Lots of new hair clips, pop culture pins and textile necklaces are in the works for next weekend's craft market!
Monday, July 9, 2012
Snapshot
Lots of new hair clips, pop culture pins and textile necklaces are in the works for next weekend's craft market!
Ch-Ch-Changes
EDITED on 7/14/2012-After discussing this post with a treasured friend, I realized that the tone of this post did NOT come across how I wished it to, so rather than re-write, I feel like it would be best to just try and explain what I actually meant by posting this piece.
I do not, in any way shape or form, think that people my size, or even bigger, NEED to lose weight. When I talk about how big I am, I don't necessarily mean that as a negative thing, it is just an honest statement. I used to be a lot smaller, and I guess I just still feel like I am this small, fragile, delicate little thing. And, I'm just not anymore. I am a hardy, corn fed girl. It is what it is. BUT, there are things about my body that cause me physical pain, because even though my body is not tiny, it is still not particularly strong. I have tremendous back pain, pain in my feet(because they are somewhat disformed at this point) and pain in my neck. I also deal with a lot of nausea and fatigue. Some days I struggle to get out of bed at all, I have such little energy. I know this is at least in part to not being as healthy as I should be, because prior to a few weeks ago, I didn't take the time to love myself and treat myself to well prepared, healthy meals(though I do this for my family) and time away from work(mt business and household work) exercising. The point of this post is more about getting healthy mentally AND physically, so I can try to help correct some of these horrendous pains I deal with, that make it hard to function.
As I state below, it really isn't about the weight loss. It's about being healthy, and feeling like I don't have to hide myself from the world anymore. In the "before" photos, I am hiding behind a fluffy apron and goofy hat. In the "during" and "after" photos, I might weigh the same amount, but be in a more form fitting dress, because I will hopefully be more comfortable knowing that I look the way I look because I am HEALTHY, HAPPY and CONFIDENT. Which is what I, personally, desire to be. These three traits come in MANY forms! And many beautiful sizes!
So please don't read this and feel like you need to lose weight, or should be ashamed of yourself because you are bigger than me. DO read this and realize that if there is something in your life that bothers you, you are the ONLY ONE who can fix it! If your weight does bother you, make some healthy changes and love yourself WHILE you make them, don't wait until after and make yourself earn the privilege of loving yourself. If you are happy with your size but others make yourself feel like you shouldn't be, choose a new environment and surround yourself with positivity so you aren't distracted from living your life and enjoying it, by something so superficial as somebody else's opinion. If you can't change your physical environment, change your mental one! Don't let anybody else decide your dreams and ideals for you. Be who you want to be, and love the person you are now.
XOXOXOXOXO
-Brandy
I want to preface this whole post by saying that I have a craft market coming up next weekend so the blog might be a little quiet the next couple of weeks while I bust my hump trying to get a few last new products made. I also am working on a new booth setup that I am super excited about, so if I don't post much, it isn't because I don't like you anymore-I'm just super de duper busy!
So, in a previous post I mentioned that there are some changes being made in my life right now, and in an effort to help keep myself accountable, I decided that I would take the blogging route so many others have taken before me and post "before", "during" and "after" photos as I travel my self-improvement journey.
I want to reiterate that I am not on this journey to be "skinny", so if you are looking for dramatic phase photos, I cannot promise that's what you will see. In fact, I feel pretty confident promising you that you will NOT see that. What I do think you will see is a little bit of weight loss, maybe, as I drop most, but not all, of the sugary and carb loaded baked goods( *sobs*) and better fitting clothing as I find myself(hopefully) a little better toned with a greater muscle mass, and dressing for my body type, instead of dressing to cover it up. I suspect you might see better body language(poses) too, as I grow to feel less uncomfortable in my own skin.
Sooooooo.
Here is my before. And technically, this isn't the actual before, as I have been "working out"(I HATE that term! Don't ask me why, but it grates my nerves...) for about three weeks and have already lost a couple inches in my waist, and an inch in my hips. None in the chest yet(*cries again*). I am guessing most of that is probably just water weight though as I have a tendency to crave salty things like pickels, jalapenos from the jar and hot sauce.
What?! If I am going to do this I am going to do it in the way I feel most comfortable! Which would NOT be in tight yoga pants or my bra and panties...ha ha ha.
Ok, so here's another in case you cannot take the one above seriously...
I never realize just how big a girl I am until I see myself in pictures, and then, I am always sort of shocked. I mean, I am conscious of the fact that I weight 40 pounds more than I did when I became pregnant with The Kid, but I just don't feel like a "big girl" most of the time. I am sorta tall, but I often forget that until I go out into the real world. I think maybe when you feel sort of small and insignificant as a soul, you maybe also find yourself assuming that you are physically so, too.
And now, onto the specifics.
I cannot believe I am going to admit these things in a public space, but if I'm going to be honest with myself, I might as well be honest with all of you.
Height-5 feet 8 inches
Weight-167-170 pounds(the most I have ever weighed outside of pregnancy. My body tends to hover around 150 when I am not starving myself.)
Bust-40 inches
Waist-30 inches(a little more after I've eaten, haha!)
Hips-42 inches
At my smallest, four years ago, I weighed 130 pounds and had 36-26-38 measurements. So, I've never been tiny, but honestly, even at that size, I was pretty freakin' unhealthy, as I only achieved that size by starving myself. So, I have no desire to be that size again. I just want to be able to run without getting winded after a quarter mile, and have a little less back pain.
Like I said, I don't know how I'll change, or even if I will, as far as my physical size goes. But I can tell you that three weeks ago this chubby girl could barely walk a quarter of a mile without feeling tired and whiny. Now, I can jog two and a half miles in about 40 minutes(on a good day) and feel REALLY, really good. And that's only after three weeks!
BRING ON THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!!!!!!
I do not, in any way shape or form, think that people my size, or even bigger, NEED to lose weight. When I talk about how big I am, I don't necessarily mean that as a negative thing, it is just an honest statement. I used to be a lot smaller, and I guess I just still feel like I am this small, fragile, delicate little thing. And, I'm just not anymore. I am a hardy, corn fed girl. It is what it is. BUT, there are things about my body that cause me physical pain, because even though my body is not tiny, it is still not particularly strong. I have tremendous back pain, pain in my feet(because they are somewhat disformed at this point) and pain in my neck. I also deal with a lot of nausea and fatigue. Some days I struggle to get out of bed at all, I have such little energy. I know this is at least in part to not being as healthy as I should be, because prior to a few weeks ago, I didn't take the time to love myself and treat myself to well prepared, healthy meals(though I do this for my family) and time away from work(mt business and household work) exercising. The point of this post is more about getting healthy mentally AND physically, so I can try to help correct some of these horrendous pains I deal with, that make it hard to function.
As I state below, it really isn't about the weight loss. It's about being healthy, and feeling like I don't have to hide myself from the world anymore. In the "before" photos, I am hiding behind a fluffy apron and goofy hat. In the "during" and "after" photos, I might weigh the same amount, but be in a more form fitting dress, because I will hopefully be more comfortable knowing that I look the way I look because I am HEALTHY, HAPPY and CONFIDENT. Which is what I, personally, desire to be. These three traits come in MANY forms! And many beautiful sizes!
So please don't read this and feel like you need to lose weight, or should be ashamed of yourself because you are bigger than me. DO read this and realize that if there is something in your life that bothers you, you are the ONLY ONE who can fix it! If your weight does bother you, make some healthy changes and love yourself WHILE you make them, don't wait until after and make yourself earn the privilege of loving yourself. If you are happy with your size but others make yourself feel like you shouldn't be, choose a new environment and surround yourself with positivity so you aren't distracted from living your life and enjoying it, by something so superficial as somebody else's opinion. If you can't change your physical environment, change your mental one! Don't let anybody else decide your dreams and ideals for you. Be who you want to be, and love the person you are now.
XOXOXOXOXO
-Brandy
I want to preface this whole post by saying that I have a craft market coming up next weekend so the blog might be a little quiet the next couple of weeks while I bust my hump trying to get a few last new products made. I also am working on a new booth setup that I am super excited about, so if I don't post much, it isn't because I don't like you anymore-I'm just super de duper busy!
So, in a previous post I mentioned that there are some changes being made in my life right now, and in an effort to help keep myself accountable, I decided that I would take the blogging route so many others have taken before me and post "before", "during" and "after" photos as I travel my self-improvement journey.
I want to reiterate that I am not on this journey to be "skinny", so if you are looking for dramatic phase photos, I cannot promise that's what you will see. In fact, I feel pretty confident promising you that you will NOT see that. What I do think you will see is a little bit of weight loss, maybe, as I drop most, but not all, of the sugary and carb loaded baked goods( *sobs*) and better fitting clothing as I find myself(hopefully) a little better toned with a greater muscle mass, and dressing for my body type, instead of dressing to cover it up. I suspect you might see better body language(poses) too, as I grow to feel less uncomfortable in my own skin.
Sooooooo.
Here is my before. And technically, this isn't the actual before, as I have been "working out"(I HATE that term! Don't ask me why, but it grates my nerves...) for about three weeks and have already lost a couple inches in my waist, and an inch in my hips. None in the chest yet(*cries again*). I am guessing most of that is probably just water weight though as I have a tendency to crave salty things like pickels, jalapenos from the jar and hot sauce.
What?! If I am going to do this I am going to do it in the way I feel most comfortable! Which would NOT be in tight yoga pants or my bra and panties...ha ha ha.
Ok, so here's another in case you cannot take the one above seriously...
I never realize just how big a girl I am until I see myself in pictures, and then, I am always sort of shocked. I mean, I am conscious of the fact that I weight 40 pounds more than I did when I became pregnant with The Kid, but I just don't feel like a "big girl" most of the time. I am sorta tall, but I often forget that until I go out into the real world. I think maybe when you feel sort of small and insignificant as a soul, you maybe also find yourself assuming that you are physically so, too.
And now, onto the specifics.
I cannot believe I am going to admit these things in a public space, but if I'm going to be honest with myself, I might as well be honest with all of you.
Height-5 feet 8 inches
Weight-167-170 pounds(the most I have ever weighed outside of pregnancy. My body tends to hover around 150 when I am not starving myself.)
Bust-40 inches
Waist-30 inches(a little more after I've eaten, haha!)
Hips-42 inches
At my smallest, four years ago, I weighed 130 pounds and had 36-26-38 measurements. So, I've never been tiny, but honestly, even at that size, I was pretty freakin' unhealthy, as I only achieved that size by starving myself. So, I have no desire to be that size again. I just want to be able to run without getting winded after a quarter mile, and have a little less back pain.
Like I said, I don't know how I'll change, or even if I will, as far as my physical size goes. But I can tell you that three weeks ago this chubby girl could barely walk a quarter of a mile without feeling tired and whiny. Now, I can jog two and a half miles in about 40 minutes(on a good day) and feel REALLY, really good. And that's only after three weeks!
BRING ON THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!!!!!!
Friday, July 6, 2012
Des Moines-Heck Yeah
A couple of weekends ago we went to the grand little city of Des Moines to enjoy the Des Moines Art Festival. It would have been much more enjoyable had I not almost died from the sun's brutal assault on my fair Irish skin, but we had a fabulous time despite the heat. Oddly enough, most of the artists at the fair wouldn't allow you to photograph their work, so I don't have any photos of the main event. I thought I'd share some of the other things we did and bought that weekend instead.
Our favorite artist of the fair was David Burton. His assemblage pieces are a throw back to Louise Nevelson, but with a fantastic pop culture twist. The Husband and I have long since admired Louise, so when we came across David, who combines her style with the toys and symbols of our childhood(and let's be honest, our adulthood too), we were a little more than excited. David was also a freaking amazecakes oasis of fun in the midst of a bunch of very talented and kind, but also a little overwhelmingly pretentious "serious" artists. We purchased two of his pieces-both featuring super heroes of course! The large piece is titled "Big Egos". The smaller piece is aptly titled, "Bat In A Can".
We also went to the Des Moines Art Center, another place where you cannot take any photographs...*sigh*. I mean, I get why they don't want people snapping away, damaging things with their flashes and all, but sometimes I think we hold art a little TOO sacred. Especially when considering the nature of the featured artist's work. I was not terribly impressed by his "pieces". I mean, I think I have a pretty open mind when it comes to appreciating other artists' work, but filling a room full of piles of junk, like you forgot you had an art show opening so you raided your trash to come up with a quick theme, and expecting people to marvel at your intellectualism, is just a little out of my league as an art appreciator I guess. And I say this as an upcycler, a person who adores trash and junk. But, more power to him as he conquers the world! I will continue to seriously ponder his displays and maybe someday, elightenment will descend upon me.
Sidebar-When you see me at any show or market, PLEASE feel FREE to take photographs of my work!
Since I couldn't take any photographs as mementos(Oh John Singer Sargent, how I wish I could have!), I bought a few little items at the Center's gift shop.
This little book of postcards is a most meaningful gift, as the cards are high quality art cards, which means not only will the recipients get an old fashioned and hand written "hello", but they also get a little something that they can frame and think of me whenever they glance upon it.
Technically we picked up these little books for The Kid, But The Husband and I enjoy them just as much as she does! I am totally in love with the concept-combining learning with popular art culture. As a home full of artists and art, we have to wonder why we had never seen these anywhere before...
No trip to Des Moines would be complete without a trip to Raygun. And while I find the actual store itself maybe a tinch too hipsterish for me personally, the Iowa themed shirts are worth wading through the throngs of young, scarf in the summer wearing, kids. I left with a shirt, a couple of inspiring sketch books(sorry Mom!) and a nifty Tyvek wallet birthday present for one of my younger brothers.
We always like to eat outside the realm of typical fast food joints when we travel, so we get a real taste of the place we are staying. While in Des Moines we had the good fortune to try out a couple of new places this time around. And yes, we eat really unhealthy food when we travel, heh heh.
Zombie Burger is a really clever little burger place which at first, may seem to just be riding the coat tails of the whole zombie obsession that has seemingly taken America by storm(and even if that was all it was, I would still love the place for the theme alone!), but upon closer inspection you find that they really know what they heck they are doing. Their menu features clever names like the "Tallahassee" milkshake(Twinkies, cherry Kool-Aid powder and vanilla ice cream) and The "Undead Elvis"(peanut butter, fried bananas, bacon, American cheese, egg) and really good food like fried Brussel sprouts and goat cheese and jalapeno poppers.
I had the Trailer Trash burger. And, I can honestly say, it was the greatest burger I have ever eaten in my entire life. Fried cheese curds, chicken fried bacon(yes, you read that right!), a fried pickle, ranch and two kinds of cheese. DIVINE. I could have died of a heart attack right then and there. And then come back for more!
We also stumbled across a very small and crowded bakery, near the Art Center, called La Mie. We figured since there were so many people waiting in line, it must be worth the wait. It was. If you have the time to stop by on your next trip to Des Moines, definitely do. You won't be disappointed. I wish I would have photographed the delectable pastries we consumed, but all I got was the empty box. Sorrrry!
Since we were in Des Moines for the weekend, we went ahead and swung by Ames to take one of my brothers out for dinner at Hickory Park. Hickory Park is this fabulously huge, old fashioned style restaurant where they give you heaps of real good, hearty food for not a lot of moolah. They also have a mind numbingly large selection of ice cream sundaes to choose from so definitely leave room for dessert!
A few more random images from our time in Des Moines...
We try to take at least a couple of weekend trips to Des Moines each year, because while it definitely isn't Chicago or Houston or St. Louis, it is definitely bigger than our little hometown with a crap ton more things to see and do, but without the stress and hassle of a trip to a bigger city. Des Moines is also a low cost getaway. We spent less on two nights at a hotel than we did for the little piece of Burton art.
I know many people find Iowa a joke and the thought of Des Moines as a vacation spot laughable, but that's alright with me. I don't mind if they leave me my space to walk and breathe. And there is definitely still plenty of that in little ole Des Moines(That's French for "The Moines")
A few of my other favorite places to visit while in Des Moines-
http://www.botanicalcenter.com/
http://salisburyhouse.org/
http://www.eastvillagedesmoines.com/
http://www.blankparkzoo.com/
http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org/visit/pappajohn-sculpture-park.aspx
Our favorite artist of the fair was David Burton. His assemblage pieces are a throw back to Louise Nevelson, but with a fantastic pop culture twist. The Husband and I have long since admired Louise, so when we came across David, who combines her style with the toys and symbols of our childhood(and let's be honest, our adulthood too), we were a little more than excited. David was also a freaking amazecakes oasis of fun in the midst of a bunch of very talented and kind, but also a little overwhelmingly pretentious "serious" artists. We purchased two of his pieces-both featuring super heroes of course! The large piece is titled "Big Egos". The smaller piece is aptly titled, "Bat In A Can".
We also went to the Des Moines Art Center, another place where you cannot take any photographs...*sigh*. I mean, I get why they don't want people snapping away, damaging things with their flashes and all, but sometimes I think we hold art a little TOO sacred. Especially when considering the nature of the featured artist's work. I was not terribly impressed by his "pieces". I mean, I think I have a pretty open mind when it comes to appreciating other artists' work, but filling a room full of piles of junk, like you forgot you had an art show opening so you raided your trash to come up with a quick theme, and expecting people to marvel at your intellectualism, is just a little out of my league as an art appreciator I guess. And I say this as an upcycler, a person who adores trash and junk. But, more power to him as he conquers the world! I will continue to seriously ponder his displays and maybe someday, elightenment will descend upon me.
Sidebar-When you see me at any show or market, PLEASE feel FREE to take photographs of my work!
Since I couldn't take any photographs as mementos(Oh John Singer Sargent, how I wish I could have!), I bought a few little items at the Center's gift shop.
This little book of postcards is a most meaningful gift, as the cards are high quality art cards, which means not only will the recipients get an old fashioned and hand written "hello", but they also get a little something that they can frame and think of me whenever they glance upon it.
Technically we picked up these little books for The Kid, But The Husband and I enjoy them just as much as she does! I am totally in love with the concept-combining learning with popular art culture. As a home full of artists and art, we have to wonder why we had never seen these anywhere before...
No trip to Des Moines would be complete without a trip to Raygun. And while I find the actual store itself maybe a tinch too hipsterish for me personally, the Iowa themed shirts are worth wading through the throngs of young, scarf in the summer wearing, kids. I left with a shirt, a couple of inspiring sketch books(sorry Mom!) and a nifty Tyvek wallet birthday present for one of my younger brothers.
We always like to eat outside the realm of typical fast food joints when we travel, so we get a real taste of the place we are staying. While in Des Moines we had the good fortune to try out a couple of new places this time around. And yes, we eat really unhealthy food when we travel, heh heh.
Zombie Burger is a really clever little burger place which at first, may seem to just be riding the coat tails of the whole zombie obsession that has seemingly taken America by storm(and even if that was all it was, I would still love the place for the theme alone!), but upon closer inspection you find that they really know what they heck they are doing. Their menu features clever names like the "Tallahassee" milkshake(Twinkies, cherry Kool-Aid powder and vanilla ice cream) and The "Undead Elvis"(peanut butter, fried bananas, bacon, American cheese, egg) and really good food like fried Brussel sprouts and goat cheese and jalapeno poppers.
I had the Trailer Trash burger. And, I can honestly say, it was the greatest burger I have ever eaten in my entire life. Fried cheese curds, chicken fried bacon(yes, you read that right!), a fried pickle, ranch and two kinds of cheese. DIVINE. I could have died of a heart attack right then and there. And then come back for more!
We also stumbled across a very small and crowded bakery, near the Art Center, called La Mie. We figured since there were so many people waiting in line, it must be worth the wait. It was. If you have the time to stop by on your next trip to Des Moines, definitely do. You won't be disappointed. I wish I would have photographed the delectable pastries we consumed, but all I got was the empty box. Sorrrry!
Since we were in Des Moines for the weekend, we went ahead and swung by Ames to take one of my brothers out for dinner at Hickory Park. Hickory Park is this fabulously huge, old fashioned style restaurant where they give you heaps of real good, hearty food for not a lot of moolah. They also have a mind numbingly large selection of ice cream sundaes to choose from so definitely leave room for dessert!
Back in Des Moines we stumbled across a little taco shop called, appropriately, Tasty Tacos. And indeed, they were.
A few more random images from our time in Des Moines...
 |
| Our beautiful capitol! |
 |
Hmmmm....I beg to differ... |
I know many people find Iowa a joke and the thought of Des Moines as a vacation spot laughable, but that's alright with me. I don't mind if they leave me my space to walk and breathe. And there is definitely still plenty of that in little ole Des Moines(That's French for "The Moines")
A few of my other favorite places to visit while in Des Moines-
http://www.botanicalcenter.com/
http://salisburyhouse.org/
http://www.eastvillagedesmoines.com/
http://www.blankparkzoo.com/
http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org/visit/pappajohn-sculpture-park.aspx
Crazy Cat Lady-Thor Edition
Oh LORDY I hate to admit it, but I am totally becoming one of those people.
You know the ones. They post dozens of pictures of their cat, the way people with new babies do, clogging up your faceyspace newsfeed with millions of images that you could care less about...
But he's just so danged cute! I cannot help it! *Yes I can, yes I can, YES I CAN*
So in an attempt to curb this behavior, I am going to do a photo puke and post a bunch of pictures of the antagonizing, and alternately LAZY bum, right here right now. And then move on with my life. Hopefully.
Well there you have it. I have become the crazy cat lady on the block, despite the fact that this punk is the most unrepentant food thief ever and continually tries to bite my eyelashes off.
But, admit it. You said, "Awwwwww!" at least once, didn't you.
You know the ones. They post dozens of pictures of their cat, the way people with new babies do, clogging up your faceyspace newsfeed with millions of images that you could care less about...
But he's just so danged cute! I cannot help it! *Yes I can, yes I can, YES I CAN*
So in an attempt to curb this behavior, I am going to do a photo puke and post a bunch of pictures of the antagonizing, and alternately LAZY bum, right here right now. And then move on with my life. Hopefully.
Well there you have it. I have become the crazy cat lady on the block, despite the fact that this punk is the most unrepentant food thief ever and continually tries to bite my eyelashes off.
But, admit it. You said, "Awwwwww!" at least once, didn't you.
Snapshot
I love images like this. They sum up so much about my life, and yet, to the casual onlooker, they mean nothing at all...
Thursday, July 5, 2012
A Fairly Odd Skirt-Or, What We Made Today
There are some big changes going on in La Casa de Cupcakes this month. As a family, we've started following a budget, in an attempt to become better savers, so we can get our house paid off and begin building our green living dream home. As a mom/wife/mother, and on a more personal level, I've sat down with myself and looked long and hard into my spiritual mirror and confronted myself with the fixable flaws of myself.
"I gotta LOTTA PROBLEMS with you people!" So to speak.
As a result, I'm shifting my schedule and am working on my business only 3/4 time until the kidlet goes to school. I am taking time out for myself each day to RUN or do yoga, so I can get into a better state of physical and mental health. I am taking my body back. I don't need to be skinny, just healthy. Also, I am tired of hiding myself away from the world just because I feel like I am too ugly or fat to belong. Inspired by the likes of Tess Munster and Beth Ditto, I have decided that I have missed out on too much life by letting my weight, and the fear of reactions to my weight, prevent me from being who I want to be. I'm curbing my desire to just buy whatever I want and challenging myself more and more to MAKE it. Because that's what I do. I make things.
So what does any of this have to do with a skirt?
I have been collecting fabric for a good ten years now, telling myself that someday I will make my own custom wardrobe. But, there have always been excuses as to why I shouldn't start just yet. Everything from, "I just don't have the skills yet" to "I just don't have the time" to here lately, "I'm just too fat and don't want to waste my fabrics".
My closet and I had an honest heart to heart a few days ago. I decided to once and for all, get rid of EVERYTHING that doesn't fit me. Half of my wardrobe was from my smaller days, and I've held onto these pieces thinking that someday I would be smaller and need them again. It's been three years since The Kid was born and I'm not getting any smaller or younger. Time to face my new reality.
More importantly, time to embrace it. Time to allow myself to wear the styles of clothes I want to wear without fretting over the fact that they would have looked much better on me four years ago. Time to take those fun and funky fabrics out of my stash and make myself a whole new wardrobe, which reflects who I feel I am, rather than just the wardrobe full of tee shirts, sweat pants and stretchy knit skirts designed to cover me up and blend me into the backgrounds of my life. I'll still wear them, just not 24/7, and in much more flattering ways.
There is no time like today, for tomorrow may never arrive.
SO, last night, I made myself a skirt.
It was not particularly difficult to make, which made me terribly ashamed that I've not previously constructed one.
The material is actually a homemade Fairly Odd Parents curtain(that someone made for their child, I imagine), that I rescued from Goodwill. I added some vintage rick rac(from my Granny's stash) along the two hem lines(which would have been the top of the curtain) at the bottom of the skirt, then added a piece of elastic at the top and easy as pie I had a skirt.
Well, not exactly easy as pie. This was my first time working with elastic and I had to try the waist band three times before I got it right. The Husband was kind enough to rip my seams out twice, so he was pretty thankful when the third time proved to be the charm.
That's what I get for waiting until 10 at night, after a full day of cooking and working all day, to start a new project. Heh heh.
But now that I know what I am doing, the next one should be a piece of cake! And I cannot wait to start production as I have so many neat and kitschy, pretty and vintage, cartoony and colorful pieces of fabric to consider! Everything from hot dogs to vintage Care Bears to Amy Butler to yummy cupcakes. The wardrobe of my dreams will finally be within my reach and I won't be too paranoid to wear it.
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
Sorry about that.
It just leaked out.
I'm just gonna go over in the corner and pet my fabric now.....
Oh like you've never done that before.
"I gotta LOTTA PROBLEMS with you people!" So to speak.
As a result, I'm shifting my schedule and am working on my business only 3/4 time until the kidlet goes to school. I am taking time out for myself each day to RUN or do yoga, so I can get into a better state of physical and mental health. I am taking my body back. I don't need to be skinny, just healthy. Also, I am tired of hiding myself away from the world just because I feel like I am too ugly or fat to belong. Inspired by the likes of Tess Munster and Beth Ditto, I have decided that I have missed out on too much life by letting my weight, and the fear of reactions to my weight, prevent me from being who I want to be. I'm curbing my desire to just buy whatever I want and challenging myself more and more to MAKE it. Because that's what I do. I make things.
So what does any of this have to do with a skirt?
I have been collecting fabric for a good ten years now, telling myself that someday I will make my own custom wardrobe. But, there have always been excuses as to why I shouldn't start just yet. Everything from, "I just don't have the skills yet" to "I just don't have the time" to here lately, "I'm just too fat and don't want to waste my fabrics".
My closet and I had an honest heart to heart a few days ago. I decided to once and for all, get rid of EVERYTHING that doesn't fit me. Half of my wardrobe was from my smaller days, and I've held onto these pieces thinking that someday I would be smaller and need them again. It's been three years since The Kid was born and I'm not getting any smaller or younger. Time to face my new reality.
More importantly, time to embrace it. Time to allow myself to wear the styles of clothes I want to wear without fretting over the fact that they would have looked much better on me four years ago. Time to take those fun and funky fabrics out of my stash and make myself a whole new wardrobe, which reflects who I feel I am, rather than just the wardrobe full of tee shirts, sweat pants and stretchy knit skirts designed to cover me up and blend me into the backgrounds of my life. I'll still wear them, just not 24/7, and in much more flattering ways.
There is no time like today, for tomorrow may never arrive.
SO, last night, I made myself a skirt.
It was not particularly difficult to make, which made me terribly ashamed that I've not previously constructed one.
The material is actually a homemade Fairly Odd Parents curtain(that someone made for their child, I imagine), that I rescued from Goodwill. I added some vintage rick rac(from my Granny's stash) along the two hem lines(which would have been the top of the curtain) at the bottom of the skirt, then added a piece of elastic at the top and easy as pie I had a skirt.
Well, not exactly easy as pie. This was my first time working with elastic and I had to try the waist band three times before I got it right. The Husband was kind enough to rip my seams out twice, so he was pretty thankful when the third time proved to be the charm.
That's what I get for waiting until 10 at night, after a full day of cooking and working all day, to start a new project. Heh heh.
But now that I know what I am doing, the next one should be a piece of cake! And I cannot wait to start production as I have so many neat and kitschy, pretty and vintage, cartoony and colorful pieces of fabric to consider! Everything from hot dogs to vintage Care Bears to Amy Butler to yummy cupcakes. The wardrobe of my dreams will finally be within my reach and I won't be too paranoid to wear it.
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
Sorry about that.
It just leaked out.
I'm just gonna go over in the corner and pet my fabric now.....
Oh like you've never done that before.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)