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Sunday 9 July 2017

Stark in black and white, and me with shades of grey

I'm laughing.
I'm laughing and running. 
Oh, what fun!

Had I not removed the background from that photo you would see that I'm running smack into the wall of my concrete box studio. Yesh. Tra-la-la. A grand escape from reality. But why?

Please refer to Exhibit A, below. Woman with Cart and Fan. It's come to this. No matter how fast my trot, there is no avoiding the cart and the fan ⇽ Read that like a narrator in a horror flick and insert scream HERE.

I had been putting off the cart for some time now, lugging home my groceries every day with only frigging enviro-friendly bags with handles that keep frigging falling off. It's what happens when you turn into a cheap beast of burden with a conscience and pretty, ill-made enviro-friendly bags.


Then, last week, I saw a woman around my age at the library with a gosh-darn swell cart. I approached her and said, "Oh, I love your cart. Where'd you get it?" She looked up surprised and laughed. She said her mother had given it to her as a gift and she wasn't sure at the time whether to be happy or cry. "I'm too young for a cart!" was her thought. We both had a good laugh about that one.

Now that she had a nice cart, with brilliant images of fruits and vegetables all over it (she likes to cook), her daughter in her 20s is always swiping it. Soon we'll all be [scary music] dum dum dum CART PEOPLE!

Which reminds me, there's a great Japanese horror flick from 1963 called Attack of the MUSHROOM PEOPLE. Matango is the Japanese title. Great movie. A claaassic. You can watch it here, English version, at least for now.
My sailor-style Sanchez pants, so-named because it is embroidered on the waistband.

Emboldened by my encounter and facing a big food expedition, the next day I went into two discount stores to check out their cart selection. It was now or never. In the end I decided on this cart with white-dotted black vinyl, one of only three or so designs to choose from. And white wobblish wheels. As consolation, I got the best deal.

AND I grabbed a fan while I was in there too. Puh, I thought when I got home, you call this a fan!? Looks like I'll need to add extensions about, say, a foot long now that my summers come from within, which is the most poetic way of putting it.

Woman with Cart and Fan. Dress from TALIZE thrift store in Delta, BC. Converse runners.

I was mighty pleased with my new cart and fan, thinking how relaxed my stroll home from shopping would be this time. I started mentally listing all the heavy things I could buy to celebrate - pickles, water balloons, paving stones.

Passersby were smiling at me. Yes, I believe they wanted carts too! Only a cart could create such a joyful expression on my face. Or maybe they wanted to dress up like nursies in oversized white dresses like mine.  This dress is identical to my traffic cone dress I posted on recently, both from TALIZE in Delta. Score!!


This last photo is a psychological portrait. CART. FAN. mel. But not in a bad way.

I was worried that my cart may affect my bad assery. Au contraire, friends. Now I can head over the hill with a Mona Lisa smile and nobody will know what hit them - my cart of course, careening wildly behind me. And the fan, it will keep me oh so cool, baybee.

Clearly, I'll need to fark this cart and I have some ideas. And the fan too. Sheila of Ephemera has decorated several fans with wonderful Zentangle drawings using felt pens and watercolour pencils, here. My fan is a plasticy blue fabric purchased in an emergency, but I know I can find a plain one. I'm excited.

And the final piece because I can't go without a big PS. THE BIG PS:



LOVE IT, my awesome T-shirt by Suzanne Carillo. The best! Worn with my men's Calvin Klein flowy robe, Dolce & Gabbana shoes, and vintage sunglasses. And of course my loupe by O - you can get one now too on his Etsy shop HERE.

There have also been some stellar meetups this week - Deb, Barb, Judith, and hi! to Sandra, whom I met at Vancouver Art Gallery yesterday.

I'll link up to Patti at Not Dead Yet Style for her ever-popular Visible Monday, and Catherine at Not Dressed as Lamb for her wonderful #iwillwearwhatilike, in this case, I will wheel what I like.

How about you? Are you a cart person? I had one when I was in uni for my massive laundry hauls; I never envisioned the day would come I need it for groceries!

Have a stellar week, all!! xo


30 comments:

  1. I am envious of your cart, I admit it! It's rather schwanky with the dots, and I hope you fark it up good. As I get my groceries delivered (lah-di-dah!) I have no need for a cart...just yet! However, I could certainly trundle home massive amounts of thrift store clothing in one...Hmmm...

    Looking wonderful as always, Mel. You are just so darned KLASSY.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All the better that you don't need a cart. It's a pain to pull around but necessary to save me from aches later. And it's not heavy. Look out world if you got a cart for thrifting! Hahaha!! xo

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  2. I love my shopping trolley. I occasionally swap it out for a small wheeled suitcase (the ones with a retractable dragging-about handle) as I am gimpy - but also wanting to bring my laptop/camera/load of junk with me.

    My own shopping trolley is a fancy fold-out from Reisenthel https://youtu.be/EP6VHC7w57o - it is like the convertible sports car of shopping trolleys and catnip for attracting the gentleman shopper-about-town.

    As for badassery - I find the many zip pulls provide ample scope for a plethora of skull/goth keyrings and sundry gee-gaws. Bladed wheels would add that touch of Boudicca to a supermarket shop - but would hinder the foldy-up-ness of my lovely trolley. Mirrored shades will have to do,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I checked out the Reisenthel carts. Whoa! That's a serious cart, although I would always get pissed off having to open and close it every time. What's this about attracting gentlemen shoppers? Hahaha!! Excellent!
      Mirrored shades, I say, will definitely do. I should get a pair. I just broke my favourite vintage sunglasses. Boo hoo! xo

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  3. My daughter sujests me from time to time to use a cart while shopping on the market. I always denied. Now seeing your cute little vehicle, I can imagine to use one. Btw wenn call it heels Porsche, the cart,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love your name for the cart. Hahaha!
      Yes, I resisted a cart for a looong time. Finally, a heavy load convinced me it was time. My cart is lightweight and I look forward to decorating it. Your daughter maybe wants you to get a cart so she can borrow it! Hahaha. xo

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  4. I love your cart! Get those pinwheels on there stat. They'll give it wings.

    If I had a cart like that I'd put my pug in it.

    Your dressed to piss you off pose is all badass.

    bisous
    Suzanne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I LOVE that shirt you made. So does everyone else it seems. I see lots of people wheeling their little furry ones around in carts. It's a thing. I like the pinwheels idea and I'll need a tall neon orange flag too. xo

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  5. Fuk me up with that t-shirt and necklace----loupe and dressed to piss u offfffffff!!! I want to replicate.
    Team #ProCart

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, this shirt is stellar!!! I highly recommend. xo

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  6. Carts are the best. I used to be a flight attendant so OF COURSE I would drag a luggage cart behind me and I felt so powerful. "Get out of my way. I have a very important cart here!" You'll be tearing through invisible walls in no time. Meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out how to get up to Vancouver so I can go to Talize and buy some beautiful giant dresses. PS You are the BEST model and an honest to goodness sweetie pie!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh, Connie, you are a pro cart woman as a former flight attendant. You would have been the Danica Patrick of the flight cart circuit. I can see it now.
      You MUST come to Vancouver! Think of the fun we would have. But the blogs and IGs are the next best thing. Huge hugs to you, Connie. xox

      Delete
  7. I have mixed feelings about carts, and like you, I have always thought that the day I purchase one, I will be "officially old" (even though I see people younger than I am with one). It's probably because my mother frequently suggests that I get one. While I appreciate their usefulness in theory, I get on and off buses all day and getting one of those giant contraptions on and off the bus is such a pain, I would rather just carry a whole lot of bags for now. If you walk everywhere, they are great. I do like the black and white and I know you are going to decorate it so that it screams "MEL!!!" in the best way. You definitely need a bigger fan, and a bare-chested man to wave it over you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The woman at the library was at first horrified by her mother's cart "gift." But now she LOVES it. I can see it being a nuisance on transit, especially in winter. I tried a backpack but that was still annoying. Sigh.

      I'll follow your lead in getting the man - except yours are dressed in togas if I remember correctly, and feed you grapes. Heh.

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  8. No!!! Shopping trollies (as we call them) are the devil's own work. God knows how many times I've lost toenails and had my feet buggered up by some possessed grandma running amok in a chazza trailing one behind her.
    That being said you look super cool, rock star chic with yours but you would with an Ikea bag. xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I hear you, and I too have been a victim. I have taken all the prerequisite courses for my cart license but I have not sworn off drinking and carting at the same time. xox

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  9. They will SPOT you a mile away and the crowds will part. So long suckers!
    In your badass gown and tee and shades, fanning yourself furiously. Don't mess with the gal with the internal Summer! xo Jazzy Jack

    ReplyDelete
  10. My cart is in my front hall (taking up too much floor space) and my husband is constantly threatening to throw it in the bin! Booo
    XXX
    Samantha
    Fake Fabulous | Style and Fashion, over 40

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. O hates that kind of clutter too so he put a hook thing on the wall so I can hang it up. And my cart folds so that also helps. Don't let him throw it out! Hahaha!! xox

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  11. hurrah for Cart People, I'm one of them! and proud of it!. Love my shopping cart, I use it to carry almost everything, giant watermelons, my computer, tools, groceries, whatever.
    Lovely polka dot cart, it rocks!
    besos

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes, I must buy a giant watermelon just so I can put it in my cart! If I were there or you here we could go out carting together. Hahaha! xox

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  12. You keep amazing me. No matter what you put on, I think "Oh that looks really great on her. How did she come up with that and why does everything seem to suit her?"
    I am not flattering you, that is what I think. For instance the long robe in the last outfit.. brilliant. And I must say I love that T-shirt too. I will ask Suzanne permission to stea her copyright and let my niece make me one in a boatneck version. I won't wear it on the blog. You have that privalidge. (Did I spell that right?)
    As on carts.. yes I am a cart person. I logg a trolley to work, one of those trolleys you take with you on a plane. Very handy for sandwiches and laptop. And I seriously thought about buying a cart about 10 years ago, when I suddenly realised I already have the best cart: my car!! I know I am a luxury lady.
    Greetje

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hahaha, Luxury Lady! Seriously, my cart is awesome. I can see you looking totally professional with your amazing outfit and your trolley. People will say, oooh, who is she?

      Suzanne made me the best shirt. I love it! Always I get positive feedback. You would too.

      About my outfits, well, we're all different. You rock things that would not suit me at all, but I still like on you. That's why this blogging is so much fun! Diversity is wonderful. xox

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    2. On second thoughts... I need words and letters going vertically. Or very short words. Don't want to draw attention to my materly bosom.

      Delete
  13. I have a trolley like that for me to take and bring things back from school!!! It is currently full of way too many boxes of chocolates from kids at school!x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is impossible to have too many boxes of chocolates from kids at school. Hahaha!! What a great perk! xox

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  14. I LOVE LOVE your cart, Melanie! (And looking forward to any farking to it!) I think it's got to be all in the driver/puller/pusher of the cart - probably the more reckless and creative,the better. xx

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    Replies
    1. I've had suggestions of pinwheels and flags and buttons for the cart. I think I'll do something with Turnip Head somewhere. I'm still thinking about it (OK, I admit, I've been lazy. Heh.) xox

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