Saturday Sketching

Here are some sketches for a project I have coming up over the next year.  I'll keep it mum for now, but  its going to be pretty darn awesome.

Some doodling...

So I've been doodling on the train... this is what I wore yesterday.  I've been working on my faces, what do you think?  I think I'm happy with them.  I think I'm also happy it is friday.

Crazy in Love

I was taking the train home yesterday, listening to some Beyonce, and decided that I wanted to do some celebrity sketches, and what better way to start than with Ms. B?  I chose her Superbowl look, because despite what many opinions were, I thought the halftime show was amahhhzing. Bey can do no wrong in my eyes.

Spring Style Inspiration

Yesterday was the first day of Spring.  Of course, to live in New York, you wouldn't know it, but I've been still getting very excited about Spring style - mostly dresses.   I've been perusing some of my fav websites and decided to sketch some up.  I'm getting very inspired to start sketching my own designs.

What are some of your favorite looks for Spring?

Anthropologie Slim-Glint Lace Dress

LOVE. THIS.  A white dress is always a great spring/summer staple.  The burn-out look on the sleeves  paired the higher neckline makes this one perfect for office-to-night days.

Anthropologie Sunstream Eyelet Dress

Cotton eyelet is the perfect lightweight fabric for when the weather warms up. It's so dainty and girly, you can't help but want to throw open your arms and spin like a 5 yr old.

Anthropologie Calcada Dress

I love a good maxi dress.  I basically live in them all summer long to hide my vampire-pale legs, but this hi-lo style lets you show off just a little somethin'.

 Modcloth Passport of Call Dress

This is a little more mini than I like to go, but I love the piecing and neckline.   I will definitely be piecing some of my random stash fabrics together. 

Out of Order

Chris's job requires him to be in a courtroom from time to time (he's a criminal. jk.), and in my head everything is like an episode of Law and Order, with people screaming, "You're out of order!"  Apparently, it's nothing like this.  Allegedly, it's very boring.  Lame.

So normally for a project, you would sketch before you start making the dress, right?  Meh.  Sometimes I just like to get down to business, and then do the sketch later.  I'm sort of excited for the impending snowstorm this weekend, and plan to do nothing by sew.  So, to take a little break last night, I decided to sketch up Jenna's dress and also start planning what I'm going to do with my vintage finds from last week.

(I loved the way this one came out!)

(avoid drawing feet at all costs)

Prom Night

My senior prom was the best.  I had (and still have) the best group of friends anyone has ever had.  My dress (my 18th birthday present) was an absolute dream.  We ended the night running around the Long Beach boardwalk like a bunch of lunatics.  I can still remember my stomach aching from laughing so hard the whole night (It may have been the Mike's Hard Lemonade, but we'll go with the G-rated version).  I hope there are plans to rebuild the boardwalk that was decimated by that big fat jerk Sandy - so many memories for so many people.

Anyway, enough about me...Prom!  I have been asked by Chris's cousin Caroline to make her senior prom dress - what an honor!  She is one of the most awesome human beings I have ever met.  She's extremely smart and talented - a literal track star of Long Island - not to mention funny, generous, pretty, blablabla.  She sent me some inspiration images,  and last night I started sketching away to start the process.  Let's see what she thinks, eh?

(a grecian-esque column dress with sheer top/overlay)

(this one is actual very similar to my own senior prom dress - tons of tulle!)

(toga-style with cascading beading)

Pinteresting Saturday: Cozy Knits

Well, I seem to have jinxed myself.   I was just marveling how I've managed to get this far through the season without getting sick, and guess who woke up with a sore throat yesterday? Oh, it was me.  But I'm perfectly content to lay about with some tea and some Downton Abbey in a big sweater.  There's something about a chunky knit that warms the heart, am I right?  

And speaking of warming the heart, Lady must sense that I'm not feeling too hot.  She usually is a crazy monster when I want to fall asleep, but last night she curled up right next to my head and stood guard - and right now she's calmly sitting on my lap instead of trying to eat my fingers while I type, gently placing her paw on my arm every few minutes as if to say, "Cat, that's enough blogging now, time to rest."  She's so smart.

(all images via pinterest)

Sugar-Free Oatmeal is Disgusting.

I've been trying to eat better and work out more, and this has actually been a good week - I've been patting myself on the back.  But this morning I opened a box of sugar-free maple-cinnamon oatmeal.  I thought it was going to be delicious.  I was so hungry.  Now I'm still hungry, and completely grossed out.  But I will not go down to the lobby and get a bagel.  I will NOT.

Now that we've got that out of the way, I've also discovered I have some of the oatmeal stuck to my sweater.


Back to business.  I don't have a Thursday DIY for you today because I've been working on Jenna's dress!

One day I'll have a table big enough so I don't need to cut out large patterns on the floor.

I have the whole pattern cut out,  so tonight I'll be putting it together - this is my favorite part.  First I'm going to stabilize the front and back center seams.  Since this dress is cut on the bias, these seam points will stretch if they aren't sewn to a straight piece of fabric.  Next I'll sew the bodice together.  Those are my goals for this evening - lets do this!

 In other news, I just bought a pattern.  I actually never use patterns, so I'm nervous/excited about this.  I think its going to be a fun Winter/Spring transition coat.  Thoughts?

 

(The words "very easy" are prominently displayed, so I don't think it'll be so bad.)

Now the fun part is picking a fabric for this.  I'm going to do it in wool, but I'm torn between doing the safe Black, or something a little sassier.  What do you guys think?

What's on my sewing table?

A whole lot of awesome, that's what.

I was so excited/nervous to start this gown.  Its a lot of dress, its a lot of fabric, and its a lot of stripes.  But I've mapped out the cutting and planned out the logistics so now we're full speed ahead!  I need to go buy the lining today and then we'll be good to go (It's extremely convenient that my office is in the garment district).

 

Pinteresting Saturday: Black & White

I was commissioned by my dear friend Jenna to make her a gown for a wedding she has coming up.  She sent me this inspiration image and I didn't even read her email. I just said, "yes! anything you want inspired by this!"  I just got the fabric for it,  so today's Pinterest post is inspired by my...inspiration?  Yes.

(Oscar de la Renta)

(all images via Pinterest)

Friday DIY - Headband

After my resolution post, my two besties gave me some awesome ideas.  Its really amazing to have friends that will inspire you and challenge you.  And they are really good looking too. 

Anyway, Michelle gave me the idea to start incorporating some simple DIY projects (that's do-it-yourself, if you're not up on the lingo), and that's what I'm going to (try to) do every Friday. 

Here's a super duper simple DIY project involving no sewing machine skills at all - so no excuses!

Ribbon Headband:

1. Get your supplies together:

 - elastic (mine is about 3/4" wide)

 - some pretty ribbon trim 

 - a pair of scissors

 - a needle & thread

 - *measuring tape is helpful too, but not necessary

 

2. Measure on your head how long you'd like the ribbon to be.  (Basically from behind-right-ear to behind-left-ear - the rest will be elastic!)

 

3. Add 1/2" to this measurement and cut your pretty ribbon to that.

4. Fold over 1/4" and press down.  (I gave it a quick iron for a crisp fold.)

 

 5.  Cut a piece of elastic that is just slightly smaller that the rest of that head measurement of yours.  You want it to stretch a bit when you put on the headband so that it stays in place.  Sew the end of the elastic to the wrong side of the ribbon.  Fold over the corners so that it forms a little wrap over the elastic.  Sew securely in place.  Repeat on the other end.

 

6. Enjoy your sick headband and show it off to all of your friends.  Then, go make them some matching headbands to say sorry for being such a show-off.

(awesome photography by Chris, which is why I'm making silly faces) 

 

Red & Sky

So today I threw on a sky blue infinity scarf that I made for myself for being so awesome, and then slapped on some Revlon True Red lipstick.  I thought to myself, "Cat, you need more sleep" and then "man, do I LOVE this color combination!".  Maybe it comes from having worked in the Kate Spade offices -  these two pop colors make such a bold statement that I'm instantly drawn to.  I'm feeling a dress idea coming on...

(all images via Pinterest)

Pinteresting Saturday

I hope you all are enjoying your weekend so far.  Today, for the first Saturday in a while, we have...nothing!  Well actually, Chris's uncle is installing our dishwasher right now so that is actually pretty exciting.  I am using today to sew, obviously, but also to get some post-work together for the week.  I got some awesome feedback from my pal Deege after my resolution post, so I've got some good things in the hopper for next week.

Tomorrow I'll be wearing the flipped beaded dress for a wedding so I should have some lovely images (that I will demand Chris to take) for you on Monday.


Saturdays are going to be my catching-up day from now on, so I'll be posting some favorite Pinterest finds that I've saved during the week.  If you don't already follow me on Pinterest, you can find me here!

(all images via Pinterest)