One Tough Ombre

 Strawberry Smash Necklace

Jacket: Decree, JCPenney

Top: Mossimo, Target

Jeans: Arizona Jeans, JCPenney

Shoes: Betseyville, JCPenney

Bag: Uniquely Different, Etsy

 Cherry on Top Necklace

Dress: Modcloth

Shoes: Betseyville, Macy's

Bag: Uniquely Different, Etsy

Sunglasses: Fred Flare

Raspberry Rhapsody Necklace

Sweatshirt: Delia's

Tank: Express

Jeans: Barefeet Shoes

Shoes: Candie's, Kohl's

Bag: Betseyville, ROSS Dress for Less

That's what they'll say when they see me in this mint pleather motorcycle jacket and pink ombre-dyed jeans. (Unless they say something else . . . but let's go with that.)  I like to think that these edgily ethereal ensembles make nice backdrops for necklaces that started life swaddling tissues.  Remember those triangular, fancy, food-themed Kleenex designs from a couple of years back?  They mimicked everything from cake wedges to orange slices and were so cute that I couldn't help but save them all.  Initially, I thought I'd fuse the triangles together to make a couple of mega trinket boxes or maybe even some cool mobiles.  But it wasn't until last week that I got inspired to cut out the frilly focal points of the dessert-themed boxes to make kitschy pendants.  I mounted the strawberry, cherry, and raspberry pieces to felt backgrounds and coated them with glitter glue before surrounding them with dessert-shaped cabochons, ribbon flowers, and rhinestones.  Flanking them with pretty pearl beads once finished was a no-brainer.  I had such a blast that I can't wait to tuck into the next trio!

Archive Alive (sort of)

 Mellow Yellow Corsage Necklace

Dress: XOXO, Macy's

Shoes: Ami Clubwear

Bag: Journeys

Scarf: Wet Seal

 Brown Sugar Corsage Necklace

Top: Liz Claiborne, Marshalls

Skirt: Candie's, Kohl's

Shoes: Bongo, Kohl's

Bag: Apt. 9, Kohl's

Belt: Apt. 9, Kohl's

 Orange You Glad Corsage Necklace

Tank: She Said, JCPenney

Jeans: So, Kohl's

Shoes: Nine West, DSW

Bag: XOXO, ROSS Dress for Less

Gold necklace: JCPenney

Showgirl Brooches

Dress: Necessary Objects, Macy's

Top: Mossimo, Target

Shoes: Unlisted, Marshalls

Bag: Worthington, JCPenney

You know how you look at old pictures of yourself and inwardly cringe to the tune of, "That hair!  That scrunchie!  That fanny pack!"  Well, that's how I felt when I looked at some of my older Etsy listings not too long ago.  So.  I pressed our good pal Tammy the Torso into service and employed the charms of some cheerfully patterned scrapbook paper to fashion fresh photos.  Ultimately, I plan to update all those shots I find wanting.  Although I probably won't blog about every single take two that comes down the pike, I will indulge in a fair share of deja vu digressions.  Such is the beauty of blogging.

Snacks on Safari

 Snack Time Necklace

Dress: Olsenboye, JCPenney

Sweater: Delia's

Shoes: Not Rated, Journeys

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Macy's

Tights: We Love Colors

 Fabulous Felt Pink Giraffe Necklace

Sweater: Jeanne Pierre, Marshalls

Leggings: Marshalls

Shoes: Candie's, Kohl's

Bag: Candie's, Kohl's

Fabulous Felt Palm Tree Barrette

Sweatshirt: So, Kohl's

Tank: So, Kohl's

Jeans: Princess Vera, Kohl's

Shoes: Candie's, Kohl's

Bag: Eleven Peacocks, Etsy

Scarf: Mom's closet

The snack part sizzles in necklace number one, with the safari part getting underway with the giraffe spots and palm tree.  Not that I recommend lunching on burgers and fries as you cruise past the fanged ones.  Come to think of it, I don't recommend fraternizing with the fanged ones in the first place.  But then, my kind of adventures are those contained within the confines of imagination.

Get in Shape, Girl

 Fabulous Felt Shapes Barrette

Top: Wet Seal

Jeans: City Streets, JCPenney

Shoes: Ami Clubwear

Bag: Marshalls

 Fabulous Felt Paint Splotch Brooch

Top: Boscov's

Jeans: City Streets, JCPenney

Shoes: Betseyville, JCPenney

Bag: Bisou Bisou, JCPenney

Fabulous Felt Stars Barrette

Top: Bisou Bisou, JCPenney

Jeans: Princess Vera, Kohl's

Shoes: Rampage, Marshalls

Bag: Princess Vera, Kohl's

This is not a call to hop on a treadmill, nor is it a nostalgic look at the 1980s little girls' workout gear of the same name.  (Although I'd be remiss in not mentioning that the Get in Shape Girl signature pink ribbon stick was the first thing that popped into my head upon typing that title.)  It is, rather, an ode to those most rudimentary yet paradoxically exciting of design elements: shapes.  If that's not hip to be square, then I'm a round peg. 

When a Country Cousin Comes to Call . . .

 Another Nameless Necklace

Top: Mossimo, Target

Skirt: Strawbridge & Clothier

Shoes: Nine West, DSW

Bag: JCPenney

Jacket: Hot Kiss, Marshalls

 Country Charm Corsage Necklace

Top: Marshalls

Skirt: Kohl's

Boots: Charles Albert, Alloy

Bag: Gifted

Hat: JCPenney

Shabby Chic Corsage Necklace

Top: Mossimo, Target

Tank: Marshalls

Skirt: Kohl's

Shoes: Madden Girl, DSW

Bag: Apt. 9, Kohl's

Belt: Mudd, JCPenney

. . . she might wear something like this.  Although I usually prefer the flash of circusy ensembles, there are times when I want to look demure, like a heroine in a Nicholas Sparks novel.  There's something timeless about such picket fence fashion, a kind of innocence that makes you think of old photographs and spring walks into town.  Of course, I couldn't help but undercut all this sweetness and light with some edgily urban black.  Even storybook girls need something to silence the crickets.