Long Time No C!

C is for Color, Color starts with C! Apologies to Cookie Monster.
For a very long time I've wanted to do something outrageous to my hair. It's been every color under the sun, and then some. From platinum blonde to chlorine green, with a stop by Lucille Ball Orange and Black Cherry, even.

However, for the last almost a year, I've had my "natural" color. It all started with Bald For Bucks - a campaign to raise funds for a charity that had helped a little girl whose mom I know through an online forum - how's that for 6 degrees of separation? Anyhow, I shaved my head last March. And I found that I like my hair cropped short a la Audrey Hepburn. It suits my face and personality. The only thing that didn't suit was the color. Massive amounts of GREY do not suit me at all, at all. I'm not old and grey hair is for old people. I've lived with it. But I haven't liked it.

Mother's Little Helper

So tonight, I did something different. I pulled out the "Flash Lightening" kit that had been languishing in my bathroom cupboard for well over a year and got to work. The box says that it will lighten any hair almost to white. Which might seem counterintuitive when I'm trying to ditch the greys. But I've got a plan. And it's not to channel Lana Turner or Marilyn Monroe. No sirreebob. Not unless the blonde bombshells have a couple of friends named Tish & Snooky. No, I'm thinking more Stefani and less Madonn-y. ;-)

 



Once the sections that I've painted have lightened up enough - and it looks like it won't take the full 2 hours! - I'll wash and add some color back.



Bag Head

 Stay tuned for the results!

Oh The Huge Manatee

You'd think I have enough on my plate with regard to sewing, right? Obviously my childrens' new school thought I had plenty of spare time on my hands...

Yesterday, I registered the girls for school and got the news that uniforms were being required this year for the first time ever (thanks! I just spent all my clothes budget buying my oldest clothes for school because nothing fit her already yet) and I could conveniently array them in polo shirts (for GIRLS??? WTH??? Say it ain't so!!!) and either khaki, navy or black bottoms (pants, shorts, skirts or skorts). Oh yes and by the way, mom, you can get those polos at The Evil Empire.

Now let me go on record as saying I despise Wal-Mart. I understand that for many, many folks, that place is the ONLY place they have to shop and I'm sorry that is the case. Aside from that, I'm unimpressed with their so-called "everyday low prices" because at my last comparison shop, they weren't any cheaper for the same items I buy at my local Super Target. So here I am, trapped in a no-win situation. I have to give Big Box Mart my hard earned cash because it's the ONLY place to get the shirts required for school at anything resembling a *reasonable* price in the correct colors. ORANGE??? NO ONE sells them except BBM. No one. Unless I want to spend $35 for an already embroidered "eurostyle" shirt. For a child. Oh hell no. So BBM got $50 (that's ten shirts) + 7% sales tax.

And on top of that, I'm going to have to alter each and every shirt to get them to fit my children. because obviously size XS (4/5) means Muy Gordo in BMM-ese. I'm not kidding when I say that my 5yo would be able to wear these shirts well into high school. Heck, *I* could have worn them in high school. She's such a TINY little thing. She still wears size 1-3 dance tights and can wear some 18-24 months pants. When I sew for her, it's around a size 2-3 and those still have room to grow. So yeah, mommy is going to have to de-sleeve, take in and re-sleeve and then hem all ten of these mother-lovin' shirts. Because the 7yo swims in them, too.

Add to that the necessity of britches. I *could* send my kids to school in the unaltered shirts and call them dresses, but I'm pretty sure that isn't what the school admins had in mind. So britches it is. And I'll be doggoned if I am going to spend $10 to $Infinity on school bottoms. No Way No How. $5 and they might have had me. So off I go to Joann's because the rules say "khaki, black or navy" and there's NO restriction on what kind of fabric I can use. OR the style. Heh. I'm obeying the letter of the law, I promise! It's not my fault I conviently have

Simplicity 4384

and

Simplicity 5540

in both of my girls' sizes... ($1 each a couple of weeks ago on sale!!! WOOT!!!) AND that Joann's had all their bottom weights and suitings (except Sew Classic) on 60% off sale. How could I resist that? For $51 & change, I was able to get enough fabric to sew each girl at LEAST half a dozen bottoms (if not more) which will last them at least 2 years each. That breaks down to ($51/12)/2. Or $2.13 per item per year. Now tell me, is there ANYWHERE you can manage that (inlcuding sales tax?) For custom tailored pants/skirts/shorts? In really AWESOME fabric that has spandex for better ease? I.Don't.Think.So. Heh.

And I don't mind ironing on a few school patches. Not at all. Really. Because it's not as if I've nothing better to do with my time.