southern plantations, tennessee wineries, and honky tonk downtowns. a nashville visit with my family

I told you guys recently about last weekend, when my whole family came down to celebrate my parent's 30th and explore Tennessee. We hung out at old plantation homes, pretty wineries tucked away in Tennessee farmland, ate salt and pepper chocolate, and even did a Nashville downtown walk with my sister Rhi and Drew.

Here are some more photos from the trip, my absolute favorites.

Rhi posted lovely photos of the visit, check out winery photos here and downtown goodness here! It's incredible what Drew can do with his new camera.

This weekend is another family visit, but this time with my in laws! We're in Florida celebrating a wedding of one of Neil's sister's childhood friends. They had a pretty ceremony on the beach, really simple and intimate, and today we'll be swimming and indulging in some touristy, cheesy fun like bumper boats and mini golf. Last night, Neil and I snuck out late to take a beach walk, and I couldn't tell where the water ended and the sky began. The ocean is intimidating at night!

We head home tomorrow through Alabama, where we pass a record number of run-down flea markets that I would give my left arm to visit. And if you like hot boiled peanuts, Alabama has them - about five peanut stands per mile. I'm hoping to take photos of it all. While I really love corny tourist traps (I REALLY do.. where else can you find so much fried food?), there is a lot of charm in the old southern houses and junk-piled antique shops Alabama has, and it fits me better.

Hope your weekends have been fun! Last, but not least - today is the last day to take advantage of the buy one, get one free sale at the shop!

sewing saturday no. 7.. a finished liberty print jumper!

I've finished my first dress, you guys! What do you think?

The final steps of the jumper included..

Sewing the buttonholes. My machine has a buttonhole function which made the job ridiculously easy. I fit the button into the buttonhole foot (when the button is fitted into the foot, it automatically measures what size hole you need for the button), attached the foot to my machine, pulled the buttonhole lever down, and sewed the buttonhole on the right part of the strap.

Sewing the zipper. I switched to the zipper foot, lined the zipper up with the pressed edge in the back, and sewed near the coil.

Attaching rick rack to the pockets and bodice.

I also sewed buttons onto the bodice, sewed the straps to the back of the bodice (originally, the straps were supposed to be crisscrossed in the back, but they weren't long enough), and finished the hem of the skirt. I decided against the ruffle, although those pieces are still all cut out, so I can always add it later on.

And here is the finished product!

Overall, I feel really good about the jumper. I made some mistakes (like adding the shoulder straps after I added the bodice facing!) and didn't always stitch in straight lines.. but for my first project, I think it turned out well. I honestly can't wait to dive into my next sewing pattern. I've got one week to finish this dress, so no procrastination this time around!

Mule Days was filled with fried food and plaid goodness. Here are some photos from our day.

Happy weekend, all!

an easter holiday, pastel celebration

Vintage Polly Flinders Smocked Pastel Dress - via Etsy

Cream Floral Tights - H&M

Cutout Lace Up Heels - Made by Elves, Urban Outfitters

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend!

We had a very laid back, low key celebration at the Leifheit household. My aunt and uncle came over and we went to a late church service, where we had a chance to watch Alison Krauss sing some hymns (my parents go to the same church as she does, apparently!). We came back to sit on the porch and talk for a few hours before an early supper of ham, Neil's brioche, my dad's potatoes au gratin with white cheddar, and asparagus.. and blueberry cheesecake for dessert. And in the evening, more sitting around, more wine, more talking. More Cadbury egg eating. We had intentions of watching The Fantastic Mr. Fox (Neil and I made an Ash tube sock mask for Bloom last week), but it just never happened. It was perfect.

I love holidays where nothing is planned and everyone is relaxed. I really missed my sisters, though. Fortunately, I'll be with them next year for Easter.. maybe we can dye eggs together and write obscene things on them with the invisible crayon! It's our favorite sisterly Easter tradition, and it's one we'll probably never grow out of.

That's all for tonight. Time for some buttonhole sewing, package packing, and Mass Effect playing.

in the country and the sun is on our shoulders.

Pictures by Neil Winter.. except for the ones OF Neil Winter, of course.

70's Cream and Green Mini Dress - thrifted

Black Floral Hair Comb, Lace Crinoline - handmade

Black Polka Dot Tights, Lace up Heels - H&M (gifts from Rhi! I love them both)

Another string of beautiful days lately. On our way to my grandparent's house the other day, Neil and I left the interstate to drive through the country, and we found this little hamlet. A pretty white house, all sorts of fencing, a neat pond and a million different sheds and barns - all red, all losing their paint, all fantastic.

It's funny. Before I lived in the city, all I could think about was how great city life would be. Now that I'm in Nashville, I'm lusting after serene fields and the woods. I want the country back.. nearly enough to move. Nearly.

This is the dress I told you guys about - the one that makes me feel like I belong in a marching band! I'm wondering whether it's from the 60's or 70's. Rhi thinks 70's, and she knows better than I do.

The dress is rather short, so I took out the hem and left the hem tape on the edges - it's a pretty lace, and I'm still debating whether or not to keep it as is or sew it back underneath. I mean, hem tape isn't supposed to be used as a trim, but who cares about conventional sewing? Who cares about convention, period? Really. Do your own thing. Still deciding, though.

It's the weekend! We met up with cool friends last night to have dinner, Starbucks, and watch a great movie - Citizen Kane. Our copy of the film has a documentary on the parallels between William Randolph Hearst's life and Orson Welles'.. watching the documentary adds so much to the actual film. When you know the obstacles Welles had to overcome just to get the picture released, it makes you appreciate it so much more. Not to mention the fact that these are real men's lives, not just an interesting story about some fictitious tyrant.

Citizen Kane equals not overrated.

Tonight is an inside night. Just Neil and I and some pizza and some wine. I can't wait.