Estes Park & Lily Lake

In the above photo I am thinking "it's about to rain isn't it?" and then as soon as we got back in the car it did just that! This week my mom and I decided to venture into the nearby Rocky Mountains for a bit of a scenic day out. We headed to Estes Park, a little town in the mountains with more taffy and ice cream shops than any one tiny town needs! Estes is perhaps most known for The Stanley Hotel, one of the most "haunted" hotels in the US, and the inspiration for the Overlook hotel in Stephen King's The Shinning. Though the film wasn't made at The Stanley, King himself shot a Shinning miniseries at the hotel. I am not one for scary movies, so I have actually never seen/read The Shinning...but the hotel itself was pretty! See the last photo below for a shot in front of the hotel.

I wore a rather lady-park-ranger outfit for a day in the mountains, pairing my army green pencil skirt with a new tan blouse! I made this blouse in a flurry of activity on Tuesday night, though I still haven't mastered how to actually sew a shawl collar. The bit at the shoulder alludes me, I am sure it is much less complex than I am making it! This fabric was a dream to work with, I think it is a rayon blend of some kind and feels super soft and comfortable to wear. I am super pleased with how the sleeves came out too, with the cute little cuff! I still have a few more blouses I want to make this summer and a few more tweaks to make to my basic pattern.

I hope you guys are having a lovely week, I'm heading back to my sewing room for another day of creating!

Skirt: Made by me
Blouse: Made by me
Shoes: Nine West
Earrings: Etsy (here)
Necklace: Gift shop at Heaver Castle in England