Unicorn Fish :)

~ Today's Random Doodle ~

Unicorn Fish

If I were to get a fish
and it could be the fish I wish.
I would get one just like this,
with flowing fins and a pouty kiss.

Halloween Pumpkin Carving

Wish I had a better photo. This really doesn't do it justice.

Costume Creation: Dumb and Dumber

This story is told mostly in photos. A photo of Dumb and Dumber were distributed through the office a few weeks before Halloween. Of course, I instantly turned to my office bestie in the hopes that she would find the idea of dressing as Dumb and Duber for Halloween just as funny as I did. Well, she is awesome, and quickly agreed!

So this is what happened the Sunday before Halloween.

For those of you who sew, you understand that this is a very quick turn-around for such a project. Lucky for my bestie and me, I'm a bit crazy, and did it anyways :)

Starts with a pattern, which I didn't have.

Therefore, starts with pattern-making!

It looks a little like this:

Then, the pieces need cut out...

And then the interfacing needs cut.

...and fused to the correct pieces...

Let construction begin!

After several hours of connecting pieces, in order from most-least difficult, it looks like this:

Don't hit a pin with your shears, or they won't cut. 

Don't hit a pin with your machine, or the needle will break, and the machine will partly self-destruct and require handy-dandy work by a specialized and expensive mechanic.

But, by all means, DO USE PINS!

Still needs sleeves.

Booyah! Completed ridiculously orange blazer!

And repeat the process in blue!!

Bestie made some hats with leftover fabric while I worked on her blue blazer, and then made some spectacular birds that pinned to our lapels. (The bird is a prop that references the movie.) 

Stay tuned for the photos of us wearing our costumes to work!!

My Sister's Apron!

Big Brothers Big Sisters has been a great experience for both me and my Little. She's pretty perfect! We just finished a project together today. I've been teaching her to sew with my machine and she is picking it up pretty quick!

We picked out fabric for a pillowcase and for an apron a couple months ago. The pillowcase is great for getting to know a machine and some basic stitches, and the apron is a very fun way to get some extra practice and pick up some new techniques. She did most of it herself, and her stitches are already more straight! Quick learner!

This seamstress-in-training continues to impress me with her focus, her abilities, willingness to try new things, and the great skills she has learned from her loving family. She is a blessing!

Early December Snapshot

Hello family and close friends!

This is a special edition post for just you, as this shouldn't be shared around too liberally. Many of you have asked about my new job. Though temporary, I'm still loving it. There are times when the workload is heavy, and other times when the clock seems to stand still. Of course, this is one of those moments, caught between tasks, when I must wait. Here is a small sample of what I've done this week, of course I picked the most colorful portion for your benefit!

For those of you who are strangers to landscape design, the process is cyclical. What you see here will not be the final design, and is actually quite conceptual. This sketch is a simple way to get ideas down on paper. Most likely, the client will never actually see this sketch. However, you might enjoy it, so here goes!

Imagine a 6-story building in the background, very tall especially for the area. It unfortunately allows no access to the walking path.  A major focus of designing this area is making the path feel human scale, alleviating the towering affect of a large-scale building.  Interactive spaces enhance community and make a place memorable.

Watercolor Dabbles

My Bestie has her wedding planned for Spring, so we have been dabbling in some dealings with watercolor! She has a very beautiful setting reserved and it lends itself well to her love for pastels. To help imagine how her invitations might look, we made some mock-ups to show ideas. Pretty soon, we will have some words to go with the backgrounds, and we can see how different pallettes and arrangements can make for beautiful invitation backgrounds!

Here are a few favorites so far.