Bow-tastic!

I know I said I was going to start off easy... but even I surprised myself with this one... (Before making this, I did not have the confidence in myself to produce something that was of a good standard!)

This piece looks so well!!! I'm so happy with it! I was thinking about this project for a long time, but now I am so happy it turned out so well! (I could also have worn it as a headband piece but I didn't have time to take a photo!)

This was the last of the first cotton print fabric I ever bought and I was so glad that I had enough in my scraps to make it! It is such a gorgeous paisley print with enough lilac to make me feel pretty!

Oddly, I found the instructions on lovesewing.com unclear. It seems to skip steps and I had to just improvise, for example, the bow itself seems to just be seamed in the tutorial. But I actually sewed it right sides together and left a gap to flip it inside out.

I also found, when marking the fabric, that the measurement were a bit small. So I added a bit of extra bit to each amount... even still, I think the next time I make one, I'd like a bigger bow, and a longer tie...

I have to admit that I would have not have had the motivation to do this on my own. I ended up giving this piece away as a birthday present. I was making this piece anyway, when I was informed of plans to attend a friend's birthday, albeit, slowly with lots of procastination. But once I confirmed that I was going to head out for the birthday, I instantly focused my attention on finishing the project and I ironed everything before sewing (which I don't always do! I know... big sewing faux-pas!)

But I feel the best motivation for doing anything is when you are doing it for others rather than yourself.
What's the point of having a gift, a passion, a talent... if you don't share it?

I hope that the girl I gave this to, feels as pretty as I did when I wore it!

Bina :o)

I need a drink!

... of OJ!

Unfortunately, over the last while, my creative juices have not being flowing the way I want them too... in fact, they're pretty much non-existant.

I feel as though I have lost a bit of my identity in the last few months. Finishing up at university and more significantly, having no concrete plans for the future have left me lost. I have no purpose in life, and this has had a huge impact on my wellbeing. I feel like I have lost myself in the last while and I am determined to get back to me!

So I'm gonna TRY and start sewing again, boost my creative juices... with a bit of orange juice and a SMALL but significant (to me) sewing project!
I'm going to try out this gorgeous bow tie neckpiece from Kaitlin of myvintagesecret.com.
She posted up this tutorial on lovesewing.com a while ago. I instantly fell in love with this when I saw it... so let's see how I get on!

Bina :o)

She bangs, she bangs!

I haven't had a fringe in the longest time ever. I think that since my first set of bangs back when I was 8, I've always had some sort of fringe.

And for the first time in years, I noticed that I didn't have a fringe anymore! :-o My fringe had actually outgrown by so much that I forgot I once had a fringe! I kinda missed it so I figured, what the heck... (hair grows!). So I whipped out a pair of scissors and a comb and hey presto, bangs to the side! :)
I actually kinda wish I hadn't cut it. It requires so much maintenance and upkeep and it will get in my way a lot. So I think the bangs won't be seen often. I'm going to just pin them back and take them out once in a while and let em down.

Anyway, what do you think of bangs? In, out? So last year?

Bina :o)

Goodbye Threadbanger?

If you haven't heard by now, well, where have you sewing DIY buddies gone - Rob, Corinne and Meg have left the Threadbanger building! *sniff* *sniff* *sniff*.

There has been huge uproar in the Threadbanger forum and Youtube over how talented trio left no "real" explanation for their decisions to leave. But is that really fair? People have decided that they are owed an explanation...what?! why???

Over the last two weeks, I have watched as comments such as 'where are you? why are you not posting up any more videos anymore?' and 'i thought this was a sewing channel'... but who are we to demand that Meg, Rob or Corinne provide us with the reason they left? Clearly, there are some background issues involved. Many of the regular bloggers on threadbanger have also left. Even TB's newest installment, Secretlifeofabionerd wasn't informed that they were leaving. She was in fact excited to be working alongside the dynamic trio as she has stated in many of her replies to distasteful hate comments under her videos.
I was shocked to see such mean comments towards bionerd and how many comments were hypocritical in nature (as she and many of her fans touch on in their many replies).

I, myself will be upset to see them go. Despite the fact that I was never extremely active on TB and I had never really contacted Meg, Rob or Corinne, I did enjoy their many videos and they will be sorely missed. I always looked forward to the next video that TB put up on youtube. But now, I'm excited about replaying their old videos and doing the projects that I never got around to!

I must admit that I might unsubscribe to the Threadbanger channel if they don't find someone else (ALONG with bionerd). It is annoying that the same video comes up twice in my updates (as I am subscribed to both TB and bionerd).

But I wish Corinne, Rob and Meg the BEST OF LUCK with their future projects! I know they won't need it tho! and THANK YOU for all the hard work you've put in for us threadheads... (even if some of them seem ungrateful now!)

btw, Meg/Corinne/Rob...if one of you happen to stumble on this random blog post in the world of blogosphere, please keep us posted with what ever exciting plans lie ahead! I am following your twitters!

(In order of appearance) Meg, Corinne and Rob

I'd also like to wish Secretlifeofabionerd ALL THE BEST with her regular stint on TB. I hope she continues to experience the success that she has had so far! :) (btw, congratulations on getting a stint on TB... I know that she started out as threadhead and was a fan of TB during her journey! So it's great to see her progress to where she is now!)

I hope the trio are happy and that bionerd is ignoring the bad, because the good she achieves will be worth it in the end.

Thank you to gothictany73 for making this tribute to the trio. It was beautiful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5OC0DnxRbo


Bina :o)

DIY: Earring Holder

I have a tonne of earrings hidden away in my wardrobe... But there are a certain few that I LOVE LOVE LOVE and I would wear on a regular basis... you know which ones I mean... [the ones that as soon as you put them away, you take them out again and wear them around!].

So here's an easy project for you to store your favourite pieces and keep them within easy reach! :)

Here's a few things you need:- frame

- PVA glue
- fabric
- decorative pieces

I used the glue to stick the lace over the top of the frame! This will be used to hang earring.

I formed a second pouch along the bottom of the frame by glue-ing the lace to the frame (from the inside).

I then added a few pieces to decorate the frame. (I originally sewed the flower to lace and then glued it to the frame afterwards to give it extra support.)

This is what you should end up with.

Here is what the pouch looks like...it can hold stud earrings as well as rings and bracelets etc.


It is such a quick and easy project to do. Let me know if you try it out!

Bina :o)

Purple Swim Sun Dress

It's such a beautiful day outside so I decided to dress up and sit out in the sun (with my SPF 30 of course!) ... I bought a new dress yesterday while I was out... didn't even try it on but it looks great!! So I'm uber-happy!!! :) It's a halterneck swimdress dress to wear a bikini under...but it looks well as a day dress (which I badly NEED! All I own are formal dresses, nothing casual!)



Dress: Dunnes Stores (sale) €4.00
Cardi: Topshop €18.00
Vest: Penneys €4.00
Heels: Heatons (sale) €7.00
Chunky Gold Bracelet: Penneys €3.00
Thin Gold Bracelet [part of three (originally silver!)]: Penneys
Thin Wooden bracelet [part of three]: A-Wear (present)
Earrings: Penneys (sale) €0.50
Headband: Penneys (sale) €1.00
Flower Ring: Penneys: €3.00
Pearl Bracelet [part of necklace-bracelet set]: Dunnes (sale) €3.00


I hope you have a lovely sunny day! Don't forget your sun protection! :)

Bina :o)

I Won My First Giveaway!!!

I am one of those people that is forever entering giveaways and contests on youtube, on facebook, on blogs, everywhere I can.

But unfortunately, I'm one of those people that never win!
(Random generator.com does not like me! lol!)

But last month, I entered a fabric giveaway from Lyndi's blog! And I found out today, that I won one of her prizes. (Albeit, there were three prizes, and I was one of three entries!). But hey, it's still a contest and I still won! :o) hehee!

Let's hope this is the start of a winning streak, eh? (Wishful thinking, no?)

Bina :o)