Today I'm going to be a tease (2/3)

Second things second.
(or In which I become a tease)

I've recently been acquiring dresses from thrift stores for Spring/Summer that I can alter. And although there hasn't been much of a demand to get them finished due to the Icelandic weather that has settled low over California, I have indeed been working on them.

Project 1



I don't have anything personal against shoulder pads, but in this case, those were the first to go.

Next up, I separated the top from the bottom since the dress was about 4 sizes too big and required more than just a little nip here and a tuck there.

This is where I hung the top because I still haven't gotten my dress form yet. (Update on that to follow)

And those are all the pictures I have for you. I smallified both pieces, shortened the sleeves and the hem, and bada-bing new dress! But alas it's packed for our cruise already (I see the glimmer of understanding of what I meant by "tease" begin to glint in your eyes. Sorry, friends).

Project 2
When I bought this dress, the man I bought it from, trying to be polite, tried to tell me it was cute. I knew he didn't really think that, but was trying to compliment my purchase, so I mentioned that I was planning on altering it, saying that I "didn't want it to look quite so..." And he finished my sentence with "Amish," making us both laugh. I love this man and absolutely will shop there again because of him.

This is an alternate spot I found for hanging my dresses. The nail it's hanging from normally has a picture frame there.
First to go were these horrifying bodice tightener things. I don't know what they are and I don't ever want to know.
While I shortened the sleeves (and took a foray into elastic ! ), I'm planning on reusing the buttons somewhere as of yet undecided.

I actually took the time to iron my hem before I sewed it.
Whoa. I'm like...a woman now...or whatever.

Bought: Pink Dress @ ARF
Price: $4

Bought: Floral Dress @ Teen Challenge
Price: $2

Disclaimer: If you live in the area and go to Teen Challenge, they do only take cash.

End Post 2
*Ding!*

Estate Sale

I went to my first estate sale this month.
It was pretty much everything I expected it to be. Odd and bizarre. But sad too. They have a different vibe than thrift or antique stores. The people there seem more respectful due to the fact that they're in a recently deceased person's home.
So besides the obvious downer...
Being an extremely nosy person, I loved being able to see how other people lived and then be able to take away with me a little piece of their lives to incorporate into my own.
Observe:

Place: Estate sale in Concord
Hosted: by Hospice of the East Bay
(You can sign up to get email notifications of local estate sales there^)
Bought: Impressionist book and 2 dress patterns for $1.50



I also bought 5 more pattern sets at ARF for $.25 a pop.
You're thinking, "What's the deal with all the outdated dress patterns?"
And I'm answering, "Wallpaper. Lots of wallpaper on the window wall of my bedroom."



Once I collect enough patterns, I'm going to be doing a wallpaper/decoupage hybrid with all of them. Hopefully, the paper will hold up and not tear. I'll post the process of that once I get to it.

On a side note, I'm planning on using the Impressionist pictures as decor as well. And I got to see that painting on the right in person at the de Young Museum! If you get the chance, you should really go.

Trunk Minus the Junk (Guest Blog 2)

Bought: Trunk
Price: $5
Place: ARF Thrift Store
By Whom: My mom

I love this trunk.
It's obviously traveled.
Yet is still viable.
Maybe not for traveling, what with the handle being broken. But it can definitely still be used for magic acts.
Or better yet for a table, which I think is what my mom will end up using it for.

On a side note, the song "It's a Hard Knock Life" from Annie kept playing in my head while I was taking these pictures. I had this one horrifying moment when I couldn't remember if it was from Oliver or Annie. You really can't blame me though. Orphans. High-pitched children singing. Not my fault.
Now it can be stuck in your head.
You're welcome.

Friendly Bit of Advice #5: I'm About to Trick You

Bought: 30" x 36" Picture Frame
Price: $12
Place: ARF Thrift Store

I'm not tricking you on purpose.
That's a lie.
No it's not.
Yes it is.
Just kiddingjustkiddingjustkidding.


You're confused. Now we can just ignore the fact that you thought I got this Degas poster at a thrift store and point out instead that I got this frame which is a providential fit at the thrift store.

Backstory:
I was going through all of my mom's old pictures and posters, hoping for some unsuspected find, when I found this Degas poster.
Apparently, my parents had bought it for me back in 1989 when the Degas exhibition was showing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. But alas, they kept putting off getting it framed.
Twenty-one years later...
It still wasn't framed but was just rolled up under my mom's bed.

So I decided, "Hey. This is MY poster. I want it in MY room. And I want it to be framed."

Idiot.

Come to find out, it was going to cost me almost $200 (WITH a 50% off coupon) to get it framed, since it apparently is some weird size.
Dear Framers...I hate you.

Well, I come home from a disappointing frame search, and my mom just casually mentions, "You know, down at the ARF store I saw a frame that looked like it was really close to that size and it was only $12."

Yeah right, mom. Like you can just eye-ball this poster and know the exact size. I'm so sure.

A few days later, I come home, and the frame is sitting in my room with another poster from a different exhibition at the Metropolitan still in it.

I popped open the back (found about a dozen spiders inside) and fit my poster in it.
Only 1/4" off on the sides. Like that's going to deter me.
Nearly perfect fit.
You can still see the other poster peeking out a bit from the sides, but it just looks like I meant for that to happen. (Which, duh, I like, totally did).

Fine, mom. You win this round.

Point:
Listen to your mother when it comes to picture frames.