Project: Coffee Date Dress

Here it is!  My Coffee Date Dress is made out of a $1 thrift store dress, a Pierre Cardin if you must know.  It was made of a denimy, twill 100% cotton thing.

I made a muslin of the bodice before I cut into my good fabric, I brought down the bust darts slightly and took in the waist, but I didn't take it in enough! It took some finagling to get the buttons to work in the front and I had to make a faux princess seam to accommodate them. 

I think that I will need to take in the waist a little.  I also think that it is a little long, but my boyfriend says he likes it.

Clipping in the extra ease.

All in all I'm generally pleased with the way this dress came out.  I will need to take it in slightly, otherwise I will need to keep it clipped in the back like a mannequin. I would definitely use the pattern again, with some additional modifications and will probably use a more flattering/less skin-like color!

Recipe: Oatmeal, a meal of oats!

Lately I've been an instant oatmeal fiend.  I get up too early to be hungry before I go to work, so it's not until an hour or two into work that I get the grumblies in my tumblies.  Instant oatmeal is a good quick meal because the only cooking device I have on my floor is hot water, the microwave is upstairs, and the sink is downstairs, this place was not built for convenience.

My mom gifted me a giant bag of packets, but when that's gone I'm thinking about making my own.  I like the fruity kinds and it would be fun to customize my own flavors! Wouldn't a Craisin one be delicious? Yum.

Here are a few links to get you started!

Money Saving Mom

Dollar Stretcher

Tammy's Recipes

I'm on ETSY!

I opened my etsy store today! Super exciting, I've been meaning to do this for a long time.  Follow the link on the right side of my page to see my cuties for sale!

In other news, I finished my coffee date dress yesterday.  I made it out of a thrift store dress which made the experience even more challenging.  Even though I made a muslin I still had some fitting issues with the back neckline gaping and with the waistline being too big even though I took it in significantly.  Enough blabbing, you'll see it when I post pics tomorrow!

Crochet Cactuses

These are so cute, (and real-looking!)

Catzilla Crafts

Catzilla Crafts

Crochet Jardim

Crochet Jardim

Craft Day!

Last night my friend and I had a craft night get together.  Although not everything went as planned, especially a certain project that required purple paint, which had dried up into a jell-o-ey chunk in the can, we still had a lot of fun.  We both made some pretty fabric flowers inspired by the Flower Pin Post I made last week.

Here are the flower hair pins I made and some highlights from the night, including a pretty awesome purple flower pin and my Valentine's roses that got some florist-style fancification from my friend!

Recipe: Psychedelic Spring Soup

The weather here in Wisconsin has been spring-like this week and so I wanted to eat something lighter, greener, springier than my um-teenth bowl of chili.  I found this neat recipe from My New Roots called Psychedelic Spring Soup.  It looked so cool I had to try!

The original recipe is vegan and since I am not, and live in a small town with a small supermarket, I didn't have some of the more unusual ingredients on hand and couldn't find them at the store.  I made some substitutions that I think will make this pretty easy for any one to make.

Project: Bouncing Belly Button

Backstory: When I was little I had a little toy mouse that I got in a gumball machine, you know the ones that you out a quarter in, turn the crank, and a little plastic capsule comes out? (Back in my day, you actually got good stuff from those.) Anyway, he was a little gray mouse with black ears, and a black string tail, but he had no legs! That's why I named him "Bouncing Belly-button" because that was the only way he could get around.  I loved him for a long time, he was the perfect size to fit in your pocket or hold in your hand, but one day he got lost at my grandpa's house and I never saw him again...

This little mouse is based on my memory of BBB. He's all handsewn and works up in about one episode of Burn Notice (I know this from experience).  He's super fun for humans to play with but I bet if he was a little smaller cats would love to play with him too! (p.s. his name is Mr. Sniffles)  He's got no tail at the moment because I didn't have anything suitable in my craft room!

So whatddya think?  Would you want the pattern for this little guy?  Would you make one?

Links: Cute Flower Pin Tutorials

I think someone should whip up a couple dozen of these and mail them to me. Just sayin'...

Made By Lex

Jones Design Company

My Milk Glass Heart

Project Wedding

Life is a Party

Suzie Harris Blog

Mama Monster

Simply Step Back

Dollar Store Crafts

Make it and Love it

The Stir - Café Mom - Buttons Magee

Remember to make a couple extra for me!!!

Day 8: More is More

Today is blazer day in blogland.  I decided to mix together as much stuff as possible and hope for the best.  I think it turned out alright except I had to take off that necklace at lunch, the thing weighs a ton and was aggravating this headache that's been lingering for 3 days!

giggling at the photographer is a must if it's your boyfriend.

p.s. I know I haven't been posting all my outfits, but I have been keeping with the rules. Hopefully I'll be doing a recap of the outfits I missed soon.

[[Scarf (H&M London, £8?), Vintage Necklace (Estate Sale, gift), Black Blazer (Old Navy $4), Wave Stripe Tee (Forever 21 $15), Striped Skinnies (H&M London, £15), Woven Leather Belt (Thrifted, $1)]]

Project: Baby Octopus!

This little guys is based on the same pattern as Toofis, except he is sized down to somewhere around 85% making him just a little baby.  I'm also working on a 75% micro-baby as well.  If all goes to plan I'm going to have this little fellow up for adoption in my etsy shop soon. 

I'm definitely learning as I go with these projects.  I printed some tags to put on the octopuses rear-ends with my name on it, but unfortunately I found out AFTER I sewed them on that they aren't water-proof and will bleed and disappear if wetted (I don't think that they would damage the plushie at all, it will just get impossible to read since the ink washes out!).  I think that they are ok for the ones that I put them on, but the NEW plan is to get some iron-on transfer paper to use instead.

Anyway, enough of my rambling!

Species: Octopus cyanea
Common Name: 'Day Octopus' or 'Cyane's Octopus'
Nickname: Lil' Blue

Lil' Blue is just a baby now, but he has big dreams.  He practices his singing everyday, which sounds a lot like high-pitched squeaking now, but he hopes that when he grows up he can be the bassist and lead singer in his own metal band called "The Kraken." Until then he'll play tambourine and sing along to "Octopus's Garden" when it comes on the radio.

Materials: Felt, Anti-pill fleece, Cotton print, Polyfil
Hand and Machine Sewn with LOVE.

Top 3 FREE things that EVERY DIY-er should own

I am a fan/follower of Grosgrain and lately she has been doing a series on her blog about the top 10 big-ticket items every DIY-er should own.  So far she has listed a sewing machine, a d-SLR camera, and Photoshop, together costing thousands of dollars, and we are only on day 3.  I am sure that punctuating this list of expensive "must-haves" will be the Sizzix cutting machine that she has been whoring out featuring on her blog lately.  p.s. If you are looking for a cheaper Photoshop alternative, download GIMP, its a free, open-source photo editing program.  You can also download Inkscape, which is a free vector editing program, comparable to Adobe Illustrator. I didn't have any Adobe programs until only a few months ago and these free versions worked just fine!

I understand that these items are "big-ticket" and therefore will be expensive, but I disagree with Grosgrain's approach them that every DIY-er should own them.  I think that these are GREAT items for any DIY-er to own, and many of us probably aspire to them own someday, but just because you can't afford a $2,000 camera and a $700 computer program you shouldn't feel like you can't DIY something and be proud about it and have a professional result. So, in response to Grosgrain's list, I wanted to post my own.

1) Imagination

The best thing you can do when you DIY is to get creative. Get creative with finding materials, think of new ways to use things you already have.  Have a vision of what you could do with a dingy, scratched up table you find for a few bucks at the thrift store.  Imagine what you could do with a box of old scraps you have in your craft room.  Think of a clever way to photograph your finished project using your cheap digital camera, an old sheet as a drop cloth, and a desk lamp as your lights. The whole point of being a DIY-er is doing things your own way, not spending a ton of money because someone says you HAVE to have something.  If I have to spend a ton of money to have something I might as well just buy it in a store and save myself some trouble.

2) Motivation

This is a little harder than imagination.  Now that you have a great idea you actually have to follow through.  I've been struggling with this one lately, I've been wanting to make some plush to put in my etsy store for FOREVER, but it always seems to get pushed to back of my to-do list.  To do anything that you're really going to be proud of, you actually have to DO it, I guess that's my point!

3) Good Attitude

Lastly, you need to have a good attitude and a sense of humor when it comes to your projects.  Lots of times you'll have a great idea and the ambition to go through with it, but it won't turn out as you expected.  You're going to get disappointed.  But rather than forget about your crafting/sewing/cooking/creating days, analyze your project.  Try to find what went wrong, what could be done to make it better.  Everything has a learning curve, but once you keep practicing something you'll get better and better at it.  OR you can take a step back, look at your project and say, "Hey, it didn't turn out exactly how I wanted, but I'm still proud of doing it all myself!" and just be HAPPY!

Anyway, I didn't mean this as a big pep-talk, but I don't think that we should feel like we are second class DIY-ers if we can't afford all the right toys.  If you got the creativity, you can do it, no matter what the elites have to say!

Happy Creating!

Em

Project: Marie Skirt Re-Do

Ok, so I ripped it all apart. I chopped some pieces off. I sewed it back together.  I'm not super happy with it, but it's done. And semi-wearable.  I had to cut a lot off because I ended up using rectangular skirt pieces rather than the curved ones originally in the pattern...making this skirt pretty short, probably scandalously short without tights.  I'm still not a big fan, it's just not a flattering shape for me.  I probably should have chosen to run the grain of the fabric the other way, making the pleats lie flatter.  Live and learn.

Hear more about his project here: Marie Skirt

P.S. I'm in the process of drafting a dress. My first one EVER.  I'm kind of excited about actually designing a garment completely from scratch!

Day 4: Go Pack Go!

It's Friday before the Super Bowl, it's time to show some team spirit.

Fierce.

[[Scarf (KMart $10), Clay Matthews Jersey (Gift from Mom), Grey Tee (Old Navy, $3), Jeans (Levis $21)]]

Recipe Tips: Home Baked Bread

Yum Yum, nothing like the smell, or taste of fresh made bread, is there? I'm sorry that I can't share this recipe since I don't own it, but if you'd like it, it's included in the book The Ultimate Cookbook, which I recommend.

The only modifications to the original recipe I made were after the second raising.  I brushed the loaves with beaten egg and made shallow slashes with a sharp knife (these were mostly for aesthetic reasons).  I also put a pan of water on the bottom rack while I baked them to make the bread extra crusty.


P.S. This recipe seems sort of close, at least in terms of ingredients.

Day 3: Nutella on Homemade Bread.

That's what I ate for breakfast...jealous?!  Yesterday I made fresh bread to bring over to my boyfriend and my friends' place to eat with soup and watch Groundhogs Day.  I kept the second loaf of bread for myself! Too bad for them I learned about generosity and kindness AFTER watching the movie. Mwahahaha!

Still super snowy out there today, so I didn't really wear these shoes out-n-about, I've still got my snow boots on. I also didn't get a good picture of my necklace in these shots, so here is one that shows it a little better.  It was a pretty awesome find, so I want to show it off!

I forgot to take a picture of the bread...and my Marie skirt. So stay tuned for those gems tomorrow!

[[Cloche (Kohls, $6), White Bauble Cardi (TJ Maxx, gift), Patterned Bow neck (Maurice's $6), Vintage Watch/Locket Necklace (Church Rummage Sale $1), Jeans (Levis $21), Black Mary Janes (Payless, $15 bogo)]]

Day 2: Mid-winter. Mini-skirt.

Day DOS. And then the snows came.  It was super-über-dooper snowy today, maybe even snow-pocalypse, and I thought it would be fun to stand in the snow and get my picture taken...except it was very very very cold making not look as cute as I probably could have been indoors.  Oh wells.

Here's a shot of my braided hair too. I know, I'm so cool with my "laughing face" pose.

I finished my (dreaded) Marie skirt re-do last night, so you can look forward to some actual content in this blog besides me being vain! Happy day!

[[Scarf (Gift), Navy Batwing Cardi (JCPenney $8), Grey Tee (Old Navy, $3), Necklace (Topshop London, too much £15?), Black Mini (GAP $5, outlet), Tights (Kohl's $6), Stripey Socks (Stole from home), Boots (Gift from Mom)]]

Day 1: And now the story begins to unravel...

Day UNO! So far this outfit thing ain't so hard...a lot less hard than taking pictures of myself. Haha.  The biggest bummer of today, other than having it blizzard outside, is that I've already got a hole in my new tights!!! I hope they don't unravel before 30 for 30 is over...yikes.

[[Scarf (Florence Street Market €6), Denim Jacket (Lee $4 outlet), Striped Tee (Kohls, $6), Gold Cord Mini (Old Navy, $7 eBay), Tights (Kohl's $6), Brown Wedges (Payless $6?)]]

Guacummus

Ugly, but delicious.

Get the recipe here. But add a jalapeño. Trust me, it's better to live dangerously sometimes.

30 for 30

 I'm participating in Kendi's 30 for 30 Challenge!

The rules are that you pick out 30 pieces of clothing (tops, bottoms, shoes, but not including accessories or winter coats) and then mix and match them to make 30 different outfits.  The whole point of the challenge is to be thankful for what you have and to learn how to dress creatively even with a limited closet.

Just as a warning, I'm probably going to cheat, my Steve Madden Intyce boots have been backordered and so they will be arriving sometime this next month.  I don't care about the challenge, I'm wearing them!!!

I also want to add a crafty element to the challenge, so I'm tagging on to the rules that can wear anything I make. I'm trying to use up some stash fabric and half-finished projects, but I will promise that I won't buy anything new to make anything.

Right now I only have 28 items picked out, but I kind of like having the option to add something incase I need it, especially because this is my first time remixing.

4 Skirts

 Black Mini (GAP $5, outlet), Grey Pencil (GAP $2, outlet), Gold Cord Mini (Old Navy, $7 eBay), Purple Wool (Thrifted and hemmed, $1)

3 Pants

Black Flare (GAP $11, outlet), Jeans (Levis $21), Striped Skinnies (H&M London, £15)

3 Jackets

Black Blazer (Old Navy $4), Houndstooth (George Thrifted $1.50), Denim Jacket (Lee $4 outlet)

3 Sweaters

Red Grandpa Cardi (Walmart $6), Navy Batwing Cardi (JCPenney $8), White Bauble Cardi (TJ Maxx, gift)

4 Blouses

Grey Ruffle (Old Navy $3), Patterned Bow neck (Maurice's $6), White Swiss Dot (Kohls, gift) Black Bow Neck (Old Navy, $5)

6 Knit Tops

White Long Sleeve V Neck (Gap Thrifted $4), Wave Stripe Tee (Forever 21 $15), Blue Ruffle Tee (Kohls, $3) Grey Tee (Old Navy, $3), Black Turtleneck (Walmart, $6), Striped Tee (Kohls, $6)

2 Dresses

Patterned Dress (Old Navy, $5), Strapless Dress (Gap Thrifted $4)

2 Pairs of Heels

Black Mary Janes (Payless, $15 bogo), Brown Wedges (Payless $6?)

1 Pair of Boots (for now)

Black Short Boots (Payless, $15? bogo)

I didn't include my winter boots (but they still might make an appearance) or some nice leather boots my mom got me while she was in Argentina (because they aren't weather proofed).  I also have another pair of brown shoes I was debating about and a blue ruffled shirt from the Gap that I thrifted... good thing I have 2 spaces left!

Let the remixing begin!