Sunday, January 9, 2022

Weekend Wrap-Up: Brunch Adidas; Peacock Jacket Sleeves

Welcome back, my friends! I hope you all had a safe, healthy and chill weekend. We've been basically watching football and playing boardgames, but we did do our usual Saturday brunch with Nick. 
I wanted to build a winter outfit with my new-to-me Adidas tulle skirt...so I did! 

  • Cardigan - Kenzo, consignment; last worn here (4th outfit) in February 2021 for a Zoom chat with Greetje!
  • Turtleneck - M&S, thrifted; last seen here in October 2021 with neoprenes
  • Skirt - Adidas, consignment; purchased here for $29.00
  • Shoes - Hispanitas; last worn here (2nd outfit) in January 2021 with mixed patterns
  • Coat (below) - L'Atiste, consignment, Vancouver; last seen here in November 2021

I seem to have started this year off in a mental funk - I don't have much enthusiasm for anything. Wearing black doesn't really help, but overall this outfit did make me feel better. 
Part of it was this very fun skirt. I wore thick sweater tights with it, along with my spring/summer petitpants (a wee nod to when we wore bike shorts in the 90s under our dresses!) to keep it all decent. 

My cardigan is also longer in the back, so my bum is covered. 
If you look closely, you can see the pink sweater peeking through the knit around the shoulders. This cardi is by Kenzo (a classy designer!) and I chose it because of the white stripes and detail around the flipped over sleeves (it says "Kenzo Paris"). 

Hark, 'tis the sound of Vlad the Jag revving his engine. The snow had melted enough that we could drive again! 
The staff at the Ruby were agog over my striped skirt. I will likely put it into my spring/summer wardrobe as I already have a (much floofier) black tulle skirt (this one). I like having seasonal versions of the same thing. 

Although I look very "be still, my heart" here, I'm actually showing off my rings. 
This is the face of me with only one cup of coffee. 
Which matches my general sentiment so far this year: F#@!

Outerwear and mask. 
My glove did not like going on over the spiky rings. 

Ah well, don't care. 
Let's go have brunch. 

Accoutrements: 
I didn't really need the beret - there was no line-up at the Ruby! 

  • Beret - Club Monaco, thrifted
  • Gloves - consignment
  • Mask - by Mom

The stuff: 
I was shocked that I haven't worn these shoes in a year! They are one of my favourite pairs - top 20, at least. 

F#@! bling:
These rings injected some much-needed badassery into my attitude. 

  • Swear rings - Wendy Brandes
  • Earrings - gift from Petra
  • Silver/onyx ring - Toccara, vintage fair

Art Project: Peacock Jacket, Sleeves

I haven't been working on my art project(s) as much as I've wanted lately, but I squeezed in a few sessions here and there and have finally finished the sleeves.

Here's where we last left off, with the back finished and all the gold accents done:
I've noticed that the colours fade over time (much like a real tattoo!). 

I finished one sleeve a few weeks ago. I do one, then the other and mirror them, although I always mess a few things up. Eh, no one will notice that I didn't mirror the roses exactly. 
Two roses, two peacock feathers (copying the design from the back), and "loops" of the filigree design down the upper arm. 

Darkening up the black sections and adding shading. This part takes the longest. 
The intent of the big loop hanging down is to mimic the look of a chain, like on a biker or punk jacket. 
It gives it a "tough" edge, to counter all this fussy detail. 

Cuffs:
None of it is perfect, and I didn't do any design on the inner arm, where the jacket would rub next to the body. 

Adding colour and "halo" shading. 
When I finished doing this, I felt it still looked a little bit bare - there's too much "white" space in the upper arm area. 

So I added some curlicues, leaves and dots to the design. 
Drawing on a jacket - since it's a 3-dimensional object - means I handle it a lot. As I'm doing colour or shading, it's turned and twisted around and around. 

Unfortunately, this meant that a lot of the gold I'd done on the back rubbed off. 
The red arrow shows a section that I redid in gold - you can see how much the other areas (green arrows) have faded/rubbed off due to my vigorous manipulations. 

Because of this, I will be adding all of the gold and redoing the back gold sections when I'm completely finished the jacket. 
So although I'm "done" the sleeves, they won't be fully done until the jacket is finished. 

I'm still thinking about what I'm going to do on the front. 
But you can see what a difference the sleeves make. Both took about 5-6 hours to do in total. 

Extra bonus pics! 

This is a terra cotta pig statue that I've had since about 1986 (I would have been around 18-19 years old). I paid $10 for him back then from a local shop, and I bought this one for me, and a skinnier version for my best friend Lynette. 
I put him in the TV unit with an LED candle. I like that it looks like he's telling a campfire story, you know, a scary one involving a call coming from inside the house. Scary pig! 

On Sunday morning, we found Vizzini had claimed my Monster Vest as his own. I wear it around the house to regulate my temperatures, and had tossed it onto the gold chair the previous evening during a hot flash. 
"I accept this offering."


Vizzini, I need that back, bud. 

And now...off to enjoy the rest of my weekend! 
Stay cool, my friends. 

41 comments:

  1. Such a great post! I love that you have a jacket to "match" your Adidas tulle skirt! Your art on the jacket is gorgeous. And thans for sharing the pig -- I adore him.

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    1. I'm glad you like the pig, Cynthia - he has stuck with me for so long. There is just something about his face that I love.

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  2. I love everything about this outfit. You look brilliant. The peacock jacket looks fabulous.
    xoxo
    Lovely
    www.mynameislovely.com

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  3. I like the pink and black together and that is such a fun way to wear the skirt! :) It's really interesting seeing the jacket progress too - I'm always amazed by what a talented artist you are! :)

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  4. Well I hope the lunch cheered you up! It should, as we can't go out at all here, lockdown, so enjoy! That jacket is so extreme gorgeous, it is such a piece of art! Fabulous.

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    1. I am grateful that we can still go out, Nancy! Thank you!

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  5. I remember when you bought that Adidas tulle skirt and I was looking forward to seeing you style it ever since. You did a great job with this outfit. Pink and black do look good together and I love your shoes. You accessorized really well with red and those fabulous rings. How fun that you have f#@! rings! The way this year has started off, I would say that we need accessories like that to get through. Have a lovely start of the week.

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    1. It wasn't that long ago, Ivana! :) Thank you so much - the pops of pink helped me feel cheerier.

      I've had the swear rings for a few years now - I love them.

      Thank you!

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  6. P.S. That jacket is looking even better with the sleeves and added details. It's really a work of art.

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    1. It's getting there - I'm at the point where I just want it done!

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  7. the jacket is amazing. Nicely done.
    Being in Ottawa, I wear gloves A LOT. I find that if I turn around my large rings (so the spiky parts are face down), my gloves accommodate them better.
    Judith

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    1. Thank you, Judith!

      Thanks also for the tip on the rings! I often have to remove my bigger ones, as they don't fit in leather gloves.

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  8. I continue to be entranced by your drawing on leather garments. I have a thing for roses myself--and for embellishing clothes with artistic designs. I do threadpainting, using embroidery floss as a medium, usually on denim, sometimes on linen. I particularly love doing roses, like you do! I started in 2017, and have done threadpainting on my own clothing, for friends, and also on thrifted pieces--jeans, linen blouses, and even a denim vest. I somehow didn't do any threadpainting in 2021, but plan to resume having fun with it this year. I have thought about selling pieces. . .but so far haven't worked that out yet. I may do try doing a collection of sew on patches. . .Or not. I am busy enjoying being retired, after all. Maybe I will make something for you one day!

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    1. Linda, thank you so much for sharing your own artsy embellishment talent! How cool that you embroider via threadpainting - how amazing is that! I may sell or consign this jacket when I'm done (after I wear it, of course!).

      I would love a piece from you, Linda! :)

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    2. I am going to be in touch with you about that, within the next few months, Sheila!

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    3. Awesome! My email is in my blog profile. :)

      If you have a light-coloured leather good (wallet, purse, jacket, shoes, etc.), I would love to do a piece for you in return, Linda!

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  9. Oh wow! That jacket is just beautiful. A real work of art. You are a clever old thing, Sheila!

    The new skirt is fab and I cannot believe you haven't worn those wonderful shoes for so long. They are certainly one of my favourite shoes of yours. They are very stylish and seem to go with everything be it dresses; skirts; trousers...

    Hope you have a great week.
    xxx

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    1. Thanks so much, Vronni! It's been fun working on it.

      I know - put it down to fewer shopping expeditions (these were a favourite pair for shopping) and fewer days in the office. I love them.

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  10. I am so hearing you, Sheila, as I've started my year in exactly the same way. It's been hard to muster enthusiasm for anything, and I often feel too mentally tired to do much. Everything seems to take so much effort. I'm not blaming it solely on Covid, though, I'm sure the grey and rainy weather we've been having has much to answer for too.
    As for your outfit, I think the pairing of the Adidas tulle skirt and the Kenzo cardigan is brilliant. I'm loving the pops of pink you've added too.
    Your peacock jacket is fantastic. Apart from the talent, which I'm definitely lacking, I'm also admiring your patience!
    I'll better watch out with my own Monster Vest, I've got a feeling it'll be claimed by Bess too if I keep it lying around! xxx

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    1. It's a bit of everything: the season (so GREY), the pandemic. I am just feeling grey all over.

      Thanks so much! I'm excited to wear this skirt in spring or summer too.

      Thank you! It's very rewarding to see it slowly being filled in!

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  11. I'm loving so much about this post . . . especially the shoes, skirt, rings, and sense of humor. Hope you pull out of your New Year funk sometime soon.

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  12. Thank you for your comment on my blog. To me you're a STAR!

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  13. I'm running out of words to describe your amazing leather decorating skills, Sheila! That jacket is exceptional, you are so clever!
    I'm sorry you're in a New Year funk. Traditionally it's always been the time of year we're in India or preparing for an imminent trip and it still feels like a bit of a novelty experiencing January at home. I hope the fog lifts soon.
    The little pig is really sweet and look at that other sweetie, Vizzini laying claim to your shaggy beast! xxx

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    1. Thanks, Vix! It's very rewarding to do - seeing it "appear" is my favourite part of doing this art work.

      It's okay - I have my ups and downs and this is a down period. Aw, I bet you are missing that this year.

      Yes, I have my two sweeties: the pig and my little furry monster! Ha!

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  14. You are so talented. I love all your jacket works. I've turned a few button downs into unique pieces and end up donating them, so someone else is walking around wearing them. I hope. I often think how cool it would be to randomly run in to someone wearing something you made. Now, that would be the universe telling you to keep going. I had forgotten what a queen of shoes you are. I love the Hispanitas!

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    1. Thanks so much, Joni! Wouldn't that be the coolest, to see someone wearing something you made?

      Oh, yes, I love my shoe collection - I'll be buying some more soon too...

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  15. Look at that eye, wide open and alert... he'd scratch your for his life to defend the monster!
    The Peacock jacket looks superb! You are clever! I adore it.
    Sorry you are feeling gloomy! I get it- gloom is high at the moment. My trains have gone down to one every half an hour because of people working from home and I've JUST missed one two evenings on the trot (and once in the morning) and it was SO annoying to have to sit on a cold platform for HALF AN HOUR at a time rather than 10 minutes and then get onto a crowded train! Bah humbug!

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    1. It's just the Stink Eye, Kezzie - he's actually very gentle (only a little bit bitey, heh).

      Thank you!

      It's January, it's grey, it's a forking pandemic. Ugh, that sucks that you've missed your trains, hon. Humbug is right!

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  16. Your garment art is genuinely museum worthy, my sweet friend. To say that you have a natural talent for it would be a bigger understatement than saying that Canada gets a lot of snow in the winter.

    Autumn Zenith 🧡 Witchcrafted Life

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  17. Wow! Love those rings…they pretty well sum it up, don’t they? But, that jacket? You are so very talented!

    http://marshainthemiddle.com/

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  18. Love your tulle skirt, so original and cool, and love the way you styled!, comfy&cool!. Those shoes, the coat and hotpink gloves are fab and I'm a huge fan of the F#@! rings!. Badassery!.
    And the peacock jacket is becoming more and more Gorgeous!, a work of Art!.
    Sorry that you've felt a little bit uninspired. Totally understand that the new year is not creating lots of enthusiasm!. Sending hugs and colourful vibes!
    besos

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    1. Thank you! So much Badassery, hee hee!

      Aw, thanks! It's a hard time of year.

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  19. The jacket really turned out magnificently - I am in awe of your patience and steady hand with the details.

    I am back working at home for the month of January and once again I've lost any desire to put together outfits. It's very cold here at the moment so it's been sweaters and cozy pants.

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    1. I still have a ways to go on it yet - have to do the front and then add all the gold again to it.

      I totally get that - hide from the world! And stay warm!

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