25 things to do before I turn 26

Inspired by A Beautiful Mess, I decided to make a to do list of goals for the 25th year of my life.

I had a great birthday with friends and family. I even had a carrot cake with 25 candles (pictured above).

Without further ado, the list:

1. Make beautiful dresses for myself
2. Send ~homemade~ birthday, Christmas, Valentine, and just cause cards to people I love (especially immediate family) *bonus points for handmade presents*
3. Start an etsy shop (sell patterns, hndmade kids clothes, handmade western shirts, vintage?)
4. Sell crafts in a craft fair
5. Learn Adobe Suite
6. Have a computer to use Adobe Suite on
7. Redesign my blog
8. Buy myself a dress form and a serger
9. Organize my pattern collection
10. bike across Kansas
11. roadtrip through Kansas vintage shopping, and visiting tourist spots (Garden of Eden, Great Ball of Twine)
12. Climb a mountain
13. Visit the ocean
14. Compete in a pool tournament
15. Stretch regularly (subjective) - be able to reach past my toes (objective)
16. Care for my own doggie
17. Learn a song on guitar
18. Eliminate all debt besides governmental student loans
19. Use a sketchbook for drawings and ideas
20. Volunteer as a youth advisor
21. Visit Germany (!!! scary but good)
22. Run a race (5 miles?)
23. Track spending
24. grow my own garden with herbs, vegetables and flowers
25. Learn to dive (really scary!)

Girly gingham garden frock!

I love making children's clothes! After spending years trying to make clothing for myself and solving a large number of fitting issues, I am pretty capable of creating a well fitted garment for myself. However, when I think about creating a garment for someone else, or even a line of garments in various sizes, it seems like the fitting issues grow exponentially. Anyways, I know it takes practice, but for now, I love making children's clothes!

Children have less clothes, and therefore less fitting concerns. Also, the styling can be much more whimsical. For now I am just making gifts, but maybe someday I will find my niche in the crafting/independent designer world.


I used a vintage pattern for this, because I loved the two-toned detail. The floral fabric was hand down to me, and I think the gingham was a thrift store acquisition that has been in my fabric trunk for a while.


The piping was a mid-project inspiration, but it really brings the dress together! I haven't found a home for it yet. For now I just get it out every once in a while and marvel at such a small, beautiful dress.

From sewing projects

Potholders

I whipped out these handmade potholders tonight as a last minute Secret Santa gift for coworker. It took about 1.5 hours for the two of them. My first ever potholders! I feel accomplished.

A proud mother: Vintage Valentino Blazer for sale

I have been thrifting my entire life (yes, even as a babe in a diaper, my mother would take me along on her expeditions). It was a lifestyle choice my mother made because of economics, but truly has developed into an expression of creativity and resourcefulness for the both of us. In junior high school I started buying clothes at the thrift store and reselling them at consignment stores. I still do a lot of thrift store shopping for myself, but I haven't been as into the reselling aspect of it, mostly because I haven't had the capital to invest. Instead I focus my energies on buying cheap sewing patterns and fabrics to make custom made clothing for myself.

My step-sister runs her own etsy vintage shop, and she was kind enough to accompany me on a thrift store shopping trip, share some of her etsy knowledge, and even to post a valuable vintage find of mine that I have been hanging on to til I had the right opportunity to sell it. Please check out her etsy shop.

At her shop you will find tons of affordable vintage clothes, shoes, bags and jewelry - including a vintage Valentino blazer of my own finding. It was thrilling to see it up there with proper photography highlighting it's features. I feel like a proud mother :-)

Checkered

I love these checkered shoes! Unfortunately for me they are size 7 1/2.

I got them at the Savers sale. They were one of my 20 purchases. If I ever get a vintage etsy shop up and running, these will be there!

Disco Dress

Dress: thrifted, $12.50/ Shoes: thrifted, $6.00

This vintage 80s (?) dress is only slightly impractical, but really fun. I haven't decided if I will keep it yet, but it is certainly resellable. The sequins are all intact, and it looks like it was only delicately worn. I may keep it around just in case I get invited to a disco party, or for the sheer joy of having an open back sequin dress.

I got my fix thrift store shopping

Still no sewing machine, although I am supposed to pick one up today. Instead I got my fashion fix thrift store shopping this week. Savers/Value Village had one of their semi-annual 50% off sales. I may be crazy, but I went to all four Savers in the Bay area. A friend of mine mentioned that I probably spent any extra money I saved on gas plus I had to deal with crowds of people. First of all, the gas wasn't too expensive, but the crowds were massive. However, I enjoy shopping partly for the thrill and adventure of it, and going to those four stores was an adventure. I think my favorite was the Milipitas store, because it had a rather large stash of patterns, including many vintage 70s sewing patterns (most of which I snatched up - photos to come). Also, they had a very large selection of dresses. I wish I would have taken my camera with me just to document all of the interesting people. I saw people with three shopping carts full of stuff. It makes me wonder whether they just wait til the sales to get all of their household goods and clothes, or if they resell them at flea markets or something.
The Stats:
Total Savers visited: 4
Total miles driven: 100
Total time spent: 5 hours
Total items purchased: 20
Total money spent: $64.65
Total gas purchased: approx. $17.00
An afternoon of bargain hunting: priceless