Me-Made May Weeks 3 & 4 {All About Refashions}

Despite the craziness of life right now, I've been keeping up with my Me-Made May '14 challenge. The last two weeks were all about refashions. 

Week 3, I wore my refashioned 70's skirt, previously blogged here. When I refashioned the skirt, I wasn't sure whether I'd ever actually wear it. It seemed a bit to fancy. Paired with a jean vest and a concert t-shirt, though, it was just right. 

Week 2, I wore a refashioned wool skirt. I didn't get a picture of the outfit but did get one of the skirt. Last December, my husband brought home a long wool skirt he'd picked up at the L.L. Bean Employee Store for $2. The length wasn't quite right, so I chopped it in half and created a pencil skirt and a cute gathered skirt.

Me Made May Weeks 1 & 2

May started out slow and normal and took a rather hectic twist last Saturday. My family was thrown into a bit of medical emergency. The crisis isn't over yet, but (praise God) things are looking better and better.

All that to say, I have kept up with my Me-Made-May challenge but haven't been able to blog about it till now.

The first week, I wore my sleeveless Peony.

Outfit Details

Dress: Handmade by me, Colette's Peony

Shirt: LL Bean Signature

Belt: LL Bean

Shoes: LL Bean Signature 

The second week, I wore a simple, self-drafted, elastic-waist gathered skirt. At this point, I was spending most of my time in the ICU or the ICU waiting room, not exactly a picture friendly place, so I sadly don't have any images to share.

All in all, my Me-Made-May hasn't been very spectacular, but I've been enjoying it. More thoughts to follow!

The Lethargic Seamstress Makes a Pledge {or It's Me-Made-May!}

 

Every year for the past few years I've felt a bit of sadness when May 1st rolled around. I always want to participate in Me-Made-May and always kick myself for not being a dedicated enough sewer to make it work.

This year, I'm changing that trend. I may not have a closetful of handmade goodies, but I'm not letting that stop me. I figure, I can keep my pledge simple and doable. I'm not going to let my desire for perfectionism stop my from doing what I can. So what if I can't wear a me-made garment everyday of May? I can do something! So here we go!

I, Rachel Kaye, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '14. I endeavor to wear one me-made item  at least once week for the duration of May 2014.

My pledge isn't that intense in comparison with some of the others out there, but it's a step for me. I'm hoping this experience encourages me to finish up some of those UFOs (un-finished objects) on my sewing table, breaks my recent sewing lethargy, and helps me better understand my personal style and where sewing fits in that equation.

Do What You're Passionate About {or Love is Hard Work}

Disclaimer: The following is a random jumble of sleepy thoughts. It makes no claims to good writing or proper grammar (and yes, I do realize that I just personified my writing). 

I have a little secret to tell you. Contrary to popular belief, I don't really enjoy the process of sewing.

I mean seriously? Who enjoys painstakingly cutting out fabric, pinning it together, sewing straight lines, finishing seams, trimming necklines and facings, and all that jazz?

Ok. I know some people enjoy it. I'm just not one of them.

So why do I keep coming back? Why do I lie in bed at night mentally completing sewing projects and thinking through each step (even the ones I hate) involved in designing my own dress, skirt, or pants?

It's the same thing with writing, really. I had a reputation as a writer long before I had a reputation as an aspiring seamstress. The truth is, though, I don't really enjoy it. At least, I don't enjoy the finer points of writing.

Who wants to dissect sentences, hunt for the right word, look up grammar rules, plan out perfect plots, or create cohesive characters? The ideation is great. But going through the blood, sweat, and tears of making those ideas into readable wholes? Not my idea of fun.

And yet, no matter how hard I fight my addiction, I still find myself coming back to writing. I still find myself dreaming up ideas in the shower and rushing out with half-washed hair to write them down before I forget. I still find myself staying up late (like tonight) when I should be in bed just so I can try to corral this stream of ideas into submission. I still find myself trying to create strong characters and plots.

So what is it? Why do I keep coming back to these things I don't like? After much thought, I have only one answer. Passion. Because here's the thing, I'm lazy. I don't like doing anything that reeks of hard work. But I like, love, am passionate about the creating, and creating, my friends, is hard work. I keep coming back because the rewards are sweet.

There's been some recent chatter across social media channels about the saying "Do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life." To be honest, I've never liked that phrase.

For starters, even the most enjoyable job will have amounts of pure, hair-tearing boredom. It's just a fact. You will work a day in your life. You will work many days in your life. And it will feel like back-breaking labor. The point is to find something that makes the working days worth it.

Second, I feel the statement has a fundamental flaw based on our culture's definition of "love."

Let me explain. We use the word "love" for chocolate and our parents equally. Of course, there's a cultural understanding that you love your parents more than chocolate (at least I hope you do), but we use both words for both feelings. They're different, though. Enjoying chocolate is easy. Loving your parents, or anyone else for that matter, is quite often hard work.

So when people say, "Do what you love, and you'll never work," the idea I take away is enjoyment or the kind of love you have for chocolate. "Do something you enjoy, and you'll never work because enjoyment is the opposite of work."

If I were to simply do what I enjoy, I would spend my days on the couch, watching TV shows and movies with awesome wardrobes, eating pasta, drinking orange juice by the gallon, and shopping for clothing online till my credit card maxed out. I love narrative, food, and style. Why not enjoy them the easy way? But let's face it. I enjoy pasta, but I don't truly love it.

When I do something I love, though, that's a different story. I write stories and blogposts; I make my own pasta (yes, I said make my own pasta!); I plan wardrobes and sew clothes. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy doing what I love, but I don't enjoy it because it's fundamentally enjoyable to sweat over a rolling pin or pull out threads till my eyes water. I enjoy it because I love it. Few things can match how much I enjoy successfully creating a new recipe, story, or dress, even if the process is hard work.

So I guess what I'm saying is, here's my take on that famous saying, "If you do what you're passionate about, it generally won't be easy, and it won't always be enjoyable, but everyday of work will be worth it."

Last Week {or What I was Doing While Not Blogging}

Last week wasn't particularly busy. There were a few added responsibilities and events but nothing overwhelming. Despite life being fairly simple, I never found the time to blog. I suppose I was just too busy living!

I'm a little obsessed with Spring right now. It's still a little ways away up here in the uninhabitable regions of the Arctic, but I have hope it's coming.

March here is a tempestuous month. Snow, foggy warmth, and clear cold mix together equally. Despite temps that in October or November would have us retreating into our warm woolies, in March we shed our winter coats for Spring jackets and brave the outdoors. It as if by wishful dressing we think we can speed Spring's arrival.

While I wait for Spring, I'm embracing the clearer light and longer days by taking long walks, cooking spring foods, and taking plenty of pictures.

How to Make Hearty Blueberry Breakfast Muffins {or The Cure for a Grumbling Tummy}

If you haven't noticed, I have a thing for blueberries, especially Maine Wild Blueberries. Earlier this week, with a nearly empty refrigerator on my hands and a grumbling emptiness in my stomach, I pulled together what ingredients I did have and created these Hearty Blueberry Breakfast Muffins.

Muffins in our household generally aren't sweet, dessert concoctions, at least not if we make them ourselves. We like them hearty and filling with just a hint of sweetness. Part of that sweetness here, comes from the blueberries. I used Wild Maine blueberries I had in my freezer. Feel free to use whatever is most easily available in your area.

Hearty Blueberry Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3 TB unsalted butter, melted 
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar, extra for sprinkling 
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, extra for sprinkling 

Directions 

1) Grease a muffin tin. Powder lightly with flour. Shake off excess. Recipe will make 6 large muffins or 12 small. Preheat oven to 350 for large muffins or 375 for small muffins.

2) Mix oats and buttermilk in large bowl. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. Add melted butter, egg, 2/3 cup sugar, and vanilla. Mix well.

3) Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl. Add to wet mixture. Gently fold in 1 cup blueberries, reserving the extra for the top.

4) Divide blueberries among muffin tins. Sprinkle extra blueberries on top. Top that with a sprinkling of sugar.

5) Bake large muffins in a 350 oven for 25-30 minutes or small muffins in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

The 7-Year Refashion {or That 70's Dress Becomes a Skirt}

About 7 years ago, my best friend and I were in the middle of one of our favorite activities  (thrifting) when I found the perfect dress. It was long and vintage with an ivory bodice and a green patterned skirt (two of my favorite colors). We were at one of those dirt cheap charity shops where everything sells for 50 cents and there are no changing rooms. So I bought the dress and hoped for the best.

When I got the dress home, though, I discovered, to my distress, that I couldn't zip it. It fit over my hips and waist, but there was nothing I could do to make the ribcage fit. The fabric was too pretty to lose, though. So I put it away and dreamed of someday making something out of it. 

Fast-forward 7 years and several sewing classes. Last week, we were at my parents house. We slept in my old bedroom. I opened a drawer and discovered the dress. Time for a refashion!

This refashion was 7 years in the making but took about 7 minutes to make (ok, that is an exaggeration for the sake of parallelism). Basically, I cut off the bodice, folded down the ruched waistline, and slip-stitched it into place. I didn't even replace the zipper. I just gave it a new top-stop and made sure it was securely folded down. Now, I have a cute new skirt! 

Outfit Details

Glasses: Rivet & Sway

Headband: unkown

Bow clip: H&M

Cardigan: Very old. Target

T-shirt: Target

Skirt: Vintaged. Refashioned by me.