Favorite rainy day legwear...

Two layers of thick tights* topped with a dress and a long, warm cardigan. I love public transit, but it makes apparel tricky when we're in the midst of a rainstorm. Jeans inevitably get wet and then take hours to dry, so I avoid them.

{layers}

I wear my clumpy but warm Uggs (the only time I wear them out in public) while I wait for the bus. A woolly hat (brimmed to keep errant rain drops off my glasses) and a giant scarf help out as well. When I get to work, I shed the extra accessories and swap the boots for a pair of ballet flats. Reverse the process to get home, adding gloves if necessary. Easy-peasy.

*The opaque red tights are from Urban (I remain loyal to my Old Navy tights, but they have a limited color selection, so I'm forced to look elsewhere sometimes) and the lace overlay tights are from Forever 21. I can't find the exact pair online, but they have lots of other fun options and it's worth checking out the selection at your local store. As you would expect, the consistency of their sizing is a bit lacking (I have one pair that is a bit small and one pair that is a bit large), but they don't run easily and they're still nice and comfy.

I'm blushing...

Heart of Light has been nominated for a Poppy award in the handmade accessories category! I love the Poppytalk blog, and I'm thrilled to be in such good company.

Hop over and check out the other nominees (you can even vote for your favorite) and celebrate handmade!

a wedding with a retro vibe

I love everything about this wedding. The colour combination (dark blues, greys, champagne and chartreuse), the shoes, the socks, the bouquet, her dress, the weird hanging spider web fixture...delish!
{pics from Kate Kelly Photography}

Do knot forget ad

Do you find your headphones always getting in a twist -- here's a new way of looking at the knot possibilities. Check out this clever ad for Ford by Ogilvy in Düsseldorf, Germany from Ads of the World.

Bathmat, take II

Remember my wonky bathmat?

Over the weekend I sewed a better version. The wonky one will now be our backup.

{new bathmat}

Improvements:

* (Almost) straight edges! I laid the towel and the sheet on top of each other on my largest cutting mat (right sides facing IN) and smoothed them out flat. Then I laid a smaller cutting mat on top and traced around it with washable fabric marker. Then I pinned it. I usually avoid pinning, but I learned my lesson last time. It is very difficult to get nice straight lines when sewing bulky fabric if you don't pin.

*More absorbent - I sandwiched an extra layer of towel in between the front and back for a plusher feel. I just cut it a smidge smaller than the outer layers and slipped it inside before sewing the quilting.

*Nicer quilting effect - I didn't freehand it this time. I used a ruler, drew some straight lines in random places and then sewed along the markings. Apparently I remain incapable of sewing a straight line without a visual aid.

{new bathmat}

Help Haiti Rise

It was nice to come across this t-shirt design by Mike Fretto with 100% of the proceeds going to Haiti - Partners in Health. Shirts are $15 and you can pick them up here, a small way to help.

(via Erin Jang + Suann)

Feeling a bit red....

Striped Pillow
Toms Red Classic
Wooly Lamb Wrap
Le Creuset Tea Kettle