What I Wore | Eyelet Bell

WhatIWore: Good morning, y’all! I’m really excited about today’s post! I’m working on making more of my own clothing and creating my own designs and patterns and this top is one of them! I used a basic bodice base (I’m trained in flat pattern drafting) and made all sorts of changes - no darts, added length and of course - those awesome bell sleeves. Last Thursday I had a sitter until 1 and it was rainy and I didn’t want to stick around the coffee shop so I came home and while sitting at my laptop, saw a similar silhouette online and thought - I think I can make that! So I started cutting, machine sewing, hand sewing (in a grocery store parking lot while Felix slept) and by the time I needed to make dinner - I was done! I used only elements on had on hand. I bought the fabric initially for a circle skirt, and I still have enough to make some kind of bottom… but not sure if I’m feeling that vibe as much this summer. 

Also - the jeans…. read more about how I made my choice below.

When: April 25, 2016

What:
Shades: Target
Top: Self designed and made
Jeans: Point Sur for J.Crew (30% off with code SCORE)
Sandals: gift courtesy of Clark’s from last summer

Where: Lunch at Upland, picking out flower’s at May’s Nursery

So the jeans! Thanks for all of your input on instagram and facebook! I decided to go with the slimmer cut high waisted pair because I think they’ll have a little more longevity than the culotte style (which I still love!). In fact, now that they’re on sale, I might pick them up too. This pair is HIGH waisted - and yet - remarkably comfortable! I bought my larger size (I usually go between two sizes depending on the day or time of the month) and because of the stretch, I do think I can toss them in the washer and dryer and they’ll fit like a glove.  

What I Wore | Fleetwood Mac

WhatIWore: There’s something about this dress that feels a little magical… a little witchy? And every time I see it I instantly start hearing Fleetwood Mac in my head. I kept things really simple today - just black flat sandals and a turquoise necklace - a dress like this doesn’t need much else! Happy Weekending!

When: April 20, 2016

What:
Shades: Target
Dress: ModCloth
Flats: Target
Backpack: gift courtesy of Vera Bradley from 2014

At Home | Faded Honeycomb Wall

We are all about hexagons in the Quirk household! A couple of years ago I tiled our bathroom floor in a black and white honeycomb motif to compliment our home’s nearly 100 year old history.  With our kitchen/dining/living room reno nearly complete, I’d like to show you how we integrated it into this space!

The biggest portion of our project was knocking down the wall between the kitchen and dining room to open up the space. In the process we removed a non original bathroom as well.  With the connecting wall gone, we had one very long wall at the back of the house - the perfect setting for a painting project!

Initially I had planned to make this wall have the appearance of wallpaper, but as I began taping, Adam and I agreed we liked the organic, natural path the honeycomb was taking on it’s own! Speaking of taping, I made a template out of cardstock with 4″ sides (and then drew a 60 degree angle with another 4″ line to create the hexagon. Knowing the floors of our older home aren’t level, I opted to start in the middle of the wall using a level to begin the pattern. I got into quite a groove - wearing the tape on my wrist like a bracelet and holding scissors in my right hand as I taped, taped, taped! 

Read on to see details of how I completed this project!

Here’s what the wall looked like with the tape all in place!

And painted over….

And with the tape removed…

And the finished product!

I used delicate surface painter’s tape, but on a bumpy wall I didn’t get the perfect clean lines I wanted. I also thought the bright white behind it was too intense, so I did a grey wash over the pattern and I love how it came out. I don’t have photos of this stage because it was a) super messy and b) I had to work quickly. The final pattern definitely visible, but it’s almost looks like a reflection or light coming in from the windows. 

In front of the wall is what we’re calling a hutch. We bought a white 6 box organizer from Lowe’s and added steel hairpin feet (clear coated to prevent rust). We spray painted the backing board matte navy blue, which will work back to some of our other decor. On top Adam fabricated a gorgeous cherry top. The wood comes from a property here in Monroe county and Adam planed, sanded and finished it himself! 

Inspired By | Bandanas

WhatIWore: Back in high school, we had a danced called MORP, or prom backwards. The tradition started by girls asking boys to the dance but we saw it more as a chance to get all of our friends together and dress up. And by dress up, I mean in costumes or funky outfits. One year we did a cowgirl theme and all made tops out of bandanas and braided our hair (I’ll instagram a photo if I can find one!). I’ve loved the patterns and colors ever since! 

These days, traditional red, black and navy versions are en pointe! I’ve done neck scarves in the past (like here and here), but I’m planning on trying it next with a classic bandanas. These photos are my inspiration! 

If you’re looking for a vintage option, etsy is the way to go (see my picks here). Otherwise, your local craft store will likely carry them (but toss it in the wash a couple of times to soften it up first!).