Amiable's Blog

Most of our own fruit harvests are in now (just pears remaining), and I was glad to take a breather today.  (Tomorrow, I'll check my normal road-side apple trees, and may be buried in fruit again).

The weather seems to be cooling off awfully quickly.  I'm not sure whether to think it's just a cool spell, or if this is a really early fall coming on.  Is it unusually cool where you live too?

Here's what I've worn the past few days - nothing special, I know :)

#1-2 worn yesterday.  I think I need to retire these jeans - they're giving me a muffin top.
#3-4 with new-to-me black knee-high boots (worn to work in the arctic A/C).  I think these boots will do nicely come fall/winter.  They're a tad big - so I can add an insole.
#5 worn around the house today to clean and organize.  Wish I'd gotten more done!

What are your suggestions?

I know your tired of Spiegel PSA  posts - so am I.

But I thought it worth mentioning that the whole site is 60% off right now.  And that lemming leather jacket is currently $11.60.  Yeah.  I'm not even going to wish I'd waited.

There's only a few sizes left, and they won't be long at that price, I don't think.

for some reason, I started trying to wear closet orphans, to decide whether they're capable of earning their keep.  This has resulted in a lot of "miss" outfits lately.  But oh well, my closet is getting thinned :)

#1: The pumpkin tee is gone

#2 - 3: worn out on a date - the shoes are uncomfortable, but I'm going to try lacing them differently to see if they can be rescued.

#4: I liked this one - I love the fit and drape of the shirt, and I think the blush color is okay on me - so I'm keeping it for now.  The pants are on the "mend" pile to taper the legs - I think that will make them more wearable. 

#5:  I'm wearing the same shirt in #4 today, but it's a cloudy day, and my pic is in artificial light.  I'm amazed at how the color looks terrible on me in different lighting.  If I didn't have pic #4 (also from this week), I'd probably not keep the top.  and even today, I'm thinking of changing to a color that will brighten me up a little. (EDIT: I changed into a navy tee with the gray jeans in #8.  I think it's a bit better - is it?)

Bonus pics #6-7 - the concord grapes are ripe.  Picked about ten gallons yesterday.  That will make a lot of jam - I may have to try wine or juice or something, just to use them all.

I'd love feedback and suggestions for my outfits!

#1 Worn to church on Sunday - the top is brighter than it shows in the pic - has little bits of white, citron, black, cobalt and raspberry.  Worn with cobalt clams and raspberry earrings.  I liked it.

#2 Worn to can peaches today.  This top doesn't fit properly and will get donated once it's washed.

I canned 60+ jars of peaches now.  There still a few on the trees, and apples are starting to ripen already!  (Grapes too will be ripe any day now....)

I'd love feedback on what works and doesn't work so that I can continue to improve!

Sorry for my absence through much of the week.  My hard drive died, and I'm buried in processing our produce (gratuitous pics after the WIWs).

But I did manage to remember to snap WIWs a few times.

#1 Teal tee and black dressy shorts.  I took this pic while waiting for my fuschia toe nail polish.  I added my black strappy dansko sandals.

#2 Black drapey tee with striped skirt - Angie's MOTG formula with the striped skirt, except mine's not bodycon.

#3 Cobalt shorts from JulieinMI - Thank you so much!  Love the fit and the color!  with my checked aqua shirt.

#4 jean clams, gray top with brown belt and Keens.  I liked this combo - I'm not sure why (I liked it much more with brown belt and shoes than black) and wore it two days.  Now that I see the pic, I think I should roll these shorts up to above my knee.

#5 Similar to #4, but with a coral button-down underneath.  To me, this didn't quite work.  But I can't put my finger on why.  Maybe the necklines are competing?

What do you think?  What works and doesn't work?

Bonus pics
#6 First year for our green grapes to bear.
#7 My husband (and his mother and a few kids) uncapping honey so that we can extract it.  We got about 60 lbs of honey.
#8 The bucket of peaches that I'm currently working my way through (also about 60 lbs - it's a bit over half of the peach harvest this year).
#9 Just because it's so cute - my daughter and niece in a geodesic dome that we built out of newspaper together.

My Spiegel jacket arrived today. And I need your opinion.  

I ordered a 10.  If I'd actually read the sizing guidelines on their site, I probably would have ordered a 12. (And I suspect I could have easily gone up to a 14).  So I'm kicking myself.  I had hyped it up in my mind as gloriously drapey.  And the size I got is NOT drapey on me.  In fact, when it's snapped, it's way too tight.

I'm sorely disappointed (probably enhanced by other disappointments - my hard drive died, I'm tired from a super busy week, etc...)  The one redeeming factor is that I'd wear it open anyway - so maybe it's not a big deal that it's too tight when it's snapped.  It's currently worn over a light tee shirt.  I'd like it to fit over a sweater, but didn't try it on with one yet.  I suspect it'd be snug.
 
What do you think?  Should I try to exchange it? (Or sell this one and buy a bigger size?  Current price is a bit over $50)  Since it's leather, should I just let it stretch out a bit?

As a side note, their email said that they shipped UPS.  The tracking code they provided was FedEx, and USPS actually delivered it.  Go figure.

(And whoa - check out those reflective strips on my Keens...)

I loved Angie's outfit today, so I picked up my closest pieces to copycat it.  It doesn't work nearly as well as hers, but I liked it anyway.  (#1).  I tried it with lighter oxfords, (#6), but thought these espadrilles worked better.

Later in the day, it was hot, so I changed into a cooler top (#2)

Yesterday I copycatted a pin that I  can't re-find.  The pin was military-inspired green clamdiggers, with a black tank top, a studded belt and neutral shoes.  I tried two versions (#3 and #4), but wore #4 out because it was warm outside and that top didn't require an undershirt (There's a black and silver belt under there, really).  But I like the looks of #3 better.  

Bonus pic of my first attempt at making mozzarella cheese.  It worked!

All comments and suggestions are more than welcome - teach me what works and doesn't :)