pictures and content

For the time being, every other day I will have pictures here but no content!  I want to write an essay on how valuable your advice was to me yesterday (and this morning) but for now, photos.  Content tomorrow!  (ADVICE ALREADY IN EFFECT!!!)  Thank you so much!!

a private conversation

First let me assure you that I am perfectly happy, very contented, just contemplative. I do what to include an excerpt from an email conversation I had this morning though to let you know where I am at right now.  Also, it sort of acts as a little informal interview with Sarah about her drives for blogging and how a blog affects different aspects of a bloggers life.

"Hi Christina! It's Sarah from The Lipstick List. I just launched my new freelance website (SarahAnnNoel.com) and my style blog is actually feeding through that now! I'm really pumped about it, but it's going to make The Lipstick List look inactive soon which has unfortunately been confusing to my readers! Do you mind updating your Blog Roll to my website instead of the Lipstick List? I'd appreciate it sooo much!

Hope you're well!
Sarah"


"Sarah,

I absolutely will.  I got your comment last week and I apologize for not taking the time to update my blog roll sooner.  I have been a little conflicted about keeping my blog recently.  Due to my thoughts I have been a bit distant from the more social aspects of blogging.  I got so addicted to it all, browsing blogs and whatnot, and so for the last month or so I have been really weighing the time and energy spent.  I feel a little guilty just maintaining my personal pages and not interacting with everyone else.  But time in my life is so limited right now.  I don't know.  Sorry to even be laying this on you!  You are so sweet and beautiful! I think it is great that you have launched your own website!  It must be so nice to manage everything from one place.  So funny, but the same time I have been thinking of quitting blogging and the shop, I have also been thinking of consolidating (my shop and my blog into one site) and expanding (everything, committing to it full time).  It would mean quitting some of the things I am doing in my non internet life, though I feel right now I am so stretched I am not really doing anything very well.  Was going to your own independent website difficult? 

I hope this makes sense.  I am just on the ledge of transition and I think I tend to withdrawal a bit when I am about to make big decisions.  I wish I could just do a little bit of everything you know! I am sorry! you don't even know me that well!  This is so weird! Ahhhhhhh. In any case, congratulations on your own site and I will add it to my blog roll and remove the lipstick list.  Take care! 

Christina"

"Christina,

I love that you just sent me that email, because I've been struggling with a lot of the same. I first started blogging on my writing blog (sarahnoelsmusings.blogspot.com) and networked with aspiring authors and the like. That was the goal--become a full-time freelance writer.

But I've always been interested in fashion and style, and there are so many fashion blogs I read; I though, "I can do that." That's why I started the Lipstick List. But I did it under a different site and a different name because I felt the need to remain more anonymous and compartmentalized.

Then I realized, "I'm not being all of me." Is sounds silly, maybe, but the website was a huge step for me in putting "all of my pieces together" and publicly being the holistic me. You know what? It wasn't hard at all. I have a computer genius friend, of course, who helped me, but after he assisted me with the steps, I'm confident I could do it all over again. I'm happy to help you if you like! You've been so sweet to me, and I love the email chats we've had about why we blog and the community and what not.

I'm still sorting out what my goals are. If I could blog full time, that would be awesome. I'm eventually opening an Etsy shop, and just can't seem to find the time at the moment. I have a full-time job at a non-profit right now, so sometimes I can get sucked into internet world and forget that I have a real person life, job, etc. Consolidating helped that--I made a life/style blog so I can talk about my real life and display outfits, etc. And besides that, I'm trying to market myself as a writer.

I think when you're a creative person, finding an outlet is never a problem. It's just deciding which one to use! And I have this horrible fear of becoming too self-absorbed in the midst of it all, so much so that I forget that I should be using my energy to help people and make a difference--like at my non-profit job.

It's a tough thing and I'm right there with you! Probably I'll keep experimenting with different ways to do things, but in the meantime, the website is working best for me now. Let me know if I can help you with any of it!
Sarah"

So, this is what has been going through my head!  It doesn't feel like an emergency or anything like that, just a contemplation.  Things are a bit unsteady still at the clinic and I would love to just focus full time on my own independent website.  Or maybe not.  Maybe I'll explore Non internet things for a while and just let it go.  Either way, I know choices are not set in stone forever.  Change is good to consider sometimes.  Either way, I feel optimistic.  I just want to jump into something with both feet you know. Dedicate myself and put passion toward it. 

My outfit today is all vintage except for the scarf from American Apparel.  The play suit reminds me of Pretty Woman at the horse races!  This jacket was a gift from my friend Victorina!  Its in a soft wool but looks like a structured blazer!  LOVE it so much! 

Laid back

Just wanted to get these up REAL quick on my way out to the clinic.  Blue dress was from yesterday, a gift from a girl I was on vacation with, and today I am teaching yoga in my $1 thrift store scrubs pants, American Apparel striped shirt and scarf and my beat up boots (which I will take off before class)  AHh sorry for the short hurried post!  In contrast, my outfits feel super laid back to me.

East meets West

Ya, so I guess this just makes sense to me, even though it shouldn't.  Its a Denim Gee, for like martial arts I think, but it only really felt right with the leather belt and boots.  I got it at the thrift store a couple of weeks ago (along with those boots) and when I got it home I tried it on this way. Its gorgeous today so I decided, what the heck!  And it feels easy and fun and so perfect for a casual Saturday!   Hope you all are enjoying your weekend!

Oh and thanks for humoring my old high school pics!  To answer some questions, I love myself as a brunette (my natural color now), I was very blonde when I was young and after I hit puberty it muddied up a little so I highlighted it until my early 20s when I actually went red for a few months then settled at a bottled brown.  I have been basically natural for a couple of years now (using wash outs occasionally for shine, Natural Instincts Clove).  I think I look all right either way, but blonde is more expensive and time consuming to maintain properly.

Ya, I used to be blonde

I had a question or more like request on my "ask me anything" space yesterday about Prom and what I wore to my prom.  I sort of laughed because I haven't thought about all of that in a really long time!  I have all of my photos from high school and my youth up in a vintage suitcase so I opened it up and pulled a few things out.  I will give descriptions from the top down.

1. My first fancy high school dance, homecoming sophomore year, so like 94.  I went stag.  Strapless lace, so pretty simple accessories, just a little black purse.  My friend went in a similar dress only not lace and in gray.  I cannot remember where we got them but we planned to dress similarly and felt like pretty hot stuff! 
2. This was homecoming junior year.  Again with the black.  It is velvet up top and super soft.  I got it at Ross.  I kissed this boy like one time.  
3. Prom my senior year.  I couldn't find a full length photo but this dress was from Windsor and was super clingy and stretchy, floor length with a low cut lace up back.  It flared out slightly at the bottom just at the knee.  I wore it several times actually, once as a "good witch" for halloween. I thought that I had to have an expensive up do for my prom but I really prefer the way I wore it in picture 4.
4. Same dress, boy and year. different party and way better hair (though more visible acne)  I was with this boy for far too long and you can see the stress of the relationship in those huge covered up zits. 
5. This was just a throw in of my very first High School dance, the luau freshman year. I just love how seriously 90s we are! 
6. I wanted to include a couple of regular high school photos too so that you can get an idea of what I lived in during that time.  In this pic I am wearing a blue polo shirt and gray wide wale cords, both from the thrift store.  I was 16 here, junior year, so 96.  As soon as I could drive I began hunting at thrift shops. 
7. The sweater that started it all.  This is me in my very first thrift treasure, my vintage striped sweater.  I wore this thing every freaking day.  It smelled awful.  All the cool art class girls envied this sweater and I am still scouring the shops to replace it.  I have no idea what happened to it.  One day it just disappeared. 
8. Sophomore year when I still rode the bus.  Looking VERY 70's here! I had forgotten about this! 
9. And finally a shot of me and my sis one Easter while we were young and my mom still dressed us and did our hair!  The spots, sailor details, jumpsuit style and saddle shoes are SO HILARIOUS to look at now! 

I have not been online much at all this week.  Just to get these posts up!  Its been a weird week, but I think I will be able to have more of a presence and return more of your emails and comments soon.  Please just bare with me! I have been receiving some really beautiful and sweet blog awards as well and have not been able to accept them here yet, but I have not forgotten them.  Thank you to those of you who thought to include me in the awards!! And thank you so much for all of your very generous comments. So SO sweet, sincere, encouraging and thoughtful.  I know we are all busy people and I am always so grateful to those of you who take the time to comment.  Even when I am seemingly absent.  You are so amazing to me.

COMMENT OF THE DAY:  Kimbrerellie!  Your comments are so sweet and always make me smile!  I think you bring up an excellent point here too about youth and pop culture.  I think girls are way more sophisticated now and I am not sure exactly why.  I have my theories.  I always read that your teens and 20s are the years you are supposed to be in your prime beauty wise, and most experimental fashion wise, but I was really conservative and not very savvy at all.  I am not sure if it's a generational thing or what, but my late teens and 20s were the pits!

Kimberellie said...

You know, you look just so incredibly different! It is amazing. I actually very very much like I did in high school (one day I think I will do this and put up photos, I'll let you know!).
Anyway, I wanted to let you know, you look so much more beautiful now! I mean, don't get me wrong, you were a very pretty girl, but you are a beautiful women. I'm not trying to flatter you here either. I sincerely think so.
I think it's great. So much hollywood etcetera pop culture you know is always YOUNG YOUNG YOUNG. But here you are, and you are just getting more beautiful the older you get!
--I actually feel the same way about myself. I think I am getting cuter with age (and more modest).
heart:
purplestinkindogtoy.blogspot.com

Organic Machine

This outfit is sort of a combination of "hurry I woke up late!!" and "oh goodie, its cold so I can grab that great new jacket!"  My mom recently visited her friend Victorina who, as I have said before, has the most generous soul on the planet, and who had been going through her old boxes and things tucking away the items she knew I would love!  She had saved a whole pile of capes and jackets and coats and clothing from her extremely stylish days (she still rocks so hard) in the seventies!  Trust me, I know how lucky I am.  To even be able to call this woman my friend is a blessing in itself (she was the one who said you should give things away while you still love them so the love transfers over).

A couple of people have requested a little more information about my eating and yoga habits. I have to first begin by saying, well, please just know that every person is different and has different needs.  I have discovered my unique little combination that makes me feel comfortable and healthy and good and it took a very long time but was so worth the attention and effort.  I am a bit reluctant to include this information because I would rather encourage anyone to find their own unique needs.

First, I think of the body as a whole organic machine.  At a certain point last year, I knew my machine was not running well (very tired, weak immune system, sluggish digestion, emotionally unstable, sad, bloated, puffy face, reoccurring infections) so I went to the doc and got a full physical with every blood test that seemed applicable.  My doc is a D.O. and practices Osteopathic Medicine.  These Doctors see the body as a whole and treat the whole body rather than just the negative symptoms that manifest.  Many docs would have given me an antidepressant and sent me away, but she took the time and eventually diagnosed me with Hypothyroidism. Once the proper hormones were replaced and my body regulated, the machine eventually began running more smoothly and is, I feel, a year later, at its optimal function.  I have not been sick since December (a record).  There are external variables that provide my machine with greater performance though:

1. Sleep.  At least 8 hours of it and of very high quality.
2. Yoga and Spirituality.  I practice yoga every day in some form or another but at least 4 times a week, my practice includes a period of centered breathing, 8 - 10 sun salutations, warrior 1, 2 and 3, triangle post, chair pose, tree pose, seated forward bends, half bridge, twists and other combinations of postures as I feel are needed, always ending with a nice long savasana and an offering of Meta (unconditional loving kindness) to myself and someone else. I am not sure  how important the postures are in comparison to HOW I perform the postures.  I am partial to Yin Yoga, a style where the postures are held for several minutes or breaths.  I sometimes mix it up with Yang as well though integrating more flow.  I just do what I feel my body needs at the time. (I know I just outlined my physical yoga practice, but far more important than any of that is the spiritual peace I get from my practice, A WHOLE huge topic in itself and one I feel is best reserved for personal conversations) 
3. Food.  I got very interested in Blood Type and its effect on our metabolism and body functions for a while and think it is worth looking into.  The basic concept is that according to our blood types (which have an anthropological genetic history) certain foods are utilized more efficiently in the system, and certain foods slow shit down.  Each type has different characteristics.  I am a type AB.  An eating style outlined in the book "Eat Right for Your Blood Type" by Dr. Peter D'Adamo, has been proven by trial and error by conducting my own experiments on myself.  I feel sick when I eat red meat, and sugary things, I feel better when I avoid most dairy products, I feel really good when I eat lots of vegetables and sprouted grain breads, I NEED protein with every meal either from eggs, beans, turkey, or nuts, in addition to Carbs and Fat,  and I have to eat a little bit every couple of hours.  Type O and B blood types have very different needs, while type As are very similar to ABs.  I could probably write a full research paper on this subject but the main thing to note is that I pay VERY close attention to how foods make me feel physically, and avoid the ones that make me feel bad.  I am fortunate that food has never been an emotional thing for me.  This all sounds so complicated as I am typing it but it is really not something I even think about any more.  I have trained myself to just reach for things that my body wants and needs when it wants and needs them and it works out.  
4. Love.  I am fortunate to have a lot of love in my life.  My family is very loving and my husband and son provide me with more love than I thought possible.  Perhaps even more important though, is the fact that I am truly and madly in love with myself.  As narcissistic as it seems, I am not ashamed to say that I have a healthy love relationship with me.  I think it has helped me to treat myself with care and respect.  

Finally, please note that I still falter and get off my tired and true path.  When any one of these elements begins to get off balance I see degradation in the others.  My machine sensors are pretty sensitive though and I have the tools to repair things as I need to before very bad things happen.  And like I said,  this is just what works for me.  This feels good to me. Acquainting yourself with your own machine is not only worth the effort, but may be the very best thing you could ever do for yourself and those who love you. 

Much better

I feel like my tan is fading FAST so I am just toughing through the chilly mornings wearing shorts till about 10:00 when it reaches a tolerable 50 degrees or so.  We have been having gorgeously sunny warm days in the 60s since We have been back so its been really nice! Ahhh mannnn.  I am getting back into the swing of things finally.  Ya, it just took a couple of days.

I am definitely going back to work at the eating disorder clinic, even though it will be voluntary for a little while!  We all believe in the program and for what it has done for all of the girls we have treated (have been in touch with all of them and they are ALL doing very well!).  All of the doctors and therapists (equine therapy, acupuncture, art therapy, nutritional training, meal planning) are on board and we think a solid push will be enough to get us through to continue providing care.  To give a bit of information about the clinic, we treat boys and girls from age 8 to early 20's who suffer from eating disorders, but are not quite at the point of hospitalization (or hopefully not even close.  Eating disorders are not always accompanied by the emergent need for hospitalization, but are very destructive none the less) Once they must be hospitalized, the level of treatment must be invasive and is out of the individuals control.  Our hope is to intervene before it gets to that point by integrating traditional treatments with many other approaches designed to help the individual heal physically and emotionally in a comfortable and supportive environment. Also, we only take 7 guests at a time so the treatments and therapies are very individualized taking into account the specific needs of each person.  If anyone would like more information about this please email me (secondskin19(at)gmail(dot)com) directly and I will give you the website of the facility I work at.

I have never really talked about this before but felt compelled to do so today.  Seriously, if you or someone you know might be interested in getting help, please email me. It will remain completely confidential.

COMMENT OF THE DAY:  Such a great quote!  Thanks Darlin'!

RETRO REVA said...

I love the belted top with shorts. You so rock ! I am venturing into a volunteer situation as well. Wish me good vibes! A saying I live by is: "Life gives to the Giver and Takes from the Taker." You are such a terrific giver !

reality trip

These bracelets were embarrassingly inexpensive so I bought about 10 of them from a few street vendors in the West End of Roatan.  They are so beautiful and time consumingly detailed.  I am going to give one away here when I do my proper Vacation Recap so don't worry (the rest are going to the friends and family that took care of my son, plants, and house while we were away)  I can't help but wear them Wonder Woman style with one on each wrist.  Although, it kind of makes me wonder, if I got them for $3 - $8 (depending on the vendor, and NO, I did not haggle) then how much did the maker get paid?  Jeesh.  Appropriately, I guess, is the fact that the skirt and shirt I bought at the "15 items for $15" sale at my local thrift shop cost me less than the bracelets.  I know you are probably holding back Vomit right now, but I just marvel at the fact that it is possible to dress for less than $10 (the shoes were a gift from my husband for Valentines Day 7 years ago) and still look pretty much put together.  The skirt is a bit too big, but the belt makes it look a little like a paper bag gathered waist, and the shirt is an unworn, military issue, small mens shirt.  It was supposed to fit a VERY small man (boy) as it is tailored to perfectly fit my frame.

Forgive me if I seem to still be in a strange reality fog.  I am sure it will lift soon.  It is so strange to take a trip, away from a well defined reality, that is long enough to create an entirely new one.

COMMENT OF THE DAY:  WOW!!! SO COOL! Thank you for sharing this with me!

elizabeth said...

i just had to comment, because this is the really the weirdest thing... i think anyway. About 2 years ago, my grandmother passed away and I was able to take a few of her things, including her clothes, and she had this skirt. I've loved it ever since (mostly because of my memories of her), but it is lovely. it sort of took me aback seeing it on a blog or anywhere really, because i have no idea where she even got it. i do love it, and haven't tried wearing it with a belt over, but I think I must now. Thanks for giving me another way to wear this very special item!

Well that was nice

Hey!  I am back.  It was so relaxing and wonderful.   Unfortunately, most of the pictures on my camera are of other people (actually very fortunately for me since they were a great group of people and I am so happy to have goofy and fun memories of them!) and other people have pictures of me on their cameras being goofy and silly, but here are a few until I can do a proper vacation post once they send me all of theirs.  Or maybe this is really enough.  I know I was going to show my outfits and what not, but really that last photo of me is pretty representative of what I wore the entire week.  We just laid on the beach or in hammocks on our deck, snorkeled and swam, danced all night to live island bands (we were in Roatan, an island off of Honduras), rode horses on the beaches, pet dolphins and laughed our freaking asses off everyday (and it was all inclusive!!).  They told everyone it was my birthday one night so the band played an extra hour for me, and I got extra cake and candles to blow out (I am a sucker for a good birthday party, even if it is a fake one!) Oh man.  It was fun.  Its pretty hard to put pants on now.  I wore flip flops and shorts today despite the chilled morning.  I am looking forward to getting back to blogging too.  Well, actually, it feels a little strange to be back.  Really strange.

Good news though!! The surviving staff at the Eating Disorder clinic contacted me while I was there and are trying to keep it going! We have a few new guests coming in, or they are in, or something, so I think I am back in a job (even if it will be for free for a little while.) I have not talked to anyone since I have been back so I am a bit fuzzy on the details, but its pretty exciting.  Allright.  Cool.  So. . . ya.

COMMENT OF THE DAY:  Thank you all SO much for the comments about my bathing suit pic! I had a question on my "ask me anything" form about my eating and yoga routine so I will do a full post about that, but in answer to this question, I was very very lucky and very very disciplined with the lotion and oils wile I was pregnant and did not get stretch marks.  My son was 9.5 lbs and I gained just over 30 lbs during my pregnancy, so it was all just right out front, and I was religious about rubbing oil into my skin all over every day since I wanted to avoid them if I could.  My mom got them in the very end with me (also a 9.5 lbs baby) so I was trying to prep for the end when the baby drops, but I was just lucky. I do have a few stretch marks on my hips from growing my lady curves during puberty, but I use gradual self tanners and they sort of cover them and make them blend.  I am sorry I don't have more substantial info on this, but I will do a full post on my regimen by the end of the week. Thanks again. :D

Anonymous said...

You look glowing, happy and just gorgeous!
I LOL at your last pic, but you rock that bikini bod, which makes me wonder, did you ever have stretch marks? I mean, I'm a mom like you and while I'm back at my pre-baby weight, I can't get rid off my streth marks? Any secrets you want to share on how to achieve such awesome bod? ;)

rub it in. oooh, thats nice.

Up until yesterday afternoon, I had no idea if I was going on a week long, tropical vacation to Honduras, starting TOMORROW.   My passport had complications.  I wore a headband in my original photos that I submitted (Darn you Mel for making me so addicted to the darn thing!) and apparently you cannot wear headwear in your passport photo, so my application was      d e   l       a        y       e         d  for almost too long.   The group of people we are going with where freaking out.  I tried to stay calm.  Phew, it came in the mail yesterday.  I packed yesterday afternoon, and will be gone for a whole week (my house will not be empty you boot stealing closet raiders!!)  I have no idea if there will be internet access down there (I am not even really sure geographically where it is, lame I know, but we didn’t really plan this trip, someone else did) So etsy things and blogging things will be temporarily on hold.  I know that I didn’t get things listed.  Busy week.  I am so sorry if you were counting on me for something.  I will be more conscientious about not teasing in the future.   That must be so annoying.

ANYWAY,  The cool naked Harness is going with me. . . to wear OVER something I am sure .  .   .you crazy kids.   I will take tons of DRESSED photos and post them if I have a chance while I am down there, or show and tell when I get back!  I have never been on a vacation like this EVER EVER EVER so its pretty exciting to actually be able to get excited about it!   I hope you have a really nice week next week too!  I am not going to rub this in.   .    .  like sunscreen while sitting on a white sandy beach, cocktail in hand, turquoise sea and dolphins just popping up to say hi.  Ahhhhhhhh.  So nice. 

See ya, wouldn’t want to be ya! 

Just kidding,

not really,

sorry! 

This outfit is completely composed of things that can actually be bought in real stores (or online!) The dress is my pretty silk Shopmamie.com dress (that I wore in a foot of snow here)!  The Mamie girls also have a great new blog you should check out.  These shoes are new too!  I know I said I was getting the Sweedish Hasbeens this year as my ONE SANDAL for spring, but when they arrived they were too narrow for my feet and the larger size was too long.  I returned them with a tear, but then saw these in Lucky Magazine and got on my computer to buy them IMEDIATELY.  They are so statementy and comfy! This hat was from the mens section at Mervyns I think it is Dockers.  It WAS my husband's.  

Allrrighty!  Bye bye!

COMMENT OF THE DAY:  I freaking love Ya Dear!

WILDasaMINK said...

you are not really kidding when you say, "See ya, wouldn't want to be ya" If I had a trip outta here planned I wouldn't want to be any of us lamos stuck at work in the states either.
have fun and don't get sunburned!!!