Eat Eat

There's off-the-shoulder, and then there's this.  I guess I can rule this out as a potential State Fair dress-I can't lean forward in it. Don't want people whispering about, "The pie slut from Omaha," Sigh. I bought this dress in the sale at Lady Vintage, but I bought it too big. I'm so accustomed to clothes being small on top that I err on the large side of measurements. The dress is cut very generously up top for a US size 14. The sleeves are meant to fit tight on the arms as well. That's okay, I'll make a few adjustments and it will be perfectly wearable-so long as I don't bend over! "Hey Pie Slut , didja drop something over here? Heh, heh." Not falling for that  one.  I should mention that the dress is beautifully made from a heavy sateen cotton. The print was inexplicably called, "Art Deco" when, "Atomic" would be more accurate, and the background colour looked less grey on the website, but I'm still very

Tricky, tricky beige. Is there a simpler, yet more confounding colour to build an outfit around? I was attracted to this skirt for the turquoise and coral details, but I rarely wear it as I lack tops in *the right shades* of turquoise and coral. I'm sure you've experienced similar wardrobe issues. Enter, a beige sleeveless tunic. Oooh, exciting.  Quite possibly the ugliest top I own, this nylon zip-back vintage number is an indispensable layering piece when I need a neutral.  Ta-da! Suddenly, we have an outfit. Is the match perfect? No, of course not, but the top bridges the beige and coral in the skirt just enough to pull everything together. I'm happy I finally found a way to wear this silk skirt as it has been hanging on the back of my bedroom door seeking inspiration since early spring. Sometimes I need to live with a piece of clothing before wearing it. I have things I purchased years ago still seeking a proper outfit, but I've learned it is better to wait than wea

Greetings from my sunny kitchen.  What's cooking? At the moment, a peach pie. I hope they don't expect a proper meal as well-I haven't planned the day out that far yet. I wasn't kidding when I said the kitchen is sunny-see that glowing space beside me? That's with the blinds drawn. It can be annoying in the summer, but come December I'm happy to have a light-filled kitchen, even if only for a few hours. We're getting a temperature break today, but then we're back into the heat and humidity for at least another week. I took this break as an opportunity to wash and dry my hair because I know by mid-week no product on earth will combat the inevitable curls and frizz. Eh, that's why I have hats. I haven't been feeling motivated to do much, and with the car at the garage for repairs I have felt even less motivated. We did get out last weekend to see Dunkirk, but that was hardly a mood-lifter! I thought it was well done, but I'm also glad I didn

* This is another post from earlier in the spring that I forgot to publish. Better late than never! I wear this dress more than just about anything in my summer wardrobe, yet somehow I never manage to get photos of it. I wasn't about to let it slip through yet again , so we stopped in front of Hand-Me-Ups for a quick photo. Not the best photo, but beggars can't be choosers. It was the end of a very warm day. Yes, the dress is ill-fitting, and the top needs to be held shut with a brooch. The Empire waist makes me look pregnant, and the length is dowdy... but I love it.  I mean, seriously  love it. Cool, comfortable, fully lined in a non-clinging cotton-Boden might have a reputation for being a bit middle class, but they do make nice clothes. The zipper works. That shouldn't be noteworthy, but with the way clothes are made today, it is. The print is just beautiful./ The top doesn't absolutely need pinning, but I'd feel funny wearing it without. I don't think that&

I've run across my share of odd items in thrift shops, but this gold-plated seashell is certainly one of the strangest. I have to wonder at the artist's thought process that finally arrived at, "Hey, I'll gold plate a seashell." It is a genuine shell (you can't quite see inside in the photo) which also makes me wonder how many tries it took to get something that didn't break. This isn't very carefully made, but it was just so odd, I felt compelled to purchase it. $1.99 has been spent on sillier things. I have no idea what this basket's intended use is. I'm using it as a straw handbag, but I suspect it began life with other use in mind, I've thought about decorating it with some pom-pom trim but I also like the plain look of it. I still feel like I ought to be carrying tamales in it or something.  I'm wearing it here with a favourite skirt. The belt is another oddity-the edges of the brass disks are sharp and thin leaving me terrified I

 This will make about 4 dozen small rolls or two dozen large hamburger buns. You Will Need: 3 teaspoons instant yeast 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 2 cups water 2 teaspoons salt 3 large eggs 2 tablespoons corn oil 4-5 (or more) cups bread flour (strong flour) Topping: 1/8 cup poppy seeds 1/2 cup dried onion 2 tablespoons paprika Mix all in a small bowl. Add water to cover. It should be fully absorbed by the time you bake. If not, strain the excess off. Egg Wash 1 egg yolk plus 1 tablespoon water In a large bowl, combine yeast, sugar, and water-stir to dissolve. Add salt, eggs, corn oil, and three cups of the bread flour. Mix well, incorporating the eggs. I do this by hand with a wooden spoon, but if you use a mixer, set it with a dough hook. Keep adding flour a cup at a time until you have a rough, not too sticky dough that comes together in a ball. How much you'll need will vary depending on your flour, climate, etc. Once you can shape it in a ball, remove the dough to a floured w

The winner of the Chicken Flingers is Vix. Congratulations! They'll be er... winging  their way to you shortly. 

The first photos were taken earlier in the spring. I wrote the post, and I'm just getting around to publishing it. I've added on a recent set of photos for the second part of the post. As I have several older, half-written posts in the folder, expect to see a few of these over the next month or so as my schedule becomes crazier. Thanks in advance for your understanding.  So bad, I simply couldn't resist.  I'm calling these trousers late 80's by the designer and the style, but the fabric has a sun and moon motif which I associate closely with the early 90's. I remember trying to buy a shower curtain that didn't  have a sun and moon pattern and finally ending up at Bloomingdales where I paid more than any sane person should for a solid colour, unadorned curtain. Twenty five years on, I bought these trousers. It seemed like a suitable amount of time had passed. Looking at the photos, perhaps that's not an entirely accurate assessment. I'm not sure enoug