I've been running around in this super soft coat for the past couple of days and it puts me in such a fabulous mood.  It not only keeps me warm but feels like a soft hug, I will always be a free spirit and I feel so me in this soft and comfortable coat.  It reminds me of something Carrie would wear from Sex and the City or the Betsy Johnson boutique back in the early 2000s bursting with dresses in colorful fabric and fabulous design.

In some way, all I want in life is to be free and happy and today I feel just like that.

The holidays are in full swing and there are quite a few parties to go to between now and the new year, I'm really enjoying this festive time catching up with friends and decorating my Christmas tree.  The year no doubt has been filled with ups and downs, and some days and weeks are harder than others, but at the end of day I'm always looking for that happy place in my heart where I can genuinely smile and feel the joy within myself.  I think that's really the ultimate goal for myself, to just be happy.

I've been working on my new year business and life plans for the last week or so, but I've also worked hard on my mind set.  It's not always easy and doesn't come naturally to me and some days I feel pretty overwhelmed by life's demands, but just by telling myself to be strong and cancel out the negative thoughts in my mind helps a ton and I always end up feeling energized and ready to work.  In some way, the past few years I've learned a few things about myself and discovered where my inner strength can take me, and I am thankful for life's circumstances that allowed me these personal growth.  I want to be able to take these lessons with me into the new year and so looking forward for more personal and professional growth!

I'm was at the Pickwick Vintage Show this past Sunday and had a wonderful time checking out some of the best vendors for vintage jewelry and apparel, and also enjoyed walking around a little bit at the garden. 

My find for the day was this amazing gold pendant from 1890s!  I'm planning to add a gold bail and loop it through a velvet choker necklace.  I used to have a art book in college featuring antique oil painting portraits, the delicate beautiful jewelry on those women always caught my eye.  Somehow antique jewelry have a soul just like old houses and I'm always drawn to them.  Can't wait to see the end result when I'm finished with this little necklace.  

I made this new choker from a small heart shaped antique brooch.  The color kinda matched my dress, I'm really enjoying making these out of random old pendant or brooch and giving them more than one function and purpose!

Outfit for the week and a few life tidbits

I always like to snap a picture on my way out of the door in the morning, dressing up for the day not only prep my mind ready for work but also is a small way of being creative!  

Over the weekend I wore this denim skirt with elaborate embroideries and a white delicate cotton blouse that's quite old.  I ran around all day in this outfit doing errands and practicing the piano with friends.  We are hoping to put a repertoire together so we can do a small concert which is kind of exciting for me!

I'm seeing quite a lot of sheer blouse at the stores this year but most of them are badly cut and practically unwearable.  I love this black sheer blouse with white embroidered flowers, it's got some delicate ruche across the top and I love how the pattern matches with my handbag!

A little bit of self care goes a long way, this Sunday I got a hair cut after not seeing my stylist for a year, it feels nice to get a trim but at the same time I'm loving my long hair right now!

 Finally my own version of professional outfit when I can't get away not dressing up.  Normally just a simple dress, large work tote and I will pin a vintage brooch for a little interesting twist!  And then off I go to conquer the world! Or at least try to pay my bills!

Alas, if only real life is all about cute shoes and clothes!  I try to get together with friends for weekly meditations because as time progress we move through different emotions and experience new things.  This past week was all about me seeking some clarification on new people that I've encountered this year, and wanting to know what lessons are to be learned from these new encounters.  I find that if I have some question in mind that I have no idea what the answer is, the universe usually provides me with some clarity after a period time of contemplation.

What I've learned is that sometimes it is very important to keep the superfluous out of your life and stay in touch with the essentials.  It applies with friends that you choose to keep in your life and how you decide to treat others.  I've actually discovered that being genuine is very important to me, more than I realized before, and that the ability to believe there are genuine and good things in the world is tremendously important for my own happiness.

I like to at least freshen up my wardrobe a little bit at the change of every season.  With so much unexpected expense this year I hardly was able to do any shopping.  It seemed a lot of my summer dresses fit for super warm weather from last year were all worn out and I was in bad need to get some new clothes.  For heavy working days a pair of comfortable flats and a light weight dress are all that's needed to get me through the day so dresses are definitely a must in my wardrobe stable.

This summer I've been watching a lot of 60s and 70s movies and I'm really taken with bold prints and bright colors.  Quite a bit of my outfits are 60s inspired but why not?  I've ordered a few vintage jewelry pieces to go with my summer dresses and I can't wait to see how everything turns out.

It's been sort of a busy week at work and I had to make myself presentable in front of clients, usually I love a sleek dress with heels and adding on a vintage brooch from my personal collection.  Today I'm wearing a 1950s Schreiner of NY pin that I got last year, they have matching earrings too but somehow the clips are too painful to wear all day long.

My favorite pin lady is none other than Madeleine Albright.  She uses her pins to reflect on a particular issue that she's working on at a given moment or simply to reflect her mood of the day.  I highly recommend her book Read My Pins, which is autobiographical yet at the same time with stories and reflections anchored on each particular jewelry from her collection.

I find her stories so fascinating and it gives me a lot of courage and confidence to pursue my own career.  It's so interesting to read stories about her life dealing with tough political situations yet she shows a feminine side through her choice of jewelry, as a woman I find that quality very relatable.  Sometimes I think life is such a adventure if you face life's challenges with some humor and courage, and it's really the only way!  Wearing a little pin is a daily reminder that as a woman you can go out in the world, be your own person and pursue your dreams!

One of my all time favorite character in crime fiction is Lucy  Eyelesbarrow from the Miss Marple series 4:50 from Paddington.  Lucy is a professional house keeper in high demand with an exclusive list of clientele, she happens to be an acquaintance of Miss Marple.  Lucy is a girl who's independent, travels alone, and no doubt loves to solve a thrilling murder all the while maintains a fabulous lifestyle.  

The episode opens with Mrs. McGillicuddy witnessing a murder while traveling on a train to meet Miss Marple, after the train conductor refuses to believe the two ladies's stories, miss Marple enlist Lucy's help to find the body and solved the crime.  

Lucy accepts the challenge and arrives at Rutherford Hall disguised as holiday help to the Crackenthorpes... in no less than a fabulous red vintage car( I suppose they would just call it "car" back in those days) and makes an impressive entrance.  She then plays a important role in solving the murder but also sorting out her love life on the side.  

In any case, do check out this episode as I don't want to spoil all the fun details. 

I saved these pictures from a while back and just today found it again, and even now I'm still in owe of her wonderful style!  If there is a fictional world I'd like to be in for a day I think being in this beautiful setting solving murder mysteries with Miss Marple and Lucy would be it!  

My little vintage musical compact from the private collection of Dita Von Teese.  It wasn't easy to record with one hand and trying to open the compact with another but I somehow did it!