Claire's First Birthday

On January 1st my favorite girl celebrated her first birthday. My niece Claire is a such a joy to our whole family. She's obviously beautiful, but she's also incredibly bright and very sweet. She smiles and laughs a lot. She loves sharing and hugging people. When she eats, she makes delighted "nom nom" sounds the whole time. 

Our New York Trip in Photos

If you follow me on Instagram, you've already glimpsed the world of fun we had in New York a couple weeks ago. Instagram is great for sharing your life in photos in real time. However, I also like to capture some higher quality shots with my DSLR.

So, without further ado, here they are for your viewing pleasure, along with a couple shots of me from Ryan's iPhone, which also missed the Instagram train. 

Signs of Life: On Settling into Our New Home

Moving into our new home is proving to be a slow process. It definitely feels like home, but we don't feel completely settled yet, and I doubt we will for a while.

But, even though there are still shelves to be hung and boxes to be unpacked and furniture to be bought, there are also tiny tableaux creeping up here and there, making the place feel lived in. These signs of life excite me as I imagine how our home will look eventually when it's functional and full of life

Awkward Socks

Lately I've been enjoying wearing a lot of socks that probably make me look like a crazy person. I can't help it. I love cozy, lacy socks, and, the more I wear them, the more I love them. In fact, I think it's their essential awkwardness that makes me love them so much. 

I'm often drawn to things that are classic but a bit off: dresses with over-the-top proportions, shoes that look at little like hooves, baby bangs. I think there's something in their intentional messiness that feels so fresh and punk and authentic. 

New Things to Come

We closed on our new home last month and we've been renovating and moving in all this month. It's an exciting, busy time. Beyond that, I'm also focusing a lot lately on shifting my writing career up a notch: writing more, submitting more, and hopefully publishing more.

All of this means new and exciting things for this blog. Very soon, I plan to launch a website where I can collect all my projects together: writing, blogging, photography, comedy, podcasting. At the same time, this blog is going to get a facelift and a new brand identity.

In the four years that I've been writing it, Fashion is Evolution has evolved far beyond its humble fashion-focussed beginning. From recipes to DIY projects to travelogues, I've enjoyed posting about a variety of lifestyle topics, and I expect the evolution to continue, especially with a new home to decorate.

So, in the very near future, Fashion is Evolution will become Bookish & Belle, a larger, greater project full of everything you've come to expect and even more.

Your support and continued readership during this exciting transition means so much to me. I can't wait for you to see what I've got in store.

Our Trip to Williamsburg (In Instagrams)

Last weekend, Ryan and I took a road trip to Williamsburg, VA. It was a blast, exactly the kind of vacation we love to take: spontaneous, full of surprises, lots of walking, nerdy adventures, fresh seafood.