Browsing Tag

Ohhh Lulu

Valentines Day. Bah Humbug.

Uncategorized February 14, 2012


I’m feeling rather “blah” this Valentines Day. To be completely honest, I had totally forgotten it was Valentines day until I checked Facebook.

I’ve been working on a few pieces lately, but am feeling kind of uninspired! How do you stay inspired or get out of a creative rut?

Link Love!

Uncategorized February 7, 2012
As you maybe could tell… I am off from work today, which means I am fully back to swing on my other job, Ohhh Lulu! I spent all morning photographing, and editing photos for my Sample Sale (with the help of my pug Oliver)! I still have lots more to do, but an taking a quick break for a little peanut butter on toast and a big glass of water.

Last month I was so excited to be on Craft Corner’s Best of the Web, along with some other great bloggers – including Krafty Kat! This blog has a great run down of DIY ideas from around the web. Check it out!
I also received a nice mention on Thin & Curvy, for bras for petite ladies. I spent quite some time browsing this blog, having a 28″ band myself (I am quite diminutive!) I know how hard it is to find nice petite yet cuvry clothes!

Sample Sale!

Uncategorized February 7, 2012


I am having a crazy, ridiculous, amazing Sample Sale! Prices start at $9.99! I have Ruffle Bloomers for $20 in a variety of sizes, and rompers for $25-$30 (Regularly $50 and up!). I want to clear out everything before I launch a new line of goodies in the spring.
Lots of items are one of a kind items are going up as well, at insanely low prices because I’m in a great mood, and I’m so grateful for every single item I’ve sold, I’m hoping this will be a nice way to say “THANK YOU!”

I’d love it if you’d help me spread the word – feel free to borrow an image and like to my shop <3

FREE AD Space!

Uncategorized February 7, 2012


Once again, the first 5 commenters on this post, with a great handmade shop, or diy/fashion/lifestyle blog will get 1 month of FREE ad space on the right hand side of my blog.

What I need from you is to share MY link on YOUR Blog! And one more thing… Help me Promote my SAMPLE SALE! 🙂
Winners will need to submit their Ad by February 29th for their ad to start running March 1st.
EDIT: I always forget this part! Please leave me your email address and I will send you an email with all of the details 🙂

Retire the Ruffle?

Uncategorized February 5, 2012
Hurray! I got some actual sewing done this weekend. I finished a custom order that (I hate to say) has been lingering on since November, and started a new piece, out of fabric that I purchased back in December. It felt good to do some real drafting and fitting.
I’m trying to source some wholesale fabric suppliers, but am having a hard time finding vendors with small minimums. I find myself too often going back to the fabric store to pick up a specific piece of fabric… only to find it gone!

The new line I am working on is going to be more simple and streamlined than my ruffle bloomer phase. While I don’t plan on retiring the ruffle completely… I am definitely moving it to the side lines. A girl can only sew so many ruffles.
Last night Dan and I went on a date… out for dinner, then to see Underworld in 3D (what a disappointment). Going to the movies is always like culture shock for us. We don’t watch TV, or read magazines, or listen to the radio, besides CBC (which is on all the time at our house and has no ads), so when we go to the movies and see the ads for movies like “Honeys 2″ and are forced to watch 5 minutes of commercials… it’s always quite a shock! My god! Mainstream media sucks!!! I sit there, during the ads with a shocked look on my face, thinking “REALLY? REALLY?!“ It’s no wonder people have such unrealistic expectations of body image, beauty, wealth & status. Everytime I go to the movies, I leave feeling like an old fuddy-duddy… like I’ve totally lost touch with “the times.”
And, I guess I have kind of lost touch… but I am so much happier this way!

Sick in Bed…

Uncategorized November 28, 2011


I had an incredibly productive weekend… followed by a horrible migraine and upset stomach that kicked in moment I woke up this morning. I did something I haven’t done in over a year – I slept in until 11am! I sat in front of my sewing machine for a few minutes before making my way over to the couch where I plan on spending the rest of my day, with Oliver by my side, a cup of hot Chai tea in front of me, some documentaries on the TV, and some knitting in my hand. I love Ohhh Lulu so much I forget that sometimes I need to stop… and rest. So this is a good chance to do so.

I looked at 2 more houses over the weekend (we are up to 20 now). The first was an open house up the street. The house had some serious issues – needed to be jacked up in the basement to fix some sloping floors, had no appliances, a needed a bathroom gut-job, and the garage looked like it might fall down any day now. However, it had some great features and was relatively inexpensive (relatively still being $165,000) – a fireplace that could be converted to gas, a gorgeous 1920’s wood banister, beautiful foyer, lots of space, huge bathroom, beautiful wood trim, and a window seat in the staircase. The second house I looked at was about… one hundred thousand dollars more than what we can afford, but we went to the open house anyway “just to see how the other half lived.” It was nice, and put every house I’ve looked at to shame… I left regretting looking at that house.
Anyway… In more exciting news:
I’m giving away a NEW design on Leelala.net tomorrow! Stay tuned for more details tomorrow. Good Luck!

Happy Thanksgiving

Uncategorized October 10, 2011
This weekend was Thanksgiving weekend, one of my favourite holidays of the year. Despite my annoying (and at times, painful) cold, we fit a lot into our weekend. I finished this custom order for a customer…

On Saturday evening we went to an outdoor art show, and met up with a few friends we don’t get to see very often. We didn’t stay long, I was sick and delirious on cold medicine, but it was pretty fun. On Sunday we had dinner at my parents house. It was so nice, we ate outside and enjoyed a bon fire later in the evening (the second bon fire of the weekend!). Today we had Thanksgiving lunch with Dan’s family. We had a great time, chatting and eating too much pumpkin pie…
In between family visits, I tried to get some sewing in. I have 2 stores I am trying to get stock prepared for, as well as Christmas stock for Etsy, and finishing up the few orders I have. I am also preparing for a give away very soon, and will post more information on Wednesday!
In the mean time, here is a sneak peak of a few new ruffle bloomers and bustle panties. I also have been trying to come up with ways to use all my bits and pieces of fabric… I contemplated a quilt, but I just don’t have the patience for that kind of undertaking, so… I decided to sew together strips of fabric, log-cabin quilt style, and use that to make undies. I think they turned out pretty cute… They remind me of the sensibility of the ’30’s.
I hate throwing out fabric. What do you do with your left over scraps?


Black & White

Uncategorized September 25, 2011
I am SO excited. I finally got to spend some time with my sewing machine and serger. I went to the fabric store on Thursday night and bought some flannel in black and white plaid & polka dots, black stretch mesh, black and white chiffon with little starlings on it, grey/black/red brushed cotton plaid, and some off white eyelet lace. To break up all the black and white, I bought a little floral cotton with a polka dot chiffon coordinate, in chocolate and raspberry. Today I went black and white crazy.
Last winter I made myself some sleep shorts out of my black and red lumberjack plaid… I find them so comfortable, and the husband finds them effortlessly sexy – the perfect piece of lingerie! I pre-washed all of my flannel yesterday, and it has gotten even softer and fuller after the first wash… They are in a french knicker style and could be worn under a fall or winter skirt.
I added a little cut-out lace applique to the polka dot pair, and satin bows to the plaid pair. I’m thinking I will list these individually and as a set.
Last but certainly not least, I made a bias cut camisole out, what I call, the starling chiffon. I picked up a few yards of this amazing stretch mesh which I used to trim the top and the panties. I love wearing bias cut chiffon camisoles, especially under sweaters in the winter… they make my winter uniform feel slightly more pretty.
I am getting so, so, so excited to list these on Etsy. I’m going to try to get a few more photos and a few more items sewn, and re-vamp my shop!

Vintage-Style Slips

Uncategorized August 15, 2011

I love wearing vintage slips. They make me feel so glamorous, like a vixen from a noir film. I have two vintage slips that I love the most, so I knocked off the pattern and made cut 3 slips, each in two sizes. The only thing I don’t like about vintage slips is they are usually plain, old white. I wanted to make slips that were fun, and vibrant with a vintage-flair.

Each slip has a stretch lace detail across the bust, and lace trim along the edge. I made one in a large, gold floral print (I made bathing suits out of this too!), one in a chocolate and white lace print jersey, and one in a candy-purple floral burnout with creamy lace trim. I bought a ton of each of these jersey knits last spring… they make very comfy slips, silky-soft, great for wearing under a dress or to sleep!
Last week I re-opened shop for a few days to take a last-minute order. A “Tied with a Bow” bra with the side-ruffled panties. I absolutely love how it turned out and will be adding this as a set to my shop too! This set will be shipped off very, after I complete all of the finishing touches…

I’ve gotten so much done the last few days. Our camping trip got rained out, which was disappointing, but I managed to check off a bunch of things from my wedding to-do list, including finishing the Flower Girls Dresses (which now need to be taken in an inch), finishing the alterations on the bridesmaids dresses, ordered the flowers, and filled out the application for the marriage license. I can’t believe we’re down to only 4 weeks!
Little Oliver will be glad when the wedding is over and I have some more time to spend with him. I caught him looking longingly out the window at a brief rain-storm we had this afternoon. I can’t wait until we have a house with a backyard where he can play…

Life Update…

Uncategorized August 4, 2011
So, Dan is employed at the moment, doing a “Trial” period at a shop in town. The hours are almost too good to be true and we actually get weekends off together! The best part is, they are paying him a decent wage. What did I learn from this whole cafuffle? Unemployment is not the end of the world… and that Dan and I are pretty darn thrifty.
I am going down to 4 days a week at my job and will re-assess the situation shortly after the wedding and honeymoon. My immediate plan, aside from sewing wedding stuff and alterations, is to sew a bunch of ready-made few of a kind accessories, panties, rompers, dresses, and camisoles to re-launch Ohhh Lulu in October, just in time for Christmas.
I am getting some new props for Ohhh Lulu photo shoots, including this Dress Form from Vintage Style Mannequins, and plan on doing a fall-harvest photo shoot, conveniently in the beautiful field behind my parents house.
I also want to start doing some small-time advertising. I had a great opportunity to put a banner on The Vintage Wife’s Blog. I had her link back to my blog, since Ohhh Lulu is currently “oh vacation.” I’ve had a lot of traffic and success without really trying, so I’m hoping advertising will increase sales. Do you know a highly-travelled blog that offers ad-space?
Tomorrow I have my first dress fitting. I love any chance I get to put on my dress and I can’t wait until I have pictures to show everyone, because let’s face it, the dress is one of the most exciting parts of the whole thing!