Dear Teresa

Here's a peak at a few accessories I've been working on lately.... I have had  a hell of a time coming up with a good name for my handmade stuff.  Currently I go by the name Six Dollar Goods.... HOWEVER, it seems that everyone thinks everything I sell is $6.... I really should have seen that coming.  So I have been brainstorming for a couple of days now and I think I finally have the perfect name.  Six Dollar Goods is now DEAR TERESA.  Teresa is my grandmother.  She encouraged my mother to buy me a sewing machine. She recognized my interests in the craft early on.  She always tells the story about how she made my mom buy me a sewing machine.  She is very proud of this fact, and now I am proud to use her name to represent the things I make. 

The Chosen One: Week 4 and 5

 I'm having trouble photographing outfits on me and on mannequins lately.  So forgive me for this crude portrayal of a very cute outfit (I swear it's cute!).

This was the outfit to the Galentines day bash.  I thrifted this adorable denim jumper and wore it for the first time for the occasion.  I paired it with a warm merino wool cardigan and my new Madewell booties.  To top it off I wore a little heart necklace to mark the occasion.

I would definitely wear this again maybe with another cardigan since the dress would pretty much go with anything.  I was planning on modelling the outfit, but have decided there will be no outfit posts on this blog.  I think I'm trying to fit into a niche that doesn't really suite me.  I have never been photogenic and forcing myself is just not getting me anywhere but frustrated.  This is supposed to be fun after all!

Next up is this ruggedly chic bag.  I brought this to last week's stitch and bitch and put all my needle point supplies in it.  I love this and hope to eventually add a strap to it so I can use it as a purse.  For now it is serving it's purpose quite well. 

I'll be back next week with  another chosen one item from this week....



p.s. I realized this morning that this is the second bag with animal fur that I've picked to be one of my chosen one items... I swear I have other purses that don't have animal fur on them

A Book I Like

One of the many books I got for Christmas was Vera The Art and Life Of An Icon. I would highly recommend it if your interests lay in art, fashion and business.  Something I had not realized before reading this was that Vera was a very successful business woman.  I am totally inspired by her story and her work.  Not only are her prints completely imaginative, and unique, but to be able to manage your talent and make a successful living from it is what I would one day hope to be able to achieve. 

Needless to say I am on the hunt now for more Vera scarves.  I usually skip over the scarf section at the thrift store, but I am feeling the urge to start up a little collection of Vera products.  I had fun on Etsy looking at all the different scarves available, but for now I will just admire the images in this book! 

A Good Day

I realized today, that I would like to own more Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young albums.  I also realized today that winter is almost over and I still have a bunch of sweaters and coats to list in my Etsy shop!  So before winter slips through my fingers (believe me, I'm not sad about this) I thought I would add some of these items to the shop...after all there is still snow on the ground, and who knows what the month of March will bring.  So don't mind me for breaking some fashion rules by not staying on top of the seasons, but a nice sweater is a nice sweater no matter what time of year it is.  Am I right?!  I started with sweaters today, but will continue to add items throughout the week.  And don't worry, if you have already fast tracked to purchasing spring summer items, I have a few cute dresses that will be added as well. 

I haven't forgotten about my chosen one items.  I have last week's and the week before that to post this week.  I haven't abandoned it.  It's been a really great thing because I am actually making an effort to wear something different instead of my usual slacker outfits that I continuously chose....  So maybe tomorrow you'll get a peak at the two missing chosen one items.  Stay tuned :)

Peek A Boo

Hey everyone! I had a hankering to do some writing, so I'm stopping in to say hello!  I've had a pretty fun weekend so far, and even more fun on the way tomorrow as we have a holiday!! I LOVE LONG WEEKENDS! I cannot stress this enough... It's snowing, our kitchen is currently in shambles due to renos, and I haven't been to the gym all week, but I'm not letting any of that get to me, because I can enjoy a Monday free from work!  For those of you who don't know, tomorrow is Family Day.  A made up holiday to appease the winter blahs.  But any excuse to hang out with my family is fine with me! 


I woke up early this morning and cleaned up my studio and organized by Etsy stuff.  I cannot tell you how much better I feel now that that is done!  I am planning on doing a huge Etsy update this week, since I didn't get around to it last week.  Holding down and full time job, and a house and a workout routine is making it hard for me to spend time on the things I love, like this blog, and my shop and my crafts.  I don't know why I thought it would be easy juggling it all, but I try everyday to make it all work.  Maybe one day I'll get the hang of it.

Since my work space was all clean, I decided to tackle my HUGE pile of alterations, and mending. I had shirts to fix for the mister, pants and dresses to hem for myself, and some odds and ends to mend.  Slowly but surely I am making my way through it.  Clayton brought Bon Iver home for me on Friday and I have been listening to it all weekend, on a loop.  It has made the things I've been putting off so much easier today!

The Indie E-conference wrapped up this week, and I'm both a little intimidated and eager to continue blogging. The conference was very informative, but stirred up a lot of self doubt. So I am working on proving myself wrong and am aiming towards accomplishing my style blogger goals. In the next couple of weeks I plan on teaching myself some basic HTML, and improving on my photography skills. This past Wednesday I figured out how to use the self timer on my camera. Something I've been meaning to do for a while. Hopefully you will all be witness to a blog makeover in the near future. I have an idea and am excited to try and execute it!


Hopefully you all have a wonderful Monday and if you are celebrating Family Day tomorrow, hope you enjoy a snowy day in with wonderful people and a hot beverage!


♥

You Can Walk All Over Me

So remember a few posts ago, I was going on about carpet bags?  Well I have attempted to make my own version of a carpet bag with a few vintage floor mats I had laying around.  This one was a bit damaged, but I always buy these when I find them, so this was a good use for it.  I love the kitschiness of the mats and of course their vintage look and feel.  It was the perfect material for this style of bag. It holds it's shape and is super durable, which for me are important tote bag traits. Overall a fun and easy sewing project.  And a good way to recycle yet another vintage item.

Vintage Valentine

I can't remember the last time I exchanged Valentine's day cards with friends, but this year I decided to go ahead and make some.  I had this idea floating around in my head for a while, and it seemed to coincide perfectly with the occasion.  

It was a fun afternoon project, and didn't take me all that long.  I was able to use my fabric scraps, something I've been dedicating the last month to... and I got the chance to sew on paper! I love the way stiched paper looks, and was a perfect touch for this project. The card itself is a vintage Valentine that I found on the internet and just printed on card stock.  I then sewed some delicate lacy embelishment around the edge of the card, and stuck the plush hearts, that I made from my fabric scraps, with a pin to the card. Voila! a festive crafty card, with a little extra Valentine's day treat you can wear!

After I found the vintage card I used in my project, I was curious to see what kind of real vintage cards you could get on Ebay.   The result was overwhelming.  There are so many great vintage cards from the 30's 40's and 50's.  I'm in love with the artwork and the funny puns.  Here are some of my favourites.

Found Here

Found Here



Found Here




Found Here

This would be such a sweet collection to have.  They would be so cute displayed on a mini clothes line with clothes pins.  It also makes me wish I could get married again, because this would be a great idea for wedding invitations.... How nice would it be to gift your guests with an authentic vintage Valentine!?
I wish you all a happy Vanlentine's day, or if you don't care about Valentine's day....HAPPY MONDAY!
xo ♥ ♥ ♥

Cha Ching!

Ok that sound isn't as obnoxious as you think.... by cha ching, I mean I cleaned up at the thrift store last night... I got a few items for me, and a few for the shop.  I am pretty superstitious when it comes to thrifting.  Example 1.  If I wear an item I thrifted at that store on my next trip to the store, I usually find a few good things (heaven forbid I am wearing new duds...the thrift gods don't like that).  Example 2.  If I haven't been to a thrift spot in a while, it usually has lots of treasures waiting for me....fondness makes the heart grow fonder, or in this case fondness makes the racks fill up with great vintage pieces....

I noticed the birds on this one when I got home!  Going in the shop

 

Amazing wool coat with real fur collar.  Going in the shop next week !

  

 All in all, yesterday was a good day.  Earlier in the day my new Madewell clog booties came in the mail.  Just in times for weekend fun! They are gorgeous.  The supple leather makes me swoon.  I am almost afraid to wear them outside. 

Sorry friends....this one stays with me.  I got a hot flash when I found this one

I need to make room in my coat closet for this one too.  Might just wear it this weekend

I can't resist original packaging.  A bonus in my books



These are forking amazing! har har


I also got around to planting my vintage terrarium.  Hopefully the plants survive in it.  I was huge into terrariums a couple years back and then lost interest, but this vintage terrarium makes me want to plant more of them this spring. 

My new indoor garden!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! I'm going to spend the rest of the day enjoying the posts from the Indie E-Conference with Tieka and Elizabeth. 
xox talk to you next week ♥

New In The Shop

Just added a few things to the shop.   Trying to keep busy these days and not go stir crazy.  Our house is turned upside down at the moment because of our reno, and we are out one car, so while being housebound hasn't been too bad (yet) I expect to get tired of this soon.  I have finally been getting into some of the books I got over Christmas.  I started and finished Patti Smith's "Just Kids" on the weekend.  This book was amazing and I can't wait to read it again.  I am now onto a book about Cleopatra.... at any rate, I hope to bring you a few more shop updates in the coming months.  I have lots of great stuff, there never seems to be a shortage of great vintage around these parts :)

The Chosen One: Week 3

After a restful weekend , I think I have found my happy place again.  Suddenly the world doesn't seem so bleak.  There are the most wonderful icicles hanging from our roof, and our kitchen renovation is underway.  So things are looking up! (but I won't look up for fear of the icicles stabbing my eye).  On that note I am bringing you the third installment of The Chosen One feature here on the blog. 


Once again I chose footwear, for a couple of reasons.  1. because shoes are a bit easier for me to integrate into my existing weekly attire, and 2. because I have such a surplus of shoes I have never worn before, I thought I would start to plough through some of that inventory first. 


These boots were found at Value Village about 2 months ago.  I was a little hesitant to buy them.  I wasn't sure if they were for me, but I was having a hard time putting them down because they were in immaculate shape and pretty classic.  So my practical fashion mind got the better of me and I bought them.  When I brought them home tho, I still wasn't fully convinced I would wear them, so I decided to add them to my "sell" pile.  But alas, I couldn't get the boots out of my mind, and I kept noticing this boot style pop up everywhere in the days following.  So I tried them out. Once I figured out how I would style them, I removed them from the sell pile, and now they have a place in my closet. 


I wore them with jeans, and a tweed coat.  I only did the laces up half way.  Since my legs are a bit on the short side. I felt this looked better than lacing them up all the way.  So there you have it.  Another week, another item put to use.  I have this week's item picked out for an upcoming Galentine's day party on Sunday! So check back in next week to find out what I wore....

Hey Universe.... Throw Me A Bone!

I'm feeling a little down in the dumps.  I've fallen ill, and the winter blues (or should I say whites...lots of snow in these parts) are getting to me.  By some crazy stroke of luck I stumbled upon these pictures.  These definitely put a smile on my face!  Happy weekend friends :)

New In The Shop + A Big Thank You

Just added a few new items to the shop today.  Some great winter pieces and a few spring teasers. 

I would also like to thank Dominique of Wrens and Roses for passing on the Stylish Blogger Award!  Dominique's blog is full of amazing fashionable inspirations both handmade and vintage.  If you haven't already read it, click on down and meet Dominique.  She's as sweet as sweet can be!

So here are the rules for the Stylish Blogger Award:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post



2. Tell us seven things about you


3. Award seven recently discovered new bloggers


4. Contact these bloggers and let them know they've received the award

Drum Roll....  As the rules state I must share with you seven things about myself so here goes.

1. I was a nanny in Paris for one year to two adorable children who will always hold a special place in my heart.  This also means I speak French.

2.  I went to film school.  Didn't really turn out to be my chosen career but I loved every minute of it and am grateful for all the things I learned from my great profs and peers in the program.  I still loooove movies.

3.  I need to make my bed everyday.  If it's not made before I start work, it nags at me all day and I don't get anything done.  A crazy ritual i guess.

4.  My husband and I got married in Italy in the small village my Dad is from.  We were lucky enough to hold the ceremony beside a church built in the 1400's. 

5.  I played the clarinet in high school and travelled with my school's band to 4 high school band competitions.  We only won first place once....

6.  I'm not a vegetarian.

7.  I own a Pachinko machine.  We found it tucked in the back of a pile of junk at a flea market.  I had to have it.

My seven chosen blogs are

Tessaboo
PTAK APPAREL
The Stay Lucky
La Ville Inconnue
Chisholm Block
Couture Arabesque
Jacquie Severs

The Chosen One: Week One and Two

As promised I am going to share with you the items I have picked so far for my weekly chosen one item.  Just to recap the chosen one will be a weekly feature that will showcase an item from my wardrobe (clothing and accessories) that I have never worn before but obviously love. 

 I wanted to start this because I work from home and sometimes lose sight of how important it is to maintain my personal style.  I have so many wonderful pieces that I never get to wear, and waiting for the perfect occasion just isn't cutting it anymore, so I am trying to make more of an effort to be creative and imaginative when it comes to dressing during the week.  Trying to find an opportunity to wear these pieces has so far been a fun challenge.  So I'm glad to be sharing this with you all and hope to get some outfit posts out of it too! 

Week One  

I had purchased this at Value Village probably a year ago now, and had never used it.  I love how luxurious it is and also how natural it is.  I used this  a couple of Fridays ago when my husbands band played in the city.  I wore it with a gray bat wing sweatshirt, skinny jeans and gray vintage boots.  I thought it went well with the monotone outfit. It added some interest, but also complimented the minimalist look I was going for.  It also held all my essentials for the evening.  It will likely be added to the regular rotation now!

Week Two

I was beyond excited to wear these.  I bought them not too long ago, once again at Value Village.  They aren't vintage, but I loved the vintage feel they had.  I must say these were amazingly comfortable and a perfect clog option for winter.  Even though the strap at the back isn't anything hugely substantial, it kept my foot from slipping out the back and eliminated any chance of snow being dragged in my shoe.  I wore these to my friend's baby shower on the weekend with a black shirt dress, black tights, and a brown cardigan with natural wood beads and red lips! These dudes are a testament to my love for clogs.

I have already chosen this week's item and will share it with you next week. Yay!