Sverige

Sweden was fantastic, and I can't wait to go back.  I loved their everyday style--lots of parkas tossed over dresses or shorts and tights, walkable wood heels, great leather bags...hats and elbow patches everywhere too!  Very utilitarian, very quality-over-quantity.

Sweden 1 by lwcstyling featuring Swedish Style

It wouldn't be practical to sport a parka in this Austin weather, but I definitely have it on my list for fall.  I'm pretty sure there's an elbow patch DIY in my future too.  I'm a little obsessed :)  

Have a great weekend! XO

Back from Sweden!

It's been quite some time since I've done a real post :\  Now I'm home, but Sweden was so awesome that I'm wondering how hard it would be to move there... ;)

Here are a few photos from our trip.  Didn't do much sightseeing really, just a lot of bike-riding and wandering around.  I was really inspired by Swedish style too, but more on that tomorrow!!  XO

Hitomi Nomura

Just a quick post!  It's been a horrible, stressful, overly busy month.  By the time I get to the weekend, I've been too exhausted to really enjoy it.  Hopefully the worst is over.  :)

This weekend I dropped into an Old Navy (a very rare occurrence!) and picked up a basic white button-up that I intend to tie-dye, and a cardigan(?!) that I actually really liked.  I'll do a post on the tie-dye soon.  It's been ages since I've been able to do any DIY, it will be such a relief to get back into it.

Anyway--I just had to share this amazing clip about Hitomi Nomura, owner of the Grimoire boutique in Japan.  It's on the long side (15 minutes) but was so inspiring especially during this particular moment of my life where I am wearing t-shirts and (shudder) athletic footwear more often than is ideal.





Well, back to the grind...have a good week friends!

Capes and Kung Fu

The Sunday after Christmas, my husband & I spent some quality time lounging around, eating chocolates and watching movies!  Kung fu films have become our lazy day go-to on Netflix streaming, and we came across Red Cliff:

This is an awesome movie by the way.  I don't know if it qualifies as "kung fu" necessarily but for once, I was totally engrossed in a war movie.  At times, it seemed to fall together too easily for the good guys...but it was beautiful to watch, especially the carefully devised battles.

I was also completely smitten with all the capes!!  Here are a couple more capey shots:

Now that I think about it, cape-y pieces have been on my radar (and my To Do list) for some time.  It may have started with this Marni dress from Spring 07:

from Style.com

And then there's this look from J Crew last year--

I mean...I pretty much have to make myself a cape now.  But what direction to take it in...any suggestions?

Journeys Through Bookland

For Thanksgiving, my husband and I road-tripped our way to Phoenix to visit my family and stuff our faces.  My family is scattered all over the world, so it was really great to see some of them even if it was just for a few days.  My grandfather made the Thanksgiving dinner, and then we had a 2nd Thanksgiving of sorts on Friday, with a massive Filipino meal at my parents' house.

My grandpa let me take home some of the old books I used to read as a child, and I was so excited to sift through them all and relive those memories.  My grandparents used to live in a large, cozy house on a lake in Minnesota.  Whenever we visited, my brother and I would head for the basement and the "library" of treasured tomes in a tiny room under the stairs.  We would read, read, and read some more, and when we left for home, we were always encouraged to take some books with us.  Over the years I've slowly collected my favorite books...which were once favorites of my ancestors:

The Wizard of Oz books (I would guess that many people aren't aware this was a series!).

My great-grandmother's copies of Anne of Green Gables, & Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (first editions!!).  Also, this is Napoleon, the miniature falcon who has been known to kidnap small children!

The Patty Fairfield series, clearly a favorite of my great-aunt Barbara.

A book inscribed to my great-great-great Aunt Julia.

 When I compare these to my own modern day books, I wonder what of mine will survive 100 years from now.  What books from today will be considered classics?  And so many of my own books are paperback (because, well, they're cheaper), and will most likely crumble away before any great-great-grandchild gets her hands on them.  Which books will go the distance?

I think my project in the upcoming year will be to buy hardcover editions of the books that I really love...

Christmas Magic

I just had to share this video, which follows Bergdorf Goodman as they create their stunningly beautiful holiday windows.



Found on Coffee & Trace (a really great retail design blog!).

It's easy to become jaded about the holidays, but the magic can still be found if you look for it.  Christmas windows are probably my favorite thing, now that I'm too old for Santa Claus ;)

Coming soon--giant post about my Thanksgiving trip.  Stay tuned!

Can't Trust That Day!

It's Monday.  Enough said, right?

Here's a goodie from my Inspiration folder:

I don't remember where I found this, so if you know, tell me who to credit.

I love the creepy vibe here, but more importantly, it kind of makes me want to cover my ceiling in birdcages.  What a cool idea for light fixtures!

The Right Attitude

"I buy things because I fall in love with them. I never buy anything just because it’s valuable. My husband used to say I look at a piece of fabric and listen to the threads. It tells me a story. It sings me a song. I have to get a physical reaction when I buy something. A coup de foudre – a bolt of lightning. It’s fun to get knocked out that way!”
-Iris Apfel



I really don't buy clothes or go shopping very often.  I worked in retail for several years, and because of that shopping just doesn't feel recreational anymore.  And that's a good thing!  I think a lot of women get caught up in that shopping high, buying things that aren't needed (and sometimes returning them--shopping bulimia is a big pet peeve of mine!).  It becomes a fleeting kind of therapy.

I've had more time to sew this year than I've had in the past, and it's been much more rewarding than any shopping trip.  It's creative, yet practical.  If I think my wardrobe is lacking something, I can make it, instead of hunting down something sort-of-similar within my price range.  I'm finding that my average-girl budget can go much further with fabric and a few hours of "labor" (or, FUN!).

Now that I've been sewing regularly, I've finally found a shopping trip that I do enjoy (other than grocery shopping, that is...):  Fabric shopping!  When I walk into a good fabric shop, I really do feel like I can "listen to the threads" as Iris says.  One can feel the potential emanating from every bolt.  "What could I be?" they ask. 

I haven't stopped buying ready-made clothes altogether (see last post...actual recent purchases!), but like Iris, I prefer to wait until I "get knocked out".

P.S.  I bought a new camera this week.  I can't promise better photography, but my photos won't be grainy now.  Yay!