First, let me say that I am extremely flattered to be nominated by both Maria and Tien–two wonderful gals whom I stalk daily through their blogs–for the Happy Blogger award. I love that we have this growing community, where we’re all supportive of each other.

I’m supposed to list ten things that make me happy, and then nominate ten others. I’m generally a very happy person, so picking ten things is very challenging. Here they are, in no particular order:

Anthropologie — Obviously, I love Anthropologie, but let me tell you a few reasons why. I love Anthropologie because they have such unique pieces. It’s like going to the best thrift store ever, but all the clothes are new, and they don’t have that funky thrift store smell. You can pretty much do all your shopping there–from clothing, to shoes, to underwear, to household items. I’m not saying that I’ve never had a bad experience with Anthro–I have, and I’m sure that everyone has. Generally, however, I leave the store happy, and happy with my purchases.

Art — I’ve always loved making art, whether it’s realistic or abstract, paint or pencil, sculpture or screen printing. I just love being able to express myself creatively. I’ve always regretted not studying art more in school, but with the DIY movement and the success of Etsy, I’ve been able to find a creative outlet for sharing my art. I try to make my art as accessible as possible by drawing whimsical, vintage-looking girls. I feel like I’m providing both decoration and whimsy to whoever purchases my art.

My Fur Babies — I’m the proud parent of two fur babies: a miniature dachshund and jack russell mix named Gracie, and a calico cat that thinks she’s a dog named Peanut. I treat both of these little ones like my babies, including tucking them in at night, and spending as much time with them during the day as possible. I’m a vegetarian and I love animals, so I’m very particular about makeup and products I use around the home to ensure they’re not tested on animals.

Music — I enjoy a pretty eclectic range of music, but my favorite band of all time is, and always has been, a tie between the Beatles and REM. I’m a big indie music fan, and love music from Jenny Lewis, the Decemberists, the Shins, Camera Obscura, and others. I’m also a huge Tori Amos fan, which I think makes me a little goth . Music is an important part of my day–I always have music on while I work, plenty of CDs in my car, and my iPod is always loaded. When I lived in DC, I went to a lot of shows, and hope to continue to do so in Portland.

Mary Janes — I’ve always had a weakness for Mary Jane shoes, whether they’re flat, heeled, t-strapped, or whatever, I want them. Ninety-percent of my shoes are Mary Janes. I love the vintage, little girl look, especially when paired with a sexier, high-heeled style. In my mind, they are the absolute perfect pair of shoes, and Anthropologie is always making irresistible Mary Janes. When I’m not wearing heels, I’m wearing Chuck Taylors–so it’s either Chucks or Mary Janes. They are my wardrobe basics.

Makeup — Even though I don’t wear a ton of makeup, and I don’t always wear makeup when I’m going out, I have a strange addiction to makeup. For me, it’s literally paint for my face, and I love to create different looks with it. Lately, I’ve been experimenting more with red lipstick, for a vintage vibe. My top two favorite reds are Laura Mercier lipstick in Mistress, and MAC lipstick in Lady Bug. I also love neutral-colored lipsticks–my two favorites in this category are Urban Decay’s Sell-Out and MAC’s Shy Girl. I love trying out new makeup and could spend hours in Sephora or a makeup counter, but I stay away from drug store brands as they are usually tested on animals.

Portland — I’ve only been here for a few months, but Portland is by far the most awesome place I’ve ever lived. The people here are really nice, the weather is really mild (great for my migraines), and they still have all the stores that I like to shop in. Plus, I’m just hours away from San Francisco, which I also love. Since I’ve been in Portland, I’ve been able to get outside and hike more, and I’m really enjoying nature, whereas in DC I felt cooped-up in my apartment all the time.

My Friends — Since high school, I’ve really kept my close friends to a minimum. I still have friends from high school I keep in touch with and friends from work, but some of the nicest I’ve met have been from my blog.

My Bed — I love to sleep in, so my bed is ridiculously comfortable. I pile on all the extra pillows I can, I wrap myself in my Anthro quilt, and I could stay in bed for days if nothing was going on in the real world. I also have a wonderful stuffed buffalo that Mitch bought me, which I think is such a weird stuffed animal that it has to be on my bed at all times. His name is Randy.

My Partner in Crime — Mitch is the person who understands me the most and has encouraged me the most. He’s my very best friend, someone who knows what I’m thinking before I even say it. We don’t even have to communicate with each other sometimes, just being around each other is enough. Except for work, we really haven’t been apart for the entire eight years of our relationship. I can’t imagine spending my life with a better partner in crime.

There’s so many other things that I love–Essie nail polish, Wes Andersen movies, reading, silly television shows, etc.–but I think ten will do for now. Even though I’m going to cheat a little bit (I’m going to name some bloggers that have already been nominated), here are my nominations for ten bloggers I’d like to know more about, in no particular order:

1. Kim at Anthroholic
2. Anjali at Golden Means
3. Kjrsten and Anna at {have a cute day}
4. Amy at Kelinda. Kelinda
5. Tien at adiaphane
6. Alexis at JCA
7. Roxy at Effortless Anthropologie
8. Maria at Infinite Whimsy
9. Dea at The Dea Dairies
10. Taryn at Anthro Happy

Next weekend, you’ll be able to see me live, and in person during the SE Portland Art Walk (March 6 and 7). I’m busy making lots of new prints and planning my outfits. I’m really looking forward to this–my first show in Portland. Here’s a little teaser of some of the pieces I’ve been working on.

I’m so excited to be in a pet shop. I think it fits well with the whimsical theme of my prints. Plus, I’m a huge animal lover, so I’m super excited that I’ve got such a great venue at For Paws, 3029 SE Division St.

Since this is the last weekend before Art Walk, there have been many trips to Michael’s, and many hours dedicated to painting. But even while one is working, you still want to look your best. Here’s my favorite new outfit from the Anthro after-hours party.

In this outfit: Felted Lei Cardigan Lisbet Blouse Pollen Promise Skirt Picholine D’Orsay Wedges

I want to personally thank everyone who came out to the Anthropologie after-hours party last night. I really enjoyed meeting everyone and seeing everyone’s outfits (you guys have really great style!). I hope everyone had fun. I’m sorry I didn’t get to talk to everyone more. I think we all just kind of got caught up in the excitement of shopping. The management at Anthro has expressed interest in doing this again in the future, perhaps on a periodic basis. Maybe, next time, we can all plan on going out for lunch or drinks before or afterwards so we can all get to know each other better.

Thanks to the staff who did such a great job with the fashion show, food, champagne, and just being cool to hang out with. I think events like this really set Anthropologie apart from other retailers. The photos should be on Anthropologie’s Facebook page soon. Once again, it was great to meet everyone and I hope to see you all again soon!

For those of you who went to the party, what was your favorite part of it?

Lately, I’ve been gravitating towards a more girly look. Anthro seems more than willing to oblige my need for floaty tops. Normally, I steer away from sheer things that need layering. For some reason, these tops just seem irresistible. Both blouses are pretty roomy, but I think they’re meant to be that way so I left them loose and airy.

	In this outfit: Lambent Amaryllis Blouse Joe’s Hannah Provocateur Jeans
	In this outfit: Some unnamed blouse that’s only in the store, not on the website Joe’s Hannah Provocateur Jeans
	I also tried the New York, New York dress (formally known as the Amsterdam Dress), which was super cute, but also very see-through despite having a slip lining. It also made me look more endowed in the chest than I am, which is hard to imagine. Despite being one of the most adorable dresses out this season, it has to go back. Also, I’m very excited about the after hours Anthro shopping party this week. I’ve never been to one before, so I’m excited to be a part of it.

I’ll have a booth with all my art, prints, and paper goods at the Portland Art Walk, Saturday and Sunday, March 6-7. Come see me inside For Paws, a lovely pet shop at 3029 SE Division St, and check out more fun at all the Art Walk’s locations throughout Southeast Portland!

I love Spring, and I have a weakness for Spring clothing. Anthro is definitely trying to put the hurt on my wallet with all the cute offerings.

I recently picked up the Collected Calico Dress, which is a great little summer staple. It has a very structured, corset-like top, and smaller-chested gals could wear the dress without a bra. The skirt is very soft and full. It also has a very pretty slip underneath with a ruffle, which is a great little surprise peeking out. My only issue with this dress is that the zipper is a little difficult to get up and down. If you have a willing partner in crime, the dress is no problem to get on. I can see myself wearing this at outdoor festivals, it’s so nice and breezy.

I’ve chosen to top it with the Parted Petals Cardi, which gives it a nice, all-over, blue feel.

Today, I had the day off, so I decided to go downtown and enjoy the day with my partner in crime. I wanted to share with you my outfit of the day, which is practically and explosion of color. I love the Burgeoning Latitudes Dress. It definitely minimizes my chest, without adding bulk anywhere else. Plus, it has two huge pockets on the front, almost like an apron, that would fit anything you would need for the day. The material is a thick cotton, and I think it will wear well into summer.

The Parted Petals Cardi is one of my favorite new arrivals. It definitely looks best with all the top buttons buttoned, so that the flower is complete on top. This way, you can have a cute cardigan sticking out from underneath. It is somewhat cropped, but that’s good news for short-waisted gals like me.

I wore my hair up because it was just that kind of a lazy day. I even went without make-up. I couldn’t resist the urge to get dressed up all cute, and go downtown. How was your weekend?

The necklace is one of my favorite Anthro treasures, ever. I’m not sure that I ever saw it online, and I only saw one in the store. It’s just a mix of random letters. Believe me, I’ve tried to look for hidden words inside. It’s just the cutest little necklace, ever. It’s the one item in my closet that I will always get complements on, no matter what.

When I was pulling these outfits today, I must have been in a subconscious country western theme.

	I could definitely kick up my heels at a square dance in this skirt. It has lots of crinoline and movement in the bottom of the skirt. The skirt itself looks like it would be a rough texture and stiff, but it’s actually just a very sturdy cotton. It needs to be a little stiff to hold the shape. The Bright Side Blouse is incredibly bright in person, but looks great when paired with a neutral like this skirt, or perhaps even under the Optimist Dress. Bright Side Blouse Galloping Filly Skirt
	This is definitely a hippy/peasant dress. The white is thick enough that it’s not sheer, which is a good thing. The bottom of the dress has a slip underneath and lots of layers to give it just the right amount of “flowiness”. This would be great for an outdoor concert or a picnic. I paired it with my always trusty Felted Lei Cardigan. Grasslands Dress
	This last outfit doesn’t really have a country theme. It’s more…Starfleet? The Stratus Cloud Top is extremely slimming, and very comfortable. It’s grey, but for some reason, the camera flash is making it seem metallic silver. I like the shirt so much, I think I’m going to go back and buy it in the creme. I paired it with my Joe’s Hannah Provocateur jeans, which are, simply put, the best jeans ever. Thanks to the wonderful Tien for recommending these jeans. Joe’s Hannah Provocateur Stratus Cloud Top

Have you tried any new items from the February catalog? What’s on your wishlist?