To all who mourn in Israel, He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory. Isaiah 61:3

Saturday, November 7, 2015

A Candid Chat About Being Out of My Comfort Zone

Good Saturday evening to you all!  I hope the first week of November was kind to everyone!  The first week of November saw me turning another year older...November 3rd to be exact.  I am now 44!  I have never been this old, so am still getting used to it!  hahahahahaha!!!  I had a wonderful day, full of family, love, blessings, a lunch with my Mom at Flat Bread Pizza, (OHMYGOSH...if anyone of my fabulous readers ever gets to Meridian, let me know, I am so taking you there!!!) a dinner of spiral cut ham, mashed Yukon Gold potatoes, green bean casserole, pickled beets and steamed broccoli, carrot cake and ice cream.  (I LOVE food, can you tell?)  One highlight of the day was when Mom and I went shopping at an antique store in Nampa, specifically to purchase a hat that I had been wanting since the first week in August and happily it was still there!  It is a fabulous millinery beaut that is from the late 1930s/early 1940s!!  When I saw it I lusted after it immediately and it obediently stayed in the store until Tuesday.  I was so thrilled and had just three weeks prior to my getting it, found some great plaid fabric at a thrift store that matches the hat to perfection!  Thank you Mama for my hat!!!

This brings me to what this post is about.  As anyone who has followed this blog for any period of time knows, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Victorian to the 1920s.  It has been where I have "lived" since 2002, costuming wise and antique collecting wise since I was a little girl.  Lately however, my eye has been straying to the "Vintage" eras...1930s-1950s.  I feel as though I am having an affair on my beloved Victorian era and it pains me to no end.  Ok, not really, but it feels weird, me looking at different styles, silhouettes, accessories, and hairstyles.  I blame this new love on TV shows and Movies like "Call the Midwife", "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day", "Australia", "Mona Lisa Smile", "Lawless",  and many others.  My turning towards all things Vintage started last year while researching for Costume College.  My fabulous friend Josie and I decided to go vintage to the pool party on Thursday night and that single act planted the seed to my wayward path.  Also, my historical fashion education group, We Wear Idaho History, is wanting to branch out and demonstrate fashion worn in Idaho from the 1840s to the 1950s.  What does that mean?  It means that I now have "permission" to make vintage dresses!  Huzzah!!  (Like I need permission...)

But.....

While I am loving more and more the look of vintage, I find myself feeling a bit unnerved and anxious.  I am so used to "Antique":  The fabrics (not to mention the AMOUNT OF FABRICS), the accessories, the styles, the ever changing silhouettes, the accessories, the hats (the glorious hats!!!), the hairstyles, the underwear...the EVERYTHING!!  This era is like a warm, comfy blanket on a blustery day.  It's like hot chocolate by the fire during a snow storm.  It's like a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup when I have a cold.  It's like...you get the picture.  It's home, it's comfort, it's happiness, it's....FAMILIAR.

This new voyage into the great unknown for me of vintage is scary, foreboding. intimidating.  I know, "That's ridiculous!"  But it is a really "real" feeling for me.  I have been collecting patterns and fabrics and hats and shoes for months, and have yet to begin ironing the fabrics that have been pre-shrunk.  I feel guilty every time I go into my sewing room and see the fabrics I have been collection...I feel the stares of said fabrics as well as their judgement and condemnation.  "Hey chicken!! That's right!  You with the fear in your eyes!!  When are you going to break out the patterns and start making us!???  YOU LILY LIVERED CHICKEN!!!"  That's right.  My fabrics can be so mean and bully-ish!  I know that once I get started, I will be ok, it's just that I want to do the fabrics, patterns, hats and accessories of this era justice!  (I remember writing a post about this fear before...so it must be a real thing...)  I have been seriously trolling Vintage sewing blogs, voraciously consuming every single image they put on their blogs.  It reminds me of a person at sea gazing longingly at a waterfall of fresh water.  Some of these blogs are:


They all have wonderfully beautiful pictures of dresses made by these talented ladies.  They are even so kind as to let us know what patterns they use for their fabulous dresses!  The wealth of information and inspiration in these blogs has been so invaluable to me.  Many of these ladies have even put up with me questioning them about fabrics and hats with great grace and and knowledge! To you, I say a very hearty "Thank you!!!"

All I have to do know is take the first step....

Vintage-ness!!!!  Here I come!!!

Some of the things I have collected thus far...


My Birthday hat from my Mama!!  I am so in love with it!!  It had some pretty sad pheasant feathers that I had to replace....



Birthday hat with new feathers and the plaid found at a thrift store.  This picture is not so lovely, as it doesn't show how perfectly the hat and stripe match!!!


This is the pattern (I just found it today!!!!!) that I will use for this suit.  


Another hat from the dealer who had the burgundy straw above.  She has more that she is going to let me look at!  So excited!  This one is a tilt saucer...that's what she told me it was...



Fabric I found at Wal-Mart...It is silky and slinky and looks very much like an extant dress that I will be patterning this dress after!


Pattern for the fabric above!  I love it!


Found this awesomely sweet hat last weekend at a Flea Market.  The cherries are glass!  Aren't they charming!?



Fabric I purchased this past summer.  I can't believe how well it goes with the hat.  


I am planning on using a combination of these two patterns for the fabric above.


I found these shoes at a local thrift store for $3.50!!!  Crazy!!  During my research I found a similar pair, in much better condition, but I love that the lady who wore these got lots of use out of them!!  I love the peep toe and cut outs!!


Another pair of great shoes found at an antique store.  They fit as well and are so fun!


Another dress is planned for this.  I got the bird fabric at Wal-mart!  It looks so very similar to some reproduction 1930s fabric I have seen...so early 1930s it will be!


I got this awesome vintage plaid fabric at a Vintage store in town called "In Retrospect"  It jumped out of the drawer and screamed "BUY ME!!!"  So I obediently obliged!!  I am thinking a dress made of the plaid and a jacket made out of the black wool I had left over from my 1840s mourning dress.

A few of the patterns I have been collecting...










So....I have the fabrics, the patterns, the shoes, the hats, the purses, still working on the jewelry and underwear....All I have to do is....

JUMP!!!!

Be blessed my friends and may all of your sewing endeavors be good ones!

g

Oh yes....and because I am the way I am, I have exploded my Pinterest boards with 30s, 40s and 50s inspiration!!



21 comments:

  1. Hi! Happy birthday and good vintage-ing! Best wishes, Melinda :)

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    1. Thank you so very much Melinda!! I can't wait to get started!
      Blessings!
      g

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  2. Fabulous patterns, I'm sooo jealous! Plus, love the hats (of course!)

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    1. Thank you BT!! It has been fun collecting these new ones!
      Blessings!
      g

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  3. Good luck with your new venture. I know you will enjoy it. I love Victorian and Vintage equally and enjoy making and wearing both. And I love the fabrics and patterns you have picked out. They will look fabulous. I hope you have fun making them :)

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    1. Thank you so much JoAnne! So far, I am loving how vintage "looks" on Pinterest and other people. I am just praying that it looks good on me! I know I'll have fun when I get started...
      Blessings!
      g

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  4. Those hats are great and you will look so cute in vintage!

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    1. Thank you Vivien! I hope that I look half way decent in Vintage!!!
      Blessings!
      g

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  5. I must first say I am honored to be on such a list! <3 I love wardrobe planning posts like this and all of your ensembles sound amazing! Your hat collection is already so enviable, the larger straw hats are dreamily gorgeous! I am always on the hunt for great straw hats just like those. I am so excited to see these projects in 3D, as I am sure they will be just as wonderful as your gorgeous Victorian gowns always are!

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    1. How am I just now seeing this comment? Thank you so much for your wonderful compliments and encouragement! I really need the encouragement... I keep looking at all of your wonderful fashions and wardrobe and drooling. Of course I want it all now as you do such a fabulous job making everything look perfect!! I can't wait for this new era of costume!!
      Blessings!
      g

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  6. Happy birthday Gina! Thank you for sharing your vintage finds! I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!! Can't wait to see your vintage creations! When I started moving away from 18th century sewing to vintage (which is a HUGE jump!!) I also felt like I was cheating a little on my beloved sewing time period. However, being able to mix my vintage and reproduction clothing into my daily wardrobe has been a big plus for me. :)
    -Emily

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    1. Thank you Emily! That's too funny that you felt the same way...good to know it's not just me! I do like the idea of being able to use the vintage made pieces in my everyday wardrobe, so that's an extra bonus!
      Blessings!
      g

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  7. Once again, your eye for detail, color and design never fails to impress!! What wonderful vintage finds - the hats, fabrics, patterns! I am soo very excited to see you conquer those bullying fabrics and turn them into something spectacular, as always!! Best of luck with your new, vintage adventure & happy sewing!!
    Anneliese :)

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    1. Thank you so much for your lovely compliments Anneliese! Getting the extras right is so much fun! And thank you also for your wonderful wishes in my new adventure!
      Blessings!
      g

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  8. Very exciting, Gina! It's always a little scary to take the plunge, but I'm sure it will be ok. :) Looking forward to seeing your creations!

    Best,
    Quinn

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    1. Thank you Quinn! I am getting more and more excited about these new eras...maybe today I shall make a mock up and see how things go!
      Blessings!
      g

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  9. Yay! You can do it!! :-) And it looks like you have so many wonderful finds to keep you inspired. (those hats especially are just swell!!)

    Welcome to the dark side, mwhahaha! ;-)

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    1. Hahahaha!! You are so funny Lily! And thank you for the warm welcome! I am looking forward more and more to this new adventure!
      Blessings!
      g

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  10. Wonderful patterns, fabrics and accessories! In your capable hands they will be nothing short of outstanding when complete! You were such an inspiration to me in my own costume journey as it felt like you "wrote the book" for my Victorian costume efforts, and I know you will treat these eras with the same detail and perfection. Looking forward to watching the creations! Hugs!!

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    1. Thank you so much for your wonderful words of encouragement Jeanette! I needed them today! And thank you for your glowing compliments! If I helped you on your own journey, that is a most wonderful honor! Hugs back to you!
      Blessings!
      g

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  11. Thank you so very much! It was a most fabulous day!
    Blessings!
    g

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