Platinum Locks and Summer Frocks...

Summertime is synonymous with platinum hair and lots of pretty dresses.  I somehow believe that if I go super-blonde early in the spring, the warm weather is sure to follow.  Meaning the boots can go into storage and all of my pretty summer dresses can come out to play.  Being a Cancerian I feel I am at my best during the hot summer season... I feel most creative and less stressed.  I think that can be attributed partially to the insomnia I get this time of year.  I just can't sleep, but instead of stirring in the sack I usually end up hitting the sketchbook, making plans for whatever project I think I'll start at dawn.

Here are the dresses I have been oozing over today, and after my latest project I feel confident I will be able to make some of these.  What project?  Last week between moving to Maryland and flying to Florida for a visit I managed to make time to sew a purse.  I just wanted something that was black in color and big enough to hold my camera and other array of items that end up in my purse.  It also needed to go across my chest as a shoulder bag so that I could have my hands free and feel secure going through the airport.  I managed to sew it, but I didn't manage to get any pics posted... I don't have copies of them at the moment though, so they are soon to follow.  For now, the dresses I'll dream about tonight:

     

Find this great 70's dress here at Market Publique.

     

A la Urban Outfitters.

This next dress is my new fave Mexico pic.  It's the perfect dress for the event, appropriate in design while staying true to my vintage sense of style.  And oh how much I love the little red accents.  

Find this cute dress here at BettyPageClothing.com 

And right after I stumbled on that I found the ultimate Mother-load of my ideal-favorite-bury-me-in-this dress.  It is breathtaking, and it isn't even designer, it has a stock store label. Luckily it has already been sold so I won't suffer sleepless nights dreaming of a night in Vegas wearing this dress.  Who am I kidding?  I am scarred now, and to be honest, a little sad I may never own this, but I digress.

Courtesy of Posh Girl Vintage... click here to see the depressing details.

Summer can't get here soon enough.  I am also on the hunt for the perfect vintage or vintage inspired swimsuit for my Mexico trip.  I can't decide whether I want a one piece or a bikini... here's a couple I've found so far, both of which are authentic vintage:

 

I found both of these suits at my new favorite site... click here to check it out.

Today's Useless Trivia:

By definition antique means objects produced in previous times that are valuable because they are rare.  Technically, in the United States, it means an item that is as least 100 years old, especially where furniture is concerned.  By European standards, an item is only considered to be antique if it was made before 1832, and the Industrial Revolution when items were still made by hand.  While items made since these times can still be considered valuable, they are not considered antique.  Instead, they are called vintage, period, or antique items.  There is also a category called collectable which may be any age at all.  What makes it collectable is appreciations of value since the item was purchased.

Out of Jet Fuel

So, I'm in Florida visiting the best In-Laws a gal could have.  Having a grand 'ole time... well today at least.  Thursday and Friday were pretty miserable.  The Hubs and I arrived Wednesday morning and went straight to the beach.  You could pick us out in the crowd; the fair-skinned morons asleep in the sand without sunscreen.  Yeah, I did that. I haven't had a sunburn so bad and painful in my whole life.  I am ashamed and I am still plagued with guilt and anger towards myself... mostly because I can't forget when the left side of my face is covered in blisters.  Not my whole cheek though, I was 'fortunate' enough to have been wearing giant over sized sunglasses that protected a good portion of my face and left me with designer raccoon lines.  If it weren't my face, I would be laughing it is so ridiculous.  It made me realize that maybe I am more vain than I would like to admit... not that I would ever call myself a vain person, but I guess feeling hideous humbled me in a way.  I'm lucky to have a husband who is so attentive and thoughtful when I am sick... he was all over the aloe and aspirin.  Just so you know I'm not exaggerating:

I know it's blurry, but within the blur you will see the truth in sunburn.  Honestly, I have never experienced sunburn like this before.  My legs still feel swollen, and it's three days later.  On thursday I could barely even stand, the rush of blood to my legs felt like a throbbing that went through and intensified at the core of my shin bones.  Has anyone ever experienced this before?  It was excruciating.

So, my location in connection with the title of Today's blog means I'm really missing my little doggie boy.  My Mom said he is sitting by the window staring out all the live long day, which just breaks my heart.  My husband and I always say it's so tough on us because we know that he can't understand what a vacation is and whether we are coming back... we reason that at least a child would understand.  But who are we kidding?  A child, because they can understand, can look up and say, "Don't go."  Now that must be heartbreaking.

Tomorrow a Yankee pre-season game against the Twins. Yay.

Yesterday we went golfing.  My husband and Father-In-Law went golfing rather.  Mom and I drove around on the golf cart and gawked at the amazing houses... and the cute cows.  You can tell from her expression that she is suspicious of me.

Here's a fun shot of the Hubs at his best... sort of.  He hasn't played in about five years, so I don't think his game was where he wanted it to be.

But he still looked cute.  This coming Wednesday we are going again and I think I'm going to take a crack at golf myself.  I will confess, openly in fact, that I have absolutely no athletic skill at all.  I'm Artist in Red, not Athlete in Red.  Every time I try I pretty much make an ass of myself, so we'll see about the golf.

Today's Useless Trivia: In honor of the task at hand:

The Maryland Real Estate Commission consists of 9 members; 5 licensed Realtors and 4 consumer members, each appointed by the Governor.

A Cardboard Blur

I am up to my ears in cardboard boxes. Actually, most of the stacks of boxes tower far over my head.

Things
blankets
candles
sewing boxes and seasonings
tossed
around and in
blurring the origin of memories.

Our last Saturday night meal at home: Cornish hens in a cranberry orange glaze, croissant stuffing and fresh steamed green beans followed by a homemade creme brulee.

The last breakfast cooked here: a Cowboy egg. Just toss a piece of bread with the center cut out into a pan, crack an egg in the middle and cook to your desired doneness. Tasty and easy.

No matter how much planning you do, you always end up like this. Standing in the middle of a box-filled room thinking, "where the hell is my..."

... Cutting board. In this case it was already packed away. We made due with a make-shift cutting board made of a Home Depot packing box and some parchment paper. It did the trick!

My beloved beagle staging a sit-in protest to the move.

Today's Useless Trivia: What sets poetry apart from prose? The right side of the page.