Thrift Thursday: Madamoiselle Secretary and a Side of Sugar

First things first. Jacob IS "Rolf" in "The Sound of Music". The part he was afraid to get. They do multiple casts so he also "stage crew" and "party-goer"... But for half of the performances he is the teenage (ironic) Nazi heartthrob, with a romantic duet, and dance number, and all. As a former stage brat... I seriously, couldn't be more thrilled. This is a huge step out on a limb for him. He was pretty well talked into joining the company by myself and his pal Alex in the first place. He had no personal aspirations toward the stage whatsoever. And just in case you were wondering, despite being mildly coerced, he was practicing his song and lines as we climbed down from the top of Yosemite Falls (anything to distract us from the agony of the feet, and legs) and I think, if he can get the dance down... He's going to nail it.

Go, Jake! Trying something new!

Now back to our regularly scheduled blog:

Okay, I was almost done thrifting when...

I couldn't resist posing with it since it matches my pants

I found this. Which I don't personally need, as I am already too big for it. But there it was. And I wanted to paint it and fix it and line the inside with Addison Endpapers papers. And wax it with beeswax. And find tiny pens and pencils and stationary for it. I already own a perfect "to scale" glass lamp for the top. I simply couldn't and didn't resist.


And just in case you hoped to see something Cuter:




My son's buddy Michael brought his new kitten over to meet me. Michael may be my new favorite of my son's friends. How cool was that, to bring me this baby to cuddle? Seriously, what a treat! And it let me practice my photography on a fun subject.

Happy Father's Day

Hooray for Father's Day.

Fashion Friday: New Vintage Wardrobe Project #22 The Tuxedo Tunic

Here it is.... the first from my mind blowing new stash of gorgeous patterns!


Butterick 5814 Misses Cover-up .
I rendered mine is a beautiful handkerchief weight Egyptian cotton.
I had a vision to combine 2 trends from the last couple of summers,




the tunic and the tuxedo (or ruffles) which worked really well, since I didn't need to buy any additional braid or anything for embellishment.



I ended up having to do some pretty extensive alterations to make it fit well, including a couple of long deep back darts.



But I really like the way it hangs much better now.

I do actually wear this as a cover up over my bathing suit..but this isn't that kind of blog... and I like that it is versatile too, so we feature it here as option b.

The ruffles were made seperately, pinked, stitched to prevent ravel and pleated using a ruffler foot attachment. Then I pinned them in place and stitched over the top holding the facings out of the way.



I could have hemmed the ruffle or made little tubes but I wanted the tunic to feel very casual light and breezy and I was running short on materials!

The seams were all finished using the flat felled method.


I love this one. the sleeves are the length I wanted. I feel pretty and comfortable in it and I an thinking of making another that is more tailored out of a light linen with some embroidery.

Sorry to disappoint those of you who thought that maybe I would make something wildly "Mrs, Roper-ish". that would have been fun too.. but my closet has limits and so do I!

Thrift Thursday: Random Bits and My First Summer Book

The thrift store is still yielding little treasures.

I found an owl and a stamped aluminum bowl with nice detail. I Love that the owl is standing on some books. I should make him my summer reading program mascot.



I found exciting vintage sequins with excellent patina. About a 1/2 cup for a dollar.



And I found a worn old library copy of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park with vellum covered illustrations. I enjoyed it very much but thought it ended more abruptly than her others.
First book in my summer reading program all done and it's not yet summer.



Next book is vintage 1994 David Sedaris short stories. Yeah! Kind of the other end of the comic book spectrum from Miss Austen.

Well I'm off to pick up a carload of boys from the summer theatre program and to find out if Jacob got his dream role as the non-singing butler in The Sound of Music.

Cross your fingers folks! If they make him stretch and cast him as Rolf... he will be inconsolable.

Oh and a big thanks to Craftzine and to Fairie's Gate for featuring some Betty. It get's harder and harder to stay bitter here in blogland!

Tutorial Tuesday: Peek-A-Boo Rick-Rack trim

Here is a tutorial I whipped up while I was making some fresh curtains for my newly repainted kitchen.

Peek A Boo Rick Rack Trim:

This trim is a joining style trim. I used it to join panels for a kitchen valance but it would be really cute joining a contrasting hem on a skirt or the top and bottom of a cute sundress, or on the edges of a tablecloth.



You will need fabric and rick-rack enough for your project, an iron and a threaded sewing machine. Top stitching needle and quilting thread are prefferable but not required.

1)Iron in a double folded hem that is a quarter inch wide on the edge of the materials you want to attach with the ric-rack.


2) Use a small stitch to attach the tips of the points of the rick rack to the outside edge of your hem. This is difficult to pin, so I set my machine to a slower speed and used the pinch and pray* method. (*where you adjust as you go with your fingers and hope it all works out.)

3) Next, I flipped it over and top stitched the other side of the hem using the foot and the stitchline from the rick rack seam as my guide

4) Then I repeated the process, attaching the second piece of fabric to the other tips of the rick rack points
5) And then top stitching the other folded hem edge.

All other heming and construcion was completed after I finished this process. Take your time, and it is as easy as pie.

I do hope someone finds this cute and useful. Let me know if you try it! I'd love to see some more projects!

Stitch on Sisters and Brothers!,
Betty

Made it Myself Monday: I am Lying To Myself

His name is Sylvester, after the donkey in 'Sylvester and the Magic Pebble'.
One of those "be careful what you wish for" fables.

This is a one of a kind. It is the only holiday gift I have finished so far.... and I make a lot... and I had a goal of being done by my birthday in October. Early October.

Go On.. Get Your mule on.
Japanese Craft Book "Animal Mascots"
ibsn:978-4-391-62420-5

So that means I need to finish about 2 gifts a week, and never fail, from now until my birthday, all other distractions not withstanding...
I will try, but, that goal might be a leeeettle bit too lofty.

Just a leeeeettle.

Hey there Santa! You're getting snow in my swimsuit! I mean I know why I want to get started but I feel kinda Obsessive putting any real pressure on myself here at the beginning of summer vacation. I guess I'll just start with the toys. They always feel like playing anyways.

All Yours (But feeling more Selfish than Elfish),
Betty

Haven't I Seen You Somewhere Before?

[T]ime is infinite, but the things in time, the concrete bodies, are finite. They may indeed disperse into the smallest particles; but these particles, the atoms, have their determinate numbers, and the numbers of the configurations which, all of themselves, are formed out of them is also determinate. Now, however long a time may pass, according to the eternal laws governing the combinations of this eternal play of repetition, all configurations which have previously existed on this earth must yet meet, attract, repulse, kiss, and corrupt each other again..."

Heinrich Heine

We are all of this and nothing.

Big Wet Kisses from the Deep End of the Wading Pool,

Betty

So Where Ya Been Betty? Saturday

Man... Where do I start. I have been everywhere and up to everything.

Last I checked in here you saw me scrubbing my ceilings. That was fun and productive and all that goody goodness. It was all part of a grand effort that went far beyond a mere spit and polish!

Later that weekend, I retired to Indian Springs in Calistoga to do a little Spa-ah down time with a lovely group of ladies.

Spa Ladies
( Polaroid Land Camera Photo. Kristen Jones Photographer)

I think this is the 7th year ( 6th for me) that this annual get away has happened. This year we took a bike tour of the local wineries to boot.

Bike portrait with basket damage
( Polaroid Land Camera Photo)

Fine Winery
( Polaroid Land Camera Photo)

That was a kick and improved the experience of soaking in the geyser heated waters of tranquility.

Indian Springs Pool
( Polaroid Land Camera Photo)

It was also the perfect time to show off some great New Vintage Wardrobe creations... and I will hopefully have them for the blog very shortly.

I threw a tiny but festive 42nd Birthday dinner for my Mister.

Over the last couple of months we kicked it into high gear on the fix up/clean up front to get ready for our families to gather for Jake's Middle School Graduation. (High School next year???... gulp.) He has now officially survived 3 of the most universally acknowledged as harrowing years of the human experience. I want to thank all of our loving family members who came to celebrate. We love you all, so much.

the Graduate

I'm working on gathering some before and after pics of the many little home improvement projects we took on, but my computer is acting like a neglected boyfriend and is acting out. Falling asleep in the middle of my projects, etc. Perhaps it needs a trip to the computer spa.

Anyway, for those of you who have been leaving comments and asking questions and checking in, I send my smooches and gratitude and I will be getting to the aging pile of emails as well.


Phew.. Well here's to summer! I hope it's a gem!

Here's to Splashing in your Sprinkler,
Betty