I think I intended to wake up earlier than I did today.  Regardless, I was off to the pet store and Wal-Mart a little before noon - which is surprising because I usually roll out of bed around 1pm on the weekends.  That out of the way it was time to get down to business, that being getting the mock-up for my dress done.  Now it's worth saying that just about all of my sewing stuff in the process of moving twice - has just about disappeared.  Pins, thread, scissors, measuring tapes - I sort of had to replace all of it.  Thus - why I now sport a black wristie-pincushion with Project Runway emblazoned across it.  It's a super convenient thing to use, but I chuckle every time I look at it.

I cut out all the pieces to only realize there are some I don't need because I'm altering some of the pattern.  There's this band of contrasting fabric on the hem and I'm not going to incorporate that into my dress. I think it would just look weird; the fabrics I've chosen.  I think instead I would prefer to lengthen the skirt, add some more volume to it and if I have enough of the beaded fabric, do a layer of tool on the edge instead.  I think it would look a lot better than the way the pattern calls for it.


I was a bit excited when I realized the pattern calls for pockets.  I can't tell some of my stories, but in previous weddings I've been involved in I've been running around and needing to hold my camera or a phone or lip gloss or whatever.  Having pockets in the dress is going to be super de-duper awesome.  I'm glad I did the mock-up first because I sort of screwed the pockets up the first time.  I sewed the skirt, held it up and laughed at my mistake.

The first mock-up was incredibly too large.  Three mock-up's later I've decided I'll probably need to add darts and maybe do a fourth mock-up.  The last one I did I was on two sizes smaller than what the pattern dictated I should be. I think I could be one size smaller yet, but it's now after midnight and I'm sort of tired of crouching over fabric spread out on my livingroom floor cutting stuff.  I need a more functional table; the pub table is awesomely stylish but I think a normal one would be far more beneficial.  Oh well!

I'm not knitting right now; my left hand's hurting a bit.  I don't know if it's all to blame on knitting - it's the same hand and knuckle even that I broke a year ago almost.  I figure it's just the scar tissue and unworked muscles.


Okay - so I tried a Rachael Ray recipe from her website.  It's her Maple-Bacon Monte Cristo's and it's pretty good.  For just a sandwich it's a bit of preperation but I wanted to make them at least once; I'll probably fix up one for lunch and dinner tomorrow because it's just convienient now that I sort of have the stuff started.  This does create a bit of clean-up the way RR says to do it, so I would suggest making the bacon in the microwave.  I also substituted normal bacon for turkey bacon.  If you can tell from the picture, following the instructions and baking it for ten minutes burned the edges and created a mess on the pan.  I think less time if you choose to do it in the oven, or just do it in the microwave!

You prep the bread just like you would for french toast.  Again, letting the sammitch sit on the skillet for FOUR minutes - you get blackened bread.  Just melt the cheese and you're good.  I added some powdered sugar to my eggs for the bread; if you've had them in a restaurant the sandwich usually comes with a dusting of powdered sugar.


Right! So I'm out.  I should probably be sleeping....