I have heard that some people got sun this weekend, even in Sweden. In my city we did not. It has been grey all weekend. However, it was not cold and that makes outfit shooting much easier. Outfit shooting is also much easier now, since I decided to return the camera I first bought and instead bought a newer version of my old camera, that broke a couple of months ago (because I dropped it on the ground). Sometimes it is just easier to stick to things that you know. So I did the same with my clothes this weekend. This outfit is almost identical to the outfit I worn on my birthday this year (here). The only thing I have changed is the color of the tights and the accessories, mainly because I could not find the necklace I wore on my birthday, but also because I think there is no need for a necklace as the buttons on the sweater are like small accessories. However, I added my new Anna Dello Russo bracelet. I am so happy that I was able to get hold of the bracelet I wanted the most from the collection. It is the first time I have got the piece I wanted the most from H&M’s designer collaborations. I was not able to get it the day it the day the collection was released, but I kept an eye on the H&M webpage the days after the release, as there usually are returns. It has worked before, but as I said, I have never been able to get the piece I liked the most before. Have you been able to score something you really wanted from a designer collaboration, and what was your trick?

This weekend has as usual passed by so fast, and soon it is Monday, and on Mondays I link up to Visible Monday hosted by the cute and wise Patti at Not Dead Yet Style. It is such a great start of the week to get inspired from what other wear! However, there is also a lot of encouragements, laughs, and wisdom shared between women in different generations, cultures, and shapes, and I think that part is almost as important for me, as the style sharing. I have learned so much from these women! This blogger community is indeed a great example of the good sides of internet! Thanks again Patti for hosting Visible Monday!

Coat – Maison Scotch; MQ; Scarf – Brand?, Olgas hus; Sweater – Esprit; Skirt -Sunshine, MQ; Tights – Lindex; Boots – Ecco; Bracelet – Anna Dello Russo for H&M

MY WORK | Love Flower

Some of me new work over at society6.

Love Flower

See, I took some in progress pics! These are the papers I was considering for this card. The digi stamp is by Delicious Doodles.

 In the end I went with the lettering paper by Crate Paper. It gave me this NY loft garden vibe so I kept the entire card simple and the colour palette limited. I so love this paper and I’m totally regretting that I bought only two sheets of it.

 The compulsory close-up! This week’s challenge prizes are from Delicious Doodles and Di’s Digi Downloads. You have till Sunday to participate so go and get crafty!

Previous to this, I had folded the leftover fabric and placed it on my dining table. The way I folded it, had four folds, so I picked it up, placed it over the chair cushion and noticed that there was just enough fabric to cover one chair. :) Enough fabric for one chair + four folds = Just enough fabric to reupholster each chair! :) And so, I got to work! And may I just say that reupholstering the dining chairs was a MAJOR BREEZE as compared to the computer chair! It took me all of two hours, while the computer chair took me a day and a half! =|

End result: FABULOUS dining chairs. :)

PS: Don’t mind the mess on my kitchen table. :) Hahahaha.

I’m just gonna go ahead and throw it out there… I DID NOT think it was going to be SO HARD to reupholster my chair! LOL. Maybe because it’s an ancient chair and there were so many things that I had to do before I could actually start reupholstering it. Haha.

First thing’s first, I didn’t realize I had to take apart the entire chair before continuing with the project! =| Haha! Silly me. :) That was probably the crappiest part of it all. Why? Because the screws were completely stuck in the wood, which resulted in two extremely tired, sore and BRUISED (yes! Bruised!) hands! Add to the equation, 4′ 11″ me manning a staple gun! My hands hated me for the time being and for at least a week after that! Haha.

Here are the materials I used:

1. Arrow Staple Gun
2. Arrow 1/4″ Staples
3. 4 yds of Floral Fabric (From WalMart @ $8 a yard)
4. A BUTT LOAD OF ELBOW GREASE!
5. Phillip’s Screw Driver

In the end, however, the chair came out looking just as I’d planned. :) ANDDDD, here it is:

PS: If you’re wondering why the heck the chair has blue stuff on it, it’s because I spray painted the arms, while they were on the chair! Of course, not realizing that I had to take the whole thing apart first. Hahahahahaha. Smart cracker I am!

 Can you see the mistake I made?

 The mistakes show up particularly well in this picture. As I was doing the second round of stitching, the looping, and I was turning around, I kept picking up the floss strands up, leaving them standing up quite ugly.

 Another thing I’m not too happy about, is the way I added the one lonely half-loop. I thought it would be a fun detail but it actually looks very sad and gives the sampler very half-finished look.

 But all in all, I’m excited about Pekinese stitch. It will take some finessing but I think it will lend itself to fashion embroidery quite well. Imagine military detailing…Anyhoo, next in-line is Linked Double Chain.

My other samplers are listed here. Go and have look. Clicking the pictures will take you to the individual posting where you can read more about my process with the particular stitch.

Till next time!

Dimensions:
Desk/Vanity: is 35″ W x 17″ D x 30″ H
Chair is 34″ H x 16.5 W” x 17″ D

Local pick up in Mesa, AZ. Cash or Credit/Debit* accepted. We may be able to deliver to some areas for a reasonable fee.  Email theevelvetglove@gmail.com

Please contact me with any other questions. Also, I would love to collaborate on a design specifically for you. Let your imagination run wild or keep it simple. You’re in the drivers seat!

This week, Craft Your Passion, asked us to create something with triples of things. In my card I had multiple of things in threes. 3 black diamonds, 3 clear ones, 3 layers of paper, 3 shades of grey (heehee) and 3 ways to finish edges; faux stitching, real stitching and doodle framing.

I’m such a multi-faceted crafter with many, many layers of deepiness, deep inside me.

I know, I know. It’s very unattractive to laugh at one’s own joke. But I’m still doing it.

Anyhoo, I used this image by our sponsor, Crafty Sentiments Designs because it reminds me of one of my cousins, Siiri. She’s 8 and she is so sweet and adorable like you wouldn’t believe. Since I’m going to send this one to her, I tried to capture her personality in the card as many ways as possible.

First of all, I coloured the girl blond and gave her blue eyes just as Siiri. Last summer she was a flower girl at her aunt’s wedding and wore a dress just like that, so that colour came from there. The flowers are coloured to give an impression of Finnish summer, which means no exotic colours.

As for the background…I wanted to emphasize how Siiri and personality always brighten up everyone’s mood, she really is a ray of sunshine, so I decided to go with monochromatic papers. To give the stamped image even more of a pop, I lifted it with foam from the background. The stitching, faux and real, also gives another dimension to this card. Almost as if the image in the center is fabric badge of honour on someone’s grey, floral sleeve.

Oh, I’m such an artist. A poet.

The diamonds in the corners are there because A. they are girl’s best friend and B. Siiri wants to be a pop star when she grows up and naturally pop stars wear diamonds.

 Hope you enjoyed my rambling. Now go and craft and take part in Craft Your Passion Challenge. There are prizes for three this week!

Till next time!

 My squares weren’t entirely even but there’s still uniformity in the stitches. I used steel shade variegated thread in this.

 Wow! Even if I say so myself. There’s something very sexy in this geometric, rigid pattern. I think this would easily translate into fashion.

 Yes, I like this very much. After so many stitches that felt like a chore or too abstract or whatever, this pattern was very refreshing to stitch. I definitely recommend this one too, just make a use of your ruler and tracing pen. I don’t see this one working in a free form stitching too well.

Next in line is Cast On Stitch and it’s still in the works. So far I haven’t been able to make sense of the instructions but I’ll get there. Eventually. Hopefully.

Here is the list of my other samplers. Till next time!

 I don’t know when did I change my mind. Was it after the first stitch? Or the eleventh? It doesn’t matter now because the end result is simply amazing.

 The texture!!! I could keep running my hand over this for hours. If I was to make one of those sensory books, this stitch would be a front-runner to be featured there. The slightly loose structure gives a sense of coolness which is hard to describe but if you do stitch a sampler like this, you’ll know what I mean.

 I recommend this stitch, I really do. If I knew how to gush, I’d totally do it right now. Just go and learn this stitch yourself, you won’t regret it.

My other samplers are here and the next stitch to show is Algerian Eye.

Till next time!

 See how sweet it is! I used variagated thread and again it kept throwing me off a little bit, you can see it from the petals which aren’t quite in a straight angle.

 Like I said, nothing but good things to say. You can cover large areas quickly with these flowers!

 I took what seems like gazillion pictures but I’m trying to control myself and only show few. There’s only so many macro shots one can take in.

 Yes, I’m most definitely in love. If you’re interested, my other samples are here. As soon as I can stop oggling these pics, I’m going to post the next stitch, Oyster.

Till next time!

 Sharon said this is an easy stitch to convert into circles and she was right! I’m now tempted to add buttons in the center of the spores.

 See how happy my spores are! This stitch is definitely a favourite and is going to be used a lot in the future.

Me likee. Next in the queue is Up And Down Buttonhole which I’ve renamed Comic Book Grass Field. You’ll soon see why! My other samplers are listed here.

Till next time!

Here I tried to create a fern of some sort. I began without a sketch but after a while I decided to draw the curls as I already had trouble stitching the straight stem.

 My less than stellar stitching! I tried so hard to get the spikes even but it just didn’t happen. This is one of those stitches where you can see your own development. If you put the practice hours in.

 Another thing about this stitch is that it’s very rigid which, I think, makes it very masculine stitch.

 Here it is in its full glory! Once again I’ve fallen little bit behind. Life seems to interrupt me constantly when it comes to TAST! Oh well, my next sampler to do is Bonnet Stitch, which by the way is almost finished! While you are waiting for my next posting, you can check out my other samplers here.

Till next time!

1. Mullet skirts/High-low skirts/Asymmetric skirts
It has a unique cut where it shows more legs in the front than the back. It has a more edgy look than the normal cut of a skirt but it still reflects a feminine side because of the cotton, — mostly mullet skirts are made of soft cotton, satin and other light fabrics. The mullet skirt could be paired with a basic or simple top to keep the skirt versatile.

The top can also be printed to give the outfit more life but to keep the versatility of the skirt, — the skirt must have a basic white or cream color to keep it versatile and to enhance the prints.

2. Neon
This season it is all about bright colors. Neon can give any clothing character due to its outstanding color. Wearing neon can easily make anyone stand out in a crowd, it makes us feel unique especially when everybody can’t help but notice you. I mean, who can miss someone wearing neon? Am I right , –or Am I right?

Neon colors can be mixed together just be careful not to overdo it. Try to stick to one color but with different fabrics like lace, satin, leather and others. With also different prints and designs like sequins, studs, pearls, beads and others. Balance is the key!

3. Peter Pan collars or anything collared
A Peter Pan collar can make the outfit fun and youthful because it gives off a school girl vibe but when it’s printed it gives off a whole different look. Collars with animal prints gives off a more mature look. Collars printed with studs, sequins, beads, spikes, pearls and other different fabrics or textures gives a more edgy look. The top must have a simple or basic color. It is more balanced, when the collar is the only part that has prints or any other designs. It highlights the collars more.

The collars can also have the same color with the top. Outlining the collar can also add a little bit of character that makes the collars stand out.

4. Floral patterns
A floral print of a clothing can bring out a feminine side in every one of us. It is very comfortable to look at, it can feel very relaxing to our eyes just by looking at different flowers. The different colors of the flowers can give the outfit life just by pairing it with neutral colors like nude, black, white and cream. Not gray because it can feel very dull while the black accents the flowers.

A floral patterned dress is a very beautiful piece. It can be used for special occasions or casual events.
It may just need some simple accessories like a belt to show more shape or figure. A necklace and some bracelets will also enhance the pattern to give more character.

These are just some of the trends this Summer to Fall season 2012.
You can also check out Elle Magazine’s article “TOP TRENDS FROM FALL 2012″ at http://www.elle.com/fashion/trend-reports/top-trends-from-fall-2012-652764

Have a great weekend! (:
Kudos!
x

(c) All photos are from http://www.tumblr.com
Mullet skirts
– All the photos can be found here http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/mullet+skirts
Neon
– All the photos can be found here http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/neon+clothing
Peter Pan collars or anything collared
– All the photos can be found here http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/collared+top
Floral Patterns
– All the photos can be found here http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/floral+clothes
(c) All these photos belong to their rightful owners. They are not mine. //

Okay, I’m no horticulturist but I think this plant is syringa. A good tip to find out english names of plants and animals is to type the name in your own language in Wikipedia, copy paste the latin name in English Wikipedia. Latin, surprisingly many uses in modern-day writing environment. In this case it was from Finnish: Syreeni to Latin: Syringa to English (disappointedly): Syringa.

 I love the photo challenge. It gives me an excuse to play with Photoshop Actions. Once again I used the free sets available from The Pioneer Woman. My favourite and thus the most over-used action is Seventies which gives that lovely golden sunset vibe on every picture.

When I was playing with the said actions, I began thinking I could do something more with the images. Another freebie I’ve downloaded quite some time ago, a French cancellation mark set by Just Something I Made was perfect for what I had in mind.

You know what I made? I made small, postcard sized posters thus suitable sending for a friend:

 Or maybe use one of them to make a bigger card:

Click on the text below images to download:

ThriftyFinnVueCard

 ThriftyFinnLilacCard2

 ThrifyFinnNantesCard

Let me know who you sent your card to! Or if made something crafty with them!

]]> http://shaniayarber.wordpress.com/2012/07/28/fall-justin-bieber/ Sat, 28 Jul 2012 11:48:42 +0000 shaniayarber http://shaniayarber.wordpress.com/2012/07/28/fall-justin-bieber/

 Important tools, ironing board, my hoop and baking paper. I use the baking paper to protect my iron when I use it to dry my label. And now I also see the smudge on my lens. The pro that I am.

 I seem to like yellow! The background is a vintage pillowcase I bought in March for 1,50 euros. It has nice handmade lace on either end. I almost sold but luckily I came to my senses. Next a random shot I accidentally shot when I was trying to change the settings on my camera:

I’m almost protected from peeping toms by these plants, whatever they are…This is the first year they are flowering though.

Well, next stitch on my list is Palestrina Stitch. If you are interested, my other samplers are listed here.

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As you know, it’s already tradition for me to go to Lapland for the month of August and sell my crafts over there. My “tour” finishes on Old Market Square Carnival of Rovaniemi and last year there, I found about a vintage store called Luna Second Hand. I chatted with the owner and asked if I could drop by and take photos for my blog. She gracefully agreed and now, almost a year later, here’s the story:

I love the well-organized sales till (?). Usually in a second hand stores this area is an after thought like “oops I guess we have to charge people” kind of way. Here the shop has a brand.

This is the view when you step in. On the right you can see a small seamstress studio where you can get your items altered. Convenient!

Rows and rows of dresses? Thankyousoverymuchyesplease. There are even vintage wedding dresses and my favourite was this one:

The lace with those pearly circles is just beautiful.

Isn’t a navy dress a must for every woman? I dubbed this “Beyoncé” as I thought it looked like something she would wear and/or designed with her mother.

 Luna also sells shoes and accessories. Another find from my first ever Old Market was the brand Karkkilakko which makes candy inspired jewellery. And as you know, I and candy get along like a house on fire.

If I were more dainty and lady-like, I’d rock the hell out of this dress. I mean, look at the embroidery! It’s so purrr-ty! The next dress was admired by both of us. The swirly hem and the print are gorgeous.

  Another proof of my masterful photography skills ;D

 If you are visiting Rovaniemi you should drop by at Luna too. Here’s the map to help you out:

Till next time!