1. 5 pm sunset after a long day of temp training

2.  bowling for my sister’s last day at home

3. truest fortune I’ve ever had

4.  my mom’s morning hot chocolate at Papa Nick’s here in Hinesburg

5.  view from the Sharon, VT rest stop in I-89

6.  all Vermont rest stations are wonderful and have free coffee

7.  my very own license plates to go on my very own car

8.  green peppers, mushrooms, and onions pair perfectly with a Shocktop brew

…and how was your weekend?

my grandma loves to comb through consignment shops and pass some of her more unusual finds on to her children and grandchildren.  most of the time, what she hands down is either really strange, broken, or just plain ugly, but I insisted that my mom hold on to this silver serving tray.  I imagine that it was once used to serve jelly or little candies at a tea party, but for now, it’s a perfect way to hold and organize some of my rings.

I’m spending my days working part-time and combing the internet for a real job,

dreaming of the day when I can live alone and decorate my little space exactly how I like.

images are reblogged from my Tumblr

all thoughts are from Tumblr

]]> http://lookthroughmyspecs.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/thoughts-48/feed/ 1 Anna http://lookthroughmyspecs.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/lately-via-my-iphone-7/ http://lookthroughmyspecs.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/lately-via-my-iphone-7/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:41:59 +0000 Anna http://lookthroughmyspecs.wordpress.com/?p=2470 ]]>

1.  flowers from the dealership at which I bought myself a NEW CAR (!!!)

2.  a much needed midday stop at IHOP for unlimited cups of coffee

3.  1/2 & 1/2

4.  starry sky on a very cold night

5.  early morning frost on my new ride

6.  when I flew back to America, all I wanted was some cornbread

7 – 10. lovely interior details from some homes in which I’ve been housesitting

it seems like things are happening at a pretty fast pace for me right now.

I’ve been in a pickle for quite some time.  here in Vermont, you need a car to get around to work, the gym, friends’ homes, whatever.  for 7 1/2 years now, I’ve been borrowing my parents’ cars, but figuring out how 5 drivers can possibly operate with only 2 cars is almost impossible, and we’ve all made a lot of compromises and waited hours in the cold for somebody to pick us up.  since I’m here for an indefinite period of time, I knew that it was time to make a stand for my sanity and buy a car of my very own.  luckily I have excellent credit (and I am so glad that I have been able to handle my credit cards and pending college loans), and I qualified to lease a car, all by my big girl self.  this is a huge step towards independence, and I can now have my own schedule and get to work.  I have to swear off all but the bare necessities for a while, but I can live without meeting friends for a drink and picking out yet another bottle of Essie.  isn’t that what being a grown-up is all about?

all thoughts are from Tumblr

]]> http://lookthroughmyspecs.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/thoughts-47/feed/ 0 Anna http://lookthroughmyspecs.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/winter-style-inspiration/ http://lookthroughmyspecs.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/winter-style-inspiration/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:40:09 +0000 Anna http://lookthroughmyspecs.wordpress.com/?p=2464 ]]>

it’s so easy to just slip into the same pair of extra-thick leggings and giant sweater every day when the air is frigid and your driveway is covered in a slick layer of ice.  when your Gortex-lined Bean boots are worn to the gym, bar, and on the short walk between your car and front door.  it’s cold and it’s hard to get creative with your clothing.

that’s why I’ve updated my style inspiration page for this season.  sometimes all it takes is some creative layering and a new, warm hat to shake things up a bit.

it finally feels like winter here in Vermont.  we’ve had temperatures well below zero the past few days, and I don’t remember the last time I was this cold.  I love snow, but I don’t love spending hours shoveling porches or pushing cars out of ditches.  it all looks really pretty until it seeps into your boots and coats your mittens, leaving you perpetually cold.  I spend my days wearing two pairs of socks and as many layers of flannel and Uniqlo heattech as I can find.

today the weather man on NPR said that it was the coldest morning of the season, measuring in at a bitter -6*F.  at least in the morning there isn’t much wind so it really only feels like -6, not -25 like it did this weekend.  I need to move somewhere else, fast.

the cold & crisp morning made for a wonderful sunrise, though.  I snapped these pics on my iPhone while driving (which, unlike texting, isn’t illegal yet).

clockwise from top left: 

1.  I went to my first yoga class since August on Wednesday, and my hamstrings are still sore 3 days later  2.  I’m making an effort to get dressed and put my face on, even if the only people I see all day are my mom and my cat (who I guess technically isn’t a person)  3.  my lunch breaks consist of light and easy sandwiches and salads  4.  a steady snowfall is a welcome site after weeks of brown grass and unseasonably warm weather

as I was flipping through once of Anthropologie’s last catalogues of 2011, I couldn’t help but think that it was shot along the coast of Maine.  perhaps even up by Monhegan Island, where my family spent several serene days this summer. now that I’m forced to drive on icy roads and live in my coziest sweaters, I really miss the cool but pleasant weather along the shores of New England.

collages by me, with images from Anthropologie catalogue #10

photographs by me from my trip to Maine in 2011