ShoeLovin'

I've been having a shoe obsession lately. And good shoes are expensive, so I take my time on these decisions. My new shipment from Endless came today (and we ordered them Friday...with free shipping! how speedy are they?!) and they're perfect.

BC "Limousine" black leather flats: You would never believe how l ong it takes to find a high quality black flat that's not too expensive that has absolutely nothing on them. Okay, that sounds more believeable than it was supposed to...

 GH Bass & Co. "Chrissie" brown leather oxfords: I adore them, even more in person. The greatest pared down oxford ever. My family thinks I'm nutso, but they're amazing. They feel like they'd scuff easily, so I'll have to protect them.

They go well with some of my other favorites in my shoe collection:

Franco Sarto platform leather heels: I drooled over them in TJ Maxx so many times that I finally bought them. I wear them everywhere.

Minnetonka deerskin moccasins: THE best shoes I've ever owned. EVER. I literally wear them all the time, and after over a year, they still look good. I get so many complements and they go with everything. I will forever own a pair of moccasins from this day on.

Buttload of new stuff:

Ahh...enjoying my Taro Gomi coloring book and oil pastels...they're my new favorite medium--they just do what you want!

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Great golly gosh there were so many things I needed to share, so here they are in one big heap:

First of all: mum and I went to the Goodwill, a) to drop off 7 bags of things we don't need and then b) to look for hilarious white elephant gifts (our family is kind of beastly at finding hilarious, grotesque presents for the exchange on New Year's Eve). So can you guess what I found? Probably not. It's a necklace--with a sloth charm!

Most people don't even know what a sloth looks like, let alone seen one in the flesh, let alone PET one. But...I have! The world's only sloth rescue center is in Costa Rica, and we visited it on vacation a few years back. They're slow but the babies are sooooo cute! Wook at their widdle thwee toesies and big eyesss! [Note: I prefer animal babies much more than human ones.] They just kinda sit and hang at the top of trees, but they sometimes grab onto electrical lines and their limbs have to be amputated...SOB!

On a separate note: April Burda came!! As predicted, the safari stuff is nothing to be wowed over. I really like the classic section as I thought I would, but that's about it. Crafts, as usual: abominable. More in depth with pictures to follow.

I began my Allusion dress as planned, incredibly simple, and as always ADJUSTMENTS! Higher neckline (no hoochie for Easter dresses!) It's a dress not a top like the pattern is designed for, there's a bias waistband, and then I'm finishing the inside with Hong Kong finishes [which is new for me]. Oof! Not to mention the stripes REFUSE to line up... you match two and ten down they're off again--WTH? Probably the stretch's fault: HUMPH.

"Oh, it can't be any worse, Joanna," I thought. THEN I tried on the skirt...

Can you say "So-Totally-Not-Pride&Prejudice-Hoochie-Miss-Look-at-My-Butt?" Gosh, I was cursed with an otherwise useful and curvy tush...but not what I was going for...there goes another $12 for more fabric! UGH. It kinda reminds me of the late 90s early 2000s skirts, like in Mean Girls.

Not that I don't adore Mean Girls!

It's just...not Regency skirt material. I'd prefer to not have people saying some "Hail Marys" on Easter, when I hope to wear it.

4moredaysuntili'mfree

What now, oh Mighty One?

It seems like I am at a standstill. Schoolwork is overbearing, but just one more week until Spring Break! If I know what I'm making now, I can finish it by the Tuesday off that week. Odious college visits are taking over Wednesday and Thursday.

Perhaps my Allusion Dress will begin construction? I don't think I have enough fabric, but I'll get some more next Friday [25% off EVERYTHING coupon! love it.]

I'm not really feelin' it right now though.

I kinda want to spend my dinero on other things. My momma spoiled me and bought that

octopus ring that I really wanted. Looking forward to owning it! I guess she felt bad because her Chemistry students always put the stuffed octopus on their heads. I gave that to her as a Mothers Day gift! Look how well she treats it. Like garbage--or a hat--for her students that may be lice-ridden!

Some mother.

So worth it though.

Actually, there's some other stuff I'm craving like a Creamsicle that I'd love to spend money on, well, if I had much:1. A Taro Gomi coloring book! For ages 4-8 ,great for children with disabilities...perfect for a 16 and-a-half year old [who found out yesterday that she is in the 98th percentile of her class!] It's not like you color in lines--they tell you what to draw! It'll be smashing on my trip to Italy Puerto Rico! (We decided on Puerto Rico instead: my brother could never handle all the art and history.)

Other stuff that I'm feelin' includes: vintage jewelry, retro stuff, Mary Frances clutches, Lady Gaga [for whatever reason], deep conditioning, lip stain, and hair accessories. Who knows where my money will end up?

What I'm loving:Toms and Sanuks

Maybe it's just the inclimate feeling of Spring I felt walking home, but I realized how much I was craving not-sandal-sandal-eco-friendly-shoes.

These are Toms Shoes: buy one and he sends a pair to a kid who needs 'em. How amazing is that?

Not to mention that some of them are vegan, and all of these shoes are absolutely adorable!

And these are Sanuks!

As the sandal-shoe hybrid, they breathe and bend but are perfect for people like moi who have abnormally long toes and would prefer to wear shoes anyway. Plus, they're made of natural and recycled materials. I. Must. Have. Seriously: being a universal do-gooder and chic footwear never made such a perfect match.

Yep, I'm definitely getting married in Toms.