Miniskirt Madness

I looooove the Anthropologie/Boutique/ art-to-wear-style.

 Excuse me, 

I have to pause to wipe the drool off my keyboard 

as I type those words....

wipe wipe wipe.

I can't explain why, but it just speaks to me.

Like this top, 

which I'm guessing was stitched together 

with solid gold thread and a bone needle, 

handcarved from the skeleton of some extinct animal.

 No doubt it's fabric is spun by the lilly white hands of a

100 year old temple priestess of some tribe 

sequestered high on a mountain, 

reachable only once a year.

By donkey. 

 That is the ONLY reason I can imagine it 

being worth the $428 price tag.

However, since I am NOT a world wide best selling author,

 my clothing budget behooves me to keep my 

greedy little paws OFF these type of little jewels.  

It's a touch-with-your-eyes-not-your-hands kind of relationship 

I have going on with Anthropologie & art-to-wear.

Thankfully, there IS a store that provides me with these type of goodies.  

Think Horchow meets Ikea.  

You know, faaaaaaabulous things + some assembly required.  

My personal favorite is St. Vincent DePaul on Farnsworth Ave. 

On .89 days 

I might near hurt myself 

so delirious with delight am I. 

Awhile back I lost some weight, 

no wait, 

lost 

is hardly the term to describe it. 

 I with great determination and intentional food choices 

rid my body of over 30 lbs of lumpy lard. 

Yuck, I know, but painfully true. 

I have plenty to go yet, but one bite at a time, I'll get there.  

So I have a CLOSET FULL of too big's.  

Yippie.  

What to do with them?  

Artiste my self right into happyland of course.

***

Here is my first project.  

One too big shirt

(from the closet)

Plus 

one miniskirt (from the thrift store) 

which I'm SURE had some employee eyeballs a'rollin

EQUALS

Stripes Gone Wild

or 

Rachel's miniskirt madness.

***

Here is how

***

Place a shirt that fits well on top of a shirt that is too big

***

 Lay a shirt that fits on top and chalk mark the new seams.

***

Cut along your chalk lines and trim.

***

Fold shirt in half to make sure the sides are even. Trim if needed.

***

Lay the shirt out and pin your ruffles, new fabric, miniskirt etc on top and sew.

I opened one of the side seams on the miniskirt and trimmed off part of the top.  

Since I did not want ruffles around the back, and it was a child sized miniskirt,

 I used the whole thing on the front.  I tapered its sides into the side seams of the shirt.

***

For the sleeve addition I cut strips of black tshirt from a black scrap one and zigzagged the sleeves to give it a ruffled edge and sewed to the sleeve hem.

***

I also sliced up the back of the shirt 

and inserted a triangle of black tshirt fabric to give it some flair. 

 I forgot to photograph that process though.  

Will do a tutorial on that another time.

***

Fare thee well, I hope this gives you some ideas for 

upcycling some lifeless garments in your closet.

Flower Power Wedding Shower

Marvelous Mel 

is getting married.  

Her 

Flower Power Wedding Shower 

was as bright and cheery 

as she is. 

  

Tissue Paper Flowers

We used large pointy ones on the fireplace/gift station. 

And small round edged ones on the food table.

Directions  at Martha Stewarts tutorial
or watch a video tutorial here

The big ones are about $1 each to make, the small ones .40

Or if you are not the make it yourself type 

you can order them from BHLDN here

~Felt Flower~

Mel's corsage is a felted wool flower

I'll make a tutorial for it... someday soon.

Decorations

Black tablecloths with scrunched hot pink muslin

1950's white glass vases w yellow/pink/orange flowers and glitter butterflies

~ Favors ~

scented pillow sachets with ribbon hangers

Food

 Cakes

The flower cakes (pink & orange) are sooo easy to make.  

If you can make a circle, you can do this cake!!  Tutorial here

The orange one was the same circles, just a different piping tip.

Serving Plates

The tall serving pieces (cakes, cheese ball, crackers) 

were made from flower shaped 

vintage plates & candlesticks. 

BHLDN sells similar ones see them here at $78 each

You can make them for less than $3 tutorial here

 Party Pictures

Oops...

thankfully it was down to the last layer 

before it tumbled

Flower tutorials - 7 different flowers

Here is a list of a few of my favorite flower tutorials.  

With just a few scraps of fabric, needle & thread 

or glue gun you can whip up some petaled pretties.

Since practice makes perfect DONT give up if your first few 

flowers are less than photo worthy.

Do try try again!

Circle Flowers (pinched)

These pinched circle flowers are so easy your little ones can do it.  

Easy tutorial from Katie Did found here

*******
Folded Fabric Roses

Folded fabric square roses are drool-worthy.  

Find instructions here

click on the wee small photos in this tutorial 

to make them larger

I suggest silk as it makes up the prettiest in this form.  

****************

Ribbon Petaled Flowers

Ribbon flowers (with individual petals) can be made from 

several complimenting shades.

Find detailed instruction here

you will need to click on the photos to make them large enough to see

*****************

Rolled Flowers 

Rolled, slightly gathered flowers are some of my favorite.

My prayer flowers (see them here) are made using a folded piece of silk.

Here is the same technique but done in ribbon.

rolled, slightly gathered flower 

tutorial found here

**************

Lolly pop circle flowers 

These can have a folk art look (done in cotton or burlap) 

or a very elegant look (satin & chiffon)

Layer as many circles as you like, from 3 to 15 to get the desired look.

watch video instructions here

or get photo instructions here

****************************************

Another FAST way to make these lovelies here

*********************************

Multi petaled chiffon/fabric flowers

Made from circles with slices in them, these have the appearance of individual petals 

but WITHOUT all the time consuming work of cutting out each petal

This one I made from gray/silver poly chiffon.

I used about an 8 inch freehand circle.  No need to be perfect in cutting them out, 

they are going to come out different sizes due to the singing of the edges anyway.

For the second layer I used a 5 inch circle, 

here is an oatmeal lid to give you an idea of a 5 inch circle.

This one I made from a mix of 3 fabrics. 

Dark charcoal woven rayon, grey poly silk, grey poly chiffon.

I was going to do a tutorial for these when (OH JOY) I found this sweetie pie, Bethany Kartchner,

has already gone to all the work/effort of doing it.  

Going to shamelessly save myself some time and pass along HER tutorial.

Find the 3 part video tutorial here

********************

As you know I'm a more is more kind of girl, 

but for those of you who are NOT... 

don't be thrown off by the big ol honkin flowers I've shown.  

You can make them smaller, to fit your style.  

Use them on gifts in place of a bow, 

on curtain tiebacks, pillows, purses, blets, clothing, hats, notebooks, 

or any where you want a bit of beauty.

Here are a few images (found online) to get your ideas a'rolling.

or go to www.etsy.com and search "silk flower" 

for a bazillion ideas & vendors selling these kinds of lovelies.

Happy flower making!

RC

Tablescapes

Creating beautiful tablescapes is not limited to those with large budgets,

 or the fortunate few who have inherited Great Grandmothers heirlooms.  

With a little planning and a few dollars you can throw together some lovely tables in no time. 

Stacked dishes

This image is from Juliska.  

Their dishes are the stuff dreams are made of.  

Here they stacked dishes to make sculpture & serving pieces.  

Genius!

I daydream about finding them a garage sale or thrift store someday.  

OR... if someone just happens to have an extra $700 

weighting down their wallet 

they can buy me the soup tureen.  HA!

For a tutorial on how to make permanant tiered serving dishes from thrift store finds look here

Crystal & Tealights

These are crystal & cut glass vases, candlesticks and small dishes 

I snagged at garage sales or thrift store .25-.99 each

Turn the vases/small dishes upside down & top with tea lights. 

Group different heights for visual interest.

Fabric runners

Long strips of fabric may be cut to line the center of a table.  

Cut strips of fabric.  Upholstry & home dec fabric offer varied textures.

Vintage drapes from the thrift store offer a rich look. 

WASH THEM FIRST.

Cut with pinking shears, hem, fray or singe edges for a finished look.

Sheer fabrics may be singed with an embossing gun or candle to pucker & add texture.  

This is a strip of home dec sheer from Hobby Lobby I had cut 

into 12 inch wide strips to go on banquet tables.

Edges & middle were singed to pucker the fabric.

  

I saw this lovely scape recently at a wedding.  

A table covered in tulle with pearls/gems/ flower petals scattered across.

Volintine Design

MASON JARS

At a shower I saw these mason jars filled with candies.  

Layered ribbon & a jeweled button were wrapped around the middle.

Design by LaTrissa

Tablescapes are a fun way to change things up without breaking the budget.  

You can use them on nightstands, dining tables, side tables,

 countertops and when decorating for events.

Would LOVE to hear/see exapmles of your tablescape ideas.

A Bride Blessing

We recently welcomed a new addition  

into our family. 

And another family welcomed 
one of us into theirs.

Being spiritual people, 

I wanted to incorporate a spiritual component 

into the merging of these two families,

 a deeply personal welcome 

and a prayerful blessing.  

I invited the bride, 
 the women of her family 

and the women of the grooms family
to my home for a Bride Blessing. 

We gathered, mothers, sisters, 
cousins, aunts, grandmothers.

I asked them to bring 

a book, or tool, 

that they use in the running 

of their homes, 

to share as an example 
with the new bride to be.  

Each were asked to relay a piece 

of information 
that they were given, 

or WISH they had been given, 

that helps life as a wife 

run smoothly.

After dinner we gathered in the 
living room

to share these bits of wisdom, 

tools of efficiency, 

hard learned lessons.

We shared calendars, 

methods of record keeping, 

recipes and 
household management tips.  

Each of the women, 

her birth family, 

and her new married family,  

told her how they planned 

to pray for her, 

to speak
ONLY GOOD
 OF HER, 

to affirm her 

and support her.  

Then we washed the brides feet, 

in symbol of her new role 
of service to her husband,
and each one 
laid their hands on her, 

and spoke a 

prayerful blessing over her. 

To shower a bride with personal gifts, 

is a great tradition.  

To shower a couple with home goods, 

a great tradition.  

To bless her with the gifts of words, 

spoken in affirmation, 

welcome, blessing, 

  and the promise of 
your continued prayers,
just might be a
NEW tradition
you’ll want to try too.

The groom's mother and sisters

The bride & her mother