Veronica Darling

Lovers of Overlockers

2012-01-21T11:30:00.000+11:00

Did you see this? I checked my email, and I've just fallen off my chair at that Summer Knits from $6.00 part... I've previously picked up some lovely remnants from the Fabric Store in Sydney (My St Patrick's Day dress was made from a darling stretch cotton) so I might have to convince my bank balance that I could pop down to Brunners Street later today.........

I want floppy stretch summer knits! (And for myself! WTF, I thought I was 'Sewing for Others' now). Maybe I'll give myself a little reward sewing for Sew Weekly for myself for so long, and then get stuck into Husbie's shirt (Negroni is waiting).

Some ideas for the coming year

2012-01-20T21:53:00.001+11:00

Yay, it's Friday! If you're one of those darling total blog besties, you'll know my day job is h-e-c-t-i-c and hilarious. Working as a radio producer (now a senior producer) at a national radio station is super fun, but totally contagious because there's always so much to do. Every day is a different day, you have to be flexible but plan ahead, blah blah. And right now, is peak time for us as the Hottest 100 countdown will be revealed next Thursday. I totally forgot to remind you to vote if you liked awesome songs from last year! EEP. But you can still hear the Hottest 100 next week and enjoy!

After Sewing Weekly in 2011, I'm kinda glad I'm not on a sewing deadline when I have such busy day job deadlines... especially since Husbie and I will be in Sydney (for work, networking and a friend's wedding!) all next week. PHEW!

But for now, I wanted to chat over some sewing or crafty ideas for this year... I haven't really thought them out yet, so forgive me as I use this lovely little post (with flowers from my lovely little home) to think over what I wanna do in 2012 sewing-wise.

Why Do I Sew (a reminder for myself)?

It's super fun to do
I love wearing clothes that fit well for petite ladies (i.e. me)
I love not shopping in boring stores for generic clothing and ultimately feeling the 'wrong size'
Learning new skillz is tricky and fun
People love seeing my clothes
I like inspiring peeps as well

What's my main commitment(s) in sewing?

To use recycled, thrifted, op shopped, refashion materials
To sew weekly or regularly

What have been the biggest challenges or projects in my sewing thus far?

Sewing with deadlines and other day job/work commitments
Sewing 24/7 (twice - eep) and Sewing Weekly were big successful challenges
Sewing 100 Outfits was also successful (and I enjoyed this more as I took my time plus it was my first project that really advanced my sewing skills from novice to intermediate)

Overall, I love making things, and I love it as my hobby, and I know that challenges or goals makes me finish things (I'm ridiculous with keeping the old UFO's around, whilst I don't mind clutter, I don't like unfinished business)...

So considering where I've been to with my sewing in the past few years, I'm thinking of setting another '100' goal, but for items and garments for others... '100 Other Things' or '100 Things' might be a good name... I'll slowly but surely sew and craft things for other people (and perhaps actually make some birthday presents this year?) and maybe even stock my etsy store? LOL That'll be the day!

Last year with Sew Weekly was amazing in so many ways and you've seen the results of sewing weekly for myself, but, I'd really like to make this year about others and the lovely people in my life... and through that find out more about sewing for different sized people, and stretching out to accessories and other interesting sewing or crafty projects.

I'd really love to crochet a tiny grey dalek from Doctor Who for example!? LOL! (Husbie will love that one!)

ANYWAYS! Love a little challenge, and this time I'll say no time frame, just a 'doing and making' session each week and then show you the results! You'll never believe what's all over my sewing desk right now... just using the overlocker to make some 'strange' bunting! We'll see how it comes up!

Wishing you a lovely weekend ahead! xoxo

A New Hat!

2012-01-18T08:09:00.000+11:00

I bought something from the shops! SHOCK!

On hotter summer days, I tend to wear my hair up high in a top knot or pony tail, but when you're outside it's hard to fit a hat over the hair! But, when I was in Bendigo recently, I visited an op shop which was right next to The Bendigo Hat Shop, and of course there were plenty of hats... and more to the point hats with holes up the top for hair!

This photo is at sunset, in our front yard... how amazing that we grow so many flowers!

xoxo Hope the week has been lovely to you!

Minimal Decorations at Mine

2012-01-15T10:24:00.002+11:00

Happy weekend! It's my Mum's birthday, so we've had a BBQ, gone shopping (at the fun food market in Footscray - Little Saigon!) and now we're popping out for brunch. Tomorrow we're taking her to see Ira Glass talk, the host of This American Life podcast, so it's all go go go!

I wanted to show you a few things we've got around the home, now that we're half renovated (ceilings, walls painted and carpets removed with nice polished floors) as we're kinda comfy with the new house to live in for now. A lot of friends have said "Live in the House for a year, before you plan major renovations", so we'll kick back for now and see how we enjoy the little DIY we've added and see what the future planning will hold.

And how darling are the floors:

Hope you're enjoying the weekend, love to you! Thank you SO much for all your amazing comments on my crochet blanket! It was a massive effort, and so pleased it came out ok! YAY!
xoxo

Voila: "The Breaking Wire" Crochet Blanket

2012-01-11T17:30:00.000+11:00

Last summer, in the January sales, I bought some wool. LOTS of wool, and it took a year and LOTS of TV shows to watch, but 90 Granny Squares later here's my darling crochet blanket!

I'd seen something (I think on the Frankie Spaces/Homes magazine?) massive like this, and I became a little fixated on challenging myself to make something so large. I'd taught myself how to crochet maybe 3 or 4 summers ago, but have only made smaller baby blankets leftover from my scraps of wool (after my urban graffiti adventures in Newtown!)... the best place to learn crochet? Youtube clips of wonderful people showing you how they do it!

The colours look so great together and I'm really happy with the haphazard layout... originally I'd shuffled them so there was more order to them, but this makes it a little more SHABBY CHIC right? LOL. The Morris and Sons shop where I bought the wool (it's in Melbs CBD in Collins Street) were just AMAZINGLY helpful... they weighed out how much wool I'd need per square and helped calculate the black edging. Truly the BEST customer service! Overall this cost me a hefty $300 approx and hours and hours of watching several series of Breaking Bad and The Wire. They're tv shows with too much suspense for me, so multitasking is the best distraction when the going gets tough!

For the $300 though; this blanket will last for a very long time... the wool was a better quality and initially as always the thrifty queen, I was hovering around the bargain bin... but the shop assistant reminded me that to go to all this effort, to crochet 90 granny squares, and crochet it all together (I've heard this is the long way to do it too. DAMN) with lesser quality wool, would mean it just wouldn't last a few washes. And now that it's all made up, I'm so glad I spent a bit more on the wool.

In the summer, it'll live on our 'bright' couch and in winter on our bed like above.

Since the house was looking so swish, I took a few photos for you as well! I'll post them for you soon! We're finding the right spots for everything now, which is great and loving being here in summer so to sit outside on the lawn. Just magic in the warmer evenings! xoxo

Inland for New Years

2012-01-10T08:30:00.000+11:00

Husbie and I had a mini break in Central Victoria, for a darling friend's 40th over the New Years Weekend. It was crispy dry, and very hot, and even though I'm not a huge beachy person, I felt very inland and land locked. We swam in a dam. My Husbie (in a former life he was a NZ-er) said "How Australian is this, swimming in a damn?"

Yes, it's very Australian.

I finally photographed something very special! Can't wait to show you my crochet blanket (and another post with Doggie Darling - bless) this week! Yes, so what it if took ALL year to crochet, I was Sewing Weekly all year after all, my dear.

Sewing Weekly in Numbers!

2012-01-09T09:00:00.000+11:00

This, my friends, is the wonderful creation of Mena Trott, our Sew Weekly Queen! Last week, she did some number crunching and invited us four girls to contribute our own numbers (51 posts to go through!) so we can look over our stats in a colourful infographic way!

Part of my personal commitment to the Sew Weekly was to use stash fabric (most of my stash being thrifted fabrics) and I did visit the fabric store a couple of times but I'm really happy the clear majority of my garments came from thrifted or refashioned garments from the stash.

One of my favourite points was how many times we needed assistance in getting out of a garment! I loved that Mena included that, as I'd forgotten about dresses getting stuck on my shoulders or over the boobs when peeling it off. LOL!

Overall, because of the thrifty nature, it's no surprise to me that the costs are so low for an average garment and in a year where we were saving to buy a house (and did) I'm glad I didn't bust the bank! I'm in LOVE with how Mena's placed it out here, it's such a lovely record of what we got up to last year! MEMORIES! I love how my blog is like my scrapbook!

xoxo

Sew Weekly: Last for 2011

2012-01-08T15:29:00.000+11:00

Found them! Husbie and I took these photos at my parents house, and I'd used my laptop (hence I couldn't find the piccies) to then get the photos up on my post on Mena's Sew Weekly site, which then marked (and celebrated) my final Sew Weekly garment for 2011! The dress is way too short, as I got scared cutting out the 6 skirt pieces (on the bias) that I'd run out of fabric. I didn't. I ran out of pep to do anything about it though.

Oh well!

It feels like I'm in a suspended state of 'THANK YOU' here at my blog, because I am so happy to have finished a year of sewing weekly, and your lovely support and comments and emails through the year has made the happiest little pocket rocket around.

Cheers to you (even though you may not want to be looking at another glass of sparkling!) and here's to a very full year of creating stuff. How great is it to make stuff with your own hands? I'm constantly amazed that I can actually do this! Make a freaking dress (even though it's short) and write up on a freaking blog on the internet! WOW!

Cheers again:

How cute are the dogs? Little!

Mum's garden is just so lovely! It was really green because Victoria's had some good rain before Christmas (every time you're in the country they talk about the rain) but we were around Bendigo for NYE and it was already really dry and crispy, so Gippsland has it lucky.

I'm really pleased with the sleeves on this Oolong (the Colette pattern) because last time they were a sneaky bit too tight, so I decided to create a self facing bit that was pretty much an extension of the hem of the sleeve... do you get me? I then curved it as well, so it was more of a cap sleeve which the gathered (and right side piece) top sleeve bit matched up to, and I sewed through both thicknesses to the garment. I love it with the floaty material... and I love how there are no stitches on the sleeve.

I'm a little disappointed it wasn't a truly amazing dress, but I guess that what happens... sometimes it's a winner and sometimes not! I have a couple of other parties coming up this month, so I'll have to get some ideas going for them! One is a darling wedding with TWO events! Have any of you been to a Mehndi ceremony? I'm really excited!

Happy weekend! xoxo

Cambodian Stories: Relaxxxx

2012-01-07T10:00:00.000+11:00

And the last collection of photos from my Cambodian holiday is the relaxing, calming beachy part.

Hope you take a deep breath in, and enjoy the warmth from Cambodia, wherever you are! xoxo

Sew Weekly: Fin for 2011

2012-01-06T08:56:00.001+11:00

Hooray! A whole year of 'Sewing Weekly'!

I borrowed the image above from Mena's post on the Sew Weekly for it's us four Sew Weekly 2011 contributors, Adey, Debi, Sarah and myself... but I love that Mena chose her favourite outfits made by us during the year when she grouped the photo of us together. I love it!

What a wonderful year of sewing. And a big PHEW as well. I have one more dress to show you from my year, but since we were in the country when we took the photos, I think they're on my laptop and not my desk computer. DRAMZ!

My first garment for 2012? A shirt for Husbie! He needs one!

What are you planning for 2012? xoxo

Cambodian Stories: NOM!

2012-01-05T11:19:00.000+11:00

Back to Cambodia in October 2011, I wanted to show you some of the foods and drinks and things we saw and the photos I took with my little camera! The Lumix takes the best close up shots, as it's got a really great depth of field... which means it blurs out the background and makes whatever the main subject is crisp and clear (Like our cocktails above!).

Here's a markets with more packaged things that I'd expected, but gotta love those dragon fruits!

And in Phonm Penh we ate at a gorgeous organic type restaurant with really super healthy food (a great reward after all that riding of our bikes & drinking of the cocktails!):

And delish drinks too cool down with!

I've got one more post for you from Cambodia, and it's beachy themed! Could be a little tease for you Northerners (I've heard it's been snowing in some parts!?) but suits my relaxed mood this week! Stay tuned (LOL).

Hope you've been enjoying your first week of January and 2012 so far! xoxo

And so it's 2012

2012-01-04T09:00:00.000+11:00

I've been saying Twenty Twelve since October. We've all been ready for the new year to start for over 2 months, and now that it's here... I feel like crashing into a pile and resting for at least 12 months!

Thank you SO much for your lovely notes and your support through 2011, and I'm SO looking forward to blogging with you (either as a writer yourself, or a reader) through this year. What a year ahead too. It's going to be great!

Oh yes, you'll get some recaps of my Sew Weekly 2011 adventures, from my favourites to the weirdest ones. And you'll soon see what my plans for 2012 are too... they're not big plans, mind you. So don't sweat it! I seem to go HUGE year, small year, HUGE year, small year... here in blog land... so my challenges will hopefully be small and cute.

My little sewing room is 'getting there'... after the move, and a moderate unpack (thanks to Husbie) to keep me in the Sew Weekly swing, it's now very used! I just need to get a system going with threads, fabrics I wanna use first, books, and notions. I like things to look cute but mostly to be accessible, so if they live in drawers and cupboards it means I usually forget about them!

But here's my sewing room floor! (In a photo I forgot to turn right way up)

The carpet is amazing! The yellow pieces are leftovers from my Bike Apron... which I'll forever call a Riding Dress! (One of my plans this year is to see if I can draft my own pattern for it!)

And the best thing is that the computer fits in too! YAY!

Cambodian Stories: What a Location!

2011-12-30T07:15:00.000+11:00

Here are some more Cambodian photos! Once again, I've just chosen a handful for you, as we could be doing slidenight for a few weeks.

From top to bottom:
Mekong, flooded in Phnom Penh.... night time restaurant lantern in Kep... view from the loveliest hotel in Kep... the rice fields of Cambodia (the more regular road side paddocks)... seaside town on the way to Kampot... and the last photo is somewhere on a mountain after driving halfway back to Phnom Penh.

It's a different kind of scenic place, not a WHOA the canyon's so big, more like a *sigh* it's just gorgeous and calming.

We're going to the country for the weekend, so I won't be seeing you til 2012! Have a safe weekend and Happy New Year!

xoxo

Cambodian Stories: The Bike Ride

2011-12-27T16:28:00.001+11:00

Why HAI! Time for a little show and tell, via my Cambodian Bike Riding Adventure from October this year. It feels like an AGE ago, in light of all our ups and downs from the last few months, and when 'change' happens, it really does happen to us.

My lovely friend invited me to Cambodia for a mini break, and there were 4 in our group, with 3 extra riders the first two days. We rode 4 days, over 350 kilometres. I kid you NOT. I of little legs, and barely much bike riding distance, can ride 350kms! We toured with Grasshopper Adventures, and they were LOVELY tour guides! Mostly we rode 15-20km in the morning usually with water/snack breaks in between, here's some delish Dragon Fruit:

By 12noon it started to get really hot, and sticky and in some places the terrain was super flat, but without shade. They were the terror parts! Looking up and not seeing any shade for 5 kms! The afternoon we rode 10 km legs instead! It was on the first day, around our morning tea time, that Husbie called to say Doggie Darling was unwell... and with tears, we went on the day, and by the time we'd reached Takeo (a very small poor town south of Phnom Penh) he'd called again, letting me know she's passed away. It was so surreal being so far away from Husbie. There were so many crazy things in Cambodia, so many animals, so many small gorgeous children on the bike ride that day... it seemed strange to be sad over my dog... we have got such a lucky life in Australia.

The rest of the bike ride was challenging, but having the physical challenge kept my emotions in perspective. There were so many wonderful things in Cambodia, and to be outside of the city just really made me appreciate my home and to love travelling and meeting people outside of my community. My friends and I all supported each other in different ways, we took heaps of photos and told stories about all things we'd love to do. Travelling makes you so inspired!

Here are some more foodie shots, fried banana!

And here's the support van, just in case the sun and the riding was too much!

A lot of our rest stops were little shops like this one above! Usually the shopkeepers didn't speak English, so our guides would tell us what was going on. This shop above was also a massage parlour and a motor bike garage/fix it up type place.

And here are the group of guides who helped us and made sure we survived! The last day, we had the most hills, and they would ride up alongside, and help you get up the steeper hills with a little push!

There's zillions of photos of Cambodia here on my computer, but I thought I'd share a few over the next week, with a little bit of the scenery and some other things we got up to.

Hope you're driving safely if you're travelling over the holidays, and I'll see you soon! (Last week of Sew Weekly too! OMG) xoxo

Sew Weekly: Neon Bike Dress

2011-12-24T20:00:00.000+11:00

Happy Christmas Eve AND/OR Saturday to you! Just got back to Gippsland for a small family gathering, and wanted to step in real quick to the interwebz to say HI! xoxo

The penultimate Sew Weekly theme for 2011 was simply: Do Whatever. Anything Goes! I was pretty happy with this theme, because I've been curious about making some cycling gear that reflects my casual modern/vintage flair & the usual attire is pretty body hugging and probably very practical, but not for me.

(Would you describe my style as casual modern/vintage flair? I have no idea, just made that one up!)

So hence the Bike Apron! I used a vintage Butterick pattern, and made it from Spotlight's fluro nylon fabric (I found it up the back of the Braybrook/Maidstone store, and how would you spell fluro incidentally? Flouro? Fluoro? Oh boy.) and it was a breeze to work with. I added faux glass buttons to get a more 'reflective' look and attached a small loop on the right shoulder, so I can add a little itty bitty light for when I ride at nighttime.

Do you like it?

It's the BEST! (And totally serves it's purpose of standing out and looking bright on the roads.) AND, I've been overwhelmed by the attention it's received at Sew Weekly! My full post explains a bit more about making it, but was Facebooked and Tweeted by Frankie Magazine! Over-bloody-whelming. How sweet of them! If you're wondering Mena why you had so many Australian clicks on my post, it's because Frankie has over 125,000 Facebook friends! YIKES.

As mentioned, I'm STOKED with the dress, but I'm overwhelmed by your positive feedback. YAY! I love that vintage style and cycling can go together, and something this bright can be considered cool!

You could call it a Bike Pinnie, a Bike Apron or BAPRON, a Cycling Suit ... I'm going with Bike Apron for now! And, I have a feeling they'll be one of the first things I'll make up in 2012 for my etsy store (that has been sad and bare)! I have a few ideas about making it a bit better, and now that I'm a total designer (LOLZ, I've made one patternless dress, and now I'm a designer) I can totes make my own pattern!

Wishing you a darling holiday season, with safe travels and darling hugs with loved ones. If I don't check in tomorrow, I'll see you through the week, as I'm planning on showing you my Cambodian photos! Watch out! It's slideshow night from my holidays!

xoxo to you

(and thanks for being such a dream to virtually hang out with!)

Sew Weekly: Without a Pattern

2011-12-23T09:02:00.000+11:00

Not sure about you, but I just LOVE when people on blogs change their hair... they might get a haircut (just noticed Esme's darling curled bob) or get a different style or colour. It's really interesting how different people dress up or dress down their locks, and I always love looking for inspiration. I've had ratbag hair for most of my life, but have totally enjoyed it more AFTER the age of 25 I reckon!

Of course, ratbag hair to me might be super fun hair for you!

So for a bit of change, I'm now a strawberry blonde, thanks to the WONDERFUL Corrin of Corrin's Hair Lounge. I've been platinum since April 2008 (but I didn't take photos of myself then on my blog!) and it has changed from white white blonde to yellow blonde a few times. It's surprisingly been very good for my hair, it's created less frizz and since I now only wash it once a week and don't use any heat to set my curls, it's actually really good condition. I will need to get a cut next month though, but the new colour is just superb.

There will be SO many more photos of the new do! I just set it in pin curls (or that pin roll video) this week and it looks pretty good!

BUT, have you seen this dress? This is the FIRST dress I've officially drafted and made from scratch! NO PATTERN! I've sometimes whipped up knit/stretch dresses, but they're so easy right? This dress, I created the bodice pieces and I'm amazed at how gorgeous it is!

My full write up on Mena's blog explains a bit of my process in making it, and I will be doing my drafting things next year, so I'll try and share a little more how I worked it out. It was tricky!

And here's a classic shot I see around online from fashion blogs... it's the 'Um, what's on my shoe?' look:

Sew Weekly: Pausing with Purple!

2011-12-20T22:11:00.000+11:00

Bye Blondie! This is my last Sew Weekly Outfit with my blonde hair! It looks weird now to check it out again!

As you know, I've been sewing a garment each week along with Mena, Debi, Sarah and Adey and we're down to the last few weeks! SO CRAZY as a year seems like a might long time of sewing along, making garments, taking photos and blogging together. Everywhere I drive around town now, I see places where Husbie and I have taken photos. Such a big challenge, and I'm amazed it's almost over and we'll always have 2011 as this Sew Weekly year!

Today, I'm catching you up with the purple week we've had a few weeks ago... Purple Reigns (I love it, Mena's so fun with the puns!) as does the little Purple Man himself, Prince!

I used my Japanese New Stylish Book for the top and either I picked the wrong fabric or sized it wrong because it's hugely floppy in the wrong way!

As usual, I've elaborated the pros and cons about it on my Sew Weekly post but I've worn the stretch knit skirt again and again already!

Hope you're having a festive week! I've cracked a few beers, but am waiting for a few sparking wines this week to get through my last Sew Weekly creation! xoxo

Sew Weekly: Domestic Refashions

2011-12-18T13:03:00.000+11:00

Heya! You're almost up to date with the Sew Weekly themes! Here's an outfit I made for the 'Home Sweet Home' theme, where we took items we'd usually use in our day to day home life, and turn them into something wearable. A little DIY from curtains, bedsheets, tablecloths but unsurprisingly not towels!

You've seen many of my refashions before, as I'm not shy in fixing up a dress from a tablecloth, and I still have plenty of bedsheets in the stash! I wrote about my inspiration in using a more cutesy bedsheet on Mena's blog, and it's a 3/4 full skirt made from a child's bedsheet... a thrifted one no less.

I have lined the skirt though, with leftover curtain tulle, or whatever it is... some netting stuff from my old house. The t shirt was a really quick fix too, made from some leftover stretch knit (it's totally gone a long way, it was a remnant from Sydney's best warehouse!) from this dress and this dress but because I'm a grub, both dresses have stains and they're kinda bad places for stains to be and to wear (on the boobs and tummy!).

One day when I get better at blogging, and videos and have more time, I'll post you a clip of how I make up these stretch knits, as this tshirt took 30 minutes, and dresses are sometimes even quicker...

OMG, I just realised how photo heavy this post is - SORRY EVERYONE!

The venue is a dis-used market area or car yard, I'm not sure what. As we're kinda new to the area, we've been passing this place on the way to the hardware store, and have always wondered. When Husbie saw my skirt, he was like 'We totally should go to that graffiti place'... and we snuck in through an open gate... and I had to totally 'act' normal through this photoshoot (LOL: photoshoot) because I was actually shitscared we'd get arrested. ARGH.

I know you're not a tame lot, so I haven't edited out the graffiti-ed swear words - you can handle it!

The top photo is my absolute favourite... Husbie is so good! Did I tell you he's got a photography exhibition in January? His first! ARGH! I'll tell you where and when soon!

xoxo

Small Things at My House

2011-12-16T09:22:00.001+11:00

The pups visited us again! Oooh they are so cute!

What are you doing this weekend? It's your last breath of a few days before Christmas, do you shop? Do you make things? Do you sit around in the sun sipping sparkling wine? (HINT: That's what I plan to do tomorrow)

My family is small, so we don't often have a big bash for Christmas, and we decided a while ago that we don't do presents (I feel I tell you this every year!) but we do food and we do a LOT of food. So yep, I've already been to Costco this week! (For the first time!)

We had a BBQ to welcome in our new house, and before the moved, we ditched a whole lotta crockery and cutlery we didn't need (ditched: took the op shop) but for the BBQ we realised we had nothing for people to drink out of... so after a trip to Savers (the supermarket op shop in Footscray) we stocked up on all these weird beer jugs! They look like jars with handles!

And one of the joys of having a BBQ, means we're cooking outside in the finer weather for most meals! Breakfast too! Thanks to mum and dad, who donated their old BBQ! It's soooooooo nice to cook and eat outside! We just love our new house!

Most of the boxes are unpacked thanks to Husbie (why am I so shit at domestic things?) so I'll grab some photos of the place soon!

Whatever you get up to over the weekend, stay safe and have heaps of fun! xoxo

Sew Weekly: Revisiting a Theme

2011-12-14T18:00:00.000+11:00

Still got a couple of Sew Weekly weeks to catch up on here! You may read both my blog and Mena's blog, but oh well! Sometimes I include different photos here anyways!

This week we revisited a style or theme that we'd liked or didn't like in an attempt to 'Do Over'. With the internetz being so global and everything, do you find a lot of language you've not really used before or come across? Y'All is one phrase I see around a LOT, and Do Over to me sounds quite foreign... the Australian in me wants to say Do It Over... LOL - We're all Global Villages now! #Learning about the world. (Don't even get me STARTED on twitter speak, I've been spending way too much time there for work, and my head's turned into a hashtag!)

Back to the dress and the darling little shrug!

LOL for the camera! This dress is rather sweet, and was a vintage Simplicity pattern I originally made in red for Valentine's Day Week at Sew Weekly. At the last minute, I decided to make it a gathered skirt, so ditched the pencil/straight skirt for a fuller one, and kinda regretted it.

Here I used lovelier vintage material, lined it properly (so the little key at the neckline sat flat, and kept the pencil skirt (which actually is more straight than pencil on me for some reason).

I love the shape and can't believe how skinny mini I look in it!

And, I even included the little placket back bit (or whatever it's called!):

I gave a bit more of a write up in the Sew Weekly post, and called it the Blue Valentine Outfit! The MOST darling feature was the shrug, which was also a quick after thought as I remembered Karin (a total babe btw) had sent me a template for 'The Perfect Shrug' and it is confirmed... by me... this is the PERFECT shrug to make and wear (I'm wearing it right now - having it worn it all day to work - and it's just freaking lovely!). I actually think I could make another one this week... hmmmm if there's time!

YIKES, it's getting closer to Christmas! And almost the end of the year! OMG, scary! It still feels like it's August. WHAT!

xoxo

Introducing: My Husbie's New Website

2011-12-12T20:27:00.000+11:00

Hey cuties, happy Monday!

Today I'm very excited to let you know about my Husbie's new adventure! As you know, we've gone through a lot of changes in the past few months. Our dear Doggie Darling passed away, we bought a house in Melbourne, I holiday-ed in Cambodia. We renovated parts of the new house, and then finally moved in. And all on a very tight budget, because... my Husbie was unfortunately on the bad side of a restructure at his work. There have been a few nail-biting moments for us, but (as always) we're Positina Turners in my family and have turned this into a career opportunity for him...

And so, I'd love to introduce you to my Husbie & his brand new website! Vincent (AKA Husbie) Taylor is a film colourist, cinematographer and stills photographer, and will be freelancing his mad skills from January next year!

The site has it's own domain: vincenttaylor.com.au but directs to a blogspot for now (using the new template 'Snapshot' which suits the photo heavy nature of his work, I reckon) and I learnt how to compress video (thanks to my animation friend!) for Vimeo, so there are lots of his showreels and short films up there. He's very keen on twitter, but not so keen on blogging (maybe I'm bad inspiration!) so the blog template above makes it look more like a website.

Husbie has worked in the Australian & New Zealand film industry for 15 years or so, firstly as a cinematographer and then as a film colourist. A colourist does a bunch of post film production detail that you probably don't even notice while watching tv or a film, and if you don't notice it, the better job the colourist has done! You already know Husbie can take great photos, as most of my photos this year (the good ones!) are his, but he also has another website devoted to his photography.

My role, as I hinted at earlier, in Husbie's new career move is to balance the books and generally be awesome & supportive - easy! I've decided that since I'm a producer at work in my radio job, I can totally adapt and be a producer in the new freelance business as well! Husbie's already got 2 weddings booked for next year, and I'll also lend a hand with my trusty little stills camera to be his assistant! If you're on the look out for wedding photography, or any photography, get in touch!

It's going to be a busy 2012 for us, and it hasn't even begun!

Thanks for all your lovely notes over the past crazy few months... I really appreciate your support and love and gush! If you wanna get in touch, (maybe you find the blogger comment form annoying & sometimes not working?) always feel free to send me an email veronicadarling@gmail.com or tweet me @veronicadarling .

xoxo

Sew Weekly: Burda Style Babe Dress

2011-12-10T19:54:00.001+11:00

This year has been really great for me sewing wise. Thanks to Mena at Sew Weekly, I've been constantly sewing, learning and laughing along the way with my fellow Sew Weekly gals. I'm amazed to be part of such a supportive online community, and it's honestly been such a wonderful year sewing along with Mena, Debi, Adey and Sarah. Even as it's approaching the end of sewing weekly for me, explaining what I've been doing here online and in my sewing room to people in real life just baffles them: "You do WHAT each week?", and if they get around to looking at the photos on Mena's site, they're like "WHAT?" and quite often "WHY?".

Why do we sew, blog and chit chat together? I'm sure we all have our different reasons why we do it... and this year, I'm SO proud that I've achieved so much here! I was determined (always setting my own personal goals) to not skip a week in the Sew Weekly, and use thrifted fabrics as much as possible. My sewing outlook is about recycling and using fabrics from the op shops, and whilst I love a good quality fabric store like the rest of us, I just try to cut down on all waste from our household so "Not Buying New" is part of that. I'm also about saving money, and I've made some wonderful things this year that I'll wear again and again... all for under $10.

But, a thrifty seamstress does like a few perks, no? AND, back when Mena told us we'd be sewing our own interpretation of a garment featured in the Burda Style Sewing Handbook, and a copy of the book would be sent to us, I almost flipped out. It's a stunning book, and I'm not shy to say that I pretty much loved Jen's version of the dress, so tried to emulate that ASAP! I've just seen that she's blogged it as well, with a lovely close up of the original dress!

My version has a few different tweaks, which is the beauty of the book... it explains how to tweak the pattern to your style, and your shape. I made the skirt fuller, like Jen's version and I had a little re-sizing to do. In my Sew Weekly post I try to explain all the changes I did! But now that I've worn it out a few times, people just LOVE the sides and I feel about the skinniest mini wearing it. It's so flattering for curves!

And just perfect for bike riding!

Over summer holidays (I'm getting Boxing Day and the next day this year) I'll write up my thoughts of the entire year at Sew Weekly, but to have such a challenge, and be so close to completing it... like I said before... I'm just AMAZED. What the HELL will I do next year?

Kisses to you, and I've got a few more Sew Weekly posts for you in the next week (just to catch you up) BUT, such big news: The Hair has been coloured. AND in a total weird makeover turn of events: I got my EARS PIERCED. I'm 33 years old, and just got my ears pierced for the first time. Yep. It's all happening! (LOL). Photos soon xoxo

Q & A: From November

2011-12-09T13:46:00.000+11:00

Until Blogger creates a better way to respond/reply to your comments (and considering the mobile app was just invented, perhaps that's the next step - *fingers crossed*), I thought Q&A weekly might be a good way to get back to you! Today, my lovely blog post is full of growth and loveliness, from my iphone! And our first tomato from the new tomato patch:

Hey @Miss Crayloa Creepy - We had a greek salad and veggie sausages/hot dogs from the BBQ for our al fresco dining! We discovered a vegetarian and vegan shop in our neighbourhood and it has loads of soy products that are totally delish!

@Amanda - Awards Nights yes, you guessed it and know me too well! And YAY, it all went live to air no probs (I stage managed the broadcast!). Also - my new tablecloth is actually plastic coated, so I can't even imagine sewing it up! Might be a bit too Lady Gaga for me!

@House of Pinheiro - Now blogger should just allow replying to comments and it'd be perfect! I'll have to update my iPad too! Thanks for so many of your lovely comments, you're such a babe!

and back to the house/renovating Q&A:

@Danielle from Seddon - CONGRATULATIONS. I love the west, and if I'd found a cheap enough house in Seddon, I'd have stayed put. We're in West Footscray but I hope to see you around sometime at the Seddon Wine Store perhaps!? All the best 'til settlement!

@Nikkishell - after you posted some of your outdoor/undercover shots, I reckon our backyard area is similar to yours too! Must be the Inner West and it's keeping in the same era! Hugz for westies!!!

Happy Friday sunshine!

Sew Weekly: Tiger Stripes Pin Up

2011-12-08T12:43:00.001+11:00

Why HELLO! I finally found these photos on my work computer, they're from the Pin Up week at the Sew Weekly. We'd not even really moved into our new home when we took these photos, so it was so much fun exploring the garden and finding all the gorgeous flowers!

The playsuit is just gorgeous, but I haven't had an occasion to wear it yet. The weather in Melbso has been heaps up and down, and IF it stays nice, I may wear it on the weekend.

It's a 1970s or early 1980s jumpsuit, that I cut off the legs to make it summer appropriate, and it has an elastic waistband. The fabric is from the Remnants Warehouse in Marrickville (or Alexandria - I forget which shop now) and I've had it for AGES as I've waited around for the perfect outfit.

Cute little heart buttons on the back too:

Too much fun!

Hope you're having a nice week! Are you getting ready for Christmas or the Holidays? We're not big gift givers in our family (however it's taken a few years to get into that mindset) so I'm not making anything special. I have only a few weeks of Sew Weekly left, and then I'm not sure what I'll do.

The Big Hair News for me: I'm heading to the hairdressers tonight, and actually will pick a new hair colour. I'm not sure what yet! I'm swinging between white, strawberry blonde, blonde, apricot and other shades of lighter orange. BUT I DON'T KNOW! What do you think?

About Time!

2011-12-07T13:11:00.001+11:00

Why why why have I only just discovered this blogger mobile app?

Or maybe it's only just launched?

Here's a little test post for you, live from my backyard where I enjoyed a darling al fresco dinner last night! Time is such a factor for my blogging, as I really wanna blog, show you what I'm making and wearing (ala Wear-drobe instead wardrobe) but I also wanna enjoy stuff IN REAL LIFE too!

Kisses to you and hope you're having a great week xoxo

Away & Visiting Sarah's Blog

2011-12-01T17:12:00.001+11:00

I'm away in Sydney for work, and (somehow) I found the time to write up a little thrifty post for Sarah's blog Rhinestones & Telephones! She's also got a bunch of great guest bloggers this month, so get reading! As this week is about refashioning things from around the home, I've shown a bunch of things I've made this year and upcycled or refashioned from household things. Curtains, Bedsheets & Tablecloths are all the rage in my op shopping basket!

Hope you're having a lovely week! It's been so lovely working with all my gorgeous pals in the Sydney office, and a great/successful week of radio (yet again!). I'm back on Saturday, with lots of fun things planned with my family and friends! We're having our first BBQ at our new place for Husbie's Birthday! Should be fantastic!

My Sew Weekly post is also up (made from a bedsheet) so pop along if you wanna check out what I'm wearing to my work Christmas Party tomorrow night! I'm going to be DANCING up a storm in that skirt!

xoxo

MELISSA VIA OK OK!

2011-11-28T16:30:00.000+11:00

Capital Letters means shouting right? I'm totally shouting to you today, because my friend has not only the best shop in Brunswick's Sparta Place, she's got GREAT things in the store too... AND there's a sale on... Melbourians: take a DEEP BREATH:

Melissa shoes (as modelled above - LOL) at OK OK!

I love it, she's called it Occupy Christmas, and there a gazillion great 'special' VIP shopping sales on THIS FRIDAY: 5pm - 8pm! Look up 'OK OK' on Facebook, and like the shit outta that page and please visit her this Friday and buy all your Christmas pressies! If you don't live in Melbourne, I'd suggest buying a plane ticket right now! Emina makes her own clothes, tights (!) and stocks a whole kit and kaboodle of delish designer fash. Oh, and did I mention she has a massive collection of MELISSA SHOES?

I *wish* I wasn't in Sydney this week, otherwise I'd be holding my credit card high and shouting about how all the Melissa's are mine. Maybe you are LUCKY I'm in Sydney!

Lost in the move and enjoying the Simple Life

2011-11-26T20:12:00.001+11:00

Hey-o! We've been moving house, and here and there I've been saving things to tell you about the big old move and all the ups and downs of my life as a fulltime radio producer, parttime seamstress (c/o Sew Weekly commitments), former mother of a darling dog, fulltime wifey, parttime gush machine and my new role . . . producer of Husbie's new job. (But, more details of THAT exciting chapter in our life next time!)

When I get time to write to you, I have toooooo much to write about! And what I really wanted to show you today was my Sew Weekly Pin Up photos, as they show so much of my (badly tanned) pins AND our new backyard. But! they're lost in the move. They're not on my computer, my USB stick, or my phone. They *could* be on Husbie's computer (that has sadly needed the Mac Doctor twice in one week) or my work computer. So instead, I'll piece together some things... simple things... I've been enjoying lately... as I start a new life with my Darling Husbie, and in our new house together. (And by simple things, they are just that. Small joys, so don't worry, it's not another sad post :)!)

Our garden has spots for all plants, including a handmedown succulent 'Merle' (at least that's what I've been calling her!) who's now moved into her fourth home in 2 years. Isn't she brave?

Our garden has LEMONS. Or more accurately, a lemon tree! And of course we celebrated this fact with cocktails.

My friend brought his puppies to visit! They are fox terriers, and too tiny! They also get very tired! How sweet they are, and we loved hugging them!

I'm now caring for tomatoes and basil! Oh, I totally forgot that I'm also a parttime gardener gal now! Cannot WAIT for my edible garden to grow!

Little old Diana found her home in the new Sewing Room! I wish it looked this empty and spotless right now! (I have 3 projects thrown all over the place and it's a lot more cramped. Once Sew Weekly finishes I'll work out what bits go where. But I'm very excited about the large storage space. YAY! I'll get a gorgeous carpet photo for you, vintage floral lovers will have a heart attack, as it's very original and 1960s!

The boys and their amazing skillz. Thank you Paul (holding the light for Husbie), you are a dream friend. And we will also welcome your puppies around anytime.

What to wear when you renovate

2011-11-24T21:44:00.001+11:00

"What? Veronica Darling is back again bothering us with another blog post so soon?"

Yes my dear darling, I am, and I've brought you some 'behind the scenes' of our 'renovation'.

LOL: we're not really renovating, just aesthetically doing stuff to the walls and floors, because guess what? We've spent all our HARD EARNED CASH on buying the darn house, so will forever live with that oven (split into two) above and the darling little sink that's perfect for my height.

But we are honestly DIY-ing the 'changes' to the house. So! Husbie and his darling friends did the hard stuff like:

Discovering that someone had painted over the (not so pretty) wallpaper long ago.
Hiring wallpaper removal tools.
Scraping til fingers bled
Sanding til fingers bled
Filling in all the lovely holes that were found underneath the wallpaper, and by lovely I mean thousands!
AND then painting all the lovely walls!

I was VERY good at making nachos and watering the plants while the above was happening. But I did sand the skirting boards and use the putty/filler stuff REALLY well and often. I also 'prepared' the skirting boards for painting by stickytaping newspaper (and reading it) all around.

But what I was EXTREMELY good at:

(apart from being generally cheery with all the hard work) was ripping the carpets up and removing the underlay (seen above with those lovely massive stains).

Now Christina (I think?) had warned me about Underlay (as I've been noticing a lot of 'renovating' going on in blogworld) and I feel it makes the stuck gloopy bits come up easier if you yell 'UNDERLAY UNDERLAY' out again and again! You really do feel like Speedy Gonzales!

xoxo

Outfit for Renovating:
Shoes: Forges (now closed down) in Footscray
Apron: Gift from my lovely friend Amy, it's handmade!
Dress: Veronica Darling's famous tshirt dress, made in Sydney
Hair: Pincurls (of course!)
Gloves: Gardening gloves from the hardware store.
Gas mask: from my father's shed.

Bless.

Sew Weekly: Orange You Glad to Meet Me?

2011-11-23T20:11:00.001+11:00

Oh HAI!

Here's my Sew Weekly Orange Themed creations from a few weeks back. The skirt is a 70s-esque Vogue Very Easy pattern, and the top is a child's long sleeve tshirt from the op shop that I lopped off the tight ribbed neckline and sleeve edges.

The pockets are just way too darling, and so useful!

We took the photographs down at this old shell of a building near the West Footscray Train Station that is well and truly taken over by street artists. This falling female image is actually the fourth I've seen around the West and in the city... I think you've seen it a few times too Nichola? I seem to recall your instagram photos! (Are you on instagram? I'm @veronicadarling - of course - if you wanna follow me!)

The fabric for the skirt is a curtain and reminds me of caravanning holidays. In fact this outfit is very holiday-esque, hey? Complete with the tan line:

Yay for my Cambodian bike shorts!

This week we've been unpacking boxes, working out our budgets to prepare for the mortgage and planning out the next few months. We can be pretty thrifty at times but also super indulgent and I honestly wish sometimes I had all the money in the world just to eat out every night at all the amazing restaurants in Melbourne. Either that or the chefs should stop opening more exciting eateries and bars! TOO DELISH and eating out is so not the thriftiest option.

Hope you're having a good week!

Posies for Saturday

2011-11-19T08:46:00.001+11:00

How's your Saturday? I am baffled by our outside weather, so choosing to stay indoors and do a bunch of housestuff! OMG, it's just raining down and now kinda cold! Yesterday was 33 degrees, and steamy hot. If you don't live in Melbourne, I'm not sure there is another city that is so up and down with its weather patterns.

People have been talking about a really cold and wet summer here, which would be great for keeping bushfires at bay... but really makes me think I need to book a holiday to Cambodia again asap. Today I was talking to a guy about Laos and Vietnam, so I might have to look into that for next year.

These flower photos are from Singapore, the top one, where flowers (fake and real) were out the front of shops and then the other two: the lotus flower and the red bunch were from Phnom Penh in Cambodia. I've never really seen lotus flowers before, but in Cambodz they were everywhere!

I'm catching up on a lot of sewing since it's raining so much, so back to the machines! Oh, I can't remember the bloggers name, but there's a cool blog name out there (let me know if you know here) which I can guess is a Florence + the Machine LOL - so her blog is 'Veronica + The (Sewing) Machine'... GREAT NAME. Back to my Machine!

xoxo

Sew Weekly: I got to meet Adey for Halloween!

2011-11-17T07:17:00.001+11:00

Yay! We've moved in to the new house! AND THE SEWING ROOM! I'm very excited! More news soon!

So, before everything happened with Doggie Darling, and Moving House/Buying House, I went on a holiday to Cambodia. BUT, I had planned to stop over in Singapore, because my friend has just moved there for work and I'd never really been there. I planned 1 extra day in Singapore... because...

Now, if you know the Sewing World online and are an avid Sew Weekly follower, you'll know that's where ADEY AKA The Sew Convert lives!

And we totes hung out in Singapore! Adey is absolutely gorgeous (of course!) and we planned to celebrate the Sew Weekly's Halloween theme together so here's what we came up with. It's totally Adey's inspiration, and I explained it all a bit here why we are dolled up in tablecloth fabrics! It was Adey's first meet up with a Sewing Friend from Online, and now that I've met Nikkishell & Kazz and some of you lovely followers, I'm getting HEAPS less shy! I'm excited and thinking about it now, I'd actually love to go back to Singapore right now!

Oh boy it's hot in Singapore though! I'm not sure how many degrees, but it was kinda hard to stand out in any direct sunlight for the photos, so we ran around Vivo City (a large shopping/entertainment hub for Singaporians) and then had a DARLING lunch, that I'll show you photos of soon too!

Thank you darling Adey for taking such fun photos and suggesting the inspiration for our dresses! I'll write again with more about what we did after the photo shoot! xoxo

So fun! xoxo

Moving Day

2011-11-11T13:04:00.001+11:00

It's time for us to leave the old house and start our new life in our brand new house, wise and hopeful after a few weeks of heartbreak after Doggie Darling passed away. Thank you again, for all your lovely thoughts and well wishes. We do think that she really did live life at the fullest and funnest, for Staffies are so gungho and such pocket rockets, and this little wee one was just full of beans and made everyone fall in love with her. I'm so glad you all got to know her through this blog as well.

She will be missed and loved.

So, today has been amazing and we've fallen in love with the new house. The above photo is from our old house, a little nook that I really loved, and wanted to photograph before it was all packed away. And the new house... it's just perfect. I'll give you a big old update soon, because we had a quick 2 weeks of DIY renovations (walls/ceilings/floors in 3 rooms and the hallway) and after today, we'll have 90 per cent of the house moved in. Well here's hoping.

Unpacking could take months though! I'm SO pleased the Sew Room was a priority (thanks to Sew Weekly! And my Pin Up post will be up later today), so it's halfway unpacked and that's where I'm typey typing to you now! Husbie and I love our computers and internerds and music so much, we made sure the wifi was the first thing installed!

Happy Friday loves! xoxo

Sew Weekly: PJz

2011-11-07T16:00:00.000+11:00

Before I went to Cambodia, I made some pyjamas! I was travelling with gorgeous girlfriends, and usually I wear vintage (and elegant!) nighties which would be way to sexxxy and hot (in actual temperature) for Asian countries. So it was quite serendipitous that the Sew Weekly theme was sleepwear or lounging garments! And what's so interesting, I reckon, is the discussion about sewing outer clothes... just so people can 'see' what you sew. Is it better making things that you can show off to people, or do you try everything and it doesn't matter if people see it or not.

For me, I've tried undergarments before, with mixed results. I still wear a pair of undies I made 2 years ago. They are falling apart, however. I think these are the first pjz I've sewn.... but I could be forgetful.

This shortie nightie and bloomers are covered in more detail on my Sew Weekly post, and I did get a lot of wear outta them in Cambodz.

xoxo

Back to normal soon

2011-11-05T14:59:00.000+11:00

Some bouquets and flowers from my life for you. Thank you for reading, and listening, and caring so much. I'm overwhelmed (Husbie too) by your kindness and such lovely thoughts and it's a weird thing writing a blog, and putting yourself 'out there' but there's so much more to writing than just that. The ups and downs of life ... real life ... and for me this week, writing my post (however simple it was, but I realise now it was great to write it down) has made me feel a bit better, and talking to people now instead of 'telling them what happened' is heaps better too.

Thank you, xoxo

(P.S. I've made an orange skirt recently for Sew Weekly, and some other things there, and will post them here soon. Just gotta move house first.)

A very sad thing happened

2011-11-02T18:32:00.000+11:00

It was just last month, I saw a bloggie friend's sad post about her dog. She is a super vibrant and gorgeous girl, and I was so sad to read her dog had recently passed away.

And now, I'm writing to let you know that my Doggie Darling has gone too.

My heart is very heavy, and I know a lot of you guys loved seeing her gorgeous big smile when she appeared in my photos. Staffie Dogs always have fun, that's for sure.

Doggie Darling (we think) had a very quick moving brain lesion, or tumour, and lived only 2 and a half years with us, but made Husbie and I so happy and we loved her so much. We'll continue loving her, even though she's gone.

With much sadness,
xoxo

A little move west

2011-10-24T01:10:00.000+11:00

Very eager to be coming home! I'm at the airport waiting for my connecting flight after a very very very big week in Cambodia. Ups and Downs (the largest ups and the deepest downs, unfortunately) and loads to share with you when I connect my camera to my home computer this week.

I'd uploaded these flower photos for you in a draft blogpost, and I honestly can't remember why... but they're from my Westie Bestie's garden and we'll soon be closer neighbours. Husbie and I are moving into a new home in a few weeks, and I'm super eager to join him tomorrow morning to start Our New Life Together. Being apart for less that 2 weeks is heartbreaking, but an airport reunion will be delish.

Thank you all for your well wishes and darling comments on my Rizzo outfit! I thoroughly enjoyed Cambodia! I was on the hunt for TDF jewellery Gail, but instead found TDF karma shopping! And WOW can the Cambodians refashion.

Happy Sunday, what's left of it, and I'll see you during the week sometime. xoxo

Sew Weekly: RIZZO

2011-10-16T14:07:00.000+11:00

My Grease and Amy Winehouse inspired creation! It's my first successful shirt dress! As I'm in Cambodia typing on my iPhone using the hotel's wifi, I'm not sure if this will publish! But hope you're having a great weekend!

Time to take a break!

2011-10-13T07:00:00.000+11:00

Bye bye Melbourne! Time for a holiday to Cambodia!

My friend invited me along, and I'm so looking forward to seeing her! It's been ages. We travelled a lot together when we were younger, and I've forgotten a lot about being on the road. (LOL) Because I'm a 'glamper' (ie. glamourous camper) I've chucked my big old backpack from when my friend and I travelled Europe, and was actually considering wearing heels on the plane. My gigantic Melissa heels. Husbie politely pointed out one does a lot of walking at airports and carrying things. Perhaps I'll wear my Melissa flats instead!

Not sure if I'll have time or internerd access to post, but if you're into reading wonderful blogs regularly and will miss me terribly (LOL AGAIN), here are blogs that I like to look at:

Inner West Mum - my friend IRL in gorgeous Newtown!

By Gum, By Golly - just started reading this vintage gal's story, so cute! Thanks Franca for the linky dink!

Kat's been posting heaps at Petticoats & Peplums and is getting married soon and is pretty much DIY-ing the whole amazing affair!

Gail's doing Frocktober, and always makes great stuff to wear to work. Glamourous in the office!

And Blue Milk is just being awesome as per usual. With moving house stories as added bonus.

See you soon darling darlings, and I'll have some moving house stories to share once I return! YAY!

xoxo

Shooting A Wedding

2011-10-11T08:30:00.000+11:00

Husbie and I shot another wedding on Saturday; a lovely couple of peeps and we spent the day in the Botanical Gardens! It was looking like showers but, as we got set up before the bride arrived, the sun came out and stayed all afternoon.

Just lovely! Happy Tuesday!

Sew Weekly: Yum Sangria!

2011-10-10T08:00:00.000+11:00

Happy Monday! I'm on HOLIDAYS!

Of course, being my first proper day off for a while, I'm going to spend it sewing, playing video games and blobbing around (just like I would have during school holidays but without the sewing part... watching RAGE video clips that I'd taped was probably my whole Year 10 school holidays!) and thought I'd show you my 'Spanish Harlem' themed dress from last week's Sew Weekly!

My post at Sew Weekly explains how I came about sewing this dress, but I wanted to gush over my friends' bar in Brunswick East! It's called Mr Wilkinson, and on Lygon Street, so if you stroll past that area near the East Brunswick Club, you'll spot it across the road.

I gush because it's a great place for Sangria, and where we took these gorgeous photos last week. I gush because it's the local hang out for most of my friends. I gush because Ry Ry made such gorgeous Sangria for these photos! And I gush here, because they don't have a website, or facebook or twitter and hey, they probably don't need all the online stuff, because it's really the face to face, good conversations, good wine and food IRL stuff! BUT, Lucy from the Design Files wrote up a great piece after the it first opened, so you can see a few more of the designery shots, as her partner runs the place with my friends.

Now that it's daylight savings/summertime here in Australia I'm just HANGING out for those warmer evenings to spend chit chatting, and hanging with friends. After my trip to Cambodia, I reckon it'll be just right for that kinda stuff!

Once again, I've sewn with a stashed thrifted floral material, it's stretch knit but has a little more synthetic feel to it, I didn't need to hem the edges for the hem or the floppy sleeves so it's quite hardy and not frayish! I've got more fabric left over, so thought I'd keep this dress longer and make a super short and tight 80s skirt as well, to wear with boots!

xoxo

Lightroom Kudos

2011-10-09T11:00:00.000+11:00

Recently I updated my computer, and also updated my Lightroom software. I've spoken about Lightroom before, but just a reminder that I'm in no way a professional photographer, or colour person but I tend to only use Lightroom for ordering, processing and colour grading my photos. Some peeps use online software, some use Photoshop (or Potatoshop - thx Franca!) but my photographer friends told me about Lightroom, and for simple things and great colour photos, I totally use it and love it.

The above is a normal photo from my Lumix camera. We shot another wedding yesterday, so I've been taking it around with me for a few weeks to remember how to use it (which is pretty straightforward) and took this photo of tramlines, lights and towers near my work. Great clouds too right?

I've then updated my 'presets' with Lightroom, and thought I'd show you these 'filters' or 'colour grade' presets that are FREE to download to add to your Lightroom. Have a look at these two diff looks:

One is a bit stronger in the blue than the original, and the bottom photo is so vintage-y and cute, and these are 'preset' filters that awesome people design and you can flick between them and choose what looks best! OMG EASY!

Because awesome people make these presets, I thought I'd do a shout out here:

Here's some Perfect Presets for Lightroom by OnOne Software (I used their free filter for the middle photo) and there's over 50 filters to use... maybe even close to 100 different things from borders, vignettes, colours, vintage looks etc! YIKES and all for free!

Pierre has made 6 new presets to WOW your photos and I used his WOW vintage filter for the bottom photo.

And I googled up these great free presets as well!

Not to get too nostalgic about things, but when I first studied hypertext theory (I won't even begin to explain, it's way too boring and complex and too 1998) we were all about researching 'shared knowledge' and the library that is everywhere. I guess that's open source information, and freeware and the amazing thing about the internetz today! I'm in love that amazing people make these filters, and share them with us! AND, if you're just starting to explore photography and Lightroom, these pages are also really great in helping you use the photography software for your needs as well! There's probably plenty of great shareware/freeware stuff out there, but just wanted to share it with you and say thanks to these designers!

xoxo

Self Stitched September 2011: TICK!

2011-10-08T11:17:00.003+11:00

My handmade month; it's Self Stitched September according to Veronica Darling!

I've never used Kaboodle before, so I know this is not uber 'designer' like in my layout, so please just LOL at me! This is my 'image board' for the outfits I wore twice during September:

And the above 'image board' is the rest of the outfits, all handmade but outfits I just wore once during the month. This is my second Self Stitched September, and compared to last year I found it really easy to select and make up outfits. Last year I had the feeling by about 20 outfits in that I didn't have enough 'lounging about' clothes, or I only had 1 really fun dress to wear out... and I'm not sure about you, but some times of the month, I just don't want to wear tight fitting clothes, or high heels or high necked restricted clothes. And then other days I only wanna wear black and couldn't be seen dead wearing floral. My tastes change a lot of a month, but I feel my handmade wardrobe has enough diversity to cater for my moods.

I have a 2 week period with most of my clothes, it's some sort of automatic brain schedule thing that I have where if I wear my red heart skirt on a Tuesday, I automatically cancel it out of choosing it again until a fortnight later, so I would allow myself to wear it on the Wednesday, 2 weeks after I wore it. Is that weird? I don't even know why I've invented this rule or schedule in my head, but I just fall into it, and I guess it makes me wear the rest of my wardrobe on a rotation.

WEIRD.

So overall, I felt super comfy and not restricted by SSS this year, and I probably have 2-3 second hand dresses and a couple of refashioned dresses that I missed wearing through the month. What I did notice though, and maybe I'll look at that at the end of the year of Sew Weekly, is that I didn't really wear as many SW garments as I'd thought I would... I'm worried that while Sewing Weekly is amazing and so fruitful in my mad sewing skillz world, I often speed through some things, and don't take as much time selecting my fabrics or testing out different techniques... and I find myself with some garments I won't wear again. But, there are some great themes coming up for Sew Weekly before the year is out, and I'm AMAZED at how I have been challenged with some elements of sewing and crafting by the Sew Weekly themes! My friend saw me the other day and was floored that I'd made pants! TROUSERS! YAY!

Thumbs up to Zoe who's spun us another Self Stitched September! You're amazing to blog and sew along with! YAY for the internetz! xoxo

Sew Weekly: Sports & Pink

2011-10-03T07:30:00.000+11:00

Hey and good morning Monday early birds (if you're in Melbourne right now) or good evening night owls! The most recent Sew Weekly theme was pink, and I'm not too crash hot on pink as a colour. I don't HATE it, but I don't like a lot of it... on me. So here's what I came up with:

It's a sprinkle of pink! The 1970s polyester tshirt is a total remnant that I only had just enough fabric for (story of my life) and the leggings are from a pattern (that you can read about on the Sew Weekly post) and made from thrifted stretch knit (one day I'll learn what all these stretch knit things are, and what the difference is between them all!). I also don't like a lot of sport, so here's just a smidge of me "playing" tennis, but now that I have an oufit to wear, I'll surely go down to the courts all the time right. Right? RIGHT? One day.

Here's my most favourite photo from the courts:

Totally 70s and totally awesome. Do you see I have matching sweatbands. SWEATBANDS!

See ya and have a great start to the week gorgeous!

xoxo

Last outfits for Self Stitched September

2011-10-02T14:06:00.002+11:00

Self Stitched September wrapped up (of course) and the end of September on Friday, and the above outfit is what I wore to work. Handmade vest (lined in the same tartan fabric) and handmade bowtie. Whenever I see this bowtie, I'm like "I should make you a tutorial video" but realistically there's never enough time to do this, so I'll try and find you a tutorial online that would be kinda the same. But I made the vest and tie for the Sew Weekly theme ... what was it? It was the 'Kidding Around' theme, and I called it my 'Oh Shirley Suit' after Shirley Temple and here's my blogpost as well! April was a total blur for me, thank goodness for the internet documenting everything! One day I'll have time to take stock and read it all and enjoy!

Last Thursday I had to get all cosy again with my tshirt dress with built in neckwarmer! I wore this on the second or first day of SSS as well, and I'm really interested in how many outfits I wore twice, and I'm tallying them all up now in Kaboodle (just signed up for it, not sure how it differs from polyvore yet, but I think it's kinda like pinterest - SO MANY ONLINE THINGS) and I'll have a big board of the whole month and I'll post about it here soon. (How much of this blog is just for my own amusement, I tell ya!)

Anyways! Another late night sleepy photoshoot, a la "OOPS! Better take a photo before I take this off!":

Please don't tell Husbie I took this one... he was mid sorting what needs to get to the op shop!

Okie dokes, I've got a couple sewing things to get done today; 2 Sew Weekly outfits and a work bunting decoration and it's already 2.03pm on Sunday... placing bets, will the rest of the day go according to this plan:

1. Sew for an hour
2. Have a cuppa tea (3rd for the day)
3. Sew for half an hour
4. Have lunch with Husbie & his friend - bruschetta!
5. Sew for half an hour but actually just fiddle around with the ipad to get This American Life working
6. Go to the shops for cider

Maybe setting goals low, like above, will mean I'll be PLEASANTLY surprised when I finish all three projects. LOL

xoxo

From my desk: Toy Camera

2011-10-01T15:45:00.001+10:00

Here's a couple of extra shots from the Spring Palette themed week at Sew Weekly, that didn't make it in my post. The above photos are using the toy camera lens for our Canon, they do have a vintage wash on them from my Lightroom, 'yesteryear' is the preset... but other than that the lens is what makes it 'softer' and vintagey in the wash. I love how the outer of the photo is darker and blurred. NICE! I have no idea what settings Husbie used on the camera, but they're just so lovely!

The photo below is without the toy lens, and just the normal Canon lens and you can see how the colours and darks are more contrasty... do I sound like I know what I'm talking about? YAY!

This week my phone officially died, so I'm off to the shops now to hopefully get a new one. Smartphone why are you not smart enough for my heavy duty usage!? I do have my sporty outfit to post for you, but since I ran outta time to blog properly, I thought I'd leave you with photos that are sitting on my desk(top) and waiting for something to happen to them.

xoxo

SSS Days 22 & 23: Lost days

2011-09-29T08:41:00.003+10:00

The trick with Self Stitched September is finding time to photograph my outfit when things get busy! With only two days left of September (where I'm not as busy - ha ha maybe I am) I thought I'd give you the round up of what I wore that was handmade; made by yours truly from the last week.

Thursday 22nd September:

More grown up things to do, so I dressed like a pirate (what else) and the self stitched part is my stretch knit skirt.

Friday 23rd:

Self stitched red dress and circle/loopy/cowl scarf I made to wear to Laneway earlier this year. It was a warm day and a total tease because then the weekend went sour.

And which leads me to the lost days of Self Stitched September:

Saturday 24th:

I wore a great LBD that you so can't see in this photo of me as a robot girl but I've worn it to DEATH! It's shrunk a few times in the wash, I've re-sewn the side seams a little and each time I wear it I think it's got to be the last. I'm wearing it here with my leopard print tights, as I worked at the Parklife Music Festival on Saturday, and my friends (The Yacht Club DJs) wanted me to wear this and dance on stage. Unfortunately I had to work :(.

Sunday 25th:

I wore this in the morning (my Sew Weekly outfit that I'll post more photos for you here) and a version of this in the afternoon:

It's my dyed bedsheet dress, and I think I had to wear leggings or tights as well because it started to get colder. And it was on Sunday that my iphone started going bad... the touchscreen isn't working as well, so my out and about busy liftstyle meant that I couldn't get good photos of me these next days.

Monday 26th:

I wore this red hearted IKEA fabric skirt, but paired with a black cardi, black top and the blue jacket with my Melissa flats. This skirt is so great and versatile, I've worn it twice this month now.

Tuesday 27th:

A version of this dress, but with a black cardi and my cowboy boots instead (also the second time this month I've worn this plaid number)... and yesterday:

Wednesday 28th:

The wrong shoes on a drippy wet day, but I wore my darling spring dress:

And yep, it so wasn't spring. Well, it was Melbourne spring as in four seasons in one day! YAY! (but a sarcastic yay)

So it's been a strange busy week, and with my phone behaving badly, a tough technology week too! I hope your last few days of SSS have been a little more successful than my past week! xoxo

Sew Weekly: Spring Colours

2011-09-25T22:03:00.001+10:00

Happy Weekend guys! Hope you had a great one! I worked yesterday at the Parklife music festival and I'm ABSOLUTELY buggered. It was so good though, and I love working with great people and great friends! Yippee!

Last week for Sew Weekly we chose colour palettes, and as we're all hankering for springtime at my place (and I'm sure at yours too), I had to go stereotypical blossoms and pastels, but I like the stronger tones and lines in this old bedsheet. I love the dress so much, but haven't had a date to wear it yet!

My write up explains it all a bit clearer, but I'm so pleased to try out another of Amanda from Adelaide's vintage patterns! YAY! xoxo to you Amanda!

Wishing you lots of springtime sunshine and a gorgeous week ahead xoxo

Blossoms and the Bee

2011-09-23T09:30:00.001+10:00

Husbie and I took this week's Sew Weekly Colour Palette (spring in my case, autumn for the rest of them) photos (my post goes up today) on Sunday, and it was so beautiful in Melbourne. Warm, sunny, breezy and everyone was out smiling. These blossom and bee photos are taken by Husbie, who has 3 bookings for weddings in the next few months. If you haven't seen his website, it's Shotgun Pictures, his friend Chris takes the photos in Sydney, and Husbie in Melbourne. A little side project for them, and great photos!

Talking of websites, last weekend, I picked up veronicadarling.com, much to my astonishment it was available! I think it was a photographers holding page a few years ago, and for some reason I thought to check it via the Australian domain names website thingy, where you register pages, and it was free. Now that I've paid for it for 2 years - $100 - I'll have to work out what to do with it! I suppose I can update this blog to sit there, and I'm sure it's not too hard to do. My brain needs a holiday to even think about starting that project! If you've gone over to your own domain name outside of blogger/blogspot/wordpress etc, let me know if there's any first steps!

xoxo

SSS Day 21: Grown Ups

2011-09-22T09:29:00.000+10:00

I'm doing grown up things at the moment, so yesterday I tried to wear my bolero to pretend "I mean business" in the same way a powersuit spoke to the 1980s world. It may or may not have worked, but I did a talk and held a meeting (via VIDEO conferencing) and made some holiday plans (just paid for my Cambodia trip this morning) in this ensemble just fine.

Just quickly checking my archives, and I did make this bolero this year (feels like forever ago) in February! It was for the Valentine's Day theme of RED at the Sew Weekly! Looking that far back at Mena's archives and my archives, I actually can't believe I've sewn so consistently this year. Whilst not all projects were wearable (as you can see this month, I'm not really wearing that many garments from this year), I'm still amazed at the steady sewing and being involved in the Sew Weekly team has made me so confident! Confident online, confident with my sewing skillz, confident with my design dreaming and totally confident with the photography part of it all too.

Overall, how great is sewing? We are a lucky bunch! What I really really really love too: when you sew for yourself, you are making the clothes fit you... not worrying that your body doesn't fit the clothes. Over the last 3-4 years now that I've been sewing madly, and kinda consistently, I'm less worried about my body shape or body image. Occasionally I see my tummy get bigger or stick out, or my calves looking a bit large, but wearing my handmade clothing makes me so proud of this old body as a clothes horse! The one thing I totally cannot change about myself is my height, and being able to make clothes to fit properly makes me feel taller than Heidi Klum, rather than awkward short girl.

I have more grown up things to do today, so I better rush off! Talk to you soon!

xoxo

SSS Day 20: Yesterday

2011-09-21T22:22:00.000+10:00

I'm a rushing this week, so here's my bits and pieces for my handmade day yesterday! It's the dress I made earlier in the year, as part of the Unfinished Objects theme of Sew Weekly and again I'm wearing my handmade cowl... the purple one! I love it!

It was a bit of a weird outfit, because once I left the house I realised my umbrella (and I needed it) was leopard print, I had massive fruit prints in my skirt and my bag was red (I'd changed over when bike riding, because my blue one didn't fit in my panier bags. If that's indeed how you spell panier bags?) ... purple, pinks, greens, fruit and leopard print AND a red handbag?

Not my cuppa tea, but somehow that's what I wore yesterday. Oh well!

Thanks for all your lovely comments this week! I'm in the middle of deciding if I should wear pants/leggings (lants) to the Parklife Festival. You know those leggings that are so tight and you're like, "Why are you not wearing a skirt with those tights?". If you don't know Parklife, it's an EXTREMELY young festival with heaps of flesh showing... I'm SO not going to be fleshy this time of year, plus I'm working. I've started a pair of electric blue lants, so will see how they turn out. I'll just wear them walking and to the gym normally, but for a music festival, it might be fun to wear lants ironically, right? If I like the electric blue ones I might make a crazy floral print dress as well. Or even lants with floral print. Double floral? Oh the kids today!

xoxo

SSS Day 19: More riding gear

2011-09-20T08:30:00.000+10:00

Yesterday was pretty much the best day ever. Or should that be BEST DAY EVER? We woke up early, went walking with the dog, rode to work and it turned into the prettiest spring day! We stopped at Polly Woodside (the old boat in the background) for a quick photo for you!

All your Self Stitched September info: My handmade dress is from earlier this year, so a total Sew Weekly number that gets a few wears here and there. It's perfect for bike riding, because it's so floppy. Riding back home after work, we just escaped the storm, but it was SO windy! I'm not super active and sporty, but riding around is so fun and easy exercise. I was beaming yesterday riding around town!

This week my plan is to work solid in the office, ride a couple more times and cook at home instead of going to after work affairs (which is common in my line of work) as I'm working at the music festival on Saturday for the radio as well. A busy week ahead, but really for me, when is it not a busy week? There's a couple weeks left after that, and then holidays! October is pretty much going to fly by because of my trip to Cambodia (that I'll have to lock in with the travel peeps today) and then we're having a big shake up at the end of October... I'll fill you in soon once it all comes around, as don't wanna anticipate it all too soon!

Thanks for supporting all these handmade adventures and postings this month! There's been a few articles recently that have made me super happy to be blogging and sewing with sustainability in mind. There's this woman in Melbourne who has chosen not to buy any new plastics and there were a few sewing articles on the ABC news site (that's hard to find now) about how lots of people are sewing for themselves, or SIY sew-it-yourself, instead of DIY! Do you feel that more people are crafting these days? I know more people who are into it, talk about it, but haven't really bit the bullet and made things yet!

xoxo

SSS Day 17 & 18: Weekend Wearz

2011-09-19T07:00:00.000+10:00

Self Stitched September continues here at Veronica Darling HQ! Do you mind all these extra photos and blog posts? Am I annoying you yet? It really prompts you to post when you have a challenge like a Handmade Month (if you're just checking in for the first time, hiya! I'm wearing all my handmade garments for all of September! And others are doing it too! YAY!) and of course wear all your things!

Saturday I really wanted to wear no tights, because I'm totes over wintertime and I attempted this dress with shorty shorts and the (thrifted) long sleeve tshirt, but it was just too cold. It was so windy in Melbourne! I added the grey tights to try and trick myself a bit! We went on a big bike ride!

On Sunday we collected our thoughts on things (as you do on a Sunday) and decided we'd buy a Sodastream (!) and do some grocery shopping. I wanted to be a little Stepford Wife, so went with these really old capri's, my darling Melissa heels and this handmade white blouse. I actually had to show you this photo because of Doggie Darling's smiley face! HOWL! What a cutie! The weather was FINALLY ok to wear bare legs!

YAY!

Sew Weekly: Easy Being Green

2011-09-18T16:04:00.000+10:00

Wanna see some babes in gorgeous handmade dresses?

Kazz and I caught up for a gorgeous little soiree in the city, with a little Great Gatsby jive for this week's Sew Weekly theme. Darling Kazz made MOST of her outfit, and you can see all her elements all together in a fabulouso photo montage!

We met up at Madame Brussels in the city last weekend, and I'd started piecing the dress together Saturday night, and finished up Sunday morning, with a little 'That'll Do' kinda vibe. It's a great result for a gown, but I don't know if I'm a full length kinda gal, considering the petiteness and the having to lift the skirt up when you walk etc. I'm also wearing 4 inche heels to keep things from dragging along the ground.

But I simply adore the sleeves! And Kazz!

Babez.

The full details of how I put it together Frankenstein like is in my Sew Weekly post, and I feel really proud of my write up this week, so I do urge you to pop along and have a read! Not one to gush (or am I always one to gush?), but I loved how overdramatic I got!

Hope you've had a great weekend!

xoxo

SSS Day 15 & 16: Love Music!

2011-09-16T21:34:00.000+10:00

Happy Friday!

This week for Self Stitched September I wore my Gumnut Baby dress (made this year for Sew Weekly's Childrens Book theme) yesterday and I saw some fun young bands play in my neighbourhood! We live in Western Melbs, and there's not your typical amount of live music venues, so when awesome bands play in your suburb, you can't say no!

Here's me last night when I got home! I was super excited to see my fave band: Drunk Mums. They're from the western suburbs of Melbs also and really punky fun!

Today I wore this apron dress, and saw Lanie Lane perform! She was stunning and so vintage-y sweet, you'd really love her and her style! I'm not 100 % sold on this apron dress, it looks cute and flattering here, but it feels bulky and I feel very wide when I wear it. So it kinda makes me not wear it. I should picture this photo when I wear it next, because it looks sweet.

I tell you what? I'm OVER wearing tights. I'm hoping hoping hoping tomorrow is warm enough to ditch the tights and wear bare legs for reals. It's still kinda warm now, this late at night, so fingers crossed it'll be proper springtime tomorrow. I wanna wear sandals and skirts and floppy clothes again instead of tight tights!

xoxo

SSS Day 14: Toy Camera

2011-09-14T20:55:00.001+10:00

Today a toy camera lens arrived in the post, Husbie bought it for his Canon cameras. It's totally plastic, and has basic settings, here's us testing it out with Doggie Darling in the backyard. These photos are totally raw (apart from my framed curved edges - that I <3 so much!) and are so interesting with the vignette thingie. Husbie was excited about how 'soft' they look. WHATEVER!

As it still is Self Stitched September (did you know there's a facebook group and a flickr group as well? I don't have as much time to update my photos over there, but just getting my outfits up here is enough for me - and you maybe!) here's what I wore today. A LBD and scarf/cowl: handmade ... tights and two cardigans: thrifted... shoes: MELISSA!

I just searched my archives, but I must have made this dress and didn't post a photo of it, way back in 2007. I found THIS dress, which is a second version that I made up for a friend. It's super short, but I wear little black shorts underneath, and considering I'm so petite even if it lifts a bit, no one seems to notice. Of course, I was just working today, but then I had a facial! Yippee! And also, I googled travel details because I decided to go on a holiday to Cambodia with my friend! Double Yippee! More details to come!

Talk soon xoxo

SSS Days 11, 12, 13: Oops!

2011-09-14T06:06:00.000+10:00

My first stuff up as I didn't get a photo of yesterday's outfit for Self Stitched September! Oops!

On Sunday, I cleaned the house, but my parents came to visit and we had gushy catch ups and before I headed out for a little Great Gatsby Soiree in the city with Kazz, I caught a photo of my oufit with 3 pieces of handmadeness:

I look funny! OH WELL INTERNETZ! I'm wearing the cropped jacket I made during the Ascot Week, my skirt I made after stuffing up a lot during the Yee Ha Country theme, and there's a scarf or cowl or scoopy loopy scarfy thing I made for the music festival earlier this year. You can loop it up twice for extra warmth.

And then on Monday, I was back at work, working early, forgetting to take a photo but looking a bit like this:

My spotty dress I've made ages back. But with a cardigan, tights and scarf and my handmade red duffle coat as it's still COLD. The day got away from me with my parents here, my friend needed a little TLC and all the gushy family lifestyle, one forgets to take a photo. As even as much as I push for it, the world doesn't revolve about me and what I wear! Anyways! Handmade and Self Stitched Successes!

And now for today. I wore the cotton floral number I made during week we did embellishments, and I chose to try piping:

BUT I had an accident today:

WHAT. I could feel this starting to happen the last time I wore it (about a month ago) but I wasn't doing much stretching or lifting, and today I lifted and ran around a bit and my under arm seam just tore! I had to wear my cardi all day, no biggie, but I really don't think I can salvage this one, it's torn right along the bust dart there! I think in my resizing of the pattern pieces I did make the arm holes a little too small, which makes it slightly weird in shape.

*** For some reason this didn't post last night *** Oh well! You get the added bonus of me linking to my dress, which has just gone up on Sew Weekly overnight, it's the Great Gatsby theme!

Sew Weekly: In need of a dye job

2011-09-12T20:33:00.000+10:00

Do you do colour? Do you get a dye job?

I of course (wait for it, you *will* be shocked) am not a natural blonde. I know, I really should have made you sit down first.

So I look towards the Hairdressers this week after seeing this gorgeous hairline:

Darling Corrin's Hair Lounge in Brunswick! Google her from great vintage chats about crochet! xoxo

Last week we were doing fabric manipulation, like colouring, dying and painting! Go and have a look at everyone's great stuff! Mena broke the internet with her pink dress, Adey made the ships sail by, my yellow became toned down, Debi almost flew away with her balloons (or perhaps flew to America!) and darling Sarah became confused but gorgeous in the end!

I can't wait for this week's Great Gatsby theme to get online! Talk soon and Happy Monday! xoxo

SSS Days 8, 9, 10: Round Up!

2011-09-11T07:46:00.000+10:00

A collection of photos this morning, from my Self Stitched September, as with all 'ready for the weekend' days, a lot of things have happened. So to begin, Thursday: Day 8 is my red/blue love heart skirt from the UFO week at Sew Weekly, accessorised with the cowl I also made and wear to death when it's cold:

The temperature dropped right off again here in Melbourne, after we had so many beautiful spring days at the start of September, so it's back to the winter time layering. On Friday, we officially had a 'CRAZY' day. I worked in the morning, had loads of meetings after producing the breakfast show on the radio, but then it all went pear shaped, and just realised now, I only took this photo of my outfit:

For Day 9, it's the dress I made during our Unrequited Love theme at Sew Weekly, and instead of knee high socks like in the Sew Weekly photos, I'm wearing my OK OK full leg (and yummy warm) tights, and my OK OK bought Melissa Oxfords and two cardigans and a long sleeve tshirt underneath the dress. It was cold.

Someone who can hack the cold:

She's tough!

And then finally (the real reason these photos are so small) here's what I wore yesterday for Day 10, and I didn't check my face before Husbie took the photos right before bed. Yep, I have mascara smudgey eyes, but I'm not afraid to share the real me on the internet. However, I did have to make the photo a little smaller, so you don't stare at it and get a fright!

You have seen my darling school dress recently, and I'll probably wear it again before the end of Sept! It's SO comfy and I can't wait to wear it without the woolie tights. It's SO cold still! (I just turned the heater on).

Right now it is Sunday the 11th of September, and the 10 year anniversary of the day that changed a lot about the world. I've been hearing a little about 'Where were you 10 years ago' or 'When did you first hear about the attacks' via the radio and because I work with 18 - 24 year olds, a lot of them were in primary school. I can't imagine what that would be like hearing about the planes and the buildings and the big city of New York at such a young age. I wanna send a 'Thinking of You' type message here, but all I can say is 'Thinking of you, Compassion' right about now.

Today, I'm meeting Kazz! A sewing (albeit virtual!) companion and we're celebrating all things 1920s and 1930s with a little Great Gatsby soiree of our own in Melbourne. Wishing you a beautiful Sunday xoxo

Sew Weekly: Back to School

2011-09-09T20:47:00.001+10:00

Here's my 'Back to School' dress for the Sew Weekly Mad for Plaid theme last week! (Do you know that I still read 'plaid' as rhyming with 'LAID'? It's totally not in my vocab, however gingham and checks are) BAD SEAMSTRESS.

The pattern is from the New Stylish Dress book, which is a Japanese book but all in English (and like Lisa's link there) it was my first ever attempt at using a Japanese pattern book! As you know, I stick mostly with vintage patterns that I've collected from op shops, but this lovely book was a birthday present from my brother and sister in law! What a great gift! I would never think to buy a pattern book myself, and this one is just to die for. There are 26 patterns, labelled A to Z and so many darling dresses!

Of course, I've used a second hand tablecloth and I love the colours! Husbie and I went down to Yarraville (do you recognise this side of the station Nikkishell?) for these photos, and he did a 'heavy' colour grade on them! He's a great photographer these days hey??????

Catch you over the weekend xoxo

SSS Day 7: Fruit of the Forests

2011-09-07T15:29:00.000+10:00

Oooh, I look like I have a sleepy face on here! I just took these quickly before on the big camera (AKA my Lumix one) for Self Stitched September Day 7!

Yay! My handmade items are the black dress, I've worn it stacks of times, and my scarf, which is the bottom of a dress that my friend gave me, and I overlocked the edges to use around my neck. I was actually reminded of this fruity combo when I went looking through my archives for Self Stitched September last year... so it does help to document outfits, as I'd forgotten how cute it looks!

Anyways, I've got stacks of Sew Weekly updates for you... most importantly THIS Sunday, a Great Gatsby meet up in Melbourne! If you're in the neighbourhood this Sunday, give me a hoy hoy on the email: veronicadarling AT gmail DOT com and I'll let you know the details! It's sewing related, 1920s and 1930s related... HMMM?

xoxo

SSS Day 6: Green crazy print dress

2011-09-06T22:33:00.000+10:00

This is one of my all time favourite dresses, but sorry for the bad photo, I only just remembered to take a photie:

It's made from one of those darling Amanda of Adelaide's patterns, here's when I made it back when I lived in Sydney. AND, this is me today and what I wore for Self Stitched September, which seems to be going along no problem. I do have to get my clothes ready the night before, because I'm working the early starts, and I'd be worried I'd just grab anything in my early morning confused state.

If you're just 'tuning in', Self Stitched September is where you *wear* all your handmade clothing for a month, and for me, I'm keen on documenting what I'm wearing and liking so I can have a garage sale at the end of the month with what I'm not wearing. I have only limited wardrobe space, and I'm sewing at a rate that makes everything explode when I even go in there!

Time for me to get to bed! xoxo

SSS Day 5: A secret for Sew Weekly

2011-09-05T14:09:00.000+10:00

HAPPY MONDAY!

I'm back working early starts for two weeks, so it's the afternoon of a brilliant spring day here in Melbourne, and I thought I'd snap my outfit today really quick here on my new computer! Girls and boys, I thoroughly recommend doing your tax every year, because hopefully if you have a good accountant, you'll get money back each year for work related expenses which also means a new computer (in my books, anyways). BUT, I must haste because it's beautiful and sunny outside, and I better get out there with Doggie Darling.

Today I wore the dress I finished yesterday for the Sew Weekly theme, which involves dying or making a fabric or what not. I've never dyed anything before, so used this 'sepia' tone to hide the colour til you see it on Sew Weekly this week. It's a SURPRISE til then xoxo

It's THE perfect dress for a sunny day! Do you find you wear the clothes you make on the weekend straight away on the Monday? My colleagues always ask 'New Dress?' and I'm like 'Yep'. I am SUCH a broken record!

Oh! I also tried this AWESOME new hair technique: I was over at Vanessa's blog (who you should all totally crush on, like I do) who talked and showed off her 'Easy Curls' and by gosh! They're easy! She followed this video, and the girl in this video is just so cute!

xoxo

SSS Day 4: Purple Floral

2011-09-04T18:43:00.000+10:00

It was another spring cleaning day for us today. After walking and yoga, I wore this purple stretch knit dress, I first made for the Sydney Laneway festival a few years ago and is super comfy for Sundays.

These dresses are the best tracksuit pants type dresses (have I told you that about a million times already?) and I will be making them until the ends of time. They're THAT good. And here's my neck muff/cowl in black like I told you about yesterday. Melissa flats and second hand denim jacket I got for Double Denim Day at work (LONG STORY).

Speaking of Melissa's...

Soon after we took this photo (we went for a bike ride) I met Melissa, who reads the Sew Weekly blog and said hi (I bet she says hi to all you too!) to me! I met someone IRL! I am super surprised to meet people who read and know me from online and I get super shy! I get really giggly and overwhelmed by how nice and gorgeous people are. APOLS to all, I love that you say hi, just forgive my befuddled-ment. I also get befuddled perhaps because I'm super forgetful of who I meet for my job... I talk to and email SO many people for work (don't we all these days!) and sometimes forget their gorgeous faces.

ANYWAYS, a gorgeous girl in real life AND online is Ms Marieke Hardy; and whilst it's not her previous blog making a reprise, I'm sure you'll be excited (if you knew her as Holly C or Ms Fits) that Marieke is blogging again. I'm excited.

xoxo

SSS Day 3: Cowling around

2011-09-03T18:58:00.002+10:00

I *may* go out later, but today for Self-Stitched-September, I've just worn this handmade purple cowl.

It's a metre by 30cms of stretch knit purple stuff that was left over after I made this dress for the Sew Weekly theme of making outfits inspired by women in our family. I overlocked the two shorter ends together, and voila! A scarf in the shape of a loopy cowl. They're my favourite scarves this year, since my crochet projects are super slow (two blankets of the larger scale) and I'm reluctant to knit or start a crochet project. I have one in black too.

The reason why it's just the handmade cowl today? It's my 'walking the dog' outfit, I put it on earlier today, and just stayed in it because it's the weekend, and I'm doing rough weekend tasks. I'm also hugging my freshly DYED fabric for this week's Sew Weekly challenge, I'm not 100 % on the overall thing just yet, we'll have to see if it passes the bike riding test! How GORGEOUS is the weather this weekend? Perfect for bike riding!

Hope you're having a lovely one xoxo

Self Stitched September 2011: Beginnings

2011-09-02T17:26:00.000+10:00

JOY!

It's officially springtime, it's a celebration of sewing all around the world (in sewing blog circles and on Facebook and Twitter and what not!) and I've got photos to share and outfits galore and I'm super happy as I've got a new computer thanks to taxtime.

Too much information for one post, so! For now: my pledge to myself for September!

I, Veronica Darling of veronicadarling.blogspot.com, sign up as a participant of Self-Stitched-Sept '11. I endeavour to wear one self-stitched garment (with the majority from my 2011 Sew Weekly collection) each day for the duration of September 2011'

I'll be following up my pledge here on my blog, daily and if you don't mind too much, I'll be using my phone to document my outfits! I struggle sometimes with posting regularly without gorgeous pictures, but I really wanna share with you my progress, so I hope you don't mind the lower quality!

First up! This is Day 1 of Self Stitched September!

Yesterday I wore my red duffle coat to work! I made for the Great Britain themed week at Sew Weekly, and it can also be seen here on my blog with Doggie Darling in tow. It's still a little cold around the edges here in Melbourne, and even though it's harder to tell, I'm also wearing a handmade 'Sweater Dress', I made it a couple of months back, but overlooked photographing it for you. It's knit stretch material, with a massive cowl neck that I've made kinda like a neck muff:

LOL: when you pull it up a little too far! So Day 1: Success with two pieces I've made this year!

Yep! I'll try and make it Sew Weekly focussed, because it's been a very indulgent year of sewing for myself, and I want to show that MOSTLY I'm wearing what I sew. I've NEVER sewn this much for myself (it's been 8 months of weekly sewing, and ALL outfits for me to wear) ever, and whilst it's incredible to have such a large variety to choose from, I actually don't have enough wardrobe space and I thought I'd use September to see what I do like and what I do wear, and to feel proud of what I've made.

Now onto today, Day 2 of Self Stitched September, today:

I made this dress during American Apparel week, where we selected an American designer to be inspired by, and mine was Lilly Pulitzer. I've worn it a couple of times, but prefer it with a belt, as it's kinda big around the back (or kinda under my arms) and waist. Here are some more photos of the dress from when I made it in July. I'm also seriously into wearing Husbie's grey cardigan, because today isn't AS cold as yesterday, so instead of a jacket this slouchy cardi is perfect for work.

I'm wearing my black boot heels as well, and it wasn't until I left the house that I thought this might be a weird look with an oversized cardi. Oh well!

Thanks for reading my darling blog friends! I'm super excited to be doing SSS and look forward to hanging out with you a bit more!

Sew Weekly: Still Livin' in the 70s

2011-09-01T09:33:00.000+10:00

Wow, things have changed around here in blogger world, a different way to post (I'm using Husbie's computer, so maybe that's it!) and view the behind the scenes parts of my blog. Thanks for updating it all blogger peeps, I wonder if this will make me think of staying with blogger instead of moving around to typepad or elsewhere!?

Today's post was supposed to be out already, because it's the start of SEPTEMBER!

The start of spring! Which also means a great thing in some online sewing circles: SSS - Self Stitched September. There's several months dedicated to wearing your wardrobe, and perhaps you've been involved in some. I did SSS last year (where you wear the clothes you make for each day in the month) and it was a good time of year, it's getting warmer for us in Melbourne and I feel as it's essentially and 'Outfit of the Day' type blogging regime, it's easier for me to keep up as the days are a bit longer (those naughty daylight hours in wintertime) etc.

So, I'll start my SSS Adventures formally tomorrow, and show you for now my seventies slacks from last week's Sew Weekly theme!

The fabric was a small remnant, but being a shortarse I managed to fit the pattern pieces ok, but with hardly any hem at the bottom. PHEW!

For the photos, we went to a warehouse or factory type area that's been converted into offices, a gym and several discreet homes. It's pretty gorgeous down there! We found it after looking at a warehouse shell that was listed for sale, but it's not really zoned for residential, and didn't think we could survive without a backyard because of Doggie Darling. We've been looking for a house for a few weeks now, and hopefully we'll have news soon. I told you it's been busy and fun and awesome!

And my TV character pose, with a Husbie mad colour grade:

It was also my birthday last week, so thanks for the love on facebook and twitter - you guys are gorgeous! I'm hoping with SSS I'll be back here everyday so we'll be able to spend a bit more time together again. Oh! And my Sew Weekly post for this week (a 'back to school' theme with plaid/tartan!) should go up today or tomorrow, and it's pretty funny!

xoxo

Sew Weekly: China Town

2011-08-21T21:09:00.000+10:00

I made another dress!

Whaddaya reckon? (That's Australian for what do you think of it?) Husbie and I went on a Date Night, and then stopped off in China Town to take the photos. I'm in LOVE with them and he's done a brilliant job making the dress look lifelike and normal, but also wonderful at the same time.

The dress itself was really tricky. And stumped me as a seamstress, however it's still wearable and gorgeous. I look so slim in some of the phots I'm amazed! There's some discussion about the fabric over on the Sew Weekly post, as I thought it was silk, but others think it's 'brocade' which I've never heard of before, and then others think it's silk brocade.

It was what stumped me, but didn't stop me from finishing it up. It moved around when I sewed, but thinking back, I don't think I pinned enough so perhaps I could have avoided the slippery-ness that way. I also didn't make a muslin/toile so the fit is a bit off around the neckline, but I think I'll gather it up and make a sweetheart dip around the bust instead of a straight-across gapey neckline.

This week's theme for Sew Weekly was VIP fabrics from the stash, and Husbie had given me this (he'd gone especially to the fabric store to choose it) about 8 years ago. I really did want to be an experience seamstress before I sewed with it, and whilst I stuffed up a little, I feel I'm a lot more experienced now than when he gave it to me! Honestly back then, I shivered with even the thought of cutting it (of course I only used bedsheets for all my clothes back then) so I actually felt a little cocky making up this one.

For you pattern lovers this one is Very Easy Very Vogue (as opposed to 'sorta Vogue' or a 'little bit' Vogue, this one is VERY Vogue) 7796 and is from 1990. Which feels like 2 years ago, and is actually almost 22 years ago. WTF! It's very easy, like it claims, and next time I should use a size down in the top torso. I had to adjust the waist as well, because of my bombshell hourglass figure (the more trim/healthy I get, the larger the bust and hips, and the thinner the waist.) but next time I think using the smaller size, perhaps going for an 8 would be better. Oh the woes of petites. Remember I am only 4 eleven peeps! This is a normal sized woman you're looking at. Possibly five foot in these Melissa heels. Oh did you know I love Melissa's? WHO'D HAVE GUESSED.

Hope you've had a great weekend darling! xoxo

Q & A: Cut on the Bias

2011-08-18T16:57:00.000+10:00

Some how I've managed to spook myself!

I started preparing this darling Q & A post for you last Friday, and after a bunch of googling, I became really scared about how much I don't know about sewing. That AND my challenging Sew Weekly theme, but we'll get to that later.

First up, I posted my Minty Fresh Oolong, a Colette Pattern, and a very good and easy one to follow. Proposing a new fun post idea, you ask questions and I answer them a la Agony Aunt of the Sewing World. Then as I'd imagined a few of you had some questions about bias, so I thought 'NIFTY', I'll get a little Introduction to Sewing 101 on myself and for you. And then I googled, and then I was scared:

"Only a few designers ever master the bias cut, and very few home sewers dare to take the plunge." says Marcy over at 101 - Threads

"Because of the diagonal fall of the fabric, bias cut garments are more difficult to sew than normal garments. If the garment is not made a certain way, the seams and hems can bunch and twist, instead of lying smoothly against the wearer’s body," says someone at Wisegeek

and my fave new sewing crush:

"Sewing delicate fabrics on the bias is HARD," says Daughter Fish in her post Silly Regrets and Sewing on the Bias.

YIKES.

So just to put that to one side *deep breaths*, I'll just look over some of your gorgeous questions:

The lovely Esz asks, "So it doesn't need a stretch fabric to just slide over your head?"

A gorgeous Carolyn says, "Just pulls over with no zip?"

"What's the deal with cutting on the bias? I missed that bit in sewing 101," says Mona, the babe from Oxford.

Ok, so BEFORE I googled, I would have answered you all suchly: YEP, you can cut your pattern (for this Oolong) diagonally (just follow the instructions and pictures) and you can put it all together without needing a zipper and using straight normal cotton. It kinda moves a little when you slide it on, stretching to your curves when you wear it. And it kinda feels different than a normal dress. A normal not-cut-on-the-bias dress, I mean.

And the deal Mona? Before I googled, I'd say it's a pretty easy deal, you just follow the little old instructions in Colette Patterns booklet and it'll be a breeze. You have to make sure you put those pattern pieces the way they say though.

And the scary deal with cutting on the bias? You could stuff it up, make it not so much on the bias, and therefore tricky to get on, and bubbly around the seams. But, I followed the instructions about cutting it, hanging it overnight, and then hanging it for a bit before hemming it. And in my googling spree, I've found a great step by step sew through on Sew Country Chick's blog, who only made hers recently, and is a bit more eloquent than old thrifty here.

But try anything, that's my advice! Try anything, on cheap or thrifted material, and then you'll never be sad if you stuff it up. More Bias Besties are Bag-n-telle and Wikipedia of course, and google. If you dare. More soon on my silk dilemma and how I try and get to know fabrics, but you can jump over to the Sew Weekly if you need to see this week's silk/brocade dress!

And lastly, the amazing Don from Sydders says "Question- Is this a secret new dye technique? Has summer hit Melbourne already?"

Yes, secret dye technique fo sho, happy accidents happen in the wash (I've just put another load of material on, so fingers crossed no happy accidents this time)... and taking these photos took no more than 5 minutes. It was freaking freezing and I jumped up and down a lot while Husbie set the lighting (or whatever he does) to keep warm, and a few random poses later, I was back in the car! Also Don, the minty fresh dress photos were taken right around the corner from my current abode in Melbs, and these photos were all from Newtown and Enmore! We had to visit our old haunts recently! Gotta love N'town!

P.s I think I have to call this kind of blogpost Soapbox instead of Q & A? Hope you can handle a little blah blah blah!

Sew Weekly: Minty Fresh

2011-08-11T23:23:00.000+10:00

Yay, I'm back again, with another of my Sew Weekly creations! This week we've been inspired by other Sew Weekly contributors, and since I bought this Oolong Colette Pattern after seeing Adey's version, I wanted to give it a try this week. And I adore it!

All the facts (including why this fabric is now green instead of white! Washing disaster!) are in my Sew Weekly post, but pretty much I love this dress!

It's cut on the bias, which does take up a lot of fabric, so I didn't really have that much stash fabric to choose from. There's no zippers or buttons on this Oolong either, it seriously slides over your head. Everyone who's made an Oolong really does gush about it, or so I've read online, and I'd agree. Gush galore for this pattern!

Ok, so Q & A Friday (which I've stolen from a darling blog friend - but hey, her blog is on hiatus - she will have a book out soon, which I'll gush about another time!) is officially ON. To start, you're more than welcome to leave a Question here, and I'll Answer it for Friday's post! Also, if you wanna be discreet so as to give us all a surprise, you're welcome to mail me veronicadarling@gmail.com as well. I was (after seeing Franca's Friend Friday post) thinking of getting back into longer posts (with less photos of me) and sharing more of HOW my crafty-ness is done instead of just the voila finished product. There's a lot of swearz in the sewing room during the week, and I don't want you to think it's all magical and wonderfulness!

My question to myself: How can you be so smiley in these photos, wearing no jacket, when it's so freaking freezing in Melbourne? LOLZ

Why, hello again darlin'

2011-08-10T20:05:00.000+10:00

Just wanted to scream a big 'G'Day' (I'm Australian Dolly after all) and show you how I ended up as Dolly Parton at my friend's dress up party! YES they are massive falsies - eyelashes of course!

The dress was perfect, I'm thinking of taking off the collar and wearing it normally (you can't really see the yeehaa collar here anyways) as heaps of peeps said I looked really skinny around the middle. It *might* have been because my boobs were so big thanks to a little extra subtle padding.

I'm thinking of getting a ye olde Blog style Q & A Friday, or Saturday, or something, because I have blog annoyance at present! For now however, @Gail, the curtain from my Prairie dress had no info on it at all (you know how sometimes the colour ends are tucked under the seam and have something written there?) so it could be Sanderson. And yep, for the Sydney Tourism Ad dress, I used this Simplicity pattern, roughly based on my experience with that accidentally pink dress from a few years back.

Talk soon!

Sew Weekly: Way out West

2011-08-06T14:34:00.000+10:00

This week's Sew Weekly theme is Western, and after a few hiccups, I put together this little house on the prairie type dress. The pattern is from the 40s, but has a real old time country feel about it with this calico type fabric!

As Husbie was away for work, I've taken these photos myself, using my small Lumix camera, on the frail tripod (I think it's frail because it's legs are so skinny, and it probably was really cheap. Does the job though!) and I used the pole on my verandah to get the focus right. The Lumix doesn't come with any remote, and not sure if I can hook one up. The good thing though, is that it allows 3 photos when it's on self timer, so you can run and move around three times. Then go back and see how weird and cross eyed you are. I think I'm cross eyed in at least two of these photos. Oh well!

And now, some photos for Amanda in Adelaide who loves my dog, AND loaned me this 1940s pattern!

Have a gorgeous weekend guys! xoxo

Sew Weekly: Ahoy there!

2011-08-04T23:31:00.000+10:00

Oh hai, I made a dress the other week.

Oh yes, a nautical theme dress!

I tried a pin up pose

It had bows and ties and stripes from stretch knit fabric

I strolled along the north pier, near Luna Park in Sydney

Waved at ferries to be friendly

Pulled out a 'fun' pose just for Husbie

And tried to be sophisticated in front of a giant face with no lower jaw bone.

More details over at my Sew Weekly post, if you love knowing those details. AND, my 'western' theme dress will go up tomorrow (Australian time, I believe!). I'm getting BACK into the swing as August is the BEST month for me workwise! I totes survived Splendour in the Grass, and can also share with you some dress up photos from the party where I became Dolly Parton for realsa. Oh you wait til you see those falsies! (EYELASHES OF COURSE!)

xoxoxo

Husbie Sunday: Caught on film

2011-07-31T14:40:00.000+10:00

Husbie loves photoshopping up a film still alright! Hope your weekend is darling! I'm at Splendour in the Grass busting a few gutz working, and back soon. xoxo

Sew Weekly: At the Movies

2011-07-28T16:53:00.001+10:00

Last week's Sew Weekly wrapped up Hitchcock completely! Mystery, murder, birds! We really got into the fun of it all, and personally, I think it was the best looking week for all of us! You can see the archives of Sew Weekly to find us, and get a little boggled (like I just did) at all the creations so far! OMG!

Lean with me, for my Grace Kelly look is about to get weird:

Husbie was directing me! I hadn't realised how muscle-y my legs are. OMG what exercise have I been doing to get those?

And a little spying, a la Rear Window:

It's such a sweet dress, and really lovely to wear. The MIFF opening was last week, and I wore it without the tulle underneath (like this photo below)

Thanks for visiting my blog once again just for the pictures! I'm a little strapped for time this next week, but I'll be back gung-ho in August. And one of those blog a day challenges in September! Plus of course, I still want to shake up the look of the site. Recently you may have heard me worried IRL (You got most of it Sophie and Stasia) about how I'm not reading your dear comments... blogger sometimes breaks and it's hard to leave a comment. GOSH DARN I do not like that. We'll see if I can work out how to migrate to another publisher though. Maybe Google Plus will change blogger too?

My Sweet Room

2011-07-26T18:13:00.000+10:00

I never want to start my posts with 'Hey, I'm busy at the moment' but I'm so that Busy Bee at the moment! (When am I not!?) Here's a series of In the Sewing Room photos I took last week as I was prepping for the wonderful Alfred Hitchcock film theme for the Sew Weekly! If you're dying to see my dress (and haven't already), my post is on Sew Weekly, and I'm getting the photos ready for you at the moment, which I'll hope to post tomorrow! What a big catch up post that'll be!

The fabric I used is vintage, and kind of upholstery type material, called Cassandra! Cute! I listened to This American Life while I sewed. And had heaps of tea in my Spiderman Tea Cup (or Husbie's teacup, I should say!) while resizing the skirt pattern pieces. As I mention over in the Sew Weekly post, the material I had was about 1 metre too short, and with three skirt pieces that had to be cut 2 times each, it was a little bit of maths and accordion skirt pieces. Accordion because I had to fold and re-fold a lot of horizontal edges to make the skirt pieces fit the fabric. Yay for remnant fabric pieces from the op shop! Yay for sewing in general!

This week I'm going CRAZY because once again I'm working at Splendour in the Grass where our radio station will be broadcasting shitloads of live music and interviews and I'll be running around NOT wearing this Hitchcock dress!

Talk soon, and hope you're well xoxo

And the album cover!

2011-07-19T23:30:00.000+10:00

*chuckles*

Husbie loves the old photoshoppe! And gosh he's good!

Hope you're having a gorgeous week! Once again, I'm in the middle of organised chaos at my house, but somehow I can pretend I'm not sick, pretend the house is clean and watch ABC news nonstop to see how those Murdoch/Hacking investigations unfold. The time difference is a bit off, but it's just so interesting. Did you happen to see Jon Stewart's amazing 'catch up' piece?

xoxo

Sew Weekly: LOVE Y'ALL!

2011-07-17T21:45:00.001+10:00

I'm getting my country on y'all, for this week's Sew Weekly theme has been about album covers, and all came about because my darling friend is having a party, and the theme: Album Covers! We love rekkids and choones, especially since at my work we've just wrapped up this epic collection of democratic music voting!

My Sew Weekly post has the usual LOL and explanation of my dress, but to save you the time (but do go visit, Mena's White Stripes outfit is GORGEOUS! Plus Kazz does a gorgeous job filling in for Debi, making up an extra dress for mod girl group The Like. One of my big sayings last year was 'Do you like The Like? I like The Like too'!) it's pretty much Dolly Parton inspired from her album 'All I Can Do' and because Husbie I wanted to match for the party, he'll go as Kenny Rogers! YAY!

A bit of Dolly dancing!

I actually bought new fabric, because I don't seem to have an red left for dresses! I have a few remnants here and there, but nothing totally dress ready! It's from Spotlight, and considering I have't been there for ages, not much has changed! It's hard to find good material, it's expensive and there's always a long wait to be served. And I was there right on opening! You guys need more staff!

This cotton was made in Japan, and 100 per cent cotton, and totally fine for my outfit this week. As you know, I'm totes committed to recycling and reusing fabrics, as most of my materials are hand me downs, op shopped or second hand, and where possible I try and keep this up! One of the comments over on Sew Weekly this week was, 'OMG you bought new fabric!' so yes, 99 per cent of the time I use thrifted fabrics!

Anyways, hope you've had a GORGEOUS week and a darling weekend, talk soon xoxo

Sew Weekly: Between two ferns

2011-07-13T12:48:00.001+10:00

Hi! I've got a bit to catch up on because I haven't shown you last week's Sew Weekly creation yet! It was inspired by Lilly Pulitzer, an American designer, who I google imaged searched like crazy last week, and found her fabric choices to be very nostalgic and not unlike vintage bedsheets, vintage tablecloths or vintage ... curtains. Which seemed to suit my style a bit, especially since my lovely Pulitzer Fern dress today, is made from 1 x 1 (x 2 of course!) metre curtains (bought from the op shop still with the plastic hoops attached).

You could say I'm a little happy about winning my Pulitzer Prize. LOL.

It's funny seeing these photos as I've visited the Hairdresser for my update since then, and I've already forgotten how dark my hair is along the roots. I've been asked before, but my natural hair colour is very light mouse-y blonde, and I'm perfectly in love with the platinum here. My hairdresser is Corrin, of Corrin's Hair Lounge in Brunswick (MELBS) and she's also a total darling and I bet if you dropped in you'd marvel at her vintage-esque hair lounge, and her darling handmade pieces around the store. YES, she's a crafty queen as well.

So, another 'How I styled it' photo for you, because it is a little cold here in Melbs and there's no way in hell I'd walk anywhere without a jacket! My super smiles in the above photos are actually "I'm totes freezing, quick with the photos Husbie!".

This week currently at Sew Weekly, we're making musical outfits: creations inspired by album covers! I just ADORE Mena's White Stripes influenced romper!

Shoesday: Boring Winter

2011-07-12T17:46:00.009+10:00

Hey! Man, it's been a while! Hope you are still goodlooking!

I'm going to be fiddling around with the blog over the next wee while, updating and moving things around, but only slowly and nothing too drastically. I always like tweaking! Let me know if it starts to get too weird!

My shoesday from top to bottom: Cowboy Boots, Docs that look like Campers & my red vintage Shoobiz type boots. Winter can mean some boring Shoesdays. I *thought* it was a smidge warmer today. Just maybe 1 degree warmer. Wishful thinking?

xoxo

The Obvious

2011-07-03T12:09:00.000+10:00

Happy Weekend! I've been relaxing with my ipad (playing the free Tiny Tower - so cute!) while sewing this week's Sew Weekly dress, and taking stock of things. In the last 2 months my job, which was a contract position, became permanent! It was advertised, I applied (of course!) and had the interview. And got the job! Yay! I'm officially a Senior Producer now, of radio, and have all sorts of awesome things to do. You know I don't delve into my day to day working life, as it's not sewing related, plus it's kinda detailed and I just love that we're friends here, away from my job. BUT, I'm super happy and I love all the people I work with so it's great I can keep on working there.

So I've just been reflecting and relaxing and planning things this weekend.

Don't you adore vintage graphic design? Most of my zippers are from the op shop and I haven't seen these drawings before, but I love how obvious they are. What do I do with a zipper? Oh, that's right I can make jeans and skirts with it!

xoxo

Sew Weekly: Red, White and Blue

2011-06-28T22:46:00.000+10:00

This week for the Sew Weekly challenge, my post went up nice and early! Sometimes I wait around til posting here after it goes up on Mena's blog. I finished it on Sunday night, and it was a UFO challenge (Unfinished Object in the seamstress world) but I the only UFO I had was a skirt from the same material from the last UFO challenge. More details on Mena's blog about the UFO background!

This whole outfit started with my new hand me down blue vintage jacket. It's wool, warm and kind of is a perfect fit for a petite lass, which is why my friend gave it to me last week. I have a lot of black based outfits, and usually prefer tee-ing up my colour coordination around black. Lately, I'm getting a bit more experimental though, as I've been loving purple and red together (instead of red and black) and even WHITE shirts to get a sharp look like this outfit!

I wore this to work yesterday, and it was really cute and comfy. I did feel a little formal, because I don't really wear suits or office attire, but I love the whole look. The white blouse I made for the black and white cup day outfit, and is so cute too!

My awesome exposed zipper! It was the first time I've sewn one on, and read through the Burda tutorial (it's one of the first tutorials that comes up if you search for exposed zipper tutorials!) but then adapted it for my fabric. It's IKEA fabric, and it's really thick upholstery stuff. I originally got it sometime in 2009, and made this awesome Dog Bed for my babe of a dog, but of course she chewed it all up and it was a bit sad. But at least I have this skirt now! Here's the pattern I used:

It's totally the easiest skirt and such a lovely shape! I made the waistband a little wider to fit more of the hearts in. Yippee! I've just gotten back from Go Go Dancing (I'm starting to get back into it again!) so I'm super dooper tired. I'll check in with you soon, if you have a blog, and if you don't, HI TO YOU! Hope you're well xoxo

Scrappy Snakes

2011-06-25T10:43:00.001+10:00

Last week, Husbie noticed that we have large gaps under two of the doors in our house. We are currently in a weatherboard place, that shifts around depending on the seasons. In summertime, I would often come downstairs to see the front door wide open, and I couldn't understand why it wouldn't latch like it did before. Our lovely landlord lives next door, and he fixed the lock to its summertime position, and sure enough, when it didn't close a few months ago, he shifted it to its wintertime one.

And so, in deeper wintertime, we've got gaps under the doors.

I made these two door snakes (do you call them something else?) from metre long scraps, and stuffed them FULL of all the offcuts that turned into a carpet in my sewing room. I stuffed overlocker scraps, threads, pattern tissue offcuts... just about anything that was on the floor that wasn't perishable or plastic! What a way to tidy up and recycle!

You might remember the fabric from this door snake! It was the base for my awesome first try at piping, for the Embellish This Sew Weekly theme!

Sew Weekly: Trackies to Totally Unreal

2011-06-23T12:40:00.001+10:00

I know in blogland, the 'best' photo you've got should start the post. It's like a newspaper or a magazine front cover, and it's got to be captivating and exciting and beautiful and shizz like that. As we all know, I'm way not that kinda person, nor blogger. Hence this extremely daggy photo of me trying to fit into ONE leg of a pair of trackie dacks. Why?

FOR REFASHION! First I found my McCalls 4260 had long vertical pattern pieces, which I could use to refashion these 'far too large' tracksuit pants for this week's Sew Weekly theme. And I did a little sketch how to alter the pattern pieces to fit the trackie dack fabric. You may have seen my results on Mena's Sew Weekly blog. BUT for those who can't wait for the jump:

Those trackie dacks turned into THIS:

BANG

REFASHION FTW

WHY AM I POSING LIKE I'M IN A GIRL BAND?

A LITTLE CLOSE UP OF THE GATHERING. TOO CLOSE THOUGH!

A BETTER CLOSE UP, BUT WHAT'S WITH THE FACE?

YAY! WITH LAYERS: IT IS WINTER AFTER ALL!

The Breaking Bad Blankie

2011-06-21T21:11:00.000+10:00

I can't remember when I started this crochet project!? Was it Christmas time? I remember the wool was on sale, so maybe it was post Christmas/January sales? I could look back in my archives, but I wanted to quickly show my progress, because it's starting to look cute to boot!

We've been watching the VERY intense Breaking Bad while I distract myself and multitask with crocheting these squares. I finished the colour squares a little while ago, and have done the black edging all in the past 2 weeks. As it's super cold at night time, I'm DYING to have this finished, and am investigating online all the ways to join the squares up. I know there's heaps of different ways, and I've tried a couple, but am can't make up my mind what style I'd like for this one.

To give you some perspective on the size, here's Doggie Darling, who honestly cannot resist being in my photos at the moment. Anytime I bring the camera out now, she's turning on the charm!

My week has been quite busy, but I'm feeling quite organised. It's SO weird, as I'm working early hours again in my day job, so whilst it's awesome and I'm working with such delightful people each day, I've forgotten how weird and tired you can feel from using so much energy at the start of the day. You can kinda feel like an alien!

Hope you're enjoying your week so far! xoxo

Husbie Sunday: Antique Ascot

2011-06-19T18:35:00.000+10:00

This was that time that I went to the Ascot Races, but back in the previous century. Husbie can certainly transport me back in time!

I hope you're having a lovely weekend! I'm overjoyed with the feedback you've given me this week, you are the best best best! It's totally inspiring to have you there smiling and LOL-ing with me! I've got a lot of awesome posts planned for this week, so am full of optimism AND craftiness around the home! I'm turning my hand at being a real proper House Lover!

xoxo

Sew Weekly: Photo Finish

2011-06-18T22:07:00.000+10:00

Hello! In what could quite possibly be my highest sewing peak of the year, I'd like to introduce you to my 3 piece suit, made by yours truly for this week's Sew Weekly Theme: At the Races!

As you can see, I'm very happy with my sewing this week! Bursting at the seams with pride, but luckily thanks to my mad tailoring skillz, not bursting at the seams literally.

I adore the jacket, it's perfectly cropped for a petite lass, and I cut back the sleeves/cuffs so that they didn't dangle around my fingers like normal store bought jackets do. Honestly, the best thing about sewing for yourself is making the perfect fit. Off the rack will never, ever, be the same again, and actually thinking about buying store bought clothes makes me itch in anticipation of the bad fit. But, what I did discover buy making this skirt, was that pleats and tapering skirts don't fit well for my rounded hips and mini waist and I might have to rewatch episodes of Mad Men just to see Joan's waistline's darts.

Many of you, over on my Sew Weekly post, have said the skirt looks great, so it must be really a comfort thing and a self concious worry - because the skirt (with its high waistband) has too much 'frump' and bulk around the middle in my opinion. Oh well!

Whilst the photos are absolutely beautiful (Thanks Husbie! You're a star! When are you going to start your own blog, hey?!) it was totally freezing... as it was first thing in the morning, you can see my breath it's that cold!

Against All Odds

2011-06-16T20:00:00.000+10:00

This is the post I'd planned on writing last night, or this morning, before my Sew Weekly post went up. Life, eh?

I was going to say 'Where Am I?' with this photo of Makybe Diva, and then you who lives in Melbourne, will be like: 'Flemington' and then I'd be like, imagine how this pattern turns out:

Tune in to my blog here and I'll reveal all etc etc etc (it's such a cute pattern though, hey?!)

But, life got in the way of my wonderful 'set up' post and now my beautiful blog post is up on Mena's site (It's my fave everything by far!) and instead of blurring over the details, here's a little insight into my chaos and what's on the top of my brain this week:

- Working & planning 6 radio shows, with different needs and expectations
- In the middle of applying for my job which became a 'real' position; job interview next week
- Got a 'crick' in my neck from picking up my dog and moving a bit
- 99 per cent confirmed that we've sold our house, which means we could buy another one
- Budgeting for an overseas holiday we've been planning for 500 years
- Retraining our dog who's slipped into the terrible twos era
- Interest rates, cost of living, blah blah blah
- Watching Breaking Bad Season 3 and realising it's MORE stressful than real life!

And so much more, but you'll be bored of it. I hate lumping my worries into a list on my blog, but maybe it's just venting and getting it off my shoulders and throwing it into the world so I can take a deep breathe and type this now and then... maybe it's not a worry.

Tomorrow? You'll see some of the LOL photos from that wonderful outfit post, and we'll all get ready for the weekend and it will be lovely.

xoxo

Shoesday: Wintertime

2011-06-14T19:59:00.000+10:00

a) I dared to wear open toe heels and opaque tights

b) rainy outside and slippery on the tram

c) cowboy boots

d) and cowboy boots again.

It finally turned freezing in my town, so I haven't been too adventurous with my footwear. It's never snowing freezing, just crispy freezing and sometimes rainy. When it's NOT rainy I can wear my trusty cowboy boots. They've given up the ghost and have cracks in the soles. And I have cracks in my soul because of them. I love them so much. I wish they could last longer.

This Shoesday, I'm starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel workwise, so I'm pretty happy. I'm making dahl for my darling, and getting my Sew Weekly notes and photos together so I'll have some sewing adventures to show you soon. And we went on *quite* the adventure to get the photos this time. Hilarity WILL ensue!

Hope you're well xoxo

Husbie Monday: A freezing cold photo shoot

2011-06-13T12:42:00.000+10:00

PHOTO LOL FOR YOU!

My Husbie gets up to tricks on photoshop, and this time instead of mad colour grading (he's a film colourist in real life) he's been at the old lasso cut n paste. (I'm guessing, as I don't really use potatoshop that much!) But I thought, today, I'd show you a little behind the scenes of a classic Husbie Photoshoot.

We had 10 minutes on the way to work last week to take the Pillowslip Dress photos, and I know the photos came up wonderfully, but it was FREEZING cold. So for the 'test' photos, I had to be rugged up and obviously really grumpy looking!

As I've been away a lot of the last month, I'm really making the Sew Weekly garment at the last possible minute (sorry Mena!), taking photos and then writing my post, and usually I am a few weeks ahead of myself. So it's a little rushed for me at the moment! But as you can see, like magic, once Husbie has the light meter right (or whatever he does while I'm grumpy), off with my jacket and a wonderfully big "I'm freaking cold" smile, and there's gorgeous photos for Mena's blog, and my blog.

But, we're friends here right? So the trick, I think, to having 5 or 6 gorgeous photos to make 'public', is to take at least double that (plus the 'test the light grumpy' photo above) so you have maybe 20 or so photos of you in different poses. There will be the LOL photos that you can delete and the cute photos that you can publish and you're comfortable with. Of course, at the moment, I have no qualms about being a dickhead, so this post is FULL of photos I'd probably have never published online... lucky you! I'm in a funny mood!

Funny arms with a 'I'm freaking still cold' face!

BUT, have a look at the outline around me (you can especially see it on my ponytail and the left edge of my furry coat in the photo above), it's the sunlight coming through the hedge, and this creates a 'backlighting' effect. (Please forgive me if you are a real photographer and have been educated! I'm always terrible with explaining things with their correct terminology!) BUT, when you're taking photos outside look to where the sun is coming from and usually if you stand between it and the camera, you'll be backlit and therefore you'll stand out more from the background!

ANOTHER TRICK? Your camera won't want to use the flash, as it's really bright with the sun coming through, but if you 'force the flash' you'll make sure you're well lit AND the backlighting remains. Sometimes if your backlighting is really strong (ie a super hugely sunny day) you'll be in the dark, so forcing the flash creates a 'flash fill' at the front. The photos above were taken at 8am here in Melbourne, so the sun was up but not super strong, and also at a great angle for these photos because it was lower to the ground (as it's wintertime sun).

Lighting is really cool, and I bet if you play around a bit, you'll get some really cool results!

We're having a LONG weekend here, because of the Queen's Birthday! YAY QUEENIE! Means more sewing for me!