What I've been up to...

Hi! I miss you! I've been so busy working on the Texas Style Council and soothing a teething Jude (he's getting his bottom two chompers, can you believe it?). I'm still trying to kick this flu/ throat thing, but on Saturday I led Flash Mob Austin's "Operation: WHAM!" where we invaded the 2nd Street District's block party and busted out some spontaneous choreography to "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go". I've been doing the social media for Flash Mob Austin for a few years now, and I am the lucky person who has lead missions like our freeze at Whole Foods, the first Thrill the World Austin, and our live Where's Waldo Search. Bet you didn't know my life was this weird, huh? I really love this city, and it's important to me that I help foster fun here.

Here's the video from this weekend:

I'll be back tomorrow with a billion 30x30 outfits to post!

Adored Dallas?

I am heading up to Dallas in the morning to see my sister for her birthday (read more about my sister here). We'll be meeting her birth mother for the first time, and my aunt (who in many ways is like a mother to me) is flying in from Florida to do this exciting weekend with us. I'm taking Jude with me but leaving Chris at home.

This is me attempting to do a 30x30 outfit post but I got distracted by my sunshine loving kid.

I'll be back on Monday with the full report of the weekend went.

For those of you who haven't seen this on The Wonder Love, I leave you with this video:

8- 13/ 30: Catching up & catching the flu

While you Valentines Day lovers were eating sweets and enjoying kisses and sappy love songs, I may have consumed a metric ton of cough drops. The only gift I got on Valentines Day was the flu. Nonetheless, here are my 30x30 outfits from last week, as promised. I cannot wait for this blasted experiment to be over. I miss my other clothes!

8/30 of 30x30
date: 7 Feb 11 | occasion: vet appointment
jeans: Lands End Canvas | blouse: Strut | shoes: Target | cardigan: Halogen


9/30 of 30x30
date: 8 Feb 11 | occasion: Jimi's last day
dress: American Apparel SXSW flea market | tights: We Love Colors | shoes: Target


10/30 of 30x30
date: 9 Feb 11 | occasion: bumming around the house
jeans: Lands End Canvas | shirt: Walmart | undershirt (not part of 30x30): Old Navy | shoes: UO | belt (as necklace): gift from my mom from Thailand


11/30 of 30x30
date: 11 Feb 11 | occasion: dancing at Barbarella
jeans: Lands End Canvas | sweater: Mink Pink | cami (not part of 30x30): F21 | flats: Target | sunglasses: SoLa | belt: ???


12/30 of 30x30
date: 12 Feb 11 | occasion: Bradley birth class reunion
jeans: Lands End Canvas | wedges: Franco Sarto | blouse: estate sale | sunglasses: UO

13/30 of 30x30
date: 13 Feb 11 | occasion: church
skirt: Tommy Hilfiger | loafers: thifted, Savers | blouse: estate sale | belt: swap

My friend Grechen remarked that she has never seen me wear jeans. I remarked that with the cooler Texas temperatures, my 30x30 choices left a lot to be desired. I'll be so glad when it gets warmer and when 30x30 is done. I'll also be glad when I've kicked this flu's butt!

Despite my flu, I'll still be speaking tomorrow at Langford Market at 6 pm. Come join me! I promise not to cough on you.

Winner! (Not me)

Tidbit: I did local pageants when I was in high school. Don't laugh. I wasn't hardcore like those Toddlers and Tiaras kids. My grandma was my "coach" and she let me pick out any dress from the thrift store that I wanted then she would embellish my wardrobe with extra fancy things like sewing a broken strand of faux pearls to the neckline or buying me shoe clips from Payless to give my pumps a little more pizazz.

The most bewildering thing about my pageant participation is that in almost every single one of them I got Miss Congeniality and first-runner-up. It's official, y'all: I'm really awesome at being nice and winning second place.

Well, I've gone and done it again. Remember the Wanted Shoes video contest I entered? No? Let me refresh your memory:
I got second place! I'm not knocking it, I swear. There was some stiff competition and I forgot to white balance my camera. I'm super pleased to have won first- runner- up. It would be a shame to break my second place winning streak. Huge thanks to Wanted Shoes for inviting me to enter such a fun contest. I love that Jimi and June are in our video. The prize money I won almost covers Jimi's final vet bill, so it's a very sweet prize to me.

[Winning video here. My buddy Kyla's third place video here.]

7/30: Still going strong... sorta

No one hates cheaters more than me. When I was a kid, I hated it when other kids would use a Game Genie on their Nintendo to by-pass hard game levels. "Oh, you beat Super Mario Brothers 3 in one day? Hmph. It took me five because I did it without a Game Genie, cheater!"

That's why I confess the following with a tinge of regret: I cheated a teeny bit on my 30x30 Challenge. I had a shoot yesterday morning with Devi for a local publication, and rather than relegate myself to solely my 30x30 items I borrowed two dresses from Plain Ivey Jane (where we shot) and I also wore a new romper that I picked out from Lulus.
Trash ATX necklace | TIKKR watch (gift) | Marc Jacobs dress (borrowed for shoot)

Lulus romper (gift)

I figured that cheating would be okay because the Adored Austin blurb won't appear until April, and I had to dress like it was spring (and not insanely cold like it is now). Frankly, I don't have a lot of super photogenic, spring-like clothes in my 30x30 mix.

I did, however, don another 30x30 ensemble there and for the remainder of the day:

7/30 of 30x30
date: 10 Feb 11 | occasion: 2nd Street
dress: thrifted, Buffalo Exchange | blouse: Express | shoes: Urban Outfitters | tights: Target

In fact, although I missed taking photos on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, I still wore 30x30 outfits. I really want this project to be done, so I'm going to photograph them tomorrow so I'm caught up.

So far, I'm not loving this challenge. I'm a doofus and didn't think out complete outfits in my head. I just sort of haphazardly chose items. Secondly, I really, really want to amp up my style. These 30x30 outfits are the best of my "meh" game.

But don't worry. I won't quit. I just wish I had a Wardrobe Geenie to help me cheat a little.

[Lulus.com is an Adored Austin partner]

Drink and eat and hear me speak!

Join me and experience my "expert advice" next Wednesday, Feb 16th for my first ever fashion pep talk! Yo, people, I am totally legit now. I speak! In public! Erg, or just come for the free wine, free cheese, shop discount, and prize pack. Those, I can promise, are going to be fabulous. Did I mention free?
Langford Market is one of my new favorite stores. One of my 30x30 dresses is from there. It's like an affordable Anthropologie 'cept with incredibly helpful and sweet salesgirls.

Jimi's sundown

In an Adored Austin first, I now present to you my first NSFW post. We were touched at how many folks cried along with us while viewing yesterday's video. If we made you cry at work, we are sorry. However, today's (final) Jimi video might cause that to happen again.

"Jimi was a wonderful dog. Even though we only had five short years, they were awesome. I hope that every pet owner can experience the joy of having such a great pet. I know that we'd miss Jimi just as much had he lived a longer life, but it's harder because he was so young and his illness came on so fast. I am personally grateful for the outpouring of concern and support that everyone has shown." -Chris
"Jimi Hendrix Adams was the best dog in the entire world. Once dubbed the hummingbird of dogs, we had a very full and very loving five years with him. Jimi became suddenly afflicted with a GI disorder and IVDD that turned out to be inoperable. Before we had him put to sleep we took him all around Austin, Texas to say goodbye to all his favorite spots. We chose to hire a mobile vet who specializes in at-home pet euthanasia. We laid him on our bed that he shared with us as the Texas sunshine streamed through the windows. We fed him a donut and two Reeces Peanut Butter Cups, and kissed him goodbye. We wrapped his much loved tennis ball and his frail little body in his favorite towel, and buried him in his favorite spot in our backyard with a scoop of peanut butter." -Indiana

Photos from Jimi's last day after the jump:

Much loved

Final update: Jimi is too far gone for the back surgery to be a success. He will be let go at 3:30 this afternoon in the comfort of our home and in our arms.

Before he goes, we will drive him around our beloved city to relive some old memories and make a stepping stone imprinted with his paws. We will make sure to snap a photo of him and Jude together in the Texas sunshine. Right before he passes, we will wrap him in his favorite towel and let him enjoy a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. He will be buried in his favorite spot in our backyard with his towel, his tennis ball, and a scoop of peanut butter. He was much loved, and we are thankful for and floored at the outpouring of love you all have shown us in this extremely hard time.

How do you know it's time?

[music: Always Be by Jimmy Eat World]

My entire life, I have wanted a dog. The way that some women coo at babies was the way I was when I saw a wagging tail in public. After Chris and I got married, I was determined to add a little dog to our family, and the weekend before our first Valentine's Day together, I got a call from a dear friend offering me a baby dachshund for free.

It was time.

Once dubbed the hummingbird of dogs, our sweet little Jimi Hendrix Adams was a bundle of energy. Romping, trotting, and obsessive about ball fetching, our lives haven't been the same since the February afternoon Jimi came home with us. He's been our fierce guard dog, a cuddly space heater in our winter bed, and the wet nose and big brown eyes that greet us cheerfully and faithfully every morning. He's always been there to lick away my tears and to wag his tail during our celebrations. He was here when Jude was born and gingerly sniffed Jude's tiny toes and gave him a little lick on his head upon their first meeting.

I first noticed something was wrong when I thought he felt lighter. When I could make out his backbone a week later, that's when I took him to the vet. He had lost a pound, which isn't a lot on its own but is 10% of his body weight. I took him back a few days later when I could see his ribs. I took him back again when he refused to leave his pillow. His fourth visit in two weeks was this afternoon when his back legs suddenly no longer worked. He has lost two and a half pounds, total.

The diagnosis isn't good. At best, he has some kind of gastrointestinal disease and Intervertebral Disc Disease, which is a sad but somewhat common issue with dachshunds. With this best case scenario, there are only two options: medical rest and surgery.

We can opt to do the medical rest which is eight weeks of very strict crate rest. With this, there is only a 50% chance that he'll walk again. But during that eight weeks, if he continues to get worse and loses pain sensation in his feet, even an emergency back surgery won't help.

If we opt for the back surgery (that, truthfully, we cannot comfortably afford), his prognosis for being able to walk again goes up to 90%.

When he lost control of his bowels on my lap during our car ride home from the vet, I got a glimpse into our future. No more romping, trotting, or obsessive ball fetching. Because incontinence usually accompanies back pain, I was taught how to palpitate his midsection to empty his bladder for him, but as his disease worsens, he will “leak” and have more accidents. He can no longer walk to the door to scratch, which was his way to alert us that he needed to go out.

In a matter of days, my sweet puppy with boundless energy has been replaced by a contemplative dog who has a cloud of sadness on his face. My heart breaks as he seems to look at his legs dragging useless behind him and then to me as if to ask, “Can't you fix this?”

I can't.

We'd consider other options if he were a ten year old dog who had a long, full life, but because he's only five (turns six on Christmas), we're just not ready to let him go. For us, it just isn't time.

In the morning, we'll make an appointment for him to see the surgeon. As of this moment, his tail still wags and he's still our cuddly space heater. We just can't imagine our life without his wet nose and big brown eyes greeting us good morning.

UPDATE [6:30 a.m. Tuesday 2.8.11] In the middle of the night, he seemed to take another bad turn. He can no longer feel his feet or go to the bathroom so we are now considering the other option. Maybe it is time. Ultimately we'll do what will make Jimi feel best. Thank you so much for your outpouring of love and support during this sad, sad time.

6/30: skirt over dress

When choosing my items for 30x30, I intentionally chose this dress because I knew I could easily use tuck the bottom part and use the top half as a shirt with a different skirt.



6/30 of 30x30
date: 5 Feb 11 | occasion: church
dress: Langford Market at Le Garage Sale | skirt: Nordstrom Rack | shoes: thrifted (Savers) | belt: thrifted (Savers) | tights: We Love Colors | scarf: American Apparel | clutch: LV
I know that this blog is usually all about "affordable fashion" and admittedly this Louis Vuiton purse was not a find from Savers. It was a college graduation gift from my mom and her best friend, and over the years it's become quite dear to me. However, this little clutch has been through the ringer this week. When Jimi first got sick, I had to take one of his #2's to the vet for a diagnosis. I was in a hurry to get there, so I scooped the turd into a sandwich bag and chucked the bag into my dear little clutch, thus making it smell not so great. Then yesterday, Jude sprung a pee leak after church and it went all over Chris and all over the bag. I swear, this bag is a magnet for grossness. It just needs to be puked on and then it can claim that it's been baptized in the complete trifecta of human waste. I wonder who the barf supplier will be? Jimi, June, or Jude?

5/30: ketchup and mustard

Hi, there. I don't usually post on Sundays (I try to do my Sunday's completely unplugged from the internet) but I've been up most of the morning, in a Google frenzy. I'm not 100% sure if I'll be able to post yesterday's outfit tomorrow, so here it is:


5/30 of 30x30
date: 4 Feb 11 | occasion: staying home with Jimi
dress: thrifted (Savers) | cardigan: Halogen |
belt: thrifted (Savers) | tights: We Love Colors | shoes: Target | ring: Sola
Yesterday June got into my shoe picture, so I wanted Jimi to get in on the action, too. If you've been following his saga on Twitter, you know that he's been quite ill. He's been to the vet three times in the last two weeks. He has been steadily losing weight but the mystery is that he's eating and going to the bathroom just fine. For the last week or so, he just hasn't been himself. He's been laying on a pillow, all sorts of pathetic. And this is a dog once deemed the hummingbird of dogs due to all his energy!

I snapped this photo last night, right before he took a turn for the worse. His legs have stopped working, and it's utterly heart wrenching to watch him lunge his thin little body around, trying to move without the use of his legs. We'll go back to the vet tomorrow, but other than giving him pain medicine and carrying him everywhere, there's not much we can do other than to make sure he's comfortable. Both Chris and I are really sad. And gosh, I've probably made you sad now, too. So, um, here's a picture that will make you smile. This is Jimi when he was a baby. I took this on Valentine's Day in 2005, a couple days after we got him:Jimi is only six years old and I believe he could still have a lot of life left in him! Here's to hoping he pulls through so I can take more ridiculous photos of him.

Call for entries: BurdaStyle DIY Fashion Show

Austin is full of super talented designers, and if you're one of them, I hope you'll consider being a part of the BurdaStyle/ Etsy DIY Fashion Show, which is also the closing event for the Texas Style Council Conference. Entries for consideration are due by the 10th and there is no fee to enter. Cool, huh? Please see the BurdaStyle blog for more info.

They're choosing 15 designers and "This is your chance to take center stage with a dream audience: 500 guests, including influential fashion bloggers, DIY world influencers, and the BurdaStyle family. Our fashion show is your chance to gain some great press and some wonderful networking. Each participant will be featured in a new BurdaStyle blog series, Meet the Designer. BurdaStyle will also be heavily promoting this event in a newsletter going out to 185,000+ world-wide subscribers and to a membership of near 500,000 members."

To enter:
1. Submit your entry via email to submissions[at]burdastyle[dot]com, with the subject: “BurdaStyle Fashion Show”
2. Submissions need to include: Link to your BurdaStyle profile or Etsy profile, one paragraph about yourself and high res photo of you or your model wearing the 1-3 piece(s) you would like to showcase. Please include information about what you do and why you want to be part of this event.
3. Submission deadline is Thursday, February 10th at 9am EST.

I hope you'll consider entering or passing this along to anyone else who would be interested. Clothing designers and accessory designers are invited to enter. It should be a fun show and it's open to the public!

4/30: Date night in

Last night was Fashion Freakout 4 at the Mohawk, but Chris and I decided to be the old people we have been denying we are, and we stayed in and got Inception from Red Box to watch.

4/30 of 30x30
date: 4 Feb 11 | occasion: celebrating with friends
cardigan, skirt, & tee: American Apparel | lace tank: Splurge via Plain Ivey Jane | wedges: Franco Sarto via Nordstrom Rack | tights: Target
I'm a day ahead of myself now because yesterday (Friday) Chris' office was closed, so he enjoyed a snow day at home with me and Jude. But because of this, all day I thought it was Saturday. I don't know if I'll ever recover! Already I am one of those highly annoying people who regularly ask what day it is. People usually tell me the date so I have to re-ask, "No, what is the day of the week today?" Just when I hadn't asked what day it was in at least a week, now I'm all discombobulated!

Oh, well. I suppose it could be worse. This could all be a dream inside a dream inside a dream...

3/30: snOwMG

Fact: this time last year, the high in Austin was 80º, so please pardon me as I am aghast at today's high only being 36º. Thirty-six?! Fact: that is only two four degrees warmer than freezing. There is snow here in Texas. Hell may have frozen over. I want to say "Not cool, Mother Nature, not cool" but I can't. Why? Well, because it is extremely cool. Almost freezing to be exact.

All that to say this: I regret not putting a pair of boots in my 30x30. Yesterday I opted to wear as many layers as possible.


3/30 of 30x30
date: 3 Feb 11 | occasion: lunch w/ Grechen & Cory, dessert/ meeting
leggings: trouvé | shirt: Express | sweater: Mink Pink |
bow headband: Lulu | shoes: Urban Outfitters | vintage frog necklace: Style Station

Not pictured? The shirt under my shirt and the Underarmonr leggings underneath my leggings ("Yo, dawg, I heard you like leggings so I put some leggings under your leggings so you can stay warm while you stay warm!").

Also, big ups to Homerun Ballerina for the photo inspiration and high fives to Picnik.com for making this possible. One day soon it will warm up and I can snap photos outside again. One day...

Comment of the Day: "The bow headband is kind of like a mullet in a good way! Business in the front...party in the back!" -Angela of Fashionably Learning

2/30: Style Chain- Chambray shirt, Black skirt

Whoa! I haven't done a style chain in a while (since last July, actually)! I saw this outfit on LizzyPunch yesterday who saw a similar one on Fashion Me, and realized that I, too, had a chambray shirt and black skirt in my 30x30 fodder and could do my own take on it. This makes me the third link in this style chain:


2/30 of 30x30
date: 2 Feb 11 | occasion: vet visit, city group
shirt: trouvé | skirt: F21 | heels: Isaac Mizrahi target |
belt: Savers | tie: sash from this DIY dress | tights: Target
I hate my indoor photos, by the way. I am still wait-listed on the photography class I've signed up for, but I'm hoping that once I get in, they'll be able to show me how to take beautiful indoor photos. I'm sure it's all about lighting, and I'm okay with turning our guest room into a mini-studio. Since I'm now a spoiled Texas summer princess, there ain't no way I'm going outside in the below freezing weather to snap my outfit pictures. By the time I set up the tripod and figure out how to focus on myself, I'd be a popsicle. Ladies with photographer husbands and boyfriends, in the winter, be thankful you're not a tripod/ self-timer lady!

1/30: long time no see

Oh, hello, studded blazer. I've missed you. Remember when you injured me? That's okay. I still love you, and I'm excited about the month we're going to spend together. You're going to kick off my 30x30 experiment, mmmkay?


1/30 of 30x30
date: 1 Feb 11 | occasion: Jude's check-up
blazer: DIY | blouse: vintage via Savers | jeans: Lands' End Canvas | loafers: thrifted via Savers
By the way, I'm only a few Google girl friends away from 1000. This is absolutely crazy to me because I never expected anyone other than my aunt (who happens to be my biggest fan-- everyone say "Hi, Aunt Wanda!") to read this. I want to do something funny to celebrate. Maybe I'll eat 1000 eggs. Or jelly beans. Or something. Any suggestions?

30x30 c/o Adored Austin

I gave in. After chickening out the last two times, I'm finally doing Kendi's 30x30 challenge with Katy and Erin and the whole rest of the internet (complete list of 800+ remixers here). Who knew there were so many lady bloggers? Wowzers!

I've chosen the 30 items I'm going to be wearing for the next 30 days, and I purposely chose not to include anything I got for free or as part as my partnerships on Adored Austin. As I've said, the gifts I have received over the last year and a half from my partners are clothing items, shoes, and accessories that I have chosen myself and fit very well into my budget and aesthetic. So, truthfully, I'll be missing most of those items over the next 30 days (especially my Lulus dresses, ThreadSence shoes, TIKKR watch, Wanted boots, and Lands' End Canvas sweater!). I've given my partners the option to take this month off from Adored Austin advertising (since I won't be providing as much exposure as I usually do) and if I receive any gifts in the next 30 days, I promise to not wear them until the month is over.

Why am I making this hard on myself? Well, three reasons:
1. I recognize that a lot of bloggers get a lot of free stuff, and I have been the blessed recipient of many courtesy items since my blog's inception, however, most of the 800 bloggers participating in this project are not bloggers who have "sponsors". Therefore, to be a true part of the 30x30 community, I'm only using things that I've purchased myself. Plus I think that every blogger who is sponsored should take some breaks from all the constant c/o-ing-- myself included.
2. When I get gifts or new things, I love wearing them immediately and often. This has meant that some of my older clothes get ignored. Not incorporating gift items makes me use more of my thrifted treasures and super sale finds.
3. The biggest reason is this, though: It's important to me that I show my regular Adored Austin readers that all the items I have received from my partners are things that I do use regularly and will be sorely missed. I'm not a corporate shill. I'm an avid customer!

Thoughts?

Anyway, that was a lot of text, so here's a very long photo showcasing my 30x30 picks:
[links point to how I wore it before]
Jackets & sweaters: thrifted beaded jacket (Savers) | black double breasted cardigan (American Apparel outlet) | DIY refashioned studded blazer (Savers) | yellow Halogen cardigan (Nordstrom Rack) | Mink Pink leopard cardigan (Shopbop).
Dresses: navy American Apparel dress (SXSW flea market) | basic black cotton thrifted dress (Buffalo Exchange) | thrifted lace dress (Buffalo Exchange) | floral mock skirt frock (Langford Market/ Le Garage Sale).
Shirts: vintage cream blouse (Savers 50% off day) | gray tee (Walmart) | chambray button down (Nordstrom) | white deep-v tee (American Apparel) | white button down (Strut, new, never blogged before) | dotted, ruffled button down (estate sale) | black rayon button down (Express, 10 years ago!) | peach lace tank (Plain Ivey Jane, new, never blogged before).
Pants: skinny jeans (Lands End Canvas) | leather/ cotton leggings (Nordstrom).
Skirts: green crinkle skirt (Nordstrom) | red pencil skirt (Tommy Hilfiger) | grey athletic skirt (American Apparel) | black pocket skirt (American Apparel) | black sequined skirt (Kenar via Marshalls, new, never blogged before) | black tutu (Forever 21)
Shoes: leopard flats (Target) | black heeled mary janes (Target) | black canvas oxfords (Urban Outfitters) | thrifted loafers (Savers) | nude wedges (Nordstrom Rack).

Y'all, I'm nervous! And I miss some of my other clothes already and it's only been ONE DAY! Thank goodness I have 800 other women to find encouragement from!

Hats off to you!

My friends have the coolest parties. Over the weekend, my zany friend Carmen had a hat themed birthday party. This meant that every hat there was a party hat!

I picked up this dress earlier that day at the Langford Market booth, and admittedly, I liked it so much that I wore the same exact outfit to church and lunch the next day. Behold as I take a page from the Kendi Everyday guidebook and have Chris shoot a picture of me in an empty parking deck:

Date: 29 + 30 Jan 11 | occasion: hat party, church, & lunch at Fado
dress: Langford Market via Le Garage Sale | cardigan: American Apparel | shoes: c/o Threadsence | watch: c/o TIKKR | triceratops earrings: Plain Ivey Jane | hat: Urban Outfitters | belt: Buffalo Exchange new merch

Speaking of dear Kendi, I'm supposed to start 30x30 today. I'm scared, but I'm going to try it. Because my outfit posts lag a couple of days, watch for my first 30x30 post on Friday. I'm nervous!