Recent Thrift: Pink Pleat Blouse

I found this linen Laura Ashley top at Value Village for $6. The buttons up the back and pleats are lovely.

Aquamarine Peplum Shirt

I owe a humble thank you to an unknown rodent!

This shirt, which I planned on altering, was too big for me to begin with, and the neckline was too low. I figured I would have some extra fabric to work with, and it's a good thing I did. After I washed it it was fluttering dry on a chair in my backyard, but I forgot to bring it in for the night. When I went out to get it the next morning, I discovered, much to my annoyance, that some little rodent had ripped holes right in the front of the shirt! I tried to sew them shut, but the result was obvious and ugly.

I sliced out the rodent holes, which hit around waist level, and took in the sides and sleeves of the shirt. Then I gathered the bottom portion of the shirt to the new width.

I sewed the gathered edge onto the shirt to create a peplum, and also made two pleats in the neckline to keep it from gaping. It's now one of those throw-it-on-and-feel-great-about-the-casual-prettiness-of-it kind of shirts.

Frankly, I don't think my original, vague, alteration plan would have turned out as well, so sometimes frustrating situations force out better creative results.

PaperLove Blog Hop 2014: Paper Dress

I have always wanted to make a dress out of paper, and my recent mannequin acquisition has made that dream possible. There was a pile of paper in my basement that my mom had saved from purchasing breakable items at stores, so I grabbed it and got to work.

I draped the paper over the mannequin to create the bodice, which was manageable enough to piece together. Then I had to set up a card table to accommodate the sewing of the swath of skirt-to-be. At this point, as I supported the crinkly mass being fed through the machine, I questioned my rationality but was too motivated by the fact that, yes, what I was doing was crazy yet strangely awesome. This is the kind of project I foresee myself staying up all night to create for future window displays or what have you, so I may as well get used to it now. Side note: never try to gather paper--pleats are much more effective.

Once I finished the basic dress I had the delight of embellishing it with numerous paper flowers. It was like frosting a cake! 

Ta-da!

Oh, and I got to read some poetry while I was at it. I love the versatility of paper!

The PaperLove Blog Hop is a celebration of all things paper! Follow the links to discover more bloggers who love paper and use it to inspire and delight. And if you want to explore a whole world of paper, and stretch your paper passion further with a host of creative projects, why not join the innovative new online course PaperLove (starts March 31). Led by book artist Rachel Hazell, PaperLove is a five week creative adventure for paper lovers. Find out more here.
Majo Bautista / Tona Bell / Louise Best / Cathy Bluteau / Jennifer Bomgardner / Giova Brusa / Lindsay Buck / Beka Buckley / Joanna Caskie / Jonathan Chapman (Mr Yen) / Halle Cisco / Sarah Clare / Cathryn Clarge / Dawn Clarkson / Rhiannon Connelly / Jenny D'Fuego / Molly Dhiman / Ian Dudley / Ayisatu Emore / Akmal Farid / Monika Forsberg / Claire Fritz-Domeney / Louise Gale / Chrissy Gaskell / Julie Hamilton / Emma Hawman / Rachel Hazell / Holly Helgeson / Claudine Hellmuth / Kim Henkel / Sarah Hoffman / Joanne Hus / Paula Joerling / Beth Kempton / Julie Kirk / Eos Koch / Katie LaClair / Kristy Lankford / Michelle Manolov / Doreen Marts / Rosie Martinez-Dekker / Tori Mears / Maria Mederios / Lise Meijer / Debbie Miller / MaryJane Mitchell / Suzy Naidoo / Grace Noël / Hannah Nunn / Camilla Olsson / Jo Packham / Rachelle Panagarry / Monette Pangan / Melanie Paul / Nicole Piar / Jen Pitta / Liz Plummer / Julie Reed / Michelle Reynolds / Lisa Rivas / Angee Robertson / Natalie Ryan / Aisling Ryan / Elisabet Sapena / Kyrrha Sevco / Jamie Sprague / Elizabeth Steele / Terri Stephens / Juniper Stokes / Mary Tanana / Maike Thoma / Linda Tieu / Gabrielle Treanor / Tammy Tutterow / Deborah Velasquez / Jordan Vinograd Kim / Cat Whipple / Brooke Witt / Katie Wood / Amelia Woodbridge

Little Red Riding Skirt

This skirt is like something from a fairy tale. As unbelievable as it may sound, I found the vintage Ralph Lauren beauty at Value Village for $6--quite the deal!

I adore the skirt's pleats and rich color. It is made of warm wool. Plus, the length and weight is fabulous because I don't have to be concerned about it ballooning up with the slightest breeze! It's a great skirt for twirling and, of course, waltzing through the forest on the way to Grandma's.

This photo was taken just before something ran out of the bushes towards me.

The Big Bad Wolf took me by surprise! I screamed, but that scream quickly morphed into laughter as I realized the irony of the situation. My mom and I chatted with the dog's owner for a few minutes before she and her dog continued their walk.

This wolf was hardly big or bad. Instead, he was a hilariously perfect addition the photoshoot.