iPods, iPods, iPods

I am the biggest frugal chick there is when it comes to ME. Now for my children, I have no problem shelling out the bucks for quality stuff. But I've been wanting a video iPod for awhile. I've been shopping around waiting for the right one to drop in my lap, and I've been checking the Apple Store for a couple weeks now, hoping the 60 gb's might show up again, and tonight they had refurbished black ones listed for only $229. I was thrilled to say the least, so I actually bought myself one. I can't tell you the last time I spent over $200 on myself. I'm so excited!! I can watch Lost on it while I'm waiting for Em's dance classes.

My husband has had an iPod shuffle for awhile, and whenever I've asked to borrow it, he threw a hissy fit because I changed the playlist (and he didn't know how to switch it over in iTunes back to his playlist...and he's an engineer...moron). Well he can just bite me, cuz I ain't sharing.

Avast Me Hearties!!

Arrrrr!! Yep, I finally sewed something and it came out pretty good if I do say so myself.



We have a halloween party tonight, so I whipped these up last night and finished this morning.

They are a rather hodge podge of patterns and my own design. Ottobre for the pants and the corset and a 1970s peasant top pattern that I morphed slightly different for each of them, lol. The vest was an old simplicity pattern.

Em's skirt is my own design and I love it, it's an elastic waist skirt, but it's got a yoked top and it's got a lining with a double layer of black tulle at the bottom of the lining. It really doesn't show its cuteness in the picture. I will definitely be making some regular versions of this skirt for her.

And if you're interested in great pirate pick up lines. I've got just the site for you.

Men and urinals

Um...WTF? Wow...I'm not quite sure what to say. I can't believe a product like this exists, or maybe he had them custom made? Well, yes I can believe if a man had the means, he would probably think this up. Apparently they are quite the controversy in Austria right now.

I think my favorite quote from the article was said by Marianne Lackner, media spokeswoman for the Vienna Department of Women's Affairs, ""The thing that surprises us the most," Lackner said, "is that no man has ever said anything about this." Obviously she doesn't know too many men.

Halloween Projects - Make Your Own Devil Horns

So I thought this was cool, these make your own horns directions, I found two, one is fabric and one is Sculpey.

The Sculpey Version

I'm definitely making myself a pair of pink glitter twisty ones. Nothing says weirdo like wearing pink twisty glitter horns on an everyday basis.

The Fabric Version


Miss Em has informed she is no longer going to be a pirate, but she's going to be a devil, so I'm thinking these horns will do it for her. I love the neat idea of having hair clips on each one, very good idea.

I'll post more how to's later, I'm being summoned to work to clear an account tonight.

The Halloween Costume Special

I just have to show off the most perfect costume. I want it so badly...if only there was enough time to have it shipped before the halloween party...sigh.

You know that Bob the Builder just turns you on, baby. Oh yes, this is every woman's dream costume...and it has some many other uses as well...if say, oh I don't know, your car breaks down on the way home from the party, you can just lay down right there on the road to help steer traffic. And the screwdriver alone is almost reason to get it, that size of the screwdriver can be so hard to find.

PostSecret and Intuition

I love PostSecret I read it every Sunday. It's amazing how many of your own secrets other people have too.

Anyway there was one that came last week that he kept up there this week because he's trying to find out more information about it. Scroll all the way down to October 8th, it's a longitude/latitude and someone sent in a picture via email a few days later of something in the woods that is claiming to be what it is which seems to make it even more of a mystery.

When I first read the postcard, my first thought was some lunatic was sending in his confession where he's keeping his kidnap victim or buried a body.

PostSecret

On another note, I have a very scary vivid imagination and a very accurate intuition that can borderline on freaky sometimes. I like to stay in denial that it's not as accurate as it is, but a question pops in my head and within 72 hours the answer ALWAYS finds me.

You and I Both

Was it you who spoke the words that things would happen but not to me
Oh things are gonna happen naturally
Oh taking your advice I'm looking on the bright side
And balancing out the whole thing

Oh but at often times those words get tangled up in lines
And the bright light turns to night
Oh until the dawn it brings
Another day to sing about the magic that was you and me

Cause you and I both loved
What you and I spoke of
And others just read of
Others only read of the love
Oh the love that I love
Yeah, la la la la

See I'm all about them words
Over numbers, unencumbered numbered words
Hundreds of pages, pages, pages forwards
More words than I had ever heard and I feel so alive

Cause you and I both loved
What you and I spoke of
And others just read of and if you could see now
Oh love, love, you and I, you and I
Not so little, you and I anymore
Mmm hmm
And with this silence brings a moral story
More importantly evolving
Is the glory of a boy

Cause you and I both loved
What you and I spoke of
And others just read of
And if you could see me now
Well then I'm almost finally out of
I'm finally out of
Finally de de de de de de de
Well I'm almost finally finally
Well I am free, oh i'm free

And it's okay if you had to go away
Oh, just remember the telephone
well, their workin it both ways
But if I never, ever hear them ring
If nothing else I'll think the bells inside
Finally found you someone else and that's okay
Cause I'll remember everything you sang

Cause you and I both loved
What you and I spoke of
And others just read of and if you could see me now
Well then I'm almost finally out of
I'm finally out of
Finally de de de de de de de de
Well I'm almost finally finally out of words

Ramalama Bang Bang

I just love this dance, I loved it when it was on SYTYCD this summer and I excited to find it on YouTube. Great choreography. Enjoy!

My dirty little secret

Let me know that I've done wrong
When I've known this all along
I go around a time or two
Just to waste my time with you

Tell me all that you've thrown away
Find out games you don't wanna play
You are the only one that needs to know

I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret

Who has to know
When we live such fragile lives
It's the best way we survive
I go around a time or two
Just to waste my time with you

Tell me all that you've thrown away
Find out games you don't wanna play
You are the only one that needs to know

I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret

Who has to know
The way she feels inside (inside)
Those thoughts I can't deny (deny)
These sleeping dogs won't lie (won't lie)
And now I try to lie
It?s eating me apart
Trace this life out

I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret)

I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret
Dirty little secret
Dirty little secret

Who has to know
Who has to know

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days swiftly come and go
I'm dreaming of her
She's seeing other guys
Emotions they stir
The sun is gone
The nights are long
And I am left while the tears fall

Did you think that I would cry
On the phone?
Do you know what it feels like
Being alone?
I'll find someone new

Swing, swing, swing
From the tangles of
My heart is crushed By a former love
Can you help me find a way
To carry on again?

Dreams cast into the sky
I'm moving on
Sweet beginnings do arise
She knows I was wrong
The notes are old
They bend, they fold
And so do I to a new love

Did you think that I would cry
On the phone?
Do you know what it feels like
Being alone?
I'll find someone new

Swing, swing, swing
From the tangles of
My heart is crushed
By a former love
Can you help me find a way
To carry on again?

Bury me
(You thought your problems were gone)
Carry me
(Away, away, away)

Swing, swing, swing
From the tangles of
My heart is crushed
By a former love
Can you help me find a way
To carry on again?

Fun with Quotes

You know what I'm going to get you for Christmas next year, mom? I'm going to get you a big, wooden cross, so whenever you feel under-appreciated for all of the sacrifices you've made, you can climb on up and nail yourself to it.

Sell crazy somewhere else, we're all stocked up here

Transported to a surreal landscape, a young girl kills the first woman she meets, then teams up with three complete strangers to kill again.
-- TV listing for "The Wizard of Oz" in the Marin (CA) Paper

When their numbers dwindled from 50 to 8, the other dwarves began to suspect Hungry.

When they are alone, all foreign military officers prefer to speak to each other in English.

Make Your Own Halloween Costumes - out of T-shirts

So I saw these advertised in the Michael's ad on Sunday. Some are cute like the flapper and the pirate, some are stupid like the ladybug. I think I'm going to go by there today and see if I can find these foam pirate hats and swords, since Mr E is going to be a pirate. I've got his costume all planned out in my head, just a matter of actually sewing it. Well that's not entirely true, it's just a matter of cleaning the gigantic pile o'crap off my sewing machine table and then sewing it.

Kissing Hank's Ass

This is the original Kissing Hank's Ass -- one of my favorite pieces of contemporary literature.

And in the last few months, there's been a video, it's cute, not quite as funny as reading it for the first time. Click the picture for the video.

And just for you, here is some more fun with Hank and world religions.

Can I borrow a secret?

I have this weird feeling, like something is going to turn my life completely upside down and I'm waiting for it. I'm standing on the edge of a cliff waiting for the wind to knock me off and I'm either going to fly or hit the ground. I feel like it will probably be the flying part, but you never know, lol. I have good intuition, and I feel like I'm holding my breath for something, but I can't put my finger on what it is. Do you ever feel that way?

And here's another journal entry. I think this one was, what was the world like before sewing and after sewing. Don't ya love the leaf people?


I have a secret...I had a boyfriend I dated for four years, we started dating when I was almost 16 yrs old. Anyway, I, in my teenage stupidity, was convinced he was "the one". He was the sweetest guy, he would do anything for me, sent me flowers, yada, yada, yada....Well he ended up being a total shit, I had a curfew, and he was 3 years older then me, so after he dropped me off, he'd hit the clubs and bars screwing god knows what. This came out after I went to college and he decided to confess. We were at my apartment and my roommate was not home. Then he came over to me like he was going to kiss or hug me, and he wrapped his hands around my neck and whispered to me with the freakiest look on his face and said "You know, I could kill you right now if I wanted to." Needless to say the proverbial shit hit the fan, and I threw him out of my apartment. He called me apologizing, I changed my number, he called my parents begging to talk to me, blah, blah, blah, but I moved on.

Anyway, I digress...back to my secret, I've always wondered what happened to him - did he end up in jail for killing a girlfriend, was he murdered in a satanic ritual -you know, the normal stuff you wonder about exes. Well I googled him about a month or so ago, and I found his wife's blog. Eeek! So he seems to have become a decent human being, married after they dated for like 6 freakin' years - geez who waits that long, but they can't have kids I gather from reading her blog, he likes to drink beer and watch those reality cop shows. I've always wanted to post a comment, but after having my own husband's girlfriend actually stalk me and him both(this will be another post completely), I've decided just to not say anything.

Mega Smarties and another journal page

First off, I love Smarties, well okay, it's a toss up between Reese's Pieces and Smarties. But have you seen these things - Mega Smarties? I first found them at Joann's fabric store a few months ago, then I was in Cracker Barrel last night and they had a box of them, I bought three packages of them. I am addicted to these things, and they are HUGE. A roll of them is about the size of my hand and one smarty is roughly the width of a quarter, but about 3 quarters stacked together in depth.


And is another journal page. It was my daughter's fave. The question was about showing what happens when you get inspired to sew something, and basically I stay up all night to finish whatever I've been inspired to make, otherwise I lose my "groove" and I forget what I'm doing, lol.

I mailed the Fiskars Journal!!

So I finished it today, and mailed it. I took some pictures of my journal entries. Hmmm, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post them or not, lol. This one was my favorite so I'm posting it. They wanted you to pretend you were a consultant for them for the day and wanted to know what advice you'd give them or what you'd tell them about sewers (btw -- what is the different between sewers - people who sew and sewers like where sewage goes? aren't they spelled the same??).

Anyway, here is my supercool journal page:

It's essentially about Gen X'ers who like to sew. We like to be different and we love nostaglia from our childhood, so I picked some of my fave fabric from Heather Ross of munkimunki fame - she is a wonderful fabric designer with the cutest nostalgic fabric, my personal fave is the Sock Monkeys. So I thought Fiskars should work a deal with someone like that and put fun handles on their scissors.

I'll post a few more journal entries tomorrow, but it is bedtime for the kidlets and I wanna go watch my tivo'd Heroes ALONE, lol.

Stupid Sock Creatures and Blink-182

Is this not one scary looking book? I discovered this book at an online fabric store - they wanted $30 bucks for it, but I found it at Amazon.com for about $10. I had a couple of $10 gf from Amazon.com sitting there from doing surveys (there's a website I found a couple years ago that gives you $10 to amazon for filling ou their surveys) and I bought it. I can't wait to get it and make some of them. It looks kinda freaky, just my style, to scare the hell out of my children.


And my current musical obsession is Blink-182. I'm not sure what my deal is, but one of their songs popped in my head the other day, I Miss You, so I bought their greatest hit album on iTunes and I burned a CD and it's all I've been listening to for three days in the car. It's driving my 7 yr old crazy, lol. But it's really good, I know a lot of people think they are some kind of bubblegum punk thing, but I like 'em. I wish they hadn't broke up, but I was listening to +44 the other day, Mark Hoppus's new band. They're coming to Dallas next month, I wonder if I can convince my husband to go to the Gypsy Tea Room with me, lol - I doubt it.

If there's one thing I've learned in 10 years of marriage -- don't marry someone significantly older than you. He's almost 43, I just turned 30, and I wanna have fun, and he wants to either watch tv or sleep. He's ready to start wrapping up his life and stop having children. Hello? I just got here, I'm not ready to join him in his old age. It's so funny, when you're 18-19 yrs old, you think you know what you want and your parents are idiots, but it's amazing how much clearer you know what you want when you're 25 and what an idiot you were at 18-19. Can I have a do over??

Fiskars Journals

So...I've almost done. I'm not as intimidated as I was at first. I think my artsy self finally opened up, it's been awhile since I've been in my full blown creative self. But really these were hard questions. How would YOU show an alien from another planet how sewing makes you "feel" if the United Natiosn chose you as the freakin' sewing expert, when you have a langauge barrier problem? WTH? Where do they come up with these questions? There is one journal entry I love that I did, so I am going to post pictures later today after I've actually gone to bed.

A plastic bottle and a...cow??

I feel the need to share my giggle for the day:

I think this is the best review of a song I've ever seen:

"...if I had a plastic bottle and a cow I could make better music."
From a user for the freebie single at iTunes

ROFLMAO - I think I snorted some koolaid up my nose when I read that, and I still can't quit laughing. And after having listened to it, I have to agree, ROFL. I think the main lyrics of the song are "Do Ya'"

Ghosts and YouTube

So my children are creeped out about my daughter's bedroom. She's been fighting me for years not to sleep in her bedroom at night. She says it's scary, and I have to admit I have a pretty good intuition and when I lay down with her to get her to sleep, the hair on the back of my neck stands on end and it feels like someone is watching you. And then tonight, my night owl 2 yr old, just came to me and told me to turn the light on in his sister's room because there were two "scary mans" in there, hiding under the floor. Now I'm spooked, lol.

And now onto a completely different topic:

Of incidental note, I was checking out YouTube and came across this Blink 182 video, and then I had to go buy some of their music on iTunes just now, I need to make another CD for the car, Em is sick of my current one, lol.
Blink 182 - Miss You

And I found that John Mayer song that I like:
John Mayer - Stop this Train

ABCs and Hairspray the musical

This cute little thing said, "Mommy, listen to my ABCs song." Usually his version is "T U V, now sing with me!". But tonight at dinner he sang the entire song from "A" to "sing with me". WTHeck? My little man is a character -- he's 2 yrs old and peppers his conversations with "Argh, me hardies," he loves "spicy t'ings" and is constantly asking to watch "scary mans TV shows" -- not sure what that is.

On another note, this Fiskars journal thing is hard, lol. Me, the queen of perfectionism, is amazed at what the creative women do in these journals. I'm feeling slightly intimidated.


Em is auditioning for the school talent show tomorrow. She signed up, but changed her mind and didn't want to do it, but she suddenly changed her mind again yesterday and is now doing it. She's doing her Dance Showteam Finale from Hairspray - here's a link - You Can't Stop the Beat -the finale. . The talent show is next week, I'm going to film it and see if I can put it on here. For only being 7 yrs old, she is amazing, by Feb she will have about 8 to 10 dances to perform for competitions. As her twirling teacher says, "she has a fan kick that most 16 yr olds would die for."

Wow!! I was chosen for Fiskars Stories

Have you seen these Fiskar's stories? They send these journals out to people on crafting - scrapping, gardening, sewing, etc, and you answer their questions in the journal and send it in. And you get paid to do it too! LOL Anyway, I am just excited to do it.

Oh and you know my crazy fantasy a few posts down, the one that shows what a freakin' crazy person I am? Well I haven't completely decided if I'm going to eventually act on it. These long weeks away from Mr H have made me realize how much I like being alone with my own independence. We'll see how it is when he returns in a few weeks. Oops, I've switched topics, lol.

Anyway, what I was going to say was, I've decided I'm going to turn my idea into a novel. I've already filled up an entire spiral notebook on scenes and notes for the book. I'm so excited! And I'm so addicted to it, I finally made myself stop writing and go to bed at 4:30 AM this morning, and then I overslept the alarm and Em was late for school on picture day - whoops! I've always wanted to be a writer, but never had any motivation of a story, but I love this story I'm writing. Once I get it into more of a book form, I'll post some excerpts.

Fun with YouTube

Dontcha just love YouTube? I like to surf the videos over there. Some of my faves are:

Chad Vader Day Shift Manager - this one has ongoing episodes. He is the lesser known little brother of Darth Vader.

The Life & Death of a Pumpkin - Very Halloweenie - done by the same guys who do Chad Vader.

And the videos I get my giggles from, are these strange Japanese workout videos that teach English as well as have you do very strange workouts/dances:

I Got Rubbed by Tuna Men - towards the end of the video, they teach you to say "I got robbed by two men," but it sounds like I got rubbed by Tuna Men. I don't quite understand why the second robber looks like a retardo with his doo-rag ass backwards. Gotta love that music...."I got rubbed by twooooo men" "I got rubbed by twooooo men".

Enjoy!

So....a little birthday update

My husband actually called twice to see how my birthday was going (insert confused look here). I really need some smilies to put my funny little emotions to this blog. How it's going? I've had exactly 1 hr and 45 minutes of sleep in the last 36 hours, the 45 minutes was during the time I should have been working today, but I essentially passed out at the keyboard (which incidentally can make some bizarre free association typing appear when you wake up).

Anyway I always hope he does something special, like send me flowers or something. I guess I'm the eternal optimist because he never has before.

Like the year I became a mother, 1999, (don't you men just love that we remember this kinda crap, lol) my daughter was 4 weeks old at my birthday and he gave me a gardening book. I'm sure you're thinking, what is so bad about a gardening book? Well let's just say of all the interests I have, and there are many, gardening is so far down the list, it didn't make the list of the Top 500. I have allergies to pretty much anything that grows outside and is green, so the chance of my gardening is about the same as my owning a cat (and I am pretty much what would you call anaphylatic around cats). I am affectionately known as the "black thumb" in my family, among other things, lol.

So I've gotten pretty close to sewing lately. I actually have pulled the Ottobre mag out of the bookshelf to trace pant patterns for my pantless boy. My sweet 2 yr old owns exactly 1 pair of jeans and 1 pair of pajama pants which for the last 3 days I've been switching back and forth during the day. Laundry is also up there with gardening for me. I will give my husband credit for that, he will do loads and loads of laundry -- me, I'm happy to vacuum a floor or clean a toilet any day, but I'd rather just go buy new underwear as opposed to actually wash and fold the laundry.

Off to type a few reports and then I'm eating a birthday cupcake ALONE while playing Word Racer or Literati.

It's your Birthday, It's your Birthday!! WOOHOO!

Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to You
You Look like a Monkey
And you Smell like one too!

Can you just see my enthusiasm? So it's 9:30 am and I haven't received one phone call wishing me a Happy 30th. Oh the f*ck well. I need new friends and relatives, lol.

Off to fix baby sausages for my 2 year old, he is obsessed with those things. I think if I let him, he would eat about 6 cans a day. I can't stand to look at 'em, smell 'em or touch 'em. Vienna sausages rank right up there with tomatos and mayonaise. These are the three foods in life, I don't want to touch.

We've got lots of fun, fun, fun today. Pick Em up from school and head to dance classes, then Mr E and me will be running to Wallyworld for a fun trip down the lightbulb aisle. And I think I have decided I'm buying myself a cake. I have a serious need for buttercream icing right now. Yum!! I plan to come home and eat a giant piece while watching tivo'd Heroes. And then I might be doing some online birthday shopping, I have been sucked in by late night infomercials - ie. Core Rhythms. For many years I was a skater and dancer and now I'm a lazy blob, so this looks like fun.

Blog Quiz Anyone??

Yeah I like the blog quizzes, fun in a stupid kinda way. You know you've always wanted to know what kind of bra you were. I found another one that just stimulates your brain; it's called "Name Your Boobs"! For some reason mine came up "Tom" and "Mickey" -- not sure what that means, but what the hell, Tom and Mickey wanted to pop up and say HI.

You Are a White Cotton Bra!

Practical, comfortable, and classic You want your man to feel relaxed and himself with you Your perfect guy is low maintenance and adaptable And he makes you feel comfy and cozy too!

What Kind of Bra Are You?

Can you tell I'm a little bored? I was hoping to wear my children out, so I took them to see the old Chuckster. Sunday night at 7:30 is a great time to go, it was us and two other tables in the entire place. But now I don't know what to do with myself. TV sucks right now. My sewing studio is calling me, it's a disaster from a certain 2 yr old who got into the thread and then decided to empty his entire piggy bank all over the floor. I'm avoiding it, or rather dreading it.

My MIL is coming this Friday, and my house is a pit from hell -- it's amazing what a dog and two children can do to a house in just six short days. We've had our house on the market for 6 months and the contracted ended last Sunday, and I have not lifted a finger once since then. So she's a neat freak who LOVES to clean, and I can A)clean like a madwoman before she gets here or B)let her do it for me because she loves to. I haven't decided which option I'm taking yet.

Turning 30, Barnyard the movie, and John Mayer's new album Continuum

Until I get my rear in gear on the sewing machine to show off my newest stuff, you'll have to be tortured by my weird posts for the time being.

I can't believe I'm turning 30 tomorrow. My husband is in Europe for another few weeks, so my parents took me and the kids to the Olive Garden on Saturday. Woohoo! And then I got the token birthday sing-a-long, which scared my poor 2 yr old under the table. I'm willing to take bets on if the husband even remembers my birthday and bothers to call.

I can't believe I'm turning 30, wasn't I just 16 last week? I still feel like the 16 yr old, does everybody feel like that? I wonder when I'm 80, if I'm still going to feel like the 16 yr old girl.

I bought myself a birthday present this weekend, since that's the only way I get them these days. I was checking out my current addiction,iTunes, and stumbled on John Mayer's new CD Continuum, it sounded really good, so I bought it. But the freaky thing is this song "Stop this Train". The words could have come from my own head. Some other goods one I like are "Vultures," "I Don't Trust Myself," and "Belief". And in conclusion of my review, I think this would be a great album to screw to, if I had anybody to screw.

My 7 yr old has been dying to see this movie, Barynard, The Original Party Animals. So we went the other day and left the 2 yr old with grandma because chasing him in a stadium seating movie theater in the dark is the right way to turn into a paraplegic.

We're watching the movie and I noticed something, maybe it's my expertise of cows from living in Texas, lol, as you know we Texans are experts in most farm animals, bullridin' and ropin'. Now there are cows, steers and bulls. Cows are the girl "cows" with udders -- aka "boobies" -- for the baby cows. Steers used to be bulls, but are now "fixed" to live amongst the cows as eunuchs. And then we have bulls, who still have their "parts" who sometimes live with the rest of the cows, unless they are really big assholes or like to do too much baby makin' and then are forced to live alone.


Now if you were paying close attention, you'll notice something, only the girl cows have udders! So why is it that Otis, the main character and all the boy cows have udders in this movie?

Other than that, it's a cute movie, really funny, though there is a scary scene for kidlets, when Otis's dad dies and a scene later in the movie where it looks like the same thing will happen to Otis.


And...if you go to the Barnyard website, there is a game called "Boy Tipping". It has a few levels, and is rather addicting. As a girl almost 30 yrs old (don't remind me) with two children, you do not want to know how many hours I've sat playing that game.

I'm being poked by a giant black labrador, so I must go as she just at her breakfast, and yes it's 4:30 pm, lol, so she is demanding I let her go eat the birds moving in on her territory in her yard. Ain't she a cutie? She's my tough dog, well she "thinks" she's tough anyway.

And one more thing, I just wanted to share....

I made this dress for a contest at a sewing expo, I didn't win, they were looking for the heirloom smocking kinda stuff, but it was fun making it. I had never made such a giganto dress before, and it's hugely poofy though it doesn't look like it in the pictures -- I couldn't find a good standing up picture, but it sticks out about 4-5 inches off her waist in all directions, lol. It has four layers of skirts. I designed it mostly from scratch, I did use the back of a basic bodice off of a dress pattern, but everything else is originally designed by me. I used one of my favorite Painting Red Rhinos fabrics, the mermaid print. Some guy up in PA has a warehouse that used to sell the PRR overruns of fabric and it was a huge deal to get the leftovers from previous seasons.

Anyway, all the prints come in a white background and are dyeable, so I dyed the mermaid twill and it's coordinate shell print in a gorgeous lilac color. I love how it came out and I paired with this beautiful glittery sparkle green print and a touch of pink trim.


The bodice is rouched and features little pink rosettes along the edges. The overlay skirt is gathered on the sides a little with drawstrings. Then there is a layer of green sparkle skirt with a ruffle and pink trim, then a 6 layer tulle skirt followed by a lining. The bodice is also lined and closes with a zipper in the back. I'm not quite sure when she'll wear it, Easter maybe? lol, but I love it and so does she.

Oh, did you notice she cut her hair? Yes I talked her into it, her hair had a lot of split ends and was perpetually tanlged all the time, clear up to her scalp, and she is such a tenderheaded thing. So I talked her into donating 11 inches of hair to Locks of Love.

So...I'm back

Okay I got lazy with blogging, lol. Plus I went back to work as a medical transcriptionist, though I do work from home, sewing has been on the back burner -- with working and being a SAHM and having my house for sale, sewing got left in the dust, lol. But it's time for fall/winter sewing -- ie., my son has no pants and it's cold in the mornings, lol. But I am recommitted! I'm determined to keep this blog updated at least on a weekly basis.

So I took a bit of a break for the whole internet. I do that every couple of years as I get too addicted, lol.

But I'm back blogging, and I'm back on eBay with my sewing patterns. I've been putting off my newest pattern for awhile, but it will be ready by the beginning of October. And soon, very soon, I will be trying to push my little pattern biz a little more. I'm in the middle of press release writing. I really want to move from consumer sales to wholesale/distributor sales.


And I have indoctrinated my daughter into the world of sewing. Grandma and Grandpa got her, her first sewing machine. She has been making little doll blankets and drawstring bags and I just got her her first pattern, I thought a fleece poncho would be pretty easy and first pattern. And she's been wanting a poncho forever. (Incidental note, this pic is her All Around Dancer trophy at the state dance competition. She won in the 5-6 yr olds category and they have to do four different dances - ballet, tap, jazz, and novelty to win. WOOHOO Emma!).

I'm gearing up for a bean bag sew-a-thon this weekend. So hopefully if it goes good, lol, my next blog with have pictures of the new bean bag chairs. My daughter's bean bag she received a couple years ago for her birthday is sadly dying, and my toddler is convinced it is his bean bag chair too, so I am making two to avoid any arguments, lol. I really want to make one of those "love sack" giant bean bag chair/sofa things, whatever they are called, lol. We found a $350 at Costco, but I see Simplicity has a pattern for one, I'm wondering how hard it is to make a giant version or how much the stuffing material cost - yikes!

The Evolution of the Swirly Skirt

Gosh, it's been awhile since I added to my blog. I've been working on my swirly skirt. I just love it. This is a slightly morphed version that I turned into a sundress. I like how the striped fabric starts out vertical and ends horizontal at the skirt hem all in one piece because of the way I cut that pattern piece. This one is going up on ebay in the next day or so, I have to finish the hair clip to match, it's going to be made up of those pretty little green fabric flowers.

The Swirly Twirly Skirt

This is a tester, i'm working on. It needs some final tweaks, but other than that I love how it came out. It's very twirly and swirly, hence the name, lol. I'll post more pics after I've tweaked it to include some spiral ruffles.

Here are two boutique-y outfits I just finished for eBay and put up yesterday. I call the polka dot one - Lotsa Dots, lol. Stupid I know, but I like it. And the other one is some of the famous Amy Butler fabrics from the Charm line called "chocolate mint" so it's appropriately titled Pink Chocolate. I thought the action shot was kinda cool, it shows the wonderful twirliness of the skirt.

I love making boutique-y stuff, it's so fun....sigh. I wish adults could wear whimsical stuff like that, lol.

I made a Vogue pattern

WoW! I'm so impressed with myself. So a confession about me, I loathe patterns, especially tissue patterns. I hate them, I hate them, I hate them. I generally make up my own patterns. But dd needed a "chinese" costume. This is international week at school and Friday is the big day for first graders to present their projects complete with a costume and food, if they want. And it's perfect timing to show off a gorgeous mommy made outfit, lol! Her outfit is done with asian fabrics covered in cherry blossoms - which symbolize feminine beauty. I was trying to find a print with dragons, I read dragons are popular on chlidren's clothing in Asian cultures to ward off evil spirits, but I think dd likes the cherry blossoms symbolizing beauty better than the dragon thing, lol. I'm going to have her bring spring rolls for her food - they're eaten during chinese new year to symbolize "wealth" because their shape is like a gold bar. Man, I'm starving for spring rolls now, lol.

So I picked up this Vogue pattern and decided to do View A - the pants and top version. Truth be told, I was kinda scared of it, lol. I have this secret feeling that I'm not a "real" seamstress and Vogue patterns must be for people who know what they're doing. But I really don't know why I think that way, I've been sewing since I was 12 and I've been designing my own things for the past 5-6 years. I am dying to go to fashion design school, I think when and if I'm able to get my degree in fashion design, then I'll feel like a "real" seamstress, lol.

She eventually loved it. She wore it all day to school for the end of "international week" at school.

Deconstructing to create a pattern

So I found this awesome t-shirt and I loved it so much, I went and bought another one to rip apart and use as the pattern, lol. Is this weird? I dunno...Anyway, I'm going to do a little sew along with pictures for informational purposes. I figured a t-shirt for $6.50 to rip apart was about the same price as a pattern, and it would save time instead of having to trace a RTW t-shirt and then do a couple of run throughs. Anyway, be on the lookout for my deconstruction sewalong coming veddy, veddy soon.

Amy Butler fabric for CHEAP - Part II

So I went back after the sale to Hancocks and I found more Amy Butler fabric. And guess what? The regular price of flatfold wovens is $1.99/yd, so I still got it for $1.99/yd and I found even more stuff. I found Michael Miller prints and a gorgeous border print, I can't remember the designer. And even more Playa Sur prints. Anyway, so check your Hancock's. I think Free Spirit must be getting rid of AB fabrics since she's jumping to a new fabric company, though I can't remember the name, lol, so that's probably why they are turning up for cheap.

Redesigning a T-shirt into a dress

This set was one of two I did for a trade with another sewing mama. I morphed a crossover t-shirt into a dress. I love this print, but it's cotton lycra and it decided to be difficult when it came time to sew it, lol. I think this is a Baby Nay print, it's the same manufacturer who does Baby Nay and I bought it at the same time I found a bunch of baby nay stuff.

Anyway, so I basically flared out the sides and lengthened the t-shirt into a knee length dress. Then I added leggings to complete the set. The sleeves and hem are lettuce edged as is the hem on the leggings. I love lettuce edging, I think it adds such a cute feminine quality to outfits.

The second set was done in a cute, cute polka dot knit, but the picture came out just horrific, lol. I could not get the colors to look normal in the picture, so you're just going to have to imagine it, lol.

Directions for turning a t-shirt into a dress (this can be done with any t-shirt, I just chose a crossover top pattern to do it with):
#1 Take the measurement of your child (or you) from the back of the neck down to the length of the dress. For a 2t/3t toddler, my measurement was about 20 inches.
#2 I take the back pattern piece for the t-shirt and lay it on some tracing cloth and lay my tape along it a the fold line. I start my tape measure 1/2 inch above the neckline of the pattern piece to account for the ribbing/binding of the t-shirt.
#3 Then I mark my measurement for the length (eg. 20 inches for 2t/3t toddler and add 1/2 inch for the hemline.
#4 I take my ruler and move up to the side seam about 1 1/2 to 2 inches under the underarm and I use my ruler to flare out the skirt of the dress. I trace the line of my ruler until I reach the hemline.
#5 I move to the front pattern piece and trace the upper part of the front pattern piece, then I use my new back pattern piece and lay it over to create the same hemline and flare of the skirt, by lining it up at the side seams at the underarm and tracing.

Have fun!!

I did it!!

I made a campshirt and it was really not that bad. It came out so cute!! I'll be making a lot more of these. Ds has claimed it for his own, I just can't get him to try it on yet, lol.

Yippee!!! I finally conquered my fear.

Amy Butler for CHEAP!!

I found Amy Butler fabric at the big Hancock's President's Day Sale for $1.99/yd!! Yippee! They had a "designer" flat fold table for $1.99/yd and there were lots of Free Spirit fabrics, all the selvages still intact so you could see who the designers were. There was some really nice stuff.

here is the one I found...

Sale lasts through tomorrow if you wanna check your own Hancocks.

Camp shirts - yikes! and coverstitch machines

I'm attempting to psych myself up to master camp shirts. I can't believe I'm scared of these things and I want to make one, lol. I'm going to attempt it tonight. Dh just left out of town for 2 weeks, he's on his way to England for business. The kidlets and I took a nap at 9 pm and woke up around 11 pm, we are going to be up all night, I think, ugh, but we've all got this upper respiratory thing.

Dh is bringing home my Brother coverstitch machine! Weird, I know, but there was a UK dealer selling Brother coverstitch machines for roughly $350 US dollars during Xmas and these suckers sell for $700-$1000 here in the US. Not only that, but they delivered it to dh's office in the UK for FREE. Woohoo! So dh is bringing home a couple of converters and my coverstitch machine. I'm so excited!!

Okay back to campshirts or is it camp shirts? I dunno. I've got one of my Ottobre magazines, I think it's 2/05 and I'm going to go make a rough draft copy for ds right now. Wish me luck. I'll post pictures later. I think I'm mostly worried about the collar coming out right. Ugh...

On another note, we're on pins and needles over here. Dh is the lead candidate for a new job in GA. My entire life is in TX, so the thought of moving to a new state away from everything we know and love is just frightening. But the salary is just too good to pass up, we will get so far ahead and have no debt. My mother, on the other hand, is thrilled, somebody she can go visit, lol, and we'll be fairly close to Disney, lol, we are disney freaks, lol. They are supposed to call ME next week to let him know, since dh is out of the country and his cell phone is company provided. I'm so nervous for him. I can't shut up about it, and I've been driving him crazy, lol.

Obsessive Topstitching

So I finally sat down and used a double needle as I'm preparing for when my coverstitch arrives home from England with dh (another story, lol). Anyway I'm obsessed. I find myself topstitching anything and everything with double needles, lol. Here are some of my favorite pants I made ds. I LOVE Moda Funky Monkey (did you hear they are re-releasing it again in April 2006) and I did a pair in Heather Ross (of Munki Munki) goldfish.

These are both morphed Ottobre pants with drawstring elastic. He's wanted a pair of these monkey pants since I made a set for eBay a couple months ago. I added a close up picture of my obsession, lol.

Birthday Boy

Here is his doll, I purchased the shoes at Hobby Lobby, but everything else was made by moi, lol. I even had to dye the fabric peach because I couldn't find any peach interlock. The jacket for the doll I made from scratch based on the jacket I made Ethan.

Here is Ethan's set. My fave is the corduroy, I found it at Hancock's on a clearance table. I did a new Ottobre pair of pants. I cut the knee appliques so that when I wash it, they will fringe up. I LOVE how it turned out, it came out just perfect. I never did a separating zipper before, but it was easier than a regular zipper, I don't know why I was so scared of them, lol.

Carmen Miranda anyone???

I'm not sure what to call this yet, lol. Any suggestions? I need some better lighting because the details get lost in the print on this one. I'm trying to use up fabric in my stash and this is what this particular piece told me it wanted to be. I'm putting this up on eBay, but it's not quite finished, I think I'm going to add a flower hair clip and some kind of embellishment for the front. Anyway here it is, it's about a size 4/5/6 This mannequin is a size 4T, but I think it runs a bit big, probably close to a 5/6. The top is shirred at the waist and arms. The skirt has a diagonal layer on the top. It also has an invisible zipper in the back and a hook and eye closure.

Solo Dance Costume

She's doing a jazz dance to Crazy Frog - have you heard it? It's a ringtone combined with Axel F. It's her first solo dance and she's so excited. So anyway, I'm not sure if I'm done. I had a matching tutu in the pink, but let's just say, I will not be finishing it, lol. I'm considering whipping up a pull on skirt in the pink, but I'm not sure if it needs it. It's hard to see, but there is sequin trim around the arm and the top and under the bodice. That stuff is a PITA to sew on, lol. Emma's in a size 8, and this is a size 4 mannequin, so it's pulled in the back so you can see how the fit sort of is. I designed the unitard myself after we tried a costume on at the dance studio that she really wanted and it was way to big, it had a neckline like this and she liked it.

At 2 am I just finished it, pulled it on the mannequin and was repositioning it when my wondeful ds grabbed a pair of scissors off the table and somehow managed to snip the sequin trim on the arm before I could take them away from him. I just about cried, and had to take undo the double needle stithcing and then take it off and sew another freaking piece of sequin trim on it.

Apron Top Sew Along

This doesn't have pictures for this part, as it's pretty easy to understand.

Easy rectangular apron top:

1. Measure your bust (dd's bust).

2. Decide how much of your back you want to show. For a child, I stick with 2-4 inches. For adult, an average show is about 5-6 inches, a modest show is 2-3 inches, and to show a lot would be about 9 inches.

3. So take the bust measurement and subtract how much of a show you want. Ex. Dd's chest measurement: 21 inches 4 inch show So 17 inches is how wide I'm going to make her apron top. I always add an inch back to the measurement for cutting out the fabrics to account for seam allowances with the lining.

4. Decide how long you want your apron top. For little girls, I usually do between 14-15 inches long - but to explain that number, I measure about 2 inches above where I took the chest measurement and then measure down to slightly above the middle of the thigh - on my dd that is about 15 inches. For adults, if you want it fairy long, make it about 25-26 inches long (this looks really nice with a matching skirt), and average apron top is about 20-21 inches, and a short one is between 13-16 inches long. I always add an inch back to the measurement to account for seam allowances with the lining.

5. Once you have your measurements, then cut out your apron top. For Emma's I will be making it 18 x 16 inches. This is basically math, you decide how you want it to be designed and do it. And I use 1/4 inch seam allowances when I piece it together so make sure you account for that for each piece you cut out, otherwise, you'll be off on your measurements.

6. Straps - you'll need to cut out 2 straps and 6 loops. The straps are usually about 1 yd long and I cut them 2.5 inches wide and use a 1/2 inch seam allowance. For the loops, I cut 6 pieces 4 inches long x 2.5 inches wide and 1/2 inch seam allowance.

Part 2

1. Once you have your front of your apron top piece then pin the lining (or the reversible side) to the front of the apron top with right sides together.

2. Sew each your small pieces for the loops together to form a tube and turn them right side out. Fold them over so the ends are are together and form a "loop". Next you will pin them so that the ends are sticking outside and the loop is on the inside with your right sides together. Make sure enough of the loop is sticking out on the inside so that when you flip it will be big enough to lace the strap into it. I like to do 3 loops on each side. I pin one at the very top, then another about 2-3 inches lower and another 2-3 inches lower than that one(I do 2 inches in the little girl's). Do this for both sides of the apron top. Then sew them together, and I do some backstitching on each loop to make sure it's secure (or you can serge it).

3. Straps - now do the same thing with your straps sew each one into a tube and turn them right side out, and I like to iron them because they get all wrinkly when you flip them right side out. Then I take the ends that are going to be tied and fold them inwards and sew a straight stitch closed. Now I measure about 12 inches (12 in for adults, less for kids, I usually do about 8-9 on my dd) from the middle of the apron top and pin so that the open ends (that aren't sewn shut) are sticking out of the top of the apron top and the long part of the strap is on the inside (with the right sides together of the top). I will serge this or if I do a straight stitch I will backstitch over the straps to make sure they are secure.

4. Turn your entire apron top right side out and then I fold the bottom inward and hem it.

5. Then lace up the back like a tennis shoe lace, lol and tie.

Argh, well I can't get pictures to post. I will try later.

Waldorf Doll Sew Along

Long, long ago, in a galaxy far away I used to make waldorf dolls. I've since sold the business, but this is a new one I came up with when I was pregnant with my second child. I wanted my daughter to have a baby doll close to the size of a newborn and this one is just perfect.

If you've wanted to learn how to make a waldorf doll. Here are my directions for making one. I don't have a pattern up to copy, but I will get a PDF file available soon for download.

http://www.tiptoefairy.com/jointeddollsewalong1.htm

http://www.tiptoefairy.com/jointeddollsewalong2.htm

http://www.tiptoefairy.com/jointeddollsewalong3.htm

Have fun!!

Sewing, sewing, sewing - a little history on moi

I love to sew. It is my absolute passion in life. If you knew how many hours of the day I spend dreaming up new things to sew, it would probably scare the hell out of you. I know it would scare the hell out of my husband, lol.

My mom has sewn for as long as I can remember, though she thinks she sucks at it, but she sews beautifully. She made my jr prom dress and I loved that dress - she later told me, she couldn't believe I wore it out, thanks mom, lol. There were many nights my mom stayed up all night to make me something for those stupid special school days like "jams" day...do you remember jams? Oh nostaglia from the 80s

So to begin with my sewing -- my mom signed me up for classes when I 11 or 12, I can't remember for sure. It was summer in junior high. She signed me up for a sewing camp at Stretch & Sew. I was scared shitless, mainly because I'm shy to the point of death. But after we got there and started picking out my fabric, I was hooked. Remember that Units store that sold that hideous knit wear? another late 80s thing, well that's the stuff I was learning to sew. I went through that sewing camp made a pair of knit shorts. So after that I signed up for sewing camp II and I got to pick my own patter and I chose a mock turtleneck knit shirt.

Well I found my addiction because soon after my mom and I were circling stuff in the Hancock Fabrics ad and I had my own fabric stash. I was making more shirts and shorts and even pants.

Then school started and I got busy. But every summer after that I got the sewing bug. I even made myself sundresses with zippers.

Then I went to high school and got heavily involved in skating and didn't get back to sewing until I was married. I married at 19, sophomore in college. The sewing addiction came back and I no longer had my mom's sewing machine, so I was handsewing things.

Then my husband bought me a crappy sewing machine from Walmart. And I started making quilts for everybody. Then we had a baby, and I discovered the secret world of cloth diapering. And I wasn't about to spend money on expensive cloth diapers when I could make them myself. So my fabric addiction got bigger as I discovered fabric co-ops for diaper making and fabric stores on the internet. Then I discovered I could sell my diapers and buy even MORE fabric, lol. So I opened up a cloth diaper business, RosieCheeks Diapers. Well it was a booming success, too much so, I was so busy I didn't have time for my own child as I would have to stay up all night long to finish orders, so after a year I closed it down.

And then I taught myself how to make waldorf dolls, and I started making waldorf dolls on the side to sell on eBay and was approached for wholesale orders of knotty dolls....so off I went with a new business named SnuggleBees. It was a lot easier to maintain a small little thing like this than the diaper business. I moved on to design several waldorf doll patterns and started the beginnings to sell the patterns. During this time, I became quite popular again and was approached to sell my business. I turned them down, but then I got pregnant with my second child and decided it was best to sell it as I was sick as a dog with morning sickness.

Then I discovered sewing boutique children's couture on eBay and created myself as "Tiptoe Fairy Designs". I was making a small killing on appliqued overalls and quite a following as well for custom orders. But life with a newborn severely limits sewing time, as in non-existent, lol. So once again I had to hang up my sewing machine when my son was born.

But I still had the undying urge to create and design, so I started working on designing boutique patterns. There were things I wanted to make, that I couldn't find directions or patterns or anything, so I wrote up my own. My first pattern was Tiptoe Fairy Totes and I sell it mostly on eBay. My newest pattern is the Mommy Diva diaper tote, it's just a few months old. I'm currently working on others a twirly skirt pattern and boutique overalls, but it's hard to find the time to do them.

And now we are at the present. My son is now 2 and I can sew again, so I've been designing children's couture outfits for eBay again. I've been a couple of those boutique designer eBay groups, but I wasn't ever happy in them, I felt limited. But I was recently asked to join a new group, CFSS - Created for the Silver Screen - and we just had our first launch, and it's been very successful and I really like the group of designers I'm with.

So that's me for now. Off to get the nightowl baby to sleep.