Announcing. . .my Etsy store!

I'm trying something new--posting some of my silk bellydance veils to an Etsy store. I've had success selling them on eBay, but I hate having to post them a few at a time, and worry about the best time to post them, and worry if anyone is going to see them in the one week they're up! So I'm giving Etsy a try--that way I can post my entire current inventory for several months, and people have a wider selection. Follow the link on the right to view the veils I currently have up for sale.

An Easter dress...sorta

Does a dress still count as an Easter dress if it's black, and if you started it in December? =) It's amazing the unfinished projects you uncover as you're reorganizing! This one just needed a zipper and a facing, so I finished it up last night. The dress pattern is Simplicity 4531, and the bolero shrug is Simplicity 4224. No real modifications, besides making the ribbon belt wider, and tied in the front. The embroidered fabric is yet another JoAnn's $2 clearance table find. I think the ribbon and zipper cost more than the fabric did. =)

Cubby boxes, done!

What a project this has been! Here is the final product. The ribbon is from Stampin' Up, the little frames on the front are just metal scrapbooking frames from Making Memories (I painted them white, then distressed them with my Dremel tool. How I love that tool!) The cute purse, dress form, and Eiffel Tower are from Tai Pan Trading--I just need to whack off the top half inch of the tower so it will fit on top of the cubbies. The table for my machine will eventually be replaced with something that matches the Expedit. Four boxes are full of my pattern stash, one for my dolls and doll patterns, one for custom patterns I've done, and then four for embroidery supplies and blanks.



When covering the boxes, I just made a "tube" of fabric that was wide enough to slip around the box. I then folded the bottom fabric like a present and glued it down, and tacked the top excess fabric down inside the box. I also glued a rectangle of flannel on the bottom of each one. This covers up where the fabric is folded down, and also provides a soft surface so the boxes don't scratch the Expedit as I slide them in and out. A bit of spray adhesive helps to get the fabric for the lid centered and flannel attached, then I just used a glue gun for the edges. I bought some matching scrapbooking paper for the little frames, so I can have each box labeled.

A diversion from sewing. . .isn't he handsome? =)

So everyone needs a night off from their hobbies once in awhile. =) I got to see Collective Soul, one of my favorite bands, in concert last night at Novell's Brainshare (ah, the perks of having a techie for a brother!) What a fantastic show! It's so great to watch a band that just obviously loves performing. (For anyone who was there, one word--thunderstruck! lol) I snapped this picture from the jumbotron--no, I wasn't that close to the stage, sadly!

A last-minute medieval dress

Ah, the joys of a last-minute idea. =) In my day job as a school librarian, I've gotten quite a reputation for my outlandish costumes. (Last week I was a different Dr. Seuss character every day!) This week was a special school fair, where we were highlighting our curriculum. So I thought, libraries. . .bookmaking. . .illuminated manuscripts! So I quickly ordered some medieval and celtic design rubber stamps so the kids could make their very own manuscript pages and color them in (a big plug here for Estelle's fantastic stamps at http://www.stampsmith.net/--she is fabulous to deal with and got them here in a big hurry). But how could I host a medieval activity without dressing appropriately?

So here is my quick attempt at something somewhat historical for our special event. I eBayed my last semi-historical medieval dress (the Simplicity pattern that uses 10 yards of fabric--good grief) and wanted to do this one on a budget--and a time limit! The underdress is quilter's cotton, the overdress is a linen blend from JoAnn's. The pattern was amazingly simple! It's based on the instructions from "T-tunic: the period way" by Lady Muireann ingen Eoghain ua Maoil Mheaghna. I was skeptical at first--how are all of these rectangles and triangles going to come together in anything remotely wearable? And only using 3.5 yards of fabric? But I tried it out, and am very pleased with the results! The underdress uses her Anglo-Saxon pattern layout, and for the overdress I eliminated the underarm gussets and used a sleeve design from Patterns for Theatrical Costumes. Hand embroidery was out due to time constraints, so I fired up the Aurora and chose a simple motif and mirrored it for the sleeve and neckline borders. It still needs a bit of work--I need to fit it a little better around my waist, the front gore is missing (everyone thought how clever it was that I left the skirt front open so you could see the white peeking through--ha ha) and I haven't hemmed the sleeve facings or the bottom yet.

After wearing corsets for other events, wearing early medieval is a dream! The pattern is comfy, the skirt is fabulously swishy but not overwhelming, and it really does make the most of your fabric. (Oh, and the belt I found in my sister's closet--she bought it at Walmart!) The kids loved it, and it made my night when one of them poked their head in the library and said, "I don't want to do the activity, I just wanted to come by to see what you were wearing!" =)