A Break in My Business...

So I have been MIA for a while now---> For a good reason I must say.  School started back and I had to get back on normal people time.  

Rewind a few weeks and I am right smack-dab in the middle of nowhere, riding on the back of a Bad Boy Cart.  I am accustomed to living where there are Mardi Gras Kings and King Mackerel but I felt that I slipped back in time for a few days and enjoyed being a dirty little country girl where Cotton and Kudzu are King!  

Here we are kicking up some dust through the middle of a cotton field.  

By the way, have you ever smelled a cotton field?  Reminds me of an ol' stank nasty-urine-soaked baby's diaper... nice.... 

 Yes, I helped hoist up deer stands, collided with a slew of stickers, and came toe to toe with an armadillo.  Not to mention I picked bugs off of all of us:  green, white, slimy, sticky, icky crawly bugs.  

I don't claim to be some fancy little girl, but I did feel a little out of my element at times.  

Might I add that I endured all to fancy my little pirate.  I did feel a little piratey at times though.  I mean its not everyday that you ride around with some shotguns by your side and hand guns pleading for hogs to run out so you can smash their little hoggie hides.  

Our attempts failed for all you animal people.  

Anyhow, this little supposed princess finally cruised up to the cabin dying for a chance to be  purified.  Dirt in my hair, dirt in my ears, my legs white with dust, every inch of me covered.  My teeth--->  if I bit down crunch, crunch, dust covered teeth.  

This lovely rendition of the cabin makes the rustic-ness a little more spunky!  I knew I would be nestled in the middle of "Paradise," as coined by my happy husband.  In tow:  sewing machine, storage drawers, and a mound of clothes and purses to keep me busy!  I don't think the guys would appreciate this one.  

Hopefully Molly will appreciate it, since it is HER purse... I'll just blame it on my favorite sister!  

The anticipation of hunting season for my husband is matched by my anticipation for fall clothes!  Orange Velvet...

Wished I would have taken pictures at the cabin.  Wood doors would have been a prettier background..

Another...
And closer up....
Panda bear tank....
With some rosettes....

So this is the devil dress...  Why?  Two weekends ago I wore it to a wedding.  Being a wonderful guest, I help clean up.  Humongous candle and pedestal in hand, I attempt to carry it to the kitchen.  Tipping and tottering...Warm, NO, HOT wax slides down my legs and fills up my shoes... PROBLEM!  Then I feel it... seeping through the thin chiffon and through the lining and through my slip and onto my knees and thighs.  Ugh. DRESS IS RUINED!  No, wait, Tom (Bro-in-law) hits up the nifty iPhone and finds a remedy.  

Fortunately I have wonderful parents who used tons of paper towels and an iron to melt the wax out of the dress!  Very successful... So the following weekend my family and I head up to Georgia for the fabulous wedding of Jeffrey and Ashley Lindsey!  (Dress in tow).  Yep, you guessed it, PROBLEM!  I pick up my favy baby (Sophia) and she is holding her most recent prize from me:  a Belle pen.  The ink bursts-- on Sophia's dress and mine!  
Again I am saved by my mommy.  She works her magic and I am left with a hot pink stain.  I think it matches the dress... so its fine with me!  

The back of the dress and the end for tonight..

Packing Princess

Normal days are mostly what my life consists of, but those abnormal days are what stick out and sometimes make you scream.  

It is 7:45 in the morning and I am still cuddled in bed with the pirate's sidekick, no it is not a parrot.  He has dressed and journeyed across the field to his parent's home to enjoy his morning cup of joe (this is convenient since we have depleted the Splenda supply).  

I hear him bust through the front door and he envelopes the room with a sense of urgency.  

"Get up and get dressed, the cops are on their way," he announces (I thought pirates were superior to the law enforcement, so much for a princess perception).  I have a sinking feeling that we have been struck again.  I really hate that sick throw up feeling you get when you hear bad news.  I actually have not heard it yet, but if the police are involved, it can't be something grand life you are winning a million dollars, right?   

Apparently my carriage was left unattended and unlocked in the night and we are left one less firearm.  Packing Princess, no more, for the time being at least.  

My entire day has been spent waiting, since eight other homes got "hit" in the night.  Finally CSI shows up and dusts my car.  Wish I had an ending but that's as far as it goes today.     

Better news... I have finished embellishing the Chocolate Brown Dress

This hunter green sweater/vest is great for layer in the fall...

So I was a packing princess because one must stay protected when one can't ALWAYS have the security of a pirate.

Now I will be a packing princess because I am packing up and headed to the country with all my stuff in tow.....

Sweat Shop Time

Yes, I have been in this little pocket of the office for a few hours now. Fortunately I have a sweat shop sympathizer in the next room. He has recently turned the AC on full blast and has renamed himself as the DJ. I guess he knows a thing or two about sweat shop stress.

>>>> Keep the seamstress smiling or she will shred your sweaters (Sorry, the schoolteacher had to include some alliteration).
The mixture of velvet and taffeta makes me have a sudden desire to dig out all of my scarves and unpack all my boots. (This is the back of the newly enhanced cocktail dress - Size M).

Ruffles with some added tea stained lace!
Shazaamm--> Front with a mixture of textiles.
Hanging High and Dry...

Next on the chopping block: a chocolate sweater dress with a myriad of blue hues... Size L.

Anxiously waiting for Kristen Trujillo (sp??) to be my boss this week.

My jams have ended.. Pirate says, "My arm will be removed if I don't come on!!"

Partial Insanity

I was trying to take a picture of my partially finished scrappy purse.

Camera to my eye and click....

I don't think this is what I meant to capture but he is my little Fur Prince and is of course entitled to be anywhere he wants to be. If he wants to be in the middle of the picture, so be it.

Soooo... I have the front done except a few little holes... Took an outside and inside photo for your convenience.

You decide if natural light or fluorescent lighting is better. They might both stink due to the operator. I am not offended if you think so. hehe

I have been slacking on my "assignments" because a lovely little lady, my Nana Ollis, has been in town. I get my love for pins, love for "secret candy," and my desire to be a God fearing woman from Betty Ollis! Love all three of these little ladies: Sophia, Nana, and my mom, June!

Obsession with my DESIRED Profession!

I have ADD.

Not severely, but enough to aggravate myself.

The straw purse is about 40% complete.  I would use the grand ole "photo booth" on my Mac, but I took a few pictures and it does not come out great.  I'll get my rebel later and taken a picture for you!  

Back to the ADD thing, I am supposed to be whittling fragments of fabric through the tightly woven straw but I am putting the "pedal to the metal" to create layers of lush in a fall/winter velvet dress.  The size is medium and of course you will see the final product...  And yes it will be for sale... 

Today my pirate loaded up the truck with corn feed and deer stands and headed up to the Mississippi Delta to prepare for his winter paradise.  I told him last night that I dread the hunting season because I can't jump in his truck and head up north with my dirty old cowboy boots with him; I'll be "professionally dressed" and reporting to duty at 7 am and attempting to stay free from germs.  I'm not too fond of sitting in the cold or hot remaining silent in the middle of the woods in a deer stand, but I could bust some booty on my BROTHER CS-770 in the middle of the peaceful dreamy cabin with a fire crackling in the background!  One day...... Brother will be my BOSS!  

Brother^^^^

Where HE is^^^

Inspired by Morocco

The summer is dwindling down to its final days.  My unruly pirate is getting a little bold and speaking words such as:

"I am expecting you to be ready at 10:45, 13 minutes away."  His desire of the moment is sushi, I don't know if my recent consumption of Capt. Crunch will mix.  I am looking at him and thinking, "Getting a little too used to having a bum I mean babe around the house."  

I think he misses the bossiness of my teacher persona during the school year and is reverting to my position.  

In the mean time I'm not really being a bum.  To him it appears to be bum-i-ness because I am rousting in the midst of fabric, coffee, and a straw purse, oh yeah, and a butter knife.  

My crown might fall to the ground momentarily if I hear another, "Argh, when are you going to get ready," and I might use this butter knife as a weapon.

Here is the straw purse.  The handles seem to be cheery, yet the straw needs some help.  I gleaned some inspiration from Couleus de Saison, a Moroccan company.

This is my new like and I am an owner of one as of last Sunday.  The outside is a hurricane of fabrics in different colors (this one a little lilac-y).  

I assumed this would be an easy assignment----riiiiight.  

I began cutting strips of fabric--easy!  

I began slipping the fabrics between the straw--- uhhhhhh not so easy!  

In enters the butter knife.  Still this is a chore... Next post will be the finished product or maybe half of a finished product or something.  Don't hold your breath....it may be a while!

Today is the first day of the rest of my life...

I'm Ashley Ditcharo, my husband calls me "Princess," although sometimes this connection does not fit.  But, hey, since he thinks I am a princess, I don't want to upset him by telling him any different.  Therefore I am what he says I am and if it were any different, he would not say it!  

185 days (depending on the budget) out of the year I am a fourth grade teacher.  365.242199 days out of the year I am a creative mess.  I attempt to make it organized to impress my mother, yet most of the time it does not work out that way.  I hope she understands.  I don't think that my life is any more significant than yours. My blog is not to prove that I am self-centered and vain and expect you to care sooo much!  You have more things to worry about than my "braggings."  

I would love for you to enjoy my craftsmanship of sorts.  I create things:  clothes, purses, headbands, belts, and all other kinds of crazy accessories, household furniture, etc.  The world is a canvas on which I see a hodgepodge of creativity.  Surrounded by a motley collection of fabrics and textiles I attempt to transform boring and sad pieces to one of a kind creations meant just for you.

  

This is me while I type showing you a headband that now is "happier!"

Enjoy as I give you the scoop about my life (well somethings I may leave out) and the inspiration that surrounds it.  It is with pleasure that I pour out some of me so that you will be inspired as well.     

By the way, I am not an A+ speller, I hope YOU understand.

My pirate, which you will meet shortly....