Treaured Books

These are a couple of my most treasured books, both of which belonged to my dear mom. Although they are not in the best condition, I think you can definitely appreciate the beauty of the vintage-ness. Also, the illustrations (especially in the fairy tale book) are stunning! They offer up some good fashion inspiration. - S

Ain't no stoppin' my 40's craze!

Without appearing to be too vain, I thought I'd display more photos displaying my new 40's inspired hairdo obsession. I apologize for the poor photography, but it's all I got for now. Let me know what you think. Oh, and of course I've been listening to my favorite 40's crooners all the while (Bing, Billie, and Frank - to name a few). -S

Sweet Deals

The Vogue Vigilante ladies decided to start a KAL with this sweet sock pattern. I had a tough time finding a solid color yarn that was the right fiber & weight & cost. But thanks to the lovely ladies of Gauge Knits, I found this nice Merino Wool/Nylon yarn at a discounted price.
My other find this weekend were these adorable (100% Vegan) Madden Girl shoes found at TJ Max! I had my eye on this brand when I found them online and realized they weren't actually leather. Then, there they were just waiting for me at their amazing TJ Max price. I know I shouldn't be making any purchases, but how could I resist that cute blue button, please! Besides, I know I'll get some good use out of them. And won't they look smashing with my new lacey knee high socks:) -S

Retro-fantastic hair!

I was inspired to try out some new 40's style hair. I rarely take the time to make my hair and make-up look super fantastic, but it's so fun to do. The top two pics I took today after checking out some retro styling tips from Casey Brown's blog. The bottom pic was from a few months ago when my good friend, and most amazing hair stylist, Alyssa, came to visit and gave me that tres chic cut. It was so cute, but without a hair straightener, it was hard to keep up with. I think next I'll have to post some classic high school photos when I had (and still do) a 1920's obsession. -S

Eco-Elf shoes with DIY laces!

I got these comfy Simple brand shoes the other day (which are made with all re-cycled materials) and I loved their eco-animal-elfin friendly style, but I wasn't too crazy about the grey laces. I envisioned ribbony lavender laces. I checked around town, but there were none to be found (thanks, Dr. Seuss!). So I stitched up a pair from leftover yarn (crochet chain stitch).  My friend Aaron very politely said they looked a tad like bowling shoes.  The pink laces are a bit bulky, I'll admit, but hey, they're homemade! I'm still keeping an eye out for some pretty lavender ribbon. Here's what the shoes looked like before and after the DIY makeover. --L

Hoo's calling?

Here's the other side-- sleeping owl. I also added a beak that looks more like a nose to the "awake owl" side. I've never embroidered before but I can tell it would be a fun little art/craft to get into. I did this while watching Little Dorrit on Masterpiece which I'm LOVIng right now! --L

Owl Cozy

Here's my first, very simple attempt at knit design-- a cell phone cozy! I also wanted to try out the owl cable. Can you see it? Next time I'll use a solid color yarn so the owl will be more visible. I'll have to make it bigger too, since it's a wee bit too tight for my phone. --L

Elven Treats

During my browse through the chocolate isle at Whole Foods today, I came upon these adorable chocolates! I'm a total sucker for buying things based on their packaging, but come on, this is too cute for words! It's also pretty tasty. I think it's that Norwegian elf in me that finds these so enduring. -S

Latest knitting project

Here's a little glimpse at the beret I'm working on. It's called the Druidess Beret and was created by Anna Bright of England. Her free pattern is on ravelry.com. (a wonderful website for knitters and crochet-ers around the world). I'm about halfway done and I've already learned several new techniques, including bobbles. I hope I finish it before Spring is over! --L

Ring-a-ding

I currently have my heart set on a rotary phone costume for next Halloween, and these pictures have certainly provided some amazing inspiration. Could it possibly be too early to think of Halloween, I think not. Especially since I was unable to celebrate this past year (car broke down, etc.). From the top: vintage photograph (source unknown), Inside a Black Apple print, telephone book dress (designer unknown). -S

A Few More Finds...

Here are a few more vintage gems to share. The buttons were given to me by Valentina who is a very talented oil painter and stained glass artist. I'll have to post some of her work on here soon. The cameos and earrings were from a sweet lady I met last fall at the antique fair I attended. I'll re-purpose some of them into finger rings. I bought the retro star bowl yesterday at an antique mall. I don't really don't need it, but I love the design, and black and turquoise are hard for me to turn my back on. The price tag of only $2 didn't help, either. Some of the keys were from an estate sale I helped out at and some were already in my stash. I'm not exactly sure what to do with them, but they might look good in necklace form with some black satin ribbon. --L

50 Cent Treasures

Here are a few finds from a recent trip to Ohio. The little town square in Sunbury has a slew of antique stores, many of which were old homes turned into stores. I hope to repurpose some of the jewelry pieces, though the sweet bow brooch stands on it's own. The cameo print just needs a new piece of glass to be ready for hanging, it was technically $2, but still quite a bargain. I didn't end up buying the lovely bejeweled handbag, but I'm kinda wishing I had now! --L

Mock Cable Slouch

My friend Sunny sent me this pretty purple yarn in the mail recently. Being too busy taking care of two energetic little ones, she unfortunately decided to give up knitting. So I knit it up into a hat for her and I chose the "Slouchy Copy Cat Hat" pattern from ravelry.com. I'm happy to say it fit her and she seemed to like it pretty well. Looks like purple hats are in vogue at voguevigilante this season! --L

I take my hat off to you, Etsy Designers

Every time I come upon a unique and accomplished clothing designer on Etsy I get totally inspired. I just thought I'd feature a few that stood out to me. From top to bottom: Lemon Story, beautiful details; Mr. Racoon's Empire, I have my eye on that adorable yellow jumper; and Sarah Seven, overall gorgeous dresses. Thanks ladies for your beautiful designs! -S

Devendra Banhart - Carmensita

Oh that Devendra... he leaves me speachless. I absolutely love this video! I swear it's a combo of Bollywood movies and the classic I Want to Love You Tender video. - S

Spring Beret

Spring came early in Texas... then went away for a bit. Last week it was a humid 80 degrees out, then as soon as I finished my new hat, it got cold again! Which was perfect so I could actually wear a wool hat and not look ridiculous in the hot Texas sun. I used a pretty plum wool for this sweet Spring Beret. I did a little blocking when it was done to give it a better shape. Overall I'm rather pleased. -S

Frittering Away

My attempt at some savory corn fritters. They actually turned out pretty darn tasty! The recipe (which came out of an old Linda McCartney's international vegetarian cookbook) recommended to pair with a garlic dipping sauce, but I opted for my favorite Mother's Cashew Tamari dressing from Austin's own Mother's Cafe! I know I don't usually take photos of my meals, but I thought for all the work I put into this, I may as well share it with the world. -S

A Few of My Little Friends...

Spring Cleaning has begun early at the Vogue Vigilante headquarters this year. As I sorted through boxes this morning, putting away a few lingering Christmas elves, I couldn't resist taking a few snapshots of their little smiling faces first. The lovely pink teapot was a gift from sister Stephanie. I'd been eyeing it for months at a local antique shop, and now it's mine, yay! I love it! --L

what to do, what to do...

Just like the rest of the crafty community, I'm a little obsessed with silhouettes. What is it about them that are so freaking adorable? Here are a couple of projects I've been working on. The bat is a felt pin I made, that was recently handed over to my pal Heather as a sort of Austin memento. The cat I started months ago as a Christmas present for a friend (who shall remain nameless in case she happens to check out the blog). My plan is to sew the cat on the felted yellow bag, add a zipper, cute lining, and vwala! It's done! But, I haven't been totally motivated to finish it and now my friend has had to wait months to get her Christmas present. Bah! I guess I'm just in a much needed kick in the pants to finish this project, but in the meantime, I thought I'd show what I've been up to.

You may also notice that the header for th blog has changed... thoughts, comments? Thanks - S

"Pancakes Without Syrup is Ridiculous!"

By far the wackiest Bewitched episode ever! Wise-cracking space dogs eating pancakes and packing "N-guns" (N for nice). If they ever remade this, Amy Sedaris would without a doubt have to play the gossipy next-door neighbor. Oh, by the way, my husband has figured out his next Halloween costume thanks to this-- Orvis-- the poodle-faced space dog! --L