If Valentine were alive.

Sometimes, while I'm drawing my women, I can't help but think of them as real people; what do they wear, where do they live, how do they decorate their house, what does their voice sound like...  I thought maybe it would be fun to bring them to life in a way by showing a little bit of who I think they'd be!

This is Valentine (because of the pink heart on her lips).  One thing I know about her is that she's classy.  I can see her being the type of girl to never leave the house with her hair in a ponytail, the type to always wear heels, and they type to always have (and know how to do) glamorous makeup.  I don't think she will ever get married, but instead, be a chronic dater since she's the type of girl every man wants.  Here's what I think she'd wear on a date with a sophisticated and gorgeous well-to-do man...

These items can be found here:  Valentine print, Dress, Hat, Cape, Ring, Shoes.

When you're drawing or painting, do you ever imagine the world in which that person, landscape, or whatever the subject is, exists?

have/want

i almost called this post have/need, but decided against it to avoid a long explanation and even mild brainwashing, as my husband, like most husbands, doesn't fully understand a woman's need for new and exciting clothes. yesterday i was reading a post by one of the funniest and most entertaining bloggers, who also happens to be kind of a big deal as far as clothes are concerned, and i discovered a new website to stalk - mikkat market. i was hesitant to visit because i'm a champion cheapskate, and i had a feeling i'd want a bajillion dollar's worth of stuff. to be honest, the prices are affordable (translation: i'm far too tight to buy everything there, but i could definitely see myself getting a few things here and there), and the clothes are amazing. just for fun, i picked a few of my favorite things and then paired them with pieces i already have. one of my favorite things to do when shopping - window shopping included - is think of how i'd mix an item with what i already own.

1. WANT: silk button blouse, HAVE: necklaces from dinosaur toes and sadie designs.
2. WANT: zipper jacket, HAVE: studded flats (bought for $6 from a discount store, of course).
3. WANT: twisted shoulder dress, HAVE: cuff bracelet, a birthday gift from my mars.
4. WANT: orange ruffle skirt, HAVE: nude suede wedges from target.
5. WANT: white lace shorts, HAVE: vintage purse, christmas gift from micaela.

so there you have it, what i'd spend my money on assuming i had spending money! i kid. well, i mean not entirely, but like i've said before, my life is rich in so many other ways; a loving husband, the pretties parrot in the universe, the funniest pop alive, a successful website...what do i have to complain about?! wow, things just got kind of heavy, right? anyway, i hope you're enjoying your tuesday!

on my quest to dress more like a woman...

...and less like a tomboy or teenage slacker, i've had to make myself, i'm talking seriously FORCE myself, to break away from jeans, t-shirts and cardigans every weekend. i'm also trying to work in a few fun accessories. one thing i wasn't sure about but made myself wear yesterday was a short high-waisted skirt. first, i made myself wear it by waiting until just a minute before i had to leave to get dressed, that way i wouldn't have time to change clothes. second, i don't really go for shorter length high-waisted skirts because i generally think they look best on women with long, skinny legs and flat butts, neither of which i possess. but, i see other people with big round badunkadunks like me wearing them, so i figured i'd try, too.

cardigan: forever 21, faux fur collar: vintage/ebay, tank top: target, skirt: rugged wearhouse (i got that baby on clearance for $1), sweater tights: target, shoes: these.

still not sure if i like the outfit 100%, but the point is, i broke out of my typical "uniform" comfort zone. i wore this yesterday when i had a fun lunch and thrifting date with my girl fiancee/mistress downtown. i got a vintage sweater and two vintage blouses for $1 each, and as soon as i got back home, i was literally having to stop myself from kicking my butt for not getting another sweater, blouse and dress that i really liked. i mean, $1, what in the hell was i thinking?!?!? anyway, i came home with some treasures, and i'll show those tomorrow once the sun shows itself again so i can get pictures. oh, and speaking of pictures, remember how i told you recently that my camera would just act like a turd some days? well, it did that yesterday, that's why my outfit pictures look grainy.

what did you do this weekend?

what i wear when it's 13 degrees outside.

okay, so in all fairness, 13 degrees wasn't the high, nor was it 13 degrees when i left the house this morning, but 13 degrees is still cold, and that was the temperature when i got up this morning. it was in the mid 20's when i left, and the high today is somewhere in the 30's, so the point is: i had to dress warm! remember the last wishlist wednesday post i did with the vintage fur collars? well, guess what friends, i got one! it smells like an old lady (from an old lady), and febreeze (from me), but i still love it. yep, $2.99 on ebay for a vintage faux fur collar. i'd say it's a deal. so of course you can guess what i wore today...

faux fur collar: ebay, coat: forever 21, dress: old navy, leggings: forever 21, shoes: some off brand.

oh, and that last picture is what happens to my hair when i wear it in a bun. i think it's too long and too heavy to just use one extra big hair pin, but i really don't feel like taking the time to pin a dozen of those things in, because it means i have to take that much time pulling them out. yes, i am lazy when it comes to hair (don't hate me, brandi).

i got that coat last november in san francisco. it was really nice, even kind of hot, during the day, but once the sun started to go down, my sweater just wasn't enough, so i stopped in forever 21 to get that real quick before we got on the cable car. i'd say it was my favorite purchase, because it's the only coat i've worn since then! the shoes i love. love love. you know how there are things that you can't decide whether they're ugly or cute? such is the case with these shoes. i've pulled them out of my closet for some wear time, and the more i look at them, the more i'm thinking that i love how they're a combination of oxford and bootie. they're some off brand that i got a while back for $5 or $6, so if i don't wear them too often, at least i don't have to feel guilty for spending much money on them!

what are you wearing now that the weather has gotten cooler?

if you see me doing it, beat me up.

there are many fashions and trends that i may not follow myself, but i can understand why someone else might. then there are those that completely baffle me. i know we all have our own opinions, and even if you follow these i'm pretty sure we can still be friends, but when it comes to my own personal style, i have to put my (non-furry or socked) foot down. which is why i implore you, if you see me following any of these trends, please beat me up.

the first trend that i will not subject myself to is the "i mutilated chewbacca and am now wearing his feet" craze. i'm a self-proclaimed bootaholic, but i like my boots to look like boots, not like like feet of a forest creature.

the second trend i cannot understand and will not incorporate into my outfits is the socks and sandals trend. i know that it's all over the place, but it makes me wonder if i'm the only one who used to think it was funny seeing people (you know, the middle-aged men or beach tourists) who wore socks with sandals. not only that, but it seems to me that by wearing socks, you're kind of defeating the purpose of wearing sandals, no? again, not doing it for me.

lastly, more chewbacca skinning and mutilation. don't get me wrong, i've seen some much smaller, tasteful faux fur vests, but these oversized shaggy things just confuse me. and i've also seen many of them worn with belts; accessorizing it doesn't make it look less ridiculous.

so there you have it. three things i will never wear, no matter how brave i'm feeling. what are current or past trends that you don't get and won't wear?

wishlist wednesday!

you know one of the things i really hate about being a woman, besides aunt flo? it's the way we can talk ourselves into believing we really need something that, when we think logically, know we can live without (even though it's difficult). when it comes to shoes, and especially boots, i wish i could be more like a man, in that i'd be happy living with only three pairs. well, i'm all woman about boots, and as far as i'm concerned, the more i have, the happier i am! here are a few pairs i can't live without wouldn't mind adding to my small (even though chris would disagree) collection...

i know the last two pairs aren't boots, but i want them just the same. sources: 20twenty vintage, lolly crisp vintage, blueberry deluxe, rarae aves, need supply co.

now that we got the wish list out of the way and i can mourn over all the shoes i don't have, i have a few questions for you... i've lost several followers this last week, and while i know it's completely normal, and i'm not taking it too personal, i want to know what you expect in a blog. i've asked before, but be honest, even if you say my blog totally sucks and needs a major overhaul; you won't have to see me crying because of the shield that is the internet. kidding. but seriously, what would you like to see more or less of? do you like the wishlist wednesday posts?

if you have a wish list you'd like to share, please leave me a link in the comments section so i can see what you're currently lusting over!

fill in the blanks: fashion

Today's fill in the blanks are about fashion. Yeah, that's about as foreign to me as Swahili, but I still love clothes like 99.9% of the women out there! if you want to play along in fill in your answers, you can link up on Lauren's blog. If you have a chance, check out an interview I did on Jessica's pretty blog!

1. One fashion trend I really regret is Sun In. I'm proud to be a brunette, so i can't for the life of me understand why I wanted to intentionally turn my hair yellowish orange. I deserve to be jailed!

2. The one thing that always completes any outfit is a nice long necklace.

3. I would describe my personal style as um, eclectic? I like so many different styles, and I usually have a few different things going on at once.

4. My fashion muse is anyone who is unique. I love looking at fashion blogs and indie magazines to get ideas on how to wear some of my clothes differently.

5. If I could own one designer piece of clothing it would be something from Nadinoo. I'm loving their spring/summer collection (see pics above)!

6. I would love to raid the wardrobe of Sarah Jessica Parker since she got to keep all of her outfits from Sex and the City!

7. Today I am wearing a dark denim skirt, a loose-fitting grey t-shirt, black braided gladiator sandals, a stone claw necklace, a bullet necklace, these sunglasses and a black forever 21 messenger bag.

shorts, tights...what else?

I've said it (a zillion times) before, and I'll say it again, I'm not a fashion expert, and my sense of style is, well, questionable. So I got some cut off jean shorts from Forever 21, and I've been wanting some floral print tights, the only problem is that I don't know what shoes would look right. Any suggestions?

The shorts were a steal (like most everything at F21), but the tights (from modcloth.com) are $29.99 each, and maybe I'm just a real cheapskate, but I can't justify spending more on those than I did on both shorts combined! Know of anywhere else that has floral tights or leggings?

Chris told me as I started this post to say something about him in it, so here it is: he would hate this outfit as he recently told me he wishes I would dress more normal. Oh husbands!

So, along the lines of outfits, are you signed up for weardrobe, chictopia, lookbook.nu or anything similar? If you are, I'd love for you to share your link so I can look!

if i could do some shopping...

...this is what I'd buy. I saw Lauren's post about polyvore outfits, and I must be the last person to hear about the site, but I'm completely obsessed! I probablywouldn't wear the outfit with the skirt because I'm a hardcore jeans fan, but if I weren't such a cheapskate (and if Chris wouldn't get mad), I'd definitely buy all of these things!

fun day

Without officially declaring it, I think my new year's resolution may be having more dates with Mr. Dinosaur Toes. In addition to our fun night on Friday, we had an enjoyable afternoon today, too! After church we had a nice lunch, did a little shopping and ran a few errands, all the while giggling and holding hands like we were still dating! We went to Forever 21 since my cousin gave me a gift card for Christmas, and I casually tried on a ring and commented on how neat it was. While I was trying on too many clothes (I wish I could have gotten them all), my sweet hubby bought it for me! A little while later he slipped it in my hand when I wasn't expecting it!

I got the softest, most comfy grey cardigan, a cute puff sleeve tan and navy striped top with neat stitching detail that gives it a sort of wavy look (sorry, it wasn't on the F21 website) and of course the pretty ring I was surprised with! I didn't get any today, but soon I'm going to find a pair of distressed looser fitting skinny jeans (like I tried on a few months ago, but like a moron, did not buy). What did you do over the weekend?

a pretty gift for myself & a great new shop

So, I just discovered a rad little shop at big cartel yesterday. Paola Loves To Shop has cute little accessories at uber cute prices. I treated myself to a pretty plaid scarf with shades of blue, pink and orange on a white background (I'll add a picture when I receive it), and the little gem was only $5. Yeah, that's right, $5. I should have gotten these as well, but I plan to purchase them soon; I love sunglasses!

new hide

Since the leather bow ties seem to be somewhat popular, and because one of the bracelets will be in House Beautiful's gift guide, I realized that I needed to add to my almost non-existent leather supply. I went to the craft store today only to discover that they now carried new colors! The newest item to the leather bow tie family is this little gem (and there are more colorful bows to come)!

creepy lady, bad blogger

Okay, so I've become a terrible blogger lately. If you're in the Lynchburg, VA area, please come and smack me,or kick me in the forehead, your choice. You'd think it wouldn't be too hard a task considering I'm literally within a few feet of a computer at all times, but alas, I get lazy. On to the news. I got my creepy mannequin hand in the mail! It'll be easier for bracelet pictures (as opposed to photographing myself), and I think it will make a good display for shows! Maybe I'm just weird, but when I pick the hand up, because of the way her fingers curl in, I swear it feels like she's holding my hand. A little spooky!

get in my closet: vintage

I didn't really have anything in particular to post today, but I did however have time to browse Etsy. While someone such as myself, a fashion disaster, probably should not share apparel picks, I've decided to anyway! My uniform consists mainly of jeans, skinny or boot cut, a comfy, flowy top (ruffles, gathering and puffed sleeves preferred) and sandals, but I do occasionally get my girl on with a pretty dress or two!

blouse can be found at PlatypiVintage on etsy.

scarf can be found at kissesfromana on etsy.

shoes can be found at vjones1 on etsy.

dress can be found at vonlenskavintage on etsy.

etsy favorite: thebritboutique

Hello, eco, meet chic. The crafty lady behind thebritboutique merges vintage elements to make some absolutely gorgeous modern accessories. Jeans and t-shirt or little black dress, her clutches are sure to add a touch of style and statement to any look. I have a strong feeling that my next purchase just might be one of the braided leather bangles.....

beautiful recyclables

If it's old, it's gold. I love the story that an old chandelier crystal, key, brooch, etc. can tell. I imagine that it saw a debutante ball or a cocktail party back when ladies were ladies and gentlemen were gentlemen. I get a magical rush when I find these bits and baubles tucked away in an old box or drawer, long forgotten, but begging to live again as something completely new. One of my latest favorites sold almost as soon as it was listed, but I plan to make more lariat necklaces in the same style, and even one for myself while I'm at it!

ouch!

So my left index finger was accidentally, and quite painfully pierced (yeah, I'm talking all the way through) when my drill bit broke. Since April 15, my finger has been healing up nicely and the hole through my fingernail has almost completely grown out. Yes, things were looking up for my finger...until today. Why I can't use less force is beyond me. Am I trying to prove that a 95 lb. woman is strong? Am I trying to prove that this jump ring CAN go through that hole? I don't know, but whatever the case, by stubbornness caused me to be without a big chunk of flesh. Too much force + pliers slipping out of my hand = missing meat. To liven this post up a little, I thought I'd look for some interesting bandages, and I do believe I've found the band aid holy grail! Luxury bandages come in Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci and Dior. These could dress up my injuries just fine!

rosette love

Whether they're on a bracelet, on a headband or pinned to a lapel, I'm nuts for rosettes. Luckily others like them, too, that way I get to keep on making them! I recently finished two custom orders with rosettes, and I think they turned out beautifully!

cocktail anyone?

After receiving a very old and very large mother of pearl ring from my Grandma's jewelry box, I've become slightly obsessed with beautiful, bold cocktail rings. Although I do love jewelry (as I should since I make it), I find myself sometimes wearing nothing more than Grandma's old ring as it commands attention all by itself. While it will always remain my favorite, I'm in the market for a new ring, and here are some of my favorites.

Ring #1 from 2007musarra, Ring #2 from jillian1984, Ring #3 from Moon Faces.