foxes

Outgoing Mail: Sea how it goes

Mailbox Mermaid4 Comments

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Tomorrow is my day of reckoning–the Graduate Reckoning Exam, that is. (You mean that’s not what the acronym represents?) As I mentioned on instagram, I have been utterly devoted to brushing up on my esoteric vocab and relearning everything to do with data analysis over the past few weeks. You’d think this would mean no letter-writing time at all for me…but mail always finds a way. 

Because I’m going to spend the next 24 hours taking it easy (and maybe writing a sample essay or two!), here’s a quick peek at some of the mail I’ve sent out in brief moments of respite. For better or for worse, I should be completely free of this standardized madness by the time these letters reach their destinations!

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Outfit of the (Yester)Day: Nancy Drew Meets the Creatures of the Deep

Mailbox Mermaid9 Comments

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My everyday style ultimately alternates between two looks: old-style “girl detective” and actual mermaid. Sometimes I fawn over vintage-inspired dresses and midi skirts, while other times I show off my island origins by wearing lots of shell and pearl jewelry. (I’m always so surprised that more Mainlanders don’t wear shell earrings!)

It’s very rare that these two looks intersect–but when a slightly colder morning inspired me to strike new territory by adding a navy cardigan to one of my favorite dresses, my beautiful glass jellyfish necklace seemed the perfect way of tying my various aesthetics together. After all, there’s no place on Earth that has as many mysteries as the sea!

(Important note: no, that’s not a real jellyfish! It’s crafted entirely from glass by an extremely talented artist. Can you even imagine what kind of skill that must take?)

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Fjallraven Kanken Mini Review

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A simple, white circle with a little red fox curled up like a crescent moon in the center. I first encountered this charming Fjällräven logo three years ago during my time in Edinburgh, when I crossed paths with a flatmate just moments before she headed out to class. Strapped over her shoulders was a vibrant yellow backpack with that same tiny fox staring up at me–and as a lifetime fan of all things vulpine, I wondered where I could get one of my own.

Fast-forward ahead to 2015, and these Kankens are well on their way to world domination. I’ve spotted them around the campus where I work countless times, and their presence on the internet is absolutely inescapable. After wondering what all the fuss was about, I did a little research and immediately fell in love with the idea of a bag that has been celebrated for its functionality, durability, and reliability for decades. When an unexpected Amazon gift card suddenly entered my life a few weeks ago, I decided that there was truly no better time to launch myself into the world of Fjällräven. Continue reading →

Sylvan Stationary (or, Notecards from the Nonexistent Forest)

Mailbox Mermaid6 Comments

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As I may have said before, I’ve always held romanticized ideas about the stereotypical “woodland” environments of North America & Europe. Imagined visions of the forests of more temperate biomes–home to foxes, great horned owls, squirrels, and other fauna –have captured my heart since I was very young.

Luckily, my pen pals understand this strange fascination of mine! It just so happens that “whimsical, stylized woodland animals” is apparently a thing these days…and my collection of stationary that fits said theme has seen some new additions in the past few days! Continue reading →