I've been following Tanya's blog so long I don't remember how I first found her. Probably due to her Mad Men submission (below left).  I really love seeing what she creates. She's part of the new Curvy Collective, a group of bloggers from around the world who write about sewing for their curvy body.  

One of my favorite parts about Tanya's work is that she's not afraid to speak her mind honestly and fairly and stick her neck out.  I've watched how not everyone agrees with her perspective and she still forges on, being her lovely, funny, honest self. It's wonderful.  And really, we cannot ever please everyone.  As Dita so wonderfully coined it, "You can be the juciest, ripest, peach and someone won't like peaches." Even Dr. Pinkola Estees, poet and Jungian psychoanalyst, echoed the same thought in Mother Night.  Tanya, I applaud you and very much appreciate your honesty.  I also love how much fun it is to toss ideas back and forth with you on our blogs.  We have some fun online conversations, don't we? 

Drafting & Fit Analysis:

• Draft Raglan Sleeves on my latest moulage (just finished!)
• Dissecting my favorite bra
• Analyzing Bravo Bella Bra 2 against my favorite bra
• Drafting Bra cups from Beverly's 2nd book
• Turning vintage sewing patterns into modern uses.

Sewing Projects to Plan & Start:

• Winter activewear (fleeces and the like)
• Wardrobe basics & gap filling from Wardrobe Architect

Other fun things:

• Travelling with Art Supplies
• Packing for Carry On only
• Planning outfits for travel
• Building stock of my handmade deity sculptures and artwork for sale at a November Artist Sale (TBA soon!)
• Preparing gift sets to sell with my flower photo cards (blank inside)
• Projects to support Bees and local Farm land

I'd like to try out some e-textiles, but I think I need to get some bra making out of the way first.

2. How does what you do differ from others of the sewing genre? (And why do you blog?)

I sew to fill a need + desire.  I'm curvy and active/athletic.  I love seeing all the pretty dresses and elegant flowy clothes so many wonderful sewists make in the blogosphere, but I don't often wear dresses or high heels and usually trip on or get caught by inanimate objects if I am wearing fabric beyond a slim fit profile. I'm sporty spice. I like to be comfortable, classic chic, and ready to run and play or travel lightly at any point. I am very active: skate, hike, walk, dance, do yoga, etc.  

In addition to my sewing adventures, I also write on Calm Under Tension about whatever inspires me:

• my art (photography, sculpting, drawing, painting, etc)
• kitchen experiments (think mad scientist meets foodie)
• Fiber arts (knitting, spinning, felting), though they are rather on the back burner of late
• Costumes (halloween, comicon, faeriecon, norwescon, etc)
• Dancing (bellydance, latin, and ballroom)
• Yoga
• Hiking, skating and other athletic adventures where I wear clothes I made or gear I love and use.

I'm hungry to learn how things are made, then try it myself. Sometimes I'll make it only once for the shear pleasure of accomplishment. Other times, it leads to a lifetime of study and further invention. I talk about both here. 

I'm here to have a conversation, not just talk at an audience. I love reading your comments on how my writing and personal exploration is something you can relate to and are also experiencing. Yes! We are not alone!

I love to learn, I love to share and I love people who like discussing ideas, then getting down to business and making shit happen. Let's dream of a better way, discuss and plan it (online or in person), then take action to make this world an amazing place together! 

In addition to my sewing/art website, I also maintain 2 other sites. One for my voiceover and performance work, one for a business my mom & I run, called Misty Valley.


She's The Golden Egg (site #2)

In addition to all the fun fashion & art, I am a Voiceover Actor, Puppeteer, Singer, Musician, Clown and performer.  If you'd like to hear my commercial and narrative voiceover demos, they're always posted on my Performing Arts website: She's The Goldenegg.  

I love reading stories with Pi, my Purple Dragon, to kids of all ages. If you or anyone you know would like to have a story read to them, please make a request. 

The Misty Valley (site #3)

My mom & I also have a business together called Misty Valley.  We create recorded meditations for a private group to celebrate each solstice and equinox.  We make art and magical tools for light workers such as our amazing essential oil scented sprays and smudges.  These are items that an energy worker would use to "clean" a room of lingering feelings or energy that no longer serves the highest purpose of all. 

My mom is a very talented reader who only recently hung her shingle out.  I've been fortunate enough to observe people walking up and thanking her for what messages she passed to them from loved ones.  They tell her over and over how right she was.  Funny thing is, the reader rarely remembers what was said during a reading.  That's important because that means they got their own ego out of the way to allow the message to flow through unfiltered.  No one wants their mail censored, do they? With any reader, You will know if a reading is right for you because you feel called to it.  If it doesn't feel right, don't do it.  And boy do people get called to my mom!

I am also am an intuitive empath. The intuitive part means I receive clairvoyant, clairaudient, and clairsentient messages from the divine. The empath part means I actually feel how those around me feel.  Much like Deanna Troy.  Believe me, it's been as unnerving to me as it may seem to you when I verbalize your private feelings. I still have to sort out what feelings are mine and what belong to others. 

To expand my skills as a reader and intuitive, I challenged myself for 30 days to pull a card from an Egyptian deck I have, channel messages from the divine, and post them to Instagram daily.  I was blown away by the love and support that came through each and every message. In the near future, I will likely hang out my own shingle as a reader. 

3. Why do I create what I do?

Thanks to the work I've done through the Wardrobe Architect, I'm reaffirming that it's ok to make what I want, not what I feel I should. What I need is clothing and gear for my active life and future travels.

I'm reinventing myself further by applying what I create mainly to what I need (art mostly being the exception). If I want to travel, I'm looking at ways I can be creative in packing by a combination of making and buying what I need.

Take all those needs, then combine them with my curvy body needs and it throws all the levers to 11. In traditional sportswear, curves and athletics don't go together. It's rare that I find what I need, so I design and make it to fit my curves.

4. How does my creative process work?

1. A need or want arises.
   
2. I develop a vision in my head of what I'm looking for and mentally put together a list of my minimum critical requirements (colors, style, use)
   
3. I sketch the idea, sometimes over and over.
   
4. I search the stores, online, or think back through what catalogs or trends and such I've seen recently. 
   
5. Does the thing I need/want exist on the market?
   
6. If yes, does it fit my critical requirements? 
   
7. If no, begin to draft & sew or create however I am called!

Usually, by the time I get to the cutting & sewing stage, it's more production work or working meditation. It's rare that I consider this stage part of my creative process, but rather the construction.  I find my strongest creativity happens at the design board.

Sometimes, it could be years before I act on a vision or inspiration.  Othertimes, I dive in to create and all of a sudden realize, I'm making exactly what I've visualized. I've learned that structure is what allows the freedom to create.  I don't sit to create as regularly as I think would benefit me.  Partially, that's because I'm focused on living a healthy, active life and I sometimes have to choose between exercise and hobbies.  It's a balance and a continual juggle of priorities.  What goals I set, then measure get done (that's why I blog).  


And now... I introduce you to Erin and Kathleen!

In my research for reviews of PinUpGirls patterns by Beverly Johnson, I came across Erin's blog.  Holy wow!  This lady is having a blast with swimsuits and bras.  She blogged some fun outfits for MeMadeMay and about each day being at Boobcamp and Master Swimwear and I felt like I got to be part of the class.  I love the classroom photos.  Brings back great memories of sewing classes I've taken.  Plus, she picked such super cute prints and simple designs to make.  

I just read on Beverly's blog that she and Erin are working together on new PinUpGirls patterns!  They just released #3009 Three Sisters Bikini's.  I can definitely see Erin's style paired with Beverly's in this pattern.  Super cute!  And this week, Erin just blogged about corset making!  You go girl! :) 

She's taking on the challenging sewing projects that so many look at and think, "Oh, that's too hard, too complicated.  I couldn't do that." And look, she's doing it.  

I'd like to introduce you to Kathleen of Midvale Cottage Post.  She blogs frequently about some really wonderful vintage fashion and interesting vintage postcards.  Her blog is filled with lots of inspiration for anyone who adores vintage designs.  Even better... she has an Etsy shop filled to the brim with vintage sewing patterns.  I love so many it's hard to pick!

Thanks to my own interest in vintage fashions, specifically when I was researching 1920's fashions for Miss Fisher clothing, I found Kathleen's blog.  But get this, we both are living in the greater Seattle area.  Who would have ever thought that the blogosphere and our love of vintage fashion would have drawn us together? Not me. But I'm a firm believer in kismet, synchronicity.   I'm so very glad to be one of the Midvale Cottage readers. Kathleen always finds such interesting things to share and teach on vintage fashion. Just lovely.  

Here are 4 images from her blog, Left to right representing: 1930's, 1960's, 1940's, and turn of the century. 

Ladies, I pass the torch to you.  Have fun!  I look forward to reading about your processes and answers to the blog hop questions.  Cheerios!

Best gift my dad ever gave me? 
A DeWalt power drill. I even drilled 9 holes in reverse before I realized why it wasn't working. I have to figure things out for myself by fully committing & making messy mistakes.

What was I told growing up? 
You're good at math and science. (even when I felt like I was the class idiot because I always raised my hand and said "I don't get it," when I didn't understand).

What did I learn to do in College? 
How to think like an engineer and how to learn anything.

What do I do today? 
Anything I want, because I can figure anything out I want to.

Science is awesome. However, I feel the deeper message of this video is, encourage your children to be and do what they love. Whether art, science, athletics, social or anywhere in-between encourage them. Observe what they love doing and let them make messy mistakes so they learn. 


And that, my dear readers, is my story. Tell me, what is yours?