crochet friday - chain necklace

i'm so happy to finally be sharing these pics with you of my last completed crochet project of the season - a crochet chain necklace. i actually finished this necklace in february and haven't touched the hooks since - i don't think i'll be getting to those slippers i wanted to make until the fall, which is ok... i love having a seasonal hobby that i can take a break from. 

the inspiration for this chain necklace came directly from FUDUMUDU's chain necklace design. i've had a few different colors of their iconic chain necklace on my etsy 'favorites' list for over a year now and after completing the big daddy chain i was still on a 'crochet chain' kick so i figured i'd try to replicate it - if it came out horribly, i could always just save up for the original like i'd been planning on all along.

i used my favorite luxury cotton yarn - rowan "calmer" in lavender (the same one i used for my detachable collar) - so the necklace could work as an all-season accessory. i began with a basic rectangular swatch using single crochet stitch, 10 stitches across and long enough to attach the ends comfortably to form a loop (about 6 or 7in.) once the swatch was the appropriate length, i used a slip stitch to join the ends and kept adding links on as i completed them - eleven all together. i divided this project up into swatches, completing one each day, so it took me about 2 weeks to complete the entire thing. i bought some inexpensive gold chain, o-rings & clasps to make the chain and have been having fun experimeting with the lengths ever since. if i wear it tighter around my neck, it sort of looks like a crochet elizabethan collar - love! 

for these pics, i paired the necklace with a couple of recent vintage finds - a sheer green floral dress & purple floral pleated skirt - and an old tea-stained slip plus nude heels. i love the look of a full skirt paired with a short dress as well as the added warmth from all the layers - a definite plus on those cool, crisp spring days. this skirt is quickly becoming my favorite spring standard! i didn't even realize when i bought it that there are tiny deer hidden throughout the pattern - i almost died when i got a better look at it once back home. they're difficult to pick out, but you can spot a pair in the bottom left corner of the last pic (one is upside-down) and another one to the left of my right sleeve - can you spot them? ... aren't they just darling? 

xoxo

☆ emilia ☆

inspiration - paule ka

via: paule ka

as much as i love me a mix of bold bright colors, fun prints, exaggerated silhouettes and basically anything cute or kawaii-inspired, there's an equally large part of me that is in love with classic elegance, vintage sophistication, and the simplicity of timeless designs (like my beloved mod scooter dresses.) 

paule ka, the french ready-to-wear brand, has managed to combine so many of my favorite vintage details in their charming spring/summer 2012 collection while adding a nice mix of modern elements including updated silhouettes, chunky modern hardware and those gorgeous exaggerated cuffs! for me, this collection perfectly blends my favorite mod design elements w/ simple - yet striking - modern details for looks that are both cute & charming while remaining sophisticated, elegant and fashion-forward. i think that's a huge accomplishment and a pretty difficult task to pull off - one that i try to practice as much as possible through mixing & matching my own vintage & modern pieces. i'm particularly drawn to the silhouettes in this collection - vintage inspired but with a slightly modern twist to every shape, which makes all the difference in updating a familiar vintage look. i'm also completely smitten with all the cute hair & accent bows - so adorable!

i put this little mini-collection together while dreaming of a fantasy paris getaway - i made sure to include a diverse assortment of pieces for trips to the museum, lunch on sidewalk cafes, afternoons spent in boutiques & patisseries and romantic evenings out. i'm really loving that formal pink suit and think it would be absolutely perfect for a courthouse wedding. this collection must be pretty dreamy as it's got me daydreaming about all sorts of fantastic scenarios... just lovely!

xoxo

☆ emilia ☆

little red riding hood

well, hello there! ... and, happy springtime!!

it feels good to be back - sharing my projects with you again after that unexpected little hiatus. i've got a small stack of completed sewing/printing projects just waiting to be worn, photographed and shared with you all so i will do my best to get those up over the next couple of weeks before the big spring shop update! i'm super excited about all the fabulous vintage pieces i'll be adding to the shop later this month - stay tuned for some fantastic vintage finds!

you might remember, a couple of months back i became completely smitten with miu miu's adorable spring 2012 capelets and then found this quick & easy tutorial by FtAshion for making a similar version. for my own capelet, i chose a bold bright red lace and paired it with a thick burgundy velvet ribbon for a bit of added depth & contrast. i can't tell you how easy this diy was - perfect for the absolute beginning sewer. you basically just cut the fabric, fold it, and run a straight stitch along the edge before inserting the ribbon - i was done in 20 minutes tops! and, then it sat in my sewing room for weeks as i pondered how to style it. 

after scoring this amazing blue 60's scooter dress at an estate sale last week, i remembered seeing dakota fanning's styling of the miu miu red capelet and immediately knew i wanted to try a 'celebrity look on a budget' type of thing using items solely from my own closet. i took the scooter dress in at the sides to give it a more 'stuctured' look and paired it w/ a vintage emerald green evening bag (instead of a silver clutch, like dakota,) nude heels, a chunky ring and thick eyeliner to complete the look. it's obviously not a perfect match, but i think it's a pretty fantastic compromise for a tiny fraction of the cost!

i made another capelet in mint green which i'll be wearing on my birthday and sharing with you later this week. i'm really loving these little capelets and can't stress enough how simple they are to make - whip yourself up a version of this cute spring accessory in less than 20 minutes before the temperatures get too hot!

xoxo

☆ emilia ☆


*outfit details: vintage blue 1960's scooter dress // calvin klein nude heels // forever 21 rings // vintage emerald green evening bag

pinterest obsession

were have i been, you ask? well - on pinterest, of course! and, i'm officially hooked, obsessed & thoroughly addicted after months of ignoring it's siren's call. it's like the feeling you get from making an etsy treasury times a thousand and my eyeballs haven't been this happy, well... ever! if you haven't given in to this guilty pleasure yet, do yourself a favor and allow yourself to become immersed in the beauty & bliss that can only come from gathering together all of your most favorite things!

xoxo
☆ emilia ☆

inspiration - pass the baton

i find myself revisiting this etsy video featuring tokyo consignment shop pass the baton all the time to draw on the wealth of inspiration i always gather from both the cleverness of the shop and its reverent attitude toward the art of recycling. when i was first thinking about starting my own vintage shop, i would watch this video over & over again to gather the courage to take the plunge. the owner's respectful view of recycling and his thoughts on the personal & historical context of this sort of endeavor made me feel like i was stepping into a long legacy of others who have also found beauty & possibilities in things left behind.

my absolute favorite aspect of the store are all the wonderful little stories that accompany the items - what a magical ideal! i wish i could offer a similar personal story with each of the garments in my shop - wouldn't that be lovely? it's gotten me inspired to ask more questions from now on about the previous owners & personal journeys of the lovely vintage frocks that eventually find a new home through the flying carousel. i would love to be able to provide a small snippet of the past with each piece - how special that would be?!

xoxo

☆ emilia ☆

the springtime fairy

i was having a hard time getting into the glitter shoe craze last fall - silver and gold glitter doesn't remind me as much of the holidays as it does of fairies, fairy tales and warm starry nights. for me, glitter has more of a springtime association with it and i'm most inspired to sprinkle a bit on when channeling the may queen as my style muse - draped in soft pink, mint green, and pastel yellow hues.

a few weeks ago, i was kicking myself for having missed out on the miu miu glitter bootie craze last fall - why didn't i realize i would be dying for a pair of impostors come february? a quick google search led me to realize that the diy glitter shoe was probably the most popular tutorial covered last fall so it wasn't hard to get the gist of it. i used $5 brand new "exhilaration" booties from goodwill (score!), superfine champagne glitter, pva archival glue, and a clear acrylic spray to finish. i forgot to take "before" pics but the booties were black suede and i covered them using a combination of a glue & glitter mixture and then shaking more glitter on top of that, about 4-5 layers thick. i used fine pink ribbon as shoe laces here but also made laces with big pink satin taffeta bows for a bit more fun & drama. such a quick & easy diy and the perfect way to capture the magic & celebration of the birth of spring!

xoxo

☆ emilia ☆

*outfit details: vintage flower & butterflies long sleeve shirt // thrifted pink & white "candy striper" mini skirt // vintage gold belt // white nylon ankle socks

SALE!!

we're making room for new spring inventory... coming soon!