Red & Black Week 2012 Recap

You ladies (and a couple of gentlemen!) really pulled out all the stops for Second Annual Red & Black Week.  I simply can't express how pleased I am with the enthusiasm this event garnered amongst our little community!

It's such a shame that Mr. Linky died in the final hours of the event.  This was beyond my control, as Linky is a paid service I use.  They have the system back up and running now, so if you missed getting your Day 6 post linked up, please let me know.

And now, the results!

We had a total of 62 participants this year; an incredible increase over last year's 28 participants.

Altogether, we posted 218 posts.  12 of us posted for all six days of the event.  8 people posted five out of six, and 7 people posted on four out of six days. Our biggest single day was Day Two with 41 entries.

Topics covered included fashion, jewelry, makeup, nails, crafts, flowers, books, poetry, photography, video games, home decor, music videos, nightclubs, cars, hair care products, camping gear, drawings, paintings, food, toys, pets and more!

In case you missed anything, check out all of the Red & Black Posts.

As promised, here is a list of everyone who participated throughout the week, along with links to their blogs.  These are listed in the order in which they first posted, starting with Day One.

1. VictorianKitty of Sophistique Noir
2. Kraven Hellbeast of Meanwhile in Pandaemonium
3. Amy of Gothica
4. Jean of all Trades
5. kakuidori of o.O 
6. Nightshade of thepurplebroom
7. SaryWalrus of The Walrus Room
8. Lesthi of Lesthi's Blog
9. Pixel Pixie of Cuz I Said Sew
10. Lynoire of Milking the Rolling Cow
11. Siouxsie Law
12. Madam Noire of Makeup Madness
13. Jess Thai of Rabbit Library
14. VavaBeeb of VavaBeeb Through the Looking Glass
15. Amy Asphodel of Stripy Tights and Dark Delights
16. Smashed Doll of Thoughts of a Smashed Doll 
17. Xanthy of My life as a fairy princess
18. Le Professeur Gothique 
19. Linnea-maria
20. Mr. Kitty of Wheels are Everything
21. Twisted Princess of Darkling Dreams
22. Blackblood of Blood is the New Black
23. Mindless of Mindless Indulgence
24. Sabayon of Ruffles Not Diets
25. Sophie of BelfryBatz
26. Leena of Luurankoja kaapissa
27. Electrobat of Dark Entries
28. Bixie Willow of Goth to Goth
29. Sophie of The Dark Functionary
30. The Heartsless Witch
31. Jamie of Geeky Goth Girl
32. Gothbarbie of Military Fashion Show
33. Lady Bethezda of Bethezda's Preoccupations
34. Cris of Secret Diary of a Closet Goth
35. Countess Audronasha of Gothically Yours
36. Meagan Kyla of Coffin Kitsch 
37. Far Away Girl of Over the Mountains and Far Away 
38. Sheridan of The Zombie Moshpit
39. Cirque de Beaute
40. Crazy Nigel of lil' bit
41. Katelynn of Life of a Babybat
42. Trystan of This is CorpGoth
43. Unlacing the Victorians
44. Alicia of yunxheexpyong
45. Ms. Lou of The Neo-Victorian Parlour
46. Bane of GIY: Goth it Yourself
47. Sal K. of Still Dark @ Heart
48. Housecat of Domesticated
49. Saskia of Catacomb Kitten
50. Caitlin of Diary of a Girly Nerd
51. Dani DeathBiscuit of Confessions of an Australian Goth 
52. The Cemetery Dreamer
53. The Everyday Goth
54. Prunio
55. Merrihel Wednesday of Style and Graphite
56. Marmalade Marionette
57. traicetrak of The Airstepper's Adventure
58. ette of Be old, be new, be different!
59. Christopher Courtley of Courtley Manor
60. Daughter of the Jaded Era
61. Katelyn of The Bat Cave
62. Mistress Mystral of Mustaa Pitsia

Please let me know if you find any errors or omissions in this list.  I'm human!  ;)

Honorary Participant Number 63:
As a little bonus, here is the youngest participant ever in Red & Black Week!  This little darling is a relative of mine who apparently really loved our theme.  Someday, I will buy her a fabulous pair of shoes to go with that dress!

Thanks for a great week, everyone!  I can't wait for June 2013 so we can do it again.  In the meantime, stay tuned for my monthly one-day themes, which will resume July 1.

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

Red & Black Week, Day 6: A Night at the Pantages

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This is it!  Day 6, and the conclusion of an amazing week of Red & Black Gothy Blogging!  Show us what you've got for the grand finale, and be sure to check back tomorrow for a recap of everyone who participated.

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

In the interest of full disclosure, please be aware that I had to recreate this look. :) The event I actually wore it to took place on October 31, 2010, before I had even dreamed up my blog. But I kept remembering it when I was contemplating this year's Red & Black Week...

The big event was the final night of Andrew Lloyd Webber's production of Phantom of the Opera at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. I managed to turn my dad into a Phantom fan when I took him to see it at the Pantages back in 1999. When he heard in 2010 it was closing down for good, he was determined to attend one of the final performances. Dad, Mr. Kitty an I actually went twice in one week; once sitting front-row center, then again five nights later about half-way back for the final performance. It was an amazing experience. And one of the only times I've gone out in an evening gown and actually NOT looked out of place.

This gown is by Jessica McClintock, who I suppose you could say is my favorite designer for formal wear. The dress I wore for the first Movie Monday was also from her line (sadly, I had to retire that dress after that wearing), and I have one other that you'll see sometime soon.

The necklace and earrings were from a random no-name accessory store in the mall, back when I lived in Burbank. My wrap was just a long piece of tulle, right off of the bolt. I suppose I could've at least sewed some trim on it, but who has the time?

This August, we hope to go see the "modified" version of Phantom currently running in Vegas* before it closes in September. Mom's not into the theatre at all, so I guess she's staying home petsitting. ;)

* Blech -I hate everything about Vegas... but what's a fan girl to do?

Want to participate in Red & Black Week? Here's how:

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

Red & Black Week, Day 5: Contrast

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I must apologize for not getting to comment yet on everyone's posts from yesterday. It was a very challenging day at work, and I just needed to rest when I finally got home. I promise tonight I will read and comment on all the posts from both yesterday and today. So keep them coming!

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

I bought this corset ages ago (as in, not even this century), before I knew much (as in anything) about the importance of quality in corsetry. Naturally, the plastic boning in this thing bends and bulges in very unflattering ways and is getting worse over time. Still, it's very durable for an inexpensive piece, and I love the drama of it, so I'll probably hang onto it until it starts to wear out.

I think pretty much every Goth girl has a corset similar to this one, so I'm definitely not winning any points for originality today! I hope my necklace by Artwith Latex can make up for that! This was the first piece I ordered from them (I've since acquired a choker/bracelet set), after seeing an ad in Gothic Beauty magazine. All of their pieces are amazing, and the creation process sounds like a true art form. The only problem is the necklace tends to shift gradually as I move my head throughout the evening, so I hold the center part in place with a tiny piece of fashion tape.

Today's makeup is inspired by the work of Madame Noire. I often wear red in the crease, but I tried blending more black into it for this look. These photos are from last weekend, and naturally this week Ms. Noire did a tutorial on a more subtle use of red shadow, which I like much better than my heavy application. I love very heavy makeup in dark clubs, but next time I want a more versatile red shadow look, I'll be using her tips for sure!

Want to participate in Red & Black Week? Here's how:

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

Red & Black Week, Day 4: Ruching and Pleating

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Welcome to Red & Black Week Day 4 of 6!  We're halfway there, ladies!  :) We've had an astonishing number of participants so far! But I'm not going to reveal how many yet. I'll save the surprise for my Post-Red & Black Week Wrap-Up this Saturday!

If anyone missed their chance to link up their posts from yesterday due to the brief Mr. Linky malfunction, let me know and I will be sure to add you manually. I know some of you are dedicated to participating every day of the event, and I don't want anyone to miss out if they had something planned!

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

Maybe I should've called this Ruche & Black Week.  ;)  What can I say; that's my absolute favorite clothing detail ever.  I have tons of ruched sleeves, bodices and skirts.  This strapless satin top is interesting in the fact that I think it's the only strapless top I've ever seen that buttons up the front.  It also has a cute little sash, which I prefer to just wrap around the back (using the built-in belt loops) than all the way around.  Someday I'll try it with a black sash, which I think would look cute tied in a bow in the front.

This top is another perfect color match for my all-time favorite red and black shoes!  I recently grabbed the asymmetrical sheer pleated skirt from Ross.  Yeah, I went from being a Ross hater to a total Ross groupie.  But I can't resist a skirt that's longer in the back than in the front!  I'm pretty sure we Goths invented that, despite the fact that it actually seems to be extremely popular suddenly...

You might remember this cross from one of my Red & Black Week outfits in 2011. I'm wearing red rhinestone stud earrings, too, although they pretty much look black in the photos.

I was experimenting with grey makeup in preparation for my new job...  I wore it darker here than I have been to work, to make it more evening-appropriate, but I wanted to see how the color looked on me, and make sure it didn't irritate my lids. I've had a lot of allergic reactions to eye shadows, which is why I usually stick with either Ben Nye or Bare Minerals. This one is by the latter, and as usual this brand was safe for me. However, I decided that it had a bit too much sparkle in it, since I wanted to pair it with a shimmery pink, so I'll be on the hunt for a matte grey next time I'm at the one store I know of that actually sells Ben Nye (other than online, but I like to see makeup products in person before I buy them the first time, when possible).

Wow; why do my nails look pink in this photo??

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

Red & Black Week, Day 3: Red Dress, Black Cardi

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First off, I wanted to extend a warm welcome to my newest followers.  Seems I've gained a few as a result of this week's big event.  Thank you all so much for taking part, whether you are contributing blog posts of your own or just enjoying those of others.  Hope everyone is having fun with it!

Today, Red & Black Week continues with Day 3 of 6, and another work outfit.

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

This dress is a twin of the purple dress I wore during my first interview for the new job.  I grabbed them both at Ross on the same day a couple months ago, because I loved everything about the cut.  The ruched bodice is super-flattering, and the a-line skirt is perfect for work!

Today's tattoo-concealing shrug is a modification of an old, unflattering cardi.  I cut off the front button part, cut the whole thing shorter and hemmed it all the way around.  Now it is just the right length to not hide my figure or my dress.

I ditched the shrug when Mr. Kitty picked me up from work so we could go out for a nice dinner.  Did I mention that Mr. Kitty and I are commuting together now that I have this new job?  He's been commuting for several years, and now my new employer happens to be right on his way to his office.  So we get to keep each other company for the first half of his drive, and we save on gas!  Sometimes it's nice to stop for dinner halfway home to unwind a bit and break up the drive.

I spontaneously wore a side ponytail as a variation on my usual side bun.  Everyone at work was shocked to see how long my hair is.  I always love revealing that little secret to a new group of people when they've only ever seen me with my hair up.  :) 

The necklace and bead earrings are self-made. This bracelet is just a set of beaded stretch bracelets I bought in a random accessory shop on Melrose, with a sparkly butterfly brooch attached.  Another spontaneous decision, because I was dying to incorporate that little guy into my Red & Black posts this year but didn't have any outfits planned that called for a brooch.  I had to be very careful not to smash him all over my desk throughout the day...  It seems he survived without injury!

Want to participate in Red & Black Week? Here's how:

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

Red & Black Week, Day 2: Black Turtleneck, Red Cardi, Wide Belt

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We had a great turnout for Day One of Red & Black Week! Thank you all so much for the great kick-off. Now, it's on to Day Two. Today, I'm bringing you one of my New Job Outfits.

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

I was so happy to find a couple of ways to incorporate the color scheme of the week into my new job wardrobe!   I bought this red cardigan at Ross during my "OMG I need more long sleeves" panic shopping.  Coverups like this are a perfect way to utilize many of my current short-sleeve pieces without revealing any tattoos, so I've accumulated several different colors over the past month.

As you've probably noticed, I'm not a fan of loose, drapey things that hide a woman's figure...  Adding an elastic belt from random mall store gave this outfit a lovely shape, plus that shiny buckle added some drama without going over the top with accessories (which I usually do, but haven't built up the courage for at the new job).

I kept the rest of the outfit simple with a sleeveless mock turtleneck shell and stretchy black pencil skirt.  This skirt is currently a bit too snug in the ... backside... to wear to work without a coverup, so this cardi is serving multiple purposes!!  I still need to shape up a bit after gaining 10 pounds during my "old job drama."  My mental health has improved dramatically, so I am no longer living on a diet of red wine and chocolate, but I still haven't gotten back in the habit of exercising. I sure miss the energy I had when I was in better shape! And that handful of my favorite skirts that are currently obscenely tight and unwearable because when I put on weight, it all goes directly to my behind!  :/

Want to participate in Red & Black Week? Here's how:

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

Red & Black Week, Day 1: Vintage Polka Dots

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Happy Second Annual Red & Black Week! I've been looking forward to this ever since last year's inaugural event.  I'll be waiting up till after midnight tonight, like a kid waiting for Santa, to see who's the first to post in the Linky.  ;-D

Questions about this theme? Visit the Red & Black Week Rules and FAQs or e-mail me.

I scored this polka dot wiggle dress at Macy's last month on sale for 50% off. Technically, I was shopping for new work clothes, but this was 50% off. Admit it; you would have done the same thing. ;) So, to justify it as a work-related purchase, I wore this outfit to a little New Job Celebration with a couple of friends. One of our friends was having some work drama of her own, which was resolved just about the same time as I got my offer, so champagne was definitely in order!

A vintage look like this just screams for flesh-tone fishnets, doesn't it?  Of course, in the photos you can't tell they are fishnets. Trust me, they are; and they looked fabulous in person!

In my opinion, nothing goes better with black and white polka dots than red accessories. I think this is the first time I've worn the "other pair" of red shoes I bought on my birthday last year.  I tied the shoes in with a red hair flower adorning my ponytail, and matching lipstick.

I can't wait to see what my fellow Goth bloggers are wearing this week to honor this much-celebrated color scheme. Let the linking begin!


Want to participate in Red & Black Week? Here's how:

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

Monthly Homework Assignment: Prized Possessions

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I'm chronically late with my Monthly Homework Assignments for Le Professeur Gothique! I'm really hoping I have become teacher's pet so I can get away with it. Or maybe I'm just testing her to see exactly how late I can be before I get demerits. ;)

May's assignment was Prized Possessions. There are so many things that I could include in this list... Pets and photos, of course, go without saying. I chose to keep my choices fashion-related so they are relevant to my blog and to narrow down my choices a bit. :) At the same time, fashion really isn't the first thing I would worry about if my house was on fire and I could only save whatever I could carry, but I do have a few jewelry pieces that I treasure beyond just what they are as material possessions.

 
The first and most important is this brooch. It's my only true vintage jewelry piece, and it belonged to Mr. Kitty's mother. His parents were quite a bit older, and sadly had both passed away before I met him, so I never had a chance to know them. I've seen his treasured photos from when his mother was a young woman in the 1940s and I've always admired how classy she was. I was so deeply honored when he was going through a box of her accessories, came across this brooch and asked me if I would like to have it. I've worn it several times on my blog, and it was my good luck charm in Interview #2 for my new job.

The next item that I would do just about anything to save in a fire has virtually no monetary value. It's just a silver ring from one of those “random mass-produced inexpensive silver ring stores.” The value in this ring, as I mentioned in my Monthly Theme for February (which happened to be Rings), is that it was the very first thing that Mr. Kitty ever bought me, other than food and wine. ;)

Last but not least, I truly treasure this Alchemy Gothic locket Mr. Kitty got for me last Christmas. Not only is it one of the most stunningly beautiful things I own, as well as a gift from my soulmate, but it contains photos of my most treasured non-material possessions:

Prometheus and Perseus!

Sure, I'd save the cats before this locket if there was a fire, but this thing has traveled close to my heart any time I've had to leave them for more than I day ever since I got the locket, so I've grown very attached to it. It is a symbol of comfort to me whenever I can't be with them. I find when I am wearing it, even if one of them is currently laying in my lap, I like to open it and look at those tiny photos and remember how much joy those images bring me in the absence of their actual presence.

What material possessions would you be sure to save if everything you owned was about to go up in flames? What makes those things most important to you?

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

Monthly Homework Assignment: Artistic Inspiration

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Le Professeur has tasked us with another fantastic challenge for April's Monthly Homework Assignment. This time, she asks us to create a post inspired by visual art. I was a bit sad that I so recently featured my dress covered in ladies from classical art for my March 1 Gray Theme... But that's what challenges are for: to push the limits of our creativity and encourage us to come up with new ideas.

Today's post is inspired by the fairy artwork of Amy Brown.

I'm not necessarily a huge fan of fantasy art, but I've always loved Amy Brown's fairies. My attraction to them can most definitely be attributed their stunning sense of dark fashion. Many of her fairies represent a sartorial ideal to me, and have probably been somewhat of a subconscious inspiration to me in building my wardrobe over at least the past 5 years.

In contemplating my solution to this month's homework assignment, I explored the Web sites of various "dark" artists before it dawned on me that without question, Ms. Brown's work would be the perfect source for a visual art inspired look. And the image that immediately spoke to me (and that I knew I could emulate to a respectable degree while being true to my own look) was:

SOURCE: Amy Brown

Thanks to Mr. Kitty for the wonderful art direction on this one, as on most of my "special" posts. He is so much the other half of my brain, he always knows exactly how to help me get what I am looking for. He also keeps me from getting frustrated by reminding me that humans actually cannot exactly recreate poses taken by characters in watercolor paintings... At least, not without dislocating my left shoulder and removing a few vertebrae...

Next time we go clubbing, don't be surprised if I end up dressed like another of Ms. Brown's elegant creatures!

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

April 1 Theme: Flowers

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Floral print can be challenging in Gothic fashion. Some Goths love it, some hate it; either way, it can be difficult to make it "work" with the look. I know many of you are probably cursing at me for this theme... ;) You are not alone, as I was cursing myself for a couple of days, too. I have very few floral print pieces in my wardrobe, the best ones being a red rose print shirt and my grey silk chiffon maxi skirt.

Mr. Kitty suggested that, instead of featuring something I've already worn on this blog, I should push the limits of my hair flower collection. I haven't been bothering to do much with my hair lately, so I thought this idea was a timely way to get me out of a rut.  I used my favorite chignon, wrapped my own hair in a braid around it, and topped it off with three different hued purple hair flowers.  Massive ones.

I realized that this silk chiffon top from Bebe would be the perfect complement to this floral-themed hair style. The dramatic keyhole neckline is trimmed with matching fabric flowers edged in black and topped with black beads. I paired it with one of my Newport News fishtail skirts.

My rose ring (featured in my February theme post, Rings), a pair of black flower earrings and of course my rose handbag from Pyramid Collection finished my celebration of spring!

I headed out to dinner with Mr. Kitty and my parents in this outfit, to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday. In keeping with the floral theme, I gave her a potted jasmine plant. And some Lindor chocolate truffles, which don't have anything to do with flowers but are a necessity at all times!

Last but not least, I give you to a view of our humble floral offerings. Living in the desert, we committed to using only low-water landscaping for our yard. We have not a single square inch of grass. We also don't have a lot of time for landscape maintenance, so most of our design is done using various stone and bricks. However, we did splurge and go for a patch of ice plant. This amazingly hardy succulent ground cover is able to survive our 110-degree summer days AND our occasionally freezing winter nights, all with very minimal water. Best of all, we are treated to the most gorgeous fuchsia-hued flowers for about three months each spring. Looks like we missed quite a lot of the early blooms while we were on vacation last week, but there are many more to come. If we committed to more watering, this whole patch would be thick with flowers for the whole season... But our needs are modest, and we are content with just a smattering of this great beauty.  My delight was enhanced by the fact that our ice plant blooms happen to match tonight's outfit so perfectly!

Want to participate in this month's theme?

Now it's your turn! You know what to do (or if you don't, check out the full details). :)

1. Add the Monthly Theme icon to your blog post (copy the code below and paste into your post using the Edit HTML feature):
   
   <a href="http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/search/label/Monthly%20Themes"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQ249TqTbcQqDIMNEFn4-i86sH_mCPygLy8joT6s5mRPOVlTNR98J9pLIzKwuhO6z5rTM-DSHBDax9ecdw0DTsO0yZR2PrUlCoOMVpQxHdOACZjKezy3z8A-S8fjktvIPftUD-6eXu4U/s1600/monthly-theme-icon.jpg" border="0"></a>
   
2. Paste the URL to your post using the Mister Linky box below.
   Please use a direct link to your relevant post, NOT a link to your blog’s home page.
3. Visit all of the other participants who have entered, and show them you appreciate their theme posts!

NO ADULT CONTENT will be allowed.

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All images and text © Sophistique Noir Gothic Fashion Blog. Do not use any photos or text from this blog without providing a credit to me and a link back to the original post.

Theme for April 1: Flowers

The theme for April 1 is: FLOWERS **

Spring is here! I thought this would be a good time to break out the floral theme. Now, I know some people do not like to wear florals, so as always, your theme post doesn't have to be limited to clothing. Sure, you can do floral print fabrics or flower-themed jewelry, nail art or accessories, or you can just take a lovely photo of your garden, post some artwork with floral themes, write a poem, review a book or song having something to do with flowers (or at least a flower on the cover), or whatever you can think of that involved flowers in some way. Be as creative as you wish!! Just be sure to cite your source if borrowing photos or content that are not your own original work! :)

Be sure to come back on April 1 and submit your post.

How It Works
On the first day of each month, I will post my theme post with the Mr. Linky sign-up form at the bottom. You can link to any post you’ve done that day or previously, as long as it matches the theme. Be sure to add the icon to your post, and link your post to mine using the Mr. Linky box at the bottom.

You can post your theme post earlier than the first of the month, or link to an old post, but you must add it to Mr. Linky on Day 1 of the month. I will leave the Linky open until 11:59 PM PST on April 3, so everyone has three full days to post.

You don't have to participate every single month. Feel free to join in whenever you wish. Just be sure you get your post linked before the second day of the month!

Also, let’s keep the posts appropriate for all ages, in terms of both language and imagery. Thanks!! :)

Posts that are linked up without including the icon will be removed from Mr. Linky.

HTML for the icon: (The icon and the HTML will remain the same each month)

<a href="http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/search/label/Monthly%20Themes"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQ249TqTbcQqDIMNEFn4-i86sH_mCPygLy8joT6s5mRPOVlTNR98J9pLIzKwuhO6z5rTM-DSHBDax9ecdw0DTsO0yZR2PrUlCoOMVpQxHdOACZjKezy3z8A-S8fjktvIPftUD-6eXu4U/s1600/monthly-theme-icon.jpg" border="0"></a>

Please pass this invitation on to any bloggers you know who might be interested, and feel free to share the announcement on your blogs.  Of course, it's a good idea to follow my blog to be sure you don't miss any of the themes.  ;)

Questions? E-mail me!

Want to Suggest a Theme?
Leave a comment on any post at any time, or e-mail me. If I use your suggestion, I will credit you on my theme post for that month and in the theme announcement the week before.  No promises that I will use every suggestion, because the themes have to be things that I would be able to do a post about.

Want to participate in the Monthly Theme? Here's how:

1. Add the Monthly Theme icon to your blog post (copy the code below and paste into your post using the Edit HTML feature):
   
   <a href="http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/search/label/Monthly%20Themes"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQ249TqTbcQqDIMNEFn4-i86sH_mCPygLy8joT6s5mRPOVlTNR98J9pLIzKwuhO6z5rTM-DSHBDax9ecdw0DTsO0yZR2PrUlCoOMVpQxHdOACZjKezy3z8A-S8fjktvIPftUD-6eXu4U/s1600/monthly-theme-icon.jpg" border="0"></a>
   
2. Paste the URL to your post using the Mister Linky box at the bottom of my April 1 post.
   Please use a direct link to your relevant post, NOT a link to your blog’s home page.
3. Visit all of the other participants who have entered, and show them you appreciate their theme posts!

** Sorry for the short notice on this one: the aforementioned stress and my action steps for resolving it have been fairly consuming lately. Also, we escaped out of town for a few days. It didn't change the situation at my job, but at least I had a little break from thinking about it. :) I deeply appreciate everyone's sweet and supportive comments on my last post!! You ladies helped remind me how much sincerity there is in the world, even if there isn't much in my place of employment.