49 + 1

 Dress: Mock Neck Tonal Zebra Knit Midi Dress by A by Addition Elle (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee

Tights: Snag

Shoes: Moda Spana, thrifted

Earring: etXarte

Necklace: former Etsy shop

Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo, Jason, & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

This dress was a one & done...the fit was fine...it was all...fine. The fabric felt really thin & cheap. I liked the black & blue zebra pattern & the front slit. 

It was not what I would have worn for my 50th birthday had we not been in quarantine. I did consider dressing up as if I was having a fancy party...but just getting dressed is difficult enough these days...you know what I mean? So just the fact that I put make-up on & left the house was a celebration. 

 Oh! And I dyed my hair for my birthday...

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Abyss; Too Faced eyeshadow in Golden Nugget, Sin City, & #selfie; Spiderweb lipstick by UD; & Give Me Space nail polish from OPI. 

On Friday...I woke up to many missed calls from Kate...& this lovely sign in my front yard. Alas, I was not up at 7:30. All these photos are elephants from her trip to Thailand last year that she then hand lettered & colored. 

Jason took a video of her in the front yard singing Happy Birthday to me since I wasn't able to see it live! Thanks, Jason!

 Porch presents! from Kate & Angie. 

The girlie dropped off four bottles of wine (3 of them sparkling!)...she has the same four bottles so we can drink them together. Angie made me a Bakewell Tart (almond & jam) & a cocktail...Maple Manhattan, which we later sipped together while FaceTiming. 

David & I usually start the day out with oatmeal...he surprised me by making it special with caramel roasted pecans & cinnamon whipped cream...yum! He also made me a card & wrote me a sweet poem. Then we drove 45 minutes to Randolph, WI to Young Earth Farm to pick up spinach, salad mix, arugula, & bunches of radishes. There was a doggie! And a cat. We could have picked these things up the next day when they came to Madison...but times being what they are...a drive in the country was an exciting thing to do. We got back to Madison in time to scout out parks for picnic tables...it was entirely too windy on either lake...so we opted for not as pretty...but also not being blown away. We picked up our order from Dark Horse...fish fry for me...a hamburger & Cuban sandwich for Super Boo. This was one of the best fish fries I've ever had...the beer batter on the fish was not too thick & super crispy, the caper/garlic tartar sauce was delicious, & the cole slaw was full of veggies & crunch...but the fries! The fries stole the show...I think they were double or triple fried & had chunky flakes of smoked sea salt sprinkled on top. From now on...when I think of fries, I will think of these. 

After dinner we picked up two pieces of Basque Cake for the next day...then took outfit photos. Back at home...we video chatted with Angie & drank cocktails. Then I called Kate on Facebook & we talked, but did not drink wine because it was too late. Birthday tart! Then bed. It was a wonderful day spent with my love, but not the celebration I would have liked to have had. David & I were going to take a trip to Broadway to see all the plays...hopefully, next year. So I decided I was going to turn 49 + 1 this year & 50 +1 next year so I can celebrate my 0 ending birthday properly. 

Music is Life

 Dress: Blue Field Floral Sweetheart Dress by Leota (size 4L) via Gwynnie Bee

Cardigan: Willow Bay (size 3x), thrifted

Teggings: Re/Dress

Shoes: Clarks Artisan, thrifted

Earring & Necklace: Wendy Baker

Bracelets: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

Another swell sweetheart dress just before sundown. Photographers talk about the golden hour, the hour before sunset...but for people pictures...we've found there is a golden twenty minutes...any photos taken fifteen minutes before the sun goes down...my face starts to look grainy. 

I only have *one* pair of pink tights & they go a bit purple-y...so teggings it was...I guess I need to stock up on pink tights. I've only got the Fuchsia ones from We Love Colors & it's kind of the only pink they've got. Next fall, Snag Tights. 

I love Wendy Baker's jewelry so much! She has made me a bunch of single earrings in a new style she's been creating...I'm so excited for them to get here. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Deep End, Cotton Candy eyeshadow from Too Faced, Sugarpill Cosmetics eyeshadow in 8-Bit & Level Up, Cranberry lipstick by Bite Beauty, Ofra liquid lipstick in Santorini, & OPI nail polish in ?

I LOVE Snag Tights! They are by far the best tights I've ever worn. Unfortunately, they are having a rough time financially...like so many small businesses are during this pandemic. To help them pay the bills...they have a special BOGO free sale on right now if you buy a voucher to use starting November 1st. I bought 10, so for only $90, I'll get 20+ pairs of tights...enough to last me for several seasons of cold weather. If you'd like to get in on the bargain, Save Our Snags, not sure how long they'll be doing this. 

What have I been doing all week stuck at home? Why...watching more live music online, of course...here we had JP Harris & friend...as well as some of The Glenn Crytzer Orchestra.

I've managed to make it through my ~70-ish curtain books & now need to go back & decide which ones have the best instructions on how to sew what I envision for our windows.

More music! John Davey, Bret Helm (of Audra), Matt Fanale DJ-ing an all The Cure set (proceeds went to Underground Pet Rescue), & Amanda Palmer as a guest on Mondays in the Club: Farm to Disco...

 Where she danced in her underwear...

Last Wednesday I had to watch Charlie Parr perform live on the computer...& Amanda Palmer celebrating her birthday on my phone...(she had several special guests, including Brian Viglione).

A most delicious smoked salmon cream cheese omelet...with ramps, the menu from Dark Horse, Rye with one ear up, & a short message from Davina.

Suitcase Junket, Joe Pug, & Davina sharing a new song with us, Stir Crazy...I feel so lucky to have caught her live on Facebook twice in one day! 

First Outdoor Market

 Dress: Boucle Tweed Fit & Flare Dress by Eva Rose (size 4x) via Gwynnie Bee

Cardigan: MAK, gifted

Tights: Catherines

Shoes: Merona, thrifted

Earring: Wendy Baker

Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I adored this tweedy black/creme/pink fit & flare...so much texture...I only wish the pink had been more prominent. The fit was spot on, but had suffered from all the GB washings...a tad out of shape/shrunken & several loose strings hanging from the hem. But I enjoyed wearing it & no one saw me walking around. 

I had nearly forgotten about this graffiti alley as it has been off my radar all winter because of snow.

These photos were taken last Wednesday...it was a lovely sunny spring day...until we arrived here to take pictures...& it suddenly got dark & started to rain...I think I still look pretty good considering I was being rained on. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Perversion, Totally Fetch & Cotton Candy eyeshadow by Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons palette, Sin City & Pink Pearl eyeshadow from Too Faced Star Dust palette, UD Big Bang lipliner & lipstick, & OPI nail polish in Can't Hear Myself Pink! 

I wore this outfit to wait in line (& put my make-up on)...for the 2020 version of the outdoor Dane County Farmers' Market...this was the first time & it took about an hour to get in & pick up the produce we ordered...they have since had another market & have much improved the process. I complained about how long it took, out of habit...but we had the windows down & were out of the house...which counts as great fun during this time of quarantine. The first photo was the car in front of us & gave us something to read...the other two pictures I found online.

More live music magic...David Huckfelt from The Pines, Pokey LaFarge, & Sean Hayes & his crystal ball...I *need* a crystal ball. 

Paisley Blues

 Dress: Ruffle Detail Paisley Midi Dress by eShakti (size 30) via Gwynnie Bee

Shoes: Mossimo, thrifted

Earring: Wendy Baker

Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64

I rather liked this Little House on The Prairie dress for a one time wear. There was no stretch, so I sized up...also, there was a slip that was permanently attached at the shoulders that made getting this on quite a struggle...& so unnecessary...if it were mine, I'd just cut it out. The skirt was marvelously full & there were deep pockets. 

I wore this dress to do teletherapy & lounge about the house...like I do these days. 

The highlight of the week was getting to leave the house to get these pictures taken. True story. 

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in LSD, NYX In Your Element Metal eyeshadow palette, Mosh Lip Tar by Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, Trinket liquid lip color from Sugarpill Cosmetics, & OPI nail polish in Give Me Space. 

David & I enjoyed this bottle of bubbles that Kate left on our doorstep. I took a screenshot of this texture spray by Sexy Hair that is a Glamour magazine fav...so I remember to pick some up when beauty supply shops are open again. And...there's always music...Pokey LaFarge played live on Facebook...his new record is fabulous...I have a pink carnation vinyl copy on its way to me. 

And the adorable Carsie Blanton & her bass player, Joe, played live for four hours...last month they played for six hours. The money they raise goes to pay Joe's mortgage & her other bandmates rent...then the rest goes towards making their next album. J.D. Wilkes also played a live set on his birthday. 

Delightful Davina played at home with her trumpet playing husband, Zack...& Amazing Amanda Palmer spoke with us from New Zealand & played a Dresden Dolls song. I took a photo of these Austrian shades from a book I checked out of the library...I'm going to make some for our dining room & living room windows & I really love how these have ribbon between the swags. 

Ute Lemper was Live With Carnegie Hall to honor the 75th anniversary of the liberation of concentration camps...she sang songs written during the Holocaust...& had several guests on, including this cello & violinist that I've forgotten the names of. I also watched Stephane Wrembel play Django Reinhardt...& so many other musicians that I forgot to take photos of. Also, I applied for special self employed unemployment since we haven't really been able to work during the pandemic. And...my last Sephora Play! box. 

1 Month in Quarantine

 Dress: Printed Poppy Sweetheart Dress by Leota (size 4L) via Gwynnie Bee

Cardigan: MAK, gifted

Tights: Snag in Hit the Bottle Green

Shoes: Madden Girl

Earring: Wendy Baker

Red Necklace: The Embellishing Room

Yellow Necklace & Bracelet: Vintage

Photography: Super Boo & Me

Stats: 5'7" 55-50-64 

This was such a pretty bold colored spring dress...in my favorite Leota design, the sweetheart dress. I feel like every other dress I wear on the blog is this style. But...I love it. 

I was thrilled to discover that one of the MAK cardigans they sent me matched the green in this dress...AND I had some lovely Snag tights that also went well...& these bright yellow shoes that have been sitting in my closet for years & had never been worn. 

This might have been my Easter outfit for brunch this year...but I wore it for teletherapy & for YOU. This was the first year in 2 decades that we didn't have Zombie Jesus Brunch with friends. David & I made smoked salmon eggs Benedict with asparagus for ourselves. It was yummy. Why is hollandaise sauce so delicious?!

My make-up with this outfit included...Urban Decay eyeliner in Loaded, Violet Voss Oh Snap! palette, Huda Beauty Neon palette, Santa Sangre lipstick by Kat von D, & Red Heads Ahead nail polish from OPI. 

Spring weather! Nice enough to open up the windows while the dogs & I read in bed.

Live online concerts & other music is still part of what is getting me through this shelter at home time, although I often forget to take pictures of the screen...here we have Sean Hayes, Charlie Parr (this was a world premiere of his Blue Ox performance from last year), & Jake 'O...

Also, The Lowest Pair & Bret Helm from Audra. I don't remember all the other bands I watched, but they included...Coco Rosie, The Overcoats, & Davina & The Vagabonds. 

Angie has been making masks like a madwoman...& I cut out some fabric. David & I spent a day unpacking boxes of art & things that hang on walls. I threw stuff out...the frame David is holding...

And whatever this 3D plaster masterpiece was...David made up a whole song for it, entitled...No Agua for Señorita. We had so much fun with it, I may regret getting rid of it. 

My last Boxy Charm box...after going through the piles of makeup & samples I have, I cancelled both my subscription boxes. However, Boxy Charm is by far the best box I've ever gotten...so, I may be back someday. I've been eyeing this Heidi Daus sunflower necklace for ages & finally found one for a good price on eBay. Now to get the matching earrings. 

And another bad photo of pretty jewelry from the lovely Gayle at Green Goddess Vintage Jewelry.