Now's My Chance

James is being a do-gooder for a long (through Tuesday!) weekend. So I have more free time than usual. When I say free time, I mean after hours. During the day, I'm a single mom. O.o

So now is my chance to do the things I don't do when my husband is around. I am going to drink beer, wear ugly dresses and paint a lot. And I'm going to try to ignore the little voice in the back of my head reminding me that there's no way I'll be as productive as James was last week when I was away –he finished an album. Not just any album, but one that may very well be my all time favorite, ever, ever. 

reading / listening

Time Enough

When I was sitting for all those hours in the hospital room, I occupied my mind with this book, Time Enough For Love by Robert A. Heinlein. It is a futuristic, sci-fi/fantasy novel that so far doesn't touch Dune, but still offers quite a bit of interest and fun.

I didn't get very far because we all talked an awful lot and watched this weird reality game show about competitive tattooing as well as the last half of Gladiator, the first third of Book of Eli and Fracture in its entirety. And I'll admit I took some naps. Because if I have to sit in a stuffy room, wear a hospital gown and sit in a chair that can't not recline, I'm going to get sleepy. As would you.

This last picture makes me want to start a new blog all about how to look ridiculous. But I don't know how, it just comes naturally.

Wild

Reporting from the frontline, this was our third and most trying day. The kids were quarrelsome and I was stir-crazy. Kids are not made for indoor living, nor I for domestication or putting away laundry. We ended up playing chase, hide and seek, etc. for the better part of the morning, although we successfully made it through all the school-ish activities outlined yesterday.

I've never wanted to be a homeschool mom. The idea doesn't appeal to me. I think of bad denim dresses and long, frustrating days. It's not exactly the kind of adult life I imagined for myself. So, I'm not one. I just happen to have kids who need to learn some basics and I may as well be useful.

Wind Suit Fashion Shoot

See, I can't understand how anyone could look at this and not want a bowl cut. Right?

I was just hanging out, feeling kinda fabulous because the semester's almost over and I got all my homework done last Friday. And I had on this amazing windsuit (because why not) and figured the occasion begged to be documented.

I might sell it in my etsy shop or just wear it from now on. Haven't decided. It is Umbro afterall.

reading /// watching /// listening 

That Awkward Moment

when you realize you are the only person not wearing all black from head to toe.

Good thing I'm an extrovert. (werkin it!)

Ka-Chow!

I've spent the last couple days working hard on my etsy shop. Y'all, this is hard work. It may look like a lot of fun and acting silly, but it is a lot of work, too!

Seeing a pile of awesome vintage clothes should be exciting, but to me it is daunting. Styling, photographs, editing, measurements, descriptions, listing fees. All that and then a little breather before packaging up (which just has to be pretty), shipping, customs forms, more fees, etc.

But all that aside, this part is fun.

Taking the pictures used to be the most daunting of all, but I got this cheap little wireless remote for the camera and, viola! Fun! What used to take hours, now takes minutes. Sheesh, Lily, get with the program sooner next time, ya?

Happy New Year, Happy New Hair

Well, he sure does look like a boy now! 

My little two year old got his first haircut. He really looks like James. We went to Great Clips and I told the girl to leave it a little shaggy and I forbad those awful, straight-across-the-forehead bangs. She did a fine job, no?

cardigan :: target

shirt :: vintage/thrifted

skinny jeans :: baby gap/thrifted

baby legs :: target women's socks

The tiger is named Hobbes, of course.

What I Wore :: A Year Ago

I was looking through my pictures to see how much things have changed in the past year. I found some adorable pictures of little, tiny children. I can't believe Bea and Amby were that little! I came across this outfit that I would still totally wear. Except that these jeans ripped up the back. Woops.

Four Ways to Wear :: Turkish Delight

Disclaimer: This post has nothing to do with food, dessert, Narnia or books.

Instead, it has to do with a dress. A versatile, double layer dress. I found it at a thrift store and was so excited, I may have dropped my child. It is made out of 100% non-natural material, quilted and hand-washable only. The colors are what some might call noisy and the patterns add to the clamor. So what?

Here's how one can wear such a garment:

1. This is how the dress and overdress look together, as intended by the manufacturer. 

2. I tucked in the bodice of the underdress and wore it as a skirt with a t-shirt and belt. Add some rolled down (pre-Nike) Converse for attitude. 

3. The overdress can be worn with pants under for an exotic, dare-I-say Turkish look. Delightful. 

4. This is how the underdress looks on its own. Lovely collar. Simple yet fancy. 

What I Wore :: Home Again Home Again

After an age and a half, we have come home. Today, the heat is supposed to be turned on. What time today? It's already a quarter past three!

Well, it's not a very cold day and we do have a couple space heaters. The kids are in layers and I am staying warm in a thick and ugly vintage dress. (Believe it or not, this dress is inspiring the color story for one of my current school projects. Hmm.)

What She Wore :: Frida Baby

I only titled the post that way because I have "Santa Baby" stuck in my head. (Possibly thanks to a friend who reminds us all on facebook that Christmas-song-time is coming up [not that he hasn't been listening to those songs all year].) Anyway, back to the post. Beatrice has this amazingly fun outfit that she likes to wear for dress up. Yes, that's right, she wears clothes sometimes. But only sometimes. (See flickr page) I made the skirt and James took the pictures.

The skirt goes all the way to the floor and she calls it her Laura skirt. Like Laura Ingles. We read that earlier this year. We started The Chronicles of Narnia last week, but it didn't work. Her eyes just got too darn big with wonder while I kept tearing up due to an excess of nostalgia. It's fine. We'll wait a few years until Amby is ready to join us. For now we'll stick to My Father's Dragon. 

A Break?

After that long weekend of nothing but school and work, I am glad today is over.

I honestly did not know if I could get everything done. Plus James was sick and Bea had a cough.

Today all that work was due in my classes and I turned it all in on time. Now I can relax and enjoy all of tomorrow with NO homework! I think I'll take the kids out somewhere and take photographs.

In my photography class, we are doing a section right now on landscape photography. I'm going to read the essay on it tonight and look at some Sally Mann images.

Do you like my dress?

Taking Time

Today I took some time during the kids' naps to just have fun and not even think about school or anything else. I just played. Who doesn't like to play? Mostly I played dress up.

This dress is a thrift store find from ages and ages ago. It's tiny. Our recent austerity measures have led to my waist shrinking enough to zip it. :)

What I Wore :: Bling

Now, I don't want to make any of you ladies jealous, but... my mother-in-law is really into jewelry and she gives me some great stuff. My favorite pieces are the antiques and the ones that have been in the family or brought from Spain and Mexico. My very favorite of all is this light blue topaz bracelet that belonged to her mother, Guadalupe. It is so dainty and sweet. I like to pair it with an even daintier one.

So today, I wore my pearls and these bracelets and the topaz earrings that match. Holy moly, that's a ton of accessories for the likes of me! But boy, did I feel put-together waltzing into the downtown library with my (for once well-behaved) babies? Yes I did. With the braid crown to top it off. I do declare, I'd almost pass for normal!

Do you have any accessories that make you feel absolutely special?