Root Beer World

If you think that A&W, Hires, Barq's, Mug, and Stewart's are the only root beer games in town, then think again. Root Beer World, which proudly proclaims itself to be "a world of root beer resources," lists thousands of unsung brands as well as message boards for root beer enthusiasts and root beer recipes (root beer torte or Robert E. Lee cake anyone?). As for this picture of a root beer-themed Snoopy tale, it's just one of the many sarsaparilla-spiked stories featured in the aptly named "root beer books" sidebar section that appears on the site's various pages.

So why am I writing about a soft drink? Because I like it. And because the link for Root Beer World has been burning a hole in my favorites list for the better part of a year since the bf discovered it (he has a knack for such things).

Bows: A Trend Worth Tying

SugarPop Clothing

Forever 21

Zedhead

Not too long ago I thought, hey, I've been seeing a lot of bow clothes and accessories around; I think I'd like to do a post on that. So, I went online and scouted all my favorite virtual shops. But oddly enough, the expected bevy of bow-inspired buys did not beckon (say that five times fast). On the contrary, I had to search really hard for the paltry few items displayed here. That's when it dawned on me that maybe bows aren't trendy now; maybe they were trendy a few years ago. (I'm seldom up on such things, as I wear the same stuff for years.) Still, I persevered, opting to brave the depths of my own closet. I emerged with the pieces you see arranged in the collage in the first picture (my apologies for the visible snatches of unattractive tan carpet).

This post didn't turn out to be as interesting as I'd anticipated. But it did help me discover that I'd like to add some yellow bow accessories to my collection. Which was no small discovery. No collection, after all, is complete without yellow.

Something New and Sparkly: Madcap Medallions Necklace

Recently, I've been working away on a custom order (more on that later). But this Madcap Medallions Necklace is the last item I finished and listed for my Etsy shop. I'd been wanting to embellish some felt circles with ribbon remnants and was excited to see how they'd turn out. They looked a little ragged once finished though, so I jazzed them up with some rhinestones. The end result is a festive, kooky piece that would be at home in an old costume trunk, a vintagey shop, or an outdoor bazaar. (Don't you just love the word bazaar? Such romance.) More practically speaking, this necklace would add some drama to a plain black sundress or black tee, as displayed here. Which reminds me, I really need a plain black sundress. I'm always buying prints, so I have precious few garments to serve as nice backdrops for my crazy jewelry. Sigh.

Treasury Time

MissPattisAttic came up with this intriguing new Purple People Eater treasury -- and this corsage necklace of mine fit right in! Be sure to check out all the other monstrously excellent wares here.*

*Treasury deactivated.

Book Report: Crossroads by Belva Plain

Novelist Belva Plain is known for two things: family sagas and cautionary tales about greed. Crossroads (not to be confused with that Brittany Spears movie) is no different. It's the story of two young women: privileged, naive, plain Jane Gwen Wright, and working class, manipulative, beautiful Jewel Fairchild. Gwen hates Jewel because she's beautiful, and Jewel hates Gwen because she's rich. Then Jewel tells Gwen an awful secret about her seemingly unblemished upper-crust family, ratcheting up the jealousy factor on both sides. The years go by (as they will in Plain soap operas). Gwen gives up an Ivy League education to marry Stan, an electrician of modest means, and Jewel escapes shop girl hell by bagging Jeff, a filthy rich CEO. Gwen's marriage begins precariously as she adjusts to cramped apartment living, a meager bank account, and a miscarriage; by comparison, Jewel travels the world with her husband, buying everything her heart desires. Plain is careful this way, gently exposing the class disparities between Gwen and Stan that threaten their love match instead of going for the quick and easy "love conquers all." By the same token, she shows how a charmer like Jewel is a social asset to her businessman husband instead of immediately pointing out that unions based solely on social gain inevitably crumble. She takes her time to illustrate just why Gwen and Stan are right for each other despite their different backgrounds - as well as why Jewel and Jeff are not. Although Stan is poor, he is a person of character who truly loves his wife. Jewel, on the other hand, is not, and Jeff, the son of a college professor, eventually begins to tire of her mindless chatter. Yet that's not to say that Jeff is of strong moral fiber. His questionable business practices coupled with his infatuation with a married woman suggest that he is even more reprehensible than his gold-digging wife, who is, despite her many faults, at least faithful to her husband.

Crossroads is entertaining. Jealousy, wealth, and romance can be depended upon to hook fiction readers, and Plain manages to weave all three in such a way that they don't come off as cheesy. The only thing that annoyed me about the book - and this is more of a criticism of Plain's novels in general than of this one in particular - is the way the "good" character (in this case Gwen) is nondescript and unassuming and completely uninterested in shopping, whereas the "bad" character (Jewel) is flashy and attention seeking and loves acquiring things. The comparison implies that caring about clothes and one's appearance is immoral and possibly even at the root of less-than-praiseworthy behavior. I think it's the lack of judgment about such classically "trivial" things that makes Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series so refreshing, and, dare I say, endearing. (I know, I know, I'm always dragging the Shopaholic books into my posts, but if the shoe fits . . .) Plain's books are filled with women like Jewel, and they always get their just desserts. I'm not saying I'd want to be friends with someone like her; she's sneaky and mean spirited. What I resent is the tidy way Plain bundles traditionally "good" and "bad" qualities in her heroines. Real women are more complicated than that. Hmm. Despite what I wrote earlier, I suppose Plain's characters can be cheesy even if the overall feel of her books isn't. Then again, maybe I'm taking this story just a bit too personally. These things happen when you read too much.

Jack Handey Quote of the Week

"If there was a big gardening convention, and you got up and gave a speech in favor of fast-motion gardening, I bet you would get booed right off the stage. They're just not ready."

Something New and Sparkly: Games and Goodies

Every now and then I like to make some jewelry that's just for me. I've always loved necklaces made from kawaii erasers (I can still remember how amused and dazzled I was when I first saw them for sale in several Etsy shops) and felt the urge to add some more to my collection.

I made the first necklace with a bunch of fruit- and dessert-themed erasers I've been sitting on since my birthday. I applied a coat of clear nail polish to each one for shine and protection from dirt. Then I stabbed each with what I can only imagine are earring findings (metal rods topped with loops), fed a jump ring through each loop, and hung each charm from a chain.

The second necklace is made from - believe it or not - a miniature Candy Land game that doubles as a key chain. The "box" actually opens into a magnetic board, complete with tiny cards and two tiny gingerbread men playing pieces! (I apologize for not taking a picture of this and will be sure to do so the first time I wear it :) I found the key chain at Five Below (it was one of the pricey $5.00 items) among a collection of others featuring such other classic board games as Sorry!, Trouble, Clue, and Twister.

Speaking of Five Below, I found the key lime pie eraser charm that stars as the pendant for the last necklace there also (another $5.00 item). It was already packaged in the plastic case, complete with a hole at the top, which was ideal for adding a jump ring.