Beauty is the bait which with delight allures man to enlarge his kind.-Socrates

There are lots of reasons why I love Fiona but at the moment my favorite is this.

She tells me I look beautiful even when I don't really look that great. Seriously all I have to do is get dressed and brush my hair and Fiona will exclaim, "You look beautiful Mommy!" It's such an ego boost. Of coarse it may say something about my personal grooming recently but that's okay.

Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions.-Coco Chanel

Embarrassing confession time. Here is a picture of me wearing my Kiss Me I'm Irish Shirt. I knew this style is called a baby tee but....

 Here is my shirt along with one we bought Fiona in Disneyland last year. Hers is a child's extra small. I think I might not be dressing my age.

Does this mean I have to grow up? 'Cause I don't wanna.

Doctors are men who prescribe medicines of which they know little, to cure diseases of which they know less, in human beings of whom they know nothing

A little bit of home decor. I tried about a million times to post the pics I took when we first moved in but for some reason Blogger will not publish them not even one at a time. It's too bad because I was fairly proud of my book case. Oh well. Any how here's something else I've been doing. Vintage bottles. I started with this candle my cousin gave me for Christmas. It smells really great but the label was tres tacky, looked like that kind of greeting card that makes me gag. Also as a general rule I don't like jar candles, too country clutter for me. I got the idea and the label from a post on EPBOT saying close to the same things I just wrote about jar candles. It was super duper easy. I printed the label stained it with tea bags and glued it on with a glue stick. I've got these three little windows in the dining room that would be perfect for displaying something so I started recycling interesting bottles as I used things up. I avoided wine bottles even though we have plenty of them because no mater what the label says they still look like wine bottles.

I got the labels all for free on line. I've got a whole bunch more I'll use as I acquire interesting bottles. I did buy a couple of these for $0.99 at Michael's. I used coffee grounds or tea bags to stain each label. I'm thinking of trying watter colors too but haven't bought any yet.

Here's a closer look at some of them.

And here's my favorite one (also the first one I did). It used to be an olive oil bottle but now it's Genuine Miracle Elixir yay!

I'm working on another project that I am super excited about but it's a surprise. On a related note I know it's a bit early but if you decide to throw a Halloween party this year can I come? I'm going to have a great costume.

*No room again. The quote was Voltaire.

These gems have life in them: their colors speak, say what words fail of.-George Eliot

A few other things Grandpa gave me besides a dining set and a pink snuggie.

Grandma has Alzheimer's and hides things she also occasionally does really weird things like throw her wedding rings off the back porch. Luckily the gardener found them and gave them back to my Grandpa but this sort of thing is why they are moving. Grandpa figures it's better to give my Dad and I the more valuable pieces of jewelry rather than wait for Grandma to hide them or throw them off the porch. He gave me a few things when we were picking up the table.

This is her gold charm bracelet. They used to travel all over the world and there are charms from all kinds of places.


Also several that were obviously gifts from Grandpa including little boy and girl charms from when my brother and I were born. Guess who this little butterball is?


And this is her silver charm bracelet. I usually don't wear gold but I might wear the silver one.


This was from their 25th anniversary. There is one on the gold bracelet from their 50th but I couldn't get a clear picture (actually this one isn't very clear either)


He also gave me a necklace he wants me to save for Fiona when she's older that belonged to my Great Grandma Emma, some pretty earrings, an opal pin, and this locket which was his and has a picture of Grandma in it from when she was young and beautiful and less nutty.

Steampunk is...the love child of Hot Topic and a BBC costume drama.-Gail Carriger

Speaking of themed weddings. I really like steampunk although I don't think I personally can pull it off.

Knowing Jenn at Cake Wrecks is also a fan I nominated a sweet a while back and it actually got published today. So if your curious or like steampunk or cake head on over. The one I nominated is near the end and says nominated by Danica K.

Humor is merely tragedy standing on its head with its pants torn.-Irvin S. Cobb

Me: It's hot in here

Co-worker: Why don't you take off your sweater?

Me: I miscalculated the shirt hem to pants rise ratio. There's a deficit.

Co-worker: (blink blink)

Me: My tummy's hanging out.

It's always the badly dressed people who are the most interesting.-Jean Paul Gaultier

Saturday we went out for my SIL's (AK) birthday. Apparently it was also prom night so while we were waiting to be seated I got to think catty things about a bunch of innocent (at least I'm assuming) young ladies. Honestly I don't care if you've got the legs I'm not sure a miniskirt is ever appropriate as formal wear. My thought was "do these girls own mirrors". Fiona's comment was harsher she pointed at a couple of these girls and said, "No pretty princess. Me pretty princess" and patted herself on her chest.

I like the word "indolence." It makes my laziness seem classy. ~Bern Williams

Once when I was twelve or so I was hanging with a couple friends and used to word "grody". Actually it may have been "bitchin" but I think it was "grody" and the point is they laughed at me. Apparently my slang was becoming outdated and comical.

However the fact that I was wearing a matching top and stirrup pants set (yes set) that was green with (for some unknown reason) big black numbers randomly printed on them and pink high tops didn't disturb anybody.

Unmentionables - those articles of ladies' apparel that are never discussed in public, except in full-page, illustrated ads.-Changing Times

I commute by myself these days which gives me much more time for rambling pointless musings (you're welcome). The other day I set myself a serious question. Which would I rather give up for the rest of my life, boots or eyeliner?

This was a seriously hard question for me.

I love shoes in general but by far my favorite are boots. Boots just sexy up any outfit, plus ankle support if you happen to be stumbling drunk.

On the other hand eyeliner is the linchpin of my whole makeup routine. Eyeliner complements my slightly retro look. Also it keeps me from looking washed out which is good 'cause I'm naturally pasty.

After serious consideration I decided if I had to choose I'd give up the boots because there are still strappy sandals and pumps with ankle straps* but eyeliner keeps me looking like a wanna be pin up. * Dani fun fact for the day I have to have ankles straps because apparently I have narrow heels. And now you know (and knowing is half the battle)

Fashion Statement

Bored Again

I wish I had some color pencils here. I'm designing outfits. Outfits I'd never wear but still fun.

Conversation With Sales Lady When I Was Buying a Scarf

Sales Lady: You can buy yarn and make one just like this.

Me: Or I could just buy this one that's already made (and you get the commission)

Chime in Ladies

Now that I'm a grown woman and get to wear fancy shoes it occurs to me that Cinderellas glass slippers would be really uncomfortable.

Fall

Time to get out all the unflattering cold weather clothes ::sigh::

I Used To Be That Girl

Friday after work I took Fiona to the grocery store. There were lots of other moms with kids and everyone was waiving at each other and commenting on the cuteness of the kids. We go to the cookie dough area (a staple) and there was this girl there probably mid 20's clearly on her way some where. She had on this short tight little black dress and these hot pink stilettos, her hair was all done up and she had on about twenty five pounds of well applied makeup. I was thinking some very catty uncharitable thoughts at her that involved words like tamp until Fiona waived at her and said, "Hi" and her face lit up and she said, "Oh my god, what a cutie!" then I thought, "She's such a nice girl.". I realised what a hypocrite I was being and leaned in to Fiona to tell her, "Mama used to look just like that".

Raging Watters

What an exhausting but fun weekend. Saturday Fiona and I went to my SIL's (AK) baby shower. It was lovely and she made out like a bandit. There were two other little girls there and Fiona ran around like a...well like a toddler and I chased her for hours. I was wiped out by the time we were done.

Then that night AK's Mom was an angel and watched Fiona and her grand daughter so a bunch of us could go out to a nice dinner. Because our official excuse for going out was to celebrate my birthday I splurged & had the lobster ravioli and also chocolate mousse (my all time favorite food).

Sunday I went and got a pedicure and did all the weekend chores since we'd been busy all day Saturday.

Then Monday we didn't go to work again using my birthday as the excuse but really we just wanted to go to Raging Watters. Dave's brother (P) and his wife (AK) (yeah the pregnant one, brave woman) came with us and we all had a blast. Fiona was one tired and therefore cranky toddler by the time we left.

And by popular demand. Alright just Roses but she's popular with people who are me so there ya go. Here is my fabulous straw hat. Originally it was stiffer with less floppy brim but Fiona spilled some juice on it and then I wore it in the toddler area and it got soaked so it was rather fetchingly redesigned before we took the photo. Also I hope you appreciate that Dave didn't get a full body shot of me in a bikini so you don't need to pry your eyes out and burn them.

Becoming My Own Mother

When we were kids Mom would buy my brother and I straw hats every summer to wear in the sun so we wouldn't get burned. Of coarse we never wore them because they were uber lame. Mom wore hers though because she'd rather not get burned than worry about how she looked.

Next Monday we're taking Fiona to a watter park. We went and bought spf 70 sun screen today (we are a pale family) and I bought myself a straw hat ::Sigh::

Who Buy's These Things?

I am pro heal. Yep I'm one of those ladies who wears stilettos most days and sometimes other women ask me how I manage that. The fact of the matter is I'm used to it, and I sit a lot. One upside is virtually everyone I know thinks I'm tall which isn't true, I'm 5'4" which is average.

However I was looking for a pair of sandals for Fiona because the pair she had were in the diaper bag that was stolen (Okay I'll shut up about that now, it just pisses me off). I saw several different pairs for toddlers with a heal. Why? Is there a demand for sexier toddlers? Do their cute little pudgy legs look nicer if they have a little heal? Are Moms so fascinated with fashion that they feel the need to buy shoes that can't be comfortable and I'm sure aren't easy for a small child to walk in?

When I was about ten I recall going with my Mom to several shoe stores trying to find sandals for me that didn't have a heal, but that was because I was wearing adult sizes. We eventually gave up and I wound up with a pair very similar to the ones pictured below except much larger and I'm sad to say in a tropical palm tree print.

Here's the thing, these shoes are very cute. I would wear them myself but they come in toddler sizes and that just doesn't seem appropriate to me.

Anticipation

I bought new jeans. I'm excited but I don't get to wear them until Friday. Stupid office wanting me to be "professional" Pfft!

The other pair are still missing and although I will always miss them in a way, I've moved on to the acceptance stage of grief.

Hey am I the only person who thought of Frank N' Furter, "I see you shiver with Antici.........pation"? No? Just me? Hu oh well go on about your day.

The Mystery of the Vanishing Pants

I need to buy some new jeans. I've been telling myself no the ones I have are pretty new but I realized this morning the the last time I bought any was 2 jobs ago which means at least three years. And they are starting to look too run down for wearing to work.

The weird thing is before I got pregnant I had 4 pairs. But of coarse those were one of the first things I wasn't able to wear so I folded them up and put them away in my closet. When I was able to get back in to them I went in to my closet and there are only 3 pairs.

Did the sock eating monster that lives in the dryer get to them? Did I take them off somewhere and leave them (seems unlikely) ? Did I put them somewhere other than my closet when I was suffering from pregnant brain? Did I really only have 3 pairs to begin with? It's been bugging me for months and I may never know the answers.

Where did my pants go?