Harebrain Halloween Idea

People who know me personally are well aware that I am always coming up with harebrain ideas. It runs in my family. Most of them are grand schemes that will change our lives forever like a big move to Timbuktu. We only act on about 10% and people still think we are insane.

Some of my ideas are still insane, but are on a rather small scale so it isn’t that big of deal. I had one last month that has been continuing to nag at me. I guess it all started when we lived on South Beach during one of my Ebay addiction phases. I thought it would be fun to make custom outfits for girls and sell them despite the fact that I didn’t have a sewing machine and can’t sew. Did you catch that? I said CAN’T SEW, but it didn’t stop me from buying a machine for a good deal. I played with it a few times, but that is as far as it ever went.

Last month, I started thinking it would be fun to dress my kids up in Renaissance costumes for Halloween so that they could wear them again to the Tex Ren Fest. A normal person would have started shopping around both online and in stores for their costumes, right? Not me! I headed right for the fabric store. All the way there, I told myself that I was just going to look because it would be silly to pick up a pattern and fabric when clearly I CAN’T SEW.

Unfortunately, while looking through the pattern books I found something I liked for Lexi that looked fairly easy (as in no buttons or zippers). Then, I began to tell myself that I could start the process and if I got stuck I would simply mail it to my mom & beg her to bail me out even though she works and is very busy. That is where I let myself get sucked in…remember that I am blonde.

There was one thing that I didn’t count on…my mom going to Canada for a few weeks with her husband to babysit his grandkids. I realized that I was stuck doing my own harebrain idea. During my teen years, she tried to teach me to sew. I wasn’t fond of it and asked a million questions so she would get frustrated and finish the projects for me. I just hoped some of it had rubbed off & I could pull up those files in my mind from 20 years ago.

It didn’t take me long to lay out the pattern and cut it out. I also quickly sewed the main seams. Then, I put it away for little while because I knew the next part would be a bit more difficult. Since Halloween is approaching and I am a stickler for deadlines, I pulled it out on Friday and almost finished it. The only thing left is the hem, which I know will turn out awful. I just keep telling myself that the costumes in the store are not exactly well made either. Here is the picture of the pattern so you know what it should look like (little girl in red):


Here is Lexi trying it on over her other clothes when I pinned it up to hem it:

Sharing a Gem

As many of you know, I am a bingeing Ebay addict. It isn't a full time addiction. The madness only hits 3 - 5 times a year, but it hits hard. Once I spend too much, I quit cold turkey and don't even check out the deals for a few months. I currently happen to be getting over a binge that was quite fun. Like every time, it started when I wanted to buy some cute outfits for Lexi. I buy her play clothes at all the normal places, but every once in a while I like to buy unique outfits. I start looking in the handmade/custom clothing for little girls section on Ebay. Before I know it, I have bid on way too many great things and I actually hope I lose many of them. I won quite a few this time and in the process, I found a wonderful seller. Her name is duvalldiva. Not only does she fit my criteria, of being a talented mom that is trying to make money, but she is a great seamstress that uses a serger. I got two wonderful outfits from her. Here is a picture and video of the adorable Valentines outfit:





Now, I realize the point of Ebay is to compete for items and therefore it would be smart to keep a gem like this seller a secret. On the other hand, I will not be checking out her stuff for the next few months. I also think the items she currently has for sale are not quite as cute and the prices have gone up a little. On the other hand, she is a rising star so her OOAK (one of a kind) outfits are still cheaper than the big sellers. By the time I get back to my addiciton, she'll be out of my cheap price range. Because of that, I might as well help her in her quest for the big bucks.

Shameful Plug

I am crossing over from being an E-bay shopping addict to the selling side. I have posted my first item: Cool Cats Outfit. By the way, I did not start sewing. I got my mom to make this & agree to do one more for my E-bay debut. I promise not to pester you all in the future with my items, but this is my first... Plus, I haven't posted pictures of Lexi in a while (cheap trick to make you click on the link). Any advice from you E-bay experts would be great.