2014 New Years Resolutions... Recap

I am amazed at how fast time goes. I know better because every year at this time I always say the same thing- my how fast time has gone.

Time to recap all of my New Years Resolutions. I will say I had good ground with getting things done until the end of the summer when the lab opened up. Time has been crazy and I have not had a lot of time to pursue hobbies. Or really just do my laundry. I have been that busy. It is truly unreal.

So as always I love to go through my list and count up points and see what I accomplished. Blogging helps me stay on track. No idea why but doing this every year helps me accomplish my goals. And I am happy to share with all of you who read my blog. I am so very grateful!
Alright here we go! Here are my goals for the New Year! Come on 2014!! Happy New years!!

1. New Sewing techniques. I would like to try more and use some of these feet I have for my sewing machine. Like ruching with elastic in my bobbin. Pin tucking. Sewing with the circular foot attachment.
+1 I actually did several techniques. I did not do the circular foot yet. But that is ok! :) 

2. Make 1 thing from each sewing book.

1. Burda Style Sewing Handbook
2. Thrifty Style
3. 49 Sensational Skirts
4. Generation T
5. Custom Couture
6. Pattern Magic 
7. Pattern Magic 2
8. Pattern Magic Stretch Fabric
9. Drape Drape 1
10. Drape Drape 2
11. Drape Drape 3
12. Little Green Dresses

yeah this did NOT happen. Got to pick my battles. :( 

3. 99 Refashion Challenge. Oh yeah that is a lot of Refashions! But away I go! I have that many projects I can do!!! 

Oh yeah I completed it! That was quite a challenge.
For all of my refashion for this year click here! Next year I won't opt for this much. It is just too challenging with a full work schedule.

4. Get my sewing patterns online at Pattern Review, which may take me all year!!!
Nope. :( boo

5. Get rid of 1 more suitcase of fabric (preferably the big one with the broken wheel).
um yeah this SO did NOT happen. I got more fabric! EEk! 

6. Get rid of 1 more box of bling (beads, sequins, etc)

Yes success!

7. Try at least 1 more knitting item. I did a scarf, I can totally do another scarf. But try and learn to purl. I'm cool with a scarf. 

Nope too busy sewing to knit. Actually we had an incident with yarn and a kitty that made me put it away for a bit.

8. Make at least 2 recipes for my cookbooks. Or else toss.
Yeah! This was a success! I got some great recipes this year! 

9. 30 more sewing patterns
Yeah just made it by the buzzer! 

10. Convert my old tapes to DVD and condense my stuff!

Yeah! This freed up a lot of space under my bed. I was a wonderful walk down memory lane for watching my old dance videos.

11. Try 1 new thing this year I have never done before! I'm thinking trapeze school.... But open to other ideas! 
Yeah I tried aerial yoga starting back at the end of October and I am addicted!  My strength and flexibility have increased dramatically. It is mind over matter as your brain doesn't think you can do it, but you can. I have learned to trust myself. My back no longer hurts, I have no more neck pain, and I have released the pressure in my hips as well. Such a win! Love it! And highly recommend.

12. Try to not buy anything else unless I need it. Seriously I have so much stuff!! Actually I have just signed up for the Ready to Wear Fast challenge at Goodbye Valentine. This entire year I intend to not purchase any store brought clothing (besides socks, underwear, and shoes), will either sew or refashion my clothing. Which I am totally fine with, actually I did this what 2 years ago? I highly enjoyed it and it spurred my creativity while I learned how to sew. It was great! I highly encourage.

Ding! Yup, I didn't buy anything I did not need (well fabric doesn't count!)! This has been great to fast.

13. Out of debt. I am so close. Pending a disaster we will do it! And hopefully before the summer.

OMG I finally paid off the last of my medical debt! It has been so refreshing. We are just starting to get into save mode. We sort of purchased things that we have been putting off (like carpet cleaning and upholstery cleaning, hence not in full save mode). 

14. Read a book for FUN. Yes this is virtually impossible for me. No idea why, it is either sewing or science book. This year I will try and read a book for fun. There is just not enough time in the day.
Yes! I read a book for fun! It was by one of my close friends from high school, who took the leap to follow her dreams and become an author! So proud to say I read a book for fun that was not a science book.

15. See my extra points list

.....................................

So I would like to have an earn an extra points list. Just because if I do I should be rewarded. Here is my list

1. Rest of DVDs for bellydance (0.5 extra) and another 0.5 if I can sell the ones I don't want.

2. t-shirt quilt

3. 5k Actually ran 2 this year!

4. BD costume finish (actually sold some, never finished those darn endless wave pants).

5. New bedspread/comforter and headboard. (got one from TJ Max instead, it was $20).
6. Get that 2nd room organized and decluttered. (I would not say I was successful this year lol)
7. 25 more items sewn for charity. (only got 5)
8. Prom dress refashions for charity. Oh just wait I hope I can make this happen! (nope too busy with refashioning)
9. Any of the craft kits I have, if I get 1 done that will be amazing!! (nope but I did donate them)

So I got 10 out of 15 of my New Years Resolutions! I think this is a personal best!!!!! That is 2/3 of my goals!!! I also got a bonus point (so if we do 11 of 15 it is 73%). So more than half! And I set my goals high this year. I am happy and pleased! I only did 26 points for fabric and 16 bling points. Those are the only projects I truly finished. 

Now the biggest question is what will I aim for next year? That will be another post. 

I hope everyone had a great 2014 and here's to a fabulous New Year. 2015 Here we come! :)

Cheers,

Lauren

peach striped chiffon top, refashion 96

96!! Yeah! Well I won't schedule them all at once but some of my refashions will continue through the new year even though I finished them before the year ended (yes so spoiler- I finished my 99 refashion challenge). This is another "I thought this would wear as is" top. The biggest issue was the arm holes were odd. The top was wide and honestly I felt as if the arm holes were too small for me. Too small! And this was technically a plus sized top.

The top was too wide that the arm holes were small and didn't have enough ease. Here is my only during photo, I took it in and down. I serged off the excess.

Done! And now I can move my arms without getting caught in my top.

I didn't change the length.

Here's the recap. An easy top that I can move my arms! Yay!

Yay! Cheers,
Lauren

Oscar de la Renta clown shirt, refashion 95

I found this gem and when I looked at the tag, it said Oscar de la Renta. May he rest in peace. But this shirt instantly said clown to me. That collar is over the top!

It is just too much, with such loud fabric, the details must really been minimal.

Off came the collar and sleeves. I fixed the neckline. I then used a sleeve to create a tie strip that I then attached to the neckline. Then I finished up the arm holes. Done! I didn't have to take in the sides as really it was fine.

Here is my new top!

Simple and alright for the office.

It is super cute tucked into the skirt.

And if I added a blazer (obviously I would select one that would work better with the skirt) then it further tones down the loud magenta and black striped fabric.

I had no idea this top was really going to work but it does! Yay! Here is the recap!

Cheers,
Lauren

Easy turtleneck fix, refashion #94

This was one of the tops, I thought I would wear "as is" but I realized I did not care for the lower band of fabric.

Got to love funny photos when the camera takes and you are not ready.... lol enjoy

This was an easy fix. I cut off the lower band and then used my twin needle to stitch up the bottom. Boom done!

Much more wearable now! Sometimes simple is just better! Refashions don't have to be complicated.

Here's the recap! Easy peasy!

Cheers,
Lauren

Mom's beach coverup, refashion #93

Alright well my break has been nice and I have been playing catch up with my personal life. And even began to sew and take pictures. Some of the last of my 99 refashion challenge were completed, I just needed photos. I have just been so slow with doing things!

This beach coverup was from my mom and a challenge to see what I could do with it. The shirred top with cotton gauze bottom was a bit of a challenge.

It hit me one day to turn it upside down and utilize the shirred band for a waist. First, I pulled off the front tie.

Next, I used brown bias tape and made strips to create an open shoulder/arm look. I measured  so they would be even. I sewed them on. I additionally took in the sides some. But I don't have a picture of that. Here's my new piece! Totally different and unexpected huh? :)

The shoulders....

This would be perfect for walking around the beach during the summer. Here's the recap!

6 more to go! Can you believe it? I can't believe I have sewed that many clothing items. But I also can't believe where the time has gone!!

Cheers,
Lauren

Blue Chiffon/lace top, refashion #92

Boy this top gave me a lot of grief for sewing. Let me state this from the get go! I liked the chiffon and the lace inserts. I just thought this wouldn't be difficult to make it fit.

The arm holes needed fixing and needed to come in closer to my body. I also pulled up the sewed the top at the shoulder. I made the elastic smaller and took in the sides because it had a sagginess. I also wound up sewing out the lace insert on the sides and cut off some of the bottom. The middle picture shows how much I took off. This took a long time because I would do something, try it on, and then say MEH I still don't like it.

Even though this took a lot of work, I made it work in the end. Yes this is me sneezing. LOL

Better!

No more lace on the sides- I was slightly bummed but it does look better.

The recap! Whew! Glad that is over!

Cheers,
Lauren

7 more left!!!

Union Jack Sweatshirt Refashion, #91

I think this sweatshirt I found was a mens. It was a size small and it was still pretty big on me. I always need warm clothes. I also wanted to give this sweatshirt a little bit of a personality. I have seen a bunch of union jack items and thought, oooh! I could add that!

First, time to just take in. I hemmed with my twin needle- OMG LOVE!!! I also took off the bands from the bottom of the shirt and sleeves.

Next, I had this holey sweatshirt that I really can only use for scraps.

I have used it previously to refashion another sweatshirt but I made a heart. Click here for the post!

I first printed out the flag so I would be accurate. I also printed out the size I wanted to achieve for the sweatshirt. Then I traced what I would need for the red part on one sheet of paper and then the same for the white. Cut out. I used scrap white fabric that was like t-shirt material. I lined it up as center I could. Then I cut out the red.

 

I sat down and watched a movie and grabbed some embroidery floss. In red and white. I then hand stitched it to my shirt. Which this is the first hand stitching I have done since my injury. I can do it but MAN! Sometimes I get nerve flares. Eek! Here is me almost done. I just had to add the small stripes. 

And here it is done! In LOVE!!!! BTW I would like to draw some attention to my legs.I started aerial yoga and I saw this picture and noticed that it has begun to get my legs in nice shape! Yay!

Up close

Yeah for new sweatshirt! A much better improvement! Here is the recap!

8 more to go !!!!

Cheers,
Lauren