:: {slightly odd} musings ::

The weather has been going back and forth, forth and back, for the past two weeks. It is now starting to affect my head on a daily basis! I woke up this morning with the distinct impression that I had cotton stuffed between my ears… which has made my morning a rather muddled, and entertaining mess (thank goodness for to-do lists!)! hehe! So I apologize in advance if this post is a wee bit… well… out of it. lol.

I relaxed all weekend; which was nice after the ups and downs of the previous week. I try not to get into personal matters on this blog, but let’s suffice to say that we had a situation with an extended family member, taking up a good deal of emotional energy. Its been stressful for my parents especially, so I’ve been having to step in and “hold down the fort” as my daddy likes to say. hehe. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this week will be just a wee less dramatic. So, as a result, I feel rather bad that I don’t have a ton of exciting things to blog about this morning. But I hope you will understand…

I have been doing some reading–non-school reading! Hurrah! On Saturday afternoon, my sweet mum surprised me with my own copy of Bead Simple. Thank you, Mom!! I am now plotting what to make next… and being quite bad spending time searching through Etsy’s wonderfully-tempting bead supply category. I already made a few little purchases. hehe! But I’m trying to be a little good, and “go shopping” through my collection of vintage jewelry that I don’t wear often.

I’m also reading the utterly inspiring and delightfully-written Anti 9 to 5 Guide by Michelle Goodman (per Kate’s recommendation). I haven’t gotten terribly far in it yet, but the first chapter has made me feel quite a bit more at ease about my seeming “inability” to stay motivated working a normal job. hehe! I shall have a full review when I’m done!

Something I wanted to share with you all; a super-simple project that is perfect for adding a bit of sweetness to any outfit! Last week, in a fit of needing some new, pretty accessory for one of my “tried and true” outfits, I pulled out some antique dress trim and whipped up this little bow pin:

Its made from an antique, 1880s dressing gown I purchased years ago (the photo is of an art project that I showed last spring in the school-wide art show, in which I used this gown). Its falling apart, but the moire ribbons are still largely intact. Which means perfect for salvaging and reusing! Just stitched together and to a pin back, it makes for a quick, and interchangeable little bit of flair for any outfit! I’m thinking perhaps I need to make one up in a piece of wide lace as well–and maybe one of my favorite, vintage cotton prints (with the edges unfinished–just so it doesn’t get too time consuming and complicated!). Do you have any favorite, quick and easy tricks to liven up an outfit? Do share!!

Now for this week’s Vintage Monday feature! This is from a 1947 pattern catalog in my collection, which I am constantly referencing for ideas! Just look at the sweet ruffles and shirring along the skirt! Would be so pretty in a modern dress too, I think–perhaps with a more modern fabric or even something like a knit!

Keep an eye out for the first Nifty Thrift post later this afternoon! I’m so excited to launch a week-long thrift-love fest!

Have a lovely Monday, my dears!!!

Cheers!

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:: integrity ::

I haven’t talked much lately about what I’ve been doing in school (besides the emotional turmoil of midterms), which is a pity because in Design History it’s starting to move into the territory that I find fascinating! Specifically, we’re beginning to cover the Arts and Crafts, and Art Nouveau movements, which sadly are only briefly covered in the book–I think I could devote a whole semester to studying it. I just love the marriage of influences (Eastern and Western), the creative and artistic energy and exchange of ideas that one perceives, and the beautiful legacy of this era in design history.

Going over the assigned reading, it struck me how closely both movement mirrors the current revival of interest in the creative pursuits that is going on right now. Aesthetics, and returning to a sense of the wonderment art can produce, and creative exploration seems so prevalent right now. Perhaps it is just me, but I can’t help but think there is a bigger movement going on that is touching so many areas. I suppose the best label to slap on it is “DIY culture”. It has influenced so many areas of the arts and created a sort of frenzy among artists of various types to reach out and express their own vision of the world (whether real or perceived).

Yet as I was reading my textbook, this paragraph caught my eye and resonated: “…art historian Herbert Read once suggested that the life of any art movement is like that of a flower. A budding in the hands of a small number of innovators is followed by full bloom; then the process of decay begins as the influence becomes diffused and distorted in the hands of imitators who understand merely the stylistic manifestations of the movement rather than the driving passions that forged it.” I can’t help but feel that we’re beginning to see the diffusion of the DIY Movement into commercialism and the greater, societal “aesthetic”. Take for instance the oft-cited Urban Outfitters, a company that peddles a wide variety of “faux handmade” items in an effort to bring the look of DIY to consumers who may not fully embrace (or understand) the concept. In a way, is Urban Outfitters (and like, mass retailers), not cheapening and causing the “decay” of the original movement in its effort to cash in?

There is no doubt that the “handmade look” resonates with quite a few people; I think in many ways the DIY culture is a reaction to the overly sleek and impersonal manufactured goods that are available to the wider market. Its a return to the feeling of “soul” in a piece because someone, not a machine, put thought into the design and process of creating those goods. I know I personally am drawn to making things myself, or purchasing them from other artisans, because it gives a feeling of integrity to the piece; that it wasn’t just slapped together thoughtlessly, nor am I just following some whim or trend without thought.

But where does the line between “bloom” and “decay” become crossed? The popularization in the social consciousness of the DIY movement has in a way, I believe, created a movement away from thoughtful creation and effort to protest against impersonal consumerism, to a more frenzied appeal to “standing out” and looking “handmade” at any cost. While I applaud anyone who does take an interest in engaging in DIY (after all, I do encourage everyone to find their creative outlet!), when mass marketers and manufacturers begin to mimic the essential “look” of handmade, have we lost the edge and have begun to witness the beginning of the end?

What are your thoughts?

To reward you all for having read through this rather tedious, muddled post (thank you if you stuck with me the entire way! hehe!), here is the Vintage Monday feature for today!! Hurrah for pretty things!

Another, pretty 1840s print! Although this one is just black and white (I think I’ve posted most of the hand-colored ones), I love the details and lines of the gowns.

I hope you have a lovely Monday, all!!!

Cheers!

[ Julia Kuo’s pretty little illustrations. I love how light and storybookish they are; go take a look!

 

:: so much to say ::

I have so much to show and tell you–it is just practically jumping about in my head dying to get out! But I won’t reveal it all at once; don’t want to subject you all to The Post of the Century, do I? hehe!!!

Before we delve into this week’s super-special Double Vintage Monday feature (I know!! So exciting!), I wanted to show a little something I whipped up on Saturday:

The top is modified from the Burda Style Lydia pattern. I found some gorgeous, black jersey recently; and it was a very tiny length (a little over ½ yard). My original top idea had to be modified quite a bit to get all the pieces to fit on the material, but I did it! *jumps up and down* I left the body of the pattern pretty much as-is, just scooping out hte neckline a bit more. The sleeves is where all the action is: I shortened the piece, slashed and spread from cap to hem, added about 5” and reshaped the bottom edge a bit. The cap was shirred to its original width, and I gathered the bottom onto a wide band. Voila!! Pretty, fun sleeves!

The skirt was originally a rummage sale find from last autumn; I think I spent $1 on it. Although I loved the waistband, the rest of it was kinda blah and a bit frumpy. So I chopped off the old hem (a good 11”!!), rehemmed it and replaced the back buttons. The pockets I made from the leftover pieces of the old hem; just eyeballing the size and proportion, and topstitching them to the front of the skirt. I added a couple vintage buttons for the cute factor and now I have a new skirt! Hurrah!!!

I tell you: this recycling/refashioning and sewing-from-scratch experiment is proving to be the little kick I needed to really get back into sewing for myself. I’m having a ball!!

Anyway, now to compose myself and move on to the Double Vintage Monday! Here is the “official” image for today; a series of four, lovely shirtwaists from 1906. Aren’t they so pretty? I can think of at least half a dozen ways you could reinterpret any one of them into something very modern and cute. For instance, that large, Bertha collar on the middle left blouse? You could reuse that idea (possibly scaled down a bit) on a light, sleeveless summer dress. What ideas do you see?

The bonus feature today is a series of photo-excerpts from a 1964 Vogue pattern catalog!! I inherited this years ago from my grandmother, and paging through for ideas and inspiration is something I do frequently. Unfortunately, its a bit of a chore scanning this behemoth, so pictures are the only solution! I do hope you’ll enjoy these! Click on the image above to be taken to my Flickr album, or view the whole set here!!! Feel free to comment on the photos with your ideas and inspirations!

I hope you all are having a simply lovely and inspired Monday!!!

Cheers!

[ Poppytalk Handmade Market is up? And this month it’s got an eco-friendly theme!

 

:: deep breaths ::

Just a quick note to pop in and say “hello!” to all my lovely friends! My apologies if I have been tardy in responding to comments or commenting on your blogs… I am in the throes of wrapping up midterms before Spring Break next week. (Hurrah!!!) So my mind has been on books and exams lately!

Remember this sneak peek last week? Here is the dress it became! I’m pleased as punch with how it came out, ‘cause I fell in love with the soft, windowpane plaid cotton when I spotted it. I was somewhat terrified that the dress would end up just being a sack, since it is so loose-fitting, but a belt remedies a thousand things. hehe! I modified the length and sleeves a bit, to make it more me. Click on any of the photos or my Burda Style page for more snippets of “technical sewing” details!

Here is the Vintage Monday (on Tuesday… but I had a test yesterday, so I hope I can be excused for the belated feature!) installment for this week! Another 1940’s inspiration! I love the dress on the left especially; the sweet bow and stripy fabric just seals the deal for me. hehe!

Have a lovely week my sweet friends! I shall return around Thursday or Friday–hopefully in a much less distracted state! hehe!

Cheers!

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