Summer Sewing

Well, the Christmas and summer holidays have been and gone, and Super Mummy had a pretty relaxing time all up - lolling on the banks of Lake Merran and taking an occasional refreshing plunge, dinners at said lake with great friends, coffees at Long Paddock with said friends, hanging at home with lots of great kids flicks, crafts and activities under the air con. Yes indeedy, Super Mummy also had a holiday this summer and feels much better for it. Somewhere in all that recreational relaxation time, Super Mummy also found time to crank out a few new dresses on the sewing machine.....and here they are, ready to be frocked up and hit the town in..... (OK, maybe given my circumstances, hit the coffee shop occasionally is all I can manage, but it's still so much fun to dress up and feel pretty just the same.)

 

 

One shoulder, groovy 60's circle motif in cotton

 

Light and airy peasant dress in embroidered cotton - looks lopsided in this picture but its not in reality

 

Return to Happiness dress - I chose this fabric for that statement written all over it with lilies of the valley emblems in my favourite colour of green.....

 

Heavy weight blue evening fabric with black velvet ribbon and black daisy's spotted all over the bodice  I NOTE: Edith Head used alot of blue and black combo's in her costume design......

 

So - which one grabs your eye? And what have you been sewing lately yourself? Hope your Christmas New Year break was equally productive in whatever tickles your fancy!

 

School Formal....

My precious niece Ciel recently enjoyed her school formal dance....and didnt she look wonderful!!!
 

 

Ciel has a bit of a thing for the 50's look, so with her formal coming up she put together a design for a dress that would reflect that....a trip with Aunty Sen (me) to Spotlight for some fabric, and a week of sewing, pattern adapting, tucking, unpicking and sewing again by Aunty Sen (me) gave us this beautiful result. A red dotted netting over a white 'slip' with red satin waist. Sun ray detailing in the strapless bodice, and a full tulle petticoat made of the same red netting and trimmed with white ribbon.

Looking a million dollars in her 50's inspired party frock....but then, Ciel would look a million dollars in a hessian sack !!! You rock girlfriend !!!

 

My "Peas"

I love this outfit - it was made when I was alot thinner though, lucky for me the weight seems to have gone to my boobs !!!!! Believe me, this dress never had such cleavage when I first made it about 2-3 years ago....... and arnt the green beads darling???? I have a friend who calls them my 'peas' (the beads I mean !!)....cute !!! As for the cleavage, well, with summer time here now, it is easier to be active and energetic - I am hoping I can return to my former 'slender-er' figure again before the season is out....nice to know I can wear this pretty little number whether curvaceous or not though !!! And that is the great thing about dressing mid century - the clothing styles were designed for women, so one could be as curvaceous as ones body dictated and still look beautiful, not to mention feminine and attractive. Infact often times one looked better with a bit of flesh....... sorry Kate Moss etc, but you can keep your catwalk petite-ness.....curves are yet another very good reason to dress vintage I say !

For those who dont sew.......a discount on vintage style dressing.....

I LOVE to sew.....can i repeat that once again? - I LOVE to sew!! For me it is soooo very satisfying to bring together something beautiful out of a sheet of fabric. The creativity of wandering into a fabric store or stumbling across a darling length of pretty pattern in an op shop, and instantly seeing what it could become in my head. The leisurely joy of taking a quiet Saturday afternoon, putting on some music, pouring a cup of earl grey (or two or three!!) and setting about to transform the ordinary into the beautiful. Like I said before, ahhh, satisfying ! At least for the creative person that is me.....

I frequently come across people who lament that they cannot sew, who wish they could acquire a distinctive wardrobe with a vintage touch, but they have never had the opportunity to learn, and now find that they dont have the time. I totally get that too....... some are academics, some are sporty types and some are creatives etc.....not everyone is able to find joy in creating. For my friends who are fulfilling their particular role in the world that does not lean towards sewing your own , let me tell you about one particular dress company that does a mighty fine job of providing beautiful vintage-esque garments.

Below are some of my favourite images from the Shabby Apple website...and arnt they lovely and inspiring?

 I am also a big fan of the fact that Shabby Apple functions with this attitude of service....

"Because serving women and families is a core value at Shabby Apple, we devote a certain percentage of our net proceeds to charitable causes serving women and children."

The needs of women and children around the world are a big motivation in my own life - so I totally identify with that !! And, oh my goodness, check out their wonderful 'Emerging Designers Program' !! Awesome !!!

Now, usually I am a BIG promoter of buying local products by local artists and designers, but I am also dedicated to uplifting the beautiful things in life that make this world a more glorious, pure, delightful and joyous place to be....and Shabby Apple garments fit that bill !! So, for those of you who dont sew your own, Shabby Apple and Alice Jean's can offer you a 10% discount on your Shabby Apple purchases. Simply use this coupon code when you order alicejeans10off  and just be aware that this wonderful offer expires on December 8th 2011 - so get your Christmas shopping done early !!

How totally delightful - and I tingle at the thought that I am partnering with a company that encourages and provides opportunities for the creative people in our world !!! You go guys !!!

Ok, so now we can all look like Audrey, Grace, Katherine or Jackie....... oh clap hands !!

Beauty is so joyous !!!!

Melbourne Cup ideas....

Home made dress from vintage fabric found at Boort Op Shop, bargain store cardi, beads from local op shop, hat $12 at a Brisbane vintage fair.....whole cost of outfit would be aprox.$30 at best.

Have been pondering what I would wear to the races if I should go ....and thought I would share a couple of my outfit ideas.....I think we need more excuses to dress up than the spring racing carnival though...dressing up is still so much fun - big 'little girl' that I am !!!!

Vintage hat $35 off ebay, dress $100 in vintage clothing store, beads $14 off ebay, gloves $5 in op shop. Whole outfit aprox $155

 

Today's outfit.....

Feeling very much like a country girl, I decided to wear my blue gingham .....I may be kicking around the house and doing some more sewing today, but for the feeling of prettiness it gives me to dress this way, it is so worth it. Having had a few conversations in the past few weeks about dressing and image etc and I have really been evaluating my inner reasons for dressing as I do.....people dress for many and varied reasons - none of which are 'wrong' either if you ask me - to be noticed, to look fashionable, to feel beautiful, to feel comfortable, to be practical, to make an individual statement....... well, for me, the way I dress comes down to simply loving a certain look and finding it to be, for me, the most beautiful expression of creativity and individuality I know. I realised this afresh while watching the 1954 movie "The High and Mighty" with John Wayne last night. I was entranced by all the female characters and their style, and I knew in my heart that for me, this era of dressing simply feels like 'home' in a way no other style does. And after all, for most women, isnt bringing our own expression of beauty to the world simply intrinsic to who we are? I hope so !