softspoken

ootd: 1.27.2012

2012-01-27T15:17:00.001-05:00

tiger tee - cititrends// highwaist pinstripe trousers and shoes - f21 // bangles - after xmas sale shopping with mom

this morning i cut the sleeves off this tee. it had some sort of dolman effect going that i wasn't crazy about but really the sleeve opening was far too tight for my chubby arms. i think my arms are like the next size up from the rest of my body. they used to really bother me but i don't care much anymore. is it getting older that helps you fall into your body more easily? or all the body positive acceptance reading i've surrounded myself with over the past year? either way i don't seem to wrestle with myself when i look in the mirror quite as much. a little weight gain hasn't sent me spiralling the way it would've a year ago. yes, i'm working out more to control it and sure there are still those days, and my fair share of em, when i stare at myself with a furrowed brow, pinching at my sides - but it just seems.... less, somehow.

ootd: 1.26.2012

2012-01-27T14:46:00.000-05:00

dress and purse - vintage // bracelet - etsy // shoes - f21 // hat - kmart

sometimes we'll be out shopping and i will point out something i like and m will say "yes, that looks like you" and sometimes it will be something sweet with trails of tattered vintage lace and other times it will be a cheap neon tshirt with a tiger on it from cititrends with studs and sequins. once i asked him what is it that makes them look like me and he couldn't really say. they just do. a lot of times i get frustrated with not being able to pinpoint a specific style i could stick to forever. classic and minimal. dark and edgy. colorful and preppy. delicate and vintage. boho and flowy. cheap and trendy. offbeat and kitsch. i don't know which i would choose long term. when i try to stick to one for any length of time, declaring yes this is me, then soon i long for another. i don't know what i am really. or maybe i'm all of them. or maybe different everyday or every week. or maybe they're all costumes for what i want to be. it's hard to say. maybe clothes to me are like food and do i really want to eat just one type of dish forever and ever? when something is really good i can eat it every day for weeks and weeks and then suddenly never want to eat it again or at least not for a very long while. maybe it's like that. i'm still unsure.

read 2012: weetzie bat by francesca lia block

2012-01-26T16:36:00.001-05:00

i didn't discover this as a young girl like so many other babes i adore have done, but it's because of their constant mention of this little book that i had to give it a go myself. even at age 30 i love it maybe as much as i would've at 12 or 13, but it sure would've served me better then. it would've been the perfect little neon rainbow escape for my torn adolescent self who never quite felt like she fit in anywhere.

and while googling cover images i ran across this photoshoot by wildfox

and this one here (which might be from papermag?)

also looks like there's a film possibly in the works - a script reading was held at a bookshop in 2010 - hope it's still on the horizon!

Reading list 2012:

1. A Scanner Darkly by Philip K Dick

2. Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block

new in shop: seafoam extra slouchy beret 1.13.2012

2012-01-26T13:57:00.001-05:00

available here.

read 2012: a scanner darkly by philip k dick

2012-01-24T22:04:00.001-05:00

"Let them all play again, in some other way, and let them be happy."

I've always been a fan of Philip K Dick though I'd never read a lot of his works. Just bits and pieces here and there. But I knew I liked him. His books all have really nice titles.

For Christmas, my biggest gift from my parents was a new smartphone. A Samsung Infuse.It's been a big change. My last cell phone was almost 10 years old. I got it right after high school. I've always kind of scoffed at people and their crazy new expensive phones. But now I have one. And this book is the first book I read on it. I guess that's something.

Richard Linklater did a film version of this book. I haven't seen it, but when I was googling book cover images I ran across it. I remember when it came out vaguely. And that it's that animation kind of thing like Waking Life. I think he mentions Philip K in Waking Life. Or maybe Slacker. I dont know for sure, but I like Richard Linklater mostly. Sometimes it's a fine line that he almost oversteps, but mostly I like him. Especially Slacker.

Reading list 2012:

1. A Scanner Darkly by Philip K Dick

Hoping I can start my reading list up again. The last reading list I kept ended here. I've read a few books since then (Norman Mailer, Simone de Beauvoir, and others), but not as voraciously these past few years as I have the other years of my life.

ootd + new item in shop: 1.24.2012

2012-01-24T21:32:00.001-05:00

mom and i found this american apparel skirt when we went shopping the after christmas sales for just $1 at an outlet store. we found a royal blue aa pencil skirt for the same price, too. i wasn't sure about the two shades of pink together, but wanted to photograph this scarf for my shop. i like the subtlety of the different shades though. i think dark magenta pink may be my second favorite color. a nice teal is my first -at least it's always a color i'm strongly drawn to. maybe a citron or some shade of yellow green as a third. it always changes. when i was little my favorite color was purple for years, but i think i just wanted to be different from all the other girls who loved pink yet still wanted something considered girly. in love with this bulky pink yarn - just in time for valentines day. adding these circle scarves in shop - they're the circle scarf sister to these bulky fringe scarves. hopefully more colors coming soon for both since i bought two big bags full of this yarn in all shades a few days ago!

no bangs 2012: hair inspo

2012-01-22T18:41:00.001-05:00

freaks and geeks // the runaways // virgin suicides // rita coolidge // 70's teenagers // jan and marcia brady // crystal gayle // ali macgraw // sissy spaceck // cher

blogging the shred: level one

2012-01-20T22:23:00.001-05:00

Day 1: (01.11.2012 Wednesday) First day of the workout. Didn't have light enough hand weights, so I did some of the moves with the 8lbs I have but most of the exercises were too tough for that heavy of a weight. Just put them down and did the rest without weights. Did the modified push-ups, but even those are hard.

Day 2: (01.12.2012 Thursday) Got 3 and 5 lb weights. Used 3 lbs tonight. Modified pushups. Felt terrible afterwards and completely fatigued. Didn't even wanna eat dinner.

Day 3: (01.13.2012 Friday) Legs pretty sore - Mostly calves, but hamstrings some too. A little tender in chest/pecs. Did this in the afternoon while Milton was gone to pick up Charlie. Hope to keep it up over the weekend with all the family events and visits going on. Don't know if I'm crazy or not, but think my arms already feel firmer when I flex. Think I need to get a mat. Feel like the hardest part of this program is doing it consecutively, day after day, with no rests - doing it just one day wouldn't be so difficult. Really hard to push through the soreness sometimes.

Day 4: (01.14.2012 Saturday) Milton and Charlie shredded with me. Family shred! I let Charlie use the 3 lb weights and I did the 5 for about half the workout. Then he switched to no weight and I went to the 3 lbs. Felt easier today - maybe cause I'm a little competitive and the group dynamic helped. All the ab segments seem a little too easy to me - except I do feel some burn during the final bicycle move.

Day 5: (01.15.2012 Sunday) Not feeling any muscle soreness anymore. Milton shredded with me again. Feel like the hardest part is the switch between jumping jack and jump rope moves - that's the only part I really dread. My calves BURN at that segment - seemed harder today at that part and stopped for just a beat about two times. The only other part I somewhat dread is the final strength move with the anterior raises and side leans, but those felt a bit easier today. The rest all felt easier, too - even felt like some of the moves were moving slowly and easily. Still doing modified push ups though - still need a mat too.

Day 6: (01.16.2012 Monday) Felt pretty good today. Got extra sweaty, though. The jumping jack/jump rope combo still gets me a little achey, but I pushed through and only stopped once for just a beat. Hate that part, even though I was able to do it at the beginning and for some reason it suddenly just got hard yesterday. Guess it's just muscle fatigue or something. Got through the remaining with no rests. Still using the 3 lb weights and doing modified push ups. Took my measurements today and downloaded an ap to keep up with that. Might post them at the end of all this. Wish I'd though to take them at the very beginning. Might take "before" photos later tonight. Been weighing myself as well, but I'm pre-menstrual so my weight is pretty crazy right now anyway. I always rollercoaster before I start, so it's not really gonna tell me much until after my period. And I know from starting past workout programs that I tend to gain first and then lose - probably from gainig muscle before losing fat or something like that, so I'm not going to worry too much about the scale jumps at the moment with those two factors. I've also been extra insatiable hunger-wise the past two days. Not sure if that's due to PMS or the increased calorie burn. Or both. Feeling strong and energized and refreshed though and definitely feel a lift in mood post workouts, and that feels the best. Anyway, ate way WAY too many calories today (like almost an extra days worth. UGH PMS, UGH almost a whole box of mac n cheese, UGH). Gonna focus the rest of the week on eating more protein and green veggies and less carbs and try to keep a healthy calorie defecit to kickstart weight loss while also trying to curb the huge hunger pangs with eggs and nuts and avocados and such.

Day 7: (1.17.2012 Tuesday) Feeling pretty PMS shitty today and not in the mood for it. In my worse bouts of PMS I get an intense sciatic pain that runs from through my hip to my calves on one side. I think I have endometriosis which causes some other not so great PMS symptoms for me (undiagnosed, but after lots of research I've got a lot of the typical tell-tell signs). Got through it though and it wasn't so bad. Did better with the first cardio segment than I have the past few days. Everything else felt pretty easy and some of the moves helped my hips a little. Have to say I'm not a fan of lunges - I can do them but they've always felt so awkward and just physically weird. Feeling stronger. Think my face is looking thinner in today's photos than it has in the past few months. Can't believe level one is almost done! Read level two is the worst from other bloggers, but level three's not so bad. Also read there's a lot of planking in level two so think I might break down and finally get that mat. Can't believe how expensive they are - $15 for a piece of colorful rubber foam, so dumb.

Day 8: (1.18.2012 Wednesday) Spent most of the day rearranging our spare room so that I can use it as my studio. I thought after a day full of moving and lifting furniture and boxes that tonight's workout would be difficult to get through. But it wasn't! Probably the easiest it's been yet! Milton did it with me and he was breathing hard and sweating and I was just breezing through. Even made it through all of the parts I hate. Two more workouts till level two...

Day 9: (1.19.2012 Thursday) Didn't much feel like doing it, but breezed through easily.

Day 10: (1.20.2012 Friday) Tonight we shredded after dinner instead of before as usual and I definitely felt a difference. It was a lot harder to get through and felt lethargic in spots. Gonna stick to before dinner from now on. Finally got me a mat today, too, and decided to push myself harder on push ups. Definitely felt it after that. But level one's complete! Moving on to level two tomorrow!

Check out a few other 30 Day Shred bloggers:

meg goes nom nom

love emmalina

ootd: 01.17.2012

2012-01-20T08:29:00.001-05:00

intended to go for an all-black ensemble, but couldn't resist adding on the lace top. the shoes are more of my 90's high school wear that i picked up on my trip home. Can't wait to show off my super chunky loafers next.

no bangs 2012? 01.17.2012

2012-01-19T23:33:00.001-05:00

sketches

2012-01-19T23:28:00.001-05:00

been sketching on my phone a bit here and there.

ootd: 01.15.2012

2012-01-19T23:22:00.001-05:00

when we were in mississippi i raided my old closet and brought back two of these bright and baggy sweaters i used to wear in the 90's. this one is nothing compared to the other one i have.

lilbit: 01.13.2012

2012-01-19T23:02:00.001-05:00

kitty: 01.13.2012

2012-01-19T21:34:00.001-05:00

mississippi holidays: grocery shopping with mom and home finally 01.06.2012

2012-01-19T21:33:00.001-05:00

new in shop: red pineapple beanie 1.12.2012

2012-01-19T19:57:00.001-05:00

available at softspoken.etsy.com here:

new in shop: orchid slouchy pom beanie 1.13.2012

2012-01-19T19:01:00.001-05:00

available at softspoken.etsy.com here:

eats: 01.15.2012

2012-01-19T18:49:00.001-05:00

baked eggplant. cous cous.

current craving: 01.14.2012

2012-01-19T18:44:00.001-05:00

modelo + lime + salt

resting with pup in a pile of yarn: 01.14.2012

2012-01-19T18:38:00.001-05:00

new in shop: softspoken fringe scarf in teal 12.30.2011

2012-01-19T18:34:00.001-05:00

available here.

self portrait: 01.14.2012

2012-01-19T18:32:00.001-05:00

been doing jillian michael's 30 day shred - think i can see a difference in my face already.

introducing lilbit: 01.13.2011

2012-01-19T18:24:00.001-05:00

a flower from m: 01.11.2012

2012-01-19T16:21:00.001-05:00

picked on his walk:

country moods: 01.11.2012

2012-01-19T16:13:00.001-05:00

out thrifting with m, buying nothing, digging this cover:

the game: 01.09.2012

2012-01-19T14:17:00.001-05:00

we tried to watch espn online but it wasn't working. we weren't in the mood for seeing others and wanted to lay back and chill anonymously, so we went to the sports bar in the holiday inn near us which isn't a place we'd usually go, but exactly what we wanted. rtr!

driving back to south carolina: 01.08.2012

2012-01-19T14:00:00.001-05:00

mississippi holidays: pizza party 01.07.2012

2012-01-19T13:02:00.001-05:00

we all went over to my brothers and had a pizza competition. we each made our own, except mom and i were on a team together.

mississippi holidays: a quiet morning alone 01.07.2012

2012-01-19T11:52:00.001-05:00

mississippi holidays: the empty house 01.06.2012

2012-01-18T22:58:00.001-05:00

mississippi holidays: the hospital where i was born 01.06.2012

2012-01-18T22:11:00.001-05:00

mississippi holidays: driving 'round 01.06.2011

2012-01-18T21:54:00.001-05:00

mississippi holidays: the mamie s. barrett 01.06.2012

2012-01-18T13:14:00.001-05:00

mississippi holidays: driving along the levees 01.06.2012

2012-01-18T11:15:00.001-05:00

today we crossed the mississippi river into louisiana on a mini road trip with my dad. he'd told us about an abandoned washed up riverboat out at deer park, la and we wanted to see. seeing these fields again was so remniscent of all the summers spent driving to monterey and swatting mosquitos on the bayou.

mississippi holidays: natchez coffee and airplanes 01.05.2012

2012-01-18T01:14:00.001-05:00

mississippi holidays: just eli and me 01.04.2012

2012-01-18T00:36:00.001-05:00

this day i woke at 6 am (quite early for me) in order to trek over to my brother's house so that i could keep my nephew out of preschool for the day while they went in to work. it was a day of trampolines, rock skipping, cars, lawnmowers, tractors and anything with wheels. forgive the overload of photos - i don't get to see him as often as i like, so i treasure them all.

we were in a rental on our trip, so i let him examine every inch of our car. he loved it.

mississippi holidays: 01.03.2012

2012-01-17T23:33:00.001-05:00

a grill made by my dad. some artistic welding. guess you know who we were pulling for:

my parents winter garden + their new golden retriever rescue, oliver + a few pics 'round the place:

and a trip into town to check in online at the library:

mississippi holidays: 01.02.2012

2012-01-17T22:41:00.001-05:00

my nephew and my dad.

mississippi holidays: 01.01.2012

2012-01-17T22:29:00.001-05:00

more phone photo app playing.

mississippi holidays: new years eve 12.31.2011

2012-01-17T22:26:00.001-05:00

high life, rotel dip, and bottle rockets + tailgating by a bonfire.

mississippi holidays: 12.30.2011

2012-01-17T21:55:00.001-05:00

playing with photo apps on my new phone.

mississippi holidays: lilbit 12.30.2011

2012-01-17T21:41:00.001-05:00

mississippi holidays: the tree 12.30.2011

2012-01-17T21:35:00.003-05:00

mississippi holidays: ootd 12.30.2011

2012-01-17T21:16:00.001-05:00

mississippi holidays: 12.29.2011

2012-01-17T21:06:00.001-05:00

went with mom to get my xmas present, a new phone (i've been using an ancient almost 10 yr old cell phone forever, so to have a shiny new smartphone is a big adjustment)! then picked up my nephew from preschool. milton took him for rounds on the lawnmower since he's car/truck/tractor/airplane crazed and always wants to go for a ride. later opened gifts with my brother and sis-n-law.

mississippi holidays: road trip - 12.28.2011

2012-01-15T10:09:00.001-05:00

a 10 to 11 hour drive. i think we made it in 9.5 though, only because we hardly stopped at all. but we did watch one of the prettiest pink and purple skied sunsets i've seen in a very long time.

new items on the way!

2011-12-27T16:32:00.000-05:00

here are the photos of the new items i mentioned yesterday. today's busy with packing and prepping for our trip to mississippi, so i don't know how soon i'll have them in the shop - hopefully within the next few days!

1. chatter fringe scarf in crimson/pumpkin stripe

2. cream chunky woven fringe scarf - my favorite of them all!

3. black chunky lace scarf

4. infinity circle scarf in maroon

5. short red chain scarf

6. chunky ribbed scarf in forest

7. turban cinch wrap in crimson

8. turban knot wrap in maroon

sweet sixteen - no. 6

2011-12-27T11:44:00.001-05:00

round six of the softspoken sweet sixteen! 16 things i've starred, favorited, hearted, liked or dug over the past week:

1. these leslie knope inspired buttons from etsy seller, theradicaluprise.

2. via.

3. the fieldguided 2012 dreamcats calendar

4. illustrations by hannah pres.

7. frightening.

8. via tumblr.

9. in LOVE with this grrrl's hair. inspiration 2012.

10. truman capote + andy

11. helena bonham carter for marc jacobs

12. was reminded of this rose mcgowan dress from the '98 MTV awards through an article i don't remember (something to do with missing the bad girls pop personas of the 90's - xtina, etc) that mentioned it and caused me to call up google images.

13. mississippi charles bevel.

14. lovin' it: "Bolivia will become the first McDonald's-free Latin American nation, after struggling for more than a decade to keep their numbers out of 'the red.' After 14 years in the nation and despite many campaigns and promos McDonald's was forced to close its 8 Bolivian restaurants in the major cities of La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz de la Sierra." via.

15. pizza necklace

16. i know it's old news by now, but i've really been loving the handmade ryan gosling tumblr - not so much that it's photos of ryan gosling (not that it hurts), but more that it's like a community of crafters sharing their crafting concerns and woes in a totally hilarious and "yeah, i've been there" way.

ootd: 12.26.2011

2011-12-26T23:07:00.001-05:00

some sort of 80's thing. a little huxtable. a little boy george. i dunno.

took a lot of photos of new items for my shop while i was at it. scarves and cowls and headwraps, mostly. next post.

at home all day. milton took charlie back and my car is on the fritz so i'm scared to take it anywhere.

just been tying up loose ends before our trip. mom rented us a car, luckily. i was so bummed when my car started acting up and then i found the next cut of my advance check was late due to some office snafu and so on and on and on. how it goes...

softspoken garland

2011-12-26T22:39:00.001-05:00

a little late getting this in the shop, but finally listing this garland. it's the one i use on my table for shows. i get so many compliments and requests for it every time i use it. it'd really work all year round for any occassion - i just need to get better photos!

christmas end: 12.25.2011

2011-12-26T22:33:00.002-05:00

we spent the rest of the evening lounging around, editing photos, eating veggie burgers, and catching soul train on tv. one from the 70's which are my favorite, though i do enjoy watching the 80's episodes a good bit too. it is the best source of fashion inspiration, really - there are tons of episodes on youtube, too. we heard a new artist that we dug, mississippi charles bevel - he wasn't on the show, but they danced to his tune "sally b. white." charlie and i spent a good bit of time searching for him online and looking for a download, but were coming up short. i finally found a bit on him here with a download link to "sally b. white" and another. i found the song below on youtube as well. it's more mellow than the others, but i really like it. there's two albums for sale on ebay, i kind of want one. might look into him a little more later - i always have a soft spot for folks linked somehow to mississippi. speaking of which, we're leaving the 28th to visit my family there. can't wait to see my parents and spoil my little nephew and i get to pick up my new little pup, too!

under the mistletoe: 12.25.2011

2011-12-26T22:02:00.001-05:00

christmas morn: 12.25.2011

2011-12-26T21:15:00.001-05:00

milton and charlie were standing in line at checkout with me when i spotted the michael jackson chihuahua journal. i made them go wait in the car and snatched it for charlie last minute. i think his michael jackson obsession has waned a bit, but i couldn't help but grab it for him. i did a sneak purchase with the hat for milton while they were with me too. he'd spotted it on another fellow at one of my craft shows and liked it enough to ask where it was from, so i added it to my list of possible gifts for him. i racked up in presents from them with a wallet i'd been eyeing, my favorite chocolate, and cucumber wash i make milton smell when we're at walgreens, and a copy of the aretha franklin album i'd been wanting. plus a bracelet set from fashion accessory - oh, and the heart sprinkles necklace, too. charlie gave me an illustrated kitty calendar as well as a back massager and a tweezer and mirror set (with the tweezers painted to look like a little doll). those were my favorite since i knew he'd gotten them when we were out shopping with his own money he'd gotten as a gift earlier and spent on us instead of himself - it was sweet. charlie woke us early, so after presents milton and i napped on the couch for an hour or so. then coffee (hot chocolate for c) and the caramel pecan sticky buns i grabbed at the farmers market earlier in the week with ann. later on we took family christmas portraits and milton's dad and stepmom dropped by for a bit. the rest of the day was low-key mostly, but all happy and all good.

bright lights: 12.24.2011

2011-12-26T20:24:00.001-05:00

the winter wonderland of our 'cross the street neighbor.

ootd: 12.24.2011

2011-12-26T20:00:00.001-05:00

necklace handmade by one zin sister from a trade with shannon at the tapp's show!

this cat belongs to someone on our street i guess, but she seems to spend the majority of her days in our yard or next door at our neighbors.

she looks just like my cat, sebastian, almost exactly. when she first came around our neighbor grabbed her and put her in our house cause he thought seb had gotten loose. kitty went crazy. when i see her outside i always have to double take to be certain seb hasn't crawled out behind me.

in any case she's a friendly girl and we've nicknamed her wutserfayce. she'll follow me 'round the yard when i take outfit photos, so today i let her join in. who knew she'd be so photogenic.

eats: collards+egg+cream cheese bowl

2011-12-26T19:39:00.001-05:00

as i've said, some of my favorite eats are my throw-it-all-together-in-a-bowl experiments.

here we have collards, turnip greens, green onions, and peas all fresh from our winter garden fried in a skillet with a bit of olive oil. seasoned with salt and garlic powder or tony's cajun seasoning. then 2 eggs thrown in until done. approx 1 ounce of cream cheese cubed on top.

milton curls his nose up to these experiments and said this one was a little overboard. i think it was the cream cheese. he consented to a taste though and deemed it "pretty good," so...

our tree 2012

2011-12-26T19:33:00.001-05:00

xmas @ staci's: 12.22.2011

2011-12-26T18:27:00.001-05:00

style crush round-up: 12.25.2011

2011-12-25T16:54:00.001-05:00

1. q's daydream

2. forays in fatshion

3. pupuren

8. zombielace

ootd: 12.18.2011

2011-12-18T22:01:00.003-05:00

i was immediately drawn to this dress when i saw it.

the black, the floral, the lace insets.

it looks as if it could be vintage, but it's not.

wearing it reminds me of this song:

eats: la fiesta, again

2011-12-18T21:25:00.001-05:00

we split our usual and got beer, too.

the waiter asked if we wanted small or large.

we both said large. and large, they were.

measuring with my fingers, i guesstimated 2.5 bottles of beer per glass.

ootd: 12.16.2011

2011-12-18T21:13:00.001-05:00

really dug the colors of the leaves and sky this day.

my bracelets are all handmade - the two leather ones by kristen, we traded items at the show at tapp's. the beaded one by me.

suddenly into cropped sweaters and tops over my summer dresses.

and wearing one feather earring in my left ear.

style crush round-up: 12.18.2011

2011-12-18T19:41:00.000-05:00

1. thecapriciousclub

2. hel-looks

3. hivenn

4. shades of monet

5. devorelebeaumonstre

6. pussybow

didn't star many looks this week - not that you guys aren't looking fabulous, i've just been stuck behind the hook to spend much time browsing!

ootd: 12.15.2011

2011-12-16T04:19:00.001-05:00

numb world pt.2

2011-12-16T04:05:00.001-05:00

milty got two more reviews for numb world.

from scene sc:

Milton Hall's newest release Numb World is 15 tracks mixing lofi pop gems with short stark instrumental bits to bridge the album together.

As is the beauty of home recording, Hall has the ability to do whatever he wants. Whether it be having the sparse 3 minutes of "Seeing The Real You" to the unintelligible backwards vocals of "Backwards Vocals," Hall mixes these with endearing songs like "Feel Tha Fire" and "Martian Flowers." There is a connection made with the listener in homemade recordings that is hard to obtain any other way. Numb World is more of a get to know a side of Milton Hall, than a studio record could ever be.

An obvious comparison here could be made to the home recordings of Coma Cinema which also has lofi pop origins. As a fan of the band The Minus 5, I get the similar feelings from the vocal and lyrical stylings of Scott McCaughey.

Numb World is available on cassette from Space Idea Cassettes, which also features a handful of Columbia's experimental and lofi artists.

and in haiku form from the free times:

Milton Hall

Numb World

Hall's lo-fi pop gems

Both stunningly constructed,

Beautifully messed up.

ootd: 12.14.2011

2011-12-16T03:56:00.001-05:00

choir quit @ conundrum

2011-12-16T03:40:00.002-05:00

took a creeper photo of this chick that i spotted wearing a softspoken sunburst beret!:

listen:

buy: choir quit @ space idea tapes

download.

ootd: 12.13.2011

2011-12-16T03:19:00.001-05:00

handmade holiday crafty affair @ tapps: 12.11.2011

2011-12-16T02:44:00.001-05:00

beary adorable

2011-12-16T01:50:00.001-05:00

favorite nightshirt since 1996.

cat on my back: 12.09.2011

2011-12-16T01:10:00.001-05:00

yarn fiend: miscusi handmade shop feature

2011-12-10T21:10:00.001-05:00

i have been a long-time fan of andrea of miscusi. my favorite thing about her items is that all of her yarn is recycled from old sweaters - which guarentees they'll be one of a kind. and not only that, but they're always so lovely and chic, too. when i saw her new turbans featured on her blog, i just knew i had to share her shop with you.

from her shop profile: Mi Scusi is about alteration, modification, re-creation: taking unloved materials that would be thrown away (or have already been discarded!) and making something new and unique from them. Reusing materials helps me feel that in my tiny way, I'm negating some of our society's wastefulness. I get a lot of my yarn from thrift-store or donated sweaters: I reuse the yarn by unraveling it from the sweater, then washing it and steaming out the kinks, then winding it up into neat little cylinders. This method takes longer than buying new yarn, but allows me to recycle discarded materials and make something nice and unique out of something that has been deemed no longer useful.

ootd: 12.10.2011 + new in shop

2011-12-10T17:38:00.001-05:00

wearing: jacket - ross/tjmaxx // denim shirt - kmart // black skinnies - f21 // bow pin - made by me @ softspoken.etsy.com // shoes - aerosoles via goodwill bins // clutch - came with bath and body works gift sets many years ago. i got it when i worked there and it's held up so well! it's a nice soft leather and one of my faves. i remember we used to get in really nice bags there every once in a while. my luggage bag is another piece i got there during my employment and still gets tons of use.

bow tie / hair pin combo going in shop tonight!

style crush round-up: 12.10.2011

2011-12-10T16:51:00.001-05:00

wanted to share a few looks i'm crushin' on lately 'round the net.

1. self-constructed-freak

2. emu-memu

3. cupcakesclothes

4. madamowl

5. hipstergrannies

6. vintagevirgin

7. dirtonyournewshoes

8. fashionpirate

9. avantblargh

10. japanesestreets

kind of into this tough meets twee/ 90's does 70's kinda vibe this week.

k-martin'

2011-12-10T04:19:00.001-05:00

after dinner m and i went to wander around k-mart - one of our weird guilty pleasures. m has some sort of childhood memories of going there with his mom and i have a weak spot for it as well. i tried on a few things in the dressing room while milton did his thing. i've been eyeing these pants since this summer - they're sorta iffy when you see them out in the store, but once you put them on they're not that bad. they're on sale now, but i didn't get them. the striped sweater's also on sale - i'm having a pink and grey moment lately and it hits the spot. i put it back too though. the heather grey shirt i was thinking about for layering under dresses. but the only things i purchased were a new bra (which was needed) and a small christmas gift for milton's neice. oh, and a package of erasers shaped like pizza slices for 50 cents cause, you know....

eats: la fiesta

2011-12-10T03:40:00.001-05:00

m and i decided to go out to eat tonight at one of our fave mexican restaurants - a place we've been going to together since before we were even technically together. we saved a little by splitting one dish and getting an extra enchilada and rice on the side. still plenty of food for the two of us and there's always chips and salsa as well. it hit the spot, as usual, and their spinach burritos are always one of my faves. i was quite tempted to splurge on a margarita, but resisted the urge.

ootd: 12.09.2011

2011-12-10T03:15:00.000-05:00

still some blue left over from that manic panic gig. i only noticed once i went through these photos. can't really tell it in indoor light and probably only under the sun. but oh well. it's kind of subtle and i don't mind it. also wore the bright orange extension i got over the summer. wish it was real hair or at least a heat-tolerant synthetic like my wigs - the only thing it does is hang stick straight. i cut into it a bit with a razor to make it look a little more natural, but it's just for the hell of it so no big deal. tried leaving it overnight in a foam curler, too, but nope - straight straight straight. anyway, the jacket is my mom's from the 70's and the back has these little sort of colonial looking kids dancing which she hand embroidered. wish i had a better photo of them. i also have one of my grandfather's army jackets in my closet - love these clothing treasures. i keep meaning to do a post on all of them. someday.

wearing: jacket - mom's // dress - thrifted at the goodwill bins // scarf - old old f21 // blue tights // shoes - aerosoles via goodwill bins // fingerless mitts - made by me @ softspoken.etsy.com //

softspoken offer: free mitts!

2011-12-09T22:36:00.002-05:00

softspoken offer: free pair of mitts with each order! use code FREEMITTS at checkout (note: do not add mitts to your cart - just use the code and a pair will be shipped along with your order). mitt colors will vary and cannot be chosen. offer good till all the mitts i have ready made are gone! http://softspoken.etsy.com

numb world + mh + spit

2011-12-08T23:06:00.002-05:00

just wanted to tell you guys about milton's new project, numb world , released on local tape label, space idea tapes (read about jamie, the mastermind behind s.p.i.t., in the free times). it was recently reviewed in shuffle magazine - check it out below. milton said he'd mail a copy or a free download code to the first few commenters (i dunno how many he has to giveaway exactly), so leave a note with your favorite tune featured below and send your address to reoglesby@yahoo.com if you're interested - but of course supporting indie artists and labels is a good idea, too - if you're so inclined!

Shuffle Magazine: Milton Hall - Numb World (Space Idea) Columbia's Milton Hall already makes collage artwork and short films, but is still determined to add this, his musical debut, to the list, as if the world needed another bedroom popsmith. But Hall makes a good case for himself with this 15-track cassette release. Hooky cuts like "Feel Tha Fire" deliver all the ragtag jauntiness and smirk-worthy whimsy of The Beets' best songs, while the fidelity-fried instrumental riff-experiment "Electric Fairy Tale" wouldn't feel out of place next to some of Sebadoh's meanders. Perfectly imperfect and invitingly insular, Numb World's meeting of easygoing melody and pillowy fuzz makes few demands, but more than reciprocates your attention. (BR)

From Space Idea: A two headed little monster of a song pile. Numb World seems to do a costume change after every piece of music but manages the art the the segue with ease. You've got you sugar pop bits and you've got you're demented landscape pieces and you've got a couple in between. One is beautifully messed up the other beautifully constructed, both with almost perfect architecture.

electric fairy tale
&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://miltonhall.bandcamp.com/track/electric-fairy-tail"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Electric Fairy Tail by Milton Hall&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

it's impossible
&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://miltonhall.bandcamp.com/track/its-impossible"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;It's Impossible by Milton Hall&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

feel tha fire
&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://miltonhall.bandcamp.com/track/feel-tha-fire"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Feel Tha Fire by Milton Hall&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

numb world
&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://miltonhall.bandcamp.com/track/numb-world"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Numb World by Milton Hall&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;
i waited
&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://miltonhall.bandcamp.com/track/i-waited"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;I Waited by Milton Hall&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

and though it's not on this release - here's a video you may remember from this past spring that i made with one of my fave mh songs, late bloomers.

buy the cassette here. or download here.

space idea tapes blog.

themiltonhallpage.com

sweet sixteen - no. 5

2011-12-08T21:47:00.004-05:00

round five of the softspoken sweet sixteen! 16 things i've starred, favorited, hearted, liked or dug over the past week:

1. this gal's look.

2. tavi covering joni mitchell - http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_nWlQBHpsbA

3. this crocheter's eyechart is pretty apropos for me right now.

4. sherwin-williams easy change wallpaper. such a great option for renters - or those afraid of wall color commitment! via.

5. the new girl. i was totally expecting to hate this and never really felt one way or another about zooey (i have nothing against her - i just never got the super adoration. and on the topic of those who critique her for her quirky cute shtick - i really hate that "manic pixie dream girl" is some sort of popular asshole criticism thing now - like an epithet you can toss at women who like twirly dresses as if they can't read books and go to physics class and wear mary janes and pigtails at the same time - stfu! (**edit: oops, guess my understanding of the definition of MPDG was a bit off and i totally agree with what was posted in the comments! i think i've been seeing people use the term erroneously as well which led me to my misinformed definition. mostly i was talking about being pissed off about things such as the julie klausner article that was making the rounds a while ago. and there being some sort of talk of "reclaiming" the term. etc, ad nauseum. apologies!), but i decided to watch it after running out of my usual on hulu while stitching christmas orders. but now i kind of can't wait for a new episode... and i'm not too sure how i feel about that. maybe this post will help.

6. and somewhat on the same note - this post, anti-feminist frills on a fluffy blog. excerpt: "The girly and hyper feminine, soft aesthetic is something I obviously have undying love for as my years of fashion exploits have taught me, but how do I combine that with my feminism? It is something I have really struggled with and only recently settled with one and only answer: I cannot infantilize and over-sexualise myself, the only one responsible for viewing my fashion choices as such is the one doing the ogling and choosing to view it as that. Can I repeat and bold this? It took me such a long while to realise it and I am now currently wallowing in my love for pigtails and overly short skirts no matter how much of my underwear passerby will see, because I won't allow myself to care. Not anymore." her blog is always one of my faves - thoughtful and great colorful style, too.

7. this print by medium control

8. what's on your clothes? all sorts of bad chemically things, apparently. great post from outsapop trashion.

9. kitty has adopted the pillow i stitched up for my pattern book as her own. it's now nicknamed the princess pillow and when she's on the bed perched atop it i can only think of the princess and the pea. image via.

10. this ornament pretty much sums up my holiday spirit.

11. i hate the modern works and products of disney so very much - but still have such a soft spot for mickey tops. and tacky beer clothing (says the girl wearing the coors light t-shirt). and are those flatform sneakers?!? (found on tumblr)

12. this quote from Roseanne (found on tumblr and pasted into paint by me - i've tried to verify it, but i only find it on a bunch of tumblrs, sooooo.... source?).

13. whittle your own crochet hooks!

14. gpoy? ;) via.

15. gpoy circa 1990. via (love this blog).

16. these tents from field candy. (found via the nylon blog).

hope you enjoyed!

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ootd: 12.08.2011

2011-12-08T17:59:00.001-05:00

wearing: scarf - thrifted // tank - oldnavy outlet // cardi - target // jeans - f21 // shoes - gojane // feather earrings - beauty stop and fashion accessory

so busy lately. feel like i'm drowning in yarn. and so behind, as usual. grateful for the work and food on my plate, but must admit to looking forward to a break!

yarn fiend: tortillagirl shop feature

2011-12-08T16:21:00.003-05:00

Though there's a lot of competition among sellers these days - there's no reason not to adore the art and labor of others in your category! I hope to bring you a new feature here at softspoken, Yarn Fiend, to share and promote other knitters, crochet artists, and needlework enthusiasts (and perhaps feature a few favorite yarns, patterns, etc as well). To begin with, I'm particularly loving these pieces from seller, tortillagirl . The textures and patterns she features in her pieces are so effective and perfect.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

From her about page: Name is Becky. Doting mother. Happy wife. Recovering corporate lawyer. Designer. Knitter. Known to host seaming parties and dance while wearing hand-knits.

TortillaGirl® is a one woman show run by my lonesome as a registered business in Bordeaux, France. I started it while in my second year of studying a double degree in fashion design/illustration and tailoring/draping at l'Ecole Superieure des Arts et techniques de la Mode (ESMOD) in Lyon, France. Creating clothing and accessories is now my full time job and everything is designed and built by me in my little home studio where smoking is a big, fat no-no.

"Philosophy" (and why my shop presentation changes twice a year): I like to live as eco-friendly a life as I am able and run my shop along the same lines. I use cruelty-free textiles from local suppliers in order to minimize transport use and support the economy of the country where I now make my home. I use the knowledge obtained from textiles studies and an internship at a family owned textile company to choose my materials; something doesn't have to be recycled, thrifted or vintage in order to be environmentally friendly. I like to create my items by natural daylight and do not work by artificial lighting as this makes for better workmanship details and conserves at the same time. So, in the evening when daylight starts to dim, my sewing machine and serger are turned off for the night. This is mainly why my shop changes each season: In fall and winter hand-knits are the focus of my collection and in spring and summer, when the days are longer and I have more daylight by which to sew and create prototypes, my collection is focused on clothing and bags.

Find her at:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/tortillagirl
Facebook: tinyurl.com/tortillagirlfacebook
Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/people/skinnyrabbit

ootd: 12.06.2011

2011-12-07T01:07:00.001-05:00

wearing: jacket from ross or tj maxx or wherever // dress is jovovich-hawk for target // pumpkin tights // my favorite black flats from payless years ago. the insoles are coming unglued and ripping out. need to get some dr. scholls inserts or something. // necklace was my granny's // cheap-o sunglasses from fasion accessory // cat ears from dollar general two halloweens ago // mini backpack that i'm in love with was thrifted at goodwill bins, but i think it's originally, like, kathy ireland for k-mart or something.

eats: 12.06.2011

2011-12-07T00:55:00.001-05:00

i don't know why i only photographed these half burned buffalo chick'n wings (morning star veggie) instead of the real beaut' of a meal i had for dinner consisting of pan fried collards (from the garden) sauteed with mushrooms and eggplant and sesame seeds thrown in a bowl with salsa and melted mozarella and goat cheese. it was just a big pile of good. making random dinner mixtures thrown in a big bowl are some of my favorite eats. and the experiment is fun too.

things

2011-12-07T00:47:00.000-05:00

i got a few things at the last craft show. i always like to support a few vendors, but try not to go overboard and spend all my earnings - which is really really hard with so many amazing handmade things around! this time i got myself this twisted copper ring. it's hard to photograph to show it off properly since it has many loops and twists and details - i'll have to try again in the future since these really don't do it justice! i also bought a woodie guthrie tribute print that says "till we outnumber 'em" which the artist was unloading for a $1! i also got a few zines and two christmas gifts as well. all handmade and all for about $20. not bad!

eats on the cheap: cream cheese and salsa omelette

2011-12-07T00:39:00.000-05:00

maybe i'll try to write these out recipe style one day. this was just a 3-egg omelette with garlic lime salsa ($1.98 for the jar) + cilantro and green onions and lettuce (all free / grown in our garden) + cream cheese (i'll get better at remembering prices for this feature, too - promise!). i've never had an omelette with cream cheese before, but since i wasn't really in the mood for cheddar i thought i'd give it a shot. i love cream cheese and have even put it on burgers in the past, so this wasn't too much of a stretch for me. it was good! really rich, but will definitely have again. the charlie brown plate was the last clean plate in the house, so.... ughdishesugh.

spartanburg: day 2 - handmade holiday hoopla + drinks n' dinner

2011-12-07T00:21:00.001-05:00

spartanburg: day 1 @ the hotel + dinner @ lime leaf

2011-12-06T23:28:00.000-05:00

new shades: 12.01.2011

2011-12-06T21:46:00.002-05:00

another $1 fashion accessory purchase. oh well.

nails: 12.01.2011

2011-12-06T21:39:00.002-05:00

some no name brand from fashion accessory for $1 layered over sally hansen hard as nails fuschia glitter.

ootd: 11.30.2011

2011-12-01T00:24:00.001-05:00

didn't feel like washin' my hair, so...

jacket - ross or tjmaxx. i had to cut the lining out of the sleeves because it was stitched all wonky and they felt tight and crooked and i'm sure my chubby arms weren't helping matters. it feels so much better since i did - i was worried it'd be even worse without it. // pink kitty dress - urbanog // pink tights // black flatforms - aerosoles via goodwill bins // heart sunnies - uo, a few years back.

ootd: 11.29.2011

2011-11-29T23:39:00.001-05:00

i've been waiting months for the weather to be cool enough to bring out this coat. today it finally came.

leopard coat - modcloth via kate's scathingly brilliant giveaway // dress - wet seal additional 50% off clearance sale a year or two ago // tulle lace skirt underneath - f21 (i always use this skirt to add length to my too-short dresses - works like a charm!) // teal tights // mini backpack - thrifted at goodwill bins and i adore it! i use it constantly and it goes as well with jeans and tees as it does with dresses and heels // black flatforms - aerosoles thrifted at goodwill bins. i love them, but they're a bit narrow (they're sized for narrow feet) so i'm hoping they will stretch with wear. i tried to find them online to buy a wider pair, but they're all sold out and from what i read it looks like they only made them in narrow widths - which seems strange. they're not too terribly uncomfortable though.

sustainable midlands holiday market: 11.28.2011

2011-11-29T23:05:00.001-05:00

last year this was a really great show for me. i ended the night at a little over 2-thousand $$!! i was hoping (and expecting) to do as well again, but this year was completely terrible. i ended the night with about $260 or so - a HUGE drop. i've had the worst luck with shows this year. it was a cold, rainy and dreary night which i'm sure is part of why the crowd was smaller this year - last year was packed. i also don't think it helped that they put me and about 3 other craft vendors in the room with the food and wine vendors - away from the huge room where all of the other craft vendors were! it totally didn't make sense to have us in there! i think a lot of folks who were just there for holiday shopping didn't come into that room at all, thinking it was just food and such. plus the caterer and bar table closed down an hour and a half before the event was over - which made it even worse - all the noise and carrying their equipment through put a halt to traffic, plus it made the room look empty and sparse and it just looked bad. i've never seen folks break down so early before an event's end and always heard it ill-mannered to do so. now i know why. bad shows are so frustrating - especially this time of year when it's supposed to be my season! luckily i do have a bit more of my book advance on its way since i've turned everything in, but i was really hoping to get ahead a bit and not have to live with so much constant worry and stress. ah well, 'tis life. another show this weekend and two more after that. and with better results, i hope.

ootd: 11.26.2011

2011-11-29T22:42:00.000-05:00

blazer: kmart // belt: came with a skirt // tee: hanes 2-pack // shoes: f21 // necklace: the vamoose // feather earrings: beauty stop

occupy columbia - first amendment rally / take back the state house: 11.21.2011

2011-11-29T21:59:00.001-05:00

eats on the cheap: lemon coriander soup with veggies and tofu

2011-11-29T21:32:00.001-05:00

one of my new favorite quick and cheap meals: lemon coriander soup mix ($1.25) + bag of frozen veggies ($1) + tofu ($2-ish) + cilantro ($0 - home grown). makes 6 servings though sometimes i add more water and lemon juice to stretch it even more.

ootd: 11.18.2011

2011-11-29T21:13:00.001-05:00

pullover - american apparel tri-blend via ebay (i love these and they're pretty cheap on ebay, too. at least they used to be!) // mustard skinnies - f21 // shoes - kmart // necklace - lemonjitters // slouchy pom beanie - made by me @ softspoken.etsy.com

occupy columbia arrests: 11.16.2011

2011-11-29T20:09:00.001-05:00

nails: 11.15.2011

2011-11-29T18:38:00.001-05:00

i'm pretty horrible at painting my nails since i have really shaky hands most of the time. i don't know why that is, but it pretty much puts all the fancy nail things people are doing these days outta my reach. anyway, thought this color would be more pumpkin but turned out a sort of rusty red instead. i like it though.

ew?

2011-11-29T18:31:00.001-05:00

i'm often more fascinated by so-called gross things than i am disgusted. i always examine them and peek closely. i'm not really into morbid things or looking at dead bodies and such, but i do tend to get slightly obsessed by my own wounds and monitor their changes and healing with fascination. i wasn't quite so happy to find this not yet expired (at the time) pint of half and half with green chunks and thick lumps though - especially when i'd already poured a bit into the potato soup i was making. i decided to eat the soup anyway after a few tastes to see if it was alright (maybe not the best idea but money is tight and i couldn't fathom throwing out a whole pot of soup over just a few spoonfuls) - neither of us got sick, but i did throw the rest of the half and half out. this is not the first time this has happened to us with PET products - i doubt i'll buy the brand again since it seems to be more than a random occurence.