Ties and milk...(goes with suits and cookies)

So I learned something today. I learned how to tie a tie. Incredubly easier than what I thought it would be. I guess tying ties gets bad press just like breastfeeding does. The media for some reason wants to make people think they are both really hard, but like most things, pop culture is simply being extreme and over the top. I just don't see who benefits from the ties seeming difficult. I'm sure that the formula companies are paying film makers to make breastfeeding seem unappealing, but who is paying the movies to make tying a tie seem so hard? The clip-on tie guys???

Speaking of breastfeeding and formula... Did you know that there was a formula recall. Let me say it again: A Formula Recall! Ha. I think it's hilarious! Ok, and sad for all the simalac customers. I got a note in the mail telling me that I shouldn't feed my baby formula. And hey that's what I've been saying all along. I digress.

This thing that happens...

There is this thing that happens. This thing thats happens about once a year. It begins in september, maybe october, and continues through to december. It has to do with a very important day in my life, its called: "my birthday."

Being mildly narsisitic, as most of my generation is, or being what I may better perfer to term as "healthfully self aware," My birthday to me is more or less my favorite national holiday. If, it were infact able to be called such. The reality is that my birthday actually competes with a national holiday, making pumpkin pie something that makes my brain shout, "birthday!" and i somehow feel that large parades and buffs-cornhusker football games are in my honer. I am not sure if it is the competition, or if it is simply the "(ice cream) Castle in the sky" mentality of this little dreamer, But to me BIRTHDAY is a big deal. A very big deal. It is infact, enough of a big deal that i don't have my birthdate posted on my facebook profile. I dont' want a bunch of well meaning oneliners on my wall from people who cant remeber what month my birthday is in without having their facebook calender tell them. I don't want a bunch of "Hey happy birthday, but i don't have time to write you anything else"s. Its not that im a hater, its just that probably, i won't be "moved" by these things. I want a card, telling me what you see in me, or a phone call. I want something that will move me, inspire me, bring out the whimsical girl in me. Something to dress up for. Something to calm down for. I want a surprise. I want to know that i am wanted, noticed, appreciated. Inspiring, Challenging, Admired. If you birthday me, i want to know its not because something popped up on your screen, and you were like, "oh, duh, its mary's birthday yo." This is my birthday mentality.

So because I have such Chocolate pie in the sky ideas, every year, come september or October, I find myself in a place, a very healthy place. A place where i am re-evaluating my life, the people who speak into my life, and the people whose lives i speak into. I find myself asking God who should be key players in my life, and just in season i start drafting my very own football team, so to speak. But beyond just "drafting my team" I also start writing out my play book and making my plans for this years season... the "two a days" the team spirit, the "superbowl." all i need is to get some superbowl sponsers, and i will be good to go.

So here i am, pondering, What does the Lord have for me this year? Where are we going lord, what are we doing. Who is going to be involved? And who is going to win this year... The buffs or the cornhuskers?

Dress so far

here is the pattern i made for my silk dress. Obviously thumbnail size, then i drew it up, with a twisty crayon onto the silk. I really liked using the twisty crayon. Much better than pen.

Sew Long.

Its been a long time since i have been on. I realize this. But while i have stopped blogging, i haven't stopped sewing. Today i bought stuff for making ME some dresses. Oh dear.

So with silk i plan to make myself a black and tan dress.
With Cotton i plan to make myself a blue and black dress.
If i get enough energy to make myself some lovely patterns.
But at least, if nothing else, i have plenty of elastic thread and also sewing pens if i should need them.
Which i will, because i am sewing with silk here people.

Colorado projects

These are the sha-bang, baby, this is where it is at. These are the projects i started in colorado with some of my mothersday money. They are both hand stitched because I didn't have a sewing machine at the time!

Week Three, A meeting with reality

This week i have had a house guest all week, and did not get started on any project until just now. I have been watching dancing online, and am rather frustrated, because i realize that there are 6 year olds who are better at dancing than I am. Way better. But it comes back to What i have shared with you about my sewing "dare." I never stick with things and become great. I am constantly being ok at tons of things, but rarely do i focus my energies. I can pursue as many things as is right for each season of my life, but if i flit about from one to another, Then i don't end up being successful at anything. I want to be the person who does each thing in life with precision and perseverance.
So I got up from watching Dance online, tried to stretch my leg above my head, (ahha! nice try sukka). I got myself a small bowl of ice cream and got to work. Which was a good plan since, really, i have been waiting all day for this time of solitude so that i can SEW! First of all, I finished my little project that i was working on earlier today. It is beautiful in my head. In actuality, my pattern needs some adjustments. It just didn't translate well from my head to the material. But it is in there. Just needs some tweeking. I want the arms to be longer and the feet to stand out better. But over all, i like it. Its a good start. And i just happened upon some purple yarn that matched with the pattern. So I opted for purple hair instead of the original plan of having funky ears.

Glitz fish started out pretty simple, and ended up getting some fun hot pink flair, just caz. I couldn't resist.

Both were harder than i thought, not because they were in nature actually that hard, but because i haven't really ever done anything like this, so there were lots of little details i over looked and had to go back and fix.


I did it!
"A little surprise" and Glitz Fish:

Second Week Projects.

I just finished my second Project of officially week two.
First off let me apologize for no pictures, and for there probably being no humor. I am too tired to write as good as i would like, my humor is turned off, (because its past ten) and my model, AKA addison, is fast asleep. But i am doing this now so it doesn't get neglected and thrown to the side in favor of doing the dishes or walking by the lake tomorrow.

For my first project I took a skirt I bought at rue 21 about 6 years ago for 6 bucks and made it into a dress for addison. I just thought that the flowers were too bold for a grown woman to be wearing, but would look cute on a girl, so i cut it up, and made it a dress. It looks much better as such. I added some ribbon that i already had and, ta-da! I took the "tool" off from the bottom so it is more casual, but it is still sleek and summerie. For my second project I took some material i had bought with my mother's day money and a 6 month old dress that addison is wearing as a little shirt, and basically just imitated what was done with this dress. I should have made a pattern, (I did make a pattern for the top bit, but flew by the seat of my pants for the skirt bit ) I kind of messed it up the back piece of the skirt, but, it turned out ok: It had a little Customization! It also ended up longer than the first dress/shirt...Which is good for a quickly growing girl. This dress was probably the first project i have ever sewn using elastic. It is the first time i can remember using elastic. So i feel proud of myself.

Also, I found out that my sewing machine does something very similar to "serging" which is great. That means i don't have to buy a new one. OR actually, it means i don't have to wish i could buy a new one. I found out some other features on my machine because i sent my mom's sewing machine back to colorado, so I had to get my sewing machine out. While i was getting it out I tried a few new settings i had never paid attention to before, because i never really got serious about sewing when i was younger.
I am really excited about my sewing machine...I haven't really used it tons since i got it. It was a graduation present from my grandma and grandpa, and It made me a bit sentemental to finally have it out and be using it. I thought, "she knew, my grandma Evie just knew that someday i would want this and need this. She just knew." And i thought maybe I should name my clothing line "Evelyn" in honor of her. (my mom will read this, and not let me ever change it now. Its just a thought though. Its not in stone.) Maybe just "Ev". Or maybe i will name it something totally different. It has to fit just right, you know?


Finaly, these are the things i am hoping to sew next, whether i sew them tomorrow, or sew them as next week's projects:
A stuffed whale
A stuffed canary
A stuffed Fishie
A hat for Jaiden and one for addison
A Square bottomed purse
Some Specialty blankets (cant tell you the nature of these, so my ideas don't get "stollen" Ha Ha! Yeah right.)

Until next time or maybe until next week,
~m~