Tuesday 28 January 2014

Falling behind

Ugh. Out for about a week with the stomach flu. I was off work for a couple of days, but sick over the weekend, and had been feeling stmptoms for about 3 days before that. Yeesh. Then again, as one person quipped at the office "Well, it's a great weight loss program" *lol* Which makes me think, now, "Did I need to lose that much weight??" Actually, yes I did, just a rotten way to do it. And a rotten way to get back into ab training.

Anywho, on to more appropriate subject matter...

One place I'd like to try and make it to this March (the 30th, to be exact) is the Gadson's Toronto Vintage Clothing Show. Looks like a lot of fun, and if I remember correctly, the lovely Jill and myself went to one of these a couple of years ago. Fun times indeed! :)

Huh, to try and make up for the awful lack of pics here, let's see if I can add a few of the patterns from my vintage collection in general (no projects planned for these right away, too far behind in other projects - *sigh*)

One I fell in love with:

Sorry, have to link as my picture uploader is being stubborn...

I promised the seller pics of the finished item, but it's taking so long they've probably forgotten who I am - but I will send them, I will! :) Hmmm, while linking to their shop, it appears that there are no items - I wonder if they're either closing down or just really busy? Things like that happen on etsy, unfortunately, but there's so many shops to peruse that it's pretty easy to find almost anything you're looking for.


Aonther lovely I own:

Link. This seller is Toronto-based, and a very knowledgable and lovely person to boot! :) I love PDF vintage magazines, as it certainly saves storage space in my home, and it's probably the instant gratification I love as well! *lol* Check out her blog as well, nifty stuff there...

Another great PDF seller on etsy (wow, I think I'm getting a little etsy-centric here, aren't I?) is this one. A truly lovely person, once in Norway, now in California. Her PDF patterns are terrific, using a French re-sizing method much akin to Lutterloh. Also, her collection of French fashion mags from the 1910's to the 1950's (the age range is fluid as it depends on what she's been able to dig up during the hunt) is amazing - I just need to win the lotto so I can buy everything she has! *lol*

Well, now that I've bored you playing the linky game, I should sign off. Sorry for the lack of pics in this post, I think my security settings are a little too high to allow for pic posting. While I take care of that little issue, I thank you few readers for your patience...and loving the comments, too! :)

What say you...should I have a little giveaway for my 5ooth pageview? I have vintage patterns galore that I'm thinking of selling off somehow (and I don't have the patience for starting up my own shop on etsy or ebay), so I was thinkingof taking some pics of the good ones and letting the winner choose what they want sent to them. Good idea, bad idea? Looking for help from the more experienced bloggers out there...

Thanks much for reading, Ta Ta!

Tuesday 21 January 2014

So far, not going so well *lol*

So much for trying to post here weekly! *lol* I've been like the proverbial paper-hanger these past few months (doing the job of two people at work, some family issues, and busy doing a complete cleanout and overhaul of the computer area / studio and my bedroom, etc.) Let's just say that the Value Village I got to has been getting quite a few items donated over the past few monhs - besides the fact taht I do tend to do a little shopping there.

Yes, I occasionally shop at Value Village, and I see nothing wrong with it. If they happen to have something I need (well, or really want ;) ) I'll pick it up. Considering the fact that I'm really trying to save money for my first condo, I'll save money where I can. Not to say that I shop in dollar stores and the like. There's nothing wrong with shopping there, but for me personally I just can't justify the cost. By that I mean that to me, personally, it's false economy to buy "cheap" when I can save my money and purchase quality that will last for a few years. Items like basics (toothpaste, toilet paper, facial tissue) I purchase on sale and in quantity, if it's a brand I like. I even try and buy Canadian wherever possible to try and support my country's economy, as well as trying to shop as ethically as possible.

Circles, circles, running in circles...

Been a frosty time here in Toronto (-19C today, feeling like -27C with the wind chill. Tonight, -22C feeling like -32C). Actually, I think we've been spoiled by all the mild Winters we were having so this is the first "real" Winter in quite a while. We're just not used to it any more. We could learn quite a bit from our neighbours both in the East and the West about how to cope. Frankly speaking I'm taking the philosophy of "Suck it up, Buttercup" and carrying on with life as usual. I'm not really enjoying it, but I'm getting along, thank you. *LOL*

I actually do have some sewing projects lined up...really! ;) One is not vintage, but a vintage style - slacks, from Butterick's "Lifestyle Wardrobe" line (if it even is a line of theirs...?) B5859 in a black material (the content of which I can NOT remember! Drat!!) that should be office appropriate. Loving the blouse with that, too, but not the material they're showing it made up in. I work in a file room of a major corporation (big enough a company to have 4 file rooms in their head office), and something fancy like that just would not stand up to the daily routine. I understand that people should "Dress for the job you want, not the one you have", but I am so not wearing my suits in a file room. I've already ruined one pair of slacks with the catches under the metal desks here...thank goodness for packing tape. Just take a couple of pieces of the tape (enough to cover the catch under the desk) and stick them on. It provides enough of a buffer that you won't destroy your skirts or slacks if you brush up against those darned things again.

See what I mean about running in circles? *lol*

My other sewing projects are from vintage patterns I've purchased over time. Loving the fashions from the 1930's in particular it seems. I'll try and post some pics of them before the end of the week, along with my material choices. Sadly, as I've gained a fair amount of weight recently (about 30 lbs!), I'll probably have to change some plans and make tops instead of dresses for a couple of them. Honestly not sure if I can lose that kind of weight by the time I'll want to wear them - ah, the joys of both long-term stress and Celiac disease


Anywho, must really get back to work...

TTFN!


Thursday 2 January 2014

Happy 2014

At least, that's what I hope it'll be for everyone...

Mini resolution (and I HATE making resolutions) - post more pics! I've got some sewing projects lined up that I really NEED to do (especially my black slacks, as I'm reduced to wearing my grey slacks only. Nothing like a fashion rut! *lol*)

Also, I might delve into product reviews for the hell of it. Totally non-professional, of course, but I'd like to review stuff that one wouldn't normally see in "professional" blogs (e.g. "The Bobby Pin Blog", and amazing blog and a fun and educational read, too! Bought both of her books and they are amazing...)

Another one is...stop looking for love. I don't mean that in a way that sounds as negative as it does, really. *lol* Its just that I've been single for quite a while (10+ years, to be honest), and my bad run of luck - including an apparently broken gay-dar (as I've heard it called) has lead to more frustration than I'd really care to admit to. Any man that I find attractive enough to consider getting to know better (non-sexually, thanks) is either married or gay (and I mean homosexual, not in an offensive way at all - I'm a child of the 70's so I'm not as politically correct as I probably should be). So, my hunt for "companionship" is going on the back-burner as I try and sort out some of the other B.S. in my life ;)

I'm not saying that these resolutions are hard and fast, I probably won't end up living up to them all - what few there are - but considering the fact that my usual resolution is to drink like a fish, smoke like a chimney, and consort with men of loose moral character, I think I'll actually enjoy trying to accomplish these tiny goals. BTW, the above resolutions I usually make is only because everyone breaks their resolutions, and those resolutions are ones I'm very happy to NOT live up to! *LOL*

May you all have a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2014!!

Catherine