Very Visible!

I have achieved a new high of visibility. And I coordinate with this painting by Raffi Kalenderian perfectly:

I'm standing in front of "Bernard" 2019
[photo by Dean]

Rafi's show at Susan Vielmetter is a riot of color and pattern. Like me!

I loved how this room was hung:

[click on image to embiggen]

Check this out.
Painting on left:

Raffi Kalenderian, Robert, Bob and Seymour, 2019

Painting on right:

Raffi Kalenderian, Shanti Reading, 2019

Do you see what he did? Look in the mirror!

I cruised the galleries in Culver City with Lani, Dean, and Judy on Saturday.
We had a great day. Will post more images on my art blog, later.

Linking up with
Patti's Visible Monday
Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike
Shelbee's Spread the Kindness

Hello 2019

Long time no "see".

These are my "Tiny Planets" for the work week. I make them with an app, using elements of my outfit. 

The app bends the photo into a circle.

I've been posting my outfits on Instagram.

Here's what I wore to work last week:

View this post on Instagram

Tuesday's tri color selections are: coffee brown, terrific teal, happy yellow! #COTDstyle All on the back of my shirt, though my "teal" is really green.

A post shared by anne m bray (@annembray) on Jan 8, 2019 at 1:06pm PST

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Plants and Animals #cotdstyle

A post shared by anne m bray (@annembray) on Jan 9, 2019 at 1:04pm PST

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Colors of the day (#COTDstyle) for Thursday are: pale gray and subdued lime! Both in my scarf.

A post shared by anne m bray (@annembray) on Jan 10, 2019 at 1:07pm PST

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Rain or Shine, I've been shooting Daily Trucks since August 2015! I had this dress printed by @redbubble so I would coordinate with my 2017 art exhibition at the reception. #cotdstyle See recent truck images at #dailytruck_amb

A post shared by anne m bray (@annembray) on Jan 11, 2019 at 1:39pm PST

As you can see, Friday's outfit was the favorite!

For this post, I learned how to embed IG posts.
So easy.
On Instagram, you go to "More, ie the triple dots" and choose "Embed".
You'll then get html code to paste into wherever.

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

Olive Oyl x Moschino x Lularoe

Today's #COTDstyle Challenge is "POP ART MADNESS AND CRAZY BLACK!"
I immediately thought of my Moschino Boutique Olive Oyl scarf:

and my Lularoe leggings:

I bought the scarf around the same time that I got the "BOOM!" scarf.
I was imagining it bigger than what arrived in the mail.
I hung it up, and contemplated what to do with it (not a big wearer of small square scarves).
When I recently got the leggings, I immediately added them to the scarf display. They were instant friends.
But what to use as the transitional base to sew the scarf into?
I think it will be the confetti pattern behind Olive Oyl.

Stay tuned!
Pattern clashing. My métier.

Linking up with Patti's Visible Monday
and 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: Sage / Wisdom

••• 

Sage Green, this week's color prompt, has Wisdom built into its name's meaning.
Do with that what you will.

Was my combo a wise choice?
It was colorful, in a muted sort of way.
I'll be joining Patti's Visible Monday when her party gets going. 

This is our last week of green-themed prompts, by the way. Next week we'll start seven weeks of Blues.

Wearing Sage or any other green color / feeling Wisdom -- link and tell!

52 Pick-me-up: Topaz / Enlightenment / Courage

••• 

Today, a rainbow vomited all over me:

I had pulled the leggings for TOPAZ week, but was having trouble styling them.
Why not go full pattern on pattern?
Time will tell if this look leaves the back patio.
Courage, right?

How about the shoes????

I have been bragging on Pinterest and Facebook about these treasures.
Snagged Friday at a local charity shop (Silver Lining on Washington Blvd in Culver City) for $60.
They are the most beautifully made pair of footwear I have ever handled.

Handmade in El Paso by Tres Outlaws, they are still available new online for $2500!!!!!
Yes, they are alligator and yes, they are slightly creepy. And they have extra long pointy toes.
This video came to mind when I tried them on:

I'll be linking with Patti's Visible Monday.

Topaz / Enlightenment / Courage: link and tell!

More Joy!

I had the worst laughing hangover after this weekend. I don't regret one minute of it.

The top secret spy captures can be found here. "On the hush hush, and very QT"

Over and out!

52 Pick-me-up: Raspberry / Perfection / Friendship

•••  

This very vibrant dress has been getting social.

It met Maricel in Claremont, as mentioned last week.

photo by Susie Eaton Thorp at her gallery Bunny Gunner
artwork by Karen Karlsson

It crossed international borders and went to the 40+ blogger meetup in Vancouver, BC

With Sheila of  Ephemera and Pao of Project Minima
photo by Suzanne Carillo (source)

Dare I say that it's a perfect friend?

Raspberry / Perfection / Friendship -- 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!

52 Pick-me-up: Pattern Max

PURCHASED/ PURLOINED/ CREATED/ GIFTED/  

Oh thank you IRS for causing a delayed posting for this week's challenge. I managed to schedule my favorite theme -- Pattern Maxing -- in my least favorite week -- Tax Deadline. I'm back dating this and we'll all pretend that today is Sunday. If only!

Since I'm bombarding you daily with all of the fake journaling of Enid, I'm compiling the four outfits that I wore to work last week. I was inspired to new heights of pattern mixing [or maxing, as I like to say] by the Create 28 Lovely Spring Looks Challenge, the brainchild of Whitney A La Mode and Carrie of A Lovely Little Wardrobe. [I'm trying to do the challenge with my socks, but it is getting more and more difficult. Today's prompt is "Spring Dresses". How on earth can a sock be a spring dress?]

Anyway, on the the kooky outfits:

Monday. "Pattern on Bottom"
Pattern everywhere except for my tights.

Tuesday. "Pastels"
Pattern or embellishment everywhere except the faux Keds

Wednesday. Off theme.
Pattern everywhere.
Especially liked the leopard under the striped tee.
Note Jean's neck cowl [gifted] worn as a bum cover/ hip warmer.

Thursday. "Floral"
The coworkers gave me many compliments on the recently rediscovered circle skirt.

There you have it, my week of Pattern Maxing.
Go on, give it a try! Baby steps welcome too -- try a stripe with floral.
I have a helpful pattern mixing post here.

Linking with Create 28 Lovely Spring Looks
and Share-in-Style

Was your Pattern Maxing a success? Link and tell!

52 Pick-me-up: Iris

PURCHASED/ PURLOINED/ GIFTED/ 

This week we celebrate the Iris.

Iris Petals by Len Burgess 

Iris 'Constant Companion' October 18th, closeup by Bob Gutowski 

The iris comes in a wide range of colors, but I was inspired by the purple ones.
Both of my ensembles feature the radiant purple scarf that Bella gave me last May.

Did you know that the heraldic fleur de lis motif is based on both the lily and the iris? Now you do!

[source]

I'll be linking up with Sacramento and Rosie's Share-In-Style on Monday.

You, on the other hand, will hopefully link here!

52 Pick-me-up: International Women's Day, Week

LINKS/ PURCHASED/ PURLOINED/ GIFTED/  

So what could be a better way to celebrate International Women's Day (today, March 8) than booking my room in Vancouver, BC for a blogger meet-up this summer?

Our hostess Suzanne Carillo is putting together a meet-up of INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS!
I will finally meet some of my muses (Melanie, Sue, Trina, Tami, Sheila, Pat, Ally, Charlotte -- I'm looking at you) and reconvene with Patti, Bella, Val, and Natalia. (Bella and Val -- would it help you decide if you had a ride up there? I might just drive it! I promise to refrain from taking photos while driving if you are passengers).

Here is the list so far (lifted from Suzanne's page):

Melanie – Bag and a Beret 
Sue – A Colourful Canvas
Patti – Not Dead Yet
Sylvia – 40+Style
Bella – The Citizen Rosebud (t)
Greetje – No Fear of Fashion
Trina – Tea Time With Trina
Dawn – Fashion Should Be Fun
Tami – Thrift Shop Commando
Sheila – Ephemera
Pat – Project Minima 
Natalia – In The Writer’s Closet
Val – Muse Fondue (t)
Ally – Shybiker
Lana – Two Teens and Their Mama
Jennifer – A Well Styled Life
Charlotte – Sublime Mercies
Mrs. C – Mrs. Jack of all Trades (t)
Louisa – Damselfly’s Delights
Gaylen – G Marie
Anne – Spy Girl
Shawna – The Director Of Awesome
Tiina -Elegance Revisited
Jodi – Day 2 Day Wear

Oh the fun we shall have!

In lieu of lots of gifts (but how can we resist???) we will be doing a clothing swap.
Since I'm half-heartedly culling my closet, I've already pulled some potential gems:

[Late add]
The meeting of SpyGirl and Citizen Rosebud, May 20, 2014:

We got the Pattern Max memo

It's a Visible Monday week chez Patti, you'll see me there!

Have anything special in mind for celebrating Int'l Women's Day/ Week/ Month?

Link and tell!

52 Pick-me-up: Read Between the Lines

CREATED/ PURCHASED/

Originally when I created this theme, I was thinking that it would be timed with Selah and Maricel's
 Thoughtful Third Thursday link-up. WRONG. LAST Thursday was the link-up, not this coming Thursday. Oops.
On my 52 Pick-me-up theme calendar, the prompt for this week is "Read between the lines -- inspired by a book". Notice that I simplified it here to just "read between the lines". Which could mean stripes, if you're stumped on the whole book thing. I found the perfect book for this though -- an artist book that I made in 2009. And I paired it with coordinating stripes. So fancy!

The book is made from one piece of paper. It's printed with abstract scribbles that I created and printed out. I then cut and folded it so that it has a few pages. [See this how-to that I Pinned].

Below is each spread of pages. See if you can find the secret message, reading between the lines.
[I swear, I did NOT have this book in mind when I created the prompts back in June!]

Did you find the message? No spoilers in your comments!

On Monday, I'm linking up with Sacramento's Share-in-Style. The theme is scarves.

One more helpful hint for this week: cookbooks are books too.
Stripes or a book or some baked goods, link and tell!

52 Pick-me-up: Closet Orphans

PURCHASED/ GIFTED/ 

The 52 Pick-me-up challenge this week is: you haven't worn it for a year. Now is the time.

I went through the repair pile for the too small green dress with broken zipper. Over and under that are a green turtleneck, mustard tights, and melange socks from the backs of drawers. The 70's plaid knit shirt (also too small) came from a storage closet. The shoes are too difficult to wear to work.

This was all donned strictly to photograph. It all came off immediately, except for the turtleneck!

What's hiding in the back of your closet? Link and tell!

52 Pick-me-up: Crazy Legs

PURCHASED/ CREATED/ GIFTED/ 

Time for some crazy on your legs. Crazy pants, crazy tights, crazy socks, crazy shoes.
I'm wearing the crazy tights that I had printed and rainbow socks that Ruth gave me.

How crazy will you go? Link and tell!

52 Pick-me-up: Sunflower

PURCHASED/

The 52 Pick-me-up theme this week is sunflower.
I interpret it loosely again.

With my sort of sunflower patterned hat, I'm joining Judith's Hat Attack.

Come be a flower child too! Link and tell!

52 Pick-me-up: Dessert

PURCHASED/ PURLOINED/ GIFTED/ 

Dress like your favorite dessert this week!
My interpretation is very loose:

I'm supposed to representing blueberry pie.
Here's a slice that Connie treated me to last March:

Mmmmmmm. Pie...

What's your favorite dessert? Link and tell!