Fella said I look like I belong in a rumpus room!

The first issue I had to address (har har) was a couple of stains on the bottom half of the dress that I couldn’t get to photograph for the life of me.  Rest assured, they were pretty obvious in person and appeared to be of the coffee persuasion.  I decided to just lop that part off and make this dress into a top!

Lop (You thought I was going to say chop, didn't you?!)!

I put my future top on my dress form and pinned it, taking it in about 3″ on each side.

Pinned!

Then, I ran each side through my machine!

Mood Light Sewing!

I wasn’t really feeling the original neckline at all.  I used my seam ripper to remove those 3 functionless buttons…

You have no function and must be removed!

and gave that middle section a quick snip to turn it into a much more flattering V-neck!

I grabbed that bottom cut off section, and snipped off the bottom hem.  Check out how pretty and lacy it is on the inside!  :)

Pretty!

I used this cut off scrap as a sash to cinch the waist of my cute new tunic!

They call me Mellow Yellow! :)

I wore my new top to the Original Pancake House for a tasty Fat Tuesday Breakfast Dinner with the Fella!  :)

NOM!

Cheers!

Don't worry! This dress will be coming out of the dark in no time! :)

I love the funky contrasting print on the shoulders of this dress, plus it has pockets!  I’m less than fond of those funky shoulder pads, the length, and the fact that I’m swimming in it!

I decided to take this dress in from the back so I could hold on to those side pockets.  It’s all a part of my national “A Pocket is a Terrible Thing to Waste” campaign.  ;)

It kind of looks like a fin at this point.

I then ran my fin through my sewing machine!  :)

Taking it in!

I lopped off the fin-like appendage, and attacked that dress’ length!

Chop!

Next came a new hem!

Pin it! Sew it! Be done with it!

After a quick press for my new seam and hem, my new dress was all done!

Whoa...a little short, eh?

This dress is definitely on the short side!  Luckily today was a holiday and I didn’t have to work.  My new dress was a fine length for whipping up a tasty dinner for my neighbors.   :)

The secret's in the sauce! :)

I made pork, roasted asparagus, and gnocchi with a gorgonzola cream sauce!  T’was delish!

Food Porn! :)

Cheers!

This ain't pretty, folks!

This piece is all sorts of lameness.  :/  I got to work on de-lameifying it!

I unpicked the crotch of this silly thing with my seam ripper.

Pick! Pick! Pick!

Then, I chopped of the legs!

Chop and Chop!

Then I closed up the front and back seams where I unpicked the crotch earlier.  :)

Pinned!

Stitch it up!

I cut off the extra material from the front and back seams, then I got to work on hemming my new dress!

Yay! A new hem!

I turned the dress around so the zipper closure was at the front.  It could be worn either way.  :)

Ready to head off to brunch!

It's like a salad in a cup! ;)

NOM!

Cheers!  :)

...as long as it was a celebration in the 80's. :/

I love the gold hue, and the luxurious silk fabric, but I wanted something cute and fun to catch a parade with friends…and this wasn’t it!

I decided to completely lose the top part of the dress.

Chop!

I left just enough of the fabric from the top part to fold over and pin.  Then I stitched it down.

Sewing right along the orginal seam!

Now I needed straps for my new dress.  I whipped up two fabric tubes from the leftover sleeve fabric…

Strap Tease!

and pinned them to the front and back of my new dress!

Pinned!

I stitched them down, and was all done (after a quick press!)

Whirrrrr!

I slipped on some purple tights and green accessories, and was ready to meet up with my pals for pre-parade cocktails and pizza!

Ta-Dah! :)

Pre-party wine tasting! :)

Pals!

Pizza!

Phillip whips up some tasty cocktails! :)

We headed off to watch the parade…but never quite found it!  :/  We ended up traipsing all over the Rosewood neighborhood, laughing at our lack of parade tracking skills.  :)

We'll be our own parade! :)

Sometimes life is the parade. :)

Happy Mardi Gras, everybody!  :)

One Pad Wonder!

What follows is perhaps the best no-sew refashion I’ve ever lucked out on!  :)

I ripped out that solo shoulder pad…

Later Tater!

Then, I wrapped the arms of the dress around my waist and pinned the bust to keep my new dress from slipping off.  :)

Pinned & Secure!

Now I have an awesome cocktail dress…perfect for a fun Friday night!

This took all of 2 minutes, folks!

Loving my awesome Cindy Saad necklace! :)

While out, I ran into a couple of fun friends!

'Ello Cat! :)

It's the always amazing Clark Ellefson! :)

I finished the evening with a tasty KC Hotdogs veggie dog!  :D

NOM!

Cheers!

Holy bad hair day, Batman!

Neither that dress nor my locks were looking too great.  :/  And style wasn’t the only thing missing from this sad dress.

What?

The worst thing about this dress was its shapelessness, so I got to pinning!

Pinning!

Then, I got to sewing!

Whirrrr!

Then, I got to snipping!

Byeee!

Now that frumpy dress is a cute new top that works perfectly with my pencil skirt!  I put my uncooperative hair back in a snood, and was ready for my day!  :)

Saved by the Snood!

Cheers!

Send in the Clowns.

There should be clowns.

They're already here!

Okay…enough clowning around (wow that pun was awful, even for me!)!  :)  I wasn’t feeling that weird yellow and white giraffe print, so I dropped it into a bath of black and teal dye.   :)

Bath Time!

After the bath was done, I unpicked the crotch of the jumpsuit and cut off the legs.  Then, I got to resizing!

Pinned on each side!

I also pinned the front and the back of my future dress where I unpicked the legs.

Just pin a straight line!

I sewed up all my pinned areas, and chopped off the extra fabric.

Whirrrr!

My dress was looking realllllly cute already!  I gave it  a new hem…

Hem time!

…but still wasn’t entirely pleased.  I grabbed the legs I removed earlier, and turned them into a wide sash.  :)

Step 1

Stitch that sash!

Now my new dress was definitely ready for my second and last day in NYC!

Sitting Pretty!

Leaving...on a jet plane...

Before flying back to SC, I stopped off for a bit of jitter-fighting vino!  :)

No fear of flying here, folks! :)

Time to call it a day!

I hadn’t been to New York in a few years, so this was a really nifty little visit that reminded me of why I really should try to visit more often.  :)  With a little luck, maybe I can.

Cheers!  :)

It just doesn't feel right!

First, I took care of that super unflattering mid-calf length skirt!

Chop!

Now, let’s address one of my biggest pet peeves.  I absolutely hate clothing that does that weird fake layering thing.  As if someone would see this dress and really think you just happened to be wearing an identically hued sweater under it.  Really.  It’s as if the designer (I use that word lightly) thinks we’re all idiots who are incapable of doing our own layering (Plus those wool sleeves were really itchy!)!

Eff that!

Snip!

Later, nerds!

And just like that, my new dress was ready to go…at 3am.   :/

I hopped in my car and drove to Charleston to catch my very early flight…

I really don't do mornings...

While waiting for my flight, I hammered out the day’s blog…

Clver Writing: Just about impossible to do at 5am!

I was so happy to finally touch down in my destination:  New York City!  :D  Yay!

Yup...I'm staying here! :)

But wait…what are my reasons for being in the Big Apple mid-week on a nonprofit arts administrator’s salary?  Tee hee!  I can’t tell you just yet!  ;)  Rest assured, I’m not a drug mule or any such thing.  ;) I promise, it’s a fun secret that I can’t wait to share with you!

In the meantime, here are a few pics of my fun little day!  :)

Today is brought to you by the number 9! :)

I won't lie...I almost got in the van!

Time for some tasty grub!

The best cheesecake I've ever had! :)

Oh yes…and Happy Valentines Day!  :)  You guys will be happy to know that Fella was with me today checking out this fun city!  Whether you’re coupled or single, I hope you had a terrific day!  :)

Cheers!

May I take your bags?

I actually like the golden hue (a color I don’t wear very much, and those frog closures are a nifty touch, too!  :)

I chopped of some of the length from the skirt, and wrapped it around my waist twice, obi belt style.  That’s all I needed to take this dress from bellhop to bellhaute (forgive me, it’s early, and the puns don’t come as easily!)!  :)

Checking in? :)

I wore my new dress for an evening of packing…

Where am I going?

Yup!  I’m about to head off for a fun little adventure!  I can’t wait to share a little bit more with you tomorrow.  ;)

Ready to embark!

Where do you think I’m going?

Cheers!

So comfy!

Sadly, I actually had to leave the house for a production meeting for a play I’m costuming (because, you know…I just needed something else to do), followed by some hang time with friends. :)

Luckily, this kimono didn’t need much to be streetwear-worthy!  First, I made a big chop…

Chop!

Then, I pinned the raw edge under twice…

A hem in the making!

…and ran it through my machine!

Whirrrrr!

I pressed my new hem, and was ready to head out in my cute new kimono jacket!  :)

So Chic!

The back!

Do you recognize my headband?  It’s the cut-off elastic waist scrap from Day 223!  It’s perfect for helping me pull my hair back!

That hair is outta the way! :)

TV Buddies!

It looks like I’m not the only gal out there who digs a fun kimono jacket!

Famous people dig it too!

But I seriously doubt any of theirs cost less than mine.  ;)

Fashion: Not just for celebs anymore! :)

Cheers!