summer day 2.

New summer purse, via my local flea market:


(note how the yummy goldenrod color was throwing off the tint of the photo though...the bottom portion of the wall in that pictures is the more accurate wall color!)

Please tell me why even though I have two NEARLY finished UFO's, all I want to do is start something new? Maybe involving vintage feedsacks and scruffy old laces?


Or polka dots in blues and sunny yellow begging to be a pert little pocket on a new-but-thinks-it's-a-vintage-Laura Ashley-print??


Hmmm? Why does that happen?

Good thing I'm off tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that. And the day after that...and the, well, you get the picture.

OH! The cactus bloomed today...only happens once a year and I've been waiting for it! Oh, you weren't? Sorry. I took a picture for you anyway.

(Unusual choice for a farm dog, but we'll keep her.)


Now, I gotta run. I just popped the yummy Chris Pine in the dvd player. He & I have afternoon plans. We're cutting into that Not-Laura-Ashley print and thumbing our noses at the pile of UFOs. What? You wouldn't pair Star Trek, large rose print, and cheeky dotted pockets?

Well, I live on the edge.

Priscilla asks: "Have you stopped and smelled the flowers yet today?"

vintage pattern love!

As promised, my recent flea market haul! **this is an image-heavy post, but such yummy images!**

These four were from the first flea market I hit:





I am loving the romper. I know I'm 3 decades past rompers, minimum, but I'm thinking there may be life in those shorts at least. They're so dang cute!

Then at the next flea market I found so many I actually had to pick & choose which to buy. I chose mostly top patterns, because I hardly ever find those. Some of the envelopes are in really bad shape, but the patterns seem complete.


And I cannot resist cute vintage pj's. Plus, the pants are FABULOUS. I am muslining these asap. (and again, I can always use cute short patterns!)


And here's my last top pattern I got, or thought I was getting. I was the most excited about this one because it is already in MY SIZE! And...the envelope is like new. It's definitely 40s, the envelope even says "McCall" not "McCalls". And the blouse is just my style, different collars (including a mandarin and a little tie collar!! Be still my heart.) And gathered shoulders?? I couldn't wait to get home and trace this one off.


Then when I did get home and carefully open it, I found...NOT McCall 5885. Oh, the instruction sheet was in there, but the pattern wasn't. Drat it. That's the rub with flea markets!! What WAS in there was 3 more patterns...These in fact:


The last one is either Anne Adams or Marian Martin, mail order companies (I tried looking it up online but found conflicting info. I'm leaning towards Anne Adams. That's how AA numbered their patterns far as I can tell, even though the MM pattern is also very similar.)

I'm actually really in love with 4797, the roll collar dress. It is exactly in my size and I already made a muslin! The pattern itself was in factory folds, never been used and is like new. It also fits like a glove. I made a slight width adjustment to the back, lowered the darts a bit, and enlarged the sleeve 1/2". NO FBA!!! I guess I shoulda been born in the era of pointy bras and girdles. HA.

I can't wait to make it for real! It's perfect for a tweed I've been wondering what to do with. Or maybe that black & white houndstooth under my bed that's been calling my name.

Too bad I have to go back to work tomorrow... Sad. And I was on a roll.

junket.

Had a weekend of "junking", or perusing the local flea market stalls! I found some real gems. You know how it is, either feast or famine. Am I right?

Vintage feedsacks. Everywhere. Had to limit to these 3, in near perfect, yummy vintage condition.


Hats are my weakness. You know. Among other things.


It don't matter if it's black or white. (hee.)


Gorgeous baby slip.


Three rows of the tiniest tucks, 6 tucks each row.


Swiss beading, entredeaux and lace. Be still my heart.


Don't be surprised if you see this end up in a project. If you're a vintage clothes purist, look away when the time comes. (**Note: There's a hole in the bodice. I'm not that cruel.)


(Which you totally can't see in the shot above, but its such a pretty picture and showcases my darling pink vintage baby hanger. )


Some really, truly fabulous vintage patterns also made their way home with me. I'll save those for another post after I've scanned them. Sadly, I'm still obsessing about the ones I left behind...I'm sick I tell you.

Another obsession I care nothing about curing...

A Song for You
Michael Buble
link via youtube

O.M.G. Sing it, baby.

shopping.

I hate crowded shopping malls. No parking, people shoving, crabby salesclerks. I do my best to keep a cheery disposition even when its nearly impossible with all the negativity surrounding me. But sometimes even I get pissy.

For example, I waited in line 15 minutes yesterday to buy my parents a gift card at Cracker Barrel, only to have some woman bypass the ENTIRE line to rudely jump in front of me when it was my turn. Because she "didn't feel like waiting." I politely said, "oh, I'm sorry this is the front of the line, the end is back there" (pointing to the other side of the room). The clerk says, "Oh, she can skip the line. It doesn't matter."

I would normally bite my tongue, but this time I responded, "It matters to me. And I'm pretty sure it matters to the 30 people behind me." Still polite, still smiling. No need to get everyone's panties in a bunch, but neither is it in the Christmas spirit to cause more wait time to people who have politely been waiting their turn. I hate people like that. I turned and left without purchasing anything at all.

The funny thing is, and I didn't realize it until my sister pointed it out in the car, that line included people waiting to pay for their dinner ticket as well as the gift store people. So when I left, they had no idea whether I had a dinner ticket to pay for or not! Bwhahaha!! Serves them right. For all they know I left with a $100 meal in my pocket. (I didn't.)

My Christmas shopping haul included these non presents. For me. Because that's how I roll.

Gorgeous 2.5 yards of vintage, 1960s linen. Yumm-O!


Fabulous creamy faceted bead necklace:


Oh, and a stack of patterns from Hobby Lobby's Simplicity Sale, including this one, which my dear readers suggested for the ModCloth knockoff:


And this wasn't purchased yesterday, rather I bought it for myself for my birthday/Christmas and wore it yesterday. (I use that excuse for everything I buy in Nov/Dec. Ahem.) This gorgeous locket is by Melissa Stevenson, whose Etsy shop can be found HERE. She makes the most amazing enameled jewelry, but the lockets are my favorite. And since I have a love of all things bird, this one bespoke my name:

It hangs from a beautiful brass chain. I love the vintage-y feel, the applied brass flower detailing, the sage green enameling...pretty much everything about it. And the locket is large enough to hold a decent closeup of my two favorite people, hanging close to my heart where they belong.


ps...I did almost finish shopping. Gotta do the stockings and then I'm through! Whew. And to all you crabby line jumpers out there, I really do hope you have a blessed Christmas!

loot.

Twenty Dollar Saturday was a success! Wanna see what an Andrew Jackson buys in today's economy if you put your mind to it??

Firstly, I packed snacks. I didn't want to waste any of my moolah on eats and drinks.


Next, I stopped at the bank to pick up my $20. Must have been a conspiracy or something because I got 2 Alexander Hamilton's instead. Aha! Alex spends just the same as Andy. My plan can't be foiled that easy!


Next up...Oops. No really, that's the name of the store. It's a reseller of discontinued or overstock merchandise. And a TON of fun to browse around in because everything is dirt cheap. I fell in love with this little guy, the most expensive thing I bought all day:


See, me & the frog prince go way back. It started years ago when I lamented how I sure had kissed an awful lot of frogs in my time...where the heck was my prince anyway? It got to be a thing, and my girlfriends have been buying me frog prince's ever since. This one was just too cute to resist.

Oops Total: $4.92

Next up, the flea market! I have to be in the mood to enjoy flea marketing, and today wasn't exactly that day. But I did want a new book for reading on this lazy weekend I've got planned, and I also was hoping for a good magazine to thumb through. Score! This issue of Domino is even the Oct/2008 issue! And the book is by one of my favorite romance authors, LaVyrle Spencer.

October 2008 Issue of Domino = $1

Twice Loved by LaVyrle Spencer = $1

Flea Market Total: $2.18

I've been a little tired of my current selection of earrings. I am a loyal jewelry-wearer. I pick a good, classic pair and wear them every day. As such, I've got a gold pair of dangly hoops and a silver teardrop pair that I alternate. I've been wanting a little more flash and bling these days though.

Since I'd rather not blow the entire rest of my day's budget on sparkly dangly earbobs...a trip to Hobby Lobby was in order. Fate was smiling at me today because jewelry findings were 50% off! I picked up some ear hooks and eye pins, and some beautiful AB crystal beads. Sparkly, dangly earbobs coming right up!

Hobby Lobby Total: $4.87

Rue 21 just happens to be across the parking lot from HL, and they just happened to have some sidewalk sale racks today. Score again! Taupey-Gray tee, perfect for some rocking Urban Threads embellishment:

Rue 21 Total: $3.28

A Saturday outing just isn't an outing without a trip to Hancocks. Right? It really was my day because Buttericks & McCalls were both on sale for 99 cents today. My take? McCalls 5632, 5429, and 5631.

Hancock's Total: $3.24

Any math whizzes out there keeping a running total? Ya, I have $1.51 left. What am I going to find out there for $1.51?? Including tax? I thought about returning to the flea market. I had about 8 books in my hands before I decided to spread my money around.

Instead, I decided that since my luck had been so favorable all day, I'd try my local Wal-Mart, which has always carried the best overstock & mill end fabrics on the $1 table. (I know that's not true for most WM's, but we're very close to the distribution center which may make a difference. We get a lot of good stuff!)

Don't hate me because I'm lucky. But yes, 1.25 yards of beautiful pale lime, soft and buttery cotton knit came home with me.

Wal-Mart Total: $1.36

And the grand finale, Twenty Dollar Saturday Total is...
$19.85!!

So there you have it folks. A complete day of shopping til dropping, all for under $20!

listening to: Eddie Money of course!

Flea Market & Fantasy

My recent loot from the flea market included all of my favorite things! A sweet little platter in "that pink"...an old jar crammed full of buttons...and my favorite color combo (baby blue & red) in vintage feed sacks!!

My jar of buttons doesn't look like much on the outside, but I spot a twinkly rhinestone button in there, and at least a few vintage Czech glass buttons! Seeing as I only paid $5 for the whole jar, I'm thinkin it was a steal!

In sewing news...I'm working on an ensemble for Lu to wear to the Centennial celebration at her school. She's a greeter & will be passing out programs, then will perform with her class. She's pretty excited about it. Of course I only find this out on Thursday and the program is NEXT WEEK!!!

While I had my heart set on a dupioni silk smocked beauty from AS&E, I settled for a hand-drafted pattern I designed with a very vintage feel (and I do mean very! I'm talking Renaissance here! Altho, no, her school is not that old.)

I thought a period piece (with bite) might be a nice way to burn off some of my excess creative energy right now. This outfit will be so far away from what I normally do, it's almost a costume. But that's fine because I think individually the pieces will stand alone.

I searched Renaissance & medieval gowns, and I really like the feel of this (with less shoulder of course!)

and this one, which has a Christmas-y feel:

And really, how completely lovely is this...
All gown are from the Very Merry Seamstress. Her website is chock full of beautiful, custom gowns. If you're a Renaissance Faire attendee...you definitely need to see her site.

So I'm shooting for separates (skirt, peasant top & corset-y overtop) that will work separately wtih other pieces for maximum use. I'd like all of them to be age appropriate too, of course. If I find success (and probably even if I don't) I'll post pics!