Bow: my parents' bow box | Cardigan: Target
I hope you all have had the merriest of Christmases. As far as Christmases go, this one was pretty wonderful for me, and certainly a vast upgrade from last year. Today was a great day for a number of reasons, big and small (like a stellar cooperative dinner and this guy under the tree), and I'm happy to have this day. Merry Christmas to you all!
Sweater: J.Crew | Skirt: Talbots | Tights: Target | Flats: DSW | Nails: Lynnderella Glass Houses over butter London Union Jack Black | Book: Queen of the Dark Things by C. Robert Cargill, out May 13, 2014
I am currently running through mild school withdrawal. I still check my school email daily and find myself slipping into Blackboard despite the fact that I have no homework. I admit that I am nervous: this is, ideally, the end of my education, and this is after spending 20 years total embracing some educational institute. Preschool at JCC, elementary school, one failed middle school, a slightly better middle school, high school, college, and grad school have essentially guided my brain, my body and my spirit over the last two decades of life, and now it's all over. Very abruptly, might I add. Grad school weaned me, slightly, from the dedication of 24/7 education, because I had to dedicate my life to other things too. But I'm still uncertain what comes next: I'm mildly aimless. I know this is only temporary, but jeez, I need to get over it already and move on. At least I have a book to keep me warm.
The Snowy Day cover and inside illsutration, by Ezra Jack Keats
Multimedia collage, 1962
Ezra Jack Keats was an innovator. He was one of the first authors to unveil multicultural storylines in children's books, and he developed collage as a viable form of illustration. (Eric Carle wouldn't exist were it not first for Keats.) The Snowy Day is one of the most beloved children's books of all time, right up there with Winnie the Pooh and The Polar Express, for its charm and beauty and the delight it always gives its readers, young and old and everywhere in between. Peter's joy at encountering his first snowfall is something we've all felt (unless you've never encountered snow, in which case, I'm sorry), and Keats captures that thrill with such simple beauty. The Snowy Day and all of Ezra Jack Keats's books are ones that I grew up reading and rereading, and I'm so thrilled that Jen chose this artwork for this week's Style Imitating Art. Email her your inspiration by Monday, December 30th (oh my word). Enjoy, and if you haven't read this book, do yourself a favour and check it out from your local library. I guarantee they'll have it.
Hanoi Street, by Bui Xhan Phai
Oil on canvas
Salazar says it's time to introduce a Vietnamese artist into SIA. I AGREE. And who better than Bui Xhan Phai, one of the most famous Vietnamese painters? Phai is well known in the art world for his paintings of Hanoi, and he's also known as a figurehead for freedom in Vietnam; he lost his job and was only allowed to leave Vietnam once because he supported a North Vietnam political movement supporting artistic and cultural freedom in the country. Although he didn't receive a significant amount of attention outside the country in his lifetime, Phai is posthumously known as one of the most important artists in the history of Vietnam.
Send your outfits to Salazar by Monday, December 16th! (I'm excited because that is also my GRADUATION DAY.) I can't wait to see the outfits, this is a good piece!
I am not leaving. This post has nothing to do with me abandoning this blog. (I graduate in 10 days, and then I will be back for real!)
But I need to say goodbye to something else.
I have worn the same feather ring for the last 12 years. Every single day, in the barn, at work, at school, under gloves, under mittens, under reins and brooms, this ring has lasted happily on my hand.
Until last month, when my ring met its final end, abandoned somewhere on the ice during a curling match, tragically flung from the pocket of my sweater when another curler gathered up clothing that was left on the scoreboards. Swallowed by the Zamboni, presumably, never to be seen nor heard from again.
I was upset, needless to say.
I welled up a bit. And then I slipped on my class ring, a size and a half too big for my ring finger, and began the search for a replacement. A ringplacement, if you will.
I searched high and low, left and right, up and down. I googled for the same ring, hoping that 12 years later, there would magically be an American Eagle feather ring on eBay. Too much hope, not enough luck. So I turned to Etsy and began the dig. And I dug and dug, and dug some more, adding ring after ring after ring to a list of Ringplacement possibilities.
One ring, to rule them all (them being my fingers), stood above the rest. The same thickness and width as my feather ring, it would fit perfectly into the kind dent left by my dear friend.
This is my new honeycomb ring, which came all the way from a jewelry maker named Esmeralda, who lives in Stockholm. She was amazing and made sure that I would get the ring I wanted, not just the ring I ordered. As soon as the package arrived from Sweden ("We don't have rings in America?!" exclaimed my dad), I ripped open the box and slid the ring on my finger, where it has remained ever since.
I'll never forget my feather ring. It was a great ring. But if this ring lasts as long--or even half as long--as the feather ring, I'll be a happy girl indeed.
I am so, so sorry to all the amazing ladies who kindly submitted their entries right on time this week, because I'm posting a day late. I have had an ongoing family emergency and it sucks a lot and I have had a lot of difficulty the past week or so doing much of anything aside from dealing with the basics of work, caring for the horses, and dealing with homework. Sigh. But ANYWAY, SIA is here and I have to say that even spending five minutes taking photos of myself--vain though it sounds--made me feel better! It's a sign, clearly. As a reminder, this week's inspiration was Swan Lake by Chris Van Allsburg, as shown above. Let's get to it!
First is Jen of Librarian for Life and Style, who captured the essence of the painting with a really pretty colour combination. And click through to see a close up of her hair, it looks really cute!
Kezzie of KezzieAG is back with us this week, and she's going for it with the ballet pose. I like it! I also like her shades of blue.
Amber of Section 391 has a dress that has similar colours to the swans! And graceful neck INDEED. So pretty!
Salazar of 14 Shades of Grey, nailing it as always.
And then there's me, doing my best swan hair. That's a lie: this is what my hair looks like when I see a swan. Even my hair panics. This dress ended up being perfect for the inspiration, though!
Thank you ladies for participating, and again, my apologies for the lateness! Two more weeks of school and then this is all over!
