Daily Dose of Glamour

I watched Shall We Dance (Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire) the other night. The plot wasn't perfectly construed nor was the romance between Ginger and Fred entirely believable, but the clothing, interior design, and music were of course fabulous. That is why I love watching movies from the 1930s! I need a dose of glamour quite often; here are some lovely photos just in case you need one too(: 

DIY: Retro Swimsuit

Retro swimsuits are so in style right now. I've actually been wanting one for years. Every time I see  a high-waisted bikini in a vintage fashion book or calendar I want to climb  right into the photo and slip into the swimsuit myself. Modcloth has adorable retro swimwear, and I love looking at their website. I've thought about ordering a swimsuit from them, but their suits are usually about $100 and I hate to spend that much when I know I could make something similar for about half the price. So, when I found pink gingham swimwear fabric at Hancock Fabric I decided to go ahead and try making my own retro swimsuit.

I wasn't afraid to try sewing swimwear; I've sewed one suit before and it's really not that much different than sewing anything else. For me the biggest challenge was finding a retro pattern. Original vintage patterns are harder to find, can be more expensive, and don't come with detailed instructions and multiple sizing like the more user-friendly patterns of today. Most pattern companies do offer a variety of vintage reproduction patterns, but I haven't been able to find any  swimsuit patterns. So, I decided to combine two different patterns(which I got on sale for $1 each!) and tweak them. This is the pattern I used for the top:

This is the pattern I used for the bottom- I chose it for the higher waist and lower cut leg.

After choosing my patterns, I began purchasing supplies. The pattern called for a few things I hadn't used before: polylaminate foam, cotton swimwear elastic, and featherlite swimwear boning. I bought my fabric and lining at Hancock Fabric, but their notions stock is AWFUL. They didn't have any of the other things I needed. Joann's(yes, I drove all the way to Spartanburg) has a great notions stock(but interestingly, not a great fabric selection/ store layout). There I found the elastic and boning. Apparently polylaminate foam is not to be found in Greenville. You can order it from a website called sewsassy.com but I found it a little bit cheaper on Etsy.

After finally tracking down all the materials I needed, I finally began sewing. Warning: this was NOT an easy project. I've done a lot of sewing, and I still found it challenging. Frustrating. Tear jerking. But worth all the hard work in the end. This is the final product:

I added a ruched panel to the front of the bottoms(it is so figure flattering!).

Now that I've finished this project, I'm off to start working on a 60's blouse!

-Sarah

Painting the Roses Red

I spent yesterday afternoon reading a classic novel in a rose garden surrounded by lovely blooms and their sweet perfume...it was so elegant and delightful that I went back today and took some pictures. One of the gardeners happened to be there and I learned a few things. First, did you know that Greenville has a Rose Society? I didn't! Also, apparently purple is the most difficult color of rose to cultivate. If you live in the area, you should go spend an afternoon there. I think that the gardener was quite pleased that I appreciated his work and told me to tell my friends about it, so I am! This is the Shaw Rose Garden on East Camperdown Way.

Rockport

My brother graduated from college yesterday! Seeing him graduate made me reminisce on my own college graduation; as I was looking through pictures, I came across these photos from my graduation trip to New England. These photos were taken in Rockport, MA, and the red building is Motif Number 1 (a famous subject for painting used by art students). I LOVE the New England coast!!! Rockport is such a beautiful idyllic little town, and I'd love to go back someday and share it with my husband.

Summer Camp

I have always loved the idea of a classic summer camp.  You know, like the one in the American Girls Book Molly Saves the Day? Or the one in the original movie The Parent Trap? On our way back to Greenville from our anniversary trip a few weeks ago my husband and I stumbled upon the most idyllic summer camp ever. We stopped to explore it for a while, and I wished that I was still a kid so I could go to camp ... If I had kids, I would totally send them here!

Basil Mint Iced Tea

Lately I've been making hot tea with fresh herbs from my garden...it's so easy! No need to bother drying them; just snip off a stem or two and steep for a few minutes. Two combinations that I've enjoyed are thyme or rosemary with lemon and honey. I decided to try iced tea a few nights ago and it was sooo good! Perfectly light and refreshing for the upcoming summer months, so I thought I would share.

First, pour local honey and freshly squeezed lemon juice (to taste) in a jar.

 Add one basil leaf and a sprig of mint(I used two basil leaves but I think I would just use one  next time).

Add hot water(make sure it is HOT. I waited until my tea kettle whistled).

After it steeps for several minutes, remove the herbs, let it cool somewhat, and pour over a glass of ice.

Garnish with another sprig of mint(I used trailing mint).

Cheers!