Tomorrow I release my first ever 4th of July inspired Limited Edition, Limited Quantity line! Check it out after 5pm CST!
sewing
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….)
Where I’ve Been….
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?
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!
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!
Here’s to the week starting, my head not trying to kill me, and a productive week ahead! Happy Monday!
This Week
Weekly wrap-up:
I’ve been working on orders as well as items for the upcoming photo shoots–still SO excited!!
Husband has been out of town, which allows me to stock up on junk food get a lot more sewing done, since I am able to sew into the evening hours–I don’t really cook when it’s just me.
While I work, I’ve been listening to “The Tudors: The Complete Story of England’s Most Notorious Dynasty” by G.J. Meyer, and I have to say–I’m loving it! I love history, and have always loved reading about any of the Tudors, but sometimes the books can be, let’s just say, a wee bit dry. Not the case here–it’s so interesting, and I’m even learning things I’ve not encountered in other books! Really worth it, if you’re a history nerd like me.
Have a fabulous weekend!
Success!
The new shoot was a full success!
I mean, I know I’m the one saying it, so maybe take that with a grain of salt.
But, I think the new look really makes the items pop in the listings.
What do you think?
I already have the next shoot scheduled, and hope to have the majority of the shop switched over to the new style within the next few months.
I commented to G the other day that the only things I have to talk about–indeed, the only things I think about–are all work-related.
I must be a true bore.
I need to get out into the garden this weekend!
Go fishing! (we totally got our fishing licenses this past weekend–both of us love fishing, but have never fished down here! G grew up fishing in the Bahamas, and I grew up fishing in MN. So, it’s a new adventure)
Maybe then I’ll have more to discuss…and be a tad more interesting. 😉
Spring!
I’ve been working on new Spring and Summer things for the shop lately–neglecting the blog, neglecting the yard, neglecting the garden. *sigh*
Just sewing, sewing, sewing, SEWING!
Also re-working (or attempting to re-work) the photography for my etsy shop.
While I love the editorial photography, the lighting, the mood, the setting…..it’s not as cohesive as I’d like it to be.
So, I decided to try a new style.
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.
While I love them……they’re still not right.
And so, today, we’re trying this again.
But in the wee little photo studio I have set up this time.
Going for more simple. Less distraction from the clothing.
But I think I’m going to miss the backgrounds.
Trying to get your business the way you want it is a never-ending process, it seems.
But worth it.
Happy Almost-Weekend to you!
A Dark Alice Kind of Week
So happy to welcome Friday this week.
The hubby has been out of town all week, leaving me to fend for myself amongst the kitties. He’ll be back today. 🙂
Luckily, I had made a big pot of Chana Masala that fed me in the evenings, lots of veggies for salad lunches, many orders to sew up, and a whole stack of audio books to listen to.
Also: A whole new season of “Mind of a Chef” on Netflix.
I have an upcoming order for a Wednesday Addams dress, and the client and I were ironing out the final design for it. Of course, I had about a million ideas, ranging from the very traditional to the more “out there”:

Wednesday Addams possibilities

Wednesday Addams Possibilities
I had two back-to-back Dark Alice orders, which ended up taking up the whole week, after Monday was spent cutting and most of Tuesday was spent visiting family and running errands.

Alternate Dark Alice, featuring a lower neckline
The orders shouldn’t have taken quite as long as they did. To be fair, the first order went smoothly. But the second one. The second one wasn’t cooperating, resulting in me have to entirely re-work (and re-cut) the bodice. It just wasn’t laying correctly, and there was no other option.

This isn’t the exact dress that I made, but its the same design….and I can’t access the picture I took of the one this week
So, I’m running a day behind at this point.
Lucky for me, I was running way ahead of schedule before the set-back. 😉
Today I’ll be sewing up one last order that’s cut, and cutting a few more that are waiting.
Did you watch Project Runway this week?
Loved the concept this week, but rather disappointed with the end results. I had a really hard time picking a top 3, mainly because so much that walked that runway was dark and, honestly, kind of dull. Not really a lot of new ideas.
Which is sad, considering this is probably going to be one of the few challenges this season where they could have thought outside the box.
My top 3:

Samantha
A bit basic, too reminiscent of the 90s, and FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GET RID OF THAT BACKPACK, but I liked the jacket and cowl neck here. I hate those shoes something fierce. Are those REALLY back? Because there are, like, 5 pairs of them on the Aldo wall this season.

Emily
This was really cool, loved it with the jacket–but I wish she’d made the jacket in some other material. It felt too…..snuggie. Like, I’d be wearing that fabric sitting on the couch in my pj’s. But, the jumpsuit was really cool–and I’m a gal that HATES a jumpsuit with a fierce passion normally.

Sandhya
I know this is weird, and I know a lot of people are going to hate it, but I think, of all the offerings, this one fit the challenge the best, and is something NEW. It definitely appeals to the costumer in me, and maybe that’s why I like it so much. I still love Sandhya–while they definitely gave her the whiny-edit last week, I still think she’s the one to watch this season. She’s the only one, so far, to really show that she has something to SAY. She really thinks about her designs, and what she wants them to be saying, and I really respond to that.
I can’t stop staring at the models toes, hanging off those shoes, and it’s FREAKING ME OUT.
I hate toes, and I hate women who wear sandals too-small for them. GO UP A SIZE, LADIES. There’s no shame in it.
Gahhh, toes. *shudder*
Okay, they’re out of my direct line of sight now.
Listening to this week:

“The Seven Dials Mystery”–Agatha Christie
I’m a Christie-addict. I go through the collection and start all over. I just don’t get tired of listening to them.

“‘Salem’s Lot”–Stephen King
I read this back in…..high school? Junior high? I was a huge King fan (and Anne Rice). I’ve been listening to a lot of the books I read back then, and it’s fun to remember the stories, but to understand them on a whole different level now.

“White Fire”–Preston & Child
I really enjoyed this, but I spent half the book yelling at the main character because she was SO. DAMN. STUPID.
I don’t think it’s a good thing that I was vehemently hoping she’d bite it before the end.
Well, that’ was my week–hope yours was good, and I’ll see you Monday!
This Week
I spent most of this week thinking it was a day ahead, until yesterday when I inexplicably switched to thinking it was a day past.
That pretty much sums it up.
Orders have started rolling in for Halloween, Burning Man and miscellaneous events, so I’ve been working on those.
As well as sneaking in some fun bits in between–like this Star Wars ruffle skirt:
The garden has been exploding with the last of the summer squash and TONS OF CUCUMBERS, prompting a canning session (and another to come this weekend):
I lost one of the Summer Squash Pickle jars…..first ever to just crack in the canner. But, one casualty isn’t so bad. Especially considering I’m always amazed that every single one doesn’t explode or turn black.
Side note: One of the best sounds in the world are the “pings!” of sealing jars after a looooooong day of canning.
As I was checking (the endless) online things I do each morning before heading into the studio, I remembered–NEW SEASON OF PROJECT RUNWAY STARTED LAST NIGHT!!! Is there anything better than remembering that your ALL-TIME-FAVORITE show has started a new season and you get to watch it? Not for this gal. At least not on a Friday morning. (I don’t have cable, so watch the episodes the day after online)
I won’t bore you with my thoughts and ideas (besides, I can’t hold a candle to Tom & Lorenzo’s re-caps), but I WILL share my top 3 of the night:

Char
Love-Love-LOVE this top (and a good circle skirt is ALWAYS a winner in my book). The draping in the shirt is lovely, and I would totally wear this. The shirt really sells it. Plus, Char is just pretty kick-ass so far. Gotta love a designer from DETROIT.

Alexander
I know this one will be controversial. The fabrics aren’t my favorite to go together–I would have loved to see that neck done in a solid rather than the Hawaiian Granny Floral. But I really like the cut to this, and how it flowed. Go figure, I like the tent dress. 😉

Carrie
I was surprised this one didn’t make it into the top 3. I think it was more interesting than at least one that DID make it. I’ll be interested to see what Carrie does this season–I think she has an interesting set of ideas, and I’m a sucker for a gal with day-glo hair. This is really architectural and interesting. A few less cut-outs would suit it better to my taste, but I think it’s a really good use of the print.
My favorite of the season (even though I really did NOT like her runway look) is Sandhya so far. That’s liable to change once we really get everyone’s aesthetic and personalities in play, but Sandhya has an amazing body of work, a point of view/voice, and she’s just really sweet. She’s got skills, and I hope those bitches don’t knock her around too much.
Happy weekend!
This Week
It’s raining and dreary and I’ve gotten my errands done for the day.

Sewing a new bustle on my 1946 machine
A mug of coffee (or two), a quick post, and then it’s off to the studio to get to work!

Some of the fabrics I’ve been playing with
I’ve cut a lot out this week, and sewn up a few things.

A soft little floral number–totally not the normal style of print I use, but something about it called out to me at the Fabric Store the other day!
I should have photographed more….but…..I’m lazy, and it’s raining!

A bustle, about to get some grommets
I guess that means a photo-shoot with my dress form this weekend.

We got a little portable record player last weekend, and I’ve been loving it!
As mentioned, I ran some errands today (which, sadly, is a Big Thing, as I rarely leave the house these days–unless it’s to the Post or the Fabric Store). I snuck in a trip to the thrift store–which is one of my favorite places.

This gigantic wall hanging came home with me today–it’s a batik image on fabric that has been mounted and framed. I’d been admiring it for awhile, and bought it spur-of-the-moment today. I love it!
I snagged some great stuff–tons of records, patterns, pictures….
The garden is in full swing, and I planted a few new things this past weekend–and they’re already popping up!
We’ll be canning this weekend–the first time for Hubby, so should be a good time!
Hope you have a beautiful weekend–what are your plans?