Giddiness...

Just got some great new materials from Bocage today and have to share how silly in the head I get when I sprawl out the goods in front of me. A good chunk of the bits and pieces in the photo above will be used to create an extension of the Spring/Summer line for Ciara Obscura. This mess is really my heaven. And the picking through it all, makes me feel like the possibilities are endless. It's true. They really are.

My process goes something like this:
1. get drawn to awesome material
2. unload it in the studio
3. utilize the designs concocted prior to getting these and mix them with a dose of the new and evolved designs.
4. crack out the thread and glue and findings and creative juices
5. make some tea or coffee
6. stare at the goods for a while
7. dig in.

What results is a series of fine fine pretties... to be launched in the next couple of weeks.
Oh and...
8. get giddy.

Delicate Little Dreams...

Years ago, maybe when I was 18 or 19 years old, I remember imagining being inside of a life fully engaged in art as both a lifestyle and as a means of making a living; and spending this experience with a person I fell in love with more with each passing day. A fantasy, yes, but I'm not afraid to admit that I spent hours a day for years daydreaming about it. You know why?

I'm a dreamer. An unapologetic, shameless, staring into the sun dreamer. Sometimes I thought maybe I shouldn't trust myself with my grand ideas and secret wishes... that probably if I let myself really dive into feeling happy and content in these thoughts, that I would, eventually, just be disappointed in not having the things and the awesome experiences I dreamed I would have at different stages in my life. But, in some of the darkest and overwhelming times in my life, I have always- without fail- gone to my "happy place".

I can remember when I was six years old and my mother was dying. Something shifty was going on. I paid attention to every detail of my Mom's changing face, her hair falling out and trying to cover it with a kerchief or a wig. But, most of everything, I remember her amazing smile and her grace and strength and full love. I had no idea she was going away from us until she was gone. Clueless then blindsided. After that, for years, it was witnessing my Dad struggle to raise 6 children on his own... working his ass off while still being there for us in any moment that we needed him. My father is nothing short of my hero. This was, no doubt, a troubling time, but it was in these years that I first learned to , by contrast, find a better place to be. My clearest memory is of hearing my Dad crying one late afternoon in his bedroom, maybe a few months after my mom passed. I just knew enough to go in and hug him, but after that I went into my own room and curled up with my dolls and thought of my mom hugging Dad and dancing with him to Benny Goodman in the kitchen and drawing roses and painting my toenails and imagining my Mom in my life at the age I am now... I can tell you that I felt calm and peaceful and in a safe world. I was a daydreamer before this- like playing in the creek by the side of our house as a four year old- but this was the first time I remember dreaming about myself with the larger picture of a future attached.

I share this bit with you because this was my initial recollection of how thinking nicer, surreal thoughts of grandeur would allow me the chance to feel better. The hope of existing more in the space of sunshine and rainbows (don't knock the rainbows) and less in a space of darkness, appealed to the six year old then and , still, the six year old inside me today. There's no real difference- except that maybe I'm allowed to drink coffee and stay up until all hours of the night if I feel like it.

That said, I encourage you to give yourself the same opportunities to stop for a little in your day to day lives and embrace the staring off out the window or into your coffee cup or at the people rushing by. These are your moments to imagine the beauty that you want to feel. And I can assure you that as long as you allow yourself that much, you will ultimately have the reality and the dreams that you once let yourself think up.

The contrast is not to be taken lightly. You have a shitty day or week or year or life, but you've also got your creative ability to make the life you want happen... if not by exact details and standards than by the feeling of appreciation in wherever you are in any given moment. We are lucky and fortunate beings to have this ability.

And look, my life is full of less the excess of things than the abundance of goodness ...like the love and friendship of my super artistically talented husband and a space to dream in so that I can conjure up thoughts of the life that led me to make a living off of selling pretty wares (like the Perfect Bliss birdcage veil in the photo above).

It's really okay to be cheesy and dream. In fact, I'm just gonna say, it's the only way. Life could really suck otherwise... or, at least, might not be as amazing.

Messing Up...

I consider myself to be a good person... got strong ethics, offer encouraging words as often as humanly possible, give to charitable donations regularly, am super conscious of the well being of those around me, do my best to stay positive ...that sort of thing. But I also consider myself to be a pretty well flawed individual.

I talk too much, tend to be judgmental, have serious moments when I gravitate toward negative thinking, get frustrated fairly easily, and am a bit of a sensitive soul. Sometimes I dwell far too long on what spewed out of my mouth in social situations. It's in these moments and, the hours and days following that I feel like I've totally screwed up and lost my street cred. Thing is, I'm not sure if others notice it half as much as I do, but it still bothers me. I have no patience for my imperfections.

Last night, at our good friends' going away party, I had several different conversations with just as many different people. Good times were rolling, all was well, no crazy mess ups. Then I was chatting with a couple of junior high teachers about , essentially, how I admired their appreciation and optimism in children of this age group. Since I've always been more easily "at one" with younger children, I said, I can't identify with the pre-teens/teens with as much grace and understanding. What followed was my rant about something like how they text too much, can't communicate well, are inconsiderate, and on and on. Thing is, I feel this way MAYBE five percent of the time. Why did I unleash this horribly uncharacteristic verbal spewing (that felt like it lasted an hour, but probably lasted only three minutes) about these kids who are perfectly fine and who are doing their best to navigate through a world that can be incredibly overwhelming? I felt embarrassed. But I also felt that if I back tracked and tried to explain myself, I would have dug myself even deeper into that very yucky place.

I wondered, today, why I did that... why I have a tendency every now and again to go on with the negative... ESPECIALLY when I don't even agree with three quarters of the shit I'm saying. In the case of the junior high teachers, I know exactly why. I think I have this weird pathology where I bring myself down to a lower level because I, illogically, feel that I can over emphasize my praising of the other person's work/behavior/talents/skills, whathaveyou and, therefore, make them feel even better about their accomplishments. Rationally, I understand that it's just a silly backwards way of complimenting someone and that putting my own self down only leaves me feeling like I've messed up again.

Now if my husband, Sebastian, was there with me, he would have made a joke about it and given me a hug and a kiss on my forehead... instant rebalancing. But because I was on my own... I struggled with that balance. I'm left wondering why messing up in such a really trivial way like this, and in other moments when I express harsh judgment and so on, makes me feel like I am the worst person in the world. And I think it comes down to the fact that facing our imperfections is a very very scary thing... especially when facing them becomes a daily occurrence. Why is it that the one single solitary negative thing I do, or negative comment I hear from another person is what stands out for a longer period of time and with such impact than that of the five gazillion really nice and positive things I do and say? Can I blame it on the 12 years of Catholic schooling and the subsequent and prolific Catholic guilt? Wish I could. Instead, I continue on the path of my rather elongated series of life lessons.

I learn to go easy on myself (another invaluable bit of love and support that my husband has taught me)... like I imagine that my screw up doesn't exist anymore and the I go make some tea, or take out some really great material and make a new piece of jewelry or write a letter to a friend or hug my dog or stand in the sun in the patio garden or tell Sebastian I love him or look at the wedding album or practice the guitar or visit with my elderly neighbor (she's so good to me) or, really , just say, "screw it."... a more effective form of denial. It doesn't matter if I messed up this one millionth time 'cause, hell, overall I've already done a pretty damn good job of myself. And I should just pipe down and enjoy these moments just a little bit more. Even though the 5% of nastiness and embarrassment packs a heck of a punch, I remind myself that it's the other 95% of the time that is actually creating my life. This is a much more satisfying thought. And, in this better moment, I'm choosing the 95%.

Gal Feature #6: Kasey

Meet Kasey. This stunning gal is noteworthy... a gifted singer and musician (for the band
The Majestic ), a smart cookie (finishing up her clinicals for her degree in Respiratory Therapies), and a dreamer. I'm especially fond of dreamers who are actually inspired to follow through with their creative innovations and make their lives an extension of their dreams... Kasey does this with awesome grace and pure loveliness. She's one to know. You just wait.
More bits and pieces below...


Did you play dress up as a kid? If so, what was your most memorable ensemble?
Oh yes, I surely played dress up as a wee one. There was no particular ensemble that stood, they all stood out. I would put on fashion shows with the neighbor kids and at the same time, be the girl climbing trees/rolling around in mud.

What's your most treasured possession?

My grandfather’s Navy “Seabees” ring. Long live Hippy!

Backyard: Garden or the ocean?

A garden is something you create, maintain and watch thrive. I pick garden.

Hobbies and artistic endeavors?

Writing, singing, making clothes, painting, collecting tiny trinkets, playing/learning numberless instruments, cooking, hiking, biking, learning about different cultures, finding cures, laughing, singing in the rain, drinking green tea and playing with my dog, Paul.

The one band that you can listen to in any mood, any time of day, any place?

Radiohead

Where do you get your inspiration?

The world around me: the good♥, the bad and the tolerable

Imagine a single room all to yourself, all for you. What's inside?

Green tea, candles, flowers, papasan, relaxing music, calligraphy pen and paper.

Cotton candy or candy apple?

Candy apple (green)

One memory that brings you to your happy place.

The memory of my mother and me saying the Serenity prayer every morning together. She always made the best of every situation, even when we had little to no money, and also instilling the greatest values, I’m extremely grateful. She is my hero.

If you had the ability to give one million dollars to one charitable organization or cause, what would it be?

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Share a quote.

“I love to hear a choir. I love the humanity to see the faces of real people devoting themselves to a piece of music. I like the teamwork. It makes me feel optimistic about the human race when I see them cooperating like that.”

What piece of jewelry or hair adornment do you own by Ciara Obscura?

My Frida Kahlo inspired earrings, my fave :)

Who, in history, dead or alive, would you most like to spend a day with? why?

Florence Nightengale, for she was an intelligent, strong , compassionate, goal-driven woman that I believe I could learn a lot (more) from.

Fort or Tree House?

Tree!

Appreciation

I'm an appreciator of the little things in life. The velvety soft ears on our dog, a chat with my Dad, I think weeds are beautiful, sunlight streaming over the green in our garden, staring at the umpteen million books on our shelves, the way the gold plays off the red walls in our house, tea, my husband's eyes when he's tattooing or building this or that, picnics, listening to Head on the Door or In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, taking a cruise on my bicycle,... lots of things. So when my focus lately has been veering toward what I wanted and not what I already have, well, that just sort of set me off. I don't ever want to exist like that again.

The thing is, I want a new kitchen. And new bathrooms. And solar panels. And skylights. And better storage. And low flow toilets. And a couple new doggy beds. Oh and chairs for the dining room table... and some area rugs... and more pots in our yard for growing food... and more comfortable patio furniture... and .... Holy crap. Once I started, I couldn't stop seeing what we didn't have. Perception is a bitch.

So I cut myself off and decided to take photos of everything I love about our home. Appreciation, in and of itself, realigns a person with all that feels really amazing and always always- without exception- makes life feel good again. After I downloaded the photos and took some time just looking at them, I had no choice but to love what I already have (which, really, is everything I need.) and learn to shut the hell up about that new kitchen and the new bathrooms ... at least for now.

And the Winner is....

The winner of the Ciara Obscura blog May Giveaway of the Royal Smooch hair pretties is Melissa Oliver! Congratulations... Hooray!
Runners up for this month will receive 20% off their total purchase from the Ciara Obscura website.
Kerstin of kmonberg is also a runner up (there was no link for a contact email- so I will need you to contact me if you decide to take the 20% off deal!).

Thanks everyone, this was a great beginning to my monthly giveaway spree! Yay!

Upcoming posts... Fabulous featured artists, ramblings and Featured Gal #6: Kasey♥

Gal Feature #5: Lovely Pamela

I am a very lucky person for many reasons. I get to make a living from creating art everyday while working out of my home studio. That's pretty cool. My husband is my best friend and he makes me laugh daily, often multiple times a day. So that's even better. My home is by the ocean, and- additionally- on our walk on any given day and in any given season, I can see flowers blooming. This, too, is really neat. So when I tell you that I'm extra lucky because I actually have a mother-in-law who I like AND enjoy spending time with, well... that's just not something a person hears everyday. But it's true. She's pretty darn great.

This is what I love about Pam... She's a big fan of the wonderful vibrancy of color and her home attests to that. Pops of rich and dynamic hues play off throw pillows, area rugs, artwork, bedding, plates and mugs and clothing. She's traveled all over the world and can find something to appreciate everywhere she visits. Pam writes poetry abundant with imagery; in fact, she wrote and read a poem for mine and Sebastian's wedding. It was perfect.
But mainly I love Pam because she's a friend... present, generous, patient and kind.
I am a very lucky girl. Find out more about her in the interview below...

♥ Did you play dress up as a kid? If so, what was your most memorable ensemble? I was a little cowgirl with plaid flannel shirt and cowboy hat.

♥ What's your profession/day job/night job/way of making a living/something that occupies your day? For 35+ years I played with teenagers as I shared books and writing as an English teacher. As a retired teacher I still play with reading and writing.

♥ What's your most treasured possession? Memories . Material possessions clutter.

♥ Hobbies and artistic endeavors? Currently, reading, walking, Scrabble.

♥ The one musical band that you can listen to in any mood, any time of day, any place? Not a band, but Bruni and Melua, female singers.

♥ Where do you get your inspiration? Nature, friends, and sadness.

♥ Imagine a single room all to yourself, all for you. What's inside? I have one with a round window that reflects the moving moon late at night.

♥ Your ideal day, from morning to night, as it occurs to you in this very moment? Being with my best friend for a few hours, reading, wandering in my yard, fixing a salmon dinner and chocolate dessert, and a game of Scrabble.

♥ The best part of living is. .. Waking up happy and painless to a free day.

♥ South of France or Tokyo? Definitely South France for its food and sunflowers

♥ What's the one thing that sustains you? Loving, returned love

♥ What piece of jewelry or hair adornment do you own by Ciara Obscura? 2 necklaces, 3 earrings, 5 hair adornments, all favorites!

♥ (fill in the blank) I am most proud of...my patience

♥ Favorite meal Salmon, mashed potatoes, green salad, and a luscious chocolate dessert

♥ The outfit that makes you feel most alive and radiant Any outfit I am wearing that receives a compliment so that I stand up straighter and smile

Monthly Giveaway... May

These here are my Royal Smooch hair flowers. The customer peeps really seem to dig them... from brides to burlesque dancers in places like Portland, Oregon and Poitou-Charentes, France, they're gussying up the ladies. I enjoy them myself mostly because I'm a fan of red and also because they are super radiant in the hair. So now I'm making them my very first giveaway item in this blog.

Want 'em? Ass kissing is permitted but, when all is said and done, the winner will be the one person who best plays by the rules of the contest. And here they are:
In the "Comments" section below this post: (Deadline is Thursday, May 28th)
1. Tell me why you want the Royal Smooch hair flowers.
2. After visiting my website (here), let me know which piece of jewelry or hair adornment most appeals to you.
3. Make a comment under two of the four "Featured Gal" posts in this blog (no need to tell me which one, I'll be notified when a new comment is left for each post).
4. Cross your fingers. I will contact the winner via the email left with your comment post by Saturday, May 30th.

♥Good Luck♥

The Calavera Box

See that image above? This was a Christmas/Holiday present from last year from Becca (read her highly entertaining interview below). There are a few reasons why I am in love with this piece of wonderful artwork:
1. It was a totally unexpected gift. This, in and of itself, makes me fully enjoy whatever is given to me. I appreciate the unexpected when it comes in the form of a pretty package.
2. It was obviously an undertaking- what with trying to nail down the oddness of both me and Sebastian in one perfect shaped box. We think she made us look far more agreeable than we are in real life, especially by giving me larger breasts. For that, I am thankful.
3. It's beautiful... the craftsmanship, the colors, the itty bitty details. Beautiful. I stare at it more than I should.

There have been enough people asking about this calavera box to warrant the requests for Becca to make them on commission. I think she's taking orders now. Read her Q&A's that follow to check out her new blog and contact her with any inquiries about custom work. I can tell you they're a special treat.

Gal Feature #4: Sassy Pants Becca

It must be shared that I was somewhat obsessively looking forward to getting back Becca's answers to the interview below. She's that good. Her choice of words, her wit, her freaking fabulous sense of humor, they all make for a fantastic read. Any time she posts a story, say, on Facebook or whathaveyou I make sure I've got a full cup of tea or coffee. That way, the reading of such deliciousness as "25 Random Dudes I've Dated" and "Drawing on the Overhead-- Sixth Period" will make for the most necessary experience. You'll not want it to end... ever. Becca has yet to publish a book of these greats (but, mark my words right here and now, you wait... she will.). In the meantime I'll settle for spurts of posts on FB and her blog, The Helgaphile. For now, you can get a sense of her wonderfulness below. Grab your tea, coffee, or- I suppose- popcorn. This is fun stuff...

♥ Did you play dress up as a kid? If so, what was your most memorable ensemble?
My parents were theater actors, and I was an only child for the first nine years of my life. These two factors offered ripe opportunities to lose myself in the infinite possibility of make-believe dress-up land. Mama had a golden afro wig that she let me wear when I played house in the garage. Apparently, she wore the wig for a fancy Hollywood Halloween party back in 1973. Dad was Shaft and Mama was “Shaft’s Big Score”. Both wore brown makeup (I’m cringing while I write this) and afro wigs and big sunglasses. Mama had a mini-skirt that had the words “Big Score” hand-embroidered on the ass (homemade, of course). Why my parents thought it a good idea to go to a big Hollywood party in black-face is beyond me, but the costume did not make much of stir – mostly because no one realized that they were in costume in the first place. I guess they just looked like another hip African American couple hobnobbing with the stars. They made a quiet exit out the backdoor of the kitchen after about a half-hour of feeling like total unassuming racist idiots. Nevertheless, I love my parents. And that golden afro wig made me feel like a beautiful, African queen. In addition to the wig, there was an old hoopskirt in the garage that I used to put on over my Garanimals pants and roll up the waist until it was a giant donut around my belly. I remember thinking, “Some day, so help me God, I will be big enough and old enough to fit into this beautiful hoop skirt for real.” And I fancied that on that day, I’d finally feel like a real woman – wearing a hoop skirt. It was my right and my duty. The biggest influence on my sense of style was my Grandma Anne, who understood how important it is for a little girl to have her own drawer of play-clothes at the bottom of a frosted white dresser in the guest room. Grandma Anne wasn’t a famous movie star, but she lived like one, and she subsequently looked like one. Her lips were permanently stained red from her Max Factor lipstick. Very classy. And she always wore high heels. Even her sneakers had wedges. Grandma Anne didn’t mess around. The play-clothes consisted of all of Grandma’s old fancy nightgowns and negligees, complete with high-heels that had clip-on bows on the toes. These nighties were always washed and neatly folded in the bottom drawer, prepared for my arrival. As soon as I got out of the car, I’d give Gram a quick kiss and then head to the bedroom to put on all of the nighties – ALL of them, at the same time, like a bag lady – and wouldn’t take them off until it was time to go home. Every day, for like weeks, I wore those nighties, including the red polyester pantaloons with the black lace. In fact, I think everything was polyester and cheap lace, which can give even a little kid a bad case of BO. Trust. I blame these people for my eclectic sense of style. Or perhaps lack thereof.

♥ What's your profession/day job/night job/way of making a living?
I’m a seventh grade English teacher, but I’m also a self-appointed marriage-family counselor, drill sergeant, party-clown and surrogate mom. Like most other teachers, I wear many hats. On the side, I make “art”… mostly just crafts.

♥ What's your most treasured possession?
While packing a bag for a possible evacuation during a fire we had in the hills of Santa Barbara, I took my passport, my mortgage papers and my computer. But I also grabbed this little framed photo that I have sitting with my plants above the kitchen sink. It’s a photo of me at age three, wearing my favorite blue bathing suit and a pair of Kmart sneakers. I’m standing on the back patio of my parents’ house, pushing a bright yellow shopping cart. I don’t know why someone would make a plastic shopping cart for kids but I obviously had one, and for some reason, this picture is mildly important to me. I think it’s because I look like me – even when I was three. Same arms, same belly, same solid legs, and the look on my face. It’s a Becca-look – like I’m prepared for something big to happen. I don’t really have treasured possessions. My people are my treasured possessions… and the cat. As long as my people and the cat are safe, I’m good.

♥ Hobbies and artistic endeavors?
I write, take ridiculous photos of Barbie in public places, draw little cartoons on the insides of matchbooks, paint and repaint the walls of my house, read graphic novels, obsess over films, play Rock Band like I’m some sort of professional singer (embarrassing myself), perform improv theater in front of kids 5-days-a-week-180-days-a-year, and make calavera boxes for my friends and family. The boxes are my latest endeavor, mostly for couples that I admire. Each box is unique and custom-made to fit its recipients. It is my little gift of positive prayers for the incredible people I have in my life.

♥ The one band that you can listen to in any mood, any time of day, any place?
I can’t just give one answer here; when it comes to music, I’m all over the place. When I was a kid, I could do a song and dance routine to the entire album of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and the Beatles “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”. Don’t make me do it – I might still remember some of the moves. I also have to agree with my friend Amy that if Cat Stevens is playing on the radio somewhere within earshot I have to stop what I’m doing and sing along until it’s over. My car stereo is permanently dialed to the 80’s New Wave station, and I know every song but none of the words, so it’s horrible comedy Karaoke when I drive to work in the morning. When I work on art projects at home, I listen to Radiohead “In/Rainbows” over and over for hours, like a mantra to get me through to the end. And as for new music, I’m stuck on the New Pornographers and Andrew Bird, respectively. Can’t get enough of their latest albums. For this question, no matter how I answer, I just sound like a pompous ass. Really. I’m uncomfortable, now.
♥ Imagine a single room all to yourself, all for you. What's inside?
I already have this: it’s my whole house. And I’ve filled it with my artwork and the artwork of my friends and family, lots of color, a really good bed, fresh healthy food in the fridge, a neurotic cat and music. Lots and lots of music. I feel selfish with this space… I’d like to share it with someone else, but it has to be just the right person, and I’m in no hurry to make that happen.

♥ Cotton candy or candy apple?
Candy apple. I don’t understand cotton candy. Why, really, with the cotton candy? WHY? It just seems wrong.

♥ Your ideal day, from morning to night, as it occurs to you in this very moment?
I like to go for a good run early in the morning, then have coffee and breakfast with great friends, accomplish at least one task that makes me feel like I deserve to relax, then relax in the evening over dinner and a bottle of wine. I love to make meals for my friends. I love to have good people in my home – that’s my family-time. Being outside is important to me, too. If we can sit outside and drink the wine and look at a view, with the good people and all that other stuff I mentioned, well… that’s my heaven.

♥ The best part of living is...
Saying yes to the opportunities that come my way. Then taking a step off the ledge and allowing myself to fall into a new experience. Growth: that’s the best and worst part of living, but so necessary. Imperative, really. Yes.
♥ Roller skates or ice skates?
Roller skates… with pom-poms. And a boardwalk. And the high sun.

♥ Share a quote.
“Let’s do it for Johnny, man. We’ll do it for Johnny!” – Dally from The Outsiders
♥ South of France or Tokyo?
Tokyo. I’ve never been there. I imagine I would dig it for a short time until the lights make me anxious and my money runs out, but that sounds interesting enough. I’ve been to the South of France and it’s a lot like Santa Barbara. I want to go somewhere other than the paradise where I live.

♥ What's the one thing that sustains you in your job?
Autonomy and the ability to be creative – I’m my own boss when I close that classroom door. In addition, the kids I work with are intriguing human beings – it’s my honor to know them and help guide them to the next level. I have a great deal of faith in the future because I work with the kids who will be the next generation of adults. They get a bad rap from the current adults of our society, much like we did when we were kids. I laugh and feel proud of my students every day. That’s cool.

♥ If not the profession that you are currently in, then what?
I would write, but I’m not sure I have the stamina to be a professional writer. I have trouble being creative on purpose. It comes in waves. I have an old fantasy of opening a writing-workshop tutorial center much like 826 Valencia in San Francisco. That would merge two passions: kids and writing, but in a way where I’d still have to get up in the morning and go to work. I need that.

♥ What piece of jewelry or hair adornment do you own by Ciara Obscura?
I have a beautiful white gardenia for my hair and a custom-made Lucky Birds necklace in sterling. Gorgeous.

Coming Soon... Give-a-ways!

After having a ton of "suggestions" thrown my way, I've finally decided to offer monthly giveaways. And I'm thinking that I'll start with these Royal Smooch hair pretties since they're my biggest seller. But... BUT this is just a heads up, a tease of a "Coming soon!" because I first need to post a really super wonderful feature on Becca tomorrow. THEN you'll get your chance at winning these by week's end. Prepare yourselves, though, 'cause this will be somewhat of an interactive contest for the prize. Fun times... I promise.

My new favorite thing...

I'm a fan of reading. I enjoy reading books just as much as I do the backs of cereal boxes at breakfast or shampoo bottles while I wait it out on the toilet. I like words. I like well put together words that, particularly, share great and simple insight that should be obvious to most but could otherwise be missed if it were not for these well chosen words placed before us, say, on the aforementioned shampoo bottle or book.

That said, I will now direct you toward the very material object that has become my new favorite thing. The Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. If you do read it, I can assure you, you will never feel alone with your wondering thoughts ever again. Go. Be proud of your odd mind, your off kilter life. Embrace the brilliance of the ordinary.

Gal Feature #3: Amy M.

Meet Amy M... I've only really recently gotten to know her, but this is what I can so far share: She's authentic. This was obvious to me right off the bat. Amy's one of those people who is cute, pretty and witty, but does not intimidate. That's a rare quality and I can totally appreciate and admire anyone who can maintain that balance without trying to be the center of attention. Her sweetness and grace is most warmly expressed in her silliness and, in that, her pure loveliness. Also, I adored her responses to the interview questions... I found myself saying, "Yes! Oh my god, ME TOO!" This simultaneously thrills and frightens me. Go ahead. Read on and see for yourself how darn cute she is...

♥ Did you play dress up as a kid? If so, what was your most memorable ensemble?

Yes, I played dress up when I was a kid (and I still do). My nana (my dad's mom) kept a wicker trunk full of clothes for the grandkids to use for dress up. It was really cool because some of the clothes were old - from the 30s, 40s, and 50s. Of course, they weren't in great shape after generations of kids played with them, but that didn't matter. Every time we visited my nana's and papa's, my cousins and I dressed up in outrageous outfits and we composed original plays that we then performed for our older relatives after dinner. We thought we were genius and they humored us.

I remember my favorite outfit: It involved a long burgundy skirt that was sort of crumply and swooshy at the same time. It dragged on the ground and got caught in these awesome 50s-style pumps I found. The hoes were shiny black and had an extreme point at the toe, which reminded me of the witch in Wizard of Oz. I don't remember the shirt part of the outfit, but I do remember that I wore a blond wig that had been crushed in the trunk for years. It had the look of an old-lady permanent that had been slept on. I turned the wig backwards so that the part that was supposed to be in the back was in the front. It made me look like I had straight-across blonde bangs. And sometimes I wore a powder blue straw hat with blue netting on top of the wig!

Also, it is worth mentioning that once I put on this bridesmaid's dress - polyester, floor length with a halter top - that my nana had made for one of my aunts. It has a mid-70's disco look and a big, splashy Hawaiian print. I actually loved that dress so much that Nana decided to give it to me and I actually still find occasion to wear it. It fits me perfectly now. Last time I pulled it down from the shelf, it looked like the stitching might be coming apart, and like the hem has been dragged around in the dust too much, but I'm going to find a way to keep it together.

♥ What's your profession/day job/night job/way of making a living?

I teach English language arts and beginning Spanish to junior high students.

♥ What's your most treasured possession?

I try not to get to excited about anything I own just in case I jinx myself and I ruin, destroy, or lose it.

That said, if my house was burning down, I'd grab my laptop, the art pieces my friends have made for me and the little gold ring I inherited from my mother.

♥ Hobbies and artistic endeavors?

I like to read. I'll read anything really, but I usually try to be reading at least one serious book and one silly book at the same time. Right now I'm reading Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, which is my serious choice, and I'm also reading a really great young adult science fiction novel called Pretties by Scott Westerfield. I'm in the middle of reading Neil Gaimen's Sandman graphic novels. They changed my life.

Lately my husband and I have been obsessed with playing Rock Band for the Wii. I started feeling like I could actually play the drums until I went to a concert and watched a real drummer. Then I realized that I was just being tricked by the power of Rock Band.

I do a little bit of novice sewing. My mom sewed all of my brother's and my clothes when we were little and I used to sew with her, but I think she may have done all of the hard parts for me. I still try to sew, though. Mostly I use her old sewing machine to alter clothes I buy at thrift stores and flea markets. For me, that's way better than buying material and trying to make something from scratch. It's way cheaper too.

One more thing - I like to embroider. I just embroidered a little tiki guy onto an aqua-colored wraparound skirt I got at a thrift store. I also embroidered some pillow cases with sayings from some favorite songs: One says, "Happy when it rains," and has a little rain cloud and the other says, "Lips like sugar," and has little candies sewn into the corner.

♥ The one band that you can listen to in any mood, any time of day, any place?

Cat Stevens, specifically the songs from the movie Harold and Maude

♥ Imagine a single room all to yourself, all for you. What's inside?

A window seat with comfy cushions, a well-stocked book shelf (that includes all of my favorites - from Jane Austin to J.R.R. Tolkein to Walter Mosley), an afghan, and a secret stash of sour candy.

♥ Your ideal day, from morning to night, as it occurs to you in this very moment?

1) Wake up early-ish. Seven o'clock is good.

2) Drink coffee and read the paper. Have some toast and a grapefruit.

3) Go for a run at the beach.

4) Find a fabulous outfit to wear.

5) Eat lunch with my husband, preferably at somewhere with an outdoor patio.

6) Go to a cozy coffee shop to read while he types his novel.

7) Find some fun clothes at a second hand store. Right now I'd love to find some high-wasted, slim black slacks like the ones Audrey Hepburn wears in Funny Face.

8) Call up friends to meet for dinner and cocktails. Drink a martini.

9) Eat yummy food with friends and laugh.

10) Go home to watch TV with my husband. Right now the show would be Pushing Daisies.

♥ Roller skates or ice skates?

roller

♥ Share a quote.

"Fly, you fools." - Gandalf

♥ What's the one thing that sustains you in your job?

Kids are funny. They make me smile, even when I'm grumpy.

♥ What piece of jewelry or hair adornment do you own by Ciara Obscura?

I love the little black cloth necklace with the striped buttons [Mon Ami Necklace]. I just wore it to the store and was literally stopped by strangers who wanted to give me compliments.

♥ Your Blog:
http://accordingtomissmyra.blogspot.com/

♥ Cute as a Button Collection ♥

Used to be that the concept of simple escaped me. To say that I enjoy ornamentation is a holy understatement. And given that my entire heritage is Italian, you'd expect that I'm into the gaudy gold leafing, with layer upon layer of fabric strewn here and there, and furniture that would make the Scandinavians cringe. This is pretty much true. I can't really deny my love for all of this or, if nothing else, my appreciation for their craftsmanship and artistic innovations.

My mother's side of the family made furniture generations back in Italy and then in New York through until my Uncle Freddie passed away last year. Their Natale and Son showroom was in Midtown Manhattan and the actual warehouse studio was in Brooklyn. Imagine the crazy beautiful woodwork and ornate painting on these pieces that reached their fame and commercial appeal during the Golden Age from the 1930's- 50's. Each of my family members has ended up with two or three pieces (I'm currently having two matching sofas with intricate wood carving and ivory silk damask upholstery delivered to our home, along with a rose and gold tone marble coffee table that had- to my memory- always been nestled between those sofas in our old living room (I loved staring at them especially under the glow of the lights on our Christmas tree each year); and a stunning bureau painted with wisps of soft blues, rose, green and gold). Our home is already adorned with a hodgepodge of artwork made by me and my husband or given to us by friends and family- so this added interior embellishment will, oddly enough, stylistically fit right in.
I enjoy this sort of carnival of eye candy when I sit down to drink my tea or welcome friends into our home to eat yum yums or whathaveyou. So when I made the very first design for the Cute as a Button collection, I wondered if I would be able to contain my incessant need to embellish. What I discovered was a sort of liberation from excess mind clutter as I made more and more of these simplified and perfectly lovely single button necklaces, bracelets and rings. Naturally, I've added a few pieces that have slightly more action going on, but that's how I find my balance.
Simplicity is a stunning freedom. Embellishment is a creative explosion. I'm happy to delve into both worlds. That's just the way I roll.

Gal Feature #2: Miss Jennifer

I met Jennifer a couple of years after I moved to California. She was, then, a young woman who knew what she wanted to be ( a hair stylist) and worked her butt off getting there. I admired her focus as a 19 year old, working a solid, stable full time day job so that she could go through full time night school to achieve her goal. And she did it, too, with such dedication and perseverance. Nothing is half ass for her. Jennifer's motivation to become herself has now resulted in the woman you see above... content, sweet and one hell of a stylist. In fact, she's an amazing hair stylist working at Santa Barbara's most well reputed salon, Walter Claudio. Congratulations to Jennifer and her fiance, Ian, on their upcoming wedding and lifelong marriage! Yay! Below is an excerpt from a recent Q&A session ...

♥ What's your most treasured possession?
Besides my soon to be husband and my little bird Kiwi, I would have to say a locket that belonged to my grandmother

♥ Backyard: Garden or the ocean?
Ocean

♥ The one band that you can listen to in any mood, any time of day, any place?
Hard to choose one... Gwen Stefani or Guns and Roses

♥ Where do you get your inspiration?
Everywhere

♥ Cotton candy or candy apple?
Cotton Candy!

♥ If you had the ability to give one million dollars to one charitable organization or cause, what would it be?
The Dream Foundation.... it's such an amazing charity and I love volunteering services and time for them.

♥ The best part of living is...
finding true love

♥ Roller skates or ice skates?
roller skates

♥ If not the profession that you are currently in, then what?
working with animals

♥ What piece of jewelry or hair adornment do you own by Ciara Obscura?
I own quite a few.... I love my royal smooch hairpins and my bliss hair clip! It's hard to list them all ;)

♥ Who, in history, dead or alive, would you most like to spend a day with? Why?
Marilyn Monroe.... She's so fascinating and inspiring but also had a dark side


Next up... my new "Cute as a Button" collection and Gal Feature #3!