Sewing Goals for 2011

I have been sewing for one year now.  I have sewn clothes, baby things, toys, and refashioned thrifted finds.  I have learned a lot!  Looking back at my old items and seeing what I did to make them has shown me how much I have learned and progressed in my skills.  I wanted to make a list of things that I either want to make, do, read, or acquire in this next year. 

1. Expand my sewing library 
2. Find a space in my married home and make it my dedicated sewing space
3. Create more tutorials for the blog that explain things I am learning, as many of you are as well
4. Post finished items on the blog and on PatternReview.com
5. Sew every week and finish at least one garment a month
6. Learn to use my new serger and use it for more than finishing edges (i.e. try a rolled hem on a garment, perhaps the Anna Sui Vogue 1153 in a cotton voile)
7. Sew a slipcover for the parson chair that will most likely go in Thomas' and my bedroom (brown silk with our monogram in white)
8. Evaluate my closet, reduce, and sew to fill in the holes
9. Create an inspiration binder, and organize my bookmarks on my computer
10. Sew with higher quality fabrics and higher quality techniques

11. Sew a white wool pencil skirt a la Emma Pilsbury in the Christmas episode of Glee.


12. Sew a colored pencil skirt(s) a la Emma Pilsbury, preferably at least one with an interesting bow detail
13. Sew a black dress or black skirt (or both)
14. Sew a jersey knit cardigan (Jalie 2919, fabric already purchased)

15. Create something in a slippery silk fabric (Milly silk crosshatch pattern recently purchased from here, perhaps a Pendrell blouse from Sewaholic Patterns, or a dress as I have 3 yards)
16. Hoard less patterns from the Big 4, and purchase more patterns from interesting lines such as Sewaholic, Hot Patterns, and Jalie.
17. Sew something that requires matching a pattern (plaid skirt in que)

I may deviate from this a bit, but these are my main goals for this year.  I want to sew good quality items that are classic and will work with my lifestyle.  I am going to be going from a college student/part-time co-op to a full-time career gal.  Although we have no dress code at my office and I could wear jeans everyday, I want to dress in a way that makes me feel good about myself, and makes people look at me with respect and professionally.  I plan to sew more work wear and items that I can use to build my professional wardrobe, as well as staples such as a little black dress or skirt.  I will keep you posted on my progress with this list.  Do you have any goals for this upcoming year sewing-wise or just in general?  In general, I would like to simplify and own less stuff and more quality items that I love.  Less really is more!  2011 is going to be a great year!!!

What Thomas Gave Me For Christmas!!!!

I told you yesterday the item Thomas got me for Christmas deserved a post of it's own.  So, what did I receive????

A Brother SERGER!!!!!  

I am ecstatic!  When I started sewing a year ago (this month in fact), I had no idea how much of a passion this would become for me.  I love sewing clothing the best and this little machine will help me on my quest to make professional and quality garments!  I pulled it out and started using it over the weekend and love it!  Thank you Thomas for giving such a wonderful Christmas present!

Our Christmas

Our Christmas was wonderful this year.  It was my last at home, and it really felt a little bittersweet.  I really just enjoyed soaking up the moments and spending time with my family.  I am so looking forward to next Christmas (I get so excited just thinking about it!), but it is sad to think this is the last year I will be waking up in my bed in my mom's house.  That's the thing about getting older, Christmases change but the main points are always the same.  As usual, my mom brought my Nanny home for the holidays.  It's not Christmas without my grandma there! :)  Nanny will be staying with us for a little while and I am enjoying talking to here this year a lot about what times were like when she was a new bride.  I made my cookies and decorated a gingerbread house the week of Christmas.  Christmas Eve, Thomas and I exchanged our gifts (it deserves it's own post) and we went to our church for the service.  I always enjoy going to church on Christmas Eve, and the story of Jesus' birth makes me tear up every year.  This year the service was more centered on the Magi and the gifts they brought.  I personally missed hearing the traditional story of the birth, but did enjoy hearing about that.  It really has given me some food for thought about giving.  That night, my mom read me our stories for the last time.  I really got teary during that.  She joked that she is going to have to come to my house next year and read The Shiniest Star to me.  :) 

Christmas morning, we woke up and opened our presents.  I really racked up this year!  My mom got me a place setting of my formal china (Lenox Pearl Platinum), two Christopher Radko Christmas ornaments, a Scentsy warmer, a Victoria's Secret Bride Robe, a Big Top Cupcake, and other little great gifts.  My Nanny spoiled me with a Brighton bead for my Pandora bracelet (a Christmas tree since I always say, "It isn't Christmas without Nanny!"), cookbooks, a game, and a movie. 

I can't believe I posted a picture with NO make-up, but it's for posterity as Nanny says.

After the gift giving was over, we went over to Thomas' grandparents home for Christmas lunch.  It was so yummy and I so enjoyed visiting with everyone.  I also was excited to show my Nanny my wedding dress!  Thomas' grandmother has let me store it in one of her extra bedrooms since we don't have room at our house.  Every time I come to their house, I have to go visit my dress!  We also exchanged presents with Thomas' family that day.  I really love everything they gave me!  His family is so generous to me and has made me a part of their family ever since day one of us dating.  I am so so blessed to be marrying into such a fantastic family!  I received some Pandora beads (including my all-time favorite from Thomas' parents...a three-tiered wedding cake with a gold heart on top!), a coach make-up bag, and oodles of make-up products!  That night I went to Thomas' parents house and we all watched Easy A together.  It was such a wonderful day!

With Grandpa L.D. who Thomas is extremely close to.  We just adore him!

My new family!  Don't mind the weird light spot on Thomas' face...maybe I can edit it out?

Sunday, we had Christmas number 2!  We went to my brother's house which is a few hours away.  When we went outside to load the car, it was SNOWING!  In Savannah!  None of it stuck of course, but it was a lot of fun to see snow.  At first it was a freezing mix, but it ended up being snow before we left!  It was coming down really hard too!  I drove us to their house and the more we drove, the more snow there was.  We even drove through an area where it was accumulating on everything!  I was all over the ground and trees and we were all just oohing and awhhing!  We have had a really cold winter so far!  When we got to Jason's house, we had Christmas with them!  I just loved getting to see my nieces and of course my brother and sister-in-law.  I just hugged on my little girls and didn't want to leave them!  Jason and Danielle gave Thomas and me a beautiful wine glass that we registered for.  I love it!!! I had a great time playing with those girls and snuggling with their sweet baby!  I tell you what, that sweet baby of theirs gives me baby fever big time!  Is that bad to admit?  Honestly, Thomas and I don't even have kids on our radar...but then I hold that sweet girl and smell her sweet new baby scent and I want one big time!  All in good time! 

He is going to be a good uncle! :)

Thomas closed his eyes, but this is such a sweet picture!  How could you not get baby fever holding this sweet girl!

I know I haven't posted about my nieces gifts yet, but the post is to come, and I will give you a sneak peak!  Matching shirts and tutus for the little ones!  They were so precious!  This photo is going on my desk at work to show off to all my co-workers! 

We had a wonderful Christmas that was full of family, friends, and fun!  I hope you had a great one and took some time to savor the moments!

Sew, Pin, Repeat...and a Funny Video

I'm sewing away in my little workshop like Santa's elves.  I'm finishing up my niece's Christmas gifts and let me tell you girls that they are RACKING UP!  I hope those sweet girls love everything they get!  I have made some adorable things and I am going to take some pictures for y'all tonight (finally have my camera back).  My sweet godson is also getting a little something homemade as well.  Please be sure to check back tomorrow for a post all about everything that has been made! I must get back to sewing up the last gift!

I will leave you with a funny video to watch.  I know everyone has seen the Elf Yourself videos, but I had to make one.  I love the picture I grabbed of Thomas.  I have to say that is a typical Thomas face.  He is always making a face like that when I pull out the camera.  He doesn't like to take them!  He is also notorious in our circle of friends for making the goofiest faces. He's a mess! :)

Christmastime is Here...

I just love the Holiday season, as does everyone.  Time to be close to your family and friends, giving gifts, being joyful, and taking some time to just enjoy the moment.  I am trying to just enjoy every second of the Christmas season this year as it will be my last at home.  Next year is going to be 200% different.  I am going to love it, and I am looking forward to it more than you will ever know...but since it's my last to have my Nanny staying in my home with me and to wake up Christmas morning with my mom and to exchange gifts with Thomas on Christmas Eve...I really want to enjoy it.  My mom has made traditions that we do every year.  I thought I would share a few on here with all of y'all. 

• My brother Jeremy and I bake Christmas cookies on Christmas Eve (or the day before).  Unfortunately Jeremy won't be here this Christmas, and he will be greatly missed!
• Christmas Eve we ALWAYS go to church.  Since Thomas and I have been together, we have gone most years to the same service with his family.
• On Christmas Eve, we watch the Santa Report.  No matter how old we get, we all love to get the updates on where he is.

• Every year for as long as I can remember (probably my whole life honestly), we have read The Night Before Christmas and The Shiniest Star before we go to sleep.  The Shiniest Star is my absolute favorite Christmas tradition we have.  The book belonged to my mom when she was a little girl.  It looks very 60s and has little pop ups in it.  I treasure that book so much and have been looking for a copy for my home for next year.  They don't print it anymore, so I will have to scour ebay for it!  That is a tradition I will never give up! 
• Christmas morning, my mom used to line all of us kids up on the stairs from youngest to oldest and make us close our eyes and walk down the stairs (with someone leading us).  We would walk down the stairs and at the bottom we could see the tree and all the toys Santa brought us.  We don't really do that anymore, and Santa doesn't leave presents unwrapped anymore, but that is a tradition I will always remember.

• Someone ALWAYS plays Santa on Christmas morning.  Usually one of my brothers.  The person we designate that morning to play Santa has to wear the Santa hat, and dole out the presents.  Each person gets one and we all watch that person open their presents one by one.  It takes us forever to open presents because we don't just open them up all at once.  We each watch the other open one and then do it all over again.  I really like doing it this way because we all get so excited for everyone gets.
• After we open presents, my mom usually cooks and Jeremy and I (and Jason if he is here, but now he has a wife and 3 kids, so they usually are at their home) watch A Christmas Story about a million times.  It is our absolute favorite!!! 
• What we do in the afternoon depends on where everyone is for Christmas.  If Jason is staying at his house, we go visit him the next day.  Sometimes they come here in the afternoon and stay through the weekend.  I usually try to go to Thomas' house sometime that day to do Christmas with his family.  They are so sweet and spoil me with gifts!  I love them so much! 
• Other traditions we do in the season are driving to Townsend to look at the Christmas lights (not every year, but sometimes.  They have a street with the most Christmas lights you have ever seen!  I am surprised it hasn't turned up on one of those Christmas specials on tv yet!), driving around town to see the Christmas lights, going to whatever Christmas show they are doing at Church (The Journey or a play), and watching all the Christmas movies we can!

What are your family's Christmas traditions?  Merry Christmas!

Weekly Links and Inspiration

It's that time again!  Everyone has been creating lovely little things and making me swoon for them!  I have a list a mile long of things I would love to make! 

This first link isn't really something to make, but a great resource I have bookmarked on my computer.  The lovely Cupcake Goddess (love her blog!) posted a while back about where she likes to shop for fabrics.  I have gotten this question a number of times from readers, and honestly I am still trying to find great places.  Jo-Anns and Hancocks can only go so far, and hSavannah has NADA in the fabric department (unless you like to quilt).  This post has a list and links to all of the Cupcake Goddess' favorite fabric shops that are online.  Enter at your own risk because you are likely to want to buy something!!

This is another cute and crafty type of item you could make!  A ribbon wreath!  How easy and cute is this!  It would look precious in red and green for the Christmas season!  It would also make a cute gift for a friend, teacher, or a hostess gift.  It looks like a pretty easy and fun craft that could be whipped up whilst watching Christmas movies. 

I am really into being Green...okay, okay, let me rephrase that...I WANT to be really into being Green.  I watch Planet Green a lot and see all these things about composting and recycling and eating local foods, and I think, "Wow isn't that awesome.  I want to be just like that."  Unfortunately, I don't have very many chances to be Green in my life right now since I live at home and don't grocery shop and such.  I do my part when I can, but not being the lady that runs the household, I don't have many chances.  However, I am about to have my own place and I have been thinking of ways we can be easier on the environment in the future C home.  One of those things I want to constitute in my life is the use of fabric grocery bags.  Why not?  They are super adorable and cheap to make myself with leftover materials from projects.  Right now the Sew Mama Sew blog is doing Green Grocery Bag Challenge and there are tons of different tutorials to use.  If you sew, and are interested in using fabric grocery bags, then hop on over and make some for yourself.  They would also make a great gift packaged up in sets of 3 or so! 

Lastly, I have recently become obsessed with the Sewaholic blog.  Tasia sews wonderfully and has an eye for fabrics!  She uses the prettiest vintage fabrics (most I would never pick up myself...which makes me want to step outside of my comfort zone!) and even vintage patterns from time to time.  She has inspired me to sew better and make a closet full of awesome things!  She also has a Sewtionary (Sewing Dictionary) which has tutorials for tons of things like making a muslin and understitching.  Oh and did I mention she just came out with her own line of patterns!  Wow!  She is doing a Sew-Along with her first ever pattern, the Pendrell blouse in January.  I am thinking I will most likely take part in it.  She is my newest inspiration, so hop over and see for yourself what an awesome blog she has!

I hoped you enjoyed this week's installment of "Links and Inspiration."  I am finishing up Christmas presents and plan to photograph them this weekend to share will y'all.  I am also STILL working on that Cynthia Rowley skirt because the lining was backordered and still hasn't come in!  The skirt is done other than lining, so I think it will be a quick finish for that one.  I have to plan out what my next project will be (Pendrell Blouse perhaps)!  I hope everyone is having a wonderful day and staying warm!  It has turned COLD here...about 38 degrees right now!  But in true Savannah form, the temps are supposed to be in the 60s tomorrow!  You never can anticipate the weather here!

Where have I been?

I really didn't mean to take an entire week away from blogging when I just started really blogging again.  Life is crazy...but starting this week it has slowed down by about 200%!  So, what have I been up to?

Last Tuesday night was the BIG night that all this hard work and late nights lead up to.  I presented my Senior Thesis project in front of my class and the entire faculty of my department.  I was pretty nervous since I am not much of a public speaker.  I perform well in public speaking, but I really hate doing it.  I was third, which was perfect to me.  Not too early in the line up, and not too late.  I would hate to be last!  I got up and presented my project, and it seemed like everyone was really pretty interested.  The presentation was 10 minutes, and then 5 minutes for questions.  After I finished up my presentation and the questions started, I was really worried.  This was the part when the faculty really ripped people to shreds if they messed something obvious up.  They had kinda done this on a couple people the last week, so I was worried about how intense the questions would be.  They ended up being just fine.  All my professors were really impressed and only had good comments for me.  I didn't really have any questions!  I was so relieved when I was done, and my classmates all told me I did a great job.  That was really nice to hear!  At the break, my professor/advisor told me I did a fantastic job.  I felt so good after that!  At the end of the night, the professor for our Senior Thesis class told us that based on our presentations, the faculty would be picking some students to go to an out of state conference with them to present their thesis papers.  Would you believe I got an email the next day inviting me to go!  I am one of 5 people that got invited!  What an honor!  I was so worried about this project, and worked so hard on it.  Many nights I went to bed at 2 or 3 just to wake up at 6 to go to work and school and have a 10 hour day.  This semester has been unbelievably hard on me, and this feels like such a great pay off!  I am so excited!  And honestly...I am nervous!  I hate to public speak, but this will help me face my fears.  I am also excited because my best friend at school, Kelli, got invited too.  We are going to go together to the conference and share a hotel room.  We both get really nervous, so I think the fact we are going together will help us calm down! 

Other than that, nothing huge is going on in my life.  I have been working on Christmas presents for the little ones in my life, my nieces and godson.  I have gotten so many cute items made for them!  I wish I could share them, but my brother hasn't had time to get my camera in the mail to me.  I am waiting to wrap them, so I can share these gifts with y'all.  I should have the camera by Monday of next week at the latest, so you shouldn't have to wait too long!  I am getting together another inspiration post for y'all, and planning to post a great tip I recently learned for sewing darts.  Talk to y'all soon! 

The End of the Projects...

Lots going on in my world right now!  So much I want to blog about!  Dentist trips galore, great new inspiring sewing blogs, the skirt that turned into 2 skirts and STILL is not finished, making presents, making lists for my gifts, registering, and I could go on and on.  Alas, tomorrow is the scary day that this entire semester has lead up to.  The day I present my Senior Thesis...my BIG project.  I worked on a analysis with tornado activity and housing values in "Tornado Alley" states (in case you were wondering what this crazy project I have been talking about was about).  I am extremely proud of it and...honestly not even done with it.  So, excuse my little absence.  I will report back tomorrow to let you know how everything went and can really start to get my life back.  I don't know what I will do with all the time I will have on my hands again!  Until then, back to work on finishing it up.  Wish me luck!!!