To attract a magpie

I'm a firm believer that anything looks 100 times better when you add glitter to it. So, it comes as no surprise that one of my favorite shadows in this Urban Decay Book of Shadows 4, is Midnight Cowgirl, a gorgeous cream colored shadow with lots of shimmer and huge pieces of gold glitter that glint in the light. A dusting of that all over my eyes, and I'm ready to attract all magpies within a mile radius. 

1. Apply Bender all over the eye. 2. Take Zephyr and apply it to the inner eye and tear duct are to open up and brighten the eyes.  3. Use Cobra as a liner and finish the outer edge with a wing. 4. I use the tips of a clean blending brush to lightly dust some Midnight Cowgirl all over my lids to add shimmer. 
Glitter On. 

My kind of date

When my husband and I met, we were unaware of how much either of us hoarded loved books. Now, we spend most of our "dates" searching out and perusing used bookshops then reading in the same room for hours after amassing our own piles. These pictures were taken during a recent trip to one of our favorite stores, Jane Addams Book Shop, and while my husband doesn't like his face on the blog, I managed to sneak it bits of his outfit into this post. I can't let that much dapper go to waste.   This is just one of the shelves in the Mystery room of the shop, and even though I don't particularly like Mysteries, I find myself in here quite a lot because there's a lot more room to sit around and read here compared to all the other rooms in the building. Also, it is my aim in life to collect all the paperback editions of a particular campy foodie mystery that I guiltily enjoy. It's extremely hard to find in used bookstores because, I assume, a lot of people enjoy it as much as I do, but I soldier on and look anyway.  
Do you have a favorite used bookstore? 

Can't get enough heartbreak

skull and crosses top from TJ Maxx:: basic cardi from Urban Outfitters:: red denim from TJ Maxx:: Bow wedges from Urban Outfitters:: lace scarf from Rue 21:: specs from OGI:: 
I'm knee deep reading The Little Book of Heartbreak  by Meghan Laslocky, and I can't seem to think about anything else but finishing it. So, this outfit? Yeah. Skulls. Crosses. Black. Red. Done. Please excuse me while I go back to my reading devouring of this book.

I love this book because it's got a little bit of everything: Abelard and Heloise, love potions and magic, Ernest Hemingway, and even Morrissey. If you like reading stories about love throughout the ages with all its aches and pains told in the most hilarious and witty of ways, please check this gem of a book out.

Tell me: what books are you reading right now? 

geek chic

Mjolnir earrings from Donald James on Etsy Hobbit door charm necklace from HModine on Etsy Pterodactyl earrings from Jan Palombo Design on Etsy Shazam lighting bolt earrings (similar)
Welcome to my first official "geekery" post! I thought I would kick things off with a compilation of my recent geek acquisitions: geek chic jewelry!
I received all these pieces during the holidays as pressies except for the pterodactyl earrings that I got as a treat to myself. So I guess it still counts as a present. 
I've also been wearing all these jewelry pieces non-stop since I ripped them out of their individual packaging because, really, who else can boast wearing Shazam or Mjolnir earrings? (ok, those Thor earrings are super heavy, and I can only wear them for a few hours at a time or else I feel like I'm dragging my lobes to the ground).  
Apart from being super glad to know that there is affordable jewelry out there catered to my geeky tastes, I'm really happy that these pieces are handmade, and that purchasing them supports the hard-working artists who made them. 

adaptation

A few months back, I contemplated changing the name of my blog. It's not uncommon, in my observation, for bloggers to grow out of their blog and branch into something else. So I didn't feel like it was going to be such a hassle. I initially named my blog The Blog of Worldly Delights (based on the Bosch triptych) because I wanted to share bits and pieces of my life and all the awesome earthly things I personally enjoyed. I wanted the title to be vague because I wasn't sure yet how varied my posts would be. 

Months went by and I started posting more about my everyday outfits than anything else, which I'm glad I did because that made me really think about how to work with the pieces I have and how to wear trends. Plus, I got to connect and friend a lot of wonderful fashion bloggers. But I felt like I wasn't living up to the promise of my blog name. Additionally, there were times when I felt pressured to dress up, and then all of a sudden, putting an outfit together wasn't as fun as it used to be. 

Then, an idea. Instead of changing the name of my blog, why not make it the blog I always wanted it to be in the first place? 

You'll probably have noticed that I changed my layout (again), and the changes aren't huge, but they make a great deal of difference to me. I'll still be posting outfits, mainly, because I do need to put clothes on everyday, but there'll be a lot more posts on makeup how-to's, recipes, crafting and DIYs, and the geeky things I do.

In my view, adapting is just natural and even necessary. I'm just going with the flow. And I do hope you stay along for the ride. 

Creeping

striped sweater, dress: Forever 21 crochet collar: ebay maroon tights: Express creepers: Hot Topic cat print bow: DIY Love L740 cat eye specs: Coastal
I was cleaning out the shoes in my closet when I saw this pair of black creepers that I saved up my moneys for waaaaay back during my early undergrad years. Those days, these pups and I were inseparable, and I would brave the slippery, sloping hill from my dorm room to my classes with nothing between the ice and my socked feet but 3 inches of tracktionless rubber. I must have had a death wish or something.

These days, these creepers are pretty much time-outing 24/7 in the back of my closet, while I decide whether or not I can part with the memory of pairing them with petticoats or rainbow tights. Perhaps one day. 

my first ever ipsy glam bag!

To get my toes wet into the whole subscription service thang, I signed up for ipsy. If you're unfamiliar with ipsy, it's Michelle Phan's company that delivers a bag of selected full-sized beauty products to your door every month. All for $10 a month. And that's with shipping. A total deal, and it doesn't disappoint!
Here's what I saw when I opened the hot pink mailer:
1. Big Sexy Hair Spray and Play- travel size $6.00 retail -I've used this before, and it's a great hair spray with good hold. I love travel sizes, too because I can just slip this in my purse for instant poof action.
2. Nailtini Nail Lacquer in red- $13.00 retail - Meh product for me. I liked that I got a beautiful classic red color, but there wasn't really anything that stood out for me consistency-wise and how long the polish lasts. 
3. Josie Maran Argan Oil $14.00 retail - The gem in my bag. I've always used argan oil for my hair, but didn't know it was also OK to use on my face. I've been using this everyday for the past week now underneath my sunscreen. It doesn't break me out at all and leaves my skin soft and very smooth. 
4. Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter $7.00 retail - OH MY GOSH BLOOD ORANGE. I love this scent. It's a combination of raspberries, spicy mandarin oranges, and blood orange. Plus, it's smooth, rich, and creamy but not greasy at all.
5. SOHO eyeliner brush $7.99 retail -I don't use powder shadows by themselves to line my eyes, so I've never used a brush like this before. I kind've like it. It produces less intense lines and is more conducive to blending and smudging the colors. 
On the whole, I'm pretty impressed with what I got in my bag, and I'm looking forward to getting my bag next month. Do you have beauty box/bag subscriptions? 

faux fur-wearing kinda gal

faux fur coat- thrifted basic black cardi- Urban Outfitters Happy Cat-rimony Tee from Mod Cloth polka dot skirt- thrifted Sugar boots Fox purse from Ebay Doughnut necklace from the shop of worldly delights
In case it isn't clear yet, I am obsessed with this thrifted coat. I've never thought of myself as a faux fur, or even just a fur-wearing kind of gal, but in reality, these coats are so much fun and easy to wear. They're just as versatile as pea coats, and add a lot of glam to casual, everyday outfits. 
Another thing I've been wearing to death is this cat tee that my husband got my for Christmas. Why? Apart from the softness and comfiness of the material? Because... Cats. In coats. Wearing scarves.  I mean, need I say more?

laura wants pretty colored hair

As I type this post, I'm waiting for the bleach to banish my dark roots.  And it's days like this when I wish I was born blonde. Or with light-colored hair. I'm not complaining, I'm just saying it would so much easier for me to color my hair if I didn't have to bleach, tone, probably re-bleach, re-tone, and then apply color on my hair.

I'm really itching for a new color, and I've been drawn to pastels. I'd like to have light pink hair again, but I really want to try that icy blue (murder to my hair!) or that beautiful ombre purple. So many choices! 

mint chocolate ice cream

Enchanted Glamourland from Too Faced is one of my favorite palettes ever. I purchased it a couple years ago, and I still haven't made a significant dent in any of the shadows. So, to justify buying more makeup, I thought I'd better start using up all the ones I'd already have stashed. 
For this look, which kind of  reminds me of mint chocolate ice cream, I used 4 colors, indicated by the stars in the photo below.  

Easy peasy, no? 

the sweetest thing

thrifted GAP mint jacket LOFT top DIY doughnut paperbag skirt Sanrio My Melody Purse and Hello Kitty bow ring Target polka dot tights Asos pink Mary Janes Forever 21 heart belt gold necklace c/o Anjolee Little Twin Stars ring from Cupcake Princess Jewelry Doughnut necklace from the shop of worldly delights
Thank you for the sweet birthday wishes! I had a wonderful, fantastic, splendiferous day.  I spent the bulk of it video gaming, LotR-ing, and eating yummy treats. I even got a little vintage shopping done! And yes, my husband did spoil me rotten. :)

I was feeling mighty sweet when I woke up that morning, so I decided to share my sugariness with everyone I met. Doughnuts, strawberry pink, minty green, and lots of kawaii goodness-- I felt like a bonbon! I'm so happy to finally be able to have a little bit of extra time so I can get back to making more stuff for my wardrobe. Paperbag skirts aren't very flattering to me, but I really do love the overdramatic ruching at the waist. And the extra fabric looks like I'm wearing petticoats underneath. I found this doughnut fabric at my local Joann store, and as soon as I saw the pattern, I knew I wanted to wear it. It's just the sweetest thing ever!