Hey guys! Sorry for the light posting this week. I’ve been working on/finishing up this dress for a super sweet (and gorgeous) bride:
And it is MAGNIFICENT.
More surprises to come with this one – like that lace in the skirt making an appearance in the bodice. Just wait. Seriously, you guys. I’m dying over here.
She’s picking it up tomorrow and there’s still some work to do, so I gots to go. But seriously, ohmigod, THIS DRESS!
Filed under MAKING IT
Sooo … we had our big ultrasound over the weekend. (!!!) You know, the one where you find out if you’re having a boy or a girl (if you’re into that sort of thing, which, DUH. I could not wait). And then we came home (after celebrating and stuff) and I immediately mocked up the baby’s room in Photoshop. What do you think we’re having?
Eeeee! This is obviously very bare-bones, but the main feature will be the awesome walls. I’m imagining the same color we’ve got in the living room (and guest room, but that’s going away) in a softer shade – right now I’m thinking White Peach by Behr. And then I want to stencil over it, but do just an outline of the stencil, in GOLD. Like this genius. Love that so much. I’m considering the Monroe Twisted Cord stencil from Stencil Boss, as pictured here, but I’m undecided at the moment. I like that it’s not too girly, but it’s maybe not big enough – it’s definitely smaller than I have it here in the mock-up. I need to play around a bit.
I won’t be able to get my hands on this room until July, so this is all very preliminary – I’m sure I’ll change my mind before then. But it’s super fun in the meantime – planning a room that’s nothing but happy and sweet and fun. Soft, but still bright and contrast-y (if a room can be all of those things at once). I can’t wait to get started. And then I can’t wait to put a little person in here.
Filed under MAKING IT, WANNA MAKE IT
Oh man, there is some good stuff happening around here lately.
Exhibit A:
And this is the just the muslin, you guys. In the stupidest polyester fabric ever. Wait until we make it in silk. Dyyyiiiing.
Exhibit B:
This gorgeous, vintage, french chantilly lace will be used in another amazing gown. And yes, it’s peach. And yes, hearts will break. Mine already has, and all I did was buy the lace.
Exhibit C:
This other amazing, embroidered, french lace will be used in an Edwardian/early ‘twenties-style gown. I mean … YES.
And these are just the very tips of one very incredible iceberg. I have so many more GREAT things to show you. 2013, baby!
Also, literally … baby.
Filed under MAKING IT
Hey look – I have a new website.
What!
Which will include this soon:
Double what!
I have to photograph everything first, but I’m pretty excited! I’ve tried this before, but always felt like things were a bit too clunky. Same goes for the old website. I want my whole life to be as clean and effortless as possible now, and I’m streamlining everything in my path. I’m also adding some special touches to the shopping process – like pretty little packages tied up in bows and fancy certificates of authentication – so you can brag to everyone that your goods are certifiably fancy. And I’ve added links directly to images on Pinterest, so you can now pin your favorite styles (something my web hosting service doesn’t provide automatically – weird). Anyway, I hope you like the new updates and you’ll tell all of your friends when the shop opens up! I’ll keep you updated as the goods roll out. xoxo
Filed under MADE IT, MAKING IT, UNCATEGORIZED
If you’d like a little glimpse into my psyche, this is a classic example of how my brain works …
I was sitting here at the dining room table, returning emails, going through fabric orders, doing necessary things, when I looked up and thought:
“You know, I have half a quart of the paint I want to use in this room sitting in the pantry …”
A) This took less than an hour, so it’s not that big of a deal.
B) This also required pretty much all of the energy I have for the day, so I’ll have to live with it like this for a while.
C) I don’t think I should paint above the picture rail on my own, so I’ll have to wait for someone else to help with that. Who knows when that will happen.
D) I don’t care about any of those other things, because I LOVE IT.
E) That lamp just died in my dining room’s arms tonight. It looks so good in here.
Filed under MAKING IT
*ack! For the first time ever, I hit “publish” when I meant to click “preview.” Whooooops.*
I just put together my ‘to-do’ list for the week and I’m already hating my Friday self for not getting nearly enough done. Like, I just don’t even know that this list is possible. And I’m really missing all of the energy I used to have. My body just can’t keep up at the moment, and my brain could not care less. I am at once completely frustrated and totally at peace. So figure that one out.
Today I must devote entirely to TAXES, and you know how much I love that. I’m super proud of myself for finally figuring out Quick Books, and that should be really great this time next year, but in the meantime …. ehhh. I am determined to focus and finish that up today – please send me all of your extra energy and concentration.
As for the rest of the week …
I’ve got lots of fabric to order, patterns to make, muslins to sew, photographs to take and lots and lots of sketching to do. Of which I’ve already done a considerable amount …
… for all of the complaining I do, it’s been a VERY good year so far. Not all of these ended up as the final choice either, so imagine how much fun those are going to be. I’ve got some very stylish brides this year!
Filed under MAKING IT
I have to go to the dentist today. Wah. For someone who has basically no issues with their teeth, I shouldn’t be SO upset every time I have to go. But whatever. I’m bummed. I’m also bummed at my body this morning. Sometimes I think I have kind of a cute little bump going, but other times it’s one giant barrel torso and I just look like a blob. A blob who gets to walk around in a bathing suit this weekend. A blob who can barely fit into any of her bathing suits. P.S. I’ve only gained FIVE POUNDS.
I think I’m having one of those days. You know, the kind that makes you feel like a schlump when you spend all of 30 seconds looking at Pinterest? Everyone is prettier and thinner and tanner and happier and more successful and creative and driven than you and you can go ahead and just collapse into a puddle on the floor. Thanks, PINTEREST.
No really, you guys. Things are especially good, I’m just pi$$ed about the dentist.
I haven’t told you at all about my fun, new custom brides yet. I’m so excited about ALL OF THEM. And because the baby is due in August, my goal is to have everyone ready by early July. Ooh la la! Bridal Whirlwind! The approach is a bit different this year – I’ll be focusing mostly on the muslins myself and using additional sewers to stitch up the actual gowns – but as always, I’ll try to document as much as possible along the way. Like this foundation and muslin for Lauren:
It doesn’t look like much now, but it will eventually become something similar to this look from the Valentino Spring ’12 Couture collection … but completely different. We’re using an antique lace that I’ve had in my stash for going on ten years, and I’m thrilled. Thrilled about the whole thing, really. Thrilled about all of my brides. Not one of them is going super-traditional, and we’ve got LOTS of color this year. I can’t wait to show you all of the goods!
And now I must go floss.
Filed under MAKING IT
I love complaining to you guys. You may not love it so much, but I almost always solve my problem immediately after hitting ‘publish’. Which is exactly what happened yesterday. You should be a therapist.
As you’ll remember, I was upset that the wooden built-ins in the dining room were too dark and too wood and altogether too sad. But then I realized I was fighting things that could not be changed. It was time to embrace the dark and embrace the wood and then maybe it wouldn’t be so sad. And behold:
That is one fine a$$ lookin’ dining room, and I don’t care what anyone says. It’s dark, it’s kinda moody, it’s magnificent. And when I put it next to a picture of the living room, worlds collide into a rainbow of Skittles.
All I need now is a new coat of paint on the wall, bamboo shades in the built-in and an amazing painting to keep the fun, bright stuff moving around the room.
Life is complete. Done and done.
Filed under MAKING IT
… and we didn’t use our hands. Heh heh heh.
For real, you guys. We’ve got a baby on the way! It’s so weird and so amazing and so everything, I gotta tell you. It’s just … YES. *high five*
So listen up, first of all, even though I’ve got some hormone … issues, I will forever remain your lover and I vow to not make this place entirely about that stuff. I mean, this is a lifestyle/work blog – or whatever – and I talk a lot about my life so I’m not going to pretend this major thing isn’t happening, but I’ve still got my other stuff going on as well. So you don’t have to leave if you’re not into babies. I also know first-hand, after suffering a miscarriage, how difficult it can be to read other people going on and on about their babies when you’re struggling with that area of your life, so know that I will always be aware and sensitive to that. I love you guys. I have no plans to change anything here. I will not start writing about organic baby food or make-your-own laundry detergent. It’s still me.
That being said ….
I’m very, VERY happy.
!!!!!!!!
By the way, my brother Austin pointed out that the above picture looks like I’m pregnant with a bowling pin. A good looking bowling pin, as he put it. Which … okay yes, it looks like a bowling pin. But with adorable little hands. Which were dancing at the time. (!!) Anyway, you don’t have to point that out in the comments, ’cause I’m already aware. And I don’t even like bowling, so shut up. Plus, this was taken two weeks ago so the baby looks exactly like a miniature Ryan Gosling or Grace Kelly by now, obviously.
P.S. We saw the bottoms of it’s little feet during the scan and I pretty much died right then and there.
Filed under MAKING IT, UNCATEGORIZED
I wonder if this is going to earn me some kind of nickname eventually. I’m painting ANOTHER rug. Now my fourth. And I’m always so in love with the finished project that I can’t imagine ever stopping. Unless I someday make enough money that I can just go buy the dang rugs I’m trying to copy. In which case, I will likely never do anything ever again.
Anyway …
I have struggled with what to throw down in the dining room since the very beginning. The rug in the living room has a black background, so it seems like the adjoining room should also have something dark on the floor. But then I painted the dining room table black, so I couldn’t have a black rug too. And I had these indoor/outdoor rugs I bought at Target, which didn’t work out in the studio and landed here, ’cause whatever. And then I liked how durable they were, since the front door opens up to this room, but I didn’t like the pattern on top of all of the other patterns in here. And THEN I happened to have some leftover navy fabric on the table while I cleaned out another room and all of the planets aligned and life as we know it suddenly made sense.
Navy rug, guys.
So I just went into the pantry and grabbed the best dark blue I could find in my stash, sat down and started painting.
I’ve done half so far and already love it in here – the surrounding colors really pop now. Don’t you think? I’m also super excited that it looks like an over-dyed rug, with the pattern still showing through, but subtly. And because it’s a woven, outdoor rug (probably synthetic to begin with), the texture hasn’t changed at all. I may or may not go back over a few places – I haven’t decided yet. I want to get the other half painted first, but I’ve run out of paint. Wah wah. Back to Home Depot.
Filed under MAKING IT
