Bling and Sparkle...

I am starting out with an apology.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry that we were so swamped and so distracted and then so tired that we did not take a picture of us at Rich's Photo Show. I know that I promised...but, in the end, I just couldn't make it happen. To set the stage (and justify the reason for no picture taking) at most art shows, and especially the Fourth Friday Art Walk in Prescott, there is usually a large crowd milling about (larger still when it's warmer outside and more conducive to gallery hopping) and when you add free snacks, wine and entertainment...well, there is a recipe for fun! Which ends in exhaustion and being a little overwhelmed and overstimulated...and not in the picture taking mood. So, there's that.

I guess we'll have to wait to see me in my red gown until later (It will give me extra time to tighten up one of the button holes...one of the buttons keeps popping out because the button hole seems to be a little loose, which makes me stand around with my arm at a weird angle, holding my hand in place over the area. It may help to picture Napoleon right about now...only wearing a red dress. And without that hat...and with navy tights and a pair of shoes that were about a half size too big, making me walk with quick close together steps so that I would not walk out of them all together...which was fun to see in various crosswalks around town I'm sure.)

And Sunday? Oh Sunday...well, it was a little hop out of the house to buy a birthday present...for me. I know. It's a bit off till my birthday, but I fell in love with this Erickson Beamon necklace from Target (of all places...but if you check out the prices of this couture jewelry, you'll see that while a bit pricey for Target...it's a darned good deal!) and I have been stalking the Target site for months hoping that the jewelry will go on sale only to watch it sell out on the website...which made me feel the need to hop in the car asap and grab this necklace while it was still available.

I got the last one.

And, I did wear it to another birthday lunch yesterday (Happy Birthday Ellen!) The necklace is on a 20 inch chain and hangs below my chest, but above my belly button...and the craziness of the rhinestones combined with the pearls and the fun large shape make for a great statement in a wearable disco ball sort of way. I was worried that this is such a flashy piece that I would not be able to wear it a lot...but I couldn't get it out of my head (there's also a rhinestone flower necklace and matching cuff that I am now coveting as well, and although I'm not a huge jewelry wearer...I'm finding myself wanting to wear jewelry more and more lately, pausing to grab the perfect ear rings out of the collection to put on while flying out the door)

This rhinestone and pearl ball fits in my hand perfectly, and is large enough that I need to be careful to not bang it against things while I'm wearing it, practice practice practice...but I'm finding myself thinking all the different things it's going to look good with...

But not the red dress. It definitely will not look good with that...