A Blooming Update

I racked my brain trying to figure out the easiest, cheapest way to create the faces for the flower marionettes. I would have LOVED to made a mold and just pushed clay into the mold 20 times but, the supplies were cost prohibitive so I decided on good old paper mache. First I created a pattern, cut the 2 pieces out of some stiff embroidery stuff, sewed the pieces together to create a cupped circle, wired a loop on the backside, and then applied a couple layers of glue/paper mache for strength and to give the paper clay something to grip.

Oh, I also rolled out 20 pairs of eyeballs and baked them. It's all about the assembly approach.

So now I must burn the midnight oil and sculpt 20 faces. I actually really love this part and am super excited about painting each one.

I've also decided to move the deadline up to Friday, which means I'll probably finish Saturday. It's theater! Everyone knows to roll with the punches...

A Tiny Treasure

I purchased this little gem of a book at my favorite chotski store in Palm Springs called Just Fabulous. This store has the greatest selection of funny, relevant, wonderful cards and unique gifts. And don't even get me started on the books!! Huge couches allow you to sit and thumb through giant coffee table size books on a zillion topics. Lots of books on fashions, designers, and style that I've never seen anywhere else.
Every single time I go to Just Fabulous I buy stuff. Always great cards, usually a unique item and sometimes a book. This little book caught my eye and it was just so pretty. Inside it was actually full of some really interesting, well thought out fashion information. It is now my second favorite fashion book after my pretty little pink dictionary of fashion by Christian Dior that I bought in NYC.

Welcome Flowers!!

Well I did it.

Next time I photograph these flowers they will be 20 individual dancing marionettes with faces.

Oh yeah, and I promised to have them done in 10 days.

Stay tuned...

I have photos of some of my marionettes on flickr under lemontwist if you're curious. Click on the link at right under ' What I'm doing besides sewing...' to view my flickr account.

Look What I Made...

This top is a direct knock off of a top my daughters liked a few years ago at either Urban Outfitters or Anthropologie. It was ridiculously expensive for a simple knit top and I said the dreaded 4 words my daughters HATE to hear, " I can make that..."
So I went home and made it. Unfortunately the original was black but, the only knit I had at home was this crazy print. I copied the design exactly but neither of my kids wanted the finished top.
But I actually wear this top alot and really like it. It was so simple to make that I decided to try and explain the steps. Read the directions all the way and keep in mind that it is a super simple top-even if my directions don't sound that simple.

How I Made It...

Here are the simple pattern pieces that make up the top I'm wearing this week in my Look What I Made post. The sleeves are exactly the same shape, the neckline can be any shape you want and the front and back combined distance between the large Xs should be at least equal to your bust measurement.

Step one is sewing the sleeves to the front and to the back.

Step two is sew the shoulder seams

Step three is sew the neckband on ( see following directions )

Step four is hem the outer edges of the sleeves

Step five is sew the front to the back ONLY BETWEEN THE LARGE AND SMALL Xs

Hem the bottom and enjoy your new top!

Money Ideas

So here are some serious variations of the simple "poncho" style top that I copied from somewhere. The first two are from Anthropoligie and the striped one is from Nordstrom. All of the tops are a simple rectangle with a head opening. Fabrics/trims are sewn together to create the rectangle or an opening is left in the side seam for the belt.

Seriously this is like the ancient Greek Ionic chifton. A large rectangle of fabric draped over your body and sewn at the side seams.

Don't over think this and you'll be successful!!