The Reading Corner - Knitting Vintage

I have a small (LARGE) pattern addiction.  Sewing patterns, knitting patterns, crochet patterns, modern, vintage, doesn't matter.  I'm pretty sure I will never be able to complete all of them in my lifetime..but I just like to know they're there when inspiration strikes.  (Don't even get me started on my fabric hoard..)

So, of course, when I saw Knitting Vintage, I had to purchase it.

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It did not disappoint.  There are a number of really cute, wearable vintage inspired knitting patterns in this book (minus the headache of trying to size up or down a vintage pattern, or figure out what types of yarn are suitable.)

The book is broken down by decade from the 1920's to the 1980's and includes patterns for everything from cardigans and sweaters to collars and cloche hats.

I found the patterns really easy to follow, and the pictures are absolutely gorgeous.

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I've added the pattern for the crochet collar to the Create 365 project.  I'm making it in a really pretty lace weight pale gold yarn with tiny gold sequins.  Looking forward to sharing the end result!

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Hugs and Smooches,
D

The Reading Corner - The Bolter by Frances Osborne

When I was in junior high, I had a friend (we'll call her "Beth") who was my complete opposite.  Beth and I hung out during the summer months because we ran with different crowds during the school year.  Her behavior fascinated me.  As a confirmed "goody-goody" who walked through the school halls with my nose in a book, only wore dresses and enjoyed spending time with my parents, I was amazed at her fearlessness.  She wore make up, talked back to adults, snuck out of her house and was much "faster" with the boys than I was (which wasn't hard..I barely knew they existed..)

As I got older, I tried a time or two to shake my good girl image, to no avail.  (In fact, I'm 99% certain I could go on a crime spree tomorrow, confess to everything and nobody would believe me..)  Over the years, I have learned to embrace it, but I never have quite gotten over my admiration for women who dare to push boundaries.

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The Bolter is the story of Idina Sackville, as told by her great-granddaughter, Frances Osborne.  Frances' mother kept Idina a secret from her until she was 13 years old because she didn't want her to "think of her as a role model" or have her daughter known as "The Bolter's granddaughter".  This, of course, only fueled Frances' fascination with her great-grandmother.

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Idina was irresistible.  Standing at only 5'3, she was an impeccable dresser.  While she was not conventionally beautiful, she could "whistle a chap off a branch."  And she frequently did..

Married and divorced five times, with countless lovers and a dog named "Satan", she caused quite a ruckus in proper Edwardian England.  (Where you could, of course, have an affair, but certainly MUST be discreet about it!)  In 1919, Idina married her much younger third husband and moved to Kenya where she hosted wild house parties for her friends (known as The Happy Valley Crowd) that usually ended in partner swapping games devised by Idina herself.

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Under the surface, though, there was more to Idina.  She was full of vitality, intelligent and well read, loved freely and was an incredibly loyal friend.  Her friend Rosita, who was interviewed for the book, is quoted as saying "she was preposterously — and secretly — kind."  She was a woman who wanted to be loved.

The tale of The Bolter is masterfully told by her great grand-daughter.  Frances does a lovely job of telling of Idina's exploits without judgement and allowing you to feel Idina's free spirited character. The book is full of insight into who Idina was to her family, her friends and herself.

Whether you are the dashing, scandalous type, or just have an admiration for women who are, this book is an excellent read!

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Book Review - Steal LIke an Artist

I'm an artist.

There, I said it.

It's been a long time coming for me.  It's been hard for me to embrace this label because I'm not Degas, Van Gogh or Georgia O'Keefe.  I'm a perfectionist and have never felt worthy of the title because what I produce (to my mind) is not perfect.

Here is a small example of something I recently created.  It's a mixed media cuff bracelet for my daughter.  I painted the miniature in water color, glazed it with modge podge and then banged out the words on my vintage typewriter.  It was a labor of love..and I guess it could be considered "art".

What Big Eyes You Have!

I paint murals on the walls in my home, doodle whenever I have a chance and carry a sketchbook in my purse to draw design ideas for new things to sew or make as they come to me.

Still, I've always just thought of it as a quirk of my character..like loving vintage clothes and my tendency to stick my bare feet out the window when riding in the passenger seat of the car.

Enter "Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative" by Austin Kleon.

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I've been a follower of Austin's blog for a while now.  My favorite thing about his site (besides his creative blackout poems) is that he writes like he's talking to a friend.  This book is no exception. 

The premise of the book is twofold.  One - Be yourself.  Two - Nothing is original, so embrace the ideas that have come before you, mix them up with your own ideas and create something that is uniquely "you".

The concept that resounded with me the most (and refers back to the beginning of this post) was "Don't wait until you know who you are to get started."  I had been waiting..and waiting..and waiting to "feel" like an artist before I considered myself one.  This liberating idea that I could just create (and sometimes create badly) and be an artist set free about a thousand ideas for projects this weekend, many of which you will see in the ConstantlyAlice shop along side my vintage items...because, as another idea from the book explains, I don't have to be limited to "just" selling vintage, or "only" being an artist, they are all valid parts of who I am.

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Book Review - AUSTENtatious Crochet

It's no secret that I love the vintage fashion of the 40's and 50's, but my first love was Jane Austen and the Regency period.  I went through a phase in my teens where I curled my hair in ringlets and wore romantic floral/lacey dresses that I imagined were a nod to Elizabeth Bennett. 

 

You can imagine my delight, then, when I stumbled across this book on my last trip to Barnes and Noble.

 

AUSTENtatious Crochet is a really neat book filled with Regency inspired crochet patterns interpreted with a modern sensibility.  It has just enough romance to make it pretty, but still wearable.  The patterns are clear and well written and there's something for just about everyone!

I tried out the Queen Victoria's Scarf Pattern pictured below, but I used shades of peachy rose and grey instead of the greys and blues pictured here.

It worked up quickly, felted beautifully and only took me a few hours!  Here's my interpretation:

..and here I am wearing it with my favorite rose colored shades and a cashmere headband I created to match!

I have my eye on a few additonal patterns that should be fun to work on during those chilly January evenings.  I love the Elizabeth Bennett Skirt pictured below (maybe in brown and cream):

And I'd love to do these regency pillows in wine, cream and gold for my bedroom!

I wish you all a wonderful start to the New Year, I can't wait to share what I have in store for the blog with you all!

Hugs and Smooches,

D

Book Review - Have Yourself a Very Vintage Christmas: Crafts, Decorating Tips, and Recipes, 1920s-1960s

This fabulous little book was one of the recommendations that popped up on my Amazon page a few weeks ago.  Christmas AND Vintage??  Count me in!

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The book is set up by decade, beginning in the 1920's and ending in the 1960's.  The first few pages of each decade covers a little history of what was going on at that time (ie, the depression, WWII, etc.) and how it affected the holiday.  It discusses color schemes, decoration preferences and the reasons for them and then goes on to offer a few project ideas geared towards decorating your own home.  A few of my favorites:

• Paper Cones (made from pretty patterned paper and decorated with ribbons and maribou) used to hold treats
• Tulle wreaths in bright 1960's colors like pink and teal with little bird decorations
• Candles with glitter stripes made to look like candy canes
• Matchboxes made from Christmas cards (one suggestion is to fill them with M&M's and give them as party favors!  Such a cute idea.)

The back of the book has a section on recipes for candy and treats.  Mackinac Island Fudge, Caramels and Butterscotch Haystacks are a few of the really yummy offerings.  There are also color templates included with the book to use in making some of the projects, or for gift tags and Christmas cards.

This was such a wonderfully sweet, nostalgic book with really easy to use craft ideas and recipes.  I highly recommend it for the vintage Christmas lover!

(Because I liked the recipes for the fudge and caramels so much, they will be the subject of the next Home Ec post!)

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Book Review - A Stitch in Time v. 1



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 This book is without question my FAVORITE vintage knitting pattern book of all time.  Susan Crawford does an absolutely beautiful job with this collection of actual vintage patterns that she has put into an easy to read format with the most stunning photographs you've ever seen.

Fortunately, Susan also has a Ravelry account where you can go take a peek at some of the items you can create from the patterns in the book.  Here are some of my favorites:

Light and Lovely

Dark Red Pretties





With a Touch of the Military

Accessory for Your Spring Suit

I'm in the process of working on this one below.  I've got a back and two sleeves :)  I had meant to complete it for the fall, but I kept getting caught up in other projects.  I've put it aside to work on holiday projects for now, but I'm excited to complete it.  Those cold winter months are perfect for knitting by the fire!

To Set Off Your Summer Frocks

Susan also has a number of other lovely knitting books including Vintage Gifts to Knit (which is marvelous for the holidays!) and A Stitch in Time v.2 which was recently released (and appears to have sold out on Amazon!)

What do you think of these patterns?  Would you be interested in doing a knit along with one of the patterns from this book as one of the Home Ec posts?  Let me know in the comments :)

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Book Review - The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

Most of the time, I am a non-fiction kinda gal.  I love history, biographies and am completely addicted to a good "how to" book.  That being said, sometimes a girl just needs a little fiction in her life..and The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender is the kind of fiction I can get behind.

The summary on the book jacket follows;
On the eve of her ninth birthday, unassuming Rose Edelstein bites into her mother's homemade lemon-chocolate cake and discovers she has a magical gift: she can taste her mother’s emotions in the slice. To her horror, she finds that her cheerful mother tastes of despair. Soon, she’s  privy to the secret knowledge that most families keep hidden: her father’s detachment, her mother’s transgression, her brother’s increasing retreat from the world. But there are some family secrets that even her cursed taste buds can’t discern.

There is something charming, sweet, melancholy and uplifting about this book all at the same time.  It makes you look at the people in your own life in a different way.  We all have parts of ourselves we reserve and protect from prying eyes.  Imagine if you could feel all those things your loved ones keep hidden simply by biting into a cookie, or sharing a piece of pie?  What do you think remorse would taste like?  Sorrow or happiness?  This book is written with so much whimsy and yet has such substance all at the same time.  Definitely a story that's not to be missed!

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Book Review - American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee

I was raised in a family of performers.  My childhood was surrounded by music, movement, feathers, colored lights and sequins.  My Grandmother, Alice, owned a dance academy.  My mother and aunts all danced and taught lessons and my father was a drummer.  Alice was a visionary.  She was a brilliant choreographer and her mind was filled with beautiful dance routines, costumes, stage props and lights that she would jot down in the notebook she was never without.

I'm not sure if this environment is what colored my perception of life, or if it's just naturally in our family to want to perform (if you've spent any time around us in a group of two or more, you'd probably put your money on the latter.  We have a tendency to draw attention ;) but I grew up with a love of the stage, showmanship, glitz and glamour.  I wear vintage because it's unique and because it feels like I'm putting on a new "character" when I get dressed, and I have a passion for ballet, chorus lines, follies, vaudeville and old school burlesque.

Which brings me to the subject of our book review, Gypsy Rose Lee.  I love Gypsy because she was a thinking man's burlesque artist.  People did not come to see her just because she was beautiful, but because she had wit and charisma.  One of the quotes from American Rose states:

“She took a full fifteen minutes to peel off a single glove...and she was so damned good at it I would’ve gladly given her fifteen more.”

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I think this says it all.  She was a woman who knew her craft and performed it better than anyone else.

Her childhood was a hard one.  Louise (as she was known then) was the "ugly duckling" while her sister June was the talent.  Her mother, Rose, travelled with the girls, putting them in vaudeville acts that showcased June while putting Louise in the background.  At 15, Louise married one of the other dancers in the act and struck out on her own.  After trying to go it alone in vaudeville, she finally found her place in burlesque, changing her name to Gypsy and crafting her act around her wit and humor and becoming famous for her "intellectual" strip routines.

Gypsy also tried her hand (with little success) at acting and penned a mystery novel, The G-String Murders, that was made into the movie Lady of Burlesque starring Barbara Stanwyck. 

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In American Rose, Karen Abbott does an excellent job of telling the story of Gypsy's life.  She makes you feel for the child with the overbearing and abusive mother, exposes the vulnerable side of the queen of burlesque and creates an image of the whole woman and the events that shaped her into a star.

(Not to worry, this is pretty G-rated..another one of my favorite things about Gypsy ;)

Hugs and Smooches,
D

Book Review - Style Yourself

As someone who prides myself on having a unique sense of style, I often find it frustrating that so many style and fashion books are generic.  Prior to the closing of my beloved Borders (sigh) I would often lurk in the fashion aisle crossing my fingers that someone had come up with a great book that offered useful information and off beat suggestions instead of the typical socialite/reality star look.  Most of the time I would find myself walking away in disappointment.  That is until I discovered Style Yourself.

Image Courtesy of Amazon

Instead of offering the same recycled suggestions, this book asks several different fashion bloggers for their input.  The result is a quirky compilation of original ideas, valuable information on clothing styles and beautiful pictures for inspiration.

Image courtesy of Amazon





Image courtesy of Amazon



It also has the added benefit of listing the blog information for the stylists included in the book,

so you can follow them and get new inspiration daily!

Hugs and Smooches,

D