Lunch date with the girls

I had a lunch date with some really awesome friends the other day.  We used to work together but over the years we make sure not to drift apart by getting lunch every once in a while and of course social media!

Got to love Twisted Fork's new salad buffet and a day of being personal shopper... ok, well everyone might not enjoy, but I do.

By Rachel Abi

Taking it slow. . . but here is the dress. . . well part of it.

Step two: Sew together the parts you cut.  For me I did alternating fabrics so make sure you keep to whatever you are doing or make what ever you do look on purpose.  If it isn't perfect?  Great.  Undo it and try again.  Still not perfect?  Awesome: cause it isn't going to be, accept it!

Who wants perfect anyway... what is perfect.  Even the stuff done by machines and sold in stores aren't perfect so what make you feel like you are going to be different?  

How are you going to get better at it if you don't practice?

By Rachel Abi

By Durham Wedding Photographer

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No, not white!

Spring wear!  I don't usually dare to wear white because I am a klutz.  I sit in chocolate, I order marinara. . . You get the picture.  I decided to be adventurous when I got a chance to get a free white dress that was cut so nicely.  I pieced this together once I decided on a lighter whimsical beach theme.  So I put a few braids in my hair accented it with a flower.  But on my braided band bracelet and weaved sandals.  And then but my bright blue purse, I almost always like to have a splash of color.

So say I decided to wear this again, I would put on cowboy boots and a cropped jean jacket

or

Bright cardigan  with a wide belt  with a contrasting pair of flats

You get the idea.  I played it up simple but you can always dress it up or take it down

By Rachel Abi

By Durham Wedding Photographer

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The last. . . how can it be!

Slightly to do with fashion but mostly do to with awesome!

T Minus 

52 Days

11 Hours

and just over 30 minutes 

The last Harry Potter movie is coming out.  Yes, I do indeed have a deep and pitted affection for this lore.  Do I wish deep down to have my own wand... oh wait I do!

My husband, Chris, my sister, Sarah, a gaggle of friends and I are going at the midnight release.  You ask: could I wait?  Possibly but I am not going to!  

Not only are we going but we are going in garb.  I am in the process of making our uniforms.  step one: scarf! Yes, it is going to be July but you can't go in uniform without the much needed scarf.

 Step one: get yarn (and if you don't have them needles).  Be specific because you need to get your house's colors perfect!

Step two: start (if you don't know how to it is fairly simple but you may want to practice some before you start the endeavor to make your house scarf)  I used the knit/pearl method on the ones I have made thus far.

Step three: do the finishing touches.  Mind in those extra strands.  Make those tassels you know always wanted!

By Rachel Abi

Step four: enjoy your spoils!

By Durham Wedding Photographer

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No money but creative

So here is where I start.  I have little to no budget to spend money on clothes and accessories.  So I try to do my style based not based on my lack of money lest I become an advocate of the "homeless" look. ;P

So instead a little cheaper way to get your style: make it.

Now this is not for the weak of heart.  This is not for the people who are afraid to fail.  Have fun is my rule of thumb.  Are you scared?  You can always get a guide.  I prefer to shoot from the hip.  I try and error on the larger side (you can always take in but you can't add more fabric).  I take an idea and just run with it.  So this is the start of a dress.

This is a picture of the fabric I chose to use.
By Rachel Abi

This is the cut of fabric I chose to use for the skirt.

Now I had the benefit of someone giving away fabric so that I didn't have to pay for mine, but try your local Walmart or even Joann's they have clearance sections.  You may not get the exact fabric you would want but more often then not it will turn out better than you had thought.   Contrast are great; play with them.  In the next couple of weeks (in the midst of everything else I will be doing) I will upload more pictures of what I am doing and why.

Do not feel like I know what I am doing.  The only thing that I do know: a basic knowledge of my sewing machine.  I look at clothes I like and look at the threading.  Look at how they are bound.  Do you ever see something in the store and think that looks cute, but it seems simple.  That's because it is.  You can do it.  Start small to not get overwhelmed.

By Durham Wedding Photographer

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For those who want fashion but are afraid of what that means. . .

Do you ever get up feeling a desire to look cute?  You look at other people's clothes and think, I would look cute in that but by the time you get home you are unsure of how to emulate or you try to make it your own and it doesn't work?   Do you feel overwhelmed by the thought of trying to revamp your closet because of the time and cost?

My goal is to get you to feel pretty and put together in with the least amount of effort, money and time.

I am going to show you what to wear... and what not to wear.

How the same basic outfit can go three days in a row without people knowing.

I am here to share the small truths that I have picked up along the way and I hope that you teach me more.

I can't promise that I will do anything different that others, I won't.
I can't promise that  I will be the best thing that has happened to your closet.

But I can promise we will have some fun on the way to a closet that you love and don't fear.

By Rachel Abi

By Durham Wedding Photographer

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