DIY - Bulls Eye Tank

Way too busy this weekend, let me tell ya. I have been dying for some long tunics to wear over my skinny jeans/pants. I broke down and bought a pattern for a very simple tank tunic because I was getting frustrated trying to contour my own. I again found this great cotton in the clearance section. I was hoping for some stretch but it doesn't budge. It still fits but is a little snug at the hips. I found this tutorial the other afternoon and have been itching to cut something up and try it! I had just enough scraps left over to create the 2" wide strips that create the bulls eye swirl. I ended the bulls eye with a big silver nail head stud. The swirl had A LOT of movement and I'm sure everyone will stare when I walk by ;) I hope you can see it in the photos, I realized the print may be hard to focus on but I swear it looks great in person!

Pictures!

DIY - Weekend Frock

I finally did a "Frock by Friday" with Grosgrain. Nevermind that I didn't start it until Thursday or finish it until Saturday...I wore it to work today. I love it and I want to make like 30 more. This is a great dress that is so comfy to wear - with my new leggings! Here's the pattern - only a couple $ and I know I will use it again. I altered the bodice yoke because I don't like necklines at my actual neck :P I also shortened it by a good 4 or 5 inches since I knew I was going to be wearing it with leggings. I created a detachable pin with some scraps - actually I made this first because I wasn't quite ready to clean up after cutting out the pattern pieces.

Pictures!!

DIY - Blue Suede Skirt

I wanted a new mini to go with the way too many pairs of leggings I just bought. Now that I've spent all my money on leggings I had to check out the clearance rack at the fabric store. I grabbed a yard of this great navy blue suede, cut a nice rectangle out (hips + 10" by 16"). I created a short paper bag waistband with some 1" wide elastic. This seemed pretty boring to me so I added some fun, random horizontal lines near the hem in a few different color threads. Still too boring so I added some puffy patch pockets to the front. I figured this was just enough texture to create a super fun mini skirt.

Pictures!!

Dare to Design #2

Dress Design for Shabby Apples Dresses

This is my faux wrap dress because I hate when the real deal flies open as I'm walking across a busy street! So the bodice starts off as a surplice top, ending just under the bust. All wrap style lines end at the side seam so the dress remains un-bulky. There is a small mandarin collar the stands just behind the neck. The shoulders are accentuated with small round patches of the green poplin for a look of power. The skirt looks like it is several layers without the "fly away" look. The "layers" are attached just at the hem of the printed fabric and the skirt yoke in the poplin is also attached making one streamline pencil skirt with a cute kick pleat in the back seam. The waist is cinched with a removable elastic belt that clasps in the front with a sliding "knot" to cover the clasp. The dress is made of a cotton shirting on the thicker side witha repeating green, teal and yellow leaf print. The pencil skirt hem hits just above the knees.

Dare to Design #1

Dress Design for Shabby Apple Dresses


This slinky number is made from smooth and shiny jersey knit, preferably cotton, and trimmed in stretch cotton sateen. I like to play with texture on dresses this simple so I added 3 large pleats at one shoulder to give the top of the dress a little "blousiness" and three more at the waist for a little flare in the skirt. The waist is cinched with an elastic waistband that again adds to teh texture. The boat neckline and hemline give the illusion of a slip peaking through with the faux second layer of the black sateen. The cap sleeves are also cuffed with the sateen. Hem hits right at the knees.

Sold!

I love when I have sales minutes after I post new items! Sold the red ruffly suede bracelet last night! YEY!

Store Update - New Bracelets!

I made 7 new bracelets today! I wish we had more 3-day weekends so I could keep being this productive! I also made a cute vest thingy today that I'll post tomorrow as I was too excited about flowering up these bracelets to even think about it. I spent a few hours Sunday layering and stitching up the fabric poppies that I LOVE so damn much. I especially love my stud setter!

Pictures!

DIY - Productive Weekend

Here's a few other things I made this weekend. Boyfriend was out of town so I had way too much free time!

A tunic with a knit yoke at bodice -


A tunic with an elastic waist for a blousy look -


And a necklace scarf out of loosely knit sweater material and wooden beads. Can't wait for Fall! -

DIY - High Waisted Skirt

So here is how I did this little number. Wish I had a pic of me wearing it because it looks funny on the mannequin with no shirt/discernible waist...SO super quick here's how:

Waist measurement = 35"
I wanted to double the gathering so it was nice and full
Cut 2 bid squares 35in x 18" (length of skirt)
Cut 2 small rectangles 35in x 9in (waistband height x2)

I made a mini (18" skirt length) but you can do down the knees (about 20-22")

sew waistband pieces together at short ends to form big circle. Fold in half so it is 4.5" tall, press. Mark center and sew an elastic casing all the way around circle 1/4" wider than elastic. Press seams.
Sew skirt pieces together at side seams. Press seams.
Sew skirt to waistband. Press seam down.
Use seam ripper to open one waistband side seam inside elastic casing. Insert elastic (same measurement as waist) and sew ends together.
Hem at desired length. A wider hem will help weigh down the full skirt (I did a 2" hem).

Picture!

Sharing - 2 things in 1 night?!

No I just forgot to post the first one a few nights ago. So I wanted to go in a different direction since I was blanking on cuff designs. I LOVE this red necklace. It reminds me of wings and scales on a fish at the same time. Poof - Flying fish necklace - HAHA. The problem is it photographs beautifully but if you breathe while wearing it the falls into a bundle of fabric and chain so I need to plan it out a little better next time. I always have better luck the 2nd time around anyways. My next project was a summer scarf/necklace deal that I kinda brainstormed in work today. I'm going to wear it tomorrow to try it out. Hope I don't get too hot but my new office is FREEZING! It has the surface design on it that I am pretty much obsessed with and will never stop doing to everything I make ever HAHA. Makes it a little rougher looking for a shabby-chic feel - I hope...

Pictures!!

Store Update - Happy Listing Day!

So yesterday morning I couldn't sleep in thanks to my beautiful puppy who needs to bark at every damn shadow. So I spent the morning photographing and finally listing all the fun stuff I've made in the past month plus some old items that expired. FOUR hours later and I have 51 awesome items up on my Etsy Store! 1 hour later I sold my first bracelet! My favorite bracelet! sad and happy about that lol. Anyways here's my mini version of the store, check it out:

DIY - My Ikea Purse

This one needs a proper name but I've been calling it my ikea purse because that's where I got the fabric. Let me know what you think! Next time I will use thicker interfacing so it stands up better. still love it tho!

Pictures!!

DIY - New Dress and Wally!

So I was up all night - all the way to 11pm! sewing this dress. Even tho it came out a little more baby-dollish that I would have liked, I love the fabric! I've been hoarding this fabric for over two years now. the sleeve cuffs are the lining from the old navy dress I cut up last month. the band at the bottom of the skirt is one of my favorite prints that I've also made into a skirt previously. Recycle! Also this is Wally my baby!



Pictures!!

DIY - Ikea Mega Table!

So I shouldn't be allowed in Ikea more than twice a year...I went yesterday looking for just a little table with wheel for which to do my blogging on and maybe to photograph some thingies on. All the cute little tables were way out of my budget! So they always have these little end tables (LACK) for $7.99 each. Hell yeah! They're pretty short since they're end tables so I decided to stack two of them to create one MEGA TABLE! Boyfriend helped me in the drilling and attaching and wheeling of the awesome table and even admitted that it was a great idea and that I, also, am awesome. Also the table's already cluttered in craft crap. Good job Jessi.

Pictures!!

DIY - Fabric Beaded Jewelry

Part two of my jewelry project is these awesome fabric covered beaded necklaces and bracelets. I'm obsessed I know. I spray painted a wooden sign I have never found a use for and now it's my super awesome necklace display. Now do I paint my hand pink to match? Or a different color to clash? I have 2 weeks to decide! Can I do it?! Also by popular demand from a majority (100% actually) of my followers... my project board...can you even read it? That's not even half of what should be on there thanks to some new blogs I found today :) Also I promise I'm taking down the black velvet backdrop asap. It's the only piece of fabric I had big enough to cover the door! And somehow my tripod was crooked, what the hell!

Pictures!!

Sharing - Been a While

So a week later and a paycheck down the drain I've begun the Bracelet Project. I've made a dozen fabric cuff bracelets and added studs, jewels, ribbons and beads to most of them. Here's a thousand pictures:








I also found 2 great new blogs - Pretty Ditty and Grosgrain Fabulous. They have helped me out and given me tons of new ideas that I've added to my idea board. Kelsey will yell at me later for how much I've been adding to the idea board...I'll add a pic of that later :P

Check out pretty ditty's fabric beaded necklace tutorial. I was really looking for a fabric rose tute and ended up trying these, cuz what the hell they looked easy. And they are!!! More on those later!

I bought a hand yesterday...Yeah it's weird. I bought a mannequin hand+wrist from hong kong. The fancy ones were $20 but I have already invested way too much money on something that I'm not sure if even going to sell, so I searched and found this guyfor $5.95 and free s/h! But I probably won't get it for 2 weeks. Shipped today with no tracking number...we'll see. I was thinking on spray painting it since the flesh tone is too creepy. I have...black, hot pink, navy blue, hunter green, orange yellow..what do you think?

DIY - Bracelet Obsession!

So once I get my head wrapped around an idea, there's nothing else I can really think about. Sunday I was surfing around etsy and came across these beautiful cuffs! I wish I could afford these, I'd wear them everywhere all the time forever and ever. by DelorisPetunia


Anyways, These got me on making my own cuffs...fabric-style! This is the one that started it all Sunday night...





Check out the pieces of my new project:




I have a LONG shopping list for Friday, so you're welcome Joann's :P