I Was Nominated!!

Friday, August 28, 2015


The lovely Naomi Bennet from Wonderland Creek Blog graciously nominated me for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award! Thank you ever so much!!! You really must check out her blog, she writes the most delightful and charming posts:) And since this award entails answering some wonderful questions lets begin.
 However, first things firth, the rules:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you, linking back to their site. (Check)
2. Put the award logo on your blog. (Check)
3. Answer the ten questions sent to you. 
4. Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer. (Oh, yay!)
5. Nominate ten other bloggers. 
(I nominate Cassie & Becca of Calico Sisters Blog, Kenna & Lulu of their blog Kenna & Lulu, Lauren from Musings of a Flower Child, Theresa of Tmarie, Ashley  of Bramblewood Fashion, and The Boyer Sisters of Boyer Family Singers)

Here are my answers:

1. Describe your eyes, please.

They change colors! Therefore one day they may be blue, the next sea green, and the next day turqoise. 

2. What's the last thing you bought? (And food doesn't count.)

Um....that would have to be two skirts from Forever 21. They are actually the exact same skirt, but I couldn't decide on which color I liked more so I bought both! Why not?:)

3. Do you keep a diary? (And do you let people read it, or is it filled with dark secrets?)

I actulally do keep a diary (or did). I have three full journals filled with the happenings from my life, and to answer the question do I let people read them....NO! Not that they are filled with dark secrets, but the thoughts inside them are so random sometimes:)

4. If you could choose, have pink hair for a week, or have one encounter with Blandois from 'Little Dorrit' in the night on a lonely road? (For those of you who haven't read or seen Little Dorrit, Blandois is this horrible murderer who turns blood into ice. (not literally.))

Hands down PINK HAIR!!! I would not want to have an encounter with Blandois....he is creepy!

5. What do you imagine I look like? (I'm curious.)

Great question! I imagine that you have long brown hair, probably with a natural wave, a very nice and cheerful face, warm smile, and green eyes. I am thinking also that you are of a moderate height so maybe 5'5 or 5'6? How'd I do??

6. Did you ever believe in Santa Claus?

Yes, I most certainly did! 

7. When do you allow yourself to start listening to Christmas songs?

Unlike my brother who could listen to it all year round, I don't start listening to Christmas music until  after Thanksgiving. Christmas time is so magical for me and the music is one of the things that makes it magical, therefore having to listen to it for to long a period of time takes away the magic:)

8. Do you have a pair of pink shoes? (Because I think I want them.)

I do!!! They are super cute, but unfortunately not very comfy therefore they have only been worn once :(

9. When you say the word 'brother' in a British accent, do you end up saying 'brotha' or 'brother'? (Because often when people try out British accents, they make the mistake of doing the latter.)

I day it 'brotha'....is that the right way? To be honesty if I ever talk to myself I usually talk to myself in a British accent!hehe...

10. Which literary character can you mimic the best?

Oh boy! This is a hard one!!!! Hmm....I would probably have to say Anne Shirley!!! 

Here are my question for those of you who were nominated:
  1. If you could have a foreign accent which would you choose.
  2. If any of your dreams could come true which would you wish for?
  3. If you won a shopping spree to Modcloth or Anthropologie which would you choose?
  4. Which Jane Austen Character do you resonate with more? 
  5. What is your dream item/accessory to add to your closet.
  6. Which is your favorite Season and why?
  7. Mr. Darcy, Mr. Knightly, or Mr. Tilney?
  8. Tea or Coffee and what kind?
  9. Your favorite name?
  10. What musical is it that you always sing along to?

// Throw Back Thursday // Outfits Edition

Thursday, August 27, 2015


Skirt: Minnie's Menagerie//Shirt: Minnie's Menagerie//Necklace:Vintage//Shoes:Target
With wifi at a dead standstill in my dorm room this post is up later than anticipated. Thankfully though, I had typed this post up before my connections died and thus was off to the campus coffee shop after Chemistry this morning to wrap up this post while enjoying a chocolate chip bagel with peanut butter and a warm Mocha.....ah the joys and trials of technology and college life:) 
Since I have not taken any outfit pictures this week (and because I have been getting settled back into college) I thought I would do another TBT post, since I haven't done one in awhile. On that note, I was going through my pictures and decided it would be fun to share some outfit pictures that I never did share on the blog (because they were taken before I started a blog) and so here are a vast array of outfit pictures of me from when I was 16 to my high school graduation (crazy to think it has been that long). 
I realized that when I first got into wearing vintage I used to wear my hair in victory rolls, curls, and scarves all the time. Evidently I have become a little lazy (understatement) when it comes to doing my hair up in a vintage style, and I really need to get back into styling my hair more vintage. Anyways, lets talk a little bit about these outfits! 
The first set was one of my favorite ensembles when I first started wearing vintage. This was actually the outfit I wore to my first day of class when I started dual credit. I can confidently say that I was being true to myself and have pretty much kept that up:)
Sweater Set: Thrifted//Skirt: Thrifted//Tights: Ballet//Shoes: Grandmas
Now this outfit is one of my faves! I actually don't think I have worn this combination in about 2 years. However, it is another one of those ensembles that looked all out vintage from my hair down to my shoes and that is probably why I love it so much. The more I look at my hair the more I miss those victory rolls...I need to bring these back in my hairstyles!
Sweater: Thrifted//Skirt:Thrifted//Belt:Vintage//Shoes:Swing Dance Shoes
Furthermore when your dad comes from an old country town you have to go take pictures after church when you are visiting for the weekend. However, as much as I could go on about the perfect brick walls for picture taking I will just talk a little about this ensemble before I move on. I love the combination of red, white, and black that this ensemble combines but my favorite part is the shoes. These are actually dancing shoes that I got on my birthday while at the annual Square Dance Hoedown. Lets just say they are SUPER comfortable and perfect for a 1950's or 1940's look (hopefully they will hit the blog in a real post sometime soon). 
Dress: Thrifted//Sweater: Mom's//Necklace:Thrifted//Scarf: Vintage
Next, is one of the outfits I wore for my senior pictures. I decided to take pictures in ensembles from my favorite eras....thus this one was for the 1950's. I wore a fun lime green dress that I had refashioned to be my size. Of course if you are going to visit your local old fashioned soda fountain during the photo shoot you just throw on a few more colors, grab a milkshake, and snap a few pictures while you are at it. 
Blouse: Minnie's Menagerie// Jacket: Thrifted//Skirt: Minnie's Menagerie
//Hat: Vintage//Gloves:Vintage//Purse:Vintage
Last but not least, is my 1940's look that I chose for senior photos. Sadly, this isn't an outfit that I would wear on a regular basis, but when doing a 1940's photo shoot this works perfectly! I have always loved this polka-dot blouse that was my Granny Minnie's. And I must not forget about the hat, which by the way has only been worn in these photos, but I don't think that I could pull it off any other time :)

Well....I guess that is all for now. I hope to get back into the swing of things for blogging amidst my collage schedule and venturing out on campus with my camera and trypod. Let us hope that next week will prove more fruitful as for coming out with an original post!! Until next week:)

Do you like TBT posts?

Which outfit is your favorite?

P.S. Check out this weeks post on STANDOUTgirl Here









Series II Comming Soon

Thursday, August 20, 2015


Welcome back lovely readers to another Thursday post. I am happy to announce the return of the Confessions of a Fashion Blogger series!!!! Hurray!!! 

When this series first hit the blog (you can check out the wrap up Here) I was not sure how much of a hit it would make, but the posts in the series have come to be some of my most popular posts, so I am happy to bring Series II back this fall. On that note, I thought I would do a little something different :) While I have compiled my own list of topics I would like to include in the new series, I thought that it would be fun to get feedback from you all who read Minnie Muse on what you would like to see included in the series!!! Therefore, if you are interested in throwing out ideas or even contributing to the series (I might include real life scenarios or personal stories??) than start thinking. 

The questions can be things you have always wondered about other fashion bloggers, things you struggle with or wonder personally and want to know if others out there struggle with the same things, etc. Also, if you submit a question that has your own personal experience, view, or a story associate with it, I would love to hear what you have to say and hope that you would allow me to share your own experience as an example. 
I really loved this series because it allowed me to talk about my life as a fashion blogger, sharing my heart, and being transparent to all of you readers. However, it also allowed you all to share your own struggles or views in specific areas and I thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone's comments. 

If I receive enough questions for Series II I might even consider filming a Confessions of a Fashion Blogger Q&A for the series (yippie).....sooooo we shall see!!!

Therefore, start thinking and typing away!! You can leave your questions, experiences, and stories down in the comments section or you can email them directly to me at: sweetsidecupcakes@hotmail.com 

I can't wait to hear what you all have to ask and share for Series II. 

Trudy Cooper

Monday, August 17, 2015

I might not be outgoing, drive a sports car, or have my pilots license and Trudy Cooper might just be my opposite in every way possible but when it comes to her simple fashion I am happy to oblige myself in copying the things she wore.
I don't know if any of you are familiar with the recent abc mini series Astronaut Wives, but I have absolutely fallen in love with the show, and sadly its last episode will be airing this week (sniff). However, I must say that apart from the fashions of the show (totally swoon worthy) the general story line is quite gripping. From looking at the lives of the astronauts wives and all they go through, to witnessing the retelling of America's space history, this show is inspiring in more ways than one.

 Before I go on with today's post however here is a short synopsis of the TV show: 
ABC's new television drama series based on the book by Lily Koppel, "The Astronaut Wives Club" focuses on seven women who were key players behind some of the biggest events in American history. As America's astronauts were launched on death-defying missions, the lives of their young wives were transformed, seemingly overnight, from military spouses to American royalty. As their celebrity rose, and tragedy began to touch their lives, they rallied together. abc.com


Okay....okay...now I know that you all have been anticipating a post that I have been hinting at and excitedly mentioning over the past couple of weeks (plus a treasure I picked up on my trip last week), well......this is it!!! Now, from your perspective it might not seem like that exciting of a post so let me give a little back story as to why this post is so exciting for me :)

First, as I mentioned before I have fallen on love with Astronaut Wives Club for more reasons than one but one of the biggest is the fashions. The series spans from 1959-1971 so you can imagine the evolution of fashion and style throughout the show (utterly breathtaking!!). Second, one of my favorite characters is Trudy Cooper. As I also mentioned above she is my TOTAL opposite in every way! She has a pilots licence for one thing, she drives a sports car while all of the other wives drive station wagons, she is quite independent and outgoing, and she hardly ever appears in a dress (capris and slacks most of the time). However, I absolutely love all of the 50's-60's capri outfits she sports throughout the show and while I was at Goodwill a few weeks back just happened to find this sweater top and pair of capris . Lets just say I was dancing around in the changing room and thinking "OH MY GOSH......I look like Trudy Cooper!!!!!" and already planning a post in my head (plus the sweater top is mustard yellow....bonus). 
Top: Thrifted; Pants: Thrifted (Talbot's)
Now you are probably wondering: 
"But Madison, you said you picked up a treasure while on your trip and were going to share it on the blog???"  
Okay, now I am getting to that :) What was the treasure you might ask? Well......first off for those of you who follow me on Instagram, you might remember a picture I posted two weeks ago featuring a DIY LIFE magazine Here. Well, when I was first planning the post I wanted to use a magazine as a prop and thus endeavored to make my own LIFE magazine with the original Astronaut Wives Cover. However, that brings me to my treasure......while antique shopping last week I just so happened to find a stack of magazines at an antique store (the first store) in Gruene Texas and was perusing the covers looking for anything interesting. Well, I just so happened to come across a LIFE magazine (I have been wanting one for awhile) and looked at the date which said 1962......then I read the cover title......I couldn't believe it.....the cover story was the orbit of John Glenn, the first American to orbit the earth as part of NASA's group "Mercury Seven."  John Glenn is just one of the seven astronauts in the TV Show but the fact that I found a life magazine from 1962 with the article was beyond me......I was FREAKING OUT (as you can imagine). What are the odds that I would be planning a blog post inspired by the TV show Astronaut Wives and then find a LIFE magazine with an article about one of the astronaut's orbits and his family, particularly his wife Anne who was another one of my favorite characters!!!! (Side Note: for those of you who have seen the movie BELLE, the actor who plays John in the movie plays John Glenn in Astronaut Wives....just FYI) What is even cooler (back to real life) is that after his time as a Test pilot with "Mercury Seven" John Glenn went on to become a Unite States Senator (he is now 94). 
And before I stop myself from rambling to long about the Glenn family, I must say a few things about Anne Glenn :) First off, as I noted before I loved her character in the show. She is very supportive, a great friend, and very quiet. When you first meet her in the show she doesn't every say a word and come to find out she actually stutters, but that is what makes me love her even more because she doesn't ever let that stop her from supporting her husband and friends. Okay, I am done :)
Shoes: Charlotte Russe ; Shades: Forever 21 ; Magazine: Antique Store
Toby makes a good prop too !
Now, what more can I say in this post.....hmm.......I could go on a on about so many things so let me talk a little more about the shows costumes and about my ensemble. As I have said the show spans from 1959-1971 thus throughout the episodes we witness full skirted 50's dresses, to tailored and printed 60's dresses and jacket sets, then towards the end moving into brighter colors and crazy prints of the 70's. If you ever need inspiration for the 50's-60's this show if full of swoon worthy ensembles. Which brings me to what I am wearing in today's post. While my ensemble might not be identical to anything that Trudy actually wore in the series it is definitely something that she would have been happy to wear on a daily basis. 

Usually I am not one to wear many pants or capris (to me skirts are more comfortable) but when I found this pair of Talbot's capris at Goodwill I was happy to try them on and thrilled that they fit! Most often on the blog you readers see me wearing ensembles inspired by the 40's or 50's but I must say I am really LOVING this 1960's capri look.......super comfortable, especially with this Rayon/Nylon blend sweater that I picked up at Goodwill that same day. All in all I was so excited to work on this post and bring to life the inspiration I drew from a character in Astronaut Wives (maybe we will see a few more insp. posts from characters???). Also, can I just say that it is so exciting when you discover a new way to do your hair! I wanted to copy Trudy's hair to the best of my abilities and while the picture of Trudy below is a shorter curl, most often in the series Trudy sports a looser wavy curled style (which I tried to copy). Lets just say I think I know how I will do my hair for the first day of the Fall semester. 
Trudy vs. Me
Me as an Astronaut Wife
Sometimes it is fun to do something a little different than just an ordinary outfit post. Thus for someone (me) who tend to freak out, critic, and copy costumes/outfits from movies and TV shows this post was right up my ally. 
I hope you all enjoyed a little something different with all of my enthusiasm, rambling, and excitement! 

Have any of you seen The Astronaut Wives Club?

Would you wear a 1960's capri ensemble? 

Have you ever found any great LIFE magazines?





Last Rendezvous

Thursday, August 13, 2015


Well dear readers......I am back for another post (though slightly off schedule time). However, before I begin my post today I wanted to take a few moments to thank you all for the lovely comments on my last post :) I was not able to personally respond to all of them like I usually do since I was out of town (hence the pictures from todays post), but nonetheless I wanted to say a general "Thank You" to everyone!
 Also, on the topic of your comments I greatly appreciated all the camera advice and suggestions......I can't wait to play around more and put them into practice!!
However, lets get on with today's post shall we! :)
Blouse: Good Will (Anne Taylor); Pants: Thrifted; Belt: Minnie's Menagerie;
 Purse: Mom's old Coach; Sunglasses: Five Below
The past few days (Monday-Wednesday) I went on  a short trip with my mom and best friend as the last rendezvous before school starts. We went camping at Guadalupe River State Park (one of my favorite places to camp). However, camping was not the only thing we did.....oh no! On our way down Monday we stopped off at the charming little town of Gruene and mosyed around a bit, peaking in the shops, mulling over antiques, walking through the old dance hall, eating ice cream, and of course taking pictures!
The Antique store in Gruene was fabulous! I found an absolute treasure tucked away in a stack of old magazines and I can't wait to share it on the blog next week (I might have been freaking out just a "little" bit)! Besides antiques we thoroughly enjoyed taking a peak inside Gruene Hall (pictured above). Libby and I are big into country dancing ourselves so visiting an old dance hall was such a treat :) We finished off the the day with ice cream because....who wouldn't....then we headed to the campsite to get set up.
I don't know if any of you have ever been to the river (any river) but they are the most relaxing trips ever!!! The Guadalupe river is so clear, cool, and refreshing that you can't help but take a nap in your tube after you jumped off of the jumping root a few times :)
Matching Bathing Suits thrifted a year apart....what are the odds!!
The second day we headed into New Braunfels for a little shopping. We ended up finding the Antique store of ALL Antique stores so far and spent close to two hours perusing the books, magazines, glassware, clothes, and records. 
I was completely over the moon (to say the least) when I found a stand FULL of old LIFE magazines!!! I don't know about you but I have been antiquing since I was young and never once have I found a good collection of old magazines if any at antique stores, so this stand was a jackpot!! If you see the magazine with Princess Elizabeth on the cover (far left corner) I actually purchased that LIFE magazine. I even found a few more collections of LIFE magazines throughout the store which is a rarety for me :) 
Oh, and can we talk about the clothes!!!! To say that this was the Antique store of ALL Antique stores is no understatement for there were at least three stalls full of vintage clothes, ranging from the 1930's-1960's. I was in Heaven :) However, it never fails that when you find a treasure trove worth every penny in your wallet you don't have many penny's to spare (boo hoo). Thus, the lovely dresses, hats, and purses, would have to be left behind for now.

I absolutely fell In LOVE with the dress to the right!!
Oh boy.....and did I mention Records!!! This store had a record collection that was absolutely Tickety cBoo (in good order or find). Libby and I were enthralled! The records were very well organized by genre and letter which was very helpful. I ended up deciding on a record from a musical called Over Here staring the Andrews Sister which was a bonus!! I am actually listening to it right now:)
Blouse: Thrifted (Old Navy); Skirt: Vintage; Belt: Thrifted; Necklace: Target; Hat: Forever21


To say the least the short trip was an absolute blast!! 
Nothing can beat relaxing in the cool river in 103 degree Texas heat and shopping at fabulous Antique stores :) 
This was definitely a perfect trip before the fall semester starts back up!
Until next week with some exciting posts hitting the blog!!! 

Have you ever found a fabulous antique store?

Do you like going to the river?

Have you heard of the musical Over Here?

 P.S. Head on over to STANDOUTgirl for this weeks post on your Divine Burden.















//Sunday Best// Paper Parosols & Perfect Projects

Monday, August 10, 2015



Well how about an Alliteration title to start things out! So glad to be blogging once again, but I must warn you that this post is going to be quite short (thus enjoy the pictures while you can). 
However, for a little introduction to the post this was the ensemble I wore to church this Sunday (yesterday). I had made this dress back at the beginning of July but haven't gotten around to blogging about it until now (typical). Can I just say I am so in LOVE with this dress! I created it from two patterns, a 1940's reproduction blouse pattern and a modern dress pattern. The results were exactly what I was looking for in a 1940's house/day dress. Plus, the simple cotton fabric in a light shade of blue with dainty pink flower buttons made it all the better :) 

Dress:Made; Shoes:Old Navy; Belt: Minnie's Menagerie; Parasol: sisters

I stole this parasol from my sister! She picked two of them up at a garage sale years ago and today was the perfect day to use it for pictures. There is just something a little extra about throwing in a parasol or umbrella into photos.....I don't know? 
However, while we are on the topic of photos I have realized that I need to become more familiar with my camera and its multiple settings! I have a Cannon EOS Rebel T3 (which is super nice), but until I become more versed in using the settings to my advantage I am going to continually be slightly disappointed with the shots I take. I am just a little obsessed right now with those pictures that have such a magically blurry background (no matter the background setting) and that look absolutely FABULOUS! Then of course when I try to take pictures like those it never quite works like I want it accept in head shots (like the one below). 
I suppose I need to kidnap a friend one day and force them to be my model for an hour while I play with my camera more? Or I could watch a few videos online.....or read a few books????? Whatever the case, that is my current dilemma that I hope to soon work through (if you have any tips please pass them on...hehe).
These were the two patterns I used to create the dress. Left pattern was for the skirt and Right pattern's top right blouse was used for the bodice.

Well I suppose that is all I have time to right. However, I have a number of exciting posts planned (if they go according to plan) that I can't wait to get started.
Until next time dear readers!

Do you like Parasols?

Do you have any tips for perfectly blurry backgrounds?

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