Corset Inspired belt

"I swear, I'm sotally tober, Ocisfer."

I've always wanted to make my own clothes. I have Project Runway fantasies and a reality that looks like a PSA against drinking and sewing. Just ONCE I'd like to be able to cut a straight line. Maybe it's because I use scissors right-handed and I'm a leftie. Maybe it's the astigmatism. Maybe it's none of this and people who can cut straight lines are robots.

I took an apparel class in high school and did a dress as a class project. I hated mine by the end of the only day I wore it. I made one skirt on my own and it was equally terrible.  Both pieces ended up in the back of my closet to fester and die. I wish my instructor would have taken the time to have us all get the proper size based on our measurements. Instead, we went with the clothing size we thought (or wished) we were and I don't think anyone in the class came up with an attractive dress. If you've never sewn from a pattern, your off-the-rack size and pattern size aren't the same, as if vanity sizing wasn't confusing enough. I wear a 16-22 depending on the clothing manufacturer and I'm around a 24W in sewing pattern sizes. It's a blow to the ego at first, but fit is more important than a number on a tag.

Ben bought me a Brother sewing machine for Christmas in 2013 after he'd asked for some alteration to his clothes and I'd give him the same response: "Sure, if I had a sewing machine."  Ben took this to heart and got this amazing gift for me and I was so excited! I could finally do the tailoring to my clothes that I always wanted but could never seem to part with the money. Now for the fun part: learning how to use the dag-blasted machine which I have just named Mano. Why Mano? Because it's Spanish for "hand" and slang for "brother" and I'm a dorky Texan.

Butterfly manicure and Corset Belt intro

I saw the butterfly manicure online a while back and think it's beautiful. I'm not much of a butterfly person, but the butterfly is associated with fibromyalgia awareness, so a couple of weeks ago I was inspired to do a Fibro Awareness manicure.  I was diagnosed back in 2004 after a long and painful illness that led to a hysterectomy at 24.  It's cost me jobs, relationships, and opportunities.  Eventually, I've to come to terms with this disease and while it's a struggle, I'm determined to live the best life I can.  I'm with a wonderful man and a job that I love that has seen for the last 5 years the ups and "I am in so much pain I can't think" moments.  I'm grateful to the people in my life who have helped me through the depression that lasted through my twenties.  I'm glad that now they finally see me emerging from my own cocoon to become the woman that was inside all the time.

Done, right?  Nope.

I didn't document the steps that time because it was the first time I'd done that manicure.  I did the nails again because i liked them so much!  I still haven't stopped my crafting, though... I've got a deadline.  This next major project is a corset belt, which I'm still finishing up all the tiny little details.  One problem: I'm an noobie seamstress.

I wanted to do a hall costume this time around because I've never done it and I love having really cool, unique costumes.  This time, I'm doing a Steampunk Kitsune after finding a yarn tail tutorial on YouTube and getting inspired.  I had some of the elements already and it's now just adding all of the little details, like a corset.  I don't have the skills yet to be able to make one that isn't terrible, so I went online and found an easy corset-inspired belt that would be a successful enough project.  I've had lots of little bumps in the process of learning and although it's far from perfect, I don't hate it.  The sewing didn't take long, but now it's just adding all of the details that is taking a while.  You'll see the completed journey next week when I can show off both sides of this beast... it's reversible! (More costume, no extra room needed in suitcase FTW)


Now.. on to the girly-girl painting of the nails!!  This is not a manicure for the faint of heart, as it does involve drawing with your non-dominant hand (shudder), but it's easier if you've got something like Sally Hansen's Nail Art Pen or even a sharpie.  I did not create this manicure, and you'll see several different versions of this tutorial online.  You'll see this theme again come November for Transgender Awareness week.