To Outfit Post or Not to Outfit Post...That is the Question.

...or, how I've been inspired by others for the third time while blogging.  Lately, I've been inundating myself with style/fashion blogs - blogs by everyday, regular ladies who want to share their daily or weekly outfits with the world.  Literally, everybody and somebody's grandmother has a "style" blog.  I started "reading" these kinds of blogs while looking for some where to submit my jewelry for a quick feature and thereby generate some sales.  These days, I've gotten to the point where I'll read blogs that the bloggers are reading.  That's how I came across Style by Santina and this outfit.

via Style by Santina

Now, I haven't been following this blog for that long, but I do enjoy this outfit - the sweater, the printed tee she's wearing underneath, the flats are crazy, and the roll in the jeans.  As one who prides herself on "originality", I filed the image in my mental file cabinet and kept it moving.  And then I got dressed - jeans, a cardigan sweater, skinny jeans with a roll, flats, and a printed tee! Dammit...I was inspired by someone else yet again :-) I've also been thinking about adding outfit posts to my blog because if Alissa of Stylish Curves can do it...oh here's my version of the outfit in question. Not exactly the same, but definitely in the spirit :-) I'm still a little meh on whether to make outfit posts a regular thing.

Please excuse the chubby, exercise-less, belly :-)

 and here's a close-up preview of the tyramade necklace I'm wearing (more on that soon).

Happy Birthday Daddy

Today is my father's birthday...he would be 74.  He's been gone for a while, though I can't remember the exact date it happened.  This is one of his paintings (my brother has one and there's at least one more that my mother has; there are large scale wood carvings as well).  Despite his troubles, he was a jazz lover, a true artist, and the reason for my own creativity.  I miss him today more than ever.

The painting depicts my grandmother, niece, and me at my grandmother's house.  My grandmother's house was the center of the family.  It was where we all gathered - funerals, family reunions, whatever.  So, it is a natural scene to show my grandmother on her front porch, cleaning turnip greens while my niece and I look on.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was a teenager when my niece was born, which makes the proportions just right.

I'm pretty sure this is him tending a garden on the side of the house (He actually did this once; he had a garden in our backyard almost every summer when I was little).  I think he may have still been working on it because the male figure's face is undefined.  Having his artwork around helps me remember good things about him (like how he catered my wedding), which in turn, causes me to miss him dearly.  Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Husband, Brother, Father?

Just showing off a few more of my wax print, Honestly, WTF inspired, DI-Ty bow ties.  I'm not sure if I'm going to sell them in my Etsy shop, because I sort of want to wear them all myself.  If I did sell them, in order to keep up with my naming-things-after-loved-ones theme,  I'm thinking about naming the above two after the husband, since they are a bit...ahem...larger.  But then so is the brother kinda, so maybe I'll eeny-meeny-miny-mo it!

I'm pretty sure, however, that I will be naming this one - Tyrone -

After my father and the person from whom my own name comes.  I mean, if you knew my father, then you would understand how cool this bow tie really is :-).

Singing or Laughing?

Either way, my shoes seem to be in a good mood, which I couldn't help documenting (I swear, I did not stage this photo).  It's taking some doing to follow their lead, however.  Happy Monday!

Boys on the Side?

This post marks the second time I have showcased something I've shamelessly copied from someone else.  Then again, as the cliche goes, there is nothing new under the sun.  At any rate, when I saw this bow tie tutorial on Honestly, WTF, I could not get it out of my mind (not an exaggeration; I kept going back to the posting).  Since I had some wax print fabric remnants that were too small/short to make into necklaces, I knew had a project on my hands. Here's another pic of this cute pink and green one (there are about 6 or 7 more - and counting).

I am a self-proclaimed tomboy and love how the fabric makes the bow tie perfectly feminine What do you think? Would you wear a bow tie or do you think they are strictly for the boys?

The Namesake

Tselane, Palace Queen

After much trial and many errors, I've finally uploaded some new items to my Etsy shop.  I'm calling my new collection of wax print necklaces with copper pendants and lace/brass earrings The Namesake.  With Etsy's new "relevancy" search criteria, sellers have to be more descriptive with items to ensure that customers will find exactly what their looking for.  So, that means I can't give my items clever titles (like the names of my female friends and relatives) for fear they will get lost in the shuffle.  But, I manage to add my preferred titles in my descriptions.  Case in point: if you click on the link below the photo, you'll discovered that these are "Chandelier Earrings - Purple Lace and Copper Beads", but I call them "Tselane, Palace Queen".  Tselane is my middle name, hence, The Namesake.  There are three pairs of chandelier earrings and five wax print necklaces in the collection.  Following, is a brief preview.

Tselane's Indian Summer

 Tselane, Princess Bride

Full disclosure, I hated my middle name growing up.  There's the weird spelling with the silent "T".  It sounds weird when pronounced, which caused a lot of my classmates to resort to calling me "salami" ( I made the mistake of telling my niece about this).  It's African in origin, but no one really knows what it means (I was born in the 70s in the Midwest).  It wasn't until I got to college and met a girl from Kenya who could pronounce "ts" together so melodically that I began to appreciate my exotic middle name.  A few years after my husband and I moved to NYC, I found an old book (published in 1961) called "Tselane" in which the title character is a South African princess (and I'm pretty sure the inspiration behind my middle name; from one of my mother's coworkers at the time - I think).  Although I use my maiden name as my middle name since getting married, "Tselane" is still The Namesake.

A Perfectionist's Product Preview

 

Making my way around the new camera has proven to be a little more challenging than I expected.  It's more about finding the optimal relationship between lighting, camera setting, product placement, etc. than it is about my learning the technical aspects of the camera (though the latter sure does facilitate things a bit).  I took a few (read: a lot) pics over the weekend of some necklaces in anticipation of a shop update, but I didn't enjoy the output very much.   Since I'm not making said update, I thought I'd give a brief preview of what's to come using some pics that I wasn't compelled to delete right away..  More to come...

The Essence of Inspiration

 October 2011 issue of Essence featuring our lovely FLOTUS.

I apologize for the corny blog title, but it honestly sums up the topic of this post (okay, so I'm not always that creative).  Before I get into things, I have to issue a disclaimer.  I am, by nature, quite cynical and sarcastic, especially when it comes to fashion and its trends.  I love clothes, style, and shopping just like the next girl, but I'm not one to go on about labels, who-wore-what, and things of that nature.  But then I opened the latest issue of Essence, turned to pg. 32, and saw this...

How adorable are these two ladies with their personalized fedoras! I've wanted one for a while and finally bought one this summer.  I love it as is, but seeing this made me want to add my own little touch.  I know I couldn't pull off what the above ladies have done.  I remembered several vintage brooches that were collecting dust in my supply bin, and I tried out each one until I was satisfied with the look, position, and feel of one.  Here is the end result...what do you think?!

(Photos taken by me: 1 and 2 from Essence ; 3 from me)

Cute Dress...

Khaki Safari Dress from Casa Vintage on Etsy

80s Denim Mini Dress also from Casa Vintage

But where did she get those earrings?!  Why they are my very own Jackie's in Turquoise (written about in a previous post)!  Xinthia, the owner of Casa Vintage, used to be the shop assistant for Michelle of Brown Bag Vintage, one of my fave and most frequented vintage shops on Etsy.  Noticing that I was, in fact, a frequent shopper, Xinthia curiously took a gander at my jewelry and fell in love with said earrings.  Michelle, being an astute (and supportive) boss, bought the earrings behind Xinthia's back...as the latter's birthday present, of course!  I am excited for Xinthia as she embarks on her solo Etsy dreams (and her stuff is given Michelle a run for her money ;-), and I am thrilled to have a piece of tyramade along for the ride.  Thanks ladies.  Have a great Labor Day Weekend everyone!

Challenges

a) figuring out how to keep the edges on the wax print fabric from fraying and

b) learning to use my new camera

Just a few obstacles to get through.  I'm excited about both.  What's got you burning the midnight oil lately?

Happy Birthday MJ

Art print by Cleatress found on Etsy

The VMAs aired on MTV last night!  While there were some moments both cute (Beyonce's pregnant belly rub) and interesting (Ga Ga's drag race), I can't say I was excited about the show.  In fact, I don't get excited about award shows at all anymore.  Part of it is that I'm older, and as we get older, we tend to hang on to the music we grew up with, and award shows grow with the time, catering to younger and younger audiences.  The other part has to do with the fact that performers like MJ with real, honest to goodness, studied-up talent seem to be in short supply.  They do exist, of course, but they aren't crazy enough to be popular by today's standards (and yesterday's standards are not respected).  Anyway, I long for the days when my heart would jump in my chest, and my eyes would sparkle in anticipation.  My skin would literally burn all the way to my toes, stealing my breath and my ability to speak or reason.  Unfortunately, June 25, 2009 pretty much guaranteed that I would never be as excited about an awards show as I was this night... 

 

Or this one...

or this one either...

Happy 53rd Birthday MJ!

Keeping My Head Above Water

Tide by Faith Evans-Sills found in her Etsy shop leaves and feathers

I'm volunteering as a GED writing teacher, and I spent the weekend creating a curriculum for the six-week program.  The ad for the position clearly stated that a curriculum and materials would be provided, but I was informed a day or so before the first class that I would have to turn in lessons for the remaining set of classes by Tuesday of the following week (tomorrow).  Although I've been out of the classroom for a while now, I'm still a teacher at heart, so I'm quite capable of creating a series of lessons and goals that will prepare adults to tackle the writing portion of the GED with respect for their strengths and anxieties.  I have a co-teacher for the one-day-a-week, two-hour course, which obviously means the responsibility is shared.  

But, I can't help but feel that the Universe (God) is sending me a message, but I'm not sure how to read it just yet. I've been out of the classroom for three years and have been job searching for almost two.  My Etsy shop turns five on August 14th (also my mother's birthday), but I can't say that it is a successful shop. In fact, I've come very near to closing it down several times in the last few months.  With the state of the economy and the eight million jewelry designers in the world, running a handmade jewelry business is difficult.  Yet, something keeps me going.  In the midst of all this, I'm now volunteering to do work that I used to get paid to do.  I'm not sure how to process it all.  

For now, I'm inspired by the messages in the paintings from artist, Faith Evans-Sills. She combines acrylic paint, ink, and positivity to create beautiful and spiritual affirmations.  Even her shop tag, "Art to Inspire the Soul," is in keeping with her purpose.  Remember -

Strength and Beauty Surround You

And remember to - 

Dream

Vintage Lust

Lovely vintage 70s floral wrap skirt from The Greedy Seagull

I have a quiet, unspoken obsession with vintage clothing.  I've been in denial about it, but I've finally admitted it to myself and accepted it as fact. It dawned on me a while ago that I need to blame this on my mother.  When I was little, my mother would take me to second-hand or thrift stores for shoes, clothing, even household items.  There was one particular second-hand shoe store, Laura's, that we would go to almost every Sunday.  It was our little outing, and we would spend hours trying on shoes.  I was never embarrassed about wearing second-hand clothing, probably because my mother was and still is a genius at spotting quality (I even got the point where I could pick out things on my own; purses were an early addiction), which I understand is the distinction between the words "vintage" and "thrift."  I get it on a philosophical level but not always on an economic level.  

On Etsy, there are vintage shops in every price range, so I've managed to indulge my obsession fairly well.  The shops I go back to are those where the clothing is "old" but modern looking and can meld in with what I already have.  Anyway, the hardest thing for me to find is a skirt because...well, I'm not skinny and older cuts are smaller.  The above skirt, besides being gorgeous, has a 28-33" waist. I'm thinking I could squeeze in it so I pulled some of my other vintage "favorites" to make a couple of outfits.

In one outfit, I'd wear the skirt with this denim vintage Ralph Lauren shirt from Olive, this vintage straw bag from Omnia Wears (I had two of these in high school; loved them both), and this cute vintage loafer wedges from Fab Gabs (all on Etsy).

The second outfit would be the skirt, an adorable, oversized tan and white Gingham shirt and a classic, red vintage Coach satchel both from Pineapple Mint completed by these gorgeous vintage woven sandals from Omnia Wears. What are some of your favorite vintage shops/items on Etsy? 

Pretty Colors

I'm thinking of adding some embroidery thread to my jewelry projects.  As I stated in yesterday's post, I'm bored with things, and I think adding a little decorative element to the metal and lace in my designs will elevate my spirits.  I'm not going to do any full-on, full-blown patterns, but I have been looking to a few for inspiration.

Lovely vintage embroidered wall art from bylina

Combination screen-printed and embroidered wall art from fricdementol

Tapestry landscape embroidered wall art from Nerina 52

I'm blown away by the colors and handiwork exhibited by these pieces. I'm even more impressed that I found all these beauties on Etsy, the current home of my shop.  In fact, I favorite (and buy) a lot of really spectacular handmade wares from other sellers daily.  I'll be sharing some of them here.  In the meantime, what's got your creative juices flowing?  How do you maintain your own interest in your craft?

Inspiration...

...is in short supply around here. In a word, I'm bored. Blogging, tweeting, even jewelry making is leaving a lot to be desired.  That's another good word - desire.  Up until today, I've been doing all of the above in survival mode, just trying to keep from falling (read: failing).  I've been doing it all without any true desire or passion.  And guess what? I fell (read: failed)...hard! I made the above treasury to remind myself (and others) that within the darkness there is light and color.  So...how do you stay motivated? What keeps you from falling?

"Athena"

...or Mikey to those of us who know and love her.  And believe me, to know Mikey is to love her.  As with Jackie, I met Mikey in college.  We were both communications majors, so we had a few classes together (we were also on the yearbook staff, but we ditched the staff photo... in the yearbook).  My undergraduate college was short on African American students, which often meant she and I were the only two pepper flakes in class.  Naturally, we were friendly, but I never thought we would be friends.  Like these earrings, Mikey is a true Gemini and all brass.  Although the pitch of her voice - cute and some what shrill - is not intimidating and her stature - little - won't make you shake in your boots, Mikey was, and is, tough.  Back then, she said what she felt to whomever needed to hear it, and I didn't think our personalities would gel.  When we became roommates the following year, I realized my assumptions were wrong.  Underneath the toughness, I found a funny, smart, introspective, loyal friend who was capable, at times, of an unnerving sweetness.  Add Jackie and Monica (more on her later), and my senior year of college is still one of the greatest times of my life.

Mikey and I are still friends.  While we have seen each other through a lot of life changes, there was a period when I was too selfish to allow her to be a real support to me at a difficult time, which almost ruined our friendship (long story).  I used to pride myself on being the strong one - putting aside my issues or problems to be fully available to my friends or never discussing things that were bothering me.  Mikey has taught me that the best friendships involve an even exchange of strength and vulnerability.  Vulnerability allows your friends to connect to you on a deeper level, to empathize greater.  She taught me that if you are not being vulnerable with those closest to you, then you are not really being your full self, which short changes everyone involved.  As I stated above, "Athena" is tough and can endure just about anything.  But don't let the toughness fool you :-)

The "Athena"

"Jackie"

We met in college almost twenty years ago.  When we first met, I made it my business to say something mean or roll my eyes at her every time she spoke or walked in the room.  Then, my reasons were that I felt she was silly or annoying or naive.  After all, I was a big time college junior, and she was a mere freshman who seemed to laugh at everything and talk to everyone.  In retrospect, I can admit that I was jealous.  Unlike me, she wasn't hesitant or reserved around strangers.  She didn't shrink or second guess herself, and she wasn't the type to brood.  At that age, she was innately confident in ways that I still struggle with.  That is one of the things I love and admire about her. Later, she told me that despite my early rudeness, she knew we were going to be friends.  Although my senior year would have been miserable without her (and two other girls, one of which I will write about shortly), the moment that told me we would be friends forever happened after I graduated.

To make a long story short, I started my post graduate life in Charlotte, where we went to college, with an apartment, a roommate, and a really cool internship in television news (certainly a story for another post).  I ended it with nothing but the things in my bedroom in a two-bedroom apartment after my roommate moved out with every thing else (literally, me, my clothes, and my bedroom furnishings with no living room or kitchen necessities; an even greater story for another post).  Jackie was still in school but working during Christmas break.  She had a few weeks to spare before going home to West Virginia and needed some where to stay off campus.  I also had a few weeks left before my parents would drive up to take me back home to Georgia.  Though I tried to talk her out of it, She opted to stay with me in my embarrassing, pitiful situation.  I had a pretty sizable closet, and she made a pallet in that closet and slept there as if was the grandest hotel.  That's a real friend, and I am confident in saying that.  Jackie is sweet and sassy, stylish and classic, delicate and strong.

The "Jackie" in Turquoise

The "Jackie" in Purple Coconut Wood

The "Jackie" in Patikan Wood

"Jenn"

Have you ever met someone so genuinely sweet and kind that she makes you want to do some soul searching?  I'm talking about a person who asks questions that others asks out of feigned politeness, like "Have some?" or "Do you need anything?," but she really means what those questions imply?  That's my sister-in-law, Jennifer.  Graciousness and generosity must be attached to her DNA because she practices both of them the way the rest of us put food in our mouths - often and without complaint. She was just raised right, you know.  Jenn is sweet, feminine, and strong (not to mention, the best thing to ever happen to my brother).

The "Jenn" in white

The "Jenn" in bone

The "Jenn" in vintage acrylic w/golden accents