Tag Archives: Shameless Shilling

A #WINNING Thank You!

16 Nov

I don’t know how to write the following without being a total and complete #HumbleBrag.  But, last night the Mobbies (Maryland Outstanding Blog Awards) were announced and I won. I won in every category I was nominated for. I took home Mobbie fedoras for Best Personal Blog, Best Lifestyle Blog, Best DIY Blog. And, amazingly. Like, seriously, overwhelmingly amazingly, I won Best Overall Blog for Miss Celie’s Pants!! Guys, I dropped the F-bomb I was so gobsmacked.

I know it seems like a silly thing to care about. But, I REALLY wanted to win so a sewing blog would be named Best Overall Blog. I meet people all the time who don’t understand what there is to blog about sewing. Or get that it’s a shared passion. I was so excited I was jumping and yelping. 

There were 30 categories. Here are all the winners in our fedoras.

I am overwhelmed with gratitude for your support and your votes.

I love to write. I love to sew. And, I talk too much. There wasn’t much left for me to do but start a blog about sewing.  I’ve made some of my closest friends through the sewing world. I’ve made personal contact with people all over the globe because of my blog and sewing. I met my best friend through this blog!  Blogging has given me a real platform to talk about the things that inspire me and the world around me.

What you did in voting for me (and putting up with my pestering) is immeasurable. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. There really aren’t words to express my total and complete thanks.

I will tell you that the staff at the Baltimore Sun asked around about me because they couldn’t understand how I got so many votes. They wondered if I knew how to rig the voting.  A friend who works at the Sun told them I’d been blogging for a while and that my readers really are my friends. And, he knew I basically flunked computer science the first time I took it in university!  Not a lot of people sew for fun anymore. We really made them stand up and notice. You are the most loyal group of readers anyone could have!

Did I mention I have food blog too? Here are two of my co-authors Catalina and Liz. We placed 3rd for best food blog.

I said this on my FB page. I’m not a mommy blogger. I don’t have thousands of followers. I don’t have a book deal and I’m not on a TV show.  I’m just a girl who loves to sew. That’s it. What I do have are my friends, family and my readers and I wouldn’t trade that in for anything.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Truly.

And, I hate camera phone photos (these). They do not love black people in low light. I’m using part of my prize to get a point -and-shoot camera so I don’t have to lug my beloved DSLR to bars and awards parties :)

As for prizes….. I really just wanted to call myself an Award Winning Blogger. But, I’m happy to report that I will get some marketing help from the Baltimore Sun by way of banner ads on their site. And, as best overall winner I received a gift certificate to Best Buy. Nook Tablet (or iPad), here I come! Oh, of course I checked to see if Best Buy carries sewing machines. They do. But, no cover stitches, LOL!

Tags:

Mid Course Correction

8 Nov

Down three spots! I’m dropping fast in the rankings for Best Overall Blog on the Baltimore Sun website! Please remember to vote for me today. Voting ends in three days. I’m nominated for Best Personal Blog, Best DIY Blog and Best Lifestyle Blog. After voting in these three categories, you can type in Miss Celie’s Pants to vote for Best Overall Blog. Wouldn’t it be GREAT if the best overall blog was about sewing? Remember, you can vote once  a day, each day.

Click here to vote for my blog ... early and often

I know potential spam and having to sign up is not cool. But, they are trying to cut down on ballot stuffers and make it a straight popularity contest :)

As I mentioned last week, this Sunday I’m going on the DC Tweed Ride with Trena and Liz. I planned to make Burda’s October 2008, #101 cape from a black and white herringbone. Friday night I was all traced and cut out with interfacing completed.

Saturday I went to sew and realized I forgot to cut out the center front pieces and was totally and completely out of fabric. GRRRRR!!

I went into the stash and pulled out this blue wool from the Carol Collection.  This is actually kind of fortuitous as I really thought the herringbone needed body from underlining, but just didn’t have the time or energy for it.  This blue was block interfaced while I was in NYC last November. The color isn’t very Tweed Ridish. But, it’s definitely more ‘me’.

Here are the buttons I’m going to use. They are appropriately British looking.

The basics are together, including the facings sewn in. Because it’s fused  , I’m going to have to line it. Something I wasn’t planning on doing with the herringbone version. I may even seek out some flannel back satin or flannel interlining to up the warmth factor.

Happily, I have Friday off for Veteran’s Day and can finish most of it then. Gah. I wonder if I can also squeeze in a skirt….

Tags: ,

Vintage Blue Coat

6 Nov

Click here to vote for my blog ... early and often

It appears I’m on a bit of a vintage kick! I stopped by my favorite vintage store today and scored a gorgeous pastel blue wool coat. We were on a Civil War History Bike Ride and the store was across the street from the starting point. How convenient! I was thinking about a fancier coat for special events. This fits the bill perfectly!

It was so much fun showing you the construction of my yellow vintage dress that I thought I might do the same here. This time, I took photos in the coat :)  The first thing I noticed is the coat is fully interfaced, with more interfacing under the arms.

While inspecting the coat, I also noticed that it was underlined too with more wool!

The interlining underlines the lining and is treated as one throughout

Here’s a photo of the back of the coat

The seams inside are narrow, about 1/2 inch or less. They are left unfinished.

The coat collar attaches to the left

The lining actually feels kind of acetate. Thick acetate. But, acetate.

LOVE this coat and am super happy

But, and this is a big but. It’s filthy :(

I’m debating removing the fur myself and sending it to the drycleaner and reattaching the fur after it comes back. Perhaps even add snaps so that it’s easily removable.

Or, should I send the entire thing to a furrier? My fox fur and leather hat cost a MINT to clean. More than I paid for this coat. But, I bargained the price of the coat down because of cleaning costs.

It’s pretty dingy with some stains on the back. The shoulders are brownish / dingy in parts too. If not for all the interior structure, I would soak it in the tub at home myself.

Oh, an anyone seen looooong cream or gray gloves for sale?

Thoughts on cleaning? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

It’s day SIX of TEN for voting for the Mobbie Awards! Thanks to your dedication, I’m still in the mix for the top prize of BEST OVERALL BLOG!!! Do you mind going in and voting again today? Remember, you can vote every day until the bitter end.

The weekend is a great time to vote as points are cumulative. I’m hoping my fellow nominees have shame and don’t bug their readers, friends and families to vote today too.

Click here to vote for my blog ... early and often

      • Best Personal Blog
      • Best DIY blog
      • Best Lifestyle Blog

And after you cast your votes, you have an opportunity to vote for me in Best Overall Blog.

I’m getting closer and closer to calling myself an AWARD WINNING BLOGGER!!

Tags:

Running Boy Shorts

4 Nov

Click here to vote for my blog ... early and often

Brrrr. Dont’ worry. It’s already too cold (for me) on the east coast to wear running shorts. But, I have taken up running. Well, I’ve been three times in the last week. Considering I despise running with every fiber of my being (second only to hiking), this counts as ‘taken up running’ for me. Why am I running?  Because mid-30s spread isn’t pretty. It’s super efficient. I love the idea of running. And, it’s kind of the easiest form of exercise there is, no? I know I should find exercise I love, but those all cost money (ballet, swimming, Bikram) and this is kind of… free.

Source: imgur.com via Kristen on Pinterest

I’ve noticed when I run that, I um, sweat — everywhere. I’ve been to the Under Armour headquarters and I thought it was so funny when I saw they made underwear. It seemed like a great way to gouge people. $19 for shorts that I won’t even look cute in! Think sausage legs with a jelly roll on top. But, now I know why moisture wicking shorts exist.

I’ve isolated a pattern from Patrones. Something I’ve made before as a swim bottom. But, I think with a few small alterations, they will be good exercise base layers.


I plan to work on them this weekend. We’ll see! Best laid plans and all that :)

It’s day Four of the Mobbie Awards! I didn’t post a reminder yesterday because I felt like a nag.  Then again, that let me drop in *all* the rankings!! So, I will now implore you to vote and know that I’ll be all kinds of badgery this weekend. Please take a moment and vote for me

Click here to vote for my blog ... early and often

  • Best Personal Blog
  • Best DIY blog
  • Best Lifestyle Blog

And after you cast your votes, you have an opportunity to vote for me in Best Overall Blog.

The stakes are small, but I would derive an insane amount of happiness by being able to write ‘Award Winning Blogger’ on my virtual resume.

Thank you for everyone who voted and continues to vote for me!

Tags:

Personal Blogging

2 Nov

Click here to vote for my blog ... early and often

Thank you for your votes in the Mobbies! I’m so excited. It’s Day Three of Ten and my begging for votes is paying off. Imma have to shout this next part, I’m actually nominated for THREE MOBBIES!!!! Holy Mother of Pearl!!!

  • Best DIY Blog
  • Best Lifestyle Blog
  • Best Personal Blog

I didn’t even know until last night that I was up for a Personal Blog nomination. At first I was surprised. I mean, I’m a *sewing* blog, right? But, I started remembering that it was here where I could say the things that I couldn’t in my offline life.

There was my first lesson learned in not sewing for other people. Remember my friend who was rather…. “unkind” about the hand crafted gifts I gave her for Christmas? Peeps. That one doesn’t even get cards from me now.

There is the refresher course in not sewing for people by way way of making seven-fold ties followed in short order by the epic breakup. No one here asked me why we broke up. You guys just gave me love and support. I was pretty much at my lowest self esteem point and you helped bouy me.

Of course, there was the debate on who the hostess serves first: husband or guests. You’ll be happy to know that said guy is totally out of my life.

So, yes. I am a personal blogger. I sometimes worry I share too much. But, you’re kind enough to skip the posts where I blather on.

One last Public Service Announcement: Please vote for me today! You can use several methods to log in to the site including Facebook, Google, AOL, and Twitter!

Click here to vote for my blog ... early and often

You can vote in all three categories of Lifestyle, DIY and Personal blog. And, at the end there is an option to vote for me in Best Overall Blog.

Thank you again!

Tags: