What is Delightfully Tacky?
Delightfully Tacky is a place where I share my thoughts, ideas, travels, life and personal style. I'm a not-so-reformed tomboy with a love for vintage, art, music and the charm of tacky, kitschy things most often found lingering in the 70's.
What are future plans for Delightfully Tacky?
I foresee continuing this blog long into the future. I will be making additions to it as my life changes and fluctuates. In the past couple years I've gone on the journey of a lifetime in my gorgeous 1973 Winnebago Brave, settled in Tacoma, WA and married my best friend!
On the Brave Journey...
In 2010 embarked on the journey of a lifetime in my 1973 Winnebago Brave, which was one of the best decisions I've ever made. After my trip around the country, I settled in Tacoma, WA, where I currently reside with my husband Daniel!
The reasoning behind the Brave journey, in short, is that it's the fulfillment of a life dream. Ever since I was little I've wanted to travel around the country in an RV. Back in January 2010 I was enrolled in grad school and unsure about it, so I thought to myself, "if I could do anything in the world, what would I do?" The answer was to buy an early 70's Winnebago Brave and travel the country in it. Since that dream wasn't out of reach, I decided to go for it! In May I found the most perfect Brave ever, bought it, and I left my home of Anchorage, Alaska on September 20th, 2010, bound for southern lands! You can see where I traveled by checking out the map of my whole trip!
I think my favorite part of the journey was just being on the road. I wrote this poem back in 2007 and I think especially the last few lines really describe how I feel when I'm driving:
it is late afternoon and raining.
trees, with arms raised above
their heads, hold up the heavy, grey clouds.
the road is a dull chrome and
my tires read its braille, whispering
its stories to me in a low rumble.
i won't cry this time,
the world they describe is too magnificent,
my dear.
i will live on gasoline
and memories of nicotene,
and when i live
between yellow and white lines, i find
that being halfway somewhere
i am all the way home.
I didn't have radio, so I had a lot of time for introspection and thought. I love the soothing sound of the engine, and watching the world pass by me through my windshield. It was by far the most spiritually incredible time of my life so far.
But other than that, I think my favorite part of the trip was meeting blogger friends in real life. I met so many people! Liz from SRSLYLIZ, Kaelah from Little Chief Honeybee, Vanessa from The Velvet Bird, Indiana from Adored Austin, Erin from CaliVintage (who I'd met before, but had an awesome time visiting in San Fran), Chelsea from Seablanket, Elsie and Emma from A Beautiful Mess/Red Velvet, Starr from A Thought is the Blossom... I hope I'm not forgetting anyone!
On my wedding...
On August 22nd Daniel proposed to me at sunrise! It was the last day I was working at Sound View Camp and we went down to the beach to watch the sun rise and do a mini photo shoot (since we didn't really have many photos of us together). He surprised me by asking me to marry him while the self timer was taking photos, so he got it all on camera! You can read the whole story and see the photos here. You can see a sneak peek of our engagement photos here and here (by Arrow & Apple photography). If you want to see more wedding planning related posts, click here! We got married on November 5th and we're excited to be living the married life!
I discovered style blogs in 2008 and was really intrigued by them. The bloggers I found seemed to have very similar interests to my own, and there was this community of cool girls online that I couldn’t find in real life. I decided that I wanted to try and be a part of that community, so I started my own blog to interact with them and explore my own style.
Where do you shop?
I mostly love thrifting and buying vintage. I like that I can buy pieces that I likely won’t find being worn by anyone else, and the fact that most have a history behind them. I always wonder about the girls who wore those dresses – what were they like? What made them laugh? Did they fall in love while wearing that dress? It’s really cool to feel like your clothes have a story. But other than that, when I can afford to, I like shopping at places like ModCloth, Target and Forever 21. They always have fun pieces and, especially in the case of Forever 21, are pretty inexpensive. I don't like to spend money in general, so clothes are usually the last thing I spend my money on. A lot of my wardrobe I've had for quite a few years, so remixing what I already have is really important to me!
I mostly love thrifting and buying vintage. I like that I can buy pieces that I likely won’t find being worn by anyone else, and the fact that most have a history behind them. I always wonder about the girls who wore those dresses – what were they like? What made them laugh? Did they fall in love while wearing that dress? It’s really cool to feel like your clothes have a story. But other than that, when I can afford to, I like shopping at places like ModCloth, Target and Forever 21. They always have fun pieces and, especially in the case of Forever 21, are pretty inexpensive. I don't like to spend money in general, so clothes are usually the last thing I spend my money on. A lot of my wardrobe I've had for quite a few years, so remixing what I already have is really important to me!
Do you ever feel like there's too much of yourself on the internet?
You’re from Alaska – what advice do you have for looking stylish in chilly climates?
Layer, and don’t be afraid of the cold. Unless you’re going to actually be standing outside for long periods of time, you don’t necessarily need to dress for the weather. You’re frequently just going to be in the cold for a few minutes while you walk from here to there, or from your warm car to a warm building. I wear tights or leggings alone, which I find are pretty much as warm as jeans, or you can layer tights and leggings for more warmth. Wear cardigans, scarves, boots, socks. I wear dresses all winter and I hate feeling cold, so if I can do it, anyone can.
Especially in the past few months I've been more intentional about my internet presence. It can for sure take over your life, and I'm trying to live more in the moment and focus less on my "online life." I stopped posting to sites like Chictopia and Weardrobe because it just got to be too much to keep up with. I also got rid of my iPhone because I didn't like having the internet/facebook/twitter/etc. with me at all times. As far as having my life somewhat broadcast online, I feel like I'm the one choosing what to share. There are some people who are less discerning about what they share with the world, but I feel like I share the right amount of myself. It's all an individual choice though!
You’re from Alaska – what advice do you have for looking stylish in chilly climates?
Layer, and don’t be afraid of the cold. Unless you’re going to actually be standing outside for long periods of time, you don’t necessarily need to dress for the weather. You’re frequently just going to be in the cold for a few minutes while you walk from here to there, or from your warm car to a warm building. I wear tights or leggings alone, which I find are pretty much as warm as jeans, or you can layer tights and leggings for more warmth. Wear cardigans, scarves, boots, socks. I wear dresses all winter and I hate feeling cold, so if I can do it, anyone can.
Why does Delightfully Tacky have sponsors?
My purpose for having sponsors on this blog is to be able to offset the costs of writing Delightfully Tacky. I spend probably the same amount of time working on this blog as many people spend on at least a part time job, so having sponsors provide a way for me to keep writing and posting on Delightfully Tacky. In addition, I love being able to work with and support the people and companies who sponsor me. My sponsors will always be relevant to my own interests and the readers of this blog, and I always hope to have a great relationship with all my wonderful sponsors as well as all you great readers!
What did you study in school?
I graduated with a bachelor's degree in Art, with a focus in Printmaking. So I did basically everything (graphic design, painting, drawing), but my focus was Printmaking (etching, relief, screenprinting, etc).
Do you do blog design?
Yes! I do blog design through Freckled Nest Design, and if you're interested you can find out more by clicking here to see some of my work, or you can head over to Freckled Nest to get more information! If you're interested, you can email me at elizabeth@frecklednest.com.
Yes! I do blog design through Freckled Nest Design, and if you're interested you can find out more by clicking here to see some of my work, or you can head over to Freckled Nest to get more information! If you're interested, you can email me at elizabeth@frecklednest.com.
How can I get more followers on my blog?
I don't think there's a secret formula that automatically makes a blog become popular, but a few things that help are honest & genuine content, a beautiful layout, and nice photos. Tieka (from Selective Potential) and I created an e-course that gives a ton of practical information on how to make your blog the best you possibly can!
I don't think there's a secret formula that automatically makes a blog become popular, but a few things that help are honest & genuine content, a beautiful layout, and nice photos. Tieka (from Selective Potential) and I created an e-course that gives a ton of practical information on how to make your blog the best you possibly can!
What is your job?
Currently I'm blogging and doing blog design.
Which fashion blogs do you follow?
I use Bloglovin to follow blogs (which I love and highly recommend), and some of my absolute favorites are Selective Potential, WishWishWish, Fancy Fine, Sally Jane Vintage, A Beautiful Mess, and The Clothes Horse among so many more.
Tell us about your hair. My hair is naturally curly. I don't really do any "styling" per se, besides occasionally straightening my bangs. It is naturally very dark brown, but it's been natural red for the past few years, as well as pink & teal for a couple months. I cut my own hair and do everything myself. I did a post on my typical routine which you can find here.
What camera do you use? Who takes your photos?
Prior to December 2010 I used a Canon 300D Rebel EOS, but I now use a Canon T2i. I use it with a Canon EF 50mm/1.4 f lens, which I adore. I also have a Sigma 24mm f/1.8 wide angle lens and a Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro lens which I occasionally use as well.
I use Bloglovin to follow blogs (which I love and highly recommend), and some of my absolute favorites are Selective Potential, WishWishWish, Fancy Fine, Sally Jane Vintage, A Beautiful Mess, and The Clothes Horse among so many more.
How tall are you?
I'm 5'1"... 5'1.5" on a tall day.What camera do you use? Who takes your photos?
Prior to December 2010 I used a Canon 300D Rebel EOS, but I now use a Canon T2i. I use it with a Canon EF 50mm/1.4 f lens, which I adore. I also have a Sigma 24mm f/1.8 wide angle lens and a Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro lens which I occasionally use as well.
I take my own photos with a tripod and self timer, though on the rare occasion (if I'm out and about) I'll sometimes coax a friend into taking a couple photos. I use Photoshop CS4 and Totally Rad Actions to edit my photos. For a bit more about my Cameras, check out this post!
Can I feature you on my site or get an interview?
Of course! If you want to use some of my photos or content, all I ask is that you give proper credit/links. Note that unless otherwise specified, all of the content of this blog is my own intellectual property. Please don't copy and paste content from my blog and use it as your own. If you'd like to do an interview, please contact me at delightfully-tacky@hotmail.com.
How can I become a sponsor?
You can check out all the details on sponsoring here. Email me at delightfully-tacky@hotmail.com for rates and any more info you'd like to know.
Can I feature you on my site or get an interview?
Of course! If you want to use some of my photos or content, all I ask is that you give proper credit/links. Note that unless otherwise specified, all of the content of this blog is my own intellectual property. Please don't copy and paste content from my blog and use it as your own. If you'd like to do an interview, please contact me at delightfully-tacky@hotmail.com.
How can I become a sponsor?
You can check out all the details on sponsoring here. Email me at delightfully-tacky@hotmail.com for rates and any more info you'd like to know.
Disclosure: All ads on Delightfully Tacky have been placed in exchange for either monetary exchange or as a trade for ad space. Every item I receive and style or review is consistent with my own personal style, regardless of whether I have been sent the product courtesy of a company or if it is my own personal purchase. All features, not including giveaways, are not compensated unless stated within the post.
