Inside Outward

If you could take a peek inside my mind and see my thoughts, things would probably look a lot like the print on this dress. Bright. Cheerful. Bold. Lively. Dynamic. To name a few. There are so many joyous thoughts and plans rushing around in there. It's like a crazy game of bumper cars, with flashing lights and ringing sounds as riders get jostled roughly about. All in good fun though!

Dress - Purchased from Ninth Avenue Vintage on Etsy 

Earrings - Gift from grandmother 

Sandals - Sears

Of course, not everybody enjoys a good bumper car battle, and so not everyone is comfortable with me and my various forms of self expression. Like my clothes. Or my taste in music. Or my past-times. Which is really just a loss for them! I tend to think, about 98% of the time, that I am super-awesome-fantastic and anybody would be crazy not to like me. And while that's extremely egotistical, I'd rather be a happy egotist than an unhappy person overly concerned about others' opinions.

Of course that doesn't mean I don't care about others' feelings. I think this mindset kind of helps me. Being friendly and open and caring is a lot easier if you already think you're the bees' knees. At least it seems so to me. I don't need outside validation to be a happy person. I'm not seeking approval or support. Whether or not someone thinks my dress is obnoxious, or that my life views are naive really doesn't concern me. I don't worry about those things and I try my best to be nonjudgmental about those things towards others. It's harder for me to deal with the rejection of my friendship and love than it is to deal with someone thinking I have bad taste in shoes or need a hair cut. I'm a selfless egotist, perhaps? Or maybe self-confidence is too often called egoism and I'm getting them all mixed up. (Bumper car crash!)

Let's just say that sometimes I do come off as harsh. Beating around the bush is not my style and in some instances my blunt honesty can be a little more than people can handle. I don't intentionally try to be hurtful or unfeeling or self-centered, but in the end my priorities do revolve around myself. It takes a lot of effort and presence of mind for me to take other people's feelings and viewpoints into account when I interact with others. I'm not fond of people or situations that upset me or make me uncomfortable and sometimes I can lash out more quickly than I should. I'm still learning.

Oftentimes it feels like I'm at an emotional learning stage that I'm too old to really be in. I swear everybody else went through this awkward crap in their teens? I'm all thumbs. I blunder through sensitive emotional interactions. I have the hardest time reading the level of someone's emotions. Are they only kind of grumpy or are they enraged? Is she just a little sad or is she about to burst into nonexhaustible tears? And I always feel so clumsy trying to console or cheer someone up. It's frustrating because I would love to be that person, but I'm still busily gluing my own parts back together. Trying to help someone else do that seems beyond my abilities right now. I mean well, but I'm not willing to put myself in a position I know isn't healthy for me.

Anyway, all that nonsense aside, things are good. I've booked a bunch of days off this month for various activities. Tomorrow is booked for a major apartment cleaning, which isn't very exciting, but things spice up after that. Tonight is my weekly belly dance class and beers with my friend Laura. Saturday is my friend Helen's baby shower, and then a night out at the bar with a fun group. Next weekend I'm heading out into Québec to attend the Electronic Brain music festival. I am SO excited for this! So excited!! It's going to be a blast. And then the weekend after that one, I'm going up to Montreal to visit my super-awesome friend Nicole. Plus a bunch of other amazing things because my life is just amazing right now. Emotional awkwardness and all! I hope you are all having a groovy week. Cheers!

Back in Business

They got my internet up and running again last evening, something for which I am very thankful. Hopefully that doesn't happen again any time soon! Today is such a glorious day. Sunny, warm and open to all possibilities. I've got a bunch of things to do and we'll see if I can get at least some of them done. I'm still ridiculously busy these days so this open day all to myself is quite nice, even if most of what I plan on doing is housework.

 Glasses - Random gift

Dress - Purchased from Siam2U on Etsy

Tomorrow is the Ravenswing DIY Fair where my friend Laura and I have a small vendor table. We'll be selling all sorts of things from hemp necklaces to bead-spiders to flower hair clips to leather pouches to... all sorts of things! It's going to be a great event, and I'm planning on bringing my camera to snap up all the fun! Here's hoping for nice weather.

My squish-kitty Caramel is still loving being outside on the terrace with me. Sometimes he gets a little freaked out while I take outfit photos if I happen to be wearing heels or something but now he's hooked on being out there. The minute I wake in the morning it's "Meow - let me out!"

I really love how my hair looks in this photo but I haven't been able to wear my hair down most of the past week. It's just been too hot and humid already, all the more reason for me to cut all this hair off! I'm giving myself until the end of the month to see how I still feel about that. While having it up in a bun like I've been doing keeps it off my neck and shoulders, it's also itchy and severe and boring. There is more and more appeal in having a wild head of mad soft spikes instead.

I finally got to see my good friend Becky at Ritual Nights last evening. It was so great getting to hug her. I had a grin plastered to my face most of the night. There are times and places that just feel good and right and that was one of them.

Anybody else think the world would be a better place with more tie dye in it? This dress makes me very happy, but it's just a smidgen too long. I've a mind to shorten it, but I don't want to cut away any of the prettiness. And that reminds me I still have other things to shorten... Maybe I'll get to some of that today. I hope you all have a really groovy rest of the weekend. Cheers!

It's a Parrot Party

It felt wonderful to wear this romper out in the warm weather. For some reason I didn't get around to wearing it much last year, hopefully I do so more this time around. My weekend was crazy busy. I think I got about five hours of sleep in a span of 48 hours at one point. I headed out dancing on Friday night and things just rolled along and the next thing I knew the sun was rising and the sky had the soft fuzzy cotton look that comes with dawn.

Romper - Purchased from Reluctant Damsel on Etsy

Sandals - Sears

The ironic part is that I kept saying I had to take it easy and have an earlier night because I was going to an open house at Ottawa's Cordon Bleu at ten the next morning. I still attended the info session, but I was running on a two and a half hour nap haha... I felt better whenever I was moving, so the forty five minute walks there and back were really quite enjoyable. The sun was out, the birds were chirping and there was a lovely breeze. It was still early enough for the earth to have that cool morning feeling to it. I was pretty miserable sitting inside but I'm glad I attended the session. I'm still see-sawing between Pastry and Cuisine, now more towards the first than the later. It's so hard choosing.

I had the opportunity to see the kitchens and talk to some of the Chefs, as well as see one of them make chocolate boxes right in front of us. All of the teachers are French Chefs from France and they all have that typical French accent, which amuses me to no end. They seem like a bunch of great characters and teachers. I really want to attend. I'm also waffling between taking just the beginner level and seeing about doing the rest later, or doing the whole Pastry diplôme in one chunk. The problem with doing it all at once is I'd run out of money to live on midway and I don't think I could work and learn at the same time. Not to mention having to take out another ten grands worth of student loans. Me no likey debt.

I'm hoping that having the beginner certificate will be enough to help me along for a while. And as much as I love both baking and cooking, I don't want to be a world renowned chef. I have no interest in touring the world or working in a fancy five star restaurant. I just like making tasty things and feeding people. Not to mention I am totally okay with washing dishes or sweeping floors in a bakery if that gets me in and lets me watch experienced bakers. I am not willing to be someone's office bitch admin assistant though, because I have no interest in moving up in that kind of environment and see no worth in the work.

It reads: A Bad Day on Vacation Always Beats A Good Day At Work!

Now finally I can explain the post's title. A few weeks back I walked by a shop called Fab Gear 64 on Wellington and saw this purse in the window. The shop was closed at the time but it had gotten my attention and the purse (okay, more like giant tote, but I say purse) was calling me. A few days later I walked by again while the shop was open, went in, fell in love and brought it home. Yes. It is covered in crazy partying parrots. My friend said they remind her of elderly people in Miami. They're having a good time though, and I dig it!

This thing is huge and glaring and sticks out. But I love it ever so much. It helps that it is both machine washable and has a wipe-down canvas interior while still being lightweight, perfect for my summer adventuring. Plus it has frigging partying parrots on it, how can it get any better?! I'm now living by their example and just having a good time as much as possible! I think they would approve of my past weekend.

In less than two weeks, my friend Laura and I will be selling crafty things at the Ravenswing Craft and Zine Fair here in Ottawa. Of course I've been procrastinating and am probably more behind in a few projects than I should be, but it's not the end of the world, I always manage to work things out in the end. It should be a great time. I hope you are all having a good Monday. Cheers!

Flouncing Around

This awesome skirt was another of the gifts I received from wonderful Heather. It's awesome and flouncy and demands to be spun around in. All the time. Everywhere. So I spend a lot of time twirling instead of walking.

Top - Garage sale, from mom

Skirt - Gift from Heather

Leggings - Who knows?

Boots - A shop on Sparks Street

I'm pretty frustrated. I recently purchased online a new terrarium for one of my snakes. I took the day off yesterday to be home to receive it... only to open the box and discover my $285 purchase had a shattered left side and cracked front. After an unhappy phone call and some e-mailing, the company promised to send me a replacement at no cost, but only because I'd had previous issues with them (someone canceled my original order several days in and I had to re-order) but that usually they'd make me deal with UPS.

They said they'd crate the next one for extra measure but I really hope it arrives in one piece. It's stupid because they say on their website that they aren't responsible for damages during freight, but don't allow the option to purchase insurance. All I know is, that if the next one arrives damaged, I'm taking that company down. It's still small and independent, and in the reptile community, it doesn't take much to ruin a company when it turns out they do bad business.

I noticed in the damaged one's box that the sides only had small squares of styrofoam instead of full ones, and it looks like the smaller size actually put pressure on the terrarium and caused it to break. Seems obvious to me, so if it repeats itself... I will not be a happy camper. There's no reason you can't spend an extra $0.50 for a full sheet of styrofoam and save your clients from receiving a useless $285 box of shattered acrylic.

I really want this work week to be over. It just feels like such a major waste of time being at work. Winter is always the time of year that most makes me hate my job and the way we all live our lives. Society is so maddening. But anywho. I hope you're all having a good week. Cheers!

It's only Tuesday?

I woke up to a kitchen sink crawling with tiny pin-head-sized ants this morning and bleh... it's only Tuesday folks. I hope this week ends quickly. Plus I get to go see both my dentist and my optometrist today... Can you feel my lack of waiting-room enthusiasm? Thank goodness I've got a book with me.

Dress (as top) - Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Smartset (I think, it was long ago)

Platforms - Chinese Laundry via endless.com

Belt - Gift from Heather at Moonshine Junkyard

Necklace - Gift from boyfriend, made by Lisa Burkin on Etsy

I was at it again, wearing a dress as a top, back on August 17th. And happily wearing my new Chinese Laundry platform sandals for the first time. I'm always a little apprehensive about buying shoes online, you never really know if they'll be comfortable or fit properly. But these are great, and I love them.

I tried on four different outfits before settling on this one. My cat was watching me run around the apartment in bewilderment. I'm pretty sure my walking around in these shoes freaks him out because he always runs away.

And of course any good excuse to wear my flower necklace. I'd probably wear it everyday if that wouldn't be weird of me. I wonder if I can get my boyfriend to buy me more of these as future gifts... heehee...

It's gloomy and dark here today, looking like rain. Of course on a day I've got plenty of places to walk to. Seriously Tuesday, what's the deal? Monday is the poopy day of the week, stop being a pain! I hope you're all having nice ant-free Tuesdays, wherever you are. Cheers!

Do Your Homework

When Tieka blogged about her ThreadSence Giveaway, I took the time to go through their Lookbook. After being disappointed that the adorable little aqua and pink-flower shrug seemed not to be available, and getting mildly annoyed with all the cliche native/aztec rip-offs... I spotted some stellar floral wedges by Chinese Laundry.

I've been lusting after floral wedges and sandals of some sort or other for most of this summer and spring, and I fast assumed that these shoes would likely be out of my price range. I clicked through anyway, just to see... Hey, $58, that's not bad! I did some more internet spelunking and managed to find some favourable reviews, and then... I found the shoes on sale. Well ladies and germs, it was a done deal right there.

I spent some time comparing sales prices on different sites, then compared shipping, to try and find the best price and delivery speed. I'm very happy to say that the total price, including the shoes themselves with taxes and S&H, come up to the original sale price. And I will have them delivered to me on Monday! Yes, Monday. How awesome is that?

I wound up buying them on sale from Endless.com, but I'm glad I took the time to compare. Another website had the shoes on sale for a lot cheaper, but their added shipping brought the total prices to about the same amount. No saving there. Not to mention their shipping would have had me waiting 2-3 weeks instead of just 2-3 days. It pays to do one's shoe-shopping homework!



I'm already dreaming up the outfits I'm going to wear with these. I'll need to make the most of the rest of this summer while it lasts and rock these babies proper! It's too bad living in Canada means I'm often stilted when it comes to internet shoe-shopping (6pm.com don't deliver here at all, and Lulus.com charges $22 flatrat to ship here too eek) but I think I did well here.

Now I just need not to buy anything else until after September... I need to have money to get myself out to the Reptile Breeder's Expo and Conference in Toronto that month, and buy myself another creature or three.

The next outfit post is going to be featuring another new-to-the-blog dress (it'll go great with these shoes, actually) and that will popping up tomorrow. I hope you're all having a good week! Cheers!