Zounds!

This outfit surprised even me. I wore it to go to the Orchid show with my friends and it took about two minutes before one of them exclaimed... "Hey, Célynne's wearing pants!" The only reason I was comfortable like this (and I still felt rather naked) was because my blouse covered most of what bothers me being seen. Also is it just me or do the people who make jeggings assume we are all 6 feet tall? Because these are a size Small and I've still got oodles of material pooling around my ankles and knees.

 

Blouse - Purchased from Cookies and Crème Vintage on Etsy

Belt - Déjà New consignment shop in Ottawa

Jeggings - Hue

Shoes - Hush Puppies from Sears

My weekend was a whirlwind. I attended a friend's baby shower on Saturday. It was the first time our girl group had been together in its entirety in years (well, our 6th musketeer is out in Alberta!) and it amazed me how much we had changed and yet stayed the same. One friend brought along her seven (!) year old daughter and it blew my mind once again that my friends are parents and wives and husbands. I keep forgetting we're adults.

 
I'd be lying if I said seeing these things - marriages and babies - happening in the lives of my friends didn't make me sad. While I am overjoyed that these wonderful people are achieving these happy points in their lives, I'm also mourning them a little. Anybody who's had friends have kids knows what I'm talking about. No matter how hard you and they try, it's always going to be different, and very much so.

 

It's everything from having less time and less money, to new priorities and new people. Parents spend a lot of time with other parents. Because us single folks can only take so much diaper-talk and I gather parents can only take so much of hearing about the life they can't live anymore. I'm okay with their choices and where their lives take them - their life is theirs to live after all - but I'll miss the way things used to be nonetheless.

I knew 2012 was going to hold a lot of changes for me - felt it true in my bones - but I never thought I would be going through such an intense personal transformation again. Imagine sitting in front of a huge pile of building blocks, with the task of building who you want to be, but without clear plans on how to do it. (Maybe your snot-nosed cousin tore up the instructions?) You work your way up, only to realize you made a mistake, or you don't like something, or you get a better idea. It's a fluid work in progress with more than one outcome and none of them need to be final. Right now, I'm taking blocks down, turning them around in my hands, and trying to imagine the next thing I want to build with them.

 

There have been a few false starts and I haven't built up much further than my personal foundations, but at least those are solid and dependable now. My structure will have a dependable base upon which to be built, and that gives everything I put into this a better chance of success. I'm also learning to trade building blocks with others, for parts we each might need. Yeah, I'm really digging this metaphor! I hope it makes some sort of sense haha... Anyway, I hope you all had a great weekend and that your Monday is going well. Cheers! 

Not My Spots

I thoroughly enjoyed this outfit while I wore it, but I'm not a huge fan looking back at the photos now. This is not something I will be wearing twice. How I ever thought those shoes went with the rest of the outfit is beyond me!

 

Blouse - Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Hippo earrings - Thrifted from Value Village

Shoes - Lulu's

It's sort of annoying that these shoes cost more than every other item in my outfit combined. And they weren't even that pricey, so far as shoes go. I've done pretty good thrifting shoes in the past, and some of my time-tested walkable sandals have been thrifted. It's difficult with footwear though, for reasons from sizing to limited options compared to clothing, and whether or not the shoe is even sanitary.

 

I was yesterday picking up some necessities - coffee and sugah - when I spotted a display rack selling bubble-soap bottles and tubs of sidewalk chalk. It took me half a minute to decide whether my good idea was indeed a good idea, and I was soon adding both to my basket. Then I happily scurried home to draw on the patio stones out on my terrace!

It was early evening in Chinatown as I drew, and the sun was finally out after a day that had started with rain and chill winds. I could hear workmen down on the sidewalk yelling in an Asian language - I can't tell Cantonese from Mandarin if my life depends on it - and birds were chirping and zipping around in the sky. The gentle breeze tickled my skin and the air smelled like delicious fried foods and growing green plants. I experienced a lot more than the chalk in my hand while I drew, and I felt wonderfully calm and grounded after it all. I think this deserves repeating in the future. Plus it's just nice to see the drawings when I look outside.

Tomorrow I head back to my home town for the first time since Christmas. I won't be there long, less than 48 hours, but a dear friend of mine is having her baby shower on Saturday and I wouldn't miss that for anything. So many of my friends are getting married and/or having babies this year. There are three wedding invitations sitting on my desk waiting for replies. It's overwhelming and scary and I'm not even the one getting married or having kids! I am more than happy to sit back and be the token single childless friend for quite a long while to come. That was always my favourite character in sappy chick flicks; the wild one who's life never manages to fall into the old traps. Anyway, my weekend starts early tomorrow so I'll wish you all a happy weekend now. Cheers!

Shades of Nature

It's springtime, and everybody is just mad about pastels and bright springy colours. Except me. I on the other hand, am still dressed in browns and greens and am so ready to blend in with natural surroundings. Who needs camouflage when you've got this kind of paisley?

 

Top - Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Leggings - Who knows

Shoes - Sears, Hush Puppies

The day I took these photos started off with some cold rain, and I was forced to take them indoors. By the time my friend and I wandered off on a walk to the Arboretum though, it had tapered off to an annoying but tolerable light mist. Everything was so lush and green from the rain. The only thing that could have made it more enjoyable would've been slightly warmer temperatures so that things like frogs and newts might be out. It was still too cool for them yet!

 

Now that's what I call flounce! I thrifted this skirt after having realized my wardrobe had a serious lack of not-maxi length items. They're all well and good when it's not too hot out, but I'll melt once it starts hitting 25'C again. I'm not exactly certain how I dealt with this last summer, other than for the fact my workplace is air conditioned and I live by myself which allows for a minimum of clothing while in my home!

I was rather insulted today when one of my co-workers commented on the dark circles under my eyes and said that I was looking very tired. They'd probably think I was about to drop over dead if they actually saw me without any makeup! I have dark circles under my eyes. There is nothing I can do about this. I can sleep twelve hours of glorious deep sleep and there will still be dark circles under my eyes. I was wearing foundation and VERY good coverup when I got this comment. It just drives me crazy that we as women - especially young women - are expected to look flawless and well-rested every hour of the day, no matter what, and that somehow if we don't look that way, it's everybody's business to inquire about it.

I've mentioned it here before, but I happen to like how I look without makeup most of the time. Even with the dark circles and kinda-red patches and forehead shininess. I wear makeup because I enjoy it - which is why my eyeshadow is so in yo' face - and not because I'm trying to hide my natural complexion or skin tone. It's me, my skin. I'm okay with it. I am not okay with people coming to assumptions because of it. Especially when that's not even anywhere near how I would actually look if I had not had proper sleep and had no makeup on.

 

Those are the sorts of comments that get a girl wondering if she's hideous and worrying that everybody must think she looks like an exhausted mess. It might seem insignificant, but for some people it's enough to tip them into a nasty cycle of self-loathing and personal issues. Pro tip folks, don't tell people they look tired, it's insulting, regardless your motive! Anyway, sudden rant aside... I hope you're all having a good week. Cheers!

Wait... it's snowing?!

As I type this, fat, wet fluffy snow flakes fall from the April sky. Just a week ago I was traipsing about bare-legged and bare-armed as if it were already mid-July. Of course it was too soon. My parents told me they got a foot of snow at their end! A whole foot! I remember there being a huge snow storm at the end of May a few years ago though so I guess snow in April isn't that wacky. Certainly no wackier than that weird week of summery heat we had back in March.

 

Lace blouse - Thrifted from Value Village

Red top - Fairweather, years ago

Pleated skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Tights - No idea

Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village

I've had this black lace blouse for ages, at least six months, but this is the first time I wear it. Shoved at the back of a drawer stuffed to capacity with clothes, it was a case of out of sight, out of mind. Whenever I'd spot it while digging around, I'd make a mental note to wear it soon, but it took me a long time to get around to it!

I never thought I would ever own a pleated skirt, but there's a first time for everything. I'm not used to wearing items with hems so high up my leg. Yes, to me, this is showing a lot of leg. And I'm wearing tights for Pete's sake! I think I've spent too many winter months smothered under layers that I'm sometimes petrified lest anybody see my actual shape.

The orchid show I went to yesterday was really neat, and I took a ton of photos. Their colours and shapes never cease to amaze me. Oh, to have a green thumb! Plants and I don't get along too well; I do much better raising little eight-legged things than I do things with roots. I hope you're all having a good Monday. Cheers!

Another Week Done

This was the dress that started it all for me, the very first vintage dress I ever bought. The old elastic at the waist doesn't help to keep the waist nipped in anymore, so I use a broach to pin it to fit. I'm going to wear this baby until it falls apart! It just feels so wonderful and has such great movement. The colours aren't exactly springy but that makes no difference to me. I've never dressed according to seasonal colour pallets anyway!

 

Dress - Purchased from Moonshine Junkyard on Etsy

Lynx Fang Earrings - Purchased from Aranea Designs on Etsy

Shoes - Lulu's

I've been so busy lately, with both work and my social activities in the evenings and on weekends. Tonight will be the first evening this week that I have to stay home and just be with myself. I am very much looking forward to the me-time this evening... even if part of it will involve doing laundry. I can't avoid housekeeping forever, and I really hate being in a messy, untidy, borderline-filthy environment.

 

I can't wait to just get home! My brain is practically melting out my ears from boredom here at 'work', the place where not much work actually happens. (And people wonder how I wasn't surprised my position was cut.) I have someone coming over tomorrow and I want my apartment to be spick and span and I won't be able to stop thinking about it until I've gotten all that cleaning done. I'm also going to an Orchid Show on Sunday which promises to be interesting. Plenty of photos will be taken. I hope you all have a great weekend. Cheers!

Smurf Legs

The thought didn't cross my mind that blue tights and white shoes might resemble Smurfs when I left my apartment that morning, but it definitely popped up later. I've added the idea of being Smurfette as a Halloween costume to the back of my brain now. I can also tell you that having electric blue legs gets you stared at. A lot. Which is pretty darned amusing!

 

Dress - Thrifted from Value Village

Tights - We Love Colours

Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village

I've been having a wonderful week, even if the weather does feel a bit like Mother Nature is going through menopause... We keep having freakishly warm days, like hot flashes! On Monday I went for a walk along the Ottawa river and it was so warm and lovely out that I didn't even need a jacket, but the last few days have been windy and bitter in comparison. Today's another weird warm day!

 

The recent week has brought me close to new people in my life and I'm exploring some really deep, genuine connections. It feels like I'm 'leveling up' in terms of my social abilities, and finally attracting the kind of people I want in my life. Positive, open, caring, honest, selfless people. On two separate occasions this week I've been told that it's amazing how laid back and understanding I am, and how amazing my willingness to see others' view points and take the time to actually listen and hear someone out really is. I still have a long way to go before I'm satisfied with the way I interact with others, but I'm very pleased with the recent advances! I feel like I'm finally getting back everything I've been putting out, and it's just encouraging me to give out even more love and friendship and understanding.

I've got my belly dance class this evening and then my friend Laura and I - who a few months ago was a stranger in class to whom I bravely introduced myself - are going to go enjoy a pitcher afterward. I've also got my mind on some tasty tacos and poutine too, I think! It'll be great to catch up on our weeks; I have plenty of happy things to share with her. I hope you're all having a great week. Cheers!

Good Days

While I have to admit I've recently spent a lot of time feeling anxious and frightened in regards to my future, I still have had quite a few good days. Or at least periods of goodness within my days. My belly dance class is a weekly highlight for me, as are my Tuesday dinners with my grandparents. This past Saturday was a very good day from end to end though, from waking moment to hitting the pillow. With a warm, sunny day ahead of me, I took the opportunity to wear this gorgeous India cotton wrap skirt that the ever wonderful Anne gifted me.

 

Blouse - Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Gift from Anne

Shoes - Hush Puppies 50% off from Sears

I was reading Medicinal Marzipan's weekly Body Loving Blogosphere post today, and there was a link to another great post titled An Ode To Real Women. I really enjoyed it and just wanted to share. Too often you hear people say that a 'real woman' only looks such-and-such a way or behaves in such-and-such a manner, while this ode brings home the point that we are all real women regardless of our differences. That's just something I think more women - and men - should hear!

When my boots kicked the bucket last week, I had to find myself new walking shoes. I absolutely loathe and despise sneakers and running shoes. Seriously, how stupid do they look with a pretty dress?! I am stubborn and refuse to wear them, but this makes finding good walking shoes rather difficult. I'd spent over an hour - which is a lot so far as I'm concerned - scouring the shoe shops at a nearby mall. Nada. In a last ditch attempt I checked out the Clearance section at Sears and snagged these for 50% off their original $124.99 sticker price. Yoink! They've got a thick sole to cushion my feet, no weird parts to dig into or compress my toes, and they are just what I needed until it gets warm enough to break out my sandals. I'm not sure how I'll deal with rain, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.



I love the print on this skirt! And it's actually long enough to wrap around me without worrying about somehow flashing somebody when a gust of wind comes along, or when I sit down. Actually, I was scrabbling around the locks on the Rideau Canal dressed like this - with a certain amusing long haired fellow - and the skirt did a great job keeping up with my nuttiness while allowing for modesty. Methinks this skirt shall be worn a lot.

I hadn't realized my camera was still zoomed in when I took this first photo, but it turned out to be the one I liked most out of all of them. I recently started a completely different makeup routine with new mineral products from a seller on Etsy. I didn't want to spend ridiculous amounts of money on fancy mineral makeup when I knew I could be getting the same, if not better, quality from someone making the product by hand. not to mention knowing my money is going directly to that person. After inspecting over half a dozen sellers, I settled on Earth Angel Minerals. I bought a sample pack of 20 and I love the products. I've already got plans to buy full sizes of eyeshadow colours and to try out plenty more in sample size - which are generous enough to last me at least two or three months! There's an Eye Brightener which I swear is magic in a jar. (These are my own uncompensated opinions, fyi!)

I've recently gotten the idea of henna-ing my hair stuck in my head. Specifically I'm thinking of using Lush' Caca Rouge and maybe going a deep red-ginger colour. I have never dyed my hair with anything, ever. Not a once. So this would be a very drastic change for me. And you can't really undo the deed once you've henna'd your hair, it's basically live with it or chop it off. I do know that my current hair colour would probably let the red really come out bright and strong, which is what I want. But I'm not certain it would suit me. What do you all think? Have any of you ever henna'd your hair before?

I hope you all had a good weekend. I danced myself silly on Friday night, and my Saturday was fantastic. It was filled with coffee drinking at the Raw Sugar Cafe, wanderings around Dow's Lake, chinese takeout from my favourite place, an intense Super Mario battle and the watching of Labyrinth. All this topped off with some awesome hugs. Twice, because he forgot something and had to come back. Then Sunday I did more solo wandering around the lake and baked some peanut butter banana chocolate chip muffins. I'm seeing the lad again this evening which promises to be wonderful. I hope you're all having a great Monday! Cheers!

While I Still Can

The weather is quickly warming up, and soon enough it's going to be too warm to go around in polyester dresses and wool tights. Okay, so I still wear the polyester dresses in warm weather (I sweat it out, there's no avoiding it) but this particular dress doesn't exactly scream summer, you know? So I'm getting my wears in now!

 

Dress - Gift from Heather

Wool Tights - Fancy Sox

Shoes - Payless

I cannot express my dislike for my bangs right now. They are crooked, and misbehaving and bleh. Evil bangs. I think I've fallen out of love and I want to grow them out again. We shall see.  I do know I prefer this dress with black tights and shoes. I wore it back during winter with grey tights and brown booties and I like this better. I still want to get some black flats though, these heels kill my feet.

 

I'm so happy it's Friday! Yay for the weekend! I'm going to dance my crazy butt off tonight, enjoy tomorrow's warm sunny day and do lots of relaxing and being happy. I hope you all have a great weekend too! Cheers!

Just Another Day

This week feels interminable. I'll be sitting here at 9am and it'll feel like it should already be late afternoon! My work hours drag on endlessly, and my home time goes by in a blink. My frog was singing this morning as I got ready for work, but I didn't have time to linger and listen. I feel bad for the little guy, all on his lonesome now. Once I'm certain it's warm enough outside, I think I'm going to release him in the wild and he can go back to being a wild froggy again and have little froggy buddies to sing with too.

  

Blouse - Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Thrifted from the Salvation Army

Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village

Today is the first day I wear this new-to-me button down sleeveless top. It was one of the things I picked up while thrifting a few weeks ago.  I have a feeling it's going to get a lot of wear because its print incorporates a lot of colours that are popular in my wardrobe. I took these photos last evening, before ever actually wearing the outfit, which explains lack of rings or earrings. Since I have belly dance class tonight, and I need to go buy myself new walking shoes again (I keep having shoe disasters) I knew I wouldn't have time to document it today.

 

I'm excited for dance class, and to dance with the jingle-belt my wonderful grandparents got me for Easter. I just hope I can find some sturdy hiking boots or something, I'm tired of wearing cheap footwear that dies on me. The zip on my leather boots gave out this week and it's not worth replacing since I've nearly walked the heel into nonexistence. Again.

I'm also very excited to go dancing on Friday and to finally see my friend Becky, the one returning from Africa. And I think I'm going on a coffee-date with a long-haired fellow on Saturday but I haven't planned things out that far ahead yet haha. I hope you're all having a good week. Cheers!

Zing

If I had to describe my recent fashion escapades, I'd say they all have a little zing to them. I got plenty of compliments from the ladies in my social group when I showed up for our monthly tea meetup dressed like this. And yes, those two weird bits dangling out of my nostrils are my septum piercing, I've started wearing it down again occasionally.

Blouse - Gift from Heather

Skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village

I'm still not thrilled with what's going on with my bangs. My hair and I are just not getting along. I have at least managed to grow out the annoying part that has the cowlick, so that's mostly a non-issue now. Some more growing and a trim everywhere should help things out.

 

My Easter long-weekend was pretty quiet. I had a lovely dinner with family on Sunday but I didn't do much the rest of the time, apart from the ladies social. I'm going to my grandparents' after work for our weekly supper tonight, and I'm really looking forward to this week's belly dance class. I was too sick to dance last week, and my grandparents' got me an awesome jingle-belt for Easter so I'm excited to jingle as I dance now. I hope you all had a great weekend and are having a good week. Cheers!

Red Hot Shoes

I can go outside again! It's finally not bitter cold outside! It's supposed to be gorgeous all weekend, which is great, although it's too bad I'm still a little under the weather. This cold really kicked me when I was down and I spent a few days feeling really rough and not even leaving my apartment. Today's the first day I really feel 'normal' again, although not quite back up to full speed.

Tunic - Thrifted from Value Village 

Jeggings - Hue 

Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village

I caved and bought myself some jeggings. The odds of my wearing them as actual pants is pretty slim and this is probably the closest to that I will get. I'm still just really not comfortable with everybody being able to see every single curve and cranny, you know? However I am totally comfortable rocking these killer shoes. Red suede for the win! I scored these when thrifting with my friends Kirsten and Omar last Friday. I was happy to trot them out for a late breakfast with my grandparents today.

 

Things are going to be changing big time for me, in the next several months. I was notified a few days ago that the library in which I work will be closed in April of 2013, part of the recent sweeping budget cuts the Canadian Government has passed. My position will no longer be necessary, and this puts me in a special place. Long story short, I can either have them try to find me another job when the library closes, or I can take a large lump sum of money as well more optional money for education.

 

 

I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself yet, except that the 2nd option seems to be the one I will take. I really hate my current job and if I can get out, with a nice chunk of money, that sure looks good to me. I hope you are all having a really fantastic Easter weekend for those who celebrate, and a good regular one for those who don't! Cheers!

Psychedelicized

Hey everybody! I am so sorry... I guess I just sort of wandered off for a few weeks. I don't have any valid excuses. There was some gorgeous weather, and I wore some really cute outfits. But I was lazy and didn't take any photos. And then I got sick. So maybe I do have an excuse, here at the tail end of things. Technically I am still sick, and I am in these photos too - I took 'em on Saturday - but the dress had me all excited and that overpowered everything else.

Dress - Gift from Anne

Belt - Aeropostal sale, $5

Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village

I received the most amazing package from the wonderful Anne over at A Cup Full of Sunshine. It was full of goodies, including a hand knit neck warmer (it snowed a few days ago, maybe I'll be able to wear it after all) and oodles of lovely clothes. This dress took the cake though, that's for sure. Anne said in her note that she saw it and instantly thought of me, and I understand why! The minute I laid my eyes on this baby it was love.

Is that not the most obnoxiously bright and cheerful print you've ever seen? Just looking at it cheers me right up. It's almost like wearing the frozen scene from a kaleidoscope. And of course it's all the more special to me because it was a gift from Anne. I was blessed not so long ago by a package from Heather. These are both women who've never met me in person, and yet they sent me packages without prompting, absolutely filled with love and tenderness and warmth.

The tattoo on my back reads "J'ai la force pour tour surmonter" or "I have the strength to overcome anything". It was a tattoo I got pretty spur of the moment when I was 19. I don't regret it, but putting more thought into it would have been a good idea. Eventually I either want to add minimalist pine trees and autumnal coloured trees, or cover it with a nightscape of a pond and northern lights.

I thrifted these white shoes on Friday. They. Are. Amazing. It's like walking on marshmallows. They are so comfy. I wore them the entirety of Saturday... even though I never left my apartment! If I'm staying home, I usually don't wear any makeup, so this is my face without an ounce of makeup on it. I actually think I look quite good without makeup most of the time.

I'm also not wearing a bra here. Which for me is pretty damn rare. Even if it (supposedly) looks okay, I don't usually feel comfortable without one but for some reason in this dress it was totally okay. And I'd happily go out in public just like this, makeup-free face and all. I am going to try harder not to disappear for so long again. I hope you're all having a good week! Cheers!