Thursday, October 30, 2025

Mom-Day in Autumn Camo Coatigan, Plus a Wee Shop

Welcome back to Mom-Day, my friends! I bussed out to visit Mom - I helped her rearrange some of her art in her studio, we had lunch and we finally finished her puzzle!
We last had a home day back here in July. Thanks so much for having me over, Mom! 

I decided to go with colour instead of dark for Hallowe'en - it was a cold and crisp day, and I did a lot of walking and riding the bus, in addition to sitting and bending over the puzzle for hours.
This lovely double-layer coatigan is a snuggly piece, with big side pockets. 

  • Coatigan - Chacok, consignment, Sidney; first seen here for a Mom-Day at Willows Beach in April
  • Cotton sweater - Ralph Lauren, vintage 80s, thrifted; last worn here in February with leopard
  • Cords - StudioSuits, bespoke, thrifted; purchased here for $19.95
  • Leather boots - Ecco, thrifted; last seen here in November 2024

It's also a great pattern, full of all of these colours, plus green and lavender - which is what I wore with it last spring.
As the coatigan is fuzzy, I had some minor Cotton/Cord Rage issues, but since I didn't do it up, I was able to give the coatigan a flap to uncling it whenever I felt the rage growing. 

Flap! 
A seriously great pattern. I love all these colours, and I really was well camouflaged, as you will see. 

I took the coatigan off while at Mom's.
I liked the new-to-me cords - I loved having ginormous pockets! My whole phone fit in them! 

Incognito. 
This is how most people saw me. 

The stuff: 
Purple, burgundy, red and brown. It all goes! I saw all these colours in nature.

  • Purse - Ted Lapidus, vintage 90s, vintage fair
  • Silk bug scarf - Smoking Lily, vintage 90s, thrifted
  • Leather gloves - Bijenkorf Accessoires, consignment
  • Wool beret - consignment
  • Amber ant brooch - Russian, consignment
 A bug scarf...an amber ant brooch...just a couple of things as a nod to the day. 

Brassy bling: 
The only bit of spooky here is the leather heart brooch (and the Secret Plans for World Domination). 

  • Brass leather cuff - vintage 70s, Mom's
  • Carved cinnabar bangle - consignment
  • Brass feather ring - Fossil, thrifted
  • Brass Brutalist ring - vintage mall
  • Stone ring - thrifted
  • Bronze ring - P. Sarpaneva, Finland, vintage 70s, vintage expo
  • Gold cat earrings - British Museum, London, 2010, Mom's
  • Brass necklace - consignment
  • Leather heart brooch - Smoking Lily

I took pictures on the walk to and from the bus stop.
Sheeps! 

This is such a lovely time of year. 
One big yellow tree. 

A tunnel of colours. 
You could hardly see me - I disappeared! 

More colour with dark twisting branches. 
Just the usual birds: starlings, robins, chickadees. 

Splashes of colour on Mom's street. 
It's been an amazing year for colour. 

This tree looks like a flame.
So pretty. 

Mom showed me her latest project: quilted coasters. 
She just got her sewing machine reconditioned and is back to churning them out - she's showing me the ones she hasn't sewn yet. 

Pointing out the cat coasters! 
Very cute!

It looks like Whateley and Barnabas!
Not interested in the dog ones. Mom sells (and gives these away) to people as little gifts. 

Pretty cardinals for the holiday season. 
Easy to wash! 

Mom has a show coming up and these are some of the pictures she's going to be selling.
Most of them are from pictures I took. Top: View of Mt. Baker. Bottom: L- Lochside Trail; R- Elk Lake. 

More local scenes. 
I hope you sell lots! 

I pulled all of Mom's "in storage paintings out and took down ones she was tired of, and hung up others. 
One finished wall. 

The other corner. 
Lovely! 

I really liked this one. 
It looks stark and cold. That yellow blob on the shelf is a chick (Mom made it as a child).

We had egg salad sandwiches, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber.
Our dessert was a quartered ripe pear each, with slices of cheese and a pumpkin muffin. It was delicious! 

Portrait time! 
A lovely shade of blue on Mom - she was wearing dark teal wide-wale velour cord pants. That's a silver necklace she bought in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1976 for $20.00. 

Hamming it up for the camera - we finished the puzzle! 
All that dark purple was hard! They all looked the same. 

I like this picture of Mom laughing. 
That was a wonderful day - I love you, Mom! 

This tree made me catch my breath. 
WOW. There is none more red. 

I had sunshine on my walk back to the bus stop. 
This did my soul good. 

I had quick look at the WIN Warehouse Store on Pandora Avenue. I have been looking for a Victorian-ish high-necked blouse for a while and I scored one at last! 
Jaw-drop! It has puffed sleeves! I found this in the Vintage section. 

It buttons all the way to a stand-up collar, and has a row of wide lace and a strip of thinner lace down either side of the buttons. 
The lace is not hand-crocheted - this is vintage, but not older than the 1970s. 

I was charmed by the puffy sleeve - it has a row of wide lace and two strips of the thinner trim. 
The cuffs have several rows of the thin lace, but no buttons. 

I turned the shirt inside out to look at the construction. It has netting at the top (small green arrow). It also has a long piece of binding tape (two-way green arrow) that keeps the puffed sleeve puffed - I've never seen that before! 
The red arrows point to the double-sewn shoulder seam. This is very well-made. 

It's 100% cotton and yet is machine washable, AND made in the USA! 
You can see the fine cotton weave here.

It's by Recollections. 
It seems to have been a company that specialized in vintage looking clothing - I saw prairie dresses, Victorian gowns and underskirts by them online. I'd guess it's from the early 80s. 

I also found this stunning red dress in the Vintage area. Longtime readers will know that I've been searching for Peak Red Dress for ages. 
This may be the one! It's a shoulder-padded cocoon shape with a high neck (rear zip) and gold button-trimmed sleeves (the buttons undo!). 

Pure virgin wool - I searched carefully for moth-holes.
Made in Hong Kong, so we know it's pre-1997. I would guess it's early 90s based on the style. 

It's by Ports International, a very classy brand. 
$19.95? Take my money! 

This was weird and appealed to me. It's very cowgirl-ish. 
It's lined dark denim, with gold embroidery, and Western-style buckles (it is adjustable). It does up with a gold side zipper, and it's very stretchy. 

It's by Poster Girl.
Via Dollskill, an alternative clothing company (lots of Gothy looks). 

It was $24.95 but I had $5 in points that I traded in, so let's call it $19.95. 
It's fun - excited to wear it. 

Hey, boys, I'm home! 
"You were gone?"        "You should feed us."

I'm signing off now for the weekend, but will be back with our Hallowe'en shenanigans on Sunday, so do drop in! 
Wishing you all a happy weekend, full of whatever type of merriment you enjoy. Thanks so much for being here! 

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Fuzzy-Head and Velvet Skulls

Not many more days before Hallowe'en! 
I have to get all my spooky-themed things into outfits, like this sheer black top that's covered in velvet skeletons (picture link here).

  • Sheer/velvet top - True Religion, consignment; last seen here in October 2024 with satin leopard
  • Velvety cocoon dress - Magic Yous, consignment; last worn here in December 2024 with red and roses
  • Boots - Original Sabado, Fluevog; last seen here (4th outfit) in September with a pink mesh butterfly dress for Rifflandia
  • Coat (below) - Auckie Sanft, vintage 60s, vintage fair; last worn here in April

My morning picture-taking was interrupted by this little lovey boy. 
"I don't know what you're doing, but I want to be part of it."

Oh, my gosh, what a sweet kitten. Dat face! 
"Who are we talking to?"

Look at those big feet and floppy paws! Aw!

And then it was over. Totally made my morning.
"I aim to please."


This dress, coincidentally feels just like Barnabas' tum and the top of his head. I could stroke the dress and imagine I had my little boy in my arms. 

Incognito. 
"We love your style!" said two lovely young people. "I noticed yours too," I said back with a smile. We Fashion People have to support each other. 

The stuff: 
I thought it might rain, and I had an appointment after work, so I walked both ways in these badass boots. 

  • Purse - Lodis, thrifted
  • Scarf - Metrowear, San Francisco, 2006
  • Hat - Babaton, consignment
  • Leather gloves - vintage, thrifted

Bold and gold bling: 
Folks in my office liked the wee cat pin.

  • Hinged eelskin bangle - vintage 80s, thrifted
  • Chain/leather bracelet - locally made
  • Wooden cat pin - Katti by Aarikka, consignment
  • Necklace - Monet, vintage 80s, vintage fair
  • Silver/obsidian ring - consignment
  • Smoky topaz/silver ring - Anneli Neuman, Sweden, vintage mall
  • Silver Anneke & Lars ring - vintage mall
  • Earrings - vintage, vintage fair

I found the thin silver ring on the sidewalk on my way to work in the morning. It fits my ring finger perfectly, so I've stacked it with my other permanent silver ring. It's a gift from the universe!

But wait! More cat pictures, you say? What's this?
"I am a gargoyle cat!"


Barnabas sat on the mat snuggled up to our bathroom gargoyle. 

And no fear, Whateley's here! He was all up in my face while I talked to Mom on the phone last night. 
"Is the Mom-lady in that thing? I know her voice!"

They are little gifts from the universe too. 

Back with Mom-Day tomorrow!