Get in touch

Vivat Veritas

Custom Wedding Dress & Kimono Upcycled Clothes | オーダーメイドウェディングドレス&着物ドレス

/ Archives for Chie

Chie

Shop Update

By

Top: Powder blue scooter dress, Bottom: Black Seer Sucker Pleated Dress

Hello dear readers! My shop is updated with these new dresses 🙂

The top one is inspired by 60’s scooter dress/maternity dress. I made another one for a lovely client for her maternity photo shoot. I’ll write more on this dress next week. The bottom one is made out of black seer sucker cotton, and fully lined. I’m into grosgrain ribbon trims now, since I bought a lot of grosgrain ribbon in Nippori the other day. The skirt is pleated. That’s another detail that I am currently into, and planning to incorporate more in the near future.

I took these pictures with my iPhone self-timer. What do you think? These ones were edited in Photoshop with white gradient on top, so take a look at this and this for clearer pictures. I’m not sure if I should continue using iPhone camera or go back to SLR. Obviously iPhone camera is much easier and less time consuming to set up, but the pictures look a bit washed out.. any thoughts?

Mommy’s Diary 36: Surviving First Sickness

By

My baby had been very healthy. No cold, allergies, diaper rash or anything for the past eight months, so when she caught the norovirus right after Christmas, I was caught off guard.  The morning after Christmas, she threw up a lot when she got up. Then she had a couple of diarrhea.  I first thought a food did not sit right with her, perhaps the carrots I fed her the night before was old? (I wasn’t sure when the carrots were bought, since I was at my parents’ place). I checked her temperature and it was normal and she seemed okay. It was not until when she threw up all over the car, that it dawned on me that she got some kind of stomach virus. It was late at night but we took her to a doctor, and it turned out that she got infected with norovirus. The doctor prescribed some medicine and we went home. For the amount she was throwing up, I thought she handled her first sickness very well. Not much whining, just sleeping a lot more than usual. The next day the vomiting stopped and all was well.

On the other hand, I did not handle the sickness very well. I must have gotten infected with the same stomach virus, cleaning after her poop and vomit.  The next morning I started to shiver uncontrollably. I decided to take a bath to calm the shiver and chill, fell asleep in the bath (very dangerous!), but woke up with a sudden urge to throw up. After that I slept about eight hours straight. Thank God Andy was there to watch Kiko. Right when I felt a bit better and started moving around, Andy got infected and he had the same thing.

I can’t imagine what happens to families with more children! If one gets infected, the others will as well like a domino effect? I wonder if there is a good way to stop spreading the virus within the family..

Happy New Year!

By

Hello 2012! Did you know that January 2nd in Japan is similar to Black Friday in the States? I didn’t until today. I went out shopping in the city today, and was caught off guard by the amount of people out shopping and the massive sales going on! I was even more surprised when I received 40% off my purchase at a craft store, Yuzawaya. 40% off! That’s almost half the retail price. I was ecstatic. I felt it would be an appropriate way to start a new year by picking up some long needed new sewing supplies. I went ahead and grabbed supplies that I’ve been wanting but reserving myself from buying (because I’m cheap).

As a starter, I bought a cutting mat. I had a rottery cutter but didn’t have a board. I would occasionally use the cutter on a table with newspaper. But I decided that it’s just silly not to spend 20 bucks to make my sewing life easier, so I got it. Also bought a tailor’s ham. I’ve had a seam roll, and using the top round part of the seam roll to press darts and curves, but I often found myself frustrated, because obviously a seam roll is not meant to be used that way. I also got french curves to replace various plates and cups I’ve been using to smooth out curves.

I bought pliers for snaps. I’ve been wanting one after seeing what Jue’s got from her father. I’m thinking of using this for cardigans or dresses with front openings. Another clever item I found was this metal plate to make round corner of pockets. I was making a pattern with thick paper to iron the round corner of pockets before, but this mini metal plate will make my life much easier. I can now make four different degrees of roundness on a pocket corner!

I also bought new tailor’s chalk and tracing paper. I’m so excited to have these new supplies around me!

After that little excursion I went to a bookstore and splurged on these two sewing books: Drape Drape 3 (ドレープドレープ３） by Hisako Sato　（佐藤ヒサコ） and Men’s Shirts Book （男のシャツの本）by Ryuichiro Shimazaki　（嶋崎隆一郎）. I’ve been wanting to lay my hands on the Drape Drape book series. I have not bought 1 or 2 but I decided to jump in on 3 since it is the newest book. I’m going to make myself some stuff from the book to take on my Guam trip this month.

That’s it for today. I’m overly excited now I don’t know if I can sleep tonight!