I'm sill alive...

It's been a while since I wrote a post, but you should know that I've been very busy doing lots of fun things and that's why I haven't been blogging all that much. When I decided to get back into blogging, I also decided that I wouldn't put the same pressure on myself to post as frequently as I used to. If the inspiration and time are both there, then there will be lots of posts. If not, no sweat. But feel free to leave a comment telling me you miss me if and when you do.

Anyway, since my last post, I haven't had very many great outfits to photograph. It's not that I haven't looked good, it's that I was wearing a lot of old favorites, pieces you've seen before, without any major twists to them. I've done a bit of shopping recently and found that I'm a little bit between sizes right now. I don't want to err on the larger size because I hope to keep shedding inches and it will just mean alterations in the very near future on brand new clothes. Not the worst thing in the world, but still a hassle. And as for the smaller sizes, they're zipping up, but not exactly comfortably. I know myself and if something makes me feel like a sausage, I won't wear it. So, when it comes to shopping, I've been sticking to accessories. More on that soon.

As for the other things keeping me busy, I've been doing quite a bit of sewing. My boyfriend's daughter has a birthday coming up and I thought it would be fun to make her a bunch of cute, girlie outfits. Turns out, sewing kids clothes is a heck of a lot easier (and FASTER!) than sewing for adults. I got all of this done in one afternoon:

Yup. Two dresses, two skirts, two tops (one is reversible!) and two pairs of capri pants- all in one day! I  also managed to buy a few accessories and basic pieces to finish off the outfits. White leggings and simple t-shirts to go with the skirts were easy enough to find at a couple of kids clothing stores. I also snagged a few headbands and I plan to get a couple of pairs of cute summer shoes to finish out the new wardrobe. I spent about $60 at the fabric store, so I think I got quite the bang for my buck. (Especially since I have enough fabric to make a few more pieces!) Having seen the clothes in stores like The Children's Place and Carter's while picking out the leggings, I saw that these kind of outfits would retail for easily about $125 (for all of them). My favorite is the striped dress- you can't see them that easily, but the pink spots are little boats and the stripes are actually waves. So cute!

In addition to sewing lots of cute clothes, I've also spent time with friends over the last few weeks. I visited a good friend up in northern New Hampshire where we visited the world's longest candy counter:

Don't believe me that it's the world's longest? It's documented:

I also had some silly times with friends out to lots of fun dinners. The most notable is perhaps this recent trip to Margaritas where the waiter gave us fake mustaches to play with: 

We are so hot. 

I also made my very first attempt at baking the tricky French Macaron cookie. They were chocolate flavored with a salted caramel buttercream filling. They may not have looked perfect, but they tasted oh-so-delicious! 

My advice to anyone considering trying to bake these cookies is this: GO FOR IT! If they don't come out perfect, they'll probably still be delicious. A macaron with a cracked shell versus a macaron with a perfect smooth shell tastes exactly the same! Bottom line: don't be intimidated- just try them! You can't tell from this next photo whether it was perfect or not, but you can probably tell that it was delicious! 

I know that by now you're thinking, "I'm happy for you that you've been so busy eating sweets, having dinner with friends and galavanting around New England, but could you please get to the fashion?" Okay, okay, I'm getting there. The most recent outfit photo that I took wasn't of that great an outfit. It was me in my red pants and my glitter heel boots and it was not a dynamite outfit. I loved it from the knees down, so that's what you get to see: 

Finally, the last excuse I have for not blogging more regularly is this: (Enjoy!)

So that's what I've been up to. What about you? 

Hello, there...

Hey, friends. It's been a while. I have to admit that life has been pretty full, pretty busy for the past year or so. There have been lots of brides, lots of gowns, lots of flights and lots of fun. When I moved back to New Hampshire just over 2 years ago (can you believe it's been that long?!?!?!?!), I had no idea what direction my life would go, but I couldn't be happier with things as they are right now.

Here's a not-so-brief update:

Work: My job is still the most awesome job I've ever had. I still have the best co-workers and bosses on the planet. Brides are mostly pretty great to work with, although we will always have a few doozies each season. (Just remember, they'll eventually get married.) I even got to go on a buying trip to Chicago where I got to see all sorts of gorgeous (and some not-so-gorgeous) dresses and even help decide which ones we will be carrying in the store next season! As for the alterations department, we're still alive and kicking- we're a fierce bunch and it takes a lot to get us down!

This photo was taken directly below the center of the famous "Bean" in Chicago's Millenium Park. Can you find me? 

Relationship: Things are going really well with "The Professor." In fact, just last weekend, my amazing coworkers flew him up here as a surprise for me- JUST BECAUSE! There was no special occasion, they are simply amazing friends who wanted to do an amazing thing for me. I was truly humbled by the experience- it's one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. It was amazing to see my adorable BF, who has officially been my BF for a year as of this Monday, November 5th. How crazy is that? I remember when we started dating, everyone was like, "Yes, he's perfect for you, but you need to find someone just like him who lives in NEW HAMPSHIRE!!!!" I admit, early in the dating process, before he and I had become exclusive, I went onto match.com in search of this elusive man- the one just like the Professor, but who lives up north. On match.com, when viewing a member's profile, there is an option to click a button and "view others like him." I clicked. Here's what I got:

Yup. Denied. And  I have to admit, match.com was right- the Professor is truly unique and truly perfect for me. We've had our ups and downs over the last few months and fighting via Skype is particularly difficult. Fortunately the ups far outweigh the downs and right now we're stronger and happier than ever. I'll be flying down to visit him a week from tonight, actually. Just for funsies, here's a photo of us and the Sailors from Labor Day weekend when he came up for a visit: 

Friends and Family: Since I last posted, McKenzie got married, so that's pretty exciting! She wore a stunning gown by Jenny Packham and I had the pleasure of making her veil (which blew right off her head the minute she stepped out to walk down the aisle. Oh, well. My good friend Jen was recently engaged and I plan to attend her wedding with the Professor. I had the pleasure of helping her find her wedding gown and I also made her veil for her. The wedding is in January and I haven't even begun to think about what I'll wear. My mom has been busy as ever with her adorable German Shepherd dogs and the shutzhund training she does with them. I've even grown to enjoy the pups and even miss them a little when they're gone.

Fashion: I admit that I haven't been blogging much partly because I've been in a strange and new place shopping-wise. I'm perfectly content with everything in my closet and I have no real need for anything. I have great clothes that fit well and are in good shape. I have far too many shoes, but I make a point of wearing them all whenever I can. I love all of my accessories and I really don't see a void anywhere. I'm sure at some point, this phase will end. For now, my bank account is enjoying the break. (It's not that much of a break when all my extra money goes toward airline tickets and rental cars, but whatevs.) I'm still surrounded by fashionable people, so there really is no excuse to blog a little more.

Sewing and knitting: I've been doing a little of both in the last few months. I made a fabulous dress that I wore to McKenzie's wedding in September and I've knit quite a few little projects over the last couple of months. Here are some photos:

This lovely set was intended for my BF's 7-year-old daughter Grace. I actually just put it in the mail with her Halloween goodie bag this past week.

I could hardly knit something for Grace and not make something equivalent for the Professor's 10-year-old son, Owen. These pieces were made using the Appalachian State University colors (the Professor's alma mater and the school Owen wants to attend someday.)

After knitting a cream-colored version of this scarf for Juhree last year, I thought about making one for myself in green. I finally got around to it about a year later. Better late than never, right?

Blogging: I actually HAVE been blogging, just not here. You all know how I've taken over the blog for Madeleine's Daughter and I've really enjoyed doing it. Here are some of my favorite posts:

November 26, 2011
December 29, 2011
February 14, 2012
April 28, 2012

Since the busy alterations season is coming to an end, I'll be getting back into my blogging groove at the store, so if wedding-related posts are your thing, you might want to follow that blog, too! The posts I enjoy writing the most are the "Meet Our Bride" ones. I love seeing the photos from our brides and hearing what they have to say about their experience at the store. It's a great feeling to be a part of such a special time in a person's life.

I'll leave you with a silly photo from "The Sailor's Garden Party" that happened this past spring. I wrote a little about my outfit, but never posted a picture. Here you go:

I hope this is the first of many blog posts to come. I recently became a MacBook Pro owner and I have a feeling that owning a laptop that's a pleasure and not a chore to use will inspire me to write more posts. Time will tell. In the meantime, let me know what you'd like me to write about! Leave a comment! 

A Dress for Melanie

Today I spent some time working on a dress for my friend Melanie. I won't show you the whole dress, but I will show you the super cool bodice I made. This photo obviously shows the design pinned together, but not sewn completely:

After a fitting this weekend, I hope to finish it up and get it delivered to its rightful owner- my fabulous and fashionable friend Melanie! I'll be sure to show you a picture of the finished dress and hopefully Melanie will let me put a picture of her in it on the blog! 

My first "Wedding Gown"

My friend Kate asked me to make her a casual wedding dress for a photo shoot she'll be doing next year. I have never made a wedding dress of any kind, but I figured, why not try? After an hour at the fabric store and three more hours in my sewing room, I had this to show for it:

The idea was to have a short, casual dress in ivory that she could wear with mary janes and some other casual accessories. The straps aren't sewn in place yet and she's missing a zipper in the back and of course the belt at the waist hasn't been attached yet. There's still a lot of work to be done before she'll be finished, but I'm happy with the direction she's gone in so far. And since I know you want a close-up of the embellishment at the waist, here it is: 

Just in case you're interested in the details, the bodice is made with 100% silk shantung, while the skirt is polyester tulle and ivory sateen lining. The belt is a satin ribbon wth a chiffon flower detail added onto it. This specific dress will go to Kate, but if you're interested in something similar, feel free to email me. I'd love to help you out! 

Calling all Seamstresses!

Sometimes I think that sewing is a dying art form. I am a total hack-seamstress. I have no training, I rarely follow patterns and if I use them at all, it's often to Frankenstein pieces of them together to create whatever image is in my head. But there are truly some amazing seamstresses and tailors out there who sew like true professionals and who create and/or follow patterns- both new and vintage- with ease. I've recently discovered a handful of them online and I thought I'd share them with all of you. And if any of my readers/followers are seamstresses with blogs, please feel free to leave your blog URL in the comments on this post- I'd love to check out your work!

Evie of La Couturiere Dimanche is so talented and I LOVE her blue wool wiggle dress!

Adey of The Sew Convert made a fabulous resort-wear dress with a vintage pattern that is simply adorable.

Peter over at Male Pattern Boldness is working on a fabulous wool toggle coat and I'm really looking forward to seeing the end result.

Mena the founder of The Sew Weekly has been creating one vintage-style dress every week for about a year. Yes, you read that correctly! Check out one of my favorites of her creations, the "I Will Never Wear a Batik Print" Batik Print Dress. (P.S. Not only is she a fabulous seamstress, she's also adorable!)

Sunni's blog- The Cupcake Goddess- makes me smile. She most recently posted a boyfriend jacket that is actually quite feminine in its shape. I love it.

Finally, Suzannah's blog, Adventures in Dressmaking, is also quite entertaining and informative. Lately, she's been doing sweater make-overs. She even turned a cashmere v-neck pullover into a double-sided infinity scarf. Clever girl. One of my favorite things she's made is a wool plaid capelet with a belt. SO chic.

Whenever I start to feel as though sewing is a dying art, I look to these (and other) artisans for inspiration and encouragement. Maybe someday I'll master some sewing techniques and stop thinking of myself as a "hack." Time will tell. And while I may not be an incredibly skilled seamstress, I still feel as though I can hold my own, since what I do know how to do tends to work pretty well for me. If you are interested in learning how to sew, I can't encourage you enough. I do believe it is a skill that can be learned, as opposed to being strictly a talent that some people possess and others don't. If you want to learn to sew, pick up an inexpensive machine at a local shop and take a beginner's sewing class. You will make mistakes, but that's a good thing. I'm a far better seamstress now than I was several years ago, not because of my successes, but because of my failures. The saying goes, "Good sewists are good rippers." Meaning: if you are patient and willing to rip the seams out of the garment you've just sewn and do it again to improve it, you'll become a much better technician than if you simply leave the mistakes where they are or try to short-cut the corrections.

Well, I'm about to head out for a nice lunch with my mom and then, I hope, a trip to the fabric store for some inspiration. After posting about all these talented sewists, I'm dying to get on my machine!

Craigslist is my friend

I have a confession to make: I am a Craigslist junkie. I have sold furniture, clothing, shoes, accessories, kitchen items, home decor, even a fake Christmas tree on Craiglist. I've bought furniture, cell phones, books, a TV, and just this week- a SERGER! I can't even begin to tell you how thrilled I am. Sewing without a serger is not nearly as good. Sergers trim the edge of the fabric and then encase the edge in thread, which prevents fraying. Also, there are settings you can adjust that prevent puckering and stretching when you sew with stretch fabrics. All told, sergers are amazing. Look at the inside of whatever garment you're wearing right now and I can practically guarantee you'll see a serged edge:

Photo Credit

I've been without one since moving from PA on September 17th and I barely lasted this one month without one. I started hunting on craigslist- both New Hampshire and Massachusetts sites. There weren't many posted, plus I didn't want to spend more than $200. Well, on Sunday evening as I was perusing the site, I saw a brand new serger listed for $100. Granted, it was not the most high-end serger on the market, but at that price, I would be happy even if it needed a tune-up at my local sewing shop. If you use craigslist at all, you know it can be a hassle- you need to be the first person to reply to the ad, or there are no guarantees. Actually, even then there are still no guarantees. Then, you need to coordinate with the seller, who could choose to sell to someone who replied much later than you simply because it is more convenient for them- perhaps the buyer lives closer or their availability to pick up the item is more open than yours. Maybe they offered the seller more money because they really wanted the item. Honestly, for every item I've "won" on craigslist, I've lost at least two or three others.

If you look at it like a hunting-type of game, it can be fun shopping on craigslist. In fact, I prefer the buying end of the site to the selling end. Although, luck was on my side for selling when I was moving out of PA- literally EVERY item I posted on craigslist sold almost immediately. There were even things I was torn over- like my baker's rack. I'd purchased it on craigslist three years ago for $50. It was the kind that broke down pretty nicely so storage wasn't really an issue, but given how much other stuff I had, I didn't want to take anything extra or unnecessary. I figured that it was a pretty easy item to replace once I got a new place up in NH, but since I loved it so much, I figured I'd post it for $60, that way I was making a small profit and that helped ease the hurt of letting it go. I did the same thing with my dining table. I posted it for higher than I paid for it and determined that if it sold, it was meant to be. I felt like the craigslist selling queen that week! I got rid of my baker's rack, my table & chairs, 2 book shelves, a desk, a fake Christmas tree (with all the decorations), a mission-style chair I'd re-upholstered myself and even some artwork.

I still enjoy perusing the "for sale" postings on craigslist just to see what's out there and what people are charging for various things. It always cracks me up when I see something like a couch listed for $600 or $700. For real? If I had that kind of money to spend on a couch, I wouldn't be shopping on craigslist! When I sell on craigslist, I price the item to move, except in the cases I mentioned above where I wasn't quite certain I wanted to sell. The desk I sold? $25. The Christmas tree with all the trimmings? $20. The table and chairs? $150. Not exactly bank-busting prices! I like the idea of an online community where someone who needs to get rid of something sells it a bargain price to another person who can really use it, but maybe can't afford to buy it brand new and full price. I sold my old dress form because it was too rickety and old for me. It went to a woman who is opening up a fair trade clothing shop, so I not only provided her with a bargain, but the form went to a good cause and that made me feel good! And now I get to peruse the site for a new dress form for myself!

When I told my mom that I was looking online for those two things- a serger and a new dress form, she said, "If you find one for a good price, let me know- it will be your welcome home/early Christmas present from me." So when I found the serger for $100, I knew it was meant to be. The brand is one that retails for around $299, so I couldn't pass up the deal. I picked it up last night, brought it home, threaded it, adjusted the settings and tensions and gave it a test run. It worked like a dream and I can't wait to use it on a project!

I have to admit that it feels as though every little detail of my move up north is working itself out tremendously. I won't bore you with all of those little details, but they are working themselves out incredibly. I hope my good fortune continues- it feels like God is watching over me and putting all the pieces of the puzzle exactly where they belong. And now to find that dress form...