a week of wardrobe. take three.

I'd like to start this blog-post off by saying that this week's outfit pictures are not my best work. However, although some of the pictures suck (yucky composition, strange faces, awkward angles), I'm excited to present to you the third edition of my Week of Wardrobe.

Let us begin.

.:.:.Sunday.:.:.

(photos courtesy of Ma)

scarf: CHKD Thrift Store Newport News, VA. glasses: Urban Outfitters. shrug: Forever 21 clearance. little black dress: Old Navy. sandals: Target.



Pictures from today show two main things about Jecca. #1. I am a goob. #2. I love climbing trees (or anything really).

My best friend since birth, AB, was in town this weekend. We hung out on Saturday night, got coffee and reconnected with a dear old friend. It was amazing, but it left me a wee bit (to be read "extremely") tired on Sunday. Thank goodness for versatile wardrobe staples and a church that never starts on time.

.:.:.Monday.:.:.

(photos courtesy of Hosh)

brown polka dot dress: Goodwill Thrift Store Hampton, VA. pink ballerina flats: Wal-Mart.
I was boxing in the picture above... obviously. The old men that come into the credit union love this dress. I don't know what it is about it.

.:.:.Tuesday.:.:.

(photo courtesy of Ma)

dress and shrug: Dress Barn. pink ballerina flats: Wal-Mart.

Good gravy. My hair is crunk in this picture, and I'm posing in front of the television as my father watched some sort of car show. I had just put on a fashion show for Ma and Nini, as is often the case when I get new clothes. (Ma took me out on Saturday for a bit of shopping in celebration of my full-time status at the credit union as of the beginning of March!! woot woot!)

.:.:.Wednesday.:.:.

(photo courtesy of Ma)

pink cashmere sweater: Gap. black tank: Torrid. scarf: gift from Ma- Arcadia, Maine. jeans: Old Navy. grey/black ballerina flats: PayLess? (I can't really remember.)

This outfit successfully made the transition from work to youth group with a swap of the pants. It's super comfortable and I was super thankful.

.:.:.Thursday.:.:.

(photos courtesy of Hosh)

black button-down: hand-me-down/Old Navy. skirt: DAV Thrift Store Newport News, VA. pink ballerina flats: Wal-Mart.

Do I feel like Vanna White in this picture? Yes. Was that what I was going for? Of course. (I love Hosh's new ride.) Is this skirt slightly over-sized and possibly an awkward length? Yes. Was there a method to this skirt-choosing madness? Of course. (April 15th marked the beginning of the credit union's Summer Dress Code, and that means NO HOSE if your skirt or dress is mid-calf length or longer!!! Bring on the awkward skirt lengths!)

.:.:.Friday.:.:.

(photo courtesy of Ma)

white shrug: Dress Barn. black tank: American Eagle. grey ruffle top: Gap. black pants: H&M. gold shoes: Shoe Carnival.

On Fridays, I usually wear credit union apparel so I don't have to pick out an outfit. We only get to wear company shirts on Fridays and some of them are actually quite relaxed and comfortable buttttt I felt like dressing up today annnndddddd I had a job interview at work. So this outfit seemed to be the obvious and most appropriate choice.

.:.:.Saturday.:.:.

(photos courtesy of Ma)

tablecloth button-down: "Thrift Store" Newport News, VA. jeans: Wal-Mart. Vans shoes: Plato's Closet. black fake leather belt: H&M (it came on the pants from Friday).
Hosh's band, Westbound, was supposed to have a show on Saturday night in Norfolk, VA buttt it got canceled at the last minute. Ugh. Major disappointment all around. I did, however, get to go to the Spring Fling with Regs and Addie at our old church. It was nice to see some old friends there. Later we went out with a big part of the crew to Salsa's (food was sooo good) and then to Regs' house. Great night with great friends (but we all would've loved it just a bit more if the show had still been on).

.:.:.Sunday.:.:.

(photo courtesy of Ma)

AZ tee: "Dollar Store" in Tuba City, AZ. plaid pants: Old Navy (from T-Diddy [one of my most prized possessions]). Minnetonka: DSW. Muffler King hat: true vintage.

Just for kicks and giggles (and because this post is long overdue), I decided to include an extra day. This is my usual sewing-crafting outfit/socially acceptable pajamas. Yes, that is a horrifically scary parrot on the wall of our beach-themed kitchen behind me. I have learned to ignore it. And yes, I am doing dips on the kitchen counter. I do what I can.

Lerv lerv lerv to you, bloggy buds.

Thanks for reading and following. I'm working on some projects and posts that should be coming up soon!!!

Twenty-Three before Twenty-Four: SEVEN.

Long time no bloggy. My apologies, dear readers.

I completed another 'significant thing' a couple weeks ago, and I haven't blogged it yet. Shame on Jecca!!! butttttt here it is! I've been thinking about this one for a while and just haven't done it (or gotten it done). Can you see number SEVEN in the picture below?

No? Not that obvious?....Hmm. How about this one?
Still not so sure? What's that? Silver boogers? Yes, thank you. I know.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I got my septum pierced. It was a lovely Sunday afternoon when Hosh, D. Noble, J. Claus, A. Yeargin, E. Something, J. Ludwig and I decided to go to lunch at Chipotle in the mall. As we were waiting in line, I decided I really wasn't feeling the food options. I told Hosh that I was going to check out the prices down at Urban Xchange, and then we could go down together once he was finished eating. Welllll, once I got down to the other end of the mall and was told how much it would be, I said, "Let's do it." I texted Hosh right before she put the needle through and he got there as I was sitting up after everything was done. (I'm proud that I did it by myself, without a squeezing-hand. =])

There have been mixed reviews from friends, family and acquaintances. When Ma saw it, she said, "Jeccaaaaa. Why?" Pop said, "I see." Mamba said it was BA. Hosh loves it (duh, see picture below).

Woot woot! Seven significant things and 4.5 months down, sixteen significant things and 7.5 months to go. As always, I'm taking suggestions. Please note, however, I will not be freeing zoo animals or making a mockery of myself (hopefully). Those are not pleasant significant things. (I don't like animals, and who likes looking like a fool?) =)

Lots of lerv.

***Special shout-out to my PBU people! You're getting close to the end! You can do it. Finish strong. When all else fails, ask yourself "What Would Jecca Do?" You know the answer. (Take a trip to Wawa...duh!)***

******Annnndddddd be on the lookout for a Week of Wardrobe post in the next couple days!!!******

it's wednesday.

i'm alive and busy, and i'm sorry i haven't blogged in a while. i'm working on a 'week of wardrobe' post and a few other things to be blogged soon (hopefully).

i've been going through a bit of a rough/blah patch here. i've been encouraged though and i'm looking forward to starting a new chapter/challenge/life. ugh. one step after the other. one prayer at a time.

(thanks to all who pray for me on the regular. i know some of you do and your commitment is a blessing. thanks also to those precious friends who are always 'on-call'. i'm tempted to call you my 'life-savers', but i know it's God through you. your faithfulness is truly encouraging.)

so here i go. step one.

lerv above all.

jec.

coffee contest winner.

With a guess of 324oz., Georgina has won the coffee contest!!!

The official ounce count came to 336oz. with an average of 48oz. per day.

Attagirl, George!!! Your Buckies card will be in the mail tomorrow.

Thanks to all my bloggy buds and to all who participated in my coffee contest! Perhaps I'll have to think up a new contest for the near future.

Lerv above all.

(The Fleet Foxes are playing, the coffee is flowing, and I am working on a squirrel.) =)

Twenty-Three before Twenty-Four: SIX.

This sixth 'significant thing' was quite significant (...like mega). For some reason, I made this project over-complicated at times, and I had to set it aside more than once for the sake of my sanity. However, with coffee and the Fleet Foxes as my constant companions, I finally completed my sixth significant thing...

Barley's Knickers!!!

These knickers started out as a pair of Dickies' from a Goodwill in Langhorne, PA and a twinkle in Barley's eye. When I visited in February, I brought them home with me to start the transformation.

T-Diddy helped me out a couple times (thank you!) with measurements, because these were mostly a surprise. I also had just a few random measurements from Barley to work with. From those, I decided to cut off about 8" from the bottom of each pant leg. I deconstructed those legs and used the fabric from them to make cuffs.

After taking the front and back panels apart from the cut-off pant legs, I ironed the pieces and seamed them together to make a longer piece for the cuffs.

Hosh agreed to try on the knickers probably twice during the process. He's closer to Barley's size than I am, but let me tell you...he is NOT a fan of straight pins. I begged and begged him though a couple times and got him to help a sista out! After he tried them on the first time, I marked the inseams and slimmed the legs up a bit.

From the time I started these knickers, I knew I wanted to include a couple things, and some hand-stitching was one of them. Something about embroidery is really fun for me (I say as I look longingly at a current project featuring just that). I don't like patterns (I HATE patterns), so I don't use them when I stitch things. This first part ("Barle") took all of about 10 minutes.

The "Y", as you can see, posed more of a problem. I just wasn't happy with it the first two times I stitched it. (Yes, I tore out the "Y" twice before I decided I liked it.)

After I finished the cuffs and made (sort of) slits in the outsides of the legs, I pinned the cuffs onto the bottom. This was difficult...flat cuffs, curved pant leg. Ha.

This picture was taken in my car on one of my lunch breaks at work. By the middle of this project, I had a kit all put together to take back and forth with me wherever I was headed so I could work on it during my spare time. During this particular time, I was sewing on buttons. I didn't leave any of the original buttons on the pants.

The night before I sent the knickers on their way to Perkasie to find Barley at home, I put them on and took a few pictures, just in case this was the last time I saw them. =)

This is Nessie and he is way cooler than the Dickies' label that was there before I ripped it off. Also, this was copied from one of Barley's tattoos.

Finally, after over a month and a half of having these pants in my possession, the knickers are successfully complete and with their rightful owner.

Barley wore the knickers today (!) and sent me the following pictures as well as the following texties throughout the day. =)
Barley (10:24 am): THEY FIT GREAT

Jecca (10:28 am): Woot woot! I'm so happy.

Barley (10:30 am) Im so freakin sexy today. Holy crow.

Barley (11:41 am): These are so comfy!!! :]

Jecca (11:46 am): I slimmed the legs a bit. :)

Barley (11:47 am): Delicious

Barley (1:02 pm): IT SAYS BARLEY ON THE LEG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jecca (1:03 pm): You just now saw that. You're amazing.

Barley (1:05 pm): I just rolled up the cuffs to show the stripes on the inside and i saw it- lerrv lerrvv leerrrrrrrvv!
Soooo, there you have it--Barley's Knickers!!! They (ultimately) made me happy (even though they drove me insane a few times).

Lots of lerv to you, bloggy buds! Thanks for reading and following.

And lots of lerv to you especially, Barley. This Bud's for you. =)

*P.S.- I'm still taking suggestions for my list of significant things. There are at least 17 more things to do!*

Also, don't forget to submit your entry for my coffee contest! All entries must be submitted by Saturday and the winner will be announced on Sunday. Woot woot!!!

easter.

It has been a tradition for as long as I can remember to have an Easter celebration at Memaw's house. After lunch, all the cousins would be sequestered in a room with no windows, monitored by one of the parents. While we were being held hostage, the adults would hide a myriad of Easter eggs in the front and back yards. The last time we did this as a family, Memaw was still with us and I got scolded for pulling up the shade and peeking outside.

It's a few (or several) years later. The cousins are all grown, and we decided to pick up the tradition again. What's an Easter celebration without an Easter egg hunt at Memaw's house?

The egg-hunting crew, from L to R: Loretta, Tini, Kiel, Jecca, Lauren, Trav, Anita, Nini and Hosh.

I was the unattested winner in volume of eggs. Tini's boyfriend, Kiel, followed me into the backyard in the beginning of the egg quest. He commented on my decision to go for the edges of the two sheds saying, "You hit the gold mine!" I said replied lovingly, "Duh, Kiel! This is NOT my first rodeo." (You can actually hear this in the video if you pay attention closely.)

The following is a video of the beginning of the egg hunt. What you can't see is Tini throwin' some bows... just saying. What you can see is Hosh and Trav's overwhelming enthusiasm. (Ha.)

There was money in some of the eggs and that's what really sparked my fervor in the hunt. (Most of you know that I don't eat candy.) Wouldn't you know it, I got a metric butt-ton of candy...and $1.25 in quarters. =) Loretta found $3 in her eggs, and she offered to buy my bag of candy with her $3 in quarters. Woot woot! I'm rich. A whole $4.25!!! (That should be read "coffeeeeeee".)

(Here's another video purely for your viewing pleasure...you can see me scurrying in the background at the beginning, Tini's lawn ornament discovery and Nini looking around in the "compost pile" that Loretta and I already hit up.)

Lots of family lerv today.

P.S.- Mamba, we missed you tons especially today. Love love love you!!!

contest (!!!)

Greetings, bloggy buddies. It is with great excitement and pleasure that I announce to you my first ever blog contest. Woot woot!!!

Here's the premise:

One needs only minimal contact with me to know that I have a thing for coffee (some say it's an addiction...eh, tom-ay-to tom-ah-to).

Exhibit A through C:

This week (Sunday through Saturday), I am going to record how many ounces of coffee I consume.

The contest will be won by whoever can guess how many ounces I consume during this time. The closest guesser without going over will win. If everyone goes over (ha!) then the closest guesser will win.

"And what about the prize?", I hear you ask. Good question! There will be a $10 gift card to one of three of my favorite coffee providers (Dunkin, Buckies or Wawa). Your choice.

That's it. Simple enough, yea? Yea! Duh.

Entries must be submitted via bloggy comment by Saturday, April 10. You need not wait until Saturday to submit an entry, but Saturday is definitely the cut off. I'll announce the winner next Sunday and have the winner's prize in the mail by Monday (so make sure you include your choice from the above options)!

Woohoo!!! Good luck guessing! (And just a little hint for you...don't guess something insane like 32 oz. You won't be in danger of going over, but you won't be close either.)

Lerv.