IMBOLC FASHION: MINTY TUNIC

  This tunic came out of vanity, I admit. I saw the gorgeous mint green fabric in the store and just had to buy it. No excuses.
  It is inspired by the rare glimpse of naturally occurring mint-colored ice in nature around Imbolc. So beautiful...

  And here´s what I did with it:

I shortened my new favorite dress pattern, so it barely covers my butt, to turn it into a tunic. So this is a prototype, but it worked well at first shot. Yes! I´ve developed a liking to striped pants and leggings lately. They kind of give a more casual taste to outfits, just like jeans do. I like to think of this outfit as ageless. Meaning I could imagine women of all ages to wear something like this with style and grace, celebrating theirselves. 20´s, 40´s and even 70´s (if posture is still relatively normal). Don´t you?

Here again, I accentuate the color of the garment with matching eyeshadow. Light mint green on the inner lid and dark grey on the outer. I even happened to have minty aromatherapy bow earrings to match. Now this might be too much of the same color, if I did this all the time. But playing like this every now and then is perfectly fine, not to mention fun!

  You see, I just had to buy the fabric!  =)

IMBOLC FASHION: LIGHT BLUE DRESS (PERFECTED)

  The curse of being a perfectionist is, that while generally pleased with how things lay in life, you constantly keep looking for ways to make everything even better.
  That´s what I did with this dress.

Originally I made this look last year. But now I´ve fallen in love with this dress pattern, and rank it way higher than the one I used last time, how could I resist? Luckily they still had the same exact fabric left at the store. =) The fabric is rather thick, so it doesn´t drape as well as most. But apparently in this particular shape it actually does the look right, resembling more of a cartoon caracter´s dress (like the one in a beautiful film Arrietty).

I simply love an hourglass figure on women, because it is the feature that separates us from men.(To be honest, I´m surprised mine recovered this well from two pregnancies with enormous stomach. I`m not one of those ladies who get a "cute little bump". Even my own mother felt bad for me, saying that a belly that big must hurt! But gladly it did not.) Sadly a show-off waistline has not been fashionable, in street wear at least, for over ten years. But who cares, I do what pleases my aesthetic eye! And that´s what  I encourage everyone to do. A great motto I learned long ago, that applies to so many things, is: "It´s not right, it´s not wrong. It´s different."

Can you guess where the colors of this look are drawn from? Yes, those beautiful sunny Imbolc days with baby blue sky and shimmering white snow covering the ground.

I like to match makeup with clothes. To this look I used baby blue eye shadow on the inner lid, and shimmering dark grey on the outer. Must be careful not to overdo with repeating the same color, and giving thought on the overall appearance staying sleek. Because the blue eye shadow is so dominant, I kept everything else nude. Beige blush and clear lipgloss.

   Music is an important factor for me when sewing and creating overall. While making this dress I listened happy Japanese anime music. I like all sorts of musical genres, variety is the key.

AROMATHERAPY NECKLACE

  I have been asked a lot about aromatherapy jewelry for those who do not have their ears pierced. Well, here is the solution: aromatherapy necklace!

Now available on Nelland Boutique!

  It took a lot of research to find the proper type of pendant, because I want all my jewelry to be first and foremost be safe to wear. Essential oils are so strong, that I do not want to risk their contact with the skin.
  This pendant is solid in the back, so it will not leak any oil when in touch with clothing or the skin. The front is abundantly cut open for the oil to evaporate through, while still protecting clothes from staining.
  I fixed the pendant to the middle of the chain, so that it always stays in place, keeping the lock in it´s place in the neck as well.

  I welcome this new type of aromatherapy jewelry to my collection with open arms! On days when I want to wear teeny tiny stud earrings (on which it is impossible to add essential oil), I can now boost my being with aromatherapy via my new necklace! Cool!

  Check out more on Nelland Boutique on Etsy!

FREEDOM FASHION: THE WHITE TEE

  A white t-shirt is as basic as a shirt can get, and a staple in any garderobe. Here´s my version of it, the long-sleeved way.

Worn casually with a pair of jeans, this look is a classic. What it does best is showcase the bearer´s own characteristics, by being so plain itself. I go with a super natural look with minimal makeup and accessories.

Couldn´t help adding a small twist to it... =)

The right side seam is longer than the left, and is then pulled together with a strip of elastic band, stretching the band while sewing.

The wrinkling effect goes around the waistline giving detail to the back too.

To maximize the glowing light effect of the bright white fabric, I wear minimal makeup with this shirt. Only off-white matte eyeshadow on the inner corner of the moving eyelids, a little mascara, and clear lipgloss.

Here´s the reason why I never wear bright white at home...  =)

  A classic white t-shirt, especially when fitted rather tightly, is an eternal fountain of youth. It simply looks fresh and energetic, and makes a timeless pretty staple. Me like!

FREEDOM FASHION: ZEBRA DRESS

  I wanted a black ´n white dress with print. That´s all the plan I had when heading for the fabric store. I found this unusual but subtle zebra cotton knit fabric, that I fell in love with right away. For once shopping was easy!

The texture is quite rough, but the fabric still feels comfortable to the skin and breathes so well.

I surprised myself by choosing to make a dress of the zebra print, because at a first glance it calls for a shirt. When accessorized minimally, the look stays casual yet interesting.

This outfit is a great place to wear my new MBT walking shoes (yes, I know they were a hit ten years ago, but to me they still rock  =), which also dress it down.

Instead of being cut on a straight fold, the center back seam sculpts the figure slightly. The weather is still mostly cool here (I´m even wearing my winter coat still), so I made the sleeves in 3/4 length to keep me warm enough.

With natural makeup and a pair of sleek earrings, this look makes a great staple for work. 

  Two funny occasions took place today, when wearing this dress.
  First at work a colleague of mine came up to me complementing my dress, and telling me she has made a sweater for herself of the exact same fabric! I mean, what are the odds to that?
  And then second, after work shopping for groceries, an elderly gentleman came to talk to me, calling me a princess, and telling me how I looked prettier than the newly selected Miss Finland... What a joke, but we both got a good laugh and he made my day. By no means do I think of him as a perverted weirdo, who ought to go where the sun does not shine. Just the opposite! It´s awesome how he spread a positive and playful tune around him. We need not be so serious all the time, even with strangers!

FREEDOM FASHION: DARK BLUE PRINT DRESS

  Wow, it´s been a while since I´ve sewn for my Freedom Collection, but it is still alive and kicking!

  This dress is brand new, and I even wore it to work yesterday, on my very first day back after maternity leave.

The fabric is super comfortable and quite stretchy viscose-like material that drapes well. The pattern I used to make the dress is the same I used for the light blue one for Imbolc, but now I added an inch wide elastic band to the waist for some definition.

The print is so dominating that the outfit does not need further accessories. The shoes give it a more sporty and relaxed touch.

Makeup is natural and fresh. Matte off-white and medium grey eyeshadow, warm pink blush, and sheer nude beige lipgloss polish off the look.

  Funny thing is that while my Freedom Collection was initially designed for off-duty days, now I strongly felt like wearing this dress to work. Perhaps it is out of humbleness. When I was a kid, we moved a lot, from one city to the next. When I was nine, I went to three different schools, all in different places. It was tough, but it taught me an invaluable lesson of what it feels like to be an outsider, the new kid. And back then I learned it´s best to cultivate some humbleness in the beginning. You know, sort of check out the mood and situation of the place before really letting myself loose. Like they say "you gotta know the rules before you can break them".

OSTARA EARRINGS

  These are the latest additions to the selection of my aromatherapy earrings. Designed and hand made by me, of pure wool, metal and glass, these earrings upgrade any look with a touch of sophistication. Pastel colors suit Ostara/spring perfectly, while white and blue suit any season.

  
  All available online on NellandBoutique, only 20 euro/pair (including shipping + handling worldwide).
  Needless to say, a pair of aromatherapy earrings make an excellent and unique gift idea!

IMBOLC FASHION: FAERY TUNIC

  Here´s the second outfit for my Nelland Faery collection at Imbolc:

A baby-blue velour tunic. Clean, sleek lines to keep it modern, accessorized with glass bead necklaces.

The tunic is loosely cut, but not a tent. I combined it with black & white small-checkered pants.

Makeup is very natural and youthful. Eyeshadow is light grey, blush warm shimmery pink, and lipgloss glittery clear.

  This tunic is unbelievably comfortable to wear, and the warmth of the fabric enabled the 3/4 sleeves despite of the cold season.

  I feel light and safe wearing the outfit, almost like a real-world faery!  =)

CELEBRATE WINTER WITH COOL SNOWFLAKE EARRINGS

  Proud to present to you, the newest aromatherapy earrings! Enjoy and embrace the season in a new and beautiful way, and most of all, enjoy life.

These cute metal snowflakes are adorned with tiny "snowballs" (a.k.a. pearls  =). They complete your everyday look perfectly, making you hip and tuned in with the season. Classic snowflakes are easy to combine with anything, from jeans to blazers. 

For more festive occasions go these bigger and fancier earrings. Rhinestones glisten along with nature´s authentic snowflakes, making the bearer a sophisticated, but fun, classy beauty. Perfect for evening wear, and they go with any colored clothing!

  Add peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil on these earrings, and you feel as cool as you look!

  Both earrings are available on my online shop Nelland Boutique for 20/22e (incl. shipping & handling).

NELLAND FAERY - NEW MINI COLLECTION

  My artistic, sabbat based, fashion collection is my way to let loose my creativity in one way. The clothes are unique and quite bold for the everyday work wear. I love every single outfit, forty all together, and I feel great wearing them. But they all require certain levels of energy to carry. They stand out from the crowd, and draw attention. Mostly that´s all nice and fun, but sometimes it feels comfortable to blend more in.

  For those occasions, I now begin to build a whole new mini-collection, which is also based on the wheel-of-the-year and it´s sabbats, but with only two outfits per season.
  I call it Nelland Faery.
  The idea is to wear more ordinary, but cool and neat, clothes that will go for any occasion. The key words to describe this new garderobe could be: fresh, girly, fun, and ethereal.
  For years I´ve dreamed of slipping in one faery-like outfit to every sabbat´s collection, but failed to do so because of my such strong visions of the looks each sabbat represents. So here´s my chance to express this more feminine and frail side of me, in form of faery-like everyday clothes.

  Here is the first ever outfit from my new Nelland Faery- collection:

An ordinary-shaped t-shirt with pants (not jeans). No gimmicks, nothing extraordinary, but neat enough to go anywhere in. The base is then accessorized rather heavily, with mostly matching-colored, jewelry to give it "faery dust". I just love using these terms here! How about that, an outfit sprinkled with faery dust?! Cool, girly, and fun.

Making a slight statement by writing "imbolc" at the chest... Pagan fashion is really hard to find anywhere, and often my searches lead to black cloaks and witches´ hats. Nobody wears that for real! Luckily I´ve learned to make my own clothes to express my own personal beliefs and style.

Makeup is very light and natural. Apart from my artistic collection, in Faery fashion makeup does not repeat the colors of the clothes. Here I wear natural shades to enhance me, not the clothes. Both styles are great, but I want to create a difference between the two collections, and it is fun to do this too. So here I wear grey eyeshadow, warm pink blush, and pink lip gloss. Also I left the eyebrows undefined, to achieve a lighter and more fresh look.

   Although I find this outfit and style rather young, I wish to have the guts to wear it in my fifties, sixties, and beyond (okay, perhaps this particular shirt may have worn out by then, but a new, similar one that is). I see no reason why an older woman could not wear this now. Heck, if I saw a senior citizen in this outfit now, I´d find her more stylish than myself in it! Age is no reason to let go of pretty! We are all gorgeous in our own way, and have stunning features we ought to accentuate and be proud of!
 

IMBOLC FASHION: SNOWFLAKES

  When I pulled out my Imbolc garderobe last week, I noticed, for my own surprise, that it was one outfit short. A slight setback, since I thought I had covered it all last year. Oh well, now I got to let my imagination fly again, and here´s the result:

A loose-fitting, light blue stretch jersey dress. I see Imbolc mainly in light blue and grey, so this outfit nails the essence of it, snowflakes and all.

These snowflakes I made three years ago, when expecting our daughter. Back then I still had the time and peace to work on something as time consuming and detailed as these. They are just right for this freezing wintery weather, turning cold into beauty. The dress fabric is quite thick and up close actually looks a bit like quilt material. =)

For once the makeup is showing! I repeated the cool light blue in my eyeshadow, binding the whole look together. Besides the eyeshadow the makeup is very natural. Only nude tones are used on the face, light beige on the cheeks and clear glittery gloss on the lips.

  It was a lot of fun creating and making this outfit. Now I´m kinda glad I was one outfit short!  =)

YULE FASHION COLLECTION

  Although Christmas seems long gone, in my calendar Yule time extends all the way from early December through mid-January.
  Now Imbolc is approaching and it is time to sum up my Yule wardrobe. It´s all done and completed now, and instead of the usual five outfits, there are seven in this collection. Christmas and New Year both fall in Yule period, and they both have strong individual styles. So I made a couple of outfits just for Christmas and just for New Year.

This first outfit, St Lucy, can be worn all through Yule. It is merely wintery, not Christmasy.

The applique in the shirt is so rich, that only a pair of aromatherapy earrings is needed to complete the look.

Sheepskin tunic is also appropriate all Yule long. (I wear it with dark grey leggings, but I did not include them in the picture because I have not made them myself but are store-bought.)

Only tiny golden earrings are needed for this surprisingly masculine outfit.

The third outfit, Cottage look, is also wearable all through Yule.

This year I added new earrings for variety.

  The previous three outfits make the base of my artistic Yule fashion collection. In addition, here are the rest, which take turns. First two are for setting Christmas mood:

Gingerbread dress.

To my own surprise, The Elf outfit is the only one that celebrates the most obvious Christmas color, red.

This Yule I made new aromatherapy earrings to match the necklace, which I also remodeled this December. Live and learn. Perfectionism keeps one going. =)

The Fireworks outfit is for post-Christmas, when it feels like I´m ready for New Year´s mood.

All new diy jewelry this year.

Ball Drop in NYC is the other outfit for post-Christmas Yule time.

  I´m so happy to have completed this Yule collection! It´s an amazing feeling to know that I now have a fully working wardrobe for work, all year round!