the Red Polka Blues

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
                                                                        -Eleanor Rooseevelt

 Summer is almost over. At least in theory. So for one last hurrah, I wore my favorite summer color combo to work. The "cardigan" is a T-shirt I cut in half. The dress is a wonderful vintage piece that I've had in my own wardrobe for over 15 years. I love it now, more than ever. The shoes, the incredible Goodwill score that has gotten so much more mileage than I ever imagined. And sadly, I forgot to photograph the hand-bag: a phenomenal BUTT UGLY drawstring bag made out of a bright linen union jack dish towel. It is so amazing. I'll see if I can show it to you in a future post.

Butterflies

 

Unknown to birds & butterflies

A flower blooms

The autumn sky

             -Basho

Hello friends. 

Bella Q here, and I am back to blogging. 

Good to be back. 

There's been a lot of changes in my life recently, mostly positive ones, but it seems that change itself is a stresser, even good change. I just got a bit overwhelmed with all my projects, transitioning into my new job, and the joys and duties of blogging. Blogging has taken over all of my spare time, and as much as I love to post and visit people's blogs, I need to put myself on a media diet, and restrict the time spent in the blogger-sphere. So my readers, I am cutting down to a skinny 30 minutes a day, and that's not very much is it? So please forgive me if I don't comment as much as I used to, or post quite as frequently. I will do what I can when I can, and I thank-you all for your understanding. 

Expect to see 3 posts a week from me, and I'll try to keep them short and sweet. And hopefully of interest to you. I'll update you on some of my projects, several of which I am thrilled to no end about and can't wait to share them with you. Meanwhile, there will be some fine-tuning of this little blossom, hopefully in the key of YOU LIKEY. 

I'd like to thank all of my dear readers, followers, and friends. You have really made this crazy little page worthwhile, and I do enjoy expressing myself here, and getting to know so many wonderful and stylish souls all over the world. You make my day by being in it. 
Thank you so much! 

                                                                                                                          XO.-Bella Q

                            

Now Wearing:

• 1970's  cotton butterfly printed dress, hemmed
• Flaming Hag Folkwear, up-cycled brass cuff, Crimson & Clover
• Mia, tan leather and rope espadrille wedges
• Lancome striped hobo bag, thrifted
• Handmade market tote, the Citizen Rosebud
• Clear/Blue sunnies, Target

Now YOU Could

The Citizen Rosebud will be on hiatus until September. 

Feel free to browse the Citizen Rosebud's Etsy shop. 

If you need a daily Rosebud fix, feel free to fan me on Facebook! Or check for outfit posts on Chictopia.

Blogging will resume beginning of September. 
See you then!                              
                                                                                                          -Bella Q

Eat the 8

Tag Team: 

the lovely Jemina tagged me and 7 other bloggers in a game of Q & A. Eight questions to 8 bloggers.  Here are my answers:

1. who is your favorite designer?  

      

I can't narrow it down to just one. 

From the past:    
Yves Saint Laurent. Mary Quant.
From the present:  
Marc Jacobs. Miuccia Prada.

From the heart:  Vivienne Westwood.

2. name 3 items you can't live without

• Burt's Bees Lip Balm.
• A good hand lotion.
• Fresh, clean water. I drink water like a fish. On a bicycle.

 
3. your favourite fashion era

       It's a tie: 1930's and 1960's

4. any fashion icon?

Audrey Hepburn

5. favorite song

 

6. favorite book(s)

       
So many to mention, but you can find the pretty ones here.

7. favorite movie

All time fave: Harold & Maude

Recent fave: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

 
8. favorite season

Fall, when it's not Spring.

So now it's my turn to pass on 8 questions to 8 bloggers.

The bloggers: 

1. Amy, Forever Curiouser
2. Marta, Weirzbowawitka
3. Sara, Coffee, Autumn and Inspiration
4. Kari, Juniper James
5. Anika, Sweetfaced Style
6. Arielle, Old Hat Diary
7. Missa, Thrift Candy
8. Sacramento, Mis Papelicos  
9. And, here are my eight questions:

1. If "the clothes make the man," what do your clothes make you?
2. Do you agree with this quote: "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels"?
3. What's your best physical feature?
4. If you were Anne Wintour for a day, who would be on the cover of Vogue? 
5. Are you committed to buying "Sweat-shop free"?
6. Name two of your fashion heroes.  And, why?
7. Do you wear fur?
8. What are you going to be wearing this Fall?

Canadian Blossoms

 Once upon a time...

Fairy godmothers, Jemina the Fair  and  Lovely Lynzy picked 15 lucky girls from all over the world to exchange some fashionable gifts. They called it a care package swap.

The theme was floral.

Bella hadn't a clue as to what to expect, and she waited...

Then one day, a day a little more maple-y than others, she got a package in the mail. From Canada. In it was a beautiful box that contained a lovely note and some hand-made blossoms crafted by Carissa McCraig of Copious Couture. She found a cream colored chiffon headband, and two floral fabric pins. Canadian Blossoms.

 

The handwritten note was short & sweet: 

Bella likes her Canadian blossoms. 

And she had just the dress to wear them.                                           

                                                               < The End  >

Now Wearing: 

• Copious Couture Chiffon Blossom headband
• Carol Anderson, vintage floral cotton dress, thrifted
• Copious Couture, crimson & purple fabric floral pin
• Copious Couture, green rosette pin
• Vintage Floral Travel case, thrifted 
• Coach black wedges

http://copiouscouture.blogspot.com/

http://www.jeminajakin.com/

http://fromskirtstoskillets.blogspot.com/

Dear Diary, today I made a friend.

This week is off to a good start, friends.

I've started my new job & know I'm going to love it.

Now I have my mornings free to attend to the Citizen Rosebud's Etsy shop. And now shipping is available 3 days a week. Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays. More daylight too, for photo shoots, so expect to see a fuller shop soon.

My recent contribution to the the Midtown Monthly's blog, a photo-essay on our recent Art Second Saturday seems to have stirred up a bit of conversation regarding crowds & crime and culture. You can add your own comments if you want to, here.

AND best-est of all, I got to see the latest feature of  HYPEED magazine, where you'll colorful characters such as Lynzy of From Skirts to Skillets and the uber-chic Jemina cavorting in the online pages with...the likes of me! I made it in the feature, and I'm proud to say it feels pretty swell! You can see my ugly mug as well as the whole HYPEED feature here. 

Oh, and let me just mention that there's one more thing to look forward to on Sundays. Sac Cycle Chic is organizing a "Cycle Chic Sundays" ride every third Sunday of the month, starting August 22nd, and you're invited! For more details click here.

I have another little treat to share with you, and I'm saving that for tomorrow. 

Hint:

• Florals. 
• Canadians.

What's NOT to love?

Moonshine Junkyard

This is Heather. She considers herself a true California girl,  born and raised. She writes a personal style blog, Moonshine Junkyard, and writes about creative culture while living in a small California town. Moonshine Junkyard highlights her romantic fancy about beauty & fun found in her everyday. 

Heather is a waitress by day, and an Etsy seller by night. When she's not busy blogging or waiting tables or listing charming vintage in her Etsy shop, you can find her kicking it with her husband and cats, or sitting on the porch sipping lemonade with some friends. 

Just looking at this ray of sunshine, you can probably tell that friends and family mean a lot to her. In fact, blogging seems to run in her blood. Her sister and her 3 brothers blog, In fact it was one of her brother's family blog that inspired her to start writing her own. We recently "spoke" via email, and here's an excerpt of our conversations:

the Citizen:  Where do you live?

Heather: I live in Placerville, California, a historic gold mining town that is also known as "old hangtown." It's a place rich with stories and natural beauty, and is located between the American and the Consumnes Rivers.

the Citizen: How long have you been blogging and what are some of your favorite blogs? 

Heather: I've been blogging in some form or another since 2005. I honestly never thought I'd ever have a "follower" that wasn't someone I already knew or that I'd make friends online. It has become an inspiring community for me and a fun way to share some of my exuberance about stuff going on in life.

My favorite blogs are: Thrift Candy, Astral Boutique, and Violet Folklore.

the Citizen: What do you do for a living? What do you do for fun?
Heather: For a living, as far as making money, I do very little (laughs). For fun, on the other hand, I do a lot! I read, write, take photographs, go hiking, camping and backpacking, swim in the river, take road trips, play games, hang out with friends, dance, drink beer, play with my cats, watch films, see live music, eat, sing karaoke, learn as much as I can about as many things as I can, make little movies with my friends, daydream and write letters and snuggle and do yoga and bake goodies and go to thrift stores and go swinging at the park and throw parties. 

  

the Citizen: Who would you say was your biggest fan?

Heather: I'd say my husband Darin, but he thinks I'm a "diamond who wants to stay coal," to quote Tom Waits. 

the heart of saturday night

 Good times can never be succinctly summed up in a handful of photos. But I'm going to try, my pumpkins. Last night, D & I plunged into the white waters of Art Second Saturday, and did we have a nice ride. 

 

First we headed to Bows & Arrows, where we took a peek at the relentlessly talented Jesse Vasquez and his photography. Ran into the uber-stylish Lisa M, of Starship Narcissus, who was there doing a little vintage shopping with her beautiful family. I had the pleasure of meeting her handsome husband Aleric, as well as re-meeting one of her lovely sisters, Christiane. Let me just say for the record that those McCrea sisters are a bevy of knock-outs.

Sea of Bees performed while we were there. A soft little show, one slip of a girl with a haunting voice and steady guitar quietly captivated the audience. You can discover more about Sea of Bees here.

Our other destination was the Bicycle Kitchen, where you can always count on a rousing show and cheap good beer on 2nd Saturdays, and this eve was no exception. All sorts of Midtowners were there, and every variety of plaid shirt seemed to be wandering the joint. Summertime plaid is alive and well in the heart of Midtown.

You can see the complete set of photos on the Citizen Rosebud's Facebook page.

No Better Place

This Saturday, the opening reception for photographer and all-around Midtown coolio Jesse Vasquez's latest show will take place at Bows & Arrows from 6-9 p.m.. To celebrate, Sea of Bees will be performing. I'm thinking about putting on my best bike-friendly frock and pedaling over and see for myself what all the fuss is about.

And since I'm on a local note, I'm thinking a organizing a Sacramento Blogger meet-up. Like soon. Like before September. I think it would be great for us FASHION/STYLE bloggers to meet and introduce ourselves. If any of you darlings are local (Sacramento and nearby areas) are interested, message via email or my facebook page.

Email: citizenrosebud@ymail.com.
Facebook: facebook.com/thecitizenrosebud.

Wishing you all a very happy week-end! -Bella Q

Sweet

Today, one door closes and another one opens. It is my last day as kitchen overlord/gardener/chef at the preschool. I will be beginning a new job, also as a cook in another organic kitchen on Sunday. The day will be bittersweet. There has been much I've enjoyed over the past few years, and I will savor my my many fond memories. There are happy endings and great beginnings, and I'm looking forward to the new chapter in the Book of Bella.

Anika, the fabulous Norwegian dynamo of style has featured me at Sweetfaced Style. She has unflagging energy and support for her fellow bloggers and is working on a series that features her faves from all over the world. I'm very honored to be featured in Anika's delightful blog. So if you get a moment, please step over to Sweetface Style and give Anika some love. And read her SWEET piece on me! Check it out at  Sweet-faced Style.

outfit post: in Clog we trust

Clogs. Love 'em. Hit the jackpot a few weekends ago when I scored two amazing pairs of clogs. You already saw the red pony ones here.  Now see these: Caramel colored leather, wooden heeled Steve Madden clogs. Mad for them, I am.

Simply bonkers.

Clogs seems to attract a love or hate thing. There are clog people, and there are stiletto people. I am firmly in the former's camp. Since clogs have gone all uptown lately, I've been seeing them on more and more people. 

Chanel people.

Prada people.

Jeffery Campbell people.

 E. Pluribus Unum, people! Unite!

In Clog We Trust.

Now Wearing: 

• Mui-Mui sunglasses (2006)
• Grey jersey smock top, Urban Outfitters (2007)
• (not seen)  jean short-shorts, Thrift Town
• Vintage brown leather shoulder bag, SPCA Thrift
• Steve Madden wooden heel clogs, Thrift Town