Halloween has come & went but I wanted to share my costume. I went as a mermaid and created the costume myself. It was quite labour intensive as I'm definitely an amateur sewer, but it actually turned out #success
I wasn't really able to document how I went about sewing the skirt and creating the top, but wanted to share a few steps along with photos of the finished product as I know some you ladies were asking.
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I'm so so so proud to share with you guys my newest creation: this mint colour maxi dress.
I purchased the fabric last night and poured my entire night into it, hours upon hours of work with many set-backs but managed to complete the project around 1am. Worth it though, as I'm not sure if I'd finish it if I put it down. Once I start something, I like to finish it the same day, if I can.
I was initially inspired by the dress Veronika wore to her baby shower, which is the Gabriella Rocha 'Hally' dress. Since maxi dresses are normally too short for me, and I didn't want to pay $65+ for the dress, I wondered if I could somehow make it. I ended up finding this fabric on sale for $7/metre and bought 2.5 metres. I also bought some thread to match and went home to get started.
The entire project took me about 6 hours, but I suffered many set-backs including running to the store for sewing elastics--that I didn't end up using in the end; talk about frustrating!--having to rip out over six feet of stitches, sewing elastics to the fabric that were on the wrong side, and more.
It was my most intricate project to date, but probably the one of my most proud of. I really wanted a grecian feel to this dress where it flows away from the body and is not form fitted on the lower half like the original Hally dress and really feel I accomplished that.
See some of my other creations:
* Maxi skirt.
* Maxi dress to Maxi skirt (video).
* My favourite top (which I'd replicate if I could but can't remember how I made this several years ago!).
It should be noted that I'm an amature sewer, completely self-taught and have never used a pattern. I make all my pieces from scratch and mostly with deeply discounted fabric or ends of rolls because I'm worried I'll screw up and have wasted a bunch of money. I use a Singer 7256 Fashion Mate which I received for Christmas a few years ago and love it.
I bought this pretty pink ombré fabric many, many months ago with the intent of making this top (again like the spotted one I recently made, and my earlier mint version from last summer) and then my sewing machine went into hibernation for the last five months or so and so it never was.
Until the other night.
It turned out well, but took me longer than expected as the fabric was giving me some issues. Additionally, when you're sewing something for someone else--which I never do--it's hard to know exactly what 'size' to make it. So, I just kind of made it the same size as my own top.
Also, you might note there is no seam down the back on this one, they are on the sides and that is simply because the way the fabric draped, I wanted the ombré at the bottom (not the side) and didn't want to cut and sew a seam just for the fun of it.
Just popping in to share my newest creation: a chiffon printed top with serged-ish edges; so don't go thinking I'm all fancy or anything. I didn't use a pattern, I just used my head.
I made this for a friend who lent me her vehicle for a week while I was in transition between selling my car and buying a new one while she was in Mexico, to say thank you.
This top was mimicked off this mint top I made in the summer (also seen on the mannequin via Instagram HERE).
Outfit deets:
* Urban Behaviour jacket (old).
* A.Co Designs top which you have seen with white skinnies, a leopard skirt/circle vest combo & a circle scarf I made, worn as a skirt (a fave outfit post). I made this top myself and love it, definitely in the top 10 from my closet.
* Seduction jeans (old) seen with a belted white top & in a another fave outfit post with over-the-knee boots.
* Aldo wedges which you've seen with burgundy waxed pants, a neon yellow/green sundress this past summer & with pink pants.
* Accessories: Ardene pashmina, F21 Bangle, A.Co Designs bracelet, Good Works leather wrap bracelet & Gucci sunnies.
I'll admit, I took these photos about a month ago and never got to posting them; hence the beautiful fall leaves and colours. We certainly don't have any leaves left on trees anymore and while I was hoping to capture more of the fall colours in outfit posts, it seems by the time I would leave work, it was dark out and I'd missed the opportunity (these were taken on my lunch break one day).
And so, here we are in December, with Christmas quickly approaching and as I look outside it's slowly started to snow, large fluffy flakes that are coming down sparse, but slowly speeding up. Winter is here, despite the mild temperatures we've experienced the past few days. Some people wish for snow, but not me. I'm not a fan of the cold and while I love snow on Christmas, if it melted shortly thereafter and I'd be fine with it.
Speaking of the holidays, does anyone have any Christmas parties to go to? I have my work Christmas luncheon this Friday and a party next Saturday night (which I'm so excited for because it has been years since I've been to a real, night-time Christmas party! Eep!). What is everyone wearing? Dress? Skirt/Top combo? Pants?
Outfit deets:
* Zara sweater (new!) which I posted on Instagram and seen in my Zara haul video.
* Dynamite tube top worn as a skirt.
* La Senza bandeau (old).
* Aldo wedges which have been loved, and loved, and loved. They are two years old and I've worn them with a grey pencil skirt & thin knit teal sweater, also with a top and skirt I made myself (a favourite post, actually) when these shoes were brand new, with a navy blue dress and lastly with a gauzy, draped vest I made.
* Accessories: Mexx necklace, F21 bangle, Gucci shades & A.Co Designs bracelet with charms.
I want to talk about confidence and being secure in yourself. I think
many people think these things come from having a perfect body, nice
clothes and lots of money. While these things help, they don't create confidence.
Confidence, self-assurance and being secure in yourself come from within. It doesn't matter how big your muscles are (boys), or how thin your thighs are (girls). In fact, sometimes these things are a pure facade for insecurities. It's important to keep in mind what is important; kindness, honesty, and being true to yourself.
The best confidence builder? I think it's personal achievements and accomplishments. Whether it's getting a good mark in school, praise from your boss for doing a good job, learning something new (and rocking it!) or simply doing something that pushes you outside your comfort zone.
Doing it on your own is key.
Being handed things is nice, and easy, but does it give you confidence? Does it assure you, internally, that you could have achieved it on your own?
The answer is often no.
Proving to yourself, first of all, and then others, that you are capable is what will boost your confidence. Don't do it for anyone else but yourself, others will notice when you are least expecting them to, and that, that makes it all the more gratifying.
Have you pushed yourself outside your comfort zone lately to build confidence? If not, do it before the week is over. Set one or two goals and go for it! What is the worst that could happen?
Here are my goals for this week:
* Go on the scariest slide at the water park (that I really don't want to do!). COMPLETE.
* Meet someone new.
* Make my new boss feel confident he can count on me just after a short six days of working together.
* Play in a baseball tournament and actually make an effort to catch the (scarily fast) ball (that is coming towards me. Eep!).
Outfit deets:
* F21 top which you have seen with grey denim & a sweater I made into a cardigan.
* Dynamite skirt (old).
* Aldo wedges which I've had for years and these are my second pair. I DIY studded the first pair I owned.
* Accessories: A.Co Designs necklace & bracelet, Old Navy bangle & Gucci shades.
Outfit deets:
* Costa Blanca top that I've had for at least three years but only ripped off the tags when I went to put it on for this evening (I told you I'm a saver).
* A.Co Designs / DIY maxi skirt (wearing for the first time!) that I made myself and is long enough to wear with heels (do you know how hard it is to find a long enough maxi skirt, let alone one that works for me in heels? Next to impossible.)
* Liliana wedges (old) which you have seen with a smoke pencil skirt and light pink, and a similar combo of grey denim and light pink, and also with black skinnies & a white leather jacket
* Accessories: Auslini bangles & Suzy earrings and ring.
This has been such a busy week, and I love it. I'm still fighting a terrible cold that I came down with last week, but no matter, hopefully with some good rest this long weekend, I will be better for Tuesday.
I'm so looking forward to the long weekend. Tonight my bestie and I are getting pedicures after work and then her super sweet and generous hubby is taking us out for dinner to continue her birthday celebrations (we were in kahoots and threw her a big surprise party on Wednesday night, this is the outfit I wore).
Tomorrow I'm meeting up with my high-school friend who is in town for the weekend, for brunch. Tomorrow night will be another evening out with my favourite girls to carry on birthday celebrations.
The rest of the weekend is pretty open, except for a family dinner one evening, which is great because something always tends to come up and if it doesn't, more time to sew, blog, clean, do laundry or simply sit around and relax.
Have a great weekend!
Outfit deets:
* DIY top that I wore out with leather shorts & peep-toe booties a couple weekends ago.
* Smart Set cami.
* Seduction skirt (old) which you've seen with a navy tee and red flats.
* Sam Edelman 'Sophie Low' wedges (new-ish) which I'm wearing 24/7 it seems; seen with my DIY denim cut-off shorts (when I purchased my condo), also with white skinnies & shades of green.
* Accessories: Club Monaco belt, A.Co Designs necklace & a close up of my arm stack.
I have been driving the same car for almost nine years. Nine. Years.
Long time, 'eh?
So lately, there have been a few things happening with my car, and it's needed some loving. Half a new exhaust system here. A new wheel barring there. And so on. Fortunately my Dad is a (retired) mechanic and can sometimes do the work for me, and more importantly, taught me how to keep my car nice.
So a week ago, on a Sunday afternoon, while visiting my parents, we were laughing at how none of us were very sure how much longer the 'Silver Bullet' would last (yes, she has a name). She is 12 years old, after all, and anything can happen. And so, we started to peruse the AutoTrader, talk cars, and so forth. And while it seems every Spring I seem to do the, 'This is the year, I'm selling my car and getting something else... finally,' but this Spring I didn't want to do that.
I'm finally settling back into life, getting my finances in order and feeling pretty good. The thought of a car payment (after so many years without) is a little terrifying to me. I know for most people, a car payment is just something in life, but when you have gone for years upon years without one, you grow accustom to that extra cash every month.
I figured, at this point, I will drive my car into the ground (versus selling it for peanuts now) and then buy something.
Well, 'then' might have come sooner than later.
Last Monday morning on my way to work, my car broke down. I wasn't even halfway there and I took off from a set of lights and she did not like the feeling of second gear. Nor third. Nor back to second.
Long time, 'eh?
So lately, there have been a few things happening with my car, and it's needed some loving. Half a new exhaust system here. A new wheel barring there. And so on. Fortunately my Dad is a (retired) mechanic and can sometimes do the work for me, and more importantly, taught me how to keep my car nice.
So a week ago, on a Sunday afternoon, while visiting my parents, we were laughing at how none of us were very sure how much longer the 'Silver Bullet' would last (yes, she has a name). She is 12 years old, after all, and anything can happen. And so, we started to peruse the AutoTrader, talk cars, and so forth. And while it seems every Spring I seem to do the, 'This is the year, I'm selling my car and getting something else... finally,' but this Spring I didn't want to do that.
I'm finally settling back into life, getting my finances in order and feeling pretty good. The thought of a car payment (after so many years without) is a little terrifying to me. I know for most people, a car payment is just something in life, but when you have gone for years upon years without one, you grow accustom to that extra cash every month.
I figured, at this point, I will drive my car into the ground (versus selling it for peanuts now) and then buy something.
Well, 'then' might have come sooner than later.
Last Monday morning on my way to work, my car broke down. I wasn't even halfway there and I took off from a set of lights and she did not like the feeling of second gear. Nor third. Nor back to second.
Uh oh.
I
pulled over as she chugged along and called CAA immediately. They
eventually sent a tow truck while I waited for over an hour in the
humidity. Fortunately, after three days of work (trial, error, research, ordering parts, installing, etc.), my Dad was able to fix the problem (and save me about $500), however, who knows when and what will happen next.
And so, the process of, 'Operation (maybe) buy a car,' has potentially begun.
Has anyone purchased a new car recently?
And so, the process of, 'Operation (maybe) buy a car,' has potentially begun.
Has anyone purchased a new car recently?
Ashley B Jacket (last seen here), Stitches sweater, Old Navy button down, Dynamite skirt (last seen here), Glaze booties (last seen here), A.Co Designs wool & leather scarf (last seen here), Suzy belt & Auslini bangle
As I sit here and type this I feel happy. My life is (somewhat) in order, my laundry is done, my belly is full, my place is (somewhat) tidy and I feel good. Things are falling into place and it feels good.
I had a Skype date with my BBFF the other night. Always good to catch up with that girl, and although thousands of miles apart, it's almost as if it isn't... almost.
And in other exciting news, I got a new laptop. Yay! My old one konked out on me after over six years and I have finally entered the twenty-first century. It's nice to have some speed and have something that doesn't take 12 minutes to shut down. It's also super pretty too.
Finally, can you believe Christmas is less than two months away? Love it! The stores are putting out their holiday products, seasonal music is streaming through the speakers, and there is no sign of any (icky) snow yet. It's like a dream. I've even already started my shopping, slowly but surely. When will you start?
Joe Fresh cardigan, Mexx dress, Jules & James flats, Le Chateau pashmina,
A.Co Designs key necklace, F21 bangles & Bay ring
Three patterns are better than one, wouldn't you agree? I got so many compliments on this outfit - people seem to really be digging the mix of prints (did I really just say 'digging'?). It's pretty basic as it's all black and white, but a great way to incorporate the mixing-prints-trend into your look.
Thank you all for your sweet comments on my return to the world of blogging. You are all so sweet and it's much appreciated. I'm doing well. I know I promised you all a give-away, and I haven't forgotten; I promise to get that up early next week.
In other news, the weekend is here, my new shoes arrived in the mail yesterday (I will post those tomorrow), I have recently had a ton of luck in the purse-shopping-department (so rare for me, I've been using the same bags for years now with the odd addition here and there, and then I find like, four in the past three months - unheard of) and it's still Summer (for those of you wishing away the Summer and craving for Fall, please stop. It's especially disheartening for someone like yours truly who lives in winter for, oh, about eight months of the year). Okay fine, I'm secretly excited for faux fur, layers, leggings, breaking out my (faux) leather jackets, jeans tucked into boots (and boots for that matter), hot beverages, crisp evenings and spiced candles. But I can wait.
Spring sandals, Joe Fresh necklace & Auslini bangle
Lately I find myself much more drawn to my flats than my heels. It could be the warmer weather (flats are less fussy) or just the fact that I'm prefering comfort over... well... uncomfort? Yes, I admit it, as much as I love heels, they aren't always comfy.
So two weeks ago I went to a (beautiful) wedding ceremony and reception. The service was beautiful, outdoors (it was a hot and sunny day) and in a gazebo and the bride was stunning. The reception was at a super upscale hotel in their outdoor pavilion, and so chic. Everything from the dress to the cake was perfect that day and I think I speak for everyone when I say it was an amazing day and night. However, due to the fact that it was an outdoor-ish reception, the mosquitos were a tad prickly. The next day I had nine bites on one foot and six on the other. Nine on one foot. Can you believe that? I must be pumpin' some pretty awesome blood... it's either that or the fair skin - they see right through me.
Anne Michelle heels (last seen here), swapped out for my flats during my lunch hour... and the rest of the day.
A.Co Designs circle vest (last seen here), American Eagle oxford (gingham), Joe Fresh oxford (solid), Dynamite skirt (last seen here), Anne Michelle heels, Givenchy tights, thrifted belt, Mark necklace & Bay bangle
Hello lovelies, please forgive the slight absence - it's been a week and I was so busy and blah blah blah, who cares right? All that matters is I'm back and that's that.
So let's talk cars. I've decided I'm going to keep my car (I know, right, after the car shopping episodes and all) as it's the smarter choice right now. I would love to have something new (I've had my car for quite a long time) but this just makes sense for now. So yesterday I went to my parent's house and my wonderful Dad put my summer tires on, fixed my trunk latch, installed a new headlight switch (I've been driving around without lights... well, I had daytime running lights but those aren't very bright at night and I'd have to hold the lever halfway towards me in order to get the highbeams to come on... I know, a little bit ghetto, but, since I was planning on buying a new car so didn't want to spend the $75 for a new switch) and replaced my burnt out signal bulb. Having a (retired) mechanic for a Dad has huge perks.
After I left their house, I did a bit of shopping (Winners & Joe Fresh) and picked up a few goodies. I'll take some pics and show you what I picked up (exciting). Also, I know I promised you birthday gift pictures and I haven't forgotten, it's just life has gotten in the way and taking perfect pictures takes a lot of time!
Lastly, I created a vlog of my favourite hair products (as someone asked for that) and loaded it onto my computer and it crashed. It won't even turn on. Of course I didn't put the video on my laptop, that would just be too easy. Le sigh. So, you might or might not be seeing that video in the future. On that note, does anyone have a good (free) video editing software? Hook a sistah up.
An old friend contacted me as she'd seen the chiffon ruffle top I made and she wanted to get something similar. I ended up embellishing a black tank top she already had with a huge ruffled flower. It turned out so nice I'm debating what colour I'm going to do for myself!
Old Navy jacket, American Apparel vest, A.Co Designs top, Forever 21 skirt, unknown tights,
Aldo wedges (last seen here), Joe Fresh necklace & Dynamite belt
I wasn't kidding when I said these wedges might take precedent over my current faves - they've been getting a ton of play lately. I've only had them for a week and a half and already worn them four times. If you've seen my shoe room, that's playing favourites for sure. This was the first time wearing them with the ankle strap and I have to say, quite impressive. I could run all over the office, up and down stairs, all day long without any slippage. Perfect!
In other news, this might just be the world's tiniest umbrella that-actually-covers-a-full-grown-working-woman. I love the look of it, it's adorable with it's lace trim and the sunny yellow colour is peppy... however, I never understood people's comments when I'd be using this umbrella. Asking me if I got it in the child's department, or if my umbrella was, 'big enough?' After seeing these photos, I might just have to get rid of this thing stat. I look like some sort of wanna-be-child freak. Look how small the shaft (shaft? stick? handle?) is! I guess I'm channeling my inner-child. Yes, that's it, my inner-child. From now on I need to start using this umbrella instead... which I DIY'ed myself.
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