Totally Thrifted

A few kind friends at church complimented me on my outfit last Sunday.  One even asked where I purchased my clothes.  I admitted without a trace of self consciousness that I am a second hand stylist, it may even be obvious from the photo below.

This wool Ralph Lauren dress was picked up at a thrift store for $4 on my birthday date with Paul.  I don't care so much for designer labels except for the fact it guarantees lasting quality.  Originally the dress was a little bit big and since I wasn't up for extensive altering I threw it through a warm wash cycle.  It now fits perfect with the exception of the hem length, but I added a little ruffle to the bottom of the lining to compensate for that.

  

The blouse was picked up at a garage sale in Salt Lake City a few years ago.  It was $0.25 and constructed entirely by hand!  You can see where the lace is fraying along the collar, this piece will be worth mending over and over because I love both the fit and the style. Who knows the days' it has seen before my many wears.

This bracelet was also from a Salt Lake City garage sale.  The woman selling it said she bought it in Greece many years ago, she sold it to me for $5.

And now the shoes, these were picked up just last Saturday.  I earned a trip to Salvation Army after cleaning out all the closets and dropping off six bags of clothing.  

Without even reading the designer label I couldn't resist these - they were $10 and fit me perfectly so in the cart they went.  When I got home I noticed the Made in Spain label and a closer look led me to Rosina Ferragamo, I thought, oh Ferragamo knock offs.  But further research led me to learn Salvatore Ferragamo had a sister named Rosina who also designed shoes from the 60's to 80's.  I love vintage shoes because they have already stood the test of time, unlike other modern shoes (no offense Target) that seem to fall apart with in just a few wears.

Again, what I love about second hand style is the stories both gathered or imagined.  It is kind of like dressing in a costume that takes you to different countries and time periods.  It is so much more romantic that shuffling through a loud and sterile mall.  

Here's what else was picked up last Saturday - just for fun, international soccer T's.  William and Henry helped me pick them out.

My children actually love accompanying me on my thrift store adventures, maybe because I'm sure to at least pick them up a $0.30 book that they can read while I sift.  On one of our trips Henry picked out these pants, he calls them his "starfish pants".  He loves to wear them and I love that they were handmade.

Here is another pair of vintage boots I recently picked up for just $1.75.  They may not be designer but they do say "Made in Canada" and the shearling lining is still soft and warm.  They spoke to me so that is why I bought them.  I'll admit though, I've only worn them twice.

And if I don't wear these boots (or any of the above items) again in the next couple of months and they still have wear left in them, I'll be sure to pass them on.  Quite possibly to the same thrift store they were purchased from.    

Sunshine and Sewing

The sun decided to show its beautiful face here in Michigan after a long gray winter.  We are enjoying it so much that there's been little time left for blogging, and barely enough for sewing.

In celebration of the coming spring I sewed up these dance leotards for the girls.  These are from Kwik Sew pattern 3507 they proved to be quick.  I spent more time switching the serger thread than on actual construction.

Though made from a cotton/spandex velour I believe the design is seasonless.  At least I anticipate the girls wearing these frequently without question of the weather outside.  Here they are in action, the girls like to pair them with their clogs because I'm told clogs make great toe shoes. 

It did get chilly as the sun set but Clara found a simple solution.

Maryanna chose not to mix up the leotard with tights and mittens.  She found a sunny spot inside instead.

Here are a few close ups of the flower details I added.

In the end it got too cold and both girls ended up dancing by my side as I prepared dinner.  Do you know this tiny kitchen space also doubles as a dance floor?  Even for the mom.

Meanwhile the boys found time for their own sewing and food prep.  This is a gourmet meal Peter and William sewed up for Herky the Hawkeye - it is a hot dog and three pot stickers.  They found the pattern in my Japanese felt food book and although they did most of it by hand, I was impressed they figured out how to thread my sewing machine.  I am told this is the first of large menu that will be offered at "Herky's Hamburgers", a gourmet restaurant for stuffed animals.

Dyeing for Spring

We still have bits of snow decorating our yard - it is not the pretty kind of snow, but all grey and muddy only surviving in little patches.  Kind of like the the old surviving white t-shirts and tops from last summer, then into the fall and winter - now dull and stained with wear. 

 I cleaned out a nice pile of them from the closets last week knowing a quick dye job would not only give them new life and wear for spring but also energize me through the process.  I even let Henry help.  Here he is dumping 3 cups of salt into 6 cups hot water.

I did the messy mixing with the older boys during nap time.   Here is my batch of yellow in the mix. 

These bold colors are energizing!  I am happy with the result.

I always use the procion dyes form dharma trading co.  Here's what I mixed for the lavender:  1/2 Tbs wedgwood blue, 1/4 Tbs bubble gum pink and 1/4 Tbs fuchsia red.  I regret not straining the mix because the reds tend to clump and I do have a few tiny red spots on the pieces.  But over all they look good (or at least better than stained white).

Now the yellows.  I had to be careful with this batch because it included one of James' favorite Michigan football T-shirts.  Lemon Yellow would not be as authentic as Michigan's maize so I added a bit of deep orange and a dash of golden brown.  Again - very pleased.

Here's the hot pink which was simply fuchsia red with a bit of deep orange.  I'm sorry my little models were too cold to try these on for photos but I don't blame them.  One of my sisters passed down the dress below, it was originally a tan corduroy but has not been worn by my girls because it was not "pretty".  Now it is.

The green below was an even mix of avocado and chartreuse.  Can you believe I've had that H&M wrap blouse for 8 years now!  A quick touch up with the iron and it's gonna look brand new. 

Now the orange batch.  It is a mix of mostly deep orange, a bit of fuchsia red and a dash of lemon yellow.  I got lazy with this and forgot to stir resulting in uneven dye. But the color is so vibrant it is hard to tell (it's actually not a color that is fun to look closely at).  In fact, these pieces will need some careful pairing to pull off, but my girls do take joy in awful mixing so these are sure to be worn and loved.

So here's to a colorful spring (and summer)!  May these pieces, so vibrant and new, be as fun to wear, wash, fold, pick up and put away as they were to make.  And who knows.....maybe by end of summer there will still be enough wear in them to dye a bit darker and muted for fall.  

Birds and Binoculars

Last Saturday morning I spotted a wild turkey right in our front yard.  It was only a few feet away from me as I tiptoed down the drive way to the car.

This was a very big bird - big enough that I thought it'd more likely chase me off then the other way around.  But I didn't want to chase it away, at least not before allowing a few of the kids to share in the joy of this sighting.

William, my "naturalist", was the first one out the door and by my side.  He ran right back inside to get his North American Wildlife field guide.  We confirmed it was a male wild turkey, he fluffed his feathers a bit but was not too shy as we crept around him.  

William was so excited about the siting he decided to join me for the 45 minute ride to my early morning destination.  The whole way we talked and he read to me about wild birds in our area.  He expressed interest in bird watching but frustration about the plastic binoculars he got several Christmases ago - they were both lost and broken.  I assured him we'd get some real binoculars someday.

Just before we reached our destination I spotted a sign I could not pass by - Estate Sale - 1/2 off everything.  This was a high class neighborhood so even if we were "just looking" it promised to be good.  When I asked William if we should stop he answered immediately, "oh yeah, I love looking at people's stuff"!  It was raining and he was a few steps ahead of me, not because of the rain but out of excitement.  

I couldn't get passed the first room full of vintage costume jewelry and clothing but William urged me on.  There were all sorts of treasures!  But I had George in my arms and that saved me from my grabby urges.  

I did find two really nice wool blankets for the girls and William gladly carried them.  

Guess what he found?  Binoculars!  These were pretty heavy duty and preserved perfectly in a leather case.  They said "Made in Germany" but also had a $60 sticker on them, but at 50% off they were worth considering.  I called my Dad since he is the optics expert in the family.  He assured me "never pass up German made optics" - especially for $30 and if in the end we weren't happy with the purchase he'd gladly buy them off me.  So I bought them along with the wool blankets and another vintage typewriter (yes I already have 3 at home - this was for my sister's family).

What a memorable morning with William - we both agreed we'd never forget how exciting it was.  William rode the whole way home with the binoculars up to his face.  It was still raining so the visibility was not great but he spotted out all the necessary exits far sooner than I could read them.

When we got home we checked ebay and my dad was right - never pass up German optics for $30, or even $60!  New they start at $400 and being vintage they are doubly valuable.  But the experience I had with William that morning was priceless - these are his to keep.

I called one of my friends and laughed to her about my morning.  She shared her "mystic wisdom" and explained in ancient cultures the wild turkey signifies gratitude, abundance and fertility.  I laughed even harder.

We've actually been spotting the turkey quite frequently since last Saturday, so have our neighbors.  Here it looks very natural next to the plastic slide and cold forgotten basketball in our backyard.

The boys enjoy getting a closer look with the binoculars.

I keep spotting this boy spotting birds.  There were 43 robins outside my bedroom window the other day - some very fat, looking like they are ready to lay, that is what I'm told.  

I kind of like "boy watching", I think as William likes "bird watching".  

This is going to be an exciting Spring indeed. 

Quick new jammies for the girls

School was called off for all of last week due to illnesses.  We spent our days mostly watching movies and napping - it really was a blur.

I did find bursts of energy here and there and took off with it by cleaning out every corner of the girls room including their closet and drawers.  It was clear they were in need of new jammies.

I've had this Kwik Sew 3234 pattern since the new year but let it sit because I was tired of making knit jammies.  Of all the pj's I have ever made this pattern is the quickest!  It is my new go - to pj pattern.

My go - to knit fabric source is the fabric fairy and we are very happy with both the quality of the knit and the design.  Clara picked the rainbow hearts and Maryanna picked the Russian nesting dolls.

Not much more to say about these except they will be made again and again as long as we need new jammies.  

Here they are in "action" - since being "active" is always a part of the girl's bedtime routine.

After clearing out their room the girls convinced me to rearrange the furniture so their beds were right next to each other.  They told me they would sleep better.  It looks a little strange but it actually worked! Instead of getting out of their beds to play together they just stay in their beds and play and soon fall asleep. 

They're not really sleeping in this next photo but at least they're trying.  

Next up - clean out the boys' room and possibly make some more pj's for them too.

   

     

What's the fun in not feeling well?

 No one ever chooses to be sick, it really isn't fun, but after a long week of battling it in our home I'm going to play "the glad game".  Because.........all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good (Doctrine and Covenants 122:7).

Still, I resist "not feeling well" because it does not fit too well into my daily routine.  Here's a view of a day in our life.  I have gone to such extremes to stay well  and "keep up with our routine" as to rubbing my feet with oregano oil, stuffing my socks with fresh chopped onions, eating cloves of fresh garlic, downing spoonfuls of fermented cod liver oil and stocking my cupboards with herbs and homeopathic remedies.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  When it doesn't, I recognize our bodies have limitations and then allow the experience to teach me.

That being said, I lived half of last week in denial of being sick.

I knew a bunch of the kids were sick because some had fevers, some had coughs, and some threw up.  The laundry piled high as it often does when children are sick, I let it.  Paul came to the rescue as he often does when I'm feeling overwhelmed, I let him.  He took a trip to the laundry mat for me Friday morning.

It was still early when he returned.  I told him to dump the warm clean clothes on the couch so I could fold it all before they wrinkled.  The pile was so warm I took a nap instead.  That was fun. 

When I woke up I found William under the other half of the laundry.  He helped me fold for a bit but when I recognized I did not have the strength to finish the task I cancelled our plans for the day and decided to take a real nap in my bed.  That was smart.

I don't know what happened in the next 24 hours because I did not move too far from my pillow.  I know the kids moved through about 6 boxes of Rice Chex from our food storage and watched at least 6 hours of movies.  That was probably fun for them. 

Paul set up a portable crib in his office and took care of the baby and that was helpful.

Though not really physically comfortable, the hours I rested and laid in bed led to some very quiet reflective thinking.  I watched the snow fall softly outside my window.  It was then I realized I needed mental rest just as much as I needed physical rest and was this weekend flu allowed me both.

When Henry noticed I was not feeling well he rubbed my head and back and brought me his blankie.  It was also sweet to hear a few of the other children check on me and report that they had said a prayer for me.  William was really honest and told me he said a prayer for me to get better because he was really getting tired of eating Rice Chex and bananas.  That was funny.

I also got to watch 4 movies in bed and that was a treat.  The girls joined me for Emma and I'll never forget Maryanna's impatience in whining..."when is she going to marry Mr. Nightly"?!  I'll also never forget Clara's clapping, giggles and kissy sounds when Mr. Nightly finally professed his love for Emma.  I am very impressed that they sat through the whole movie and even more impressed with how it since shaped their pretend princess play.  I also allowed them to stop in and out of The Young Victoria, Anna and the King, and Meet Me in St. Louis but those shows did not hold their attention like Emma did.

I didn't make it to church on Sunday but recognizing my absence one dear friend brought by some delicious chicken soup.  One of Paul's friends brought by a bag of goodies for him and the kids to eat.  Both were very thoughtful and kind.

By Monday night I was almost on my feet so I allowed the boys a movie party of their own in my bed.  They watched Rudy.

It has since been a slow week.  James became quite lonely when his two closest brothers came down with it.  This made him realize how lucky he was to have them to play with everyday, that is what he told me.  I checked the family book log and found James passed the time reading through The Little Lame Prince, Tom Sawyer, and Huck Finn.  With my appetite still at a loss he also took over all cooking duties.  This both pleased me and impressed me.

When Peter got sick he sweetly requested a baby massage.  I'm sorry I never got around to it but took the request as a need for more affection and that I gladly gave.    

When Clara got sick she spent a day in my bed with her Calico Critters.  I love how she tucked them in next to her.  I also love how William has taken this slow week to experiment with black and white photography.

James is just now hit with it.  He vocalized his frustration and resistance to being sick in questions and comments such as "why do we have to have trials"?, "this is just not comfortable, how can I make it through this"?, "I just don't want this right now","why do our bodies have weakness", "this is torture!".......though I felt sorry for him all wrapped in a blanket and barf bucket on his lap, I would not trade the thoughtful discussion that came from this episode of discomfort.  I thanked him for expressing his feelings so honestly and admitted that I allowed the same thoughts to run through my mind just days earlier.  I then shared with him something that I learned through giving birth. Pains and trials just come, it is part of life.  Though we cannot control the trial, we can control our resistance, and sometimes in letting go, we allow ourselves to pass through the trial in more peace than pain.  He took it with a deep breath, allowed himself to throw up a few times then declared, "I know I can get through this, and gain courage from this experience".  That was fantastic!       

I really don't know when this all will end.  Did I plan for our family to be down with a horrible flu?  No Way!  In fact, I've had to cancel all sorts of fun plans.  But though our days have been slow, and at times uncomfortable, this experience has been rich in so many ways and I'm sure it may even be fun to look back on someday.