Cherry-Ho!

Well, maybe not exactly complete cherry-ho, but I promise you some cherries!

When Mom came up, we spent two days sewing Paige's cover to my specifications.  You remember what Paige looked like naked, right?

Sewing her cover was quite a chore.  I was too busy to chronicle the whole event, but I can show you her finished cover:

What an ordeal:  I put the cover on.  Mom pins.  I take cover off.  I baste cover.  I put cover back on.  Mom pins any more adjustments in that spot.  I take cover off.  I sew cover with tiny stitches.  Whew!  I put cover back on.  Mom pins a new area.  Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.  It took us a couple days.  The cover was actually really cute one me...Dad said I looked like I was wearing a WAC uniform!  Yea, we are all WWII buffs in this family :)

Putting the cover on Paige was not that much easier.  I ended up taking the cover off twice because the foam wasn't squished in exactly the right places.  The foam kept on wanting to go into the hips which rendered a flat butt.  Furthermore, I have a little poochy-belly I wanted Paige to have.  (Hey now...I had three kids!).  So, I ended up putting a small piece of memory foam in the belly area and finally got the hips squished to the rump.  However, the last time I put the cover on, I forgot to pull through the cleavage strings in the front.  But either way, she now has my exact measurements!  I LOVE HER!!!

So....I have been sewing!

Here is a sun-dress that I altered the pattern to reflect more 40's style and changed up the fabric with the panels.  With all my clothes, I make a dummy from muslin so I can tailor it to my exact proportions.  Then I rip my seams out and use it as the final pattern.  I also will not use a serger - I hate serged seams!  All, and I mean all, my seams are french seams.  Much better quality!

I'm still not happy with Paige's cover as I do have a little bit more rump than that, but the dress is so cute!  I wore it Sunday for my little family party for Ashlee.  I will have to get Mike to shoot a picture of me wearing it...it fits so perfectly!

Detail of the bodice.  Isn't it so cute?!  So retro!

Next, I made a skirt using a Kay Whitt pattern.  Sorry it's wrinkled...I still have a little hand finishing sewing to do as well as cut my strings!

Again, I mixed up the fabrics in the panels.  This is actually a Kay Whitt idea...love it!  Again, the skirt fits like a glove.  I altered the pattern so that the skirt waistline falls just below my belly button.  So comfortable!

Pocket detail....ignore the strings!

Hem detail with the pressed ruffle...

On to the cherries!

A cute shirt that ties around the waist to throw over a tank top...again perfectly fitted, thanks to Paige...

Again, a commercial pattern that was altered to reflect the 40's style.  Now I can rock my tanks Rosy the Riveter style!

Cute cherry fabric :)

Finally, a tank top that I drafted myself.  I still have a few tweeks I need to make to the design, but oh, so cute!  I have been toying with the idea of offering a line of 40's-esque clothing with vintage buttons, but that won't come until 2011.

So there you have it.  That's what I have been up to :)

Later this week, I will finally fill you in about Mom's visit!

My Creative Space and Sneak Peak for Next Week

My Creative Space is filled with ribbon flowers and more of my cool handmade stamens.  I hand dyed all the ribbons used which was a super-messy process, but it was fun because you can get so creative in the dying process with different textures and combinations.  Above is a wild rose and fuchsia.  Don't let the zoom fool you - they were made with 1/2" ribbon....super tiny!

I have a lot planned for this coming week.  On Monday, I will be revealing my Bead Soup Blog Party piece.  Remember the components I posted that I received from my partner Vintage Blue Studio?  Well, here is a sneak peak at what I designed:

To see all the participants, visit Lori's blog, and make sure you follow her so that you don't miss the next bead soup party!

Since I will be unveiling my piece on Monday, I am planning a giveaway of a piece I made with the leftover components of my bead soup.  I will probably be posting this early Monday morning and the giveaway will more than likely last the week to celebrate the blog party!

Later this week, Paige will finally be getting her cover fitted...lots of pics will be posted of that tedious event.  And don't forget the last minute get together I planned for Mom.  I promise tons of pictures!  It is actually working out quite nicely...only about 15 will be able to make it and everyone offered to bring something to the table.  Whew...makes my job so much easier.  Mom was so happy when I told her this morning.

Have a great weekend, and Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there!  My hubby will be getting a home made Black Forest Cake for Father's Day this year!  Mmmmmmm!

My Creative Space

I know...a day late again...

Anyway, I have been working on finishing up my Artbead Summer challenge. I really want to get it done by the end of the week - it has been hanging around too long. After this, I will start my Bead Soup piece...I have been sketching tons of designs and just can't settle on one. Really want to get at the construction next week though.

Oh, and Paige will be getting dressed soon! Mom will be up from North Carolina around the 22! I trust her helping me size Paige's cover WAY more than my husband! (no offense, Mike). It was my mother who taught me how to sew after all.....

Nekked Mannequins....

Yup...Paige is still nekked.
Poor Paige.
She's getting cold....and self conscious...

I had scheduled time on Saturday to fit her cover and guess what happens Friday. I'm sitting at my computer, eating lunch, dropping EC cards when all the sudden my right cheek blows up like a balloon. Pain! Mike takes a look and insists that I got bitten or stung by something that I'm allergic to. So I retreat to the bathroom to take two Bendryl. About an hour later, it goes down. Cool! Out of the woods!

Later, I grab some munchies and start munching away. Bam! There goes the balloon in my cheek again. Along with some pretty uncomfortable pain.

Long story short...I get to my dentist (doctor wouldn't see me until dental issues were ruled out) who informs me that I have a stone in my salivary gland. Nothing really you can do, you have to wait for it to pass. (since when do I have a kidney in my face?!)

What?!
Who gets that?!

Apparently me....

It finally passed, very painfully, today.

So as you can see, my weekend was pretty much shot. I'm probably going to just wait until my mom comes up from North Carolina next month. See, Mike was going to help me with the pinning and fitting, but the more I think about it...He Has No Idea How To Pin and Sew!!! I'm thinking that things keep getting in the way because someone is trying to scream to me "DON'T LET MIKE HELP YOU!!!!!

So Paige will remain nekked for a little longer. I do have a sweater on her, though....

Oh, and if you have no idea who Paige is, read the original post.

Introducing....Paige!

She's Finally Here!!!

Just came today. UPS. I have waited almost a week to get this...my Mother's Day present! Mike ordered it two weeks ago so I could get it before last Sunday, but he didn't see the drop-down box where you order the size cover you want in his online cart before he checked out We didn't get a shipping confirmation by last Friday, so Mike called. That's when they said they were waiting to find out what size cover was needed. Hmmmm....if they don't call us to let us know, how do we know they are waiting?! I spoke to them on the phone and ordered the small cover. Will be mailed that day.

Monday comes (the day after Mother's Day) and still no confirmation email. For some reason, it didn't ship Friday as promised, so it will go in the mail that day.

So today, she finally came!

I carefully open the box and peek inside:

There she is in all her stark-white glory!

Mike helped me to settle her name...Paige. I wanted to name her Bettie. I just love Bettie Page (I got BP t-shirts, lunchboxes, stickers, a ring, books, key chain, etc), and I thought it would be so fitting to name her after Bettie Page as Bettie used to make all her own clothes she used to model in. Way cool...my kinda girl! Here is the conversation:

Lisa: I'm going to name her Bettie.

Mike: You can't name her Bettie, you already have a Bettie! You can't have two Betties!

(I named my black Jeep after Bettie years ago...)

Lisa: I can have two Betties! One in the house, one in the garage.

Mike: And are you going to deal with Bettie pouting in the garage when she finds out you named a doll the same name as her?

Me...thinking... *hmmm....good point*

Lisa: Well, then if I can't name her Bettie, I'll name her Page but spell it P-A-I-G-E. Paige is a girl's name.

I put the frame together, got her on it and Mike just had to give her the official welcoming to the family! You don't want to see the other pictures of Mike and Paige....trust me.... Yea, I know, he just couldn't control himself....


I love her and can't wait to alter the cover and start using her, but one thing disturbs me.....

That's quite a rack she has!


How the heck am I gonna jam those......


in this?!


So I waited for Mike to get done with his conference calls so he could help me alter the cover, but he sidetracked me by taking me to Tantalus for dinner:


Yea, it's obviously a cell phone picture! Tantalus is in the heart of East Aurora, NY. It is has an artsy, warehouse feel with jazz fusion and eclectic decor...my kind of place!

What did I blow Paige off for? The most delicious seared duck with fresh strawberries, goat cheese and brown sugar encrusted walnuts over a fresh bed of baby greens served with a brown sugar balsamic dressing. Out of this world! Wish I would have taken a picture of it...it was so pretty:(

So, Paige will have to wait until tomorrow as I couldn't take a normal measurement of myself if I tried right now. I will post another log of the fun I have trying to squeeze that tiny cover on her massive body!