Sale at Q's Daydream Vintage!!

I'm usually not a big Black Friday shopper. Its always a bit too much for me between the claustrophobic crowds, disorganized stores and crazy drivers fighting for parking spaces. Today though, when I logged into my blogger account and started reading, I realized that there is a great sale going on over at Q's Daydream Vintage. She's offering 25% off your entire purchase! So I headed over and bought two beautiful items. She has such wonderful stock and is such a sweetheart. So if anyone gets a chance, head over to the Etsy Store to check it out; the sale lasts through November 27 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Happy shopping!

...and Venice.

(Please click on any of the photos if you wish to enlarge them:)

Give-Away Alerts!

There are two fantastic give-aways going on right now that I'm really excited about and I just wanted to make sure that everyone knows about them.

The first one is being held by Megan of the The Green Violet. She's giving away a "Camel-Colored-Combo" including a fantastic vintage scarf and clutch. It ends next Tuesday (the 24th, I believe) at midnight, so head on over to enter.

I'm also very excited to enter the hand-made hat give-away over at Lagelle, The Art of accessorizing. The cloches are my personal favorite, but there are several different ones to choose from in the contest. This one ends on Sunday, the 22nd of November.

Good luck everyone!

Autumnal Colors in the Dark

Here is another set of night photos. I love taking pictures after the sun goes down and only wish that I felt comfortable venturing beyond our street in the evening. I always see so many places where the mix of shadows, street light and moonlight would make an interesting spot, but am nervous about going out alone with my camera after dark. So once again, here I am in familiar places, trying to capture a different mood. I hope it worked.

I've realized in the past few months that I don't wear a lot of accessories, although I do own my fair share of jewelry. Sometimes I feel like the details of an outfit speak for themselves and deserve a platform to shine. Other times, I feel like I just don't wear enough jewelry. This ensemble lent itself to the former feeling. The sweater is one of my all time favorite thrifting finds. I purchased it in a Goodwill in Florida. The inside tag, which reads "Handmade in Norway," was just one of the charming details that drew me to it. The others were the amazing pattern and autumnal colors and the silver buttons adorned with flowers. I chose to pair it with a cotton, patterned dress, tights and my brown heeled oxfords...and this felt like enough. Perfect for an unusually warmish fall Sunday of lounging about the house...and taking pictures in the dark.

(If you wish to enlarge any of the smaller photos, please click on them:)

Sweater: Thrifted
Dress: Target (altered by me)
Heeled Oxfords: Naturalizer
Tights: Target

Blog Awards

I am so long overdue in writing this post! Over the past few months, three bloggers have nominated Kaleidoscopic Refrains for several awards and I would like to take a post to thank them. First is the always kind and generous Jessica Cangiano of Chronically Vintage. She has recently nominated my blog for two awards.

First was the "You're a Gem" Award

As a part of the award, Jessica wrote the following words. "Kaleidoscopic Refrains: Much like the effect seen through a kaleidoscopic, opals create a prismastica rainbow effect as you peer at their surface. Thus this colourful stone reminds me of the variable feast of loveliness to be found on this blog."

In addition, she also nominated me for the Stylish Blogger Award. Thanks so much Jessica!

A few days ago, Anne from A Cup Full of Sunshine nominated the blog for the Beautiful Blogger Award. I've only recently discovered this blog, and now always look forward to her new posts. Thanks so much Anne!

As a part of the Stylish Blogger award and the Beautiful Blogger award, I am to list things about myself that my readers may not know. I've done this a few times before, but its been a while, so...here goes:)

1. I practice Yoga at least twice weekly. While doing it, I usually listen to either the sound track of The Royal Tenenbaums or that of A Charlie Brown Christmas.

2. I own so many belts that the rack recently fell off of the wall under their weight. Its a little embarrassing, but I don't intend to get rid of any of them. Instead, I bought a different type of rack.

3. When I was a senior in high school, I won a writing scholarship and had a poem published in an anthology of young authors. Unfortunately, the award didn't come close to covering the tuition of the private university that offered it.

4. One of my favorite singers is Jolie Holland. When I saw her in concert last year, I thought I might swoon. Her music somehow reminds me of home and, at the same time, some otherworldly place that I would like to visit in my dreams. I also really love Dinah Washington.

5. My husband did not propose to me. One night we were joking about getting married when I realized that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. I asked him in all seriousness if he wanted to do so. We talked about it and decided together. After that night and until our wedding day, he randomly proposed to me in various places and I came up with different responses each time...each one resulting in a yes.

6. I devoured American Pastoral recently. Having never previously read Philip Roth's work, I didn't realize how the force of his prose can propel the reader forward through his works.

7. One of the best come on lines that I've ever heard is: "Which magazine did you just step out of? Because I need a twenty year subscription!" An elderly man said this to me in a bakery about two months ago and I couldn't help but smile all the way home.

8. I've never tasted a twinkie. My husband thinks that I missed out on a vital part of childhood because of this. I'm not so sure.

9. My favorite movies to watch when I'm down are Hannah and Her Sisters, Sleepless in Seattle, Serendipity and The Double Life of Veronique. Dan always knows that its been a bad day when he comes home and one of those is playing.

10. I love to cook and find it relaxing. It all started in grad school when I was so busy thinking about Foucault and the linguistic turn and historical theory that I thought my head was going to explode. Cooking dinner for Dan and I felt like something that I could do besides studying without feeling guilty. So I made risotto, I roasted and stuffed chickens, I made reductions, I experimented with tortes and cakes and I loved it. Now, when I come home from work, it often feels more like a form of meditation than a chore to cook dinner.

I was also so flattered to receive the "xxtraodinary blogger" award from DustJacket Attic, who always takes the time and effort to not only read my posts, but to always leave the most wonderful comments. It really means so much to me.

For the Stylish and Beautiful Blogger Awards, I'd like to nominate the following blogs (in no particular order):

Lisa's Likes

GreenLaundry

Leproust Vintage

dreaming spires and old car tyres

Blooming Leopold Vintage

The Frivolous Flapper

Q's Daydream Vintage

A Thought Is The Blossom

Barbro Andersen

*Felinofelice


And for the XXtraordinary Blogger Award, I'd like to nominate

Little Boat

our.city.lights

SLOVLY

Much Love

Amelia Is

I'm sorry this post was so long! Thanks also to everyone who commented on my last one. I really appreciated everything you wrote.

Blog Award Rules:

1) Thank the person who nominated you for the award.
2) Copy the award & place it on your blog.
3) Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4) If you'd like to do so, tell us 10 interesting things about yourself.
5) Also, if you want to, nominate 10 bloggers.
6) Post links to the 10 blogs you nominate.