Style Rant: Layering

Poor unfortunate souls that read this. I hope I do not scar you for life by telling you about one of my pet peeves. As you may be aware, I love layering things--to a certain extent. I also strongly despise when someone layers clothing incorrectly. Layering has a purpose. That purpose is not to look like you're so dead broke that you had to steal your little sisters' undergarments and put five or six on so you can appear somewhat clothed in public.

How to avoid bad layering:
-do not layer the exact same shirt/tank in different colors.
-only one layer should have lace or beading
-only one layer should have embroidery
-only layer complimentary colors
-only one layer should be a bold color.

So what IS good layering? Well, I found a great example in Coldwater Creek the other day. It was well though out, and was put together by a professional for display. If you ever feel the need to improve your style sense, the best thing you could do (after reading this blog, of course), is to wander around stores like Coldwater and study the displays. What do you like about them? What would you change? Try to figure out the display patterns that work the best.

Take a look at this sample. The blue outfit is a classic: patterned skirt, white blouse, blue vest, belt. A quick style note on this: the shirt and the vest are actually the exact same cut, just in different colors. It has taken advantage of layers, and is incredibly versatile. A white longsleeve shirt could go under this vest and would look perfectly fine. It can be dressed up, it can be dressed down, but it stays beautiful. And there is the added bonus that these shirts are wrinkle free. I love these wrinkle free shirts; they ard great for traveling. Unless you, like, crumple them up and stick them under your matress for a week, they remain smooth as anything. Even if you do manage to wrinkle them, just stick them I the bathroom after you shower. The wrinkles will disappear in the warmth and humidity.

But I digress. THIS is an example of good layering. Wear clothing layered like this and I shall be a happy woman. Ignore me and I shall hate your lacy-clashing- shirts forever.

Travel Update: Cosmosphere

It was a dark and stormy night. Suddenly, a shot rang out! A door slammed! A maid screamed! Suddenly, a pirate ship appeared on the horizon.....

That was quoted at least four times today. I'm too tired to take pictures, but I got a nifty little wristband at the cosmosphere today. It reads "Failure is never an option."

That's true. I spent the majority of the day looking at rockets and the history of the rocket and at space race stuff. And I really think it would be awesome if they could get larger crafts into space, ones that you can actually walk around on.

Its sort of put my head in the clouds. Astronaut clothing needs a make-over design wise. I'm going to go put my head on a pillow so I don't have to worry about tripping over stuff when I'm not watching where I'm going. I hope to have the video journal edited and up soon. You might end up with one huge one on like Monday. :P

Night!

Adventures in Wrendom

Today has been hectic at least. Went to bed a little before one this morning and have been running ever since (yes, I was even editing my to-do list in my sleep). I have some posts planned, so don't worry that I will forget you while traveling, but I am also attempting to video-journal my days. As some of you know, I am going to Kansas for a "mod moot." I shall be traveling over several states and at the end of each day, I will post a short summary of my day. We shall see how this goes.....

Hugs from the air, 

Wren

Recreation: Georgie Henley at AlbertaFerretti Fashion Show

I'm pretty picky about clothing, and I don't really care to "copy" clothes. I heard a while back that a certain dress sold out less than a month after it was made. Why? Lindsay Lohan wore it to make an appearance in court, and a million women rushed out to buy the exact same piece. I did not approve.

I do approve, however, of copying styles. I also like it at a cheaper rate (I stressed that when I re-created one of Liv Tyler's Paris Fashion Week outfits), but I also want to keep the flavor of the original design. No cardboard cut outs!

Georgie Henley is another person who I usually think has good style sense. This simple evening dress is the perfect balance for Georgie. It isn't little princess, but it isn't stately adult. It is reserved, but playful. It is cute, but not revealing. To duplicate the style, I went to BetseyJohnson.com and took a look at some of her evening wear. The style is the same, but the clothing is different. This dress is a little more shapely, having a corset-like waist and a flair to the skirt, versus the no-waist style Georgie wears.

Instead of fringe, it substitutes lace, making it a bit more playful than the original. The skirt is also shorter, but no problem: BetseyJohnson also produces a full-length version and a pink version. A simple, no-frills handbag would offset the look, and I personally think that this style would go well with flats or flip-flops, if need be. Of course, I am biased, since I believe every outfit can be worn with flip-flops, as long as said flip-flops are in the right color and decorated sufficiently.

I'm from California. I can wear flip-flops where I want. Then again, I'm also over 5'9", and dressy shoes usually have heels, and I don't particularly care to be towering over everyone. Georgie doesn't have that problem: she had a nice pair of peep-toed shoes to go with her dress. I think a shoe with a small flower on it would be very fitting for this outfit. Extra kudos if you can get an identical flower for your hair.

No Room at the Inn: Making Something out of Nothing

I grew up in a round house (think soccer ball), so there were always odd corners that just didn't fit anything. I NEED more room. Extra space is a must, not an option. But where to find it? As many of you know, I've been cleaning for the last few days, hoping to get into a better semblance of order than I am right now. Again, I'm facing the classic American problem: too much stuff, too little room. I'm reminded of The Poisonwood Bible, where, at the ending, one of the aunts has to explain to her young nephew, who is from the Congo, why there can be so much stuff that people don't need. Really, we have so much that we don't need. We are far past subsistence levels. We have food, we have clothes, we have shelter. And so we collect more stuff.

I'm still feeling cold hearted about throwing out or giving away childhood toys and clothing. Today, I found an old bear backpack. Its cute. It was fun as a little kid. My purse can hold more. I still want to keep the backpack. BUT IT IS GOING TO GOODWILL. And all of the paper that I feel required to save and use as scrap paper will be going in the trash, and I will not feel bad about killing trees.

Then, of course, what to do with the remaining items? A while ago, a friend of mine sent me an interesting article about nooks. Since nearly every available spot in my home is filled with some sort of book, bauble or piece of junk, this was an inventive piece that made me wish I had the money to put some in. My two favorites are the reading nook under the stairs (above) and the Wardrobe that leads to a secret room. If I ever build my own home, I want both of these. Both are fun space savers. Why put in a chair where you can put a shelf, and put a reading nook under the stairs? Why make a play room where you can put an office? These are delicious cozy places. Like the window seat, they offer an extra little bit of comfort without taking up much room. In fact, they don't take up room. They give more space.

For more interesting nooks, you can look at the original babble article here.

Losing, Leaving and Letting Go: When Clothes Die

What do you do when old clothes get...well, too old to wear? I end up keeping them, and my closet slowly brims to overflowing. Dresses that are too small (last worn when I was eight or so), suits that are adorable but don't fit, and old blouses that are comfortable and stained. Slowly the slide to the back of my closet, hiding other more wearable clothing and taking up room. What to do about them? I finally decided the other day that I was going to be cold hearted and take out all of those old things and either give them away or trash them.

I failed. I went through about two feet worth of clothing, which has now been sorted into the appropriate receptacle. There's about as much that I left there, too attached to to throw out. Maybe I'll fit into them again (ha), or maybe someday I'll have a little girl of my own that will wear it (double ha). There's one shirt in particular that I'm considering digging out of my give-away bag and saving. Its just one little children's turtleneck, right?? Its incredibly cute...more importantly, it has a story with it. Many women get attached to jewelry. I don't wear that much jewelry, so I don' really grow attached to it. But I have fuzzy feelings associated with this shirt. So, it might just disappear from the give-away bag before i becomes the given-away bag.

This raggy skirt is another sad piece. I love this skirt, and I've worn it to all sorts of events. It has memories. It gives me the warm fuzzies. Nothing bad has ever happened while I wore this skirt. It was fun. It was versatile. And it had over 100 safety pins in it, since if I sewed the tears, they only became worse. So I pinned each hole, and slowly, the number of pins increased as the tears got bigger. I could turn it inside out and have a perfect Goth/Punk mix. But, sadly, it is now getting retired. To the trash. No one could use it, it wouldn't do to try to fix it.

I've come up with a system to start determining what clothing I do not wear. And I'm promising myself that, in a year, I will go through and get rid of alllllll the items that don't fit or are never worn.

But then, again, I promised myself that last year, too.

...With a Side of Polonaise!!!

Okay, so Polonaise sounds like Mayonnaise, but it isn't edible. Instead, you wear it. Recollections sums its history up best when they note "The Polonaise is a coat-like dress, originally worn by Polish women, and was very popular in the 1770’s and 1780’s. It is a fitted bodice with a full skirt attached. Generally left open at the front, the skirt is gathered up to the waist on either side of the back, creating three distinct drapes of fabric." The style is a play on the peasant style. So, essentially, it lets upperclass ladies pretend they're roughing it.

The easiest way to understand what a polonaise is is to see it, and if you look at the picture to the right, you see a perfect example. The white jacket-top is a polonaise. It comes to a very slight bustle in the back for some, but most have one even hem and do not gather to accentuate...curves. As you can see, it does simulate a peasant woman's dress in a way, having the two side gathers, leaving an open view of the underskirt. Of course, this is all done in the nice high-fashion of the time, leaving no room for thoughts that this might be anything less than the clothing of the high and mighty. It does look rather nice, though. This black and white one makes me think of a riding dress, for some reason.

Polonaise are often made of the same fabric or color as the skirt, creating a nice walking suit effect. This green suit, from Recollections, is incredibly sophisticated, charming and lovely. It is one of my personal favorites. Long, long ago, this picture introduced me to both Recollections and polonaise jackets. Someone had used this picture to illustrate some point on an Internet forum. I have since forgotten what the point was, but I remembered this picture. A lot of designs have come and gone since then, but this green suit is still there. I think the reason why I like it, and polonaise in general, is because they are so feminine. Not a glitzy, pink feminine, but a sophisticated, professional feminine. 

I think we need a revival of polonaise suits, redone to be more appropriate to everyday life. 'Nuff said. 

Flying Feathers

Well, as promised, I have news of feathers for you. Yesterday, I had four feathers put in: the three pictured and one other in a different spot. They're pretty pretty pretty. Carol from Jewell's Mind Body and Bath made these and put them in. I showed them to the kids I work with, and their responses were varied. Kass loved them, and she wanted a detailed explanation of how they got there, whereas Gracie yelled at me "You got your HAIR painted?????"

Yah. Painted hair.

The most interesting discovery came when I woke up this morning. I'm not usually a tender head, but spots on my scalp were quite sore. I figured out why: the extra weight from the feathers, no matter how miniscule, is abnormal. I remember a friend talking about one party where she wore those fancy eyelash extensions, the ones with the designs on them. They weighed fractions of an ounce, but her eyelids got so tired of them that she had to take them off in short order if she wished to open her eyes. The same principle applies to my hair. Now, I'm getting more used to it, but my scalp is still a little tender. For those of you who haven't read up on feather facts, you can find a quick history here.

Now, as promised....the first Tainted Loves video blog.

Today is the Day: Feathers

Today I will be getting my hair feathered. Both my parents are very interested in what, exactly, this entails, so when I asked if my mom wanted to come my dad said he wanted to come to. So the three of us are trooping down to watch someone do my hair. Since they're both coming, I'm hoping that I can put a camera in the hands of one and a video camera in the hands of another, and they can be useful that way. Such are the dangers of being the parent of a blogger.

I promise not to get any that are too wild. I'm intending to use a basic color, so I won't have to worry about my clothes and hair not matching (plus, I hate hot pink). Check back tomorrow to see what it turns out like.

Bridal Feature: Golden Brides: What Makes Pnina Tornai Special

Marry in white, you have chosen right
Marry in grey, you will go far away,
Marry in black, you will wish yourself back,
Marry in red, you will wish yourself dead,
Marry in green, ashamed to be seen,
Marry in blue, you will always be true,
Marry in pearl, you will live in a whirl,
Marry in yellow, ashamed of your fellow,
Marry in brown, you will live in the town,
Marry in pink, you spirit will sink.

I don't remember where I first heard that poem, but it definitely wasn't right after it was written. It comes from centuries of superstitions. I did note that gold and silver are not mentioned. And why not? I kept trying to find a longer version of the poem. Then I had a "duh" moment. Back in ye olde daes, they didn't have gold and silver dyes. I remember reading stories about clothing woven entirely out of precious metals. The dresses must have been terribly heavy. If fabric was gold or silver, that's because it had metal woven in it. No wonder silver was the usual color of royal weddings.

Queen Victoria, of course, had to upset the apple cart by marrying in white, and was such a trendsetter that people in Western Culture still feel bound to that standard. When Kate Middleton (now Duchess of Cambridge) got married, I predicted that her dress would have blue in it. I was right, but it wasn't on the outside like I hoped it would be (which would have caused a stampede back to color, I'm sure). Instead, it was in the form of a blue ribbon lining woven into the interior. Rats. I was excited, however, that she chose a design with sleeves. Most sleeved wedding dresses look like the sleeves were an afterthought. Not Kate's!

Anyway, I do think that a move from white isn't a bad idea. I think it says a little something about our culture that we went from the freedom of many colors down to STRICT white. If a bride doesn't wear white, she's considered as a renegade or (ten or so years ago), a morally loose person. While some colors were perceived as negative, the vast number colors, as with other wedding prophecies were good luck or to ward off evil. All of the cultures that make up Western culture used to be more accepting and forgiving of color, and Eastern cultures actively celebrate color. White is a bad omen to them (which is hilarious, since Westerners LOVE white). So why not use more color?

This is part of the reason why I like Pnina Tornai. Color. She makes colorful wedding dresses, and most of her dresses are available in a wide range of colors. Some are made specifically to be color only. Two variations on a theme come specifically in gold. Now, be forewarned that both of these dresses cost....enough to buy a car. So don't get your heart set on any of them unless you also plan on inheriting a small fortune soon. Take a look at the rest of Pnina's wedding dresses at Kleinfeld's. And as you look at all the white and ivory, remember: this is the queen of color. And price tags.

Complete Outfit: Blacks and Whites

Just in case you didn't know, as a rule, I personally hate plaid. There are few exceptions to this rule, but there are exceptions. A FEW exceptions. Today, I've found some perfect ensembles from Shabby Apple and ModCloth. There are actually two dresses very close to each other, one at each store. The Shabby Apple dress is a little bit more modest (surprise surprise), but both are very close in concept. Both feature off-centered buttons and are made from a similar fabric. Both have high necks and fall to around the knee. The pattern isn't quite plaid, but it isn't quite checkered, either. To take a closer look at both dresses, you can see the Shabby Apple dress here and the ModCloth dress here.


The shoe that fits the best, of course, is one I've mentioned before: A black and white heel from Shabby Apple. And, of course, what to do when your feet get tired, or you're ready for something a little less formal? Perhaps these nautical flats would be a nice touch, complete with little red bows. The last one is all in theory, of course. The shoe is sold out. Sigh.....

The final finishing touch would be a black and white pearl bracelet. I particularly like this bracelet from SabtisDesigns. Any jewelry beyond something simple like this would be overkill. Because of the high neck, I would advice steering clear of any necklaces, and maybe even earrings. Anything more complex than this pair from SilverSmack would be too much.

Mmm....now I'm in a shopping mood......

I Promised You A Cookie....

...for successfully reading this post. Since it is summer up here, and I'm hot, I've found something better: cookies with ice cream in the middle. Enjoy.

Featured Blogger: Jacqi (Yes, no U)

Fellow Blogger Jacqi has an interesting concept, but spends so much time composing her blog posts that she doesn't really have time to let everyone know about her awesomeness. So, here is a bit of a taste of her style. Go ahead and take a look at her blog. Its worth following.


What age group are you in? All and none. Ageless. ;)
About how much do you spend on clothing each month? As little as possible…unless I find lots of beautiful things; then I spend too much.
Do you prefer shopping online or in person? In person. I’ve got to touch the material—and I’ve found that what looks great on a hanger doesn’t look near the same hanging on me. But I have been known to purchase items online.
What are your favorite stores? Since I’m from New York, I always liked to travel back east to shop there—stroll Fifth Avenue, the whole thing. But then, I discovered I can find much cuter things looking around nearer home. For the big store experience, you can’t beat Nordstroms (especially for shoes) (and piano music), but I prefer smaller shops. Lately, the stores that work for me are Dress Barn and Coldwater Creek.
What would you call your style? Eclectic.
What color is your favorite to wear? My fav color has always been blue, but I find earth tones work best for my complexion. And sometimes I stretch that to burgundy—but never to pinks!
What color do you feel looks awful on you? Somebody told me I look awful in yellow, so I’ve taken that advice to heart. However, with a better tan, it might be a little less devastating.
Do you like patterns? Yes, although it depends on what the pattern does for me. I don’t like things too busy. Subtle works better. I’ll consider anything as long as the drape of the material and the feel of the fit work for me.
If you had an unlimited budget, what would your dream outfit look like? If I had an unlimited budget, it wouldn’t be clothes that I’d be spending it on. (That’s the snark answer.) Um, er…probably something dressy that would be worn to a special event—the kind of romantic, elegant dresses that no one wears any more. I’m thinking the Jessica McClintock styles from years ago…
Does your blog reflect your clothing styles? Since my blog isn’t about clothing, I guess I’d have to say no—except for those brief moments when I post an old picture of a relative from the 1890s in the style of those Gibson Girls portraits, or someone showing off a 1920s flapper hairstyle. Not that I’d wear these styles, but the vintage look calls to me.
How do you think clothing reflects personality? Clothing, at least for me, flows out of who a person is and what that person is doing. I’ve always liked clothing with personality rather than “style” because my clothing is an extension of who I am (not an extension of what some stranger dictates that I should look like). On the other hand, since I’m practical—believe me, that comes with having to pay the clothes bill!—I believe clothing should reflect a functionality. But then, isn’t that what I’m about, too? So even that points back to my personality.
Do you have anything else you would like to share with us? For quite a while, I haven’t given much thought to fashion, but I do have to say that the internet opens up a wide range of possibilities, not only for those who wish to develop their own style, but for those who wish to create clothing and accessories. I love how the net brings clothing artists to my digital door. I love seeing what people are creating. It’s fun reading your blog and seeing what you’ve found online. There are so many creative people out there.
Where is your blog, and what is it about? My blog is at www.afamilytapestry.blogspot.com. I called my blog “A Family Tapestry” because I’m writing not only about family history and genealogy, but also about the life stories of the people whose “strands” are woven into my heritage. I want to share what I’ve learned about these interesting people, to honor them and keep their memory alive. And I want to encourage others to learn more about their own family history, too.

If you would like to be featured, or would like to nominate someone else's blog for featuring, feel free to email me at mytaintedloves@gmail.com

Tee-Eye-Double "Guh"-Ar!

Today, I slipped in my protest vote against Harry Potter. I went to see Winnie the Pooh, and I enjoyed myself thoroughly (besides someone whacking our popcorn over with their purse, of course). Pooh is definitely a blast from the past, and it was nice to see all the old characters back again. The story is the basic story of friendship, along with all the foibles of this motley crew. Rabbit is still a bit OCD, Tigger is as hyperactive as ever, and Eyeore has not been scourged with medication for depression. And Christopher Robin is still a little boy who has a large imagination. An A+ for the film as a whole, which runs for a little over an hour, if you include the short at the beginning.

Take a look for yourself:



I can't finish a post about Pooh Corner without linking you to my two favorite songs. The first is, of course, Tigger's theme song, which came up when one of my friends claimed I reminded her of Tigger when I write.

The other is a song that I have memorized from my childhood. It is "Return to Pooh Corner" by Kenny Loggins. Loggins wrote that he scribbled out the first half of this song while procrastinating before finals one year (sounds familiar). He found it again years later, after he had his own kids, and rewrote it. It is the story of growing up and looking back, and seeing your own children fill your shoes. I love it.

J'aime le blog de la parisienne/I love the blogs of Parisians

Salut, ma chérie! Aujourd'hui, un nouveau challenge: je serai blog dans francais et anglais a le meme temps. Je ne sais pas si ma instructor francais approuverait, mais, je vais tenter de toute façon. J'espère qu'elle vous plaira.

Hello, my friends! Today I have a new challenge for myself: I will be blogging in both English and French. I am not sure if my french teacher would approve, but, I am going to do it anyway! I hope you enjoy it.

Je trouvé deux blogs d'anglophones dans Paris il y a quelque temps. J'aime lire ces blogs. Le deux femme ecrit dans deux tres différent styles. Le premier blogs dans anglais, et elle chroniques de sa vie à Paris ... et non pas le Paris dans Texas! elle dit avec véhémence. Elle est Jordan, une planificateur d'événements. Elle ecrit au sujet de tout. Les enfants, les partis, maillots de bain, tout cela et plus à trouver leur chemin dans ses articles. Mes messages favoris est le post vers le market francais et le parti au revoir du des nouveau amis du Jordan.

A while ago, I found two blogs by English speakers living in Paris. I love to read these blogs. These two women write very differently, but I still love them. The first one is written in English, and the lady chronicles her life in Paris...the Paris that is NOT in Texas! as she vehemently insists. This is Jordan, an event planner from San Francisco. She writes about pretty much every subject possible. Parties, kids, bathing suits, you name it. They all find a place in her blog posts. My favorite posts are about shopping in the local market and a going-away party for some of Jordan's friends.

Le deuxieme blog est le blog du une femme anglais. Il ne dit elle nom, mais, il ecrit dans angalis et francais--principalement francais. Elle ecrit petit poèmes, généralement accompagnées de photos. Un grand, grand nombre des photos. Elle est tres artistique, et elle photos saisir la vie quotidienne d'une belle manière. Il est tres, tres belle. Il est bien évident elle adore ses enfants. Vous vu le blog ici.

The second blog is by an English lady. She does not say what her name is. She writes in both English and French, but mainly in French. She posts little poems, and a lot of pictures. A TON of pictures. They are very artistic, and truly capture the beauty of everyday life. It is very very pretty. It is obvious that she loves her children very much. You can read her blog here.

Je ne sais pas si le deux femme ont rencontré. Mais, je l'ai trouvé intéressante que tout les deux utiliser «day» dans le nom de les blog. Elles savent que nous devons vivre au jour le jour. Il est vrai, non?

I do not know if these women know each other. I do find it interesting, however, that they both use the word "day" in the names of their blogs. They both know that we must take everything on a day by day basis. And that is true, no matter where you live.

Moses Supposes His Toeses Are Roses

Roses are probably the prettiest flower that comes with thorns. I've always found it funny that these thorny plants are the symbol of love. I'm sure there is a story there, but I haven't researched it. Instead, I fell into rose-dom on etsy the other day, the same day that I came up with all the watches. So here's a rosy rundown of my favorite accessories. I was a bit eccentric in my choices, ranging from complete goth to normal stuff. So, here's a quick look at the awesomeness.

Goth

This Ikebana Cuff by ghost love jewelry caught my eye. I would love to use this as a costume piece someday. The ornate layering and long ribbons give it a feel that could be sinister or fun, depending on how it was used. A great partner to this (it also comes in a bronze) is the Rose Heart Necklace from robinhoodcouture. We talked about this vendor in my most recent Hatta post,so this should be slightly familiar.

If big jewelry isn't your thing, there is also the more sedate ScarletRose Locket. This actually comes in several color designs, including a girlie light pink and white, so don't write it off as total goth. The Victorian Cuff is a nice complement, and, like the Ikebana, does not fully encircle the wrist, and is thus a safe optioned for the big boned among us.

The final piece is a cage headpiece, and is made from duct tape. The rose looks awesome, and is accented with feathers and, of course, the net.

Girlie-Girl

Pink is the girl's color, and pink roses are always good, right? Pink is close to red, but isn't the same, and one shade is goth and the other shade is what you dress up your most feminine girls in. Tomboys don't get pink. But, here's some of the finds that made me *almost* wish I was the girlie-girlie-girl sort of person. LizHutnik starts it off with a very detailed peppermint rose ring (pictured). I usually don't like rose rings, as they make me feel like the rose just got plopped down for lack of a better idea, but this one looks like it is one well thought out, cohesive piece. Take a look through Liz's store. She has a lot of other great flower pieces. A nice hair accent to this is the Misty Dawn Bobby Pin Set. Please, don't make me embarrassed by using decorative bobby pins incorrectly. Put some hair over the normal bobby pin part of the pin. Don't cover the decoration, but please hid the fact that it is a bobby pin. The hair geeks will thank you.

Gypsy/Vintage

I like the gypsy look. Its quite fun. Pictured is the Sia Hair Flower. The flowers are set to look vintage-y, but still have that slightly wild feel to them. I think this is actually supposed to be a wedding piece, but I love it anyway.

Not to be worn with the Sia Hairpiece is the Bianca Sunshine Rosebud Belt. This belt is made of little fabric flowers, and is a great vintage add. Rosebudlips makes a lot of accessories like this. If you like this look, I recommend getting a good variety of these flowers in a pin/hairpiece combo. One of my friends works wonders with these flowers, using them as pick-me-up accents to an otherwise drab and boring dress. I've also seen her artfully disguise the fact that she's wearing the same thing two days in a row by rearranging where the flowers are located. Its her own little "stop and smell the roses" moment.

Watch out for the thorns.

I ♥ Pretty Food

Yesterday, I went to Mikasa in Lathrop to meet with my father and one of our friends. Mikasa is an amazing restaurant that is famous for its sushi (which, incidentally,  I don't eat, so I had some awesome cooked food). Enjoy.

The Godzilla Roll

Detail of the Pickled Ginger

Vegetable Teryaki 

It also came with Miso

I Know Those Toys!!!

They come out to play in my room at night, too!

To "meet" Owl City, visit their blog at www.owlcityblog.com . My favorite post is How To Become A Pirate.

That said, I just finished a paper, and still have to format it, and its due tomorrow. So off I go to finish that. Revel in the joys of Owl City while I'm gone.

Down With The Bloody Big Head: Keeping Tea Time

I managed to fall down the hole of the etsy search engine today, so be forewarned that I have a few days worth of random cool items from etsy stowed for sometime soon. However, today I'm just going to settle with perusing watches, most of which are from a very cool seller that I found just recently. The seller is robinhoodcouture, who, incidentally, makes a lot of amazing looking items. I'm often glad that there are many other things that lay claim to my money, as I could easily get pretty carried away cosplaying. These accessories are absolutely adorable, though. I'm still playing with the idea of multiple watches, but I know that I would have to plan this very carefully, as each watch is around thirty dollars, depending on where you get it. Never less than twenty.

My favorite design right now is the Royal Crown Pocket Watch. Pictured above, this one does snap open and closed, unlike many other models I've looked at. I also really like the Victorian Heart watch, mainly because the handwritten style of the letters and the non-circular design makes me think someone was a little mad. My last favored watch from robinhoodcouture is more modern in style, being the Watch The Stars nautical design. I think that this character would be a mix of incredibly old items with a touch of new, odd, shinier items. In the end, I think I will probably end up with only one or two watches, if that, from here, but they still are a lot of fun to look at.

My other discovery was from when I managed to stumble into steampunk world (again). A necklace with the inner workings of a clock on it. How fun! I still have no idea why timepieces are so vividly connected with Hatta for me, but this is a fun accent. Browsing through the LondonParticulars shop, I see they have a variety of clock gut items. I guess a working clock would mean that Hatta is never late for tea, and thus would never need to hear "Off with his head!"

Just For Rosie

Dave Barry has a list of awesome would-be band names. I often come up with great blog names but, obviously, don't have the ability to blog under them all. This one was partially inspired by Owl City, as well as melting frozen yogurt, as well as the "your life is but a vapor" verse. Thus, I present you the first Blog That Should Be:

Ice Cream in the Sahara

If you like this and use it, let us know!

Summer Wear, Easy: T-Shirts

I used to hate t-shirts. Probably thanks to being forced into suits and polos or button-downs every day, I'm now reveling in the time now that I can spend freely in a T-shirt. So, I've become a bit of a shirt connoisseur this summer. I've only picked up two or three, but I have a long drool list. I'll share a few of my favorites with you.

My number 1 most wanted right now is a great Alice shirt from ArtFire member Tartx. This shirt has some awesome artwork on it (a portion of it  from the books I first read as a child), and is just plain old fun. I don't usually get shirts that are based off of films or books, but this is an exception. I especially love the slightly frustrated Alice, and the equally annoyed flamingo. I suppose my fascination with Alice in Wonderland comes from having first read both books while I was running an incredibly high fever, thus, it is exempt from all my normal media judgements.

There are a few ties for second, mainly because I meandered through Coldwater Creek the other day and fell in love with several shirts. There is, of course, the silver beaded shirt (left), which reminds me of an icy, slow moving river that is just waking up. The coolness of the beading counterbalances the casualness of the fact that it is a t-shirt. Awesome shirt. The sunflower tee is nice, and is somewhat like my black rose tee, just the flowers are upside down from each other.

Then, of course, there are more abstract flowers, which I also love. This one is particularly colorful and versatile, and I like that. Easy to throw this on over a basic black or brown or blue or whatever skirt or pair of pants. The abstract leaves shirt has the same feel, but is only in black and white, which is fine by me. Both shirts are great for those early mornings where you can be casual but don't want to exert brain power on matching things. Of course, the same thing applies to this glow in the dark shirt, which is weirdly fun. I don't see myself really wearing this one, though, although it does remind me of a certain outfit of Liv Tyler's that we discussed perviously.

Finally, my inner makeup artist (hey, its my job) comes out. I don't know how many of you remember the disassembled gun shirts that were popular a few years ago (this is the closest I could find), but there's an airbrush version too. Booyah. Unfortunately, I doubt that many people would "get it," so no purchase here. I'm still thinking about the Alice and Ice ones, though.....

A Study in Poisonwood

I am nearly done with The Poisonwood Bible, a large book that is roughly the size of Lord of the Rings. It is somewhat hard to get into, and is definitely a challenging book to read. The father is, of course, and overbearing, abusive and demanding man. If, like me, you are looking for what in his past made him that way, you will find it in his wife's flashbacks. Against everyone's advisories, he takes his family of four girls and a wife to the Congo. Despite his lack of training, the family gets along pretty well, and would have gotten along better without him. It is written from the alternating points of view of the four daughters and their mother.

The varrying perspectives are interesting and add to the story. Each of the girls reacts differently to their father and his faith. Leah begins to "go native" and finds herself often siding against her father. Adah early on decided that if God was what her father said He was, she didn't believe in him. And I agree with her. There is no room for philosophy questions in his belief. To him, those born in America are automatically saved and those born in tribal areas are automatically lost. I disagree. I think Americans, even of that time period had just as probable of being lost as the Congolese, and the Congolese were just as open to applying the words of Christ to their lives. The concept of grace is challenged, mainly because in the book there is no such concept.

Like any book, Poisonwood must be viewed with a critical eye. It is not for the faint of heart.

A Chocolate A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

I love chocolate. The darker, the better. 85%? Amazing. Higher? Drool. My dad knows I love chocolate so much that whenever he gives me a gift for no reason, I can usually count on it being a bar of Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate, which is amazing. I'm still working on the bar he gave me around Easer.

Oh, and did I mention...today is Chocolate Day?? It is. I am hoping that all the chocolate stores have specials for today, so that I can get even more great chocolate. In favor of this event, I am going to share my favorite factoid about chocolate.

Are you ready? Here it is.

People who had small servings of chocolate throughout the week, the total netting between 1.5 and 2 ounces of chocolate, had a decreased likelihood of heart disease. Those who ate no chocolate maintained the normal risk level, and those who ate more than two ounces had a greater chance of heart disease. So, now, the question is, how much chocolate is 2 ounces? it is almost exactly one half of the largest size of chocolate bar you can get.

So, now, the healthy thing to do is to practice self restraint and have one little square of chocolate each day, and presto! you are a healthier person.

I am SO loving this new research! Now, I'm going to go celebrate by hitting the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and getting me some chocolate.

Scavenging for Beauty

Bee is one of those people who has talent. I've lately been pursuing a lot of blogs of people who "vintage loot" or any of the other various terms used to describe those who take something old and make it into something new. Bee does a bit of that and a bit of everything else. Usually she starts with a mess and ends with something beautiful (you can see a start to a mess to the right--peruse her blog and you can see the beautiful she ended up with).

Now, let's face it. I love the something-old approach (you know how I awww'd over one couple's using old pages from their favorite love stories to make all the flowers for their wedding.), and I love seeing inventive done in new ways. I don't have the patience to figure out what to do with them, though. I'm not quite that imaginative. Bee is, and she's pretty inventive with her projects, too. I don't want to tell you too much about her work, as she writes in a very witty way, but I will say that I admire how she made a business for herself out of revamping rooms and furniture. Take a gander over to Windgate Lane and wander around a bit. Even if you don't like DIYing it, her writing style is sure to capture you.

Red White and Blue Hues

If you haven't noticed, today is Independence Day in the U.S., more commonly referred to as "The Fourth of July." For me, Memorial Day and the 4th seem a bit like repeat celebrations, because celebrating our declared independence from Great Britain makes me think of all the people who have sacrificed to defend our nation, and celebrating all the people who have sacrificed to defend our nation reminds me of Independence Day. Either way, I end up thinking red, white, and blue, and this morning, I realized something. 

I can't see anything patriotic in my closet.

That was an awful realization. Perhaps it is because I am normally required to wear a navy blue skirt and white button down on July 4th. I have two patriotic scarves, but that is it. No flashy bejeweled flags on my shirts. No Nothing. In this absence of red white and blue, I've been reduced to wearing black with a rose screen printed on my shirt. In sharp contrast, my first 4th was so thoroughly patriotic you couldn't even see baby. There is a better picture from when I'm about six, but I gave up on finding it. It was much cuter, and less drool-ridden. I apparently drooled a lot as a baby.

Bereft of patrioticness, at least in dress, I drifted over to etsy to see what patriotism was on display there. There was a variety of great artistry, including the canvas pictured above (by KLynnae), as well as a variety of dog tags. I've always admired people who have a way to make dog tags into a tasteful accessory. They're cool, and I think its a nice way to announce your support for the troops. My discoveries ranged from tags with different military seals (the Marine tag is pictured to the right) to USA earrings made from charms and dog tags. Quite cute.

My personal favorite, though, was a necklace that is done to help the Pinup Patriettes raise funds for various military/verteran support groups. I've had a little trouble determining who exactly the Pinup Patriettes are, since their site is down, but it appears to be founded by some pinup girls and their friends who travel around to different events selling flags and pins and other patriotic mementos. The proceeds go to various military and veteran support groups, such as the Wounded Warrior Project. My main focus, however, was on the necklace. It has patriotism spattered all over it. It is made up of two dog tags and some beading, the bottom tag having the flag on it, the upper tag having the PP's logo on it. Pretty, not too complex, and patriotic. 

And, as a plus, I can wear it with a blue skirt and a white button down shirt. Happy Independence Day. Remember those who make our Independence possible. 

Dressing to Make A Difference

Could you wear the same dress for a hundred days in a row? If you could, could you take it a step farther and create one hundred totally unique outfits with just one dress? Miss Elaini can. Elaini is wearing the dress pictured to the right for one hundred days. Today is day 64, and she has created her 64th unique outfit. Her goal? To raise awareness about the plight of Indian orphans, and to raise funds to provide for them. Her goal is to be able to raise $50,000 in the one hundred day period.

I must say, I admire Elaini in about a million different ways. I promise you I won't list the entire million, but I must list a few, and then after I list them, you must go visit her blog and be inspired.

First off, she's willing to do something. Most people will agree that something must be done, and perhaps they will write out a check, but the majority of the time, they leave it at that. Perhaps they put a bumper sticker on their car. Elaini is a walking billboard.

Elaini also doesn't feel sorry for people. Instead, she loves them. I think there is a huge difference. Someone who feels sorry for others is looking down their nose at them. If you love people, you come down and help them up. Elaini loves the orphans just as much as she loves her own family. Her parents are her best friends (so are mine. My best friends, I mean, not hers. ).

Elaini is an overcomer. I was recently thinking about how many people who are challenged physically are those who are strongest spiritually. Whenever someone talks about this, I inevitably start thinking about a girl I once taught at a conference. She was about six, and she had spina bifida. A six year old should be able to walk. This girl couldn't. If she wanted to go anywhere, she pulled herself along by her hands, perhaps carrying something in her mouth or tucked under an arm or on her lap. I can't think of a sweeter, patient-er, understanding child. Some day, that girl is going to do great things, and I hope she finds a unique way of doing them, just as Elaini has. Elaini's story is so different, yet so much the same. She doesn't have spina bifida, but she has had many health challenges. And she has risen over those challenges and created something that is helping others and glorifying God.

Elaini uses fashion to make a statement--but not the usual sort of statement we think of. She's saying "HEY! WE'RE BLESSED! We are SO blessed, and we don't even realize it! Let's take some of our blessing and give it to others, so God can bless them through us!" The concept of wearing the same dress for 100 days is a little challenge in and of itself. But think of it. How many people wear the same thing day in and day out because that is all they have? Wow.

Think about it. Go take a look at Elaini's blog. It will challenge you. It challenged me.



P.S.--All of these pictures are, obviously, pulled from Elaini's blog. Also, once you reach about page 7 on her blog, you can start reading her other observations about the little things in life. So don't just look at the first page!