Fun-day Monday with Shannabe

Since I started my new part time job at a local movie theatre I work mostly weekends. So Monday was the start of my weekend. Shannon and I first stopped at the new Boba Tea place so she could try a bubble tea... this is what she got... a cup of...?

She was NOT a fan of the chewy, slimy, tapioca pearls that lurk at the bottom waiting to be sucked up thru the huge straw. I wonder how often people choke on them?

Well after that we went to the North East mall in Hurst. Macy's was having some great Memorial Day sales and I snagged me this set of Martha Stewart red and aqua colanders!!

Before leaving we saw Pirates 4 which was really good. We theorized about the next Pirates movie on the car ride to North Park Center (all our malls are from the north apparently). Right across the highway from North Park is Home Goods... my new best retail friend. I got a red polka dot baking dish I have had my eye on for a long time (it was originally $20 and I got it for $8!).

After that where else but Half Price Books where everything was 20% off... yes!

A great start to my weekend I must say. Now I am going to finish some embroidery and watch Little House.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that...

...a single woman in possession of a crafty brain must be in want of a Big Shot die cutter! And now I HAVE ONE!! Complete with different templates and all kinds of stuff I am going to spend the weekend learning what the heck they do!

East Texas is a magic land. It has been my true home since 8th grade. (count your blessings, I just deleted a huge paragraph comparing Van to Hogwarts, it was a good one but I'll save it for another time!) ;)

Part of it's magic is a small group of women who have nurtured my quest to becoming an independent crafter. Thanks to them I have a great book on embroidery stitches, a book of sewing patterns for one yard of fabric, my Bernina (whom I think I am going to call Hera {queen of the gods, demands respect, treat her bad and you have a huge mess on your hands, I thought it fit}). And the newest member to my crafty family is the Big Shot! SQUEEE!

They know me so well and see the path I want to go down with my craftiness. So... BEYOND ready to move back home and plug into the community again. THANK YOU ladies!

What to do, what to do?

Saw this skirt on where else? Anthro of course. And put on my Pintrest board cut I think, think I could attempt to make one. So it's a bunch of hankie sewn together right? Well guess what I have tons of?......adorable hankies with either a fun print or my hand embroidery. My best hankie is my peacock one I just finished, I thought I would just frame it or make it a pillow... but what do you think the skirt idea?
I donno....

New Chair for New Apartment!

Thank you Home Goods! I got my first ever real piece of furniture! Its so cute, almost white with blue flowers. According to the tag I got it half of it's original price! I am soo excited! I feel like a real grown up.

Graduation! It's over!!

The day has come and gone! So easily and with no hitches or problems, thank you God. Texas Women's University class of 2011 baby! I wanted so badly to do something to my mortar board but I was worried they wouldn't allow that. I know some schools who really crack down hard on dress code. Which is a great thing don't get me wrong. For example, during the ceremony my mother whispered to my grandmother Oma, "Women dress like hookers these days" Oma said "What are the hookers going to do? I worry for them" hahaha Now you must understand that Oma is... conservative to the max so when she pops out these witty little comments its great.

Family, owe it all to them, every single person. Tee Hee, Shannon's eyes... My family sans Alan, and Brianna and Aunt Sandy went to Lewisville to eat at Mimi's Cafe. YUM! The only thing that would have been better is Grump-ma's Mojitos.

I was so nervous that I was going to pass out, I can't eat when I have a big day so my blood sugar was pretty low. But I was spared thank the Lord again! Next graduation I will be bringing snacks fo-sho!

the day ended with Shannabee's last choir concert. It was really good, they did a lot of Glee versions of songs and had cute dances. They all wore bright BRIGHT t-shirts so when they walked of stage I said it looked like a huge bag of Skittles spilled.

It was the biggest day of my life so far, thats weird to think about, but it's true! Everything I have worked towards lead up to a 20 second stroll across a raised platform and the shaking of strangers hands. Absolutely worth the blood, sweat and many tears.

Vintage Peacock Embroidery

Feast your eyes dear reader. Blanket, split, stem, and back stitches with french knots and lazy daisies... mmmm hhmmm.

Thrifty Nifty Shopping Spree!!

We have this great antique mall called the Vineyard just down the road, it has that cute little tea room in it. Mom and I went there and I found Hankie Heaven! I spent soo much on vintage linens but it was well worth it! My rule for hankie shopping is to never spend more than 3 bucks, and I learned that soaking them in oxy-clean gets them clean without damaging them... just fyi

My mom called me over to a shelf with all kinds of vintage toys and told me that she used to play with this exact set! They are tin Kenmore Kitchen sets from the 1960's. SOOO CUTE!

My little friend Nellie Grace will get to enjoy this pink oven/stove.

Sink

Fridge with sticker of food in door

Blurry shot of the whole brown set

This is my favorite, red and aqua!

It even has a little meal being cooked in the window! :)

I loove a good antique mall, there is always something you didn't know you were looking for!

"Current Embroidery Project" or "Soon to be needlework masterpiece"

Spastic post again, to match my short attention span. SCHOOL'S OUT FOREV-AH!!!! I am graduated! I am a double degree holding college graduate... no more school. This has been my dearest ambition for the past 19 years! Since Kindergarden dear reader!

My attention span is heck-a short because I have the freedom to do ANYTHING my educated heart wants! And guess what it wants to do? CREATE!! I have stared 3 different craft projects that have been gnawing at my creativity for months.

I bounce back and forth: while paint is drying I stitch, after I have used a strand of thread, I sew... on and on set against a backdrop of Glee and Lord of the Rings marathons!

I got the pattern from Pattern ala Carte and she says its from the 1940's. Please, would you just look at the beautiful sprawling lines and swirls of the tail feathers! (This was taken with my phone so its not a good representation) It's absolutely fabulous in person. My mom gave me a thread that is actually called "Peacock" which is over dyed so it fades from darker to lighter in a cool way. Can't wait to see it finished!

this is whats up yall

it's late, i'm sleepy but i couldn't go to bed until i had all the pennants sewn on to my towel... finish it in the morning... zzzzzzz

Cute Cookies

I have had the cookie decorating bug since easter, so guess what I made?
Got cute cookie cutters from Hob Lob for .75 cents!

And some gel food coloring and piping tips and bags. I got a little carried away with this one, it's like an inch thick with royal icing!

I copied Shannon and made a mushroom one.

The hands down favorite, I got my inspiration from one of our antique Singer Sewing Machines.

Its super fin and easy to use a toothpick to marble the wet icing.

I should have left this one alone, it was prettier with out my initials. Check out the red and blue round one, it looks like Spider Man or something.

I got two new cutters today and am planning on experimenting with my shortbread cookie recipe by using butter flavored crisco instead of actual butter... that way it's dairy free!

Love 146 Flash Mob in London

Thanks to Amber at Once Upon A Time.

Pink Tea Pot Giveaway!

No, I'm not giving away a pink tea pot, sorry! BUT keep reading! The etiquette blog "The Pink Teapot" is hosting a giveaway! It's such a charming blog, and so cute too! Check out the give away here. Many chances to enter and win! Get going lady!

Fabric is falling from the sky!!

WoW! No sooner had I finished my last post about my new fabrics (from Joann's) than the ups guy delivers my first of a couple online orders! Pretty sweet day to be a crafter!

So this is my FAVORITE fabric right now! I have been fixated on it for months and finally was able to just order a yard from Delta Patchwork. "Boxed Dozen" is it's name and vintage pretty is it's game! :) The first thing that comes to my mind when I bask in it's charm is DORIS DAY!!

Right? YES!

Skirt

Straps

Bodice

I may just keep the boxed for myself and frame it, not kidding I LOVE it the most.

Fab Fabric!

Two new dress ideas in mind! first is a BRIGHT crazy floral print, lets call it...Neon Garden? Well, the name needs work but these first 3 fabrics are super bright and ultra patterned. I have some purple pom pom trim to add to the bottom of the skirt (I know I know purple pom pom? trust me it looks scrumptious!)

Bodice

Straps

Skirt

My second dress is what I think I'll call The Embassy Dress, the colors are mega rich and lux!

Straps

Skirt

YES it's sparkly! The color is not good here, its a deep teal with gold glitter dots

Bodice

Again, bad color representation, this damask is the same gold as the dots above, and it's soo soft!

This ribbon for the bottom of the skirt and maybe around the bodice. It's slightly transparent.

What do ya think???

Clothes Shopping is my Kryptonite

blech, did you know I HATE shopping for clothes? UGH! These cartoons capture my experience to a T! Shannabee and I went to target last night and I thought, might as well try some stuff on... bad idea Alicia, bad idea indeed.

So after retail terror, I wanted some retail therapy! HALF PRICE BOOKS baby! Now I know some of you (AHEM megan) don't see the diamond in the rough that is HPB. Give it a try! You will ALWAYS find something you MUST have there and for uber cheap!
This book has been on my Goodreads list forever and I FiNaLlY bought it! Of course the cover drew me in first, I always judge my books that way, don't listen to that little voice in your head, it does pay off to judge a book by it's cover! THATS WHAT COVER ART IS FOR! :)

Here's an insider tip for your next trip to HPB. If the price sticker has the date printed on it and it's like 4 months or older, you can usually get them to lower the price! For example, this book is a 1st edition with a list price of $25, the original HPB pice was $9, then they put another price tag over that one for $7.98 but that tag was from January of 2010, so I got it for 6 bucks! YES MA'AM!

I would so much prefer to read a book about clothes that try them on! Also, I would MUCH rather SHOP for books (fabric, crafts, jewelry, home decor, movies and the list goes on) that for clothes!

Where I rich enough, I would hire a personal shopper and let them have the joy. Blech I say, blech!