Inspiration :: The Weekender

I've been absent from my shop With Love, Crochet for quite some while now.  But I've decided I want to get back into making things.  Now that life has seemingly settled down I want to start seriously getting back into my shop.

Not only will it include some crocheted items but it will also feature jewelry & items for the home!  The shop will feature 3 styles, the inspiration for each to be debuted over the course of the next few weeks.  Starting with the first this week!

source source source source source source source source source

The weekender lives for the days she can wear big cardigans & curl up on the back porch.  The weekender feels like dreaming durring her nine to five work week.  The weekender packs her bags on Thursday because she leaves for a trip right after work on Friday.  The weekender is a free spirit, lives for the autumn leaves, & loves layers.

I plan on opening back up with rings, necklaces, bracelets, head bands, & bags for each style.  Look for it opened by mid of September.  A bit late but just in time for holiday ordering!  I will also have hats & scarves, etc.

I went to the store today & bought a whole bunch of things to make some really cool stuff.  Hope you pop by to see the rest of the inspiration!

In My Neck of the Woods :: Little Bit of the South

There is an old church down the street that has a corn field right beside it.  I tried to get a picture before of it with the tall stalks beside it but I didn't succeed. Then today when I rode by the stalks were gone!! They'd come through & harvested the corn!

Here's the only image I have so far of the sweet church.  It gave me an excuse to play with PictureShow (read my post on a few cool iphone apps here)

click these images to make them larger!

This church is such an example of the south! A cute little tradition tucked away by a corn field.  I also love how sweet & simple these apps make pictures look.  It reminds me of how instant old polaroids used to be.  I don't have to play around with stuff on the computer to figure it out....it just does it for me!

Hope you have a happy day!

Tempted Tuesdays // Let's Talk Fall - Rusty Hues

For the past few falls, warm rusty & honey colors have been all the rage.  Deep jewel tones paired with earthy hues are the best parts of fall.  This year Rusty Oranges, Deep Yellows, & Peacock Blues are all the rage.  I am also loving Earthy Browns & Olives in my color pallet.

the color or rust by fivesixteenthsblog featuring sheer tights

These rusty colors really get me in the mood for fall.  Jewel tones & autumn leaves really make me love fall.  I love to wrap up in my fave boyfriend cardigan & sport a nice rust colored accessory.  I am also digging Olive colors for fall.

Do you have a fave color combo?

What do you turn to?

Wedding Recap :: What You May Have Missed

If you don't follow me on twitter or haven't popped by my tumblr you may have missed the bunch of updates I posted while at my bffls wedding.  In case you missed it here there are:

~The End~

More pictures to follow!

Photo of the Day

We went to the venue today to finush setting up and create a seating chart. the rain was gone this morn and it is almost time for a bright and sunny southern wedding.

tables and chairs are set. It is too gorgeous! We are waiting to eat some lunch, bride will take a nap, i will make a throwing bouquet, then two will be wed. Can't wait!!!

Phito of the Day :: Rehersal

So I am sitting in the reception venue now waiting for the bride and others to return with more decorations.

Today we got manicures and went over game plans. The rehersal is at four then at around six there is the rehersal dinner.

I cant wait! My room mate is too excited but very calm. The venue looks so great and all we need is this hurricaine to pass!! No rain tomorrow!! we need an outside wedding!!!!

enjoy your saturday and pop by twiitter for more sneak peaks throughout the afternoon & night!

xoxo, moe

Fan Fridays :: Wedding

So this Friday I am currently in my college town primping & prepping for a wedding here on Sunday.  Currently I am either on the road to or getting my hair cut, decorating the space, hot gluing at the last minute, or crying.  To be honest it is probably the latter.

This chick getting married is one of my best friends & really I think of her as my sister.  We've only been friends for about 4 years but she is so close to my heart! So if I am not crying today I am probably thinking about crying.

So this Fan Friday I wanted to show some Wedding loves from this preparation:

Making the bouquets

helping to sew the garter

writing my Maid of Honor speech

Finding the perfect vintage inspired ring to wear with my brides maid dress

discovering ways to clean her wedding jewelry

All around I am just so excited to have been a part of a huge handmade wedding.  I am also glad she decided to go that route.  It was so fun to see hands making a lot of the things.

Less than 2 days & counting!

Over the Next Few Days

I may or may not be AWOL.  The Wedding countdown must begin & I must drive and decorate!  But before we get to that you've probably noticed, but I've redone Five Sixteenths again.  I should have taken a 'before' screen shot...I am really bad at those things.  But after a few stages of work, here it is.

I am happy to be down to just one blog.  I was sad about getting rid of Cross My Hooks but I just think that I don't want to deal with only crafting.  I want to be a better blogger & being more sane (for example, moving down to one blog) is a great part of it.

I hope you all enjoyed your Wednesday & will now Enjoy your Thursday.

this is a fave photo done through Leme Leme & Instagram I think.

I consider myself an iPhoneographer...

I realized that this summer I haven't worn a single pair of flip flops.  Those rubber ones that you can find any where they sell sun screen.  I don't even know where any are.

At any rate, today we (my roomie & I) will be driving up to our college town to prepare for her wedding.  Be prepared for a twitter & tumblr storm of Wedding bliss!  I won't be back until Monday but I may be able to sneak a post in or two.

I will definitely be updating constantly to social media.  So if you want to take a peak please do!

Also, if you live on the East Coast like moi....stay safe in the storm!

Things I am Thankful for

Every now & again I get the urge to let everyone know the things I am thankful for.  So I thought I'd take a little time to mention them today.


Sometimes I think that being thankful is a private matter between you & what you are thankful for.  But sometimes I feel proud of the people I am thankful for so I want to let everyone know how awesome these people are.

- I am thankful for -

These lovely ladies from est. 1839 blog

jenni, megan, & amy

the picture included me.....tee hee

Thanks to a few margaritas with Amy one night before the end of our final year of college, we chatted back & forth about a fashion blog in VA.  That night I found out that Megan of Freckled Italian totally knew Jenni & Amy from attending our University as well.  I sent Megan a little tweet on the fly asking if she'd be in.  I was nervous, but she said yes.  The we heard back from Jenni & est. 1839 was born.  I am so thankful to have 3 sweet friends to launch a blog project with!

These two sweet puppies 

They each brighten my day & I am so glad they got to meet each other.  They are great friends now & I can't wait to have another play date soon.

The blogging world in general

I am so thankful to be a part of a community that is supportive & am glad to be back into it.  For a while I was a slacker, a promise breaker, a horrible emailer.....I was sucking at blogging.  I chalked it up to moving, not having time, etc...when the point is I need to get better at knowing what my limit is.

I am very thankful to finally be back to reading & interacting with some bloggers I consider to be bloggy friends.  I am also thankful that so many bloggers have so much inspiration to share!

That Fall is coming closer

I am thankful that I made it through the summer on my own & that I am going to be set (pretty much) to make it through the fall.  All I have to really worry about is paying my student loans.  But I have a great support system that will help me if I need it.

My family

With out that support system I mentioned above (my family) I wouldn't be as level headed as I am today.  I am so thankful for the values that I was taught with money, responsibility, work ethic, etc.  I wouldn't be able to do any of this without that foundation.

I am all around thankful for my ability to be me, to do what I love to do, & to be supported and feel successful at it.

My iPhone

Some what a dumb thing to be thankful for.  If I didn't have it, I'd still be perfectly fine.  I'd have food on the table, a loving family, etc.  But I am thankful for this gadget because I can blog from the heart! I used to get so discouraged to take photos of things.  I never had my camera, my point & shoot wouldn't have batteries, I'd forget I had my point & shoot, etc.  Now I can just whip out my phone take pics & show them to the world! I get to blog about what's happening, not what happened, or what I wish I could do.  I am thankful that I can get back into blogging & using my own photos.

A goal for this blog is to post a photo 5 times a week.  So far so good! I've also found I have more to blog about when I go through my photos.  I like that I am back in the game!

What are you thankful for? 

Do you take time to let the people you care about know?

At any rate, I am glad that I have the life I have.  I try to make the best of everything & am so thankful I get to pursue a dream. 

What I Wore :: Office Style 8/18

(this is an old outfit but..........I thought I'd post it anyway)

I really like to dress colorful even though I am behind a desk all day.  I like it because I think that a little bit of color brightens up someone's day & I hope when they come in and see me all cheerful they too will be cheerful.

Now I don't work in a dreary office, well it's really a school, but the front office there isn't really the most colorful place.  I just like to stand out, is that bad?

Thrifted purple dress (it's from Target!) & red shoes

Belt from a JCP dress

H&M Cardi

F21 scarf

Thrifted Shoes

I've been really excited lately to wear cute clothes.  At my other job it was a uniform; blue polo & black pants.  That was good for a little while.  I didn't have any clothes with me since I moved.  I didn't want to think about getting dressed in the morning.  I just wanted to do a job & get paid.  Needless to say I didn't really prefer this job!  It wasn't a job one could get recognized for exceeding in, I'd have to get my manager to explain exactly what I said, & I was taking orders from 18 year olds.  A slice of humble pie, but I didn't get thousands of dollars in debt to take orders from 18 year olds, no sir.

So I decided to apply for as many jobs as I could before I settled into my new little home.  I had to get something else!  Thankfully this job came around & I snatched it up as soon as the offer came.

So, the point of the second half of this post is that there are jobs out there...you just can't be afraid to apply!  No, I am not really 'gainfully employed' but I have fun, have the opportunity to use my degree, can afford my lifestyle, & have the opportunity to teach.

If I have any advice for anyone it is to be well rounded! I took jobs in retail, guest services, office management & heck even learned to drive a 15 passenger bus that eventually gave me the opportunity to be able to go to a gala even with $80 tickets for free!

Do things & create your own opportunities!  Don't be afraid of work either.  My grandmother always said she'd never worry about me because I am not afraid to work.  I also know that the Admin Assistant I worked for in college helped me learn so much more about office management.

Anyway.........

How have you been?

In My Neck of the Woods :: Earthquake

Today, around 1:56 pm, I was sitting in my office talking to a student & out of no where my desk started shaking.  She & I looked at each other then moved away from my desk.  Then I started sliding around the floor in my office chair.  Then I looked at the ceiling & the lights were moving.  I felt the floor shaking under me.

Then it stopped!

It was a tremor, an earthquake! What in the heck?!?!?!?

It was felt as far away as New York & originated in the middle of Virginia! Virginia! We never get earthquakes. This is the first one I ever felt even!

I don't really know what all the jibber jabber means, but I do know it was a 5.8 magnitude quake & that I can't imagine what a bigger quake would be! I was confused the whole time.  I am no good in an emergency.

Did anything exciting happen to you today?

Tempted Tuesday // Let's Talk Fall - Boxy Boyfriend Silhouette

This may not be a 'fall 2011' trend but boxy boyfriend cardigans are a staple of mine through out the fall.  Perhaps it comes from needing warmth in cold clay studios, but I love them.

Boyfriend sweaters go from easy weekend wear to preppy chic

source  source

Boyfriend cardigan by fivesixteenthsblog featuring military tanks

This style can still be kept feminine with pumps or flats & jewelry.  It's also super comfy camping wear.

I love to wrap up in my fave boyfriend cardigan & step outside with a cup of coffee on those early, dewy fall mornings.  Its like a sense of home & warmth...I guess thats why I choose to wear them all the time.

Do you have a go to fall fashion fix?

Linking to Friday's Fancies over at Long Distance Loving!

Make it Monday :: Wooden Beaded Bracelet

From these photos on Pinterest I was inspired to make a wooden beaded bangle bracelet

What you'll need:

embroidery floss, wooden beads, memory wire, wire cutters, needle nose pliers.

use the needle nose pliers to make a loop at the end of the memory wire.

here's a tute I did a while ago with more images

Slip on your wooden beads in any order, snip the end of the memory wire with your wire cutters leaving enough to make another loop to keep the beads from falling off.

Wrap the floss around a small card to make a little tassel.  Attach the tassel to one of the loops.

Ta Da! Wooden Beaded bangle.

I've been trying to come up with some inspiration to add items to the shop for the fall/winter & I am drawing a blank! It's really frustrating! I don't have too much inspiration but want to make so many things.  I guess I'll just have to go ransack my craft supplies & see what turns out.  I'd like to add some bags to the shop, some jewelry, more art.  But I don't have any inspiration!

Where do you go when you can't get inspired? I see so many things that inspire me to want to make but then when it comes to combining things...I go blank! I just sit & stare at the supplies!  I hope that I get something exciting out of all of this.

None the less, Happy Monday!

p.s. linked to Make it, Take it on FLOB

Photo of the Day :: Puppy Swimming Lesson

Too freaking cute!

My room mate & I met up with my parents at my grandparent's house & we had a fun little get together where the two little puppies (ours & my parent's) became friends. They ran around the yard, got in the pool, ate some treats, took some naps.  It was a fun little day.