white swan

It's been... a while. :) I decided to (very sparsely) photograph my last project so I could share it with y'all. For a tutorial, here's the one I followed:

A Beautiful Mess - Swan Dress Tutorial

This was a pretty make-shift, make-do project. We lost our cutting board, so I used large 4x thick paper, which probably dulled the rotary cutter. But I was desperate because there was no way I was cutting 15 or so yards of tulle in 2 in. strips by hand if I could help it.

I also don't have a dress form of any sort. I could really use one. Christmas is Dec. 25th. Fourth of July is in about a month. Is there a gift-giving holiday in June? There should be. Hint hint hint. ;)

So I made do again with a large empty roll of paper wrapped with a table cloth that I tied in knots so it wouldn't fall down.

What can I say, desperate times.

After doubling all the tulle in half over the elastic, I figured out that it was going to be really hard to sew that tulle down without sewing the elastic or, wait, how was I even supposed to be able to stretch the elastic if all the tulle was sewed tightly together? what? huh?

Word to the stupid. Read the whole tutorial before you do the next "simple" step that you think you can figure out. Figuring things out is great, but instructions are for saving time.

(I will probably not remember this.)

So I yanked out all the tulle and then the next day I followed the instructions. :-P

Aaaand, ta-da, finished product. It's so fluffy I'm going to - feel like an idiot wearing it.

I skipped pictures of cutting out knit fabric and hand sewing the head together... It looks a little funny, but people should be able to get the picture.

As to why I need a swan costume anyway, I needed something water-related for Joni and Friends camp this year, and decided to go with this. Might add some white feathers to my hair or the skirt part of it. :)

Maaaaaybe it won't be so long until another project is written about.

official

   Well friends, I'd say my Etsy Shop is "officially" open. I finally took pictures that I'm at least content with, though there's lots of room for improvement. Maybe I can figure out better lighting next time.
   With time things should get easier. :) Give me any tips you think of for improvement!

   https://www.etsy.com/shop/TodaysAnAdventure

black & white & sunflowered

I started off with four matching napkins. ^

And sewed 3 together.

Cut a neckhole in the fourth.

Gathered the first three and sewed them to the two sides of the fourth.

Added this just-right button to the back middle hem.

Not to my surprise, the shirt is really airy and poofy (so nice and cool, but also not /super/ flattering) but I really like it. :D It also reminds me mostly of a dress a 5 year old would have. But... I don't care. :)

denim jacket

I've become super lax in my taking of "before" pictures... so here's all the after shots. 

 ^ That used to be an ankle-length dress. heh heh, no wonder it was a buck at goodwill.

I'm okay with the length, but I wish I could have made it a little longer... I cut above the belt loops, and the hem shortened it more then I thought.
(If I look like I have a black eye... today was rough.) ;)

So... yeah... I used a blind hem, which was new, but it took me at least 3 tries to get it right.

Ta Da.

for the babies

 So for D & R's and J & J's new little kids, I decided to try something semi new and... make teddy bears! Okay, that's not really new. I made one before for NJ's birthday...

  ...but these are different. They're, uh... funnier looking.

 But they're striped and have sweet ribbon bow ties!

 Before I decided on the bears, I made this skirt for D&R's. However, it ended up with a few minor problems, plus I didn't know how long it would fit her anyway...

So I'll probably give it to my niece K on her birthday instead. as a doll skirt.

That's it. :)

Linking up here

woven rug

I loved this project. I'll probably have early onset arthritis because of it, but I love how it turned out, so I don't mind.
Stop looking at my weird toes.

All the fabric I used was given to me for free, so that was a plus. It took a LOT more fabric then I expected. Quite a few yards, in the end. About 100 two-inch x 5 foot strips of fabric. YIKESA.

After braiding all the fabric together after tearing it into strips (4 hours?) I glued it onto a thicker lime green material (1 hour?) and then I handstitched the braids to the lime-green-material so the braids wouldn't unravel. THAT took 2-3 hours and very sore fingertips.

But now it's done! And I'm so happy with it. :) It was worth it. I carry it around like a little baby, even though it's sturdier.

Linking up to this post. So excited to have a "link-party" for sewing!

memories on wood

Just one picture this time, but don't really need more then that. This is my birthday gift for Dad- graduation picture of me getting my diploma. :) One of my fave pics of Dad and I. 

I followed this straightforward pinterest picture tutorial, and it really worked *super* I wonder how it would work with a colored picture; our printer only prints in b&w, so I probably won't have the chance to find out. The gel-medium was more expensive then I would have liked, but there's plenty left for a lot more of these. :)

The wood plaque was from Hobby Lobby (favorite craft store, guys. ever.) and if I remember right it was only around $3.

Aaaaaanyway. Not much interesting to say about this really. I LOVE IT though, and show it to everyone who's name isn't Dad. :)

hobby horse

Pretty self-explanatory. Made this for K's birthday. Might switch out the blue rubber band for some yarn... If I made another one I would change the nose and add something to the ear to make it stiffer. 

Otherwise, I'm very happy with it. :) 

( Should've thought to do a "front view" picture instead of 3 identical side pictures. :-/ )

Linking up here

catch up

Projects Lately:

skirt out of dress; looks better not on the hanger ;)

jeans into capris, added fabric to the hem and pocket

closeup of skirt material

jean pocket detail

teddy bear for Nathanael's birthday

two different scarves out of a sweater. I like the second one better. third picture just shows the pattern of the fabric.

shirt out of XL men's shirt... I like it. it's comfortable and nice and long.

Linking up to The Freckled Fox

room redone

A series of before/after pictures:

before

after

before

halfway after

after, after, after, after, etc.

 close up. Ritz crackers, PB, and pastel floral box are not permanent.

 if you know me, you know I have an odd love for 1. statues like this of people. 2. especially old people. 3. cute old people.

the pile of b&w photos are for pasting up somewhere on the wall later, if I get the chance. they look nice on a pile too though. ;)

 ahhhhh. I still love it. (I know you're supposed to decorate in odd numbers... I don't plan things out very well so I hammered up three nails, realized it looked pretty bad so off centered and added another one.)

 instead of laying them on the floor in a pile.

 books sorted roughly by color.

 okay, my room isn't all sparkly clean. but where in the world am I supposed to pile the shoes other then the floor?

 clock as a jewelry holder? kind of tacky maybe. but I like it. a few more pictures will be added here when I find the cardstock again.

 full view of that wall.

 black and white in real life, not sepia. but you get the idea.

so that's it!

p.s. how odd, 11:10 must be the time to post things... seeing the last two posts.