Designers, makers, curators, bloggers, and boutique owners have been abuzz with news of Pantone's 2021 "colors of the year." Even venues like Etsy issued their own "color of the year," too. Pantone went with two colors this year — "illuminating yellow" and "ultimate gray." Etsy settled on sky blue. Both style-making authorities cited optimism in choosing uplifting colors, though Pantone … [Read more...] about Why Brown Deserves a Place with The Colors of the Year for 2021
simplicity
Plan for Spring and Summer with Vintage Sewing Patterns
If you're hunkered down with the new wave of COVID restrictions and are looking for something productive to do inside, don't worry — we've got you covered. I've just added a bunch more vintage womens' sewing patterns to my shop giving you lots of options for projects to make to get ready for the spring and summer. Vintage Wedding and Parties Take your wedding into the Way Back Machine with … [Read more...] about Plan for Spring and Summer with Vintage Sewing Patterns
My Beautiful Ugly Packaging
"Beauty is as beauty does" — Chaucer in The Wife of Bath's Tale (c. 1387) (Originally "Handsome is as handsome does.") The other day an ad for "sustainable" branded packaging passed through my Instagram feed. The eye candy hooked me, and I clicked through. On their About page the company, Noissue, says they were founded ...to provide makers, brands and businesses of all sizes access to … [Read more...] about My Beautiful Ugly Packaging
Coronavirus, Quarantine, and the Meaning of American Life
The governor in my state, Virginia, has now issued a total stay at home order. We've gone from social distancing, travel advisements, and schools being shut down through the academic year to straight out "do not leave home unless absolutely necessary." The governor says to expect this through May. In one way the final order is good news. It's clarifying to have a leader who's not … [Read more...] about Coronavirus, Quarantine, and the Meaning of American Life
Beauty In the Coronavirus Era
Keeping us all at home under a mood of "lockdown," and with no end date in sight, the coronavirus threat threatens to do much more — that is, turn us into pajama-wearing couch zombies with a permanent ring of Cheetos around our lips. Not so for Lady Virginia. Even if I wasn't a somewhat dressy type person, perfectly happy to never wear leggings or flip flops and never use icky … [Read more...] about Beauty In the Coronavirus Era
How Lady Virginia Weathers the Coronavirus Situation
The sun came up again today. The day is ahead of us. And so is the coronavirus pandemic. A Known Unknown Yesterday I was exchanging texts with my daughter, Anwyn, who lives in Paris and she asked me, "Is this what it was like during the AIDS crisis?" I had to admit that, no, what's happening for her is happening for me and my generation for the first time, too. We've never in our lifetimes … [Read more...] about How Lady Virginia Weathers the Coronavirus Situation
