What I Wore | The End

I’ve always wondered what it would feel like to finally sit down and write this post. The one where I tell you that I’m hanging up my figurative (and literal!) hat with What I Wore. The time has come for me to put this blog to bed, and it gives me a lot of joy to finally do it.

This blog has served me in so many ways, but in short - I’m over it. I’ve documented my daily (and lately, weekly or monthly) outfits for over ten years. That’s a lot time! It’s longer than any school I’ve attended, any job I’ve held or any relationship I’ve been in. It’s given me some amazing opportunities (going to Spain or wearing Oscar de la Renta head to toe are top of mind) and it’s also challenged my self esteem and happiness. It’s been both amazing and sort of terrible at times. I’m glad I did it for so long, but I’m also glad to finally call it quits. I just can’t, and don’t want to, keep up with the endless buying buying buying to create new outfits. I don’t really care about fashion anymore like I used to. I want to create different and more lasting things - namely - in the home I share with my family. I’ve realized what I really love is making things - sewing, knitting, upholstery, baking, woodworking, painting and more. I like being a creative person. I also enjoy the rawness of sharing who I am, and how I’m learning and growing and stumbling as a parent and as a person. 

So with that, this is my last post on What I Wore. Thank you for joining me all these years. It gives me a lot of joy reading the messages and sharing my happiness with you. There have been so many long distance friendships forged because of this site, and it means so much to me.

The end of one journey means the beginning of a new one. As you know, we’ve moved into a 75 year old farm house in the country and have been working on fixing it up. We’re planting over 50 varieties of seeds this spring and hope to begin a small farm stand and flower business. We’re taking on a flock of chickens to round it all out. And because I want a place to share about all of that, I’ve started a new blog - Stars + Field.  I originally used the name and handles for my go at millinery and have kept a hold of them over the years. I’ve migrated all of my WIW content to my new site and have started blogging there. I’ll be switching over all of my social media (and merging it where I can) so if you’re interested in keeping up with me, please do follow on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. I hope you’ll join me! 

Goodbye!

Pumpkin Pie 101

Anyone can bake a pie, and if you’re just starting out, a pumpkin pie is a perfect place to start! The ingredients are simple and little tweaks can make it better than the store bought version!

Here’s how I make mine: firstly, I make things easy on myself by using pre-rolled refrigerated pie crust. None of my friends can tell the difference between it and my from scratch version (but if you want to do it, here’s a great recipe). I also don’t bother with fresh pumpkin - the canned stuff has a good texture and is so much less hassle. Some people used evaporated milk instead of condensed, but I like the latter better. Here’s my full shopping list:

Set your over to 425 F and take your chilled dough out of the fridge. I like to grease my pie plate but if you forget your pie will still come out nicely (there’s fat in the crust). Now crimp your edges and put the pie crust back in the fridge.

Now mix together your pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, egg and spices until smooth. It’s my personal pie making philosophy that you can taste fresh nutmeg and I put it in almost all of my pies. Just a dash will do and it’ll make all the difference!

Next pour your mixture into your chilled crust and pop into the oven for 15 minutes. Lower your temp to 350 and cook for another 45. I usually put on a pie shield on my crust now (you can also just use aluminum foil!). When cooked, the center should still be slightly jiggly (technical term). Now turn the oven off and let the pie cool slowly. This will help any cracks from forming on the top. 

Once your pie has completely cooled, you can top with freshly made whipped cream. That’s just heavy whipping cream and a little powdered sugar beat on high until stiff. If it starts clumping together you’ve gone too far and made butter, so keep an eye on it! In these pictures I was low on time so I just used store bought whipped cream, which is fine too! 

I also like to top with candied pecans which are just melted butter, brown sugar and chopped pecans. 

See! You can make a pie! And it’ll be delicious! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Inspiration | Midcentury Modern Farmhouse

Hi! Hello! After a week of living in sawdust, I’m still living in sawdust! But now we have beautiful new floors (mixed width ash, finished with oil and wax) and a new dining room table! It’s really looking great but there’s still drywall to be hung and finished, base boards to be milled and installed, walls to be painted, new lighting, etc. We’re getting there! 

Wanna know where I’m going with all of this? I thought I’d help myself get visually organized and share a little of my vision with you guys. A quick catch up - our farmhouse was built in 1942 and a large renovation and addition was added in 1965 - which is why I call it my MidMod Farmhouse. Luckily MCM is my go to for furniture, so we’ll keep most of what we have and add to it where we need!

Last week I asked for your opinions on some brands and furniture companies and here’s where I stand - I bought a 1960s Broyhill Brasilia dining set off craigslist which was delivered yesterday. It’s a dark solid walnut and really lovely. The chairs will be recovered down the road.  I also took advantage of the pre-black Friday sale at Article and bought a chair from them. I’ll have pictures one of these days, but as I said, I want the literal dust to settle (slash be swept away!) before I do that. I also bought some rugs and a light fixture, but I want to check the quality before I five a review (ditto on the Article chair, but you guys gave me resounding cheers for their pieces)

So... here are some images that have elements I like or a vibe I want to capture in my own home. To me, there’s a common thread in the MCM furnishing, the natural elements (wood, plants), the bright walls and the mix of textures. I’m going to start out pretty neutral and add in color when I’m drawn to it. You can see the huge board here if you want to see more!

And if you want to see any of the rooms I've already started on, check them out here!

Jotting it Down | 005

Good morning all! We are in full renovation mode here at Quirk HQ, so I’ve been putting most of my creative energy into picking out treatments and trims (and not much blogging). I did want to hop on here to give you a little update if you’re interested in that sort of thing!

Over the weekend my folks came to town and my dad demo’ed all of the tile in our hall and kitchen and together with Adam tore out the carpet from the dining room. They also took down the large iron railings that were along the edge of the dining room, next to our sunken living room. The space looks so huge and I cannot wait to see what the finished flooring looks like! 

We found an amazing deal with remnant ash and it’s so so gorgeous. My last house had all of the original floors so I never had the chance to pick out anything new and I really enjoy making the updates and changes I’ve always dreamed of for this home. I originally wanted to stain it an English Chestnut color but now I’m leaning towards something closer to the natural color. It feels very appropriate for our farmhouse!

The railing will be replaced with horizontal black metal (steel I guess?) that our friend is making for us. We’re also re-engineering a portion of the floor, but that’ll be easier to show you in photos later. My goal is to blend elements of a farmhouse with the midcentury style I gravitate towards in design. The addition in our home was done in the mid 60s, so it all kind of works in a quirky sort of way.

I’m in the midst of picking a new dining table, rugs and light fixture as well. If you follow me on Instagram, check out my stories (I’ve posted some photos there!)

That’s all for now! My darling daughter needs some attention so I’ve gotta jet! Talk soon! 

What I Wore | Back to Basic

WhatIWore: After this week of Halloween and vampy lips, here’s a basic B everyday look! I made this faux shearling jacket last year when I was pregnant and I’ve been playing around with ways to wear it this season. It’s pretty cropped and needs a longer layer underneath, otherwise it feels a little too top heavy. 

Honestly guys, I’m just feeling a little brain dead lately and can’t think of anything else to write. Hope you have a beautiful weekend! My folks are arriving today and we have lots of house projects to work on and celebrating for my mom’s birthday!!

When: Last Thursday

What: Shades: Karen Walker Sweater: Lands End (similar) Jacket: Self Made (longer option) Jeans: Crafted by Lee (online only - and $23!) Boots: UGG (similar here) Bag: Frye (older style)

Where: Coffeeshop

What I Wore | Black Magic

WhatIWore: Here’s what I wore yesterday.

When: October 31, 2017

What: Hat: Self Made Shades: Karen Walker Dress: Who What Where Leather Jacket: MICHAEL Michael Kors Booties: Clarks

Where: Coffee Shop + Thrifting

Halloween 2017 | Frida Kahlo

Ta da! Here’s my costume for Halloween this year. I’ve dressed as Frida Kahlo more than once, and I’ve been known to rock a (smaller!) flower crown in summer. My entire costume was made from what I had around the house including a dress I’ve worn here and here with flowers in my hair left over from my front door wreath. I felt like a queen! 

Jotting It Down | 004

I really love Halloween. I love getting dressed up. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do this year when I settled on an autumnal Frida Kahlo. I felt so gorgeous - Including the unibrow! Like far and away so much better than I do on a daily basis.  For whatever it’s worth, I was also the only woman dressed up at the party and I kept telling people “I feel like this is my true self!” And I did! Why is it that wearing a costume is so freeing? Should I be dressing like Frida on the daily? If it makes me that happy? 

Adam and I talked more about it. People cross dress - maybe because they don’t feel like they can in regular life. Women wear really revealing kitty costumes or go as sexy versions of fairy tale characters. Guys dress in cosplay like heros from their favorite novels (and women too!) On Halloween, our conservative cultural boundaries are expanded and we can be whatever the hell we want! I wish we could all dress in a way that made us comfortable all the time without being ridiculed. It makes me feel really proud of people that are bold enough to dress in a way that’s not like everyone else. Adam was telling me about a friend of his from high school that’s fully committed to dressing in Goth all the time. I don’t have the courage to be Frida on a random Thursday in Small Town, Indiana, toting around two small kids to Kroger and the playground and the farm supply store. 

But man, I wish I could. 

Family Album | Halloween 2017

Happy (almost!) Halloween! Here’s what my kids wore this year for Halloween. (We did a pumpkin carving party Sunday night and that’s probably going to be it!) Now that Felix is finally old enough, he decided on his own costume. He wanted to be a firefighter, which gave me a head start thanks to his red fireman’s rain jacket we already had. I saw the rain boots at Rural King a month ago and he needs them anyway. Yay for practicality! That left me to just DIY his tee shirt which was a five minute project. I used 1″ yellow duct tape to make suspenders (on the front only) and an iron on fire patch on a plain black tee shirt. He was so stoked to hold our fire extinguisher for photos too! 

Lil Miss Bea is.... a honey bee! Her costume was also a quick DIY and came together in a half hour or so. I used multiple layers of tulle to create the wings, including some interior stitching to give them a natural sort of look. I sewed those to a plain black onesie. Then I finished it off with that same yellow duct tape! I left her snaps undone, which gave her bottom the look of a bee’s abdomen. She wore that over a long sleeve onesie and leggings.  I made her headband using one leg of an old pair of my tights (it’s the perfect length and softness for a baby’s head!) and threaded a curled pipe cleaner underneath. Bada bing, bada boom! 

Adam went as a farmer. Truth time = he wore the exact same thing the day before when we were doing chores around the property. So I’m giving him an A+ for realism!

I started both kids costumes the morning of the party we went to yesterday... so if you’re throwing together a child’s costume tonight - you can do it! 

See more of my homemade Halloween costumes here! I'll post my costume tomorrow!

Jotting It Down | 003

My in-laws have swooped by so I finally have a few minutes to sit down alone with my laptop. There are so many things I wanted to write about over the weekend, but as per normal - we were pretty busy so I just couldn’t find the time. 

On Saturday it was rainy and cold. It felt like the harshness of fall was really settling in. We bundled up the kids and packed on our layers to do some chores outside. Adam and his friends recently felled a couple of dead trees and our neighbor used his splitter to cut them down for us. We ended up with two six foot wide, five foot tall stacks of wood for our fireplace this winter. Blah blah sounds boring but I loved ever second of it. The kids took turns in the wagon or playing in the backseat of the SUV while we loaded and unloaded (the trees were probably 150 yards from the house - way too far for a hundred wheel barrow loads. 

As much as I love getting dressed up (more on that soon), I really really love doing yard work. Mowing the lawn was always a favorite chore of mine growing up and this year we’ve pretty much just tried to keep our grass cut and an eye on the small gardens we planted. Now we’re starting to get a little more serious about what we can grow to eat so we have about 15 fruit trees were planting this week along with garlic that needs to over winter for a harvest next summer. I’m really hoping to do a large plot (1000 sq ft?) for flowers to sell at the weekend markets. We’re also going to add chickens in the spring. I could go on and on and on but I’ll spare you. I feel so good about working alongside Adam to get the job done. I’m realizing more and more that I can be both glamorous at times and at one with nature at others. Sometimes both at once. They are nor mutually exclusive.

So after all that chilly outside work we made a great big fire and spent the afternoon listening to music and hanging out as a family. Saturday nights are so different from what they were five years ago, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. 

What I Wore | Leopard + Leather

WhatIWore: This outfit is the result of my chance at a morning to “get ready” while I had no idea what to wear. I saw this blouse in my hall closet and haven’t worn it in a long time, so I went with an outfit kind of like this. Sometimes I just go for the archives when I don’t feel particularly inspired (see more ideas below!) I’m still loving those $23 Crafted by Lee jeans, but because of the high stretch content I do find myself washing them regularly. But at that price, they’re pretty great (and have the feel of leggings, so I can be on the floor with kids or doing chores or whatever and completely comfortable!

When: October 24, 2017

What: Shades: Karen Walker Blouse: Old Leather Jacket: MICHAEL Michael Kors (similar) Jeans: Crafted by Lee (online only) Boots: Clarks (from last season, similar here)

Where: All Over Town

Jotting It Down | 002

I’m slowly coming to terms with the fact that I really don’t care about clothing the way I used to. Today when I walked into my bedroom, it was like a tornado had come through. I thought to myself “one thing at a time” but as I began picking up hangers and sorting through things, I felt like I didn’t even want to put anything back into my closet. I’ve assigned these things sentimental or physical value and I’ve felt for so long like I need to keep it because it’s from J.Crew or it was $200 or (hardest of all) it’s vintage. 

I just don’t know if I have the courage to actually get rid of these things. I’ll be honest - there are a handful of pieces I’ve sold in my instagram shop that I regret letting go of. Yet, things are just things. Clothing seems to carry a deeper weight of importance in framing who we are, than say, a tea cup or throw pillow or whatever.  

--

Ok so I slept on it and I realize that the reason I feel so disconnected to some of this stuff is because my life has changed so much since it first became a part of me. Five years ago I had just bought my first house, didn’t have any kids, was riding high on my blog as a business and styling outfits day in and day out was what I had made into my job. Now my job is different. I get paid in smiles and I wuve yous. So of course I’m not the same person (PEOPLE CHANGE!) and it makes sense that I teeter totter between wanting a fresh start that outwardly vibes with who I am now and holding onto the person I used to be via my closet. 

I don’t know. Today’s a new day. Maybe I’ll go through a bin of stuff I haven’t hung up and finally decide to pass it on to a new home. I love the photos you guys send me of stuff you’ve bought from me by the way. Especially the handmade and vintage pieces. So keep sending ‘em! 

Anyway, hope everyone has a great morning and afternoon and Halloween weekend. I still haven’t made the kids costumes yet. Felix is easy - he’s going to be a fireman and wear his rain jacket and boots with khaki cargo pants and a black tee (I need to iron on his firefighter patch). Bea is going to be... drumrolll please... a bee. She’s going to have a black onesie with yellow stripes, a set of wings I’ve gotta whip together today and a headband with antennae. I don’t know if I’ll dress up yet. Adam was going to wear his bee suit to carry Bea around and I thought I might be a dalmatian to go with Felix. Let’s just see how the day goes... 

DIY | Farmhouse Autumnal Wreath

One of the things I love doing with the change in seasons is swapping out the faux floral wreaths I have in my home and on my front door. I made this one a while back and never got around to blogging about it. Today’s the day! If you saw my wildflower wreath I posted this summer, these instructions are the same!

Although I love bright foliage on the trees, I tend to go for more harvest tones for my wreath materials. I saw these groupings of what look like maybe persimmons and small pomegranates and supplemented it with some faux eucalyptus. 

Here’s what you need to create this wreath:

STEP ONE | Trim Your Materials

I like to cut the larger groupings down into smaller stems so I can rearrange them into little bouquets before I place them on the base.

STEP TWO | Create Small Bouquets

To ensure the foliage is evenly spread through the wreath, I divide my materials and make little bundles that I will wire on next!

STEP THREE | Affix Bouquets to Wreath

Using your florist wire, start wrapping on the small bouquets, layering subsequent bundles slightly over to cover wire. Continue around entire base until your wreath is complete!

Jotting It Down | 001

Blogging used to be so different. When I started my first blog over ten years ago, I used to post anything between a single sentence or a quote or a captionless photo. Now my posts are full of images and back links and affiliates with corresponding social media blurbs here, there, every fucking where. 

I fell in love with blogging because in so many ways I feel like I’ve never quite found my tribe in real life. In the early days when I tried to connect in a youth group, I felt like the black sheep. I questioned too much. I was too curious about things good Christian teens shouldn’t be interested in.  And then when I was with other kids who were exploring drinking or smoking or sex I was the virgin who’s never smoked a cigarette. I was here nor there. 

Now I find myself as the young mother that breastfeeds in public, co-sleeps with her kids and sends her son to an alternative preschool. But I’m not wearing crocs or burning patchouli in my home. I’m not a full vegan that only shops at the farmer’s market. I bribe my son with candy and let him eat hot dogs. I just can’t commit to being all in on one side or the other. And I’ve always felt like I don’t completely fit in here or there. 

But online, I do feel like I fit in. I feel understood and like myself. It’s like camp. The exhilarating place were you get to be yourself and you’re celebrated. You feel so fucking cool and wonder why it’s not like this at home. That’s how I feel online. I feel really damn cool... as long as I don’t go reading reddit threads where the mean girls from high school have replicated the cruelty of teenage years. 

Adam tells me all the time that the reason people keep reading my blog isn’t about the clothes. It hasn’t been about the clothes for a long time. It’s about me and it’s about you - the reader - the friend from across the country or across the globe. It’s about how you make me feel like the best version of myself because you get it. You’re my tribe and I want to share the hills and valleys of life with you. Because we’re all human. And as much as I like the pretty pictures and content creation and sponsorships, I like connecting with other people more. I need your empathy. I want to give you mine. I want to connect. 

So that’s what I’m going to do. I’ve got this place and I’ve got you. I’m ready to use this space for more than just wardrobe suggestions or home decor projects (they'll be here too!). I still like those things, but I need a journal, so this is where it’ll live. And it won’t be perfect - it’s just a place for me to talk about life off the cuff like my Instastories.

Some days are mundane and some are exciting. Writing it all down forces me to really examine my reasons for doing things. Why do I care what people think about me? Why am I doing this? How can I learn? How can I grow? I’m no expert. In anything. But I’m trying. Watch me go.

Family Album | Lincoln 2017

What I Wore | Camp Quirk

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WhatIWore: We had such a fun time on our family trip into the woods last week! Here’s another outfit I wore while we were there. Adam and I went into a nearby town for breakfast and wifi (Brew in Jasper - we highly recommend!) so I put on a little lipstick with my woodsy camp side look.

When: October 19, 2017

What: Shades: Karen Walker Jacket: Old and updated with patches (similar silhouette here) Flannel Pullover: J.Crew (similar here) Jeans: J.Crew Boots: LL Bean

Where: Lincoln State Park and breakfast at Brew in Jasper

You may remember that I wore this patch jacket last year during the same trip, but I’ve added about six new patches! Unfortunately I didn’t get sharp shots of all of them, but my favorite is the Indiana Bicentennial patch that Adam had made up last year with the help of a designer friend of ours (Ryan Irvin - he’s awesome!) I have some extras if anyone is interested for $5, shipping included. Super limited quanities! Just use this link (and make sure you enter an updated mailing address and I’ll ship them out this week!)

What I Wore | Reflections

WhatIWore: Hi guys! Updating y’all with a quick post while we’re in town having breakfast and using wifi! Adam took these photos of me and Bea yesterday while we’re on our annual family cabin/camping trip. It’s her first time here and she’s loving it! 

When: October 18, 2017

What: Shades: Karen Walker Coat: Pendleton (older style) Sweater: LL Bean (similar!) Jeans: J.Crew (on sale) Boots: LL Bean

On Bea: Columbia Fleece and Fringe Mocs

This is more or less my camping uniform - jeans, Bean boots, a sweater and coat. I bought this particular coat for our Lincoln trip four years ago and it is, by far, my warmest! As the week goes on, I’ll likely get a little grungier by the day, but hey! Isn’t that the joy of being outdoors all day? 

Here are a few photos (one and two) of me wearing this coat in different variations. Those snaps prove to me that I used to try a lot harder before kids! But now... I have way more fun. Have a wonderful weekend, guys!