52 Pick-me-up: Electric Blue / Impatience

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Electric Blue is this week's color for my 52 Pick-me-up linkup party.
It seemed like the right moment to wear the colorful paisley top that Maricel gave me a while ago:

It matched my cyan Uniqlo tee and nicely clashed with my gilded paisley scarf.
Electric Blue = very visible, catch me at Patti's Visible Monday.

Electric Blue / Impatience -- link if you have the inclination!

30 Minute Sketch: Maricel

"Too Hot To Function" 

Visual response to Maricel's post today on ::My Closet Catalogue::

Her quote in the post fits this experiment well:
"Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."

― Lou Holtz

52 Pick-me-up: Rose / Soulmate / Treasure

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These are roses from my garden. Super fragrant, I like to turn them into rose petal jam. 

Roses, the flower of romance.
So why does my rose circle skirt hate me?
Is my love affair with skirts over? Are we no longer soulmates?

This just felt all kinds of wrong. I tried tucking in the shirt and it was even worse. 

Relationships change. It's important to adapt.
Or repurpose, in the case of garments.

So much better, right? 

I hoisted the skirt up to chest level and I like the look. Into the "fix it" pile it goes.

I had a wonderful meetup with Maricel of My Closet Catalogue on Friday in Claremont.
We had become Blogging BFFs over the past year and a half and the stars finally aligned correctly.
We talked of many things, one being the culling of closets (we both are using Poshmark and are finding it a devil's bargain because we are both experiencing greater influx than intended outflow of items. Those Mary Janes up there came from Poshmark).
Anyway, I described this decluttering book I'd read about: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo (I haven't read it yet). The basic premise is to approach an item and ask yourself if you love it and it brings you joy (I'm also taking a Wear Your Joy self-guided e-course that is tackling this concept). Maricel made the astute observation, "What do you do about perceived loved garments vs the reality of them not really looking that great?" [Not a direct quote -- Maricel, do you remember exactly what you said?] It's a quandary. Minimalists would say BANISH. Maricel and I are maximalist Geminis, we let our "precious" treasure linger and build up.

[source]

For me, it's an ongoing process and involves repurposing.

PURCHASED/ GIFTED (band shirt)/ LINKS/ 

Rose red, soulmates, and/or treasure? Link and tell!

TARDIS Tuesday X Crazy Legs

PURCHASED/ CREATED/

It's Maricel's ::My Closet Catalog:: TARDIS Tuesday today.
Yesterday, I put this very LOUD pattern mix together and since there is a bunch of TARDIS blue in the mix, I'm linking up.

The very special aspect of this ensemble is, it's a newer brighter better interation of the Crazy Legs!
Remember the custom tights from two years ago?

They just weren't bright enough.

When Society6 started offering leggings, I knew exactly which prints I'd utilize.
(You can see the initial three choices here on my Pattern blog or the current array here on my Society6 pattern shop).

I ordered XL, because of my waist size, and they aren't super tight.
From the knees down, they fit more like the bottom of Indian Churidar pants.

I adore them! Now I'm pondering what prints to do next.
Probably some sort of mosaic-looking pattern in a rainbow of colors that I can use to color match.
Like this:

Design by Heather Dutton [source]

FULL DISCLOSURE: Society6 compensates me about $5 per pair of tights sold. Thanks for your support!

A Literary Linkup with Ann-Margret and Elvis

PURCHASED/ PURLOINED/ LINKS/

My new blogging friends Maricel of My Closet Catalogue and Selah of A Bibliophile's Style have started a fun link-up inspired by their love of books and reading, called Thoughtful Third Thursday.

Here are their directions: Every third Thursday of the month, create a post where you state what you’re currently reading (novel, non-fiction, short story, magazine, blog, manga, etc.), include a quote and/or a synopsis, and an outfit that you feel corresponds to your chosen quote.

I'm game -- I love to read, and I love a quirky outfit challenge.

My non-fiction autobiographical book:  
My Story, by Ann-Margret 

My quote:
"I regarded Elvis's presence as an extra bonus. I was pleased to know he was nearby, and I hoped we could connect somehow." p. 255

My look:

Elvis paperweight from the official Graceland souvenir shop, 1995
Elvis jacket is a Lee barn jacket customized with an Elvis tapestry by some genius designer in the 80s, purchased in a cool shop [RIP] in Pasadena on Colorado, east of Lake.
Got the Ann-Margret book from the "freebie" shelf at the Mar Vista branch of LA Public Library.

Linking up with Thoughtful Third Thursday (duh)
and Patti's Visible Monday

Digital Catwalk: Maricel Matches Her Scarf

CREATED/ LINKS 

Maricel of My Closet Catalogue