Where is the Love?

"Oh, innocent victims of Cupid,

Remember this terse little verse;

To let a fool kiss you is stupid,

To let a kiss fool you is worse."

(Anthropologie Peppered and Striped skirt and Field Game Cardi, J.Crew gold rose tank, HUE tights, UO Kimchi Blue Oxfords)

You know what I hate about Valentine's Day?

I hate that our culture has made it so exclusive--

that people feel left out of the festivities because they're not married or in a dating relationship,

completely disregarding the various ways or beautiful forms love can take in our lives.

I am a mother. A daughter. A wife. A friend.

I am all of these.

But without the love they involve they're meaningless labels that

outline the parameters of my life.

While my romance with Scott is filled with certain enjoyable benefits,

my other relationships are no less meaningful--

full of smiles, secrets, touches, tickles,

dreams, cuddles, and kisses.

From my children, I've learned to choose the real over the fake.

From my parents, I've learned the value of working over whining.

And from my friends, I've learned to decipher between the true and the false.

I just love LOVE--everything it encompasses, every relationship it involves.

So, just when did love get so confined in the box of romance?

I'm sure you're probably thinking,

"You're a good one to talk, Kristina...

You've got the husband, the kids, the parents, the friends."

And it's true, I do.

But even married people can take love for granted...

forget to cherish their children and misuse their friends.

Whether you're in a romantic relationship or not,

if you stopped to consider the beauty that is your life, you would very likely

realize you are absolutely the world to at least one other person...

that one who never wishes to change you, but by knowing them, has changed you forever.

the one who sees the good in you and forgives everything else in you.

And if you can just embrace the love you've already been shown

in the forms you've overlooked, maybe one day, you'll pass that special someone on the road

when you're not looking for it, when you're least expecting it.

And they'll probably, no definitely, turn their head

and risk pinching a nerve and wrecking their car, just to get another look at you...

but whether that day ever comes or not, why not use Valentine's Day

to celebrate all the other people in your life who will love you for like, ever.

Constructing: Stewart Dress

I've been wanting a little plaid dress I could wear black tights and a blazer with for winter, and LOVED the Marc Jacobs version (but honestly, $500 for a casual dress?)

Not happenin'.

Besides, what's the point, when I could have my own version for $9 and one afternoon's worth of work?

You see my point, right?

For the Do-It-Yourselfer's, this is a little trick I use all the time on tunic shaped dresses that I want to be a little more fitted in the waist.

--Sew one side of a grosgrain ribbon across the waist of the dress.

--Sew down the ends of 1 inch elastic under neath the ribbon (just across the back from side seam to side seam)

--Sew up the other side of the ribbon to cover the elastic.

It just pulls the back together, without having to put in a

complete elastic waist band, and ends up looking like this from the back.

I wanted to have some kind of crest on the shoulder,

but didn't have any Scottish crests just lying around and

ended up using this button and ribbon.

I'd already taken all these pictures when I spotted these

amazing silver crest buttons at Walmart, of all places,

and used one to replace the wood button.

I love this so much better.

(Kristina J. Stewart Dress, Anthro Tellicherry Belt and Field Game Cardigan, Mia Cadet Booties)

Finally, a shot of my little photographer!