Christmas Card #2, A Swing Coat, and Mrs. Claus!

Right then! Today was a "there is nothing going and nowhere I need to be" day, so I took advantage of the nothingness of the day and asked my sons if they would do a photo shoot with their old Mom.  They said they would and the following photos are the result of that agreement!  I do apologize for the exposure of the images however.  A lovely man at The Bishops' House fixed Mom's camera so that more light would be let in during inside shoots, and we of course have totally forgotten how to make it go back to how it was before.  Major editing on Picasa was used to get me to look like I hadn't just seen the back of God's head (think Moses on the top of Mount Sanai...)

Anyhoo, here they are!  I am so loving the versatility of all of these pieces that I made for this project as there are so many different outfits that can be worn and I'm not even done with all the pieces!  Huzzah!!!

Christmas Card #2

Thankfully I had a little Christmas tree that I was able to decorate like the lovely one on the card.   I used all vintage ornaments that had belonged to my Grandparents and Greg's Grandparents when they decorated their trees in the 1950s!  What fun!

Source:  Etsy

Another shot of the front of the blouse.  I used Butterick 4826 for the blouse and Vogue 8687 for the skirt.  The skirt was a pain.  There I said it.  It is actually on backward as the front of the skirt has about 10 darts that cause the waist to fit into the waist band.  A really great idea....on paper.  When I got it all sewn together and the zipper inserted, I tried it on and....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!  Those fabulous little pleats that were supposed to look so good (cause it does on the drawing on the front of the pattern) looked ridiculous on me.  Maybe if I were 4 months pregnant, it would have looked fine, but I'm not. I was totally disgusted and despondent when I happened across this image from Tuppence Ha'penny Vintage!  Thank you Lord!!!  There was a pleat in the front of the bottom middle skirt!  There was a pleat in the back of my skirt and when I twisted it around to the front, it looked exactly like the one from the catalog!!!  Hot Dog!!  So, I am wearing my skirt backward and all is well with the world!!

Vintage Swing Coat Look

(With newly made pillbox hat!)

Another look I get from the separates is this way fun swing coat look.  Not sure if that is a proper term, but I am using it.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this coat and am so happy that it did not become an Edwardian toque, muff and stole!!  I searched Pinterest for some fun Vintage advertisement and magazine poses that the models struck and so that is why I look like I do in the images below!  Hahahahaha!!  The people driving by in my neighborhood kept slowing down and waving.  I'm sure they didn't know what was going on!

 

This pose was inspired by this pose.  As was the hair.  I was thinking of how I could do a quick hair do when I came across the image of the lovely lady in the latte colored coat and red hat.  It appeared as though her hair was pulled back in a bun, just like the Christmas Card girl!!  Huzzah!  I can so do a bun!!!!

Mrs. Claus

While I was trying on the pencil skirt with the blouse, I added the black belt I made for the Christmas Card outfit and much to my delight, I realized that the outfit made a perfect Mrs. Claus outfit!!  What fun! I borrowed the Santa hat from my youngest.  I ran upstairs to get some gloves saying, "Santa wears black gloves right?"  Colton yelled back, "No!  He wears white gloves!"  White gloves it was!  The Christmas stocking is a vintage one I found years ago at a thrift store!

 

 

 

Another silly 1950s pose.  Love 'em!

Well dear friends, I am afraid that's all that I am going to get done before the New Year.  The Coat and bolero will have to wait until next year.  I have put away the sewing machine, the ironing board, the iron, the fabrics and the patterns.  I have vacuumed the floor and tidied up the sewing space in my room.  I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas!  I pray for peace, joy, contentment and for you to feel the happiness that this season brings!!

Luke 2:8-14

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.  And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you:  you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men!"

Love and blessings to you all from me!!!

g