Happy Saturday

 I am finally getting there... after next week I won't be swamped, which is awesome! I will be so happy to be able to knock down my turn around by a week or two. I'm going to do a bit of sewing this afternoon, then give myself the rest of the weekend off.

This morning I did some shop "clean up".  I had removed my 3 for $150 bra deal, and just relisted it today, as well as the padding add on.  Yesterday afternoon I took stock of some of my fabrics, and relisted a few pieces, like my Luna Set.  I also added several 3-for package deals in my shop now.  I know when I go lingerie shopping, I like to be able to go home with a few things.  I also added more "Choose any 3" listings for easier mixing and matching...

Add foam padding to any 3 bras

Yesterday was a bit of a weird day.  The night before I was feeling congested and after having tried nearly everything, I thought maybe I'd give Claritin a try to see if it would help my stuffy nose and headache.  I woke up at 1 am feeling like I had a fever, and with the room spinning, like I had too much to drink (which is funny, because I hardly ever drink!).  I laid there for about half an hour, then finally got up.  My head was pounding, I was dizzy, nauseous... it was awful.  I got up and watched Time Team (best show to fall asleep to!) for a couple hours and took some ibuprofen and felt much better.  I've never had a reaction like that to a medication! It was so awful.  The worst thing is, I took the 24 hour formula so I felt woozy and light headed all day yesterday.  Needless to say, I will not be taking Claritin again.  So yes, it was an interesting day...

Choose any three....

I don't know what I will do with the rest of my weekend.  We decided against camping since it is supposed to rain tonight... which is fine.  We will have a bonfire in the back yard, and maybe head out for some hiking with the dog.  Tomorrow afternoon we are getting together with some family for a fathers day BBQ.  And that is all I have planed, which actually ain't so bad.

Gatsby Collection

Three Bras for $150

Woot!

Yesterday was one of those super productive days that left me feeling like She-Ra! Princess of Power! I got so much done, and I think I might be knocking down my wait time.

I feel like a tool sometimes.  I've been doing this "full time" since January (quit my job in October, but actually still worked there for much longer!) and I only feel like now am I getting the hang of my production level.  I am feeling good, meeting deadlines, and hoping to reduce my processing time soon.  I am an impatient person, so knowing that I make people wait stresses me out.

Anyway, I feel accomplished and ready for another day of sewing...

Today I should be receiving some freshly printed tags, which I am very excited about.   I have been working with a graphic designer on some new banners and print materials for packing my items.  I really enjoy wrapping up a finished garment, so it will be nice to have some professionally designed & printed stickers and tags to accompany my handiwork. 

Let there be sun

I'm just going to say it.  So far summer has sucked.  It rains all the time.  It's cold.  Our furnace still runs.  It's June. C'mon.

That being said, it looks like some nice weather may be approaching.  I want to go camping.  We have gone out for a few hikes over the last week.  Oliver is becoming a real outdoors man.  He balances across logs, has no fear of the mud, he does all of these things he used to be afraid to do.  It is wonderful.  He loves it.

I have been feeling stressed lately, lots going on, mostly good stuff, but still stressful.  Being outside, wandering through the woods is the best medicine.  I really hope we can go camping soon.  I want bacon and eggs cooked over a Coleman Stove, and S'mores and hot dogs cooked on a stick over the fire.  I want to stay up late and talk and stare at the stars, then crawl sleepily in to the tent and snuggle with my husband with the sleeping bags zipped together and the dog at our feet, and wake up bright and early with the messiest hair and drink too-strong camping coffee with powdered creamer... Camping is just the best.

I have a few fun things coming up.  Next week I am making a trip to Wonderland, an amusement park outside of Toronto, with my cousins and my best-bud, Abbey.  I am really looking forward to it.  I love the rides, and the funnel cake.

I also have a birthday coming up soon, and thus far I have no plans (still).  I am contemplating treating myself to a mani-pedi and hair cut & colour... maybe having a few people over for a BBQ.  I dunno. I'm not a party person (I also only have like 3 friends here lol).  I gotta do something... It's stressing me out.

I have also been working on some pieces for Finery Boutique, and trudging through my backlog. I am at least staying within my 8 week production time, but my goal is to get it down to 4-6.  I keep reminding myself of the "fast, good, cheap" adage, and that you can only achieve two of those three things...

On that note, it's time for me to get to work.  I hope everyone has a wonderful week!


  

Poor Baby

My poor baby.  Yesterday was quite the day for Oliver.  He has been sleeping since he got home yesterday afternoon, only occasionally getting up to stumble around the house.  It nearly broke my heart when I dropped him off at the vet.  Aside from when he was a puppy, he hasn't had to have a trip to the vet where he has to stay by himself.  The look in his eyes when I had to leave was horrible.  When I came to pick him up later he was so drugged and dazed I don't think he even knew what was going on.  Poor thing ended up having two teeth out, one if them right in the front so now Oliver looks extra special when he smiles! I think he will probably be pretty sleepy for the next day or so.  The molar they removed was very large so I can imagine it must kinda hurt...  The one nice thing is I get extra cuddle time now.

Yesterday ended up kind of being a write-off work wise.  My stomach was in knots about having Oliver at the vet, so I wound up taking a friend of mine, and his little boy, out to a few of the hiking trails just outside of town. That kid is a trooper, he hiked for hours! We had a great time.  It was nice to spend the day outdoors, kept my mind off my poor little dog.

Today I will  bundle Oliver up in his bed and catch up... It's rainy and cold outside so I won't feel like doing much else.

In other news, I finally upgraded my crappy old Blackberry to an iPhone, which came in the mail on Tuesday.  It is nice to have a phone that I can actually work from.  I was ready to throw mine out the window.  I was paying an arm and a leg for a data plan that I could barely use wtih my old phone.  Cell phone plans in Canada are ridiculously expensive... The fun thing about my new phone is I can finally get on Instagram.

Lastly, Anna is hosting a Give Away for my Lola Panties Pattern! The Give away ENDS tomorrow, so get on over there and enter!

Around the House

I mentioned before that Dan and I have been doing a lot around the outside of the house.  Yesterday we got out and finally picked up a bunch of things that we have been wanting for a while.  Dan and I are pretty frugal and not at all impulsive when it comes to buying things, I think as a result of years and years of 'artists' budgets.  We tend to hmmm and haaaa over purchases for weeks, which is a good thing (though we occasionally miss a sale or two as a result).  Yesterday we came home with a fire bowl for having fires in the back yard, solar lights, new rugs, new sheets, new pillows, and less excitingly, a new dehumidifier for the basement.

We extended all of our gardens this year.  When we first moved in, there were no gardens at all, though there was a hosta growing through the gravel driveway, and an iris in the grass.  Last year we put in small gardens, and this year we have extended them a lot.  We still have more to do, I want the gardens to go along either side of the new path we made in the back yard (which also still has to be finished).

Before & After! Not much left to do, except for the plants to grow.

I planted many more perennials this year, most of which I was able to take from my mom's gardens. My yard is very shady, with the exception of a few spots, so it was kind of challenging to plan the garden.  I mixed my vegetables in with my flowers instead of doing separate beds, and I planted wisteria to grow along the lattice on our back porch.  I am surprised at how well it was doing, I didn't really think it would take here...

Our garden last year, next to our garden this year.

Our yard was such a mess when we moved in.  There were rocks everywhere, the grass hardly grew, the driveway and front lawn had become nearly indistinguishable from the other. I really like looking back at the house before we moved in, and comparing it to what we have done.  It feels good. I still remember how much I hated this house when I first walked in the door.  It's funny because I absolutely adore it and all of it's quirks now.

A work in progress, that garage needs to go!

Aside from finishing digging the rest of the gardens, I also want to paint the back wall of our house.  As you can see, something has happened that has caused them to have to re-brick the back exterior wall.  For whatever reason, they didn't even attempt to match the brick... so we will paint that part.  It is something that really drives me crazy, and I hope we can take care of it soon.  Our garage is also falling down, so we need to tear it down and rebuild. I want to plant hostas and lilies along the back fence to hide some of the patchy parts of the fence, and once all of that is done, I will be satisfied! We will have a backyard oasis!

Oliver is wondering which plant he should crush next. 

Oliver is not taking well to his new diet.  He is such a stubborn dog and he hates change (Dan and Oliver are so a like!).  He refused to eat for a day and a half, and finally ate last night around 7 after Dan coaxed him into eating.  The worst part for Oliver is that he can't have any treats or bones right now until we get his potential allergy thing figured out.  I feel bad for  the little guy...

Our pebble path and fire pit

Love these flowers, they look like jelly fish

My rhododendron in bloom

Our new-ish front door!

The Every Day Stuff...

I've gotten out of the habit of blogging! I like to blog a few times a week - it's theraputic and I love writing, but I've fallen off the bandwagon.  I haven't been able to sleep the last few nights. I got up around 4:30 this morning and got a head start on some work, and now finally have some time to devote to a non-lingerie related post.

Yesterday I took the day off.  I didn't sew a thing!  I had to take Oliver to the vet for his annual checkup and shots, and then afterwards I spent the day with my mom, visiting antique stores, wandering downtown, visiting with my aunt, and enjoying a nice lunch at a little bistro! It was really nice, very relaxing.

Oliver's vet visit was interesting... He has been having re-occurring ear "infections," though they don't really fit all of the symptoms of a normal infection.  They are itchy and gunky and bothersome, but not smelly, and they occur very often.  So, that combined with his itchy feet has my vet suspicious that he may have a food allergy.  This is tough news for Oliver who loves to eat table scraps at my parents house, and whatever else he can scavenge.  I was really surprised to learn that dogs often have allergies to proteins, like the meat in their diet.  So... I'm going to try him on a new diet and see if it will make my little love more comfortable.  It breaks my heart when I know he is uncomfortable... Anyone else have a dog with skin/ear issues related to diet?

When the vet checked his mouth she also found a fractured tooth which was very surprising because I brush his teeth every so often with a finger brush and hadn't noticed it.  The tooth has fractured straight up towards the root and probably looks worse than it is!  I have a "tooth thing" so it really freaks me out to think about. We will get it fixed this month, when his bloodwork comes back.  He will be an expensive little dog this month, but for me, it is worth it.  Oliver is my baby, and I couldn't fathom having anything happen to him... I don't think that it had really been bothering him, but I noticed that he won't let me pull his lip back to see it anymore (without a little struggle), so I think that the poking and prodding might have bothered it a little.

Cheese! Smile for the Camera!

Oliver will be six this year.  I can't believe I've had him that long.  He is just the best little dog.  He has enriched my life and changed me in ways that I never thought a dog could impact a person.  He is just an interesting little creature, full of personality.  I am so grateful that Oliver & I found each other.

Playing with the Kong in the pool

Oliver has done a lot of cool things lately.  He is a timid dog around new people, and a little unsure of himself.  Since we had the birthday party at the agility training center, and he had such success on the equipment, he has managed to balance across a log to cross a river, and even went into the lake up to his belly! Those were two things he would never do before! It is really neat to see his confidence build.  If we can afford it, I would love to enroll him in some agility training classes this winter.

Today, Dan and  I are heading up to our old High School today.  It is being closed, so they are having an open house for former students.  I'm really looking forward to a little nostalgia.  I am one of those rare people who really loved high school, though I was definitely not a popular kid.  But, I had Latin Class and Latin Club and German Class and teachers who nourished my little mind and a library full of books with comfy chairs and a small group of weird, artsy, goth friends, and it was just a wonderful, enriching time in my life. I walked past the high school a few weeks ago, and it was so faded and worn out.  It was a little sad to see a monument of such a fondly remembered time of my life in a state of disrepair.  I really hope to see my Latin Teacher there.  Though I didn't end up pursuing a career in the classics, as was my original plan, she had a huge impact on my life and my interests and opened up a whole new realm of language to me.  

Other than that, not much is going on.  We are slowly landscaping our back yard, adding more gardens and a pebble path using rocks we are pulling out of the gardens.  It's hard work, but it looks good and I enjoy the gardens.  I am also turning 30 in a month, so I am trying to decide how I would like to spend the day.  I'm not a party person, but I want to do something to mark the day...

Nautical Mix...

I like stripes.  Maybe you haven't noticed.  But for me, stripes are the best pattern, even better than floral.  Stripes can be easily mixed with other patterns, they add a variety of colours to your wardrobe, they are somewhat masculine feeling to me, so I like to pair them with feminine details. When I was looking at the fabrics I had pulled for my latest pieces, I realized I had blue and white, black and cream, charcoal and white, yellow and white, and red and white stripes... I don't think I've left any out!

Sleep Tight

Adrift

A Classic

Nautical Trio

Navy

Chrysanthemum
Photography by Franey Miller (http://franeymiller.net)
Modeled by Alida
Makeup by Cassie Lynn Young 
Hair by Jade Mulgrew

Chrysanthemum