Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts

Saturday, June 13, 2020

Imaginary Vacation Wardrobe, Copied Shamelessly

So here's the story.

I have been reading The Vivienne Files website and its imagined travel wardrobes for a few years now; I've used them for inspiration as well as entertainment. But yesterday's post was the first time I ever thought, "I have most of those clothes, in the same colours."

So I thought I'd put my clothes out in the same way Janice did, just for fun, as if I were going away with Mr. Fixit for a few days. Maybe to that place up north we stayed at almost thirty years ago.

But first I'd have to do something about those off-white wide-leg not-so-cropped pants. You remember those? They've been hanging unworn because I did not want to risk maiming them. 
Today I thought, time to fish or cut bait. So I found some directions online, measured, cut, pressed, pinned, and sewed. They are now a reasonable length, and I can now put together the  Anniversary Vacation Variations.
Janice started with two scarves featuring pink and/or teal, so that's what I did too. (Both from Ten Thousand Villages)
Then she found tops, jewelry, and shoes in those colours. I don't have any pink or green shoes, but the other things came close. (Most of the clothes are thrifted. The pink t-shirt is new from Northern Reflections.)

Teal t-shirt, teal tank top, teal earrings, necklaces, scarf, navy shoes
Pink t-shirt, pink lacy top, earrings, necklace, scarf, white sneakers. I have a dark pink longer tank which could have been the second top here, but I decided to go with the dressier one. Anniversaries are supposed to be romantic.
Off-white cardigan, beige cocoon wrap, off-white wide-leg pants, bone pants, brown shorts (I don't have white ones); bone shoes which are not great for walking but that will make it through, say, a church service; and a pair of striped flats
From here on the photos are copies of the outfits that Janice came up with.

[Pink t-shirt, brown shorts]
[Pink t-shirt, cardigan, pants; and then the other cardigan and pants]
[Teal tank top, pants]
[Teal tank top, shorts]
[Teal t-shirt, pants]
[Teal t-shirt, shorts]
[Pink top, cardigan, pants, tote bag, shoes; I didn't take a picture with the shorts]
Some of the things shown above are fairly new, like the beige cocoon sweater and the brown shorts which are recent thrift store finds. I also found this print top, which looks black here but has deep teal and pink flowers and bits of brown, so it  goes well with just about everything up there.
What else would I add to Janice's list? I discovered that my teal Chrysalis Cardi is a good match for the top. Here it's playing a skirt, but it could also work as a wrap or a jacket. Or an extra dress.
Maybe a hat, a summery purse, and a bright pink/magenta cardigan.
Either a white lacy sweater, or just a t-shirt.
I also have a tank dress that goes well with the cocoon sweater.
Probably a pair of jeans, and a sturdier pair of running shoes in case we went walking somewhere bumpy/dirty. And a jean jacket or something like that in case things cooled off.

I think that would do it.

Monday, May 25, 2020

Summer Clothes: Botanically Brighter

As it often does here, the warm weather has come on full force, with only a flick of the hand at spring. Time for a changeover.

A few months ago I used our Rosina Wachtmeister poster as inspiration for a grey/pink winter wardrobe. It makes sense to start with the art or other things in your own home, doesn't it?--because you probably enjoy having those things around you. This print we thrifted about a year ago has a good mix of shapes and colours for summer clothes.

Two scarves from Ten Thousand Villages. Thrifted shirt.
Most of what I'll be wearing for the warm season isn't that different from the Briars and Brambles post from the end of March, and the outfits here. It's not like I've had the chance to go shopping much lately anyway. I did order two t-shirts almost a month ago...maybe they'll arrive soon.
So...no numbers, just some photos. I might do something more detailed later in the season.

Read the rest of the page here.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

The Intentional Thrifter: Not a wet t-shirt event

I thrifted some summer t-shirts earlier in the year, and I have been pretty happy so far with those...so happy that I've moved on to looking mostly for fall clothes (leggings, a sweater). Recently, though, I found two more shirts that I liked. I bought them  (intentionally) to fill a clothes gap for a planned few days away later this summer.

The blue shirt is linen, except for the pocket and the bottom bit. Linen t-shirts seem very luxurious to me (yay thrift stores). Until a few years ago, I had no idea that t-shirts came in anything except cotton, polyester, and cotton-polyester, which pretty much tells you what kind of stores I've shopped at. I still don't understand how "napkin fabric" can take on t-shirt qualities, but somebody out there obviously knows how to do it.
The pink shirt is rayon, so I don't expect it to be as durable as the linen one. I chose it for the colour, the interesting stitching, and the fact that it's lightweight and layerable. The front v-neck is deep, meant to be worn over a tank top, or a swimsuit.
If you're wondering about the variations in colour, I took the photos soon after I hand-washed the shirts, and they were still damp. Just pretend I've been swimming. HARRUMPH update: after that first washing, the rayon t-shirt stretched more than I expected or wanted. Sigh.

Besides the two t-shirts (and the leggings and the sweater), I also thrifted some multi-coloured double knitting yarn. The thrift store price was $8 for the bag of four balls, which does not sound like that great a deal, but it's nice yarn, just what I wanted for a fun summer crocheting project, and less than I would have paid for either the yarn or the completed project at a retail store. 
Now I have something to do while we're watching Deep Space Nine.

Saturday, May 12, 2018

New page: Summer Project 333 Clothes

Season: Summer 2018 (for as long as it lasts)
#project333 (link to Courtney Carver's home page)


Édouard Manet, "Carnations and Clematis in a Crystal Vase"

Friday, April 13, 2018

Saving the planet, one t-shirt at a time (thrifted finds)

This month I decided to focus my thrifting on summer tops. I bought a couple of (new) cotton t-shirts a year ago, but they got worn and washed a lot, and it was time for replacements. Last week, I found this grey flower-power t-shirt. Today's "haul": three more shirts. That's enough to make it through summer.
Off-white, mostly cotton, with tiny dots that look like silver puffy paint. I needed something white that would go with everything, and this was it.
This one is a plain style, but the fabric is merino wool and lyocell, which gives it a nice texture.
3/4 sleeves, trim around the neck, and more purple than my blue-obsessed camera thinks.

Conclusions? I'm feeling much like I did about thrifting a homeschool curriculum: that there is so much used stuff out there, so many books, so many clothes, so many wire baskets and hooks with birds, that we could pretty much stop manufacturing new stuff and draw on what's already made. Could it ever happen?

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Wednesday Hodgepodge: Fading to Fall

From this Side of the Pond

1. What's something you'd rate a 10/10? Tell us why.

A book I picked up by accident on a free-books table, and reviewed for our church library. Since the library didn't have the book, I donated my copy...kind of what goes around, comes around? This is what I wrote:

Renaissance: The Power of the Gospel However Dark the Times, by Os Guinness (IVP, 2014). “Call it renewal, call it reformation, call it restoration…What matters is that it is a movement that is led by the Spirit of God, which involves the people of God returning to the ways of God and so demonstrating in our time the kingdom of God, and not in word only but in power and with the plausibility of community expression.” This new book asks the old question: how do Christians live in the world but not of it?  Has the answer to that changed? What are the biggest challenges to the church in this century? What are the greatest opportunities? This would be a particularly valuable book for young adults to read as they try to make sense of the world around them, but it is equally appropriate for those of us who may feel we’re playing catch-up with a rapidly changing culture. There are prayers and study questions after each chapter, and the text of the 2008 Evangelical Manifesto is included as an appendix.

2. What job would you be terrible at? What makes you think so?

I can think of several: gym teacher, police officer, telemarketer, bookkeeper, 
waitress.
Image result for sally henny-penny
Sally Henny Penny gets rather flustered when she tries to count out change, and she insists on being paid cash; but she is quite harmless. ~~ Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Ginger and Pickles
3. When did you last take a fall? What's something you're falling for (in a good way) these days?

A literal fall? See the Hodgepodge from four weeks ago.

I'm not sure about the rest of it.

4. According to the Travel Channel here are some of America's best fall festivals-

National Apple Harvest Festival (near Arendtsville PA, close to Gettysburg), Harvest on the Harbor (Portland Maine), German Village Festival (Columbus Ohio), Wellfleet Oyster Fest (Cape Cod), and Wine and Chile Fiesta (Santa Fe NM)

Have you ever been to any of the festivals listed? Which one appeals to you most? Does your hometown have any sort of fall celebration, and if so will you make it a point to attend?


There are fall festivals all over southern Ontario, including fall fairs, the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese Festival, and Oktoberfest. They're fun, but not something we're really involved with (except maybe going to the Oktoberfest parade on Canadian Thanksgiving).

5. What is your goodbye message to summer?


You've overstayed here: here's your sunhat, what's your hurry?

6. Insert your own random thought here.


Yesterday afternoon we did not have water in our building, because some needed repairs took longer than they should have. Finally there was limited cold water but not hot, through most of the evening..People in the building were complaining loudly. I walked over to the discount store just before it closed, and bought some bottled water just in case. When I got back, Mr. Fixit had boiled two kettles of water and was washing the dinner dishes. The tap water came back to its original state at about bedtime.

And I thought about people who live without hot water every day, and people who can't get clean water, and people who are without power. We are lucky to be in a place where things go wrong, but do get fixed. It's not something we should take for granted.

Linked from The Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Wednesday Hodgepodge: Your flag, my flag



1. The Hodgepodge lands on June 14th this week, Flag Day in the US of A. Do you fly your country's flag at home? Sometimes, often, or every single day? Have you ever visited the city of Brotherly Love (Philadelphia)? Did you make a point of seeing The Betsy Ross House? Have you ever made a trip to Baltimore? If so, was Fort McHenry on your itinerary? (where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write The Star Spangled Banner)

I have never been to any of those places. I did go to Walt Disney World during the Bicentennial.

(There is some extreme political incorrectness in "America on Parade": you've been warned.)



2. Red flag or white flag? Which have you encountered most recently? Explain.

I take it you don't mean the Maple Leaf on the Canadian flag?

Neither, really, that I can think of.

3. Are you a stay in the car listen to the end of a song kind of person? What kind of person is that?

Someone who likes to see things through to the finish, not leave loose ends? Or just someone who's compulsive about listening to the ends of songs?

Do I stay in the car listening to the ends of songs? I don't listen to songs in the car, so I can't say. I remember a couple of times when I was much younger, asking my mom to drive around the block again so we could hear the rest of the latest top 40 song on the radio. But that was before you could easily click the button and listen to anything you wanted, when you wanted it.

4. What are some of the traits or qualities you think a good dad possesses? In other words, what makes a good dad? What's an expression you associate with your father?


To answer the last question first, "that's a lulu." If it's not a lulu, it might be a humdinger.

Finding the balance between protecting kids and letting them try their wings is something all good dads have to figure out.

My kids would also assume that any good dad should know how to hook up a stereo.

5. What's one rule you always disagreed with while growing up? Is that rule somehow still part of your adult life? Is that a good or bad thing?


I have told this story before, but here goes. At my very first school, we were marched down to the school library once a week and told to choose a book. The books were arranged by height: first grade books on the bottom shelves, and so on up to fifth or sixth grade. The first day of library time, I spurned the picture books on the bottom, and climbed my little jumpered self up to a higher literary plane, only to be hauled back down again by the book police, I mean librarian. To her credit, it did turn out okay, even after she ratted me out to the teacher, because on later visits she would pick out special books I might like. But why just for me? Maybe other first-graders would have liked to choose from those books too. The very bad idea of books labelled only for this or that grade or age stuck with me forever, and when I had my own kids, I tried not to say "you are too young or too old." That is why we had four-year-olds talking about "deadly faints" and "gallant ships," and listening to that famous composition "Tchaikovsky's Cannibal."

6. Insert your own random thought here.


Another little transition about to happen here: Lydia is in her last week of tenth grade (except for exams), and she is hoping to hear back about a summer job. The hazy days of summer await us.

LinÄ·ed from The Grand Old Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.

Monday, June 12, 2017

Summer clothes update

I added a Midsummer Update (with photos) to this summer's Project 333 page. Scroll to the bottom of the page and you'll see it.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Birds and gardens: my Project 333 clothes for summer

My Summer Page  (this is the link)

This spring/summer brings change here in much more than clothing. We are in the middle/muddle of moving from a house to an apartment, which means that I've been busy with things other than what to wear, and also that I'm going to have less closet and drawer space when the moving is done. So, Project 333 to the rescue. Also the new (to me) idea of a One Week Wardrobe, which is another way of saying, "I have enough."
File:Breakfast in the Garden, Frieseke.jpg
 Breakfast in the Garden, by Frederick Carl Frieseke,
also called Teatime in a Giverny Garden. Tea, breakfast, it's all good

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Simplicity quote for the day

"When decluttering is frustrating, or you regret spending too much, or you aren’t sure where this whole simplicity journey is headed, remind yourself that you aren’t creating a simple life, you are creating a life."
~~ Courtney Carver, "A Simple Life is Not the End Goal" at BeMoreWithLess

Wednesday, June 01, 2016

June 1 Daybook

What I'm playing with: a new-to-me skirt.

What I'm reading: Plutarch's Lives of Agis and Cleomenes. The Greek Way and Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea, because I thought I knew something about the Spartans (black bread and Laconic answers), but it's obviously not enough. This rabbit trail could be a long one, but there's no hurry.

What's for supper: make-your-own taco salads. Caesar-salad-flavoured green pea chips and tamari almonds leftover from a meeting. Marshmallow cookies leftover from a meeting. (It was an eclectic snack menu.)