day 51:a little bit of soul

day 51:a little bit of soul

Sometimes it just takes a little bit to make things right.

And apparently, I didn’t have it. Not today, and certainly not when I took most of these photos.

Maybe it was because I was peeved at a situation that I had no control over, or maybe I was distracted. But whatever the reason…. I did not have it.

And I am not being hypercritical of my photos, or my body dysmorphia is not flaring up. I just look … well not my best. Very Meh.

Dumpy. Ok, there, I said it.  But that’s ok.  Sometimes it just happens. Sometimes you have no idea…. and then you see the photo. And sometimes, it can be a learning experience.    Like maybe not wearing those socks with those shoes… with the dress… or baggy over baggy. We’ll just leave it at that.

For those of you new to this blog …I am involved in a 100-Day Challenge, put on by Wool&  —  Same dress.  100 days. (And yes, you can wash it!) Part of my reasons for deciding to do this was to simplify my life, especially with my lifestyle.

Here is a little bit of my first 50 days!

What’s in store today:

Some petty first-world problems that I have no right complaining about… yet still made me cranky pants, and then a lovely drive home to the beach….in which I forgot all about the things that irked me.

 

little bit

Super soft and worn in peri-wrinkle (hahaha) linen overshirt.  

Not sure why it came out lavender in this photo — I blame indoor lighting!  Pretty… just not actual color.

little bit

This was the dumpy I was referring to….. Maybe no socks…. or stockings…. and he shirt unbuttoned…. or something.  

EGAD.

little bit

Probably my own worst critic.

Probably, I will look at this next week and thing…. well, not so bad after all.

Then again….

little bit

Crazy stretchy bracelet that I got from Goodwill… for $1.99, I think.

It just makes me happy.

And so do the succulents in the kitchen… except maybe not the dead one on the second shelf.  UFFF.

little bit
little bit

This is a little bit of heaven — predawn knitting in bed with  my coffee & both dogs snoozing.

Thanks for joining me on my “little bit of soul” post.  Stay tuned for the next 49 days of #tracywearswool!

.

Be well, and learn something!

–Tracy

 

little bit

As part of the challenge, I will be posting my daily outfits on blog posts as well as social media with the hashtag #tracywearswool — please follow along — and see all the creative outfits that I can come up with!

SOME OF MY RECENT POSTS:

crazy

Did I mention my Appalachain Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge?? Check it out:

day 50: both sides now

day 50: both sides now

I’ve looked at life from both sides now.

And I still couldn’t figure out which style to pick today.  Part of me wanted to dress up… to celebrate hitting the halfway point of the dress challenge.  Part of me said — you need to do some work in the garden and run errands, so better dress for comfort.  So… I did both.

I started out dressy, and had a fun time with that and making a little video!

 

The Look

both sides
both sides
image
both sides

For those of you new to this blog …I am involved in a 100-Day Challenge, put on by Wool&  —  Same dress.  100 days. (And yes, you can wash it!) Part of my reasons for deciding to do this was to simplify my life, especially with my lifestyle.

What’s in store today:

Aside from pearls and high heels in the kitchen –look out Mrs Cleaver — I had errands, and needed to blow off the patio… and plant some flowers.  And then there was podcasts, dancing, a great zoom with other Dress Ladies, another zoom ukelele jam, and knitting and blogging, and some dancing thrown in.

I slipped into something a little more comfortable for errands, and gardening.  But I gotta say, it was sort of fun getting all gussied up and hanging around the house.

both sides

Faded, pigment dyed oversized long t-shirt… just what I needed for the flip side of my both sides now day!  This one is a bit threadbare, but super soft.

I am super proud of myself. Today, I refrained from going to Goodwill – even though it was senior discount day.

both sides

Cabela’s denim vest has made it’s appearance here before… and I had it on for today’s zoom — and there were a couple of other folks in the same “breakout room” that ALSO had denim vests –Great Minds Think Alike!!

both sides

Shoes are Sperry  — seriously, I don’t remember them ever looking this cool.  And super comfortable.  Great rain shoes here in the Pacific Northwest.

(AND… first day without leggings or tights!!)

both sides

Since I mentioned it… here is a little of the garden!

Thanks for joining me on my both sides now post.  Stay tuned for the next 50 days of #tracywearswool!

.

Be well, and play on!

–Tracy

 

both sides

As part of the challenge, I will be posting my daily outfits on blog posts as well as social media with the hashtag #tracywearswool — please follow along — and see all the creative outfits that I can come up with!

SOME OF MY RECENT POSTS:

crazy

Did I mention my Appalachain Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge?? Check it out:

day 49: black coffee

day 49: black coffee

Black Coffee…but you can skip the cigarettes!

You see, I quit over 10 years ago… haven’t had one since then. 

I started knitting about 40 ish years ago and used to make little baby sweaters and hats when the kids were little. But single motherhood… with 4 kids took a bite out of free time, so knitting was set aside.

But I started back up again, about 15 years ago, and when I quit smoking, I really started knitting… it became a great replacement habit.

Knitting has gotten me through some tough times and sleepless nights, and I am grateful for that. And it has given me a wonderful creative outlet, and a way to make personalized gifts for people.

I started designing my own patterns about 5 years ago… and you can find them on my Ravelry page… or go to my Gypsywagonknits.com for ideas, resources, and some free patterns.

This #100daydresschallenge has made me look at my life differently. ANd it has made me wonder, how else I can challenge myself, and do better.  So this year — I am going for 12 sweaters. And this is sweater #2 for the year.  It is for #1 daughter… and she picked out the yarn, Cloudborn highland wool in…espresso.  I will be testing and publishing a pattern, at some point, and will call it Skylark.

 

For those of you new to this blog …I am involved in a 100-Day Challenge, put on by Wool&  —  Same dress.  100 days. (And yes, you can wash it!) Part of my reasons for deciding to do this was to simplify my life, especially with my lifestyle.

What’s in store today:

Knitting and blogging, and some dancing thrown in… but that was after the gloriously long shower I had this morning… after coffee and podcast time.

And I made a little movie starring the new sweater — so I could send it to  #1, and she could see her new sweater.  Although she promptly called and said I could NOT keep it!  Here is the video…

It’s 100% silk… and I think it’ll be perfect for summer… especially If I get my Sierra! Yarn info HERE! Code TRACY15 gets you 15% off.

black coffee

This sweater was a joy to knit.  Top-down construction, and knit in one piece, no seaming.  Just how I like sweaters. I made it slightly cropped, and 3/4 sleeves.

black coffee

And I love how the raglan increases came out.  This is a lighter-weight sweater, made out of DK on US 8 needles… so there is lots of spring and stretch.

black coffee

And larger needles mean a faster knit — just love it when it get’s hard to put down!

I think this length goes really well with Woolamina.

Hmmm, what color shall mine be????

Thanks for joining me on my black coffee post.  Stay tuned for the next 51 days of #tracywearswool!

.

Be well, and knit on!

–Tracy

 

black coffee

As part of the challenge, I will be posting my daily outfits on blog posts as well as social media with the hashtag #tracywearswool — please follow along — and see all the creative outfits that I can come up with!

SOME OF MY RECENT POSTS:

crazy

Did I mention my Appalachain Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge?? Check it out:

day 48: take me home

day 48: take me home

Take me home — because sometimes, that is just where you need to be.

As a person who lives in her RV full time, at the beach,  but visits Portland every week for a few days, it is having two homes.  One completely different than the other.

At the beach, super cool vacation vibe… even in the dead of winter.  Bonfires, king tides, crab, and happy people. And Portland — the best urban city ever– home to the world’s largest privately-owned bookstore, and amazing food.  And… I have a doggy door to a fenced yard and a garden in the works.

So, I get the best of both worlds!

Below is me at the beach, working on my Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging videos!

 

stormy weather

For those of you new to this blog …I am involved in a 100-Day Challenge, put on by Wool&  —  Same dress.  100 days. (And yes, you can wash it!) Part of my reasons for deciding to do this was to simplify my life, especially with my lifestyle.

What’s in store today:

After I finish my videos and upload them to Youtube I’ll finish up my post, and then head off to Portland!  My Daughter the Chef and I are having dinner at home, on her last night on the west coast.

And I cast on for sweater #3 for the year… I think it is going to look great with my Dress!

And since I finished sweater #2, I wound the yarn for Sweater #3.  Super excited about it… will be making my own pattern, and will post it on Gypsywagonknits.com when done! You can head over there to check out free patterns, and great resources.

take me home

It’s 100% silk… and I think it’ll be perfect for summer… especially If I get my Sierra! Yarn info HERE! Code TRACY15 gets you 15% off.

take me home

Love this 100% cotton shirt from the gap, rumpled and comfy.  I couldn’t get the tag to lay flat, so I used my favorite $8 fountain pen!

These packing cubes make excellent project bags… and for a lot less. And I like that you can see what is in them.

take me home

I’ve been asked about the Ukulele hanging in the background.  This is a ” Guitarlele” made by Luna… so it has 6 strings, and is tuned like a guitar… also known as a 6 string baritone ukelele!  HERE is another one that has my attention!

take me home

I am a sucker for bags… and especially totes.  I use them for everything.  One of my favorites is this red and gold  Naturally Knotty Designs bag that holds all my knitting. Ok… not ALL of it… but what I travel with!

take me home

And some of the best socks ever — they make the difference in keeping my tootsies warm and comfortable inside my boots. 

take me home

Thanks for joining me on my take me home post.  Stay tuned for the next 52 days of #tracywearswool!

.

Be well, and dance a little!

–Tracy

 

take me home

As part of the challenge, I will be posting my daily outfits on blog posts as well as social media with the hashtag #tracywearswool — please follow along — and see all the creative outfits that I can come up with!

SOME OF MY RECENT POSTS:

crazy

Did I mention my Appalachain Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge?? Check it out:

day 47: stormy weather

day 47: stormy weather

Stormy weather, and I just can’t get my  poor self together!

 

That is the way the song goes, anyway.  I think I got myself together pretty good… but I only have stormy weather out on the horizon, but not in my life – as in figuratively speaking.

So I only need to bundle up against the cold wind that is blowing.. and against the HAIL we had last night– seriously, hail at the beach.

But then the sun came out… and it was beautiful!

stormy weather

For those of you new to this blog …I am involved in a 100-Day Challenge, put on by Wool&  —  Same dress.  100 days. (And yes, you can wash it!) Part of my reasons for deciding to do this was to simplify my life, especially with my lifestyle.

What’s in store today:

Sundays are always great days.  I have so much I want to get done… but also want to spend some time relaxing from the hectic week.  So I will knit a little, listen to my podcast, go to Mass online, then do a little dance — and videotape it for my other challenge — learning to dance!

I have a chicken quarter for my instant pot  — that makes dinner pretty simple!For a  free Instant Pot cheatsheet on cooking perfect rice —GO HERE!

And since I finished sweater #2, I wound the yarn for Sweater #3.  Super excited about it… will be making my own pattern, and will post it on Gypsywagonknits.com when done! You can head over there to check out free patterns, and great resources.

stormy weather

And — It’ll en a good day to shoot some videos for my Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging Page — before we start week 6! Check that out HERE!

stormy weather

Nothing like a good old Levi sweatshirt to ward off the chill of stormy weather!  This one is a slightly updated pigment-dyed version, and I just love the brilliant tonal variations— wish I had half a dozen in different colors!

stormy weather

I’ve worn these boots before in challenge photos, and I know they may look a little funny, but the truth is… they are so dang comfortable.  I could wear them all day long… I must have at least 600 miles on them!

stormy weather

This poncho is from Forever 21.  I never used to go there … thinking they were only for the young crowd and I am just about 3 times 21!  But it is a great place for leggings, t-shirts, and occasionally…. a poncho!

stormy weather

I wanted to put a photo of my necklace in here… because I recently switched it up.  This Cross came from my mom.  And she got it from her Auntie Marge.  Mom thinks that Auntie Marge picked it up on a trip to New Mexico…. a long time ago.  I love the punched sterling, and of course, the turquoise!

stormy weather

If this dress challenge seems interesting to you, then you should check out the Wool& 100 Day Dress Challenge group on Facebook.  It is such a great community of women, who are fun, supportive, and real!I am making friends from all over — great for when covid lets up and I can travel!

stormy weather

I  have “solar flare” but just ordered “chai sunrise”

I had someone recently tell me that I smelled great… and the secret is….shhhh… it is my deodorant.  How great is that! Anyway… I get it from MYRO… and it comes in great scents.  And they are having a great intro deal…. check it out HERE! Planet-friendly, refillable canisters.

Thanks for joining me on my stormy weather post.  Stay tuned for the next 53 days of #tracywearswool!

.

Be well, and make some music!

–Tracy

 

stormy weather

As part of the challenge, I will be posting my daily outfits on blog posts as well as social media with the hashtag #tracywearswool — please follow along — and see all the creative outfits that I can come up with!

SOME OF MY RECENT POSTS:

crazy

Did I mention my Appalachain Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge?? Check it out:

day 46: good day sunshine

day 46: good day sunshine

It’s a good day… but then again, everyday is a good day for me.

 

It’s not that I am ridiculously optimistic and cheerful.  But everyday I am alive is a good day.  Some days are more challenging than others.  Some days are more fun.  Some days even have sorrow and frustration and anger.  But they are still, for the most part, good days.

Because if I don’t like something, I change it.  And if I can’t change it, I change the way I look at it.  For me, it is that simple.

And sometimes, I need to say “Not my Circus, not my monkey” and distance myself from all the petty problems and drama out in the world today.  And that gives me more time to look for the good stuff in life. Because the good stuff is out there, sometimes just waiting to be discovered.

For those of you new to this blog …I am involved in a 100-Day Challenge, put on by Wool&  —  Same dress.  100 days. (And yes, you can wash it!) Part of my reasons for deciding to do this was to simplify my life, especially with my lifestyle.

What’s in store today:

It’s STILL a bit rainy and windy out here on the coast! We did get a bit of sun… but now it is gone.  In addition to dance class and my morning podcast, I would love to finish the brown Skylark sweater… and move on to the next– already planning it out with some great yarn that I got!!

Check this out… it is the yarn for the next sweater… I am going to do something short-sleeved and cropped to go with Woolamina…. and the new Sierra that I am ordering!!  Yarn is silk & raw silk combination, sport weight… and scrumptious.  You can find it HERE! And the color just screams SUMMER!!!

For 15% off almost everything, use my discount code: TRACY15 at checkout!!

good day

And — It’ll en a good day to shoot some videos for my Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging Page — before we start week 6! Check that out HERE!

good day

Starting to go through my closet, and pull out some lighter-weight things… Seems like spring is upon us. Or maybe that is wishful thinking!!  Hard to tell in the PNW.

Found this TeeCo shirt, which I haven’t ever worn… 

good day

It seems like I am coming up with a lot of different combinations that I would never have thought of wearing.  Thanks mostly, to all the wonderful folks on the Wool& 100 Day Dress Challenge group on Facebook.  Let me know if you are interested, and I will add you in.

good day

Seriously, the group is a fantastic community of supportive people, and it has become an amazing way to connect with like-minded people —  doing, or thinking about doing the challenge. The dress is great… the community is beyond compare.

good day

The little black jacket is from JJill, and I think I got it off eBay in 2018.  Love it, great pockets!!

Boots are by Hunter, I wear them almost every day… perfect for rain, work, or… whatever.  Super comfortable and warm.

good day

Thanks for joining me on my good day post.  Stay tuned for the next 54 days of #tracywearswool!

.

Be well, and make some music!

–Tracy

 

good day

As part of the challenge, I will be posting my daily outfits on blog posts as well as social media with the hashtag #tracywearswool — please follow along — and see all the creative outfits that I can come up with!

SOME OF MY RECENT POSTS:

crazy

Did I mention my Appalachain Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge?? Check it out:

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