One Bright Sprite and the Three Stars of Rainbow: Night Skies, Equines, and Alt Rock

Sweatshirt: Forever 21;  Coat: Jou Jou, Macy's

Skirt: Tinseltown, Macy's; Bag: Betsey Johnson, Macy's

Paint Party Necklace; Black and white necklace: Mixit, JCPenney

Sweater: Gap; Coat: IZ Buyer, Kohl's; Bag: Betsey Johnson, Amazon; Boots: Betsey Johnson, Macy's

Pink Piano Barrettes

Yellow bangles: B Fabulous; Strawberry bangle: Delia's

Coat: Wild Fable, Target; Bag: Worthington, JCPenney; Shoes: Mix No. 6, DSW

Mystery Necklace: Ready, set, solve!

Jeans: Simply Vera, Kohl's; Tee: Modern Lux, Target

One bright sprite -- that's me.  Because if I can't be Rainbow -- Brite, that is -- then I might as well be her sidekick.  Or, you know, a citrus soft drink.  

Sadly, none of my actual sprites from the '80s survived (I wasn't always the dedicated hoarder that I am today), so all I have is this Hallmark Itty Bitty from the 2010s:  

Maybe I should ask the heavens -- and also, ironically, RB's steed Starlite -- to send some my way: 

"Star light, star bright/First star I see tonight/I wish I may, I wish I might/Have this wish I wish tonight."  

If that doesn't work, then I'll crank up the Muse.

Eagles Nest Best

Sweatshirt: Bongo, Sears; Jeans: Candie's, Kohl's; Bag: Princess Vera, Kohl's

Shoes: Betsey Johnson, Macy's

Bird necklace: Mudd, Kohl's; Green necklace: Candie's, Kohl's; Barrette: XOXO, Ross

Over the years, I've made it clear that I'm not into sports, and that includes football.  But when the home team's in the Super Bowl, I can't help but jump on the bandwagon.  Especially because my dad's the biggest Philadelphia Eagles fan ever.  He even wore one of his many team sweatshirts during last night's Valentine's dinner.  I wore red, not to support Kansas City, but St. Valentine.  Yet today when I went out to run errands, I felt moved to don green and silver.  I even dug up my silver bird necklace, although it's a phoenix instead of an eagle.  Then again, maybe a phoenix is appropriate after all, considering the Eagles' frequent underdog status and their inspiring 2018 Super Bowl win against the Patriots.

So, fly, Eagles, fly, rise, Eagles, rise -- on the way to a fiery victory!

Postest With the Mostest: Sealed With a Kitsch

Shoes: Chase & Chloe, Zulily

Top: Rebellious One, Macy's

Bracelet: Amrita Singh, Zulily; Parrot Ring: Francesca's; Necklace: The Tote Trove; Clip: Wild Fable, Target; Chartreuse Ring: Claire's

Pants: Princess Vera, Kohl's

Bag: Amazon

Top: Candie's, Kohl's

Bangles: B Fabulous; Rainbow necklace and feather barrette: The Tote Trove; Pink necklace: H&M; Green bracelet: Parade of Shoes; Ring: Making Waves, Ocean City

Shoes: Betsey Johnson, Macy's

Kitschy Cactus Necklace

Top: Delia's, Dolls Kill

Skirt: Wild Fable, Target; Tights: Xhilaration, Target; Black bangle: Petite Sophisticate; Next bangle: Bloomingsales Florist, Brigantine; Next bangle group: Mixit, JCPenney; Last three bangles: Steve Madden, Macy's; Owl ring: Decree, JCPenney; Peacock ring: Candie's, Kohl's

Headbands: Gifted

Spider necklace: SHEIN

They used to say that there was magic in getting the mail.  You know, as in, what will come today?  A letter from a faraway friend?  An invitation to a holiday party?  A magazine with recipes and perfume samples?  Sure, it could be a pesky bill, or a flyer for discount dental.  But the hope that it could be something exciting always seemed to tip the odds.  Not so in this age of texts and Evites, where paper is persona non grata.  

Maybe that's why I feel like I'm on a mission whenever I go to the post office with a Tote Trove package.  (If you look closely at the second outfit pic, then you can see the telltale manila envelope under my arm.)  Sending someone something happy to chase away the gray makes me happy.  Nostalgic yet steady, mail is an old school way to connect, correspondence based on things you can see and feel and old-fashioned anticipation.   

Unless, of course, Newman's on duty.  

Don't Fret, Pet: Just Sit Back and Savor Your Ice Cream

Elephant and Unicorns Charm Necklace

Black tee: Merona, Target

Tank: Bisou Bisou, J. C. Penney's

Skirt (a dress!): Zulily

Shoes: Worthington, J. C. Penney's

Bag: Princess Vera, Kohl's

One of the reasons I love to craft is that it's therapeutic.  Which I don't think is a secret, because I weave some version of this theme into most of my posts.  I find it freeing to work with my hands, to know that at the end of my labors I'll have something tangible that I -- or maybe even someone else -- will love.  The fact that that something is the product of my own whim is always satisfying.  It reminds me that I'm putting the best of me out into the world and that it's this best that makes my world brighter.        

So, I thought I'd blog about the power of looking on the bright side.  And why not start with pet peeves -- those peeves that you feed, and in feeding, of course, keep alive.  We all have things that annoy us.  Maybe even enrage us.  But hanging on to gripes, feuds, and ill will of any kind is a sure-fire way to get an ulcer.  I didn't always believe this.  There was a time when I thought that hanging on to the bad stuff meant that I was in control, that mulling it over again and again would help me figure it out.  But then, after one bump in the road too many, I realized that the only way to get behind something was to put it behind me.  Because most stuff is out of our control anyway and not worth worrying about.  I had to learn that relaxing didn't mean giving up, but instead choosing to enjoy life.  Which wasn't easy.  Because to me, it seemed that everyone and her brother seemed to want a say in what I was doing.  I'd go to the dentist, and they'd tell me to floss more.  I'd go to the hairdresser, and they'd say that I had too many split ends.  These are trivial examples, but they show how even the tiniest stresses once unnerved me.  After a while, it felt like my whole life was one giant report card that wasn't up to snuff.  Which was exhausting because here's the thing that they don't tell you when you're a straight-A student (as I was at one point in my life).  It never ends.  Not until the day you speak up and say, "Enough!" and live life the way you want to.  Maybe you want to travel the world or train elephants or open up an ice cream shop.  Whatever it is, it won't be easy.  Some people in your life won't like it (your dentist, for one, especially if you go with the ice cream) and will want you to keep striving for As.  But those are usually not people you want around anyway.  And whatever obstacles you face, pursuing your dream is always worth it.  Even if your dream is just to sit on the couch and watch sitcoms.  Because once you stop caring about grades -- which is a fancy way of saying that once you stop caring about what people think -- your life becomes one long vacation.  Not the kind where you burn in the sun, but the kind where you do the things that make you smile.      

I don't want to train elephants, just make them into accessories (but not, to be clear, in an illegal, poached ivory way).  That's my dream.  Not to mention the only pet I want in my house.  Which isn't merely a metaphor.  A slobbery mutt that licks its butt, then you?  No thanks.  I'd rather have it out with the dentist.

Writing this post was cathartic for me.  But I also hope that it finds its way to someone who needs it and that it helps her (or him) too.

Then again, it's also possible that I offended dog lovers.  

Good thing I won't worry about it.

Something from the Star: Bright Light, Lite Brite

Neon Orange and Chartreuse Barrettes

Neon Purple, Blue, and Pink Barrettes

Banana Bow Barrette

 Neon Pink, Chartreuse, and Orange Barrettes

Inner Circle Barrette

Neon Purple and Pink Barrettes 

 Yellow Bow Barrettes

Top: Candie's, Kohl's

Skirt (a dress!): Modcloth

Shoes: Circus by Sam Edelman, Kohl's

Bag: Princess Vera, Kohl's

Belt: Gifted

What do G. Love & Special Sauce, Gremlins, and that Christmas light-like toy have in common?  They're all about lights and getting lit.  Although not necessarily in that order.  

Because Friday was the solstice, I thought it was a good time for a party look made for -- what else? -- northern lights and winter nights.  Enter this fluorescent frock, sparkly black top, and starry clutch  (holographic parka to ward off frostbite excluded.)  The top reminds me of an inky black sky, making for a spangled, albeit slightly smoggy backdrop for the brooch-styled barrettes.  I've worn it only once, to the movies.  This outfit, however, is ideal for clubbing in Juneau or Helsinki while downing mulled ciders and hot buttered rums.  Or, in my case, hot chocolates and herbal teas (see aforementioned sentence about me wearing this top to see Daddy's Home 2).  Because December is no time to guzzle the cold beverages so immortalized by the Sauce. 

So, about these barrettes.  I can't stop staring at them!  What can I say, their vivid colors and graphic shapes speak to me.  To make them, I decided not to fool with the craft store fare of openwork metal French and alligator clips and instead headed straight to the source, a.k.a. the grocery store grooming aisle, for Scunci and Goody.  These high-quality barrettes are comprised of French clips covered with durable plastic bars that make sturdy perches for cabochons.  The finished products make me think of candy, all colorful and shiny.  And yes, tasty.  Is it bad form to call one's own stuff tasty?  Not according to wannabe rap icon Big Tasty.  Then again, it's probably bad form to view the misguided middle kid from The Goldbergs as any kind of role model.  

One thing's for sure; these barrettes are a step up from the first barrette I ever made, which featured a weird, disembodied harlequin head.  I was about ten and big into harlequins, which were everywhere in the '90s.  Don't ask.  Anyway, the barrette was a big, gold-rimmed white plastic rectangle to which I affixed a ceramic sparkly green and purple turbanned head.  It was pretty heavy (figuratively and literally, clown motifs always being disturbing), and I don't think I ever wore it.  Kind of like how I rarely played with my Lite Brite set.  That was more of my sister's thing (literally; it was her toy.)  Maybe that was because of the if-not-menacing-than-unquestionably-unsettling clown head on the box.  The head that was most certainly that of a workaday circus performer and not a high-brow harlequin.  

It always comes back to clowns.  Maybe they're the ones we shouldn't feed after midnight.  

Junior Mint Hint: I Want Candie's

 Punchy Pendant Necklace

Top: Candie's, Kohl's

Skirt: H&M

Shoes: Jessica Simpson, ROSS Dress for Less

Bag: Guess, Macy's

Belt: Kohl's

Striped bangle: Mixit, JCPenney

Stretch bracelets: Princess Vera, Kohl's

 Pastel Princess Necklace

Top: Candie's, Kohl's

Skirt (a dress!): Kohl's

Shoes: Worthington, JCPenney

Bag: Nine West, gifted

Belt: Flotsam and jetsam from my craft room

Black bangle: Mixit, JCPenney

Blue bangle: Kohl's

Stretch bracelet: Cloud Nine

 Red Blow Bling Necklace

Top: Candie's, Kohl's

Skirt: Tinseltown, Macy's

Shoes: Chase & Chloe, Modcloth

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Modcloth

Red bangle, B Fabulous

Stretch bracelet: Amrita Singh, Zulily

Strawberry print bangle: B Fabulous

For years now, I've been gobbling up Candie's.  I like the brand because it offers lots of staples -- basics with bite that make for nice necklace backdrops.  Sometimes I get caught up in clothes that are overly fancy, which is fine ('cause I'm all for the fanciness), but that can present a problem when it's time to accessorize.  So, it's nice to have a standard-but-special go-to.  Another reason I like Candie's is because it's good quality, which is to say that most of it is made of polyester (a.k.a my miracle fabric) that never fades or wrinkles.  I remember when I first saw it all in the juniors section of the Kohl's I'd visit on my lunch break.  I thought, oh, Candie's, how exclusive, thinking of those iconic and pricey sandals in Macy's.  I didn't think I'd actually own any of it -- which was silly, considering that the stuff is pretty affordable and now takes up prime real estate in my closet.  But then, I was young and naive (and, yes, making less) and not factoring in all those now-famous Kohl's promotions.  These days I'm as addicted to Kohl's cash as much as the next middle class American, earning it only to spend it and then earn some more.  I was at my local store a couple of weeks ago when the teenage cashier handed me my bright green coupon with a somewhat jaded "now you have to come back and spend more money."  "Or go online," I said with spirit (although, looking back, this wasn't so much a retort as it was a confession; a breezy "your-job-depends-on-my-rampant-retail-therapy" would've packed much more of a punch).  That said, I did end up going online this weekend.  I ordered a yellow dress and a red sweater (Ronald McDonald forever!) for a mere twenty-six dollars including shipping.

You know how people say that if you find something you like you should buy it in every color?  Well, since the summer I've been collecting these print, lace-insert tops.  And so I thought it'd be fun to photograph them with some of my candy-themed barrettes.

There is indeed a Junior Mint in there somewhere, although, sadly, no Reese's Pieces.  But then again, I suppose you'd have to head over to Draper James for those (insert groan-slash-drum-sound-effect).  Anyway, these tops come in at least half a dozen more prints, but after the sixth one, I said enough -- it's time to move on to button-downs.  Still, they're good pieces to layer year round.  Tomorrow I'm wearing the red one over a black and white polka dot blouse, cinched with my favorite yellow belt.

I wasn't kidding about Ronald McDonald.

Romper Room Vroom: Three's Company Hue

Blues Cues Charm Necklace

Pretty Parfait Whistle Purse Charm

Top: Liz Claiborne, Marshalls
Skirt: Modcloth
Shoes: Christian Siriano for Payless
Bag: Betsey Johnson, Macy's
Belt: Apt. 9, Kohl's
Sunglasses: Rampage, Boscov's

Prehistoric Princess Necklace

Top: Arizona Jeans, JCPenney

Shorts: Merona, Target

Shoes: Ami Clubwear

Bag: Betsey Johnson

Sunglasses: The Tote Trove

Brenda Bow Necklace 

Pretty Parfait Elephant Purse Charm 

Top: Wet Seal
Skirt: Stoosh, Macy's
Shoes: Ami Clubwear
Bag: Princess Vera, Kohl's
Sunglasses: Mudd, Kohl's

I said I'd never wear a romper.  Not only do they present a bathroom conundrum, but they kind of sort of scream three-year-old (a demographic that is, incidentally, no stranger to potty problems).  And yet, there's still something about them.  I blame this on my childhood fascination with "Three's Company" reruns (really, every six-year-old should be so invested in the antics of Santa Monica singles).  So, I found myself trying on two in the past week: a candy striped confection from Kohl's and a floral affair from JCPenney.  And each time it was, as I predicted, a very bad scene.  Ladies (and gentlemen; I'm not here to judge), if you've ever been in a fitting room struggling to squeeze into a garment and have heard the heart-stopping sound of seams ripping, then you know exactly what I mean.  Needless to say, I went home empty-handed.  And promptly ordered this ice cream truck from Amazon:

Ice cream means summer, and summer means shorts.  Which is why I have a cute flowered pair (ice cream!) sandwiched between two skirts in this week's ensembles.  Of course, in this post, ice cream also means purse charms.  I had the best time recreating the same colorful parfaits I used to make my Sherbet Shenanigans Necklaces.  Only this time I paired them with -- you guessed it -- Flash Charms!  Despite my recent lament that I'd soon be out of these totally 1980s treasures, they've proved themselves to be the bottomless pasta bowl of my craft supply collection (not sure if I'm ripping off the Olive Garden or beloved children's book Strega Nona here, but I'm a happy camper as long as crafts and carbs are in abundance).  I even had enough charms left over to make my Blues Cues necklace, which fit in so well with its non-Flash Charm school companions.  I'm talking to you, Brenda Bow and Prehistoric Princess.  I don't know about you (you the reader, not you the necklaces), but I love living in a world where ribbons and reptiles can peacefully coexist.  Also, mythical rompers.

Perhaps somewhere out there in syndication Suzanne Somers is rocking a terry cloth number.  Even though Suzanne played Chrissy, not, ahem, her successor Terri.  That honor went to Priscilla Barnes.  Who, by the way, is now a paunchy villainess on "Jane the Virgin."  These days she favors caftans . . . and, more recently, an orange jumpsuit.  

Which is, when you think about it, just another kind of (oh so wrong) romper.