Recap of last weekend

OMG. I need a break from the knit-along math. I need to talk about something else for a change. :D

Last Friday, I was talking with my lovely and talented friend Moe over at her blog, Stitch, about shoes, and the subject of cowboy boots came up. I realized that I hadn't worn mine in ages, so I thought hey, what a good excuse to bring them out, since we were going out that night with friends after all. So I went for my best Dale Evans look.

(Notice I forgot a belt loop? Hee! Thank goodness I figured that out before we left home.)

I got those cowboy boots as a birthday present from my dad when I was in high school (I believe it may have been my 16th birthday). We went all around Chicago looking for the perfect pair, and finally got these. Simple, classic, black Noconas. They fit me like a glove. I have always loved them.

I had a great hair thing happen on Friday, too. I had what I'd consider almost the perfect hair set! There is always something that needs tweaking or pushing or prodding or something when I set my hair, especially these days as my hair is getting longer. I did a similar side-parted setting pattern that I've used in the past (with sponge rollers, but pillow rollers in my bangs, set to the side). But those times it was for a completely different updo:

That time shown above (around Christmas, obviously) I only partially brushed out the curls, pinning the back up into a roll and pinning the sides into place.

This time, I used more rollers to try and help speed up the drying time with the extra length, and my goal was to wear my hair down, not up or partially up (which is how I almost always wear it) so I wasn't sure what to expect with the final result.

But I took out the rollers, I walked into the living room while I was brushing out my curls and by the time I walked back into the backroom, boom, it was perfect. I didn't need so much as a bobby pin. I even had to steal a photo in the bathroom when we went out that night to try and document it. How silly is that? lol Hopefully I can repeat it.

The set lasted so well it even held up the next day perfectly. Though withstanding wind on the train platform...not so much.

Actually I took that photo to show my mom that I finally found a style of wearing my hair where I can fit a beret on the back of my head instead of having to cover my bangs with it. For some reason up until now it's always wanted to fall right off. (So mom, I know you're reading this, it works!)

That was on our way to our favorite antique malls Saturday morning. On the way, we discovered a very strange new thrift store. It seemed mostly like someone had thrown a bunch of junk into a storefront. And I mean a bunch. No prices or anything. It was even hard to walk around. There wasn't much I was interested in, but I did get two buckle blanks for sewing, for $1 total. I'm not positive, but if this one isn't celluloid it sure looks like it could be. I love it!

At one of the antique malls, we visited our favorite booth. The one I mentioned earlier, that's the odd booth that has clothes and accessories that only seem to fit both Mel and I? Mel got a great casual cowboy hat and I picked up a vintage knitting bag (forgot to photograph that one) and two garments.

A black full skirt that has kind of a sheen to it, with embroidered flowers on it (hard to photograph black)...

I really have no clue what I'll wear it with, but for the price I couldn't resist.

I also got a lovely cheongsam kind of blouse...

And a close up detail of the awesome closures (the top one needs to be tacked down, so I got it for a great price)...

I think that one will be coming to Viva with me, if I can figure out what to wear it with. That's the problem I always have with separates. Ugh. If the skirt was a pencil skirt I'd say they'd make a nice pair, but I didn't like the two together.

And at the antique mall, Mel got me an awesome robin's egg blue wicker purse for our anniversary, which is Sunday. I love wicker purses and this is one of my favorite colors. I saw it from across the antique mall and made a beeline for it. Before I even got it in my hands, Mel was offering to buy it for me. :)

Saturday night we went to our friends Ben and Elisa's house for dinner, which was killer. Homemade jambalaya and key lime pie. Elisa really outdid herself!

Before we headed to their house, we took some photos. Awhile back I decided it would be fun to take one photo of us a week, in the same spot on the sofa. So this was about week four, I think. I'm wearing a wool tweed dress I recently got on Etsy.

Sunday I spent most of the day preparing to cut my fashion fabric for the Swing Dress Sew-Along. At this point I now have the bodice done and the front attached to the midriff. I'm definitely not in love with how this pattern is written, but I do think I'm learning a lot in the process, and Casey has been a great leader. I'm hoping it will all come together soon, I have so many projects bouncing around in my head that I want to get to! :)