Professional Shorts . . . A Paradox?

Here's my professional dilema about summer. It's hot and I want to wear shorts, but are they work appropriate? The easy answer is no. However, I am in the process of convincing myself it just might be ok, with the right pair of shorts of course. I have enough shorts for all the BBQ's, pool parties, and beach trips that summer brings along with it. But perhaps if I found the right pair of khaki's I could make them just right for professional settings. And luckily, I did. 

Step 1

They started as a pretty pair of khaki capris from Gap I found at Goodwill. First I measured where on my legs I wanted them to land then added about 3 inches and snipped.

Step 2

I cuffed the shorts twice, making the cuff a little over 1 inch wide.


Step 3

Next, I ironed the cuffs until they laid flat.

  

Step 4

To ensure the cuffs would stay in place, especially when they got thrown in the wash, I sewed along one side seam to secure them. 

Step 5

Make it professional. I paired my new khaki shorts with a vintage navy pajama top (another Goodwill find), and my grandmother's scarf. The clutch is also from Goodwill (catching on to the trend?).

As you can see the shorts' length is somewhere between short shorts and bermuda shorts. Of course if you work in an industry like finance or insurance or whatever, then stick to your pants suit. But if you work in a more laid back office these are perfect for when that July heat hits you like a brick wall in a couple months. 

Love in Summer Shorts, KHS

Apothecary Wannabe

After I decided to make my own little vanity out of a dumpy desk I found for $15 on Craigslist, I wanted it to have some vintage storage options. I don't like clutter when it comes to my make-up and decided to duplicate the old fashioned containers that litter the apothecary counters in 1950's movies.

It took me a month to find just the right candle sticks and drinking glasses combos but I like how they turned out. A little bit of Gorilla Glue and applied pressure later, I had new holders for my make-up necessities.

Side note, when I was unpacking my creations in my New York apartment one slipped and fell, shattering. The candle stick is in tact but I'm yet again on the hunt for the right little glass.

The candle sticks and small drinking glasses.

Waiting for the super glue to dry completely (I let them sit overnight just to be safe).

The finished product!

Set up on my vanity . . . my make-up doesn't sit out like that usually, I was just attempting to make it look girlie, promise.

Love in throw back crafting - KHS

Hanging the Last Picture

Being the overly organized person that I am, when I moved to New York I made sure I didn't sleep that night until everything was "settled." As my father loved to quip at my siblings and I when we tried to protest against cleaning our rooms, "A place for everything and everything in it's place." I hated the phrase back then but it rings true now (he would so proud to hear that).

And while almost everything I carted up to the city was in place, there was one little thing I neglected. I had started to make a jewelry hanging contraption before I moved but it was only half done when I ended up in NYC. So for the first two months my jewelry sat in a heap on my vanity. A big, tangled, messy heap.

See?

It took a Redbull and my pent up frustration at never being able to find a match for the earrings I wanted to wear to get my rear in gear. I spent the night with my brother's drill and FINALLY got it done.

The project was simple.

1. I found an old frame at Goodwill, took out the glass and spray painted it with a black semi-gloss paint.

2. I discovered a usable piece of plywood in the barn at my parent's house and had my father help me screw the frame to the wood.

3. At Walmart I found tiny little gold hooks with screws on the ends and drilled what felt like a million tiny holes into the wood. Then it was easy to simply screw in the little hooks.

4. With my brother's help we hung the jewelry board and I had a fabulous hour of organizing and hanging shiny, colorful baubles. SO FUN. I love organizing so much. . . 100% serious BTW.

Hope this inspires! Love in Crafting (LIC),

KHS

The New "New Yorker"

In my move from rural Pennsylvania to the controlled chaos of New York City two things have stayed the same; the hum of my sewing machine and overflowing trunk full of crafting necessities. While coming to the city without a job was downright terrifying, it was also a huge gift.

During my first month I've been endlessly exploring, discovering inspiration for my form of "art" everywhere. Ideas for projects have sprung from the cupcake display case at Crumbs, a piano bar in the West Village, the classic works of art at the MoMA, and everywhere in between.

The city is still intimidating at times but more often than not, completely and breathtakingly inspiring. With ideas coming at me a mile a minute there are simply not enough hours in the day to makeover my vintage finds, explore the wall of buttons at M&J Trimming, or repaint thrift store picture frames. Some call this New York City, but for me it's crafting heaven.