Back, slowly.

Hi folks!

I've been busy...moved to a new home and am now growing a baby. Yes! So I will be back, but slowly. Our internet connection is limited (unfortunately!) but that's what we get for choosing to live in the country.

I have a few pics for you this Christmas. My old camera finally died (I will miss you, D70!) and I bought a new one....sadly inferior (D3000!). With any luck, I'll get a new lens this Christmas, and get more used to using it. 

I hope you are all enjoying the season!

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Today's outfit

I have started *another* new outfit (and STILL haven't finished that darn crinoline! It's OK to start shaking your head, now). The skirt is finished and worn here, with a thrifted sweater and shiny red belt:

The unfinished top is a sleeveless blouse in the same fabric, with small rounded collars and white buttons down the front - I just need to do buttonholes, buttons, and a hem! I'm just hoping it won't be TOO much gingham when worn with the skirt. Maybe it'll have the look of a dress? This is my first gathered skirt, and although I was worried it would make me look SUPER frumpy, I was rather pleased with the effect. I just wished I had been paying attention when my partner took the picture. He surprised me a bit. And I was really trying to not step in doggy-do. Sorry for that image in your head.

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Crafting mania

So,  I've been trying (with little success) to get certain vintage-style projects finished (several dresses, a suit, and that darned crinoline!) but I've managed instead to start another new dress, pine over vintage swimsuit patterns, and finally receive the book about aprons from Bramcost Publications that I won...oh boy I need to focus!

With regards to the book, it's "How To Make Aprons", republished by Bramcost Publications, and I'll be reviewing it for Amazon as soon as I can sew a few items from it. It's amazing!

Originally published in 1953, it has all sorts of lovely aprons of all kinds, for the whole family, including some accessories like potholders and such. The wonderful part is that there are patterns for each and every one of the 40-plus aprons in there, all drawn up in little grids - so easy to enlarge!! There are a couple that I'm particularly interested in, and have already enlarged one. I'll show you progress later!

As for summer, we still don't have it yet. BRRR! I want the warm weather to come so badly, I can taste it. That's why I've been pining over vintage swimsuit patterns, like these from 1959 (I LOVE the red one on the right....it's a two-piece!):

Or these, from 1957:

And I would LOVE to be able to wear these fantastic vintage summer outfits, from 1951:

Gosh, what I wouldn't do for an extra-long vacation for sewing, right now! I haven't even sewn anything new for my shop for the last....ever! SIGH

Is it just me that feels this year is blasting by at warp speed?

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Spring gathering

Yes, gathering. And not as in a get together, either. I'm in the process of gathering 30 meters of tulle and ribbon.

Yes, I might possibly be crazy.  I'm making a crinoline! Whee!

It looked like this yesterday:



It doesn't look that much different today, because...have you ever tried to pin tulle? It's got holes (being tulle and all). I think there are pins all over my house now, from where they've fallen out as I disgustedly marched the whole darn thing back into the sewing room after spreading, pinning and re-pinning and becoming murderous.

It's currently partially attached to this (the top half)



I used these instructions at Craftster which are a fantastic translation of the instructions Alice Lon's mum provided TV Guide with in the 1950's (which you can find here on Pettipond). Alice Lon was well-known for her plethora of very full crinolines (well, and her singing). The only difference is I will only have a 30 meter hem, instead of 48 YARDS! That's too ginormous for me...I believe my workplace will think I've tipped over the boundary between "dressing up" and "costume" if I wore that large of a crinoline!!

On another note, I've recently had a lot of luck vintage shopping! Among other small stuff, I found some lovely pearl clip-on earrings to go with my pearls, as well as a cute, short-sleeved green sweater and a vintage foldable hard-bonnet hair dryer! I have yet to try it, but I'll get some pictures up soon, I promise.

I've also finished sewing up a new dark denim circle skirt made from a 1950's pattern, and a cute red, short sleeve blouse made from a 1940's pattern. I can't wait to wear it all with the crinoline...that is, if I ever get it all pinned up and gathered. Sheesh!

OH! And I'll soon be reviewing a book for Bramcost Publications They republish vintage books, and have SCADS of interesting titles. I currently have the Westmore Beauty Book, which I got for Christmas from my mom. She rocks! It's a great book with tons of vintage beauty tips...from makeup to hair to even exercises for keeping slim!

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Even newer hair!

Yes, I am obsessed!

I finally got the courage to cut off the last few inches (you knew it wouldn't take long, didn't you?) ;o)



My man's not as impressed as I am.....

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Hair! Or hairs, if you want to get technical...

So I decided to take some (unflattering and bad) webcam photos of my hair....in the process of getting ready for work yesterday. I love how it looks, after being set in curlers and brushed out.

So, Voila! Finished hair! I really wish I had a better webcam, now.

And here it is, in rollers.....I let my freshly-washed hair dry (once I've put a bit of soft-hold gel in), then moisten slightly with Lottabody setting lotion (from Sally's) mixed one part to two parts water, then roll and blow dry. The more you do it, the faster it gets!

And this is just after the rollers came out, before brushing. It takes a LOT of brushing to look good. Seriously. Isn't this hilarious?! The first time I set my hair, I was SO disappointed and washed the set away! (can you say afro?)

 

I think that someday I might get brave and cut the last few inches off,  for that real 1950's look...but my man would be sorely disappointed! I also need to learn how to keep the crown smooth, instead of rolling all the hair, all over....hmm. I hear that practice makes perfect.

What do YOU do to your hair??

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Have you ever had a day when you just COULDN'T cut a whole slice of cheese?

You know. Where no matter how hard you try for a whole slice off the block, your knife mysteriously veers off half-way though and you end up with multitudes of wonky pieces of cheese and you're left wishing you'd bought an electric meat slicer after the LAST time this happened?

No? Huh. Maybe it's just me....

Recently, I'm constantly busy and don't seem to get much of anything done. Maybe I have far too many things I want to do? I do get things done, only in very slow increments. And although I'm a consummate procrastinator, I DO start to get stressed out when I have too many things on the go, and nothing gets done. 

Since my last post, I've managed to:

1) Completely sew two more skirts and a t-shirt from vintage patterns. Some day, I'll put up some photos (when there's enough light and I have more time...on second thought, maybe that'll never happen).

2) Managed to half-sew a 1940/50's dress out of a vintage white cotton fabric  with blue flowers on it. The fabric is neat, since the whole bolt (which was brand-new and had never been washed!) is only 30 inches wide! It was gifted to me. I have so much, I can't wait to sew MORE with it! I actually have photos of this, unfinished:

3) Managed to upload pretty much all of my vintage patterns to Etsy! Now, if only someone would buy them. SIGH

4) Cut my hair, yet again! This time, fairly short (to my man's disbelief). And when I do rollers all over, it looks SO 1950's! I should have taken pictures last night. The teenagers at the movie theater thought it was pretty funny, though. 

I used the "Long Length"  cut from Daniela Turudich's book "1940's Hairstyles". It's such a great book, even though it's modern. I highly recommend it, though it's no longer in print (Psst! You can download a digital copy, here)

 

I have several ideas floating about, but haven't been getting ANYTHING done about them. I'm going to try my hand at making hair flowers...if I can ever get a shipment of hair clips to arrive! Canada Post gives me hives. Seriously. 

I also have SO MUCH fabric to sew clothes from...I just bought another $75 worth today. Enough now for SEVERAL wardrobes! (you should see some of the awesome stuff I have, now!) I guess I should get cracking, hey? 

And, to make matters even more preposterous, I found a Rockabilly event that would be SO FUN to go to. "Viva Las Vegas", baby! (not like I have time for a vacation, but...I can wish, can't I?) With car shows, tons of bands, a tiki pool party and burlesque competitions (and more) what wouldn't be fabulous about that??! Plus, it's in Vegas. And by that I mean...it's WARM. I'm *so* longing for summer!

What I've decided I need, to finally get things done, is to be a house wife....

But my man and I aren't on the same page with that.... it's like we're actually reading completely different books! (That, and we haven't won the lottery, yet)

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