Goodbye dumpster fire, hello 2021!

 Let us forge ahead into this new year! We will never forget you, oh 'Year of the Dumpster Fire' (2020)

look at this cute little dumpster fire (from boxlunch.com)

It was a year of struggles, unknowns and so much more. As this year has begun and spring is arriving, most people feel a fresh start is in order. I will be adding and selling much more vintage items in my Etsy shop (you can visit my Etsy HERE). Many authentic items such as hats, scarves, soon to be listed clothing and much more! I have gathered these wonderful items over the past 3 years and am happy to offer them in my online shop. 

scarves bundle already listed!

red wool hat

real mink fur hat

Also now in my Etsy shop are N E W bundles! To make buying prices affordable for some items I have simply put a few in bundles. Bundles let you buy multiples at a discount and reduce shipping costs for you, the customer. I will be offering more bundles as the years goes forward ~ so visit my shop to stay up to date!

hearts wooden lollipops bundles

My newest sewing ventures have been a mix of several things. I am finishing a handmade kimono coat for my spouse. It was meant to be a gift but it's taken sometime to complete. I have made a lining and the outer coat along with a separate collar. It's been a little tricky as I used cotton for the outer coat and a jersey knit for the lining. I have been in the mood to sew some items I've just never made before. From aprons to new dresses, I have patterns galore to pick from! If you visit my Instagram (follow me HERE) you can see videos and updates on crafty projects. 

All in all 2021 is certainly feeling more leveled and less stressful. I hope everyone has been taking care of themselves, their health and reducing stress. Go for walks, enjoy quiet time reading, put on a funny show ~ do whatever helps you feel happy! Be sure to pop on over to my Etsy shop to make purchases or request custom orders. And if you want to interact try my Instagram page where I am on every few days each week. 

A FREE face mask pattern, Vintage, Ramadan greetings

Spring has arrived... sort of. The weather going from winter to spring was a real roller coaster this year. We had days of very warm weather and then it would snow over night! Flowers often felt so much stress fro this they didn't do so well. Some trees (like my weeping cherry blossom) bloomed very early. I still will decorate my tree for May Day coming up in the next week, even if the blossoms have already fallen off.

my Ostara decor this year was in egg shells 

daffodils in my yard

my cherry blossom tree (and my BerthaBee Photography) 

As we all have found, this year did not start smoothly. The global pandemic that is COVID-19 has taken hold of the entire nation. Places have had to close their doors for service temporarily to keep with state laws being enacted. I closed my online Etsy shop before Ostara (Easter) because our state began a stay-at-home order. I wasn't entirely sure if I'd be able to sell items during this time but it seems we can safely do so. I think in May I will re-open my shop because I have new items to offer. But for now to pass the time and help communities ~ I have a FREE face mask pattern for you!

just print this image OR draw it on paper for a pattern!

I have been sewing 2 styles of face masks: the above curved shape face mask and the folded (I call it accordion) face mask. The above pattern is fairly easy to copy by hand and cut out. The angled middle of the mask covers your nose. You can use just 2 cut pieces of fabric for it and I showed how to add the ear loops. If you can not fold under the edges to sew, you can use what is called bias tape. It is fabric and is pre-folded to cover raw edges and is very simple to work with and sew on. I did not feel it was right to sew and sell masks during such a health crisis. And many people can not spare the extra money to buy a mask, pay for shipping and wait for it's arrival. That's why I offer the above pattern, which - you can easily find similar and more variety of free patterns online too!

some folded style masks for family

As for my shop online, I will be offering a new section soon. It will include authentic, true vintage items for sale. I have several hats, some beautiful hand embroiderer aprons, some sewing patterns from the 1970s and 1980s and more! Here are just some of the hats (one being real fur) that I will be listing. All items will include shipping cost to make it easier for buyers & as always, they come from a smoke-free home.

a red wool hat that will be for sale

a stack of vintage hats!

And I also wanted to wish my many friends & followers who observe it, may you have a Happy Ramadan 🌙 Each year I love making greeting cards for some of my friends for Ramadan, so I hope to again send some out this year!

Ramadan Kareem! 

Thrifty fun, alterations and kitty wings!

Hello, and since it's today ~ Happy Spring Equinox! 

I have been going through my wardrobe the past several weeks. Weeding out clothing I no longer wore, had out grown style-wise or just found to be too worn out. I always donate my gently worn clothes to several local places. And of course, I end up at the thrift store seeking new clothes! It's my number one place for gently worn, pre-shrunk clothing finds. 

In doing that I often find pieces I love but want to improve upon. It could be a simple change in buttons or altering it to fit my figure better. If something is too small you can add width in several places. The first can be at the zippers, which I will touch upon next month (currently doing just this to a skirt!). The second is to add width under too-tight arms. Some are very easy alterations for any beginner while others can be more involved.

Here is a pretty blouse I picked from the thrift store recently. It's vintage, I suspect from the 60's and the white buttons it came with just had to go.

I took the original white buttons with me shopping at a craft store. I picked the same size to fit the current button holes. I simply cut the old ones off and added the new black buttons. It's all done by hand and is an easy change for any beginner seamstress.

here is the thrifted blouse with new buttons

My other fun project was new kitty wings for my fluffy cat who wears a harness (because he is a puppy cat!). In the past I have made him fairy wings, which I have shared in a post with adorable photos. But since I made the dog a dragon wing cape last year, my cat needed some too. 

dragon wings for my cat

These are very light weight and made from pipe cleaners and tulle. I hand stitched around the wire to make sure the tulle didn't come of. If you follow me on Instagram (click my side link to find it) you can see videos of my pets and my cat in this adorable winged costume!

dragon cat

I hope spring is arriving for you soon enough! Our flowers are trying to poke up from under a blanket of frost and a dusting of snow. Do visit my many links to keep up with me on a weekly basis.