Day 17 (9+5+20)

+ + =



Today's Friend Friday questions dictated both my choice of outfit and my photo selection.



1. Since you started blogging has your image of yourself changed?
I'm not sure. Not much I don't think. The change for me came before I started blogging, and in fact was the reason I had the courage to start blogging at all. You have to have a certain level of confidence and comfort with your body to post pictures of yourself everyday!

2. Are you self-conscious about any aspect of yourself? If so, do you go out of your way to avoid it or do you post it/talk about it anyway?
Absolutely. I'm self conscious of both my chin (or depending on how you look at it, chins) as well as my arms. I have what I call matronly arms. My arms are larger than I'd like and less firm. I don't normally feel comfortable in sleeveless tops or dresses without some sort of jacket, shrug or cardigan. And my chin is sort of a family curse. It's the first thing we check on a baby and we always apologize to them when we realize they have in fact inherited it. I do normally choose photos that showcase these at the best possible angle and I tend to really loath candid shots of myself from any angle. I am that girl who untags the picture you tagged of me on Facebook 10 seconds after you tag it. But today I've chosen pictures that highlight both my double chin and my bare arms, because really, neither is that bad.


3. Based on how you are feeling now, what do you think the future holds in the evolution of your body image?
I've noticed that I feel more comfortable with myself the older I get. I hope that continues to be the case as I age. I'd like to be 50 and feel absolutely at home in a bathing suit at the beach!

4. Do you photograph yourself for your blog? If so, how do you feel about the experience when you’re having your picture taken? If you choose not to post pictures of yourself, what prompted that decision?
I take most of my own photos. My husband does sometimes as well but I'm back to taking most of my own pictures now. I don't remember the last time I didn't post photos. I've only done it once or twice and it was always down to the quality of the pictures and nothing to do with how I looked in them. Since I take most of my pictures myself and have been doing it for a couple of years now it feels like the most natural thing in the world to me. I get up and wash my face and brush my teeth, I put on my make-up and style my hair, and then I get dressed and document the results. It's second nature.

5. What would you want every person who struggles with body image to take to heart?
Whatever the flaw is that you see, whatever it is that bothers you, NO ONE, notices it the way you do. In fact, I bet most people never notice it at all.

Tank, Urban Outfitters
Jeans, Target
Boots, Docs

Friend Friday : Joiners

(If you are looking for today's 30x30, scroll down one post)

Friends make Blogging more fun. Tina and I last winter.

Today for Friend Friday, Katy asks:


1. With all the blogging events out there how do you determine which ones to participate in and which ones to avoid?
I participate in the things I participate in for tons of reasons. Sometimes it just SOUNDS FUN. Sometimes it presents a learning opportunity. Sometimes it's being spearheaded by a friend and I just want to throw my support her way. The reasons I don't do things are just as varied. For instance, I'm not participating in Andie's Go Red for Women, not because I don't care, but because I don't really have much red in my wardrobe (or by extension in my 30x30. I try not to participate in things I think will be more stressful than valuable, and I never participate in ANYTHING that doesn't seem like fun.

2. Be honest, have you ever jumped on the bandwagon of some blogging movement/event for the wrong reasons? How did that turn out?
Not yet. I doubt I will. I'm too lazy to do anything I don't want to do.

3. How do you give your own flair to a blog event while still maintaining the general mission and purpose?
I've never participated in anything that really called for anything other than each bloggers own take. That's what is so amazing about bloggers challenges and groups. All they are really asking you to do is be you.


4. When determining the best content for your blog what criterion do you keep in mind?
Do I feel like it? Do I have the means to participate? (I don't ever want to buy something just for a challenge.) Does it seem fun?

5. While everything will not suit your blog, how do you try and support your fellow bloggers who are participating in something
worthwhile but not your style?
Commenting, retweeting links when they are featured or guest bloggers, emailing and just letting them know I am proud of them.

But I Still Love Technology, Just Not As Much As You, You See

It’s Friend Friday

1. What technology do you use in blogging? (computer, camera, video camera, tripod, etc...)

Pretty basic really! I recently upgraded to my very own laptop, a Toshiba Satellite, and I LOVE IT. I use a cheap tripod from Target, it was like $20 bucks, in combination with a Gorilla Pod. I use the Gorilla Pod to attach the camera to the tripod, which may seem a little weird. But the little adapter thing that you put on your camera? You can only have one on there at any given time, and it strips the inside to replace it over and over (at least if you are me). If I use the Gorilla Pod one, then I can use both tripods. So it just works for me. I use a Canon PowerShot SX130IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom with 3.0-Inch LCD (Can you tell I copied that description from Amazon?). I choose it because it’s sort of a halfway point between fancy pants DLSR and a point and shoot. Plus it has a setting that allows me to take 10 shots each time I use the self timer. so I get 30 shots in about the time it would take me to get, say 13 on another camera. I also like that it takes regular AA batteries. That means I bought a charger and 4 pack of rechargeable, which I use most of the time, but just in case I ever run the batteries all down with no time to recharge, I’ve got a super easy fix. With the Rebel it was two batteries and once they were done, so was I


2. What computer and online technology do you use? (blogging system,photo storage, photo editing tools, etc..)

I’m a straight up Blogger girl. I have considered (am considering, I guess) my own domain, but haven’t taken the leap just yet! I tend to write my posts in either a Google Doc or a Word Doc before I post them to catch spelling errors (works most of the time. But not all!). I use flickr for photo storage because I have been using it for YEARS, way before I started blogging and I am so used to it. Plus I feel like it allows me much more control over picture sizes. For photo editing I go back and forth between Picsa and Microsoft Photo Editor. I prefer the Microsoft Photo editor. The devil you know!

3. What is your process for taking pictures?

I use a tripod (well, technically the two tripods!). When Nathan was unemployed he took my pictures with our Rebel, and I loved that. It was fast and easy and he was good at it. But I’m back to the tripod now! If for some CRAZY reason I am up early enough, I take pics in my backyard before work. If not I take them on a 15 minute break. I basically run down to my car and grab the tripod, find somewhere really close by, snap a few pics (I tend to do 3-4 rounds of 10 shots ) and then run back in. I edit on my lunch break or at home. I basically catch as catch can, you know? I do what I have time for when I have time for it.

4. When it comes to backdrops for your photos what do you consider? Do you scout locations or shoot the same spot daily?

I am more concerned with lighting. I’d like to get my time management skills to a place where I have time during daylight hours to scout and shoot in cool places, cause I do think those are more fun, but I’m not there yet, and that’s OK.

5. If you could splurge and get one new piece of equipment what would you be buying?

Lights! So I could get good, quality, indoor photos. I’ve never managed that...yet. <3

Friend Friday: Planning Outfits

(I’ll tell you a secret that is actually not a secret at all. That’s not even really a closet. It’s a small hallway between my bedroom and the kitchen. I’ll get into that more when I do an actual closet post as was requested.)

1. How do you determine what you will wear that day?
It varies. I go through phases where I have planned two to three days in advance and phases where I don't even think about it until I’m standing in the closet and need to leave in 10 minutes or be late. I check the weather every AM, because in Texas the weather is so changeable. It might be 54 degrees today and 78 tomorrow. So checking the weather is key for me.


(see how I gave Nathan 1 whole shelf? I'm so generous.)

2. Do you plan outfits out in advance for a whole week, month, weekend?
No. I have planned outfits, or looks that I have put together, but I don’t normally plan when I’ll wear them. They are simply available until I use them. I have a metal shelving unit I store my shoes in and I use that as a staging ground for planned outfits or elements I want to remember to work with. Whenever an idea comes to me, I pull it and place the pieces here. I check this first to see if any of the looks that I already have put together appeal to me and are weather appropriate. I also have just single pieces pulled, and I might build an outfit around those. For instance, you can see I’ve got two floral dresses already pulled and paired with jackets (and a tulle dress and floral velvet jacket hiding in the back), and I have pulled the appropriate gloves for the jacket with ¾ sleeves (DIY suckas!). But I also have a dress I want to re-wear soon and a tank I have not worn in a couple weeks ready to be worked into outfits.

In the picture above, you see how they actually hang in the closet, but I’ve pulled them apart here so you get a better idea of what’s there.



3. Do you have any specific way of tracking outfits and items already worn so you don't repeat?
Nope. I don’t see anything wrong with repeats. Repeats are natural. In fact I often use my Flickr account or blog to scroll through and try and find an outfit I remember feeling particularly good in to re-wear. That said, last night I put together that look with the Tucker floral dress and hoodie and realized that I had no less that 11 legitimate boot choices for the look and they would all look smashing, so I made a mental note to try to wear that look with at least 3 different boot choices before it gets too warm for boots!

4. How do you discover new combinations of items in your closet?
(Trial try-ons? Hanging items together?)
Hanging items together as seen above mostly. And I do sometimes just take a while and root around in the closet for the purpose of putting together looks. But that’s mostly just something I enjoy doing for fun and not a planned activity.

5. To streamline the process for 2011 what is one new thing you can do to cut down your dressing time?
I could pre-plan the night before each night, but I won't. lol. I do sometimes, but only when a particularly inspired outfit strikes. I like the time I spend getting dressed. Sure I have days where I end up late or dissolve into panic because nothing is working, but most of the time I find it a fun and relaxing way to start the day.

XOXO

'Cause Friends are Friends Forever

Just a little bit of me bein' me. (And Bill. Bill bein' awesome. It has nothing to do with the post. I just like this picture)

I’ve decided to jump on the Friend Friday Bandwagon. I’ve actually been a member of the Google Group for a few weeks but have been easing myself in to having a go at the questions, because they tend to cover stuff I normally would not go into on the blog. But here goes…


1. Have you ever looked at someone’s blog and thought yours will never measure up?
Oh my gosh. YES. Yes yes yes. Of course. It’s human nature. The point is to not focus on that. Acknowledge that feeling, and then move on. I don’t dwell on it.

2. Do you (did you) feel pressure to meet some kind of undefined standard for fashion bloggers?
Again, yes, but I try not to focus on it.

3. Many established fashion bloggers are also extraordinary DIYers, bakers, and crafty people. Do you think you need to combine all of these things to be successful at blogging?
No. I love when Suze does a DIY, or when Jen shows me what she had for dinner last night, or when Jentine gives thrifting advice. It’s great that they are good at those things and willing to share those skills and talents with the community. But it’s OK that I’m not good at the same things. (I am a great cook, *toot toot* but I don’t actually cook very often.) I’m really good at re-purposing jewelry. I’m proud of that, and I plan to do a post on how to in the near future. The fact that we are all so very different is what makes this community such a pleasure to be a part of.

4. The most successful blogs are the ones that have their own personal voice – how are you developing your voice or how did you find yours?
I try and write the blog the way I would speak. I don’t flower it up, I don’t avoid “like” and run on sentences. I just “be me”. My blog is different, I think because I’m me. And not you. But if pressed I’d say I do work wear, loosely within “business casual” but pushed to the absolute limit. I’m blessed to work somewhere that allows me to do that.

5. Toot your own horn… what’s one thing you do that is unique to you and your blog? What gives your blog an edge?
Me. But think about it. Isn’t that what makes a lot of blogs unique? Suze is so SUZE and Louise is so LOUISE and Kyla is so KYLA. And the girl is normally what I’m really interested in. Yes, I enjoy looking at clothes and seeing how people style things, but it’s always the girl herself that draws me in and ALWAYS always the girl herself that keeps me there, coming back day after day to read that blog again.