The Lowest Pair at Arts + Literature Laboratory

 Dress: Butterfly Print Wrap Dress by Hutch (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee

Sandals: Croft & Barrow, thrifted

All Jewelry: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

This dress took my breath away with its gorgeous pattern & amazing colors...I felt like a beautiful butterfly...or as Super Boo called me, The Muffin Monarch. I adored the sleeves & the length was great. However...you know I hate high/low dresses when you can see the wrong side of the fabric & it's white...ugh. I also had issues with the fit...I had to pin the neckline closed & the edges of this wrap dress in front have only been serged (in white) & not fully finished...those tended to show most of the time (see photo of me holding flowers). I would still buy this dress if it shows up in the shop. 

This amazing Monarch Butterfly mural on Mother Fool's Coffee House is by the artist Mike Lroy...a perfect backdrop for this dress...even though the light wasn't ideal at 11am. 

I found this vintage Miriam Haskell necklace on Etsy last year, but this is my first time wearing it. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Perversion, NYX eyeshadow palette in Phoenix, Sugarpill eyeshadow in Love+ & Flamepoint, Habanero lipstick by MAC, & A Red-vival City nail polish from OPI. 

I first wore this dress on a Saturday to market with Kate...(& my new iPhone arrived)...then I went home, put make-up on...

& met the girlie at Arts + Literature Laboratory for a rare early afternoon concert...3pm! Me being me...we got there early & poked around the art gallery.

Then...front row for The Lowest Pair...we had just seen them the month before, but they are so fabulous that it's never enough. 

Why ask Y? After the concert...we met Jason at Ha Long Bay where we waited for an hour to be seated. Typically, I think they're worth it...but not on this day. We all asked for 2 stars for spiciness & got 0, Jason got dripped on the entire time...which I felt particularly bad about because he had to sit next to me instead of Kate because I was too fat for the booth. Kate & I have sat across from each other here before, but this booth had less room.

I discovered the Brazilian jewelry designer, Sobral, through another blogger on Instagram. I immediately dashed over to eBay & made a purchase. Wow! I feel like these were made just for me. Also, a vintage bracelet I've had my eye on for a while came in the mail. Some new make-up curtesy of the one day Ulta sale-50% off Urban Decay eyeliners...& a $10 off coupon...& my Sephora Play! box. 

I have a newly discovered treasure at the Northside Farmers' Market on Sundays...Big Spring Family Farm trout. They sell it whole, filleted, & smoked...the fish have been swimming in the last 24 hours. It is amazing...the most flavorful trout I've ever tasted. I most certainly didn't wear this dress to have dinner with Angie & Freddie...but he's so cute! 

Also, I made a new recipe that I found in the New York Times...Kalpudding, a Swedish meatloaf. I linked to the recipe in Epicurious because NYT doesn't let you see all their recipes unless you subscribe to NYT Cooking. It was tasty comfort food & I'll definitely make it again. 

I'm putting notes here to myself for the next time I make it. Less sweet, add salt & pepper to the meat, more breadcrumbs...also perhaps add: cinnamon, nutmeg, fresh thyme, caramelized onions.

The Book of Will // Sequoia

 Dress: All the Leaves Maxi Dress by City Chic (size XXL/24)

Sandals: Born

Earring & Bracelet: Wendy Baker

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

Gorgeous maxi dress from City Chic...I bought this during one of their sales either at the end of last summer or the one before. This fabric has no stretch to it, so it sometimes sags on the sides & exposes my bra. Otherwise, this dress made me feel like a Goddess & I adored how it showed off my farmers' market tattoo. 

This untattooed arm looks so lonely...

So many pretty colors in this dress...

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Junkie, Anastasia Beverly Hills eyeshadow in D.D.C., Vinyl & Legend eyeshadow by Kat von D, Flashback lipstick from UD, & China Glaze nail polish in Agro. 

I first wore this dress to Spring Green with Super Boo...where we had dinner at Arthur's Supper Club. I had been wanting to check this place out for years...such a throwback to my youth. They had a salad bar with a cooler for the plates. That Brandy Old Fashioned was the best part of the meal...they make a damn fine drink. 

Our food was alright, nothing special...& soooo salty. We won't go back, but it was a fun experience...& we got to sit by this amazing creation...

After dinner...The Book of Will at American Players Theatre on a lovely fall evening...

Marvelous market flowers that match our kitchen. I also wore this outfit to the office, where I did some rare reading between clients. Then...off to pick up the girlie from work to have dinner at a new restaurant, Sequoia. 

 Well, hello there...

My sushi was passable, but Kate's ramen was delicious...I'd go back in the winter for a comforting bowl of soup.

Marquette to Milwaukee to Madison

 Dress: Surplice Floral Fit & Flare Dress by Eva Rose (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Born

Earring: Wendy Baker

Necklace: Etsy 

Bracelets: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I don't know why I keep getting these non-cotton Eva Rose dresses...they never fit right & I feel frumpy in them. So, blah! I had to pin the neckline closed & the sleeves were quite tight. Also, too short. The cotton dresses are a dream though. 

I didn't put a lot of effort into styling this since it didn't make me feel pretty...people really underestimate how important clothing is to your confidence & self-esteem. 

Over a week & my henna is still looking marvelous...

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Junkie, UD eyeshadow in Lumbre, Lime Crime eyeshadow in Rose Burst, Huda Beauty Coral Obsessions eyeshadow palette, UD lipstick in Ready?, & Magnífico México nail polish from OPI. 

I wore this dress on my last day in the Yoop...after dropping Brian off at work, I drove into Marquette to get a sub at Togo's...they aren't as good as I remember, but they taste like my high school years & remind me of Shane. He used to put a Hershey bar & potato chips on his veggie Togo. Then I visited the St. Vinney's that I bought 1/2 my clothes at as a teen...over 30 years later, they don't have the fabulous vintage clothing that brought me so much glee. Then I began my drive to Milwaukee to pick up David...he'd been visiting his parents in California. Finally, back in Madison where I wore this dress to work & to buy myself flowers from the farmers' market. 

Villa Capri

 Dress: Dolce Vita Dress in Etched Dot by Effie's Heart (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee Try Then Buy

Leggings: Beth Ditto (size 22/24)

Sandals: Nurture, thrifted

Earring: former Etsy shop

Necklace: Wendy Baker

Bracelets: Vintage

 Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

Summer time is the right time for Effie's Heart dresses. I love dots! I immediately bought this dress when it came to me back in summer of 2017. I also wore this dress last fall when we finally sold our old house. And most recently...it came to the U.P. with me.

There used to be very little street art in Madison, but lately...graffiti murals have been appearing all over the city. I liked how the dots in the one above go with my dotty outfit. 

So many colors! Why have a boring white wall when it could be beautiful?! This rotating art is on Momentum Art Tech on Cottage Grove Rd.

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Electric Empire; Lime Crime eyeshadow in RSVP, Frosting, & Candles; Habanero lipstick by MAC, & CND Vinylux nail polish in Electric Orange.

I wore this dress during my Labor Day weekend in the U.P. visiting Brian. On this day we drove to Marquette so I could get Kate some Michigan wine...she still hasn't told me how it was. Look at that pretty bottle...decorated by the chick that did my henna. If it had been another color, I probably would have bought it. 

Then we had dinner at the kitschy Italian Villa Capri...which looks exactly the same as it did the last time I was there in the 70s. It's all about the butter dipped garlic bread. 

This lamp/fountain is amazing...it would be perfect in our wreck room. The next day I lazed around in my pajamas most of the day...we made breakfast AND dinner at home. We attempted some Lake Superior swimming time, but it was far too cold. I had brought a bunch of market veggies & we roasted all of them on the last day for dinner...delicious. 

Back home in Madison...sunflowers! And LuLaRoe leggings & my Boxy Charm box.

The boys taking down our pine tree in preparation for our new wider driveway...I watched from the safety of the porch. 

I also wore this dress to work, to visit Angie & Freddie, & to buy Rye a stuffed piggy from St. Vinney's...this brand new pig was a Gund..for less than $1.

Sad news...we had to say goodbye to our precious Olive. I'd like to write a memorial post for her, but I'm not sure when I'll be ready. She was my heart dog. 

Munising // Diane Coffee with Modern Vices

 Dress: Tossed Unicorns Olivia Dress by Cherry Velvet (size 3x) via Gwynnie Bee

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Born, thrifted

Earring & Necklace: Wendy Baker

Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo, Brian, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I decided to take a chance on this Cherry Velvet dress...even though they no longer make my size...because before they made 4x, I was wearing their 3x dresses with mostly success. The fit on this was great, but because it was tighter...after wearing it for a day, there were more wrinkles around the midriff area from sitting than would have occurred had this been a 4x. Otherwise, fabulous!

This LOVE wall outside of Prism Nightclub is looking worn...but it's still a great backdrop for this outfit.

I'm not even into unicorns, but...unicorns!!! I am wearing a ton of sparkly glittery make-up, but it doesn't come across in photos...

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Abyss; Lime Crime eyeshadow in Rose Burst, Frosting, Blue Sky, & Twonicorn; Big Bang lipstick & lipliner by UD; & OPI nail polish in Can't Hear Myself Pink!

I kept the henna on overnight & this is what it looked like in the morning...fun fact, every once in a while a small bit of henna ended up in my mouth. It didn't taste bad, but I love the way it smells.

Kira posing as a cat. Cookout at Brian's nephew's house...

Brian's take on our roasted tomato/pesto spread from yesterday's lunch, delicious. The biggest treat for me was the freshly caught Lake Superior trout his brother was frying. It was soooooo delightful. 

And desserts. It was a lovely day outside with Brian's overwhelmingly big family. I saved this leopard eye from Instagram...because that needs to happen. 

 I also wore this dress for another lovely evening at The Shitty Barn with Kate...

 Evening cardigan vs nighttime cardigan...

 Girlie taco time!

The opening band, Modern Vices, was quite good...very 90s shoe gazer-ish...self defined as "dirty doo-wop".

Diane Coffee put on an awesome show & the band just seemed to have so much fun together. I only knew of him from their Tiny Desk Concert. Also, as always...Freddie is cute...& I was actually wearing this dress.