Christmas Time = Time for a new {Dress}

Christmas Time is near and for Christmas very one needs a new outfit to wear for the special occasion.  So I have decided (well it was my Mum's idea) to finish off the dress that I had started earlier this year and add on some extras features to make it look much better :)

On the left is how the dress looked before (found in the previous post here) and the image on the right shows that the dress has been hemmed. To be honest I have been so confused and afraid of hemming because I have never hemmed before, I did so much research and everything I found overwhelmed me. So in the end I found a very simple tutorial which I adjusted to myself (found here). Although the waist gathers didn't work too well, only because I self-drafted the skirt pattern and obviously made it too small to make big gathers in the skirt to fit the bodice.

There (above) you can see the difference, it has become shorter and I am very happy with my end result. All I did for the dress and lining raw edges was finish it off with zigzag stitch because I don't have an over locker yet....hahahaha (evil laugh) nah only kidding, anyway for the lining I

DIY Book Clutch Inspiration

While I was searching for interesting DIY's, I came across the this:

DIY Book Clutch 

And I also found this awesome tutorial on how to make one for less than $20 at runwaydiy, rather than paying over hundreds of dollars for one!  

You can now have one just like these!

I have linked the DIY tutorial below but to find out all the information you must, keep reading here.....

Polka-Dotty

Polka-Dotty by lovalafashion featuring city shorts

Splendid shirt
net-a-porter.com

River Island city shorts
$40 - riverisland.com

Navy blue ballet flat
$90 - office.co.uk

Oversized hat
globalfashionreport.com

Winners of MS.CHIC Giveaway!

Congratulations to the winners of the MS.CHIC giveaway, you will recieve details in your email soon! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also Thank you to everyone who entered! If you missed out this time, make sure to stay tuned for the next one! :)

Ms. Chic GIVEAWAY - 1 DAY LEFT TO ENTER!

The giveaway is near end, being only 1 day left. To refresh your memory the here is part of the previous post of the Giveaway.

Giveaway here! For 2 lucky winners worth more than $100, read below how to enter:

MS.Chic creates unique accessories with perfume miniatures. Since Christmas is around the corner, MS.Chic is doing a fabulous giveaway for 2 lucky followers of lovalafashion! It is your chance to win a perfume necklace OR a pair of test tube earrings! Both of them are very stylish for everyone and go with any outfit of the day. 

The miniature is Delices de Cartier (5ml), which is made with different composition, including golden crystal, flower, chains, bow. The total length of the necklace is approximately 24”. Colours of this necklace are mainly white and red, these colours are themes of Christmas, colours of CHRISTMAS! Thus, it will be perfect for a Christmas dinner or party. But, also for any occasion.

Do you want to be eye-catching when attending a party? Well now you get the chance to win this necklace, It is worth $100 Australian Dollars! But now it is up for a giveaway to a lucky winner!

 The test tube earrings are Versace Yellow Crystal, Eau de Toilette (1.5ml per test tube) with Moonstone (aka Opal, natural stone). The total lengths of the earrings are 7.5cm.

So enter now, to be one  of the 2 lucky winners (keep reading...to follow the link to the Giveaway!) :)

ENTER HERE <------- (MEANING CLICK ON 'ENTER HERE') :)

{Bargin Buy- Chiffon}

LAST week when I went to K-mart I found a collection of button up chiffon top's in some great colours of blue, pink, black, white and purple. But the thing is I'm not the type to wear see-through clothing, but I thought what the heck, why not try something new. So I picked up the purple one, tried it on and LOVED it! And that's not all I loved, it was only $10 from $39. I wore it to church last sunday, check out below the whole outifit.

  

Chiffon my Day by lovalafashion featuring mid rise jeans

Chloé blouse
net-a-porter.com

Christopher Kane mid rise jeans
net-a-porter.com

Mulberry flat shoes
mulberry.com

Miss Selfridge cross knuckle ring
missselfridge.com

Sunday Outfit
 

 

 

Keep reading to see the rest of the outfit...

Nominated for Liebster Award

Allison (found here) whom has a very nice and interesting blog has nominated me for the Liebster Award! Thank you so much :)

The Liebster Award is given to new or up and coming bloggers with less than 200 followers. This is a wonderful way to find new and noteworthy blogs.

The Rules:

1. Each blogger should post 11 random facts about themselves.

2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you, and then create 11 new questions for the bloggers you pass the award to. 

3. Choose 11 new bloggers (with less than 200 followers of course) to pass the award to and link them in your post.

4. Go back to their page and tell them about the award. 

5. No tag backs

11 Random Facts:

1. I love to Read!

2. I'm a huge fan of the 1960s

3. I play the piano

4. I love to wear dresses and to make them as well

5. My favourite pen colour is blue

6. I don't like to step on insects

7. I'm learning to drive

8. I have a rabbit named Alice ( whom I named after the character of  'Alice' in Twilight not 'Alice in wonderland' but my little sister's don't need to know that)

9. I LOVE Zooey Deschanel's style!

10. I don't have many friends

11. I'm going to study to become an accountant

11 Questions for my nominees...

1. What is your worst nightmare?

2. If you could go back in time, where would you go?Why?

3. What is your biggest dream?

4. Favourite show.Why?

5. Favourite piece of clothing/accessory.

6. Where is your most relaxed place to be?

7. Chocolate or lollies?

8. Who is the closest person to you?

9. If you were invaded by aliens in your house, what would you do, how would you react?

10. Mac or PC?

11. Do you enjoy receiving Liebster Awards?

1. What is your favorite place to visit?

I don't really have a favourite place.
2. What was the last book you read?

City of Fallen Angels
3. If you could be anything in the world what would you be?

So many possibilities...
4. What is your favorite Disney movie?

Monsters Inc.
5. Do you prefer cake or pie?

Well it would depend; if it is a savoury pie, then by all means the pie but if the pie is a sweet pie, the I would choose the cake.
6. Who is your biggest celebrity crush?

I don't have one.
7. What are your blogging goals for your blog?

Having more readers and posting more often about interesting stuff.
8. Do you have any holiday traditions?

Easter & Christmas
9. What is your favorite TV and why?

This is a hard one, I have way to many; I enjoy mostly comedies and shows from the 1960s!
10. What is the first thing you would do if you won the lottery?
There would be a lot of things I would do...
11. If you could wear one thing for the rest of your life, what would you wear?
I would wear a dress because it is a whole outfit itself.

My nominees
1. @Ann Tan
2. @Nenu
3. @CoffeKissed
4. @MelleM
5. @Sofia
6. @Sara
7. @Evi
8. @Jeni
9. @Rebekah 
10. @Tara
11. @Harmony Designs & Soap

Etsy Feature: {Kelly Stahley Art and Design}

I would like to introduce everyone to a wonderful Graphic Designer/Blogger/Etsy Shop Owner: Kelly Stahley. Today's feature is about her and her creative process, don't forget to visit her Blog and wonderful Etsy Store to find out more!

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself and what you make/sell in your shop?

My name is Kelly, I'm 22 years old and graduated from art school about a year ago. My Etsy shop started out as my place to sell my jewelry designs, but recently I've incorporated my graphic design services as well. I love the jewelry designs I currently have but I'm definitely more passionate about art and design work, so I'm trying to promote my graphic design through my Etsy.

2. What inspired you to start Kelly Stahley Art and Design?

I majored in Fine Art in college. Once I graduated, I quickly realized there aren't many people who are going to hire a painter. To be honest, I totally freaked out, not knowing what I was going to do with my life. I love all aspects of art and knew I needed to do something artistic, but I wasn't going to be making a living off painting alone. That's when I became interested in jewelry design. I'd buy tons and tons of supplies and make all different types of pieces. I always knew about Etsy but I never thought anyone would actually buy anything from me. One night I listed one feather ring I created, and by the time I woke up in the morning I was thrilled to see someone actually bought it! I then got very serious about Etsy and wanted to include all of the services I can offer. So currently I have about half the shop filled with jewelry and the other half with design work.

  

3. Do you have a blog? Do you sell/showcase your work anywhere else?

Fashion Week 2012 (Blogger & Designer Opp)

I am starting my celebration a teeny-bit early for my 500 followers celebration!!! I want this to be a huge fashionista giveaway extravaganza with bloggers and designers alike. This is going to be fun and fashionable for all! First, come on board and join our Group Facebook Page for Fashion Week 2012 with your host yours truly Spunky Real Deals;-) Co-hosting with me is Christie from Satisfaction through Christ.

Second, write a blogger/designer sign-up post! We need to get that hype simmering to a boiling point!

Third, hook up with a talented designer for the giveaway. FROCK Los Angeles is the first designer in the line up. She has some truly amazing plunging-back lines on her dresses! Kim Marshall Couture has joined our list of couture designers. Kim's line includes ostrich feather evening wear that could make a grown woman cry with tears of joy*Squeals of excitement*

Fourth, Grab the Fashion Week button for your blog!

2 ideas - Box Pleats or Knife Pleats (formal dress progress)

As the title says 'Box pleats or Knife pleats'? I have had to take out the gathers from the dress because the Dutch Satin is very thick and the gathers are looking very uneven. So I went to my textiles teacher and asked her opinion and I know that gathers are very 50s, I wasn't sure what to replace it with, so she gave me the suggestion of box or knife pleats, or a box pleat in the middle at the front and middle at the back, while the rest around the waist is done with knife pleats. I don't know what to choose because I want to maintain the 1950s look. How close/far should I make the pleats to each other? Box pleats or Knife pleats? So many questions in my mind.

Box Pleats

Knife Pleats

What do you think???

This is what my dress currently looks like:

Quest to make New Girl's Jess's clothing

I have joined Rosy on the quest to make Jess's clothes from New Girl over at http://sewingadicta.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/new-girl-strikes-again.html#comment-form. The adventure has begun by making the green dress (as shown above) first, there is no sign up or anything, you can join when you want and make what you like. 

Postpone Giveaway!

Due to no entries in the giveaway be currently being held, the giveaway sponsored by MS. Chic will be postponed until the mid November and near December, a date more closer to Christmas. This has really disappointed me and especially I haven't had many visits lately and loss of twitter followers has made me more upset but well what can you do.

Anyway bye for now...

8 THINGS THAT SCARE ME!

Well I am taking part in a blog hop and the challenge is the 8 FEARS, I'm not usually scared of anything, but I will try and think of 8.

1. Deep Water- anything like the beach or swimming pools, it's not because I had a bad experience it's just that I have heard of stories which have ended badly.

2. Making a mistake while sewing- I absolutely HATE my seam unpicker!

3. Playing shooting and killing games- I'm scared of being shot!

4. 

5.

6.

7.

8.

This is all for now, I'll think of more later :)

Progress on my formal dress

Well here's the thing, I was meant to start making my official formal dress last weekend but got stuck when I didn't know what to use to transfer my pattern markings to my fabric. But lucky for me, my friend helped me with that and gave me the solution. So here it is, I had transfered all my pattern pieces onto interfacing and because I had done so, all I needed to do was go over the markings (pressing hard) with tailors chalk and the markings should go through. And it was as simple as that :)

Update!

I did some more work tonight and here is the progress:

Ms. Chic GIVEAWAY!

Giveaway here! For 2 lucky winners worth more than $100, read below how to enter:

MS.Chic creates unique accessories with perfume miniatures. Since Christmas is around the corner, MS.Chic is doing a fabulous giveaway for 2 lucky followers of lovalafashion! It is your chance to win a perfume necklace OR a pair of test tube earrings! Both of them are very stylish for everyone and go with any outfit of the day. 

The miniature is Delices de Cartier (5ml), which is made with different composition, including golden crystal, flower, chains, bow. The total length of the necklace is approximately 24”. Colours of this necklace are mainly white and red, these colours are themes of Christmas, colours of CHRISTMAS! Thus, it will be perfect for a Christmas dinner or party. But, also for any occasion.

Do you want to be eye-catching when attending a party? Well now you get the chance to win this necklace, It is worth $100 Australian Dollars! But now it is up for a giveaway to a lucky winner!

 The test tube earrings are Versace Yellow Crystal, Eau de Toilette (1.5ml per test tube) with Moonstone (aka Opal, natural stone). The total lengths of the earrings are 7.5cm.

So enter now, to be one  of the 2 lucky winners (keep reading...) :)

DIY denim shirt & lace

Hi Sofia!I wanted to thank you for your interest in this DIY. I hope to hear from you again when my next DIY project follows! These are the steps for my DIY. 


The basics for this DIY you'll need:- enough lace fabric (must withstand heat)- scissors (preferably fabric scissors)- Iron on fabric tape ( I bought mine at IKEA)- Iron- denim shirtExtra, if you want to cut the sleeves off of your denim shirt and make it more of a 'racer' back you'll need:- sewing machine will first begin with cutting the sleeves off because the sleeves were too big, If you want to keep your sleeves you can just skip these steps!
1.) Take your favorite no sleeve button up and use this as your guide for the denim shirt. Make sure that the shoulders of the shirts are aligned.
2.) Add an inch to your guide line and cut the sleeves off using the fabric scissors. To make sure that both armholes are equal to each other, you can check by folding the denim shirt in half.
3.) If you still find your shirt a bit boxy, you can cut the back of the denim shirt more like a 'racer back'.
4.) Fold the added inch to the guide line and iron this flat so you can easily sew this later on.
5.) Sew the rest of the armholes using a sewing machine or if you're born with a lot of patience you can just hand sew it.Now you'll have something like this.. Tadaaa!


Having fun already? Now comes the fun and easy part!

Buy One Get One FREE! Spotlight Special

Yesterday I took a trip to Spotlight (said so simply, I actually begged the heck out of my mum until she took me) and bought a few things which I needed for the making of my formal dress and found some excellent patterns; McCall's 6547 (for my sister) and New Look 6723 (my pattern) and material for $1, which I'm unsure what exactly it is.

Blog Feature- Single Crochet Stitch Tutorial

Leona Sutton (found on instagram)  has been wonderfully kind and offered to show me how to crochet with this easy to follow tutorial  with step-by-step picture. Thank you so much Leona!

Crochet is dead simple to pick up and a lot easier than knitting as you can easily correct your mistakes.  One of the most important things to remember when starting out is to keep tension on the wool - not too tight or too loose!

Stage One:

Make a loop knot with the wool, making sure you have a tail.  Pull the loop through the hook and wrap the wool around the hook.

Stage Two:

Organising my Patterns

I thought today that I should do something with my patterns which have been packed away in my cupboard in a mess. Well I had a solution and a organised them into a folder.

I'm taking the Seamless Pledge!

I Sofia am taking the #seamlesspledge until there is something I find which I can’t resist and  it is begging me to buy it. Here is where you can join to http://seamlessblog.wordpress.com/the-pledge/.  Here are the things I must stay by during my commitment to the pledge:

THE RULES

1. No buying new clothes for the duration of your pledge. By new, I mean any new mass-manufactured clothes.
2. You can buy second-hand manufactured clothes – so be prepared to get to know your local charity shops awfully well.
3. Vintage clothing is a-ok!
4. Anything you’ve made by hand is definitely allowed. Get your sewing machines and your kntting needles out, because handmade is definitely in!

Lets begin!