hear me whine about wine

A hierarchy of wine in my head, and it screams, NO RED. 

Luckily, Chamard Vineyards in Clinton had a very fine selection of whites for us to try on Sunday afternoon. Of the three wineries I visited this summer, this one was by far the most impressive, featuring neat, picturesque grounds, beautiful interiors, multiple tasting rooms, a bistro, sociable staff and really very high quality wine. (Also, actual parking, unlike some others. Clearly designed for visitors.) 

Personal recommendations: the light, unoaked Stone Cold White and their fantastic, incredibly sweet white port.

Regarding my outfit: A surprisingly working combo that would have been much better if not paired with sneakers. Later in the day, at a cousin's housewarming party in the area, I donned a brown sunhat to match (and apparently became overdressed for the occasion, even though all my stuff comes from cheapo juniors stores. Welp.)

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selfies on a farmer's market day

The art of taking my own picture with an iphone, I have yet to master it. Soon I'll bust out the actual DSLR and snap a decent outfit shoot for once, but for now, you can all suffer through my phone hijinks.

Today's look, mainly American Eagle (and a pair of bright orange Payless canvas shoes I had to bleach lighter; it was a matter of public service), took me downtown to shop the local farmer's market. I usually really enjoy the friendly atmosphere of fairs and this sort of thing, but damned if my fellow townspeople didn't sour it by acting like, well, themselves. "I've got somewhere to be gtfo my way" might as well have been tattooed on foreheads. Relax, people. There are like 2 booths here; it's not that serious.

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An Enchanted Tale at ShopRuche.com

Damn, Ruche. You could not have hit more of my style aspirations with your An Enchanted Tale feature than if you'd designed it specifically for me. Pretty and a little retro, with a few bold prints and a touch of Japanese art? I covet EVERYTHING.

(And now I really want to work giant fox origami into my bedroom design. Make it so, internet.)

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DIY dilemmas: repurposing pins

Bunny here, although a cherished companion of mine since birth, has seen better days. So has this 1980s pin my grandmother gave me new. 

Repurposing pins and brooches is nothing novel for crafters. I've seen many beautiful necklaces and hair ornaments arise from the ashes of a slightly battered brooch. This one, however, isn't as sturdy as the usual choices. As you can see, the structure is a little too fragile to support jump rings or other attachments, soldering would destroy it, and I refuse to repair the wobbly pin by sawing it off and GLUING on a new one. (I really, really hate seeing a huge chunk of hot glue on a jewelry piece.)

All this pin really has going for it is sentimental value.

I'll be on the idea hunt for this one for a bit, clearly.

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