Thursday, May 13, 2010

Spring Mini Wardrobe, Blog Housekeeping, Hairdos, & Philly!

Mini Wardrobe Spring 2010

Just for my own amusement I had to make up a storyboard for my Spring mini wardrobe! (Although Anonymous kindly asked to see the Simplicity 2938 tank with the aqua Alexis skirt--voila!) The name "Silk Spins Into Spring" arose when I realized that three of the four garments are silk; the silk garments all come from stash, too--up to 4 years old! I had everything done but the lining for the aqua skirt before the PR contest deadline, but alas the lining did not arrive until a few days later. I would just like it to be known that I am actually capable of following through on a plan *and* making separates *and* making coordinated looks. This actually worked out really well for me. It was very motivating and I have since been on an "endless combinations" kick of making work tops and skirts, each one matching the one before, with only a few (ahem) deviations. The photo shoot for all the combinations is here.

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S3503 ThumbnailA few of you have noticed that I got my Spring haircut! I first got this cut two years ago, after Single White Female-ing a co-worker into telling me who her hairdresser is (Claire Burnham, who is fantastic and worth every penny) and asking for the exact same cut as my co-worker. Luckily, she wears her hair straight, so we don't look matchy matchy together. I experimented with pin curls and eventually realized that hanging my head upside down for five minutes with mousse, a diffuser, and 80s style "sprunching" (bunching and scrunching and mooshing my hair) I could sort of approximate curls. I think the best it has ever looked was for my Simplicity 3503 photo shoot at left. Mostly it is kind of a Monet, to quote Clueless--it looks curly from a distance but don't look too closely!

I love it, even if it involves actual work. I let it grow longer in winter due to wearing hats for warmth; the "curls" will not stand up to a strong wind, much less a hat. When my hair is longer my "style" is to comb it while wet and that's it. I like the little flip it does, but that is totally coincidental and au naturel.

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I finally got around to doing some blog housekeeping. It should not affect subscriptions or reading in any way and the blog address has not changed. The first blog I started was a travel blog, and I registered my primary email address (gmail) for my username Gretchen the Household Deity (she was a gift that could not have been less to my taste but I could not get rid of, so I had to find some way to make her at all relevant to my life). When I started my sewing blog I had to use my non-primary email address (hotmail) as my user name. It turns out I do a lot more sewing blogging than travel blogging! Well, Google is all-seeing, and when I log into blogger it automatically logs me in with my gmail address so I always had to then log out, log back in with my hotmail address, this would kick me out of gmail, and then I'd have to log back in to gmail, and I had to remember to do this every time I restarted my browser and obviously I didn't always remember. It took about 40 minutes and logging in to each account approximately a dozen times but I have now switched which username is registered to which email address.

Blah blah blah, this is not interesting to anyone but me. The only relevant thing for you is that now all my old posts are listed under "Gretchen the Household Deity" (except a few I had accidentally originally posted under that name) and going forward all posts will be under The Slapdash Sewist. Don't be alarmed--I have not been hacked and both usernames are actually me.

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Jomar Knits10-09 Jomar Silks 10-09 Who else is excited for PR Weekend Philly????? I am guessing everyone else is just as excited as me, but just like me too busy frantically trying to finish a new outfit to answer! I've done plenty of sewing lately, but all my projects are work clothes that won't travel well so I'm trying to finish up a new outfit of travel friendly knits. Now I just have to figure out how much fabric I can buy without endangering the structural integrity of my house... These fabrics are my last haul from Jomar (only one of them still in stash! not bad!!!), and that's not even taking into account the warehouse we're visiting in New Jersey.

22 comments:

hilde said...

Lovely mini wardrobe! I especially like the Simplicity top. But what really made me want to leave a comment was your reference to Clueless, love that movie. There are so many quotes that can be used in all kinds of situations. I used the Monet one just last week I think, nice to see I'm in good company :-D (although I don't think it exactly applies in the case of your hairdo, I don't believe 'it's a big old mess up close' if I remember the phrase right!)

MamaLucy said...

Great, versatile looks! And your shoes- I die! :) What kind are they?

Darci said...

LOVE you with your new hair! It's so flattering and soft. Spring is the BEST time for new hair!

The new outfits are gorgeous, too! Love the fabric pic for the day dress.

Claudine said...

Love the mini wardrobe and maxi dress. I am planning on being at pr weekend, and i am so executed that you will be there! I have been wanting to meet you.

Claudine said...

Lol I mean excited, not executed.

McVal said...

You find the most beautiful fabrics! I'm so jealous!

amber said...

Great mini-wardrobe! I'm sad you didn't get a chance to enter it in the contest though. :(

Auset's Stitched Treasures said...

Love the mini wardrobe. It's light and refreshing even though this weather we're is not cooperating. I'll be glad to get back to my personal sewing. Perhaps I can complete the wardrobe for the next upcoming PR contest.
Angela

AuntieAllyn said...

W-w-w-wait a minute . . . we're supposed to make and wear NEW outfits to the PR Philly weekend? NOW you tell me . . . now that I'm on the Megabus and halfway to Philadelphia!! The bus is sitting in traffic, though, and if I had brought my Featherweight with me, I might have been able to stitch up something new before we cross the state line. Love your spring wardrobe and the haircut; I'm a firm believer that chin-length or shoulder-length hair is generally the most attractive length for most people. Look forward to seeing you soon (if this bus ever starts moving forward).

Adelaide B said...

Yay on the mini wardrobe! Sometimes it's good just to get things done; it doesn't matter if you actually enter. I was just please to have things that matched. (I'm not as good about that as I should be.)

Sigrid said...

Lovely miniwardrobe. Have fun with the PR weekend.

Angela said...

Very cute mini-wardrobe! I love the springy colors! Way to go on using stash fabric, too!

Anonymous said...

Oh, thank you so much for posting this. Stunning! What a versatile mini-wardrobe. I can hardly wait to see the skirt/blouse combinations you whip up with the rest of the skirt fabrics you purchased at Metro Textiles.

Cindy

Clio said...

Love the wardrobe! So springy! Wish I was going to Philly, but need a break from travel. Oh well.

Nancy K said...

I love your hair this length. Very flattering and pretty.
My favorite piece is the Burda blouse. It looks amazing on you.

Lisette M said...

Great mini swap! And I am, I am ! excited that is. Of course I realized that the project I was frantically trying to finish won't travel well, so I had to fall back on some other recently (and knit) finished projects.

Faye Lewis said...

Great looking wardrobe.

AllisonC said...

I especially love the pale blue outfit on the right, but the whole wardrobe looks great - I hadn't even noticed your reviews were leading to a wardrobe before. Have a great time at the PR weekend!

Eugenia said...

Love your spring mini-wardrobe, every garment is gorgeous and they look so good together. Have a fabulous time in Philly.

mark ellis said...

I love burda style! fantastic!

Uta said...

Utterly gorgeous mini wardrobe! Perfect for spring, and perfect colors on you!

senaSews said...

Beautiful and cute wardrobe! Great job!