outfit 53--floral dress

 oh if every dress could fit you this well and be this comfortable!  this swirling shot shows the vertical panel details of the skirt part!

 the earring detail--another $1 pair from Wal-Mart for Easter--thanks for the "hook-up" wally world:)

 the "boob" detail--so nicely wrapped up and accented:)

dress--dillards--jones new york--$? thank you mother-in-law!
shoes--modern shoe--dansko--$100ish
socks--trouser socks (couldn't bear the thought of nylons:)) $?
earrings--wal-mart--$1

outfit 52--keyhole belt, gold shimmery sweater

this belt is leather with a stamp a stamp on the back that says "ring of fire--downtown los angeles"  when i google that phrase i get nowhere that would give me a clue to its origins....but i love the belt's uniqueness and that i got it for $3 at D.I.! 

these earrings were clearanced for $1 at Wal-Mart....not a place i try to shop all that often, but i really liked these and they ended up clinching this outfit of gold and gray for me.  not a color combination that i would normally put together, either! 

the sweater is shimmery metallic gold and  was $1 at Savers!  whoo hoo!  it has no tags in itso i can't even tell you who made this either. 

what i can tell you is 1) that DO go see the movie african cats:  oh, the photography is AMAZING!  i must hold me a baby lion before i die (even if it kills me--which might be an acceptable option:)

2) time and the atonement heal: last year at this time my husband's dad was diagnosed with terminal esophogeal cancer...it was the shortest/longest 11 weeks of our lives...although we both believe strongly in life after death it has been an extremely difficult year.  i am looking forward to June, just to have had the healing experience of TIME...

3) on a lighter note: do go get some chocolate peanut butter molten lava cake from chili's....it makes time worth it...maybe you go on date and see a movie and dessert afterwards? 

4)  this blog has been fun for me to have something to look forward to everyday and to find some really fun other fashion bloggers!

 

outfit 51--black ruffly yumminess

i am actually looking at my cute cats in the window

and my cute cotyledons of lettuce and peas garden behind me...

i am not scowling...

actually just squinting against this strange thing

i think they call it the sun!

closeup of the yummy ruffling of the skirt...

this is one of my most "feminine making" skirts ever! 

it almost shimmers as i walk

it is so feminine:)

skirt--peter nygaard at dillards--thank you mother in law (even on sale out of my budget)!

turquoise shirt--in studio--dillards--long time ago

black cardigan--thrifted spenser jeremy

shoes--dansko

earrings--made with my friend jessica

outfit 50--winter still.....

today i wanted to stay in my pajamas:  really badly!  so i opted for a comfortable pant and sweater combo instead!  this sweater was $1 at the savers monday colored tag sale!  yipee! 

my sister posed a question to me that has gotten me thinking, can i imagine feeling good all the time?  i have several ailments (fibromyalgia, migraines, ibs, social anxiety) that prohibit me from saying phrases like "i feel awesome!"  mostly i end up saying "i don't feel too bad".  what i would do if i felt good all the time?  would i DO or BE much different?   

i dream of swimming with the dolphins and moving as fast as they do, as free as they seem and as effortlessly as they swim.  it is the only time i imagine those phrases of FREEDOM, MOVEMENT, EFFORTLESSLY, WEIGHTLESSNESS.  the implication being pain free, but not as important. 

wish i could be wearing the sandals all day long at school, they are much cuter than the flats:)

black sweater--mountain lake--$1

beige pants--lane bryant--$40ish

black sandals--dansko--$114ish

black flats--terrasoles, sams club--$40ish

pearl necklace--gift from Melissa, sister

pearl brooch--grandma linda

bling earrings--don't remember

outfit 49--denim weight turquoise skirt

i am mostly happy with how this skirt turned out, it is my latest thrifted piece of fabric creation!  it is a wrap-around, i love the ruffle and the color for sure!

1. i am deciding about the length (i think it could be a tad shorter), 
2. would the bottom edge be better with a ruffle or would it be TOO much?
3. and i would love to have pockets--i think i could add them on top, without cutting into the skirt:)

 the newest dansko purchase--do they make you as happy as they make me?  tennis clogs--LOVE!

 skirt detail

two blue tshirts--down east and faded glory

skirt--me

socks--sam's club

shoes--dansko

necklace--walmart (thank you for coming through on color and clearance! $5)

outfit 48--red, brown and khaki

this is what i wear when it seems like a "jeans and t-shirt" day at school where denim is not allowed.  comfortable, easy with a pop of color:)

brown shirt--lane bryant

red tank with sparklies--lane bryant

beige pants--lane bryant

red mary jane shoes--dansko

outfit 47--sundance thrifted sweater, thrifted striped skirt

 sweater--thrifted--$3 sundance brand

skirt--thrifted--no brand

socks--sams club

shoes--dansko

t-shirts-brown--downeast, peach--faded glory

the sweater has sparklies in it and the sleeves are 3/4 length, which is so awesome for me!  

i love the skirt because it is reversible and not in my normal color scheme: peach, green, browns.

outfit 46--red snakeskin print maxi skirt

 i am grateful for my husband.  

i am grateful for meds that help me feel good:) 

i am grateful for my cats.  

i am grateful to have a job that i (mostly) enjoy.  

i am grateful for my family. 

 i am grateful for sunshine.  

i am grateful that i got my eyeliner tatooed!

i am grateful i know how to swim.

 i am grateful for trials, seasons, changes and frustration 

that make us appreciate the opposites in our life.

lane bryant t-shirt

skirt from who knows where because i have had it for so long

dansko sandals--$114

belt--thrifted--$2

crocheted flower accent--gift from friend

silver necklace and earrings--again, from who knows where because i have had them so long

outfit 45--argyle $1 thrifted sweater

this sweater was only $1(--maybe it looks like it--?)

i loved it because it is a thin sweater, with a hood and a classic argyle pattern

"pink and power brown" is one of my favorite color combos! 

however, next to my face, beige is not a good color, 

thus, i added the scarf to help maintain the healthier tones of my skin:)

i was excited, too, because my socks are pink and brown argyle,

"and then i am thinking oh, my gosh, it was like, perfect, because you know the pattern is there and repeated in the other place and it gets me all happy with repitition" 

fluttering hand motions inserted all along that exaggerated verbalism....brought to you by teaching jr. high all day, oh--they wear off on ya a bit:)

without the jacket and a little closer view, you can see the cute floral print and ruffles of the skirt. 

the pink t-shirt is okay for the summer but it is too casual for normal school wear. 

HOWEVER, it was 79 degrees in my room,

BECAUSE my room has been turned into a computer lab and has 28 computers for test taking

AND the air conditioning broke.....blech,

79 degrees plus 7 classes of stinky teenagers, does NOT a happy teacher make:)

this is where my basil and cilantro are going to be planted in about a month! 

what are you planting in your garden this year?

boots--dillards--frye

socks--sam's club

skirt--thrifted--aqua blues 

shirt--sam's club

sweater/jacket--thrifted--$1--woman within

scarf--thrifted--$1

earrings--made by me

outfit 44--green "u-knit" maxi dress

are you old enough to remember "U-Knits?" 

i sewed them all the time in jr. high and high school. 

i didn't try to afford the name brand

but if i remember right they had see through dressing rooms,

every item was either solid colors or a stripe so you could mix and match the belts, skirts, shirts, dresses, etc.  (i even made a jumpsuit with a zipper in the back:))

oh, btw, i am a fake red-head now, instead of fake-blonde...

love the color, love the transition as i will probably go dark/natural for the summer...

i fashioned this dress in honor and memory of "u-knits". 

i first called my mom to see if she remembered,

i then went through my visual memory and couldn't really recall .....then, BAM,

it hit me how i could turn this peice of rectangular knit loveliness into a dress with minimal cutting! 

so, at 3 a.m. i got up and sewed while watching "pillars of the earth" episodes 7 and 8 on dvd. 

don't all your best ideas and memories hit you at 3 a.m.?  mmmm......

the pin is inherited from grandma linda, 

the watch is a birthday present i bought for myself when i turned 30,

oh, so many years ago:)

the rings are from my once boyfriend, now husband, mr. man, trav, baby cakes

and other pet names that deem appropriate at certain times:)

the "scarf belt" is from a friend/visiting teacher

who brought it back from her trip to india/mid-east--thank you emily

dress--me, from thrifted fabric

green shirt underneath--downeast basics

scarf--gift from a distant land:)

pin--inherited from grandma

watch--citizen from jcpenney

earrings--gold from jcpenney

sandals--dansko (i know, big shocker, huh?)

Harry and I say "bye for now, come back and visit soon!" 

Harry is my 20 lb. maine coon,

my gentle giant, my cuddle bear, my first cat as an adult--oh, he is sweet!

outfit 43--my vintage fabric hounds tooth red dress

Could not have been happier to find this 3 yards of 

red hounds tooth knit in a bag of fabric that I bought from Savers for $2!

It is totally the stiff polyester knits of the 70's.  

LOVE IT!  

So, in keeping with the vintage flair, I bought a dress pattern from DI 

and with the help of my mom (also sharing the love of street vendor tacos)

modified it to my measurements and got sewing!  

It is the "hardest" thing I have sewn since high school!

 

Love the bust line details, the tie and the way the waistline flatters me.  

The rosette flowers are the modern update.  

When the dress costs time and less than $2, 

I can justify my $114 dansko red sandals, don't you think? 

outfit 42--yee-freakin'-haw! camera is back!

so excited about getting my camera in the mail today 

my first picture was the most unexciting one possible!  

one of my legs and shoes in my passenger seat of my husband's car on the way to date night!  

we saw the movie "source code".  highly recommend it!  

and then we went to chili's for dinner where mr. man took the other pictures 

while we waited 40 minutes to be called in!  

because it was outdoor lighting i tried the different ISO setting to see if they made a difference.

ISO 50--mr. man did not notice the collar issue, but the outfit is

lane bryant striped shirt = $?

fashion bug black skirt = $?

Kmart leather jacket = $?

nylons = i can't believe they worked and fit:)

shoes = sam's club = $20

chico earrings = $?

ISO 100

ISO 200--in the mean time, i have gone to be a red-head!  i love it! 

it is probably going to be a transition between the platinum blond to dark, 

because red is difficult and expensive to keep up 

while swimming everyday in the summer!

ISO 400--pretty much i don't notice a difference in the ISO settings, do you?