The Mustang Gang: Father Knows Jest

I was getting into my car to drive to my parents' to drive to my sister's for Father's Day when my mom called.  "Wear warm clothes," she warned.  "We're taking the Mustang."  A couple of years ago, my dad finally bought his dream car, a gently used, painstakingly maintained Mustang convertible, and he drives it every chance he gets.  

I'd ridden in it only once, last Father's Day, on an ice cream run.  But my sister's was forty minutes from my parents'.  So I knew that I needed to bring the big guns in the form of a hoodie and scarf.  And I was glad I did!  For most of the ride, my face was entirely covered.  

Which was just fine with me, because warmth and sun protection in one.  Even if my sister said that I looked like "something out of an '80s Grey Gardens."     

     

Anyway, a good time was had by all.  It was a day of dad jokes and classic rock (The Cars, as Dad quipped, appropriately included) and baseball talk (the Phillies lost, but they'll get them next time.)  We had hot dogs and hamburgers by the pool, and I got to hang out with my nieces and nephew.  The seven-month-old had a high time playing with my necklace, which was adorable until she tried to eat it.

On the way to my sister's, we had stopped at Acme so Mom could pick up some ice cream (apparently, the Mustang's programmed to fetch Father's Day dairy).  Dad and I waited in the car.  He took off his baseball cap and said that his hair was almost all white.  I said that it looked good on him, and that I had more white hairs too.  When Mom returned, Breyers melting in hand, Dad filled her in on our conversation.  I thought that it was poignant that we'd gone from Dad teaching me how to ride a bike and drive a car to us comparing notes about the follicular passage of time.

At the end of the day, Dad thanked Mom and me for humoring him with the Mustang.  And although we didn't say so in pun form at the time, wild horses couldn't drag us away.

On that note, I hope that everyone had a happy and memorable Father's Day.  Hopefully, with lots of laughs and ice cream. :)

Take Me Out to the Mall Game

I was all set to post about rainbows when I was steaming this "what splatters most" tee to wear to the grocery store (yes, that's what it's really called.  Oh, Modcloth, is there no end to your whimsical wordplay?) when I had an epiphany.  Why not post about my raglan tee collection instead?  'Cause I love a good raglan.  It's the best part of baseball (ok, the only good part unless you count the Philly Phanatic or maybe those satin bomber jackets, which are really just the raglans of outerwear).  Factor in the contrasting colors of the sleeves and torso, the way the name sounds like ragtime and also ragamuffin, and the likelihood of a beloved licensed image emblazoning the front, and you've got a home run, my friend.

 Green Gleam Necklace

Regal Radiance Cuff

Tee: Modcloth

Skirt: Amazon

Shoes: Delicious, Zulily

Bag: Sleepyville Critters, Zulily

Belt: Belt is Cool, Amazon

 Sadie Stripes Gumball Necklace

Pink Heart Pompom Bow Barrette

Tee: Kohl's

Skirt: Arizona Jeans, JCPenney

Shoes: Worthington, JCPenney

Wristlet: City Streets, JCPenney

Fun fact: I was wearing this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles tee (although not the backwards mini) when my nephew was born.  Because what boy should come into the world without seeing crime-fighting amphibians busting out of a sewer and shouting "Cowabunga!"?  Also, I ditched the splatter tee in favor of it today.  It seemed fitting to finally represent turtle power as I rolled my cart past that TMNT cookie mix where Leonardo's head looks like a sad, spreading puddle.     

Stella Star Necklace

Cheerful Charm Bracelet 

Tee: Macy's

Skirt: Dollhouse, Zulily

Shoes: Guess, Marshalls

Bag: Nordstrom

Purse charm: Staples

As for the stuff I made this week, it's kind of a hodgepodge.  I was scraping the bottom of the craft supply drawer, which makes for a fast and loose look that luckily works well with tee shirts.  You know, not too fussy or precious or planned.  Kind of like the Cracker Jack prizes that kids once oohed and ahhed over while watching the game.  That is, if the song is to be believed.  That line might well have been just product placement by big Cracker Jack.

And with that we've already reached the bottom of the ninth.  Be sure to check back later this week for that breaking update on rainbows.

New Etsy Buys and a Little Surprise

When it was time to scope out Valentine's Day gifts for my family, I returned to Etsy's Ivy Lane Designs, where I'd found the wonderful Andy Williams notebook for my sister the Christmas before last. This time I discovered a notebook featuring another campy crooner, this time for my mom.

When I was a kid, my mom played her Michael Bolton tapes in the car so often that "Soul Provider," "How Can We Be Lovers (If We Can't Be Friends)?," "Said I Loved You But I Lied," and "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?" became the soundtrack of my childhood. (Well, that and Hall and Oates.) She looked a little shocked when she saw Michael's face peering at her from beneath the wrapping paper. (As would anyone.) But I think she was amused.

Here are some of the other goodies I picked up:

I didn't find Uncle Oinker's Gummy Bacon candy on Etsy. A friend of my mom's stumbled upon it at Jack's Country Store and thought it might be a fun gag gift for the bf, because he's such a fan of bacon. I liked the idea so much that I ran with the theme, throwing in the Oscar Mayer notebook pictured above and a card featuring a heart made of -- what else -- bacon. He seemed to get a kick out of it.

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!

Make and Tell Challenge: Day 61

Today I went grocery shopping, made two pumpkin pies, did the dishes, did three loads of laundry, and painted the second coat of the Rainbow Roses Tote while watching the last half of Failure to Launch, a movie I only marginally like and have seen far too many times, and three episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond. I never watched that one while it was in prime time, but I had a drama/literature professor who liked to analyze the characters the way you would literary characters. I think he was going for an everyday human drama thing, peeling back the psychological layers of seemingly normal people to explain why they sometimes do abnormal things. If nothing else, that take makes it more interesting for me to watch.

The bf and I will be departing soon for my parents' house, where we'll be watching the World Series. Well, my dad will be watching. He's the original Phillies fanatic (ha ha), so I'm hoping they win; otherwise he'll be one unhappy camper. I'll be drawing totes and/or making jewelry. The pies are my contribution to the evening. I never made them before, but I followed the recipe on the Libby's pumpkin can (with only a few of my signature departures), and they smell good, so my hopes are high.

Here's a picture of the bf clowning around for your Halloween enjoyment. It wasn't actually taken today, but a few months back when I was putting seasonal stuff in the attic. Ironically, the pumpkin candy holder thing is not with us today. Not that it matters; Brigantine becomes a ghost town after Labor Day, which means zero trick-or-treaters. I didn't realize that last year, and the bf and I ended up eating all of the goodies ourselves. Oh, and here are my (festive) feet from yesterday. I wasn't so keen on the way the rest of my outfit photographed, so that's why this is all there is.