Patience My Dear Self...

The days have become a week and I must remain patient. My new monitor is scheduled to arrive late this evening. Somehow that is when our wonderful UPS truck delivers to our street. Normally I am extremely patient however somehow this computer glitch is taking my calm and turning it askew.
I have plans to accomplish another creative task today. It has been wonderful to get so many things done in the past several days. I will have projects and photos to share with you very soon.
Meanwhile I am wearing more layers to gain warmth as our weather has turned very chilly. Today is a beautiful sunny day and the ground is saturated after the approximate 9 inches of rain we received in two days. Maybe more rain in another two days. All good for nature and I hope fire season will be gone with all this rain.
Happy creating everyone and may you have a wonderful day...

Sew much accomplished...

Well over one year ago I thought I would like to see if I can still sew for myself and make a wearable. I used to sew all my clothes and my daughter's clothes and even shirts for a previous husband. Then I merely sewed home dec things and then only crafty things. I thought I had lost my seamstress knowledge. So I bought a new pattern and after I fainted at the price I began to review it. What on earth are they talking about? It was like a foreign language to me. Some sort of "Project Runway" pattern with way too many combinations to consider. So I put everything away in a drawer. On top of all this I had spent the same amount of money on the pattern and fabric that I could have merely paid for a new jacket and been done with it. LOL

So last week I was determined to tackle my jacket pattern and accomplish what I knew I could still do. I actually took the time to make a muslin. Very glad I did this as the pattern sizes have shrunk terribly and I needed a much different number than I would have ever guessed. Hmmm...

I loosely layed out the pattern to see if I had enough of my fabric. Yay!

I am using a quilted fabric that is reversible and the photo does not show the beauty of this paisley and floral stripe with a hint of gold.

Yes, this is the completed inside of the jacket. I wanted to do a funky finishing treatment so this is the ribbon "lining" I hand stitched for the neck, yokes and hem. The rest I merely serged as it won't ever show while I am wearing it.

A wonderful wood button that mimics the swirls in the fabric. Now you can see a hint of the gold. Under the button is a large snap to hold the jacket closed.

My completed and ready to wear 3/4 length sleeve jacket with a fun flirty loose swing to it. I love how I used the paisley side for the yokes and sleeves and then the floral stripe on the front and back sections.

For me this is such a huge accomplishment as now I know I can still make something beautiful and wearable. Now days the costs of materials is so high that it doesn't pay to sew the ordinary everyday wearable however it is the knowledge that I made it myself and it is just how I want it to be.

I feel "sew" very much accomplished. :o)

What do you like to sew? Have you purchased a pattern recently? I think my Grandma and mother would faint to see the prices as they are today.

Happy week to all...

Personal Goal...

I have finally achieved a personal goal and it feels very exciting and inspiring and wonderful. Several years ago I made it my goal to have something I make with my own design and hands to be published in a magazine I admire and get inspiration from. I spent lots of time and money and frustration submitting to a major multi publication magazine and was consistently rejected. My items got returned in less than stellar condition after extremely lengthy waiting periods. I became dissapointed after several years of attempts. I never received any feedback or explanation of why my items were being rejected. After so many attempts I just stopped and felt sad.
One day at a major book store I found the most beautiful magazine I had ever seen for jewelry focus. I found it to be very expensive however you always get what you pay for...quality! I immediately subscribed so I won't miss an issue.

I have posted before about Bead Trends and here I am again. This is such an amazing publication and the people who work there are super nice as I came to find out.

This past February I decided to submit one of my necklaces. They do it so nicely that the entire process is easy and affordable.

I submitted "Mint Julep" and it was accepted for the July 2010 printing. Here is a photo of the two page spread it received. Just imagine how thrilled and over the moon I am with this beautiful photography and layout Bead Trends has done with my necklace.

This is the entire necklace as I submitted my photo to them.

I made this with Chalk Green Turquiose, Swarovski crystals and black lace. I do believe I have a very unique design and a lovely necklace. In person the colors are striking and beautiful.

Having set my goals and working hard to achieve them I find I am inspired to continue working hard and see where I go from here.

It is my true honor to be published in such a wonderful magazine.

The amount of confidence I have gained through this experience is priceless!
Thank you so very much.
Happy creating...

Great day for accomplishing...

Good Morning Studio! Wait...who made this mess? Did I leave my workspace in this condition yesterday? I know I didn't finish all my projects but did I leave this mess? Let me check it out from the other end to be certain how it looks...

Oh my! It looks even worse from this view. What was I thinking? Oh well let's just begin and see what we get done today muse. What will we be making today?

Do you ever have something you know you need and can make for yourself but you never do it. You think you can always make it another day. Hmmm...

Let's see we need some wool felt.

No pattern? Okay we can just eyeball it.

Small piece of velcro and ribbon.
Sewing machine and away we go.

It's not very big as it doesn't need to be. Scraps will make it just fine.

This is the finished project. It is sort of rough. Not my best finishing job. Oh yes, it is for me and it is merely for practicality.

What is it for?

Here it is. It is for my Walkman and earbuds. I used to keep them in a small coin purse but this will be much softer for keeping it nice. It is durable and light weight.

I am just so thrilled that I finally accomplished making it. I will be using this and see how I like it.

I also completed another item that I am very pleased with but shall wait to show it another day.

Oh, the worktable in the studio? I did clean it off and it is ready for another day of being creative.

Does being productive give you energy? Does it make you feel more confident?

Happy creating...

Accomplishment...

Wow! Do I feel a huge sense of accomplishment today. While we are having yet another day of drizzle and dreary weather I actually was able to complete my apron as pictured above. It is named Lilly Apron from Busy Bee Quilt Design 2008. Our local Ben Franklin carries the pattern and the ladies in the fabric department made and wear these and I always love them. So my friend Ginny and I visited our local Sugar Pine Quilt shop one rainy Sunday and I fell in love with these fabrics. The blues and greens are probably my all time favorite color combinations and the paisleys have always been my favorite. Now I feel "Cheery Not Dreary"!

I definitely feel like my little girl is wearing her pinafore and mary jane shoes and is ready to twirl!! I actually am wearing my black mary janes but they don't show in the photo. It doesn't matter how I look in the photo or in real life because inside I am beautiful and happy.

Thank you Ginny for giving me inspiration. Your apron is fabulous too. I love your fabric selections as well...in chocolate and blue. We shall have to twirl together next time we see one another.

Happy twirling all you girly girls out there.