Winter Style: Brights in the Grey

I love winter. I think I might have mentioned that before. Nevertheless, it's really hard to rejoice in the brisk cold air when you're dragging with what seems to be the 537th cold, a stack o' DayJob deadlines, and a crankypants attitude that may or may not be well received at home.

So I don't have energy for much reading, but trolling - ahem - scrolling through Pinterest when I'm waiting in line at my morning Starbucks stop, or at Target picking up yet another glamorous package of toilet paper or paper towels seems to give me some short & sweet reminders that life is not only not that bad, but under control, manageable, and even gloriously bright. Oh yeah, and I'm steering the ship.

So here are some of my recent pins and how they spoke to me. Hope they brighten your already-sunny-but-crazy-windy-cold day.

We'll start with the night when I was feeling crazy overwhelmed and sick. Pinterest said this to me, which TrainerJen had emailed me, in not so many words, just minutes prior, changing my workout plan for the next morning to, literally: sleep.

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And then Pinterest said this. So I figured I'd better listen and go to bed. I did.

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Earlier, Pinterest had tossed this image my way. The coat, in its gloriously wrecked and punk sensibility, was in, and was the cover art for the catalog of, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's 2006 Anglomania exhibit. Later in the day, The Museum at FIT (one of my favorite places on earth, and one that gets far too little notice, in my opinion) posted an article from The Observer on their facebook page (like it now, please, for all of the amazing current and historical fashion they post). As the discussion around The Met's newest take on punk shows, punk is funny stuff, both musically and culturally. The sheer chaos that shows there is apparently bubbling up in the provenance of the fashion, too.

Once again, the Pinterest universe was speaking to me. Ok, the online universe. Quibbles.



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We're renovating our kitchen this spring, and are in final debates. We have a tiny, but not terribly tiny kitchen, so the "galley kitchen" stuff isn't quite right, but neither is the sweeping expanse of some things I find. I pin them nevertheless. I couldn't be more excited about finally getting a handle on our culinary world by taming our insanity known as our cabinets. I'm in love with a modern + rustic combo like this one.

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Once that's done, creating culinary masterpieces will be a cinch, right? Isn't that how it works? In the meantime, H's orthodox Christian tradition of an essentially vegan fast is coming up, so I'm grateful to Pinterest for helping to maintain the trendiness of veganism. I cook vegetarian often (but LURV a brilliant steak), but am lining up new tastes for the 40 days, like this mushroom ragu. You can bet I'll serve it over some soft polenta...or...

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And while I'm a Winter Girl at heart, still pinning away from the Autumn/Winter 2013 runways to get my fix of fur, coats, and scarves, and, well, fur coats and scarves (comma placement, anyone?),

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I've also started pinning and planning for #DownthaShore2013. Cannot wait to get a new bikini and maybe a retro suit (last year's don't fit!). Also can't wait to rock my best schlumpy Jersey Shore looks. Or, if I'm feeling ambitious, a crisp, clean (ha!) summer look like this one. (And gee, Bloomingdale's *just* pinned their version of the shorts, here)

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What's getting you through?

Holiday Style: I Blame It on Gwyneth

Or rather, my dear online friend over at What Would Gwyneth Do. She posted earlier this week about being thrilled for Halloween because, though not a 'ween fan, it's the gateway drug - ahem - holiday to the rest of the holiday season.

Which is, of course, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Screw that Staples commercial.

While I must respectfully disagree with her Halloween stance (I lurv it! See my preparations here), I absolutely, completely 100% agree with the gateway holiday concept.

Up until, oh, last year, I had a very strict "I Don't Start Celebrating Christmas Until December 1" policy. Very strict. In high school, I had a bell I wore every day of December. But I wouldn't put it on until December 1st. My parents didn't decorate the house until December, we didn't Do Black Friday, and we most certainly didn't Finish Our Shopping Early.

Then I had kids.

Last year, I realized how much joy there is in the season, and how important it is for a family to establish traditions that The Beans understand and appreciate from all aspects of the holiday season. It's also important for Mama and Papa to celebrate.

So when someone posted about being eager to jump from spooky to snowy, it got my imagination going, and I couldn't stop pinning and party planning. So here, on the eve of a weekend when I'll be flying solo (H is away checking on our place down tha shore, among other family business), and will likely spend Saturday night quietly indulging in reality TV, cooking shows, and the internet, here's what I've found so far, along with my Pinterest boards the are particularly pertinent to All Things Cheery and Bright.

S'mores cookies. On The Big Cookie List of Cookies I Want to Make This Year. I will make at least 2 types, and bring home 6 more, one weekend this December. For more than 10 years, my college roommate and our two freshman year dorm neighbors (and dearest friends) and I have gathered for Cookie Day. We haven't missed a year of baking.

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Dark nails. My last manicure is still chipping away, and while last fall's Chanel Peridot is absolutely still on trend (I'm still madly in love with it and oh, so glad I bought 2 + the Graphite), I'm infatuated with the sleek, deep colors this fall brings us.

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Holiday classics. I know I'm not the only one who will recognize this still from White Christmas. I will watch it. I will make The Beans watch it. I will cry when they honor the General. And, this morning, as I was tooling around Pinterest, I had a brilliant idea: a Christmas Costume Party! Come dressed as your favorite holiday movie character! The possiblities are endless!

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Gleaming exaggeration. This Marc Jacobs skirt is making the Pinterest rounds. To me, it's everything glorious about dressing during the holidays. So if I don't have that costume party, you can wear this to my Christmas Cocktail Party. Because, whether H knows it or not, we will be having a Christmas party this year.

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I love fall. I love winter. I love snowy, foggy, gloomy days when you can curl up and snuggle, when you can bake your brains out, when you can take a walk in a Winter Wonderland.

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And then you can wear this.

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If you're not already following all of my Pinterest boards (and why wouldn't you be, she types confidently), here are a few of particular interest this season. If you pop on over to my Pinterest profile, I've just conveniently rearranged them to be at the tops. Enjoy - and pin away! I love seeing everyone else's pinspiration!

Party On... Exactly what it sounds like, all of my party inspiration, whether drinks, dresses, decorations, or daintly little treats.

#Sequins and Such One of my older boards, but, well, it's the holidays. So...sequins.

Thirst Quenchers Because Christmas Cocktail Parties need cocktails

Tis the Season I shuddered when my little sis was pinning Christmas crafts before Halloween. And then I started.

Food Designs This was my first recipe board, started before #healthyme. It has All The Good Things with cheese and fat that I'm going to offer guests for parties. All in moderation, my friends!

Sweet Tooth Designs I have one. So sue me. And the holidays offer me the chance to bake, bake, bake, then Give It All Away. Here are loads of dreamy desserts, some complicated, some insanely easy.

For When I Have Lots o' Time I started this board to pin those things that look like a lot of DIY fun. Turns out, there are some good gift ideas here. I have grandiose ideas of making gifts this year. Just like last year. And the year before...

For the Beans More DIY, but in theory Bean-focused. Though, truth be told, there are lots of things here that you could do Just Because, whether you've got Beans of your own or not.

Mama's Wish List So far, only 2 things. But it will grow. Someone let H know, please, that Pinterest is the Modern Girl's Amazon Wish List?

Winter Girl I won't go on any more about my Love For Winter

Weekends Around Town because we need to be stylish as we run our holiday errands and bake our cookies

#HealthyMe doesn't go away with Halloween. There are so many tasty ways to stay on track and stay inspired to keep moving. Really.

For H I find him sometimes difficult to buy for. So when I see something, I pin it.

There are more, but I'm sure you have your own Pinspiration, too. Where are you finding your holiday mojo this year? And don't tell me you aren't excited already. I just won't accept that. If I'm joyful, you have to be too.

[Grin]

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Substitution: DIY on Your Own

Looks like I'm not the only one who is unhappy about missing the marimekko DIY event. Now, I happen to be one who does much better in structured DIY environments (read: schedule, go somewhere, someone helps, then come home) rather than true DIY in my own home. Lord knows how many projects I've discovered in BeanPrep mode (which includes lots and lots of shredding - another story, but oh, so fun!) that are half finished. I still have needlework projects from middle and high school I haven't finished - but refuse to throw away - I'll finish them some day, really.

But I digress.

In the meantime, Morgan (of Pandahead and brightestyoungthings fame) offers us a chance to make our own high fashion. This time around, she shows us how to create a pair of Marc Jacobs studded flats.*

If the results are even half as lovely and funky as the creation she wore to the marimekko opening, it's worth taking a shot. Let's put it this way: the gorgeous blue, bright pink trimmed frock she transformed from a long-sleeved "mumu" (her words) were how I recognized her. We'd never met in person, but the sweet and sassy dress spoke to me the second I saw it. Granted, it took us nearly all night to actually meet (she saw my bump, I saw her dress, there was much mutual admiration).

If anyone tries her project, let us know how it works out. There will definitely be more to come. Maybe it'll inspire the rest of us to pick up the glue gun.

*Pardon my indirect link - unfortunately, unlike me, my computer security doesn't like the brightestyoungthings site.

**Thank you to Abby Greenawalt and DC Style mag online for the pic.