Art Fair on the Square

Dress: Stargazing Dress in Solvang by Effie's Heart (size L) via Gwynnie Bee

Sandals: Born

Earring: Wendy Baker

Necklace: bel monili

Bracelets: Vintage

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

Another cute as a button Effie's Heart dress covered in tulips. Great fit...my EH size is a medium, but the smallest GB got was a large. Usually I can wear a small or large in this brand without noticing much difference because of the stretch...but in this case large was the best choice as I think a medium in this style wouldn't have worked as well. 

I had to look up what Solvang meant & I only needed to read the first sentence to get it...it's a California city with Danish-style architecture. 

In my mind...all flowers go together...

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner & eyeshadow in Mildew, Natasha Denona eyeshadow palette, Blissful lipliner from Becca, Head in the Clouds lipstick by MAC, & Colors by Llarowe nail polish in The Mighty Red Baron. 

I first wore this dress to visit our trainer, Annie Forest. She probably wonders why I can't just wear workout clothes like everyone else...I wear shorts under my dress. On this day we worked on my balance (it's terrible), stepping up onto a big platform, various exercises I can do with the sled at the gym, & the first steps to doing a chin-up (a goal I have). Afterwards...David & I went to Ahan for lunch. We began with Pork Dumplings (Enos Farm pork, ginger, cabbage, garlic, scallion, ponzu), Chèvre Wontons (cream cheese, chèvre, scallion, sweet & sour), & Summer Rolls (Vitruvian Farm micro greens, spring mix, radish, cucumber, carrot, bean sprouts, cilantro, mint, scallion in a rice paper wrap. Nuoc Cham with crushed peanuts for dipping). All 3 were delicious...but I am a huge fan of those summer rolls...which tasted just like summer, stuffed with everything that's currently growing here in Wisconsin...so fresh. 

David ordered Kung Pao (sautéed shrimp, zucchini, bok choy, mushrooms, bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, onion, scallion, sweet soy sauce, ginger, jalapeños, peanuts, chili oil, pea shoots, lime, fried garlic, & jasmine rice)...& I had the thing I always order because it is the yummiest, Praram Long Song (fried chicken, broccoli, zucchini, asparagus, carrots, local mushroom blend, onions, scallion, cilantro, peanuts, fried garlic, with a side of peanut sauce & jasmine rice). The food here is so good...& they share their space with Bur Oak, the music venue, so I can have tasty food whenever I see a show there. 

At Decon...we came home with that window security gate for outdoor decoration & a not pictured big rusty chain (David loves those). It's always fun to poke around there & see what treasures they've salvaged. Back at home...Chie Mihara shoes I found for cheap on eBay...these shoes are more expensive than Fluevogs new, but I can often get them for $20-50 used (barely or never worn). Picking up our very dirty, very inconvenient CSA (our fault, we picked them). 

Flowers from market alongside basil from our CSA. The final time I put on this dress was for an extremely enjoyable Saturday. First, I dashed into the market that was moved to Breese Stevens Field to buy ALL the fruit...strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, & Door County cherries. Then we drove to where the market usually is for Art Fair on the Square...our goal was to arrive at 9am when they opened & we got there 15 minutes early. Adorable bike...make this photo bigger so you can see it better...I squeed. 

It was a gorgeous day with only a small crowd for the first half. Some things that caught my eye...including these mini canvas paintings with gold leaf on the edges...I'm going to try that some time instead of getting a frame.

This art made out of the performers vinyl from Deadwax Art catches my eye every year...some day I'm going to get one, but so far I haven't found the piece that speaks to me. It would have to be just the right Billie Holiday or David Bowie I think.

Our first purchase of the day was this vintage milk jug with sunflower cutouts (there are lights inside). And right next door, Helen's Daughters...where this bag hanging in front of the gold frame called to me...isn't it fabulous?! And the artist was wearing a hat by the same local artist as I was, Hats o Fancy...I intended on getting another sunhat from her...but she didn't have any of the largest brimmed ones that I like...so she's going to specially craft me one before she retires. 

I love looking at beautiful things...going into each of the booths is like entering another world...like getting lost in a good book. My veggie tattoo got a lot of attention, as usual. It always makes me happy that other people appreciate it...my favorite on this day was a woman who excitedly told her daughter...that dress she's wearing is like the woman I was telling you about from market this morning with the fabulous tattoo...then she looked up & spotted my tattoo...& she was overjoyed & told her daughter to take a photo. 

We keep buying quirky cutting boards. Heather Renaux was there...I have her circus art covering the walls of my make-up/jewelry room. 

Mohop! I was after a crossbody purse in ruby (top left) to add to my collection...but I think I made the wrong decision...they had a special edition textured copper purse, but I had it in my mind that ruby was the one I was getting...I have a difficult time with change...they will *always* have the ruby & now I will most likely never have a copper purse...which I would use a TON. 

Rusty things always lure me in...

And doors & staircases...

More handmade purses...& this woman's clothing was stunning.

Best outfit I saw all day. After strolling around the square for several hours...we ended up at Lucille...

We sat outside & enjoyed our usual...cocktails, 3 lb. pork shoulder nachos, & steel pan pizza. 

I discovered a large screw in our nachos & our waitress was appalled...she said our entire bill was on the house & told us the manager would come talk to us. I replied that we didn't eat it & were not traumatized...so it was all fine & she looked like she wanted to cry. Are people that horrible?! We are guessing it fell out of their wood fire oven? On our walk back to the truck...we saw that Bartell was having an open house & I'd been meaning to get tickets to Pirates of Penzance...so we wandered in & got a tour & talked to someone from each of the 4 theatre groups that perform there. We love that place. It was a lovely way to spend a gorgeous Saturday.

I got 3 new purses...

And that same day...we got 2 Fluevog boxes in the post. I was confused as I hadn't ordered anything. David got me this glorious green purse (it had been on my wishlist a while, which he didn't know...he just knows what I like) & some purple suede shoes for himself. Perfect day. 

 

Thrifting

Dress: Slice Geo Border Banded Perfect Wrap Dress by Leota (size M) via Gwynnie Bee 

Teggings: formerly Re/Dress

Sandals: Born, thrifted

All Jewelry: Vintage

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

These perfect wrap dresses are the perfect work dresses. Great fit & length & this was a fun deco pattern with an unusual color combination...black, white, olive, & pink/coral. 

I wore this dress to work a few days & there was never a good time to take photos when there was decent light...so this is all we could manage. 

I love this antique custom designed necklace from the UK that we found at Elkhorn. I went all nude make-up for this look...which I don't do often despite liking it. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Mildew, Burnout & Factory eyeshadow by UD, Dirty Little Secret lipliner in Pale Pink, Nectar lipliner from NYX, Bite Beauty lipstick in Glacé, & OPI nail polish in DS Classic. 

I wore this outfit thrifting in Sun Prairie at Vinny's after work...

I look at these photos & wonder...did I get that?! I hope I got it.

Lots of separates...

East side farmers' market on a rainy day.

Oh, right! I blew my tire on the curb when I was parking for The Legendary Shack Shakers...so I had to go back the next day & wait for my insurance company to send a tow truck. After 2 hours of waiting...they told me they couldn't find anyone, but were still trying. I told them I was going to call someone & they were there in less than 30 minutes. They couldn't find anyone because they were only offering to pay $100. I'm trying to get rid of shoes I never wear...so I posted these Fluevogs on the Facebook group...& they all convinced me I should keep them...but should I?

David sent me these adorable Violet pictures...even though I was sitting on a chair next to them...I could not see this angle. There was a garage sale in the neighborhood that I wanted to go to (the only one all year)...so David & I popped by to check it out...we got a game, a pretty pot for outside, & a vintage mushroom canister. Pilates & lifting weights at the gym. 

A trip to the Middleton Goodwill...I was sad those orange shoes were too big on me. 

I found a couple of vintage 90s dresses. And the yellow tag items were 50% off...so I got that red skirt for $3!

A Northside Goodwill trip...

Skirts, workout wear, & stuff to wear to bed. A much sunnier market.

I am planning on quitting GB. I thought I never would because I'm grandfathered in at $35 a month, but other than Leota & Effie's Heart...I'm not excited about most of the dresses I get from there. And I want to wear all my fabulous finds from thrifting. 

 

4th of July

Dress: Star Spangled Banner Rita Dress by Svaha (size M)

Teggings: formerly Re/Dress

Sandals: Fly London

Necklace: Wendy Baker

Earrings & Bracelets: Vintage

Stats: 5'7" 38-32-42

I bought this dress a few years ago from a super sale Svaha was having...it was $10, so I thought...why not? At the time, I didn't know what my size was going to be...so I got a medium & that turned out to be correct. This dress reminds me of an Effie's Heart dress (cotton t-shirt material)...without the great fit. Svaha dresses have always fit me awkwardly...relaxed & not quite formed to my body. They are not a brand I would buy again. Note the burnt areas on my arm...I've been blurping them out...they are better now, but still visible. The hot oil splattered on me while I was frying salmon. If they don't fade entirely...I wanted to extend my farmers' market tattoo anyway. 

These photos were taken on July 5th...I put this outfit together for work. On the 4th of July...I wore this without make-up. Svaha dresses are good throw on comfy dresses...but so are EH & I prefer flattering most of the time. 

I knew it...these earrings we found at Elkhorn go perfectly with this Wendy Baker bubble necklace...& check out that perfect red (star), white, & blue (rhinestones) bracelet combo. 

You can't get more patriotic than The Star Spangled Banner...

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in LSD, Ruby Obsessions eyeshadow palette from Huda Beauty, Burgundy lipliner from MAC, Nars lipstick in Majella, Spiderweb lipstick by UD, & OPI nail polish in I'm Not Really A Waitress. 

Weekend project...redoing this Elkhorn find from May. David sanded the drawers & parts of the body...& we got some Steel F/X to warm it up & make it more interesting. I had fun doing this...

I was in the mood for burgers...so David fired up the grill. New shoes found on Poshmark...Chie Mihara & Pilcro (an Anthropologie brand). I first bought those Pilcro shoes in a size 8.5 & they wouldn't even go on my feet...so when these 10s popped up...I knew they'd be a good fit...& they are. Steak salad with roasted veggies on the side.

4th of July girlies...

I met Kate at a park by her house...we didn't feel like dealing with the crowds going to an actual fireworks display, so we chose to view them from afar. We saw SO many fireworks along the Lake Mendota shoreline...but the closest one to us was Blackhawk Country Club...which we could glimpse through an opening in the trees. 

Not as spectacular as being right there...but still pretty...& much more relaxed. 

Downtown Wednesday farmers' market with David...between Pilates & work. This woman cut us some sprouts...my favorite were the basil. Lovely flowers.

After work...we went into the T-Mobil store to set up an account...we hadn't been happy with our phone reception...so we switched to them. We were there for just under 4 hours. Back at home...I made us my go-to dinner. I took a screenshot of this post about Nick Cave being on this podcast so I'd remember to listen to it...it's on Spotify & I'm putting it on my list of things to do because I forgot all about it until I saw this in my photos.