fitting room chronicles, part 2

i went to the library today to return some books, and just across the street, is the biggest shopping center here in ireland. that's about 30 minutes to cycle (in my capacity), or roughly an hour brisk walk from my home. since the weather was not that favorable for walking, (in fact, according to bbc breakfast this morning, today is the gloomiest day of the year in the UK. sleet, snow, frost, gale - everything cold) i took the bus instead. 15 warm minutes inside the bus.

before returning my books, i stopped by the shopping centre first to check on the clearance sale signs again. unfortunately, i couldn't find the purple satin blouse anymore and my heart sank a bit. hopefully, there'll be more frilly satin blouses to come before spring. anyhoo, i thought it would be interesting to post another fitting room chronicle so i grabbed a dress and a jacket quickly and hoped against hope that my phone's battery would hold on long enough as i could hear its warning beeps already.

the dress was deliciously warm and soft on the skin and the color was just gorgeous. the pictures don't do justice at all, but i'm loving mustard yellow at the moment because of it. the leather jacket smelled nice, and i love the details. but 120euros? no way. i am unemployed and it's a sin against the powers of our bank account to spend that much at the moment. at least i had my few minutes of glory with it, and i had pictures to remember it by.

the dress was beautiful....but the gaping armholes? gah. what do you think?

if i can get my hands on a good fabric, i might try making a dress with this cut (except for the armholes, i would definitely make a better sleeve than that!). which brings me to the subject of my new toy, but that would be another story for another time. *grin*

but truth be told, i was wearing nothing more than a wrinkly old t-shirt underneath my winter bulk! ssshhhhhh........

until the next chronicle then! keep warm everyone, stay healthy, and don't let the bug bite!

craft corps

six months ago, J the girl with a curl (thank you J!!!), shared in her blog Vickie Howell's newest project - craft corps.

"Vickie Howell is on a personal quest to eliminate the negative social stigma attached to knitting and crafting by bringing more recognition to the hip, creative, and edgy sides of these forms of expression."

i got an email sent two days ago that i have been included in the final batch of 75 crafter profiles. i was speechless for a while, as i tried to comprehend what it meant. only 60 will be included in the book, and the rest will be for another upcoming project. i am absolutely thrilled! i can still remember how i submitted my profile hurriedly on the day of the deadline because that was the only time i've read about it. i have never thought, not in my wildest dreams that i'd get picked! woot!!! to say i am totally, definitely, absolutely happy is an understatement. let's hope for the best, and even if i don't make it to the top 60, being included in the final batch is one very sweet treat already.

cheers to crafting and the craft corps!

tagged - six quirky things about me

i was tagged by Shael, of mi!
6 quirky, boring facts about me:

1. i am a very positive person, for things concerning my own welfare, future and predicaments...but...if it's a concern regarding my family - i can torture myself with worry.
2. i don't like throwing away leftovers. if it's too little to go through the hassle of putting it in the refrigerator, i'd stuff it in my mouth. even if my stomach is bursting at the seams already.
3. i have a thing for anything old...buildings, designs, collectibles, pictures, music, people...
4. i love funny movies, funny shows, and funny books. i love to laugh. i can laugh at myself too.
5. i'm shedding off hair like a cat. it's scary to see them all on the floor, but my hair has remained thick and full thank you. i hope i don't go bald though.
6. i love mr. firefly so much. i can't imagine a morning without him.

Here are the rules: (cut and copied from Shael)
Link to the person who tagged you.
Mention the rules.
Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
Go to each person's blog and leave a comment that lets them know they've been tagged.

i don't know if you've done it before, but you're IT:

glenville, kumareng grace, misyel, kayni, rialeilani, and ramintessah!

can you keep a secret? conditions attached

thanks to everyone who praised my latest photographs! :-)

i got a few questions how i did my tricks, and so i am posting this especially for you. well, can you keep a secret? i only give away secrets to my dear bloggy friends, and because you are all fabulous and kind and grand to read on my ramblings and share in all my joys and woes, i'll let you on the secret behind my awesome photo editing skills. NOT. anyways, it's not my skill that does it, but rather, because of the best free online photo editor EVER - picnik.

it's so easy to use, a no-brainer, you can edit your pictures with simple clicks and voila, even if you think you're the most un-geek soul in the face of the earth, you'll be working your pictures in no time even with one eye closed. ;-)

now there you have it. go on, click on the link, upload those pictures that were screaming for attitude, and i'm sure you'll thank me for introducing you to the wonderful world of picnik!

before i totally forget, THERE ARE CONDITIONS attached to my sharing this secret. by clicking on the picnik link, you bind yourself to these conditions which are totally irreversible and immutable. the conditions are :

1) you have to start creating your masterpieces ASAP
2) you have to share it on your blog
3) let them know about picnik

this is NOT a paid post ok. this is a new year secret give-away. to say that i am SOOOOOO happy about this program is an understatement. since i knew about it like two weeks ago, i've never stopped using it. it's kind of addictive! so share some love and give my secret away -- only to your bloggy friends. :)

let me know what happens! happy picniking! :)

fitting room chronicles

don't you just hate it when you're only supposed to buy your husband's birthday cake and suddenly you found yourself in a fitting room because some hanging red signs told you there's 70% or more slashed off the clothes at the moment?

i ended up buying the vest only, because from 70euros, it' was down to a mean 15euros. and it fitted me to a T. i had a little problem with the neckline of the satin blouse...an hour after i got home, i regretted not buying it. but anyways, at least i got the vest.

i dare you to post your fitting room chronicles. drop me a note when you do so, so i can gush with you! even if you didn't end up buying 'em clothes. since i have so much time to waste in my life, i think i will be back this week at the shops for another interesting chronicle. on the contrary, i don't have so much money to waste in my life, so there won't be any shopping. bummer.

oliebollen, anyone?

in holland, the dutch celebrate new year's eve (they call it oud en nieuw or old and new celebration) with oliebollen (oliebol, singular form) or oil balls. it's basically some dough fried in deep oil, sprinkled with a little sugar powder on top and eaten with the hand. i'm a little bit surprised that there are times in their life when the dutch drop their knives and forks and eat such a lumpy oily ball with the hand. 

these famous oil balls are only made in december, as the old and new celebration draws close. you cannot buy it at any other time of the year, although i have read before that there's now a shop in schiphol that sells oliebollen all year round, but that i still have to confirm because i've never seen it yet personally. being a typical dutch food, there are specialty bakers in every city throughout the small country. one shop in rotterdam ran out of oliebollen last new year's eve to the dismay of everyone on the looooong waiting line. so you can imagine how many cranky dutch people went home miserable then. see here for the waiting line in amstelveen. oliebollen is serious business in holland.

some dutch people who live abroad make their own oil balls in BIG batches. then they freeze them, to eat a little each time in the middle of the year when homesickness strikes. lucky us, mem came over for a christmas holiday here in ireland, and she brought us 2 bags of oliebollen!!! beat that! so on new year's eve and on the night of kj's birthday, we feasted on our frozen oliebollen, to the delight of my dutch boy. i am mighty glad i have taken a liking to the typical dutch food, or any other dutch dish for that matter, because then i can enjoy and appreciate my husband's culture better. culture shock is alien to us, really, we adapted with each other like it's the most normal thing in the world. 12 years of history together pays off very well.  ;-)

and by the way, i have my quietest new year celebration here in dublin. really. hardly a firecracker. made me think if my neighbors are aware that the old year has slipped away and the new year has come to stay.