Japanese Green for the Most Irish of Holidays

It's great to pull out an unfinished project and finish it just in time for an appropriate occasion.  Such is the case with this cute green sleeveless top, which is getting its arm hole facings just in time for St. Patrick's Day!

Why has it been sitting unfinished in my studio for a couple of years? Well, it was one of those projects that was started spur-of-the-moment and on the cusp of some deadline or other.  More important or seasonally-appropriate projects came and went, and this poor darling was on hiatus until I rediscovered it a few weeks ago.

Despite its tardiness, it does have an interesting pedigree.  The fabric is an imported Japanese cotton jacquard that I bought as a remnant.  The trim and baby buttons on the front yoke were also scraps and leftovers from various other projects.  The pattern, New Look 6871, is something that I happened to have on hand and trimmed at the time.  Lucky me!

In a way I'm glad this cute little tunic blouse waited to make its debut.  I get to cross something off of my formidable to-do list and it'll be coming out on the biggest green clothing day of the year!  

Have Your Color And Wear It, Too!

I love color no matter where or how it gets applied. 

Paint, paper, cake icing, fabric, Pantone chips, wallpaper, colored pencils and... cosmetics.  I love cosmetic color in all of its wonderful varied forms, from nails to eyelids to lips.  When I flip through fashion magazines, I'm often paying as much attention to the colors of the makeup as I am the color and cut of the clothes!  It's color to be worn and to transform with - how can I not love it?  As a result of this makeup fascination, I have a pretty decent collection of professional cosmetics that I don't wear nearly often enough.

Knowing this, you can understand how thrilled I was when my friends at Decades of Style pattern company brought me along to assist with makeup and styling at a recent photo shoot!  Sensing the need for restraint in order to let the clothes shine as the main star of our photo session, I brought a selection of demure glosses, blushes and eye colors that wouldn't overpower.  Difficult for me - those parrot green pots of MAC eyeshadow were there in my makeup case taunting me, but they had to be left at home! 

This session was going to be all about a sweet, timeless, natural look.  I packed lots of pretty, glowy, tawny basics like my Stila Convertible Color in "Lillium," Kevyn Aucoin Elegant Lip Gloss in "Molasses," MAC Tinted Lip Conditioners in "Plum Perfect" and "Virtuous Violet,"  and Lipstick Queen Oxymoron Matte Gloss in "Deafening Silence."  All of these are gorgeous neutrals!

At the most, I got to add a pop of lip color to Vicki, our model.  Here I am giving her a pouting lesson while I redden up her lips with a dab of  Retrofuturist Red full-pigment lipstick by Lime Crime.

In the end, it was a fun day and I was happy to lend my hands, artistic eye, and my eager stash of costmetics to such a great project.  Thanks to Christina at Meadowlarking, our wonderful photographer, for these great behind-the-scenes shots!