by Victoria. H

Introducing… The Halie Top!

My sister, Halie, is currently part of an exhibition at Untitled Art Society called A Space Ship is Just a Time Machine. The reception was this weekend and she wanted to have an amazing outfit. The pants were already decided on but she wasn’t sure about the top.

Sewing Sister to the rescue! I had seen a photo that week on pinterest I thought would work perfectly with the pants. This pattern drafting was very simple and consists of two squares (for the back and front) and two rectangles (for the sleeves). Happily the muslin looked great.

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by Victoria. H

Jed’s Blanket: Handmade With Love

Does anyone else find the boys/men in their family are the hardest to buy presents for? I think I’m a pretty awesome present picker-outer but when it came to deciding what to get for my little bro last Christmas I was stumped. I didn’t want to give him a gift card again or money. Was there anything I could make that he would actually use? My sister and I put our heads together and came up with a useful and warm idea!

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by Victoria. H

A Chair Renewed With Tie dye

I hate to throw anything away. I’d probably be a hoarder but watching all those hoarder shows on TLC has scared me into keeping my house at a light clutter. Which is probably for the best. I’d hate to have Stella go ‘missing’ one day, only to find her years later squashed flat under a pile of boxes. The point is, if something can be saved from the trash heap AND save us from spending money on a new one I’m all in.

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by Victoria. H

A worn out coat, renewed!

My sister, Halie, and I are similar in many ways. We are both creative, share the same birthday, and adore a great thrift store find. When we spotted this coat on a recent Goodwill trip Halie fell in love instantly. I wasn’t equally as smitten. While I did like the shape, color, and fuzziness of the fabric, it had major problems. It was badly worn on one shoulder, my guess is from a purse strap, and on the elbows. The lining under the armpits was also torn on both sides. Halle couldn’t let the coat go, it really was a steal, and since I knew I could mend it easily I agreed to help.

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by Victoria. H

Stampede style inspiration throwback

In YYC the Calgary Stampede is a big deal. Have you been? If not it’s definitely an experience. This year the Stamped runs from July 3rd – 12th. The downtown is transformed with brightly painted windows, hay, and reclaimed wood boards.  Plaid shirts and cowboy hats abound! And the Stampede grounds are where all the action is.

 

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Since this is my 5th year in Calgary and my 4th year Stampeding I’ve been around the hay bale a couple of times. Dressing up cowboy style is always fun. I love the challenge of dressing in a theme. Trying to infuse your own style into an outfit while not looking like a costume can be a challenge. Do you really want to look like a cowgirl cliché? Of course not! That’s why I’m sharing two past posts I did on how to dress for a stampede/rodeo.

In 2013 white was on trend and that hasn’t changed for 2015. Get inspiration for how to accessorize your white lace dress/skirt or even what kind to buy. There are so many different styles! What I’m obsessed with… White lace dresses.

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Once you have your outfit you’re going to need a cowboy hat. This is a must as it completes the ensemble and helps keep the sun out of your eyes while watching the rodeo. A little cowboy hat creativity will show you two ways you can customize a run of the mill hat. Give your chapeau a little pizzaz and you’ll never get lost in the crowd.

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conclusion

Remember, you’re beautiful and no matter what you choose to wear, confidence and a big cowgirl smile will always be in style during Stampede and beyond!

by Victoria. H

What I made… Summer kimono

Summer is here and hoo boy is it hot! Well at least in Calgary it is. Even though I feel like I’m melting, being over exposed in public is not for me. I may be cooler but I’m not comfortable. Halie, my sister, feels the same way. The solution is a light and breezy kimono! She asked me to make her one and since her birthday was coming up how could I say no?

The fabric Halie picked out is a vintage Japanese silk which I’ve had in my fabric stash for awhile. It was perfect for this project and I think it turned out great! I tried a different method then my previous kimono tutorial and pretty much just winged it. Luckily it worked out on the first try. I’ve found a tutorial similar to what I did on Babble by Merrick White. The only difference is since the kimono I made is longer I didn’t sew the side seams all the way down, only to about mid-thigh. Even with hemming the edges this kimono is still a quick and easy sew! If your wondering how I made my first kimono check out my Cozy Kimono Cardigan tutorial.

Thanks to Julianne Gutowski for taking these pretty photos of Halie modeling her kimono. Isn’t Lesser Slave Lake a beautiful location!

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conclusion

Even in hot weather you can still be cool and comfortable without resorting to short shorts and crop tops! (although if that’s your style I’m sure you rock it!)

by Victoria. H

What I’m obsessed with… macarons!

Lately I have been seeing macarons everywhere! They’re all over my instagram feed and they look so darn tasty. Who doesn’t want to eat a little pastry that has filling and comes in every color of the rainbow. I think they’re the new frozen yogurt, which was the new doughnut, which was the new cupcake, etc. etc.. I feel like there are more places in Calgary offering macarons. Either that or I was totally oblivious to them before. Since I currently can’t get enough of them I thought I’d share two places I’ve tried macarons and two places that are tops on my list to try, all in Calgary.

Ollia Macarons & Tea

Ollia store victoriadaytoday.com

I’ve seen photos of Ollia macarons on instagram and they always looked lovely, just like the store just off 17th ave, where you can purchase them! I tried three varieties and my favourite was Earl Grey. They also sell tea but I was only interested in the pastries. Ollia also offers a macaron baking class in their kitchen which sounds like a great girls night activity! Photos from www.byollia.com

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Monplaisir

monplaisir victoriadaytoday.com

Monplaisir is located in the food court in The Core, which is a shopping center in downtown Calgary. It’s kind of hidden away so I wouldn’t be surprised if most people don’t know it’s there. They sell macarons and Belgian chocolate. Even thought these macarons are cost more the Ollia’s ($2.50 compared to $2.00 each) I must say I did like them a teensy bit more. The cookie was more dense and chewy, which I enjoyed. Below is a photo of the three varieties I tried. Rose lychee, peanut butter and jelly, and lavender honey which was my favourite. Top photo from www.monplaisir.ca

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Made by Marcus

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I’ve heard lots of good things about Made by Marcus macarons and am excited to try some out! They are sold in different venues across Calgary. the closest to me is Bridgeland Market, so it looks like I’ll be taking a stroll over there soon! All the venues are listed on his website. Photos from www.madebymarcus.ca

Yann Haute Patisserie

yann patisserie victoriadaytoday.com

Yann Haute Patisserie is located in a sweet yellow house in the Mission neighbourhood. I’ve also heard great things about their macarons. Looking at the flavours on their website www.yannboutique.com, blackcurrant and Irish coffee are two that I would be interested in tasting!  Photos are from  www.pinterest.com/yannboutique

yann patisserie mac victoriadaytoday.com

conclusion

Where are your top places to get macarons in your town and what’s your favourite flavour?