30 day photo challenge - Day 10

Day 10 - A picture of the people you do the most messed up things with.

Anna

Katy

The three of us have been friends since high school and we've done stupid, weird, and altogether FUN stuff every time we're together. I don't want to incriminate/embarrass any of us by offering up any of these memories for public consumption. Let's just say they have plenty of really good photos to blackmail me with...

Lovely weather, innit it?

It actually is up in the 50's here! This means the ground is all squishy from the snow that's been around forever seeping into the ground, but I'll take squishy ground over temperatures in the teens any day. I've been experimenting with a new kind of necklace idea that I got off etsy, a kind of pulley or pendulum-type or dangly-type necklace. I'll post some pictures later. The idea is that you can adjust the length by pulling on the pendant...

Top - Avenue
Pants - White Stag
Shoes - Mossimo
Necklace - JewelMint

30 day photo challenge - Day 9

Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most. 

The sweet Janelle!

First of all, 9 is my lucky number. In college, I developed epilepsy (by which I mean I had my first seizure and BOOM I suddenly had full-fledged epilepsy). My depression and anxiety worsened. Instead of the fairly lame boyfriends that I was used to having - no guys were interested in me. But I made a fantastic friend. One whose utter sweetness and faith didn't prevent her from laughing at my horribly off-color jokes. Who knew all the words to The Princess Bride and would say them along with me. Who actually had as many gay friends as I did (if not more)! Janelle, you helped me through some dark places in my life, often just by being there. I love you, sweetie.

Clothes flying all over the room!

So I planned an outfit last night, because that's what I do. I have to get up early, so I lay out my outfit in the bathroom. Only it didn't work. And then the next iteration of the outfit didn't work. Or the next. I finally ended up in what I'm wearing. This skirt is amazingly stretchy. I've had it since about oh...40 pounds ago, and it still fits and looks great. My sister (who weighs about um, I'm guessing 60 pounds less than me) wore it both before and after her pregnancies. It's not made anymore, so sorry I just raved about it! And Torrid's stuff has gone sort of downhill quality-wise, so...shop somewhere else. The shirt is actually a sleep shirt I just got yesterday in the mail from my crack store (OneStopPlus), and the boots are new as well (but they're too big, so they're going back).

My gorgeous new necklace!

Shirt - Avenue
Skirt - Torrid
Leggings - Avenue
Boots - Avenue
Necklace - JewelMint

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 8

A picture that makes me laugh. How about a video instead? This is Joseph Gordon Levitt, on Saturday Night Live, doing a routine from the movie Singing in the Rain.

http://libgirl9.tumblr.com/post/2993670603/how-fantastic-is-this-more-fantastic-than-just?ref=nf

Seriously, just click on it.

Danglies

whut ya lookin at, bub?

This is really more of a jewelry post than a clothes post. I've been seeing dangly tassel-type necklaces EVERYWHERE lately it seems. All really expensive, and me with no money! So after I made earrings the other night, I pieced together a simple tassel necklace and decorated the ends with some oval charms I had hanging around. Poof! Instant cool, with stuff I already had in my humongous bead bins and just a little time and effort.

30 day photo challenge - Day 7

My most treasured items are my eyes (obviously I'm not counting people here). Everything else can be replaced. But life without my eyes...I shudder to think of it. I think I'm too old to learn Braille, and life without watching tv/movies would just...suck.

The Pashmina of Wonders

Yes, this is my gloating face.

I snapped this baby up on Ebay for $4.25. No shipping charges. It is GORGEOUS. I wore all black to set it off, and both my bosses threatened to steal it. Last night I made seven pairs of small earrings, all just little charms on french ear wires like this.  They're the easiest thing in the world for me to make; I can power through a giant pile of them in the time that it would take me to make one (medium difficulty) necklace. Speaking of, in February, you might want to check out Love Erin's blog for a little giveaway from yours truly...

Dress - JMS
Pants - Denim 24/7
Shoes - Avenue
Pashmina - this is the company that sells them on ebay

30 day photo challenge - Day 6

Today is supposed to be a picture of a person I would love to trade places with for a day.  But everyone has issues and problems, ones I don't know that I would want to take on even for a day.  I've seen plenty of sci-fi body switching movies, I know how this goes!  But I know the KIND of person I would like to be for a day.  Okay, kinds of people, you know I have problems deciding on just one!

Professional Singer: not opera, I don't have the range, but I do rock at uber-depressing spirituals, bluegrass, and alternative rock.

Fantastic singer Gillian Welch

Actress: Playing pretend for a living?  Super fun for a day!

Silent film star Lillian Gish

Bookstore Owner: obviously not a chain, but a cute little mystery book shop.

Random, found on Google images.

30 day photo challenge - Day 5

A picture of my favorite memory...I have to admit that this one is throwing me a bit.  There's the pic of me, Jen, and a favorite cousin playing dress-up - in nothing but scarves.  Maybe not appropriate, and also not scanned in.  I could put up a pic of me with my two friends Anna and Katy, because any time we spend together is fun.  But really, I'm a complete softy.  It's snuggly time with my niece and nephew that does me in.  I don't know if I have a single picture of me and Killy snuggled up, simply because he's pretty much only a snuggle with Mama kind of kid.  But me and Ellie are like two peas in a pod, and I'll snuggle her close as long as she lets me.

Ellie and Auntie at the beach this summer.

30 day photo challenge - Day 4

A picture of my night...well, come on, that's really just a picture of my bed, now isn't it?  That's where I spend my nights.

You may have noticed that my bed is directly on the ground.  I have/had a bedframe, a nice, very solid one that had been my parents.  Then, while I lived in Kansas I had a massive seizure and smashed my head into one of the posts on the front.  I didn't hurt my head, but I literally CRACKED the left poster in two.  We moved back to Virginia, my dad said he would fix it, but I decided to put my mattresses on the floor for a while and sleep like that.  And it works for me.  And yes, I know the carpet is hideous.  It's left over from the family who owned the house before us.  The blue walls were my sister's high school idea, though.  Very soothing at night, but the room requires a lot of light once the sun goes down and you're still awake!

30 day photo challenge - Day 3

Today is a photo of the cast of my favorite TV show. But I watch and love so many!  How about you get SEVERAL photos of my top favorites?  Good?  Great.  You get 2 fantasy/sci-fi and 2 crime-type shows.

Fringe wins top place, simply because it's AWESOME!  I could rattle on and on about Joshua Jackson, but really, John Noble makes the show for me.  His portrayal of Walter is just so fantastic and fascinating (especially since he had to be the evil(ish) Walternate as well) that I would gladly watch a Fringe that promised 50% more Walter all the time.

The top 3 characters.  And now it's on Fridays!

Sanctuary is a great SyFy show, with all of the backgrounds done completely by computer.  Brilliant premise, fantastic monsters, and daring chases all in one package. 

Lie to Me. Tim Roth is a short guy who walks like he's the head Mafia boss, not leader of a truth-discovery-business.  Everyone on the show has amazing qualities and huge flaws to go with them, just like reality.

Leverage has sexy bad people working to help people who've been ripped off in some way.  They're like Robin Hoods!  Except they break all the laws in the universe and laugh about it!  Oh, and they keep some of the bad guys money...

 

30 day photo challenge - Day 2

The second day is supposed to be a photo of me and the person I've been closest with for the longest time.  Any of you who are close to your siblings like I am know what this means: old photos of me and my sister!  Oddly, in all photos, Jen is on the left and I'm on the right. (Edit: all photos but the last one.) 

Yes, I stopped looking like a boy once I grew some hair.

And KICK! No, I have no idea what I was for Halloween. Any guesses?

Notice that Jen is beautifully smiling and happy, while I am PALE and unsure.  That was most of high school life.

And this is us now.  Or at least this summer.

Jen is my best friend.  She truly knows all of my deep dark secrets, and loves me anyway.  And even if she's bossy, and much too pretty (seriously, could you try to look bad in a photo? For me?) I love her more than any other person I know.

Velvet makes the woman

Mini-dress - JMS

Pants - Denim 24/7

Shawl - old present from my mama

Boots - Avenue

Photos of jewelry instantly look better on a burnout velvet scarf!

30 day photo challenge - Day 1

I'm fierce! ...Right??

So, I'm getting the 30 day photo challenge idea from NikStar. Day 1 is a picture of yourself with 15 facts. Easy enough picture-wise! This is what I wore to work today. And now for the facts:

1. I think I'm becoming obsessed with the color red.  Really.  I have a Polyvore account (check out my sets, I'm libgirl9), and almost every single one has red in it. And looking around, I have such hopeless shopping lust for cool red items, I can hardly stand it!
2. I read a bajillion books every year. Hellooo, Bachelors in English and Masters in Library Science!
3. As for magazines - our house has subscriptions to TIME, Cosmo, Lucky, Entertainment Weekly, Better Homes and Gardens, and Real Simple. If I had more money, I would get Dwell and Martha Stewart Living, too. My favorites are Real Simple (which suggests a life so NOT simple!), Lucky, and Dwell. Pretty, pretty pictures.
4. I recently read an article about how you should properly type with ONE space between sentences, not TWO. Two is apparently grossly wrong and only for idiots, says the typography industry. I've used 2 spaces forever, but now I feel like I have to change, and it is the hardest thing I've ever tried to do.
5. I want to live in a tiny house. I would love an English stone cottage type one, but I'm also open to something more like this 480 square foot house plan from Cusato Cottages.  
6. I am much happier when I can take a nap every day.
7. In case that didn't clue you in, I am also much happier when I can be lazy.
8. I find it completely impossible to "save" a magazine. As soon as I have it in my hot little hands from the mail, I plop down on the bed and plow through it.
9. I'm 5'4", but I have unduly short arms and legs. All that saves me from being 5' even is my long torso.
10. I had LASIK (laser eye surgery) done back in 2003 after I finished undergrad. My vision was horrific, literally 20 over 200 or so. It was 20/20 for a few months afterwards, but now it's around 20/60. But I can see people without my glasses! And shave in the shower! And see a clock across the room!
11. Speaking of shaving; I'm horribly bad at it. I tend to shave only when my legs or underarms are going to be seen, especially in winter. My dad is fairly distressed by this, mostly because I like to show him how long my leg hair gets.
12. I cleaned recently, and recycled a gigantic bag (about 30 pounds) of old magazines. When they were tossed out, I felt such a wave of relief it was almost staggering! This is definitely going to be a habit from now on.
13. I read (and have written) fanfic. Yes, even that kind.
14. I am a very picky eater, and hate the way most vegetables taste when cooked. Final solution = raw veggies and V8 fusion!
15. I don't care much for animals. I like horses. But really, dogs and cats? You're so messy. And you smell funny and leave messes. It's not like you're children who'll end up talking to me and taking care of me if something bad happens.

Not quite so tired

w

Ha! Tired eyes, I have fooled you by taking my pictures in the morning! Seriously, by the end of the day, I have shadows under my eyes like Tiny Tim's. You try having pale skin AND taking the load of sleep-inducing medication I take. Also, I'm just a sleepy sort of person. I have pictures of me as a child with these big bags under my eyes, like my parents made me stay up all the time polishing the silver. My sister suffers from insomnia, but she (almost) always looks perky. WTH, genetics?

It's another cold day, so I layered up well. Leggings, sweater, boots, DRESS.  Boo-yah!  Imagine finger guns. Yesterday I talked about wanting to win contests. Do you know what I want the most?  A big super-red purse! Seriously, this is what I'm craving at the moment. Something like....this or like this. But I don't have the cash for either one right now. Sad face.

Sweater - Roaman's

Dress - Chico's

Leggings - Faded Glory

Boots - Avenue (Jessie knows how awesome they are now, too!)

I fully realize that I am psychotic

So I've been entering giveaways online mega-fiercely for the past few weeks now.  For fashion and beauty stuff, mainly.  And I haven't won anything, which makes sense logically because tons of people enter them and it doesn't matter statistically how many I enter, each one is a separate contest.  BUT I WANT TO WIN SOMETHING, DAMMIT!  I am such a wishful contest person.  I always think maybe this time.  BUT NO.  Nothing for me.  And I know that part of it is that I'm in a very money-hungry situation right now, so I can't buy the things that would be fun to splurge on.  Most of my paycheck goes to my insurance (not covered by my part-time job, and costing over $900 a month because of my epilepsy) and my other bills. 

On the plus-side, I've gotten to the point where I like my own jewelry more than most other jewelry.  Certainly more than the stuff I can afford at the moment!  And I've got boxes and boxes and bags of stuff to make more.  Now I just needed to stop watching movies and playing around online and MAKE IT!

Shirt - TravelSmith
T-Shirt - Avenue
Pants - Denim 24/7
Shoes - Mossimo

Little things change everything

I love this pendant, but I had it on a shorter chain that hit me at an awkward point on my chest. It was always just a little too long  (and too short!) to wear with most shirts. I changed the chain this morning, and what a difference! It's perfect! I know I'll wear it much more now. What tiny changes have changed your life this week?

Sweater - Avenue
Pants - White Stag
Shoes - Mossimo

I turned my head and I could see, the devil had a hold of me

 I'm all fancy and wearing MAKEUP today.  I've been reading lots of makeup giveaways lately, and they seeped into my head.  Also, I have a big pimple on my chin, so hopefully eye makeup = people looking at the eyes, not the chin.  It happened finally.  Since we've had snow on the ground (lots or a little) pretty much constantly since Christmas, and since I have my ONE pair of cute boots, they have finally made my feet a little less than happy this morning.  Just because I wore them every single time I went outside since I got them on the 7th...it's like I should let my shoes have a day off to recoup.  I feel all spiffy and mildly 80's with my hair - I have 2 elastic headbands on!

Blouse - Avenue

Layering tee - White Stag

Pants - Denim 24/7

Comfy cozy (with a side order of happy leggings rant)

This hooded cardigan is a size too big, (Taillissime clothes are all 1-2 sizes large on me) but it is so deliciously cozy that I kept it after I realized that.  I wear it around the house, as a top layer over tight things like this shirt (bought a size too small by my mama) and leggings.  Gracey of the new blog Fashion for Giants recently talked in a post about how it took her a while, but she came to love leggings.  AND I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT.  I was part of the whole "leggings aren't pants" brigade.  And then I got some to wear under a skirt...and started wearing them all the time.  Don't get me wrong, I always make sure my butt is covered, but really, leggings are like a little fashion miracle.

They're like really heavy tights...with no feet...and they don't cut into my tummy...and they don't make me sweaty!  
Basically, leggings = smooth, tight fabric on my legs with NONE of the bad points of hose.  Have you ever managed to PICK your leggings?

Cardigan - Taillissime
Shirt - JMS
Leggings - White Stag
Boots - Avenue
Jewelry by me

It's all about the little things.

Like the buttons on my leg warmers, and the steampunkyness of my necklace, and the fact that when I wear rings I mostly wear them on my middle fingers.  The fact that my mom took me out to eat at a Chinese buffet today after the whole sushi rice debacle. The fact that I'm wearing pettipants under my dress, and the only part of me that got cold outside today was the little bit above my knee between the leg warmers and the bottom of my dress.  The fact that you hopefully all love me even though I ramble.

Cardigan - Torrid
Dress - JMS
Leggings - athletic ones 
Boots - Avenue
Leg Warmers - christmas present
Necklace - handmade

Evil rice

I tried to fix Onigiri last night, to take as lunches this week.  It seemed to go alright.  Then I bit into one at lunch today.  It was HORRIBLE.  The kind of horrible mush that makes you sad you have a mouth and tastebuds.  I don't know what I did wrong to the sushi rice, but I definitely failed.  Luckily, I could dash over to the Au Bon Pain and get some tasty carbs.  But now I have all these evil onigiri in my fridge at home.  Waiting for me.  And now they will be tossed in the trash.  WASTEFUL FAILURE!

Sweater - Roaman's
Leggings - Avenue
Boots - Avenue
Earrings - present
Necklace - upcycled

No more mullet!

Seriously, that's how I convinced my little mama to cut my hair!  I told her that the difference in length between the front pieces and the back was giving me a mullet.  I don't think she agreed, but she cut it for me.  It was FOUR DEGREES when I got up this morning.  How am I supposed to go out in that?  That is TOO DAMN COLD for me.  (Shush and let me have my whine, RMb, I'm really quite delicate!)  Luckily, I have my new boots to wear, so my feet were nice and toasty.  And it warmed up to 19 later in the day.

Really, the comfiest boots I've ever had.  On par with all my comfy shoes.  Not that you don't know you're wearing them or anything; I always prefer going without shoes.

Here's a better hair shot, along with a jewelry shot.  Now that my hair is all so short again, the curls popped out!  Seriously, they seem to hide for long periods of time, just to mess with me.  I'm thinking of doing a jewelry giveaway from my store - is anyone interested?

Boots, Glorious Boots!

That's right, I have boots!  That fit!  And are pretty!  [Seriously, the months that have gone by as I've looked for boots to fit my enormously wide feet and calves (I hate you, shoe manufacturers, with all of my burning sarcastic fire) would have driven a saint crazy.  I'd try on a pair of boots/booties and have 3 inches between the zippers! WTF!!!]  Jen's husband noticed how cute they are within two seconds of seeing me!  I might have been a little boot-starved.  Maybe.  They came from OneStopPlus, even though I've had poor luck with shoes from them.  (My shooties are from Avenue, though, so I have had a little luck.)  These boots are fantastic, and they're also from Avenue. But their shoes all run too big, so I guess I need to order them a half size down.

The rest of today's outfit is just random layers thrown together.  White Stag leggings and skirt, Avenue shirt, Lane Bryant cardigan, self-made earrings, and an upcycled necklace.  Warmth is crucial, people!  If I keep the clothes to black and grey, I can pile on as many layers as I need.  Right?  RIGHT???  Like I care about anything but my boots at this point.

snow snow snow snow

Snow again!  And my shirt may have long sleeves, but it wasn't nearly warm enough to deal with the crazy fluctuating temperature at work.  I froze sitting up front until I went back and borrowed a coworker's cardigan.  It was that or wear my parka (because I was a fool and took home my own work cardigan over the holiday break).  The shirt is Ellos and the pants are Source of Wisdom.  And I need my sister to pin me down and tame my eyebrows into well-plucked submission.  Maybe that'll get down in the same realm of Never-Never Land as my much-needed haircut!  [Seriously, it'll happen in the next few days and then I'll quit whining about my hair.  Maybe.]

I had on gorgeous jewelry today, NONE of it handmade, oddly.  The spoon ring was from an antique store, and my sister picked up the earrings for me at Claire's.  The little zippers actually unzip!

This bracelet came from Target, a few months ago when during a sale.