Valerie Bothell's Blog, page 3

The Sheaffer Lace Top

I love to read fashion blogs and one that I have followed from the day she started is called Sheaffer Told Me To.  I think she has been blogging for about 6 years and this year she hit it big by teaming up with Gibson to design her own top.  What a lucky girl!  I thought the top was darling so I ordered it in two colors to see how I could style it.


I did both colors with a pair of black velvet pants, a leopard belt and my leopard shoes I bought at an estate sale.  I decided to wear one of my favorite pair of earrings from Kendra Scott.  I thought both colors looked cute styled this way!  The lace top can be found here!


Then, I tried styling them with my green corduroy pants, leopard belt and suede boots.  Loved this look with both colors also!


For a more casual look, I decided to pair the top with skinny jeans, leopard belt and my leopard shoes.  I changed my shoes to my black boots and loved it that way too!
In the end, I decided I shouldn't keep the top in both colors, so I kept the burgundy one.  The white one needed to have a camisole paired with it because I felt that it was a little sheer in the back.  I tend to not wear tops as much if they need a camisole paired with them.  I don't know why, but it is just what I have noticed for myself.  Also, for sizing info, I sized up one size because the lace doesn't have much give to it and I wanted to be comfortable in it!
For colder days(like today!), I would put a blazer on for a dressier look, and a sweater or jean jacket for a more casual look.
Have a great day and I'll be back next Tuesday!

Kansas City Fashion Report!

 Every year my family goes to Kansas City to watch them light the Mayor's Christmas tree at Crown Center.  The Christmas season just doesn't seem as festive when we miss this event.  They have choirs singing holiday songs and after they light the tree there is fireworks.  It is just an awesome way to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season.  
When I was there, I decided to do a little fashion report from Kansas City.  It seems like they are a year or so ahead of us in style(sometimes) and other times they have things that we would never considering wearing here in Wichita!


We walked around the Plaza on Saturday and went into Anthropologie.  This darling sweater paired with the ruffled scarf just looked so festive with a pair of skinny jeans.  The sweater is pricey, so I would wait for a sale before buying.  The only problem with that is then you can't wear during the Christmas season!  Fashion problems...LOL! 
 This jacket is paired with some boot cut jeans and I thought it looked so warm and cozy!

This outfit also looked so cozy with the cream tunic and the warm sherpa lined sweater.  The red mittenssand hat give it a festive flair.

I am not sure how practical these fur lined mules are but I thought they were a cute find at Banana Republic! 
On our way out of town on Saturday we stopped at Oak Park mall because, well Nordstrom's is there.  Who goes to KC and doesn't stop there!  I found this rack of leopard shoes, so they are a real thing this winter!

 Here is a closeup of the tennis shoes on the rack.  I probably wouldn't wear them to the Y but they are cute!

Some darling leopard sandals to go to a party in, and the cutest booties with a low heel on them!  I just noticed the booties are on sale right now! 


I thought this tuxedo jacket paired with a denim shirt and pleated skirt were interesting and a little different. 
These double frayed hem jeans looked so festive with the floral top at the Loft and the jeans are $29.00 today!  Also, the whole website at Loft is 50% off today with free shipping!

This look was at Macy's and I think some boys were getting a little bored at the mall.  LOL! 
I thought this look was cute and simple, my favorite kind of outfit!  I don't own a pair of camo jeans, but this might convince me to buy some!
Well, I hope Kansas City style inspired to try new things with the clothing you already have.  I just love to take pictures of outfits and then try to find something in my closet similar and make it work!
Have a great day and I'll  be back next Tuesday!

Sweater Love!

Good Morning!  My post today is about some sweaters that I have recently purchased that I love!  (Well, also a pair of pants!)
Loft has been having a 40% off sale on and off all fall, so during one of those sales, I purchased this cream sweater with lace on the top.  I think that because it has lace on the top, it will work perfectly for the holiday season!


I styled it with this great pair of green corduroy pants that have cute zippers on the side.  These boots I recently found at Famous Footwear and I love them!

 The next two sweaters I purchased from Target and they both look cute with the green corduroy pants.  I also kept the denim shirt on underneath for both sweaters but you could also wear them alone on warmer days.  You can find the leopard one here, and the Fair Isle one here.
 

This was how the Fair Isle sweater was styled at Target the day I bought it.  I just can't decide if a fur vest is my style or not!

Getting back to the cream sweater, I just couldn't resist pairing with my leopard skirt!  I tucked it in but you could also leave it out for a different look.

On a different note, yesterday I found out that my book, Joyful Daily Stitching, has been recently translated into Spanish.  I am so excited about this and didn't even know it was going to happen, so it was a happy surprise! 

That's it for today, but I'll be back next Tuesday!
Have a great Thanksgiving,

Cute and Cozy

Today's post is about everything cozy!  I work from home, so quite often I wear clothes that are both cute and cozy!


So, I am a big fan of stripes and this sweatshirt was perfect for me!  I bought this at Old Navy about a month ago and this morning I could not find it online.  Maybe it is still in stores, but don't worry, I found another option!   


 I thought this sweatshirt on Amazon would be just as cute and it is a great price at $19.99!

 I paired my sweatshirt with a cozy green cardigan from Target for those really cold days.  I also have my favorite UGG slippers that I got for Christmas last year.  I know they are pricey, but I wear them everyday and they will last for years!



I also love this cowl neck tunic sweater from Loft and it comes in 6 different colors.  The one pictured is Wild Olive Heather.  A bonus for this sweater is that it is 40% off a Loft today with the code FLASH.  


I also own the tunic sweater in the Crumb Melange color and I paired it with the cardigan from Target for colder days.  It is both cute and cozy!  I am also wearing my favorite leopard earrings that you can find here.  The earrings come in 3 different sizes and my pair is size medium.




I was browsing the Nordstrom website this morning and I found this cute sweatshirt that would also be perfect for days you want to be cozy and it is on sale today for $29.40.  You can find it here.

Well I hope this helps you to look both cute and cozy this winter and I'll be back next Tuesday!

Black and White Check Jacket

 Hi there!  It is a beautiful fall day here in Kansas and the weather is perfect for wearing cute jackets now.  I have had my eye on this black and white checked jacket for awhile and it finally went on sale, so I decided to go for it.  Right now it is on sale and you can purchase it for $90.00!  Regular price this jacket is expensive, but on sale it is not so bad.  I think it is very versatile and can be worn for casual, business casual and dressy. 

 
So, here is the jacket in a dressy outfit with abasic black sweater and skirt with black boots.  The outfit is warm, cozy and cute!  I am wearing one of the necklaces that I featured in my post last week and my earrings are from Nickle and Suede.  In all of the outfits today, I kept the same jewelry on and I love it!

Here is the jacket as a casual outfit.  All I did was change from my black skirt to a pair of jeans and it becomes casual.

I then changed to a green dressy top and paired it with the basic black skirt and boots.  This look is not only business casual but it could also be used for a holiday outfit.  I bought the green top at the Loft but couldn't find it listed online yet. 
Everything in this outfit is the same except I changed to an embroidered cream top.  So cute! 
I paired the jacket with a burgundy swing dress and decided to not use the tie.  I just love the look and it could also be used for a holiday outfit.  The dress is inexpensive and that is one of my favorite things to do:  pair a more expensive piece with something inexpensive.  It helps the wardrobe budget!  If you have a black, green or cream dress to pair it with, it would be fantastic!
Have a great week and I'll be back next Tuesday!

Jewelry Loves and a Great Maxi Dress!

 Hi there!

This week I thought I would show some of my favorite pieces of jewelry that I wear all the time and just love!  I also have a maxi dress that I have been wearing on repeat this fall that I thought I would show you.  Just consider me your personal shopper, ha!

You may recognize this circle pendant that I am wearing from my post last week about pink blazer love.  If you missed that post, you can find it here.  I have had this for a year or so and I wear it so much that one friend asked me if there was a special meaning behind it.  No, I just love it!  I went browsing through the Nordstrom website and found this updated version and am tempted to buy it for myself.


 To go with the circle pendant, I recently found these great circle pendant earrings.  I love how different they are with the straight  bar that acts as the post.  Those can be found here.  I am also wearing a maxi dress that I bought this fall and have worn it quite a bit because it looks great with a denim jacket when it is cool out but is lightweight so you can wear it in the warmer weather also.  I found it at a place called Soft Surroundings and you can find the dress here. 


Another thing I wear also is my Leopard earrings!  They go with everything and leopard is so on trend this year.  They are also leather, so they aren't so heavy that they make you feel like your ears are going to rip.  Sadly the necklace I am wearing is sold out, but I found one that you may like just as well here.
  

I also wear my gold earrings that are from the same company as my Leopard ones.  They are also made of leather and they go with everything too!  You may also recognize the circle necklace that I had in my blazer post last week.  The links for the leather earring are here for the leopard and here for the gold.  The circle necklace can be found
I hope you have a great week and I will be back next Tuesday! 

Pink Blazer Love!

 Good Morning!  The weather is still beautiful here, so this week I (again) did my outfit photo's outside.  I was browsing the Nordstrom website and I found this great pink blazer.  I know it's fall but pink is my favorite color, so I will wear pink! 



 The first outfit I made, I paired it with a pair of light blue jeans with a frayed hem, navy striped tee and gold jewelry for accent.  Believe it or not, I found the leopard shoes at an estate sale but they look very similar to some of the leopard shoes out there right now!




For my second outfit, I just changed my shoes to Converse tennis shoes for a really casual look.


 Then I changed into the black tie tee that I wore last week with my leopard skirt.  I just love mixing and matching all my shirts, shoes etc. to get more looks with them.  I also changed my necklace to something with a little sparkle to it.


 
This change is hard to see in the light, so click on the picture to get a better look!  I changed my shirt to this burgundy top and also put on some basic black pants to make the outfit really dressy.




For my fifth look, I changed my top to a cream top with embroidery and put my basic gold necklace on again. 

I hope I have convinced that you need a pink blazer in your closet!  The website said to size down in this jacket because it runs large.  I found this to be true, but if you are on the fence with sizing I would order two sized and send one back.  With Nordstrom's free shipping and free return shipping it is totally worth it!

To help you with your outfits, here are the links to find the following items:

Pink Blazer 

Black Front Tie Tee


Leopard Heels(similar)

Burgundy Top

Have a great week and I'll be back next Tuesday with another round of new outfits!

Leopard Skirt - 6 Different Ways!

With the change in the weather, I have felt a change in myself!  I have been a crazy quilter for 22 years and have loved every minute of it.  Through my crazy quilt journeys, I have met many amazing people and have a lot of fun stories go along with my experiences.  Along the way, I had the opportunity to write two books.  That was a dream come true for me!

For a year or so, I have felt myself drawn to a new topic.  Not new to me, but new to my blog.  I have always loved fashion and clothing.  It seems to me that crazy quilting and fashion have many things in common and it would be no surprise to anyone who knows me that I love both!  They both involve creativity, color and fabrics to name a few of the similarities.

As I have thought about my options over the last year, I have decided to incorporate some fashion into my blog.  Does that mean that I am done being a crazy quilter or finished writing books?  Absolutely not!  I may still have a few books in me in the next few years, but I would like to explore some other things I love.

So I guess what I am saying is, you may see both of my creative loves on the blog: fashion and needlework and we will see where it goes from there!

 The other day, I was shopping at the Loft and I found this great leopard skirt.  I have wanted a leopard skirt for a long time but just never found one I loved.  Well I found it and quickly scooped it up!  I wore it to church Sunday and then I decided that I would try to make as many outfits with it from things that I had in my closet.

 
The items I used, are pictured above: my leopard skirt that I love, a basic black sweater, a basic black tee that has been updated with a tie front, both a denim shirt as well as a denim jacket.  Last but not least is my favorite black booties, a new necklace from Accessory Concierge and leopard earrings.
  First I tried the leopard skirt on with a denim shirt and I loved it, so I changed into my basic black sweater and tucked it in.  Both were a winner as far as I was concerned!      
I then tried layering the basic black sweater with my denim shirt for those colder days this winter.  Then I switched it up and paired the denim jacket with the basic black sweater.  I felt like I had scored with the first 4 outfits!  

 I tried the front tie tee with it and then for colder days, I paired it with the denim jacket, for two more outfit choices!  If you will notice, in all the outfits I used the same accessories and they worked in every one of them.

Links to help with your outfits!

 Leopard Skirt

Holt Necklace

Leopard Earrings


Talk to you soon with more fun outfits!

 

Fall Classes at City Arts!

 I am happy to say that I will be teaching again at City Arts this fall with five fun classes!

Silk Ribbon Garden  In this class you will learn many silk ribbon stitches while making a silk ribbon flower garden with sunflowers, irises and more.  The class is September 15th from 9:30-3:30 with and hour for lunch.  The cost of the class is $60.00  plus a $40.00 kit. fee.



Beginning Tatting
Learn the old art of tatting using a needle. The technique is much easier than with a shuttle and you won't be able to tell the difference! The price of the workshop includes a needle and a ball of thread.The class is September 22nd from 1:00 to 3:30 pm. The cost of the class is $45.00.
 Hoop Embroidery
In this class you will learn several embroidery stitches as well as some silk ribbon embroidery mixed in, all done in a hoop.  The class is September 29th from 10-3 with an hour for lunch.  The cost of the class is $50.00 with a kit fee of $35.00.
 Beginning Quilting
Learn how to make a traditional Trip Around the World quilt using a quick strip piecing method. You will be emailed a supply list once you've enrolled. Please bring your own sewing machine to the class.  The class is October 6th from 9:30-3:30 with an hour for lunch.  The cost of the class is $60.00.
Beginning Crazy Quilting
You will learn many crazy quilt stitches that will be embroidered on a crazy quilt block that is already made for you!  The class is October 27th from 9:30 to 3:30 with an hour for lunch.  The cost of the class is $60.00 plus a $15.00 kit fee.
If you are interested in any of these classes, you may email me at pinkbunny@valeriebothell.com.
Hope to see you this fall!

Stitching Templates!

I have been selling stitching templates that I designed for the last couple of months and I have had requests to show you a few ways to use them.  I thought I would do my first tutorial with the Feather Stitch Template.  First you line up your dots on the seam as pictured above.



Using a purple air erase pen, I mark the dots that are on the template.


Here's what the seam should look like after you have it marked.  I use a purple air erase pen because it disappears with the humidity in the air and I don't have to get my project wet to get rid of the marks.




 Using the dots as a guide, you start doing your feather stitch.  The nice thing about using the template, is that you don't have to worry about getting your stitches even on your own!  You just quickly stitch on your seam and it is done perfectly and quickly!








The three pictures above, show the progression down the seam as you stitch using the dots you marked.



Finished seam!

You can buy all three as a set for $20.00 or the Feather Stitch template is available for $7.00.  You can email me at pinkbunny@valeriebothell.com if you are interested!



Talk to you soon,

Val