Za-Za-Zing ... AKA Outfit #2

I'm not gonna lie. I feel hot in today's outfit. There's something about a fitted skirt and heels that makes a girl feel pretty.

Today's outfit is almost a complete opposite from yesterday. Where I had tons of color yesterday, I employed mostly black today with just a splash of color. I ended up with a sort of post-Halloween look...but hopefully not in a cheesy way.

I originally wrote down today's outfit to include the yellow ruffle jacket, not the cardigan. Without the jacket on, I asked my husband what he thought, he made a face and I said, "Too slutty?" and he confirmed. Haha. It's not that the black tank and black skirt are really slutty, but just slightly inappropriate for the office without something over it.

All black jewelry makes me think glammed up goth. I totally just made up that phrase.

Necklace and butterfly earrings from some store in New Orleans on Decatur...close to Urban Outfitters in the French Quarter.

Bracelet from H&M from my trip to DC at New Year's. Why don't they have a store even close to Texas?!!!

I put the black tank in the mix because it seemed so versatile. I have a feeling I will be wearing it with jeans one weekend. Or maybe again with the skirt and no cardigan for a night out with my hubby.

By the way, is anyone else major pear-shaped out there like me? See booty in Figure 1 above. I don't know about you, but I have a serious problem with the pencil skirt trend. It is NOT flattering on a big booty like mine. So this black skirt isn't a pencil skirt but it is straighter than I would normally wear. It's also a size bigger than I usually wear. I probably bought it 15 pounds ago, but I never got comfortable with it until recently.

But guess what? A dress size is merely a number! It doesn't mean anything! I mean, seriously, I probably have 4 different sizes when you look at my dresses and skirts.

I love my Steve Madden snakeskin heels!

I threw on this black sash and tied it as a last minute accessory. I think I needed some belt, but this was the closest I had. I think it kind of works. What do you think?

30/30 Outfit #1

Big(ish) day for me. First day back at Boot Camp and first day of the 30/30 Remix! You should feel lucky cuz I totally fixed my hair today (i.e. blow-dried it). I guess that's another facet to the challenge that I didn't think of. I obviously don't want to look like a slob in my pictures! And maybe I even put on some lipstick for you. My husband doesn't even get that most of the time. But he also doesn't like it cuz then he gets goopy stuff on his lips when he kisses me.


Back from my tangent...so this outfit was one of the first ones I wrote down when I was creating my list this weekend. I just got this cardigan a week and a half ago and when I re-found this yellow tee and added it to the remix, I just knew they would be perfect together. And I'm wearing my new teal heels! They are so super cute y'all!! I love the exaggerated stitching on them and the funky heel...is there a word for that type of heel?

Confession: I have maybe 3 belts...none of which I've ever worn. I always want to, but then I think it looks dumb. But I've had this cute purple belt from Darlybird for a while and I'm so glad I finally got to wear it! I am still trying to branch out into the world of wearing belts over clothes, not in your pants' belt loops.

Today was chilly when I left for work. So I threw on my hip leather jacket that my hubby (then bf) bought me last year. I'm lucky to have a dude that knows style...I often ask him if something looks good together and I know I can trust his opinion. (Only exception was that he agreed with his fashionless friend that my cardigan looked like a "grandma sweater." It's called vintage...geez.)

The necklace I'm wearing is for pictures only. I tried to wear it at work and it clanged against the belt. Note to self: do not wear a hard belt buckle with a long beaded necklace.

So...I like to incorporate lots of color into my outfits...but does it still coordinate? Does the belt look weird after all? I'm so self conscious of it!

My 30 for 30 Remix Picks

Ok, I think I'm ready for the 30 for 30 Remix. I'm super nervous but excited at the same time. I purposely threw in a few things I have NEVER worn. They literally have tags still on them. That's sad. And they are super cute pieces, so what's my problem? Hopefully I'm not the only one out there that buys something cute in the store and then lets it sit in her closet, not knowing what to do with it.

I think that's part of the point of this challenge though. To see what you can do with pieces you already have and to coordinate new pieces into that mix that you might not have originally paired with something.

I've spent the last 2 days already creating and writing down all 30 outfits. After all that work (and believe me, it was work), I feel as though I'm already sick of wearing them, haha! When I started taking picture of all the pieces this morning, I realized that I had 2 blue tees picked out. So, after already writing down 30 outfits, I changed a blue tee out for the purple floral button down shirt. I think the button down will work with several items, though, so I know I made the right decision there.

Maybe I also bought the teal heels you'll see below, right after signing up for the remix challenge. Hey, I might as well get to do some shopping before it starts.

Here are the items I will be wearing for the next 30 days!

Items 1 - 4
green tank w/black rosettes (Macy's)
black tank with zipper (Kohl's)
blue cap sleeve tee (Francesca's Collection)
yellow half sleeve tee (Downeast Basics

Items 5 - 8
navy vest w/stripes (Kohl's)
purple floral 3/4 sleeve button down shirt (Ann Taylor)
white button down (Banana Republic)
black plaid button down tunic (Macy's)

Items 9 - 12
blue floral cardigan (Urban Outfitters)
taupe sweater vest (Ann Taylor LOFT)
striped cardigan (Old Navy)
orange cardigan (Target)

Items 13-14
purple striped L/S sweater (GAP)
mustard yellow L/S sweater (Urban Outfitters)

Items 15 - 18
yellow ruffle knit jacket (Macy's)
olive green 3/4 jacket (Downeast Basics)
2 button jean jacket (Macy's)
black blazer w/white trim (Ann Taylor)

Items 19 - 21
gray pants (JCPenney)
jeans (GAP)
black pants (New York & Co.)


Items 22 - 24
mini denim skirt (Ann Taylor)
black buckle skirt (Kohl's)
gray a-line skirt (Francesca's Collection)

Item 25
1 gray yellow floral dress (Francesca's Collection)

Items 26 - 30
purple ruffle flats (Target)
black knee high boots (DSW)
yellow peep toe heels (DSW)
snakeskin heels (Steve Madden)
teal round toe heels (new from Endless)

I think my husband is already getting sick of me talking about this, poor guy. I mean, all I've spoken of in the past 2 days is my clothing. Not the most fun conversation for him. When I first told him about it, he had a lot of input. He even said I was cheating by trying on an outfit before I picked out all 30 pieces! Talk about keeping me in line!

A friend of mine is into photography, so I challenged her to take pictures of me in my 30 outfits for the next month. It also helps that we work at the same company and live close to each other. Thank you ahead of time for your help, Tami!

So tomorrow will be Outfit #1 of 30. Stay tuned for some exciting (and possibly strange) outfits.

What Fashion Sense?

I mostly blog about sewing. And I love sewing and crafting...when I'm not too lazy to do it. Not the homeschool-looking crafty from the 80s (think denim jumpers with puffy paint), but the modern cute crafty that doesn't look crafty (think Etsy, for the most part).

But I also love fashion. I'm addicted to Project Runway (side note: I'm still upset Mondo didn't win it all), and my friends always tell me I'm the fashionable one of the group, that I share my "fashion sense" with them. What fashion sense? I just go buy clothes that are cute. Or sometimes I try to imitate a cute look I saw with pieces I already have. And then I buy cheap fashion jewelry that is bright and colorful to pair with my clothes. Maybe that's all there is to having a "sense" of fashion. I don't know.

I'm about to truly challenge my fashion sense with the 30 for 30 Fall Challenge, hosted by Kendi at Kendi Everyday. If you haven't clicked on that link yet, do it. Kendi is so super cute and funny and she truly embodies the words "fashion sense."



Here's the low down for the challenge:

1. I pick 30 items from my closet...shoes, pants, skirts, dresses, tops, etc. Accessories don't count against me...but I know I'll be using them lots!
2. I remix these items to create 30 looks and wear them.
3. I don't shop for 30 days. WHAT?!!

Why am I doing this again? I can't shop for myself on Black Friday?! Does it count if I go shopping and someone buys it for me as a gift, as long as I don't wear it during those 30 days?? I don't think it should count so let's just say it doesn't.

I've already got some ideas for what clothing pieces to use. Like Kendi, I freely admit that I have an overabundance of clothing. Because of my pear-shaped bod, I stick to neutrals for my lower figure and more tops than I know what to do with. But I have several pieces that I like, but just don't wear. I'm going to throw a few of those in there, just to see what outfits may come.

Wish me luck! Any suggestions are welcome. I already paid the $4 for the 30 for 30 Remix Workbook. Definitely a must read if you've signed up for the challenge. Plus...hello...only 4 bucks.
I'm looking forward to a very remixed fall wardrobe. Maybe I should get some shopping in before it starts, ha!

Dress Design for Shabby Apple Dresses

Let me preface this by saying I am not a designer, a seamstress, or an artist. But for some reason, I thought it would be fun to design a few dresses for Shabby Apple's Dare to Design contest.

I started doing a few sketches and was quickly reminded of why I never took Art in school.

I cannot draw.

In fact, I'm terrible at drawing, especially if it involves people. The shoulders look all big and awkward and the arms and legs are way too long and the face is always creepy.

I took a few minutes during my lunch break to come up with a few dresses to share with the world. I made sure that the pictures didn't have weird, out of proportion body parts attached.

Without further ado (and probably to much criticism), here are my dress design submissions for Shabby Apple Dresses.


1st Dress design for Shabby Apple dresses

I colored this dress to be green with yellow trim and now I am second-guessing the color scheme. I like the simplicity of the lines and feel that the dress could be versatile with these simple colors, but I would probably opt for a subtle floral cotton print for the main fabric. Maybe a green background to keep with the colors seen here.

This reminded me of something a little girl would wear to school, but I think it could easily be worn by adult women as well. The shirtdress is such a classic piece and I love that it's back in style once again. The skirt of the dress is a simple A-line, but could be flared more to be more of a 50s style. I like the buttons down the entire front of the dress...that's where I started when I began the designing. I can also see this dress having a feminine-looking, sheer overlay fabric with a solid lining underneath.

2nd Dress design for Shabby Apple dresses

I wanted to use pleating all over in this dress. Many women have trouble styling or accessorizing with their outfits. This dress practically accessorizes for you. With the pleated neckline and wide pleating at the middle, there is no need for a necklace or belt. The dress takes care of that for you.

I love aqua and red together. They are so contrasting and coordinating. How do they look so different, but complement each other so well? The fabric would be a mid-weight cotton. I like this splotchy aqua look for the main fabric, but a different print or solid would look good as well. The pleating on the bottom of the sleeve and on the belt of the dress would have elastic and would stretch a little.

3rd (and my favorite) Dress design for Shabby Apple dresses

When I first thought of entering the contest, I thought it would just be something fun to do. But a few nights ago, before bed, I randomly thought of a dress that would be perfect for the spring and something that I would love to wear as well. I wanted something adorable, feminine, airy...just...darling.

The sleeves are flutter (or butterfly) sleeves. They could also work as layered pieces that flutter/move with the arm. The neckline is a scalloped-looking scoop neck. Pearl buttons lining the bodice, ending at an empire waist with a thin ribbon belt. Simple A-line skirt to flatter all body shapes, ending at the knee with a visible ruffle-hemmed slip/lining.

The main fabric of the dress is a light white cotton with tiny little black polka dots and splashes of colors from random flowers. I used red in these flowers, but I think various colors in the flowers or another color (such as blue or purple or orange) would work as well. The yellow was used for the pearl buttons, ribbon belt, and ruffle.

I hope you enjoyed looking over my designs. I'm hoping this will encourage me to try my hand at sewing myself a dress...perhaps one that I've designed myself.

See you next time.

For Gran

my Mom & Gran

My grandmother, or Gran as we called her, was...a unique woman. It's hard to find the perfect words to describe her, but I'll do my best.

She raised 4 daughters with her husband of 50+ years, loved the Lord with all her soul and might, was a firm authority in her household, always gave her grandchildren little trinkets or gifts that related to their interests, was a lover of books & collector of movies, could cook a meal for 30 people without a recipe in sight, and was an amazing seamstress.

Gran and I have always shared our love of books and movies. I used to be one of those people who would buy any cheap movie I saw on sale...mostly the previously viewed ones at Blockbuster. Once I got past college, I settled down a little on the movie-buying craziness and only bought ones I really enjoyed. The problem is I like a lot! And don't get me started on books. I'm such a nerdy bookworm. I even liked reading books for school. My mom used to catch me secretly reading in my bed at night and she'd have to take my book away to get me to go to sleep, haha!

But what Gran and I have only recently shared is a love for sewing. As children, Gran would make all her grand-daughters the cutest dresses...and by cute I mean cute for the decade we were in. From left to right, my cousin Kara, myself, & cousin Daisy.
Gran made us these matching dresses for my aunt Alisa's wedding in 1986.

I was always in awe of the dresses she could make. For herself, she found a dress pattern she loved and made tons of dresses for herself in varying colors. I didn't realize until my 20s that her favorite pattern was kind of shapeless and considered by most people to be a form of a mumu. But Gran didn't care what people thought and she wore it as long as I can remember...with her Birkenstocks. :) "I know these shoes are kind of ugly, but I like them because my feet don't hurt in them. Other shoes squish my feet."

Birkenstocks

In June 2009, I decided I would try my hand at sewing. I actually had planned to make a skirt with my friend Susan. Her mom was going to help us. As I followed sewing blogs as "research" for my skirt, I started falling in love with Amy Butler fabrics and patterns and finding all sorts of online tutorials for bags. Then boyfriend (now husband) Kyle went out of town on a golf trip with his dad one weekend and I told him that I was going to sew myself a bag while he was gone. He laughed a little, knowing that I had NO idea what I was getting into. The last thing I had sewn was half of a skirt with my aunt a few years back and a blanket in high school for Project Linus. I'm often overly ambitious about projects I start.

I brought my pattern and fabrics over to my mom's house. I didn't realize that you had to wash all your fabrics first, so I had to wait for that to finish before I could start my bag. Thankfully, Amy Butler's pattern was very straight-forward, even for a novice like me, and my mother could help me with her machine. But of course, with my lack of experience, everything took a little longer than I had planned on. However, I did finish my Amy Butler swing bag that weekend, and even managed to make a simple tote bag as well.

my swing bag

I'm sure all sewers out there remember the first item they made. I count this as my first item as it was the first I made on my own. It wasn't my pattern, but it's my creation. I felt such pride in finishing it.

I love creating something new with my hands and my machine. And I love to take a pattern or idea and change it up to make it my own. And even more, I love it when someone buys a Lemon Drop item and LOVES the product, tells me it is exactly what they wanted. If I'm going to make money with something I love, I want to be sure that the person receiving it loves it as well.

I just wish I'd found this love of sewing when Gran was alive. For all the dresses she made for us girls over the years, I want to repay her with some gift of my own. I would make her an apron with butterfly fabric or a Bible cover for church. And I would sit with her and ask questions about sewing and take in her wisdom like a sponge.

So Gran, thank you for passing on some wonderful interests to me...even though I didn't fully appreciate some of them until you weren't around. I hope you'd be proud of me. You are a true inspiration in my life.

The last picture I have with Gran. Pretty appropriate that she was wearing polka dots as I am obsessed with them.

Lemon Drop is back in business

Well I basically took off half the year from sewing. I would longingly look at my sewing machine in my craft room, wishing for more time. But then I'd remember the long hours spent sewing bags and aprons during the holidays. It was fun while it lasted (most of the time), but as I don't know how to tell someone no, I accepted all orders, even at the last minute, and kept myself extremely busy while making some extra cash for Christmas gifts. And now Christmas is only 3 months away and I'll have to be thinking of gifts again...sigh.

When January came this year, I knew I wouldn't have any time for sewing (okay, maybe I did 1 little ol' onesie). But with the wedding coming up, I needed that break. And I have to say, the wedding was amazing. I mean, seriously, it was everything I could have hoped for. Maybe it didn't run perfectfly but it was beautiful and I felt the prettiest EVER on that day and then I got to marry my best friend. That was my favorite of all.

Here are a few photos of the day...

(maybe I'm taking this opportunity to show off my wedding pics to people who aren't sick of them yet!)

My favorite pics of the day...

HOT

the men...they look like the Mafia here

my girls

adorable niece & nephew

My husband is an amazing dancer...

As is my nephew...

These guys have some serious skills.

So I've been starting some new projects for Lemon Drop but I've been bad about taking pictures of them. I'm hoping to convince a friend to help me with as she practices her photography. Win win, right?

I've finally "branched out" and made a few bibs. It helps that another friend is pregnant, so this has made me work on different projects that I used to avoid out of some unforeseen fear of something new. And I'm working on a new special project that is SO Lemon Drop. You'll just have to come back to find out what it is...

...the suspense is killing you, isn't it? (or probably not as I may only have one reader...Hi Brother!)

And I'll also be making a dress for my 2 year old niece pretty soon. I'm hoping this will encourage me to make more dresses to add to my shop. I always say it's harder for me to make kids' clothes since I don't have children, but really, REALLY, if I'm being honest...that's just an excuse. There are plenty of people I know with kids who would be glad to take 100 more photos of their children wearing something new and cute from Lemon Drop.

Randomness warning...

Does anyone else like to sew on weekends while watching football? Sewing is girly and football is manly...does that make me androgynous? Maybe it's an odd habit of mine, but being a native Texas, I'm pretty much required to love football...and college football is the best. I'm thinking I should take that inspiration to make a football-themed bag/apron/onesie/something this weekend, in order to celebrate the season.

It's good to be back and sewing again - just in time for the lovely season of fall.

I like to look at pictures of the fall season to remind myself that it exists...as all southern Texans know, it doesn't really exist here.

Have a beautiful day....