Cut Yourself a Piece of Cake

My fabulous mother found my roommate and I this funky junk decoration for our kitchen at an antique shop in Central PA a few weekends ago:

I haven't played the piano much since I've been in college, but when I did, finding vintage sheet music was one of my favorite things. It's quirky, cheap, and readily available--just look in bins at antique shops or in your grandparent's attic. Seriously--you don't find good, wholesome odes to baked goods like this anymore.

Because I was curious, I opened up the frame to look inside at the lyrics of this 1923 hit. Here's a little tidbit:

My friend Jonesie he got married just the other night
Jonesie was a man who had an awful appetite
His wife went to cooking school, but only learned to bake
When he kicks about the meals, She says "John for goodness sake",

Just cut yourself a piece of cake and make yourself at home,
I'm sorry that I can't cook steak, but cake is so high-toned
You'll get corns and bunions
From eating Spanish onions
So cut yourself a piece of cake and make yourself at home.

Perhaps the song is a foresight into my domesticity and upcoming nuptials.

-Bren

And for your listening pleasure:

The Red 80s-Tastic Jacket

About a year ago on winter break, I went on a Goodwill jaunt and decided I was going to venture into a new territory: sewing.

I bought an array of colors, patterns, and fabrics that I thought, by some stroke of genius, I would be able to transform into something fabulous. That five-year-old's polka dot frock would soon be an adorable mini skirt, the Marilyn Monroe tee would magically become a handbag, and those huge buttons on that 80s-tastic red coat would be great earrings.

After taking the scissors to the bottom of the polka dot skirt off and noticing all I had was a mess of cheap black and white satin imitation, I decided to give up my sewing efforts. And I hadn't even touched the sewing machine yet. Now all I had was a pile of ugly clothes.

Ah! But that red 80s-tastic jacket! I love red, and I love the 80s, I thought. I tried it on, just for kicks, and it fit like a glove. But I wasn't sure--it was a little out there; I had never worn anything like it. While the other sewing misfits were thrown in a bin, the red jacket hung in my closet to be judged. Every time I could potentially wear it, it was always the loser to whatever other jacket wasn't as much of a statement. I wondered, why did I even spend the two bucks on this? Something in me couldn't give it up, though. I needed some sort of a sign.

The sign came in the form of a celebrity. Sarah Jessica Parker. Not even two months later, I opened the latest issue of Glamour to find SJP sprawled on two pages in this:

No more confirmation needed. Wearing that red 80s-tastic jacket would make me look like I belonged on Sex and the City. It would turn heads as I froliked down the streets of New York with my shopping bags and zebra leggings.

So I now wear the jacket with pride. SJP may not know it, but her and I are a little like kindred spirits.

-Bren

Here's What You've Missed...

Two weekends ago, my mom and I traveled to Allentown to visit some friends and family, and to hit up the thrift store circuit. First thing you think of when you think of Allentown, right? Well, we had some major scores and some major steals. Among my favorite purchases, which mostly included an array of fall jackets and offbeat jewelry, were some fabulous dangling earrings that look like something you might have hung on your Christmas tree in the 1950s:

A sweatshirt-fabric fall blazer and an 'out there' necklace:




However, it's been a little difficult lately to pull off my cozy fall fashions due to the weather going from this:

To this:

  

But it's OK, because my fiance (!!!!!!!!!) is the best, most wonderful, handsomest man of all time. OF ALL TIME. Despite our crazy busy schedules, Monday nights are our night for each other. This week I made stuffed green peppers (fresh from the Saylor garden!) and there was slow dancing to Queen in the living room, back rubbing, and trying to form our own two-person acapella band to various songs...while a thunderstorm raged outside. It was all very romantic.
Also. One of my best friends (and bridesmaids!!) was on the PSU Homecoming Court. No big.

With all this excitement, the only things getting me through the drudges of school are excessive wedding blog stalking and lots and lots of pumpkin things. Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin butter, pumpkin margaritas (beats the apple cider margarita by a landslide), pumpkin beer, and pumpkin donuts. I may just turn into a pumpkin.

And that's what you missed.