Oh, Hai!

I know it's been over a week since I posted last, but everything is a little nuts around here!  Lots of GOOD changes :) that I wish I could talk about, but unfortunately can't just yet. :(
I'm meeting personal goals that have been a very long time coming.  LIFE IS GOOD, my dahlings!

I'm making new friends left and right; I'm in better shape physically than I have been in years, thanks to going Swing Dancing every week for over a month now.

I'm extremely blessed by my family.  Gran said she never knows what to get me for my birthday (coming up in June), so she got me new dance shoes!  After 12 years of faithful service, my Bleyers officially bit the dust at last Friday's GA Tech dance...

Poor babies. :(

 ...so the Aris Allens have been ordered and should arrive any day!*  They are very similar to the Bleyers, but the strap is a little wider, which I love!

Soon, my pretties, you will be all mine! :)

I'm wearing canvas sneakers in the interim.  They are ok.  Not great, but I can Lindy in them and not break something, so just for tonight it's not that bad.

*5/22/13 EDIT: They came this afternoon!  The left one is a little snug in the toe, but I figured out (from experience) that the next half size up would be too big and rub blisters, and as the right foot fits perfectly, I conclude that the injury I sustained in college to my left foot (which resulted in two broken digits) is likely responsible for the difference.  I'm going to take them to a shoe shop and have them stretched just a tiny bit.  I'm like a size 5 ¾ instead of either a 5½ or a 6. :P
Should I have to go with the 6s, the company has an amazing return policy, so that won't be a problem to just swap out one for the other.  I think these will fit the bill, though.  I'm more than thrilled with them and Tuesday can't get here fast enough!!! :)

In the next couple of weeks, be sure to check out the Mailbox page, as there will be updates and links for photos.  I'll be showing off a lot of the awesomeness that has been arriving via USPS.
Until later, my dear readers.  Love to you all!

I Should Ask Alan To Play This Tomorrow Night

HAPPY MUSIC MONDAY, PEOPLES!

I've had a fantastic day so far, and I still have a lot to accomplish before bedtime.  But I didn't want to miss Music Monday, and I thought you'd like this Sammy Davis Jr. song, "Love Me or Leave Me" and its swingin' beat to keep you going!

I know technically this should be cast as a "Video Wednesday", since it IS video as well as audio, but I couldn't keep this amazing clip from you.  This is what happens when two world class, insanely talented dancers start showing off!  The fact that a GUY is doing the follow is completely awesome!
Enjoy!

Let the 20s Roar! (Part 2)

I'm not going to the other Great Gatsby movie party tonight.  I'm just too worn out!
But here's the stuff from last night.

So basically, my thought process was "Have been invited to cool 1920s party and asked to wear costume.  ... I don't do 20th C.  What on earth am I going to wear?!?"

Finally in a desperate fit of win or die trying, I rummaged through my closet and came up with a black tank top and a swishy old favorite swing skirt that no longer fits because I lost 20 lbs last summer and it falls off.  (But being the sappy thing that I am, I couldn't bear to part with it, hence it being there waiting for me to pick it up again.)

The flash makes the top look faded, but they are actually pretty
close to being the same shade of black.

Convinced that I had at long last gone completely round the twist, I stood in front of the full length mirror and hiked the skirt up to my armpits to see whether my bust would hold it up and whether it became the right length and GIGGLING GUARDS AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE, IT WORKED PERFECTLY! I set about pinning it in place, using the tank top as a base:

I top stitched a half a yard of fringe on along the edge to make it look "flapper"- esque.  A length of stretchy sequin trim and a feather pouf made a headband.  I had a pink feather boa from a photo shoot I did a few years ago.  Done and done.

Gratuitous, if grainy, iPhone photo that went on my Facebook.

Unfortunately, the only {full length} photo I got of me is a little out of focus.  But who cares.  I clean up cute!  If a little awkward... I'm not used to wearing heels all that much.  I didn't even keep them on once I got to the venue.  I changed into my Bleyer dance shoes so I wouldn't break an ankle.

I only got a few pics at the actual event, of course, because I was too busy dancing and having fun to be snapping photos and blinding everyone with the flash!
Here's me with one my new friends from the venue.  We only met officially on Tuesday, but I've seen him there before, and he's planning on learning Lindy soon.  And all of the follows smirk with glee and go "Muahahahaha!" because we LOVE converting guys to swing dancing, because ultimately it means more dances for US!

Most of the other pics I got were of more friends dancing with each other, and I'm not sure if they would be comfortable with me posting pics of them on the internet without asking, so I won't.

All in all, it was a spectacular night, and I wish I had the energy to go out again.  But I'll spend a quiet night at home, rest up, and (as always) look forward to Tuesday when I get to dance again.  :)

Keep Swinging, readers.  You are fabulous!

Let The 20s Roar (Part 1)

Who is excited about the Electro Swing Soiree happening tonight??  THIS GIRL!  To celebrate the release of the new "The Great Gatsby" movie (see the trailer at the bottom of this post), the venue where I swing dance every week is hosting parties tonight and tomorrow in grand style!  There will be photos of course, and I've done a tutorial/process of how I did my costume.  YES, I'm going in costume.  You knew it was only a matter of time before I got something 1920s together! :D :D :D

But you can't see that yet!  Not until I have danced until I drop, recovered, and uploaded photos of everything.

But here's a clip of some Electro Swing to keep you happy until then.  It's a half hour long, so you can pick however much you want to hear, but I promise it's catchy!  Just let it play in the background as you clean the house or whatever and it makes whatever you're doing more fun x 100! :)
So much Lindy Hopping will be happening in the next 5 or 6 hours... :)

The Great Gatsby Movie:

So True...

Disclaimer: I found this whilst doing costume and character development research for Dragon Con, that eventually derailed into link-chasing on YouTube. (I'm honest.)  I do NOT listen to, nor do I advocate, the music of the band LMFAO.  Note that some of the lyrics in this clip are PG13.  You know that I strive to keep this blog 99.9% family friendly.  Just please understand that with the Marvel/Iron Man kick I've been on recently, and how well this fits the superheroes (and their egos), it was just way too good to not share! :)  (Especially the ending!)

"Storm": Appropriate Background Music

I heard this on the "Man of Steel" trailer recently.  While I love Marvel more than DC, I'm looking forward to seeing it (if only because it is Hans Zimmer's newest score- even if he didn't write this piece I'm featuring today).

This Music Monday brings you "Storm", a GORGEOUS track from the OST of "Elizabeth: The Golden Age", starring the amazing and ethereally beautiful Kate Blanchett.  I didn't get to see the film in its entirety, but I got to see enough clips to know that she more than deserved the awards she garnered for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I.

This is some of what is playing in the background for me today as I tackle laundry, paperwork, sewing, housework, errands, and life in general.  I hope it inspires you as it does me.

Enjoy. :)

I Take It Back, I Do NOT Want Goats!

My Gran has a large garden every year.  And just down from that garden, she used to keep chickens.  We live across the street from a horse pasture/stables, so I see horses every day.  Just down the road not even 2 miles, our neighbors have a herd of dairy cows.  So I see cows every day too.  I used to think "It would be so nice to own a couple of goats."  Right?  I could sell the milk, or use it to make soap and lotions and sell those.  You know, going back to the land and homesteading and all that.  It seemed like a good idea.  I mean, look at this face and how cute they are!

Source

WANT!

Until I found this.... 

...I think we will just go pet the goats at Zoo Atlanta's Children's Petting Zoo and call it done.  :)

Post A-Z Challenge...erm...Post.

It's Wednesday, May 1st.  (ALREADY?!?! Wasn't it just the end of January like, last week?!)
I got about halfway through the A-Z Challenge on time and then all sorts of things got in the way.  I love you all, but I have a life outside of the laptop.  I'm only missing N, O, P, Q, S, T, V, W, X, and Y.  Most of these are drafts that are waiting on photos.  It's not as easy to keep within a theme as it first appears!  However, when I start a thing, I like to finish it.  So thanks to Blogger's schedule feature, I'll be retro-posting what I missed as I have time.

Keeping with a Snail Mail theme has been fun, though, and I hope it has made you smile!  Don't forget to check the archives for the missing letters very soon!  I'll be snapping photos this weekend and finishing up the drafts as soon as possible.

I'm off to get some replies written and mailed before I go to work.
Thanks for reading, my lovelies, thanks to all who visited me from the Challenge, and everyone write more letters!