The Good Life

Hello again, world! What a refreshing couple weeks of regrouping it has been. I can already tell that this summer has great things in store. For starters, my creativity has suddenly blossomed since the conclusion of the school year. The span of time since I arrived home until now has consisted of a significant amount of me time, largely involving reorganizing my room/closet, thrifting at Goodwill, and remaining by my sewing machine. Of course, there’ve been the chunks of time devoted to spending time with friends and taking trips here and about. But back to the creativity thing… I have been re-inspired! Final exams take up all of one’s focus, how can a girl do any real thinking about the finer things in life? My brain is now making up for lost time by stimulating my senses in an overactive “awareness.” I’ve metaphorically spent some time alone in the wilderness, alone with my thoughts. After contemplating life and its many nuances, I’ve reached conclusions on various aspects and come out a stronger person, I believe.
I may be blowing this out of proportion a bit, there have been no MAJOR life changing events. It’s just been one of those personal revitalizations, you know? I’ve reevaluated ideas, determined goals, and changed my perspective on things. It feels good.

 

I’ve gone raw/organic/vegan, that’s a change! Now, before I continue any further, let me explain the circumstances: my parents are on an all raw and juicing diet due to health concerns. I’ve been consumed by all the benefits (not to mention the simplicity of eating!), and decided it was something I wanted to jump on board with. We’ve grown up eating very healthy as a family, but college doesn’t exactly cater to the needs of the health conscience. I’m not as strict about absolutely everything I eat %100 of the time, I'm not against eating meat or the occasional splurge of "less healthy". I know there will be times where I cannot conveniently eat the way I want to, but I think going into it knowing that has only made it easier to keep on the right path. Because, let’s face it, eating organic is AWESOME!! I have absolutely no problem being vegan as long as the resources are available; it’s fabulously tasty and makes you feel great about yourself.

In the mornings, I make myself a fruit and vegetable protein shake. They usually consist of an assortment of almond milk/some kind of juice, kale, spinach, lettuce, banana, blueberries, strawberries, mango, pear/apple, avocado, carrot, almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, vitamin powder, etc. For lunch or as a snack I alter between natural Greek yogurt, granola cereal, fruit, or something like that. Then dinner is whatever yummy goodness my mother concocts for that night. Endless varieties of soups, bean dishes, and salads fill that category. People ask how I’m not hungry all of the time, to which I reply, “how can I be??” I’m totally satisfied after eating the amount I do.
On a similar note, I am literally OBSESSED with lime, avocado, and cilantro. Just the SMELL of cilantro makes me wild, it is so delicious! We grow it in our garden, and I go out there simply to rub it all over my fingers so I can inhale it daily. Luckily, they're a three-way paired match made in paradise that go together in nearly every dish I eat lately. One of my favorite meals which includes the above obsessions is a Mexican inspired vegetarian taco salad. It's made with lettuce, corn, beans, tomatoes, lime, avocado, cilantro, and tempeh (or a soy based tofu). So simple, so delicious.
I promise this isn’t going to turn into a blog about nothing but food. Even though there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s definitely not my forte. However, you can bet you’ll get updates on this organic meal lifestyle of mine.

 

 



Today was one of those days when I woke up to a text from Erin asking if I’d like to accompany her around town for no particular reason other than wasting time and exploring. Clearly, this was a-ok with me. It soon became a very typical summer day outing: thrift shops, antique stores, froyo, and driving around with the radio blaring.
This outfit doesn’t really have any cool stories. It’s kind of one of those ensembles that can be combined with a lot of looks and still works. The shoes are kind of interesting, I literally found them one day in a box in the attic, and no one claimed them. Score! My shirt was purchased from A'GACI a few years ago, but since then I have removed the sleeves and taken out the elastic in the bottom to make it a freer flowing top. I threw on my repurposed “mom jeans go high-waisted shorts” with it. I seriously love those things, and I’m not saying that to pat myself on the back for creating something phenomenal, it just happens to be that way. They’ve become a staple, versatile part of my wardrobe. Most any shirt looks good tucked into them or hanging over the waist. There’s been something so rewarding about putting on a pair of shorts with a breezy top and being outdoors recently. I’m not one to be wimpy in the heat of summer, I love the warmth of the sun radiating off my skin, so maybe it has something to do with the fact that less is more in the sense of clothing. Sometimes I compare myself to a lizard on a rock, basking in the sunny temperature, and I’m completely at peace with that.



Top: A'GACI, (altered),
belt: Forever 21, purse: Cotton On,
sunglasses: Altar'd State, shoes: vintage

As we walked around Tullahoma, trying to find somewhere interesting to investigate as well as a place to shoot some photos, I was hit by the overwhelming feeling of summer. Maybe it was the strength of the sun’s beams through my sunglasses, maybe it was the fruity smell that lingered from Erin’s froyo, maybe it was the combination of cheesy radio songs I had stuck in my head… I’m really not sure why. But ultimately, that “feeling” of summer had sunk in, and I realized that I want to make sure I take advantage of all the summery-ness that I can afford to bestow upon myself. There may not be a lot of things to do in Manchester to aid in this goal, but I want to make it happen. I'm talking road trips, picnics, bon fires, lakeside visits, hiking, tanning, water gun wars, anything. Granted, I'm limited on money and free time... but when there's a will there's always a way.

How do you DIY?

I've had a lot of people ask "how" I alter my clothes... more specifically, what my process is when I'm working on a project. To answer this, I'll take you on a step-by-step layout of how I go about cutting and sewing things.

Inspiration- got the idea?

Like any other girl of the 21st century, I frequent Pinterest to get ideas for things to "do it myself." I have a board created with the sole purpose of collecting past, present, and future ideas. Some may be exact recreations of the projects, others turn into pieced together creations of several inspirations. Either way, it's a mayor source of getting me on the right track.
My second source is the blogs I follow. One chica who has got this alteration/repurposing thing down pat is the genius behind New Dress a Day who literally oozes of this sort of thing. A Beautiful Mess is very much focused on a homemade life style and offers all kinds of examples for personal creations. Though they only mention specific DIY posts from time to time, Delightfully Tacky and Selective Potential inspire me on a daily basis. Several items and outfit pairs from their blogs spark an idea for me to recreate something similar.
Finally, sometimes inspiration just comes upon you.. not from an outside source. Look at what you've got to work with. If you have an item you just don't wear as often as you'd like, look at it and look at what you could use to improve it. Think of alteration options or details you could add to it, and let your imagination create your inspiration.

 

Creation- the amateur's method  

1. Mark your territory
Before making any permanent decisions, MAKE MARKINGS!! It is extremely important that you're able to visualize what you are about to cut, hem, glue-- anything. You should always have some guide lines to ensure an even/straight turn out.
When making your markings for cutting (particularly for hems), leave at least a couple inches for safety's sake. Give yourself room for mistakes; you can always keep cutting away, you can't get material back.
When sewing one thing to another, make sure you like how it looks/aligns before the permanent joining together happens. But be aware that something may shift in the process. I personally love using pins, I use them like a fanatic. That way, I can keep pieces exactly how I want them to turn out until they are sewn together that way.



Of course, this is a step you take whether or not you know what you're about to do. You may be following a clothing pattern, and that outlines the steps of making marks very specifically.
For patterns, you don't have to worry too much about "if" your work in progress will turn out as you imagine the outcome because it's already laid out in steps for you. You could, however, be changing the length or a few details about the pattern to fit yourself better, which I encourage unless you want the exact cookie cutter result.
Either way, marking your steps before making action is crucial to ensuring confidence in the end result.




















2.Take the plunge
There's not much else to do than to start sewing. The way I always work is by sitting down at my machine and just trying things. Let your instinct kick in and go off book from time to time. Your creative juices will guide you in the moment, don't let fear of messing up keep you too frozen to put the first stitch in your fabric. Once you have your marks set, make your creation happen. Sometimes it will fail miserably, other times it will become something beautiful that you're very proud to have made. Trial and error is a huuuuge part of growing skills. The only way I have been able to know what to do and what not to do is by making plenty of "screw up pieces" in the past. This is why using cheap, thrifted, and old items to begin is smart-- not as much pressure when your garment doesn't have value to lose, only to gain, from the project.
Extra tip: less is often SO MUCH MORE. Don't feel like you have to do some enormous makeover to your clothes to make it worth an alteration. Adding too much to a piece can ruin what you already had. Start small, and see where the changes take you. It doesn't take a lot to pull off a successful tweak.

 

Renovation- compare its "wearability" to what you once had

Remember, the purpose of going through the effort you just did is to make something you can incorporate into your wardrobe. If the seams are delicate or the cut is too stiff, you're not going to enjoy wearing it (not to mention, it will more than likely unravel in the washing machine or you'll split it in half while trying to sit down). Things should be fitting, but not too snug. Like I said, always give room for error... but also leave room for your natural body. So, while sewing, keep movement and space in mind. If you're worried, wear your creation at home a couple times before going out and about with it and test how it will react to particular actions.
Beyond even the fit, the practicality of your newly completed piece should do your work justice. If you've made a darling skirt with your sweat, tears, and blood and come to find that it doesn't match anything in your closet, it doesn't matter how adorable its lace trim or embellished rustic buttons are. Even the best clothing that flatters your figure and fits like a glove becomes useless if it cannot be worn. Pair your creation with at least two outfits that you know you'll revisit fairly often, and your effort will not be in vain.*

*A general rule of thumb with most any clothing you own

Altered State of Mind

Oh my, how time flies! Summer is here yet again, and this means I am back in Manchester for the time being. I've only been home for two weeks to this day, but my mind has been buzzing! I plan to once again start up a more regularly scheduled blog posting maybe next week (yes, Erin?). Until then, I'll save all my gut-spilling. But in the mean time, my restlessness has kept me working. I have been at my sewing machine, busy at work with project after project. I've surprised myself with how much production I've managed to crank out lately. Imagine what I'd be capable of if I always put this kind of drive into the things I do! Haha... hrm. Yikes.

I found a fabulous pair of "mom jeans" at Goodwill and turned them into probably my new favorite pair of high-waisted shorts.

I simply adored this vintage dress from salvaged from an elderly woman's closet. The sleeves fit funny, so it became sleeveless. I do believe it suits it better anyways.



(quick side note: this was taken before heading to my audition where I scored a lead role in the musical!! Ok, I'm done.)

This was a thrifted find from a while ago, and I just didn't know what to do with it. It used to be a quarter sleeve button up shirt with a collar, but I wasn't feelin' it. So now it's a simple lace vest.
(Sorry, no "before" picture.)

And this is my proudest creation! Erin used to own this dress but gave it to me. The top part didn't suit me well (I'm definitely not built for halter style tops), but I loved it too much to just discard it. So, I hesitantly decided to transform it into a skirt.. which turned out [surprisingly] remarkable!! I was terrified to start into the project and find that I ruined it or that it didn't work the way I had planned. There were a lot of tricky aspects about it that discouraged me. Luckily, there were conquered in the name of repurposing.
For instance, the entire inner lining had to be taken out without completely destroying the stitching that held the piece together. The sectioned waistband stitching that went along the front didn't continue in the back, not to mention the back had a patch of elastic waistband that posed special problems of its own. Let's just say that I am a very pleased seamstress after the entire process.

Twist it up a bit



Every morning, I wake up and want to get out of bed less and less. With the little time that I have, I try to figure out SOMETHING different to do with my hair other than straightening it, making it wavy, or putting it up in a bun, especially on days when I skip a wash. So I have gone on a quest to find simple ticks to amp up a hair do. Here's number one: The Maiden Twist-braid Crown (from A Beautiful Mess).

It was my first attempt, so it's clearly far from perfect.. but it's definitely a keeper. I got tons of compliments on it all day. It's fun to tell people, "Thanks! I tried this for the first time this morning, and it takes approximately 3 minutes!"

I do believe I'll  have my hair down and wavy with it next time, as in the pictures. But I'm very pleased with how it turned out overall.

 

I find this note-able...

These are just TOO COOL!

Repurposed



Top/pants: Forever 21,
collared shirt (underneath): thrifted, altered
shoes: Shoe Carnival



 So what if I'm writing this at 2:45 am? Sleep is for the weak. Or maybe it's "sleep is for the week," in which case I've got it all kinds of wrong. Anyways, I simply MUST share with you my latest inspiration. Rouche's newest lookbook, "Under the Tuscan Sun," is utterly gorgeous. I have literally swooned through it a dozen times by now. Besides the fact that I generally love all things Mediterranean (particularly the food), I absolutely adore the essence of everything found within the electronic pages of the lookbook. The colors, patterns, and fabrics have the breezy flow to them, and the clothing combinations? It blows my mind to see the art put into action. Way to go, Rouche. You've won my approval. Of course, it's not like I didn't admire them before. Because I did.

 

While we're on the subject (except not really because I hadn't directly mentioned it), allow me to explain the alterations to the blue, floral collared shirt. When I bought it several years ago, it was originally a dress. Or, sort of a dress. The bottom was a spandex sort of material with ruffled tiers for the "skirt" part. It was an awkward shortness, and I would never have worn it without pants. Needless to say, I preferred it to not look like that, so I removed the skirt section until where the buttons began, and then hemmed along the base. It soon became a short sleeved, button down blouse. The length was a bit shorter than a regular shirt, so it's more of a crop-top, good for layering and whatnot.

 

Before



After







                                    



Necklace: Charming Charlie,
earrings: thrifted,
ring: antique (great grandmother's)



I LOVE being able to reuse items for new purposes. Whether it be altering thrifted clothes or uncovering treasures from old jewelry, finding a way to make them work brings me joy. In my opinion, incorporating legit vintage items into one's wardrobe is a process that takes continual trial and error. Similar to being able to remix/combine outfits, you must be fearless and just attempt certain things sometimes. More often than not, the result will surprise you for the better. I admire those who are able to do it so effortlessly. Admiration and jealousy are two different concepts, right?

As You Wish

For the past few months, Erin has had this image of a photo shoot that she was determined to fulfill. She specified that I had to wear my Morning Glory Coffeehouse dress from ModCloth, Garrett had to wear a pink shirt, and it was to take place in the field near her house. As you probably assume, we made it happen. I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone by making it into one of my blog posts, because I'm smart like that. I usually like to pair my dresses with a belt that didn't originally come with it to give a pop of interest, but I wasn't feeling it today. The simple stretchy waist-scrunchy was left in place, and I didn't remix the dress for a change. I wanted to appreciate in its entirety rather than taking away from the whole package by covering up or changing the look of the dress. Besides, the light material was perfect for the delightfully warm temperature as it was. Layering was not necessary for the occasion, if you ask me.

          

I'm going to go ahead and get it out in the open: my all-time favorite color is rose. Sage/mint green is a very close second. Honestly, I have a weak spot for anything in shades of pastel. It's funny how my fashion sense has developed throughout the years. I once went through a stage of bold colors and loud prints, all stemming from an 80's vibe. What can I say? 80's music is classic, and the people were always so happy being totally rad. But I've drastically toned down since then. I look to the 40's for much of my inspiration, blended with a certain French/Victorian-esque flair. At the same time, several aspects of the 70's intrigue me. I really have many facets to my style. The result of these morphed contradictions yields whatever I am.

I'll go into much further detail regarding my personal style in later posts, I swear. As for now, barely skimming the surface will suffice.

 

Dress: ModCloth, hat: thrifted,
bracelet: Charming Charlie, shoes: JCPenny

                                                                                                                   

When we called the picture taking quits, Garrett pulled out his ENO and the three of us chilled for the rest of the afternoon. I was introduced to ENOs about two weeks back, and I've been hooked ever since. They're the most relaxing invention this century has produced! Imagine the sensation of being cradled by a breathable fabric, weightlessly suspended in the air. You feel that? Now take that feeling and multiply it by awesome, and you're close to knowing what it's like to ENO. All other pastime activities are super jealous. It's probably a good thing I don't own one myself, otherwise I would never get anything done.