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