DIY Anthropologie Inspired Dress Tutorial

This past weekend, while in one of my favorite stores (Anthropologie) I saw this great dress.  I didn't buy it...not because of the price although sometimes that is the struggle between me and Anthropologie! Their stuff is pricey but SO worth it! Always quality while being unique and different and statement pieces, which I love but the deal with this dress was it was a little more fitted on the top than I like to wear.  I LOVED the essence of the design so I thought to myself I think I can do that!  This is the dress that inspired this tutorial...

Knowing I wanted a top that would go with black "leather" type material on the bottom but more loose fitting than the original Anthropologie dress, I was excited to find this top. It was perfect!

 You will need the top you have decided on and the leather-like fabric for the skirt.  I found this fabric for a little over $7 at Forsyth Fabrics here in Atlanta. I will just refer to this as leather in this post even though it isn't really leather but leather-like.

 Here is a close up of the back of the skirt fabric....so soft! That was a factor when choosing it because some didn't have this soft felt backing.  Don't forget to think about that!

You will need: a sewing machine with a heavy duty needle, a tape measure, a ruler (optional), cloth scissors, seam ripper *just in case you need to remove seams*, a hem measuring thingy (optional), and some masking tape (I am using 1/4 inch artist tape - just what I had in my workroom)

About my machine ....it is just an inexpensive Brother machine that I bought one day because my other one died in the middle of a project and I literally ran to Walmart and got it. It is a Project Runway edition and who doesn't want anything that is associated with Tim Gunn!? He is so awesome! Anyway, I was looking for a machine that did straight stitch and zig-zag stitch because essentially that is all I use....it has about 70 more features that may come in handy one day :) but for now straight or zig-zag is about all I need for most things. Oh, and BTW, its been a great machine.

I tried on the top (I am going to call this the shirt for simplicity sake) and decided where I wanted the skirt to start. I wanted the leather to start about an inch from the highest point of the shirt hem.

 I measured across the top to figure out how long the strip of leather needed to be to go around the shirt.The shirt was 20 1/2 inches across so it needs to be 41 across PLUS the amount of fabric to make a seam to close the side up.  So I will add about and 1 1/2 inches just to make sure.

 In order to make sure the skirt will be straight, i decided to put a line of pins across the shirt as a guideline.  This will be where the edge of the leather will be.

 Ok, so now you have your strip of leather and that will be the skirt. I measured 12 inches for the height of my skirt - you can always make it shorter! But you can't make it longer :)  You will sew the edges of the strip of leather to form a tube of sorts....that will be sewn on top of the shirt later. I am showing you in this photo that the fabric has 2 sides.  The right side and that wrong side.  You will sew the RIGHT sides together.

 For ease of keeping the leather together I used binder clips to hold the fabric together to sew it in case it slipped....we can't pin this or it will leave holes in the fabric so NO PINS!  Pinning is really important in sewing (I can hear my mom's voice in my head!) to make sure your pieces stay together so take a couple of seconds to do it. It sure saves the time of ripping out seams later because you didn't! Not that I have ever done that!! :)

 Sew the edge of the skirt piece.

 Trim the excess fabric off  - I leave about 1/4 inch or less past seam for most things.

 Now because you sewed the edge you have created a tube of sorts.  We will call it the "skirt tube". Turn the "skirt tube" right side out....meaning get it to where the right side is where you are looking at it.  Then tuck the shirt into the "skirt tube" like you are tucking in a pair of pants.

THIS IS WHERE IT GETS AWESOME! The dress in Anthropologie was top stitched - means it literally has the seam showing on the top and this keeps getting better by being able to tell you that the leather fabric doesn't  even have to be hemmed!!!!! HOLLLA!!! You literally cut it - yes! that is all.  And it does not fray or unravel.  What gets better than that!? I was so excited at this point!... so your shirt is tucked in and you have the pin guideline to bring your leather up to and it will be straight because your pins are straight.  Get your tape and tape the edge of the leather down to the shirt.  Keep it straight because you will be sewing it and won't be able to see the edge so I used the tape as my sewing guideline.

Next literally run a straight stitch along the edge of the tape all the way around the skirt.  Because you measured carefully, and you pinned a straight line and taped it and now stitched it you will, in just a few moments, have a SUPER CUTE dress to wear!

After you finish your topstitch around the skirt, peel your tape off, cut off the extra threads and try it on to check the finshed length.  I ended up taking almost 3 inches off the skirt for it to hit me where I wanted it to be.  That wasn't a problem though because I literally cut it - no need to hem!  And **drum roll please** here it is!! I am sooo excited to share this and probably even MORE excited that I get to WEAR IT!!! Yay me!

I am working editing a video that I did for this (first video by myself ever!) so stay tuned for that :)
If I can do it, YOU can do it! Give it a try and I hope to see some of yours soon!

Migraines and Topirimate....Love it or Hate it

On December 12, 2012, I woke up with a pretty good headache.  We had a trip planned to Disney World the next day so we went on to Disney and the headache continued.  It would get worse or better at times but it lingered.  It was worse when I woke up and then at times got better during the day but most of the times got worse.  It literally felt like someone was squeezing my whole face.  When I got home from Disney I went to my family doctor.  She said it she thought I had a sinus infection. She put me on a serious regimen of antibiotics and steroids.  It didn't help. I still woke up with a headache every day.  I went back. She put me on a beta blocker called Propranolol. That didn't help.  She prescribed Fluoxetine but the daily headaches continued.  It was a really hard time.  I could barely function.   Months later she sent me to a neurologist saying she had done everything she could.  I had a head MRI and CT scan but it showed nothing.  I literally cried the day they told me they were normal because that meant they didn't have an answer to why I continued to have these horrible headaches.  The neuro diagnosed me as having Migraine and put me on Topiramate.  This medicine has horrible side effects.  Your sense of taste is changed, you forget the simplest words, your mind is all groggy, your face, hands and feet had the sensation of pins and needles....essentially you brain turns to mush. I couldn't remember anything.  They started me out at 25mg before bed.  Then you are raised to 50mg and so on.   I went all the way to 150mg and the headaches persisted.  I went back to the neuro and he backed down the dosage of Topiramate added Nortriptyline to it.  After about two months of that combination I started feeling human again.  It has been almost a year and a half and my headaches are still around but not nearly as intense as they used to be.  Now I even have some totally-headache-free days!

When my headaches started I searched and searched trying to find info on them and why I may have them.  Now that I have been dealing with them for so long along with the side effects of the medications I thought I would share it with those of you who may be struggling with the same thing.

If you are trying to make a decision about Topiramate, I would suggest you give it a go.  I won't lie, it isn't for the faint of heart.  It is hard core and makes you feel pretty awful, but if it works for you (even a little bit) it definitely takes the edge off a migraine.

Blogging again

It has been almost six years since I posted to this blog! I didn't even know if it would even still exist ....I thought maybe unattended blogs got sent to some virtual graveyards for blogs.  To my surprise, I found my blog and posts safe and sound.  It is no longer Blogspot but who knew?? Now it is Blogger.  It took me a minute to figure out that Blogspot was now Blogger. When I went to update it and get it going again, I knew I needed help! I did what most people do when they need a service or product....I searched Etsy. I found LisasMenagerie and she was awesome! I did warn her ahead of time that I had been in a digital-coma of sorts.  She was patient with me (answered my zillion emails) and got my blog all set up so I could hold my head high while I reentered the blogging world.

Needless to say, things change and since my last post MUCH has changed. I am not longer working out of the home, I am back in school trying to finish up my art degree along with running an Etsy shop. I spend most of my days working on my Etsy shop orders, homework, home projects or chores including lots of sweeping and vacuuming of dog hair!

We acquired 2 puppies about 2 years ago which grew into REALLY BIG dogs! Who knew??Yeah...never had big dogs before. They are awesome and I don't think we will ever go back to small dogs (although they are SUPER cute!) but there is something really cool about large dogs even though they are alot of work. You have to wipe them down from head to paw when they come in from outside, brush them all the time to keep shedding down and going to the park is like taking children with all the harness, leashes and snacks.  It's a "WHOLE THING"!

Lately, I have been trying to bring myself into 2014 by revisiting all these apps I downloaded long ago but rarely use.  Now I'm thinking who even has time to work a job?? With blogging, tweets, instagrams, FB posts I'm like WHAAAAAAT!?? Then you add texting, email - I guess phone calls still count....kind of? The day just evaporates between refreshing the screen (and my mom wonders why I don't visit much). Anyway, I was shocked.  But I am back in the game and ready to blog, tweet, post, IG and whatever else may come.

Cupcake Bath Bombs

So today on EveryDay with Marcus & Lisa, I showed how to make cupcake bath bombs. They are SO cute and SOOOO easy to make.  The base of these cupcakes are a bath bomb that fizzes and the top is made out of real icing that works as a sugar scrub.

Below you will see some pics of some examples....they look good enough to eat, don't they?!?!

Ingredients:

2 parts Baking Soda (regular size box - 8 oz)

1 part Citric Acid  (4 oz)

Essential oils

Witch Hazel in spray bottle (mister)

Coloring is optional

Cupcake tin

Cupcake paper liners

Assorted sprinkles 

Icing Recipe at bottom

***Citric Acid is available at most health food stores and cake supply stores.  You will want food-safe citric acid in the powder form***

For the base of the cupcake:

Put cupcake paper liners in cupcake tin.

Put baking soda and citric acid in bowl. Work the powder with your fingers to make sure all the lumps are out.  Add about 20 - 25 drops of essential oil to powder mixture. (You can do more or less if you prefer :) If you want to add color, do it now.   I use gel food coloring and very little.  Work that in with your fingers.  Now is the fun part...while working the mixture with one hand, spritz the powder mixture with the witch hazel. I do about 3 mists then work the mixture. Repeat this step until you can squeeze the mixture in the palm of your hand and it holds together (much like pie crust dough). If you can do that, then you are ready to put it into the cupcake molds.

Put the damp powder mixture in each cupcake paper liner making sure to pack it down with each addition of more powder.  Pack it until the liner is full to the rim.

Keep your cupcake bases in the tin and set aside to dry.  A few hours should do but overnight won't hurt. :)

Icing Recipe:

Confectioner's sugar

Meringue Powder (found in the cake supply section at Walmart, Michael's, etc)

Warm water

Follow recipe instructions on the meringue powder for Royal Icing.  Your icing should be stiff. Put in a pastry bag with a large icing tip and pipe icing onto the cupcake base. Sprinkle with decorative sprinkles of your choice. 

*The sprinkles might not stick because the icing is pretty dry so mist with the witch hazel again and sprinkle again. They will stick now!  Be careful not to over-mist!!

Now you have made an absolutely ADORABLE cupcake bath bomb!  Make sure you tell people it is NOT edible!!!  Because it does trick the eye! :)

OPTIONAL presentation:

If you would like to make some bath fizzies, then do everything the same way until you get to the putting the damp powder into the cupcake liner....INSTEAD, pack the powder into candy molds.  When dry, pop them out and you have an instant bath fizz. :)

Saturday Play Day

Ok - I got up intending to test out what I will be doing on the next segment for Everyday with Marcus and Lisa but since I couldn't locate one of the vital ingredients that didn't end up happening.  So, I played with Balsa wood and some stamps instead.

Being very inspired by this amazing artist at this site, I started on some Valentine's Day treats.  My daughter had made a Noah's Ark for a History project a while back with Balsa wood so I had some in my work room. (That's when I am happy that I don't throw my scraps away!!)  I decided to cut some tags and stamped them. They are very simple but I like them.  I also had seen her bowls.  They are absolutely stunning in their simplicity.  I found some little ceramic bowls and stamped one with Staz-On ink. I wanted to try it in red but I let my friend borrow my other inks so I only had black today.  I definitely think that Paloma's Nest are SOooo much better *as in NO comparison!* as the bowl is handmade and they are hand stamped and there is no color - Can you tell that  I just love hers!? But I really like how these came out too and with the right packaging they will be precious to give away.

Oh! I used my Making Memories magnetic stamps since they were a nice size but what I did was I put a glue dot on the back of them to put them on this little acrylic stamping block - otherwise I couldn't fit anything into the bowl.  I had my Staz-On cleaner right beside me for mistakes.  I must confess it did take quite a few (i.e. probabably 11!) tries to get it just like I wanted....not too light, not too dark, all letters appearing :) but the cleaner essentially works as an eraser so it came right off.  I don't know if it would take it off now since they have set a while and I'm not gonna try!  I'll post another picture once I figure out how I am going to present them.

I had bought this wood at Hobby Lobby in the woodworking section.  Balsa wood is very soft. I had 1/16" on hand but want to try it with 1/8".  I just cut it with an Exacto blade and a metal ruler.  The little round Valentine's Day stamps are from Michael's and were only $1!

Past-Due Christmas post

In the beginning, this was going to be an ornament - as in a tree ornament, however in the end it seemed more fitting for a doorknob  or armoire ornament.  

I started off with a 3 inch styrofoam ball. and some coordinating fabrics.  I snipped the edge of the fabric to allow me to tear the fabric into strips. They were about 1" wide and ended up being about 7" long.  I folded the strips in half and put a dab of hot glue on the ball and adhered the loops to the ball.  I did this over and over until the ball was full.  

On great thing about this project is that you can take it anywhere.  I literally took my gallon zip lock with my fabric, scissors, ball, pins and glue with me and when I had a few minutes waiting in the car or something I would work on it.  Another great thing is that it would be great for kids too - especially if you opt not to use hot glue *see below*.

On the others I made, I found that it worked better if I used no-sew fabric glue and quilting pins. By putting a dab of glue on the ball then securing it by taking a quilting pin through the fabric and sticking into the ball. After it dries you can just twist the pin out but I just left mine in - they couldn't be seen. The glue gun, after a while, got too hot and I would have to unplug it to cool it down and start over. A "too hot" glue gun and a styrofoam ball aren't a good mix :) Another thing I found was that I liked using the 2 1/2 " ball a little better....sounds small but it still ended up being a really nice size.

Wish I had thought to take pics of the other balls before I gave them away.  They ended up being hostess gifts for Christmas parties we went to.  These pics are of one I made with more whimsical fabrics. The others had fancier fabrics because some of our friends (and their homes) are pretty fancy ;)

I was thinking this would be so cute in red or pink, white and black for Valentine's Day.  Maybe I'll try to fit that in soon. 

Like Old Times

It has been FOREVER, but today I made bread. It is SO good and with bread baking our home feels all nice and cozy! I buy our wheat and other grains from BreadBeckers . If you go to their website, you will find all the info you need on milling your own wheat and why it's so healthy for us!  It does take a bit of time - of which there isn't much of around here but once you get the hang of it, it can be done pretty quickly.  My husband and my kids LOVE it - and with 3 teenagers in the family there isn't many things I can say that about! :) I hope that I can get around to making it more in 2009 (one of my goals). At this point, even an occasional baking session is ALOT more than what I have been doing of late! 

So, my encouragement to you is - Is there something you used to do around your house or for your family you haven't done in a while?  A yummy dessert you used to fix, a favorite casserole, a special b'fast? What about calling an old friend? Or touching base with a neighbor? If so, plan a day to do it!