Vintage Finds This Week

Hellluuuuu!

One of my greatest pleasures in life is thrift store shopping.

Nothing makes me happier then a great find during

a nice afternoon of purrozing thru the second hand shoppes

 with my Mum.

These are the treasures I gathered this week :)

1. Wonderful metal toast holder with cute little
glass trays for jam & butter at either end.

I will have to think of a fun use for this

2. English Cottage tea cup & saucer

Since my trip to Anne Hathaway's cottage in England last

year, I can't pass up any piece of china w a cottage on it.

3. Gold plate metal baskets

I will spray paint these and use them for display

4. Farm to Factory by Thomas Dublin

Carefully researched detail, the lives and experiences 

of the first generation of American women to face

 the demands of industrial capitalism.

( There seem to be mixed reviews for this book but I

will give it a try this summer)

5. Pretty pink flower necklace

From the 50s or 60s I think

6. I am really into needlework pieces of flowers and roses these days.

I am going to remove the work, paint the frames something 

fun and bright and then return the needlework. Stay tuned :)

Hope you have had some great finds this week too!

Ta for now! Luv Weezi xo

Our New Home

Hellluuuuu!

Welcome to our new home :)

Just two months ago we moved from our downtown apartment

 that we shared for over ten years to this lovely little house

and we couldn't be happier!

It is perfect for Milos and I and of course our Stella :)

It is everything we had hoped for.

It is small, quaint with lots of character and is located in a 

gorgeous quiet neighbourhood full of trees & gardens & lovely people.

*sigh* It is our own version of paradise.

We knew the moment we walked thur the door in 

February to view it that we wanted to live 

here for the rest of our lives.

Today I am going to post a mini tour :)

I still have to get the hang on the lighting in here

so some of the photos are a wee bit dark, my apologies.

We still have lots of unpacking to do and I haven't even begun

to decorate so you will notice the state of chaos.

 Nevertheless, I think you get the over feel

and charm of our little house. We did paint all the rooms new fun colours

except the bathroom. I will do a before & after post of the house later

on in the week as it was mostly beige & taupe when we moved in.

Okay so here we go...

It was built in 1931 and is 83 years old.

Most of the house remains in its original condition, thankfully. 

Oh if these walls could talk!

The Living Room. 

The original fireplace does work!

Having a warm crackling fire might just make winter a bit 

of a pleasure this year :)

Original leaded and stain glass windows & hard wood floors.

We choose the deep eggplant bc I thought it would make the room

 feel really warm and pull out the nice reds and pinks in the store in the fireplace. 

It also goes great w all the dark wood in here :)

***

The Dining Room. 

Sheesh! What a mess this is still!

We painted the dining room a deep cranberry red to make it feel

"rich" and distinguished.....as distinguished as we two get ;)

I am not sure what the technical name for the windows 

but I call them wonderful. I really like the texture of the stucco walls too.

***

The Kitchen

Again...pardon the mess.

We painted this room what I call neutral blue. I wanted it to go red accessories

and with my other blue accessories from the last place and not clash. 

You can't have clashing accessories and "do-dads" in the kitchen. The horror! ;)

So many cupboards AND more then one drawer! Luxury!

(our last place only had one drawer in the kitchen)

The old ironing board cupboard is now a spice cupboard.

***

Bedroom ~ Bathroom ~ Linen Closet

There were two clinchers for me when we saw this house for

the first time. The windows in the living room & dining room and

the floor in the bathroom :) I fell in luv with the honeycomb tile instantly.

How amazing that our floor is 83 years and still looks fabulous.

The house is a two bedroom house and typical of the time it was built, the

rooms are very small and the closets are super tiny but we don't mind.

I like small rooms, it makes the house very cosy. The small closets

are a bit of a challenge for this thrift store addict!

 I am going to have to be very organized in there

and use every square inch very wisely ;)

Now, I mention the small linen closet in the hallway because I can't even begin to

describe how happy I am to have one. There were no closets in our

other place so you can understand my joy. I mean look at it!

I can fold things and stack them neatly away....on shelves!

No more cramming things into plastic bins and under dusty shelves.

I can purr-oooze thru my towels w ease. LOL! It doesn't take

much to make me happy let me tell you ;) Give this gal a linen

closet and I can do laundry and fold sheets, blankets & towels

all day w big smile on my face :)

***

The Sewing Room

This is the humble beginning of my new sewing space. As you can see

I am a bit of a collector and pack rat ;) 

I so enjoy being surrounded by things that make me smile. 

Lots of memories attached to my various things and collectibles.

 I like to think of who gave them to me or what was going on when I got them. 

Where I was when I acquired them.

Happy memories fill me with joy and help me to be inspired. It is my happy place.

Like the rest of the house, still lots of organizing to do in here but over all

I am very happy with the space.

The Weezi Studio

These are the humble beginnings of the new Weezi Studio.

I am a bit overwhelmed with this project I have to admit.

I have just recently put what I can up, out or in something. I hope to do

an inventory check this week and get the Weezi Etsy Shoppe back up

and running. To be honest, I had no idea how long it would take

me to get things put in some sort of controlled chaos down here.

I guess you have to start somewhere right??

So that concludes the wee tour of our house today :)

I hope you enjoyed it!

We truly feel blessed to live here and look forward to creating

many great new memories here with our family & friends.

We were at the right place at the right time and are grateful

everyday to be in such a lovely place.

Thanx a million for popping by and having a peek!

Ta for now! Chat soon! Luv Weezi xo

Back to Work!

Time to Get Back At It!

Hello Everyone! It has been a while! 

Things over here are going well! 

I am super excited to get back into the swing of things 

and feel motivated after the BIG move.

Still lots of unpacking and organizing to do. It seems

like it may never end! I knew the move was going to be big
and there would be some down time but I wasn't in any prepared

 for how long it would take me to get back up and organized. 

I am in the process of going thru things and getting

inventory organized and sorted so I can have my Etrsy shoppe

up and running. It is also time to get back into the swing of

 social media & connecting with you  all again. 

 I have bought myself a lap top and decided that after 13 years 

of being cooped up inside, this summer I am going to

 work from my new back deck :)
I can't even begin to tell you have thrilled I am to have a deck and

a back yard! I haven't had a yard ( or laundry at home!) since

I lived at home with my Mum and Dad. So, I decided that if I was

going to spend the summer in photoshop & working on the web site 

that I was doing it outside. No more being stuck inside all summer :)

I really am looking forward to getting back at it and doing so

surrounded by the beauty of summer. Very inspiring!

Hope all is well with you!! 

Chat soon, much luv!! Weezi :)

Saying Goodbye & Looking Forward to New Beginnings

Helllllu Pussycats!

Well, as of last week we moved.

It took me almost 2 months to pack everything up and
somehow we managed to get everything crammed in here ;)

It was with mixed feelings that I watched the evolution of our

home and my studio empty out. I was feeling very nostalgic as well

as excited to leave and move forward.

I spent many wonderful and happy times with a lot of great people

in that apartment. Outside of my parent's house it was the

 most formative place that I have lived. It holds just over a third of my life.

That was something for me to ponder.

I thought about the great parties I had there. All the faces that came and

went thru that door. I thought  about all lovely people who shared my home with

me whether it was for an hour or for a weekend and where they are now.

I have to admit I was ready to leave when the time came
 and that was a huge relief for me. I was worried that when the 

time came that I would be sad to leave 204 Albert St. but I wasn't.

I was full of good memories and hum of all the voices that once

enjoyed that spot as much as I did will stay w me forever no

matter where I live or work next  :)

***

 Here is quick look at how the apartment and the studio came to a close.

The packing started in full force the first week of February.

The studio got packed up the end of March.

Stella said "I'll just sit here and watch but yell if you need my advice"  :)

Packing up the sewing room was no easy task let

me tell you! I am a bit of a pack rat....ever sewer is! ;)

My pink store seemed sort of lonely without all the goodies I had to admit.

Almost nothing left....

Stella has all her essentials just before moving day...

Water, cat grass, her pillow, tools and a Macleans magazine ;)

April 22nd at 8:15am.....the moving van has arrived :)

Next post will have some pics of the new house and

the new Weezi work space :)

Have a great Friday! Luv Weezi xo

This Week's Thrift Store Finds :)

Helllu Pussycats!!

It is not a secret that I am addicted to

thrifting and the thrill of the find.
I hit up the local shoppes once a week

and I am almost never disappointed.

This week was no exception! I found some

wonderful gems while shopping with my Mum :)

1. I am very much into vintage floral needle work.

This little gem is a beauty!

2. Call me a nutter but I can't pass up covered hangers.

Pretty AND practical :)

3. I obviously couldn't resist these adorable little tulip earrings.

*as if I could leave them there!*

4. Q. How many multi strand necklaces can one gal have?

A. as many as she can find! :)

( this pink 5 strand beee-ute was a total score! Mum had to keep

the other ladies from fishing them out of our cart!)

5. Sweet little rhinestone brooch will be perfect for spring

( if spring ever gets here mind you!)

6. Yes, you have seen correctly! An Anne Hathaway cottage

tea cup & saucer set in Stratford upon Avon :) 

Weeeeee! Tres happy about this find as we were there in Sept.

7. Smashing blue single strand had to come home w me bc it 

matches so well with the wee brooch :)

I am very happy with my finds and I can't wait to

see gems I find next week!

Have a great night Pussycats!

Ta ta for now! Weezi xo

My Introduction to Mineral MakeUp Foundation and I Didn't Break Out :)

Helllu Puusycats!

*waves*

Hope everyone is having a good & warm afternoon out there!

Today, I would like to share a face product that I have had great success

with. I have been very pleased with its results and thought I would pass

the info along incase it can help any of you.

I have written posts about my struggle with acne and the changes I have

made recently to try and help clear as well as better my skin. I have struggled with acne

since I was 12 years old and it has taken its toll on my self esteem, my

bank account and of course my skin. After years of struggling and feeling bad 

about how I looked I decided it was time to try something different.

What I had been doing all along and all the products I was using weren't

working, that was clear. So, in an effort to go at my acne issues from a totally

 different angle I had to step out of my comfort zone.

( if you have just found me and would like to know more about what

alternatives I have been using please click here to read more)

One of many things that I needed to changed was my time spent

 in the sun. As a teenager and into my 20s I often used the sun as a sort

of antiseptic. It would dry up my acne and it seemed to cleanse my skin. Despite the heat, 

dirt and sweat the summer was often the best time of the year for my acne.
I didn't question this for many years until one summer we went camping.
 Half way thru the weekend I had deep, large cysts that were very inflamed.
 The more I was in the sun the more blemishes I got and the angrier my face became.
I was confused. The sun should be helping. What was going on??
It took me a few weeks to put two and two together. After 

a couple other "tests" in the sun I realized the sun was no longer a friend to my face.

However, my issue now was what to put on my face to prevent further damage?

I couldn't use sunscreen!! That would be like throwing gas on a fire or so I thought.

I was terrified that any sunscreen would be too heavy and too greasy.
 It would definitely make me break out...wouldn't it???

It took me a long time to get brave enough to try one designed especially

the face. I was super scared but I eventually tried and I didn't break out....*big sigh*

Staying out of the sun was a huge relief to my face and began to buy all my

make up with SPF in it which was good but still not a miracle cure

by any means. I was still having the same issues with cystic acne, 

suspected rosacea combined with a dab of good old fashioned chin and forehead acne.

One day I was commiserating with my friend Tricia about adult acne.

It did everything to make us feel NOT very adult but more like 13 year old girls.

It was that day she told me about a new product she found and was having success with.

It was a foundation that had a 50 SPF and it was a mineral makeup. She thought it was

great b/c it wasn't too heavy and she'd worn it into the sun and had no problem.

She had been out playing in the backyard w her kids one afternoon and then thought
"Oh, jeeze I am gonna pay for this!" but when she went in her face was fine
and still had some coverage.  She said the best part was that the mineral make up

 sat ON your face, not IN your pores. I was intrigued and she did look great! 

I had heard about mineral make up and read a lot about the benefits of it on many 

rosacea sites. Everyone raved but I was unsure. Was it really that good? How could it

be that easy? Why wasn't everyone using it and screaming about it if it was so great?

Clearly, it had been of benefit to Tricia so I thought I should give it a go.

I was after all on a quest for better products.

So, the next day I walked down to the Shopper's and tentatively looked around

until I found it. I was looking for Avene High Protection Tinted Compact SPF 50.
It retails at Shopper's for $39.00 plus tax

The lovely sales girl explained to me that there are only two shade choices b/c it

fades into your skin tone and you don't need to match like traditional foundations.

She told me to put it on after my moisturizer and if I want to, I could use

my pressed powder or other concealers after that.

I still wasn't 100% sure but I was on a mission.

When I got home and opened it up I was surprised by how light and creamy it was.

I thought it might be more greasy and heavy.

I put it on as instructed and was impressed right away that it did indeed morph

into my skin and "match" my colouring. I didn't need a lot b/c it
 clearly covered very well on its own.

It was light and didn't feel heavy or thick at all.

Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad????

Because I am a bit neurotic, I waited all day to break out.
Hahahah! Sad but true!

 However, I did not break out. In fact, nothing bad happened at all.

I got thru the first week ok, then the second. Who knew?

The best was, I really could go out in the sun and not suffer the usual ramifications.
It was protective and helped conceal my redness and acne.

I was converted! Hurrah for mineral makeup!! Hurrah for trying something new!! :)
I realize that mineral makeup has been around for a long time
and I am slow on this band wagon...but I was nervous!

I can't tell you how happy I was that it was a positive experience.

It really did help give me confidence to try new things that might help my face.

I realize that it won't work for everyone but it maybe this post can help
give you the information that might help you decide if it might work for you.
I really hope this post can be of help to you :)

Take care, Luv Weezi xo
****

For those of you that have just found me, I have been searching out and using products

that have little or no chemicals in them. Chemicals certainly have not brought me relief in 

over 20 years of acne troubles so I have decided to be brave and give them up.

Since the fall of 2012 I have been using natural and homemade products 

and have to say, I am seeing some great results.

There are no easy answers or magical cures when it comes to acne but it is always nice

to see some positive changes and results that seem to have lasting effects.

I have long tried to use as many cruelty free products as possible.
These days cruelty free choices are endless, thankfully!! I have made it my personal
mission to use only cruelty free cosmetics as well as those with limited ingredients.
 At the end of the day, I would rather have acne and 

breakouts then have the suffering and agony of helpless animals on my conscious.

I want to look nice, but not at the cost of innocence.

( please note: I paid for this product, it was not given to me. I am not in any 

way affiliated with Avene. I am offering up my own opinion based on my personal experience. )

In Canada, I bought this make up at Shopper's Drug Mart.

I like to buy products from them when I am first trying something out

 b/c they have such a great return policy. If you give it a go, I hope you find it helps you too.

Until next time, hope everyone has a fabulous day!

I know it can be hard but try & remember that the acne

doesn't define you and most of all you aren't in this alone xoxo

My Long Battle w Acne Is being Tipped in My Direction...Fingers Crossed

Helllu Pussycats!

I like to think of myself as open minded about a lot of things but when it
 comes to products I will use on my face these days I am the furthest 
thing from adventurous. I have been dealing w acne in various forms
and in various degrees of "horribleness" since I was 12. I have tried 
many bottles and tubes with claims that were blatantly false
and in some cases, borderline ridiculous.

Anyone who has suffered from acne knows that great feeling of potential when you
 purchase a new product. Then, there is that heart sinking feeling you get when you
 realize that the promises made were not to be realized. 
After loads of money, wasted time and an unfortunate lack of self esteem I came
to the realization a few years ago that I need to make changes in how I
approached my skin care. I needed to listen less to marketers and more to 
my own body. 

One great challenge for me was to give up on "conventional" ideas about acne
and skin treatment. Cortisone shots, horribly drying creams and 
terrible antibiotics had to be a thing of the past. They didn't work in the
long term. They may have had some short term success but at what cost?
It was time to be brave and try a few new things.
More natural and less chemicals was my new mantra. What did I have to lose?
Still, I was terrified as I threw out my Aveeno face scrub.

( Can I just mention that for those of us w bad skin trying something 
new on our faces can be like going a first date. It seems like a good idea, 
exciting, fun and new. But in reality, it is scary as hell! You have no
idea what you are going to get, if it will work out and what the result
will be. You don't really know if the two sides can get along and if there
 will be baggage. New is terrifying b/c it can takes weeks to undo any 
damage that might be done. That is a fact. Bravery is required)

This was my before picture.

I realize I that there are people out there that have worse acne
then this. I understand that it can always be worse and my heart goes out
 to the women who deal with severe acne because it is devastating.
That is why I am sharing. I hope that in some way sharing my story and experience
 can be of some help to someone. Acne really takes a toll on your self esteem.
If something that I do helps and brings a wee bit of relief to another
acne suffer...then it was well worth the share!

This was last February and it wasn't the worst day I had that month
but it was the worst that I was willing to share online. 
I was nervous enough sharing this photo, let alone anything worse!
 It was scary to show the world how bad my skin could look. I spent so much time
 piling on the make up trying to hide the blemishes not show how bad they were!
I had to constantly remind myself that my acne wasn't my fault and I 
hadn't done anything wrong. So hard NOT to blame yourself!!
Time to stop worrying so much and take action.

I wasn't 100% sure where to start but I knew that the health food
store would a good place to start asking questions and doing some research.
I explained to the gal there what I was doing and why.
She showed me a few things and we talked about options I could start with.
I took the plunge with Derma E products and it was indeed a good, safe place to start.
I found the cleanser to be gentle and the vitamin e cream was very soothing.
Ok....*phew* my face didn't get worse and nothing bad happened.
To be honest, from there I took it slow and didn't try a whole lot
of new products at once. I kept things fairly mild and tried to go
at my skin care from a "healing place" instead of a "scrubbing/harsh place".

It has been about a year since I started on my journey to help heal and
soothe my face and I have to say, that I am very happy with the results.
It has been a long year with ups and downs of course but overall I
really feel like I have made progress.
This is the post I wrote as I begun the process of trying to figure
out what on earth I was doing...cause I really had no idea
what I was doing ;) Hahaha!!

The good news is that my patience and bravery seems to be paying off because
something good is happening and my skin looks the best it has in years!
 Each day that I continue to see a mostly clear face in the mirror and it
makes me so happy that I took the chance and changed my approach.

This is all I use now on my face now with the addition of honey.

Here is a synopsis of things I have been doing differently in the last 12 months:

#1. Derma E cleanser using only baking soda occasionally as an exfoliate

#2. Handmade charcoal cold press soap from Spoiled Rotten
--->I switch it up my other cleanser every other month.
So, one month with the Derma E milk cleanser the next the charcoal
I think my skin gets complacent with one cleanser so this keeps
my skin from getting used to one cleanser. It is a working theory ;)

#3. Rose water that I bought at an Asian supermarket or
Thayers rose petal and witch hazel toner. Again, I switch these monthly.

#4. Freshly squeezed lemon juice (keep in the fridge) applied as a toner
after I wash with the cleanser.

#5. I used honey for spot treatments. Yep! Just honey...unfiltered organic honey.
I put some on the blemish and leave it there for a couple of hours during the day
or at night after my bath and I leave it on all night.


#6. I use a homemade moisturizer from Erzulie Natural Cosmetics that
I found on Etsy. I did some reading up on ingredients that I wanted to see
in my moisturizer. I thought, if I was going to make my own moisturizer
what would I put in it?? What did I NOT want in it??
Armed with what I thought would be the best ingredients, I did a search for
some reputable homemade skin care lines.  I chose the Ultra Hydration Lotion.
The reviews were good and I thought.....
"Well, I've used a lot worse things on my face. How bad can trying
a complete unknown be?"--> I was glad I did! I really like it.
Super moisturizing but not heavy. I used it all winter and spring but switched
 back to the Derma E moisturizer for the summer because it is a lighter cream.
The Ultra Hydration isn't greasy or thick or smelly. It is absorbed
very well and really feels good on my face. I have had no adverse
reactions to any of her products and I have gone back and purchased a few :)

#7. I take a 25mg zinc supplement everyday.
I am no expert but I have used zinc in the past and it has helped.
I stopped for a long time because it made my stomach upset but
I have since gone back to it and now know better and take it with dinner.

#8. Instead of rinsing my cleanser off by splashing it off with warm water in the sink,
 I have been wiping it off with a washcloth. I think this way, I really get all the soap off.
I had a feeling that I wasn't completely rinsing it all away with just the water.
I had a running theory that I wasn't rising my face thoroughly and leftover
cleanser was clogging up my pores. Again, it was just a hunch and I was trying to
problem solve the best I could and fix what mistakes I thought I might be making.
I use a fresh washcloth every time. I also like that the washcloth can act as a
a bit of an exfoliant. I pat dry with a clean hand towel that I only use for my face.

#9. Now that winter is almost here, my face will get a bit drier so I will go
back to oil cleansing 3 times a week as well.

I never did give up other cleansers and use the oil cleansing full time.
I did use it about 3 times a week at night before bed and found it
very soothing and helped with the weird spotty dryness.
I didn't re-wash my face the day after I used this before bed.
I just wiped my face with the toner and applied moisturizer.
I didn't want to over wash...which I used to always do and that is killer on the skin.

#10. I have started making a yogurt and fresh fruit smoothie 3-4 times a week.
I am not a fan of yogurt and most fruit makes my stomach hurt
so the idea of mixing them seemed most undesirable to me.
I was hoping for more of a "cheese-potatoes-lots of starch* solution Hahah! ;)
However....*throws up hands* what can I say??
You do what you have to do and to be honest, they are pretty tasty when done right.
My stomach is happier AND so it seems, is my face :)

Lastly, I have been power walking again. I haven't done much
exercise in the last couple of years. I try and then get bored and lazy.
My waistline and face paid the price.
I got myself a used treadmill and made a promise to get on it 5 times
a week. If I am on it 20 minutes or 60...it is something and something is
better than nothing. I watch TV while I walk and before I know it
45 minutes has zoomed by and I feel quite proud of myself  :)
I am not sure if I have lost any weight but I feel better.
Better face and better disposition is a win win for sure!
Not to mention the cute new running shoes I treated myself with ;)
Hahahahah! I needed to motivate myself somehow!!

Now for the "after" photos.

I used some mineral makeup to help reduce a wee bit of redness and I am looking

much better than I did a year ago. The best part is that my face FEELS so much better.

The redness has gone down. I still get small blemishes but I haven't had any

hard cystic blemishes since end of last winter. The blemishes that I do

get are manageable and most only last about 7-10 days.

I think about half of those are hormonal and I can live with that.

It is SO nice to have a face that doesn't hurt!

 I am happy to look better but I am even happier to feel better- Hurrah!!

So there you have it. So far so good!
I am thrilled with the progress I have made over these
last few months. I am really glad that I took the plunge, did my research
 and made the switch to much better and healthier products.
Fingers crossed that this clear skin will continue for me.

I hope there is some helpful stuff in there for you Pussycats that also
have acne issues. There is no magic cure and certainly no magic acne potion.
I have learned that the hard way for sure! I hate that I fell for all the hype from marketers
promising me clear beautiful skin that would never come.
I am very happy however that I finally got frustrated enough to put a stop to it.

My hope is that by sharing my new routine and the products I am using
will also help you on your path to better, healthier and soothed skin.
My wish is that we all can make positive changes in our lives that make us
feel good about ourselves and help us to live a fulfilled and happy life :)

Next Monday I will start a series of posts sharing some of the make up
products I have been using and had success with.

Take Care Pussycats!! Luv Weezi xoxo



BTW- I purchased these products on my own. I am not affiliated in any
way with any of these companies. I am just one gal problem solving her own
acne issues the best way she can. I have no acne or skin care expertise, just
my own experiences with product trial and error.

Please do not try and sell me stuff or solicit your product here.
This blog is for me to share my expediences only.

Any attempt in solicitation will be blocked and banned, just so you know. 

Hem a Skirt at the Waist- A Tutorial :)

Helllu Pussycats!

This post today is another clothing alteration that I thought
might be useful to some of you.
You see, I am always having to alter my clothes because
I am short. Not just kinda short....I am quite short.
For arguments sake let's say I am 5 foot tall.
That is my story and I am sticking to it :)

I have always been sort of tiny...not slight or slim but short
and small. I didn't get the super cute, pixie genes.
I got the "short-kinda stocky-big thighs-thanx to my Ukrainian heritage" genes ;)
I often forget that I am short until I see my reflection in a window.
I am like: "Oh yeh, I am not 5 9"..damn!"  Hahahaha!

I also forget that I am short until I go shopping for clothing and
then it becomes painfully obvious. Gaaaaa!
Everything needs to be hemmed and shortened.
I often lose so much detail on sleeves and hems b/c I have
to cut everything off. So annoying :(

Skirts can be especially troublesome if there is some lovely trim
around the hem. I have a little trick I use if I can, to salvage the hem.
I "hem" the skirt from the waist :)
It is easy to do and usually doesn't take too long.

I found this pretty cotton skirt at the GoodWill and knew it would be a good
candidate to hem from the waist.
I pulled it up to where I wanted the hem to sit, turned the
waist over and pinned it down.

#1. I measured down from the top of the skirt how much I need to cut off.
I don't need to add seam allowance to the top b/c I am going to use seam
binding to finish off the waist.

#2. I am not going to keep the belt loops b/c I won't wear anything tucked
into this skirt. Make sure you mark evenly around the front and the back.

#3. At this point I carefully removed the zipper.
 This skirt is lined so I pinned the outer skirt to the lining and then basted
around about 1/4" from the edge. Then cut on your marked line to
remove the excess at the top.

#4- #6. At this point you will need to open up the center back to make room for another zipper.
*** At this point try the skirt on again and make sure that it fits as
snug around your waist as you like. You may find it a bit loose b/c we cut
down close to the hipline. If you need to take the waist in a bit, you can
 do this at the center back. Fold under the excess at the back, press and
 trim leaving 1/2" seam allowance. See here if you need more help w this.

You will need an 8" skirt zipper so make sure you have an 8" opening from
the very top of the skirt down. Backstitch at the bottom of the opening to the keep
the seam from pulling open on you. Next, line up the lining and the outer skirt at the
center back and stitch the two layers together about an 1/8" in from the edge.
Give it a good press to try and iron out old stitch marks.

#7 & #8. Next you will add seam binding tape to the raw edge. It just folds over the
edge which is why you didn't need to add seam allowance at the top.

#9. Leave about 1/2" edge at the center back on each side to be folded
under when you put the zipper in.

 #10. Pin your zipper in making sure that your edges meet nicely in the middle
and that the top edges are even as well.
Again, you can check here if you need more info on this zipper application.

#11. Give it a good press.

#12. Ta da!!! You are done! :)

You can see in the first pic that the skirt sits nicely where I like it. You can also see
that I need to wear undies that sit higher and not create a line under my belly button :)

The second photo shows the skirts now falls just above my ankles...perfect!
I didn't lose any of the lovely frill or detail at them hem. Hurrah!! :)

This is easy and doable for beginners. Just remember to go slow
and always double check before you cut.
If you make a mistake, don't fret...I still make mistakes all the time!
If you have any questions about this technique please
feel free to ask.

Take Care!!
luv Weezi xo

What Was Going on in the Weezi Studio This Week :)

Hellluuuuuu Pussycats!!

Hope everyone has had a lovely week :)

It has been a busy week here in the Weezi studio.

I am really getting into high gear getting stock ready for Christmas.

Yes, I know ...I said it. 

The sad fact that is that in retail we have to start preparing in July for

the big holiday. As per usual I am behind. Hahahah! No surprise there  ;)

I have been sewing away, making soap ( it has to sit 4-6 weeks before

it is ready to be labelled) and listing things in my Etsy shoppe.

Here are just a few highlights from this week :)

1. Aprons sold online and being shipped out to the US and as far away as Norway :)

(I still get a thrill when I get to ship something out far away. It never gets old!)

2. Lots of new aprons in the studio and to be listed online in my Etsy shoppe next week.

Star Wars or Star Trek apron anyone??? 

3. Getting ready to assemble fall rings.

These will be available both in the studio and online.

4. Gloria and the Hula Skirt Chicken post a bunch of their UK bus trip pics.

These gals know how to have a good time ;)

5. Making up loads of cold process soap. This week was Blue Raspberry, 

Midnight Pomegranate, Jasmine,White Wisteria and Japanese Cherry Blossom. 

Smells soooooo good in here!

6. Putting together bobby pin sets in darker colours for the fall.

7. Sleep masks with flannel or fleece backs now in the studio to keep

your eyes cozy and shielded from the light this winter :)

ps- these are also available in town at The Bag Lady.

It was a most enjoyable week here in the Weezi studio this week.

As much as this time of the year really gets hectic, it is also a great time for

creativity and making ideas come to fruition!

I am super excited to be listing and sharing all the fun new items

that I will be rolling out for the holidays. It really is a great time

to be making handmade :)

Have a wonderful weekend Pussycats!!

Take care, Luv Weezi xo

Re-covering an Old Dress Form

Hellu Pussycats!

I was lucky enough to be given this lovely vintage dress form.

She was a little rough around the edges but still had great potential!

I knew right away that all she needed was an updated cover to breathe  some new life into her.

What girl doesn't feel perky and fresh in a new dress??? ;)

I started with the knit underlay by draping and pinning in the darts for shape and fit.

I cut away the excess fabric as I went and marked all the darts and seams w a marker.

( next time I would use a less bright marker...the colour showed thru

in spots where I had made an error. Oooops! ;)

I decided at this point I would put a zipper in at the center back
as a means to get the cover on and off for spot cleaning.

After I made sure that I had marked everything well, I placed the pink underlay

on top of the lace. I pinned the two layers together and basted around the edges.

I then sewed up the darts, side seams and shoulder seams. I also clipped into

the curves around the neckline, side seams and shoulders. Clipping and trimming 

allows the seams to lay flat and hug the curves without pulling or puckering.

You might notice that I was a bit short on the bottom  the one side. Oooops!

I pulled too much from the botton at the beginning when I was pinning the darts.

next time I will be more careful! 

To fix my mistake, I slip stitched a band of pink knit around the bottom to conceal

 that it falls well above the bottom of the dress form.

The last thing I did was add the zipper in the back and some lace to the hem.

Ta da!!! I was more than thrilled with how she turned out :)

The soft pink turned out to be a wonderful neutral tone for display purposes. 

You can see the nod of approval from Stella!

I got ambitious and covered a second old dress form in polka dots.

They both look great and have a wonderful new purpose!

I am a firm believer in not throwing it out if you

can re-cover it and bring it back to life :)

Have a great afternoon! Luv Weezi xo