ShopKatilda on Etsy...& a Giveaway!

ShopKatilda is gettin' its Etsy on!

Remember a few months ago when I opened a vintage clothing shop on my blog? I'm now officially on Etsy here. As an avid (see: obsessive) vintage shopper myself, I feel entirely unbiased in saying my prices are kick-A. We're talking $8 shirts, $10 skirts and $12 dresses. There's a variety of sizes, and everything is in excellent condition. Score. I mean, I'd totally shop there... 

I'm trying to cut down on my merchandise (which you can see here if you failed to click above) (no more failing!) before I move to California, so I'm doing two excellent things:

1. A discount code!

If you spend at least $15, you can save 15% with the discount code KATILDA15. Yessss.

2. A giveaway!

Here's several ways you can enter to win $10 to spend in my store! (Please note the prices...that's a whole shirt or skirt!) Yessss again. Enter on the widget below and then enjoy several photos of some of my favorites from the store, just to whet your appetite.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Like what you see? Go and partake.

dear boys: goodbye arizona

My darling blog friend (and real life and #wegotocali friend) Elise has this running theme on her blog called Dear Boys, where she writes little snippets and thoughts to the men in her life using code names. I've always thought it was kind of genius, because the ironic part about being a single blogger is that my dating life is often the juiciest thing I have to share and yet a public blog is no place to go around sharing names and faces.

I've had a lot of time to think for the last month as my time in Arizona dwindles. I've kind of been mentally digesting the past 4 years and everything it's meant for me in terms of work, spiritual growth, friendships, maturity, and, of course, matters of the heart.

There are some relationships from the last few years that are over and done and my emotions are all packaged up nicely and tucked away. But then there are some that I never really finished. I bit my tongue and didn't finish them, because dating is the one area in my life where, ironically, I too frequently let my head do the talking and not my heart. I wish I didn't do that.

But in the name of tying up my loose ends and tidying up my heart strings before I hit the road to California...for those feelings I didn't close up just yet...here's to a little less biting of the tongue.

Welcome to the first katilda edition of Dear Boys!

dear rainstorm,

Thank you for finally teaching me that I am enough by making me spend way too many years wondering why I never was.

love, spare key

dear scenic route,

Remember when we went to that concert, like a year later, to hear OUR music? Your left arm was barely an inch from my right one, and I feel like every cell in my heart was telling me, "Lean to the right, just a bit. This. This is home." But my head, as always, just argued back and I stubbornly refused to lean until it didn't matter anyway.

love, stick shift

dear summer camp,

That passenger seat conversation in June still puts a lump in my throat. Thank you for the butterflies, for the first time in a really long time. Even if it didn't end up meaning much to you, it meant something really important to me.

love, barnes & noble

dear train stop,

You made me a believer in blind dates. If anything, I'll always have a feeling to compare my heart to, because you were exactly and everything I always wanted to feel. Even if I couldn't tell you, I like to think you somehow knew that. To be honest, I'm still working on our goodbye -- and that part, I'm not sure you care to know.

love, moccasins

So I went to a swim prom.

The other night I attended a swim prom.

It's exactly what it sounds like -- everyone wears fancies over their swim trunks and you all jump in the pool. I scored my fluffy purple number at Goodwill a few days ago, added the sequin top I already owned from the little girls section of Target, and knew it was perfect. I actually think I'm partial to the idea of always swimming in sequins and fluffy ruffles (fluffles?) from here on out.  

There was even a slow dance in the shallow end! If you need an idea for a good summer party, you now have one. Enjoy the photos that I stole from Facebook...they are either taken by my friend Jenica....or Jenny or Nicole...or perhaps Jeff. It's hard to tell.

Please note that I moved to the edge of the crowd before we jumped in. I got nervous about all those arms and legs tangling up under water. Good news is, nobody drowned.

 

....we had to end on that photo of my friend James. It was necessary.

Gold Feathers Vintage White Polka-Dot Dress

Today's blog post is dedicated to the lovely Gold Feathers Vintage, for all the lustworthy vintage threads in my Instagram feed (more on that below) and for bringing this dress into my life.

I hope you enjoy this lovely white polka dot dress with ruffles as much as I enjoy it, which is a lot. It came with a matching belt but I wore a red one instead. I also took these photos all on my own because a) I don't have a husband to take outfits photos of me, b) I don't have a tripod, c) I live with my parents' cat and she was like "blah blah blah, no opposable thumbs, blah blah blah, also I hate you." Shrug. It is what it is. So, the poses, I tried. That's all.

If vintage clothing is your thing, follow Gold Feathers Vintage on Instagram. I dig their merch. You can leave a comment with your email address on a photo and they'll invoice you and send it your way, easy as that. My only problem with this method is that it's dangerous for my bank account, but I've got California on the brain so I can be strong and hang on to my moneys!

p.s. Stay tuned for some news about my own vintage shop. Yessss.

A&A: Beard of Steel

Awkward...
▲ The other day I frantically searched my room for my phone...while I was holding it to my face having a conversation with someone.
▲ That one time when Spotify hired a model with MY face. And my collar bones.
▲ These hairy stockings for young girls to fend off perverts. I'm still gagging a little. And a lot.
▲ I saw a billboard yesterday advertising a pasta place. It said, "Spaghetti, meet balls." Speaking of gagging, I will officially never eat there.
▲ Me, interacting with a puppy. In my defense, he kept biting me. I have lesions on my arms.
▲ The last 2 hours of Man of Steel when he ditched the beard and plaid shirt and I didn't think he looked even remotely as Super. Let's focus on this image to transition us into the Awesome section:

via

Awesome...
▲ Cucumber honey lemonade.
▲ The National's new album. I mean, dang. Go and partake.
▲ This seriously beautiful letter written to me secretly (but I found it :) on Ariana's blog. There's a power in blogging and vulnerability, my friends! Her words are so lovely.
▲ Pretty Little Liars. Why can't I stop watching it? There's a part of me that will always love TV shows and movies aimed at teenage girls. No shame.
▲ Speaking of television...GIRL MEETS WORLD HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY APPROVED. Losing. my. mind. over. here. "No jazzercise in the kitchen."
▲ I'm training again! Barring any injuries between now and the end of September, I'm going to run my 3rd Ragnar Relay...this time in northern California in beautiful wine country! Me and my running shoes  are about to get tight again. Also, I've been trying this daily 8-minute ab workout via Youtube. Six pack, are you in my future?
▲ Video for Instagram! It's like moving pictures which is like Harry Potter which means I highly approve. Now I must eat jelly beans and enjoy it.
▲ I love sour jelly beans.

Bridesmaid Round 13: Photos & Story

I first met my Chantalion (you may call her Chantal) in the hallway of a church. Technically, I met her when we lived in the same neighborhood when we were very young. But the first time we really became friends was in a church hallway in our early 20s. The story is long (really long) from there, but suffice it to say, that meeting in the hallway was no accident.

There's a lot of details of late-night talks, long (really long) walks, dancing recklessly to Bon Iver, laughing until snorting occurs, adventures of the best kind, seeing each other through the ups and downs of our love lives, thrift store shopping, handling the tough (really tough) pieces of life, a failed attempt to climb a tree...the list goes on. I think God sometimes gives us someone to go to heaven and hell and back with us, because He knows it's just who we need in the passenger seat. Personally, I couldn't be more grateful to have this precious soul along for the ride.

First, a photo history of our friendship...

And now on to some wedding shots!

 

Her wedding involved wildflowers, sunshine, a historic brick home, simple decor, a small group of people, soft music and brunch. It was quaint, simple and perfect. And, solidified my strong desire to just get married in an inexpensive white dress, wrap myself in a plaid flannel shirt and row a canoe off into the sunset.

p.s. She met her new husband on none other than eHarmony. Lest you doubt the effectiveness of online  romancing.

Update: To answer a question from the comments, my yellow & white striped bridesmaid dress is from eShakti -- the company that lets you customize measurements, sleeve type, neckline and length on any dress. Talk  about a neat idea! Plus, the dress has POCKETS. Score!