The more giveaways you enter, the higher the odds you're going to win something, right?
Well folks, I enter a lot of giveaways. Some for things that I wouldn't even find useful (why is that?). Thankfully, the two I've won thus far are super fun, useful & much appreciated!

The first was from Trisha Brink, a local shop owner who's now got an Etsy shop full of pretty prints! I even got to choose my favorite (Yes to Yarn, below), which is perfect in my sewing room although I am really a novice knitter. I also love the 'Globulus Bloom' & 'Rosa' prints.

Giveaway #2 was from the fab interiors/style blog, coco+kelley. Waverly offered them bundles of decorator weight fabric from their Modern Essentials collection, which arrived at my doorstep this week. There's one yard each of five fabrics, and the prints are better than I imagined for a luck-of-the-draw giveaway! I'm thinking at least one mini backpack (probably in the chartreuse & cream zebra print, let's get real), and perhaps some throw pillow covers for my mom? There's really nothing better than a free project!

Thanks to Trisha & Cassandra for the rad giveaways!

/denim short II

So glad to finally be done with these! I had pieced them together from two old pairs of jeans a few months ago (from the same pattern I drafted and made these out of), but never had the will to finish until now.

The lighter denim came from a pair of well-loved but too worn Gap jeans that I hadn't worn in years, and the dark denim from an alteration client's jeans she had me shorten. The pockets were once functional, but are now stitched shut. I should have realized that they'd gape massively, being at an angle on my hips and all... sometimes I do not think. Also, LOTS of flat-felled seams, because they are my favorite.

The sun has started showing itself (albeit sporadically), but it's definitely still not warm enough to wear shorts.
So I took a couple of awkward shots in the sewing room.

Shorts photos are much better if you can stage some sort of outdoor frolicking (picnic, walk in the park), but here I present to you the obligatory front and back photos.

Are back shots even obligatory?
If not, I definitely feel weird about this one...

Hopefully I'll be doing much more sewing for myself in the near future, because all I see are dresses! Sun & warmth, you are welcome to hold off another couple weeks until I make at least one more dress, but please come soon after that.
Much appreciated.

/I wore this.

I've decided I'm very much into messing around with my pen & tablet. So much so, that I've resorted to a pandemic blogging cliche, 'What I wore today'. I really don't mean to (or want to) become a 'style blogger', but this was so super fun it just may become a habit.

Apologies.

(But not.)

cardigan & shirt, j.crew; skirt, proenza schouler for target; flats, anthropologie.

/meringue nests

I hope everyone had a happy Easter!

This year I decided to accompany my annual coconut lamb cake with little nests. I had some chocolate & candy coated sunflower seeds, and had just made some delish lemon meringues, so this was the natural next step. I think they turned out pretty adorably, if I do say so myself! (They were tasty, too!)

As a bonus, these are great for gluten free people!  I was elated to see my gluten-free cousin throwing these back like I do malted milk eggs. I had to make sure and type up the recipe so I could remember what I did for next year, and the year after.

Really though, I'll probably make these again before Spring is over. Cute food is the best.

chocolate meringue nests
adapted from Joy the Baker


two large egg whites
pinch of salt
2/3 cup fine baking sugar
one tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
chocolate sprinkles
chocolate candy coated sunflower seeds


Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Line one big baking sheet with parchment paper & set aside.

Use an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to whip the egg whites until foamy (bubble bath status). Add the pinch of salt, then start mixing on medium/high speed. Add the sugar slowly, and continue beating the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks.

Fold the cocoa powder and two tablespoons chocolate sprinkles into the egg white mixture using a rubber scraper.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with your choice of tip (round or star). Pipe a dab of meringue, then the 'nest' around it, forming approximately two-inch circles. Decorate with chocolate sprinkles and chocolate candy coated sunflower seeds.

Place on the middle rack of your oven and bake for two whole hours.

Eat up.

/still chilly.

Last Thursday morning, there was snow on the ground. In April. You know, the stuff that's supposed to come from the sky in Winter, not the day after I plant my leek and lettuce starters; poor babies!

Still bundled in my sweater and sweats, I thought it was a good time to browse the Pre-Fall & Fall collections again.

Although this look is Pre-Fall Phillip Lim, it seems so perfect for right now. The suit would make an excellent Easter ensemble, but she's still bundled up in leather, boots & socks...with bare legs in hope that there will be a Spring.

original image via style.com

It's sunny today, but I'm skeptical. Will Spring ever come? Pllllllease?