beach belle sweater & new shoes{!}...

Hello dearies!

How are you all doing this fine last day of March?

Can you believe it's already nearly April?

We've had some very fine weather off & on around here,

& it makes me pull out my warm weather clothes a little prematurely.

Such as the outfit I'm wearing in this post.

The bright sunshine that day deceived me into thinking it was warmer than it actually was 

& I ended up leaving the house without a jacket.

Big mistake.

Especially since a movie night was planned that evening at Kels' house.

While I was able to brave the cold in the bright sunshine,

there was just no way I'd be able to once the sun had set.

So, I ended up borrowing a snuggly blankie for the ride home.

Zebra print, no less. Quite a sight I was, I'm sure!

 

~*~

 

I made this Raglan Sweater with Bow from the Debbie Bliss booklet Beach Belles.

This is my 2nd favorite DB booklet, following closely after her Land Girl booklet,
it has such a 1950s vibe. I just adore all 6 designs it contains.
This sweater was made with Amalfi yarn, a lovely blend of cotton, rayon, linen, & silk,
which is now discontinued. I think this may be the first time I've made a sweater in the same color illustrated in the pattern photos! I usually do my own thing, but I just loved this blue - so nautical. I especially like the boatneck & bow featured on this knit.

 



Outfit details:
 Sweater: Me made // Jeans:  LC Lauren Conrad from Kohls //
Shoes: Miss L Fire ~ Sundae Heels via eBay // Cherry Clip-on Earrings: Vintage find

Kels has this sweet little playhouse & I thought it so looked like one of those vintage beach huts seen on British beaches. (And, featured in the Beach Belles booklet!)
It makes the perfect background for these pics.

 



 

I had a lot of fun using the nautical stickers on PicMonkey to adorn my photos.

Every time I see an anchor the old hymn "We Have an Anchor" pops into my head.

So, all the while I was editing these pics

 

"We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love."

 

kept rambling around in my head. :)

 

~*~

 

I bet you all are just itching to see a close-up of my shoes!

Well, here ya go! ;)

Aren't they just the cutest thing.

Seriously the cutest pair of shoes I own.

Just look at those sweet little strawberries!

I think I need some strawberry print fabric to make a dress to match, don't you?

 



 

I've been having more success with my Victory Rolls!

I tried pulling my bangs back too, and it works smashingly!

I've been using Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Salt Spray in my hair before blow drying, & putting in my hot rollers. It really helps give my hair that needed texture for more "Victorious" Victory Rolls. (As Esther said in her comment on my VR post, which I found extremely hilarious.) ;)

I haven't tried it with a wet set yet. (Hey, that rhymes!)

I'll see how it works that way in the near future.

 



Come summertime you'll find me in Kels' hammock.

(Mostly because it's really hard to hoist yourself out of it once you're in.) :P

 



 

All I need now is nice cold glass of lemonade or sweet tea.

And, I'll just stare at my new shoes.

Just kidding. I'll knit.
 {And glance at my shoes at regular intervals.}

~*~

I've been working away on my suit for Easter.
I'm really excited about the way it's coming along!
 My vintage leaf sweater is just about to cross the finish line as well.
I can't wait to see how they look together. :D
We host my Dad's side of our family on Easter & I'm always in charge of the pies.
It's kind of my thing. ;) I plan on making a couple fresh strawberry, a peach,
& this adorable pie shared by Jessica on Chronically Vintage. :)
Yummies!

~*~

Have you jumped the gun with warm weather clothes?

Are you making preparations for an Easter celebration?

Which pie would you dig into first? :D

 

{Photos snapped by Kelsey. Edited by Moi.}

vintage treasures...

This post will be one of those posts I referred to as "random posts sprinkled in here & there" when I mentioned that I wanted to become more organized in my blogging. So I think I will give it the label "sprinkle post" to set it apart from my regular Tuesday posts.
{Mostly because it amuses me.} ;)

I did a bit of vintage treasure hunting this weekend.

I thought I'd share my "haul" with you lovelies. :)

Friday I was able to go to my favorite thrift store,

and Saturday to a not-too-far-away town with some swell antique shops.

 



Below are pictured my goodies found at my favorite thrift shop.

Some great vintage sewing notions & cook booklets.

When the prices range from 20 to 50 cents it's really hard not to throw things into your basket. ;)

I keep seeing all sorts of fabulous vintage belt buckles on vintage sewing blogs, especially Esther's.

So, I was quite excited to find that little red number. Ooo, and just look at those sparkly rhinestone buttons! The black buttons are "genuine jet" & I just like the card of the men's shirt buttons.
 



 

I simply can not resist little vintage cook booklets. The artwork is always so charming.
Clockwise starting from the left:
~ Good Housekeeping's Summer Cook Book.
 I can't find a date on this one, but judging by her hair I'd say 1940s.
~ Cake Baking Made Easy with Airy Fairy. Copyright 1932
hahaha! Can you imagine walking in to your local grocer's and enquiring whether or not they carry "Airy Fairy Cake Flour"? I think it would be very hard to do so with a straight face.
~ Coconut Glamour Desserts. Copyright 1949
Lots of yummy things in there!
~ Answers by the Canning Doctor.
I can't find a date on this one either, but I'd guess late 40s or early 50s.

 



 

Oh, and that cute little bunny {not vintage. just adorable.} just hopped into my basket on its own. At 20 cents I simply couldn't refuse the wee scamp a nice home.

Now, this lovely black velvet 1940s (I think) hat & the two wonderful feedsacks which you can see underneath all the other treasures were all found in a little antique shop.

Each item was $10 which I personally think was a terrific deal.

(Though I don't buy many hats I do know my stuff about feedsacks!)

 I'm thinking of wearing the hat on Easter. My sister, Beth, got me a wool suit in a lovely lavender that would go smashingly with the pansies on this sweet topper.

Although I'm not sure if it's against "the rules" to wear black velvet on Easter...any thoughts on that?
I think the pansies may be a new addition to the hat, but in any case I like them.
The lavender suit is very 90s in style, but I'm hoping to be able to tweak it to be a bit more 40s.
I may wear my vintage leaf sweater with the suit if it goes well together.
I just have to finish the collar & sew it up!
Now comes the part wear I sincerely hope it fits. You just never know with a new pattern. I generally have pretty good results though. The fact that knits are stretchy in nature is always a lifesaver. ;)

 

I'm really excited about my feedsacks! The blue one with little red apples would go wonderfully with my new belt buckle. And, since my vintage peasant blouse pattern can *just* be squeezed out of one feedsack I think I know what I'm going to make from this pink floral one! :D

Well, that's all for now, my dears. 

 

~ I'll be back Tuesday with another outfit post! ~

{You've been warned.} :P

 

What's your opinion on a black velvet hat for an Easter bonnet?

Did you find any vintage treasures lately {& did you get a good deal}?

Would you have been able to resist that sweet bunny? ;)

 





on a victory rolls roll...

Lately, I've been trying to put more effort into my hair.

Often, I'll just throw it up in a topknot & call it good.

(Usually, because I haven't left myself enough time in my daily beauty routine
to do anything more involved.)
I so love the "victory rolls" from the 1940's. I really wanted to try to replicate them. Easier said than done on my slippery, straight hair. (So, Aqua Net to the rescue!) ;)
These pictures are not even my best attempt, but I happened to have enough time to get out the camera & take a couple snaps, so they'll have to do. :)
 

I can't seem to get them to stand upright, but that's ok. I rather like them this way too.
I have discovered in subsequent attempts that they turn out better
if a take a bit more hair than I did in these.
 

Please pardon the grumpy look on my face in this second picture. I'm not very good at serious faces. I always end up looking a bit angry. ha!


Ugh, my bangs...

I'm never quite sure what to do with them.

I go back & forth between having bangs cut in & then growing them back out.

I've looked at vintage ways to wear bangs on Pinterest

& generally they're just those bumper bangs.

I've tried them before & just don't really care for them on me.

 

***

Here are some of my inspirations found via good ol' Pinterest.

They are all from my pretty board.

 

Oh, I so love this first photo.

The rolls are not over the top, and they don't look devil horns or Mickey Mouse ears.

(Definitely not the look I'd be going for.)

I also like the way the rest of her hair is rolled back.

It's much like Sam's from Foyle's War.

(Which we've been watching & thoroughly enjoying! Per Kathryn & Lily's recommendation.)

 



{Image Source}

 

 Ooo, just look at all those curls in this next photo!

So very lovely.

 

{Image Source}

The photo below seems like a good way to hide unwanted bangs.
Just sweep them back with the rest of the quiff  and plaster them with hair spray.
This is next on my to-try list.
 

{Image Source}

 

Below is a good photo tutorial. My friend, Gussi, sent me this pin. In the message she sent with it she remarked that we should have a vintage hair day. Um, yeah! I bet I could get at least a couple of my sisters to go along with that scheme too. (I'm talking to YOU, Kelsey!) We could go get milkshakes, or get our pics taken in a photo booth, or something cute like that! Who's with me?! haha 

In the summertime, in the little town I live near, they have free concerts in the park on Friday evenings. They play mostly Big Band or Swing music. It would be such a blast to attend those sporting victory rolls and pretty frocks. It's mostly old folks who attend, and I'm quite sure they would get a big kick out it at least. ^_^



{Image Source}

 

Oh, I just love this with the scarf! Very Rosie the Riveter, no?
This is a fun style to wear whilst gardening or cleaning!


{Image Source}



Last, but not least,

I've really been enjoying listening to the charming music of The Secret Sisters.

They have a very vintage country sound. While I usually am not fond, at all, of modern country. (There are a very few exceptions.) I do like a lot of old country, and I absolutely love bluegrass. I guess I'm just a hillbilly at heart. ;)

These gals sing, in lovely harmony,

some of the mid-century country standards my Dad has always favored.

(From whom, I'm sure, I got my love for this sort of music.)

Their albums are offered on vinyl too!

So, I will shortly be adding them to my growing record collection.

But now, let me draw your attention to these gals' hair.

Let me tell you, their hair is a constant source of inspiration.

{Photo Source}



Just watch a few of their videos on YouTube & you'll see what I'm talking about.

{Might I recommend Tennessee Me, House of Gold, & In the Sweet By & By?}

 

***

In order to maintain my new blogging schedule this post had to be a little bit slap dash. I'm really hoping it doesn't seem so! Last week was super busy, and I wasn't able to plan/photograph an outfit or project. The past couple outfit posts worked out to where I could have my sister snap some pics while I was visiting her on our usual coffee klatch day. This is my plan for the foreseeable future, but I needed to watch my 2-year-old nephew Jack all that day this week. {So that his Momma could take the older two kiddos on a homeschooling field trip.} When you get James (Kels' 2-year-old) & Jack together there is just no sneaking away to snap pics. Not unless you want mass chaos to ensue. They get that pack mentality when they're together so constant supervision is required.  ;)

 

My family & I went to a fish fry at my dear friend Debbie's lovely home on Saturday. I had made a couple pies to bring, but neglected to take any pics of them. Ah well, they probably would only have made you all hungry anyway. Really I've just spared you all temptation. You're welcome. ;)

She made the most excellent homemade mac & cheese. Here is the recipe she used.

I can wait to try it at home!

 

On the knitting front: I have finally broken down & ordered the Wonderland Heather needed to complete my Victory Jumper, but I've just got the sleeves left of my Vintage Leaf Sweater so I'd like to finish it first. Mostly because it's a rather slow going pattern, and I'm afraid if I stop I won't start again. I know myself too well. Since the Victory Jumper goes along at such a chipper speed it won't take long at all to complete. 

 

***

Do you like to do your hair with a vintage vibe?

 

How do you feel about bangs?

 

What is your favorite {or least favorite} sort of music?

 



the voice of Spring...

Top o' the mornin' to ya!
I wasn't wearing a bit of green when these photos were taken,
but I can assure you I am today. ;)
After all, I am a wee bit Irish.

We've been enjoying such lovely weather in my neck of the woods!

It makes me want to sing "Spring, Spring, Spring!"

(You know from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers?)
I just love living in an area that really gets a good dose of all four seasons.
Each season has it's own unique joys.
I delight in watching for the tender green shoots that push their way through the moist ground.
Soon we shall have daffodils {my very favorite Springtime bulb} spreading their sunshine & bringing cheer.
Yesterday was so delightfully warm I was able to hang my laundry out on the line for the first time this year. Nothing beats the smell of line dried fabric. After all that is what dryer sheets attempt to mimic oft times!
I can't wait for the first thunderstorm of the year!
They always make me want to huddle up with a cup of tea & some knitting, or a good book...
Or a good movie if the electricity stays on. :)
This time of year we always break out my DVDs of Rosemary & Thyme.
The beautiful gardens featured in the series always make me itch to get my hands in the dirt.

 

Although, I wear pastels all year round,

I'm especially fond of them in the Spring.
{Seriously, what gal isn't?!}

 



This outfit isn't really true to any particular era.
I would consider it more "vintage inspired".
Well, that is probably what category  most of my clothing would fall into.
Although, I actually don't always wear vintage inspired either.
Sometimes I wear overalls & a peasant blouse,
 or skinny or trouser jeans & a sweater or button down shirt.
My taste in clothing is rather wide & varied,
as illustrated on my adorn {Spring & Summer} Pinterest board.
As a 90's kid, I'm also crazy about floral prints.
(As illustrated in my blog theme.)

 Anyhoo. This is one of my favorite vintage inspired getups.

I made the pieces of this ensemble last year.

You may remember my Land Girl Cabled Cardigan.
It is such a staple in my wardrobe.
I wear it at least 3 times a week.
Of course, I won't as soon as the weather gets much warmer.
My plan is to make one in lavender & perhaps pale pink as well for the next sweater season.
 



 

My 6 year old niece, Abbey, gave me this sweet brooch for my birthday last year.

It's made of teeny-tiny shells. I just love the colors, and the sweet girl who gave it to me. :)

The tank top came from Debbie Bliss' Amalfi book. I bought the Amalfi yarn on etsy for a super deal since the yarn has been discontinued. It's a lovely blend of cotton, viscose, linen, & silk.  I had loved this yarn the first time I saw it in the Spring/Summer 2010 issue of Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine. 

I remember reading that the color palette of this line was inspired by the 1950's.

Yes, please!

Unfortunately, at the time that it was out of my price range.

So, I was ever so thankful to find such a great deal.

I went a little hog-wild searching etsy, eBay, & Ravelry for more good deals.

I found some in a beautiful duck egg hue from which I made this cardi.

Also, a darker blue for this boatneck sweater {soon to be featured in another post}.  

 I have 6 skeins in a fun limey green colorway that will hopefully get knitted up this season!

 



 

This skirt was made from Simplicity 2367

with some fabric I bought at Walmart for something like $3/yard.

The print is quite mid-century styled, don't you think?

It's a very nice heavy-ish cotton fabric with a bit of a linen-like texture to it.

(I believe it came from the home décor clearance section.)

If I remember correctly is was around 50" wide too, so it only took around a yard to make the skirt. With the fabric I had left over I cut out a wide brim hat that I thought would be nice for gardening, though I haven't sewn it up yet.

 

***

 

So, I've been thinking a lot about becoming more organized with my blogging.

{And life in general, but that's besides the point.}

I can be hopelessly nonchalant about things sometimes,

and things are just not getting done like they should.

So, my plan is to post at least every Tuesday.

I may have some random posts sprinkled in here & there in between, but I want to make sure I get in at least one good post per week. I really don't think that's too much to ask of myself! ;)

Also, I think I need to write some lists. Lists are good right?

*Things I want to make

*Things I need to make

*Ideas for post series

 

Oh, and another thing, I want to be more thoughtful in my posts.

As a person who is not very wordy it can be very hard for me to even realize what I'm thinking or how I feel about something. I have to realize that sometimes I won't be able to write a post all in one sitting. Sometimes I'll have to save it as draft for later so I can mull things over in my mind. (This post for instance took me about 3 days.) And that's ok!

 

Well, I think I've officially blathered on long enough. ;)

 

Thank you all so much for your sweet comments on my previous post.
The prayers & kind words mean ever so much. 

Enjoy the sunshine {& the rain} that accompany this lovely season, my dears.

"We plough the fields, and scatter the good seed on the land;
But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand:
He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain.
 All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above,
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord
For all His love"

{Old English Hymn}

 



{Photos snapped by Kelsey & edited by Yours Truly.}

something's missing...

{Photo Source}

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time,

you've probably realized that I'm rather a girl of few words.

I prefer to let the pictures do the talking with just a wee bit of commentary sprinkled in.

It's just the way I am, I guess.

 

This post, however, will feature only one pic, and it's not me or anything I made.

(It's Lucille Ball being her hilarious self.)

 

Last Wednesday I lost something.

Well, I didn't lose it,

I brought it home so I could show it to my niece & nephews,

it's just no longer a part of me.

 

One of my front teeth had to be removed.

There. I said it.

Long story short:

The tooth was defective ever since it grew in when I was a kiddo.

It has given me nothing but trouble ever since.

Recurring infection, a root canal, & one other oral surgery later...

my body finally decided the tooth no longer deserved to be a part of me...

because of this the bone part of the root had started to break up,

and the gum, with less & less to hold onto, started to recede so...

the gimpy tooth had to go.

 

Eventually, I will have a permanent implant.

But, I had some bone loss which they are fixing now with some bone grafting.

I know, feel sorry for me. ;)

Actually, that part isn't really as bad as it sounds.

They just packed some grafting powder up there.

When they first mentioned bone grafting I envisioned part of my elbow

or something being cut out & transplanted into my mouth.

 

So, now I get to wear a temporary false tooth on a retainer type thing.

(The call it a flipper. That doesn't sound very technical to me, though.)

Thankfully, they did a wonderful job matching my other tooth.

I think it looks quite natural!

(I'm actually wearing it in the previous post. See if you can spot the imposter! hee hee)

I wouldn't say it's comfortable, but it's not unbearable either.

I think my speech is only slightly affected.

I've learned I shouldn't chew gum while wearing it...

and I'm not supposed to bite with it.

It's all fork & knife eating for me. Very proper!
You want to know what I really miss?
Biting into a perfectly toasted English muffin.
All wonderful with little lagoons of melted butter.

 

 

I was ever so nervous in the days leading up to The Extraction.

I loathe having work done on my teeth.

(Probably since I've had so much of it!)

I've been known to be so tense I hold my breath...

and pass out.

{Embarrassing.}

 

Thanks be to God, on the actual day I felt remarkable calm.

My family were all praying for me

so I have no doubt that was the source of the blessed peace.

 

There was really no pain to speak of.

Apart from the initial prick of the anesthetic needle.

The tooth came out very easily & all in one piece.

(Thanks again, Lord!)

 

I felt all of seven years old again.

Unable to properly make 'f', 'v', & 'th' sounds.

(By the way, 's' is no trouble at all, so the song

"All I want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth"

 isn't accurate. Just sayin'.)

 

This whole process will be months long.

At first, when I didn't realize how long this could take

I joked that it was too bad it wasn't closer to Halloween.

Just think of all the great costumes: Pirate, Hillbilly, Hockey Player...

It was just a joke, but now it could be closer to reality.

(So be sure to tell me if you think of any good costumes.)

;) haha!

 

Well, I'm not really sure why I felt the need to post about this.

Hopefully I didn't make anyone ill.

(Maybe I should've put a warning at the beginning.) :P

I guess I was just thinking how this is a pretty big...

gee, I'm not even sure what to call it...

Trial? Experience? Occurrence?

Well, let's just say it's kind of a big deal in my life right now.

I thought maybe it would be good to share it with my blogging friends.

 

So, if you've made it this far thanks for listening. :)

You're a peach!

 

 

 

 

 

1940's feedsack peasant blouse & knit peplum jacket...

 Some outfits I wear feature one or two articles of clothing that I made.
(While some don't feature one stitch of me-made!)
This particular ensemble is completely made by moi!
Well, apart from the shoes.
(Laura Ashley from Bergners, I think.)



 

I think my knit peplum jacket goes quite well with this 1940's look.

The pattern is designed by Debbie Bliss and called the Edwardian Jacket.

I made this a few months back.

I bought the yarn at a local yarn store on my birthday last year!

They were having a super good sale so I got a super deal.

(Happy birthday to me!)

;)

I actually wore this jacket with my Beatrix Potter costume.

You can just see it in the last photo of that post.

 

The yarn is an oh-so-soft Merino wool & cashmere blend.
I just love the color. It's called pale mauve,
but I think of it more as a pale orchid.

 

Under my cuddly jacket I'm wearing this peasant blouse I made from a vintage feedsack.

 

I purchased both the pattern & the feedsack from Lilia at Pantry Door.

 I also bought 3 of this delicious feedsack!

 

Soon to be a 1940's style dress.
(Hopefully this Spring!)

But I digress...

The blouse is quite short, and doesn't really like to stay tucked in.
No directing traffic or assisting a plane in landing in this outfit. No, Sir-ee!
I may eventually add a band of fabric to the bottom just to help it behave itself.
The skirt I made from a remnant of black flannel I bought at Joann Fabrics.
It had the ruffle on there ready made!
There was just enough to fit comfortably around my *ahem* bum with just a 1/4" seam.
It is only very lightly gathered onto a yoke-type waistband.
While it's perhaps not exactly what I had envisioned when planning a skirt to go with this blouse,
I think it goes quite well and is rather flattering, though I say it myself. ;)

***
I haven't placed that yarn order yet to finish up my Victory Jumper.
I just know as soon as I do & receive my "order shipped" email
I'll remember there was something else I needed to order too!
(Does anyone else do that, or is that just me?)
In the meantime here is what I've started.

I need to make a couple baby sweaters for gifts too.
This beautiful light blue tweed yarn was just begging to be made into this lovely sweater.
Isn't that little collar the dearest little thing?

{Photos of me snapped by my sister Kelsey}

sunshine on flowers...

It snowed again on Sunday.

We, again, weren't able to make it to church.

We had some freezing rain last night,

but it's supposed to get up to 40* today.

So our plans are merely postponed rather than cancelled today.

 

Aside to that one aforementioned downside of the snow,

I was ever so thankful to see some more of the stuff.

Snow this time of year is almost as precious as Christmas snow.

(I did say almost.)

You never know if it may be the last time you see it 'til next winter.

 



 

Because, sure as the sun will rise tomorrow,

Spring is on it's way.

How do I know?

***

"While the earth remains,

Seedtime and harvest,

And cold and heat,

And summer and winter,

And day and night

Shall not cease."

Genesis 8:22

 

What a faithful God we serve.

***

 

Isn't this carnation lovely?

Such a vintage-y pink color.

Grandma Lou's wedding bouquet was carnations,

so they hold a special place in my heart.

Of course, it's indisputably acknowledged that daisies are the friendliest flower.

But, I do think these are rather chummy themselves. ;)

 



 

My paper snowflakes will soon be coming down & packed away 'til December.

Isn't my new cloud pillow the cuteness?

It has a sad face on t'other side.

(75% off clearance at Hallmark, what?!)

 

***

 

Well, I suppose one good thing about the freezing rain...

it gave me a chance to write this meandering little post.

^_^

Watch your step - it's slippery out there!

Aunt G's fox scarf...

What a delightfully quick knit this adorable faux stole was!

Although, the original pattern was in some sort of Scandinavian language

so the translation was less than perfect.

(As if knit speak weren't confusing enough at times! haha!)

Looking at other's examples on Ravelry proved a big help!

I modified the head shape, ears, & face coloring.

 

 

I embroidered the eyes & nose with some black yarn I had leftover from another project.

I decided on embroidery rather than buttons.

(Sometimes buttons can look a little spooky.)

 

 

I sent Aunt G a pic & she said that she loves it. :D

 

Knit in Knit Picks Brava Sport in Paprika & Cream

 

***

Email me if you are interested in placing a custom order for your own fox scarf!

$20 (+ shipping) in Premium Acrylic

$25 (+ shipping) in Washable Wool

 (75%Superwash Merino Wool, 25%Nylon)

 

{Photos by Momma}