The Queen Bee

Isn't this the most perfect dress? I picked it up yesterday at the Heritage Square Antique Mall. I considered saving it for this week, but I really couldn't. I just love it too much. I'd say that it is probably my favorite piece in my wardrobe right now.

Pretty in Pink

We got a pretty late start on today. I "slept in" — 10am is late for me — while Geoffrey went out skateboarding. After he came home and we straightened up the apartment a bit, we decided to head to Heritage Square Antique Mall.

The State Fair

Geoffrey and I were both off of work early, so we decided to face the heat and head over to the Ohio State Fair. I hadn't been to the far since 1997 — I was in the fourth grade and was in the Ohio State Fair spelling bee (nerd alert!). The thing I remember most about that day, though, was that I lost my Giga Pet (remember those?) from my pocket whilst on a ride. I was so upset that day that I think it may have given me a bad outlook on the fair since. See more fun fair photos after the jump.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Okay. Step back and breathe. I'm trying (and trying, and trying!) so hard to contain my excitement right now. See more photos of the hair, the news, and the refashion after the jump!

New Sally Hansen Salon Effects Patterns!

I can't contain my excitement over this news! Geoffrey and I were just at the grocery store when I noticed a new display in the cosmetics section. At first I just thought they were showcasing the Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail decals that I had come to love, but as I approached it I was happy to see that there are new styles available! HOORAY! See more after the jump.

Silver Lining

I bought this sequin vest way back in January when Geoff and I took a trip to Chicago. I had admired this piece in Urban's holiday catalog, but we didn't receive it in our store, so I just forgot about it. We visited multiple UOs while we were in town (we're nerds) and the Clark Street store had this beauty on their sale rack! The inside has a purple and blue peacock-feather print and I was in love. It was still rather expensive, but I wanted it anyway. Long story short, it is now a happy little part of my wardrobe.

Since then, I have only worn it once. It's very flashy and rather difficult to match with things. When I picked up these railroad shorts in this weekend's thrift haul, I certainly didn't imagine that they would be paired with this vest. To be honest, for the past few days, I've been trying to use it in a post but have totally failed at doing so. But here we are and I'm shining like a little disco ball.

You may be wondering where the brand Mirror/Dash comes from. It's a line that is exclusive to Urban Outfitters by Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth.


I think a big part of me is worried that if I wear it too often, it won't last long. I mean, they are large sequins and I'm quite a clumsy person. Either way, I love this look and it has renewed my faith in the sequin vest!

Mirror/Dash sequin vest, UO
Sheer white tank, thrifted
Salmon snakeskin belt, thrifted
Railroad denim shorts, thrifted
Mossimo leopard peep toe heels, Target

Wishlist Wednesday #1

1. Instant Camera iPhone Decal $6 — This decal from Photojojo would be there perfect (and cheap) way to cover up my shattered iPhone back!
2. Flora by Gucci Perfume $70 — This is probably the most wonderful and sweetest smelling perfume I've ever come across. She will be mine!
3. Too Much Fun Dress in Marine $78 — I love polka dots! This dress from Modclotch would be prefect for every season and could be layered with a cardigan or blazer to transition into fall and winter.
4. Linen Mix Crop Jacket $115 — As a person who isn't necessarily into pink, I do have a soft spot for blush and nude beiges. This Oasis blazer has a great cut and would perfectly dress up denim or look awesome over a skirt or dress.

What items are on your wish list?

Refashioned Green Dress

I think what I like the most about having days off from work are the projects that I can get finished. It's early and I was able to whip up this awesome refashion!

I bought this mint green starburst dress in this weekend's thrift haul and somehow managed to miss it in my Thrifty Monday post. I had it folded up by my sewing machine and it had slipped my mind! Well, it started out granny-esque and turned out oh-so-sweet.

This is such an easy refashion. Getting one of my mom's old sewing machine (she's a quilter, so there have been sewing machines around me the whole time I've grown up!) was probably one of the best things ever. All I had to do was remove the shoulder pads (eek! haha), shorten it, and remove the sleeves. My finishing touch was to remove the lace in the middle panel and pull it down just a little for a low neckline.

My eye color always "changes" depending on what I'm wearing, and I love how this mint color compliments my skin tone and eye color. I was so in love with the little white starbursts on the dress that I was happy to pay $2 for it!

Cute, right?

Pardon the messy background! We always have our bicycles and Kitty's tunnels around the apartment somewhere :)

Primary Concerns

Okay, okay, laugh it up, guys. I'm majorly squinting! What can I say, it was bright out there! Ah, how about we move on? This dress was part of yesterday's thrift haul. It's far more beautiful on a person than on a hanger or laid out, wouldn't you agree? I'm pretty convinced that this was hand made. The floral pattern reminds me of The Brady Bunch or something of the like. I'm not really sure why, considering that I've never actually watch the show. See more photos after the jump.

Thrifty Monday #5

Today's haul was a pretty good one! I only spent about $25 and look at all of the wonderful things that I came home with:


Okay, I'll start off with dresses. Just the other day I was complaining to Geoff that I wish I had more dresses. Looks like I succeeded! Check it out after the jump.

The Gold Rush

Are you guys sick of me updating about how hot it is outside yet? Because it is H-O-T! Sorry! Anyway, I got out of the apartment this morning to run some errands. I decided to stop by the thrift store and picked up many, many great things. This dress is one of those things.

The Flour Mill

Today was what I'd consider to be a perfectly lazy Sunday. It seems like Geoffrey and I always have so much energy and are always running around and doing something to fill our time. Since we are still in the middle of this heat wave, we took today to rest (well, at least a little) and get some things finished around the apartment.

Style Icon: Amy Winehouse

The first time I ever heard of Amy Winehouse was during a 2007 San Diego trip. My mom and I had flown out to see my brother and he asked us to pick him up a copy of Rolling Stone Magazine. On the cover, was a woman with a huge beehive, tattoos, and extreme cat-eye makeup. I was intrigued.

Fast forward to when I downloaded her album. My ears were in love. The more I learned about this artist, the more I felt about her music. She was troubled, she had demons, and she was human. She could sing like no other current artist I had heard at the time. I was instantly an Amy Winehouse fan.


This is a photo of myself and my very best friend Bob dressed as Pete Doherty and Amy for Halloween in 2008. The people I worked with started noticing that I was a fan of Amy. I can see why many didn't understand my attraction to her — the tabloids only covered the worst of the worst and attempted to overshadow her talent with her personal life. I admired her voice (something that I do not have) and her style. She had a look and she owned it — a bit retro, a bit girly, and a bit gritty.


Everyone knows that Amy suffered from depression and drug and alcohol addiction. I personally have not struggled with these issues nor am I close to anyone who has suffered, but I felt empathy for her. We all watched her fall so very low. I was excited when Fred Perry announced their FP x AW line last year. I love Fred Perry products, so it added to my excitement that she was teaming up with them.


The news was reporting that she was recovering. Images were surfacing where she looked healthy. Fans were excited at the idea of more music. She was modeling her own clothes for Fred Perry and looking as beautiful as ever.


Today while writing my Beloved Weekly post, I refreshed my Tumblr Dashboard and noticed that someone mentioned the troubled star's death. I hoped that it was yet another Twitter hoax, but I Googled her name, and my heart sank. I think when I told Geoff that my voice even shook a bit. I've mentioned it before, but I don't connect with celebrities much. Amy, though, was different. She was only three years older than me. I was rooting for her to get better. I wanted her to be the miracle story of recovery.

This is me speaking not as a fashion blogger nor a blogger of cute things nor a photographer. This is me speaking as a young woman who so desperately wants everything in the world to be beautiful and happy. Amy's young death is yet another reminder of something that so many people have told me throughout the years — don't take your talents for granted. Don't throw away your opportunities.


Amy Winehouse, 1983-2011

Tears Dry on Their Own

I want to go ahead and get the sad stuff out of the way before continuing on with the post about today. As someone who doesn't connect at all with many celebrities, I was so sad to hear about Amy Winehouse's death today. She was one of my favorite musicians and I was looking forward to her recovering from her addiction and making more beautiful music. Alas, at the age of 27, she has passed. We should all remember to not waste our wonderful talents!

Oh Deer

Here's a word I don't use very often: CUTE. That's how I feel about this dress. It started out as a boxy thrifted dress and I whipped it up into this curve-hugging summer dress. I'm so in love. I've been hoarding some cute ankle socks lately (I can't help it, when they're on sale for $2, I just want them in my wardrobe!) and I'm happy to finally be able to use them.

Wild Card

Heat wave! Oh my goodness, it's so unbelievably hot in the Midwest. I can't wait until it cools down a bit just so we can enjoy hanging outside.

They Only Want You When You're Seventeen

Another scorcher again here in Columbus. It was around one hundred... again! Sometimes it's the extreme temperatures that make me daydream for San Diego or somewhere more consistent. Because of the heat, I stayed inside as much as possible. If you're following, you probably noticed that I started a giveaway today! Just please make sure you leave comments for your entries so that you can be counted :)

Giveaway // Recycled Leather Clutch

I have had so much awesome feedback and connections with everyone so far with this blog that I want to offer a big thanks to you! How could I possibly share my excitement with Mini Penny's progress so far? I know — Make a cute clutch that could be yours for free!

Yesterday I posted a tutorial on how to make a simple lined zipper pouch from recycled leather. I was so happy with the outcome, that I made this clutch out of an old leather jacket.  I made the lining from a recycled silky shirt with feather print:


The clutch measures 13x7" and has a lovely leather tassel on the zipper (detachable). This pouch's shell is 100% leather — and the entire thing is made from recycled materials! Isn't it just lovely? Well, there are multiple ways to win!

First of all, you must be following Mini Penny Blog (of course!). Then just leave a comment — tell me anything you want — and be sure to leave a way for me to contact you in case you're the winner!

Want extra entries? You can leave an additional comment for each of these — again, make sure it's a separate comment or it won't count!

1. Follow Mini Penny on Twitter (please leave your @username)
2. Tweet about this giveaway (something along the lines of "Win a recycled leather clutch from @minipennycbus. Find out how to enter— http://tinyurl.com/4yxpjzm" Be sure to leave a link to your tweet!)
3. Like Mini Penny on Facebook
4. Follow Mini Penny on Instagram (@chaplinnn)
5. Follow Mini Penny on Bloglovin'
6. And finally, blog about this giveaway! Remember to leave the url to your post in the comments. You are more than welcome to use this image if you'd like.

That's seven ways to enter. Entries will be accepted through July 31st, 2011. I will be announcing the winner during the first week of August, so keep your eyes peeled. Good luck!

Monsieur Verdoux

It was about 100° today, so maybe not the best idea to wear this heavy cotton romper with a lined skirt over top of it. I actually don't care for the romper a great deal (the bottom is frumpy) but really like the pintucking detail at the top.

Recycled Leather Zipper Pouch

Oh boy! I'm very excited about this tutorial. I'm sure many of you already know how to make a simple lined zipper pouch, but I wanted to change it up a bit. I picked up this weird 80s leather vest at the thrift store quite a while ago for five dollars. My intention was to actually wear this thing, but it was a bit large and honestly I wasn't feeling it once I got it home. Regardless, the leather is lilac, bubblegum pink, and gold. There are little rhinestones attached to the whole thing. The other day I got the idea to make a little pouch from this guy. See the full how to after the jump.

Just Another Manic Monday

I suppose that the title of this post doesn't really reflect on what I did today. It was quite un-Manic — actually it was rather lazy. Due to the heat advisory, I only left the apartment to pick Geoff up from work and go to the grocery store. It hit 100°+ today and has been humid since about seven AM. The only "exciting" thing that happened was that my MacBook Pro had it's ninth kernal panic. I've been backing up my hard drive all day in preparation to take this thing in to the Genius Bar. I'm definitely not looking forward to it!

Thrifty Monday #4

Sigh. I enjoy waiting a few days to do these thrift hauls. It really gives me a good breather to hold onto them until Monday. If I expected myself to post the overviews directly after coming home, the whole thing would probably be filled with silly exclamation points at every sentence. I mean, really. I get so excited about my finds. This weekend was no different, except for the fact that I found a lot of crafty items this time! My usual spot doesn't have a lot of craft going on, but on Saturday we hit up two spots and I found some wonderful goods. See the breakdown after the jump.

Flower Power

Happy Sunday! We finished off our lovely weekend with a little day out. We hit up the Ohio Craft Museum, some putt-putt golf, and the mall (what?! Don't worry, we didn't buy anything!).

Hiccup!

Hello everyone! I woke up this morning to discover that the blog was having a little hiccup (and by little I mean seven hours)! The issue has resolved itself (after much stress on my end) and everything seems to be running smoothly now. Don't worry, I'm still here!

Color Blocking

I'm so excited about today's outfit. This is my first attempt at color blocking and I really am happy with it.

Skirts Only

Allow me to start off by saying that today's outfit is a bit out of the ordinary. And by that I mean that my "dress" isn't actually a dress. It's a skirt! See more photos after the jump.

StyledOn Featured Member

I'm sure you can image my excitement (and shock) when I checked my email after work this morning to discover that I'm now StyledOn's Featured Member! Each day that goes by with this blog, I am surprised and enlightened by all of the wonderful people and experiences. I'm extremely flattered to be selected for this — my thumbnail and link to my profile sits happily on the homepage.

If you're unfamiliar with StyledOn, I recommend heading over to their website and checking them out. They have been on the web less than one year and already were named Best of the Web (by InStyle magazine). The New York Times even noted them as Facebook for fashion set! I'm looking forward to diving deeper into the community and discovering new products and inspiration.

I thought I would share that bit of exciting information with you. It's Friday and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend planned! As of yet, we don't have much going up, but I'm sure we'll get into something. Cheers!

Edit // Oh and I just noticed that they also used me in this article! Between this bag on mini Twix bars and the love I'm feeling from this, I'd say it's a good day!

As a side note, I'm not sure why they flipped my images, but it's awesome nonetheless! Thank you, StyledOn!

Nifty Fifty

Time to celebrate! Perhaps I'm a nerd, but I'm very excited to announce that today is my 50th outfit post! That's right, I have shared with you my outfit every single day for fifty days. I can't believe that we've made it this far. We started sharing with some mediocre iPhone photos and then when I wanted to take a bit more seriously, we started carrying my 5D Mark ii around to get all of these lovely images.

E.L.F. Cosmetics Haul and Review #2

Hello, my name is Jessie and I have an addiction.

Right?! I mean, how could you not be addicted to E.L.F.? I just received my second order through them and couldn't be happier. As I mentioned in previous posts, they're celebrating their 7 year birthday with some awesome sales. I was lucky enough to make a huge order with a 60% code! Amazing! Here's the rundown.

Utopia Utopia Utopia

Another hot day here in Ohio! It hit almost 90° again. Yikes! I would be happy if I could simply walk to the grocery store without sweating! haha

Lime Crime D'Lilac Review

A while ago I posted a review for Lime Crime Coquette lipstick. While I absolutely love it, there were some rumors about the company that had me a little wary of ordering again. Well, Erica over at Lime Crime saw my worries and was amazing enough to communicate through email about my concerns and sent me this lovely tube of D'Lilac.

While this lipstick was a gift, this review is 100% honest. You may have noticed that I've been wearing it in multiple outfit posts. I even wear it to work and have gotten tons of compliments on it! It's just perfectly different enough.

As you can see in the photo, it's been in use. Sorry about the messy tube! I wanted to give myself a couple weeks of wear before sharing it with everyone.

So the conclusion that I come to is that I can't wait to order more from Lime Crime. I'm officially backing them! Their colors, customer service, and product are amazing. D'Lilac was out of stock for a while, but is now back in. I recommend grabbing it on their website, along with some others — ie: I love my Coquette! I am excited to try more shades.

The video was filmed Monday morning and is very short, but gives you a good idea as to what it looks like on! I also used it in my all-white outfit post on July 6th.

Which is your favorite color?

Disclaimer: This lipstick was a gift from Lime Crime.

Favorite iPhone Apps

Anyone who knows me knows that I love my iPhone. I got my first one back in 2007 right after they came out (and when they didn't have subsidized deals — ouch!) and haven't gone back to anything else since. As someone who really loves beautifully design products, I always recommend people to this product.

There are many times when people ask me for app suggestions. While there are many apps and games that I like, there are a handful that I use on a daily basis. And while I love how informative The Weather Channel app is, or how much info I can shove in the Notes program, there are a few that really stand out to me as being addictive, useful, and well-designed!


1. Calvetica — In all honesty, I have never really cared for the native calendar app. I like the simple and straightforward approach. I use it synced with Google Calendar to keep my ducks in a row. Cost: Free trial version available, full app for $2.99.


2. Angry Birds —Okay. Let me start by saying that I know everyone already loves this game. But I L-O-V-E this game. It's a little part puzzle and little part destruction. I have every version of it (original, Seasons, and Rio) and have been working hard to get three stars on each stage and teach those piggies a lesson! There are also free versions of each app in the store so you can try before you buy. But beware! This is very addicting! Oh, and did you know that you can play it online? Cost: Free trial versions available, $0.99 for each full version.


3. Instagram — Are you surprised I included this? Of course not! I love Instagram. It's probably my most-used app. It's free, simple, and beautiful! In the future I might do a separate post about camera apps (because trust me, I have a lot). Instagram is free and easy to use. Feel free to follow me. My username is Chaplinnn. Cost: FREE!


4. Piggie — I'm getting better as using this daily. I bank with Chase, and while their app is fairly easy to use, it's not as beautiful as this one. Sure, I have to track my own spending, but that's just a better way for me to keep track of where my money is going. Speaking of keeping track, I love statistics! Piggie gracefully displays how much of my money is going to food, bills, etc, and also where it's coming from! Cost: FREE!


5. Words With Friends — I am obsessed with Scrabble. While the board on Words isn't exactly the same, it has a similar concept. I love that I can connect and play with my friends across the country. There's also in-game chat capability so you can share your woes of being stuck with all vowels. Feel free to start a game with me (username: jessiebarber). I use the free version, but the ads can be a tad annoying. They pop up after every move. Not a major deal, but you get it. Cost: Free version available, $1.99 to experience it without ads. 


6. Pinhole Cam — From my understanding, this is a bit lesser known app. I adore it. It gives a great dreamy effect and even allows double exposure! Note: upon looking this up in the app store, it looks as though it has been pulled. I'm not sure why, and even sent the developer an email with an error message returned. I've left them a Facebook comment, so I hope to hear back soon! There are other pinhole-simulation apps in the store, but they don't appear to have double exposure settings. Anyone have any suggestions? Cost: N/A.


7. Diptic — There are many ways to do diptychs incorrectly, but this app gets it so right. I like to use this to chop together a few images and then import them into Instagram! It works well enough that I can overlook the fact that the icon is ugly. Cost: $1.99 


8. Hipstamatic — I debated on whether or not to include Hipstamatic in my list. It used to be my hands-down favorite. There are so many different combinations with film, lens, and flashes that there are virtually hundreds and hundreds of results. I have paid extra to have every HipstaPak. My only qualm is that (and I really that this isn't the point of this app) I wish you were able to apply the effects after you shoot the image. I understand that they prefer it be more like film — random, quick, and unexpected. But sometimes I'm trying to just shoot something really quickly and edit it later. In this case, it doesn't always work out as you would like (and sometimes you can lose a moment!). Also, I have ordered prints from them through the phone, they were mailed quickly, and of exceptional quality! I certainly recommend it for shots you love! Cost: $1.99 + additional per each special HipstaPak (usually $0.99).


So there you have it! Which apps are your favorites? I love finding new toys to play with, so feel free to leave a comment and leave me a suggestion!

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Apple nor these app developers. All images are pulled directly from the app or the developer's website.

Tuesday: Favorite DIY Projects

I know it's been a couple of weeks since I shared my favorite DIY links with you. I had been so wrapped up in my own items that I didn't have time to tell you about these great projects I found.
     1. Wrap Bracelet by Honestly WTF
     2. Painted Driftwood by SEMI
     3. Suede Skirt to Envelope Purse by Tick Tock Vintage
     4. Lip Scrub shared on Tumblr by Love & Louboutins
Now, this will be my last Tuesday DIY post. From now on, I'm cutting out my Flickr Fridays and Tumblr thursdays and combining them into one large post for the weekend. Think of it like a weekly roundup of my favorite finds! I'm thinking about doing it on either Fridays or Sundays!

Talking the Stripes Off a Zebra

I bought this blazer quite a while ago and Geoff doubted it at first. I really like it but it's getting to the point where it's too big on me, ugh! It was smoltering outside today, so I'm happy to be inside and catching up on things before making dinner. When will this heat end? When can I start complaining about the cold again? Haha!

Neutral Flares + Thrifty Monday

Ah, today is a combination post! I went thrifting this morning with my momma and will be sharing my finds with you in my outfit post! I found so many good things today — along with something really hilarious and amazing.