Brother PE500 Embroidery Machine!

For graduation my grandma was kind enough to buy me an embroidery machine. I got the Brother PE500 embroidery machine. I absolutely love it! I have zero experience with embroidery; I avoided it at all cost in freshman year apparel development. With that said, this machine is perfect for beginners. It has diagrams on the machine to help you thread it, the owners manual is very straight forward, and the parts require little assembly. I mainly use the machine for monogramming, and I monogram everything. It used to cost me $20 a piece to monogram things at a local shop, but now I can do it for free! Although there are certain things you can't embroider (odd shaped things mainly), a vast majority of my belongings are able to be embroidered. The machine comes with tons of patterns and 5 fonts. However, none of these fonts are particularly good for monogramming, so I decided to download some more from the internet. I thought this was going to be super difficult, but it wasn't at all. I used Apex Embroidery Fonts because they had a large amount of fonts to chose from and their prices were reasonable. I purchased the fonts, hooked my machine up to my computer and just dragged the fonts into the E drive. I will post an in depth tutorial later on. Here are just a few things I have gotten around to monogramming.

The running shorts were just an experiment since I wasn't sure how to position the hoop, but eventually I figured it out. This was the first pair I did and the monogram is positioned way to close to the crotch area. Luckily, I only used a cheap pair of Target shorts.

This is just what the screen looks like when you are setting up the image you embroidered.

I'm a high school GRADUATE!

On Friday, June 8th I graduated with the class of 2012 from Panther Creek High School. It was a long, emotional, fulfilling night! I couldn't be happier to be done with high school and on to college, but I also am very sad to leave the place I've gone every day for four years. There are some kids I will never see again, some of those I'm not to sad about, but others make me really wish I was closer to them outside of school. As I was listening to our student body president present the welcome address I began to think about the last 13 school going years of my life.

I remember walking to school in kindergarten. This is me on the first day. I also remember that I had an awesome teacher and my dad would come to school to help out with the class (sort of like the class mom). 

This is me when I "graduated" from the 5th grade. We didn't do anything special other than take a picture in the cap and gown. 

This is my 8th grade formal picture. I couldn't find one from my graduation, so this works. I was so happy to get out of junior high, and I didn't feel any sadness.

When I see these pictures from freshman year I am so embarrassed! I don't know why I was obsessed with self pictures, but I was. Oh and look at those braces! Yikes!

Sophomore Year! Yet again another self picture.

I guess I was normal during junior year, and Earnest T was an adorable puppy (he's still adorable though)!

First day of my last year of high school!

and then....

I GRADUATED!

The best brother in the world!

My best friend Sloan!

My best friend Kayla!

Goodbye Panther Creek! It's been an awesome four years. Next stop, UNCW!

Dorm Room!!!

About two weeks ago I received my room assignment for my freshman year at the dub. I already knew what dorm I would be in and luckily I got the roommate I requested. Today, my friend Sloan and I decided to take a trip to the beach, but it is cold, windy, and raining, so we drove around UNCW's campus instead. I spotted my roommate's older sister, who will be a senior next year. I texted my roommate to tell her and then found out that her sister was working on maintenance in our dorm. She said I could come in and check out our future home. I was happy that there was a big window and I could sort of see what size we were working with. It just makes me even more excites to start school!

Things I Want to Get Monogrammed

I really want a Brother PE 500 embroidery machine, so I can monogram everything I have. The list has gotten incredibly long; if I were to get an embroidery machine my life would be so much easier. 

1. Hair Bows
2. Clutch
3. Pajamas
4. Bath Towels and Hand Towels
5. Towel Wraps
6. Button Up Shirts With Pockets
7. Koozie
8. Running Shorts
9. T-Shirts with Pockets
10. Baseball Caps
11. Floppy Hats
12. Backpack
13. Throw Pillow
14. Pillowcase
15. Laptop
16. Folding Chair
17. Wastebasket
18. Hairbrush
19. Storage Baskets
20. Sewing Machine

What else should I add to my list?

Pinterest Obsessions: Clutches!

Lately on Pinterest I have been repinning tons of clutches. I have never been a huge fan of clutches (I am more of a large handbag gal), but they're starting to grow on me and I am on the hunt for a really cute one! Here are some adorable ones I found on Pinterest.

How to Make a Spa Towel Wrap

I am going to be a freshman in college next year, and unfortunately I will no longer have my own bathroom. Instead I am going to be sharing a bathroom with 30 other girls. Walking back and forth between my room and the bathroom could get awkward in the case that your towel slips. To fix this I decided to make a spa towel wrap that Velcros around me to stay up.

Materials You will Need: Towel, Measuring Tool, Shears, Velcro, Elastic, Pins, and Ribbon (Optional). Also you will need a sewing machine and thread to match the towel and the ribbon.

Step 1: Fold the towel lengthwise then measure 10 inches in from the fold. 

Step 2: Mark your towel on both sides from 10 inches in. When you unfold the towel you should have a 20 inch space between the two pins.

Step 3: Fold the towel down 2 inches and pin from one pin to the other than sew the 20 inches (marked by green above) to create the casing for the elastic. 

Step 4: Take 12 inches of elastic and pull it through the casing until it gathers like the third picture. I recommend pinning the ends of the elastic to the towel; that way the elastic won't slip back into the casing before you sew it.

Step 5: Sew down the edge of the casing to keep the elastic in place. Make sure you don't miss the elastic when you sew.

Step 6: Next, fold down the rest of the towel, that is not part of the casing, down two inches. Pin it, and then sew down the edge (not the fold).

 Step 7: Now it is time for the Velcro. I like to use 12 inch sew on Velcro strips. You must pin the strips on each side of the towel. Make sure they are placed on opposite sides lengthwise and one on the front then flip it over and put the other one on the other side. Test the towel wrap around yourself to make sure the Velcro is placed correctly.

Step 8: Sew the Velcro onto the towel using a wide zig-zag stitch. If you are worried about it possibly falling off then sew two straight stitches down each side of the Velcro. 

Step 9: This is an optional step to add some decoration to the towel wrap. I decided to add some ribbon. I just cut it to the length of the wrap and sewed down each side of it to attach it to the towel. 

Then tada your are ready to hit the pool or shower!

Linky Parties

http://www.hopestudios.blogspot.com/http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/2012/06/whatever-goes-wednesday-122.htmlhttp://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2012/06/wow-us-wednesdays-71.htmlhttp://delightfulorder.blogspot.com/2012/06/delightfully-inspiring-thursday-party_20.html

19 Before 19

At the end of the month I turn 18, so I decided to make a list of 19 things I want to do before I turn 19. As I complete these items I will cross them off and add a description of the event. I will start crossing things on on April 29, 2012 and I should be done with all of them by April 29, 2013!

1. Go Boogie Boarding at Night 9/28/12 My Weekend In Review

2. Learn to Surf           

3. Run a 5k

4. Run a Half Marathon

5. See Kenny Chesney in Concert (Again)

6. See Luke Bryan in Concert (Again) 7/27/12 My Kinda Party 2012

7. Volunteer at an Animal Shelter

8. Stand-Up Paddle Board

9. Go to a UNCW Basketball Game

10. Pull an All-Nighter 11/9/12 

11. Take a Real Vacation Without Parents

12. Go to a College Party 9/29/12 My Weekend In Review

13. Go Paintballing

14. Read a Book a Month (12 Books)

15. Camp on the Beach

16. Ride a Mechanical Bull

17. Climb a Tree

18. NOT Gain the Freshman 15

19. Maintain at least a 3.7 GPA During my Freshman Year