New blog!

Hey friends!

I've started a new blog that will focus more on married life, 

daily musings, and my inspirations rather than just the fashion stuff.

If you'd like to follow, please click here!

The last post.

Hey lovlies,

Blogging has certainly been a journey for me.  I've met so many amazing people, learned new things, and it's just really exposed me to new things I wouldn't have been exposed to otherwise. 

Alas, all good things must come to an end.  My life is INCREDIBLE right now.  I'm engaged to the man of my dreams, planning a wedding, almost ready to enter my senior year of school, moving into our first place together, and about to apply to grad schools, most of which are across the country.  As school and my personal life become more of a priority, the internet world becomes less of one. 

So, I'm hanging out my blogging boots (bad analogy?), and I'm retiring the blog.  That isn't to say I won't be back, though! However, more than likely, if I get time in the summer, or sometime next year, I will start a new blog, probably more focused on married life.

Thanks to all my friends for sticking by & you will all be missed!

Love,

Brittany

Wedding Blog & Giveaway Winner!

First of all, I'm proud to announce my new wedding blog, The Rustic Bride! I'm going to be posting my inspiration, rants, reviews, and random thoughts on all things wedding! Feel free to follow if you are into that kinda thing.

Image via One Love Photo

Next, we have the giveaway winner from the $100 Shopbop Giveaway! Congrats to Lisa from Confessions of a Call Center Gal! Lisa was chosen from Random.org.  Thanks to everyone who entered!

Black Velvet

Meet my current favorite dress, this lovely black long-sleeved number! It is as warm as can be & can be paired with just about anything.  I wore it with red tights and gold oxfords on Christmas, but didn't get any pictures because I was busy working in the morning & going from house to house the whole day! Alas, the dress is perfect for such occasions or simply going to Tropical Smoothie, as Shelby & I did last week.

I want to thank you all for your warm regards to my engagement post & all of your well wishes!  It is truly the most exciting time in our lives and while most people in our lives are extremely supportive, there have been a few challenges in sharing the news that has ultimately lead to unforeseen circumstances.  I don't want to go into much detail, because really, when the news went public, we were completely flooded with friends and family who were so overjoyed & were practically waiting everyday for us to make an engagement announcement.   Nothing & no one can bring us down, and tough situations like these are what bring Patrick and I together even closer.  We know that no matter what the situation, when life gets tough, we have each other to rely on. I'm naturally a worrier, but when doubts about school, work, money, and the future arise, I just step back and realize that I have Patrick, and it is the most comforting feeling in the entire world.


In more positive news, I've set a date to look at wedding dresses... the weekend of March 12! My mom, my stepmom, and my best friend (hopefully!) are going to Baltimore for a trunk show of a designer I absolutely adore & have had my eye on for a while, but of course I'm not going to reveal on here until after my big day! I will say, though, that Pat has seen the one particular dress I want. We are nontraditional like that! I searched forever for a vintage dress, but ultimately had no luck & I really didn't want to buy online. Bummer but I've already planned out engagement photos & I'm going to be wearing one of my favorite vintage dresses for that!

I promise, no more wedding blabbing from this point on, except for mentioning the big stuff perhaps! I'm going to try to start up the wedding blog tonight, for those of you interested! I will tweet the link & post it next time I do a blog post!

*photos by Shelby Ballou!

$100 Shopbop Gift Card Giveaway!

In celebration of my engagement, I have teamed up with Shopbop to host a $100 gift card giveaway! Shopbop.com has easily been one of my favorite shopping websites since I can even remember. I browse the "What's New" section several times a week and can't get enough. Since I'm in the market for pretty dresses (engagement parties & engagement photos & rehersal dinners, oh my!), one of the first places I went to browse was Shopbop.

Shopbop is THE shop to covet all of your fashion needs.  Into trends? Shopbop's got you covered. More of a basics girl? They've got more than you can imagine! I've been in the market for a pair of black leggings & absolutely love what I found.  Several brands to note include Falke, Plush leggings, and David Lerner leggings.  I'm a strong believer that you can never have enough staples, especially when the quality is the utmost priority of the shop, which Shopbop has clearly proved time and time again.

Rules:
1. Anyone can enter & this contest is open to international readers! (Shopbop even offers free international shipping in 3 days. Need I say more?)
2. Be sure to leave your email so I can contact you if you win!
3. One comment per person.  You may leave one additional comment if you tweet the contest and link to this page.  You may also leave one additional comment if you blog this contest and link back to this page.
4. Contest ends Sunday, January 16, 2011.
3. Good luck!

* P.S.- Shopbop has an amazing "Under $100" section that I adore- be sure to check it out!

Apple of my eye, acorn of my tree

Yesterday, I had the best day of my life.  Patrick and I decided to meet up for a breakfast date at our favorite place, somewhere we've been going since we were in high school- Beckett's.  He showed up to pick me up with the most beautiful flowers!


While we had the camera out, I had to show off my new Frye boots Patrick got my for Christmas. Am I the luckiest girl ever, or what??

We enjoyed our favorite, eggs benedict, and let me tell you.. it was the best eggs benedict I've ever had.


After breakfast, it was POURING rain! We put on some good tunes and headed out. Patrick told me he was taking me to a secret location and I was blindfolded! I've never been blindfolded before and it was a little nerve-wrecking, considering I'm a control freak. It was funny though, I knew exactly what part of Norfolk we were in (on the interstate, there are these bumps on a particular exit, and I take that exit everyday to school), but had no idea where he could be taking me.

Once we were parked, he led me out of the car into the "secret location." He said he was looking for the perfect spot in the "secret location" and finally took the blindfold off. When I opened my eyes, we were in a little cozy bookstore that I had never been to! He then gave the most beautiful speech, and reached out for a book on the bookshelf.  He had created a book, entirely from scratch (yes, including the binding).. "The ABC's of PBJ." For those of you who don't know, our cutesy couples nickname is PBJ (Patrick and Brittany Jerome) after discovering on "The Office" Pam Beasely and Jim had the same nickname.  The book was a collection of poems, alliterating each letter, a-z, incorporating inside jokes, memories, and the most heartfelt words I've ever read in my life. By this point, I was crying so hard that the words were blurring and I just saw the outline of Patrick on one knee, holding out a ring. I lost it and once he said those magical words, it took me a minute to compose myself enough to say yes!


 After we were officially an engaged couple, we couldn't contain the excitement and were eager to share the news with family.  Luckily, my dad's entire side of the family was gathering that night for a late Christmas celebration.  It warmed my heart to see everyone so happy for us.

I should probably explain one thing. The engagement wasn't really a huge surprise, although the way he proposed certainly was! In fact.. back in April, I picked out my ring! Remember this post? That's the day I found it! It was at my favorite vintage shop and I knew from the second I saw it that it was my ring. We had been talking marriage for a couple of months so naturally I decided to see what was on the market. The ring never even needed resizing! It's circa 1930s sapphire with diamonds on the side.


Oh yeah, and did I mention that we've already began planning.. as in several months ago? Thus, why things have been so quiet on the blog! I am so pleased to say that we will be getting married November 5, 2011! We have our photographer, videographer, officiant, and I *think* I've found my dress! I'm so excited to share all of this with you, and if you read this entire post.. kudos! I will be sharing this journey with you guys and I've been toying with the idea of starting a little wedding blog to post my inspiration.. perhaps a Tumblr? Let me know what you think!

Winter Wonderland

I'm back! Did you miss me? This morning, as of 9:24 am, I finished all of my exams! These past couple of weeks I've been balancing work and exam studying, and I feel like I haven't had ANY time to really get in the Christmas spirit.  As I was driving to my exam this morning, I noticed a few snowflakes which quickly multiplied. By the time I was finished with my exam, I noticed a dusting of snow! So pretty and the perfect solution to get me in the mood for Christmas! Weather in Virginia Beach is known for being extremely strange.  We were in the 60s yesterday and today we have snow! I remember a few years ago, I wore shorts and a tshirt on Christmas. I will be having none of that this year!

entire outfit thrifted, DKNY tights

I honestly don't know what to do with myself over break! I'm working but will still have a lot of free time. I think I'm going to try to organize the room where I keep my clothes for the shop (it's a mess!) and try to see some friends that are home! I'm also getting a new car tomorrow, so I will be spending the day at the DMV.  Patrick and I are really tight on money so we are doing lots of baking for gifts this year!

Do you like Patrick's "It's snowing!" face?! And now.. some fun action shots! Enjoy your day, loves!

Christmas Wishlist

I've seen a couple of wish lists out in the blogosphere & thought it was an appropriate time to create my own! (Appropriate time meaning I'm supposed to be writing an essay.) Some of the items are a bit more realistic than others.. in my mind at least. Anything's possible though, right family & friends!? Wink, wink...

wishlist by finderskeepersblog featuring a gray dress

1. Canon 5D Mark II- My dream camera. The video capability is incredible and all of my favorite local photographers & friends seem to use this camera with dreamy results.  My first purchase once I'm done with college and land a "real" job, I'm buying one of these babies.
2. Tickets. Plane tickets to the Washington coast? Sure! Fleet Foxes concert, front row and center? Lovely! I love tickets of all sorts.
3. Hunter boots. I've been aching for a pair and I've completely fallen head over heels for this salmon-colored pair. I'm also partial to the red, but I think the salmon would go with my wardrobe money.  If I don't get a pair for Christmas I might have to splurge myself!
4. Pretty velvet part dress. So pretty for ice skating, an activity Patrick and I do a lot in the winter! My 21st birthday is also around the corner so this dress would be perfect for a dinner date. I have a vintage black velvet dress I thrifted a while ago, but it doesn't compare to this silver one!
5. Ladylike gloves. I particularly love the little bows on this pair and the robin's egg blue color. I have a great pair of tan leather fur-lined 1950s gloves, but this pair would be great for a pop of color!
6. Prints. I can't get enough of prints right now! Printed dresses, printed tops, printed skirts, printed tights.  I'm into mixing and matching for interesting combinations.  I love the muted tones of this dress from Toast, it's very neutral and would be perfect paired with just about anything.
7. A boston terrier.  Sigh. If I had to pick one thing out of my wish list, I would want a boston terrier puppy more than ANYTHING! Patrick and I talk about our future boston all the time.  He/she even has a name already! I can't wait to be a mommy to one of these precious dogs.
8. Frye boots.  I've wanted a pair of these for a while.  They are so timeless, classic, and chic and only get better with age! I wish I could afford more quality items that I will have forever, but that will come with time I suppose & that's why vintage is so great! I would want dark brown, it goes with just about everything & will age well!
9. A designer bag. Chloe bags have my heart! They are so feminine and sturdy. This one would never leave my side!
10. Macbook. This will become a necessity sooner or later. Once we move out, we won't have a single computer! Well, Patrick has an old desktop and I have a laptop that crashes, but we will need a reliable one.  Macbook is the perfect solution.. I've wanted one since I was a sophomore in high school!

Black Friday 30% Off Sale!

Hey guys, I'm having a Black Friday 30% Off Sale going on through the whole weekend! Snatch your favorite before it's gone! Head on over to Finders Keepers right now & check everything out!

Bright & Warm

Boy, it's been a while! Sorry for the short absence, I've had quite a few things on my plate these past couple weeks! I found Patrick the perfect Christmas present, but I really had to do some hunting! I'm SO incredibly impatient when it comes to giving gifts; I kept BEGGING Patrick to let me give him his gift early but he refuses so we made a compromise and I let him touch it & gave him a hint! I'll continue with the begging, though, I'm not good at surprises.

We also saw Horse Feathers earlier in the week at an amazing venue, The Southern in Charlottesville.  My favorite venues are always the small, intimate ones.  We were 10 feet away from the band before the show- they were hanging out at the bar and we were sitting at a table (the venue is half bar/restaurant, half venue, but separated.. if that makes sense).  Saturday night we made another mini road trip to Richmond to see Joanna Newsom at the National.  We saw Joanna headline in Seattle with Robin Pecknold as the opening act, but the venue was so incredibly hot, and we had seats on the VERY LAST ROW (that's what happens when you let your boyfriend be in charge of tickets!) so we really couldn't enjoy her too much.  Luckily, for this show, we were lucky enough to be in the 2nd row, front and center! It was incredible and we met some really great guys who were also from Hampton Roads, and we all attend pretty much the same concerts! It's pretty rare Pat and I find people with the same music taste as us, so that was definitely a highlight of the night.

 American Apparel cardigan, Tulip dress c/o Tulle, light pink Microfiber Tights c/o We Love Colors, belt from thrifted dress

The semester is coming to an end quickly and I've been in a bit of a fashion rut.  I find myself in jeans or leggings and an oversized cardigan most days, comfort seems to take control when exams, papers, and projects near due dates!  Luckily, Tulle saved the day and sent me this wonderful floral dress.  At first, I was a little hesitant about ordering such a bright dress in the end of fall, but I figured that I needed a little more color in my life, plus I've been looking for a light printed dress to match these tights! (Can I just say that from the second I put these tights on, they easily became one of my favorites.. so comfortable, warm, and sturdy!)  I can already tell the dress will become a staple because I wore it three times last week.. that's probably breaking every fashion law there is but rules are no fun anyways!


My binders and books appear to be frowning at me right now so I suppose I ought to get back to writing this paper.  Have a wonderful week, and since I probably won't be around until then, have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm thankful for so many things in my life right now.. perhaps I will do a Thanksgiving post on that.  Also, since I'm only posting about once a week or every other week, you can also follow me on Twitter or ask me any burning questions on Formspring!

I had to include that picture of Patrick, it's pretty rare I get a genuine smiling picture from him because his first response in front of the camera is to either make the weirdest face possible or pretend to be a U.O. model!

Human

Last week was rough for me. I honestly had a little bit of a meltdown. All that's been on my mind lately is graduate school, even though I don't even apply for another year, but every move I make right now will affect if I get into grad school or not.  Since I transferred to ODU from a community college with a degree, my GPA starts over at a 0 meaning I have to work super hard to get my GPA where I need it.  Grad school is competitive enough as it it, but with my major, only about 20 students are accepted to each school with over 100 applicants. If you don't have a certain GPA, forget about it.



 coat via Buffalo Exchange in Seattle, vintage pocket watch necklace, dress Style&Co, Hue tights, Steve Madden boots
I got back my scores from my midterms and in all honesty, I should have been elated. I aced all of them, except for one. Audiology. The subject itself is very, very interesting, and I love learning the science the anatomy of the hear and how sound travels through the ear and how we test hearing. It directly relates to my brother (who is deaf and has a cochlear implant) and I actually completely understand the material.  However, I was warned about the teacher's testing style but didn't think much of it.  The wording was awful and it was like he was trying to throw you off. There was material on the test that many of us didn't think he even went over. And I got a C+. And I cried. Yes, I kid you not, I cried because I felt like this C+ would keep me from getting into graduate school and I obviously couldn't keep up with the material and maybe I should just quit now.



It's times like those that I think about how incredibly lucky I am to have Patrick. He is there to tell me not to be so hard on myself, to believe in myself, and to tell me that I have what it takes and corrects my wording from "if I get into grad school" to "WHEN you get into grad school."  When I get stressed out about my future, I am comforted by knowing that no matter what happens school or career-wise, I will have the most loving, compassionate man by my side. There is no better feeling in the world.