Peach Rue 21 Statement necklace

Rue 21 Peach statement necklace.

This necklace makes me think of Spring even though it is still quite chilly outside. Peach outlined with gold and rhinestone accents. I would wear this with a white cotton T shirt or a pale yellow button down light knit dress.

Statement necklaces such as this one make big bold statements for your outfit. This piece will catch the eye without being too overdone because of the pale almost neutral shade of peach.  It's also not to heavy on the neck. It's never fun to wear uncomfortable jewelry.

As usual when I wear a bold piece like this, I keep the earrings very simple.  Small gold or pearl earrings should do the trick.

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Cassette of the Day - Primus - Pork Soda

Primus - Pork Soda

One of the BEST bass players in music is in this band. My favorite song on this cassette is My Name is Mud. I remember watching this funny but also creepy video on MTV (way back when they played music videos).

I Love playing this Primus cassette. It's catchy and they have such a unique sound. Have a listen people and tell me what you think. Hears "mud" in your ear. Get it? LOL!

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Necklace of the Day -Yellow Popcorn Satin Bead Vintage Necklace

The earrings were a simple DIY of just winding thin gold wire through the beads and attach a french hook.

I DIYed this bracelet. I just restrung the beads when the necklace string broke.

Buttered popcorn is what this necklace reminded me of. The beads are a sweet pale yellow and light as air. I have no idea what they are made of but they have a shiny rich satin feel to them. This is definitely a springtime happy necklace. Wearing the entire set will set me apart from a lot of people because this really isn't done anymore. Being matchy matchy don't bother me.

I would love to find this type of necklace in many different pastel colors. I haven't seen any necklaces made from this type of bead material since finding this piece.

This accessory is vintage. So that means it's got a little age on it. With older necklaces the string will wear down and break eventually. I don't panic but take the opportunity to make lemonade out of "loose bead lemons". I just restring the beads as they were before or I make earrings and a bracelet.

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Cassette of the Day - The Long Kiss Goodnight Movie Soundtrack

I LOVED this movie so much. Lots and lots of action. Geena Davis was amazing in this role - Smart sexy and funny. Whatever happened to her btw? Samuel L. Jackson was absolutely hilarious. If you have not seen this movie, you must look for it on Netflix.

So many favorite songs on this cassette - Keep this party bouncin' by L.a. Ganz and Mannish by Muddy Waters. The Muddy Waters song is made really special in the film by the way Samuel L. Jackson uses it.

I saw this movie in the theater years ago and still remember how much fun it was to watch. The audience really got into it.

Watch the movie and tell me what you think of the film and the soundtrack.

Thanks for reading!

Necklace of the Day - Antique Inspired Crystal Necklace

An antique necklace is what I think of when I look at the is necklace. It seems to be made up of random bits and pieces of pretty things. A clear bead here and a crystal there. I bought it this way. I don't know if someone made this necklace themselves. This is one of my great thrifting finds. I miss the days when it was easy to find unique well made pieces like this.

I can literally wear this necklace with anything. This is the one of the most important things I look for when purchasing accessories. I don't have a lot of clothes in my wardrobe (I like having just enough) so I love to accent my simple clothing pieces with a sparkle of color or a strand of interesting beads.

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Watercolor Sketch of the Day

I think I did this sketch in 2004. I really like it. Sometimes I look at my past art and like it a lot better after time has past. When I just paint and not hold myself back, my art is so much better. I have peace when I just create and not stress over whether or not everything is perfect.

My art would be in a much better level of improvement if I had not let fear stop me for pushing forward. Practice is extremely important to becoming a good artist. Everyday you try to do better eventually you will improve over time. I learned this lesson the hard way. Now each day I practice my art is very precious to me. A second chance to become a better artist has been a huge blessing.

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Sun on the Ocean Waves

Beautiful light. Beautiful waves. Soon I will be walking on your shores. Until you are always in my dreams.

Cassette of the Day Pink Floyd Pulse

I tried to pick a favorite song from this cassette but I just could not. I would have LOVED to have been at this concert. The mood Pink Floyd puts me in is a very mixed bag: thoughtful, calm, comfortable but definitely not numb. I wish there was a band to compare to Pink Floyd today.

The ultimate Pink Floyd concert I would have liked to attended would be when they played 1972 in the Roman amphitheater in Pompeii. Wow that would have been thrill. David Gilmour was in his sexy "dirty haired hippy" prime at that time. LOL!

Thanks for reading :)

Art Instruction Book of The Week

I have to learn how to draw the human body. I am so tired of drawing weird looking arms, legs and strange claw hands. My goal this week is to draw as many figure drawings as possible from this book. It has gorgeous pictures and very informative instructions.

For a number of years, I collected my art instruction books but did not really put them to use in a serious self study to improve my art. This is the week I began my intense self motivated art and design improvement program. Conquering my fear of drawing and especially showing people my drawings is a big goal for me to remove from my life this year.

Thanks for reading!

Necklace of the Day - Blue and White Rue 21

Turquoise and white Rue 21 necklace

Recently Rue 21 had an amazing accessory sale. This is one of the many necklaces I was lucky to purchase in a huge haul. I love this colors together. This piece says spring to me. Light airy and crisp. Perfect for a white button down shirt.

Thanks for reading:)

Ouick DIY - Frame Your Earring Collection Like a Piece of Art

Thrifted picture frame without the glass and a mesh bag became a earring holder

I had an old picture frame and an open weave mesh bag. Put the two together and make an earring holder for your french wire earrings. This could be done with the mesh from screen doors or any fabric that has an open weave. My mesh fabric in my frame is a little wobby. Securing it in the back a bit tighter should remedy that.

Make your jewelry collection a work of art you love to put on display. When you see your collections organized in a beautiful way you are more likely to wear all your pieces. Get inspired by your jewelry. Don't let them just sit hidden in a drawer.

When I'm really feeling organized, I will arrange the earrings by color, gold and silver. Putting earrings away after wearing is easier when you have a handy place for them. Lost earrings and unused earrings are a waste of you precious time and money. This DIY is very simple to do with things you probably already have around the house. Have fun enjoying your jewelry!

Thanks for reading!

Blue Beaded Choker

Vintage Blue beaded choker Necklace

Blue is one of my favorite colors. So many choices of blue colors in this necklace. I love the beads with the square cut facets. One of the best things about wearing vintage jewelry is that you will definitely not see anyone else wearing your identical necklace.

Water is what this necklace reminds me of. The different depths of waves and ripples in water. Simple gold button earring or tiny gold studs  to wear with this piece.

Thanks for reading :)

Marilyn Monroe Puzzle and Chanel No 5

Photo by Sam Shaw

These are pictures of my Marilyn  Monroe Gift box puzzle. It has 100 pieces and the photo by Sam Shaw is one of my most favorite pictures of her. I have been a fan of Marilyn for most of my life. Her inspiring yet tragic life is a cautionary tale to me to work hard for my dreams but always take care of my mind, body and spirit. I don't think Marilyn is ever given enough credit for overcoming many obstacles to becoming a successful actress who eventually became an icon.

I LOVE Marilyn's fashion style. The sheath dresses that closely fitted the body not ever revealing too much but just enough to be sexy are a huge source of fashion inspiration to me. My goal is to incorporate this timeless silhouette into my own dress designs.

Marilyn also introduced me to Chanel No 5. One of my most loved Marilyn posters is the famous picture of her getting ready at her dressing table and applying this fragrance.Also I don't think there are too many perfumes that can top the timeless classic design of the packaging. 

Coming soon: My Marilyn Monroe calender, book, poster and picture collections.

Another Marilyn Post I wrote is here.

 Thanks for reading!

Marilyn Monroe 100 piece puzzle    Mirror, Mirror

Fully interlocking Jigsaw puzzle Size 8 x 10 inches

Fink company

Photography by Sam Shaw

Necklace of the Day Loved this one so much I brought two.

Pale pink droplets on a gold chain Rue 21

I bought two of these necklaces. They look so good on. To be inexpensive costume jewelry, they are very well made. There are several rows of pink plastic beads that hand in descending rows. I decided to get a second necklace as a back up for layering or if the first one breaks. When a necklacs break and cannot be fixed , this is an fantastic opportunity to make a pin, bracelets or earrings from the pieces.

Thanks for reading :)

99 cent Versona Accessories Earrings - A Tiny Jewelry Haul

I LOVE this store! I go there everytime I go to the Mall. All you have to do is have a dollar (plus tax) and you can have a new pair of earrings. Two dollars and change got me two pairs of earrings. The earrings are really good quality too. Nice materials and none of them have tarnished so far. I had never heard of this store before it opened in my local mall. When I go in there I feel like I have found my accessory paradise and mothership all rolled into one happy store.

I didn't realize at the time but the fushia square earrings match a fushia square pendant I got from Rue 21 a while back. I love it when this happens. I will wear it as a set (individually too) and it reminds me of the incredible jewelry suites and crowns featured on the TV series The Tudors.

Thanks for reading!

My FREE Books from the Used Book Store

Free from the free shelf at the Used Book store. The covers are marked to prevent them from being sold.

I am SO excited about the awesome discovering at one of my local used book stores. I had planned to only spend a dollar but I got really lucky and was able to get seven books for FREE!

Most used book stores have a free shelf. If there are books people want to sell/trade and the store will not take the book then there is an option to leave the book on the free shelf. I was at the right place at the right time  to grab a couple of books that I would not necessarily buy or even check out of the library but now I actually own them.

These are authors I have heard of before so I am really interested if these books will live up to the hype especially Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Keep a watch out for my upcoming quick book reviews.

Thanks for reading!

Necklace and DIY Earrings of the Day Pale Blue Glass Beads

Vintage pal blue with white marbling necklace and DIY earrings

This necklace is one of my favorites because of the beautiful pale blue sky with white clouds colored glass beads. I love glass bead necklaces. I think glass beads are a lot better quality and color than plastic beads. Because the beads are heavy, I can feel the weight of this piece when I wear it. A sparkle of light reflection is another attribute of glass beads.

This necklace is vintage. The bad thing about vintage necklaces is the string that is holds the beads can deteriorate over time. One day, the string broke. I was able to not loose any of these precious beads so that was a good thing. I restrung the necklace and decided I can make a pair of matching earrings. It was a simple matter of winding gold wire around and through the beads and attaching a french wire. Instant necklace set.

Thanks for reading :)

Earrings of the Day - Silver Feather Hoops

Silvertone feather earrings

These costume jewelry earrings are very different from most earrings in my collection. They are very big and very long. They add a kind of airy hippy street vibe to my outfits. The earrings are relatively comfortable expect when they brush my shoulder - they are that long. Everyone remember the feather earring trend not too long ago? Maybe these were inspired by that trend but I think they are simple in design enough to be in style a little while longer.

Thankfully, I don't let fashion trends rule my life. I have lived long enough to see things completely ridiculed by the fashion press only to come by with open arms a couple of years later. I guess their motto is "Listen to what I tell you to buy today and make sure you forget I told you not to buy it a couple of years ago".

Thanks for reading

Book Review: 201 Healthy Smoothies and Juices for Kids by Amy Roskelley

Book Review  

201 Healthy Smoothies and Juices for Kids

Fresh, Wholesome, No-Sugar-Added Drinks Your Child Will Love

Amy Roskelley, Founder of SuperHealthyKids.com with Nicole Cormier, RD, LDN

I was in the library looking for recipe books for smoothies and noticed this book. Don’t let the title fool you, all the recipes are adult friendly. I am not a cook by any means. This means I don’t really like to spend a lot of time preparing any type of food or drink. The recipes were not only simple and easy for anyone with a juicer or a blender but each page included facts about the preparation and nutritional information for the fruits or vegetables.

Lots of interesting combinations of flavors to suit a lot of different tastes and preference. Since I have stopped drinking sodas, I am always searching for healthy smoothie and juice ideas. The colorful easy to read layout of the pages were a nice addition. This book was a enjoyable very easy way  to learn new smoothie or juice ideas for use in everyone’s goal to become more healthier.

Paperback

Price on Cover 15.95

Pages 239 (including index)

Here is the link to it on Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Smoothies-Juices-Kids-No-Sugar-Added/dp/1440533644/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395694846&sr=8-1&keywords=201+healthy+smoothies+and+juices+for+kids+fresh+wholesome+no-sugar-added+drinks+your+child+will+love

Thank you for reading :)

Sand and Shells

This is my "Whisper from the Sea" - Sand and Shells. For a number of years, I was unable to get a chance visit the beach. This had a huge negative impact on my life. I have a wanderlust. Travel and seeing new places inspires me and refreshes my outlook on life. The beach is my bliss. All my problem fade away when I visit my second home.

Last time I was at the beach, I thought I should take a bit of the beach with me. So thankful I did. The beach is my peace.

Thanks for reading.

My Favorite TV Show DVD Sets - Blog Posts Coming Soon!

When I love a TV show, I want to own all the seasons. Having a marathon is a fun way to appreciate all aspects of  my fave show. My much loved DVD sets are:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer seasons 1-7

Angel seasons 1-5

Dark Angel seasons 1-2

Dead Like Me seasons 1-2

Farscape seasons 1-4

Invader Zim one season

La Femme Nikita  seasons 1-5

The Pretender seasons 1-4

Terminator The Sarah Connor Chronicles seasons 1-2

Wild Wild West seasons 1-4

Veronica Mars seasons 1-4


Batman Beyond seasons 1-3

I will be posting my thoughts about the writing, production design, wardrobe, makeup, and acting on each of these shows in the soon.

Thanks for reading. :)

Another Necklace of the Day

Gold Rose pink ribbon with pearls necklace

This necklace is different from all of the other necklaces in my collection because of the ribbon tie. I got this piece from Target a while back. It was on clearance - loved this. The bad thing about this necklace is that it is really hard to style for some odd reason. I don't know if it is the pink guazy ribbon or the big openwork rose with leaves but it looks off and I have to fiddle with it a bit. Maybe I haven't found the right top to go with it. But it is pretty and it is definitely different.

Thanks for reading :)

Colored Pencils Organized In A File Folder Tray

RoseArt and LightMark Colored Pencils

I got an idea about how to organize my colored pencils. Lay them in a single layer in file folder trays. When the pencils are displayed in this way, it is so much easier to see the exact color pencil I need. No more sorting through pencils in a cup. This idea is best for sitting at a desk. The trays can be stacked on top of each other no problem. Be careful not to tilt the tray forward as the pencils will roll out.

The idea came to me from watching a behind the scenes featurette for the movie Kick Ass. I believe it was the artist who was the inker for the the comic has a really long drawer in his drawing table that housed all of his pencils and pens.

Thanks for reading :)

Crinum in bloom

Crinum in bloom

Spring is here! This picture from last year shows how bushy and high the plants grew- the tallest ever. I am interested to see if they will be very tall this year. The crazy weather changes have definitely had an effect all the plants in my yard.

Thanks for reading.

Camellia is budding

Necklace of the day 3-20-14

Green Beaded Necklace

The beads on this vintage necklace are usually the biggest size I will wear. There are a lot of different textures happening in this piece. Shiny, gold, cravings and even a suede covered bead.  I wear very simple gold filgree or openwork earrings with this necklace.

I love watching movies from the 50's and 60's to get inspiration on how to style these types of accessories.

Thanks for reading!

The I LOVE Spring Tag!

Happy first day of Spring Everybody!!! Woo Hoo! 

I thought this season would never get here. Warm weather and sunshine, I have been waiting for you for a longtime.

1.    Favorite Spring nail polish

I don’t really have one. I don’t usually wear nail polish on my fingers- hate chipped polish and the smell of nail polish remover. When I do wear polish, I will wear it on my toes. Essie – Lacy not Racy, Wet and Wild Bronze Glaze, and Rimmel Lasting Finish – Goldspun Coral

2.    What is your must have lip color this spring? I love wearing low maintenance lip glosses usually from the drugstore. Vitamin E is something I use on my lips too.

3.    Show us you favorite Spring Clothing item!  My pale pink She’s cool silver sequin top. Light airy and goes with everything.

4.    What’s your favorite spring flowers? Daffodil and Camellias

5.    Favorite spring scarf/accessory? All my Hollister scarves

6.    Favorite Spring trends this year? I really don’t follow the trends. My style is usually classic and comfortable.

7.    What is your favorite spring candle? Yankee Candles- Golden Sands and Beach flowers

8.    Favorite perfume for spring? Jovan Island Gardenia. Love this fragrance so much.  Also Elizabeth Arden Sunflowers

9.    What is spring like where you live? I live in North Carolina. The springtime weather here is usually very mild, sunny and warm. But it can get very hot and humid at times.

10.  What is your favorite thing about spring? Everything! The sunshine, the new flowers and plants, daylight savings time. I come alive in spring and summer. I have so much more energy, inspiration and motivation.  I feel so free and happy in spring.

11.  How do you care for your natural kinky hair during the Spring? I will moisture  and seal a lot less because the warm weather is not as drying. My shea butter mix (a post will be coming up soon), coconut oil, olive oil and cantu shea butter are my holy grail products.

As for styling, I will wear protective styling (braids or twists) most of the time. Around the house and at night, my hair is always covered in a scarf to protect it from frizzing and to hold in moisture.

12.  Are you a spring cleaner? Absolutely! I start pulling things out of closets. Rooms must be decluttered. Papers will be sorted and thrown out. When spring comes , I want the house to be reborn too. Fall and winter darkness and gloom is out of here.

13.  Any plans for a vacation? I plan to go to the beach as much as I can this Spring and Summer. Also I will be going to an Alice in Chains concert soon. Very excited!