Hello Coordination!!

Hooray!  I had a really productive day on Saturday, followed by skiing all day on Sunday (yup, in the rain no less) and sleeping in terribly late on Monday (nothing like getting up at 8 to be in at work at 8:30 LOL. Fortunately I have a really great friend who phoned wondering where I was or I would have slept the whole morning away).  Zoinks as Shaggy would say.

Anyway, back to the focus of this post...THE KITCHEN!

Without further ado, here are the crappy cellphone pictures results of my efforts.  I promise to take higher quality photographs with my gorgeous new camera, but that will take a moment or two to get them transferred over, and I want to share these with you NOW!!!

Appliance Cart aka Kitchen Office
(holds pens, paper, notepads, stapler, etc.) 

Curtain for the bookshelf holding my cookbooks,
just to tidy it all up.  I have yet to add a piece of
weathered stained wood for the top
to make it even prettier

Large print toile for the large window

Ticking fabric for the small window

Breadmaker cover on the appliance cart/office

I cannot believe the difference a few curtains have made.  It adds such a cozy, homey feeling to the room, and it makes it feel "finished."  All without painting or replacing the countertop!

To do yet:  Curtain tie backs for both the small and large windows, apron, potholders, tablecloths, and placemats.

Any other suggestions as to how to decorate your kitchen with fabric??  I have a TON left over!

I had a great suggestion from my mom to place a large mirror on top of the bookshelves where I keep the extra plateware, so I'm now on the hunt for a large mirror at the local thrift shops.  When summer comes, I'm hoping to paint those shelves white and add etching to the glass. (I have a thing about paint fumes, they don't make me feel very well).

What's Cookin'?

It's been hectic around here, readjusting to the "normal" routine of work, skiing, and hanging out with family and friends after the holidays.  I've also kicked up the exercise part of my life a few notches too - I have some events coming up that I need to be in much better shape than I currently am - deadlines make for great motivators!!

Back to the kitchen...I've finally gotten around to taking the before photographs...

Kitchen - Dining area

Kitchen - prep/storage area

Kitchen

So there you have the befores.  They are TOTALLY staged, by the way.  The clutter was moved from the flat areas onto the opposite side of the kitchen  for the duration of the photograph.  :D  The paint is staying the same for the time being, as are the table, cupboards and the countertops.  I'm hoping to purchase new chairs (they're falling apart) and make new soft furnishings out of these fabrics:

Blue & cream toiles with coordinates

I've already made the curtains for the big window, and hope to have photographs later this weekend.  The plan today is to make the blind/valance/curtain for the small window above the sink.  It typically stays open 24/7 (unless it is really hot/cold out)  because privacy is not an issue as I have forest behind my house.  I found some lovely, extravagant trim at Fabricland earlier this week, it is discontinued, so it was marked down from $15/m to $3.75/m.  I'm planning on using it on the valances to dress them up a little.  So...that's the plan!  I'd best head down to L'Atelier to get started!

Its a New Year! (In case you haven't noticed...)

Happy New Year!!!  Yeah, I know, it's already January 6th.  I've been MIA for the past few weeks, spending time with family.  I really struggled with jet lag when I returned from my vacation, which totally drained my energy.  I was also immediately into preparing for the various Christmas celebrations. After our Christmas celebrations (which stretched out over a few weeks), I've been spending time purging and tidying and cleaning and making space.  I also managed to get some skiing time in.

I don't usually like to make resolutions.  They have ALWAYS fallen by the way side very quickly after the new year.  This year, I've decided to focus on a few things over the year instead of resolutions.  One of them is My House.  One theme I'm adopting is Use What You Have.  Another is Less is More.

I've lived in my lovely comfortable townhouse for four and a half years, and painted only ONE room.  I can live with some of the colours, and love a few, but the others are just...grating on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard.  My goal is to decorate the house this year, room by room.  I also have promised myself to sew REAL curtains for the house, and almost every room needs new curtains.  I already have the fabric for most of them (yay for the stash!)

My first focus is the kitchen.  I use this room every day.  I have a roman blind that is falling apart (and I'm ashamed to admit this but it has been falling apart since the day I moved in, but I love the colours of it), and *lovely* blue countertops that just aren't me.  I don't have a serious kitchen re-do in the budget for this year, so instead of trying to hide those countertops, I figured I'd play them up like they should be an accessory.  Hey - they're there.  Everyone knows it.  I can't just hide them.  So...searching the fabric stash I found a lot of blue and creamy white large toile print, a small toile print, ticking fabric and cream and blue check fabric.  I have a couple of other pieces of blue and creamy white toile as well.  Umm, yeah...I have a HUGE fabric stash.

On New Year's Day, I used the blue and creamy white large toile print to make Plain Jane (but lined) curtains for the large window. I haven't hung them yet because I need to purchase some hardware to hang the curtain rods, but the second I do hang them, I will share how they look with you!  I'm planning on making a valance for the small window out of the check fabric with some fancy blue trim, and a similar valance for the large window to add some "Oomph."  I'm hoping to finish those by this coming weekend.

New Year's Day was really productive - I purged some of my kitchen cupboards, my closet and tidied up the Christmas decor.  I got rid of 4 black garbage bags of garbage, and 8 black garbage bags to Goodwill, along with a few boxes.  It felt SO good!!

While working on some mending today, I lost half the feed dogs of my sewing machine.  I broke a needle, and dented the throat plate and broke off a section of the feed dogs.  Ugh.  I will have to order the replacement parts tomorrow.  Fortunately, I have a really good "back-up" machine to use.

I haven't done ANY garment sewing since the end of November, except for mending for friends and family. I'm getting a little antsy and I want to start to tackle my winter wardrobe sewing plan before spring comes. Hopefully I'll get a chance to log some hours at the sewing machine this week!

Buongiorno!!

I have returned from my vacation in Tuscany!  It was an amazing two weeks with lots of history, pasta, cheese and of course, red wine.  We spent a TON of time walking and exploring the old towns and cities, viewing art galleries, and driving the incredible roads.  Florence (Firenze in Italian) is amazing - I could spend more time there, learning about the city.  My parents were amazing - it is so much fun to hang out with them. My mom is a great tour guide, and my dad took to driving in Italy like a native!!

I have not yet had time to upload my photos (and some of my memory cards I mistakenly packed in my suitcase which has not yet made it to Canada), but once I get my suitcase back I will upload a few of them.  I have been told my suitcase never left Florence, though I cannot blame it - it was hard to leave!

I was inspired by the window shopping I did in the various towns - Italians are very stylish!!  I love the little shops that have original and unique fashions.  I did a lot of sketching, and dreaming up outfits - my sketch book went with me everywhere, and I was once asked when we stopped for lunch if I was a designer!  (I took that as a huge compliment as it was in Prato, the textile capital of Italy where they manufacture textiles for the main fashion houses).  Staying true to my RTW Fast, I only bought myself a sweater from a market in Lucca as it was unusually cold even for this time of year.  My suitcase was delayed in getting to me when I arrived as well, and while I had a change of clothes in my carry-on, I desperately needed another layer!

My travel wardrobe worked relatively well, though I packed too much.  Things I was glad I had included a pair of slip on running shoes in black (oh how cold the floors are in Tuscan villas!!!), wool socks (I wish I brought more), my black riding boots that lace up the back took me all through Tuscany and made me feel as stylish as the local women, my black skinny pants that are styled like jeans but really are dressier than jeans - I wore these a ton!!  I could have done without my knit pants (for some reason I just feel like I'm wearing pyjamas when I have them on and just didn't feel comfortable in them when we were out touring), even though I wore them a few times.  I didn't wear the short sleeved tee shirts I threw in at the last minute - the forecast SAID it was going to be warmer, and I packed them in case it was.

Things I noticed fashion-wise, EVERYONE is wearing low heeled boots with skinny pants, whether they be jeans, stretch twill coloured pants or leggings.  Boots were for sale everywhere, in every price range, and in brown, black, tan, grey and red.   I think I may have even seen a green pair!  Studs were also big in the footwear.  Women and men always had a scarf, and the puffy coat is a HUGE fashion item this winter (maybe every winter there!).  Chunky sweaters were also something everyone seemed to be wearing, and could be found in almost every shop.  Green, from a bright emerald to a dark forest green was everywhere in the shop windows, shown in leggings, sweaters, stretch twill skinny pants, and skirts.

While I haven't been sewing, I have been knitting up a storm!  I took three pairs of socks with me to work on.  I finished two  pairs while I was away, and the third is almost done.  Though I must confess, two pairs were already works in progress.

I have not yet had time to get to the sewing machine since I returned (I'm still fighting jetlag so my evenings are really unproductive and I usually end up going to bed at 9 pm!), though I am busily planning my next SWAP/wardrobe projects.  I hope to have a couple of sewing days next week.  My plan is to get a few more "work" pieces done, and maybe a pair of jeans.  Though I may end up sewing for university daughter #2, who has recently come to understand the value of a mother who sews, and needs some new clothes even worse than I do!  :)

Hopefully I can share some photos with you soon!!  Off to find an espresso...

I'm Busy...but you'll just have to believe me

Hey everyone...I've been crazy busy.  I leave on Friday for Italy for 16 days.  ON VACATION.  Oh, I'm getting a little excited. Yup, the land of pasta, pizza and vino. I know not a lick of Italian (other than Ciao Bella! and Buongiorno, and Vino, but then those are the most important words, no? Oh yeah, and gelato of course!)

I have not gotten any more sewing done since my last post.  My plan last night was to attempt to create a few pairs of leggings (totally inspired by Margy's Playing With Proportion post!) and a few more tunics and tees before my trip, but my energy level by the time I get home at night is just keeping me out of my Atelier the time being.  There are just way too many other things are taking my attention away right now.

One of the things that has been taking my attention away is that I have been gifted a gorgeous new camera - the Nikon D5100 with a few lenses and other toys.  I've been playing with it and in the near future should be able to give you photographs of me wearing the stuff I create instead of iPhone pics of my dressmaker's dummy.

I was hoping to do a post on my travel wardrobe, but that just might have to wait until I get back.  I'll try to get my traveling companions to take pictures of me on a daily basis so I can keep track of the outfits and what works and what doesn't for future reference.

So, for the next few weeks...Arrivederci!

N'est pas bien dans ma peau aujourd'hui...

It's been a long week.  Not overly stressful, not overly tiring, just long.  I think the grey-ness of the day doesn't help either. The temperature here is supposed to drop from the loveliness we've been experiencing recently, and there's FLURRIES in the forecast!

But...I digress.  Today's one of those days where I just do not feel right in my skin.  My hair is bugging me, I'm just not feeling it.  I had a tough time figuring out what to wear this morning.  Nothing seemed just right.  Something casual (because it is Friday after all), comfortable and professional.  That's a tall order.  I opted to throw a few things together, but am still not 100% certain it's what I was aiming for.

One of those things is this, my new Marcy Tilton V8671. Yup, not the one I said I was working on the other day - sorry, mixed up the Marcy Tilton pattern numbers!  

V8671

It's two different fabrics, a rayon/lycra faux knit knit (as a knitter, I LOVE this!) and a cotton/lycra jersey. The instructions tell you to use the raw edges of the front panels, overlap and topstitch.  I folded over 3/8" of the top layer (in this case the faux knit knit fabric), applied Steam-a-Seam and ironed them together before top stitching.  The black just wasn't speaking to me, so I added a few squares of coordinating fabrics that I had simply serged and topstitched in place.  Kind of a fun detail, but I think it still needs something.  Maybe some bling on the squares?  Sequins and beads?  Maybe a silver charm or two?  I'm still dreaming of silkscreening in a silver colour. Anyone done this before?  What do I need to do to start?

I'm wearing this with a vest I made a few weeks ago:

and a pair of skinny jeans, with a great pair of riding/motorcycle boots that lace up the entire back.  

Maybe I need a different necklace or something...(shrugging)  Le sigh.

Up tonight - a massage (maybe that will get me out of the funk I'm in), and sewing something red:

V1124 -Sandra Betzina Sweater

I'm a sucker for the drapey sweater, and this one will be out of this:

Cuddly soft heathered wool blend sweater knit

What do you do to get out of a funk?

Finished the Pants (but you'll just have to believe me...)

Last night I finished my grey trousers.  You'll just have to take my word for it for the time being, because other than really really lousy cell phone pictures, I haven't coerced my photographer yet.  I'm not 100% happy with the fit, but I have been successful in removing the excess fabric that used to hang and bunch at the upper back thigh area.  But, I guess they're still better than what I would have "settled" for if I had to rely on the mall for clothes.   I will try again when I get back from my upcoming vacation.

I also finished another Marcy Tilton tee - another V8636.  Yup, love a TNT for ease and flexibility.

V8636 - Marcy Tilton pattern

Ignore the drag lines on the hips, it was late and by the time I realized the top wasn't on the dressform properly, I was already heading up to bed.  I'm toying with the idea of silk screening - it certainly would add some pizzazz to this top, which for the time being is rather...dull and plain, and quite casual, which really wasn't what I was going for.  Maybe I'll add some surface embellishment with texture...I'll have to think about it for a bit.

I've also decided to join the RTW Fasters group. RTW Fasters Webpage I know, I know...I'm such a joiner, and I usually can't follow through (sometimes with really good reasons, though!).  But this comes with some serious contemplation.  I'm really really trying hard to cut back on my budget, and with a fabric (and yarn) stash that I will probably not use in my entire life (literally, folks!), there really is absolutely no reason for me to go out and buy clothes.  I am also frustrated with the "same-ness" of every store in the local mall.  They all have the SAME thing!  Add to that the fitting issues I have with RTW and I feel frustrated and disappointed every time I make a trip to the mall. So...RTW Fasting it is!  I'm excited!

Up next...more tees from Marcy Tilton V8636, in a variety of fabrics, some tunics from Marcy's V8582 and some quick and easy leggings from M6404.

V8636

V8582

M6404