I wore jeans all week – my Joe’s Jeans leather pants and several pairs of 7 for All Mankind jeans. I have to say it was my most comfortable week. The challenge was to do Halloween looks with the clothing in my closet. And hats. It started with the striped top and beret because Monday was Pablo Picasso’s birthday. What followed was a Michael Nesmith (Monkees) look, a Justin Bieber thing (you HAVE to watch his latest documentary on Amazon Prime!) and a Parisian, culminating in the angel outfit with my new wings purchased on Amazon (second Amazon plug – you’re welcome, neighbor).
#kesnyc mask #tashkovski bracelet #bcbgmaxazria top #joie dress #marcjacobs boots
In my attempt to do a theme week, I selected short dresses with pockets. I love deep pockets! Clearly, I need a fifth dress with pockets to finish off the week. I had to insert a skirt on Thursday – but in its defense, OMG, the pockets are enormous. <3
In other news, my school picture was in my mailbox yesterday. I stood in a long line that day on the cafetorium stage, waiting my turn after a group of fifth graders had theirs. Is it all airbrushed? Because it is one of the best school pictures I have ever taken in twenty-five years of teaching. I think it was a new company or something, I’m not sure but, regardless, I am delighted with the results.
#michelledarinjewelry bracelet #trinaturk top #coach skirt #bcbgeneration sandals#tashkovski bracelet #rebeccataylor top #freepeople skirt #ralphlauren boots
Last week was all about the silk and leather combo. I’ve been trying to stick to themes and this one is my favorite. The previous week it was cotton T-shirt and leather, which is the more casual version of what is becoming my school uniform.
We are currently glazing clay projects, painting and finishing up the Lions Club peace poster contest. Posters are due on October 22nd. First marking period ends on November 5th.
#kesnyc mask #rebeccataylor top #aliceandolivia skirt #ragandbone boots#kesnyc mask #bcbgmaxazria top #talithacollection top #coach skirt #ragandbone boots#kesnyc mask #fossil bracelets #trinaturk top #joesjeans pants #marcjacobs boots#kesnyc mask #tashkovski bracelet #bcbgmaxazria top #halston top #joesjeans pants #ragandbone boots#kesnyc mask #equipment dress #bcbgeneration sandals#kesnyc mask #joie dress #allsaints shorts #bcbgmaxazria sandals
I attended two weddings last weekend – one on Saturday night and the other on Monday afternoon. I would like to live my life in gowns from now on, if that can be arranged – thank you….
I dressed for comfort last week. Separates featuring leather and T-shirts. Four classes finished a clay project, two are using colored pencil and two are painting. I found my denim apron in the big cupboard by my desk while looking for something else. Yessssssss – because things are about to start getting messy.
Most of the boxes on the back counter are filled with the new glazes I’d ordered. Many of the items I purchased for this year are on back order though. I can’t remember what I have planned for tomorrow, lol. When I planned ahead, like, you know, in August, it was with the notion that the supplies would be available – but no biggie. It will all work itself out.
P.S. My clothes reflect the art – Sugar Skulls are a theme. Also: Butterflies. <3
The theme for this week was going to be peasant top meets leather but it went wonky due to my inability to stick to a theme. I have a lot of leather skirts and pants – I guess I will continue this bit through next week and see how it goes.
Meanwhile, I am getting a bunch of requests to be a brand ambassador/fashion influencer via Instagram. And I didn’t even have to buy fake bots! (If you saw that documentary on HBOMax, you know what I am referring to there). Stay tuned….
So, I was trying out a thing – theme weeks for my work attire. Last week it was black. This week I wore silk every day. Themes are challenging because they limit what you can and cannot wear. This can be a good thing when you have so many clothes in your closet that it makes you focus only on a few key items. And on the flip side, the limitations are frustrating because sometimes you just want to reach for a cotton T–shirt or whatever. I know that when they tell us we are having a jeans day on a Friday – I don’t always feel like wearing jeans.
It really all depends on the weather. And with teaching art, it also depends on what materials we are using – how messy they are. It was very warm in the classroom. I had several moments of overheating, which looked like a menopausal freak show, but was really just a lot of people in a room with no air conditioning wearing masks that make your face sweat and then whoooosh – your whole body, lol. It was happening to the thirteen-year-old boys and girls too.
Wearing silk helped with that. Thank you, Rachel Zoe for your beautiful light weight creations. I cut off the off-shoulder top’s sleeves on the embroidered silk/cotton top (above) and tried it as a layered tube top thingy, which I loved.
#kesnyc #tashkovski #ullajohnson #bcbgmaxazria
A thank you also goes out to Ulla Johnson for this magnificent lightweight slip and dress combo, all silk, that I wore for the first time backwards. When I bought the dress, it was featured as a high neck tunic with a bow at the back of the neck, but I wore it with the bow in front as more of a V-neck and loved it. The other way, the neckline sort of flopped in a funny way, like it was too big and so, this dress had been relegated to the back of my closet. Now you may see it in a heavier rotation.
I know it isn’t as flattering to go with the moo-moo look, as my colleague Katy calls it, but we both love the comfort of dresses like this for work. The dress isn’t particularly editorial but in real life, it is really beautiful with a delicate embroidery throughout the sheer fabric.
I completed silk week with this Halston one-shouldered top that I wore with an Allsaints T-shirt underneath. I paid full price when I bought this top from Neiman Marcus. It has this fabulous drape that I love so muchy-much. I am wearing it in my Facebook profile picture. It’s one of my favorite pieces!
Because I blog my outfits, I feel like I need to wear everything in my closet and have something different on all the time, like the characters do on the new incarnation of Dynasty on the CW. And I guess that has to be fine with me. Clothes are an obsession. Clothes? Fashion, really, and knowing my own style. I will spend every penny on my wardrobe. Eating and paying bills – that stuff is overrated, lol. #whatwillshewearnext? <3
I’m in mourning for my summer vacation. I will be wearing black for a while. I could potentially do this all year, lol. I love wearing black, especially with blonde hair.
When I am in my classroom, I feel a bit like a caged animal. I can’t go to the bathroom whenever I want to – I have a two minute window here and there, which takes adjusting to after having so much freedom over the summer.
I have two bathrooms in my house now and central air – no air condish at school.
And so, those two things are the only cons to my job. Not the students or the curriculum, or the amazing community of Chittenango, New York.
It is so fun to create new lessons, to introduce new art concepts and to just spend time with my students again in my own classroom.
I’m starting with some drawing and graphic design projects. I’m sharing information about Keith Haring and his art retrospective at The Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, New York. I just found out it isn’t over until October 11th – which means maybe the students can convince their families to take a trip out there? That would be incredible!
I started the school year in this Free People cotton dress. It is so comfortable and colorful! I just love it! Thank you, Bloomingdales! <3
The AmeriCu Arts & Crafts Festival is celebrating its 50th year in downtown Syracuse, New York. Located on the streets surrounding Columbus Circle, there are about 150 artisans and crafters represented in this three-day event. It ends around 4pm today, July 25, 2021, so there is still time to check it out!
There’s food trucks, drinks and music too. My sister and I were there for two hours yesterday. So fun!
This is a juried exhibition. Lula Castillo’s booth at the festival won an honorable mention award. Her work is incredible. She uses plants, nuts, seeds and organic dyes to create exquisite pieces of jewelry. I’ve never seen anything like this!
The colors are so vibrant and fun. I loved everything about her sustainable materials collection.
She comes to us from Long Island, New York (formerly Columbia!)
I thought Erin Primerano’s presentation of her handwoven fine art clothing was wonderful. Her tent looked like a real store! The pieces are one-of-a-kind looks, using a mix of fibers from silk to cotton, to wool and can be hand-washed.
Her company is called Haute Made and you can find her on Etsy! She lives in Syracuse, New York.
Booth A4
I met Ted Greenfield from Chittenango, New York, last week at his City Market booth. These wood charcuterie boards are gorgeous! His company is called Bayside Wood Products.
It’s always a pleasure to see the effervescent Barbara Conte-Gaugel (Syracuse, New York) and her mixed-media handbags and satchels. Everything is handmade from recycled fabrics (including leather and old flour sacks). The larger bags are among my favorites with whimsical patterns that inspire positivity. She is selling these bags at the festival but she is also a fine artist – paintings and assemblages.
Devin Mack from Baltimore, Maryland, creates these fun wire sculptures of animals. He was in the process as I photographed him, said he does not use photographs, just whimsy, and the results are stunning!
Kathleen Scranton from Coventry, Connecticut, creates vintage book purses under the logo BeeZ. She comes to us from the business and marketing world. A chance rendezvous with a library eliminating old books sparked this plan to turn their covers into handbags. Purses come with a paperback version of the book.
Michelle DaRin, Pompey, New York, is a rock star around here. Her face is on billboards, as she is currently represented by Cazenovia Jewelry! I noticed that everyone who walked by Montgomery Street was a customer, including me (I was wearing three of her bracelets!).
Michelle DaRin Jewelry is a one person operation – she is the face of the brand. She selects the stones, cuts the metal, does all the metal-smithing and strings the leather.
The look is upscale Bohemian-chic/’70s vibe meets the new millennium.
Wildflowers Armory is a co-op – artisans who share in the responsibility of selling their wares in their store in downtown Syracuse (217 S. Salina Street). Co-owner Michael Heagerty posed for a few pictures with Kathy and me. He is an amazing person who has single-handedly changed the view of the local art scene in Syracuse – a beautiful person inside and out! <3
They have a double tent set-up on Montgomery Street at the festival with an eclectic mix of items for sale.
Merchandise includes clothing (like the awesome Everson is for Lovers shirt!), soaps, notecards, crafts, and artwork.
Finally, I want my Superintendent to buy these metal bear sculptures for our school (We are the Chittenango Bears!). And I want the cardinal sculpture for my back yard.
OMG, Dale Rogers! His work is exceptional. The sculptures are crafted from stainless steel in his studio in Massachusetts.
