Target for summer wear?

Its that time of year when if you start thinking about where your summer travels may lead you. Years past that meant some form of camping or car travel.  Basically my wardrobe would be pretty casual in that it was shorts, tank tops, casual slip on dress, sweatshirt, flip flops and tennis shoes.  Fashion was not considered for these types of vacations.

grey and black stripe knit pencil w/zipper

This year we are headed to London for my daughters graduation from college.  So fashion, limited space and comfort all come in to play.  I've been searching through Pinterest , for travel wardrobe ideas.  I really want to only pack about 10 - 12 pieces for the 2 weeks.   Keeping shoes to a maximum of 3 pairs as well.  I do not want to be picked out as a tacky American for wearing trainers and my hair in messed up ponytail ( no problem i cut my hair off too short for that!)  My last trip over was 10 years ago. I can't even believe its been that long.  I carefully started shopping and thinking about what I would need.  That was a summer trip and I had a few pieces that were made of linen, and a couple cotton sweaters.  I don't really remember what else, but I'm sure I can do better.  We have a few nice things to attend and then plan to go spend a week around Scotland or go across to Ireland perhaps, depending on where we can get time share reservations.
I need to work around a color/neutral and have a hard time deciding.  I've checked out the Panetone colors for summer and found that a couple of my favorite blues are included.  Pale blue is a neutral- but then they have cerulean blue, one of my favorites and emerald green.  It really depends whether you go to for a vibrant or bright palette
 or "soft" meaning pastel.  One of my favorite color combinations since high school some many years ago is Navy and green.  I use to love green of almost any shade, as well as blues and my punch color was always red.  For awhile I drifted and Red was my absolute favorite, with pops of yellow, orange and Magenta Pink.  But I find myself heading back to blues and greens.  While running errands at Target this morning i found myself drawn to a couple skirts and dresses. Can you guess what colors?  I found this dress which totally caught my eye.  I love the sleeves are cut in on the back of the shoulder, the
 top is cerulean blue and navy stripe, while the bottom is sea-foam and navy.  Its simple, easy to accessorize can be casual with flat sandals or wear with dressier ones.  What I didn't like was that the bottom piece is a little too low for the division.  Also it was long on me but I could hem it if that was all.  It had lovely darted shape didn't fit too close for a sheath and was a knit.  It also had the zipper on the outside and for Target I have to say was very well done. check these photos of the zipper application

the inside of zipper

there's even a zipper placket sewn in

 I was surprised by the zipper construction.  I didn't buy it but am planning to make my own version.  It gave me a place to jump off for planning my summer wardrobe as well.  There was also a couple striped pencil skirts I looked at.  The grey and black one above was well made, but way to large and didn't come smaller.  I no longer wear a women's plus size 1x at Target.  So then I looked in the regular women's department wear I found this dress as well, and found a Navy and cerulean blue wider stripe pencil skirt.  I loved the color, the cut not so much.  So also added to my list to make is a pencil skirt in a stripe. These are simple but do require proper fitting for a good look.
I don't know what else will be on my list but at least its a start!  I can't believe it's only January and I'm planning ahead for July.

2014 Its here!

This will be just a quickie, to say the least.  I just made a post on my other blog-
 8000 Steps, going over my current weight loss efforts and a few health challenges. I don't want to re-hash again here.

My Christmas was delightful with my daughter at home for almost 3 weeks.  We were busy going to the gym, decorating and shopping for the holidays.  This beauty just amazes me as she grows into an adult.  She spent a fair amount of time with her friend who is getting married next summer.  This was her last trip going back for school- 2 more semesters in England and she graduates.  Oh the insanity of looking for a job in the arts- BIG. Well, we'll deal with it when it time gets closer i'm sure.
 After struggling to organize my Woman Cave I realized I would have to change things.
I'm planning to finish off my craft room, with a definite plan to switch out to cabinets mounted on the wall with drawers on the lower half,a long desk top and cabinets above the desk top. The plan is these would be all on one wall of the room.  Careful measuring and thorough pricing etc must take place.  There's a Martha Stewart piece or two I really find quite enticing, but don't know if I will go for them.  Regardless, My Ladies Cave space will be thoroughly usable by February.  

I'm currently working on a large circle cowl with some yarn I picked up on our last trip to Lake Chelan.  I will add a better photo later on but the yarn is quite fun its very textured and bulky and I'm just doing a simple pattern of garter stitch 7 rows, and knit 7 rows on circular needles. I was planning to use bigger sized needles but couldn't find them when I started. It should be finished relatively soon.

I don't do resolution's they are just something to make you feel guilty for not completing.  But I do have a goal this year to make one gift item a month, and one item for myself.  I have decided I would like to get back to creating things for myself.

  In February, I plan on making myself a travel shawl for summer time. Its in the current issue of Knitscene   http://www.interweavestore.com/knitscene-spring-2014-grouped?cid=2500&CAPCID=36262146470&cadevice=c&gclid=CJbw6-6U87sCFTDhQgodX0QA-A&CA_6C15C=400009260000178224 Spring 2014 a pattern called "J.Watson Shawl" by Megi Burcl.  It has little openings on the shoulder and when its tied closed in front it reminds me of a light sweater tied around your shoulders.  Light weight for summer weather.
Since I will be recuperating at home, and have limited activity no push or pulling movements.  Knitting should be perfect for keeping my hands busy.Walking is OK, so I'm sure I'll be doing lots of that, no teaching for a month-sigh. I will have to get out and get the yarn in the next week or two.

I already bought myself a birthday present (my birthday is at the end of May). I found a workshop I wanted to attend in early June, and purchased it so I wouldn't forget.  I'm really excited for it, Its sewing and fitting one's self, and couldn't be at a better time.

Well wishing all of you a wonderful 2014. I hope to be here more frequently as I have many projects planned this year.
Treva

December is here!

Oh my! the time has passed rather quickly this fall. I went from September making a skirt for my daughter to take back to England, to being gone on Thanksgiving vacation for a week.  Where or where did the time go?

I'm back and energized from a much needed vacation.  And December is here, so all I can say is bring it on! Mistletoe, cocoa, decorations, trees and icy sidewalks and car windows arise!

Of course like everyone else, we are in the deep cold that is freezing across the Northwest and heading east.
Its bitterly cold, I'd really forgotten how cold it can get. Its hard to get out and exercise for sure so I'm spending more time in the gym.

All of a sudden the end of the year looms and I feel there is so much to do.  Do you experience the end of the year rush?  Its not Christmas or holiday outings, but its the need to clean, and dispose of extra items. To divest one's self of all the excess. Prior to Thanksgiving I was able to clean out my closet, the  linen closet and my pantry.  I even emptied several boxes from our move last year.  I still have a lot of boxes to hit in the garage, but so far I'm still hitting the inside up.

I have lost 20 pounds recently and will be losing at least 20 more for a surgery that is coming up in February.  So most of my clothes are too big.  I hate wearing clothes that are like bags.  My pants get baggy about 15 minutes of wearing. Between exercise and weight loss,  I was able to go down 3 sizes so far, only a few of the things I own now do I want to spend time altering. Everything else is out the door.  7 bags so far donated, not including what went into the trash.  There are still  things I'm having a hard time letting go, but go they must.

graduating daughter 2014

 Then I have to attack my sewing room.  I'm a sewer and a crafter.  I have a ton of supplies for those different crafts. I'm trying hard to pare them down. I keep changing my mind how I want my sewing room to look.  I started with open shelving to get things unpacked, but I find that I would really like to have cabinetry along a wall and top it with my custom cutting counter.  Also I would like cabinetry  above that as well.  It would confine more of the items, and look less messy, even though I box a lot of it in matching boxes, over time there are many different styles, so behind closed doors would be more appropriate.  In the meantime, downsizing as much as possible would help. We have many adventures planned in the upcoming year and I really want to get to work on making a new wardrobe.  Not only out of need, but my daughter is graduating from college in July.   We will be traveling overseas for her graduation and then staying on for a vacation somewhere in the UK most likely, our treat to her.  I want to have one of those 12 piece wardrobes that I can mix around with a few accessories and look brilliant the whole time. Ideally I would love two travel wardrobes-one for summer and one for winter.

 We love going to the UK, I would like to live there for a few years to really get a more detailed experience.  My husband used to work quite a bit in London for several years. He was able to go earlier in November this year and check our daughters digs out.

 One of my dear friends moved to Ireland a few years ago, and I still haven't had a time to see her there. But it is on my list of things to do.

Time is so rapid at times. The more you want to do, the more you desire to do, the less time it seems available. When you have no plans, it seems that time lags. Like kids over summer, the can't wait for summer vacation, but soon get bored if we don't plan enough for them.  I have a tendency to get over extended. Which creates an incredible amount of stress which in turn  usually evolves into a physical issue of some sort.  I'm trying to not let that happen, but sometimes I don't know how to say "NO". Its like getting job offers, that sound great, but in reality would be more stressful and I want to say no when i give my self time to reflect on it.  I teach fitness classes so people want you to travel, but I want to be one place, I'll teach all day but just one place is all I want to worry about.

Miss Kitty exhausted  from the activity

Well, my Christmas tree is up but not decorated.  Its waiting patiently, since its artificial, it can wait a few more days.  It all happens at one time, the tree, the decorations throughout the house, then the front porch.  So I'll get there. Then I'm going to make a plan for next year, like actually putting on a calendar when things should be done.  Decorating, maintenance etc.  I need keep track better, and perhaps life will be less stressed. I suspect that February will give me plenty of time to do this, because, I will be out of commission for a month- no driving for two weeks, no work, limited upper body movement,. oh yeah that sounds fun uh? not really, but its long awaited fix, for my body to get a chance to heal.

I will be trying to post more frequently and smaller reads for sure, but time required a catch up.Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Skater skirt

My daughter kept talking about skater skirts being in fashion. After making several of these for ballet over the years I told her they are very easy to make. After all they really are just circle skirts.

 We had seen a lace one with black satin waistband. We made our own version using a lovely knit cotton spandex for the underlining,  and a cotton stretch lace for the top. We used a blush satin for the waist band.  I didn't hem the skirt layers. I never thought I would do this, but after looking at some very pricey Vince Camuto, wear and several other better designer wear, this seems to be the current trend. It seems kind of lazy and unfinished, but hey try anything once and see how it goes. I wanted to use a zipper for the closure but she really didn't want one, so hook and eyes it is. I did make a 2 inch flap inside for modesty. Its simple add on.
She's off to school back in London today. She has her own style kind , a little Northwest, mixed with San Francisco & London.

mini vacation to Victoria, B.C.

Suddenly we realized my daughter's vacation time was coming to and end. So we quickly drove up to Vancouver, BC and grabbed a ferry to Victoria. We stayed in an Edwardian hotel in James Bay, where both a pub and restaurant were attached. The pub was nothing special but the restaurant had a delicious selection of eggs benedict as well other items.  We shopped Government St. and walked down to Chinatown, accessing it through the tiny 3 ft. alley way used in several movies. We shopped in a hat shop where Em found a slouchy hat. We bought leather wings for a friend graduating from flight school this  year. Later we went to the Irish shop and found a traditional ivy cap for Mr. G. He looks pretty snazzy in it. He thinks we are joking :-\ , were not. Lunched in the Scottish pub, which was originally a bank. Took a tour on the hippo (amphibious vehicle) that goes to high spots of Victoria on the streets and in the harbor. It was pretty fun!  A few pics from our stay.

On the hippo

Guilty of rambling and being a loving a parent

I am guilty of being a mother who cares too much and would like to be  involved more in my daughters daily decisions. Fortunately for her, she lives out of the country, which is probably one of the reasons that I wish I could be more involved in her daily life.  I'm glad she's travelling, I'm glad she's experiencing school far away.  I worry that I'm unable to come to her when she needs comfort, or feels homesick. The times between coming home are few and far between.  I don't think any parent is ready to be apart from their child when they begin to grow into adults.  Life doesn't prepare us fast enough for that but seems to encourage them to leave the nest faster, and without looking back.  I worry about challenges that seem to hard, and failure. I worry that she might give up on herself. I worry that her dreams aren't enough. 

I make my daughter mad, when we have type written discussions sometimes.  Wording is not perfect, going across the internet, it misses some part of the inflection and meaning. I hurt for the challenges she meets with. I want to pick her up like a 2 year old dust her off and say tomorrow will be better and the in the next 5 or 10 minutes you will forget about that which caused you pain, or being uncomfortable or whatever. Obviously the distance can be a good thing foregoing the interference I would want to do. As proud as I am of my daughter as she schools outside her home country, I always wish she was here. In a place where she could visit, come over for dinner, share the day.  Where we could see her succeed just a little closer to home. 

Stymied by moving

OK, I know it doesn't make a bit of sense but I'm still searching for things since I've moved.  Simple things like my sewing box that I took everywhere with me, and kept all  my goodies in. You know the things you constantly are grabbing while sewing, the seam ripper, certain tools, etc, Oh How I wish i could find what box this went into. Just little things but it can be such a B---ch to not have them.

I have done minimal sewing or crafts since we moved last august - yikes almost a year ago, because I never know where things are.  But a couple months ago, I watched a web cast done by Peggy Sagers of Silhouette patterns and I totally got enthused to do some sewing for myself.  Now I'm one of the people who usually hold out on sewing for myself, by saying when I lose that 20 lbs, or when some other event occurs. Meanwhile I don't want to shop at the store because I don't like tailoring clothes, and if I'm losing weight, or changing shape by exercise, it seems to tedious to go there, spend more than I want and not really be satisfied,  But Peggy got me inspired, so ordered a pattern, got the alterations made on the pattern I wanted  and went to town. I loved the top I made. My only complaint, I didn't serge it to begin with, which I always have better luck with on knits. I sewed, at her recommendation plain straight stitch elongated to accommodate the knit fabric, but the stitches popped where I color blocked it,when I was putting it on, so I'm like time to get that serger out.
 Cut out and ready to go is a simple swing dress. Sleeveless with white ribbing on the armholes and neckline.  I'm looking forward to having it done soon!  But I keep running into little problems.  Somehow, I misplaced the bobbin cover to my sewing machine the last time I used it. After cleaning out the entire area around  the machine searching the crevices under the table, my drawer in the sewing desk, I'm completely stymied.  No idea where I've place the blasted thing.  Went through the trash etc. So off the sewing machine dealer, to purchase another cover.  ARGH. Come home, start sewing and realize I would do better with the serger for the seams.  Take off the cover for the first time since moving, and realize the tiny special screwdriver for changing the needles is missing. All I can think is REALLY?  I mean this dress is a truly a 1/2 hour project from start to finish IF I could find my stinking tools.  I'm feeling like the straw man from Wizard of Oz -If I only had a brain.

.  I'm hoping that the screw driver is in my missing my sewing box kit, But I'm slightly discouraged because the little screwdriver has a home inside the serger, I'm worried it has escaped.  I may have another visit to the dealer's store once again in the next day or two.  Once this travesty of finding my tools is accomplished, and my cute little summer sun dress made, I plan to make a coral waterfall sweater from the Silhouette pattern 211 Nina's top seen here.

I'm totally into Coral , Navy, Turquoise, Black and White this summer and hoping to expand my wardrobe a bit.  Since I spend my work hours in athletic wear to teach I'm looking for some fun off work wear. Hopefully this weekend I will have some photos of these projects