A Fanciful Twist

A Victorian Tale + 7 Days of Blogging {Day 6}

I thought today might be a lovely day to venture into the past...

Into a time of delicate lace, embroidered flowers and pink velvet trim.

Can you even begin to imagine that such a beautiful frock could exist?

That it could have made it to modern day with no damage, and that somehow it would be living with me?

Pick your cup of tea and I will share more photos with you in my tea room.

I can not even begin to dream of living in a time where such a dress would be made.

With exquisite quality and incredible attention to every delicate detail.

And the colors, oh such colors!

It is a small dress, although long, so I assume it was likely made for a girl of 13 or so.

The dress was being sold by a gal named Myko that I know on Instagram, who is an antiques dealer and sells on eBay.

(you can find her on eBay by searching for seller, MarinaMyko)

She sells a menagerie of old beautiful items, but when this dress came up, I knew it had to come live with me.

To open the box was to be left speechless.

I look at it every single day and wonder who wore it?

Was it for a young girl's birthday, or tea in a beautiful old garden?

I am not sure, nor do I have a clue, but I invent tales about this dress all the time.

What do you think the story behind it is?

I hang it on my pink pumpkin, pink cabinet, and admire it daily since February.

I think I will have to store it in acid free paper, in a proper box for preserving such things, soon.

I just love it so much.

The pleats and gathers, the velvet details.

The taffeta skirt, with a thin layer of mesh over it.

The colors, the patina.

It takes me to another place in time.

I hang her amongst other pink friends...

The pink pumpkin family, which are daring to creep out.

They want me to let them out early because autumn comes and goes so quickly.

I started using pink in my Halloween decor a decade ago or more.

I remember folks saying, pink on Halloween?

What is this madness :-)

And I'd say, but pink and orange are scrumptious together.

And now it's everywhere, and a total thing, Pinkoween.

I love that!

And so, pink pumpkins and my pink tea-time dreams dress live in perfect harmony.

Should I really keep adding things to my life that make me dream?

I live in a vast world of tales as is.

I for one think, you can't have enough reason to dream and imagine.

But can you imagine really, going back in time for just an afternoon.

For tea hour, in a great old manor, during Victorian times.

It would have to be with the most eccentric and curious aunt, who has little ribboned dogs.

And inspires you to follow your heart, as you look out wavy glass windows onto a wondrous garden.

Who invites you over to paint, and float in a boat with big lace umbrellas on her lake.

My whole life I have dreamt of big old Victorian houses and epic attics filled with treasures.

Much like the Attic in the book Flowers in the Attic, remember that?

I was a teen who devoured V.C. Andrews books, did you?

I have all these thoughts that have been with me since a child.

Almost like memories that have always been with me, but I don't know how they got there.

Ah, well...

I veer into nonsensical wanderings, but I do have fun with that.

So, there you have the lovely Victorian dress that I have been meaning to share for many moons.

Pink velvet, and pink pumpkins.

It's not too soon, is it?

;-)

See you tomorrow for day 7.

The days have simply flown by.

I'll post the music below, that I have been listening to whilst typing this.

 

Lots of Love, 

Vanessa

 

 

ps:

The 80's Anne of Green Gables Soundtrack is what I have been listening to whilst typing.

(soundtrack of my youthful heart)

I was, and will always be, a tried and true Anne girl <3 <3 <3

 

 

 

pps: I have been responding to comments in each post <3

 

 

Fun with Bobbypin Stitches ♥ {a giveaway}

We have some extra super fun goodness for you today!

Ooooo, colorful awesomenessss!!

The fun comes from the stitching & making talents of BobbyPin Stitches Shop!

Who also happens to blog over at Bobbypin Bandit.

Whoooooo, also happens to be...

My sister, Kristen Valencia.

:-)

Of course I go crazy over her bunting all the time.

You have seen it at many of my parties, even Halloween here.

 

But she is also a major sewer of treats and embroiderer of beyond good things.

 

Soooo, after seeing some of her shop treasures...

I had to get out my dabloons and snag some for ya.

Like a polka dot cupcake tote and polka dot bunting!!

Is there anything better than cupcakes and polka dots??

Isn't that so beyond fun?!

 

So, why don't we have a weekend giveaway?

 

YES a giveaway, woo hoo!

 

Just say hello in comments to enter to win the cupcake tote and bunting.

 

How fun is that?

 

I'll ship anywhere in the world.

 

I think we all needed a little Friday/weekend fun, don't you?

I sure did ;)

 

I'll be back soon with a winner.

 

Have a super scrumptious day!!

 

See ya soon.

 

Love, V

 

 

ps:  You can also find some super awesome treats at Bobbypin Stitches, such as these wonderful hand embroidered swan and cherry pendants...

Be still my heart.

And, her Library totes...

With hand embroidery.

Which go very fast, but she has one more she will list tomorrow in candy colors (it's awesome), and others she will finish this weekend. 

Talk to her if you HAVE to have one.

  I hope she can squeeze one in for me ;)

 

Crochet Dreams + Homemade Pasta

Many years ago I had huge dreams of homemade blankets.

Piles and piles of glorious homemade goodness.

I thought about quilting with vintagey pale calicos, but it's too technical for my pea brain.

I am wishing on that one still.

Then I had a dream of throwing clay on the wheel, and I got really obsessed with that.

I would make clay things from 9 a.m. until 2 a.m.

For years.

Then I made jewelry like a mad woman.

Then I bought my weight in yarn.

Then I bought more clay.

Then I became soldering obsessed.

Then I made a great wall of blanket and forced myself to stop after adding for 8 years (maybe more).

Then I started the blanket below on December 23rd 2013.

And finished it last week.

Forced myself to stop.

It was the hardest thing ever.

Stopping.

And did I tell you about that time I decided to start blogging???

:)

Wait wait, I am still obsessed with all those things.

(here's the newest blanket below just completed)

Well, you know where this is leading.

I suppose it's no secret.

I have a bit of ocd.

Do you???

Tell me you do too.

Please?

What is your obsession (s)?

Sometimes it's a burden, like when I have to check doors and locks 35 times.

(for some reason that faded when I moved to the country house full time)

But, it was to the point that I would have to talk to myself.

And remind myself that I did check it, and that everything is okay.

Brain gets tense and stuck, goes bonkers.

Drives hours to go recheck something.

Twice.

It's exhausting.

And since I am coming clean, I count things too, but less now that I am older.

Letters and numbers and boxing in words, all in the mind.

OY, my brain.

What is wrong with me?

The part that annoys people (like ML) is that I have been known to ask the same question several times.

I just want to be sure :)

Maybe that's why I love crochet?

Doing the same thing over and over and over and over and over again.

I find such comfort in it.

I can breathe and relax.

And not to mention, count!

Hey, epiphany moment here.

I can listen to the same song over and over all day for years.

It becomes part of me, my daily thing.

A flow.

I have a very complicated brain I guess.

Then I decided I needed to make homemade pasta...

But before I go there, let's talk about...

The blanket I forced myself to stop last week.

Like I said, I made it fairly quickly.

Dec 23rd to last week.

So, a few weeks.

And the whole family has enjoyed it.

It's about 69" x 50" in size.

I decided to hide out and watch scary movies to break it in last weekend.

Popcorn, shirley temples?

Keep 'em coming, keep 'em coming....

Aaaaaaahhh!

So here it is, smaller than the great wall of blanket of course.

And looser.

Lighter, simpler.

It's prettier up close because I double up many yarns, and it's super sparkly too.

You can not see hardly any sparkle in photos.

 

Below is the great wall of blanket, which you have heard about for years.

I worked on it for 8+ years.

I finally stopped when it was 100" x 70" in size.

You can tell I started it when I had a really really really stressful job.

Why?

The weave is sooooo tight and obsessive.

It's not even funny :)

I remember my hand always aching when I would work on it.

Years and years of weaving.

Super sparkly too.

And because the weaves are so tight, it is extra warm.

I personally think it would made an awesome coat.

It is so heavy, it's astounding.

Crazy heavy.

After this pic below, he didn't want to take it off.

Soooo warm and cozy.

So, while he cuddled up with the yarn...

I decided I needed to make homemade pasta.

Needed to.

I tried Ree's recipe.

It was good, next time I will try Mario Batali's for fun.

It takes some elbow grease doing it by hand.

2 eggs for 1 cup flour.

That's it.

I did 6 eggs and 3 cups flour.

I kneaded my heart out.

About 10 minutes.

Adding flour when sticky.

Then I rolled it out super thin.

I plastic wrapped and refrigerated half of it.

And made the other half last night.

Using my pizza cutter to slice.

It was fun actually.

I made it in batches.

When you pop it in the boiling salted water it sinks to the bottom.

Then a few seconds later each noodle starts to float.

Ree said to cook it for about 2 minutes.

But that was a bit too dense and al dente for us.

3-4 minutes was even better for our mouth likes.

I had some homemade summer pesto in the freezer, so I heated that up real quick.

It was such a fun thing.

(The doggies reaaaally loved it, they like basil and they love pasta.  They get homemade food sometimes, and their doc says pasta is a go, so, yay.)

This morning I decided to make the refrigerated dough, and it was even easier to work with and roll out.

I made a go to dressing, because it's sunny and I wanted a cool light pasta for lunch.

The juice of 1 lemon, the grated peel of 1 lemon, a heaping spoon of honey, a heaping spoon of mayo.

Whisk.

Then add a drizzle of olive oil and two slurps of white vinegar.

So fresh, so yumm.

It makes a lovely dressing for anything.

I love it with roasted chicken shredded, as a salad, with peas and diced veggies.

Or pasta, salad like, dishes.

Which is what I made.

You can also put in canned fish if you need some protein in there.

I did some tuna fish and peas.

I love peas.

I eat lots of frozen peas.

Stir, and yumm.

That was a real pasta fill.

I am not a HUGE pasta lover.

But, from time to time, it really hits the spot and I want some.

So, we have homemade pasta, and crochet blanket dreams come true.

What's next?

2 stacked blankets.

Yay.

But, ocd says, more more more more!

I think I am like cookie monster, honestly.

Well, I started the scalloped edging for a new blanket last night actually.

I will only use yarn I have on hand.

As I did with the one I just made.

I enjoy having something as such to do late at night.

Are you ocd-ing on anything lately??

Or always??

;)

 

 

Love, V

 

 

 

 

ps:  Is everyone on vacation, bored, tired, hibernating, in a holiday fog still????

 Oooo, vacation, yumm.

 

pss:  here is a video that has the most views on youtube for crochet beginners.

 

psss:  Here is an easy video, also on youtube, for crochet flowers.

 

Hank + Skein + Ball + Cake {Yarn Chatter}

Since we are on the topic of yarn...

Yarn schmarn.

We love yarn.

I thought we could share some yarn this and that's.

If you love yarn, chances are you looooove yarn.

If you don't love yarn, chances are it might give you the heebiejeebies.

I love making scarfs and hats all winter long.

Using all sorts of mixed yarn and colors.

Every now and then you'll find yourself with some gasp worthy yarn.

This is hand made yarn, an invaluable gift which I cherish greatly.

Isn't it scrumptious?

While on the topic of yarn, I thought I'd share some yarn facts.

Which you may or may not know.

This hand made yarn came in a hank.

I am sure you have seen hanks of yarn at yarn shops?

They look like this below as well.

Have you ever bought a delicious hank of beautiful yarn, only to realize you don't know what the heck it is or how to use it?

I mean, it's yarn, why won't it unroll?

When you untwist a hank of yarn you will find a big loop of yarn, with a couple ties to keep it from tangling.

If you have ever bought a hank of yarn as a newbie, and tried to go home and use it, you probably have found yourself with a tangled hot mess?

That's because a hank of yarn is one step away from being usable for crocheting or knitting.

You first need to get it in a place where it will easily unroll as you use it.

And in hank form, it's not.

The best thing is to roll it into a ball or a cake.

Or more easily in my book, roll it around the cardboard you find in toilet paper or paper towels.

Most owner operated yarn stores will roll the yarn for you as a courtesy when you buy a hank.

But sometimes you don't have that luxury.

So then what?

If you don't have a man's arms to stand still for you...

Or the proper gadget that does it for you...

Then all you need are two chairs.

Tricky good eh?

Untwist your hank, then put it around two chairs like below, separating the chairs until the hank is secure and taught around the chairs.

Then carefully untie or cut the ties you see at the arrows below.

I then take a loose end of the yarn and tape it with the yarn packaging (so I have that info on hand when I run out of yarn) to the paper towel cardboard center.  (I also like to fold the carboard so that it's flat, but you don't have to.)

Then I just unwind about 10 loops from the hank, and let it puddle on the floor while I roll my yarn onto the cardboard.

I do this over and over until I am done.

And all the yarn is on my cardboard, like below.

You can also make a ball around a knitting needle using this technique.

It takes about 20 - 30 minutes to do this with one hank of yarn.

I love when my yarn is rolled onto a cardboard center.

It's so easy to use, and since I can be a numb-skull, it makes it so I don't end up with a lump of yarn mess.

So, there you go, that's the tale of a hank of yarn.

But what is a skein of yarn?

This is a skein of yarn below.

The typical yarn you see at the store, in ready to use form.

This, below, could be called a ball or a cake of yarn.

It is in ready to use form too.

It's more like a cake of yarn, but I call anything remotely roundish a ball of yarn.

I pretty much call anything that isn't a skein, a ball of yarn ;)

This to me is a ball of yarn, but some folks call it a donut.

Or a bundle.

Or, who knows what?

Haha!

(It's also ready to use)

If you want to get really technical, you can look at this proper list of terms, here.

I like to call it delicious furry stuff.

Furry magical stuff.

Scrumptious wooly goodness?

Woolly?

Got any other ideas?

The only thing I don't like woolly are apples.

Or maybe underwear made out of wool.

Or a sweater in summer.

Or, or...

Oh but, I did make my aunt a wool bikini once.

What was I thinking?

Haha!

Whatever you call it...

It's delicious.

And fun.

You can double it up, triple it up.

Mix it up.

Make hats, make flowers.

Put vintage brooches in flowers.

Mix yarn and ribbon.

Mix yarn and gold thread.

Mix yarn and....

Well, you get the point.

Yumm yumm.

Make random flower thingamabobs and crochet them together until you get a wonky throw.

Make yourself some mouse ears.

Make so many scarves, you have a different one for each day.

Put all your yarn pieces you have ever made on at once, and smash your makeupless face behind a camera for a scary selfie ;)

Then squint like you have never squinted before.

For shame!

Let long pieces drape from the ends of your scarf, like colorful sparkly hair.

Just don't use the paper shredder while wearing.

Or stand next to an airplane propeller.

Just sayin'.

Don't say I didn't warn ya ;)

Make a beyond bright blanket to run around the neighborhood draped in, ensuring no on will run you over because they didn't see you.

Or maybe they're just avoiding you because they think you are a nut.

But who would ever think that, I mean really?

But by golly, beware of cardboard thieves.

You don't want them to unroll that darn hank you spent all evening rolling up, do you??

;)

Yarn chatter.

I like it.

Aha.

Got any yarn tips for me?

Yarn tales?

Yarn dreams?

Yarn hopes??

 

Looove, V

 

 

 

 ps:  I also don't like what happens to a beloved wool sweater when washed and then thrown into the dryer on high heat for 60 mins.

Hello doll size.

Hee heee!

Ever happen to you?

 Makes me laugh just thinking about it.

Goes in adult size, comes out ridiculously small.

Smaller than small.

All tight and tiny.

You stick your hand into the dryer, pull it out, and literally, the expression on one's face.

Hard to believe, horror, what the?!

Hahahehehee!

Takes a moment to digest, ha!

 

 

pss:  Just to note, I do not know much technical stuff about crochet.

I learned just by sitting behind my grandma, and watching her weave away about 15 years ago. 

I got the hang of it pretty easily, in just a few minutes, and then she showed me a handful of different weaves.  I don't know the names, and when I try to look at crochet books it's totally confusing to me. 

Point is, you can make all sorts of things just by learning a few stitches from a fellow crocheter.  Then playing around on your own until you are comfortable with it.

If you want to make a hat, just keep going in a circle instead of a line.

For flowers I just invent as I go. 

I weave a little circle, than I add petals just by using different weaves and playing around.

I never know exactly what I do.

It's so much easier than it looks in books though.

So, my tip?

Sit behind someone as they crochet.

You will get the hang of it so easily that way.

Don't be afraid to sit around trying different weaves and such.

That is what I did.

Every time I make something I just wing it.

Like those mouse ears, I just wove around hoping for the best.

After lots of trial and error you'll be making all sorts of things.

Common sense will totally guide you.

 ♥