Yorling: It’s Not Just For Breakfast Anymore

Every time I think I can’t possibly find something way cool that I can’t live without, I find it.

I love pajamas. I must own a LOT of pajamas. And if I have a special attachment to one, I will NOT give it up. I still own the Winnie the Pooh™ nightie my mom got me at Sears™ when I was 6 years old. I still own the one set I got for my hospital stay after my son’s birth. I don’t know if I should be happy that it still fits. During the closet cleaning I found several sets that were so very worn, I cut them up for outdoor rags. It hurt, y’all. I felt like Travis did when he had to shoot Old Yeller, only there was no rabies involved. Or a shotgun.

Anyway, a few weeks ago I went to the outlet mall with a friend of mine, and we spied the Soma store. Now, I have heard of this store before, but never went in, mostly because if I’m at the outlet mall, I go to where I need to go and get out. Too many people around. But as we walked by they had this in the window:

Flutterbys, y'all!!!

For the gentlemen that read this here blog: no, the gal wasn’t in the window. Just the sleepshirt.

Anyway, we went in, and lo and behold, the sleepshirt felt like the most soft cottony silk!! That pajama got under my skin, and I came home and cleaned out as many PJs as I could possibly donate, just so I could go back and get my flutterbys. I managed to clear out eight sets, which means, as per my dictate, I can get FOUR!! No, not of the same style and print, people. So, today will be a good pajama day for me!

At least I will feel good in my PJs as I give up everything worth having for Lent tomorrow 😉

Well, I Did It

And I had a wonderful time. Yesterday I had the Travelling Red Dress™ photo shoot (info on the TRD is here). I had an amazing time with the photographer, Elizabeth, of Amakua Market Photography. She is a young woman who has an infectious love of life, and a wonderful personality, as well as that rarest of rare things: a love of her job. Grateful for the warm weather, we decided to go to the Japanese Gardens and walk around taking pics and laughing while enjoying the scenery.

And this is me. In the Almost Red Dress.

Yes, pixelated to protect my secret identity.

I found that this dress has a secret: it’s a magnifying glass. I started off wearing this dress to give myself a bit of magic, and found that the dress didn’t give it to me, it only let’s it show through. For that hour when I wore it, I saw myself like a court jester, and a petite flower, and a queen, and a little fish in the big pond full of Koi, and I loved it!! Big or small, I liked what I saw. It took me a long time to realize that I like who I am, and this dress helped me to see that others have always felt the same way. No, not everyone likes me, but at least I can see why some people do.

And the Converse All Stars™ were definitely the finishing touch 😉

It’s a Party, and I Can Cry Because I’ll Have Waterproof Mascara

Quick confession: I used to sell Mary Kay Cosmetics™. The judging stops NOW!

Moving on. A friend of mine has invited me to a Mary Kay party. It has been roughly ten years since I have been to one, much less used their stuff. That doesn’t mean I don’t own some still, though mostly perfumey stuff. Usually I dread going to these parties because I have awful skin, and usually buy into the hope that this time I will find something that will make my skin look perfect and flawless. That is silly, of course, but I can still hope. Prayer doesn’t hurt, either.

Surprisingly, I am looking forward to it. I have come to the realization that I am a homebody. I don’t go out much, and when I do, I tend to come home early because of the kids. I do my chores around the house in total silence, forgetting about the radio or the CD player, and sometimes feel like I’m in a tomb, at least until Little One comes home and watches Disney Channel. I need to get out more, and make new friends, and if that entails going to a make-up party and buying something that guarantees to take years off your face, I will do it!

I just hope that stuff isn’t botox 😉

Ladies in Red

Some of you out in the Blogosphere may know of The Bloggess, Jenny, and her Travelling Red Dress. It is a wonderful project done for the purpose of bringing a woman’s inner beauty into the open, celebrating one’s life, or a milestone, or just to give a woman the feel of magic. There is even a Facebook page to bring women with red dresses together with women who need them.

Yes, I admit I am a maudlin sap. I can’t help it. And most of you know me well enough to know that I don’t subscribe to feminism as defined by Gloria Steinem. My feminism was defined by June Cleaver. But the magic of the Travelling Red Dress is one that transcends all walks of life. It has a purpose, and there is never a downside to having a Red Dress moment, because as soon as you slip it on, you are filled with magic and love and hope, and guess what??

ALL THAT STAYS WITH YOU, FOREVER!!

And so, I am taking a step, and getting a Red Dress, and I will wear it, and believe in the magic, and then pass it on to another who needs the magic. And so on, and so forth, until it falls apart.

And then I’ll get a new one. And start the cycle all over again!!

PS: Yes, I will model it here. And if any of my readers are interested in having it, send me an email, or leave a comment on this post. All I ask is that you send it along to another gal who needs the magic, too 🙂

Project Runway

No, this has nothing to do with the show. So, if you found this blog because you were searching for the latest Heidi Klum favorite, or Tim Gunn savaging of young wannabes, you’re out of luck. This is about my birthday, which is coming up in a couple of weeks.

I don’t have much luck during my birthday. I don’t make a big deal out of it, either. But it’s a bit hard to take when family forgets sometimes. It’s even worse when you get a used appliance for a gift (“Well, you liked my travel iron so much I decided to give it to you for your birthday!”), or even when you get a gift you had given someone, still in its original gift wrap.

But this year will be different!!

I have decided to celebrate my birthday, on my own. New dress, new shoes, new attitude. I will celebrate that I’ve had another wonderful year on this rock, and be grateful for all of the ups and downs, the good and bad. I will walk the runway like I own it, no matter that there is a run in my stocking or even if the heel breaks off my shoe and I become fashion roadkill.

True fashion roadkill, on many levels....

None of that will matter, because I’ll have made it to the runway.

Playing Dress Up

Yay!!! Less than a week, and it will be Halloween!! The candy, the lights, the candy, the haunted houses, the candy, the decorated trees, the candy, the little kids dressed up, the candy…. WHAT??

I admit, I like to make my own costumes. I prefer to make my own using stuff I already have. One year I managed to wrap some leftover silver lamé around me, and wore a shiny metal trashcan lid on the back of my head: I went as a spoon. Then there was the time when I took two brown towels, sewed them together, cut out felt letters and ironed then on with no-sew stuff, and went as a bag of M&Ms. And who can forget the time I took a brown sweatshirt, brown sweatpants, and made “wings” and sewed them under the sleeves so I could be a bat??

Good times, good times….

This year, Little One decided she wanted a more blingy, high-maintenance costume. Eldest decided to take a pair of scissors to an old evening dress of mine and do her own thing. Son decided to not dress up. I believe he is the lone sane one among us. I had toyed briefly with the idea of purchasing a costume, but decided to save a bundle few bucks and go with what I have on hand. As I looked in my closet, I came to the realization that either a) I need to divest myself of unnecessary stuff, or b) I’m a throwback to another age. I think it’s “b”. At least, I hope it’s “b”, because I don’t want to get rid of anything. Sigh…

Anyone else dressing up for Halloween?? 😉

Diva on Hold

Like every woman, I have an inner diva. She is bedecked in baubles, and frilly frocks, and pretty shoes, all the time. Even in bed. This diva rarely comes out. Maybe once a year for the Holiday Ball, and perhaps on days when I am making a casserole for dinner and baking a cake for dessert. I do wear my pretty aprons and pretty shoes and pretty jewelry then. Ok, I wear pretty jewelry to do laundry. I seldom go out, so I have to wear it when I can. Some of you do it too, I bet.

The dream....

Anyway, I had to put The Diva on hold again. The first time was with Eldest. She needed a long evening gown with a “tail”, for a runway show. We searched high and low, and finally found a divine creation that fit her well. A divine creation by Badgley Mischka. Now, on my List of Things to Do Before I Die™, I have this at #53: own a gown by Badgley Mischka. But who gets one before I do?? Yeah, I let it go after a few months minutes.

I thought the designer stuff was over with, since Eldest is pretty good about keeping to off-the-rack and vintage stuff. But of course, I have three children. And this time, my son was in need. His orchestral attire consists of a black suit. Now, for some people this is easy peasy. But he is so tall and thin, I finally had to resort to going to a men’s store, where the suit and pants could be tailored to fit. We find one that is close enough to his size to need only a few alterations. A suit by Michael Kors.

It’s like the Universe was laughing at me.

But like any good mom, we do what’s best for our children. Designer clothing isn’t the norm for my kids, but sometimes one has to make exceptions. In both cases, I either had earned discounts or the item was on clearance, so that helped tremendously. Still, my wish for a Diva outing has to stay on hold for a while.

And the reality...

Besides, the Reality is soooo much more comfortable 😉

Homecoming!! Rah, Rah, Rah!!

Today is Homecoming for one of our district high schools. The kids are all excited, because it means they get to sit outside and enjoy a football game while eating all manner of junkfood and sodas for dinner. I’m excited because I don’t have to cook. As The Queen dictated, everyone should go enjoy a high school football game! The most wonderful part about a high school football game is the support for the teams, even when they are losing.

That, and the fact that we don’t have to worry about a Lockout, or some such silly thing.

One thing that is traditional here in Texas, is the Homecoming Mum. When I went to school, back in the Iron Age, your date bought you the mum, which consisted of actual chrysanthemums. He went to the flower shop, ordered however many mums he wanted, with whatever amount of ribbons, along with sundry embellishments like little cowbells, whistles, footballs, chains, etc. The tackier, the better! But as time progressed, and brought us into the Internet Age, things changed.

Ok, the tackiness survived. But nowadays, the wearer of the mum is responsible for making her own. Some young men still go out and purchase a mum for their dates, but overwhelmingly, the gals make their own. I miss the gallantry, if it can be called that, of a young man going out of his way to order a fresh mum for his girl, but on the other hand, I do like the way young women let their creativity flow when they make these ornate decorations. The flowers have since been replaced with silk ones, but that just means they can last forever 🙂

Born Yesterday

I firmly believe I should have been. Well, not literally. But I have an affinity for the 1940’s and 50’s. The music, the fashions, the radio shows, the comfort foods….and the *ahem* adult beverages. I swear, if I could channel June Cleaver, I would.

And sometimes, I manage to come so close!

A friend of mine makes these wonderful vintage aprons, and I just acquired my third creation!! All that is missing is a martini in my hand. Or maybe a Tom Collins. At least in my fantasy.

In reality, it would be Alka Seltzer 😉

Tactical Style

Laura over at Fetch My Flying Monkeys gave an account yesterday of her friend Richelle’s run-in with a racist @$$#*!&. We in the blogosphere were rightly incensed, appalled, and wishing that we lived closer to both Laura and Richelle so that we too could have the opportunity to unleash major fury on that @$$#*!&. Because y’all know we would have hunted him down like the vermin he is and wreaked havoc upon his sorry carcass until not even the vultures would have recognized it for carrion.

Whew….got a little woozy there for a minute.

Anyway, after expressing everything we would do to that low-life our anger, I went back to read the rest of the comments. I am so proud to be associated with such bloodthirsty wonderful people. But the last comment I read was from Mrs. Who, who had the awesomest link ever:

A TACTICAL CORSET!!!!! Two holsters, and webbing for attachment of modular pouches & tools for ammo. Oh, and if you don’t like black, they have custom fabric choices, including Steampunk prints with lace, and fashionable silks.

If that doesn’t scream my name, y’all are deaf. I get one of these, and Laura Croft will have nothing on me!!