Yes, my cat is boring.

If I could have a ludicrous pet it would be a hippopotamus. I love them. They just look so sweet and dozy. And yes, I've heard all though hoo-ha about the fact that they are the most deadly killer on earth or something, but maybe if you raised it up from a baby...

Shopping list

Despite the fact that I have a wardrobe overflowing with frills and silliness, I'm often stumped by the lack of basics. For the last couple of months, at least a couple of times a weeks, I wonder why I don't own a long sleeved t-shirt in a solid colour. I blame the fact that when I see these items in thrift stores - basically the only places I shop - I think they are boring, and they tend to be too worn out and faded to be presentable.

Tomorrow I will be at a mall, though. My budget is $20 and my wish list is as follows: ribbed, long sleeves, fitted but not too tight, modest neckline, solid colour, cotton or wool blend. I feel like that between Zara, the Gap, Old Navy, Forever 21 and maybe Superstore, this shouldn't be an unreasonable request. And if I find one and buy it and like it, I might buy another, because it seems like every morning, I wake up thinking that that's what I want to wear.

Such Great Heights

Up above the belly button this time, but the pants fit so perfectly, and the colour was so perfectly olive that I couldn't say no. I got a complement on them from a very stylish client at work and I didn't tell her I got them at Value Village - never sure how to handle that one. I also got this lovely lavender silk blouse with pretty pleats there this weekend.

Pretty Blouse

Isn't the white blouse above sweet? I like a white, semi-sheer blouse on someone else, but on me it's probably a formerly-white, now speckled with stains, semi-sheer blouse with not quite the right bra underneath. I guess I missed the resolution deadline; maybe next year.

Sketchbook Show

Remember I said that I was resolving to do more drawing? Well, I got a book called Picture This by Lynda Barry for Christmas and it's so inspiring. You might know her Marlys comics, and this is an illustrated book, but it's about how everyone can draw and how important it is, and how good it is for your creativity to draw, even if it's just little doodles. It's a good philosophy for me: sometimes I do worry that it's a waste of time or a waste of paper if I'm not really creating a great work of art. But I've felt very inspired to sit down almost every day, even if it's just for half an hour, and play around with paints or pens or a pencil. I don't think about it too much, just see where it goes; it's very relaxing and it feels great to be filling up an old sketchbook. These are just a few of my little doodles:

2011 Bridal Trends

Beautiful pictures of Julia Stegner, and a little inspiration... Something I can whip up at work with leftover lace scraps? Also, the veil as dress theory may be gaining some ground this year.

Oh well.

Man, today I just could not take get a good picture of myself! I was tired and my feet hurt, and I took a dozen or so before my patience wore out, and none of them were nice. Oh well. The olive green tank is mesh, which you can't really see. Again, oh well.



Really, the whole point is this awesome bracelet that Karl gave me for Christmas. I love it so much. He knows I'm crazy about turquoise jewelry and this is such a unique piece; it reminds me of a sea urchin. It's a little hard to tell, but the stone is set down inside: it's like a shadow-box setting.

Friday Face

I just spent over an hour looking at street style blogs and this was the only picture that really excited me, which is weird; I usually find lots. Maybe it's just that this girl has everything going on, from head to toe. If only it would stop raining here... Well, she's got that covered with the umbrella, just looks a little chilly to me!

Man Style

GQ magazine just released it's Best Dressed Men list, and number one was Javier Bardem. Honestly, I can't picture him ever wearing anything remotely memorable, but I guess he's OK. In second place was Waris Ahluwalia! He's great. You might recognize him from his roles in a few movies, including some Wes Anderson flicks, or you might have heard of his jewelry line, House of Waris. Or you might have noticed how well dressed he is! I love his ability to experiment with colour and pattern, and his mix of hipster cool with classic elegance. Also, there's something about his unwillingness to smile in any photo that adds to his image.

Workaday

I brought my camera to work yesterday. I pretty much never do that, but it's been quiet this week, and one of my co-workers is still on holiday, so I had enough privacy in the work shop to take a couple outfit shots, which I'm usually embarrassed to do it there's anyone around.


Yikes, it looks messy in there! I was thinking I'd spend the week tidying, but then I got started on a little project...
And spent the whole week cutting strips of charmeuse, pleating them, pinning them into swirls...

...and hand-sewing them on to this skirt with tiny little beads. It was a little tedious to be honest, but I did get it done and up on display in the shop by the end of the day on Saturday.

I feel like I've forgotten how to dress for work.

Remember when I said I'd be looking for a coat like this at the thrift store?

This is the reasonable facsimile I found a couple of weeks later. I know it's totally different, but it has a lot of the features that I like in the one above, plus it's in a pretty plaid.

Yes, new heights of ugliness! I can't resist an aggressively ugly shoe, and then I can't resist wearing them with purple tights and mustard socks. Why does this make me happy?

Best of 2010, a short list. Very short.

I just watched the movie that gets my vote for best of 2010! It's creepy and intense, gives a look inside a rarely seen world, has amazing costumes and sets, and stars an amazing actress. No, not Black Swan. Winter's Bone. So good. It's set deep in the Ozark mountains, amidst drug labs, questionable family ties and bad dental hygiene, and it's totally absorbing. It was one of those movies that I was so drawn into and I didn't want it to end, even though it was unsettling and depressing. I couldn't get enough of the sets; they must have been real people's homes, and if you look it up on IMDB almost all of the actors have no info, they are totally authentic. The main actress in it is Jennifer Lawrence, and you probably haven't seen her before, but she is excellent. If there's any justice in Hollywood, she'll at least get some award nominations.

2011

That was kind of an extended holiday from my computer! I've had a nice long rest and indulged my indulgent side with plenty of delicious food and long afternoons of reading and napping. This is the time of year that I can actually take a break from work and it's been so great, even though I will be back on Tuesday. We had a wonderful visit with my parents which is the highlight of the year, and yesterday Karl made a traditional Danish smorgasbord for us and we invited friends and family and we're all crossing our fingers that it's a new New Years Day tradition.

Speaking of New Years, I'm not sure about resolutions yet. It often takes me a few days to think of some. As usual, less TV and shopping, more cleaning, outdoor activities, reading, writing, art: the usual. I'd love to paint the kitchen. How about you - any resolutions?