Happy Cappy: A Birthday Tie Dye For

 Top to bottom: Wild Fable, Target; Elizabeth and James, Kohl's; Rebellious One, Macy's

Don't Worry Be Snappy Necklace 

 Crown Rules Necklace

Posh Perch Necklace 

Fuzzy Wuzzy Woodland Necklace 

They say that tie-dye is trendy again, begging the question: Where has it been all this time?  In the back of a VW van?  Or, in the closet of some '90s teen next to a lunchbox overflowing with baby barrettes and a cracked copy of No Doubt's "Tragic Kingdom?"  Tie-dye does sound a lot like To Die For, that mid-'90s flick where Nicole Kidman would rather be a murderous weather girl than have Matt Dillon's baby.  Still, I vote for the van.  It sounds mellower.   

Regardless of where tie-dye came from or when it came back, I opted to wear one of my new tie dye tops for my birthday.  Yep, thirty-eight years ago today, I came into the world looking, I imagine, every bit as bewildered as I do here on my kinda-sorta-but-not-quite-tie-dye rug:

Back then, my mom used to tape bows to my tiny, hairless head.  Maybe that's where I got my love of accessories?  Anyway, much like tie-dye, birthdays make you think about where you're going and where you've been.  And I can honestly say that I'm a lot happier at thirty-eight than I was at twenty-eight or eighteen.  Partly because I'm more settled, partly because I'm more confident.  

And partly because I've got a bigger closet.      

As a Capricorn goat, it takes me a long time to get where I'm going.  But I've always been equipped for the climb.  Which makes me wonder what the next ten, twenty, or even thirty-eight years will bring.

Hopefully, pizza.  And a No Doubt reunion. 

Make and Tell Challenge, Day 72: Totes Galore

Last night, I gave myself off from the Challenge. I didn't really want to. But I knew I couldn't pick up a paint brush. It happens. But I made up for it today. I had off from work (thank you, veterans), so I had plenty of time. I finished the Mandarin Magic tote and the Fruit Splash tote and even started this Flame Rose tote, which will have an olive green background peeking through with a little leopard. Thanks to all who entered the First Ever Tote Trove Giveaway, by the way (closes at midnight on Sunday so you can still enter!). Your feedback about my large totes has been helpful. I had a feeling the animal print and floral themes would win out, and I was right! I'd started playing with this theme back when I was doing only medium totes; in fact, I was trying to do a whole line of them. But then I moved on to the large totes and sort of forgot about it. So thanks. The fish were also pretty popular, which is also good to know.

While painting, I watched Reality Bites and Singles. I'd seen Reality Bites only once before, when I was about twelve. I didn't really get it then and thought it, well, bit. But today it made perfect sense. Which is kind of strange when you think about it, because now I'm in my late twenties and supposedly past all that idealistic post-college angst. Um, supposedly. As for Singles, I'd never seen it before. The highlight was Matt Dillon as a clueless, long-haired rocker with Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell as band mates. Hilarious.