The Sunday Snag – A Paisley Day

Gosh, you know, I've never owned a single paisley print item until this dress. It surprised me actually because I quite like paisley. It is such a whimsical print and I was excited when I saw this dress had it in such a pretty magenta! 

I picked this dress up from The Cleveland Shop while I was up there for All Balboa Weekend, a four day long dancing event that also happens to have vintage and vintage reproduction vendors from the area participate. That equals dangerous ground for my pocket book. Dancing plus vintage in one spot?! Hide, wallet, hide!

This isn't the first dress I've gotten from The Cleveland Shop. I picked up a perfectly lovely green floral one at the last dancing weekend I had as well, which happened to be in Raleigh. I wore it to my first craft fair and you can click here to see that outfit. I loved that dress and was super excited to get to browse that shop's offerings again. 

This dress looks to be a late 50s, early 60s piece in fuchsia, green, and white. It has a front zipper, a fun button flap neckline, and a full skirt where the paisley print increases in size toward the bottom. I did a lot of work to this dress. It fit my waistline when I bought it, but the bust and shoulders were way to big. I figured this would be a perfect alterable dress because the print would mask my junior level sewing skills. I took in the bust about 4 inches and raised the shoulders by 4 inches as well. That made the sleeve openings slightly smaller but I actually liked that, so no harm done. 

The original button at the neckline was a matching magenta one that needed to be moved over to accommodate my alterations. I decided to replace that button with a vintage domed white one to add a bit of contrast to the already very pink dress. The original belt in the same paisley fabric was actually still with this dress, but again, because the print is quite prominent I decided to make a belt that would break up the dress a bit and help define my waist. To make the belt, I used the bottom of a green jersey dress that I had hemmed earlier and had saved the fabric. Because jersey doesn't fray I was able to just cut the fabric and leave the edge unfinished. I have a bag of vintage buckles so I selected a white plastic one that matched my button neckline and just pulled the green fabric sash though to use. The back is just tied in a loose bow. 

I tried to keep the accessories pretty low-key so as not to overwhelm the look. I made a bobby pin flower in a magenta color and the center is one of my grandmother's brooches. For jewelry, I decided to just wear a ring because my neckline was already embellished by the dress and you couldn't see my ears with my pin curls. "Harriet", an antique hydrangea button ring from my shop, was a perfect understated accessory that still brought out some of the green hiding in the dress pattern. 

I got to try out my new pink lipstick too! I never wore lipstick before this year. I purchased my first red lipstick several months ago to try out a 40s style lip and quickly fell in love. This is only my second lipstick purchase and I'm thrilled with it too! I think it pairs quite perfectly with my dress color! 

I didn't get dolled up for nothing. The hubs and I went out for Mexican food and sangrias at my very favorite restaurant in Raleigh, Centro. Yum!!

Dress: Early 1960s from The Cleveland Shop

Hair Flower: From my shop, ChatterBlossom

Belt: Made by me from vintage buckle and jersey

Ring: Antique button ring "Harriet" from ChatterBlossom

Shoes: Express

Lipstick: Mineral Fusion "Intensity"

Last Week's Sunday Snag:

A Bit O' Green

Saturday Shop Talk – Paging Bettie

"Paging Bettie"

Personality: The Unabashed and Shameless
Places you'll find yourself: Entertaining everyone who meets you with your free spirited and wild pursuit of fun

If you caught the word-play, then you know that the inspiration for this hair bow is Miss Bettie Page. Her hard-edged pinup style still influences rockabilly gals to this day. Sometimes it's just good to be bad.

This bow is made from a cotton fabric with a vintage tattoo design. Cool beans note: The bow is reversible! One side has the word "love" and the other side has "hope". It is sewn so that you can slip the attachment of your choice (clip, snap, headband, etc.) through the center to wear with either side facing outward. 

"Paging Bettie"

To view my entire shop, click here.

Last Week's Saturday Shop Talk:

Daisy a Day

Fantastic Friday – Sony Camera Giveaway!

Holy mother of mothers!! You could win an amazing camera today! You had no idea when you woke up this morning that you could be an amazing camera winner, did you? Well, you are welcome because now you can introduce yourself all day today as THE potential amazing camera winner. Boom!

 I'm teaming up with some lovely bloggers to give away, you guessed it, an amazing camera. Specifically, a Sony Cybershot Camera.

I decided to take part in this giveaway for three reasons: 

1. I recently got a new camera that I LOVE and it has completely changed the way I blog and chronicle my vintage and shop adventures.

2. I have been the winner of a big giveaway for a Kindle Fire and it was crazy amazing to get something that fabulous just by following blogs I already love.

3. I adore you, the comments you make, and the friendship we share through this weird world of blogging and would like to give something back to you for the generosity you've shown me.

Here are the fabulous blogs helping to make this giveaway possible!
Pharr-Away | Lovely You | Coco in Magnolia | Perpetually Caroline
Raising Reagan | Until Only Love Remains | At Home with the Hinkley's
Pretty Strong Medicine | Just Mi! | The Accidental Military Wife | To be a Better You

The entries are simple...Bloglovin', Facebook and Twitter!
You don't have to be a blogger to enter!
Be sure to read the Official Giveaway Rules.
Good luck, friends!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Last Week's Friday Photo Swoon:
Road Trip!

Thursday Thrill – B&B Getaway Part One

Remember that time I was in love with my husband and we were married for 10 years? Yep, I do too. It was in June that we celebrated and I've just been daydreaming about our week of dates (click here to catch up), specifically the three days we spent at a bed and breakfast. Because it was awesome, because I'm already longing to go back, and because I wanted to share the fun with you all, I'm going to do a three part blog series on the place we stayed. It was that wonderful. Really. 

The B&B that we stayed in is called The Fearrington House Inn. Note: They in no way solicited a review or even know who I am. I just loved the place, so I decided to share them with you all in case you want a get-away that is 100% guaranteed to be amazing. In fact, the time we spent there is what made our anniversary great. Sometimes you just have to get away to feel like you are actually together, you know? No daily errands or home tasks staring you in the face or drawing your attention. 

Firstly, understand that this place is extraordinarily expensive. Secondly, understand that it is worth every penny. My hubs and I haven't taken a vacation in three years (all of which included long days and nights of my husband trying to finish his degree, which meant very little time together). We figured we could spree a bit and have our 10th anniversary be extra special. We also knew that we didn't want to do anything but hang out together and eat good food. Our trips usually consist of going to see x amount of museums, architecture, and beautiful landscapes, but this time was supposed to be a getaway to enjoy each other. So we pooled all of our vacay money and had three days in heaven. 

Part One: The Room

When I said this place was wonderful, I meant from the moment we arrived. There was a host that greeted us and informed us that they had upgraded our room to a suite free of charge. "REALLY?!", my eyes probably said. We had reserved the lowest cost room they had (which I'm sure would have been lovely), but this was a wonderful surprise. The host took us around to show us where everything was (this place is like a little village with multiple shops, a spa, two restaurants, a cafe/beer garden, walking paths, and beautiful gardens). Then he personally took us to our room along with a young man to help with our bags. 

Our room was just dreamy, with an English cottage feel and very homey amenities. All the rooms are in small houses scattered around the property. There were maybe 5 or 6 rooms in the little house where our room was located. Our room door opened into a little wood floor entryway with the bathroom on the left and a dressing room on the right. Directly in front after entering the foyer were french doors leading into our suite. Our room was decorated in country roses, had a fireplace, a king size bed, a desk, a little sitting area and a pretty view of gardens outside our wall of windows. 

There were such wonderfully personal touches throughout the room. There was a handwritten note addressed to us that wished us a happy anniversary and thanked us for staying with them. There was interesting coffee table books and magazines, including a few that even featured their in-house chef. There was a Ghirardelli chocolate bar every morning, as well as jelly beans and potato chips. They also did a port and truffle turn-down service every night.

Literally my only complaint would be that the lighting in the dressing room made it hard to put on makeup. That is it folks. Everything else was immaculate and quite a perfect place to relax and enjoy the rainy days ahead of us.

Next Thursday, I'll be sharing about the food. OHH the food...
*Updated: See Part Two here.*

Last Week's Thursday Thrill:

Ruby