A Corsage for Mother's Day

My pal Charles Phoenix mused on his facebook page today if corsages were still a tradition for Mother's Day.

As my Derby Fascinator sort of veered into that territory with wearable flowers, I decided to whip one together with some silk orchids from the Dollar Tree. I wouldn't dream of giving my mom a silk corsage, she's not the corsage type anyways, but I would love to festoon myself with blooms.

A Mother's Style, and a Grandmother's Gift

The NYTimes ran an article today for Mother's Day entitled For These Designers, Mom Knew Best , which includes interviews with fashion designers about the legacy of style and design, that they inherited from their mothers.

It got me thinking about my Mom, and my Grandmothers especially, who influenced my taste and creativity. You may have noticed that I am rather fond of butterflies. I don't buy all butterflies that I see, but when I see a good one, I just have to have it. I try not to repeat myself too much, but one butterfly in particular does crop up in my photos more than once. It may be the single most favorite thing I've ever bought in a Dollar Store, and it is the big pink sparkly one in the lower right hand side of this photo.

It adorned my Tribute to Patsy Cline, and my Easter Bonnet, and it took the utmost restraint not to add it to my Derby Fascinator.

The reason I love it so much, is that it goes so well with my most cherished inheritance from my Grandmother, Idris Holcomb - the pink, blue, and clear rhinestone butterfly pin in the upper right corner.

She was a wonderful person, who encouraged all her grandchildren to follow their hopes and dreams.  My older sister and cousin benefitted from educations from prestigious law schools. Another cousin inherited the beach house. There where other things like stocks that got divvied up when she passed, but of all the momentos and things of monetary value, I think I may have made out the best.

Certainly, more than once my hopes and dreams have been dashed, but I still hang tight to her acknowledgment of my little whims and flights of fancy . . . and that rhinestone butterfly pin.

Giant Happy Mother's Day Card from the Dollar Store

Why wish Mom a Happy Mother's Day when you can wish her A HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!! This card from the 99 Cent Only Store is REALLY Big. Off to the side is a gift bag, about the size of huge greeting card. The Giant card is completely blank on the inside, perfect for all sorts of heartfelt sentiments, inscriptions, signatures - heck, why not turn it into a scrapbook, or a crafts project. Or if your Mom has a really good sense of humor, write Love, and your name really, really small inside.

Whatever you do, it is sure to make an impact, at at just a buck, you can't go wrong.

A Fascinating Hat for the Derby

A certain kind of ladies' hat has become popular again, and thanks to the recent Royal Wedding, every fashionista now knows what a Fascinator is.

For those who don't follow the rags, the hat is a small (well, that's debatable) cocktail type chapeau, that seemingly balances daintily on the top and/or slightly off to the side of the head.

They can take all forms, from the elegant to the whimsical to the absolute outrageous, but surprisingly they are easy to wear and to make.

Start with a simple headband, and then start adding stuff. I choose a large silk tropical leaf for impact, then added roses, a butterfly and a rose printed bow off to the side.

For somewhere between $5 and $10 I had a perfectly respectful Kentucky Derby themed millinery piece to wear to the races.

Someday my dream of being at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day may come true, until then, I'll wear my Dollar Store dowry and dream.

Do I feel like Carmen Miranda? -- yes. Is it fascinating, that these flights of fancy are fashionable? Absolutely.

Now here is a gallery of today's Derby hats straight from the Twin Spires.

Classic KITSCH - Pink Flamingos!

What is as classically kitsch as a plastic pink flamingo? For only a buck and a trip to the Dollar Tree you can add this splash of (awful) Americana to your landscape.

Of course, I can't resist.

And if your new foray into fabulousness and questionable taste finds you watching Divine in this John Waters' classic film, aptly named "Pink Flamingos" that is entirely up to you -- who am I to judge?

Warning, viewer discretion and a good washing your mouth out with soap advised!

Bumpits -- Tammy Wynette Edition

Now that I have my Bumpits, I can properly celebrate today, May 5th, Tammy Wynette's birthday by jacking my hair to Jesus! Good bless you Wynette Pugh, for sharing your immense talent and bittersweet life with us.

You wrote "Stand by Your Man" in fifteen minutes, you kicked those no good louses to the curb, and you always renewed your beauticians' license. Put another candle on that birthday cake, but keep the Aquanet at a safe distance.

A Baptism Bonnet for the Party After!

There are three occasions in a woman's life where she must wear white -- her Baptism, her First Holy Communion, and her Wedding.

May Day Daisies from the Dollar Store

When I was a kid, my mom had a very charming tradition for May Day. She would have us make construction paper cones with handles, and we would fill them with hard candies like wrapped butterscotches, and top them off with flowers from our garden, mostly daisies and we would then hang these on our neighbor's door handles.

This blogger "skiptomylou" made lovely baskets, with a beautiful photo and instructions here .

It was such a sweet gesture to welcome the Merry (and Mary -- as it is the Virgin Mary's month, celebrated in Catholicism) month of May!

I didn't make the cones, but I did get some Chrysanthemums that look like daisies from the 99 Cent Store. You'll notice I buy a lot of flowers there, and the Easter Mums are already fading a bit. I always try to keep them alive and blooming as long as possible, and sometimes I actually plant them, but here in Vegas by the end of May it is too hot for much of anything other than cactus to survive outside, so mostly I just enjoy them while I can and buy new ones when they are spent.

Happy May Day!

Hallelujah and Pass the Hairspray -- Bumpits for a Buck!

How much would you pay to look like Snooki from Jersey Shore? I know that's a loaded question, but you might want to look like any number of fabulous babes like Barbara Eden, Dionne Warwick, Tammy Wynette, Aretha Franklin, or Lu Lu from the swingin' sixties.

One thing they all have in common is their elevated follicles, and modern technology and marketing has brought us the "Bumpit" to bring us hairstyle salvation  . . . because every respectable Southern gal knows "The higher the hair, the closer to Jesus."

So Hallelujah and pass the Hairspray, because I found Bumpits for a buck in the 99 Cent Only Store.

Okay, so they only came in light brown, and my color is considerably darker, but I couldn't resist the bargain. I didn't need to pay $19.95 for three useless pieces of plastic, I got mine for only a dollar.

Will I use them? Hell yeah!