Thursday, September 9, 2010

So much to do...So little time

Ok- so me, being the project manager I am, had a bit of a freak out moment today.  (warning- this post is going to make me sound like a bridezilla...be warned.)

On Monday, Scott took me out for movie and dinner (ps- Inception----awesome!), after all, we are now at the 1 year mark to our wedding....I remember a time not so long ago, where we had a million months before our wedding...not so anymore.  I told him, I needed to get a calendar so I could start to outline my plan to get everything done.

In true project management fashion, I started at the end and headed to the beginning.  This was a BAD idea.  There is sooo much stuff that has to get done like the month before the wedding.  Seating chart finalized, final headcount to caterer, programs designed and printed, favors (if applicable) purchased and ready, placecards designed and completed (since we are having a sit down and offering choices, we have to let the wait staff know who is ordering what).  Not to mention, we will both be working full time and trying not to sweat to death in our apartment.  August freaked me out so much that I didnt get very far with the rest of the stuff.  Who knew there was so much incorporated with a wedding (yes- I suppose everyone else who has already been married)...but geesh! 

I am excited.  This is when it all starts to get fun.  and I truly believe by having a plan in place, we can always work ahead if we are in a place to do so.  For example, I have us preparing all of our invites in May, even though we wont send them out until June.  This way if we get behind, we will not be a risk for missing the mailing deadline.  (wow- I am such a dork).

And for the most part, I am only scheduling stuff for us on the Weekends.  This just means that I have to stop planning all of our weekends 3 weeks in advance (that is Scott's suggestion).

I welcome any suggestions of any other great wedding planning tips (esp. for folks doing alot of the "stationary stuff" (programs, invites, etc) ourselves.

Please and Thank You!

Saturday, September 4, 2010

And "sew" it begins

As I told you in my previous blog "Project Runway Here I come", I have re-decided to take up sewing. 
I began with a "simple" wrap dress.  Using some very cute stretchy fabric I thought it would be easy and forgiving of mistakes....lessons learned #1 Stretchy fabric is not easy to cut.
However, I did get everything cut out and I began to make some progress.  I got the top pleated correctly, got my sleeves sewed together and sewed the two halves of the back of the dress together...
Then I went to sew the sleeves onto my back....For some reason, they weren't tying out correctly.  I couldn't get the seams to line up correctly.  I sat and pondered for a while.  And then looked at the directions (crazy, I know).  turns out I sewed the wrong sides of the back together (I sewed the sides together as opposed to the center seam...
Lesson #2- Buy a seam ripper prior to begining a sewing project...oh and reading the directions might not hurt either.

Here is the thing.  I AM reading the directions...they are just kind of written in a foreign language and I do NOT find the pictures understandable.  So much for these "simplicity" patterns .

So, while I am waiting to go purchase my seam ripper...I decided to start on my yellow/gold skirt.
 This one seems much easier.  Cutting the fabric was a breeze! 

I got some pleats sewed in, got the back sewed together (correctly this time) and got the back sewed to the front.  all I have to do is buy something called "interfacing", and get my beltedish waist completed.  I hope to finish this skirt during this long weekend!!!!

I did skip a step on the back that would make the skirt have a cute little flip because I do not understand what "Press Seam open above clip.  Press Vent extension toward LEFT back.  Baste upper end of vent extension in pace along stitching" means...I figured it was just for decoration.

Hopefully I will have a finished product up here by the end of the weekend...if you are lucky, maybe two!
The makings of a skirt
Close up of Skirt...don't mind the tape in the mirror
See the expert pleating!
Failure #1- the incorrectly sewed back...this should NOT be a V-neck back....duh!
Completed sleeves..waiting for the back to be "seam-ripped" to complete the look!