// Things I Love Thursday v.169

♥ this puppy in a boot! ♥

♥ the pie dress is back in stock! one of my favorite dresses! ♥

♥ these moleskin collages ♥

♥ this is what i constantly have to remind myself of ♥

♥ this amy adams shoot from 2006 ♥

♥ this lightning gif ♥

♥ these shetland ponies wearing sweaters ♥

♥ these moths are so beautiful ♥

♥ oh you know, just this baby hippo! ♥

♥ this hedgehog named pendleton ♥

♥ aziz ansari photoshopped onto famous rap albums (there are more!) ♥

// Poor father sells all his land so his 13 year old daughter can enroll in a microbiology masters program in India. She finished high school at age 7! You go girl!

// Science is so cool!

// "You can't sit with us!" - How fourth-wave feminism became 'Mean Girls'

// Little Big Kitchen is my favorite feature on CA's blog, and this D&D themed party (with tavern food!) looks so delicious!

// How to write about transgender people.

// 52 national flags made from each country's traditional foods. Of course USA is made of hot dogs!

// While Loly In The Sky is famous for their quirky novelty loafers, they also make really stylish wedges and sandals!

// 34 creative kitchen hacks that every cook should know.

// There has been a lot of drama happening over at XOJane this week due to this article. While there are far too many comments for me to read all of them, I've made sure to follow up on subsequent pieces. This one was written in response to the original, and then the assigning editor had her say. How do you feel about this whole debacle?

// This bachelorette party looked like so much fun!

// Wishlist Wears: this dress makes me think of Florida in the 80's and I kind of love that // ice cream cone shoes! // this minimal black and white dress // galaxy heels! // floral quilted bomber jacket //  this dress with the big ol skull on the top (i need it!) // this gorgeous number comes in 'macaron' and 'floral' // these tan cut-out brogues! // this old school comic book inspired dress (perfect for valentine's day!) // these 'wine country' ankle boots //  

// Have y'all popped over to see Ebonnie's "You Are Enough" project yet? I really dig the idea and I love seeing all of the photos being submitted. In a few weeks we'll hear from her directly about why she started the project!

// If you're in the market for some new jewelry this season, check out Indigo Box Jewels and LoopsWay! They both have some discount codes for you to use! (20% off IBJ with code clueless and 10% off LoopsWay with the code Clueless.)

// How to implement Feng Shui at work.

What are you loving this week?

// Marbled Paper

Thanks for all of your kind comments yesterday! We really are super excited. I promise to try and not blog solely about this whole "being pregnant" thing, but it probably will be a recurring theme for quite some time. (Just a heads up in case that is totally not your thing! You can get out before it starts!) The thought of growing a person inside of you is kind of super bizarre, and I still haven't completely wrapped my head around it. I know so many of you have noticed the "vibe" around here lately... I've been so out of my element! One outfit post in all of December because I literally could not stomach getting dressed, and a very slow January too due to some hormonal anxiety and a lot of work-related responsibilities. I'm still not back to 100%, but I'm working my way there so please hang with me! I'll have plenty of new, personal posts up in the coming weeks! Anyway, if there were ever a dress that was a straight up "unicorn dress," this would be it. The pink and the purple pattern look exactly like marbled paper, don't you think? (The colors are much brighter in real life -- see here -- but man if these photos aren't desaturated!) I felt so sassy and put together the other day when I wore this outfit for errands around Nashville. I can definitely tell this dress will be a staple through Spring and Summer (as long as I can fit into it. I bought it a size up just in case!) The length of this dress is totally perfect, and it has pockets! I feel like pockets on dresses should be a law or something.

This week Mike and I have been eyeball deep in paperwork and invoices. We've been wrapping up the last part of Honeybean inventory which means going through everything, counting it, checking what sold, when it sold, if there was a sale happening, working out consignment commissions, packing up and shipping the unsold product back, and writing some big, fat checks to our designers. Honeybean will be cleared out for a while as we try and decide if we'll open her up for the Spring/Summer, or if we'll just put it on the backburner now that we've got bigger fish to fry. We were supposed to start Honeybean renovations right around now but again, another thing that had to be pushed to the side. I think it'll be good to give it a rest for a little bit though. Hopefully we'll be able to decide if/when we'll open before the huge Porter Flea in June and then make the call. We've also be filing our taxes. Ugh. If there's one thing that's not fun, it's small biz/self employment taxes. Luckily we don't owe them our arms and legs this year so that's always a plus! As much as I hate doing taxes and inventory, I'm glad we're getting it out of the way in the very first month so we can spend the rest of the year trying to get super organized. -- If any of you have any handy tips or resources for small business organization, I'm all ears! I'm trying out some new methods and if any of them prove fruitful I'll be sure to share them!

Today I'll be sprinkling my time between two design clients and cleaning our house. We have a few friends heading down our way for the weekend so we can celebrate Maya's birthday! I plan on baking her a super delicious (note that I didn't say cute haha) cake and probably making her wear a party hat. As much as I wish to be one of those people who had a spotless house 24/7, it just doesn't happen. Luckily having guests is the perfect motivation to deep clean everything! I mean down to scrubbing the baseboards with a tiny little brush. With that being said, I wish friends would come visit us more often. I'd have less dust to clean off each time! haha

Chalk of the Town dress c/o ModCloth
Target cardigan
Belt from another dress
Link necklace c/o LoopsWay
Target flats

// News Worth Sharing!

The pictures don't lie... if you've been wondering why things have been (incredibly) slow around here since the start of December, now you know! I've been growing a tiny little human, and it has taken absolutely everything out of me. I've been far too terrified to share until now, but I've teetered over into the second trimester (I'll be 14 weeks tomorrow) and I'm trying to enjoy it rather than worry about it. I finally have some energy and spunk back, so hopefully you'll be seeing more of me soon (literally. Like, a whole lot more of me).

We are over the moon to be growing our family, and we're so excited to make Toby a big brother. It certainly wasn't planned, but we're ecstatic nonetheless.

The littlest Flynn is set to arrive around the very end of July this year!

Our hearts have never been so full!

// Heather Grey

Real Talk: I have been eating, breathing, living, and sleeping in this dress lately. There are no words to describe the comfort of this baby. It's just a simple, short sleeve jersey dress but it's perfect in every single way. I normally shy away from sleeves of any sort (they're not exactly flattering on my figure most of the time) but the material is so stretchy. It's one of those dresses you can easily layer up for winter or don alone come summer. I posted a bathroom selfie on Instagram the other day and so many of you wanted more info on the dress. I made sure to respond to everyone but just for posterity: it's from the Rubi Collection by PopBasic and you need to get your hands on it. Seriously. I don't know if they still have any left or not, but it's worth a shot! The necklace and belt are also from the Rubi Collection! I love how they go together so well. I know my boots don't exactly match the belt but these shoes are so comfortable, I can't help but wear them with everything. I'm also making the most of Mike's old military jacket. I'd be lying if I said this wasn't totally my current dream outfit haha -- Obviously this day was on the warmer side (it's been so nice lately!) but today the high is a whopping 31 degrees. UGH! My favorite thing to do is complain about the weather. Welcome to my blog!

Toby went to hang out with Mike's parents for part of the weekend, then his sister took Toby to the circus on Saturday. We were childless for all of 27 hours and guess how we spent it? Netflix and sleeping. And we loved every minute of it! I'm growing more and more aware of my age it seems haha We spent all of Sunday traipsing around Nashville, running errands and bumping into friends. I feel like weekends are getting fewer and farther between. This week I know I have a whole lot to get accomplished. I have a lot of design work to try and get done, but all I want to do is plan a Valentine's Day getaway. (Valentine's Day is by far my favorite holiday, despite so many people saying it's not a real holiday haha) Can we all just enjoy the fact that everything gets to be pink and red for a little while?!

Thanks to everyone who helped me land a spot on the WWDMAGIC "blogging team" again! It was a totally different experience having to rally for votes this time, but major props to Stylesmith for the social media marketing because I watched the WWDMAGIC Facebook double in "likes" in just 10 days! Impressive! I know I annoyed the bejeezus out of each and every one of you who follow my blog or any social media profiles. But no joke, y'all are rad and I obviously couldn't have this opportunity without you! Now I will shut up about it (but if you're going to be at MAGIC next month or in Vegas, let a girl know!)

Rubi Collection dress/belt/necklace c/o PopBasic

Forever 21 jacket (mens)

Ankle boots c/o LuLu*s

PS: "Grey" always makes more sense to me than "gray" when it comes to color. I know it's technically wrong to write "grey" in the US, but whatever... haha!

// Dressed To Impress

I've been looking for reasons to get dressed lately... I've made it 2 out of 4 days so far this week haha The weather was amazing on Monday when Mike and I met up with Holly and Tim for a Him + Honey photoshoot. We carted them all around Nashville and tried making the most of our time together. It was so rad to meet Holly since I've known her via the web for quite some time. She came over from the UK at the beginning on November and has been making her way around the country since. I'm so so glad she had a few days in Nashville with her boyfriend and even more tickled that she contacted us for a shoot! After the shoot we treated Holly and Tim to Five Guys since they had never had it. We shot so many photos that day! I can't wait to get the scans back from our lab. The sky was crystal clear and the temperature hovered around 60 all day... Dreamy! We couldn't have asked for a better day considering several days before and after were frigid... including today. Mike and I worked on Honeybean inventory and designer payouts for the rest of the week and we tried keeping warm despite the intermittent snow. I'm eager for some Spring days, that's for sure.

Tuesday through Thursday was spent in a pajama dress and yoga pants... and several pairs of Mike's socks! Sometimes I feel like I'm more productive if I put a little bit of effort into how I look during the day, but let's be real: it's way too easy to stay cozy and comfortable when you don't leave the house!

I finally pulled myself out of my pajamas for long enough on Thursday to snap some outfit photos. These photos took about 1.5 minutes to take because it was freezing! I mean high winds and a windchill of 9 degrees... and I wasn't wearing a jacket. Ugh, sometimes I do really stupid things haha I wanted to show as much of the dress as I could, because it's really really gorgeous. I do wish it were slightly longer because the poofy tulle underskirt sticks out kind of funny, but I like to think that the pretty lace overlay makes up for that. (Just a heads up, this dress is from a UK-based plus size brand and the sizing is a little strange for US folks... They stock sizes 14-32 UK, which is roughly the equivalent of US sizes 10-28, even though their products claim they start at 12! My dress is a size 14 UK (US 12 by their standards, US 10 by traditional standards) and so far with my experience they tend to run a full size big. Beware of possible customs fees, too!) In the spirit of dressing up, I even put on some lipstick (for the first time in forever!) My nose and fingertips were the color of my lips by the time I raced back to the car.

I'm looking forward to a pretty easy, breezy weekend around these parts. If I finish all of my sign orders and knock out some emails beforehand, I'll be one happy camper! Happy Friday!

Black lace dress c/o Yours Clothing

Black ruched sleeve shrug c/o Yours Clothing

No Nonsense tights

Ross clutch

Blowfish wedges

// Things I Love Thursday v.168

♥ this is precious in every way ♥

♥ this embroidery piece ♥

♥ this is the prettiest ring ever ♥

♥ this strawberry paper lantern is awesome ♥

♥ this illustration is gorgeous ♥

♥ this collection of 'cats stuck in things' ♥

♥ i'm dreaming up ways to style my "hello sunshine" loafers ♥

♥ these incredible pastel drawings ♥

♥ these mixed media collages depicting world events ♥

♥ this is the best ♥

// Check out these rings designed around 20 Disney princesses. So gorgeous!

// Carrie Anne shared her "Life List" of goals and I'm so inspired! I do a "## before ##" each year for my birthday, but I love the idea of thinking bigger/longer. I might have to try and make my own life list! What would be on yours?

// Oh you know, just cats taking selfies. And cats about to sneeze.

// If you see anything that tickles your fancy on Loopsway, you can save 10% with the code "Clueless10" (Everything is under $20!) - Maybe these lip earrings, or this rad feather necklace?

// 21 ways you can take mashed potato to the next level. You're welcome.

// Did you know you can shop both the BeauCoo shop and directly from the BeauCoo website (as in, users' profile pages!)?! Well, you can! Pop over and browse for inspiration, and see if you can pick up any rad pieces of your own.

// Snap! A shark-themed wedding!

// Last week my husband rescued a bird from our front yard, and then a kitten in a parking lot. On animals and compassion...

// 44 top examples of gorgeous letterpress business cards. I have a soft spot for anything letterpress!

// The 9 most epic texting pranks of all time. I was dying while reading this!

// Utah is ending homelessness by giving people apartments or homes. It's pretty amazing honestly.

// Don't forget to enter the best giveaway ever! Seriously. I want to win it haha

// It happened to me: I regret reporting my rape to the police. Seriously, this is heartbreaking. It's so awful that anyone has to go through something as traumatic as rape, but even more horrific when they're treated like this by people who are supposed to help/protect them.

// The 18 best 90's pop songs you forgot existed. I'm never listening to anything else.

// Veronica shared some great stuff lately including a post on fear, an outfit of the day, and a chill-out playlist.

// 17 signs you were born in 1986, 1987, 1988, or 1989.

What are you loving this week?

Feel free to leave links to your favorite articles (on your blog or another site!)

so we can all check them out with you! Happy Thursday! xo

// Rad Gal, Rad Gig: Roller Derby

My roller derby teammates call me Feisty. I’m one of the smallest players in the league and have been with Houston Roller Derby for over 3 years. Technically I’m considered a “veteran” at this point, but there are many women who have been with the league from the start: 8+ years.

I became interested in roller derby in an incredibly unoriginal way. I watched the movie Whip It. 10 times. In 3 days. Maybe 2 days… The sport looked perfect for me! I’ve always been fairly physical and it seemed like a great outlet. :)

I googled local leagues and found Houston Roller Derby [HRD], which was nearby at the time. I went to a couple bouts [games] and fell in love! I had rollerbladed with my dogs for years and thought I could definitely try this out. HRD has a recreational league, where many of our super stars got their start, and my 7 months with them was extremely beneficial. I made my best derby friends and learned something new every week.

League tryouts were tough. Rec league, at the time, was once a week and try outs, like league practices, were 3 days that week. I was tired. My endurance was in the garbage, and so was my knowledge in regards to any kind of game strategy, so I tried my hardest on the things I knew I could do: sprinting, get-ups, and stops. I was hoping upon hoping that they would see enough potential to think they could just teach me the rest - and they did! I made the league!

As fresh meat you attend league practices, but are not yet assigned to a specific team - that comes later. When you go from practicing once a week to three times a week your skill level increases quickly. Most of the girls talked about which teams we’d probably get drafted to, which team that wanted to be on, etc. I honestly didn’t think about it. I didn’t want to be disappointed or feel rejected. I knew I’d end up where I belonged….and I did. :) The *perfect* team drafted me. :)

I’m so proud to be on The Bayou City Bosses because they are strong, supportive, and HILARIOUS. We are silly. We just are. But what makes us amazing is that we know when it’s time to cut the crap and focus. Some of my best derby friends are on opposing teams, but after a couple months or so, I let the Bosses see my true, super weird, colors and they didn't even flinch. These ladies are awesome.

As a rookie, you typically don’t get as much play time, so a few of my teammates encouraged me try out for a secondary team, the Knockouts. HRD's All Star team travels around the U.S. playing in all kinds of tournaments. The Knockouts is the “B” travel team that only travel about 3-5 hours to play in neighboring bouts. Sounded like fun to me - and an opportunity to play more.

My Knockouts captains believed in my ability to jam [“point scorer”], which helped me physically and mentally [rollerderby is a HUGE mental game]. Since that moment, I was jammed more at my regular team practice. The fact that my Boss captains were confident that I could succeed as a jammer, was exactly what I needed to boost my confidence. I had been in a rut, and their faith pulled me out from the depths of my insecurities.

I grew a lot this last 2013 season. Sometimes my teammates joke about a move I’ve started doing - they call it “twinkle toes” because I tend to spin out of sticky situations. I upped my game by adding CrossFit and running into my off-skates routines. The improvement in my stability and ability to absorb hits has been noticeable, too!

The 2013 season ended with my team winning the Championship. CHAMPIONSHIP. We all worked so hard all season to be taken seriously, and we won. WE WON.

Through the years our league has grown [Co-Ed derby, and Junior derby what what!], and so have I. I am physically stronger, as well as more confident in myself and in my game. My teammates are an amazing support system and I am so lucky to have them! I look forward to my 3rd season with the Bayou City Bosses. 2014 is going to be amazing!

If any part of my story appeals to you – do the research! Find a league in your vicinity [or an hour away like me!] and check out their recreational league, find out when try outs are, etc. Rec league helps you learn the basic skills that are used over and over in the league – a huge stepping stone before try outs if you ask me! It's okay to be frightened at first. Lots of people have overcome their fears of hitting, being hit, falling, etc. You learn how to do these things safely with a great support system around you.

Here’s what I will not lie about:

Roller derby is a huge time and money commitment. I drive almost an hour to practice, skate and do drills for 2-3 hours, then drive an hour back home. And this is just practice. There are also meetings, fundraisers, and events. You don’t get paid at all. You are the one chipping in the dough: monthly dues [cover facility rentals, etc], skates, helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, mouth guard, etc. A good pair of skates will cost over $100.

Here’s why it’s worth it:

You will meet the most interesting people ever. Between the skaters, referees, and other officials, we’ve got a variety of professions: school teachers, lawyers, engineers, bartenders, healthcare professionals, nurses, EMTs - you name it. And their jobs aren’t even what make them interesting. You’ll gain another family, a support system. Some great side effects of derby are an amazing butt, physical fitness, confidence, strength, laughter, and plenty more. To be honest, I consider myself a bit of an introvert, but something about skating at our monthly bouts [games] give me such a rush. Sometimes kids [and grown-ups!] will ask you for a photo or autograph afterwards. Crazy, right? [I may or may not scour Instagram for these photos later…] Are you hooked yet?? :)

Read more about my derby adventures on my blog, grrfeisty. Thanks to Kaelah for being a huge supporter and role model of strong women everywhere. :)

xoxo

Feisty

Rad Gal, Rad Gig is a new feature on The Clueless Girl's Guide where I invite really neat gals to share their really cool stories. Whether your gig is a full-time job or just a hobby, I want to hear from you! If you think you'd be perfect for Rad Gal, Rad Gig, feel free to get in touch or view the information on the Submissions page! Just submit a short description of what you do and why you think it's rad!

PS; It's Roxy's (Err, Feisty's!) birthday today! Go wish her a happy one!