Twizzlers for Clothing

I'm hungry. Dang that other Angie and her willpower for healthier eating. I've been trying to pick up her habit and watch what I eat more than usual. Since I was sick in the fall I've had this weird thing going on with my feet...peripheral neuropathy. Which can be an indicator of kidney disease, but in my case is probably not, thank goodness! What it might be instead is a warning sign for diabetes.

My grandmother and aunt both had type II diabetes, so I have a fairly high family risk. With my weight gain about 5 years ago, I increased the likelihood of developing this completely preventable diesease. I'd like to nip this in the bud hasta pronto! So I'm trying to eat healthier.

In the meantime, I've been working on my Wardrobe Storyboard for the PR Wardrobe Contest. Fun! Here's a peek at what I've got so far! Click the picture for a better look!

And I didn't purposefully channel PR's Gillian either...it just occurred to me after I had the storyboard finished that all my pieces sure did remind me of my favorite candy.

Mmmmm, Strawberry Twizzlers.

Now it's on to sewing! Except that I have parent/teacher conferences two nights this week...but a 3-day weekend to sew! Woohoo!

Ranty Pants

We will take a moment from your regularly scheduled blogging to give you this special rant announcement. (Sorry Shan, I need one more vent. Then I'm quitting cold turkey. hee.)

I recently got fairly annoyed by a somewhat popular pattern company's newsletter. Now, normally I delete the newsletters without reading them because, you know, I'm sewing or something and because to be honest their writing style is irritatingly "I'm trying so hard to be fresh!"

But I read this one and was more irritated than usual at their closing paragraphs, which consisted of a variety of things you should NEVER wear because, well, they said so.

Now I have a problem with lectures in general because I'm 37 and I'm the dictator in my life thankyouverymuch. I've (thankfully) reached the age and maturity where I have developed my own personal style & flair, and I don't really need anyone else's approval. Fashion "rules" be damned.

Among the things they listed (several of which we ALL wear. Yes, you do.) was a rule that must never be broken...prints on your bottom half. Um, ok. Where have you been for the past, oh, forever??

One of my favorite things to wear are prints! Big, loud ones! Amy Butler BIG! And in homage to that great fabric designer of the Midwest (an American, by the way) I bring you peeks from her book "Midwest Modern", a fabulous collection dedicated to her fabrics, her style and incorporating your own unique sense of fashion into your life. (And not one lecture to be had in the entire book. How refreshing.)

Cute loungy pants (bottom left)...


Really, really cute loungy pants...I'd totally wear these to the grocery store! How cute would they be in a capri or cropped length?


And from yours truly...my favorite summer cropped pants. Linen/cotton blend...dark chocolate on aqua...


I've worn these everywhere and I can honestly say this is the only piece of clothing I have ever made that I get stopped for inquiries on where to get them. They're that good. I've actually handed out business cards because people ask me to make them a pair of these pants. Apparently my a$ looks fine in big-a$ prints.

I sent an email to HP (the pattern company) and said, you know, I coulda lived without the condescension. Let's just celebrate fashion and not impose one another's "rules" on each other. K? Their response? They sent me the "Mom Jeans" youtube video. Apparently if you don't agree with them, you're obviously a fashion disaster (and a moron to boot if they honestly think someone would continue shopping with them after that.)

So, in the words of the incomparable Coco Chanel...“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”

And by that, I'm pretty sure she meant "Work those loud pants, girlfriend!"

China, Jersualem and Me

No, it's not a new sitcom.

It's the amazing weather week we've had!

First there was the deadly & unusual snowfall in China.

Xian, China

Then it was a rare blizzard in the Middle East (8+ inches in Jersualem!)

Dome of the Rock

And now it's the not so unusual, but very pretty (and school slaying) snowfall in Oklahoma.

My backyard

Also my backyard

While I was enjoying my Snow Day at home today, I decided to take the plunge and join the Wardrobe Contest 2008 over at PR. Mainly because I really need some new clothes, and hey they might as well match and go together, right?

I haven't made a SWAP storyboard yet, but I'm pulling out fabrics & patterns as we speak (er, as I type & you read that is) so I'll post a pic as soon as I have an idea! I'm thinking a spring-ish wardrobe rather than more winter wear. After all, I have until April and by then I'll need warm weather wear!

In case you're not familiar with the Wardrobe Contest, you can view last year's entries here. Lots of pretties to look at there! Wish me luck. (No, really. Last 2 contests I entered, I didn't even get ONE garment finished! LOL. but the one before that I did finish! If that counts.)

So sweet

it'll make your teeth hurt! Would you LOOK at this darling little bear:



It was crafted by Jennifer Stanfield of nimbleknot. She is amazing! She has an Etsy store & an eBay store too, but I think she's working on commissions right now so both are empty.

I've been fascinated by needlefelting for oh, at least 2 years. I first fell in love with these tiny wool cuties in this book:


But frankly, other than oohing and ahhing, I skimmed over the pretties because a) I don't read Japanese, and b) I thought needlefelting was jabbing an oddly shaped needle into a flat piece of fabric/felt. How in the world did THAT equal these little 3-dimensional animals??

But flickr has persuaded me that I must learn to do this. You know, in all that spare time I've got lying around. And google has provided a couple of tutes. Here's one with basic instruction for dolly shapes. Here's another (rather complicated) dolly head & body tutorial.

But THIS one is the where the lightbulb a-HA moment hit me.

A little more seraching revealed that Martha has a video too, a how-to for a sweet little chick. View it here. Even sweeter...it features one of my favorite flickr artists, Jenn Docherty!
I mean just look at these bunnies she made! I could eat them up!


And lest you think I spend all my time looking at other people's projects (shut up) and never get to my own...here's a sneak peek of a few soon to be yummies for Lu:




although if I don't get my buns off the net I'll still be here next Sunday, wondering why none of my lovely projects are finished. laters!

Girly-fied

Lu & I designed an amazing little jacket this morning. It's swathed in pink polkadots, roses, and lace. Oh, and zebra too. What's not to like??

Started out with this, the G-man's outgrown Old Navy denim jacket.

We gathered our chosen ammo...


And after a couple of hours at the sewing machine, a truly sweet and girly TDF jacket emerged!


I cropped the jacket right above the lower pockets, and cropped the sleeves at 3/4 length too. I added faux zebra fur at the yoke in front & back, tracing the lines of the jacket with tissue first for a pattern. I added vintage pink rickrack to lower yokes, just for a little more pink (can you ever really have too much pink?) I also covered the seams in front and back with French lace beading.


The pockets feature Venice lace, imported French rosebud trim and a shabby pink chiffon rose.

The 3/4 sleeves and bottom of the jacket are trimmed with a double ruffle of embroidered netting lace ruffle and a sweet pink & cream polkadot.


For a finishing touch, I covered the original buttons with 3 different silver & pearl buttons (from my bottomless button box). The originals have a hole in the center, and I glued the shank of the replacement buttons right down into the hole. Perfect! I can't wait for Lu to see it! She may never take this off!