Sometimes I feel like my taste is in a constant battle with itself. I’m absolutely drawn to things that are classic. Audrey Hepburn. Stripes. Clean lines. I really love these things.

But I also really like quirky. Like, a lot. A little pop of color, a little sparkle, a little razzmatazz to catch your attention, possibly confuse you a little, and infuse a bit of fun.

Sometimes these two loves don’t get along. In fact, sometimes they clash pretty hardcore. But then there are the times when classic and quirky meet and the skies clear and angels sing at their perfect marriage. Those are the things I try to hold out for. It doesn’t always work, but it’s fun to try!

I scoured Etsy trying to find a nice mix of classic and quirky holiday decor that works without seeming too clashy. At least I think so. Feel free to tell me I’m wrong in the comments. 😉

It got cold this week and most of me is really upset about it. I can already feel my hands starting to crack and I’m pretty sure I can hear the trickling of my bank account as the oil kicks our heating system into gear.

But there is a part of me that’s kind of OK with this cold business. That’s the part of me who likes the idea of smelling fall spices baking in the oven while padding around in thick socks and huddling under a fat down blanket. The part that wants to drink hot cocoa while wearing fingerless gloves and a chunky scarf. The part of me that likes cozy.

I hate the cold but absolutely love a lot of the things that go right along with it. What the cuss? Does anyone else suffer from this major contradiction?

I’ve decided the only thing I can really do is embrace the change. So I decided to dive headfirst into a pile of cozy handmade knits and take you along for the ride.

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Graphic tees with messages on them have slowly been picking up steam for a while now. From Zoe Karssen’s $160 Crème de la Crème sweatshirt (no, that’s totally not a typo. A sweatshirt that costs almost as much as my car payment) to Forever 21’s $14 Forever 21, they’re pretty much everywhere.

Some of them are obnoxious. Some of them I couldn’t possibly wear in front of my children (well, at least the one who can read). Some of them are blatant rip offs of earlier (usually better) versions.

Still, I’m kind of obsessed. The best part is that they’re being styled in so many different ways. Of course these guys would look good with jeans or a pair of cut offs, but they also look pretty awesome tucked into a flowy skirt or peeking out underneath a blazer and some dress pants.

Obviously not all of them work for everyone. You have to find one that speaks to you—ha! Get it?!

OK, I’ll be quiet now.

I decided to spend waaaaay too much time poking around handmade corners of the internet and picking out some of my very favorite talking t-shirts. For some reason most of them are gray. But you know what? I’m totally cool with that.

Enjoy!

I have some really talented friends. My friend Rena is definitely one of them—although don’t tell her I said that because her head will get really big and I’ll have to knock her down a few pegs to keep her in check.

Anyway, after talking about it for years and procrastinating with the best (worst?) of them, she finally opened up Rena Franco Design, an Etsy shop filled with her hilariously snarky paper goods. And I have to tell you, they’re pretty awesome.

Did you know that March is Women’s History month? This fun little fact has launched me even further into girl power mode than usual. I’m as excited about women and our accomplishments as Jesse Pinkman is about magnets (please tell me you watched Breaking Bad. If you haven’t, I’ll gladly sit and wait while you binge watch the entire series).

I found myself combing through Etsy for all of the most I am woman, hear me roar kind of finds out there.

I found quite a few goodies that are both fun and empowering.