༺ Top Ten Outfits in 2015 ༻

I really wished I could have done a “Twelve Days of Christmas” outfit count down, but I wasn’t organized enough. By the time I thought of it, it was too late! However, I’m still throwing in a Top Ten outfit round up à la Cici from Cici Marie.

I shalln’t count them down, because I don’t really think I can rank them, so here they are in order of apperance:

♡ Merry Frolic

I just adore how the array of pastel color in this photo series matched with my outfit! I was so worried I’d missed all the good light and it was too late to take photos, but these turned out beautifully ~ a happy accident!

♡ The Dress & The Kirkyard

I didn’t realise how well the Traveling Dress coordinated with the sandstone of the church building ~ but it turned out to be a beautiful compliement of colors! I also really loved this dress ~ it made me feel slim again for the first time after Lottie was born, and trust me, that’s a gift beyond words for a mother with a newborn!

♡ Stitching Stories: Going Dotty for Spotty Cotton

One of the easiest sewing projects I’ve had all year… It came together so smoothly! At this point I was still feeling optimistic that my sewing goals might be met for the year ~ well, that was not the case, but I’m so glad I made this blouse. I just love the fabric and the buttons and the cut!

♡ Mother & Daughter: We ❤ Mother’s Day

I thought this outfit was too simple when I first put it on, but it’s one of those ones that ended photographing really well and that’s why it’s in my top ten. The pastels and the halo light probably have a lot to do with it…  : P

♡ Mother & Daughter: Lilac Sprinkle

This dress featured twice in my Instagram top nine ~ and obviously, from the amount of photos here, I love it too. This is actually my favourite shoot of the year ~ I am absolutely in love with Charlotte’s gorgeous face in these pictures, and I really am glad that we took these photos together. They are super precious, especially now that she’s getting so big.
(♡ヮ♡) ∠ ❀❤❀!

♡ Story of a Dress

I’m glad I finally got the chance to document this dress properly. It was one of my first pieces of vintage, certainly one of the most special pieces, and I really have never had the chance to do a shoot with it. That’s done now, and I’m so glad! 

♡ Mother & Daughter: Pretty in Pink

All the matchy matchy! Yes, my baby girls are living dolls for me to dress up… : P  When they are old enough to say if they don’t want too, they won’t be anymore ~ but at the moment, I just love how we can dress in harmony. Yes, I coordinate our whole family. Yes, I can’t help it. It’s too much fun!!

♡ Perfectly Pill-a-licious

This outfit is one of my favourites ~ not only does it feature a sweet gift from a new friend of mine that I met through this blog {how fun is that!}, but it also features a pillbox hat{incidentally, that post had the word “pillbox” in it 21 times!}.  I never thought I’d be a fan of the pillbox, but I sure changed my tune after wearing this adorable topper, and now I’m totally won over.

♡ Winter Blossom

I didn’t get to wear this new-to-me vintage jacket very long before winter ended, but I think for about two or three weeks straight I wore it with every outfit when I walked out of the house! This was my favourite look that I wore it with ~ the camel, sage green, bright red and black tartan aren’t an obvious combination, so I was surprised with how cute it all looked together, but happy that it worked!

♡ High Tea for My Party

Ending with a high note, and a high tea party I shall never forget ~ partially because I turned 30{!!}, partially because I still can’t believe these photos worked out in the rain, and mostly because this dress really is the princess dress of my dreams… I was floating in a cloud of tulle and I adored it! ✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ:* \(◕▽◕✿)/ *:ﾟ･✧*:ﾟ･✧

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I hope you enjoyed this round up from the last year of outfits ~ do you have a favourite out of all of these? Or is there another outfit post that I missed that you liked? I thought it was interesting that as I was picking out the top ten, my choice didn’t revolve solely around what I was wearing as whether or not I ended up really liking a series of outfit photos.

For me, the crucial element is the photography. The co-ordination of the background color palette with the outfit, the complimentary lines and contrasts in the framing, and that all important lighting. Halo lighting is my favourite look, and while it’s not always easy to get it right, when it works it’s just perfect!

I’ve worked a lot on my photography this year, and I’m so pleased with how it’s been improving. My favourite thing that I’ve learnt? …

Don’t be afraid to use the automatic mode!

Usually I like to fully adjust my settings manually, but I’ve learnt that sometimes ~ particularly with indoor photography sans a decent lighting/studio set up ~ it’s easier just to flick it to auto, and not only that, most of the time you get better photos too.  It sort of feels like a step backwards when it comes to learning how to handle my camera better, but at the same time, if it works {and it does} there’s no reason not to do that. Maybe year next I’ll play with setting up studio lighting, and see how I get on with that.

xox,

bonita

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༺ O, Christmas Tree ༻

 

I haven’t been around much to talk about it, but this year I’ve been sooo excited for Christmas!! ﾟ:*✧･ヽ‘‘\(*≧▽≦)ﾉｼ･✧*:ﾟ

We {the children and I} set up our Christmas tree in the last week of November, and while we used to have a strict “First of December” tree tradition, I really liked setting it up earlier!

It helped me to get into the fun and festivities before all the stress and bustle exploded, so I’ve actually been able to really enjoy our tree and the Christmas decorations we put up this year. Plus, in the past with all the said busyness, the amount of times the tree hasn’t been set up until the second, or even the third week{!}, of December has happened quite frequently. And by that time, it hardly seems worth the hassle, and just becomes another stress point on the massive To Do list!

Which is a rather long winded way to explain that I’ll be setting up our tree at the end of November from now on.  Hehehee.

Also, Christmas outfits!! I’ve posted variations of my Christmas outfit on my Instagram featuring the skirt, but it was actually only half of my planned outfit!

I’ve spent the last one and half days frantically sewing my blouse, and the other half of the day whipping together the GIANT bow at the back, the bow shoe clips, and the not~really~a~whimsy~but~sort~of fascinator thing on my head…

At which point you are probably thinking “Ugh, why would you even bother to do that? So silly…” but I just. can’t. help. it! I make plans and then I’m all “I must do it! That is what I have decided to do, so I have to! Clearly!!” (ಠ_ಠ) *determinedface*

But I did get it done, and no, it didn’t go down in a heaping pile of flames, surprisingly enough.

I was really inspired by Tanith’s {Tanith Rowan Designs} 12 month Bring Back the Whimsy series and wanted to create my own whimsy. But the two craft shops that I went to ~ both of them had no millinery supplies at all… Just “hat elastic”… (￣。￣;) 

So I had to make do and use some white tulle instead of the hat veiling I was planning on ~ it didn’t quite have the effect I was going for, but I did really like the red rhinestones I stuck to the front. I thought they looked quite pretty.

I didn’t receive the Christmas shoes I bought online in time, so when I was making the giant bow for the back of the skirt, I quickly whipped up some shoe clips out of the same fabric to make some “Christmas” shoes. I am so glad I did that, ‘coz now I also have a pair of hair bows in the same fabric as my blouse for another time!

Speaking of, this blouse must be my Christmas gift ~ it’s the first pattern I’ve ever tried grading and I seriously had no idea what I was doing but somehow it worked out perfectly. Say whut??

I’ll leave you with that teaser ~ the rest is for the stitching stories post ~ *le gasp* next year! (ô  д  ô)

Oh man ~ that happened way too fast! The last half of this year just accelerated by!! As they do….

I suppose I had better wind up this rather rambling missive then, and leave you all with many best wishes for the holidays ~ ☆ヽ(*^ｰ^)人(^ｰ^*)ノ☆

*•.¸¸☆¸¸.•*✬*•.¸¸☆¸¸.•*✬*•.¸¸☆¸¸.•*

Have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderfully Happy New Year! I wish you all the joy and cheer of the holiday season, and I’ll see you next year!

*•.¸¸☆¸¸.•*✬*•.¸¸☆¸¸.•*✬*•.¸¸☆¸¸.•*

xox,

bonita

P.S. ~ I’ll be doing a tour of my other Christmas decorations on Instagram if you want to check them out too!  :D

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Holly Bow Fascinator Come Whimsy | Me Made, 2015
Deck the Halls Brooch | Erstwilder {sold out}
Gold Holly Peasant Blouse | Me Made, 2015
The Red Christmas Skirt | Sammy Dress
Hoop Petticoat | eBay
Vintage Ruched Gloves | eBay
Snowy Lattice Knee-Hi | Old
Santa Cruz Beach Heel | Modcloth, Old

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༺ Mulberry Tree ༻

You guys ~ for ages I wanted a Mulberry Tree in my backyard…

The story goes like so:

In 2012 we went with my extended family on the Mister’s side to visit South Australia, where his parents were born and raised. It was a really awesome trip ~ we saw the Grampians, climbed the Elephant Hide {I was six months pregnant at the time ~ it was rather hilarious!}, saw Mt Gambier and their cobalt blue lake ~ but thing I wanted to take back with me?  A gi-hugey-moun-gi-normus ~ I mean this thing was MASSIVE ~ Mulberry Tree that had been growing on the family farm for decades.

Roll on 2014 and we’d moved house ~ downsizing to a smaller rental, with a tiny back yard. I gave up on my Mulberry Tree because I didn’t think there was room to grow one…

Lo and behold, that spring an unidentified tree outside of our bedroom window starts grow these berries that ~ wait a minute! Look an awful lot like mulberries!!  (ô_ô)

After a bit of back and forth, we did decide that they were mulberries, so believe it or not ~ I have my Mulberry Tree after all! It’s just in the front yard, not the back.  \ (*≧▽≦)ノ

This navy gingham playsuit with cream lace trim and embroidery is perfect for wearing on sultry summer days ~ there are so many cute details on it from the scalloped hem to the pockets, and the tiny covered buttons up the middle of the bodice!

If I had to complain about one thing though ~ it would be the spaghetti straps. I don’t like them, and they do not work well on a romper when you have to be getting in and out of it, and pulling the straps up and down. The fabric at the top of the bodice tore quite a bit and I had to mend it to prevent the strap from ripping right off. Other then that, it’s my one and only playsuit and I love it!

I’ve actually had this romper for a while now, but never thought to take photos of it until I was picking berries off the tree and somehow it seemed like I needed to be dressed in a playsuit to do that, so here you go…

…‘round the mulberry bush,
the mulberry bush,
the mulberry bush,
here you go ‘round the mulberry bush
earl-lie in the mor-ning!

Haha! I couldn’t resist!

But really, isn’t gingham the best for playsuits, rompers and all general summer looks? It seems like my love of plaid in autumn & winter just crosses over to it’s cousin gingham for spring & summer, and I just can’t get enough of the stuff into my wardrobe! If you had to choose one though, which one would it be ~ plaid or gingham??

I think I’d go balmy if I had to pick just one ~ but I’d end up with plaid, because of the different mix of colours you can get in just one print. Or gingham because of the cute tiny squares, or ~ I think it’s a very good thing I don’t have to choose! (- ‿◕)

xox,

bonita

༺ ♡ ༻

Dotti for Spotty Cotton Hair Tie | Me Made, 2015 {tutorial here}
In the Navy Gingham Romper | Modcloth, Old
Red Gingham Wicker Basket | Dollar Shop

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༺ Stitching Stories: Burning the Roses Red ༻

 
You guys… I wanted to burn this dress sooo badly….

The only reason I kept pushing on with it is that I didn’t have anything to wear to the Aussie Vintage Girls Meetup, and you know ~ that would have been a disaster….

A disaster I tell you! Oh wait… First world vintage girl problems again.

Okay, okay, not so much a big deal, except when it was.

 
I was using this lovely pattern, and rated at “Easy” I felt sure I couldn’t go wrong! It was my fourth make for my Vintage Sewing Pattern Pledge for the year {one, two, three}, and I was thinking it should be fairly simple.

Alas, if only I’d read the multiple reviews of this pattern online ~ I think this one explains it best ~ I probably would have changed my mind!! (ಠ_ಠ)

So I cut the pattern, did my do, and seriously, everything was going pretty well. I had a few of my usual frustrations in sewing the bodice to the skirt ~ why do I always get the bodice caught up in the waist seam? Why??  (╯°□°）╯彡 ┻━┻

But I was about 95% done on the dress when I decided I’d better try it on. *cue ominous spooky music*

So I slipped it on, and the world ended. *ahem 

My world ended.  (┛◉Д◉)┛彡┻━┻ 

The bodice was ALL kinds of wrong, with wrinkles going every which way, and compressing my bust so much that it looked like I had squished marshmallows instead, of ~ well, you know!

I literally freaked out, cried, ranted, raved, and promptly ate half a block of chocolate. Yes. Chocolate.  .·´¯`(>▂<)´¯`·.

Then I left it for the day. I was DONE. I was *THIS* close to burning the darn thing and turning up naked. Hahaha…

No, really….

The next morning I took a deep breath. I thought I knew what went wrong. I’d forgotten to do an FBA. Silly me just assumed that because I was doing a larger size to fit my bust that it would fit. Totally stu-pid! 

I’d forgotten that although this was previously a vintage pattern where technically cutting the larger size for the bust would probably have worked, this was a re-release of a vintage pattern, which means it has also been fiddled with to meet ‘today’s industry standards’ ~ i.e. a C cup bust. Nowhere near close to my size.  Phooey.  {Today’s industry standards are totally wack btw! I have less problems with vintage patterns than I do modern ones.}

So I went back, unpicked the lining {yes, the darn thing is lined and that was already in!}, unpicked the bodice, and half unpicked the zipper.  Then I cut the lining and bodice up ~ added bust darts from the side seams to the point of bust, added extra fabric under the bust in the gather point {which in hindsight I may not have needed. Oh well.}, cut another toile from the hack pattern, made that up, thought it might work, cut my fashion fabric again, cut my lining again, sewed up the fashion fabric, sewed it back onto the dress… Then it was bed time.  

The next day was Thursday and I had one day to get it done.  (″･ิ_･ิ)っ

I sewed the lining back together, then sewed it onto the fabric again, tried the dress on again, realised that the bottom half of the lining was messing up the bottom half of the the bodice by creating needless wrinkles underneath the fabric that showed through, hacked off the bottom half of the lining, overlocked the bottom of the lining to the midriff seam of the bodice, sewed the lining down to the fashion fabric on the bodice with some top stitching, struggled to make the armpits look nice where the lining and fashion fabric where sewn together, failed, hacked at the inside of the dress, sewed some more seams, finished the zipper, decide to sew the hem by machine instead of hand picking because of time, then sewed the hem seam three times around for a deliberate “decorative” look, ruched the front of the bodice to make a sweetheart neckline and pull in the neckline from standing out, then sewed on the pockets, each of them twice because of having to move them around when they didn’t go on correctly the first time. Gave up when one of them was still crooked because running out of the mint green thread I was using.    

Deeeeep breath. By this time it was around about seven o’clock in the evening. Then I tried the dress on again. Yay! More room at bust!  BOO!! TOO MUCH FABRIC BETWEEN BUST AND WAIST!!  (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻  *rage attack* ~ which quickly turned to:

PANIC!   ∑(゜Д゜;)

I quickly skyped my sister to ask for a second opinion and while we were tossing around a. wearing a belt {couldn’t find one that looked good}, or b. sewing up a cummerbund ~ I thought of option c. which was: sew the midriff seam again, pulling in the extra fold of fabric that was wrinkling under the bust. As you might be able to tell ~ this is what I ended up doing.

This had a three-fold effect of curving the midriff seam rather than it being a triangle point as in the illustration of the pattern, gathering in some of the excess fabric causing wrinkles, and lifting the waist to my natural waist because the dress waist was sitting about a centimetre below my real waist which didn’t look the best.

10:00pm that night, and I was finally finished.  (✖ ｡ ✖)° ° °

If you are wondering why top half of the bodice is still insanely wrinkled after all that extra work on it ~ well, I was too until I look more closely at the illustration. There are actually wrinkles in the top half of the bodices pictured there too. I think it’s suppose to mimic a sarong look. 

I just hate it. I think it looks unsightly, ill-fitting and like a big hot mess. However I can’t fix a design styling, unless I redraft the bodice part entirely. And you know what?  I’m soooo over it….

I don’t think I want to touch this dress again, even to wear it, until some of the trauma of this make has faded from my memory!

Surprisingly enough, even though I did say to The Mister that I didn’t want to touch my sewing machines again for months, I’ve change my mind and I’m already planning to sew parts of my Christmas outfit.   ┬──┬ …ノ( ゜-゜ノ)

I have decided it’s just that particular pattern I can’t stand. Not the sewing. 

Though I tell you what, I’ve also decided that sewing is not a relaxing hobby for me. Too stressful for that!  

~ Project Details ~

• Year: A retro re-release of a 1950’s sarong dress pattern 
• Pattern: Butterick B5708
• Fabric: 4 meters of mint green fabric and 1.5 meters of white fabric with pink roses, 1.5 meters of white linen. From the stash: $13.00 for the fabric 
• Notions: An invisible zip ~ repurposed. 
• Time to complete: One week.
• Make again? Nope. No, no, no, nope, no, nope. That’s all there is to that.
• Wear again? Yes. I suppose so. I suppose the dress escapes it’s fiery end….
• Total Cost:  $13.00 and a block of chocolate. Oh yes, and my sanity. Mustn’t forget that!

If you got through all of that saga ~ well done to you! I hope you never have had to struggle like this with any of your dresses, but if you have ~ not just if you are making them, but have bought them or ordered them online ~ you can always share your stories! Any creative “Make Do and Mends” out there? The Mister quoted that to me, and needless to say, I wasn’t particularly impressed at the time… Lol! 

xox,

bonita

༺ ♡ ༻

Cotton Candy Roses Hat | Gift from Tanith
Pearl Drop Earrings | Thrifted
Pansy Pearl Necklace | Valentine's Day Gift, 2010
Rose and Mint 50’s Repro Dress | Me Made, Nov 2015
Crinolines | eBay
Watermelon Glitter Jelly Wedges | eBay

༺ ♡ ༻

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༺ At the Arboretum ༻

Six years ago on the last Sunday of November, the Mister and I were standing on the soft white sands of Hyams Beach in Jarvis Bay, saying our eternal vows of promise to each other… ♥ ❤

Usually we try to go back to Hyams Beach on a annual trip, as we love the chance to reminisce and reconnect at our special place. Sadly, it has been a while since we have been able to do that ~ babies do make it a bit tricky to get away in peace.

However! All was not lost!

This year we had a lovely outing to the National Arboretum ~ we started with lunch at the café, then we viewed the Bonsai Exhibition that is permanently on display before we spent some time admiring the gorgeous views all around us. We also drove up to the Dairy Hill Lookout platform to check out the 360 scenery of Canberra. It’s fun playing tourist in your own city. (~ ‿ •)

While the trees still have a lot of growing to do at the Arboretum, if you are ever in Canberra it is certainly worth a visit to have look around. There are views of the Brindabella mountain range, all misty blue on the horizon, and the wide, glittering expanse of Lake Burley Griffin stretches out before the rolling hills. Telstra Tower is to the left, perched atop of Black Mountain, and Parliament House is in the foreground ~ you can see a lot of Canberra from the top of this hill!

You also get a lot of wind too ~ my skirt was almost permanently glued to my legs, and while I’d worn my PUG canvas underskirt for lightness, so that I wasn’t too hot ~ this actually proved not to be the best choice. As you can see in the photos, the layers of the underskirt are in stark relief when the wind is blowing your skirt into your legs!

I wish I’d worn my normal organza petticoat, but oh well, I’ve learnt my lesson for another time. That, and wind really does make it hard to take pictures!

~ You might have already seen this series of snaps on my Instagram, but I just had to share again… He is the bestest Mister ever!  (♡ヮ♡) ∠ ❤! ~

Breezes or no, it really was such a delightful afternoon, and enjoying wonderful company amongst stunning scenery ~ it doesn’t get much better than that…  Love you my dearest!

xox,

bonita

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Ivory Lace Umbrella | Huskisson Bay Emporium
Lilac Hair Daisy | Dollar Shop
Pearl Drop Back Earrings | Ebay
Erstwilder Mint Polka Dot ‘Sacha Sleeping Fox’ Brooch | Retrospect’d {similar here}
The Sock Hop Dress | eBay {last seen on the blog here}
Canvas Underskirt in White | Pinup Girl Clothing
Snow White Peep Toe Heels | Light In The Box

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