Mission Boudoir: Adding a Bit of Bettie Page

 I'd like to give a shout-out to eBay, especially the eBay stores. They are still my favorite source for cheap posters and prints that I can't find easily in real life.

It's easy to find Marilyn memorabilia.  She's everywhere.  But Bettie?  I have to go online to find her, or at least to find a selection of her.

I work part-time over Summer, so I don't have as much disposable income as during the rest of the year. But I had enough money in PayPal to treat myself to a "sexual totem."  I have moved my goofy tchotchkes from the top of my room's book shelf and replaced them with Bettie, candles, and pretty empty wine bottles.

My camera phone doesn't really do my display justice, but you get the idea.

There were so many prints I liked! However, since people sometimes come to visit me, and one of the entrances to my apartment goes through my room, don't ask why, I didn't want to make any guests uncomfortable with a pic of Bettie in her underoos, rolling off a knee-high nylon.  

I mean, I knew it would be in my room, but still.

I thought the print was still sexy, fun, and matched my idea of female sexuality. She's also clad-enough that I don't think anyone who passes through my room, should they notice her, will be weirded out. Dad recently stopped by to feed the kitties when I went out of town, and he didn't ask about it.

By the way, the candles smell all musky and earthy. Of course they are soy candles and locally made by Scented Seasons. Yes, I know you can't smell the candles online, but if you live in Illinois or Northwest Indiana, perhaps they will be coming to a farmer's market or fair near you.

And no, they didn't pay me to plug them.

The scents I got were Happy Hippie, Woodstock, and Earth Angel. They're all basically sandalwood with some other stuff. Happy Hippie is my favorite.

So in terms of the five senses, I've got smell and have begun sight.  Hopefully, the next change will be touch with soft, more-than-200-count-thread bedsheets...

Mission Boudoir: Making brown romantic

As part of my project to get more "bad girl totems," I am tackling my bedroom. I truly believe that your home is more than the place where you sleep and store your food. It is a physical manifestation of you. The bedroom is the sexuality center of the home. Besides the bathroom, it is the most private, most intimate space. This is where sexuality reaches it's climax. It is therefore, the representation, the manifestation, of your sexuality.

Or so I like to think.

Anyway, I've taken an interest in boudoirs lately. I love the idea of a private, girly space that is only for the woman of the house (and whoever she chooses to invite). A place to relax, get pretty, and be sexy. Most women who live with someone else just don't have the space to have their own boudoir separate from the bedroom they share with their mate. The nice thing about living by myself is my bedroom can be my boudoir. I must take advantage of this opportunity.

Even though I think my room is cute, it does not scream "sex." I ask myself, "If I had a man, would I want to bring him in here?" I mean, I know most men probably could care less if the bedroom looks like a boudoir, but do I feel sexy in this space?

The main issue I have right now with my room is the color scheme. Because I rent, I cannot change the wall colors. Three walls are beige and one is chocolate brown. Currently, the color scheme of my fabrics are basically brown, aqua/turquoise, and light green. It's kind of like this.



The color scheme isn't bad. I think I did a good job with buying linens that "go" together. That color scheme is quite popular, actually. It was easy for me to find stuff that was brown-blue-green. But it's not sexy. Not to me anyway. My senses don't really awaken when I walk in my bedroom. I don't feel a rush. My inner sex kitten just keeps right on napping.

And when I look at pictures of "boudoirs," I don't see a whole lot of brown.












Well I can't paint the walls into a hot amber or jewel tone, which is what I really want. I can't even paint white walls that I could dress up with hot, fiery accessories. But I had no idea how to make brown "sexy."

And then I found some inspiration.










So in order to make brown sensual...

1) Use "warm" colored, dim lighting (especially candles). Think shades of yellow.
.
2) Add accessories with deep, dark red.

3) Add gold.

4) Think "rock," like a Greek temple or Turkish bath (marble, stone furniture or accents).

Now I don't feel so limited, or feel like my room will forever be just "cute." I don't need to wait until I buy a condo and paint the walls whatever I want. I can have my boudoir, even with brown walls.