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:

multi5

A capelet found a new home:

red5

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:

1710

Another stack of crop tops for the upcoming lakefront shoot:

1744

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

1718

A new tattered lace collar:

1746

And a tattered fabric boa:

1759

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

As I sewed away, I listened to:

dr

–“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!

index

–“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!):

Image

Turning a big ol’ stack:

Image

Into a bunch of these:

Image

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

Image

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

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:

Image

Turned into This:

Image

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

Image

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

Image

I’ll miss it.  *sniffle*

The Weekend

Shots from over the weekend:

Working on some sideshow-banner-inspired artwork for an upcoming shoot:

Image

This is the second one, which you can barely see (even with the wacky editing filter I used), but I had to share it due to the Buster Keaton photo-bomb:

Image

The arugula in the garden was just BEGGING me to make one of our fav salads, Arugula-Fennel:

Image

Requisite Garden Photos:

Image

Image

We worked a lot in the yard, as evidenced by the mountain of limbs/fronds/weeds that we left behind:

Image

Quiet Week

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

Image

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. :/

Image

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)

Image

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

Image

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

Image

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

Image

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

Image

(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

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.

Image

Made a new Dieselpunk military capelet.

Image

Created a super ruffly red and white striped choker.

Image

Made a beautiful silk brocade capelet.

Image

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)

Image

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

This Week

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:

Image

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

Image

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

Image

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

Image

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

Image

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

Work In Progress

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

Image

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

Image

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.  🙂

Busy, Busy

Things are rather busy around here, with ready-made orders and made-to-measure orders.  I’m busily re-stocking my dwindling fabric supply (well, just a few of the regulars are dwindling, the rest is still VERY MUCH there), re-ordering shipping supplies (new stickers, address labels, thank you cards, etc), cutting new orders out, sewing them together, and getting things packaged and shipped.  I’m happy for the business, and enjoying the go-go-go.

These all shipped out today for various spots around the country and globe:

Image

We also bought a new treadmill, so that’s been playing a big part of my morning routine.  😉

Image

I finished up “The Tale of Halcyon Crane” by Wendy Webb on audiobook yesterday.  I pretty much listen to audiobooks the entire day long–at least, when I’m in my studio.  So, I go through a LOT of them.  I was so pleasantly surprised by my parish library’s selection, both online and in-house.  I enjoyed “The Tale of Halcyon Crane”–it has most of the things I look for in a book, really–ghosts, mystery, history & a huge old fully furnished inherited Victorian home.  Put those in a book and I’m there. Though I get a wee bit jealous over the house inheritance.  I’ve always wanted to inherit a beautiful old home full of history, secret passageways and lots of STUFF.

You can find the book here:  http://www.amazon.com/Tale-Halcyon-Crane-Novel/dp/0805091408

This Week

Cutting, Sewing, Book-Keeping.

Image

It’s cold.  Again.

Overcast.  Again.

Makes me want to snuggle on the couch with the kitties and play Skyrim.

Instead, I will cut out the latest orders and listen to some audio books.

Image

Stay warm, folks.  Looks like a lot of the country is in for some more beautiful winter weather.  Ugh.