Saturday, June 21, 2008

Responses to comments...

I realize I've gotten a few questions in response to one of my recent posts. Here my responses:
  1. Carolyn said "I hope you do have a TNT pattern to take advantage of the wonderful haul!" -I wish I did, Carolyn, but I don't yet. I haven't made a single dress yet - and I really want to! I need to grow some cojones and put in the necessary work to get a TNT pattern done.
  2. Reethi asked "Also, BWOF, how tall are you?" - I'm 5'11'', Reethi, and most of my height is in my legs. Hmmm... that means I shouldn't have to lengthen a BWOF top/bodice by that much, huh?
  3. Cidell said "Also, BWOF isn't too hard to alter for height. I can send you a PDF of how to do so if you'd like." - Thanks for the offer, Cidell. I'm going to hold off on that for now though. I was seriously considering asking my hubby for a subscription to BWOF for my birthday, but I'm not so sure now - especially since I really should sew a little more before accumulating more patterns! So that's the condition I've given myself - no BWOF till I'm sewing more consistently. It's tough, but I've got to be tough on myself sometimes. I'm actually going to try a Burda top (actual pattern - in fact, the one sitting on my new ironing board in previous post) and see how I like the results as part of the process.
And thanks for all the congrats on my weight loss!!

June is the best month!

Being born in June is the best. I'm sure most people feel the same way about their birth month, but... Anyway, one of the things I like about being born in this month (besides the mostly great weather) is that it's also when VSecret and B&Bworks have their semi-annual sales. It's my chance to stock up on the bath products I like. LOL! You thought I was going to say something more profound than that, didn't you? Sorry to disappoint. I do have to say though, I thought my birth month was ill-appointed when I was in elementary school, because I never got to have my birthday in school like some of the other kids. Go figure.

So, my birthday was on the 10th. I went to work, because I had already scheduled Friday off (doing this when my parents are staying with me to get more quality with them). Before work that morning, I decided to weigh myself, something I normally do just once a week - on Saturday. How thrilled was I that I had finally hit ONEDERLAND?! 198.8 baby! Yah, excellent birthday gift.

My brother, sis-in-law and adorable neice got me two tops and some yummy smelling body cream from said B&Bworks. I asked my parents for an ironing board to replace the dangerously unstable one I've had since I moved out here after college 9 years ago (wow, it's been THAT long?). This is what they bought me. Not only is it sturdy - my only request - but they also were considerate enough to get me something with an iron rest, so I can actually use the whole board for ironing. Yaaay! I just pressed the shirt pattern that you see there. Next step - tracing and alterations - my least favorite part. Yes, you guessed it. I'm procrastinating.




In addition to the ironing board, my parents gave me some $$ to spend, and spend it I did. I got a few cute poly-blend tops for work, and yesterday, I got these really cute shoes. I've been looking for a pair of almost-flats that I can wear either to work or with a pair of jeans. I've finally found them. I actually got these for $40, and was thinking of getting two other pairs of shoes for $20 each instead (the thrifty person in me sometimes goes for quantity rather than quality, unfortunately). Thank goodness I finally knocked some sense into my head - these are leather, the others were not - these have the heel height I was seeking, the others were a little higher - these were a little more comfortable - DUH! I almost had to smack myself for thinking irrationally. I really needed to talk myself out of settling for things I like "enough". So the shoes I "really like" finally came home with me.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Hot! Hot! Hot!

L.A. weather has taken a turn for the hotter, and I'm definitely feeling it. Since I spend most of my days incubated in a cool building, I'm usually oblivious to what everyone else outdoors is feeling. I was off from work today though, and took my parents to the airport, so it's been a rude awakening for me. At my last job, I would sometimes look out of the window and daydream about being a construction worker - doing my work, being outdoors, not taking work home with you (literally and mentally)... not on a day like today!!

All this to say what? Erm... I haven't sewn anything new... I bought some new clothes! But nothing sewn. With my parents here, I've just wanted to relax with them, and the thought of carting out the large table and taking up half the living room to trace and cut and whatnot, was too daunting. I finally went to Joann's and picked up a few more Simplicity patterns after I dropped them off at the airport. (Whaaat? Didn't she say no more patterns?). I'm going to look them up on PR now to see what others have done with them. Hopefully my sewing mojo will fly back in the door... like tomorrow morning... hopefully.

Oh, before I go... I once mentioned a Nigerian snack called Chin Chin that I made for my brothers at Christmas time. My parents brought me some as well, and I took a picture. When you roll out the dough and cut it, you can decide what shapes you want. In my family, we usually make twisted "8"s out of the dough. Takes a lot longer, but for some reason the shape makes it seem yummier (kinda like different pasta shapes, right?). Okay, enough talk. I give you..... CHIN CHIN! (click pic for a close up)

Oh yah, and by the way, I'm now 31! I'm hoping the batch of memory cells that seem to have turned off in my brain when I turned 30 will find a way to renew themselves? I'm having a hard time dealing with the memory loss that comes with age... aren't I too young to start forgetting things, or is it just me?