The pain of recreating a wardrobe

Eight to ten years ago I was at the height of my gothness. I had moved away from home to study in a big city. I had no money to spend on expensive goth clothing, but I sewed a lot, thrifted things and got things cheap on sale (like a full length cloak that was half price). As I was really tiny at the time I could fit everything I found at the thrift stores, and if something was too big I could just take it in. I had a good wardrobe. I was happy in my dark clothing.

Here is an old picture:

I was studying Theology at the time and some art students had a photography project going on about people who dressed differently than was expected for their field.

Then life happened. I had to start dressing more "normal" and at the same time I spiraled into depression. I kept sinking for a few years without realizing it. Suddenly my body had matured and I had gained weight. My old clothes did not fit me anymore. I still managed to keep a "going out"-wardrobe, but it got increasingly difficult. In the end I gave up for the sake of my sanity.

For the past year I have been slowly rebuilding my wardrobe. I have a ton of fabrics in my closet just waiting to be turned into creative pieces of extravagance. But for some reason it has been very difficult to get started with sewing.

I have been trying to thrift again, but most of the nice things I find do not fit me. I buy ready made goth clothing if I can find it on sale or cheaply, but only if I believe it will be of good quality and if I absolutely love it. I refuse to buy anything that will just sit in my wardrobe and do nothing. I'm also hesitant to order online because I don't want to get the wrong size. My body has also molded itself into such a non standard form that nothing of standard sizing will fit me properly. Hence my love of lacing closures.

But yes, I keep designing items of clothing that I want to wear. Weather or not I end up making them shall remain to be seen. I have at least gotten started with a new skirt, and as soon as I get a button installed it will be done (and it is turning out sooo pretty).

I am getting there, one clothing item at a time. And I really want to get back to my old level of just being able to sit down and sew three items of clothing a day. Those were fun times.

Some life updates

I hope your new year has begun in a nice manner!

Mine has been very hectic. I started a new job as a music teacher and between lessons and preparing the next day I have had zero time to think about blogging. I have tried to squeeze in some sewing during the weekends so I have a few projects I will show off here as soon as I have time to photograph them. If you want to follow me more closely you can find me on Instagram under the name @stellagreymoore.

Anyway, I love my new job. Yes, it is very hectic, but it is also very creative and challenging in a good way. I find myself pushing forward and challenging myself in ways I had not imagined possible. 15 years ago in school we all had to try playing the drums and the bass guitar. I have not tried them since, which I have always felt is a shame. I have never played the electric guitar. During the past week I have delved into all of these. I picked up my old acoustic guitar again and started playing at home, and I bought an ukulele because apparently that is the hip instrument to play today.

I studied to be a teacher for half a year as an extra part for my degree, but not as a music teacher. I have a degree in studies of religion. So getting my mind set to teaching music from kids age 7 to youngsters age 19 has been mental gymnastics. I am getting there, at my own pace. And I'm having a lot of fun with it. The only downside, as mentioned, has been that I have not had time to blog.

Hopefully that will change soon because I have a few things I have planned. I've decided to try out the Witch Casket box and once the January box arrives I am planning on doing a box opening and review of the content.  I'm also planning some other reviews, and I am planning on trying to put up a few more recipes and sewing tutorials.


That is pretty much all for now. Enjoy your tea and may your new year be productive!

~Stella

December haul: Something to start the new year

Yule has gone by and the holiday sales are on in stores. I tend to go shopping at the time around new year as prices are lower and I usually have more time to spend shopping. This time I got my hands on some makeup, jewelry and stationery. 

Makeup products

One of the local makeup stores has recently started stocking NYX makeup. I have previously tried their liquid lipsticks and I quite liked them. So I went in to look at them. I ended up buying a couple of lipsticks, some lipliners (actually eyeliners, but they will work just fine on lips as well for my purposes), a liquid eyeliner and a eye makeup base.. In a jewlry store I found the nail stencils which I'll be trying out. 

Bats!

I got the ring from the same jewelry store as the nail stencils. The bat necklace and earrings I got in the mail. I ordered them some time back and they are absolutely lovely. The only thing wrong with them was that the earring hooks were on the wrong way, but that was easily fixed.

Stationery.

I also went shopping for some stationery. So I got a new bullet journal, some cute sticky notes with birds on them and some scrap-booking paper. The "Your[sic] one in a melon" (which is horribly misspelled) contains some bigger sticky notes and weekly to do-lists. The smaller pads with owls and lemons also contains different sized sticky notes. I use these quite a lot ans since they were on sale I grabbed a couple.

Lastly I went shopping for some hiking gear. I got a new meal trey set: cup, bowl (both foldable), spork, cutting board, lunch box and a shaker for spices. I also got a few pairs of woolen hiking socks and a tarp. Unfortunately I don't have pictures of these but I will put them to use during spring.

With that I will now sit down with a nice cup of tea and start my new bullet journal for 2018. I wish you all a happy new year! May it be blessed and fulfulling!

~Stella