Weekly Wrap Up

Let’s just jump in, shall we?  As if 3 months hadn’t passed…..

This week:

 

I (finally) jumped into 2016 and upgraded to an iPhone.  First thing my sister said was “download Neko Atsume immediately”.  I’m in love with the kitties!  Obsessed with the kitties!  Games that are adorable and require very little from me are high on my list of good times.

A few Mardi Gras pieces yet to finish up, a complete over-haul of the studio (I hope) and a new online shop are all on the horizon.

Happy Friday–weekend here I come!  (after I finish this stack of orders….)

 

 

Weekend Blues

Well, not really a blue weekend, per se, but all of Sunday was lost to being ill, so I feel a little robbed of my full weekend potential, you know?

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Saturday brought the local Farmer’s Market, where I picked up this week’s CSA offering. This is the first year we’ve participated in a CSA (having wanted to for years, but never having made the deadline for signing up before).  Absolutely loving it!  The first tomatoes of the season were part of the offering this week–along with eggplant, cucumbers, zucchini, green bell peppers, carrots and potatoes!  Big Summer Stew coming up for tonight’s meal.  Nom!

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Worked on some sequining & beading for one of the bustiers that will be part of the upcoming shoot.  In retrospect, I’m not sure how well SEQUINS will show up in a photograph, but….well, it’s done now, lol.

Then Sunday rolled around, and I was in bed battling a severe headache and body pains until around 1pm.  It was awful.  Once I managed to drag myself out of the bedroom, onto the couch (still in pj’s and with half the headache hanging on), the Husband and I binge-watched the entire season of “The Devil is a Part-timer!” on Netflix–and loved it!

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Here’s to the week starting, my head not trying to kill me, and a productive week ahead!  Happy Monday!

I Know I Just Said I Wouldn’t Do This….

Didn’t I JUST say that I wanted to break the cycle of posting just photo shoots?

Ahhh, well–this is new!  And I wanted to share it before I forgot ALL ABOUT IT!  (which I’ll do over the weekend, most likely)

Just a little product shoot with the beautiful Yuri, who I’ve gotten to work with a few times now–you’ll recognize her from the Boa Shoot and the Mardi Gras Shoot.  She lives down the road–how lucky am I?

A few new pieces, a few new shots of older pieces.

Some new Swing Tanks, a new Crop Top, new Babydoll Tunics, new Sweetheart Neckline Bustiers….

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And new shots of capelets and a cincher skirt.

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We had so much fun, even though I had hoped to have more to photograph–as I mentioned, orders have been rolling in, and that means less time to create new things.

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What do you think?

New Babydoll Tunics

New Babydoll Tunics

Spring!

Vintage Handkerchief Skirt

Vintage Handkerchief Skirt

I’ve been working on new Spring and Summer things for the shop lately–neglecting the blog, neglecting the yard, neglecting the garden.  *sigh*

Linen Tunic Dress

Linen Tunic Dress

Just sewing, sewing, sewing, SEWING!

Chiffon Swing Tank

Chiffon Swing Tank

Also re-working (or attempting to re-work) the photography for my etsy shop.

Floral Tunic Dress

Floral Tunic Dress

While I love the editorial photography, the lighting, the mood, the setting…..it’s not as cohesive as I’d like it to be.

Gauze Gypsy Dress

Gauze Gypsy Dress

So, I decided to try a new style.

Giraffe Tunic Dress

Giraffe Tunic Dress

Went out with the lovely Nancy Jane a couple of weeks ago and snapped a bunch of new photos with new things, as well as old.

Kimono Jacket

Kimono Jacket

While I love them……they’re still not right.

Floral Babydoll Tunic

Floral Babydoll Tunic

And so, today, we’re trying this again.

Print Swing Tank

Print Swing Tank

But in the wee little photo studio I have set up this time.

Yellow Sundress

Yellow Sundress

Going for more simple.  Less distraction from the clothing.

Butterfly Tunic Dress

Butterfly Tunic Dress

But I think I’m going to miss the backgrounds.

Polka Dot Sundress

Polka Dot Sundress

Trying to get your business the way you want it is a never-ending process, it seems.

Pinstripe Babydoll Tunic

Pinstripe Babydoll Tunic

But worth it.

Linen Sundress

Linen Sundress

Happy Almost-Weekend to you!

This Week

It’s been a good week–still a little slow on the orders-front, but that’s normal for June.  A few come in here and there, and so I get those done immediately, and then back to new items, new styles, new adventures.

A pair of ruffle leggings was made and shipped off to Canada:

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A capelet found a new home:

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A new style of dress was created (and I’m in LOVE)–it’s a lovely lightweight black gauze over a black cotton lining, and I CANNOT WAIT to get it onto a model for fit and better pictures:

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Another stack of crop tops for the upcoming lakefront shoot:

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The second of three shirts for a friend’s order:

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A new tattered lace collar:

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And a tattered fabric boa:

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(also a couple of new shirts for myself snuck their way in)

As I sewed away, I listened to:

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–“Doctor Sleep” by Stephen King–this is a follow-up to “The Shining”, one of my all-time favs of King’s.  You find out what happened to Danny, and it’s a fabulous story.  Lives up to the original, and satisfies all those “I wonder what happened to…” questions from the first.  I really enjoyed it–having a good book on cd to listen to makes ALL the difference when sewing.  Makes me more anxious to get back into the studio every morning!

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–“Edwin of the Iron Shoes” by Marcia Muller–I had no idea that this book was from 1977, until the lead character put on a “tailored denim pantsuit” to go to an interview.  That had me wondering, but what REALLY got me was when another character was described to be wearing a leisure suit.  Good story, kept my interest.  Not on the same level as “Doctor Sleep”, but interesting nonetheless.

 

Where I’ve Been

Or, rather, what I’ve been up to, since where I’ve been (the studio and the garden) hasn’t really changed.

I’ve been sewing up a few shirts for a friend’s order (that blue jersey is one of my FAVORITE fabrics of all-time.  I made myself a shirt with it, and it’s just sooooooo comfy and soft!):

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Turning a big ol’ stack:

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Into a bunch of these:

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And sewing up a pair of shorts (WHAAAAT?  I never sew shorts!):

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The shirts and the shorts are being made for a soon (I hope) shoot I have in the works with one of my amazingly talented model-friends.  Just a low-key shoot, probably along the lakefront.  I’m in love with the shirts, and want to have a whole slew of them up in the shops soon–but they just look so lackluster on the dress forms!  They change dramatically when on a human form.  Also–a great excuse to get out of the studio and go have some FUN!

I have a number of shoots in the works right now–can’t wait to get going on them all!

Happy Monday–I know it’s not the norm to enjoy a Monday, but I always kind of do (don’t smack me).  It always feels a little like a fresh start, and I have an extra bounce in my step as I go about planning the week.

Circus Shoot

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The final images from the recent Circus Shoot were released!

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(which, if you follow me on facebook, you would TOTALLY know by now, seeing as I repeatedly posted the pictures over the weekend)

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I’m happy with how they turned out.  Each shoot is a learning experience, and each one is more fun than the last, somehow.

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Models: Amberleighhh (http://www.modelmayhem.com/2598688) & Erica Boss (https://www.facebook.com/ericabossmoran)

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Hair: Peggy West

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Make Up: Laurin E Hart

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Photographer: Underexposed Photography ( https://www.facebook.com/#!/brittsmithphoto )

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Clothes & Accessories:  Trapped In Time Designs (duh)

Behind The Scenes

Yesterday was a BLAST!

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New friends were made, old friends were enjoyed, and so much laughter ensued that my cheeks STILL hurt today.

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I feel so happy with how it all came together–my vision feels realized!

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I even remembered to snap behind the scenes photos throughout the day–no small feat for me.

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It all came together so well, and while I was exhausted by the end, it was so worth it.

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Now comes the hardest part–the waiting for the final images!

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But I’ll be patient, I promise.

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Until I see what is sure to be amazing photography by Underexposed Photography, I’ll flip through the bits I snapped and remember how much FUN was had.

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I’m already itching for the next shoot!

Models:  Erica Boss & Amber Carollo

Make Up:  Laurin Edmonson Hart

Hair:  Peggy West

Clothing & Accessories:  Trapped In Time Designs

Shhhhh

It’s been awfully quiet around here lately.  I wish I could say it was because I’ve been doing exciting and fabulous things….but, really, it’s just been a lot of sewing and painting.

I did manage to sew up a few things for myself that have been in constant rotation.  These oversize t-shirt style tops are pretty much my go-to for the summer (and, MAN, summer is here in the South!):

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I also ordered a ton of jewelry, both on etsy and forever21 online, so I’ve been playing with new necklaces and earrings.

I rarely buy anything new for myself, and it’s even MORE rare for me to sew anything for myself.

Of course, I was WILDLY optimistic in my cutting out of things for myself and still have 3 entire skirts that need to be sewn–but those will have to wait for evening and weekend work.  Orders and photo shoots come first. 😉

Speaking of shoots–I finished up the second painting for the upcoming shoot:

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AND I found a good deal on the PERFECT SHOES for the models:

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Luckily the model who will be in the red pair has the same size foot as I….so those will most likely end up in my closet.

Off to package the weekend orders, hit USPS and then SEW-SEW-SEW!  Have a fabulous Monday, my friends!

Quiet Week

I’ve been taking it easy, sewing for myself and re-grouping.

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I decided to put all the custom orders back up, so if you’ve been waiting, now’s the time.

I planted some sweet oat grass for Lizzie.  When it got long enough for her to chomp on, I brought it onto “her” sun-porch and she promptly climbed into it, effectively smooshing and killing all the grass in the middle of the pot. :/

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I worked in the yard and found the new crop of Devil’s Horse grasshopper babies masquerading as a toupee. (I have NO idea if that’s the right name–it’s just what my family has always called them)

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Also, the first of the cherry tomatoes ripened (and were promptly eaten after this picture).

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I did whip up a few new items for the shop.  A pinstriped tunic top:

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And a Mardi Gras peplum skirt (so out of season, but it was in the stack of things to sew):

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Oh!  And I got my new ironing board cover (I treat myself to a new one every year)!

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(this is from the etsy shop Compelled To Craft, and I highly recommend shopping with them–this is my third from them, and I have loved each one.  Great quality, great prints.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/compelledtocraft)

As a few orders have already rolled in today, I’ll be back to normal production work next week!  I don’t know if my self-imposed vacation was long enough…..but it sure was getting awfully quiet in the shop. 😉