Idol Hands

Not working right now, but I am busy, busy, busy. Trash is being trashed. Crannies are being cleaned. Another garage sale is imminent. As I write this, Mr. S is sorting nails and screws and odd bits and bobs that must be disposed of.

I've gone through my craft stuff and have created several Grab Bags to sell - stamps, ribbons, beads and whatever.

I've kept back what I want to keep to work on over the next few months or to move with me because, really, some of this crap is irreplaceable.

especially the 3D glasses

Right now I don’t want to start a big project - I'm easily distracted and have many little things to do. But I don't want my hands to be the devil's playthings (or, hmm, I could rethink this). So I've been working on refining my wardrobe. I've started sewing the lace on the jacket I showed you here.

And I embroidered the reverse of the hat I showed you here (after I sobered up).

And I decided to make a pullover out of this stripy wrap (previously seen here and here and here, and at least one other place that I can't find, but that would be overkill anyway), so I basted the neckline together.

It does hang a little funny because the ends aren't square, but it might work. I think I like it.

Have I mentioned how much I'm enjoying the presidential campaign here in the US? No, I didn't think so. But I did enjoy the last four movies I borrowed from the library - my latest picks were all excellent! They were:

The Imitation Game with Benedict Cumberbatch
The Grand Budapest Hotel with Ralph Fiennes et al.
La Vie en Rose with Marion Cotillard
Celeste and Jesse Forever with Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg.

I know there are a lot of fans out there of Mr. Cumberbatch, but do you know who I have the biggest crush on? Rashida Jones. She's cute, funny, talented, smart, the daughter of Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton. I mean, how cool can one short, freckle-faced girl be? She's adorable!

Ja, I tink zo.

Val

S-S-S-Scavenger Hunt

The Scavenger Hunt this month is a little different. Our hostess and ringleader, Jill (Greenthumb) at Made With Love, is on hiatus for a few months. With advancefuturetiming technology, the link-up went ahead last month - basically, we showed up at her place and made our own drinks and snacks. She just asked us to clean up after ourselves, and then she gave us carte blanche to do what we wanted for January. I made up prompts for my photos. I wanted some kind of theme to tie them together, so they all start with the letter S.


First up, SEQUEL
 

I wasn't completely satisfied with my logo cover-up that I showed you in my last post, so I changed it. Here, I've used a scrap of rather lovely fabric and glued it down to the logo. Then I glued a plastic brooch (without the pin) on top of it. The brooch came from Citizen Rosebud's shop.

I like this better, but I still need to trim the edges or add something to finish them off.

SOFT
 

I was given a lot of lotion at Christmas, and some lip balm. So I'm pretty soft right now.

SORT

Yikes! I've been sorting through lots of old clothes and shoes to see what I could jettison - I got $79 at a resale shop, which was way better than I expected! The rest went to the thrift store.

SCISSORS

Trying to work out an idea I had for embellishing a blazer. It's all pinned - see below - but I just haven't started sewing yet.

SUGGESTION

This is my suggested placement of the lace pieces.

STACK

You may have guessed there's a sort of sewing theme going on here.

SAFETY

I seem to have several of these travel sewing kits with safety pins, thread, needles and buttons.

SEE

See! It's nearly invisible - and has been waiting for use since the '60s!

STICK

A "voodoo" doll I was given long ago. I use it as a pin cushion.

And, breaking away from the sewing theme -

SCULPTURE

At our local art museum - the head is sculpted out of Sotheby's catalogs!

Check out the other scavengers here. Happy scavenging!

Val

The Drunken Hat Attack

Aaaand, following on from my last post and the picture of my plain old white fisherman's hat,

Here it is in all its new glory -

Now, don't be distracted by the wine, which I'm grasping tightly as if my life depended on it. On Thanksgiving weekend I went to a few wineries with my mother, sister and nieces. It was very cold, but of course we had a great time!

It's funny how just taking sips at a wine tasting can leave you feeling tipsy and laughing uncontrollably.

Or maybe I had the bottle opened so I could taste it more easily.

Here are a couple more shots of the hat, something with a little decorum to link up with Hat Attack over at the Style Crone.

I just loosely sewed pieces of that beautiful fabric over the hat, using a slightly gathered piece to go around it, and then some more pieces to fashion a little flower/bow. Because I left the edges frayed and did the whole thing sort of ragged, it wasn't difficult.

Come check out the other hats and fascinators at Style Crone!

Val

Dec. 6 - Did someone say brandy and roasted almonds? I'm heading over to Patti's for Visible Monday!

Mercury Moving

Last month Mercury was in retrograde - did you notice? I think my skeptical husband now agrees that all kinds of  cosmic whoop-ass can occur when that happens. Even my muses fled the vicinity, no doubt taking refuge on Venus so they could spin backwards until Mercury straightened itself out. Thank the goddesses we seem to be back on some kind of course now, and the muses are back and adding stuff to my To Do list.

Of course, Muse Melanie has always been here, rallying humankind and rousing us to creative catharses for the next issue of VOGOFF. My own little muses finally whispered in my ear and started telling me sweet little stories. Then they described a dreamscape in great detail until I finally knew what to do. So, since I had the camera out to do some photos for VOGOFF, I also took these pictures.

tank top - JCP; jeans - thrifted; shoes - Chelsea Crew; cuff - Etsy (can't remember the shop name)

The capelet is made from a scarf that I never wore, cut in half and sewn together leaving a hole for my pumpkin head (like I did here). I can wear it at least three different ways.

no brand on the scarf; the end I cut is now left frayed

And see my cool shoes, which I almost never wear!

 

Since I'm not working, I've mostly been wearing shorts and tee shirts, but I played dress-up today. I'll wear this next time I have a chance to go out, although the mercury is a little high for wearing jeans.

What do you think of my hair? I'm letting the bangs grow and combing them back, but I'm not sure if I like it or not. I have a very crease-y forehead.

Linking up with Creative Mondays and Visible Monday - stop by! And linking up with Shoe Shine,too.

Oh, and I added a new tab at the top of my blog - Buy Me!

Val

Altered States

What must you think of me? First I did a post called SToned (the capital T was a happy accident that I decided to leave because it looked, well, stoned) and now Altered States. In fact, the only intoxicant I use anymore is wine – regularly, but not in huge quantities. Only enough to alter my mood, not my state.

But I've been altering lots of things in my closet. Since I learned to make peace with the sewing machine (and read the manual), I've been getting a lot done and making my clothes fit better. So, I've got some photos to show you, taken with my new Canon PowerShot. I wanted a better pocket camera, but I'm not sure if this is an actual improvement or not.

There's the camera and a mirror selfie. I wanted to try out the camera (I still need to read THAT manual) and I had no choice but to use it because Mr. S is on a video shoot and took the good stills/video camera as a spare. And the good tripods. He left me this wonky little thing.

It's crap.

Anyway, on to the clothes. Here's a top from Marketplace: Handwork of India, seen on my old blog here. That was a good post, too - you should go read it. ;-)

The top is meant to be boxy, but I wanted it a little less like a chopped-off gunny sack. But how to do it?

After lots of pinning and pondering, I created a seam on each side that adds an interesting detail, and with front and back combined I took in the top by about two inches, which neatly included the shoulders. 

I used a light blue thread, like is used in the embroidery. I plan to add some additional embroidery one of these days.

thrifted Levi's; sandals are Bare Traps

And I plan to get rid of these jeans that add too much heft to my hips and thighs!

I've also taken in the seams of a shirt, a tunic, and all these jeans.

 

It's not like I've lost weight or anything. They were just too wide in the legs, and it was easy to sew up the seam that wasn't a French seam (because that would be a real pain). 

But here's the piece de resistance!

The jacket was pretty cool before (seen here and here). But I've been wanting to do a real altered couture piece, and this one started rustling in the closet and whispering, "Pick me! Pick me!" So I cut up a lacy scarf and some ties that were in an obi from Megan Mae, and I just starting pinning things on.

It still has pins and bits of thread all over - another work in progress - so I still have lots of hand sewing, and embroidery to do. But I'm really itching to work with paper and glue now, and that will tie in perfectly with my next post for Thoughtful Third Thursday!

This one I'll link up with Creative Mondays at Claire Justine.

Val

A Week of New Clothes

Oh, hello! 

Sorry if I seem surprised, but I almost forgot I had a blog! I've been bounding from my sewing machine to my glue pot to my Kindle with just enough time to watch "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" to take the edge off after the evening news.

But I have results to show you! 

I've been working on this for a few weeks, among other things. I don't know if I should call it a kimonic or a tunono. Thoughts?

This is a Marketplace of India jacket, previously seen in the photo below from my old blog, and a couple of months ago here.

I took off the neck placket and added this beautiful fabric that came from a too-small thrifted top. I added a snap on the inside (and do you think I could get it on the right way around when I sewed it on? Ha!). On the outer edge I added a button, formerly black but colored with red nail polish.

The fabric at the bottom came from this skirt, also pictured on my old blog...

...which I shortened. The scrap was the perfect length and width!

Ooops, I still have some blue chalk marking the middle.

The ribbon needs some remedial work. I used fabric glue to try to reduce my time with a needle and thread – again, ha! It's not holding. I had to staple it at work so it wouldn't fall off. So I'll be sewing it on later – a stitch in time saves wasted glue.

I had a few crocheted flowers that I added to mask seams, and I might add some embroidery eventually, and maybe another layer on the bottom if I find the right fabric. It's a work in progress.

I know it sounds like I'm a genius. Ah, dear reader, I'm not. I had many fierce contretemps with the sewing machine when it would knot itself up in a big hissy fit, and each time it was user error. I now keep the manual nearby, which is, to me, the height of humility.

 The black trousers are Lee, and the old black sandals are Docs.

Yes, I do have a week of new clothes ahead – either new to me or newly altered – but you'll have to be patient. 

Oh, okay, maybe just a little teaser because it matches the color scheme today.

from St. Vinnie's thrift store

A little late, but I'm linking up with Creative Mondays.

Val

Easter Melange

I love that word - melange. And I couldn't think of a better way to describe this post, which covers Easter, birthdays, men's style, food, family, sunshine, sewing, and a gnome.

In my family we have plenty of birthdays in April - my mom's, my sister's, my brother's, now also my nephew-in-law's, my sister-in-law's, and also one of my best friends's (pronounced "best friendzuz"). At least here in this town we're able to combine three birthdays and celebrate at once. It just happened that Easter was the best time to get together for a barbecue!

my brother-in-law barbecuing

I've been wanting to take some photos of my very cool nephew-in-law, Kenji, who was one of our birthday celebrants. Kenji would like to find some men's style blogs, so if you know of any, let me know.

 

the sunglasses are Ray Ban's

Cool, huh? He's also an absolute sweetheart, which is nothing less than my niece deserves.

This is Kenji and his wife, Lisa, with their two nephews.

This photo includes my sister, color-coordinated with Lisa, and my other niece, Mildred. The boys are her sons.

My goodness, these people are multiplying like rabbits! My mom and I joined the line-up.

And what is Val wearing, I hear you ask. Well. I made a cape thingy from a scarf and wore it over a white tee shirt.

maybe Kenji's coolness will rub off on me

I'm also wearing my Frida necklace (made by the delightful Tamera) and some pale pink jeans.

Here's the back of the scarf-cape. I just had to cut the scarf in half and stitch the long edges together, leaving room for my head, of course. The fringe was an added bonus!

We had lots of yummy food.

The carrots (made by my sister) are cooked in broth with cream cheese (!), then chopped pecans and green onions are added, and a little lemon juice. I bet this would be good without the cream cheese, too.

What do you call an angry garden statue? A gnomad! (Thank you, Mr. S.)

And then we came home.

Linking up to Visible Monday and Creative Mondays! Have a good week, everyone!

Thursday - I'm also linking up my upcycled scarf-cape thingy to The Citizen Rosebud for Secondhand First. The scarf was bought at Buffalo Exchange resale shop.

Val