Monday, July 29, 2013

The classic Shirtdress

First installment into the new Wardrobe :: The all-time classic Shirtdress.
This lil grey + red pinstriped beauty is made from a beautiful quality thick cotton.  Dolled up by a quick iron, my red Sandgrens + red pearls (thats what they are to me::giggle) ~ this recently thrifted number is the perfect fit in more ways than one.
Now the other reason I am in need of a new Wardrobe, is I need a bit of a style make-over, a new look for a new chapter. Unfortunately, pregnancy introduced me to the elastic waisted jeans....+ I have only given them up recently(so comfy ~ i'm glad I didn't know about these years ago!). In addition, this new mama body of mine is... a touch different than the old me ~ there are some lumps + bumps where they never used to be and a lil extra cuddly stuff all over. So I just have to adapt, and start with some clothing items that make me feel comfortable in my skin.  

Friday, July 26, 2013

The Clipboard.

The clipboard The Clipboard The Clipboard What a Fabulous Finding :: 3 preloved clipboards! There are so many scrumptious ideas out there for using Clipboards + organizing...that I really need to just settle on one for now!
 
Anyways today I thought I would share a funny story of mine about the use of a Clipboard::
I know a chap, he is hilariously cheeky but to see him, you would think he is a serious grown up. He wears a suit + tie and is very high up on the food chain for a big big company. We were chatting about work + life one day, he told me that I work too hard, and if he could give me one tip in life...it was to get a clipboard. He informed me that if you have a clipboard, walk with a mission + have a perplexed look on your face ~ even if its too the lunchroom, washroom or to no where specific....people will think that you are busy, very busy and therefore very important! Thus i'm very fond of the Clipboard :: giggle.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

The July Book Collection.

July Books July Books July Books July Books July Books July Books
The July Book Collection is made up of some materials i've been thumbing through this month.
 
Well as I've been thinking about what to actually put in my wardrobe, my Stitch with Style magazine is the perfect place to get a lil inspiration + patterns!!  Every year my parents get me a subscription to a magazine for my birthday(at the beginning of the year)...so this year I thought i'd try a sewing mag to help me get back in the saddle.  And that collar, how absolutely gorgeous ~ and what is it made from :: vintage hankies!
 
Next book.....the Handmade Marketplace  by Kari Chapin.  I've had it for a while now, but I thought it would be a good book to re-visit this month, theres bits + pieces that are super helpful, and a touch different from  Craft Inc which I read last month.  Its also illustrated by one of my big time girl crushes Miss Emily Winfield Martin.
 
And the last book....a Little Golden Book of Hansel + Gretel which was my Mr's from many moons ago.  Funny how those gold spines can bring back to your childhood.  So we decided to read it to Bea one day (even though she is too little) + I guess I had forgotten the storyline for some reason....'oh my' what a horrific story!  Thanks goodness for cute vintage illustrations of pudgy lil kids!

Monday, July 22, 2013

Sunday drive


Its been so so hot, so our Sunday Drive (which we decided to do on Saturday!) had to include water.  So we headed to a beach/lake just outta town - ended up being the perfect place, not too many peeps, shady trees, and grass to set up shop ( I love sand in my toes, but little people, eating + sand don't go together so well).  What was also pretty spectacular was the ocean of water lilies on part of the waters edge ~ perfect for foolin around with my camera. Infact a bride + her entourage showed up to take their wedding photos in a row boat amongst the lilies....so thought it would be best to put the camera away, as I didn't want to come across as a random crazy stalker. 
Anyways was a special day for us, as our lil baby Bea turned 9 months old, so really she is double her age, if that makes sense.  Funny how the 9 months in your belly  seems to take forever.  Well I have to say she is a pretty good little friend to have ~ she is a crazy talker + dancer, but quiet in a crowd, loves to eat anything/everything + is completely obcessed with her tongue, think we'll keep this one :: giggle.
 
photos::
1.   the ocean of Water Lilies
2.   leathery leaves + elegant flowers
3.   Families, beach towels + flip flops against the the lovely scenery of emerald lake water and     orchards.
4.   New bathing suit
5.  lots of swimming with Daddio
6.  The drive home, we passed by fields + fields of  pretty pink Echinacea
7.  Quick tub time before bed

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Hot date with the..bookwork


photo :: Beca Runs
Already 1/2 way through July, and we still have lots of exciting stuff to get through!! So since we are still in the month of Organization, I thought it might be a good idea to twinkle our toes into the bookwork side of things + that way we'll be organized for next months topic ~ the #numbers#!
Now an itty bit of important information is...there is so much help out there in the universe that is FREE or splendidly affordable :: google search being your best place to start!
So lets talk about accounting software ~ truthfully, i've always been quite retro in this department, like I'm in love with pencils, paper + erasers, but I guess thats because i'm such a tactile sorta person. Unfortunately ~  i'm being left in the dust + creating more work for myself than need be.....so its time to move on + get with the program. Learning something new is on the list :: so me,the computer + accounting software are going to be have some hot dates for the next lil while. You don't actually need the best of the best when starting out - you just need to learn the ropes, so there are free options like Wave accounting, Gnucash, or  there are nifty sites like Quickbooks Online and Stitch labs depending on your budget.

 

Spending a little time to research what might work for you + your situation, is the best idea ~ then knuckle down, coffee in one hand, papers/receipts in the other (I might keep my pencil behind my ear, just in case)...and go for it

Monday, July 15, 2013

Fabulous Findings


Running a touch behind schedule, sorry folks...the lil girl + I have been suffering from 'Tummy-i-tous'~ however we are on the mend + picking up speed! YiPpY!! Anyhoos just thought i'd share some of my last weeks fabulous findings. Definitely have to have this scrumptious vintage Cherry Blossom fabric in the F/W 2013 Collection.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

The B.Plan

Source :: Lola's Room
Okay, its time to start typing up a Business Plan!

Yep we need to jot all those fantabulous ideas down so the whole thing makes sense, and we have something to look at in times of need, going to see those bank folk + to keep us on target (a plan is kind of like your hard tasking boss)
The first plan I wrote was ages ago + 35 pages long (yikes). Did I look at it?? once or twice, did I use it? Nope! Now that I look back at it, it was totally unrealistic + a bit of a pipedream. But thats the  one advantage about time...you can learn a lot. Nowadays, plans seem to be more relaxed, short + too the point, 10 - 15 pages, information in bullet format ~ which I think is going to work very well for moi!

I'm kind of excited to write my plan again, as a lot has changed ~ I have always been stubbornly independant (ie; I've always done what I wanted to do, when I wanted...borderline selfish ::giggle!), but now that I have a family, the plan is going to have to be 150% realistic + i'm probably going to need help! The biggest lesson that I have learned in Biz:: you can't actually do it all yourself.  You really need peeps...they can keep you motivated, give you amazing ideas (or know other people that might) + they're probably way better at certain tasks than you.  Everyone of us has a special talent!!

So using my rule of 3's, i've found 3 spectacular resources to help us write the Bestest B.Plan Ever or BBPE ::

1. Okay i'm not working on commission but Craft Inc by Meg Mateo Ilasco is awesome, its like a encyclopedia of crafty goodness jam packed into a tiny blue book (definitely my go to book)...she has a couple more books i'm drooling over too.
2.  The Wonder Thinking Business Plan-o-Rama workbook....a free + fun downloadable workbook, which I have just printed off for myself!
3.  Design Sponge...is a wonderful place to get lost in - and has a rather good section called Biz Ladies, which has a wealth of businessing information.
 
So i'll be working away at my snazzy new BBPE throughout the next couple of months, i'm sure i'll be changing a few things on it here + there, as the next few months we'll be learning a tonne of good stuff.

Monday, July 8, 2013

July :: lets get organized

Organised Chaos
source:: redredrobin
Yippy i'm so excited for the month of July!  Getting organized is the #1 thing on my list...and instead of looking at it as a chore (this task does not come naturally to moi!) I'm finding ways to make it fun!!
 
Now having a Mr that works outta town, a lil babe, 2 big dogs in a small house has really made me change my attitude to being organized too.  If I put my mind to it....life can run like a well oiled machine, everything is smooth, everybody is happy + I get to bed early!(this is key!)  Now if I have my lazy pants on....well...its not pretty ~ everybody ends up crying, even the dogs, my house + brain look like the photo, its 11pm and the thought of doing it again tomorrow is frightening.
 
So the thing is, a lil effort  everyday goes a long way, both in your personal + business life
 
First up, a good purge(of stuff!) is in order.   Honestly its great for the soul + gets you on a good roll.  I've already started in my clothing department, i'm in the process of going through all my business stuff, and I now leave a tote bag by the back door, so that when I come across items that are of no use to me....they go in the tote, which is then dropped off at a local charitable cause.

a decluttered environment = a decluttered brain :)
 
Secondly paperwork......grrrrr...I mean 'yeah I love paperwork'.  This month, i'll be looking into different ways on how to get organized with the paper stuff :: Business Plans, organizer sheets + a cute lil project to help you get on your way.

ps :: I'll be doing my first Indie-preneur interview later in the Month!! Inspiring folks to say the least!!
 
 
 
 
 
 




Friday, July 5, 2013

Sorting


The weather has been so warm, and its light til late, so I have been sneaking out to the shed after supper, to sort through all my tubs + tubs of fabric. The shed is definitely my happy place at the moment :)

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

the new do


As i'm in the mood for sprucing things up ~ thought I should get a new + improved do too. I had contemplated chopping it all off, as there is a lil monkey in my life that likes to hang off my hair (i'm pretty sure I have a couple of bald spots from my locks being wrenched out!)...but I like having long hair too much. And we are also heading into summer, so its good to have some options of wearing it up or down :: so I got some new 'totally loving them' heavy bangs!  Such an easy cut to care for too, twist + go, and sometimes a lil zip zip on the front with the straightener.
 
I got the giggles the other day at how much haircuts can be compared with your own life (shallow but true)::
+ Your hair changes over time(especially with pregnancy + mummyhood hormones) - adapt + move on, quit trying to do the same things as in your 20's
+ Same haircut all your life (kinda like me) - you need to take a risk! who cares if you mess up, wear a hat + try something else next time
+ bad haircut - okay you made a huge mistake, but your hair + you will grow.
+ good haircut - are like a best friend, they always make you look + feel good.
+ highlights/perm - are like ex boyfriends...seemed like a good idea at the time, and they take forever to go away.
 
So I'm hoping to take a few more risks in the future ;)

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Wardrobe Malfunction

wardrobe malfunction Its funny how when something weighs on your mind, the answer will come in the most basic of ways. Like your wardrobe collapsing under the weight of consumerism!!
I definitely got  a bee in my bonnet after the Bangladesh sweatshop crisis ~ I couldn't stop thinking about it, all those people lost their lives, just so I could wear my $8 tshirt for one season + then throw it away.  After much thought, I realized that every person on the planet should be entitled to work to feed there family... just like me, I'm just against inhumane + unethical working conditions, i'm against fast fashion (awesome interview + book on the topic) and i'm against quantity over quality.
Now back that my wardrobe of mine, there was so much in there that I simply didn't wear ~ I always stick to my favourites, I always keeps those clothes that maybe don't fit right but will one day for some strange reason? and I always keep clothes that have some sort of emotional attachment (like so + so gave it to me or this happened when I was wearing that) But when you get a wardrobe malfunction such as this ~ it means it time!!.
I'm bagging up all those clothes that might become someone elses favourites, and what am I going to put in there???  Only a few items that I really + truely love, that have been made with heart, hands + coffee breaks....and a couple of preloved goodies too!!

ps:: That is the first Busy Jones I made ever made!! She makes me very happy + proud.

Monday, July 1, 2013

Happy Day

Happy Anniversary Today is 146 years for Canada, + 3 short years with my sweet Mr!! :)