Rompers, Playsuits, Bodysuits, Teddies..

I never get as much done during the day as I intend to... I thought at first that I must be spending too much time "in between tasks" (in other words, slacking). So, I started writing down everything I do during the day to make sure I am making the most of my time! It turns out I waste a lot less time than I thought!

I sewed this romper this morning, which was a quick, easy sew. It is basically a bodice block and pant block with the darts removed and extra fullness added. I lengthened the bodice block a bit for blousing and did some tapering around the bum. The two pieces are then sewn together with a french seam, then a piece of elastic is inserted into the casing, and voila, a super cute retro-styled romper. I added a contrast panel to the front with a little lace, as well as some vintage 1950's plastic buttons! I think this one is my favourite style romper.

While I'm hoping to sell these, this is a pretty simple style to Frankenstein out of patterns I'm sure pretty much any sewist has laying around!

A few days ago I placed an order from Lush, and it came in the mail today! I ordered my favourite Porridge soap, Buffy scrub, a chocolate and honey scented massage bar, some shampoo and a few other things. I cannot say enough how much I LOVE everything from lush, especially their solid shampoos and the body butters. All I want to do is shower and wash my hair all day long....

18th Century style corset...

Yesterday I chipped away at my to-do list and got quite a bit accomplished. I made yummy "from scratch" baked beans with bacon and two loafs of white bread. I "borrowed" a cookbook from my mom that was produced by the Ministry of Agriculture, probably in the mid-1970's about money-wise foods. It has great recipes - the kind that Dan loves, homey, meaty, and traditional. I'm really enjoying pouring through it!

I made my post office run, gave Dan an early birthday present ('32 Hot Rod scale model), cut out new orders, and started on the stays pictured above.

I used a stiff, natural muslin for the base and lining and did an overlay in a poly cotton blend satin stripe fabric which has a slight "pucker" effect to it, that I think gives it a real antiqued look. For the bone casings, I cut 2" stripes of floral cotton on the bias and put them in a traditional 18th century layout. I am so in love with this little garment, reminds me of an antique quilt. When it is complete it will lace up the front and back and have straps that tie on. It is very lightly boned (for this style) and will have only a total of 14 plastic bones. I plan on making some panties with ruffles that mimic panniers.

I went for a few weeks without any really good, wonderful, mind altering ideas (besides my accessory panties, I still like those!), and now that it is a day before going back to work my mind is full, full to the brim with frilly ideas!

Another great Blog!

I've been featured on a great Lingerie Blog this morning! They have featured my accessory panties. I'm so happy to be featured there, it totally made up for an incredibly crappy long weekend. I won't get into why it was crappy, it just was.

On the flip side we got to hang out with two of our best friends this weekend, which was nice, and a new bar/lounge has opened up down town that isn't a sports bar and actually serves real cappuccino and latte's! I am super excited about this and I'm sure I will be spending a lot more time there. They also have live music, which is a nice change!

More to come later. This morning I have a splitting headache which has been the trend for February... however, I have a lot of things up my sleeve that I would like to get done today. They are, in no particular order:

1. Post office. Blonde-y over here mislabeled two packages which arrived safe and sound at her home on Friday, including her Giveaway. Doh! I really do have the best of intentions.
2. Make home made baked beans, the recipe for which I found in a very old Ministry of Agriculture pamphlet from my parents house. There is also a recipe for Heart Chop Suey. I don't think I'll try that one, but I might try some of their jellied fruit salads, just to be kitschy.
3. Corset. Did you know I used to make corsets? I also received a mark of 115% on my foundation garment in College. How is that possible? I'm not sure, but it's a true story. The corsets I have in mind are more like bustiers, no steel boning, mostly just for fun!
4. Romper.
5. Photos.
6. Skill up my Fishing in Final Fantasy. I hardly played all weekend!
7. Birthday present for Dan. This year, as he did last year, he requested a Lamborghini. I've got something just as good up my sleeve.
8. Finish up my latest Etsy order.

So, as you can see, I have a lot to get done over the next day! Hopefully I can get the motivation to get up off the couch and get started....

Fresh Baked Bread...

I have had this idea in my brain for a while... I love big bows, and ruffles and silk fabric flowers, but you can't exactly throw something like that on under your jeans. I also love clothing that can be worn in different ways... So in attempt to combine those two ideas, I came up with these.

I made a pair of simple cotton panties with three clear, nylon snaps on the back, then made some "Accessories" to snap on and off; a bustle trimmed in silk, silk rosettes and pearl drops, and a gigantic taffeta bow.

I am totally excited with how these turned out. I love making the "accessories" and it really makes a plain-ish pair of panties extra fun.

Yesterday I made white bread for the first time. I made two loafs and am going to try to make our bread from now on. I also made some wool dryer balls to use instead of dryer sheets. Unfortunately I am out of dirty laundry and have not had a chance to use them! I scented my dryer balls by putting a bit of fabric softener on the beginning of the yarn as I was winding it into a ball. I used them once to dry some sheets and they still have a lot of scent in them. I am trying to make as much of my own consumables or at least make re-useables.

I made myself a circle skirt out of an old sheet I found at Goodwill yesterday; I am currently wearing it, freezing my butt off, but am stubornly refusing to wear winter clothes any longer! I am done with winter and snow and slush... I am so ready for spring!

A Big Sigh of Relief!

Ahh... the craziness of the end of January/Early February is over... everything is shipped (or ready to be shipped), I've made some major wedding progress - dress, hall rented, bridesmaids dresses, etc - and am looking forward to life being a little more... stable!

I got quite a bit done over my two days off - ordered the last of the bridesmaids dresses, which look like this:

I sewed myself a big plaid shirt, with a yummy placket running down the front which I was very excited about sewing, as I haven't sewn a placket since college. I finished the item for my Give Away, completed an alteration, shipped orders, and made two delicious, homemade dinners. I am hoping that this weekend Dan and I can get out and register for gifts for our wedding. We keep putting it off because we need to drive to the next largest town, as there are no large department stores where we live... Yep, it's that small!

I completely forgot that Monday is Valentines Day (I'm suspecting Dan did too)... I think we will stay in (which is no surprise) and maybe do a chocolage fondu and continue our Oscar Movie Marathon. Unfortunatly we are at The Godfather II which is not so romantic... Does anyone else have plans for Valentines Day?

Lovin'

A lovely Valentines Day Plug for Ohhh Lulu Here.

Newest

I love purple and red.

Goodness is in the air!

The funeral was as good as a funeral could be, the eulogy was lovely (preformed by my aunt, who I was named after). I broke down a bit at the end and was feeling really quite low yesterday evening, but today it is sunny, relatively warm for winter in Canada, and I woke up to a lovely email with a link to this really lovely write up about Ohhh Lulu. I was so happy to see that other people are recognizing what I am trying to do with my lingerie, and appreciating it! It really set me off on the right foot. I also found this great write up in the Washingtonian. I am so excited!

I am at work today, but I only have 7 hours left to go and am really feeling positive about things now. This is the first time in a while I don't really have too much to stress about, and in doing all of the remembering of my Grandmother, I feel very inspired - inspired to be a better person, more positive, in dependant, a business owner, just like my Gram. Thinking back, I think almost all of my Grandma's business ventures were pretty independently run - I guess if you can't find work, you've got to make your own!

I've been spending a lot of time worrying over the elusive question: "what am I going to do with my life?" I am 27, and have recently left a good job in the biggest city in Canada (see bio) for a much more simple life, but I am having a hard time separating what I do from who I am and dealing the pressure to have a "real" job." I recently started reading Possum Living (which I highly recommend) which has really been inspiring me to cut out the conventional and go-it alone.

Betsey Johnson makes it Fast & Easy!

Between family "stuff" I've actually been getting quite a bit of sewing done. I mentioned earlier, a Betsey Johnson pattern I had finished - I got this in a box lot of patterns and fell in love. It is SO Little House on the Prairie Meets Star Trek. The banded cap sleeve makes me giggle, but actually looks very cute on. I want to make a longer version for spring. This is completely the type of dress I could live in in the summer. Ah summer...

This was a very quick sew - as I mentioned in an earlier post, I took extra time to do french seams, a rolled hem, and lined the sleeve bands in broiderie angialise.

I also started on some more "ready made" stuff for My Etsy Shop including this knit "jacquard" set, which reminds me of the coziest pair of long-johns I had as a kid - perfect log cabin wear.

I've had this romper on my dress form for a few weeks. I love the print on this satin, it has cute little pink birds and reminds me of the 1920's. I will make one of these for myself I think...

And last but not least, I sewed a bra before going to the visitation this afternoon. I like the gathered front. I sewed three little yellow buttons down the front and am contemplating a bow...

I am trying to kill some time between going to my Grandmother's second viewing tonight... I've had a headache all week! The Funeral is tomorrow... even though it was an open casket viewing, it still hasn't really "hit" me yet. My dad looks fantastic, which is good news, but I think he is getting cabin fever from not being able to go to work... or even go for a drive. While my cousin and I were preparing photos for the funeral, we found old wedding pictures of both of our parents. My mom and dad were such a good looking couple! I put one of their wedding photos up on my fridge to inspire...

Today I spent some time with two of my aunts and my cousin, preparing a bunch of My Grandma's awards and photos for her visitation and funeral. It was a lot of fun to see her Real Estate License from 1963, and all of her old photos. My favourite was one of her, standing in front of the ocean by an old Oldsmobile, the wind blowing her skirt and hair, she looked so happy. My grandma did so much. I found a bunch of pictures from my parents wedding - it was fun seeing them so young and in love!

I got up early this morning and made Chili in the slow cooker, finished off my orders and got them out in the mail. I still need to send away my give-away gift, and will probably get to do that tomorrow. We are supposed to get a huge snowstorm tomorrow, and Dan's school has cancelled classes. I'm looking forward to spending a snow-day in.