Wendy & I are like THIS

Can we pause for a moment and reflect on the awesomeness that is Built by Wendy?

Who else runs a successful clothing company, yet tells you exactly how she goes about making them? And then says "Oh here's the patterns to half my Spring line, by the way." My hero!

Plus her designs are so wearable. Other than that skirt I made from her book which was too small for me (even had I made the largest size, I still think it would have been too tight - yikes!), I've worn everything countless times. But there have never been photos...so here they are.


This I sewed last week. It began as an oversized shirt I picked up from Goodwill. I wanted to experiment with the basic crew neck pattern from Sew U: Home Stretch, but didn't want to ruin expensive knit fabric or a shirt I really liked. This is the size small, and I had to size it down a bit from that even to get the fit I wanted. The purple ribbing I found at Goodwill last summer added a nice touch.


Simplicity 3692
I sewed this last Summer when I didn't have a job. The Kiss shirt was originally Joe Lawler's who is awesome and gave me a shitload of his old shirts (thanks Joe!)...the red/black striped knit is from a shirt I found at, where else, Goodwill! I wear this shirt all the time, and it has gotten a lot of attention over the year, especially at derby practices.


Simplicity 3694
I sewed this when I was jobless last Summer as well. The checked fabric was $1/yard Walmart special, and the blue was some cheap broadcloth. I believe I sewed the 2nd from the smallest size. I really love it, but haven't had much of a reason to wear it since it is hawt as bawls here in Vegas :)
One word of warning though - the hood looks REDONK. Seriously. Way too small!


Simplicity 3835
I originally bought this pattern (waaaay before I knew enough to sew a garment) to make the mini dress with 3/4 length sleeves, then saw the genius that is View C - short sleeved, elastic neck/arm openings, loose fitting, just brilliant. The first time I wore it out I got 2 compliments, I took that as a sign that I was onto something with this Built by Wendy stuff. And yes, I sewed this also during the unemployed Summer of '07. Heh.

Oh and by the way, there are 2 new Summer Built by Wendy patterns...I'm DYING to buy them but Joann wasn't carrying them when I stopped by on Monday with that swank $25 gift card from Berkleigh's mom.

The weekend of Heidi and airports

Saturday morning I got to see my sister for the first time since February. It's funny, I've so far felt like we don't live a thousand miles apart because of how much we talk - in fact I feel that way about all of my friends and family, except for the fact that we don't hang out, which does suck, I miss having people over for dinners and booze-fueled reality TV nights.

There was so much we wanted to do in the span of a weekend. one thing both Heidi and George really wanted to see was Red Rock Canyon. We brought Bowie along, but the excitement of his new surroundings and the heat proved to be a little much for him, after 15 minutes he was literally hyperventilating so we all stayed in the Jeep after that.

That was really the only action George got in on, he spent most of his Saturday getting ready for London...which left Heidi & I to do things he wouldn't be into, like going shopping and walking the strip. We did touristy stuff like go see the Bodies Exhibit at Tropicana and Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden at the Mirage. Can I have a dolphin? Those fuckers are so cute, I can see Bowie and a dolphin swimming around playing in my mind and it brings a tear to my eye.

So this week I'm flying solo. I took George to the airport Sunday morning, then drove Heidi to the airport Monday. I feel very well acquainted with the Las Vegas airport. Did I mention I dropped George's parents off there last Wednesday as well?

This has made me a bit of a hermit. Between the $4 gas prices, no job, and dwindling cash supply I've only been leaving the house to go get coffee and for practice. Though I do want to spend some time at the library today, and go to the Knit Las Vegas meetup tonight. I'm craving me some interaction that doesn't involve 'doggie talking' to Bowie. Oh and I hear that there's wine.

Holy crap I got tattoo-ed

I've never wanted a tattoo. I remember when I was 16, some of my friends went to Chuck's in Ottumwa (who would give the ladies ink for free if you were topless) with "notes from mom" giving their permission, and got some awesome tattoos - you know, the kind that are badASS when you're a teenager but you regret - fast. They all got grounded and I was left going to the Homecoming dance alone that year. When I was growing up, tattoos were done locally and boy were they trashy. Who knows, maybe the artists were actually spectacular BUT their clientele was lowbrow? It also didn't help that I grew up with a family who talked as though people who had them were dirty and had loose morals.

It wasn't until I went to California to Coachella Festival last Spring that I caught the tattoo bug. All these girls had fantastic work done, and it didn't look trashy at all to me! They were all beautiful and fabulous, and I started thinking about what I wanted done.

None of my friends have any, mind you. Oh, I guess one of my friends has the tiniest bug or flower or SOMETHING by her bikini line, but you can't even see it unless she's drunk and takes off her clothes to show you! Honestly, does that even count? I knew whatever I got, I'd want to FLAUNT it. But just what would I feel comfortable flaunting for the rest of my life? I'm pretty fickle and my tastes change regularly. Joining roller derby didn't help. I was just asking for it, and when they organized a tattoo party I was IN.

Drumroll please...


It's perfect for me. My friends have all complimented it, non-designers are bewildered by it ("who's Lorem?"), and it looks so cute peeking out under a t-shirt. A couple of designers have asked me why I didn't choose a proper typeface for it, but damn it, I just wanted it to look like a tattoo, not so darn pretentious-like. Plus I know that even if I decide to change careers, graphic design is a passion I will keep for the rest of my life. And that's what I want my tattoos to represent; my passions in life. But oh, it looks so lonely all by itself on my arm...I think it needs a friend... :)