Glorious glorious day

After almost two weeks, I finally mustered up the courage to see how I did in my very last Spanish class. [If I pass this class, I will have fulfilled my foreign language requirement for my major.] This class was so hard, it was not wise to take on a subject that you don'’t feel strong in during an accelerated summer session. There were only five weeks to learn about five different ways to describe something that happened in the past.

As Charlie Brown said so eloquently, ARRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

Oh, where was I? Yes, I finally checked my grades. My biggest fear was that I would fail and have to take this class all over again during a normal length semester. I don'’t know how to describe it, I have had such a hard time motivating myself to learn this language. This last instructor told me after my oral exam that my pronunciation was great, I just had to work on my vocabulary (haven't learned enough words) and my grammar. So whatever I am capable of saying, at least Spanish-speakers will not laugh and point at me.

Well...do I have to take it again? Did it cause damage to my rising grade point average? Or did I not only NOT fail but did I surpass my own expectations and receive a C?

I did, I did! This particular grade, a C, is at this moment in time the most beautiful grade in the world to me! I still even ended up with a 3.0 GPA for the semester.

I am now content. I know I will learn Spanish in my own time, only now because I will feel comfortable talking to people and not because I have to for a grade.

IKEA is wonderfully cheap

This weekend, I was just in the general IKEA area saying goodbye to great friends who are moving to Italy for two years. They will also take two of the sweetest little girls in the world with them, my "god daughters".

However, on my way home, I ended up in IKEA. Since going to Miami on vacation two weeks ago, I have no money. I was just going to look...there is no harm in that, right?

Well, I did end up spending some money, but it was very little, I swear! In fact, I only spent $8.

1. BETTAN cushion cover is to be made into a skirt much like FehrTrade did here. She inspired me to try it too. I don't wear a lot of bright colors, so I decided to take a risk, and for $6.99, how could I resist? One thing I don't understand is why they chose to show the back on the web site, when this other side is more exciting. I am going to try to make it while keeping the zipper intact and just adding a few darts, a solid color band for a waistband, and a hem. However, the zipper would be the full length of the skirt, so perhaps I need to think about this a little more. I'll keep you (If there IS anyone out there?) informed.
   
   
2. SKOGSBAR plant pot. This is an incredible deal at $.99 a pot! Come on? I'm not talking a clay pot, which goes for about $3-4. This is a glazed stoneware pot, available in great colors for less than a dollar. I want to get them in the green, orange, and yellow. Hopefully, next time I will be able to keep a plant alive as my Calla Lily passed away about four weeks ago.
   
   

Miami Architecture

My host outside the Versace mansion.

I wish I had more pictures. But of course, the one the day I saw the most beautiful things, the camera was on the other side of Miami Beach, up nine floors, in the condo. My host was gracious enough to bring me back the next day to catch some of the images.

Enjoy.

Miami coming soon

Photos from Miami!
Like this one of the Versace mansion.

A stitch in time...

I have decided to do some sewing.

Most of the sewing I have done in the last few years has been for housewares. Pillows, bookcase curtains to cover the clutter, slipcovers for my computer monitor, keyboard, and headboard. In addition, I also made, if you can call it sewing, bulletin board covers.

 




Now I am getting an itch to make more clothes.

When I was in college, I made the half of the wardrobe that I did not get at thrift/vintage stores or swaps with friends.


These were pretty elaborate things, a wool cocoon-like coat (see below), a slinky red gown with orange lining, a sweetheart neckline tea-length dress made of baby blue brocade fabric. I had a rockabilly red polka-dot dress, a Parisian themed outfit, a revamped black leather jacket that I cropped and elasticized at the back, and quite a few wasp-waited 50'’s dresses (these I bought).

Let us just say I had a very schizophrenic wardrobe back then. Any era or style that caught my fancy was represented. But then again, I had my mother make me Issey Miyake outfits from Vogue patterns when I was in Junior High school! Can you believe that? I actually wore that whole ensemble below in 8th grade!
 

I still wear the cocoon coat for special occasions. I made it in a silky chocolate brown wool and never put the shoulder pads in so it looks more like a 1930's cocoon wrap coat than anything.

So I just joined the SewRetro blog community, a group of retro-minded sewing enthusiasts like me. This months project is to make a back-to-school/fall wardrobe staple. One of the members listed these new Simplicity Retro patterns.



I might try my hand at one of these, along with the dress I'm finishing from the Target Ipanema fabric.