Hello my fellow Fats! I've posted an OOTD only twice before but you'll be seeing my face around here more often. I don't post very often, but I'm always reading and I just wanted to thank all the members for their wonderful contributions to this community. I would mail all of you fresh baked chocolate chip cookies if I could :) I'm almost 24, 5' 6", 260somethinglbs and my measurements are around 53-47-53.

( On to the Clothings!!! )

Hi! I was wondering if any of you fatshionistas could share your experience with Dorothy Perkins and their sizing/quality/etc. I'm in the US, but I've been lusting after several pieces (especially those hitch skirts they have right now), but I'm hesitant to order without getting a better idea of what I should expect due to the shipping costs and not to mention the time.

My main concern is about the sizing. I know that UK sizes are two sizes up from what I would wear in US sizing. I'm typically an 18/20 with a large bust. DP goes up to a size UK 22, which is a size US 18, right? I feel more comfortable typically ordering things in a US 20 and then downsizing if needed, but I fit well within the measurements (my measurements are 48/38/48) given for a DP UK 22 with a couple of inches to grow. Being an experienced online shopper though, I know that measurements lie and I have sizes ranging from 18 to 22 and more in my closet. Could anyone give me an idea of what to expect? (Do they run large/small/whatever?)

Thanks for any help!

You guys were so helpful with my last questions, so I am back!

I want a leather jacket like this. Very simple. Super sparse. No weird angles or buttons or zips or anything. Not cropped, not frilled.

http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=6945&vid=1&pid=498720&scid=498720002

in Black. preferably not for $300 (since it may be leather, but it's THIN and unlined)

help?

I'm trying to do some characters who are riffs on Hansel and Gretel without having it be too obvious right off the bat to an English reader.

To that end, I was thinking about using the Serbo-Croatian names for the characters, Ivica and Marica. However I understand from Googling that Marica is a Spanish slur, so perhaps that's not a good name to use.

Wikipedia says that Ivica is pronounced [ɪʋɪtsa]. How are the syllables broken up? Where is the stress?

Are there any other good possibilities for a Gretel-related name that is not obvious? It's in the same family as English "Margaret" which means "pearl." Maybe I'll just go with "Margaret" or "Pearl".

What are the folk tale Hansel and Gretel called in a language you speak?

Easy. Fast. Delicious. And easy to grow at home.
Ingredients:
-Vegetable Oil
-Mung-Bean Sprouts
-3 Stalks of Scallions

1. Cut off the roots of the scallions. Chop the white parts and the green parts into one inch segments. Make sure the whites and the greens stay separate.
2. Heat the frying pan. Add a bit of oil. Stir-fry the scallion whites.
3. Toss in the sprouts and stir-fry for about 10 seconds. Close the lid for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. (Don't over stir-fry or the sprouts will become limp and soggy.)
4. Turn off heat and stir in the scallion greens. (The greens will become yellow with heat. That's why it's wise to add it last.)

From: http://theveganabc.blogspot.com/2009/07/mung-bean-sprout-stir-fry.html

Anybody in the know over there about the events in this?

I bought this owl dress from B&Lu.

My measurements are 44" 38" 52" and I ordered a 1x. If I were ordering this again (the lock and key dress is cut exactly the same too) I would order a 2x. Here's why: There is not enough skirt gathered into the waist for my hips. Close, but not exactly enough.

I'd say if you are short waisted  or 5'7 or below, there's no way in hell this is an empire waist. I'm 5'4 and even after taking up the straps 6" it did not hit under my bust at all. I decided to let them out and just let it do its thing. Because it sits lower than my waist, it is yet another reason I would upsize.

Hope this helps!

Edited to add: The upper fabric is also kinda sheer. If you're not wearing a nude bra, it can be seen through.

I can't find my copy of The Garden of Vegan or La Dolce Vegan, and one of them had a recipe for spinach and strawberry salad. I have strawberries, some of the last of the local ones, and really want to make it.

Can someone type up the recipe for me? Or even just the ingredients/quantities? I'll be forever grateful.

EDIT: Answered! Thank you!!

My brilliant cousin Matthew Fagerness designed my logo and business stationary. He single-handedly transformed my agency into a rinky-dink, who-is-that-Taryn-person, start-up, to an Agency with a real identity in the world publishing community. The compliments I receive on my logo and business card just keep coming. I am SO thankful for Matt's contribution to my Agency. When I was struggling with this whole starting-my-own-agency thing, his design made me feel…real. I’m so proud to flash my logo to EVERYONE who will look (I even got mini buttons made featuring the logo bird).

Check it out:

by any chance is anyone in this community going to any of the weakerthans show in santa cruz or san francisco?

if so, lets meet up!

I am new in live journal so let me know if i should post this like that.
I love learning foreign languages :-) My mother language is Greek,but i also speak Italian and English(not perfect lol)
i am also learning some Japanese,and have almost decent French knowledge.

Is there a particular term for the person who runs a winery or a vineyard?

Wonderful South Park is again hosting a Walkabout on the evening of Saturday, July 25th.  Here's a link for info on what's going on at all the shops and restaurants:
http://bit.ly/walkaboutjuly25

There will be free live music (at 3 different locations), a free trolley, lots of free snacks and thirst-quenchers, plus grand openings at new shops and games and special goodies at all the rest.  Gotta go!

Here's a map and directions to find South Park: 
http://www.southparkscene.com/maps.html

Think you haven't been to South Park?  Think again if you've ever been to: The Big Kitchen, Whistle Stop Bar, Hamilton's Tavern, Alchemy, The Vagabond.  Come see what else is happening here!

Hi Everyone...

I was looking through some picture's I've just transfered to my new laptop and felt inspired to make my first fatshionista post. I'm a complete geek and love making my own costumes for parties and conventions so I thought I'd share a couple with you:

( I'm not bad... I'm just drawn that way... )

I've been spring cleaning ( a little late I realize) one room a day approximately and I am going to tackle my office tomorrow. I know for a fact that there is a huge stack of prints left over from gallery shows and events from the past five years that are just sitting there and I think I will sell them off at cost.

Think of this as a great opportunity, I would like them to go to good homes and I realize no one has any money. Some I will keep for my portfolio but most will go for $5 to $8 bucks, poster prints at $20 to $35. Stay tuned for great deals coming your way - I don't intend to ever print out these images again.

Anyone interested?

Yesterday, on an impossibly muggy San Diego evening, Bo and I walked to the suspension bridge in my neighborhood. It was built in 1912. It's neat! Here we are (we look a little clammy):



That is all.

OK guys I need your help! Right now my hair is bleached yellowy/blonde. I need to know where I can buy a good bleach with 20% developer online (the lower the developer % the less damage right?)

AND ALSOO! I need to know what toner I can get online to turn my bleached yellowy hair to white!


Thanks! (:

so, Daddy the kids and i are supposed to go camping with the bff, pretty lady and all their kids....
soon, like the end of July, so i finally confessed to Daddy last night, that i just don't want to go camping, its the whole, sleeping in a tent, on the ground (ok, i will have an air mattress) not getting any sleep, blah, blah, blah....she just looked at me, said she understood, i said i was sorry....

WTF....damn girl get a fucking grip, its just camping, one maybe two nights of sleeping in a tent, in a sleeping bag, on an air mattress, NEXT TO MY DADDY

its time i get over it, quit the whining and just fucking DO IT...whats the worst that could happen....i might have a good time with my family

My hearing loss has been a very gradual process. I first became aware of a decline in my early 20s, and now at age 36, I'm classified as having a mild deficit (5 - 10 decibels below the bottom of the normal range on the audiogram). I've been told it's not yet severe enough for HAs to be an option, although it's interfering with my daily life. No one has been able to give me a reason why I have hearing loss, other than the fact that it's neurological and it's genetic (mom, grandmother, and great aunt have all had it too).

And frankly, I'm scared. I've seen the women in my family as their hearing declines, and I know that hearing aids do not fix the problem 100%. They assist, sure. But it doesn't seem that they can really replace the loss to the point that it doesn't interfere with your life when speech is your primary mode of communication. (And while I've studied ASL, no one in my family has.) Even when they're both wearing their HAs, I often have to repeat what Gran says to Mom and what Mom says to Gran for them to understand one another. I see them nod their heads in crowded restaurants and pretend they heard what was said to them, when really they couldn't make it out.

So, I guess what I'm asking is how you've managed to adapt. For those of you who were hearing at one time, was it a difficult transition for you? How well do the HAs supplement your ability to function as you did before?

Please, give me some perspective, folks. I think I'm freaked out more than is reasonable by this.

(x-posted: deaf, hard_of_hearing)

My hearing loss has been a very gradual process. I first became aware of a decline in my early 20s, and now at age 36, I'm classified as having a mild deficit (5 - 10 decibels below the bottom of the normal range on the audiogram). I've been told it's not yet severe enough for HAs to be an option, although it's interfering with my daily life. No one has been able to give me a reason why I have hearing loss, other than the fact that it's neurological and it's genetic (mom, grandmother, and great aunt have all had it too).

And frankly, I'm scared. I've seen the women in my family as their hearing declines, and I know that hearing aids do not fix the problem 100%. They assist, sure. But it doesn't seem that they can really replace the loss to the point that it doesn't interfere with your life when speech is your primary mode of communication. (And while I've studied ASL, no one in my family has.) Even when they're both wearing their HAs, I often have to repeat what Gran says to Mom and what Mom says to Gran for them to understand one another. I see them nod their heads in crowded restaurants and pretend they heard what was said to them, when really they couldn't make it out.

So, I guess what I'm asking is how you've managed to adapt. For those of you who were hearing at one time, was it a difficult transition for you? How well do the HAs supplement your ability to function as you did before?

Please, give me some perspective, folks. I think I'm freaked out more than is reasonable by this.

(x-posted: deaf, hard_of_hearing)

Hi there,
I just finished a pair of socks for my step-granddaughter. =) I used Red Heart's Heart& Sole yarn in 'Watercolor Stripe'. The pattern was 'Most Basic Kid's Sock from Ravelry.com .

( Click for picture! )

I have declared 2009 the Year of the Bonfire, and dedicated the year to creative pursuits. I might well have named it Year of the Pirate Hat, however, since I seem to be churning these things out like an assembly line!

Nonetheless, when friends decided to have a pirate-themed wedding in June, how could I resist gifting them with the one pirate-themed craft I know?

Link to post with photos of gift and presentation, including handmade card.

Traceroo

I recently came to posses hundreds of envelopes and I was wondering if anyone knows any clever things I can do with them. Thanks for any ideas and suggestions in advance.

You are all so amazingly creative, I know someone will know something rad.

I was wondering if anyone here knew of works which presented more extensive terms for various lects?
As far as I can tell the only common terms are: dialect, sociolect, idiolect, basilect, mesolect, and acrolect.

While we're on it, what are some linguistics terms that you really like?

Is it possible to become a vegan when I am allergic to nuts and sensitive to soy?!
help! I am SO SICK of eating like shit and feeling like shit all the time! :(

hey everyone,
i'm not sure if this is ok, so if not, you can delete.

but i'm the process of trying to move by july 31st and i found a great apartment that is off the 3 train at the kingston stop in brooklyn, ny. it's a 4 bedroom townhouse with a huge living & dining room. it is right across the street from the park and there is laundry in the building. the room available is a HUGE room for $850/month. (possibly $800). It could also be split by a couple since there is more than enough room!

i've been trying to find queer-ish people to live with and it is proving to be very difficult. i was wondering if there is anyone on here that is apartment hunting for brooklyn to move in for aug 1st?

me and the girl living there are awesome. picture below!

please let me know :-D

ps. here is the link to the craigslist ad i put up that says more about us:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/roo/1269773961.html

Just watched Food Inc. last night. Intense! Does anyone know what soy/other products are non-GMO? Is there a list somewhere?

recently i've gone to dollar tree & bought a TON of light sticks - the kid that are bracelets & necklaces - for the kids...
we like taking glowing walks after dark. ^^
so as a consequence there are half a ton of these dead things laying around my house.....some with connectors some without. 
the bracelets are about 6-7 inches long (can't find the ruler/measuring tape) and the necklaces are just under 3x that.
anyone have any ideas about what i should do with them?? i mean, the kids still like playing with them but as they keep losing the connectors the fun ends quickly.

so any crafty ideas?  or are these going in the can when we leave for vacation sunday??

thanks! :D

Hi folks. For the past couple months, we've been trying to sort out how best to handle the growing issue of promotional posts in fatshionista. After a lot of clunky and confusing attempts to encourage promo posts to be more content-intensive, we've finally decided simply to relegate all promos of fat friendly events, small/indepdendent businesses, blogs, podcasts, or any other fat-positive flotsam to what the mods are now affectionately calling Dump Truck Fridays.

What counts as a promo post? Examples:

- a post promoting a seminar on medical advocacy
- a post announcing fat-friendly dance classes
- a post promoting a fat swim event
- a post promoting a plus-size sample or trunk sale
- a post promoting one's artwork, podcast, vlog, or other fat-positive media

Corporate promotion/advertising is still NEVER allowed. Nor is repeated weekly spamming, so choose your promotions wisely. We will determine what counts as "spamming" or "corporate" on a case by case basis.

Content-contributing posts that contain promotional notes are still permissible on other days of the week. For example, if you post an outfit, ask a question, or post anything intended to spark discussion, and also include a note about your seminar/class/swim/sale/vlog as part of that post, that's fine. The above only applies to posts that are exclusively promotional.

Got questions? Fire away. Also, any dump truck macros you can contribute to the cause are greatly appreciated.

I was taking an online Catalan course (parla.cat) earlier this morning  and I came across the section for country names. What I found most confusing is not the country names themselves, which I've already picked up due to my Portuguese/Spanish/French background, but that some had articles and others didn't. For example, el Brasil, la Xina, and L'índia, but Rússia, Alemanya, and França. Is there a rule when it comes to using articles with country names (besides their genders)? Another thing I found interesting is how it says "Catalunya" is a separate country. While I'm aware that the Preamble of 2006 by the Catalan Parliament declared that Catalonia a nation, is there any recognition of its independent status? Here's a screenshot of the lesson:

Does anyone have any good links to creating fabric flowers?
I'm making these (because most bridesmaids dresses I saw were too evil -and expensive- to inflict on my 2 best friends).

The waist calls for a pin of some kind but I was thinking of putting some flowers on there. I've looked at kanzashi flowers but I think they are probably too 'structured' for the style of the dresses.

Anyone got an ideas?

Inspired by Italian heiress, muse and patroness of the arts, Marchesa Luisa Casati.
Hand sewn fascinator using exquisite dark purple felt cloth accented with black rose and veil.

I am on a mission to freeze as many local greens as possible for the winter. Here is my current favorite way to put up swiss chard. I love pesto, but it is too heavy and oily for me. This cuts back on the oil (but not the flavor) and gives you the bonus of an extra serving of healthy greens.

1 bunch basil
1 bunch swiss chard
3-6 cloves of garlic, crushed
pinenuts or walnuts (a few tablespoons)
2 TBLS extra virgin olive oil (more or less depending on your taste)
vegan parmesan, if desired

Wash, stem, and steam the chard in a few tablespoons of water. I leave the leaves whole. Only steam until bright green, but soft. Transfer the chard to the blender. Blend until liquid. Add the basil leaves, garlic and oil and blend again. Salt to taste. I add the nuts and cheese right before serving. If freezing, I don't add the cheese and nuts until I defrost.

 Next week will be my boyfriend and myself anniversary.  So I thought wall art for out apartment. I bought a big canvas, and painted it red. I want  to paint song lyrics to our song (Blue October - Calling You)   I feel like I should add something else though. Maybe mod podge some pictures of us?

Any Ideas?

found in Amsterdam, June 2009.

Can anyone recomend a good text/packet/set for kids learning Spanish? I'm tutoring a six year old with about a 300 word vocabulary. She knows days, months, family members, foods, animals etc.; I'm just looking for some good interactive stuff that will help her kind start to bring it all together. Her parents don't think she can handle learning grammar rules (not like I'd know how to teach a six year old that anyways), so I'm just trying to speak to her a lot, and am looking for something that will compliment that.

First off, thanks everyone who helped me figure out the whole 'glazing clay' questions I had last time. I went with some floor-polish and boy am I ever glad I did! I coated a couple test pieces and subjected them to some maliciously horrible torture I could think of and they came through with barely a few scratches. I even managed to cover claythings I had used Sculpey glaze on previously with no problem at all! They went from grungy to their former glory and I couldn't be happier. Thanks so much!

Right, so.

Recently I've become a bit obsessed with buttons and bottlecaps. I've been cranking out bottlecap keychains whenever I get my grubby little paws on some and churning out little button-pendants. OH MY GOD IT IS SO MUCH FUN! Everything is so tiny and when things are tiny they seem to increase 30-56% in cuteness. Trufax!

And now I give you: