Sew Many Patterns

This is the year of DIY! Well, for me it is. At least that's what I decided back in January. Every year I tell myself I'm going to make more stuff, and every year I disappoint myself. At the end of last year I surprised myself and actually did complete a fair amount of sewing. I don't think I ever shared them here, but for Christmas I made my brother and sister some fun tote bags. I also sewed a few kimonos, though none that are "wearable" because I'm a perfectionist and I think the hemlines still need some work... (Any tips for sewing a curved hem? Mine are such a mess!) All of these projects were free-styled, by which I mean, I didn't use any patterns. But I know from the past that I quite like sewing with patterns, and I like the re-usability of a pattern. So I've been looking at a few lately and thinking about what sewing goals I want to set for myself this year.

Patterns: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
I definitely want to make some pajamas. I feel like I could get so much use out of a pajama pattern! Pajamas for everyone! They seem like a relatively simple thing to sew. And I like that first pattern up there because it would prime me for making button-down shirts (which Shawn has been requesting I make him for years....) so that's pretty neat! I also love circle skirts- I have a bunch saved in my "Loved items" on ModCloth, and a few in my favorites on Etsy, but why can't I just make some myself? They're super easy to sew up, and that pattern above has a few different options - skirts for every occasion! I also really like sewing bags, since they're pretty much all straight lines. I've sewn a few messengers in the past, but again, never with a pattern, so I'd love to try something new!

As far as fabrics go, I've only thought about pajamas so far. I spent an hour or so browsing Spoonflower yesterday after learning about their Sprout Patterns line. (Which is an awesome concept, by the way - sewing enthusiasts should check it out!) Anyways, playing around on that website led me to take a look at all the fabrics they have, which reminded me that I want to make pajamas, which then made me think "Hm, I should write a post about that!"


Fabric: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
My interest in sewing pajamas actually grew out of falling in love with that polka dot cat fabric... I first spotted it on this dress, which is absolutely lovely, but not something that would get a lot of wear in my closet. But that amazing print! - I had to think of something to do with it. Pajamas seem like the most wearable option for me, and pajamas are also a spot in my closet that is particularly lacking. I've always just worn huge ratty t-shirts to bed, but the older I get, the more I want and appreciate legit pajamas. (As in, matching tops and bottoms in luxuriously soft fabric...) But the prettiest pairs are always so gosh-darn expensive! Then I stumbled upon the two pajama patterns above, and thus, my desire to make my own pajamas was born.

One of the first things I ever sewed was actually pajama shorts! In middle school home ec class... I picked out a soft brown fabric with horses printed all over it. (Clearly my love of animal print started early.) I'm not sure what happened to those shorts, I haven't seen them in years. But hey! I'm ready to make some more! And maybe bag and a skirt or two while I'm at it!

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The Cat Life - Build-a-Box

It's no mystery that cats love boxes. It doesn't matter how large or small, we all know they will try to fit into whatever empty box becomes available to them. (At least it eases the stress of moving! For them.) So when I came across this video where Jackson Galaxy shows watchers 3 easy DIYs for cat owners, and I noticed his box-hammock, I couldn't help but think to myself, "I can do that! The boys would love it!!" So I brought home an empty box from work and made my own cat box-hammock while watching an episode of Revenge. (Any excuse to use my swiss army knife makes me so happy!) Then I set the box on the floor in the living room and waited... and waited... and waited.

A few days went by and neither of them showed any interest in the their new box. I was getting discouraged, and feeling ungrateful. Shawn moved it out from the middle of the floor and put it underneath one of our side tables. Still nothing. I started thinking to myself, "Oh god, I'm that person. That crazy cat lady that makes an elaborate box for her cats and then gets upset when they don't care about it. Because they're cats. And it's a box!!" But then one night, I was sitting on the couch and Shawn and I were talking about something when all of a sudden he stopped and said, "Honey! Get your camera ready!" Confused, I did as I was asked and then he motioned towards the side table. I quietly went over to take a look...



YES. Satisfaction. I knew they couldn't stay away!









Shawn said he has seen Sylvester in there since too, but I wasn't around for that. It doesn't surprise me though, considering Sylvester sits everywhere Lloyd sits. Hopefully the box-hammock will become part of their regular rotation! If not though, all that's wasted is a box and an old t-shirt.

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Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire

Last weekend a big group of us went to the Renaissance Faire in Manheim, Pennsylvania. Our first ren faire experience was two years ago, when our friends Christine and Sean introduced us to all the fun to be had at the one in Tuxedo Park, New York. Between weddings and moves, none of us had a chance to go last year. But we had such a great time in 2012 that Shawn and I decided to go all out this year and we made our own costumes! One of the best parts of the ren faire is not knowing who's an actor and who is just a guest in costume - everyone loves to interact with you, whether they work for the faire or not, so we figured we'd have more fun in costumes. We went as pirates, kind of. Shawn was a pirate and I was an archer, although most of the actors just lumped us both into the pirate category.

Most of Shawn's costume was made from things found at a thrift store, and mine was mostly made from things I already owned. I got a chance to put my sewing skills to good use and made us a few fun accessories as well! The rest of our group didn't dress up, and there was a slight communication mishap with two members of our group who ended up at the NY Renaissance Faire instead... (oops!) but we all had a really great time regardless. I wish I had thought to take a group photo! Instead, I'll leave you with a few photos of Shawn and I, and some of the fruits of my sewing labor.

I made myself a quiver for my arrows, a pouch for my belt that would be large enough to fit my phone, a small medicine sack for aesthetics, and a wristlet, complete with grommets. I also took in Shawn's shirt (we found a 3X size dress that we turned into his top), and made him a cross body knapsack to keep his things in, along with a smaller drawstring sack for his phone. I also made my own arrows! I couldn't find a proper stick to fashion a bow out of (they were all too dry), so I went without one.








Shawn and I are thinking about going back to the faire one of these weekends, just to experience it more. It's really tough to take it all in when you're trying to keep track of five other people, so we feel like there are some vendors and fun things that we missed the first time. I also didn't want to keep pulling out my camera and focused instead on having a good time, so if Shawn and I return to the faire, you can expect some more proper photos! This time around was more about enjoying the company of others, and getting a feel for the grounds. At least now if we go back, we'll know where all the good food and vendors are. If you haven't been to a renaissance faire yet, I highly recommend going! We were both skeptical at first, but look at us now!

P.S. That's a wig I'm wearing, in case you couldn't tell! Wait, no, I lied... my hair actually grows super fast! Seriously though, I love that wig. I want to wear it out and about for more 'normal' experiences. It makes me more anxious for my hair to grow!

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Whimsey Box Projects

If you're new to the blog, you may or may not have heard of Whimsey Box; it's a subscription service that mails you a box with a different DIY project each month. My parents bought me a year subscription for Christmas last year, and I've been enjoying it ever since! I was hoping it would help spark some of my creativity outside of the kitchen... truth be told though, that hasn't really been the case. But! I've been having fun doing the different Whimsey projects each month and I always look forward to my next box. They always send you something extra too, like tools or washi tape, and you can repurpose the boxes once you've finished the crafts!

Here are a few of the projects I've done over the last few months:

The latest box showed you how to make a funky beaded cord bracelet. Lucky for me, the cord they sent me matches perfectly with some existing bracelets I had! This one was particularly fun because I could work on it while catching up on some Netflix shows... I don't usually watch tv on my own because I feel like there are so many other things I could be doing! I've also been longing to add more bracelets to my jewelry collection, so this month worked out well.




Last month's box contained a tote bag and two different color dyes, along with rubber bands and squirt bottles. This was fun, considering I can't remember the last time I dyed anything other than my hair. I went with a simple tie-dye effect, and told Shawn he can embellish it with some of his drawings if he'd like. He hasn't taken me up on it yet so maybe I'll try dying it again with the other color (orange).




I got this project right before we moved, so I waited until after the move to make it. It was supposed to be a cement air plant planter, but my air plant died :( so now it just holds rocks. I decorated it with washi tape, but I don't really like the way it looks so I may end up peeling that off and trying something else. It was really fun to work with cement though - it's definitely not something I would have thought to do on my own!

So, if you're crafty or you'd like to be, I highly recommend getting a Whimsey Box subscription. Every box is different, so there are crafts for all types. (Here's what my first one looked like.) It's also worth noting that their customer service is awesome - when we moved, one of my boxes got lost in the mail and they happily sent me a new one, after emailing back and forth about the issue. Alicia (the founder) also keeps up with whimseybox hashtags on instagram; it's nice to see that she's so involved and enthusiastic about the company. You can also check out other people's projects on their website! I have yet to upload mine, but it's really fun to see what other people are making in the craft world. It's like taking Pinterest, and stepping it up a notch.

(PS. This post was not sponsored by Whimsey Box in any way - I just really really like them! Though I wouldn't be opposed to a free subscription next year... I tell so many people about Whimsey Box! ;) ...)

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January Whimsey Box

For Christmas my parents got me a year-long subscription to Whimsey Box. My first box arrived at the end of January, but I didn't get around to doing anything with it until this weekend. (Yes, I know... the whole point of the whimsey box subscription was to inspire me to create on a more regular basis!)

The January box contained: four calendar pages with blank space above, a variety of small rubber stamp shapes, a wooden block on which to glue the shapes, an ink pad, and a hole puncher. I spent a few days thinking about what to do with everything and I came to the conclusion that I wanted to use more than stamps to decorate the calendar - I wanted to put some inspiring quotes in there as well. My original intentions were to hand write everything in different fonts... but my penmanship just isn't that good and my first attempt looked downright silly. So instead I chose different fonts for the quotes, printed them all out, then cut and pasted them onto the calendar pages (Now that I can do!). I then used some triangular stamps for a finishing touch.

Not bad for a project that sat around for over a month!

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I Made This! Bag From Pants

You did indeed hear me correctly - I made myself a bag out of a pair of Shawn's old pants. I got the idea from this bag that I pinned months ago. This is actually my second attempt; my first one yielded not-so-delightful results using some cargo shorts. At least the first bag was a good practice round.

I used fabric from a pair of khaki pants for the outside and fabric from a green polo shirt for the inside. (I wouldn't recommend using polo material though... it gave me a really hard time with the sewing machine; the fabric stretches and bunches and kept getting caught in the machine.) The khakis were the perfect material for the outside though - sturdy and thick.




Since I didn't actually like the look of the cargo pocket on the outside, I decided to use one of the pants' back pockets and put it under the flap instead of using it as the flap. I'm really happy with the result - a hidden but useful pocket!




There wasn't enough fabric for me to do one long strap, and since I wanted a bag I could wear messenger-style I made two separate ones instead. Now I can tie the straps to whatever length I want! It adds an element of cuteness, too, since bows are always cute :)




I didn't take a lot of in-progress pictures, since I wasn't sure how well it was going to turn out. This is the only 'before' picture I snapped - all the fabric pieces after cutting them to size but before sewing them together. I sewed the lining (green fabric) pieces together, then sewed the exterior (khaki fabric) pieces together. I didn't actually sew the straps until afterwards, so the pieces for those aren't pictured. For those, I just cut up one leg of the pants and cut two wide strips that I sewed up into tubes with one end closed off, then turned them right side out.




Here's a shot of my wonderful handiwork. Seriously, not to brag or anything, but I'm really proud of this one. I actually finished a sewing project that I set out to do! Alright, the sewing machine did most of the work, but that doesn't mean it's any less of a job well done. I did hit some snafus (mostly with the pesky liner) but the whole project turned out much better than I expected. It also took way longer than I expected... I ended up spending most of my Wednesday off putting this bag together. Next time though, it should be a breeze!




One last photo of the finished product, just to end this post on good note. I will definitely be making more bags this year (...if I say it, I'm more likely to do it! :P) and I'd love to play around with different fabrics, and maybe put a pocket or two on the inside of the next one. Stay tuned!

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I Made This! The Bracelet Edition.

Like many others out there in Internet-Land, I'm a huge fan of Pinterest. Specifically, I'm a fan of pinning things like delicious food, snappy outfits, and things I can make myself.

A few weeks ago I came across these bracelets and thought to myself - they look so easy to make!, so why not make them? So I went to Michaels (which recently opened up about two miles down the road from us! yay!) and picked up some supplies: suede cord, small findings, and clasps.

I roughly used the tutorial here, opting to tie off my ends instead of gluing them. The whole thing is actually very simple, you make a braid and just slide a finding onto each of the outer strands as you go.

The grey bracelet was the first one I made and I found the findings I bought were too big, so I went back and bought smaller ones for the brown bracelet. The other two bracelets are just braided ribbon.




I wouldn't actually wear these all at the same time... it's a bit much, especially for a not-much-jewelry-wearing gal such as myself. But making them all is so incredibly easy - now go make your own!

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That's So 2011...

A lot of bloggers I follow are doing 2011 recaps that feature their best/favorite posts/photos... but I'm not going to do that. Well, not exactly... Truth be told, I didn't blog as much last year as I would have hoped. When there's not much to say, well, there's not much to say (especially when you're being redundant). Overall 2011 was a good year; lots of things happened, just nothing incredibly significant.

As far as the blog goes:

- We added the walk log in June to keep track of our monthly mileage. Still going strong with our goal to walk an average of 1 mile per day!

- I kind of fell off the recipe bandwagon; I was doing well at the beginning of the year but now I can't honestly remember when I last posted a recipe. Which is strange, because we've been cooking/baking more than ever these last few months. A lot of times I don't post about it because I can't capture any attractive photos of the food!

- We changed the layout a few times, each time striving for a cleaner, simpler look.


And what about us?

- We renewed our lease in June, choosing to stay in our humble apartment for another year to put off having to search for something new.

- After endless months of unemployment, Shawn got a job at the deli/restaurant a few doors down from the coffeeshop I work at. If you know our history at all, this is ironic considering we first met while we were working in a similar strip-mall: me at a coffeeshop, him at the video store a few doors down...

- I really blossomed at work, adding more and more recipes to my repertoire. I took on two actual days of baking per week, instead of just fitting it in when I could during my barista shifts. And! I haven't actually shared this with anyone other than Shawn and my co-workers yet but my scones were photographed alongside a delicious cappuccino to appear in the February 2012 issue of Main Line Today for an article about the best places to get breakfast in the Main Line! (PS. I've been in a local magazine before.)

- I got crafty and made a few things out of fabric, paper, and various odds and ends. I started putting together a book of my own recipes, my sewing machine got more use than ever before, I spent countless hours sitting on the floor, and I learned that making things yourself is not only satisfying, but also not nearly as hard as it appears!


Which brings me to my next point. My last sewing project of 2011:

I forgot to take a 'before' picture prior to sewing, but these are a pair of salmon pink corduroy pants that I got for $3 at the local Salvation Army Thrift store after months of looking for well fitting colorful pants. The only problem? They had a flared leg that hit right above my foot - too wide and too short, whilst the rest of the pants fit nicely. Since the pants didn't cost me much I wasn't too worried about taking a pair of scissors to them, so I took it upon myself to take in the pant legs a bit. Thusly taking them from flared to straight-leg - much more wearable!


Just for kicks, here's a photo of me actually wearing them:



Quiet! I don't know how to pose. At all. Oh and, silly picture #1 & silly picture #2.


For future reference, this is what I looked like on the first day of 2012.
(Happy-faced and ready for another year!)



...not much different than on the last day of 2011.

That is all.

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October Comes to an End

I apologize for my absence from the blog lately... I've just been feeling more crafty than chatty these days. I've been keeping myself busy with various little crafts here and there. I always forget how satisfying it is to create things!

Cupcake craftery.
My mother bought this awesome cupcake wrapping paper just for me! I have two big squares of it from the last gifts I received, and I really wanted to find some way to re-use it. I have a few ideas for these cute little cupcakes, but so far I've only done one thing with them: turned them into magnets! I bought some card stock, glued the cupcakes on, cut around them, and stuck a small magnet on the back - easy fridge bling!


Can you find the cupcakes?



A-ha! There they are, those sneaky cupcakes!



How about food crafts? Does making chocolate and peanut butter chip cookies count as a craft? I believe it does. A girl's gotta eat while she crafts, don't you agree?



Headbands are cool, right? Either way, I've been making a bunch of them lately out of t-shirt scraps. What I'm most proud of on this one is the stitch work; I've been having fun trying out different hand-stitches on each headband.



I also made a skirt out of a hand-me-down dress, just in time to wear for my birthday!
A friend gave me this pretty dress over the summer; I loved the colors and the pattern but I was not a fan of the top half... the spaghetti straps and the cross-front style just weren't doing it for me, and I knew I would never wear it as a dress. So I turned it into a skirt!


It was a really simple re-fashion; I just cut the skirt part off and folded the cut end of the fabric down and sewed a straight line, making sure to leave enough room for my elastic. Then I just messed with the bunching a bit to make sure all the fabric was easily distributed, and voila! A much more wearable item for me.


Here are some other awesome/noteworthy things:


A pumpkin themed dinner with old (& new!) friends.
These two ladies and I had been trying to plan a dinner gathering for at least two months before it finally happened this past weekend. All the boyfriends were in attendance too, except for Shawn, who was unfortunately stuck at work during the festivities :(

The menu consisted of butternut squash, bacon & onion soup, with a side of parsley chicken, beef bacon, honey butter cornbread, and spiced pumpkin cupcakes for dessert. It was delicious, to say the least, and time spent with good friends made it all the better. Also, I have to admit it's really pretty fun playing hostess!



Death By Chocolate Cupcakes
I know I said I wasn't going to make myself a cake for my birthday (after making Shawn's and my mom's recently) but I just couldn't resist these cupcakes. Is there anything better than chocolate? How about more chocolate? Chocolate cake topped with chocolate ganache, chocolate buttercream, and more chocolate ganache... too much chocolate? Blasphemy! They only kill you if you don't eat them.



I think that's enough for now. Crafts, friends, family, food, (snow!)... October was a busy month. I felt so much love this October, and I'd like to thank everyone who made me smile - I love all of you!

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A Tuesday Off

Shawn and I haven't had a single day off together since the mini vacation we took almost three weeks ago. (Our stay-cation consisted of three requested days off in a row together - it rained all of that week so instead of semi-planned activities around the city we ended up staying in the apartment and watched a bunch of movies and old tv shows. We took that trip to Longwood Gardens on the only day the sun came out.) Since then, we've seen each other briefly in the mornings and for a few hours in the evening when we each get back from our respective work places. It's pretty lame, I'll be honest, but I guess that's just how 'being an adult' goes. We gotta pay those bills, yo.

On my lonesome days off I'm always itching to find things to do, something to help pass the time. I'm not really much of a tv watcher - the computer/internet is my vice and if I'm not careful I can get sucked into the computer screen for a few hours. So to give my eyes a much needed break I'll usually go shopping for an hour or two. Shawn always shakes his head at me because he knows I have a tendency to go browse Target or Gap and inevitably I always come home with something. (Usually a highly discounted something, might I add...)

Well, while I did indeed go to a few different stores today, I didn't come home with anything other than groceries (my #1 vice is and always will be FOOD). And- I came home $1 richer! While I was browsing the sales at J.Crew, I opened up a greatly discounted purse only to find a crumpled dollar bill in the inside pocket! I don't think I'm going to spend it though; I think I may hide it somewhere discreet for some other lucky person to find.


I made a quick stop into Trader Joe's to find something I could easily fix myself for lunch. I left with a mini frozen broccoli and cheddar quiche, a bag of mixed lettuce, and a box of Joe Joe's. The quiche and salad made for an easy filling lunch; I always forget how good a simple salad can be. And the cookies. Oh, the cookies. Lets just say I won't be buying Oreos any time soon. Joe Joe's taste real, and have ingredients you can pronounce, and vanilla bean filling you can see. Not to rub it in, but you are seriously missing out if you don't have a Trader Joe's near you.


And I made something today! I came across this tutorial earlier in the day and decided to give it a try. I'm always a fan of anything that keeps my hair out of my face, but for some reason I only own one headband. Well, now I own two! I also have a bunch of t-shirts I can't wear as t-shirts anymore so perhaps I'll be making a few more of these in various colors.

Ciao!

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