Sunday stuff

Well, I promised pictures of the outfit I bought yesterday, so here they are!

The colors are so great! I think I may do shorts out of the skirt (because how awesomely 80s would high-waisted, pleated floral shorts be?!!), and then cut the top apart and use the bottom half of it to make a tank dress. Sort of like this:

But with buttons down the front, and shorter, since I'll be using shirt remnants. And a black shirt. Anyway, you get the idea.

And this is a sneak peek of the other project I'm hoping to get done this week! It's something Josh asked me to make for him. I'll elaborate more once it's done. (In other words, I'm not 100% sure of how I'm going to pull it off, but I'm determined.)

and just for good measure, here's a picture of Belle making a crazy face. She gets ridiculous when I have a camera. Such a vain little cat.

Anyway, not much else to report. Today we stayed home, did our kettle bell workout outside, then came in and watched the Super Bowl. Oh we did make a midnight (or 2 am, whatever) run to walmart. I had some money left on my gift card, and I needed chap stick...so of course I also got new eyeliner and mascara. I had to use up all the money! I got a really awesome three eyeliner pack from Physicians Formula - black, dark grey, and silver. They're sparkly and awesome.The end.

Weekend pt 1

We finally made it to Restore to donate all those old clothes! The guest bed is empty (and clean!), and I am slowly getting everything else in order back there. Unfortunately, as I'm sure you've all guessed, I couldn't just drop stuff off without a little walk-through...which led to buying something. I found this really awesome two-piece outfit...it's a long skirt and a button down shirt, but I'm thinking of putting it altogether and making a romper...or just making shorts out of the skirt, and making the top sleeveless. I don't know yet, it's very exciting. The fabric is gorgeous, it's black with big blue, green, pink, and orange flowers and leaves on it. I'm in the process of washing it right now, so I'll take a picture tomorrow.

Yesterday we went out because Josh and I both kind of felt like going somewhere, but neither of us had any idea of where to go, so we ended up at TJ Maxx. I found this really awesome aromatherapy set, and the smell reminded me of this lotion I used to have from Victoria's Secret, so today after Restore we stopped at the mall and got some of that. (Very proud of myself for going in through Dillard's but not getting distracted!)

Oh, remember how I couldn't resist that Marc Jacobs watch the other day? Well, last night I was might have ordered a bracelet so it wouldn't be lonely on my arm. I can't help it, everything Marc Jacobs does is perfection. Anyway, I told Josh that those two things can be my Valentine's Day gift. Mostly just so I'd have an excuse for having bought them, we normally don't celebrate Valentine's Day.

I discovered the magic of cooking with quinoa this past week. I made some with apples and cinnamon for breakfast the other day, and tonight I made fajitas and replaced the rice with quinoa cooked just like Mexican rice...so good! (I found both of those on Pinterest.)

Well, it's kind of early for me, we slept till 2:30 today (isn't it awful? I wish I could flip my schedule back to normal.) so I'll be up for a while, and I really want to go empty my cabinet space under the counter, and toss all the food that's expired or we're not planning on eating. I'll try to get the craft room clean, too, I have a project that needs to get done pretty soon so I really want to get stuff organized in there so I can get it done!

Here's a picture of an awesome car we spotted while on the way to Restore today. (It's a 1961 Studebaker Hawk, if you're curious.)

Lucky inspired

Yesterday I was sitting in my craft room, flipping through my newest issue of Lucky, when I saw a skirt that really got my attention - not necessarily because it is an awesome skirt (although it is) and not even because I have a Marc Jacobs weakness; what initially crossed my mind when I saw it was, "Hey, I have that in shirt form!"

Of course upon closer inspection it isn't an exact match, but it is close enough that it inspired me to dig the shirt out of the back of my closet and start thinking about doing something different with it for spring. I actually found it in a thrift store a few years ago, and due to a complete inability to pass up anything that looks like it came out of the 80s unscathed, I bought it. I wore it a few times, but it's too big and really unflattering. So it has been sitting in my closet just waiting for an opportunity like this to come along.

I might make it into a skirt, or I might do something else with it, and it will definitely be a few weeks before I actually do anything, but I'm really just glad to have something to focus on other than hats and sweaters! Hopefully I'll figure something out by the time it starts to warm up around here.

(The shirt actually comes across a bit more pink in real life than it does in the picture, but you should still be able to figure out why they reminded me of each other.)

Skirt reveal!

Ok, so I know I mentioned that I had finished making this skirt, but what I didn't mention was that it is, truly, the best skirt I have ever made. Hands down. It took a few days, partially because I was sick and partially because I work better if I stretch things out, and take plenty of breaks. It was constructed from part of a skirt I bought at restore that was...odd, and part of a lace shirt. I say I made it because even though I used pieces from things that were already made, I actually deconstructed them completely, and started fresh using already cut pieces of fabric. I initially put the lace in to make the skirt a little longer, but it came out really nice (or so I think) and looks like a classy yet sexy skirt. I'm extremely pleased.

Close-up of the lace detail

Pretty good, eh? I'm insanely proud. Can't wait until I'm completely well and have a chance to wear it out!

Now I'm working on a shirt for my mom...no pictures yet because so far I've only done the alterations on the shirt itself (an XL I had bought for myself but never wore because it was too short)...my mom is tiny but pear shaped, so I took it in under the arms and at the top so it wouldn't hang off her shoulders, but left the bottom alone so it will be comfortable. Anyway, that's all I've done so far, but I'm going to put a (burlap) Christmas tree on it and then decorate it with ribbon and pearls. It'll be cute! Hopefully I'll get that done by the end of the week.

I've also been toying with the idea of making a night-gown for myself, based on one I already have and love, but can't figure out what kind of fabric I'd want to use. Hmm.

31 Days Series: Halloween costumes

Halloween costumes!!

As much as I looove Halloween, I've really been slacking the past few years. Two years ago I threw a pumpkin carving party a couple of weeks before Halloween, and was still recovering from that on Halloween. Last year we had just moved here two weeks before Halloween, and were still in the process of unpacking, getting settled, and we really didn't have any idea of what to do. But this year I am determined to do something, even if it's just dressing up so that I don't look crazy (or creepy) when I go walk around downtown and take pictures of everyone else in their costumes.

I chose my fairy tale (Little Red Riding Hood) and assigned parts. Obviously I was going to be Little Red Riding Hood, and it was easiest to give Josh the part of the huntsman who saves me (and granny), which left Orion to play the part of the wolf dressed as granny.

At Re-store I collected the pieces for our various costumes: a plaid flannel shirt for Josh, a night gown, scarf, and granny glasses for Orion, and a red circle skirt (to be converted to a cape) for me. I didn't really want to make everything from scratch, so I bought basic stuff that could be easily altered to fit our needs. I think Orion's costume ended up needed the most alteration (Duh, I guess, I did buy people clothes to dress a dog as a wolf dressing as a granny.)

(As usual, these photos were taken over the span of like 24 hours, so the lighting is pretty random. Sorry!)

Ok. Here's the breakdown. For our wolfy-granny I started with a long pink nightgown. I tried it on him, then cut off approximately ten inches. Then, I cut a huge, upside down V out of the front (don't want him peeing on it!) I didn't want to hem anything up so I just stitched a piece of pink lace across the bottom. (I just happened to have a piece the perfect length. It was fate!) Next I had to work on the neck. It was a little tight across his back so I cut another V out of the top. Then I pulled out so that it was straight across, and used a piece of fabric from the bottom to make a matching ruffle to fill in the gap.

His accessories were much easier. For the glasses I simply attached a cheap pearl necklace to them, then put a dot of hot glue on each end to keep the chain from sliding around. I made 'wolf ears' out of some black furry fabric and brown suede. I stuck a few pieces of jewelry wire inside them (after sewing them) to keep them standing up, then I hot glued them to the top of his scarf. Easy peasy.
Here's his whole outfit.

Mine was actually much more simple. I took a circle skirt I'd found at Re-store, and cut off the elastic waistband. Next, I cut it open, right up the middle. (I guess. I didn't measure.) I folded the top down and stitched it closed. (For whatever reason, I apparently took no pictures during any of this.) Then, I took a red t-shirt (same color, same fabric) and cut a hood out of it. (I cut it out of the bottom and the side so I only had to sew one seam.) Then I attached that to the inside of the cape. I strung a piece of ribbon through the top of the cape, but I kind of like it better with a broach instead.

I'm like 90% sure of what I'm going to wear under my cape tomorrow, but I am really going to have to wait and see what the weather is going to be like. Anyway, we'll be heading downtown to walk around and gawk at other people, and take pictures so hopefully I can get someone to take one of us at some point and then you can see a (well lit!!) picture of us all in costume. :)

31 Days Series: Skirt

Ok. Today I made a skirt. This is not a tutorial, by any means, just a quick explanation of what I wanted to do, what I actually did, and the end result. (Which, amazingly, came out better than expected.)

I started with this little inspiration picture and these two fabrics:

Remember the other day, when I was cutting things out of Lucky? Well that's where I saw that skirt. And when I picked up that crazy velvety, 70s-esque fabric, I knew that's what I had to make with it! (And just for the record, this was also made with fabrics I already had on hand. I need to get through them before I can start buying any new stuff...and I have a lot to get through.)

I cut 5 pieces of fabric: the front piece out of the gray-green soft stuff, two back pieces, and then two more back pieces out of the paisley for the inside. I just kind of eye-balled the front, and then made one back piece and used it to trace the other. I can't sew with patterns, never learned how, but I managed to inherit a real knack for making things up as I go along and it working out in my favor. (Apparently I'm taking back what I said about paisley.) Actually it just happened to match perfectly, and besides you don't really see much of it.

I used my trusty heat-bond to attach the paisley to the inside of the back pieces of the skirt

and then put it all together. It was harder than I thought it would be working with the larger pieces after they had been heat-bonded together. They were kind of stiff, but not too bad. I still sewed them altogether and then hemmed it up just fine, but I do kind of hope that it softens up a little after a couple of washes. If not, no big deal, you can't really tell when I'm wearing it or anything. :)

(Apologies for the lighting in the 'final' pictures, the sun had already gone down by the time I finished this.)

I ended up going with a rounded edge on the front piece rather than straight across. I think it adds a bit more 'today' feel, rather than something straight out of 1976. Finished product:

I'm pretty proud of this too, it's the first skirt I've ever put together that was more than just two pieces or an alteration of something else. Hooray for progress!

(See a list of the other 30 days in this series here.)