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Thursday, May 20, 2010

Pattern making

I made my second pattern of all time. . . my first one based on an idea with nothing to copy except a picture of something similar! I cannot believe that I pulled it off and it only took 2 tries.
Last night I started trying to come up with a romper that I could put ruffles on the butt and still look adorable! The first attempt . . . well let us just say . . . not good! I tried to use the pattern I had for a 'bubble romper' basically a pillowcase dress made into a romper, Very cute, but didn't make for a cute ruffle romper. After 3 attempts of sewing and ripping apart and re-sewing, I decided to call it a night and go to bed, as soon as I got into bed the proverbial light bulb turned on! I had to get back up to draw a picture of my idea or I probably would have forgotten by the morning! When I woke up this morning I could not WAIT for nap time! As soon as it came I got busy!
I would like to share with you the final result.
pleated neck


cris-cross back and ruffles


My little beauty

Monday, May 17, 2010

A well deserved break.

I decided to take the weekend 'off' and relax and enjoy a BBQ with some great friends. Now I am finding it hard to get back into the saddle. I am going to blame the weather. Its gloomy and dreary out and I just feel like laying on the couch watching Law and Order. . . or something equally as awesome. I have however been busy snapping pictures of things for my Facebook page and Etsy shop in hopes of getting some of my 'inventory' sold since the husband keeps complaining about how 'messy' my sewing room is. Although I have tried to explain to him it is NOT messy because I know EXACTLY where everything is and it is part of my creative process! He unfortunately doesn't seem to understand. Eh. . . what can you do? I have almost finished the large order of bloomers and swing tops and hope top be able to ship it out by the end of the week! I am so excited about all of these items. I cannot wait to see pictures of the ADORABLE little girl wearing them!
Happy crafting

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Sew sew sew your boat. . .

Oops I mean bloomers! I have been working a big bloomer project for a customer, every pair of bloomers I make is cuter than the last ones! I really don't think I could pick a favorite! I was up until 3:30 Am this morning working away, while rocking out to the Madonna station on Pandora Radio. So far this is what I have made.


Turquoise with black and white giraffe ruffles


Black bloomers with purple and cow print ruffles

As promised I am posting pictures of the 'Brandi special' bloomers for Ms. Brooklyn! I love these fancy pants and am planning on making her a matching swing top! She will be ready to celebrate the 4th in style.

The adorable bow I made to match


back side

Front side

I am trying to come up with a cute name for my bloomers. . . I like Fancy pants or maybe frilly tushy. Eh maybe not so much on the last one. . . but I love the word TUSHY. . . its so cute! hmmm. . . Cute Tushy?

I went and got my serger on Tuesday, yes, it is still in the box.
1. because I am so busy right now I don't have time to play with it and
2. because I am a little intimidated by it.
I would really love to be able to use it on my current projects but I also don't want to get myself overwhelmed with trying to figure out the setting and threading. So it will stay nice and cozy in its box, but the most important thing is . . . it's home!

My baby is home.
Happy Crafting

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Thinking about a give-away

Tell me what you would like to win from Moi. . .

Monday, May 10, 2010

More wishes. . .

I have some more lovely things to add to my forever growing wish list.
I want a bias tape machine and a Cricut.
I know some of you may say. . . a Cricut!?! but why?
because it would be PERFECT for making appliques! I would love to be able to applique names and initials onto things without it taking me 3 years to cut them out! (yes that's me being overly dramatic again) plus cute lil cupcakes or ice cream cones (not that they require a lot of effort to cut out but it would be easier!)

As for the bias tape maker. . .I have never really worked with bias tape in the past but with my recent project (swing tops with ruffles on the bottom) I would love to be able to line the edges . . . for example a hot pink swing top with a zebra print ruffle would look killer with zebra lined around the neck and sleeves!

In adding to my 'wish list' I would like to be able to take something off of it . . . say a SERGER!!! Yes that is right! My wonderful amazing mommy has offered to buy me a serger! As I have said in the past . . . I know really nothing about sergers except for the fact that I WANT ONE . . .and it would make sewing easier. I have found a Juno by Janome at Hancock fabrics on sale for $199! (hopefully it is still on sale) I have looked up reviews on it and it seems to be highly rated! WOO HOO for me!
Happy Crafting

Sunday, May 9, 2010

What NOT to do. . .

I recently realized that as much as I love hot glue. . . it is not always the best adhesive for every project. Back in March I was getting ready for a craft show and, as my luck would have it, My sewing machine started acting like a punk 4 days before the show. Which, thankfully, I had all my main sewing done I just needed to finish making pacifier clips. Being the brilliant resourceful woman that I am, thought, 'what else can I use?' AH-Ha! Hot glue! At the time it was the perfect solution. Looking back I now realize. . . maybe not so good. I made one for Gianna, since she loves to chuck her chupy to the opposite side of her car seat, where you can reach. If you know anything about Bakersfield, you know its HOT HOT HOT! Combine hot car with hot glue. You get the idea. I Although the situation could have been worse . . . I could have actually sold them to people and then they'd have a mini hot glue mess AND a broken pacifier clip. Thankfully no one bought any of them. Let this be a lesson to us all. . . hot glue, while amazing and VERY versatile. . . is not always your friend.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

and the beat goes on. . .

Last night, at mid-night, I finished the last surprise pair of bloomers! I can hardly contain my excitement, they turned out SO much more awesome than I had visioned. I really don't know how I am going to wait the 3 or so days it takes for USPS to deliver them so I can share the pictures with you all. ARGH!

I also finished making Marcelo's vest! It is adorable. I used this super easy pattern from Burdastyle I made it reversible and instead of buttons (I am still terrified of doing buttons and button holes on my machine) I used snaps, which I immediately regretted since my snap pliers apparently hate me! I tried to get pictures of Marcelo wearing the vest but he wouldn't cooperate and kept wanting to take the vest off. I bet it they were bloomers he'd fight me to take them off! I am sure there will be plenty of opportunities since he will be wearing for Mother's day. Speaking of which I still need to finish GG's dress.



Yesterday I went to the fabric store and got a bunch of really cute material so that I can make up some dresses, skirts, bloomers and swing tops to list on my Etsy site. I hope they will be popular over there and I can 'reinvest' my profits. Especially since I have decided that I want a Cricut. Why? Because I want to be able to make appliques! Plus you can use it for all kinds of fun things like, scrap booking, card making, wall vinyls, glass etching and more! Wow! I have been watching the infomercial WAY too much!
Happy Crafting

Monday, May 3, 2010

In Da Hood. . .

I am going to be attempting to make another pattern soon. This time for a Hooded bath/beach robe. Marcelo got a hooded ducky robe from my nephew and it is the CUTEST thing EVER!! It got passed down to Gianna, along with most of the unisex items that we have. I love this little robe so much and both times my kids have grown out of it I get a little sad. This is the only robe I have found like this and even Google cant seem to find any like it. . . so what do you do when you can't find what you want? You MAKE it! With the help of my Mother in law of course!

Gianna
Marcelo

Today I started and finished the cart/high chair cover. It is adorable! I found some multicolored polka dot minky. . . I am obsessed with dots right now! As soon as I get a chance I will take pictures of it in action.

Just an update! I have officially decided on what the 3rd pair of bloomers will be and I am SO excited to get started!
On an unrelated note I found a pattern for a toddler boys vest! It looks SO easy. 3 pattern pieces. . . seriously!
Ok now I am rambling. . . Happy crafting xoxo

Getting closer

Attempt #2 at hat making . . . argh! Today's hat turned out 50x better than the last one but it was still pretty pathetic. Although if you don't look too closely it's not that bad hahaha. I just cannot seem to figure out how to attach the top of the hat! Who knew it would be so difficult.

Gianna wanted in on the action


hamming it up


It's dance-y dance time!

I also finished another pair or bloomers for Ms. Brooklyn, which my lovely assistant was more than happy to model for me. I know I am so mean, but he loves it! Say what you will about what I could be doing to his 'manhood' but real men wear ruffles and zebra print haha!

I have one more pair to make but I cant make up my mind what I want to do! Plus I need to go get some more elastic! Those little packages are SO deceiving they look like they have a ton in there but really it like a yard. Grr. . .not that I am complaining about a trip to the fabric store. Since the last pair will be a surprise I am not going to post pictures until she get the package. I have so many idea for what I want to do it is killing me!

I plan to start on a cart/highchair cover this week for Gianna. I have had the pattern since M was little but I was so intimidated by patterns at the time I never even took it out of the package to read the instructions. I plan on making one side minky and the other flannel or fleece. The pattern looks SUPER easy and fast to make. If it is as easy to make as it looks I will be adding some to my Etsy page for sale!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

RRRRRRRRuffles!

Saturday I got my fancy new ruffler foot. I am so excited to put this bad mam-a-jamma to work. I played with it a little bit last night and it was pretty awesome but a little bit intimidating. There are so many variables that you can adjust to make the ruffles or pleats bigger or smaller or deeper or fuller! It is crazy but SO FUN! It is going to make sewing ruffles to much easier and faster. I ordered it on ebay for $16 (plus $2 for S&H) and I really cant believe how fast it got here. My only (semi) complaint is that it only ruffles the edge of a fabric. . . say I want to put a ruffled stitch down the middle of a strip of fabric. . . Nope can't do it because there is a little metal guide thing-y blocking the fabric from going in any deeper than just that much. Bummer. . . but that's ok it won't stop me from using it and putting unnecessary ruffles on everything.

This weekend I also made myself a pillowcase dress, which turned out pretty darn cute! I do think that it needs a lining under it though since the fabric I found (an adorable polka dot pattern) is kind of thin and see through. Now I just need to do Gianna's. Once I get them both done I will make Julio take pictures of our super cute matchy-ness (not a real word but it works). I still need to figure something out to make for Marcelo for Mother's day. I want to make a vest or something for him but I am scared of buttons and button holes . . . eek! I found a pattern for a hat but I don't know how to get it to go together properly so I am still working on that in between projects.

I really wish I could create and craft full time. I LOVE making things for people (plus the fabric store is my nirvana). There is something about making things with your hands that just fills me up inside. I don't know if I could describe it but its magical. It is always different and exciting and interesting. If ever you get bored with what you are working on you put it down and pick up something else. That simple. I love it. xoxo

Happy crafting!