Etsy Gift Picks for a Texas Heart (and everyone else's, too)

My family likes to make Kaboodle lists long before Christmas, and then go physically shopping for presents with frequent stops for snacks and Starbucks.  While I'm all about some snacks, (and family), I much prefer to sit and home and let my mouse do the walking.  I also love supporting home-grown, hand-sewn products, which is why I browse Etsy as opposed to the rest of the web.  Because of this, I am super sad that I missed the Austin Etsy Craft Riot this past weekend, but staff parties (and sleeping in) commanded my attention.  All that over-blown lead up finished, here are my favorite Etsy finds for, oh, the past twenty minutes. 

Creamer in Spring Green by AbbyTPottery - I actually like all of the pieces that go with this set, but something about a fat, squat jar with a handle and spout screams "must acquire NOW" to me.

Hot Pink Felt Texas by LoveCalifornia - My heart may belong to Arkansas, but Austin suits my soul.

Magical Exploding Frog Soap by HowardsHome.  'Nuff said.  (although, it's also worth mentioning that sales go to benefit their son's hospital bills). 

Japanese lunch bag by Little Sappling - it's a draw string bag, no, it's a lunch sack, no, it's a placemat... either way, no crusty crumbs permanently stuck in the bottom of the bag!

Alice Cullen wool gloves by BoopieCreations - as I type this, my hands and fingers are freezing.  I wish I had these so I could both type and not have icicle fingers. 

Damask camera strap with lens holder by denisehytonen - I bought a similar one from Mod via Etsy recently, and I love it. 

Animal Pastimes 2010 calendar by SadlyHarmless - I liked almost every calendar that I found when I searched, but this one had the cutest pictures.  It also reminds me of the paint licking giraffe at the Little Rock zoo that I am so very fond of. 

Gin and Tonic Moustache Wax by MansFaceStuff - mostly I think this is funny because it fits a stereotype, and second, because Lennon is all about his hair goop and always proclaims, "I'm a Dapper Dan Man!"  Plus moustaches should be the new beards.  Or I just like nifty containers.  It's a toss-up.

Poofy Tutu Skirt by Oblivion Clothing - a tutu for adults!?  I'd wear it everyday.

And if you were lame like me and missed the Austin Etsy Craft Riot, then you can still check out the pictures here.  I can't believe I missed out on Santa!  Did anyone go and find anything they love? 

Travel Like A Pro Part 1: Skirts In Boots

Having grown up as a military brat, I've done a lot of travelling.  Maybe not enough to qualify as an expert, but close enough to know how to travel well.  So, to celebrate one of my talents - travelling - I'm going to do a few posts with travel tips, just in case your holidays involve cross country treks, continental skips, calculated avoidance of relatives, or all of the above.

First up on the agenda: packing clothes that are both casual and dressy enough to not look like a miscreant in a nice restaurant.  It's also important to not look like one of those harried airport patrons wearing sweats with "Juicy" across the butt while sitting next to a woman in a pencil skirted-business suit with her legs crossed away from the pink mess beside her.  Trashy.

The easiest and most versatile way to pack, for warm weather or cold, is to take skirts and boots.  Boots keep your legs warm, skirts always look nice, and regardless of stereotypes, skirts are way more comfortable than jeans.  To pair a skirt with boots, I recommend going with flared, a-line skirts that can be matched with plain t-shirts, sweaters, or nicer blouses.

Above are a few of my favorites:

1) Yellow "Great Escape" skirt from Anthropologie.

2) "Little Birds" skirt from Etsy seller alejandrina. 

3) Cashmere "Working Girl" skirt from Etsy seller Econica. 

4) Shirred wool skirt (available in four colors) from J. Crew.

Being anti-leather, all of the boots I picked out as favorites are vegan and cruelty free.  A long list of animal-friendly, skin-free online retailers can be found at Peta's website (don't be scared off, it's just a list of stores) under Compassionate Shopping Guide. 

These boots, going clockwise, can be found online:

1) Charcoal faux suede slouch boot by Zulu at Alternative Outfitters. 

2) Thames by Neuaura brown dress boot at at Vegan Chic. 

3) Tom's vegan wrap boot (in four colors), and remember that if you buy a pair of Tom's shoes, then they give a pair to a child in need. 

4) Zarrah boot from Madden Girl at Moo Shoes. 

I haven't gotten around to buying a new pair of boots yet - all the pairs I own are either leather and I feel too guilty to wear them, or they make my feet look too big because I didn't size them right.  I've got my eye on that slouch pair, though. 

What do you like to pack for travelling?  Are you an anti-sweats-in-airports person, or am I alone on that...

 

Flapper Dress: 101 + Female Writers of the 1920's

To paraphrase the Austin Eavesdropper, tomorrow night is when gardening meets Gatsby at The Liberty bar in East Austin.  This means it's time to break out the fringe, feathers, and fedoras to go out on the town and have a "hotsy-totsy" good time.  I love dressing up, I love sustainable gardening, and I certainly love a party.  Also, keeping in mind that once an English teacher, always an English teacher: I love female writers of the roaring twenties. 

Dorothy Parker - Often recognized as a member of the Algonquin Round Table, Dorothy Parker is an author who is often quoted but too little read.  She had a sardonic wit, a tumultous love life, and a busy pen, seeing as she wrote short stories, novels, poems, screen plays, magazine articles... a sad theme of her work was typically along the lines of "you're born, you think life is great, really it sucks, then you die," but in between the start and the finish, she's really funny and painfuly astute.

Zelda Fitgerald - "The Flapper awoke from her lethargy of sub-deb-ism, bobbed her hair, put on her choicest pair of earrings and a great deal of audacity and rouge and went into the battle. She flirted because it was fun to flirt and wore a one-piece bathing suit because she had a good figure ... she was conscious that the things she did were the things she had always wanted to do. Mothers disapproved of their sons taking the Flapper to dances, to teas, to swim and most of all to heart." - Z. Fitzgerald, 'Eulogy of the Flapper.'  A dancer, a writer, a drunk, a hell-raiser, a muse, and an entrenching subject of biography. 

Gertrude Stein - While I don't understand her tender-buttons type writing, I felt like The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas was peeking into a 1920's Paris salon through a telescope.  I have monolithic respect for a lady who didn't need a man to take care of her, kept the egos of the day in check, was a proprieter of art and literature, and didn't feel the need to follow the rules of "ladylike" behavior.

So, in celebration of the flapper era and the swell women who occupied it, here are my tips to dressing up like a genuine, renaissance lady of the roaring twenties:

1) High-heeled, strappy shoes with round toes.

2) Strings and strings of faux-pearl necklaces.

3) Swirly skirts, drop waist dresses, sleeveless blouses, sequins, and fringe that emphasizes the swing of your hips when you do the Charleston.

4) GIN.  (bathtub optional).

These are items I dug out of my closet, but if you want a true education on dressing in vintage style, then it is imperative that you visit the Vintage Vivant herself: a fellow Austinite, and also a former Arkansas girl (and U of A alum, too!) Amelia.  You can find her at Toy Joy, her daily fashion blog, or at her Etsy shop, where you can purchase hand sewn, lovely, (and sometimes naughty), items, such as this tidy-cloth.  Also be sure to read her post on how to apply 1920's style makeup, it's very important for proper appearances tomorrow night!

It seems only appropriate to end this particular post the following way:

My candle burns at both ends;

It will not last the night;

But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--

It gives a lovely light!

 

Because first and foremost, Edna St. Vincent Millay is my homegirl.  See you tomorrow!

Butterfly Necklaces + Urban Decay Love Affairs

The butterfly necklaces I ordered finally came!  A few weeks ago I purchased this orange pendant along with a black and blue butterfly pendant from Butterfly Senses on Etsy.  They had taken a while to arrive, so I'd gotten nervous they were lost in the mail until I re-checked the seller's web site and noted that these pendants are made in Malaysia, so I should be probably be a little more patient.  The patience was worth it, because they got here yesterday and they are lovely - my new favorites. 

I've been trying very hard lately to not shop, but I have indulged a few purchases.  I'm finished with clothes buying, seeing as my Austin closet, compared to my wall-o-closet and then my walk-in-closet from my two Little Rock apartments, is paltry in comparison, so nothing new will fit inside.  But, there's always room for jewelry and makeup.

While in Killeen last week, I stopped by the new(ish) shopping center in Harker Heights to go by Ulta, a makeup store that is like Sephora, but with more drug store brands.  Can I also note, that when I lived in Harker Heights in 3rd grade, there was a Wal-Mart, a Win-Dixie, a local rodeo... and that's about it.  Now the Win-Dixie is gone, but it has Club Rodeo in the parking lot, so that sort of makes up for my loss, and with the cigarette burn scar I have on my elbow from the creepy guy who hit on my step-sister, that place is eternally "burned" in my memory... (ha, sorry).

Moving right along... I usually skip the drug store makeup since I can buy it at Walgreens, and head straight for the Urban Decay display.  I've lusted after the mica powder and glitter pressed into Urban Decay cosmetics since the only place I could find it was at Nordstroms in the Galleria when I was in Jr. High, (my love of sparkles is a long-standing affair).  Today, I love Urban Decay even more because it's vegan-friendly and cruelty free, which is to my detriment, because it further justifies my decisions to buy products with money I should be saving. 

This trip, I picked up the Ammo Shadow Box, because I couldn't decide on one color, and truth be told, the box itself was so damn cute that it influenced my indulgent decision.  Even though I rarely wear more than mascara to go about my day, I will take any excuse to wear rock-star glitter... even a trip to a cowboy bar like Club Rodeo.

My favorite item by Urban Decay is their Heavy Metal glitter eyeliner... a discovery made after I tragically used up my entire stick of glittery purple eyeliner pencil from Hot Topic after owning it and using it sparingly for three years.  If you see me wearing this stuff, rest assured I feel on my A-game.  And just so we're clear, I've never been paid by Urban Decay or given free samples - they have more of my money than I care to admit - so if they ever feel like sending me something in reward for being a loyal customer, I'll be camped out by the mailbox. 

Now, about being a saver not a spender...

Favorite Finds: Glam Rock Princess

Sunday night was the Ladies Rock Camp showcase, where the three bands got to perform their songs on stage in front of friends, family, and bar patrons.  My band went with a black and pink theme, (although one of our girls - a former Hell Mary roller derby girl, had to voice her concern that these were the colors of a rival team - but we went with it anyway), and I don't think there's any color combination better suited to rock and roll.  On Sunday afternoon I overslept during a pre-performance nap, so I had to throw on my pink knee socks, pleated skirt, and black t-shirt quickly.  In my fantasy world, I would have sported glam rock attire more like this:

Pink shiny dress by Claire La Faye: I love wearing dresses and skirts because they're easy to move in, and shiny + bright lights is the equivalent of getting extra star power on Guitar Hero. 

Bicycle necklace by Maureen Duffy: This necklace reminds me of vintage french art prints.  The fact that it's also black and rough looking makes it all the better to add a touch of edge to something sweet.

Mini chrysanthemum earrings by Pretty Littles: I don't have the earlobes to wear dangly earrings, but even if I did, I'd imagine having long earrings while hopping around would not be comfortable.  I'd go with something small, pretty, and poppingly bright. 

Black cherry blossom ring by LuLu Coco: Not only do I love big cocktail rings, but this one is also black and floral.  It seems appropriate to wear a fat ring when fingers on guitar frets will be the center of attention.  Plus, the seller is offering a buy two get one free deal on all of their rings like this. 

Flower headband by PBB Flowers: I hate having hair fly in my face, so I love headbands, even when I have a ponytail.  And this one is both feminine and bold.

Pintuck skull clutch by D's Chic Boutique: Skulls + just big enough for an ID, extra guitar pics, and maybe a capo.  What more do you need?

And of course, the final flourish: sparkly black chucks, like these Converse One Stars, which were sold at Target.  I have a pair in white, which I love.  Oddly, the price is only a few dollars off from the original Converse All Star, but I couldn't find any of the originals in the color sparkle, which negated a sale by my standards.  If you were going to be a rock star, what would your style be?  Goth ballerina?  Grunge goddess?  Blue jean virtuoso?

The showcase was held at Nomad Bar, which I will be visiting again in the future.  It's decorated with international currency, maps, and time clocks with major world cities.  As an army brat, I felt right at home.  They also had Mothership Wit, which just might be my new favorite beer. 

 

One of the Ladies Rock Camp bands on stage: Wild Things Disguised as Normal. 

 

Me with an extra belly thanks to my well-placed shadow, and our bassist Wendy, with Nikki in the background on drums.  My designated photographer didn't get any pictures of our guitar player, or all of us together, so if you have any better pictures, please send me some!

Terri and Melissa played for us after the Rock Camp bands, and Bonnie joined them on stage for a song.  I love their energy on stage and how comfortable they are as performers - it often goes unnoticed how much talent that takes until you yourself try to get on stage and realize it feels like you're standing naked on a pedestal - difficult to act at ease then!  The final band - if I understood correctly - actually formed at Ladies Rock Camp last year, called Butch County.  I'll be excited to see if anyone from this season keeps playing together in the future.  Either way, I can't wait to go back!

Favorite Finds + Day of the Dead Excitement

This Saturday will mark my first chance to participate in a Dia De Los Muertos celebration, and I couldn't be more excited!  Austin has a parade, there are Day of the Dead exhibits at the Mexic-Arte Museum, and after helping my kids make sugar skulls on Thursday, I'll get to try my own hand at it this weekend - assuming there's any meringue powder left over.

It's also this time of year that my family and I start compiling our Kaboodle lists for Christmas.  I have a difficult time choosing things I'd like to get, but I have no issue finding things that I like!  Here are a few of my favorites after browsing through Etsy:

Top left: goldfish ring by dillondesigns.  Choosing a favorite design was near impossible - I liked them all.

Top right: starry night lamp by glyntpottery.  I used to spend hours sticking glow stars to my ceiling in the patterns of constellations.  This looks much easier... and much prettier.   

Bottom left: Lucy peacock feather headband by Lovmely Accessories. This makes me think of a vintage ladies cap to be worn to a movie theatre with red velvet seats and chandeliers. 

Bottom right: Frida and Diego organic t-shirt by Mis Nopales Art.  Frida + Dia De Los Muertos + red + wearable art = perfect.

Top left: Upcycled orange vintage messenger bag by Get ready, set, go!!! This seller has all kinds of vintage luggage - including the baby blue cosmetics case my grandmother has (probably) had since the 60's - all with hand painted designs to guide the pieces into modernity. 
Top right: Typewriter key bracelet by Keys and Memories.  I've posted something like this before, last spring, so maybe the fact that I'm still attracted to it merits a purchase. 
Bottom left: Butterfly wing necklace by Butterfly Senses.  I actually did purchase this - two of them - just in different colors.  Hopefully it's as beautiful in hand as it is on monitor. 
Bottom right: Deep purple satin skirt by larimeloom.  It's true, I'm a skirt chaser, and I'm in fabric love.

Now the difficult part will be to remember that the money in my account is for spending on other people's Kaboodle lists, not my own!  Lucky for me, though, if I need an insta-fix of handmade items, I can go down to Parts and Labour on South Congress and spend the afternoon admiring hand sewn, hand screened, hand-me-down worthy pieces.  It almost makes me want to break out my hot glue gun.  Almost.