I'm Bringing Bonnets Back

Well, I'm glad to say I'm feeling better since the last time I posted. I started my senior year of college on the 22nd. I'm loving all of my classes with the exception of my Physical Science class. The subject matter isn't that difficult its just that the professor presents it in a way that's like listening to nails on a chalkboard. I have that class, threes Psych's, and one History - so I pretty satisfied. I'm really happy that I'm off campus and back home by noon everyday except Friday because that means plenty of time to sew...and study of course.

Today I made this awesome bonnet.

I know it's slightly odd for anyone to wear a bonnet in the 21st century, but hey, I can totally bring it back! It was so simple and easy to make; only three pattern pieces that took an hour to assemble and sew. I know I'm totally going to go on a bonnet sewing binge this week, trying them with different fabrics and such.

terrible. period.

I'm just going to come out and say it - I feel like shit.

I just got a message from The Sampler people saying all 113 items I sent in for the September Sampler where received damaged. They won't be able to send them out. None.

I spent 60+ hours working on them, $75 dollars on supplies, and it cost $5o just in shipping alone. Not to mention all the time I diverted from working on something that would ACTUALLY make money.

All of that hard work,time, and money earned for nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

pretty pieced pincushion (say that three times fast)

So I finally got the chance to make some puncushions using some little fabric scraps I received in the last Sampler I receiveD.

This is really the first time I've ever pieced different fabrics together since...well, since I started sewing six plus years ago. I've really been missing out on this quiliting look.

I really love how it's like I'm making my own fabric almost, but what I really love is that it gives me more reason to buy fabric!

Why YOU Need a Light Box

My light tent/light box arrived in the mail today! Huzzah! I lucked out and won this huge 36"x36" light box on eBay for $20 plus FREE Priority Shipping. I know there are tons on tutorials on how to make your own but I broke down and decided to just buy one. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about DIY but some things I just feel are better when purchased. I tried almost every DIY technique and it just wasn't up to the standards I was trying to achieve, not to mention all the hassle I had to go through to setting it up and taking it down.




This new light box pops up to it's full shape and collapses down to a small 8" circle to fit inside it's very own zippered pouch. It is super light-weight so I can carry it outside or put it on my desk very easily. The only downside to it is that the backdrops are made using a rough polyester material that wrinkles VERY easily. So the fact that the came factory folded pretty much ensures that the wrinkles will probably never come out. I, however, have resulted back to my old DIY ethics here. I plan on purchasing some plain broadcloth in different colors and sewing Velcro dots on the side so I can attach it to the Velcro already sewn to the light box. This way I can iron the fabric, coordinate the color to the item I'm photographing, and perhaps even use a fabric with a pattern to add some swank. Here's an example of some pink wood grain fabric as a backdrop to the new Cd's I ordered from Amazon last week:

I love the black background for this pillow:

And here I am operating the lighting...yes, it just so happened to look as if I was posing for a picture ;)

one word - MmmMmMmMm!

Thanks to the awesomeness that is VH1 Classic, I am currently watching Purple Rain. Good god! Prince all sweaty without a shirt playing that guitar and twirling around...*drool* It's just enough to make up for the horrible acting.
Plus Morris Day at the evil antagonist is priceless. Seriously, how could a man that wears oversized shoulder pads and has an S Curl be threatening to Prince? Oooh! My favourite part - Prince comes riding on his bad ass motorcycle down a narrow alley, side swipes Morris Day and proceeds to order Apollonia on the back of his bike. Hell yeah!
I miss 80's Prince. Although, I do have to admit that the man hasn't aged a day since 1984. He's like a fine wine - he gets better with age. Too bad I can't really say the same for his music :(

Didn't really do much today. Made the daily trip to the Post Office, had some delicious new onion rings from Zaxby's, and made 13 other samples to send in for The Sampler. My crafty to-do list for tomorrow:

1. Make 3 long wallets using my intensive Japan import fabric
2. Sew 2 tank tops using my new knit fabric order
3. Make mini thank you note cards and matching envelopes to post on Kitsch Niche
4. Make 3 pillows and take pictures to upload

I'm Melting Like a Toasted Cheeser!

*1000 million cool points to anyone who can tell me what movie the title of this post is refering to*

Good golly! It's sooo hot outside I'm using hokey 1950's expressions!

108 degrees farenheit!

That was the temperature today - without the heat index. I had to leave the house to send off some orders and buy some elastic for headband making and good god! Whenever I opened the car door it was like walking into an oven. The weird thing was that there was a breeze but it felt like a breeze off the gate's of hell. I've lived in Southern California but it the town was 10 miles from the ocean so I had the pleasure of the cooling ocean breeze. I've also lived in the southern most part of Arizonia and the heat I experienced there doesn't even compare to today's scorcher. The weather forecast predicts that it is suppose to be even hotter tommorrow. Crazy I say!

I've been making little envelopes for the wallets and zippered pouches that I sell on etsy. I'm using regular 12x12 scrapbooking paper and it looks absolutely adorable if I do say so myself. Plus it is really inexpensive compared to buying those boring brown craft envelopes. I buy the paper from Hobby Lobby for 25 cents a sheet and just use regular clear packaging tape to seal it. Here's one example:

(I had to take a picture of the back due to home addresses displayed on the front)

Inside is this glorious wallet:

I just ordered some more Japanese kawaii fabric today that should be arriving by the middle of September. I plan on using it for the products I'll be selling at Rock the Stitch on October 6th!

Still alive and kicking

It's been an entire month since I last posted. Wow. It really does not seem that long ago. Tons of personal things happened within that month's time and I was a little side tracked, I guess you could put it that way.

Anywho I back in full force! I started a little home decor etsy store called Kitsch Niche (kitschniche.etsy.com) and I'm really falling in love with everything I'm creating for the shop! Right now I'm basically focusing on throw pillow and cute little retro wall plaques. Hopefully within the next month or so I'll start posting screenprinted bed spreads,curtains, and latch hook rugs. Whoop whoop!

I'm dedicating this entire week to working on the 100 samples I plan on contributing to the September Sampler. I'm so excited! Hopefully this well be the jump start that I need to really get the word out about Kitsch Niche. Here are a few pics of me working on the little owl wall plaques:

I love how focused I look in the first one. The second one demonstrates that crafting is never really all that glamourous. My beauty routine for a day of crafting includes putting on a headband to make sure my hair stays out of the way, ha! Here's a little peek at the contributions:

New Dress Design

I have a major addiction to buying fabric, especially stretch fabrics (jersey,interlock,knits, and the like). I'm not sure where my fixation with stretch fabrics originated, but I think it has something to do with their scarcity at local fabric chain stores. Opening a parcel containing jersey knit does not even compare to searching through all the old granny fabrics at Hancocks.

Anywho, I have TONS of stretch fabric - probably 50+ yards randomly stashed around my bedroom and the garage. I'm always looking for a way to use large amounts in a short amount of time and I made a dress pattern that addresses both of these issues.



This was the first dress I made with the pattern. Very simple scooped and gathered neck, dropped waist and a circle skirt. Realllly simple and easy. I used a cherry and small polka dot jersey that is super comfortable.


Here's an alternative design using the same pattern.



I did a pieced together overlay of linen and lace over a solid lime green underskirt. The sleeves and neck banding are just regular black t-shirt material. Best part? The Invader Zim GIR fabric! Yes, you read correctly - Invader Zim FABRIC!

I plan on listing these and more dresses on eBay Sunday after my current auctions end.

Tempting Marathons

twilight zone marathon on sci-fi channel! huzzah!the only drawback is that now i'm watching television instead of sewing. ahh, what can ya do?

currently watching one of my favorite episodes titled "back there". in the episode, a man is transported from the current date of april 14,1965 back in time to april 14,1865 -the night President Abe Lincoln was assianated while attending the play Our American Cousin at the Ford Theatre. in the act of trying to prevent the assisination (at which he fails), the man changes history - in particular the life of a certain waiter. i like this episode for many reasons but mainly because :

(a) abe rules!

(b) it addresses the question of changing history theoratically and literally. if you could travel back in time, would you do something to change the course of history? could you change the course of history? would your actions be innately postivie or negative in nature?would your future presence still exist?

(c) a waiter in the episode becomes a millonare due to the time travel. however, the only reason he is wealthy is because he inherited the money. does one's present situation depend soley on the past? are the disenfranchised that way because they inherited a poor disposition or is it soley based on personal hardships and achievments? maybe both?

(d) rod sterling looks soo sexy smoking.

(e) abe rules!

so my question for you guys? if you could prevent or change any major event in history, what would it be? do you think it would do any good? don't be afraid to respond!

Introductions are Overrated!

You'll never know how much I hate trying to explain myself. A tad bit ironic considering I'm a Psychology major, eh? I always feel like I get so wrapped up trying to portray who I really am that I sort of become nothing more than favorite movies, music, and colors.

So I'm saying it right now: take me as I am or leave me.

I plan on using this site to blog mainly about all my crafty endeavours. I sell my unique creations on-line both at etsy.com and eBay. I have my own website with a portfolio, contact info, where to buy, and other tid bits of info - stinkyloulou.com. Also, as a way of encouraging me to update this thing on a daily basis, I'll be posting little mudane life happenings as well.

Feel free to add me on myspace.

Until next time,

Anastazia