a cup full of sunshine

the golden road

2012-01-27T09:08:00.000-08:00

hey there folks. it's friday and i'm very happy about that. aren't you?
i thought i'd share a couple outfits from this week. below is my blue calico skirt which i wear all the time but somehow have never shown here. it was perfect for an 80 degree day. yes, it was hot this week, felt like summer.

next up is a new dress i got on wednesday. i love it!

hope you have a great weekend!

♥anne

you know it'll be good

2012-01-25T08:21:00.000-08:00

a hate just plopping a youtube video up here, but it's wes anderson so you know it'll be good!

it even has bruce willis in it! i like him :D

♥anne

here & now

2012-01-23T10:34:00.000-08:00

- on saturday, i got the antlers i've been waiting so patiently for from my nana. they, along with many others, use to hang on wall in my great grandpa's house. it's been about 7 or 8 years since he passed away. he was wonderful and actually deserves a post of his own. last year i asked my nana what happened to all the antlers and if i might be able to have one of the sets. above is the one she gave me. the woodwork was done by my great great grandpa, who i actually have a faint memory of. the plaque says the deer weighed 192 lbs. and i think it says it was shot in 1931, it's hard to read though. i'm so happy to have them in my house! (sorry about the bad quality of the picture. it's raining today and the lighting isn't good and i'm too impatient to wait to share them)

- marianne is growing fast! she's waving, sitting up like a strong girl, trying to talk and playing on her own. she is such a sweet soul!

- mr. shane is making huge accomplishments as well. he's FINALLY potty trained! thank the lord! after trying for a year to potty train max when he was little, i decided that with shane i would just wait until he was ready and save myself the frustration. after months of saying that he would die if he sat on the toilet, he has now gone a week with only a couple accidents. yay for shane!

- smudge burning and wall art

- last thursday bordertown saints had a show. good times and great music!

i'm off to try and tackle mountains of laundry. can you say boring? can you imagine what laundry for 6 people looks like? if you can or indeed know what it's like, then you feel my pain :D

♥anne

urban cowboy

2012-01-19T09:42:00.000-08:00

i have loved urban cowboy ever since i can remember. as a kid i think i was particularly drawn to it because of the music and i liked john travolta. i remember searching for the soundtrack for years. when i was a freshman in high school, i finally found it on cassette at music +. i was sooo stoked. i immediately set to work memorizing every word to devil went down to georgia, looking for love and lyin' eyes. since those high school days i have always kept an eye out while thrifting for a gilley's t shirt. well, a couple months ago my lucky day came!

it's a guys shirt and looks as though it's never been worn. here's the one i really want to find.

i actually made ruben take me to the gilley's in vegas about ten years ago to get a shirt. it was a real locals only, cowboy bar. some guy tried to start a fight with ruben for absolutely no reason (actually, it was probably because of how he looked) and this old lady was following me around telling me how much she liked my purse. neither of us will ever forget it!

this past halloween i wanted to be bud and sissy but ruben wouldn't :( maybe i can convince him for this year.
"you a real cowboy?"
i love how so many movies with john travolta have dance sences. this one is rad!

here i am trying to dance like him. what a dork!

ok. i think you get the idea. i love everything about this movie. period.

♥anne

what's in my bag

2012-01-18T09:55:00.000-08:00

if you've been around the land of blog for any amount of time, there's a good chance you have come across a post of the inside of someone's stylish, organized purse. i always get a kick out of these for a couple of reasons. first off, i wonder if they are REALLY as organized as their pictures show. i mean, are people really that cute and hip all the way down to the smallest details such as lip gloss, camera bags and organizers? secondly, i always crack up at thought of posting what the inside of my purse looks like. i'm actually laughing right now because soon you will scroll down and see for yourself.

look how sweet and innocent she looks! little do you know what she contains inside her bowels. at least once everyday i can be heard saying, "ahhh! i can never find anything in this purse!" or, "where is my phone/chap stick/camera/keys...". as if it's her fault i'm completely unorganized! often times i feel like ally sheedy in the breakfast club.

so, "do i always carry around this much shit in my bag?" yes...and here's a look at it!

1. checkbook. yes, i still write checks.
2. an array of socks. hahaha i really don't know what they are doing there or how they got there.
3. my coach wallet. it was a gift from my dad when i graduated high school. still in great shape!
4. camera and holder. never leave home without it!
5. the lamest phone on earth.
6. 4 sharpies and a pencil. no explanation on this one.
7. camera chord
8. a sticker from forever ago
9. shane's astro boy disc
10. a harmonica which i can't play
11. camera charger
12. a nursing pad
13. stack o' crap
14. bobby pins, flower hair clip, rubber bands, bracelet i made
15. 3 different chap sticks and red lipstick from halloween
16. 1 of alex's earrings and a shell
17. trash

you want to know something even worse???? i just cleaned it out! i know, i should really be ashamed of this. it's pretty embarrassing. but, that's the reality. just trying to give a peek into the life of the real me :D

so, now my question to you is, what does the inside of your bag look like???

♥anne

p.s.- do like how i arranged it all so nicely for the picture? and took the time to add numbers to each item? see, i can be orderly. but it really looks much worse all stuffed into my purse :D

a calico baby bag

2012-01-16T08:26:00.000-08:00

my friend rita, who i spoke of here, is having her first baby. i wanted to make her something special and finally decided on a baby bag. i had several different brown calico fabrics that went well together and below is the design i came up with.
a birdie mama and a wee birdie babe. this was my first attempt at applique and it actually went really well. i'm not a huge fan of sewing but overall this project was pretty quick and easy. i don't think i even cussed at it once!

here is rita in all her pregnancy glory. she is going to be having a home birth, which is always exciting to me. i can't wait to hear all about it!

♥anne

the three little pigs and the big bad wolf finger puppets

2012-01-12T11:27:00.000-08:00

"big bad wolf" has been shane's favorite story for about a year now. he goes to bed every night listening to it. every time he see's a big dog, he calls it the big bad wolf. he was even quite terrified when he first saw this disney cartoon, but now it is a favorite.
i had planned to make a finger puppet theater for him for christmas, but got too overwhelmed with everything. i had also planned to make three pigs and the big bad wolf to go along with it. well, yesterday i decided to get started. i've only done one pig and the big bad wolf so far. i looked at stills from the cartoon and just made them up as i went. when i was cutting the wolf's tail i asked shane, "is this tail good?". he quickly replied, "no mommy. bigger. huge.". the tail was obviously a BIG DEAL. when i finished them he was sooo excited. and just now he said, "mommy, you made those for me? tank you!".
i will show them all when i finish. i just wanted to make sure and pictures before they start getting played with :D

i wanted to say a huge thank you to you all for the sweet comments on my sisters post! AND also tell you how much i enjoyed reading your musical memories. i was totally cracking up! thanks :D

♥anne

musical memories// marky mark leads me to lou reed

2012-01-10T09:25:00.000-08:00

oh man! this is a good one folks!
back in 1991 i was in 8th grade. my taste in music went far and wide. all the way from the beatles and stones to guns n' roses to (ahem) marky mark and the funky bunch. thankfully i was allowed to explore all genres, no matter how good or bad they were (this is something i have been known to struggle with as a parent :D but i am working on it). anyway, growing up we had an extensive album library, in alphabetical order too! you don't know how many times i have longed for that library! so, one day i've got marky mark playing in my room, i was most likely trying to memorize the lyrics, and my step-dad comes up to me and says, "you know that song is a cover, right?" ... "it is?" i say. we take a walk down the hall to the office/music room and he locates lou reed's transformer and puts it on the record player. there were obvious differences, but i remember being stoked about this new info. i also remember trying to impress my friends with all my musical knowledge... they weren't interested.
i wish i could say that after this day i delved into the music of lou reed and the velvet underground, but that didn't come until later...

here i am in eighth grade.

do you have a musical memory you'd like to share? it's really fun!
post about one on your blog or leave a comment and let me know. i'd love to hear about it!

more musical memories here

♥anne

sunset stroll

2012-01-09T09:08:00.000-08:00

just a few pictures from our walk yesterday.

as you can see, i cut my bangs. it's not the greatest photo of me, but you get the idea. i'm not 100% sure how i feel about them yet, but the good news is i can always pin them back or off to the side. it's a nice change regardless.

♥anne

sisters

2012-01-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

sis·ter (sstr)n.

A female having the same parents as another or one parent in common with another.

sis·ter·hood (s s t r-h d ). n.
1. The state or relationship of being a sister or sisters. 2. The quality of being sisterly.

sis·ta n.
a sister that is not related to you but seems like she is. (that's my own definition)

back in june of 2004 my sister left for the convent. coincidentally, my best friend since 2nd grade, also left and entered a different convent one month later. (really what the heck are the odds of this happening????) in one month i lost my two best friends. the two people that i always confided in. the two people who completely knew me. don't get me wrong, i was happy for them and supported them but i felt an overwhelming since of loneliness. i went into a year long depression. i was certain that i would never have a close friend again. i have a hard enough time getting to know people, so the thought of being really close to another woman seriously seemed impossible. i was sure i would never meet anyone who seemed like the sisters that were no longer in my everyday life. little did i know that what i was longing for was already in my life, i just didn't know it.

my grammy took this picture of us and told us one day we would look back on it and laugh. grammy, you were right.

i think this was our last trip to yosemite before she entered. look how little max was!

after my friend rita had been in the convent for about 8 months, she came home. i remember being so excited. i thought everything would be great again. i had my friend back, the depression was sure to go away, right? not exactly. to my surprise, i felt the same. i was stoked she was home and all, but my life didn't change like i thought it would. i came to the huge realization that i was placing all my happiness on other people and circumstances. relying on them to fulfill me. this horrible year turned out to be one of much personal growth and one i am very thankful for going through. it was then that i realized happiness must come from within. maybe i had to learn that before i could really be a friend to anyone again.

rita and i-freshman and sophmores in high school

nicky and i had known each other for a couple of years, but were not instant pals. we saw each other occasionally, but i didn't think we had anything in common. to this day, i'm still not quite sure how our friendship ended up coming about. i believe it was from our daughters? who, by the way, are BFF's. whatever the reason, in 2006ish we started hanging out. as the years went on we were together more and more. i came to realize that we, in fact, had much in common- we share a deep love for chips(all kinds. there's no discrimination here people), crafting, silly movies which usually have will ferrell in them, thrifting and so much more! i couldn't be happier to have nicky as my sista! i have her to thank for many, many laughs! her to thank for having more fun, the dorky, silly kind of fun (which is the best kind of fun there is). her(and erick) to thank for shane (after being around olivia as a babe, ruben and i thought having another baby wouldn't be so bad). and i think she is responsible for me dancing again. ya know, at parties and stuff. i am sooo grateful for her friendship. so, since i have probably never said it to you before...thank you for being my friend nicky! i hope to be as good of a friend to you as you are to me.

we honestly could not stop laughing this night. i'm laughing now just thinking about it!

helmets hitting each other=big laughs

thank you for being there for me through the up's and down's of life!

and since i'm on the subject of sisters, sista's and sisterhood, i can't fail to mention all the amazing women i've met through blogging. i never thought i would end up meeting kindred spirits through the internet. all you awesome, creative ladies make me very happy and brighten up my days with your words and pictures. even though i've never met most of you in person, i still consider you my friends. i hope the feeling is mutual :D i guess you just never know what life has in store! one year you think you'll be friendless for the rest of your life, then another year you have friends near and far. crazy!

so here's to a new year filled with friends and sisters new and old, near and far!

♥anne

midnight in paris

2012-01-04T17:21:00.000-08:00

woody does it again! if you are a fan of his films and haven't seen this one yet, do yourself a favor and watch it, you won't be dissapointed. everything about it is amazing- the music, the costumes, the characters...perfect! i LOVED it!

have you seen it? what did you think?

♥anne

cuttin' bangs

2012-01-03T09:35:00.000-08:00

i'm dying to change my hair... call it the post baby hair blues. i would never chop it all off like so many new mothers do, but i would definitely cut my bangs. and probably will today.
above are my inspiration photos. i'll keep you posted :D

♥anne

photos- 1 hannah,2 courtney brooke,3 molly,4 jane birkin,5 anita pallenberg

december in pictures

2012-01-02T12:22:00.000-08:00

our neighbor is a glass blower and had his studio open for demonstrations. very cool to watch!

super wiggly baby!

nicky and i at jessica's christmas party. i wish i had gotten more pictures.

my children at my aunt and uncle's on christmas.

avocado pickin'.

our newest family member, noel. alex brought her home from the convent when she and my mom went to pick up christmas wreaths. she is a super sweet little kitty!

happy new year!

♥anne

pop out sandal skates

2011-12-20T08:14:00.000-08:00

how RAD are these?!! and how have i never seen them before yesterday???
are they easy to walk in? would i eat it every time i wore them?
all these questions will be answered when i find a pair in a size 8.

♥anne

top pair for sale here.

crochet knit crochet

2011-12-13T10:34:00.000-08:00

i have been crocheting up storm! i'm making cowls for all my family and friends this christmas. hopefully everyone likes cowls...if not, they're gettin' one anyway ;D heheh i'm funny! they are easy and fun to make. i've been trying out some new stitches and designs. i'm interested to see which is the most popular because i've been considering trying to sell them on etsy. you can check out the one i made for missa here(and the package i sent her for the bioregional swap here). i think she looks quite gorgeous in it, if i do say so myself!

moving on to the knitting portion of this post- last weekend i went to my friend maia's baby shower(check out her kids clothes line here) and her friend, who hosted the party, had the best baby shower gift idea ever!

she had a basket of knitting needles that had a couple rows started and had people pick out a color and start knitting. six people took a color home to finish and then she is going to attach all the pieces together and make a baby blanket. isn't that fun! i took the orange yarn and have been slowly working on it. i can't wait to see it finished!

it was so cool to see everyone working away. a couple ladies were new to knitting, so not only did they get to enjoy a super fun baby shower, they also learned to knit!

if i ever host a baby shower, i'm totally stealing this idea.

happy st. lucia feast day!

♥anne

max

2011-12-11T12:03:00.000-08:00

photos taken (at max's request) this morning while listening to the lord of the rings soundtrack. if you enjoy those movies, you may get a kick out of this (ok. try to make it past the first minute. i might be alone on this one, but if anyone else thinks it's funny let me know) and this. i found both quite hilarious, but i'm a dork.
happy sunday!

♥ anne

the willow garden

2011-12-08T20:32:00.000-08:00

i LOVE nick cave. for about a year i listened to him exclusively. i devoured his entire library of music and listened over and over and over. he can do no wrong in my eyes. even though he doesn't sing this song it remains one of my favorites.

♥anne

rose of a different name

2011-12-02T09:10:00.000-08:00

remember last year when i scored this gunne for a mere $1? well... i can finally wear it! if you recall, it had stains and tears on the sleeves which i tried to wash out and mend but in the end i decided it would best to just cut them off. i really hate to alter vintage clothes. for some reason it makes me sad to see them cut up and changed but, like i said, i didn't see any other option. that being said, i really am pleased with how it looks :D am i contradicting myself here?

this dress is so ideal- it has pockets (every mom needs clothes with pockets), i can nurse in it (thank you corset bodice) and it's just overall adorable. jessica mc clintock rules!

plus, my awesome leaf hair clip from milla goes perfectly with it.

here's the song i've been listening to all morning. i sure do love waylon!

The devil made me do it the first time

The second time I done it on my own

Lord put a handle on a simple handed man

And help me leave that black rose alone

happy friday!

♥anne

365 lucky days

2011-12-01T09:47:00.000-08:00

i just came across lucky jackson's blog, 365 lucky days, this morning. her work is so cool that i had to share it with you all. go check it out. she's currently doing blog crushes... so rad :D
enjoy!

♥ anne

bioregional swap

2011-11-22T09:27:00.000-08:00

several months back, the very sweet mary, of terrallactualism, put together a wonderful bioregional swap. i was partnered up with the lovely missa of thrift candy.

last friday i came home to a box full of goodies waiting for me. as you can imagine, i was quite excited to find out what amazing things this box would hold. and let me tell ya, i was MORE than stoked when i opened it up!

she included a wide variety of fantastic items- reversible wrap skirt and adorable apron, handmade god's eye and driftwood art with beautiful feathers from her hens, delicious homemade grape jam(not pictured. we already ate most of it!) and fig spread, bay leaves from her tree, lip balm and body butter, a sweet little dress for marianne (perfect to wear on her 1st birthday) and an adorable print (pictured below), vintage stickers, our lady of guadalupe tile, vintage copy of jack london's the valley of the moon, california poppies and last but not least, synchronicity spray ( she will find out when she gets her package that the spray was already in effect before i even recieved it! so yes missa, it does work :D).

thank you so much missa! i hope you enjoy your package as much as i absolutely adore mine!

♥ anne

living room

2011-11-13T07:02:00.000-08:00

last time i showed pictures of my house, it was a bit of a mess. today, i share a clean living room with you. figuring out where to place the furniture in this room was a bit of a challenge. we tried many different options and settled at setting the furniture at an angle. i quite like how it ended up.

on the blank wall on the right of the fireplace, we hope to build one of these. then all our books will have a home again.

what do you do when you need side tables but you only have $20? you go to IKEA of course! these are working out just fine until we can find something more unique.

i hope you have a wonderful sunday!

♥anne

frank zappa//musical memories

2011-11-10T09:39:00.000-08:00

i wanted to start something new here- musical memories. basically i will be sharing a song and some memories that are attached to it. so get ready for a WIDE variety of songs i love and songs i hate (i've been wanting to do a playlist of songs i can't stand. haha i think that would be fun!). so here's the first one. i don't anticipate anyone making it through the whole song but we'll see.

i first heard apostrophe by frank zappa when i was a junior in high school, so that was 1994. i remember being totally blown away by it and loving how bizarre and different it was compared to most/all music i'd heard. the fact that he was not known by most 16 year old's at the time made it even cooler to me. we had this album on vinyl, so i recorded it onto a cassette and listened to it for months straight in my car. i've only met a couple of zappa fans in my life, i suppose it's not exactly the type of music most people would choose to listen to but it's fun and this album in particular brings back lots of memories for me.

some of my favorite song quotes come from this album-
1."is that a real poncho or is that a sears poncho?"-definitely one of my top 5 favorite song lyrics ever! i was watching mystery science theater 3000 one time and they said that, i was so stoked! it doesn't take much to make me happy people :D
2."watch out where the huskies go, don't you eat that yellow snow"- saying this a must, when in snow!
3."I'll take a drive to BEVERLY HILLS just before dawn an' knock the little jockeys
Off the rich people's lawn"- i think of that every time i see a lawn jockey.

there ya have it! i would have included a picture of me from 1994, but someone (shane) misplaced my camera (i don't have a scanner so it would have been a picture of a picture). next time.

♥ anne

6 months

2011-11-08T09:22:00.000-08:00

my sweet little marianne will be six months in a couple days! she's rolling, cooing and just got her first tooth. she'll be 5 years old in a blink of an eye! i better relish these months of her babe-dom :D reminds me of this awesome, oh-so-true song.

♥anne

nature collage

2011-11-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

above are some nature goodies i gathered on a walk yesterday. it was so pretty out- birds chirping, sun shinning, breeze blowing and butterflies flitting from flower to flower.

happy friday!

♥anne

staghorn ferns

2011-11-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

when i was a kid, my great aunt and uncle had a staghorn fern. i always thought it was such a cool plant. so different from anything i'd ever seen. over the years my feelings haven't changed and i'm currently on a hunt for an affordable one. i can't wait to have one of these prehistoric looking babies on my wall!

♥anne

all saints day

2011-11-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

being that today is all saints day, i thought i would share a few of my favorite saints with you. saints truly are our friends in heaven. i feel a REAL kinship with them, like a close friend you never see but you know is always there to support and encourage you. i have been helped and lead by their intersession so many times and am thankful that Jesus gave us such wonderful examples to help guide us on our journey through life.

this morning i read the following-

We should never think for a moment that devotion to the saints gets in the way of our relationship with God. The saints have nothing at all of their own to give which they have not received from him, and their essential gift to us is his essential gift to them; himself, his own life and truth and joy. -Fr. Simon Tugwell, O.P.

St. Therese of Lisieux (2 January 1873 – 30 September 1897)is probably my favorite. i know she was one of the people responsible in leading me back to the church many years ago. after reading her book, The Story of A Soul, i was greatly inspired by her "little way"and have since said many novenas to her which she always answers with roses (sometimes in the strangest ways!). here is post i wrote about her 2 years ago. next is St. Joan of Arc(1412-1431). her life is about as fascinating as it gets! if your interested in reading a true account of her life, i would recommend Joan of Arc by Mark Twain. yes, mark twain wrote a book about her. he spent 12 years in research, 2 years writing and he considered it his most important and best work. Padre Pio (25 May 1887 – 23 September 1968) is another modern saint that i find very interesting. he received the stigmata, battled the devil, had the gift of bilocation and the ability to read souls in the confessional and his body is incorrupt.

St. Philomena is a newer saint to me. she came into my life last year and has since been showing up in all sorts of ways. i feel she is nudging me to get to know her better. not much is known about her, only that she was martyred when she was 14.there are so many more, like St. Bernadette Soubirous, St. Maximilian Kolbe and Queen of all saints, the Blessed Virgin Mary... but i'll save them for another post.

do you have a favorite saint? or one that intrigues you? please share.

♥anne

wormy

2011-10-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

the conversation went something like this-

me(yelling across the park)- shane! what is in your hand?
shane- a snake!
me- come here and show me!

turns out an earthworm looks like a snake to a little fella who is three.

♥anne

ps- the cute little girls are my friend emily's daughters :D

succulent terrarium DIY

2011-10-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

yesterday i made two succulent terrariums. they were super easy and fun to put together! they add so much to our living room. here are the simple instructions i followed.

happy monday!
♥anne

tom waits- bad as me

2011-10-18T09:47:00.000-07:00

did you know tom waits has a new album, bad as me, coming out on october 24th??? well, he does and i just listened to it. how did i listen to it since it's only the 18th you may be wondering? i'm a fan. that's how. and guess what...it rules (of course it does. it's tom waits. duh!) if your interested in listening leave a comment, i have 5 codes to share with 5 lucky friends. yes. if you like tom waits we're friends, even if we haven't met in person :D

new album= a tour? i sure hope so!
♥ anne

this is the reality people

2011-10-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

as much as i'd like to wish and pretend that things are always perfect, clean and peaceful here on my end of blogland, the truth is they're not. over the weekend jessica and i were discussing how most people don't really show the everyday, boring, un-"lovely", tiring side of their lives- the dirty dishes, kids fighting/crying, messy rooms... you get the idea. well, here it is. enjoy.

we have at least ten boxes of books and no bookcase. hopefully that will be remedied soon.

remnants of homework and breakfast. isn't this inspiring!?

this blurry picture of shane is perfect. not only is he in a constant state of motion and activity, but he practically smothers marianne with kisses, hugs and almost headbutts her at any given moment of the day. i know she's smiling here, but don't be fooled. less than a minute later she was in a full blown cry.

tomatoes that WILL be jarred today! if not, we run the risk of a full blown fruit fly invasion.

there you have it! a peek into my morning. a little different than your usual pictures of beautiful scenery and inviting cups of coffee, wouldn't ya say!? now i must go to attend to a very tired baby, change a poopy diaper, do six loads of laundry and continue to unpack. is it 5 o'clock yet???

♥ anne

p.s.- i'm assuming you all know this was for fun and done with a smile on my face. i hope it brought one to yours as well. i'm not complaining. rather, i'm showing you a very realistic side of my life.

morning walk

2011-10-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

here's the sweet little face that looked up at me on our walk.

well, we're all moved in! not unpacked... but moved in. as you can imagine (or maybe not) unpacking with a 3 year old and a baby is pretty slow. so this morning instead of being productive, we took a walk :) i'm so happy to have a trail next to us. it's about 1-2 miles to the beach. part dirt trail and the rest of the way is paved. we didn't make it all the way to the beach, but being out in the fresh air was a wonderful way to start our day. now back to the unpacking...

♥anne

the wonder years

2011-10-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

i was so stoked to find out yesterday, that the wonder years is FINALLY available on netflix. i've been waiting years to re watch one of my all time favorite tv shows ever! the music, the wardrobe, kevin and winnie...what more could you ask for!? i'm squealing with delight as i'm typing this. ok. gotta go watch the first episode!

♥ anne

neko case at the hollywood bowl

2011-10-03T11:56:00.000-07:00

a couple weeks ago we went to see neko case at the hollywood bowl. she was as incredible as i thought she would be! tears and goosebumps people. and if you were wondering...yes, a person can have goosebumps for 45 minutes straight :D

there were lots of fun pictures from this night. nicky, erick and her brother were with us and we all had a blast. but...if i shared them i'd have re-title this post "stay at home mom gone wild"! hahaha. someone (me) overindulged a bit. a guess that's what happens when you don't go out much.

we're moving this friday, so wish us luck. can't wait! new home, new beginnings! feeling positive folks.

♥ anne

i ♥ this bar

2011-09-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

yep, you heard me right folks...i love this bar. what bar is it, you may be wondering? it's mother's in sunset beach. ruben's band, bordertown saints, played there a couple times this summer and i was able to get out and enjoy the music, beer and friends.

you may recognize my lovely fellow bloggers nicky and jessica.

my friend vanessa even made out for one of the shows! we've been friends for almost 20 years! here she is wearing one of our vintage dresses we thrifted in high school.

ruben and mike(jessica's husband) lookin' quite handsome

and who wouldn't want to order a drink from the beautiful and stylish louise?
so basically, what i'm trying to say here is, this bar has it all- beer in mason jars, cute bartenders, awesome locals, great live music, bikers, the beach... i think you get the idea :D

♥ anne

samuel and archibald

2011-08-27T20:39:00.000-07:00

several months ago, i did a swap with the very talented whitney gardner. below is the woodblock print i just had to have, it was love at first sight. i believe it is her grandpa, archibald. a few months after receiving it i read east of eden (my new favorite book) and couldn't help but see the resemblance in archibald and how i pictured samuel hamilton would look.

"Adam saw a big man, bearded like a patriarch, his graying hair stirring in the air like thistledown. His cheeks above his beard were pink where the sun had burned his Irish skin...After a quick glance Adam came back to the eyes, light blue and filled with a young delight. The wrinkles around them were drawn in radial lines inward by laughter."

♥ anne

not much to say

2011-08-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

So close and yet so far away
And all the things I'd hoped to say
Will have to go unsaid today
Perhaps until tomorrow

- townes van zandt

♥ anne

green juice and smoothies

2011-08-18T07:40:00.000-07:00

a few years ago i read quite a bit about the benefits of juicing and green smoothies. i knew right away that i wanted to incorporate both into my diet and that i REALLY wanted a vita-mix blender. but since they are so dang expensive i decided i would make due with the blender i had and opted to get a juicer. once it arrived in the mail, i set to work and made a big glass of fresh vegetable juice. it was seriously disgusting and i ended up dumping it out. until, last week my poor little juicer sat in the cupboard waiting for the day when he would get a second chance at life. it wasn't his fault that i made a gross concoction. well, his patience paid off! over the years that he sat waiting i continued reading about juicing, but the horrible memories kept me from giving it another try. then one night as i was browsing the "watch instantly" section of netflix, i came across this documentary and decided to watch it. after it was over, i was convinced i HAD to give juicing another shot. so the next day, i made my second glass of juice. yucky again! i decided to look up some recipes. duh! why didn't i do that the first time?! needless to say, with a recipe the juice was awesome and insanely refreshing! i've been juicing daily since then and am pretty darn sure i will continue for the rest of my life! hehehe! hey, jack lelanne thrived on stuff. i plan on doing the same!

as for the vita-mix...after nearly 3 years of searching for a used one, saving enough money then using it for more important things, yadda yadda yadda...i finally got one! ruben bought it from nicky's mom for my birthday ( i had tried to buy it from her about a year ago. luckily her husband recently bought a blendtec and they no longer needed the vita-mix, so they sold it to us for a great price. thanks again dave and denise!). green smoothies are much better without big chunks of kale in them.

i've been making all sorts of goodies! above are raw kale chips. these babies are seriously delicious! you can find the recipe here. i also have made raw chia seed pudding a couple of times, a great healthful desert! and i'm still working on making a good raw cracker. i've made several different batches but they don't come close to these (the best raw cracker around, i think).

green smoothies changed my life. i know, that sounds kinda lame but it's true. i can already tell that juicing is doing the same thing. that being said, i want to encourage everyone to start juicing and blending! if you don't have a juicer start with smoothies. you don't need a high speed blender, a regular one works fine. here's a recipe for my basic green smoothie-

*2 cups water
*1 banana, i like mine frozen
*about 1 cup frozen mango or any fresh fruit you enjoy or have on hand
*1-2 big handfuls of kale, chard, spinach or any dark leafy green (you'll want to remove the stem from kale or chard)

and here is a recipe for the juice i've been making-

*2 big handfuls of spinach
*1 whole lemon
*1-2 cucumbers
*1-2 celery ribs
*1 green apple
*1 big handful of parsley or cilantro
*1 chunk of fresh ginger (about 1 tablespoon)

when i first discovered raw food and started making green smoothies i lost close to 20 pounds! now after baby #4 i'm in the same boat. unfortunately i didn't eat that great during my pregnancy. i ate way too many grains, a food that definitely packs the pounds on me. but, i know with smoothies and juicing the weight will come off like it did last time.

do you have a yummy juice or smoothie recipe you'd like to share? if so, please leave a comment. and even if you don't, leave a comment and share your thoughts :D

for further reading and viewing-

Green for Life

Dr. Mercola interview with Cherie Calbom

Life Regenerator aka Dan the Man

Fat Sick and Nearly Dead

♥ anne

william albert allard

2011-08-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

i think the best pictures are often on the edges of any situation, i don't find photographing the situation nearly as interesting as photographing the edges.

~william albert allard

as i was sitting in the dentist's office yesterday, waiting for max, i picked up a national geographic magazine and came across these photos. i thought they were amazing and wanted to share them with you all. i just love the one of the guy sitting at the bar. i'd like that one hanging on my wall.

not too much has been happening around here, just everyday life. i wanted to do a post about the last couple of weeks, but the thought of downloading all the pictures seems to be stopping me from such an endeavour. hopefully in the next couple of days i will have time. until then, you can enjoy the pictures above.

if you want to see more of william albert allard's photographs visit his website here.

♥ anne

2 months

2011-07-13T07:17:00.000-07:00

today my little baby bird is 2 months old. boy, time is already flying by!

♥ anne

alkemie

2011-07-08T14:43:00.001-07:00

how rad is this jewelry? i just discovered it and had to share.

i don't know...maybe i need to get myself an early birthday gift. hehehe i wish!

check out the full line of alkemie jewelry here.

♥ anne

independance day

2011-07-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

we spent a beautiful 4th of july at the beach with jessica, her family and our friends. they took their most amazing motor home down and we hung out in it, had beers, enjoyed the sunshine and had a super fun time. thanks mike and jessica!

♥ anne

p.s.- yes, i was making that dorky face, in the pic with ruben and marianne, on purpose ;D

2011-07-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

dress- free people
sweater- thrifted
sandals- thrifted
necklace- thrifted

well, this is my first outfit post since i had marianne. how do you like my new necklace? i'm quite thrilled with it. i scored it for $5 last sunday. and i'm wearing "old reliable"- my mustard sweater which i wear with everything. there are lots of clothes i look forward to fitting back into, but for now i'm glad i have dresses like this one to wear this summer.

hope you have a fun holiday weekend!

♥ anne

a beach collage

2011-06-29T09:27:00.000-07:00

♥ anne

sunday

2011-06-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

my mom and i went to visit my sister yesterday and she got to meet marianne! it was a beautiful, peaceful day... hope you enjoy the pictures.

i've never seen a dandilion seed this enormous, it was as big as my hand!

♥anne

gettin' the led out

2011-06-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

my favorite led zeppelin song. what's yours?

♥ anne

mother's little helpers

2011-06-09T17:48:00.000-07:00

♥ anne

2011-06-07T08:40:00.000-07:00

happy birthday daddy!

this is one of my favorite pictures of my dad. can you tell what kind of car he's driving? here's the answer.

and since we're talking about cars, when i was searching vw's on flickr, i came across this photo and realized that my dad is in it. he's the one walking in front of the car. i later found out that it came from this book.

my dad and my uncle use to race. the pictures directly above and below are of them. i know my dad is driving in the one below, but i'm not sure about the one above.

love ya daddy!

this week is filled with birthdays. i will be celebrating for many days to come!

hope everyone's week is off to a great start.

♥ anne

dreamin'

2011-05-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

i'll let you be in my dreams if i can be in yours.

-Bob Dylan

i had so much fun making this dreamcatcher yesterday. i recently came across the lune vintage blog, where jill gives a wonderful tutorial on how to make these babies and other cool crafts! go check it out.

thank you so much for all the incredibly nice comments about little marianne! reading what you all had to say brightened my day and brought a smile to my face. she is a dream baby indeed! she's sleeping ALOT and of course nurses lots (when she's awake). i couldn't have wished for a calmer, sweeter babe!

♥ anne

baby Marianne

2011-05-16T10:23:00.001-07:00

"There is power that comes to women when they give birth. They don't ask for it, it simply invades them. Accumulates like clouds on the horizon and passes through, carrying the child with it."
Sheryl Feldman

On May 13th, we were blessed with the arrival of our beautiful daughter, Marianne. Giving birth is such a magical event. It doesn't matter how many times you experience it, the feelings of wonder and amazement don't diminish, they only seem to grow stronger. The power that we as women have is unbelievable. If we can give birth to new life, I'm convinced there is nothing that we can't do! I wish every woman could experience a natural birth, pain and all. There's something about the whole event that, it seems to me, if you remove a component from it (like pain and discomfort) you're taking away an important piece to the puzzle.

Without feeling everything that was happening during my first two births, I did not get the sense of empowerment that I felt after a natural birth. I feel I can express this opinion because I have had two hospital pain free births and two natural home births. Both ways end with the same result, your baby being born, which really is the most important thing. But, I just wish I had known home birth was option 12 years ago when I had Max. I remember I had originally wanted a natural birth, but once I set foot in the hospital all sorts of things started happening that I didn't want. I was put on pitocin, stuck in a bed, not allowed to eat and constantly tempted with an epidural. Basically, all the things I didn't want. I just want encourage all women, who are pregnant or hoping to become pregnant, to look into home births/birth center births and midwives, even if you think it's not for you.

*Please know that I'm not looking down on other people's choices at all. If someone doesn't want feel any pain at all, more power to them. I'm just expressing my own experiences and their effects on me. No matter how the baby gets here, a birth is extraordinarily special.

Anyway, I didn't plan on breaching that topic. I could go on and on, but I won't. Maybe, if anyone is interested, we could all discuss it in a post of it's own. I'd love to hear your birth stories and views about birth. So, on to Marianne's abridged birth story...

On Thursday, around 7 pm, my midwife Janna came over to break my water. I was looking forward to giving birth in few hours... boy was I wrong! Assuming that your fourth baby is going to come really quick is a big mistake. My contractions very slowly began to get regular and with each hour increased with pain. By midnight/one o'clock it was intense. I kept telling myself that it was not pain that i was feeling, just a different sensation unique to labor (Ina Mae says something along those lines in Spiritual Midwifery). I found that telling myself this helped and kept me on a more positive train of thought because at times it can feel like the labor is never going end. Janna checked me and I was at 9cm. As the hours went on I began to feel the exhaustion. I actually started to doze off for seconds between contractions. Around 5am Janna had to go and Lisa came to take over. Lisa checked me again and I was still not fully dilated. Hearing that news after that many hours was very, very difficult. I was beginning to feel unsure about how much longer I could endure the pain. Then the doubts started to flood my mind. I only allowed them to remain briefly, that's not a path you want to go down during labor. Instead I thought of all the women past and present that had given birth naturally. I told myself that it was a gift to be able to do this, a gift unique to us as women. All those others had made it through and even I had with the birth of Shane, surly I could make it again. Lisa thought I should try to use the restroom and stand for a bit. After doing that and returning to the bed, the urge to push was upon me at last! A few hard pushes and out she came at 7:48 am. The feelings of joy and immense relief were overwhelming. She was as beautiful and healthy as I had prayed she'd be. The smallest of all my children, she weighed in at 7lbs. and 9oz. and was 21 inches long.

The instant love you feel upon seeing your baby is insane. I always wonder before they're here if I could have room to love another as much as i love my other children. Of course I know the answer, yes I do, but it still amazes me every time. It makes me realize how much the Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us and how he has endless room in His heart for us.

janna,ruben and shane, myself and marianne and lisa

I'm so grateful to everyone at South Coast Midwifery for helping me have another wonderful birth. I couldn't have asked for more from Lisa, Janna and Megan( she assisted both midwives), my amazing husband for being beside me and holding my hand through the whole thing, my Mom who has been a constant support through out my whole pregnancy(and life) and has been coming over and cooking delicious dinners for us, my step mom Cathy for taking the kids, helping me out with laundry and being the wonderful friend that she is to me, my Nana for going with me to appointments and watching Shane and taking all 3 kids the night before I had the baby and last but not least, all our friends and family that have sent well wishes and been there for us in many different ways. You all are the best!!!

♥ anne

ripe

2011-04-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

here, as promised, is an outfit post. the top/dress is the one i spoke of in my previous post. it was one of the many lovely items milla sent in her package. it's a special piece because, apparently many other pregnant mama's have worn it. so, i feel blessed to be the next in line to wear and cherish it while it's in my possession.

the embroidery is gorgeous, as you can see. i felt pretty all day while wearing it, which can be difficult when you're 9 months pregnant. i think milla's happy vibes clung to the top and rubbed off me :D

she also sent a floral skirt, a sweater, an adorable shawl, a hat, a dress and top and her most awesome leather leaf hair clips. now, i'm not gonna lie. when we originally talked about the swap, months back, i was really hoping there would be one in the package, but to my surprise there were two! i've already worn them many times. thank you so much magical milla for everything, you are too sweet!

as the title of this post says, i'm ripe! only a couple more weeks and we will be meeting our new babe. right now i'm just preparing for the homebirth- cleaning, getting supplies, doing laundry and mentally preparing... i'm planning on having a doula this time, which i think will really be beneficial. i met with her yesterday at my appointment with my midwife and she was super sweet. eventhough this is my fourth, i feel i still need direction and help with the pain. hopefully this baby will be smaller than shane, he was 9 lbs 8 oz! of course my first natural birth was with the biggest of the three. anyway, many exciting things to look forward to!

if i don't post again before Easter, i wish you all a most blessed day!

♥ anne

i'm still here

2011-04-14T06:02:00.000-07:00

well, it's been nearly a month since my last post. i was sick yet again and being ill that many times in a matter of months really begins to put a damper on your spirit. thankfully i'm now feeling quite well. last night i read this and found it to be oh so true-

"I suppose it is that sickness and weakness are selfish things and turn our inner eyes and sympathy on ourselves, whilst health and strength give Love rein, and in thought and feeling he can wander where he wills."

Bram Stoker, Dracula

i have been the recipient of many wonderful, love filled gifts in the past weeks. first, claire sent a most sweet, heartfelt package. it was filled baby clothes, books, a most special beeswax candle, a postpardum remedy and so much more all wrapped up in a gorgeous shawl.

Wise Woman Herbal Childbearing Years is awesome! i've already referenced it many times (and will for sure do so many times in the future) and have found it to be extremly useful.

thank you so much claire!

i also received a package from the lovely milla, but you'll have to wait to see what goodies were in that one! i'll be wearing a special top she sent me this weekend, so an outfit post will be coming your way soon.

the goodwill has been decorating my walls lately. i found these two gems-

that's all for now. my computer is acting up big time.

hope all is well!

♥ anne

branching out

2011-03-19T14:45:00.000-07:00

i've been in serious need of a necklace hanger. until yesterday, all my wonderful necklaces have been wadded up together in my jewelry tray. i have to untangle them all to get to the one i want to wear. now, that's no way to treat your treasures!

so, i decided to remedy the problem. i grabbed a couple branches at the park, some twine and voilà! i have a lovely little necklace holder that i don't mind looking at.

happy saturday!

♥ anne

here and now

2011-03-17T09:54:00.000-07:00

just photos, no words. inspired by soulemama's this moment and eggshellblue's wordless wednesday's.

♥ anne

a box full of calico

2011-03-12T21:15:00.000-08:00

when i sent a package off to the ever lovely nicole a couple weeks ago, i never anticipated to receive such a generous gift in return. on friday, i had the pleasure of finding a box waiting for me when i got home. i can't explain my excitement upon seeing it. the outside was artfully decorated, but what was inside surpassed my expectations! it was filled with calico goodness!

both dresses fit now, as you can see in the first picture, and will be great after baby as well. and how rad are the tooled leather butterflies, handmade by nicole herself?! one is hair clip and the other is a belt/headband/use your imagination. i've worn both already and know they will get much use in jazzing up my outfits.

and as if that was not enough, she sent baby clothes too! a sweet red dress with embroidery on the neckline, a most adorable purple skirt and blouse, a precious floral top and a cute vintage receiving blanket. my daughter alex was with me when i opened everything and she said, "wow, she really knows what you like mom!". i could not agree more!

thank you so much nicole!

if you are not already following her blog, do yourself a favor and go check it out here. she has some amazingly inspirational style, but more importantly she is a sweet, creative soul.

♥ anne

reading, listening, watching

2011-03-05T06:27:00.000-08:00

right now i'm...

reading-

Spiritual Midwifery- i consider this book a, "life changing book" for me. i first read it when i was pregnant with shane and preparing for our home birth. i have never read anything that got me so excited to give birth naturally and filled me with such a sense of empowerment. i literally wanted to jump through the pages and travel back to the 70's so i could go live on the farm and have Ina May deliver my baby! i am now rereading it to prepare for this next birth. if you lean toward the hippie side and want to read an excellent book about birthing, then this one is for you!

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare- i picked up this 2 volume set at the goodwill last week. i'm starting off with A Midsummer Night's Dream, which i've been thoroughly enjoying so far. i can't wait to slowly make my way through both volumes.

The Power of Positive Thinking- i have read about this book for a couple of years. after talking about it with my uncle at Christmas and seeing what an impact it had made on him, i decided to keep my eye out for it while thrifting. a couple weeks later while going through the book section at a thrift store, i happily came upon a vintage copy of the book. it has been really good so far and is quite motivational, practical and overall filled with useful tips for changing your outlook on life.

listening to...

i recently thrifed a few new albums. the Kris Kristofferson one has one of my favorites on it and you can never go wrong with Neil and Van! the Roger Miller album is super fun. all the kids get a kick out of the funny noises he makes in his songs.

buying cute baby girl clothes...

watching documentaries...

When You're Strange- i thought this film was pretty good. it didn't really delve too deeply into any one aspect of the band, but it sure had some great live footage. if your a doors fan, i think you'd enjoy it.

Gram Parsons Fallen Angel- i loved this one! if you don't know who Gram Parsons is, i encourage you to watch this film. his voice is unlike any other and his story is a tragic one. like so many other talented musicians, he was gone too soon.

No Direction Home- we actually own this one. Part 1 was on PBS the other night, so i watched it yet again. it's a great, great documentary! so many cool interviews and tons of live footage. a must watch for every Dylan fan! speaking of Bob Dylan, he's going to be at the OC Fair this summer, i think i need to go. we saw him about 5 years ago...i have to admit, it was a bit of a let down. but i think i'm ready to give him another try. don't get me wrong folks, he is one of my all time faves. it's just you could not distinguish one song from another.

there you have it! what have you been reading, watching and listening to???

♥ anne

so ugly it's cute

2011-02-28T16:48:00.000-08:00

this here is my new sweater vest. cute yet ugly all at once!

i've been living in these leggings. at this point i'm only concerned with comfort, at least as far as pants are concerned. i'm feeling quite large and very ready to have this baby. i still have two months to go, which seems like a year. i think with each baby your pregnancies should get shorter. so, seeing as this number four, i should have been able to give birth already :D

i love this necklace. i got it a couple years ago in a bag of jewelry i bought at an antique store.

i tied my hair in a side pony with my trusty little piece of suede. so far i've used it as a belt, a headband and now a hair tie. a very versatile piece indeed!

i hope all is well with everyone.
thanks for sharing your temperaments with me! i enjoyed reading your results and encourage you to take the test if you haven't already.

i guess that's it for now.

♥ anne

the four temperaments

2011-02-24T09:29:00.000-08:00

we all know our astrological sign (i'm a leo), but do we all know what temperament we are? i started reading about the 4 temperaments several years ago and found it quite fascinating and eye opening.

the word "temperament" comes from the latin word temperamentum and means "right proportion or blending". the idea that our behaviors are related to our natural tendencies/temperament has been around for at least 2,400 years. the greeks believed that a person's temperament was made up of 4 fluids with one being dominant. An excess of yellow bile resulted in a temperament believed to be warm/hot and dry,
and associated with the element of fire [Choleric].

An excess of red bile resulted in a temperament believed to be warm/hot and wet,
and associated with the element of air [Sanguine].

An excess of white bile resulted in a temperament believed to be cool/cold and wet,
and associated with the element of water [Phlegmatic].

An excess of black bile resulted in a temperament believed to be cool/cold and dry,
and associated with the element of earth [Melancholy].

T. CocorisJohn , Th.M., Psy.D

The Choleric is an extroverted, hot-tempered, quick thinking, active, practical, strong-willed and easily annoyed person. Cholerics are self-confident, self-sufficient and very independent minded. They are decisive and opinionated and find it easy to make decisions for themselves as well as others. Cholerics tend to leave little room for negotiating. The Choleric is a visionary and seems to never run out of ideas, plans and goals, which are usually very practical. The Choleric does not require as much sleep as the other temperaments so their activity seems endless. Their activity almost always has a purpose because they are by nature result-oriented. They usually do not give in to the pressure of what others think unless they see that they cannot get the desired results. Cholerics can be crusaders against social injustice as they love to fight for a cause. Cholerics are both direct and firm when responding to others. They are slow to build relationships because results tend to be more important than people. They do not easily empathize with the feelings of others or show compassion. Cholerics think big and seek positions of authority.

The Sanguine is an extroverted, fun-loving, activity-prone, impulsive, entertaining, persuasive, easily amused and optimistic person. Sanguines are receptive and open to others and build relationships quickly. They are animated, excited and accepting of others. They will smile and talk easily and often. It is not unusual to feel as if you have known the Sanguine person for years after only a few minutes. Sanguines are so people-oriented that they easily forget about time and are often late arriving at their destination. Sanguines get bored easily because of their orientation to social involvement, activity and general dislike for solitude. The Sanguine never lacks for friends. Their attention span is based on whether or not they are interested in the person or event. The Sanguine can change their focus or interest in an instant. Sanguines are competitive and tend to be disorganized. Unless very disciplined, the Sanguine will have difficulty controlling their emotions. They usually like sports of any kind because of the activity and involvement with other people. Their voice will show excitement and friendliness. Sanguines usually dress according to current fashion. The Sanguine fears rejection or not making a favorable impression. They also fear others viewing them as unsuccessful. Sanguines are very effective working with people. The Phlegmatic is an introverted, calm, unemotional, easygoing, never-get-upset, person. Phlegmatics are both slow and indirect when responding to others. They are also slow to warm-up but will be accommodating in the process. Phlegmatics are by far the easiest person with which to get along. They live a quiet, routine, life, free of the normal anxieties and stresses of the other temperaments. The Phlegmatic will avoid getting too involved with people and life in general. Phlegmatics seldom exert themselves with others or push their way along in their career, they just let it happen. The Phlegmatic communicates a warm, sincere interest in others preferring to have just a few close friends. They will be very loyal to their friends and find it difficult to break long standing relationships regardless of what the other person does. The Phlegmatic tends to resist change of any kind without reason, other than they just do not want the change to occur. Phlegmatics show little emotion and are prone to be a grudge holder. Phlegmatics tend to avoid conflict and making decisions of any kind. They are practical, concrete and traditional thinkers. Their stoic expression often hides their true feelings. The Phlegmatic may be patient to the point of paralysis. Phlegmatics are persistent and consistent at whatever they undertake. The Melancholy is an introverted, logical, analytical, factual, private, lets-do-it-right person. Melancholies respond to others in a slow, cautious and indirect manner. Melancholies are reserved and suspicious until sure of your intentions. The Melancholy probe for the "hidden meaning" behind your words. They are timid and may appear unsure and have a serious expression. They are self-sacrificing, gifted and they tend to be a perfectionist. Melancholies are very sensitive to what others think about their work. The Melancholy is well organized; on occasion you may find a Melancholy that keeps things cluttered, however, they know what’s in the piles. The Melancholy is determined to make the right and best decision. Melancholies will ask specific questions and sometimes they will ask the same question again and again. The Melancholy needs reassurance, feedback and reasons why they should do something. They need information, time to think and a plan. The Melancholy fears taking a risk, making a wrong decision and being viewed as incompetent. Melancholies tend to have a negative attitude toward something new until they have had time to think it over. Melancholies are skeptical about most everything but they are creative and capable people. Melancholies tend to get bored with something once they get it figured out.

four descriptions by T. Cocoris John , Th.M., Psy.D found here

if this interests you, you can find out your temperament here. i have taken several different tests over the years and always come up the same- i'm a meloncholic through and through. i'm still not 100% sure what my secondary temperament is, i'm thinking either phlegmatic or choleric. knowing your temperament gives much insight to how you behave and react to people and situations. it also helps you work on your weaknesses. after all, knowledge is the first step to overcoming something. knowing your spouses (ruben is a sanguine) is extremely helpful! i feel i have a better understanding of him now that i am familiar with his sanguine ways.

if anything, it's fun to find out more about yourself. so go take the test! and make sure you tell me what you think about the results and this post in general.

♥ anne

busy bee

2011-02-18T08:59:00.000-08:00

it feels like a century since i last posted. i started half a dozen different posts and scrapped them all. i suppose i have a bit of bloggers block. anyhoo, i wanted to share with you a couple new things i've recently thrifted, both pictured above. first up is the the top. it's super comfy and i'm thinking it would work nicely as a skirt, seeing as how it's strapless and has an elastic bust. i also scored the seagull necklace for a mere $3.99. i think it may be my new fave!

yesterday was a gorgeous day. nice temperature, big puffy, white clouds and sunshine. everything i needed. i snapped a couple shots of this busy bee on the plum tree. i wish i could say i've been as productive as he is, but i've actually been sick... yet again. i'm usually quite healthy, but this pregnancy seems to be taking a toll on me. i guess if there's a positive to being ill, it's that it really makes you appreciate wellness and what a blessing it is to feel good. i pray this is the last time i get sick before the baby comes. i honestly hope you all are feeling well and full of life!

♥ anne

today

2011-02-03T16:14:00.000-08:00

today was a beautiful day, so shane and i headed over to the park so he could play.

i wore a new skirt that i recently thrifted and my necklace, which i started wearing again now that shane is older and doesn't tug on everything around my neck.

i brought along some embroidery i've been working on. i bought it several months ago at an estate sale and have been slowly finishing it. a good portion of it had already been done, so i'm just finishing the leaves, some petals and other little sections. it looks as though it's from the 70's and says, "daisies won't tell". it would be super cute framed. i haven't decided if i'll keep it or perhaps sell it. either way, i enjoy having a project to work on and keepin' these hands busy.

are you working on crafts at the moment? if so, please share :D

♥ anne

sad soiled sax

2011-02-02T15:59:00.000-08:00

today, while rummaging through a large box of clothes at the goodwill, i came across this most lovely Gunne Sax dress.

i was of course thrilled. in all my thrifting adventures, this is only the third gunne i've come across. one i would definitely keep for myself and not sell.

i love the colors and the fact that it has pockets! which is always a plus in my book.

as i was looking it over, i sadly realized the sleeve had a big rip and grease stains on the lower portion. but, seeing as it was only $1 i could not leave it behind. i figure i can shorten the sleeves or something. anyone have any other ideas? i'm not the greatest seamstress, but i feel i may be up to this repair.

even with it's needs, i'm super happy to have this baby in my possession! i can't wait to be able to wear it after i have the baby.

i also wanted to say thank you so much for all the sweet comments on my last post. they truly warmed my heart and made me very happy that i wrote the post and shared part of my life with you all!

♥ anne

my sister

2011-01-31T09:10:00.000-08:00

I've spoken of my sister here before, but never with any details. i have been reluctant to share her life with my readers for fear of... well, i'm not quite sure. i guess just the fear of people not understanding and perhaps criticizing it. but, after seeing her on saturday, i decided i would talk about her regardless of my hesitations. theirs is a way of life that is very fascinating and pretty much unheard of to most people today. so, i will do my best to explain-
Sister Mary Magdalene (Jennifer) is a Cloistered Norbertine Nun. i think when most people think of a nun they think of teachers and nurses and working nuns. cloistered means vows of poverty, chastity and obedience have been taken. their lives are spent in prayer (i believe about 8 hours a day), meditation, work and sacrifice. they also observe silence for most of the day and unless necessary, they do not leave the convent. unlike working orders, they do not interact with the public, but they do pray for us :D my sister entered the first Norbertine convent in the U.S. about six and a half years ago. the Norbertine Order is almost 900 years old, but until recently there were no convents in the United States.

my sister and my dad

over the weekend the first nine sisters made their final vows. this is something that takes about nine to ten years to be ready for. the ceremony was incredible! unfortunately, i could not take pictures. my favorite part was when each sister received a ring. the Abbot General said to each, "I espouse you to Jesus Christ, the Son of the Most High Father, that He may keep you unharmed. Therefore receive the ring of fidelity, the seal of the Holy Spirit, that You may be called the spouse of God and after you serve Him faithfully, you may be crowned eternally in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".
it also meant that for the first time all the sisters were out of the cloister. when we go visit her at the monastery, she is behind a grill. the only physical contact you can have is holding hands. so the fact that we got hug her and be next to next her was a very big deal.

my mom, sister and me

i'm so proud of my sister. her life is a difficult one, but one filled with many hidden blessings. it's hard to not have her with us, but we are always connected through prayer, our faith and of course letters. knowing that she and all the sisters are there praying for us and the whole world is a big consolation for me.
i hope i did an okay job of briefly explaining this kind of life. if anyone has any questions i'd be happy to do my best to explain.

♥ anne

three years ago...

2011-01-27T10:28:00.000-08:00

i had these pictures taken (by nicky) three years ago, as a gift for my mom's 50th birthday. as you can see, i was pregnant with mr. shane. i believe i am as far along in these pictures as i am now. my how time flies :D

♥ anne

willin'

2011-01-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

some things i'd be willin' to do today...

hang out with friends

spend the night in this baby

have some tea

go on a roadtrip on the back of a motorcycle

frolick in the snow

take a drive

go thrifting

hang out in this saloon with a big froathy beer in my hand

ok. so obviously i can't do most of these things today. for one shane is sick and i've been in the house ALL week. no really, i have and i'm dying to get the hell outta here! secondly, i'm pregnant. so no motorcycle ridin' or hanging out in a saloon drinking delicious beers. i can have tea though and take a drive, both of which i plan on doing. take a listen to this rad song, my inspiration for this post.

haha no "weed, whites or wine" for me. i read lowell george wrote this song for the mothers of invention but frank zappa didn't like because of the drug references. thank goodness he recorded later because this song is amazing!

what are you willin' to do today?

♥ anne

*click on photos for source

fun in the sun

2011-01-17T09:55:00.000-08:00

it was so warm and nice this weekend, that we ended up spending the majority of it outdoors with friends. we went to the park, played catch and guitar, barbecued and enjoyed the sunshine. it felt much more like a summer day than one in january. how was your weekend? do tell.

i also wanted to tell you that my friend jessica, who modeled for me a while back, has now started her own blog, house of habit! please go check it out, you'll be glad you did :D

♥ anne

photos by- nicky and myself

pregnant lady outfits

2011-01-14T11:01:00.000-08:00

last friday we spent the afternoon with my mom on balboa island. you can't help but think of arrested development when you pass the frozen banana stand :D dang that show is funny! anyway, above is pretty much what i've been wearing these days- leggings, socks, boots, a top and big sweater.

back when i first found out i was pregnant, i found these vintage overall's at the goodwill. i don't think they're for pregnancy, but they fit for now. they have a drawstring around the ankles to give them a harem leg. i have been having a hard time finding tops to go with them. it's a lot of denim to work with!

here is what i wore yesterday. i borrowed this sweater from my shop and wore my jeans i blogged about here.

have a wonderful weekend!

♥ anne

springtime at A Cup Full of Sunshine Vintage

2011-01-09T10:45:00.000-08:00

vintage white "Amaretta" drop waist dress with lace

vintage daisy empire waist maxi dress

vintage blue and white gingham "Adventures" maxi dress

vintage red calico prairie maxi dress with lace and ruffles

vintage 70s red brown floral dress

vintage 70s pink and white gingham prairie maxi dress

vintage cream and black floral dress

ethnic batik wrap skirt

vintage pink patchwork "BULLOCK'S WILSHIRE" maxi skirt

vintage red maxi skirt with cross stitch embroidery

vintage yellow floral "Captive Fashions" maxi skirt with lace

vintage "Captive Fashions" velvet and lace maxi skirt

vintage 70s hand embroidered shirt SOLD

vintage metalic yellow and black floral floppy sunhat

well there you have it! one big ol etsy update.

my lovely friend Jessica modeled all the clothes for me since i'm unable to at this point. i really wish there was a link on her name that took you to her blog and etsy shop, but unfortunately she has neither. she is an amazing writer and crafter and always looks awesome, not to mention she is truly a very sweet and super fun soul. she has three little boys and seriously her stories are the best! i've been trying to convince her for the last year to do these things, so hopefully in 2011 she will!

♥ anne

my dream vehicle

2011-01-05T09:07:00.000-08:00

since we are soon going to be a family of 6, a bigger car is a must. the car we have now only seats 5. obviously that won't work come may. if i had my way and all the money necessary, we would be driving around in a vw bus. i have wanted one...well forever. actually, when i was little we did have one (i'll have to dig the pictures up) much like the 2nd photo. i believe it was a '77 westfalia (kathy if your reading this, you can let me know if that's right). i'm not sure if the campers seat 6 but that would be my first choice, for obvious camping reasons. i don't believe material things really bring happiness, BUT i KNOW if i had one of these magical machines...i would be oh so stoked! and for a long time!

did i just say material things don't bring happiness??? how silly i am!

what's your dream car? do any of you have a volkswagen?

♥ anne

photo source 1, 2, 3

Ruben's 40th and New Years

2011-01-03T08:01:00.000-08:00

Last week we celebrated Ruben's 40th birthday. Our wonderful friends, Jen and Dean, were so sweet and offered to host the party at their place. It turned out to be such a fun time! Music, friends, drinks (not for me of course) and yummy food equal one heck of a time!

Nicky singin' with the band

me, Chrystal and Jessica

Bordertown Saints (Ruben's band) played a set.

I wore a dress Nicky gave me a while back. It's perfect for my growing belly!

New Years was pretty mellow since we partied it up the night before.

Here is a little illustration I made for our friends that was in a gift basket we gave them.

nicky and erick

Mike, Arlo and Max

Jessica and Leon (the cutest little fella around)

At midnight we went outside and banged pots and pans to ring in the New Year!

I hope 2011 brings much joy and happiness to you all!

♥ anne

Nourishing Traditions

2010-12-30T09:04:00.000-08:00

This Christmas I received a book from my Mama that I have been wanting for several years, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. Why I just didn't buy it myself, I have no idea, but I now have it n my possession! I've been reading it for the last few days and soaking up all the information and trust me, there is a wealth of it in this baby.

A couple of things that I immediately read about were issues that I've been struggling to change in our family for some time now- breakfast cereals and pasteurized milk. The cereal is just plain convenient. To make myself feel better, because I knew processed cereal was a terrible way to start out the day, I did buy the best one I could find with the least amount of ingredients in it, but I still felt I had to get my children off the stuff. When I read, "Boxed breakfast cereals are made by the extrusion process, in which little shapes and flakes are formed at high temperatures and pressures. extrusion processing destroys many valuable nutrients in grains, causes fragile oils to become rancid and renders certain proteins toxic. For a new generation of hardy children, we must return to the breakfast cereals of our ancestors- soaked gruel and porridges." I knew I was ready to make that change once and for all. Off to the market we went to get some oats, raw milk (more on that in a minute) and yogurt for our breakfast porridge. I soaked the oats, as instructed, overnight in warm water and 2 tablespoons of yogurt. This morning we enjoyed our "cereal free" breakfast and Shane and I thought it was delicious! Max and Alex were not as thrilled but we'll eventually find them something they like.

Raw milk is a change I've been trying to make for several years. The main reason I haven't made the switch is because of the cost. I usually buy a gallon of milk a week. The cost of a gallon of raw milk is at least four times the cost of pasteurized. Yesterday I was reflecting on how I could make it work. I realized that we only use milk for cereal,coffee and the occasional baked good. Well, we're eliminating the cereal, so I think I can finally start buying the raw. It is far superior to pasteurized milk on so many levels. In fact Dr. Mercola says, "I do not recommend drinking pasteurized milk of any kind – ever." If this controversial topic at all interests you, check out http://www.realmilk.com/ which explains things much better than I could ever hope to.

I'm so excited to start practicing this way of eating. I know it will take extra effort and planning but that's alright with me. The book promotes a 50% raw- 50% whole foods diet, which I think is a good balance. I love my raw food staples, namely green smoothies. I believe it is my duty as Mother to feed my children wholesome food that will nourish their bodies and minds. I think with this book I will be much more successful at making that goal a reality.

♥ anne

cookin' and a craftin' tutorial

2010-12-22T19:40:00.000-08:00

Hello there! Above is the finished cowl that I was working on in my previous post. Not the greatest picture of me, but oh well! I do love the cowl though. At first I thought it was going to be too thick , but after wearing it for the last week straight I'm happy to report that it's perfect. Super cozy and warm on these rainy days we've been having.

Today I made this fun ornament. Here's how to make one of your own-

1. Pick out some cute fabric. Draw the design on paper and cut it out.

2. Outline the design on your fabric (I doubled it so I only had to cut once).

3. Cut it out.

4. Cut out two wee wings and sew them to the body, one on each side.

5. Stitch around the edges of the wings.

6. Stitch around the edge of the body 3/4 of the way.

7. Fill with stuffing (don't have any? use cotton balls) then stitch the rest of the body shut.

8. Attach a hanger and hang on your tree.

This little fella will be a gift for someone special. Nothing beats a homemade ornament stitched with love!

...and on to the cookin' portion of this post...

I recently received a bunch of fresh, homemade cheese from my sister. Below is the goat cheese, which I decided to marinade in olive oil, red pepper, thyme, salt and pepper. I plan on taking it as an appetizer (with crackers) to my Aunt and Uncles on Christmas day. I thinks it's going to be super yummy!

Next up is the most amazing ricotta cheese I've ever had! I'm serious, this stuff is SO tasty! Heap it on an Ak-Mak cracker,add some tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and you have a most scrumptious, satisfying lunch!

And last but not least- homemade apple cider. Alex and I made it this afternoon and boy does it taste good!

can't you tell?!

Well...that's what I've been up to. How about you???

♥ anne

a birthday celebration

2010-12-17T16:29:00.000-08:00

Last night we celebrated my oldest friend, Rita's, birthday. She and I have been best friends since second grade. I'm so thankful to have her in my life. She truly is one of a kind!

Below is a picture of the dessert I made. Baked pears and vanilla ice ice cream.

Here she is wearing the cowl I made for her. It's not a very clear photo but, you get the idea.

And here is a work in progress shot of another cowl I was working on and have now finished (photos to come).

Hope you all are doing well out there! Wer're off to a Christmas party tonight. Do you have any fun plans for the weekend?

♥ anne

musical interlude

2010-12-13T17:10:00.001-08:00

source

This is a playlist I made last night. Hope you enjoy :D

♥ anne

it's a...

2010-12-10T08:46:00.001-08:00

source

source

source

source

source

yep, I'm excited to say that the little lamb growing in me is a girl! I've already bought some adorable clothes,while out thrifting. I just couldn't resist. That's the problem with girls, there are so many sweet little dresses that it's nearly impossible to pass them up.

Now it's on to choosing a name. Anyone have any suggestions? What's your favorite girl name?

♥ anne

lil floral dress

2010-12-02T08:56:00.000-08:00

I found this dress a while back and have enjoyed wearing it while it fits. Thankfully it's pretty loose, so I think I may get a couple more months wear before my belly is too big. I love the floral pattern and the cute nautical collar (which you can't really see in the photo).

Next up is the most adorable maxi ever! It's in really good condition and I'm thinking I'll hold on to it until after the baby so I can wear it.

This pretty yellow one will be going up for sale in the ole shop soon...

...and this baby... I really want to keep it as well but I'm pretty sure I'll end up selling it. The cross stitch details are awesome and I love the waistband, too cute I tell ya!

Tomorrow I will be finding out if this little babe is a boy or a girl. Pretty exciting!
I'll keep you posted :D

♥ anne

happy thanksgiving

2010-11-25T08:46:00.001-08:00

Thompson Family

credit credit credit

credit

Happy Thanksgiving!

♥ anne

Alex's 9th Birthday

2010-11-23T12:26:00.000-08:00

My little Alley Cat turns nine in couple days and we celebrated this past Saturday with a big ole bowling party! She and I both wore vintage bowling shirts. She was "Thelma" and I was "Milllie".

Mr. Shane in his super 70's pants.

Max takes his bowling very seriously!

Ahh...Daddy and daughter!

Happy Birthday Alex! You are such a special girl and we love you oh so much!

♥ anne

4 months and counting

2010-11-19T08:56:00.000-08:00

I am now 4 months along and already feeling REALLY BIG! Big in my stomach and everywhere else. Oh well, i guess that's just being pregnant. And since I'm on that topic, I have to tell you how thrilled I was when I found these Paige Denim maternity jeans at The Goodwill the other day. They retail for a whopping $200!!!! I got them, practically new, for $7.99!

Autumn leaves...

Check out this cool peacock I saw at the park on Tuesday. They were everywhere.

I now have 200 followers! You know what that means? It means I'm going to have a giveaway! I'm not sure what it will be yet, but I'll keep you posted.

I was thinking of this song this morning and it brought a big smile to my face!

♥ anne

falling leaves in the autumn air

2010-10-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I wore one of my favorite dresses. One I bought about six years ago, before I decided to shop solely at thrift stores. It's from Free People, the only brand I'll buy at full price. I paired it with a vintage crochet sweater, my leather belt and boots.

Today the rain continues, which is something that pleases me very much! And lots of rain means a rainy day soundtrack. For me (today) that would be the album Alice by Tom Waits, or possibly The Best of Leonard Cohen. Either way, you can't go wrong.
What's your rainy day soundtrack?

♥ anne

buckets of rain...buckets of tomatoes

2010-10-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

Buckets of rain
Buckets of tears
Got all them buckets coming out of my ears
Buckets of moonbeams in my hand
You got all the love honey baby
I can stand.
-Bob Dylan, Buckets of Rain

There was not only buckets of rain today but...buckets of tomatoes as well!

I received a bunch of tomatoes from my sister last weekend. So many that I was unsure just what to do with all of them. I decided to give jarring a try. I ended up making tomato sauce (as you see above) and I also made tomato soup last night. There's nothing like warm soup on a rainy night! The jarring went well and I'd definitely do it again. I still have some left so I'm thinking of just jarring them like stewed tomatoes or something. Anyone have any advice for me? I'd love to hear it :D

I recently thrifted this cute babydoll dress. I'm loving the fall colors in it. I tried to get a close up of the fabric but, it was too dark. It has a sweet little floral pattern on it. I paired it with my boots, my only rain friendly shoes.
Today I'm off to the midwife for a check up and hopefully a due date!

Have a great Wednesday!
♥ anne

three new vintage handbags

2010-10-19T10:07:00.000-07:00

Check out these new handbags! Available now in A Cup Full of Sunshine Vintage!

1.vintage woven/macrame handbag with wooden handles

2. vintage yarnwork handbag with lucite handles

3. vintage plastic tote/handbag

♥ anne

at the pumpkin patch

2010-10-11T14:05:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I got to do something I've wanted to do forever... go to the pumpkin patch! Every year I intend to to take the kids but, for some reason or another it never happens. It was as fun as I imagined it be.

We ate lunch at this cool barbecue restaurant that had tee-pees in back you could eat in. Not only was it fun but, the food was really good as well.

How was your weekend? Do tell!

♥ anne

the dude abides

2010-10-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

My new sweater reminds me of the one Jeff Bridges wears in The Big Lebowski. It's not exactly the same but, the closest I've found. Yes, every time I go thrifting, I look for the sweater. It's kind of an obsession :D The bear necklace was recently rediscovered in my jewelry box! My Dad gave it to me when I was in junior high and I'm so thrilled to have held on to it all these years. I love the little touches of turquoise on the eyes and back.

How cool is that card?! The hills are halves of leaves and that little ferns are trees. I want to try and replicate it. So simple and pretty!

Hope you all have a great weekend!
♥ anne

Seventeen Magazine 1973

2010-10-05T08:23:00.000-07:00

A friend of my Mom's was helping her Mother clean out a spare room. They came across this Seventeen Magazine from April, 1973 and brought it to my Mom to give to me! I just HAD to share to some of the awesome photos and ads. Enjoy :D

I'm diggin' the Surfboards! And they were under $5!

This ad rules!

No 70's magazine would be complete without a roller derby article.

I want all these dresses!

Last but not least, a couple bedrooms for some home inspiration.

That was fun! I honestly could have taken pictures of the whole magazine but, that would have been one massive post.

Happy Tuesday y'all!

♥ anne

4th time around

2010-10-03T10:36:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we saw Willie Nelson and Ryan Bringham at The Greek. As you can see, my outfit was slightly inspired by Willie. I know, kinda cliche but hey, Willie cut his hair off, so I had to wear braids! Right? The show and venue were awesome. I hadn't been to the Greek since my very first concert back when I was 8. I saw Laura Branigan. Anyone remember her? Anyway, it's my new favorite place to see a concert. Nothin' like listening to great music under the stars!

In other shocking news...

I'm pregnant! Get it? 4th time around? (by the way, if you've never heard that Bob Dylan song, please take a listen here. It's one of my favorites)

I think it will be fun to document this pregnancy on my blog. Plus, I get to buy new (old) clothes! Yay! Speaking of clothes, I have so many items on sale in my shop. Tons of stuff for only $10!!! Go check it on out for some big time savings :D

♥ anne

a weekend on the winery

2010-09-03T13:14:00.000-07:00

Our wonderful friends, Mike and Ashley, invited us up to their winery for the weekend. As you will see, the home and surroundings are more than beautiful! I can't put into words what an absolute treat it was to stay there.

This is the wine tasting area. Mike and Ashley were married here almost 5 years ago by none other than my husband, Ruben!

This was the room we stayed in. And yes, I did take a bath in the amazing tub :D

Here is the lovely Nicky. She and her husband Erick were also there.

Shots from the bell tower at sunset, ahhhh.....!!!

We had dinner outside the first night by the glorious fireplace.

Unfortunately, our first night there I came down with the stomach flu (Ruben got it the next day)! Can you believe it?! So, I spent about 24 hours sleeping and being sick :( This was such a huge bummer! I'm sure you can understand how upset we were, especially considering it was our first weekend away in 2 years. Man, sometimes life doesn't make sense!

By Sunday I was well enough to get out and about. I went to Mass at the lovely Santa Inez Mission.

Later that day we walked to this pretty waterfall.

Here we all are.

Thanks again, Mike and Ashley, for an amazing weekend!

In other news, we have finally moved! As soon as I get the internet set up at our place I will be back to blogging. Hopefully you all have not forgotten about me :D I have missed reading all your blogs and look forward to getting back to this fun part of my life.

♥ anne

summertime rolls

2010-08-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

Hi there! Life is a rollin' along here.

This is pretty much what I've been wearing, seeing as how I'm living out of a suitcase right now. We are staying with our friends for now, somewhat of the communal life, ya know. It's been good and we are super happy and grateful to have them take us in. Here is Nicky, playing some sweet tunes for us as we ride our bikes.

Hopefully you all are doing well. I plan on catching up on my blog reading soon. Until then, here is a super summertime song for you to enjoy!

♥ anne

ooohhh, i'm packin' my life away...

2010-07-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

yep, that's right. we are in the midst of packing up for our big move. where are we going you may ask...well, we aren't quite sure! all of our belongings are going into storage and we will be gypsies until we find a house. i had actually found the most perfect, lovely, awesome house. my dream house to be exact. papers signed, money payed and then what do you know...the whole thing fell through! big time bummer but, i guess it just wasn't meant to be. something else will come our way.
while packing my closet, i realized how much STUFF i have. this was not a pleasant realization. i have way too many pairs of shoes, purses, scarves, hats and other random things i thought i had to have. most of them don't see the light of day but once a year at best. why am i holding on to all these things? i'm seriously tempted to just get rid of it all. i think i'd feel very liberated. i'm always talking about wanting to live a simpler life, so when i was faced with the reality of the STUFF i felt like such a hypocrite! and what's worse is that knowing how i felt, i still had a hard time making a pile to go to charity! ahhhhh!!!! suddenly the word HOARDER is coming to mind. haha, ok, i'm not that bad but...

now i'm determined. when i unpack, i WILL get rid of/sell a good portion of the STUFF. good thing i have an etsy shop ;D anyone else out there know how i feel? i guess this all may seem weird coming from someone who posts pictures of themselves in outfits and may seemingly appear to love clothes. i do like clothes, don't get me wrong, they are a form of expression and they may make us feel good about ourselves etc... but in the end the clothes don't make the man.

i better quit rambling and get on back to packing!

anyone remember THIS SONG? anytime i'm doing a lot of the same thing i just sing this song and fill in the blank- ooh, i'm ------ing my life away... previous versions have been quilting, cookin' and crafting. you should try it,it's pretty darn fun!

♥ anne

ps-thank you so much for all the incredibly sweet comments on my last post! i'd love to respond to all of them but most likely will not be able to. hope you understand :D

prairie o'hara

2010-07-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

dress, hat, belt - thrifted
sandals-CYDWOK

Fiddle-dee-dee!
I'm calling this look Prairie O'Hara.

This hat reminds me so much of the one Vivian Leigh wears to the picnic at Twelve Oaks, in Gone With The Wind. And this lovely white, ruffly dress is oh so prairie. As much as I adore all of it, I'm not quite sure what sort of occasion it would be suitable to wear this type of outfit to. I mean, it's not really an everyday kinda look. Regardless, I think it's fun and summery and pretty and it makes me feel as dainty and feminine as a gal could feel while donning it :D

♥ anne

ps- the adorable floral crop top, from the previous post, is up for sale in my shop. You can buy it here :D

pps-excuse the squinty eyes, it was very bright and sunny and super hot outside!

Here's some Neil to brighten your day!

estate sale treasures

2010-07-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

Look at all my goodies!

Among other things, I bought an old metal lunch box, a cool little leather camera case, a Kodak Instamatic x-15 camera, which I believe is in working condition, a rad old cheese crate, a vintage Polaroid with case with film inside, an old book, some vintage lingerie, the cutest crop top I've ever seen and last but not least an amazing Paint by Numbers painting.

Needless to say I'm pretty stoked right now! I'm not sure if the Polaroid works but, considering what excellent condition it's in I'm betting it does. The lens is one of those that pops out and there was extra film in the case. You wanna know what's even crazier? I got it for $5!!!! YAY!

Hope your weekend is going great!

♥ anne

Lalouka

2010-07-06T23:04:00.000-07:00

I'm always impressed by those who are talented seamstresses and Lalouka is apparently one of these souls! Her summer collection is fun and creative with a retro flair. Many of the items are made with vintage fabrics which always makes a piece more unique. I also love the addition of the denim details and, of course, the floral fabrics. Make sure to check out her Etsy shop here to see all her beautiful creations!

♥ anne

"hey baby, it's the 4th of july" ...well almost

2010-07-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

It's almost the 4th of July, so I thought I'd share my favorite song for this day. It's by X and I must admit, it's one I never tire of listening to.

What's your favorite 4th of July/Summer song? Please share.

♥ anne

home time

2010-06-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

credit 1/2/3/4/5

Just some Tuesday kitchen inspiration.

♥ anne

the jeans of my dreams

2010-06-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

"Hey...where'd my shoes go?" hehehe

vintage jeans, belt, gold cuff, woven purse-thrifted

tube top-Victoria's Secret

wedges-department store

bracelets-gift from my Daddy about 15 years ago

I've been searching for the perfect pair of vintage bellbottom jeans for many moons. I knew they were out there somewhere, just waiting for me to find them. At last, we found each other. When I spotted them I tried not to get overly excited because all the vintage jeans I find are usually too small for me. But, to my delight, they fit perfectly! And you want to know what's even better? They were only $4!

Another recent purchase is my woven purse. I've been using it for everyday and have been loving it! It's big enough to hold all my stuff and super cute!

Don't forget about the 40% SALE in my shop!

Today and tomorrow only! (Pacific Standard Time)

An extra 10% off for blog followers/readers when you write I LOVE VINTAGE in the "message from buyer" section of your purchase.

*All discounts will be refunded through Paypal

A Cup Full of Sunshine Vintage

♥ anne

SALE Preview

2010-06-24T08:55:00.000-07:00

Check out these 40% off SALE prices!

blog readers/followers get to take an extra 10% off when you write I LOVE VINTAGE in the "message from the buyer" section of your purchase.
vintage maxi $31.20...............................aqua maxi $24 purple 70s dress $15.60.........floral 70s dress $14.40SOLD
blue ethnic dress $13.20..............floral romper $14.40

1960s wedding dress $119.40

vintage woven handbag $16.80

1970s batik boho wrap skirt $22.80

floral romper $22.80

There are so many more beautiful items, so don't miss out on this 2 day SALE.

Starting Friday at 12am through Sunday 12am (pacific standard time).

Everything 40% off and an extra 10% off for my lovely followers and readers.

All discounts will be refunded through Paypal.

A Cup Full of Sunshine Vintage

some ♥

2010-06-22T09:49:00.000-07:00

Here are some things I'm ♥ing right now-

♥my new vintage shawl♥

♥homemade cards- here's the one I made for my friend Nicky of her Honda Passport, Daisy.♥

♥this super cool antique store window♥

♥my Smokey The Bear t-shirt, perfect for camping♥

♥scavenger hunts in the woods♥

♥camping with friends♥

What are you ♥ing right now?

Remember, only 2 more days 'til the BIG SALE in my shop!!!! 40% off everything and an extra 10% off for my followers when you write I LOVE VINTAGE in the message to buyer section of your purchase.

*All discounts will be refunded through Paypal.

♥ anne

Alcatraz Island

2010-06-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

Last weekend on our trip to San Francisco, we visited Alcatraz Island. I found it completely fascinating! Listening to the audio tour was so interesting. You really got a good idea of what life was like there. Below are some of the pictures I took.

This is a typical cell. 6x9x7

Here is shot from the library. According to the tour, inmates got one book (not of their choice) at a time.
Below is cell block D. This is where the solitary confinement cells were located.

This is looking out from a solitary cell. The outside door shuts and you're in complete darkness. I cannot even fathom what it must have been like to spend days/weeks in here.

At night and especially on holidays, the sounds of parties and laughter would drift across the bay, reminding the inmates of the free life they could not be part of.

Since I was so intrigued by the prison, I decided to get this autobiography by Jim Quillen, a former inmate. So far the book is very good but sad. He had a difficult life from his earliest years on. It's no wonder he ended up in Alcatraz at 22 years old.

On a completely different note, I will be having a HUGE SALE at A Cup Full of Sunshine Vintage this Friday and Saturday. Everything will be 40% off and if you are a follower of my blog, you get an extra 10% off by writing I LOVE VINTAGE in the "message to buyer" section of your purchase. So go check out my shop and see what tickles your fancy!

Thrift Candy Meetup!

2010-06-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of meeting the beautiful Missa, of Thrift Candy, over the weekend! Her blog was one of the first one's I started reading that made me really want to have my own. So getting to spend an afternoon with her was quite a treat! I knew she lived up north, so when I was planning our weekend in San Francisco, I asked her if she'd like to meet with me... and obviously she said yes :D
Since I don't know the city very well, she planned a fun day for us-
We started off with a stroll down the colorful Clarion Alley. The wall murals were super cool!!!
Here's a photo Missa put together of the two of us. She is as lovely in person as you would imagine. I really think her blog captures her relaxed, gentle personality.

Shane and Clover got to pose for pictures too :D Aren't they adorable?!

Here's my new dress from my previous post. It was ideal for the unusually warm day.

Missa looked perfect! I loved her whole outfit :D Make sure you check out her post!

Next we got a bite to eat. And guess what I discovered when I went to pay??? Oh yes, I forgot my wallet! I really can't put into words how embarrassed I was, especially considering I had offered to buy Missa a beer. Thankfully, she was very sweet about it. Missa, some money is on it's way to you :D

We checked out a few thrift stores and went to both Paxton's Gate shops. If you are ever in San Francisco, you have to go to them! What incredible stores!
Unfortunately, it was at this point that Mr. Shane could take no more. He missed his morning nap and believe me, that's not a good thing.

It is pretty surreal meeting a fellow blogger. You know so much about the person, but then again you don't REALLY KNOW them. You can't just show your good side. It's the whole YOU, ya know what I mean? (I'm talkin' about myself here folks, Missa was gorgeous, calm and serene, just how I thought she'd be) For example forgetting your wallet and crying, tired babes. But that's ok, it's life :D
I'm happy we did hit it off. I would love to get to know her better and hang out again. Thank you Missa for planning the day! You were a pleasure to be with :D
If, for some odd reason, you have not been to her blog, do yourself a favor and head on over to Thrift Candy, you'll be happy you did!

new vintage beauty

2010-06-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

I picked up this lovely little dress yesterday. I think it's so sweet and feminine and I can't wait to wear it this weekend. We're headed off for a short weekend tour with Ruben's band, Border Town Saints. It should be very fun and I may even have my first blogger meet up!!! So be ready for some travelin' photos!

♥ anne

p.s.- as you can see I'm still using my broken camera. I'm trying to get arty with it for the time being :D

some street style

2010-06-09T10:58:00.001-07:00

1 &2 Facehunter 3-6 Mr. Newton

Just some street style pics. I think #3 is my fave.

♥ anne