Mending Momentum

I left you "hanging by a thread" in my last post...
The rehab of the African textile into a tunic was ALMOST finished at the Mindful Mending workshop...
The next day, I used my mending momentum and took the materials to Otis with me -- I utilized the nice, big, EMPTY table  in the Otis Fashion Dept conference room:

DONE!

I was SO EXCITED that I finished, I popped it on over my outfit and took some iPhone selfies.

There was a problem, though. The textile smelled very musty and got worse with my body heat.

Then we had LOTS of rain, so I couldn't hang it outside to air out on the clothesline.

FINALLY, the weather cooperated.
I found online a suggestion to soak the fabric in vinegar to help remove the odor.
It worked a charm.

And then yesterday I was able to wear it to work:

I liked the look of the tunic over another tunic in my initial selfies, so I tried it over my denim button up.

My Indigo and Orange Symphony!

The Fluevog Enthusiasts played along perfectly.

Linking up with
Patti's Visible Monday
Catherine's #shareAllLinkup

Shine and Sparkle at the Santa Monica Flea

The Santa Monica Airport Antique & Collectible Market is a feast for the eyes (and a drain on the wallet). It's within walking distance of my abode, which is DANGEROUS.

I already posted these photos on IG, but not all of you go there.
Enjoy!

First the shiny stuff:

This and the next are rugs. Um, yeah.

How would one clean this?

Another rug, more practical

Other cool things

The perfect umbrellas for the Year of the Dog

HULA PIE!!!!!!

Oh Ken with your laser eyes and man bag.

Red, white, and blue

Rim reflections and red Danskos

I bought two items, I'll show you the Ajrakh textile from Gujarat (Vix has been there!)
Here I am wrapped in it on my way home:

click image to embiggen, I didn't reduce this photo

It smells just like the Indian textiles of my youth!

Linking up with Patti's Visible Monday.

Primarily Striped

The #COTDstyle color prompt was "Red, Blue, Yellow".

This was a fun mixture, embellished with a second-hand scarf obtained in Portland back in 2011:

and leggings from Society6 with my own art:

Available HERE (I get a commission)

Bright, just the way I like it!

Linking up with Patti's Visible Monday
Catherines #iwillwearwhatilike

Crazy Pants Debut at Otis

Did you see my Crazy Pants on Instagram yesterday?

I've had these since 1997 and have never worn them.
Unbelievable, right?
They've been hiding in plain sight in one of my closets for a while.

Scarves on the left, a quasi "repair and sell" assortment on the right, fabric stash in the back.

I "saw" them every day, but didn't see them on me, if you know what I mean.

Yesterday, I tried them on (for the first time -- I kid you not!).

Wowza!
Aside from the abhorrent fiber content (OG 60's nylon tricot) they are GROOVY, man.
That print is going places!

Curious about my lovely pendant?
Since I lost a very important thumb drive (had all my latest course handouts from my Digital Design for Fashion class, not backed up, of course), I attached another one to the polkadot lanyard that Sue made for our Vancouver Blogger meetup.

(Sorry for the "exposed" USB plug. Kids, avert your eyes).

I managed to not leave this one behind in the classroom. At least for this week.

After class, the Crazy Pants went to Whittier to see Stan Ridgway in concert.
But that's another post for another blog.
"Seems like a pretty good idea to me".

Linking up with Patti's Visible Monday, Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike, and Shelbee's On the Edge of the Week.

52 Pick-me-up: Amethyst / Forgiveness / Belonging

••• 

The 52 Pick-me-up prompts this week are: Amethyst / Forgiveness / Belonging 

I've been on an 80's nostalgia kick, triggered by seeing a performance by Stan Ridgway (Wall of Voodoo).
All week, Stan and WoV have been my soundtrack. 

We'll start today's post with an outfit including orange and Amethyst striped leggings from Tweeds. 

Linking up with Patti's Visible Monday.
Can't overlook me in this outfit!
[5/9] also linking with Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike

Anyone remember Tweeds? It was an early "cool" mail-order company (vs. preppy L.L. Bean's, Land's End, etc).
I got these leggings in 1988 or 89. Hey! They're Vintage!
(Enid called them "antique". Enid is a brat.)

Here's a closer look, to get the full glory of the lower half of the pattern smash:

Turquoise laces c/o the nice girl at Fluevog on Abbot Kinney.
Pink/turquoise Keds snagged on Poshmark -- I love Poshmark!!!!

Amethyst-the-gemstone also gets the spotlight today.

I had amethysts in my wedding ring (HAD being the operative word -- the first cracked on day 2 of my honeymoon. Yes, it was an omen, I should have paid attention). I designed the ring and I wish the silversmith friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend who made it had told me it was a bad design (he might have tried, can't remember). ALL the Amethysts are long gone (as is the wasbund). The silversmith also made a keeper ring that I now wear in my pinky.

Here are: the retired wedding ring, 

a new Amethyst stacking ring (again from Poshmark),
the keeper ring (it's a keeper!),
Spanish St. Lucy postcard,
additional artifacts from the DEF wasbund era in a Mexican matchbox.

I don't remember WHY I chose Amethysts for my wedding ring. I didn't research its spiritual qualities, I went with intuition. Which brings us to one of this week's emotional words: Forgiveness. I'm still working on that one re the wasbund.
Maybe when I'm 64?

Amethyst / Forgiveness / Belonging -- link and tell! (Anything purple)

52 Pick-me-up: Navy / Quest

••• 

We are finishing off our seven weeks of blue hues with Navy.

I was all set to have this be a post about Poshmark and selling this Navy and wine striped dress from Uniqlo:

That's not a pin at my chest. It's the size sticker.
I was going to sell it NWT [new with tags]

A funny thing happened while I was taking my product shots...

Rare view of my butt.

I decided that I liked it after all and I'm not going to sell it!
It's super comfortable!
I just need to remove the pockets -- the pocket bags are too bulky on my hips.
My hips are big enough, thankyouverymuch.

Here's the saga of why I have this new dress that I thought I didn't like:

Remember the Uniqlo Del Amo store opening that I attended back in October?
Remember the flannel shirt that was too small?
I found it online in my size, along with some bright tees that weren't at Del Amo either. The dress looked cute on the model (don't they always), it was on sale for $19.98, and I added it to my cart.

Upon arrival, it didn't live up to my fantasies (a hazard of online shopping). I wanted to send it back, but a mail-in return was going to incur a "restocking charge". Sigh. I could return it to a local Uniqlo store but never made it within the 30-day deadline because of a combo of laziness and the holiday season (I don't "do" malls during November/December).

Anyway.
It's a keeper, for now. I like how it looks with the argyle tights.

••• 

Back to the subject of Poshmark.
I've had some success with sales, and have racked up some "bank" to shop with.
I went on a Quest for Mexican huipils, etc, and found this:

Yes!
Mine!

I thought from the photos that it'd be a darker blue, but that's OK. It's lovely.

Signing in at Patti's Visible Monday, like always.
I'll also link this up with Judith's Hat Attack for April.

Navy or any other Blue / Quest -- Link and tell!
I'm changing up the link-up schedule and will have it open for a longer period starting next week.
For this week, here are all the "BLUE" linkups. I've reopened them, so add to whichever shade of blue you coordinate with. ;-)

Ink Blue or Navy

Sapphire

Blueberry, Denim

Aqua

Sky Blue

Electric Blue

52 Pick-me-up: Sky Blue / Expansion / Connection

••• 

Sky Blue is the color prompt for this week's 52 Pick-me-up.
Here is my Sky Blue scarf:

Linking up with Patti's Visible Monday.

Sky Blue / Expansion / Connection -- link up here!

52 Pick-me-up: Blueberry / Workaholic / Talent

••• 

What, you ask, is Blueberry Blue? 
The answer is in the berries:

Dusty Blue! 
I opted for my denim tunic dress: 

Taking my monochromatic self over to Patti's Visible Monday linkup.

How about you?

Blueberry / Workaholic / Talent -- link and tell!

52 Pick-me-up: Sapphire / Isolation

••• 

Sapphire Blue is this week's color prompt. A brilliant blue that is one of my favorites!

No isolation for me -- I'm linking up with Patti's Visible Monday.

Sapphire / Isolation -- link and tell!

52 Pick-me-up: Ink Blue / Bittersweet / Poignancy

••• 

Ready for seven weeks of blue hues? Here they all are, in case you like to plan ahead:
••• 31. (1/31) Ink Blue / Bittersweet / Poignancy 
••• 32. (2/7) Sapphire / Isolation  
••• 33. (2/14) Blueberry / Workaholic / Talent 
••• 34. (2/21) Aqua / Vanity / Transformation 
••• 35. (2/28) Sky / Expansion / Connection 
••• 36. (3/6) Electric Blue / Impatience 
••• 37. (3/13) Navy / Quest 

This is the week for Ink Blue. How is that different from Navy?
Good question, for which I have no answer.
Here is my take, combined with red:

I'm linking up with Patti's Visible Monday, she has a giveaway this week.

Ink Blue / Bittersweet / Poignancy -- 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!

[Enid] E is for the Evil Eye Scarf

ENID/

Transcription: 

4.6 E
So if I, Enid, had wrapped myself head to toe in Evil Eye scarves, would I be in my current  predicament?

52 Pick-me-up: Match Your Scarf

PURCHASED/ PURLOINED/ 

This prompt was so much fun last year, I'm doing it again.
First you find a scarf, then you match your outfit to it.

I chose this Indian silk square that I "borrowed" from my mom back in 69 or 70.

Scarf it up! Link and tell!

I'm linking with Patti's Visible Monday later today. No hiding behind scarves for me!
Also linking with Maricel's TARDIS Tuesday. Because blue.

Happy St TARDIS Tuesday

PURCHASED/ PURLOINED/ GIFTED/ 

I saw this StyleMint blue/black/green dress on someone in Go Chic or Go Home, my online Digital Closet community and HAD to have it. It's rather cheap cotton blend knit that is now starting to pill and I'll keep wearing it until I kill it.
You've seen it before, but never combined like this!

Jan, of Fort Smith Stylista, kindly gave me the Duro Olowu shirt because I raved about hers, you can see how I sketched her in it here. The shirt had been sadly languishing in my closet because the right sleeve was too tight due to my lymphedema. Solution? I cut off the sleeves!

Severo gave me the socks, from his February Sock Haul in Brooklyn. These came in a 3-pack that sold for $1.99. He now checks my feet every morning to see what socks I'm wearing.
He has a gig in Boston this weekend. Will he bring home some new socks for my collection?

Linking up with Maricel's TARDIS Tuesday.

TARDIS meets Marie

PURCHASED/ GIFTED/ 

Here are more blue items from my closet to comply with Maricel's TARDIS Tuesday link-up.

Having suffered from a hellish week of color matching output on a color laser printer (the activity that I loathe most at work), I opted yesterday for ultimate comfort in the footwear department. You see, we work upstairs, and the color printers are downstairs. I live in fear of tripping on the stairs and breaking some limb. Most of last week I wore my trusty White Mountain Mary Jane clogs that Leslie gave me (you know the ones -- I wear them almost every post). By Thursday, even they hurt my feet.
Today, in anticipation of more hell, I wore my old padded suede Purcells. Why did Converse discontinue making these?

note TARDIS Otis beverage transporter:
c/o Otis Alumni Association 

My feet were happy, I was happy.

Here's a closeup of the shirt:

I bought it #secondhandfirst from Foreign Affair in Providence, RI last April. I was mesmerized by the unusual weave.

Also of interest is my new little friend who appeared in the back yard on Sunday:

Look at those eyes! "Mom, can I keep her?"

I've already named her Sweet Marie (Antoinette). She needs a full checkup and flea bath at the vet before she can come inside. Oh, how I hope she sticks around!