Sunday, March 31, 2013

Down the Bunny Trail

I ended up joining in some Easter festivities. You know, getting up early, getting (overly) dressed up for a play thing a family friend was in, and taking a nap shortly after coming back home. But, between the play and nap, I did have an egg-salad sandwich, and what says Easter like egg-salad?
I'll tell you what, nothing.
Except the delicious pastel rainbow cake I made last night.

Dress, necklace: Forever 21 | Headband, tights: WalMart | Ring: Icing | Glasses: Charming Charlie | Bag: Target | Earrings: Claire's | Shoes: Wanted

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Keep On Rolling

So I'm heading off to Sedona in May, and I'm really looking forward to it. My mom suggested that I bring my pencils and a sketchbook, and I've been trying to find something clever and small to keep my gear in, since my art box won't exactly fit into a suitcase. Space is limited when you travel by plane.
I saw this tutorial, and thought it was super clever. While mine is far (far) lazier than theirs, it's the same basic idea. And it works fantastically!
The really clever bit, though, is that you could absolutely use this for anything. Pencils, makeup brushes, knitting needles, etc., etc., etc.
Here's what you'll need:

  • A long piece of cloth. You'll want at least an extra foot or so, so keep that in mind. And seriously, any cloth will work.
  • Scissors.
  • Something to mark with (if you're doing this for pencils, and you've got your 8B handy, that's absolutely perfect).
  • Things to put into it.
Gather your stuff and prepare thyselves. It's actually really easy. And no sewing!

Monday, March 25, 2013

Pencil Pusher

Well, it's Monday, and you know what that means! It's Marvelous Monday! Yeah!
Our philosophy is this: Monday is nobody's favourite day of the week, but maybe its terrible reputation is a little undeserved. We're on a mission to make ours (and hopefully yours) a little less awful by dressing marvelously!
This week's theme: pencil skirts.
Now, I'm that really lame girl who doesn't own one. I know, I know. I've never really found one that I love, so the hunt continues. So we can all pretend that this dress is my pencil skirt. We can do that, right?
I basically wore this to get a bunch of snacks for an upcoming adventure. People have to learn that if they let me get food without structure, I will come back a weird amalgamation and no regrets.
Also, dried figs. Yum.

Looklooklook, new earrings! Earring Purgatory is over!

Dress: Ross | Blouse, necklace: Forever 21 | Bag: Volcom (from Ross, probably) | Sunglasses: Tilly's | Hose: Avenue | Flats: Payless | Earrings: Claire's
Fortunately, I'm pretty sure the others actually have pencil skirts and aren't lame like me. So go pay them some attention, they deserve it.

Paper

You know how paper is the traditional gift for a first anniversary? Well, I thought, Hey! I should do something for my blog's anniversary involving paper! So that's how this happened.
I decided to draw some of my favourite fellow bloggers.
Consider this my formal apology, guys. I always forget that faces are tricky.
But, you know:
So, uh, here goes!
Dani


Jess


Malene


Sian
Again, sorry that faces are difficult!
Finally, if you don't already read these ladies' blogs, then you're not living correctly and need to rectify that immediately.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Perception



The biggest aspect of Fat Acceptance, and Body Acceptance (to me, at least) is this simple motto: All bodies are good bodies. No matter what you think is wrong with it, it. is. good.
This is one of the hardest things to accept I think, though it's incredibly easy to think that it's simple. Your body is included in this group. Strangers at WalMart are here, too. Supermodels and headless fatties alike. But more often than not, it feels like a Sisyphean task.
There's another old adage that we all know, one that says that people only put others down because they're insecure. While it might not be universal, it's entirely too true. I know this firsthand.
See, even as a fat girl, I'm guilty of judging bodies.
Too skinny, too fat, thank Kanye I have slender ankles.
In my straggling pursuit of self acceptance, I've gotten so much better about it, but I am still not immune. I might never be. And the cycle is as easy to identify as it is difficult to end.
I hate my body, I judge others' bodies.
On a good day, I think nothing but good things, about everyone. On a bad day, everyone is subject to my bad thoughts. My perception of others' bodies is directly related to my perception of my own body. It's a capricious system, and a poisonous one.
It's just hard to be content with what you have, I think. It's even harder to actually be happy with it. But it's a road worth traveling, no matter how many potholes get in the way. Sometimes, we just have to work harder at it.
Barely relevant, entirely perfect.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Lister Vindaloo

So, you know how I'm doing Marvelous Mondays with four other fantastic fatshion bloggers?
Guess what, guys.
It's Monday!
The philosophy of the challenge is this: Monday is nobody's favourite day of the week, but maybe its terrible reputation is a little undeserved. We're on a mission to make ours (and hopefully yours) a little less awful by dressing marvelously!
This week's theme: fictional characters.
I thought long and hard for this one, but when I realised who I wanted to channel, the rest came easy.
I've gotten really into Red Dwarf really quickly (which is annoying BECAUSE I STILL DON'T KNOW WHY HOLLY BECAME HILLY BUT WAS STILL CALLED HOLLY AND WHY DOES RIMMER KEEP CHANGING INTO THOSE DUMB UNIFORMS I QUIT EXcept I'm way too invested to say no now), and Lister is one of my favourite characters. Really, I love all four characters, but Kryten and Lister are the best.
Anyway, I figured that I could get a bit creative with my Lister-inspired look, and I think I did pretty well, actually!
Also, my Banana decided that this was the best possible time to wear a hat like me, and I have to agree with her.






Hat: from Warped Tour | Brooches (there's one on either side): vintage | Jacket: Forever 21 | Tee: thrifted | Dress, tights: WalMart | Boots: Forever | Warhol button: off a Loop bag
Now, I highly suggest paying a visit to the others to see who they're emulating. I don't know about you, but I'm obnoxiously excited.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Classy Lady


When I got to get my ears pierced so very long ago, Erika and I stopped to visit a friend. We got to talking about the store across from hers, and their plus-size section.
"It's so classy!" she said. "The other side is so skanky."
I've been in there, and, yeah, she's a little bit right.
"I should get fat," she laughed.
There was a beat, an uncomfortable moment as everyone realised that, whoops, there's a fat girl here. You don't say the F word, especially in front of a fat girl. She might notice.
I, of course, being the only-mildly-socially-unacceptable creature that I am, laughed. It was funny! I mean, come on, getting fat just to buy nice clothes? It's funny!
I said, "Yeah, the plus-size community is obviously very classy" and gestured to myself. That made them a bit more uncomfortable, but like I said, I'm not good with people.
The point of this is to say that, yeah, some (lots) of people get offended at the F word. I don't. Fat jokes don't offend me unless they're just not funny, and even then, it's because it's not funny! Nothing's worse than a joke that falls flat. If you tell a fat joke and it's funny I will laugh. I'm that person who finds 99% of things funny, and generally laughs at things that she really shouldn't be laughing at anyway.
Sometimes, people just have to chill.
(Also, I actually went and checked out the plus section. They have some really cute things, and I made that stripey dress mine.)

Friday, March 15, 2013

Liebster

Jess recently did this thing called the Liebster Award. That thing entails posting eleven things about myself, then answering eleven questions. I warn you here and now that this will be a long post. I regret nothing.
Eleven things about me!
(Totally doesn't call for an exclamation mark.)

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Beware the Ice Cream Man

Today, we did a lot of walking. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, so we ran some errands before going to lunch, and then going to the Boulevard. I had some awesome ceviche.
Our wanderings weren't too exciting, but they did eventually lead to a wicked sunburn. It's only March and I'm already scorched.
I did end up buying two books from the Friends of the Library, and for $1.50 altogether. I'd call that a victory, even if my skin is calling the day a defeat.
What's in my bag? That would be: keys, sunglasses, ancient WalMart wallet, camera case, The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox, Forever 21 compact, notebook, pen, phone, and Baby Lips (not pictured, for whatever odd reason).
Books of the day!


Hipster.


Thanks, Casey.


Dress: Ross | Tights, watch: WalMart | Flats: Payless | Bag: Charlotte Russe | Hat, necklace: Forever 21 | Bangles: vintage | Sunglasses: c/o Firmoo.com

Red and White and Black All Over


I was contacted a couple of weeks ago by Firmoo.com, and they offered to send me a pair of glasses. The trouble is, I actually have really good eyesight. While that isn't ordinarily troubling, it is when a glasses company offers you a free pair of glasses. Then, of course, I found out that they can tint lenses for any frames, and that the lenses don't even have to be special. Et viola, sunglasses.

Guys, I really, really love sunglasses.
Anyway, even though I got sunglasses, they do, in fact, offer glasses for people who actually require them. The best part: they're all really, really cute. There are colours and prints and good things all over the site, and I like all of that.
While I put in my order, there was a bit of trouble (entirely my doing, because half the time I don't pay enough attention to things), and they solved the problem instantly and politely, probably not even making fun of me in their heads. Since I got the lenses tinted, they took about a week and a half, and they were everything I could have hoped for. They came with a hard case, a soft case, a cloth, and a little repair kit in case I lose an arm (a glasses arm, not a real arm. I'd need a doctor for that, not tiny screws).
I've been wearing them nonstop because they're really cute, and they're just dark enough that the sun and I don't hate each other. Plus the arms are different colours, which is a detail that I really like.
And here's something really cool: they have this thing called the First Pair Free program. Basically, that means that your first pair is free with shipping. Like, you can get glasses for seven dollars. How awesome is that?
I'll tell you how awesome.
Very awesome.
Ignore the sunburn, but nothing else.


This has been a sponsored post. The product was provided for free, but the review was my own honest and unbiased opinion.

Lust List: Mermaids Are a Serious Problem

I've been really into mermaids lately. If I could, I'd be drawing them. As it is, I'm writing about them.
That's why this list is devoted to those fishy, mythological creatures. And while the connection might seem tenuous at best, I choose to believe that I am one with the merpeople. After all, when I was around five, I was fully convinced that I could be a mermaid when I grow up. Now, I'm going to be a marine biologist, and that's close enough for me.


Monday, March 11, 2013

Punk Rawk

You know how I like clothing challenges, right? Well, here's a new weekly one that I think I'm gonna love: Marvelous Monday! This is the third installment of it, but it's my first, and I'm excited.
This challenge is between myself and four amazing fatshion bloggers. Their links will be down below, and you really ought to check them out.
The philosophy of the challenge is this: Monday is nobody's favourite day of the week, but maybe its terrible reputation is a little undeserved. We're on a mission to make ours (and hopefully yours) a little less awful by dressing marvelously!
This week's theme: spikes and studs.
I like both of those things. Because of that, I put on my Tough Guy jacket, some purple lipstick, and funny faces. I've also realised that I really like putting my bangs in the middle like that. It makes me feel like a Teddy Boy, or Eddie Munster.
Anyway.
Jacket, boots: Forever 21 | Tee: Lane Bryant | Skirt: made by my mom | Stockings: Torrid | Necklace: DIY | Bracelet: vintage
Nails: "Sparkle Aplenty" by Revlon | Lipstick: "Violet Frenzy," also by Revlon. I like Revlon.


An added bonus:
Finally, be sure to check out the others!
(We're still open to adding new participants, so get in touch with someone if you're interested!)

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Spring Forward

Take my title as a gentle reminder that Daylight Savings is either starting or ending—either way, turn your clocks forward an hour, if you haven't already. Either that, or live in the past.
Today has basically involved groceries, Girl Scout cookies, and bees. No one got stung, but things are in bloom, and they're everywhere.
Tonight will be art homework and lots of Red Dwarf. I know, I'm excited too.
I was only mildly worried about all the bees.
Dress: eShakti | Sweater: thrifted | Cuff: vintage | Bag: Ross | Tights: WalMart | Boots: Forever


Daisies on my desk! It's that time of year.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Magic Lipstick



Yesterday was a good one. I spent the majority of the afternoon just entertaining my niece and nephews, and they are so easy to entertain. All Banana needs is a stuffed animal audience. The boys just need me to draw all the sharks their little hearts can handle.
I spent the evening with Erika and our friend Yesenia. Erika kind of spontaneously decided that it was a good night for Chinese, and so we went to the usual place. I showed them my magic lipstick, and they're converts. It's called Moodmatcher, and it's one colour in the tube, but shows up a completely different colour on skin. In addition to being a pretty colour, it lasts forever, and yes, it's magic.
After our kung pao shrimp and orange chicken, we made a quick run to the mall to get Erika and Yesenia some magic lipstick all for their very own.
Immediately after that, we went to pay a visit to the Kingyo boys while they practiced. I don't know why I always forget how good they are, because they are really good.
Erika tried to pressure/tease Beyrin into singing, and soon everyone in the room was doing the same. There was an impromptu show for us, and I was the only one to clap because I'm the only one with manners.
All in all, it was a great night, and I've converted my friends to the ways of magic lipstick.




Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Be Aware

I have a handful of posts lined up and in my head regarding body image, fat/body acceptance, body shaming,  and things of that nature. I'm letting you know in case you're not interested in reading them (don't worry, I'm not offended, clothes posts are nice too), or if they may somehow be triggering.
It's something that's become important to me in the past few years, and it's something I do like to talk about. So bear with me!
And if anyone would like to contribute anything to this discussion, let me know and we'll talk! I'd love for my fellow bloggers to join me in this. Heck, I'd love for readers to join in!
Let me know what you think, where you stand, or anything you'd like, really.

The F Word


What, exactly, is so toxic about the word fat? Why must we work so hard to "banish the belly" and go for a size two? Why do we allow ourselves to be guilted into hating our bodies?
Our bodies are something to loathe as they are. They're something to fix, something to improve, something that is quite obviously not your "Best Body Ever!" Anyone who decides that, hey, a burger sounds really good tonight is quite obviously unhealthy, doubly so if they're fat.
That's not to say that there aren't unhealthy fat people don't exist. Of course they do. But what people fail to realise is that healthy fat people do exist, just like unhealthy thin people. Several studies have been done to prove that size does not dictate health.
That terrible F word is not only dangerous as it stigmatizes fat people, but it wreaks havoc on the mental health of just about everyone. Yes, everyone, fat and skinny alike.
Eating disorders don't just affect skinny people, in the same way that they don't just affect women. But of course, once you reach a certain size, these dangerous behaviours—I mean physically dangerous—are applauded as an attempt to "Get your life back on track!" That's especially ambitious if you've kind of always been fat, or chubby, or simply Not Skinny.
Stigmatization against the word fat, not just fat on the body, but also fat in food, is detrimental. It makes something that occurs naturally, something that is actually vital for living, and makes it a dirty word. It manifests itself in such subtle ways as a girl like me, who's actually fairly confident, not owning any jeans because she doesn't like how they make her belly look. It manifests itself in my niece thinking that fat is the worst insult out there, on par with ugly, stupid, undesirable. It manifests itself in dangerous problems in people I love who are beautiful as they are.
Fat is a dirty word because accepting it means accepting your body, jiggly bits and all. In a world that is sort of run on body shaming, the person who actually accepts their body for what it is is revolutionary. The person who actually loves their body is radical!
I'm doing my best to teach my nieces and nephews, my friends, and myself that there are worse things in life than fat. I am not encouraging fatness, not by any means, but I am encouraging them to see that what they have is good, no matter what they're told.
And, if we're being honest, I'm doing the same for you and me both.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Waiting Game


While looking for inspiration for my pixie cut, I found a lot of comments along the lines of "Oh, I wish I could pull this off! I'm not pretty/thin/whatever enough! Woe is me!" Another common theme was, "I'll go do this once I lose all this weight!"
Okay, look. Self-control is a good thing. Otherwise, society wouldn't function. But come on guys, making excuses is just plain silly.
If you want a pixie cut, or a cute bathing suit, or a pair of jeans, go for it. Why make yourself wait for something you really, really want? Why attach an arbitrary amount of time to it, a hurdle you have to jump before you can reach the finish line and the bikini you've always wanted?
Having a reward system is good, but don't limit yourself! If you want a pixie cut, then go out and do some research and then chop it all off! The only thing stopping you should either be money (I know that feel) or just fear at having short hair. That's all good.
Whether you're skinny, fat, tall, short, purple, whatever, you can pull it off. No matter what it is.
No, go off my friends and cut your hair off like I did it's lonely over here enjoy your life!
Seriously.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Cherry Blossoms


I went to the mall today, but with a different person from the norm: my mom. It was pretty fun, and I made out like an earring bandit. Even though I can't even switch my earrings for another two weeks. Earring Purgatory, I'm tellin' ya.
I also wore a dress that decided to give me a ton of trouble, even though it doesn't usually. I need to figure out something to keep the bodice of this dress from gaping. Also, I wore shoes that were pinchy but cute, so they were ultimately worth it. I won't be wearing them for big adventures, though.
So, despite my troubles, it was a great day. Even the outside world was all kinds of cheerful. When we got home, we noticed that the cherry tree in the front yard was suddenly blooming, and it was wonderful.
Spring can totally make up for pinchy shoes and troublesome bodices.

Yeah, I took no time in going barefoot.


Dress: eShakti | Tights: WalMart | Shoes: Wanted | Bangles, clutch: Forever 21 | Sunglasses: Tilly's | Ring: vintage | Headband: Target

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Till You Drop

My mom and I did a bit of shopping, which was nice. I think it was mostly to celebrate the fact that she's finally got her own car back (long story short: it didn't work, and now it does). We traipsed around town, bought a few things, and then came home.
The only real snafu was when we went to pay for a pair of shoes, only to discover that they were two different sizes. I would have gotten home, worn them, and been fully convinced that there was something wrong with my foot. I ended up getting a different pair, but still. Leave it to me to find a non-matching pair of shoes.
I also did quite a bit of driving! We're talking driving on the freeway, taking a roundabout (I hate roundabouts), and some three-point turns. I'm, like, a driving master now.
Which is a lie.
But just be cool and let me believe.


Top: Forever 21 | Skirt: Fashionbug | Tights: Hue | Shoes: DIY | Sunglasses: Tilly's | Watch: WalMart | Ring: Charming Charlie | Bag: MulberryxTarget

Highly Suspicious



I've had this idea in my mind since I read this post on The Clothes Horse. In her tutorial, she drew eyes on the back of a trench coat, and while I love the idea, my mind instantly decided that shoes would be better. And I'm so glad I did shoes, because I think they look so cool!
In her tutorial, she also used chalk to mark the eyes. As I am lazy and don't plan on washing these shoes until they are well and truly horrific (also, I get weirdly paranoid by it, don't ask for the logic, there isn't any), I used pencil instead.
I did basically draw the same eyes, since I thought they looked so cool, but you can be original, unlike me. In fact, you don't even have to draw eyes! I had an idea to write Hello on the toes and Goodbye on the heels, but the eyes won. You're free to take that idea and run wild. That would probably look cutest on a pair of simple ballet flats.
What you'll need:

  • Plain shoes that you don't mind marking up. Mine were $9.95 from WalMart, and maybe half a size too big. Don't care, they're comfortable and they're cool.
  • Paint pens. I actually found fabric markers made by Sharpie, for about $8.95. So you're looking at a roughly $20 project that's so much cooler than anything else the world has to offer. Plus, once you buy those pens, you can look around and try to find other things that sorely lack doodles. It's almost distressing.
  • A pencil. Or chalk. Or one of those special markers they use for sewing—they're blue, and they have a name, but I can't remember, but surely you can.
So, I'll let you gather your things before we go off and draw on our things.
Ready?
Good.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Right Turns

Once again, I went driving and realised that, wow, it had been a while. Not good.
Luckily, I did as I always do: keep driving and remember to do all that stuff drivers have to remember. I was better at the end than I was at the beginning.
Also, I spent a bit of time looking at all of my hair accessories last night, putting away the ones that don't look good or won't work with my hair now, and I've discovered that headbands and pixie cuts are meant to be.
I really need a new pair of tights. These are slowly becoming 
made of holes.


Dress, bangles, necklace: Forever 21 | Top: Ralph Lauren | Tights, headband: WalMart | Sunglasses: Charming Charlie | Beaded bracelet: Haiti thing, I think | Shoes: Vans