Creature Comforts came up with this idea which I happen to really like: Make pom-pom bows for your presents out of plastic grocery bags. You can view the original entry here which gives detailed instructions on how to make these eco-friendly treats.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Cute Bows Made out of Recycled Bags
Creature Comforts came up with this idea which I happen to really like: Make pom-pom bows for your presents out of plastic grocery bags. You can view the original entry here which gives detailed instructions on how to make these eco-friendly treats.
Happy Thanksgiving
Please enjoy these vintage postcards that I found and have a safe and lovely Thanksgiving Day. May your heart be blessed on this day that we pause and take time to remember.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Costumes from Australia
I found these beautiful vintage looking "postcards" from the film, Australia, over at the New York Times. Costume designer, Catherine Martin, explains her inspiration for each outfit. I, of course, love the 1930s and 1940s feel of the costumes and cannot wait to see the film. There is also a related article about the costume design. Below I have posted the pictures and the accompanying summary of each look.
“Sportswear was being developed in the late 19th century, when women started to ride bikes and play tennis,” Ms. Martin said. “But really it was crystallized in the 1930s, when women were divested of their cumbersome undergarments and started to wear simple, beautiful clothes that were ostensibly based on men’s tailoring.” The clean lines of this traveling ensemble owe a debt to the practical, sporty designs of Chanel, Hermès and Claire McCardell. “There is a lovely synthesis of practicality, comfort and style,” Ms. Martin said. “They reveled in the age of speed and automation and the movement of the body.”
“The T-shirt he is wearing is, in fact, a shearer’s shirt, a traditional shirt that has been in that style since the late 19th century,” Ms. Martin said of Mr. Jackman’s cattle driver. “These are very traditional, classic Australian clothes, as is the plaited belt. Most of the stockmen made their own leather goods around the campfire.” The second, so-called hobble belt is used to tie together the legs of horses to keep them from wandering off. “The pants are the equivalent of Australian jeans. They are made from moleskin, and weirdly, in Australia, we wear it with the furry side in.”
“One of the references that Baz directed me to was all those great actresses and sporty women of the 1930s, whether it’s Katharine Hepburn or Carole Lombard or the photographer Lee Miller,” Ms. Martin said. To show that Lady Ashley is similarly independent, Ms. Martin thought it was important for her to wear pants. On the cattle drive, Lady Ashley starts off in a pristine outfit but is soon reduced to tattered jodhpurs and a stained blouse. “Nicole is very athletic, and she did the majority of her own riding, so we really had to think about how practical it was for her to wear pants,” Ms. Martin said.
“When we went on one of the scouts to Darwin, the water was absolutely beautifully blue,” Ms. Martin said. At the time, she had on a Liberty print shirt that inspired a costume Lady Ashley wears when she and Hugh Jackman’s character are having drinks in the city. “Baz wanted those quintessential 1930s colors at sunset — a fat yellowy pink with that very ’30s green — to highlight this quite romantic and poignant scene.” This dress combines an Asian silhouette with a pheasant pattern printed on linen. “There were some lovely cigarette advertisements from the time, where you see the traditional cheongsam being Westernized,” Ms. Martin said. “All those influences came together to make that dress.”
“Baz was very interested in the ethnic mix in Darwin, because Darwin is closer to Asia than it is to Sydney,” Ms. Martin said. “He started talking in a very literal and logical way: If you lost all your clothes on the drove and you had to get something made in 24 hours in Darwin, where would you go?” There were Chinese tailors working there, so she imagined a confluence of a cheongsam with a fashionable chrysanthemum print on organza.
“There was a fashion from the ’30s, certainly in India and China, to use fabrics that weren’t part of the language of traditional clothes,” Ms. Martin said. The gardenias Ms. Kidman is wearing “are a very classic ’30s flower,” Ms. Martin said, “and also part of our tropical north.”
“Sportswear was being developed in the late 19th century, when women started to ride bikes and play tennis,” Ms. Martin said. “But really it was crystallized in the 1930s, when women were divested of their cumbersome undergarments and started to wear simple, beautiful clothes that were ostensibly based on men’s tailoring.” The clean lines of this traveling ensemble owe a debt to the practical, sporty designs of Chanel, Hermès and Claire McCardell. “There is a lovely synthesis of practicality, comfort and style,” Ms. Martin said. “They reveled in the age of speed and automation and the movement of the body.”
“The T-shirt he is wearing is, in fact, a shearer’s shirt, a traditional shirt that has been in that style since the late 19th century,” Ms. Martin said of Mr. Jackman’s cattle driver. “These are very traditional, classic Australian clothes, as is the plaited belt. Most of the stockmen made their own leather goods around the campfire.” The second, so-called hobble belt is used to tie together the legs of horses to keep them from wandering off. “The pants are the equivalent of Australian jeans. They are made from moleskin, and weirdly, in Australia, we wear it with the furry side in.”
“One of the references that Baz directed me to was all those great actresses and sporty women of the 1930s, whether it’s Katharine Hepburn or Carole Lombard or the photographer Lee Miller,” Ms. Martin said. To show that Lady Ashley is similarly independent, Ms. Martin thought it was important for her to wear pants. On the cattle drive, Lady Ashley starts off in a pristine outfit but is soon reduced to tattered jodhpurs and a stained blouse. “Nicole is very athletic, and she did the majority of her own riding, so we really had to think about how practical it was for her to wear pants,” Ms. Martin said.
“When we went on one of the scouts to Darwin, the water was absolutely beautifully blue,” Ms. Martin said. At the time, she had on a Liberty print shirt that inspired a costume Lady Ashley wears when she and Hugh Jackman’s character are having drinks in the city. “Baz wanted those quintessential 1930s colors at sunset — a fat yellowy pink with that very ’30s green — to highlight this quite romantic and poignant scene.” This dress combines an Asian silhouette with a pheasant pattern printed on linen. “There were some lovely cigarette advertisements from the time, where you see the traditional cheongsam being Westernized,” Ms. Martin said. “All those influences came together to make that dress.”
“Baz was very interested in the ethnic mix in Darwin, because Darwin is closer to Asia than it is to Sydney,” Ms. Martin said. “He started talking in a very literal and logical way: If you lost all your clothes on the drove and you had to get something made in 24 hours in Darwin, where would you go?” There were Chinese tailors working there, so she imagined a confluence of a cheongsam with a fashionable chrysanthemum print on organza.
“There was a fashion from the ’30s, certainly in India and China, to use fabrics that weren’t part of the language of traditional clothes,” Ms. Martin said. The gardenias Ms. Kidman is wearing “are a very classic ’30s flower,” Ms. Martin said, “and also part of our tropical north.”Saturday, November 22, 2008
My New Winter Jacket
Yesterday we had our first official snow, and today I noticed that the lake was freezing over. I think it's time for a new winter coat-- especially as it looks like I'll be in New York City in December, which means I'll be outside A LOT. I was inspired by Fog and Thistle's search for the perfect parka (she did the dirty work and compiled a group or worthy competitors), and coincidentally, ended up selecting the same jacket that she did-- a warm, white one from Eddie Bauer.
It was not that cheap but I found a great coupon code (20% off the order plus free shipping with code FRNDDEAL until November 24th) at the website RetailMeNot.com. If you're shopping online, I recommend you stop there first and see if there are any applicable codes-- I saved $40 this time.
My new jacket, arriving in 7-10 days
It was not that cheap but I found a great coupon code (20% off the order plus free shipping with code FRNDDEAL until November 24th) at the website RetailMeNot.com. If you're shopping online, I recommend you stop there first and see if there are any applicable codes-- I saved $40 this time.
My new jacket, arriving in 7-10 daysFriday, November 21, 2008
Today and Yesterday
Today:
A "dog" nap this afternoon. There are three dogs-- can you find them all?
The first snow of the season-- it dusted the flowers!
My friend, Holly, and me at an event in a hotel in Dubai, U.A.E.
A "dog" nap this afternoon. There are three dogs-- can you find them all?
The first snow of the season-- it dusted the flowers!A Year Ago Today:
My friend, Holly, and me at an event in a hotel in Dubai, U.A.E.Passing the Time
I spent almost the entire day sewing-- working on the aforementioned jacket (in older posts), which my mom now says looks like a marching band uniform. I did a lot of hand sewing and as a result, have a blister on my middle finger because I did not deem it necessary to use a thimble. I also managed to cut a nice sized chunk out of my index finger with a pair of scissors. I took a break on that one, but then pressed on. I thought it might be nice to post some pictures of my handiwork, of which I am quite proud. No date yet as to when this project will be finished, but I'll keep plugging along (and showing you my progress).
The lapel (for lack of a better name). All of the black trim was hand-stitched down and each one hides a buttonhole.
The lapel pinned to the rest of the jacket on one side.
The back of the jacket.
My favorite feature: a pleated peplum. Before I was struck with the inspiration to put the pleats in, the back was completely plain.
Prior to making the jacket in the fashion fabric, I made it in muslin to test out the fit and design. This is called a toile (pronounced twall). As you can see, the original back did not have pleats and was shorter.
The lapel (for lack of a better name). All of the black trim was hand-stitched down and each one hides a buttonhole.
The lapel pinned to the rest of the jacket on one side.
The back of the jacket.
My favorite feature: a pleated peplum. Before I was struck with the inspiration to put the pleats in, the back was completely plain.
Prior to making the jacket in the fashion fabric, I made it in muslin to test out the fit and design. This is called a toile (pronounced twall). As you can see, the original back did not have pleats and was shorter.Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Do I or Don't I?
I found this dress online and REALLY want it. It's a bit pricey though, and I'm a bit poor. But I LOVE it!
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