Moving Sale // Part 1

Yes, it starts! I have tons of stuff to sell in preparation for my Chicago move at the end of October. There are clothes, electronics, and other miscellany that is going to be available to you over the next couple of weeks. Keep an eye out! Alright, here goes...

(Please keep in mind that all prices are negotiable. Have an offer? Send me an email. All payments are requested via PayPal unless you are local and would like to pick up the item, then of course cash is king! Shipment+handling prices will vary depending on your location and I can give you an accurate shipping cost with your zip code!)


Bogen 22A Enlarger. Perfect for someone who’s looking into creating their own darkroom. This enlarger is in great condition with just a small amount of rust spotting on the dome — but doesn’t affect the quality. Bellows are in excellent condition. Bulb is working. Doesn’t include film holders, but those can be easily found online or DIYed. Includes Ilford filter set and 8x10 easel for holding the photo paper. Similar models are going for around $75 on eBay. Asking $20 OBO + shipping.


Brother Cassette Correct-O-Riter 1. SOLD


Vintage Slides and Case (approx 400 slides). SOLD


Rare Apple PowerCD. SOLD


Apple Wired Mighty Mouse Sold!


Apple Keyboard with Numeric Keypad Sold!


Remington Office-Riter. Sold

Alright! That is all for right now. Again, I have many more things coming, so keep watching!

Back to Black

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When these pants came into work, I made fun of them. A lot. And in the midst of making fun of them, I actually put them on for a giggle. Well, joke's on me, cause once they were on my body, I thought they were majorly cute.

Fast forward to last week when they went on sale. I decided to pick them up for so-very cheap and try to figure out how to wear them. At first it was difficult. They have built-in "shorts" that are the equivalent of tiny boycut undies. Being not totally comfortable with my butt hanging out, I struggled with what to pair them with — a flannel? An oversized tee? I finally settled on this long and slim black tank, and I think it turned out amazing!

So obviously I'm keeping these in my wardrobe (although, I do have to exchange them after noticing that the stitching it REALLY messed up on the left leg!). How would you wear them? They're a bit nutty and require some tall shoes. I've been seeing a few ladies sport the Free People version of these around the internet, too, so that eased my worries a bit. ;)


Next up is this beaded necklace I picked up for "free" in a Rag-O-Rama trade just before my Chicago trip. It has a little bell on it and jingles here and there — and almost makes me feel like my cat. Hah! Eitehr way, I love the colors and it's certainly one of my new favorites.


Now, I know many of my readers are big fans of the Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail decals. And many of you know that I am as well (and that I get super excited about new designs). Today at the grocery store, I noticed that their new holiday designs are out! I made an excited squeaky-like noise and bolted over to snap a photo on my phone to share with you all! Both plaids were sold out next to our apartment (wahh!), but I'm super into with the Fair Isle-esque and glitter confetti designs, too.


I'm trying to get myself extra prepared for this move by selling some of my goodies before hand. I'm going to make a "for sale" page here, but if you're curious as to what I've listed already, check out this Tumblr page (make sure you view each individual post to see more info and my asking price! Negotiable!). I'm going to have a lot more than this, too, so keep watching!

Faux leather jacket, thrifted
Long black tank, unknown
Lace flare pants, UO
Kimchi Blue Suede Mary Jane Platforms, UO
Beaded necklace, Rag-O-Rama trade

Fancy Footwork + Big Announcement!

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Before I get to the big exciting news of the day, I thought I'd share yesterday's outfit. As mentioned, we have been waiting years to see Chromeo — and after a few missed Chicago shows and festivals falling through, they finally played Columbus last night. Their manager was awesome enough to get me a photo pass. The Newport didn't end up even setting up the photo pit (why not?!?), but I got a couple of good shots nonetheless.



I only ended up taking my fixed 50mm thinking that there would be a pit. Chromeo's stage lights were insane and fun and made for great photos. I only wish I could have gotten closer! Either way, it was an amazing show. I hope to get to see them again soon!



Dave 1, pictured here, has some great style. While I was hoping he'd sport the awesome red leather jacket that I peeked in some photos of their earlier shows, he came out in a superb grey fitted suit, white oxfords, and wayfarers. While subtle, it played so classically with his gold Gibson and the band's signature lady legs keyboards. Both Dave 1 and P-Thugg played it cool on stage with the perfect amount of guy-'tude, flirty winks and waves, and we even caught a few smirks.


I spent the night dancing and singing along with all their tunes — and my only "disappointment" was that they didn't play J'ai Claque La Porte. But that's such a tiny complaint for a show that totally blew my mind! This year has been awesome and filled with YACHT, STRFKR, and now my favorite, Chromeo! What else could a girl ask for....?

And now for the big news.
I say this with a bittersweet tone. Bitter because I've lived in Columbus for the past six years of my life — I've grown up in Ohio and have made some great friendships here. While small, I like this place. And what about the sweet? Well, because today I accepted a job in Chicago.

That's right. As of November, I will officially be a resident of Chicago, Illinois. This is a goal (and dream) that I set for myself many years ago — after struggling through unemployment, heartbreak, disappointments, and all of those things that come with growing up, I'm now heading to the city in which I belong. I am so fortunate to have an amazing group of friends and family backing me up — including Geoffrey. Part of the bitter is that Geoffrey is staying here in Columbus whilst I go. We're going to work extra hard to make this work. Our plan is that eventually (hopefully not too long!) him and Kitty will come up and join me in the Windy City. Yes, that's right, Kitty is staying in Ohio, too.

I'm aware that the past couple of weeks have been moderately vague, but I wanted to keep this news hush hush until I knew for sure. Many tears have been shed (good and bad), but we know that this is the direction we'd like to go and we are both very optimistic and excited for the future!

What does this mean for you? Well, I'm going to be doing a huge shop my closet sale — and by "closet," I mean housewares, clothes, and more. Keep an eye out!


So I wanted yesterday's show outfit to be fun and convertible — I went with my DIY Velvet Playsuit (see the how-to here) and a denim oversized button up. It was nice for the rainy weather and the possibility of sweaty dancing. And yes, I wore those shoes to a concert. And yes, I danced in them. And no, my feet didn't hurt! ;)

Velvet playsuit, DIY
Honeycomb studded belt, Bakers
Denim oversized shirt, thrifted
Black tights, drug store
Kimchi Blue Suede Mary Jane Platforms, UO
Safari tapestry bag, thrifted
Studded bracelet, XXI

Oktoberfest

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Geoff and I both came to the realization today that we had never been to an Oktoberfest. This is slightly signification, we supposed, considering that both of us has partial German heritage. I was never really raised knowing a lot about German culture and seemingly identify much more with 90s American culture than most anything else. Is that weird? I'm not sure. Perhaps more of a generational thing.



With that being said, we decided to hit up the Columbus Oktoberfest at the Ohio State Fairgrounds. It was, as expected, full of foods and beers, along with a few interesting booths dedicated to German and Dutch candies.


I think my favorite find of the day were these candy cigarettes. Okay, not German, but nostalgic for me nonetheless. There used to be a candy store near my grandparents' house and many times my brother and I would head over there with a whole dollar (!!!) and stock up on candies, taffies, and more. I picked up a few of these (ignoring my serious distain towards real cigarettes) — some for me and some to remind my brother of how silly they were.


Also, can you believe these are candles?! They had candle pies, too, and when we first walked by the booth I almost said "Ohmygosh, Geoff, can we buy a pie?" — thinking it was a real pie. And then I noticed the wicks. Hah!


The weather was awesome, Geoff enjoyed a drink or two, and I ate a big ol' pretzel. It was a pretty successful day, considering we got out of there with a pound of Pumpkin Fudge and some nostalgic candy!


Oh and I snapped a photo of this little guy! He (she?) was probably one of the prettiest and brightest Monarchs that I recall ever seeing and was really very patient as we watched it feed on the purple flowers.


I know I say all the time how I don't like to buy anything other than basics and costume jewelry from Forever 21, but yesterday I stumbled upon this cape-like sheer blouse and really kind of loved it. After I tried it on, I decided to go ahead and pick it up, regardless of my distain for what they consider to be "statement" pieces. I know this is a great basic that I can wear throughout the winter and since it's not cotton, it won't pill as much as their normal blouses. Hopefully it will last a bit, because I'm really feeling the shape!

Both Geoff and I have tomorrow off from work, so I think we're going to drive down towards Cincinnati for the Ohio Renaissance Festival. Geoff has never been — and I'm a nerd — so it should prove to be a good time for all! I'm sure I'll have plenty of interesting photos from that.

Sheer cape blouse, Forever 21
Leopard print corduroy shorts, Forever 21
Black tights, drug store
Damsel black lace bralette, UO
Big Buddha Rylee oxfords, Bakers

Giveaway // Pinhole Cameras DIY Guide

As many of my readers know, there are two things I adore: DIY projects and cameras. This book, Pinhole Cameras: A Do-It-Yourself Guide by Chris Keeney is right up my alley — and hopefully yours as well! It's filled with lots of great projects and tips for creating your very own pinhole cameras and creating wonderful dream-like images.

Use the widget to enter for you chance to win. Remember that this giveaway is world-wide! Only entries which are submitted through this widget will be counted. There are six easy ways to enter! Don't delay — this giveaway on October 9th.

(Note: if you are interested in Tumbling this, you can do so easily by reblogging this post! Just leave me your url in the entry.)

Sponsor Mini Penny in October!

It's that time again (can you believe it?)! We're winding down in our last few days of September and I'm now accepting sponsors for October and beyond! We have great low rates and can't wait to share your blog, shop, or service here at Mini Penny! Click on the Advertising Page for more information on pricing. I'm also happy to offer ad-for-ad trading with other blogs.

Ready? Feel free to send me an email and we'll get you all set up!

Pride Rock

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Happy Caturday! Today, in attempts to avoid all that is Ohio State football, we went to the movies. I have been begging Geoff for us to go see The Lion King 3D and today we finally went!

My brother and I grew up with Disney movies, so seeing this again definitely made me feel nostalgic. I mean, I've watched it a hundred times (and know every line!), but seeing it in 3D was a new experience. It certainly has me on a kick to re-watch some other movies from my youth. What are your favorites?

Afterwards, we hit up Polaris Mall. We rarely ever go here, but didn't have much else to do and thought we'd walk around. We didn't buy anything (except for me getting a great cape-like sheer blouse and some shorts — which I'll share this week) but had a good time wandering and window shopping. The one thing I came across and totally fell in love with were these Gorenberg ankle boots at Aldo. Aren't they beautiful?! I'll be watching for these to go on sale so I can't justify 'em. ;)


I'm not sure what we have planned for tomorrow. I think there are a few small projects to wrap up around here and maybe get some quality Kitty time in! What do you have plans?

Denim dress, thrifted
Red stretch belt, thrift
Open tights, UO
Kimchi Blue Suede Mary Jane Platforms, UO
Diamond linework ring, free in a Rag-O-Rama trade

Beloved Weekly #9

Not only am I in love with this song, but this music video is so dreamy and retro-country. I'm excited to hear the rest of this album from Nikki Lane.


This photo that rbateson posted to Instagram from Athens Bicycle Shop.


By Markys2010 on Flickr.


This Daria tattoo is probably one of my favorites I've seen in a long while. By Matt Wes of Family Tattoo in Chicago.


I nabbed myself the cutest new iPhone wallpaper from demographik.


Does it make me a cat lady since I want these cat shoes and cat pants? From The Cherry Blossom Girl. The shoes are by Miu Miu.


I really want some great flowers for my apartment. I love these romantic colors. Photo from Everything Fabulous.


This has me wishing that I lived in a climate where I could have an outdoor shower. Beautiful, right? From Studio Blog.

And more:
▲ A thoughtful quote: "The invention of the ship was also the invention of the ship wreck." - Paul Virilo
▲ I bought this planner the other day (so cute!) — I prefer planners and calendars to my iPhone because I love to physically write things down. 
▲ I finally experienced ULTA. And I'm in love!
▲ Discovering crazy and thoughtful documentaries on Netflix Instant is definitely a guilty pleasure! Any suggestions?

Earning My Stripes

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TGIF! Today it was rainy in Ohio with a chill — and for once I didn't really mind so much. After my shift at work, I was feeling extremely tired and took a mid-day nap. The cool weather and grey sky made the apartment feel so cozy and wonderful. It was a nice break from the busy schedule I've been experiencing as of late.

I'm not really sure what we have going on this weekend. I'm dying to see The Lion King 3D, but Geoff isn't interested. I think I'm going to make it work either way — I mean, how could I not go see it?!

The weather also prompted us to make some really delicious cheese and broccoli soup. Once we get into fall and winter, I make soups and stews a lot. If you guys are interested, I could share some recipes sometime!


I picked up this faux leather jacket at the thrift store for $8 a month or so ago. I thought that the price was a little steep for buying a jacket mid-summer, especially since it's not real leather, but I love the fit. It's really soft, too. I want to stud it (preferably as intense at the recent Burberry jackets... but that would take a lot of time and a lot of studs!), so you'll probably see some changes coming to it soon.

I'm loving my hair today. In yesterday's ULTA trip, I picked up some Macadamia Hair Oil Deep Repair Mask. I picked up the 1oz size and figure I'd try it before dropping money on the larger size. Immediately I noticed how soft and silky my hair felt — even the bleached section! I'm having a great hair day thanks to this stuff and plan on buying it soon. I'll be giving a full review on my ULTA haul this weekend.

What's your favorite hair product?

Faux-leather jacket, thrifted
Banjo necklace, thrifted
Stripes Maxi dress, UO Surplus
Skinny velvet belt, UO
Kimchi Blue Suede Mary Jane Platform, UO
Beaded tribal bracelet, free in Rag-O-Rama trade

Star Power

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Today was extra-exciting. It was nice weather, I was off work early, and met up with Tish (from Grace & Gold Beauty) to hit up ULTA. I'm admitting that before today, I was an ULTA virgin. Tish rants and raves about it — I had never gotten the chance to go.


I excepted the place to be the size of a Sally's Beauty Supply. Wrong. It was enormous! And there were aisles and aisles of goodies. I wanted it all — and admittedly the Matrix Biolagé section swallowed me for a few minutes. I ended up with tons of great stuff and can't wait to review it all for you!


One of the things that I wanted but didn't pick up were the Jessica Simpson hair extensions. I feel like I've been trying to grow my hair out for so long. I can't wait for it to get long and beautiful and wouldn't mind sporting some of these for the time being. Is that tacky? I personally don't think so. I guess it's just a waiting game for now.

Otherwise, things are going really well. I'm getting very excited for the weekend and the Chromeo show coming up on Tuesday (sigh)!

Neue Star Cropped Top, UO Surplus
Levi’s deni-curve patterned denim, UO Surplus
Kimchi Blue suede wedges, UO
Banjo necklace, thrifted

Chicago Haul

I picked up so many goodies this weekend in Chicago that I just have to share! There were lots of great finds and touch choices, but I'm pretty convinced that I made out fairly well.


I'm probably most excited about the two pairs of Osborn oxfords that I picked up. If you're not familiar with Osborn, they're made up of a small team of cobbler who cut and assemble each pair of shoes by hand. They normally retail for $148, and I nabbed up the Ikat and Floral pair for $10 each.


I have been lusting after these shoes for so long and was rather shocked to see the price tag. They're pretty beautiful and super comfortable. I'm really excited to break them in and use them in many upcoming outfitting experiments!


I think my favorite touch is that the maker of each pair signs their name on the bottom of the shoe. There are so many more patterns and styles on Osborn's website that I love. Check them out!


I'm almost certain I've mentioned Rudy's Roundup before, but if you're new here, then I hope you're prepared for the best find ever. My friend Beau tipped me off to this place about two years ago and I always visit when I hit up Chicago. It's a great "modern general store" in Wicker Park that is always stocked up on the cutest stationary, vintage finds, Paint by Numbers, and jewelry. The ladies who work here are seriously so adorable it hurts. Daina and I also visited their booth at the Vintage Bazaar on Saturday. Never enough Rudy's! Anyway, I picked up this cute little bike print (reading "Put a bike on it — people will shit themselves" Hah!), some great vintage sunnies, a 1" cat button (I had to), and Ms. Kelley B's birthday present — which she'll be getting tomorrow! Muah!


And finally, the clothing. Of course, because of where I work, I had to stop in the Urban Outfitters stores. It's just a thing I do, I suppose. I picked up a great pair of Ikat-ish white and grey Levis ($5), a blue and white striped maxi dress (folded in the photo, $10), a Neue star cropped top ($5), and some Peter Jensen Shorts ($5). You can also spot a great Aztec-pattern poncho and a long black cardigan that I picked up at the Vintage Bazaar. The poncho is folded since it is HUGE. I am going to alter it a little before busting it out — but I promise you that it is amazing. It has an enormous hood. I picked up the cardi and poncho for $5 each!

I'm hoping to return to Chicago again very soon. What are your favorite stops in the Windy City?

Don't Call It a Comeback

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Oh boy, it feels good to get back to outfit posts! After one hundred and eleven days in a row, I have missed the past five due to my Chicago trip. Although I wish I would have been able to keep the trend going, it was impossible for me to get the photos this weekend with all of the events that happened (and didn't happen). The breather was, in some ways, nice. No fear — I'm back!

I picked up these awesome Peter Jensen shorts at the Urban Outfitters Surplus store in Chicago for five dollars. At first I wasn't sold on the print, but the fit is amazing. The berry theme grew on me, for sure. After wearing them all day, I'm almost wishing that I could find other colors and patterns! These could easily be my favorite fit.

I picked up these great Chelsea Crew perforated oxfords last autumn for ten bucks. They're so soft and perfect — I almost can't remember what my wardrobe was like without them. I recommend them to everyone looking for some basic and comfortable dress shoes!


Things are finally getting back to normal in our world. I picked Geoff up from the airport last night, went back to work today, and the routine is back to normal. I have some exciting things planned coming soon, too! I'll be spilling details later. For now, I hope you enjoy today's outfit as much as I do (really, I just love it)!

Denim vest, thrift store
Lace tank, UO
Suede braided belt, UO
Peter Jensen berry shorts, UO Surplus Store
Brown tights, Target
Leather Oxfords, Chelsea Crew