A New Year

     The semester has officially begun! I can't believe how quickly that happened, but I am very excited for what this year has to offer. I am moved in, and my room is completely put together. One of the advantages of being a returning student is that I don't have to participate in all of the Launch activities; which basically means that I was able to spend all day Saturday putting my room to rights. As I have mentioned my need for cleanliness before, you can imagine how wonderful it was for me to have no clutter while I slept. I felt bad for my new roommate, Mackenzie, who is a freshman and did have to be out in the heat.

     My suite-mates and I had to get a first day of school picture (sadly, Mackenzie was not present). I don't believe that this dress has ever made it onto the blog, which is quite shocking. It is several years old now, and I made it from Vintage Vogue 1172. I love it, but my one complaint would be that the shoulders are rather restrictive. Other than that, it went together beautifully. I do love Vogue patterns.

     It is interesting to be back in school. I love being able to see all of my friends again, and there is nothing like a fresh start to get one excited! I am determined to make this year even better than last year. The starting place for that goal is in putting myself out there more. I want to have a large circle of great friends, and I have everything I need for that right here. It is basically up to me to put myself out there and develop the friendships I already have, and make new friendships with those I haven't met yet.  Again, there is nothing quite like a new beginning. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to be here, and there are such fantastic people to know and love all around me.
Whether you are going to school yourself, or have young ones who are; enjoy the wonderful year of learning ahead of you!
Lots of love!

I'm a Wanderer, Oh, a Wanderer

     Can you believe it? I sure can't. School is starting again. I have spent the last two days packing up my life yet again, and the space that my life takes is quite shocking. Rachael is moving into an apartment this year with two other girls, and is therefore taking a couch and her twin bed. I, on the other hand, am bringing no furniture. For one thing, there isn't any room; for another, I have furniture waiting in a garage for me there; and for another, I now have a roommate who is going to bring a chair. I am bringing some couch cushions (pretty ones at that) for floor lounging; and I am taking my sewing machine. I learned that lesson the hard way, as some of you will remember. It'll be a tight squeeze to get everything in, but then again, when isn't it?
     I have been trying to figure out what to say. The summer has been fast and slow, lazy and busy, overwhelming and easy-going. I don't know how to describe what it has been. I worked at a pizza place all summer, and my hours were always 4:30 to about 8:00 or 9:00. It is interesting how those hours leave so much time, but also manage to limit one so much. Now, I am not complaining; you see, I loved that job. It was a good job, with good people to work with. I find that I can enjoy most things in life if I like the people I am surrounded by. In July, we had visitors, a lot of them; that was also the month that I didn't appreciate my job as much. Many outings were cut short because of my hours, and precious time was not spent with those who live across the map from me.

     It seems that the last moments are the most precious moments. The closer that I come to leaving home, the more I love it. My family, my church, and my workplace are going to be missed; it always seems that friendships, old and new, blossom at the very moment they must be left. However, life must move forward, and in all reality, I am excited to begin a new year. Adventure is in my blood, and I detest stagnation. So, though it is hard to part, adventure is calling. To those I am leaving behind, know that I love you. So, here's to home, and here's to adventure.

Lots of love to all of you

     I have shared this blouse at least once before, and I wear it regularly. However, did I ever mention that there is a matching skirt? Perhaps not. I love this set, but some changes are in order. I need to change the pleating so that it lays better. The current shape it gives is not always pleasant. 

     So, I realized that Vintage Perfect had a birthday! August 1 marked exactly one year. I looked back over everything that I have shared here, and though it's far from perfect still, I am pleased with the progress that has been made. Some of the photography in my earlier posts is so horrendous it made me laugh!

     One of the main reasons I started this blog was as a means of recording my life. I want something to look back on that will tell my story to me in the future. Today I am young, and I don't want to forget what it is like. 

     Thank you for sharing in this with me. Thank you for caring enough to return and read what I have said. Thank you for being present. 

Lots of love. 

Seeing Green

     Well look at me; all good and posting regularly again! As I mentioned last time, I have a new dress finished. This one, unlike the others I have been working on, can be worn in summer or winter. Ergo, I have some pictures.

     I wore this to go and officially get Rachael's wedding dress. We had found it the week before, but our Dad hadn't seen it. But, I can't tell you anything about her dress, except that she looks gorgeous! However, I can talk for ages about my dress! 

     First things first, I used Retro Butterick b5747. It was a pretty simple pattern to use. My main issues were more with time to sew, and the ability to sew buttons on straight. I am far too OCD to deal with buttons, but they look so pretty; especially self fabric covered ones! Rather than bother with actual buttons, I found some 1" washers and used them. To cover them, I cut out a square of the fabric big enough to wrap around, and haphazardly sewed it on. The backs of my buttons are dreadful, but they don't show at all, so it doesn't matter. 

     I am very pleased with how it all turned out. The fabric is on the hefty side, and it has a tiny bit of stretch to it, which makes it comfortable. I love that the stiffness of the fabric gives so much body to the skirt, I'm not even wearing a petticoat here. When I first started this, I wasn't sure if it would be a dress I could wear in winter. I then had the idea of making a black dickey as well as the green. I still may do this eventually, but after I finished the dress and tried it on, I realized that this shade of green is quite suitable for winter. Also, the thickness of the fabric means that, paired with a muslin petticoat and some tights, it will not be too flimsy either. This dress has a lot of interfacing; in the collar, the waistband, and the armhole and front facings.  I didn't feel like bothering with real interfacing, and I used muslin instead. I think that that is my new go to interfacing now, it worked marvelously! All in all, I would say that this dress will do very well all year long. There is nothing like a practical and pretty dress to make me happy!

     On a different note, I would love to hear your opinions - about the dress, yes - but also about this space. What are your favorite types of posts from me? Would you prefer more step by step looks at the actual construction of my dresses, or do you like to see the finished product and hear some details then? Is it interesting to you to hear about the places I have gone, or would you rather hear my thoughts on life? Thank you for your feedback!

Lots of love!

Where, Oh Where Is My Hair?

     Well, this has been a long time coming! I do apologize for the long absence. I have been busy with pleasant things, and life in the real world took precedence (as it always should); but things are calming down again (albeit just in time for the craze of preparing for a return to college), and I hope to return to regular blogging again now.

     The reason for all of the busyness has been an onslaught of company. It started with my sister, Kimm, and her husband Johan. Then came Jared, Rachael's fiancé, followed by my Mom's best friend, Mrs. M, who has always been like a second mother to us. Kimm remained till a couple days ago, though Johan had to return home earlier. He was kind enough to lend her to us for ten days after his departure, and we had a lovely visit. I think it is rather Austen-ish, paying nearly month long visits. Anyway, all of this company has been a sort of wedding planning celebration. We have been quite productive, finding both venue and dress within a few weeks.

     In other news, I made a rather drastic change a week or so ago. As I have mentioned in the past, Rachael and I made a pact to not cut our hair for two years. The point was for Rachael's sake. She has always struggled to grow her hair, always getting tired of it and chopping it off; but she has always thought that she would want long hair for her wedding. Although it is hard to believe, two years have now passed; and, characteristically, we both cut all of our hair off the moment we had a chance. Rachael decided that it was far more like herself to have short hair on her wedding day. I like my hair when it is long, but it seems that everybody has long hair, and it's such fun to shock all of one's friends. Also, I had a bit of red still in my hair that I missed when I dyed it black, and it is easier to cut than to dye. Not to mention that short hair is so much fun! I also feel that it is sophisticated while remaining young, which pleases me. I really like this cut, because it has enough length on top that I can curl it and change up the look. I still need to pin curl it, but it might turn into a poodle…

     I have been very busy on projects, and will soon be sharing a new dress with you all. Most of my projects are winter clothes. Last year showed me what a lack I have in that area, so I am putting some effort into building that portion of my wardrobe. It is hard to avoid wearing new clothes though, even when they are flannel and the weather is hot!

Lots of love to all of you!          

Pink and Red

     I've had these pictures for quite a while now, but I just hadn't gotten around to writing this post. I love this outfit, and I have worn it several times this Summer. I thrifted the skirt a year or so ago, and I found the shirt in the second hand bin in the laundry room of my dorm. It was cut at the bottom, and had a few holes in the seams; rather like someone was trying to alter it and gave up. I patched it up, and it is one of my favorite blouses now. It is pure cotton and very light and breezy. I love wearing sleeves in the summertime to keep the heat off, so this was a perfect combination.

     I had worn this to go to the store with my Mom and Rachael. We were looking for plants for the garden. It was a lovely day, but it got rather warm outside. Fortunately, this outfit does well in heat for me. When we got home, I asked my Mom to take some pictures for me, which she kindly did.

     I have been trying to get some sewing done lately. It is a bit of a process; I am a nocturnal sewer, but I also work evenings at my job. It is therefore difficult to actually buckle down and sew. I am currently working on a light green sailor dress, and I can't wait to finish it and share the results! I have also been spending more time watching old movies. I always forget how happy they make me. There is just a certain quality to them that is missing in the newer stuff. I have been especially hooked on Marilyn Monroe movies. I am always so saddened by her story, and I wish she could have found joy. One thing I love about her is that she is considered one of the most beautiful women ever to have lived, and I agree. But you know something? She had flaws that would be considered ugly in a modern woman. For instance, if you see her in profile, you'll notice a slight pooch in the tummy; but it didn't matter at all! She was confident in her body, and that is what gave her beauty.

Lots of love!

Going East Part 5: Boston

     We spent two days in Boston. The first day we visited the birthplace and home (Peace Field) of the Adams'. It absolutely amazes me to see how simply they lived back then. The house that John Adams was born in was only three rooms on the first floor, all very small. We weren't able to go upstairs.
     Peace Field was my favorite. It was lovely. There is a garden outside, and we were informed that the lilacs were Abigail's Lilacs, in that she actually planted them. Imagine plants lasting that long! The entire outdoor area smelled amazing and reminded me just how much I love gardens. The story goes that they bought the house while in Europe, remembering it to be bigger than it was. When Abigail saw the tiny house, she cried. Then she went to work improving it. Three generations of Adams' lived in the house and continued to improve it. My favorite part was the library. It was built separate from the house out of brick, so that it would be fire proof. It's a small, rectangular building and is lined with books. They put the books in helter-skelter, and then put in a decimal system according to how they fit in. It smelled of books and was quiet and bright inside. I wished I could have spent some time there alone. We also heard a great deal about Louisa Adams. I am quite intrigued by her now, and if you enjoy history, you should read up on her. She was the only first lady to be born outside of the US, and was quite charming.
     The second day of Boston travels was spent on the Freedom Trail. We started at the end, for fear we would miss the Constitution otherwise. It is the oldest commissioned battle ship in the world. They still take it out several times a year. Also, I learned something interesting. You know the phrase "whistle while you work"? Well, Disney didn't come up with it. Boys were used to take food from the kitchen to the crew, and they had to whistle while they worked; to prove they weren't eating the food! I thought that was so interesting.
     It was a very cold day, and the Freedom Trail is long. After a while of being outside, one forgot how cold it was. We decided to stop for lunch at a clam chowder place. Mom had looked up options, and discovered that there was a restaurant just off the trail. It was rather further than we anticipated though. The trail is marked by red bricks laid into the sidewalk, and different places pop up along the way. We saw Paul Revere's home, as well as the famous church where the lanterns were hung.

     We were getting very hungry, and hadn't come to the restaurant yet, "Ye Olde Union Oyster House". Deciding that it was high time we found it, we left the trail and went in search of it aided by our iPhones. As it was late in the afternoon and none of us had eaten, nerves where rather on edge. Mom's phone was nearly dead, and I put the directions into mine. After going the wrong way once or twice (the sun was not out and it was therefore difficult to judge direction) we finally spotted the gigantic billboard like sign for the restaurant. On coming to the front we discovered that the Freedom Trail ran directly in front of it. Oh well, we had made it. It was somewhere around four by this time, but we were still able to get lunch instead of dinner. Our group was split up into two booths across the aisle from each other. I sat with my parents, and the couples sat together. 

     I had clam chowder (which came with cornbread) and then we ordered a Boston Creme Pie for dessert. Mom said she didn't want any, but that resolution quickly faded; it was very good! When we finished eating, we started on our way again, only to discover that it was much colder after eating warm food. And we soon discovered that we would not be able to finish the trail, since everything was closed. We walked back a shorter way and made our way home.
     I really enjoyed Boston, and would like to have the chance to go back again. One of my favorite parts of this trip was enjoying all of the beautiful architecture. Most of the homes are old, and so much more lovely than newer homes are. I have decided that a house ought to be white, yellow, green, or blue, with shutters in corresponding colors (with red being fine as well). That makes for the loveliest house. This will be the last post in my vacation series, though I said six originally. I found that it could be done quite nicely in five posts, and it is time to move on and enjoy new things. Thank you for reading and enjoying my trip along with me!
Lots of love!