sewing

Lately

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At least it’s Friday.

I was up most of the night.  For no reason, other than I do that sometimes.  I wake up in the middle of the night, and proceed to worry and think and brainstorm and toss and turn and stay awake for hours.

I felt like someone poked me in the back twice, when no one was around, this morning.

And then an old, broken, and unplugged surge protector started making horrible, loud, long beeps.

So, it’s been…..interesting around the ol’ household this morning.

I’ve been sewing away over the week, and slowly editing images from Monday’s shoot.

I’ve made ruffle leggings (now on their way to Austin, TX), a couple of child’s capelets (headed to Alberta, Canada) and a bustier (on it’s way to IL) for customer orders.

I’ve sewed up dresses and bustles and bustiers for listing in the shop.

And, as mentioned, I’ve been editing images from Monday’s little shoot–and listing the new items in all THREE of my shops (Etsy, ArtFire, & RebelsMarket).

A little peek:

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Model:  Amberleighhh  (https://www.facebook.com/modelamberleighhh)

These are my absolute favorite tops right now.  I wear one almost every day, layered with a tank top.  So comfy, and easy to wear.  I hope I’m not the only person in the world who likes them….though then I’d have a LOT to choose from…..

I still have quite a few images to edit and more new items to get listed, but I’m only doing one per day.  To save my brain.

While all this sewing has been happening, I’ve been listening to:

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The Dead Room

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Happy almost-weekend!

This Week

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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

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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.

This Week

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As mentioned, I’ve been sewing like a mad-woman, getting ready for Sunday’s (SUNDAY!!!) shoot.

I’ve not snapped too many photos.

Well, I have, but I can’t share them all.  I’m hell-bent on creating a video of the process of putting this shoot together, so I’m hoarding images I’ve been taking.  It’ll be more of a slideshow set to music….but I’m calling it a video.  I might even call it a MOVIE.  A FILM.  I’ll be a Filmmaker, and pick up smoking again.

Or I’ll just make a slideshow to music and call it a day.

Probably the latter.  I’m tired.

So, anyway.  Sewing!  This:

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Turned into This:

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And This is technically from last week, but it was in my pictures folder so HERE:

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Also:  the giraffe dress has shipped off to its new home!

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I’ll miss it.  *sniffle*

Shhhhh

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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

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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. 😉

This Week

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I keep forgetting what day it is this week.

I also decided to reintroduce caffeine.

THAT’S the kind of week it’s been.

So far, I’ve:

Finished up an Alice order.

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Made a new Dieselpunk military capelet.

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Created a super ruffly red and white striped choker.

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Made a beautiful silk brocade capelet.

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And spent many, many hours putting together sketches, images, prices and a full proposal for a really cool job. (SPOILER:  I didn’t get it–but I did give myself a ton of new ideas for future offerings and a potential photo shoot)

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I feel like I should have more accomplished by today….maybe I need to give myself some slack?

This Week

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You may have noticed that my shops are all on vacation this week.  Only a temporary hiatus while I catch up on orders and regroup a bit.  I expect to be back up and running in a couple of weeks.

As mentioned, I’m using this time to catch up on orders.  But FIRST, I had to complete the doll pairing for my nieces:

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A red chiffon skirt/dress (shown as a dress since is so LOOOOOOONG):

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A couple of sparkly cowl-neck tunics flew off to the UK:

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An Alice dress is in the works for a lucky actress:

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And a striped tunic, bustle and military hat came off the machines, too:

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All-in-all, a productive week so far.  Hope yours is going well, too!

TnT Tuesday

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I love these crop tops.

I have a couple myself, and need to make a few more.

I’m a huge fan of layering, you see.

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A friend once laughed at me, when I lamented having had a hard time figuring out what to wear one day–this is back when I had an office job.

He said–“What do you mean?  All you do is:  tank top, t-shirt, cardigan, and GO!”.

Which hit it on the head.  That really nails down my clothing–tank top, top over that and cardigan, if the second top has short or no sleeves.

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Which is why these are a great wardrobe addition for me.  Tank top (possible two in contrasting colors) and crop top.  Done.  Comfortable, easy to wear, and goes with anything.

I have a few new fabrics to make some of these out of–wild prints!  PRINTS!  I never use wild prints, so I’m excited to get making them.  Once my stack of orders is diminished, that is.

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You can find this one here on etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/97690622/shirt-crop-top-womens-shirt-cowl-neck

Photographer: Underexposed Photography (https://www.facebook.com/brittsmithphoto)
Model: Amber Carollo http://www.modelmayhem.com/2598688#

Work In Progress

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The Wicked Witch replica dress is still in the works.  *this close* to being done.

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I only have the dress photographed (and poorly at that) so far.  Note the dress form she’s on is slightly too small….

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Can’t wait to get better pictures and the whole costume together!  Hopefully this weekend will allow me some time to do so.

It’s definitely been a longer process than anticipated.  Cobbling together the pattern and making it all work together proved to be more intensive than I had imagined.  But, it’s looking beautiful, and will soon be offered on a made-to-order basis in my shops.  🙂