American Sweet Heart: ootd

    I love a fitted waist, a sweet heart neckline, and floral prints, so when I saw all three of those things in this little cotton dress, I knew it would be mine.  

    This dress is by American Eagle Outfitters who typically gears its style to women a decade or more younger than me.  So, when I see that label, there's always the fear that a dress like this will be embarrassingly short on me.  

 I've been burned before by similar brand called Hollister when a seller called something very similar to this style a dress, but what arrived was in fact shorter than I wear most of my shirts.  Knowing your brands is important when you're internet shopping.

    I've never really thought of brands in terms of status, but in terms of fit and quality, a name can tell you a lot, especially when you're buying based on a low resolution picture and some measurements of questionable precision.For this dress, I read the description carefully and decided that though it would be a little short, I wanted to take a chance.        

It was only about $10 from my new favorite online thrift store, ThredUp (use the link below to save $20 on your first order) and I trust the photos and the descriptions there, plus they offer free shipping for returns.

    I'm glad this cheery little dress is a part of my wardrobe.  I think it will be great for summer strolls or for pairing with dark colored tights as the weather turns cooler.

Interested in shopping at ThredUp?  Use this link to save $20 off your first purchase when you sign up:  http://www.thredup.com/r/WKVOY5

Shop the Look:

Charter School Cardigan in Rose by ModCloth, American Eagle Outfitters dress from ThredUp, Rocket Dog Flats from ModCloth

Recipe: Allergy-Friendly Blueberry Crumble

    I'm a firm believer in eating seasonal foods, but I also think that every now and then you need a little dose of summer to get you through the long cold months.  Sometimes we do that with a little homemade cordial, and sometimes with a fruit smoothie.  But, every now and then it's ok to really indulge with a rich berry pie.

     Blueberries are one of the fruits that are available in our local grocery store year round.  They have so many health benefits that I don't mind picking them up from the freezer section when they're out of season here.  

    In the early days of converting all my recipes to allergy friendly rice flour was my go-to replacement.  Since then I've become aware of the concerns over arsenic in rice and that consuming large amounts of it can increase the risk of certain kinds of cancer.  I decided that like the millions, possibly billions of people who depend on rice as a dietary staple, we couldn't cut it out of diet completely, but we could reduce the amount we consume and replace it with other allergy friendly grains.  

    For a long time when I made a berry crumble it was as a pie, meaning it had a crust on the bottom.  Now that we are reducing our dependence on rice flour, I've omitted the crust and the result is still a very tasty dessert.

Here's what you'll need:

The  Recipe:
Filling:
2 1/2 C. frozen blueberries
1/2 C natural sugar such as muscavado or sucanat
2 Tbsp. corn starch

Crumble topping:
2/3 C sweet white sorghum flour
1/2 to 3/4C. quick cooking oats
1/4C. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 C. cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil

Instructions:
In a large saucepan combine blueberries, sugar, and cornstarch.  Stir until well blended.  Bring to a boil and cook until thickened (about 2 minutes).  Remove from heat and pour into an 8" baking dish.

In a small bowl combine sorghum flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon.  Stir until blended, then add coconut oil.  Stir until well combined.  Sprinkle over the fruit in the baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the filling is thick and bubbly and topping has browned.  Top with whipped cream if desired and serve.

Too Much Fun Dress in Plum Petunias

    I love Emily & Fin dresses.  They have it all: great prints, perfect fit, and pockets!  I've been admiring this Too Much Fun Dress in Plum Petunias on ModCloth for a while now, but I've never loved it quite enough to pay full price for it.  

    It's a really reliable brand and I rarely see anything by Emily & Fin go on sale, so I just assumed it wasn't meant to be and life went on.

    As luck would have it, this dress popped up on a resale site in "like new" condition for only $40.  That's less than half what it usually sells for, so I decided it was meant to be after all.        

    My reason for holding back all this time was the color.  The purple is so intense that I wasn't really sure how to accessorize it.  

    The accents in the pattern are bright red and green so I was stuck there too.  I went to ModCloth and looked at the style gallery for this dress to get some ideas of how others had accessorized it.  

    

    Of the 30 or so photos of these gorgeous women styling this dress, none of those styles were quite right for me.  So, I've held onto it waiting for inspiration to come to me.

    I finally decided that the green and red colors in the floral print would be too harsh a contrast to have as a main accent color, but a muted red would be perfect.  

    I pulled out my trusty ruffled sweater by Delia's and it was love at first sight. Putting these two hues together helped to tone down the loud purple and create a very warm, rich palette.

    Overall, I'm very happy with this dress.  The fabric is a good quality and weight, and while I may not come up with tons of different ways to wear it, sometimes all you need is one great look.

Shop the look:

Emily & Fin Too Much Fun Dress in Plum Petunias
Heels are by Qupid
Ring is vintage
Earrings are handmade

And the Ribbon Goes to.......

    I'd like to take a moment in this article to focus on an often overlooked aspect of clothing: texture. When trying to put together an interesting ensemble, the thing we look at first and foremost is the fit.  No matter how lovely that dress is, if it fits like a paper bag, you're going to look awful in it.  

    And of course the next important things to consider are the color and print.  But, in the absence of those things, even a solid item in the blandest color imaginable can have a lot of class and visual interest if it has some texture to it.  

    As an example of this, I present this striped dress by Moulinette Souers.  I love the Kelly green with the dark navy colors, and the fit is just right.  But as a little bonus, this is not a print, it's green ribbons sewn onto a navy dress. If there were a scale for Classy, the texture would take this dress up a notch or two above a regular print.

    This dress, like all the things I own from Anthropologie was a second hand purchase.  I've seen a half dozen or so of this dress in different sizes out there on Ebay and Poshmark so if you are interested, a quick search on those sites will hopefully turn up one or two of these dresses.  Other great features about this dress are the pockets and the adjustable/removable straps, and though is is a little dressy, I think it would dress down well with a cardi and flats. 

Shop the Look:

Dress by Moulinette Souers

Heels by Qupid

Earrings are handmade

Grapefruit Purse by Nila Anthony

Travel: Neko Cafe

    Traveling the world while owning pets can get tricky.  For our trek across the Pacific we were very fortunate to find someone to care for our cats while we're away.  They're really hateful, cantankerous cats.  We adopted them when an acquaintance of ours was moving to Japan and didn't want to take them with him. 
    We thought it would be great for the kids to have pets, and we were told that if we didn't take them, they'd be going to a shelter.  Turns out these cats, raised in a child free home, really, really hated kids.  Their interim caregiver informs me that they are thriving in her home (also child free) where they have their own room and can curl up and watch Downton Abbey with her in the evenings.  So, they're happy, but we miss having pets.  Not those pets specifically, just pets.
    We're trying to make the most of our time here, so we're frequently away from home for days at a time.  It's really only possible because we don't have to worry about pets at home.  At the animal adoption places here, puppies tend to run about $1000, so that's out of the question even if we were looking to adopt.  After so long without pets though, we were pretty desperately in need of a cuddly animal fix.
    Then we heard about the animal cafes here in Japan.  To date we have found locations for an Owl Cafe, a Rabbit Cafe and a Cat (Neko) Cafe, but we unanimously agreed that what would really be nice is to just pet some kitties for a while.  We planned the trip for a mid week day and hopped on a train to spend an hour with some lovable cats, and we were not disappointed by the experience.

The Cafe part of the name is true.  Before entering the kitty room, we were seated at a table and ordered drinks and selected cookies from the menu and chose the package that came with one hour of kitty time.  The cookies are baked at a separate, cat-free, hair-free, location and individually wrapped.  Maybe it's just because I don't often buy bakery cookies, but they were really good.  On the wall in the petting room is another kind of menu.   A large photo of each cat with an information card for telling their names and ages etc.

 Most of the cats prefer to nap on this plush heated rug, but in a pinch any spot will do.

This little guy, who hopped in this box to snuggled with his pink elephant, was one of my favorites.
Even though these cats spend their day getting held and petted, they were so loving and friendly and some seemed almost attention starved.

 This really is a happy place, for cats and visitors alike, a sort of meditation to quietly sit in the sun in comfort together.

 This little guy crawled in my lap and was quite happy to stay there for the rest of our hour.  It was very hard not to fall in love and ask to take one or two home with us.

For a few extra yen, visitors can purchase a small bag of treats to give the kitties.  These cats still have their claws and feeding time brought a frenzy of wild-eyed felines pawing at hubby's legs.

At the end of our hour, we gathered up our cookies and complimentary calendars featuring a year full of these little guys.  We stopped on the way out to wash up and have a quick roll-down with the complimentary lint rollers at the door. Although it can be a bit pricey (up to $17 per person) we had a wonderful time and are so glad we found this little place.

The Season of Masks

  
    UPDATE:  We've just been to the Kawasaki Halloween Parade for the first time.  We went of course in full family costumes hoping that we wouldn't scare people on the train and that we hadn't misunderstood the purpose of this parade and be the only spectators in costume.  The people on the train were unmoved by our appearance and we were surrounded on all sides by costumed folk, so we breathed a prayer of thanks and a sigh of relief and were fully able to enjoy ourselves.
    It was very lively with some really wonderful costumes, and over all it was hands down the most fun I've ever had at a parade.  I'm so glad we went.  My only regret is that I did not bring along an actual camera.  I just didn't want to lug that heavy thing around all day through tight crowds while wearing 6" heels.  So, we only have two or three photos, but in a pinch these snap shots from a phone camera will have to do to help us remember the day.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last year's ensemble of the cast from Alien.  I had a behind the scenes role.

    October is here and I don't love Halloween.  It's the one holiday I could do without.  I grew up not celebrating Halloween at all.  It was roundly agreed upon in my family that as long as we could still pig out on candy this one night a year, then all the rest of it we could forego.
    Now I have my own family and I am in the minority in my distaste of this day.  Everyone in my creative little crew loves it, looks forward to it, and puts a lot of work into it.  My husband is quite the foam smith, usually starting work on the costume pieces and props in July, and the girls work on sketches and finding items to re-purpose.
    I came to realize that by not participating, I was missing out on some great family time.  While I usually take on a support role in the whole process, there are years when I can't resist the opportunity to explore the darker side of creativity and the challenge of visually expressing an idea. 

      My first costume idea was a Lizzie Borden and I felt that for this look only an genuine antique would do.  This dress is around 100 years old and I found this at an auction for about $80.  For antique dresses, one can conservatively expect to pay a dollar per year in age depending on condition and material.  So, at $80 for its age and being in pristine condition, I felt like this was a bargain.  I looked at the dress and felt it would most likely fit and it did...after I put on a corset.  Without the corset, I could never have buttoned the waist. 

    The second idea was for a steampunk schoolmarm.  I didn't feel like altering (and perhaps ruining) any antique articles of clothing, especially since there are so many great costumes out there.  So, instead of starting with the costume and then accessorizing, I started with the accessories and then chose my costume based on them.
    I already had this clockwork locket that I had made several years earlier and I knew it would feature in my costume.  Next, I decided I wanted a facial piece, something less complicated than a mask, but more interesting than just make-up.  Something that said "the science teacher had a mishap in the lab."  So, I went first to amazon.com to begin the search and there I found a glass eye piece.  It arrived and I decided to do a test run to see how I like everything so far.

 Happy with those two items I pressed on and found the perfect heels at  a local thrift store.  Made by Charlotte Russe these heels had varying brown leather strips, wood heels and rivets.  It's like they were made for this costume!
    Last but certainly not least I purchased my jacket and skirt from Tambukiki on Ebay.  I saved those items for last because they seemed the most critical and I really wanted to be sure that I got something that was just perfect.

   

 

    The outcome may well be my magnum opus in costuming.  After making these two, I haven't attempted anything else.  I've been too busy bringing my families creations to life.  This year we'll be doing steampunk as a family so I get to bring this beauty out again.  But, who knows, maybe next year I'll come up with something even better.

Artist Spotlight: For Strange Women

    The first hints of autumn are just peaking out from summer's shadow.  The scents of flowers and damp earth and crunches of dry leaves echo on my daily stroll.  It felt only natural to look to the work of Perfumers for my next artist spotlight.  I've chosen several talented and creative women from this field to help us ring in the season of cinnamon and spice, and my first is Jill from For Strange Women.    It was her lovely and evocative photos that first caught my attention.  When I read the name of the shop that accompanied them, I had to take a closer look.  

B:  Thank you so much for taking time to chat with me. You mention in your bio that your background in the arts lead you to create your perfumes, but alchemy is something we tend to view as being part of the sciences.  Is creating perfume an overlapping of two worlds?

FSW: Alchemy isn't a science, it is what existed before science. It is experimenting with materials in a more intuitive, spiritual way, and the outcomes are a mystery. There is no hypothesis, no controlled study, no theory, no laws. It is too anarchic to be a science. Everything I know about scent alchemy is in my head, and none of it is very scientific besides when I want to recreate a batch of perfume I have to create an extremely detailed recipe to follow :)

B:  You mention in your Etsy bio that everything you use is 100% natural, so I love that you call your work anarchic since  nature can be a bit anarchistic too at times, but also involves some structure and organized processes.  There must be so much involved in running a business like this, where do you find your inspiration and how then do you bring it to fruition?

FSW:  I do everything from the web design and photography to the packaging design to the scent construction and writing for my perfumes. It is not easy to switch modes, as it is easiest to stay in one creative mode all the time. For instance, I can go a month focused on design only, and then when its time to create a new perfume, it can take weeks to find the inspiration, but once I do, I am in the flow of perfume creating and you can't stop me! But then it is time to take photos of the new perfumes or write about them and I have to stop the flow, turn around, and try to gain momentum in those other creative directions. It isn't easy but I know better than to feel discouraged when it takes me a little time to switch gears every time. My inspiration comes from the universe.
   

B:  Our sense of smell can be very strong link to memories and the emotions tied to them. Do you ever try to create or have requests to create a scent that recaptures a memory?

FSW:  Yes, this is what I specialize in! My perfumes are all based on my own life and the associations I have with the scentscapes I have experienced. When I have custom perfume appointments, nearly everyone gravitates to something that triggers a good memory of a specific time and place for them. 

B:  That must be one of the most interesting creative tasks I've ever heard!  What has been the most surprising or unexpected thing you've experienced during this endeavor?

FSW:  I didn't expect to make so many connections with awesome like-minded people. But as it turns out, there plenty of other strange women that are just as obsessed with this stuff as I am! This whole thing began as an expression of my rebellion against a mainstream culture, and it just brought me so much closer to *my kind of people*.

B:  Of all the things one doesn't expect to happen, I think that is the most wonderful.  Getting to know people, to connect with them and be a part of making something meaningful just for them, it takes it beyond being a business.  Your shop has been open on Etsy over six years, how has your process or goal for your business changed over time, and what do think the future holds for you and ForStrangeWomen?

FSW:  Creating new products can be very expensive, and in the beginning I used to be on a budget when I was developing a new line, but I still poured all of my creative energy and imagination into it. Now I have a much larger customer base and I have more freedom and resources available to me. I have the confidence to go all out with every detail of the perfumes. I am releasing my newest perfume line in October. I worked all summer on these and am very excited for them to be done!

Check out Jill's new perfume line at ForStrangeWomen.etsy.com

And follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/forstrangewomen

Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/forstrangewomen

Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/forstrangewomen

and Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/forstrangewomen/

Bargains on Blogger's Favorite Plaid Tartan Wrap

    I've seen this scarf all over the internet for over a year, and it's usually listed under some variation of "Blogger's Favorite  Plaid Tartan Scarf" and has been relatively inexpensive. 
    However, in the last month or so I've started seeing the exact same scarf in the some of those quirky shops I love, but there's a pretty big mark up on it.
    So, while I do love this scarf and absolutely recommend it, I have to step in here and say that there are some great bargains on this same scarf if you look around a little. 
    As I mentioned it's been listed for sale at a dozen different shops on Ebay for at least the last year and in all those shops it's rarely been more than $15 with shipping as compared to the up to $35 price tag at other shops. 
    While I can't personally vouch for all these sellers, I can say that at half the price as the upscale places, it's worth the risk.

• Lowest Price  HOT Bloggers Favor Scarf $6.99 + Free shipping

• Varied Colors (prices vary too)  Women Oversize Tartan Wrap $9.96 + Free Shipping

• In Canadian $  Bloggers Favorite Plaid Tartan Shawl $12.59 + 0.99 shipping

• In Euros  Plaid Tartan Schal 6.79 + 1.99 shipping

Versailles Lace: Dress Review

    I love Anthropologie's lace dresses.  So far they've never let me down and this dress is no exception.  I found this at a discounted price, though it was still more than I normally spend, I couldn't resist.  I really do recommend that if you're going to splurge, it should be on something that gives you an instant "Wow!  I'm in Love!" sort of feeling.  I'll wait for the sales if it's anything less than that.   

        At the time of this post, this dress is still in stock online in petite sizes.  Check your local shop for availability.  It is still at full price though, so decide for yourself if you'd rather chance waiting for the sale.  The fit is wonderful.  The bodice has two layers--the top layer of beige and white lace and the under layer of light weight fuchsia fabric.  

        The skirt has an additional two layers to give it some flounce, but that also makes it a little too heavy to be a summer dress in my opinion.  It is a tad longer than I normally wear, and thought this might make it a little frumpy.  I prefer dresses to stay at knee level or slightly above, but I actually like that  little extra length in this dress.  

        It gives it enough of a boho feel to make it perfect for pairing with flats and a chunky cardi or heels and a blazer or slim cardi to dress it up.  I do feel like it needs a belt and since the pattern is so bold, I chose a wide belt in a neutral color to define the waist line without making it look too busy.

     Overall, I highly recommend this dress.  It's very striking and unique and I think it has lots of possibilities for ways to wear it.  For this post, I'll show you the progression of starting with the basic dress and then adding things to create a complete look.

Shop the Look:

Versailles Lace Dress by Moulinette Soeurs at Anthropologie
Charter School Cardigan In Magenta by Mak at ModCloth
Qupid Heels
Samba Sash Belt in Taupe at ModCloth
Key to Simplicity Earrings in Gold at ModCloth
Purse is Vintage
Necklace is Vintage
Bracelet is handmade