Spring Fur Sure, A Lamb at the Door, and Also Sometimes Some Turquoise

Jacket: Sunset & Sixth, JCPenney

Red Planet Janet Necklace

Skirt: I Heart Ronson, JCPenney

Shoes: Chase & Chloe, Zulily

Yellow bangle: B Fabulous; Coral bangle: Silver Lining, Ocean City; Maroon bangle: Iris Apfel for INC, Macy's; Ring: Making Waves, Ocean City; Bag: Betsey Johnson, Amazon

Skirt: Hollister, Marshalls

Get in Gear Necklace

Sweater: GAP

Heart of Hearts Barrette Brooch

Skirt (a dress!): Three Pink Hearts, Kohl's

Bag: TJ Maxx

Top: Jessica Simpson Collection, Amazon

Bangle: Simply Vera, Kohl's

Belts: Hand-me-downs from Mom; Headband: INC, Macy's; Necklace: Betsey Johnson, Amazon; Ring: Mixit, JCPenney

Tights: Xhilaration, Target; Shoes: Nine West, Zulily

After an unusually snowy winter, spring is finally here!  The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the air smells like hope and grass clippings.  And also . . . it's still kind of chilly.  At least it is here in New Jersey, where spring doesn't so much arrive as make a guest appearance and clear out for the diva that is summer.  But I'm not complaining.  Because it gives me an excuse to flaunt my faux furs (summer's not the only diva), a luxury I'll enjoy until that menacing March lion retreats for good.

Fur or no fur, I am springing forward with one fresh new something: makeup!  I know I've mentioned this before, but back in high school, I collected cosmetics.  I had Caboodles full of lipsticks and eyeshadows in every color.  But like so many women, as I grew older and wiser, I narrowed my stash down to what worked -- Revlon Cherries in the Snow lipstick and Cover Girl Champagne eyeshadow.  And save for the occasional rogue impulse purchase, I never looked back.  The only way I'd ever wear gold lipstick again was if it was Halloween and I was going as C-3PO.  But then not too long ago, I crossed paths with some dangerously dark blue Revlon eyeshadow, followed by prettily packaged Sephora lipsticks and bright L'Oreal eyeshadow quads (buy two get one free at Walgreens!) that I just couldn't resist.  Entranced by their sleek newness and alluring shades, I uttered a silent apology to my tried-and-trues and thought, why not?  

Pink lipstick: Celebrate; Red lipstick: A Little Magic; Sephora, Kohl's 

Turquoise eyeshadow: Avant Garde Azure; Purple eyeshadow: Voilet Amour; Silver eyeshadow: Silver Couture; L'Oreal, Walgreens

Here I am trying out my new red lipstick and turquoise eyeshadow:

Headband: So, Kohl's; Top: BCX, Macy's

The eyeshadow is more intense than I expected, like the taste of birthday cake ice cream.  And I am committing the twin cardinal cosmetics sins of 1) matching my eyeshadow to my outfit and 2) rocking a bold lip and eye instead of just one or the other.  But I don't care; I love it!  (Cue the Icona Pop, people.)  It's fun to have an alternative to my go-to palette.  It makes me feel like the possibilities are endless.  Like I have a technicolor time machine and am sixteen again, browsing the beauty aisle at Thrift Drug.  That was a time when a new pot of lip gloss -- like lots of '90s girls, I was into the fruit flavors from Naturistics --could change your life.  Or at least make you think it could.   

But then, I guess that's the magic of makeup.  And of youth and rejuvenation.

So, in other words, spring.

A Case of Space: Reach for the Mars Bar

Alien Admirer Barrette Brooch

Everyone wonders if there's something else out there.  Like little green men on a moon made of cheese or slimy mammoths that can crush us like bugs.  But Roswell-based, seventeen-year-old Mallory Sullivan is certain that Earth isn't the only game in the solar system.  A fan of outer space and all things alien, she's a regular on a message board called We Are Not Alone, or WANA.  On it, she connects -- and argues -- with a brilliant but snarky stranger.  

"Um, okay, Tote Trove Lady," you may be thinking.  "But who the heck's Mallory, and why should I put down my Pringles to care?" 

I'll answer that question by asking another.  Remember Kerry Winfrey, author of rom com-rific novels Waiting for Tom Hanks and Not Like the Movies?  Well, her first book was a YA novel called Love and Other Alien Experiences.  It's light-hearted and colorful and bubbly.  And it's about a girl named Mallory who never, ever leaves the house.  Mallory's always been anxious.  But her agoraphobia didn't start until her dad left her, her mom, and her younger brother Linc.  Now she gets panic attacks every time she opens her front door and goes to school via Zoom.  Other than her mom and Linc, her best friend Jenni is the only person she talks to IRL.  Her mom and therapist are frustrated with her, and her mom has installed a tracker on her computer to limit her time online.  It isn't until Mallory is -- surprise! -- nominated for homecoming queen that she's forced to interact with others.  This means partnering up with school heartthrob and quarterback Brad on a physics project.  It also means spending time with Brad's stepbrother, the mysterious and arrogant Jake.  Brad is a loveable dunce; Jake is an antisocial genius.  But both are important in encouraging Mallory to begin to confront her phobia.  

Now, that's all pretty out there.  And I'm not just talking about the homecoming queen part (although Mallory does get to try on some funky thrift store dresses).  The really weird thing is that in the last book I read, Elin Hilderbrand's 28 Summers, the heroine was also named Mallory, the love interest was also named Jake (sorry not sorry; surely, you saw that one coming), and there was another Linc.  Only this time it was spelled Link and he was Mallory's son instead of her brother.  I don't know about you, but I can already hear The Twilight Zone music playing.  28 Summers, by the way, is a Nicholas Sparks-level tearjerker.  No one in it has a debilitating psychological disorder; it's a drama about star-crossed love vs. humdrum marriage.  But it's super sad and made me cry.  Love and Other Alien Experiences, on the other hand, seems like it would be as serious as an abduction but instead has a top-forty-soundtrack-neon-palette vibe.  I mean, the popular guy isn't even a jerk!  Which just goes to show that it's the tone and not the subject matter that makes or breaks a novel's gravity -- and a protagonist's spirit.  On the surface, I prefer 28 Summers.  Because I'm a grown-up.  And because it includes yet another reference to Cherries in the Snow as being someone's ideal red lipstick (even if that someone is the villain).  Yet romance and Revlon aside, it's Love and Other Alien Experiences that I'm compelled to quote here today.  This is what Mallory tells us:

"That's what I like about the Internet -- I'm allowed to be silent, to think, to just sit.  I don't have to worry about whether I have something in my teeth or if my bangs look greasy.  My awkward conversation skills don't even matter, and I can be the best version of myself on-screen." (99)

A girl who's afraid to go outside but obsessed with the wide open spaces of, well, outer space, is a closed and open book all at once.  The idea of running into the mean girls at school unnerves her, but aliens?  No big deal.  The great unknown of the galaxy is more comforting than the certain uncertainty of high school and a runaway dad.  Unlike the Mallory in 28 Summers, I've never had a forbidden romance.  But like the Mallory in Love and Other Alien Experiences, I know what it's like to be more comfortable in the virtual world than the real one.  To lean in to the luxury of being able to process and curate my thoughts instead of delivering a clever comeback with zero prep time.  Also, to fart whenever I want to.     

Which is, of course, one of the many reasons that I love crafting (the solitude, that is, not the farting).  Crafting, like reading and writing, is a party for one that runs on my own timetable.  I made this Alien Admirer Barrette Brooch before I read Love and Other Alien Experiences.  But the book had been hiding, Jedi-style, in the recesses of my Amazon shopping list.  So maybe it did influence the idea for this disembodied green head floating amid the flowers.    

Tank: Say What?, JCPenney

The husband says that the alien and steer skull eyes in my felt work are the same.  Which is kind of funny because both aliens and steer skulls can be found in the desert -- the desert of Roswell.  Here's one of my much-posted desert scapes for comparison: 

Fabulous Felt Desert Barrette

This felt phenomenon is my kind of eerie; no Fire in the Sky for me!  But I like that Mallory likes aliens.  Because they, and the other people who like them, make her feel like she's less alone.  I'm glad that one of them turned out to be her person.  

And that she didn't wear that bloodstained dress to the prom.

Vibe of the Vest, Punky Knows Best

Shoes: Steve Madden, Macy's; Bag: Worthington, JCPenney

Sugar Thrillz, Dolls Kill

Punky Brewster, funky rooster, what riches have you on your ranch?  Never mind that ranches are for horses, not chickens, and that the richest thing a rooster has is a strong fox in the hen house game.

Back in the day, some people used to call me Ms. Brewster.  And it wasn't even because I wore vests (I didn't).  The reference came about because of my colorful, collage-like aesthetic, which suggested that I just might still have a sticker book.  The first time it happened, I was a senior in high school, and it really annoyed me.  I was in a summer program sponsored by the Rotary Club (don't ask), and it came up in the newsletter, a sort of who's who superlative piece where other girls got to be compared to Natalie Portman (this being the year of Star Wars: Episode One) and Denise Richards.  I thought that my look was daring, maybe even a little subversive, so realizing that I reminded people of a character who pounded juice boxes was upsetting.  The next time I heard, "Hey, do you know who you look like?", it wasn't until I was thirty and at the dentist's office.  But by then I didn't mind as much.  In fact, I even kind of liked it.  Maybe with age I'd grown more comfortable with my kooky persona.  Either that or I was hoping that the hygienist would let me pick something out of the prize box.   

  

But life's like that, right?  You live and you learn and then you wear more outfits.  It's like my tee shirt in this first pic says: good vibes or goodbye.  (Not that you should always believe what you read.  I once knew a girl who had a patch on her backpack that said "mean people suck," and she was the meanest girl ever.)  This slightly snarky yet profound maxim may be having a moment, but its message is timeless.  To feel good, you have to stay positive.  Even when it's hard.  Especially when it's hard.  Which sometimes (scratch that, most of the time) means kicking not-so-positive stuff out of your life.  Or at least out of your head.  

Only then does it all become easy.  Well, easy-ish.

Now I'm proud to be called Punky.  She's a cheerful pop culture icon, and if I remind people of someone that crayon box bold, then so be it.  

Just as long as no one ever calls me Vicki from "Small Wonder."  I'm cool with the robot bit, but I don't do housework.

When Snacks Attack

 Lemon Snack Attack Corsage Necklace

Dress: Kohl's

Cardigan: Worthington, JCPenney

Shoes: Worthington, JCPenney

Bag: Loop, Marshalls

Scarves: A.C. Moore

 Chocolate Snack Attack Corsage Necklace

Top: Merona, Target

Jeans: Vanilla Star, Target

Shoes: Guess, DSW

Bag: Glamour Damaged, Etsy

 Raspberry Snack Attack Corsage Necklace

Dress: Xhilaration, Target

Sweater: Worthington, JCPenney

Shoes: Nine West, Burlington Coat Factory

Bag: Chinese Laundry, JCPenney

Belt: Apt. 9, Kohl's

There's nothing quite like the craving for a pudding cup.  Or, for that matter, a cookie.  But we'll get to that in a minute.  Pudding's cool, satiny texture and parfait-layered pastels are just the thing to quell a stomach that's been eating itself.  So, in the spirit of smooth sweets I upgraded these old corsages made from JELL-O Temptations packaging by garnishing them with delicious duds.  

Speaking of snacks, I picked up these Keebler cinnamon roll cookies to try.  Partly because they're endorsed by Cinnabon, partly because I was fresh off last Thursday's "30 Rock" episode in which Liz Lemon weds James Marsden clad in full Princess Leia regalia.  I'm no Star Wars (or city hall ceremony) fan, but I do love an against-the-grain wedding that's more about people than pretense.  May the force be with you, Liz.  

Enter to Win Something Adorable From Tracey Knits!

EtsyNJ artist TraceyKnits is having a giveaway! Up for grabs is -- wait for it -- a $30 gift certificate! Tracey offers an exciting array of hand-knit items including enchanting golf club covers like the one pictured here, kids' football helmets, and fashion accessories. I have two of the golf club covers (Yoda and Philadelphia Phillies), and they're even cuter in person. Intrigued? Then head on over to Audrey's Giveaway blog (the host of the giveaway) to try your luck!

A Very Etsy Christmas

This Christmas, I had the best time searching for gifts on Etsy. My purchases ran the gamut from jewelry to prints. Everyone seemed genuinely pleased upon opening everything. Also, each of these sellers sent everything quickly, so I didn't have to worry about stuff not getting here before the big day. So, without further ado, here's what I bought.

My sister was the easiest person to shop for, as she had helpfully marked several Etsy shops and items as favorites. Here's what I picked:

Andy Williams Christmas Album Notebook, Ivy Lane Designs

Red Sparrow Necklace, Design by Cassandra

Headphones Owl Tee, Gnome Enterprises

Ladder Necklace, Jibby and Juna

Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner Magnets, Elloh

Mysterious Butterfly Necklace, Mama's Little Babies

Queen Anne's Lace Jersey Print Scarf, Dwellin Style

Yellow Flower Super Bunny, Murdock Design

My sister liked this Mysterious Butterfly Necklace and Queen Anne's Lace Jersey Print Scarf so much that she put them on right away! And the Yellow Flower Super Bunny was such a hit that she carried it around all day.

Philadelphia Eagles Golf Club Cover, Tracey Knits

Ode to 30 Rock Print, Elloh

At first I thought it would be impossible to find something for Dad on Etsy. But then I interviewed Tracey Rediker of Tracey Knits for my featured artist series. I asked her if she could make a custom Eagles golf club cover, and she obliged in record time! My dad, who is the most diehard Eagles fan out there, got a huge kick out of it. For Dad's next gift, I returned to the tried-and-true Elloh, where I stumbled upon this striking likeness of the 30 Rock crew. 30 Rock being one of Dad's favorite shows, I knew he'd be happy. He was, adding that he had no idea that Etsy offered such personal, unique gifts.

Flirty Brown-eyed Susan Scarf, Babbidge Patch

Mom loves a great accessory, and this Flirty Brown-eyed Susan Scarf screamed her style in brown in gold. She wound it around her neck immediately.

Yoda Star Wars Golf Club Cover, Tracey Knits

AC/DC Vinyl Fine Photograph, Brief Moments

Superhero Fridge Magnets, What's Eating Yin

Looking over my shoulder as I was surfing Etsy one night, the bf spied Yoda and was instantly charmed. "You don't even play golf," I said. "So?" he replied. "You can put him anywhere." I couldn't argue with that, especially because Yoda was so darn adorable. So into the cart he went. The bf started doing a (surprisingly dead-on) Yoda impression upon opening it. 'Nuff said. Yoda now resides on an empty paper towel roll on our bookshelf, on display for all to see. The bf was also excited about the AC/DC Vinyl Fine Photograph (already hanging in our hallway) and Superhero Fridge Magnets. They were my little way of saying, "Here's some masculine décor. Thanks for living in a house overflowing with girly tote bags and shoes."

Nautical Lighthouse Throw Pillow, KelRae Designs

The bf's stepmom loves lighthouses, so when I found this Nautical Lighthouse Throw Pillow, I knew it was perfect.

So there you have it. My first Very Etsy Christmas was a success. I can't wait to see what I find next year!