All things EARTH...

[MJC]

I won't have time to do a color party for a bit, but here was a lucky accident. Sunday morning at the diner, post-waterskiing, no makeup, northern window (a bit overexposed), overdue for a hair appointment so there's my natural color by my face, a good skin day (no rosacea). The blue is slightly off I think because IRL it has a dusky quality. I think of it as denim blue. It's the sweater/shawl I got at Charming Charlie.

 

You know I love you all because you get to see me without even my lipstick and mascara! Look, you can see my brown spot. :)

 

[laurspag]

Margaret, you are beautiful! One of my daughters has a brown little stripe in her eye.

 

Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk

[MJC]

Laurie, thank you, you are so sweet. I have to admit it was hard for me to post without my makeup on, I am just so used to seeing myself that way. When DH showed me this picture of myself, I immediately thought of your green eyes in the green top. Now I can picture better how you must have looked in your green formal gown. To me that is a power color for you.

 

After a bit of thinking, I am glad you chose the gold dress. I think one of the reasons I ended up preferring it over the purple is that it has a more open, friendly look while the other one made you look closed off. Does that make any sense? I think the sternum is the foundation for the face and so how it is dressed is so important.

 

When I bought my turquoise dress for the June wedding, I actually tried on a gold lace one in that color, and for me it did nothing. I've noticed that I don't particular look good in that gold, and now I think it's because it's too far from my core colors.

 

BTW noticed the change in fit with the new bra right away. Those dresses looked custom-tailored with the right undergarments.

 

This is an aside for Debbie, because as an English teacher I cannot resist: made you look closed off In American English we have a lot of phrasal verbs (verb + preposition = new meaning) and therefore the way you ended your sentence with a prep is perfectly fine because it is part of the verb.

 

As an ESL teacher, I not only teach grammar the way it is supposed to be, but also we talk about how usage changes form, and how spoken English differs from written English. I hope and hope that nobody here would balk at participating from our discussions because of concerns over their writing. I prefer to think that we are all just having a chat over coffee and this is how we would sound to each other. :) I think Pam is a perfect example, because even though I never met her, I can HEAR her when she writes! Lovely. Anita gets a pass because her expositions are so educational, and she is our EARTH mother. :) Still, can't you hear the change in her tone between her different kinds of posts? So wonderful.

 

You are all great and I have such fun here with you.

 

Oh, and I meant to tell granny that I love her long gray skirt. As a person who has personal experience of looking terrible in gray, I have to say that that is a beautiful color on you.

 

I'm off to get my hair done. Yay to pampering! :D

[aoknkentucky]

How lovely, Margaret. Thank you so much. In my work world, words have great power and meaning. Say what you mean but mean exactly what you say, kind of power. But like you said, when I reply here, I'm talking with my fingers while we chat instead of writing. In my mind, there is a difference too. So glad you put it into words for me.

[MJC]

I get what you're saying, because I write completely differently for my colleagues at work (all English teachers - OMG). Thank you for understanding exactly what I meant. :)

Edited August 18, 2015 by MJC

[mousey]

Okay, here's the deal...I haven't posted here for a bit because I feel a little out of the discussion as I still haven't learned to post pictures and I've had such a "not great" year so far...remember mom's and dad's minor heart attacks and my dear cousin's brain surgery?...well add to that the fact that the DS got home from Argentina (where he had many amazing adventures and excelled academically) and just one week ago Friday...he totaled, and I do mean totaled, his car. Thank God he is alive because if I could post a picture of the car, you would wonder how that is even possible! He had to crawl out the window to get out of the car. Our mechanic had to use a "jaws of life-type thing" to drill his way into the trunk so we could get the DS's golf clubs out of it (not damaged at all...thank goodness). You couldn't open any of the doors, hood, or trunk as they were all crushed. The salvage guy that came to take the car from our mechanic's place said that the only worse damaged car he's ever seen than the DS's...had been hit by a train and that the only reason the DS survived the crash (he rolled over twice) was because he was in an older model BMW and it was a well-made car. The only thing that wasn't crushed was the roof of the car. So, we're just glad he's alive!!!

 

I haven't been posting here because it seems this year all my news is bad. And I just wanted to give you guys a break! Although, while telling you about the DS and his car isn't exactly a break...I did want to wait until I could tell you that, except for very minor cuts and bruises, he's physically fine. Also good news, we've already replaced his car with ours (a 2005 Acura MDX) and we got ourselves a new car (well not brand new...but a nice used one) which, although we've only had it for four days, we're very happy with it. It made the trip back and forth to AZ no problem. Thank goodness it has a really great air conditioner because it was 115 degrees on Sat. (the day we traveled to AZ). The DS is now back in AZ where we moved him into his new condo (which he's sharing with 3 other guys) and set him up furniture and food-wise (lots of food) LOL!

 

Mom and Dad are doing as well as can be expected so all's well for now.

 

Margaret, if you think that's not an okay picture of you...I won't be posting any pics of me when I learn how to do that. LOL! You are just naturally beautiful! All of you ladies are, each in your own way, inside and out. I thank you all for all the support you've given me this year through all my trials and tribulations.

 

Okay, so I'll try to go on from here with posting. I didn't go back too far because it's just too overwhelming to try and catch up 100%

 

I don't have anything fashion-wise to report because I haven't been doing any shopping lately (rare for me I know). I've been getting to sleep lately by trying not to think of anything but superficial stuff (after I've said my prayers because I have so much to be thankful for) and instead, I just think about what I'm going to wear and shop for regarding our Christmas cruise. How superficial is that...LOL? Most of the time, I get two outfits put together in my mind and I'm out like a light!;)

Edited August 18, 2015 by mousey

[mousey]

Lauri,

 

Laurie is right about me trying to figure out what the heck to do now that the DS (20) is back at school. He was here for three weeks after his trip to study abroad in Argentina and everyday the house was filled with him and his friends. I did a lot of cookie baking and pancake making as, even at this age, the guys still sleep over at our house. I also took him out for lunch several times to his favorite Sushi place and of course...shopping. The kid's a Fashionista like his mom...LOL!

 

While it was hard on us (the DH and me) when he left last May to go off to study in Argentina, the time seemed to go by fast in the end (he was there for 9 weeks...the longest we've gone without seeing him in the flesh). Thank goodness for the miracle of today's electronics...we were able to "Face Time" a lot with him via our iPhones. Those were treasured moments.

 

It was crazy getting him ready for Argentina. At the last second he couldn't find his medical file, which he had to have before he could travel to Argentina, to show his medical history and to prove that he had gotten all his necessary shots and vaccinations. He finally found it under a pile of dirty clothes...kids gotta love them. I would have felt like a bad mom who hadn't prepared her child better except for the fact that one of his friends missed his flight from LA to AZ to make the flight to Argentina but caught up with the group in TX, where the final leg of the flight to Argentina left from, and another friend lost his travel visa (thank goodness the U of A staff had a copy of his (they prepare for the fact that these kids lose stuff all the time...LOL!) I keep referring to them as "kids" when in fact they are young adults...but that's how I think of them..."crazy, lovable, kids."

 

Though it may be hard for you now...this will pass and you will be happy that you were able to give your child such a great life experience because that's what traveling and studying abroad is. Even though it was a hassle, even though I was fearful, and even though it cost a small fortune even with his scholarship, it was well worth it. The memories and experiences our DS had in Argentina will stay with him for a lifetime and has enhanced his academic experience.

Edited August 18, 2015 by mousey

[mousey]

Lauri,

 

Laurie is right about me trying to figure out what the heck to do now that the DS (20) is back at school. He was here for three weeks after his trip to study abroad in Argentina and everyday the house was filled with him and his friends. I did a lot of cookie baking and pancake making as, even at this age, the guys still sleep over at our house. I also took him out for lunch several times to his favorite Sushi place and of course...shopping. The kid's a Fashionista like his mom...LOL!

 

While it was hard on us (the DH and me) when he left last May to go off to study in Argentina, the time seem to go by fast (he was there for 9 weeks...the longest we've gone without seeing him in the flesh). Thank goodness for the miracle of today's electronics...we were able to "Face Time" a lot with him via our iPhones. Those were treasured moments.

 

It was crazy getting him ready for Argentina. At the last second he couldn't find his medical file which he had to have to prove his medical history and that he had all his necessary shots and vaccinations. He finally found it under a pile of dirty clothes...kids gotta love them. I would have felt like a bad mom who hadn't prepared her child better except for the fact that one of his friends missed his flight from LA to AZ to make the flight to Argentina but caught up with the group in TX, where the final leg of the flight to Argentina left from, and another friend lost his travel visa (thank goodness the U of A staff had a copy of his as they prepare for the fact that these kids lose stuff all the time...LOL!) I know I keep referring to them as "kids" when in fact they are young adults...but that's how I think of them..."crazy, lovable, kids."

 

Though it may be hard for you now...this will pass and you will be happy that you were able to give your child such a great life experience because that's what traveling and studying abroad is. Even though it was a hassle, even though I was fearful that he would get sick or hurt, and even though it cost a small fortune even with his scholarship, it was well worth it. The memories and experiences our DS had in Argentina will stay with him for a lifetime and has enhanced his academic experience.

[mousey]

Oops, sorry about the double post...sometimes when I try to make corrections to some bad grammar or try to make a thought clearer...I accidentally double post. My bad!:(

[laurspag]

Mousey, I'm glad your son is okay. That had to have been so scary for everyone. My younger daughter was in an accident a few years ago. She didn't have as much experience driving in snow as we would have liked, and she went to visit her then boyfriend. He lives in area where snow can come out of nowhere, and create a complete white out. You can guess that she ended up driving in snow so heavy that she couldn't see. Thankfully, she was driving very slowly due to the weather, and she was okay even though the car was not.

 

I think we are all friends here...so we take the bad along with the good. If you want to talk about missing your son, your cousin's illness or your parents' health, that is fine! I don't think you are a down person, Mousey. You are cheerful and always try to see the best in things. I admire that, it's not easy to do. You, me and Lauri can share our thoughts about kids growing up, you know?

 

Sometimes, when I get busy I find that there can be all sorts of posts, and when I try to comment my thoughts get ahead of me because I don't want to forget to say something.

 

Margaret, I know I said it before, but I really do love that picture.

 

I've been meaning to post a picture of what I looked like in my younger years. I'm the goofy one with the bow on the side of my head. That is my natural hair color. In reality, it was a pinch lighter, but not much.

 

[Sailor_Sally]

Mousey , Luckily your son is okay . What a scare that would be . My daughter was an exchange student in Germany . It was a great experience for her but hard on me .

[Sailor_Sally]

Margaret , You look great even without make up . I think the fact that you are smiling makes a difference .

[MJC]

mousey, that is a chilling story. So glad your son was ok. It sounds like you had some truly lovely time with him before he went back to school. I echo Laurie in saying we share lots of things here so talk about him all you want.

 

I am on the flip side in that parents send their kids to me for foreign study. Even though they are young adults, I understand the faith and sacrifice it takes for parents to send their kids so far away, and I do my best not just to welcome them, but to give them a port in the storm where they can come with any problem, big or small. I think many teachers of foreign students are that way. It was a huge gift you gave him in so many ways. My parents didn't even let me leave the state, let alone study in another country!

 

I do realize that is a good picture of me, I just always have that disconnect where how I look in my head is different from how I really look, you know? And I really cannot remember the last time I took a picture with absolutely no makeup on. Seriously. I am one of those girls who sleeps with her mascara on so I look good in the morning. ;) I am always surprised at how much I look like my mother did at my age, because I really looked so much more like my grandma when I was younger.

 

BTW, DH wouldn't take my picture unless I was smiling. I agree that that makes a huge difference. And if you want to see some terrible photos of me, just scroll back through this thread a couple of years and there is plenty of awfulness to see.

 

Laurie, I was recently thinking that it would be fun for us all to post pictures of our younger selves. My hair was so much lighter then. You must have read my mind. :)

[MJC]

Cute maxi dress alert:

 

http://www.coldwatercreek.com/shop-all/dresses/bejeweled-color-splash-maxi-dress/42015.html

 

 

I really like this, but I'm probably going to wait for a sale:

 

http://www.coldwatercreek.com/shop-all/blouses/afternoon-picnic-top/12017.html

 

 

Here's my color again, and I think the Honey looks good too:

 

http://www.coldwatercreek.com/shop-all/tee-shirts/lace-charmed-henley/30163.html

 

 

I have a thing for botanical print scarves:

 

http://www.coldwatercreek.com/accessories/scarves%2C-belts%2C-and-hats/butterfly-garden-scarf/4242058190421571999.html

[mousey]

Thanks ladies for your continued support...it's been a hard year but my "Diamond in the Sky" is that I get to celebrate my Dad's 90th birthday and my parent's 70th Wedding Anniversary with them in Oct. and the DH, DS, and I have our Christmas cruise on the agenda.

 

Margaret,

 

The blouse you showed, "Afternoon Picnic Top" by Coldwater Creek, is exactly what I have on right now and it's my favorite top for summer. I live in these peasant blouses all summer long because they are so airy and comfortable and hide the tummy ;). I also loved the dress and the other top you pictured. I've said it before...you have great taste in fashion.

[awhfy]

Mousey, so glad your son walked away from that horrific accident. I was a police paramedic in Boston for 6 years, wrapping your kids in a sturdy, well-made vehicle instead of a piece of tin really makes a lot of difference.

 

I'm off to our ROFEO (retired old folks eating out) breakfast. All the folks that I worked with for 30+ years get together once a month to say how glad we are to be retired [emoji6].

 

I'm going afterwards to get another Athleta skort. I really love the cut of the black current & am going to try the olive (but I think it's too yellow/sallow based) & I will get another black one for our November cruise. Melody

[Anita Latte]

Margaret...you are Stunning. Absolutely stunning.

 

If I were to just venture a guess...I would say that you are definitely a Deep Autumn. Dramatic is an adjective I would use to describe your look...the lovely contrast of the deep hair and the creamy skin. So pretty.

 

I love contrast and yet...I am totally a low contrast person. The one time my hair did go darker...I HATED it...

 

This is an interesting post I found in my learning quest:

 

http://diaryofacolouraddict.blogspot.com/2013/11/two-autumns.html

 

Being reminded of your cool eye feature...I sought the blog out again to share.

 

This was another blog that was super simple...with just a few pictures, highlighting the differences between the different types of Autumns. (They are all here, but I paid attention to the Autumns...and I liked the Autumn pages.)

 

http://www.truth-is-beauty.com/autumn.html

 

All the looking...and honestly, some of the recent Vivienne File wardrobes have helped me to embrace this low contrast look that I have. And I can't find it...but somewhere it was talking about Soft Autumns embracing the "Golden Goddess" within! LOL!

 

Must say...I liked that imagery...

 

Sharing younger photos...

 

I thought it was hysterical that Laurie was in RED...and here's me, in GREEN:

 

 

I am quite young in this photo...here is a couple of years later:

 

 

As for all the smiling v non-smiling photos...

 

The only thing I have to say about that is that you have to be able to maintain your facial expression throughout the whole series of photos that you take. If the expression changes, it's really easy to follow the expression in the photos...happy smiles are good photos, and sad faces are bad photos...and by extension...smiles = better colors and sad faces = worse colors.

 

Having to look around that can be really hard.

 

Per managed to keep the same expression.

 

So did Kim.

 

So if you can...then do. I think my expression is pretty bland. Curt said that it helps to have a thought in your head...even if you are trying to keep a more straight face. Try to relax and have "normal tension" and then some sort of amusing thought...

 

Could by why I have a bit of a smirk in so many of my photos...

 

I'm not sharing my thoughts...:cool:

 

Have to chime in on the green eyes Laurie...I totally forgot how green they are! Why did I think they were more brown?

 

Now if I had those green eyes...I'd be wearing gre---

 

Oh wait.

 

Anyway...mousey...it quite takes my breath away to read about your DS' car accident. SO glad that he could walk away from that. I can't even imagine... We all go through times of sharing/posting and times of lurking/reading... Follow your own intuition and know that you are always welcome to the party here.

[laurspag]

Anita, I am still trying to figure out the soft, true, deep sides of earth but I am starting to see it. When I saw the deeptones, I thought of Margaret right off.

 

And sure enough, we wore our favorite colors as kids too. Me in red,you in green!

 

I have had darker hair most of my life but I was blonde as a very young child. I don't miss it because I was too young to remember, lol. I was really blonde up to about one year old, then my hair steadily darkened.

 

I hope to get my pictures organized soon. I worked a long day today because we had a notary refresher class at the end of the day today. I'm concerned that when I retook the pictures, the lighting was almost too direct.

 

Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk

[laurspag]

Anita, do you think the lighting is okay on these?

 

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=4633F538CF6D558E!244&authkey=!AJ0NfXy4-6c4ydk&ithint=folder%2c

[Anita Latte]

Yes. I can differences in the pictures. Thinking that you will be either true or deep. Will have to really look on my computer.

 

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2

[laurspag]

That was a sampling. I took lots of pictures. I just haven't had a chance to organize them yet. Soon!!

[Anita Latte]

You don't have to separate them. You can put them all in one album and then share a link to the album. Looking at all the pictures at once is how I dealt with myself.

 

I think the scientist in Kim is what prompted her dissection and classification of her pictures.

 

Per did the one album link too. I think that is very helpful as is.

 

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2

[MJC]

I was really blond until I was about 5. I am probably 3 or 4 in this picture. My grandfather was a large man, and my brother and I were each standing in a leg of his pants:

 

 

This is my school picture from when I was 9 or so. I always hated it because of my goofy smile -- I was trying to hide my horribly crooked teeth -- but now I think it's cute:

 

 

By the time I was in eighth grade my hair was completely brown.

 

Looking at Laurie's pictures, I'm thinking she's a deep autumn, too. It's interesting, Anita, that you used the word dramatic for me, because growing up I never ever felt that I looked dramatic. I always felt middle-of-the-road and middle child. I think it's choosing the perfect colors that makes all the difference.

Edited August 20, 2015 by MJC

[Joby]

I think the scientist in Kim is what prompted her dissection and classification of her pictures.

 

Yep, you got it :) I love charts, data, experiments, learning new things, the how and why of things, etc. in all areas of life! You're right, Anita, that's the science geek coming through in all areas of my personality. Until I came to Cruise Critic years ago, I thought I was the only person OCD enough to make clothing and activity charts for cruises and other trips :eek:

 

Laurie,

 

It will be interesting to see how you shake out.

 

I love all these retro photos of you guys! So fun to compare the now and then.

[Joby]

Mousey,

 

Glad to hear DS came out in one piece. Life can surely change in an instant, can't it?