Neon mom jeans, for today's hip ladies!

Let's go a little off topic for a sec, gang.

Not like there is ever an on-going theme here.

Unless you call "endlessly random" a theme.  That's the whimsy in me.  They don't call me The Whimsical Crafter for nothing, am I right or am I right or am I right?!

Oh, and by "they" I do mean myself.

So here we are, already off the topic I was hoping to be off topic....about.

And that topic: how old is too old to wear neon.

As in the neon that all the kids are wearing these days.

I guess we could turn this into a discussion on any trend that's out there now.  Like what is the age limit on calling your fellow man "bro?" or when should one stop wearing gladiator sandals?

Because I know for us gals we're sensitive to how we appear to others. At any age.  And we especially don't want to look like we're trying too hard.

Me at the make-up counter at Macy's: "I want you to pile all that crap on my face but for goodness sake make it look natural!"

So setting an exact age where you officially go from skinny jeans to mom jeans and from trendy printed tees to Hanes Her Way would be helpful when asking oneself "should I be wearing this??" while pulling on floral print pants very similar to the ones you remember wearing on your first day of third grade.

Hypothetically, of course.

But no, no, no.  I am not having that discussion now.

No I just want to know about neon now.

This neon.

I went running shoe shopping Sunday and what I found was an entire wall of neon shoes in every color combination possible, and then off to the side were two or three plain white pairs with blue and purple stripes on a table with packages of socks.

Hmmmm, I think what they're trying to say right now is that bright colors are a thing.

So I bought a pair.  And they are shockingly bright

I remember wearing neon in elementary school, gang.  I specifically remember my favorite sweater, it was black with hot pink and yellow stripes.  And I also remember laughing at how ridiculous this stuff was years later when we were all wearing forrest greens and maroons and tying flannel shirts around our waists.

Please, oh please, don't let grunge come back...

So I guess what I'm wondering is if I can remember the inception of this style does that mean I'm too old to be sporting it the second time 'round?

What if I pair these bad boys with the yoga pants that fit just above my belly-button, does that help or hurt my chances of fitting in??

Luckily, these aren't my "everyday" shoes and will most likely only be worn to jog around the park at times when I will see the least amount of people on account of an awkward running style that may or may not have been compared to that of a duck during my high school track days.  I don't want to talk about it.

But, I do have this same color in a nail polish and that would go with me everywhere, so please, your opinion is strongly requested.

...as long as your opinion is that I can totally pull off neon because I don't think Dick's will return shoes with traces of duck poo.  You just had to "break them in" in the park, didn't you Stace?!

Thanksomuch.

Nuts. And other related items.

Can I tell you, I've written this post three different times.

You're looking at attempt number four.

And if you are actually looking at it that means I GOT ONE THAT WORKS!  Finally....

I've been trying to tell you how much I love, love, love fall but every time I get going I'm all "let's talk about every single detail of why marching band is just the absolute funnest thing in the whole entire world!!"

Because that's what goes on now through October.  For four years band was my life and my life was cool.

And then I scratch that post because you're not here for the Life & Times of a High School Trombonist.  So I start over.  But then I'm goofy over Purdue football.

Ok, so what if you almost dated Drew Brees's cousin.

You're impressed.  Right?  Is that what I'm sensing here?

(But srsly, there's nothing better than Big 10 football.  Look it up, I'm pretty sure it's a proven fact.)

But then I'm like, "really, did you really just go there?"

And then I go, "well yeah, it's probably my only claim to fame.  Ever."

So I say, "what about that time you literally ran into Lucy Lui in NYC?"

And I'm like, "ok, but that was different.  I didn't want her signing my umbrella and she was pissy."

And then I go, "fair enough."

People.  Friends.  You, sitting there still trying to decide why you came here in the first place.  I'm getting all carried away with myself because there is just too much to say why I love this season that is only 22 days away!

So I'm pretty much not going to say any of it.

I'm kinda doing you a favor anyway.  My love of apple cider vs. its reign of terror inside my upper GI is probably not going to put this post at the top of your "Faves" list.

What is going to put it at the top of your faves, you ask?

Maybe this:

Well, hello little darlins'.

Fall is when those pesky squirrels start stockpiling acorns.  They take the good nut-parts, stuff 'em in their squirrelly little cheeks, and chuck the leftovers, the acorn hats if you will, at my head, the hood of my car, and dirty pigeons.

Their loss = my gain.

Suckers.

But I exaggerate.  I really do like squirrels.

And for the record I do not condone the throwing of acorn waste, rocks, yorkies, etc. at dirty pigeons.

They can't help it that they were made to have such a high tolerance for dirt and rabies and stuff.

So I take those acorn hats and turn them into cheery little table decorations with felted wool balls as the "acorn."  It's like taking one part of nature and putting it with another part of nature to get a nature hybrid.

How environmentally forward am I?  Pssshaw.

You can leave them alone, scattered on a table.  Or pair them with a mixture of dried fall leaves and berries and stuff.  Or you can decide Stacie has zero interior decorating skills and do something that is "in" right now.

But for now we wait.

We wait for those danged little squirrels to get hungry and then pesky.

We wait for the leaves to change and for the sounds of baritones and tubas in the morning.

...

At least there's still time while we wait to enjoy that last few perks of summer.

With that said, will you please excuse me.  I believe there is something that needs to be grilled.

Chevrons 'n Me: a love story

There are just some things that make my world go 'round.

Like turquoise earrings.

Pea green shoes.

And ugly stuffed bunnies.

Today it's chevron ribbon.

I found these one inch wide ribbons at Paper and Pinafore's etsy store.

They caught my eye the same way puppies do.

...and three inch wedges I could never wear.

The colors....ahhhh the colors!

I love the colors.  I love them more than chocolate covered chocolate donuts.

More than sparkly eyeshadow.

More than....wait, is there anything else?

I don't exactly have a plan for the ribbons yet.  I mean, beyond laying them out next to me while I watch TV at night.

...we all have our own creative process, you know; mine just happens to involve proximity and Matlock.