"To Small to Much Smaller" Retro Redo (episode 4)

Dear Readers,

It has come to my attention that this post is being posted only 2 weeks since my last post.  Sorry to disappoint you when I said that I would drag them out. ;)

But hey!  This Retro Redo is going to be good!  It will make up for not being late!  Lets see where to start well...

The shirt you see right here is too small for me.  It wasn't ever mine, it was my sister's, and it was too small for her as well.  So I decided to make it even smaller!

So here is what I did...

First I cut it up!  Oh noooooo!!!  But oh YES!!!

Then I played around with the shape and got an idea of what I wanted to do.

Next I grabbed the surged seams of the newly cut up tank top, and rolled it into a circle... random maybe, genius... oh you're too kind! 

So then I took what I had and put it together.  *Ruffle *Casing *etc.

It was finished, I started this project at 10:00 in the night and finished it up at 3:30 in the morning... I'll let that sink in for a minuet. 

The dress was adorable!  I tried it on my little model and... IT DIDN'T FIT!!!  It was a nightmare!  I had to cut the top part of it off and improvise, I was discouraged, I lost sleep over this thing!  And this is how it repays me?  By not fitting!?!?!?!  What!?!?!  Then it got fixed and still looked cute, so the world started spinning again.  No big deal. 

And here is the finished results!

You pose that tongue! 

This is where the surged circles come in, a nice little touch to the back! 

Even though it doesn't look exactly how I wanted it to look, over all it turned out pretty good.  And my little model likes it too! 

Tip: When the customer's happy, you're happy. ;) 

See ya later! 

Summer Fun!

I decided this blog post needed a cliche title.  "Summer Fun!", its been used so many times before, so I thought why not again?  Teehee!  Well this post is just a "sneak peak" a "teaser trailer" if you will, for what is to come...  oh don't worry you will not see all of these "Retro Redo's" this summer, oh no no no!  In fact I will stay true to my dragging the blog posts out over extended periods of time, until you have forgotten all about me, then I'll show up again randomly and post something like this.  :)  But this is why you have read me and continue to do so, and if this is your first time reading this blog, welcome, and good luck to ya!

So here is a picture of all the work I am "thrusting" upon myself this summer... lets see if it all actually gets done. ;)

See ya later! :)

Antique Looking Paper Flowers (Part 2)

Well this was inevitable.  Part Two... mwahahaha! ;)  I think I will now only do 3 parts just because I don't see the point in 5.  That's a lot to keep track of, and quite frankly its just long, and I'm very laz- I mean "choosy" when It comes to my time.  Well let's see do we really need a long introduction.  Ya maybe, I don't know, what do you think.  It's like I'm just writing to get more words showing up on the screen... Ok let's get started.  Today I am subjecting you to learn how to make the ROSE.  (I couldn't really think of anything creative for that one.)  :)

POP QUIZ!!! What are the materials that you will need?  Take your time. :)  I'll just wait here until you remember them... let me give you a hint.

Think you got it?  Good now let's figure this thing out. 

Step One: Find a blue piece of paper and put a vintage book version of Mickey mouse on it.  This represents Disney's new Cinderella (2015), probably the most beautiful version I have seen yet.  

Step Two: Don't actually do that, but the Cinderella thing is true.  :)

Step Three:  Cut out some circles.  They can be lopsided, big, or small.  Just make sure they are the general shape of a circle, not actually Mickey mouse.

Step Four: Cut your circle into a swirly.  Make sure your swirls are roughly the same width or they start out small and get bigger as you cut in.  Just don't forget to leave a mini circle in the middle of your now swirly circle. Oh and don't cut it off, that would be bad. Tip: When making a bigger ROSE with a bigger circle, the inside circle should also be bigger, as well as the swirly part(s). ;)

Step Five/Six:  Ok this is where it gets a little more difficult, but its ok, we can get through this... together! "Together, Together, Together, everyone, Together, Together, come on let's have some fun!" High school musical the perfect mix of teenage drama and music, it's "wonderful" and so true to life. ;) (I do hope you all understand my sarcasm).

Ok so steps 5 and 6.  Start twisting the end of the swirl between your fingers, this is the middle of your rose. 

Hold the "baby swirl" you just made in between your fingers and start wrapping the rest of the paper around until you get to your little circle and are out of swirl.  Tip: Keep the narrow/bottom of the swirling level on your finger, the thumb is great for the wider/top of the swirl because it can push the center down better, while holding it all together.

Step 7?:  Now that you have reached this part of the ROSE, you are now ready to finish it up, kind of. Go ahead while still holding the swirl, Mod Podge the little circle.

Slide the swirl on top of the gluey circle and hold down, until it's semi dry(ish).  It doesn't have to be all the way dry, that would take a while, and your fingers would probably cramp or something like that. Don't worry because "We're all in this together! anyalkdfjgn asndg dlkang dljasdoiengs."  That moment when you forget the words.  

If the center of your ROSE is not cooperating, just take the end of your paint brush and show it who's boss! 

Step 8ish:  Now  you can leave it or trim off some whacky "petals" in order to get the "perfect" ROSE.  But don't go over board you want that rusticy, rosey, look.

Step 9:  Mod Podge it.  Now you are done!  But only if you want to be. WHAT?

That's right, you can do a giant one.  Tip:  When swirling the giant one, swirl as usual, but let it "unswirl" and naturally let it create it's own swirlyness.  The big one is a little more difficult, because when you start glueing you will need to be a little more purposeful as to where the swirls stick.  

And when you are done with your giant ROSE, you can put a pearl in the middle of one of your small ROSES.  

And then stick it in the middle of your big ROSE!  Diversity is a virtue. :)

Now go have fun and make your ROSE(es)! And then watch Cinderella because it's just a really pretty movie. :) See ya later! 

Antique Looking Paper Flowers (Part One)

Isn't this cool?  I think it is.  In fact it's so cool and so easy to make I made the executive desition to teach you how to make this, mwahahaha!  You will never have a say in what I write about, you are cursed to only read what I present to you!  Oh my evil plan is working!  what?  Someone must have hacked my posting. ;)  Well this is going to turn into a 4 or maybe even a 5 part DIY.  (again evil plan is all coming together, maybe it's because I am wearing black nail polish, oh how stereotypical.
  Well here it is part ONE:
THE ACCORDION FLOWER. (bet you can't guess which one that is.)

First you need all of the materials, now pay attention because these are the exact same materials you will use for all of the flowers.

* Mod Podge
* Needle and Thread
* Little paint brushes
* Scissors
* Old book pages, newspaper, or what ever kind of paper you would like to use, it's up to you!
* Paint (totally optional)

Step One:  Cut out some strips of your paper.  Tip!  The wider the strips the longer they will need to be in order to get a good ACCORDION FLOWER.

Step Two: So this might be self explanatory but... glue the strips together.  :)

 Step Three:  Remember those old fans you use to make with scratch paper?  Anyone?  Well I use to all the time, and apparently I still do.  Haha!  Well ya, do that.  And if you don't ever remember doing that...  fold the paper back and forth like an accordion, oh imagine that! :)

Step Four:  Now with your needle and thread, thread the needle with the thread and poke the needle through the strip of paper.  It will not go through the whole thing in one punch, you will need to work it through the strip, but once at the end your good. (make sure you leave off at least 2 or more inches at the end in order to tie the knot! LOL Ya I guess you can use this for wedding decor! :)  Tip: Never reuse this needle for fabric, the more you use it on paper the more dull it will become and will not work well on fabric.

Step Five:  Now PULL!!!  And then tie the knot!  Don't worry you are not actually marrying this flower. :)

Step Six:  Start to shape the flower!  This  may be difficult at first, but just work at it and you'll get there.  If your folds are starting to get too wide, on the ends then that means you need another strip of paper.  Then Mod Podge the two ends.

Step Seven:  Well this step is just showing you what it looks like glued.  Now you can choose to be done or...

Do this...

and or this...

No matter how you want to finish it, end with a coat of Mod Podge over the whole thing.  That's right every nook and cranny.  Well just give it a nice coat. And...

Whoolaa!  Your ACCORDION FLOWER(S)!

Well this has been fun, right? Maybe?  Anyways see ya in part two! :)

Drab To Fab (1st 2015 post! YAY)

Before...

After!

Umm, ya so much for a  consistent blog posting.  Whoops!  Well here is a little check in just to see if you're still listening.  Check, check, one two three!  OK I think were good. :)  Anyways, todays little post is little.  Short, sweet, and to the point, short in duration, not extensive, brief, small in amount and degree, not much.  You get what I mean? (definitions by dictionary.com) :)  So here's how this one goes.  My sister this past summer, (ya I'm known for delayed reactions...it's winter),  went through some old hand-me-downs that were mine when I was her age.  She stumbled on these drab things and almost thew them out!  (I think she forgets I can sew. ;)  Well I took a look at them, and we decided she needed some goods tank tops for the summer.  So I went ahead and cut off the sleeves, and hemmed up the arm holes, and WHOWLA... cute summer ready tank tops!  So what does this have to do with it being winter right now?  Nothing absolutely nothing, but hey I have now done my first post for 2015!  Sparkling cider, I await thee!  Said Sew Me A Blog in February. :) 

Talk to ya later! :)

After!

Before...