Billie Jean

For the Kids

||USA Blocks||Majesty Kid's Crown||Sheldon Sheep Stuffed Animal||Captain's Mistress Strategy Game||Tumbling Tower Blocks||Olivia Ostrich Stuffed Animal||Alpaca Apple Pillow||Ginger Cat Stuffed Animal||Let's Travel Coloring Mural||

Invade Magazine

CREATE AND CONQUER

Invade is "produced by a small team in New Orleans LA, with content contributions from writers and photographers from all over the United States." Invade is the Solange Knowles of magazines. Hip, artistic, and unique. Instead of reading another magazine about celebrities, Invade likes to shine the light on the "thinkers, doers, and creators" who are a little less known but who are just as interesting. It is a "lifestyle brand for the indie [and] creative ...we embody fashion, music, nightlife and the arts." The print magazine comes out every quarter but you can find material that is uploaded daily on their blog. There are also in-person events, dinners, and workshops you can attend if you are seeking to get more involved. 

Whenever I was contacted by the founder, Justin Shiels, and asked if I wanted to receive a copy of their first issue, I was very intrigued from the get-go. I didn't know what to expect and I have to admit that I wasn't expecting to find a brand that is both fairly new and well put together. I've been living in Baton Rouge for almost two years now and I haven't found a magazine or publication that reaches out to me from an artistic point of view. Art, photography, fashion, and music have been such a huge part of my life (I come from a family of artists, musicians, and singers) so I am a very visual. Invade is visually appealing and it is a collection of beautifully, well-written articles, and photographs, that I was happy to gaze at and read from cover to cover. 

 "An Invader is a tastemaker who is interested in experiencing everything life has to offer. Someone who questions the media status quo; someone who believes that artistry, imagination, and ingenuity are the key to creating a meaningful society."

 If you are interested in submitting any creative material, you can do so on their website here. Invade is interested to see your submissions from all over the United States. They want to highlight great talent from all over! So if you have anything that is fashion, film, music, photography or illustration related then go for it and submit your work! I am actually thinking about doing it! You can also go here for more information about how to be a contributor. GO INVADE!!

Texas vs. Louisiana

I've been going through my wardrobe and realizing that I don't have very much of "purple & gold" anything! Yeah, I am a Texas girl, so if I ever buy any "school" colors it is maroon for Texas State or more traditional "gold" ...but mainly because I just love yellow gold. I have a hard time buying LSU colors, well, because I didn't go there, I'm not from Louisiana and I haven't even lived here for two years yet! The "gold" for LSU is more "yellow" than it is "gold" ...which is a color I don't tend to gravitate towards when shopping. While I love purple, I don't really have anything purple -which I was surprised to find.

So even though I am a native Texan and I graduated from Texas State University, now that I live in Baton Rouge, I feel like if I want to become apart of this community, I need to start wearing more "purple & gold." Right? I really don't know. I am really on the fence about this one. I feel like I am a traitor if I wear another school's colors and it wouldn't be "real" if I did so. I have to be authentic to myself, who I am and where I am from.  If I want to become a well-established fashion blogger within this city and state, I need to show that I am trying, being supportive and want to be apart of it all. So, do I adapt to my surroundings or stay true to whom I am?

Pictured above are the only two "purple & gold" accessories that I found in my closet. Not a whole lot, but it is a start. LSU is such a HUGE part of Baton Rouge and Louisiana in general, people are ALWAYS sporting the two colors. I help customers at the store put together "purple & gold" ensembles for the games during football season in the fall all the time. One of the promises that I made myself was that I was going to get to know this city better and really try to become apart of the community. Jazz Fest, Mardi Gras (kids actually get this day off from school -what??), St. Patrick's Day...are all huge festivities that are put on and VERY much enjoyed by mass quantities. I haven't had the opportunity yet to participate in any of these activities, but I want to. I want to learn about them & educate myself on the cajun/french/jazzy culture more. 

I am thinking that I am going to represent my Texas roots & ways here in Baton Rouge, but find ways to be supportive of "things" that Louisianians love at the same time. I want to show my love for both states and both cultures. That's the only way to do it. I can still wear purples and golds, possibly sometimes together, or I can always do more Mardi Gras color combos instead so I can represent the new state that I reside in while staying true to my own college school colors. Let's do this. 

Ahoy Matey

||Dress, Bettie Page Clothing||Hat, Anthropologie||Earrings, Kendra Scott||Gloves, Anthropologie||Heels, Schuler & Sons Philadelphia||

Today we were sailors, in matching red & white and just hanging out in Tory's playroom. We had fun playing on the piano and writing on the ole chalkboard. We were having such a ball that I figured we should have lunch in there too. We've never done it before because I am always paranoid about messes and food stains on the carpet. But sometimes you just have to relax and just go with it. Thank goodness the ketchup stain is on Tory's face though instead, ha ha. And, I love a good ole mother/daughter outfit matching. Here's to playing make-believe and never apologizing for having fun. 

Two

Tory turned two this past weekend, on Saturday, October 19th. Joey & I took her to the Oil Ranch in Hockley, Texas with my dad. There was hardly anyone there and the weather was ideal. I just wish that we had Tory's new, cowboy boots for the ranch- perfect for the occasion. She's obsessed with the ones we got her last year on her birthday so I knew that another pair this year would be the right gift. We went on a train ride, a pony ride, got to play in the hay, chased the goats  & got to milk a cow named Daisy! It was a great day. I am so happy that I snapped a few photos from the day! Nothing, I mean nothing, beats Texas in the Fall. True beauty. A sweet memory that I will cherish forever. Happy birthday Red! I love you!