Is Sewing A lost Art?

                                                 Is Sewing A Lost Art?

I was sitting and looking in the corner of my room at my trusted old Singer sewing machine that was given to me on my 16th birthday.  I was so happy to get this machine and I swore that I was going to make all the latest fashions but what I didn't know is that it takes great skill to become a seamstress.

I made some clothes but I was never good enough to create my whole entire wardrobe.  I consider sewing a great skill to have because if you learn how to do it, you will never forget how.

You must have a lot of patience because sometimes you can put a few seams together and if the fit is not right, you have to rip the seams apart and start all over.

There are not many school's teaching sewing anymore and I think that this is just horrible.

Sewing has become a lost art because a lot of stores are selling clothing with lower prices and the very last time I went into a fabric store, they were selling the fabrics and notions for higher prices. This made me feel that it wasn't even worth the time to sit for a few hours or a couple of days to put a dress together.

With a lot of people buying their clothes at the thrift store and the prices are so low, you just don't see a reason to sew but many times I have purchased clothing that I thought fit me correctly and when I got home, it didn't.

To get these items altered, would cost a pretty penny. This is a good reason to dust off my trusted sewing machine and learn the skill of tailoring.

I am getting the desire again to try sewing and really stick with it this time.  You would not believe, the sewing machine that I got at sixteen years old, still works perfectly.

I would love to see Grandmothers, Mothers and Aunts take out the sewing machine and teach younger girls and boys the skill of sewing and the pleasure you feel when you create your first outfit.

Sewing doesn't have to be a lost art, we must ask our schools to bring back Home Economics and also Machine Shop, this way our children will be well rounded and they may learn to love sewing.


What learning how to sew can do for you:

• Teach you how to make beautiful, quality clothing.
• Make clothing that is unique.
• Chase depression away.
• Instill self pride.
• Give you skills that you can use for a career.
• Alter clothing for you or others.
• Create clothing that fit your size or shape perfectly.

Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on this subject and I would also like to know the first thing you created when you first started sewing.

Fall Is Almost Here.

I am so excited about the fall coming.  I am looking forward to the cool nights and the good smells such as; cinnamon, baked cookies, and cedar.  This is a good time to run to the stores to see what will be in fashion and to also go through your clothing from last year to see what you can salvage.

September is a good time to go to some of these outside fairs without sweating in the hot sun and to get the house in order to get ready for cooler weather.  I want to incorporate some pretty teals, grays, and bright reds into my wardrobe.

Cooking and baking is something that I love and will be doing with family during this month and I will be hitting those cookbooks to see the new dishes that I will be creating.   I would love to hear what you will be looking forward to for the fall and you can leave your comments below.

                                                        SashaMoniqueTalks
                                         

How To Implement Changes In Your Spending Habits

                                                        SashaMoniqueTalks

In fall 2014 I promised myself that I would start early and prepare myself for summer 2015 by searching the clearance racks in department stores and discount stores such as; Rainbow Shops and some of the other discount stores in my area.

I was surprised about the nice skirts, dresses, shoes, and tops I was able to find and I was purchasing them for $5.00 or less.  When I got home I would put all these items in a big bag in my closet.  It was fun doing this because I got excited seeing that big bag of clothes grow.  I didn't want to shop for any clothing for the summer or if I would buy anything it would be very little.

I had no idea that I would be able to do this because as I have said a lot of time " I have a shopping addiction".  Even though I spend very little for my purchases, I still love to shop.

The end of the spring I took out my summer clothes and that big bag of summer things that I purchased throughout the winter and I had a lot of nice clothes.

Putting myself on a clothes spending diet really started to work out for me because I learned how to use what I had along with my winter shopping and I was creating even more great clothing combinations.

I went shopping with my sister a few times and I did buy about four things total. and these items could be used for the fall and winter so I saw it as a good opportunity to get ready for the next season.

Usually, I would hit the thrift stores all summer but I didn't this year and I found that I wasn't bogged down by clothes.  I never realized that this would turn into a social experiment for myself but it did.  I felt so happy and I had a lot of things to wear but I wasn't wasting money.  I saved money and I was also able to buy some luxury items.

In September I will start to shop again for the spring and summer and buy just a few winter things.  I have really learned a great lesson and that is; I really didn't need as much stuff as I was buying and once you have a wardrobe, you don't have to replace that wardrobe every year if you buy items that will not go out of style.

My experiment taught me to be thankful for what I already have.

YOU LOST YOUR JOB, NOW WHAT?

                                               NO IT ISN'T THE END


You probably went into work today and you were presented with the news that you have been fired or laid off.  The first thought is usually, "What Am I Going To Do".  I have been in this position and it is not a great place to be.

This is a good time to access your savings to see if you can carry yourself a little while with your savings. 

Apply for Unemployment and if you are not eligible, there are some steps you can take to hold your head above water.

Look online and look for Social Services located in your State and start making phone calls, to see what is available to you.  You must make sure that you have all your identification and Birth Certificate and Marriage or Divorce Decree.

If you are in danger of losing your apartment or home, check and see if there is anything available that will allow you to stay in your home.  If not, go to the website HUD which is called Housing Urban Development and put in information regarding your City and State, to see if there are any subsidized apartments available.
 
Housing Urban Development has very long waiting list, but, if you can get on the waiting list, then you should do so. 

Do not be ashamed to get help.  You have paid into the system and you shouldn't be embarrassed to ask for help.

If you are definitely losing your Apartment; start packing and see whether the State will help you with putting your things into storage.

If you are low on food, look into getting Food Stamps or start calling some Food Pantries to see what the requirements are, so you can get some food for you and your family.

When you are around the house, do not wear any of your job related clothing and this way you can save on wear and tear and you will be able to save this clothing for when you start back to work.

Go to the thrift stores or rummage sales to look for good clothing that you can wear to work and start looking for another job.  If you are having trouble getting another job, go to, the unemployment office and sign up for job service to get help.

There are also some churches and organizations that give clothing away to the poor for free.

Try to stay as positive as you can during this time.  I know that it is hard but things are going to get better, it will take a little time but do not give up hope.

If you do not go to a church, this may be a good time to start because you may be able to find out about jobs from other church members.




ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY HELP YOU

1. Salvation Army
2. Catholic Charities
3. Church Organizations
4. Goodwill Industries
5. American Red Cross
6. Net Wish
7. United Way
8. YMCA
9. YWCA
10. National Coalition For The Homeless
11. 1800-Charity Cars
12. Local Catholic Churches

Make sure you look online and find out where the local office is in your state and what the requirements are.


You are going to recover and find a job and please do not give up.

PLUS SIZE LADIES, SHOW YOUR COLOR

ORANGE WITH CLASS

BLUE AND WHITE WITH PIZZAZ

 

BEAUTIFUL IN WATER COLOR

 

PASTEL YELLOW AND FLIRTY

 

LEMON YELLOW WITH CURVES

 

 

PEACOCK COLORS AND FABULOUS

 

GREEN AND BLUE WITH MASS APPEAL

 

ABSTRACT WITH COLORFUL SOPHISTICATION

 

 

Ladies, I just wanted to debunk the myth that we should not wear color.  We can find clothing in the right shapes that will make us look just as pretty as any other women.  Color can bring out our beautiful playful nature.  I am a big fan of colorful clothing and some people feel that we should only wear black and that is not so. 

 

Black clothing can sometimes make us look dowdy and plain old boring.  This is how I feel about it.

When I am shopping I like to look for colors that will enhance my complexion.  Someone asked me why I wear so many colors and I turned right around and asked them why they don't and they said; colors will make you look bigger and  (fat women)  should not be seen in them.

 

I love to create my own trends in regard to dressing my plus size body.  I think that I look pretty in color and I will not dim my light for anyone and neither should you.

 

My problem areas are my arms and my stomach, but, you can learn how to camouflage these areas.

 

As you can see, all these ladies in these pictures look absolutely terrific and I would wear any one of these outfits.

 

The main thing that we should remember is dressing for our shape and body type.  If the outfit, you wear is fitting you poorly, then you should pick another one that is flattering, but you can wear any color you want.

 

 

 

WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY DEPARTMENT STORE PRICES TO ACHIEVE THIS LOOK LADIES

BOHO CHIC

 

                A nice plain look that we can achieve on a budget.


I went to two very expensive stores and I saw these looks and I looked at the price tag and I was blown away at just how high the price was.

My Daughter and I both said at the same time" They must be kidding, we can get this look at the thrift store"
The first look is a style that is very popular in New York City and I have seen it in Chelsea.
The second look is a very nice sweater and a skirt but it is very easy to achieve this whole look for under 15 dollars.

This is one of the reasons why I thrift is because you can look in magazines or go to department stores and see if you can imitate this look on a budget.

My staple in my wardrobe is black skirts and black pants because you can create some really nice looks by mixing and matching blouses or sweaters.

My Daughter likes boho chic and she has many outfits that looks like the first example and she paid no more than $10.00 for the whole entire look.  Now, that is what I call a bargain.

Real style can be achievable by just having a little imagination when shopping at thrift stores.

CHURCH RUMMAGE SALES

 

CHURCH RUMMAGE SALES

 

I love this part of the year when the tree's start to change and the air is so crisp and fresh, but what I love the most is the Church Rummage Sales.  I find that the Fall brings a lot of Churches that conduct these sales and they carry a lot of clothing, dishes, electronics, and other household items.

 You can get a nice amount of items for about $10 or $20 dollars and I am my happiest when they have the bag sales because you pay one price and you stuff that bag with as much stuff as you can get in there.  The only drawback is; most of these sales do not have dressing rooms, so you must bring a measuring tape, so you can buy your right size.

  If you are not sure about sizing; then it is best to just stick with their household items.

RAINBOW SHOPS END OF SUMMER SALES

 

             
                        RAINBOW SHOPS END OF SUMMER SALES


Hello Ladies: Rainbow Shops is having their end of summer sales and what that means to us is; Bargains!  This is the best time to stock up on clothing for next summer and it is also the best time to find items that are convertible to wear in the fall and winter.

 What I usually do is; buy tank tops and tee shirts to wear under a cardigan or a jacket.  I look for sandals to wear next year.

You can buy all those cute dresses for about $7.00 and don't forget; Rainbow Shops have an online shop with nice clothing and the shipping is very reasonable.  This is the perfect time to stock up.

Thrifting is soooooooooo easy

This is a collection of some of my thrifting video's, so you can see my thrifting skills in action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thrifting was once looked upon, as an activity geared towards people who were homeless, hard on their luck and also thought of as being tacky.

 

 

 

 

Thrifting is my hobby and i just love to see what i am going to get during my hunt and people actually think that i pay a lot of money for my clothing.  You have to learn what materials and brands to get.

  If you are into designer clothing; the thriftstore is a great place to get them for pennies on the dollar.  You can find a large array of Dooney, Coach, Prada and etc.  I also like to shop on the clearance rack at stores such as; Macys, JCPenney, Sears and clothing from some discount stores.