Hello everyone! I've been obsessed with the color coral for quite some time. I think since last spring! I got a gift certificate to Sephora for my birthday, and I decided to splurge on a lipstick I'd been wanting to try for awhile. Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté in Rose Paris (27). As I'm sure you've noticed, I usually stick with red, however I thought this bright pinky coral would be a fun change. I paired it with an ... Read more »
Vintage knitting pattern: 1954 Mother & Daughter Shrug
I don't know about you, but I have had shrugs and boleros on my mind lately! As the weather finally seems to be staying nicer and I creep closer to rotating my closet (yay for seeing pretty spring and summer fashions that have been hidden away for months!), I've been thinking about what cover ups I like to pair with my not-too-cold weather clothes. I have a multitude of boxy cardigans, but lately I've been really ... Read more »
Getting my sewing mojo back
I'm tired of not sewing!Last autumn, I had so much going on with knitting projects that I sewed very little. And then came the house buying, and the moving, and, well, my sewing machine has been pretty lonely. I kept saying I'd start sewing again once I got my basement craft area going, but that hasn't really happened yet. It's been bothering me that I haven't sewn in months, especially since I had hoped last year I'd ... Read more »
In blues & plaids outfits {and post-haircut}
Thursday evening, I got a haircut, as you know. I went for a shorter version of pretty much my usual, so basically a short middy. I had a long talk with my stylist about how I'd style a curl fluff on top, and she cut my hair so that I could do that, albeit with that layer a little longer as she was worried I wouldn't be able to do much with it if that didn't work out for me. Which is good, because wow, was I all thumbs at ... Read more »
Haircuts and Twitter
Hello all! Today is haircut day. Why am I nervous?I think it's because we're (perhaps?) entering warm weather season here. That will mean lots of heat and humidity, where I live. And in most ways, I am most certainly not a wimp, but I will admit: I am a heat wimp. At the first sign of hot, humid weather I run for hair elastics and scarves and bandanas and anything that will get my hair off my neck faster than you can ... Read more »
Cabin getaway & recent finds
Thanks for all the replies and commiseration on my vintage hair funk post! It certainly sounds like it's going around. Spring fever, perhaps. What I have now is sort of grown out of the middy-like haircut I got in November, but it's definitely due for something. I still haven't decided on what I'm going to go for, but it will probably be just a shorter version of what I have (or what's grown out, rather). My best hair ... Read more »
A vintage hair funk
Hello everyone! Is it feeling like Spring near you? We went through a crazy hot spell in March that felt like early summer, and now it's finally starting to feel like April. It's been quite a shock to wear lots of wool after being in short sleeves a month ago! Thanks for all the great and helpful comments about decorating in our den! I now know for sure we're going to go with 1950s Southwestern as our inspiration. I'm ... Read more »
Starting to style our den
How it is that I thought once we moved, things would calm down and I'd have more time for blogging?! Well, we're getting there, but not yet. I don't even have a place to setup my 'blogging computer' (i.e. the computer that has Photoshop), so I had to temporarily set it up on the dining room table. Ugh!But here I am with my first mid-century decorating post! Most of our free time that hasn't been devoted to unpacking and ... Read more »
Checkered birthday outfit
Happy 35th birthday to me! Here's to my first outfit post in our new yard. I'm so excited to have an outdoor space now. It was a rather cold and miserable day (as often happens to us April birthday babies), so lots of wool was in order. Unfortunately you can't really tell that I dared to match up two different checked patterns, in my overalls and my blouse. But I think it worked. You'll just have to take my word on ... Read more »
Happy Easter
Happy Easter! While it's not on my birthday this year, I was born on Easter Sunday, so it's always been kind of a special day. This year, we had Mel's parents over for lunch. Mel's mom was kind enough to bring all the food since we're still settling in, so we had lasagna, lamb, and asparagus. And of course, there was plenty of cheery colorful Easter candy for snacking after dessert.I sent my mom a couple of quick snaps of ... Read more »
Starting to plot my corner of the basement
Thanks for all the lovely comments on our new house! We are super busy unpacking and figuring out all the stuff we need to do or buy, but it's been awesome. ♥One of the things I'm daydreaming about now that we've moved is my sewing and craft space! In our condo, my sewing "area" (and I use the term loosely) was the dining table. Not a very useful setup and annoying when we actually wanted to dine at the dining table.Now ... Read more »
Introducing the Golly Ranch House
It happened! Last Wednesday, we officially sold our condo and bought our first house. A ranch house from the 1950s, that I think I'm dubbing the Golly Ranch House. Everything went smoothly with the closings, and we moved in that night. I just can't believe it! Everything that's been occupying so much of our time over the last three months finally came together. It's kind of an incredible feeling. I'm both excited and ... Read more »
See my wedding post on Etsy!
Hi all, I have some exciting news to share! If you check out the home page of Etsy, guess what you'll see today?Yep, that's our wedding! I was asked to write a post for Etsy, for their Handmade Wedding series.Now how the heck did I have time for that during all the moving shenanigans, you ask? Simple—this was in the works a few months ago. ;)It was fun to share the handmade, vintage and second-hand details of our little ... Read more »
VKC: Quick tip on un-knitting (and my work-in-progress)
Hello, hello! I'm sure you can guess what I've been up to lately. Right, more packing. Not an exciting topic of conversation, so let's move on. I grabbed a few minutes for a mini knitting tip. A tiplet, if you will!Sometimes you have to un-knit part of your work-in-progress. It's often called ripping or frogging. Frogging is an onomatopoeia... "rip it...rip it"... get it? It stinks when you have to do it, because it means ... Read more »
Packing, in textures
I walked around yesterday and took some photos of things I would be packing up sooner or later for the move. Some so soon they've already been packed, only a day later!Boots for moderate winter weather... Hand knit sweaters...Unceremoniously stored stockings...Blouses...lots of blouses...Garter belts...Pretty underthings...End of winter/spring jackets that it will soon be warm enough to wear...Vintage frames that may one ... Read more »
Vintage finds, AKA the only shopping I’ve done in months
Last weekend was the Chicagoland Vintage Clothing, Jewelry and Textile Show, an overwhelmingly large show about an hour away from Chicago in Elgin. Last year I had a great haul. This year I was a bit more restrained, even though this show, more than any others, often has the largest portion of things to my personal style and taste (though not always my budget, of course). Once we knew we were going to buy a house I ... Read more »