blooming leopold vintage & handmade

leap of faith

2012-01-27T23:00:00.000-08:00

Meet the latest addition to my sewing room.. my new (old) Pfaff Synchromatic 1215!

In my 3(ish) years of sewing, I've finally made the jump from my first machine - a starter machine but a hardy one, the Brother CE4000 - to this all-metal, refurbished Pfaff 1215, made in the 1980s (or late 70s.. need to check out its manufacture date). It has taken some getting used to (its motor is so powerful and I'm not used to all this metal, or not having to adjust tension so much.. good stuff but some bad too, like thread breaking and funny bobbin problems) and dresses take twice as long to sew while I get the hang of it, but it's worth it. I feel like giving him a name but I'll probably forget the name like I did when I named all my cars in high school, so he'll just be my Pfaff 1215 (a male of course).

Which leads to my bit of news - I'm officially a day job quitter. Just this past week, I put in my two weeks notice at American Apparel, which means no part-time job funds. I've been thinking and praying about this decision for awhile and ultimately decided that it would be the best thing for my shop - total time dedicated to making my clothing line and updating the online shop with vintage (which restarts on Monday, by the way!). I'm heading into my last week of work soon, which kind of bums me out since I'll miss the girls there a lot.. but it also makes me really excited. I'm taking a leap into doing what I really love, full time. And the pressure to afford to do what I love - to help support Neil and I from this venture alone, with no more part-time wages to fall back on - will hopefully drive me even further.

I'm awaiting the big kind of news, as I'm about to apply for Nashville Fashion Week as a local designer. Who knows what will happen? I appreciate all prayers and well wishes you might have - and thank you so much for your continued support! Without this blog and the encouragement I receive from you, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing.

Right now, I'm working on the scrapbook board for my spring/summer 2012 designs and stocking up on fabrics (some 1930s-40s vintage print fabric, happily).. I'll share them soon! And Sewing Saturday tomorrow. Happy weekend!

monochromatic sparkle

2012-01-24T22:18:00.000-08:00

Vintage gold sparkle sweater, platform sneakers - Thrifted

Sheer white chiffon blouse, gold sparkle tights - American Apparel

Vintage black leather satchel - courtesy of Nashville's Baron

Rust blazer - Forever21

Gold metal headband - H&M

This is my monochromatic gold sparkle outfit, a thrifted sparkle sweater dress cut short layered over a sheer white chiffon button up, metallic gold headband in my hair and my favorite shoes in the world on my feet - early 90s high platform sneakers (thrifted for a dollar in 2010) that have seen better days since I wear them so much. Wish you could see the sparkle in my tights more in these photos, because they're awesomely sparkled.

The leather bag with gold clasp is from my friend Jeanette, who seriously has the best thrifting luck in the world. I need to talk her into starting a blog because her style is so good and rare. Her boyfriend runs Nashville's Baron, a great shop catering to all your menswear needs - check it out (I really want that tweed jacket for myself)!

I've got some news to share with you guys, but it'll have to wait til tomorrow. I work at American Apparel all afternoon today and tonight, I'm finishing up a gold brocade birthday dress for a lovely lady - but tomorrow, I'm focusing on the future and with it, some cool plans I'm setting in motion (as well as getting in some much needed thrift store shopping oh yes). Until thennnn.

current/elliott spring 2012

2012-01-23T21:40:00.000-08:00

I think I've posted about Current/Elliott before, maybe way back in the day, but I can't remember. Either way, the line is awesome. Their spring/summer 2012 lookbook has all the right moves. Colorful jeans, simple white button ups with thin black ties, floral denim in blush tones. Saddle shoes and the best blue chambray shade - even a drop waist denim dress (third photo down) that's kind of perfect.

Saddle shoes saddle shoes saddle shoes. So good.

Hope you had a great weekend!

sewing saturday! plaid wool jumper

2012-01-22T21:22:00.000-08:00

Sewing Saturday! I'm so excited to finally start using that vintage wool stash I bought last summer. This week, I'm making a jumper with suspenders and matching covered buttons from an old Simplicity pattern from the 1960s.

What I used for this project.. just over a yard of plaid wool fabric, two 3/4 inch buttons used for DIY fabric covering (I recommend Maxant, NOT Dritz - Dritz buttons have broken on me several times), a six inch zipper for the center back, and muslin for facing the suspenders and a couple of small pieces of inner lining (where the suspenders attach.. thought facing it with muslin would make it sturdier with a more structured fit).

Begin by ironing out all pattern pieces and fabric (I used wool, so I had the iron on a very, very low setting when I pressed it), lay out your pattern, and cut. For those interested in learning how to match plaids (or stripes) when sewing, here's a great tutorial.

Since I only had so much time to sew this weekend, I decided to focus on attaching the muslin facing to the lining and suspender pieces, as well as cover the buttons with matching fabric. With the suspenders, there were two pieces - front and back - as well as one muslin facing piece. I sewed all three together at once, making sure to leave an opening in the center to flip the suspenders right-side out. To attach the facing and form the suspender, simply match and sew the muslin facing and two suspender pieces (right sides inward and together), following the suggested seam allowance. Then, trim edges and flip right-side out using the opening you left for yourself (we'll worry about pressing and topstitching next week).

I then sewed the facing to the wrong side of the wool lining, making sure to stay outside the seam allowance (that way, you don't see any stitches on the outside when you sew the faced piece to your garment).

Next, it was time to cover the buttons. I've already posted a short tutorial on fabric covered buttons here, but I've taken some photos so you can follow along with each step. Whenever you buy a button cover kit (available at your local craft/fabric store), they come with directions. The process is really fast and rewarding.

After I stitched the lining to the facings, I had to fold in 1/4 inch on the flat edge of each lining. I decided to serge the edges (lining and facing together) to make it easy, then simply fold the serged edge inward and stitch to finish.

That's it for now! Next week, I'll finish the jumper by piecing it all together, sharing some hand-stitched buttonholes, and adding a zipper. As for tonight, I'm having a hard time falling asleep - tornado alarms keep ringing. The South is crazy.

tiny spark

2012-01-20T07:04:00.000-08:00

Just rediscovered this Tiny Spark photoshoot by Always Sometime Anytime - I remember liking it last November but now, I love it even more. Maybe it's this bad in-between seasons bout of noncommittal-ness I'm going through, but it has all the lovely colors I'm planning on wearing this winter and into the spring. Pleated midi skirts and high waisted bottoms with mesh cutouts and quilted metallic vests? Yesssss. Not to mention, polka dot blouses with bell sleeves and floral bustiers with peplum waistlines.

Sewing Saturday tomorrow! Thanks for the votes last week - the skirt jumper won out by a vote or maybe two, so that's my chosen project this weekend.

january sun

2012-01-16T21:56:00.000-08:00

Photos by Neil!

Vintage polka dot turtleneck - Thrifted
1970s high waisted jeans - Nashville vintage
Copper leather clutch - Red Earth Trading Company
Black straw hat - Forever21
Gold watch - American Apparel

The weather won't make up its mind in Nashville. Today we had tornadoes and last week we had snow. Over the weekend when Neil took these photos, we had sun and beautiful weather.. so who knows what this week will bring.

Wearing all vintage save for hat, shoes, and clutch - the straw hat was a last minute find at Forever21 (it reminds me of the 70s, I love how wide the brim is - can't wait to wear it in the summer with a striped top) and the clutch is a camel colored leather bag from Red Earth Trading Company, made in Kenya by a local artisan.

More photos here.

Just got home from work, now I'm taking a Skyrim break before I fill some last minute orders (video games before sewing? my priorities are bad). Happy Tuesday!

sewing saturday! western style bow tie

2012-01-14T19:53:00.000-08:00

After a pretty long hiatus, my Sewing Saturday posts are back! This week, I'm starting out with a super simple and ironically no-sew project - how to craft your own pin-on western style bow tie. Western bow ties, or western string ties, are aesthetically different from a standard bow tie as they're generally thinner ties with longer ends - and they add a touch of interest to a traditional button-up and cardigan ensemble.

What you need for this project.. 30-35 inches of ribbon, hot glue gun, and pin back (or a small hair barrette to attach underneath the pin back if you'd like to wear this in your hair as well). Traditionally, western bow ties are made with thin satin ribbon in dark colors - I opted for this pale gold sequin ribbon (nearly one inch wide), found at Joann Fabrics.

First step - cut your ribbon pieces. You will need three pieces - one 15 inch piece for the bow tails, one 13-15 inch piece for the bow face (loops), and one 2 inch piece for the upper middle part of the bow that connects the two together. I like to piece bows together rather than tying them BTW.

Next, make the bow face by glueing the two ends together, forming a loop with wrong sides in. My finished bow face is six inches long. I overlapped the loop inside by a few inches to make the face more sturdy (so it doesn't flop around when worn). Then, form your bow tails by glueing together at center to make an upside-down V shape. Make sure the tails are even (six-seven inches on each end).

Fold edges of tails in and glue shut to finish. Then, take the top point of the tails and glue inside the face to the bottom, wrong sides together (be sure to not glue the top of the loop to the top of the tail point, just the bottoms).

Next step is adding the center of the bow. With wrong sides together and facing upwards, glue the edge of the two inch strip of ribbon to the bottom middle of the face, where the tails extend. Once glued inside, fold the center strip over the face of the bow and connect to the back. Fold edge inward and glue in place. Then, glue your pin back (or barrette) onto the back of the bow securely.

And you have a western pin-on tie! Quick and easy.

Next week, I plan on working on one of these projects - a simple cotton blouse with pocket and collar, an embroidered sweater, or a jumper with a-line skirt and matching fabric covered buttons. What would you like to see next time?

a hazy shade of winter

2012-01-12T22:32:00.000-08:00

Loving on Petra Collins' photography again, this time courtesy of Rookie Mag. I'm trying hard to stay away from spring inspiration right now but as I'm busy planning my spring/summer collection for an early March debut, it's tougher than I'd like. I'm surrounded by pastels and cotton voile and little 1940s style tie tops. This shoot, with its silver sparkle and transitional winter whites, is a bit more in-between.

We had snow and 30 degree weather today, so January is definitely throwing punches. Time to embrace winter - it's here to stay (for us Northern Hemisphere-ers, that is).

Sewing Saturday in 24 hours!!

metropolis

2012-01-10T23:09:00.000-08:00

I have a thing for German Expressionism. Personally, I blame it on The Nightmare Before Christmas, which I've loved ever since I saw it in theatres as a little girl. I think that one early experience sneakily made its way into my mind and deep enough to affect the way I look at and enjoy films now - which explains my soft spot for Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, Orson Welles, film noir from the 1940s, and anything else involving Tim Burton from the early 90s (especially his Batman series and Edward Scissorhands). It really opened up the world of science fiction to me, too - something I wasn't into until later - in film and video games. Blade Runner is easily one of my top five films. Dark City is a great movie and games bearing the dark mark of Expressionism are some of my favorites - Deus Ex and Bioshock, to name a couple.

Since I love this creative style so much, it seemed crazy to me that I had never sat down and watched Metropolis. After hearing about the film and director Fritz Lang, I automatically expected to love it and it didn't let me down, really - focusing on a utopian city in the year 2026, Metropolis is the story of the lower world workers and their oppressors, the privileged and wealthy planners living in the city above. One day, the son of the master of the city falls for a woman from below, and his love upsets the balance between the working class and the upper class in perilous ways.

Metropolis exists in a world stuck between an alien-like future and old lore from the ancient past, with no real in-between. Its walls are filled with mad scientists, angular buildings, towering monuments from past civilizations, dusty catacombs and opulent nightclubs with shining floors and art deco embellishments, high contrast and ominous use of shadow and light. Costumes are lovely. Every glimpse of 1920s fashion is a delight, from Maria's simple mid-length dress with laced-up front and contrasting white collar to the decadent regalia of the concubines dressed in shimmering lace, sequins, art deco jewelry touched with ornate stones, and Rococo-style hats and dresses. The Dance of the Seven Deadly Sins (the creepiest scene of all time), towards the end of the film, features a decadent beaded cape and headdress.

More screenshots here.

If you've got 2 1/2 anti-multitasking hours to spare, definitely see Metropolis.. the restored version is available on Netflix Instant right now. So is The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, actually.. which is my personal favorite. Silent horror movie night? And if you find yourself getting obsessed with German Expressionism - The Golem, Faust, and Nosferatu also fit into this genre and are available on Netflix Instant, as well.. lots of creepy German cinema at your fingertips for a dreary January day. Happy Wednesday!

acne resort 2012

2012-01-08T22:41:00.000-08:00

Acne's Resort 2012 collection has all of my favorite colors for spring wear this year - lemony yellow, cornflower blue, blush pink, heather gray - in classic shapes like tailored shorts, puffed up skirts, and sheer pocketed button ups (and in not-so classic shapes too, like those awesomely oversized see-through trousers). I absolutely love the mix of prep school and grunge, perfectly balanced in the last outfit below.. a simple navy cardigan layered over a white collared blouse and a frayed and worn-out denim skirt.

More photos here.

Happy to announce that Sewing Saturdays are officially making their return a week from today! Hope you guys had a grrreat weekend.

a candy tuft

2012-01-06T20:39:00.001-08:00

My friend Jessica is a supreme master seamstress, designer, and photographer (she's also a cat lover but I think we can forgive her for that). Lately, I've been all sorts of into her film shots she takes with her Canon TX 35mm, with the faded sort of dreaminess that's exactly the effect I'm looking for in a camera - not to mention, the neutrals with blush tones and random pops of color that Jessica captures so well. All the perfectly feminine dresses featured in these photos have been made by her, from recent collections.

Check out Jessica's blog for extra inspiration.

plum florals

2012-01-04T08:39:00.000-08:00

1970s mid-length chiffon dress - Thrifted

Gold brass tiered necklace - Red Earth Trading Co.

Suede mary jane heels - Topshop

Opaque tights, gold nail polish - American Apparel

Took off my coat yesterday to snap super quick (and super freezing) photos of this dress out at Percy Warner Park. Neil and I ran some errands yesterday and this is what I wore.. a thrifted mid-length dress made from lightweight chiffon in this excellent floral print. I'm not a big fan of purple but these plum and lavender shades, I can definitely live with. The dress bodice actually has a second layer of chiffon, which ties at the side and can be worn loosely or tied tight. Had to wear a slip underneath and a pair of super opaque tights for warmth's sake, as it was in the 30s out yesterday.

The necklace I'm wearing is a gold brass tiered chain, courtesy of Red Earth Trading Company. One of my favorite things about Red Earth is how personal they keep your shopping experience - for example, I know the artist who made this classically simple piece, and where he's from and what other pieces he has made for the shop. How cool to think our world has become so small that you can feel that sort of connection from another country and continent. Definitely check out Red Earth's website.. I'll be sharing all my favorite things from their shop this month!

More photos here.

Thanks for the suggestions on Europe destinations last post, you guys all had something to say! Please please give advice if you have it, we're pretty clueless. Everything is so up in the air right now that all we've really narrowed down is Neil wants to go to Belgium for the beer and I want to see Germany for Neuschwanstein Castle (I've been obsessed with Ludwig II since I was a dorky tween). I'm halfway scared that we'll spend all of our budget on beer and cheesy castle souvenirs, but who knows.. that might actually make for an awesome trip. Happy Wednesday!

resolutions for 2012

2012-01-01T20:02:00.000-08:00

These photos are some I snapped today of a miniature letterpress calendar I bought from K is for Calligraphy.. the shop is filled with the cutest hand lettered things! Interview & giveaway coming soon.

Happy 2012! Remember when you were a kid and a year took forever to pass? Man, I wish it were still that way.

Last night was maybe the best New Years Eve I've ever had.. we spent it with good friends and family, running around visiting some spots and barely making it to our destination before the clock struck midnight. I wore a black velvet dress from the nineties, gold flecked sparkle tights, and my super huge platform sneakers (it was those or sleek, feminine, uncomfortable heels.. always go for the clunky comfy ones on New Years).

A group of us met at our place for pizza, then headed to the Oak Bar for fancy cocktails (and to experience the downtown craziness that Nashville likes to throw). We arrived at a friend's apartment party just before midnight, running up 15 flights of stairs to catch them only to find out the accessible rooftop was 13 flights beneath us. We ended up crashing a penthouse party on the 22nd floor and watching the fireworks from some random (but super nice) guy's balcony. And it was amazing. Usually for New Years, we catch a good concert or watch the ball drop from home. Marathoning it up an apartment building was a nice change of pace.

And now, it's 2012. 2011 was a big year for Neil and I - I began my label adventure, releasing two collections and sewing a whole lot of dresses, we bought a house and hit the 3 year wedding anniversary mark. I watched my sister get married and our family grow. Neil took on an exciting new venture at work (he's Wine Bar Supervisor at Whole Foods, first of his kind in the Southern region which is really cool for us). We endured the most stressful move in our lives so far.. that terrible but exciting limbo of spending a month in between homes. I can't remember a busier time in my life than the past three months. My college exam days were nothing to me compared to completing wholesale orders while juggling house paperwork, custom orders, and a part time job.

So I'm glad to leave the (ultimately rewarding) stress of 2011 behind, but definitely quick to be thankful for the year as a whole. It was a good year. The wonderful outweighed the frustrating, for sure.

So now that I'm getting all nostalgic about 2011, it's time to head forward with some resolutions. Last year, I stuck to some of my goals (like entrepreneurial sewing and Photoshop business cards) and forgot about others (I ate fast food today). I'm keeping up with this tradition simply because I like lists and I want to be better than I was yesterday, or the day before, or the year before. These experiences or goals, in some way, will hopefully help me (or Neil and I both) to grow.

1. Take a backpacking trip around Europe. Neil and I have been saving up for this - a budget-friendly Eurail ride through Europe, a goal we don't want to forget about or push aside when life gets too busy. We're making plans now for this fall or next spring, so it might not be a 2012 trip, but setting the wheels in motion is happening this year for sure. For now, we're narrowing down the countries and cities to visit (any suggestions?) and watching a whole lot of Rick Steves to prepare.

2. (Re)learn the guitar. My sister Ash introduced me to Karen Dalton over Christmas - ever since then, I decided I have to learn this song on guitar. I've got a ways to go.. the only guitar chord I remember is G.

3. Give more. Cheesy but true. Neil and I have felt so blessed this year that we've wanted to share our blessings with others, but we haven't been so great about following through. In 2012, we plan on finding ways to share time and funds for those in need, and to volunteer for local nonprofits we believe in. And a renewed, open mind to what giving of ourselves really means - with close friends and new acquaintances, with family, with God.

4. Become active, DIY homeowners. This spring, all manners of domestic DIY projects ensue - Neil is planting a garden in the backyard and we're adding a firepit, screening in our back porch (fingers crossed), and building some shutters for the front windows. Indoor projects, too - sanding down our old-fashioned popcorn ceilings, sewing curtains, more painting, patching up walls and switching out old electric wiring.

5. Participate in NaNoWriMo (for real). November is a really busy month for me, so I might have to choose a quieter one in order to actually stick to this goal. February, maybe?

6. Take the next step with my blog and business. I'm leaving this one vague because I'm not really sure what the next step is. Whatever it may be, I feel like 2012 is the year for moving forward.

What are your resolutions for this year?

new years eve

2011-12-30T22:39:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a Happy New Year, and hope you had a great Christmas holiday! Sorry I've been missing in action the last week.. the craziness here hasn't let up and won't for another couple of days. I can't wait until January, one of the easiest and most boring months of the year. I'm going to sew and play video games and that's it. But tonight, I'm going to dress up and be social and watch fireworks from a rooftop.

Have a wonderful night out tonight!

handmade holidays, day four: coffee liqueur

2011-12-24T21:13:00.000-08:00

Handmade holiday gift guide, day four - a ridiculously easy recipe for coffee liqueur, made by infusing dark rum with sugar and fresh coffee grounds.

What you need for this project.. 12 fluid ounces of rum (I used dark aged rum), 25 grams of coffee (roughly 4 heaping tablespoons.. the better the coffee, the better the liqueur), and 1/4 cup sugar. Tools you need are a fine mesh strainer, small saucepan, container for steeping liquid, scale for measuring coffee, coffee grinder and some fun glass containers to serve the liqueur in (small mason jars or cool bottles).

To begin, combine rum and sugar in saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer mixture for 2-3 minutes.

Measure out 25 grams of coffee and grind it on a coarse setting. Pour grounds into the container used for steeping.

Remove rum mixture from heat and pour into container with coffee grounds - cover and let steep for 4-6 hours.

Uncover and pour liqueur through a fine mesh strainer into desired containers. And that's it! Use small jars for party favors and personalize with old-fashioned manilla tags.

PS.. this recipe came from Imbibe Magazine. Big thanks to them!

The holidays caught up with me a little too fast this year, which means I'll have to wait and share more handmade projects with you after Christmas festivities (sorry for the delay!).

Wishing you guys the absolute best time with families and friends this year (as I write this, we're watching It's A Wonderful Life and fighting a sugar crash). Merry Christmas!!

gold brocade

2011-12-22T07:58:00.000-08:00

Just in time for New Years wear, I've relisted the gold silk brocade holiday dress. It is a custom order and fabric is in short supply so if you'd like one in time for New Years Eve, order now and I can sew it for you asap!

Above is a lovely drawing of the brocade holiday dress and below is one of the limited edition organdy pintuck dress, hand painted by the super talented Allie Smith (thanks, Allie!). She's a graphic designer living in Ohio (although I hope to call her a Nashville friend soon) with an amazing hand at illustration and adorably retro design - and I am the biggest fan of her hand lettering. check out her site, Swap & Meet!

Finishing up the handmade holidays guide with two more tutorials soon. Hope festivity preparations are going well for you all! Man alive, December really is the busiest (but the best) time of the year.

handmade holidays, day three: rosewater marshmallows

2011-12-18T16:12:00.000-08:00

Handmade holiday gift guide - day three! I've always wanted to try my hand at marshmallows, and what better time than Christmas?

Homemade marshmallows are not super tough to make, but they're unique enough that they make an excellent gift or party favor - find a square box that will fit four, lay down a bit of parchment paper on the bottom, cover the marshmallows in chocolate and you've got a great gift. And marshmallows can be expensive from confectioneries, so making them yourself is extra rewarding - all of the ingredients are affordable and chances are, you already have them stocked in your cupboards.

What you need for a 13x9 pan of marshmallows (4-9 dozen, depending on size).. 3 packs unflavored gelatin, 1 cup ice cold water - divided in half, 12 ounces granulated sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup, a pinch of kosher salt, 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or whatever flavor you choose - I decided to go with 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 teaspoons rose flower water), 1/4 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, and nonstick spray.

Equipment you'll need - a 13x9 inch metal baking pan, stand mixer with whisk attachment, candy thermometer (I used a meat thermometer, which worked fine but a candy thermometer is best), small saucepan with lid, pizza cutter, and various measuring cups, spoons, and rubber spatulas. Be prepared to make a mess.

The recipe used here is Alton Brown's marshmallow recipe (he's my all time favorite).. all words from now on will be from his recipe, and my added notes will be in italics.

Place the gelatin into the bowl of your stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. That's why a candy thermometer works best - its temp range reaches 400 degrees F, whereas a meat thermometer stops at 220 F. I had to guess when 240 was reached on my meat thermometer. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. 13 minutes for a soft marshmallow, 15 for a stiff marshmallow. Add the vanilla and any additional flavors, like rose water during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping, prepare the pan as follows.

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13x9 inch metal pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan - Alton does this by covering the pan with aluminum foil and shaking the pan, which covers the sides well. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Super messy. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight. I allowed mine to rest overnight, and if you're patient enough, I recommend it.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

And done.

We served these at a party we threw last night for my coworkers, and I'm making another batch for my family at Christmas. There are so many great ways to serve them that would be fun to try.. indoor s'mores? Put out graham crackers and chocolate squares and set a creme brulee torch on the table to let people roast them the way they like it. You can dress these up in a lot of ways - throw cocoa or even coffee grounds into the recipe for great taste and color, add cinnamon and chile to the mix for spiced marshmallows perfect with hot chocolate, top them with sea salt or coconut and lightly toast them before serving. What would your favorite marshmallow look like?

Neil had a great idea to grind freeze-dried cranberries into a powder and use them as a natural food coloring, which would make the marshmallows slightly pink and maybe a little tart. Next time, I'm adding more rose water and dipping them in dark chocolate.

Happy Monday!

handmade holidays, day two: velvet bow sweater

2011-12-15T22:30:00.000-08:00

Day two of handmade holidays is a DIY embellished bow sweater, a quick and inexpensive way to make a thrifted sweater your own - for you or a friend. This project is inspired by Stella McCartney's latest Resort collection, which featured an amazing white maxi dress with black bow embellishments and a matching belt. I thought I'd make an easy-to-wear, winterized version in the form of a cream knit sweater with velvet bows, something you can pair with high waisted jeans for everyday activities or with a sequin skirt for holiday wear.

Things you need.. one lightweight knit sweater, a spool of washable velvet ribbon in any color (or any embellishment of your choice - mismatched lace, trim, etc), fabric glue, and pinking shears. You'll also be using safety pins and a sewing machine with thread that matches your ribbon.

The ribbon I purchased is washable black velvet ribbon 5/8 inch wide, in a 3 yard spool. 3 yards allowed me 9 two-inch ribbons.

To begin, make the velvet bows. Start by cutting a four-inch strip, which will serve as the bow loop. Fold the strip length-wise so the ends overlap in the center back. Cut a two-inch strip and place the edge of it inside the center of the loop, wrong side facing the two loop ends, and glue together, forming a T shape. Then, form a V with a 3-4 inch strip by folding at an angle in the center, and glue in place. Right side down, you'll then match the center of the V to the center of the loop, glueing in place, then wrapping the leg of the T around to the V center and glue over to finish. Pinking shears come in handy for trimming the bow tails, as they prevent fraying.

You can also use pre-made bows found in craft stores. They're generally found in the wedding section and can save you some time and cost just a bit more than ribbon. The satin ones would look kind of cool, I think.

Pin the bows to the sweater with safety pins, getting an idea of how you want the layout to look. I had five bows in the front and two on each sleeve, but I could have used a couple more. Once they're pinned in their proper places, it's time to sew! Remove the safety pin carefully and sew two short rows of stitches along the center of the bow, on the loops but close enough to the center that the loops are free. Two short seams, about the length of the width of the ribbon, will keep the bows secure.

If you're anti-fabric glue, you can always use a glue gun and hot glue the bows together - but keep in mind, hot glue is not machine washable, which means you will have to safety pin the bows onto the sweater, rather than sewing them in place, so you can remove them when it's time for a wash.

And finished!

Thrift store sweater = 1.00 + velvet ribbon spool = 4.00 makes the project total 5.00 USD, not including supplies like fabric glue (which will run you about 5.00), safety pins, and thread. A cheap present - although this one, I think I'm keeping for myself.

More photos here!

Tomorrow, I'm posting a DIY that has nothing to do with bows, fabric, or sewing - I'm sharing homemade marshmallows! See you soon.

handmade holidays, day one: circle scarf

2011-12-14T08:07:00.000-08:00

And it begins! Five days of handmade gift ideas that are super affordable and pretty simple. Day one.. how to sew a circle scarf.

Circle scarves (infinity scarves, loop scarves, whatever you call them) are one of the easiest things to make, an awesome way to get into sewing and have something practical and professional to show for it. In stores, circle scarves are a bit expensive but with the right fabric, you can seriously make it look like the exact same product for less than half the cost.

What you'll need for this project.. 1 1/4 to 2 yards (depending on the desired length and scarf layers) of stretch knit fabric and matching thread. I used 1 1/4. You're going to leave the cut edges raw, so be sure to pick out a fabric with some stretch and very little fraying (you can tell by looking at the cut edges at the fabric store and see how bad they're fraying already, but also, stretch knits are good at not fraying so anything jersey or rayon-ish should be good). I chose a charcoal colored stretch knit with a lightweight purl knit texture.

One other thing - while this is a great project for beginners, I would highly suggest using a serger to finish the one seam you're going to sew. Because it's a stretchy scarf, it's important to have the seam reinforced - and the best way is to use a serger (although there are other methods, which I'll get into later). If you don't have one, find a sewing friend and borrow theirs - or steal one (just kidding).

First step - fold the fabric with cut edges together, right sides in, and pin the selvage together. Check out this handy guide for illustrating the difference between cut edges and selvage edges, in case you're wondering.

In order to make a circle scarf, we're going to sew the selvage edges together, using the two cut edges as the outer edges of the scarf (thus, pretty much sewing a giant tube of fabric).

Therefore.. next step - sew! Sew the selvage edges together, right sides together, using a standard 5/8 inch seam allowance. Once the seam is sewn, trim the edges - if you're using a serger, trim the allowance to about 1/2 inch.

Now, pull out that super awesome serger and finish the edges of the seam. You want to leave two inch thread tails intact at each edge, because this will prevent the seam from coming undone. To keep the tails discreet, I simply sewed them onto the finished serged edge with a straight stitch, but I got away with it because the fabric and thread match and are both so dark you can't see the thread tails - if you're less lazy than I am, I suggest using this handy guide and weave the thread tail into the edges.

Now, for the alternative. The reason I suggest using a serger is it's quick, easy, and gives the scarf a professional finish without a bunch of work. There are several ways to finish a seam without them, however - check out this guide to seam finishes.. the author makes a great case for non-overlock finishing (although keep in mind, you're working with stretch fabric so certain rules vary - but a safe bet when it comes to stretch knits is the handy zig zag stitch).

And that is it! You've got a circle scarf to wrap around however you'd like - as a hooded scarf, loose fitting long scarf, or bundled up tight around your neck. The beauty of this scarf is that the raw, unfinished edges really add to the look.

I've started a Flickr set for handmade holiday gift ideas, so check it out for more photos. Tomorrow, I'm making an embellished sweater using fabric glue, velvet ribbon, and a thrifted wool sweater.. more soon! And if you have handmade gift ideas of your own, please share them (I loved LisaMarie's suggestions last post)! Happy Wednesday, all.

green and gold

2011-12-12T15:17:00.000-08:00

New to the shop.. a special edition holiday dress made from vintage silk brocade in green and gold. The dress will be available at Audrey Grace Boutique in Jackson, Mississippi beginning December 17th, and online starting now! More photos coming soon.

I'm having a good time plotting a homemade holiday gift guide, which I'll post starting Wednesday. Five days of handmade gift ideas! For the broke young woman in all of us. Are you doing any handmade gifting this year?

christmas wish list

2011-12-09T11:35:00.000-08:00

Christmas is coming up fast, so lately Neil and I have been juggling requests from our families for gift ideas, sending off emails with ideas and receiving them in turn (can't wait to do some shopping!). First thoughts for both of us had to do with our new house - we need pretty boring things this year like towels and sheet sets - so it's fun to come up with this gift list for the blog. This is my "I really want it but don't really need it" list.

A couple of pieces have been on my covet list for awhile, like velvet loafers and a pleated knee-length skirt in metallic leather, but most are new. I just recently got into Garden and Gun after they featured some great people behind great companies we know from Nashville (which reminds me, I've got to do a local Nashville gift guide post soon), so I really want a subscription this year. Neil's into the food end of it and I love reading about travel, especially when it comes to the South. Something else new for me is a love of hair combs.. I'm not a big jewelry wearer but I will always wear a hair wreath or hat. These glamorous combs (from ASOS and Topshop) are perfect statement pieces with a simple party dress or maybe even an oversized sweater and leather shorts.

The sleeveless button up dress is courtesy of Bona Drag. Sheer, soft pinks and nudes in wintertime (with plenty of layers, of course) paired together in monochromatic outfits are something I want to wear more of once the holidays are over - they remind me of the pretty, feminine costumes worn in The Red Shoes, with pops of pastel color found in the statement cocktail ring from ASOS. For you non-coffee drinkers, that funny looking teapot is actually a Hario Buono Coffee Kettle, a really useful tool when you use pour-over methods for brewing coffee like a chemex or v60 (we've been really obsessed with our chemex for the last few months.. we broke our last french press and who knows where our automatic coffee maker is).

And of course, a list of mine wouldn't be complete without a video game or book of some sort. The Prague Cemetery is Umberto Eco's latest, generating mixed reviews so far - he has a tendency to muddy his books with too many words and obscure subjects, sometimes writing in several languages and not bothering to translate (see: the first 100 pages of the Name of the Rose). But once you get through it, his stories are totally worth it.. especially you're into conspiracy theories with a lot of European history thrown in. Somewhere in my awkward teenage years, I stumbled across Foucault's Pendulum in a bookshop I worked at and fell in love with his ability to weave real-life secret societies, lost manuscripts, and power-hungry cults into a modern-day mystery and make it almost believable. And Skyrim, well - I'm all about fighting dragons and wearing cool armor.

Happy holidays! What do you want most for Christmas?

blooming leopold holiday lookbook

2011-12-05T07:44:00.000-08:00

The Blooming Leopold Holiday 2011 Lookbook is here! Handpicked vintage pieces from the 1940s to the 90s that I've been storing for the holidays, and one handmade organdy dress specially made for the occasion. Featuring the lovely Ashley Fisher, who was so much fun to work with (don't you want to steal her red hair?). Photos taken by me at Percy Warner Park in Nashville.

More photos here.

Update - all pieces are now in the shop.. 1940s green velvet dress, vintage olive silk blouse, black leather pencil skirt, 1970s black velvet blazer, high waist pleated burgundy trousers, polka dot blouse(sold), 1980s mid-length glitter dress, black sparkle tee, and the handmade Amparo pintuck dress in black organdy (for custom order). Another handmade holiday dress will be hitting the shop later on this week, as well - more soon.

Happy Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend.

herringbone + cable knit

2011-11-30T22:41:00.000-08:00

Photos by Neil!

Vintage herringbone coat - thrifted

Cable knit crop sweater - Three Feathers Vintage

Cable knit tights, high waisted denim shorts, black button up - American Apparel

Suede mary janes - Topshop

It happened - cold weather hit Nashville. Time to bust out this 1980s Working Girl coat, which I happen to love the more I wear it (big, loose shapes in short lengths are what I've been wearing lately, for some reason).

Another recent find are these suede mary janes from Topshop, which will be my staple holiday shoes this season (I bought some last year only to return them since they were a bit too big). I love the versatility of mary janes.. that rare shoe that looks good with tights, ankle socks, or bare legs. The chunkiness of the heel makes this pair a little less feminine, which I like, and the lack of a hardcore crazy platform in the front means I don't feel like a streetwalker in them. After searching through dozens of pairs online, these have to be my favorite ones.

Sorry for the random blurry nail photo, I had to show you guys the new glitter polish from AA. I kind of like it (probably because it reminds me of my preteen Limited Too days).

Super distracted tonight - doing some last minute sewing for my holiday lookbook, which I'm shooting tomorrow! I just ate McDonalds and watched an episode of Twin Peaks with Neil (we are really obsessed with Twin Peaks and that is no understatement), so I'm not very focused at the moment.. give me an hour and I will be productive again (hopefully). Happy December!

vintage sale

2011-11-28T11:15:00.000-08:00

In order to make room for my holiday lookbook this week, I've marked down all vintage items in the shop - most items at 10 or 15 dollars! Check out the sale section today. Really awesome Gilda Radner photo found here.

thanksgiving and a giveaway winner

2011-11-26T19:30:00.000-08:00

This weekend has been a blur of good food and good company. Neil's family came in and we had a few friends over to share food with us.. chocolate pecan pie, collard greens, cajun spiced turkey, all sorts of southern goodness. Not many photos to share, sadly - I was caught up in the holiday-ness and forgot to take pictures. But this is the outfit I wore (thrifted silk blouse, handmade red velvet skirt) and here is our simple table setting and our new old farm table (constructed by a local woodcrafter, we couldn't love it more).

And now for the Dalena Vintage giveaway announcement.. the winner is Sarah J! Congrats, Sarah! Thanks to all who entered.

Happy weekend! Filling some last minute orders today, hoping to get in a belated Sewing Saturday post. How great it feels to have a whole sewing room to myself now.

badlands

2011-11-23T11:19:00.000-08:00

Screenshots I took last night of my favorite Terrence Malick film, Badlands. While the film's cinematography isn't quite as beautiful as Days of Heaven, the film itself is much better - based on the story of the Starkweather-Fugate murders of the 1950s, the film follows a young pair around the dusty, flat landscapes of the west as they leave behind a trail of unfeeling murders in their wake. The movie is all at once stark and coldly sentimental, almost an amoral fairytale, about the loss of innocence and love. And Martin Sheen is brilliant in it.

Style-wise, I've said before that movies from a specific era trying to capture another time period are always my favorites (The Lover, Amadeus, Paper Moon), and Badlands is no exception. Inevitably, the time period the film was shot in shines through in a way, and you can see the early 70s in scenes with sun-drenched fields and Sissy Spacek's red hair hanging loose, in her light wash button up and dark jeans. The androgynous seventies meets 1950s bobby socks and mid-length gingham dresses, perfect. Throughout the film, Martin Sheen is dressed in a white tee, dark wash jeans, and a denim jacket - simple and effective (a welcome change from the plaid button up and suspender look that Nashville hipster men seem addicted to, pretty sick of it by now).

More screenshots here. I did some research on the Starkweather-Fugate murders after watching Badlands, and for once, it seems that real life was more messy than film. Their spree was intense and brutal, and the movie is more forgiving to its main characters.

On a happier note, Neil and I are prepping for Thanksgiving activities this week! We ordered a pine farm table for our dining room, and it's coming in today - just in time, because my in-laws will be coming to Nashville tonight and we're hosting a small Thanksgiving feast tomorrow. Lots of traditional fare.. turkey and greens, potatoes, bread pudding, apple pie. Can't wait.. I plan on taking more photos than cooking, hopefully, so I'll share them with you soon (and I'll delay the Dalena Vintage giveaway announcement for one more day, so enter now if you haven't already)! Happy Thanksgiving to you American ladies.

all that glitters

2011-11-20T19:27:00.000-08:00

Digging myself out of a million boxes to share some recent finds with you guys. The holidays seem like the best time to bust out metallics and a tame amount of glitter, so I've been preparing lately - stocking up on a few things I've been coveting and some good thrifted finds from this weekend.

The vintage leather skirt and polka dot blouse will probably hit the shop next week as a part of my holiday lookbook, but the wool swing coat is headed to my closet. I've wanted a loose, short swing coat for awhile now, and this one makes me feel like I actually have legs when I wear it. Have you guys seen the metallic American Apparel polish in stores? I love the silver one too, but our store doesn't have it yet - just the bronze and gold, which are equally cool. The other Mac polishes are from my sister (can't wait to wear the green!), all perfect for the holidays.

And the gold sequin ribbon is officially a sneak peak of a dress I'm working on for my holiday lookbook.. coupled with a shot of Alexa Chung from her latest Madewell collection. My sister bought me a gift card to Madewell for my birthday, still deciding how to use it (there are too many good things in that store). The metallic loafers are some thrifted flats I found shopping with Lauren yesterday, a two-dollar alternative to these leather ASOS creepers.

I don't know what I was talking about when I said we only had a few more days of crazy before it calmed down again, because things are still crazy. But the best kind of crazy.. unpacking and settling in sort of crazy. Getting my sewing room ready so I can complete some orders and have Sewing Saturday posts again - finally - sort of crazy. Hope you had a great weekend!

dalena vintage giveaway

2011-11-15T21:10:00.000-08:00

Leslie Torbett of Dalena Vintage has all the luck - while other vintage hunters struggle to find cute 1980s floral dresses in thrift stores, Leslie is curating a collection of pieces anywhere from 50 to 100 years old, all in pristine condition and elegant taste (like this cotton Edwardian dress or incredible 1960s wool shift). The Austin, Texas-based seller has an eye for high end pieces in name brands and rich fabrics like silk, chiffon, lace, and velvet.

Dalena Vintage recently released their Holiday Lookbook, filled to the brim with moody shots inside a turn of the century home with brilliant wallpaper and dark wood trim. In every photo, you catch a glimpse of a wintery dress - some in cream lace, others with beautiful scalloped necklines, all wonderfully holiday-worthy.

Now for the extra good news. Leslie is offering a $50 Dalena Vintage credit to you as a giveaway! In perfect timing, too - right in time to use it towards a dream holiday dress or Christmas present.

To enter, simply comment on this post telling us what your favorite piece is in the shop. If you'd like to enter again, share this giveaway on your Twitter, blog, or Facebook, and send us the link in a second comment! The giveaway ends one week from today (November 23), so be sure to enter before then.

Happy Wednesday!

leader of the pack

2011-11-13T08:20:00.001-08:00

More Petra Collins love - one of my favorite photo shoots of hers. I love the combination of the bird print tee and those great daisy shorts, very nineties.

Slowly getting out of the craziness, now there are only a handful of busy days before some restful ones. Thanks for the words of encouragement last post! I'm feeling more sane this weekend. After I ship out orders, the rest of the week will be spent putting things in their proper place at our new home (it's filled with boxes and bags and all our stuff right now) and plotting a holiday lookbook, which will debut next week! Happy Sunday, you guyz.

white walls wood floors

2011-11-09T10:23:00.001-08:00

I'm taking a quick break from work to eat lunch and share these photos with you guys. Life has gotten me down lately.. it feels like I'm behind on just about everything. Custom orders, wholesale orders, unpacking, painting, blogging. I wanted to do an outfit post this morning but didn't have time to because of sewing catch-up. It could be my constant diet of crackers, mac and cheese, and leftover Halloween candy making me depressed (we've been dividing our time between my parent's house and our new place and haven't really had a chance to pick up groceries or anything healthy). Maybe I should eat a salad or an apple or something like that and it'll pick me up.

Either way, these photos help me feel better - they remind me why Neil and I are doing all of this painting and maintenance in the first place.. in the pursuit of a cool, clean space that's all our own. I'm really obsessed with white walls with crown molding and old fashioned wood floors. And whitewashed brick, tall windows, built-in bookshelves, walls covered in mismatched art and frames, farm tables with distressed antique chairs, old chandeliers, classic wood shutters, a cross between super modern and weathered vintage. Searching for my dream piano too. Still trying to figure out my design style (dressing myself in the morning is way easier than decorating a living room), but it's been a fun process.. especially since Neil and I don't have the exact same style and coming to agreement on colors and decor is a good lesson in listening.

All photos courtesy of The Selby. Happy Thursday!

crown of love

2011-11-07T13:18:00.000-08:00

What do you get when Petra Collins, Tavi Gevinson, and friends come together to craft in Hannah Metz's NYC apartment during Fashion Week? Crown of Love, of course.

Man, if only I were as cool as Tavi at 15. When I was a teen, I was busy dating awkward boys and wearing Abercrombie and Fitch tees. Consoling myself with marshmallow meringue cupcakes and sewing right now.

silent sundays autumn winter 2012

2011-11-05T20:40:00.000-07:00

Silent Sundays' latest lookbook is just as beautiful as their last, this time in weathered blue hues with photos shot on a film camera. The clothing featured is a mix of designer and vintage, designers like Secret Squirrel and Family Affairs (some of Rhi and Jamie's favorites) and classic vintage staples like sheer polka dot tops, washed denim dungarees, and miniature velvet dresses. Most vintage pieces have sold out already, but some are still available!

The lookbook features adorable twins Kate and Amanda, who have a lovely blog of their own (and are Tennessee natives!).

This past week has been a blur of paint, packing, and paperwork, but we're nearly done painting our whole house and should be moving in on Monday or Tuesday. Fingers crossed, things will go back to normal then and I'll have outfit photos and recent finds to share. Can you believe it's November already?

my sister's wedding

2011-11-02T19:53:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago in mid-October, my sister Rhiannon and Drew were married at Serenbe Inn in rural Georgia, about an hour's drive from Atlanta. It was an intimate affair, with a ceremony held outside in a field and a dinner following on the porch of an old farmhouse - shrimp and grits and chocolate bourbon pecan pie. My beautiful sister wore a wreath of wildflowers in her hair and the prettiest Lover dress, Drew wore a classic gingham shirt and navy suit, and my little nephew Jack wore a bear costume (as he was the ring bearer and all).

It was all gorgeous and a bit emotional.. watching Rhi and Drew together just enforced the things we already knew about them - how in love they are, how well they are going to take care of each other, how anxious we are to welcome Drew into the family. We couldn't have dreamed up a better man for Rhiannon. It was bittersweet too, because this will be the last wedding in our immediate family for a long while, until my sister Ash and brother in law Danny's little ones grow up and get married themselves. We'll have to come up with other excuses to get together, eat a big meal, and stay up far too late drinking wine and roasting marshmallows.

More photos here and here.

With all of these changes happening around us lately, it seems as though Neil and I are starting a new chapter in our lives. It sounds kind of dramatic but it's true, I think. How fast life goes by! It was just yesterday that I was an awkward teen unpacking in my first dorm room at college. Now I'm an awkward twenty something, watching my sisters get married off to great men, moving things into my first home with my husband. Life is strange and awesome.

all hallows eve

2011-10-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween, everyone! We're spending the night on the couch with Psycho, pumpkin beer, and lots of candy. After the craziness of this past month, nothing sounds better.

And we bought a house today!! After a few months of searching, we finally committed to a place about three weeks ago and closed on the deal earlier today. What a strange feeling to own your home! I'll share our home design adventures with you as we go along.. expect a lot of Selby references (ideas and advice appreciated! we're clueless when it comes to decorating).

Hope you guys have a great night!

savannah, day two

2011-10-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

Vintage polka dot blouse, leather purse - Thrifted

Vintage black wool hat - Civvies in Savannah

Red blazer - Forever21

Kork Ease wedges - UO

Denim cut off shorts - Abercrombie and Fitch (from high school.. old jeans cut short)

Days two and three of our Savannah trip were all sorts of goodness. Barbecue with Vanessa and Abi, fabric shopping at Measure, a tour through the Mercer Williams home (highlight of the trip for me!!), vintage hunts on Broughton Street, nights spent staying out and mornings spent sleeping in. And drinking to-go cups of beer on the street(excite). We finished the trip with Back in the Day Bakery, where Neil ate molasses cookies and I tried a star brownie, and both of us grabbed their amazing marshmallows and coffee.

I ended up finding the best felted wool hat at Civvies on East Broughton and red blazer at the new Forever21 in Lenox Mall in Atlanta (pre-Savannah, while on the hunt for a dress for my sister's wedding.. last minute as usual). That fine young man in the photos is of course Neil Winter, and he's wearing an American Apparel denim shirt, Billy Reid jeans, and my camera bag (thanks, Neil). Grand red mansion? Mercer Williams house. Row of brick townhomes? Our bed and breakfast (ironically once owned by Jim Williams).

Did you see that awesome fabric? Liberty of London. Out of my price range but I can dream.

I'm pretty happy right now.. Neil and I went out of town a couple of nights ago to see the Avett Brothers play in southern Illinois and visit some school friends (good times), and while we were gone, our little dog Bloom got really sick. We took her to an emergency clinic when we got home last night and she was diagnosed with pancreatitis and an infection. We've been giving her antibiotics and pain relievers all today and last night, and she's already starting to look like her old, crazy self again. Yay for health! We have to monitor her but I think her medicine is going to take care of things.

Getting in the Halloween mood, courtesy of Hannah and Landon. Is anyone dressing up for Halloween this year?

forsyth park

2011-10-23T19:42:00.000-07:00

Vintage patchwork rayon dress, Dooney and Bourke purse - Goodbuy Girls

Wood wedge sandals - Madewell

The first stop Neil and I made in Savannah, once we checked into our bed and breakfast and lifted our bags up two flights of old stairs, was Forsyth Park. We stayed at the Savannah Inn, an 1850s townhome just a block's walk from Mercer House and not much further than that from Forsyth. So while the sun was still out, we walked around Forsyth's grand trees and its famous fountain, seeing Spanish Moss for the first time. Is it just me, or does everyone in Savannah own a dog?

The rayon dress is a 90s Esprit mini that might be the most comfortable thing I own now. I bought it at Goodbuy Girls Vintage in East Nashville last month, knowing I'd be wearing it for this trip. A lightweight swing dress turned out to be the best thing to wear the day we came into Savannah (it might be fall, but the south still has sleeveless dress weather).

That night, we had dinner at the Distillery (pretty good sandwiches and a great beer list) and finished with banana pudding at Parker's Market. And then we took a ghost tour. Savannah is a little scary.

The next day, we were able to meet up with some friends and check out Back in the Day Bakery for the first time.. and do some fabric shopping. More photos coming! Can you believe we only have one week left in October?

bonaventure cemetery

2011-10-21T22:16:00.000-07:00

Neil and I decided to celebrate our anniversary by going to Savannah this year (we'll be married for three years on November 1st!!), and we knew that a trip to Savannah meant we had to explore Bonaventure Cemetery.

The cemetery was what we expected.. eerily beautiful and gloomy, just like an old southern cemetery should be, especially since the day we picked to go was rainy. For a cemetery, it seemed to be alive with tropical plants and fall color. 160 acres on the river with plants and trees of all shapes and sizes, well-kept but still wild. Spanish moss is lovely everywhere, but it's particularly effective in a graveyard. We visited Johnny Mercer's grave and walked around a bit before the rain picked up and made us leave.

All photos here.

More pictures from our trip coming Sunday, and photos of Rhi's wedding (which was perfect.. we didn't want the day to end) super soon. I have to work at American Apparel kind of early tomorrow, and we have to dress up in some sort of costume. In honor of John Hughes, I'm putting on a black hat and mismatched grandma clothes and dressing as Andie from Pretty in Pink (I don't really look like her but I'll do my best). Happy weekend!

stylelikeu

2011-10-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

We're back in Tennessee! Still in vacation mode so my mind is kind of fuzzy, but I can say that this past week has been one of the best. Watching my sister Rhi get married, spending a lot of time with my family and a couple of days in Savannah with just Neil and I - the whole trip was what we've needed for awhile.

While I spend the next twelve hours sorting photos from our trip, I really wanted to share my friend Maria's recent interview with Stylelikeu. I've known beautiful Maria since I started working at American Apparel last year (you might recognize her as the model for my fall/winter collection!), and I was so excited to hear about her interview - it didn't surprise me at all that they found her.. Maria has a unique (and effortless) grace and style.

So glad to be home. I'll post photos of our trip soon. Also, I wrote a guest post for Rhiannon's blog.. check it out here!

on the road

2011-10-13T15:42:00.000-07:00

Neil and I are leaving tomorrow morning for Georgia, where we're going to spend the weekend celebrating my sister Rhiannon's wedding! I've been looking forward to this for awhile. We're headed to Atlanta for the rehearsal dinner, Palmetto for the ceremony, and lastly - Savannah to celebrate our three year anniversary! I won't be back until Wednesday night, so I'm taking a bit of a blogging break.

I'll be back next Thursday with tons of photos and news. Until then, check out my sister's blog - she has several guest bloggers sharing posts this week (me included). Have a great week!

alexandra grecco ss 2012

2011-10-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

Alexandra Grecco is always a favorite of mine, so when she released photos of her Spring/Summer 2012 collection a few days ago, I was pretty excited. It's everything you've come to expect from Grecco's designs.. fanciful pieces in the softest hues and fabrics with romantic details like accordion pleats, flutter sleeves, and criss cross pintucks.

More photos of the lovely collection here.

lula, issue 13

2011-10-09T22:05:00.000-07:00

Lula magazine, issue 13 - as beautiful as ever.

Of course, it'll take about seven years for it to hit the southern states, but I can wait.

All scans courtesy of Sofia at Deer Lolita.

closet case vintage fall/winter giveaway

2011-10-08T20:23:00.001-07:00

Closet Case Vintage just released their Fall/Winter Lookbook, and it's filled with outfits worthy of Nashville party-goers with adorable seventies style.. afghan dusters, 90s patchwork jackets, wide legged jeans and fringe maxi dresses. I'm in love with the playful attitude of the video, following a pair of rebellious girls through their exploits in the city.

And to celebrate the lookbook launch, Closet Case is offering a giveaway - 200 USD in clothing credit to use at the online shop! The giveaway is open to everyone. To enter, follow the instructions and comment here. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, October 11, so act fast!

sewing plans for fall

2011-10-07T21:26:00.000-07:00

I promise that my Sewing Saturday posts aren't gone forever.. they will be back on the blog this month, I swear! With the move and the recent collection launch, things have been too chaotic to keep them up. Now that life has calmed down, I've been daydreaming about future sewing projects to work on and wool fabrics (in plaid, mostly) have been on my mind. Simple a-line skirts, loose fitting blouses with 70s style sleeves, tweed jackets in lightweight swing shapes for autumn. I also found a pattern that mimics a Rothschild princess coat, and it's for sure going to be on my list come winter.

I also have plans to post quick tutorials on how to hand stitch buttonholes, making your own bias tape, and other easy projects. Is there anything you'd like to see as a tutorial on the blog?

blooming leopold fall/winter 2012 video

2011-10-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

So happy to debut the Blooming Leopold A/W 2012 film today!

Shot by AJ Gibboney (whose work you can also see at Red Earth Trading Co, a company supporting designers all over the world through direct trade), modeled by Maria Elba, shot at the Historic Rock Castle. Thanks to all who were involved!

some velvet morning

2011-10-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

1960s red velveteen dress - Closet Case Vintage

Vintage gold watch necklace - American Apparel

It's autumn in Tennessee, which means I'm officially back on a velvet kick. Neil and I shopped over the weekend with the intention of finding outfits for my sister's wedding in a couple of weeks. I ended up using shop credit I had at a couple of vintage shops and grabbed four dresses for separate occasions, one of them being this 1960s red velveteen dress with lace trim. It was overwhelming as a maxi, so I cut it short to make it wearable and now I love it.

Well, we are out of our East Nashville rental and into my parent's house for the month as we look for homes to buy! We've only been house hunting for two months now, but it feels like it's been forever.. we're so anxious to have things finalized and pick a home to move into. My parents have been so good to us - letting us take over their second bedroom for October and housing not only us, but all of our stuff and our crazy little dog.

We moved over the weekend and since then, I've had some time to catch up on custom orders and unpack (but I am so behind). Being in my parent's home recharges me. I've set up my sewing room in their attic and have audiobooks to listen to (I'm swapping between Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, two stories I've always wanted to read). I feel like taking walks outside in the country and eating apple cake and watching Masterpiece Theatre - once all of my sewing is done.. which might be my next month in a sentence, really.

frances baker giveaway

2011-10-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

Meet Josephine Baker, the mind behind Frances Baker, a small Australian label that creates the most wonderful dirndl-shaped dresses and crop top playsets. While many ladies can sew, few can do so with the amount of intricate detail that Josephine shows to each handmade piece.. vintage braid lining the skirt of a dark coffee corduroy dress, subtle pleats and pintucks on a skirt, fabric covered buttons and hand-stitched enclosures. All dresses are lined for a professional finish and are great for both winter and summer wear (wouldn't that corduroy dress be incredible for fall?).

Not to mention, Josie's personal style and blog are darling - rucksack picnics with friends, hand sewn dresses with matching hair bows, and glimpses of current sewing projects.

Fortunately for us, Josie is offering a giveaway for the month of October - a 200 AUD gift voucher for any item in her store. To enter, comment here and sign up for her Facebook and mailing list for shop updates. Enter by October 31!

And to make things even better, everyone gets a special 20% off discount in the Frances Baker shop for the month of October.. simply enter BLOOMINGLEOPOLD upon checkout. Ends October 31st.

So happy to welcome my autumn sponsors to the blog!

zara september lookbook

2011-09-27T22:54:00.001-07:00

Zara's September 2011 lookbook is all sorts of grown-up holiday fare in rich tones ideal for cooler months. Classic combinations that never fail to work.. simple sweater dresses, cream button ups with wide black trousers, playful polka dots and a tailored menswear jacket. If only I owned that burgundy sweater.

Sorry for the shop update delay.. we're in the middle of our move and I haven't had much time for anything except packing. Soon, all of our stuff will be in storage and I'll have time to add some things to the shop. I can't wait for an empty house! It'll be like camping out in our own home - takeout food and movies and an air mattress in the living room.

first days of autumn

2011-09-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

Photos by Neil!

Vintage navy polka dot blouse - Thrifted

Vintage wide legged jeans - Hip Zipper

Kork Ease wedge sandals - UO

Neil and I spent part of the weekend at Southern Fried Festival, where Neil hosted a presentation on bacon and both of us ate plenty of autumn fair food - pumpkin donuts, German sausage, pulled pork, homemade ice cream. My mom helps out with the festival each year, so it was great driving out to Columbia and seeing what she was involved in this season.

So glad to be wearing jeans again. The weather has been beautiful and almost cool, so I put on long sleeves and wide legged pants. The polka dot blouse is a thrifted find and a bit big on me, so it might hit the shop before long. The pants are from the Hip Zipper, a great little vintage shop in East Nashville. I bought them over the summer and have been on the top of my list since then - trying to think up ways to wear them, and pairing them with a simple silk blouse (just like this lady) seemed a good way to start.

And we're busy packing! We're all set to move out of our place on Friday, so we've got a ways to go and not so much time to do it.. but we'll get it done. All of this house hunting has not quite come to fruition yet - we are currently bidding on our fourth house and since our lease ends in late September, we'll have to move in with my parents for about a month. I keep trying to tell myself that this constant state of flux is worth it - that in a short amount of time, we'll own our first home and it'll be amazing - but it can be pretty stressful not knowing where you're going to live. I'm so thankful for my parents being close and being supportive; who knows what we'd do if we couldn't live with them for this in-between time.

Happy Sunday! Shop update coming tomorrow.

orla kiely ss 2012

2011-09-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

I've got all sorts of Fashion Week envy, maybe more for the London week than the New York one earlier this month (it could have something to do with the amazing street style, which is just as inspiring as the collections). It's a goal of mine to save up enough money for airfare one year, drag my sisters with me, and go. But until then, I'm content being comfortable at home - sewing and drinking coffee and waiting for FW photos to pop up.

Orla Kiely's spring/summer 2012 campaign is just as lovely as previous years, abundant in 1940s, 60s, and 70s shapes - the adorable tent-shaped mini, billowy sleeves coupled with accordion pleats, contrast collar rompers, all colored in with bubble gum pinks, navy, and cream. Classic staples too like double breasted trenches and sweetly simple drop waist dresses. My favorite pieces are those incredible crocheted ones - the hot shorts and cropped sweaters and even a little retro one-piece. I'm torn between my love for longer lengths right now and this collection's penchant for short shorts and above the knee dresses.

More photos available here. I'm heading to an M. Ward concert in a few hours - date with my dad tonight, barbecue and a show! Happy Wednesday all.

now accepting sponsors

2011-09-20T22:19:00.000-07:00

With the launch of the new blog look, I've decided to officially begin accepting sponsors! To celebrate this decision, I'm offering super cheap rates and your first month free.

Send me an email at bloomingleopold@gmail.com for rates, blog statistics, and availability - booking spots now for October.

birthday dress!

2011-09-18T20:45:00.001-07:00

Autumn bell sleeve dress - handmade

Vintage leather handbag - thrifted

Gold watch pendant - American Apparel

Two tone wedge boots - UO

My birthday weekend is over sooo I'm back to work, sewing and sorting vintage and responding to emails. It was a great time! I met up with some friends last night for a trip to Arrington Vineyards, where we drank wine and I lost my phone. Neil and I had a wonderful day in Chattanooga just the two of us (the aquarium was lovely and cocktails at Public House were delicious), and I've been blessed by sweet birthday messages and well wishes. I'm 26 years old now, you guys. It's a little bit crazy.

And I sewed this dress for the occasion. The cotton fabric is most likely vintage from the 70s, although I can't remember where I got it from - probably a thrift store? Fall florals in those burnished brown colors. When Neil and I were running errands on Saturday, I wore this outfit - but it got cold into the night at the winery, so I swapped the ankle boots and bare legs for black tights and platform lace ups. It was the most beautiful night - it even smelled like autumn.

Now, about 26. Turning 26 didn't really intimidate me like 25 did last year, although it's still a bit strange. I guess sometimes you hit an age that you feel you will be at forever, at least mentally.. not to say you don't grow, but it's a part of your self image. Maybe 23 was mine, because when I hit the mid-twenties range at 24, it was all sorts of funny to me. I swear, you spend your entire early twenties wanting to be older, and once you are, you're just thinking about those golden younger years. That might just be me, though.. I'm a grass is greener sort of person, which can suck. I can't wait for an age where I feel entirely comfortable in my own skin, not dreading the people around me thinking I'm 16 and shouldn't be drinking or fearing that I'm too old to be doing certain things (ahem video games). I've heard that happens at 30 - you stop caring so much about age and just start living your life? Is that true? I guess it depends on the person, really.

I talked last year about having interviews with friends of mine who are around the same age but in very different places, and I think I might finally do that. You guys said some very wise, very honest things then, like Ana who stated that the mid-twenties are this awkward sort of in-between stage where some people are living at home with their parents while others have three kids, a spouse, and a mortgage. It's very true. I have divorced friends who are my age and some who are younger, married friends who own homes and are talking about babies (and some who have them), single friends who go out every night and don't intend on settling down. I guess Neil and I are right in the middle, in that we're both in our mid twenties and we're married but our social life and careers still take precedent over even the smallest inclination of starting a family. We're looking for a house to own, which is a commitment and a scary one, but we still value our freedom. There are many things we want to do before we tie ourselves down to a specific city or even country. We want opportunities to be open to us and we don't want age to restrict us.

I guess the most important thing is to enjoy the stage that you are at and not allow preconceived notions to get in the way of living each year to its fullest. Don't be afraid of growing older or being too young, because that will just stop you from enjoying this small window of time you have for each year. Man alive, time goes by so fast. The least you can do is make it count.

How do you feel about your age and age-related goals?

september birthday

2011-09-15T23:52:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all of the kind words, facebook statuses, and re-blogging that have happened since I released my fall/winter collection a few days ago! Your support and encouragement is why I do what I do.. thanks so much for being there and giving me a reason to move forward with this blog and shop. You have no idea how much it means to me.

In the morning, Neil and I are running away to Chattanooga to visit the Tennessee Aquarium and maybe eat at Public House (any suggestions on what to do in the city?) - it's my birthday tomorrow! We're spending the weekend doing fun things and taking some much-needed time off.

And for my birthday, here is a wish list I'm dreaming about for fall.. lace up boots in green velvet from Topshop (velvet shoes, period), a Clever Nettle vintage rayon dress (I want to wear floral mini dresses all autumn long), the loveliest - and most expensive - sweater from Pringle of Scotland (will ivory cable knit sweaters ever get old?), classic films and some sewing supplies. I've been eyeing a rotary cutter for ages now, especially since I began making bias tape, and that drafting patterns book looks old-fashioned in the best way. I never use new patterns anyway, just old ones.. so why get a new pattern drafting book? Maybe it'll teach me how to make a ruffled collar.

Alright, it's bedtime for me. Hope you have a great weekend!

blooming leopold fall/winter 2012

2011-09-13T00:28:00.001-07:00

After months of scheming and sewing, here it is.. today is the debut of a new look for the Blooming Leopold blog, as well as my fall/winter 2012 handmade collection! Autumn jumpers in brown tweed, organdy pintuck blouses, and bell sleeved velvet dresses.. pieces I've been making and storing up to share with you today.

All pieces will be made to order and are available in black velvet, brown tweed wool, ivory and black organdy, and corduroy (some fabric - including the floral corduroy - is limited stock so first come, first served!). Items hit the shop tomorrow, September 14, at noon CST. More photos here, friends.

Special thanks to these wonderful people.. shot at the Historic Rock Castle in Hendersonville, modeled by Maria Elba and video (coming soon!) by AJ Gibboney. An extra thank you to Neil, who helped out immensely by fixing gin fizzes, lugging around camera equipment, and encouraging me all the way through. And congrats to Christy, the giveaway winner this week!

Happy Tuesday!

coming soon

2011-09-11T22:04:00.000-07:00

Hitting the blog tomorrow.. photos from the Blooming Leopold autumn/winter handmade collection! (I'll also be announcing the blouse giveaway winner tomorrow, so be sure to enter!)

rainy day woman

2011-09-08T07:55:00.000-07:00

Vintage denim overalls - Thrifted

Sheer black lawn button up, vintage gold watch - American Apparel

Vintage gray wool hat - Goodbuy Girls

Wedge ankle boots - UO

Rain and cold hit Nashville over the weekend, giving us this instant feeling of fall (and making hot pumpkin lattes a must). Temperatures dropped almost 40 degrees in a matter of hours, and we went from sweating in 90 degree heat to bundling up for below 60.. the south is weird.

I really don't mind, because it means I get to put on black tights and cardigans again. And the other day, Neil and I hit up a burrito place and I wore these dark denim overalls with a felted wool hat I found at Goodbuy Girls over the summer, something I've been waiting to wear.

Our house is covered in velvet dust after the onslaught of velvet dresses that I've been sewing, and it sounds kind of cool but it's really just a mess. My weekend will be filled with sewing, a blog redo (about time.. I've had this blog for two years and it's looked just about the same), and packing. And some hanging out and work, but mostly just sewing. Hope you guys have a good one!

urban outfitters fall 2011

2011-09-06T21:41:00.000-07:00

Images from UO's late fall catalog.. sweet pleated skirts, loose knit pullovers, high waist plaid trousers, varsity jackets and the best floral chiffon wide leg pants. I love the catalog's bohemian take on autumnal wear. 1970s by-way-of 90s.

Due to several problems with rescheduling, I've had to set my vintage fall lookbook back a couple of weeks.. to make room for something that, to me, is a bit more exciting. My handmade fall/winter collection will debut next week! I can't believe it's moved this quickly, but the line will be ready to share with you guys as soon as Monday, September 12. More news soon!

silk pintuck blouse giveaway

2011-09-04T17:04:00.000-07:00

Sewing Saturday! This week, I learned how to sew pintucks into a vintage silk blouse - which I've decided to send out as a giveaway! Pintucks are pretty simple creations (although silk isn't the easiest fabric to sew them into, I recommend pure cotton for a first try - it irons better) and can add a lot of personality to a plain blouse, skirt, or dress. It's also great for shortening the length of a dress without cutting the fabric off.. if you'd like it longer in the future, simply seam rip the pintucks!

What you need for this project.. an iron, fabric chalk, a ruler, a garment to add pintucks to (or fabric that you will be using for a project, prior to cutting the pattern piece out), and matching thread. If you're using silk or another fragile fabric, having a scrap piece of muslin (or other cotton scrap) will help with ironing.

For my design, I wanted two 1 inch tucks wrapped around the bottom half of the blouse. To begin, I marked two 2-inch rectangles all the way around the shirt, 2 inches apart, with my clear ruler and tailor's chalk - beginning 3 inches from the bottom hem. I used these parallel lines to create the tucks, matching one drawn line to another - 2 inches of fabric between the lines for a 1 inch tuck. With lines matched together, I pressed them using the scrap bit of muslin between the silk top and the iron (at a low setting).

When the tucks are pressed, they create a crease - which is where you sew your seam. I sewed along the crease all the way around the blouse. Once the seams had been stitched, I pressed the tucks downward.

That's all!

Note: technically the tucks I created are spaced tucks, which means there is a flat bit of fabric space between the tucks. Pintucks are, by definition, much more narrow.

And finished.

This is a great project for a sheer garment, since it adds opacity at the tucks.

And because the blouse turned out well, I thought I'd send it to one of you! The giveaway is open to everyone - just leave a comment on this post telling me how you'd wear the blouse. Measurements are.. 38 inch bust and 19 inch length. Giveaway ends one week from today, and I'll announce the winner then.

It's officially September.. fall is coming soon! Hope you guys had a great weekend.

juliette hogan f/w 2012

2011-08-31T22:01:00.001-07:00

I blame Rhiannon for getting me into southern hemisphere fashion. NZ Fashion Week is in full swing, and I've been regularly checking their local blogs for any and all updates about the event. Already, plenty of great shows have gone on and I've been doing my best to locate clear, solid runway photos to lust after - shots of Ingrid Starnes, Lonely Hearts, and Salasai, to name a few - and Juliette Hogan with her F/W 2012 collection, which is much more mature than the designer's previous looks. I've got to be honest, I might like her past collections a bit better.. I'm a sucker for feminine things. But this winter collection has a lot to be loved, including that sheer cream floral dress, accordion pleats, and those perfect detachable leather collars.

All images courtesy of Michael Ng at NZFW. To see more, go here or check out the video below (courtesy of the New Zealand Herald).

corduroy and silk

2011-08-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

Photos by Neil!

Vintage silk blouse - Nashville flea market

Corduroy skirt, vintage watch - American Apparel

Deena & Ozzy wedge boots - UO

Vintage two tone purse - thrifted

New shoes! Really excited about these - lightweight boots with good tread that I plan on wearing all fall and winter. I wouldn't have been able to afford them, save for a UO gift card I had from returning a dress I never wore for a wedding we didn't get to go to. It worked out for the best, feet-wise at least.

Annabel of Blushing Ambition did a great wardrobe essentials post last winter, and reading it always makes me want to evaluate my closet to see what staples are important to me. One of my wardrobe essentials has to be a simple silk button up - like the one I'm wearing here. I have a few, mostly thrifted, and they are always an easy fix when I have no clue what to wear. And the corduroy skirt is great for right now, when it's a little too hot to wear with tights but perfect with a lightweight top and boots. Autumn can't come soon enough to Nashville.. we're supposed to have 100 degree weather this weekend. Drinking pumpkin ale doesn't feel the same just yet.

Happy Monday!

diy no sew bandana for pets

2011-08-28T21:04:00.000-07:00

This is, hands down, the simplest and fastest Sewing Saturday post I've done. It's also very useful if you, like me, are in denial about liking to dress your pet up in human clothes (I mean, a bandana doesn't count, right?).

The idea came from a vet in St. Louis last Christmas - Neil and I had dropped Bloom off for a weekend while we visited some friends, and we asked them to give her a bath. She came out looking especially clean and scruffy and wearing a paisley bandana they had tied around her neck. It made her look adorable! I examined the bandana and surprisingly, it was a really simple triangle of fabric that had been cut with pinking shears - no sewing involved.

So, I decided to borrow their idea. The quickest, simplest outfit you can make for your dog or cat (or rabbit or bird maybe?). What you need for the project.. pinking shears, a scrap of fabric (depending on your pet's size.. Bloom is a twelve pound terrier and she needed less than 1/4 of a yard), some fabric chalk, a ruler, and measuring tape. I decided to make a template for the scarf for future use, so if you decide to make one as well, you'll need kraft paper or muslin (or pattern paper), a pencil, and some pattern weights.

First step - measure your pet's neck. Whatever their neck measurement is, double that for the length of the scarf. If you're making a template or pattern for the scarf, you'll need to bring out the pattern paper and keep it flat, then draw a straight line with your ruler that is twice the length of your pet's neck. Bloom's neck measured ten inches around, so I drew the scarf at twenty inches long. If you aren't making a pattern piece, simply mark the line directly on the fabric using chalk.

Once you have the length line, find the central point and draw a vertical line from that point upwards roughly half of the length of the scarf, but not quite - I marked seven inches from that point. This will be the center point and tip of the triangle. Use your ruler to measure a diagonal line from the ends of the length line to the topmost center point, then trace. You have your triangle! Cut out your new pattern piece.

I used my new pattern to trace the triangle onto the fabric (using leftover plaid wool from those tap shorts I made a couple weeks back) with white chalk. Once it was drawn, I cut the scarf out using pinking shears to prevent fraying. If you have a crazy dog like ours, it will fray no matter what - but at least it'll last a bit longer.

And that's it! Tie your new bandana around your pet's neck. If you decide to make one, please please send me a photo! Bloom has grown to love wearing hers, partly because whenever she wears a bandana, it generally means we're having visitors over and she gets to meet someone new.

Hope you had a great weekend! Thank you for the kind words about our house hunting process, we actually didn't get the first house we made an offer on so we're back to the search (no 1940s stucco cottage for us, sadly). Most of our initial fears have worn off and now we're mostly just excited to have a place of our own - to be able to plant our own garden, build a brick oven for pizzas, and paint our walls whatever colors we want. And oh man do I want a sewing room. We'll see what happens!

Vintage fall lookbook coming soon!

alexa chung for madewell, part two

2011-08-26T16:31:00.001-07:00

Very excited.

View the Alexa Chung for Madewell Fall 2011 video here.

travellers rest

2011-08-24T16:53:00.000-07:00

Photos by Neil and I.

Vintage chambray top - Thrifted

High waist denim shorts - American Apparel

Vintage leather southwest rucksack - courtesy of The Exhausted Etiquette

Life has been pretty stressful around here lately. Between working on my fall/winter collection, shooting a vintage fall lookbook I've had to delay twice already, working at American Apparel and running the online shop, planning an obligatory yard sale, and buying a house - days fill up fast. These past two days have been nothing but house visits and mortgage meetings.. but it's all beginning to pay off, as we just put in an offer on our first-ever home in East Nashville! We're a little terrified and really, really excited. It's one of those moments in life where you know you'll look back on it as an important time, filled with big decisions.

So this past weekend, Neil and I took a much-needed day off and ran around town together. We went out for neapolitan style pizza and visited Travellers Rest, a plantation home and museum nearby that we've been meaning to see.

The pastoral setting really relaxed us - I've never appreciated nature so much as I have lately.. the peace and quiet and indigenous order of things. I went out to a friend's farm to scout areas for a photo shoot today. The land was mostly untouched, save for cattle grazing, and had been so for the past 100 years - to the point where we saw old rusty pieces of farming equipment that had been fixed to the ground by overgrown tree roots. Nature doesn't need grooming or maintenance; it has its own balance.

Here is the rucksack I posted about earlier.. a gift from Kirstine at The Exhausted Etiquette, one of my favorite vintage shops. Be sure to check her store out (I think I found my dream dress for my sister's wedding in there)! This adorable bag has been everywhere with me now.

Ginger scallion stir fry (cooked by Neil) and The Spy Who Came In From The Cold tonight! There's this little scruffy dog sitting next to me that keeps begging for some chicken and scallions.

back to school sale

2011-08-22T13:41:00.000-07:00

One day only.. 50% off everything in the shop! Enter the coupon code BACKTOSCHOOL upon checkout for your discount.

Hurry, ends Tuesday, August 23 at midnight!

fall finds

2011-08-19T18:40:00.000-07:00

Some early fall finds I've been storing up for hot-to-cold weather wear.. American Apparel high waist denim shorts (with a silk blouse and black tights soon!), vintage wood wedge sandals from my mother in law (with ankle socks and mid length dresses for fall?), a 1970s accordion pleat wool skirt from a yard sale, and more.

I was so happy to receive this vintage brown leather rucksack in the mail from Kirstine of The Exhausted Etiquette, one of my favorite vintage shops! I've been using it constantly and scheming of ways to put it into an outfit post. The camera is also something I'm super excited about.. I've wanted to get a Zumi ever since my sister shared her Nolan House video almost two years back, shot by Drew (still one of my favorite-ever Liebemarlene posts). I went to a hibachi grill last night for a friend's 21st birthday, and I filmed just about everything.

And the velvet hair wreath is a small sneak peak of my handmade fall/winter collection, coming in a few weeks! Yessssssss can't wait to post.

Neil and I had a fail of an outfit post the other day. We drove to this beautiful historic site outside of Nashville to take photos, only to have our camera battery die within the first few minutes of being there. Oh well! This just gives us an excuse to visit Travellers Rest (with a charged camera!) in a couple of days, when we have some time off.

A simple sewing post coming up this weekend (featuring one of my favorite models), and my early fall vintage lookbook early next week! Happy weekend, all. Hope it's filled with this.

teen vogue september

2011-08-17T07:38:00.001-07:00

No matter how old I get, I always head to Teen Vogue for style ideas before Vogue. Maybe they have a more fun and casual approach towards fashion? Or maybe I just like the photo shoots better (it's definitely not for the horoscopes or Taylor Swift mentions).

The September 2011 issue of Teen Vogue is filled with great fall layering tips and decade trend reports, covering trends from the 1920s all the way to the 90s with very wearable ideas. The oversized grunge of the 90s with simple shapes and colors, bright plaid 60s dresses in a-line shapes, feminine florals with defined masculine shoulders from the 1940s, the 70s and their wide legged pants and sporty blazers a la Annie Hall. And more. I love how many eras are in style right now.. it leaves even more room for individuality and interpreting trends your own way.

More scanned images here.

shop update! gingham play sets and high waist denim shorts

2011-08-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

Shop update! Layer-worthy pieces great for transitioning into fall - including a red gingham play set, oatmeal linen romper, and patchwork denim shorts. And more on the way!

finished project - plaid wool tap shorts

2011-08-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

I finished the tap shorts this weekend!

What I used for this project.. less than one yard of lightweight vintage wool fabric in green and red plaid, grosgrain ribbon for a waist stay (to keep the waistline more structured), a 9" zipper, and the usual - iron, good scissors, matching thread, etc. I used pattern weights (my flat washers from a home improvement store) since I can't use pins on my thick kraft paper, which I used to create new, graded down pattern pieces last week.

First steps - lay out your pattern pieces evenly along the grain of the fabric (important when you're sewing with plaid), then cut.

The shorts have three darts to both back pieces, so I marked the darts with chalk and sewed them in, pressing them flat and towards the center afterward. Then, I sewed the center seams of the front and back pieces, then the side seams (the left side, I sewed only up to the prescribed notch - as the zipper goes in above).

I then sewed the crotch pieces together at the 1/2 inch seam allowance, creating leg openings. Then, time to serge. I serged the leg opening edges and waistline edge. I measured out the grosgrain to match the waistline seam, then serged the ends. I tucked the ribbon into the waistline, folded the serged edge of the waistline over the ribbon, and stitched it in place at the top to form a waist stay. I then folded the serged edges of the leg openings inward and stitched them to finish the seams (can also be finished by using pinking shears or regular zig zag stitch, pressing opening inwards at seam allowance, and stitching).

I left the zipper for last (I don't think I was supposed to but I didn't follow the exact rules with this pattern). With my invisible zipper, I unzipped it and lined it up with the side openings, right side of fabric to right side of zipper. Using my zipper foot, I stitched as close as I could to the coils, so about 5/8 inch in (actually, the first time I didn't and it turned out horrible.. the second time, I did). I think I'll do a quick invisible zipper tutorial soon. I don't know about you, but I hate sewing with zippers. Buttonholes are best.

The last step is to sew a hook and eye closure above the side zipper before I wear them. Then.. all done! The back darts are my favorite part, as they fit the back region perfectly.

Now, I knew these shorts were going to be short - just not super short. So I'll have to wait and wear them when it's tights season in Nashville again. Maybe not the transitional fall piece I was hoping for? Either way, I'm excited to wear them.

We've been in the middle of a mad house search (we might be buying our first ever home soon! if you could say a quick prayer for us, we'd really really appreciate it), and it has taken over our lives a bit - so I'm sorry if I haven't been posting as regularly. I'll be back in a set schedule in no time! A couple of other big projects in the works, as well.. a back-to-school vintage look book hitting the blog and store in just over a week, and my fall collection coming early next month.

Shop update later tonight!

early fall wishlist

2011-08-11T23:32:00.000-07:00

Vintage cable knit sweater via Clever Nettle, Sea silk pleated mini skirt, Perfect Day tortoise shell sunglasses, Miffin black suede biker boot

Well, I'm thinking of fall again. This time, it's in the form of adventures Neil and I have planned for the next couple of months - whether it's for a special Georgia wedding in October, a birthday trip to Chattanooga, or just an afternoon date spent at a plantation home close by.

This outfit is all about a road trip I've been thinking about for awhile. I have a lot of friends who are constant thrifters, and we think the best thrift stores have yet to be found in little towns all over the south - all a short drive away in Mississippi, Alabama, and around Tennessee. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can coerce some of them into traveling around with me in late September on a hunt for winter finds. When we make the trek, I want to layer up in a thick, cozy cable knit sweater pulled over a lightweight pleated silk skirt and the grungiest biker boots I can find.

1920s peach silk dress, woodland hair wreath by Kani, Madewell prairie boots

In mid October, my family and I will be celebrating something I'm really excited about - my sister's wedding! The event will take place in Georgia, nestled away in the hills somewhere, and I can't think of anything more romantic to wear than a peachy silk 1920s dress with accordion pleat ruffles and a delicate lace collar. Paired with a floral hair wreath and some wood stack heel boots in leather, and maybe a light wool cardigan?

Black felted wool hat, vintage platform leather wedges, blue denim pinafore dress, viscose yellow bloom blouse

Living in Nashville for a couple of years has given us plenty of opportunities to visit its well-preserved history, but there are still a few homes we haven't been to. Travellers Rest is a plantation home and museum about 20 minutes from where we live, on the other side of Nashville. Originally built atop a Native American burial ground in 1799, Travellers Rest is a large, white-washed mansion with brick chimneys and contrasting shutters that was once home to John Overton, advisor to President Andrew Jackson and the founder of Memphis, Tennessee. I'm hoping we can make the trip sometime when Neil and I have an afternoon off.

Lula silk chiffon dress, Malcolm gray suede oxfords, silver sand eyeshadow, coral lip glaze

Now, wearing a Charles Anastase dress to the Tennessee Aquarium isn't something I can really do.. spending 1500 dollars on a birthday dress just isn't in my budget. But that's what makes this a wishlist, right? My birthday is next month, and we're planning a day trip to Chattanooga with some school friends who are visiting that weekend (yay!). From all of the positive things I've heard about Chattanooga (pretty riverfront, good food, awesome aquarium), I can't wait to walk around looking at fish and drink some good beer afterwards. Preferably in a romantic chiffon maxi dress and suede oxfords. To be honest, I'll probably make my birthday dress this year (like I planned to do last year until I messed up and made the mistake of not cutting the bodice pieces on the fold.. still mad about that).. maybe out of silk chiffon and maybe out of velvet, and preferably in a loose-fitting shape similar to the lula dress.

Are there any particular outfits or trends you plan on trying next season?

tba fall 2011

2011-08-10T10:14:00.000-07:00

It's becoming a tradition for me to post the latest TBA collection, and I really can't help it. The UK label really has become my favorite (read my sister's interview with designer Binbin McNiven here) ever since I caught their fall 2010 collection last year. While nothing can really eclipse that collection in my mind (I'm a sucker for velvet and pintucks), TBA's latest is still darling. The label always manages to be up-and-coming with trends and still maintain their own identity in the process.

My favorites are the cream puff sleeve blouse (above) and the loose-fitting black dress with ivory collar.

I'm at the public library downtown right now eating tomato soup and sharing this post before I head to work. I just checked out Pride and Prejudice and Zombies on audiobook, which will be my new listening companion while I sew this week! My first Jane Austen experience (well, sort of).