It took way too long, but I finally finished the first project on my craft list. A Halloween costume. Does anyone remember this dress ?...
Luckily I don’t need to make nearly as much things this year as compared to other years thanks in part to the all the 5 a Week crafting I did. Many of those crafts make great little gifts.
Even so, there are still a few things I need to make. So here’s the list:
Eleven to do and only fifteen days until Christmas. Better get moving!
The last few projects on my list were bags so it seems fitting to put them all in the same post. Plus I just wanted to get them over with so I can focus on the next big project, Christmas. So here goes.
First up is this purse. Some may notice it bears a great resemblance to a certain lace covered purse I made years ago (see It All Started with Goodwill). There is a good reason for this. A certain individual I know really likes my white lacey purse and sort of requested one just like it except for a few differences. I figure it would make a excellent gift, maybe.
Second up is this pretty purple tote bag. I have been badly in need of a new everyday bag as my old one was about to kick the bucket.
I used some pretty fabrics I got from SAS (see The Biggest Craft Haul Ever) and trimmed it with the same lace as the purse which also came from SAS.
At first glance it may seem like a normal tote bag, but if you look on the sides you can see a zipper.
Two zippers running all around. These are what make this bag truly special. Because when unzipped…
…The bag is much bigger with nearly twice the capacity. That’s right, it’s a convertible bag.
I’ve found that on some days I carry considerably more stuff than others, so much so that my old bag was being overly stuffed. Plus on my “lighter” days, my bag seemed needlessly huge. Having a convertible bag solves this problem. It goes small when I travel light, and grows larger when I carry more. Much more in fact, it can hold noticeably more than my old bag.
Another problem I had with my old bag was trying to find things in it. With a big bag full of stuff it can be easy to lose important things in the void. This bag solves that problem thanks to the many pockets on the inside. Perfect places to stash my wallet, phone, lotion, pens, compacts, tiny notebooks, etc..
And there is a larger pocket for things like my tablet and such. The lining of the bag is actually made of vinyl to make it easy to clean. I frequently carry food or water bottles and other things that may spill.
My third bag project is a little pouch made to match the tote bag. It has lace along the zipper and some lace for a handle to make it both pretty and easy to grab and go.
Of course it is lined with vinyl too for easy clean up and actually has a vinyl divider inside. One side I use for makeup and the other side I use for other supplies like cough drops and tissues. Basically things that would be handy to toss together in any purse or bag.
Here’s the updated list:
Six down and out. Now time to get started on Christmas. That list will be up by tomorrow for sure. Look forward to it.
Over the past couple months I have managed to finish a particular project from my list, a doll dress. Technically I finished all the projects on my list, but that will come later.
Anyway, I had been meaning to make at least one really great dress for my ball jointed doll since I first got her (see Catching Up -- A New Friend). What’s the point in paying that much for one doll if I don’t put effort in dressing her. But I put off making her anything other than some basic skirts and tops, until now.
Behold the pink princess dress. Some of you may find it very familiar since I already made post about it here on my doll blog.
This dress was not a easy project to tackle. I found a pattern that was supposed to fit Msd sized ball jointed dolls like mine, but it was intended for dolls with considerably more child-like figures.
This was something I didn’t realize until after I had cut and sewn most of the bodice. I had to spend a great deal of time taking it in and such to get it to fit right. Then came another problem…
…the skirt. I hadn’t notice that the skirt pattern wasn’t as full or as long as it needed to be to get the right look. This I noticed after I had already sewn it and attached it to the bodice. But rather than let my doll wear a dress that was too short, I added to it.
I cut into the skirt and gathered it in a couple of spots to create a bustle look, then added some lace and bows. Finally I used one of the circle skirts I had made before (see 5 a Week: Skirts for Dolls) as an under skirt.
The end result was a more interesting skirt design and an over all prettier dress. It’s nice how things work out so perfectly, or at least close to perfect.
I also made a cute little matching hair accessory with a scrap of lace and some ribbon. It ties on her head with some ribbon, bad idea. I know it looks pretty tied, but it is a pain to actually tie the darn thing. Her wig usually falls off at least twice each time I try. I’m going to have find some doll size headbands to use as a base the next time I feel like making doll hair accessories.
Here’s the updated list:
Three down, just three to go. They will be up tomorrow. Look forward to it. :)
December first, Christmas is now less than a month away. (Insert appropriate, adult reaction).
Here to help with your holiday planning needs is the latest edition of my Christmas Pinterest board. And as with all my yearly holiday pin boards, I will continue to add to it throughout the entire calendar year.
Anyways, here it is:
Some highlights:
Plus, I created a new general pinterest board that could prove useful this season. A Gift Ideas board, solely intended for crafts and other stuff that would make nice gifts for other.
Some highlights:
