Make Music Madison...The 1st Day of Summer

Dress: Lady Bug Print Navy Fit & Flare Dress by Unique Vintage (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Born

Earring: former Etsy shop

Necklace: Wendy Baker

Bracelets: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I'm a sucker for cutesy dresses, even though it wasn't easy to tell these were ladybugs unless you were up close. The fit was good, but the length was a bit short. Nice vibrant colors...super easy & comfortable summer dress. 

I guess this is my early 4th of July ensemble...red, white, & blue represent. 

This is my first time wearing this red bubble necklace since Wendy fixed it for me earlier this year. I've missed it, but it was good to push myself to choose other necklaces.

My make-up with this outfit included...NYX eyeliner in Deep Blue, Urban Decay eyeshadow in Half Baked & Urb, Huda Beauty Ruby Obsessions palette, Santa Sangre lipstick from Kat von D, & A Kiss on the Chic nail polish by OPI. 

The Lowest Pair...I just love them. And a Juneteenth message from Stacey Abrams...& some music on that day from Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn...& Sean Hayes dedicated his radio hour to doing covers of black musicians who've inspired him. 

My hair is looking so raggedy...I chopped at it a bit again...but it's not really helping. Pick up from farmers' on Saturdays look like this...first stop, Young Earth at the park & ride...then on to Dane County market. I really miss walking around...looking at all the beautiful produce...but this is what my knee is up to this year anyway. At the 2 week mark for my knee shot...it feels *slightly* better...as in I don't have to cry out in pain quite as much...so that's a good sign? Amanda Palmer picked the best place in the world to get stuck during quarantine...she's living life in Covid-free New Zealand...playing & singing at a local farmers' market. Seeing all the people in a group watching her, without the need for masks...gave me hope. And made me hate our country. 

Apparently, Old Crow Medicine Show has been doing a weekly Hartland Hootenanny during the entire quarantine...I happened to catch it on the week they had JD Wilkes as their guest, yay! BLT wraps with green onions for lunch...delicious. Every year on the first day of summer...Make Music Madison happens...all over the city, musicians play...outside, at venues, in your backyard...I watched several of them.

I was also fortunate to be online at the exact time that Mary Lou Lord decided to go live...she will often pop on & do just one song...so it's easy to miss. And she doesn't keep the video up for later viewing. Pokey! His music is amazing & I try to always catch him when he plays. 

I was at home doing teletherapy when David went over to Kate's old apartment to help relocate her 1,000+ bottles of wine to our bomb shelter...which David is now calling the bomb cellar. This is part of her collection...

They loaded up the big truck 3 times...& there is still more to go. Socially distanced wine moving...I never even got to see Kate. 

But! We did open a bottle of her wine that night to drink before dinner...it was lovely. Soren from Them Coulee Boys was playing on an online show...& I had a listen. Also, Davina & the Vagabonds played a show together in Minneapolis...I missed it live, but caught it later when they replayed it. Fantastic! I know I've said it before...but music is the only thing keeping me sane right now. I've been feeling pretty depressed lately & I've been trying to pull myself out of it...but I just miss life. But there's still music. 

Ice Cream Wonderland

Dress: Ice Cream Wonderland Teal Dress by Eva Rose (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Born

Earring: Kerala Rose

Necklace: Wendy Baker

Bracelets: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

Totally cutesy spring dress with ice cream cones & castles. Unfortunately, this came to me fairly worn & pilled...but where am I going? It was fine to wear around the house & was super soft like a nightgown, but the fabric was too heavy for that. The fit on the dress was good, but even if it had been brand new...the color & designs on this dress were not things I loved...another dress I'd go thrifting in. 

This dress needed some fun...so colorful jewelry to the rescue. 

There was an eyeshadow in this fun size palette that exactly matched this dress...not sure if you can see it here as it is just on my lids...but it made me extremely happy. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Love Drug; Sugarpill Cosmetics eyeshadow in Cheat Code, 8-Bit, High Score, & Rage Quit; Mon Ennui Cosmetics eyeshadow in Lumiere; Big Bang lipstick & lip liner by UD; & J'adore My Mani nail polish from Morgan Taylor. 

Every Sunday I've been enjoying listening to Bret Helm (from Audra) play his epic sessions on Facebook. He gives away a few prizes each week to people who buy merchandise or tip. When this came in the mail...it was a total surprise (he already had my address from buttons I had purchased). I might have teared up I was so touched by it. 

I've been mooning over these earring stands for several years...& I finally decided to buy myself some. I had wanted to make my own...but you know how that goes. Holly from Holly Deer Designs was so lovely & she sent along a ring holder that reminds me of a unicorn horn as a gift. Two stunning new necklaces (with matching gifted earrings) from Gayle at Green Goddess. 

Bret Helm playing tunes, my Boxy Charm box, & Erika brought her husband Aaron along to take measurements for our gate. 

Picking up our produce from farmers' market, some knit fabric to make leggings with, & a memory from 2 years ago...Fredi & Shane...I was lucky to have them in my life. 

Michael, our landlord at work, sent me this Facebook Marketplace golden vase listing...so of course David & I drove 3 hours roundtrip to pick it up...it's nearly 4 feet tall. And then we were visited by Angie & Freddie.

Look! Bricks!

Blue Ox at Home

Dress: Embroidery Detail Navy Floral Midi Dress by eShakti (size 28) via Gwynnie Bee

Sandals: Born

Earring & Bracelet: Wendy Baker

Necklace: The Embellishing Room

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

What a comfy cute spring dress. The fit & length were great, the armholes didn't show off my bra, & the pockets were big enough to hold my phone. The waist is empire, which is my preferred style...I'm fat enough & old enough that no one thinks I'm pregnant. The embroidered flowers suggested autumn to me & I liked how they continued on the back...I am so sad when the back gets no love. This is a heavy t-shirt like cotton fabric which would be too warm for summer, also, it wrinkles easily. This is a dress I'd go garage sale-ing in or run errands...I'd also wear this to roast hot dogs over a fire at night. In other words...it's a jeans & t-shirt dress for a woman who wears only dresses. 

I would have normally worn teggings or leggings with this dress, but on this day, David & I drove up to Appleton (where my doctor moved) so I could finally get a PRP shot for my knee. It seemed like easier access to have an uncovered leg...they didn't even make me take my clothes off. 

I thought the autumnal colors in this dress matched our garage well enough that we could just take pictures in front of it...I was too impatient to wait for the light to be right. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in LSD; UD eyeshadow in Ignite, Wanderlust, & Blaze; UD lipstick in Heat; NYX lipliner in Pumpkin, & OPI nail polish in Deutsch You Want Me Baby? 

Bret Helm of Audra, playing his regular Sunday gig on Facebook. Since New West records sent me a black vinyl version of this Pokey record & were sold out of pink...I found a carnation copy online in nearby Milwaukee from The Exclusive Co...which we used to have two of in Madison, & now have none. Erika visited the house to measure the gate she is designing for us & we laid out some of the pieces that will be welded on it. 

BenDeLaCreme performing a song about Uranus. Getting my PRP (platelet-rich plasma) shot...I have to wait 6-12 weeks to see if it works since it needs time to heal the area. I really hope it works & I am able to do simple things like walk & make dinner. I will never take those things for granted again. 

Some years back...Kate & Jason went to Blue Ox in Eau Claire & camped in the rain...while there were many awesome bands playing...I'm not a camping, outdoor, hippy kind of girl. So I was thrilled when they announced they were taking the festival online. I might have missed this first group if Kate had not let me know she was watching & they were good...Lillie Mae out of Nashville, TN. Cute girls in sequins. And then I caught up on David Huckfelt (of The Pines) that I had missed earlier. 

I ordered some samples of fabrics that we liked for dining & living room curtains...& they all came at once...these are some we like so far. I have since ordered *more* samples.

More from Blue Ox...Pit Wagon, Pert Near Sandstone, & Molly Tuttle (who was the best of the 3). 

Saturday I picked up produce from Young Earth in a parking lot...then headed over to Dane County Farmers' Market for more deliciousness. On to day 2 of Blue Ox...Them Coulee Boys are always amazing...

Sam Bush, Charlie Parr, Warren Haynes, & finally...Nickel & Rose, from Milwaukee...who were joined by their friends, SistaStrings. I want these 4 to tour together because they were my favorite set of the weekend. 

Girlieversary in the Social Distancing Era

Dress: Strawberry Lemonade Fit & Flare Dress by Eva Rose (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee Try Then Buy
Teggings: Re/Dress
Sandals: Born
Earring: The Embellishing Room
Necklace & Earring: Wendy Baker
Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me
Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I want to drink sangria on my porch this summer while wearing this lemon & strawberry dress. Totally adorable, I immediately bought it on sale so I could keep it. The fabric is incredibly soft & stretchy...& the fit was spot on. The arm holes were slightly too big & I always dislike when dresses are lined in white, but mostly it stayed out of sight. Perfect warm weather fun dress. 

I like when there is something going on in the back...matching v-necks. I nearly changed my teggings to yellow, but in looking at these photos...I'm glad I stuck with red. 

Jason thought my lemons were kiwis & both he & Kate were quite sure my lemons were green. THAT is how far away we have to sit from one another! 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Mars, Huda Beauty Neon palette, Oh Snap! palette by Violet Voss, Bite Beauty 030 lip pencil, UD Ready? lipstick, & Aim to Misbehave nail polish from Essie. 

I wore this dress to eat lunch & check in on Alton & his wife...then pick up from Wednesday's farmers' market, where in addition to veggies...I got some flowers to plant. David very kindly spray painted our school desks & other bits...then planted the flowers in front where we can admire them. I'm slowing down on the online concerts...but had to check out The Resonant Rouges...a cute lead singer who plays the banjo *and* accordion...I'm all over that. 

Kate & Jason came to visit last Saturday so the girlie & I could drink bubbles for our girlieversary...it was 21 years ago that we met on June 4th. I am hopeful that we will be able to celebrate in our customary fashion next year...dining out & sitting closely. A girl can dream. Look! I'm the devil on Kate's shoulder...but we already knew that. 

My view of our flowers, delicious sparkling wine from Michigan (like me!)...cheers...

Kate trying hard to get a good usie of us, David & I, & peonies from our backyard that David picked for me. 

After Kate & Jason left, David & I continued to hang out on the porch...the weather has been just lovely & we've got our little flower garden to admire. 

A Girlie Visit!

 Dress: Polka Dot Detail Floral Fit & Flare Dress by Every Body Every Wear (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee

Teggings: Re/Dress

Sandals: Born

All Jewelry: Colleen Toland

Photography: Super Boo, Kate, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

What's not to love about a mixed pattern dress?! Floral & polka dots play well together in this cute dress. The fit was okay, a bit big on top for me...which is often the case since I'm pear shaped AND it's expected that a person of my size would have much bigger boobs. Pretty warm weather frock.

A party of polka dots on the back...I wish this dress would have had a waist band of dots in front. 

This is the day I decided...I need to chop away at the right side of my bangs...

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Mars, Huda Beauty Ruby Obsessions & Amethyst Obsessions eyeshadow palettes, Spiced Plum lipstick by Bite Beauty, NYX Simply Vamp lipstick in Temptress, & OPI nail polish in Do You Have This Color in Stockholm?

I wore this dress to do teletherapy & some of the things pictured below. Sean Hayes, coming to us live every Friday night from a different area of his home. And a musician I discovered when Sean did a shout out to him...Rob Reich. It took a bit of sleuthing to find him as it sounded like Rob Wright...I finally had to look at Sean's liner notes for various albums until I found this guy credited for playing accordion. My Juki serger! It's been sitting in a box for over a month...unopened because threading 4 spools of thread was extremely intimidating. 

Carsie Blanton! I love her SO much...I am forever grateful to High Noon Saloon for advertising the heck out of her show in Madison last year or the year before? I finally broke down & listened...to be honest...she's adorable too, so that was probably the final push I needed. And I bought a ticket to that show & my admiration for her has only grown...check out their matching USPS shirts. Double doggies...watching David eat breakfast outside my office while I ate inside. I had gone to farmers' market to pick up our produce & used a super stinky disinfectant wipe on everything when I got home...& this room smelled too much for David to eat in here with me. 

It had been about 3! months since I'd seen Kate in person. She & Jason came over last Saturday & we socially distanced visited on our front porch. It was wonderful to see her, but so odd not to be able to hug her or sit close. 

Garver Feed Mill had been doing a drive through art exhibit that I'd been meaning to go to, but Kate & Jason went right before our visit & the girlie shared with me the best part of it. That night...I watched The Lowest Pair & Them Coulee Boys.

Alright...I've read the manual (there's a first time for everything) & watched some videos...I can do this! And I did! I felt like a super hero...I thread this baby & look...it sewed correctly! A major step towards my curtain project for the dining & living rooms. 

Bret from Audra, my Boxy Charm box (I resubscribed...I need things to look forward to), cutting my hair, & Davina. Davina lives just blocks from the Minneapolis protests & she's been driving 30 minutes outside the city to the closest open stores to stock up on food & supplies for those effected. She is a lovely human & I was happy to donate money to her cause.