New Bathroom Cabinet

Where we left off last, my bathroom looked like this:

Big empty wall, and a tiny little medicine cabinet. I thought about doing open shelves in that area, but ultimately I wanted to be able to hide some of my things out of sight so I didn't have to throw everything under the sink when someone came by.

Enter this cabinet!

I got it for $59 at Home Depot. I tried to find a similar cabinet at various resale stores instead of buying a new one, but I had no luck and I was running out of patience. Home Depot actually has a reasonable selection of these types of cabinets- more shallow than a regular kitchen cabinet and yet the same height. The guy at home depot told me these are called "Over John" cabinets. Lovely.

The cabinet stayed in my car until the weekend when Mike and I could put it up. We watched several youtube videos on ways to install cabinets, and decided on a basic approach of drilling pilot holes in the wall and corresponding holes in the cabinet, putting anchors in the wall and then screwing through the cabinet into the wall. I just have to show you how we managed to keep the cabinet at the height we wanted without breaking our arms, AKA I didn't buy all those textbooks for nothing!

This is the junk I'm talking about. 

Now you know what I read.

Mike is really excellent (and exact) at tasks like this, so I'm certain I could hang off this cabinet and it wouldn't fall down (not that I'm going to try) but also it is perfectly level, and even with the top of the mirror. Well done, Mike!

I want to pretty up that area now with some unnecessary accessories like a plant and maybe some pretty candles or something, but for now, this is what my bathroom looks like. I'm quite happy with the outcome!

The two things left that bug me are doing something with that dang ugly counter top (perhaps painting it), and making a curtain of some sort to cover the strange open space under half of the counter. Actually, I would really love to find the same fabric that my shower curtain is made of. The shower curtain is from Target, about 3 summers ago. Anyone have one kicking around that I could buy? I've tried to find one on Ebay, etc but have had no luck.

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Simplicity 2444

This past weekend was a good one. I got several projects around my condo done, errands run and even finished a sewing project!

While browsing Joann's on Saturday, I came across this fabric from April Johnston's line. 

I liked it, but I wasn't sure what I would make with it, so I didn't pick it up (trying to resist the urge to hoard fabric!). Then later in the store I saw a repackage of Simplicity 2444 as Simplicity 0345 or something like that, which was just view A of this pattern below, and it was made in the above fabric. I decided this is what I would make with the fabric. Luckily Simplicity patterns were on sale at Joann's still, so I was able to get a copy of the full pattern for $1.99. I bought 2444 so I'd have the options of the neckline variations and sleeve variations in the future.

The dress sewed up really easily, I finished it in just a couple hours. The only change I made was to use pre-made bias tape instead of the facing the include in the pattern. This was just sheer laziness. I also used iron-on hem tape for the first time--not like stitch witchery, but a nice ribbon with adhesive on it that you use to finish a hem. Perhaps you all know what this is, I had never seen it before. I got it in a large lot of sewing notions at the Salvation Army several months ago. 

I wore the dress to work with a bright orange cardigan, a pink beaded necklace and nude suede wedges, all from Target! (I love that place). I felt very springy, even though it rained most of the day.

Here is the dress without the cardigan.You cant see the bias tape, and that's the idea! I really love how it fits, and I lucked out again and didn't make any alterations. I think I will put a dart or two around the neckline to get it to lay flat but otherwise it is good to go. Apparently I need a new hairdo.

Have you sewn this pattern? Did you like it?

Early Summer Butterick Patterns!

As if I don't have enough patterns already, I've looked over the new "early summer" offerings from Butterick and made some picks.

First, B5749:

I like this one because it looks dressy, but not so dressy that I couldn't wear it to work. I like the draping of the neck and waist. 

B5750:

Another one that I see as versatile, able to dress up or down. Plus it looks very breezy and summery.

I really like view B of this pattern. I am currently digging the look of the skirt. I'm unsure if I would leave the ruffle on there or not, but I guess it gives it some nice visual appeal. 

Unfortunately this round of patterns lacks any in the "WTF" category, I have no snarky comments to make about any of them!

New Spring Vogue Patterns

Vogue released their new spring patterns ohh maybe 2 weeks ago. At about the same time, Vogue patterns were on sale for $3.99 at Joanns, so I picked up a couple.

The first one is V8787, an Easy Options pattern with an asymetrical neckline. I've actually already whipped this one up and wore it to work, it is a great little dress. I need to get pictures of it! I made view A below.

The other pattern I bought is V1287, a DKNY pattern. It's hard to see the details in the picture because of the crazy pattern they used but the line drawing shows it better. Also I liked that this pattern includes a slip. I am definitely going to make myself some slips! It is getting harder and harder for me to find the kind that I like.

Here are some patterns I didn't buy because I don't know when I would wear them, but I definitely like. 

The first is V1280, a Donna Karan pattern. I like the interesting straps and asymmetrical back. But its a little too fancy for wearing to work!

Lastly is V1286, a Tracy Reese pattern. This is definitely not appropriate for work but could make a cute summer dress for the weekends...or a cocktail dress if made from the right fabric. I may end up buying this pattern next time Vogue is on sale at Joann's. I just really love the back and the banding on the front.

In the WTF category is V1284, a Guy Laroche pattern. It's not flattering at all on the model and I can't imagine it would look good on anyone with curves! The model looks pissed and I can imagine why. Uggggllyy.

New Sewing Room: Keeping it Real

Since my last post, I have moved all my sewing supplies up to the second bedroom. Here are some photos of how it looks now (pardon the mess!) I'm still trying to figure out the best placement of the furniture and all the gadgets I need. I also plan to put some things on the wall-- currently all my notions are in the closet but they would be more easily accessible on a shelf.

And I need to repaint my desk...but I love the light that comes thru these windows.

My ironing board.

This book case is going to have to move elsewhere. I don't use my statistics and calculus texts much while sewing, although they'd probably make nice pattern weights.

Nice view out the window!

I'm not the only one that's enjoying the light in the new sewing space:

Cha Cha Cha Changes

One of the things I was most excited about when I moved into my condo was the basement, and my plans to make it my sewing space.

I've done that now, and I have to be honest. I don't like it. It's dark. It's kind of cold, and its dark. There is one small closet that I can store things in, and the rest of the stuff is out on a big wire shelf. It's ugly. I haven't posted pictures before because it never looks good in pictures, regardless of the amount of cleaning I do. But here are some pictures now...

While painting the walls white- ceiling tiles removed because of water damage from the kitchen flooding

The area that now houses my elliptical

In the meantime, I have a nearly empty upstairs second bedroom with amazing light that I don't use. So while I was planning to make that into a guest room, but I spent last weekend carrying up a bunch of sewing things to make that room my sewing area. This is my space and I should use it however makes me most happy! I can always get an air mattress for guests to use in the sewing room instead of the bed...or hey, why not make the basement a "guest room"?

Tom Binns-Inspired Necklace

A couple weeks back a great blog Coco+Kelly had a post about combining pastels with fluorescents. The post featured the Tom Binns necklace shown below. For me, it was love at first sight. That was, until I saw the price--$1860.

After looking at Tom Binns' website a bit, I found several necklaces that I'd love to have in my collection, except for their price tag. I decided I might have to hit up Forever 21 and other similar stores with low priced trendy jewelry to get something similar when I remembered a DIY project I had seen on the blog Fab Finds Under $50.

Kimberly took a plain rhinestone necklace she found at Burlington Coat Factory for $10 and added some nail polish. Her finished product is quite excellent:

It took me a couple days to find a suitable starting necklace, but I finally found one--on clearance even--at Claire's in my local mall. It was originally $25 or so, but was only $5 that day. 

Like Kimberly, I collected my bright nail polish and purchased a couple cheap new colors that I didn't have. I then set out to paint the stones. I tried to not paint the prongs originally, but eventually gave up. This is my final product

My partner in coming up with these projects, also named Allison, made her own Tom Binns inspired piece, based on the second necklace above. She started with a necklace that she found for $25 (came with matching earrings, of course)

Then she painted some random areas on the necklace with neon yellow nail polish. Her finished project is below.

In addition, I've found another Tom Binns inspired necklace DIY, at Love Maegan

What projects have you done that were inspired by an item way out of your price range? And doesn't doing it yourself feel great, better than doling out the cash?