The Birthday Dress

I took the above photos yesterday, thinking I'd sell the vintage dress in my etsy shop. I bought it off the rack in the late '80's when I could still wear size 20. The styles in the Kansai were quite similar then, so I was glad to wear it there. Kansas styles, in my size, seldom paralleled the high fashion in Japan.

Then, I outgrew it. But for the last five years or so I'd put it on for my birthday. I figured if the buttons still closed decently, things weren't too bad. This year I looked in the mirror carefully and said," Patti, give it up."

So it was going into the shop. I considered what to charge. The price in my head kept going up. It's in such good condition, and washes so nicely. The price in my head went up some more. I finally realized that I just don't want to give up that dress. It's like admitting I'll never get smaller. I won't even talk about losing weight. When I bought it, I weighed about what I weigh now. I've just expanded. In some areas.

So I did aerobics in the gym for 55 min. today instead of twenty, and increased my reps in weight training. We'll see. I have ten months until my next birthday. (Disclaimer: talk to your exercise or health professional before increasing your exercise level.)

As others have said, Ebay is a bad, bad place. I had purchased a couple of patterns there, happily, but I over-reached my budget when buying fabric this last week. If I'd just waited... Today I went thrifting, and found six yards of fashion fabric, in one of my colors for, ah, well, a lot less than I could have bought it online. I may make a second dress from it, to sell on etsy, and vow to pass on the savings.

In more important topics, I have recently been invited to join Ruebee, a Christian crafters group. I think we all sell on etsy. I'm overwhelmed by the number of women I'm meeting with such beautiful testimonies of God's love and salvation.

Not to be silly, just exuberant, YAY GOD!