I have deemed this a good day to wear bright colors and polka dots, just in case you were wondering what to wear.  And if you’re already dressed, it is not too late for you to wear BrIgHt CoLoRs and PoLkA dOtS tomorrow. 

I think what started this whole thing is that last night I snuggled up with Michaela in her bed and read my new issue of Where Women Create.  The next thing you know, we were fast asleep and I woke up this morning to the bright sun on Michaela’s bright green walls and her very tall doll house.  I don’t know.  Maybe that green just sort of put me in the mind to be BRIGHT today.  (Dear Jessamy, I see why you love this color.)

Tumbling through the closet and some drawers, I found bright polka dotted clothes. 

And a bright skirt.  Why not go wild with patterns while we are at it?  I don’t think anyone will mind as long as we’re not too shocking.

Out in the yard this  morning, this little crocus decided to be bright with us.  And I noticed that the daffodils are not quite so scrunched up this morning, as it is bright and less cold today.

It also seemed a good day to wear a new Women of the World pin.  And it seemed a good morning to drive to the little all natural food store to get a cup of coffee, and see if anyone noticed my pin.  (I do look for feedback, after all, and I was really wanting coffee this morning, which I don’t usually drink anymore. )

Imagine my delight when the cashier said, “Oooo, I like that button you are wearing.”  I was so thrilled.  She had to read it and then we talked a bit about Etsy.  I love seeing friends and being around people, so it was nice to start the day out at the little store, before I get started typing all day.  (We’ll just pretend like it’s not happening.)

I wore the Brave pin today.  Tomorrow I may be wearing Demure.  One just never knows.

Hasn’t it been fun?  Well, it has for me, sharing fun thrift store finds and reading all of your very kind comments!  Today will be the last day, and tomorrow a day of rest from this fashion adventure. 

Can you tell whose baby Annie really is?  I love this little puppy, in spite of her, uh, inability to understand that her bathroom is OUTSIDE.  We will get it straight one day, though.

I love the dress pictured above because of the corset-type tie in the front, and there is a repeated exact tie on the back.  Oh, I do love it. 

Dress 4.00

I am closing with just one picture showing the beautiful detail of one of my current favorites, because I think beauty is in the details.  We fall in love with people as we find out their little ways and peculiarities — their details.  Much of interior design is in the details.  There are detail shops for cars.

When I go out shopping, I shop for things that make me happy and that I can make a connection with.  I also shop for functional things, obviously, because I’m buying clothes, but if I have to choose between a drab gray overcoat and a soft pink one with a pretty charm hanging from the zipper tab, guess what? 

Thank you all so much for having fun with me this week!

Today’s a work day.  It’s snowing here today.  Again.  I told Thomas spring was right around the corner.  ”Six weeks,” I said. 

“Where’d you get that idea?” he asked.

I was picturing the little groundhog and knowing that he had seen his shadow.

Thomas interrupted my beautiful thoughts and said, “You know they’re comparing this winter to only two others like it over the last 100 years.  This winter’s gonna go slam through March.”

Was he kidding?

Oh well.

PS - Tanya, just for you…

It does have a great twirl effect!

And Ginger, the skirt yesterday is 100% polyester.  I checked this morning. 

Delight in Disorder
by Robert Herrick

A sweet disorder in the dress
Kindles in clothes a wantonness:
A lawn about the shoulders thrown
Into a fine distraction–
An erring lace, which here and there
Enthrals the crimson stomacher–
A cuff neglectful, and thereby
Ribbands to flow confusedly–
A winning wave, deserving note,
In the tempestuous petticoat–
A careless shoe-string, in whose tie
I see a wild civility–
Do more bewitch me than when art
Is too precise in every part.

I asked my husband one time if he thought I was odd and he said, “You are pleasantly eccentric.”  I had a grandmother who loved hats, scarves, and leopard prints and all sorts of unusual articles of clothing.  I remember when she would come and visit, we always waited in anticipation, wondering what she would have on.  Actually, I sort of love leopard print too, but it has to be just the right thing for me to wear it.  Fair skin and freckles somehow don’t always look great in leopard print. 

I love pairing two very lacy tops together.  Having a little bit of lace show through at a collar or neckline or waist is pretty to me, though too much is, well, too much. 

The skirt has a story.  I bought this skirt probably 10 years ago secondhand.  A few years later I was cleaning out to donate some things to a yard sale and my mother saw that skirt in the bag.  She knew I had really loved it and would probably miss it one day, so she pulled it out without telling me and put it up.  She pulled it out again about two years ago and said, “Remember this?”  It was like finding that skirt all over again.  I thanked her for saving this pretty skirt for me.  It’s got two layers to it, has a beautiful floral print and hangs oh so pretty.

Brown lace top – $3.00
Lacy under-layer shirt – $3.00
Twirly skirt – $3.00
Black tights – $1.00
Sam and Libby boots – $5.00

Apron?  The first one I ever made, about 25 years ago, out of fabric bought really cheap at a textile factory I was working at.

Have a beautiful Friday.  Here’s to a job at home, hot tea, and God’s beautiful creation just on the other side of the window pane.

Oh, the week is flying by!  Tomorrow I’ll be at my work desk, but we won’t think of that today!  No.

What we will think about is making the most of each day.  As I post this fun and sort of frivolous week of fashion, I am not unaware that there is great suffering around the world, and many would love to have any new clothes right now, let alone a large selection purchased at good prices.

So, we must do what we can to help others and we must be all we can in our places.  I fully believe also in Tasha Tudor’s saying that we must “take joy.” 

I would like to thank my photographer, Michaela, for setting the camera on burst and then getting me to twirl, which I’m not very good at, by the way.  I reminded myself of one of those little twirlers in a jewelry box when the wire has gone awry and she spins off balance. 

Black velvety dress – $4.00

Black tights – $1.00

Black Wal-Mart Mary Janes – $9.00

Finally, the apron was a splurge and was $20.00, more than the rest of the outfit combined, but there’s a story behind it.  I bought it locally, it is handmade and supports someone who crafts and makes things and sells them, and I think that is worthwhile.    So there.

Besides, everyone needs a pretty apron to wear while cooking and cleaning.

Happy Thursday!

Welcome back to the fashion show!  (That was really fun saying that.)

You get to see one of my current favorite shirts and my cluttered kitchen counter all at the same time!  What a day!

Once again I am layering shirts, which is a useful thing to be able to do since I’m so cold-natured.  The skirt for the day is really shiny and crinkly.  I should have gotten a closer picture of the skirt because the hem is trimmed in lace.  It’s really pretty with black boots.  I found it in a store called Rave, in the mall, on a clearance rack for for 5 dollars.  Most things in stores like that don’t work out for me because everything, uh, doesn’t have enough fabric in it, but this skirt and one just like it in brown came home with me.

I thought this picture was worth putting in because you get to see the bright sun.  The snow looked like it had been sprinkled with bright sparkly glitter.  It was so very pretty.  Made me appreciate Snowflake Bentley all over again!

The greenish-teal shirt underneath is the one that I’m really enjoying right now.  The brand is Stamp 10.  I love how the blue in the pin brings out the blue tone in the shirt.  The black shirt I love too, because of the lace in the V neck.  It’s Chaus Organic and looked like it had never been touched when I bought it at Goodwill.

Once again, I’m covered in shawls.  The red plaid shawl was my one new shawl purchase this year.  I’ll try really hard not to buy another one until the big after-winter sales next year.

Total cost:

twirly skirt – 5.00
black shirt – 3.00
blue-green shirt – 3.00
black tights – 1.00
red shawl – 25.00

Time for another feminine and frugal dress day.  Thank you for all of your comments yesterday!  That was fun!  I feel funny posting pictures all week of  just ME ME ME, but it is so much fun to share things like shopping, and I LOVE seeing what others do about dresses and such, so I guess it’s all okay.  Forgive me if you’ve had too much ME by the end of the week. 

No, the snow has not melted already.  These pictures were taken before the snow fell, in anticipation of posting my feminine and frugal dress week. 

I really love this new skirt.  I bought it secondhand but it still had the tags on it.

One of my favorite, favorite black wraps.  As you can see it has a pretty design woven into it in gray, but the overall color comes off as black.  I bought it new at Marshall’s about three years ago.

As usual, there’s a pin somewhere. 

I mentioned yesterday that I am not much for labels.  What I meant was that when I shop, which is often secondhand, I don’t just scour the stores looking for good labels.  I look for things that make me happy.  If it’s a big-name label, then it’s all that much better, but if it’s not, well that was not what I was looking for in the first place, though I do look for quality.

The blouse is just covered in girly-girl buttons and shiny adornments, so it’s so ME.

Total Cost:

bright pink and white rayon skirt – 3.00
soft, lacy 3/4 length sleeve shirt – 3.00
frilly blouse – 3.00
pink tights - 1.00
Wal-Mart mary janes - 9.00
pin – homemade
wrap – 20.00

Of course I had to take a couple of pretty garden pictures for you. 

Little patterns of what once was — asters make a pretty silhouette against the snow.

Garlic chives.

I hope you have a lovely Tuesday.  By the way, I hit 1001 posts this morning!  Yaaaay!

It’s time. I’ve been rattling on about sharing a week of feminine and frugal dress and today’s the day to start! This may appeal to some of you, and not at all to some or many of you. I do get e-mails from time to time, however, asking me about my choice to wear dresses. I think dresses are modest, pretty, feminine, and just plain fun!  Getting dressed in the morning should be fun!  Do pants have to always be a not-modest choice? No, I don’t think so.  I believe pants can be modest.  I have a few pairs of overalls for heavy gardening.  The bottom line is that I just feel more at peace in a dress or skirt.

The outfit above includes an oatmeal-colored corduroy skirt made by WilliSmith.  You know me, the always-sleuth.  For this post, I began to search for information about this particular label.  I honestly am not much for labels, though I do take note when I find a high-dollar item for a couple of bucks.  Anyway, in my searching I found this about Willi Smith.  Apparently he died in 1987, if that tells us how old my skirt is.  Or maybe someone continued the label with his name.   The skirt, however, remains in excellent shape and is one of my favorites.  With the cold weather we’ve been having, I paired it with a light teal blue turtleneck sweater and a 100% cotton off-white v-neck sweater.  Black tights, secondhand Sam and Libby boots, and a warm, furry cape kept me warm outside.  Of course I’d be wearing one of my pins, too!

Capes and shawls are my weakness and I rarely find what I’m looking for secondhand.  I usually buy one new one each year, after Christmas when the large department stores put them 50% or more off. 

Tights?  I also have a weakness for tights, leggings and socks, and I also shop for them during the winter’s end department store sales that go on.  I was lucky enough about four years ago to hit the Dollar Tree when they had just gotten a large shipment of very nice, black, cable-knit tights.  I think I bought about 20 pairs!  I am still using some of them!

Total cost:

turtleneck sweater 3.00
cotton sweater 3.00
skirt 3.00
tights 1.00
boots 5.00
cape 25.00 (half off)

“Why do women want to dress like men when they’re fortunate enough to be women? Why lose our femininity, which is one of our greatest charms? We get much more accomplished by being feminine than we would by flaunting around in pants and smoking. I’m very fond of men. I think they’re wonderful creatures. I love them dearly. But I don’t want to look like one.” ~ Tasha Tudor

For more feminine and frugal dress ideas, visit Hannah’s blog, Cultivating Home.  She posted about the same topic all last week!

I’m off work today. (Big happy sigh.) It’s hard to understand what a feeling that is unless you work. Yesterday was a work day, but look who kept me company.

Annie sometimes sits in my lap while I type, but most often she snuggles up behind me, so that I have to scoot up in my chair. I don’t mind sharing my chair, though, because — like I said — she’s keeping me company. That’s a treasure.

I also don’t really mind working. My job is such a blessing to our family.

I was out early yesterday morning feeding the bunnies (my little walk before work starts) and I tried to get a picture of Boomerang for you, but the sun was just too bright.  After seeing the picture, I though you might just enjoy seeing the bright morning sun on our shoulders.

Basil likes to chew on pieces of what appears to be Timothy hay growing around the cage.  I suppose that’s what it is.  We now have a lot of bunny droppings and some accidentally spilled seeds all around the cages.  I have noticed bright green patches of a grass growing which I have never seen before.  It looks like the Timothy hay, only not dry.    Anyway, the bunnies love it.

Poor Midnight can hardly open his (her?) eyes, the sun is so bright.  You can see just how black Midnight and Boomerang are.  Coco looks so small now that her babies are getting bigger.

One of my favorite things to read about on other blogs is when people share their ideas for feminine dress.  What do you reach for to put on in the mornings?  I love to grab a dress and then layer something pretty over it, if it’s cold.  I usually put on an apron and tights or leggings and try to find some pretty way to put my hair up for the day.  Lately I’ve been test-driving the brooches that Michaela and I are making. 

Today is cold but bright again.  I hope to get some lesson planning done today.  We simply must start back to school in earnest next week.  We’ve really been slacking off the last few weeks.  Hopefully I can work on a few more pins as well.  I also need to get out into the garden and remove some dead, unsightly potted plants left over from the summer. Enjoy your day.

A couple of hours ago, I became the proud owner of a pair of Rocketdogs.

Yes, me. 

Thank you, Rugged Wearhouse.

Lynn

That little Wanda Petronski from The Hundred Dresses stole our hearts.  We were longing to find her and speak with her again, just like Maddie was.

So Princess of the Universe awoke yesterday to a table full of bright pieces of paper and cardstock, colored pencils, glue sticks, the hot glue gun (she’s only allowed to use it with my supervision), and dainty little card embellishments.

I quickly drew a lady’s head and full dress outline on plain white paper.  Then I traced a couple of extras for patterns.  I glued her to a pretty piece of heavy paper.  Now all of her clothes — dress, skirt and blouse, whatever you can imagine, can be cut from paper and glued on.  She can have the fanciest dress ever!  The spare patterns were used to cut around and get the “fabric” pieces just right.  (Princess of the Universe and I agreed that the paper was our fabric.)

I took out several Victoria magazines and American Girl catalogs for inspiration for our clothes.

Miss Priss spent quite a long time — an hour or so, looking through the magazines, drawing, cutting and pasting.  She decided not to use my pattern but made her own.

She really enjoyed this, and I don’t think she’ll forget The Hundred Dresses anytime soon.

Our two dress creations are hanging on the art line in the living room and we’re planning to add more through the week.

I can see this as a wonderful way to make homemade cards of any kind, either buying premade blank cards or making our own.

Lynn