Less than TEN days to go; I can do this! *Updated 12/2*

I'm a spreadsheet gal too, and use it to break down the per-credit values just to see if the two credit meals are worth the extra credits or not :) I did notice that you have a tip entered in for CRT, and didn't know if you were aware that this is one of the few places that tip is included in the cost of the meal:D

Thank you! I didn't realize tip was included. That saves a good little chunk. :) might reallocate that money to upgrading another one of the OOP breakfasts - maybe change one of the contempo cafe's to The Wave? Sounds like a plan to me. :)
 
The waiting is driving me up the wall. I can't wait for *something* else to be lock-down-able. LOL.

In other news, I made it through yesterday at work, and went in this morning, but was hurting so badly, I came home within an hour so I could take a pain pill. :( I helped cover the hospital work yesterday, which means pushing heavy equipment all over the place, and I just don't think my shoulder was very happy about it.

So, I'm home again, and have PT tomorrow morning, which should loosen things up a bit and relieve a little more of the pain. I hate taking the pain pills, and just don't know what to do with myself at the moment. I can't drive on the pills, they make me drowsy but not sleepy, and I hate just sitting around doing nothing, but also don't feel like doing much of anything. LOL.

Oh well. I'm sure I can find something to binge-watch on netflix.
 
I went ahead and did some sewing, since I probably won't have another chance to for quite some time. I don't think it will be a good idea to sew when I'm radioactive in isolation. LOL. image.jpg

The Elsa dress is going together SO easily. I am really surprised at how much I got done, and how quickly. This is maybe two hours of work so far - sleeves, neckline, zipper, and hemming are all that remain. Of course, it's unlined, so Little Monster will probably need a slip underneath, but I'm pretty pleased so far. I feel like I can get these dresses done in time!

Again, I'm so tickled that I found the sheet fabric with snowflakes already on it, as that has saved countless hours worth of appliqué work. I do wish the glitter stayed on the fabric better, though. I, and my sewing/spare room are completely covered in it.

Once it's done, I think I'll do the Cinderella one, as the Belle looks soooo complicated.
 
Wow!!! The dress looks fantastic!! Great job! I have been wanting to teach myself to sew, but keep putting it off because it seems so daunting to learn. It is comforting to read that I can just rip out my mistakes (assuming cutting isn't one of them haha). :)

My 3 year old is also has the same amount to grow in the same time frame. Kind of funny.
 


Wow!!! The dress looks fantastic!! Great job! I have been wanting to teach myself to sew, but keep putting it off because it seems so daunting to learn. It is comforting to read that I can just rip out my mistakes (assuming cutting isn't one of them haha). :)

My 3 year old is also has the same amount to grow in the same time frame. Kind of funny.

Thank you!

If you start learning with less-expensive fabrics, just buy extra and it won't matter if you cut something in a wrong place - you'll have enough fabric to do it again, or patch it, no big deal. Even now, I'll generally get 1/4-1/2 yard extra, depending on how $$ the fabric is.

Sign up for emails and flyers from Joann's and Hancock's, and they'll often send really good discounts on single cuts of fabric. Patterns cycle through 99-cent or $1.99 sales, too. I never pay more than $2 for a pattern, unless it's vogue or kwik sew, which aren't really all that "beginner" anyway, generally. Stick with simplicity or mccall's, maybe a Butterick when you're starting. But for a pillow or pillowcase or even a plain curtain, you don't need a pattern. :)

I'm hoping work lets out early today so I can have a couple more hours to finish this up. I am seriously pleased with how easy this pattern has turned out to be - it dawned on me that it's going quickly because there aren't any gathers! Most of DD's dresses are gathered and proofed to within an inch of their lives, and this one hasn't had a single gather. It's a nice change of pace. :)
 
Wow! How beautiful!! I love the silver trim you used, and that fabric is such a fabulous find! (Don't worry about the glitter everywhere- Just think of it as the magic pixie dust that'll be bringing you to Disney soon! lol!)

I'm sure the Cinderella and the Belle dresses will come out amazing, just like this one. If you're stuck hating yourself because of hand-gathering, try out a ruffle foot. I got mine at Joann for like $10-15, and it's seriously cut gathering time ten-fold!

Hope you're feeling a bit better! I'm not a fan of pain medication either, so I know how it sucks to be stuck in that pain or uncomfortably drowsy limbo!
 
Wow! How beautiful!! I love the silver trim you used, and that fabric is such a fabulous find! (Don't worry about the glitter everywhere- Just think of it as the magic pixie dust that'll be bringing you to Disney soon! lol!)

I'm sure the Cinderella and the Belle dresses will come out amazing, just like this one. If you're stuck hating yourself because of hand-gathering, try out a ruffle foot. I got mine at Joann for like $10-15, and it's seriously cut gathering time ten-fold!

Hope you're feeling a bit better! I'm not a fan of pain medication either, so I know how it sucks to be stuck in that pain or uncomfortably drowsy limbo!

The trim came from Joann's, and it took me forever to settle on it. I'm too darn picky over some things.

Last time I looked into a ruffler foot for my machine, it was almost $70, I think. I'd love to have one someday, though. My machine is one of those that has the feet without shanks - only the foot part itself comes off, with the push of a button. I haven't looked since. LOL. I just run a double row of machine stitches and pull up the gathers that way. It's time-consuming, but I get good results. I've considered trying a zig-zag over cord, but am not sure I'll get the results I want. Maybe someday I'll just get my act together and learn to use my serger. :)

My shoulder is doing better today, it's at a tolerable level, so I'm going to see if I can finish the Elsa dress this afternoon. Daycare turned out to be closed today (surprise!), so I've got little monster with me. I don't know how cooperative she's going to be, or how much whining I can handle about wanting the dress NOW. :furious:
 


Oh, I just love love love the Elsa dress, it's coming together BEAUTIFUL! That snowflake fabric really IS perfect!!! :cutie:

I know what you mean about the waiting!!! So, as you know... my solution was to book a last-minute April trip to pass the time. :laughing: Probably not the WISEST decision I've ever made, at least financially, but I have faith that it will all be okay! And just think... only another month or so until we have December PARK HOURS! Yeah!!!! :goodvibes
 
Oh, I just love love love the Elsa dress, it's coming together BEAUTIFUL! That snowflake fabric really IS perfect!!! :cutie:

I know what you mean about the waiting!!! So, as you know... my solution was to book a last-minute April trip to pass the time. :laughing: Probably not the WISEST decision I've ever made, at least financially, but I have faith that it will all be okay! And just think... only another month or so until we have December PARK HOURS! Yeah!!!! :goodvibes

I am just about crawling out of my skin waiting for the park hours and (hopefully) discounts to be announced. LOL. I know it's still about a month away, but I still check every day, sometimes twice a day. I am beginning to think I need a "disney's anonymous" meeting. Acceptance is the first step, isn't it? LOL.
 
Got a little more time to sit down and sew today - finished the Elsa dress!

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I promise the arms aren't really that lopsided - it's been difficult to get a decent picture.

The hems aren't as flat or even as I'd like them to be, but I don't think it's going to matter. LOL. I do need to hunt down my bottle of fray-check to seal the bodice fabric seams - it frays horribly and I'd like the dress to survive at least one washing. DD tried it on, and it's about one size too big, so it should be almost perfect by December. :)

Otherwise, I've moved on to the Belle. That one's going to be a doozie.
 
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Just wanted to add - I love my Mom. I'd told her about all the costumes, with the goal of one-a-day, and mentioned I was really dreading the Anna - all that rosemaling appliqué. Ugh.

Today, the disney store is having a sale on costumes - and guess what my mom ordered?

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Happy dance, happy dance!

Not just the Anna costume, but the deeeeluxe Anna costume. :)

:thanks:
 
The Elsa dress turned out gorgeous! I'm excited to watch the process as you put Belle together. :goodvibes

That Anna dress is ADORABLE! :cutie: That's great that your mom bought it for her... That is, after all, what Grandmas are for! :thumbsup2
 
The Elsa dress turned out gorgeous! I'm excited to watch the process as you put Belle together. :goodvibes

That Anna dress is ADORABLE! :cutie: That's great that your mom bought it for her... That is, after all, what Grandmas are for! :thumbsup2

Mom just saved me tons and tons of time by doing that. And the deluxe dress should be of a good quality - I'm making all of these dresses because I can't stand the thought of paying $50 for something just slopped together with sewn-over edges. It's costing just a little more per dress, but these will last until she's sick of them. Lol.

And thank you for the compliments on the Elsa dress :) I've already had to hide it in husband's closet so DD has a chance to "forget" about it. She tried it on before I hemmed it and didn't stop asking for it for the next several hours. She also asked for the "cut thing in the skirt for the leg," to which I replied (inwardly) "hell no." (Outwardly I said her leg would get too cold in December and only grow ups should show that much leg.) LOL.

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My TA friend recently got herself a job out of the house. This means she may be working on the day free dining is released, and her co-worker may have to handle the actual re-booking and such. Her coworker doesn't know me from Adam, so I can't expect her to know which changes and such I'd be okay with. Therefore, my friend asked me to make a list.

This is what I've come up with:

"Top room/dining budget: $4550. Tickets and memory maker not included in that number, as I don't think those prices will change much, if at all.

Ideal/1st choice: 12/8-12/18contemporary garden wing standard view King.

If necessary to shift dates, prefer to stay at the contemporary if it remains under budget, but I understand that's unlikely.

2nd choice: first non-blacked-out date in December, 11 days/10 nights wilderness lodge. View unimportant, so long as it remains as far under budget as possible. Prefer standard view, but will take upgraded views if necessary, so long as they're under budget.

3rd choice: first non-blacked-out date in December, 11 days/10 nights port orleans royal room. View unimportant, so long as it remains as far under budget as possible. Prefer standard view, but will take upgraded views if necessary, so long as they're under budget.

4th choice: first non-blacked-out date in December, 11 days/10 nights art of animation. Little mermaid if not excluded, Nemo or lion King suite if under budget. View unimportant, so long as it remains as far under budget as possible. Prefer standard view, but will take upgraded views if necessary, so long as they're under budget.

5th choice: first non-blacked-out date in December, 11 days/10 nights Caribbean beach. View unimportant, want "preferred" location/Martinique 24, 25, or 26."

Does it make sense? LOL. Anything screwy?

Thanks!
 
Looking over it with Travel Agent eyes that aren't familiar with your actual booking, it makes perfect sense to me. I could take this a run with it, if it was handed over to me. :thumbsup2

Only two notes, which you may already know:
1. There are no guaranteed views at Art of Animation. The suites are booked solely on which film theme you want.
2. At CBR, while a Preferred room can certainly be guaranteed, a building or section cannot. It can, however, be noted on the reservation as a request.

GOOD LUCK with Free Dining!!! I am doubting my week will be included, so I'm not stressing about it too much myself. I'll peep the dates and see, though! :cutie:
 
Looking over it with Travel Agent eyes that aren't familiar with your actual booking, it makes perfect sense to me. I could take this a run with it, if it was handed over to me. :thumbsup2

Only two notes, which you may already know:
1. There are no guaranteed views at Art of Animation. The suites are booked solely on which film theme you want.
2. At CBR, while a Preferred room can certainly be guaranteed, a building or section cannot. It can, however, be noted on the reservation as a request.

GOOD LUCK with Free Dining!!! I am doubting my week will be included, so I'm not stressing about it too much myself. I'll peep the dates and see, though! :cutie:

Thank you! I didn't do tooooo much research into my lower-level "options," so I didn't know about the view thing at values.

As far as CBR, any of the preferred locations would be fine, so I'm cool with the buildings being just a request. I thought I read somewhere that the Martinique buildings were blue, though, and I really like blue. LOL.

And thank you for the well-wishes with free dining. I wish you much luck with the weather on your trip. Just a couple of days!!!
 
In light of the recent rumors, which I know may be "off," I've done some cogitating.

I've decided that IF free dining doesn't actually open until December 15th, I don't want to do a split stay or push my dates that late. I'm definitely willing to move them two or three days, but not a week. I want to be home by the 22nd, for Christmas holidays with my folks.

This means, that if the dates don't line out, I'm going to leave the dates as they are, 12/8-18, and hope for a room-only of at least 30% on the deluxe.

If there is no room-only on our dates, we will drop to a mod or value and just be really freaking happy to be at disney world. :)

Sound like a plan?
 

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