Rainbow Denim Ness Mini

Hi guys, I'm here to share my latest sewing project with you, not because its anything spectacular, but because its something I spent a lot of time and energy on an I felt it deserved a bit of lime light. I have been doing a lot of thinking about sustainability lately, and about the fact that fashion is one of the biggest pollutants on the planet today. Sewing of course has its part to play here, so I have been trying more and more to think carefully about what I am sewing to make sure that its something that I will get use out of, and will last a long time.

StyleArc Nina Cardigan in bold leopard print

Hi there, I hope everyone had a lovely weekend, did anyone get up to any sewing? Have you heard the amazing news that Sewing Bee is back on British TV on Feb 12th? That's less than 3 weeks away, I couldn't be more excited! But anyway that't not why I am here, I am here to tell you all about this StyleArc Nina cardigan which is my most recent make and a big tick for the first project in my #makenine2019 list. If your not sure what this is head over to instagram and have a little goosey.

Its the first time I have ever made a cardigan so its nice to add a new skill to my repertoire, and this fabric has been in my stash for at least 12 months so I am happy to finally give it a lease of life. I have a bit of a love hate relationship with this make and I will go into more details about that below.

Metallic Hacked SOI Ultimate Pencil Skirt

I don't normally take photos in full sun, they don't do anyone any favours but looks at that sparkle!

Towards the back end of last year I did some serious skirt pattern testing/altering in a hope to find a perfect fitting skirt pattern that ticked all the right boxes for me. I wanted something fitted with a high waist and a zip fastening which I could use on this amazing metalllic fabric. I ended up making 3 skirts in the end before I finally decided on the perfect fit and then ended up making a pair of shorts instead! Luckily for me though it turns out I actually had enough fabric to make both the shorts and the skirt and so here it finally is, the culmination of all that effort, and I am pleased to say it was definitely worth it.

Halloween LBD - A Ghoulish Georgia dress

Happy Halloween! and hello on my most favourite of all the holidays. I absolutely love how year on year the UK seems to get more and more into Halloween and we are seeing so much more participation. We have a long way to go to complete with the likes of the US but I like the way this is heading. I'm even happier to be bringing you a halloween themed post.

I have been a bit slack this year and haven't managed to make the kids costumes, mostly because he wanted to be batman, and sadly I had to work on the day we could have gone to a toddler party. I also haven't managed to get out anywhere in fancy dress myself because, well, its a Wednesday BOO! 

Neon Skulls Kim Dress

There seems to be a bit of a neon theme going on here at the minute but this dress is a lot less gawdy than the tutu outfit I posted last week! I totally wasn't sure about this fabric when I bought it but I actually really like it now its turned into a dress. Also, before we carry on can I just address the fact that I bloody love my shiny Dr Marten Mary Janes, they literally go with everything.

This was a mock up test version of By Hand London's Kim Dress. It's the first time I've made this dress but I was looking for something with princess seems so it fit the bill. 

A couple of things to say about this dress before I go into a bit more detail. I really like the sweetheart neckline and the full skirt, especially in this viscose, the skirt is lovely to wear but my god it's a bit boobalicious! You cant really tell from these pictures but when I am sat and look down they are all I can see! I had the same thing with my last by hand London dress so they obviously like a low neckline but I'm struggling to wear this in the daytime! I think It's going to have to be an out to the pub dress rather than a chilling at home on a summers day dress.

The fabric was some viscose which I got from ebay. There is lots of it on there so you should be able to find it, I also think its one of those lovely cheap fabrics you are likely to find on your local market stall so certainly very inexpensive. I have started to really love viscose. Its so easy to wear and really cheap to buy. The only issue is it can stretch out of shape quiet easily when sewing and also it frays A LOT. but if you can get over that you can make some lovely summer outfits out of it. The reason I used this to make a mock up is because it was so cheap. You can see in the photo below there is a bit of excess fabric in the front bodice and this is due to it changing shape and ending up bigger than the cotton fabric I used to line it but its totally fine to wear.

I re-took my measurements before I made this dress and matched them up against the pattern and I fit the size 12 exactly (35, 28, 36). I sat there and I thought how can I have the exact measurements of the pattern but know even before I begin that if I sew this straight from the pattern pieces its not going to fit me? What I realised was that my back is proportionally smaller than my front and that what I need to do is cut out the size 12 but take a % out of the front and equate that into the same in the front as a full bust adjustment. I made a 3/4 inch adjustment to both front and back but actually I think that maybe should have been a whole 1 inch but again its a better fit than it would have been.

I started off making this dress really fast and rushing through it because I have another version planned which is the one I really want to make. I have spoken before about how when you take your time over something you are much more likely to enjoy the result but I was totally ignoring my own advice here. Thankfully Karen over at Did You Make That made a very well timed post about learning sewing patience. I really needed this. I think I sometimes try and make things really quickly to have something to blog about but what she made me realise was that actually you can have some very useful things to say as a blogger without always having to blog about something you made. So I thank Karen for the great outcome of this dress for making me slow down, take my time and enjoy the process. And do you know what, it really worked. I do love this dress (I've had it on for 2 days) and I think its totally down to the fact I took some care over it.

 So that's it from me for this week, I hope you like my new dress :) I am going to have to sign off because I can hear master Fox has woken up. But as a closing thought have you ever read any non sewing posts which totally inspired you in other aspects?

100 Posts!

Wow what the hell have I been writing about! Seriously though, it seems to have come round really quickly and I need to say a massive thank you to all of you who have turned up and read my posts, even if you only drop by occasionally. Its nice to know we are not alone in this big wide internet world!

So I figured that a 100 post marker deserves a few things, firstly of course is a giveaway. Then secondly we will get on to a review of what has been going on on the blog over this last 100 posts. 

The Giveaway:
The most important bit of this post right? I am going to leave the giveaway open until Sunday 16th November to give people plenty of chance to find it and be in with a chance to win!
 
What do you get?

• 2 fat quarters of cotton fabric one of which is the gorgeous circus fabric I bought in Copenhagen to make my baby blanket which I just can't find anywhere on the internets.
• A pair of Glitter Bow Shoe Clips
• A Monster Magic hanging bunny (please note this is not CE tested and is for decoration only)
• A knitted bow ring 

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is to leave me a comment on this post telling me what the favourite thing that you have made this year has been. If you can link a picture or a post then even better, but its not required. I look forward to hearing what you have been up to.

So, what have I achieved in this 100 posts?:
I set out to try and make sure I made a post twice weekly. I would say that about 80% of the time I have actually managed to stick to that which is pretty good going. I am however no where near a place where I am able to put up posts in advance to save myself time and as the year has gone on, and things have gotten busier I am finding sometimes I just haven't been able to find the time to make, let alone come along and write about it. So I hope you will forgive me for that. I have however learnt that sometimes I don't need to have made anything and its much better to come along as tell you about my week or post up some inspiration if I can so here's hoping I might be able to get back on track with that.

I have however:

• Created 10 tutorials
• Made 12 outfits for myself
• Crafted more items that I can count
• and  DIY'ed my own wedding! 

Most Popular Posts:
I realise you can see this from the menu on the right but I wanted to share the top most popular posts on the site with you. Mostly because actually its not always the ones that I think will be popular that are.
1.  The DIY Ombre Jar Candle Tutorial
I made these for my wedding and they were really cute sat out on the tables. I am so pleased this is a popular post because the photographs are terrible! This might be one of those posts which is worth a revisit when I run out of inspiration.

 2. DIY Panda Balloon Tutorial
I am so pleased this one is popular. I had so much fun designing this for a friends bday party that it deserves to be a hit. It is also turning out to be one of my most pinned pins on pinterest. It just goes to show that there are some manufactures out there who are really missing a treat on selling Panda balloons.

 3. Ava Sweatheart Neckline Tutorial
Again another one I am pleased to see is popular. This neckline was such a bitch to sew so I hope this has helped a few of you out there to master it.

4. The Bridesmaids Dresses
And why not, these are some sexy ladies rocking some sexy dresses so its no wonder they are popular. Thank you to the wonderful Frock Nottingham for making my bridesmaids look so spectacular.

5. Mollie Makes Felt Fox Brooches
I have only just noticed that my spelling of brooches is a bit off in this picture...oops! I think this post owes is popularity to people trying to get a hold of the pattern instructions. Sadly as its not my pattern and I don't work for Mollie Makes its not my place to provide this, but thank you to the post for bringing lots of people over to my corner of the world.




My Favourite Make:
This is quiet a hard one to choose, but I think given the scale of it it has to be The Wedding:

I know it sort of counts as lots of things and is kind of cheating but I couldn't writing this post without mentioning the fact that since starting I crafted a wedding can I. The day was so perfect, everyone helped out to make everything so special and it was such an amazing day. I wish I could go back and do it all over again!

So in summery, thank you again for being here and here's hoping that the blog will continue to grow and improve over the next 100 posts. Good luck with the comeptiyion

Blogging Home School and New Stationary

So, I think that missing my first post since I set out my news years resolutions to you is the perfect time to sit down and get this blogging shit together. You may have heard me mention the fab ladies at Blogcademy before (who very kindly selected me as a winner for one of their sparkly goodie bags). Well they run two day, in person, workshops for blog owners to help them find focus, get hints and tips from people who really know their business and to hopefully improve their blogs for you, the people who come along and read them.

Well I would LOVE to be able to attend one of their workshops, they look like so much fun, not to mention educational. Sadly though the price of attending is a little more than I can stretch too so that will have to wait until a lottery win I am afraid. However, these lovely ladies have now offered those of us who can't attend for any reason the opportunity Home School with bite size videos full of loads of information for bloggers. They are also pretty cheap. It is my plan to purchase one a month and work through them so I can hopefully create some better content for everyone. They also very kindly offer the first one for FREE so there really is no excuse to not go check it out!

Even Scamp wants to get in on the learning....

But as we all know, new education requires new stationary right? Well it wouldn't be my blog if that wasn't at least brought to you in some crafty form, so I made a fabric book cover for my new note book using my favourite 'by the sea' pink anchor fabric. Do you like? I also have to use some of my favourite ever pens which are Muji coloured gel pens. They sadly closed the shop in Nottingham, but you can still get these online, and believe me, they are well worth it. Honestly, on Christmas day these are the presents we really hope for under the tree, even more so than the years new underwear!

I have high hopes from these ladies so lets see how this place starts looking in a few months once I am well educated in the art of blogging!

Now I think its time to go in for a cuppa, its hard work doing all this learning! 

A little of Everything and Nothing at all

I really feel like all my blog posts should have a 'point' or a specific focus to them to make them as informative and interesting to read as possible, however I have come to realise that that can sometimes be quiet a tall task when also trying to keep up a regular schedule. Sometimes other things in life just get in the way and I either haven't had time to make something to tell you about, or I have had the time to make it and not enough daylight hours to take pictures to be able to show you. So rather than post nothing at all when you expect something from me I thought I would just tell you a bit about what's going on in Fox land.

As you know I am massively busy with all this craft fair malarkey. Its actually really nice to refocus on making things which I haven't made for such a long time, and remember how and why I enjoyed it (more on this later when there is some daylight in my life!). Its also really nice to try out some new ideas and get together with other crafty folk and see all their talent focused into some amazing things. I am really enjoying the process of this, but I am also really looking forward to being able to refocus on other things afterwards.

Mr Fox is ramping up to the last weeks of his dissertation so he really truly is head down in his laptop most of the time. It will be great when he finishes because I feel like we don't spend much time together in the week at the moment. Its not a major problem, just one of those things, but it will be nice to have him back again. It has meant I have had all the time in the world to focus on making things which is good. I am wondering how I am going to find time to make stuff once he has finished the dissertation as most of our other hobbies are actually 'together' hobbies. I think I might try to structure my time a bit and make some designated specific sewing time, otherwise I always feel really guilty when I go off and do something on my own. His favourite is that 'I'll be back in 10 mins' and 2 hours later I come back saying 'sorry, I got distracted and I just wanted to finish xxx' (you know how that goes right?). Do any of you have this kind of issue? I imagine there are many of you with small children to work around as well as husbands and work and everything else.

 

Photo from the Deer and Doe website

I have a sewing list as long as my arm. I have the Zinnia skirt on the go, the lady skater cut out ready to attempt the overlocker and I need to make a velvet circle skirt before it gets too warm to ever wear it. I have some spectacular fabric to match my new shoes which I want to make a dress out of to wear to a wedding in the summer, and I have just bought the Deer and Doe shorts pattern which I know I am not going to be able to resist for long. This is just the tip of the iceberg as well. How do you manage your sewing pile? Priority, whim and fancy, or do you actually make a queue system? I think I need some help on figuring this out!

I also got a fabulous new handbag. You may or may not be aware that Blizzard have released a new free to play game called Hearthstone. I am obsessed with this shit, and literally cannot wait for them to release it on IPad (its honestly not the only reason I wanted an IPad!). But of course if I am going to be able to truly portable play this I need to be able to carry the IPad about with me don't I, cue a NEED for a new handbag. I scoured the internets for days trying to find something big enough for this and all my other crap, with a zip so people can't whip it out from under me. I really couldn't find anything on the 'internet high street' at all, but eventually I stumbled across this Etsy Shop: Milloo. These things are gorgeous and exactly what I was looking for, and the bonus, he is in Greece so lovely EU shipping and no import tax, SCORE. I really wanted the Elessa bag in stripe canvas but he only had one with a yellow trim and you know it needed to be pink. So I emailed him and he very happily offered to make me a custom order which is now listed as an option to buy, yes my taste is awesome haha! Even with him custom making this it took less than 2 weeks to turn up and he provided excellent customer service, I can't recommend this shop enough, so thank you very much.

Photo copy write of Milloo on Etsy 

I think that's about it for now from me. I have a busy weekend planned with Kitchens and Friends and of course Mummy, but hopefully I will find some time in there to take some pictures for more bloggy goodness.

Glittery Goodness - Thank you Blogcademy

I was recently the very fortunate winner of one of the left over fabulous goodie bags from the Blogcademy. The one reason I entered this competition was the sheer about of glitter that I could see on the site. Feast your magpie eyes on this lot!

This fabulous treat included glitter shoe clips (which I have decided are my new favorite accessory), glitter hair accessories (including my now second pair of sparkly cat ears from Crown and Glory), sparkly necklaces, glitter nail polish, pretty purses, a gorgeous hand crocheted scarf, goodies from Iron Fist including a tee, a bag, some nail art as well as some other bits and bobs. This really was a bloody good haul!

Ever since Mr Fox proposed I have been following Kat's blog: Rock and Roll Bride because quiet honestly I have not seen a better blog out there for alternative weddings. There is everything you can imagine on there so lots of inspiration to help you get designing your own wedding. But not only is it packed with all this useful wedding invitation Kat is a completely savvy woman, with great style, who gives away no end of her advice and sassy style. It really is a pleasure to read, and I still follow the blog way after the wedding.

 One of her other successful ventures is the Blogcademy which she co-runs with some more extraordinary women Gala and Shauna. These guys truly are amazing, not only do they get to do something they love for a living, but they are more than happy to share their tips and advice with the blogging community to help everyone else with their loves as well! How cool is that! This has become something invaluable to me over the last few months while developing this blog, and I continue to gets useful information from this page and likely will for a long time to come!

So, I realise I might be becoming a bit stalker-ish of these sites, but who can blame me really! And here's hoping that one day I might be rich enough to actually attend one of the Blogcademy events in London to help me to develop my blog into something which I, and hopefully you, really really love (not to mention more sparkly goodies...!).

So thank you Blogcademy xx