I live on a farm.

I don't know if y'all knew that, but I do when I'm home. And this has been a pretty farm-life week in some ways... very country girl at times.
I am used to the quiet again, and adjusting to "town" being a minimum of 3 miles away nd not having more than 1 stoplight. And the big kitchen table my mom was raised sitting at... round, and easily seats 10. Trust me, it will hold more, especially small ones. And it makes for a GREAT cutting table... I cut out a dress, and will baste and fit and cut another before bedtime! From my very own pattern!
My mom also works at a dairy and I visited her one day last week to steal her away for lunch...
This calf I am petting in the photo is Dulce de Leche. I named her because she's caralmel-colored... She was born on Easter Sunday. Mom was working and I was on the phone with her. Seeing her, tiny by comparison to her friends, and getting to wear my cowboy boots, affectionately called sh*t-kickers as per their purpose in some settings, and having lunch with my mom made my day.
And celebrating birthdays made my weekend, and seeing a neighbor's foals will be making my afternoon! Off again.

This week

...Has been fun so far. I have been home for one whole week, and done lots of catching up. With everything BUT sewing, of course.

My baby brother graduated... He was the tallest one in his row, and we were able to spot him from very far away easily. Keep in mind, I am 5'8"ish and wearing 3 inch heels in this photo... Jerm is (I think) 6'3".

We had lots of family in town for the occasion, and although we were rained on at the football stadium(which I had not set foot in since my own threatened-by-rain graduation), we made the best of it... And had lots of fun at a graduation party held at our farm the next day.
Pictures for that will follow when I am at a high-speed connection again. And more from graduation. And some on facebook. I have lots of updating to do for family and friends.

On the sewing front, I have made some progress, albeit without photo evidence... I have completed the grading up and drafting of the tea dress, and it is cut out on an old bedsheet for a muslin. Which looks to be worlds too big, but I'll let y'all know.

Alright, off to do some sewing stuff before I leave the farm for the day! We have church and some mom/daughter time planned for this afternoon/tonight, and I want to finish/nearly finish that muslin and/or a knit dress I drafted.

Home, home on the range...

As if my presence in your internet lives wasn't already intermittent, I am leaving for home on Wednesday morning at an all-too early hour after a stop at a great little bakery...
And before then, I am having a few last-minute-spend time with friends things, and packing my room into storage at my church, in my chapter room, and in my baby car. My poor baby car will get an oil change and then tomorrow will be spent on the road... So excited. That means I will be home. Home just sounds SUPER amazing right now.
And then, if you get lucky, I'll be sewing and showing things. Because I have a wardrobe to build!!!

Even big kids color.

Apparently photographing my "storyboard" while it sits on my lap is not my strong suit... But it turned out okay. This is an okay color representation, and I am already working on some refashion pieces and have a bit of time blocked out to work on other pieces before I go to camp... and when I get back. Right now I think it's simply a matter of making the magic happen. And making choices... I have a lot to work on... order is gonna be a big deal.
I think I'll probably do similar things in order, for the sake of simplicity. And being on a roll.
1. Ivory dress. It's already started.
2. Pink dress. I started it too, and would like to wear it to church before I leave with
3. Ivory coverup. Not pictured, but will happen.
4. Asymmetric skirt... need to finish it to test drive it at camp.
5. blue knit dress... I want to test drive it too
6. brown knit dress... Also deserves a test drive
7. Blue pants. I think they'll look nice enough to travel in. If I don't wear a skirt.
8. Tan pants. I'll do them second since my mind isn't made up as to which ones to make...
9. Coverups in pink and eggplant... I already have one fabric, have to find the other. But I can cut and sew them at once.

Kay. Lunchtime. List will be continued at a later date.

I caved...

...and bought 2 knit dresses for Istanbul. But we were at Target, and they were on sale, and SOOO comfy. Like really. It's ridiculous how much like pajamas these things feel Pajamas I will happily wear to work and be cute in. And wear around Istanbul... They are pretty modestly cut for RTW... I was attracted to the sleeves on the grey one for just such a reason.
I originally was going to kick all black in my wardrobe to the curb for the summer, but I picked this dress up and it. felt. like. buddah. Smooth, smooth, smooth... And when I think about other black already in my wardrobe that could work, it's worth taking an extra pair of shoes after all...
And I know I could have done it, probably as good or better for less money, but shopping with the girls is shopping with the girls, and some basics are just nice to buy. Ready made. And you know what? I will more than likely put them on my dressform and figure out how to make replicas because they are SOOO perfect.

On another note entirely, I want your thoughts. I thought about doing a travel blog, or just updating this one. I really have no idea who reads, or if I've asked this before,but do y'all want to hear about Istanbul? Or should I set up a blog for it? Like really, I have no idea. But you should tell me what you think. There is a poll on the sidebar for just that.

Hello Strangers!

I know it's been a while, and lotsa crafting has indeed been happening... in the form of hats, buying fabric, thumnailing/line drawing the final rendition of my summer wardrobe, and today I did letters of our names on Greek letter shirts!

I have, since posting fabric pictures, accrued something like 15 yards of fabric... And get this... I already have plans for ALL of what I bought! From right to left: embroidered cotton for a skirt, poly/cotton twill for pans, brown rayon for a summer-weight duster-type thing, purple sweater-knit for a cardigan, and blue stretch knit for a really fun and cute dress. These are all for my summer trip... And I will be adding some prints to the mix soonish. When the right ones call to me.

But for now, toodaloo! Off to meetings and dinner with my soroity family.

...sigh...

Man, I am sorry I have been SO neglecting... wow, I hate that I have no pictures of the amazing hats I wear to work... But you know what you can do? You can go here to Anne's website and see her amazing hats.
I have learned L-O-T-S and I'm really super excited about working here.

And the wardrobe?
Well, sewing progress has frozen.
I havn't bought any NEW clothes, but I have 2 dresses from a consignment shop and a few things from Goodwill that want some help to achieve fabulosity, but it's gonna happen. There is a bot waiting to be measured and catalogged from fabric.com, and a lot going on betwen now and this time next month... when I will be home! And a month after that, I will be at camp before I leave for Istanbul!

I have one more really super crazy week.. The Kentucky Derby is in 6 days... and then I am good for a bit. After that it's class, less work, and hopefully some cutting and prep to sew!

I didn't die...

Is. Absolutely. Crazy and WONDERFUL.

I got an amazing job working an amazing number of hours and doing awesome things...

So work and school come first... And then I am gonna rip into this amazing fabric I have here. It's a lovely box from fabric.com... You 'll just have to come back to see. And you'll have to pardon me for this whole not posting thing. It's a big time in my new-found industry. And it's officially finals week as well.

Happy day!

And we're off!

An inevitable part of Lexington in the spring is the opening of Keeneland for the Spring Meet. In the weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby, horses are the buzz. And cleege students like myself try to make it out to the track to be part of the flurry.
This is one of those times when I love to be in Lexington. And go to the track and really BE in Lexington... Look at these beautiful animals and watch the power in them. I don't know enough about horse racing for it to be anything other than a wonder to me, and going and watching... It's a blast...
And you know what? I am wearing a thrifted outfit to go in ;0)
Pictures later.

Istanbul wardrobe...YAY!

So the real version of this dress has begun...
I had to forgo any real work on it earlier in the week, but I cut out the top layer of skirt tonight after drafting the skirt... I took apart the top, and will draft my changes and cut out all pieces as a hello to the weekend.

Right now school is INSANE. And I have to finish my Easter dress, which really may or may not happen at this point. Easter is the day before Finals Week starts, and while I only have one in-class final, I still have TONS of reading and writing to do before the end of the term. I had to get away from books after the major due date debacle that was yesterday. I am excited to be past the first big hurdle of finals though!
This weekend I have a 7-page paper for one class and 7 one-page papers for another, as well as a rough draft for my term paper in that class.
So if you don't hear from me, it's because my face is shoved in a book.

On a happy note, I ordered from fabric.com today! I got some more knit in a really pretty blue for a dress(I am all about knit dresses for this summer!), a sweater knit for a little shruggette in a purple color, an embroidered cotton for an asymmetric-hem skirt, and buttons to finish off the teal sweater top. And I spent less than $40 for all of it by taking advantage of sales... Go me!