summertime braids and prairie dresses

Vintage Pink Liberty Print Gunne Sax Dress - A trade for a pair of handmade gingham bloomers

Vintage Zodiac Ankle Boots - Tennessee Antique Mall

White Lace Socks - American Apparel

Gold Heart Locket - Forever21

Just recently, Neil and I drove over to Fort Negley Park to take these photos. We had to fight mosquitoes, fire ants, and a cactus to get some pictures in, but it was worth it.

The dress I'm wearing is very similar to the maxi Gunne Sax dress in navy velvet I own.. the structure is basically the same. I traded the dress with a lovely girl from Georgia in return for a handmade pair of bloomers. She wanted a pair of the 1940's style chambray bloomers I made last May, except in a blue and white gingham (photos soon!). Of course, I said yes.

And speaking of handmade.. the powder blue rose hair barrette is in the shop, as is the vintage eyelet lace ruffle skirt.

Now for some sad, but eventually promising, news. I'm taking a short break from blogging for the next week. I've needed time to clear my head and let new inspiration in for some time now, and I know it'll be good for me. You fellow bloggers know how time consuming blogging can be, which in itself isn't always an issue.. but when you feel pressured to get a post in, creativity can start to run a little thin. That's why I'm excited for some time to rethink my approach to this blog and dream up new visions and ideas.

I'm going to dedicate a good amount of my time off to really learning my new camera, which I can't wait to do. I'm going to mess around with sewing, watch old movies, show up early to some local estate sales, and maybe even finish a book or two. It'll also give me a chance to update the Etsy shop with some lovely dresses and things that I've promised you all a long time ago! Soon, I'll be back with an overly ambitious Sewing Saturday, a sister-inspired outfit post, a shop update filled with prairie dresses, and maybe even a giveaway from a screen printing friend.

See you all in a week!

hazy summer florals

High Waisted Taupe Riding Pants - American Apparel

Vintage Floral Crop Top - For sale in the shop

White Hair Bow - Handmade

Leather Wood Wedge Sandals - Madewell

I'm still very much figuring out my camera, so this was an experiment with taking timed photos on my own. The sun was setting in front of our house so I grabbed my tripod, borrowed this floral crop top from my Etsy, and braided my hair. I love the haziness and soft focus of the photos.

Also - these taupe riding pants! My favorite purchase so far from American Apparel.

Florida was wonderful. I fought the waves with Neil for what seemed like hours! We pushed our way deeper and deeper into the water until I was too short and he had to pick me up so I wouldn't get submerged. Besides that, we ate good seafood and played mini golf, which I officially suck at and wouldn't mind never doing again (mini golf.. not eating. I'm good at eating).

Now I'm working on a belated shop update! Also, working on a Sewing Saturday post that just never happened this weekend. All of this visiting has really set me back on blog work, so I'm going to do some serious catch up this week. I have photos of a friend's home I want to post, a pretty new Gunne Sax dress from a lovely girl I made a handmade trade with, and some exciting Nashville news to share.. more soon!

have you been keeping an advent calendar? buy one now and eat all of the chocolate to catch up to the 17th.

Photos by Zach!

Vintage Yellowed Lace Blouse - Neil's grandmother's

Dyed Black Linen Striped Shorts - Forever21

Lace Up Heels, Wooden Heart Necklace - H&M

Rose Cameo Necklace - gift from a friend

(The Twelve Days of Christmas sale ends tomorrow, you guys!)

I feel like writing like Hemingway today, although I won't beyond this paragraph. Cold outside. Meals are best eaten after midnight. The food just tastes better. Write a short story alluding to an abortion. Write about F Scott's issues with his wife. Paris has good food and goats. Add water to your wine when you are young and poor. Young and poor, young and poor, expatriate. The lost generation. Lesbian authors and Joyce.

I've recently been into the idea of black shorts to wear for the winter, so I finally just dyed a pair I already owned (I like to see this move as crafty, not cheap, although it's probably both). They have a faint pin stripe to them now, which I absolutely love. Shorts are as close as I come to pants. I am not a pants person. Nothing beats tights.

The blouse I'm wearing with the shorts is pretty special. Last Thanksgiving, I had a chance to check out the place where Neil's parents lived when they were first married with my mother in law, Nancy. Now, it's mostly just used for storage - which means it's filled with great items from Neil's parent's and grandparent's past. Some beautiful clothes were tucked away in there - including the lace blouse I'm wearing in these pictures, which belonged to Neil's grandmother before she let me have it. I had every intention of dyeing it when I received it due to a rust stain at the shoulder, but now I've become attached to the yellowed ivory shade it's already in, stain or no stain. I loved sorting through all of the old cameras and bookends and fur coats with Nancy - it really seemed as though every item told a story.

Sevier Park again! It's my new favorite picture taking place, probably because it's only a mile from where we live. I want to use the barn for photos again soon due to the old, weathered boards. I love the backdrop they create.

I've taken pictures with this rose cameo before (which is one of my favorite necklaces), and I decided to tie some cream lace to the wooden heart pendant necklace I'm wearing.

Rhi just wrote a great post about beautiful Christmas-y blue dresses, so now I'm inspired to seek out a festive dress for the occasion.. oh you guys, Christmas is so close! Are you all finished with your shopping? I ordered some things from Amazon literally two days ago and received them today. Ahh, the magic of online shopping.

vintage red velvet at centennial park

Photos by Neil!

Racing Green Wool Skirt - Vintage (gift from Ash!)

Cream Ruffle Tie Blouse - Target

Cut Out Oxford Heels - Urban Outfitters

Cream Polka Dot Knee High Stockings - American Apparel

Brown Skinny Belt - Forever21

Red Velvet Ribbon - Vintage (yard sale)

This past Monday, Neil and I took a trip to Centennial Park, namely to see the sun set on Nashville's Parthenon - and to take these blog pictures there. Ever since I posted my cold weather wish list last week, I've wanted to try out a frizzy, romantic hairstyle, so I crimped my hair a bit, pinned my bangs back, and tied a red velvet ribbon in my hair. I'm going to vary it up a bit next time.. I want to make hair bow clips out of that lovely velvet ribbon and braid my hair on the side, and I also want to try a loose up-do with frizzy, silent film hair - a bit like this pretty Victorian hairstyle.

The wool tulip skirt was a happy accident.. my sister Ash had found the skirt in a thrift store and when she washed it, it shrunk. So, she gave it to me! I hemmed it a bit shorter and now it might be my favorite new item in my closet.

After Centennial Park, we crossed the road and had a Borders date!

Monday was also the day that Neil heard some good news.. he interviewed for a seafood position at Whole Foods last week, and he got it! This has been a dream of his for awhile now.. I swear he's applied to fifteen different positions at Whole Foods in the past few months. What he really wants is to become a Whole Foods regional buyer or specialist, so he can be in charge of choosing which wine or cheese or produce the store sells. Now that he's working there, he's one step closer to his goal!

And that's good news for me, too. We now get 20% off everything at Whole Foods. All of that fantastic cheese just became a little bit more accessible.

It's fulfilling to know that both of us are on a path towards doing what we absolutely love.. and in the meantime, feeling content with where we are. So while we were at Borders, Neil looking through cookbooks and me looking through fashion magazines and Joseph Campbell books, things felt right. That sort of feeling you get when you're surrounded by things that you identify with, that are a part of you. Coffee, folklore, fashion, Neil. To be yourself and to be complete - nothing beats that.

And speaking of fashion magazines.. I bought (a Norse mythology collection and) Lula! It's inspirational and full of redheads. I've started making some hair pieces that have been inspired by the magazine, all of its lace and goodness and old world glamour. Posting on them soon!