Halloween 2009

Here we are:

Date Night Inequity

My husband's preparations: 
1) Put on the shirt he knows I like.
2) Spritz of cologne

My preparations:
1) Pedicure in the gazebo so he won't smell the fumes.
2) Manicure
3) Plan my "look"
4) Glaze hair
5) Shave
6) Moisturize with self-tanner to attempt human skin tone on my legs
7) Research cute, retro hairstyles
8) Attack my hair with scalding hot curling iron in attempt to replicate cute hairstyle, while the sun scorches my retinas if I dare move a millimeter.
9) Fail miserably to replicate cute hairstyle- decide to just go with it.
10) Spray with hairspray
11) Spray with silicone shine gloss, to make recently fried hair look non-fried
12) Curl eyelashes
13) Apply foundation, bronzer, blush, eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara, and lipstick
14) Throw together new outfit when crucial items for planned "look" cannot be located.
15) Run out the door, forgetting perfume.

Husband's step 3:  Say, "you look great, honey", making it all worthwhile.

Kids' Costumes

The kids' costumes have been completed! 

My daughter's overdress turned out like this:

Because the dress still had the zipper in the back, I sewed the bow closed in the front.

I found an awesome blouse in her closet.  Unfortunately, it was too long to be just a blouse, and too short to be used as a chemise. 

I bought some plain white muslin and fashioned a skirt that I sewed to the blouse, above the ruffled part. 

The result?  A chemise that can be turned back into a cute blouse with a simple rip of a seam! 

Here are both pieces together:

Being modeled by my cuties:

A Highland Halloween

Halloween costumes have begun! 

Last year, we were a Viking family:

This year, we'll be Scottish Highlanders (my cultural heritage).

My Grandfather bought a gorgeous kilt for my son, and hand-made him a sporran.  I've altered a plain white oxford shirt for him to wear with it, adding eyelets and leather cord. 

He sent my daughter a red plaid dress that looked something like this (I forgot to take "before" pictures, so pardon the Photoshopped rendering):

I removed the velvet bow and trim and split the dress open down the front.  I added eyelets at the top of the dress (above the empire waist).  The top is laced together with thin black ribbon.  Now I need to make her chemise and the kids will be all set! 

Costumes for the adults will require actual patterns, but I'm excited to improve upon my sewing abilities.  And I do love a project.  : )

I hope you're also having fun with scissors and seam rippers! 

What are your plans for Halloween?

Fall fashion update

I've donated a bunch of clothes to charity, but some remain that require alteration.  I'll occasionally splurge on a tailor for complicated waistband stuff or princess seams, but I'll often just take to my clothes with a seam ripper and hope for the best. 

This summer, I bought a couple tanks that looked horrible on me as they were.  After shortening the straps, they've been go-to pieces.

Last night I attacked some blouse sleeves.  I'll try to do the alteration when I get the sewing machine out (I need to start on Halloween costumes anyway).  Worst case scenario:  I'll have a tailor make shells of them!  

The bottom line is that a little bravery goes a long way.  Wish me luck!   

Fall closet update

As you already know, I'm in a frenzy of purging.  Yesterday, we sent two boxes of baby clothes and shoes to my sister, a box of books to my husband's office library, and a box of books, a bag full of shoes, and two bags of clothes to Goodwill.  Progress is being made! 

Parting with beloved items can be difficult, so keep these principles in mind:
There's no point in storing items that you don't wear, are worn out, outdated, or don't fit.
If it's not flattering, it doesn't fit.
Keep in mind the lucky recipient of your donation!

It's time again for a change of seasons, so now is the perfect time to update your wardrobe.  Anything you didn't want to wear this summer, you probably don't need to keep around for next summer.  Also donate anything you loved to death this summer.  Decide which of your Fall wardrobe you will use again this year, make any necessary repairs and donate the rest. 

Don't only look at your clothing- go through your shoes, purses, and makeup as well.

A neat trick to try this season:  As you put the 'keepers' away, put the hangars on the closet rod backwards.  As you wear an item and put it back, put the hangar on forwards.  At the end of the season, you'll know exactly which clothes you were actually wearing and which ones didn't make the cut. 

A similar tip for items in drawers: Pin a safety pin to the tag of each item, which you remove when you wear.

An edgier tip:  Put off doing laundry for as long as you can.  When you start running out of your favorite clothes, you'll see which items you refuse to wear (even when you're out of options) and which ones you only wear reluctantly.  Those are the clothes that go. 

Happy wardrobe decluttering!