The Wednesday Showcase

Wednesday sure rolls around awfully fast!!! It's such a good day...I say it almost every week, but it's a day that I get to meet two new people and that's a very good thing. Before I get started, please allow me just a moment to share a few thoughts. My husband made a comment to me a few months ago. He said that the blogs seem to be a modern day vehicle for pen pals. I thought about this and I have to agree. We share our lives through our blogs. You write about your life, I write about mine and in return we post a short comment, a response to the letter. It's lovely. I recently received an email from a follower/friend. I knew that there had been some horrible weather in her country. My thoughts went out to all whom I've "met" through their blogs. It's difficult to send personal notes to all, but my thoughts were with all of you nonetheless. Words have power and I believe that thoughts and prayers do as well. An ancient art form, sewing, has brought us together and I know that I am richer for it.  

Have you read the book, The Outliers? The full title is "The Outliers, The Story of Success." The book isn't a self help book about how to become successful, rather a book that explains how people have become successful. If you have not read it, I highly recommend it as it is a very interesting read.

Now, the reason for the little commercial about the book is to introduce our first showcased blogger. This book  inspired her to start her blog. Pretty powerful! Her name is Victoria and her blog is  http://tenthousandsewinghours.blogspot.com/, I will allow her to explain the title of her blog in her own words, "I love to sew! It is like the air I breathe! I'm constantly trying to improve my skills. Experts have said it takes 10,000 hours of hard work to become an expert seamstress (before you panic read my first entry for more info or read the book, "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell:). I'm on a mission to test this theory. You're welcome to join me on this journey---one hour at a time!" I may need to change what I said about the book not being a self help book. Wow, did it ever inspire Victoria!!!
Here are the goals that she has set for herself,
 -Try to Complete a sewing project each week (2 weeks max for complicated projects.- Devote 1000 hours a year to sewing or doing sewing related activities. This amounts to 83 hours a month or ~3 hours a day.
- Keep track of all the time I spend sewing and reading, studying, or watching sewing related material and post it.
- Explore pattern drafting
- Explore draping
-Familiarize myself with the work of famous Fashion Designers.
Quite an ambitious task!!
Here are a few of her lovely creations from this past year. You can see all of her creations from 2012 here.

 Check out those yellow shoes. I WANT those yellow shoes!!

 I am always a sucker for a mother/daughter picture. Isn't this sweet?!!

Victoria is well on her way to accomplishing her goal. She will be giving all of us an opportunity to accomplish a little something new this February. She's calling her challenge,

Victoria explains the challenge,
"I've ALWAYS wanted to have a month set aside where I could attempt/tackle sewing projects that I've always wanted to but have always been put on the back burner due to reluctance, intimidation, or plain laziness. Come on, you know what I'm talking about. It's the project that you ALWAYS find an excuse not to sew---for one reason or another. What is it? A coat, tailored shirt, pants, suit, vest or skirt??? How about we go through the list of excuses."
If you would like to take the challenge, you can read more about it and join here http://tenthousandsewinghours.blogspot.com/2013/01/fearless-february-blog-button.html


Up next is an incredible seamstress with great talent. Her name is Adriana and her blog is http://www.rainforestcouture.blogspot.com/. I'll let her introduce herself,
"Greetings from the rain forest!! I am a fashion designer specializing in custom made wedding and evening gowns. My work is my passion, and I thank God every day for giving me the talents needed to make many girls happy with a wonderful dress. I lived in Europe for many years and started my career there and I am absolutely in love with Couture and everything that has to do with arts and crafts. Moved back to Costa Rica and found out that it was so difficult to find lovely details that I needed to make clothes, so....decided to make them."

 Above is a lovely example of her wedding gowns.

 This silk stole was made for a friend. Adriana did the dying as well as the pleating. Lucky, lucky friend!!

 Not only does she sew, she crochets and makes the loveliest pieces.

The macrame above...she made this!!!!!!

This is the work of her students. Adriana teaches a wonderful on class on doing this inset work.

 Another top by one of her students. I want to go to Costa Rica!!! 

What a lovely and talented lady. I know you will enjoy Adriana's blog!  

Another Wednesday Showcase comes to an end. Can't wait for next week!

I hope you are all having a lovely week.

Rhonda