No cure for velvet maxi dress nostalgia

This dress was singing "American Pie" so I had to Respect the Tune by throwing lots of gew-gaws around my neck and my beret on my head, and slipping on my lace-up boots with grommets (and sneaky side zippers). I would wear this elegant dress to drive my mud-spattered pickup truck, if I had one, pedal to the metal, not because the dress is unworthy of a Rolls but because I love the contrast and would love to listen to that song on the truck's radio.

This dress has been travellin', travellin', travellin' from Terri's place (RAGS Against the Machine) in the USA to Curtise (The Secondhand Years) in the UK, where it did an abrupt U-turn back to North America and my greedy little mitts. Bwa-ha-ha. I adore it! Excited hugs and clapping with glee to Terri and Curtise for this awesome dress. In this rescue parcel (it arrived on "Day from Hell") Curtise also included a moving card and a stunning looorex capelet, as well as a brocade skirt, also of Terri origin, all of which I shall show you soon.

Details of the outfit

• homemade velvet maxi dress with a built-in lace blouse with big puff sleeves
• mantis pendant that I made; loupe that O made; beads and bracelet, old retail
• boots, thrifted
• beret, thrifted

The velvet ties on the dress are very long so I criss-crossed them in front before knotting them in back. You can see them in the next photo, which also details the accessories.

Aack! That's a big face! My lips are orangey! I would have preferred a frosted pink lipstick but alas don't have any. I'm wearing a black shirt under the dress for warmth because I wore only my brown wool wrap on top to go out. Can anyone correctly date this divine dress? "American Pie" came out in '71 and that's what came to mind. Terri?

So look out. I'm tearing down that dirt road in my pickup truck to Patti's Visible Monday. I mustn't soil my frock because I'm going dancing afterwards. I look forward to seeing what you're all wearing.

In Other News

Earlier this month beautiful Smiley Clara awarded me another Liebster Award. Thank you so much, Clara, although sadly I notice that her blog is no longer there! To fulfill at least part of the awardee obligations, I am responding to her questions below.

1. Hey, how are you feeling today? With my heart

2. What was the most inspiring thing you saw this morning? My coffee

3. If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would play you? Gloria Swanson

4. And who would play your love interest(s)? Gene Wilder

5. If you were a song, what song would you be? "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred, LOL

6. What would be your drag queen name? Miz Bagg

7. What is the best present you've ever been given? A jigsaw (among others)

8. If you could be anything in the world, what would you be? A volcano

9. What was the most romantic moment in your life? Top secret

10. What would you do with a million dollars? Spend it

11. What do you want people to know about you? I exist

Instead of naming 11 people to carry on this award, etc., I am sprinkling it like confetti over everyone with best wishes for a great week! Thank you, again, Smiley Clara. Where are you?

Meet my new Liebster Award picks

First, thank you to Gorgeous Lyosha at Inside and Outside for my Liebster Award! (Picture my hands frantically fanning my face hoping that the wind action might dry up the tears destroying my make-up.) Seriously, it is an honour to have my blog recognized with an award. I really appreciate it. Lyosha is phat and sexy too!

As a reigning awardee I must perform my duties thusly.

Answer Lyosha's 11 questions:
1. If you had to choose a totem animal which one would you choose?
Nessie of Loch Ness
2. What's your favourite sports activity? Walking in heels
3. Mall or small shops? Depends on my mission: mall for escaping the rain, small shop for shopping
4. Which location do you find perfect for a girls' night out?
The royal yacht in the Mediterranean 
5. Do you do motivation boards? What is the most common something you add there?
I don't do motivation boards but I journal.
6. If each day you had 30 minutes just for yourself what would you do?
I don't understand - every day is me, me, me! I make an effort to journal, sketch, and paint daily.
7. Flats or heels? Heels, definitely
8. If you could change something (but only one little part) what would you change and why?
I would like stronger fingernails.
9. What do you do when you feel sad and tired?
I sleep in a blanket roll, eat chocolate, and watch old movies.
10. Why did you start blogging?
I wanted to share the positive energy that comes from dressing in things that make me feel alive and savour the vibes of other bloggers who shine in their pursuits.
11. If you decided to write a book what would it be like? Would you publish it afterwards?
I am writing and illustrating a book - slowly, slowly. It would be like savouring the scent of lilac on a summer's evening. I would probably give it away online.

Write 11 facts about myself:

1. In an ice cream shop I get so excited by all the flavours that I usually end up with vanilla.

2. I sometimes dream about tsunamis.

3. I have almost no photos of myself when I was little.

4. Fact: I need more platform shoes.

5. I believe that everyone has an artist inside themselves.

6. I believe in the power of the individual to effect global change.

7. I don't believe that women are necessarily more peaceloving than men.

9. I lack the gene for wedding-gown ecstasy.

10. I used to work with pop idols in Japan.

11. I am surprised that painting your teeth black has not become trendy.

12. I think the absence of a cellphone should become the new status symbol.

Name 11 new awardees (and notify them of their nomination):

1. Butane Anvil 

2. making my own fashion 

3. Style Agent 909 

4. clubmujeresreales.blogspot.com (Club Real Women)

5. spy girl 

6. Project Minima 

7. The Fashionable Bureaucrat 

8. Hello the Mushroom 

9. Dreams-n-Wishz  

10. Miss Cellany 

11. snow in the air

Obviously I love many bloggers dearly. You all know who you are!

Ask the new awardees 11 new questions: 

1. On a desert island, which would you choose, a pocket knife or a solar-powered e-reader?

2. As one of 27 island castaways, what would be your job: hut-builder, chef, caregiver, tailor, banker, other?

3. Would you like some fries with that?

4. What's the meaning of life (in ten words or less)? 

5. Zip-lining in a rain forest, deep sea fishing in the Bahamas, or spelunking in Brunei?

6. What's the scariest movie you've ever seen?

7. One night of guilt-free lust, who with: Prince Charles, Steve Buscemi, Mister Ed (a talking palomino horse from a 1960s American sitcom by the same name), Portia de Rossi?

8. What's your favourite flower?

9. Do you ever dream that your teeth are falling out?

10. Which is your favourite: mice, spiders or snakes?

11. Which way is north?

Good luck on your mission awardees. You are all beautiful!

To recap, here are the rules:

1. The new nominee must post 11 things about him/herself.

2. Answer the 11 questions from the person who gave you the award.

3. Choose 11 new nominees and link them in your post.

4. Create 11 questions for the bloggers you've nominated.

5. Go and tell them that they've been nominated.

6. No tag back! (I don't really know what this means...so I ignored it.)

That's all folks!! I'll be back with outfits in the next post.