Glitter Something!

Glitter something has been an item on my to-do wish list for a while. My mom recently told me that she spread glitter in her new pink-and-ivory craft room. I was so pleased with this!

Wearing glitter clothes or accessories is one way to do it. I'm always on high alert. Most of the shoes I wear regularly are so sparkly. Just looking at myself gives me a boost when I'm sparkly. I have all layers of sparkly costume jewelry--some of it small and subtle and some wild statement pieces.

I've definitely spread glitter randomly. In high school especially, I sprinkled glitter in my bag and into the pages of my books and journals. Recently, I spread shiny, tiny, pink hearts over the carpet on my side of the bed.

• I use glitter pens as much as I can.
• I send sparkly greeting cards. My brother may finally see it coming now!
• My phone case is full of tiny, shiny, purple hearts.

The idea is to add more glitter, especially where it can be a joyous surprise. I need reminders that I have creative magic.

My Style.

I recently received a free trial from a clothing subscription. The style quizzes and comment boxes made me think about what my style is.

As a teenager, I wore tanks and flare jeans with trainers. Before that, I wore leggings and a Broadway show T-shirts or sweatshirts (my grandfather sent me plenty of shirts).

When I started teaching, I was clueless. I borrowed clothes from Mom, and she helped me put together a small work wardrobe. I remember my first purchases: gray dress pants, a black dress with ruffles at the neck, two black cardigans, and eventually, a statement necklace with faux pearls. I ended up building my style day by day.

Now, I don't wear a lot of my work clothes. Many pieces don't fit, but I try to use the ones that do. My style has shifted, and figuring out how to define that is a challenge. Here's how I tried to define or at least describe my style:

• I want to sparkle. Glitter, metallic thread, sequins, beading, rhinestones...Seriously, make me shimmer. Everything should glint or glimmer. It's an enchantment that helps me confirm and protect my sense of self.
• I'm a stay-at-home parent to a child with special needs. I drive a lot, so I have to be comfortable, but I'm also a mental health advocate for my son and myself, so I need to look competent. 
• I've gained a lot of weight on medication, so I'm building a small wardrobe to use until I lose the weight.
• I like swing dresses and dresses with empire waists. A-line and flare work for me.
• I don't wear open-toe shoes. Ever.
• My favorite colors are purple and green. I also like to wear grays, black, and blush.
• I go to the theatre about once a month, and I like to dress up for that. I have a fantasy of wearing a different dress to every show.
• I like Mary Janes.
• I love cardigans.
• In pants, I need a curvy, petite fit.
• I don't like to wear animal prints. 
• I like long necklaces with cluster pendants.
• I like statement necklaces (bib) that glitter.
• I like chandelier earrings. Sparkle!

On Glitter, Shimmer, and Sparkle.

I should be coated in glitter all the time. It's a kind of armor. It protects my sense of self. I'm trying to remember how I went wild for glitter.

When I was little, I liked and requested "glue and glitter."

When I was a preteen, my close friend Leah brought treasure to church: various bottles of glitter that her mom had bought at a fabric store. My close friends and I painted our nails with clear polish and poured on the glitter. I was delighted. We divided up the glitter. We all liked the white. I ended up with baby blue, baby pink, and fuchsia. I may still have them in my craft trunk.

I discovered Gelly Roll Stardust glitter pens as a teeanger. On my birthday, I'd go to a fancy craft shop and buy the pens by the fistful. I was journaling madly with them.

When I turned 16, I discovered so much sparkling makeup. I was thrilled, not having known such wonders existed. Eyeshadow, eyeliner, lip gloss, body powder. I went wild for sparkle.

At jobs, I would tone it down until Christmas time, when sparkle wasn't strange. Everyone got used to my sparkling. I just kept wearing it after Christmas.

I still wear glitter--my favorite makeup, clothes, and shoes are shimmery. I always want to wear some kind of glitter.

Surprise Sparkles.

I love surprise sparkles.
My arm, my inner wrist, my chin.
A stray bit of gold.
A patch of purple shimmer.
A glint of pink.
A little shower from a journal.
They feel like reminders of who I am or at least who I want to be.
They surprise me at odd moments and makes me smile.
I often don't know how I got them.
Sometimes, I plant glitter in a book or a bag.
I sometimes find surprise sparkles on people I love.
They make me feel as if almost anything, any place, anyone were potentially magical.

Sparkle.

Right now, on little jewelry dishes and big wooden, painted signs, I see words about sparkling---leave some sparkle behind, don't let anyone dull it...I wonder why.

Often, when people have looked me in the face, they have commented on glitter around my eyes and falling to my cheeks as if a craft session went wrong. They don't exactly look happy when I say it's on purpose, but they seem to change gears in their thinking. So I do think something as minor as makeup can influence people. It influences me too--I look sparkly, and I start to feel sparkly too.

Early Francesca Lia Block books make me sparkle inside--all those spun-sugar details and mind-opening ideas carried inside the characters.... They change my approach to the world.

I think laughter makes me sparkle too. And the people to whom I'm closest are hilarious.

Even blogging brings out some shimmer. I focus, often on something beautiful or life-sustaining. And I remember why I want to be here.