A Leopard Cannot Change Its Spots Stripes?

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When my husband saw this outfit he was quiet.

Not a word.

Or a peep.

Out of him.

My daughter had no such restraint. “That headband with that vest?”

“No. Just no.”

This, of course, made me giggle.

I had purchased this red and white striped wrap dress from H&M the week before when I went shopping with my daughter. I knew immediately I wanted to wear it over my Bermeja Tunic Dress (sold out, similar dress here) as a vest. It was a bargain at $5. I loved the way Shy Girl Loud Voice remixed the Bermeja Tunic Dress with her vest (I previously styled the Bermeja Tunic Dress here and here). The headband was also from H&M. I believe it was more than the dress/vest at $6. I wanted to crawl into this leopard trend with soft baby moves. It is out of my comfort zone.

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So, I took some pictures with the headband and some without.

That way everyone is happy.

Except Murphy.

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We took Murphy with us that day to get pictures, because my husband had taken Ollie for a car ride earlier in the day and left Murphy at home with me.

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After listening to Murphy crying at the door for a half an hour, I called my husband to inform him that he had broken the dog.

Murphy could not comprehend not going with Ollie.

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But Murphy hates car rides.

He gets anxious.

He loves the walks.

He is the exact opposite of Ollie, not only in looks, but in activities.

Ollie had to be carried home after his last walk.

This made it difficult for my husband because he was all ready carrying me.

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Murphy was definitely not as good as Ollie during the photo shoot. Murphy does not follow direction well. He is always on the lookout for someone who is going to come and steal all of the goldfish crackers. He has convinced himself it is going to happen and will stay up nights guarding the pantry door.

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Being in a desert surrounded by nothing but dirt and brush made him leery. He was convinced The Goldfish Thief was lurking behind every bush.

Nevermind that we did not bring any goldfish crackers on this trip. Goldfish crackers appear like magic and thieves appear more quickly than that.

It is basic dog logic. The only logic that I currently adhere to.

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My poor dog. If only he knew…

The only Goldfish Thief around them here parts…

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Was the one holding his leash.

Have you jumped on this leopard trend? Do you own anything leopard? Are you yay or nay about the headband? Don’t worry. It won’t hurt my feelings if you don’t like it. I have pretty tough skin… And cheddar cheese cracker breath.

Rose Bowl Flea Market December 2014

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It happened again.

I got up before the crack of dawn.

To shop, of course.

What else is worth getting up early on a weekend for?

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My husband and I both love going to The Rose Bowl Flea Market in December. The weather is nice and cool. Cold but not too cold. The vendors are a little more jolly. It is just a nice time to go. Plus, it is fun to pick up unusual one of a kind Christmas gifts for people who will truly appreciate them.

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We have now worked out what is most enjoyable for us when we go to the flea market. We like to get there early and leave early. We got there at 7:05 and left at 9:05. Well, we left the first time at 9:05 and the second time at 10:05. But that is a long story involving me thinking we had lost a piece to an item only to come to the conclusion it had always been missing. You know, because items that are old… Vintage… They are always in pristine condition and you should never inspect them before you buy. Or always inspect them. It is one of those for sure.

There were so many amazing items there this time. We saw a beautiful library cabinet. It was too expensive for us, but I am sure someone grabbed it. And, of course, we did not get a picture of the beautiful piece.

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An Indian wedding bench from a wedding house. Actually two of them. And the third one, a blue one, had just sold. They were $350 each. They were so beautiful they made my heart ache. I have absolutely nowhere to put them. The sweet owner said I could treat them and put them outside to which I not jokingly replied I would move my bed out there first. I would never ruin such beauties with the outdoor elements.

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This green laundry bin was really cool. I have enough laundry bins. But I had not seen one like this before. And I am not quite sure it was a laundry bin, but it was perfect for the task. I hope it went to a good home. It even had wheels.

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I ended up taking this old game wheel home… I know. But my bleary (not Beery) eyes fell in love.

It was probably from some hometown carnival many years ago. It was not a professional wheel, but I loved the colors and the sentiment of it. Now where to put it? I had originally planned on hanging it above my daughter’s bed. Then the grogginess of the morning wore off and I once again became aware that we live in earthquake country. Probably not the wisest move to hang a heavy wooden object with rusty metal above your kid’s bed. It is a good thing I do not make most of my life decisions at dawn.

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I loved this old, I believe it was from Nepal but I could be wrong, alter. It was from the 1800s and very pretty.

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Of course, I had to take pictures of the unusual, too. This old Hamburger symbol. It was huge. I do not know what someone would do with it, but I had to take a picture of it after that dream I had a few months ago.

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Dolls. Dolls. Dolls.

They are watching me.

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With hungry eyes.

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I do not know why, but this sign made me giggle. I just pictured giving it to someone as a gift. I have since learned it was an old time actor. But I thought it was a bar sign. Both cases make me smile.

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In my hoarder’s ultimate fantasy, I would have a room filled with these metal letters. And I could reach in and grab handfuls at a time and they would slip through my fingers. And whatever letters were left would be my fortune for the day.

And that would make as much sense as a bar sign advertising Beery. Which, by the way, would always be my fortune of the day.

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I did not buy any of these letters, but they were neat. It was an overwhelming amount of choices.

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The coat is Anthropologie Tartan Blanket Coat (previously styled here).

There is a man at the flea market that sells exotic textiles whom I think has the best taste. He was there again on Sunday. He was selling the most beautiful blanket. It was like a kantha, but unlike any kantha I had ever seen. It was white with red and blue stitching. It had patches of kantha-like material. It was subtle but beautiful. I wanted it desperately. But my sweet husband really wanted to buy me a coat at another vendor because he thought it was perfect for me and I would wear it and think of him and so he did for Christmas. And the blanket had to give for the coat. I took a picture of the blanket in my mind. The coat will stay on my body and in my heart… When I get it.

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I picked up this fun little chest covered in fish for $20.

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I also purchased three of these afghan cardigans. Two for me and one for my daughter. I did not really think she would like them, but my husband was insistent that she would. What would be your guess? Would a teenage girl wear one of these?

I do know the answer.

Just like I did before the purchase was made. ; )

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I saw this dog and I thought it was a perfect cross of what Ollie and Murphy would look like if they had a love child.

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What would one would do with these geese? They looked interesting. Almost like they were from a set of a 1940s movie. They were also in pristine condition. I would have loved to have learned what the purchaser was planning on doing with them.

Remember when that man asked me if I was looking for an iceberg detector the last time I went to the flea market? Well, my husband recognized him again right away in his booth. He actually had glowing devices and was asking people as they walked by, “Do you need an iceberg detector?”

He added a new part to the line this time, too, “Or a zombie zapper?” So, if you are looking for either of those devices, look no further. But best to have some beery before your first use.

Would you be excited or sad to get a gift from a flea market? I only purchased gifts for people there who I knew would like them. If I gave certain people a used item, I would never ever ever hear the end of it. I will show the pictures of the gifts I bought in “Keepin’ It Real” at the end of the month. July’s Rose Bowl Flea Market trip can be viewed here.

P.S. I shared this on Savvy Southern Style.

Vintage Green Love

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I have been holding out on you.

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That sounds worse than it is. You see, I just assume that after I write a story, you have read it and will know what I mean even before I have published it here. But there are so many stories I need to publish and maybe then I will be understood… Or not.

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Same with my closet. I think that you must know what lurks in the depths of it. But how could you? When I, myself, often overlook things.

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Like this dress.

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I bought it at the beginning of the year. Felt bad about buying it. Stashed it in My Closet of Guilt and never wore it.

As one does.

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But I came upon it last week and fell in love.

It is a vintage dress purchased from Etsy. I love shopping for vintage clothes on Etsy. There are a plethora of beautiful pieces. With so many different sellers, the prices vary, so it is a good idea to look around. I cannot believe the prices some sellers ask for both low and high. Check the seller’s feedback for reviews. Check their social media and Etsy home page to see if they are running any coupon codes. My dress was $64 and I thought this was fair.

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It is the very best color. An odd shade of green that takes on different hues depending upon how the light hits it.

It has the most amazing embroidery of deep blues and bright pinks tickled through with tiny mirrors. Yes, tickled.

The bracelet is from World Market a few months ago (similar here). Have you been to World Market lately? They are killing it in the jewelry department.

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I took these pictures at my dad’s house. I liked how the Juniper Tree matched my dress. My husband, the photographer, did not like the matching. He wished for more contrast.

I feel the same way about the model’s thighs.

You work with what you have.

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The only thing I can remember about Juniper Trees growing up is that coyote feces is full of Juniper berries. And so I avoided any and all Juniper Trees as a child, positive that there were coyotes lurking beneath each and every one.

Speaking of coyotes, I am no longer afraid. Our cluster of homes sit upon the edge of our town. This means frequent coyote spottings as we venture out. Two days ago, it was pouring rain in California. My husband saw a soaking wet, miserable looking, coyote dart into the bushes in front of his car.

It was all that he spoke of that day. He said it was the saddest sight. The coyote looked thin and bewildered by its wet surroundings.

There are not very many Juniper Trees here.

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Did you grow up around wild things? Do you own a vintage dress? Do you store it and not wear it or wear it all of the time? Do you know odd facts about animal feces? Or is that just me?

*I shared this on The Pleated Poppy and Reasons To Dress.

Ikat In The Best Of Times

After my husband took pictures of this outfit, he dropped me off at a local Mexican restaurant where I was meeting some girlfriends for Booze Book Club.

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I got there a bit early and so I decided to sit in the bar, by myself, and have a drink.

I told the waiter I was waiting for some girls for book club. He looked at me with obvious surprise. “What club?” He asked astonished.

Book Club.” Emphasis on the “k.”

“Ohhhhhhh. I thought you said something else.” I giggled, because I thought I knew what he had thought I had said. That would probably make for a more interesting club, but alas, Book Club it is.

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I think deep down I am a loner, because some of my favorite moments are spent in solitude.

I loved sitting there gulping daintily-sipping enjoying my margarita while I watched the people coming and going around me.

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The book choice last month was “You Before Me,” by Jojo Moyes. I was very hesitant to read it that month because I had read reviews stating it was gloomy and I did not want the book to send me into a spiral of sadness.

But my friend read it first and assured me that whilst it was a very sad book, it was not overly depressing.

I read it and found this to be true.

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What I am saying is: the book is good.

Having a margarita by yourself is better.

Having a margarita with friends is the best.

I know because I chose to have a margarita by myself and one with the girls. And four margaritas on a table are better than one.

That’s just basic math that they don’t teach in school.

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Did you sense me stalling here?

Avoiding the issue at hand?

I think it is obvious by now that I have been trying to distract you with books and margaritas to keep your eyes averted from my imperfections.

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Aw, well, just have a margarita and we will all feel better.

It is nice to see my favorite winter staple making an appearance again. Last year I purchased the Ruffled Sweater Vest from Anthropologie in two colors and I wear them all of the time. They have a new version this year with a cool ombre effect. The Anthropologie Ikat top was a popback that I got for 80% off (sorry, sold out). I love it and it is one of my absolute best deals. The Paige Cords were a find at Nordstrom Rack last year (and now I desperately want to find them if they ever go on sale in forest green). The thighs were happily earned from pints of Baskin Robbins Ice Cream.

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Do you ever go places by yourself? One of my very favorite things to do is go to the movies alone.

One bucket of popcorn + one girl = Happiness.

I really think I missed my calling as a math teacher hermit.