Category :Dresses

The Pendulum Swings

 

Sweater – hand me down
Belt & Tights – F21
Dress – Etsy
Shoes – Payless
I sometimes feel like a paradox, or maybe an oxymoron, if I can become a concept or a grammatical term instead of a person that is.  I strive for simplicity and complexity at the same time; for minimalism and shabby chic clutter.  In life surroundings, to design, to well everything, I seem to swing from moments of restraint to indulgence, thoughtful self-possession to emotional impulse.  My sartorial sense swings from the extremes of ruffles, lace, florals, and colors, to that of monochromatic minimalism.  I have yet to find the perfect balance that could define me. 
True Story:
Baby says with purpose, “A yaba gaba do do me goo.”
Husband says, “Now that, whatever she said, was a full sentence.”

Guilty Confessions

Sweater – Esprit
Dress – Trollied Dolly from Ruche
Tights – Hue
Boots – Locale

I’m going to confess something that I’m not sure I should confess but I kind of need to because it’s weighing on me and I need absolution. Here goes:

Andrew often snores, and so I have to wear earplugs because I can’t sleep through it.  He was going to be leaving for work at 7am, so he told me he would get up with Baby and wake me just before he left.  But at 7am she still wasn’t sleeping and he wondered if he should go up and take my earplugs out, but he decided that he didn’t want to wake me.  Not a big deal since I usually hear her crying through the plugs anyway.  But I didn’t this time.

I woke up at 8:45am…and panicked!  My first thought was irrational – that he had left for work and left her unattended alone downstairs.  My second thought was fearful – that something happened to her and she’s not breathing in her crib.  I ran into the room and found her lying there wide awake sucking her thumb.  That’s when the panic and fear were replaced by sheer, unadulterated guilt.  I had neglected her.  She might have been there crying awake for an hour and half and no one came for her!  Yes, she was safe and could not come to any physical harm in her crib, but the thought that she might have felt neglected or abandoned for so long sent me into a downward spiral of guilt.

I hugged her and apologized to her three times and explained what happened *though she probably didn’t understand*  My guilt let her watch two shows that morning and have a cookie as part of breakfast in the living room.

Mother’s guilt!

I felt better the next morning when she slept in until 8:30am – that means I might not have ignored her or if so then perhaps only for 15 minutes.  Phew!

Saturday Smiles: Good Stuff!

Hat & Leggings- F21; Arm Warmers – Ruche; Top – Trixie in Toronto; Dress – H&M; Leg Warmers – ?; Shoes – Thrifted.

Chocolate is officially off the list!  Only because I’m banning it, not because it doesn’t make me smile.

  1. The commercial shoot I did earlier this week – felt good to be on set, and felt great to book the first audition my new agent sent me on. 
  2. Red Earmuffs!
  3. Grandparents – thanks to which I could go to auditions, callbacks and shoots! 
  4. Foot massages – with the whiny baby I’ve had this week these have been a lifesaver.
  5. Days spent bumming around in slubby sweatshirts *see picture above*

True Story:
Baby and I both have tea *mint tea* in the afternoon, me in my mug and her in her antique china teacup. 

Toddler Gym 2000

Dress – ASOS; Belt & Earrings – F21; Boots – boutique in Roma.

Husband away?  No one there to cover you for your regular solo workout?  Well fret no more!  The Toddler Gym 2000 is here!  It’s fast. It’s easy. And it’s loads of fun!  *actually it’s neither fast nor easy, just the last one*  Core work is done in a flash with a toddler on your back as you hold the plank for three minutes.  The added weight will make your workout super efficient, and the wiggling babe will work your muscles from a variety of angles!

Need an upper body workout?  Old pushups are tossed to the side when you have a toddler straddling your bum for that extra added bonus challenge, and once that toddler migrates to underneath you the sloppy kisses will keep you coming down then up for more!

Forget those old boring lunges and squats.  Toddler Gym 2000 lets you get double the workout while you hold your babe in your arms and bounce her up and down with the movement of your body.  Her growing weight will give you buns of steel in no time, and the added challenge of holding her and moving her up and down will tone your biceps and triceps in 20 minutes or less!  And it doubles as a toddler entertainment center – Jolly Jumper for the sophisticated babe!

Act now, and for an unlimited time the Toddler Gym 2000 comes with your very own set of laughs and giggles that not only make the time fun, but give you and your toddler an added core workout.

True Story:
*see above*

Saturday Smiles: Introduction

Sweater – made by my Babcia; Dress – Ruche; Belt – F21; Tights – Hue; Shoes – Payless.

It’s a new year and a new start, right?  Not only do I have a Mamahood series starting soo, but I’m starting a new regular post.  In addition to Tuesday In Review *which I haven’t been too consistent on, but I do save any reviews for Tuesdays* and Random Sundays *which I’m going to keep ’cause I like the hodge podge of silliness and ridiculousness* I’m starting a new regular post called Saturday Smiles.

I thought about doing an awkward and awesome kind of thing, but to tell you the truth I have a lot of awkward in my life.  I am one full awkward!   So instead, I’m going to list at least 3-5 things that made me smile the past week.  At least 3-5 things.

Here’s mine:
1. Chocolate – specifically intense dark mint chocolate
2. Fair trade organic coffee – got me through some slow mornings.
3. Baby hiding herself in the closet and saying “gone!”
4. Getting all kinds of cuddles from my little girl.
5. Getting three awesome foot massages from my Husband.

What are yours?  Link it up!
It’s my first time using Linky Tools, we’ll see how it goes and whether I keep it up.

Just Go With It

Kissy faces at Baby.

Cardi – Gap; Belt – thrifted; Dress – Ruche; Tights – Walmart; Boots – Locale.

Is it wrong that I don’t want to shop?  ‘Cause I don’t.  I have a bit of X-mas and B-day money saved up and stored, but I really don’t want to buy anything.  I see all the beautiful sales, both online and in store, on some great pants, and dresses, but I don’t have the urge to get anything.   Is that weird?  I think it’s a bit weird for me.  Usually, there are at least a few things that I have my eye on, but right now even those things are on sales but I’m like, “meh.”

It’s not a bad feeling, just an odd one right now.  But I’ll go with it.

I’m sad to see things go though, like this cardi.  You can’t tell so much in the photos but it’s been washed until it looks horrible, and the wool is pilling.  So I think it’s going into the donate pile.  Alas, it’s been a good dear friend, but all good things…

True Story:
Baby grunts when she poos.  
And we think it’s funny, so we laugh.
Now she grunts randomly to get a laugh. 
Cause and effect.

First Solo Mission

Sweater – swapped; Dress – Ruche; Tights – Hue; Boots – Locale.

So you know how yesterday I said that I tackled my first sewing project with my brand new sewing machine?  Well, this is the result of what I did. 

As I mentioned, I felt the dress was a tad too short for my comfort, so I wanted to let down the hem.  It wasn’t as easy as it sounded.  See that top horizontal pleat?  Well, it was completely attached to the dress, so first I had to remove the whole thing.  Then open it making it a double horizontal pleat, and iron it.  Then I had to attached it back onto the dress, with a finished stitch so it doesn’t fray.  And lastly, I had to fold the hem and finish the new hem of the dress.  

It just looks like there were meant to be two double pleats now.  And I felt so great wearing it: proud and finally comfortable with the length! It’s amazing what three inches can do.   I think I did pretty well for my first solo mission. What do you think?

On a totally separate note…

I really, really need to find a martial arts school to study at.  I’ve been out of the studio for far too long and there’s only so much that self-motivation can do.  But my problem is two-fold.  One, I can’t find a place that I really like.  I’ve looked at probably a dozen schools all over Toronto to find an art that I really want to study.  I’ve tried Muay Thai, BJJ, Karate, Tai Kwon Do, MMA, Krav Maga, and various blends of these, and I have yet to find something that I love as much as Kung Fu.  So that’s my first and major dilemma.  Two, it has to be affordable.  I’m not rolling in wads of dollars, so the place I go to has to be affordable.  But the issue of fees is really secondary to finding something that I truly love.

You know what you want to do, and that you love doing it, but you’re having trouble finding a place that reflects you.  Have you ever felt that way?

Quote of Today:
“It’s amazing what three inches can do.”  
*Oh Lordy Lord! Sometimes I don’t realize what I’m saying until it’s too late*

Happy New Year!

Top – hand me down; Dress – Ruche; Tights – Hue; Shoes – Payless.

Hope you all had a great night!  Husband and I stayed in yesterday and had a totally lazy day.  It was wonderful!  We spent New Years Eve drinking red wine, eating chocolate and I even did some sewing played Zelda on the Wii.  I know, we’re absolutely wild!  Wild, I tell you!

It’s a New Year and it’s a fresh start.  I’ve definitely got some goals this year, and I’m hoping I’ll achieve them, but as they say, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”  So we’ll see where I’ll be this time next year.  But one thing that I’m committed to this year in this blog is fun!  Hope you’ll join me!  I’m excited to introduce a new regular post to you on Saturdays, stay tuned for that.

About mid-January I’m running a new series about Mamahood.  I’ve got some great Mama bloggers lined up to share with you their journey in Mamahood – the truth and nothing but the truth.  You’ll hear about the good things and the bad things – all cards on the table.  Hopefully, you’ll see yourself in this and realize that you’re not alone.  I certainly find it reassuring that other women have the same thoughts that I do.  It’s often dis-heartening to me to read about Mama bloggers who love every minute and never have a bad thought or experience. It makes me wonder, “What’s wrong with me?  Why don’t I love every single second? Am I a bad mother/woman?”  But hearing some of these women’s stories makes me realize that I’m not alone.  It’s not all cupcakes and butterfly kisses.  It’s also temper tantrums, sleeplessness and wanting to pull your hair out.  So I look forward to reading and sharing these women’s true stories of Mamahood. Keep an eye out for that mid-January.

And I’m so glad I got a sewing machine. Yes, Andrew  *it’s time he got a name since he’s always bugging me to be in the blog I no longer have to protect his privacy* bought me one for my birthday and I’ll show you that beauty soon.  I’m glad not just because I’m excited to get better at making my own stuff, but also because this dress above is starting to fray.  I’ve worn and abused it so much that it’s starting to show the results of my loving wear.  So, I guess I’ll be fixing that up real soon!

Quote of Today:
“You won’t give her another cookie, but you’ll give her alcohol?”

Again

Cardi – Esprit; Dress – Ruche (sold out); Tights – Walmart; Boots – Locale; Bag – Matt by Matt&Nat; Belt – ??.

I don’t like getting older. In fact,  I hate the prospect.  I know I should embrace it, yadda, yadda, yadda, but I don’t want to get older.  I don’t want to get wrinkles.  I don’t want grey hair.  I don’t want to have to harness my boobs to keep them up. Etc. Etc. When I do, I’ll deal with it and try to age gracefully, but I don’t want to get older.   I want to have my current mind but go back in time physically to 21…and stay there.

I’m thinking I might have to become an immortal, you know like the Highlander.   And the awesome bonus is that I’d have a reason to always carry a sword!  I’m a big fan of swords; I own and study several kinds.   Plus, there are thousands of ways to accessorize that trench coat he uses to hide the sword, and I could do each and every one of them! 

Yeah, I know.  It’s not going to happen.  I get it.  All I’m saying is, I hate getting older.

And it’s not just the physical.  I hate it because I had a very different picture of what my life would be like right now.  Some of it is better, some of it isn’t.  Some of it is better than I imagine, but some of it is also worse.  I had a lot of things I wanted to achieve by a certain time.  Yes, I can still do a lot of those things, but some I can’t.  Some of them have a time limit, and that’s just how it is.  So I’m trying to somehow accept and embrace the reality of what is and look at all the things still ahead of me. 

But I’m having trouble.  Maybe it’s a character failing, but I really feel like my twenties slipped through my grasp, like I look back and I can’t even remember where they went and why things happened the way they did.

Fishnets, Aprons, And Toques

Scarf – street stand; Dress – H&M; Sweater – Esprit; Tights – F21; Boots – Locale.

I said you would be seeing a lot of these boots and I did not lie!  I’m wearing them pretty much all the time since it’s really cold and I’m not one to suffer for fashion like that.  Oh, and this dress is so awesome.  I wore the exact same one all the time when I was pregnant, just one size larger to accommodate the, well, the girls, and the growing belly.  Best ‘maternity’ gear ever!

Thanks so much you guys for the well wishes yesterday regarding my shoot.  I think I did okay.  And you know, it’s so much easier when you place yourself in the hands of someone you have full confidence in, like Daniel.  He’s honestly so amazing and just guides you to some great shots, so that made it a lot easier.  And well, I certainly gave the neighbors a show running around in fishnet stocking, boots and apron! I promise I will share something – even if it’s just behind the scenes shots – as soon as I can.

True Story:
Just in case you didn’t know, you have to wear your toque to dinner.

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