After Christmas Sales

The Monday after Christmas may be called "Moody Monday" in the UK, but I find it hard to be moody when there are so many great post-Christmas sales out there. It's the perfect time to cash in those Christmas gift cards or get the stuff you really wanted this Christmas. Here are a few of my favorites from the Nordstrom after Christmas sale, where many items are up to 50% off.

Givenchy statement necklace; Proenza jersey dress; Collarless fringe jacket; Cashmere sweater; Blanket scarf; Sandal; NYDJ bootcut jeans; UGG cable cardigan; 5 pocket pants; Corduroy jeans


What are you shopping for during the post-Christmas sales? Let me know in the comments below.

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What's Making Me Laugh: ":DRYVRS Ep. 1 featuring MacCaullay Culkin

Are you one of those people who watch the movie Home Alone every holiday season to get into the festive season? Have you ever wondered how Kevin McCallister turned out after being terrorized (and defeating) the "Wet Bandits" as a child? Well, MacCaullay Culkin ambiguously reprised his performance from Home Alone in the first episode of a series called :DRYVRS (which is a play on the peer-to-peer car service called UBER) and it's seriously disturbing...but in a funny way.

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What I'm Listening To: Bill Murray and George Clooney "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'"

If you've read my blog for awhile, you might have noticed that I like to watch a bit of festive programming during the holiday season. I recently watched the Bill Murray Christmas special on Netflix, A Very Murray Christmas, which was filled with celebrity cameos like Rashida Jones, Jason Schwarzman and Miley Cyrus, and I thought I'd share my favorite song from the show: "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'" performed by Bill Murray and George Clooney.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays! 

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What's Making Me Laugh: Caga Tio and the Caganers

Hello Friends! Are you looking for a new holiday tradition? During a recent visit to Barcelona, I learned that locals don't celebrate the holiday with Santa Clause or Father Christmas. Instead, they celebrate with Caga Tio (a.k.a. Caga Tio de Nadal) or "Uncle Poop". Caga Tio makes his appearance on Dec. 8 during the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and children under 12 feed him and keep him warm by covering him with a blanket in the days leading up to Christmas. On Dec. 24th children sing a song to Caga Tio threatening to hit him if he doesn't poop out any treats, then they beat the log with a stick and go up to their rooms to pray while Caga Tio (with parent assistance) poops out their presents under the blankets. Check out this video featureing Anthony Bourdain and Nora Jones to observe:

Also, it is popular in Catalonia to add a Caganer or defecating peasant who wears a red cap to family nativity scenes for added giggles. You'll also find many shops around the Barcelona Christmas Markets selling celebrity figures as Caganers.

The more you know! Enjoy!

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What I'm Listening To: Loose Tapestries- "Can't Wait for Christmas"

Season's Greetings! The holiday season is upon us, and this year comedian Noel Fielding has teamed up with Kasabian to form the group Loose Tapestries and they've penned the ultimate Christmas song. Check out Loose Tapestries- "Can't Wait for Christmas" song below:

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What's Making Me Laugh- The SNL Ladies Perform 'First Got Horny 2 U'

Last weekend the ladies of SNL performed a song reminiscent of 90s boy band videos all about their first celebrity crushes...and it was hilarious. Check out the video of the SNL women performing "First Got Horny 2 U". 

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What I'm Listening To: Garbage- Girl Don't Come from the 20 Years Queer Tour at the O2 Academy, Brixton

Last weekend, I got together with a few of my favorite people to see one of my favorite bands, Garbage, at the O2 Academy in Brixton. I've been a Garbage fan since the beginning and spent many  teenaged nights pretending to be Shirley Manson in front of my bedroom mirror, but the band never toured near my hometown. So last weekend I fulfilled one of my high school wishes by attending Garbage's 20 Years Queer Tour. The concert was a bit of a retrospective celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of their first album (which was released in 1995) and it totally lived up to my expectations.

 

Garbage are expected to drop a new album in 2016. Here's hoping that they continue to rock on for another 20 years! 

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Wardrobe Architect: Fall Planning

I know that we're already knee-deep into the Fall 2015 fashion session, but sometimes wardrobe planning can be an ongoing process. Taking into consideration my lessons from the summer (not committing to making too many items and focusing on separates), Here's how I'm planning my wardrobe for the colder months.

Silhouettes

The main focuses of my fall/winter wardrobe are comfort and warmth, but since I'm also working with children it's also important that my clothes are washable. I rarely wear dresses to work, so it's important for me to focus on separates, although it's nice to have a holiday party dress on-hand).

Typical Fall 2015 Wardrobe by chickface featuring high-waisted skinny jeans

Danny Nicole fit and flare dress / Topshop crew neck shirt, $64 / J Crew roll top, $100 / Topshop high-waisted skinny jeans, $61 / Apt. 9 grey pants / River Island tall pants / J Brand white jeans, $250 / TOMS shoes / Bella Marie ballerina shoes / Steve madden flat / NIKE black and white shoes, $115 / Osprey black belt, $26 / Muse black eyeglass

Moodboard

I've created an ongoing Fall/Winter Fashion moodboard on Pinterest to organize my wardrobe ideas and inspiration.

Follow Oh Sarah O!'s board Fall/Winter 2015 Fashion Inspiration on Pinterest.
Fall Makes

This time, I'm going to focus on finishing projects that I have already started. Right now I'm finishing a Nosegay Vest by Untangling Knots.

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My 2015 Halloween Movie Watching List

Happy belated Halloween, everyone!

Every Halloween season, my husband and I love to watch scary movies to get into the Halloween spirit. This year, most of the films we've been watching have a "Made in Britain" theme. Here's a list of the Halloween films we have watched this year:

1. The Wicker Man (1973)

2. Peeping Tom (1960)

3. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

4. Don't Look Now (1973)

5. Shawn of the Dead (2004)

6. The Babadook (2014)

7. A Girl Walks Alone At Night (2015)

8. The Witchfinder General (1968)

9. What We Do in the Shadows (2014)


Next I'll be binge watching Thanksgiving themed films. What are you watching?

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The Wardrobe Architect: End of Summer Progress

This summer I made an attempt to plan my summer wardrobe and future makes, so today I thought I'd update you with how it went.

Things I Sewed:

• Kimono \ I've had this lightweight fabric from Fabric.com in my stash for over a year, and a finally decided to use it to sew up a kimono jacket using the free kimono pattern pattern from Sew Caroline. It only took me a few hours to sew and I finished it in time to wear it during my trip to Edinburgh.

• Hair scarves \ I used Tilly and the Buttons Bridget Scarf pattern to make a few scarves from the scraps of my treasured blue poppy Marrimekko fabric that I bought in Finland last year. Unfortunately, I don't have any great pictures of me wearing the scarves just yet, but I DID wear one to the 2015 Handmade Fair this year. 

Notes:

• I finally bought a pair of skinny cargo pants, a jumpsuit, overalls, and some culottes to try out.

• I rarely wore dresses (I wore my maxi dress twice and my knit dresses with leggings on three occasions). 

In Summary:

I didn't really stick to my summer capsule wardrobe because my days were less structured since I don't have to go to work in the summertime, and I travelled a lot.

     Lessons for Fall:

• Don't commit to making too many items.
• Focus on separates rather than dresses.

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What I Read in September

In September, was was seeking inspiration from my books. Here's what I read in September:

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai \ I was lucky enough to get my hands on the library's copy of I Am Malala, which has been in my "Want to Read" cue for several months now. Her story is very inspiring and now I can't wait to see her documentary later this year.   

The Fall by Albert Camus \ I traveled to Paris at the end of September, so after I finished I Am Malala, I wanted to read a few books by French authors. The Fall was the first book I chose by a French author. It's a philosophical novel written as if it were a continuous conversation between Jean-Baptiste Clamence and a stranger as he recalls his "fall from grace". I found the conversational style difficult to follow and keep my interest and it was my least favorite read of the month.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway \ Hemingway isn't technically French, but he did spend some time in France, and I chose to read this book before picking up The Sun Also Rises in October, because this book fit easier into my carry-on bag to Paris. Although I've never been fishing, this well written tale about an old fisherman was easy to read. It's no wonder that Hemingway won the Pulitzer for this story, and it's one of his best known and most favored works.

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Thread of Life

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to crowd fund an art exhibition by Sharon Mossbeck called The Thread of Life. It's a contemporary art project using cross-stitch. Part of the project had a participatory element in which people were asked to create their own cross-stitch based off of a pre-designed DNA pattern but you could use any materials or additions that you liked.

I chose to stick with cross stitch and regular DMC thread on a black Aida cloth, but I added some embroidery techniques and created my own pattern for the Three Fates. My idea was to connect the Fates to the DNA by using metallic thread illustrate how our DNA helps set the path for the course of our life.

The exhibition is set to be held at Bank Street Arts in Sheffield, UK from November 1-30, 2015. The venue is open Wednesday to Saturday from 11am-4pm.

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What I'm Listening To: Bonnie "Prince" Billy -" I See A Darkness"

This week I've been rocking out to my Ol' cousin Will ( I'm not actually related to Will Oldham aka. Bonnie "Prince" Billy to my knowledge). Bonnie "Prince" Billy originally wrote and performed back up vocals to the Johnny Cash version of this song on the 2000 album, American III: Solitary Man, before releasing his own, more upbeat performance of the song. Check it out!

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Knitting for Charity: The Mother Bear Project

During the summer I knew that I wanted to do something with my time to help others. Awhile back, I had heard about The Mother Bear Project, a non-profit organization that provides hand knit and crochet bears to children in emerging nations affected by HIV/AIDS, and I had noticed that they have a growing online community on Ravelry which included monthly bear themed challenges (we all know that I love a good challenge!). I have inherited a TON of random yarn, so this seemed like the perfect project to both stash-bust and help a good cause, so I decided to give it a go. For a $5 donation, you can receive either a knit or crochet pattern and some tags to name your finished bears. I chose the knit versions.

1) Pierre Bear

    For my first bear, I decided to knit the pattern as written including the scarf. This one is inspired by Frenchmen and my husband's first teddy bear. 

2 & 3) Val & Tyne

     These bears are obviously inspired by Valentine's Day. 

4) Sunshine

    This bear has his swim trunks on because he's ready for summer.

5) Kaiser Bear

    In July I wanted to knit a sports themed bear, so I created a bear inspired by the South African Kaiser Chiefs Football (Soccer) Team.

All together now!

Here they are on their way to their new forever homes.

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What I've Been Reading in August

At the beginning of August I wrote about the week-long binge read-a-thon called BookTubeAThon, and while I didn't expect that I would ACTUALLY read 7 books in a week, I made a hypothetical list of the 7 books that I would read if I could read 7 books in a week. 

So how'd I do? By the end of August I have successfully completed 4 out of the 7 books that I hoped to read (and I'm currently 25% through another book from the list). 

Here's what I read in the month of August:

The Road by Cormac McCarthy / After finishing Ayn Rand's Anthem, I decided to pick up another post-apocalyptic/ dystopian future novel. Sure, this book was depressing, but it's also a great depiction of endurance, and the bond between a parent/child and father/son. It's both a terrifying and beautiful read.

Locke & Key, Vol. 5: Clockworks by Joe Hill / I'm another book closer to finishing this series. This book developed a little more of the character's back story. Only one more book to go.

Americanah by Chiamanda Ngozi Adichie / After reading two scary books, I was looking for a change, and the back of this book promised me a love story. And this book is a love story, but it's so much more than just a love story. This book follows Ifemelu and Obinze, two young people from Nigeria who are each others "first love". When university strikes begin to shut down universities in Nigeria, the couple make plans to migrate West to finish there educations- Ifemelu ends up in the USA and Obinze in England.

I really enjoyed the way that Ifemelu highlights the cultural, social, and racial differences between her life in Nigeria vs. her life in The States through her experiences and in the blog that she writes.

I felt like this was a very timely read given the many migrant headlines in both the USA and Europe and reading about the character's experiences made be feel more empathetic towards those people who are struggling to migrate to other countries to leave difficult (and sometimes dangerous) situations in order to achieve a better life for themselves and their families.

Lost at Sea by Brian Lee O'Malley/ I didn't plan on reading this book right away, but when I found it mis-shelved in the library I had to take it home. I could identify with the main character, Raleigh, being newly out of high school and feeling lost and I enjoyed the weird cat scene and the illustrations. But this book left me disappointed as it lacked the fun of the Scott Pilgrim series and it seemed like Raleigh could only be fulfilled by being in a romantic relationship.

Have you read any of these books? Have you read anything else good lately and have any book recommendations? Let me know in the comments below.

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Inspired by the Virtual Paintout: Cesky Kromlov, Czech Republic

I had a hard time settling on just one location in Cesky Kromlov, Czech Republic because there are just so many beautiful scenes ripe and ready to draw, but late one night I caught this view on Google Maps and I knew it'd be perfect for my sketchbook. 

Cesky Kromlov, Czech Republic

watercolor, gouche, pen, marker

6 x 6

Location Link: https://goo.gl/maps/wRE7l

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Inspired by the Virtual Paintout: Washington D.C.

Early into 2006, my mother was invited to travel to Washington D.C. to speak to local politicians and she decided to bring my father and I along. While my mother was in her meetings, my father and I walked up and down the National Mall visiting all of the memorials, and I remember wandering into the Smithsonian Sculpture Garden along the way. 

Smithsonian Sculpture Garden

Washington D.C.

watercolor, watercolor pencil, pen

6 x 6

Location link:

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What's Making Me Laugh: Free the Bacon

Finally there's a Public Service Announcement (PSA) for a cause that I can get behind! Kevin Bacon recently created a PSA (parody) calling for more male nudity in Hollywood. 

I don't know about you, but I've often felt cheated after sitting through an hour of Game of Thrones and seeing half a dozen boobs, and one or two full frontal nude women, and not even one measly male butt cheek! 

Anyways, you can watch Kevin Bacon's PSA below: 

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What I'm Listening To: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. 'If You Didn't See Me (Then You Weren't on the Dancefloor)

I love listening to Dale Earnhardt...Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. that is! Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. is an indie-pop band from Detroit, Michigan and I seriously can't get their songs out of my head. Check out the video (with lyrics) for their song "If You Didn't See Me (Then You Weren't on the Dancefloor)" below. If you like it, check out their album, The Speed of Things, because IMO it's all good. Also, if you live in the United States, the band is going on tour from September through November, so there's a good chance you could check them out live (and then tell me about it).

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What's Making Me Laugh: Jon Stewart Torches Fox News One Last Time

As you probably know, this week Jon Stewart ended his reign as the king of T.V. fake news after 17 years as the host of The Daily Show, which he took over from Craig Kilborn in 1999 and transformed from a show focused on entertainment news to a show that focused more on politics and government. During its 17 years on the air, this show has helped launch the careers of many comedians including Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, and John Oliver, and became the primary news source for many college-aged kids. While I'm sad to lose another weeknight television staple from my daily watching queue, I am eager to see what new host, Trevor Noah, and Stephen Colbert's CBS show will bring to television.

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What I'm Listening To: New music by The Smashing Pumpkins

Hey kids! Remember The Smashing Pumpkins- that Alternative rock band from the 1990's? Well, they're back (er...at least Billy Corgan is back and using the band name again as he's the only original member). The Smashing Pumpkins have released a new album called Monuments to an Elegy and the songs aren't bad. Check out the videos for the songs 'Being Beige' and 'Drums + Fife' below:

"Being Beige"

"Drums + Fife"

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The 2015 BookTubeAThon

Do you like read-a-thons? Well, this week I discovered the BookTubeAThon which is a marathon reading challenge lead by Ariel Bissett that started on August 3rd and goes through the 9th and challenges readers to read books that meet 7 different challenges throughout the week (yes you can read one book to meet multiple challenges and there's no limit on how long or short your book has to be). Readers are also encouraged to make daily reading videos throughout the week in order to win fabulous prizes. 

The official BookTubeAThon challenges as read by Ariel Bissett

You all should know that I like to read and I love a good challenge, but since I just discovered this bookathon and have lost a few days of reading, I doubt I can finish 7 books by Saturday. But here's my hypothetical list of what I would read to attempt to meet the reading challenges.

1. Read a book with blue on the cover: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
2. Read a book by an author who shares the same first letter of your last name: Lost at Sea by Bryan Lee O'Malley
3. Read someone else's favorite book: Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy
4. Read the last book you acquired: I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
5. Finish a book without letting go of it: Locke & Key: Clockworks by Joe Hill
6. Read a book that you really want to read: The Artists Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love by Jackie Battenfield
7. Read 7 books: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

If you're interested in learning more about the BookTueAThon or participating check out the following locations:

BookTubeAThon YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/BookTubeAThon
BookTubeAThon Twitter: https://twitter.com/booktubeathon

The BookTubeAThon is also sponsored by the BookDepository.com which is offering a sweet 10% off discount to readers:

100 Books Discount (Use the coupon code "BOOKTUBEATHON10"): http://www.bookdepository.com/

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What I've Been Reading in July

This month I saw my reading wish list grow and grow after reading tons of online summer book recommendations and getting several recommendations from friends. My local library has been doing a summer reading program for kids, teens and adults based on number of minutes reading and right now I am CRUSHING IT!

Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy/ After reading a lot of modern fiction, I decided to return to the classics. I first read Tess of D'urbervilles by Hardy in college and (probably due to my nasty professor) I didn't care for it. However, a few years later I decided to pick it up and re-read it and I loved it. I found Far From the Maddening Crowd to be equally gripping. This book has everything: a love triangle, romance, tragedy, and a happy ending. Now that I'm finished with the book, I can't wait to check out the newly released film.

Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami/ I read 1Q84 by the same author a few years ago and was inspired by the dream like quality of his stories, so when I saw this book setting on my library book shelves I just had to pick it up. This book also has the same dream like story telling that has me thinking about it's imagery long after the book has been finished, but a friend warned me that they weren't happy with the ending and I have to agree.

Anthem by Ayn Rand/ Some people may ask why I chose to read an Ayn Rand novel- the literary darling of American conservative right wing political figures and here's my response: 1) I don't like to pre-judge books that I haven't read. 2) It was short. 3) It was available for free on my Kindle. I've read a few dystopian future novels before both modern and classic and, while this book had a few good ideas about the value of the individual and freedom to choose your own destiny, the main characters seemed underdeveloped and the book lacked heart.


I've already got a new stack of books picked out for the month of August. Have you read any of these books? Do you have any book recommendations? Let me know in the comments below.

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What's Making Me Laugh: Loki Argues with Kids

Do you love Marvel Comics movies? Do you love Tom Hiddleston (even though he may or may not be dating Avengers co-star, Elizabeth Olsen)? Well then check out this hilarious video of Tom as Loki arguing with a bunch of kids.

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What I'm Listening To: JP Cooper 'Closer'

This song goes out to all you dads out there (and all of you ladies and non-dads, too). I stumbled across JP Cooper's song 'Closer' while browsing new indie music on YouTube and thought it was heartbreakingly good. 

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Correspondence Art: The Lost Art of Letter Writing

Earlier this month, a friend of mine visited an art museum showing the exhibit Please Return To: Mail Art from the Ray Johnson Archive (most popularly known from the documentary film, How to Draw a Bunny). For those of you unfamiliar with Ray Johnson's work, Ray Johnson was an artist associated with the Neo-Dada and Pop art movements in the 1950's, but became best known for being the founder of the mail art network- the New York Correspondence School, and for creating mail art. Mail art is simply small scale artworks that can be distributed in the post. Ray Johnson primarily worked in collage, but mail art can be made up of anything: collage, postcards, paint, recycled materials, music, printmaking. You name it! As long as it can fit in the letter box.

Image from Wikipedia

After returning home, my friend was so inspired by the exhibit that she asked if any of her Facebook friends would be up for creating some correspondence art.  And since I'm not one to back down from an art challenge, I decided that I was in. I spent about a week trying to crawl inside the mind of Ray Johnson and figure out what he would make if he were me, before I was able to send it away. I'll share a few of my finished pieces once my friend receives them (I don't want to spoil the surprise).

While I was creating my mail art, I started noticing that my friends and I weren't the only people creating little works of art to send in the mail. If you get on Google or Pinterest you'll find websites on how to make handmade postcards, how to send more decorative letters and packages, and Artist Trading Cards.

I think that in this new digital age, we're so used to information being transferred in a matter of seconds via e-mail, phone, social media, the Internet, etc. and our mail boxes are primarily the homes for bills and junk mail. But how often do you receive an e-mail and get as excited as you do when you get something nice and unexpected in the mail- like a card or letter? And how often do people write in their own handwriting (rather than type) anymore? In many public schools in the U.S., they don't even teach cursive writing anymore since it's so uncommonly used, in lieu of keyboarding classes. But, it's nice to see that there are people out there who recognize that there's something lacking in digital communication-be it creativity, structure, more careful thought, or just the human touch. So, I'd like to encourage you, my readers, to take some time and write a letter, draw a picture, color a page in an adult coloring book, or whatever, join the mail art movement, and stick it in the mail.

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The Virtual Paintout: Lake Blejsko, Slovenia

In March 2014 The Virtual Paintout explored Slovenia, but I didn't stumble across this country online until June. While exploring Slovenia via Google Maps, I thought the landscapes looked like something out of a fairy tale, so I decided to capture the most dramatic landscape I could find: Lake Blejesko.

Lake Blejesko, Slovenia

watercolor, watercolor pencil, gouache, pen

6 x 6

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What's Making Me Laugh: Clint Howard Reboots Pippi Longstocking with Milla Jovovich and Fred Willard

If you haven't noticed, superheros are all the rage (hello! AntMan!) and so are Hollywood re-boots- which makes this parody all the more funny. Check out Clint Howard ( Ron Howard's "cousin") attempt to launch a re-boot of the 1988 film, Pippi Longstocking.

Clint Howard Reboots Pippi Longstocking with Milla Jovovich and Fred Willard from Funny Or Die

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What I'm Listening To: ' Feeling Happy' Stay See Summer Mix 2015

If you want to know what my summer jam of 2015 is, I would not be able to pick just one. Instead, I'd tell you to check out the 'Feeling Happy' Stay See Summer Mix 2015 on YouTube. It has the perfect mix of melodic house, vocal house, disco with a little Notorious B.I.G thrown in there to keep me grooving all summer long. When I'm drawing or painting, I just throw this mix on repeat and I'm good to go. Give it a listen! It'll make you want to hit the beach.

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Alaska Poncho

I'd been familiar with the Wool and the Gang (WATG) yarn brand for awhile, but it wasn't until I attended the 2014 Handmade Fair  and actually got to meet the gang at the Shopper's Market and touch the yarn, that I decided that I needed to give them a try. Last winter I purchased their Alaska Poncho knit kit to spruce up my winter wardrobe. I was able to select and customize what colors I wanted for the poncho online (I decided to go with the same colors seen on the example) and my kit came with 9 skeins of yarn, the pattern and a sewing needle, plus I had the option to get the knitting needles required if I didn't have them already.

Not only was I impressed with the packaging of the knit kit and how everything was included, I was also really impressed with the quality and softness of the yarn- Sugar Baby Alpaca. Once I started knitting this poncho, I knew it would become the type of clothing article I would never want to take off.

The pattern was super simple (basically a giant rectangle seamed at an angle, and while I knit it up in just a few days, I didn't get around to weaving in the loose tails until July. 

I am thrilled with how this poncho turned out and I can't wait for the weather to cool down so I can wear it. I'd definitely consider trying another knit kit again.

Have you knit anything from WATG? What did you knit and what did you think? Let me know in the comments below.

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Sales at Modcloth

Hi Friends! I don't know about you, but I love the cute, unique and vintage inspired clothes and accessories at Modcloth and last night I was browsing Modcloth's website and discovered that their having a Last Chance up to 75% off sale, so I thought I'd share with you what's on my fashion radar:

On Crop of the World Top in Black This top isn't a part of the sale, but it's affordable enough to demand a shout out. Crop tops have been everywhere this summer, and this one may be too good to pass up.

Fluent in Gratitude Notecard Set You can never have enough Thank You cards on hand since you never know when you might need them and these are super cute!

Bathing Beauty Two-Piece Suit This swim suit is classic and looks like it could be flattering on a variety of body types. I also like it in red.

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What I've Been Reading in June

The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde/ After reading a lot of children's books and popular fiction, I decided that I wanted something a little different. I chose this book from a selection of classics available for free on my Kindle and I loved it! Oscar Wilde's wit is hard to beat!

Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination by J.K. Rowling/ I found this book calling to me from the library bookshelves (I mean, it's written by freakin' J.K. Rowling for crying out loud!) and I had to pick it up. It's a short read, written up from her 2008 commencement speech she gave at Harvard University. J.K. talks about her own post-graduate experiences, her struggles, her failures, and how it allowed her to pursue her dreams. It's full of great advice for anyone!

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion/ This is the sequel to The Rosie Project (that I read in April). This time, Don and Rosie are married and have moved to New York to expand their careers. and Rosie is pregnant. As Don begins to take on research opportunities to better understand how to be a father, there's trouble in paradise with his relationship with Rosie and more hijinx ensue. I didn't like this book as much as the first one, but it was still a fun read.

Captain Marvel, Vol. 1: In Pursuit of Flight by Kelly Sue DeConnerick/ Finally! A female superhero who's strong and bad ass in her own right! This comic has Air Force Major, Carol Danver's assuming the Captain Marvel title, ditching the girly costume for a flight suit, and allying herself with a squadron of female World War II fighter pilots. After reading several positive reviews, I finally picked this up and I'm so glad I did. I can't wait to read the next volume!

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The Wardrobe Architect: Planning My Makes

Now that I've cleaned out my closet and figured out what I'm going to wear this season, it's time for me to decide what handmade pieces I'm going to fit into my wardrobe. 

Finished/ Nearly Finished Makes

• Even though I don't wear a lot of skirts, last fall I made 2 Colette Mabel skirts. This summer might be the perfect time to wear them.

• I started sewing a tie dyed Moneta last summer, but I haven't finished it yet. I really need to get on that.

Haven't Started Makes

• I have some peacock print fabric and pattern ready to sew McCalls 6319. I think the side zip looks very rock n' roll!

• I'd like to make a slim version of the Violet top with my loan wolf fabric.

• I'd like to knit a Featherweight cardigan in this Water Green Malabrigo Lace yarn.

• Since I'm not getting much wear out of my Marimekko Lou Box Top, I'd like to convert it into something more fitted like a Laurel top or something similar and then re-make another Lou Box Top in a more drapey fabric.

• I would love to sew up this Delphi Layered Maxi Dress by Named patterns in a lime green organic cotton. What do you think? Is it too much?

• I'm a bit undecided on if I should sew or buy a jersey cropped top this summer.
• I'd like to have something to toughen up my outfits and give them some edge- like a moto pant or some olive cargo pants. Since I'm not a confident sewing, I'll probably buy these rather than make them.

Are there any summer sewing patterns that have caught your eye? Do you have any pattern recommendations? Let me know in the comments below.

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Sarah's Sale Picks: Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

I know I've been working on reducing my wardrobe and building a capsule wardrobe, but Nordrom is gearing up for another Anniversary sale starting July 17, and Nordstrom credit and debt holders can get a special access from July 9-16. This is a great time to stock up on some key Fall/ back-to-school pieces. Here are a few pieces that are on my radar:

Swimsuit- It always seems that you can never find the perfect swimsuit when you're looking for one, and when you're not they're all over the place. I love the print on this suit and it has an amazing back.

Cargo pants (Jolt, BLANKNYC)- My work style is a little bit business and a lot of casual, but sometimes I get tired of wearing the same old jeans to work. I'd love to add a pair of olive cargos to change up my look. Plus, they've got extra pockets!

Off-the-shoulder top- This one isn't on sale but I've been seeing them all over the fashion blogs.

Olive jumpsuit- I just got a classic black jumpsuit that I love. This one reminds me of the jumpsuit my grandma wore when she worked in an airplane factory during WWII.

Striped bag- The stripes and contrasting leathers are just beautiful.

Fringe bag- This bag is also not on sale, but fringe is in and this bag looks like it would be the perfect way to add a bit of rock and roll to my closet.

Kate Spade Emoji necklace & earrings- I think these are the cutest things! I'm a sucker for Kate Spades cute and kitchy accessories.


Will you be shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary sale? Are any of these items on your radar? Let me know in the comments below.

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The Wardrobe Architect: Finding the Gaps

Now that I've created my summer palette, it's time for me to examine my wardrobe and start creating my capsule wardrobe. Here are the pieces I plan to wear this summer:

Pieces from ASOS, Madewell, Old Navy, Target, J Crew Factory, GAP, H&M, Zappos, Toms and Topshop

Pieces by Banana Republic, J Brand, Calvin Klein, Urban Outfitters, JC Penny, and others.

Things My Wardrobe is Lacking:

• WHERE'S THE COLOR!? WHERE ARE MY BELOVED POLKA DOTS AND SUMMER NEONS!? My wardrobe is sorely lacking in color (particularly pastels and greens, which my color chart determined were most complementary to me). 
• I'd like to have a pair of wide leg gauchos or culottes for the summer.
• The jumpsuit trend doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon and my wardrobe doesn't have one yet, so I purchased this 90's jumpsuit from Brown Cow Vintage on Etsy.

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You might have noticed that my wardrobe doesn't have any skirts. I didn't put any skirts on my list because I rarely wear them, but I might add my made-by-me Mable skirts to the mix.

Do you see any other gaps in my wardrobe that I should consider? Let me know in the comments below.

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