Greek sandals

The sandals I'd been wearing for over two years finally broke and I had a sandal emergency. Shut up. I live in Southern California and sandal emergencies are REAL.

I really wanted a pair of the Ancient Greek Sandals that I've been seeing all over the internet and Jamie loves her pair and I trust her. 

But, I couldn't quite do it. They are pricey, guys, and I prefer to spend all my disposable income on silk shirts and eating out too much. Priorities. 

When I was in Greece, everyone would just go down to Plaka and get sandals that I remember looking really similar to these ones. A bit of internet sleuthing and I was happy to discover that some of those shops will ship internationally. For $45 after shipping, I figured it was worth a shot. 

{greek sandals}

They took a few weeks to arrive, which I expected. I read some reviews which recommended half sizes should size up, so I did and they fit perfectly. They're definitely more rustic than the Ancient Greek Sandals. The ankle strap on the left sandal was slightly longer than the right, and I had to punch an extra hole in it. But I lived in them for a good chunk of October and November and they're incredibly comfortable and it seems like they'll hold up well.

I got this pair, from this shop. Please ignore the weird platform flip flops they're desperately trying to get rid of right now. UPDATE - they also have an Etsy shop and they sell the same pair I have.

As promised, they do darken. I only have a phone picture of them in their current state, but they're getting better and better.

{sandals, 5 mo later}

I wrote this post shortly after I bought them but I didn't want to publish it right away in case they broke after two weeks. Now it's been a few more months and I'm still in love. I'm wearing them again today because we're having a few days of 80 degree weather, so it seemed appropriate to update it and put it up for those of you who are getting ready for spring. 

Candles, finally

I approach scented candles with caution. I like to have one around so I can light it after I clean the house (apparently this is an almost universal reaction?) but I don't want candles cluttering up my space and that puts some pressure on me to pick exactly the right scent. I'd been candle-less for a couple months because I couldn't make a decision.

{fig and jasmine}

I stopped at Patchwork a few weekends ago to see my talented cousin and ended up buying two candles from this shop. I have the teakwood and tobacco in my bathroom and the fig and jasmine in the living room. They're both excellent and about 1/3 of the price of the high end ones I was considering.

{teakwood and tobacco}

I'm just glad I don't have to think about candles for a while.

Purchases - vaguely running related

After all your good advice on phone covers, I decided to buy a really simple one from society 6. And you guys are right - it looks great but I'm not sure how protective it is. So far I'm still using it because I don't want to research another one, but I may upgrade eventually.

The unexpected side benefit to the iPhone has nothing to do with the phone itself. Having Pandora at the gym is amazing. I despise making playlists and was always really terrible about updating my iPod. Now I don't have to bother anymore and I'm obsessed. I recommend the Stereo Love, Calvin Harris or Mr. Saxobeat stations. I work out exclusively to top 40 hits.

Possibly due to the music situation, I managed to run 66 miles last month. Not impressive for those of you who are serious runners, but I only aim to run about 3 miles a day, 5 days a week and this was my most consistent month in ages. I decided to institute a running rewards program whereby I earn a dollar per mile to be spent on exercise related purchases. Totally dorky, also fairly motivating.

I bought a pair of Lululemon shorts with part of my earnings so far. I have a really hard time with workout shorts because they tend to either bunch up in front or give me a serious wedgie or possibly both, if they're particularly special. These fit perfectly. They are short, but not shockingly so.

Not yet a purchase, but I'm lusting after these shoes after I saw them while window shopping. They are much more neon and ridiculous in person. I can't decide if they'd provide enough support while running. Or is foot support totally 2010 at this point? Aren't we all supposed to be running barefoot? They might be next on my list.

Purchases - around the house

Okay, another big round of purchases from the last few months and then I'll be pretty much up to date on this project. I can't decide if it's better to post purchases up to the minute (makes me look like I spend money non-stop), or if I should just wait and do them in batches (makes me look like I go on massive shopping sprees).

Twelve of these bowls - which function as dessert and prep bowls and have the added advantage of being pretty. They are from our local Japanese market, which always has the best selection of inexpensive, good quality ceramics. $2 each, cheaper than comparable bowls at Ikea.

{new bowls}

Twenty-four of these square spice jars. Completely indulgent, but I was so annoyed with the random assortment of round ones. The squares fit perfectly into rows of two. The rack is from Ikea, was not intended for use as a spice rack and they don't make it anymore but it works perfectly for us. I searched for a coupon code and got free shipping so the total was just $16.

{organized}

A couple of these pillows. D was placing an order for a client and decided he wanted a couple as well. Much earthier than our metallic gold ones. I like the mix.

{new pillow}

Pieces from the Heath summer collection. We gave in a couple weekends ago when they were having a sale.   We ended up with the shallow bowl, which is the best salad or pasta server and the trio of little bowls.

{heath summer pieces}

Purchases - apparel

I am majorly regretting the purchase tracking already. I'm generally not a big clothing shopper, so I figured this would be no big deal. Last year I basically bought a handful of tee shirts + three pairs of $11 jeans. This year, I feel like I have a pretty clear idea of how I want my wardrobe to grow. The good news is that I'm comfortable with the purchases and I feel like I'm making smart choices. But it's still embarrassing to cop to every single thing I buy, particularly when those things are expensive. I'm sticking with it because apparently I'm a masochist.

Here goes ...

1. Hunters, in navy. I have never owned a pair of rain boots. Never. Which means for the last five years that I've been taking the bus daily there are rare (it doesn't rain very often here) but incredibly annoying times where I spend all day with soaking wet feet. A sweet reader alerted me to a Gilt flash sale on Hunters, so I went for it. I'm hoping this means I don't have to think about rain boots for several decades.

2. I'm normally pretty wary of trends, but I gave into temptation and got these totally ridiculously bright blue jeans from F21. Thoroughly enjoying them, although they aren't as great a fit as my usual ones, which I am happy to report are still the best jeans I've ever purchased, more than a year of hard wear later.

Annnnnd ... the more indulgent ones. I went completely nuts at the Shopbop sale a few weeks ago. It was only 20% off, so this really wasn't justified but after wearing everything for a while I have no regrets. I guess I'm going for really cheap pants paired with really pricey tops?

3. This one is so amazing that I am going to watch and see if it goes on sale and buy another. It's very loose but cut really well and it feels like the best kind of casual luxury. Fully worth the price. Really tempted to buy one just to wear to bed.

4. And this one is a little more conservative, but also beautifully cut and transitions nicely for work meetings if necessary.

5. This one is definitely more casual and I contemplated returning it because it's a little long for me, but then realized that I love it tucked in (seriously cannot remember the last time I voluntarily tucked a shirt into pants).

6. This dress is crazy bright but I love the cut and it will be the dress I wear for all weddings this summer.

7. Plus these sandals. I allow myself one or two new pairs of sandals each summer and then I wear them into the ground.

Soooooo ...

{iphone}

I'm still processing this big change. I've (rather smugly) had the cheapest possible cell phone with a pre-paid plan for years now and it finally broke me this weekend, when I had lots of texting/calling to do. I feel silly because I don't need this phone, but it will make my life a little easier. And they still had a few of the last model left, so it was cheaper than anything else in the store and we spent over an hour negotiating the best possible phone plan (always check for work discounts, and if the lowest package they have is still too much time for you, ask if you can get something lower that isn't advertised). Clearly, I'm still attempting to justify this purchase to myself.

So, joint cell phone plan! Does this officially make us a family?

Also, I need a case and I'm not liking anything very much. Love the stripes on this, but is the branding too obnoxious? Other recommendations?

And ... am I the only one who doesn't understand how people are getting flattering pictures from their iphones? I recoil in terror every time I turn on the camera and realize it's facing me, and usually from an incredibly unforgiving angle.

Purchases - gifts

:: A tie bar for D. It was a no-particular-reason splurge, but I couldn't resist once I realized that he'd had the browser page open for three weeks.

{nikolai rose tie bar}

It is gorgeous. Sadly, the wedding last weekend was destined to be the one and only outing it got. Apparently tie bars (or maybe just this one?) are not designed to withstand a truly serious dance party. We didn't realize it had come off until towards the end of the night, at which point there was no way we were going to find it again. D did leave his number with the venue manager, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that it turns up. And trying not to feel too bummed about it.

:: An anatomical heart vase for Em (purchased jointly with a friend) - you can see it in her place here.

:: Some kitchen necessities for another friend who is getting married soon. A rolling pin + cookie dough scoop - I was sad that someone snagged the silicone baking mat off her registry before I got there because that would have been the perfect trio.

Fauxdenza

We've had bookshelves in our dining room since we moved in but our computers quickly took up residence and the mess has been getting to us. When D suggested that we attempt this project, I happily agreed. And by happily agreed I mean I said I was happy to spend the money on it if I could have a free pass to not feel guilty about not helping, because I do not voluntarily put together Ikea furniture. D, who actually enjoys putting together furniture but heartily dislikes listening to me sigh and complain about it, was completely on board.

And so we have this.

{fauxdenza}

Which hides all this.

{the hidden parts}

I'm thrilled.

We ended up leaving one cabinet open because our speaker needs to live there and we can use it to display a few of our most favorite serving pieces.

The cabinets are from the Besta line at Ikea and they are deeper than the cabinets used in The Brick House fauxdenza because the measurements just ended up working better for us.

{beveled edge}

D made the top from walnuts planks that he glued and sanded and cut with a beveled edge. He used a food safe finish because we plan to use it as a sideboard. Not to brag or anything, but he did win the "best in woodshop" award when we were in 8th grade. Of course, we don't have a woodshop in our apartment, so he used knowhow shop, which is a communal workspace here in LA that lets you purchase day passes. It's such a genius idea, given the number of apartment dwellers around here. They're fully set up with all the standard woodworking equipment along with some fancier gadgets (we've used the laser cutter a couple times). You can also hire them to do custom designs if you're not comfortable doing it yourself. They do really beautiful work.


No, I have not yet taken down the shower decorations. I'm getting to it!

The cost breakdown:
$140 on cabinets + doors (we got one cabinet from the as-is section)
$120 on the walnut planks
$60 for the workshop time (D did a couple other projects at the same time, so this is a little higher than it really should be - he used two days off his punch pass)

We sold the old bookcases on Craigslist and got $110 to put towards the project. One of the nice things about Ikea furniture is that it tends to sell quickly and at a decent price. We usually aim to charge 50 - 75% of the original price in store. And since we always buy as-is or off Craigslist if possible, it works out pretty well for us.

Purchases - boring ones (+ flowers!)

Purchases are below - be prepared. They really are mind numbingly boring, but I'm trying to stick to this.

{palest pink ranunculus}

I'm not totally clear on where I draw the line here, so I'm giving you everything. I'm sure no one really wants to hear about my shower caddy, but I did purchase it.

Shower caddy ($8.99 @ Ross). I did not take a picture of it, because I don't really want you all to see how long it's been since I last scrubbed my shower.

Pillowcases - we always seem to destroy our pillowcases faster than our sheets and we need a few extra. These Oxford ones from Land's End are pretty sweet. Heavy + durable + NOT silky. I hate sateen.

Clear nail polish - Height of boring-ness, but I needed it. I've pretty much sworn off purchasing actual nail polish other than for my toes. I was accumulating nail polishes at a rate that didn't make sense given how often I paint my nails. I've finally decided that if I want painted nails, I'll suck it up and pay for a manicure or a polish change. In an attempt to extend my rare manicures, I've been using this Essie's No Chips Ahead for a couple weeks now (side benefit to being really behind on my purchases is that you also get reviews!) and I have to say I don't love it. I think it does something weird to my manicure (which is odd, because if my nails are painted, it's usually with Essie polish) and dulls it out. It does prevent chips, but it makes my nails look terrible. I'm bummed that I apparently purchased the wrong thing and now need to find something else.


Annnnnd ... Ikea stuff. Final product to be shared shortly.

In the meantime, we bought:

2 besta cabinets (one from the as-is section - score!)

3 besta doors

2 suspension rails

Non-Ikea but same project - 2 lengths of walnut from a local lumberyard

Purchases - party supplies

Paper + watercolor + envelopes for invitations

Gold fringe (self explanatory) + paper lanterns + crepe paper (already had hot glue) + cocktail napkins

Baby jungle cats (8)

Bridal festivities are definitely a chance to go all out, but I like to focus on a few key details and let it be. The best part about small parties is that you can spend time on small things. Hand painting + adding backing + adding dots + lining envelopes? I would not have been able to do this (or enjoy it) for our 100+ wedding invitations. For 15 invitations, it's a pleasure.

Likewise, making 5 lanterns was do-able, but if you're considering this on a larger scale, plan ahead accordingly and enlist help. I have the tutorial ready, so that will be up soon, promise.

I relied heavily on the gold fringe to set the mood, which really made it a good bargain and I think that could easily be used for a wedding decoration. The most important thing we found was getting the edges trimmed exactly. If they are wonky, the whole thing starts to look cheap quickly.

Everything else I used at the shower was something I already owned. I had the glass globes (to be fair, they were an incredibly impulsive holiday purchase and this is the first time I've used them). I was planning on using a cream colored tablecloth for the welcome table and at the last minute realized I'd ripped it terribly awhile ago. I dug through my fabric stash and found a piece of pink and cream striped fabric and then just tucked it so that the selvedge was the only edge that showed. It ended up looking better than my original idea. Oh, and that was my dresser pretending to be a table under it.

The weirdest decorations were the random cat pictures that we framed and scattered all over the house. It was subtle enough that some people thought we were just oddly obsessed with cats (um, we are not), but it was funny as everyone slowly figured it out. And so I guess I have to add our last party purchase ....

{cat fancy - totally worth it}

Purchases - clothing

A few good deals from the Barney's warehouse sale.

: : An A.L.C tee shirt that was still $59 but is ridiculously perfect - I've been wearing this non-stop and I'm so glad I decided to splurge on it - I should have steamed it before photographing it to do it justice. : : A simple dress that doesn't have sleeves for $29 (meaning, I can wear it with a cardigan). : : A Vince sweater that I've been stalking, marked down to $36 (it has a tiny hole on the shoulder and I need to repair it or patch it).: : A black shirt that is nicer than a tee shirt but not too fancy to wear to work for $23 (not pictured, because the black was ridiculously hard to photograph and I gave up). : :

And a little close up of the notch in the A.L.C. neckline that somehow makes the tee way better. The sleeve is not normally tucked up like that - I didn't notice it until I was editing photos and I didn't want to re-shoot.

{A.L.C. neck detailing}

All of it together was less than the sweater alone at full price. I had to resist a few things that clearly didn't fit my needs, and I was bummed that the shoe selection was so poor, but overall I'm happy with how I made out.

If I had unlimited funds, Vince would feature heavily in my wardrobe and I would wear nothing but silk + wool + premium denim + super soft cotton. A girl can dream.

Purchase - Clarisonic Mia

*I have a few of these posts backed up and just need to finalize them and get them up - I was holding off on this one until I'd had a chance to use it for a little while*

I have been contemplating the Clarisonic Mia for so long and my post-winter skin finally convinced me to give in. It's a big upfront cost, but D and I are sharing it (the heads are removable, so this isn't gross).

I've had it for a few weeks now and I can say that while we both really like it, I wouldn't call it life changing. I think this may vary person to person. My skin was already decent, just dry. My skin definitely feels smoother, but I haven't noticed that it looks much different.

It does make washing my face much more pleasant. I'd liken it to my electric toothbrush that I've been obsessed with for years. It definitely does a better job than I do on my own and it makes it more enjoyable. As long as the Mia lasts for several years, I'll consider it money well spent.

And maybe after a full month of use my skin will suddenly become transcendent? I still hold out hope.


ETA: I also got these deep pore brushes to go with it. The Mia only comes with one brush and I needed two so that D and I could share. I like the deep pore brushes better than the standard ones, so I'm glad I went with them after reading the reviews.

Purchases - grooming

I lost the $2 drugstore brush I've had for the last decade over New Year's weekend and spent a few weeks attempting to use D's comb before admitting that I was going to have to buy a replacement.

{new brush}

Luckily Fred Segal was having a big sale so I got this brush + the macadamia nut oil for $7.50. And actually the macadamia nut oil is kind of nice on my super dry winter hair. I'm guessing it's a rip off the morrocan oil everyone is obsessed with?

A decent brush - totally worth buying. Even if it is a little boring.

I also picked up some new night moisturizer for my face + skin moisturizer. I have really dry skin but I don't like body lotion. I finally hit a point where the only thing that sounded appealing was straight up oil, and the Burt's Bees baby oil doesn't have any weird ingredients and it doesn't make you smell like a baby. So far I'm loving both of these. The night moisturizer is super thick, so be warned if you aren't into that.

{burt's bees}

I still need to figure out if I'm going to bite the bullet and purchase some eye cream. I just get overwhelmed with the number of options out there.

Purchases - baby tunic! (gift)

I'm sort of hating this resolution already - I'm behind right now but I don't want to slam you with a million purchase posts all at once. I'll catch up soon.

A sweet little girl tunic for my dear friend Kristin's one year old.

I originally wanted to get her these insanely adorable baby jeans + striped cashmere sweater (look - now they're on sale!), but I managed to restrain myself. Only because she would grow out of it before it was cold enough to wear it again. Let me tell you, having a fancy baby clothing store right near my apartment has made restraint difficult. The kids in there have better clothes than I do and I am not kidding.

Kris and I went to high school together and she's the genius who put together our personal flowers for the wedding, as a gift. I'm always in awe of her talent and I feel so lucky that I still get to see my high school ladies on a regular basis.

Purchases - clutch

The Clare Vivier foldover clutch was on my list and technically this isn't a purchase because it was a very generous gift from D. But since I picked it out I think I should own up to it.

{foldover clutch}

I couldn't make up my mind online, so we ventured across town to Vivier and Bentley where I spent way too much time obsessing over what color to pick. The idea is that I won't buy another clutch for several years, so part of me worries that the neon zipper might have been a silly choice, but I love it so much that I don't think that's the case.

{neon zipper}

I've been using it whenever I need to make a quick run out of the house and don't feel like carrying my beloved giant bag (trying to give my back a rest whenever possible)  - the clutch fits my enormous wallet, my cell phone, my kindle, a small notepad + pen and assorted lip balms. That's pretty much everything I need.

Purchases - reading

The wait list at the library (for either physical or e-copies) was MONTHS. For every single one of these. So I gave in and made my second e-book purchase ever. They are embarrassingly good.*

{the hunger games trilogy}

I used them as motivation to get myself back in my morning gym routine last week. The stair mill is much more bearable when I have something to distract me from the pain.


* I know everyone else has been saying this for years, but people were saying the Twilight series was good and I had to force myself to wade through the first book before deciding to give up on the whole thing (and I'll read and enjoy just about anything). I just don't get it, people.

Purchases - workout pants + make up

Make up from Korres (mineral foundation, illuminating powder, mango lip butter)

Tristan recommended the mineral foundation and I've learned to take her recommendations seriously. I got a sample from Sephora to test it out and then a coupon came up on Gilt for $50 for $30. I'm not sure this was the smartest move for me, because the foundation is $28 and I didn't need the other two items that I purchased to get up to $50, but I'm happy to have them.

Four pairs of workout pants

I forgot to put these on my list last week, but they were on my mental list. I bought two pairs of Lululemon pants last year, realized that my long suffering sweat pants were not adequate workout pants but then couldn't bring myself to suck it up and pay the (exorbitant) price for another few pairs. I'd been dragging my heels and hoping to find a decent substitute and then Frontrunner's had these on 60% off over the weekend. I got all four pairs for about $10 more than a single pair of Lululemon pants would have cost and they are just as good. One week of workout pants is all I need, so I can happily check that off my list. 

The spending strategy for 2012

Resolution: Post every single purchase I make this year


Background/blathering ... 

I posted in-depth about my spending thoughts this time last year. You guys, I think a lot about shopping/spending/consuming. I won't re-hash that here because I think I covered it pretty thoroughly.

Basically, in 2009 and 2010, I did the shopping hiatus inspired by Joslyn. Last year I tried to mix it up and gave myself an annual allowance. That failed, miserably. By which I mean, I got lazy and just didn't enter anything in the spreadsheet and pretty much forgot about it I started thinking about 2012 resolutions. It was a good idea, but I'm not so great with month to month follow through.

I'm thinking I should just look to Jos again, since she seems to come up with the best ideas. Last year she resolved to honor her stuff and then started operation simplicity where she blogs about what she's acquired + some inspiration.

In that spirit, I'm committing to post all purchases here, for the entire year. This means every single thing I buy. I'll tag them with "purchases 2012" so I can pull them all together at the end of the year and see what I'm doing. I'm also hoping that the listing part of it might make me think twice about my purchases. You know, like when you write down everything you eat. Which I'm not doing, but should possibly consider. But I would need to wait until I finish decimating our gingerbread houses.

Rules, for myself:
- All purchases other than food or necessary toiletries have to be posted (toilet paper, toothpaste, etc. = necessary, new mascara = not necessary)
- I'll reserve the right to hold off on posting about gifts until after the recipient has received them, but I'll make a draft post right away so I don't forget

This will either be really embarrassing or really awesome.

I've also developed a list of items that I think would be the best use of my funds. I don't plan to go on a shopping spree, but I'll be keeping my eyes out for these in the future. I realize it's a little shoe heavy. I just don't do much shoe shopping and it has become apparent that I'm deficient in a few standards.

On the potential list for this year -
- flat boots in brown (to mix it up a bit and to take a bit of the stress of my grey pair)
- good black flats
- rain boots (I've never owned a pair and I never remember that I need these until it starts raining and I spend all day at work with wet feet - a commitment to public transit requires foot protection)
- round toed black leather pumps (wish I hadn't even seen these because they are ridiculously good in person and I won't ever be able to buy them, might end up settling for these if they go on sale)
- a couple more pairs of jeans (may have gotten a jump on this at the Barney's sale, but I'm still debating returns it's really hard to justify premium denim if I still find myself reaching for my F21 jeans instead)
- a couple of versatile tops, ideally in silk - sometimes the tees don't quite cut it.
- a clutch that is large enough to sometimes transition between daily bus commute + happy hours (this one, specifically, if I can ever make a decision about color). I need to be able to carry my giant wallet, assorted lip stuffs, phone + kindle. I seriously considered a hipster backpack but decided I wanted to get away from the giant bag issue altogether. So awkward in bars.
- good cardigans are always on my list because I wear them to death. It's what happens when you live in a temperate climate and work in a building that overcompensates for the weather. I need LAYERS.