Nesting Dolls of Science

This reflection comes from a series of facebook posts by my family.  And with all things, because I am one hell of a defensive human being, I’m going to give a little context. My fiancé and I rarely eat at home.   We both work full time, and for a teacher that means 11+ hour days every weekday.   I get home around 6-6:30, and he gets home around the same time.   Generally, the best we can do is pop something frozen in the microwave a rock what I like to call fancy hotdogs.   What are fancy hot dogs?   The nicer sausages at safeway that have stuff in them.   Like apples or mangoes or your hopes and dreams.   The usual.   As a woman, people began to give me a little grief that I couldn’t “Take care of my home.”   Did my fiancé hear this?   Not sure, he doesn’t talk much.   However, I will always bow to societal pressure, so I started making dinner on Sunday nights because we had a little more time and it left me a tasty homemade leftover for Mondays and Tuesdays, twin terr

What Went Right: I wore handmade clothing 26/31 days in May!  I wore the first dress and first button down I ever made.  I didn't repeat too many outfits, which is big for me in general.  I think this month of focusing on what I was wearing and what it looked like helped me define my style in a far more sophisticated way.  I don't think I would have ever called anything about myself sophisticated, but there you have it.  I think it inspired me to push for more fashion risks, which is another sentence I thought I would never say. I made more clothing this month than throughout the rest of this year.  It took me MONTHS to make a dress, and within May I made a skirt, a top, redid a sweater and a t-shirt and finished a knit sweater vest.  Now, when I look at this, it does not look prolific, but when you think about how much work I was doing at school and how busy spring weekends can be, I'm pretty happy with it.  And I'm hoping that inspiration will push into June and Jul

This is strange for me to write, because I will never admit it aloud to anyone no matter the physical cost, but I am very much like my mother.   Not to say this a bad thing.   My mother is warm and strong, the epitome of a Midwestern turned Californian transplant.   I am so happy to be her daughter.   However, we have definitely had our moments of conflict.   Recently, I talked to her about it, and she said, “I don’t remember us fighting much.” “But don’t you remember when I made you so mad you cried?” “When was that?” “I was in high school.” She looked at me as if I was tap dancing in a tutu, which I would never do. “Really?   I don’t remember that.” I think this proves the strength of my mother’s selective memory.   I also recall our yelling battles when I returned home from college for more than two days, when I started coming home most weekends when my now fiancé and I were dating, when I introduced her to my fiancé, up until

Monday:  (No IG post) Raglan T Tuesday:(No IG post) Jane T-shirt Wednesday: (No IG post) Rae Skirt in rust colored poppies Reflections: This was just a piece of the month, but it was also the final week of school, so documentation did not happen.  I think the big thing I decided was how much more important just wearing the clothes that I made was to me than to post photos.  Any teacher can tell you this is a tough week.  You're just trying to make it to the end.  But now it's over, which means more sewing!  Look for those posts as they come through.  Also, this will be short because I've made a full project reflection that I'll post during the week.  Let me just tell you what to look forward to: -Posts about sewing projects -A hair style post.  No, really, this will happen. -More We Make Stuff posts -Yard updates So, keep posted.  I'm thinking I'll stay with the Sunday post date, but it may be more frequent as it is summer.

Sunday:  (No IG post) Hayden top from Seamwork, see previous posts Monday:  Upcycled Old Navy top Tuesday: Jane Seamwork Top Wednesday: Colette Violet top under Sewaholic Fraser sweatshirt Thursday: Nope Friday: Nope Saturday: Nope Sunday: (No IG post) Hayden top Reflection: This week, I did what I previously thought was impossible: I think I figured out my style.  I'm casual.  The best fit for my style seem to be Seamwork patterns.  I love the magazine, and the basics provided are a stylish basis to grow an outfit via fun fabric choices.  The Hayden top is becoming my go-to dress it up or dress it down look.  There will be more, and I have a Sorbetto top cut out with a big plan for it.  (To come later in its own post). I completely agree with So, Zo on the toughest part of the project:  posting.  I feel like a terrible Millienial because I didn't like posting a photo of myself on Instagram.  I began to really favor what Heather from Closet Case Patterns did

Sunday: (no IG post) Homemade PJs Yeah, I failed.  Oh well.  I was putting way too much pressure on myself and this was the cost. Monday:  Seamwork Hayden top Pretty stoked on today's look. Totally going to make more #seamworkhayden now that I've got the hang of it. #keepflippingthrough #itgetsweirder #endofyearteacherproblems #mmmay17 #memademay2017 A post shared by The Shreve (and Carvalho) (@nestingdollsofscience) on May 15, 2017 at 7:14pm PDT Tuesday:  See Kate Sew Peplum top See past post for picture. Wednesday:  Sewaholic Rue Skirt and Pendrell Top #memademay2017 #mmmay17 best part about giving a test is I can wear heels and not regret it #sewaholicpatterns #rueskirt #pendrellblouse A post shared by The Shreve (and Carvalho) (@nestingdollsofscience) on May 17, 2017 at 8:26pm PDT Thursday:  Sewaholic Pendrell Top, ruffled sleeve version I have never been complimented more on a homemade thing...#pendrellblouse #sewaholicpatterns

Sunday:  Agnes Top from Tilly and the Buttons Casual Sunday #agnestop #tillyandthebuttons #mmmay17 #memademay2017 #iactuallywentawholeweek A post shared by The Shreve (and Carvalho) (@nestingdollsofscience) on May 7, 2017 at 12:43pm PDT Monday: Rae Skirt in polyester #Raeskirt what you don't see is the paper clips holding the skirt up since the elastic broke #mmmay17 #memademay2017 #sulerstar A post shared by The Shreve (and Carvalho) (@nestingdollsofscience) on May 8, 2017 at 4:39pm PDT So I have learned a lot by making mistakes and cutting corners.  The corner I cut?  I didn't sew the elastic together strongly enough.  Now, why this is often not an issue, at a certain point, it'll come apart if put under enough stress on the seam.  Or any stress.  Or just over time.  So...the elastic came apart first thing Monday morning.  Didn't have enough time to fix or a sewing kit.  What did I do?  Paper clip my skirt on.  Yup.  I paperclipped my ski

Here's the good news for Me Made May: It's flippin' hot here.  High 80's (F) all the way.  Also, I am a teacher, which means while shorts would feel so good, I don't feel like that is appropriate to wear in the classroom.  Even a skirt above my knees feels a bit much for me.  And it is hard to find a skirt below my knees because I am rather tall for a woman.  Another challenge is, as a science teacher, most of my day is spent running around and climbing on counters.  That means I need something to let me stay cool and look professional and be able to climb on counters.   Skirts for the temperature and bike shorts for the climbing, so it all works out. Sunday will be on the next post.  I'm still in (homemade) pjs. Monday:  Peplum Shirt from See Kate Sew #memademay17 Zuko doesn't care that my shirt is homemade. #seekatesew #girlcharlee A post shared by The Shreve (and Carvalho) (@nestingdollsofscience) on May 1, 2017 at 4:51pm PDT Tuesday:

(I meant to post this yesterday, hence the title and past tense.  Whoops.) So tomorrow begins Me Made May and I'm becoming more excited.  The prep turned less into "MAKE ALL THE THINGS" to "organize my stuff so I can actually see what I have."  Which I was surprised to find was a lot more than I expected.  Which made me really proud of myself and those who have made stuff for me (mostly my mom.) I also spent that time really trying to define my style so I could make outfits I actually want to post on the internet.  I have just started reading a book on capsule wardrobes, and I really think I need to do some major gutting of my fast fashion pieces that were nice in the moment and just ended up degrading quickly or being tossed aside as quickly as they were purchased. While initially in this process I started a thrift store binge, recently I began looking at my own closet and seeing what I already had and could alter.  I also took a moment and looked through m

I have a Pinterest problem.  I love it, so very very much.  When I have moments of downtime during my days, I'll peruse it at my leisure for craft ideas, hair ideas, fashion ideas, teaching activity ideas or just basic inspiration.   My husband often wonders why we run out of data every month.  Between Pinterest and Instagram, it's me.  It's all me. Now to the purpose of this post.  As I began preparation for Me Made May (see last post), I found myself spending an increasing amount of time on Pinterest, and I found myself actually starting to consider some of the projects I've Pinned.  A lot of the modification and project idea (as well as informative tutorials) have found their way onto my boards, and I want to share this journey with you. How We Met I was introduced to the magic that is Pinterest via my teacher education program.  No, I'm not kidding.  During our technology class, we learned about Blogger as way to share our teaching experience (if you&#

So I've been preparing for Me Made May the best way I know how: organizing, talking and shopping and going on Pinterest.  My goal, honestly, going into May is to modify as much clothing as possible so I have options and, honestly, to save myself money.  Why buy fresh fabric when I can use old pieces in my closet that haven't seen the light of day since college?  Also, in terms of time cost, I think this will be the best way to rejuvenate my wardrobe while still preparing for the month of May. Now before you think about the post that said this is not about completing a bunch of projects in April to prepare for May, I am simply using this deadline as inspiration.  I am a deadline girl, so I find it to be enough fire under my butt to finally do something.  Also, I've had a big creative burst thanks to a recent Disney trip and I want to channel that energy into something besides paintings.  (If you want to see the paintings though, look here .) I think my Pinterest habits a