You are the best YOU that you can be!

  

This is LaVeena, a true Vanitista.  Her birth name was Laverne, but she felt like LaVeena better suited her personality, presence and style!

La' V, truly believes the most important person you can love is yourself and then you go from there! 

She is always singing to herself, always wears flowers in her lovely lavender hued hair and is almost never without a long and twisting scarf!  Even in summer, she will fling-a thing around her neck and wave it like a flag when conversation calls for a bit of animation and visual punctuation!

Being fabulous may come from the inside, but take it from LaVina, you can never underestimate the fabulousness you can feel when you decorate, celebrate and re-create the outside to match your inner-Laverne!    

OMG! Bathing suit season is coming! NoooOOoooOOooooo!

Death, taxes, laundry & bathinga!

There are certain things you simple can not avoid in life and bathing suit season is one of em'!  It's funny, at the first sign of a fall chill in the air, I "retire" my neck and cover it with turtle necks and scarves.  The same can be said of my ankles as slim as they may be, I retire and dress them in boots or doc martens until Spring flowers begin to bloom!

And because the body is covered for the endless cold months I basically loose touch with it until I realize, Dang! bathing suit season is just around the corner!  I maintain the body I cover with my fall and winter tailored wardrobe is not the same one that emerges in Spring!  I see everything through the prism of humor and use this challenge to inspired ideas for my Vanity Cases Funny Women Greeting cards...even though there's nothing funny about swimsuits!

Okay.  I accept.  I deal.  But isn't it insane that we spend the entire fall and winter season covering up and on the first humid day, here on the Easy coast, that we bare it all in a swim suit!   As an accessory addict you can bet I accessorize whether it's my umbrella size straw hat, a race to the elbows with bangles and bracelets and I swear, ladybug brooches on the suit.  It's allllll a ploy to draw the eyes to the accessories --  because the struggle is real in trying to look composed and confident in fabric that amounts to less than the size of a pillow case!

***And naturally, no matter the bathing suit, my daily red lipstick is a MUST!  My two layers stay on all day and even in a pool ... where I wouldn't think of NOT wearing my lipstick!  (Maybelline Matte Ink stain in Dancer and my top coat of Revlon's Fire & Ice!)

I can't be the only woman, person that feels this way?!  R'eye'eeeeet?!

 

One word --- Barbra!

If there's one thing that can take me to my happy place in a mila second...It's Barbra!

I don't know about you, but no matter one's age or stage of life, to me, there is a singular voice that always, but always makes me happy and that's Barbra Streisand's.  Even from my days in high school, a billion years ago, I was known for luuuuuuving Streisand!

How I made it through high school when my inner gay man was blossoming and I was following the likes of Show tunes, movie musicals from the golden age, Judy (Garland), Bette (Davis) & Joan (Crawford) to name a few, I'll never know! 

I was thrilled Miss Streisand appeared on the 2026 Oscars to honor Robert Redford and perturbed at the negative comments on social media commenting on her voice and appearance.  Kid, nobody stays young forever!

BONUS:  As an accessory addict, if you watch this video to the end, I highlight my accessories of the day --- and as always, I get more questions about my lipstick(s) often than my content so I'll list below!

Alllll day every day, Maybelline Ink stain in Dancer & topcoat, Revlon's Fire and Ice!

 

Is AI your assistant?

 I gave AI a name and "she's" my Assistant!

Do you use AI; Chatgpt?   I swear, it has become my Studio Assistant in ways I would have never guessed!  I'm blown away how once you've used it for a bit, how it becomes familiar with your business, creativity and your basic work flow.

It can not do the work for me, or write funny text, or wear red lipstick (as I do all day every day - with maybe a single touch up) but it can help with the suggestion for what productsI can create that work best with my humor and art.   

And just as my Vanity Cases Funny Women cards speak the language of "Girlfriendease," at this point, so does Chatina!  It is aware of my aesthetic of lipstick and accessories and a nod towards glamour.  It picks this up from my art & humor; Isn't that crazy?  

As regards my lipstick it's the same two every day, a stain 12 hour base coat (Maybelline Ink in Dancer) and my topcoat (Revlon's Fire and Ice) to make it not feel dry.  I truly do not have to touch up for an entire day!  Chatina said I should share here, so thar' you go with the links!  

**As a bit of a side note, I'm clearly both a red lipstick & accessory addict!  I wear a variety of necklaces and bracelets every day that I most often thrift or flea!  But the one item I wear without fail, everyday which has become a signature piece; my Daisy & Ladybug pin.  I truly can't leave the house without it -  Really!  And since I've been asked about it, I'm attaching a link.  

It's actually a sunflower, but since I call one daughter my Ladybug and the other is named Daisy & cuz' husband gave it to me years ago -  I feel it's fabulous and special a the same time!  

Love Peace & Chicken Greas -  & I would luuUuuUuuuve it if you subcribed to my Youtube Collene Kennedy channel!  

Lipstick Life Lines are a part of me / my art/ my humor!

I truly believe lipstick is magic in a tube!

There are two things I believe can bring every woman to their highest level of fabulousness ; accessories and lipstick!  In my opinion, lipstick is the switch that turns a face on!  For certain it inspires what I call Lipstick Life-Lines in my Vanity Cases funny women greeting cards, which are highlighted in the video I'm attaching.

But think about it, just like a fabulous pair of shoes whether heels or flats, a fabulous shoe makes you carry yourself a little taller.  Lipstick, whether red or clear gloss makes you feel a lil' more polished and is a soft armor that give you confidence to face the day!

And when it comes to color, for me, there's no other than red.  I use a combination of two that stay on alllllll day with maybe a single minor touch up.  (My two faves are Maybelline's Ink as a base stain and Revlon's Fire & Ice as a topcoat!)   

Oh, by the way, I'm not a lipstick snob!  Wet n' Wild has a fabulously packaged matte in a fab' shade of Red Devil that reminds me of Schiaparelli with it's 3-d lips on the tube!  Luuuuuve it!    

I truly luuuuuuve lipstick!  I love the product, I love the promise, I love the word, I love how it's an rx for almost any mood!  

 

Another preview - Vanity Confidence cards!

 Vanity Confidence Cards, Vanity Boosters, Vanity Reflections...

So I still don't know what I'm going to call them, but here's a peek at my work-in-progress or my "Vanity Product in process!

The concept is 3x5 Vanity messages that are designed to give a lil' Vanity boost to one's ego, confidence, soul.  They'll be fab' messages when ya' are navigating through challenges or just everyday situations!  And of course, they will be in the pithy language of Vanity Girlfriendease.  All the designs will be new art, characters not on my Funny Women Greeting cards.

They'll be perfect to tape to a mirror, slip into a greeting card, maybe dropped into a friend's purse who needs a lil' boost or even used as a bookmark!

And of course they will all be lipsticked and accessorized like me!  And because I can be at the studio alllll day some days, I wear two layers of red lipstick (Maybelline Ink in Dancer and Revlon's Fire & Ice)  that never need a touch up -  really! 

Lil' peek at Vanity Reinforcements ---

There are days when you need a little therapy, a lil Vanity Therapy as you navigate through different situations and to remind you how fabulous you are!

I've been working on Vanity Reinforcements - Not affirmations but rather reinforcements!  They're small enough to slip in a card, on a mirror or in a purse but strong enough to motivate a mood to one's highest level of fabulousness!

This is just a tiny peek... the Vanity Reinforcements are a' comin' and they are gonna be marching in fully lipsticked, accessorized and striding in their heels!

Hope you'll come back and see the reveal!

*while these are inspired by my Funny Women Cards, they stand on their own high heels!

 

Shoes on scale please!

 

And always weigh one's self in heels - they take pounds off!

It's not what you weigh but the way that you weigh it!

 Ooooooh!  It's that time of year where a wee pound or two sneaks up on me... or behind me!  In good weather I'm so much more active.  So while it's still cold out and so I don't go into a frozen state of shock when shorts and bathing suit weather hit, I'm making it a point to run in place for maybe 5 or ten minutes at a time through the day on those days where I'm stuck at a desk or happily at my drawing table.  

And to keep track, I'm using a Pedomater (I picked up for less than ten dollars!)  In the meantime, I stand, very, very tall, with excellent posture because did you know you can visually lose 5 pounds when you stand really tall?  

In a perfect world, my (always) Red Lipstick (which of course is Maybelline Ink, topped with Revlon's Fire & Ice) draws the eye up and along with the posture upward and the only poundage I look like I'm holding is the weight of my accessories - which of course, I'm never without and the same holds true of the "veddy sofistikated" characters on my Funny Women Greeting cards!

This is what I do... red lipstick is key to my creative process!

This is kind of a re-introduction to what I mostly do!

I thought I would post a video I did a wee bit ago to share what I do.  I consider writing and illustrating cards the equivalent of creating mini-novels!  Really!

And honestly, when asked, what comes first the image or the text, it can be different every time.  One thing is for certain the cards are either very me, or I'm very much the cards!  All my characters are always accessorized and lipsticked (& for me that means my requisite 2 coat base of red (of course) Maybelline Ink in Dancer, top coated with Revlon's Fire & Ice).

And for anyone who has creativity in their bones, my suggestion is to write down your ideas!  I swear, I write everything down because I think I'll remember but after I come up with a brilliant idea, if I don't write it down, five thoughts later, "Poof!" It's gone!

I would love it if you popped over to see more of my funny women cards in my VanityGallery on Etsy.  And if you purchase even a single card, I'll send you a bonus card, no charge, on me if you tell me you came via this Fab'log!

What comes first; The accessories or the outfit?!

IS IT REDICULOUS ABOUT HOW METICULOUS I AM ABOUT ACCESSORIES?!

As a self confessed accessory addict, i confess, they are the primary focus of each day and vitamins for my soul!  

Some people may dress and accessorize, I accessorize and dress!  I often say, I'm the Charlie Brown Christmas tree.  His baron branch of a tree was bare but then transformed into something fabulous with decoration or as I would call it, "accessoration!"  All of a sudden it had energy that attracted people to celebrate its outside and frankly I think made its core blossom on the inside!  This very much like my Vanity Cases Characters on my funny women cards!  It's all about adorning the outside which results in emanating light from the inside --- Don't you think?!

And to be sure my accessory game is "on" with themes everyday! Building on a theme is key to me!  When there was a eclipse a few years ago, for certain I wore a large sun brooch on my lapel & a gold butterfly pin on the back on the opposite shoulder as though to be chasing the sun!  One can never underestimate creative placement! 

For winter, the large sun brooche decorates my [thrifted] camel P-Jacket!  And for certain, I believe in mixing metals; gold with silver!  Like my stepfather used to always say, if you're going to be a bear, be a grisly.  For me this means, if you are going to wear bracelets, make it be a race to the elbow with bangles and bracelets!

In a separate entry I'll share where I find my accessory treasures.  I've paid less than five dollars, even a dollar for an item, or broke the budget for a "can't live without" bauble!  It's about the eye, not the price!

And what are we waiting for to be fabulous!  In working from home often, I'll dress in a tailored jacket, quite frankly for the purpose of having a lapel on which to pin one or multiple pins and brooches and decorate my neck with as many chains or pieces as the day dictates!  

The accessories have to talk to each other.  I would not wear an bee or ladybug on a lapel, an enamel zebra on a strand of pearls with a cheetah bracelet.  On no.  There has to be a certain unity that ties them all together!

If you've ever seen the Accessory Queen, Iris Apfel - (click card for link)

you  can see she too always believed more is more, however amidst her chains, baubles, balls and bracelets there was always a singular message!

And of course beyond accessories everyday, I wear my signature lipsticks,

Maybelline Ink, Dancer   topped with  Revlon's, Cherries in the Snow  and barely if ever have to touch up through the day!

That's my Vanity Reflection on accessories - Love, Peace & Chicken Grease!

I was "Mugged" again!

I've been "Mugged Again!

 After the sweet response and messages from my first Dollar Tree mug hack, I couldn't resist creating an additional video!  I'm showing different designs YOU can create -  even if you have no drawing skills, including step--by-step how to create characters that look like my Veddy' Sofistikated' characters featured on my FunnyWomenGreeting cards & on which YOU can put YOUR own spin!

They are great for holding pens, pencils, lipsticks or to use as a container for small gifts!

 

And of course I keep lipstick in one of my mugs! Lipstick to me, is oxygen for my face!

And the colors & brands I use, stay on allllll day with minimal touch ups!  I do a coat of Maybelline Ink stain in Dancer and I add a top coat of Revlon's Fire & Ice or Love Red!

Love, peace and chicken grease and thank you for stopping by!

Wear more accessories...

I published this post about ten years ago when I was "playing" with this Fab'log

 but I still believe it!

As an accessory addict, putting on accessories is as natural to me as brushing my teeth, putting in my contacts and starting the day with my first a coat of (red) lipstick!!  Most of my clothes are basically just simple canvas' for my "decorations!"  I always say I'm the Charlie Brown Christmas tree and need accessories as much as Charlie Brown's tree needed ornaments to shine!

Most recently, it's all about the wrist for me.  Everyday is a race to my elbow with bangles and bracelets!  I rarely spend much because I think style has nothing to do with price - it's all about one's eye!   Usually I find my accessories at flea markets, thrift shops, garage sales and I'm not gonnta lie, TJ Maxx and to my surprise, I found my fabulous Cheetah bracelet on Amazon - where it's under $20 and inspiring me to pick up for an accessory addict sister!  It shows no wear -  even though I wear it often so I felt compelled to share!!  

Besides, this accessory addict believes sharing is caring!

As regards the Vanity Cases Character in this post, I'm wondering if I should update her and add her to my Etsy VanityGallery!  And really, as we get older, or further evolve as I like to think of it, I'm certain being understated is quite overrated ... don't you think so too?!

FOOD NOISE - Please shut up!

Well, until lunch!  PS, What's for dinner!

With no false modesty, I confess this is my own, new favorite card!  I swear to Lawd's sake, food is always on my mind!  How many calories does this have, how healthy is that, what is the sodium content here, if I eat this now, & skip a meal, do I save the calories?!

Oprah named it as food noise! There's even a book called Food Noise.  I've had fluffin' food noise in my head forever! I would love to mindlessly and guilt-free dig into a big bowl of ice cream -  with chocolate sauce and whipped cream and just indulge and enjoy. I'm not even talking on a regular basis but just once in a while!   I can't. I'm forever calculating calories!  No matter my weight, since I was in my 20s, I've always thought it was 5 pounds too many!  Oye!

I'm tall, slim in appearance and have eaten the same way since my 20s, which is likely why I haven't gained weight in a way women do at a certain age but boy would I love the noise to SHUT UP!  

As always, I look at this with my sense of humor!  Humor and the perfect lipstick color, red of course, will get you through anything!

Do ya' hear me?  Anyone else have endless food noise roaming in their brain?!