Tuesday, September 17, 2013

8 More Months...

Hello my lovelies!
Well, I had big plans to sew last weekend... HAD
but then I got sick =(
 
It rained for days here and it was perfect time to get some sewing in. When my  Thursday class was cancelled due to minor flooding around town I started cutting out some patterns. I was ready to sew the whole weekend long.
My plans changed when I started to feel awful Friday. I slept all day, all night, and most of Saturday. I then had to use Sunday to play catch up on all my chores and prepping for school clinicals. So I have not sewn any of it
 
My schedule should not be so bad this semester with clinicals as it was before. But I need to adjust to it before I can see if I can keep sewing or need to shelf my Singer until Winter break.
 
I will keep you posted =)
I just dropped by to say that, as of yesterday,
8 more months!!!!!
hooray! 
 
xoxox
Lily Bean
study bug


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Wednesday, September 11, 2013

I cut my hair... but this time with style

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Hello my pretties.
As I have mentioned before, I always do my own hair. I have been cutting my own hair since I was old enough to use anything sharper than safety scissors. Some cuts better than others, and some on more appropriate days than others.
 
On the night before my Nino Bobby's wedding where I was the flower girl: not the best idea a 6 year old has ever had. Thankfully my mom was able to curl my hair to hide the imperfections.
 
My mom had a vintage doll head toy that she had brought from my grandma's house so I could play and style the long blonde hair... VINTAGE...
I was proud of the bob I gave her, as for my mom... not so much.
 
When I was 15 my parents enrolled me in Cosmetology school and I was happy as a clam. I never did graduate but I completed half the hours, so I learned plenty.
 
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 I have only had 3 or 4 professional cuts my whole life. Other than that, it has been all me. I  usually play it safe when cutting my own hair since I am not behind myself and I am standing instead of sitting (posture can be an issue). I keep my hair fairly long and sometimes layer the front. You have probably seen my "Bettie Bangs" pop up every Fall and stay until late winter. That about sums up my "styling" when I cut my own hair.

I have been getting pretty bored with my hair lately. I decided no Bettie Bangs this year because then my hair will be at strange lengths for grad. I also have not been able to add the fun colors I usually do due to my clinical rotation at a hospital for school.
For someone who is accustomed to changing her hair at any given thought, this has been very hard. I can't see my hair exactly the same month after month. I just can't.

These are the most recent pictures showing how my hair was prior to my cut. It was all one length in the back with only a bit of layering in the front. I was in desperate need of a trim.

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I have been watching a ton of vintage movies because September is "Sundays with Hitch" on Turner Classic Movies. I decided I need more than just a trim. I needed a real style. A proper cut that will hold whatever I am in the mood for, retro or modern.
I was scared of the idea for at least a week.
Then last Sunday after I had finished everything I needed to prepare for my week ahead, bathed the dogs, and done my chores; I realized I had a little extra time left over for the night. So when I got in the shower I left my shears on the bathroom sink, ready to work magic when I got out.
While in the shower I thought up how I was going to cut my hair and decided I wouldn't go back on it. I had the courage and my shears ready so I went right to it.
 
Instead of sticking to my usual, safe trim: I went for it. I was scared I would ruin it but figured it would grow back anyway haha.
I cut shorter than usual. Anyone who knows me knows that hair that doesn't touch my back bra strap may as well be a bob. For someone who usually has hair to her lower back, this is short haha
I also added a TON of layers all over my head. Not just the front this time.

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So now my hair has more volume, holds my natural waves better, and will hold curl better (when it isn't raining cats and dogs outside).
I love it!
I feel more grown up and feel much more like brushing my hair now.
You can't have a proper cut and always leave in a messy bun, right.

XOXOX
Lily Bean
one very proud beauty school dropout


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Tuesday, September 3, 2013

My First Maxi Dress (McCall's M6559 View D) and a Fun Apron (Simpicity Sew Simple A2011)

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 Hey there guys and dolls.
As you may have noticed, maxi dresses have been in style lately. I have wanted one so, so bad but have always felt like I was too tall standing at 5'1.
Well, after seeing so many of my friends tall and short rocking the maxi look, I decided I could too. I knew with the right dress I wouldn't feel like a child playing in my mom's pajamas hahaha. So when McCall's patterns went on sale I made a point to get a few maxi dresses.
This is the first one I made
McCall's M6559 View D 

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I am very proud of how well I matched my stripes on the side seam

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I have fallen in love with this pattern and think I will make one more tomorrow (if time permits). It was so easy! I think this is a great dress for someone who is new to sewing with knits (like myself). I managed my side seams perfectly bit I did stretch my hem seams out a bit. Any tips from you seasoned sewers?

This is the first "form fitting" dress I have sewn and I think I did a great job of blending the sizes needed. It helped me gain some confidence with adjusting pattern sizing for my body. Maybe I will be ready to make a form fitting dress in cotton weave soon... maybe haha
 
And a photo shoot would not be complete without a puppy in a picture hahaha. Here is my Theadora exploring my new dress.


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I also made a new apron last week.
My first time using a pattern to make one.
I used Simplicity Sew Simple A2011
I chose the unicorns and rainbows as my main fabric and baby pink gingham for the details. I did not have enough matching ric rac in my stash and couldn't decide which shade of pink I liked better... so I used both to line my pockets.

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I got a few shots with the apron on as well
 
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 I adore it and love the "bib" pocket!
I can't wait for the Fall/Winter days of baking
 
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 I am so over the summer right now and ready to get some use out of my new apron!
XOXOXOX
Lily Bean
(p.s. School started last week but I am trying to use every waking moment to sew before things kick into gear for the semester)

Monday, September 2, 2013

New Ink: Pin Up Study Bug

Hey everyone! Remember that ink I mentioned last week...
well I have uploaded the pictures to show off my pinup study bug

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Here is the last picture of my arm without the ink... Trying out the stencil
You may notice the stencil does not have a necklace. It was when I took this picture that I realized all she was missing was some pearls. I asked my artist to add the pearl necklace and he threw on the earrings as well. Perfect!

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Working on the outline, here is the brain

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Beginning to color and shade from the bottom up
All the books are some of my favorite school subjects
She is reading Anatomy (my absolute fave)
and sitting on Pathophysiology, Intro to HITT, CPT, Literature, ICD-9, and Law and Ethics

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Working up, shading the dress and skin

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Coloring her hair

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and 3 HOURS LATER... yes, 3 hours. I hit my pain threshold on this one. I even left polka dots on the chair I was in hahaha 
here she is
my pin up study bug learning about the brain

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Once again, a big thanks to Alex! He never lets me down.
I love all the details that bring this tattoo to life


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XOXOXO
Lily Bean