Just Like A Woman

This is just a reminder that I am no longer actively posting under this blog. I'm now blogging quite regularly over at Just Like A Woman. Come follow me there!

Moving On to Greener Pastures

In the past few years, I've just stopped reading blogs. I used to be obsessed with them, checking daily for new posts. But that was in another life, when I spent 12+ hours in front of a computer everyday, at work and at home. I also had the time and luxury to become wrapped up in the clothing-culture, because I had money to spend and a place to wear my goodies.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't like clothes any less now, appreciate a gorgeous dress any less than I did before. But when you work in a kitchen or a bakery, and you're wearing clothes that get filthy despite your apron, your priorities in that regard definitely change.

What does this have to do with my blog reading habits? Well, near the end, I had a massive list of blogs I followed. Some of them are dear to my heart, written by magical women, but the majority were empty shallow lists of clothes some young woman hoped to buy. There was no real personality, just price tags and places for a good sale. That really turned me off from the whole thing, it felt like a chore to slog through all those posts. And the task of sorting through all the blogs in my Bloglovin' list was just as daunting. But I'm finally doing it! I miss what I had going at the beginning, just a few select blogs that touched me and sparked my soul. So if I manage to do what I want to do... Some of you will be seeing regular comments from me again, as I ease my way back into the community.

I'm so easily shied away from anything that seems looming and large and like a lot of work. But I think, once I've done this clean out of my bloglovin' list, that it only makes sense for me to make a new blog. After reading a few posts just this morning from young women my own age, feeling like they no longer associate with their old blogs... I really get that. And I'd like to just take a step away from Spider Silk Stockings, and the person I used to be when I started it, and the reasons for it. I don't really shop for clothing anymore, I stopped posting what it is I am wearing and where I got it. Usually food and nature tend to be the 'big things' in my posts nowadays, and I'd like someplace more geared towards that for me to express myself. This will be the second time I start over, except unlike the first time, I'll be leaving this blog live.

But, this can be known as The Last Post, here on Spider Silk Stockings. From now on, I'll be posting - hopefully more often than I am here - over on Just Like A Woman. Cheers!

Drifting

My first week back in class after Christmas break was a busy one. I completed an entire semester's worth of math assignments and tests in the span of 4 days, to get it out of the way. On top of that I finished with 95% and the professor suggested I tutor. It's not something I'm interested in doing but it's nice to hear that kind of thing nonetheless.

Other than school, I'm not up to a whole lot. I've been cooking, and gaming a lot, especially since I picked up Red Dead Redemption two weekends ago. I snatched up a recliner from my parents' when they got themselves a new living room set. It was originally my grandfather's, then my parents had it and now it's mine. My kitty is more than happy to have it.

My supper last night was the above-pictured mushroom and red pepper linguine, with a healthy dollop of sour cream. The leftovers are something I'm certainly looking forward to eating tonight too. There's nothing better than good, simple food to make me happy. Cheers!

A First on the First

Happy New Year! I had a nice NYE with family, and ditto on today. I'm starting my year off surrounded by those I love, with good thoughts in my mind and warmth in my heart. Couldn't ask for a better way to kick off 2014!

Goodbye 2013

I may have let this blog lapse into long periods of silence but I couldn't let myself allow the last day of this year slip away without some sort of post. The things I have been doing these last few weeks... Primarily, being a hermit. I don't go out, I don't call anybody, I don't have anyone over. I quilted my little heart out in time to make my mother a lap quilt for Christmas. I've been doing plenty of baking and cooking. Also probably a lot more eating than I should be. Video games, late nights, quality kitty snuggle time and a marathon of Nip/Tuck has also been a recent thing for me. 

I have another five days off before classes start again. My holidays have just flown by and that makes me sad. I'm honestly dreading classes this semester, the schedule is brutal and I'm going to be waking up at 5:30am four days a week. It's no worse than what I've done before but still. Not looking forward to it. I could look back at 2013 and think of all the things I've done, but I don't care enough to. I just hope 2014 brings a slimmer, less lazy me who actually knows what the hell she's doing with herself half the time. Happy New Year...

Winter Silence

Time Traveler

I don't often get all dressed up these days but when I do, I go all out and pay attention to tiny details. This outfit makes me feel a bit like a time traveler, as if I could go back to say... 1972, and just blend right in. My clothes were most likely around back then!

Blouse- Purchased from Aliya & Lucas on Etsy

Skirt - Purchased in Paris, France

Belt - Gift from Heather
Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village

I have written exams next week, and then my in-kitchen exams the second week of December. I cannot wait for this semester to be finished! I'm enjoying it, but I am absolutely exhausted mentally. Being around people so often is really taking its tole on me. I can deal with a tight knit work group fairly well once I get to know them, but 40 or so students just stresses my very being.

While there are some students who's company I enjoy, most I wish I could just avoid. Their presence, their voice, just grates on my nerves and makes me want to scream. The fact that people can't just be quiet is beyond me. What's so wrong with just sitting with yourself and not making a constant racket or trying to get attention by whinging or blabbering on about something nobody cares about?! I don't understand people at all.

At least I'm doing fabulously in all my classes. Academics were never much of a challenge for me, especially not now when it's a subject in which I'm actually interested. My grade is high enough in the one class that I'm actually exempt from the final exam, which is great. Now if only all the teachers instituted such a rule, because I'd have no written exams at all hah.

I spent my morning ironing quilt squares for a lap quilt I'm hoping to gift my mother for Christmas. They were originally meant for a double bed sized quilt, a project I started years ago and lost steam for when I realized how big of a job I'd set up for myself. A lap quilt is much more manageable, and some of the work is already done which is encouraging. Fingers crossed it gets done! I hope you are having a good week. Cheers!

Still Here

I fell off the face of the earth for a while... But there's been a lot going on in my life and frankly, I just haven't had the time or interest to post on the blog very much. Today I just happened to really like my outfit and made the effort to take a few shots. So here. The end.

Procrastinator

I'm really quite a horrible procrastinator. Usually in theory it's not so bad because I just envision myself doing in the future when I know I will have time, but then between the future and now, something else comes up to take up that time and leaves me in a bind. Like the position in which I am currently, where I have a five page essay due Tuesday with only two written up, and basically Sunday is the only time I have to work on it now.

 Jacket - Vintage, purchased in Paris, France

Dress - Thrifted from Value Village

Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village

It also means that these outfit photos are from back on October 18th, three weeks ago. It seems my active interest in blogging waxes and wanes, as does my time available to do it. And really I should probably be working on my essay right now heh, but hey, procrastinator!

I'm out of saved up outfit photos after these ones too so I suppose I'll just have to stop being lazy and take photos again. Now that winter is setting in, and that I've started up a part-time job (I'll mention that some other time) I have less time to photograph even less outfits. There's not much point in getting all dressed up if I'm going to just take it all off to put on my chef whites. But anyway... I need to work on that essay. Cheers!

Happy Halloween

It's that time of the year again, my favourite holiday! Halloween is just so great. (And the fact it's my birthday makes it even better, heh) Unfortunately I have class during peak trick-or-treater time so I won't be able to hand out candies, but at least I got to celebrate with my girlfriends last weekend.



I carved some pumpkins with my mother last evening. Her's is on the right and mine are the other two. I made the silly decision to carve a white pumpkin (furthest to the left) but that thing was hard as a rock and it made the carving quite difficult, hence it's rather deplorable face. I hope you all have a great Halloween! Ooooo!

Belgian Beauty

I absolutely adore this dress. It came to me by shear chance and luck. Had circumstances been even slightly different, it might still be back in Europe. On my last day in Brussels, in Belgium, I stopped at a vintage shop during my last few hours in the city and brought this gorgeous frock home with me.

Dress - Vintage shop in Brussels, Belgium

Shoes - Gift from my grandmother

Four of the seams were coming undone - the thread so old it just couldn't hold any more - and it took some time and care, but she's good as new now. I'm not usually one for lace and rick rack but somehow on this dress it just works for me and I adore it so.

Even the two loud prints - one floral, one of berries - mesh together happily. Often times when I wear vintage, I'll get compliments on my dress. This one in particular garners more silence than the rest, but it's not your typical classic piece either. That's fine with me, I'm still overjoyed it's mine! Cheers!

Sunny Spider Belly

It's still taking getting used to the fact the sun sets so early now. Every year, it seems so sudden, and I don't know why that is. You'd swear the change happens all at once. I come out of evening classes and it's dark. My drives to early classes are in the dark. I don't mind it for sleeping in, but I love sunshine too, and winters are hard for this.

Dress - From A Cat of Impossible Colour on Etsy

Mocassins - Sears

I'm still so happy with how this dress turned out. Shortening it seemed more complicated than it actually was and this high low hem is so much fun. Maybe I'll do more sewing projects over the winter. I know I want to work on my quilt but I think I'm going to make smaller lap quilts instead of the large one I had first intended a few years ago. That's less intimidating.

My adult female Grammostola rosea tarantula molted about two weeks ago. I was able to see her start, flipped over on her back like this, but I had class and missed most of it. She was free from her old exuvium and stretching out by the time I got home. It's just a shame because she only molts every 2-3 years now so it's a rare occurrence. Next time, I guess! Well I'd best get ready for my day. Cheers!

Sundown Sand Boa

The rain is coming down again today, so my pumpkin-picking trip with friend and baby is postponed until tomorrow. I don't mind too much, having a lazy day in my pajamas feels good. My parents, grandmother and I went for a dinner at my college's culinary-student run restaurant last evening. I was gifted a paid meal for four there and it was absolutely delicious.

Top - Thrifted from The Salvation Army

Dress as Skirt - Purchased from Sally Jane Vintage on Etsy

Leggings - Ardene's

Shoes - Gift from grandmother

It was a really nice way to end my week of mid-terms. Next week is reading week so I have no classes. Time to relax! I have one essay I want to work on but otherwise, I plan to spend my time relaxing, visiting friends and family, and making good food. I'm going to clean out of my animal room and attempt to organize it as best as I can. I still don't have a garden shed so I think I'll just box up my things and bring them over to my grandmother's, since she said I could store things there.

My lovely female Kenyan Sand Boa has finally reached her full adult size. From this point, she may get fatter, but she won't get much longer. She's such an adorable chunky little thing! I love my pretty Halloween, and I'm still glad I named her such, it's so fitting. But she's one of the snake-babies who's tank needs a cleaning so I'd best get on that. Cheers!

Peach Pie and Sunshine

It's cloudy and gloomy outside today, the total contrary of these sunny outfit photos. Hopefully the sun comes back out to shine on my little part of the world soon. In the meantime I just try and appreciate the smell of damp leaves in the air. I really do love Autumn so much.

Dress -Purchased on Etsy from Sally Jane Vintage

Shoes - Gift from my grandmother

This was my mid-term week, and I did fairly well on most of my written tests. I did absolutely wonderful on my cuisine mid-term though, with 87% which is more than I'd been hoping I'd achieve. My grade could have been even better if I had just remembered to season my breaded mushroom and hadn't overcooked my turned potatoes. I'll practice even more before the final exam to make certain these sorts of little mistakes don't happen again.

The above pie is a peach sour cream filling recipe from my school baking book. I'm bringing all my manuals home over reading week so I can make plenty more tasty good things to eat and share during my time off. That's the one problem with food... there are so many delicious recipes, and so little time and tummy-space to eat them!

My parents and grandmother are meeting me after my class today for a nice dinner at the college. I was offered a paid table for four in the school's dining room, and I certainly wasn't going to say no! I'm looking forward to getting dressed up for a nice dinner. (Not that I don't get dressed all fancy most of the time anyway heh, but having an actual occasion for it is refreshing!) I hope you all had a nice week. Cheers!

Backed up in the Present

While my outfit photos are rather out of date, I blame this on the fact that I live in the moment. I enjoy taking the outfit photos when I do take them. Everything I wear because I enjoy it, it makes me feel good. There's no intense need to post them though - for one thing I'm fairly certain I'm the only person who even reads my blog anymore hah - and that's fine. I get around to it eventually.

Top -Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Vintage shop in Ottawa

Shoes - From grandmother

There's a bear somewhere out near my home. I found its leavings, full of choke-cherry seeds, smack dab in the middle of the driveway. These are the things I missed when living in the city. I hope the dear thing sticks around, it can help itself to all the berries if it wants! If I'm lucky, I may even catch a glimpse of it some early morning, or in the evenings.

I was putting my garden to sleep for the winter the other evening when I inadvertently harmed a hibernating frog with my hand tool. The poor thing was so injured that I had no choice but to put it down. It's buried in the middle of my garden now, with a little heart, and a spiral, drawn above it in the dirt. I felt absolutely horrible for it, but I suppose it's better to mourn its loss than to be a person who feels no pain at the death of an innocent living thing. I'm off now to pick up my grandmother and head to my parents' for Canadian Thanksgiving dinner. I hope those of you who celebrate it now have a good holiday. Cheers!

Warm Autumn

It may be October, but it certainly doesn't feel like it. The days are gorgeous, warm and sunny. It rains once or twice a week, but nothing outrageous. Most days the skies are a bright clear blue and the sun shines down on the colourful changing leaves. This is such a beautiful time of year. As much as I adore all the shades of green when Spring comes around and all the leaves are new, there's nothing like a forest decked out in oranges, reds and yellows.

 My home is mostly surrounded by coniferous trees but my drive to and from school five days a week graces me with gorgeous colour-changing landscapes. Maybe I'll actually remember to bring my camera with my one of these days and take some shots, before the leaves all fall.



I'm letting Caramel join me outside a little more again, now that the dangerous heats are gone. He deserves a bit of adventure and fresh air too! He's too big of a scaredy cat to stay out for long without me anyway. I was putting up Halloween decorations earlier this afternoon, but he didn't quite seem to know what to make of them. Four more weeks to Halloween! I hope you are having as good a start to the month as me. Cheers!

A Good Thing

They say that once you find something good, you don't mess with it. That's what this outfit is like for me. It fell together one day, and like a flash, it felt right. And so whenever I wear it, it's always the same, right down to my jewelery. The only things that might fluctuate are my shoes and my makeup.

 Top - Thrifted from Value Village

Dress-as-skirt - Gift from my aunt

Shoes - Gift from my grandmother

Earrings and necklace - Made by my mother

I love this dress for how it flows and moves. It's light and airy, but can still keep me reasonably comfortable on these cooling fall days. My top has many lives, as part of regular outfits and sometimes as a pajama top. I'm attempting to pare down my wardrobe - as always - and this kind of multi-use is important with doing that.

Another perk to this outfit is that it very well hides the fact that I've gained a lot of weight this year. I'm really not happy about it, and I know what I should do about it, but there's a huge gap between wanting and doing and achieving for the moment.

I've been a dedicated mineral makeup convert for quite a few years, and the only products I wear that aren't from Earth Angel Minerals on Etsy, are my mascara and eyeliner. For the curious, my eyeshadow in the above photo consists of a base of Dark Grey on the outside of my lids, and Matte Snowflake on the inside of the lid and up toward my brow. Over this I brushed Moon Goddess (a purple shimmer) and Borealis (a white shimmer). I've come a long way from being obsessed with golds and greens. Anyhow, time for me to kick back for a few hours. Cheers!

Soup Kitchen

My home smells like soup a lot recently. I've been practicing stocks and soups for class, and yesterday I made a pureed soup of carrot and ginger. I have so much fun going through the steps, watching it turn from raw vegetables to a delicious, bright, flavourful soup. It's like kitchen magic.



Later today I might make a batch of Leek and Potato soup but we'll see. I've already got food coming out of my ears as it is. Considering I'm trying to lose weight, that's not exactly ideal. I weigh the most now that I have in two years and I'm not particularly pleased about it. I suppose it can partly be blamed on things like this Moka Cake I made for my mother's birthday this past week.



It's a white génoise cake, with coffee butter cream, toasted almonds and chocolate covered coffee beans on the rosettes. I'm very happy with how it came out, although I think I did use a little too much coffee syrup soaking the cake layers. I can always get better. I haven't got too much else to say, and until I feel better appearance, I don't think there will be too many outfit photos. So food it is. Cheers!

Another Day

I've fallen out of the habit of taking outfit photos - which is a shame because I've been wearing some pretty neat stuff lately - but I think part of it is due to the changing of the seasons. It's almost always windy out, and often cloudy or raining. And while I love Autumn, the smell, the crispness of the air, it doesn't really lend itself to my going out there in short sleeves for photos with my half-broken camera.

Necklace - Made by Me

T-shirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Belt - Ardene's

Skirt - Vintage from Kilo Shop in Paris

Mocassins - Sears

I suppose I can just start taking them indoors again like I did this photo back in early September. Eventually I won't have much choice either way. I'm spending a lot of time in my kitchen now, even more than usual. I'm trying to practice a lot of the recipes from school, which I think I mentioned before, but cooler weather always drives me to my kitchen.

This is some Scallop Seviche, with jalapeños and cherry tomatoes on a chiffonade of lettuce. It was actually really delicious and I'll definitely be making this dish again. I attempted to make a vegetable consommée this past weekend but due to some stupid mistakes I messed it up. I'll be trying again though, because I'm stubborn and it's something I really want to be able to do.



My parents were doing work on their bathroom late last week so my mother brought her ball python Fluffy to my place until they were done. I couldn't resist piling him in with my two boys, Galen and Rorschach. They make such a cute pile o' pythons!

I should probably start getting ready for my baking class this afternoon though. We're making the Choux Pastry Swans that I practiced last weekend. Should be a good class. Cheers!

All About Food

While I've been slacking taking outfit photos - a little unfortunate because I've worn some pretty creative stuff - I've been absorbed with food. I'd had quiche on the brain since Paris because I was eating some nearly everyday. I finally made myself a vegetable quiche on Friday and it was so satisfying.



I'm hoping to practice a lot of my class recipes ahead of time at home. This past weekend I made Choux Pastry Swans, something we had seen our Chef make at the Cordon Bleu but that we didn't do in practical. It's scheduled for us next week now, and it was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be and I'm quite happy with how they came out.



 Next time I'll try to make the necks thinner and the 'heads' less bulbous. I brought some over to a friend's and gave a bunch to my parents - I really just wanted to make them, eating them interests me less - and everybody was suitably impressed. Then I do things that impress myself - even if just a little - and whip up tasty dinner dishes like chicken in a spicy mango pineapple sauce on lovely red quinoa.



I've also been cooking up foods with lovely vegetables from my garden. Unfortunately frosts have started at night, which means the garden season is basically over. This wasn't exactly an ideal year for gardening and I can just hope next year is better temperature and weather-wise for me. I've been pulling up potatoes and a few green peppers though, and there are still tomatoes on my covered plants.



My ornamental corn is also quite lovely and I have to finish drying the cobs. I'll definitely be planting more of it next year, it's just so pretty. I love the variety of colours and the rich purple that can grow in the stalks. I'll be planting more varieties of potatoes too, for certain. They actually have really pretty plants and flowers and that surprised me.



Anyhow, I need to get ready for my baking class. We're making three kinds of cookies today and hopefully it all goes smoothly. I hope you had a great weekend. Cheers!