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My living room.

It's finally finished!!!!!

As promised, I'm posting some pictures of new and exciting things (no photos of me wearing clothes in this post lol).  Soooooo now that I've finished decorating my living room (for the third time since November), I thought it was high time to share it!

Here are some before/afters (taken at nighttime, sorryyyyyyyy):

 
BEFORE
 
 AFTER




BEFORE

AFTER
 
 
 
I'm sharing this with you guys (as promised), because I think how you decorate your home shows a lot about you and your personality.  And style is all about personality, and this is a style blog. 
 
Therefore, style of dress and style of decor go hand-in-hand.
 
Now I would like to focus on two of my favorite things in this room:
 
1.) My Couch
I adore this couch.  I found it at Goodwill four days before I even had a new apartment to put it in, but I just had to have it! 
I was very VERY lucky to be able to borrow a truck from my in-laws and garage space from my folks for those few days, and everyone agreed that this couch was worth the rigamarole!

I do want to change out the larger floral print pillows eventually. 
Anyone have pillows that size in a large floral print with a navy background?  haha wouldn't that be a miracle..?
 
2.) The Tapestry
I have an acutal tapestry in my living room!!!!  Eeeeeeee!!!  :D
Another Goodwill find, I wish the photo did it justice.
 
Anyway, I had a lot of fun with this living room.  I looked all over the internet for inspiration.  If you want to see what's all been swirling around in my head, please see my Pinterest boards

The photos you're seeing are the second and third time I've rearranged the furniture, actually.  The first time the couch was on the left-hand wall.  Whew...it's exhausting even thinking about all the furniture I've shoved around in that room!  And here I was wondering how to get a workout in winter...

The reason I've rearranged so many times is because I just could NOT get this room to feel right.  I knew I had some great pieces to work with, and I wasn't doing them justice!  It was bothering me soooo much!  I'd lie in bed at night and ponder and fret about how to arrange my living room (sad but true).

Eventually I figured out what my problem was: I was trying too hard to make a small room seem spacious.  I sacrificed coziness, warmth, and charm.  The point of furniture arranging and decorating is to make the room look its best; to use the space and things you are given in the most charming way you can; not to just shove furniture against the wall and keep as much floor open in the middle as you can.  If it's a small room, let it be small! just in the best, coziest, most elegant and charming way possible. 

Also: if it doesn't look exactly like the pictures of "country chic" or "cozy casual" or whatever other labels people impose on room styles, GOOD; it's your own style, then.  :)  Take inspiration from others, but don't copy their work.

So.  Vibrant, unapologetic curtains, some greenery (enter Gerald, my lipstick vine), and plenty of pretty pillows and blankets later, I have a snuggly space that's much more open to the rest of the apartment and more inviting for guests.



I'm proud of the hard work I put into this room, but I'm just starting out on this decorating thing.  If anybody has any tips, PLEEEEEEEEEASE share them!  I did a lot of internet research, but that's not the same as someone giving actual feedback and your actual room.

She's a Mixed-up Girl in a Mixed-up World.


Song of the Day: "Meddle" by Little Boots
It works, 'cuz it's sassy yet sweet, and I'm wearing little boots with this outfit.  :)


This look is a bit hipster-fab, ain't it?  I realized that during the day and got a little self-conscious...but then I reminded myself that labels shouldn't matter.  We love what we love.  And I love this outfit.



My beloved broken Rolex. I never bothered putting a new battery in this thrifted beauty, 'cuz its second hand just quirkily floats freely around inside the face, soooo....really, what's the point? I have a cell phone to tell time with, after all. (But I will never use an e-reader to read books. Some things just shouldn't be digital.)


Thought I'd share my quirky dinner with you, too, since this post is so full of quirkiness:


Yes, yes, ladies and gentlemen.  That is some LEFTOVER MCDONALD'S AND PINK CHAMPAGNE.  How do you like me, now?

cute sleeve buttons  :)
Hat, Watch (orig. Rolex), Bracelet, Shirt (orig. Ann Taylor LOFT), Skirt (orig. Land's End): Goodwill
Leggings, boots: old || Faux Spectacles: Forever 21

Inspirations

Three generations of Fabulous: my grandmother, great-grandmother, and father







"the Kiss" --Klimt


Florence of Florence and the Machine


Mother Monster

Dita Von Teese



Lana Del Ray

Thought I'd share some of my inspirations.  Most of these have been constant mind-sparkers for my entire life...a few I've only recently learned about, but I suspect they'll stay with me for awhile.  ;)

I hope these few images pave the way for you to create today!  As some of my favorite lyrics from Florence and the Machine go...


(This image [of my eye haha] was featured on my Instagram recently.  Follow me!!  @Spritzy88)

In closing, my favorite SS 13 collection: Dolce & Gabbana.

Lightly Drifting




I finally got fed up with not gratifying my vintage needs in winter.  I decided I'd rather freeze happily than be morose and only slightly chilled.  So this little dress and cardi leaped from my closet, and my new petticoat decided to make its first appearance (out of sight...).

...except when I scandalously let it peek out for photos:


Naughty me.  ;)

Anyway, absolutely everything I'm wearing is thrifted!  Yay! 
eco-responsibility + cuteness = WINNING






Anyway, I'm bravely putting up a picture of my profile.  I hate my profile, but, hey, 
flaws are what make us unique, right? 

And I'll leave you with that thought and a quick candid shot of me (thanks a lot, mom) searching frantically for my keys (my fabulous coat hopefully making up for the rest of my un-fabulous-ness):


So long, dear readers, from your 
friendly neighborhood scatter-brain!   
Love you!

Freezin' for a Reason



It's been below zero up here in Wisconsin...but I sucked it up and took some outfit photos.  I also went to the outdoor mall this day, but I think that goes beyond "sucking it up" into crazy person territory.  Oh well...I don't think my insanity is a secret anymore. if it ever was.  ;)


This post features my [thrifted, of course] plaid Burberry bag.  And I thrifted the scarf to match it.  I used to hate wearing black and brown together, but the Burberry plaid makes it sooo easy; it bridges the gap so well!

Loooove this bag...Looooove Goodwill.  :) 
Why do people get rid of this beautiful stuff?  Oh well; lucky for me!



Scarf: thrifted || Sweater: Express || Tee: J. Crew || Jeans: Wal*Mart || Boots: thrifted || Headband: Bangles and Bags || Bag: thrifted (Burberry of London!!!)


I'll leave you with some inspiration: the song I heard recently that got me hooked on Florence and the Machine: "Cosmic Love."