A Vintage Pattern Sale

Are you looking for a CyberMonday deal on vintage patterns? Denise, of the Blue Gardenia, is holding a sale that could be considered more of a CyberDecember kind of deal. Her website will be having a Grand Re-Opening January 1, 2014, but until then, you can still shop. And more importantly, the more you buy, the more you'll save!

The details:

Spend $100 (before the discount) and get 20% off.

Spend $200 (before the discount) and get 30% off.

Spend $300 (before the discount) and get 40% off.

Spend $400 or more (before the discount) and get a whopping 50% off.

Sounds great! She's only accepting Paypal during this sale, and you can also buy gift certificates with the sale rates that will be honored during January.

Head over to the Blue Gardenia now! 

The Avocado Project Lives!

I know I've been scarce around here, but, like a broken record, this full time job is kicking my butt. Anyway, without any help from me aside from a little water now and then, those avocado seeds that I encouraged to take root, are all still alive and well.

I had almost given up on the little one in the middle, but it looks like it's going to pull through and give me a few leaves!

In sewing news, I have just finished a red tulle skirt to wear .to a Christmas party, pictures to come. Roland totally rolled his eyes at the floof-i-ness of the thing, and I may have to tone it down a little. And I'm making a raincoat for my mom for Christmas, at her request. I'm just waiting for the muslin I made for her to make it's way back to me so I can get started. Sewing long distance can be a challenge.

I'm so far behind in my blog reading, I may never catch up, but I do hope all is well with everyone. Have a wonderful December!

The Vintage Wedding Gown

Thirty years ago today, at 2pm CST, I walked down the aisle of Perkins Chapel, on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and married my college sweetheart, Roland. In a vintage wedding gown.

Well, back in those days, I didn't call it a vintage wedding gown, but I was wearing my mother's wedding dress.

We were so young!

30 years later, we have made it through the better and the worse. We have lived in 9 different houses in 5 different cities (including 3 houses in Prague, Czech Republic). We have 2 beautiful children, Laura and Kyle, and now one fantastic son-in-law, Thomas. No grandchildren yet, but 2 grandpuppies. Do they count? We have had 5 pets: 2 cats and 1 dog, all deceased, and 2 great rescue dogs now. I'm not counting the fish OR the hamster (thank you, Laura, for that wonderful experience, lol), but we had those, too.

But, really, you cannot simply quantify 30 years of marriage. It is time passing, and life being lived, doing the best that you can do.

Here's to 30 more!

Finally, a picture of my mother, Corinne, the original owner of the beautiful gown I wore. We did have to make some modifications, the most significant was replacing the yellowed lace on the bodice with new. Leftovers of that lace were used on Laura's wedding gown she wore in 2010.

A Knitted Minion

Do you love the minions from Despicable Me? Who doesn't?!! So when I saw this free minion pattern that someone pinned, I instantly repinned! But I didn't just repin! I actually knitted, and made one for Laura's birthday that was Monday, the 9th.

If you click on the pattern link above, you'll notice that I made some changes. Some were intentional, some were probably a knitting gauge thing, or knitting inexperience thing. Like I'm not sure why his feet look like he's wearing elf shoes.

I made his goggles removable, and one change was to make the eyes out of felt with painted eyes instead of knitting them.

His overalls also come off, so theoretically, I could knit him more outfits. Or maybe I'll sew him some... that would definitely be faster.

The birthday girl was happy!

She named him Frank.

Witches and Widows and Bad Guys, Oh My

Or... how I feel about wearing all black to work...

It feels negative and stifling. Keep in mind these are my feelings, and one could certainly make an argument for slimming and chic, but that's just not what I'm feeling.

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Our dress code is pretty straight forward. All black. No print, polka dots or stripes. We can get away with some color in our accessories, i.e., scarves, necklaces, belts and shoes.

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It is definitely a unifying look, and customers can find us without having to do that embarrassing "excuse me, do you work here?" thing. We stay reasonably clean. I spilled my lunch all over my skirt one day, and after just a little dabbing and wiping, you couldn't even tell.

And the bad guys?

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Suffice it to say that I do not like the dress code. It's a pretty common one for some retail and restaurant workers. It's practical on many levels. And while I've made a handful of things to wear, but there's not a lot of creativity involved and that's what I love about sewing. And that's why you'll be seeing my creative side coming out in a few other mediums. Maybe even a little sewing. ;)

The Avocado Project Continues

The 3 avocado seedlings are continuing to grow. The first, Buck, has been planted and is probably almost 2 feet tall now! (I haven't actually measured... that would be too scientific of me!)

The second one, Austin 2, has finally sprouted a root.

And the 3rd seed, Austin2, is going like gangbusters. I'm going to try HGTV's method. This method instructs you to pinch off the stem about halfway when it reaches 6".

I've tried this pinching off thing twice before, but each time once the tree had already been planted. The first time was a success, though, like all things avocado, I had to be very patient and endure a summer of the stick plant. The second time resulted in death. Yeah. That wasn't really the plan. Let's hope this time it results in a bushier, less stick-like plant.

A Little Painting

I haven't been sewing lately, but that doesn't mean I haven't been creating. Sometimes, I fear that I am afflicted with what I like to call "crafter's ADD". Always dabbling, never perfecting. Maybe that should be my motto.

Last year about this time, I took a painting class. It was called something like landscape painting with acrylics and collage. It was really fun, but shortly thereafter I found myself to be employed (you know that story), and, well, no more painting. But I've had a couple of ideas floating around my head, and had to get them out!

I did 2 last week. Both with acrylic paints, and photographs (personal or otherwise noted) printed on tracing paper. Mixed media. The first was based on this personal photograph (I don't remember where it was taken):

And this drawing, scanned from an original drawing that my father made in 1952. (I happened on a stack of these on a recent visit to my mom's):

And here is my interpretation:

A collaboration of sorts. The red was drawn with a marker which ran when I decided to top the whole thing with an acrylic glazing liquid. Oops. I'm leaving it for now.

The second one was based on this photo of my dad (photographer unknown).

And my collage:

You can see these and the other paintings that I did in my class here on flickr.