Dear PETA, It's all Right, They're Vintage

Meet Pamela.

"Hello Pamela" says Cordelia.

"Hello Cordelia" Says Pamela.

 Pamela is my neighbor and she is kind of amazing because she does super cool things like. . .

 

Pays me in vintage (in this case Gucci) bags when I housesit for her. . .

 

And she feeds me lots and lots of shrimp. . .

 

And the other day she gave me a bunch of her mother’s and grandmother’s old furs.

And while I do not advocate the killing of tons of innocent little furry critters to make clothing (Um, except in the case of leather shoes, and leather bags, and leather belts) if its vintage I figure the animals have already been dead for a bit, thus I am not contributing to their mass genocide and therefore it would be a shame for me to not enjoy these furs.

Cordelia agrees and she takes pleasure in wearing the furs. All of them. At once.

Here is the breakdown of my brand new (but vintage) fur collection.

I now own a lovely mink stole.

 And no, I did not steal the stole. But I do believe Cordelia has stolen the stole from me. What a greedy little stole stealer.

 

The stole still has faces. Lots of them. With eyes. That’s why Cordelia likes it so much. She thinks it makes up for her lack of a head.

I’ve also acquired this unique little Mink number which Pamela assures me is a “collar” but I think one could find more creative uses for it.

 MARY!!! Get your mind out of the gutter you “saucy little mink” (name that movie quote!)

 

There is also this fabulous coat.

  I know Pamela told me what it was back when it had legs and moved, but I don’t remember, and I’m not going to even pretend to be some kind of fur expert. Cause I’m not. So please don’t call me

Wait

For

it

 THE FURINATOR DUN Dun dun

Cause I don’t work with fur. That would be creepy. Just one step above a taxidermist. Not that there’s anything wrong with taxidermists, it’s just not a profession (is that something you can do professionally or is it strictly a hobby?) I would choose.

 

And then there is this marvelous wrap.

I’ve been informed that wearing fur is on some list of top things to do while naked. Which is good for Cordelia cause she has clearly mastered the art of wearing nothing but furs.

But that leaves one to question—if you are wearing a fur coat are you still naked?!?!

I think NOT.

But I guess what I’m really trying to say is THANK YOU PAMELA! I love the furs, they are fantastic and I’m sure I’ll have some fun wearing them if I can ever get Cordelia to give them back.

Happy Fur wearing adventures!

~Melisa and Cordelia

Load It On Up!

The contractor’s getting ready to demolish our current home, so Cordelia and I had to temporarily relocate to this rental hose for the summer.

 

Which meant we had to pack everything up in lots and lots of boxes (man do Cordelia and I have a LOT of fabric).

 

So my sewing station went from looking like this:

To looking like this:

 

And then the movers came and took everything away.

 

And my sewing station looked like this:

 

I decided to let them take Cordelia too cause she is heavy. And I didn’t want to carry her up the stairs in the new house.

Stairs are not nice when moving.
On the bright side, the rental house has its very own built in summer workout regime.

Well first the movers wrapped Cordelia up in clear shrink wrap. So she wouldn’t swing around too much.

How many men does it take to wrap a dress form?

Answer: 3.

"I touched her waist!!"

at least one of the 3 was yelling.

And then they loaded her up onto their dolly.

 

And then ramped her into the truck.

And away she went.

Good by Cordelia!
 I’ll miss ya.
See you at the new house.

 

Cordelia had to spend the night on the truck with all the other furniture.

 She was soooo not happy about that.
 Trust me I heard all about how rambunctious the rocking chairs were.
They kept her awake all night.

And her plastic shrink wrap made her belly sweat.
 And itch.

And this is why I call her

Wait

For

It

Grumpzilla!!!!!

Bwhahahaha!

And then she was unloaded into the new sew room, but because she was whining the whole time I decided to let her wear the shrink wrap a little bit longer.

Teach you to be a bad sport. Ha.

But the good news is that Cordelia now has a new, albeit temporary, home. And we have a new sew room which went from looking like this:

And this:

To looking like this:

And this:

And the sew room has a Comfy Chair

And I have a cutting table!

And the best part?

One Bernina

 

Two Bernina

 

Three Bernina

 

Four!

I can have all 4 of my machines set up at once!

 

Fabulous! I may never leave!!!!

 

 

Happy Bernina Party

~Melisa & Cordelia

Cordelia's New Home

Meet my sewing studio.

Waite, Waite, waite!!!

Time out!

You can’t call it that.

It’s clearly not a STUDIO.

Meet my sewing room?

No no no.

You can’t call it that either, its not a room.

Meet my sewing corner?

Nope it’s not really a corner.

I don’t know what you would call it.

A sewing station?

Sure we’ll go with that.

Lets try this again.

Meet my sewing station.

“Hello sewing station,” says Cordelia

“…………………..” says the sewing station.

Cause it’s a sewing station and sewing stations can’t talk.

Anywho, whatever you call it, it’s a nice space.

If you were an occasional weekend sewer.

 The type that sews 2-3 times a month for 3-4 hours a time.

Which Cordelia and I are not.

 We’re the type of sewers who sew all day, everyday.

Cause it’s what we get paid to do.

So clearly this space is on the small side for us.

 

That and the room also doubles as my bedroom.

 

Now let’s take a minute to do a little math.

Sew Room + Bedroom ≠ a good combination.

Here’s why.

For one thing, I tend to find pins and needles in my bed. Not a pleasant midnight treat. For another, I tend to find pins and needles on my floor which I step on in the middle of the night on my way to bed. Not a pleasant midnight treat. Also, it’s impossible to get dressed up for my hot dates (not that I actually go on hot dates) without being covered in thread, fabric lint, pins and needles. Again not a pleasant midnight treat.

 And finally,

 it’s like sleeping at the office.

 Every night.

 Every single night.

Every Single Friggin Night.

So what I’m trying to get at is my sewing station leaves a lot to be desired. Which is why there is going to be some crazy remodeling taking place and Cordelia is going to get a

NEW HOME!!!

(AKA I'm getting a new sewing studio!)

 WOOT!

 

!!!!WWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTT!!!!!

We’re just a little bit excited.

 Not that I don’t love bunking out with Cordelia but she snores.

A lot.

And quite loudly.

That’s why I call her

 

Wait

(Notice how I spelt it correctly this time.  Way to point that out to me.)

 

For

 

It

SNORZILLA!

BWhahahahaha.

Anywho, this means we are going to be temporally relocated for the next 4-6 months and will have to rough it out at this rental house.

On the bright side? The rental has an extra bedroom and you know what that means?

New Sew ROOM!!!

Spoiler Alert! Matching Dresses to Come.

So back in March I participated in a fashion show, but unfortunately I didn’t get any pictures because I was too busy running around doing other more important things. Like unsuccessfully trying to convince the hair stylist I was a model so I could score some fabulous hair like this:

 Actually I didn’t really do that, I just spent the entire time telling Miko how I wanted to but then chickening out.

Cause I'm a wuss.

Anywho, I finally found the pictures that Evan Moore one of Albuquerque’s more talented photographers took so I thought I would share them with you!

But first, Evan deserves a great big thank you for actually documenting the event.

THANK YOU EVAN!!

Here I am with my models.

 Fun fact: one of these outfits does not belong (meaning it’s not my design). 10 super cool human points to the first person to tell me which is the imposter!!

Hint: It's not my own outfit.

As promised, a picture of the matching mother-daughter sun dresses. Please don’t be confused, this child does not belong to the model. Her real mother was in the audience taking pictures of this cuteness.

They look just as adorable from the back! I think this was the crowd favorite.

Cause it’s such an amazing design.

 It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with the models.

Nope, nothing at all.

Now we have the matching tweed coats! These two do belong together. Thanks Wesley for lending me your child! Oh and for modeling too!

This top is made from a tablecloth.

Half of a tablecloth to be exact.

 A free one with some random initials monogrammed on it some company sent to my mom to get her to order one of her own. She had no use for half a tablecloth with weird initials so I cut it up and now people wear it.

"How you like them apples?"

 Name that movie quote.

No seriously, do. I can’t place it.

I just got it!

Hint: Matt Damon!

 

 

Who let this model on the runway with a black bra on under that blouse?!?!?!

I want to know who’s in charge of quality control around here, cause I plan on giving them a severe verbal slap to the head.

Bad quality control person.

 BAD!

Oh, Waite, I guess that was my job.

 In that case, no worries, just try to do better in the future.

This is one of my favorite shots with the dueling outfits. Which would win in a fight? I think the rose outfit would soooo take the lace one.

 Cause roses have thorns.

And you just got to love this dress. It shoots well. And this model has the most amazing green eyes.

I wants!

 The eyes, not the dress.

Silly rabbit, I already have the dress.

Ha designer walk. 

 Yes I did make my outfit too.

 Look at that awkward wave. This is why I am not a model. Cause I get on the runway and do weird stuff like flutter my hands.

Thats why they call me...

.......Waite......

......For.....

.....It....

The Flutternator Dun Dun Dun.

JK, no one calls me that.

It would be weird if they did.

Cause it’s so not an intimidating or cool name.

And it makes me sound like a butterfly.

Anywho, while I may not be so good at modeling, I sure am good at bossing my models around.

 

 

 Look at how well they listen. Or so I like to tell myself that’s what they are doing , you know, instead of staring off into space and concentrating on not pulling a Carrie Bradshaw.

At least that’s what I would be worried about if I were them.

Cause it’s highly likely that I would break a heel, fall on the runway and manage to moon the entire audience in the process.

You know, cause I have such a great presence while on stage and all.

Happy Modeling

~Melisa and Cordelia

 

It's a Wrap (tehehe)

So a few days ago I finished up a wrap skirt class where I helped people to make skirts like this

Or this.

 

It’s the same skirt.

Clearly I have magical sewing fabric altering superpowers.

That, or I am a master  of the art of reversible wrap clothing.

And what an art it is!

 Everyone should have at least one reversible garment.

 For reals.

If you don’t have one, go buy (or better yet make) one.

 GO.

 NOW.

GET ONE!

 Trust me.

You’ll be glad you did.

 

Anywho, I love this skirt and decided to share it and its reversableness with the world. And can you think of a better way to brain wash a new generation of reversible clothing lovers then to teach a class?

Plus class is fun.

 

Cordelia wanted to come to the class but it was already over full so I said no.

And then she pouted. 

 

First I showed my students how to turn these 4 measly measurements:

Waist

Hip

Waist to hip

Waist to Hem

 

Into a pattern that looks something like this.

Or this.

 

Oooh that’s got to be hard right?

WRONG.

 Easiest pattern to draft.

EVER!

Trust me. If I can do it, you can too.

Because you’ve probably got more talent in your bellybutton lint than Cordelia and me combined.

True story.

 

Then it’s just a little magical snip snip here and a stitch stitch there and. . . 

 VOILA!

Beautiful wrap skirt.

 And that’s why they call me

………..waite…………

……….for…………….

………..it……………..

The Wrapanator DUN DUN DUN!

Actually no one’s ever called me that, but extra credit to the first person who does.

Well that would be if we gave out grades at Ann Silva's.

   Which we don’t.

 Bummer.

 

Anywho, here’s proof that I have amazing and talented students.

Check out Sue’s reversible wrap skirt!

 Ohhhh. Bonita!

This is the only one I managed to get a picture of (It’s time to work on my photo-journalism skills me thinks) so I’ll leave the rest of the skirts to your imagination. They were all equally fabulous though.

Happy Reversing,

~Melisa & Cordelia