The Velvet Vest & A Treasure Chest

Hello Readers. Did you like the rhyming title to this blog post? I have to admit I am goofy enough to like that it rhymed. Well, ages ago, I found this purple top at a swap and took it just because I liked the velvet. I thought I could make something from the fabric because it was so pretty. The sparkly jewels in the buttons caught my eye too. They seemed a little over the top. This whole top made me think of Dynasty. Do y'all remember Dynasty? Alexis and Krystle were always fighting in super posh outfits. 

 In spite of my fond memories of 80's trash TV, I wanted to tone down the formal look of this top. Could I simplify it? I could try. And I had a plan for those buttons too.

This top had a zipper in the back so I would be able to use that to get the top on and off. I could do anything I wanted to the front because I would use the back to actually pull it over my head.

I started by cutting away at the puffy sleeves and the wrap piece around the shoulders. When I removed the buttons in the front I realized it was turning into a vest. It took some time but I turned all those edges in and sewed them into the vest so it did not look as ragged as it does in this picture.

The "vest" had an off-the-shoulder shape at the neckline so I had to close the front to keep it on. I did not have any purple buttons and no other colors seemed to work. I tried white, black, brown, gray, clear... Nothing seemed quite right. I settled for these purple flowers.

The front can be sewn closed because of that back zipper. I attached the purple flowers and closed the front of the vest all at the same time.

I really like that this is still a dressy top but it doesn't feel as melodramatic as it did before. Less drama sounds really good right now, doesn't it?

Now what about those jewel covered buttons? Well, I decided to use them as decoration for child's treasure chest.

I painted the wooden chest black and used a hot glue gun to attach the jewels to the top. It goes with a lesson in my VIPKid classes. (I teach English as a second language classes online.) In the lesson the child "earns" gold coins by answering questions. I thought this would be a good visual aid. 

Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.

***Chickie's Year End Review-I never got dressed up enough to wear this velvet top again but I used that treasure chest a lot until the online company I was working with shut down.

The Giant Headphones

 Hello Readers. 2020 has been the year of being online. (At least for me.) I teach online classes and like the rest of the world I have done a lot of Zoom calls with family. I have been wearing headphones for all of this.

 

 

This shirt really appealed to me. I like colorful graphic t-shirts. These big headphones spoke to me on a deep level. I have headphones on a lot. I teach classes for VIPKID and I wear headphones in the classes so I can hear the student clearly. In one lesson I teach the word "headphones".

 

 

 The shirt needed to be smaller and it had to stay conservative so I could wear it to teach class. I took the sides in and rolled the sleeves up a bit. I also cut off some length. It was just a little too long.

 This shirt turned out just right. It was great for class. My student got a real kick out of seeing headphones in the lesson and on my shirt at the same time.

 This is what I look like when I am teaching online. This is my "classroom" set-up with colorful items to use in class.  (Shameless plug: Here is my link to learn more about teaching online with VIPKID. I do not make money if you go check it out. I would get a small commission if you actually became a teacher with them.) I really like it and it has not been shut down due to the Corona virus which has been really great. Fee free to ask questions in the comments

 

 Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.