A Blue Ribbon Day !!!

No, sadly, I did not win the Powerball. So 15 more years of toiling and slaving away are ahead of me. But at least I can look pretty while the sweat drips from my brow. Today's outfit is based around the most popular color in the world - blue. Blue is a constant in our lives - the sky and the ocean are ever present. So let's take a peep at my interpretation of this gorgeous hue, starting with my feet.

First off, how about them tootsies? I painted them last night with the color from my Clinique swag bag. It turned out to be more orange than I thought, but I like it. It's bright and cheery. The shoes are by Lauren Conrad for Kohl's. I got them a couple of years ago. They are comfy and easy to walk in. They have a 4" heel and a 1" platform.

Next, let's look at the jewelry, most of which you have seen before. On my left hand,

I have one of my turquoise cuffs, along with a three stone light blue topaz ring. On my right hand,

The matching turquoise cuff, and a London Blue Topaz ring. And for my necklace,

I am wearing my cross from the Southwest Indian Foundation. You can also get a good look at the top I am wearing in this picture. It's made by I.N.C. and it's two layers of mesh. The inner layer is solid blue, and the top layer is printed with a placed paisley pattern, and then further embellished with clear crystals. Take a look at the shoulders - it's a cold shoulder style. I haven't worn this top since last summer, and I didn't realize that the sleeves slide along the spaghetti straps. Before I wear it next time, I need to tack the sleeves onto the straps, so that they are more stable, and there is more coverage.

See what I mean? The top has a nice loose fit, and is the ultimate choice for hot weather, since the mesh is feather weight. I am wearing it with my classic white trousers. They are from JCP, Worthington brand, and I have had them for a long time. Recently, they got a little dingy, and I feared that I might have to replace them. I didn't want to, because the fit is perfect. But, as you can see, my drastic bleach and Oxy Clean soak did the trick. They are blindingly white.

When Robinson May closed, I was faced with trying to find a replacement mid-range priced department store other than Macy's. There was a store called Mervyn's, which was a little too down range, and then just Nordstrom, which is a little too high range. So JCP started sending out coupons and using other marketing tools to capture the consumers that used to shop at RM. So I shopped there quite a bit about 5 years ago. Then, they got a new CEO, who quit doing all that promotion, so I stopped going there. But in the last year or so, they have changed back to their original marketing formula, so I have been back a couple of times, mostly when they send me a free $10 card. So now, if I eventually have to replace these pants, I will be able to.
Well, that's about all for today. Hope you all have yourselves a blue ribbon day !!!

What's Black and White and Read All Over?

Not my blog, that's for sure. I'll bet there are some days when only me, Kenni, and Elli read it. But that's okay - I have fun doing it anyway, and I have met a couple of cool ladies (Hi Patti and Sheila). Of course, I use the term met loosely, seeing how we only know each other from the Interwebs. But, onto bigger and better things, like what I am wearing today.

All the blogs and the one magazine I get said that one of the trends for this summer would be black and white. Trend??? For me, that combo is as perennial as the hibiscus plants lining my driveway. They were there since the house was built, and it's an old house. Even older than me, if you can believe it. I got this top in San Antonio - it's one of those things that shrinks into a tiny doll top until you put it on, and then it expands. The pants are also ancient - I was trying to think about how long I have had them, and they predate all my memories. They still look good, and I use them to see if I am getting any fatter. They still fit, so my tastebuds may be screaming for chili cheese fries for lunch. This is me, sneaking out to get them. If I'm going to run down to Bravo Burgers, I'd best be wearing some comfy shoes.

And these babies fit the bill. Sadly, they are dying. The elastic part that holds the buckle keeps stretching and will soon snap. Maybe I can McGyver them. I got them at Old Navy, and only paid something like $12, so they're not worth taking to the shoemaker.

So what jewelry am I sporting? I have gobs of stuff that will go with black and white. I am one-arming it again today.

The ring is garnet and black hills gold. My mom gave it to me. The bracelets are from the Honolulu Swap Meet at the Aloha Bowl. I used to go every time I went to Oahu. They were 4 for $10 - I got 2 black floral, one white with honu, and one green with honu. They were the best deal - so durable, and have seen lots of action. So what about the necklace?

This closeup shows the accordion pleats on the top, and the print. The necklace is a leopard head with a tassel on a gold chain. Here's a view of it on some paper, so it doesn't compete with the top.

Now for the "Awwwww" moment. My friend has a Bengal cat named Zooey. She is absolutely beautiful. I sketched her once, from this picture. I have included Zooey, because every time I wear this necklace, it reminds both of us of Zooey. Feast your eyes!!

Have a great day and thanks for dropping by!!!

They Call Me Mellow Yellow

Yes, you are right, Donovan !!!! Electric Banana will be all the craze (It's from the lyrics). I am about half yellow, so I won't have to go full-on mellow, which is just not my bag. I like a little excitement. When I pulled this dress out of summer storage last night, my first thought was "Where is my hot pink cardigan?" So I went a-hunting in my cavernous closet. I didn't see the pink sweater, but I did see this bright gold one, and remembered that I got a lot of compliments when I wore it last year. And the print on the dress has every color imaginable, so when I hung them together on my dress form, it was a Voila !!! moment. Et Voila!!!

This silk dress is made by Bloomingdales. I got it in a consignment shop in Denver. It's fully lined with hot pink silk, and has the little luxury details like snap things to hold your bra straps( it has a tank top) and a little covered button to keep the zipper up. But lest you think I am all elegance and grace, notice the white spot on one of my knees. That is a blob of white nail polish that I used to keep the run in my hose from going all the way down. I get my hose from Silkies through the mail, and even though I love the quality, they do cost about $8 a pair, so I try to maximize the wearings. So if there's a fixible and not too noticeable flaw, they get used one last time. And the time for these is now. So what shoes did I select to continue the burst of color?

These babies. I love these shoes- they are the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned. Here's the kicker - I got them at Old Navy about 5 years ago. I also had a blue pair, but they disintegrated a while back. I had plantar fasciits 3 years ago, and these two pairs of sandals were the only shoes that kept the pressure off my heel until it healed. Now for the necklace - let's morph from the color theme to a floral theme.

Little ivory pin-wheely daisies!!! I got this necklace in a batch that I bought from EBay. It was very inexpensive, as I recall. But it adds a perfect contrast here. You can also get a better look at the print on the dress, and the pretty pointelle details on the wrap sweater. Since the sweater has nice long bell sleeves, I didn't wear bracelets today. That's right - Rosie with no bracelets!!! That doesn't happen often. But I did break out another little floral gem :

This little pink crystal ring is a costume piece of unknown origin. And on the other hand, another fakey (that I like a lot).

So that's it. All colorful and comfy. And today, I am linking up with Patti at www.notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.com. Patti hosts Visible Mondays, where 40+ aged bloggers can link up and show something that makes them feel fabulous. And with all this brightness, if I am anything today, it's visible. Thanks Patti !!!

Doing It For The Daddies Out There

So as you all know, Sunday is Father's Day. Although my own father has been gone for many years, I have Doc and two sons who are fathers, as well as a father in law. We are toying with the idea of a BBQ On Sunday, but nothing definite yet. And there is another father who I have chosen to commemorate. That is my boss. Back at Easter, we had a box of leftover Peeps, so I snagged them. I don't like to eat them, but I had something in mind for them.

I don't remember where the crow orignally came from, but I molest him on a regular basis. The Peeps all have little signs, with things we have all dreaded hearing from our kids. It was hilarious.

Now onto bigger and better things, like my outfit.

This pic is pretty glarey, but you get the drift. The pants are polyester cigarette pants that I got at a store called Rampage, a loooongg time ago. I have no idea where the tops came from. The white one is a tank, and it has a wdie sequin band at the hem.

Likewise, the grey bolero has the same sequin trim around the front. You can see better in this picture of my necklace, which I got at Stein Mart.

For shoes, I wore my Enzo Angiolini gladiators. I still have the same toenail polish.

For the bling, a different combo of things you have already seen. On the left, my Seraphite bracelet, and my mobe pearl ring. On the right, silver bracelets, and my South Sea Pearl ring.

This is a very old, but always comfy outfit. When I showed it to Elli, she approved.

If I cant' wear black and brown ( and look like my little calico friend), at least she likes the grey combo. Have a great weekend !!!

This is a Prickly Situation We Got Here

Hi kids. Remember the little yellow pails that the miniature roses came in? Well, I finally repurposed them. I went to Home Depot and got three little residents for the pails. Behold:

There's a purple one, a yellow and orange one, and a fuzzy one. Let's take a closer look at all three.

The fuzzy one has this spider web looking stuff all over it, and a ton of little "blossoms".

The purple one also has blue tones in the center.

The orange one is grafted onto a green stem. You can see that better in the above photo, because this pic came out blurry. I also gathered a bunch of the miniature roses and some garnish, and put them to float in a shallow saucer.

Then, the question was "Where shall I put them?" The cactus trio went on the window sill in the library/dressing room. There was too much glare to get a picture. The flower dish went on a shelf in the master bath. I keep my lotions, potions, ointments, and creams there.

As you can see, it's already fairly colorful in there. While I was doing this in the kitchen, Elli suspected (hoped) that some involving food was afoot, and that I may drop a morsel or two. Her gigantic ears were at full staff.

I also got a couple of posies for the yard. When I was transplanting them, I broke one chrysanthemum. So I am trying to root it in a beaker. We have a little collection of antique glass laboratory ware.

Enough of the flowers!!!! Let's see what I am wearing !!! I got this dress in Las Vegas last summer. While my friend took a nap, I went for a walk. Amazingly, this was the only thing I bought.

I had a large selection of shoes that will go with this extremely comfy dress, but since I have a 12 hour day today with a lot of walking, I went with the suede Pour La Victoire wedges.

My necklace is the moonstone statement piece that I purchased from EBay. You can see a closeup of the embellished print on the dress here, also. It has tiny aurora borealis crystals scattered throughout the delftish print. (I don't think delftish is a true adjective, but I'll try it at Scrabble someday).

I used a safety pin to make the necklace a little shorter. On my left hand, I have my larimar bracelet, and a Mother of Pearl ring. The larimar bracelet has aurora borealis crystals, too.

On my right hand, I am wearing a David Yurman silver cuff, and a costume ring that I got at Return Engagement a few years ago.

I love that ring. It's so Golden Girls. Well, that's about the total of my exploits for the day. Hope you enjoyed this little botanical lesson!!!

Jungle Boogie

This dress is certainly a reason to get down and boogie. I love these sheath dresses. I have four or five of them. They are all made of polyester jersey, so they can be wadded up in the closet or a suitcase, then taken out and worn. Usually, the print is so riotous and intricate that very little jewelry is needed. But, hey now, this is me we are talking about. This particular one is made by ECI, and I got it at Macy's. It's quite psychedelic.

Although a combination of lavender with black and gold sounds hideous, it's not really. It actually allows for easy accessorizing with..... black and gold. Ta Da!!! Let's check out the shoes first.

You have seen these before. These are my Nine West black patent sandals with gold studs. I wear them alot, because they are really comfy, despite being very high heeled. The one thing that bugs is that each shoe has 2 teeny little buckles that you have to do up each time you wear them. For me, that means I have to find my glasses first and then sit splayed on the floor with my leg bent towards my crotch. Not a pretty sight. But Kenni and Elli don't seem to mind. Oh, and there will NOT be a photo of me doing this. The mental image is bad enough. So what else am I wearing that's black and gold?

Why, it's my belt!!! This belt is by Versace, and I have had it forever. I got it in Vegas many years ago after a significant win at the poker tables. It is the classic Versace design with the Medusa heads all around. Even after many years, it shows no signs of wear and tear. Now onto my necklace.

What would look better than my black coral necklace? In this shot, you can see the colors in the dress very well. Just underneath the necklace is part of the print that is red and orange. I was watching the Spurs/Heat game last night, and this dress was hanging on my clothing rack. I glanced over, and the design looked exactly like the sacred heart of Jesus. On closer inspection, it seems to be some kind of bird of paradise/orchid hybrid. Maybe someone spiked my vodka, causing hallucinations.

On my right hand, I have the gold cuff that I got at Macy's in Fort Lauderdale. When I am typing at my computer, I have to take it off, because my arm skin gets pinched in the hinge. Owz. The ring is a smoky topaz and diamond - a Doc present from looooong ago. On my left hand

The gold and crystal bangle watch is made by Vernier. I have no idea from whence or where it came. The ring is an Irish wedding Claddagh band in diamond and emerald. We spent a month in Ireland in 1994, and Doc got me a Claddagh set - ring, bracelet, necklace and earrings. I have always treasured it. One of my friends of Irish descent told me that if you are married, the crown is supposed to face down toward your hand, but I like it the other way.
So that's about it for today, except for the most important part. Once again, I am linking to Kileen's Color Brigade. This dress is just screaming color. Her blog is www.cuteandlittle.com. Pop on over and take a look !!!

The Headless Holtzman

So, some of you are wondering about the headless thing. I heard that it was a good idea to elimminate your head from the pictures to give at least a tiny modicum of privacy. But there is a deeper, much darker reason for my subterfuge. And I'm gonna tell you. But I might have to kill you afterwards. So if you are brave, read on.

Now I know we all change as the years pass. Exhibit A:

Year = 1989

Age = 30

Condition = Pristine. Never better. (actually, the hair is better). Exhibit B:

Year = 2014

Age = 55

Condition = Rode hard and put away wet. Ready for more torture? Exhibit C:

Closer, and with a less cadaverous expression. And what was my reaction to this side by side comparison? Exhibit D:

So the veil of mystery is lifted. The secret is out. The cat is out of the bag. From now on, you may see my lovely mug splayed across the old blog. Hope you haven't been blinded, or turned into a pillar of salt.