FASHION...AND FOOD!

Back, at last, to my studio and sewing...the mini sabbatical due to the wedding preparations is over, and I have spent some quality time doing what I love to do!

I made another M6607, my 3rd...I guess this makes this pattern a TNT (tried and true) for me.

I wear tops like this over a tee or turtleneck and slim pants for at least six months of the year. The only change I made from this one and this one was to add pockets...MUST HAVE POCKETS!

I used a vibrant ivory and white ponte knit from Girl Charlee, one of my favorite vendors for knits.

And I've been at it again...cooking from my current love(s), Jerusalem and

Plenty. Here is a link to an article in the New York Times which attempts to explain the popularity of these books.

One night, we had Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Onion with Tahini and Za'atar

and (a repeat)  Sweet Corn Polenta with Eggplant Sauce

All of the ingredients for these two fabulous dishes came from our next-door-neighbor's organic farm stand...the last of the sweet corn and the first of the winter squash.

Last night, we had Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce; this is the dish that is pictured on the cover of Plenty

and I think was partly responsible for so many readers buying the book...it was

as good as it looks!

I have to show you pictures of this lovely food in my colorful dining room...they were meant for each other!

So...my life is back to food and fabric...I am in heaven!

I am back on Patti's Visible Monday this afternoon; she is on the road, but the rest of us Visible Women are showing up...take a look!

A FAIRYTALE WEDDING!

Ah, the pictures are here! WARNING: this will be a picture-heavy post!

The Bride

The Groom

David and Maggie

 The Bride and her parents

The Bride and the FOB... on their way to the ceremony

(Hey, we live in the country!)

down the "aisle"

Bird's eye view

Groom's Family

All of us!

Sisters Janet, Maggie and Linda

The Bridal Bouquet

Magic under the oak tree

The "Magic Shed" under a starry sky

Dear Friend Jeannine, Sarah, who made it all happen, and moi

True Love!

THE TRAVELLING YELLOW SKIRT FREAK SHOW!!!

What is this, you ask...I thought she was telling us all about the wedding? Well, until I have some beauteous photos to share with you, we'll take a little detour here and see what other kinds of fun I've been up to!

 

                                           photo by Melanie K

One of my favorite bloggers, Melanie of Bag and a Beret, started a "Travelling Yellow Skirt" project last year...for those of us who enjoy stepping way outside the box, you sign up to be on the route, and the yellow skirt, in all its glory, is sent from one blogger to another. Each recipient styles the skirt as she pleases, takes some photos, possibly adds a "little something" to the skirt, and sends it on to the next one in line. The journey started in Vancouver, Canada (where Melanie lives) and continued on to Australia, New Zealand, Italy, California, Ontario, Canada (3 times), Montreal, Canada, Maryland, USA, another USA,
another California, and now, to me! (also in California). Be sure to click on the link above to see the pictures of the previous Yellow Skirt people...

When I first heard it was coming the week of the wedding, I thought,"oh, no",
how untimely. Then I came to my senses and decided to include the wedding decor in my styling. I guess you'd call the wedding "theme" Indo-Asian-African...I have a lot of beautiful textiles from those parts of the world, and Maggie is as big a fan of India as I am...(I took her on one of my 7 trips). I'll show you when the wedding pictures come, the beautiful magical fantasy that was created. For now....

Here I am on Liu Xiao, a terracotta warrior horse we brought back from Xian, China. He guards our property and we decorate him according to the season.Here he is decked out in mirrored and marigold garlands. I am wearing
 some tribal Indian jewelry I brought back on several of my trips...

a mirrored embroidered vest , also from India, and some fabulous antique slippers from Marrakesh, Morocco.

In my right hand, I am clutching a staff I made with a  plasma cutter and welding equipment...it is a symbol that's very meaningful to me, and it usually lives right outside my studio door...

On to the "Bedouin Love Bower" (Maggie's wedding designer has a marvelous imagination)...

The cushions and pillows were all made from textiles I brought back from India.
Here is another picture of the BLB from a different perspective:

The lanterns are from India, the fabulous hanging in front is from Kyrgystan in Central Asia. Here is a picture of me, circa 2000, on an unheated bus in Bishkek, using the hanging for warmth! OMG, the wrinkle-less face!

This turned out to be kind of a long post, but I had several weeks of being AWOL to catch up on.

The next Yellow Skirt blogger is Sheila, from Ephemera; I am sending the skirt off tomorrow.

Oh, I almost forgot...my little "addition" to the skirt is a pocket (I always need pockets) made from a vintage Indian embroidered and mirrored piece...

I promise to come back with wedding pictures soon, and also an in-depth review of my MOB jacket as requested by several readers.

TTYL!

IT'S OVER!!!

Here are a couple of non-professional pictures: the bride and groom

and  the bride with her dad, about to walk down the "aisle"

I'll post more pictures when the photographer gives them to us...suffice it to
say that it was a picture-perfect day...the weather was glorious, the food sublime, the ceremony throat-catching, and the bride most beautiful. Her dress, made by a seamstress friend of hers, was ivory charmeuse with a lot of lace that has been in my family for a long time.Lots of music, toasts, wine, dancing,
(even moi!). Truly a day to remember!

And the MOB outfit? I don't yet have a full length picture, but here is the jacket

It's my beloved V2607, by Guy Laroche, in a gorgeous French Silk Brocade from Marcy Tilton. The colors are a little unusual for me; I fell in love with it at first sight. The pants (my Lynda Maynard custom pattern) are in a slightly iridescent dupioni from JRB Silks in a silver/blue tone.

You can see a little sliver of them here, and the backside, here:

Here is a picture of them hanging on the fence

along with the ECCO sandals I wore in a light gold. The wedding was largely on the grass or on the gravel driveway, so flat shoes were a necessity.

Both the jacket and the top were lined with a luscious orangey-red stretch silk charmeuse from Emma One Sock; it was heaven to wear. The pants were underlined with silk organza and the jacket was underlined with a wonderful top-quality lightweight fusible from Pam Erney at Fashion Sewing Supply. She was her usual fabulously helpful self in advising me what innards to use.

It was a beautiful event, and I'm glad it's over...it has been at least 6 months of hard work preparation, and now we can get back to our lovely lives. The Bride and Groom flew off to New York today, for a two-week honeymoon.
Yay!