I have a costumed retreat coming up this summer, so I’ve been slowly working to put together outfits with the goal of having 4 complete costumes, a banyan, and some mix and match accessories by the time the retreat rolls around in August.
I had a Jane Austen-themed tea to attend this past weekend. I made a new costume, in hopes of rewearing it (maybe with different accessories) at the retreat.
Instead of knowing what I wanted the final costume to look like, I had an aesthetic inspiration painting, by Henri Francois Mulard, ca. 1810.
These past weeks, unless you were living under a rock, the already scary, unpredictable, and unfeeling world we’ve been living in got worse. Then a few days ago, one of my teenage daughters was assaulted by a former friend over a false rumor.
The Quest Vest is my third attempt at the “perfect” quilted vest. You can see my Kochi/Luna quilted vest hack here, and my reversible FibreMood Irma here. I was also inspired by this quilted vest Hinterland Dress hack, for its closer fit and its pretty, neutral palette.
There’s nothing wrong with my other versions, but because of their length and oversized fit, they only work with certain outfits (pants). I frequently wear harem pants, dresses, and skirts. In those outfits, I want to feel like I’m wearing a blanket without LOOKING like I’m wearing a blanket. I took my favorite features of each inspiration vest and made the Holy Grail of quilted vests – a more fitted version with a higher collar and a wrap front with tie closure.
I went to a Jane Austen birthday tea in December, and I didn’t quite have time to finish my outerwear, so after the tea I kept plugging away.
For my entire life, I have had a prayer habit. For my entire life, I have also been afraid of God. Not the fear full of awe. The distrustful fear of a person who has been hurt.
The God I was introduced to was never satisfied with me just the way I was. I assumed if I prayed for guidance, that when God answered, it would be with a demand for change on my part. Never mind that when I’ve actually asked for and received guidance, the most clear and meaningful messages I got were those of reassurance and acceptance.
