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Lingerie

One of a Kind Sale

Lingerie, New Items, Personal, Sales May 19, 2018

Can I tell you about the difficult month I’ve had? Actually, it’s been a couple of months. First, our roof leaked which led to a huge unexpected home repair. Always stressful right?

I don’t talk about this much, but I have a brother who has had some pretty serious struggles with addiction and lately things have been very stressful with him. Anyone who has loved someone with an addiction will know how hard it is. I don’t want to get into details, but all I want to say is my heart hurts and it is a constant roller coaster ride and it takes up a lot of my emotional energy worrying about him (and my parents).

I had an ultrasound a few weeks ago that found some sort of “mass” on my uterus, so that’s fun. I’m sure it’s nothing but of course my brain goes to the worst case scenario. Bodies are the worst, right?

Then, we had a huge wind storm that knocked a gigantic, and I mean GIGANTIC tree down. It actually lifted up right from the roots. Luckily it ended up falling onto another tree just before landing on our brand new, very expensive roof. Nevertheless, cutting it down wasn’t a job that we could do… So we had a tree guy come out, who spent half the day slowly removing it. But we were left with a lot of wood which we’ve spent the last few weeks chopping, stacking, and trying to desperately give away! We have enough for bon fires for ages… On the bright side, I do like roasted marshmallows and now my backyard gets a lot more sun!

In the midst of this, we bought a car. “Old Goldie” as we affectionately called our 2002 Honda CR-V, was on her last legs and we knew it was just a matter of time before she literally fell apart (oh the rust). So we found a good deal on a new car, less than a decade old which for us is like living in the future. Gosh, this car is beautiful. However, driving back from puppy class last week it stalled on the highway and refused to start. I was stuck on the side of the highway with an overtired 3 year old and a wound-up puppy. Turns out, somehow a teeny tiny piece of cigarette foil (ugh… cigarettes. Could they be any worse?) got stuck where the engine air filter should have been (oops) and caused some kind of problem that Dan explained to be very calmly. Anyway, at the end of the day my genius husband (who is a mechanic) fixed it and saved us a tow. But it was stressful after the couple of weeks I’ve had.

So… I’ve been stressed.  Ahh… It actually feels good just to let that all out.

I also have a ton of projects that are half started that I need to focus on and complete. I often have so many ideas and I get so excited about each of them that I start them, move on, then never finish them. Right now I’ve got 4 patterns on the go, a really exciting collaboration with another lingerie designer in the works, another top secret project, an art project… all of them started, none of them completed. Oh yeah, and I guess I better file my taxes (again, started that, but never finished). As much as I enjoy starting these projects (not taxes), it stresses me out having so many things half done. Why do I do this to myself?

I did manage to almost complete a couple of things. I posted about my Supply De-Stash yesterday. So many things have already sold out! Thank you every one who visited the sale, I hope you found something special and I can’t wait to see how you use them!

The other thing I’ve almost completed is a One of a Kind Lingerie (and more) Sale! I’ve been wanting to list these pieces for a while. Some of them I’m having a hard time with the idea of letting go, particularly the pastel satin set, but these one of a kind pieces deserve to be loved and worn, not just tucked away in a box.

A couple years ago, my friend Susie was trying out selling some items in her salon. I made up a few pouches and make-up bags, and I had a few left over so I’ll be posting those soon. I kept a few for myself and Isabel to use as pencil cases, but I’ve got more pouches than I can use. I really love these!

Some of my one of a kind pieces are prototypes, others are custom orders that I realized before shipping to the customer that I made them wrong. Oops. This is something my scatter brain does way too often than I’d like to admit. I just get so excited to jump in that I sometimes overlook details… the bra below was one of those oopsies. It was supposed to have black lace…

Other pieces, like this harness, are pieces that just didn’t quite make the cut into a collection. I also have a couple of slightly flawed pieces.  Every once and a while I’ll finish a bra or a sleep mask then promptly cut a hole in the lining… sigh…

Here’s to pretty new lingerie, and hopefully some better luck for me (pretty, pretty please). Although I woke up this morning to find a puddle of water under my fridge… so if you need me, I may be out fridge shopping…

Shop the One of a Kind (and More) Sale HERE!

Supply De-stash

Lingerie, Sales, Sewing Patterns May 18, 2018

I’ve been meaning to do this for a while… I’m having a supply de-stash in my Etsy Pattern Shop!

I’ve been in the lingerie-making business for EIGHT years. It’s actually hard to believe! It feels like just yesterday I was working two jobs, desperately hoping (and working my butt off) for Ohhh Lulu to catch on…

Over those eight years I’ve bought a lot of supplies. I live in a small town, so I do most of my supply shopping online. Sometimes I buy things that aren’t quite what I needed. I usually throw those into a box and wait and see if the need for them arrises…

I finally decided to go through that box. This is just a small selection of what I have! If I have the time and energy, I may post some more.

I had a lot of fun photographing these items! Lately I’ve really gotten into UV Resin crafting, creating glittery faux-crystals (I’m actually prototyping some pattern weights), and I had fun using them in the background…

I posted all of these things last night and I know a few have already sold out, so get ’em while you can!

You can shop my supply de-stash HERE.

Oh, and one last thing! To celebrate the long weekend, I’m offering 15% off all PDF sewing patterns! Offer expires on Monday, May 21, Midnight. Discounts are already applied in my Etsy shop, but you can use coupon code LongWeekend15 if shopping directly here!

So much new

Design Diary, Lingerie, New Items April 21, 2018

Typical me. I’ve refreshed my Lingerie Shop with so many new pieces and I totally forgot to write about them.

I really love this new collection. I love how versatile and comfortable all of the pieces are. I had a lot of fun preparing product descriptions and infusing each piece with a little bit of storytelling and history.

One of the things I’m most excited about is the fact that some of the fabrics I’ve used were designed by me specifically for this collection. I gathered vintage florals and other magical elements to create custom prints that you won’t be able to find anywhere else.  In a previous life time, I worked for a textile design studio, so this was a fun project for me and a bit of a trip down memory lane. It’s definitely something I’d like to do more of and collaborate with other artists on.

I had a lot of fun photographing this collection. I pulled out my old set of runes, pendulum and crystals.  I’m actually a skeptic and don’t believe in divination, but I do believe in the power of the mind! I also made use of a vintage shawl I seem to have acquired from my mom (hope she doesn’t want it back because it’s mine now!), and an antique fringed cardigan.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was really inspired by themes of earthy-magic and witchcraft.  I’ve incorporated traditional Victorian Florals with dark backgrounds and geometric elements.  I really love these prints. They’re a bit of a throwback to my teenage romanti-goth days.

I’ve added a few different harnesses to my shop that can be layered over these basic pieces.  I love these because it’s an easy way to dress up a simple style or add a layer of intrigue to a floral bra.

I’m really happy with how these pieces came together. They are pretty with just a bit of an edge, comfortable, and easy to wear. My perfect lingerie trifecta!

You can shop the Nightshade, Midsummer and Elemental ranges on Etsy.

 

This weekend, sleep masks ship free!

Anxiety, Lingerie, Sales April 19, 2018

Some of you might remember me talking about my struggles with insomnia. It was really something that was brought about by my uncontrolled anxiety but I had dealt with it for so long that I just figured it was the hand I had been dealt.

I still hate using the word “anxiety” to describe what I was going through for most of my life. It wasn’t just that feeling you have before a job interview, it was the feeling like someone was going to die imminently and I had to prepare in every possible way to prevent catastrophe from happening. It was also visualizing those things happening, with absolutely no control… and worst of all, it was dreaming about all of those terrible things happening. You know when people casually say, “what’s the worst that could happen?” Well, let me tell you, because I’ve thought of every possible terrible scenario! Ha!

The wonderful thing about realizing that this wasn’t a normal state of being, was realizing that I could get help, and that I could stop feeling that way. One of the best things about getting help is finally being able to sleep. I still have the occasional nightmare and sleepless night, but these days my sleeplessness is usually brought on by dog farts or a screaming 3 year old.

All of that being said, I’m still tired! Isabel is not a good sleeper, and I’m usually the one who gets up with her. Just last night we were up at midnight, at 3, at 4, and finally at ten to six. And this is after a busy day at work/daycare, regular mom/life stuff, and swimming lessons, which I have to participate in!

I was thinking… with Mother’s Day approaching, what would I really like to receive? Well a day at the spa and a massage would be amazing, but even just the opportunity to sleep would be pure perfection.

So, I thought I’d try to pass it on. I’m offering Free Shipping on all sleep masks ordered between April 19-22. 

I’ve been making sleep masks for a few years now, and through trial and error and customer feedback, I think I’ve developed the perfect mask. You now have the choice between 100% silk or cotton lining in either black or ivory. All masks come with two internal layers of soft cotton batting, and a secret layer of black cotton for extra light protection.

You can shop through all of my sleep masks Here.

And, if you’re more keen to make your own, check out my free Kitty Sleep Mask Pattern and Clara Pattern!

 

 

The Hyacinth Bralette Expansion Pack

Design Diary, Lingerie, New Items, Sewing Patterns April 17, 2018

I’m happy to see lots of Hyacinth Bralettes popping up on Instagram and in the facebook group!

One of my favourite things to do with a pattern is figure out all of the different ways I can style it. The Hyacinth has such simple style lines that it really adapts well to many different variations!

Today, I’ve released an Expansion Pack for the Hyacinthe Bralette Pattern. This Pack includes lace overlay pieces, several back variations, as well as in depth instructions, including how to finish the neckline with fold over elastic instead of lace.

One of my surprise favourites is this keyhole cut out variation. I felt ho-hum about it when I was finishing up my first sample, but when I put it on, it just felt amazing to wear! It’s funny how designs can change based on how you feel in them. I paired this variation with my Justine Panties. I often forget how much I love this pattern. The minute I put this set on I felt like a million bucks.

 

I also really love the simplicity of the plain racerback variation. It’s reminiscent of my Josephine Pattern, but with the plain front. I really like how this style of back feels. For me, its super comfortable and conforms to the curves and angles of my back. I paired this version with a simple pair of Claudia’s.

The Celeste Panties make a great pairing with the Hyacinth Bralette. They are my go-to for everyday undies.

Without a doubt, though, this variation is my favourite. It’s the most forgiving and gives a great fit due to the adjustable nature of the strapping.

I decided to pair it with my Ava Panties, and sewed both pieces out of a mini-fish net. The inner goth in me loves it so much!

Get the Expansion Pack Here! Friendly reminder that you will also need to download the Free Hyacinth Bralette Pattern.

It’s Magick.

Design Diary, Lingerie, New Items, Personal, updates, Videos February 5, 2018

Something you may not know about me is that I am obsessed with the creepier side of life… although I’m a skeptic, I just love ghost stories and the like. I also love history, specifically women’s history.

As an aside, my favourite movie as a kid was Beetlejuice and I basically styled myself after Lydia Deets (which is now my cats name, you’ll see her in the video).

These interests have been with me for as long as I can remember. As a teenager it led me into learning about wicca and the history of (western) witchcraft. It’s all fascinating stuff. More recently, I’ve become obsessed with Victorian Spiritualism. Spectral photography, spirit boards, table tipping… it’s all so eerily beautiful.

I think about how witchcraft was used as a tool to silence women who dared to step outside the confines of what was deemed “appropriate behaviour.” It’s a sad, scary, fascinating part of our history. It serves as a metaphor for so many instances throughout history and our lives.

I also love the meaning we imbue on objects, like a certain type of flower or crystal or card. I don’t believe a chunk of rock intrinsically has any power, but the meaning we place in it is a powerful thing.

One of the things that draws me to these topics, I think, is my weird obsession of death. It scares me. Terrifies me. I’m not really a spiritual person myself. I don’t actually believe in an afterlife, but I wish I did. The thing that draws me to spiritualism and magick is the possibility of something else. We all want that don’t we?

Loss and death is what a lot of my anxiety tends to revolve around.  I know I’m getting better because I spend a lot less time thinking about it than I used to. Now I think of it in a, “It’s interesting how people used to be drawn to Spiritualism as a way to deal with the ever present threat of death,” instead of just being terrifyingly aware of my own, and everyone around me, mortality.

I have to laugh a bit because this post makes me seem pretty dark. I’m not. These are just the things that interest me. They always have. I’ve always been a weird woman! It’s actually something I really like about myself. And I know if it were  500 years ago, I’d probably be burned at the stake (HA!).

In my personal life, I tend to thrive on a bit of a low-key routine. Creatively, I like to push my boundaries and try new things. I enjoy the physical process of learning a new skill or technique. I also like the adrenaline rush when I put something “new” out into the world. I’m feeling that with this post and the little teaser video I made. It’s so strange to see myself, moving and looking back at me! But I like how it came together, and I wanted to show how my pieces move and look in as close to “real life” as I can get over a computer. I feel slightly scared, and a little excited. It’s basically my favourite combination of feelings!

You’ll be seeing new items pop up in my shop over the next day or two. I’ll be releasing some of these pieces as sewing patterns as well, so stay tuned!

You can see some more of what’s been inspiring me over on Pinterest. I always make a little “inspiration” board when I’m working on new things.

Sources via Pinterest

 

Halloween flash sale!

Lingerie, Sales, Sewing Patterns October 31, 2017

Happy Halloween, everyone! It’s one of my most favourite times of the year. I love the costumes, scary stories, horror movies, candy, crisp fall air, the crunch of leaves underfoot… It’s just the best!

To celebrate I’m offering %15 off sleep masks… and….

20% off orders over $10 in my Sewing Pattern shop on Etsy (Etsy only!).

Enjoy this little treat!

I’ll be posting soon with some cute pictures of Izzy in her halloween costume. It’s a super cute one this year.

The Delphine Thong

Design Diary, Lingerie, New Items, Sewing Patterns September 19, 2017

Warning: butt cheeks ahead!

In my younger days, I wore thongs a lot more. It was the style of the times.  As I’ve “matured” I’ve replaced most of my skimpy thongs for more comfortable (still pretty) styles. That’s not to say that thongs aren’t comfortable – they definitely can be! And they serve a practical purpose…

A High Waist Thong may not be super practical for every day wear, but hot damn… it looks great on. I was skeptical when I first started getting requests for a high waist thong, but I thought I’d try it out. I was very pleasantly surprised!

The Delphine Thong

As I was developing this pattern I wanted to come up with a way to use scalloped stretch lace on a high waist thong – that’s View C of the pattern. It’s a little bit Ultimate Lace Panties mixed with a little Ava Panties and I’m really happy with how it turned out. The style lines allow you to mix and match colours and fabrics, one of my favourite things to do with a design!

I made a few different sets as I was sewing up samples, pairing the basic high waist version with my Natalie Crop Top, then I made some bottoms for a Romy Bra and Jasmine Bra (from my Valentine’s Day Sew Along) from my own lingerie drawer.

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Floral and Lace

Design Diary, Lingerie, Uncategorized August 14, 2017

I received this fabric from Spoonflower as part of a creative collaboration for Wedding Month. 

I’ve had my eye on this large scale peony print by Gabby Malpas for a while now. It’s so fresh and feels both classic and modern at the same time.

For this bridal-inspired lingerie set I used my Ava High Waist Panties  and Romy Bra  sewing patterns. For the bra, I added a high neckline detail using scalloped stretch lace that closes at the neckline with a small silver hook – a little detail that gives the neckline jewelry-esque look.

I wanted to give this set a really special feel, so I lined the cups in the same soft lace I used for the neckline. Now the inside looks just as beautiful as the outside.

This Romy-adaptation took me four attempts to get it just the way I wanted! I did lots of experimenting with the width of the neckline as well as the overall construction. In a little while, I’ll release this adaptation as an add-on to my Romy pattern.

To bring the top and bottom together, I added small pieces of lace along the curved cutout along the hips.

I took a lot of time plotting out my pattern placement. I used a full yard and carefully placed my pattern pieces so to achieve the effect of the flowers gracefully climbing up the sides of the garment.  Since the front and back of the Ava pattern are the largest pattern pieces in this set, I made sure to feature a large flower, asymmetrically placed, to really highlight the beauty of this print.

Spoonflower’s cotton lycra jersey has is a great weight for lingerie – it’s sturdy and has lots of give making this set as comfortable as it is pretty!

 

It’s my birthday… sale.

Anxiety, Lingerie, Sales, Sewing Patterns June 30, 2017

Happy birthday to me… happy birthday to me!

My birthday really snuck up on me this year. I guess that’s what happens when you get older. Sigh…

33 has been a pretty good year. Well actually, it was difficult. 33 was the year I got help for my anxiety ‘issue.’ It’s kind of funny, because I am ending out 33 doing not quite so well, but during this year I’ve learned so many things about how to maintain my sanity. Most importantly I learned that I don’t have to feel like something terrible is about to happen all of the time.

On the bright side, I sleep now! And I very rarely have nightmares. I did have a bout of sleep paralysis/wake-up screaming two nights ago, but as a whole, my sleep is much better. However, my bouts of nightmares really make me feel like a crazy person. There is no nice way to put it. They are terrifying and the feelings linger for days. Actually, when I think of it, a lot of my intrusive thoughts as well as my dreams leave me feeling like, “a good/normal person wouldn’t have these thoughts. There is something wrong with me.” It’s not a good feeling to have, on top of the effect of the imagery and content of my dreams and intrusive thoughts. I feel embarrassed sharing this, but I know there is probably at least one other person out there who feels the same way!

My physical health is much better. I’m running 10k on a regular basis and planning on training for 15! On the downside, I’m finding that my mental health maintenance is lacking… I’ve really let it slip and it’s showing. My body images has also been not so good – this is a thing I still don’t feel I have a good grasp on. But as a whole, I am doing much better.

Life is full of highs and lows and lots of stuff in between. It’s the “in between” times that I have a hard time with, and summer is always one of those times for me. Things drag along a little more slowly, which I should enjoy, but I thrive off of the adrenaline rush of being busy (or of crisis). I’m trying… really trying to be ok with life just chugging a long.

Anyway, enough about me…

I decided to celebrate, I’d have a sale, and it’s going to be my BIGGEST sale of the year. Take 20% off all lingerie & sewing patterns with the coupon code HappyBirthday 20. Offer expires Monday July 3 at midnight!

Shop Lingerie on Etsy

Shop Sewing Patterns on Etsy

Or, shop directly on my blog!

I thought this might be a good time for a sale since it’s a long weekend for many of us, with Canada Day and July 4th in the US. This is a great opportunity to pick up a couple sewing patterns and work through my new swimsuit tutorials *wink wink*

And YES! I ate that giant brownie.

Enjoy!