eShakti Dress Review

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I cannot even begin to express how incredibly excited I was to recieve an invitation to review a garment for eShakti. For those of you who aren't familiar with the company, eShakti is an online women's clothing source that specializes in you. When you purchase garments, you can choose to put in your body measurements and even change the sleeve or skirt length! They carry all concievable sizes of beautiful, vintage-inspired clothing and it's absolutely amazing!

I'll admit, choosing one out of a few hundred swoon-worthy dresses, skirts and blouses was no easy task. But I finally settled on this gorgous navy blue "Fifties-Style Poplin" and I do not regret it! Even if you aren't a seamstress, it's plain to see how well this garment is made. I haven't had the pleasure of wearing poplin before but I absolutely love it! It's a crisp, smooth fabric that rustles when you move. It has such a fine quality and I feel so elegant and classy in it. It is definitely a garment worthy of my new Pearl Necklace Award!

The Pearl Necklace Award is given only to upstanding garments of elegance and class. Only a garment worthy of a pearl necklace recieves this exceptional award and eShakti's "Fifties-Style Poplin Dress" has most definitely earned it! *applause*

Another thing I love about this dress is the waistband. Lovely rows of tucks create a ribbing effect that is so flattering. The bodice has three darts on each side to increase the comfort and fit. As you can see, I did need to wear an under-shirt for modesty but this is less common in eShakti dresses. Many, and I may venture to say, the majority of their garments are very modest. 

Go circle skirt!

And there's an invisible zipper in the side! Easy on, easy off.

It has POCKETS!!! I'm in love!

My sister had a BLAST taking these photos. It's so cute to see her take a picture with her "baby" (a Canon T3i), then flip the screen and giggle (or evil-laugh) over her success. I tell her she can say it out loud then she smirks, never taking her eyes from the screen, and grins, "Oh yeah, I'm awesome!" I am not one to contradict her. If she can make me look decent on camera, she can do anything! Please pop by her photography website  http://marleyrosenphotography.blogspot.com/

I would definitely encourage you to check out eShakti's amazing selection of gorgeous clothing and experience their great service. You won't regret it.

http://eshakti.com/

Have a beautiful day, lovely readers!

Trim Healthy Waffles-Original Recipe

"Are you a fan of delicious flavor?"

~Shawn Spencer

Our family has just discovered the most amazing healthy living book EVER!!! 

Trim Healthy Mama (THM for short) has been such a blessing to our family! Pearl and Serene (2 Christian sisters from Australia) explain how to eat the way God created our bodies to and to have an overall healthy lifestyle. I'll be doing a book review shortly :) 

These are my Trim Healthy Mama Waffles! After a failed attempt to find one online or in the book, I decided to find and alter a Paleo recipe and give it a whirl. I found one HERE and changed almost everything in it to create the most delicious, decadent waffles you've ever tasted!!! For our family of 10, I do 2 double batches of this batter to feed us all but most likely, you won't need as much so I trimmed it down.

Please, feel free to pin this image. Clicking the image opens this page so everyone can make waffles!

The key to fluffy deliciousness is to whip the egg whites till they're stiff and don't slip around in the bowl...almost like meringues...exactly like meringues...they're meringues (just kidding)

These waffles fall into the "S" category because they utelize whole eggs, almond flour and butter. So slather on the buttah, Mama! You may use all almond flour but the combo of almond and flax makes it super fluffy and smooth!!! The kids can put syrup or honey on theirs but for you, Mama, butter and Polaner's All-Fruit Jelly are both acceptable and encouraged. You could even make a blueberry sauce with blueberries, stevia and a dash of salt and vanilla (yum!)

I hope you'll try the recipe and comment on your success and advice! I make these waffles at least once and sometimes twice a week, we love them so much! I hope you enjoy :)

Trim Healthy Waffles {S}

By McKenna Rosen

Makes Approx. 12 Waffles

Ingredients

6 Egg Yolks

6 Egg Whites

1/4 C. Unsweetened Almond Milk

1/2 C. Almond Flour

1/2 C. Flax Flour

1/2 t. Salt

1/4 C. Melted Butter

2 t. Vanilla

2 T. Truvia

1 T. Cinnamon

1 t. Nutmeg

Bacon Grease or Coconut Oil (for greasing the iron)

Optional: 1 C. Blueberries

Instructions
1. Preheat Waffle Iron
2. Whisk Egg Yolks and Milk
3. Add Almond+Flax Flour and Salt. Whisk.
4. Add Melted Butter. Whisk.
5. Add Vanilla, Stevia, Cinnamon and Nutmeg (Optional Blueberries). Whisk.
6. Whisk Egg Whites until they form stiff peaks. (This is best done in a KitchenAid or with a hand-held mixer)

7. Fold Egg Whites into batter in 3 parts.

This is what the batter looks like after the egg whites have been added.

8. Scoop 1/3 c. Batter into preheated, greased iron.
9. Cook until golden-brown and scrumptious! Enjoy!

Help spread the word about my Waffles and, who knows? Maybe Pearl and Serene will start making it for their families!

HSF '14 Challenge #7-Tops and Toes

Good day, lovely readers! I'm afraid I'm 2 days late with posting my hat but I did finish it before midnight on the 15th! And I also completed Challenge #6 but haven't had time to photograph it. Oops!

 Frankly, when I heard about the challenge, I freaked out a tiny bit inside. As well as I do as a designer and a seamstress, I am terrible at trimming!!! Ribbons, braid, buttons, I experience a mental block and sometimes a rash appears on the back of my neck (not kidding!) This whole challenge basically centers around being able to trim hats or stockings, so after a brief moment with a paper bag and some rash cream for my neck, I decided to make a simple 19th Century nightcap. Easy. Breathe, McKenna!

Blessedly, I have a gorgeous and talented Mother who is quite the expert with trims and such and assured me that I did not need to heavily trim my simple little nightcap :) As you can see, I hand-stitched a bit of tatted lace onto the brim and it makes it simple and elegant, I think. No need for anything fancy or complicated. But now I am determined to study the art of trim and ribbons and overcome my unfounded fears!

As you see, I also decided to make a Fichu (the historical equivalent of a cami for modesty) and a new Bodiced Petticoat (yay!) I made the Petticoat to go with a Regency round-gown made of a lightweight, see-through cotton I recently finished (pictures coming soon). I had my talented photographer sister take a few pictures for me and set it up as if I had gotten up in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate our matches or it would have been truly picturesque (despite the lighswitches and outlets :P)

I love the layers! Chemise, Stays, Fichu and Petticoat plus Pashmina shawl equals happiness anc comfort!

Closeup of the Fichu

I do need to do a "rip'n'stitch" in order to fix the gathers on the bodice of my petticoat but since it's not normally seen, it doesn't matter!

The Challenge: #7-Tops and Toes

Fabric: 1/4 yard White Cotton

Pattern: Tam from Simplicity 3623 (Out of Print)

Year: 1700-1910 (Versatility! Yay!)

Notions: 1/2 Yard Tatted Lace, Thread

How historically accurate is it?: 90% 1/2 Machine-stitched

Hours to complete: 1

First worn: For Photoshoot yesterday

Total cost: $0 It's stash-tastic!

A Very Quick Update

My goodness, how time does get away! One week you're on a roll with blog posts in advance and feeling like the internet's ultimate blogger and the next two, you barely touch the 'ole laptop at all (which is mainly because your brother has commandeered it to edit a short film). Anyway, just to let you know, I did complete HSF Challenge #6 {Fairytale} but haven't had time to post pics. And I've decided to put aside the historical sewing for a short time (don't worry, I'll still make the challenges, they just won't be very elaborate). I am putting that aside for the more noble pursuit of clothing my younger sisters :) It'll be nice to take a break from the difficult projects and focus on quick 'n' easy little dresses and bows and skirts and capris. As soon as I have a few more items made, I'll do a Spring style post about my sisters. And don't worry, another outfit post is coming and I haven't forgotten Book of the Week!

Have a lovely day, readers! 

Period Film Game {1} Answers and Scores

I'm afraid that I didn't explain things very well last week. So, not many people joined in the game. But I'll be posting another soon so that those who weren't sure can come back and join in. It's so much fun!!!

Below are the individual answers and at the bottom are the individual scores :)

#1

The Young Victoria (2009)

#2

My Fair Lady (1964)

#3

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)

#4

Jane Eyre (2011)

#5

Pride and Prejudice (1995)

#6

Emma (1996)

#7

Little Dorrit (2008)

#8

The Help (2011)

#9

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

#10

Sense and Sensibility (1996)

The Scores

Paige-90 pts.

Heidi P.-80 pts.

Sorry if it seemed like that Sherlock Holmes cap was a wild-card. But I do enjoy doling out challenges!!! I hope you will participate next time and let your other period-film junkies know, too!

HSF '14: Challenge #5-Bodice

I'm sure rumors have been spreading, but I did, in fact, finish HSF Challenge #4, though it was late and completely different than the original plan :P Yeah, it was kind of a disaster. I had planned on making, at the very least, a chemise and a pair of Georgian stays but I made my stays all wrong and didn't even get to the chemise at all. Soooo, I just ended up replacing the straps on a vintage 1930s cotton slip I had in the ole' mending mountain, a day late and didn't end up posting about it at all. Thus, my plans to create a 1760s bodice and begin building my Georgian wardrobe completely fell apart...

I went onto the fabulous HSF Facebook page and asked my fellow HSF-ers if they knew of a good place to get 1930s patterns. I got overwhelming responses and found some incredible pattern suppliers that I had never heard of! But I ended up buying from Etsy (which I didn't expect, at all). Enter "Mrs. Depew" and her fabulous Etsy shop. Her beautiful French 1930s draft-at-home blouse pattern was exactly what I was looking for! And it was nicely priced, too.

Mrs. Depew's patterns seem extremely confusing at first. The French method of drafting in the 1930s that the pattern uses seemed, at first glance, to be cruel and unusual, but once I got the hang of it, everything made sense. It's quite ingenious, actually.

I constructed a toile first and foremost. That would be the biggest tip I would give to anyone using Mrs. Depew's patterns. Human error accounts for most of the mistakes I made (it was only my first experience with the system) and I'm so glad that I made a mock-up first. That was made of red calico with tiny white polka-dots. I trimmed it with red gingham ribbon. I did finish it completely but it's not my favorite. Marley took some pictures for me but I modeled it with a khaki skirt that is now too big for me (which is both exciting and annoying because now I have to alter it). Also, the shoulders ended up being way too wide and since the back was shorter than the front, I decided to chop the front even and add a waistband. The waistband was too long and small so it really doesn't fit very well right now and it's certainly not flattering so I'll only include one small picture below for the curious ones.

I didn't include the crossing straps

This blouse is one of the first items I've made that I am absolutely in love with! The fit is perfect and I feel so elegant and ladylike in it. I made it out of a $2 vintage, pleated skirt I thrifted. I couldn't even believe that I got almost 2 yards out of it! But I barely had a single scrap left. Use the whole buffalo, says I! 

I did make a few modifications to the pattern. After I had the sleeves basted on, I decided that I wanted the shoulder to be narrower to accomodate my narrowish shoulders. The predominating look of the 1930s was wide shoulders (usually padded), a narrow waist and an overall elongated, graceful figure. I didn't want to lose that essence with the shoulders but I didn't want to look goofy and clownish either. So, I let the drop-shoulder remain but dialed it back a few notches :)

The only other problem I ran into was that again, the back ended up being shorter than the front. I agonized over this problem longer than I should have, but eventually decided to create this little peplum to make up for the 3" difference. And I love the result! Way better than just a plain old straight seam!!! And, instead of drafting a sleeve band, I did a single box pleat and just turned the hem under, so it's still puffy.

In the end, I was so excited, I almost squealed! I love the fitted almost-princess seams that I have dubbed "diamond-seams", because the shape they create is a diamond, in essence. And the crossed bands in the front add such a nice touch of elegance to an otherwise simple and plain design.

I also made the gray skirt, but that was a month or two ago and not challenge-specific.

 The Challenge: #5-Bodice

Fabric: 2 Yards (give or take) Knit Rayon?

Pattern: Mrs. Depew 1049

Year: 1933

Notions: Thread

How historically accurate is it?: 100%!

Hours to complete: 3 or 4ish

First worn: Today's Photoshoot

Total cost: $2 for the skirt and $7.50 for the pattern=$9.50

Crossies!!! ;)

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Have a lovely evening!!!