Viva la Feminista

This is part one of the review as I have yet to do anything but squeal over my Zazzle custom fabric . As you can see it is very light purple, has the Viva la Feminista logo and my motto "Peace, Love & Feminism" printed on the fabric. I am not a pro with fabric. I know how to sew and once I get my sewing machine all set, I will be turning this fabric (I have 2 yards) into a skirt. Yup, if you see me at a blogger and/or feminist event, you might catch me in it. #NERD. But since my BFF, Cinnamon, is a fabric pro I asked her for thoughts on the fabric itself. The printing is well done. The ink did not bleed. Apparently Cinnamon has seen custom fabric where the ink did bleed. She also gave the thumbs up to making a skirt with the fabric, which is the Pima cotton . I am super excited to make my skirt and see if I can make something else from it.So stick around to see how my projects turn out! And new fabric designs I'll doodle up.

 As some of you rush out to the mall to get in on deals, I wanted to share this response to the Victoria's Secret "Perfect Body" campaign from Dear Kate. While they changed the slogan to be less offensive , if you are looking for some comfy underwear AND some cute period panties, look no further than Dear Kate . So not only are they a super neat idea (pretty period panties) and they have awesome marketing images. This "Perfect Body" campaign is not the first time a wide range of bodies have been used in their images. BUT...get this, they have a line of underwear called "The League of Ladies" that depicts bad ass ladies of history as superheroes. Which, I guess they kinda are. The only downside to "Dear Kate" underwear is that the magic science stuff that make them awesome for wearing during one's period make them not suitable for drying in a dryer. And if you're like me and a bit forgetful, you might ruin a pair.So careful! ...

For some reason our last car attracted nails and screws like it was made from a magnet. We lost count of how much time and money we put into patching the tires and even a few times having to call a tow truck for help. One time we even got a flat on the tollway, which was not a happy moment at all. Now that Ella is closer to driving than not, we have definitely pondered how she will maneuver Chicago's streets behind the wheel. This was especially on our minds after touring Lane Tech and seeing their pretty awesome drivers ed course. While I am focused on getting Ella to focus on where we are driving (street names, direction, etc) before we have to really seriously think about drivers ed, the idea of a flat is a big concern of mine. I wonder how much of it is related to her being a girl and that cars represent safety and protection. If she is out with friends, things move in a direction she's not interested in going, she can jump in the car and vamoose. And yes, I do plan to ha...

I mean really smart! All the models for Betabrand's spring collection are either working on their PhD or have one. I do wonder if their XL would actually fit me, but otherwise, the clothes look great. Check out these two super smart women wearing some super cute outfits: And no, this isn't a sponsored post. I just fell for the best press release I've seen in awhile. And believe me I get a lot of stinkers.

I get a lot of infographics to share with all of you. Mostly women's rights one that link back to some totally unrelated business. But this infographic is neither! As someone who is obsessed with finding the perfect pen , it's a lot of fun.

The one nifty tool that I never added to Viva la Feminista was the subscribe by email option. Honestly, I didn't think people wanted it. That is until someone asked me why it wasn't offered a few months ago. So ta-da! It's now available. Just go over to the sidebar and look for "Connect with Viva la Feminista" and click on the email link. I'll be tweaking with how the email will look, so forgive any ugliness that occurs at first. And back to your regularly scheduled program...

This was originally posted at the AWEARNESS blog.  A short note from a friend asked for my attention over the weekend. Her son's preschool teacher returned to his homeland of Haiti to search for his parents. He found them, but that is just the first part of what appears to be a long journey through immigration bureaucracy. Jean-Paul Coffy is currently with his parents at a hospital and somehow was able to get their passports reissued, but now he is awaiting judgment from the American government as to whether or not he can bring them to his adopted hometown of Chicago : ...he had an appointment scheduled for Thursday with the United States Consulate in Santo Domingo to apply for temporary visas to take them to Chicago. Another possibility would be humanitarian parole, a special temporary immigration category that is rarely granted. His case will be particularly difficult, immigration experts say, because Mr. Coffy, while a legal resident with a green ...

I can't believe, ok maybe I can, that I forgot to post this recipe that I made a few months ago. My thoughts on it are YUM! What I learned from making my first risotto from scratch: When the recipe says to cut into small pieces, DO IT. I don't think the taste would had been as strong if I had cut the pumpkin pieces into smaller bits. I do this a lot when cooking, take shortcuts like the cutting. I learned my lesson! I also learned that my family does not like risotto. This recipe also produces A LOT of risotto. For my family of three, I should make a half recipe at most. Of course now I need to figure out what a single serving looks like. If you make this recipe, let me know how it turns out for you!

I get that much closer to being a member of the Red Hat Society! I know I can join anytime...hehe. I've always chuckled at their antics and their new year resolutions don't disappoint: Ruby RedHat's Top Ten Rules for Living Plus ONE 1 Accept reality and live in the here and now. Ruby can't be bothered by what-ifs or regrets. She says they interfere with her fun! 2. Accentuate the positive. Ruby always chooses to find the good in any situation she is faced with. She says she would rather develop laugh lines than frown lines. 3. Nurture yourself. Ruby listens to herself and provides for her own needs. When she needs a break, she gives herself one! 4. Indulge your sense of humor. Ruby heartily appreciates the value of laughter. 5. Play! Either Ruby never grew up all the way or she has regressed. In any event, she knows how to have a great time. 6. Dress up! Ruby adores embellishing whatever she is wearing with glitz, glitter, and glam. 7. Culti...

Obviously this month has been uber busy and the originally blogging has taken a holiday. My only solace is that hopefully y'all are just as busy and don't have time to complain. ha! I hope that you all are safe & warm where ever and which ever holiday you are celebrating. Here's to 2010 and all the fab adventures she holds for us.

The top 10 ideas for change have been revealed and NONE of the top three women's issues made it: Pass the DREAM Act - Support Higher Education for All Students Appoint Secretary of Peace in Department of Peace and Non-Violence Free Single Payer Health Care Develop & Implement a National Strategy for Sustainability Pass Marriage Equality Rights for LGBT Couples Nationwide Make the grid green in 10 years Legalize the Medicinal and Recreational Use of Marijuana Get FISA Right, repeal the PATRIOT Act, and restore our civil liberties Save Small Business From the CPSIA Health Freedom IS Our First Freedom All are ...

** This week's giveaway is a $10 card to both DonorsChoose & BuildaBearville ** Then you are in luck! The Revelette's are looking for new members: The Revelettes, Chicago's hippest and hottest performing go-go troupe, are inviting Chicago's cheekiest chicas to don their white boots and join the go-go revolution! Auditions will be held Monday, January 26, from 7:30–9:00pm, at Joel Hall Dance Center, 1511 W. Berwyn. The Revelettes perform 1960s-inspired go-go to beats from the past four decades at such venues as darkroom, Betty's Blue Star Lounge, Empty Bottle and The Double Door. Check out photos, video, and info at www.myspace.com/revelettes They also performed, quite patiently, at the Bitch fundraiser I held in May . So they're kewl, ya know. And no, I'm not going out for the troupe. First, I'm an awful dancer and second, I can barely find time to knit much less practice & perform. Revelettes come in all sizes, shapes & colors, so don...

Apparently the real estate market near the Obamas Chicago home is heating up : The first house to sell in “Obama-Wood” since the presidential election was a 12-room, three-story Georgian that closed on December 3rd with a sale price of $1.25 million. (That was also the asking price—and the house sold in under a week.) Built in 1924 and owned for the past three decades by a University of Chicago professor and his lawyer wife, the house sits just 50 feet outside the barricades that have gone up around the Obamas’ block. It's not just the idea of living in the same 'hood as the POTUS that may be driving this baby. It might also be the idea of living in the safest place in Chicago. They didn’t come to Kenwood because of Obama—Coe grew up in Hyde Park and has several family members still living nearby—but they already appreciate the presence of the president-elect’s family. “There’s so much security in the neighborhood, I feel like our three-year-old could go out and dance in the mi...

Especially when they Rick Roll us

On October 1, 2008 , for the first time ever women of all ages and backgrounds have the opportunity to let it all out and let their true feelings heard. Fabulously40 will allow you to gain freedom and liberation, by bitching about everything and anything, in a safe, protected environment. The day will be full of bitching events. Win prizes, meet women, and most importantly- LET IT ALL OUT! I've been told that this is not just for those of you wiser women over 40, but for any of us mujeres who have a thing or twenty to get off our chests. As you might expect it is a social network site, but it's not like we all don't have a million already right? haha...all these SNS's remind me that a decade ago I was addicted to newsgroups. alt dot whatever...Aw, memories.

OMFG I am drowning in things to blog about, yet I still have writers block. That's me. Instead of trying to sort thru it all, I present you with a list of things to read and do: American Express is giving away money to non-profits, but they need your vote. Women for Women International’s (W4WI) Help Women and Children Survivors of War Rebuild project is now in the running to receive part of $2.5 million in grants . The Winning Project will receive $1.5 Million in funding, the 2nd Place Project: $500,000; the 3rd Place Project: $300,000; and the remaining two Finalist Projects will receive $100,000 each. Michelle Goldberg attended the Women Against Sarah Palin demonstration. Read all about it! I created a calendar for this blog. I was trying to blog upcoming events, but that fell by the wayside...instead I present to you my picks for feminist events in Chicago that you should be attending. Yeah, most of them I'll be at or have a hand in promoting, but still, you should be...

On days like today when I'm a bit overwhelmed, I peek over at the panda-cam at the National Zoo. Today's update read like a medical chart with far too much info than I was prepared to handle. But here's to more baby pandas! March 25 As we reported last week, Mei Xiang ovulated on March 19. She has continued to show estrous behavior, bleating at her keepers and walking backwards with her tail up when she sees Tian Tian through the window that sits between their yards. Tian’s internal scent analysis tells him that her estrogen has waned and she deserves barely a glance. However, he still chooses frequently to rest near her on the other side of the fence line. We will continue to do daily vaginal swabs until her cells return to their normal everyday composition. Externally, her genitals look almost normal again, only the faintest blush of pink remains and the swelling is just about gone. One has to wonder, if in the wild, very young male pandas would gain valuable experi...

Chicago is a bicyclers' city. We have miles of bike paths and our mayor is an avid cyclist. He also has an idea of making Chicago like Paris with bikes for rent all over the place. I like that idea. I live on the far north side of the city and work close to the Loop. I also need to drop off the kid each morning and I'm not doing that in a bike every day in the morning and evening. But I would love to have access to a bike to get around my work neighborhood without having to bring my home bike into the office. BUT... The latest idea from the City Council is to crack down on drivers . Why? Because bicyclists have been killed and hurt by reckless cars. OK? I can get down with that. But the increase in wanting to protect riders comes after a rider went through a RED light and a SUV struck him and killed him. Apparently driving on a green is bad in the bicyclist world. Seriously, I saw bicyclists on TV say something like "You can't always believe everyone will obey the law....

Ann at La Bloga received a Priestcake Calendar ! “I got something for you Ann, I won it at a Yankee gift exchange and I just know you’re the only one who’ll appreciate it” my friend Tom told me earlier this month. “My brother got it at the Vatican.” He set it down in front of me, a 2008 calendar featuring black and white photographs of thirteen handsome young priests, one for each month and the best looking for the cover. And it is “con cenni storico artistici sul Vaticano.” With historic notes about the Vatican! Yeah! As I flipped through the pages, each month boasting another dark-haired, dark-eyed young man in vestmental garb, my jaw was on my chest. “It’s a priestcake calendar!” I exclaimed. “This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen!” Tom’s smile couldn’t have been wider: he had found the calendar the perfect home. As I left his office—did I mention he’s our college president?—I decided I just had to know more about the calendar’s history. I guess if they can't let women becom...