NEW BLOG...

Just thought I'd remind you all that my blog is now here:

http://sarapaynemcfarland.wordpress.com

Blog Moving...

I'm moving my blog over to my website, http://sarapaynemcfarland.wordpress.com.
Still working all the kinks out on my site, but it's coming together quite nicely, and it's great to be able to have Wordpress to help out. I LOVE wordpress!!

I like details.

I have definitely come to realize that I am the kind of person that likes details on EVERYTHING... SO much so that I don't know when to stop. This is why when you come over to my house, you will see me wearing some crazy-colored getup with crazy colored earrings, crazy mis-matched nail polish, freaked out makeup with an added star or heart for a beauty mark... I literally don't know the meaning of restraint.

On my walls at home, you will most likely find no LESS than 30 frames on my walls, all mismatched shapes (but spray-painted to atleast be cohesive SOMEhow), little bunny figurines, a hanging birdcage with dinosaur skeletons inside, little owls perching around, odds and ends that I really like.

My point is that I go overboard, and MOST days, I really like it. I really like that stimulation of a lot going on.

However, this is not one of those days. I really just want to throw it all in the storage room and completely just START OVER and be SUPER minimal. Mainly because it's so foreign to me.

I can just see me doing this, and then adding "JUST ONE PICTURE"... and then another, and another... Maybe I just like the change?

Ah well... The mind of an artist, I suppose, right??

Anyone in need of some SERIOUS MAKEUP??

Hautelook.com is having a LORAC BLOWOUT for the next 2 days only... and seriously, when their eyeshadows, lipglosses and lipsticks are normally $18, and they're ON SALE FOR $3???? KIDS, RUN!! It ain't gonna last long!! Lorac is SUPER makeup, used and loved by lots of artists for professional magazine makeup shoots...
I DEFINITELY wish my spending money for the month wasn't gone so quick!! Alas... I needed a good purse more than I needed makeup. But I'll post about THAT when I get it in the mail!! (Squee!!)

HOLY shnikes...

I HAVE this dress, and it's my FAVORITE DRESS. I got it from my hubby's grandmother (after she passed). Every time I wear it, I think, "I'd bet NoirOhio Vintage would LOVE something like this in her vintage store!!"

Lo and behold... SHE FOUND ONE!! She definitely shortened it, mine is at the knee.

WEIRD... you think you find something that NOBODY else has, and ... it ain't quite true.

Still love the dress, though!!

THE ULTIMATE DRESS

So, money's tight, but I've got to post about this dress, nonetheless. Normally, these dresses are OVER $200, but THIS one is $69 ONLY TODAY AND TOMORROW.... and if ANY of you want to buy it for me, ... yea, I'll definitely do some artwork/trading.

It's made by a couple different companies right now, one including Butter by Nadia, but this one is made by RAVON. A multi-wrappable dress you can wear in over 30 ways--and is a "one size fits most" dress. From size 2 to 16!! It comes in floor length and knee length, it's made out of jersey, and I'm wondering if it may be easy to make myself?? I'll have to look into it, but I'll need my seamstress friends' help even ATTEMPTING to sew on jersey again. Jersey hates me!! Anyways, I'm definitely becoming an accessories dressing girl, and usually like to dress up the same dress multiple ways--that way, you can update your look without it costing an arm and a leg. Just change up the accessories!!

Here's the dress and SOME of the looks you can create with it:








It reminds me of The Uniform Project, where this awesomely creative and crafty lady decided to wear the SAME dress for 365 days, just switching out her accessories, and never repeating the same outfit. I think she's working on doing another for one more year, because she got such great response from it. SUPER cool for those of us on a budget!!

Auction and some Mad Hattery

The auction on Saturday went well, though there weren't many to turn out for the event. I sold three of my necklaces and a cuff, plus a few prints, but there weren't a whole lot of people there besides the vendors and coordinators. Wish there had been more!! I sold my favorite set to one of my favorite ladies (I ALMOST wish I'd kept it for myself!) but I can make more if I want. (It's hard to be a selfish artist, I tell ya!)



Also, Friday night (at 9:30pm, no less) my son professed his OVERWHELMING desire to have a Mad Hatter's hat, (of course, after watching the new Alice in Wonderland movie). We found an incredible tutorial online, that made it quite easy to figure out, and I liked creating the first so much, I made one for my daughter, too!!

Here's the tutorial:



And my final versions (altered slightly):




Hope everyone is having a lovely day today!! I'm enjoying my daughters talking and cooing, the birds outside my window chirping, and I'm gonna go have some tea now!!

Here's my Snow White!!

I'm SOOOO excited about this new watercolor, and am STOKED to see how well the AUCTION goes on Saturday!!

Necklaces & Art for the Birth and Family Place

I've been a bit distracted from my magazine plans, though I'm planning on meeting soon with a lovely gal who started and has been running her own magazine for a few years now. Anyways, I've been working on THIS:

There's a GREAT event coming up for my midwife and her company, The Birth Center, on June 19th from 4 to 8pm. They're having a silent auction, Mediterranean food & games for kids. You can see more info here:

www.UtahBirthCenter.com

She has asked me to contribute some items, and so this is what I've created so far:









I've also been working on a Snow White illustration, and I'll post it soon!

I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it yet (I hope I can!), but if you can spare a couple hours (and dollars) for a great cause, PLEASE GO!!

SHOE DIY....

I have PINED for these shoes for many a month, and cannot BELIEVE it--I found a DIY that looks SO easy to do!! Check this out kids!!

DIY YSL CAGE HEELS

New shoe discovery...

I REALLY like this shoe company, and covet their shoes--however, the pricetag gets me. I have only ONCE spent more than $25 bucks on a pair of shoes within the past 10 years. (My birkenstocks from 8th grade DON'T count!)

Don't you think these things look AMAZING and COMFY? And to think they are made out of soft-molded PLASTIC, and ETHICAL, HYPOALLERGENIC, UNSCENTED, RECYCLABLE plastic at that... AND in collaboration with incredibly cutting edge designers like Vivienne Westwood (Trailblazing Punk Designer Goddess) and Judy Blame (stylist for Boy George and Bjork)... I DEFINITELY dig the creative aspect. Check these out:







Just the fact that they're like "JELLIES" that I remember wearing as a kid makes them tangible and easy to covet. I just REALLY wish they were cheaper, but as an artist myself, I can understand charging for creativity. It just makes it a bit less accessible to the masses. I think the average price for a pair is around $150. I DID see them on a couple of Sample Sale sites, GILT GROUPE and another I can't remember. They were priced at around 75 bucks... I'll definitely hesistate when they come around again at that price!!

EDIT: It's not very nice of me to gush about shoes without saying who makes them or how to get them~~ Melissa Shoes

Christopher Kane and more questionable fashion

In going with my previous post, I'm gonna comment on the creepy Christopher Kane stuff. I know this is old news for some fashion people, but...

When I first saw these items a few months ago, I thought they were quite ingenious and cool. Now, I am so freaked out at the disgusting aspect of it:

THESE ARE ACTUAL PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES OF THE BOMBS FROM HIROSHIMA. AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BUYING AND WEARING THIS STUFF LIKE CRAZY.

While he's at it, why doesn't he just take images from emaciated prisoners from Auschwitz and throw them on a comfy cashmere blanket? I'm sure SOMEbody will buy it. JUST NOT ME.

EDIT: Does this seem relative to the vintage fur post? Am I encouraging the murdering of animals? And do you think this is the same thing, making money off of the image of murdered people? I'm thinking it may be.... I'm more than willing to take action if I feel so convinced of the evils of fur...

VINTAGE FUR... for or against??

Here's a funny story about me and one of my fur coats:

MANY years ago, on my way to work selling makeup at the Origins counter, I sat down on the bus next to a 20-something guy who was clearly a bit under some sort of substance. I was wearing the light green coat with the thin (REAL) fur collar around the neck shown in the pic above. He turned to me and said, (I kid you not!) "You must be Vegan or something, I don't see any leather on you. I'm vegan, too...". There was not an OUNCE of irony in his voice. He then proceeded to ask me out.

Well, needless to say, I decided to play along, and admitted to being vegan. I then gave him a bogus number, hoping to never see him along the same bus route again.

Since then, I've collected quite a few more vintage furs, real and faux, and try to wear them as often as possible... I like the feel of them, and even the smell of them, wondering what lady actually wore them before. And every time I wear one, (almost without fail) it rains and I do not have my cute little clear bubble umbrella with me. So I end up looking and smelling like a wet dog. Ah well... all for fashion, right?





So, in terms of animal killing for fur, I'm very against it--I think unless you TRULY are in need of a coat, because it's winter and you are ... um... a PIONEER, there is NO reason to cause the shedding of blood for this. However, I'm definitely not against keeping a good fur out of a landfill if I find it at the Salvation Army. I feel like it's giving the animal some sort of respect by not letting it rot, plus it keeps the big companies from getting paid to murder for profit. AAAAND, it's so fun to wear fur!! I have to admit that. I don't agree with the faux furs that are created now, they wreak havoc on our environment in the form of chemical waste and byproducts from the factories, nor do they really look or feel very good.

Here's an interesting article I found that poses the debate for and against Vintage Fur: CAN YOU WEAR FUR WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE?

What do YOU think? Is it acceptable? Or not?

TALENTS

"A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage."
--Sydney Smith

"Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be very silent if no bird sang except the best."
--Henry Van Dyke

POLKA DOT PARTY PLEASE

(images courtesy The Fashion Police, Google images, Vogue Italia)

Inspired recently by the glamourai, I decided to pull out some polka dots and throw on an outfit for her little challenge. My photographer did an EXCELLENT job, especially since he's about 4 feet tall! I DO wish I could find some black polka dotted nylons SOMEWHERE, but, alas... no luck!! What do you think? I'd LOVE to win some of her GORGEOUS jewelry!!





(As always, I don't believe myself a model, just having fun!!)

SOOO, KIDS...

How do you combine all the things you love into one project? Fashion, Art, etc? I'll tell you!! I'm going to start my own online magazine!! Yep, folks, it's ON!! I've got my photographer lined up, the online hosting site, and ideas of the topics I want to focus on. This is the focus of the magazine:

"MODEST, FIERCE FASHION YOU CAN AFFORD!!"

I'll be focusing on (mostly) thrift store finds, recycled old stuff into new fashion items, DIYs, self esteem concerning body image, a bit of healthy cooking, home decorating, and... I won't be using professional models. I LOVE the idea of using real women, not photoshopped, and of a range size 2 to 20!!

This is why I'm streamlining my blog--it'll be a location for fashion and accessories, topics that my magazine will cover, and empowering women to see their own beauty in themselves and around them.

CAN'T TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I AM!!!

OH WOW {and am I creepy for loving this?}

VICTORIAN MOURNING BRACELET on ETSY

Ah, those were the days!!

This just in: I HATE DIETING. the end.

Blog Changing...

I will be either changing this blog to just strict fashion or I may be starting a new one, (there's a method to all this madness!!) I will keep you posted....

My Old Doppleganger

I think this is ME in another 30 or 40 years. NO LIE. Except my eyebrows are different.

But MAN... Her necklaces are like one I just made the other day, but maxxed out as if in my dreams...