Possibilities

Snow today so I've been under covers ever since I got off work. There's been talk of a photo shoot tonight...we'll see what happens. I made two dresses that I just cannot decide if I want to sell or not. They're pretty much the best things I've ever made and you might think that I could just keep one of them but I can't even decide which one. My life is in turmoil over this. The woes of a seamstress.

Maybe I'll have a vote? It's not like I can rely on myself to make this decision.

I found out about Poladroid and I've been changing pictures into Polaroids ever since. Of course it isn't as satisfying as the real thing, but I'm into it. I am.

Tonight I'm Reading

I must say I have been decently productive lately, what with putting up pictures on etsy and officially having my store running...although not quite selling yet. I even made two skirts for myself, but they were experiments so the one I'm not sure if I'll ever even wear it. What can I say, it's the holiday season and no matter what I do - there is always so much more to do. I spent the night contemplating all the things I will do tomorrow, but who knows what will really happen. Probably naps. Maybe two of them.

Anyway I did organize all of my teeny tiny sewing items into a great big sewing box that my grandma gave me last weekend. There is still a lot of space to fill, but I have decades for that to happen. I also found a book that I had forgotten about (I love when that happens). It's called The Tightwad Gazette: Promoting Thrift as a Viable Alternative Lifestyle. Great stuff, especially since I am officially on a budget - which is the positive way of putting it. My real problem is I will celebrate the fact that I did so well not spending money. I didn't spend any money at all for about 3 days so I went to Border's and bought a craft magazine. Unnecessary to say the least. And to make it worse I haven't made anything out of it yet....which Nick said he knew would happen.

There is one thing that really did make my week though. My good friend Steph asked me to be her maid of honor in her wedding next year! I started thinking of good websites to look up how to make centerpieces and the other fun things you need for weddings...and then I remembered I GET TO PLAN THE BACHELORETTE Party!!! Soooo exciting. I also need to look up how to be a good maid of honor, because I really know nothing about the position. Any advice? It was ridiculous how many times I wanted to say that I felt honored to be the maid of honor, but yeah I really did.

cool stuff.

Success!

Last week I ended up being part of not only one, but TWO craft fairs! The Punk Rock Flea Market was so exciting and went incredibly well for it being my very first craft fair. So many of my friends came out to support and my family even made it's way to Lancaster for the event. My little sister bought a dress from me that I knew would look awesome on her (it was my favorite creation), while my dad "felt cool" walking around looking at art. Here is my table, it was hard to get a good shot but you get the idea!


I shared the space with my friend Lindsay and we had a great day together. When a friend from WIXQ stopped by and told us about Q-Stock we both decided to go for it and do another event on Wednesday. Again, the whole ordeal was so much fun and successful. Here I am at our table at Q-Stock.


After two very positive experiences selling my SewNasty items, I'm off to work on my etsy site. I am putting up pictures of a few things tonight, but I need a model! So I'm working on that and should have even more items up in the very near future. Keep Posted!

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Halloween was wonderful, our party a success.
Nick wouldn't be the tin man but a robot is just as nice.

This is my favorite thing I'm selling at the Punk Rock Flea market so far. AH a body pillow...lovvvvve it.

SO busy. I need change, chairs, lights, boxes, tablecloth, etc. Filled with anxiety but also could be the large amount of espresso I had today. Nonstop sewing lately. My fingers hurt so I started using a thimble. I can't believe it. I also doubt that I'm using it correctly.

As I sit here I already thought of three more things I need to do.
oh shoot.

Big News!

Well since my last post, something big has happened. I guess it is a little sooner than I thought, but I'm going to be selling at the Lancaster Punk Rock Flea Market! I realized that if I wanted to do something so badly that I might as well go for it, so I signed up and I'm more motivated than ever. I will be selling everything handmade from clothing to pillows to hair accessories, and my roommate will be sharing the table with me and selling her own water-colored postcards and artwork. Let's just say we've got the "itch" and now crafting is more fun than anything else.

The craft fair we went to a couple weeks ago was fantastic and it was hard to not spend the entire contents of my wallet.

Here we were picking out hats that were lovely and only $3! I passed because my friend Candice just made me one, but I think my roommate bought two he liked them so much.

Here's a few of the friends that I went with hanging out on the bleachers....

And here's what I bought!
The fabric baggie has Alana's birthday present in it, so that is obviously a secret.
As for everything else:
2 blockheads (the funniest/cutest things made by a dad)
2 soy candles that don't even need to be burning to make a room smell SO GOOD
1 wooden postcard
1 bloom card (it opens up like a flower)
and a refashioned dress that was made by an extremely talented young lady that I hope opens up an etsy shop soon.

This seller also had the best jewelery selection but since she has an etsy, I decided to make a purchase at a later date (or I really would have spent all my money).

Well I'm going to go try and get some work done.

A Finished Project

This shirt has been a work in project for awhile, simply because I procrastinated. The final result is a refashioned men's button down shirt. A nice summery tank top that I wore out last night since it has been warmer out once again. You can see I chose to use some other fabric to brighten it up...but it was a simple reconstruction since the body of the shirt is just the bottom of a the men's shirt, tailored to fit a bit tighter. The straps were made out of the sleeves of the shirt. Fun!

Well other than that I have been making postcards lately, and I joined a swap group! More on that later. Candice dropped by to deliver the hats she made for Nick and I and I made us some lunch. (I will put up a picture of the hat once I get my haircut haha but I made an appointment at Salon Fin which I hear is aweeesomee.) It was so much fun and we even made plans to go to the Homegrown Indie Arts Fair this Sunday. I would love to sell at one of those things someday...

I watched Atonement this evening, which I actually enjoyed. I wonder why I heard bad things about it? Well I'm going to crawl into bed and read more of my brother's trail journal. It is by far one of the coolest things I've ever read.

Trail Magic

My brother was finally home from hiking the Appalachian Trail, but he'll be off again in no time at all to finish up. We spent almost the entire week together traveling around and doing fun things so he could visit all the people that he's missed. The highlights include drinking wine, slicing tomatoes incredibly thin, lunch with a few hiker friends from the AT, and best of all was brunch. A beautiful Sunday brunch was held at my friend's house where we all sat around a long table and had wonderful freshly cooked food and champagne and it felt like the tea party from Alice in Wonderland.

Here is the table before everyone sat down...notice all the boys are sitting around while the girls were frantically trying to get everything ready in the kitchen.

Then we had left-over french toast triangles that were turned into a game of football, the one everyone played in study hall where you flick the paper over the "field goal posts" but instead this invovled really great food. My brother tried to catch it in his mouth...

I'll miss that guy for the next couple of months, but gosh it's fun when he comes back.

Need a new winter hat?

Me and Nick are going to get custom made hats!
My new friend Candice makes wonderful knitted hats...
Check her out here...
And buy some of her awesome stuff.

What is amazing about this dress by Derek Lam is that even when being sold in a sample sale, it still would wipe out more than half of my bank account. I signed up on this great website to be notified about all designer sales that are sometimes up to 75% off. If you're interested in becoming a member (which is completely free) please let me know and I'd love to sponsor you.

I am getting somewhere I swear!

Well although I haven't been updating, I truly have been getting somewhere. I tend to spend every evening before bed looking for ideas and bookmarking them, finding new blogs to watch after, and thinking in my head about all the wonderful crafts and outfits and presents that I will make. A lot of things I won't be able to even try to do for years, but there are some that I plan on tackling in the near future:

First of all this project is adorable.

Um and these look funnn...

and I wish I had this outfit.

But I tend to act shy around my sewing machine...I'm still getting used to her.



I started a new job (which totals 2 for me now, yowzah) and driving home I drive right past good ol' JoAnn Fabrics. I already bought 3 yds. and one pattern plus thread to match....but it was a good purchase considering I already am almost done. The pattern seems very simple so far, but I'm still getting used to
a.) following a pattern
b.) my new sewing machine
and c.) not being able to stay up all night working on a project - yes. new job.

I did manage two shopping sprees in one week, although the one was completed with gift certificates from my dad. He gave me $80 to spend before expiration at Classic Furniture. I ended up buying a $30 pillow and two picture frames since everything was so darned expensive, but it was free money - and I got a free pen.

My other shopping "spree" consisted of me buying a lot of professional looking attire, but all of which was on sale. So I didn't do too much damage. I think my favorite item is a high waisted skirt (yes I'm into those) that is made out of this beautiful fabric...Well I do work tomorrow so I better be off, unless I find a good tid bit of a link.

UPDATE:
Finished the full body of pattern, everything is together...just need a few finishing touches.


Goodnight!

Excuses!

Well, as it seems I am busier than I thought and updating my blog keeps slipping my mind. I have been having all sorts of fun around town and our new roommate even cooked us dinner! It was absolutely delicious...and fun.

I also attended a wedding this past weekend, Nick's friend got married and he was part of the wedding party. He looked very sharp in his tuxedo. But the great thing is, I wore a skirt that I made to the wedding and therefore I am back on track and have something to talk about on SewNasty.

The skirt is made from a fabric that my mom has been saving since the 70s. I've always loved it and have been waiting to find a good project so as not to waste it on something unsuccessful. I have to admit though, I am very happy with this skirt (but I need to give the hem a good ironing).

Now that I'm back to my apartment I finished up a reconstruction of a skirt that has been sitting on my chair (where all unfinished sewing projects sit). I drove past a yard sale and slammed on my breaks when I saw this satin plaid material. I initially thought that it was a dress since it was quite long and had the structure of what I thought was a strapless dress, but instead it was a skirt, a small waisted very long skirt. I changed that right up, thinking at first I'd go ahead and make it that strapless dress that I thought it was....but after some solo fashion shows I think I prefer it as a high-waisted skirt. I chopped off quite a few inches on the bottom and made the extra fabric into a bow that secures the back and holds it up. Topped off with a simple black tee I think this outfit is pretty snazzy.

Of course I need to iron this hem too, I only noticed when I saw the picture. I need to get better at that! Well hopefully I'll be updating soon, if only to get this chair cleaned off.

P.S.
I gave my first chicken parm dinner a shot when I cooked for me and my boy. How's it look?

My weekend was Sew Nasty

Hello everybody, welcome to SewNasty! I have come to realize that I thoroughly enjoy sewing and now that I've gotten semi-good at it, I feel like sharing my projects with anyone who cares to visit my site. Feel free to leave comments, questions, and even helpful sewing tips!

Over the weekend I finished reconstructing a dress that I had bought at a yard sale. Taking old dresses and making them more modern is sewwww easy. Here's the original dress.It's a bad picture, I know...but you get the idea. Full on grandma dress, which are fun sometimes but since it was all black and had all the makings to be something better I decided to turn it into a cute little black dress. I took the sleeves off, leaving only the neck ruffle covering my shoulders and then also hemmed quite a bit off the bottom. Here's the final product that I wore out to First Friday. That's also my roommate Josh, he looked nice in his work clothes so I made him pose with me.
My other roommate Alana wanted to wear another dress that I had altered that we call the "tulip dress" for good reason. It's by far one of my favorite dresses and she looked amazing in it.
Well there it is, my first post. It's a Sunday evening so maybe I'll get out my machine and try to tackle a few more dresses. We'll see!