Can You Stand Another Shopping Post?

I promise this will be a sewing blog again one of these days, just not for a couple of weeks at least. Carolyn's post the other day really resonated with me, because even before she wrote it I was thinking the same thing about my blog. I like sharing details and usually do when I have them, but lately, my sewing has been down and dirty, with pretty easy projects, and my time for details has been limited so I've been putting out more "look at what I did" posts instead of sharing the process. But I tend to go in cycles with most aspects of my life, so if you're hoping for construction details on more complicated projects, hang in there — they'll be back eventually.

I worked yesterday from 9:30-4:00 and again today from 9:00-3:00, and I got a lot done. Yesterday morning, our network went down. Thankfully, everything I had planned to do is not on the network so it didn't affect me too badly. But our email is down, which means Outlook is down, which means I can't access the emails and lists of stuff I need to do other things on my long list. It was still down when I left the office today, so I'm sure there will be grumbling in the morning, but, really, what can you do? It will be fixed when it's fixed. I'm sure the IT peeps had better things to do on their weekend too.

I planned to stop at the mall today on the way home to return some things from my recent JCPenney  and Coldwater Creek orders. Well, I didn't make it out of JCP so CWC will have to wait until another day. But I hit the mother lode, and had to talk myself OUT of many things because my closet is close to bursting at the seams as it is and I do plan to sew soon, AND I still had the things waiting at home that I kept. But what's working overtime good for if you don't spend some of the bonus money on fun stuff, right? ;-)

So, here we go …

I love this outfit. The blouse has a flounce around the vee neck and cute cap sleeves. It's lined front and back (sans sleeves), and I'm digging the 1940s vibe. Now I *need* some spectator pumps. The skirt is black, with gray dots …

… which you can see a little better here if you click the pic to enlarge it.

This skirt below is a little tight at the moment, but how could I resist an ORANGE skirt? You *know* my love affair with that color! Plus, look at it with my recent blouse purchase from CWC. I'm pretty sure by summer, the skirt will fit great. It really only needs about 5 more lbs gone. I think I may get the turquoise one too. At $20, fully lined with back welt pockets, I can't even THINK about making it for less.

I'm not sure about this top. It's really more for the weekend, but it blouses in a way that makes me look like I have jelly rolls around my waist. I think if I hem it shorter, that will fix it, but I'm still thinking about it. It's brown/beige, not black. The skirt is a jeans skirt (fly front, scoop front pockets, back jeans-style pockets). Also for the weekend, and jeans Fridays. (I not especially fond of jeans Fridays, BTW. I just don't like dressing DOWN for work. I feel schlumpy.) New shoes also, which I just ADORE!! They are 4.5" platform espadrilles, with bone patent leather cris-cross peep toe uppers, and they are extremely comfortable. I'm going to wear the heck out of these this summer and I'm already regretting not buying a back-up pair, since they're now sold out.

This blouse looks better without a flash photo, since all the contrast is washed out and it (and me) looks like a big blob. It's ivory, with a matching separate cami underneath and a bias tube belt with rings on either side. It's has seamed, gathered shoulders and is very floaty and pretty. And it's ONLY NINE BUCKS. Run to JCP and buy yourself one.

It's also got lingerie guards already in place. I nearly fainted when I saw that, FOR ONLY NINE BUCKS!

Green jacket. This is badly in need of a pressing and the back vent is still stitched closed so it's sitting a little snug at the hips until I snip that. Only $35. And more new shoes. Black loafer platform pumps. I'm still deciding on these. I like them and they're comfortable, but will I kill myself walking around in such high heels? Trust me, they are MUCH taller than they look in this pic.I'm almost 5'10" in these suckers since I could look Alex in the eye, and look at where my head hits on the door compared to the pic below. I also bought the white tee today too. You can't see any details, but it's a ruffle knit and will be a good basic underlayer. It's too long at the moment, though, so it needs a trip through the coverstitcher. There! I mentioned sewing. ;-)

This blouse is gauze-like, but a little more substantial. It has flounces on the 3/4 sleeves and the matching tank came with it. The blouse definitely needs to be belted and the armholes are low/wide, but it will be so comfortable when the humidity is at 3000% in August that I'm willing to overlook those deficiencies. And are you diggin' my Carolyn shoes?? I love them! Unfortunately, they are a little too wide (in the regular width) which you can sorta see at the back of the foot on your left, but I'm going to buy some foam insoles and I'm keeping them. I loved them when I saw them on Carolyn and I love them in person. Better a little too wide than too tight. ;-)

A new necklace.

And, finally, another new tote bag. I like this one better because it's bigger and costs less, so I'm sending the other one back to Zappos. If you're like me and don't need someone else's name or logo on your bag, then JCP is the place to shop. They always have a ton of nice bags at great prices. I can buy shoes all day (and night!), but I'm really cheap when it comes to purses.

So what did YOU do this weekend? I think NEXT weekend, I need to be dumping all the things in my closet I've been holding on to that are really just too darn big. I now desperately need the space.