A dress

This is one of three pieces of clothing I made over the weekend. 

Two skirts and a dress.

 I'm excited to show you guys the rest! 

This maxi feels a little fancy, I call it my Helen Harris ballgown.

Gifts for my mama

I've been wanting to make some new drapes and pillows for my mom's living room. I didn't ask for colors or ideas, just my mom's trust! And I went with it.  

A little before shot of the old curtains (I forgot to take one of the whole living room, dang it!). The pillows also coordinated with the curtains.

And after: 

The new curtains really lightened up the space and made it feel fresh. I probably said "This looks so great!" about 50 times. Luckily my mom agrees. 

I got the idea for the curtains from these beautiful Anthropologie ones. I wasn't about to pay $168 per panel though, so I made my own version.

A $500 look for under $50 (thanks to my coupons from Jo-Ann's)! Can I get a what-what?

Close-up shot of the new pillows:

(there is also a solid-colored pillow under construction-didn't quite make the deadline) 

Thanks mom for letting me test out my ideas on your living room! 

I MADE SOMETHING I CAN WEAR!

Inspiration:

Big floral prints on skirts like this one from Banana Republic

Found:

Fabric at Savers for two dollars.

Made: with a pattern and about 5 hours of time (I'm slow & get nervous around patterns)

After:

(excuse the poor lighting)

It's a skirt! And it fits! And it didn't rip while I was at work!

  I even put in a zipper! And it's mostly hidden!

I even made a pleat in the back on accident. I didn't even know that was part of the pattern!

So many exclamation points. But you guys, I'm pumped. I might not be the worst seamstress of all time after all! I can't wait to make more.

LAST NIGHT

// Volunteer chic. Seriously envious of Ashley's impeccable style all the time. //

// The whole group //

// pretending like I know what I'm doing //

Last night I volunteered at Fashion Remix, a fundraiser that benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, with Ashley. Our job was to walk around selling raffle tickets. My attribute of being non-confrontational was blaring me in the face and I had an anxiety stomachache. Ashley was feeling the same way. It ended up being pretty comical. Gathering up the courage, picking out a person to approach, getting cut off mid sentence & wandering around trying to look purposeful. We did sell a good amount of tickets to old men though, so.. success! And it's for a good cause so I forgave Ashley for roping me into being a salesman. 

On my way home I stopped at JoAnn's randomly & picked up a pattern for a pencil skirt. I started cutting fabric around 10 PM. I seriously have a problem, I don't feel tired at all, I just want to sew & hang out until 1 AM. Then I go to sleep, am out within seconds & can barely wake up the next day. It is a vicious cycle, I am telling you! Anyway, I'm excited about the skirt, I love the fabric. I picked it up at Savers for two bucks. Holler at your girl. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

PS. I'm pretty sure I already talked about the weather this week. But I cannot wait for some more good weather! Bike rides, hikes, yard-sale-ing(?)... I have a lot of plans. 

I can't believe forgot to post about this!

A couple months ago,  Jordan had me make her & her daughter matching aprons.

She told me the colors she liked and just let me run with it!

I was pretty pleased with the results, but when Jordan posted this picture on facebook, I was over the moon excited.

 Cute mom+cute daughter+cute aprons = a whole lotta cute.

Just check these two out!

(I love that little T even has a matching headband!)

Thanks Jordan! I loved making these.

aprons.

I made these matching aprons for my aunt Kathryn and her darling little girls.

From 100% winging it, I'm so happy they all fit!

It doesn't hurt that I have some of the cutest models showing them off either...

Know anybody else I should make these for? 

It's good practice for me and they are really fun to create.

adventures in sewing: the dark side.

this has been SUCH a hard experience for me, that i can barely even write about it after all this time.

i found this true gem at the DI for $4. the color was beyond perfect, and in great condition. i just needed to take in the sides a bit and wahlah! we would have magic.

of course i decide to do this 30 minutes before church. first mistake.

i take one of my favorite skirts and lay it on top. trace it. pay no mind to the difference in material between the two skirts. second mistake.

sew it up. cut off sides before trying on. third mistake.

surprise! the skirt is much too tight. somehow i finagle it on my body. in my most logical brain i decide to wear it anyway, because it's not like i'll be moving around that much. fourth mistake.

tyler's here to pick me up! i gingerly walk down the stairs and try to get into his truck. rrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiipppppppp!!!!

another surprise! this 30 year old skirt's just not gonna give, and ripped right along side my new seam. idiot!

at least it was cute for 2 seconds.

i am still going to try to re-sew the sides, i just haven't figured out exactly how or with what yet.

adventures in sewing: keeping it clean

for the past week, this is what my room has looked like.

sorry that i had to gross you out.

in leu of gettin' all creative on my day off, i desperately needed to clean. whilst i was, i realized i never posted pictures of my sewing projects for my room. how sad for you!

after i dilligently tidied up, i took some photos for your viewing pleasure.

this duvet cover was my first major sewing project. it took me a million hours and some cusses. but i love it now, and i dare say it was worth it!

i made these shams. i love the color grey, i think it's the supreme nuetral.

next came the curtains. easiest project and i love all the colors.

(the white has yellow swiss polka dots)

obviously i am not a photographer, sorry this is so dark!

up close action for you. i got this cute lamp @ DI and sprinted across the store when i spotted it. i'm in search for a new lampshade...

ok so these next two aren't sewing, but whatever.

where the magic happens. you know, this blog. i hope you like the edward card on my magnet board. t-boss got it for my birthday thinking it would be hilar. FYI i am a jacob fan. so i was pretty offended.

thrifted clothes that need to be altered, inspiration boards, bookshelf holding lots of random stuff. can you tell i need an accessory intervention?

well i guess that was just the grand tour for you. so lucky!

now i can actually relax in my room instead of have an anxiety attack.

hope you are enjoying this blessed sunshine!

adventures in sewing: a wreath & a sheet.

I usually have Wednesdays off and I always try to do something to satisfy my creative outlet. Here are the products from the last couple weeks!

Last week...

I couldn't stand this side table any longer! I made a cover for it out of another sheet I got at savers.

What do you think?

Don't mind that I am still trying to decide what to put on top! I need a lamp.

This week....

I made a wreath like this for my mom last Christmas and I just couldn't resist one for myself!

I've been having fun testing my craftiness and hopefully you've had fun reading about it!

EXTRA EXTRA: I also took advantage of Amy's creative outlet yesterday @ the MAC counter.

I loved it.

She will make you feel like a beauty queen!!

Happy Thursday birds!

adventures in sewing: pillow talk

the latest & greatest from my sweatshop:

found this awesome needlework @ the DI for $1(like a year ago) & took it out of it's frame(and cleaned it-duh, don't be gross!)

please note the bag of jimmy john's potato chips. i'd like to say this project was sponsered by the Italian night Club.

folded it 'til I felt good about it & sewed it up into the painfully easy envelope pillow

made a pillow form to fit

(no picture, because it's boring)

& wahlah! it's definitely not perfect, but I think for a buck and 45 minutes it's purdy darn good.

I've loved experimenting with my sewing machine lately, just making things up as I go. I need to show you one of my (mis)adventures in sewing next! it was really sad.

so...

the shower curtain is still a bit of a daunting task, but I did make some ruffles with my new foot(as in sewing machine, no prosthetics).

How do you feel about this?

I made this from a bunch of sheets I bought at Savers (sans gray velvet trim I had leftover from pillow shams). Don't worry they were all cleaned! I didn't want to cry if my projects didn't turn out perfect after I spent $$ on really nice fabric. I didn't have a pattern, but surprise! aprons are pretty much all the same silhouette. I just cut & sewed & cut & sewed until it was to my liking! It's a little crooked & full of imperfections, but I'm not going to tell you that I don't feel like the cutest cook of all the kitchens.

Bonus: I keep it on for all my meals, because that's where this apron really does it's job.

I LOVE THIS SHOWER CURTAIN.

like, as in, oh my gosh, i'm freaking out, I want to do a dance every time I see it! discovered it about 2 years ago at anthropologie & have been waiting for it to go on sale ($118)... about to give up because i think it is so-o-o worth it.

but then!

I STUMBLED ACROSS THIS ONE...

at urban outfitters. not quite as breathtaking, but still cute. and only $68!

but then!

I RECEIVED THIS...

a ruffler foot for my sewing machine (thanks mom!)....

So what's it gonna be? the perfect one for $118, the less cute version for $68, or one for $30 + 18 hours of me swearing at my machine & hitting it if something goes wrong(I have serious love/hate relationship issues with sewing)?

Highlight Reel #2

july(July)

Tyler sanded his deck and "sun lounge" while I looked on.

I finished my major(for me) sewing project

Emerald Court Pool Party! Definitely the highlight. The emcee was double booked, so... I accepted the challenge to do it myself! Yup. nailed it.

the prize table

me with the maintenance crew

so, we grease up a watermelon, throw it in the pool, residents jump in, whoever gets the melon out wins a PRIZE!

me, Linds & Alli.. LOVE these ladies I work with!

Susan-my FAVE!

Took our English friend Jacqui to her first Rodeo-and first time to Ogden:)

Jacqui & Ryan

an unfortunate mini hussy. Seriously she is a baby! I couldn't fight my "WHERE IS YOUR MOTHER" rude look. it was too hard.

Surprise birthday party for Ratha-Paintballing (for the record I was the only female to play. It turned out to be really fun but hurt like the dickens!! I may have uttered a few choice words...)

it's cool to pose with your weapons!

Tyler, Ratha & fellow celebratorian

can you see that welt on my back? How about the TWO white marks right on the crack of my pants? ...yep, definitely was on the crack.

...i guess since I didn't take any pictures of the 4th of July, it didn't really exist.