Hello Blogging, My Old Friend.....

I feel like I'm in a perpetual state of catching-upness lately; and I have felt too frazzled to compose a logical and entertaining blog post! I'm so surprised I even have followers left; and have gained a few...welcome!

So many things I'm juggling right now; I took the plunge and obtained my own booth space for my Farmers' Market; and had my first day on my own on Saturday. It wasn't the greatest day I've ever had; but I think it was because I had moved locations; and was exceedingly unprepared with no tent in the blazing sun! I have lots of lofty plans for my booth; I want to create a station with running water in a sink so my customers can try my soaps and scrubs; but the logistics are proving to be complicated, to say the least! I was so lucky that the Market Manager was extremely receptive to my crazy ideas; and is planning to try to get me near a water spigot; which would be exciting!

I also had my first experience selling in Downtown Boise, which around here; is the biggest show in town! I had an opportunity to do so with Idaho Indie Works, who has a store in Downtown Boise; and offered spaces for vendors during First Thursday; which is a seasonal, monthly street fair and event. I felt so "fancy" being downtown with all the hustle and bustle, and got to introduce my products to a whole new crowd of people, it was great! I had a lot of fun with my "neighbors", including a fabulous fine artist; some lovely jewelry makers; and a glass artist; among others. I acquired a set of gorgeous art glass-topped hairpins and a tie dye onesie through trading; and love them!

Goodness...it's uncharacteristic of me to wax poetic about my business; I guess it's just because it's what's on my mind; although there's a lot going on in my "real" life as well. My boys will be home for the summer starting Thursday; and I was getting very misty while doing my weekly grocery shopping; because I was buying things with a view to summer lunches and picnics; I really do love the summer; but each time summer comes; it's bittersweet; because it means another year has passed; and my boys are yet another year older. Ahhh, how sad and sweet it can be to be a parent!

Elvis just turned 11 months; I can't believe we've had him for nearly a year! On the other hand; my pregnancy seems like a long-distant memory; and I look back at that time with a tinge of sadness; because it seems like such a simpler time; although I didn't think so then!

 

This somewhat blurry video shows my adorable Elvis; he just learned to "snap" his fingers and was doing it up a storm...until the camera came out! It's still a great video and he snaps for half a second; don't blink or you'll miss it! 

Oh...I suppose I should explain my picture.....no, I'm not pregnant; and have no immediate plans to become pregnant; but I love vintage maternity fashion; and have always wanted to own a vintage maternity pattern. I found a great one from my friend Maggie at Vintage Core Patterns and couldn't resist! I may make them up just for fun...or for possible future use...or to sell, who knows! All I know is that I love this style of Maternity wear; and if I ever decide to take the plunge again; this is what I'll be sporting! 

Have a great, Summer-y week! 

 

Viva, Las Vegas.......(and San Diego)

Did you see the snazzy new picture on my sidebar? It's a award given by 1950's Atomic Ranch House to all the bloggers that read her blog ; I have had the pleasure of getting comments on my blog by her, so I feel honored....and I love the button!

Well here we are....San Diego!

This taco shop was what James has been waiting for! We enjoyed a nice lunch there, and he even went back in afterwards to tell the staff how much he enjoyed his Chipotle fish taco, and how glad he was that the food was still the same!


The weather's been a little iffy; I think we brought a little Idaho with us, because we were greeted by a monsoon while driving down the I-15 from San Bernardino, and the sun has been hit and miss. Yesterday when we left my father-in-law's house the sun was finally shining, and it was beautiful!

We spent the afternoon driving to all of James' old haunts, and we discovered that sadly his childhood home is all boarded up and about to be demolished. He wanted me to take a picture anyway, but I won't post it because it's sad. Seeing his old hometown made him nostalgic and introspective, and he wrote this lovely piece about it. I hope I won't embarrass him too much by publishing it, but I'm proud of him and want to share:

Boise vs San Diego

by James Arnold on Friday, March 25, 2011 at 6:55pm

I love living in Boise.  Transplanting my family from San Diego to the "City of Trees' was the best decision I could have made.  But being in San Diego still feels like home.  These are my people.  They're a crazy, rude, impatient lot.  I'm pretty sure its more important for them to try and kill themselves and each other on the interstate than to get where they are going.  In Boise, turning on your blinker lets the person in that lane know that you would like to move over, and could they kindly allow you to do so.  In general, they do.  In California, a blinker means, "Go _____ yerself! Let me over and I swear it'll be the last thing you do, you jackwagon!" 

I drove past my High School (Go Titans).  Its a little different now, but I remember almost every day I spent there.  We went to go see the house I grew up in.  Its on a little dirt cul-de-sac called Sycamore.  The tiny house I have so many memories of is boarded up and sad.  The front deck is gone.  The yard, not nearly as big as I remember, is overgrown and muddy.  My next door neighbor, and best friend, on Sycamore is dead.  He was about a year older than me and he died in a motorcycle accident about 8-9 years ago, his name was Matt .  The house he grew up in is gone.  There exists an empty lot where the 2nd house I grew up in used to stand. 

The point is, I sat there in my Explorer saddened by the state of my childhood stomping grounds.  The best years of my childhood were spent on Sycamore.  I'm not "from" this state anymore.  I don't recognize the parts of it that were the most important to me.  Those parts exist only in my memories. The things that are most important to me now, are all with me here and they're from Idaho.  They change, but only for the better.  I have friends and family in Idaho, and I love them all.  Idaho is my home now.  San Diego is just a bitchin vacation spot.  I like it that way.

Isn't that sweet and sad? I'm so happy we were able to visit, it's been almost five years since he was able to come back and visit, and I know he sometimes misses it. I've often been afraid that he wasn't happy in our poor little Idaho home and that he didn't feel like he belonged yet. I'm glad to know that he considers himself an adopted Idahoan! 

Ok, I can no longer avoid doing this; I've been talking about my new clothes forever; it's time to woman up and post a picture of myself, although the very idea makes me cringe! After a few failed attempts to get my son Andrew to take a picture of me while I was not talking; and since James refuses to take pictures of me because he claims I'm never happy with them....I took a ridiculous picture of my reflection in the mirror. High-tech, huh? Well, I felt absurd, but I love my new wrap skirt and sweater. And my green shoes, though the quality of the picture is awful:

Our messy hotel suite is in the background, and I think the glare from the window adds a nice touch. Oh well, the skirt is really comfy and has pockets! I'm also thrilled with the versatility of the sweater, I'll be wearing it constantly, I'm sure! Underneath, I'm wearing a nursing camisole so it's a pretty baby-friendly and comfortable outfit! 

Oh, I almost forget what I intended to post about.....Viva Las Vegas! Yes, because I'm an overachiever and possibly a masochist, I've decided to tack on an overnight stay in Las Vegas to our return trip! When we drove through, at 3 am; the boys were amazed at all the bright lights, and it seemed like an opportunity too good to pass up; it's not often we will be passing though Las Vegas, and it will also break up what is a grueling drive! Circus Circus, here we come! 

Have a great weekend!

'Courage is being scared to death...and saddling up anyway'

I'm a little obsessed lately with John Wayne quotes! I just watched a great classic John Wayne/Maureen O'Hara movie, McLintock!, I'm not usually a fan of Westerns; but I love to see a movie with a man in it, and I guess that's why I love John Wayne! That particular quote from the title is my mantra; I usually know I'm doing the right thing because it doesn't feel easy!

On the swimwear topic, now I'm depressed because my swimsuit doesn't have rhinestones! Boo! I'm happy to announce that after weeks and weeks of empty talk....dadada DA! My swimsuit is finished! (actually, I have to sew the buttons on, minor detail!). I have to apologize for the photos, I took them late, and I was in no frame of mind to model the garments...so....these will have to suffice!

So, I increased the size from a very petite 32 bust, to.....my size! And I'm not going to look like the picture, either; and the waistband is a tad big, but I think more flattering to my babies-tummy to have it looser. I will update with the number of people hospitalized by the sight of my white flesh and un-toned abs!

I also whipped up in a single night this 60's wrap skirt, I love skirts with pockets, and I'm usually skeptical about wrap skirts, because I don't want to have a wardrobe malfunction, but this design is pretty ingenious, with two buttons for safety, and a flared skirt that prevents the back from opening no matter what acrobatics you get up to; I know because I used our big screen TV as a mirror and replicated all the moves I would be likely (and unlikely) to do, and nothing was exposed! This lovely paisley vintage fabric is the perfect weight for a skirt, and I love the colors! The camera with poor lighting couldn't do it justice, these are really bad pictures!

I went to the store to search for a lightweight sweater or jacket to wear for California springtime; since the ones I have are ancient, but apparently no one looks for sweaters in March? I also couldn't see myself wearing a hoodie with a sporty logo atop my vintage wear, so I splurged on a (clearance) fine-knit cardigan. It was possibly one of the most expensive items in my wardrobe; at $20; but I think it's so pretty and versatile!

I had imagined having the 2 or 3 shirtwaist dresses I have patterns and fabric for done before our trip; but I got the essentials and I don't think I want to push my luck. I'll save those for when I have the time to do them justice; and I think since we're packing light and doing laundry, the wrap skirt, a few more skirts I already have, and a few pairs of capri's will be enough for our trip. I'm closing my shop for the duration of our trip, feels sad, like it's gone, but I know it will be there when I get back! I'm also meeting tomorrow to discuss plans for a Farmer's Market this summer, so I have a few last-minute business things to do and some loose ends to tie up. I will also be making 2 more batches of soap tonight, and sending off a few freebies. Tomorrow I will start packing in earnest, I have most of the things for the boys set aside, it's just a matter of making lots of lists and keeping track. Oh, and cleaning the house and keeping it clean!

So excited about going, doesn't seem real yet, I will be updating my blog while I'm gone; and my facebook page will probably be where I post pictures; exciting week!


Have a great Tuesday!

An Apple Pie a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

. 

We've slowly been recovering, and my poor boys are almost all better! Some of them have lingering coughs, and two of them never got sick at all; and I'm hoping our luck will hold. I'm trying to think of all the last-minute things I need to do before our vacation, and one of them is to use up the half-bushel of apples I bought optimistically a few weeks ago. Although I'm storing them in the garage, I don't want them to go bad while we're gone, so I've decided to go on an apple pie baking blitz. I figure that if I make an apple pie every day, or two every other day, I should use up all the apples before we leave. Yesterday, I baked pie #1; it seems like forever since I've made a home-baked dessert and it made the house smell awesome! My boys were all thrilled, they love apple pie, and I felt like I had accomplished a lot that day, even though I didn't.

I think I've been pushing myself too much lately, I've been unusually tired, and the joy I used to have creating and selling my soaps has seemed to be replaced by feeling that I've fallen short, not just at that, but that I've let it take over my life a little too much. I have a tendency to be a perfectionist, and although I told myself when I started that I would be happy if I only made one sale, soon I found myself glued to the activity feed! I think I'm going to concentrate on the joy of it again, and if it's true that a "watch pot never boils"; well, maybe it's true that a "watch etsy-shop never sells"! And I am looking forward to my first Farmer's Market, I love Farmer's Market's and it will be so scary and exciting to have my own (shared) booth! I'm already planning my display and decor, with my snazzy new apron that Rita, a fellow etsian at Lazy Mondays made me. I've made "Idaho Dirt" soap, "Clean Air" soap, and have a lot more planned that I hope people in an open-air market will like!

For now, I need to concentrate on my sewing, which is my one true love; and getting ready for our vacation, that is so close now I can taste it. I almost can't believe we're actually getting to go to Disneyland, I think I've avoided thinking too much about it, because it seems almost too good to be true!

Since it's a Friday night, I can stay up as late as I want, watching old movies and sewing old patterns, my favorite! I may work it some new soap "flavors" I have planned. I have more consignment goodies, can you believe it? I also have to buy Andrew new dress shoes for his school performance; which will be the day we leave for San Diego! He's been preparing all year for this, and is really nervous, I'm hoping to have everything packed in the car and meet him at school with the whole family, including Daddy; so that right after the performance, we can leave for San Diego! So much going on this coming week, it's scary and exciting! I will post pictures of my now-mythical vintage attire once it's done, I swear!

Have a great weekend, everybody! 

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes...and Jane Russell

I heard yesterday that Jane Russell, brunette foil to Marilyn Monroe in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes', passed away at age 89. This is a bit of a departure for my blog, but 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' is one of my favorite movies, and I just had to comment. I grew up hearing that term, and saw the movie poster many times, but I didn't actually see the movie until I was an adult. It is one of those movies that "they" just don't make anymore, a truly funny comedy with a great plot, and Jane Russell made the whole movie work! As much as I loved Marilyn Monroe, she was not the greatest actress and needed someone like Jane, with her sarcastic quips and impeccable timing to act as the "straight man" for her character, which was the usual ditsy blond. As a lover of vintage fashion, I also love this movie for the clothes; and since it is in Technicolor, the fifties' odd color combos are on full display, including a rather obnoxiously purple dress on Marilyn's character, which somehow manages to work; as well as my favorite outfit; a chic black bathing ensemble which Jane's character wears during a musical number. I only wish they made bathing suits like that still; this black number acts as it's own girdle, and flattered Jane's famous figure perfectly. I also loved, loved, loved the character played by a fantastic young actor, who dryly delivers some of the best lines in the movie. Whenever I see the movie, I always wish I could adopt this boy; nevermind that he must be in his sixties by now! I have this movie on DVD, and I think I will watch it again in honor of Jane Russell.

Enough of playing at movie critic, what is really on my mind today is how much I have to do before leaving on our vacation on the 24th! It is rather alarming; including minor details like sewing several pieces of clothing, going through all the summer clothes for the boys, buying any deficiencies, buying clothes for James, figuring out how to fit enough luggage into our limited cargo space, car tune-up.....and on, and on, and on. I will just have to triage, do what I can do and not worry about the rest!

I am also thrilled that it is March; winter feels over, although March is a notoriously blustery month in Idaho, it is still much better, because it holds the promise of Spring!

Happy Wednesday!

Mr. Sandman.....

So remember my pledge not to stay up past midnight? We'll that's all gone out the window now that I realized I only have barely over a month until our vacation, and several pieces that are a must sew. The bathing suit pattern I cut out the other night is on the top of my list; I would hate to wait seven years for a vacation only to end up at the beach in a threadbare, stretched-out, five year old,  I've-worn-it-through-two-pregnancies-and-never-liked-it-anyway bathing suit!

So last night I buckled down (at 11pm) and got to work; movie on the laptop; boys and husband in bed. After all my enlarging/reducing/reducing I found that I had made the shorts gigantic! I mean, really big! I stitched them together as cut because I didn't want to lose the lines of the pattern; tonight (if I survive that long), I'll try them on and reduce by taking in the side seams. I have to adjust to the fact that they are meant to be rather flowy, drapey shorts, as was the style, and I don't want to lose that. However, I also don't want to be drowning in fabric. I think it will all work out; I did have to change the pattern size significantly, and it's natural for there to be differences in fit with a vintage pattern compared to modern expectations.

I hope, hope, hope to be back on track; sleep-wise soon, as soon as I catch up a little (promises, promises). For tonight, I feel rather exhausted, and may or may not pass out completely as soon as a finish this post!
I do have a great weekend coming up, and I'm excited about tomorrow being Friday!

Have a great night, everyone!

I Write with a Goose Quill Dipped in Venom

Isn't that a great line? It's from one of my favorite Film Noir movies; Laura. I watched it last night while working on my sewing since I just figured out how to watch movies from Netflix on my laptop. I know, people have been watching movies on their computer for centuries; but since I had no computer until last December, this is all new to me! I'm no movie expert, but I've been a fan of classic films since I was a little girl watching old movies with my mother. I'm like a kid in a candy store! So many movies I've never seen, or some of my favorites that are hard to track down. Since I have a laptop, it's easy to have it set up on my worktable, start one of the classics and get to work!

This was the view from my kitchen last night; I got to work resizing my vintage swimsuit pattern, a process I started the night before. Although when giving the resized pieces a second look last night, I realized that I had made them far, far, too big! It must have been because of the late hour, after taking a few measurements, I realized I made the swimsuit front several inches too big, the top picture shows the front piece, in a Junior size, and the white material is the pattern material, which is printed in one inch grids. You can see I had to add quite a bit, including adding length from top to bottom, for coverage and modesty. After I took this picture of the piece which I had just reduced in size, I still needed to remove a few more inches in width. I felt like Alice in Wonderland, trying desperately to achieve the correct size! The lower picture shows my workspace; the kitchen table, covered in sewing stuff; which is the worst part about sewing, at least for me; because I don't have a dedicated space, and have to carefully put away everything despite the late hour; otherwise my boys will have a field day in the morning! For some reason, my littler boys are fascinated by my sewing machine and equipment, and when I leave my sewing machine out, I always have to check it carefully; since they usually have changed all the settings!

A few weeks ago, a fellow etsian on my team did an interview with me about my shop; she published it today; check out her blog; By the Book Paper

It's a great Monday; since my boys are out of school for President's Day; I'm hoping to have a very laid-back day today; Happy Monday!

I Heart Free, Day-Old Baked Goods.....

My blog has a new look! It's totally revamped; I'm liking how bright and cheery it is! There's a not-funny story about that......*embarrassing*. Let's just say, I'm a bad, bad, blogger! So any of you tech-savvy people see me k do anything (else) that violates the Internet Laws That Everyone Follows Except Me, please let me know before I get into any <more> trouble!

Enough about that, look at the fun cake in the picture! It was free! Every week or every other week, we are the recipients of the baked goods from a local bakery; the ones they can't sell. There's a lady who works there that distributes them around town to anyone that can use them, and of course; we can use them! Some weeks it's lots and lots of bread and rolls, but my boys love it when there are lots of "treats". This being after Valentine's Day, there were lots and lots of treats; this cake, cupcakes, etc. It was a much-needed surprise, since yesterday I committed the capital offense of forgetting to make a dessert, and having a bunch of things in the freezer helps out immensely on days I can't get it together to make bread or rolls for dinner, much less a dessert. I've even come up with ways to use the items that are stale; I make garlic bread or little toasts with the baguettes that have seen better days; last time I was out of garlic and made an artichoke spread, then toasted the rounds in the oven. You can make French Toast with stale sliced bread; and for the donuts; James makes an awesome donut bread pudding that uses up tons and tons of stale donuts; although it is not exactly health food, so we save it for special occasions!

I have a hopefully productive weekend of sewing and soaping ahead of me; I've decided to switch my sewing strategy and start with the "must have" items for my vacation, since it's only a little over a month away! Aaak! I received that darling pattern I posted about earlier, it will make a great everyday dress, and I hope to use the fabric I already have for it.

Happy Weekend!

My Name is Brandi; and I'm addicted to patterns.....I'm also REALLY bad at math!

Ok, full disclosure; the post I made yesterday; about homemaking: I just realized now that 1951 was in fact; 60 years ago; not fifty....

Wow; no more late-night blogging for me!
*embarrassing*

Today I woke up, ready for action; and while checking my etsy shop; noticed that one of my favorite shops Vintage Treasure Huntn had added some new patterns; and there were a few I just could not pass up; even though I have lots of patterns, lots of fabric; and almost no time or energy left! The one above is the one I finally decided to purchase; after justifying the expense six ways to Sunday and vowing to make it worth it by not buying new clothes for the next decade, at least!

Fortunately, Vintage Treasure Huntn has very reasonably-priced patterns; very much in the grasp of a budget-minded mama like me! The fact that it is my size made it seem like Serendipity; I just couldn't say no! It is a "half-size" pattern, which means a petite, but it's very easy to alter that, and the fact that I'm only 5'5" makes it even better. I have some fabric that would be perfect for this, probably the pink linen that I posted a picture of earlier, although I have to say I'm completely in love with the blue/grey with contrasting cuffs and belt, as shown for view A. I also have some navy blue and white polka dot, that may work, and the red accents for that would be darling. I'll have to wait until I get it, once the pattern is in my hands, inspiration just seems to flow better!

And I must, must, must make more time to sew this week; I don't want all my beautiful patterns to go to waste!

Lipstick Blues....and Reds and Pinks

This is a first for me! I'm certainly no http://vavoomvintage.blogspot.com and I don't normally talk about fashion, but I felt compelled to blog about something that has given me all sorts of problems for years now. Lipstick. I've always loved makeup, loved wearing it, buying it, seeing it, experimenting with it. From the very first time I was allowed to wear makeup out of the house, I've always wanted to be a red lipstick wearer. In fact the very first time I was allowed to wear makeup out of the house, I was first required to remove the red lipstick I had applied! Red lipstick is to me, vintage glamour personified. From the very first Technicolor movies, I have watched gorgeous blondes and redheads with coloring similar to mine pull off the very reddest of the red lipsticks. This is a case where life does not imitate art! I have bought scores of red lipsticks, all claiming to be flattering to a fair complexion, all claiming to be low maintenance and smear and smudge free, comfortable, lasting, wonderful and beautiful. It is all lies! Lies! Red lipstick is not for the faint of heart! It requires constant peeks in the mirror, which I don't have time to do, even the long lasting stuff wears off eventually, leaving a horrible red ring around your lips, and the long-wearing kinds is devilishly uncomfortable, since it makes your lips feel like they are Spongebob when exposed to a heat lamp. I have purchased and tossed more lipstick than I care to admit, usually settling for lovely smooth lip balm and maybe a non-sticky lip gloss. I finally came to the conclusion that I am simply not a red lipstick lady, and decided to expand my horizons. I remember reading some review for Revlon Matte Lipstick, as being very vintage-y; and I decided to see going over to the dark side of a pink lipstick would suit me better. It is lovely! The lipstick itself is smooth and comfortable and the color Pink Pout is so similar to my natural lip color that it doesn't require constant touch-up and care. It also has the bonus of not making my rather large mouth resemble clown makeup; which is the other problem I've always had with red lipstick. For me, anyway, there's just so much red, it makes me feel like my lips arrive 20 minutes before the rest of me. I'm sold! I'm a pink lipstick lady now!

Vintage Success....one down, LOTS to go!

I posted a few weeks ago about a vintage sun suit I was making for Baby E, along with lots, and lots, and lots, of projects I intend to finish before our much-anticipated vacation at the end of March. I've been trying, and trying to find time for my sewing, but lately it has been difficult to fit it in to my ever-busy schedule. Tonight James had a late soccer game, so I was able to do some of my other chores, like making more Crunchy Mama soap for my etsy shop while he napped. I was so close to being finished with the sun suit, I only needed to do the dreaded buttonholes, and of course the normal hand-sewing and trimming thread duty that I despise. So here, at long last, is the finished 1955 sun suit; with shaky atrocious buttonholes! Fortunately, I found adorable buttons with anchors on them to lend a nautical air, and to hopefully disguise my usual wretched buttonholeing when the suit is worn this summer! I loved this pattern, straightforward, simple instructions, and a new twist, a technique I've never encountered before; flat-fell seams, where instead of sewing the side seams with right sides together, which makes a seam allowance on the inside; you sew the side seams wrong sides together, then on the right side, trim one of the seam allowances, then lap the other allowance over it, making a clean line, then top-stiching over all. I love to learn new (old) techniques, that's what makes vintage sewing so interesting, you never know what kind of instructions you may find, and it challenges your skills as a seamstress.

Also, I am at this moment, defying my self-imposed curfew, but since James is out playing a soccer game, and it is a weekend, I decided that it was allowable! No pumpkin-ing for me! I hope to be productive while I have this little opportunity, and perhaps even sleep in just a bit in the morning!

Buttonholes and Buttermilk....

I've had such little time to work on my sewing lately, but finally on Sunday afternoon, I was able to at last sit down at my machine. I did have one little boy sitting beside me tracing the revolutions of the needle carriage wheel with his finger, and another little boy underneath the table pushing my foot down on the pedal, but it was still great to get going on my little trusty Singer! I'm still laboriously working on a dress that would be a simple project, if I were able to work on it for more than 20 minutes at a time, but; alas! The life of a mama! This pattern (the one I have pictured in an earlier post atop the vintage black and white check fabric) has a hidden button placket, which is perfect for me; since I have a rather embarrassing secret....I am the worst buttonhole maker in the world! It is silly, I know, for a person who has done as much sewing as I have, to produce such terrible, shaky, crooked buttonholes, and the fact that my machine has a semi-auto buttonhole setting makes it even more embarrassing. I don't know what it is about the thought of making presentable buttonholes that makes me go all to pieces; but there it is! I have also given up on marking dark fabrics with the typical white or silver dressmaking pencil, and so my other embarrassing secret is that I use Crayola colored pencils....not professional, I know, although the markings are either covered or they are fairly easily removed. After my usual trial buttonholes, my first was still fairly shaky, although I was able to cover up the deficiencies by reinforcing it; then just when I was about to succumb to buttonhole despair; I produced a quite presentable, straight buttonhole! I'm so proud of it, I may post a picture! I hope I am able to finish this particular dress in the next few days, since I'm so excited to begin my swimsuit pattern, and I've promised myself I will do all my projects in order, start to finish, for once! You may be wondering where my buttermilk reference comes from; I had a rather strange soap making experience involving adding buttermilk to lye; it changed to the strangest reddish-brown; I had heard of a similar reaction, but never had I seen it before, normally when I use buttermilk for soap it turns a orange-y color, but never this! And when the search box in your google search has the words "buttermilk in lye; reddish brown color", you know it's going to be an interesting day!

Peppermint Mocha and Patterns Galore!

I have had a crazy busy week year; and have been really stressed about getting all these gorgeous patterns resized and made into garments. I hate to be stressful about things I really love, but when you have a house, five children, an etsy shop, and mountains of laundry; it's hard to fit anything in, especially if it's "just for me". I went to my favorite fabric store these weekend, and in the bargain bin found some great quality, spring-y fabric on clearance plus 50% off! So I ended up paying $2 a yard for the great linen blend, and $1.50 a yard for the adorable rayon blend pink and white check. I also had to figure out what material to use for the pattern resizing, and since I'm cheap, I gulped and bought three yards of a product with one-inch grids printed on it for $1.99 a yard. I'm not totally sold, I wish I could have just bought a roll of butcher paper or something, although I'm finding the grids are very handy. I'm also finding that although I'm a fairly advanced sewer, the whole pattern concept does not come easy to me. I read an article about pattern resizing, but I must say I'm not totally convinced that method works. It's the whole "the-leg-bone-connected-to-the-thigh-bone" thing that I keep messing up on, it's hard for me to comprehend how when I adjust one piece, it affects several other pieces. I hope I erred on the side of largeness with the black and white I have cut out, or make it work somehow if I haven't. I also had plenty of fabric left over to cut out a 1956 sun suit for Elvis. In the pattern envelope was some notes someone had written to themselves on a piece of scrap paper which was the back a political donation request letter; so funny to find these original musings of a housewife somewhere who presumably made this very sun suit for her baby boy, who is by now a grandfather! That's why I love sewing vintage so much, it's a connection to the past like nothing else. My next project is my hard-won swimsuit pattern, the coral-y red in the center is the famous authentic vintage rayon, which I received this week from http://etsy.com/shops/vintagetreasurehuntn it's so gorgeous and lightweight, perfect for a vintage swimsuit! I had to laugh when I compared the pattern piece for the bra top, which is a girls (juniors) size to my ample bust line; there is going to be a whole lot of resizing going on there! The piece that is supposed to represent half the bra top is basically the size of a dinner napkin; by the time I'm done with it, it'll be unrecognizable! The rest of the patterns I bought will be fairly easy, most are close to my size and are things like skirts and shorts, which just need to be widened, and a house dress which is just four pieces plus sleeves, belted. I'm so excited to get going on all this...if I only had a spare day or two!

Vintage pattern heaven!

Whew! I've had a really busy week, several new orders from my etsy shop (Yay) and <drum roll please>, my vintage patterns from Vintage Core Patterns arrived! http://www.vintagecorepatterns.com It was so exciting, I love vintage patterns, but I've never had such a wealth of vintage goodness at once! I love looking through them marveling at how this little envelope full of tissue paper has survived for 50+ years, and how it's a time capsule to how my counterparts lived, once upon a time. The fancy antiques never move me, when I go to an antique store I love to look at the unopened beauty products and magazines, the minutia of life; what life is all about. I think that is why I love vintage patterns so much. It's not an interpretation or a reproduction of what women wore, it's the real deal, with priceless fabric suggestions that allow you to truly recreate an outfit. I also received as a gift from Maggie a wonderful dress pattern; factory folded; such an amazing gift! I'm also trying to do better at balancing my new interests with my family life, therefore, after this post I am going to "close up shop" and spend some time with my poor husband over California burgers!

Why e-bay? Part Two; or Why not?....

I knew I shouldn't give up so easily! I always tell my children that anything is possible; little did I know that it was possible to find a darling vintage swimsuit pattern.....for $3.99!!!; further that it was possible to win a bid on e-bay without breaking the bank! I was perusing every website know to creation for that elusive vintage pattern, and decided to try e-bay again. Lo and behold! There was a pattern described as a "Mid-century 3-piece bathing suit", which piqued my interest; then I noticed that the auction was ending in less than an hour and there were no bids. I learned yesterday that being the first bidder does not put you in a strong position, so I just kept the window open and waited until it counted down to two minutes; still no bids, so I bid at the starting price, and boom! I am the proud owner of a vintage swimsuit pattern! Now in life, nothing perfect, so it's true that this pattern is uh..a few..sizes too small, but I read an article the other day about resizing, and I think I can handle it. It is also strangely considered a "girl's" pattern, although it is a misses size; but I can pull off "girl", right? Also, I have to decide if the world is ready to see approximately 3 inches of the upper portion of my midriff; since this is one of those extremely high-waisted two pieces, that has full shorts for a bottom. I have been going to the gym, and while the lower portion of my abdomen looks like a train wreck, the top portion is relatively unscathed, though I wouldn't call it particularly attractive. I think I may be able to handle it, and I hope the rest of the world isn't too upset by the sight! Pictures to come!

Why e-bay? Why?

I've been on the hunt for an adorable vintage swimsuit pattern since we made plans for our vacation in March. I knew that vintage swimwear patterns were rare, and many were expensive, but I really had no idea what I was getting into. I've scoured the Internet for patterns that will look good on my less than swimsuit-ready body, and found a few adorable ones on e-bay. I bid on one, reluctantly, since I've never used e-bay and am not thrilled with the concept...if I'm going to buy something, I'd like to know about it!...and was swiftly and terribly outbid. It seems it is impossible to spend less than $15 on a swimsuit pattern, and many go as high as $50; Yikes! If I have to buy the fabric and make the darn thing, I'm not spending that much on just the pattern! Not to mention the fact that my budget for this is between $0 and $5, so it appears it will be me, San Diego beaches, and my tired old tankini, which I've had for five years, and can and do wear through the ninth month of my pregnancies. Yawn. If only I knew how and where to obtain these same fabulous patterns that others sell for extraordinary sums of money on e-bay! If only I knew how to make my own pattern! If only I looked halfway decent in modern bathing suits! I still haven't given up; except on the last wish, so maybe I'll still get lucky! A girl can hope!

Let the Planning Begin.....

I made the final, final, cross-my-heart-and-hope-to-die reservations for our vacation today! Four days in Disneyland, three days in San Diego, 16 hours in the car with five boys, and lots and lots of Starbucks double shot + energy. Not in that order. I'm already plotting ways to outfit five boys for Spring in Southern California in Winter in Idaho. Fortunately, my favorite consignment store; Kidz Again, turns over their inventory at the end of January, which I always have marked on my calender anyway, since the cream-of-the-crop summer items are gone by February! I also have Donna from Vintage Treasure Huntn on the, well hunt, for vintage beachwear patterns suitable to my age, budget, and waistline, I'm excited to see what she turns up. I also received in the mail today my order from her, my wonderful vintage dress pattern, with the lovely 5 yards of black and white check material, and am itching to get started! It will be quite a challenge to outfit everybody in style on such a tight budget, but this is the kind of challenge I live for; I love regaling my family with tales of my $5 brand-new dress and .68 sweater! So I have three months in which to wallow in sewing,  plotting to overthrow retail stores, and strategising packing methods! Such fun!

drumroll please.....VACATION!

I have very, very exciting news...at long last, after nearly seven years and three boys....we have made the decision to make the long and arduous drive to go to San Diego, James' hometown, and then spend three glorious days at "The Land" as his stepfather calls it! That's right, Disneyland with five boys ten and under by ourselves. Undoubtedly it will be difficult, expensive, and tiring, but it will also be a special family vacation that our boys will remember for the rest of their lives. We can only hope that the very fact that vacations are so infrequent for us will mean that they will be all the more memorable. I can't wait to see the look on the faces of the younger three when they see the magnificent Pacific ocean for the first time; and really, Bentley was only 9 months old the last time we were there, so it's the first time for him as well. Also, the looks on the faces of their Grandparents, both of whom have yet to see Elvis, and haven't seen the older boys for over a year, will be priceless. It will be a very special time! Now, I only have less than three months to figure out how to fit five boys, plus all their goodies in one car...hmmm. I also have been browsing vintage patterns sites (again) for swimwear patterns and cute shorts and dresses that will be breezy and comfy for our trip. I have a little "mad money" set aside (a very little), but if I'm careful, I should be able to find what I want at my favorite consignment store and make the rest! Oh for my sister's hairdressing skills! Alas, she is too far away to help my poor, drab hair! She's also forbidden me to touch it myself, and since I don't have the budget to have it done professionally, I may just have to figure out some cute ways to do my hair the way it is now....I really should do a wet-set more often, but I really dislike sleeping on pin-curls and curlers. I'll have to browse some how-to tutorials. However my hair looks, it will be so, so sweet to see my boys enjoying a vacation, I'm really looking forward to a whole ten day adventure with lots of wonderful family time!

Glasses are just an excuse to wear rhinestones....

I've been complaining for weeks now about the headaches I've been getting from staring at my computer screen too much. I actually am supposed to wear glasses, but a certain Dorian I know broke my glasses about two years ago, and I've been waiting until I was "qualified" by my insurance to get a new pair of frames. My philosophy is that is you're going to wear glasses, you should wear glasses, so I've been looking around for a pair to make me feel less blah about wearing them. I just haven't found anything unblah-worthy. I have a picture in my head of what I want, but finding them in my price range has been impossible. I was chatting with my cousin today about her awesome vintage-y glasses; that she got at SEARS, no less! and she suggested buying vintage frames. Honestly, it never occurred to me! I knew, of course, that people buy and sell vintage frames all the time, but assumed that since obviously my insurance won't cover them, that it would be impossible for me. Well, I was looking on etsy, and lo and behold found the perfect, beautiful, MAUVE frames WITH RHINESTONES, at such a reasonable price! I still have to check with my eye doctor to see if he's willing to put insurance-covered lenses in 55 year old frames...trifles! I'm so thrilled, I get to have my cake and eat it too! Rhinestones and good vision! What a lucky gal!http://www.etsy.com/listing/37714989/vintage-eye-glasses-1950s-horn-rimmed?utm_source=Facebook