Awkward and Awesome

I've been following Natalie at Blonde at Heart for a few months now, I think, and what initially made me fall in love with her blog were her Awkward and Awesome posts that are part of a link party.  (Click on the picture to go to the original link party.)  After reading the awkwardness and awesomeness of her week, I fell in love with Natalie's love for style, friends, her youth group and most importantly, God.  It's so much fun for me to find great God-fearing women who live all the way across the country.  Anyway, I thought it would be fun to link up myself, so here goes:

Awkward...

~Asking a coworker what the password was to one of our machines.  Not so awkward until we both finally realized that it was right above the screen where I entered the password.

~Dropping tube caps several different times all over the floor.

~This here is both awkward and awesome.  Awesome because I made a cute checkbook wallet with an ID window to match my new bag:

Awkward because I miscalculated my seam allowances and top stitching, so that even though it looks cool, nothing, not even the checkbook fits.

Oh well, lesson learned.  I'll just have to make another one. 

~Really Awkward:  Getting accidentally "felt up" by your 21 year old brother while you were playing monkey-in-the-middle with him and his girlfriend...at church!  But it was kind of awesome because Sam got really embarassed.  He got more padding than anything anyway :P

Awesome...

~There were 84 kids at our church's Wednesday night youth service!  I can't wait until I switch jobs so I can be a part of it!

~Date night with Hubs last Saturday night

~Two and possibly three Etsy orders in one week!

~My new bag! 

I really liked the general shape of the Made by Rae Buttercup Bag (there's a free pattern behind that link), but I liked the depth and the two pleats and straight lines at the top and sides of These Ickady Bags on Etsy, with the one big panel like Sew Spoiled's Ladybug Bags.  So I just piled what I liked from each one and drew up my own pattern for it.  I love it!  PS. if you love it too, I have it for sale in My Etsy Shop.

~Two days off next week that include another date night!

 

~Most awesomest:  Get ready for a long metaphor here...Having God knock your bowl full of milk and Cheerios out of your hands (I love my Cheerios in the morning), having a big cry over the spilled cereal, having several women (some who I know offline, others who I know online) coming to help you clean up the mess, then after those dear women have given you hugs and left, you look down into your bowl and realize it's full of peanut M&M's instead of Cheerios.  My heart is so full right now because of some of the things God is doing for me.  

I encourage anyone reading to at least think about what has been Awkward and Awesome this week.  It's made me not take my self too seriously (which I really didn't do in the first place :D) and it also made me realize that there are so many more awesome things than awkward.  Count your blessings y'all!

Wednesday To-Do Sepetmber 28, 2011

I won't rambe on with a lot of junk here, I don't think.  Today's to-do post is mainly just to keep me up to speed with what I need to-do.  Especially since I have two days off next week!

~3 black wallets for my Mother-in-Law
~Blue, green and brown wallet for my coworker
~5 Year Old sized Clemson Grayson Leigh hat for a custom order
~Alter the peasant dress (which may entail more work than I thought)
~Belt and bag to match peasant dress (I have some nice microsuede polyester for this!)
~While I'm talking about the dress, make a scarf from the scraps (Imagining that it will be really cute with a white long sleeve tee and denim skirt) and earrings from the selvage
~Make the "fur" lined coat--This has been put on the back burner.  It's not all that important that I get it done.  I have all winter to wear it.
~Make up bags
~Curling iron holders
~Gift card holders/wallets
~Make a scarf out of an old grimey t-shirt as inspired by The Crafty CPA's T-Shirt Recyling Ideas (this link leads to her blog post which links to a tutorial)--I'll probably do this tonight while watching Storage Wars with Hubs
~Maybe I'll make a bag to carry around Dollywood.  I don't know.  We'll see since I don't need a bag to carry around Dolllywood.  I already have a good store-bought one.  It's just good marketing to carry around something you made.
~I scored some awesome black and white plaid with a pink stripe at Hancock today.  60% off!  It had a little water damage (the building is old) but I think it will wash out and I want to make a hot little A-line skirt with it.  I have all winter to do this too. 

That looks like a lot.  And I suppose it is.  But it's a lot of little projects.  I think they are acheivable, especially since I got the duffle bag and the dress done and I decided to think about the coat later. 

Oh!  And Hubs and I are going on another date on Tuesday night.  I took advantage of Outback's million steak giveaway, but the catch was you had to use the voucher Monday through Thursday.  But that's what days off are for!

It's gonna be a good two days off!

You Know That Dress I've Been Talking About...

That plaid peasant dress that I first told you about in July...that dress that I've been dreaming about since before that...that dress that I've been putting off FOREVER...yeah, well, I finally finished it!

Well, I say I finished it.  It still needs a little work because it's floofier that I wanted it to be.  I pulled a lot of fabric around the back to make it look the way I wanted it to.  And I'm going to make a belt that matches a little better (and doesn't have the buckle turned around to the back so it matches).  The colors also came out a little wonky on this picture.  It's really khaki, navy and wine colored.   

I'll have better pictures later.  This one was taken while standing on the edge of the bathtub, because I don't have a full length mirror, at about 4:30 AM because I was crazy enough to stay up late to finish it.  I was just so excited to show y'all something that I can check off my to-do list!

It's petite friendly (of course it is, it's tailored to me!).  But I think the best part about this dress it that I fully lined it.  Sleeves and all.  The broadcloth that I bought for the lining is so soft and it makes it so warm!  I can't wait to wear it to the mountains with some leggings and my western-ish boots!

Linking up here!

An Apology

In an effort to make my blog a more positive place to visit, going to try to link up at some positive places.  I apologize for being a downer sometimes.  I've been really frustrated with some of the things going on in my life and although I realize it's not an appropriate response, negativity is my first response.  I guess I felt at liberty to rant like that because I thought blogs were supposed to be places that you could pen out your feelings, be they good or bad.  Reminding myself that there don't seem to be many people who care about my blog (I look at my stats, most non-informational posts only get about 3 pageviews) makes it not hurt so bad when I do get the low pageviews.

Here is where I need to apologize again.  I shouldn't be focusing on the people who don't read my blog more than the people who do.  I know I have some dear friends who read along, but don't comment, which is no worse than I've done in the past.  I'm sorry if' I've hurt anyone's feelings with things I've said here.  It's time that I quit fighting my demons and start embracing my angels.

So how about if I strike a deal with you?  When I need to rant and rave and get things off my chest, I'll find a picture of a caution sign to post at the top.  That way, if there's something negative in there that you just don't feel like reading today, you don't have to.  I'll give you fair warning and a guarantee that there will be no negativity in a post if it doesn't have the caution sign. 

Is that a fair deal?

I'm Warning You...

This might not be a fun post.  There probably won't be any pictures.  There won't be any tutorials.  This means no one will read it because most people only read blogs for pictures or tutorials.  I have a few exceptions. 

There will be a massive to-do list that I can't seem to get done.  And it's of no fault of my own.  I keep saying that I want my business to be successful, but I really don't know how I'd make it work if it was.  I hate sewing when I get off work (keep in mind, I get home at 11PM, not 6PM).  I feel like I should be spending that time with Hubs even though he's usually half dead.  I'm also tired and usually ill when I get off work, and when I'm tired, I make mistakes.  And that makes me more ill.  My last sewing project I tried after I got off work ended up being thrown across the room and a few various other things were kicked around the room.  And I was covered in velvet fuzz.  I still have a bad taste in my mouth from that. 

So...I don't sew after work.  I don't sew before work either because I can't ever finish anything. 

Anyway.  Here's my to-do list for this weekend and the next few weeks.
~5 wallets for various customers (3 black for my Mother-in-law, 1 purple and yellow for one of my middle schoolers, 1 blue brown and green for a friend at work)
~Make-up bags for the shop and potentially a wholesale order for a friend who owns a hair salon
~Curling Iron/Flat Iron covers for the hair salon
~Fold over flap bags
~Gift Card holders for Christmas
~Market Bags
~My Dress for the mountains
~Figure out wholesale costs for most everything in my shop

My plan is to design patterns and figure wholesale costs this evening at work.  Then tonight I'll draft out the patterns onto posterboard and cut fabric.  Then maybe I can plug and chug at the actual construction tomorrow. 

Sorry again for a boring post.  But I feel like I needed to get that off my chest.  I'm sure I'm forgetting something too.  I'll be the last to know.

Wonderful Weekend in Cherry Grove

So I had a blast this weekend!  13 of us from our Sunday School Class packed up and headed to Cherry Grove beach.  I actually never set foot on the beach.  I actually never even wore short sleeves all weekend.  It was cloudy and "cold" considering how hot it's been lately.  But we had fun.  The great thing about going on a trip with a couples' class is that there are lots of kind of sketchy things said, but since we're married, it's ok.  The only odd woman out was one of Hubs and my best friends.  She's engaged and her significant other works crazy hours.  We ended up sharing a room with her.  That led to some other sketchy comments about Hubs staying in a room with two women, but it was all in good fun and we all know where our hearts are. 

On the other hand, I thought I was going to have to fight a hoochie drunk woman in the Japanese restaurant.  We think that she and her hubs were swingers and she was sitting beside MY Hubs.  I don't get mad when Hubs says that another woman is pretty.  I don't get mad at him when a woman tries to flirt with him.  I get mad at the woman doing the flirting and our group saw a side of me that I don't think they knew I had.  Luckily, they left when she finally determined that I wasn't going to let her at my Hubs. 

As always when I go on vacation, I ate waaaaay to much.  Japanese, Italian, Burgers from Johnny Rocket's, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, the list keeps going.  Speaking of eating, our first stop on the way to Myrtle Beach was Redbone Alley in Florence, SC.  This restaurant is a place that had we not heard was good, Hubs and I would have never stopped there.  It's in an old department store building and backs up to a Piggly Wiggly.  It honestly looks old and out of date from the outside. 

But on the inside...

It really looks like you're eating outside in a well decorated alley.  The balcony in the second picture has tables and chairs that you can eat at when the restaurant gets crowded enough.  And the food was amazing!  It's a little on the gourmet side, so don't go there expecting a cheeseburger, but it was soooo good!  It's totally worth stopping at if you're going to be in Florence.

For the rest of the trip we went outlet shopping and went to the Bass Pro Shops in Myrtle Beach (I love Bass Pro!).  Hopefully I'll have some outfit updates tomorrow from the trip and I'll show you my prizes from the Loft outlet.  I have determined that I love that store, but I don't need to go in it because of prices. 

It was a quick trip, but a much needed one.  Now I'm couting down to the trip to Pigeon Forge that Hubs and I (just us two) are going to take in October.  Only 6 more weeks!

It's Friday Y'all!

Wait...what's that...oh yeah...it's only Thursday.  Well it's my Friday.  I'm off tomorrow!  I feel justified in gloating a bit because while all of y'all were talking about Labor Day plans and posting pictures of days at the lake and beach and what not, I was working. 

There.  Got my little bit of meaness out. 

I'm excited to be going to the beach this weekend with Hubs and my Sunday School class.  We've rented a rather large condo at Cherry Grove (North Myrtle Beach) and are going to be on our way come 9 AM tomorrow.  It's only about a 4.5 hour drive from here in the Upstate, and we're planning on eating at  restaraunt in Florence.  I'll get a chance to use my new duffel bag and hopefully wear some of my new clothes.

I wasn't originally planning on wearing my new clothes since they are all fallish, but my last check of the weather says that the high for the weekend is 75, and since it's been around 95 here this week, I'm calling that fall.  I've decided to share my fashion choices for the weekend and hopefully there will be pictures to follow next week.

This Shirt...

with these jeans...

And I would love to have some of these to go with it.  I'll have to look for some at the Crocs outlet.

Shirt:  Old Navy Women's Camp Shirt in Brown Plaid $24.94 
Jeans:  Old Navy Women's Wide Leg Trouser Jeans in Rinse $34.50 
Shoes:  Crocs Wrapped Loafer in Espresso/Espresso $69.99

This shirt with an almost olive green cami...

With these jeans in Dark Fade (not the color shown here)

With these sandals in Brown

Shirt: Old Navy Women's Rib Knit Henley in Lemon Decadence $14.00 

Jeans: Old Navy Women's The Flirt Bootcut Jeans $29.50

Sandas:  Old Navy Women's Double Buckle T-Strap Sandals $18.99

I'll probably also take my neon Old Navy Performance Fleece pullover and a few of their Perfect T's.  I promise Old Navy didn't reimburse me for anything I've said here, though I wish they had.  I love Old Navy clothes because 1) they are cheap.  No use in spending a fortune on a highly trendy piece that won't be in style next year 2) their clothes are made for women.  You know with curves and all, yet most of their X Smalls fit me.  3) they sell petite sizes online and have a great return policy.  I can buy a petite size online, and if it doesn't fit, I take it back to the store.  4) Their stuff is just too darn cute!

I might take a bathing suit.  Just because we are going to the beach.  But I can't promise I'll put it on...

My Celebrity Look-Alikes

I found this at Perfect in My Mind and had to give it a try.  It's the celebrity collage at myheritage.com.



Most of them I'm happy with.  Except for Gary Sinise.  All I'm hearing now is, "Lt. Dan!  Ice cream!"

I will say though in the past few weeks since "The Help" came out, I've been told by most of my Middle School girls that I look like one of the characters.  I'm thinking it's this one in the solid pink dress:

But I've yet to see the movie.

It was kind of fun.  Give it a try!

You Know that Duffel Bag I Keep Talking About...

Well here it is. I finally got the motivation to finish it. Well, I got frustrated at another project and didn't have anywhere else to turn. I actually did want to have it finished before this weekend so I can take it to the beach with me. Hubs and I are going to Cherry Grove with our Sunday School class and found that it's easier to pack separate for little weekend trips like this. So it's finished. And I'm rather proud of it.   

As always, I know the picture is crappy, but it's 1AM, and I don't feel like waking Hubs up so he can take one of me in the cutesy clothes that you know I always wear in the beautiful daylight on our back porch. 

(The above was said because I don't ever wear cutesy clothes, Hubs and I never see each other, and come on, is it ever daylight in SC at 1AM?  I work at a hospital.  I wear scrubs.  Hubs and I really only sleep in the same bed.  I feel like when I start my new job we'll have to have another wedding ceremony because I sometimes I feel like I only see him as much as when we were dating.  That was a long bit to put in parentheses.)

Seriously though, I don't know how so many of you bloggers have such beautiful blogs and pictures.  If I had them, it would make my life a lie.

ANYWAY...

Onto the bag...

My Grand Idea was to put D rings on the top so you can hook various other matching bags to it with carabiners, clasps, whatever.  I always run out of room in the main part of my bag.  Therefore I am forced to put makeup and other things in Hubs's bag.  Not any more!  I also have plans to make a few other small bags to hook around the outside.

There's a nice little pleated pocket on both ends so I can cram any last minute things in there.

And it zips up with a molded plastic zipper.

Here's a better look at that makeup bag.  I might have to start selling these in my shop.  It's fully interfaced with fusible fleece like the duffel bag.  That should help to keep your makeup a little cooler in a hot car.  It's also lined with PUL so if anything leaks, I can just wipe it out.

The Grand Plan was to sell these Duffel Bag sets in my shop, but since it was a rather pain-in-the-butt to make, it doesn't look like that's going to happen.  Unless someone messages me and says they're willing to pay a butt load of money for it, in which case, I might oblige.  The makeup bag is definitely a keeper for the shop though.

Now...on to the beach so I can test this baby out! 

Linking up here!

Button Up Shirt Quick Petite Fashion Fix

Sometime last week I told you all that I have a new-found love for fashion blogs.  Particularly petite fashion blogs.  I am 5 feet tall and weigh 120 lbs.  Most extra small tops are big on me and I wear about a size 6 in bottoms (four if it's a skirt, I have chunky legs).  I've found lots of petite fashion blogs that offer reviews on sizes, places that offer petite sizes and things that are worth buying big and having altered.  My problem with this, though, is that I don't want to pay the prices that these girls can pay.  I work in healthcare (even in my upcoming new job) and wear scrubs for most of my waking moments.  It's just not worth it to buy a few high fashion, higher priced pieces that I can't wear next year.  It's not even worth it to have most pieces altered.  So being the craft blog fanatic that I am, I decided to make my own posts about how to easily alter some regular clothes into petite clothes.  Well, how to alter some clothes that are just too big into figure flattering clothes for a petite woman. 

So for post number one, I'll show you how to alter a too big button up shirt into a tie-backed tunic style shirt.

You will need:
A too-big button up shirt (really any too big shirt with side seams for that matter)
Ribbon of your choice (If your ribbon is polyester, you may want to singe the ends a bit so it doesn't fray)
Tailor's chalk/disappearing pencil or something of the like, just make sure it washes off
Seam Ripper
Sewing stuff (needles, thread, scissors, etc.)--you don't necessarily need a machine for this, but it makes life easier

This here is the finished product:

I found this shirt at my local Fashion Shack for about $8.  Our Fashion Shack works a lot like Plato's Closet.  They'll buy your used stuff (and if you choose store credit they'll give you more money for it).  The shirt originally came from The Gap and is an XS.  I just loved the floral print (nice and small, what petite girlies need) and the pintucking on the front.  It's also very lightweight, so it's perfect for summer for someone cold natured like me. 

This here is what it looked like before I fixed it:

Hmmm.  A little baggy for my liking.  Ok, so you may say it looks fine.  I just lost some weight and I want to show off this figure before I ruin it with kiddos.  It needs fixing.

Step 1:  You'll want to find where you want the top to cinch in the most.  For the most figure flattering, I would go with the smallest part of your torso.  This may be right up under your bust, or around your natural waist.  Mine was somewhere in between.  Mark that spot with your chalk on the side seams.  I also measured on both sides of my shirt to make sure they were even.



Step 2:  Now on the inside of the shirt, rip a small hole (just big enough to get your ribbon through) in the side seam where your chalk mark is.

Step 3:  Insert your ribbon into the newly made hole and stitch in place.  You may or may not want to pin it there for a bit, I lived dangerously.  Try to sew as directly on top of the original seam as you can.  I started about a quarter inch on top of the stitching still in place, sewed over the ribbon, and about a quarter inch on the other stitching still in place, then doubled the whole length back.  This will be a little bit of a stress point after all.

Step 4:  If you are lucky enough to own a serger, go back on the inside and serge on top of the raw edges that you left after ripping the seam out.  I do not own a serger, so I just zig zagged it.  It serves the same purpose.  (No one's going to see it anyway.)

Now just repeat for the other side!

Throw it on over your favorite pair of leggings or skinny jeans and you're ready for a little casual date night!  Or a Sunday School outing, 'cause that's where I went in it. 

In hindsight, I think I would make my ribbon ties longer, but hey, this fix only took about 15 minutes, and I have more ribbon, so if it bothers me too bad, I'll just redo it. 

I hope this is of some use to someone.  As always, if you use this tutorial (or any of my patterns/tutorials) please post pictures to my Flickr Group here --> Evan Becky Fan Pics  I would genuinely love to see what you've created!

Linking up Here: