When I was about three years old, my parents allowed me to watch a John Waters movie. It was a copy recorded from television. I’m not sure if it was recorded specifically for me or if my parents recorded it for themselves to watch later and I just happened to get my sticky fingers on it and ram it into the VCR one day when I got tired of shoving Hot Wheels in there. It seems quite reckless of them now, but perhaps they didn’t know who John Waters was or perhaps they were too busy with my new little brother to notice at the time. What ever the reason, I sure am glad they did decide to show me / didn’t stop me because that movie has been my very favourite ever since. Good thing that movie was Cry-Baby, it could have been a lot worse.
Author: Melissa Harrison
After Work Pool Party
I never know what to wear to a pool party. Nobody really had pools in the neighbourhood where I grew up so I never saw my parents spending time with other adults around a quiet backyard swimming pool. For me, pool time was put your bathing suit on, ride your bike to the community pool, splash around with the other children and dry off on the bike ride home. There was no prolonged lounging poolside with your nice clothes on. Even the adults were already in their swimsuits, soaking up the unknown danger in a world where sunbathing was still a wholesome pastime.
Movies, television and pictures aren’t much help either, everyone is already in their bathing suit to some degree by the time they hit the backyard. The only examples I can think of are modern movies where, for some reason, everyone at the rooftop party seems to be completely unaware of the presence of the big, lit up pool in the middle of the floor until someone inevitable falls / jumps in. These people aren’t dressed for a pool party, they’re dressed for cocktails.
So how does one dress for beer and burgers with a little splashing in between? Well, I usually go for a toned-down garden party look, some light, fit-and-flare, knee length number that I can easily change in and out of – but that didn’t seam right for a casual, after work, Friday evening thing. So instead, I decided on something I rarely wear outside of the house: shorts. The result is a cute day to night nautical look.
The Jawbreaker Dress
I’ve been very busy sewing, planning and preparing for Heirlooms Artisan Market for the past few weeks. I’ve put off hair cuts, house cleaning and human interaction to make this the best and biggest market I’ve ever done. It’s the last day before the market – the last day of spring – and I just found time to get a sorely needed hair cut and photograph my last spring dress.
The Sophster-Toaster Shop Turns 2!
I’ve been peddling my wares for two years now! I’ve learned and changed so much since the day I stumbled forth and opened my shop without a clue as to what to do with my dresses once they left the sewing room. I feel like every day I learn some new sewing trick, photography technique or sales and marketing tip that I can use to improve my product and my shop, but overall, I think the most rewarding part of this journey has been all the great customers, fans, bloggers and fellow artisans I’ve met along the way.
Let’s take a look at all the dresses I’ve designed this year: Continue reading