Out With the Old, In With the New Year

Hello my pretties.

I am sitting here waiting on 2014 to roll into my time zone and reflecting on what the last year has brought me and taught me.

I have grown so much in the last year. I have even handed down much of my clothes. I either physically or emotionally grew out of them. Some of which I had since high school haha. For those of you who don't know... I am 27 so I have loved some of those clothes a long time. But making the move has helped push me in the direction of making more of my clothes. And in 5 more months I will actually have the time to get serious.

This year I made these patterns:

McCall's M6654

Simplicity Sew Simple A1738

Butterick B5603

Butterick B5557

McCall's M5094

Simplicity 2343

Simplicity Sew Simple A1739

Simplicity A6093

McCall's M6027

New Look 6457

Simplicity 4127

Simplicity 2444

McCall's M6559 maxi

Simplicity Sew Simple A2011

McCall's M6559 short

Simplicity 1797

I got three new tattoos

'57 Bel Air

pirate (matching with my baby brother)

pin-up study bug

I cut my hair shorter and with a ton of layers this year. I have worn my hair long and simple since I was 10. I have cut my own hair since I was 15 but always the same way. This time I challenged myself and was so happy at the outcome. And now I can do better wet sets for a more mature, vintage look.

See the post about my haircut here.

I started my new job 2 weeks ago and I am settling in nicely s a coder. That will keep my brain busy when school ends =) It is what I am going to school for after all.

My resolution for 2013 was to exercise and accessorize more often. I did great for exercising the first half of the year and accessorizing the last half... however I didn't do good the whole year with both

In 2014 I hope to continue growing into my own. I will be graduated from school in May and then I can really focus on my sewing and crafting. My New Year's Resolution for 2014 is to wear all my shoes more. I buy so many shoes because I love them. I justify it because I cannot make them. But then I wear them once (if that) and put them in my closet to gather dust. They are all too pretty to leave cooped up. And I need to get my monies worth. (I hope to do a post showing off what I have to inspire me to wear them all more)

I will blog as much as I can between now and the beginning of my last semester.

I already got the fabric for my graduation dress.

I spent my day with my loved ones at my first football game ever: the 80th annual Sunbowl. (Post to follow about the game). We then finished off 2013 with a proper meal of BBQ at the Stateline restaurant. I made a football skirt for today (again, post to follow).

I wish you nothing but the best in the New Year!

Hope to see you around!

XOXO

Love you all!

Lily Bean

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Merry Christmas! (Simplicity 1797 View C)

Merry Christmas my lovelies!!

(I know, I know... I am a day late. Better late than never, I always say)

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, full of love and happiness.

I had a pretty good one myself.

Christmas Eve-Eve and Christmas Eve were both full of baking and spreading Christmas cheer. In between all of that, I managed to finish my Christmas dress.

Simplicity 1797 in View C, without the bow in the center waist

I love how it all came together!!

I made sure to add red and green details to really bring out the Christmas in it

The back neckline is a low V-neck

I didn't have any trouble with this pattern at all. It was simple to follow and turned out great!

Now for some Christmas pictures...

with my Thea

with my Penny

I got this beautiful Bettie Page purse from Santee Clause.

I just love the red bow details!

I also got an Ariel coin purse perfect to tote my lipstick in.

I must have been a very good girl!

In the evening, my sister-from-another-mister came over and we played games with the kids before going down to see a local light show.

The light show was awesome! The lights danced to some Christmas songs from the Transiberian Orchestra and they managed to squeeze in "What Does the Fox Say" and somehow make it all work haha

They gave free pictures with Santa, hot chocolate, and cookies while you wait.

The property is beautiful and it was so lovely to be able to tour the yard to see all the decorations.

It was the perfect ending to a wonderful Christmas Day!!

Now to get ready for a New Year!

XOXOXOX

Lily Bean

Winter Break and a Short Dress (McCall's M6559 View C)

Hello!

Anybody still there? I was much busier than I expected these last 3 months. 
Just before I disappeared I had finished a short jersey knit dress (McCall's M6559 in View C)

I never did have a chance to post the pictures, so here you go:

I love that I can wear it in the summer as is...

...or in the winter with tights, a cardigan, and boots

The above picture brings me to my next order of business

5 MONTHS TIL GRADUATION!!

WOOHOO!

I missed a post for 6 months

and 7 months

So i have 5 weeks off before beginning my last semester EVER

I have a lot to accomplish in these 5 weeks

some christmas gift sewing, my christmas dress, my graduation dress, and anything else i can manage to squeeze in

But the most important thing I will be doing this during these 5 weeks off school is learning my new position at work.

I was promoted to Coder!!! yeeeaaaahh!!!

20 people applied and I was the only one who passed the test. and I not only passed, but passed with 100% correct!

what a great way to start the new year!

Glad to be back and hope to get lots of posts in before my 5 weeks of freedom are up.

XOXOX

Lily Bean

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

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

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.
 

 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.

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.

 

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



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

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!

Working on the outline, here is the brain

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

Working up, shading the dress and skin

Coloring her hair

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

Once again, a big thanks to Alex! He never lets me down.

I love all the details that bring this tattoo to life



XOXOXO

Lily Bean

 

Wild Woman Dress (Simplicity 2444 with Cape Collar)

Hello guys and dolls! I finally did it! I picked a pattern to make my graduation dress!
It is Simplicity 2444 with the cape collar

 

Here are a few shots a different angles to show how great it fits 



and here are the details which define why I fell in love with the pattern.

The cape collar is adorable for one. It is what attracted me to the pattern.

The bodice front has 4 darts and the front skirt has 6 pleats

A bit hard to see with my wild woman fabric, but trust me! this dress has great lines!

The back bodice has 2 darts and the back skirt has 6 pleats as well.

And the best thing ever!!

POCKETS!!

I will have pockets to keep some lip stick and my cell with me all during grad

I have 4 months to decide on the fabric because I will need to sew it up next semester break.

That will be my last semester break ever!!

Right now I am thinking I will get polka dot fabric and make the collar the color of the dots

 

Besides graduation, I plan on making more of this pattern simply because I have fallen in love with the fit and the look. There will most definitely be a nautical one in my future!

 

What are your thoughts?

 

XOXOXO

Lily Bean

Epically Awesome Award of Epic Awesomeness: a reason to SMILE

Hello there my pretties. So I am finally ready to address this epically awesome award passed on to me from Shelly over at Follow Me Home. 2.5 months late is better than never haha

The Rules for accepting this award are:

1. Accept the award! A huge thanks to Shelly! Thanks for thinking of me on this one =)

2. Post the award and link back to the person who gave it to you.

(click here to check out Shelly's blog)

3. Give ten facts about yourself.

4. Award some other bloggers .

 

 

Now for 10 facts about me:

1. I was terrified of dogs until a few weeks after having Theodora melt my fear

2. I am so scared of needles that when I need a blood draw or shot at the very least I start to sweat and my heart goes crazy. At my worst I have passed out and lost my stomach.

3. I am a middle child and firmly believe in middle child syndrome.

4. I was a teenage runaway and high school drop out. I cleaned up my life very quickly with the help of loved ones and managed to get my high school diploma faster than if I would have stayed in school.

5. I played baseball since I was 4 and moved into softball when I grew out of peewees. Baseball is my happy place. I was a catcher and center fielder

6. I love listening to Glenn Miller, The Andrew Sisters, and Sinatra

7. I grew up listening to rap and moved to rock when I was introduced to No Doubt when I was 10. I immediately wanted to be like Gwen Stefani and she is still one of my heroes

8. I enjoy going to the shooting range

9. I have always had professional jobs and been in the medical field since I was 16... unless you count the one time I took a part time position in a sandwich shop just to see what it was like to have a normal kid job.

10. I was in a belly dancing class once and would love to pick it back up when I have time (9 months left for graduation)

 

When I think of blogs I follow that are epically awesome, I think of:

Kalandra Jane (I love everything she makes! Adorable hats)

Solanah (she has the greatest sense of style and always looks great)

Reyna (wonderful new mom who is still managing to sew beautiful pieces and go to school)

Debi (I am so inspired by her vintage sewing skills)

and

Kitty (*fingers crossed* that you have great news about the bar exam, and congrats on your wedding)

 

Thank you all for your epically awesome posts that inspire and entertain!

 

I was paper crafting the other day because I needed a small reminder to help me get through the hard days of these next 2 semesters. I framed "SMILE" with scrapbook paper I got at Hobby Lobby at 6/$1, frames from the Dollar Tree, and foam sheets I had lying around.

 I love how it came out but can't decide just where to hang it on my wall hahaha 

 

 

I have 3 dresses and 1 shirt to share with you all! Stay tuned

 

Oh! and before I forget... I got an A in my Coding class last semester! Hurray for straight As and keeping that 4.0

 

XOXOXOX

Lily Bean

(here with my paper chain graduation countdown which is only 9 months short now!!)

 

 

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