12.29.2020

All Dressed Up. Always.

All Dressed Up. Always. | oonaballoona by marcy harriell

Our bags were packed with summer clothing when we headed down South last July. Rob also schlepped twelve pairs of jeans, and I brought...a portable watercolor set? (We might not have been in the right headspace when packing for our Escape From New York.)

Dressing up in the summer is easy for me: throw on a maxi dress. (Which I DID bring plenty of. I guess they're my equivalent to Rob's jeans.) Since we've decided to stick around a bit more, top on the sewing list is beefing up my colder weather garb. And that's where this sequin, faux fur and brocade comes in. 

I nabbed ALL of it at the local JoAnn. Madame JoAnn might have moved the quilting fabrics upfront, but the back of the store holds a few sections of fancy bolts, and allllllll the way 'round the corner by the bathrooms: a boatload of cosplay and outdoor fabric. Including a full TWO aisles of faux fur! Shocked, I was. 

All Dressed Up. Always. | oonaballoona by marcy harriell

I carried a small army of fancy bolts up to the cutting tables and had, as usual, a wonderful time talking to the employees and shoppers. Every time I go to the JoAnn here, it's lovely. I met a woman who was buying backing to surprise her 90-year-old sister, by finishing the last step of her handmade quilt. A mother-daughter duo who recognized me from our YouTube channel (hi, new friends, if you're here!) told me a story so amazing, I lost my brain for a good fifteen minutes. And everyone is always masked up in the most brilliant, colorful coverings. Never your normal, everyday surgical mask in a crafting store!

I decided that in this supremely abnormal year, I would stick with my regular tradition of making my maxi-fied holiday skirt. This time I went with my favorite kind of circle skirt: the half circle, married to a 2 inch wide, faced waistband, and an exposed lacy zipper. 

All Dressed Up. Always. | oonaballoona by marcy harriell

Of course no one will see all that yardage on Ye Olde Holiday Zooms, so from the waist up we've got a blinged-out, super soft shrug.

Our holiday was pretty lit, as the kids say. We pulled a mattress out in front of the fire for Christmas Eve, shot a video (not that kind of video), played games (maybe those kinds of games), ate meatballs (this is where the innuendo is getting ridiculous), and zoomed with family. The sequin shrug is so warm I actually had to leave it for a colder day...but the new skirt made an outing to a very socially distanced, outdoor weekend dinner with Rob's folks. In which the temperature hit the high 60s.

Maybe my wardrobe won't need *that* much wintry beef...... 

Happy holidays--and I mean ALL the holidays, the world is a great big place--to all! And if you're looking to get fancy from the waist up for all those New Year's virtual celebrations, check out our tutorial for this super easy, one-hour shrug (if that...y'all...it's a rectangle) here on the channel. 

eta: happy new year to EVERYONE, thank you for your comments! Obviously, a rocky start to 2021 kept me quiet here. But I appreciate all your wordsđź’—

21 comments:

  1. I just find you a joy! Your face. Your hair. Your spirit. Your clothes. Thank you. Thank YOU!

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  2. You are Beautiful Talented and Funny!

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  3. wonderful outfit as always - your trip to JoAnns sounds so nice, I was so glad to get chatting to a few makers in a queue for a yarn store when restrictions were eased here - wishing you and Rob,and your families the very best for the new year

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  4. Love a bigger glimpse into your holidays. Thanks for sharing the bling!

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  5. You add so much JOY to my days...Thank You.

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  6. Happy newest of years to you and Rob.

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  7. Always a delight to see your blog posts in my feed :)

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  8. I love the shrug/wrap/boawithsleeves...and of course the skirt. A beautiful look for the festive season or any time at all. If I can find the proper faux fur I'll make one. It looks so cozy. Happy New Year to you and Rob.

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  9. Love it, as always! Keep on making the days bright and creative! I never got my holiday dress made but it's ok! Love seeing yours. I think I saw you in a tv commercial recently--or someone who looks a lot like you. My husband thought I had lost it when I exclaimed, "I know who that is! That's Marcy!" So, if it wasn't you, you got a shout out anyway!

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  10. Love the shrug and the slippers! Didn't I see you in a Subway commercial recently?

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  11. The weather has already turned cold enough to get your shrug back on! Who knew you could find all that lovely at Joann? You’re looking tres elegante, mon ami. The lighting on your hair is perfection, as well.

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  12. Gorgeous as always!

    Get ready for any kind of weather. Out here in the middle of the country winter can be 70 or even warmer or below 0. About 10 years ago we actually had a 20 below day. Actually colder than Antarctica on that day.

    Anyway... I have been neglecting blogs and spending too muchbtime on Twitter but I want to get back to blogging and blog reading and more sewing in 2021.

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  13. I just found you on Craftsy!!! Love your beautiful, happy spirit and your funtastic refashion videos!! Would LOVE to clone you and have you as a kindred sister here in Atlanta, GA but alas, I will settle on following your blog and getting inspiration for my own refashion blog in 2021!! It’s going to be a wonderful and creative year!!

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  14. A holiday outfit that is all bling and no chill, as is right and good! Loving the proof-positive that it's possible to get a gorgeous and glam outfit from ye olde bix-box retailer. Thank you for always, always being a light in the darkness. Happy holidays and an even happier new year to you and yours!

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  15. happy new year to EVERYONE! Obviously a rocky start to 2021 kept me quiet here. But I appreciate all your words!

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  16. Marcy—thank you so much for this tutorial! I just used it to make a faux fur shrug for my 13 year old daughter to wear to her first big kid party. It was a friend’s bat mitzvah in a “heated” tent on a rainy, cold Portland day. My girl was warm and gorgeous though in her double-sided fur. It does a mama’s heart good to see her daughter so happy in a hand made item. Thank you again & blessings to you and Rob!

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i thankya truly for taking the time to comment, i love a good conversation-- and hope you know my thanks are always implied, if not always written!