Crocheted Clothes for Kiddos

{roselette top via chez plum}

Confession Friday time. I have an obsession with finding adorable kid's clothing patterns (yes, it's an obsession and no, I don't have kids. Yet.) I save them all up with dreams of dressing my own little brood in classically delish little outfits (because I'm an 'outfits' kinda gal.)

My most recent quest has been to find crocheted sweaters and jackets leaning more toward the timeless classic aesthetic more than pretty much everything else I'm seeing out there. Aaaand. I'm coming up short. I've managed to find about a dozen completely perfect baby-sized cardis, sweaters and jackets, but beyond that -- for the toddling age, I'm coming up short. Sad, isn't it? You more advanced crocheters might be thinking "well, just whip up yourself a larger version of the baby pattern!" I've tried. I've failed. My patience is running short.

However, I did come upon a darling French Etsian called Chez Plum and fell in love with the Roselette Pattern. It comes in lots of sizes AND she even sells a grown-up version! For $5 it was too cute to pass up, so I bought it last night and started working the pattern today. At only 6 rows in, it's crazy quick to make and working up really well. Love it so far! Can't wait to post pics later!

So crafty folks, do you have any classic crocheted clothing patterns for kiddos of all ages?

{GIVEAWAY} Win the Darling Ahoy! Dress from Shabby Apple!

{up for grabs...the ahoy! dress from shabby apple}

Happy Friday, my darlings! Do I have a treat in store for you this morning or what?! With the official start to summer just around the corner, this is the perfect time to get you ready for fetes, festivals, and summer fun – why not start it with a giveaway from my newest affiliate sponsor -- the oh-so-fabulous Shabby Apple boutique!

If you’ve never had the pleasure of visiting www.shabbyapple.com, I can’t recommend it enough for dresses for little girls and women alike, all vintage-inspired and totally adorable.

So, here it is…up for grabs is this doll of a women’s dress: the Ahoy! dress in pretty green cotton voile.

All you have to do to enter is head on over to Shabby Apple’s Facebook page, ‘Like’ them, let them know that oh my word! sent you, pop back over here and leave me a comment letting me know you did. That’s it! Super easy peasy, right?

Want a few more ways to win? Tweet it (@evereeve), Facebook it (link back to http://www.facebook.com/ohmywordblog), blog it...whatever! For every bit of promo, leave me a separate comment and each will count as a bonus entry!

(Please don’t forget to include your email address somewhere so I can contact you if you win – no spam from me, I promise!)

{Just a bit more of the awesome that is shabby apple}

But wait....there's MORE! Cuz' I adore you, you ALL can be winners and get your own awesome bit o’ vintage loveliness a la Shabby Apple when you use the coupon code “ohmyword10off” & get 10% off your order! So if you’d like some new accessories, a new bathing suit, or even a maternity dress – Shabby Apple has you covered. (FYI: discount expires in 30 days, so get on it!)

The rest of the giveaway details:
• Only open to U.S.residents (sorry, International ladies!)
• The winner will be chosen at random based on the received comments.
• Contest ends at midnight EST on Friday, June 24, 2011.
• Winner will be announced Monday June 27, 2011.
• Once announced and contacted, the winner must provide me their name, address, phone, email address and dress size, so I can make sure the good folks at Shabby Apple get you your dress!
• Sorry – no exchanges will be offered for the winning dress.


Happy summer!

♥ Evelyn

Rocking the New New Shoes.

Yay! New shoes! My first pair of vintage saddles just were  | - |   that much too snug around the width of my foot at the vamp (where the black part starts at the top of my foot), so I kept my peepers open on both eBay and Etsy for another (preferably vintie) pair. Voila! $15 on eBay for a perfect 1/2 size up pair. Though not vintage, they're a perfect reproduction -- complete with hard Biltrite soles. Can't wait to get these puppies broken in! So, if you know of anyone who can fit a US-6 and is interested in a solid pair of vintie saddles, email me :o)

Etsy Favorites

Just a few of my never-ending list of Etsy favorites. Seriously. I need this dress!

{Evelyn Dress - esaro1820}

 {Medium Larch Bag - valhallabrooklyn}

 

{The Great Lakes papercut art - Crafterall}

Saddle up!

{1936 LIFE)

It's no secret that I completely adore shoes, but I've noticed these last couple of years, shoes don't seem to love my feet. Perhaps its that I've spoiled myself with the comfort of  flip flops and trainers, but your average shoe -- not sneaker, sandal, heel, or whathaveyou -- just isn't as comfortable or durable as I'd like it to be. And when they're comfortable, they aren't so fashion-friendly. This all got me to thinking of how things used to be. When folks didn't have 30, 50, or 200 pairs of shoes. They had a few, were well-made, and cared for. Tapping into that resourceful line of reasoning, my mind wandered back to the saddle shoe. Quintessentially "vintage America", saddles harken back to a less wasteful time in American history, a time when people used what they had until they couldn't repair it again...and even then, it was probably passed to someone who would use it anyway. (Heck, even the poorest man during the Great Depression wore a hat when he could.)

I grew up close to my grandparents and, as children of the Depression, nothing, NOTHING in their home was wasted. I rather think we could all learn a little something from our not-so-distant past and take a lesson in being resourceful. Personally, I'd like to continue to work on purging the unnecessary from my life -- paring it down to versatile, practical, and functional essentials (plus a handful of things I love just to spice everything up a bit.) Even though I'm at that "paring down" stage, I truly need to have a single pair of shoes that are cute, durable, and versatile to wear throughout the year. So here it is: the saddle shoe. Willits classic saddle shoes, white with black saddle, hard, ruddy rubber soles.With a shoe that's been in style, albeit in varying degrees, since the 1930s, I can't lose. I can't wait for them to arrive!

Sure wish they still cost $2.85.

{1941 Sears Catalog found here}

Freebie Friday: The Necktie (Father's Day edition)

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I got the nicest email the other day from Matt over at Tiepedia. Gotta give props to a guy doing his blogging thing, especially when it's not a tech or sports blog! It's all about the quintessential man essential: the necktie. Now, call me crazy, but I freaking love the look of a man in a necktie. It just seems right somehow. Maybe that's old-fashioned, but hey, I've been known to like all things old-fashioned.

So, as I was saying. Matt has a great post on necktie cakes, which I completely love. Definitely check it out! (Thanks for the link, Matt!)

It also got me thinking...Father's Day is Sunday. Do you want to make an extra-special gift for Pops this year? Why not make him his very own, custom-made necktie? Even dads who don't like ties would like it if you made it with your own two hands! Need a pattern? Check out Andy Gilchrist's man-friendly blog Ask Andy About Clothes for a great DIY necktie tutorial.

Happy (early) Father's Day to all the dads out there + have a great weekend!

Wanted on Wednesday: Organic Cotton Jeans

{Good Society Denim via Rare Device}

For serious. What's not to love about fair-trade, sustainable organic cotton denim? Did I mention they have a little Lycra for a comfy fit? Oh. And did I also forget to mention that they're on sale at Rare Device right now? Loving this vintage wash, but if you want to check out the latest from the house of Good Society, check out their website here.

Paulina Reyes for Harvey Faircloth SS10

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I'm willing to bet that this fantastically bold Paulina Reyes for Harvey Faircloth fabric is on the Spring/Summer 2010 hot list. It's already making quite a stir across the blogosphere {like here, here, here and here, just for starters.}

This colorful print definitely reminds me of warm, sunny places, and mai tais or, possibly, vintage porch furniture. Whether that's a good thing, I'm still on the fence. What do you think...hot or not?

P.S. Can't wait for the SS10 line to be available in HF's online shop. How darling is that sleeveless tunic and those preppy shorts? Summer cannot come quickly enough to the east coast. Just sayin'.

Have you read Martha Weddings today?

 {flashback...courtesy Red Ruby Rose}

Did you happen to read this great feature on Martha Weddings called Our Favorite Etsy Sellers? It's great and showcases some stunners. But let me just tell you how squealed out loud when I saw that they featured Red Ruby Rose --  AND they used the exact photo in a post I did last year. Out of all the gajillions of stuff on Etsy, they found exactly the same seller and photo. Way to finally catch up to me, Martha. SHAZAM!

And big kudos to all the amazing Etsians who made the feature (esp. you, Rowena, who really nailed it with that peacock feather clutch!) You are all truly amazing. GO ETSY GO!

Today at Scoutie Girl: Pulling it Together, Cosmo Style.

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Head on over to Scoutie Girl to take a peep at my very last look in the Spring 2010 Fashion Preview. It's a sassy one!

With that said, now that I'm wrapping up my Blogger in Residence over at Scoutie Girl, it has me thinking of what I'll be doing next. I've been crazy busy lately, with some tweaks to the blog layout and functionality and doing behind-the-scenes brainstorming to make sure I'm keeping you all interested! In the very near future, I'll be posting a simple survey and I would be super appreciative if you'd participate. It's going to help me get a pulse on you lovely readers. If you can believe it, it's been over a year since my first post and I've never had a reader survey...I figured it was about time!

 {where the heart is + freshly picked}

P.S. With all the snow here in Ohio, my DIY project list is getting bigger and bigger! Take a look at these DIY treasures: the burlap wreath and this darling elastic waist skirt.** Aren't they great? I can't wait to get it going on my own versions. How about you? What have you been up to lately?

**  edit: Sorry I didn't make this more clear before, but the two awesome projects shown above I, alas, cannot claim. These are done by the very talented Jennifer of Where the Heart Is and Susan at Freshly Picked! DEF. check out their blogs. They're FULL of amazing tutorials!! **

minimarket: SS10 look book

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Loving the Spring/Summer 2010 looks from Swedish design house minimarket, especially the gray kimono dress and the pops of robin's egg and berry. And the shark sweater? C'mon, that's just awesome.

Working It "9 to 5" at Scoutie Girl

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Today over at Scoutie Girl, I'm sharing another of my favorite looks for Spring 2010. I hope you'll give it a gander and let me know what you think! It's all about workin' those 9 to 5 weekdays and doing it in style. Move over stuffy pantsuit, a new girl's in town and she's not afraid to mix things up!

"Market Day" over at Scoutie Girl

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Hey guys! The second of my looks in the Spring 2010 Fashion Preview is up over at Scoutie Girl , so I hope you'll check it out. It's called "Market Day" and is all about going green -- and I don't mean the color. Eco-friendly fabrics in comfy layers...this is definitely one of my favorite fashion statements!

What green trends are you digging right now?

Spring Fashion Preview #1 at Scoutie Girl

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Just in case you're wondering where today's post is...you'll have to cruise on over to Scoutie Girl sometime today to read it (not exactly sure what time it will post, so keep checking!) It's my very first post of four, as part of the blogger in residence program. (In case you missed yesterday's post, check it out for a link to my intro & more info on the program itself.)

It's amazing to be involved with the SG community and welcome in a few new readers to oh my word! while I'm at it. Scoutie Girl is all about the power of independence, creation and handmade -- all things I fiercely support. The power is, literally, in our own hands to shape our planet, economy and future. So, if you're down for some fashion with passion, pop over today for a read and let me know what you think!

I'm with Stupid. Are You?

{diesel + youtube}

Have you seen Diesel's new campaign? Just another reason why I love their ever-evolving branding. If I'm going to spend $150 on denim, at least it's going towards paying for creativity like this...because this is just plain clever. And the song is catchy, too. And I've loved their jeans for the last decade and have mad love.

So today, I'm going to be stupid. Because stupid has the balls. Thanks, Diesel.

Start productivity in 5...4...3...

Dear Luxirare, I Can Hardly Find the Words...

 {luxirare...food crayons. damn that's clever.}

It's moments like these that I freaking love Twitter. Thanks to checking out some amazing folk's tweets, (first SweetTartlette, then Bakerella, then through Bakerella's blog), I found Luxirare. I almost couldn't wrap my brain around half of what I saw. Near spontaneous combustion (which I think would be an interesting way to go, if you asked me.) Sure I might come off like Betty Crocker, but I really am an edgy little minx when I want to be and this sassy pants has seriously fierce fashion sense. Her black YSL platform heels bring a tear to my eye. Everything about Luxirare appeals to me.

Go. Just go right now and try to pick a favorite photo.You'll see what I mean.

Oh and I love this..."They’re just clothes, who cares? If there was a meteor shower tomorrow your Chanel bag isn’t going to save you." No, but those YSL Tributes just may.

{luxirare...hardware on a balenciaga coat. newest bff.}

Must Have: The Blazer

 {1. flickr, 2. unknown, 3. j. crew, 4. anthropologie 5. gap}

My must-covet item of the moment...a black boyfriend blazer. I mean, really. Who doesn't love women in menswear? It's epically chic. Always has been. Marlene Dietrich? Patti Smith? Hello? I think it's beyond sexy. Doesn't it just scream black heels and a cigar? Need. Want. Must. Have.

{While I'm Away...} Småfolk

{all courtesy Småfolk}

Loving this Danish label Småfolk. How cute would your little one look in these duds this winter? Made of 100% cotton so you can layer up the cute styles til your heart's content.

Not Your Nana's Needlepoint

{clockwise: headband - Tucker Blair, key fob - Smathers & Branson,
baby booties - By Paige, flip flops - Tucker Blair, photo album - AMH Design,
elephants & martinis belt - Smathers & Branson}

Today's a hugely busy day...I'm off to buy the rest of my wedding day beauty accoutrement, attempt to tidy up my office a bit and, later this afternoon, we're meeting our event coordinator at The Worthington Inn to go over the details of our wedding reception. Hurrah!

With that said, I'll keep it short and show you some of my favorite needlepoint pieces. Oh aren't they darling? I love needlepoint. It's so...preppy! Maybe I'll take up needlepoint and round out my crafting abilities :)

I Heart TOMS!

{Rockin' the One for One style, His in plaid, Hers with bows.}

I had the pleasure of being a guest of The Ohio State University yesterday for a dinner honoring Blake Mycoskie, founder and chief shoe giver of TOMS Shoes, and was able to hear him speak to students and lovers of TOMS. Blake's appearance was part of the 2009 First-Year Distinguished Speaker series at the university, aimed at introducing incoming freshman to leaders and entrepreneurs in the business industry and community alike.


It was exhilarating to hear Blake speak about his experiences getting started, growing, motivations and ambitions in developing a sustainable business. His business model alone is enough to revolutionize how we, as consumers and professionals, approach both product development and purchasing power -- the idea that a for-profit business does not have to exist parallel to a philanthropy, that businesses and charities can unite as one (and that we can actively choose to support those businesses...and why wouldn't we? C'mon people!) It takes courage to do something new and it takes determination to make it work. Blake Mycoskie has both in spades. My shoes are off to you, sir!

{Now we're BFFs}

{Oh yes, and Blake signed my TOMS :) }