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Light up the room!

It is at least two years since I have seen amazing costume with light up skirt made by Angela Clayton (look it up here). I have been absolutely fascinated by it and went back to see it again and again.

If you are sewing for customers every day, sometime it can be really refreshing to make something just to enjoy the procedure of creating. The excitement of doing something big, majestic, and simply pretty, what can make people light up – feel exited, interested, alive.

After I spoke to Sarah form Whistler Chamber of Commerce and she told me she would like me to make a costume, my hard started to jump – when she mentioned the theme of the party – Igniting Excellence – everything click together. Finally!!! I am making my own light up skirt!!! Yes!!!

Like a squirrel I started collecting materials and bring them to my nest. In Fabricland I found this absolutely amazing red fabric with black flowers. My design didn’t count on any flowers at all but… Could I just leave the store without this pretty pricy but so gorgeous material? No. Could I just go on with my original plan? No! After I bring the fabric to the cutting table 3 times and than put it back on original spot, the merchant start already thinking I am dealing with some heavy personality disorder. I believe my inner dialogue was visible written all over my face.

After the main decision was done, I bought several shaded of yellow and gold organza, beads, little gems, and wait for it… gold thread. I didn’t even hope to use it for the machine because it is very slippery, organza is slippery… The all project is: “Very ambitious,” as one of the sales ladies noted. For someone who doesn’t know anything about seamstress slang it means – “You will screw this up! Why don’t you rather try to make an apron?” Anyway the gold thread surprised me and even if it broke couple of times, it worked out really well on the organza hemming.

I purchased amazing lights on amazon. They last 6 hours and they have very little battery, so there is no problem to hide them.

 

At first I put together the red skirt with a little train – the bottom part has 4 meters – so lots of beauty but also lots of weight. That meant I have to reinforce it with tick fabric under to create nice shape of the dress.

The next came a layer of light gold organza, I applied the zipper and the belt and the fun could begin. Hundreds of gold spiky flowers, my boyfriend bought for me in Mexico (my favourite gifts from travels are materials). I attached the one by one with the little beads in the middle. They look stunning.

I used the rest of the organza to create very baroque train and attached it only with 2 snaps – which mean you can easily remove it. To finish everything off – I installed the light and let one set for the hair of the model.

For the top I decided to go very simple – I created a gold tube top and decorated it with the red flowers. It worked out perfect!

My amazing friend Veronika agreed to be my model so once the costume was done, there was only one thing for both of us to do – shake up the ski bum looks and get 100% gorgeous. Well it wasn’t so easy because Veronika’s employer send her and the all team on that morning to Pitch in and clean up the ditch by the highway. Every beauty has some tips ant tricks before the big event – Veronika is picking up garbage and it seems it works for her very well – she couldn’t be more lovely. The Loft salon get very exited about putting the lights in the hair and created something amazing. Chloe from Shoppers did her magic with the make up and princess has been born! And where else to put princess than to the Chateau – Fairmont.

The Excellence Awards has been amazing – congratulations all the winners. People loved the dress, they all took pictures with Veronika and I could take one big goal of my bucket list – create a costume and light up a room with 450 people!

New bench upholstery in Tapley’s make drinking beer and watching games even better

I have to admit it, me and my best friend – we spend many evenings at Tapley’s, playing bingo, watching UFC, running away from the depressing staff housing room, gossiping and having the best times. Celebrating lots of birthdays and saying many good byes. I was so exited, when they call me, that their benches need a new upholstery. Because it really is my neighbourhood pub.

The plan was super cool too – come to pick up the benches right after closing and bring them back before the opening the same day. Even I plan a short sleeping breaks, I was so exited about that, I couldn’t close my eyes. So with no more talking around – here it is, new benches in Tapley’s made by Whistler Sewing Services. All project has been done in one night. Go check it out, have a seat, order a bier and relax. You may meet me there, you know – testing, if they are comfy.

PS: I love my new hammer!

Creating a Galaxy

I woke up at 3 a.m. with a horrifying dream, which has been filled up with jars overflowing with disgusting liquid coloured like mud. Children had been crying and I have been helpless. I was traveling around apartment for a bit and than went beck to the bed. Making a galaxy jars from paint and cotton balls at the same time, when is most of the Whistler resident having the last drink, would be a little nuts. So I snuggled to the warm blankets and kept turning angrily around for next two hours until the alarm went on.

“Finally!!!” probably first time in my life I have been happy, that my boyfriend is waking up at 5:30 and I have a excuse to start the magic (because at this time is not weird at all, right?).

How it works?

  1. Fluff the cotton balls and push them on the bottom of the jar.
  2. Bring on your glitter game! There is just one rule, more is always better.
  3. Add little bit of colourful liquid (not too much, the cotton can’t float). It could be just water with couple drops of food colouring or strait up tempura paint (be sure is washable). experiment, there is many ways.
  4. And thats it, you can just repeat the steps over and over.

When I was done, it looked like this: “Hmm, thats not ugly… I will try to shake it… Interesting… OK…that’s pretty awful!” I dump the all thing in the toilet bowl. And started over being angry at bunch of teenagers, who’s jars in the youtube video turned out amazing and they have been screaming: “Oooo my goooosh, they are sooooo prettyyyy. Waaauuu, sooooo cool, it would be amaaaazing for Valentines dayyyy…”

After making my toilet look like place, which is being visit just and only by unicorns, I came up with one jar which was good enough, I dumped it too and went to the The Whistler Tea House set up everything. And than the magic happened, the kids showed up, the cotton balls, paint and glitters were flying in the air, the parents has been patiently helping. You could just hear “Wau!!!” and “Yeey!!!” and “Beautiful!!!!” and “Amazing!!!!” and “We run out of jars!!!!!” and “No, we found some!!!” and everyone was colourful (no worries, it was washable) and happy and my college Sylvie had still glitters on her face three hours later . And I learned, that as always, the kids just turned everything into the right direction. And because, they are not cheap like somebody and not trying to save 3 cotton balls, it actually work! And because their clear minds just want to create the best they can imagine, they will surprise us again and again.

Ok, stoping being romantic… I hope, non of the jars explode in your purse. I hope we will not need to call the plumber because off all the cotton balls in the toilet and I hope to see you all next sunday, your kids are awesome.

And not to forget, here is a video of the teenagers Brooklyn and Bailey. Check out, how to make a glowing jars, it’s really simple, so you can try it, after you enjoy your Galaxy and empty the jar, you know where… It’s not just an amazing craft idea, but especially the excitement of the great results it’s worth to watch! “Its the coolest thing ever!!!”

 

Warm up your home with cushions

They are cute, fancy, cuddly, colourful, designer, funny, extravagant, vintage, long, huge…you can keep going forever. The sofa is without them the same like hamburger without ketchup. Cushions! They can be pretty expensive and thats why is so cool to do them yourself (you will find a special cushion classes in the section Sewing classes), or simply ask me and I can make the cushions for you.

Cushion was the first thing I have ever made, it took me about 20 minutes and even it wasn’t the prettiest thing, it completely amaze me. Here is couple of examples, with sew-in zipper, with piping, or the cuties made simply from the curtains leftover for one of the clients. She was very happy, that everything at her home is matching… And of course my favourite yoga bolster, which became a hero of my always tired legs. Yep, lets be honest to each other. However beautiful the cushions are, their place is simply under your feet.

Enjoy the pictures!

The curtain leftover was big,  it gave me lots of room for different shapes.

Gorgeous blue and gold pattern is now decorating Four Seasons Residence room.

Either gold or with the piping… always with the hidden zipper.

And the best at the end. Yoga bolster from weird material I didn’t know what to use for. Now is on of my favourite things in the house. Namaste.

you…kids…crafts…

You know the feeling, you are watching kids doing something and thinking… “Omg, that’s horrible, why can they simply follow the instructions?!” And than the little things comes together and you find out, the children’s imagination just overgrow you at least million times and you suck!

Craft time is not just for them, but for you as well, to remember, how creative the mind could be. Remember, how big and overwhelming was your ideas and how hard it was to use the glue without ending up completely messed up. Lets put their imagination and your glue experiences together and create something sparkly, beautiful and unique.

Crafts are helping to develop learning skills, social skills, it teach kids to stay on one spot longer than three minutes. It also help them to grow a respect to you: “my mom, dad knows, how to do that” and thats cool.

I provide bunch of beautiful materials and ideas and I can easily bring them to your home or hotel room. Its great for the birthday parties, long winter evenings, or sunny summer days. You can also rent a space at The Whistler Tea House, which is kindly helping to this project. Traditional children crafts hour is happening at the Whistler Tea House every Sunday at 10:00 am. See you there!