Three Dresses

Hello there lovely readers, I do hope you're all well! I thought to was about time that I updated you on some of my sewing plans for the rest of this year, it's really not that long until 2012 now, eek!

The end of the year is always a busy celebratory time for everyone, and especially for myself as me, my brother, my Sweetheart and my mum all have Birthdays that fall at the end of the year. Because of this I decided that I would try and make outfits that would work for the special events that happen at the end of the year, and so I have chosen to make three dress: Birthday, Christmas and New Year. I want to make some really special, fancy pieces that make me feel great on these special days and that also involve new techniques that I haven't tried before (after all the construction details are where I have the most fun!)

Now, of course you have seen one of these dresses...

My Birthday Dress!

For more details check out these posts. 

This dress made me ridiculously happy on my special day, I felt like a princess, so I know that this whole "special dress plan" is gong to be a good one :)

So let me share with you my plans for my other two dresses!

The Christmas Dress

My inspiration for this dress came when I became addicted to watching episodes of Pushing Daisies when working on my last tour. Who cannot fail to be inspired by the beautiful array of costumes that are worn in this show? I am a big admirer of all of the character Chuck's outfits, but when I saw this particular dress I just fell in love.

Isn't it beautiful? I adore the colours used and I love the clean lines on the dress. I decided that this dress is just too perfectly Christmassy not to become my Christmas outfit for this year so I am going to try and recreate it for myself. The only change that I'm going to make is omitting the asymmetrical colouring on the left side, I'm not crazy about it, plus it would take a lot of time to recreate this look, so I'm simply going to create a pinafore dress with the red and green bands of colour around the bottom. I think this will look gorgeous, I cannot wait to get started!

This is the pattern I'm going to use

I have already purchased the materials for this dress, I'm using loving soft flannel lined with cotton for a lovely warm winter dress. Plus I'm going to use a new technique: a horsehair braid hem for the skirt so blogged about by the fabulous Gertie (you have to love her, she's always teaching me new fun things to do with my sewing machine!). Also I may treat myself to one of these Doris Designs petticoats to go under the dress, but we'll see :)

The New Year's Eve Dress

Source

Now this one may be tricky to get done in time, because I really, really, REALLY want to make Gertie's Bombshell dress for New Year's Eve (particularly after seeing some of the beautiful completed versions online!). However I have yet to make any headway on this dress at all, I haven't even printed out the pattern! I have however bought the fabric I want to use already from the amazing Ray Stitch shop on Essex Road, London. It's a cotton print by Sara Morgan and it makes me ridiculously happy!

How pretty is that? *swoon*

I am fully aware that finishing this dress in time for New Year's Eve is going to be a long shot, but I want to give it a go. Yes, so I want to finish making all my Christmas presents plus a dress for Christams and another for New Year and I've also been working on some this for my Palette Challenge, but I don't think I've bitten off more than I can chew, do you?

Ah well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see, I'm going to work like crazy to get all these things finished, and I will keep you updated as I go! Are any of you planning festive outfits this year? I would love to hear about them!

Anyways, must dash, I have a lot of work to do!

Bye for now!

Wednesday Wonderfuls #42

Hello there lovely readers and a happy Wednesday to you all!

Greetings from Edinburgh!

Source

Now things are getting a little confused on the blog front here, as I am already in the shining city of Edinburgh in bonny Scotland, but I have not yet posted anything about my adventures in Oxford! Oops! Basically I was so busy enjoying myself with my Sweetheart and my familia in Oxford that posting was not on the top of my list if things to do. However, now I am parted from my family and Sweetheart by hundreds of miles so I will post more in order to distract myself from that, so hurrah for more blog posts! Things may be a bit mixed up over the next couple of days, but I will endeavour not to make things to confusing by posting my Oxford bits in one block followed by some tales of beautiful Edinburgh. And my goodness it is beautiful, if you've never been here (like myself!) then you really should :)

Anyways, let's get on with the main event, it's Wonderfuls time! Here are my personal picks of the blogosphere this week:

• Tasha is once again showing off here amazing knitting skills over at her blog, seriously this girl is amazing with a pair of needles! This halloween beret is just beautiful and so much fun, I love it :)
• I have always wanted to be a princess in a castle (who hasn't?) so I loved this post over at English Muse. Who wouldn't feel inspired living in such a magical place? *swoon*
• For those of you who are looking to create a handmade Christmas this post of 100 handmade stocking fillers will definitely be right up your street. There are a whole number of things on this list that I want to try, particularly all the eatables :)
• This post made my day as it contains two of my favourite things: candy and cocktails! Why not try your own Candy Cocktail party? Invite me please!
• And finally we have some exciting news from Tilly of Tilly and the Buttons and Zoe from So Zo What Do You Know? They are going to be hosting a discussion forum for people who make their own clothes! This should take place in spring next year and my goodness I want to be a part of it! Check out both of their blogs for details.

That's it from me today, I'm off to explore the magical land of Edinburgh, but I'll check back soon!


Bye for now!

What Halloween Means To Me

I have always loved Halloween. I love the dressing up, the sweets, the parties, but more recently Halloween has taken on a whole new meaning to me, it's a very special time because it marks a very special date between me and a very special person. 

Halloween is mine and my Sweetheart's Anniversary.

I will always remember our first Halloween together. We had met only once before, after a show that I was performing in with one of my Sweetheart's friends. My Sweetheart was in the audience on press night and he stuck around for the after show party. We were casually introduced at the bar by our mutual friend and there was an instant connection, so strong it took me quite by surprise. We both knew that something pretty amazing had happened. A week later it was Halloween and after talking for hours on the phone each day after our first meeting (we couldn't meet properly for that time as my Sweetheart was working away), we were going to set eyes on each other for the second time, and go on our first date. And what a day we had. I felt as though I was walking through the pages of every romantic novel I have ever read, that I must be in a movie because life alone couldn't be this perfect. That day, after only having met twice and knowing next to nothing about each other, although feeling as if we had known each other for lifetime and that we knew everything , we became a couple officially, he became MY Sweetheart and we have never looked back since.

This time last year we were celebrating in Paris, but unfortunately this year my touring schedule means that we are apart, I am now in Edinburgh whilst my Sweetheart remains in London. We did manage to celebrate our Anniversary last week in Oxford and we had the most beautiful time, but that doesn't make it any easier when I think of the many miles between us on this day when all I want to do is be close to him and feel his hand in mine.

But even through the sadness of being away I know that I am the luckiest girl in the world to still be head over heels crazy in love with my best friend and to know that he feels the same way about me. You can only be sad for so long when you know that :)

So my lovely readers, have a superb Halloween, dress up, eat, drink and be merry, party the night away, because I think this night is very special and deserves to be celebrated!

Happy Halloween! (And Happy Anniversary my Sweetheart xxx)

Wednesday Wonderfuls #41

Greetings my lovely readers from lovely Oxford! And look what I discovered whilst having a quick bevvie in a pub here...

How cool is this??!

Firstly let me apologise for the lack of posting that's been going on here, this tour has been crazy hectic recently, plus I have been seeing as much of the sights here as I can whilst spending all my free time with my Sweetheart and both our sets of parents, I've really been having a lovely old time here! But alas this means not so much time for blogging, although I'm sure this will change as time goes by.

Another bit of exciting news is that myself and some of the other cast of Sister Act will be appearing on "This Morning" tomorrow, that's October 27th, so if you're in the UK do check us out, I believe our performance will be live at about 12:15. So it really is all going on here!

But let me keep to my schedule by posting my Wonderfuls, actually on a Wednesday for a change! Here they are, brilliant as always:

• I am dying to start my own version of Gertie's bombshell dress, and this need has tripled since seeing  this beautiful version over at Did You Make That? Isn't it stunning and doesn't Karen look beautiful? :)
• I don't know about you but I love a good Whoopie Pie, and these spiced cider ones would be perfect for autumn!
• This may be the most beautiful quilt that I have ever seen, I need more quilting goodness in my life please!
• Tilly has created the perfect autumnal skirt, check it out in all it's maple-leafed glory :)
• For those of you who struggle (like myself!) with the classic victory roll, check out this tutorial for faux victory rolls. Miss Amethyst really knows her stuff!
• And finally, this may be the best bathroom I have ever seen, it everything I could ever want a bathroom to be and more :) a paint-by-numbers beauty from Scathingly Brilliant.

That's it from me for now, busy, busy, busy, but I'll write again soon, watch this space!

Bye for now!

Crafty Christmas Update #1

I have posted my first update of my Christmas projects on the Crafty Christmas Club blog!

I've been a very busy bee so I can't wait to see what you guys think of my work so far :)

Enjoy!

Wednesday Wonderfuls #40 (I know, it's so not Wednesday right now!) + a new Haircut!

Hi lovely readers, greetings from Oxfordia!

I know, I've been a very naughty blogger, once again my Wednesday Wonderfuls post is not on a Wednesday, you must all think that I have a real problem with being able to tell which day of the week it is! Basically it's all been going on what with our first big move of venue with the show and settling into a new way of living in Oxford - although obviously I'm so thrilled to be here, it's so awesome! - but to make up for once again not posting my Wonderfuls on time I'm also going to share with you some shots of my new haircut. Ooooooo!

What with having to constantly put my hair up in pin curls under a wig cap for the show I realised that longer hair was just not going to be an option for me right now, I was leaving the theatre looking as if I hedgehog had been nesting in my do, so I booked an appointment at The Painted Lady salon on my day off and once again those wonderful ladies worked their magic. Here's my new look:

With beret...

Without beret!

I hope you're loving this look as much as I am! It's so nice to have manageable hair again, plus it looks so cute with hats, which is just perfect for the cold weather :) go to The Painted Lady, they work hair miracles!

Anyway, let's get down to the main event, the Wednesday (ok, not quite!) Wonderfuls! Here they are in all their glory:

• I find myself constantly saying to friends that you can't really achieve a perfect vintage look without the proper foundation garments which is why I loved this article by Tasha, all about recreating the perfect 1940s bust silhouette. May your bust always look vintage after reading :)
• Anyone redecorating? Check out this post over at A Beautiful Mess about choosing colour for your home, I guarantee you'll be inspired!
• After reading this review by Zoe I really want to get my hands on a copy of "Sew Your Own" by John-Paul Flintoff, it looks like a great read. Plus it's written by a man who can now sew, knit and crochet, truly we much study this rare and interesting creature...
• Solana has done it again with another brilliant set of posts, this time about how to wear petticoats. The pictures of here petticoat collection alone are enough to drive a person crazy!
• You may have seen these pictures before (I discovered them at Leopard and Lipstick) but they are just too beautiful for me not to post them again here, enjoy!
• Are you feeling in the mood for some Halloween yummies but don't fancy making cookies that look like severed limbs? Take a less grotesque route with Joy's Midnight Black Chocolate Puddings, dark and mysterious but in not way icky!
• I really want to make myself some vintage pyjamas like this, aren't they adorable?
• Now, how could Dita von Teese be any cooler or more glamourous? In her cars, that's how!
• And finally you simply must read this article from So Zo What do you know? about homemade vs. mass produced clothes. It's very inspirational and makes me feels proud to be a home sewer.

I hope you've enjoyed this week's Wonderfuls as much as I have, join me again for more posts soon, right now me and my new hair have got a date with Oxford!

Bye for now!

Merry (October) Christmas!

You may have noticed a new little badge on my side bar, I'm very excited about it. Basically I have joined the Crafty Christmas Club and I'm going to be having a handmade Christmas this year!

Now, this is very important:

Parents, Friends, Loved Ones - this means YOU mummy and my Sweetheart!! - PLEASE DO NOT VISIT THAT BLOG. 

I am going to use the Crafty Christmas Club Blog as a safe place to post about my Christmas plans, what I'm making and how it's all going, so unless you want to find out what I've been slaving over for your Christmas gift then please, please, please don't peak at that site, otherwise I will be very sad, and that's no fun for anyone!

But to all the rest of my lovely readers please do hop over to the blog and check out what's happening, it's a brilliant place to get inspiration for gifts, their are so very talented crafters taking part :) You can even get involved yourself if you want to, all the details about how to can be found on the blog. My first post can be found here and I will keep you posted on any updates I add to the Crafty Christmas Club, I'm so excited to get started!

I know some of you may think I'm crazy to be thinking about Christmas in October, but you may think differently when you realize that it's only 10 weeks until Christmas. Eek! 

Must dash, some serious crafting needs to be done :)