He proposed! Wanna see my ring?

So life's been busy lately and I haven't had much time for blogging. Although, I have had time to jot down ideas and sketches for enough blog posts from now until 2050, so whenever I actually find time to write them, there will be lots of fun content- until then, well...yeah.

One of the things that kept me marginally busy was my birthday the first week of August. D bought me a bike, which I've been wanting for a while. Our only problem now is that D needs a bike so we can ride together.

Guess who has a birthday on Friday? Guess who's getting a bike? Yeah.

I think my birthday present was a giant hint as to what he wants as a present, but I'm okay with that since we'll have lots of fun riding around town.


My new bike! Excuse the mess behind it. He had to rearrange a few things to fit it in our dining room. Yes. Our dining room. We live in a loft in the city. There isn't a yard or garage to speak of.

But the bike is only half of the story.

Last Tuesday, I got home from work late because I had an appointment. D was already home and I found him lurking in the dining room when I got there. Usually he's parked on the couch or in the office, so that was a little strange, but I didn't think too much of it. Then he told me he got me something to wear with my bike and to check the basket. Of course, I assumed it was a helmet since I still need one of those, but as I got closer to the basket, I caught a glimpse of a little red bag that was clearly too small to contain a helmet. Then I figured out it was an engagement ring (we picked out the stone a few months ago).

And then. He proposed, in our kitchen, with our dogs as witnesses. I'm pretty sure the dogs were super stoked. But then, that could have also been because we were in the kitchen and that means wayward food could fall and land within dive-bombing distance.

So, here's my ring. I love it (and I love how he proposed)! It's a blue diamond surrounded by white diamonds. The color reminds me of the ocean in San Diego, which, for me, is just perfect!


Photos by me.

Objects of desire :: "I'm an artist, not a ..." custom-made rings

Sometimes we all need a little reminder of where we're going and who we want to be. And that the current situation is. not. permanent.

I recently stumbled across these custom-made rings by Kathryn Riechert, and I found them nothing short of inspiring. And I love the story behind them, too- how Kathryn first thought to make them when she spent her days waitressing instead of creating. I'm sure most of us can relate to this on some level. Maybe you're not a full-time waitress with the soul of an artist, but you've got to be working toward something, right? Most of are, whether it's career-related or not. We all have goals and dreams. Why not keep a reminder of them right at your finger tips?


My mind is already in idea overload with possibilities for my own set of rings from Kathryn. ("I'm a creative spirit...not a corporate drone" is sort of amusing to me.)

So, what about you? What would your rings say?

Oh, and Kathryn? She's now a full-time artist who spends her days creating cool jewelry like this.

Dress dilemma: cupcake-ification

I bought the Chocolate Dipped Strawberry dress from ModCloth a while ago. And usually when I buy something new, I can barely wait to get it home, rip the tags off and wear it the very next second.



But this. This has just been hanging forlornly in my closet with the tags still attached, like that sad little kid picked last for dodge ball.

It's not that I don't like it. It's a sweet little dress. But that's also it's biggest flaw. It's too sweet. Too literal.

Chocolate-cupcake-with-strawberry-icing literal.

And so, I've been scouting around, trying to find pieces to wear with it that don't make me feel like I should have a candle on top of my head. I think I've found a few pieces that might get this dress out of my closet and onto the dance floor.

Idea 1- Toughen it up
J. Crew solid ripstop field jacket | Unlisted Shelf Help shoes from Zappos | Madewell fringed chain necklace | Deena & Ozzy zip-front moto satchel from Urban Outfitters


Idea 2- Soften it up
Outdoor cafe cardigan from Anthropologie | Anticipation heels from Anthroplogie | Louise upcycled earrings by Erica Leilani Designs | J. Crew Jericho tote

Idea 3- Embrace the cupcake-ification- add some sprinkles!
Glacier necklace by Surf and Sand Jewelry Design
| Satin bow clutch by Mermaid's Dream | J. Crew Starling heels in rose gold

So what do you think? How should I style this dress?