Week-End Roundup: Birthday Dinner, Rest, Organization and Urban Sugar Shack Goodness

This week-end was exactly what I needed. After a hectic birthday week-end, last week, that involved too little sleep and pee in my suitcase (don't ask! ...and no, it wasn't mine), I was craving tranquility and good vibes by the time Friday rolled around. And that is exactly what I got!

Two friends of mine invited me and another friend over for birthday dinner at their Griffintown loft. We had seared tuna steaks in a sesame crust with a delicious quinoa salad and another equally tasty papaya, mango, cucumber, lettuce salad with a yummy Thai dressing. Everything was topped with coconut and coriander and I was in heaven! My other friend brought a dozen deluxe donuts from a great shop in St-Henri, too.

The kids and I were all feeling a bit wonky come Saturday and so the day was spent drinking ginger lemon broth, watching movies and going through my fabrics, deciding what I will work on first for the shop. I'm a few weeks behind schedule but not really stressing about any of it.

Some fabrics that will be seen within the first week Pandemonium opens online are these nautical print cottons: 

And this great, Mexican inspired, Alexander Henry printed cotton called "Ojo des Dios":

I started pressing and cutting and getting everything ready so I can just start sewing this week.

Today we did more of the same but we went out for a walk. My daughter wore a headband she made from fabric scraps:

We decided to head over to the canal to Verdun, where there was an urban sugar shack of sorts set up on Wellington Street, between Galt and de l'Église.

Chalkboard cow, anyone?

The best part of this event, after the food and maple syrup on snow (for those of you who live across the pond, we poor hot maple syrup on snow and then twirl a wooden stick in it as it congeals. It makes for quite the tasty treat!) was this wall. Verdun wants to know what its people want to inhabit this vacant space. Everyone was invited to share their ideas on this wall:

Here's a photo one of my chums took when we were out of town and on the Lower East Side for a few days, last week. You can't see it but I'm wearing an awesome, pleated, mullet skirt from Top Shop that I got for an amazing $13. The biker boots were a gift from my ex and the coat is vintage and was purchased at Frip Prix Renaissance, in Verdun. The scarf is my daughter's and I bought it for her at H & M.

And now for some writing and sketching but nothing too exciting, as I have a long week ahead of me!

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Vintage Montreal: 02

le canal lachine. 1920.

photo: anonyme 

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Easy, tiger: An example of over-designing.

in québec, we sometimes say "trop c'est comme, pas assez" or "too much is, like, not enough" we see a lot of it here, so this tends to come up in discussion, especially when shopping. 

 here is another example of this phenomenon. i just stared blankly at this the first time i saw it at my favourite shoe place, in verdun. the second time i saw it, my daughter pulled it out and said something to the effect of "holeeee, mom! look at everything going on with this purse!" she's the one holding the purse in this shot.

they crammed every possible symbol of what they thought was bad-ass and/or trendy into this purse design  (yes, someone actually sat down and designed this). if you don't already know about how much i love when mainstream designers make a mess of rock n roll, punk, metal or goth imagery, read this. 

note the lightning bolts in the hearts, the skulls and then the insane skull, bow, owl and faux jewel bling mounted onto a "brass knuckle" handle... it hurts.

oh and i apologize for the image quality but i took it with my iphone and had to be quick! if ever you've been in this shop, you'll know they refuse to install a mirror somewhere because they've been the same for twenty years and don't want to change (i'm not making that up. that was the answer i was given when i asked) and that they actually have a hand-written sign on the wall that says "no debit, no credit, no refunds, no bargaining, NO MORE BULLSHIT" or something like that but that last line is definitely there. Some of the saleswomen are nice but I've overheard one say to a client, when asked if she could help her find the right boot to go with the left in her hand, "no. we don't do that here. it's not that kind of store." they're usually nicer to me and i've gotten some help before but you've gotta know that, with service like that, i really adore getting my spring or aldo boots at $35 or i would stay the hell away.

i wonder what they would say if i showed up with my own mirror and just propped it up against a wall... 

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A $27 (And Therefore Thrifty) Mini Haul

here is what i scored for $27 tax included, at the friperie renaissance in verdun, yesterday afternoon:

a lovely, dark blue tristan and iseut skirt:

i'm never sure about this silhouette but the detailing reeled me in...

a cute, nautical, tommy hilfiger top. i was thinking about boat rides with my dad, stepmom and sisters, when i snagged this:

an addition to my spring/fall jacket collection:

a skirt for mom (i love the pleating on this one!):

and i do believe that the pièce de resistance in this particular haul is the adorable little mod-inspired dress i picked up for my daughter:

i can't wait to see her rock this!

...and the best part is that a friend of mine is coming over in about 15 minutes and we're heading back to the friperie. 

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Wardrobe Challenge Update: The Navy Blue Skirt

as previously mentioned, i've challenged myself to upgrade my fall/winter professional wardrobe and i've given myself until the holidays. (i know this may seem like it's late but i live in canada; it stays cold for a long time, over here!). the point is to either find clothing in thrift stores, score them in clothing exchanges or make them myself.  i've been sewing every chance i get and will post an update on that when i feel that i have enough to show. 

in the meantime, i will share one key piece with you. for a long time, i've been seeking the perfect navy blue skirt. i have this great, jones new york top i found at a thrift store, over a year ago and, last week, i finally found its partner. check out the lovely, denver hayes skirt i bought at the friperie renaissance, in verdun, for $5, here with the aforementioned jones new york top.

fitting betsy, this mannequin, is a bit of pain, given how much smaller than me she is and given that she has such a bizarre shape but you can nonetheless see how great this skirt's silhouette is:

bonus number one: this outfit, as you see it here, without a cardigan or blazer, will be perfect in the spring, with a pair of red heels and a matching clutch or with tall, brown boots and a matching handbag. 

bonus number two: it is replacing the only other navy blue skirt i had. i hate having to squeeeeze my size 12 frame into anything, let alone something with a slit in it and a sheen to it. (i'll soon be posting about how i've become a fabric snob without breaking the bank). this guy is going in the pile for the clothing exchange i'm hosting next week-end:

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