More British love

I started watching Downton Abbey last night and quickly got obsessed.  It's a good combination of addicting story line and great costumes.

Wish list for simplicity

I've been feeling the urge lately to purge my closet of anything non-functional and then add in simple, practical, well-made items that I will wear always.  A few things on the "to-add" list (of course, it would be even simpler to not add anything, but oh well): simple spring dresses, a bag that I can use for years, plain, well-constructed black flats that will last longer than a few months, and a striped sweater for layering.

Book review

This is the second book I've read by Wilkie Collins, and I've thoroughly enjoyed both.  They're not amazing literature, but they provide good Victorian chills.  The Woman in White is a mystery involving two women who look mysteriously alike--the combination of the story line and the prose make it a quick, worthwhile read.

English Countryside

For some reason I woke up this morning craving the English countryside.  I can't plan a trip quite yet, but I'm going to be watching All Creatures Great and Small tonight to try to scratch my itch a bit.  It's one of my favorite things on instant Netflix--I could watch it over and over again.

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Collection #1

I've been picking up old books at thrift stores over the years.  Here are two of my favorites.

Diorama-rama

Highlights from my recent museum trip:

Sewing inspiration

I've been thinking a lot about sewing lately.  I haven't actually been doing a lot of it, but I'm biding my time and adding to the list of projects to work on.  I saw this cape today at Aubin & Willis and want to attempt my own version.  That will bring my cape collection to 5 (all found at thrift stores and all a bit ridiculous), but I figure the more, the merrier.  Completely unrelated: this is a good article about protests in Egypt and beyond.

Museum date

Resort

As with most things, my interest in fashion week (or at least, my interest in looking at pictures from it on the internet) waxes and wanes.  I'm not that into it this time around, but it does remind me how much I liked a lot of the resort collections for 2011.  Here are some of my favorites--all images from Style.com.

Balenciaga

Erdem

Christopher Kane

Chloe

Calvin Klein Collection

3.1 Phillip Lim

Mango Lassi

It's been hard to find motivation lately--but I did decide to mix up a mango lassi yesterday.  I made yogurt last week that wasn't quite successful as actual yogurt, but it was perfect to blend together with frozen mango, agave nectar, and some ginger.  I'm making one again today--it was delicious.

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Coal Miner's Daughter

We watched Coal Miner's Daughter last night, and I completely enjoyed it.  I love Sissy Spacek (after watching Badlands, anything she does is all right in my book), and Tommy Lee Jones is totally one of my favorite actors.  I also love the clothes she wears in the beginning; to be fair, her fluffy dresses and poofy hair after she makes it big are pretty great too.  All in all, it was a perfect movie for a snowy Monday night.

Farm life

To be clear, I've never actually lived on a farm.  But I fantasize about it, a lot.  I think I could do it.  The tending, the growing, the chores and scrimping and saving and animals.  Of course, the grass is always greener, but for now I'll be poring over this site and ogling these pictures.

from here

from here

from here

70's movies

Have been tops on my list lately.  Here are a few that I've enjoyed.

Shorts

 Even though the high today is supposed to be 4 (4! Degrees!), I am still focusing on spring and summer.  I made these shorts yesterday by mixing together a couple of patterns I already have.  They were super easy and I'm planning on making more in different prints for wearing to beat the heat this summer. I can fantasize, can't I?