Faye's month of tops sew-a-long

V8534 Making View C.. in lace and black knit. Never made this one before but it looks super simple.

S3634 Making the long sleeve view here...multi color stretch knit and I want to make it in a plain purple knit too. I've made this top countless times! I love it! Def one of my TNT patterns.

M5709 I loved making this top! I think it will be a nice dressy 'out to dinner top' in this dark pink and black knit with sparkles!

Faye over at Faye's sewing adventures (her site is listed on my blog roll) has a month of tops sew along going on! Inspired by her speed sewing of tops last November! I'm know I will not be able to make as many as she did but its sure put my butt in gear to sew up some much needed tops for the colder months to come. So far here are 3 of my future tops... Being cut out right now!! I love simple comfy knits tops for winter... Plus this should make a dent in my stash! (which is important because we're going to Atlanta for Thanksgiving and New Years... you know what that means.. Gail K's!!!)

I have 6 tops in all picked out to make this month plus 3 long simple full skirts to go with them... I'm in much need of long skirts also! More on that later! All of them are simple, most I've made before... so hopefully I can get it done.. atlest the tops!

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Catching up! V8353

As you all can see I've been messing around with my blog templete and such..... and lost my blog roll!!!! amoung other things!!! I'll get all put back together though... I think this templete is cute though... love purple!
I made and took pics of this dress about 2 months ago! I'm so far behind on blogging its ridiculous!!! But here is V8353. A simple yet time consuming dress... time consuming because all around the waist are pleats! And I mean ALL around! Made from a beautiful stretch woven, black with lilac polka dots (wal mart $3 yd!!!! and this is nice stuff!!!)... and the lining/contrast fabric is a lilac linen (from moms stash! Free!!! whoohoo!)
It completely opens in the front with buttons. I love full dress skirt like this.

To go with it... I made a necklace and a bracelet....using strips or a floral chiffon (wal mart) velvet and organza ribbon.... topped off with swarovski AB crystals and a cross charm on the necklace.

One of my 'goals' this year was to learn to paint on silk.... it was replaced with learn to make cool (trendy even!) jewelry! My jewelry wardrobe was getting kinda sad and old... I'm a lover of costume/trendy stuff... but the jewelry I was wanting was as expensive as if it had 'real' stones and precious metals.... so I've learned to make my own (yes knock off my own!!!lol!!!) jewelry.

Tip: If you've not been...Micheals Craft store makes it soooooo easy to make on trend jewelry check out their new beads section... Its amazing!!!

Halloween pics coming soon...

Pictures for Caryn

My lovely friend Caryn is in Turkey for part of her vacation (lets take a moment to hate on her a bit) haha just kidding! Anyways she is a costume obsessed diva and asked to see a picture of my latest ... Which is no where near done! I still have to do the bead work around the stones, add all the fringe and a  few more things.... Love this tri colored fringe! And you can't tell in the pics but the swarovskis on this on this are truly bright and sparkle like the sun! Just sooooo much more work to be done!

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Trying this mobile thing

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Is this thing on?

YES!!!! It worked! I can mobile blog!! I feel pretty "trendy" right now!!! lol!! Anyways! This is a doily I'm working on... isn't it cute? I love doilies....

Finished Crochet Projects!!!

Long time no blog!!!! I know! I've been working on projects like a crazy person though! Just not been taking the time to photograph them like a good blogger should! I have completed 5 pieces of my 11 piece fall/winter wardrobe, completed a couple of dresses with jewelry, finished my Chanel knockoff (coming soon to this blog!) and finished some crochet projects...

I don't know what this shawl was called,,, its made from a mohair yarn (that was extra thin and very challenging to me!) I have been working on this since March.... now complete! I love it! That lacey effect of crochet just does it for me... I think its so beautiful!

Here is one of the summer crochet tops I finished. Its from a Crochet interweave magazine... made completely in the round.... yeah... summer tops completed in fall!! haha!!

And I have learned to crochet doilies!!!! I'm so excited about them!!! and will defiantly picture them soon... also I have been crocheting up a storm making these round dish clothes.. using a cotton yarn and many different colors. I think they are so fun to crochet and it only takes me about 45 min to do one... they'll make great Christmas presents too!

Okay... that was a quick update. I'm trying to get my new phone to mobile blog! I know that would help my blogging mojo! lol!!

Weekend in ATL

A couple of weekends ago we took a little much needed get away to ATL for a night out and a Falcons game.

I am so mad that I was holding my purse in front of the applique on my LBD (long black dress)!!! I finally get to wear it out for a night on the town! We had to much fun... this is the night before the game on Sunday. You'll remember in previous posts this applique took 4ever!!! for me to finish!

I felt very "pretty" in this dress. I didn't carry the super tiny matching purse but wish I did now... it wouldn't have been in the way! I LOVE going to NFL games!! (not into college fb though!) Normally I'm a Titans fan... but learning to love the Falcons since I already love ATL.... and I love the GA Dome! What a great place to see a game and not worry about ALL the rain we get!

Enter the FALCONS!!!!!!! The crowd was pretty fun (not like NHL games in ATL)... Titans fans are a bit more "lively" though!! lol!

It was SO MUCH FUN to be there ... I did get a kick out of the crowd booing the GA Tech band..... AND the guy that sat beside me booed the weather man! He also spilled beer, waved his Falcons flag and hit people in front of him... AND kept doing the 'dirty bird'!!! What a dork!! He was funny, but would have been more funny if he had been about 3 rows up from me and not right BY me!!

The View from our seats was awesome (thanks ebay!!!) and they were club level!!!!!

We stayed at the Omni hotel right by the dome!! We actually walked to the game it was so close... Here's the view from our room... ATL is pretty at night...

The Omni is attached to the CNN center... a pic from the glass elevator....

Another great reason to stay at the Omni... we wanted to bring our dogs! Hey, they needed a holiday too!!!



my babies had alot of fun walking all over the city. Pacster is such a city dog! He loves traveling!

Ok.... whens the next game???? lol!

New top & lots of projects!

**THANK YOU FOR THE SWEET COMMENTS ON MY PREVIOUS POST!!!!!**

Please forgive the blurriness of the photo below... My Bald Man is still having issues with the new camera...
This is Burda 7644 ... another great top!!!! I made view c with the extra straps.... nice touch and again very easy... whipped this up in no time at'all! Fabric: the main navy is a jersey from walmart and the contrast fabric is from Panama.

FINALLY! I'm getting around to this top! Which is the fabric for my mini fall wardrobe!!

I'll be making the view on the left and will be using 3 or 4 different laces that I am making on my embroidery machine with Pfaffs Endless Vintage Lace... its LOVELY! The ideal for the top came from Spring issue of Sew Stylish (I love that Mag!!!)

More INSPIRATION!

I am in the process of making a outfit like this Chanel look. I have the skirt and the jacket made... my fabric looks SO much like the original (go walmart! lol!!!!)

Speaking of inspiration....

Darling Dixie..... whos growing SO fast... yet not fast enough! I'm ready for her to be grown and calm down!! But really, she's SO smart... I may have already blogged this but I'm going to brag a bit more about my baby who's already create trained, house trained, sits, stays, down, even shakes hands and gives high five! lol!!! 4 months old now...leash training,, she does walk very well on it... for me and only if NO One else is around!! Her ears are standing beautifully...

My doberman tank.... inspired by Dixie! (Bald Man got the camera right this time!!)

Once again... walmart fabric... a nice ribbed knit. I dis stressed the front a bit. Stenciled a dobe outline.... stamped purple roses (my favorite rose color) and added some tiny crystals.... oh and stenciled 'I Bite' lol!!

I'm having fun, alot of fun with what I make lately!

AND, I finished another Panama fabric dress and I can't wait to wear it... "Bald Man take me to Dinner!!!"

What I've made is what I'm wearing...

I always read about ladies who make all these clothes then don't wear them... thats sad! I think I get alot of wear out of things I make... really everyday I have on something I've made... alot of days everything I have on I made.. including jewelry and handbag!


*Please excuse some of my pics are blurry... we have a new camera and Bald Man isn't used to how fast it snaps a pic and I don't notice its blurred until I load it! *

Here I am, Sunday,...On my way to church in a new dress!.... this is NL6774 I'm in love with this maxi dress. Its SO comfortable! This pattern was super easy to make... seems like alot of stuff I've been making has been easy... I need to step it up a bit. Summer sewing is always easier to me. I do need to get ready to start my fall wardrobe though...
Anyways! The top is a lite weight knit I got from Miami... the bottom is a colorful heavy stretch lace I got from the ATL sewing expo last year. Its lined with a stretch knit nude fabric I bought at jo anns.
Wed.....On my way to see our favorite local musician here in Knoxville (besides my son ofcourse!) J. Luke! He's just awesome... you know I can't remember if I ever posted this "throw back" shirt I made last fall. Its made from a very vintage pattern that was originally a catsuit. The fabric is a vintage piece my mom picked up at a yard sale... fabulous! Its just so fun to wear!


Below.... Going out to our favorite dance spot in Knoxville, Purada, on Saturday night.

This is V1027 I got the fabric in Miami at Rex's. This was also super easy to make... and honestly.... I think I look like a cow in this dress but the Bald Man thought I looked super hot... who am I to disagree with my husband???? lol! and he's usually brutally honest about things like that. It does move beautifully when we dance though.

And everyday in between I wore my yoga wardrobe... jeans I made, t-shirts I altered.... yeah... I get alot of wear outta what I sew....

This makes a good case to show Bald Man because I think we need to take a trip and buy some new fabric....

Happy Days are....

Happy days are.... wearing a new flowy summer top... Here is my B5357!! Very easy to make and I love it! I need to make more of these before summer is over...And happiness is an evening summer dress. Here is V8489 made from more of my Panama fabric. Easy to make. BUT, its no where near done... the embellishments of swavorski jet black 20ss crystals, vintage black buttons and more will be added at an asymmetrical angel following the pattern of the print.

Happy days are not complete without my dog friends!

Look at my sweetheart Dixie... Here she is last week after her ears were done. I was shocked that she came home all hyper and excited! I thought she would be tired and sleepy from the surgery... but not Dixie! Hyper as ever and ready for a walk!



I won't be able to hold her like a baby for long...

Below is a pic of her on Wed. when they took them down.. with Pacster.

They went back up today though....




Happy days are gathering ALL these veggies from my little back yard garden!

Even The Bald Man's little corn patch is starting to give us corn! They're small... but So good!

I'm feeling very thankful.... God has blessed us so much!

Next time.... the maxi dress I made today!!! and a mini wardrobe I'm thinking about!

Y'all have a great weekend!

New Look New Top.... on the list

I made this yesterday morning. Its NL6179 very easy to make! I whipped this up in about an hour. The view for this sleeve length shows an elastic edge which I left off.... puffy sleeves do nothing for a 35 year old with chubby arms!
I added some white lace to the slit. The fabric is a wonderful lite weight stretch woven, with a distressed look... little rips all over! I bought it at Gail K's last year. It has a draw string around the neck line. I used some yarn and added some beads to the ends.

Up and coming projects....

This pattern, B5357, is similar to the NL pattern above, but it is a more sexy 'off the shoulder' look! I making the view with the panel in the center front.... I know in this pic it looks like these fabrics don't match but they do! I promise!

And actually this top is almost done!

Another dress from Panama fabric!! with V8489.... all cut out and ready to sew! I will be adding some twists to this...

And my fall purse.... The Ruffled tote by Hotpatterns... I got this pattern when it was free on their web site to download! The main fabric will be the black corduroy and the lining the blue corduroy.

I really hate making purses... but I want the purses!!!!

One last look at Dixie with her puppy ears.... tomorrow is the day, of the beginning, of the really hard part of raising a doberman puppy.... the ear crop!!!!!!!!!!

She is almost house trained... she already knows to sit when told and when her food or water is brought out, she walks on a lesh very well..... create training????? yeah, there's alot of work there still!!!! and now the crop! whew!

Happy B-day to my son! These are busy days!

My son, Brian turned 15 Monday! He loves his music (and he's quite talented at it!) so I bought him a new Gibson guitar, The Bald Man bought him a banjo and his Dad brought him this really cool drum back from Africa! My mom cooked up his favorite foods and I made him a chocolate chip cheesecake... yup, I think he had a good one! Now for some sewing... which I really have been doing alot of lately... just been lazy with the posting!

Below is an OOP Vogue #2540. It was very easy to make (made this in a day!!)and I plan to make the other view soon.

The bolero is copied from rtw. The necklace is a knitted rope with swavorski stones covering it... and I'm not sure I like it with the outfit.

The fabric is a stretch black knit jersey with silver glitter throughout that I bought at Hobby Lobby last year on clearance ($2 a yd) The contrast fabric at the bottom of the skirt is another treasure from our trip last year to Panama.

This skirt has SO much movement! Love that!


This is NL 6606 the shrug is copied from rtw. This was easy to make and I also made one of the other views took about 2 days for both.

The fabric is a light weight thin cotton I got at Walmart last year. Not the best stuff but it works.

I dressed it up a bit with a nice beaded trim around the neck line and on the front side seams.





What do you do when your husband still gets you roses for no reason....

Thank God for him!!!!! These were just what I needed the other day...

I haven't bought any fabric in a very long time.... this fabric was given to me by my moms long time friend, Gloria. There were lots of odds and ends in the bag but these were some extra great pieces!

This daisy chiffon print is so cute... I haven't a clue what I'm going to do with it! But I really like it.


Below is a very soft tan wool blend... and a great grey pin strip. Both will make great dress pants for fall/winter.

To the left here is a really great blue pin strip.

Now there's enough of this to make a whole mini wardrob!

Skirt, pants, jacket and vest!!!

It was very thoughtful of her to think of me and pass this great fabric along to me!!

I've also made some much needed dog beds! Here's Pacster on his Titans fleece bed!

Draping Projects and Back yard goodies

I love this summer fabric my mom got me at a sale somewhere!... huge tropical flowers, gold fish.. perfect summery jersey fabric!
I made this by draping on my dress form. Its actually 2 pieces. The top is separate from the dress. Back view... I also used this beautiful red/orange netting to accent the dress.

Below...This fabric was left over from a bellydance costume I made a client. Again made by draping. Darts give it just enough shape... I didn't want a super tight look.

I LOVE to experiment with draping!! Its so fun and makes me feel extra creative..

I also made the necklace I'm wearing... its braided fabric strips, beaded with black and clear crystal beads and a silver cross... and I need a close up of it!

Backyard Bounties!!!!

Check out my Purple Bell Pepper!!!! Its my first pepper of the season.

Scallop squash.. I have so much (anyone know any good recipes???)... MORE zucchini! and MORE cucumbers!..

My 2 little blue berry bushes even gave up a bowl of berries! There were more but I ate them as I picked! heehee

Puppy Update.... Dixie and 2-Pac are best buds now!! Check Dixie out after a play session..

so precious.....