Coco In Love goes to Sweet Home Chicago

This may not be a completely "Chicago-style" pic to anyone else, but to me it is highly sentimental and perfectly captures a feel and memory. We took the pic standing right in front of the first place we ever lived in Chicago... A greystone 2-flat in Logan Square. And now you can finally get a good glimpse of my favorite side of my second fave skirt.

Sore throat

All of this travel has left me hanging onto my health by a thread. Last night instead of spending the night sewing, I made myself a spot of "throat coat" tea and spent the evening writing and resting.
This weekend is another family reunion , which leaves me still unable to get settled back into my happy creative patterns until next week. *I really miss my machines!* (though I am planning on bringing the nearly-finished green quilt and it's binding to work on over the weekend). I just hope that i can fight off this impending cold...

What to wear with Libby Dibby skirts?

I get asked this question a lot....

"What do you suggest I wear with a Libby Dibby skirt?"

So I figured I'd post a few ideas and suggestions.... I tend usually to pick slim fitting t-shirts with a nice neckline and some form of detail that draws the eye upward.  With the a-line skirt, this ends up giving a really classic hourglass look as the eye travels. There are days that I actually tuck the ribbons from my skirt into the waistband, and others that I wear them out - depending on the shirt I'm wearing.

My favorite look with the skirts is a slimmer top, tank, fitted sweater... it keeps everything from looking too boxy. I'm not really a shirt tucked in girl ever, though I've seen lots of gals pull it off with my skirts. It doesn't really work for my shape - I'm the type constantly trying to camouflage my tummy weight, so I keep it more loose around the waist.  You can see a lot of my favorite types of shirts with the skirts in the pictures of skirts page here on the blog, but here are a few pics that really show the shirts that I wear.

I also have been seeing some nice tops lately in Anthropologie, the Athleta catalog. I've complimented a few gals lately and been informed they bought their cute tops at Target (haven't seen them there myself, though).  My new favorite brand is Velvet. I made it to a sample sale of theirs a few months ago and have been wearing their tops well with my skirts this season. Plus, their tees wash beautifully, have great silohuettes and vibrant colors.

As far as shoes go, in the summer my skirts get paired with sandals, wedges, flip-flops and even my Croc flats.  In the winter, I love them with tall skinny boots.

I hope all this helps answer some of those questions!

I need your advice!

Ever feel creatively stuck? I do... (well sometimes, rarely...) Anyhow, here's where I'm stuck right now. My bathroom is boring. Grey tile, black tile and dingy white walls. You can see the green and white curtains I made, and even the cute Amy Butler towels my sister gave me recently... And at some point, someone started to strip the wood, but not all of it.
I think the mirror and trim want a high gloss coat of paint, but I can't figure out which color... (Black? White? Accent?) and I really want that upper portion of the wall to be something. (I've toyed with a damask stencil type design, or stripes, but am just stumped because I can't decide on colors or pattern.)
Do you know of any examples of those kinds of paint jobs? I need some inspiration... If you do, post a link to it in the comments section. I really would love to hear some opinions - even if I don't use them, they're sure to spark something.... Thoughts?

Apricot harvest

It's a little sad when your apricot harvest can fit into a teacup. But sadly, the birds have used our vacation as a time to steal. I've found apricots with one "bite" out of them scattered around the tree. Insert Griswoldian muttering here. ($&@*#!)
We have a fabulous city fruit tree called a "fruit cocktail tree" which is a beautiful Frankenstein of fruit branches grafted into one another so that we've got plums, nectarines, apricots and peaches all growing on the same tree. (our neighbors have a citrus fruit cocktail tree... Grapefruit, oranges, lemons and limes). They're perfect for small city yards. So far the peaches seem to be growing the most prolifically... I'll have my eyes out for those evil birds... (my fear of birds strikes again). In the meantime, enjoy my amazing harvest. (wink)

Contrite Spirit

The day we spent walking through Big Bear Lake city was "one of those days" as a mom where I felt like I was destining my kids for a life of therapy on my account. When I saw this statuette in a gallery we walked through, I began to cry. Fortunately, she was a price I could afford to spend to bring her home.
It is a limited edition copy of a carving made by (I'll find her name...). It's is called, "The Contrite Heart". It refers to a verse in the Bible that is great at reminding me even on my worst days that God won't reject me... It goes, "the sacrifices of God are a broken heart and a contrite spirit.- These, oh God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:17
This beautiful woman is a sweet reminder of a God who will pick me to be with, even when no one else would do that by choice.

Profile charms

Just some new pics of the sterling profile charms.

Camp project - rANsoM LetTeRs

Today's project for Camp Mommakiddo is ransom style letters. (yes, it is on our to-do list) Mimi made a welcome sign for a visiting cousin.

a happy day in oak park

Today was spent strolling through Oak Park, popping into my favorite boutiques, meeting my pal Anita for coffee and generally just getting inspired. We made our way from downtown Oak Park to the Harrison Arts District (where I used to live and walk around daily... Where I first bought the vintage skirt that inspired Libby Dibby!)... And we waltzed into Bead In Hand... Which is a treasure of a bead store. I used to walk past the store so often that I finally started buying beads, unable to resist... Which led to selling jewelry, which led to leaving my corporate textile design job, and when I was selling jewelry, I traded necklaces for sewignlessons from an OP friend here who taught me how to make the skirts... Yada yada... And here we are.
Anita was adorable and wore her Libby Dibby skirt to meet today and I loved it when she got stopped on the street by a girl who complimented her on it. (it felt so anonymous and unsolicited!)...
I also was the recipient of this fabulous little beaded heart that she made for me... Oh how I love it! Oh how I love friends. Sigh. I'm happy.

Momma daughter crafting

This morning I was showing Mimi and her pals (who are hosting us in Chicago) a little lesson on vintage yoyos. I showed them how I brought a little pile of them on my trip to sketch... Here is the Design Director working on a flower she saw on one of the yoyos.

The other pic is a book I picked up at the American Girl store yesterday full of great re-purposed crafts right up our alley. Can't wait to do those as projects...