a little leopard, a lot of books

tee, Gap

jeans, Banana Republic Factory Store

leopard print belt, thrifted 

necklace, eBay

     It's been much too long since I wore this necklace. I added the leopard-print belt because it seemed to go well with the mustard/goldenrod color in the necklace.

     I've listened to some really great audiobooks lately. The last one I finished was "Operation Yes" by Sara Lewis Holmes. I had read the book this year, and really enjoyed it - it's a great story about the power of art, and the positive changes that a teacher can trigger, and its setting in an elementary school which serves kids from military families reminded me of the school I work for. One great thing about the audiobook is that the reader's voice really captured the North Carolina setting, which only added to my enjoyment of a familiar story.
     Currently, I'm listening to "The Age of Miracles" by Karen Thompson Walker.  This is the first audiobook that I've listened to "cold" - I usually read the book first, then listen to the audio version.  I've always hesitated to encounter a book for the first time in audio form, partly because I derive so much more enjoyment from absorbing a story from a printed page vs. by ear. I also think I am much more of a visual vs. auditory person, but using audiobooks seems to be balancing things out. Walker's book has a great premise - the main character, Julia, is 11 when humanity figures out that Earth is undergoing what's called "the slowing" - the slowing rotation of the planet leads to increasingly longer days and nights. This results in all kinds of interesting effects - the birds are the first to succumb, and crops begin to require exceedingly expensive greenhouses equipped with lights that keep the plants alive during long periods of darkness. It's not what I'd call a fast-paced book at all (which I suppose is fitting, given the premise!) but I think the author captures really well Julia's loneliness and the travails of middle school.

green and leopard and a Thanksgiving recap

                                                                                    dress, Old Navy
                                                                                     belt, thrifted
                                                                              earrings, gift from M

     I usually wear this dress with blue or green accessories, so it was fun to mix it up with leopard print. In truth, I wouldn't have thought up this pairing on my own, but I hadn't put the leopard-print belt away and it caught my eye while I was planning my outfit. Disorganizia has (one or two measly) benefits, it appears ...

     These earrings are exquisite -- I received them last year, but this was their first outing. Not sure why I waited so long to wear them!

    After a trip through the wash, the dress was reprised as Thanksgiving lunch wear, with my thrifted Countess Mara tie as a belt (soft, stylish and stretchy belts FTW). ;)

   
       It was a quiet weekend with lots of time to sleep in and nap. I graded some papers, snacked on loaded baked potato dip left over from Thanksgiving lunch, enjoyed the company of various family members, and finished Walls' "The Glass Castle." I thoroughly enjoyed my Saturday morning meditation class, as I was much more rested than usual and didn't have to battle exhaustion while trying to keep my focus.
     I stayed away from the mall, although I did some damage online. I scored a great BOGO deal on my organic sunscreen from Mychelle and also picked up some Christmas gifts (and a few pretty things for me) from  The Haitian Bead Project.
     I also popped into my favorite Goodwill on Saturday and found some lovely tops -- all women's clothing was 50% off! One of the silk shirts has a few small stains and a dingy collar, but I'm thinking it might be a good candidate for experimenting with stain removal using vinegar and hydrogen pyroxide. If all else fails, I've got plans to chop it up and make myself a tee like this one, or even small zip pouches. I usually try to steer clear of things in not-so-great condition at the thrift store, but I couldn't pass up the whimsical umbrella print. ...
    If you celebrated Thanksgiving, or even if you didn't, what were some highlights of your weekend? 

spots and dots

shirt, DIY 

belt, thrifted

skirt, Old Navy

necklace, New Zealand

Revlon lip butter in Raspberry Pie

       Old Navy's quality can be hit or miss, but these skirts have been non-work-wear staples since I bought them years ago. I used to wear the stretch one a lot more, but have been favoring this non-stretch one lately because it's just a tad longer. 

      This is a simple outfit, but I think adding the belt made it a little more interesting. So did adding a bright lip. I like the color straight out of the tube (see here - hmm, somehow it doesn't look as bright as I remember) but I'm not used to seeing myself in such a vivid lip color. I used my finger to apply it this time and that made the brightness a little easier to take. After looking at last year's photos, however, I think next time I'll wear it straight out of the tube ...