Thursday, October 3, 2013

Autumn Show N' Tell Time!

"Ah Autumn...I love you my favorite season, my cozy friend who returns loyally each & every year." 
 
Me in my pjs and polka-dot rubber boots in that glorious morning sun...out feedin' my chickens.
 I got the sun in the morning...

  
...and the moon at night...
 My going out-outfit.  Jem, our girls and I were attending an elegant banquet this eve.

I do tell Jem on the way to midtown...
I'm just as happy if not more happy at home with a cotton skirt and my keds (wannabe keds) tennies..

Even though I'm just as happy if not more in my cottons and tennies, there are times when we have to dress up for an occasion which leads me to...

  Show N' Tell Time!

The above is my dress-up outfit for fall and autumn. I just go-to it, I don't think about it.  This outfit doesn't cost an arm or leg, doesn't break the bank.  I love, love, love beating the system!  Jem is a Realtor, broker, we own our own Real Estate company so that equates to no perks, plenty of bills and commission-only for boss man. I am a stay at home mom, a homeschool mom to boot being quite skilled in saving moneys.  It is truly an art to do so and I quite enjoy it!  

I can make a dollar stretch longer then this southern girl can make a vowel howl!  *slaps knee laughing*

The above outfit is a stretch black velvet skirt I made with a matching black velvet top.
The skirt is made with my favorite (say it with me gals) ...Simplicity #4881.


Photo

This pattern is a must for me to keep safe in my pattern treasures!  It has 3 length options, and it is flattering.  This pattern option has 2 pieces to it and the skirt only requires 2 yards for the longest length.  I used black stretch velvet on sale.  I found a simple sleeveless top pattern and added flutter sleeves.  You don't have to use difficult patterns, you can go easy-breezy using fancy-schmancy fabric found on sale of course. The patterns are from Hobby Lobby on sale for a dollar or so.

The lace hosiery?  Marianna picked this pair up for me at Dollar General for $5.00.

The Laura Petrie feminine ballet flats were found at good ol' Walmart for $5.00 a couple of years ago.  These are the little flats that hang up, these are made of a black voile type material.  I have a pair of Dr. Scholl's insoles also from Walmart I like to put in less expensive shoes and it works wonderfully for me.

The scarf is from Coldwater Creek, a gift from Jem last Christmas as we were shopping one delightful Christmasie eve.  I have quite a collection of scarves and I can make different outfits with my scarves.  Do you know the French women will wear an outfit several days in a row but change the scarf for a different look?

My jewelry, simple pearls dahlin...simple pearls.  Fakes or real they work.

Trust me, this outfit is a wonder.  I wore the same top and skirt last year belted with a silver belt carrying a black cardigan with pearl buttons along with my customary pearl necklace at the same banquet sitting next to Attorney General's Greg Abbott's inlaws. (the sweetest people in the world by the way).  This year the governor was there, so trust me, I wear this outfit with confidence.  It works, it's classic, and it didn't break the bank!  No muss, no fuss, no wasted time, no gas wasted and no missing bandwidth from shopping stress on my brain.

K.I.S.S.  =   Keep it simple sweetie!   ~The late Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore, pioneers of the modern homeschool movement. 

Ah Autumn...









Nothing Like a Gal in Her Skirt

Skirts work for feeding chickens....

  

Skirts work for retrieving scared little kitties up in a tree...




Skirts work.  They are comfie and feminine. 

The skirt Marianna is wearing in the chicken shot is also the Simplicity #4881. I hope you too will enjoy this pattern, and it will ease you into a simple no muss no fuss kinda life. : )  It has helped me greatly in my wardrobe!

loading ...  One day in the near future I will try to sew up some 40s style feminine overalls very much like these.  We shall see what we shall see!

loading ...  Today I'm making veggie pizza for supper.  I've blogged for the fun of it, listened to the instrumental theme from Pride and Prejudice this morning...Listening to Rush now...Reading?  The Street of the City (1942) by Grace Livingston Hill  and  Lessons from Lucy about Loving God.  I may be working on a knit top later....washing clothes, I love the rhythms of home, prayers a-going forth for all.  Many things in the background. Our parents in their 80s are always a concern.  Talk about the sandwich generation!  Wow.  It's a good thing I know the Lord and can talk with Him.  There are days when I'm puttering along and then I get news for a brand new worry, the day then turns into one of those turny-twisty kind of days.  I'm such a worry-wart.  Shame on me.  

  I just had a wonderful phone call from Michelle on witnessing to a young lady at a restaurant.  Michelle had an extra Bible in the car and they will be meeting for lunch in the future.  So. Neat. What opened up this convo?  Michelle had kindly responded to the young lady that she didn't drink when the young lady asked, because she was a Christian.  The young lady was so sweet, and very apologetic that she mentioned drinking (a breath of fresh air!) and shared she was earnestly interested in Christianity.  Oh so many traveling here on earth, may they understand it's a relationship, a personal relationship with our Lord not just another religion. People are hungry for truth, oh that we may be a good witness to them in humility.  When I was in highschool, I would watch people and sooo many times I would be secretly disappointed in their witness.  Yes, I was watching.

We are so thankful for God's divine appointments.  It renews our strength.

"Christians who are set apart are not necessarily eloquent, confident or brilliant; rather they believe God's promises."

I hope you all are and have been having a nice decent kind of week.

Let me know how you are too if you like!  God bless you all!   Amelia


7 comments:

Amanda said...

If you can make a dollar stretch that far...that is pretty good, cause my vowels go a pretty looooooong way;-)

I'm meeting you right where you are at saving a penny. It's an art for sure. And the more I Learn about this...the more I desire to please God, and my husband to be a good steward of all I'm trusted with. Always thinking in the back of my mind...

it's not mine to begin with.

Enjoy my visits with you friend:-)

Amelia said...

Hi Amanda! You hit the nail on the head, it's so true, it's pleasing to God and pleasing to our husbands too. I always ask myself if I'm being trustworthy not only with my time but with our money too.

You are so funny making your vowels go a loooooong way! : D I'm so glad to know I have a kindred spirit in more ways then one! lol My girls say I'm the most southern talking one of the family. ; )

I look forward for all of us to share our money saving ideas from the Lord. I think it's so fun! : )

xxxooo amelia

Amanda said...

Yes! Please share these ideas more. Especially in the department of food, groceries and any ideas on health.

Amelia said...

Oh that is so good to know that more of these posts are wanted...Sometimes I never know what kind of things would help others. I know I always enjoy others' frugal suggestions, it's great fun! Oh yay for a simple life! : )

Barbara said...

Dear Amelia, Yes, I'm having a nice, decent kind of week. What a fun way to describe it! I enjoy your blog posts so much, and this one was no exception to that. Like you, I LOVE scarves and am fascinated how they can transform an ensemble so quickly and easily. I ran out and bought my copy of your Simplicity pattern this past summer, but I've not had the time (nor the need -- yet!) to make up a skirt with it. But I eventually will. If we wait too long to buy a pattern, it can eventually no longer be available, so I was glad to find mine at Walmart.

Amelia said...

Hello Barbara, What a sweet, sweet comment! I'm so blessed to know you enjoy my blogs, that encourages my heart. : )

Oh yay for good ol Walmart, that pattern is such a great pattern to have on file. I think you'll enjoy it as much as I have! I made a black corduroy one last year and used it so much!

You take care now Barbara, thanks so much for coming by, your sweet comment is a blessing to me.

amber said...

i need some work on making a penny stretch and apparently i'm french since that's exactly how i dress - same outfit just changing up the sweaters and scarves, etc. :))

happy new week. xox