Accessories Make the Difference

Simplicity 2409 in dress length

After exercise this morning I had a meeting to attend and am wearing this denim tencel dress that I made from Simplicity 2409, a pattern for a top that I merely lengthened maybe 24" or so.  I seem to get compliments whenever I wear this dress but it appears to me to be rather plain and boring on its own.  However those simple lines and a neutral color do mean that I get to have fun with the accessories.  This is a goldtone Chicos necklace and those are a pair of my favorite Naturalizer shoes.  
Mayland had a record hot summer in 2010 which is what inspired me to make a dress that would touch the least number of body parts.  The tencel is lovely to wear since it has some of that cool breathable rayon factor.  I may revisit this pattern and try the cowl neckline this summer.  


Speaking of hot summers, last night we had another strong storm come through late in the evening.  Our older dog, Sam the basenji, has become very nervous during storm in the last year.  In the previous eleven years they didn't bother him a bit but now he gets up, paces, tries to find a safe place to lay down.  Our second to last night in FL he went down the hall during a big storm and peed in the guest room, something he's never ever done.  Last night I was reading while the storm swept through and he finally settled next to me on the floor but was trembling most of the time.  (Lucky the rescue dog was in his crate and must feel safe there, as he should.)  I know enough not to "comfort" him in any way and I'm not nervous about storms but I would like to figure out a way to change his reactions.  Today Sam can't eat because his stomach is still upset.  He always hated, hated, hated the crate when we used it initially 12 years ago but looks like I might consider getting one and putting him in it if we leave for an evening and there's a summer storm in the forecast.  Maybe hating the crate will annoy him enough to get over his fear!


As a matter of fact, I just recalled that I posted this picture of Sam during a storm last year when Lucky was crouched under a sewing machine cabinet to be safe.  Do you think maybe this is a sign of some mental changes now that Sam is 13 1/2 years old?  Poor guy, getting old isn't always the easiest thing to do gracefully.

Slept right through a storm in 2011 without a whimper