Feminine Counterpoint

Friday afternoon my husband came upstairs to find the vacuum in the middle of the bedroom, the sheets stripped from the bed, and a strange noise coming from the office.

It was not a crime scene. It was me...sewing.
Yes, I was right in the middle of cleaning. And yes I abruptly left everything half finished in order to make a new cover for our bed. Because after not making my bed for nearly a month, I came to realization that I didn’t like the way it was decorated. So I needed to change it. Immediately.
As you can see, the result is not fancy. Or even girly. There is a reason for this. Just because I’m a lady doesn’t mean that I condone excessive frilly-ness. I do, after all, live with a man. I can’t have him residing in a house that screams “miss priss” at every turn. So while I do certainly indulge in flagrant femininity with my clothing, accessories, hair styles, etc., I tone down the estrogen in our home.
Without getting too freshman-psychology-101-course on a Monday morning, I will say briefly that this strategy highlights an important element to consider about being a lady, which is that femininity shines the brightest when compared to its counterpart--masculinity. I, for instance, look my most ladylike when standing next to my husband, who wears denim and t-shirts everyday and has had a goatee since he was 18.
What I’m trying to say (somewhat laboriously, I might add--sorry for that...)is that the whole boy-girl combo works generally well in a lot of areas in life, including fashion and home design. And furthering the species, of course. This is why J.Crew does such a marvelous job at the whole “glamorous tomboy” look. And why leather looks great with crystal chandeliers. And why I wear men’s cologne throughout the winter with shimmery camisoles and high heels. (seriously--I do. You should try it sometime.)
And it is why I bought 5 yards of this soft flannel fabric months ago knowing that eventually it would make its way into our decor. Because the girly touches always look best when there’s a little manliness around.

And yes--I did finish my cleaning just in case you were worried.

What is your favorite "tomboy" touch? Share by posting your comment below!

Project Plans

Since the summer is formally wrapping up, I am preparing for my seasonal home design swap and project list.

Here are a few things I'll be working on to ease myself (and my home/wardrobe) into cooler days:


I'll be using these fabrics to change all of the throw pillows and blankets in my main living room. I love the varied patterns (houndstooth, plaid, lattice, lace) and seasonal colors. I'll make sure to post photos of the finished projects once they're complete!


This is the basket next to my bed. I have, for the record, three other baskets around the house that look similar to this, but that's another story. This basket contains some of my fall "yarns in waiting" and half-finished sock projects. I have my work cut out for me...


I'm also planning on undertaking the rather ambitious challenge of sewing a new quilted coverlet for my king-size bed. I'll be using these fabric swatches (and many, many others), in shades of rust and smoke. Seems fall appropriate, doesn't it?


All of the patching together will probably take me a lifetime, but maybe some caffeine and sewing-while-movie-viewing will speed the process.


Speaking of sewing, I need to make a dress for a fall wedding, and am trying to decide on the color... Steel gray? Rose petal pink? Smoky charcoal? The debate continues...


I've also been making a lot of jewelry lately, but have definitely started moving more toward earthy fall tones, like these espresso wooden beaded earrings I made this week.


They'll be raffled off tomorrow, so soon they'll adorn someone else's fall ensemble.


Finally, I've got yarn plans, people. Yarn plans. I want to knit a few pillows shams because it seems like a fabulously comfy texture for fall. And I've started yet another cardigan, only this time in tweedy dusty rose.

As you can see, I am going to be very busy as the sun sets on summer and autumn rolls in.

Just the way I like it.

What projects are you planning for the fall? Share your comments here!

PS: like my photography? You can check out more photos by visiting me on Flickr. Click here!

Previous Related Posts:
A Knitting Binge
Is It Fall Yet?
I Swore Never Again, part 2