And I Thought I Was Done!

So I forgot that I have a bunch of things to mention! I believe that they are all sewing/craft related. Exciting isn't it?

First up. I just received the new issue of Craft! It's looking promising. I was a bit disappointed in the last issue... This one has a lot of paper crafts in it, personalizing your own quilt, and making a t-skirt among many other crafty things.

I also just ordered a new Sew Stylish magazine! It's Sew Stylish Embellishments, I can't wait to get it! I just received Sew Stylish Gifts to Make this week. Believe me, I'm using that magazine to make quite a few things for my loved ones for Christmas. I already bought a hide of leather from Fabric Mart, at a sale price of only $10! I'm making the slippers for my gramma and auntie.

I also found out that Interweave Knits has their new issue preview up on their website and the new issue of Adorn should be showing up in my mailbox soon! I am so excited!

Now on to other things...

I think I have decided to do a little feature or two. I'm going to have a Helpful Craft/Sewing Tool of the month, every month. I also want to do a Technique of the Month as well. If only I could do a Technique of the Week, it sounds so much nicer! I just don't have the time to dedicate to this every week. We'll see if I will be able to stick with this new thing. It will be helpful for myself and hopefully for others as well. I will start at the beginning of November, since October is almost gone...

Corpse Bride Costume Completed... Barely!

So I finished my costume for my honey's party. Boy was it the most stressful 3 days ever! I just wanted to be a French Maid again, but my honey wouldn't let me do it... He insisted I be the Corpse Bride. Ha ha... Crazy guy. He was Tommy Lee, although everyone else was calling him Nikki Sixx. Whatever, it's the same band, right? And for good measure I am also putting up a picture of my brother and his girlfriend. They were Prince and Bettie Page.

The man and myself:

Full Length Pic:

Bettie Page and Prince:

Doesn't my brother have a slight resemblance to Prince???

So I wasn't able to do everything that I said I wanted to do... I couldn't appliqué the ribs onto my corset. I was not able to sew a ruffle onto the skirt, and no blue dye. I forgot to get lavender from my backyard to put in my veil. I didn't make the yarn wig. We had to buy a purple one, that we noticed was a child's wig when it was too late. That thing was moving around all over the place!

But I was able to wear the main costume and it did turn out to slightly resemble the Corpse Bride! Everyone who had seen the movie knew exactly who I was. So that is really all that counts.

I made the corset from Vogue 8325, combining the front of view A with the back of view C so that there were no ties and grommets to deal with. The skirt, which I do not have any good pictures of, I drafted myself about 2 hours before the party started. It was a cinch to sew up. I just took my skirt block and drafted a trumpet flare on the fronts and back. I also made sure to extend the center fronts so that it would have a wrap effect. I also drafted a straight waistband to hold everything together.

So in the end I was able to finish the important parts of the costume and I think that I can say it turned out to be a success!

In other news, yesterday we had some rain in So Cali, the weather definitely did work in the firefighters' favor.

'Tis the Season for Pumpkins and Fires in Southern California

Every week I get an e-mail from Better Homes and Gardens for new recipes. I always find something that I love in this e-mail. Even better, BHG has a feature that you can register your e-mail for and bookmark your favorite recipes! I absolutely LOVE this. I've actually used it quite a few times now. As a matter of fact, I used it today...

I came home from work a bit late today, about 5:30 and checked my e-mail, as I always do. I got the weekly recipe e-mail from BHG and found a recipe for pumpkin pancakes. I decided that I needed to make dinner for my dad and thought I should make these to include in a nice fall meal. I went to the store and got the ingredients and some butternut squash soup, Cannellini beans and carrots.

We definitely had lots of the color orange in our dinner tonight. I made the pumpkin pancakes with whole wheat flour and they were absolutely delish! I, of course, added some cinnamon and nutmeg as well. The butternut squash soup was the Campbell's brand in a box with some sour cream, paprika, pepper and the beans added in.

I wish I had taken a picture of everything. Oh well... It was an awesome dinner and I very highly recommend BHG.com. You will definitely find a wide variety of recipes for any meal, and even better is that you can save your recipes and rate and comment on them as well. BHG gets my two thumbs up!

In other news... It seems that Southern California is amongst another firestorm. It's really quite sad, so many people have lost their homes now... I must say that I am thankful that we haven't had another fire by our house again. There was one in 2003 and then again in 2004 in the mountains behind our house. It was really quite nerve racking. The fire in the mountains in '03 was the conglomeration of two fires, one from the West and the other from the East. They both met up at the same time behind our neighborhood. The fire was so hot and close that I remember feeling the heat on my skin, and it was really hot! Even with it that close they didn't feel a need to evacuate us. The following year the fire was a few miles away and the firefighters went around to all the houses telling us to prepare to evacuate if they came around a second time. I'm so glad that those firefighters never came again.

The fire from the West:

The fire from the East:


I guess that no matter where you live, there is a price you pay. Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, earthquakes... I feel so lucky that at that time we had enough firefighters to protect us. It doesn't seem to be the case this time around. The winds are just so powerful and strong and the brush so dry from the lack of rain this past year. It's so strange though, up here it's been perfectly still and clear, you look down into the surrounding valleys and the sky is so orangey-brown-grey from the smoke from the 14+ fires. We've called in neighboring states for help, but they just cannot get here soon enough. I just wish and hope for the best of luck for those people affected this time around, I pray that they are at least safe.

Halloween Is Coming!

I haven't dressed up for Halloween in 3 years. So this year is my chance to take advantage of the costume fun. I decided on the Corpse Bride. I have to make a corset, skirt and wig. But I have everything planned out perfectly. Now I only hope I can get it done... Ha ha. It needs to be done by the 26th for my Honey's party. If not, I have a backup costume... The one I was 3 years ago, a French Maid. I know, how boring.

Here are my plans for my costume:


I have the pattern for the corset top. I'm just going to make it out of Halloween satin and some blue tulle around the edges. I want to sew on an appliqué just below the right breast for her ribs that show through. I think I will draft the skirt myself, as well as paint and dye it. I'm dying my thigh-highs blue and am going to buy cheap white satin shoes from Payless Shoes. The wig I will make out of yarn and some old nylons.

I'm hoping this costume works. Knock on wood!

In other sewing news. I bought some fabric (on sale!) from Reprodepot for my first dress! It's a cute pink cotton graphic print that's subtle yet fun!


Cute, huh? Anyways, I am working on my next design. It's very cute also. I am considering entering it in the Alice in Workingland Contest at BurdaStyle. However, I'm not so sure about my drafting abilities quite yet... But we'll see.

I must now be on my way to JoAnn's. I hope I find what I need, that store has been severely disappointing lately. Wish me luck!

My First Very Own Garment!

I had an assignment in my Pattern Making class to make a dress from my princess torso block that I had drafted. I decided to make something similar to a dress that Go Fug Yourself posted on Cameron Diaz.

I fell in love with this dress when I saw it, and I would go back and look at the picture every once in a while, wishing I had this dress! It's so simple, but the design lines and pleating make it a bit sophisticated while still keeping a cute, mod look.

I had a hard time at first with the waistband, but after I got past that point it was smooth sailing on out. This dress is a tiny bit different than Cameron's, but I feel that it captures the same idea. I love the waistband, neckband, pleated front and attached hems. I totally forgot to put in the pockets at the front seams, but those aren't really necessary. The one that Cameron was wearing has a bit more of an A-Line cut on the skirt, the front pleats are wider, the waistband is a bit higher up and well the dress is a lot shorter than mine. The original dress' sleeves are raglan and that may be beyond my abilities at this point in time. I just drafted regular old sleeves.

So here is mine, in muslin of course:

Please excuse my jeans, I was too lazy to take them off....

Pleated front detail:

Now, my muslin came out great and my instructor loved it. I just hope that the paper pattern matches up and is notched correctly!

I cannot wait to buy some fabric for this and make a real dress out of it! I am contemplating a large plaid for fall or maybe a nice jewel toned silk for the holidays. Not too sure though.