

It can be really difficult to put a positive spin on these types of situations.  I guess I have to close with the hope that you can live in the present, enjoy your life, and take nothing for granted.  Easier said than done, especially given this world in which we live.  But I do hope you have a beautiful day.

xox Sammi

Grandma

My grandma, Betty Schwittek

My grandma passed away yesterday morning.  I don't think it's fully hit me yet, though the sadness is palpable.  I wish I could do more for my mom.  She was down in Florida with my grandma, at least, but I feel sort of useless.  I wish I could have gone down with her.  I'm glad I was able to go down to Florida when I did, though it was really heart-wrenching, since my grandma was in a lot of pain and wasn't the Betty I always knew.  I know she would want to be remembered in a different way.

My grandparents on their wedding day -- February 9th, 1946

My grandma was always a social butterfly.  She married my grandpa (who passed away in 2011) when she was 17.  She loved music, and I think she would have pursued a career in it, had she been able.  She was part of the Sweet Adelines for many years, and I feel proud that my grandma, mom and I all had a shared affinity for -- and love of -- singing.  She went to see my mom sing in seedy, smoky clubs, and I feel fortunate she was able to see me in a few things, too.  I always loved to hear her hum a little snippet of something, and she had such a gift for storytelling.

Mom, Grandma and me -- my first trip to Florida

She always reminded me of Rose Nylund from The Golden Girls, though my grandma was very quick-witted (and not at all vapid).  She loved that show as much as my mom and I do, and given that she was a Minnesota girl with Swedish roots who spent the last part of her life in Florida, the similarities are pretty clear.  I have such fond memories of visiting her and my grandpa in Florida as a kid.  We would go shopping (my grandma loved clothes as much as my mom and I do), go out to dinner at our favorite Floridian restaurants... we would sometimes rent a boat and go out on the Gulf.  I miss the smell of the air down in Naples.  I can never describe what it is, but it's one of my favorite smells in the world.  I still have dreams about her and my grandpa's old house.  I miss swimming in their big pool and exploring all of the beautiful rooms.  She always decorated in shades of peach and teal.  

My grandma and grandpa's 50th wedding anniversary

In earlier days, she had acrylic hot pink nails with lips to match.  She was wonderfully funny, and had a great memory, even up to the end.  She liked to golf, loved cats and could quote any episode of Seinfeld you could imagine.  She loved my grandpa with all her heart.  I don't know what I believe, as far as heaven is concerned, but I really hope they're together again now.  I wish I had been able to spend more time with her, or go back in time to experience all our Christmases and Easters and vacations with her and my grandpa again.  That's greedy on my part.  They always made me feel so special, and all of my childhood memories that involve them are so happy.  I feel so lucky to have had her for a grandma.

I love you 100, Grandma.

Friday Favorites #43

Happy Friday, friends!  This week has been a long one, and I definitely need a weekend pick-me-up.  This week's picks are putting a smile on my face!  :)  First up are these two gorgeous, floral frocks.  I don't normally gravitate towards traditional florals, but these are anything but.  I love the delicate nature of the first one, and the rich, photographic poppy print on the second.

A // B

I also like these two printed dresses, both of which are a take on floral (or at least vegetative) prints.  I adore anything with sunflowers, and the second is a lemon print (which matches a lemon print swimsuit I have).  I'm a sucker for anything sunny or citrus-y!

one // two

A grapefruit print romper and a fruit bracelet!  So yummy!

1 // 2

I already have this red Coco Fennell dress with ant detailing, but I am very tempted to add this picnic-worthy piece to my wardrobe (despite the fact I hate bugs)!  I especially love the strawberry buttons!

Speaking of Coco Fennell, I love these two pieces from her new collection!

a // b

I'm not sure why I didn't know that Bettie Page (which is now called Tatyana, except the brand is still listed as Bettie Page almost everywhere it's carried) made shoes, but I'm glad I know now!  All four of these pairs are from Bettie Page, and I adore them all.  They come in more colors, too!

a // b // c // d

Kristina from Twee Valley High did a bumper bangs tutorial for xojane this week, and I'm dying to try it out!  I'm not sure how well it will work on me, since I have real bangs, but I definitely want to give it an attempt!

Loving this greaser print set from Lazy Oaf!

(top // skirt)

These little beach radios are darling!  They make me want to have a beach party.

The girl who made the "What languages sound like to foreigners" video also made this "1 girl, 14 genres" video.  She's pretty incredible, and it's obvious she has a great ear.  Dialects are something in which I sort of specialize, and this further cements the idea I have that the better ear you have for pitch and adapting to stylistic elements, the better ear you have for dialects.  It's probably all related to the ability to mimic.  I find this subject so interesting, and it's this kind of thing that pushes me to challenge myself.

These circus clothespins are the cutest!  I wish I had a use for them!

I sort of had to buy these knee socks.  I have no idea what I'm going to wear them with, but they have Flora, Fauna and Merryweather on them!  Hot Topic has the weirdest selection of Disney merchandise.

This pink dress is so pretty, and I love the girl silhouettes all over!

Bunny tights!  How perfect are these for Easter?!

And speaking of Easter... here are all the Easter-ish pastels for this week:

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9

The cutest, comfiest-looking pastel sweatshirt!

I love the look of these vinyl skirts:

1 // 2

I'm so smitten with this pastel cloud print dress!

And finally, I wish I had a place of my own so I could decorate with these:

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7

Have a fantastic Friday!

xox Sammi

Dot com

Outfit Details:

Polka dot dress: Urban Outfitters (similar here)

Cardigan: dELiA*s (similar here)

Black heels: ModCloth (similar here)

Belt: from another dress

I always forget how short this dress is until I take photos in it.  It also could be a much more versatile piece for me, if I let it, but I always seem to gravitate towards simple black and white pairings for it.  The one other time I wore this on the blog, it was with a black and white combination.  I could definitely wear it as a skirt underneath a brighter sweater, though.  Maybe next time.  

Pumpkin was not pleased with me.

Although I've been feeling a little emotionally overwhelmed the past couple of days, I did get a boost of inspiration on Monday.  I've been talking to some blogger friends about noticing an influx of negative, trolling comments.  Constructive criticism can be an incredibly helpful thing -- even though I take any type of criticism FAR too personally -- but I think the internet can provide a mask of relative anonymity for people to hide behind in order to simply bully others.  I don't like confrontation, and I know there's no way that we can control what other people do or choose to say.  But what we can do is band together and provide a forum of positivity, kindness and creative collaboration for each other.  I've been lucky enough to not have experienced too many unkind comments (though I know that could always change, and probably will, at some point!), but I know that I'm one of many bloggers who identify as Highly Sensitive People, and I know that when/if it does occur, I need to make sure that I have a blogging support system in place.  I've always believed in the power of supporting each other within creative communities, and I think there needs to be more of that.  So we've formed a little network of sweet lady bloggers who want to act as a positive sounding board for each other, and I'm really excited about that.  It's truly wonderful to know that amongst all the negativity that can be found in the blogosphere, there are a ton of really great girls (whom I feel honored to call friends) who radiate positive energy and who want to be a constant source of inspiration for each other.  :)

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

xox Sammi

PS: if you're a blogger who's interested in joining our little group, send me a message on Facebook!

Pink plaid

Outfit Details:

Vintage plaid dress: Cricket Capers

Pink coat: ASOS (similar here)

BAIT pink spectators: ModCloth

Daisy brooch & ring: Mom's

Petticoat: eBay

I have a weakness for vintage dresses that come with matching belts.  Not only does it make things easier, but it always looks so put together, especially when it's made out of the same fabric.  This dress is so pretty, and I was almost afraid that it was too big for me at first, but I'm incredibly glad I gave it another shot.  I had to poke an extra hole in the belt (I know, I know... I hated to do it, but I hated to not be able to use the belt more!  And you can't really tell!), and there's definitely some extra fabric, but it's not as noticeable as I initially thought.  The great thing about this dress is that it fits well in the bust, which is no small feat for frocks with a button-down front!  I also like the fact that it has longer sleeves, so there's no need for a cardigan.  Spring is definitely en route, but it's still pretty chilly!

This week is tech. week for the production of My Son Pinocchio I'm in, and that means a lot of long nights.  I'm excited to finally get the show on its feet (we'll be in the actual theatre space for the first time tonight -- kinda crazy we couldn't be in there until now, but it couldn't be helped).  My costume isn't what the costume designer initially pitched to me, but the dress is actually really beautiful (albeit much more traditional), and it'll be a fun show.  Some of the kids really show a lot of promise, and it makes all the difference when they actually want to be there and have fun with their roles.  I used to work as a camp counselor for another children's theatre's summer camp, and it was always very apparent (and frustrating) when kids were dumped there against their will by their parents.  It's refreshing to see kids making strong acting choices and using their imaginations.  Makes me remember the reasons why I do what I do (and why I like working in children's theatre) in the first place.

Have a great Monday!

xox Sammi