DIY slouchy vintage sweater

Usually when I DIY, and even worse, when I try to DIY something with my own idea, it is really not something I ought to do myself. I burn my DIY home scents on the stove, my DIY earrings fall apart, and let's not talk about cooking and baking.

HOWEVER, I must say, this particular DIY was not as doomed as its predecessors. All I want these days, thanks to Pinterest, is a perfect slouchy sweater. But a vintage/men's/oversize sweater does not necessarily a perfect slouchy sweater make. No, there must be something of an art to it. It needs to be cut a certain way, to hang a certain way, to be too big in just the right way. Furthermore, the less slender you are, the more the sweater can just look ...baggy. Or dumpy. Or some other word that no 'curvy' girl needs to describe her apparel with.

My efforts to find said slouchy sweater have brought me many-a vintage men's sweater, so, feeling bold, I decided to get choppy with the neckline (one of the big obstacles in achieving that perfect sexy-slouchy look, a too-high crew neck) of this thrifted vintage men's Aztec/Navajo-patterned knit sweater. And, who'da thought it, it worked! No disastrous DIY here! WOOOO.

Here are a few After pics. (I didn't bother with Befores because of my aforementioned history of DIY fails). 

Day-Off Thrift Adventure

Today is just great. It's mid-November, sunny, with a high of - wait for it - SEVENTEEN degrees. You better believe I went out and enjoyed it!

I found these Vera Wang Lavender Label jeans at work the other day. I'm not used to wide legs anymore, but after about eight people told me how much they "slimmed me down" (as if you can tell in this hasty photo), I decided to give them a chance. (I guess those Rockstars aren't exactly made for my shape, but whatever.) They have a nice mid/high waist which gives them little bit of a retro feel, which works with my tastes better than a plain old trouser jean.

On to Value Village. Found lots of neat stuff, including this sweater, which I eventually passed on. Might have to go back for it, it is awesome. Peach, mint, cable-knit, vintage, made in Bermuda. Yep, that ticks off a lot of good boxes for me. But it was $9.99, which for PEI thrifting is blasphemous. We'll see!

Now for the goodies I did buy!

Woven Indonesian fruit basket ($1.99), teak Indonesian incense holder ($0.99), handmade wooden Prince Edward Island spoon-holder ($1.99). Wood!

And then we have this awesome vintage milk glass canister, complete with retro flowers and a sunburst lid. Delightful! And only $1.99!

Also picked up these great thick woven Navajo-inspired patterned cushion covers, for $1.49.

 Lastly, these vintage gold sunburst/floral clip-ons with Aurora Borealis rhinestones for $3.99 - just lovely!

Hope this inspires some thrifting adventures of your own - happy hunting!

For Papa, lest we forget

This post is for my grandfather, George Sauer, who was drafted into the German forces in the Second World War at age 16. He was shot in the back shortly before the war was over, on duty in then-Czechoslovakia. He was rounded up with other wounded soldiers, and rather than being brought back to his home or even a city, he and the others were dumped on the side of a railway, only to be picked up by Russian soldiers and taken to a Prisoner of War camp, where he spent nine months before being released to return to Germany.

 Not long after the war, he immigrated to Canada, followed by my grandmother, and decided to settle in Prince Edward Island, where "no one will ever fight a war."

The Eagles

First Saturday off in over a month, you know what that means: Farmers' Market! Peter and I walked all the windy way on the trail this morning. It was so cold, I really needed this parka! But it was sunny and beautiful, very much worth the chill.

+ Thrifted vintage wool parka, with fox fur and

four (count 'em, four) embroidered eagles, made in Canada

+ Vintage lilac grape earrings

+ Mom's vintage brown scarf

+ That thrifted Alternative Apparel shirt I haven't stopped wearing

+ Old Navy Rockstar jeans

To market, to market!

Microfilm: Hats

From the vault, saved from Prince Edward Island and Maritime newspapers from the late 1800's to early 1940's.

Microfilm: Fashion

A selection from my vault of neat-o microfilm: fashion edition! Sourced from PEI newspapers from the late 1800's to 1940's.

Old Photos of the Week: Nanni & Papa take Montreal

I love these photos of my grandparents, back when they had first immigrated to Canada in the 1950's. This was prior to them moving to Prince Edward Island, where they eventually settled and had my mom, aunt, and uncles. I hope I can recreate these someday!