Summer tIIiiiiimmmeeeeee.......

Maybe the livin' is easy somewhere....this may come as a shocker to you but people don't tend to wear knits in the summer. I'm still trying to figure out this phenomena. But here is the magic of living in micro climates....seasons are not seasons as we would expect them to be. It's foggy in the morning, warm at 10 AM, breezy by for and then the thick cloak of fog comes back in the evening-most days. This climate can decide to be witty and have no clouds (YES!) in the sky for days and be as lovely as Audry Hepburn in "Funny Face" . So basically what I'm saying here is that there is never any time of year where you can't wear knits....even as accessories.

Let me show you: 

Bracelets! 

Fun, sparkly, smushy (very technical word, mind you), and chic. These can be worn all year round when you have than itch for knits but not the budget for a bolero or a cashmere cardigan. 

Next item....
Roses! 

 Hair pins, lapel pins, hat pins!  Fun felt flowers for fantastic flirty frocks! These can be worn all year around as well as not cause you to have a heat stroke (you're too cute for that). These felt roses are always beautiful and remind me of being in the Golden Gate Park rose garden. That's my idea of a good time! I know you're thinking "L.D. you need to get out more..."   

 Here is another example of a fun hat pin if you're not a flower fan AND a hat. I know that you are wondering WHY did you pull out a hat?! It's almost summer and I've hidden all things winter until October (pump fist in air)! Well this is a a hat(let). It just sits on the crown of your head and looks cute.

 Some days in the summer  it takes everything in you to throw on a pair of pants and a shirt to grab caffeine at your local cafe or Starbucks. With this you can toss your hair in a messy bun or pony take slap on a hat and look like your Paris Chic all by yourself. Options people....options!   

Now we can always go with the basic never failing throwback that always comes through at the end....your bias knit hand painted cotton and Rayon tape scarf.....you DO have one right? 

This scarf (yes I used the word scarf...people really do wear them all year around) is light as a feather, painted like a rainbow and is simply delicate and perfect for warmer weather. It's one of my personal favorite items to wear in this micro climate known as San Francisco and believe every woman needs one.

Well ladies I hope we have learned an important lesson today! Just like the sun rises in the east, knits CAN be worn ALL year around! 

I rest my case. 

Curious where to get these items ? Make sure you hit up lisadanielledesigns.com 

(San Francisco Scarf (shown above)  is currently a Special order item, please email directly for pricing information) 

Item Spotlight!

I know I promised I was going to do this more often than I have, it's been like twice... know! OK, here is an oldie but goodie, that will be done for spring with a new twist :)

The 1800's Wrap

This feminine wrap accentuates your curves while hinting at the days of Jane Austen.  The yarn is an acrylic-metallic blend that enfolds you with sultry elegance.  You can even wrap it around your hips to create a funky belt.  Available in champagne (shown), bronze, and licorice.


In case you are wondering, there may be a little them from this for spring...(HINT) 

New Year, new blog backdrop, new features

I know you may have noticed that the blog looks different...again. In lieu of singles appreciation day (some people like to call in Valentines day...you know the Saint and all) I decided to warm up the blog some, use some pretty colors and a dash of extra widgets. In case you are wondering what the "you might also like" thing-a-ma-bob is at the bottom of the blog, it's a nice little reminder of other blogs on the site here that you might like to read. Have fun and READ MORE!!

Passing down to the future Queens...

I realized my life was pretty full when I heard my minniQ's in training (the tweens I taught how to knit) say these immortal words. "Just hold on a minute, let me finish this row." 

The torch as we say has been passed. My mini Q's are at it again, knitting up a storm. I never thought I'd see the day when we would have a city girls knitting circle. Just full of 12 and 13 year old chattering on as they would, just with needles and yarn in hand learning the art of the true multitasking knitter. To have a conversation and knit at the same time.   

As for me and all in the QVQ kingdom come Monday September 15th,  we will have a preview of the fall collection (YAY). It will be posted on the blog AND the main website http://queenvicequeen.vpweb.com  

It's very exciting. 

That's all for now, I need to see if any of the minniQ's dropped any stitches. 

**In case you are wondering why I don't refer to the younger ones as princesses-you may need to read QVQ's tag line again.... ***

The Ways of a Knitting Jedi

Just like Luke Skywalker had to go to Degoba planet , I myself had to go to Niagara (not falls, just near the Balboa Park BART station in San Francisco). Alas it is just the humble domicile of partner in crime/cheer leading squad co-captain who shall be known as Vee.

Luke had Yoda, I have Vee. No she's not short or green, but it still works-and does not speak backwards...unfortunately.

Vee is my kidnapper, cohort and best friend. No I don't have Stockholm's syndrome, we just have a small circle of friends who 'kidnap' each other-at least once a week. As in hanging out and staying over their houses. But today, my kidnapping was productive, the zoo I live in is not always conducive to getting work done.

Never have I finished two projects in one day.

My Jedi skills are getting stronger.

The Name Game

You know I never realized how difficult it would be to find names for items. Especially when you are trying to name things after your friends.

 You would think it would be something cute, an honor if that-but noOOoo, you have to think about these things. 

You have to think about their personalities, likes, dislikes, food favorite color, and most important this one object has to sum them up as a person, their entire being, their soul. 

What if they hate it-and it turn hate me? 

But no pressure. 

It's just fashion.

Right?    

Inspiration

I know right know there was a collective Huh? among the bloggerdom.

Inspiration is a very fluid word and means very different things for very different people.
What inspires you? An athlete, your parent, your faith? I have a little story to tell you..

Way back when in art school... ::Entering dream sequence-insert chime music::

I now sit back on my rocking chair, roaring fire in the background with large golden retriever at my feet looking on at me basking in my sheer wisdom...well more like I'm typing at my desk at work at the one quiet time I have here) ...sorry back to art school, YES art school we had a class on how to make sketchbooks-this time I'm really not kidding-there were many who were miffed at the fact that they dropped a grand and a half to pay someone how to tell them to cut up paper and stick it in a book.

But I took advantage of this ridiculous excuse for college credit. Not only did I stick cut up pieces of paper in a book, I glued them down, burned them up ( I only set of the fire alarm that one time), sprayed them down and found things in the street to stick in my book too.


Fabric
Pins
Sticks
Leaves
Pictures from mags and that I took
The one random POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS tape that I found on my block (although in hindsight not a good idea to pick that one up so easily)


It's not only what inspires you, but what you do with your inspiration.

So I know you all are wondering what this has to do with anything?

Well generally in fashion you need an inspiration to make a collection. So what inspires me now?

Honestly, I'm not quite sure. It can be one picture, a color, five colors and I'll ride that horse until its dead. There will be a texture that I feel, some yarn that I see and I'll keep going off of that until something shinier comes along (kidding). So now I know all of you are wondering what this means for QVQ? I know it means there will be heather grey, burnt orange, mauve, eggplant purple and a hint of line green involved. It all makes sense in my head

You will just have to wait and see what comes out.

Peace

QVQ