The Rollerball!

A few weeks ago I visited the local theatre for a showing of Moulin Rouge in support of the Imperial Theatre. This weekend I had the pleasure of attending another local fundraiser, for The Resource Centre for Youth (TRC), a local not-for-profit organization. "The Resource Centre for Youth (TRC) provides a safe and encouraging environment for our youth to explore their full potential."

The organization had the brilliant idea to host a 'Rollerball" as a fundraiser for the centre, featuring a derby game by our local Fog City Rollers as the entertainment!

The idea was to get all dressed up for cocktails but watch a derby game. They served mini burgers (even vegetarian ones!) & of course drinks. There was a silent auction, as well as a live one but those derby girls demand some serious attention!

I'm really starting to fully embrace the idea of fundraisers, especially their potential for wearing fabulous clothes! Before moving to the east coast I had my favorite hometown charities who's events I always attended but it is only recently, after fully falling in love with my adopted city of Saint John that I have discovered new places to support, events to attend & people to adore!
Check out one of the organizers/youth workers, my friend Letti & I!

We have rockin hair & are generally awesome.

Besides being full of fabulous in her own right, she is also shares my love of crafts & glitter. Check out the fully fabulous Rollerball Trophy she made!!

 I wish I had great photos of my adorable dress but the lighting was dim. I have one picture of Letti & I in our dresses (mine from Torrid, her's from Pennington's) but we look like some strange breed of cheerleaders with our awkward poses. (I really really need to figure out the proper stance for having my picture taken! You think after doing this for almost a year I'd have it figured out, but clearly not.)
However I've worn this dress before on the blog as you can see here so I decided to snap some close ups of the accessories I chose this time.

Tiny & cute rosebud necklace from Forever21 - love that the chain is pink too!

These earrings were one of my first etsy purchases..about 4 years ago!

A score for $8 a WalMart! I've been looking at similar much more expensive
alternatives to this lately so this was great last minute find.
If I truly love them, a more expensive, long lasting pair can be found

In keeping with the pink, I threw on these long lasting leggings from
Voluptuous in Toronto for some extra color!

Guest Blogger: Natalie, Derby Girl

About now, I'm nursing a hangover (boozy & emotional) from my baby brother's wedding in a quaint cottage by the water. So let's skip the prelude & let me tell you how happy I am to introduce you to Natalie! I know Natalie from twitter through a derby connection.  I've decided to not hold it against her that she plays for our Fog City Roller's rival team Capital City Roller's since she seems pretty great.  Natalie also has her own blog so make sure you check that out as well! Without further ado, here's Natalie (Thanks lady!) xo Em



It’s a girl thing…..


My name is Natalie and I am plus-sized. Recently, I‘ve been able to add “proudly” to that sentence. Proudly plus-sized. Sounds so simple, only it isn’t.

I come from a long line of people who’ve struggled with weight and size. I’m sure some of you can relate to coming from “big families”. I am one of those people. I have one of those families. We are those people. Are you? I’ve spent a lifetime, plus a day, reconciling how my jean size could somehow dictate my sense of self and my sense of worth. I am smarter than that. I’ve read everything from the Beauty Myth to Cosmo and I’ve spent far too much time coming up with far too few answers. I’ve said “I’m happy as long as I’m healthy” and wanted desperately to mean it. But truth be told, deep down, I never did.

So many times, I’ve said “I’m done, and I am happy if I stay this size forever”….so many times I have only felt it for a matter of weeks, and sometimes even days. It never stuck. A new dress usually made me feel better for a brief period and a new bra could even squeeze out a few months at times, but it never lasted…until recently.

What has changed? Nothing really…I’m still the same person…I still weigh about the same, give or take, on any given day…. And try as I might, I’ve not won any fabulous sums of money which would allow me to buy a new bra every day of week. What IS new in my life are the people surrounding me. I have joined roller derby…. and suddenly my world has expanded and so has my appreciation of my body.

We joke about it being a cult, or at best, a sisterhood, naysayers have called it a trend….but for so many of us, especially myself, it is simply more.

It is a new way of seeing myself and seeing all women. It is feeling truly appreciated, loved and attractive for the first time in many, many, years. It is realizing that the tiniest woman can pack a huge punch and that the girl with the big wide hips can roll like a freight train. It is getting compliments from people who are not trying to sleep with me or trick me into buying anything. It is getting support from people who want to see me succeed as a blocker and also as a person. It is understanding that a good pack is often made up of many sizes and shapes. It is being praised for knowing how to use my big ass strategically to defend a fellow teammate when she is trying to score points. It is wearing tighter clothes, brighter colors and more daring cuts. It is not being afraid of revealing that version of me that been hidden under oversized clothes for far too many years.

It is pride…in not only what my body looks like…but what it can do. It is proudly answering “Torrid” when someone asks me where I bought my dress….instead of “I forget”. It is learning that my body can be an incredible thing of beauty, even at a size 16-18.

Fabulous in Bruises

A lot of you viewers are friends & family so please don't be insulted by my next statement...
These are some of the coolest chicks I know.

Dressed up in the the team colours of black, silver & blue, The Razor Girls are part of the Fog City Rollers, our local flat track roller derby.  Fully accessorized with skates, pads, helmets & a healthy dose of tattoos these ladies are officially Full of Fabulous!

Opposing team The Scarlett Swarm

Since one of my best friends, Jen was visiting from Cape Breton I couldn't resist bringing her out to a bout as I knew the Rugby Girl in her would fall in love. 
I'm pretty sure that Auburn Rubber is now her personal idol & if Jen didn't have the baby bump she would have signed up on the spot.

Auburn Rubber, center

As cool as all these ladies are, & as much as I am starting to love them, my heart was still beating for Jen this weekend as we explored Saint John together, ate some great food & just caught up with each other.

Vegetarian Curry from Thandi's

It was so great to have an all girl weekend, since my son was camping & husband was out of town. With her first baby on the way I miss her even more & wish she were closer...



Jen, baby 'flicker' & I

 Just the one outfit picture of my dinner & derby outfit (my leggings are metallic pewter in solidarity Razor Girls!!), as we were so busy!
I will have a full outfit posting tomorrow, another from my weekend out!

What did YOU do this beautiful weekend?

*p.s. my friend Ryder Wong runs a Fog City Rollers blog, Fog City Blog - you should check it out! She's getting married next weekend, so expect to hear LOTS more about her when I attend the wedding!!