You saw me dancing alone/Without a dream in my heart

So I had thought that being here in Quebec, living in the dorms, I would find more time to blog. Sadly, it is obviously not the case considering its been over two weeks since I posted... But I do have things to post and I am taking the time to do it (i.e. procrastinating and blogging instead of studying for my mid-term exam tomorrow (I'd say my priorities are in the right order)). So my program has a big dance every Thursday night and last Thursday it was "Retro Disco" (here disco just means a dance or a dance club, so anything vintage-y was acceptable attire). My friends and I all braved the Quebec bus system (which is really efficient compared to back home) and found a Village des Valeurs (Value Village) and bought costumes. I didn't really feel dressed up though, because I would wear my costume any day, but I was very dressed up compared to most people. I was really excited that it would be a 50s-style dance, because our councilors had been practicing swing dancing that week, but the only 'oldies' they played were YMCA and songs from Grease - the rest was just Black Eyed Peas and other stuff I don't really like. And most people went in supposedly-eighties 'tight 'n' bright', which was surprising for me, but I guess other people don't really get into things like this as much as me and my friends.

 I absolutely love 50s dances and nostalgic high school prom-y pictures, songs and movies. I like to believe high school was a fun and wholesome experience at some point in time. But, actually I just wish I was in a 50s movie where women are respected and there is a lot of swing dancing.

One of my favourite episodes of My So-Called Life is the halloween episode with the 1950s ghost and all the Blue Moon playing in the background. God I want to have a real retro dance :)

 Pre-dance Ayla and Nathalie in their outfits,Ayla looking particularly fabulous with her neckerchief and Clara Bow haircut.

 

 

 Nathalie and I before the dance. I was going fora 50s-ish outfit, but I had to go with what I could find at Village des Valeurs. I sort of mixed eras with the 30s-ish beads and hair, but I felt pretty awesome, so who cares. Thrifted dress, H&M shoes, homemade head wrap, Forever 21 belt and beads.

 Abbey, me and Nathalie. I absolutely loved Abbey's 40s pin-up girl hair and tried to get her to do the same with my bangs, but I didn't have enough hair. I think she made my hair look pretty awesome, though. This picture pretty much conveys how uncharacteristically crazy I was at the dance. Ayla and I (although particularly Ayla) were insane dancing demons. And despite people thinking otherwise, we consumed no alcohol. It is possible to have fun dancing like a maniac while sober...

Since I am going to be a bad blogger and try to cram everything semi-interesting in my life this past two weeks into one post, this will probably be long and not really all that well connected. Anyhow, a girl at my program is also really interested in art and drawing and shared a sketchbook challenge with me. Its supposed to be completed withing 30 days, one sketch a day, but I haven't been too diligent. Mostly I've been ignoring the assignments and just drawing my friends over and over again.

 Supposed to be Ayla

 

Nathalie, whom I drew on the bus before a very long field trip.

 

More 50s ballad-style inspiration. And Twin Peaks, which I have been meaning to re-watch lately, because the first season is possibly the best thing ever and because I haven't seen it in over a year.

I feel bad because this post is so badly organized and there are probably a billion grammatical errors which are going to drive me crazy, but I just had to post, even though I could only take 30 minutes out of my day to do it. Hopefully, I will find time this week to post again, and maybe a better quality post, but I think for me, the most important thing is just that I post at all. :)

Parlez-vous Français? And a GHOSTWORLD COLLAR

I haven't been a very dedicated blogger as of late. But there's a reason behind it...I'm in Quebec for a summer French language program! Luckily, I do have an internet connection in my dorm room (which is a single room and very tiny) so I should have more time to blog now that I'm actually here. I could only bring so much clothing, though. Which is probably a good thing, because it means I'll just have to be more creative with what I have. There are also really good vintage and thrift stores (and an H&M, which we don't have in my home province) close by. Therefore, I am excited to go off campus. It's also very hot and muggy here in Eastern Canada. I think I am doomed to have a sweaty brow and upper lip for the next five weeks. Maybe that will just be my new 'thing'.


On another note, I finished my Ghost World Seymour collar the night before I left for Quebec. I have to say I am pretty proud of the result.

I silk screened an image I put together on Photoshop of Steve Buscemi as Seymour from Ghost World onto the collar of a shirt I bought at Good Will for four dollars. Then I cut the collar off and opened up the bottom seam, removed excess fabric and slip stitched it shut.

Wearing my new collar.

An Enid-inspired outfit. Miu Miu-inspired Ghost World Collar, Bad Taste "Killer" t-shirt, Heritage 1981 skirt, Roots socks and thrifted Bass loafers (or lounge slippers. Whatever you want to call them).

Outfit Inspiration.

Me again.

Bass loafers. I had been dying to get a pair of Rachel Antonoff Bass shoes or a good pair of loafers and then the other day at Value Village, just sitting on the shelf in the size six women's shoes section, were these babies. Bass for just seven dollars.

The view from my dorm room. There are so many trees and the topography is a very hilly. We have nothing like that in the prairies.

I don't know if any of you noticed the increase in my photo quality. Well, they are much better quality, in case you hadn't... That's because I finally got a brand spanking new camera. It is gorgeous and I am guarding it with my life.

These pictures suck because they are taken using my web cam.

 I took Naomi Wolf's The Beauty Myth with me to read on the plane and in my spare time. I've always felt that the amount of pressure on women to look a certain way and fit into an accepted standard of beauty (one which few women are "lucky" enough to possess ) was unfair, but I had never really considered the extent to which women are oppressed by said standard. To tell the truth, I have never been extremely conscious of women's issues or considered myself a feminist, but reading this book is really opening up my eyes. As I was reading it on the plane, I found myself getting mad. But a good mad. A mad that is productive.

Some lighter reading for the trip. My friend gave me this book last year and I was supposed to read it and pass it on to my other two friends. I never did, but it's never too late.

A wonky and cool-looking mirror in my dorm room.

This song always makes me think of the prairies. It's a good kind of homesick.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise

It's Canada Day, so I wanted to show some love to some of my favourite Canucks.

Paul Anka

Jay Baruchel and Elisha Cuthbert

Emily Haines

Emily Carr

Neil Young

Joni Mitchell

Natalie MacMaster

John K Sampson

Chris Leavins

(I just found all these images through Google, I don`t own any of them)

I highly recommend you check out all of these highly talented individuals. Especially Chris Leavins, partly because he has his own cat website and partly because he is just so funny. You should also download his podcast for free on iTunes. And watch him as Atticus Murphy Jr. on Todd & the Book of Pure Evil.

The message is a little 'outdated'...but whatever. It's Atticus Murphy Jr

House Cleaning Gems

 So today I wasn't going to post anything because I was supposed to be cleaning my house because I'm having a school's over BBQ/N64 party in a few days. But when I was cleaning I found all sorts of awesome things in my house I had completely forgotten that I owned. Like a genuine crystal ball my aunt bought for me fifteen years ago when she was in China. :O Pretty happy I found that. And a Pokemon tin full of my old 'crystals' and semi precious stones I used to use in grade five or six to 'cast spells' 'n stuff. Then I was cleaning out my comic book box (well, more like reading and not cleaning) and I found all these old Sailor Moon and Card Captor Sakura and Barbie comics I had forgotten about. All in all it was a goooood day. I also took the liberty of cleaning out my mom's closet and found this old wool (correction: linen blend. oups) plaid button front skirt and got really excited and stole it because she hasn't worn it in twenty plus years. It's too big for me so I've got a safety pin in the back and I'll have to alter it someday.

 My mom's old skirt, Bloch bodysuit from when I used to be a baton twirler, 50s style thrifted cardigan and thrifted sunglasses. Neon Pink Body Shop lipstick.

 Beat up oxfords from Spring (I think it's called Call It Spring in the states)

I also found my old Card Captor Sakura cosplay costume from when I was twelve. My lovely mother made it for me. It took her forever but I was sooo happy. I even had ears, a tail, spats and a wand my mom made for me to wear at an anime convention. I was hoping I could use the pinafore for something now but I tried it on and realized how much smaller I was when I was 12.

I went out for Chinese with my parents tonight and started doodling some designs on a napkin for the Ghost World collar I'm going to make. I can't start working on it for reals until I've scoured the house from top to bottom, tho. Although I did make a screen print template on photo shop for the Seymour cameo side. I'm not sure how its going to turn out though since I've never done any serious DIY screen printing before:)
I also found a J-pop CD my friends older sister gave to me for my tenth birthday with this song on it by Aya Matsuura. Happy happy!

JAPAN! CRAZY! CUTE! COLOUR! Sexy or cute; what type do you like? JUST. DRESS. HOW. YOU. FEEL. AYA. GAWD.

summer HAZE

I was feeling nostalgic today so I finished a few craft projects I've been working on and did some photoshopping. This collage is supposed to express how I'm feeling about summer. Interpret it how you wish, but I was going for childhood nostalgia girly vibes mixed with the idea of who I am now, who classic movies have told me I should be and of the unknown. I also just really liked the idea of dolphins in space breaching over the desert and Hal Hefner and 1950s cheerleaders shooting a pastel prism out of their eyes.

I don't know if anybody else remembers these, but I love those notebooks that had dolphins and whales swimming through space. I wish I still had all my old notebooks now.

 Here are some of the things I've been working on. I made this necklace a few months ago out of a Zulu-inspired beading book I got from the library. The pins are papermache and acrylic paint, but I still have to seal them with Mod Podge. I made these for nostalgic reasons too. I wanted to make things I could wear that were some how related to my childhood. The bike is roughly the one I had when I was seven and the abandoned church (it's my banner, too) is one that we drive by every summer when we go to visit my grandparents.

 crappy close-ups

I was browsing through the Craft magazine website the other week and I found this post by Rachel Hobson on the pillow case dress DIY featured in Sassy Magazine. I fell in love and am obsessing over making one.

The one on the left is the instructions from Sassy, but Rachel suggests you cut it differently (her instructions on the right). Either way, this is something I am going to try out.

I've also fallen in love with the Miu Miu detachable collars because they are just so gorgeous. I've seen Tavi's posts where she's wearing hers and it looks so awesome. Since I can't afford one, I'm working on making my own version, maybe in a Peter Pan style. Maybe with a Steve Buscemi à la Ghost World print... I'm dying to start working on it but my sleep reserves are fairly low ohlala.

is it fall yet?

Just kidding. I'm perfectly alright with it being the FIRST DAY OF SUMMER VACATION. I finished the last of this year's HIschool finals yesterday. I am pretty much dead but I've been forcing myself to get stuff that I've been meaning to do done. Like posting something after a month of bloggerly silence. And learning to play Violent Femmes covers, you know, the important things.

This basically sums up my excitement, while combining my wistful memories of childhood summers. Well, really just more so summer camp/sleepover/dress up days vibes from movies. Like the summer camp in The Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan. I've never even been to sleep away camp. 

This was my celebratory outfit. 70s style platform clogs from Forever21, shorts from Garage, Peter Pan collar shirt from Forever 21, Jackie O-ish cardigan jacket from Forever 21 (I've been there a lot recently).

The clogs. I practically killed myself walking in them.

Just got my haircut today and bought some new neon pink lipstick from The Body Shop (I don't use makeup with awful chemicals in them after reading There's Lead In Your Lipstick ). Feeling kinda 40s pin-up/ 50s housewife wearing a twist headwrap I sewed myself. I saw these at American Apparel but they were outrageously expensive for what they were. I found the pattern on BurdaStyle (which I am in love with) and it was super easy to make.

All these crappy quality pictures make me realize just how badly I need a good quality digital camera, but I'm too cheap to go buy one right now. I'd rather pretend I was at summer camp or best friends with Daria instead. My favourite screenshot from the parent trap is when Hallie and Annie are playing poker and all the quarters and one dollar bills are in a pile on the table with nail polishes and Lip Smackers they are betting, too. I couldn't find a picture of it, but if I do, I'll link it, or somebody could send me a link :). I just love the 'vibes'. So, like, uber-girly. I'm really into that childish-type nostalgia style now. Not pedophile-y; more like the Rachel Antonoff sleepover stuff... I'm just a firm believer that we have all the time in the world to grow up and sometimes it's just fun to be a kid again. Even when the mainstream media and your peers are busy telling you you need a fake ID, a tequila shot and a skirt that barely covers your plimsoll line.

Since I spend most of my weekends home alone making crafts and watching Daria and Art School Confidential over and over, I have plenty of summer camp-y bracelets to suit my mood right now. The plastic lanyard one really stinks because I made it with 20 cent lace from a dollar store. That can't be good for my body.

 I had been meaning to post more photos for stuff 'n inspiration 'n junk but that would require me to search through my computer's hard drive, so I 'll just do that later.I'm trying to learn Please Do Not Go by the Violent Femmes, but I always screw up the spoken parts. If I get around to it before July starts I'll post it
just so all of the interweb can witness my laughable singing/mandolin-playing skillz.