Colorform Storm

Sweater: Candie's, Kohl's

Scrunchies: So, Kohl's; Lady Arya, Zulily

Sweater: Express; Necklace (no name): The Tote Trove

Bag: Wild Fable, Target

Sweater: IZ Buyer, Kohl's

Skirt: So, Kohl's

Hat: Wild Fable, Target

Sock: Zulily; Shoe: Chase & Chloe, Zulily

Top: L'Amour by Nanette Lepore for JCPenney

Headbands: INC, Macy's

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Amazon

Sweatshirt: Arizona Jeans, JCPenney; Pink necklace: H&M; Other necklace: (no name) The Tote Trove

Slim green, slim orange, and chunky yellow bangles: B Fabulous; Chunky fuchsia and chunky orange bangles: Mixit, JCPenney; Mustard bracelet: Cloud Nine, Ocean City; Necklace (no name): The Tote Trove

Dress: Rewind, Kohl's

Tourist Trap Charm Necklace

Shoes: Guess, DSW

Remember Colorforms?  Maybe you, your kids, or your grandkids played with them as way back as the '50s when they first came out, or as recently as yesterday.  I came to know them in the '80s, when I had a Rainbow Brite set.  And then I became reacquainted with them when I bought a Hello Kitty set on my honeymoon.        

This week, this sweater made me think of them again.  The turquoise, magenta, and yellow remind me of their adorable little mascot:

How could he not be happy, drenched in such cheerful color?  I like to think I'm like him in that way, playing with clothes like they're crayons, getting a fresh sheet of paper each day. 

Shakespeare said that all the world is a stage, but maybe it's a coloring book.

Leopard Love: Getting Frank With Fan Favorite Lisa

 

Skirt: XOXO, Macy's

Top: Grayson Threads, Kohl's

Bag: B&B

Skirt: Wild Fable, Target

Bag: Sleepyville Critters, Zulily

Top: Target

Big Pink Pompom Bow Barrette

Bag: Zulily

Desert Necklaces

Boots: Betsey Johnson, Macy's

There's something playful about colorful leopard.  Like somebody impishly swiped a highlighter across the earth-toned Serengeti.  And that somebody is Lisa Frank.  (If the title of this post implied that I'd be interviewing the icon, then 1) please accept my sincerest apologies, and 2) you should know better than that.  Still, Lisa Frank would most certainly be one of those three people, dead or alive, that I'd invite to dinner.  Right between Madame Curie and the guy who invented Cheetos.  (Just kidding.  Madame Curie would be too depressing.)  Of all the artists who've made their multi-hued mark on the animal kingdom, I think Lisa deserves the most credit.  Perhaps her most creative contribution of all is the rainbow leopard.  Well, the rainbow everything.  But one not-so-still-life at a time.  

No doubt about it, Lisa's the first lady of cute.  She was destined to make drab things fanciful, what with hailing from the desert.  She also has a heartwarming knack for turning ferocious beasts into cuddly critters.  (And no, I haven't forgotten about Teddy Ruxspin, or, for that matter, Furbies.  But are they wrapped in ROYGBIV?  I think not.  Also, there's no need for toys that come with their own commentary.  I'm talking to you, Cricket.)  

That said, these outfits are my humble homage to Ms. Frank's sassy safari.  I even managed to get a few cacti in there!  Not to mention Hello Kitty.  Which has nothing to do with Lisa Frank but remains firmly saved with her and her merch in my late-'80s-early-'90s childhood memory bank.  

A bank, of course, that's decked out with little pink hearts and fluorescent rainbows.  

P.S. Lisa Frank, if you're out there, I'd like to pitch you an idea:

Neon green, lightning bolt-ringed Marie Curie hugging a kitten clutching a lollipop growing an ear.

Can you say sticker book centerfold? 

Take Note . . .

 Spiked Key Lime Pie Necklace

Top: Marshalls

Jeans: l.e.i., Macy's

Shoes: Betseyville, Macy's

Bag: Call it Spring, JCPenney

Belt: Candie's, Kohl's

Sunglasses: Mudd, Kohl's

 Blue Lightning Necklace

Top: JCPenney

Skirt: H&M

Shoes: Worthington, JCPenney

Bag: Nahui Ollin

Belt: Wet Seal

Sunglasses: Cloud Nine, Ocean City 

 Pink and Purple Hearts Necklace

Blouse: Candie's, Kohl's

Tunic: Candie's, Kohl's

Jeans: So, Kohl's

Shoes: Payless

Bag: Bisou Bisou, JCPenney

Belt: Candie's, Kohl's

Sunglasses: Mudd, Kohl's

. . . in style!  For all those times when life seems like an endless errand, paper with pizzazz adds a certain something.  Indeed, to-do lists seem more manageable when accented by fruit and princesses and Hello Kitty.  I've collected countless notepads, journals, and note cards over the years; the little grouping here represents what remains and what is (of course) most photogenic.  I especially like collecting note cards because I love including handwritten thank you notes with my customers' orders.  There's something so nice about good old-fashioned, needs-a-stamp correspondence that you just can't get from a text or an email (a sentiment to which I steadfastly adhere even as I pen this digital post).  Long live the post office!

On another (ahem) note, above is the latest picture of my purple whatchamacallit plant.  A couple of weeks ago, I posted a different picture of my blossom buddy, also in the bloom of health, with the unfortunate report that it had since taken a turn for the worst.  (I didn't post a picture of that mess, dead flowers being less than blog-worthy.)  Guess what?  With a little more water and a little more care, this phoenix of a flower came back in full force, its plucky petals shooting up even taller than ever.  Sure, it has fewer blooms, and its added height has made it a little wild.  But these imperfections make it more interesting, adding character as well as strength.

Guess there's hope for this green thumb yet.

Fruits and Felines . . .

 Fabulous Felt Yellow Crochet Collar Necklace

Top: Modcloth

Jeans: Barefeet Shoes

Shoes: Ami Clubwear

Bag: American Eagle, Payless

Jacket: Vanilla Star, Kohl's

Fabulous Felt Red Crochet Collar Necklace

Dress: JCPenney

Skirt: Candie's, Kohl's

Shoes: Candie's, Kohl's

Bag: JCPenney

Belt: Apt. 9, Kohl's

Jacket: Candie's, Kohl's

 Strawberry Explosion Necklace

Jacket: Material Girl, Macy's

Tee: So, Kohl's

Jeans: Candie's, Kohl's

Shoes: Payless

Bag: Nine West, ROSS Dress for Less

Copco, Target

Target

My fruit pitcher, etc. collection.

Hello Kitty Sweet Treats Colorforms

. . . are what make this country great.  Or maybe they're what make the country of Japan great, at least when the fruits are more kawaii than corn-fed and the felines are more anime than aloof.  That having been said, here are some of the produce- and Hello Kitty-themed things that hang out in my space, accompanied by a strawberry jam sandwich of ensembles.  

On the fringes of the fruit angle, I made a new dish called Peach Chicken the other night.  The result was a delicious dessert that had been dive-bombed by insouciant poultry.  Not inedible, but weird, kind of like chocolate cake with a dry meatloaf center.

Maybe next time I stick with grilled cheese.  Well, grilled cheese on Hello Kitty-branded bread.