Details: Sundress Co. skirt (secondhand), Uniqlo top (thrifted), Barbara Barbieri shoes (thrifted), Tignanello bag (Poshmark)

Thoughts: I went to another vintage warehouse sale and specifically because I caught a literal glimpse of this skirt on a packed rack in a 10 second IG story. But my instincts were bang-on because how amazing is it? I’ve been looking for a patchwork skirt all summer, and this one is legit patchwork (not a pattern, and not machine made as far as I can tell). It has a label though, so it’s not homemade interestingly enough. I know it’s a piece I can going to treasure for a long time.

Details: H&M top, Esprit belt, Mexx skirt, Chelsea Crew shoes (all thrifted), thrifted & upcycled jacket from Prairie Trail Goods

Thoughts: Another outfit I absolutely adored. I am obsessed with this vintage Mexx skirt; it’s my favourite style and, even though it’s beige, it works so well as a piece around which to build outfits. This H&M top is another new fave. I have avoided Peter Pan collars for years now, as I thought they looked too twee on me, but this exaggerated style is cool. I think it can work in a cottagecore outfit, but also in a Victorian goth one (maybe for winter?) And, of course, it’s always a good outfit when I can wear this jacket made by my friend, J.

Details: Only & Sons shirt, Pelican Cove vest, Cotton Ginny belt, H&M pants, Barbara Barbieri shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: My default is to pair Western-style shirts like this one with jeans, but that limits the layering possibilities. However, pairing it with these khaki pants (my go-to pair) means that I can incorporate denim via a vest while avoiding the Canadian tuxedo look. This is an outfit formula — paperbag waist pants, top, vest — that I have come to love a lot over the summer. I’ll be looking to transition it for fall soon.

Details: H&M top (Poshmark), H&M pants (thrifted), Copper Canoe Woman earrings

Thoughts: These pants were an impulse “why the heck not” purchase, and have turned out to be more fabulous that I could have expected. They fit wonderfully, are incredibly comfortable, and look pretty good too (if I do say so myself). Wearing high waisted pants with crop tops has been another go-to formula this summer. Easy and breezy, indeed. Here, I was also experimenting with a new hairstyle … well, not exactly new but a re-discovered one. I really like how these “bubble braids” look, and I’m happy that my hair is now long enough to try them. And speaking of things I love, last but not least, the earrings were a birthday gift from my best friend; they are made by an Indigenous designer.

Details: Aria dres, Jacob vest, Golden jacket, Tommy Hilfiger bag (all thrifted), J. Crew shoes (retail)

Thoughts: You know how Nap Dresses were (are?) super popular not long ago? Well, I got an original Nap Dress aka a vintage nightgown. It’s a lovely thick, striped cotton with beautiful hand-embroidery around the neckline (which can’t be seen here) so I figured that I could wear it around the house and, with some clever styling, outside. I think the vest here is doing some heavy lifting to allow for the latter option, but I think it mostly works 😉

Details: Uniqlo tee (thrifted), Everlane pants (swap), Isabel Marant belt (thrifted), Converse shoes (eBay)

Thoughts: This is just a fun, simple outfit dressed up with cool accessories like the belt and shoes. This Uniqlo x Basquiat tee was a surprise hit at my house; everyone loved it and my daughter is actively trying to steal it as we speak. It’s giving me Comme des Garcons vibes, but quirkier.

I struggled with my motivation and drive to work on creative pursuits this summer, but eventually was able to find a good-ish groove towards the latter part of the season. I’ve been slowly gearing up for the art market I have signed up for in October, and have created a few new embroidery pieces for that. I plan to also bring some of my older beaded jewelry to the market, and may end up adding a few new designs (or new takes on old designs).

If you will excuse the tangent, let’s talk a little bit about the business side of things; it’s something I don’t enjoy and rarely talk about, but probably something I should spend more time thinking about when events like this are on the agenda. As I haven’t done any other markets this year, it’s hard to know what will sell and what won’t; I am focusing on embroidery hoops because I will be the only vendor in that category. I am also cognizant of current economic realities, and I wonder how that impacts the art/craft market and how I should account for it in my pricing. The cost of my materials has gone up, of course (and, for a while, there was a shortage of embroidery floss, of all things!). I want to find a balance between creating art that is financially accessible and getting fair compensation for my work … and it’s not as easy as it might seem. If you are also a creator grappling with these issues, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Okay, let’s have a look at what I’ve been making:

I decided to revisit an old favourite theme — the “evil” eye motif — and create a series of three smaller hoops based on a design I created a few years ago. I made a blue eye, a green eye, and a brown eye, each with a unique rainbow array of colours I felt would be most complementary:

I also decided to give Picasso-esque portraits another try, and created 2 new designs:

Last but not least, I did something a little bit different (and a little bit the same) by upcycling a fabric tote I thrifted using a handmade beaded applique of, what else, an evil eye:

Depending how the rest of this month goes, I may have one more hoop to add to my market line-up — something abstract and floral, I think. After the market, it will be time to regroup and see where the inspiration strikes next. With winter in the not-too-distant future, I will be spending more time indoors and may be ready to tackle some more ambitious creative projects.

Details: Kaliyanna top, Cartonnier pants, Barbara Barbieri shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: I’ve started thinking of green and purple as my “villain colours” — a colour combo that makes me feel bada** and ready for some world domination. I am actually a mouse-who-loves-hiding-at-home-eating-cheese kind of personality, not the evil mastermind type, but it’s fun to play dress-up sometimes. In tough situations, clothes do really act as an armour. Anyway, this was a simple outfit (top, pants, accessories) but I felt more comfortable and effortless in it.

Details: Max Studio dress, Suttles & Seawinds vest, Esprit belt (all thrifted), Old Navy shoes (Poshmark)

Thoughts: I love this vest a lot and it’s a great match, vibe-wise, for this prairie chic maxi dress. I think the dark colours are complementary as well. Vests have been one of my go-tos this summer, and I am continuing to add to my collection. They are actually quite elusive these days at the thrifts. But the right one can really make an outfit. Come fall, they will be great for layering with blazers and jackets as well.

Details: Vero Moda tunic (swap), Liz Claiborne dress, BR belt, J. Crew shoes (all thrifted)

Thoughts: The only thing I don’t like about this dress is the spaghetti straps, so I usually try to come up with clever (I hope!) ways to avoid dealing with them. This split tunic is a neat option. I added a belt in a similar colour to emphasize the waist without interrupting the vertical line of the tunic.

Details: homemade jacket, Old Navy tank top, Babaton skirt, Napoleoni shoes (all thrifted), selfmade necklace

Thoughts: Fall is slowly starting to creep in; this was a cooler/rainy day fit, and it made me excited to be reunited with my cold weather clothes. This was not my usual colour palette, but I decided to take inspiration from the jacket and stick to (mostly) warm tones.

Details: Pilcro tank, Roper shirt, AG jeans, Chelsea Crew shoes (all thrifted), Brave belt (Poshmark)

Thoughts: Apparently, Roper is a legit Western wear brand. I am not a cowgirl, but I was drawn to the subtle pattern and the whiskey colour — it’s my favorite shade of brown. I chose some matchy accessories, but also this chunky necklace I recently thrifted (and am obsessed with) to keept things from becoming too … well, cowgirlish.

Details: Jessie vest, Josef belt (both thrifted), no name tank (swap), Lucca Couture skirt, turquoise necklace (both Poshmark), J. Crew shoes (retail)

Thoughts: I love this skirt and have been trying it out with various vests, because is a formula I’m really enjoying. It doesn’t add too much bulk (important for the still-warm days) but it makes the outfit feel a bit more visually interesting.