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.

Display dangling earrings and necklaces

Frame Jewelry Organizer

Most of my jewelry are long pieces, making it difficult to find a jewelry box/tree tall enough to hold my necklaces that works for my earrings as well. Taking matters into my own hands, I hit up Pinterest for some ideas.

• Frame
• Paint
• Lace strips
• Hot glue gun

I discovered this vintage wood frame in the attic, and (after clearing it with dad and finding no significant value) painted it with two coats of pink craft paint. Painting it a different color is obviously optional, it was

 just my choice in the matter. Next, pin the strips of lace into the crease on the
inside of the frame, the indention where the frame's glass would settle.

 



Now, when pinning the lace, I cannot stress this enough: PULL AS TIGHTLY AS POSSIBLE. The lace really needs to be as stiff and have as much tension as you can make it, because I promise you the weight of jewelry will pull it down. So, eliminate slack. Once everything is where it should be, bring on the glue. Apply generously, but in layers. Too much hot glue at once just becomes a goopy mess. Allow the areas to dry, and repeat for each section of lace.



All that's left is to adorn your new organizer with jewelry and show off how crafty and cute you are. 

I find this note-able...

These are just TOO COOL!

Defying Dreary

Well, here it all begins. My blogging journey sets sail on a drizzly, dreary day. The past weeks of incredible summer weather (complete with a dazzling sun, bright skies, and perfect breezes) has spoiled me, and now I expect every day to live up to these standards. Unfortunately, these expectations have been puréed into a nasty dampness, which also pretty much accurately describes three days worth of current weather conditions. I don't know about you, anonymous reader, but rainy weather makes me feel absolutely dull and void of all motivation... definitely not the kind of mentality that would encourage a well put together outfit, right? Wrong! It doesn't have to be sunny outside to feel sunny inside. Yes, I do realize how corny that sounds, but it's so very true. One thing I've learned in my years of wardrobing is to not let the weather regulate your choice of clothes. Other than assuring proper warmth and dryness and whatnot, your style should not be caged by a mere cloudy day. In fact, dressing up is one of the only ways I know how to combat Mother Nature's PMS-ing. When you look and feel cute, there's this automatic spread of cheerfulness in your body (that's serotonin for ya') that changes your outlook on the day, making it significantly more peppy. I decided to throw on a dress today and show the climate who's boss! ...that boss would be me.

The beautiful Erin and I took a trip to the neighboring town for some thrifting and antiquing. There were so many gorgeous pieces and unique knick knacks, as to be expected. It's strange to think about how these vintage items weren't always viewed as timeless. At some point, they were common in everyday life, perhaps even modern for the times. Now one looks at the styles and designs of things and is immediately thrown into a world of "back in those days." It really makes me wonder about when OUR generation's stuff will be viewed as outdated. It's approaching faster than you might guess. A few months back, as I was perusing yet another antique store, I found a complete collection of NSYNC bobble head dolls in the midst of all the old. Freaky? I believe so. I personally don't view my younger years as long ago enough to make vintage collectors items out of them!

                               

                                          

Dress: ModCloth, shoes: Wet Seal,
belt: A'Gaci, purse: Charming Charlie



I guess this would be a good opportunity to tell a little bit about the city of Manchester, TN, where I happen to currently reside. More than likely, you have never heard of Manchester unless you relate it to the yearly music festival,  "Bonnaroo." That's practically the only reason Manchester is on the map. However, for the other 361 days of the year, Manchester is... how do I put it delicately? It doesn't have much to offer. And I don't mean that in a "oh, it has the quaintness of a small town with undiscovered treasures" kind of way. It literally lacks things to do. Unless you really have passion for farming or Walmart, that is. Coming from someone who thrives in a city, one can easily fall into a flat line of boredom. But I don't want to single out the less than stellar thing about Manchester. It harbors some of the most incredible human beings (who I will eventually be introducing you to), for starters. There are a couple antique shops around here, but my bestie Erin and I generally venture to Tullahoma, the neighboring town, for our thrifting. Manchester does have an arts center on the square, which is a refreshing dash of culture. More importantly, it's a vital part of my life. As a member, I have involved myself in the plays and activities they've hosted for the past three years.
Manchester has potential, it's just a slow-growing society. You have to believe in it and continue to nurture its development, like a mother bird does its young. (Ok, so birds might not have been the most appropriate choice for my analogy, but it was the best I could come up with at the moment.) I will be the first to admit that I didn't believe in Manchester when I first moved here, but this last year has really allowed me to see things differently. 
                                                                                             

Ironically, the day turned into a pretty warm one by the time we got into town. I like to think it was the power of positive energy and our will to make it feel summery that turned it around, because that would obviously just prove my point. The sky was a still, blue-grey, but it was neither cold nor wet. I suppose this would be an acceptable alternative to my ideal weather that I described earlier. In a strange way, the sky seemed to capture the essence of my dress. The feel and color projects "calm," and that's the kind of day it was.