Thursday, March 24, 2011

Altacocker Expo 2011 (AKA Original Sewing & Quilt Expo)

Though the fact that I look forward to going to the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo every year makes me feel old as hell, the actual experience of attending makes me feel like a spry young whippersnapper. After 3.5 hours of wading through a sea of walkers, geriatric elbows, and a thick cloud of Clinque perfume, I've just made it home from Expo '11. This is my third year attending. It's my annual birthday gift to myself - and quite a pricey one for a cheapskate like me after $8 to park, $10 at the door, and $2 to check my coat (a splurge), and that's before making a single tangible purchase, the first of which was a $2.50 small coffee. What a racket!

The heap of goodies I brought home from the expo. Deets & pics after the jump.

I got there as early as I could manage (had to finish my new bag first) so I could catch the 1:15 presentation by Valerie Mayen of Yellow Cake & Buzz & Growl. (Oh, and a lil TV show called Project Runway.) I missed the first few minutes, but caught most of it. Just like on TV, she was personable, funny, and adorable. I so envy her for being so comfortable in her own skin and at ease in front of a crowd. And her talent. I wouldn't mind a tablespoon or so of that either.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Tales of a vintage fashion hoarder

Yesterday I started bagging, boxing, and piling up clothing and accessories to take over to the Fashion Hangover clothing swap at the Rag Refinery this Sunday. While this is not really news to me, per se, the sheer volume of clothing I have amassed over the years struck me as unusually... well... absurd. I've sold lots of it, but keep adding to the hoard, so any purging has been negated by further acquisitions. In short: I have GOT to get rid of this shit. But I love every single piece. At this pace, I'm headed straight for Hoarders. My poor, poor husband.

Witness the insanity:
Looks innocent enough from the outside...
A peek to the left

A peek to the right