Flower Girl Dress Adorned

Still stitching lace motifs on the wedding gown bodice...should be finished this afternoon. But, last night I took a break from the dress to put crystal trim and buttons on the flower girl dress. 

 She will be sporting some "Bling" and will be so happy about that!

Would You...Could You...Cut This??

In the mid 80's my husband and I were living in Europe, courtesy of the Army. We loved our 6 years there, and were fortunate to take several trips. On one trip to Belgium we bought a tablecloth after seeing a young lady working to create a similiar one. 

 She sold this one to us for $300 at a time when the conversion rate was very good. Today, it would be impossible to find a hand-made lace table cloth anywhere near this price I'm pretty sure (especially one measuring 47 x 73 inches). A machine manufactured or Chinese knock-off perhaps...but not true handmade lace.

 So, here is my dilema...I've had this in a hope-chest for the past 30 years. And it has never once been used...which seems like such a waste. I'd love to sell it, but I don't know of any high-end designers that might think $300 for a tablecloth is a steal...do you? Seriously, I don't know anyone.So, I'm considering cutting it up for crazy quilt projects. So, far...I can't seem to make my self pick up the scissors...it just seems like a waste to cut such a great object up. At the same time, it's not fair that it just lies in my hope chest...What would you do? Could you ...would you...cut it?

Clearance Sale Continues--

Yesterday, I showed you the brooches and pendants I "unearthed" in my storage cabinets. Today, I added some enamel butterfly charms...

Cherub charms...Butterfly charms w/inked wings...

five different slides for button clusters...

 and four more lace motifs.

That's all the time I have to pull more stuff until after the wedding. I'll fill orders as they come in...and then after the 5th, I'll try to upload some of my "slightly loved" books and perhaps the spider bead kits too.
[Note to all you ladies on "fixed income" like myself. If you are waiting until the first of the month to order...please don't. Just email me the stock number, item, price you need...and I'll pull the stock to make sure it won't be gone by the 1st. I fully understand how that is.]

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, ...It's Off to Work I Go!

Have you ever had a song stuck in your head? Well, this one was stuck there for several hours last night as I stitched lace motifs on Melissa's wedding gown. And, I woke up to the tune still ringing in my ears this morning. It's been several weeks at least since Aidan and I watched the Disney DVD of Snow White...so I have no idea why it "popped" into my head last night!

Anyway...here is the lace that is already on the dress. The dress is ivory and so is the lace. Problem: Lace trim we ordered/received to go around the hem and down the side (bride's request) was white. So, now that it is on...it sticks out like a sore thumb. No big surprise to the seamstress...(me)...and the solution is to add bits of the same lace to the bodice to hopefully tie all of the components together. 

 This is not the only adjustment...and when I have a few minutes...I'll post on the problems with purchasing a wedding dress off Ebay! For now...the lace trim is being cut into individual motifs...floral and little bits that can be pieced in a pattern. Can you see the floral and the little pieces "trailing" off of that like a lace vine? That's what we're trying to do...and it covers some of the ivory...making it look like a background. At least that's what we are hoping. I'm 2/3 done with the front bodice and then I move to the back.

Marvelous Monday Motifs - 8/29/2011

You can read all about my idea for Marvelous Monday Motifs here. Today we have pages 33-34 of the J. F. Ingalls Company, 1886 Catalog of Perforated Parchment Stamping Patterns. 

Please NOTE: This catalog is not under copyright any longer; but the scanned version released to the public domain on 17 July 2007 (the source of my information) does come with restrictions. None of these designs can be sold. They are for your individual use.

I Must be Nuts!

Why else would I run a huge clearance sale on my web-store at the same time I'm trying to get ready for a wedding! 

 Tonight I constructed a brand-new page of pendants/brooches to add to the web-store...but I won't launch it until tomorrow afternoon. Why? you ask...because I have to go to Hobby Lobby with my niece tomorrow looking for clear snaps and pretty buttons for her wedding gown...which I have to finish THIS WEEK. The wedding is Saturday!! And, I have a limited supply of these pendants...

 ...and brooches. 

 So, if someone buys several...and I'm not here checking the e-mails...I can't update the inventory. And, if I don't update the inventory (has to be done manually) then I could "over-sale" the items...and someone will be unhappy...and I truly don't want that. So, I'll have to wait until tomorrow.And, I have more lace and charms...but I'll post about that tomorrow night...because I have to sew some lace motifs on the wedding gown bodice. Hugs!

French Script Saturday - P

Dimensional Bunny

Yesterday, I posted about my recent article in Crazy Quilt Gatherings Magazine. But, I didn't include a photo of the finished little bunny. So, thought ya'll might like a closeup. Isn't she cute...or is she a "he". Hmmmmm.....

Crazy Quilt Gatherings is Available Now!

Another great issue is out! And, the little dimensional bunny on the cover (bottom left corner) is stitched by little-ole-me! Want to learn how?...go get yourself a magazine. At only $6 for the electronic version...it's a steal. 40 pages of pure crazy quilting joy...gorgeous photos! Pat Winter's blog has more info on ordering.

   

Wednesday Wine Country Monograms - N

Truly Fearless--That's Me!

I've always said that I am "fearless" with it comes to my quilting/stitching. It truly doesn't matter what the technique...give me a book and 15 minutes...and I'll gladly stand in front of a group and explain how to do it. My mind comprehends things like that fast...but don't ask me to add a column of numbers! But, true fearlessness....is showing you what my sewing room looks like right now!Sit down...this is scary!!
First off...this is my craft/sewing table. At any given moment in the day you might find me sitting here stitching, sorting, writing...or whatever. The television is in front of me...on those black cabinets you can barely make our. At present, the table is filled with Studio supplies I've carried in from the office area so I have some surface area to work. This is not TOO bad...

 THIS is horrid! It is my cutting table! I can't find anything!! All the neatly organized trays of scissors/cutters, my pen pencil caddy, my lovely wood boxes w/stencils & tools, and odds and ends from many projects are just piled on it for now. The wedding dress "parts" are hogging my cutting board side...so everything else is just shoved to one side. You can see the dress hanging in front of my book shelf...and the slip is in the window on top of other "stuff" from past projects. The bolts of netting/tulle are behind the sewing machine so I can find them! Truly, I need to get organized and de-clutter...

so, thanks to all who are helping by ordering from the Studio during the huge clearance sale.  I'm working as fast as I can to count charms and lace motifs! AND, yesterday evening I was also thanking the Lord that my little Studio had not ever really required so much work! I could not have taken the pace every day! De-cluttering and down-sizing is SO right for me!! Because you are my BFF's...and I've already scared you senseless...want to see something REALLY fearless???

Crazy Embellishments 50-75% off!!!

I've decided to clear some clutter from my life...one major area is the web-store ...So, the Studio has all of the inventory on sale...clearance priced...50-75% off!!!Please read the sale information on the front page of the Studio.The prices shown are the "old" ones...but the Shopping Cart is set to reflect the clearance price.
I would appreciate your sharing this news with your friends, chat groups, and on your blog.Thanks. And, yes...this is US and International Sales. The only "problem" is that international customers will be invoiced separately for their postage costs, via PayPal...at actual rate before their items are shipped. The Studio software does not calculate international postage. And, I do not add any processing or handling fee to the shipping...just bill you the amount the USPS Post Office tells me it will cost to ship.

Marvelous Monday Motifs- 8/22/2011

You can read all about my idea for Marvelous Monday Motifs here. Today we have pages 31-32 of the J. F. Ingalls Company, 1886 Catalog of Perforated Parchment Stamping Patterns. 

Please NOTE: This catalog is not under copyright any longer; but the scanned version released to the public domain on 17 July 2007 (the source of my information) does come with restrictions. None of these designs can be sold. They are for your individual use.

Here Comes the Bri.....well, not quite yet!

 My niece gets married in a couple of weeks. She got a dress off Ebay; and we've been "fixing it". We added lace along the bottom skirt and train. The lacing in the back went too low...about where here "southern cheeks ended". So, we created a bow with tails to cover up the bottom third of the lacing and add a little Wow! factor to the back as well. The slip (above) is almost done...and the lace is sewn around the hem of the dress. Next, the veil...and more lace on the dress bodice. Looks like we're gonna make it...but, I still have the finishing up and the pressing to do as well. And, the flower girl's dress "might" need adjusting...it arrives next week so we'll have to wait and see then. Here are some photos of the bow. The dress is ivory with white accents...

All in the day of the Aunt that sews!!