How Fairy Tales really end

Someone sent me an email with these today. :-)

Prince Poppycock's Got Talent

I normally don't watch the competitive TV talent shows, not even American Idol (except the auditions).  However, several weeks back I was flipping through channels and came across Prince Poppycock on America's Got Talent.  I thought he was wonderful!  He wasn't just standing there singing, he had an entire act, props and costumes!  Last night was the final show and Prince Poppycock came in 4th (last of the remaining contestants).  The other acts were good and actually I had expected the 10 year old adorable and great opera singing girl to win (she didn't), but I didn't expect PP to come in last!  Really I thought the dancers would.  I am sure that is my own personal spin since I don't care for dancing unless it is some some sexy tango.  Anyhow, it kind of made me wonder if I am just weird?  Well, OK, I know I am, but does that make me no judge of entertaiment?  Maybe I am not so weird and America is just totally even more homophobic than I had realized?  Especially with the Tea Bagger movement doing so well lately?  Guess it doesn't really matter, but it does give me an excuse to post my favorite PP performance, which I realize will bleed over into the sidebar.

The ugliest shoes, well, ever on Shine

A lot of these I don't find that ugly.  Love Uggs!  I especially like those black UGG looking boots with the silver stars.  However, the hoof ones in the photo have to be among the ugliest ever!  Unless you are dressing as a goat for Halloween.

Iris Schieferstein hoof heels - The ugliest shoes, well, ever on Shine

Monkey Slippers!

Found at Target for $13.  I thought they were a bit pricey, but I practically live in slippers like that in the winter (we have mostly tile floors) and they are so cute!

Need to add something to previous post...

I was just at the Cato website.  Really - these women are the plus sized models?  For some reason I feel angry and irritated again.

Yeah, I take out my anger by buying clothing. So what?

OK, so I am thinking I can get out of my grumpy mood by talking about girlie stuff and then go to sleep - we will see.

The nearest clothing store to my house is Cato, it is less than 5 minutes away.  Not sure if that is good or bad.  Anyhow, whenever I feel, not sure what the word is - not really depressed, but more like irritated and angry (normally for no real reason) I head up there to relieve my pain for a short while.  All girls know the shopping high doesn't last long, but it is good while it does last.

Cato, is not only close to my house, but I actually like a lot of their clothing.  Number 1, because a lot of it is 100% cotton.  Honestly, I can't stand rayon or polyester.  Well, I could wear it for a short time if it was something really awesome looking, but it isn't something I would feel comfortable in or want to wear all day.  My favorite thing about Cato is all those cotton blouses!

This year there are lots of plaid prints.  Not just your normal plaid shirts, a lot of them have beads or studs and really cute cuts.  That was how I ended up spending around $100 in their clearance racks.  About 8 shirts, some sunglasses and the cutest leopard print scarf ever!  That was Saturday evening and it was enough of a high to last until Sunday!

I wonder if men ever do that?  Only instead of a clothing shop they head to Home Depot or somewhere like that?  I don't think any of them would ever admit it.

A Dress A Day: From Ugly Thrift Store Finds to Style

  Marisa Lynch was inspired by the film Julie and Julia, that, and being laid off, to transform ugly thrift store dresses into stylish pieces:

Marisa Lynch set herself a challenge: Transform 365 unattractive frocks in 365 days, for $365. Just before her 30th birthday, she got laid off. To some, losing a job means hitting the streets with a resume or wallowing in grief. But for Marisa, it meant getting the sewing machine out and upcycling thrifted fashions. Every day.

“I was just in this not-feeling-good, crummy kind of mood, and I didn’t know how to kick it,” says Marisa. That’s when Marisa saw the movie, Julie & Julia. “[Julie] was finding something to do every day that made her feel great. I was jealous. I thought, I want to find that.”

Thus, New Dress A Day entered the blogosphere. The task: To make a new fashion piece a day — on a budget of a dollar a day — for an entire year.

Think the uber-frugal budget and tight turnaround requirements can only mean shoddy, unfashionable duds? Not for Marisa. All you have to do is take a quick glance at New Dress A Day to see that while this West Hollywood resident may be short on money and time, she’s never short on style.

I love it; I wish I could do that. I love thrift store shopping but the most I'll do is maybe change buttons or something like that. I'm not a sewer by any means, but admire those that are creative with needle and thread.

New Blog

Yep, it had to happen eventually.  Since I am getting back to making jewelry again - I felt the need to start yet another blog.  It isn't just about jewelry making though, also about vintage jewelry (and other vintage girlie stuff) and jewelry in general.  It is called Menagerie of Mystery and eventually I will be changing my website (of the same name) to got along with that theme.

So if you are interested in such topics - bookmark it.  If you would like to post there on vintage or jewelry topics - just let me know.

Etsy

If you haven't already, check out Regan Lee and Richelle Hawks shops on Etsy.  Not only did they inspire me to get back to making jewelry, but I also found out that you can sell vintage items that aren't handmade on Etsy.  Oh my, I have boxes and boxes of vintage jewelry, jewelry components and other vintage items.  Being that they are in storage, they are doing me no good sitting there, so I might as well try to get rid of some stuff.

I spent time yesterday setting up my shop.  It isn't totally finished and I have nothing for sale yet, but within a few days I should.  Obviously I don't expect to be rolling in cash from it, mostly it is for fun and gives me a good excuse to go through all my jewelry stuff and get inspired to make new things.

I also posted some photos of some of my beadwork on facebook.  None of it is for sale -- just my personal collection. :-)

Mermaid's Tears

A new area for me, though not to the thousands who know all about this. Sea glass, or mermaid's tears, bits of glass that have journeyed within the ocean to find their way onto beaches, where collectors discover them. This Sunday's edition of Parade Magazine had an article on sea glass, which had me wondering about this (for me) new world.


I've always picked up stones I've liked while walking the beach, and sometimes when lucky enough to find, agates. But I ignored the sea gems, or sea glass, thinking it was "just glass." Now I have an appreciation for it, and am looking forward to my next walk on the beach.

A lot of people make jewelry from mermaid's tears; I found this shop on Etsy: Mermaid's Tears; hand crafted jewelry. I love the pendants and necklaces! I'm sure I'll order one, just deciding which one, but I'm thinking of this one:

I like the introduction the shop owner created for her Mermaid's Tears spot:

Sea glass or Mermaid's Tears as it is also known is a wonderful natural creation filled with magic, legends and an air of mystery.Perhaps that piece of cornflower you twirl between your fingers originated as a Victorian poison bottle tossed into the sea by some cloaked woman hiding in the shadows trying to eliminate all traces of her dastardly crime. That rare regal red that you have plucked from the sand could have been a lantern from a notorious pirate vessel lost to the sea now lurking in the mists near some forgotten shoreline. The legend of Mermaid's Tears says that the tears (or sea glass) were created by mermaids who sobbed for the tears of sailor's lost at sea. As their tears hit the water, they turned to these magical pieces of frosted glass .Lovingly nurtured by the ocean; tossed and churned ;pounded by surf and rumbled across pebbles to create an amazing piece of beautiful history.