keeping my legs warm

I love tights, the pop of color, the chic and sophisticated look it gives nearly all dresses.

Wedding cake dress from the Velvet Shop

I didn't always used to be this way. In junior high (and probably most of high school) there was a point that no matter what the weather was, I refused to wear tights or nylons.

"They're for old people!" I cry to my mom when she'd thrust a pair of nude nylons at me. "And nylons always look fake!" She would just shake her head.

"You are going to be cold," she'd say.

And I usually was. (Why are Moms always right?)

As I entered college, and now several years out, I've embraced tights fully. (I'm wearing them right now.) I love the different patterns, colors, textures-- I could go on and on!

My only problem, and it's a big one, is how to keep from ripping them. From the moment I pull them on I'm at a risk for snagging and running each pair. In large part it has to do with the fact that I never sit still, but I also wonder if it has to do with the fact that most of my tights are cheap... really cheap.

[source]

Do you think if I sprung for a pair of $$$$ tights I would fare better? At this point it may be worth it-- I go through tights like a Starbucks addict goes through skinny mochas.


p.s. Apparently people like Miley Cyrus wear ripped tights on purpose. I don't think I'm that cool yet. (or that 80's)

busy weekend

This weekend I got a lot done for my shop...

How can I tell?

The office/guest/craft room is a mess:

I pretty much take over every surface.

to market, to market

A year-round farmer's market sounds like it wouldn't happen in Seattle.

Especially when it looks like this outside:

 

yuck.

But Seattle has multiple farmer's markets that continue all year, including two only a few miles from my house. The one I have my eye on is the Fremont Market and the past few weekends I've been doing my best to collect things to put together a display for my accessories.

I've got a shelf and now a cute little box.

the shelf is a little beat up...

the jewelry box has two drawers-- perfect to display hair clips

the fabric on the inside will need to be replaced

The only thing left is a tent. It's required for sellers at the Fremont Market and I can only say it makes sense here.

thrift and antique

There's a difference between thrift shops and antique shops.

Thrift shops are full of castoffs that determined to be cheap, affordable and perhaps in good quality.

Antique shops are full of castoffs that are determined to be worth something, in good quality and not usually affordable.

But there are always exceptions, and this one lay thirty miles north of Seattle. Two adorable antique shops that were filled to the brim with affordable, perfect treasures.

Did you have days of the week underwear? How about days of the week dishtowels?

 

I could barely resist the piles of vintage buttons

or the child's tea set:

I almost bought this:

but I didn't need it and I'm we're trying to save money.

And I justified that I needed some displays for summer farmers markets this summer so I picked up a shelf and and a jewelery box. With a little love they'll be perfect. :)

here's to you Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss gave us wockets in pockets, cats in hats, and whos. 

He sparked our imagination, and told us there's nothing to lose

If we reach for the stars and imagine the places we'll go

He reminded us that only we can limit the things we will know

So to here's to the lorax, thing 1 and the fox

Today's let's stretch our thinking outside of the box

Make up that heaping plate of green eggs and ham

Get moving, start thinking, and tell yourself you can!

[source]

Sometimes I feel like being creative isn't valued. The world wants me to be stable, to have a steady job that pays well, that actually relates to my college major. And a little part of me has always rebelled. I want to be creative, I want to think out of the box and have green eggs if I feel like it. I love that now I'm finally realizing, years after reading Dr. Seuss, the joy and importance of being creative, of being silly, of making up words and things. 

"You're off to Great Places! 

Today is your day! 

Your mountain is waiting, 

So... get on your way!" 

-The Places You'll Go 

Happy Dr. Seuss day!