The Norway Dress

So, if you regularly read my blog, you guys know that I went to Norway this summer. I told you that I bought a vintage dress while there for quite a steal. Let me tell you something about Norway (pretty much all of Scandinavia really), vintage there is almost impossible to find. Norway is an extremely wealthy country and since the majority of people have a good amount of money, used things are not exactly needed or wanted. When people are done with something (anything) they usually throw it out! Clothes are among the most widely discarded, so this dress was quite a find. There is a tear near the waist and a large spot on the back (that wouldn't come out....I am trying to think of ways to cover it up, bows maybe? hah).

I really love the dress. Even though it's a handmade Norwegian dress, it such an Americana vibe to it. Of course, Norway could claim the same thing because our three flag colors are the same! I paired it with seam stockings and an attempt at victory rolls.

I only got Victory Rolls right once, and never again. Unfortunately there is no photographic evidence of that, so you will just have to take my word.

The shoes I am wearing with it were a Christmas present last year from my dear mum. I absolutely love the shape, but I have yet to really wear them because I need to take them to a cobbler, as the heel is a bit wobbly, and I don't want to ruin them!

There were originally 4 rows of buttons, but one fell off in the shop and I could not hunt it down. To solve that problem, I just popped the other one off, and they matched! I am a genius. Please call the people who determine the Nobel prize winner. I am sure I am deserving of that honor. You can see a bit of uneven color in the skirt, but it was much better after a wash. It's really comfy and perfect for baking, and running errands if I need to dash out quickly. Because we all know even a slightly shabby day dress is still better than flannel pajama pants.

I felt pretty sassy wearing this, and who wouldn't be I got a great price, it's adorable, and it fit. The trifecta, if you will.

Meanwhile, I have been baking up a storm. My latest creation, blueberry oatmeal drop biscuit cobbler. all of the yum.

I wish my food pictures would turn out better. I mean, that looks obviously delicious, but still. I guess I need a camera that costs more than $400 and a lightbox. And a studio too, let's just throw that in there too.

P.S. It's finals week, and if I don't do well on my final exams...I am in trouble. This semester I was trying to rescue my GPA from last year.

This is my life right now:

That is me trying to figure out what I need to meet a certain threshold. Of course I failed math last year, but when finals roll around I am a whiz. Go figure.

Trip to Norway!

Okay, so the reason I was relatively mum on the blog was because of all the traveling I was doing. This summer I had an opportunity I couldn't pass up....a trip to Norway! Thankfully since I had about a month long stint as a babysitter, I could afford a ticket, but I never would have dreamed of being able to pay for accommodations. Of course the whole great opportunity was the fact that I was offered a place to stay. It's a really long, complicated story, but the short version is, a friend of a friend of a friend invited me to dinner (while visiting said friend and friend of friend) and she happened to be from Norway and cordially invited me to come stay with them. She has a house in Norway and goes every summer.

Anyway, it's late and I am tired, so this will mostly be pictures, enjoy the beautiful-ness :)

 The crosswalk sign man was fancy!!

 I drank this water (from top of mountain spring) and it was amazing. Best water ever. For real

 This gorgeous place? Rest stop!

 Tiny door in lighthouse house. (Lista lighthouse, Farsund)

 Making chocolate mousse in a Norwegian kitchen (complete with metric measurements lol)

 You can't really make it out, but that was a double rainbow!

 Fjord 

 Guess where this was taken? :)

 A lot of houses there has grass growing on the roofs!

 Hiking on Preikestolen (preacher's pulpit/chair)

 Lake on top of mountain, with dog (after this, some people jumped in, but it looked cold)

 Fjord view from Preikestolen

 Me being danger

 I was standing on a rock

"Cliff diving"

Sadly, I did not pack any vintage. I knew I was going to be doing a lot of outdoor/physical activity, so I figured it wasn't worth the risk. Unfortunately since Norway is a rather wealthy country, everything is expensive, and there really isn't much in the way of vintage. I did, however find a cute dress from the 40's for 40 krone (roughly 7 bucks) and some pretty and really old ( I think) lace. I will have to do an outfit post with the dress, even though it is pretty damaged. I mostly bought it as a souvenir, but I may be able to fix it up a bit. 

Anyway, 2:30 in the morning is when people like me (any people) should be sleeping! 

Night. :)

A Summer Abroad

Well, hello!

Fancy meeting you here. No, really, you still come around this place? I feel like it is the internet equivalent of an old, dusty corner of an attic where no one goes and has not seen the light of day for more than 20 years. Or maybe that is just me being dramatic

Either way, I have spent my summer far and away, but now am settled back into more or less of a routine. For the chunk of my time spent away, I was in Las Vegas visiting my sister, Nikki (and my adorable new baby niece Charlotte). While is Las Vegas we also went to Arizona, near Phoenix, to visit my other sister, Jaime. And we also took a trip down to San Diego.

My sister's and I. Jaime on the left, Nikki on the right. Charlotte being cute.

 World's Tallest Thermometer in Baker California!

Hiking in Mt. Charleston (yes, this picture may have been the best one lol)

Sunset on the beach in San Diego :)

Me at a nightclub in Las Vegas (it's XS at Wynn...literally the # 1 nightclub in the world!)

I had tons of fun with my sisters! Going to the nightclub was actually really fun. I am usually the sit at home and read a book, or curl up with Netflix and a cup of tea type, but going out was nice for a change! I lot of people started talking to me, and I met some pretty interesting characters to say the least.

You will note a lack of vintage wardrobe in the post. That is because, despite all the lovely travel tips I have gotten from other lovely blogger ladies (including: Traveling Vintage by Janey,  Vacation Wardrobe by Frances, and lots of other lovely posts I cannot...am to lazy to...track down) I just didn't feel up to it this time. Next time I have a trip I might try it (at least with some things) but when I am on vacation mode, I don't feel like doing a whole lot of laundering. 

I did manage to make a vintage top right before I left though :)

It's a vintage swimsuit top that seemed like a perfect summer top! I used a vintage pillow case, some lace, and red buttons. 

I also went to somewhere else this summer....NORWAY!!!!!!!!!!!

More on that in another post though! I will try to do some more vintage outfit/inspiration posts in the meantime. To lure people back in to reading this for what it was originally intended, then bam! Make them read about my fabulous trip to Norway Muaahahahahahah! It's foolproof I tell you. Only now I am a fool because I just told you. Blast! My plot has been foiled. Oh well. I trust at least someone will still be around.

Ta-Ta for now! 

Abbi :)