Frumpy Thrift Shirt Makeover

Saw this photo on Grosgrain's site today and hopped over to find the tutorial. She's taken a silk thrift store shirt and flipped it around, popped off the sleeves and collar, and turned it into something pretty and chic. I'm in love. I've forever finding dumpy thrift shirts in beautiful fabric that need to be turned into something else, and this is perfect.

Using Fabric Neurosis

I've started collecting vintage textiles from thrift stores. Pillowcases, sheets, napkins, tea towels, scrap fabric. The problem is I think I'm slowly becoming a compulsive old-lady hoarder. Everything is too precious! What if I use it and find the perfect project for it later?

I used to just buy enough fabric for a certain project with all the matching notions and coordinating fabrics at once and then not have anything leftover. Now I find myself buying something thrifty because it's crazy, one of a kind, or real cheap yardage I know I can eventually get a use of. Is this just a different process? Or is it the sale mentality taking over the free space in my studio?

My other problem is the total inability to separate a set. If there's two pillowcases and I only need one, I can't bear to leave the other one behind. If there's a matched fitted and flat sheet, it paralyzes me to purchase half of the set and leave the mis-matched spare behind. Is that normal?

On top of that, I have a hard time harming something if it's in good condition. Bundle of 6 coordinating 1950's tea towels with the tags still on scented with cedar hope chest, slated to become pillows or aprons or totes have been relegated to the stack of things I don't dare harm but simply want to look at. Vintage slip that fits perfectly and is wonderfully detailed, previously planned to be dyed and embellished with bundles of lace gets pulled into regular rotation as an everyday underthing instead of a standout slip dress. I could go on and on.

How does one approach their hoarding mentality and get the original use out of something instead of letting it stack up around them? How do I begin to reconcile leaving behind doubles of pillowcases and sheets?




image from here

31 Days to Better Photos

Read all the way through these 31 days to a better photo tips since there's always something out there to learn! Such a great, broken down into bite sized pieces way to pick up a little more about good photography.

Photo is my own, peonies from last year.

Alice Dress Tutorial

Keep seeing these everywhere, and haven't bought one yet because I can't find one that's "just right." Take the guesswork out by making your own, using this cute tutorial. Love the colors and patterns she used together, so fun!

Loose Fitted Top Tutorial

Cuuutte american apparel style flowy t shirt how-to. Perfection.
Tutorial here.

Fabric Organizers

I'm totally curious about these fabric organizers. There's tabs to pop in the ends, then you just wind it around, like a regular bolt of fabric, except mini and at home. It's kind of genius. Seen here.

Red Lipstick

I love red lipstick.

No, that wasn't emphatic enough. I want to bring it home to meet my parents, but mostly I want to take it out, get it a little tipsy and feel it up at a bar, then take it home, marry it and live together forever.

It's like a push up bra for your face. With one swipe you go from being ho-hum to bam! You skin looks smoother, your eyes brighter, your teeth whiter. I'm certain it's a cure all, much like classic red nail polish and perfect pair of black pumps or a black pencil skirt. It's the answer to everything, I'm sure of it.

And people will treat you differently. You'll get winked at in the post office line, your coffee paid for by the mysterious fellow ahead of you at the coffee shop. Bus seats clear. The skies open. Your luck will change, I'm serious.

I'm currently in love with the color sensation from Maybelline. Red Revival. I like the packaging, I like the texture and color, and I like that it's only $5.50 for a tube. I bought a really pretty red from lancome for $22, but it's not as perfectly pinuppy retro as this one for a quarter the price. Try it, I dare you.