Living Room Tour

The living/dining room is done for now-- or as "done" as a room ever is, I suppose-- and I finally got around to taking photos today! We still have to do something with the windows (maybe these shades?) and replace our sofa, but I'm happy with everything for now. It definitely feels very home-y. Right now we're working on the porch and my room, so hopefully I'll have more photos to share in a couple of weeks.

Skirt: Acquired.

This skirt has been on my Modcloth wishlist for months and was sold out every time I tried to buy it. I finally got it last week. Love! It fits wonderfully (buttons up front, elastic in back), it's a great length and has pockets. I can see it being a favorite this fall. The top is a reconstructed tee from Etsy-- I bought it reconstructed from a large shirt, but it's still pretty loose and I need to make some adjustments when I set up my sewing machine.

I've been so boring lately, you guys! I've just been doing the same old things, with a lot of Doctor Who marathoning mixed in, and apparently it's going to rain every day for the rest of the summer which is nice when I want to stay in but not so much on other days. Although I suppose it's better than being in a drought again so I should probably not complain. I don't even have any new knitting projects to share because I'm still trying to get the last of my commissions done, but I really need to hurry if I'm going to get a head start on fall projects (and really, fall knitting is the best thing ever).

Modcloth skirt
Etsy tee
H&M flats

Craft Room Inspiration

I'm about to start painting and organizing what will soon be my craft room, so I thought I would share a few favorites from my inspiration folder. It's really going to be a kind of craft room/closet/place for my collections, because I always need extra closet space and have a lot of yarn and dolls and toys and things. Since we moved in I've been using it as a Things I Don't Want To Deal With At The Moment room which means I have some serious cleaning up ahead of me, ahh! (FYI: Never do that, you're only hurting yourself.)

I love the thought of displaying my yarn openly like in #1, and of lots of open shelving like #3, and the last photo is positively dreamy. Also, the rake-head-as-necklace-holder is a brilliant idea and I might have to steal it! Right now I don't really have a clear plan for the room, I just know that I'm painting it Martha Stewart's Ballet Slipper Pink and I want it to feel very cozy and warm. I have very limited shelving at the moment (don't I always?!) so it's going to take a while to get everything together, but I'm so excited about eventually having my own little area in the house.


**All images (except #2 from Bits & Bobbins) taken from Apartment Therapy.

A Summer Uniform

I know, every blogger makes at least one post per season about the importance of a summer/winter uniform, but with good reason-- there comes a time (especially in summer) when new outfits are incredibly hard to come by because it's far too hot and uncomfortable or cold and ridiculous to bother with it anymore. My summer uniform has consisted of loose dresses and shorts paired with slip-on flats and tucked-in tops. Simple, but without making me feel like I've given up (which is very important in 100+ degree heat). These oxfords are especially nice and summer-y because they're very good walking shoes, which is particularly useful for when I decide to stop being a hermit and walk the dogs or go downtown.

I seem to be coping with the heat much better than usual, by the way, but I've lost my patience with it and have started really looking forward to fall! It'll be interesting to see fall in Wilmington; I didn't pay attention to it when I lived here before and last year I was in St. Louis, which has the most perfect fall ever. It'll be kind of impossible to beat St. Louis and Tower Grove Park, but since autumn is super short here anyway I'll have to make a conscious effort to appreciate it.

Thrifted top and shorts
Thrifted vintage oxford flats and bag

What I'm Making: Kater's Ravenclaw Bag

Gooooo Ravenclaw!

This bag is from the fantastic HP Fair Isle Pouch Bag pattern by Rosemary Waits and I'm so beyond happy with it. The pattern is somewhat easy if you like fair isle, but I definitely may have had to undo about 3/4 of it because I messed up the pattern without realizing (worst feeling ever). I made it as an early birthday present/Deathly Hallows part 2 celebration gift for my pal Kater and actually managed to get it finished and mailed to her before the premiere! Ahh!

It's fully lined in gray fleece leftover from making dog pajamas at Christmas (ahem) and has a magnetic snap closure. I really need to do a Slytherin one for myself, but like usual I have about two gift-projects left to do before I have any time for me-projects.

Also, I highly recommend Berroco Ultra Alpaca for this bag-- it's sooo soft and knits up beautifully, perfect for fair isle.

Pattern Notes:

• Changed crochet strap to an i-cord
• Inverted the colors to make the eagle bronze
• Left off the tassels
  
• 1 Skein each Berroco Ultra Alpaca in Mahogany Mix and Navy