by Carla Louise | Mar 19, 2013 | Personal Development |
As I’m fairly sure you all know by now, I have been moving house this week. Proper update coming soon, but in my absence, the lovely Jenny has written for Ducking Fabulous…
This is Jenny and I on a friend’s Krakow hen do. *Grins*
Over to Jenny…
Recently there have been a few occasions where I’ve stopped and thought, “I’m getting old!”
Before some of you get annoyed at my suggesting I might be old at the age of 26 (nearly 27!), I know I’m not old and there are many people older than me, but don’t you sometimes get the feeling the world is trying to remind you that you’re getting older?
My moments of age realisation have included:
· Waiting for my brother outside the secondary school he works at and realising I left education nine years ago and the pupils are at least that many years younger than me.
· Remembering the days of dial up internet and times before social media existed.
· The shock on the face of a girl in her early teens when I told her Facebook wasn’t around until my 20s (possibly marginally earlier for those of my age group who went to University) and I chatted to friends on MSN, which no longer exists.
· A Facebook moan of mine about road closures in Wokingham being printed in the local paper on their letters page – surely only ‘old’ people moan in papers!
(more…)
by Carla Louise | Nov 8, 2012 | Collecting, Creating |
Another fab guest post today – I know that many of you are crafters, thrifters or hoarders of small beautiful things… and it’s always good to share ways of keeping these collections under control. (Is it just me, or are any of the rest of you completely shocked when you actually discover how much stash you own?!)
So, over to Drew…
It’s that time of year: the last two Sundays I’ve spent the evening sewing missing buttons onto my winter coats to get myself ready for the colder weather. Luckily, I’ve tamed my sewing paraphernalia (it wasn’t always the case – I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve skewered a finger on a needle) so here are some storage tips to keep your crafty bits and bobs in order:
Button Storage
(photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosapomar/45412314/ via Photopin)
· The best way to store buttons is to have two separate systems: one for regular "common" buttons (in empty jars, for example), and one for "special" buttons (putting them onto a piece of fabric on the wall for easy reference).
· Plastic (and transparent) multi-drawered cabinets are great for buttons. Some shops like Muji offer great solutions, but they can be costly. Craft stores are a good place to look for cheaper options (hardware stores too). Clear shoeboxes can be used, as can lens cases and plastic pill organisers.
· Once you’ve sorted regular and special buttons, segregate them further by colour or material.
· A ring binder filled with business card sleeves can be useful. Most pages will hold ten or twelve buttons, and several pages can be put into a single binder and still allow it to close. Use a binder with clear plastic sleeves too (just make sure they don’t tip out from the open top end).
Sewing Tool Storage
(Photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/andresrueda/3217505972/ via PhotoPin)
· Peg boards are great for tools such as scissors, rotary cutters and tape measures – taking up less of your work surfaces.
· Small baskets are great for storing sewing tools and gadgets.
· Standard plastic business card holders are good for needle holders, holding about fifteen boxes of needles, standing three across by five deep.
· A purchased scissor block (similar to a kitchen knife block) from a sewing specialty store works well, otherwise hang them on a hook. Mark your scissors "fabric only".
Storing Thread
· Thread gets brittle and breaks when it gets old and thread exposed to sunlight and heat will break down more quickly. Storing thread in airtight containers, such as Ziploc bags, will keep it from drying out as quickly.
Storing Fabric
(Picture from http://www.flickr.com/photos/tweedledeedesigns/4776025810/ via PhotoPin)
· Open shelves are fine if you frequently use your fabric. But longer term, exposure to dust and UV radiation will degrade it. Similarly, cardboard is a bad idea for storage as it’s acidic.
· Before you organise your fabric, get rid of anything you’ll never use and then sort by colour, size and fabric content.
· Stackable clear boxes are good for shelves. For large drawers, shirt boxes keep fabrics neat and tidy. Don’t use wire hangers, since they can stain over time. Long tubes (to avoid creasing) are great if you have the space. Make sure to label any boxes or tubes clearly.
· Larger boxes are great for projects and keeping fabric and patterns stored together (supermarkets often have a cheap range of clear storage boxes).
Drew writes for Big Yellow Self Storage. For information on large storage lockers (sizes from 9 square feet – or the volume of half a phone box), perfect for long term fabric storage, see their website or blog.
Disclaimer: I am not paid or otherwise compensated for guest posts. I only accept those which I feel fit my interests and therefore those of this blog. The content of guest posts does not necessarily reflect my own views or opinions. All images from PhotoPin and link back to their original sources, used under Creative Commons licensing.
by Carla Louise | Sep 24, 2012 | Uncategorized |
I love dance in all its forms, and one of my favourite ways of spending money is to browse the many dance outfitters in Covent Garden, or flip through the pages of catalogues on the train. So I was delighted when Move Dancewear contacted me to ask if they could guest post on Ducking Fabulous. They have a gorgeous selection, in a decent range of sizes (for those of us not built like traditional ballerinas, this is important!) and I always get my burlesque essentials (dancers fishnets, practice shoes, etc) from them.
So without further ado, here is the post they wrote for me – I hope you enjoy 🙂
Finding dancewear for your favourite dance craze can be a challenge. It all depends on the dance type, and if you’re ahead of the craze; which often results in stock not being available yet.
However, folks at Move Dancewear cater for dancers and dance enthusiasts of many different styles. So, if you are a dancer, or are looking for a new hobby, here’s some dancewear to inspire you:
Flamenco:
You can go for the classic black frill skirt or the traditional spotted frill skirt. It all depends on your mood. Don’t forget the great Flamenco accessories:
You can choose between red or black flamenco shoes, as both have 2 inch heels and Rivets on toe and heel.
Ballet
Many people are put off by ballet as a hobby, as it’s often regarded as a very professional dance, but you can start any time. Move Dancewear offer start kits for children and adults, which include a leotard, ballet shoes and tights. So, you can give it a go, and see if you like it, before moving on to adding some ballet accessories to your gear:
Tutus and tutu skirts can easily be added to your leotard, and will be essential for when you go forth into the performing world. Even if it’s just a small performance in your local community to raise money for charity, it’s still good to look the part.
Jazz
The first perception of Jazz may be that you’ll have less choice regarding dancewear, but this is by no means the case. There are many different styles of Jazz suits:
You can also opt to just going for the jazz trousers and shoes:
With Jazz, it is very important to have the right footwear, as Jazz shoes give the flexibility to move swiftly, elegantly and precisely.
You can also find books, DVDs and CDs all about dance. For more information on dancewear, as well as ballet and character shoes, visit the Move Dancewear website.
And remember that when it comes to dance, the possibilities are endless.
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Disclaimer: I am not paid or otherwise compensated for guest posts. I only accept those which I feel fit my interests and therefore those of this blog. The content of guest posts does not necessarily reflect my own views or opinions. All images provided by guest blogger.
