new things.

I am working hard to get some new things made for the shop. New dresses and tunics mostly. And yes, more gingham! The time change has thrown me off a bit and I find myself making another cup of coffee in the afternoon. I am technically not supposed to make more than one cup a day (my own little rule...hah) but sometimes you just need that extra little "push" to get you through the afternoon. With the coming of spring brings many new things. The house is every which way as my roommate packs up her belongings to move into a new place and a new life. She will be missed! That leaves me with very little here, but I like it that way. I am finding endless amounts of inspiration from the lovely Ms Cumberbatch of Pure Style fame. I ordered a few more of her books and there are instructions in one of them on how to make slip covers for the chairs and couch. I already have a list of things to make this summer and many of them are included in her books. Paint [video] the dining room table/chairs white, make slip covers for the old couch, reupholster the chairs... Will I get it all done, do you think? We shall see. Summertime is almost here and I already have it pretty filled up. One of which is getting married! So yes, a full summer indeed!

Although it feels like Friday, I am happy to say it's only Wednesday. I'm off to alter a dress and then work some more on new frocks. I smell brownies and coffee and I think a bit of Pride and Prejudice might be in order for later, although I've seen it more times than I care to mention. Have a wonderful and peaceful week. xo

up the wooden hills

Have you heard of Up The Wooden Hills? I just found out about it a few days ago from this gal. How perfect is this dress! I got really excited when I found her clothing. And you must go and peruse her lovely blog as well. She has exquisite taste. This dress reminds me so much of the 19th century, herb gardens and summer days. xo

cabbages and roses

I just got an email announcing the new Cabbages and Roses catalog. After flipping through the "style guide" for both the clothing and the homeware, I find myself lost in an old English garden. And I would love to spend all afternoon going on a scavenger hunt in the woods, or lounging on a hammock reading a good book... Or perhaps I'll invite a few intimate friends over for a cup of tea and shortbread. I hope spring comes pretty soon, because I can't hardly stand the wait any longer!

Have a terrific Thursday! It's almost the weekend! xo

perfection.

Isn't it absolutely perfect? I would love to wear this dress, all the time, every day.

le loup-garou

A new online boutique for you to check out!

{p.s. it's friday already?!}

pretty clothes.

All so very lovely. They are on my imaginary wish-list. I especially love the turn-of-the-century styling of the first blouse. Details are everything. I want to start making clothes for myself that add those little hand details. Like smocking or embroidery, the little things that take time, but are completely worth doing.

{all images from COTON.}

harvest calico blouse.

So guess what? I am going to sell one of the tops I was originally making for myself after all. Why? I guess I didn't realize that the color wasn't "me" when I purchased the fabric. Oh, well! Maybe someone out there will see it and snatch it up. I made it in size small and it's available in my Big Cartel shop and Etsy if you're interested. I'm really happy with how it turned out, so I may be making more of these calico blouses for the autumn/winter season. I plan to make another for myself in a different color and pair it with a silk undershirt for really cold days.

Although one of the tops I made I am not keeping, I did manage to make another button-up for myself on Saturday. It's made out of a really lovely woven cotton that is brushed on one side, which feels super soft and comfy next to my skin. It will be great to wear to my brother's barn party next weekend. I'll share pictures soon.

I hope everyone had a spooky Hallowe'en! I did! My boyfriend and I watched Sleepy Hollow (which I hadn't seen before) and some kids banged on our door rather loudly at one point, which freaked me out. We didn't have any candy because I was told no one really comes out this way, so those little brats didn't get anything. Jed did go out and get some candy later, even though no one else showed up. That's okay! More candy for us!

Have a wonderful week and hello November!

I've been going through my closet and have decided to get rid of some stuff. So I started a blog where I'll be selling things for very reasonable prices. Plus you get free shipping if you purchase 3 items or more (US only)! Many of the items I've made myself and all are in good to almost new condition. If you are interested, check it out!

cleaning, new-old necklace and food!

• cleaning out my drawers again. it's harder to get rid of stuff this time.
• a necklace my mom used to wear that she gave to me.
• pizza pockets {click on picture for recipe}.
• oatmeal pancakes on saturday morning {click on picture for recipe}.
  

resisting the urge to consume

{blouse in production.}

It all started earlier this year, around the end of February (according to my receipts) that I decided it was time I made a change in my spending habits. I will admit, I love clothing. I love to figure out my "style" and wear clothes that express my personality. It's a bit of a hobby and it's also part of my job, so it's something I think about a lot. I'm not much of an artist in the sense of paintings. I barely know what "good" art is. I see what I like and I may not have a deep explanation behind why I love it, except that it makes me feel wonderful when I look at it. But I am getting off topic now. Ehem... (It's the art show I went to last night that is trying to sabotage the topic of this post; do forgive me.) Back to what I was saying... Clothing in a sense is my "art." It's my way of expressing myself while painting is a way other artists express themselves. So it can be really hard to resist buying stuff that I think will help express my personality. I know, that may sound ridiculous to some people, but I really do get excited about it. However, I started to see myself spending money on stuff I thought I "needed" when in reality, it was just something to make me feel good for the time being. I quickly realized that I wasn't feeling any better two weeks later when I was figuring out my spending habits. It's not that I've ever spent a lot of money on any one thing either. It could be little things like going to a thrift store and purchasing clothing. But it all adds up.

So I made a mental decision that I would refrain from buying anything clothing related, with a few exceptions. The gist of it is that I would stop buying clothing online or go shopping for clothes. I never was very happy with my purchases either, mostly because I don't have the money to spend on items I really would like. I have purchased some things like a pair of rad 1940s heels for super cheap that I couldn't resist at an antique store or a black slip to wear under one of the vintage dresses I got a few years ago. But other than little things, I stopped buying clothing. Instead what I have been doing is buying fabric, but even then I really hesitate until I know it's something I need or that I know I'll use before the end of the year. Part of the reason I decided to stop buying clothing was to encourage myself to make my own clothing. I know not everyone can make their own clothes, but this is something I'm good at, so why not use my talents?

Since then I have been wearing a lot of the same clothing over and over again, but I wear them different ways so it feels like I have a new outfit. And you know what? It feels great. Instead of going out to buy shorts (which I really don't like anyway) I wore skirts and dresses all summer. And when I felt like wearing shorts, I made some that I liked. I've begun making my own jeans and trousers. I'm actually happy with the way they look and fit! I've got two pairs of jeans I purchased last year that I wear on and off, but in my book two pairs is just fine. If I want more, then I have to set aside some time and make them myself. Not only does this help me appreciate the time it takes to put a garment together, but it also helps perfect my skills as a seamstress.

Another thing I did was to get rid of clothing that I knew I would never wear. For some reason I kept thinking that maybe someday, down the road, I will need said item for some random reason. But had I worn said item in the last year? No. Out the door it went and into the lovely hands of Salvation Army (or Goodwill, I can't remember). Hurrah for more closet space! Hurrah for less stuff! Getting rid of stuff is totally freeing for me. It's sort of the feeling I had when I totaled my car and didn't have the insurance to pay for it. I thought to myself "one more thing I don't really need." And that helped me put it all into perspective. (Until now where I'm like... "gahhh why don't I have a car?!!") But honestly, I feel like the more you get rid of, the less you have to think about. And that is the whole idea behind not purchasing things. I even have gone so far as to not buy shampoo. I wash my hair instead with a mix of baking soda and water and it actually works! Then again, that also has to do with the fact that my hair looks like a fuzzy plush toy when I shampoo my hair. And the fact that there is a ton of crap in shampoo that just looks plain scary! And heck, I'm pretty sure baking soda is better for our environment than a bottle of shampoo. (No offense to anyone who shampoos their hair, I seriously am not judging here!)

So back to the topic. The feeling of resisting the urge to purchase stuff has made me feel better about myself and it has encouraged me to be more creative with what I have. I'm not saying I'm "cured" of the spending urge, because there are still times when I will purchase a book or a DVD and then think "oh man...did I actually need this? No? Drat." So this is ongoing for me, but I am trying. And so far, I'm feelin' pretty darn good about it.