Wardrobe Building: Peasant Top and Pixie Skirt

I'm home from school now, a little earlier than I expected, but that just means there's more time to do things I actually want to do, like sew.

And boy, have I been sewing! Yesterday I made three articles of clothing; not too shabby considering I've only been sewing regularly for a few months.

I'm only sharing the two things I made that aren't part of my halloween costume, since I'm anticipating you'll see that soon.

On the left, a pixie skirt I made following this awesome tutorial out of an old skater skirt and some black fabric scraps. I'm quite pleased with it!

I am equally, if not more, pleased with my beautiful new peasant blouse.

I was able to snag some gauze during the Halloween (Midnight Madness? I think?) sale at Joann's for dirt cheap. I used McCall's M5050 with some minor alterations - I left out the waist elastic and added lace at the sleeves because I ran out of fabric for them. 

I am so very pleased with how this one turned out, though I may alter and shorten the neckline elastic a little bit because the way it sits off-shoulder bugs me. Apparently I did a good job on this one because my mom didn't believe me when I told her I'd made it!

That's all I made before I ran out of (good) fabric. Which reminds me, I still have about a half a yard of gorgeous spider-print fabric that I need to figure out what to make out of.... it's just so beautiful I don't want to cut it!

What have you been making lately?

On Leaving School

It's that time of the semester again, the midway slump during which I cringe away from all school-related activity and reluctantly sulk on my way to class.

It's also the time when I break down into tears at the mere thought of what I might do with my degree, or how lonely I feel, or how badly I want to go home.

If you can't tell, this is not a normal case of mid-semester blues. 

I am not happy at school, so I am leaving.

No, I'm probably not leaving school for good (I'm actually considering a technical Associates degree). But I am leaving this school for good.

When I first visited, I was struck by the beauty of the campus, the advice the professors gave on choosing a major, and the assurance from a current student that it wasn't a party school.

A beautiful campus doesn't make up for the fact that I'm not clicking with people here or that I have yet, in my nearly a year of study here, to find a niche or a group of friends to hang out with on a regular basis. Nor does it help when I realize that I, a college Junior, still have no idea what I want to study or do with my degree. 

At first, I was reluctant to consider my mother's advice that I leave college. I felt like that would be admitting defeat, that I'd be giving up, that my problems wouldn't magically be solved by leaving. But the more I thought about it, the less appealing staying seemed to me, and the more I wanted to leave.

So I'm going home. I'm taking a semester off to work and spend time with my family and friends. I'm exploring my career options. 

This is not giving up. 

A lot of people come to college without knowing what they want to do. Some figure it out in four years. Many don't. I must be one of the latter, and I figure there's probably a cheaper way to find myself.

So, come December 12, I will bid the University of Mary Washington adieu. The curtain will close on this act of my story. There will be a few months' intermission. Then, the curtain will once again rise, and I will waltz onto the stage more confident, more self-assured, and more ready to take on the world. 

Enter the Bettie Bangs

A few days ago, I was riding with a friend when she brought up the subject of my hair. "It looks good," she said. I had recently cut it to have straight-across bangs that subtly curved around my face.

"I want to cut them shorter. I want Bettie bangs."

She mulled this over for a moment before she replied, "I don't know; they may not look good."

WELL WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?

The correct answer is me. Because I look adorable. 

I'm not completely happy with how I cut them; but then again, I am a beginner at this hair cutting business. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it. Eventually.

Ignore the lack of makeup, the haircut was a spur of the moment decision I made at nine p.m. Actually, don't ignore the lack of makeup. You'll be seeing a lot of makeup-free face over thisaway. It's half laziness, half oil-slick skin.

In case you were wondering, here's a crappy iPhone-selfie before pic. 

They were kind of not styled properly and were sitting every which way but I also wanted to show you my new favorite lipstick. Lip Tar by Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Pagan. Mmmmm.