Elizabethan Gothic

Part of being a seamstress is of course designing projects. With my start as an official fashion student looming all the nearer (two more days!) I've been inspired to sketch some clothing pieces. This bit turned out rather well and I thought I'd share it...

Elizabethan Gothic by ~Elenatintil on deviantART

Countdown to beginning -- 6 days

Getting so close to starting classes! I met one of my professors on tuesday, and I'm due to meet the others today. Apparently in Textiles lab we get to burn fibers. That sounds kind of awesome.

Also I got the rest of my books on Monday. For textiles we have a huge stack of little fabric swatches. There's a big note that says "DO NOT OPEN" so that we don't get them out of order before class starts. Seriously? I can't look through and play with all the pretty fabric NOW? This is depressing. Oh well... 6 more days!!!!!!

The other tragic news is that, although my mending/to do pile is growing at a frightening rate, my sewing machine is still not unpacked. I think this has something to do with the fact that my table is currently the resting place for anything that doesn't have a home yet and I've been putting off organizing it. It's so much more fun to unpack scarves and books than sort out little odds and ends... right?

Thimble Love

Years ago my grandmother got me started on a thimble collection. Since then I've bought a thimble from nearly every place I've been to -- and my friends have brought me back some from their travels as well. I'm always delighted to add another little beauty to my collection!

The newest arrival is the blue and gold traveler from Venice, which was purchased by my sister in her travels. Thank you sweetie! :)
Other members of the collection...

What would Lizzy Bennet wear today?

Textbook has the answer!

Seriously. I think I may have found my new best friend. And I'm kicking myself for not coming up with this idea first!

Anyhow, Textbook is a blog that basically takes famous people from history and literature and pairs them up with modern outfits. The commentary on the characters and chosen outfits is pretty hilarious.

So whether you're interested in Jane Eyre, Bellatrix Lestrange or Anne Boleyn, if you like fashion and books, this is the site for you!

(It DEFINITELY was the site for me!)

I am a Seamstress

It's been over a week since I sewed anything... so weird! And it'll be even longer before I can really do anything because I'll be visiting home this week to welcome my sister back from Europe.

However, I'm still a seamstress, even if I don't sew, and I'm constantly reminded of the fact.

I remember it every time someone asks me my major. "Apparel and Textile Design" is the long answer, but usually I just say "Clothing design" or "Fashion design."

I remember it when I pass an ad in a store window listing an alterations job. I had to seriously hold myself in check and tell myself firmly "You swore you wouldn't get a job your first semester... it'd be too much on your plate... you have 16 credits... you'll be cooking all your own food... NO JOB THIS SEMESTER..." *sigh* But it was for a really cool looking store.

I remember it when I'm looking over clearance T-Shirts in the Christian Bookstore and see that they only have the design I want in larger sizes. Well, what sort of a barrier is that for me? I can alter them!

I remember it when I go to the library and stumble across the sewing section... I stand in awe for several long moments, jaw dropped, just staring at the glorious wealth of information.

I remember it when I write out my schedule and see words like "textiles, fashion history, fashion dynamics."

I remember it when I walk through Walmart and stumble across the fabric section. I finger some white satin for a long moment before convincing myself to wait and retrieve a similar piece from my collection at my parents house. It's hard.

I am a seamstress. It's in my blood.

Apartment Decorating and Organizing

I'm not just returning to college, I'm also starting the adventure of owning my own apartment! As such there is plenty I am enjoying and learning about decorating!

Below is an accent lamp and corner decoration on top of one bookcase.
The gorgeous pattern on my new duvet cover
Tons of embroider pillows -- happiness!
A look at this corner's arrangement (the only one that is currently in shape for a photo op!)
The spice shelf!
It took me almost an hour to sort out the spices.
Bathroom! It was pretty bland, so I jazzed it up with some removable wall decals from Target. They rock! What else rocks? 3M removable hooks... they come in silver now!
A shower curtain adds so much to a bathroom.
We have no idea why there were no hooks or a mirror on the back of this door... but we decided to remedy the problem!
My laundry hamper has three sections - perfection! Ikea for the win
It even comes with sleeves to label the different sections
This may be my favorite piece... another wall decal with attachable rhinestones. It actually looks like a real chandelier!

You can find more pictures and details about the move at my personal blog. More sewing projects will be coming soon!

Back to School Shopping for $50

What do you do when you're short on cash, but need to purchase some new clothes for school? Hit consignment stores like Plato's closet (which is like a thrift store for name brand, trendy clothes) and don't go into a regular store unless they're having sales.

I went shopping last week after finally getting through most of my wardrobe, gutting and altering as necessary. I had sworn that I would not buy any new clothes until I'd cleaned out my old ones and this saved me a LOT of money as I went about half a year without buying a single item.

First off is a pair of earrings... I've got extremely sensitive ears, but I love the way I look with earrings so I thought I'd give this brand a try. My ears ARE handling it better than they do ordinary earrings, but they're still infected. *sigh*
Now the clothes! I love Plato's Closet because t-shirts rarely cost more than $6, and everything else ranges from $8 - $12. And this is for really nice pieces that would ordinarily cost at least $20, if not $40 or more!

The following is a really lovely knit... dress! Yes, it doesn't look it when laid flat on the ground, but the knit actually hangs lower. Even on my very long thighs it comes down a respectable distance, although I probably wouldn't go out in it without leggings underneath.
Isn't this t-shirt cute? The blue is actually a sort of fuzzy pseudo velvet, and best of all it's from Express! (I love finding Express items at Plato's closet, as they're about the highest end you can get there!)
I adore long shrugs/wraps like the one below. This one was a tad small for me, but since it was only $4 I figured I'd play around with it. You can get away with more size variation in a wrap like this than with a t-shirt or such.
I'm a sucker for tie-dyed anything. Especially if it's in colors that I like. This t-shirt was a must have!
I really like graphic t-shirts. It can be hard to find ones that have appropriate designs or words though, so I was pretty happy to find this one. It's a small, however, so it's more of something I'd wear in the winter with a jacket than something I'd wear on its own in the summer.
I tried on a lot of brown pieces but this was the only one that actually fit. There's some lovely lacework in the back and I just love the distressed hippie design. Plus it's LONG.
After finishing up at Plato's Closet, we headed over to Payless Shoes. They had a pretty intense sale going on of all of their socks and such, so I stocked up! Everything you see below was just $2 each!

I'm not a huge stripe person, but the blue ones were too "Ravenclaw" for me to ignore!
I desperately needed a pair of cheap flipflops. And I dare you to find a cheaper pair than this.
Tights and knee-highs! I love argyle patterns, and apparently opaque colors are in for tights this year. So fun stuff!
And in case you've forgotten... I managed to aquire all of this for just $50! WIN!