all at once

forever 21 shirt/jacket/skirt/bag, h&m scarf, necessary clothing heels

Wow didn't realize how f21-heavy this outfit was until I just listed the clothing details...I swear I bought each piece at a different time/place! I swear! I also realize I'm wearing EVERY.SINGLE.TREND there is for fall in this outfit: stripes? check. lace? check. leather? check. leopard? check. Oops...
Anyway life's still sucking a bit but I decided to indulge in a lovely artery-clogging cheeseburger and fries (Five Guys = our weekly burger run on the weekends...). Then we both felt super guilty so we (sort of) made up for the gluttony by going to the gym. THEN I completely lost my mind and decided I was going into the pool...the apartment's OUTDOOR pool. Tim was smarter and stayed out and watched me freeze...although after the initial freezing seconds I did manage to get a few laps in semi-comfortably.

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tonal grays

asos blazer, topshop dress as top, urban outfitters skirt, forever 21 shoes, overstock.com bag

Just an experiment with different textures as well as different shades of gray. I got some questions about where to get this bag....it was purchased from overstock.com about a year ago.
Life's kind of kicking me in the face right now so expect fewer posts...a lot of personal and school-related shit I'm having to deal with. 

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tumblr

TUMBLR
So I decided to make a tumblr. I've got a 10000000 inspiration photos saved up from over the past 4-5 years of actively following blogs, whether it's fashion, food, decor, or even music. It'll be pretty jewelry/detail-shot heavy. I've felt weird posting too many food pics or music vids or even editorial spreads on here so this is kind of a solution. I figure it might also be a bit more interactive since if you guys know of a music video or editorial spread I like, there's a submission button on the top of the page.
PS. how awesome is this longhorn skull ring? I'm a UT Longhorn...and I am obsessed with skull jewelry...and it reminds me of the Tim/his countryside property. I'm thinking about buying it.

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brocade and lace

vintage blazer, forever 21 dress, colin stuart pumps, asos clutch
(Sorry for the kooky expressions in this series of photos...especially that smug one). I'm going to actually take the time to READ the camera's user's manual some time this week during my "free time" (haha). I need a good crash course in photography or perhaps some pointers in good dslr lenses...

This coat is definitely a favorite vintage find...and definitely over the top. I decided to pair it with something totally "maximalistic" as part of my experiment on what to wear with it. I really think this would go beautifully with a drapey (burberry-esque) light gray dress as well...or an all-black ensemble...or maybe just a white button-down and jeans? The possibilities are endless. (HERE's how I wore it the first time)
To the people who've left comments about me being fat/chubby/overweight/etc in the past few weeks....I say (in Eric Cartman's voice): "I'm not fat...I'm just pleasantly plump." ;) 

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on the swingset

vintage blazer (thrifted), urban outfitter shorts, thrifted belt, thrifted necklace, forever21 top

Not much to say...kinda a blah outfit but I love that first picture. I've had a long day so I'm going to bed "early."

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scarves x2

thrifted blazer, h&m scarf, nyc street vendor scarf, f21 "dress", f21 leather shorts (unseen underneath), bakers shoes

 when I initially had only the teal solid-colored scarf the outfit felt a bit 1-dimensional so I added another scarf on top. the result? a much-improved outfit. I ended up taking off the blazer after a while since it was a bit too warm.
I'm not going to write much since it's 1AM and I have to get up at 6AM for research....and I just spent the past 8 hrs churning out polymath codes (47 total pages of hwk) for reactor class. 

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super casual

thrifted top, DIY cutoff levi's, free people oxfords (clearance), thrifted belt, amrita singh necklace, forever 21 clutch

An outfit from a while back. When I initially bought this blouse I didn't wear it for 2-3 weeks because I didn't feel like it went with anything. Now I wear it practically every week (as I do for all of my button-down, thrifted blouses)..they make a bland ensemble more chic and I don't have to worry about ruining an expensive top if I accidentally spilled bleach on it in research. Yes, quite the glamorous back story to this outfit no? 
This week has been such a shit week...I don't care to go into details but let's just say Murphy's Law is screwing me to the walls right now...and I've been on the verge of crying/breaking down at school when shit beyond my control means I am no longer officially found on the UT registry...which means I can't buy Windows Office for my reformatted computer at student computer store, check out much-need textbooks, get paid for tutoring/grading, register for classes...ANYTHING. This better get fixed by the end of this week or I'm going to murder the person in the HR department that caused this mess. 

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Jewelry: Interview with Bloodmilk Designer J.L. Schnabel

So while I've got too much shit to do to actually get a proper outfit shot in...here's an awesome interview I did with the talented jewelry maker J. L. Schnabel. Check out her designs...they're badass and totally fit my aesthetics. The first two are my absolute favorite designs from her.

How did you come up with the jewelry line name "Blood Milk"? BloodMilk began as a line of “collage” jewelry before I moved into casting. I assembled antique pieces, catholic relics, bone and other curious objects together to form a new whole, or wearable “art”. This process stemmed from the surrealist idea of ‘objective chance’ where seemingly unrelated objects are actually secretly and marvelously connected. This is where the name BloodMilk also stems from, the conjoining of two powerful words to make a new whole. It sounds grotesque but beautiful.

So in addition to being a jewelry designer, you're also a painter and a writer? Please elaborate! How did you ultimately decide to start designing jewelry? It’s funny and strange how life turns out…. I always planned on being a writer and received most of my formal training in literature and creative writing. Language is essential and wondrous. It will always be the way I know best to communicate my inner landscapes. How I began painting is: I was writing my thesis novel on a pair of painters and I wanted to try it for myself, to sound authentic. By then I was already following the ‘pop surrealist’ art movement and it became something I enjoyed doing. Jewelry came about as a practical way to transform the spiritual & fabulist language I was exploring in my 2-d work into a 3-d form. Being able to wear a piece of art has a more personal effect than reading or viewing it. I find that jewelry has a life with it’s wearer, it can become an extension of their beliefs, their personality, their dreams

What are some of your inspirations (Blogs/websites, artists, bands/musicians, philosophers. writers) on your jewelry design aesthetics? I’m inspired by a variety of historical debris. The surrealists & the Victorians play a large part in the spines of each piece, as well as different religious traditions such as Spiritualism, Catholicism and Native American spiritual beliefs. Mostly, I’m interested in my jewelry being ‘talismans’ a kind of psychic armor that can “protect” their wearers both emotionally and spiritually.
Blogs/Websites
Hi-Fructose: (http://www.hifructose.com/ )
Haute Macabre: (http://hautemacabre.com/ )
A Journey Round My Skull: (http://ajourneyroundmyskull.blogspot.com/)
Mutter Museum: (http://www.collphyphil.org/MUTTER.ASP)
Artists:
Jennybird Alcantara
Remedios Varo
Frida Kahlo
Max Ernst collages
Writers:
Danielle Vogel
Kelly Link
Brian Evenson
Anne Sexton
Stacey Levine
Bands:
Portishead
Neutral Milk Hotel
Nina Simone
The Knife
iamamiwhoami

Describe how each piece is designed. Do you start out with a particular design solidified in mind or do you chip away at a piece until it feels perfect? My process is sporadic and chaotic. I take a lot of notes and mini sketches. A design can haunt me until I have it figured out and realized. I like to defy traditional jewelry designs and see how far I can push things, how big I can make a ring before it becomes un-wearable or too absurd. I like to make bold pieces that will stand out and sometimes these pieces can be tricky to fully realize as practical, comfortable pieces.

What are some common "motifs" in your designs? My most recurring symbol is death. I don’t intend for it to be morbid because I view it in a more curious, exploratory way. Death is sad and terrible, but also a great, thrilling mystery. The jewelry, for me, is an exploration of the after-life, how we communicate with and honor the dead; whether it be through wearing the symbols of a Saint or the bones of magnificent birds and animals.

Who do you imagine as a Blood Milk girl (ie. describe the kind of person that would be most intrigued by your designs)? Mostly I imagine the people who wear my jewelry to be brave individuals, unafraid to make a bold statement or to reveal themselves. Jewelry is an aesthetic, spiritual language and I make BloodMilk with exclamations.

What's the future of Blood Milk? I’m most excited about launching my website before the end of the year! The only other certainty is that I’ll continue forging work that interests and excites me.

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noises of the modern symphonies

amrita singh earrings, american apparel skirt, forever21 bag/boots, street vendor scarf, thrifted blouse, thrifted belt

Puppies!!! Tim's parents got new blue lacey siblings and I was asked to help capture some of their first moments out at the countryside...as you can see they're pretty hyperactive and Tim's dog Ace liked playing with them as well. Soooooo furry and cute. I've never been a dog person but these little rogues along with Ace might have converted me...ahhhh they're like mini versions of Ace!!
I stayed until 7PM on Friday in research and then we had to drive 5+hrs for errands so today I've been taking it easy. Easy as in waking up at 11am, eating BBQ with extra potato salad (why is everything with potatoes and fat so good?? fries, tater tots, potato salad...), then taking a 4 hour nap with piano music on in the background.  I won't be talking much on the next few posts since I've got 3 exams early next week plus lab reports to write....so I'll be attempting to study for the rest of the weekend through Wednesday. I WILL be posting as regularly as I can though! It'll just be mostly pictures and none of my rants.

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blushing coral

thrifted shirt, forever 21 skirt, thrifted shoes, thrifted Ralph Lauren purse, thrifted belt

Haha didn't realize how many items were thrifted in this outfit until I just listed the items out...I’m not usually a pink person but this wall was the perfect backdrop for my girly outfit. Sorry for half-assed outfit posts but I've been feeling like a bum lately with my 14 hr work days.... I'm not even exaggerating. This past Tuesday I spent 16 hrs in between the chemical engineering building and the molecular biology building (8AM-past midnight). Ok enough complaining!! :) All's well now that I'm stuffed full of grilled cheese.
I’m really into loose blouses and flirty skirts right now… so expect more outfits with similar silhouettes soon. It’s still too hot in Austin to wear anything other than a jacket/blazer for evening/mornings. 

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we love colors giveaway

tights c/o welovecolors, urban outfitters skirt, modcloth clearance shirt, forever 21 shoes, thrifted belt

 The cool thing about the weather here in Austin (or maybe NOT so cool? har..har..) is that it's still 85ish degrees from noon till sundown. Thus I can wear my new jackets/blazers in the morning/night and still get away with summery outfits as well.
 I have this huge stack of things I'm suppose to blog about...a huge pile of giveaways to share with you guys! I've just been so busy this semester that I've had to put my research/classes ahead of blogging multiple times. For some reason in every blogger's "blogging career" one eventually feel the need to explain why she/he hasn't been posting as frequently... why is that? Well here's my excuse.My research mentor expects me to still be here at research at least 10-15 hrs a week despite me taking a full 14 credit hrs of engineering courses plus 15 hr/week of working as a grader/tutor for a biochemical engineering class. My homework in one my courses (reactor) has been taking over 10-20 hrs a week to finish at the very least, and that's working in a group. I also have lab reports to write that takes 5ish hrs/week and etc etc....so you see I've been having a very full schedule here. That's of course not counting the time I like to take off to catch up with the bf and my friends. I'm actually typing this blog post up on my research lab's computer while woofing down a chicken salad/wheat bread/spinach sandwich, my first taste of food/water since 7AM this morning.  I was so dead tired after 16 hrs of continuous work/no food yesterday that by the time I got home past midnight last night, I felt like throwing up and was aching all over. Probably dehydration and fatigue?  Glamorous no? 

PS. Win a pair of Microfiber Tights or Plus Size Nylon/Lycra Tights from WeLoveColors.com!
In case you haven't heard of this awesome site, they have tights in every color of the rainbow. Plus, as someone who often has trouble finding pairs that fit due to being tall and with muscular legs I love the fact that these fit me well without getting a run in the first wear. 
Rules:
1. Must be a follower of my blog on blogger or bloglovin'.
2. "Like" WeLoveColors on Facebook
3. Extra entry: Follow We Love Colors on Twitter
4. Remember to leave a blog url or an email so I can contact you if you've won!
5. Giveaway ends this Sunday at midnight!

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too fast for love

forever 21 leather jacket, wet seal dress, street vendor scarf, forever 21 purse

Tim's playing his favorite songs in the background and now this song (Too Fast for Love) is going to be stuck in my head for the rest of tomorrow. Texas climate is so bipolar right now...50's ish in the morning and late evenings and then 85-ish in the afternoon...so I have to take a leather jacket or blazer with me everywhere. I've changed my mind about Forever 21's selection of faux leather bags and jackets and caved when I finally saw a basic leather jacket that's soft and light (not like the motorcycle vintage jackets I've got for colder weather). The metal fringe on the purse also sold me...you know I love anything dripping in chains!
This weekend sped by without anything productive being done...where has the time gone?? I guess that's what happens when you sleep until 11AM for two days in a row.
PS. I still don't know how to work my camera very well...anyone that has some pointers?

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magenta

forever21 tunic, urban outfitter skirt, overstock.com bag, steve madden

Just a breezy outfit for a lazy day...anchored by some of my favorite jewelry pieces. The carved dragon bangles were bought by my mom in some Chinese marketplace...so incredibly beautiful. 
It's 2AM already so I won't say too much. I think I'm going to get a few thrift store bookshelves and spray paint them a glossy black in order to organize my shoes and purses/bags better. I've been making do with shoe racks on the floor but boots just don't fit on the rack...so I end up with a bunch of shoes on the ground and the hat rack piled high with purses. Argh! Anyone have any organizing solutions for shoes?

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