etsy store goodies...

i have piles of new stuff for my store. PILES!!! after being cooped up and snowed in, i finally got to hit the thrift stores and restock. you are gonna die when you see this stuff! some of it is so cool that i've gotta keep it if it fits me. i know, greedy me. tomorrow is a designated etsy day so stay tuned and check in every few hours...

navy and white poly wheat fields dress: goodwill

six mink stole (well, it's five now - lucy stole one): furburger.etsy.com

photo necklace: nordstrom in the late 80s

blue sparkly heart necklace: nordstrom sometime this decade

wood bangle: palomasnest.etsy.com

heather blue cable knit tights: gap

frye boots: urban outfitters

no outfits this weekend.

it's allergy hell for me at the moment so all my pictures look like i'm crying. instead of sniffly me, i'd like to give you this gorgeousness to drool over. i'll be back tomorrow!

whedon-ism

i am a joss whedon junkie. i think it cements my self proclaimed status as "queen of the dorks." i adore buffy, angel, firefly, and this:

i had to share the glory that is dr horrible. this was a christmas gift to myself, purchased with the amazon certificate i earned through my bank. i also got my new buffy 2009 wall calendar. and i wonder why i'm still single... i gotta bring this over for my dad to watch!

more good news

i received notification today that i will be re-evaluated for my unemployment extension as some of the criteria was interpreted incorrectly. you know what this means? i'm gonna be ok!!! even better news? i'm eligible for an additional 33 weeks as opposed to the original 13 weeks!!! now i can't head over to barney's after christmas sale just yet (so joking - the only shopping i can even dream of doing at barney's anymore is window shopping) but i feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my chest. i don't know what you guys did, but your positive energy made all the difference. thank you thank you thank you! healing vibes and happiness to one and all!

i also want to share with you all two of my favorite books on positivity, both of which i have re-visited in the past two stressful weeks. the first is out of print but if you ever come across a copy, BUY IT!!! it is color energy - how color can transform your life by anthony bornstein and cristina gill. do you have any idea how the colors we wear, desire, or surround ourselves with affect our emotional and physical well being? did you know that the colors we favor tell us unfathomable amounts about who we are and the paths we travel in our lives? have you checked the balance of your chakras lately? if you answered no to any of these questions, it's time for a tune-up in color energy. don't know how? get this book!!!!

i had the pleasure of working for and personally knowing anthony and cristina (aka tony&tina vibrational remedies, the best cosmetic company EVER) as their northwest acct coordinator and let me tell you, they know where of they speak. (once on a PA tour, cristina moved our entire team out of our hotel in chicagoland because it was infested with negativity! she is also the person who dubbed me "prue" and the name has stuck ever since.) the book is visually stunning and very easy to understand. it even contains color cards you can cut out and use to do your own readings. sorry - no one can borrow mine since it was personally autographed by the dynamic duo, but i will happily include crystals blessed by cristina in any order if you ask for 'em. i've still got gobs!

the second book was a recommendation from anthony and cristina, who cite it as the book that changed their lives. it is shakti gawain's creative visualization. cristina's mom turned them on to it and they shared the wealth and rewards. it educates you on why you are a manifestation of the energy you exude and how to make it work for good. we used to pink bubble before all our tony&tina events (anthony was the most fun leader for this) and i still use the technique almost daily. i also white bubble when i feel the scary negative vibes emanating from certain souls... if you have the cash, there is a wonderful workbook you can get to learn how to incorporate the lessons into your daily life and track the progress of your visualizations as they manifest. get it, learn it, live it. call me hippy dippy but this stuff really changed me as a person and as a caring soul.

may this suffering end soon. may 2009 shape up to be a better year. may we learn more about ourselves and less about our finances as become better people for it. love and kisses!!!!

yay for melting!!!

the snow is FINALLY melting and i was able to get to work today without incident. although it was hard to leave the kitties after being with them for two days straight, i was very happy to engage in coversations that did not involve meowing or purring. actually, there is a lot of meowing at luna...

this is one of our gorgeous buttons boasting some of the unbelieveable artwork from the original luna park amusement park. isn't it smashing?

kalilah dropped the plastic forks! yes, they all went into the trash. what kind of a place do you think we run?

mad dog, one of our dearest regulars ever, filled up my flask with cinnamon whiskey. when i tried a slug of it, sweetpea asked me if i felt the burn. i told her my unborn children felt the burn!

turquoise 80s dress with confetti print: thirteenleafclover.etsy.com

rose print apron: christmas present from sweetpea

sunday morning coming down necklace: mmefortuna.etsy.com

luna park button: luna park cafe

hair flower: jonelle lind

turquoise tights: target

rubber skull boots by chooka: nordstrom

bakelite bangles: vintage

wooden custom bangle: palomasnest.etsy.com

can i ask everyone to please send love and strength to a dear friend and co-worker who is going through a horrible personal crisis? she needs it desperately at this moment and i truly believe in the power of positive thought and energy. thank you so very much.

how i am spending christmas

it just isn't christmas without presents so i wrapped up a couple handfuls of catnip in tissue paper and gave them to linus and lucy. they both ripped them open immediately. linus is currently licking his tissue and lucy is rubbing her face against against hers and chattering to it.

since i wanted presents too, i opened up my etsy favorites pages. i'm closing my eyes and clicking randomly. i'm pretending that everything i land on is a gift to me, like i'm opening up gifts of my own. it sounds pathetic but it's really fun! check out what i've gotten so far:

this is the best christmas ever!!! i'm getting just what i asked for!

this little game is way too fun and random. if you're stuck alone like me, you might wanna try it.

merry merry

merry christmas, everyone!

whether you're celebrating alone or with friends or family (or even celebrating another day like me) i wish you all the best. may your hearts be filled with happy memories and your tummies be filled with warm goodness.

day of death

someone did not want me to survive today. my day ran like an old serial, "the perils of pauline." strange. first off i had to hitch hike to work - always a dangerous proposition but even more so when the streets are sheets of ice! luckily, i was picked up by a dear lady named lori. we stopped at starbucks and i bought her a soy mocha even though she protested and tried to pay herself. thank you, lori, wherever you are...


so then i'm making a milkshake at luna and this freak accident happens - a wooden blade flies off the ceiling fan and misses my head by inches! a rather foul expletive escaped my lips so i apologised to the packed restaurant, especially the family sitting at the counter eating lunch. nicole, sharon and i re-enacted the event amid gales of laughter so i could bring you the photographic evidence.

when the day was done, the buses would not pick me up, even though i was on my cane! most of them were so full that they turned off their destination signs. i had no choice but to try and walk home up the iciest hill ever. gimpy susie fell. and fell again. and then fell into the street in front of traffic! no one would help me - not even other pedestrians. i started crying and began crawling up the hill on my hands and knees. this is NOT an exaggeration! i was also dragging a bag of boxes that i had hoped to get to the post office to mail out. finally, a car stops. a man named bob dorn helped me get in, drove me all the way home (which was far out of his way) and got me up into my house. he is a saint! i collapsed on the floor, actually laughing again at the strangeness of the whole day. here is a picture of how my roommate found me, the cats hovering around my face.

my ankle is bad - i already called out for tomorrow. this is what it looks like (it's the one on the right, as if you couldn't tell - forgive my unshaven legs).

i really am fine, but had to post all this for the strangeness factor and to serve as a warning to everyone hunkered down in this crazy arctic blast. BE CAREFUL! stay home unless you absolutely have to get out. and when life gets dicey, try to laugh! it really does make everything feel better.

vintage blue faux halter dress: solanah.etsy.com

mabel stark necklace: mmefortuna.etsy.com

yellow tunic: old navy

pink petticoat: salvation army years ago

yellow tights: target

bakelite bangles: vintage

fuggs: rocket dog

hair flower: jonelle lind

apron: vintage

** i was delighted to come home to not one but TWO swell posts about me on blogs by other dear ladies and etsy retailers. please check them out!**

http://violetfolklore.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/12/the-irrepressible-susie-prue.html

http://the-dusty-dog-vintage-boutique.blogspot.com/2008/12/vintage-before-after.html

busting my tail

that's what i've been doing to get stuff up on etsy today. take a peek!

this polka dotted number above already sold!!! yay!!!

see something you like? i can always reserve stuff for my dear blog readers! not to tempt you all, but there's a bunch more stuff coming this week. i found a whole box of stuff i forgot i had thrifted! what a score.

***huge shout of thanks to my sister keri and her husband rue (and my adorable little nephew ty bundled up in the cutest baby snowsuit) who arrived today in their 4wd jeep bearing groceries for me. they brought cocoa, soy milk, bagels, and all my favorite kinds of campbells soup. i love them!***

for which goose

the snow is almost up to my knees now. i'm not shrinking, it's growing!

i decided to try an outside photo shoot with one of my which goose crowns. i wanted the photos to seem like they came from another time, like a fairy tale. yep, this is a big fixation with me during the snowy weather. i just feel so isolated, like i'm in a cottage deep in the woods instead of a house in a crowded city. the snow makes everything so quiet and peaceful. so nice!

linus has been kind enough to help me upload and edit them in exchange for some window shopping on etsy. thank you, slimy!

vintage red velvet dress: ? can't remember

sleeved ivory sweater capelet: anthropologie

fairy crown: whichgoose.etsy.com

moulin rouge necklace: mmefortuna.etsy.com

striped wool socks: tj maxx

black tights: target

frye motorcycle boots: nordstrom

mild freakout

**pardon the picture - i've been playing with picnik on flickr since it's the closest thing to a photo editing program i have. this is one of my little projects**


i'm stressing out right now over money. i just found out that i didn't qualify for the unemployment extension since my claim began prior to may 2nd. what does this mean? as of the new year, my monthly income will be cut in half. yikes! i'm really scared - how will i make rent and pay bills and get my medications without that money?

i'm going to have to buckle down and get stuff going. i will have to get a second job as soon as possible and it will need to be something where i'm off my feet. i'll also have to get more stuff up on etsy and promote the heck out of it. i'll cut corners everywhere i can as i know it's impossible for me to move into a different home or apartment.

i will also have to be very firm with someone who owes me a great deal of money and get him to start paying. i helped him with a major family crisis two years ago when i had some extra money. he has barely paid any of it back and yet he's managed to take many vacations, buy a computer for his son and himself and move to chicago. i hate to press upon someone but desperate times...

please send me good energy - i will do the same for all of you as i know we're all in the same boat. i hate to whine, especially when i'm stuck in the house and can't do anything about it now, but it helps me to put it all down in writing. i hope this all passes and something great comes along very, very soon. we're all due for it!

i really did try!!!

i desperately needed to work today. i already missed one day last week and this week is christmas! i walked out of my house to find this - snow piled up to our second porch step. as if that wasn't bad enough, there was a layer of ice over the top! i dug my cane in and attempted the trek outwards.

buses were not running in my neighborhood as they couldn't drive on the hills. yellow cab said they weren't servicing west seattle until the roads were plowed. i called work and marie had made it down - her dad came out and picked her up. i knew my ankle couldn't hold up to the walk and a day of work so that only left me one option - to drive as far as i could.

my car was so buried that it took me over ten minutes to dig it out. i scooted her out and was surprised that she easily slipped into the tire grooves an earlier motorist had made and rolled down the road. i got as far as kalilah's house less than half a block away and became hopelessly stuck with my back end in the road!

i called marie and let her know i wasn't gonna be there. AAA said they were swamped with tows so to try back later unless it was an emergency. by rocking and pushing, i was able to get her out of the street, even though i was still a good foot from the curb. i trekked back home and snapped this photo of how deep my feet sank at my corner.

now i'm snuggled back in bed with linus (who stole my apple) and lucy, waiting for my extremities to stop tingling with cold needles. it'll have to be another project day but that can wait. they just got two more sherlock holmes films starring basil rathbone on netfilx "watch instantly" so i think the game is afoot!

vintage powder blue cashmere sweater: gift from alyson

pink circle skirt with pastel cityscape: forever 21 (i have to spin when i wear these - like sjp in "l.a. story")

bangles: vintage bakelite

hair flower: jonelle lind

mabel stark necklace: mmefortuna.etsy.com

pink tights: target

pastel striped socks: fred meyer

fuggs (fake ugg boots, it was inclement weather!): rocket dogs i got for $5 at some discount shoe store

work in progress

here's a little taste of what i'm working on right now. think little red riding hood meets the little match girl...

my inspiration? the view from my house.

doesn't it have a sad fairy tale-ish quality to it? i love it!

braving the roads

**darlene dearest doll over at "tales from the wrong side of the tracks" wrote the sweetest blog about me! check it out here: http://talesfromthewrongsideofthetracks.blogspot.com/2008/12/and-still-words-do-not-express.html she is also an amazing designer - be sure to visit her etsy store!***


it had to be done eventually and today was the day. i had to dig my car out from under 8 inches of snow but once i hit the main streets, i was fine.

luna park started off quiet but there was an air of festivity and expectation. everyone was in good spirits and john, the owner, had made gorgeous buttons, magnets and keychains from old luna park memoribilia. i snagged up a few for myself and wore my favorite one all day.

i snapped a few pictures then kalilah and i ran at the door at the end of our shift. winter storm warnings had us all anxious - reports of heavy snow, cold temperatures and high winds made the rush home a bit more hectic. we had just crested the hill into the west seattle junction when the first tiny flakes began to fall. the city became eerily quiet. kalilah borrowed some dvds, prepared to hunker down in her house. i brewed some rooibus tea, kissed the kitties, and slipped into my sweats. the heater is cranking away and i'm cozy warm and snuggled. winter, i'm ready for ya!

vintage teal iris dress: violetfolklore.etsy.com

little green sweater: anthropologie

bluebird tie belt: ratedrclothingco.etsy.com

poison pills necklace: thecaravan.etsy.com

turquoise bangle: antique bakelite

custom wooden "the heart is a lonely hunter" bangle: palomasnest.etsy.com

hair butterflies: nordstrom

grey cashmere arm warmers: nordstrom

purple tights: nordstrom

chooka tattoo rubber boots: nordstrom (i used to be a cosmetic exec for them - i got a discount!)

*i know it looks like i've got lipstick smeared all over my face but it's actually just my skin reacting to the 22 degree temperature - i had been running to our outside fridge to get juice and milk and was freeeeeeeezing!