Experimenting With Shrinking

It's been awhile! Sorry about that. I've been slowly working in my new craft room, fixing it up and arranging everything. It's a work in progress and probably won't be perfect for a long time. I don't even have all of my stuff in there! I've discovered that I have more supplies than I thought. One of my favorite parts so far is my display of pretty little purses:

They're all thrifted by my mom from when she volunteered at the charity shop. A couple of them still had their retail price tags - a hundred bucks. I should just start using the bigger ones daily because they're fun. Right now I'm enjoying how they decorate the corner. I've seen a ton of tutorials for using plastic containers as shrink plastic but, since I don't buy things from the bakery or deli department, never had a chance to try it. Last week, though, I got some monkey bread for Khloe and her friend and noticed that it was the right kind...so I had to try it! I cut the pieces apart and traced a couple of images from coloring books. I watched them as they shrank in the oven - easily amused, I am. Check out the results:

Look at how little they got! The original dragon picture is about 3" by 5" and the original butterfly is about 2 1/2" long. I think I'll glue some pin backs on them and wear them as brooches - maybe add a bit of glitter or something, too. I have tons of ideas now and want to scour the internet for clip art to trace. This is one of those times when I wish I could draw, let me tell ya! I need to find the rest of our markers, too. I know there's about a zillion around here somewhere. I have a big stole that I finished, too -

It's cotton yarn, very light, and the finished stole is about seven feet long (about 2 1/2 meters). It will be nice to have this summer for dramatic tossing over my shoulders and such. It was really hard to get a picture of. Since it's pink and purple it matches nearly everything I wear. In Joshua news, whatever was making him sickly is gone. He's super cat-like now, bouncing around and playing constantly and eating like a little horse. He's trying to make up for being sick for a year and a half by being extra crazy whenever possible. I'm so happy that he's better. We thought, more than once, that he wouldn't make it. Now the girl child is trying to talk me into getting a little dog because obviously Joshua needs a playmate. That's all for today. I'll be back with more goodies and experiments soon.

Winter Break Round Up

Happy new year! The kids are back at school after two weeks of being off for Christmas and I was so ready. They're much more manageable when they're on a schedule.
Our Christmas was rather small this year but nice. Both Kerry and Khloe asked for footwear - Kerry picked out a new pair of shoes from the Adidas website that were on sale with free shipping and got here in three days, just in time to wrap. I won't have any problems ordering from them again. He loves his new shoes and only took them off to sleep...although he was rather sick and may have slept in them a couple of times. Khloe has asked for brown combat-style boots since her birthday and I found a pair on Amazon that are perfect. She, too, has worn them non-stop since opening them. It makes me so happy when a gift is loved. Eric is not easy to buy for, so when he mentioned a cherry wine from Wisconsin that he'd had and liked I did a search and ordered a bottle from the winery and he enjoyed it. I also got him some cd's - Black Sabbath and AC/DC. He likes to rock. What did I get? Eric got me a sandwich maker, but mine is a double. I've used it several times and it's cool. The only tricky part is getting everything out without burning myself - it gets really hot. Mom gave me a set of Zephyr knitting needles from Knit Picks. They don't sell them any more so I think this was the set she'd ordered for herself a few years ago and doesn't use. I'll get plenty of use from them but knitting plans will come later. She also got me:

two new jars of buttons. She has me figured out!
Speaking of buttons, I spent Christmas Eve making these bracelets

inspired by some I've been seeing on Pinterest. The hardest part is deciding which buttons to use. I have a couple more planned, of course. The black and silver one is really long and can be used as a belt...once I tone up a bit. It fits now but is snug. I'm planning a brooch, too, but it's still in the "back of the brain" planning stage. Do you all have that? An area in your brain where ideas percolate until they're fully formed and ready to be born?
I'm going to be making this beauty soon

because it's gorgeous. I'm not sure what I have in the stash that will work. I didn't get any money for Christmas so new fabric will sadly have to wait. Doesn't it look like something Curtise would wear?
That's all for now. I'm in the house warming up a bit from shoveling snow out of the driveway. I can finally feel my toes again - and I'm wearing three pair of socks and winter boots. It's flipping cold out. I don't like it. I should go finish shoveling now before I get too comfortable...or maybe I'll save it for my son to do. Yeah. That's the new plan. I'll be back tomorrow to share my plans for this year. Stay warm, my dears!

Wrapped in Pink

I finished another Simplicity 7705 this summer. I love this pattern. I still have some adjustments to make so it fits better but I'm not sure exactly what it needs to be perfect. Anyone want to come help? :) anyway, I had a bit of a hard time getting a picture that both showed the color of the dress and didn't wash me out. This dress is really pink. I've had this fabric for a long time - Kerry is 15 and I've had it longer than I've had him! I tried to match it to a pattern many, many times but subconsciously I was waiting for this one I guess. I had just enough yardage for the dress and pieced together lengths to make the extra long tie belt (inspired by the Halston documentary on Netflix that I can't get enough of). What do you think?

I thought I was smiling...maybe only my brain was! I'm really happy with this dress. It will be a bright pop of color this winter when the world is snowy and dreary.

My Dress Is Finished!

I'm so excited - I've finally finished sewing my vintage Simplicity 7705! I wore it all day yesterday. Khloe styled it with the scarf and shoes because I didn't have quite enough fabric for the tie belt. Want to see?

I love this dress. I spent some time on fabric.com and found at least a dozen fabrics I want to use for more versions. It fits well and my family all thought it looks good - even with the flashes of cleavage. I know there's a post somewhere in the blogisphere about preventing wrap gapes, but I can't find it and, really, a flash of boob never hurt anyone, right? I'll fix it eventually. Khloe thinks I should shorten it a bit. What do you think? I can't decide. She also thinks that boots don't go with dresses, silly girl! This is my first project for the Vintage Pattern Pledge. It's been fun seeing what people are making. There's even another black wrap 7705! Next week is spring break for the kids so I should have another new dress to share. Yay for no alarm clock! I'm sure the cat will make sure that I don't sleep too late - he likes to be fed pretty early or he thinks he's starving. Poor spoiled baby. Okay, that's all for today! Have a wonderful weekend!