Bigass Weekend Wrap-Up: Brunch Sequins and Flashback; Cat Pictures; and Big Tree: Characters, Cutesy, and Nautical

I'm back, and it's time to recap the weekend. L and I had our last brunch out of the year and I did it in sequins, Vizzini's been super-cute, and speaking of, I have some characters and cuteness from my big Christmas tree, with just a touch of nautical to cleanse your palate.

So, here we go, sequins for brunch. 

When else am I going to wear all this sparkle? I also wore this outfit in the evening for our all-friends Zoom call.

• Top - M by Missoni, thrifted; last seen here in July with wide trousers
• Dress - Esprit; last worn here with a psychedelic blouse in December 2019
• Boots - Prepare Map, Fluevog; last seen here in September with my Florence dress
• Coat (below) - Apparence, vintage 80s, thrifted; last worn here in March

I love the liquid look of the sequins on this dress. 

Instead of being sewn overlapping like fish-scales, the sequins are sewn end-to-end in a row.

The stripy top is also sparkly.

It has loads of colours in it. 

My fleece-lined tights kept my legs warm for the walk to and from town. 

Masked up - black with gold stars (from Mom). 

We briefly ventured near town for an errand, but fled quickly when we saw the hordes of shoppers (happy for the local businesses though!). 

Outerwear - it's the return of the Unsafe Polar Bear! 

So-named because when I first had her, I was staggering across a road late at night, encouraging others to follow, and Yvonne or Cat (can't remember) yelled, "Don't follow the Unsafe Polar Bear!"

Will it rain? I'm not sure. 

But just to be safe, I brought my cashmere beret. 

Good thing I did - it poured and we both got soaked. But at least my hair was mostly dry. 

• Beret - Club Monaco, thrifted
• Gloves - consignment
• Purse - Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac, thrifted

The stuff: 

These boots are fine in the rain. It's leather, it'll dry. 

Silver/amber bling: 

Lots of gifts from L!

• Leather cuff - thrifted
• Pewter cuff - Robert Larin, vintage 70s, vintage mall, gift from L
• Silver/smoky topaz ring - Anneli Neuman, Sweden, vintage mall
• Silver/amethyst ring - vintage mall
• Silver/amber pendant - vintage mall, gift from L
• Silver/amber earrings - vintage mall, gift from L

There's my guy, and my kitty too.

"I don't want you to go out."

We'll be home soon, bud. Try not to eat anything off the Christmas tree, okay? 

Flashback: Esprit Sequin Tank Dress

I bought this dress in early January 2011, as mentioned here the first time I wore it, when the local boutique Plum closed down. I used to buy SO much clothing from them over the previous 5-6 years - they had awesome annual sales. Most of the stuff I got then is long gone, but this dress has lasted. 

It's a simple viscose t-shirt type of fabric, with a small bit of extra lining at the top. It's by Esprit and was regular price $129.00 on final clearance for $20.00. 

The first time I wore it in January 2011, I layered a cobalt blue tee under it.

I wore this to a movie with Elaine. 

I next wore it in July 2011, and as you can see, I wore it backwards. There are no darts or seaming, so aside from the label, it can be worn either way.

Hee hee, I had to include this picture because Inigo is stretching in the sun and making a turkey leg there. 

Same outfit, but the back view. 

Before my entire back was tattooed. This remains the only time I wore it back-to-front. 

I didn't wear it again until April 2013, and again I wore it bare. 

This was for Karen's birthday party (aw, my dear Karen...), and those boots are amazing. 

I went back to layering shirts under it again in December 2014.

Shoe Flashback here. 

This was a rock & roll look also from December 2014 - the Johnny Marr concert we were all going to got cancelled at the last minute, so I partied on the town in this. 

I still have those boots, although I don't wear them much anymore. You might also recognize the necklace. 

There's the blouse I just wore the other day - this is from September 2015. 

Shoe Flashback here; blouse Flashback here. 

You know what happens once I figure out a formula! I repeat it! 

I love this leopard-centric outfit from March 2017. I'd wear this again; I still have that blouse. Boots Flashbacked here. 

This is a great look from January 2019 - too bad that sheer olive blouse fell apart. 

Boots Flashbacked here. 

And this is the last time I wore the dress, in December 2019, with these same boots. 

That blouse is waiting in the wings. 

Mathy stuff: That's 10 outfits, so we are at $2.00 per wear. Excellent! 

One more picture of my boys 

"This is my best side."

Aw, so much love!

The Big Tree: Characters, Cutesy and Nautical

Moving on, I have a lot of "personalities" on my Christmas tree. I don't remember who gave me this Betty Boop on a moon ornament. 

Maybe I bought her for myself? I have no idea. My Grandma J (she of the copper jewelry) used to do a killer "boop-oop-de-do" Betty impression. 

I am a superhero fan, from comic books to graphic novels and yes, all those movies. 

I loved The Incredible Hulk TV show back in the 70s. 

I kinda wish this guy looked more like Lou Ferrigno. This was a Hallmark ornament from 1997, so he was probably around $19.99. 

I also have Batman - I've been a fan since Adam West and Burt Ward! 

He's also Hallmark, from 1994, and again, probably around $19.99.

I like a more colourful Batman, not all that solid black. 

I also have a Catwoman miniature decoration, also a Hallmark. 

Oops, a bit blurry. She's from 2000, and was around $12.95. I need a Wonder Woman ornament! 

I am a huge fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas, the 1993 movie.

Jack Skellington and Zero the ghost dog. 

I also have a pumpkin-headed angel. 

I have no idea where I got these. 

They are more recent, though, probably around the early 2000s. 

"The Frog Prince" is one of my favourite fairy tales. 

This frog prince is riding a dragonfly. 

I like the ruff around his neck and the semi-translucent wings on the dragonfly. This was $14.95.

How about the cow jumping over the moon? 

I love the look on the cow's face. 

"Ho-di-do, just jumping over this mooooooon!"

And that is one awesome moon. I recall this was about $15.95. 

I have a set of four characters from the Nutcracker ballet. I have always loved that they are in dynamic poses, like actual dancers. 

The soaring nutcracker armed with his sword. 

The pirouetting Clara with her nutcracker. 

Purple ballet shoes to match her sash. 

The fierce Mouse King. 

Also in a fine pose, sword at the ready. 

And here's Herr Drosselmeyer.

His leaping pose is my favourite. 

Although his face is dour. These were $14.95 each. 

I have a set of pinecone mice. This one is looking into a large black pipe. 

[Psst! There's the pickle!]

Their bodies are pinecones and their heads and feet are gold. 

These struck my fancy when we got them in. 

This mouse is sitting on a spool of gold thread. 

And one solo mouse, looking up. 

These were $9.95 for the smaller ones, $19.95 for the pipe. 

And one gold-dipped actual pinecone. 

It was $7.95. 

We're firmly in cutesy territory now. These next ornaments are by Enesco, who were known for cute little mice and other animals in their ornaments. 

These two mice in their adorable winter sweaters are checking the nice list (my name's not on it!), which is unscrolled over a pair of glasses. 

I used to wear glasses like this when I got this ornament. This was around $24.95. 

I have always loved this snoozing mouse in the champagne glass. 

Aw, the strings of lights wrapped around it. This was $14.95.

I had to have the chipmunk trying to crack the walnut. 

I have two different kinds of nutcrackers on my tree! 

Great detail on these. This was $12.95.

These two mice are having tea in a hot air balloon made of a tea ball and teabags. This was $24.95.

See the one mouse inside the ball in his plaid robe? 

She's pouring it through the flames to heat it...

And the fellow in the gondola catches the tea in his cup. He's got a nice selection of cakes to go with it. 

The "tea ball" half is metal. 

I love the teabags as ballast. So cute! 

I have another spoon ornament like this with two mice in it celebrating "our first Christmas", but this one is a solo mouse enjoying her bubble bath. 

One of her arms has come unglued. Must fix that. 

She was $14.95. 

I really love this little mouse, giving herself a squirt of perfume. 

She standing on the ball/tassel to make the perfume come out. 

Hee, love the petticoats. This was $14.95. 

Okay, enough cuteness! How about some incredible miniature ships? 

These are tiny (note my hand behind them), and were $5.95 each. They are wood, string and cloth, and the amount of work in them is boggling. 

They came out in 1992 for the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' landing, so they are technically the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. 

We had a very big section of the store with a 10' tree devoted to nautical themed ornaments - as Victoria is a seaside town, the tourists loved these. 

I often wrote "Victoria, B.C." on them in gold pen for people. 

Amazing, aren't they? So much detail. 

These are one of L's favourite ornaments. Mine too! 

I also love this antique globe ornament. 

North America is looking a bit blobby - apparently, we are blended with Asia. 

I have some questions about this geography.

We seem to be missing some land? Some countries are getting short shrift! 

Sorry, Australia, you don't fare much better. 

You're "terra inconnu" (unknown land). This ball was $5.95. 

This weekend, L and I finally got around to adding people to our Christmas village (after a few drinks).  I use this paintbrush to dust off the figures as they haven't been touched in...a while. 

"What is this fascinating object?"

Vizzini goes after anything like this, including our pens while we're trying to write. 

"You obviously wish to amuse me."

I love his "sea lion" whiskers - they all move forward when he is focused, and then...

LUNGE!

"Missed again! You are not playing fair, Woman!"

He's very good at standing on his back legs. We did this for a bit.

Finally, he helped me photograph my childhood ornaments. 

"I'm only helping if you let me chew on them."

And since that's not going to happen, we're done here! 

I hope you enjoyed my sparkle and fun ornaments. Did you have a favourite? How was your weekend? Be merry, be bright.