Magpie Heart

In the mood for something new and shiny?  Always.


Baublebar Lightening Rod Drops

I bought these earrings to wear to the Wichita Art Museum Color Party.  It was the tenth anniversary of the party so they asked people to dress in any of the colors from the past ten parties.

I bought a cheap but awesome tonal sequin dress from Forever 34, but when it arrived I realized that I looked like 10 lbs of potatoes in a 5 lbs sack.  Nope nope nope.

I ended up wearing a black goddess-y maxi dress with neon embroidery from last summer.  I still wore the earrings, and I copied this hairstyle.

You guys, I looked like some kind of Electric Kool-Aid Earth Goddess from the Moon.  I felt awesome. Totally worth the $34.

Drunk. Terrible Lighting. Very Happy.

Klimt Tarot - Pocket Golden Edition

Use them. Frame them.  Keep them in a pretty silk pouch and just enjoy the knowledge that you possess them.  Whatevs.

Here is a good Tarot reference guide for getting started!


Real Techniques Brushes - this set, this set, and THIS BRUSH for starters

 

You guys.  You GUYS.  The expert face brush alone is worth its weight in gold.  These brushes are so ding dang cheap and so well-made... plus they are synthetic which means precious baby animals are not being harmed for your vain ass self.

I was a MAC/Sigma/Zoeva/Morphe brush-aholic.  These are better.  Plus they are so cheap that you can buy multiple sets... and you will want multiple sets.  The base shadow brush from the eyes starter set (purple brushes) is a more wonderful MAC 217.  Which anyone who spends any amount of time doing make knows is the end all be all of eye shadows brushes.  It's your base shadow brush, your crease brush, your blending brush, your concealer brush, your nose contour brush.  You can't have enough of them.

And that expert face brush will change your foundation/blush/bronzer/contour game.  So so good.

OH!  And the deluxe crease brush from the eyes starter set is my new go-to concealer blending brush!

Cruise Talk!

It's getting close, you guys!  Another January and another cruise!!

My sister in law Kristine and I are leaving on a cruise to St. Thomas, Tortola, Antigua, and The Bahamas in the middle of January and I fucking cannot wait.

We finalized our flights, excursions and our hotel in Miami for the night before the cruise departs last Saturday.

We're staying  at this super cute hotel in one of those sherbet-colored art deco buildings in South Beach.

Hotel Shelley

So since this time we have to fly to our departure city instead of driving (the ship left out of Galveston, TX last time)  I am definitely going to have to pare down my packing list to essentials.  Which means I can't coordinate a different shoe for each dinner outfit.  And also I can't bring a different dress for each night of the cruise.  Bummer Summer.

BUT... I am 50 lbs lighter than I was last time, and I get to buy some super cute new clothes for the trip! Huzzah!!!

Champagne for everyone!

There will be two fancy evenings on the ship.  These are the outfits I have planned.  Same dress and shoes, different jewelry.

I have a pair of cheap rhinestone stud earrings to wear with both,
but I can't find a good dupe for them on Polyvore.

In addition to using the same dress and shoes for two nights, I'm planning on relying pretty heavily on the same basic cosmetic items instead of packing all of my eyeshadow palettes because I might maybe who knows want to wear a blue eyeshadow on a whim because I know I never will and it's a giant waste of precious suitcase space.

Here are my essentials:

With these and a few eyeliner pencils I should be able to paint my face to perfection every night.

On the last trip, I painted my nails black for the entire trip and just kept adding coats of polish to cover the chips.  It worked great!  And I think black nails looks super chic when they are nicely done.  My favorite black polish is from Avon and it's called Warm Black.  I think it might be discontinued which is sad because it flows onto the nail so well.  So it looks like I need to start hoarding that one.

Okay... so this has been a post about absolutely nothing, but I've enjoyed it because I am seriously so excited about this trip.  Bless your heart if you read this entire thing... you're a real trooper.

Why Not?

What I Wish I Wore 20 by luxlis featuring pendant necklaces

For lack of anything interesting to say I'll just put this here, because I really do wish it is what I
was wearing today.

Also, I've just now decided that the day I hit the 100 lbs lost mark I'm buying myself a 

fancy, grown-up watch.  Because I fucking well deserve it.

Kentucky Derby

You guys, going to the Kentucky Derby is totes at the top of my bucket list.
I also want to see Belmont and the Preakness, but the Derb (that's what the cool
kids call it... okay maybe just me) is right there at the top.

So let's pretend I will be there tomorrow (totally drunk on mint juleps
and champagne), and ooh and ahh over how PRESH I will look in
my Valentino dress!!

Kentucky Derby by luxlis featuring a metallic clutch

Valentino retro dress, $2,090
Diane von Furstenberg cropped jacket, $438
Pumps, €495
Diane von Furstenberg metallic clutch, £298
Silver jewelry, £25
J by Jasper Conran floppy hat, £60
Diane von Furstenberg double wrap belt, £192

What I Wish I Wore...

I think this is my favorite one yet.  I would wear this every single day until it rotted off
of my body. Hand to God.

What I Wish I Wore 6 by luxlis featuring Kismet rings

Roxy top
Acne jeans, $230
TIBI shoes, $355
Furla Handbags shoulder bag, $351
Eddie Borgo earrings, $155
Jennifer Fisher ring, $250
Kismet ring, £252
Kismet ring, £252
Jane Norman scarve, £15

I Wish I...

Were braver.

Had size 5 feet.

And long, slender fingers.

Were 3 inches shorter.

Could speak at least 2 other languages with ease.

Had a musical ear.

And perfect pitch.

Could give away everything I own without a moment's hesitation.

Had a talent so singularly obvious I would never have to question what my life's purpose should be.

Were bold.

And masterful at Photoshop.

Had the ability to draw with any level of skill.

Was best friends with Ricky Gervais.  Stephen Merchant too.

Had one of those metabolisms.

Had a rabbit in a hat with a bat and a six four Impala.

In other news, is it possible to have a case of the Mondays on Wednesday? Because that's what I'm currently dealing with.  That or total and complete apathy.

Also, I wish I were wearing this today:

What I Wish I Wore 4/18/2012 by luxlis featuring pyramid earrings

And all of it could be mine for the low, low price of $1,700 plux tax!!!

So I guess I also wish I were very, very rich.

You're Cordially Invited Again...

In addition to my annual fabulous Christmas Eve party, when I'm indecently wealthy I plan on hosting an over the top birthday party for myself every year.

My birthday is January 6th which means that I will have a lot of party planning all crammed up together. But I'm pretty sure when you're rich planning self-centered parties becomes your hobby and job... your JOBBY, if you will.

This year's theme is White... as in winter. It's not racist, you guys.

I just wanted to emulate one of my personal heroes of wealth and excess: P. Diddy.

Source.

And so... "Welcome, dahlings, to my humble ski chalet!"

Both images from Pinterest.

Grab yourself a white or black russian popsicle:

Source.

Or a glass of champagne from my champagne pyramid!

You're always so sweet to pretend to care what I'm wearing!  Just an absolute doll!

It's just some old used white dress I found.

BOOM. FULL ANGELIC 70s DIOR MODE ENGAGED.

Source.

I'm sure you've been introduced before, but please let me present you to my husband again.

Source.

I have no idea why he has so much trouble getting his tuxedo on!

You know I would just absolutely die before I would brag, but he got me the most darling thing for my birthday!

Source.

I don't even know how to ride a horse!

Well, anyways, I'm just so absolutely thrilled you could make it to my little ol' birthday party!  Please enjoy yourself and don't forget to grab a party favor on the way out!

Source.

Limit one per guest, please.

You're Cordially Invited

Someday when I am absolutely mired in a filthy amount of wealth and prestige I intend to host a fabulous party every year on Christmas eve.

In my mind it will be like this:

From Pinterest.

But also a lot like this:

With an occasional measure of poetic overindulgent melancholy like that in the house party scene at the end of La Dolce Vita. But not too much because too much existentialism just absolutely ruins a good time.

So "Welcome, dahlings to my humble home!"

Source.

Grab yourself a cocktail:

Gingersnap Cocktail.

Or a glass of champagne from my champagne pyramid!

What am I wearing, you ask?  What a doll!  Oh this old thing I just grabbed from the back of my closet.

BOOM. FULL DYNASTY MODE ENGAGED.

Source.

It's so not a big deal.

You know what is a big deal?  My husband! Have you met him?

Source.

He hasn't finished putting on his tuxedo.

Not to brag (ha!), but this is what he got me for Christmas:

Source.

Bless his heart!

Well... eat, drink, be merry, et cetera, et cetera! And don't forget to grab a party favor on your way out!

Merry Christmas! And we'll see y'all next year!

Please Do All of the Work and I Shall Take All of the Credit

You guys, I need some help/opinions.

In less than 40 days I will be on a cruise ship on my way to Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.  I'm just a little bit excited... actually I'm like this:

Because of these SANTAAAA levels of excitement I'm already planning what I will be packing... especially what I will be packing to wear on the two formal nights on the cruise.

Here's the thing... my adult/semi-adult life has an amazing dearth of opportunities to play dress up.  I'm not married, I didn't go to prom,  and I've never even been a bridesmaid. So when I get to dress up for something I get pretty carried away with the planning.

Now I'm not planning to go Full Dynasty on formal night.

Although, let's be honest, if money were no object you better believe this shit would happen.

Instead I'm going for a more boho glamour look... we'll call it Champagne and Hippies.

The first formal night outfit is pretty much fait accompli... I'm keeping it simple: Black cocktail dress, black open toed heels, hair up with something sparkly in my hair to vajazzle it up a little (I'm not going to get vajazzled, you guys... I'm talking about the hair on my head... ew).

So I need some opinions on accessories and hair for the second dress.

I'm wearing this:

It's much more of a rust color than the pumpkin orange in this photo. And the beading on the cuffs is gold, not shiny gold... more of a dull finish gold.

I'm wearing black opaque tights and, most likely, these shoes:

These are from Target, and they were pretty comfortable which is a priority for me.  I have a very low tolerance for hurt-y feet.

Originally I was thinking of wearing a long necklace with a large pendant of some sort, but now I'm wondering if I would prefer wearing big (like Dynasty big) gold chandelier earrings.  I have an aversion to wearing a big necklace with big earrings... I prefer to pick either/or.  OR what about a shorter necklace... like a bold, bib style.

Like this one from Forever 21? $8, you guys!

Also I'm cheap... very, very cheap.

Any ideas?