Camping Swap is Good to Go! Plus Iraqi Bundles of Love (IBOL)

YAYYYYYYY!
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I sent my package to my partner and 6 of the other 8 camping cards. Somehow, 2 of my camping cards lost pieces in transit, so I'll fix them and send them off tomorrow. I can't WAIT to post what I sent my partner!!!! I'm really proud of one of the things I sent her, so much so that I wish I could have kept it :P We never do these awesome things for ourselves, though, do we? Hehe!
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If you want to check out the swap gallery, where we'll be posting our goodies as they're recieved, go HERE. The link in the first post is to our discussion thread. *EDIT* I am most proud of this:
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In other news, check out Iraqi Bundles of Love. I thought it was a scam until I read his blog. I wish I could participate, but I won't make the September 7th send-out date due to lack of funds. I just spent 20 bucks on sending envelopes and a bubble mailer :P

Fall Fashion to Look Forward To! And Why I'm Excited :D

Well, guess what? I took the last year off from school because I was burned out and actually managed to fail a few classes (including my thesis because I totally lost interest in doing research). The goal was to get my life in order by pondering my priorities, motivations and goals. I did alot of that. I also did alot of nothing :P Ok, well, not NOTHING, but not much.

So here I sit, less than 2 weeks away from my fifth year of university! Click the logo above if you want to check out my school's website. I'll be re-taking the math class I failed, and instead of doing a thesis or other full-year research project, I'm taking a half-year research project and a course called Applied Anthropology. Those three things are all I need to get my Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology (Honours Program, which is 4 years instead of 3). I'm rounding out my course-load with 5 Native Studies classes, which I've already taken... 4 of? Maybe 5. Or 6. I'd have to check my transcript. I'm wondering if it's enough credits to count as a minor. I have to take all 8 courses to qualify for yet another student loan. I'm already up to my eyeballs, but it's either that or give up on an education.

Naturally, going back to school necessitates a discussion of fashion!

"Etsy Treasure Chest" Giveaway! Courtesy of "Geek Details"

Amanda of Geek Details is offering up a print out of her shop to 3 lucky people! I, however, ADORE her buttons! My faves?
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It's okay, Pluto. I'm not a planet either.
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I'm not afraid of the dark. I'm afraid of the ninjas that hide in the dark.
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If you can read this, you're in my AGGRO RANGE.
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If you want in on this giveaway, go to Etsy Treasure Chest's post about it.
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Not so FAIL! How I saved some stuff, and things that turned out :D

Let me introduce you to "Mo" the mohawked teddy bear:
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I saved his little nubby mohawk by picking it apart with a darning needle, then stitched on dark blue sparkle buttons for his little eyes, embroidered his little nose, and cut a piece off the felting-disaster of the mohawk hat for his cute little tail. My brother was in absolute awe to recieve his un-birthday gift! He was especially fond of the little Xs in his eyes and laughed at his little nub of a tail, and promptly dubbed him Mo. Mikey will be getting the new-and-improved mohawk hat for Christmas so he can match Mo.

EPIC FAIL!

This post is gonna be all about my fails :P
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First up, faux-hawk hat! DISASTER! I put it in the wash and it is felted into a little nub that extends the whole of 3/4 inch from the hat :( The little matching teddy bear that I gave a mohawk was likewise a felting-fail. I got some more blue wool, so I'm going to cut off both mohawks and try again without the picking-apart of the yarns. I'm going to "follow the instructions" this time :P
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That waves dress from months ago? FAIL! Using my modified 60s dress pattern, it was not how I wanted it at all. So I decided I would modify it into a halter-type dress, like a pillowcase dress. It ended up too small :( I can get it on, but it's reeeeeally tight. It would look better on someone with no boobs or perhaps a young teen. I've been occasionally wracking my brain as to how I might salvage the fabric, at least. I'm kinda clueless.
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How bout the Lakeport Honey Lager tee-into-blouse? Sorta-FAIL! LOL :P I put it away because I was getting way too effing frustrated. The pattern itself was too large, so I kept having to undo stuff and take it in. This is not easy with knits. The neckline facing turned out pretty shitty, so I redid that, and now it looks only slightly shitty. I did some embroidery on the print, though. The girl's hair is chain-stitched with three colours and it looks FAB, and the bee's butt is satin stitched. I'll finish it eventually :P For the pattern itself, I'm really not impressed. I need to figure out how to make the back of the neck not all gape-y. I think it's cuz my shoulders are very square and broad. My stance is more erect than average, so I guess I need to move the armholes back like I had to for a jacket that's half-done in my supplies box.
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OMG, the jacket... Vogue 8301 (view B) is a PAIN IN THE ASS! It's labelled as easy, which is UTTER POPPYCOCK! If I didn't have to make so many bloody alterations to the damn thing, sure, maybe it would have been easy. I had to move the shoulder line rearward, broaden the back AND move the armhole rearward to compensate, shorten the waist, lengthen the peplum, draft an inside shoulder yoke and front facing, draft the lining... Ok, I think was it. The reason it's not done? Figuring out how to put piping and a zipper into the front at the same time. I think I know how to, now, but I was awfully fed up! And because I had to shorten the waist, the front panel thingies are shorter than the buttonhole guide, so I think I'll just sew the buttons right onto it, no undo-age! Screw that! Want to know when I started it? LAST AUGUST! Ya. It's been sitting in my bin for 11 months.
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So there ya have it. My great big sewing FAILs.
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