4th of July

The patriotic fabric I had 'found' in my sewing room while cleaning up my sewing room the other day ate at my conscience. So, as predicted, on the afternoon of the 4th of July I ventured upstairs and whipped up two tier skirts for my girls. I had to use that fabric before I forgot that I had it when the next patriotic event rolls around on the calendar. Here's the quickly thrown together final result. I didn't have time to hem them properly so I just serged a hem. Not my best but it worked for the 4th of July Festival. If I had more time I would have done a 3 or 5 tier skirt with some solids. I would have thrown in some sequins or something sparkly too. Oh well, next year.

Don't color your own hair

Today I had a major hair coloring mishap.

We're watching our budget and in an effort to save a few bucks I asked my hair stylist to show me how to color my own hair. She told me what to get/say to the person working at Sally's. She told me "If the girl doesn't know what to give you, she shouldn't be working there. Don't worry." So I confidently head down to Sally's with my instructions and told the woman I needed a Demi in a Cherry Cola color (Lana had given me the most beautiful Cherry Cola hair color recently and I loved, loved, loved it).

My first clue should have been that this woman was a little 'behind the times' with hairstyles. She had grey 'helmet hair'. The woman proceeded to give me a dark brown mahogany color. I questioned her but she assured me it'd turn out right. So, excited to be able to do this on my own, I attempted to color my own hair the next morning. Not such a good result. It turned out kind of purple.

I like purple. I've done purple hair purposely. But at 41 years of age and a mother of 3 it's just not 'me' anymore. I figured it was a demi color and will quickly fade out. After a week and it didn't fade at all I just couldn't handle it anymore (last night at a church meeting was the final straw. Texas women are the queens of the backhanded compliment "Look at you with that new...haircut!" uh huh). So I decided to take matters into my own hands again. Bad idea. I got 'dark warm brown' this time. This time my result was more normal, until I get underneath lighting or out in the sun. Then it turns bright 'Bozo Red'. I have also purposely done Bozo Red to my hair before. But again, that was over 20 years ago and I've grown past that place in my life.

So, I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon with my colorist to fix this embarassing situation. Until then, I am hiding in my house.

So I bravely ventured upstairs. Upstairs to my sewing room (which is still invaded by my husband's computer). Upstairs to my sewing machines that have given me such grief lately. I should have gone with my first instinct and cleaned house instead.

First thing I see when I get up there is some 4th of July fabric that I bought intending to make my girls some dresses for the 4th of July celebration at the golf course. Oops, it's July 2nd. That's not going to happen now...better hide that fabric so the girls don't nag me about making them a 4th of July dress on the 4th. But I can't hide it too well or else my mother-of-three mind won't be able to remember where I put it until we move again. When I will suddenly discover it and quickly lose it.

Several months ago I bought many yards of an Alexander Henry fabric I had absolutely fallen in love with. What I love about it is that when you first look at it, it looks like a cute little black and white print. And then you look closer at it and it has skulls all over it. So black fabric and skulls scream LITTLE GIRL DRESS!!! to me. Subtle rebellion is an art to be learned at an early age in my opinion. I have been working on this dress for the longest time. Everytime I try to get sewing on it something happens to my machines. I swear this dress is cursed.

First problem I ran into with the dress was I ran out of black thread. Really? Is this a joke? I normally have several spools of black thread because I pick it up at JoAnn's whenever I'm there. It's kind of like milk, eggs, bread, black thread, all household staples. I finally found a spool of black thread hiding in a drawer and starting winding a bobbin. Darn bobbin wouldn't wind right. UGH! Really...is this dress cursed? I finally got a bobbin wound properly and threaded up my trusty favorite machine and started sewing away. So far, so good. I was even able to change the thread on my serger without too much difficulty (although my kids had hidden my serger tweezers and I didn't find them until after I had threaded it. I never realized how difficult threading a serger without tweezers was until today). My serger can be tempermental about threading when it senses I am frustrated.

Great! The skirt and lining are almost and just need to be hemmed, then attached to the bodice, which is already done, and throw a little netting and lace and it's done. This was going better than I thought. Ha ha...the joke is on me. My daughters have hidden yet another important sewing implement, my sewing guage. I tore that room apart looking for my guage. I know I have at least two of them and I couldn't find either one of them. So, I am stuck again until after I get my hair fixed tomorrow afternoon and can head to Hobby Lobby afterwards to buy some more black thread and another sewing guage.

That is as long as I don't end up with Industrial Orange hair.

Wilton Rose Experience

I just finished the Wilton Cake Decorating Course 1. The picture is my 'final project' cake which also doubled as my youngest daughter's birthday cake (good timing!). I think I flunked the Wilton Rose (if you can actually flunk anything in these classes). They teach the WR by breaking it down into 3 different classes. I'm not sure why they do this but that is how it is.

The first problem I ran into was getting the icing consistency correct. It's supposed to be 'stiff' consistency. I guess I don't understand this concept because mine always ends up either so stiff that you can't squeeze it out of the bag or so thin that it just falls apart. I blame the humidity...that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

In your first WR class you learn how to make the center. We're told to put on the correct tip (#12) and make a 'Hershey's kiss' that is 1 1/2 times the height of the #104 tip you're going use for the next step. Not one of my 'Hershey's kiss' looked anything like a 'Hershey's kiss' but instead resembled little witches hats. I never did resolve this by the time the 3rd class came around I just went with this witch's hat base and it didn't seem to change my end results too much.

Your second WR class involves making a base and then switching tips (word to the wise, use a coupler on your bag of stiff) to the 104. So I make my little witch's hat and switch to the 104. You then start the center petal of the rose. I'd give you awesome detailed instructions on this but I never did get the hang of it. Somehow, mine always looked a little...um...phallic.

In your final class you are supposed to put the rest of the petals on. My rose didn't look horrible but it didn't look like a rose. I should have taken pictures but I was so embarassed by the little things. Our final cake was supposed to include roses. As you can see, roses were clearly absent on my final cake. It's a good thing I don't really care for roses on cakes isn't it?

For what it's worth, I thought that the Wilton classes are worth every penny. My cakes used to look like a 3rd grade art project gone wrong. Have you ever seen the episode of Food Network's Challenge where the cake decorator sets the cake on fire and everyone comments how the fire extinguisher foam improves the look of the cake? That's how my cakes used to look. Now I know how to frost a cake without crumbs and smooth as glass. I can star tip with the best of them now and I learned the secret to transferring images. And most importantly, my little girl's 4th birthday cake was very special.

Now...what to do with all that cake sitting in my freezer waiting to be frosted?

And if you haven't seen the Food Network Challenge fire cake, here you go:


Now if I could just clean up my sewing studio I'd be able to get out of the kitchen and stop eating.

Back to Etsy

I'm back to sewing. I took a long break from sewing anything to sell. I think I was just in a creative funk. I skipped the entire Christmas Craft Season. Even though I was working on projects and had things for craft fairs I opted out this year.

I have decided to focus on my Etsy shop for now. I am going to expand my shop to include more clothing. I have tons of fabulous fabric that I am itching to make into adorable skirts. And since Summer is coming up soon, I am going to include beach cover-ups in my Etsy store. I'm really excited about sewing for the store again.

At this time I have decided to no longer accept custom orders so that I can focus my energy on building up stock in my store.

So, look for new fun stuff in my Etsy store: www.31stitches.etsy.com

Sewing for a Trip

We're going back to San Diego for a 5 day cruise to Cabo and then we're staying in So. Cal for a few extra days so we can take the girls to Disneyland, the San Diego Zoo and visit some relatives. So I'm sewing up a storm for the girls. I love to dress my daughters (ages almost 3 y/o & just turned 4 y/o) in matching clothing. I also think girls should dress like girls and encourage them to wear dresses whenever possible. I know that they aren't going to be very cooperative for much longer so I'm enjoying it and taking advantage of it while it lasts.

I wish my camera was working because I'd post pictures of what I've made for them. I made them two adorable shifts out of this bright turqoise blue fabric with bumble bees on it. I have also made my youngest a really cute capri outfit that is all blinged out. The two halter dresses I made turned out better than I thought they would & I'm letting them wear them now since it's so darn hot here lately.

My mom bought some "Strawberry Shortcake" fabric for me to make dresses for the trip. Now I'm not a big fan of "character prints" to begin with. I hate advertising other people's companies with my work but since grandma bought it I'll make the dresses. I really think they'll come out looking cute. And my girls love Strawberry Shortcake so I know they will be happy.

I made myself a surplice top and I have another one cut out and waiting to be sewn (need to finish the Strawberry Shortcake dresses first). I have been looking ALL OVER the place for a decent tiered peasant skirt, and although I see people wearing them everywhere, I can't find one in a store to save my life. So I'm going to have to get my butt in gear and get some gauze fabric & sew one up for myself. I just really don't like to do gathers/ruffles, especially on that large of a scale. Oh well, I guess I better suck it up and get sewing.

At least I'm feeling better. Now it's just a matter of finding the time. It's so difficult to sew when the girls are awake because they get into my buttons and bias tape supplies and just make a big ol' mess of everything. 3 uninterrupted days is all I'm asking for.

I'm sick

Allergy season has hit me hard and struck me down with a case of Bronchitis that I can't shake. Unfortunately I have had to temporarily close my shop until I can get control over the coughing.
I really miss my sewing machines.

Bunko Apron - March

I have started to make an apron as the bunko prize every month (we each bring a prize) but I'm starting to wonder if I'll become too predictable. Anyway, I thought it might be fun to post pictures of the aprons here.

This was this months (March). I call it my tribute to Brini Maxwell. I plan to make another one or two to put in my Etsy shop. It's very retro 60's (again, made out of the seizure enducing fabric). I made it into a reversible number with giant ric rak. It's sight of retro beauty if I don't say so myself.