NEW SHOE!

No, I didn't forget the "S"...

My new shoe is an Aircast Walking Brace, size medium. I tore a tendon in my left foot several months ago, but didn't realize what had happened, so I walked on it in Santa Fe, in Chicago, and on my daily 4 mile walk. OUCH! When the pain got unbearable (I'm fairly stoic), I had an MRI and found out what I had

been making worse for 3 months. So now I get to wear this lovely boot 24/7

for 5 or 6 weeks. The good part? I'm 95% pain-free. The bad part? I can only wear shorts (NEVER HAPPEN), "Elephant Leg Pants" (as in the '60s) or skirts.

I do own a few of them...and will be making some more shortly!

I DO love this Luna Luz "Cheerio" Skirt which I blogged about several years ago

and have found a few more similar ones which are on their way.

The necklace that I'm wearing in the above picture with Paddy was made by my

friend Joan and given to me several years ago.

I'm lucky to have such a talented friend!

If any of you sewists have a favorite skirt pattern which DOES NOT involve pleats or gathers around the waist, let me know in the comments! Thanks...


I will be participating in Patti's wonderful Visible Monday show on her blog
later this afternoon...


TTYL.....

STRIPES, DOTS AND FLORALS!

Yes, I said FLORALS... I decided to join the trend of floral pants before it
passed me by. I couldn't find any apparel fabrics I liked, so I jumped over to home dec sites and found what I wanted at Online Fabric Store. 

I used my trusty Lynda Maynard pattern, making them ankle length.

I was afraid they might be a little too splashy, but I think I like them and they

feel very summery.

The stripes are in a pair of pants designed by Marcy Tilton, V8929, and the fabric is also from her.

 The fabric is a real workhorse, a black/gray/silver stretch cotton and the seaming on the pattern is very interesting.

The dots are left over from my V1385 jacket; I was intrigued with Shams' 
Print Block Tee on Communing with Fabric, so I rummaged in my scrap pile
and made this (V9004)

This fabric is a jacquard, so both sides are usable. I didn't have enough for the sleeves and back, so I used a black crepe and lengthened the sleeves.

Excuse the headless shots...

In other news, I celebrated a birthday with 3 very dear, very long-time friends

and had visits from a daughter, teen-aged granddaughter and her friend. Also a niece stopped by on her way to pick up her son after his first year at UCSB...(University of California at Santa Barbara). Our guest house has seen a lot of traffic lately!

At some point, we were visited by the resident skunk family, who stopped by for

a bite to eat...we DO live in the country, and they ARE black and white...

I hope your summer is proceeding with joy...

Catch me on Visible Monday, where Patti makes sure we have a place to be visible!

TTYL

HOME SWEET HOME!

SO glad to be home after 2 weeks on the road! We flew to Chicago for four days:

Beautiful spring plantings in full bloom...

The Trump Tower.....

View from the John Hancock building (which did not crack while we were there,
for which I'm very grateful)

Cloudgate, or "The Bean"....by Anish Kapoor, one of my favorite artists...

We joined Patti Ferguson and her husband, Norm, for an exceptional concert by
pianist Emanuel Ax, and a reception to meet the artist, afterwards...

We also went with Patti and Norm on a fantastic architectural boat tour with
their friend Harry, who is a wonderful docent.

Norm, Harry, moi and Dave...it was one of the highlights of the trip!

We rented a car and drove south, Kansas City being our interim goal. I made
a "pilgrimage" to Asiatica, that wonderful shop that I have gotten tantalizing postcards and emails from forever...I was curious to see if the shop was as 
fabulous as it looked...

It is, and I got to meet Elizabeth, the owner, and the "eye" who finds such glorious fabrics and items.

I also got an early birthday present from DH...

After Kansas City, it was family time...we drove to Des Moines where oldest 
grandson was running in the State track finals.

We took oldest daughter, oldest grandchild and her husband out for dinner.

Next day we drove to Pella, where DS lives with his wife and 5 children. Besides a successful run, GS was also graduating from High School AND having a

birthday, so there was a lot to celebrate.

and here is the birthday dinner!


So, the clothes...

This is B5954 in a pretty knit from my local fabric store. It has hardly been off my back since I made it...

This is M5433, an OOP pattern which I have made too many times to count, also
in a knit from local fabric store.

and finally, these pants, StyleArc Lola, in a just-the-right-shade-of-gray linen
to go with my striped tee I bought in Santa Fe...

The linen was purchased several years ago from Marcy Tilton.

I'm joining both "Visible Monday", where Patti of Not Dead Yet Style welcomes lots of visible women,
AND "Hat Attack", where the beautiful Judith of Style Crone gives us a monthly opportunity to
show what hats are in our closets...

TTYL