blogiversary Archives • Jessica Smith Creates

March 3, 2016August 23, 2022

Year 3

WordPress informed me that yesterday was my 3rd blogiversary.

The past two anniversaries, I wrote a post celebrating the year, and especially because this is also my 200th post, I figured I’d give it another whirl.

This year:

I finished my Susan dress! Woohoo!

My self imposed ban of new clothing has kept up really well, and the only piece of clothing I’ve bought was jeans from a thrift store.

I’ve self drafted a few items, including the shirt for my Peggy costume (with more full costume photos to come).

My first pair of jeans were not entirely comfortable (so not wearable), but my second pair is so comfy that I practically live in them.

I’m working on a knit sweater that will actually look like a real sweater, which is definitely a first. And I’m another pair of socks and a half into my sock knitting journey.

Real photos of my Belle from Once Upon A Time (casual style) costume were taken, and though I realized I forgot the necklace, they certainly look snazzy! I do need to figure out how to make the extensions better blended though…

The time I spent embroidering this Merida skirt was ridiculous, but I love this skirt to death. It’s whimsical and subtle and awesome all at the same time!

I’ve also realized that my planning skills are rather lax, and that sometimes I’ll completely change my mind and take on ridiculous projects. Case in point, even though I don’t have real space in my apartment to make a ballgown, I’m planning to make Ella’s ballgown from the live action Cinderella.

First though, I’ve got to make and finish my TARDIS skirts. After three years it’s really time.

Here’s to year 4! Thanks for reading!

March 4, 2015August 25, 2022

2nd Blogiversary

When I went back to check when I had posted my first blogiversary post on Monday, I realized that it was in fact on 3/2, but that I hadn’t posted my first post until 3/4. So this year I’m honoring that.

Another year, another set of changes.

In the past year I’ve:

Almost made jeans! (And I’m hoping to try out Ginger Jeans this year)

Graduated college! (And also made my graduation dress! My mom and grandmom may have teared up a bit with that… But it could also have been the graduating)

Participated in Me Made May!

Moved south for graduate school! (Which is also where I started taking a few pictures outside)

And I’ve actually started graduate school, for the record. Passed all my first semester classes too!

Knitted my first socks! (and second and third)

Started up my Foodie Friday posts, and kept it going successfully for a while. And don’t worry, it shall continue!

Made a purse that I use everywhere. It’s my tutoring purse (always at the ready with Sharpies), my ballroom dance purse (surprisingly my dance shoes fit in too), and my day-trip purse, for those all day shopping trips that require fifteen billion reusable bags. They all fit too. Not all of these at once, of course, but it’s still fantastic.

Sculpted Groot. Nuff said.

Used special yarn and fabric. First fabric my friend brought me from Uganda…

… and then (very) recently Christmas yarn from a few years ago!

Made Susan’s quiver. Biggest leather project to date!

Participated in my first Monthly Stitch challenges: Let Them Sew Cake and Geek Out!

I keep meaning to get into a few more, but I tend to miss them by a couple of days. Meaning, I start the project a few days too late.

So that’s what I’ve been up to.

Here’s to another great year!

March 2, 2014

Tempus Fugit

It’s been one of those weeks.

Those weeks that actually turn into nearly a month.

I haven’t finished a project since the corset I posted a few weeks ago, but actually finished on February 1st.

Luckily I did finish it then, because that completed my obligatory February project. But it feels weird to say that I haven’t finished anything since.

Anything for me, that is.

The week leading up to Valentine’s Day was tech week for me, so that week and the week before I was busy sewing up three dresses, but I didn’t actually complete any of them from cutting the fabric to sewing the hem.

The following week I needed to play catch up for assignments I put off during the show, which led to being behind on that week’s work. And this past week I finally got caught up. Whew, what a relief. That is, I was relieved until I realized all the work I’ve got for this week. It’s a busy time being a graduating senior.

I did work on some projects during that time, though.

Remember this fabric?

I had been planning on using it to make a ballroom dress, but I decided to repurpose that plan to make a different kind of dress. I’ll post on it soon, but I worked on it during February, I just had to delay it for awhile during my catch up period. I’ve got the zipper mostly in at this point, and I’ll be working on the upper “binding” shortly. Then its just hemming and straps.

I’ve also started work on that sweater I had said I started last fall. In crafting I am not always a woman of my words.

I just cut the leather for that hair slide that I was going to make for my Belle costume.

And I just pulled out the cape I had been working on, also for Belle. I promise that under the crumpledness, it’s a cape.

These will all be posted on soon, as I’ll be working on them all during the month of March. Maybe not finishing, but working.

So when I just got the notification of it being a year since I started this blog, I was pleasantly surprised.

Last year I was abroad, I had just met two of my best friends and we had just decided to go to SDCC after two of us would graduate from college.

I was a different person, not needing (really) to look past the end of the semester.

Now, I feel I’m more centered, giving equally to my creative and studious lives.

I’ve been cooking my own food, becoming more self sufficient.

I got myself a serger, and yeah, it may not be working pleasantly, but its just a hop skip and a jump away.

I’ve learned how to truly make clothes for myself, learned how to fit my body, learned to accept my body.

I know what I like to wear, what I feel comfortable in, what I’d love to make more of.

I’ve accepted my geekdom, and the fact that I’m a superfan for many a show.

And I’ve kept up with projects, which was my main reason for this blog in the first place.

So happy anniversary! Here’s to many more!