Where do we go from here?

Well, guys, I did it! I blogged every day for 30 days! Woohoo! And I have you to thank for it. Thank you for the views, for the comments, for the love. Seeing those stats really kept me going, I can certainly tell you.

 I mean, look at those numbers! That's incredible!

As I hinted in an earlier post this week, this challenge was... well, challenging. Blogging every day wasn't bad but finding time to blog every day and making sure I had crafts and outfits and interesting recipes each week - that was pretty stressful.

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However, the challenge did accomplish what I'd hoped it would: I was able to try out all of the things I wanted to test on this blog. And I found out that I really enjoyed it! So, here is how I think this will blog will look going forward:

• I will continue to post semi-regularly. My plan is to start off with posts twice a week.
• I'm going to keep all of the segments I tested out this month, although they may not fall on certain days. But, you will continue to see outfit posts, craft posts, recipes, reviews, picture posts, spotlight posts.
• Instead of week-long themes, I'd like to expand to month-long themes. Switching to twice weekly posts means I'll average 8 posts a month, so I figure I'll have 1 outfit post, 1 craft post, 1 recipe post, 1 movie review, 1 picture post, 1 spotlight post, 1 throwback post, and 1... bonus! All surrounding the same movie, theme, or person (if possible).
• I'd like to start incorporating some guest posts as well. I'm not as engaged in the blogging community as I used to be so it might be difficult to find other bloggers, but I may start asking family and friends to do write ups on their favorite movies or performers - stuff like that.

And I'd like to turn it to you, dear readers. What would you like to see more of on this blog? 

Tomorrow is my birthday and I will be taking a break until early next week. Until then, thank you so very much for reading and for going with me on this journey. I appreciate it more than I could possibly say!

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Stay tuned for a month of holiday themed posts!

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30 Before 30

So, for today's Way Back Wednesday post, I'm going to get very, very wordy and very personal. And it won't pertain a whole heap to classic movies. I just want to warn you of that right now.

I'm turning 30 on Friday. Early this year, I considered starting a 30 before 30 list to see what I could accomplish but so many of them were pretty silly. Just because some random writer prizes certain experiences, it doesn't mean I need to experience them too. So, I kept putting it off and suddenly it was a few months away and I was struck with the question of whether or not this is where I wanted and expected to be at this point in my life. I won't answer that question because life is so crazy and we're all just bumbling through it, trying to divine its true meaning. So, after considering it on and off, I decided to do a 30 before 30 list of my own. But not 30 things I need to do before 30, but rather 30 things I have done before 30. Some of these may not seem like accomplishments to you and some of them may be silly. But, personal accomplishments are... personal so these are things that I'm proud of.

1. I earned my Bachelor's degree. I would love go back to school and get my Masters some day. But until then, I can be thankful that I was able to get some really good schooling and wonderful experiences under my belt when I went to college.
2. I published two novellas. You can buy them, in fact! I self-published two e-books and they're available on most ebook platforms. The titles are Sleeping Beauties: The Case of the Worn-Out Dancing Shoes and The Glass Coffin: The Snow White Case. They're fairy tales rewritten as fantasy mysteries set in the 1920's. They were a ton of fun to write and I'm hoping to write and publish more. In the meantime, I'm super proud of myself for doing something I've wanted to do since I was little.

3. I've learned to cook. This was something I wanted to learn for years, but it took a while for me to get to a point where I could brave my fears about ruining food. And now? I love to cook. It relaxes me and it makes me happy. I like eating something delicious and having the unique satisfaction that I made it.
4. I've learned to bake. I'm not quite at the comfort level in baking that I currently enjoy in cooking. And baking still intimidates me. But, after loving The Great British Baking Show, I've started getting bolder about trying my hand at baking. I've made cake, crackers, cookies, brownies. My mom showed me how to bake bread. I even made mini cakes for my friend's Marie Antoinette party. Paul Hollywood would probably have given me a disappointed look and said, "they're a bit of a mess, to be honest." But, they were delicious and they were cute and beautiful and not part of a competition. So I was incredibly proud of them.

I made those! Isn't that amazing?!

5. I started a book club. This is something that I'm extremely proud of. It's a part of my life that I'm certain my childhood self would be pleased to know would happen. I started a book club out of the desire to discover new books on my own terms - I didn't want to be forced to read depressing books or scary books so I started a book club with the simple rule: all books must end happily. And people joined! I love it. We meet about once a month and read and discuss books of all genres from children's books to murder mysteries to nonfiction.
6. I found a job that I like and do well. I kind of fell into the job I'm in now. I'm a scheduler. It's not the job I imagined for myself. It isn't romantic or glamorous. But it's a good, steady job. I like my managers and I like my coworkers and I like my work. And I'm pretty good at it, which is a really nice thing. I keep feeling like I need to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. Being a scheduler was not what I had in mind. But if I'm honest with myself, I'm quite happy where I am. I should like to make enough money to live on my own, but I still count myself very fortunate to have a job that allows me to pay my bills and that I enjoy doing. I also get to leave my work at work and come home to craft and write blogs. And there's a heap of goodness in that.
7. I've gone on a road trip solo. Okay, so it was a road trip from Orlando to Atlanta. But, still. I drove out of state on my own and had a wonderful time. It was a sort of spontaneous trip actually. I had the opportunity to go to the TCM studio in Atlanta and get a tour by the VP of TCM. My friend met up with me once I got there. But it was my first time booking my own hotel, driving out of state, and staying in a hotel in a city where I knew no one. It was truly an adventure.

My friend Brittany and I on the TCM set!

8. I've taken myself out for a nice dinner. Same trip as the one discussed above. On my last night in Atlanta when my friend had already gone home, I took myself to a nice restaurant and spent a good amount of money on dinner for myself. I got wine, dinner, and a dessert. To me, that was major splurging. And I was very particular about not sitting on my phone the whole time so I was able to sit and be full of my own thoughts.
9. I made an outfit inspired by a classic TV show. Well, you all know about that already. But, seriously, guys. This was a dream that was years in the making.

10. I have learned how to sew. I'm not super great at it yet and I've yet to make something without calling my mom for help. But I've actually worked through a few pieces from beginning to end and I'm still eager to keep going. It's a great start!
11. I discovered that I love to embroider. This was one of the best things to come out of the A-Z crafting project my friend and I did last year. No one else in my family embroiders currently so it was so nice to discover something that I love to do without feeling the need to compare my ability to someone else's.
12. I paid off a car. I'm not a great financial whiz. I can't boast a fantastic financial resume. But I have managed to pay off my first car. It's still a great feeling.
13. I have actively invested in self care. A year or two ago, I decided that I liked bubble baths enough to put money into the pastime. I spent about $50 and got myself a bathtub tray, a bathtub pillow, and a waterproof case for my phone. This is something that probably doesn't seem like much of an accomplishment but purchasing things that weren't practical and would probably not be used by anyone else, and weren't food, was a big deal to me. It was a cool thing to invest in me.
14. I have attended a protest. Last November, my friend messaged me and asked if I wanted to go to the Women's March in D.C. with her. That afternoon, she had reserved a hotel and we had both committed. It was exciting and scary at the same time. The event itself was so many things: exciting, scary, exhilarating, empowering, beautiful, inspiring, bittersweet. I truly enjoyed being a part of something so momentous and historic.

My friend, Kayla and I on our way to the Women's March

15. I've traveled outside the country. Here's a picture of me when I went to England a few years ago.

16. I've expanded my palate. I was a pretty picky eater when I was a kid. I was the kid who had chicken tenders at every restaurant I went to. I didn't like seafood, cauliflower, zucchini, eggplant, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese, nuts, or salad. I'm sure I was a joy to feed. But, when I went to England and stayed with my cousins, they cooked dinner for me and asked if I liked onions, tomatoes, and mushrooms. I didn't like any of them but felt incredibly rude saying so, so I lied. And I'm so grateful to past myself for that. Because what they cooked was delicious and I discovered that I love onions and tomatoes and mushrooms. I still don't eat most seafood and I'm not crazy about brussel sprouts. But I love trying new things and I want to like as much food as possible.
17. I've started learning a new language. Part of me wishes I could write "I've learned another language." I've been trying to learn Portuguese for years now. It's a little embarrassing at this point. But the cool thing about language is that even though you lose it if you don't keep practicing, you always know more than you did when you started. So every time I go back to the Portuguese lessons, more concepts click in my head and more and more things make sense. Eventually, some day, I'll speak fluently. In the meantime, I'm still enjoying the process.
18. I've discovered that I love volunteering. The same friend who encouraged me to go the Women's March introduced me to the joys of volunteering. I had wanted to volunteer for a while but I kept feeling that it was more of a duty and probably wouldn't actually be fun. And when I volunteered at a Food Bank, I found it to be stressful and was pretty discouraged about the prospect of doing it all the time. But, I've discovered that volunteering can be fun - you just have to find the right venue that is a cause you believe in, is set up in a way that works for you, and that you enjoy doing.

Just a sample: Kayla and I did a ton of volunteering events last month

19. I have lived on my own. Okay, so I still had a roommate who paid the rent but she moved out early and I was by myself in the apartment for several months. It was pretty heavenly actually. There were things about living on my own that were lonesome. But I liked being fully independent and having no one I had to answer to or run things by or worry about bothering if I stayed up late.
20. I have developed my own perspective on religion. This is kind of a scary thing for me to write about because I haven't told many people in my family but... I was brought up in a very religious household and I'm no longer religious. It isn't something I've come to lightly. I took a religions class in college that affirmed my connection to Christianity and throughout college I attended different churches to see what fit for me. But, gradually, I came to the conclusion that I didn't agree with many of the perspectives in Christianity. I have nothing against the religion or the practitioners - it's simply a personal choice. I'm not ruling out the possibility of change in the future. But, this is where I am now and I've come to peace with it.
21. I have learned how to mix drinks. Clearly these aren't in any particular order. But I have learned how to make a few cocktails that I really like, which is something I'm quite proud of.

22. I've gone on a cruise. I've actually gone on three cruises. They were all TCM Cruises. They were incredibly fun and I wish TCM hadn't retired the Cruise because they were amazing.

It's probably way too small but my friend, Brittany, and I are in the front row of the crowd. Can you see us? Just to the right of Robert Osborne's head!

23. I'm a happy, single woman. In terms of milestones, I definitely had imagined I would at least be in a relationship at this point in my life, if not married. But, life doesn't always work out the way you'd expect. And that's okay. I still like the idea of having a boyfriend/husband. And, yes, I do get lonely. But, for the most part, I'm actually perfectly okay without romantic entanglements. I have a great life where I spend quality time with people I love. Maybe someday I'll find someone who fits into it. Until then, I like my single lifestyle.

This is me at a Rococo-themed party a few weeks back

24. I have started engaging in politics. I'm still exploring the possibilities here but I enjoy the little options for engagement like calling congresspeople about issues I care about, attending town halls, keeping up to date with formats that work for me (my friend got me into the podcast series by Crooked Media which includes, but is not limited to: Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It). I'd like to eventually volunteer on a campaign and possibly get truly engaged by working in politics. Who knows what the future will hold? In the meantime, I'm learning and slowly exploring the potential.

25. I have adopted two cats. Okay, but seriously. I have two creatures that live with me and depend on me for food and safety and they're both healthy and happy cats! Also they're just so adorable.

26. I have started my own traditions. It's little things like making a new Christmas cocktail every year, watching The Miracle on 34th Street on Christmas Eve, cooking an Irish dish on St. Patrick's day, baking a pie on March 14th. I love being an adult and getting to pick out what traditions make me happy.

Christmas Eve tradition

Mu friend, Ashley and I on Pi Day! It's a super important holiday

27. I have found forms of exercise that I enjoy. My uncle once asked me if I worked out and I said I didn't and he said, "Oh, you really should. It's so good for you." He's a doctor so it bothered me for years that I might be disappointing him by not being as healthy as I should be. It was really nice to visit him years later and be able to answer the same question with, "Yes! I go walking every week and I really like to do yoga!" I've even done a 5k. Something I did not expect to say a year ago, even.
28. I have learned several different forms of dancing. I did swing dancing in high school, learned a lot of ballroom in college and now, I'm learning hula! It's awesome. I love it so much that I'm hoping to try different forms of dance in the future, particularly tap and ballet. Even if it's just for a year, I'd like to be able to say that I've tried it.
29. I've built up a life that I like quite a bit. In times of stress, I'll convince myself that things are terrible. But when I'm objective and honest - I really like my life. Yes, I'd like to have less stress about money. Yes, I'd like to travel more. But, I'm near my family. I get to see my family almost every week. I have a wonderful group of friends who are encouraging, positive, creative, brave, inspiring, kind, intelligent people who help me to be the best version of myself. I have a good job that I like. And I get to spend my free time cooking, baking, watching movies, reading books, writing blog posts, writing stories, crafting, creating, and socializing.
30. I have grown into a person that I like quite a bit. This is something I still struggle with as I used to have a pretty big problem with self-loathing and I'm still working through that. But, all in all, I like who I am as a person. I won't list all of the amazing things about myself but I will say that I've grown up to be a person who enjoys growth. I'm growing and changing and expanding due to the experiences I have, the things I learn, the people I interact with. And I really like that. I don't know what the next ten years will be like or where they'll take me. But, as I take stock of what I have and who I am today, I'm excited to step forward into this next phase of my life.

Thank you all for being a part of my journey!

And if you really read all of that, thank you for being so patient with my loquaciousness! This was something I kind of needed to do for myself. I appreciate anyone who tagged along in that journey.

None of your larking about

For Crafty Tuesday I am, once again, pulling something from my crafting blog to showcase today. I got into embroidery when I was doing a project with my friend, Kat, where we were crafting our way through the alphabet. It was a pretty awesome and pretty difficult project. I learned a lot along the way. I grew a lot along the way. I went from emotional breakdowns over failures (A for Apron) to shrugging them off and moving on (M for Macrame). And I discovered some amazing new crafts that I fell in love with: most notably, embroidery. I absolutely love to embroider. I overdid it last holiday season and got a little burned out so I've been trying to get myself back into it. But it's very fun, easy, and an inexpensive hobby. The first piece I did was a Mary Poppins piece. I'll show you my step by step process below. I will definitely be posting a bunch of embroidery posts on this blog because it is a very fun craft and I feel like it goes very well with my love of movies.

Supplies:
Muslin
Tailor's Marker/Pencil
Embroidery Thread
Embroidery Needle
Scissors
Hoop
Inspiration Image
Clothes pin






I bought plain white muslin (it's usually about $2-5/yard); three different colors of embroidery floss, one for each character and one for the words; a blue water soluble marker; an embroidery hoop; and eventually I invested in a nice pair of embroidery scissors.

I used a clothes pin to pin the fabric to my computer and traced the image onto the fabric with the marker. Being a cautious person, I tested this process on the screen corner but it didn't bleed through the fabric. 

Because the marker comes off easily, I didn't stress about mistakes and so I ended up with multiple lines at certain points. When I was actually stitching, I chose the line that looked best! Doing the words forced me to break out my cursive skills. Those haven't been put to the test in years!

She said, "You're welcome and you could use some lessons."

Yesterday, I watched Bachelor Mother (1939) while I was working on some projects. It was my first time watching it in a long time.

The basic premise, if you've never seen it, is this: Polly Parrish (Ginger Rogers) is mistaken for the mother of a foundling baby. David Niven plays David Merlin, the playboy son of the owner of the department store that Polly works at. David offers to extend Polly's seasonal position at the store into a full time job and offers her a raise so that she can keep the baby. When Polly continues to maintain that the baby is not hers, David threatens to fire her. Polly keeps the baby in order to keep her job and starts an unlikely friendship with David. Things get even more complicated when David's father mistakenly believes that David is the baby's father.

The first time I watched it, I thought it was absolutely hilarious and I couldn't wait to show it around. This time watching it, I still liked it. Ginger Rogers is, of course, brilliant. David Niven is adorable and silly. It's still very funny and there are some wonderful scenes.

However. It's harder to watch this movie than it was the first time I watched it. Maybe it's because women are so often mistrusted and not believed by society today. Maybe it's because I'm more aware of how hard it is for single mothers. Maybe it's because I read a whole book on single women in America and how they affect society and how society views them. Maybe it's because I'm older and have a better appreciation for Polly's life pre-baby. Regardless of the reason, I have a harder time watching the movie where everyone not only disbelieves Polly that the baby isn't hers, but she is bullied and pushed around until she relents and takes the baby in anyway. And even then everyone tells her how to raise the baby and what to do. It's very frustrating. The only nice thing about the situation is no one seems to judge her for being a single mother. I do like that. But from a feminist perspective, it's a very frustrating movie.

I think that one of the hardest things about growing older is discovering that movies you love don't always hold up to your scrutiny and values as you grow older. Does anyone else have that problem?

But, don't let me discourage you from watching it. It is a very funny movie and there are some fine performances all around.

Oh, and quick aside: the character of the landlady is absolutely wonderful. She's amazing throughout the story and is definitely my favorite (aside from Polly - she's a great character too). Basically, most of the women in this movie are great and most of the men are awful. So, if nothing else, watch it for the women characters. 😊

We have no bananas today

Okay, my friends. I'm going to level with you. Don't I always? This blog challenge has been very difficult. The blogging every day wasn't so bad... but my plan to blog every day, sew two new pieces, cook 2 new meals, 1 dessert, 1 cocktail, make 3 crafts, work full time, sleep, spend time with friends and family, celebrate a holiday, and prepare for my birthday... well, that got a little overwhelming.

I went over to visit my mom yesterday with plans to sew a new piece and finish another so I could channel my inner Jane Powell:

The skirt was nearly done and I had the pattern, the fabric, and thread, and the buttons for the shirt. But I drove to my mom's house and realized I had clean forgotten the skirt at home. And my mom and I spent a good half hour or so trying to figure out if we could use the fabric I had brought for the shirt. It turns out the fabric I had brought was not the right fabric at all. In the end, we didn't sew it at all - which is just as well - and instead we spent some quality time just talking about stuff: sewing, crafts we want to make, relationships, cooking, cakes, physics, work, food. It was a great evening!

No sewing was done at all and my mom told me that it was perfectly acceptable to say that this project was too difficult and not have an outfit post today. I decided to meet that halfway. This challenge is too difficult - I kind of figured it would be. The whole purpose of this project had been to sort of go overboard on the blogging and figure out what worked, what I liked, what I didn't like. I still wanted to do an outfit post today, so I'm going to do just that - but it's all pieces I had in my closet.

Here is the look I'm inspired by today:

Sigh. Audrey Hepburn. She's just the coolest. Look how effortlessly she wears that side-tucked shirt. Here's how my outfit turned out:

Do I look just like her? Nah. Is it comfortable and convenient? Not particularly. But the thing is (and I've thought about this a lot) Audrey Hepburn is Audrey Hepburn. She could wear something completely ridiculous or unflattering - and she's still Audrey Hepburn. She's still timeless, chic, classic. There's also something to be said for the haze of time. So many things look super cool in older pictures but you try them out today and they look costumey or over-the-top.

I shall continue posting this week but I will probably continue to bend the rules (maybe even every day) until the end of this month. There will be no set theme this week. Just some odds and ends. On Thursday, I'll discuss where this blog will go in the future. Thank you for sticking with me throughout this blogging adventure!

Hey, you're pretty crazy about me, aren't you?

Time to wrap up my week on The Dick van Dyke Show. Enjoy my last hurrah for the Saturday Picture Show!

A meal fit for Rossano Brazzi

I realize everyone is still eating Thanksgiving leftovers today but it's Foodie Friday and the show must go on!

Says the girl who basically skipped yesterday. It's fine. You were busy too.

In continuation of my Dick van Dyke show theme of this week (yeah, I'd almost forgotten it too), here's the meal I cooked up this week that was inspired by a meal on the show:

Spaghetti and Meatballs!

Rob and Laura eat a lot of meals in the show. Considering the fact that Laura is a housewife who is a famously good cook, it's not exactly surprising. What I enjoy, however, is how often their food plays into the plot or character development of the show - dating back to the pilot episode, where Laura proves to Rob that she very much intends to stay home by cooking liver for herself and pointedly leaving a liver for Rob out of the frying pan. A fight over liver ensues.

In "The Night the Roof Fell In," Rob and Laura have a tremendous fight. The next day, they're both determined to make up that they independently plan to surprise the other with their favorite meal. What I cooked is Rob's favorite: spaghetti and meatballs. I did a couple of things differently for mine: my mom used to make spaghetti with angel hair pasta rather than spaghetti pasta, so I prefer that. I've also been trying some non-meat options for food so I can gradually decrease my meat consumption, so I did bought some meatless meatballs instead. But, I did make my own marinara sauce and it was delicious! Click the photo below for the recipe:

Thanks!

Clearly, I'm writing this quite late and I'm going to straight-up skip the theme for today. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you have lots of yummy food and get some wonderful, quality time with the people you love!

I'm very thankful to you for reading my blog!

Wicked, wicked ways

I've been racking my brain, trying to figure out what I'd write today. It's almost Thanksgiving, so I feel as though I should post about something Thanksgiving-y. I kept waffling on that, however, because I don't really have any Thanksgiving-related ties to any classic movies, so I couldn't even think of what to write with that in mind. I humored different possibilities but I've decided to write about something not Thanksgiving-y at all.

A friend of mine, Kate Gabrielle (fabulous artist, knowledgable blogger, and pin-maker extraordinaire), wrote a think piece last year called "When your fave is problematic." It was a wonderful post about whether it's possible to separate the art from the artist when you like the art but the artist is not a particularly great person. Her thoughts on the subject mirrored mine exactly and I think of that blog post frequently.

The piece becomes even more relevant today, in light of Weinstein and the seeming droves of celebrities who, it turns out, are not actually terrific people after all. It's such a tricky moral dilemma. Like Kate wrote in her own post, I find myself reacting differently to each situation. I find it easy to dislike Adolphe Menjou after reading his conservative political views in Myrna Loy's autobiography. But I still struggle to dislike Errol Flynn, who I know was a bad person. And Gary Cooper, who was a friendly witness in the HUAC trials. I can easily write off Woody Allen as a creep - I don't like his movies anyway so there's nothing lost there. But, hearing John Lasseter is taking a leave of absence amidst reports of bad behavior stirs conflicting feelings in me.

As bad as this conundrum is in regards to current celebrities, I feel even worse about it when it comes to classic movie celebrities that I love. I have a picture of Errol Flynn pinned up at my desk at work (alongside Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly, Myrna Loy, William Powell, and Audrey Hepburn). I looked at the other day and felt a rush of conflicting emotion - should I even like him anymore?

One of my good friends hates Clark Gable after reading an article about his rape of Loretta Young. The story definitely tints my view of him as a person - but I still enjoy It Happened One Night. I was angry when I read that Casey Affleck won an Oscar, despite the allegations against him. He may be a talented actor, but is it right to give him accolades? I have a harder time forgiving actors in contemporary movies; I don't have as much sentimental attachment to them or their roles. But the people I grew up watching, the movies that comfort me after a rough day, the scenes that I love so much that quoting them has become part of my identity - that is harder to sift through. I feel as though I need to have a consistent mindset about it - I should write off Errol Flynn with the same ease with which I write off Woody Allen. But I still love The Adventures of Robin Hood. Is that wrong?

I don't actually have an answer to this conundrum. It's something I've been working through in my head for a while now. I can't think of a better way to wrap this up than Kate did, so here is her final thought on the matter. And definitely go read her article because it's a very good discussion on the topic:

Ideally I would love to experience a moment of clarity on this topic, but for the time being I remain thoroughly ethically confused. I guess at the very least, the fact that my enjoyment of movies created by morally questionable people bothers me is a sign that my conscience is still somewhat intact. The knot may never become untied, but at least there's a glimmer of hope that it could loosen.

Read more: Silents and Talkies: When your fave is problematic 

What are your thoughts on the matter? Do you find this to be a moral dilemma as well? (Also, I changed the settings on the comments, so hopefully they'll start posting again. I am sorry about that!)

What a way to break up a cold!

Yesterday, I posted an outfit inspired by Mary Tyler Moore as Laura Petrie.

I started a pinterest board ages ago called Movie Outfits to Recreate and this was one of the first ones on it. I adore Laura Petrie and pretty much everything she wears is perfect to me. I know I'm not alone in wanting to recreate outfits from movies and shows - but it always felt like something I might do someday. Sewing intimidates me considerably. I've started so many projects that are as yet unfinished. I was pretty nervous about embarking on a new project - what if I didn't complete it? What if I messed it up? What if, in this one outfit, I proved that I don't have the ability to make my own clothes? Okay, so that's a lot of pressure to put on one shirt but that's how my mind works.

Anyway, I showed my mom my Pinterest board to get her input on which would be the easiest outfit to do. She saw this picture and pointed at the screen and said, "that one. Do that one. You can make that."

I wasn't sure. I mean, it had sleeves. But my mom insisted I could do it. So we started brainstorming. We discussed fabric first. I loved the way the top fit Mary Tyler Moore nicely but had a nice boxy cut at the bottom. My mom decided that double knit was the best option because it would fit over my head without needing a button or a zipper, would be nicely fit at the top like I'd want, but wouldn't drape at the bottom. Then, we looked for a pattern. We knew on the outset that there wouldn't be a pattern exactly like that shirt but my mom is brilliant when it comes to adjusting patterns so I trusted her instincts. She found one that was specifically designed to be modified. I went to Joann's when I had coupons and they had sales and bought the fabric, the pattern, and the thread.

The pattern turned out to be even better than we had anticipated. It came with the usual pattern pieces but also came with gridded pattern paper so you could make adjustments. My mom added the triangles to the top and bottom of the shirt and she made sure the side was shaped the way I needed it. With a pattern in hand, the rest was up to me.

Like I said, I've struggled with completing projects. I've had so many "1 hour" sewing projects that take me weeks or months to complete. So when my mom said I could finish this in an afternoon, I was skeptical. But, I invited a friend to come over for a crafting afternoon, determined to knock it out as my mom predicted.

I still get pretty confused about how selvage comes into play with cutting but my mom guided me (via phone - sketch below) to get the cut right. The dreaded sleeves stressed me out considerably but my friend, Ashley, encouraged me through that process.

And, just as my mom said, I finished it in one afternoon!!

The edges were a little unpolished so my mom helped me finish the edging. But in one weekend, I had an outfit that was totally wearable and totally cute!

I even had a coworker tell me she loved my trendy top! Success!