Casual shopping chic

17/12/2009 3:21 am \ 2 Comments \

Blah blah; shopping and Christmas preparations on the agenda today.  Came home yesterday to piles of mail and a to-do list a mile long, plus a few parties on the horizons, it’s back to happy chaos in our house!
In the wardrobe department I am now planning for autumn; and I have a few sewing projects waiting in the wings and plenty of ideas about what to do next.  My mother brought along a fantastic DVD for us to watch while away; a Threads magazine production with great sewing tips by Louise Cutting, a lady who is a full bottle on all things sewing.  She had a great new way of sewing collars that eliminates the front seam altogether that I plan to try, I’ll give details when I try it out…
Anyhoo, today being a day of errands and chores I’m just dressed for shopping and looking smart but functional.  I’m wearing my linen pants, drafted by me from my favourite jeans, and my light summer cardi made out of a double layer of net sewn together at the shoulder, side and armhole seams.  I’ve included a close-up of the front area to show how the front edges were finished with grosgrain ribbon simply zigzag stitched in one seam.  This is a wonderful little top for very hot days as it looks quite chic and funky and covers your shoulders while still being very light.

Other details:
Pants; white linen, self-drafted
Camisole; Country Road
Cardigan; coffee and white net; self-drafted
Necklace; souvenir from Murano, Venice
Sandals; Vicenza, from Soletta shoes
Sunnies; RayBans

pinterestmail
Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: , , ,

Quiet study in neutrals

16/12/2009 9:11 am \ 2 Comments \

Today’s outfit is a little drab and neutral, however sometimes one feels like being drab and neutral.  Especially if it’s the last day of one’s holiday (sad face).  One is possibly overusing the impersonal first person pronoun here.  However this is one’s own blog so one shall write however one damn well feels like it, no matter how silly it sounds…
I feel this outfit is nicely complemented by the drab and neutral tones of the tree bark in this photo.  As well as by the rough weathered decking of our beach house.
Please note the floral fabric used as a facing in the skirt; a little secret prettiness known only to me, the wearer.  Sometimes I like to add touches like this; plus this patchwork fabric I used is firm and flat so a better choice for facing than the thicker corduroy fashion fabric, which is a little stretchy too.
Btw, I did a double take when I looked at the photo of my skirt as it looks embarrassingly lopsided.  It’s an optical illusion!  I just measured the skirt and the side seams are exactly the same length, in spite of how it looks in the photo!
Notice the ancient grey cardigan, hiding behind the white blouse out of shame for its general mis-shapen shabbiness.  It’s too awful for its own photo, but still impossible for me to part with this old favourite.  It’s a perfect cardigan for days when I know will be several hours driving with no one to impress but my youngest son and Sienna.

Other details:
Skirt; Vogue 7303, olive corduroy
Top; Butterick 4985, selfstripe white cotton
Cardigan; Country Road
Sunnies; RayBan
Thongs (flipflops); Mountain Designs
Bag; Gucci

 

pinterestmail
Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: , , , , , ,

Traditional beachy colours

15/12/2009 4:51 am \ Leave a Comment \

I’m realising this blog is becoming way too “holiday photo album” and not enough about the handmade clothes.  Yesterday particularly, and I really wanted to only include other photos if I feel they’re related in some way to my creative inspiration or are pleasing artistically to me in some way.  So today it’s just about the clothes, although my colour inspiration is clearly the sun, sand and sky.  Plus I’m running out of combinations for the garments I’ve brought on this jaunt…
I’ve included a close-up of the Burda 7723 shorts I first posted about two days ago and I’ll tell a little bit about my experience with this pattern:  they were very quick and easy to make and I’m super happy with the pattern.  I’ll definitely make these up again.  I like the high wide waistband, which fits snugly around my waist, making a nice change from the low-waisted pants that have been inescapable fashion-wise for the last few seasons.  This higher waist eliminates any danger of muffin-top that can pop out unexpectedly, and feels comfortable and secure when wearing it.  I shaped the waistband a little to accommodate my slightly sway back, and added rear pockets (for a photo of these, see two days ago).  I feel the flared leg is flattering and chic.
The cardigan (dyed by me) and top I’ve posted about previously also.  And just to forestall any suspicions that the cardigan is a dye-job disaster, it’s meant to look blotchy!!  I aimed for this effect!  You can achieve this marble-y effect by dunking the DRY garment in the dye bath (not pre-soaked), and leaving it undisturbed in the bath with minimum swirling.
Other details:
Shorts; Burda 7723, white linen
Top; Butterick 4985, baby blue nobbly cotton with lace trim
Cardigan; Country Road, dyed by me
Thongs (flipflops); Mountain Designs
Hat; Country Road


pinterestmail
Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: , , , ,

Purple flowered shrub, what is your name?

14/12/2009 6:24 am \ 1 Comment \

Not as hot today as yesterday, thank goodness!  Visited Castle Rock and lay about in the sun, occasionally getting up to splash about in the cool turquoise waters.  Ah, but this is the life.
Today I dressed as inspired by the shrub outside our kitchen window; it has gorgeous iridescent purple flowers in spring/summer, followed by bright orange berries in the autumn; the berries often inspire people to rip these bushes out of their gardens as they’re a bit messy.  I have to confess the purple cardigan has been on and off intermittently all day, as its really too hot for it in the sun, but I like the way it complements the green in my outfit, so dragged it around with me anyway!  Oh, suffering for the sake of fashion is tres tragique, no?
Other details:
Skirt; Vogue 7303, lime print cotton
Top; New Look 6252, white seersucker
Cardigan; Saba, op shop
Thongs (flipflops); Mountain Design
Hat; Country Road
Sunnies; RayBan

I also put in a photo of this magnificent peppermint tree in town.  Can’t even imagine how  old this tree is.
Included a photo of our views to the right and left of us on Castle Rock beach, as well as one of our group.  Thanks for the photo-bomb, Tim, btw….

pinterestmail
Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: , , , , ,

Hot morning in the grasses

13/12/2009 9:05 am \ 4 Comments \


Went for a walk this morning along the bike path, past a lake that is a bird sanctuary.  Accordingly Sienna was leashed, something this spoilt pooch is becoming fast unaccustomed to.  She pulled us along like a freight train doing the midnight run!

I made these shorts for this summer, from Burda 7723 out of white linen, with added rear pockets for back view interest.  When a woman reaches a “certain age” one’s rear view unfortunately becomes less than exciting…  I sewed on scraps of fabric leftover from my dress of two days ago, and a sparkly ribbon sewn down randomly across the whole back, plus a tiny knitted square I had hanging around my sewing basket.  No idea what it was doing there, but stuck it on anyway.
Another very hot day in the offing; so will keep things quiet and easy, probably go to the beach and try to meet up with our good friends who are down here also.  Definitely not ruling out a smoothie at Samudra either.  I think fish and chips on the beach might be the order of this evening. Accompanied by a G&T?  Or two?  Oh, behave!
Other details:
Shorts; Burda 7723, white linen
Top; New Look 6252 green linen
Thongs (flipflops); Mountain Designs
Hat; Country Road
Sunnies; RayBan

 

pinterestmail
Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: , , , , ,

Warm rocks and wet sand

12/12/2009 6:37 am \ Leave a Comment \
Beach-combing this morning; my husband was deeply disappointed that Mr Cappuccino Man seems to be taking a day off…  So peaceful and blissfully tranquil out on the bay, we shared the beach with about fifteen people and everyone calls “good morning!” to each other, so nice; Sienna and other dogs sniffing each others butts politely along the lines of prescribed doggie etiquette… She trots past flocks of seagulls that chatter to each other in a vaguely outraged manner like little old ladies, and genteelly hurry along in a “don’t show them you’re scared” kind of a way.  We brewed a pot of tea and had some of Mum’s muffins with yogurt for brekky out on the patio…  It’s going to be a hot one today, so swimming again this arvo.
Other details:
Skirt; Vogue 7303, fabric hand-woven by my mother
Top; New Look 6483 with my own variations, natural cotton and crotchet strips
Hat; Country Road
Sunnies; RayBan

pinterestmail
Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: , , , , , , ,

G’day, Mr Bobtail

11/12/2009 6:03 am \ 2 Comments \
Today we spotted our first bobtail lizard of the trip.  I feel so worried for the poor little blokes; partly because of the fast cars on the roads and also the receding bushland, and they are so slow-moving.  We managed to coax him to turn back from his journey toward the road and return to the safety of his coastline scrub.  Probably in his mind we were gigantic thumping monsters out to get him.  Really we had his very best interests in mind!
We took these photos in the bush out front of our place, between the beach and us.  It’s shady and cool; a light breeze stirring the leaves of the peppermints, the constant chirp of crickets and occasional warble of magpies.
It’s been great having Mum and Dad here; went swimming at the beach yesterday, then played card games last night, ate chocolate and watched movies.  Today breakfast at the Bunkers Beach café, then another swim.  The most beautiful beach in the world, and only about a dozen people on it.  That’s why we love this place.  Bondi and about a gazillion people?  No thanks…
Other details:
Dress; Simplicity 3745, white spotted voile and crotcheted lace trim
Cardigan; Saba, op shop
Hat; Country Road
Thongs (flipflops); Mountain Designs
Sunnies; RayBan


pinterestmail
Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: , ,

Green smoothie and sprouted buckwheat pancakes

10/12/2009 3:55 am \ 1 Comment \
I think this is one of my favourite cafes.  Perhaps the favourite.   Ever.  It is the Samudra café in Dunsborough, and it has all this wonderful furniture, crafted from driftwood, fallen trees and pylons from the old Busselton jetty when it was renovated.  All the tables are scattered artfully about under the trees on the lawn beside a tiny creek, and they have a veggie and herb patch out the back from which they harvest the produce for the menu.  I absolutely love it here.  The menu says things like “hancrafted in our kitchen with love”, and the juices (all freshly picked and squeezed of course) have names like Jubilant Juice of Joy.  Isn’t that gorgeous?  As I’m typing this a couple of kookaburras are laughing and calling to each other in the trees nearby.  What more could one want?  Natural surrounds, wildlife and scrummy food.  Complete bliss.
We are expecting my parents to join us today, and am looking forward to walking on the beach and spending time with them.
The skirt I am wearing is a standby, one I’ve worn several times and is another trans-seasonal item.  When I get time I’ll do another six-way post, on this skirt.
Other details:
Skirt; Vogue 7303, olive corduroy
Top; Aztec Rose, op shop
Cardigan; Country Road, found secondhand and dyed yellow
Thongs (flipflops); Mountain Designs
Bag; no label, bought in the Retro Star Vintage Clothing Company, Melbourne
pinterestmail
Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: , ,
Switch to mobile version
↓