Halloween's Past

My little sister was 8 years old when my daughter was born, so from the beginning my daughter did what my little sister did. Our family is low on girls, I was 13 when my little sister was born, before then it was just me and mom, then my little sister until my daughter came along.

My little sister loved Halloween so my daughter loves halloween. At the beginning of each October I start asking 'What do you want to be?' incase there is going to be sewing involved. Some years there was and some years there wasn't. Just because there are some tasks even I won't take on. For my sanity it is easier to buy it. Here's a few pictures:

I know I have one of each year, but I can't find them. Mental note: Must go track them down and scan them.

Boo! I’m celebrating Halloween with @SITSGirls & entering to win a Canon Rebel DSLR camera http://bit.ly/dtwrjJ  - I'm doing this because Tiffany is such a Pretty and Generous SITS Girl

October Sewing Group

For our sewing group in Oct I created a couple of trick or treat bag patterns, one a very easy bucket and the other a pumpkin, almost as easy. They came together quickly.

My little sister wanted to make my niece a Wonder Woman costume, so I drafted the patterns for the skirt, the cape and the boots, the belt and the headband I just winged. She bought a red long sleeve T. She had to create all the images, the longest part was the stars - she needed lots of starts.

Then it was a must for mom to have a supper Mom cape:

I'm truly loving the once a month sewing group!!!

Helpful now...Will she be at 13?

How do you load a Dishwasher when you are to short to reach the counter to get the dirty dishes?

You stand on the Dishwasher door, of course!

And what do you do when you don't have enough hand strength to push in the rack of dirty dishes?

You use your strongest muscle, Your thigh!

This no rules at Tia's (Aunt's) house, is making my sister's job harder. She said she went home and stood on the stove door (they don't have a dishwasher). I think I might have to implement a few rules, But I don't like rules! What do you think? I just hate walking around - you shouldn't do that, don't touch that, your going to brake that, Duh - they are going to find it all out eventually, Right? or Wrong?

Make a Wedding Dress Modest

Inexpensive Modest wedding dresses are hard to find in Southern California. So what usually happens is that the bride finds a dress she likes at a good price and then starts looking for a Bolero Shrug. Something like this at White House/Black Market: (Except for an LDS Temple Wedding it would be made of Silk, Satin or Taffeta, to try and cover.)

I have seen it at many weddings, The problems become first that you have to size it just so, so that it doesn't hide the gown. At that point you're hoping that the bride isn't going to move because then she'll be flashing her undergarments. Then there is the fact that a Strapless dress usually sinks down low in the back, so you will have to make the cut of the back of the bolero sink down low as well. Not a charming look, It looks like the bolero is mimicking the shape of the train on the dress, or was attempting to have a tuxedo tail.

A while back I started experimenting with adding bodice tops to Strapless dresses, I've done a few now. This is what I've learned. You need to draft the pattern pieces with the dress on the bride. The bride feel weird at first but then get used to you cutting fabric along her skin and pining everything in place while she's still wearing it. I forgot to take pictures or the process so here it is on the dress form. You also need to incorporate a key element of the dress into the top portion that you are adding, so that it doesn't look awkward. In this one I added rouching to the sleeves. Also make sure to attach the top to the dress, or you'll have the same problems as the bolero. Just topstitch the dress to the top you created. The Stitching line is only noticeable when you are looking for it, it doesn't show up in pictures and most people don't even realize it's there. It's worth the piece of mind to the bride.

Easy Felt Trick or Treat Bucket Tutorial

I've written my first guest post for a very wonderful Blogger Jenn over at Rook No 17, I love the way she describes herself "CREATIVE DABBLER, LOWBROW JUNKIE AND HIGHBROW HITCHHIKER. Both punk and preppie, sweet and spicy, and irresistibly drawn to shiny, glittery objects. MAKER OF THE CUTE AND THE YUMMY, & PATRON OF THE ODD & OFFBEAT; ERSTWHILE CAKE SCULPTOR AND CHOCOLATIER. ....." There's more head on over there and take a look.

She made the process of learning how to guest post easy, So if you would like my Tutorial and pattern for an Easy to sew Felt Trick or Treat Bucket you'll need to go visit her and download it from her blog. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself while your over there she has lots of wonderful posts and chocolate!

Not so wordless Wednesday

My wednesday is full of words "Notice of Failure to Appear For Jury Duty" in my defense I was at the Cochenille Design Retreat, and wasn't able to call in on Thursday - when they finally wanted me to show up.

And!!!!! I was featured in an Etsy Treasury, Go check it out it's all about Recycled Items:

My First Guest Blogger

I would like to introduce everyone to My first Guest Blogger: Bekah she blogs over at Reflections...on Living Creatively. I hope you enjoy her guest post and then go by and enjoy her blog, she has much more creative posts and idea's that like this post can be used by all crafters and artist.

I am Bekah from Reflections...on Living Creatively. While I am primarily a scrapbooker, brushing up on your knowledge about color theory is useful for any crafter! I am excited to be joining you today at Modista Modesta!

Red, Yellow and Blue are the primary colors, and Orange, Green and Purple are the secondary colors. Colors next to each other are analygous. When used together the look is cohesive and can convey a theme. Colors opposite each other are complimentary and create drama and energy.

Here I used the complimentary colors green and purple to communicate the fun and energy of the party.

Supplies:

paper- K & Co.

glimmer mist

antique linen distress ink

CM alpha stickers

Prima flowers

potato sack

sketch- PencilLines

Thanks for reading today, and I hope you stop by to check out what I have to offer...scrapbooking, book reviews, photos, and recipes!

Bekah
Visit my blog- Reflections...of Living Creatively
Finding Inspiration in Everyday Life

Egyptian Tile Pendants

Some of you might remember my post earlier this year Scrabble Tile Fever. Well, I've been trying to get some good one's. The first few I did I didn't like because I didn't use what the Tutorial suggest the Diamond Glaze because I couldn't find it in the local stores. So I used 'Triple Thick Gloss Glaze' if you get it to thick it doesn't dry, it stays tacky, not good for jewelry.

So I ordered the Diamond Glaze on line and was patient and waited for it in the mail. I was ok with the Diamond glaze if you used the right amount it would dry and set. But for some reason it still didn't give me a good finished look.

So I jumped in and bought some of the toxic stuff, yes I was trying to avoid killing the planet, but I just couldn't help it, it looks a million times better.

My daughter had the idea of making Scrabble Tile Pendants that would have an Egyptian Hieroglyphic of the letter. Crazy me I said "I can do that". So I set off to research and draw and digitize the Egyptian Alphabet. I found about 5 different versions of the Egyptian Alphabet, so I pull a bit from here and a bit from there and made sure it didn't contradict with Egyptian History and culture books.

Yesterday in the wee a hours of the morning I finished this:

You can visit her blog NoBo and view what each symbol is and what it means in reference to a persons personality. She's just getting started with her blog.

And my daughter and I did these:

She is slowly putting them up for sales in her Etsy Jewelry shop:

Easy Sewn Knit skirt

I was so excited yesterday at church all the girls wore there knit skirt we sewed last month for sewing group. We made the easiest skirt on the planet. It had 4 seams. That's it. I almost wish I had a camera at church with me.

We used knit fabric, It doesn't ravel, so we didn't hem it.

Most sewing Machines that have more than 14 stitches to select from have a 'knit stitch', or can be called a 'stretch stitch' or 'elastic stitch' look for these terms in the Index and it will give you directions on how to set up your sewing machine to sew on knit fabric. We had 3 different kinds of machines brought to the sewing group and each one had it. A serger was used in the sample below.

I took each girls waist measurement (this was were they wanted the skirt to sit - not the smallest part of there body) and then I measured there Hips (there widest part) just to make sure that I made that part wide enough. Then I measured how long they wanted the skirt.

With Garment Designer I was able to quickly drop these measurements into the program and print out a pattern for each. Using a few simple rules. This particular design because of the stretch of the knit and the design of the fold over waistband required 6 inches of negative ease. Which means that for a 28 inch waist I actually needed a 22 inch waist so I simply selected the points and brought in the side seam until my quarter measured 5.5 inches.

For fabric you need the length of your skirt times 2 plus 20 inches. - so for a 23 inch long skirt you will need 66 inches - around 2 yards of fabric.

You cut the front and back pieces on the fold one of each. And you cut one waist band piece. You can fold the pattern piece in half and cut that on the fold also. Both the Front and Back pattern pieces are the same so instead of printing the pattern twice, I cut one for my front, then picked it up and moved it and cut a 2nd for my back.

With right sides together, sew the side seams of the skirt (remember to use the Stretch Stitch on our sewing machine).

With right sides together fold the Waistband piece in half so the side seams come together. Sew the side seam. So you end up with a tube.

Turn the waistband right side out. Fold in half lengthwise with wrong sides together. So you end up with a half width tube with the wrong sides not showing.

With right sides together pin the raw edges of the waistband to the raw edge of the top skirt. Making sure to pin all three edges together.

Sew the waist seam all the way around making sure to catch all three fabric edges.

That's it your done!

If you are a size 28 inch waist and want a 23 inch long skirt you are in luck - Click here to download the PDF pattern pieces to make this skirt. Click here for directions on how to print the pattern and tape the 8 1/2 by 11 sheets of paper together to get a full size sewing pattern.

If you would like custom sized pattern pieces of this skirt with your measurement for $5.95 you can request a Custom Order at my Etsy shop.

Vintage Sheet Music Cover prints

Today I have finished a very time consuming task. I don't even want to count the hours it took me to scan, digitally clean up, and resize 61 vintage sheet music covers. These covers range from 1904 to 1920, research has been done and all are in the public domain.

My daughter Stephanie will be selling different size prints of these as well as some of her own Photography work in her Etsy shop. So now she starts the task of editing, selecting printing and photographing in order to list them.

If you have any questions feel free to Comment, email, or Convo over on Etsy. We hope you enjoy our work.

Playing with Picasa and Pics

I need to figure life out and make some life decisions. I need to find a blog focus and generate an Editorial calendar. There are lots of things I need to accomplish today, so what do I do, I procrastinate and play with pictures. If I could afford it, I would get a life coach. That is how out of wack I feel about my current life path. But I love playing with pictures!

Easy fabric Covered Buttons

Are you like me and have a hard time finding buttons to match your project? Then make one. It is super easy to make fabric covered buttons.

Buy the findings in any craft/fabric store. I like the large size for my bags.

The kit comes with all the supplies you need to make the buttons except the fabric, of course.

Tip: I also use a small amount of fabric glue, it makes it a lot easier to keep the fabric from sliding on the metal, then you don't have to keep worrying if you have the image where you want it.

So first cut a piece of fabric with enough fabric to wrap around the button. I always guess and go big and it doesn't have to be perfect it all gets hidden with the button back.

Put some glue on the center of the button.

Put your fabric in place and start folding the fabric back.

Put the back on with the tools provided, or if you lost your tools use a hammer but don't hit it to hard, sometimes depending on the thickness of the fabric you can generate enough pressure with your hands to snap it on.

Easy, Easy buttons!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday is a great day to post an awesome picture that “speaks” for itself, no words needed!!

These are from Nov 2008, Still have the same feeling.

Picasa 3.8 Beta for Mac

Yay! Yay! Doing a happy dance in the rain. Picasa 3.8 has a beta for Mac. I had tried to use there site a while back and couldn't. I was so jealous of all the Collage pictures coming up on blogs everywhere. I could have taken the time to build a collage sheet in Photoshop, but I knew it would be time consuming. In case you haven't noticed I'm always having time issues. Some day there will be no clocks, no required work, no ... Ok I side track.

So back to my point, It took me a minute or less to download, It was taking almost 5 minutes to find all my photos, so I interrupted it - that's way to much time in my world. I picked a folder and clicked on Make Collage and 2 seconds later I had this:

I am in love. Now lets just hope I don't over do it!

Yay, September is over!!

Wow, it has been a month. It started with a bang a literal bang, one of the tire's blew on the truck. I knew they needed replacing I just have been running into money emergencies all summer, so hadn't prioritized it. I replaced the one but still need 3 more, I think I'm going to have to destash some craft stuff for a fund raiser ;-) I know I have way more than I need.

I posted about the 4 day retreat in San Diego - It was fun to meet some wonderful ladies, but when you never leave your house and you leave for 4 days you don't realize how much stuff can pile up. I have finally finished the laundry - well I shouldn't say finished, it is washed and out of the dryer into laundry baskets, and my family has been taking there cloth straight out of there to wear them.

If it came in with a bang, it went out with a grind - also literal! My daughter has been trying to figure out her Financial Aid (she enrolled at the local community college YAY!!) but had to drive 30 miles away to an IRS office for a form on her way back, she couldn't put the truck in gear, any gear. Luckily my husband was with her, so the pushed the truck into a parking lot. My husband made a few calls and by evening has 3 wonderful men and my brother helping trying to figure out what was wrong, still don't know what's wrong but they managed to tow it home.

Those are just a few of my stories for the month. The bright side is this wonderful little girl that runs away from her mom to come and visit me as often as she can escape. I started photographing her outfits, because I recall a few nice outfits that my daughter wore that there aren't any pictures of, and I just wish I had taken more photo's. Don't get me wrong my sister takes lots, but these are mine!

Lexi fashion show:

Here she's wearing a tiered knit ruffle skirt with pink ribbon bows, knit blouse with puff sleeves,  some comfortably stylish pink and white striped converses, in a naturally down swept to one side hair do!

Here she is wearing an ethnic embroidered to small dress as a cute top (if you read my blog this is the one I put a small zipper in the back so she could get in it), a pair of denim jean shorts, some cute white shoes with velcro closures in a one pig tail hair do with a cute blue bow (her moma made her)! Don't forget to notice her two black eyes, my big mean cat attacked her, but she forgives easily she still walks around the house behind the cat saying 'kitty, kitty, kitty'.

Here she is wearing a cute tiered ruffled skirt in an ethnic inspired print, a beautiful knit top with a knit flower and sash on the left shoulder, some bright shoes with top stitching for accent, in a two piggy hair do - you can't see but was to cute!

You can see part of her do here, I'll give you one guess who in this house put's there writing utensils in there mouth when there not using them???

A cute shot of her two pony tail hair do! Here she is in some short shorts in a nice pink with top stitching accents, with a knit top with matching pink butterflies, and again those wonderfully crafted and sporty pink and white striped converses! Only small marks left of her black eyes.

This is what brightens my day (So Monica stop trapping her in the house, yes, yes, I know she needs to nap, Love you) I must add - that I miss my Keegan! He's now in School.

Oh by the way - we did have September sewing group we sewed a knit skirt very simple - once you figure out how to pattern draft with negative ease - I still don't have the measurement to negative ease ration down correctly! There are no pictures because that day I was definitely a chicken with my head cut off - That was the day the Truck broke down.