Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Kitten in a Cup!

Anyway bunny in a cup proved to be very popular, so this is the next installment kitten in a cup! :D
well it turns out kittens in cups is much more difficult to find that bunnies in cups. Go Figure. Well the search was worth it!

Soooo Cute!
kitty in a cup
I suppose this is more kitten in a bowl
A bunch of kittens in one cup!
Pretty green eyes
I also found a video of a kitten in a cup-o-noodle :3. So cute, the video will probably be very popular soon.

Monday, January 17, 2011

7169 Simplicity Pattern Review

Though a little bit, well really 70s, I saw this and thought it looked quite cute. (and ridiculously easy to make). It was probably one of the fastest dresses I've ever sewn, I finished it in a few hours and only had to work on it one day. So I would say the pattern really is a "jiffy".
I made it out of a really soft jersey material.
I will say I have some regrets with the dress, but not necessarily with the pattern. I chose to make it out of this deep purple color. In the end it was not a flattering color on me, I should have made it out of something bright like the yellow color used in the picture. It sort of looks like a witch costume in the deep purple color.
(I think on someone with darker coloring it would not be the case)

Front
Back


Pattern Description:
The dress or top with low round neckline and long raglan sleeves gathered with elastic casings has self fabric tie belt wrapped and tied in front.
Pattern Sizing:
The pattern comes in Small, Medium, and Large. I made the small.(only one per envelope) I thought this was interesting, I had never seen a pattern with sizes like that before. I suppose its like that because it ties to fit in the front.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
yes, though I had some issues around the shoulder area.
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Very, easy and very clear.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I really liked how simple it was, it had in interesting way of putting the sleeves in. I didn't dislike anything about it. I also liked how there were only 3 pattern pieces.
Fabric Used:
Jersey, I found it draped quite nicely and went well with the dress.
But when my friend saw it she said to press more :(. I pressed and pressed but the hem and waist  tie wouldn't lie flat. Any tips for this?
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
none, no need for it really.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I would like to sew this again in a different color. Yes I would recommend it to others.
Conclusion:
A really easy, fun to make dress but best made in a bright color. Could easily be a 1 day project. I think it would be an awesome project if you were going to a 70s party. Would look especially cool with a ~groovy~ print.
Side
Casing

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Tazorac Review

Oh Tazorac, how many times have you been prescribed to me?
Seriously, all my dermatologists seem to be obsessed with Tazorac (Tazarotene), even though I tell them it doesn't really work for me. Pretty much, most dermatologists will force the Tazorac on you before they give you the good stuff.
Tazorac
Tazorac is like vitamin A and helps your skin to renew its self faster, which can help with acne, wrinkles, psoriasis ext. But you have to be careful with it because (like accutane) it can cause birth defects in babies. For me it didn't help my skin at all. Yes my skin renewed faster, but it was literally peeling off. My face always looked so flaky and dry. When I think about it, I really have never heard of anyone who Tazorac worked for them....One nice thing about it though is it lasts a long time because its a fairly large tube and you don't need to use a lot.

Pros:
  • Skin Renews faster
  • Help with Wrinkles
Cons:
  • Drying
  • Birth defects
  • Burning
If you would like more info:
http://www.drugs.com/mtm/tazorac.html

    Petit Pointe Embroidery

    Lately I went to a delightful antique shop. There were these little purses in a corner with elaborate embroidery. I really wanted one but they were to expensive($70). I researched, and found out that the style is called petit point.
    Austria made the style well known, and many of the vintage evening bags are from there. Though the actual style of embroidery originated in Rocco France.
    My favorite one that I found was this:
    Petit Point Evening Bag


    Details of Embroidery
    Petit point can have 11 to 22 stitches per centimeter, or up to 484 stitches per square centimeter! And for it to be true petit point it must be hand stitched. It must take forever.
    The bags really vary in price, some are super expensive, some around 11$. I've found there a bit cheaper online(ebay) than when in stores. But the nicest bags will have silk thread as opposed to cotton.
    Petit point isn't just used on bags, it can also be used to detail other things. I love this vintage Austrian perfume bottle it really is a work of art. Another place petit point is found is on adorable little brush and mirror sets.
    Petit Point Perfume Bottle
    I thought this was really cool as well, petit point items in a doll house! If I was an elderly woman with money miniatures would so be my hobby! I would move in the house in a minute if it really existed. Just my style.

    not as nice as other ones but still cool
    I'm thinking that it may come into trend again, if it already hasn't yet.
    Another signature of the bags is their beautiful handles.
    a little different from the others

    Monday, January 10, 2011

    ~New Years~ Blah, Blah

    This is just a little post to myself. Not of much importance.
    Lately has been interesting, albeit a little boring.
    A few days ago I went to the Coach outlet in Lebanon. It was a lot of fun! So many purses marked waaayyy down. I even had a 20% off coupon. But still to expensive that I couldn't get any :(.
    smiley picture because I don't smile enough in my pictures
    I did get a really cute hat which I'm wearing.
    I also kind of have a car now, it looks pretty awful a Chevy lumina I might post a picture of it later when its out of the shop.

    In retrospect 2010 was an ok year.
    Not a lot happened.
    Penny died, my loyal childhood pet.
    Penny in her final week

    Got a new puppy, which was given away, then subsequently got a new puppy named Johan (which no one finds humorous except for me.)
    Johan doing what he does best chewing on things

    Felt ugly, felt pretty, made lots of pretty things and quit 3 times as many projects as I made.
    Didn't go to college for vague philosophical reasons I don't even remember anymore.
    Some friends left, some friends stayed.
    Spent a lot of time with Emily(sewintoit.wordpress.com)

    Been snowing a lot more than usual. And I just sit and watch in contentment but yet thinking about all the others things, I need to do, should do. But its all so beautiful that I don't get up, because why ruin a moment when your blissfully happy.
    Taken up embroidery
    "I survived the May Flood"
    My backyard

    Watched alot of movies, didn't watch TV (The Graduate may have ruined my life)
    Dyed my hair brown, thank God it washed out.

    Got back on Accutane
    Searched, and still searching for a job
    Bought books I never finished

    Sort of made a resolution, just to blog more. Twice a week, even if its about nothing.

    Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful blessed year!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Saturday, January 8, 2011

    Sirs Fabric Store Review

    Ah the infamous Sirs Fabric store. I had seen their sign many times while driving, but it was so far away. (Fayetteville Tennessee) so I had never gone. Well my friend and I had talked about making the drive, to go to this fabric store of so called mythic proportions.
    So we braved the long scenic drive and got incredibly lost.

    Finally, we got there. It was a strange little town, there isn't much to do. Its set near the town square which was probably grand its time, but is now a lot of empty dilapidated store fronts. Which do have a bit of and antique aesthetic beauty.
    Sirs Fabric is basically two buildings. The first one we went to was a large gray building.
    Sirs Warehouse #1

    It is all home decor fabric, some of which is very, very nice and some a bit outdated. The staff was friendly and asked it they could help us find anything. We didn't stay there long because my friend and I were not looking for home decor fabric. Here are some pictures of first store:
    they had faux fur also, 2.99 a yard
    Rows, upon rows
    Fabric was never on a bolt, always folded or on a roll

    Lots of fabric in compartments under tables as well

    Across the street there is another(well it sort of looks like to stores spliced together) The inside is much, much bigger than it looks like from the outside.
    Sirs store #2

    Honestly this store was a bit of a disappointment for me. I had assumed that there were to stores, one for home decor and one for apparel. This is not the case. The second store really only has around 40% apparel fabrics. There was alot of home dec/ drapery fabric. They also had a big bowl of buttons for 5 cents each.
    Buttons

    Though priced quite cheaper than Joanns/Hancocks there wasn't really anything exiting.( they did have a room with a TON of home decor hardware) And not a lot of variety. They did seems to have a lot of fabric for formal/pageant gowns that was nice and at good price. All of the fabric in the store was in good condition.

    The staff here was also friendly, though when I asked if they carried certain fabrics I was really only met with a blank stare so I would say the technical knowledgeably of some of the staff members is not so good.
    Here are some more pictures:
    More Home Dec...
    Drapery Fabric

    In the end I didn't get any fabric despite the drive(though I did get some notions, their notions were a bit cheaper than else where). I would say that this place would definitely be worth the drive for home decor fabric, but not apparel.