Have You Seen My Camera?

Somehow I've lost my camera. It's been missing for about 2 weeks. That's why I haven't posted anything. What fun is a blog with no pictures?

 

I took all last week off for Spring Break and I sewed up a storm. I took pictures of most of my stuff with my cell phone. But I'm still very sad about my camera.

For Easter, I made Michael a skull shirt in his usual pattern. He chose the fabric at Joann, and we found the cool sterling silver skull buttons on eBay. I wish I could get him to actually model his shirts for pictures, because they look really great on him! After making this one, we realized that this isn't really the best collar and front facing style. For his next shirt, (red/black Ninja fabric) I'm going to draft him a new pattern. I have a Lutterloh pattern for men with a collar stand and top-stitched front facings. I think he'll like it much better. But, he wore his skull shirt at Easter with my family. It looked really great on him, and he got lots of compliments.

My Mom's birthday was on Good Friday this year. We got her an avocado tree and Michael took us out to a fabulous dinner at The Crab Catcher in La Jolla. In addition to the great dinner, he had a dozen roses waiting for each of us when we met him at his office Friday afternoon! I'm such a lucky girl! I also made my mom a shirt with her signature Simplicity 4077. This time I used view D. It has 3/4 length sleeves with a really cute cuff. I used some Tracy Porter quilting fabric that I got for a steal after Christmas 2006. I've been saving it in my stash for something special, and I think a shirt for mom was just the thing. It's a really soft brushed cotton in light yellows and greens. I found some buttons that look like they are some type of shell in a light alabaster/green tone.

I really liked how the sleeves turned out. They were easy because you don't have to turn any hems! Hooray for no hems! I'm pretty sure the method for turning hems was invented by Satan himself. The cuffs are just doubled and sewn onto the bottom of the sleeve. Then I serged the edge to finish it, and pressed it up toward the sleeve. She loved her shirt and actually wore it for Easter. I made her an Easter dress (I forgot to take pictures), but I think pants and a blouse were more comfortable for running around helping the grandkids find Easter eggs at Aunt Deb's ranch. The shirt fit her great, and she really looks beautiful in pastel yellows and greens.

I actually did wear a dress for Easter. But I'm always more comfortable in dresses and skirts. Plus, I pretty much dress like a boy for work everyday. So, I wear dresses and skirts every chance I get. I haven't watched Project Runway in a couple seasons, but I think it's so cool that Simplicity has patterns inspired by the show. I used Simplicity 2951. Basically it's a empire dress that can be strapless, sleeveless, or has a couple different sleeve variations. I used the puffed 3/4 length sleeves and I used the pockets.

I used some$1/yd (my favorite price) green polyester. I actually like polyester. I don't know why I like it; I just do. Anyway, it's pretty thin, so I had the line the skirt. I used a bed skirt I bought to use as lining fabric for 95 cents at a thrift store. This is the second dress I've lined with it! I absolutely love this dress. It is so comfortable and easy to wear! Plus, it's super easy to make. It was so nice to just mindlessly follow the pattern instructions. I didn't do any crazy design changes and the sizing was perfect for me; no alterations! I think I'll make it in black eyelet next.

Hopefully I'll find my camera soon...

 

 

 

 

Tree Hacker

 

Yes, the Halloween Party plans are already beginning. I've always wanted to take the Halloween Party decor "to the next level". Luckily, Michael feels the same way. We already have lots of creepy ideas brewing, but I'm most excited about our tree hacking venture.

 

There are plans all over the web for hacking a little talking fake Christmas tree (Douglas Fir), and putting his moving parts into a life size skull. The problem is that the Douglas Fir trees were discontinued years ago, and there are so many Halloween freaks out there that when they do show up on eBay, they go for a pretty penny. But, Michael and I found something that I think will work even better.

 

It's the Wacky Animated Tree Face.

 

This guy gets twist-tied onto your Christmas tree for the holiday season, and makes for a truly "Wacky" Christmas with his songs and jokes. If that isn't weird enough for you, he also comes with a microphone. That's right you can talk through your Christmas tree and make your children never want to get close to an evergreen again.

 

Or, you can buy one super cheap on eBay, hack into it, and fuse its moving parts into a life-size skull!

 

The tree face arrived a couple days ago. It came with working batteries, so it started talking before I even got it out of the box and scared the crap out of me! Now we're just waiting for the skull so our creation can be completed!!!

MWAH, HA, HA !