many thoughts.

The dresses I am working on right now are taking longer than I thought. Or at least, I started to realize how silly it was to think I could open up shop before finishing these dresses! Making historical clothing is so much different than modern apparel. There are so many little details. You can't just cut it out and sew everything up with a machine. Lots of hand sewing involved. And I am drafting the patterns from scratch, so it is time consuming. It's been awhile since I've made a historical garment. Probably not since last year! So I'm doing a lot of research at the same time, which I actually do for pretty much every historical dress project I start. That is the reason why these two dresses will be my last historical dresses for a long time. I have not made any public statement or closed down my website (I will probably keep it open for those who use it for reference) yet, but have decided it's time. Time to move on to other things. I already have fabric for my spring/summer clothing and am itching to start work on those. But alas, I have other work to do first. I also have more Henriette dresses in a new blue/cream plaid made out of a lovely silk/linen fabric. And I made the Eugénie dress in a hunter green silk velvet I picked up the other week. It's really a stunning color. Jed helped pick this one out, so if you like it you can thank him for the color selection! :) I am sorry I can't reopen the shop just yet, but hopefully these dresses won't take too much longer!

I also have a lot on my mind regarding some of the things I wrote recently in another post I made about making youtube videos etc. I have been agonizing over whether or not to make videos, even going so far as to make a few sample videos (I know, really lame!) but am not happy with any of them. And have decided, for the time being, that making videos and doing the YouTube "scene" really is not my thing. I've found that as much fun as it sounds to do little videos, most of the time it just makes me feel like I need more "stuff," that I don't have enough "things." That feeling of "needing" more in my life than what I already have is not healthy for me. I do like to watch YT videos, but sometimes it is hard for me not to want to buy whatever product someone is talking about. Thinking it is the instant cure-all for whatever I'm dealing with at that moment. And while I'm not trying to put anyone down for making these videos (I really do enjoy watching many of them!) I just don't think it is right for me. I want to be real and myself, and I have a feeling that if I made videos I would be too worried and would just copy someone else! Perhaps there may be an occasion to make a video for a tutorial or a hairstyle, but you know I kind of prefer photography over video anyway.

So that's that! Hopefully I haven't offended anyone. I am trying to be honest and true to myself. Anyway, blah blah... back to sewing for a little while. Perhaps a cup of tea and then to bed I'll go. I am sorry I wrote a book this time! Thanks to those who were able to sift through my writing. Have a really lovely and beautiful weekend! xoxo

a new week.

Well, the weekend is over and I'm about ready to shut off the lights and go to bed. I've got a new schedule that I'm going to try to stick to tomorrow. A fresh day, a fresh week. I have two new dresses that I tried to photograph today for the shop. I'm also working on a couple historical garments that are rather intense projects. But I am itching to open up shop again! So I'm going to try to be very good this week and get everything done so I can list them for sale. Hope you all like the new fabrics I chose. More on that later... Goodnight! xo

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Just some photographs from my world.

winter?

Winter, where are you?? I cannot believe the weather we are having! It almost feels like spring! But we are definitely taking advantage of this fine weather. The other day we went for a little walk to the lake and then Jed snapped some pictures of my outfit. Not that you can really see my whole outfit, but under that coat there's just a boring t, so nothing special! Also I've started parting my hair way over on the side, which is new for me. It's an easy way to get a new style without actually getting a haircut! And those boots were a Christmas present from Jed! They are awesome and so is Jed!! : )

I'm almost certain the moment I am used to this wonderful weather, we'll get a huge snowstorm or something. The forecast does say snow, but I don't know how much. Secretly I'd like a good snowstorm! Snow, a good book, a large supply of coffee, soup and I'm set! Oh, homemade donuts wouldn't hurt either...!

Stay warm everyone!! xo

p.s. i picked up some fabric today that i love! it's silk velvet and it's green! more soon...

new year!

I think I'm becoming an expert on vacationing. Seriously, it is so hard to get back to a routine after having no routine for two weeks! Today Jed and I finally went to the real grocery store (usually when we come home from being away, we live off of the corner health food store and Walgreens). But I'm slowly getting back into the old routine.

I've been thinking a lot about blogging and my online presence, or whatever you call it! I really want to liven things up a bit around here. I'm also thinking of maybe starting a YouTube channel. I'm not totally sure about that yet. I'm a little nervous about being in front of a camera. I had a mild freak-out over the last few days while thinking this over. Looking at all these other YouTubers and style bloggers and starting to realize how little I have thought of my own wardrobe in the last few years. I feel like I've spent a lot of time creating clothing for that imaginary me, the person who lives in the clothing I create for Anna Allen Clothing, that I have forgotten about my own personal style. I have always wanted to be like the cool girl who wears effortless, lovely frocks and ensembles. And who knows exactly how to wear makeup so she looks fresh and flawless. But I haven't been able to figure out how to be effortless. To be truthful, most days I will just find a top, a pair of pants, some warm socks, warm sweater and call it good. Doesn't matter if it goes well together and forget about accessories, unless you count my wedding rings! Other days I wear grey leggings with a grey v-neck t-shirt that I wear as my pajamas and a grey wool sweater plus wool socks and call it good. Forget about makeup! I know it's not horrible, but I wouldn't want to be seen in this getup. But I love style and fashion and I just love dressing up. So why don't I dress up every day? I don't know! I think it's pure laziness. But I'd like to change that. I'm really thinking a lot about what sorts of things I like and I am going to work on slowly building up a wardrobe that I love. I'm not sure where to begin. I'd like to dress maybe half like I have a job outside my home and half more casual. But I'd definitely like to dress a little more like I would if I were going out every day. Hey, maybe I will start to wear skirts and dresses again, though it's a little hard to think of that right now during the winter.

As you can see, I have a lot going on in my brain. As for the YouTube channel, I think it would just be fun to make videos. I don't know exactly the focus I would have. Maybe a little bit of everything?? I might do some reviews or talk about products that work for me. Lately I have been on a hunt for the perfect foundation, and so far most foundations are too dark for me (even the lightest shades!) or they break me out or my skin is too dry during the winter. Hair videos might be fun as well, like the braid tutorial I did awhile back. Any thoughts? If I started a YouTube channel, what videos would you most be interested in seeing?

On shop news, I am hoping to open the shop up again soon, but I will also be working on a few big historical dress projects coming up as well. So I am toying with the idea of making some Henriette dresses ready-made in various sizes in a different fabric than pictured (sadly, I am out of the green cotton plaid and I can't find more of it). Making garments ahead of time instead of made-to-order might help me manage my time a little better while I am working on other projects.

So I guess all of that is a lot to swallow, but it's a new year! And I am excited to dive right in and start making goals and working on keeping those goals! I started a few goals several months ago which I've been pretty good at keeping and I feel better than ever! Doing yoga (Esther is the best!) every day has helped me a TON and taking pro-biotics and multi-vitamins are making me feel pretty darn awesome! Especially those pro-biotics, man are those good. And I'm also trying to drink 8 glasses of water a day because every time I am faithful with keeping hydrated, I look and feel a whole lot better. Seriously, it's no joke. Try it sometime! You may be taking a billion trips to the bathroom to pee, but it is worth it in my book! And I think if you start to keep hydrated on a regular bases, those trips to the bathroom will lessen. At least I hope they will! Anyway, on that note (ehem) I will end! I hope you all had a fabulous holiday! I have lots more Christmas photos to share, but will show you those in another post, hopefully before winter is over! xo

christmas decorating.

I thought I would share some photos of our Christmas decorations. This year I finally put together an Advent calendar! I'm so proud of myself for actually doing one this year. Every year I wanted to make one, even just a little one with numbers on a string or something. Then I would get busy, as I do every year, and I never got it done in time. Well, this time I decided to just buy some little gifts and write some fun notes to my sweetheart. So every day Jed has a little gift to open or a note to read that I wrote to him. Sometimes there are little things and then there are a few larger items. Most of the notes have little ideas that we can do together during the holidays. Simple things like snuggling together while sipping hot cider or going sledding or ice skating. I had so much fun putting it together and I feel like a little kid watching Jed open a gift every day! I know, I'm such a sap! I hope this becomes a tradition, even if I'm only able to only write notes for each day. It's a fun way to make the holidays last a little longer than just one day.

We also picked up a real tree this year! I've never had a real tree, since my parents always got fake trees. We lived with a Charlie Brown looking tree for most of my growing up years. Mom picked it up at a garage sale years and years ago. I think she got it for $5 and we had it all my growing up years. Then one year we all decided it was time to upgrade and we all picked this huge tree out. It was one of those times when we didn't really think about where we would put the tree. But somehow we've managed to cram that big tree in the living room every year. But for Jed and I, we decided we wanted a real tree, so we went to Whole Foods here in town to see what they have. Since we really didn't have time to go out to get a tree somewhere at a tree farm, this was the next best option. They had some really lovely larger trees and some cute smaller trees. We decided this year it might be best to get a smaller one, since we're going back to Iowa to celebrate Christmas with our families. But I love this little one so much! I'll probably try to keep it up for a long time after Christmas!

For the decorations, since we didn't have any ornaments and I haven't had any time to make a lot of things, I simply sliced up a couple of oranges and dried them in the oven. Then I popped a whole bunch of popcorn (you have to make extra so you can eat half of it)! We also got some really wonderfully smelling pine cones at Whole Foods (that place is soooo tempting during the holidays)! I think we did pretty well for not having too much. Now all I need to do is wrap some more gift to put under the tree! Most of the gifts this year we had mailed to our parents' houses so that we don't have to lug a bunch of gifts home on the bus! But I am hand making just a couple this year. I think next year we are going to try to plan ahead and make more gifts. I feel so much better when we don't spend so much money and focus on making things instead. I have a bunch of ideas already. Perhaps I better start making next year's gifts now??

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season so far! We only have had a light dusting of snow so far, but I am still hoping we'll have a white Christmas!

Here's my Christmas playlist if you need help getting in the mood! xo

::

I feel like it's been a bit of a whirlwind lately and finally everything seems to have slowed down a bit. Not that I don't have a million things to do, but I somehow just feel like taking it easy these days. Jed and I finally got our little Whole Foods tree decorated a few nights ago. It was such a good night. We've been snuggling on the couch almost every night watching sappy Christmas movies. Tonight we watched Home Alone, which I've never seen before. One of Jed's faves and now it's one of mine too! The sappiest movie we've seen yet has to be 12 Men of Christmas with Kristen Chenoweth. I'm a bit of a fan of hers from when she was in Pushing Daisies (love)! I'm not sure I could recommend the 12 Men of Christmas movie to anyone, though, but I gotta say Jed and I DID kind of like it... :) Actually yeah, if you are OK with some bad acting and a not so-great plot, a bunch of guys that look like JC Penny models (or maybe more like Patagonia models?) and you like Kristen Chenoweth, go watch it! Sometimes I like sappy girly movies with bad plots. But I've also been watching some of the good old classics. Here's a list of my favorite Christmas movies!

Holiday (1938)*
Love Affair (1939)*
Bachelor Mother (1939)*
Remember the Night (1940)
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Meet John Doe (1941)*
Holiday Inn (1942)
The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
I’ll Be Seeing You (1944)
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)*
Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
It Happened on 5th Ave (1947)
Holiday Affair (1949)
White Christmas (1954)
Desk Set (1957)*
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Little Women (1994)


Enjoy!



*Not strictly Christmas movies, but they are centered around the holidays.

time for a second cup o' coffee.

Working hard on orders! Just wanted to pop in and say hello! I'll be back when I have a little time to write. I still need to decorate our little tree, but I did get an advent calendar up this year! More on that later as well. Hope everyone is enjoying this festive time of year! XO

p.s. i started a little facebook page, if you'd like to check it out and "like" me! :)