Halloween 2020: The Big Boo

I drew this picture of myself as The Big Boo from the Super Mario Bros. franchise as a possibility for a Halloween costume. In the end, I decided to be Super Mario himself, instead. Perhaps I’ll sew this costume at some point in the future 👻

Fall Fashions 2020

The other day I was having fun drawing some fall fashion designs and colouring them with pencil crayon.

I’m a Personal Trainer

My fitness journey has led me to become a personal trainer. My love for fitness was reignited when I competed in my first obstacle course race (ORC) called a Spartan Sprint. Since then, I’ve completed in several more Spartan Races, a Tough Mudder and various running races - mostly 5km and 10km. But recently I also completed my first-ever half-marathon.

I’ve been training hard outdoors and at the gym with my own personal trainer in order to prepare for the 2021 race season. This is a picture of me holding a really heavy kettlebell.

Simplicity 2497: It Was All Yellow

 I made this yellow dress from Simplicity Pattern 2497.

Super Mario Test Fitting: I’m Raccoon Mario

 I’ve been working on a Super Mario costume even though Halloween was basically cancelled this year. 

Cobra Kai Never Dies 🐍

 Here’s a self-portrait of me wearing my Cobra Kai sweatshirt that I ordered online from the Cobra Kai store.

Very Easy Vogue 9021: Red Flutter Sleeve Dress with Floral Appliqué

I've never owned a red dress, but I've owned this red fabric for many years, so I finally decided to make my red dress project happen.

The fabric is crepe and was purchased at The Wool House in Toronto (in the fashion district at Queen & Spadina).

The pattern is Very Easy Vogue 9021, which I've made twice before - once in green crepe, also purchased from The Wool House, and once in a polka dot cotton blend, purchased from Fabricland. You can read about those makes here: Very Easy Vogue V9021: Green Fitted Flutter Sleeve Dress and here: Very Easy Vogue V9021: Flutter Sleeve Dress in Polka Dots

Having made both the longer and shorter views of this dress, I already knew that I preferred the longer version, which is view B, so this is the view I made with the red fabric. Trying on my previous makes, I also realized that with a small adjustment, the fit would be absolutely perfect; therefore I added half an inch to the bottom of the bodice so that it would align properly with my waist. This adjustment also resulted in the fitted skirt sitting in exactly the right spot. Sometimes it's amazing what a big difference one small pattern adjustment can make in the overall fit of a garment.

When I was finished sewing the dress, I felt that I wanted to do something to make it unique since I already have two other versions of the same dress. That's when the floral appliqué caught my eye. I have a bag of about ten of these same appliqués sitting in a Ziplock bag on my drafting table. I originally purchased them from Amazon for a coat project that is on my Things to Make wish list. Using one of the appliqués for my red dress leaves me with plenty left over for my coat project, and I think it was exactly what the dress needed.