When real things happen to imaginary people

It's summer-appropriate if I say it is, dammit.



(Actually, this outfit IS pretty summer weather -appropriate. The dress is a rayon sundress from Dharma Trading Co. (I added the lace trim to it), the stripey blazer is by the Infamous BlueJay (and is unlined mid-weight cotton^*), openweave tights, and the top hat is straw (that I colored black with art markers, then covered with black lace).

I'm still not PLEASED about that burning orb thing (I'm covered in SPF 30 powder sunblock AND I have a parasol and giant sunglasses at my desk), but I'm going to cope with it as best I can.




^*Speaking of which, I need to find a source for more mid-weight b&w striped cotton, where the inches are about 1" wide. I need, oh, six yards or so. Yes, I know about Spoonflower, but I'd rather not pay THAT much. Anyone have any leads?

Apparently a lot of you folks say I should sell that particular stripey blazer. Heh. Some of you suggested taking fabric markers and coloring in between alternating black stripes, thus creating wide black stripes. I do like that idea. However, the Stroppy One suggested I do that with my pink fabric markers, which would give me a pink and white striped jacket with black details. I will wear the blazer in its current incarnation when we go run errands tomorrow, and ponder this idea. But feel free to tell the Stroppy One he's brilliant!

I will wear the blazer in its current incarnation when we go run errands tomorrow

(staxxy, no sequins. No. That feels too ... costume-y, for me.)

I am flopped on the couch, taking a break and waiting to feel less woozy. This is the conversation that went on inside my head:

MAGPIE PART OF THE BRAIN: OOooh! We should do our usual obsessive searching on eBay and eBay.UK for stripy blazers!

PRACTICAL PART OF THE BRAIN: Really? But we have ::stops to count:: three black & white ones. And three black & pink ones. Surely that's plenty?

MAGPIE PART OF THE BRAIN: OMG THAT IS CRAZYTALK ALL THE STRIPY BLAZERS MUST BELONG TO US.

Honestly, I don't know what it is. But at least once a week, I search for more stripy blazers. Ridiculous, I know.

I no longer have the urge to drill a hole in my skull to release the pressure of the migraine, which is a VAST improvement over yesterday. Also, the mutterings of the low self-esteem monsters have (mostly) dwindled away, thank goodness. So thank you to everyone who gave me kind words and clicky-links of distraction yesterday!

Hey, let's talk about ridiculous furniture coveting! Look at this antique couch on Etsy! (clicky-link!)



I covet that like MAD. kambriel said she would want to lounge around on it while wearing a deep red velvet dress. I said I wanted to lounge around on it wearing a black velvet military-styled jacket and bustle skirt, with pink details.

And while I'm on the topic of ridiculous coveting: I posted a photo of my dream boots on my Tumblr stream today. Boots that I probably couldn't walk in, are discontinued, and impossible to find. But MY GOODNESS, they're pretty.



Yes, I would wear them with the aforementioned black velvet military-styled jacket and bustle skirt with pink details, while sitting on the fabulous black-and-white striped couch. With a glass of absinthe. What? A girl can dream, can't she?

Today mineke came over and helped me sew buttons onto the dress she made me for the Vampire Ball. Black taffeta, with a faux vest of pink satin in the front, black velvet lapels/trim, and beeeelions and beeeelions of pink satin buttons down the lapels and on the trim. (Plus a b&w striped full skirt, but there are no pink satin buttons on that.)

Eeeee! Oh, it turned out beautifully, and I can't wait to wear it next weekend! Thank you, mineke!