peachypipes vintage

widows unite!

2012-02-04T10:51:00.000-08:00

don't fret--i'm here to console you :D special coupon code at the shop for FREE SHIPPING today. enter the code GAMEDAY at checkout! lotsa new stuff--come by and browse a while...

what's that? i abandoned the blog again? WHO'S SURPRISED?? :D

2012-01-29T08:34:00.000-08:00

ok ok, i know i've been away--but i have REAL excuses this time, and not just piss-poor excuses like "oh, i'm eatin yogurt and watchin saxondale on netflix, though!" no, i actually have been having some serious issues with the old noggin. lots of visits to the psych, lots of meds (and readjusting of said meds) and i think (i hope!) things seem to be turning around again, thank goodness, right? because the real important thing is now i can return to The Blog! which is as important to my one reader as anything, right, Deanna? :)

that said, i gots TONS of cute stuff coming up in the shop v. v. soon. spring stuff! fancy stuff! jackets, sweaters, and OF COURSE dresses up the whazoo. (or is it "wazoo"? i've never know.) i've got some new stuff up now worth checkin out, and in another week or two i'll have all the old stuff on supersale to buy to your heart's content. how's THAT for a late holiday gift? i know, i know, i'm too good to you (deanna :B).

to tide you over until next time, here's a seriously embarrassing outtake from this weekend's outfit photos. yes, my loving hub does all the picture-taking, and because he's also a SCOUNDREL he will sometimes HIT THE VIDEO BUTTON and catch me in all matters of foolishness. enjoy! (oh, and if someone knows how to straighten out the image, i would rilly appreciate it!!)

shocking news: i am a cornball

2011-11-28T11:59:00.000-08:00

that should come as no surprise to, you know, anyone :) but i am sort of a wooden model, so my husband/photog i think is doing what he can to get me to loosen up a little. the particularly "loose" shots aren't for public consumption, hahah! but otherwise, it's the same two poses and the same tight smile. i'm trying, i'm trying...

wondering what other sellers do. or, indeed, what other OOTD-ers do to change up their blue steel looks. any suggestions on how to get more relaxed in front of the camera would be GREAT. although i know barely anyone reads this. helloooo, out there in the ether! help miss one-look take better pictures? please?

ah well. you know what else bothers me? this is one of my favorite books of all time:

yours too, likely? ok. so, in the book, you'll recall they describe Harriet's spy sweatshirt as BLUE. why why WHY is it RED on the bookcover??? frustrated about this since, oh, about...1979. yeah.

FREE SHIPPING IN THE SHOP ENDS ON 12/1/2011! hurry hurry and get your big deal--check the shop announcement for deets :)

oh! before i forget!

2011-11-24T14:13:00.000-08:00

(image from adam burton - awesome, yeah?)

i'm having an end of November coupon deal!! FREE SHIPPING when you enter the code FALLINLOVE at checkout. no limits, no restrictions, just FREE SHIPPING until the end of November for everyone! pretty cool, yes? yes. it is. lots of new things to drool over--drop by and see!

stuffing

2011-11-24T13:56:00.000-08:00

i wonder how many bloggers out there today are starting off their post-turkey-feasting entries talking about how damn full they are? i'm certain i'm not in the minority today!

the hubs and i, having chosen once again to keep thanksgiving at homebase, sans relatives and other social engagements (no offense, loved ones!) shuffled down to The Royal Restaurant in Alexandria for a buffet worthy of...well, bellies looking to be stuffed, at any rate. fresh carved turkey, ham, roast beef. homemade stuffing with currants, creamy redskin mashed potatoes, candied yams, green beans, corn, broccoli smothered in hollandaise. i tried, valiantly, to get two plates worth of the goodies, but buffets are really a loss on me. i can never do it. ever. just another fat-person myth debunked: i cannot eat a trough's-worth of food. :o shocking, i know!

at any rate, still delicious, and now we're back home, pleasantly digesting. preparing to do chores--yeah, that's right. i am not an expert at two things in this post so far: relaxing, and buffets. so, after a bit of reflection, it's laundry and whatever else hits my inner cleaning demon.

today's real purpose is to give thanks, yeah? i'm at a low point in my life, and i'm not great about reaching out to friends, or accepting love--even when i need it most. i'm so happy to have built a little network around me of people i can trust, who make me laugh until i bust gaskets, who accept me as i am--filthy of mouth, prone to flakiness, ebulliently childish, but emo at the drop of a hat. i love you, family and friends. you're what the season is about. thanks so much <3

coffee in the afternoon

2011-11-14T09:41:00.000-08:00

did i ever tell you i'm a dogwalker? i probably did, but i'm so lousy about keeping this blog up-to-date that i've long forgotten what i might've mentioned. at any rate, i am. in this life, i've had a few jobs, but next-to-zero "careers"--until i moved to virginia and became a dogwalker. then i knew "this is it!" i've been a crazy animal-lover my whole life, easily brought to tears by various dogfood commercials, mewling kittens, thought of abused animals, etc etc. i've got a soft heart in nearly all matters, but with animals i'm a complete goner.

at one point, i thought maybe vet school was the answer for me. it was the first thing i could imagine being when i was little ("an aminal doctor!") up until i was in my 20s, even, when i actually got a job at a vet, with plans to go on to veterinary school to hopefully become a technician, the dream was still alive. but gradually i learned i don't have the stomach for it. or, rather, when an animal was brought in sick, or injured, or abused--needing surgery or eased into its next life--i dissolved into buckets of tears. not practical for a line of work in which the nature of your job is basically to keep a stiff upper lip.

so, i had a few jobs in between, searching searching--always searching--until the early 2000s when i thought "oh! dog walker!" of course. i could babysit animals and get to only experience the best of their days, not having to deal with the sadness of being a part of their lives. PERFECT.

of course, i soon enough realized that was not true, either. naturally, i become pretty attached to every dog i walk (this goes for kitties i sit for, too) and when they get sick, or injured, or the time comes for them to pass on, i am a WRECK. but, whereas in the vet world, such an overflowing heart is considered a downfall, in petsitting it's considered a plus. at least, so far, in my experience. the owners never question whether i care as much about their animals as they (hopefully) do. i am focused, attentive, loving--i go above and beyond to make sure they get the most out of my visits and keep their health and the forefront of my mind.it's a perfect fit for me.

i left my petsitting company at the end of last month, and i'm taking steps to begin walking and sitting on my own. it's an exciting time (despite some legal and psychological setbacks) and i'm really looking forward to enriching my life (and the life of "my" dogs and cats) as i realize my full career potential. yay? YAY.

anxiety and nail polish

2011-11-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

(omg how fabulous are these nails!)

i run a bit high in terms of stress as a person since..um..birth. i'm pretty sure i get my constantly-anxious and/or depressed demeanor from my ma (RIP, lady) because i recall her struggling in many ways as i grew up. coping mechanisms included cigs, coffee, screaming, zoning out on tv and bailey's irish cream in the evenings. always over ice. she'd sit in the dark in the dining room, pensive over the tiny glass, and when i'd ask her what was wrong she'd just swirl the ice cubes and tell me the drink was something her doctor had prescribed. this same doctor told her to smoke cigarettes to "calm her nerves" which maybe gives you a bit of an idea about the timeframe we're talking about here.

anyway, i've tried my share of coping mechanisms over the years--legal and illegal, expected and unexpected--but rounding up to age 40 this birthday, i'd hoped for a more holistic approach to dealing. however, an unfortunate blow recently (i went to quietly resign from my job--was threatened with a law suit in response. long, LONG story.) threw me into the highest stress i'd experienced in years. or, if not the highest, then maybe my resistance is low anyway, being predisposed to stressy outbreaks anyway. so today at the doctor for a blood pressure check-up, she suggested i finally give monitored anxiety meds a try. i'm not sleeping and i'm eating like crap and general paralysis due to anxiety is enough that i finally gave in.

i don't think i'm revealing any big surprises when i say i've tried anxiety medications in the past, but usually not in the intended way :) while my experiences with xanax and klonopin have been fun and definitely relaxing, they haven't been used when i really needed them, so the feeling i was left with was always "hmm, ok, zzzz." i'd always (probably stupidly) considered (for ME only) turning to prescriptions to manage mental health as a kind of...uh...cop out. i stress FOR ME because i don't have these kinds of restricted judgments for others. so, but well...half a pill in today already i feel clear-headed, not foggy in the slightest and definitely a bit more able to face the day. i guess 40 is not too late to learn some new things about yourself right? right, i hope.

now seriously, on the lighter side, NAIL POLISH:

i've really been feeling glitter this season. i always like to have fun with polish but i've kept the fun almost-exclusively on the toe-end of my mani-pedis. but this year i don't know--maybe because i'm out of work and therefore can no longer spring for a spa manicure, so i'm left to sift through my gigantic nail polish bucket and use what i gots? whatever the reason, it's fun. i'm enjoying myself :) found a couple of glittery polishes at the bottom of that bucket, but they'd mostly gummed up--so i found some cheapie brands at CVS--a rainbow chunky glitter by milani, and this sweet pink glitter by wet and wild. i layer them over newtral sparkly colors like beige and black (really makes the glitter stand out, but i'll bet you could lacquer it over your nude nails for a more subtle effect.) and, yeah, it serves to make me feel just a little more sparkly in general, not just at my tips :) it's the little things, right? pills and polish, i'll give them both a shot.

ok, let's try this again...

2011-11-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

well, this is a sad excuse for a blog, am i right? i'm going to give this the old college try this time--no slouching! back in biznass! all this gumption and not a drop of coffee to fuel it, folks! sigh, ok...

(i never know what to do with my hands when i'm showing off pockets!)

tons of new stuff up the shop, and tons more to come. i'm "taking a break" from my day job, which leaves lots of time in the day to accomplish things i've neglected (ie: everything)- the shop is one of those things! the blog is another...

good things: autumn leaves, pumpkin spice lattes, chill in the air, free time

bad things: the uncertain

but hey, good things are still winning out :) xo!

my stars

2011-03-04T14:49:00.000-08:00

stasia is an amazing artist. she has a gorgeous etsy shop i can't stay away from. i've had these little stars on my wishlist for a while...not sure how much longer i can resist :) before i stumbled on her shop (i'm always on the lookout for stylish plugs in a smaller gauged size) i'd been wearing the same pair of stinky pyrex glass plugs for about 5 years. now i've got three pairs from her, one on the way, and a custom pair in the works. nuts! but her stuff is so beautiful--hand shaped, hand hammered silver, gemstones, dangles--every piece special. stasia, please stop--i've only got one pair of ears!!

i even wore a pair of her heart plugs on my wedding day... not that you could even see them for all my crazy hair. this pic was taken post-nuptials, post-sobbing-during-our-vows, post-ripped-my-adorable-vintage-flower-veil-off. biggest smile ever, right? beforehand i was crazy and nervous the entire week leading up to the wedding. i don't know if it's normal for all brides-to-be to have mad jitters, but i did! i kept thinking all the what-ifs--what if i hurt him, what if something terrible happens, what if what if what if. at the end of the day, he's perfect for me. the most loving, most nurturing man. funny, smart, adorable and true blue. i'm so lucky!! and, happy. he's the stars in my eyes.

selfish girl

2010-11-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

dress: vintage
shoes: target
sweetest bow belt in all the land: darlingtonia on Etsy (she's having a sale on all belts right now--50% off!)

the hardest thing about being a vintage seller for me is giving up the dresses. i mean, i'm sure all the sellers have this problem, but it seems particularly hard for me! :) it's definitely worse because i specialize in plus size, and if a dress fits me to a T, then what am i supposed to do?? let it go?? sigh.

my personal collection of dresses is already bursting my tiny closet at the seams, as you can see:

so, obviously it should be easy for me to sell any new dress that comes in, right? uh...no. i'm trying to adopt a "new in, old out" policy, but so far it's proving difficult. as a professional dogwalker, i rarely get to wear such pretty little things to work, and weekends aren't enough to stuff all my favorite dresses into two days. gorgeous dresses deserve to be worn. i'm going to try to look at it that way from now on. don't keep them locked up--free the dresses!

**don't forget: free shipping at the shop until 12/1/10! give something pretty a new home! :D**

careful what you wish for, miss pipes

2010-11-20T09:43:00.000-08:00

only days after complaining about the warm weather here in arlington, va, and the temp has dropped to a crisp and respectable 40-something degrees. ahh, hello sweater vests and wool cardigans and knee socks and scarves, sigh! it should do good to help kick me into a holiday feeling. oh! i almost forgot: PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES

but! with cold weather comes the thrust of the furnace burning all through the night (thanks to an eternally-chilly upstairs neighbor, with whom we share said furnace, and shivers if the temp dips below 64 degrees inside.) and with the forced heat comes dry throat and nose and, well, everything. i especially don't like sleeping with the heater on, but the neighbor insists, so it's time to dig out the humidifiers. we have a big lunky type that works to moisten the bulk of our little basement apartment, but i prefer everything to be CUTIE POO in my crib. (hello kitty toaster oven, coffee maker and tv? yes, please! ) so, i turn to the children's section for my humidifying needs. and tops of the line is crane who comes up as #1 if you're like me and do a google search for "adorable humidifiers" :D

in my experience, they're hard put to get to last much longer than a couple of seasons at the most, but if you're diligent about cleaning, it'll be a moist and cute (most important!) couple of seasons.

fall?

2010-11-14T12:41:00.000-08:00

it's autumn finally, my favorite time of year...BUT here in arlington, va--where it's usually gorgeous with crisp weather and scarves and hot clouds of breath it's 60 dang degrees! sure, i'm from so cal and i'm definitely used to warm winter months, but this isn't so cal! where's my east coast cold? ah well. the leaves are reds and yellows and the vacuum trucks are making their rounds, and the nights are dropped down in the 40s and 30s, even, so it's definitely getting there. i guess i'm just spoiled :) what else is new!

one thing i can't get enough of in autumn is plaid. plaid scarves, plaid lining in your favorite jacket, plaid caps, plaid socks and, of course, plaid shirts. i have about five, which if you can believe it is a pared down amount. i would probably do plaid all year if i could get away with it. in particular i'm loving these repurposed men's plaid shirts by poeticjusticeforall on Etsy. sure, she has tons of different designs, but it's the plaid and flannel versions that are really kicking-my-butt adorable. all the ease of your boyfriend's comfy button down, with super-cute feminine details.

all different sizes, too, including a huge plus size selection--all for $19.00 each! such a killer deal. if i were you, i would snatch a couple up for the season (before i buy them all, i mean.)

it's a secret

2010-11-04T14:28:00.000-07:00

i'm having a sale at the shop! but it's just between us :) me and the maybe two people who read this blog...

yeah, i figure it's been about a zillion years since i've posted anything in here and it's probably high time i do so. PLUS there are a few things that need clearing out of the shop in order to make room for all the fall and winter stock i've got backing up in my hallway/shop station.

stop by and if you see something you like, mention "i've got a secret" either at check out, or message me before check out and receive FREE SHIPPING!! that's free priority u.s. shipping WITH delivery confirmation. pretty amazing, right? oh, but SHHHHH don't tell anyone!

*sale ends 12/1/10

take two

2010-04-13T16:13:00.001-07:00

ahh, outtakes :)

tons of pictures, tons of new dresses, spring has kicked my lazy winter butt into gear, finally. about time! i can't tell you how many snowy/rainy days kept me relisting dresses in my shop as opposed to taking pictures of the bajillion i have right here in the hallway. shameful! but no more. blue skies on the weekends are perfect for getting me in the right light...now, if only i could make a NORMAL expression. impossible!

sprung!

2010-04-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

like everyone else, i'm totally swept up in florals right now. i can't get enough of them! flowers on everything, please. these two pretties will be up in the shop this week, ready to bring some bloom to your spring...

in my real life, i walk dogs for a living. it's about the best job in the world, even though a big part of my livelihood is poo. especially right now in virginia, the cherry blossoms, daffodils, crocus, hyacinth, tulips and magnolias are blooming all over the place. at the end of each day, my neck is sore from craning to catch it all. i've said about a million times i would take my camera to work to capture some of this beauty, but i keep forgetting. maybe today!

hope the weather is as beautiful where you are. xoxo

crickets

2010-03-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

poor blog! oh, how i've ignored you. i'm going to try to make an effort to fill this space with the shop updates and special "secret" promotions i promised. speaking of something sweet...

shhhh! visit my shop , mention "peaches and cream" and you'll receive FREE SHIPPING on any purchase. yay! *

*offer expires 4/30/10

the problem with having your loved one as a photographer...

2009-09-19T16:49:00.001-07:00

...is that not only will they make you crack up while taking VERY SERIOUS SHOP UPDATE PHOTOS, but they will also never say "baby, your hair looks kinda janky" when your hair looks seriously janky. i can take better pictures of myself:

but ONLY in the bathroom mirror. note to self: buy a goddamn tripod already. and make andrew stay inside where i can't see his monkey faces on shop update day. sheesh.

lots of new dresses coming for the shop. lots of lovely plus size additions ESPECIALLY, thanks to a birthday thrift-trip in western ny. yay! keep your eyes glued to the shop this week, lovelies. xoxo!

Labor Day Deal <3

2009-09-04T20:35:00.000-07:00

Labor Day Deal at the shop!

All this weekend, 9/5-9/7, receive 20% off any order!!!! Type in "weekend deal" at checkout and you'll receive an immediate paypal refund. Yay!

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade
peachypipes.etsy.com

p.s. to my snotty friend sally who doesn't even read this!

2009-08-31T16:40:00.000-07:00

i succumbed. i am reading the fucking twilight books. commence ribbing.

xoxo

shop previews with some whine on the side. also, special discount for anyone who sees this post!

2009-08-31T12:48:00.001-07:00

check out my mug in that last picture, HA! pretty dress--sour face. why? well, it's yucky-humid here in arlington, va--so i figured on taking a quick shower before heading out for picture taking ths sunday. that helped with the heat, absolutely. HOWEVER, because i suffer from one-track-mind-ism, i forgot about how much the mosquitos just looooove my freshly showered skin. argh! in this pic and all of the others, probably, there was a gaggle of bugs biting to death my shapely legs, arms, chest, and anything else they could get their teeth (?) on. the fiends!!!

goes to show you how DEDICATED this little seller is to bringing you pretty dresses, no matter the pain and suffering :B

hey, also, i'd like to offer any lurkers or actual followers (all three of you :D) a one-time deal of FREE SHIPPING with the special code "mosquito" at check out. i'll refund your shipping charge immediately after your purchase. yay!

xoxox

a chicken story

2009-08-19T14:33:00.000-07:00

once upon a while ago, some friends of ours found a little kitten in the hills of west virginia. more specifically, this little piece of fluff ran out in front of their car while they were driving home from a trip one night. as luck (and the bright white of his coat) would have it, they saw what was a teensy kitten, picked it up, and took it home.

these friends had, at the time, three senior citizen dogs, and although they're fiercely devoted animal lovers, the pups still weren't too keen on taking in a feline companion. they called us (at the time "burdened" with three kitties of our own) and asked if we could help find a home for the little one they'd figured to be a girl and who they named Kiki.

well, as my aforementioned boyfriend is practically the best guy in the world (seriously, it's documented) he acquired said kitten for me as a surprise birthday gift (after pretending to say no way to the idea of ANOTHER cat in our fur-filled house.) Kiki turned out to be a boy we named Chicken, due to his sweet and sour nature. even though we already had three kitties we couldn't resist him. so adorable and SO teeny, what trouble could he be?

indeed. here was a kitten who would mewl through the bathroom door at all hours of the night (which is normal for baby kitties) and beat up the other full-grown cats. a kitten who would then grow up to be the kind of cat who runs up and down the main hallway of the apartment, caterwauling until we lift our heads from the pillows to tell him to shut it. what do you want, Chicken? some food? some attention? to watch the VHS tape entitled "video catnip"? to wake us up at 5am, wait until we fall back asleep, and then wail again, giggling to yourself in your cat way?

the problem gets to be that Chicken is adorable. so even though mommy is not the happiest at 4, 5 and 6am when he does his twittering bird-call sounds (the sound is so un-cat like it HAS to be an imitation) and, i swear to god, yells "MEOW WOW" at the foot of the bed, i cannot help but love him. even when he bites my feet or daddy's hand when he goes to pet him. even when he bumps the other cats out of the way, bullying all the food for himself. even when he grabs a check from the table (a tip for me during the holidays) and TEARS IT TO SHREDS--even when they are billions of cat toys and other, inconsequential pieces of paper he could rip up to his evil little heart's content--i am a sucker.

look at that little devil and the poor put-upon cats that have to live with him. i feel your pain, Baby and Miss Jackson. but honestly...

how can you help but love the little bastard?

think pink!

2009-08-16T14:33:00.001-07:00

my poor boyfriend...i dragged him out in 90 degree weather this weekend to take a million pictures for the shop, and not only was it miserably hot/humid as virginia tends to specialize in, but he also had to put up with my grouchy perfectionist demands. "ugh, don't you know how to take a dress off a hanger!" "jeez, not like that, like THIS" etc. he did it with only a very rare grumble and that is why i'm the luckiest bitchy lady in the whole universe. mr. bear, i love you and your shadow peeking out in the occasional picture. xo

putting a toe in

2009-08-11T14:44:00.001-07:00

despite recent happenings to the contrary, i love my life. i'm happy and, in a way, feeling a lot of peace that i've probably been looking for ... as long as i can remember. i have health, i have heart, i have (some!) wisdom. i have love (god, so lucky) and friends and the perfect job(s) and and and. i always feel a little like it's boasting, trying to remind just myself how good i have it. and maybe it is, but so what. fuck it. i'm happier. this is getting good.

2009-07-27T20:24:00.000-07:00

just a little start-test hello. hello!