WelshGrl2

Please Don't Go Looking for a Butterfly Net...

In the past few days I have...

1.  Declared that the dishwasher was starting on its own because "we have a dishwasher demon."

2.  Told Ashley that if government officials were listening in on our international calls, it wasn't because they thought we were into international drug trafficking or terrorism, but because we are probably pawns in the impending apocalypse.

3.  Posted a comment on this post in all seriousness, and then realized that it sounded completely bizarre when out of the context of my head.

4.  Decided that a particular person's online success probably had to do with the fact that they were serving a devil demon from another dimension.

5.  Contemplated whether I should follow Sally's lead* in getting a life, or become The Bloggess's minion.  Should I choose to become a minion, I promise to call Jenny Glorificus and tag this post "posts that people who don't love Joss Whedon won't get."

*in the comments

My Newest and Brightest Hero

Have you seen Happy Go Lucky?

If not, add it to your Netflix queue right now.  It's my newest favorite movie, and I want everyone to be able to bask in its happy glory.

I am having a hard time putting all my thoughts about this movie into a cohesive piece, so I am just going to put a few wispy thought nuggets out there instead.

Poppy, the main character, goes on a character arch that is so much more genuine, interesting, and unique than I expected.

She also appears to own every color offered in a specific pair of lacy tights, and she wears them all through out the movie.  Given the proximity they have to her signature (and plot important) boots, I think that says a lot about her character.

The film suggests that happiness is a choice... for those of us who are lucky enough to make it.  It also suggests that optimism is not the antithesis of realism, despite what many pessimists may tell you.

I wasn't joking when I wrote this title- Poppy is my hero.  I've  seen many movies with characters that I love, relate to, or find fascinating.  But few and far between is the character that I look up to- a hero that doesn't wear a cape but can be admired for the way she treats herself and others.  A character that wants to help others see the beauty and joy in life, but doesn't sacrifice her own happiness for it.

So today I raise my glass (ok, coffee mug) and offer this toast:

"To happiness.  And may we all be lucky enough to be a little more like Poppy."

Journals, and Coffee Cozies, and Keys! Oh My!

This journal is just one of the sweet new goodies up in my etsy shop.  Want to see the rest?  Go ahead, have a gander! : )

Rainbow Bright Made Me Do It

It all started when I found one of my old rainbow bright toys.  I put her on my dresser, because she brought a smile to my face.

Then, I decided to organize my button collection.  I use buttons in my crafting all the time, and I thought it only made sense to organized them according to color.

Then, I decided that if all my buttons were organized according to color, I might as well organize my fabric that way too.

Since my fabric collection is kept in my closet, I decided it was only fitting to organize my clothes in the same way.  I mean, I was already in my closet anyway, right?

And since the entire top shelf of my closet was empty, why not organize my newly purged collection of books and DVD’s up there? 

You know… according to color. 

Did you know that when you proudly tell your friends about this new color coding organizational project you have embarked on over a cup of coffee, they might tell you that you have too much time on your hands?  I seriously did not expect that.

Since I never figured out a good way to keep my embellishments tidy in my scrapbooking area, I decided to cut each individual piece out, arrange them on pieces of cardboard (guess my method) and then hang them on the wall.  As this process took several episodes of Mad Men to complete, I began to see the point that my friends made.  Nevertheless, I hung the cardboard, and trucked on.

My closet looks like a giant rainbow and I never have trouble finding a particular item of clothing that I am looking for.  My embellishment creations look like works of art, and I use them more frequently when I am working on other projects.  Button related craft projects are completed with greater ease.  My once chaotic room is now beautiful, bright, and soothes me from any stressful situation that might be happening outside its walls.

The morals of the story?  A blast from the past can create positive change in the present.  That, and your time is your own.  Use it in a way brings joy to your world.

Why I Heart Clothes

After reading the ongoing conversations about beauty, relationships, and animal testing here on PNN (yes, all those topics go together!) I felt inspired to write a little bit about my relationship with clothes.

I love clothes.  I love clothes because I see them as art, and the way that I arrange them on my body, (or even in my closet for that matter!) is a creative practice.  

At the core, I consider myself a creative person, and when I get dressed in the morning, I am my own canvas.  I dress to express myself.  Sometime expressing myself involves a cute vintage dress, black nail polish, wavy hair, and ballet flats.  Sometimes it means a pink batman t-shirt, a black hoodie, and fake glasses.  And sometimes (at bedtime), it means an old man sweater from a thrift store, sweatpants with a glitter waist band, zebra slippers, and a hat I knit myself.  (Mind you, that last one gets a few good giggles from the people in my house!)

When the clothes I wear are in perfect sync with the person I feel like on a particular day (or, when my inner and outer selves match, you could say) there is energy and continuity in my day.

For me, clothes are not about following trends or pleasing other people.  They are about expressing myself.

And by the way… I wear bare escentuals and urban decay makeup- neither of which are tested on animals. ; )

(photo taken on a day I was feeling Tolkein-esque)

Garage Sale Monsters!

Look at the cute little monsters I won in Gretchen's virtual garage sale!  They live on my desk here at work, along with a magic eight ball I got at a white elephant party, a giant dice that came out of a Christmas cracker in Wales, a pair of rocks from Seattle, a tiny Eiffel Tower statue, and a little calender from Florence.  These mini terrors are so cute, and I like to think that they add a sense of other worldy-ness to a wordly collection of silly treasures. : )

Gretchen has a horsehoe up for grabs in her virtual garage sale right now.  Want it?  Gallop on over and test your luck.

Dressing the Stars With Etsy: Holly Madison

My favorite bunny is competing on Dancing With the Stars! And somehow, I thought dressing her up for Dressing the Star With Etsy would be a great way tocheer her on.  So here it is:  gooooooo Holly!

1.  Winking Bunny Puff Sleeve Top, Em & Sprout, $16

2.  Pink Papillon Feather Headband, Sweet Grass Mill, $18

3.  High Waist Magician Shorts, Lulu Finder Vintage, $42

4.  On Borrowed Wings Necklace, Art of the Crafts Studios, $22

Geektastic on St. Patty's Day

Maybe if I am a good little 1/16 Irish girl today, I will find these toys in a big gold pot at the end of my drive home tonight:

The one where Jaime proves her coffee obsession...

Presenting... my first embroidery project!

I used elsiecake's coffee and tea embroidery patterns.

And a quote from a dream episode of Buffy (Restless, Season 4) that gave me the giggles. 

What is it about Buffy quotes making me giggle and then make something lately?

Dressing the Stars With Etsy: Taylor Swift

There has been exactly one time in my life when I found watching a bit of a football game worthwhile.  It was sometime last summer, and there was a young woman singing the national anthem.  She had amazing, log wavy hair, a glittery guitar, and a gentle voice that matched her porcelain skin.  Her name was Taylor Swift, and I adored her instantly.

Taylor Swift is always the epitome of class and glamor on the red carpet, but I am willing to bet that she takes a more casual approach to style when it comes to the everyday.  With that in mind, I have put this casual but tasteful collection together for her for this week's Dressing the Stars with Etsy.

1.  The Wayfarer Purse in Corduroy with Bird on a Branch Applique, Pesky Cat Designs, $65

2.  Woodgrain Tree, Alison Tauber, $28

3.  Ginger Guitar Strap, Moxie and Oliver, $105

4.  70's Cowgirl Boots, Honey Bee Vintage, $45

5.  Sunflower Yellow Resin Flower Bohemian Necklace, NY Light Metals, $135