Twice Best Dressed

In high school I was definitely not voted best dressed.  I was, however, voted best car.  I had a red 1990 Toyota Celica that I loved, and I lobbied my peers to vote for me.  

Today I'm wearing two dresses: an olive green sweater dress and a brown shirt dress.  The sweater dress adds some warmth to the light and floaty shirt dress.  Two dresses are better than one, right?

 I think these colors pair nicely. 

 Shirt dress, Coldwater Creek, thrifted; sweater dress, Moda International, Victoria's Secret; belt, thrifted;  green tights, Target; boots, Pesario, Rack Room Shoes; necklace, ebay; acorn earrings, handmade by me.

 

I think I am going to get rid of this necklace.  I have had it for a while, and I have only worn it a couple times.  Usually I want something more colorful with my jewelry.  Anyone want it?

Getting There

I think I'll be able to finish this scarf by the end of the week.   Now the question is, should I make it an infinity scarf or your standard finite scarf?

Sack with a Belt

This sweater may soon be headed to the donate pile.  I don't think its shape or color does anything for my figure.  I tried to assist with the belt, but I think it's still no dice.  I may give it one more chance.  I may not.

 

Sweater, Sweater Project, Younkers; pink shirt, AB Studio, thrifted; brown slacks, Josephine Chaus, thrifted; belt, thrifted; shoes, Naturalizer, Younkers; necklace, thrifted; fishing lure braclet and earrings, handmade by me; magnetic bracelet, purchased in Cozumel.

 

Once again, at least I like my jewelry and shoes.

Why yes, I am wearing navy
and black plaid socks with
brown slacks.  What of it?

It's Curtains for Me

Actually, today was only valance for me.  Next I will do curtains.  By the time I finished the valance I'd had enough for the day.  I used a linen fabric lined with black-out lining.

The majority of the decor in our master bedroom and bathroom is beachy colored and themed, but I purchased a stained glass panel with birds of various sorts to hang over the bath tub.  I wanted to curtains to tie the beach theme with the birds.  I saw and really liked this fabric at JoAnn Fabrics, but it is fairly sheer and I wanted to be able to keep some of the sun out of the bathroom.  I like the pale blue color that reminds me of the beach with the birds that tie into the stained glass.  The insulated black-out lining will keep the room from heating up in the summer.

Can you see the birdies swooping on the walls?
Thanks, Angie!

 My friend Angie sent me the adhesive swallow-shaped mirrors that you see on the walls.  Stephen and I got married in Cozumel, Mexico, and Cozumel is derived from the Mayan for "island of swallows."  I love them.

Close up.  I'm getting lots of pics of this project because
I spent half the day working on it.

Wonton Helps Crochet

The scarf is up to 40" long now.  I'm still loving how the colors are playing out along the pattern.  Wonton is standing there for scale and because heaven forbid I do something that doesn't directly involve her.

This is two days of crocheting.  I didn't take an update pic yesterday.

(Wo)Man of the Night's Watch

In the Song of Ice and Fire book series the Men of the Night's Watch guard the Seven Kingdoms from beings from the north.  They wear all black and better be bundled up because baby, it's cold on the wall.  You won't find me standing on a giant wall of ice fighting evil Others and frozen zombies, but today's outfit was inspired by SoIaF.  I tried it with a black dress and black boots, but it was just too much black for a Friday.

 

I wandered around on my photo shoot today, lots of pictures, great scenery, not so great close-ups.

 

Suede vest, thrifted; turtleneck sweater, George, Walmart; jeans, Bandolino Blu, Younkers; shoes, Naturalizer, Younkers; necklace and earrings, TrinketsByM, etsy.

I love the furry trim on this vest.  I'm not sure whether it is really fur or not (since I got the vest at a thrift store), but it is soft and warm.

Today is my mom's birthday.  Happy birthday to the woman who made me and made me "me."

Mary Ann: Stick to My Style Posts Until Your Birthday

Blurry distraction puppies- snug and warm in their beds.

I love working with variegated yarn.  The change in colors over the piece makes working all those stitches so much more interesting.  I inevitably pick favorite shades in the yarn, and then I work to get back to those shades.  I guess it speaks to me being easily amused that I can get such entertainment out of the variations in colors of yarn.
I think I am about half way finished at this point.  Hopefully I will finish it this weekend and I can mail it off.   This colorway is addictive.  I'm loving how it is turning out.  It reminds me of drops of water or waves.

Tired Thursday

For a thrown together outfit, I think this turned out pretty well.  This was another day where comfortable layers were my number one priority.  My original outfit was too much effort.

Looking a little crazy in this photo.  Sorry.

Ok, back to my regularly scheduled
level of crazy.

Mesh shirt, Poetry, Marshall's; long sleeve tee, Tee Shop, Victoria's Secret; black slacks,  Larry Levine, Younkers; teal pumps, Graceland, Rack Room Shoes; abalone and pearl necklace and earrings, handmade by me; turquoise bracelet, handmade by me; black pearl bracelet, Younkers; paper bead bracelet, farmer's market.

 I love that the soles of these shoes are imprinted with flowers.  I am leaving a path of floral footprints behind me.

 

 

Mary Ann: Don't Read This Either

You don't want to spoil your birthday surprise.  Go look at this page.  Or this tutorial for Kool-Aid dyed yarn.

Distraction puppies.

Mary Ann is one of the few people in my circle of loved ones who haven't received a hand-crocheted gift from me yet.  It isn't because she isn't dear to me (she is).  It is because she is such an amazing knitter.  I know that nothing I can make for her will be as nice as what she could make for herself.  Also, I know she prefers the look of knitted items over crochet, and I don't know how to knit.  Hopefully she likes this scarf. I had started to make a green pineapple shawl for her in December, but then I found out that she doesn't like that shade of green.  Oh well, I'll try again.

Here is today's progress.  I'd estimate that it is now 6.5 x 17 inches.

Leopar-dile

What do you get when you mix a leopard dress and crocodile shoes?  Leopar-dile, obviously.
Any outfit that involves this dress is an instant favorite for me.  I love the movement of the skirt.  It is another Goodwill find.  You really can find the best stuff there for the best prices if you are up to digging through a lot of junk to find a few gems.

 

You may notice that the framed tapestry is new to this wall.  The tapestry was a wedding gift from my aunt in France, and I just got around to framing it.  I love how it looks in our newly red dining room.

I almost wore my leopard flats again today, but then I happened upon these wonderful crocodile print pumps.  These are one of the gems that I've been overlooking in my crowded shoe closet.

Dress, Lennie by Nina Leonard, thrifted; turtleneck sweater, Merona, thrifted; belt, Talbots (came with this dress), thrifted; tights, Target; crocodile pumps, Liz Claiborne, Younkers; necklace and earrings, gifted (thanks Stephen!); magnetic bracelet, purchased in Cozumel.

 

Mary Ann: Don't Read This

I'm serious.  Don't read it.  It will spoil the surprise of your birthday present.  You can come back and read this page after your birthday.

This photo was placed here to give Mary Ann a chance to leave the page.

Image Credit: Ravelry.com

I'm not sure if Mary Ann, my very sweet mother in law, reads this blog or not, so I needed to give her a chance to skip this post.


This is the pattern for the scarf I am making for my mother in law's birthday.  It is called Nancy's Waves Scarf  Her birthday is February 8, so I had to interrupt my regularly scheduled crochet project in order to whip something up for her.

The scarf my MIL made for me.

I chose the Nancy's Waves Scarf because the pattern reminds me of the knitted scarf Mary Ann made for me for Christmas.

I am using Paton's Lace in the Porcelain colorway.  

Tonight I crocheted about 6.5 x 10inches.  The pattern calls for 6.5 x 72 inches, so I've got to work double time to get it done in time to mail.



Stephen and I have are inundated with birthdays this time of year.  We have Stephen's granddad's and great uncle's birthdays behind us, and my mom's, my brother in law's birthday and my mother in law's birthday in the next few weeks.

Turquoise Tuesday

Before I started reading What I Wore 2Day, I often layered over dresses but not under.  Kasmira opened my eyes to the possibilities of layering shirts (or even another dress) to get different effects.  The other essential thing I learned from What I Wore 2Day is that animal print is a neutral.  The latter is why it is just fine for me to wear leopard print shoes with a turquoise outfit.

 

Sweater dress, Perceptions, Younkers; button-down shirt, Westbound, Dillards; tights, Walmart; leopard flats, American Eagle, Payless Shoes; necklace and earrings, purchased in Cozumel.

 

The turquoise dress is an awkward length.  I wonder if I can shorten a sweater dress without ruining it.

I am very much the December child today.  Blue topaz and turquoise are December's birthstones.  I have been lobbying to have December's birthstone changed to blue diamonds, but I haven't succeeded yet.  I think this color really suits me.

 

I have fallen back into my lazy shoe ways since December's Shoe Challenge is over.  I have worn these flats too many times in the past few weeks.