letting go

i haven't really talked about the button factory closing. i still don't really have much to say about it.. but i am finally ready to let go of it. this is how i'm going to do that.

one thing about the button factory is that we were planning on making it a real brick and mortar store one day. which means, every time we found a dress or some sheets or a purse, we had to decide if we wanted to hold it back and keep it for our future store, rather than sell it on our funds-building etsy shop right away. since the decision to close the shop and stop collecting vintage was incredibly quick, we were left with about ten boxes of stock. i wasn't sure what to do with it, and it's been sitting in my guest bedroom literally since the beginning of the year. these items are the ones that we loved the most, the ones that we wanted displayed in real life and bought by people in front of us, rather than online. it was really, really hard to want to give it all up. bekuh and i both went through it all, keeping things that we'd secretly wanted to keep all along (this was kinda the coolest part), and i've let some of my friends go through it, as well. i was especially excited to share with lindsey, and i'm sure you can see why from that post <3. but i STILL had ten boxes of things.. somehow. i've played with a bunch of different ideas on how to get rid of it in a way that felt deserving of how awesome everything was, and i finally decided to do a "quick" instagram sale. things are priced about as low as i could imagine pricing them, and there are sizes xxs-xl. i spent a few hours today, but there are still things to post, so i'll be updating it a few more times over the next couple of days.

if you see something that you like, but are curious about measurements or color (i didn't use any filters, but you know) or don't have a paypal account, comment on a picture or email me at katie.thebuttonfactory@gmail.com. we'll figure something out. i desperately want these pretty things to go to worthy homes.

in case you're about my size (a small in tops, a size 2 in pants, a small chest, and a mini belly) and you're interested but don't want to go through 90+ items, these are some of the ones that i would have kept if i was allowed to wear whatever i wanted to work: this wrap skirt, this pendleton skirt, this party dress (insert the emoji with the heart eyes here???), this yellow top (the whole thing screams adorable), this clover crop top (how holiday appropriate), this neon tunic, this grid button-up (i wore this all the time tucked into skirts at one of my previous jobs, but it isn't ae appropriate), this perfect silky maxi dress, and this one is my FAVORITE dress that i'm leaving behind.

if you feel so inclined, you can share this instagram with any vintage-loving friends. the prices really can't be beat for what we're sharing.

in my dream suitcase

i've been struggling with what to pack for chicago, because i don't know about weather (although becca has been super helpful) and i hate comfortable shoes. since renegade obviously requires those.. i've been dreaming a little bit. these are outfits that i wish i was packing.

dress/ necklace/ leggings/ boots
i've shared thief & bandit on the blog before, and i love this dress. it's a little short, so i'd pair it with leggings. everyone says this, but it's totally true: if you aren't buying $5 leggings from forever 21, you're probably paying too much for your leggings. haha, i love theirs. this necklace has been in my etsy favorites for a loooong time - i need to just snatch it up. and frye boots. i have a pair - a friend of mine from school gave me her great grandma's (they're over 100 years old!!!!), but i get nervous to wear them and they need to be resoled. i may ask for this pair for christmas, or start saving up. because they rule.

skirt/ tshirt/ boots/ tights

my doc martens are the comfiest shoes that i own, and i've been obsessing over this skirt for months. gnome enterprises is actually going to be at renegade, so i might come home with this little bunny tshirt (and a matching one for avery?!). also i hear it might be tights weather in chicago. ;)

skirt/ tshirt/ shoes/ necklace

i have been super into graphic tshirts lately, which is weird.. but i really love this one (it says "don't cry, it's rock & roll" haha). i need to pick up a solid color, flowy midi skirt for the fall (i have my heart set on this one, which will be available from hello holiday when they launch). andddd i'm pretty sure that i've linked to this dinosaur toes necklace before. still obsessed. these button factory shoes are too big for me, or else they may have found a temporary home. :(

even if none of these pretty things are coming to chicago with me, i'm just so excited for this little trip. for time with bekuh and becca, for exploring renegade for the first time, and just to relax far, far away from the stress of trying to become a responsible adult. haha.

<3

a little button factory update

i don't know if i've made this clear, but working with the button factory stuff makes me SO. HAPPY. happier than i can put into words. i'm just so glad that bekuh and i found each other, and decided to make this happen.

a couple of weeks ago, we combined our inventory, and were SO excited over how much we had collected. i hung the dresses that we're keeping for our (crossing our fingers) one-day-real-life-store, and i see them every day and swoon and dream over the whole thing. while combining inventory, we realized how many pretty shoes we had! so bekuh uploaded them today for you ladies to snatch up. :)

this pair is my FAVORITE (unfortunately they're a whole size too big, wah):

source

someone please buy them and post a million outfit pictures and make me an even happier (albeit jealous) girl?!

on top of THAT, we're gearing up for our first fall update! fall dresses are actually my favorite, which is probably obvious now that you all know me so well. here are some super top secret sneak peeks (and can we talk about bekuh's photography for a second? omg):

and that's only three of them! eep. also, i know you're mostly wondering where we find our pretty models.. first caroline, and now lauren? we're just lucky when it comes to having gorgeous friends.

last, but definitely not least, we're offering free shipping(!!!!) in the shop until october 1st with the code "BACKTOSCHOOL"

<3

pretty things around the internet

i spent a huge chunk of today going through and kiiiind of organizing button factory inventory. i had forgotten about some of the pretty stuff i found and squirreled away earlier this year. i can't wait for bekuh and i to combine our collections next week and spend some time preparing for future updates to the etsy store!

i also got dangerously close to finishing all of "sex and the city" (i'm not ready for it to end! ..again), so i started watching "bored to death." i just love jason schwartzman and zach galifinakis. :)

so now i'm relaxing, and catching up on the internet.. so here are some pretty (and cool) finds..

i'm kind of dreaming ahead to layering up on cool fall days, and this dramatic scarf (-type-thing) is inspiring a ton of outfits.

this deadstock dress is SO magical, and i wish i had a grown up excuse to buy it, since it's out of my sundress budget. i just love it.

i've fallen in love with so much of the art on fréya eté's etsy.

this pretty necklace was actually in the running for part of my lovely package exchange gift, but since i decided against it, i've fallen more and more in love with it. so. gorgeous.

clearly i have a thing for necklaces. and pretty much everything else in the dinosaurtoes etsy shop. i bought a gift for a friend from this shop awhile ago, but i'd love to own something, too!


danielle's pictures and stories from this incredible store in belgium were so appealing.. i was jealous that she got to visit! it makes me want to grab and empty suitcase and fly out tomorrow for a short shopping trip!

as bekuh and i start the preliminary plans to visit becca for renegade chicago, i've been drawn to anything craft-fair-related. oh, hello friend!'s post got me SO excited. i just hope my friends and family are prepared for all of the handmade christmas gifts they're getting this year. :)

i found this little story through princess lasertron (one of my number one biggest inspirations, in case you were curious): an investment into a business run by a 9 year old.. SO sweet.

<3

radio silence

source (the first page of huckleberry finn)

this week seemed endless, and even after we got power back, i just didn't have time for the internet!

things i've been up to lately:

i finally saw moonrise kingdom! it was incredible and everything everyone says it is and so of course i immediately started coveting a poster! but, since i probably won't get my hands on one.. this seems like a good substitution. :) also, i favorited like a million of her other posters. i'm always trying to find a classy alternative to austin's movie poster collection, haha.
related: a cup of jo posted this list of wes anderson's best tv commercials this week. i had fun watching them this morning. :)

bekuh made a huge button factory announcement last week! we're SO excited about these necklaces. i have one, and i covet the 7-feathered one. <3

i've been REALLY wanting some more tattoos lately. i'm trying to plan out the rest of mine pretty specifically so i can end up with gorgeous pieces working together, like both of these girls. i sorta want the second girl's finger tattoo right now! so cute. :)

my new job rules. it's a lot harder, a lot more fun, and just an overall better situation than my last. i get two days off like a normal person! everything's just awesome.

austin and i have been talking more and more about a puppy coming into our lives once we move. i'm allergic to kitties, or else we'd have one of those lil guys by now. my dream is really to own a couple of bunnies and a pup, but austin hates bunnies. :( but! a puppy! in our lives! in october! this is big.

i finished a book, the great house, and started another margaret atwood book, oryx and crake. this one is set in the same world as the year of the flood, which i finished a few weeks ago, so i'm excited to be immersed in it again.

i'm excited to catch up on all the blogs i've missed this last week, now that things are calming down. see you guys soon <3

the end of the beginning

source

this week i got the news that i've (seemingly) been waiting a month for, and i'll be starting my new job this monday!

although i am SUPER excited and, honestly, super relieved to be leaving my current position, i can't help but be a little bit sad. i'm a terribly sentimental person, who attaches importance to EVERYTHING. this was my first management position, and i learned a lot while in it. i'm thankful for the opportunity i was given (i know that the company took a chance hiring someone with no management experience), and know that i would not have gotten this new job without it.

i can see myself in this field for a long, long time.. what i'm learning is especially coming in handy for my future with the button factory. :) i've really learned how to be and how not to be a fair, understanding, and professional leader, and i can't wait to take these skills to my new job.

it's just all so bittersweet, but, needless to say, i can. not. wait. it's going to be challenging, rewarding, and a totally different experience.

thanks for all the well wishes back when i first mentioned the interview. :) <3

the button factory's first etsy update

this morning, my dear friend and business partner, bekuh, and i opened our online boutique, the button factory. within 30 minutes, we had sold two dresses, and so far, we've had 5 sales. i'm overwhelmed, to say the least. this dream has in the past kinda sorta almost seemed like a pipe dream to me, and no matter how much planning and work we put into both the online launch and our (hopeful) brick and mortar store, we could not have known how much interest there really would be.

this day has just strengthened my passion and my drive.

as bekuh said in her blog entry, the story behind the button factory, all of the sales made through our etsy store are going towards making the button factory bigger, both in it's online presence, but more importantly, towards a store to sell our goods here in our beloved roanoke valley. this picture is becoming more and more clear to me, as our (fairly secretive) hard work pays off today.

<3