Photography, Adventure, Glitter, and (Vegan) Cupcakes

I realize that most of my posts lately have been super serious in nature, and I've been wanting to post about one of my favorite things in the entire world lately, anyway: budget fashion. Anyone who has ever been to a Goodwill with me or has seen my closet will tell you this is no understatement. And so, I did a photo shoot tonight in my bedroom (tripod setup and all) to show you most of the latest haul. Two pairs of jeans I purchased are not pictured, as they're pretty basic, but everything else I wanted to show off! :) I have to tell you, I simply LOVED playing fashion model for a night, as you can probably tell from the shots. I even enjoyed modelling my wigs--I'm learning to just embrace them and make them rock my look. :) For these first few shots, I already owned the jeans (which by the way, I purchased on a previous thrifting expedition for $7 and later found out that they're a brand which sells for $150 at Nordstrom--learn to thrift people! I'm serious!!)...

I'm finding plenty of time to work on some photos that I've just had sitting on my hard drive for months. Here are some shots I got while visiting Lake Eola park in Orlando, this past summer. This last one, with the sparkling water behind the swan, is my absolute favorite. If you haven't paid Lake Eola a visit recently, I highly recommend it. What a relaxing place to unwind, and best of all, it's free!

Hey ya'll, I know it's been a while! Here's an easy, lighthearted post for ya: fun thrift store finds I found in late September. Most of these I did purchase; a few I did not. I promise a post of substance coming soon--it has been a wild ride for the bigger part of October and I'm seriously hoping life will calm down for November. I've had all the excitement I can stand, but I can tell you all about that soon. :) This dress is just so *easy*. It's deep plums, browns, greys, tans. Basically every easy color in my wardrobe. Literally throw on shoes and a necklace and go. For one of the first times ever, my boobs were just too big for this lacy little number. Not purchased. I have never, and will never, run an Ironman, but it's cute for working out no? Purchased, $2. FAVORITE find of the day: this long maxi dress. It's a light polyester something-or-other blend. $6. Brand new, made in India, gorgeous dress. I have yet to wear it...

I should probably preface this post by stating that I go thrift shopping at least once a month. Imagine my excitement when my new friend Scuffy also informed me that she loves thrift-ing. Done deal, it's a date. I had a mission this particular go-round: locate at least one of my Halloween costumes (I have multiple soirees this year), and locate some work clothes. Perhaps also some Pinterest project-worthy decorative items. Well, I located six dresses and a shirt, so I guess that sort of counts? I don't know, but I did locate one of my two Halloween costumes--our friend Adam is having a Prohibition Halloween party, and so of course I'm going as a flapper. I located a sequin-covered shift dress. Add in some arched 20's eyebrows, long seed bead necklace, and some bobby-pinned 'do, and I'll be happy. My favorite find though? This fantastic Deer Dress, below: It's super short, so I don't think I can safely get away with wearing it to work, but o...

As many of my dear friends know, along the way of becoming a mostly-vegan vegetarian, I have started to incorporate cruelty-free shopping into my lifestyle wherever possible. This means buying soaps, detergents, skincare, makeup, and bath items that were not tested on animals and preferably not made from animal products. Now, this process is by no means easy. A few afternoons poring over websites, a few cruelty-free apps for my iPhone downloaded, and a few trips to Target and Walgreens later, and I have to say, the selection dwindles infinitely when you decide to stop buying animal-tested products. But that's the problem and the point I guess; almost everything we buy is tested in labs on poor defenseless animals when now safer, more effective ways of lab testing exists. There is no reason why, in the year 2013, and in the massive amount of technological and scientific advancement that we as a society now face, that we should be testing harsh chemicals on defenseless living cr...

I started my journey bright and early. Okay, for definition’s sake, “early” was 8:00 a.m. In any case, after shoving a very disgruntled red minpin into her crate and tossing her lovingly on the front seat, fueling up my car with gasoline and my belly with hot tea, I was on the road.  Noticing the frost on the grass as I sped past my neighbor’s lawns for the last time in an immeasurable while, I couldn’t help but feel excitement knowing that I would soon be in the South—in the warmth, in the heat, in the sun. The drive to South Carolina (my destination for night one) is a mountainous trek that, thankfully, this time of year is beautiful. Painted horizons of reds, yellows, greens, oranges, and rusts led my way as I sped up, down, and around the mountains of West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. Road trips are fun, believe it or not. I keep myself entertained (being my favorite person on the planet has its advantages—for example, I don’t mind traveling with mys...