You can fool the fans - but not the players.... John Cage

Overcoming blogaphobia

Jeez - what happened? I used to be a blogging fool but then, suddenly, everything changed. And I'm not happy about it. Social media is fine, great for quick updates & sharing things on the run, but for the real, gritty stuff? Nothin' like a blog post. So I'm back. And I've probably lost what readership I had so this can return to what it started out as.... an online journal of sorts.

I haven't really changed much since I last blogged - still making jewelry, sewing up Alabama Chanin projects, riding my horses. But yet, things have changed. I started practicing yoga every morning (almost) thanks to MyYogaOnline, the best thing I've found online in a long time. It has been wonderful for my back and every morning I look forward to rolling out the mat. I've come a long way with Rhea and so excited for an upcoming clinic. JC had not one but two knee replacements this winter. We got a puppy. It barely snowed, so we're looking at another challenging water year. I started two new websites, Ride & Shine (for jewelry blogging and eventually selling) and Mountain View (for our new business venture).

Certain things keep me grounded and give me great satisfaction, though, like sewing. Most recently, sewing up a Vogue DKNY pattern using Alabama Chanin hand-sewing techniques AND the organic cotton I bought from AC a year or so ago. (This is all part of the use it up them of this winter, too, where I've concentrated on unfinished projects and my fabric/yarn stash).

The pattern and the fabric:

 

I was a little shocked when I went into JoAnn's to buy the pattern. When did they get so bloody expensive? If I don't use this pattern again, this will be a fairly spendy dress. Hopefully it will fit like a dream and I'll want to make several renditions.

There is a fair amount of messing around with the pattern to make it work with the hand sewing and AC's smaller seam allowances and I have to admit I did some winging of it. I measured myself and chose what I thought was the appropriate size, then figured that I'd cut it out without trimming down the seam allowances just in case. I have nightmares of sewing as a teenager and being so excited about making something, then having it not fit AT ALL and tossing it after all that work.

Another goal was getting as much as I could out of this gorgeous fabric I bought from AC. I ended up with enough for a poncho and a fairly decent sized piece I could make into large napkins or some other smallish project. For the lining I used a cotton knit sheet in a sage green. I've found that buying the jersey knit sheet sets at Target work great for some of these projects, at least the 100% cotton ones. There are some cute stripes and other patterns but they are not all cotton so I haven't gone there. (note: you do have to be careful to find the grain on the sheets - they don't always run straight with the cut of the sheets).

My favorite way to sew these projects is to put on a good chick flick or settle in on a Wednesday night to watch Modern Family and Nashville. I get get quite a ways in just one evening although sometimes my back will bark at me the next morning (that's where the yoga comes in).

I sewed up the front and the back, then pinned the sides to check for size.

And yes, some adjusting was in order. My advice, moving forward? Save yourself some time and re-sewing of seams and trim down the pattern. I'll be doing that before the next one.

I took in the sides quite a bit, and then tried it on again. Then I took in the front side and back side seams (the curvy ones) to make it fit even better. Now I'm in the process of flat felling all the seams and the final thing to do will be to bind off the neckline and the armholes. I think I'm going to love this dress.

Before I make another one, though, I'm going to finish a tunic top I cut out and stenciled oh-so-long-ago, and decide what to do with a funny little scarf/wrap that I did the same... but I still have quite a bit of fabric in my stash so I'm sure I won't have to even buy anything to make the next one of whatever I decide to make.

Hey.... it's GOOD to be back!

Related articles

Handstitched

Working out the kinks.

Over the years I've realized that I'm not a production person. This has not served me well as a business model, but I've come to accept it and therefore I've not tried to earn my living as an artist. I really really REALLY like making things, and I like selling things to people who like what I make, but I suppose ultimately I am making things to make and not to sell. So, what does that mean?

First of all, it means that I have to like everything I make. And it usually means that I would wear it or use it or have it around. Second, it means that it is going to mutate and evolve as I entertain ways to tweak it or make it into something I like better. And third, it means that there aren't that many of them around - whatever it is. I move on, make new things,and rarely return to the original (although there are a few things on the list that I'd like to return to).

In the past few years I've made a number of pairs of fingerless gloves using a pattern from Alabama Chanin - making them with t-shirts that I loved but never wore anymore, making them from felted cashmere sweaters to give away at Christmas, and then it occured to me that I could make them with fringe - to cowgirl them up a little.

The first pair was quickly laid out, cut, pinned and sewn by hand during several feverish sessions of making. And I loved them (I still do love them - they are lightweight yet warm, comfortable and flexible, and they leave my fingers free for using my phone, feeling the reins, tying my shoes). So I thought, naturally, of putting them into the etsy shop.

Next the thought occurred to use two layers of fabric and stencil a western design on the outside, stitch around that and cut out the inside so there would be a beautiful, contrasting embellishment to go along with the fringe. This is my test pair, and you can see on the lower right that I started out not stitching around the design with enough room to cut out the fabric (the stencil I used is rather fine) and I learned as I went along. I also learned that with four layers of fabric and the fringe things get a little bulky for hand sewing. Still some bugs to work out here, but the overall look is just what I wanted. I'll keep and wear these for sure.

The plain pair got put to the test last weekend when I went riding with friends and they passed with flying colors. A little bit of western flair, a nice bit of coverage from the sun and the chill of winter riding and, well, the possibilities seem endless. I will list some basic colors (black and brown) right away, and then a pair or two of the reverse applique gloves with the option of custom colors. I can see someone wearing a white on cream pair for a western wedding, or using custom colors for shows. I'm pretty thrilled about these.

Check 'em out soon in the Ride and Shine etsy shop!

 

Posted with Blogsy

A brief venture into Hollywood glamour

I think like many people I have a certain fascination with old Hollywood glamour and so when I had the opportunity to book a room at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, I jumped at it.

What's not to love about men in tuxedos and women in red lipstick and one-piece bathing suits during a time when everyone was more modest, less "busy", and let's face it, a tad mysterious? We know everything about everybody nowadays (more than I even want to know most of the time) and there's just something a little magical about old Hollywood.

All I knew going in was that it had a pool painted by David Hockney, and that it was a Hollywood icon.

Doing a little research, I discovered that the Thompson Hotel group refurbished the HR in the 1980s. You can do a google search and find some articles from around that time or shortly after that review the remodel and compare it to the original hotel. Marilyn Monroe loved to stay at the HR and her favorite room overlooked the pool. That suite is still available, as is the Gable - Lombard penthouse suite at the top of the hotel.

We didn't get the penthouse, of course, and were under the mistaken impression that there was a pool or lounge or something on the roof that we could visit and maybe have a drink up there, but no... we did not get to peek at the penthouse under the sign. These photos were taken from the Thompson Hotel website and others online.

We did have a nice room, though.

Simple, with two queen beds, very comfortable, a desk & a flat screen TV, a mini-bar,

(with astronomical prices and a cruel joke - the Keurig coffeemaker with no coffee. The pods are $3.50 a pop),

and a pretty contemporary bathroom / shower.

I booked the room through Hotwire and just had a few gripes about the add-ons. Even though I booked for two adults I was charged another $29 after calling the hotel and specifying two beds. When I complained, the explanation was that they have more king beds than doubles, so they have to charge extra for the doubles. Seriously? So make more rooms into doubles! The add-on charges are what drive people crazy.

Like charging for that one cup of coffee when you wake up... or forcing you to get dressed and make your way to the lobby for a cup of joe. And don't be late - they whip that coffee away at 9 am! (Note to self - ALWAYS carry a few Starbucks VIA packets). Another huge add-on was the valet parking. $33.00 a day! THAT can add up in a hurry.

These are the things just to be aware of... this is not a bargain. This is an experience.

I did have a bit of a Twilight-Zone experience when checking in - involving a new employee, multiple holds placed on my credit card thereby freezing it, a long time on hold with my bank, a trip back down to the front desk to see a manager. While assisting me he pulled out two drink tickets, then, once things were straightened out, he failed to offer them. I started to walk away but then thought, "my gosh, I just spent an hour dinking around fixing someone else's mistake" so turned around and told him, "yes, I'd take those free drink tickets". He gave them to me without a word.

We did not see this chandelier, nor did we have our drinks at this bar.... but next time I'm seeking it out.

We started our afternoon at the David Hockney pool.

At first glance, the pool doesn't look like much, but after reading more about it I began to understand. With people in the pool the squiggles begin to dance and move. David Hockney had a fascination with pools and painted more than a few in SoCal, as well as painting paintings of pools. The LA times ran a story on the Roosevelt pool not long afte Hockney painted it and you can read it here.

They've got great security at the hotel - the place is swarming with guys in suits and ear-pieces. You've got to show your room card to get into the pool area and to access any of the room floors. We found a seat at the edge of the pool and commenced to people-watching and it looked like a place where people are discovered and deals are made. But we couldn't seem to get a drink. After a longish wait, the lone cocktail waitress teetered over on her giant wedge heels, handed us a drink menu, and asked what we'd like. We wanted to look the menu over so she said she'd give us a couple of minutes. 10, 15 minutes went by without her coming anywhere near us again so I walked over to her order station and ordered directly from her. After another 10, 15 minutes with still no sign of our drinks we decided to try another bar, inside. It wasn't THAT interesting outside.

And going inside was the right choice. We ended up at a real bar, with real glasses and bartenders, and I had a fresh basil gimlet that was outstanding.

The bar was right off the historic lobby, which is amazing. The chandelier, the painted ceiling tiles, the polished tile floors, the leather sofas and oversized chairs.... so opulent and wonderful. Nice friendly bartenders with a proper cool and dim interior. As my friend said, a place you'd arrange meet your mistress (if you were a man and a man who did that sort of thing).

This is a real gem of a hotel and kudos to the Thompson Hotel people for keeping it grand and gorgeous. The location is right smack on Hollywood Blvd and it was only a short cab ride to the Fonda Theater, where we later enjoyed a fabulous concert by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

I'd stay here again, and I'd stay here longer. I'd eat in each of the restaurants and drink in each of the bars. We did have a late-night supper at the 24-hour 25 Degrees where I enjoyed a good glass of wine and an excellent fried-egg sandwich. There's more to see than we saw, and it'd be a great home-base for exploring Hollywood.

Just be ready with a wide-open credit card. They place a hold on your card equal to your entire booking, and then there are all those add-ons. This is not the place to go on a budget (even though somehow we managed to get out of there without maxing out the cards).

Pack your big sunglasses and your reddest lipstick and go and have a good time mingling with the ghosts of Hollywood past.

Easy-peasy sofa slipcover

We're living in a rented, furnished cabin this winter and the sofas, while comfortable and large, are vintage. They came with vintage sheets covering them, and then we tried this hodgepodge of throws over them - which had to be straightened and tucked and fussed over every morning.

One day I hit upon the idea of trying dropcloths. I know I've seen it somewhere before - Country Living or Pinterest - and we use a drop cloth in our truck to protect the back seat from the dogs. My very next trip to the big city I stopped in at our local hardward store and bought two of these:

I bought two since they are only 4 feet wide, thinking that I'd sew them together. I threw them in the wash and the next morning decided to see what I could do with them without sewing.

 

Voila! I put one drop cloth on the seat to the floor, tucking and pullling it all snug, then the other one draped over the back and also tucked and pulled snug. The entire sofa is  now covered with a neutral, durable, washable cover for about $34.

LOVE it. So much that I'm high-tailing it back to the hardware store for two more for the other sofa.

Don't you just love easy solutions?

Related articles

Linen: A Natural for Slipcovers

Slipcover Fabric Alternative

Slipcover Inspiration on Pinterest

30 day reflections - Project 333

I've been dreading sitting down to write this - not because of Project 333, the reduction of my wardrobe to a limit of 33 items for 3 months, but because of the 2nd part of this 3-part challenge of mine. The part that involves buying more that is made in the USA. Why is this not easy? Shouldn't it be easy? Well, it ISN'T! And I don't like not being able to succeed at what I attempt.

First, the failures. Might as well get it right out into the open. By far, the purchases I made in the last 30 days were supporting trade with China. What did I buy?

Handbag - good quality, but disappointingly, made in China.
(Similar to this, but alas, not a Coach bag. Which might have been made in America).

Merino-blend long underwear for both JC and myself - significantly less expensive than the brands I like; SmartWool, Ibex, and IceBreaker. Made in China. Small gifts while on vacation - cute and I could have made them myself but here's the key: I didn't plan ahead. Hiking shoes - inventory liquidation of a shoe store in Sandpoint. Amazing price on Merrills. China.

Boots - I researched boots made in USA since I knew that I wanted a pair for this fall. Frye boots are still made in the USA (mostly) but I was looking at $350 or so for a pair. I'm sure they are worth it. But then, Sierra Trading Post had a cute pair of Teva boots for $60. Budget won. Made in China.

Mountain Hardware skirt - one of the things I've learned about Project 333 is that each item in that wordrobe has to work with just about everything else AND it has to fit and look good. I picked a thrift store Banana Republic skort as one of my items and I found, the first time I wore it, that it did not fit well, did not look good, and was not going to be one of the items that I enjoyed wearing. It went into the thrift store pile immediately and I went searching for a versatile skirt. Mountain Hardware had one. Made in China.

Carhartt vest - again, Sierra Trading Post. Great vest, good for riding, casual wear, just about anything outside 3 seasons out of the year. China.

SmartWool tights - I thought SmartWool was all made in America but I was wrong. China.

One bright star - I found an American made line of women's shirts that really work for me. ModBod. I stumbled on a road show at our local Costco, bought a two-pack of white / black 3/4 sleeve t-shirts and love 'em. Happened to find a small shop in Coupeville, WA that carried ModBod (and a LOT of other clothing made in the USA) and bought a gray one.

Lessons learned:

1. Buying USA-made requires that I think ahead. Yes, there are great companies making jeans, boots, handbags, iPhone covers.... you name it. But are you (or am I) going to be able to walk into a mall, superstore, or local shop and find their products? Not often. And they are expensive. So.

2) Buying American requires planning, investment, AND a divorce from on-a-whim fashion urges. Oh, you mean classics? That I take care of and keep for years? That I rock like I'm a French woman? I think I can do it, really I do. Already I find myself passing up Target and Kohls cause, really, what is the point? Everything in there is made in China. I might as well not walk in the door unless I'm going after cleaning supplies.

3) Buying USA-made products may conflict with shopping local. I think the key here is to communicate to local shop owners that you are (I am) invested in buying American-made. The store I visited in Coupeville even rewarded its customers for buying American-made.

4) This might take some time. I am communicating with companies and letting them know that I am interested in purchasing American-made products over those made elsewhere. I emailed MadeWell after getting promotional correspondence and found that you can search within the MadeWell site for products made in the USA. Yay! I answered a survey by Sierra Trading Post and commented that I'd like to see more USA-made products. If enough us pester these companies maybe things will start to change. Limiting my wardrobe has not been particularly difficult and I think that it is because I really didn't wear much more than 33 items before I started this - I just had a lot more than that hanging in my closet "just in case" or "when I lose that 10 pounds". Now, I have what fits, what goes together, and what I like wearing. And I get to look forward to choosing the next 3 month's wardrobe out of my favorites and the new things I'm making.

Which leads us to part 3 of my personal challenge: the making 25% of my wardrobe. Not there yet. But excited about several projects for the winter -

the reverse appliqued smock,

the Guy LaRoche / Alabama-Chanin-interpretation dress, and additional t-shirts, ponchos, and perhaps even a skirt. Knitting hats and fingerless gloves. Cotton knit scarves. Repurposed cashmere, felted.

Even though I have not been entirely successful this first 30 days I'm not discouraged. My next pair of jeans will be made in the USA - I've already been checking out all the companies that make their jeans here and I'll set aside the money. I have a shirt company I like. I know who makes boots in America. And I'll find companies that still make socks, undies, bras, gloves, etc. here. Then I'll start looking beyond clothing. Next year I want the VVR t-shirts to be made in the USA so I'll be talking to our printer about that. We found china coffee mugs at Blue Star Roasting in Twisp, CA that are Homer Laughlin, an American company. Our mugs will be Homer Laughlin. Stay tuned.

And if you are attempting any or all of these three challenges - please let me know. I could use the support! Project 333 - Choose 33 items to wear for the next 3 months (not counting workout wear, sleepwear, underwear, lounge wear). Made in the USA - Actively work to purchase more made-in-America goods. Communicate your desire to companies and shop owners. Walk your talk or 'fess up. The Selvedge Project - make 25% of your wardrobe.

Geez I'm glad this post is written - and I hope that the next one is full of successes and the boastful beating of my chest.

Paring down the wardrobe is changing the rest of my life.....

Maybe this didn't start with Project 333 and the Seam Allowance Project.  Maybe it started a long time ago and is finally picking up steam in my life. Maybe I'm just getting older. Whatever it is I just know that I used to be motivated to acquire things - now I'm motivated to discard them. Because making is more important to me than having at this time in my life, and because I want the time and the mental freedom to make things. With a cluttered closet and a cluttered life it is just that much harder to carve out the time and the space and the energy.

It is only 10 days into the project but I'm having an easy time adjusting to this limited wardrobe and I see how I can improve it. If I focus on buying good quality, timeless pieces from here on out it'll become simpler and simpler. I did have to dig into a box and pull out a second pair of jeans - it's been cool here and you just can't keep wearing the same pair of jeans day after day - so next time there'll be a pair of jeans and a second pair of black jeans. Or colored jeans.

I DO not like posting photos of myself here, but this is the basic Alabama t-shirt I've been making in white, black, sage green and cream cotton, long-sleeve and sleeveless. It has become the t-shirt of choice because it fits so well, is so quick to make up, and is extremely versatile. I love the length, love the slightly belled sleeves, love the curvy fit.

The black version is here:

Now I find myself looking in every fabric store for high quality cotton knit - and I recently ordered a couple of organic cotton flat sheets from The Company Store to use for larger projects like the smock from smockshop (only done in AC style):

And this gorgeous dress:

which is a Vogue pattern re-interpreted in AC style and fabric. Oh... so much to do! As you can tell, I still think about clothing quite a bit, but it is much more integrated with projects that also satisfy my need (yes, need) to make things.

But. I digress.

So we have been looking for a place to rest our heads for the winter (at least) and now that I've pared down our household a little I find that I want to pare it down more. I don't want to clean or mow or rearrange or unpack, really. It was a challenge living in our little cabin the last five months, but it got easier over the summer and we've got some changes planned that will make it even more organized and effortless.

And now. Now we are moving into a little cabin in the woods. About 900 square feet. One bedroom, one bath. Small. Do-able. Giving us the opportunity to continue to live with less and to make do with less and to figure out how to do all the things we like to do with less. I'll tell you how it goes.

I started a Pinterest board for ideas on living well with less and in less space, and I have friends who provide endless inspiration. Again, I am excited and energized and so is JC. He surprised the heck out of me one evening when I arrived at the cabin and he had gone through all his clothes and stacked piles for the thrift store run.

We're off on a new path in our lives and we believe its a good one. At this stage in the game we want more experiences, more freedom, fewer demands. We're high on change right now - time will tell if we soon decide "the heck with this, we're going back to being consumers".

Keep you posted, but it is looking good right now.

Day one: Project 333

After about a week of combing through my clothes, discarding the obvious to the thrift pile, packing away the summer stuff, and actually sitting down to make a grid to guide me through the next three months of wardrobe needs, I pulled everything that was left onto the bed to narrow it down to 33 items.

 

It took another round or two of ruthless decision-making before I got it down to the following:

2 turtlenecks

7 t-shirts (5 long-sleeve, 2 short-sleeve)

1 cotton sweater

2 lightweight wool tunics

1 pair of skinny jeans and 1 pair of capri jeans

1 skort

2 dresses

2 camisoles, 1 tank top

1 pair shorts

2 button-front shirts

1 cardigan

1 down vest, 1 puffy jacket

1 jacket

1 coat

1 bathing suit

That's it. That's my wardrobe, along with workout clothes, riding clothes, undies (including tights, socks, and camisoles), pjs, and lounging around the house wear. I have four pairs of shoes to go with all that (which JC does NOT think I will be able to limit myself to, given my love of shoes) and I've decided not to count scarves, which as you'll see from the next photo, I'm going to need to add some color.

 

Got a lot of gray, black, white and just a few pops of magenta.... could get boring fast without some scarves.

And then I tallied where everything was made and here's the lowdown on that:

China - 14

USA - 8

Other - 12 (includes India, Mexico, New Zealand, Guatemala, Vietnam, Italy, and Peru.

Made by me - 4

Obviously USA is well behind and obviously I'm behind in making 25% of my wardrobe. But now I know where I stand and can work from here.

This is the amount of space this wardrobe takes up in the closet:

Amazing, no?

This is it in one drawer:

 

That alone makes me incredibly giddy. Me, who is normally cramming things into drawers, suddenly has empty drawers.

And so I embark on this wonderful clothing adventure...

Springing forward in new shoes - a Kork-ease splurge

There was a time when this would have been no big deal. But over the last few years my shopping habits have really changed. There's nothing like going through the stress of credit card debt to slow a person down and rethink the whole shopping thing. And I do think that there is a process we go through as we get older that more accurately evaluates the value of things. Is it more important to have another shiny new item in the closet or on a shelf vs the peace of mind of knowing there is money in the bank?

That said, there is a time for splurging.

These shoes have been on my mind since I began shopping for our wedding. I saw them in red, I saw them in gray, I considered them for the wedding then discarded the idea since they are so tall. But still, I wanted them. And so, this spring, I bought them.

 

I had to hunt for them too - my first go-to place, Garnet Hill, was completely sold out. Next, I tried Nordstrom - no go. I went hunting online and ended up shopping at Piperlime for the first time. FAST! From the time I ordered them to the time I got them on my front porch in this little teeny town? 4 days.

 

Nice packaging, eh? Even the receipt was nicely done in that bright green envelope up in the upper right.

 

Kork-ease. The name recalls the heady 80s - but actually they've been around much longer, evidently from the 1950s! Those of us who remember the glory days of Fleetwood Mac remember Stevie Nicks clomping around stage in her classic Kork-ease shoes -

 

Of course I'm not into re-living the 80s but I can appreciate a brand that endures. RayBan, Levis, Coach... timeless but updated, fresh. These are a fresh take on a beloved style, the platform wedge.

 

They were like gloves for my feet. They fit perfectly. Lightweight, comfortable, tall.

I am so pleased with my spring shoes.

 

From stock designs to dreaming up your own....

First of all, many thanks to Natalie Chanin. I think it was about a year ago, maybe a little more, that I bought my first Alabama Chanin book and made a pincushion:

 

From there I made a corset top, then another corset top, and then a dress:

 

I bought a second book. I used the stencils that came with the books and I refered back to them time and time again for inspiration. I started following AC's tweets and blog. I was hooked.

This fall, I started thinking about a design of my own. I bought some yardage to make a dress, and then decided that it was too light for a dress (for me). I tend to drop things on white and cream colored pieces of clothing and a dress was a lot of fabric to quickly ruin. My plan morphed into another corset top. Nice, plain, and simple in the front with an intricate design like a tattoo on the back.

I had the stencil - I'd bought it at a thrift store some time ago and knew I'd find a use for it.

 

I had the fabric paint from some long-ago purchase and plan that never materialized...

 

Cut out the pattern, painted the stencil, and started stitching...

 

I love this hand sewing. I love watching the garment take shape under my hands and I like that it takes awhile. It becomes an addiction and when I have one of these in progress you can find me any evening with my needle, thread and something on the TV - sewing. It is a perfect winter evening activity.

 

And now - I can wear it!

 

I love these tops - only I have to remember to cut them a little higher in the neckline next time - for me they are a little low cut. But I just wear a cami underneath and it works out fine and one of these days I'll remember to cut it higher. Next time.

 

The cotton molds to your body and is supremely comfortable.

I'm going to have an entire wardrobe soon - I've got to turn my attention to some other designs - like a jacket or something (a completer piece, thank you Stacy London) since I also have a dress in the works.

This:

will turn into this (or something similar):

Photo found here.

Of course, I'll look just like this model!

 

Only three days until we break the no snow record....

I'm guessing we are right in there with Reno and this morning on KUNR I heard that if it doesn't snow this will be the driest December since 1883. That is a long time. It is becoming alarming.

 

You know, from reading this blog, that I am trying to focus on the positive aspects of a no-snow early winter and celebrating the sixty-degree days here in the valley and when I can, heading up to the myriad of skateable lakes in the Sierra. I imagine that is what people might have done in 1883 and since then when there's no snow to ski in, no snow to snowshoe in, and open roads to navigate.

 

We're heading back out this weekend - we celebrated Christmas and JC's birthday on the ice and we'll bring in the New Year on the ice. And hope against hope that it begins to snow soon. Then we can treasure this past month without the threat of drought over our heads.

 

These photos are all from google images and I wish I knew where they were shot and when, but I'm thinking I need to up my game on the ice. I've been wearing standard ski or snowshoe gear but when we go out this weekend I might just wear something more "ice-skaterish". 

 

Just google vintage ice skating... you'll see what I mean. Game on.