Patterns of Compulsion

I usually go through phases of being in love with a certain style of fabric or clothing.  For a long time it was florals, and while they will always hold a place in my heart, at the moment I am a bit addicted to paisley. 

It's currently autumn here and lots of the latest styles have an air of the 1970's about them, long flowing skirts and paisley included.  I love it, because even though it's cold, the styles conjure up images of hazy hot summer days and nostalgic elegance.  The combination of colours in a paisley pattern means that it will match with just about any other item of clothing, and that can only be a good thing.

The intricate designs and colours hold so much fascination with me that I've even attempted to draw them.  Not only that, but I actually had more paisley around my house than I first thought. Seems it's been wriggling it's way to the forefront without me even noticing.

Anyone else out there who loves paisley as much as I do? No? Oh well, all the more for me...

Judge Me By My Cover

 

Books are always on my list of loved vintage items, but my infatuation with dresses means they are often overlooked.  Occasionally though, I will spy something that reminds me how much I like them.  One of the genres I really enjoy collecting and reading is spooky storybooks. They quite often contain an excellent tale or two, and the worn look of a vintage book usually adds to the feeling of creepiness and horror...

Of course, I also love books with vintage fashion in them. The above lovely sewing book enthralls me with fascinating and forgotten techniques, and also provides a few giggles with the outdated language and advice.  

Most of all though, I just love the familiar, comfortable look of old books.  Their worn covers,  yellow pages, and handwritten notes remind me that someone else once loved them too. I like the fact that they have survived all these years and now I get to keep them safe...all while they make my shelves look pretty.