Day Trippin' Down Memory Lane: Newtonbrook Bowlerama

As a kid, I was always a huge fan of bowling.  My parents were both in a bowling league before they had kids, and as far as a fun family activity goes, bowling always won out.  It didn't hurt that there was a reasonably priced, delightfully scuzzy bowling alley in our neighbourhood (which was also the neighbourhood my mother grew up in!), the Newtonbrook Bowlerama.  All of my childhood birthday parties were here: greasy pizza, gutter bumpers and all.  One time, I even out-bowled two teenage boys the next lane over, when I was young.  Now, I'm very much out of practice, and must have just been killing it that day when I was 10, because I barely broke 100 this trip out.  It didn't really matter, though.  Just seeing the incredible lack of any updates to the Bowlerama whatsoever made it all worth while... it was a total trip back to the mid 90's!!

Yes, I do have the most ridiculous bowling form ever.  I look like a gentleman bowing.  I don't know where I got it from, but any attempts to correct it were just an utter failure.  I'm doomed to forever look like an idiot when I bowl.  Tragic, really!  Thanks for taking a peek at a fond childhood memory with me :)

--Erin

OOTD: Floral and Mint

This week, after inheriting a bunch of new clothes, I took the time to go through everything in my closet.  I set aside the clothes I was prepared to donate, the clothes that needed some TLC (most notably stain removal - my Bubba had great taste but sloppy eating habits) and the clothes I hadn't gotten around to laundering yet.  Among that last pile was a heap of floral vintage I had scored from work (along with the pieces featured here and here and plenty of others), including this jacket and dress.  Though the pieces aren't a set, the mint in the dress is so similar to the mint in the jacket, that they simply had to be worn together.  I'm fairly certain that the dress was a bridesmaid's dress (the donor had mentioned many of the items were from special occasions and only worn once), and hell, if she couldn't get more wear out of the items, I sure will!

 The Deets:

Floral Jacket: Vintage, Free

Mint Dress: Vintage, Free

Tights: Anthropologie ($5.  Sale room, you my best fraaaan)

Black Riding Boots: Value Village 

Black Snakeskin Belt: Hand-Me-Down

The "Grayed Jade" (14-6011), "African Violet" (16-3520) and "Tender Shoots" (14-0446) in jacket are three of Pantone's colours of the season, so for 45 year old items I scored for free, I sure am looking on trend! On a sidenote, I went shopping for paint chips this weekend, and paint colour names are just the most ridiculous thing ever.  "Tender Shoots"? Seriously? But I digress, back to the outfit!!  Paired with a black snakeskin belt I inherited from my grandmother, and my favourite black riding boots, I balanced that springy feeling with the warmth I need for these not-quite-springy feeling days.  I definitely look forward to busting this combo out as the days warm up, though the polyester is going to limit that somewhat!! I just can't abide by feeling like I am wearing a plastic bag.  Even if it's floral.

--Erin

Photo an Hour: February 2013

Okay, so though not all of my goals for 2013 have been so consistent, this whole Photo-An-Hour thing is totally happening!
For your viewing pleasure: an errand-filled February day.  Looking back on these photos has made me realize how tragically un-spring-like the weather is, this late into March.  Yuck!  Warm weather, you had better be around the corner!!

10 am// a quiet morning.  Rise and shine!

11 am// doing a bit of blogging in bed (the best place to blog.  The couch is a close second)

12 pm// the end of an era.  None of the goth stores on Queen Street seem long for this world.

1 pm// queen street, you really have changed.

2 pm// bridal shop spikes

3 pm// creeping on Ephraim as a photographer took his photo for The Globe and Mail

3 pm// I tried my hand at car modelling, too!

4 pm// checking out Star Wars on blu-ray (oh, yes, it's good!!)

5 pm// half off day is best day.

6-7 pm// driving home from a Michael's Crafts run and having some dinner

8 pm// catching the bus back to St. Catharines

And with any luck, folks, that'll be the last Greyhound I ever ride to or from the Niagara region.  Having a car is the best!!!

And for anyone else observing Passover (or Pesach, in hebrew), I hope you have a great Seder the next two nights! I'm really looking forward to seeing my extended family tonight.  This is the one time of the year that we can get all 60 or so of us in the same room! Yeah, I have a gigantic family.  The "smallest" Seder we had was something like 45 people.  Insanity!!
 

--Erin

Currently...

Reading: Blog Inc.  I think that the problem I've been having with reading, is that I'm trying to consume fiction, when what I'm really eager to read is non-fiction.  I mean, good lord, I am reading stuff on Reddit all bloody day, and I can't get enough of the news articles, first person stories, you name it.  So, I ordered a couple books of Amazon, and started to dig into Blog Inc right away.  I'm really enjoying it so far, and look forward to seeing what new insights and practices it can bring to this here blog.

Watching: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.  I kept hearing of it, but not about it, and it turns out that it's the perfect comedy for me.  So much snark.  SO MUCH.  I love it.  And I watch too much of it.  I also restarted watching Veronica Mars, because it was one of my favourite ever shows (once again, snark factor comes into play), and if you didn't hear about the Veronica Mars Kickstarter campaign, GET ON IT! They exceeded the $2 million goal in only 1 day.  If we keep going, they're going to make a terrific movie! I'm just waiting for the negotiations about opening the campaign up to non-US residents, so that I can make my contribution (and get my digital download and copy of the script! For $35! WORTH IT).  Also, Veronica and Logan end up together or we riot.  RIOT I SAY. actually rewatching the first episodes when he's SUCH an asshole is really so enjoyable.  Oh, Logan.  We will come to love you.  But it's going to take some time (and some mellowing). 

Logan Echolls 4EVR.  Or the streets will be swarmed by hormone fueled angry girl mobs.

Anticipating: Driving to Toronto tonight.  As you know, I finally got a car last month, but it's a standard transmission.  I've been trying to get as much practice as I can around town, and have driven into St. Catharines (and planning on doing so again this evening for extra practice) but driving to Toronto still seems overwhelming.  The distance! The speed! THE TRAFFIC! Only way to get used to the idea is to just bite the bullet and do it.  But the thought still makes me anxious.  So there you go.

Laughing about:  My first Zumba class the other night! I haven't taken an exercise class since the 9th grade, so to "dance" in front of a bunch of people was an intimidating thought.  The class was only about 20 people, and while I definitely didn't get all the steps (is that step turn step step? Or step step turn step jump?) I threw myself into it, had fun, and sweat a LOT, which was the point.  I'm glad to know that I have an alternative to running for my cardio requirements, at least for one day a week! And it's good fun and the right amount of endurance for an asthmatic like me.  So three cheers for looking really stupid and not caring.

Listening to: I always forget how embarrassingly honest I answer these things *sigh*.  Alright, I've been listening to a lot of Katy Perry while I model build at work lately.  Apparently I have a pop deficiency. I was never a Katy Perry fan (wouldn't really call myself one now, either) but I watched the Katy Perry documentary, really just looking to see if they would deal with her religious upbringing and history as a christian rock singer.  They did, and actually I found the movie really humanized her for me, and made her more than a tabloid figure; it made her totally relatable.  And really, I never found her music bad, just really really shallow.  I still do, but damn if it isn't fun to work to.  And I work out to Britney Spears (except for Zumba class, which hilariously included Gagnam Style), so there you have it.  Colour me guilty.


Eating:  I made brussels sprouts for myself for the first time ever last night!! I always hated brussels sprouts and asparagus growing up, so I decided that I wanted to try making them for myself to see if I really didn't like the veggies, or just how they were cooked.  Yeah, I had been eating tragically overcooked brussels sprouts all my life.  I sauteed those suckers in a whole lot of butter, sprinkled them with a bit of sea salt, and they were AMAZING.  Nutty, and not at all cabbagy tasting.  I kind of want to pick up more to have with for dinner tonight.  But we'll see if that actually happens...

Working on: Designing some brooches for Premonitory Dreams, and my stick-shift driving skills!

Wishing:  I had a chai latte.  I am a simple creature.

Reminder: Premonitory Dreams Giveaway

Hey guys.  I hope you're all having a nice weekend! Personally, I'm having a weekend without Ephraim, and I've been trying to use that time productively.  Today I'm having a friend over for brunch, and work on my "Sew For Victory" muslin or I'm not going to make the deadline!

I just wanted to stop in and remind you guys that the Premonitory Dreams giveaway is still going on! Your chances of winning are still good for this (if I do say so myself) awesome prize.  So if you haven't already, head over to the contest page and enter yourself! I'll be drawing a winner this Tuesday, March 12th, at 5 pm EDT.

I also realized I never explained the name of the shop!! As you all well know, this blog is called Predictions for the Past.  I wanted to continue the theme of premonitions, but for myself, also wanted to make the name a bit about follow through, which I sometimes have difficulty with.  The name Premonitory Dreams is about not only dreaming of things, but making them your reality. 

And with that, I'm off to go realize a few more dreams!

--Erin

OOTD: Green Horn-Knit (Sweater)

I am terrible about forgetting things.  Clothing items are the worst.  I forget them at Ephraim's house, or perhaps more often, forget them at my own house... when I need them for a weekend in Toronto.  So goes the story of how I came to borrow this sweater of Ephraim's (and kinda fell in love with it).  Last weekend turned out to be a lot colder than I expected, and I managed not to pack anything nice and cozy for going out at night.  I asked Ephraim for a sweater to borrow, not thinking that his stuff was bound to be very manly, or very large (except for his awesome new J Crew cardigan which fits me perfectly, but it was his birthday, and he was wearing it, and I can't steal the cardi off his back even if it's so comfy), so when he handed me this sweater, I was skeptical to say the least.  It wasn't until I had it on with a bit of red lipstick that I decided I was just going to rock that oversized sweater, Keiko Lynn style.  I mean, shit, homegirl would look great in a paper bag, but she does know how to wear her boyfriend's clothes.  I mean it doesn't hurt that this sweater went great with the vintage shirt I has brought with me.  Clothing Kismet.  

Speaking of the shirt, this was another sweet find from that big donation the theatre couldn't use.  The shirt was made by an offshoot of Lady Manhattan, based in Toronto.  I know this not just from the label, but from the fact that the shirt was still in its plastic sleeve.  That bad boy still had the pins and a sheet of tissue paper in it.  I almost felt bad to unwrap it, but clothes are made to be worn.  And I will wear the everloving crap out of this shirt until it dies.

So say we all.

THE DEETS:

Sweater: Ephraim's, handmade by his Mother (aaawwww!!)

Shirt: Vintage, Lady Manhattan (free.  booyah)

Pants: Anthropologie

Ankle Boots: Vintage. (remixed)

Ring: Vintage, Forum Antiques

Do you have any clothing items you can't wait to get the "chance" to "borrow" (see: short term theft) from a loved one? 

--Erin

A Little Guest Postin': My Commencement Speech on I[s]pasiyo

Over on I[s]pasiyo, I shared my experience of finishing art school and having to become a "real person": pay my bills, find work, and make a heck of a lot of compromises.  If you aren't familiar with I[s]pasiyo, owner Denise takes the time to write really interesting, and easy to relate to (and digest) articles on personal finance.  As an artist, I know how important keeping a strict budget is, and yet personal and small business finances are often not taught to art students, even when the understanding is that these people will be self employed after graduation.  Denise has invited several bloggers to talk about how well - or not - prepared they were for the real world, and to share their advice to those who will be entering the work force, or are considering self employment (or switching fields).

You can read my article here, for a look at the highs and lows of the end of my undergraduate degree, and, not to sound too corny, the beginning of the rest of my life.

As well, don't forget to enter in my first ever giveaway! This custom embossed Leather Banner Necklace can be yours, for the low low price of absolutely free.  Check out the rules and enter here!!

Introducing: Premonitory Dreams, and a GIVEAWAY!! ***CLOSED***

At long last, good people of the internet, I am pleased to present to you, my new labour of love (and profit? Hopefully?) Premonitory Dreams. 

Premonitory Dreams is my new Etsy shop, where I will be selling my original art, and my craft endeavors, including jewelry.  My efforts and inspirations are shaped by the materials at hand, and thus some items will be available in limited quantities only.  I aim to use re-purposed and second hand materials, keeping waste out of landfills and breathing new life into old things.

I'm pleased to present the maiden designs offered in my shop! These handmade leather and suede necklaces are a simple and elegant way to dress up a casual outfit, or add a little bit of edge.  The neutral colour schemes mean they work with a wide range of outfits, through all seasons.  And best of all, there's some customization to be done! The Leather Banner Necklace is custom embossed with the word or words of your choice (up to 15 characters, including spaces) for an off-kilter personalized look.  Embossed with your name, your pet's name, your blog's name, or your superhero alter ego, this necklace is sure to get you noticed.  Also available now is the Leather and Suede Fringed Chevron Necklace, in black and caramel.  I love to dress this necklace down with a chambray top for day, or wear it with a maxi dress and my black leather Litas at night.  It's a little bit country, a little bit punk rock, and a whole lot of awesome.

And because I couldn't have dreamed of starting something like this without the unwavering support of my readers and interwebz friends, I have a couple things to offer you today to say thank you!

First up is this blogs FIRST EVER GIVEAWAY!!! As my numbers teeter near 100 followers on GFC and 50 followers on Bloglovin', now feels like the perfect time to give a little somethin' somethin' back.

Up for grabs: A custom embossed Leather Banner Necklace from Premonitory Dreams.

How to Enter: Follow Predictions for the Past through Bloglovin' or Google Friend Connect.  Leave a comment below telling me what you'd like to have embossed on the necklace (max. 15 chars including spaces) if you win!  Also be sure to leave an email address so I can get in touch with you :)

Who Can Win:  This giveaway is open to readers world wide!!!

For Additional Entries: Tweet about the giveaway (be sure to include me in the tweet, @ErinGerofsky), blog about the giveaway, or post about it on facebook, all with a link back to this page.  Be sure to leave a separate comment below for each entry.

The winner will be chosen at random on March 12th and announced here shortly afterward.  Good luck, and as always, thank you for reading, and for your support in my creative endeavours!!

As a second thank you to you all, I'd like to offer you 15% off anything in the Premonitory Dreams Etsy shop.  Just use the code GRANDOPENING at the checkout for 15% off from now until MARCH 19TH.

OOTD: Scallops and Head Scarves, plus an eShakti special offer!

Let me introduce you all to my new favourite dress.  When eShakti asked me if I'd be interested in reviewing an item from their spring line, I knew I wanted to get something versatile enough to wear to work, or out for a date if I so desired.  When I saw this dress, with it's darling off-white scalloped cuffs and details, I knew it had to be.   I "test drove" the dress to work last week, paired with plaid tights and boots, and wanted to see how I could dress it up for a totally different feel for this review.  And let me tell you, I am so pleased with the results!!

If you weren't already aware, I am kind of a fabric snob.  I have very sensitive skin, and  wear as little polyester as possible, to keep comfortable.  Basically, true vintage is the only time I'll succumb to wearing polyester if I can at all avoid it!! This makes buying from companies like Modcloth difficult for me, as the cost of the dresses, cute as they are (and they are!), stays low by manufacturing with synthetic fibres, which just don't jive with me.  This sweet little frock not only has vintage accents to spare, pockets that come standard, customized hem length and sleeve length to my specifications, it's also 100% cotton.  And that, my friends, makes me 100% happy! The cotton poplin is nice and crisp, with neat little pleats at the waist that make the bust line flatter and the full skirt sit beautifully.  The seams are all neatly sewn, properly finished, and look very professional.  I can't wait to wear this dress in warmer weather, I think the weight of it will lend itself beautifully to all seasons!

 

Since the dress itself is quite simple, I challenged myself to bring in a bit of colour and pattern with my accessories.  My blue pumps and one of my favourite vintage scarves fit the bill quite perfectly! Plus, I managed to cover up my overgrown bangs, haha.  Fashion and function, hand in hand. 

You may recall my previous review and outfit featuring the marigold silk dress I picked up.  Obviously, I am a sucker for the front button detail, and just had to get it again!  I had a bit of fun customizing my dress this time around, and I really enjoyed the process and how very simple it was.  I am a big fan of elbow length sleeves, which I think has a nice vintage appeal, and thought it would suit me better than the short sleeve style the dress automatically comes with.  As well, the dress normally comes quite long, hitting below the knee.  Given the visual weight of the dark colour, I thought that a knee length hem would help give the dress more flexibility as far as what times of the year I can wear it, and I would say after wearing this dress twice that I made the right choice.  I am SO thrilled with my new dress, and I think you'll agree it's very "me"!!

THE DEETS:

Dress: Contrast Bow-Tied Trim Dress c/o eShakti

Tights: Topshop

Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell (Remixed)

Headscarf: Vintage, Cabaret

Glasses: Vintage, Kingpin's Hideaway

If you've been thinking about purchasing a garment from eShakti but are nervous about taking the plunge, they have generously offered a special discount exclusively for my readers: take 20% off your purchase with the code PREDCTNSPS, through March 10 20!! Simply enter the code in the promotional code box to enjoy 20% off your entire order, not including overstock items.  Plus, for new customers, they're offering a $25 gift card for your first purchase.  Hells yeah.

How do you feel that tailoring options, and the reemergence of home sewing, is changing the way we shop for clothes?

--Erin