“Can I call you *Bob*?”

(Virtual cookies to whoever gets the joke! ;-))

I was—keyword WAS—going to do a Rapunzel-themed April Fool’s post today, and see if I could fake you-all out into thinking I’d gotten a chin-length bob….

…but then Blogger ATE MY DRAFT just because I accidentally went into edit mode and back out again without saving, even though I hadn’t made any changes. (WHAT?!) Hours of work—finding the right pix, linking to the sources like a good girl, writing it all out, polishing and proofreading and previewing to get it looking (mostly) just right—and months of waiting to spring my loverly, clever little joke on my Gentle Readers…down the flush.

You bet I was mad.

And I didn’t feel like re-writing it (and when I tried, it came out all stupid).

So instead, I’ll just come out and say it: I cut my hair. Actually, Mom cut my hair, but at my request.

And now some of you are looking at me like

"What have you DONE?!"

Just stay with me here....

In a nutshell, it was too long to leave down without getting in the way (or tucked into my jeans along with my shirts :-P), and the waist-length braid was feeling rather stale and unflattering. I wanted something fresh and new…and that didn’t take ten or fifteen minutes to fix in the mornings when I feel like I need to go-go-go ASAP.

In all honesty, I actually did seriously consider a short bob (but a LOT better looking than that stupid Anime-inspired monstrosity they gave poor Rapunzel. FAIL). However…well, a chin-length bob with straight hair tends to look rather plain. And I feel plain enough as it is, most of the time.

OH, ANKA, YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL!!!

Thanks, boy-o…but you’re prejudiced. ;-)

Plus chin-length is rather short, almost too short to look feminine (on me, anyhow). So I took Mom’s advice and went with a less drastic length.

Ta-da! *Cue dorky smile*
All pix but this one taken by Mom

(Fun fact: The first thing out of my brother’s mouth when he saw it was, "Hey, Jo." *Snicker*)

And now that you’ve (hopefully) recovered from my shocking bit of news, here are some better pix of my new ’do:

Mom wanted to curl the ends after cutting it,
to see how it would look.
Obviously, one side was still dampish :-P

Hair was still wet back there,
so it didn't curl, LOL

Cute, ja? 

This was actually a couple inches longer than I intended—I was thinking of just-barely-shoulder-length—but Mom cut it longer, and when I saw it, I realized it was quite short enough, and that any shorter would probably be hard to put up in the Summer. 

It’s a bit plain, perhaps, and definitely a major change from what I’m used to, but soooo much easier to care for and deal with already. I love it!

(For the curious, we actually made the chop back in March, but it was too perfect an April Fool’s gag! Or would have been, if Blogger hadn't been such a snot.) 

This length will allow me to put it up if I’m so inclined (even in curlers, as pictured below), but is still short enough that I don’ t have to all the time. It pretty much stays out of my way, and I don’t have to deal with a three-foot hairy curtain or thickish braid sweeping the floor when I bend over, now. :-P

I look a bit stoned here, LOL
...although the pix we took before  were worse.
I miss being photogenic

My aunt gave me a bunch of headbands shortly before The Haircut, and I’ve found they work really well! A pair of simple hair-clips is good for at-home days, too, and to my delight, I can still dress up my shorn locks with hair-flowers and ribbons!

Headband and Curls. (No, nobody punched my lights out.
I have permanent dark circles. Mreh.)

So, what are your thoughts?  
Did my news shock the tar out of you, or are you still chuckling?  
Do you love my new do, hate it, or not care one way or another? 
I want to know!

MOM: "OK, Licorice, tickle her so she'll smile."
*Cat rubs against ankles*
ME: *Laughs*
CAMERA: *Click*

Until next time, Gentle Readers,

God bless,

~R~

Ja voll—Mein HAIR!

As I said in my previous post, I have an announcement to make:

I….

…cut…

…my…

…HAIR!

This is what it looked like before:

 

Cheeky!

Now you’re wondering, “Why on earth would you want to cut off all that gorgeous hair?!”

I debated for a long time about it, praying hard and seeking my family’s council. Long-story-short, I finally decided it was time to let go of the Rapunzel look and go with a more manageable length…and consequently, try out all the fabulous hairstyles I’d bookmarked on Siobhan’s YouTube channel. *Halo* 

EDIT: I should note here that I don't endorse all her videos, but she has several clever and elegant hairdos for mid-back-length hair (with helpful suggestions for longer or shorter hair on some). So if you're looking for inspirations, check out Siobhan's videos...and take them with a grain of salt. /DISCLAIMER

So, on the day before the First Day of Spring, I washed my hair and let it air-dry…and then had Mom perform the deed. This was the result:

It’s funny, but it feels way shorter than that. Probably because I’ve gotten so used to having this hairy curtain down my back, LOL. It’s a little sad, but there were way more advantages to having it short. For one thing, I no longer have to deal with my “short bits” (leftovers from an unsuccessful layering attempt four years ago) when braiding my hair, ’cos we pretty much evened up the rest of my hair with them! For another…well, let’s just say it’s nice not to have to wrap my hair around my neck to tuck in my shirts. :-P

It’s an adjustment, to be sure. The one drawback is that I can no longer do the Halo Braid the way I was doing it before (lace-braided sides, joined into one braid in back, pinned over the “ridge” created by the lace braids). However, I found out (the night I cut my hair, in fact) that I can still do a Halo Braid of sorts—just with two braids pulled tightly and pinned to death:

 

Happy Monkey!

I’m still noodling with other hairstyles and what-not, and it may take some time before I find ones that work for my hair. But I’m so much happier with my hair now. This is going to sound weird, but I feel more normal with my hair this length. I guess the ultra-long hair seemed costume-y, like I was trying to be Éowyn or Rapunzel, yet still live in the Real World. My “short” hair gives me a sense of freedom, as though a burden has been lifted from my shoulders.

And I apologize if this post seems a bit moronic; I wrote this at 11:00 at night, so my brain is on half-power. :-P Perhaps later (when I've regained full mental capacity) I can edit it and make it pretty.

Until next time, Gentle Readers,

God bless,

~“Tom”~

Outfit: “Bonnie Lassie”/ “Highland Schoolmarm”

Gentle Readers, I must confess that I still have yet to finish my write-up of the delightful Springtime Tea last month (not to mention the Talache Picnic the week before). It would seem the things closest to the heart are the most difficult ones to write about, wot? I do intend to share my thoughts and pictures from those events...but probably not soon, as my life has been rather topsy-turvy of late. I need to get into the groove with my new Summer schedule...once I get my health back. Long-story-short, in the past week and a half I have endured the Mother of All Headaches, a sore throat, fever, runny nose and sinus headache. And I'm still recovering. >:-( Could have been worse, though—it could have been food poisoning instead. >Shudder<

But enough on that head. Today I want to share what has become one of my favorite outfits this Spring. I call it “Bonnie Lassie”...although at first I dubbed it “Scottish (or Highland) Schoolmarm.” It depends on what jewelry I wear with it.

~What I'm Wearing~

Skirt: “Lassie Skirt” Kmart (altered)

Blouse: Pink Shirtwaist hand-me-down from Mom

Pink sleeveless tee (under blouse): Wal*Mart

Brooch: Rose-and-lace Brooch hand-me-down from Mom

Earrings: “Ruby Romance” Wild Rose Designs

Hairstyle: “Edwardian Lace Bun”

Altering the Lassie Skirt: Winter(ish) 2009

Scraps from the Lassie Skirt Treatment

The piece de resistance of this outfit is the red tartan skirt. It's made of poly-rayon but looks and feels like real wool, without the itchiness. :-P The camera doesn't show it very well, but there are metallic gold fibers woven into the pattern, and there is a red velvet ribbon a few inches above the hemline (which you can barely see in the picture at left). The skirt originally started out as two slim A-line skirts (sizes 12 and 14) on clearance at Kmart back in California. I opened them both up and sewed them together into one big skirt, then made a new waistband and pleated the now-huge waist to fit. That looked too bulky, so Mom helped me give the skirt what I now call “the Lassie Skirt Treatment.” She had me put it on, then she pinned up the side seams until they fitted my waist. I then sewed along there she'd pinned, tapering the new seams into the existing ones, so the hem would still be nice and full. I made the skirt a wee bit wider than my actual waist measurement at the time because—it must be confessed—I was a bit freaked out that my waist had expanded to *gasp!* 26” in two years, and I was afraid it would get bigger as the years went by. So I provided for that and pleated in the extra fullness in back, on either side of the invisible zipper, to be let out should I happen to get any “fatter,” LOL. (For the record, my waist is holding at 28”, and the skirt still fits fine, if a wee bit snugly. And I've come to the conclusion that I was too skinny back then anyhow. :-P)

*Sigh* I miss my chin

The blouse—a poly-cotton number from Mom—may be what I call a “plain-vanilla shirtwaist,” but it has some redeeming feminine details—namely, the very rare rounded collar (most shirtwaists have those sharp-pointy things) and the vertical pleats front-and-center, one of which covers the buttons so they don't clank against my necklaces and make them hang crooked, like other button-up blouses do. Plus it's one of my very best colors—always a plus! (Incidentally, it's pretty much the only shade of pink I look good in, as a solid color, anyway.) People say you're not supposed to mix pink and red, but being very pale—almost next-door to white, really—somehow this tint goes very nicely, I think!

And if you're wondering why I wear a sleeveless tee under it, it's because the blouse is on the thin side. Not out-and-out see-through, but still pretty thin. The tee, being cut fairly wide so the edges don't show, and being the same color as the blouse, is practically invisible and therefore provides a nice opacity layer. This gets a bit bulky when worn over my Bodiced Petticoat, but I'm in the process of making a pink one (christened “Eglantine”) to alleviate that problem.

The brooch was a gift from some friends one Christmas several years ago, but Mom doesn't tend to wear brooches, so she gave it to me recently. Being a sucker for roses, I accepted it gladly. :-) I don't wear it often, as I'm not much for brooches myself, but it is nice to have about when I'm in the mood for a more Victorian look.

I made the earrings last year—or was it the year before?—to go with a necklace I'd been working on for a couple years. In the past I haven't been comfortable with dangles, but lately I find myself more drawn to them. Not big-bold-blingy ones, mind you, nor the kind you could practically wrap around your neck; that's not my style. Just something delicate and dainty and a bit more formal than the humble stud. They consist of Sterling earwires hung with a red "quartz" drop and a tiny "Siam" Swarovski bicone.

My hair is the same as in the “Sea Breeze” post, only this time you get to see it with side-curls. :-) Originally I just did my hair in Swedish Braids with this outfit, but this style (which I call “Edwardian Lace Bun”) is more formal. It's quickly becoming my favorite way to do my hair!

I hope y'all have enjoyed this little fashion show, and I'll keep working on those special posts so's you can see my pix!

God bless,

~“Tom”~

Exp-HAIR-iments, Springtime, and Tags!

This morning I had a bit more time than usual to get ready for church, so I decided I was tired of the usual Swedish Braids* and did a little experiment:

Mirror pix...gotta love 'em

This style was inspired by Éowyn's “Funeral” hairstyle in TTT, EE (for you Yahoos in the back**, that's short for The Two Towers, Extended Edition). Not bad for a first try, really, despite the little “twigs” sticking out here and there. Not to brag, but I was actually swarmed by several old ladies at church who were quite taken with my 'do. :-)

For those who want to know, I center-parted my hair and did two lace braids, then coiled one high-ish on my head and pinned the stuffin's out of it. Then I coiled the other just below it and pinned the stuffin's out of that.

Side view

“I have nineteen hairpins sticking into my head, but dear me! let us be elegant or die!” 

~Jo March (Katherine Hepburn), Little Women

(Actually, it was only fifteen, but still....)

Despite its fantasy roots, this hairstyle also has an almost Edwardian feel to it...which is kind of appropriate, considering today is the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. *HatHeart* Such a tragedy. But enough on that head....

* Swedish Braids = Two braids pinned up and over (and in some cases, around) the head. This term is an alternative to the misnomer “Heidi Braids,” since Johanna Spyri described the heroine of her classic children's story as having short black curls.

** Yahoos in the Back = The uninformed, those not in the know.

Reference: Taken from a line in an episode of Murder, She Wrote,  in which a Southern judge explains the meaning of habeas corpus to those in the courtroom who don't know the term. This usage is meant as a friendly jab, with no malicious or derogatory intent whatever.

~Tom's Dictionary of Whacked-out Terms and Old Family Sayings

Spring is finally here!

I'm as happy as a king

When I catch a breath of Spring,

And the fields are turnin' green as Winter ends....

...and the violets Mrs. H down the street gave us last year have come back:

 Saturday, Peter found these beauties in the lawn while he was raking up twigs:

Fun, fun!

Tasha of Day by Day, knowing my weakness for this sort of thing, has been so kind as to tag me—thanks, Tasha!

~How it Works~

1. Post these rules

2. Post 11 random things about yourself (optional)

3. Answer the questions the tagger posted for you in their post.

4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.

5. Go to their blog and tell them that they have been tagged

So then, 11 Random Things:

1. If my hair grew another six inches, I could sit on it.
2. I am fascinated with twins (especially identical), natural curls, red hair and pretty much anything embroidered or miniature.
3. I have never broken a bone in my life *knock on wood*
4. I am an incurable garbage-picker. Meaning if something isn't absolutely gross, I'll “rescue” it, clean it up and use it!
5. As a kid, I didn't really care about what I wore...now fashion is one of my hobbies! :-P
6. I hate coffee. And coffee hates me. The only exception would be mocha ice cream/frozen yogurt.
7. (Speaking of which....) I prefer frozen yogurt to ice cream.
8. I can still remember some of my childhood friends' birthdays, middle names...and wonky food allergies.
9. I have a habit of calling inanimate objects “Mister [something].” Mister Laptop, Mister Camera, etc.
10. I realized today that I have no desire to see Washington, D.C. Ever.
11. ...but I do have a strong desire to see Great Britain before I die.

And the 11 Questions:

1.Which song has inspired you most at this time in your life? Hmmm...not sure. Perhaps “Be Thou My Vision,” because I try to make God the center of my life (“naught be all else to me, save that Thou art...”), but I don't do very well. :-(
2. What are your sentiments on the subject of [Brussels] sprouts? Never had them, but being that I'm not terribly fond of the cabbage family in general, it's probably safe to say I wouldn't like them. I'm willing to try them, but I doubt they'd become my favorite vegetable.
3. Do you feel faint at the sight of blood? Depends on how much blood. Really, the most I've seen is in movies and on TV, and I know that's fake, so it's more uncomfortable than faint-inducing. Actually, I'm more likely to toss my cookies than faint if I actually did see a lot of blood in real life (now you know why I never went in for a medical career).
4. Do you enjoy chatting on the phone or would you just as soon write an email or send a text or even write a letter? I've been afraid of the phone ever since I was a kid (I call it “Telephobia”), so I'm more likely to write an e-mail. However, sometimes it's faster to talk over the phone—like if there are decisions to be made—and it is more pleasant to hear someone's voice now and then.
5. What if suddenly the sky was green and the grass was blue? What would you think? Either, “This has to be a dream,” or, “I shouldn't have smoked that pipe-weed.” Haha—inside joke. :-P
6. If you built a time machine, where would you go first? (let's just assume we're all capable of building a time machine, ok?;) I must confess I'd be tempted to go back to times in my life where I made some stupid mistakes, so's I could correct them.
7. If the powers that be suddenly decreed that everyone must wear a bright pink shirt with a chartreuse daisy adorning the front and bunny slippers on our feet, what would you do? (um...nope. No idea where that one came from!) I'd say they had finally hit rock-bottom in Fashion Central...and go on wearing my regular clothes.
8. If you could become a character from a book, who would it be? Hmmm...hard to say, as I'm not enough like any of my favorite characters to actually become them.
9. Do you paint your nails? No, actually. For one thing, I never saw the point, and for another, the fumes give me a headache. :-P
10. Are you a perfectionist? Unfortunately, yes. Sometimes to the point of stupidity. Although I *think* the Lord is helping me tone it down a bit...I think....
11. Do you unintentionally incorporate movie lines into your everyday conversations? No, I'm afraid I know exactly what I'm doing when a movie quote slips out of my mouth. *Halo*

And now to think up 11 questions for whoever feels like answering them:

1. How did you become a Christan?
2. Did you ever make snacks for yourself as a kid? Describe the wonkiest one(s):
3. How do you usually do your hair?
4. What was the first Scripture you memorized?
5. List seven things you would buy if money/practicality/whatever were no object:
6. Favorite candy(ies)?
7. What are your beliefs regarding Godly music?
8. What do you consider your personal badge (something that represents your character, personality, etc.)?
9. What are your sentiments on the subject of dragons?
10. Coke or Pepsi (or neither)?
11. Describe a favorite outfit—one for Summer, one for Winter:

Have fun, my hearties! ;-)

God bless,

~“Tom”~