Made By Me May - The Round-up

Hello World! TGIF - which is made even more awesome by the fact that it's long weekend! Yus!

I just thought I'd do a wee post about how my Made By Me May went, here's a few photos of the made by me items I wore. I didn't take a photo every single day, but I can admit there were four days in the month I didn't wear something I made myself.

I am still a novice sewer, so I decided to wear one item I had made each day - seem as I usually wear dresses it wasn't so difficult.

I do wish that I did have more time to sew some more new clothes in May - however, as you all know the month of May was crazy for me work wise so I just didn't have enough time to sew as many new things as I would have liked too.

Overall I think it went pretty well for my first time trying to do something like this - perhaps I'll try again next year.

Wednesday Wardrobe Challenge - Brown

Yesterday's wardrobe challenge was brown and I decided it was time for another new frock so I made this one from fabric I bought ages ago at Opportunity for Animals - it was an epic day of op shopping, I picked up so much cheap and awesome fabric that day.

This dress is yet another pattern from Chic and Simple sewing, I think that book is basically one of the best investments I have ever made - best "on holiday" purchase ever - thanks bookstore in Singapore. Ignore all the bags of fabric in the picture - I am in serious need of more storage!

I am especially excited about this dress as someone stopped me in the street at lunch time to tell me how much they liked it. I still feel very much like a novice sewer and sometimes I worry that the things I make don't look right - so to have a comment from a complete stranger like that was pretty rad.

I haven't worn my "crocodile" shoes for a while - so I thought it was time they see the light of day. Unfortunately the weather seems to be getting cooler and cooler, pretty soon I'm sure the only footwear I'll want to wear is my boots.

I decided I needed to wear my red cardi with this outfit as there is only so much brown a girl can wear in one outfit.

OUTFIT DEETS:

Dress - Made by me - fabric op shopped and pattern from Simple and Chic sewing
Cardi - Glassons
Belt - Valley Girl
Tights - I think Glassons, but I'm not entirely sure!
Shoes - Number 1 Shoes
Necklace - Equipt
Brooch - Made by a friend

Wednesday Wardrobe Challenge:Plaid

So this weeks wardrobe challenge was plaid and I planned to wear this green skirt as soon as I found out what it was, I also planned to make a blue top to go with the skirt so I could also keep up my success Made by Me May.

However, this week has been so busy at work, I've worked three 10 hour days and one 9 hour day. I hope the worst of it is over now and tommorrow I can just do my normal 8 hours as I am exhausted! All this extra work meant that I didn't finish the blue top I was making to wear with this skirt - I cut it out ands began sewing it, all that is left to do is the side seams and the hem. But I just simply had not time to finish it up which really sucks as I had the best intentions to get it done and keep up my record for Made by Me May! 

 

I guess I shouldn't be too hard on myself though, it's currently very busy at work and I knew it would be at this time of year - so I knew it would be a huge challenge to keep up Made by Me May for the full month when I'm only a beginner sewer really. I'm sure some people who do these kinds of challenges have made LOADS of clothes, over lengthy periods of time. I only really began making clothes in December last year.

Want to know a secret about this pink shirt? It's actually a dress! One of my friends from work gave it to me when she was having a wardrobe clear out - however she is quite petite, so on me the dress was WAY too short. I didn't know what to do with it for a long time, then it hit me I could just wear it as a shirt.

I bought this braclet when we lived in Taipei, but I hardly ever seem to wear it. The wee bunny is my favourite charm.

So my top was going to be kind of the same colour as these tights - that would have been pretty rad. I WILL finish making it this weekend - along with the craft swap packages I need to finish up. But I also think this weekend calls for lots of time chillaxing.

Deets:

Boots - Dr Martins, bought in Seoul
Tights - Glassons
Skirt - from a clothes swap party
Top - from a work mates wardrobe clear out
Bracelet - Bought at stall at subway station in Taipei
Cardy - Hell Bunny, bought online
Necklace - Meg's Ragged Edge - gift

Musical Note Skirt

I can't lie, this last week has been a tough one - there's been a lot of stuff happening at work and I feel like I'm struggling to get through everything. It's been making me seriously tired, I was suppose to be going to a salsa and tango class on Friday night but I was just too tired to go - my brain was fried.

On Saturday I went to lunch with a friend and then had every intention of sewing away the afternoon - but instead I had a nana nap! I know some people like a nap on a Saturday afternoon - but I'm not one of them. I'm the type of person who won't sleep at all on a 13 hour plane trip, so to have a mid-day nap means I must have been totally shattered.

This afternoon I was feeling slightly more alive, so I went to a pink ladies event in the afternoon - it was a vintage hair and make-up party with a company called "The Vanity Case". I found the perfect red lipstick to go with my glasses, but the price is a little steep for me at the moment, but I think I'll have to get it sometime in the next month or two.

The one thing I felt like I did achieve this weekend was finish this skirt - it's a simple circle skirt I made with this tutorial, its the second time I've made a skirt using this tutorial. My first attempt can be found here, I made that skirt back in December when the sun was still shining.

I have had the fabric that this skirt is made from lying about for a while, I bought it at a sale at Arthur Toye Fabric (my local fabric shop). It's a type of craft cotton and I got the last 2 metres they had - I have been wondering what to do with it for the longest time. Then last Thursday I decided, to hell with it, I'm going to make a circle skirt! Here's a close up of the fabric.

Just a quick update on Made by Me May - I did wear one item I made myself every day this week. EXCEPT for Thursday night when Emi and I went out to a comedy show and I decided I wanted to dress up, so I put on a frock that I received in a craft swap last year. It was still handmade - just not by me. But other than that I have managed to wear something I have made myself every day this month. Unfortunately with the work related stresses I haven't been able to sew as much as I would like to over the past couple of weeks - but I guess sometimes you have to accept there is only so much you can do in any one day.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend xoxox

Wednesday Wardrobe Post - White!

Thanks for all your comments on my fire walking post - it is kind of mad, I know! To answer the main question people had - yes it did feel REALLY hot when I walked through the coals and no, I didn't get burnt! My feet felt a little bit sore and tender for the rest of the day, but by Sunday they were fine. Unfortunately Rich got a big blister from the fire walk which is still healing - so I think I was pretty lucky really.

Well now for today's wardrobe challenge which was wear white, I'm not a big fan of white clothes and given that I'm doing "Made by Me May" as well I had a bit of a challenge on my hands. But then I realised wearing white doesn't mean you have to wear ALL white. So I decided to wear my trusty space dress - there is some white in the fabric - so that counts right?

I bought these sparkly stockings yesterday on a "sanity break" from work - its all a bit hectic at the moment. So I went for a walk, went to Glassons and left with two new pairs of tights. These ones were just screaming out to be worn with space dress.

I decided to wear my trusty skull scarf for a few extra touches of white - I did plan on wearing my white shoes today, but its pouring down, so it was a boots kind of day.

Finally an artsy photo by Rich - I actually kind of like the way it worked out!

Weekend Fun times

I hope you've all had a super fun weekend, mine has been pretty amazing! I had my hair cut and coloured and got new green extensions, had lunch with Ria and another friend Alice and then Emi and I went to a belly dance class with Wellington Pink Ladies which was heaps of fun - I used to do belly dance YEARS ago and the class made me seriously consider if I should go back to it.

Finally we rounded off the evening with a dinner with our friend Ross and we watched "The Grey"  which was really good as well! I'd recommend it - the scenery in Alaska was so beautiful (at times, other times it was incredibly bleak!).

Today was a stunner of a day and in the morning Rich and picked up a couple of bagels and headed out to Otari-Wilton Bush to eat some lunch in the sunshine and have a walk.

Made-by-me May has been pretty well, but I am now coming to the conclusion I really need to make more things to wear! I was hoping to make something this weekend but I was just so busy. I must try and get started on a project this week.

But I did at least try to adjust my maxi frock that I made to wear in Asia at the start of the year to the Wellington Autumn. I'm not sure if I quite pulled this look off though - again I think the shoes look a little weird. What do you guys think? I'm still a little unconvinced I can wear this dress in the cooler Wellington weather!

Hope you all had a super weekend xoxo

Wednesday Wardrobe Challenge: Velvet and Lace

Well today's challenge was velvet and lace - I wish I had been a bit more organised as I do really want to make a lace tunic dress! It's on my list for this month. Instead I wore lace stockings and velvet shoes.

I love the colour of these purple stockings but they slip down - gah! I HATE that - but turns out if you add the lace ones over top, it will hold up the slipping down purple stockings - win. Plus one of the ladies at work thought I was totally rocking the "two pairs of tights" look.

I teamed it with my tropical dress and a cardy as its getting mighty cold here in Wellington! So you may notice a box in the picture with me - I sort of forgot it was there, but it is actually kind of exciting. I bought an organiser to put all my fabrics and crafty bits in - at the moment our couch kind of looks a little like its being engulfed by some kind of fabric monster. Soon it will all look spiffy in my new organiser. I promise I'll post a photo.

 This cuff is my one and only purchase from Forever 21 - to the best of my knowledge there aren't any Forever 21 stores in New Zealand (unless there is one hiding somewhere in Auckland?) so when I saw one in Kuala Lumpur I thought I'd check out what all the fuss was about. To be honest, I didn't think much of the clothes, but the accessories were fun. I really do love this wrist cuff - I also love pink and purple together.

Finally - my zebra print ring from the lovely Curtise!

DEETS:

Shoes - Op Shopped
Purple Tights - Shanton
Lacy Tights - Equipt
Dress - Made By Me
Necklace - Clothes Swap
Brooch - Vintage, from my Mum
Cuff - Forever 21, Kuala Lumpur
Ring - Curtise

Also I have to say thanks so much for all your positive feedback on my Sailor Moon skirt - I appreciate your kind words so much! I promise I'll post a detailed shot of the fabric very soon.

Made By Me May - Sailor Moon Skirt

So I have decided to take part in "Made by me May" or perhaps that should be "Made by me May Lite", basically I am going to try and wear on thing I have made myself for each day in May - which is going to mean I'll need to make more things or have a very boring month wardrobe wise!

Taking part in a challenge like this is one of my "35 before 35" goals, so I figured that now was a good time to get started.

I got the idea from a blog called "So, Zo.....what do you know?" - I'm not joining the official facebook group or anything as I don't feel that my skills will really measure up to a lot of the other girls on there who look like they have mad sewing skills and I'm still struggling with invisible zippers. So I've decided to take the idea of "Made by Me May" but kind of "go it alone" so to speak. Maybe next year I'll have more confidence in my sewing and I'll want to make it all official like.

Here's what I wore for the first day of the challenge - a Sailor Moon wrap around skirt that I made over the weekend. I've had the Sailor Moon fabric for a VERY long time, I bought it when I first got my sewing machine, but then I was scared of my sewing machine so I didn't use it. Then I became less scared of my sewing machine but I only had a metre of the fabric and I didn't know what to make and I was scared of just ruining the fabric so I didn't touch it.

Finally I decided I just needed to make SOMETHING with the fabric so I decided on a wrap around skirt - part of the skirt is Sailor Moon and part is plain purple fabric.

I wore to to work today (as evidenced by the swipe card at my waist) but I'm not sure about wearing it with this lacy top - I think in the future I'll pair it with the tee or a singlet.

I'm also a bit weirded out by the A-line shape of it - there was a time when I only wore skirts and the only skirts I wore were A-line. But I haven't been wearing skirts that much in recent years so I feel like this shape looks a bit weird on me. However an A-line skirt is pretty much the most flattering skirt shape in the world so it most likely looks fine.

Well, wish me luck for the rest of "Made by Me May" - I feel a lot of sewing in the near future.