Happy New Year!

I would like to wiosh all of my blog friends a Happy New Year!! I hope that it is a great year for each and every one of you! full of happiness, health ,peace of mind and the wildest successes you have ever dreamed of!
One of the latest things I have been doing is sewing. I have had a new obsession with hats! I spent a few pennies at Amazon and bought a pile of hat books..historical, pictorial and a couple of how to books! I found a new friend on flickr that has sparked even more of an interest and we both seem to be fascinated with tiny top hat versions! Well I was a bit stumped at how to make them the 'real' way. I dug around and located my grandfathers collapsable top hat and since it is old the lining had a bit of ftear in it and I could see how some of it was done. Cardboard for the top...hhmmm?...okay it had springs for the structure..can't recreate that..but i could use more cardboard. So i designed and created my mini version and even if my methods are not true to millinery standards...it is clean, neat and very professional looking in the end result...and I am now addicted and have plans on making more...I had already made this outift and the top hat i made was from the left over fabric laying on the table...voila! a fun New Years Outfit was born~ The corset belt was made from a velvet beaded vest..easy easy..it has pants underneath for comfort and practicality~!the bow was made on a pin so it can be removed..the hat could be possibly worn with other outfits that way.Mr. Snowman helping out with the chore of modeling..another reworked/rem,ixed outfit. Inspried by the vest turned into corset belt idea...i had the black pants..and after I made the vest i looked down and lo and behold was a gold shirt from Art that had abad collar and stains on the front..I took it somewhat apart and cut out new pieces...leaving the front button holes and pocket and reworked the sleeves...to make a peasant blouse. I dug through my buttons and found areal cool set of two buttons with a chain and switched out the rest for other silver buttons. The lace is vintage hand crocheted!
I have decided several things in the past few weeks. I have been on a dead run now for 6 months. We have had event after event on top of the normal everyday living with 4 kids at home and two older ones out in the world...along with a big house and all the activities and sports...so i am tired...I have had very little time for art and any art that i have done was for swaps or submissions. I seem to have lost my pleasure. I decided that this year I am going to make things for MY pleasure and let my muse guide me and see what I will make...for fun and to feed my soul. I used to get so excited and inspired and would create all sorts of new and fun things...experimenting and designing..but for some reason it all got lost this year..the fun and charm. So for me to be able to forge ahead and create new and exciting things....it is time for me to just stop with the swaps(except a few very thoughtfully chosen ones) and also not worry about submitting and what i might make that would be accepted...etc! I am going to play! So that is one of my resolutions for the year..and also to stop whining and dig in and finally do something about this weight...including giving up a bit more of my wine habit!

so there....my new years stuff....i also have come up with a new motto or two... 'If the journey through life is an adventure'...dress the part...and 'Attitudes are contagious..is yours worth catching?'
love and light to you all and I hope you find all the wonderful things in this new year!
angela