***deep cleansing breath****

Ok. I signed up to participate in the Easiest Sew Along Ever, hosted by Windsor and Main (a very cute quilting and crafting blog). The reason that this is the easiest sew along ever is…you sew what you want with what you have available. The “along” part is documenting your progress and checking in on a weekly basis. I’ve been wanting to jump start my crafting after the long hiatus of new job, big house reno, basic apathy. In an effort to not jump off the deep end with more or bigger projects* than I can handle, I’ve been so, so good and only committed to the goal of finishing up a birthday present for a friend. Which is of course overdue, but not yet of the epic proportions for which I am known. These are the basic sew along requirements:

1. Start Where You’re At
2. Use What You Have
3. Do What You Can

Each week there are assignments. The first one was to join the flickr group and post pictures of either your inspiration or the fabric you plan to use. Which I did. By the deadline even. I’m on fire.  They’re not great photos, but in the spirit of getting it done rather than getting it all done perfectly, here are the fabrics I’ve pulled:

Amy Butler prints–have had these for a LONG time

Lizzy House prints

*You should see the list I made for “May is Anti-Procrastination Month.”

Key features: mustardy wall color, bland carpet (which looks decent enough here before being destroyed by cats and us), anemic trim, hideous popcorn ceilings, brass chandelier in the dining room (you can see this in the photo that at first glance seems to be of a coffee table), mis-matched furniture.

We upgraded some of the furniture and the layout a year or so ago, and things were looking a bit better:

And then the huge undertaking this past fall has the space looking like this (very unstyled and still a bit cluttered):

New bookshelves (Billy–IKEA) which I love, especially the glass doors. The new wall color is so much more flattering against the fireplace. We laid the hearth tiles as a kind of work around for running the wood right up against the hearth. Still trying to determine window treatments, would also like to put an armchair in front of the fireplace.

Dining room — no more brass chandelier. Still have to cover the chair cushions. I was packing boxes here, so the table was a bit more cluttered even than normal.

Entry way — new light fixture here, plus removed the ratty curtain and put up window film (not finished here, hence the glow). We also replaced the old coat hanger with a walnut hang it all. Still need to hang pictures along the hall.

The view as you come in the front door. We get a lot of sun.

Other side of the living room. Things have been added and tidied (cords) since this photo (taken about a month ago), but you get the general idea. The slipcover for the chair is the wrong kind, which is why it looks so lovely. We also have an area rug here now, too, which cozies things up considerably. And a lamp. It’s nice to look back even at these photos and realize that we have made progress even since they were taken. It really can seem so incremental at times!

1. Do I have a need for different kinds of basic bras and what should those considerations be?
   1. work — want a smooth, somewhat conservative cut; need to be lightly lined; don’t want anything super sexy, but may need different cuts/fits to accommodate various articles of clothing
   2. workout — mostly require compression and support; prefer lightly lined; can be a bit more playful with these
   3. home  — soft cup; long line; comfy for sleeping or lounging; something a bit more casual than my work bras
2. How many basic bras do I need — and what style?
   1. work — 8 is what I’d like to work up to; have 3 -5 now (depending on what I count); should include 2 strapless and 1 racer back.
   2. workout — currently own 8 and that seems to be reasonable; as I replace these should consider looking for slightly more fun options
   3. home — own 2.5 (the one is really just terrible and I’d be embarrassed to be hauled off in an ambulance in it), would like to have more like 4
3. Does basic only mean neutral colors or can I branch out?
   1. For work, probably need to be mostly neutral. Other areas are opportunity for fun.
4. Do I want my tops and bottoms to match and how many of each do I need?
   1. I like them to be at least complementary and to have about 3 for each bra–so need about 24, which I own; as I replace need to focus more on neutral complementary (but still cute–this is where I start to get a bit bogged down).
   2. Need to be complementary, when worn together, to my pear shape which feels more pronounced to me than ever.

I have not yet found bra nirvana. I am a little embarrassed to admit that the Gilligan O’Malley line at Target suits my body very well–they are so cheap, comparatively! But they do tend to stretch out rather quickly in my experience. I like drifting through the intimates section of Dillard’s and drooling over the Wacoal bras–but I don’t need the kind of support they are famous for providing larger busted ladies. And unfortunately, I’ve found the selection of other brands to be a bit hit or miss. Not sure why…although my favorite lounging bras are from there and they are cute, comfy and amazing as far as looking actually a little sexy while still being completely wire free and lightweight. Although this kind of bra is apparently called a bralette and makes me feel like a twelve year old. These are perfectly appropriate for me now. But I do wonder what small breasted women do as they age…do you just have to resign yourself to the supportive cami?

The nice thing about a plan is that I’m giving myself permission to go out and buy more underpinnings! But I want to be a bit more thoughtful about the process…and I’m also still losing weight (slowly) so while I would personally be a little depressed if my bust lost even more volume…I can’t entirely count that out right now.

Bi-weekly fruit and veggie delivery. The strawberries were divine.