Style Crush/Artist Spotlight Combo: Ellen Tyn

It's been a very long while since I've done an Artist Spotlight post and even longer since I've done a Style Crush.  Since I'm taking things even slower than usual about getting out and taking photos, I thought this might be a good time to revisit these sections of the blog.  

I wasn't quite sure which one I'd like to do, but fortunately one of my favorite Instagrammers covers both subjects very well as you'll soon see from the photos on her Instagram.

Liskin_doll, a.k.a. Ellen Tyn, showcases not only her paintings of landscapes and quaint woodland creatures, but also her embroidery.  Of course, her lovely cottage core style just melts my heart every time I see a new post, and her photos of what looks like absolutely amazing baked goods always make my stomach growl.

So, for today's post, let's just sit back and imagine that we are in Liskin_doll's world, that dreamy cottage in some fairytale meadow.

Summer to the Fullest

We're not at the hottest time of the year yet, but we have arrived at the hottest week of the year so far, and on the first of these very hot days (over 90°F/32°C) our air conditioner died.  Suddenly.  Tragically.  But, as it was 20 years old, not unexpectedly.  They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and for me, it was only about an hour without a/c that I truly began to appreciate this modern convenience, especially as I had already converted my living room into this makeshift photo studio and all I had planned was organza (read-extra hot) fabrics.

As I write this post, the a/c is still not working, but we are trying to find the parts and fix it ourselves.  In the mean time my inbox has been flooded with ads for "summer essentials" and they all quite frankly look way too hot to wear anywhere except indoors with the a/c blasting.  With so many layers and heavy, synthetic fabrics, I know that we are living in a world that does not truly understand summer anymore, but I as an individual am about to get a refresher course in true summer essentials.

On that first day, we had left our house for a couple of hours, all closed up and trusting our ancient unit to keep things cool.  When we returned it was sweltering inside, and no matter what I put on, it all felt too hot.  The next day, I stood in my knickers and tank, which I'd spent an uncomfortable night attempting to sleep in, trying to decide what to wear.  I finally landed on.......can you guess?  No, not this La Belle Etoile cotton puff from Selkie; I would literally die in fabric this heavy.  No, instead, I chose a very short, very light Popsicle print cotton dress from The Other Sparrows and it kept me quite comfortable for most of the day.

Before there was Selkie, The Other Sparrows was quite an obsession of mine.  I waited for the release of each collection with much anticipation.  They only carried two styles of sundress but much like Selkie, it was the prints that really stole my heart.  Unfortunately, Covid hit TOS pretty hard and I'm afraid they are no longer in business.  But, like Selkie, TOS dresses weren't quite right for me--too short, mostly--so they took a little tailoring and styling to really make them work for me.  To that end, I am determined to wear all my short Selkies this summer, including this heavy cotton dress, but they need a little tweaking.  

I've just finished taking this dress in at the bust and it turned out pretty well.  (I'm practicing for a Secret Garden Abbott Prairie dress that I ordered from Boho-Chic.  But more about that one the way soon!)  I love this dress as-is, but with the print and the empire waist, it really reminds me of a night gown, so I've added a wide lavender wrap belt so that I actually have a waist, and I love this dress even more with just that little touch.  Now it looks like a proper summer dress and I will most definitely be wearing it to any occasion or event that has air conditioning.

Shopping Info: La Belle Etoile Cotton French Puff Dress-$310 from Selkiecollection.com, Wide belt-$5 from Shein.com, Bettie Page Tegan Heels-$35 from Amazon.com

A Moonlight Dupe and a Daytime Disturbance

So far, this year has been one chaotic swirling vortex and I'm just trying to hang on.  Last week, I drove my usual route to work and noticed that the beautiful roses that grown in the field were blooming and I immediately made plans to take photos there on the first available day.  (that's not the chaotic part) It just so happened that yesterday was the first day we could manage to get out for photos annnnnd, yeah, they had already peaked and now all the roses were all dead.  So, rather than all the effort I put into getting up early and putting on all my make-up going to waste, I decided to turn the living room into a little studio and take a few indoor pics.

Everything was set up, ready to go and as I started taking photos, I noticed that it was getting hotter and hotter in the room.  As it turned out, our air conditioning unit died on the first hot day of the year.  So, while Mr. Bleu began to research how to repair the a/c unit and dug out a few box fans to tide us over until regular business hours, I opened all the windows and I pressed on with my photo session, because I am nothing if not determined and also, this beautiful Venus dupe deserves to be shared right away.  It was a very humid photo shoot and we spent the rest of the day trying to move around as little as possible and find any cool shady spot to lay low.  

But, enough about my discomfort.  I spend enough time complaining about the cold in the winter, I can certainly just grin and bear it when it gets hot out.  As far as this dress goes, this print is so true and so pretty.  The style is not my favorite, but for only $30, I may do a little experimenting and see if I can turn it into something a little more flattering.  And, as far as dupes go, so far I've really loved all the ones I've bought from Aliexpress.  My review is posted on Youtube if you don't want to wait for all the pics, but as you can see from today's session, I did try to go all out on the background.

Shopping Info: Moonlight Venus Dress by For Love Bells-$30, Bettie Page Heels, Shein headband

The Search Continues

A couple of months ago I wrote a post about how tired I was of Selkie's chaotic business model and how much I desperately needed a break from that brand so I could, you know, have a life and stuff.  Well, two months later, I will be the first to admit I haven't really found any new brands to obsess over and when I search the web for style inspiration, it's all just kind of boring in comparison.

It's entirely possible that the style world has finally passed me by.  I've found the looks I love and I don't want to change for what I consider to be lesser aesthetics.  In other words, I'm not willing to shell out more money to stay on trend with trends I don't like.  Besides, a lot of what I'm seeing is just rehashing of style trends I've already lived through once and wore it well when I did, so I don't feel the need to dust off my old duds from the 90s or Y2K--yes, I do still have some, but mostly my daughters wear them now.

I'm also not interested in keeping up with the kids these days.  I'm sure I've blogged about the teachers in high school who tried to dress like the kids and how we all agreed it was kind of eery in a How do you do, fellow kids kind of way.  I guess it might be a little harder to resist if I actually liked the styles young people are wearing but I don't, so thankfully it's not really an issue for me.

As I continue the hunt for the next style or brand to obsess over, I am fully open to suggestions.  So, if there is something you love and want to share or if there's some label you've been contemplating please feel free to leave a comment here on the blog, on Youtube, or use the Contact Me button and we can chat.

Rainy Days: Starry Nights

I get a little excited for these rainy day photo sessions.  There is something about the rain that just makes all the colors a little more vivid and the whole experience just a little more fun as we dash back and forth from under cover to out in the down pour.

Initially I wanted to do a whole series on these puff dress dupes, but shipping delays in China have wreaked havoc on my blogging plans.  I understand they've got their hands full with that whole situation over there, so I'm not complaining, just trying to make the best of things beyond my control. 

This bubble hem dress by For Love Bells is not a puff dupe, in case you couldn't tell.  Rather it has probably drawn some inspiration from the Van Gough puffs and of course from Mr. Van Gough himself to make something uniquely theirs and although I'd say it runs one size small that worked out perfectly for me and I actually love everything about this dress.

Buying on Aliexpress is such a gamble, but this dress, at only $26 was a huge bargain.  The fabric is soft, the print is lovely and the style is too.  Plus, the shop on Ali had actual photos and video, not borrowed stock photos or Instagram shots, so that made me much more at ease when I was debating buying this dress.

At some point in the (hopefully!) near future, I will release an entire video on my puff dupe haul, but in the meantime, this pretty dress was just too good to keep to myself.  It's light enough that I do plan to wear it this summer, but with shipping taking about a month, I thought I'd better share now in case anyone else out there wanted it before the season ends.

Shopping Info:  Starry Night Dress-$26 from Aliexpress, Headband from Shein.com, Qupid Heels are old from ModCloth.

Let the World Be the World

It is entirely possible that what you're seeing here is a sneak preview of this year's Halloween costume.  It's also entirely possible that I'm just playing dress up and this will never make it to Halloween when I can have so much fun wearing it right now.  Plus, I really feel that if one happens to have a pink pompadour wig, it really shouldn't sit on the shelf.

Hello, my name is Leandra and I am an adult who likes to play dress-up.  And until everyone else in the world is ready to apologize for their weird collections and strange obsessions and pointless hobbies (I'm looking at you people who dress up to gather and scream at whatever sports-ball is in season) I refuse to apologize for for my favorite past-time of playing dress-up.

I'm still on the lookout for a community to share my passion with.  So far, living so remotely, it hasn't been easy to find like-minded individuals, but I haven't given up hope.

Recently I read a book called The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson.  A line in the book that stuck out to me regarded how we spend more of our time organizing and cleaning our collections than actually using them, so what is the point in having them.  In summary:  Use it or Lose it.  Food for thought.

Ms. Magnusson wrote this book from a different place in her life, that is to say, the end.  Where as I still find myself (God willing) somewhere in the middle and I have the time and energy to just enjoy my things, and yet, I don't want to have piles of useless things taking up the limited amount of time in my life and space in my home.  To that end, I took Margaretta's words to heart.

Regular clothes are necessity.  Princess dresses are a luxury, an indulgence, a past time, a passion, a hobby.  So, I made a decision that rather than give up on my princess dresses, I would whittle down my regular wardrobe, limit my princess wardrobe to truly treasured pieces, and be sure to use each and every single dress as much as possible and for any and every occasion.

Yes, one day I suppose I will part with most of my collection (hopefully to a granddaughter or great-granddaughter with a passion for dresses to match or exceed my own who will love and care for each piece as much or more than I do.  And of course, I'll be buried in my strawberry dress!) But for now I going to make a more dedicated effort to using my dresses, playing dress up as much as possible and enjoying them while this time in my life lasts.  Who knows, maybe I'll meet some fellow princess dress lovers who'll want to get together for princess picnics and group photo sessions.  Well, a girl can dream, anyway.

Shopping Info:  Selkie La Belle Etoile Marie Dress from boho-chic-clothing.com, pink wig from amazon.com

June Blooms

I spent a blissful three day weekend that beats nearly any vacation I've ever taken and every workday I've ever had.  I didn't spend much of it resting though.  I spent nearly every moment working in the dirt until my muscles ached.  There are a lot of things that need to be done on a farm, even a hobby farm like ours.  

The trouble is that our work/school schedules heavily compete with it.  So, on the long weekend, we switched off our phones and decided to just tuck in and get the work done and doing so was more rewarding than any amount of time spent behind a desk or in front of a screen. 

 The days began quite peacefully.  I didn't jump out of bed, throw my work clothes on and hit the garden.  No, I began each day by staring out the window at the sunrise, knowing that I had the time to stop and enjoy and still get all my work done.  After that, I did a little workout to warm up my muscles.  

I'm still taking things slowly after my surgery as anything too focused on my core will cause pain that can last for days, but some kind of morning calisthenics does help to keep me from getting sore from all the chores.  It's all about balance.

I know, it's just one extra day on the weekend, but somehow it feels like a great gift of time and we actually managed to do so much with the weekend that it felt like a week worth of time.  Funny how we spend so much time trying to get out of doing physical labor and in the end, it is the most satisfying thing in the world to work with your hands and accomplish things that ensure the comfort and security of your family and yourself.

That weekend, that one extra day, has inspired me to make better use of my time.  There are a few little projects and a few big projects I've been meaning to tackle for some time, but always find myself in front of a screen all day and getting not much of anything done.   I've returned to a previous rule I had for myself which is that I don't turn my screens on until I'm done with all my tasks.

I know that for me personally, a hundred different things will pop in my mind that are telling me I need to "look them up" so I better turn on a screen.  But, I know if I give in to this temptation, it will derail my whole day.  To combat this, I keep some paper handy so I can write everything down and be sure to look it up later if I do indeed actually need to look it up.  That way I can plow ahead with my day without the distractions.

To be perfectly honest, there is nothing in the virtual world that can compare with the beauty I find all around me and the contentment I find just from being out in these gorgeous June blooms.

Shopping Info:  Dress is from Lunss, Shoes are from Bettie Page

Closet Shopping

Because I homeschooled and then private-schooled my children into their high school years, they missed out on certain rites of passage like going to their first school dance, which usually occurs in junior high.  By the time high school rolls around, most schools only do prom, not the standard dance that the younger kids enjoy.  Well, thanks to Covid lockdowns, my children's high school decided to make up for a missed prom by holding a school dance this year and so both my daughters got to attend their first school dance. 

I've always been thrilled to have daughters and have been looking forward to these times when we could pick out their outfits together, do their hair and make-up together, and just generally be excited together for these milestones.  My mother was always too busy for many of these things, although I do remember once she took a friend and me shopping before a school dance and we each had a few new things for our outfits that made us feel pretty couture for the sixth grade.  So, I was so excited to be able to share this with my girls.  Unfortunately, my daughters did not want to go shopping, (not for prom or for this dance) they just wanted to raid my closet.  And they absolutely did not want my opinions or my help on hair, make-up, or outfits (in fact, my oldest got ready for prom at a friend's house and then went out to take pictures with all her friends and I was not invited to to any of it.  Yeah, it felt good). The more I helped, the more irritated they became.  

Well, as sad as I was that I couldn't be a part of this night for them, what I could do was let them shop my closet, shuttle them to and from the dance, and listen while they recounted the events of the evening, all of which I did.  I decided to let it go and not push to hard for my involvement because this night wasn't about me and what I wanted.  In the end, I just left my closet door open and went to find a quiet corner of the house where I could be out of their way so they could shop my closet together and ask each other what looked best.  (Obviously their old mom doesn't know anything about fashion and how to dress.)  I let this night be just about them and what they wanted.  Maybe they'll come around and want me involved at some prom or wedding or something down the road, I hope so, but maybe not.  I'll do my very best to be supportive in any way I can, and if nothing else, they'll know that my closet door is always open. 

Shopping Info:  Cord Skirt from Princess Highway

When Confrontation is Kindness

Following up my recent post about confrontation, I thought we'd explore this topic a little further and discuss how confrontation can not only be a healthy thing but sometimes the kindest and most loving thing a person can do.  The tendency is to think that only jerks or "Karens" are confrontational.  While it's true that rather unlikeable people tend to be the first to pick a fight, that doesn't mean that confronting a situation is a bad thing, especially when confrontation leads to positive change.  Personally I want to know if people don't like me because of something I said or did, especially if it's a repeat behavior that I can work on.  I would be mortified to find out that everyone hates me because of something I am doing and no one, especially people who claim to love me, will tell me that there's a problem.  

As a Christian, I see a lot of people in my religion who use the old "turn the other cheek" to justify running from or ignoring problems and problematic behaviors in others.  They can use this phrase to label their response love when what it is actually is apathy or fear.  When I see someone I love behave in a way that is rude, disgusting, mean-spirited, and makes other people hate them, is it love to say nothing?  Is it love to allow someone to be hated by everyone, possibly including me eventually?  No, that is not love.  Love is patient; love is kind.  Love rejoices in the truth. (1 Cor. 13:4-7)  Therefore, we must Speak the truth in love. (Eph. 4:15).  And also, we are instructed to Love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:31)  If I would want people who love me to tell me (in a very kind way) when I've been a jerk or that I need to change somethings to make my life better, don't I owe that same kindness to others I love?   (And, please believe me when I say there is a difference between this type of intervention and just constantly commenting and criticizing another person's life choices.  That isn't truth, it's criticism.  Criticism isn't love either, it's a selfish desire for control.)

Many people believe that when someone acts badly, they should just ignore it, not once does the Bible say if you love someone ignore them.  If you truly love someone you want the best for them.  In the same way that if someone you love is heading down a path that would lead to pain, addictions, and ultimately death, you would warn them and if they failed to listen you would rally friends and family for an intervention and support, so too if you see someone that you love engaging in any behavior that will lead to them being hated, dismissed, or otherwise unsuccessful in life, it is not love to just ignore it.  Love doesn't ignore a problem until it goes away.  More often than not, ignoring a problem doesn't make it go; ignoring a problem makes it grow.  So, in spite of its fear of confrontation, in spite of its discomfort over having to possibly hurt someone or make them angry, Love speaks the truth with patience and kindness. 

In the same way that a parent who ignores their child's tantrums, lying, stealing, and general awful behavior usually winds up with a child people hate which becomes an adult that goes no where in life if they don't change, doesn't love their child because no one who actually loved their child would allow it to become hated and miserable, so too when we allow friends, family, co-workers, fellow church members to repeatedly act horribly until they develop a character that makes them despised, we are not doing so out of love but fear, selfishness, or worse a complete lack of any feeling for what becomes of them.

If you love someone, it is perfectly acceptable and right, so sit them down, look them in the eyes and say, "I love you and I'm concerned about you and that's why we need to talk about the way you've been acting."  Will they listen?  Maybe, maybe not.  Will they change?  Maybe, maybe not.  But one thing is certain, they will know the truth and the truth spoken in love is a powerful thing that can move mountains and shake seas, so it's very likely that they will change, even if it's only in how they treat you and maybe their immediate circle.  And isn't even a small change for the better worth the risk, worth the discomfort of confrontation if it makes a heart change for the better?  Isn't speaking the truth in patience, kindness, and love for the betterment of others the real meaning and purpose of loving others as ourselves?

Shopping Info:  Lavender Mousse Dress from Chotronette