tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34861037155317101382024-03-13T15:55:11.150-07:00Madame Mari MortemMari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.comBlogger212125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-80831731939022608212019-04-07T03:02:00.003-07:002020-10-14T09:29:59.083-07:00Mortem's Tricks or Treats: DIY Coffin Pin Board. (Tutorial)Let me start off by saying that I never intended on starting a collection of enamel pins-- my first neat one was one I received in a basket of winnings from <a href="http://goth-gardening.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Goth Gardener's</a> spring giveaway. It was a little bunny bat. That wasn't enough to start me down this path, though.<br />
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I'd have to say that I really started thinking about them more often after my own adventure in getting the logo for my shop manufactured into <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/643944817/harvest-eclipse-strange-coven-logo?ref=shop_home_feat_2" target="_blank">a pin</a>, and from there the collection started looking like the beginnings of an actual collection as I added from a few different sources.</div>
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My latest one was the catalyst in thinking I needed some way to display this small but neat collection of pins: one I got as a part of a trade from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/660212383/iscream-glittery-enamel-pin?ref=shop_home_active_6" target="_blank">The Asylum Countess</a>.<br />
I briefly searched for inspiration and fell in love with coffin pin boards, but March hasn't exactly been kind in terms of my finances and it made the $30 not including shipping for one of those a bit out of reach.</div>
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I then searched for inspiration to DIY one (can't be that hard, right? We're crafty folk!) I wasn't able to find any that didn't revolve around a premade wood tray you'd find at like a JoAnn's, which in all fairness work but I almost never find them, plus not everyone lives near a JoAnn's craft store.</div>
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I took a late afternoon off for some much needed R&R which gave me the opportunity to play with my hoard of craft supplies and work on something fun, which as you might've assumed by the title was...</div>
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<b><u>A Coffin Pin Board (<i>DIY Tutorial</i>):</u></b></div>
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Materials:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Cardboard with enough flat uncreased surface to make the size of board you want. Since I too buy plenty of things on Amazon (because I'm a darn recluse), I had plenty to choose from. Reduce, reuse, recycle! Especially all those amazon boxes... yesh.</li>
<li>Cork sheet (I had a portion of a roll I bought some time ago with a coupon-- very cheap)</li>
<li>Foam sheet (I had a 12"x18" sheet on hand, but they're cheaper than dirt-- mine still had the tag that said it was 89 cents)</li>
<li>A sheet of felt (normally 99 cents a piece for plain, but I went for a special kind with a damask pattern that were originally $3 a sheet but found it on clearance for 50 cents)</li>
<li>One sheet of scrap book paper (again I chose a specialty glittery kind, originally $1.99 a sheet but there was a sale making it 75 cents)</li>
<li>A ribbon of your choosing that is at least 5/8th" thick for the border. I had this ruched satin ribbon that I found on sale for $1.00 a 3yrd spool and I did not end up using it all. </li>
<li>Assorted pieces for embellishment-- I used what I had on hand.</li>
<li>Acrylic paint</li>
<li>Spray adhesive (I had/have a bottle of Elmer's CraftBond for a long while now, but it's pretty cheap)</li>
<li>Poster board (2 for $1.00 at Dollar Tree)</li>
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Tools:</div>
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<li>Hot glue gun + extra glue sticks</li>
<li>Ruler</li>
<li>Hobby knife</li>
<li>Paint brush</li>
<li>Box cutter</li>
<li>Scissors</li>
<li>Pencil + Eraser</li>
<li>Tape</li>
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1.) First thing to do is establish the height and width of your coffin. We're going to create a pattern: I wanted one sheet of felt to be enough so I traced out the sheet onto the poster board to create a work area so I knew not to go over it. Then I divided that shape down the middle creating a vertical anchor line. Next, establish your horizontal anchor line closer to the top than the bottom. It should look like a box with a cross, not an evenly divided one-- these form the basis for a toe-pincher coffin shape. </div>
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2.) Next, fine tune the shape into a coffin using your anchors. Pay no attention to my numbers; I wanted to mark in the measurements I was using but I kept subtracting points to make it "perfect". Remember that whatever you do to one side, you must do with the other or it will end up really janky looking in a jiffy. One thing that's for certain to find that perfect shape, your top will be slightly larger than your bottom, and the middle the widest part.</div>
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3.) Once you find your shape "sweet spot", it's time to carefully cut out your first pattern piece! If you don't have a steady hand, definitely use a ruler in conjunction with your hobby knife.</div>
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4.) Now take that pattern and trace out a second one. Cut that out too.</div>
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5.) With a ruler (ideally with a grid), mark out a border on the second coffin you just cut out, over lapping your lines at first. I chose 3/4 inch for the size of my border. Then you will draw "mitered" joints, meeting each corner points-- I drew them in red pencil, middle barely showed up over top the black pencil line.</div>
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6.) Now you will cut that mitered border out. Make sure to label your joints, as it's super easy to lose track which side is up, down, left or right.</div>
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7.) You should now have 2 coffin pieces (one large one small) and six border pieces. Your "pattern" is complete.<br />
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8.) Next cut out the big coffin and your border pattern pieces from the cardboard using box cutters. I find that it's easiest to cut the longer edges with the box cutter, and the smaller edges with scissors. Remember to transfer your labels too! </div>
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**<b>Always cut on top of another piece of cardboard</b> so you don't mess up your working surface, even if it's on a cutting mat-- box cutters mess up even the best mats, I don't recommend trying it.**</div>
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9.) Tape your border pieces together according to your labels. Now you should have a border and a coffin base.</div>
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10.) With the smaller coffin pattern piece, cut into the felt with a "seam allowance" that doesn't go all the way to the size of the larger piece but about half way between the two sizes-- mine ended up being roughly 3/8th's of an inch "seam allowance" around the small piece.</div>
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11.) Next cut your craft foam pieces. One smaller coffin <u>with your seam allowance </u>to match the felt, and one large <u><b>as is</b>-- no seam allowance!</u></div>
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12.) With your paints and brush, you'll want to paint over <b>the entire</b> border piece. I didn't, focusing only on the exposed parts of the border and I ended up regretting that decision.</div>
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<i><b>You're half way done!</b> Pat yourself on the back if you've got this far.</i></div>
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13.) Cut out your border pattern from the scrapbook paper, so that you'll now have another set of border pieces; these are for aesthetics. Transfer your assembly markings to these too, on the bottom side-- remember to reverse cut so that the right side of your pattern pieces ends up down on your scrapbook paper. This ensures it all cuts out right side up.</div>
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14.) Armed with your spray adhesive and your aesthetic border pieces, spray one side you decide will now be the "front side" of your board. Attach your aesthetic border pieces to the cardboard frame according to your markings. You should now have a hefty feeling border frame with a pretty front side.</div>
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15.) Next, with those two smaller with seam allowanced coffin felt and foam pieces, you're going to glue them to the back side of the frame. First glue on your felt, making sure the pretty side of the felt shows with the front pretty side of your felt. Make sure to stretch each side slightly as you glue, so it ends up being slightly taut, being careful to glue close to the inner edge but not close enough where the glue squishes out sloppily onto the felt. Then glue on the foam onto the felt backside-- no need to be careful here.</div>
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<b><i>You're finished <u>one side</u> now!</i></b></div>
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16.) Take your large coffin cardboard base and spray glue and roll out your cork sheeting to attach to <u><b>one side</b></u> of it. You'll need to smooth out the cork if you're using from a roll as it'll want to wrassle you with bubbling. I just stepped on it (lol), but you can use a rolling pin or a painters roller without the sponge.</div>
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17.) Trim off excess cork with hobby knife.</div>
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18.) Spray glue to the other side and carefully match up your large foam piece and attach it. Roll it out to remove any bubbling that might've occurred. You should now have a two-sided coffin base piece with one side cork, the other side craft foam.</div>
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<i><b>We're almost to the best part!</b></i></div>
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19.) You'll now want to assemble your two board pieces; here is where you will use the most glue, so having extra sticks on hand is... handy! (lol) </div>
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Being very liberal with your glue, apply a "border" of hot glue on the cork side of your base piece. Trying your best to be very quick and accurate, attach the front part of your board with the foam back side piece against the cork. You don't want any glue on the center, as it would hinder the ability to stick your pins onto it if there's a glob of glue in the way. </div>
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20.) Your board is assembled, with the pretty front side, and a foam back side. There will be a gap caused by the felt and foam between your top most layer of the front piece and your base piece. You will want to fill this gap with hot glue being careful not to overflow or spill onto any side.</div>
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21.) If you didn't end up painting the border (like I did) you'll want to touch up anything that looks off-- any cardboard that's peeking, the whites of the scrapbook paper. Blend it all in.</div>
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<b><i>So close!</i></b></div>
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22.) Now you'll want to attach your 5/8 inch ribbon border! I chose the top to start attaching my border, but I highly recommend starting at the center bottom. To make a clean "seam", I folded in roughly 5/8ths of an inch of the ribbon onto itself so that no raw edge shows up.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfGJ4um169VjyWP-880fNXcYtSkmGhYZECGBFW-WL-OONLIANTlcBBUe2TjbAM8XdsNZ9Jlte0-tEI6DVaGcY-0lBkDa7KJCdofS7WmPRZqcnWdB6Uzfi8HLoqz5_qLxVdFT-QSIa4Dc/s1600/collage15+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="840" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfGJ4um169VjyWP-880fNXcYtSkmGhYZECGBFW-WL-OONLIANTlcBBUe2TjbAM8XdsNZ9Jlte0-tEI6DVaGcY-0lBkDa7KJCdofS7WmPRZqcnWdB6Uzfi8HLoqz5_qLxVdFT-QSIa4Dc/s640/collage15+%25281%2529.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
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23.) The best way I found to attach the rest to the now-thick-edge of the pin board is to lattice your hot glue dabs, being <i>very very</i> careful not to get <b>any</b> excess onto any side, working in small sections and taking your time to avoid hot glue silk strings-- hot glue spillage here will make the end result look cheap, and although it is... we definitely don't want it to look it. Once I reached the beginning again, I did the same as step 22, folding in a section on itself.</div>
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24.) Taking your picture hanging kit (hah! Now who has the last laugh? I buy them just because and its come in hand! The S.O. always gives me heck about buying them) take some of the screw rings and punch them through the ribbon and layers securing with a dab of hot glue. The back I kept <i>meh-</i>looking, but I attached ribbons to the front side. I will likely go back and paint the raw glue with acrylic paint.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKGOYFPyPK71l5TgBJOgxhO_AzhZUw1ISNftzOWYsJkEHpBRzJvHXJeToIfcVYm8zPAkshSsiF_oNbd-Kle23uQ6e5CKTYcq2oM0YJ37a532eIQMtXdp-nNDe4PnCEXIhpAgfeBLZ2qg/s1600/IMG_20190406_180304+%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKGOYFPyPK71l5TgBJOgxhO_AzhZUw1ISNftzOWYsJkEHpBRzJvHXJeToIfcVYm8zPAkshSsiF_oNbd-Kle23uQ6e5CKTYcq2oM0YJ37a532eIQMtXdp-nNDe4PnCEXIhpAgfeBLZ2qg/s640/IMG_20190406_180304+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Woohoo! The best part is now!</i></b></div>
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25.) Time to decorate! Use whatever how ever here, be creative! I had some halloween plasitc charmed ribbon I bought from Dollar tree one spooky season. I didn't think I would ever find a use, but I cut out one of the charms to add to a lace bat I machine embroidered, that went on top of some basic black satin ribbon, twisting into a pretty flow and anchoring with the tiniest dab of hot glue.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-6pHod9mCat7zhCdH6vyq8d5AGTACJ4M-u4a_cMmY_iDXRSBFzyrZEJAvqA4zpUXIyyi1trU9DurWI5Q2lsS8314P8-x4i88HmwTPOPqnNPNBI37hEbd7Z4atkpEFisCd1u0MVhUElc/s1600/IMG_20190406_181706+%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-6pHod9mCat7zhCdH6vyq8d5AGTACJ4M-u4a_cMmY_iDXRSBFzyrZEJAvqA4zpUXIyyi1trU9DurWI5Q2lsS8314P8-x4i88HmwTPOPqnNPNBI37hEbd7Z4atkpEFisCd1u0MVhUElc/s640/IMG_20190406_181706+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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25.) Attach a ribbon or string to the screw rings, add pins, and hang!</div>
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<b>There you have it folks!</b></div>
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<b>Your very own made-on-the-cheap-but-doesn't-look-it Coffin Pin Board.</b></div>
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It's got a wonderful quality feeling weight to it, you will be surprised!</div>
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<b>Spook ya later!</b></div>
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Mari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-44862538131830638312019-01-11T15:52:00.004-08:002020-10-14T09:34:53.756-07:00Tales of Trial and Terror: DIY Mold Making For Dummies By A Dummy.One of my many crafting pleasures is sculpting with polymer clay; I hand sculpt and paint all of the clay pieces I sell in my shop. It takes a fair amount of time to craft a single pendant and while I ultimately don't mind, I wondered if I could streamline the production for when I need to make huge batches as supplementary stock to my bigger ticket items at markets and fairs. Y'know, like make a master mold of some kind.<br />
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My pumpkin heart pendants turned out to be the second favorite "small purchase" from my shop/booth, aside from my Hallow-Felty pins which for obvious reasons won't work in this experiment, so I chose these pendants to be my test subject.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JMZAmJwjpeM-F2Dl35_PSgmt-18kzk-TGlpSHeFhr2TPOhzGxb7MMkbTy4w86Sg748mkoOqhZWFfQy8XliBJJ61uPbJv59s00JNHbH9WAXDSg8Pv1VgyQQYamdiTqBs1sL4LvS7c6qY/s1600/IMG_20181110_125647+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JMZAmJwjpeM-F2Dl35_PSgmt-18kzk-TGlpSHeFhr2TPOhzGxb7MMkbTy4w86Sg748mkoOqhZWFfQy8XliBJJ61uPbJv59s00JNHbH9WAXDSg8Pv1VgyQQYamdiTqBs1sL4LvS7c6qY/s640/IMG_20181110_125647+%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It glows in the dark, too!</td></tr>
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I should note that I'm not <i>completely </i>unknowledgeable on mold making.<br />
My good friend in Texas makes molds as a part of their business in prop making, and I really tried to absorb as much knowledge as I could because they're very good at what they do... but not a whole bunch stuck with me when I left, so while I am not technically starting at square one... it's still like the 2nd square at best with the vague remembrance of what we covered.<br />
We didn't get to do a lot of mold making, to be fair.<br />
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This friend offered to help by making the molds for me and ship them up, but me being as stubborn and curious as I am, I want to be able to be part of the process and really get my grubby hands on this action.<br />
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Off in search of easy and inexpensive methods I went; I didn't get very far when another good friend, who is also a fellow artist and also really good at what they do, shared a video about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fwytA5r2Mw&t=196s" target="_blank">making proto putty molds</a> (King of Random) with a bit of silicone caulking and cornstarch...<br />
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<i><b>BINGO! To the creative laboratory! (and the garage to find the box where I put the dang caulking gun in...)</b></i><br />
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Turns out this friend was also looking to do the same thing with their own creations.<br />
Complete serendipity if you ask me, and to this friend I dedicate this endeavor to. I have to let them know how this turned out; hey, sharing is caring... and helpful! Never know who is on the same path as you. Check out their Etsy <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/MyrcurysToybox" target="_blank">Myrcury's Toy box</a>. The stuff they make is very cool (I own many pieces) and we go back a ways as internet buds, hehe.<br />
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<b>Back to the nitty gritty at hand!</b><br />
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I sculpted a few pendants up just for the sake of this test because I didn't want to accidentally ruin any of the fully painted and sealed pendants I had prepped for my next shop update lol.<br />
With my <i>limited</i> knowledge on mold making, I gathered the materials and a few extras to help:<br />
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<ul>
<li>100% silicone caulking with caulking gun</li>
<li>Cornstarch</li>
<li>Cookie cutter that fits your items with plenty of space.</li>
<li>Really wide masking tape</li>
<li>Glue gun with glue gun mat</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0e-3GbPG4CJKvIcM0m49R4hvSEuzXL5n5ikhp_r7J4Gj35VKVBIE1JYA87H_aYhGuZNE9j_wo7DXpwP5LlJkKJ_ErG2joHU6LExmJ9iZhgdHk0PJ-K4iXvD9xLrtLGShwTv-GoOuyHi8/s1600/IMG_20190111_113805+%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0e-3GbPG4CJKvIcM0m49R4hvSEuzXL5n5ikhp_r7J4Gj35VKVBIE1JYA87H_aYhGuZNE9j_wo7DXpwP5LlJkKJ_ErG2joHU6LExmJ9iZhgdHk0PJ-K4iXvD9xLrtLGShwTv-GoOuyHi8/s640/IMG_20190111_113805+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So the cookie cutter, the glue gun, and the tape are all extras because I wanted my mold to ultimately be something easy to handle and use my clay rolling pin on then just an impressed ball of rubber. You could just do exactly what the video does-- it doesn't make a difference. I went a <i>little</i> further just because I could.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6Vn4uqoPbncF3xnQi1dpHlG2GfRpP1qM6ffEA47Pt3SJWuWLrjWGW4uvUc-m7n8d7-7MIUxzaq77FY53HWXRIxpZiQpcad2oiX399-nqf_7qttUQl81HLhyVcGvqPOre3oqFhXCtoRk/s1600/IMG_20190111_114402+%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6Vn4uqoPbncF3xnQi1dpHlG2GfRpP1qM6ffEA47Pt3SJWuWLrjWGW4uvUc-m7n8d7-7MIUxzaq77FY53HWXRIxpZiQpcad2oiX399-nqf_7qttUQl81HLhyVcGvqPOre3oqFhXCtoRk/s640/IMG_20190111_114402+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I remember my friend from Texas gluing the item down into a cardboard mold receptacle (in this instance the cookie cutter), but I thought a layer of tape as the base would be easier to remove for smaller things like this. I saw this somewhere... but I honestly can't recall where I saw it-- book, video? Might not even have been specifically about mold making, most likely from something to do with fusible beads...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMvRkw4KZVuNR1S1seG2njV3x4S9DrBkhXjaczhqqbre5cUz8vADLIUGJKOvhXOuPmPvcZkB_gdXVlGboFWOPXdHC6Kw0hTZjf4Ri1Z94fFpuLYlMCSrsvjZiPf2Nzp3kxf6yNZFtTfE/s1600/IMG_20190111_115735+%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMvRkw4KZVuNR1S1seG2njV3x4S9DrBkhXjaczhqqbre5cUz8vADLIUGJKOvhXOuPmPvcZkB_gdXVlGboFWOPXdHC6Kw0hTZjf4Ri1Z94fFpuLYlMCSrsvjZiPf2Nzp3kxf6yNZFtTfE/s640/IMG_20190111_115735+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I still ended up gluing the edges (what I saw my Tex-friend do)-- the purpose of this was primarily to prevent any liquid mold making material from seeping out of cracks. For my purpose it was to ensure the tape stayed on the cookie cutter while I wrangled the putty into it.<br />
Quick note here too, I ended up switching my bazooka of a glue gun (Surebonder brand) out for my smaller less strong (Artminds from Micheal's, but basically the same quality as one from a dollar store) when I noticed the former gun was burning the heck out of the tape.<br />
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<b>Now to the hard part...</b><br />
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When they said it can be messy, they weren't fooling; hand to Gods I tried my very best to keep it clean but... it was impossible to know what you're dealing with if you've never handled it. I know it's like beating a dead horse, but there's still something to be said about how things look easier than done here somewhere...<br />
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The caulking was <i style="font-weight: bold;"><u>incredibly</u></i> sticky and hard to work with. I think he grossly understated this by showing most of the process gloveless. Here I am, a dummy thinking '<i>well he isn't dead and I don't have them but let's do this!'</i>.<br />
<b>WEAR THE GLOVES</b>, any gloves-- kitchen gloves! Anything... just wear them and save yourself from impulsive behavior that leads to poor choices (of which I am utterly prone to).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnNJxXWTWrutSWWKmgR0UoYbRSW7SHTV6iwO2NnRN5A9d0GLjq2mg7TUmU6x67aLYTJVyndrxSVOZ6fixFQcwUnXO7V-udiarZIf9D_el-_33DbLd5TOI5pSN5ZKL0EgHxdpEI98AwsE/s1600/IMG_20190111_122730+%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnNJxXWTWrutSWWKmgR0UoYbRSW7SHTV6iwO2NnRN5A9d0GLjq2mg7TUmU6x67aLYTJVyndrxSVOZ6fixFQcwUnXO7V-udiarZIf9D_el-_33DbLd5TOI5pSN5ZKL0EgHxdpEI98AwsE/s640/IMG_20190111_122730+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I <i>could not</i> rub off the caulking leftover from my hands, and although peeling the chunks one by one would satisfy my 10 year old self, I had things I needed to do while the mold cured. Since this is not the first time I disregarded my poor hands well being I have a supply of Gojo in stock, or as I have come to call it <i>hand mayo.</i><i><br /></i>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUxWJQ-7Imi6S_6xZjIEwgqocqmpHeUqgudAjs63leW0LHJx9g5qXkx1czVLpiepsOd87lB7SOeN3penPqJDdMhILNIFqXUmO1KrNbG8t80CDrVovgGXomCkOt1m4J7mEiSYT9AhX23w/s1600/IMG_20190111_124826+%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUxWJQ-7Imi6S_6xZjIEwgqocqmpHeUqgudAjs63leW0LHJx9g5qXkx1czVLpiepsOd87lB7SOeN3penPqJDdMhILNIFqXUmO1KrNbG8t80CDrVovgGXomCkOt1m4J7mEiSYT9AhX23w/s640/IMG_20190111_124826+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2L7GLEtPcy9K2jckwkguQrhwsxObjcNulfix0vmjIrBQ79MDYnWDRDwYG9_ZLAWPRdjo865-U6z2TqzywPswn7uoVasPnd1dXyl0tUAVkzX96Ubq-lOugf2g1s_kxOz8CEmhM1xE8kAg/s1600/IMG_20190111_125129+%25281%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2L7GLEtPcy9K2jckwkguQrhwsxObjcNulfix0vmjIrBQ79MDYnWDRDwYG9_ZLAWPRdjo865-U6z2TqzywPswn7uoVasPnd1dXyl0tUAVkzX96Ubq-lOugf2g1s_kxOz8CEmhM1xE8kAg/s640/IMG_20190111_125129+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I gave it 30-40 mins to err on the safe side of demolding. I don't know whether or not that helped, but everything came out with very little effort and zero marring to the original sculpts.<br />
However, the mold had some glaring defects; the biggest one being in the left edge, but they're pretty much all over.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDgMbz9WONWQQzdU8mUz1i7hToA8Hyggcc7kMwSRIc6xPw0eCSJaxDigroFB8spQcpLu9fhfJsd4Y4qsJCPmzNsGWuXsDQ_oLhyWHH5QM7AZ-Yoj3bOfpLA26dailPrFTTY0jl1njjNE/s1600/IMG_20190111_130157+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDgMbz9WONWQQzdU8mUz1i7hToA8Hyggcc7kMwSRIc6xPw0eCSJaxDigroFB8spQcpLu9fhfJsd4Y4qsJCPmzNsGWuXsDQ_oLhyWHH5QM7AZ-Yoj3bOfpLA26dailPrFTTY0jl1njjNE/s640/IMG_20190111_130157+%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Maybe I didn't knead it enough, maybe I didn't pack it in as tight, maybe I used way too much of one thing over the other. Could be a lot of reasons why the mold looks like it's crackling and not smooth... but I definitely couldn't wager a good guess.<br />
It's not dry feeling, however-- it is flexible and sturdy feeling for now. I suspect eventually that big crack will be its Achilles heel.<br />
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Anyway! There's only one way to find out whether this mold is good or poo.<br />
I used the mold at the "weak" edge to see how it held up. Not too shabby!<br />
Heck with only a little re-sculpturing bit of clean up work on the new piece, the resulting pendant (can) looks identical!<br />
So was this foray a success? You bet your topper it was-- it beats sculpting entirely from scratch each time, even if it isn't always a perfect copy that comes out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9HNEVUqc40e8iuckeTbj7OZY80D5lTL4mgVDVxPYtxKBi62k8rhx15JRLX-D6JH8u7hrg4Ff7be6FGa2658CSdBuV5uGmBo6j_LycaBF3oDmtK34xi8AUHRN4qVA5Zj1tNXl29lwTJ4/s1600/IMG_20190111_125714+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9HNEVUqc40e8iuckeTbj7OZY80D5lTL4mgVDVxPYtxKBi62k8rhx15JRLX-D6JH8u7hrg4Ff7be6FGa2658CSdBuV5uGmBo6j_LycaBF3oDmtK34xi8AUHRN4qVA5Zj1tNXl29lwTJ4/s640/IMG_20190111_125714+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1FTpGM0_BBODOBouy542foEpyOcK40J-w9pTllc1sbNK1Ip9qZEV6mz-fqFXZAXjmxBPP1IIEHlfxrSC2WFde98YPPTwIAFcDbPanetefAhNF2kAaW9DRJNDTtopFLEghSLUuFY7kGs/s1600/IMG_20190111_130038+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1FTpGM0_BBODOBouy542foEpyOcK40J-w9pTllc1sbNK1Ip9qZEV6mz-fqFXZAXjmxBPP1IIEHlfxrSC2WFde98YPPTwIAFcDbPanetefAhNF2kAaW9DRJNDTtopFLEghSLUuFY7kGs/s640/IMG_20190111_130038+%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WIN!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And so concludes this episode of:</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Tales of Trial and Terror</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: left;">P.S. While I don't feel like I should even have to say this, it's important to mention nevertheless: </span><b style="text-align: left;"><u>DO NOT</u> use this to make copies of another artist's work <u>to sell</u>.</b><span style="text-align: left;"> Aside from being quite illegal with intellectual property rights and all that, it's also a </span><b style="text-align: left;"><u>very</u></b><u style="text-align: left;"><b> shitty</b></u><span style="text-align: left;"> thing to do. Ultimately, people will do what they please, but as long as you're not profiting off the backs of hard working peeps, you should be ok.</span></div>
Mari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-83812173158290930142019-01-05T16:55:00.002-08:002019-01-05T18:37:03.307-08:00The Spooky Basket: Crash Course In Industrial Sewing Machines By A Total Noob. (Long-ass Post)There are innumerable amounts of blog posts, videos, articles-- ALL kinds of information on the best beginners household sewing machine, if I thought I had something different to contribute to that I might consider writing a post about that.<br />
However, I thought I would talk about my experience in something I know very little about (lol): Industrial Sewing Machines.<br />
Because there isn't enough conversation about them from folks who own them, and people who sell them are often unwilling to indulge newbies or most of the time assume you already know what you're getting yourself into.<br />
<br />
These past 2 years has afforded me a crash course in the owning and purchasing of a few industrial sewing machines, so this post is going to be a combination of what (little) I do know about them and reviews of the machines I purchased myself.<br />
<b>Sit down in your favorite sewing chair! We're putting the pedal to the metal!</b><br />
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When I lived in San Antonio, I made a really great friend who I keep in close contact with and has become one of the most important people in my life-- I don't say this lightly. This friend helped me get in contact with someone who gave me first hand experience in a professional designer/fashion environment as a volunteer intern for Fashion Consulting, Pattern and Samples Services.<br />
But most importantly, this friend <i style="font-weight: bold;">gave</i> me my first industrial sewing machine.<br />
I owe them a debt I probably can't repay.<br />
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<b><i>Entrer </i>Vintage<i> </i>Consew 220.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpI8EZqJrO5xsyD0mMsZ-t17ud-POibYkpQtUp4Ye7QlsEvWi6uZHtxa9t4qjQQNWvfa6qWZRzZBw2J3HDzOiiyv_ekuYftOe49cidLtbGIAehv6lrbBqSlu4TsxkRm05TPPpVCXMbWY/s1600/IMG_20170515_135602352111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpI8EZqJrO5xsyD0mMsZ-t17ud-POibYkpQtUp4Ye7QlsEvWi6uZHtxa9t4qjQQNWvfa6qWZRzZBw2J3HDzOiiyv_ekuYftOe49cidLtbGIAehv6lrbBqSlu4TsxkRm05TPPpVCXMbWY/s640/IMG_20170515_135602352111.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b>She was in <i>rough</i> shape when I first received her, and it became a side project for us to rehab her to get her sewing properly, and it took A LOT of work. It turned out to be a good thing though, because when we fixed her up together I learned the bulk of what I now know about these majestic beauties: the difference between clutch and servo motors, dispelling misconceptions about industrials in general, and even putting some of my previously known tidbits into practice.<br />
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Let's start with <b><u>needles</u></b>.<br />
See, there's a very specific way an industrial needle needs to be inserted otherwise it messes with the stitch, and household machine needles are manufactured with an ease of use/insertion "flat side" so the user doesn't really need to think about the "anatomy of a needle". Plus the entire mechanism is laid out so that many households now have a drop down bobbin that makes the needle eye/hole face the user, and for some reason that makes it intuitive; it's completely dummy proof.<br />
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Even though I knew all this before, I still needed a refresher of what I am looking at when it comes to a needle.<br />
In case you need a refresher too, here it is:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfCnpAO1Vj8XWYJdUEKFGCR9P84A24WsX3CZNN_ldmExwJ714fw7Cr6tZg1p7_9ZlgZk-jPAJVhxWB_xyxKUo-YfhBOVCC56QcWZFE_R_7XPAiGeAd8qOTKRotEbUvralq2iFaWm9ky4/s1600/Anatomy-of-a-Sewing-Machine-Needle_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="730" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfCnpAO1Vj8XWYJdUEKFGCR9P84A24WsX3CZNN_ldmExwJ714fw7Cr6tZg1p7_9ZlgZk-jPAJVhxWB_xyxKUo-YfhBOVCC56QcWZFE_R_7XPAiGeAd8qOTKRotEbUvralq2iFaWm9ky4/s640/Anatomy-of-a-Sewing-Machine-Needle_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: <a href="https://www.sailrite.com/Anatomy-of-a-Sewing-Machine-Needle" target="_blank">Sailrite</a></td></tr>
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On all my industrials so far, the "scarf" needs to be oriented to the right and the "groove" to the left, perpendicular to the seam guides; it was also my understanding that the thread must <i>always</i> be thread through the needle from left to right, it makes sense then that the groove <b>has</b> to be on the left because the thread fits snugly into it, and that helped me to remember (after many failed stitch samples).<br />
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So why is it so important to know this?<br />
Because it's tricky getting the right placement even when you know all the above since, unlike those household needles, the shank on these are round all the way, hence why knowing the actual needle is going to be your biggest help... A scarf facing too far front or too far back can also affect the quality of your stitch.<br />
A <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dritz-253-Machine-Inserter-Threader/dp/B0054P8UGC" target="_blank">needle inserter tool</a> helps, though keep in mind they're made with a flat back groove and weren't intended for thick gauges... but it still helps when you have butter fingers.<br />
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I <i style="font-weight: bold;">struggled</i> for months fighting with this machine on certain projects, getting over the <i>immense</i> learning curve. I thought that once I knew about the needles it would be smooth sailing... I couldn't understand why I was still having trouble.<br />
It wasn't until after the <i>hundredth</i> time researching for troubleshooting that I learned <b>one very important but simple fact</b> about industrial sewing machines:<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<b>There is no "all-in-one" industrial machine</b>, which is the opposite said of household machines. <br />
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<b>Industrial machines are quite literally made for a singular purpose</b> and they do it as efficiently as a machine can be, so they can seem to go wonky when you deviate from that "purpose". That is why there are SO MANY different types of industrial machines: from blind hem, walking foots, cylinder beds, chain stitch to lock stitch. Even whether or not it is a zig-zag or straight stitch, or single or twin needle machine. Whereas on a household machine, it's simply a matter of changing the stitch from their plethora of stitches and swapping out for the appropriate foot.<br />
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Household sewing machines are made to be able to give a user a taste of the full range of sewing applications available, but that does not necessarily make them efficient at any one of those tasks: <i>jack of all trades, master of none</i>.</div>
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I also discovered a little factoid along the way that I myself didn't realize: <i>did you know</i> that the "industrial" in industrial sewing machine refers to the speed/stitches per minute? Because even a household machine can have a strong enough motor to sew heavy duty materials.</div>
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On average the fastest "household" will claim around 1500 SPM give or take, whereas many "industrial" machines could go all the way up to about 7000 SPM.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOncAdeDavExv20ta83xmcp5q4_cmmqIe8dLNJLq_ZMVYBYe7XShj5BR6U5gFMSbuGP7o5RAgNPltWpxZ3d7P4AvgVxL5SKKNL5uSq7GAsZA9naowYmWMNZQbfnRmbwWmRJ1gXUNSjKGc/s1600/IMG_20180221_105254_957111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="1080" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOncAdeDavExv20ta83xmcp5q4_cmmqIe8dLNJLq_ZMVYBYe7XShj5BR6U5gFMSbuGP7o5RAgNPltWpxZ3d7P4AvgVxL5SKKNL5uSq7GAsZA9naowYmWMNZQbfnRmbwWmRJ1gXUNSjKGc/s640/IMG_20180221_105254_957111.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Anyway</i>.<br />
I was under the mistaken impression that I could sew my lightweight materials (they sewed quite nicely) as well as some very heavy duty canvas/vinyls/etc on the Consew 220 (they didn't) because I was/am able to on my household.</div>
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Even with the strongest and largest rated needle on the list of sizes it can use, the quality of the stitch was as mediocre as my household because the machine wasn't made to sew such heavy duty fabrics. Thus constant struggle.<br />
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Apart from the above, I think another reason I struggled with this machine was also due to the fact that it was powered via a clutch motor.<br />
<b>Industrial sewing machines can come with one of two motors</b>: clutch or servo. An older industrial machine will most likely be equipped with a clutch motor, such was the case.</div>
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<u><b>Clutch motors</b></u> are very fast, kinda finicky, low control, and extra noisy beasts.<br />
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The benefits (<i>allegedly</i>) of a clutch motor are that it's more powerful, faster, and it forces you to develop better control habits at the machine itself. </div>
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You switch on the motor and it constantly runs, consuming energy whether or not you engage for sewing... hence the noise. I can attest that yes it is very fast but you sacrifice maneuverability for that speed. The peddle is very sensitive (see finicky) so it takes a seasoned foot to be able to graduate speeds, <i>feather footed</i> I once heard it being called. Stopping isn't easy either-- you have to stop a few stitches before the end or you end up with a few extra stitches.</div>
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Maybe I just severely lacked the finesse and patience this machine required for its very steep learning curve, but I always felt like I was fighting it.</div>
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To top it all off, this machine lacked a good system to change the stitch length (I won't even try and explain how one goes about changing stitch length on this thing) and most importantly it <i>did not</i> have back stitch capacity; I had to manually turn the project (not always easy) and head back to "lock" the stitch in place, or tie the knots myself from the thread tails... a very cumbersome task when speed is supposed to be the point.<br />
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I tolerated all this since A) it was a gift and I wasn't sewing for business anyway and B) my households were good enough for my own purposes when the Consew and I had one of our frequent disagreements.<br />
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Then a year ago, I started Strange Coven and production time became kind of important as demand grew and grew, I also wanted my bags to be made with heavy duty materials because it meant long term wear and usage for them.<br />
And so once again, I <i style="font-weight: bold;">struggled </i>with the Consew.<br />
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It was when I started noticing the bald spots on my head (from having pulled out so much hair) that I decided I needed some different machinery. I started researching industrial machines for heavy duty sewing: I knew I wanted to try a servo motor, have back stitch capacity, and a stitch length <i>dial</i>.<br />
I should note that the 220 seems to be an anomaly in regards to back stitch capacity, most industrials even older ones have this ability... so it's just weird. Maybe an older Consew thing? I simply don't know.<br />
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<b><i>Entrer </i>The Fabricator by Sailrite.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi11ShVnLYcPZMtMxxrnDEzGClsel_XjW1Gj6JTnm26MrV3XT_FYldW4XJBDaPJdHo0lKwPBBvTEvQG6MdB_sJpXCvXRxAMmwEEFPCESseZ-ym68hIscajzis25hVJvlF3vt3DyG1ruEKM/s1600/IMG_20180513_103410395111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi11ShVnLYcPZMtMxxrnDEzGClsel_XjW1Gj6JTnm26MrV3XT_FYldW4XJBDaPJdHo0lKwPBBvTEvQG6MdB_sJpXCvXRxAMmwEEFPCESseZ-ym68hIscajzis25hVJvlF3vt3DyG1ruEKM/s640/IMG_20180513_103410395111.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.sailrite.com/Sewing-Machines/Industrial-Sewing-Machines/Sailrite-Fabricator-Sewing-Machine" target="_blank">The fabricator</a> is a <b>walking foot </b>industrial sewing machine.<br />
A walking foot is exactly what it sounds like: instead of squeezing material along a normal presser foot, the specialized foot/feet "walk along" the material (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-QjJgJKKVM" target="_blank">video example</a>). This movement is key when feeding thick or lofty materials to sew as it eliminates the pulling and tugging that causes irregular or skipped stitches when dealing with such thicknesses.<br />
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The Fabricator is a recent addition to Sailrite's currently tiny repertoire of table topped machines. Sailrite wasn't a brand I was intimately acquainted with-- I first heard about them back when I lived in New Mexico when I was searching compact heavy duty machines <i>for the shiggles</i>, to which Sailrite boasted some of the best rated on the web; I remembered seeing the Fabricator in passing on their website, ooggled the fact that it was glorious to behold, but the price tag was far beyond my reach then.<br />
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It took quite a lot of agonizing to pull the trigger on it, as I tried to weigh it against what I was exposed to: Juki and Consew, brands I recognized and trusted (at least for the most part; I own a fantastic Juki serger)... But NO ONE was talking about their industrials in my circles, and the Fabricator was taunting me with its sleek black exterior that also no one was making much of a peep about...</div>
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<b>EDIT:</b> Ironically, I did end up finding a great youtube channel that I now follow and they have a video review/unboxing of the machine: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=785t34oHe4w" target="_blank">here it is.</a></div>
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The deciding factor ultimately was the overwhelmingly positive reviews Sailrite has as a company; their customer service is <b>incredibly</b> helpful. Seriously, if you got a question they will answer it... but you probably won't have any because they cover <b>so much</b> on their website which is very intuitive and user friendly, and their Youtube channel is chock full of great quality and informative videos; they radiate quality.</div>
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Although Juki and Consew are pretty much household names (not to be confused with only manufacturing household machines), their customer service is less than stellar, but workable.</div>
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<i>Plus I love a good underdog.</i></div>
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I have to take another moment here to continue fangirling over Sailrite because their packaging was so clean, so tidy and so secure. Everything felt packed with love!<br />
Oh and in case their online help isn't quite enough, the manuals are printed in <u style="font-weight: bold;">full glossy color glory</u> with step by step photos on every process; from building the table, to setting it up, to maintenance, to troubleshooting.<br />
It came with a package of schmetz industrial needles and a large spool of V-92 Bonded outdoor thread in white-- very nice bonuses!<br />
<br />
So let's go back to motors again for moment:<br />
<b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Servo motors</b> differ from clutch motors in that they offer variable/controlled speeds (don't need to be <i>feather footed</i> to be able to graduate speeds or stop on a dime), it only engages when you sew so it's hella smooth and best of all... it's much quieter.<br />
Again, it comes down to what you prefer/are comfortable with; super fast speeds with limited control, or decently fast speeds with mucho control. You decide.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJHg_NDVYV1jR_F5CW9EMxSVh6fGgboZomo76Qqdv4FpkW4nmzvuZR1EkytvFLGbfZzF3jJbdHcwhuDZlnH673_-0LmgpQXmGpatae5MjmzRsOPXNkOqYFW4QfPqsnmHWEOoiF-APYoA/s1600/Sailrite-Workhorse-Servo-Motor-110V_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJHg_NDVYV1jR_F5CW9EMxSVh6fGgboZomo76Qqdv4FpkW4nmzvuZR1EkytvFLGbfZzF3jJbdHcwhuDZlnH673_-0LmgpQXmGpatae5MjmzRsOPXNkOqYFW4QfPqsnmHWEOoiF-APYoA/s640/Sailrite-Workhorse-Servo-Motor-110V_11.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: <a href="https://www.sailrite.com/Sailrite-Workhorse-Servo-Motor-110V?gclid=Cj0KCQiApbzhBRDKARIsAIvZue8J4buDFsJjv8Mxb8XxpYQL_gPaSjKNelvCj14awL1jiJUVCCeE5XoaAiRSEALw_wcB" target="_blank">Sailrite</a></td></tr>
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The <a href="https://www.sailrite.com/Sailrite-Workhorse-Servo-Motor-110V?gclid=Cj0KCQiApbzhBRDKARIsAIvZue81nUKH7OEqjJ9vwgZ2VH5ywpmZpuL2Sumpq3JWZ7LtfyddQDS6oxkaAkclEALw_wcB" target="_blank">workhorse servo motor</a> is a Sailrite exclusive. I can't tell you how it differs from other servo motors because I simply don't have a good enough basis for comparison. It has a digital display for setting SPMs which I like but not uncommon. The only immediate difference I see is that the belt used to drive the balance wheel is cogged which prevents the belt from slipping on the wheel (also notched on their machines; don't know if that is an exclusive design) thus offering a little more driving power. It seems modular, on the website you can buy a small selection of attachments/belts that affect the strength of the drive. Not much to say in regards to the motor in terms of how it runs, I <i>think</i> the workhorse might actually be just a little stronger since I've sewn some hardcore thicknesses like they're nothing more than quilting cotton... but my judgement might be skewed by the previously mentioned factors. The top speed pales in comparison to the clutch motor however-- top speed for the Consew's motor was 5500 SPM while the Workhorse is a paltry 3600 SPM.<br />
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One of the "quirks" the Fabricator has that often lead me to make threading mistakes is that the bobbin feeds out of the casing in a <i>clockwise</i> fashion, which is the opposite of how it is most commonly distributed on other industrial machines.<br />
Even all my household machines feed their bobbins counterclockwise.<br />
I couldn't find a reason why this was... so I guess c'est la vie.<br />
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The downright negatives to the Sailrite Fabricator come in the form of the little things. The table it comes with is not as high quality as everything else. None of the placement holes came predrilled or even premarked; it's <i>significantly </i>lighter than the head so I question how stable it will remain even after almost a year of owning and using it. Plus the "ruler" on it isn't printed/painted on, it's instead a sticker that comes off super easy; I never use it granted but I liked the option of it being there as a permanent aesthetic... I have already taken it off because it came up around the edges within the first few days.<br />
The pin of the bobbin winder seems a touch too big than the holes in the bobbins, so it's tough getting the bobbin on and it's a tug of war getting them off the winder. I hoped it would be easier with time, but no change as of writing this. The screw drivers it came with are <b>super</b> cheap, in fact they broke while we were setting everything up.<br />
It also didn't come with a table mounted power switch, which during my time at the fashion haus and with the Consew I own, I assumed came standard with all machines and really liked it; again I haven't as of writing this done any research into whether or not this feature can even happen with a workhorse motor, so we'll see.<br />
Overall nothing deal breaking.<br />
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The combination of machines was working well, and things were ok for a time.; every function I required was met with the Consew and the Fabricator.<br />
Until the combination of all my complaints with the Consew had finally come to blows for the last time.<br />
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In the fashion haus, I had the privilege of working with a number of industrial Juki's closely. Since I knew I always wanted another Juki and I didn't end up getting a Juki walking foot (the one machine I didn't get to work on, ironically)... I decided, in September, that my next machine purchase was going to be the one I had worked the closest with.<br />
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<b><i>Entrer </i>the Juki DDL-8700</b><br />
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The <a href="http://www.juki.co.jp/industrial_e/products_e/apparel_e/1needle_e/ddl8700.html" target="_blank">Juki DDL-8700</a> is a single needle lockstitch machine.<br />
A lockstitch is just a fancy and concise way of referencing the common/standard way a stitch is created on many sewing machines.<br />
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You may have seen this gif in one version or another:<br />
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That's a lockstitch. The Consew and the Fabricator also utilize a lockstick mechanism, and probably yours too!<br />
Pretty riveting stuff... No really! It is when you really think about it. That movement is happening <b>super</b> fast on these machines. You really just sit in awe at the precision and calibration of sewing machines; mechanical wonders to entice the imagination.<br />
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The Juki came with all the trimmings: servo motor (<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">✔</span>), reverse stitch (<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">✔</span>), easy to use stitch length dial (<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">✔</span>), robust table with permanent ruler design (<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">✔</span>), table mounted power switch (<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">✔</span>), and a perfectly functioning bobbin winder (<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">✔</span>). It came with a decent dust cover as a bonus, but since I've been using the machine practically everyday since I received it, I don't use it.<br />
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I did try to sew some of the heavy duty material that sews like butter on the Fabricator, on this machine to see if there was a difference between the servo motors but the machine belt kept slipping on the wheel to drive the needle down into the thickness I was feeding it.<br />
Since it isn't a walking foot either, the layers kept slipping around making the whole experience like reliving the frustration of the Consew.<br />
So, that was a wash. I still can't tell a difference in power, and the SPM's on the Juki's motor is significantly faster with a top speed of 5500 (just like the clutch motor) but it's a dial instead of a digital display, nothing wrong with it technically... but also not easy to see whether or not its been changed when one of your fur babes decides to poke around... lol.<br />
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I think I have the least amount of complaints with the Juki overall, less than any of my machines in general, and I actually didn't purchase this Juki through a dealer. I decided to take a gamble and purchase the machine through Ebay, because it was hundreds of dollars cheaper due to the free shipping. It came out to just about $700 exact -- that's just a pinch more than many digital household sewing machines!<br />
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My only complaints with the Juki are that there isn't any help in terms of assembly instructions such as the building of the table that comes with it. The manual it does come with is basically a pamphlet filled with brief rudimentary instructions that cover only the essential but initial key points and a <i>tiny</i> handful of troubleshooting... all in a slightly convoluted format (several languages to explain one thing on a page). I ended up using the Fabricator's manual to supplement what I found around the web.<br />
It too came with very cheap screwdrivers that broke almost immediately and sadly it wasn't packed up the best-- the legs suffered a little warping during shipment.<br />
<i>However</i>, the table came pre drilled and that to me made up for whatever I had issue with.<br />
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So now that I've covered all the reviews and impressions, let's discuss something they all have in common: <b><u>Maintenance.</u></b><br />
It comes as little surprise that an industrial's maintenance schedule is farther out than a common household machine. That's due in part to the fact that the mechanisms and gears that drive the entire machine are constantly submerged in a pan of machine oil preventing friction, that causes heat, that inevitably causes wear and tear.<br />
The oil used in these pans is no different than the oil used in any other sewing machine kit. There's just more of it that's readily available for the machine to siphon instead of relying on a fallible human to remember to oil it.<br />
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I haven't felt a need to take my machines in for a tune up yet.<br />
Mostly, it's been just a matter of babysitting the oil levels and making sure that the reservoir is clear of lint and other debris. You don't need to replace the oil unless it looks dark colored like brown or gold or has too much debris to remove on your own.<br />
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Removing the lint from the machine is easy too. Just take a brush to the areas I marked with an arrow in the photo below: where the bobbin case is and the space/pan below it that catches most of the fallout from the feed dogs.<br />
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The needles also don't need to be changed out as often because they're more robustly manufactured and meant for long term high speed usage. Aside from the ones I broke (mea culpa, nothing to do with the machine), I haven't had to replace the last ones I inserted-- that was months and many, <i>many</i> hours of usage ago.<br />
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Last but not least: <b><u>Cost.</u></b><br />
Weighing the cost to usage seems to be the pervading concern with industrial sewing machines; is it even worth it to invest if all you're doing is sewing for home?<br />
For me, I measure the value of time a little heavier so time saved = great savings, and honestly the single needle lock stitch is only marginally more spendy than any mid range digital household machine. I also factor in maintenance costs; I took in my households at least once to twice a year to get a tune up/re-timing (roughly $75 to $100 every time on digitally calibrated machines depending where I took them), but I also spent hours and hours doing some of that myself along with weekly time scheduled to clean and oil the households.<br />
An industrial was a <b>great</b> investment for me, but then even before I started Strange Coven I was spending huge amounts of hours at my sewing machine to make it worth it.<br />
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I think that about covers my entire experience/knowledge on industrial sewing machines.<br />
I know, it's a lot to take in and perhaps I should've broken up this post into several parts...<br />
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Nevertheless, I hope I helped to scratch the surface and maybe help a fellow sewist consider making the investment... because once you go industrial, it's tough to go back to anything else.<br />
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<b>Feel free to ask me questions, I'll do my best to answer them!</b></div>
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<b>Spook ya later, fiends!</b></div>
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Mari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-82302592734637302342018-12-22T02:03:00.001-08:002018-12-22T02:20:15.833-08:00Mortem's Tricks or Treats: Sharpie Marker Jack O' Lanterns.I've wanted to write for so long, even had a nostalgic conversation about our blogs with <a href="http://insomniacsattic.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mrs Insomniac</a> during my latest visit home North. Sufficed to say, it's been a community that I (we) have missed dearly, and seeing the efforts of some of the Ladies in Black continue despite dwindling traffic, well it's inspired me greatly.<br />
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I would like to get back to writing, even if its on a much more limited basis, say like once a month! I think it's about time to re-break the ice that has been turning into ancient glaciers on this blog.<br />
<a href="https://www.tartx.com/blog/blogging-without-obligation/" target="_blank">BWO</a> will be temporarily disregarded as I thaw the frost from my brain, hehe. I encourage all my fellow bloggers, who like me stopped blogging, to pick up the keyboard and write-- even if it's a simple personal update that's no more than a paragraph... something to shift the ice!<br />
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To kick off, I have decided to recycle a mini DIY that I posted to my IG account a couple weeks ago...<br />
Clearly I didn't/don't know what to write about, but it helps to get the juices flowing and since my life has been revolving around <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/strangecoven" target="_blank">Strange Coven</a> and getting it established enough to take off with, I decided not to write about that...<br />
Not yet anyway...<br />
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Ironically though, this DIY was done because I started vending this year for the first time in over a decade and during my search for things to use for display and decorations, I stumbled upon these plain ceramic pumpkin photo holders on clearance for 85 cents a piece.<br />
I figured they'd hold my signs just dandy but they weren't "spooky" enough to fit perfectly into my booth display. So in true fashion... I spookified them.<br />
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<b><u>Ceramic Pumpkin Photo Holders Updo</u></b><br />
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<i>You'll need:</i><br />
<ul>
<li>Ceramic photo holder-- pumpkins in my case</li>
<li>Normal sharpie pen</li>
<li>Oil based sharpie pen</li>
<li>Convection oven</li>
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When I saw them, I remembered the DIY project trending a year or so ago on Pinterest: sharpie mug art-- this would be the culprit that sealed this little deal for me.<br />
I took an ordinary sharpie (the same color as your oil based one or the colors begin to mix) and free-handed a couple of my favorite jack o' lantern faces; I went over with a plain sharpie first because it's easy to rub off mistakes that might've happened with some rubbing alcohol. The oil based takes a bit of scrubbing but can and does come off with rubbing alcohol in any case.<br />
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Once I was happy with all the lines, I simply went over and filled with an <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sharpie-Oil-Based-Paint-Marker-Medium/dp/B00WL2NM0K/ref=sr_1_10?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1544175271&sr=1-10&keywords=oil+based+sharpie" target="_blank">oil based sharpie</a>.<br />
Put them on a pan, baked in a convection oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 mins <i>constantly </i>checking to see that it didn't scorch/bubble the marker paint and/or crack the ceramic.<br />
Let cool and viola!<br />
You would need a little stronger solvent to remove the drawings from this point.<br />
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Things to note: imagine my disappointment when discovering that an oil based pen is a push-nib reservoir kind of pen, these are notorious for over flowing the felt nibs and creating puddles everywhere... which it did for me because it wasn't flowing out for the first several pumps and I was <i><b>really</b></i> unaware of the low viscosity of the actual paint/ink. These types of pens were probably invented by the anti-craft himself.<br />
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Since I don't need to display signs anymore, I use them now to display some of my favorite die-cuts from Micheal's I got this past Halloween, as seen in the first photo.<br />
But be warned, this is awful addictive once you realize you don't need to zentangle to doodle on ceramics and glass objects with sharpies.<br />
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<b>Spooky ya later, ghouls!</b></div>
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Mari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-14568183828003306022018-02-06T02:54:00.003-08:002020-10-14T10:07:21.386-07:00Fashioning My Cyber Microcosm: It's A Strange New WorldLot'a cobwebs in here... Miss me?<br />
<br />
No? Darn.<br />
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The month's kind of got away from me; Instagram and Facebook have been my short and sweet links to the world; condensed socialization at the click of a button!<br />
Not very personal, true... but without which I would be as invisible and clueless as I am in actuality. Well... who am I kidding, I'm not exactly bursting with popularity on any platform, heh!<br />
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Ok, we got off on a morose start...<br />
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It's the rain. Washington has been cold and constantly wet.<br />
...I can just hear the '<i>duh</i>'s.<br />
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You know when you hear something you think is ludicrous so you choose not to believe it, and then you're left <i>really</i> unprepared for reality? That's it, that's what happened right here. I just didn't think it was going to be <i>this much</i> rain.<br />
It's almost too much for me, and I would say<i> I like </i>the rain.<br />
Not being able to wear my beautiful velvet coats, and cloaks or fancy shoes stings a little having looked so forward to cold weather to take them out of storage where they were when I lived in heat of the South... here I am with temperatures where I should be able to, but the wetness and mud keeps me in galoshes and a raincoat-- oh the irony.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ok, I didn't really expect to wear summer dresses...<br />
But you get the point.</td></tr>
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One thing's for sure... with clouds this thick it makes midday light look a little like dusk for nearly weeks on end, it sure makes you appreciate a partially cloudy day.<br />
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Weather aside, everything else is darn near perfect. I am still rather gobsmacked we were able to afford to buy a decent home in this horrendous housing market... thank the gods for qualifying for a USDA home loan. Another thing I discovered not to be an exaggeration... people want gold prices for what is essentially 'fools gold' around these parts.<br />
Of course there's still things that need to be updated and kept an eye on in our home... but not nearly as bad as outright foundation issues that plagued nearly every other home on our rather short list.<br />
Foundation problems caused by... you guessed it, the constant rain (lol!).<br />
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I got a part time gig by sheer luck at an antique mall right in town and within walking distance owned by an introverted older gentleman and his extroverted 80+ year old foster father. I have one other colleague, an older lady whom is this insurmountable wealth of knowledge on niche and popular antiques; she is quite old fashioned as to be a bit shocking in this day and age... but I find to be quite pleasant.<br />
My boss' foster father has given me the nick-name 'The Lady in Black' and will greet me as such each day. On occasion the boss buys us lunch and will often make sure that I and my colleague are comfortable and happy. I am getting feelings that remind me of my time in New Mexico, that I'm part of a family here-- I'm relied on, needed, and wanted. I didn't think I would be lucky enough to have this kind of work situation again after New Mexico. I feel blessed.<br />
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As one might have guessed, in the same manner that working a fabric store is dangerous for me... so is a vintage & antique store. I am tempted daily by a plethora of neat and pretty things; these are a few of the treasures I couldn't 'live without'... but so many are left behind!<br />
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So regardless of the ails of the weather, Washington has been (so far) a nice place to call home.<br />
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In other lesser but still mention-worthy happenings, a small back injury I suffered inspired my husband to finally replace my nearly 6 year old and very crooked computer desk and chair with a DXRacer in orange and black, and duo trayless widetop desks. I very nearly asked for the purple and black chair... but these days, I'm becoming more and more fond of orange as my compliment color.<br />
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We now live the typical 'gaming couple' setup, and as disgustingly cute as that sounds... it is.<br />
I love it, haha.<br />
In gaming related news, I finally got around to playing and finishing Divinity: Original Sin 2, a review may or may not come. It's not usual for me to review games... I really should. It's such a huge part of my life. It took so long from release for me to play it due to moving and other unrelated drama; sufficed to say, it's an incredible game totally worth every penny spent on it... and I went ahead and backed this on Kickstarter and got the collectors backing tier with a Fane statue and art books and maps. The first one easily became one of my 10 all time favorite games, the 2nd one just reinforced the series' status in my most loved gaming experiences.<br />
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Finally, the last bit of update I have...<br />
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I have been selling on etsy through the name <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/StrangeCoven?ref=search_shop_redirect" target="_blank">Strange Coven</a>. It took me a while to get a name and brand going for my handmade shop from last I spoke about<a href="https://marimortem.blogspot.com/2016/11/fashioning-my-cyber-microcosm-tempest.html" target="_blank"> rebooting an art shop back in 2016</a>, trying to decide between this name and Serpent & The Thimble: I really wanted something simple, easy to remember/lookup, but was still reflective of the 'sometimes spooky, sometimes spoopy' nature of my style. Two to three syllables is apparently what the human brain can remember with ease-- rule of thumb if you're trying to think of a shop name by chance.<br />
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Right now, I'm running a sale for 15% off all my ready-made items. On top of that, I'm running a giveaway for this little guy on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/strangecoven/photos/a.366612383791647.1073741828.366263707159848/393685611084324/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">FB shop page</a>.<br />
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I know they say that exposure is a poor thing for an artist to hope for... but the ground floor could use a little of that to get the ball rolling a little more, heh! Come show your support, and heck you may even get lucky.<br />
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<b>That's it for now, fiends!</b></div>
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<b>Spook ya later.</b><br />
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<b>Outfit in first photo:</b></div>
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<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">Dress: <a href="https://marimortem.blogspot.com/2017/06/mortems-tricks-or-treats-franken.html" target="_blank">Handmade</a></li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Choker: Handmade</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Pumpkin handbag: <a href="https://marimortem.blogspot.com/2017/09/mortems-trick-or-treats-for-love-of-all.html" target="_blank">Handmade</a></li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Boots: Ironfist</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Socks: Target</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Hat: Gifted to me</li>
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<b>Outfit in second photo:</b></div>
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<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">Shirt: Walmart</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Leggings: Walmart</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Same handbag as first</li>
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Mari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-33158773914386530592017-10-25T17:50:00.002-07:002017-10-26T11:45:24.826-07:00Mortem's Tricks or Treats: 'Tis Near Halloween!<i>Samhain, all hallow's eve, Hallowe'en</i>... our day is nigh, fiends!<br />
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Oh the joy to see so many jack o' lanterns littering the neighborhood-- even some that have already been smashed! A time honored tradition for the trickster spirits about, heheh.</div>
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My entire year felt like its lead up to October, much like it does <i>every </i>year, and with the big day on Tuesday, I already feel the withdrawals for the spooky season since shop shelves do become rather sparse in their decoration pickins' so close to the day of.</div>
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There isn't much left for me to buy anymore-- I did my spending though, but so little of it was on actual decorations for my home. This year my Halloween haul has been predominately fabric and though fabric does excite and entice me immensely, I feel the <i><b>FOMO</b></i> bug biting at my brain in terms of Halloween decorations...</div>
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While visiting the Dollar Tree in the next town for unrelated reasons, I stumbled onto what was left of their Halloween section.</div>
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It was a rather depressing sight, but I did manage to scrounge a few items that I then took to my <i>half-processed</i> creative laboratory for a bit of spooky crafty fun.</div>
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Foam feathered crow - check.</div>
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<i>Fully functioning </i>(these things rarely are) foam glitter light-up pumpkin - check.</div>
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Scraps of felt, lace and a doily from Michael's dollar section - check, check.</div>
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I cut out a cute lil' witch hat, and then glued it on it's head.</div>
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Now it's a cute lil' witchy crow.</div>
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If you decide to follow along with this little craft, you can at this point add anything else to the hat, but since I can't find anything but my scraps just yet... it'll go a little bare... <i>for now.</i></div>
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Next, I mounted the witchy crow using the little wire pegs on its feet, onto pumpkin in a stately manner. Tied on this little scrap of ribbon around its neck like a scarf, plop the whole thing on top of the doily (because black doilies make everything better)... and voilà! A decoration fit for leaving out <i>all year long</i>.</div>
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<b>A stately little crow upon a bust of Lantern Jack.</b></div>
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<b><i>Quoth the little crow, 'Tis near Halloween!'</i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Spook ya later, fiends!</b></div>
Mari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-78385343004826503852017-10-20T19:02:00.002-07:002017-10-20T19:02:53.252-07:00Mortem's Trick or Treats: To Be or Not To Be-- Craft-along + Giveaway!Another home, another spooky sewing room to make my own!<br />
One of my favorite things about moving is being able to rearrange and redecorate my creative living space.<br />
Once again, I find myself with not just one but two rooms to house my hobbies-- one room for my machines and general craftery; the other room for my <i style="font-weight: bold;">stash</i>... because yeah, my stash really is that big.<br />
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The "store room" came in an ashy grey, and that is ok... for now.<br />
Unfortunately, the machine room is where the paint job wasn't exactly a blank canvas.<br />
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The ceiling is painted in a high gloss black, 3 of the walls including the closet are painted a pastel purple, and the wall facing the rest was a deep pink accent wall.<br />
I don't mind the purple, and I am keeping the black ceiling... but the pink had to go immediately.<br />
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I bought a gallon of Kilz, and luckily the previous owners had some leftover eggshell ultra pure white that I eliminated the pink with.<br />
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Unsurprising, it took almost the entire gallon of Kilz to neutralize that deep shade of not-my-favorite-color, but already the room became livable for me.<br />
I dabbed the ceiling accidentally here and there, and weirdly it's the only mistakes among the plethora that can be seen on photo-- perhaps it's the white contrast on black... well the previous paint job is intensely sloppy. There are 2 colors on that edge... actually <i>all edges <b>even on the sills and frames</b></i> that aren't turning up in the photo.<br />
It's almost as if they decided to forgo painters tape... I have major amounts of retouching and scraping to do despite <i>my own</i> mistakes.<br />
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The wall remained an accent wall, but instead of being a solid color, I opted to stripe it-- black and white! How exciting that it should fit exactly into <a href="https://gothityourself.blogspot.com/2017/10/craft-along-with-giy-october-2017.html" target="_blank">Bane's theme for this month's Craft-Along</a>. I did make a submission for previous month's craft-along... but my move sort of prevented me from writing up a post for it; if you're following my IG account, you would have seen what I made and are perhaps waiting on that outfit and post. <i>If I can only find the box they're all packed in...</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVI9Fl-p7bb3fu-SI61PKSW0Q0oZIXv4Xzco-UAM3foF3uJLJh4-xmGK-wILoNRWFhV7k2cZ7OeeMPOZOIY3Ro2bZfMLaArAFGCZfFdw5kMrmRumQ1QsDMWG66qMZIjRS6EgjL_mtsNJPb/s1600/craft+along+with+GIY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="664" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVI9Fl-p7bb3fu-SI61PKSW0Q0oZIXv4Xzco-UAM3foF3uJLJh4-xmGK-wILoNRWFhV7k2cZ7OeeMPOZOIY3Ro2bZfMLaArAFGCZfFdw5kMrmRumQ1QsDMWG66qMZIjRS6EgjL_mtsNJPb/s320/craft+along+with+GIY.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anyway, this was my first time painting a stripe wall... I think the concept of stripe walls was scarier than the doing, though to be fair, I did quite a lot of video research before I got to the doing. I bought a cheap laser level which made the process much much quicker and less messy. I also created a cardboard template, so that I could get nearly perfect spacing for my markings to set my laser on: I say nearly because I don't think each stripe is <i>exactly </i>5.5 inches; there is very likely fractions of an inch differences to each, but it's very near the mark.<br />
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Since I was painting on a wall I only let cure for 24 hours, I went with delicate surface frog tape. I read that no matter what you buy or how much you try, some bleeding is inevitable; with that in mind, the best tip I read was prepping the inside of the stripe by painting a coat with your base paint just overlapping the inside and the tape to create a kind of bleed-barrier to prevent a lot of that; whatever bleeds heavily will be the same color as the base. You let that layer cure as per paint can instructions, and continue with your dark paint.<br />
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Another tip that everyone chimed in with is taking off the tape while the paint is still wet to get a cleaner finish. That said, my second coat went slower, as I worked 2 stripes at a time to move carefully around the wet paint.<br />
All in all, I'm extremely happy with the result-- I didn't have any bad bleed spots on my stripes, many of them came out so clean I could have made one of those "satisfying" videos...<br />
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But like expected, some bleed did happen-- not very big, the biggest ones were no bigger than the head of a pin. I took a tiny dab of white base on an artists paint brush and it fixed them right up.<br />
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So now the question remains... what to do with the purple. Do I keep it? Or do I change it...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh39gcYWCPf66PFCjUtpAMLranwwA1qgapDC4ncUCBizkJT8WcRbmAOkX6l_cj9KL8rJnQM1bs_zdgJfo39eolS5Yr9iB9aviv7Bbp9fktFaqtR07FkElhFj13TCPPrLR03vXX6ctmntk/s1600/collagepurplecolor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="1200" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh39gcYWCPf66PFCjUtpAMLranwwA1qgapDC4ncUCBizkJT8WcRbmAOkX6l_cj9KL8rJnQM1bs_zdgJfo39eolS5Yr9iB9aviv7Bbp9fktFaqtR07FkElhFj13TCPPrLR03vXX6ctmntk/s640/collagepurplecolor.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
I'm assuming since the paint cans left are such, that I'm dealing with a Behr paint. This purple shade color wasn't in the pile left us. The color, <i>I think</i>, is either 'Foxglove' or 'Bohemianism' in semi-gloss.<br />
Tough to tell... thinking more it's foxglove.<br />
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I do <i>love</i> purple, and I don't like doing this kind of painting (the act, not the result, heh!)... but I also <i><b>really love</b></i> the idea of a nice aged pumpkin orange to go with my vintage and retro decor that make up my signature spooky sewing room theme.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73xE-wxztKEzOaa9y832DqiOzPy-oqKd39oFe5s5vKrbVMeeivMUnRDI6osDjOcUNIwiOyeAIOuvidp5rI86zzBl2VE9yoesD6_C-m5Jpbyim7uvBW54zk0B41w152XuGEwLAbcuFOZc/s1600/collageorangepaint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="1200" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73xE-wxztKEzOaa9y832DqiOzPy-oqKd39oFe5s5vKrbVMeeivMUnRDI6osDjOcUNIwiOyeAIOuvidp5rI86zzBl2VE9yoesD6_C-m5Jpbyim7uvBW54zk0B41w152XuGEwLAbcuFOZc/s640/collageorangepaint.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My two orange choices are 'Japanese Koi' or 'Mandarin'-- almost no difference, except mandarin is just slightly more pale.<br />
I was going to go for a matte, but my husband convinced me eggshell would be more appropriate to go with the accent wall.<br />
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So, as of yesterday... I am completely undecided. I was so sure I was going to do the orange that I bought a couple sample tubs to play with on the wall... but <i>gah,</i> I went and overthought it.<br />
I can't make the decision...<br />
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So I am going to leave it up to you, fiends!<br />
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<b>And for your troubles, I shall offer a chance to win a little<u> Halloween Treat Bag</u></b><br />
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With the spooky season still in full swing in my heart (regardless of those Christmas fanatics already revving up!), and having an October that also included a Friday the 13th, I'd say there's still lots of cheer to spread.<br />
Help a fellow spook out, cast your vote and be entered to win this here surprise treat bag <i>stuffed </i>with all manner of <i><b>spoopy, kitsch, and oh so delightfully Weeny</b></i> goodness, including a handmade piece of spooky cute jewelry by yours truly and a couple knick knacks to entice a crafty spooky soul among the loot!</div>
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<b><i>The Rules:</i></b></div>
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<ol>
<li>You must be following my IG (@mari_mortem) and/or this blog.</li>
<li>Comment on either post (via IG or on here) with your vote-- team purple or team orange. Receive an extra entry if you comment on both (please leave an identifier if you have different account names).</li>
</ol>
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<b>Winner drawn randomly on Oct. 31th, open world wide.</b></div>
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<b>Good luck, fiends-- spook ya later!</b></div>
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<br />Mari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-23569087861429277192017-10-16T00:44:00.000-07:002017-10-16T00:51:22.589-07:00Fashioning My Cyber Microcosm: Adventures In The Life of a Nomad: A Trip Essay.Hello fiends,<br />
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I am writing to you from <i>un</i>-sunny Washington state. My new home, and a new opportunity to spook the locals.</div>
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What an<i> <b>adventure</b></i> to get here.</div>
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It started off on a <i>really</i> bad foot. </div>
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My black kitty Khan got rather sick on a Friday; acute low liver function the vet said, and he needed at least two over-night stays on IV-- the vets were fully aware of our impending move and were as concerned as I was about it all... this was just <u>two days</u> before we scheduled to set sail. Luckily it was a 24 hour vet care, with very good people.</div>
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It was no question to delay the date and hope the vets were able to do something about it. I put on every piece of lucky jewelry I could find; the stress was overwhelming with everything else on top, and I needed every last drop of hope I could muster. The movers came and packed everything away on the Sunday and morning of Monday; I was able to spend some time with the only person I spent frequent amounts of time with in SA on Tuesday (aka friend), which helped to ease some of the stress-- he took me on a quest to find a Starbucks that offered a pumpkin spice chai tea latte, odd that it was so tough to find.</div>
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On the Wednesday the vet called early in the morning and told us Khan was well enough to travel, but still not out of the woods-- they would check us out in the afternoon. An unbelievable weight lifted when I saw my Khan peppier than he was just a few days ago-- I thought I was going to lose him. But my happiness was somewhat dampened with the medications I had to give him and the warning that they may not do anything due to the stress he had ahead of him.</div>
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We were given a prescription pheromone cat spray for the car to help ease the stress-- it had to be used one hour prior to travel. So we brought Khan back to the house where Poe his older brother was eagerly awaiting him. We packed our little dodge dart, gathered the kittles and their things, crossed our fingers... and an hour later we were on the road.</div>
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Not two hours out of San Antonio city limits, and we started hearing a <i>thud, thud, thud</i>.</div>
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Low at first, but it got progressively louder and louder, and the car also gradually shook-- until it was so loud and shaking, my husband was white-knuckling the steering wheel and I grabbed my seat and grit my teeth. Both of us hoping to make it to a town with a mechanic.</div>
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We made it as far as San Angelo, booked a room in a very dicey La Quinta right beside a Midas that had <i>just</i> closed-- no other mechanic close enough for us to risk continuing driving the vehicle. We didn't know the extent of damage or how long it would take to fix, and the hotel no matter how dicey and dated it was, was fully booked... but the lady at the front desk seemed very sympathetic of our plight and gave us the latest check out date they could feasibly do under such last-minute-over-booked circumstances.</div>
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First thing in the morning, my husband went off to Midas before they even opened, and I tasked myself with pilling Khan...</div>
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Pilling a cat that is stressed while you're very stressed yourself is the hardest thing you'll ever have to do. Khan refused <b>EVERY. SINGLE. METHOD</b> to pill him; not stuffing it in food, not syringing it into his mouth as a liquid, and just <i>barely</i> being able to open his mouth long enough to put the pill in the back of his throat; he was somehow able to bring it back front and spit it out several times-- he fought me with every ounce of zeal from a cat named Khan.<br />
I was bitten and scratched and close to tears, having called my MIL who was a vet volunteer (once upon a time) for verbal help. One pill was successfully downed, and we decided he might have got enough of the pill he absolutely hated to equal the half dose he needed. So I gave up for the day.</div>
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On the car front, my husband phoned me with the news we had a tire bulge, and we were lucky we didn't get in a serious accident driving as long as we did doing highway miles. The good news was that it wasn't going to take long; we decided to just go ahead replace all four tires, so they would wear evenly... and for good measure, since we had several days left of the trip.<br />
When we checked out, another lady at the counter was apprised of our situation and had prepared little care packages for our checkout. Water bottles for the kittles, and double chocolate cookies for us. They helped.<br />
After the morning debacle, we stopped by a neighborhood Walmart since Khan would eat only tiny amounts of his kibbles-- I thought I would get a few varieties of wet cat foods to pique his appetite a little more. Out of the 8 choices I brought him, he scarfed down Purely Fancy Feast-- I wasn't too happy buying a Purina product, but I was desperate to get my babe eating normally again and these had very decent reviews and minimal ingredients and were very accessible along our long route.<br />
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The cat spray seemed to work by the second day of the trip-- the cats weren't nearly as fussy, and we were able to make a push to New Mexico, where we stopped for a night in Artesia and Carlsbad to visit with friends we made while we lived here. I miss New Mexico so much-- I believe it's the closest I felt at home since my momma's house back in Canada. If the move to San Antonio didn't happen, I can see myself growing roots in this state.<br />
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We stayed in yet another La Quinta, but this one far fancier.<br />
We left New Mexico without a hitch. My hubby helped pill Khan in the morning, just <i>slightly</i> less of a struggle than before, but hey no scratches that time. His appetite visibly grew, he ate more kibble and again snarfed down the Fancy Feast.<br />
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By the third day, they seemed to already get used to spending a night in a strange room and spending long hours in the car. Each time, settling quicker and quicker into their "spots"; Khan in his little bed in the back seat, and Poe at my feet in his, napping till our next stop.<br />
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Arizona; where it all began for us.<br />
Again we stopped in another of our old towns to visit with the friends we had while living here, in Holbrook.<br />
We had breakfast for dinner at Denny's and spent the evening chatting and catching up; by moonlight, I visited an old secret I left out in the desert just months before moving from this town, the stick I used as a marker still stood, but a bush had begun growing over top of it.<br />
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The secret of what lies underneath is known only to myself, my husband and my good friend (and perhaps a couple more people, hah!)-- all who helped. One day, when the timing is right, it will be unearthed and revealed...<br />
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At the crack of dawn, it was back to the road again, bound for Utah.<br />
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From here on, it was all new territory for this family. The sights in Utah were incredible! It made me wish I lived in this beautiful state!<br />
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We passed beautiful red canyons, and vast rolling hills full of trees of all kinds of magnificent and brilliant colors. The views gave the Grand Canyon a run for its money! They took my very breath away.<br />
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Here we made our largest push test with the cats, and headed for Salt Lake City. Our start was a little rocky, I got a little car sick when we hit Winslow, Arizona, and the chilled air was a little hard on me in Page, Arizona-- we made a few stops and I bought a few sweaters and meds.<br />
We reached the city by nightfall, and the cats were starting to get a little anxious, but overall seemed ok-- so in other words, success!<br />
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We stayed in yet another La Quinta (only place that was cheap and didn't ask for a pet deposit), but this time there must have been a dog show or something, because there were a lot of people on our floor with fancy dogs. The cats were on edge all night with all the borking and howling. <i>Somehow</i>, we slept through it all.<br />
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Next morning, we were Idaho bound.<br />
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At first the sights were something to behold, I had never seen so much gold and hills in my life... but by the second hour of nothing but, I started to feel panicked. Northern Utah and pretty much all of Idaho is nothing but rolling golden hills and open sky... with literally no real variation, and we cut through the entire state.<br />
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We were going to stay in Boise, but we decided to try and push it to Oregon, since we had a lot of "juice" in us from such a long boring trip. We stopped to refuel in Nampa, we spent a few moments in the gas station and as we were ready to leave... the car wouldn't start.<br />
The battery had apparently died.<br />
I guess if it was to happen, we were lucky it was at a gas station still relatively in town as opposed to being out in the open solitude of the country side...<br />
We called our insurance and they sent people to jump our car an hour later, and again we were counting our lucky stars that there was an Auto Zone open nearby, so we could test and buy a new battery and be on our way.<br />
At the Auto Zone, a woman came running up to us frantic; I didn't understand what she was crying and afraid of, but I let her use my phone. After she called someone several times, she returned my phone and before I could offer any more assistance she darted off in some kind of frenzy.<br />
Some sketchy looking dudes came rolling up in an equally sketchy vehicle, and when they stepped out billows of smoke came out with them.<br />
They eyed me up, and paced around the walkway near where we parked. I had my assisted-opening knife at the ready in my back pocket, and put on my bitchiest bitch face while my hubby installed the new battery.<br />
I gave them a nod, and they left us alone... and soon we were on our way again.<br />
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So, Oregon. I don't know what to think of you now. I had always heard of your endless beauty... but I was greeted with loads and loads of roadside garbage. Just look at the stateline sign location, haha!<br />
We decided to go as far as La Grande and call it a night. The town was actually very quaint, so it made up for it a little... except we had to stay in a very shabby looking Rodeway Inn. I was worried about the cleanliness, but it turned out ok. Sheets were awfully gaudy but the beds were clean. Good enough I suppose.<br />
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We were all quite pooped from the day. It didn't take long for all of us to fall asleep; this was our last stop till our new home! The Inn offered a continental breakfast surprisingly, which again I wasn't sure about-- they didn't have a dining room, you literally sat in metal chairs in the tiny room-sized lobby... but they had frosted flakes, and I was craving them so it made for a great breakfast, heheh.<br />
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Since we had driven to La Grande, it made our final push a small one, the state line came so fast I barely had time to snap a shot of it! Plus it was on a bridge and it was tiny to boot.<br />
By the time we hit Seattle, we were all feeling antsy-- full of anticipation and excitement!<br />
Up until a few days ago, I hadn't personally seen our new home! I entrusted my husband to find a house that would suit our needs. I realize now that I put <i>a lot</i> of trust in him, more than I really realized I did haha!<br />
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The house was perfect, though, in a town located Northeast of Mt. Vernon which is one hour North of Seattle.<br />
I felt <i style="font-weight: bold;">home</i>, and that's a feeling I never really fully got while I lived in Texas.<br />
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It's certainly chilly here, I must say! My new creative laboratory boasts two windows-- our home being a nice corner lot and all. Perfect for sun-bathing, as Khan can be seen here enjoying! Perfect for sewing at all hours of daylight available. I get it all!<br />
Khan and Poe are both doing very well still and settling in beautifully. We're busy busy unpacking and making our home look as much as a home as it feels!<br />
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<b>Next post will be all about building my new creative laboratory!</b></div>
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<b>Till then, my fiends,</b></div>
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<b>Spook ya later!</b></div>
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Mari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-86487536062183151022017-09-25T18:45:00.001-07:002018-02-06T03:17:32.327-08:00Mortem's Trick or Treats: For The Love of All That Is Spooky.Ahh fall. Glorious isn't it?<br />
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I feel the shifts, like cosmic strings tugging at my being. I feel renewed, and I am welcoming of change.<br />
That doesn't mean much in the way of weather in the places I've been living at since moving to the U.S.<br />
That is, until this wonderful October. I'm moving <i style="font-weight: bold;">again.</i><br />
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My new home will be in a small town in beautiful overcast (but still four seasoned) Washington state.<br />
It also means I'll be much closer to the border of my homeland--so close to the border in fact I could take a little drive and have dinner in Vancouver city if I were so inclined, and I just may because ever since I discovered <a href="http://www.japadog.com/" target="_blank">Japadog's</a> existence several years back, I have been dying to try them.<br />
My new home is still unfortunately about a 10 hour drive to my hometown, though... but 967 km beats the over 3000 km I was/am.<br />
This also marks the <b>4th state in 5 years I'll have lived in</b>. Pretty crazy-- for someone who lives a life indoors... I lead a surprisingly nomadic life.<br />
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So, at the time of writing this I am a little over a week from my move date; we'll be driving all the way up and it's roughly a 5 day drive at best.<br />
I decided to say good bye to San Antonio and my current version of my creative laboratory with one final project to hold me off till I can get my new lab set up.<br />
Since I am altogether saying so long to the South, I decided it should be with a great <i>big</i> <i>bang</i>... and what better way than with a little Hallowe'en cheer?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivsrMhzBTN-nfMYE81DvfO8ozl6dGMmZtqtf3D1V5wjf7ABtFYaVLygXzhhL94H1CWgJn09qkk63WrmOL8H5zlUZ5fwlAzejfL6ZRuWXIwU3DYcieClKUM4XBnRTPZ02um17GbPC1TviU/s1600/IMG_20170924_17222742911111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivsrMhzBTN-nfMYE81DvfO8ozl6dGMmZtqtf3D1V5wjf7ABtFYaVLygXzhhL94H1CWgJn09qkk63WrmOL8H5zlUZ5fwlAzejfL6ZRuWXIwU3DYcieClKUM4XBnRTPZ02um17GbPC1TviU/s640/IMG_20170924_17222742911111.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
I made a jack o'lantern bag!<br />
I have been after the original ones for about a year; every time I have money and think about getting one, there is none available and being a fabric/craft addict that I am I promptly spend that liquid cash on feeding my addiction. When they do have them available, I am such as I am now-- pinching every dollar in my pocket.<br />
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Well I had about enough of coveting one, and a round purse isn't terribly difficult to figure out... though the bottom piece did give me some grief.<br />
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I have a deep and difficult love for vintage faced pumpkins-- they have round eyes and sharp jagged teeth. Whenever I see one, a switch is flipped in my head and I become fevered with lust for that which triggered the desire. It's not always a pretty sight for my wallet. So I drew from that inspiration for the face of my lovely little 'treat' bag.<br />
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I had at first considered the possibility of using a vinyl for my material, but I was never able to locate any in the shade I wanted. I did have in my stash a home dec weight velvet that I honestly can't recall the purpose for its acquisition-- and for some reason it looks far more red in my photos than the muted autumn maple color that it truly is (color identification courtesy of <a href="http://themutantstompfriends.blogspot.com/2017/09/pantone-fall-2017.html#more" target="_blank">Mutant Stomps Pantone fall colors guide</a>).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbq42U8XKS-KpAqIBBPeVjOpdhyGPbYF7gJAofy_hYoF_PeP2Zm4SuBqe0_uY1bMeGctMc3x5FcMSmJOeawT5h6HjvW3EVnUQ5qZyawqN_QxwnV7Fca8oc5HHDgD3Ti9LOq1oE2z5N-Q/s1600/collagepumpkinfabric2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1140" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbq42U8XKS-KpAqIBBPeVjOpdhyGPbYF7gJAofy_hYoF_PeP2Zm4SuBqe0_uY1bMeGctMc3x5FcMSmJOeawT5h6HjvW3EVnUQ5qZyawqN_QxwnV7Fca8oc5HHDgD3Ti9LOq1oE2z5N-Q/s640/collagepumpkinfabric2.jpg" width="608" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spider web lace not shown*</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The candy print cotton was a purchase I made from this year's haul of halloween fabrics (I'll make a post of my loot some other time). The candy print was always intended for the bag because these bags reminded me more of candy buckets... and what kind of candy bucket shall I have if it didn't have some 'candy' within? This particular print however wasn't always due for this bag, I had another one from several halloween's ago, from the time I lived in Arizona, that I was going to use... that wasn't a cheap purchase, and not to mention it's out of print now-- so I chickened out at the last minute. This one is $4 per yard and it's from Walmart, so it was a formidable substitution.<br />
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My intention for this bag wasn't to make it overly complicated-- simple, but unique to that of the rest. And to think back on it, I think it would have turned out that way... if fate hadn't intervened...<br />
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I had previously worked on a small project and hadn't gotten around to putting everything away after I wiped the table down (shame, shame...), so I had a scrap of spiderweb lace and a bottle of glow paint staring me in the face, seducing me with promises of a prettier bag. I took the bait... and oh the delight.<br />
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It is with this project that I also got to try Pellon's version of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/ByAnnies-Stable-Fabric-58-Inch-White/dp/B007F0Y8I8" target="_blank">Annie's soft & stable</a>: their <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pellon-Flex-Foam-1-Sided-Fusible-Stabilizer/dp/B0156F8LXQ" target="_blank">fusible flex foam</a>. It's been on the market for quite some time now, but I <i>had</i> enough Annie's in my stash to last me a while. What I have left is promised to a messenger tote I am making my mother.<br />
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It's certainly cheaper per yard than Annie's, but the adhesive they used leaves a lot to be desired. I noticed, now that my bag is done, the back panel is coming up in places... it's rather annoying since it's quite unsightly.<br />
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I don't think I've ever used so many different weights in one single project ever. To my count, it's 5 different types! Overall I'm quite pleased with the stability of my "prototype".<br />
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The bow was always part of my original intent, what I hadn't decided until last minute was that it was to be a bat wing bow-- anything seems to be made better with bat wings! I very carefully hand-stitched the bow onto the bag, as I wasn't confident simply gluing it on, though being that it was pvc it might have actually held onto the velvet really well. I spent so many hours just hand basting much of it in place. If I hadn't I'd fear for my sanity, what with the different kinds of materials alone in this bugger.<br />
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The striped pipping was another detail I decided on adding as a lark. I had <b>so</b><i style="font-weight: bold;"> many</i> scraps from <a href="https://marimortem.blogspot.com/2015/03/mortems-tricks-or-treats-people-have.html" target="_blank">this dress I made</a> a couple years back. I don't remember there being so much, but when I went digging for pieces to make a plain black pipping, I discovered the pile of varying sized chunks. I found a front bodice piece that was just large enough to square off and create a decent length of binding from. Weird, but fortuitous-- it completed a nice retro feel.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Why are you so red?! And why did I leave the shoulders collapsed?!</i></td></tr>
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The bag's size turned out a little bigger than anticipated, but roomy is never a bad thing for a bag isn't it? I might have to redraft this bag to something a little more manageable for everyday wear. It makes a superb carry on though. I made sure to have pockets in it, including a zippered one for things that shouldn't bop around like my lip balm and keys. The other two pockets are for my wallet and phone, so they too don't jingle around, or get scratched up. This is where the spider web printed material (not the lace) came in, I contrasted all the pockets with it. Unfortunately, I couldn't quite seem to grab a decent enough photo of the pockets except the one shown below-- which still isn't that amazing. I will keep trying and edit this post when I do, though!<br />
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The bag turned out to be quite a grand labor of love, and I really couldn't be happier with how it came out. It turned out better than the preliminary sketches-- I love it when that happens! I poured my passion for Hallowe'en straight into the design.<br />
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I used glow paint to hand paint in little details on the sides; they're not so obvious by day, unless you're actively looking for them; the lace overlay keeps them quite hidden. Darkness really brings out the best of this bag, as it tends to do for us darklings-- we who bump in the night!<br />
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Glow paint! It's the medium of Gods; it's my favorite addition to this bag... I want glow paint to be my signature touch, my bread and butter, my forte-- holosexuals, meet your match... <b>phosphorescensexuals</b>.<br />
Ok, it's a mouthful... but it'll catch on, I swear!<br />
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Anyway, I haven't had much of a chance since completing it to actually wear it out and it's been raining pretty unpredictably to get good enough shots modeled outdoors... maybe I can snag one soon, so I can have a completed outfit to show off.<br />
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<b>Until then, spook ya later, fiends!</b></div>
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Mari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-41176997746576564482017-09-18T09:53:00.001-07:002017-09-18T18:35:40.031-07:00Fashioning My Cyber Microcosm: 10 Things I Wish I Knew.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There was a discussion I read that I thought might be a fun topic to think about and write about here; it was a '10 things you wish you knew when you first started sewing'. Being that I am almost completely self taught, it's safe to say I wish I knew a lot of things. Most especially now.<br />
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The history of my sewing background is long and a little complicated but to make a long story short: I was sewing on and off since I was 10, mostly hand sewn doll clothes and little repairs to my own clothes. I didn't tackle a wearable garment till I was 14 when my mother bought me my first machine, an Omega. The serger I own was always in my life (it's older than I am-- my parents bought it new), but I never used it until a few months after getting my Omega; I didn't really understand it's full purpose, so how could I even use it effectively? Heh.<br />
When it came to sewing my mother knew only how to hand sew, which she taught me, but after that I was on my own. Consequently, I spent a lot of time at the library, maybe more than I did at my machine... but everything I learned, I still learned the hard way despite those long hours with my nose in a book... surely one can write an essay on the lesson of theoretical vs. practical knowledge using 'teaching yourself to sew from books' as evidence.<br />
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So if there were 10 things I could tell myself at the beginning? Well, in no particular order...<br />
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<b>1. Keep your measurements up to date and accurate.</b></div>
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Taking proper measurements is time consuming, and making sure to take your time to do it right and do it at least once a month makes it tedious. I still have a hard time making myself do it, but I do know better now. I will on occasion head onto projects willfully ignorant every now and again, heheh. Whereas when I began, many projects were dubiously "successful"-- mostly out of pure luck.</div>
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I use <a href="https://marimortem.blogspot.com/2015/10/fashioning-my-cyber-microcosm-scary.html" target="_blank">this template I created</a> now, popped it in a glass picture frame and use dry erase markers, now I have a no-waste reference sheet always available.<br />
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<b>2. Don't skip hand basting </b></div>
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Once I didn't skip this tedious little task, the quality in my sewing sky rocketed. Everything was more accurately placed, with far less warping and puckering, not to mention painless to sew.When you're dealing with a lot of layers, or delicate and slippery ones... pins just don't suffice for accuracy. </div>
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Even when you're sewing over pins (which I used to be guilty of, but don't anymore), there's still a considerable margin for error between each pin.<br />
Always use contrasting thread, because you should always be taking it out afterwards.</div>
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It does suck to do and it's time consuming... but again, worth it-- a couture standard and for good reason. </div>
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<b>3. </b><b>Take ergonomics seriously</b></div>
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When you're young, you feel invincible, but... that's pretty far from the truth. Bad lighting, bad posture, no preventative gear... it catches up. Especially when you're enjoying yourself.</div>
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Thimbles, chair cushions, extra lamps, wrist supports... these are a few of the things that will cut down fatigue and strain that cause aging to suck ass.<b> </b></div>
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<b>4. </b><b>Develop the habit of finishing your garment properly</b></div>
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I confess, I didn't line my garments for a very long time (but I always finished my seams!). It's kind of tough working backwards, that much is true. I wish I started learning this much sooner than when I did actually start. I think it's invaluable in learning the fundamentals in garment construction-- there's something to be said about learning something, and doing it backwards to ensure you understood what happened. Pathways in the brain open up!!</div>
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Plus, it's impressive looking as hell... heh. </div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8Hek7qbwCCt8GB1SEpfchC6YO2Mb6QsIYdT_N5_C9dOvbnC9phYYfin5OjZMoE-XcGmCOAq_zb2yo327Jn6jB8EjDBchu4VRlDGm_EVESNk1lARRGHxVVkOSBSRjvGNg3Nyq_23FewI/s640/collagecutonfold.jpg" /><b></b><br />
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<b>4. Don't "Cut on the fold"</b><br />
I have always been one to make copies of my patterns to keep the original intact, but one thing that took me a long time to get into the habit of was mirroring those 'cut on fold' pieces into whole pieces. Cutting on the fold is a somewhat troublesome habit that pattern companies reinforce. The reason pattern companies do this is to make it easier to save on fabric, and to save on the tissue they print on... but you'll soon learn that it's not always possible, and no good has ever come from cutting corners. If you're keen on matching your print or you need to be especially conscious of your seam allowances, piles, grains, bias... basically anything (lol)... save yourself headaches and heartache by just doing the extra step.<br />
In the photo above, you'll notice I still write in the cutting instructions; sometimes I mirror after I finish copying all the pieces, as a reminder to go back and mirror pieces. Later that will be erased.<br />
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<b>6. </b><b>Pay Attention to Grain lines. </b></div>
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Seems like a no-brainer... but since I was so stingy with my fabric at first, I preoccupied myself on how much material I could save rather than pay attention to the placement of my pieces on the fabric. Cutting your material along different grains can severely warp your final product, but it won't be obvious until you try and wear it and it's not fixable mistake. Usually the material's selvage works as a guide to find your grain lines, but sometimes mystery fabrics happen and in that case research is key!</div>
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<b>7. Be patient with mock ups, and use a material closest in drape as your 'good fabric'</b><br />
If something is not working during the mock up stage, continue to work on it till it does and never mix weights; a cotton muslin material doesn't drape the same way silk crepe de chine does, and as tempting as it is to use because of how cheap it is per yard, it's not a good idea if you're looking to gauge how the fit or fixes will look as the crepe de chine...<br />
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<b>8. </b><b>Learn and apply pressing and ironing techniques and tools</b></div>
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Another one for the finishing technique pile but can stand on its own. Nothing looks more sloppy and more obviously homemade than an unpressed project-- it's not always needed, but it's important to learn when, where and how it should be done. I once heard someone say that an iron is as important as the sewing machine. At the beginning, I would laugh at such a statement... and now, I nod my head in agreement so fast I could sprain it.</div>
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There are almost as many tools and ways to press a garment during the construction process, as there are steps to constructing any garment... Above are just some of the<i> 'basics</i>'. Makes my head spin!<b> </b></div>
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<b>9. Use and transfer pattern markings.</b><br />
My very first self pattern drafts did not include a single marking, so I was unable to learn or discover any mistakes I made. I learned my lesson even harder going into commercial patterns, because without transferring the markings or even understanding why they were there to begin with, meant any attempt I made at alteration a futile one.<br />
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<b>10.Keep Your Space Clean.</b><br />
I know, ground breaking concept, heh.<br />
Seriously, though, I think of my space much like I think of a laboratory-- hence why you'll often see me referring to my creative space as a "creative laboratory". You're dealing with a lot of things that, as funny as it is to think, can cause bodily harm. If not to yourself than perhaps a curious paw or tiny hand... You might be dealing with some substances that can destroy hours of work; like excess machine oil or grease that wasn't cleaned up properly... and suddenly you find an unsightly stain on that finished dress made up of out of print fabric in a very unfortunate and visible spot...<br />
Shit happens, best prevent it as much as possible. <br />
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I guess the real lesson here is take your time, and your sewing will reward you. One well made garment is worth 100 crafted pieces of mediocrity. Even if one simple blouse takes you days... that's really ok, as long as you're taking away something from the experience.<br />
There's comfort that with enough dedication and time, speed is an eventuality.<br />
Find and know your way before you attempt short cuts; they can be so very seductive... but in the beginning, they can only be reductive.<br />
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So those are my ten, good luck to any future sewist out there.<br />
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<b>Spook ya later!</b></div>
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Mari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-56240525635007206822017-09-03T18:41:00.000-07:002017-09-03T18:41:29.373-07:00Mortem's Trick or Treats: A Time For Recouping. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been rough these past couple of weeks. Physically that is.<br />
I have been fighting a small injury to my hip, that although small, nevertheless kept me from my usual freedoms. After I healed from that, I was stricken with a bad allergy attack that made my eyes swell up shut. After I took enough antihistamines to get them open it was just a matter of waiting and medicating for the rest of my body to follow suit...<br />
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Still, despite all of it, recovery time did offer me a moment to finish some smaller projects I kept putting off and of course writing on my blog-- that's why I have been so very active online, hehe.<br />
Now that I'm mostly back to relative normality, I took the chance to model out a pair of overalls I finished before the allergy attack.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAFTNqYvYlGrDHkMt2mS5mL4M8t2fhG_jNb3teW3uQlcAzXiTktqzUcvUocjg6NiAKriuAdAj84xrkPMaimnhZGAliq0ogB0f4BBE7D1Nu2IYHgSmD-8s6aMJD5YBomGWT5idu5L6Ywg/s1600/IMG_20170525_11230586911111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1101" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAFTNqYvYlGrDHkMt2mS5mL4M8t2fhG_jNb3teW3uQlcAzXiTktqzUcvUocjg6NiAKriuAdAj84xrkPMaimnhZGAliq0ogB0f4BBE7D1Nu2IYHgSmD-8s6aMJD5YBomGWT5idu5L6Ywg/s640/IMG_20170525_11230586911111.jpg" width="440" /></a></div>
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This was the project I had even earlier set aside to work on my version of <a href="https://marimortem.blogspot.com/2017/08/mortems-tricks-or-treats-best-laid.html" target="_blank">McCall's 6503</a>.<br />
It was while I was deciding what to do for embellishments on this project that my path took me to the dress. After that struggle, a little break afterwards, and I guess the bruised hip (lol) I was able to finally get back to it.<br />
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This is <b>McCall's 7547 </b>in view C; the overall shorts.<br />
<br />
Always wanted me a pair of velvet overalls, and now I finally have them-- with a few modifications.<br />
And modifications there are a few of...<br />
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To start, I omitted side seams and any zippers or the connected waist bands that were originally designed with the pattern. In their place I used grommets for lace up details, and double sided button tabs to ensure they stay together-- in case unlacing should somehow occur. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLvTVXadOYsZz1wwMf1BUyxBr-J4DBUMdGwuOV1jVEcvKwqsEJZA0eu1QT5InMdnVT6P7u3jwvYHWIgLdkNMT_FkvMo8aiXelEhIk6vC4zzUTGr8YP9lQEL4Y358903Tuz7QOnYJ6GT0/s1600/IMG_20170826_13513826011111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLvTVXadOYsZz1wwMf1BUyxBr-J4DBUMdGwuOV1jVEcvKwqsEJZA0eu1QT5InMdnVT6P7u3jwvYHWIgLdkNMT_FkvMo8aiXelEhIk6vC4zzUTGr8YP9lQEL4Y358903Tuz7QOnYJ6GT0/s640/IMG_20170826_13513826011111.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next, I added some pleather gear/cog appliques... though it would appear this idea was kind of a bust. They were meant to be more pronounce. I may add decorative rivets in order to accentuate the design, but I'm not sure I want to use the amount I would require for a substantial difference to be made. These appliques are placed on the bottom left front and the back right on the pocket.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3O2_C6fY1MDXX69Sr-Bg6NTJ3pBGDtoQ7uCGCWEl8tcC7t_lBDxsYF1IWdgU7C3JyP5i7GpB_f0HFn_GM0NDMvaGzE6LSE7VO704fkVDzp4GnRlqABYJqzLayJhA8O19HWur1QNymMA/s1600/collageoveralls2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="1200" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3O2_C6fY1MDXX69Sr-Bg6NTJ3pBGDtoQ7uCGCWEl8tcC7t_lBDxsYF1IWdgU7C3JyP5i7GpB_f0HFn_GM0NDMvaGzE6LSE7VO704fkVDzp4GnRlqABYJqzLayJhA8O19HWur1QNymMA/s640/collageoveralls2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I would give this a solid 'meh'.</div>
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Perhaps if I had not went with double textured materials, it might have panned out better.</div>
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The button tabs were things I had to draft in myself, though as you might imagine, not very difficult to do.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqoNPosPTsYlrzPCo5G4i7eIzbqi3L8cp0Gru8CnX13SNNw5UJZixf0YGaIlQGKh2VFY_8YCfsqa-nuFL0xAFDNTjMoUwYwN-9bL-tmeZ9k9P8jc2piNAUy4UXorX5BZuMk10lDuB6Sg/s1600/IMG_20170901_22475364911111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqoNPosPTsYlrzPCo5G4i7eIzbqi3L8cp0Gru8CnX13SNNw5UJZixf0YGaIlQGKh2VFY_8YCfsqa-nuFL0xAFDNTjMoUwYwN-9bL-tmeZ9k9P8jc2piNAUy4UXorX5BZuMk10lDuB6Sg/s640/IMG_20170901_22475364911111.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I took a portion of the original waist pattern piece and arrowed it off.<br />
The method might have been easy, but the decision to use them wasn't; this new design feature. I bounced the idea around among buckles or snaps. None seemed more neutral in the end to any future belts I may wear than fabric covered buttons, since I kept the original belt loops in the design.<br />
Lucky I had some button making kits in my stash leftover from making <a href="https://marimortem.blogspot.com/2015/11/mortems-tricks-or-treats-mccalls-6887.html" target="_blank">my bat dress</a>.<br />
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My biggest revelation while making this up was the use of fabric glue. I know, sounds like a no-brainer to a crafter.<br />
Once I did scoff the use in <i>garment construction</i>, because hand basting was more than sufficient, and glue can have rather unsightly effect on the finish, if you're using liquid glue or a strong enough stick glue. I use it all the time in my millinery and other accessory related craft... but during this, I wasn't in the mood to baste every seam in this to make it sit right.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4Ty3XZsON-_1AiRPnSFkri818Js6qiSIOY61SlbQ39ZlDjc1ag3z7PNg6vZ7HEm0d8FfDW-DljGam7mH113oBCSaoOfCrB-QFMoTF_CrM_wmILUppZkFZUPYrKnUit7FHV4yuFWAPiE/s1600/IMG_20170822_1453187381111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4Ty3XZsON-_1AiRPnSFkri818Js6qiSIOY61SlbQ39ZlDjc1ag3z7PNg6vZ7HEm0d8FfDW-DljGam7mH113oBCSaoOfCrB-QFMoTF_CrM_wmILUppZkFZUPYrKnUit7FHV4yuFWAPiE/s640/IMG_20170822_1453187381111.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Stick glue never liquid for basting</b></td></tr>
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See, I don't have a velvet board; a tool used to press/iron velvet without affecting the pile adversely. It's also very expensive, and the sole reason I don't yet own one.<br />
Fluffy towels are said to be a good substitute, but I don't have fluffy towels. It left me puzzling over what I could do to get the cooperation I desired when pins were too cumbersome for accuracy.<br />
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I bought this fabric glue pen to experiment in my millinery (brand:<a href="https://www.amazon.com/June-Tailor-Fabric-Glue-Pen/dp/B071W1WDBD" target="_blank"> June Tailor</a>), but the application was far too light for those purposes. Kind of an <i>ah-ha</i> moment.<br />
A quick swatch test, and doors of possibilities opened.<br />
I was able to make the straps and work under finite seam allowance with ease, all thanks to fabric glue basting; the pen applicator was acutely responsible for the level of handiness.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirw2Va8ByH8OGacNHnayfgVxi8zr4TAMkWMFgqJHgR9yo_wd662KwVaxnWUCa3QRpmCDQxTQgZD3BQj2CLKZ_DZlP3MsLye5eI0NutIHyuziJI8jwqNvvQtBdXL_DpGlCba57eWH7ZyDU/s1600/IMG_20170903_131724422111111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="957" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirw2Va8ByH8OGacNHnayfgVxi8zr4TAMkWMFgqJHgR9yo_wd662KwVaxnWUCa3QRpmCDQxTQgZD3BQj2CLKZ_DZlP3MsLye5eI0NutIHyuziJI8jwqNvvQtBdXL_DpGlCba57eWH7ZyDU/s640/IMG_20170903_131724422111111.jpg" width="382" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToxflft5CrP6lMlLPPoD5_Yghsxvvfuk8la9S0kibi1hIohExxLqRfRobkRHsEow19Ubrohyphenhyphenxxpdu2DOpQcHw1mA3jzw4XbcuMPyRAGHEvSakF_g-KnT9EY6BKwJGg51-mbYyR2kgMQw/s1600/IMG_20170903_131816146111111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="953" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToxflft5CrP6lMlLPPoD5_Yghsxvvfuk8la9S0kibi1hIohExxLqRfRobkRHsEow19Ubrohyphenhyphenxxpdu2DOpQcHw1mA3jzw4XbcuMPyRAGHEvSakF_g-KnT9EY6BKwJGg51-mbYyR2kgMQw/s640/IMG_20170903_131816146111111.jpg" width="380" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Pattern Overview:</u></b><br />
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<ul>
<li>The finished garment produces a close fitting/fitted pair of overalls, worth it to note for those looking for a loose fit. With major and complicated tweaks, the possibility is there. </li>
<li>Front top pocket is not originally intended for View C, this is an optional piece for this view.</li>
<li>If you're using a material with not a lot of thickness, like I did, make sure you're reinforcing and adding an interfaced thick layer where the dungaree buttons will be installed.</li>
<li>It should be mentioned that originally the pattern has a side zipper closure, and a working front fly. I wanted neither.</li>
<li>Comes together very easily, though I suggest paying close attention to how you finish your seams and reinforce stress points; the crotch, corners of pockets, the point where the straps are attached, as well as front and back bibs along the waist.</li>
</ul>
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So despite my <i>resting witch face</i>, I am very pleased and relieved with the outcome. I <i>barely</i> tested for fit, except for mocking up just the bottom portion and trying that on <u>once</u>, I didn't put them on again until I was fully finished. Kind of a gamble, especially considering the material-- velvet ain't the cheapest material on the market, most especially a quality crushed velvet that isn't stretch and doesn't look super costumey.</div>
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<b>Until next time, fiends.</b></div>
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<b>Spook ya later!</b></div>
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<b>Top: </b>Handmade-- <a href="https://marimortem.blogspot.com/2017/05/mortems-tricks-or-treats-bloody.html" target="_blank">Simplicity 8386</a></div>
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<b>Necklace: </b>Handmade</div>
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<b>Boots & Hat: </b>Ardenes and Ebay</div>
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<br />Mari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-23176501013483033112017-09-02T13:13:00.000-07:002017-09-02T13:18:56.321-07:00Mortem's Trick or Treats: Art Inspired By Art.I have a lot of things to catch up on, things I have been up to during the past year...<br />
I promised opening a shop, and for a good chunk of the year I was working on a few items to fill that shop.<br />
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I suddenly find myself in a position of not quite liking the name I had chosen for myself earlier... and I still haven't been able to settle on a name I feel <i>at home</i> with; nothing seems to be speaking to me much.<br />
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Anyway, I wasn't going to focus on my sewing with the shop so I started making some hand painted items-- these items were made a few months ago, but like I said, I am catching up on the going ons in my humble abode.<br />
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I started with a jewelry box. The idea was to make a kind of folk-y type kind of jewelry box... but I don't know how much I succeeded, because images of vintage beistles danced across my head.<br />
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I free handed all the pencil outlines, using the popular <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DMEGT1A/ref=asc_df_B00DMEGT1A5151190/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B00DMEGT1A&linkCode=df0&hvadid=194912533170&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15454399694069546728&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028079&hvtargid=pla-313063678740" target="_blank">scaredy cat napkin</a> as a reference. It's funny, this is my absolute favorite beistle cut out... and I don't own it. One day I will... I'd like to focus on collecting them in the future-- them and blow molds.<br />
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I can't remember where I bought the little blank trinket jewelry box-- it wasn't normally from one of the main craft shops. Some little mom and pop shop I believe... could be a chance it was a thrift store too... Sadly my memory fails me, but I was ecstatic when I found it. I have to track down where to find more just like it.<br />
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I got a little carried away with some of the details, which is why I say it is not quite a folk-y type box any longer... it's just <i>an art box?</i><br />
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You know when you love creating something, and all your love is pouring right into the project?<br />
I mean I guess I experience that with everything I am creating, but I felt it ten fold while painting this lil thing. Painting is a nice break from my usual going on's; perhaps I am just speaking out of my ass... Well.<br />
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I am second guessing that spider web ribbon that holds the lid/mirror up. Maybe I should have went with lace, as I did decoupage a bit on the top. I used some really pretty damask felt to line the top storage portion, and instead of using it in the drawered portion I continued the spooky design-- there was a lack of bats on this box, these kind of turned into a nice little 'surprise'.<br />
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Oh oh, and my favorite part of this little box?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPF-Lf34HbbVS7J072K0aWnk4ahRGl_XKZgZRaTtztzi9gUpun5aFUThu5z06KRXV2JE7CN4Zx6Ql6VMPWS81wmFGnkTwo9UC_0DyK7ukZ79KZH5mw2ZgwSo5PmPFjrr4zCXC1-abCEHI/s1600/IMG_20161206_14065530211111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPF-Lf34HbbVS7J072K0aWnk4ahRGl_XKZgZRaTtztzi9gUpun5aFUThu5z06KRXV2JE7CN4Zx6Ql6VMPWS81wmFGnkTwo9UC_0DyK7ukZ79KZH5mw2ZgwSo5PmPFjrr4zCXC1-abCEHI/s640/IMG_20161206_14065530211111.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><u>It glows in the dark</u>!</b></td></tr>
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Glow in the dark paint is my new favorite thing. I can't stop painting with it, and adding it anywhere I can.<br />
So this was supposed to be for selling, yet despite what I <i>made it for</i>, I don't think I can replicate it... and its been in my possession since I made it back in December of last year, and since no one has expressed an interest in it I feel <i>extremely</i> inclined to keep it for myself.<br />
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I did make another little hand painted piece of vintage-halloween inspired <i style="font-weight: bold;">love </i>around the same time<i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>that I hope to have sold to a loving home.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6Q1yAFwTrGdfrPOKGUQFNsua7RSBTFmnb0Pvopdq1gen2pjFFohhw18QDa4_LXRJVzmVX4hlQxEAHbJc1LhrFiLfr43Tx7dglm2cZeSvqKmW7lSji7t9lugp9fBrV4vkxQyQ4UZ5dY8/s1600/IMG_20161220_1332300811111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6Q1yAFwTrGdfrPOKGUQFNsua7RSBTFmnb0Pvopdq1gen2pjFFohhw18QDa4_LXRJVzmVX4hlQxEAHbJc1LhrFiLfr43Tx7dglm2cZeSvqKmW7lSji7t9lugp9fBrV4vkxQyQ4UZ5dY8/s640/IMG_20161220_1332300811111.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's heart shaped, get it? Get it?</td></tr>
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I really wanted to continue experimenting with some of the surplus of supplies I had bought from doing a halloween swap and the supplies I had bought to build stock for my shop; I got a little zealous, to say the least. I had a huge block of white sculpey clay... so I've been making a few things- pendants, charms, pop out details to some hand painted wood wall hangings... hehe.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6CiymNikxFJYEOfQRinV0s1s-6EuYwqeGP9H1AdY-oeEuWxXUlqtUmXX9z5qjYdx1u7f_2SF8COkBFtGYCRSZQ4s0_wHVunJfb5B5HrNeTB96YruDIDitGURqK5oVvUCyzI9sSGQdto/s1600/IMG_20161230_13415692511111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6CiymNikxFJYEOfQRinV0s1s-6EuYwqeGP9H1AdY-oeEuWxXUlqtUmXX9z5qjYdx1u7f_2SF8COkBFtGYCRSZQ4s0_wHVunJfb5B5HrNeTB96YruDIDitGURqK5oVvUCyzI9sSGQdto/s640/IMG_20161230_13415692511111.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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This one was inspired by another popular <a href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/76/54/03/7654038686d96a0d664039da7bb7820d.jpg" target="_blank">beistle stand up cut out</a>, the pumpkin wasn't a part of it and was also inspired by yet another <a href="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/21/f7/8a/21f78a5f6a086ddd486ae35538e2e85e--spooky-games-halloween-games.jpg" target="_blank">beistle print</a> (couldn't find the exact pumpkin I referenced, but it was a set of pumpkins not unlike those in the link). Of course it also glows in the dark as well!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4_IbwoQn2LW5KtjK0HdCaOHSLXSoMtWnAJJfECdPGbmLE4fsPxMi-YhyMeTlDZPPCBK6GPAulUnt0-A4aNWEzZLp33a1jd99ktnTG8ZCNPup2W2oSjA83jWWYpVsOofNdGautEtyCz0/s1600/IMG_20170902_14541144311111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4_IbwoQn2LW5KtjK0HdCaOHSLXSoMtWnAJJfECdPGbmLE4fsPxMi-YhyMeTlDZPPCBK6GPAulUnt0-A4aNWEzZLp33a1jd99ktnTG8ZCNPup2W2oSjA83jWWYpVsOofNdGautEtyCz0/s640/IMG_20170902_14541144311111.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ooooh, spooky lil ghosts!</td></tr>
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Though I guess I didn't use as much glow in the dark paint on the pumpkin as I thought I did. It's so faint in the photo... but still visible in person.<br />
If you're interested please feel free to email me for info and such: mari.mortem@gmail.com<br />
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I hope sooner than later I can land on a shop name to get this ball continuing to roll... in the meantime, I will be making many more Halloween inspired goodies that I may or may not decide to keep, haha!<br />
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<b>Spook ya later, fiends!</b></div>
<br />Mari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-72610698420209368182017-08-28T14:26:00.000-07:002017-08-28T22:50:11.447-07:00Fashioning My Cyber Microcosm: I've Been Tagged! -- Darkling TagI was tagged by the ethereal <a href="http://vulcanbutterfly.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Vulcan Butterfly</a> with questions provided by <a href="https://graveyardkittens.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Graveyard Kitten</a>.<br />
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I tag the incredibly talented and fellow spooky sewist <a href="https://autumnmoonenchantment.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mary Mourning</a> (Autumn Moon Enchantment), the mistress of the Gothic Cottage in the Spooky Forest <a href="http://insomniacsattic.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mrs. Insomniac</a> (Insomniac's Attic) and last but not least, the ever inspirational<a href="http://www.batshitandlipsticks.com/" target="_blank"> Luna Von Bat</a> (Batshit & Lipsticks).<br />
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Honourable mentions include:<br />
<a href="http://www.frykitty.com/" target="_blank">Frykitty </a>-- Frytopia<br />
<a href="http://www.talesfromageordiegoth.co.uk/" target="_blank">Sarah </a>-- Tales From A Geordie Goth<br />
<a href="http://domesticatedgoth.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">House Cat</a> -- Domesticated<br />
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Prepare for a long winded affair my friends; questionnaires (and reading them) are such fun for me-- and a great way to procrastinate on my current project list, haha! ...<br />
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<u><b>Simple Questions</b></u><br />
<b>What is your favorite candle scent?</b><br />
I prefer burning incense.<br />
<b>Do you have a favorite book?</b><br />
Favorite book-book will always be Frankenstein, but I'm more of a comic book and graphic novel kind of gal. My <i>current favorite</i> is the Dark Crystal series published by Archaia. They also have the Labyrinth series which I'd love to read once I finish my current batch of comics.<br />
<b>Are you a tea or coffee person?</b><br />
Could never acquire a taste for coffee in any of its various forms. I do like a good cup of tea... but it still wouldn't be the first thing I crave.<br />
<b>What's your favourite perfume/cologne?</b><br />
My own blend? Heh. Perfuming would be one of my hobbies... current combination is heavy woodsy, and a touch of spice.<br />
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Song of India makes sumptuous perfume oils that I've used for years, but they don't make many blends.<br />
<b>Do you have a celebrity crush?</b><br />
I respect Lupita Nyong'o, she's very talented and graceful. I guess also Crispin Glover and Jim Carrey. These three view the world with such amazing depth and complexity that at least for the latter two, seemed to be a detriment to their acting careers.<br />
<b>If you could change your name to a stereotypical 90s/2000s gothy name, what it would be?</b><br />
I'm using it...<br />
<b>What are your top three tips for surviving hot weather while black clad?</b><br />
Only you can judge what you can wear based on your tolerance to heat.</div>
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<b>What song will always make you happy (doesn’t have to be a goth band)? </b><br />
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<i><i><b>Dignificada by Lila Downs</b></i></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">and one more for good measure...</span></div>
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<b><b><i>Isobel by Björk</i></b></b></div>
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<b>
Are you active in the arts (ex. play an instrument, paint, write, etc)?</b><br />
I'd say sewing is an art, especially at the level I aspire to... but for this example, I do paint and draw fairly well, it just isn't that often. I am also quite fond of writing haiku's every now and again.<br />
<b>What is your number one non-gothy hobby?</b><br />
Gaming. I always say that if I am not sewing or crafting, I am gaming; I share this hobby with my husband who I met through a game.</div>
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I am mostly a PC gamer, but we own several consoles ranging in Gens from current to old-- including handhelds. My computer rig is now dated down to about a mid range by current available hardware; I built it two years ago. I can still run many games on ultra settings maintaining a nice FPS, but it can always be better. Keeping up to date isn't cheap, and lately we've had a lot of expenditures that put off upgrading our PC's back up to high tier. We're looking at AMD for our next cards; we sported EVGA currently and in the past; my current card is a GTX 970; hubby's is a GTX 980 Ti-- he gets the better gear since he has no other hobby he spends his dosh on. It's only recently that AMD have been competing enough to turn our heads, so our future builds will include them. Love Corsair for keyboard and mice-- I have never had better-- had a couple Razer's but I never enjoyed them. I have a vengeance k70 cherry mx brown keyboard and a vengeance m90 mouse to match-- the mouse is no longer available, and the complaints people had with it are my pluses; has a smaller profile (good for tiny gamer hands like mine) and it has some weight to it (that a combination palm/fingertip gripper like me appreciates). Currently I have a Thermaltake Overseer RX-I snow edition case... would have preferred a Cooler Master since they generally have a wider profile, but aesthetically, none matched my vision at the time; my hubby's rig is black and red, and mine is white and blue... red corner blue corner as in most games, black and white as in chess... yeah... Looking to change that now and adore the idea of tempered glass or the open air ones.</div>
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Well... I could continue, as there is <i><b>much more</b></i> to be mentioned... but I will stop here before I make this post longer than it needs to be... heh.</div>
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If you're interested in reviews of games or a full post on my equipment, let me know-- I usually leave it out since it always seems like a thing best suited to video reviews... and I am nowhere near that level of comfort, hehe.<br />
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<b><u>Thought Provokers</u></b><br />
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<b>If you could be a supernatural creature, what would it be and why?</b><br />
Dr. Manhattan. Here's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Manhattan" target="_blank">his wiki</a> to understand why. Look at the side info bar of his abilities for the tl;dr version.<br />
<b>What horror monster super-powers would you have?</b><br />
All powers of a typical witch. I may not live to forever, but I can extend my time and of those around me damn near long enough through potions and arcane knowledge. Plus flying on a broom and conversing with my cats? What's not to love.<br />
<b>Do you feel confident or comfortable interacting with other goths or gothy people (online or irl)? Why or why not?</b></div>
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If my stats were laid out in RPG format, Charisma would be in the negative.<br />
<b>Which is more important for a look: great hair or great makeup?</b><br />
Well since I am adept at neither... least of which would be hair...<br />
I guess that would make makeup my answer.<br />
<b>Is there something you wish there was more of in your subculture?</b><br />
I wish more goths of color would pound out content, as we are still lacking in general representation. It's a trickle, but if we involve ourselves more we can make an impact to help curb the stereotype that goth belongs only to those who are white enough. Never heard people more vehement against goths of color, than people of my own ethnic background. That said, it pains to me admit I know no goths of color in person or online (though I subbed to a few on youtube <i>very</i> recently)... I want to change this, so comment your favorite goth blogger who happens to be a person of color (comment your blog if you are a POC as well, don't feel badly about self advertisement!). Heck, I'll follow IG alternative model accounts if you got 'em-- the only real stipulation is that the site is maintained a least semi regularly.</div>
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<b>Care to share an embarrassing story related to your "darkliness"?</b></div>
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My life is a series of embarrassing stories related to my darkliness. I blunder through all things.</div>
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<b>How are you at DIY?</b><br />
There isn't much inside my house or on my persons that hasn't been made, repaired, refurbished or installed without my direct involvement.<br />
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<u><b>Confessional (aka True or False)</b></u><br />
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<b>I love watching cheesy romance films.</b><br />
True/false. I pop them on as background noise mostly.<br />
<b>I always remember to wash off my makeup at night.</b><br />
True. When I wear it, always.<br />
<b>I sleep with plushies.</b><br />
True. I have a plushie that I had since I was 4 that rests at my side of the headboard-- Charlie, a little Dalmatian that barks when you boop its nose. Never far from where I sleep.<br />
<b>I wear non-black pyjamas most nights.</b><br />
False. I can count on one hand the number of full color garments in my revolving wardrobe, including undergarments... <br />
<b>I think Andrew Eldritch is overrated.</b><br />
I don't think about Andrew Eldritch outside the music.<br />
<b>I don’t like vampires.</b><br />
False.<br />
<b>I don’t like clubs.</b><br />
True. Only been to one club and a handful bars in my life (neither by choice). In general I have a hard time enjoying myself in those environments-- I get easily overwhelmed by external stimuli.<br />
<b>I don’t enjoy graveyards.</b><br />
True/false. I love looking at them from afar, but again... I get overcome with all kinds of emotions when I linger too long. Sometimes filled with good in which case I'll stick around a while, and sometimes filled with bad, and I'm gone.<br />
<b>I'd sooner faint than pet a spider.</b><br />
Depends on the spider. I would rather not pet one that has the ability to necrotize an appendage with a bite.<br />
<b>I don’t like haunted houses.</b><br />
True/false. For the same reason as graveyards.<br />
<b>I’ve never read Dracula.</b><br />
False. <br />
<b>I think “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” is a long and boring song.</b><br />
False.<br />
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Thanks for the tag, and I look forward to reading those whom I tagged!</div>
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<b>Spook you later!</b></div>
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Mari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-70830973152564904542017-08-24T00:01:00.000-07:002017-08-24T11:31:32.319-07:00Spooky Basket: Killstar Stuff.So earlier in the year I was given a couple Killstar goodies by a friend for my birthday.<br />
<br />
...Well, 'given' is a loose term I'm using to feel better about the circumstances, hehe; I made an agreement and gave only half of it at the time but since my birthday was close by he said to consider it a birthday gift... though I technically still owe him the other half of our bargain to this day.<br />
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Tangent aside, I received the <a href="https://us.killstar.com/collections/clothing-mens-hoodies/products/cult-ritual-hoodie-b" target="_blank">Cult Ritual Hood</a> and the <a href="https://us.killstar.com/collections/accessories-womens-bags/products/grave-digger-skull-handbag-b" target="_blank">Grave Digger Skull Bag</a>; a picture of me wearing the hoodie can be seen here: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BXooh0PDsR3/?taken-by=mari_mortem" target="_blank">IG @ mari_mortem</a>, along with a couple scattered ones of the purse incorporated in a couple outfits.<br />
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The hoodie runs <b>very big-- </b>it's for men after all. We initially ordered a medium, and I was drowning in it in the most unflattering way. I know it's supposed to be kind of baggy, but this was very comical.<br />
Exchanging it was a relatively easy process for those living within the US... but I hear it's kind of pain for those outside. One of my friends was charged over $200 CAD for customs fees-- quite ridiculous.<br />
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I exchanged it for an XS and now it fits the way it should. I'm very happy with the material of it, it's a nice thick sweatshirt fleece material; one side is smooth like jersey almost like a ponte, and the inside/wrong side has fleece. I think the seams could be reinforced by looking at them, but I don't fully expect a major malfunction... however, living in San Antonio, I don't have many days I can wear it for any length of time to be certain of this. Regardless, I am a seamstress, I can fix whatever may rip on it... it would just be very unfortunate to discover major flaws for the price you're paying.<br />
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Which seems to be something I'm good at doing it.<br />
Finding flaws.<br />
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The Grave digger purse... how pretty it is! ...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeaZCLCd0FsgfBEXueOMpK_s3YLe6AAYbAc_p8-5aS3dMDPQHb9VJPu-yGr4pWO6ZN4BdeQJoSlmuTL7swdngwA4qVsRa7vDbOs0QbQarzEERVgLAsTwoxe_odLVWoY3V9RM7Nyv_a5s/s1600/IMG_20170810_195250080111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeaZCLCd0FsgfBEXueOMpK_s3YLe6AAYbAc_p8-5aS3dMDPQHb9VJPu-yGr4pWO6ZN4BdeQJoSlmuTL7swdngwA4qVsRa7vDbOs0QbQarzEERVgLAsTwoxe_odLVWoY3V9RM7Nyv_a5s/s640/IMG_20170810_195250080111.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sad to say that I found its flaw.<br />
It's no surprise the bag handles awkwardly. It's not soft, it's hard and somewhat cumbersome-- although I could also argue that part of the reason I love it was for the size and amount of room within it.<br />
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Nothing technically ripped off like the case of my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BUAQ6kljOxc/?taken-by=mari_mortem" target="_blank">eyeball bag from Kreepsville</a> which was an incredibly infuriating shoddy craftsmanship discovery, but rather for the grave digger bag it was merely a bad choice of notions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhKeigl42M6ih-kL5N7Rd0JJmKndw8H3TVkH3_QqAklYT_kP9GgeFoxZMJj_UOetjKlNYYXFc3eDu7_P6sT7tdlB4caYH5pB4elEVChThqE61vVSRK_7EwjiVL_rVp4QwlxKK5fprWUE/s1600/IMG_20170703_1727020261111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhKeigl42M6ih-kL5N7Rd0JJmKndw8H3TVkH3_QqAklYT_kP9GgeFoxZMJj_UOetjKlNYYXFc3eDu7_P6sT7tdlB4caYH5pB4elEVChThqE61vVSRK_7EwjiVL_rVp4QwlxKK5fprWUE/s640/IMG_20170703_1727020261111.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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These appeared to be actual rivets that are originally installed into the bag, but after a few occassions wearing it out I was unfortunate to discover the hard way that these were actually the screw-in type.<br />
My bag fell off my shoulder-- d-ring, tab and all-- because the simple sway of the awkward bag managed to unscrew the rivet from its seating. Since this doesn't have any other handle, I carried it like a basketball back to the car.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n4UEXtiCU0jaZYr2HWhANQCy2XbKG01ZrheUnXOnbUxJmJVQH2d7itmeCgAeL-g8zzuOrGWj76vm-as14juRyDC6p6KiLR0UVSv50dpa6Gy2kJERY3uV_SMyxe18vaCPOSOQY7qWQy0/s1600/IMG_20170703_172712945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n4UEXtiCU0jaZYr2HWhANQCy2XbKG01ZrheUnXOnbUxJmJVQH2d7itmeCgAeL-g8zzuOrGWj76vm-as14juRyDC6p6KiLR0UVSv50dpa6Gy2kJERY3uV_SMyxe18vaCPOSOQY7qWQy0/s640/IMG_20170703_172712945.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I thought, maybe it was a fluke maybe I just need to tighten it better because it wasn't fully done so in the manufacturing process. But again on a different occasion, it eventually unscrewed itself in the sway and I carried it back to the car the same way as before.<br />
<br />
So, frustrated, I took a little knife and slit the lining, removed these stupid screw ins and replaced them with real, heavy-duty-for-leather-rivets.<br />
<br />
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I haven't had an issue since. Knock on wood.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Have you bought anything from Killstar?</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>What was your experience like?</b></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Mari Mortemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05145952481626414717noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-60067166873208149342017-08-09T20:10:00.002-07:002017-08-10T00:17:25.879-07:00Mortem's Tricks or Treats: Best Laid Plans-- When Love Isn't Enough.You all know I love sewing; it's my passion, it's my hobby, it's basically a synonym for <i><b>me.</b></i><br />
<br />
It's with that in mind that I tell you this, not every time I sew means I'm happy. Sometimes, I am so miserable but I do it <i>because I must</i>... much like some sharks must keep moving in order to live; sewing is my soul's primary life source... even if at times like with this project, I resent the necessity.<br />
<br />
So, back in late June I began this escapade (or rather lesson in patience); I was happily working on a pair of velvet overalls and it was while I was digging through my stash room for certain notions needed, that I was suddenly and irrevocably struck by an intense urge to use this spiderweb cotton material I had purchased during my time working for Hancock's Fabric... which inevitably got me digging through my pattern stash.<br />
<br />
This hard diversion of my plans landed me on <b>McCall's 6503:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGo94eZVhcRF4xKgNx3-sLL7T5Ajj-eEebOPsZRt21w1uRvZbArw4yHlS65JF-4msEiTIKMgkVq1-dhaSoY5PFG5YN4uxx3kwlcxq6j2WPrIVyzVryz3j3bO8OgZGfPm-XyLjnHPZkYw/s1600/IMG_20170809_165159575111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="1600" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGo94eZVhcRF4xKgNx3-sLL7T5Ajj-eEebOPsZRt21w1uRvZbArw4yHlS65JF-4msEiTIKMgkVq1-dhaSoY5PFG5YN4uxx3kwlcxq6j2WPrIVyzVryz3j3bO8OgZGfPm-XyLjnHPZkYw/s640/IMG_20170809_165159575111.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
I remember picking this pattern up a couple years ago and thinking I was going to sew view C; I began a muslin and had everything lined up and ready to go for it, I just didn't have a fabric choice to marry the dress to and so it was stamped with a big UFO label. It would have been C too, but my mind changed course once more, as it tends to do, and I found myself utterly smitten over view A.<br />
Ironically, view A was my least favorite view when I had initially purchased this pattern.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMfuQZrQEjqGB2OjFN4dtEvpJ6sliWmvhDgVW7h4GlBz52J4IAcn9hDgZ7SrpH5cy-D-QulefXlygKi7-6UweJ455xx6okzw2FwJMoGFQ3M9m-5WHHGcK4iprqtUZCGi4tpEu-X5dt54/s1600/IMG_20170629_1013010511111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMfuQZrQEjqGB2OjFN4dtEvpJ6sliWmvhDgVW7h4GlBz52J4IAcn9hDgZ7SrpH5cy-D-QulefXlygKi7-6UweJ455xx6okzw2FwJMoGFQ3M9m-5WHHGcK4iprqtUZCGi4tpEu-X5dt54/s640/IMG_20170629_1013010511111.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
I was still feeling the web lace vibes from my last dress, even though before <i>this</i> dress I wasn't working with it at all. I overlaid the collar and belt portions with a layer of lace that admittedly made them very bulky, and I was worried I would have issues later since I did use interfacing <i>also</i>.<br />
Yet I continued...<br />
<br />
As much as my gut was telling me not to use the interfacing, I was worried it would not be crisp enough to maintain the shape after laundering. I opted to compromise and use a featherweight interfacing. <i>However</i>, going through my stash of interfacings, I quickly realized I had nothing but scraps of featherweight left.<br />
<br />
Instead of seeing this as a red flag, my stubborn ass franken-stitched the pieces together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglm3pRNZ5gQNPKti5_UkOkDC3nqaWL9eP_3hBDhbi06vFf20Hvc-mqlFdzLBVE-Wl2ELyrVLbTbeYARg4ZsF9l6Izy6rQyfg8HjPhhep3YKwchyphenhyphen6KpdZjtW8VsmUmmLxB4gr9CFJjY6Ik/s1600/collage3333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1200" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglm3pRNZ5gQNPKti5_UkOkDC3nqaWL9eP_3hBDhbi06vFf20Hvc-mqlFdzLBVE-Wl2ELyrVLbTbeYARg4ZsF9l6Izy6rQyfg8HjPhhep3YKwchyphenhyphen6KpdZjtW8VsmUmmLxB4gr9CFJjY6Ik/s640/collage3333.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
My heart was telling me I solved the problem, while my brain was in overdrive panic mode because although they were technically symmetrical... aesthetically, they weren't. My brain was yelling at me profanities and the myriad of reasons what could go wrong in the garment.<br />
Yet I continued...<br />
<br />
The interfacing and lace in, the bodice was actually going as planned. This pattern had an insane amount of ease in it that I drafted out during the mock up-- all in all I think I removed an entire 1/4 yard of material from this dress.<br />
<br />
So came the lower portion, I sprung a creative leak and motivation was gushing out of me. I couldn't decide whether or not I should continue with a lace overlay on top of a solid or over top of the print.<br />
It sat on my form, just as it was above, <i>for days</i>.<br />
<br />
I was helplessly watching unable to continue my life, sometimes starring at this dress for hours while I sat in my chair with Netflix going on in the background, trying to fall back in love with it. I couldn't even work on those overalls or things I had promised to make others... I just sat there obsessively trying and failing to be enamored.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxVB4joQmr21yKs2gaPTKT3yaz26WOcf3foTohBGmEUK38IRxCFdAGo-aGQx9XDy56ryBRY4PPqshIXvo3tZjrAr396dE80-j1IpRIsMZp8803K2iCe2HArwMetrm9T3xMl8-SzCyUw0/s1600/IMG_20170809_101431427_HDR1111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxVB4joQmr21yKs2gaPTKT3yaz26WOcf3foTohBGmEUK38IRxCFdAGo-aGQx9XDy56ryBRY4PPqshIXvo3tZjrAr396dE80-j1IpRIsMZp8803K2iCe2HArwMetrm9T3xMl8-SzCyUw0/s640/IMG_20170809_101431427_HDR1111.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
It wasn't until last week that my brain finally kicked back on, and I became decisive once more. I think part of that can be attributed to a recent commitment to my well-being that managed to get this brain train going again. I said fuck it to the solid and the lace and went a more simpler route, going completely with the print <i style="font-weight: bold;">AND</i> I even went so far as to redesign the skirt into a hi-lo hem.<br />
<br />
Sadly I was reminded again that this dress is cursed. I was two steps from being completed, and just as suddenly as before, things went awry. Instead of a lapped zipper, I wanted an invisible zipper. I put it in, and off the dress form and off myself it got a little hung up at the waist but still went up. Now bare in mind, it was during this time when mother nature paid her visit and I was incredibly bloated and irritable... logic and reason fly out of the window with the tiniest provocation when I get it <b>this bad.</b><br />
<br />
I <i>tried on</i> the dress despite my better judgement, and it just didn't want any of this hot mess. It barely zipped up, let alone come together at my waist where the bulk of my bloating was highest. I struggled with this zipper for hours on end, so close to tears of frustration when I got a call from my SO, who at the time was away on business.<br />
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He barely helped, I'm sad to report. I got angrier and angrier as he spoke, but I did manage to sift and process a grain of reality from what he said and that was the fact that when my bloating gets bad, nothing will ever fit.<br />
Meanwhile, I tugged and pulled and squeezed that zipper so fervently, I managed to give my forefinger and thumb <u>blisters</u>. Actual <i>painful</i> blisters: puffy, angry and filled with fluid... like me.<br />
<br />
I sat in my room, feeling completely defeated and sweaty after wrestling the zipper. I grabbed a bag of almond kisses and streamed the most disgustingly cute Korean drama I could find and binged that shit during the following days.<br />
While I sat watching the last few episodes, it dawned on me, that bloody bulk on the waist I was worried about earlier? That was what the zipper must be getting hung up on, <i><b>it had to be</b></i>. I grabbed my scalpel style stitch remover and <i>very</i> carefully removed the inner most line of stitching and moved it over the tiniest mm's to the side. I also tacked down the remaining flap of adjacent bulk down to help ease the runner a little more too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiF8_K8BFkj66ntNEJ_QV7uLV2bKiEntKTGDloj0LcqsbazoR6R42Pg-CvE5i6ddqJm0wMZjxbI01p7C_0fudBSPxPlDV4OMYwtbtEctxbBQpYfmwez1_cLSJ__TSrHR6Qr5dAfQfJ7M/s1600/IMG_20170809_1012442631111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="860" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiF8_K8BFkj66ntNEJ_QV7uLV2bKiEntKTGDloj0LcqsbazoR6R42Pg-CvE5i6ddqJm0wMZjxbI01p7C_0fudBSPxPlDV4OMYwtbtEctxbBQpYfmwez1_cLSJ__TSrHR6Qr5dAfQfJ7M/s640/IMG_20170809_1012442631111.jpg" width="342" /></a></div>
<br />
After completing these minor fixes, and going back in to readjust the armholes because they puckered oddly, there I was in front of the mirror again, ready for round two. I put the dress on, grit my teeth and prayed... the first portion went up smoothly, and there was a certain satisfaction in feeling that graceful zip, but then it momentarily hung up at the waist again. I cursed, and buckled down for yet another struggle... but a little tug and <i>all the way up</i> it went. I was speechless, the bulk <b><u>was</u> the problem</b>, and I solved it. I startled my cats when I exclaimed '<i>fuck yeah</i>' with intense glee.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51S5Y6-rjjX11SfyX_lWAKWv4fWfVyCBuOE7OnGhEXlIcftMGBFOoxRvuvds1tO58nODPzX-Mrjd4rUQe_gZc6enjgokCyz9t6EyfKNHNurj4jyeKm-djbyckTEKL29LdeqmUK9pfTjs/s1600/collage111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1044" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51S5Y6-rjjX11SfyX_lWAKWv4fWfVyCBuOE7OnGhEXlIcftMGBFOoxRvuvds1tO58nODPzX-Mrjd4rUQe_gZc6enjgokCyz9t6EyfKNHNurj4jyeKm-djbyckTEKL29LdeqmUK9pfTjs/s640/collage111.jpg" width="556" /></a></div>
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<br />
<b><u>Pattern Overview:</u></b><br />
<ul>
<li>With a combination of major and minor tweaks and adjustments, this pattern can look as intended by the envelope line work.</li>
<li>Adjustments will be primarily done on the bodice front piece, as it carries an excess of ease due to the gathered feature.</li>
<li>The armholes for the sleeveless variations do not come with a piece for a facing, and instead bias tape is suggested for use en lieu. I used bias tape and there were puckering issues since I opted to hand stitch it in as opposed to having an exposed top stitch on the exterior. Adjustments must be made for this course of action, and my solution was barbaric but resulted in a pleasant looking armhole-- simply chop the excess ease at the top where I deducted was the ailing source of the tugging. and gradually narrow down. If I had to make this again, I would draft a suitable facing to make things easier.</li>
<li>The envelope reads easy, meaning good for beginners. I would heavily debate to the contrary. However, the instructions were clear and concise.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><u>Additional Comments on Pattern:</u> </b></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
I have a hunch that some of the problems with this pattern might be solved by simply having a lining. I can't confirm that, though, because it is unlikely I will use this pattern again any time soon.</div>
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--------------------</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Looking back, I can't believe how much I struggled with this dress in every aspect of it-- from the beginning to the end, it was quite a journey that I won't soon forget. So much for it being labeled "easy", hah! Perhaps I should dump this post under my Trials & Tribulations!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Till next time, fiends.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Spook you later!</b></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>******</b><br />
<b>Necklace</b>: handmade by yours truly<br />
<b>Spider brooch</b>: gift from my youngest brother<br />
<b>Shoes: </b>flea market buy<br />
<b>Fascinator: </b>upcycled by yours truly</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-83232913389722894142017-07-31T13:48:00.000-07:002017-07-31T19:25:31.075-07:00Spooky Basket: A Return To Tradition-- The Black LipThe staple of every traditional goth: black lips.<br />
<br />
Even in my teenage years far removed from the heyday of the traditional goth scene, I remember a time when black lipstick was impossible to find outside of Hallowe'en. Plus the formulas were still gross, and patchy or way too glossy and cheap. And the lip liner to go with it? Forget about it. Black eye pencil it was. For everything.<br />
<br />
The makeup world, and consequently the drugstore makeup world, has changed. It's become so much more accessible for the average Jane & Joe.<br />
If makeup is your <i>thing</i> and where you choose to spend your <i>hobby money</i>, the options are limitless.<br />
If you're like me and you spend your hobby money elsewhere, but you'd still rather do it right if you're going to do it at all... well, drugstores have up'd their game enough to give us a (limited in comparison) range, but much <i>much</i> more than it once was. Sometimes offering "dupes" for the high end goodies.<br />
<br />
Black is still tough to find within this budgetary spectrum, but not impossible anymore. In the past 5 months I have been trying 3 types from 3 brands, with the most expensive being $5.99<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06XyBvP-NNdTGQQAtv7eokdchgT3ZWaYMcKkC0qthMdkAqETyHR3udKDEZuz0RXNuWahTmpyfyhSzONCBdPByHF-1DxlGXcvkz-dHrbKncBM-1LJwD7RAPNqTDJTtWLLhq_tTXpNMwas/s1600/IMG_20170731_110037969111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06XyBvP-NNdTGQQAtv7eokdchgT3ZWaYMcKkC0qthMdkAqETyHR3udKDEZuz0RXNuWahTmpyfyhSzONCBdPByHF-1DxlGXcvkz-dHrbKncBM-1LJwD7RAPNqTDJTtWLLhq_tTXpNMwas/s640/IMG_20170731_110037969111.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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The products:</div>
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<ol>
<li>NYX Liquid Suede $5.99</li>
<li>L.A. Girl Matte Flat Velvet Lipstick $2.99</li>
<li>E.L.F. Moisturizing Lipstick (satin finish) $3.00</li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7A2kbMHHYWCL-fFfJp4o46FeoPqosguc0G6JRkr4_rjcRvuGmeddrRUFc5eFW9I-1Oa8968etPh0b8THkuiCv-Dd6syO6Oz1xZFHjUMSIrSY-sokEkMXM2USLtRZCU-zwbBMqme3MDrw/s1600/IMG_20170731_1102531991111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7A2kbMHHYWCL-fFfJp4o46FeoPqosguc0G6JRkr4_rjcRvuGmeddrRUFc5eFW9I-1Oa8968etPh0b8THkuiCv-Dd6syO6Oz1xZFHjUMSIrSY-sokEkMXM2USLtRZCU-zwbBMqme3MDrw/s640/IMG_20170731_1102531991111.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>NYX Liquid Suede (color: alien):</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u>Things I like:</u></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Up until recently Nyx was being carried almost exclusively by Ulta (where I bought these colors) which is a makeup store, but not so high end like Sephora and above. Now it's popping up in Walgreens, and I did see my colors available.</div>
<div>
Liquid matte lipsticks are kind of my thing right now, so with this I am fairly biased in saying this is my favorite of the three. </div>
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They pack the greatest opacity and wear longevity. It doesn't bleed or spider at all, and you get the cleanest edges on your lips with minimal effort.</div>
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I own two more colors in this line (Brooklyn Thorn and Amethyst) and the color payoff is phenomenal.</div>
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Nyx also offers their matching lip liners, which is a huge bonus.</div>
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The applicator is a flat doe foot wand, and probably my favorite type of liquid lip applicator foot. I find it easier to control where I am applying the color, as opposed to other types.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVqNeqFP-WdhezOfVofdT8ulk265aUAn0GepFN7OdTH4LxV2a-krpClryAgqpvLauNaBthOX7ERpVpQwUhaHRZ6Qc6n3BEKPgTvFE2qobyeaKkrgjSVW1n4XXiOSneUEV2oqFsyxTUnA/s1600/IMG_20170731_1144384011111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVqNeqFP-WdhezOfVofdT8ulk265aUAn0GepFN7OdTH4LxV2a-krpClryAgqpvLauNaBthOX7ERpVpQwUhaHRZ6Qc6n3BEKPgTvFE2qobyeaKkrgjSVW1n4XXiOSneUEV2oqFsyxTUnA/s640/IMG_20170731_1144384011111.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<u>Things I don't like:</u></div>
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This goes for all liquid lips as a downside: if you don't take care of your lips regularly (i.e. use balm everyday, scrubs every other day) these are going to exacerbate all the issues you have with your lips.</div>
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<b>Nyx isn't cruelty free</b>, that would be my biggest criticism. </div>
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Secondly, compared to their Lip Lingerie collection (I own the color cashmere silk), their Liquid Suede stays very slightly tacky throughout the day, and I think it's for this reason that unlike other liquid lip colors from other brands, these aren't as long wearing. They all come off when I drink or eat; Nyx liquid lippies are the least lasting of my liquid lippy collection. But this still out lasts the other two in this bunch.</div>
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The matching lip liners, although convenient to have the option for them, they cost the same as their counterparts-- seems like a lot for a lip pencil. It is because of this that I own only the Brooklyn Thorn pencil, as it is the most unique and hard to dupe color in a cheap waxy eye pencil.</div>
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The color isn't a true black, it has the most subtle color duality... like the exoskeleton of an Xenomorph! It's really cool, and I do love it but it's not the blackest black...</div>
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<b>E.L.F. Moisturizing Lipstick (color: Black Out)</b></div>
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<u>Things I like:</u><br />
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I love e.l.f.-- it along with Hard Candy and Wet & Wild are my favorite cruelty free affordable brands.<br />
This smells of candy corn! Cliche but I love it so. Apparently they only recently released it in their permanent line-- like last year recently. The formula is rich and creamy, it's quite smooth throughout the day. This is the truest black of all three, with a luxurious looking satin finish. It's almost as pigmented at the liquid lippy, it takes little effort to get the color payoff you want. The shape is typical of lipsticks with a tapered end, there's not much to say about that except that it seems rare among very inexpensive lipsticks... not sure why as it's the most intuitive shape for applying color to lips straight from the tube. This comes very close to being my favorite behind the Nyx.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1aEPm85kZbDBcpV5PBMlPDGRGO-TfWfVswdP6sWE8bNld5tyfYlTQ_3SFeC_ajZPGPsOSbZOOhk_EDn1mXJ2t8aZKih6TetGY90dk1qvkvben3skaJ7hT923xvA6MnVfXKhnXbmW9ojg/s1600/IMG_20170731_1139103131111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1aEPm85kZbDBcpV5PBMlPDGRGO-TfWfVswdP6sWE8bNld5tyfYlTQ_3SFeC_ajZPGPsOSbZOOhk_EDn1mXJ2t8aZKih6TetGY90dk1qvkvben3skaJ7hT923xvA6MnVfXKhnXbmW9ojg/s640/IMG_20170731_1139103131111.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<u>Things I don't like:</u><br />
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It being a regular lipstick, it has its inevitable problems-- your hair gets stuck on your lips and when the wind drags it along your face it creates streaks of color on your cheeks and even forehead. Sometimes the color gets transferred onto your teeth. This formula bleeds very badly, and e.l.f. does not offer a matching lip pencil**. It needs a little bit of a base coloring with a pencil because the tiniest amount of color cracking occurs.<br />
This color was a little hard to track down, it is not carried in any of the Walmart's I visited, and have only seen it at Super Target's.</div>
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<b> L.A. Girl Matte Flat Velvet Lipstick (color: Raven)</b></div>
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<u>Things I like:</u></div>
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L.A. Girl is a recent discovery for me, it's not easy to locate-- I found it in this little shop called Twinkle World on a strip mall near my house. It's a pretty true matte lipstick. It's cruelty free, and I remember seeing the matching lip liner but decided to forgo it (I don't know why, because it was only $1 or $2-- I will be going back to get it). It's the cheapest of my three. It doesn't bleed badly, and doesn't transfer to my teeth unlike other lipsticks. This brand offers an amazing selection of lip colors, and this color is a fairly true black. This brand also offers a liquid lipstick and matte lipstick remover that I also want to try, I wish they offered Raven in their liquid line, but they have a very dark vampy purple I am itching to get my hands on. </div>
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<u>Things I don't like:</u></div>
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With it being a true matte lipstick, it comes with the obvious problems of a true matte lipstick. It's on the waxy side so it tugs a little, although the finish looks lovely it takes some effort in getting a clean finish. The pigmentation isn't the greatest, but I find this is a common problem with any matte lipstick. When you stretch out your lips, in a large grin or a grimace, if you haven't created a base with lip liner, there will be big gaps and cracks where the lip color didn't reach.</div>
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It has a flat round shape of the lipstick itself; if you're applying right from the tube, this makes application very counter intuitive. This was my least favorite of the three; it reminded me a little too much of the cheapo stuff from the past. I won't be buying their black again, but their nudes look very promising as well as their liquids.<br />
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** e.l.f. does make a lip lock pencil, which is a clear lip liner for all unusual colors.<br />
I use it along with L.A. Colors Auto eye pencil for all my black lippy needs. None of the pictures or swatches used either product, just so I could ensure an unbiased view of each of their performances.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRRdenhXVwq8q0Nal7xTaOTTYLx1b3zjqCrPV_3WZrjdeUSoba5dXJJZXodBcFVSmjSH_QXvkOJLVoedTlIXtw81daDqorijlW_KtUMD4cxeQm5GF-jx-207E5-FrlkVOAacBVjRp0PM/s1600/IMG_20170731_114803766111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRRdenhXVwq8q0Nal7xTaOTTYLx1b3zjqCrPV_3WZrjdeUSoba5dXJJZXodBcFVSmjSH_QXvkOJLVoedTlIXtw81daDqorijlW_KtUMD4cxeQm5GF-jx-207E5-FrlkVOAacBVjRp0PM/s640/IMG_20170731_114803766111.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Old habits are hard to kill especially when it comes to black lips, and this L.A. Colors pencil is bad as an eyeliner because of its very waxy consistency, but it's precisely that which makes it a great lip pencil. A double plus is L.A. Colors is cruelty free and bought at Dollar Tree.<br />
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There you have it, my fiends. I hope this post ensures more black lips in your lives, as hell knows we need it.<br />
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<b>Spook you later!</b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-34460612377137239332017-07-24T01:54:00.000-07:002017-07-24T02:12:36.377-07:00Fashioning My Cyber Microcosm: This Is Unexpected... and Things of That Nature.It's that time again!<br />
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Where I, your creepy crafty hostess, have some time to update you guys on what's happening with life and other sundries...<br />
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My media outlets have been as quiet as this blog, for I have been up to my gills in things to do, things to plan, and things to ponder... and most importantly, attempt to carve out some time to breathe and maybe relax in between. <i>But not really</i>.</div>
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Let's move the big parts out of the way, shall we? Here we go: </div>
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I'm <i>90 to 95</i> percent sure I'm moving to Washington state... Yup. It's <b>quite</b> a damn move. </div>
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From Texas to Washington, we're looking at some serious changes here.</div>
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We have verbally accepted the offer (hence the 90 to 95%), but have not signed any official documents as of today (hence the 90 to 95%...). Though they tell us the papers are coming, we are fully aware of the fact that things can still go wrong... <i>*flashbacks of Arizona what-might-have-beens*</i></div>
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There is a lot to be excited about for this move, the most overt aspect will be that it will land me very close to the Canadian border which means road trips home will be a definite and frequent thing! <b><i>Woo hoo</i></b>!</div>
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That said, there is also a lot to be concerned with... the cost of living increase is enough to spook this gal into an early grave. Not sure how we'll do as this job isn't a pay increase, just a lateral, and rent over there is nearly double of what it is here for what we have, which isn't to say it's enough to hold all our cherished belongings.</div>
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I have been finding it a little tough to get employed after the briefest stint at Hancock's Fabrics before it went under (RIP, one year now); on paper I am <i>aggressively</i> mediocre and I'm a terrible interviewee due to my awful social skills.</div>
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My work experience is a hodge podge of spurt and sparsity with large gaping time voids I try to fill with my unsubstantial volunteering fluff; whatever appeal I may have is completely diminished by my lack of education. GED holder and self-taught jack of all trades is not quite as competitive/marketable as it may sound... or look, no matter how technical and creative my language is: cue image of Bobby Boucher describing his position as the team's water distribution engineer.</div>
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So one thing I have turned to (again) is perhaps lay a little focus (again) on selling what I make (again...). I know what you're thinking: '<i>wow, many treats, much excite, such wait'</i></div>
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But those ugly little thoughts keep creeping all over my brain like annoying gooey tendrils that suffocate the flame of my excitement. Fret not, though, it's happening... it's just despairingly slow as I try to work through my anxieties and self depreciation...</div>
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I have been having major second thoughts about the name I have chosen for my shop; The Serpent and The Thimble, although cool and adorbs, does not covey the full scope of my handcraftables. I am so much more than my sewing and stitchery! I paint/draw, I sculpt, I knit and hell I even make bath and self care products! So the 'thimble' part of the name kind of shoves me into a corner, although admittedly the majority of my wares and excitement stem from sewing, I just don't want to be known strictly for my sewing-- I am a jack o' lantern of all trades, after all. It's what I pride myself... for the most part, hehe.</div>
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It is with all this in mind I have been back to brewing some suitable replacements.</div>
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On the blog front, Photobucket has pulled a sudden but inevitable betrayal. I was first aware of it from <a href="http://mindlessindulgence-mindless.blogspot.com/2017/07/pics-or-it-didnt-happen.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MindlessIndulgence+%28MindLess+Indulgence%29" target="_blank">a posting by MindLess Indulgence</a>, but I'm sure by now many people are fully conscious of the plight of years of photos becoming unavailable on their blogs. I haven't as of yet gone back to replace those photos, and I'm thinking for the most part I will just cull my posts as opposed to bother with trying to replace every dang photo. It's <b><u>a lot of work</u></b>, and I really don't like the thought of tackling that gargantuan rehab.</div>
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I could wipe the slate clean... that is an option, I guess. Bah, curse you Photobucket.</div>
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Creatively, I have been sewing but what I am most excited about is going back to exploring watercolors and gouache. I have been revisiting an idea I started a few years back (unfortunately, Photobucket swallowed that post whole so no throwback links for now) of a series of artworks I now dub the "Spooky Sewing Room" inspired by my love of Halloween and sewing. I have only teased one of the pieces on IG which I will now display here in all its watermarked glory (sorry about that, but it's necessary):</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_heY2vgtru9ezmCq0XfQge9v4P_Bge6U9-831JHcsBxbgjCB5YDvQThuaBzrz8UPL5oTKBnIS_lBjwebr6LVVlVWXp23-uqA7lH7KyAG1yJXh9qV9BsUK4EPbaV0WClqaKM3HPlKAbTw/s1600/spookysewingroom1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1080" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_heY2vgtru9ezmCq0XfQge9v4P_Bge6U9-831JHcsBxbgjCB5YDvQThuaBzrz8UPL5oTKBnIS_lBjwebr6LVVlVWXp23-uqA7lH7KyAG1yJXh9qV9BsUK4EPbaV0WClqaKM3HPlKAbTw/s640/spookysewingroom1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will go back and tweak this to add my signature batty emery attachment.</td></tr>
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I've been looking into getting some quality prints done to make them available to my shop, but my google-fu is as weak as my job landing skills. It's not looking so economical, and I'm not particularly known enough to garner the interest in the series needed to balance the cost.</div>
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We'll see how this endeavor pans out. For now, it's a source of personal happiness... much like everything else I do, heheh.</div>
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And so for now, I leave you all with spooky salutations-- till next time, my fiends.</div>
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<b>Spook ya later!</b></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-12247165818933588352017-06-23T19:58:00.002-07:002018-02-06T03:17:06.083-08:00Mortem's Tricks or Treats: The Franken-Pattern Dress.<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>It was on a dreary night of June that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. </i></div>
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<i>With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of fabulousness into the pile of fabric that lay at my feet...</i></div>
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Clearly, I've been spending a lot of time with the tales and films of Frankenstein and his monster.</div>
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Forever my favorite story and "monster"-- the one I so closely identify with and obsesses over.</div>
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My latest, though not the only project finished, is my favorite creation to date. It has been an idea that has rattled in the back of my head for years, and it was Mary's contribution (from <a href="https://autumnmoonenchantment.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Autumn Moon Enchantement</a> --how awesome that her name ties well with the theme of this post) that pounded the last nail in that coffin. She traded me this Pumpkinheads fabric from Michael Miller; I didn't know such amazing material existed, and it was all too perfect for this dress, I begged her for her scraps and she kindly obliged me haha!</div>
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Initially the plan was to make a full dress with some kind of pumpkin material, and the amount that Mary sent me wouldn't have been enough... but as it turned out, it was destiny that brought my creation together.</div>
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So, in the beginning of June a sewing with lace contest was announced for <a href="https://sewing.patternreview.com/" target="_blank">Sewing Pattern Review Online Sewing Community</a>. I love lace, but ironically it's a material I am rather short on at any given time. Good lace is tough to stash... but I really wanted to enter and give it a shot, and all I really have is novelty laces-- this spiderweb lace meeting the criteria as best as my muse could muster. It needed to be a project I could quickly finish, given that I would be losing two weeks on account of my in-laws coming for a visit, rendering my room unreachable for the time being: one week to make the room "livable" and one week for them to reside in.</div>
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Funny enough, I wasn't even sure what I was going to do or what fabric I was going to use. After a day of pulling fabrics and patterns, it hit me like a bolt of lightning-- I should make the dress I have been wanting to make! It took a little franken-patterning to reach the design that I so dreamed about: the skirt from Simplicity 1194 and the bodice and midriff of New Look 6146 (ironically one of those 'mix & match' patterns).<br />
One aspect that I had to figure out on my own was the bat wing collar.</div>
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I am no stranger to the bat wing collar (throwback <a href="http://marimortem.blogspot.com/2015/11/mortems-tricks-or-treats-mccalls-6887.html" target="_blank">to my bat dress</a>), but I must admit that I wasn't entirely sure how this would turn out in faux leather; it's considerably more bulky.</div>
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I opted to do one side in the faux leather and the other in cotton, to alleviate the amount of bulk. It worked beautifully.</div>
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The skirt used up 4 yards of my spiderweb lace; it's double layered. It was a touch too long, and from the ensuing fabric I made the sash, which looks to be part of the dress.</div>
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But it isn't. </div>
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I did this purposely, since I love using waist belts... and some of my own design will be starting to see the light of day soon enough.<br />
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I am still not sure this would meet the criteria for the lace contest, though it says the garment must be 75% lace and this uses 4 yards of "lace" including an accessory against a quarter yard of cotton and a bit of faux leather... seems to me like it should, but we shall see. In any case, I do know it meets it for another contest, a little IG contest for a Halloween box. A Halloween spirit contest hosted by <a href="http://www.cryptocurium.com/otv/" target="_blank">Order of the Thinned Veil</a>-- I really dig this particular contest. Even if I don't win it, I shall endeavor to purchase their All Hallows level. Seems kick-ass.</div>
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Lastly, I have to say that I am completely obsessed right now with hemming my skirts with ribbon. I can't stop doing it, haha! I did it as an afterthought though, as you can tell from these subsequent shots of me wearing this dress without that hem.</div>
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<b>Hmm, I don't know... should I keep or remove the ribbon hem?</b></div>
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<b>Till next time, fiends. Spook you later!</b></div>
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<b>Bat knit hood </b>knit by yours truly.</div>
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<b>Ribcage necklace </b>handmade by yours truly.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-32285135558538392872017-05-18T16:38:00.001-07:002017-05-18T16:38:20.997-07:00Mortem's Tricks or Treats: Bloody Potential.It's been a mayhem infused May for this gal.<br />
Frankly I'm surprised I'm still here to continue my sarcastic tirade on life.<br />
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But here I am! Still stitchin' along, but also still pondering '<i>Y, tho</i>' in true nihilistic manner.<br />
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Here I am, on the doorstep to 29-- just a little over a month from now-- and the only thing I can think of is 'sexual peak'. I think I read somewhere that 30 is the 20 for women's libido. It just may be, because I would never in my teens or early 20's ever would I have sewn, let alone worn, a crop top, and yet this is my second iteration of one.<br />
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Like a champ, I made Simplicity 8386 in between a little slew of projects on my chopping block-- I think if my plans ever went along in a neat little line, hell might serve orange smoothies and tacos.<br />
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But let's talk about this pattern cover for a minute-- how utterly boring can a pattern look? Dear Simplicity cover designers, wtf mates?!<br />
Thank the gods I can see past a bland-looking pattern, and see its beautiful potential... but let me tell ya, I had<i> a hard time</i> not overlooking this pattern. I think I put it back 3 times before I remembered I had a sh*t ton of knit materials these may look good with.<br />
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I landed on this beautiful textured knit material which I have 8 yards of, and bloody hell I can't remember where I bought it haha. Must have been a big sale for me to buy this amount of it.<br />
I dug it up trying to look for another knit material for another project-- felt just like a new discovery! What a feelin'.<br />
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I cut out view C in size 12-- it has a whopping two pattern pieces in total. This is about as easy as a project can get, and it suited the need to procrastinate while still satiating a misguided desire for productivity in a life of chaos. There wasn't much to it, but in case you needed it the instructions were crystal clear.<br />
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I'm a sucker for proper pressing in order to get the most out of garment appearance, even when it comes to using knit fabrics.<br />
Pro tip: a tailor's clapper is your friend for pressing these kinds of tenacious knits. You get a nice fold, without the risk of your knits falling back into its previous drape or accidentally overheating your material in an attempt to use the iron's weight to press the seam under a press cloth-- which for specialty knits can be a real danger.<br />
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Instead of using packaged binding for this top, that the pattern calls for, I made some binding from a few strips of the material-- so I could retain the natural stretch of the material and for it to also match nicely.<br />
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I tried experimenting with the neckline by using a binded casing, instead of using the method they use in the pattern instructions; I ended up hating what I did and painstakingly removed all the woolly nylon overlocked stitches I did. I reverted back to their method, it turned out to be the best for reduced bulk; I carefully hand-stitched the casing closed, as I liked the idea of an invisible seam there.<br />
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I finished this in just a mere couple hours, sufficed to say in good timing. I wasn't feeling great about my body; bloated, blemished like the pox, grumpy, nauseous, and hair that was so kinked and frazzled a bird mistook it for a nest. All courtesy of mother nature and her visit that went unimpeded by birth control. I'm not sure why I thought it was a good idea to get off of it, but in a bid to figure out my reluctant health... well, desperation is never a pretty color to paint with.<br />
<br />All's well that ends well, though-- I'm about the end of her visit this month and my body is going back to relative normality... whatever that really is, all things considering.<br />
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I had further design plans for this top, like adding more texturing to the surface through meticulously designed stitches... but alas, as a rather unlucky sewist, I broke the key needle player in that game before I even begun to chuckle towards completion.<br />
It'll just have to wait, because at $3 for one needle... I'm in no rush to get it out of my drawing board yet, heh.<br />
By itself, it makes a great goth summer staple article; simple, buildable, sweet... and that seems like enough.<br />
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<b>Till next time, fiends-- spook ya later!</b></div>
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What are your sewing or crafting plans for the summer heat?</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-24699269398490887052017-05-03T01:14:00.000-07:002017-05-03T01:14:14.557-07:00Mortem's Tricks or Treats: Ghost With The Most.<i>What do we got 'ere tonight, kids?</i><br />
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I'm on a roll, my fiends, sewing like tomorrow the bells will toll. Better yet, all these projects are made using fabric from <i>the stash, </i>and not just any stash... <i>the <u>good</u> stash.</i> The stash I didn't think I would <i>ever</i> cut into. So bold, so ambitious... so freaking scary.<br />
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I would be remiss if I didn't say I have (had?) ulterior motives to getting back into sewing so voraciously. Contests; contests are very good motivators. <a href="http://blog.mccall.com/2017/04/07/mccalls-m7542-top-pattern-sewing-contest/" target="_blank">McCall's Pattern Company</a> has such a contest of interest, for the construction of M7542.<br />
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The prizes are $100 gift certificate to Vogue Fabrics plus a 1 year sub to their fabric catalog, and $100 worth of McCall's patterns. I was so excited for those prizes, but the ironic thing was this was a pattern I actually passed on during a pattern haul (doh!).<br />
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Luckily I have have a really awesome friend here in San Antone who didn't mind buying the pattern after telling him I've been having withdrawals and wished I didn't pass it up so I could participate; I haven't bought fabric in a few months, partly because we have been heavily cutting down on the outgoing cashflow, but mostly because I made a very substantial bet with my significant other that if I managed to make it to October without purchasing fabric, I would get a "within reason" fabric/hallowe'en shopping spree in return.<br />
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Anyway, so I found this rayon challis at Walmart, and in a black and white stripe print some odd years ago now when I lived in Arizona (?)-- such an odd almost out of place good quality too that I ended up buying the rest of the bolt at the time. When I find fabric this good, I tend to get very greedy and buy entire bolts; bad for the wallet, but <i>hella </i>satisfying.<br />
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There isn't much to say about the actual pattern itself. I cut out a 12 and extended the back opening about an 1 1/2" down from the original ending point-- partly because I couldn't get my head through in the mock up, and partly to have a subtle skin reveal as I moved. Other than that, it fit as it should-- not too tight, not too loosely. It's semi-loose fitting with bust and shoulder darts for the tiniest bit of form fit. There was an excess of ease on the upper sleeve pattern piece, but nothing you can't just chop off after you've set it in with a baste stitch; I know, I'm a filthy savage.<br />
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The hook and eye is <i>meh</i>, it catches my knotty hair <u>every</u> time I take it on and off.<br />
I <i>would've</i> added a loop closure with a fancy button if I didn't mess up that plan by serging the facing on before sammiching a loop between that and the outer fabric.<br />
The hemline sits a touch higher than what's typical, ending right at the high hip point-- I didn't know I would like this cut as much I as do, it's flirtatious!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sample dress #1, WIP</td></tr>
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I used an applique bib that initially I was going to use in a dress I was designing around a dual sided lace fabric that was purchased for me from the same friend. There's a little regret in doing so, the material and the bib went so well together but when I get to designing without a clue as to what I want... I didn't know if it would ever see a use... individually, they are quite pretty.<br />
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There is one good thing that came from my indecisiveness, I mean, other than using it in this top... I started drawing croquis again . So there's that. This hasn't been a usual practice for me for the past 4 to 5 years, mostly because I now sew and design as lark rather than as a meticulous planned endeavor. Keeps things fresh and satisfying, I lose steam as quickly as I gain it anymore these days... but it feels good to be going back to my roots.<br />
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Back to the blouse, the bib didn't seem like enough and I struggled with the idea of adding more embellishments to, well... an embellishment. I landed on the idea of spikes, however, this being a rayon challis and a mesh bib, it would not stand the weight of conventional metal spikes or studs; it would sag rather unflatteringly. I remembered Hobby Lobby had some acrylic sew-on spikes with a chrome finish that turned out to be perfect.<br />
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A little dab of well placed fabric glue on the bottom of each spike and placed in their appropriate spots ensured I would get the perfect sew-down every time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beetle pendant makes my 'Beetlejuice chic' work properly.</td></tr>
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I alternated the way I cut the upper and lower sleeve portions, because it can't be Beetlejuice inspired if the stripes weren't horizontal on the sleeves... but the pleats I don't think would have had the impact they do if I continued the horizontal pattern.<br />
I guess it is worth noting that the sleeves are the hardest part of this blouse. I don't like how they have you close up the upper portion and hopefully you've accurately transferred your markings that you may or may not have drawn on the wrong side of the material; if like me, you did the latter, you might run into a little hitch because those pieces are meant to fold up and close as a kind of self-lining feature, I guess.<br />
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Because I didn't want to mess with reopening the lower portion and potentially marring such a large piece of rayon in the process, I just picked out the small seams of the upper sleeve portion and marked out the seam allowance so I could pleat along the flat length and hope for the best haha! It took a couple tries, pinning and unpinning, but inevitably I persisted into a successful even fit.<br />
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With the temps getting warmer and warmer now, I feel great that I have a top to head on the incoming weather. My latest wardrobe purge left me without many good summery tops as I've come to realize; thankfully I sew and have no shortage of things to sew... as I haven't been much in the mood for clothing shopping in a while now.<br />
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I actually think I will attempt to sew another one of these, in a different style of sleeve offered-- I'm just in love with this pattern. I fail to understand why I nearly passed on this pattern; don't be like me in this regard, my spooky friends. <b>Get the pattern</b>, you'll love it too!<br />
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<b>Spooky you later, fiends! </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">♥</span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-12957089998866209872017-04-20T01:03:00.000-07:002017-04-20T01:42:18.966-07:00Mortem's Tricks or Treats: The Hat Atop My Batty HeadWell folks, here I am again.<br /><br /><div>
It occurred to me while writing a reply in my previous post that the pillbox hat kind of deserved more than a little footnote to the work spent on the final look for my gothy Easter ensemble.<br /><div>
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<br />Ok, so the process of making the pillbox hat was slightly more than what I initially made it seem like. Yes, the pillbox shape was easy to draft; it is just a circle and a band that matches the diameter.<br />However, there were certain and important factors that I considered heavily before construction on this "little" project.<br /><br /><br />First, I was going to use cardboard... but throwing back to the <a href="http://marimortem.blogspot.com/2012/11/creepy-crafty-crusades-handbag-craze.html">coffin purse I made for myself</a> (here's a <a href="http://marimortem.blogspot.com/2012/12/skeleton-closet-catching-up-monthly.html">completed view</a>) a few years back, as wonderful as it was the cardboard I used for the front and back pieces inevitably collapsed. Cardboard is intrinsically temporary-- lesson <u>firmly</u> reiterated. As an aside, this purse still outlasted any store bought purse I own; every month it feels like I'm patching up anything from Kreepsville.</div>
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<i>Sorry not sorry if you love Kreepsville. </i>Small rant over.<br /><i><br /></i></div>
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Anyway, buckram is what any milliner would recommend... though I am not a real milliner (I'd like to think I'm still capable, though) so it's not like I had the best on hand, but I am a sewist which does afford me better substitutes than mere cardboard.<br /><br />I used notions in my stash that were otherwise much more niche than other items, like my 72F Peltex ultra firm double sided fusible interfacing by Pellon, which is what I used as the foundation-- I reserved this primarily for the bottom of bags, but served no other purpose to me... until I discovered it made a great foundation for my fascinators.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Fused the stiffened material to the peltex, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">and cut it out with pinking shears to prevent fraying.</span></div>
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This peltex is firm, but not buckram firm. I grabbed some of those pesky muslin scraps and first tried to starch them using <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Ellens-Starch-Alternative-Ounces-Lavender/dp/B002Z26S9S/ref=sr_1_3?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1492669893&sr=1-3&keywords=mary+ellen%27s+best+press+lavender">Mary Ellen's Best Press</a>; ordinarily I swear by this stuff for making the knifiest of knife pleats, or crispest of the crispest folds and hems... but as a solid, almost crusty (probably not the best description) starch, I found it did not meet my expectations.<br /><br />While checking out at the craft shop where I would normally breeze past the impulse buy shelves, I caught a glance of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Aleenes-Stiffen-Quick-Fabric-Stiffening-Spray/dp/B001145342">Aleene's Stiffen-quik</a> and decided to give it a whirl. It turned out not to be a half bad impulse buy hahah. So now we were <i>buckram stiff</i>.</div>
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<br />Well, first iterations were not keeping their shape as nicely as one hoped, and after doing some research found out that buckram although stiff, still also needs stabilizers which come in the form and recommendation of milliner's wire or hat wire. I've never personally come into contact with milliner's wire, but from the looks of it, it looked a hell of a lot like thread covered wire-- seemed to me that stem wire would make a great substitute.</div>
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<br />The only problem was that stem wire did not seem to come in spools where I tried shopping for it, but rather... well... stems of 18 inches, heh. I had to use two pieces overlapping of this wire on both the top and bottom of this hat in order to cover the diameter.</div>
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Next, and I don't know how viable long term these are but, I used a light coating of fabric basting spray to adhere the first top portion of the hat to prevent bubbling of the material while I stitched it down to the sides. I feel it worked wonderfully and is as tight as a snare drum.<br /><br />I did not use the spray for the side however because I needed to make a very small and invisible stitch and sprays do gum up fine needles, regardless of their no-gumming claims; so I used a fusible tape, because I have never had a needle gum up with them yet. I think a fusible sticky tape may have been better, but I didn't own any nor did I think of it till later to buy it. But the normal fusible tape also worked very well, with a little dexterity.<br /><br />I also used copious amounts of Fray-Check on my fashion fabrics, because not one piece ever saw the plate of my machines-- I didn't want to risk too much warping and tugging of the material.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><br />When I got the top and band on, it came time for the best part of any project-- decorating and embellishing!<br />As with the embellishments on the dress, I made many little fabric yoyos using <a href="http://www.clover-usa.com/en/26-quick-yo-yo-makers">clover's templates</a>.<br /><br />I have a bunch of tins with random beads I cut off from old garments and projects lying about with the explicit purpose of doing something like this-- reusing them-- the very beads I used to top the yoyos on my dress. I also took some fabric glue and rhinestones and meticulously laid out my quasi-random splay. It's not so easy to make random look so undeliberate.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I think the most challenging predicament, at least for someone who is an amateur milliner at best was lining the damn thing. In all my books and all my searches, there were barely mentions of how to line a pillbox hat. I went instead to look at actual photos of vintage pillbox hats to see if I could solve the mystery through my visual deduction. Indeed, it very much helped-- it was so simple it hurt and the answer was literally right in front of me.<br /><br />In the same way you make a fabric yoyo, this beautiful lining is made by taking a piece of lining cut from the band pattern piece and basting a long stitch along one side and then pulling it tight-- it will naturally collapse into a circle, very similar to the fabric yoyo. I then put some permanent fabric glue along the inner edge and dabbed the center and placed this lining piece in. BINGO mutha-heller! <br /><br />Later I did discover someone mentioning this technique-- I am quite proud that I arrived at it organically, though.<br /><br />Next was figuring out how to mask the raw edges of the lining-- I thought about glue and some bias tape, but that sounded awful messy and unprofessional looking. Glue is always visible on a band with no movement, folks... especially on premade bias tapes.<br /><br />I dug through more of my niche notions and uncovered iron-on hem tape. It must have been an impulse buy for I don't remember what in the hell I would ever use iron hem tape on; this stuff is buckram firm too, and at that point why not just use horsehair... it's much easier to mask on a garment than this stuff...<div>
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<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Odd that I had it, but fairly serendipitous in the end. It looks pretty great, and works pretty great! I stitched round elastic onto it before fusing it and thus completing my hat.<br /><br />The irony to all this is that it is probably cheaper on paper to buy buckram and hat wire than all the items I used to make these seem more like buckram and hat wire, hahah... it's just that I had these (except the stiffen-quik) on hand and not the others that guided my hand.<br /><br />On a final note, I'd like to mention that flicking this hat is very satisfying because it is very stiff and taut; the sound it makes is so professional...<br /><br />That's not weird at all. Some people flick vegetables for their sound...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Do you like hats? What kind of hats are your favorite?</b></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-47802338340558668702017-04-15T18:21:00.000-07:002017-04-15T19:04:24.234-07:00Mortem's Tricks or Treats: Twas The Night Before Easter...<i>And all through the cave, the creatures were stirring especially... me!</i><br />
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I'm not very good at story telling.<br />
Nor with keeping blogs updated on a regular basis. Luckily, <a href="http://goth-gardening.blogspot.com/2017/04/baskets-caskets-you-really-should-enter.html" target="_blank">Goth Gardener</a> has given me just the right motivation to get back into the swing once more. She began hosting this contest/competition for a most wonderful looking basket of gothy Easter treats... and truth be told, I am cutting that rather damn close, by literally a night. The rules: write about your perfect gothy Easter, or what you would put in a gothy Easter basket, or even yet, write a gothy Easter spooky tale.<br />
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I was going to write about my perfect gothy Easter... but I thought long and hard, and being a mountain home shy of a hermit, I found that rather difficult to come up with. My perfect Easter would be a day spent home-- much like any holiday sans Halloween; and much like any other holiday, I attempt to inject as much Halloween cheer into aspects of it.<br />
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Easter egg decorating would consist primarily of ghoulish visions and jack o'lantern grins. Probably a lot of jump scares during the hunting of them...<br />
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These don't seem like original thoughts for a goth Easter. Nor are they particularly goth so much as they are Halloweeny...<br />
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So, I decided to stick to what I do best: <b>sew!</b><br />
I had this one on the back burner for a little while if you've been following my instagram, admittedly... but I finally got around to completing it and you know what, this entire ensemble would make a great Easter Sunday Best-- for a goth!<br />
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Meet my version of New Look 6670 plus a matching hat!<br />
What a hassle it was to construct, but I'm so glad it's finally done.<br />
It's a two piece dress; the base dress which is a princess seam style sheath silhouette, and the over-skirt/belt. With the scraps I constructed a matching pillbox hat<br />
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I think my favorite part of this ensemble is the over-skirt; it's a good piece to carry over into other outfits!<br />
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Now for the technical talk-- <b>you can skip over this part if you don't care about the pattern construction info:</b><br />
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I chose view C and over skirt E. The shorter slightly less formal view than the others.<br />
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So my main issue was the zipper, hands down the worst location for an open back dress, not to mention for a lapped zipper. At least for one with some swayback issues, such as myself. It was designed with this zipper dead center of the back. Blech. I sewed up the entire back, and attached the zipper in an invisible style to the side under arm.<br />
The finished dress could look much better, but truth be told, I just wanted to be done with it-- seemed like an unlucky dress. Not only were new fit issues popping up during mock ups every time I adjusted one part of it, but my machines just didn't cooperate with my material choice, which is a shantung sateen; no matter how many times I switched needles, cleaned it out or what have you. The dress sews up easily enough, and the instructions get a little vague in parts, but I'd assume you would tackle this if you have some sewing experience... so it's not vague enough to throw an intermediate sewist off.<br />
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My bust size is significantly smaller than the size I needed to fit my waist and hips. I tried to fit at the bust and work my way out, but it made so many issues being princess seams and all. I had to constantly readjust the back portion of the strap to prevent the gaping, but as it would appear, it was not completely resolved. I wasn't fully able to tailor this successfully, it was this dress that made me realize that I have shrunk down enough that tailoring on my dress form is no longer viable. I think that was the main problem why I was so unsuccessful in getting this "right".<br />
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So, like I mentioned, I used a black sateen shantung with recycled embellishments salvaged from past garments. The material itself was a large remnant piece sold to me in one big piece because I worked the cutting table at Hancocks, and because special privileges and whatnot (hah!). It had minor tears and tape adhesive stains throughout, but I managed to fussy cut my way into this dress. Not feeling great about the massive amounts of scraps, I bought some fabric yoyo makers from clove and started cutting out a bunch of yoyos to use as embellishments on the dress, but I decided against it since the lace I was going to use for the over-skirt belt (also purchased from Hancocks) was rather fussy to begin with. So in came the idea to make a pillbox hat. I drafted the rather easy pattern myself and used more of the scraps to make more yoyos and the hat, then proceeded to fill in gaps with black rhinestones that I had because they were damaged goods I was allowed to take while working at Hancocks (RIP).<br />
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For sure not my favorite thing I have ever constructed, but probably not the fault of the pattern?.. Egads is it gorgeous, though! Even for its flaws.<br />
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<b>End of technical talk.</b><br />
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Like I said, if you were following my instagram (@mari_mortem) you would have likely seen the progress shots of the dress and the hat. If I had an event to attend for Easter, this is exactly what I would have worn, hehe!<br />
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So, because I don't know if this submission will meet the criteria of the contest, and we know my story telling abilities leave a lot to be desired... let me leave with a Easter time haiku <i>a la mort:</i><br />
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<b><i>Pastel gloom be gone</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Hallowe'en we miss you so</i></b></div>
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<b><i>At least it's raining.</i></b></div>
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I guess I better stick to my sewing machine, heh...<br />
<ul>
<li>Shoes revamped by yours truly, check out close ups in <a href="http://marimortem.blogspot.com/2013/09/creepy-crafty-crusades-sophisticated.html" target="_blank">this link.</a></li>
<li>Gloves from Claire's</li>
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<b>Spook ya later, friends!</b></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-2704136337101996762017-01-23T23:00:00.002-08:002017-01-23T23:00:50.188-08:00Tales of Trial and Terror: Bubble, Bubble, Toiles and Troubles.Mock ups (or toiles, pronounced <i>twalls or twahls</i>) are important when constructing a garment-- whether you're drafting your own pattern or testing the fit of a commercial one, they save you the trouble of screwing up on your main material.<br />
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I, among most seamstress', use muslin for these toiles. It's cheaper than most garment materials, it drapes like most garment materials, and most importantly it's blank and some variation of white so that any markings, stitching or glaring fitting errors are completely visible.<br />
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The problem is the life of my muslin toiles and its scraps ends when all of my corrections are made and done, which when you think about it... makes muslin seem like a waste of money and precious resources.<br />
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I count myself very lucky that I rarely need to make extensive corrections in order to justify the purchase and use of muslin; a little shortening here, a little tightening there... but, like now, there are times I actually need to make sure of the fit... well, the waste can be quite daunting. I hear some people even make up to <u><b>4 toiles</b></u> before their end garment!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>One</u> toile results in this much scrap</td></tr>
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Some of these people have solutions to their growing muslin collection. These people are smart and crafty with their muslin.<br />
These say use the final draft as the pattern, they say use it as stuffing or stabilizer or sew-in interfacing. These ideas are great, but they haven't exactly worked for my needs consistently leaving my muslins to take up space for very long intervals of time.<br />
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For the life of me I have never found a sustainable use for my muslin mocks; for my garment material scraps I have loads of uses because of the variation in fabric design and color, but muslin... <i>meh</i>... which is why I try to be very deliberate and conscientious about the use of it-- prompting this post.<br />
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I thought about dying them, maybe in the hopes of turning it into a garment I could wear... but the lack luster appearance of muslin on the whole doesn't pique my interest enough.<br />
Dying it is still an idea, though.<br />
With the news that many grocers will be transitioning to bagless down here in the South pretty soon, it got me to thinking... maybe I could stitch these dyed scraps together and make reusable totes? Perhaps I could even stamp and paint these in 'ol Hallowe'en fashion... <i>hmm.</i><br />
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<b>What <i>would/do</i> you do with muslin toiles?</b></div>
<i><br /></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-23141066050408198682017-01-23T02:09:00.001-08:002017-01-23T02:09:13.771-08:00Fashioning My Cyber Microcosm: Pressurized Spleen.Though I have done a lot this past month, last week in particular I managed levels of productivity unfounded in my book.<div>
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Even so, the things I have completed are not the things that <b><i>should</i></b> have been done in that timeline. <br />Though I am quite happy to have them out of the way... it does beg the question, was it properly motivated? Or was it really anxiety related procrastination at work.</div>
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The idea sounds paradoxical, yet it somehow exists, nay, thrives in me at times; procrastination thy name is anxiety! Or is it the other way around... <i>this one does not know.</i></div>
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I was <i>supposed</i> to have my Etsy shop open by now.</div>
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I was <i>supposed</i> to have at least 20 items made ready to list and ship.</div>
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At the very least, I was <i>supposed</i> to have my shop icon/logo fully designed.</div>
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Instead, I have an organized craft room that has a little less unused bulk that it once did, a formidable challenge renting space in my brain and table in the form of a sheath dress with princess seams but ultimately a personal project, a quiet and small obsession for certain games, and a surfeit of questions/solutions dealing with the daily minutiae.</div>
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I find myself imperceptive of the fact that later is better than never, and finding in some part of my brain that never might just be better than at all... it's quite good at convincing me...</div>
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These echoes of the past, these ill-fitting advices consumed as truth, <div>
knocking over every foundation I attempt to build like an ominous pendulum-- an anti-anchor. Words that keep me drifting in a sea of doubt.<div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3486103715531710138.post-25708368927569574062017-01-13T14:37:00.000-08:002017-01-13T14:37:23.791-08:00Mortem's Tricks or Treats: Knitters Frills.<div>
I knit, but I don't knit often. I blame the persistent heat... and the plethora of other crafts I engage in, hehe.</div>
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When I do, and unlike many of those other crafts, I always found a need for one thing to harken that one more temptation, and I acknowledge that need by creating the tiny implements to suit the problem (such as my <a href="http://marimortem.blogspot.com/2013/11/fashioning-my-cyber-microcosm-stitch-n.html" target="_blank">stitch markers</a> or <a href="http://marimortem.blogspot.com/2013/12/creepy-crafty-crusades-looming-feeling.html" target="_blank">my notions bag</a>)... gradually my appurtenances reflected the years gone by that I have maintained this hobby <i>which I partake in irregularly</i>.</div>
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There was one thing I haven't made until now, and I am not sure why its taken so long to do it.</div>
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I made a project bag: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtbG9cm0GZtP4wBFFHOHZemoqj7au7BJibZwvTjIKffTv_H_uOvNSiGCeV-zLX6E4erJNYD7i-vb-GvVg9aRIKXze8nIzop2HVWJ86lzjFarMnJNsAJoH-WWAnd7dnQm3jhyphenhyphenbMKfZOmE/s1600/bag1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtbG9cm0GZtP4wBFFHOHZemoqj7au7BJibZwvTjIKffTv_H_uOvNSiGCeV-zLX6E4erJNYD7i-vb-GvVg9aRIKXze8nIzop2HVWJ86lzjFarMnJNsAJoH-WWAnd7dnQm3jhyphenhyphenbMKfZOmE/s640/bag1.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<i>But Madame Mortem, what <b>is</b> a project bag?</i></div>
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I'm glad you asked, it's exactly as its name suggest... a bag that holds your knitting (or crochet) project during those pesky moments where you're dragged to an event and you're finding yourself unable to properly socialize.<i> MmmHmm.</i></div>
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Typically these bags are drawstring so that your working yarn can be fed through the closed bag; preferred I should say, over nettlesome zippers whose teeth constantly threaten to snag fluffy yarns.<br />
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Well, and I like drawstring bags...</div>
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I have been using a Hallowe'en treat bag till this point.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7fMXk-kVc4RdfXN5dUGz0nFe3lGVu_A4ZR5O7KIA_fSDtzCntwgZYAfIfGSmhvCb9L_oUaeYTAgNrAU3J-lUuoD89457N5iORGYUC0ggfMIQlg0Fgv1_kfjhZ41CGDgxj5wE_uMwv4c/s1600/bag2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7fMXk-kVc4RdfXN5dUGz0nFe3lGVu_A4ZR5O7KIA_fSDtzCntwgZYAfIfGSmhvCb9L_oUaeYTAgNrAU3J-lUuoD89457N5iORGYUC0ggfMIQlg0Fgv1_kfjhZ41CGDgxj5wE_uMwv4c/s640/bag2.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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While living in New Mexico, I picked up a pattern from Walmart-- it was during the release of the first batches for the McCall's Easy Stich & Save patterns they were introducing to the retail giant's repertoire. I know Easy Stitch & Save's have been around forever... but is it just me or weren't they ridiculously hard to track? I am glad to see they're in every Walmart now.</div>
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It's McCall's 9106. It's strange but I can't seem to find the pattern anywhere online by that number in a quick web search or their website... they don't seem to track them? It would certainly explain why I've had issues finding them in the past.</div>
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I have been hoarding this cameo witch head silhouette fabric for what feels like forever; I have been aching to use it but unable to find a good blender nor a good project that truly called out to me.</div>
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Though I once saw a retro undergarment set made with panels of this material, and it <i>almost</i> had me.</div>
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I was trekking around a self induced quilt shop hop, when I came upon this hidden treasure of a shop surrounded by automotive detail and repair places and some other commercial retail stuffs-- <a href="http://memoriesbytheyard.com/" target="_blank">Memories By The Yard</a>. I wasn't sure about it since other shops similarly located were mostly sewing machine vendors with the tiniest peppering of fabrics and notions to offer. As soon as I walked in my jaw dropped; it's wall to wall of the most succulent quilt fabrics you'll lay your weary eyes on, and a notions section to render you into a dream state.</div>
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It reminded me so much of the shop I worked at while living in New Mexico, only Jill's Fabric & Design had a fair amount of garment materials. It made my heart ache, as I loved living there.</div>
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Anyway, I found this beautiful floral print nestled right in their blender wall-- it's just the right muted granny retro that my witches needed!</div>
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I made a slight pattern change with the addition of a slanted 3 section needle holding pocket; to hold long needles or DPN's as the whim and project beckons. The pattern originally comes with just two side pockets, which was fine-- I just wanted an interior pocket of some kind, who knows if I'll really use it, hehe.</div>
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I took this opportunity to try that foam interfacing people have been using for their hand bag creations instead of the standard fusible fleece. I almost forgot I bought it, if it hadn't been for digging around and organizing my interfacings and stabilizers.</div>
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I was hesitant for so long that it just fell off my radar I guess; again I find myself asking why didn't I do it sooner? Heheh.</div>
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I had bought the more expensive ByAnnie's Soft & Stable some time ago (roughly $12 for one pack at time of purchase--it still had the tag on it! Oops), but now Pellon has been producing their own (Flex Foam) at a little more reasonable price <i>and</i> by the yard. Foam interfacing is quite expensive still, so I can see it drive up the cost of a handmade bag easily. <b><i>However</i></b>... it gives a bloody beautiful finish! Omigosh! I am sure I'll be using it for my future bag creations.</div>
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My only gripe is that it is tough to work and maneuver under a walking foot (and you really do <b>need</b> a walking foot for this stuff), especially if your machine has a low clearance already-- a little huffing and puffing was involved, but I managed to get through it with my sanity intact, though a little disheveled. I had to use my brother machine (with it's notoriously low sitting needle bar and ankle) for its free arm, otherwise I think I'd have saved myself all this trouble if I could use my ol' faithful.<br />
I'd like to spotlight my orange stick turned sewing stiletto for this-- a <i style="font-weight: bold;">lifesaver</i>-- to coax it through the feed dogs without endangering my finger tips, hehe.</div>
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To round off my little project bag, I omitted the piece to create the ties and bought some simple tassel ties from the home dec department of my Jo-Ann's. I admit, I believe I should have went a little more kitchy and flamboyant with the tassels, but this suffices. Maybe if I recreate this bag in the form of an actual purse, I might embellish it a lot differently.</div>
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My final thoughts on this creation; though I love the foam interfacing, I'm not sure this was the bag to use it on. It's very full bodied and the cinch is a little awkward to pull off flatteringly to the bag-- it's quite bulky to be for a drawstring bag, unless there were a sectional left lax for the casing and cinching.</div>
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Well that's that and now I have a project bag! Heh!<br />
If I didn't admit otherwise, you'd think I was obsessively knitting, not distracting me at all with it's <i>one more line...</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgR6IaUZQsu0YH3QnoOMrSaVYjc1ukdDJrYA1FXbw9bCibBwz4y5mc0iB8k9p-bf6lvsNhkflO4qeWIjl0ZKjzQMSaSBdV5fcsgRZzjUABth7MmDqobtKNBbPN36RG9dL-OIKqbxWXtE/s1600/bag5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgR6IaUZQsu0YH3QnoOMrSaVYjc1ukdDJrYA1FXbw9bCibBwz4y5mc0iB8k9p-bf6lvsNhkflO4qeWIjl0ZKjzQMSaSBdV5fcsgRZzjUABth7MmDqobtKNBbPN36RG9dL-OIKqbxWXtE/s640/bag5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*accusatory glance*</td></tr>
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<b>*ahem*</b></div>
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