ABOUT

Marisa Noelle, that's me.

Born and raised in Central Pennsylvania, you know, near Hershey Chocolate.  Fitting because I have the worst sweet tooth imaginable.  I went to school to be an elementary teacher, but right now I am a full time mommy of a spitfire little two year old boy named Keane and that keeps me on my toes.  I wouldn't have it any other way and though it's not glamorous, it's spoonfuls of fun.  I'm married to my best friend and partner in crime, Albert and it was a whirlwind of a romance indeed.  He swept me off my feet my final year in college when I was engaged to someone else...oops!  Hey, when you know, you know.  We got married 14 months later and have never looked back.

I am your typical INTJ, he is the complete opposite, and that's the way it works.   We share a love for all things musical - I write music and play piano and uke, he is a drummer.  I love to cook, he loves to eat...we are both Italian.  Dr. Seuss makes me smile, he'd rather read C.S. Lewis.  And we both love vintage clothing and thrifting to our little hearts content.  That's where The Shades of Monet Chronicles comes in.  He takes the photos, I write about personal style and random little adventures with my family.   Oh and I bake and cook and post some of my DIYs too!  I have an affinity for 60s dresses,  bright colors, big bows, and silly old hats.   Right now we live in a tiny mountainside town in Northeast, PA - pretty much so near Dunder Mifflin ;-)

Welcome, welcome nice to meet you!

F.A.Q's

Why do you wear hats (or hair accessories) all the time?

I just love them that much.  My mother made children's hair bows when I was little and sold them to a local children's boutique.  I pretty much never left the house without one of them on my head...so I guess you can say the habit kind of stuck.

Do you only wear dresses?

Nope, but most often I do because I am most comfortable in them and they work better for my petite curvy figure.

Favorite band/Musical Artist?

Keane - hey, that's my son's name too!

How tall/what size are you?

I'm 5'2 and typically wear a size 6 or medium.  I have curves and am proud of it.

Favorite movie?

The Sound of Music.  I spent many-a -days as a child pretending I was the 8th Von Trapp kid.  I can quote most of the movie.

What type of camera do you use?

As of January 2013 I use a Nikon d5100, prior to that, a Sony DSLR-A330 and in the very beginning a Canon point and shoot or my trusty ol cell phone.  

What do you use to edit your photos?

I typically use Photoshop.

What are your hobbies?

I've played piano since the ripe old age of five:)  It is my passion and my escape.  I can easily get lost in writing music.  I make up nonsense songs and sing them all day long.  Albert is used to it now. I play ukelele and bass too and hopefully the accordion in the near future.  Just for kicks I make floral crowns and collect old novels and vinyls...I absolutely heart Ernest Hemingway.  You can find me in the kitchen quite often whipping up new cupcake flavors.  Want to try some?  Come on over and make yourself comfy :)

How do you afford your clothing?
Since I became a stay at home mom, my clothing budget has become very small...no complaints though, I love what I do!  Most of my clothing is purchased from thrift stores, or from modern stores at sale price.  Other than that, I shop my closet over and over again or wear items that were gifted to me - usually from family.  

Why is your blog named "The Shades of Monet Chronicles?

It's funny, I get this question often and most automatically assume my blog name comes from a love of impressionistic art, more obviously by Claude Monet.  Well, I do indeed fancy impressionistic art and Claude Monet, but actually the phrase "Shades of Monet" comes from a song lyric I wrote many years back - in the early 00s to be exact,  when I was first dating the dapper fella that later became my husband.