Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Another Birthday, Another Mathom Giveaway

After all my wibbling about throwing a birthday party, I'm sorry to say this is another birthday post, but I hope you'll excuse me as today is my actual birthday! This year's birthday proceedings feel very different from last year's -- instead of swanning about the house in a dress that will never make it out into public, I'm planning a Tolkien-themed birthday party for this coming Saturday night -- who would ever have thought? It's funny, when you're in high school you think that all the important psychological growth should be over by the time you're in your late twenties, but given how much my state of mind has changed (in positive ways!) since a year ago...well, it just goes to show, what do teenagers really know?

While I was in San Francisco for work last week, I dropped by the San Leandro Thrift Town, which has never disappointed me when it comes to sheets. I came away with this amazing, like new, seashell print, king-sized, 100% cotton duvet cover. It reminds me of those scientific drawings that hipsters frame, regardless of whether they feel any connection to the sciences or seashells. Well, I'll see your hipster print and raise you a whole hipster dress. I'm thinking that with this amount of fabric, I might actually attempt a bustle dress. Because, you know, all those Victorian dinosaur hunters and their scientific drawings. Or something. Look, I never said my thought process made any sense. I suppose I could use this duvet cover for its actual purpose and cover our king-size duvet (do you have any idea how difficult it is to find such a large, high-quality duvet cover for cheap?), but that would be too sensible. 


Even better though (at least where you all are concerned), I came across this Care Bears flat twin sheet! Children of the eighties, where you at?? Much as I think this would make an awesome sheet dress, I have to be honest...although I loved watching the Care Bears when I was growing up, this sheet is a little too pastel and sweet for my taste, so I'm giving it away to one lucky reader (who will hopefully make it into an awesome dress)! Just so you know, a twin flat sheet measures 66″x96″, so that would give you about two and two-thirds yards of 66″ wide fabric. This is plenty of material for my usual sheet dresses with a fitted bodice and full gathered skirt. Alternately, you could save it for actually sleeping with.

"Snuggle up with sweet dreams!" This is 1/4 of the sheet, to give you an idea of the scale.  Although there's no tag, I'm guessing the fiber content is probably 50% polyester, 50% cotton, like most of my thrifted sheets from this era. 

Here are the rules for entering the giveaway:
  1. Leave a comment, telling me who your favorite Care Bear is/was. Mine was Cheer Bear, because my secret girly-girl loved that she was pink and her tummy badge was a rainbow! Yuck, sometimes I gross myself out.  Alternately, tell me what your dream bed sheet find would be. I would just about die if I found Sailor Moon, Batman Beyond, or Rainbow Brite sheets. 
  2. This giveaway is open to all geographic locations. 
  3. Same as previous giveaways: it goes without saying, but you really should be a follower of my blog. I'll assume that you're a follower if you leave a comment. 
  4. Also goes without saying, but I hope you really intend to use your winning! Please don't win just so you can turn around and sell the sheet, shred it for hamster bedding, or use it to decoupage a Regretsy-esque wooden plaque. Also, I know some people have businesses making dresses to sell from vintage sheets; while I think that is a perfectly legitimate and totally awesome way to make a living, I would really like this sheet to be acquired for personal use.
  5. I'll close the giveaway at the end of the week, on Sunday, December 9, 2012, at 11:59 PM PST, and announce the winner on Monday morning. Again, thanks for reading Cation Designs and leaving all of your awesome comments that encourage me! 

Also, you know last year's dress? I managed to finally finish off the neckline with gold bias tape, find a full-length cream-colored slip, and thrift a gold chain belt! All that I really need to do to make it complete (at least in my mind) is get some white chiffon to redo the sleeves. I'm thinking something more like the bell-shaped, long, flowy sleeves that elves have, impractical as that may be. 

40 comments:

  1. I LOVE your idea for a Victorian dress made from the shell sheet! Your thought process makes total sense to me. =) What a cool find!

    Care Bears was something I watched mainly because my younger sister was hugely into it (I preferred more boy type cartoons like He-Man, Transformers, and ThunderCats). I don't think I really had a favorite (they were all cute) but my sister's was Friend (or was it Friendship?) Bear with the two smiling daisies on his tummy.

    You don't need to enter me into the drawing (I have way too many projects I need to do already!) but both your sheets are really great finds!

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  2. Happy birthday! That seashell fabric is amazing, I can't wait to see the finished product! I don't need to be entered into the drawing, since I neither sew nor have a twin-sized bed, but I just wanted to mention that somehow, I managed to miss the Care Bear thing entirely. The only thing I know about them is the theme song. Perhaps this is related to not having moved to the US 'till the 90s.

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  3. both those sheets are great finds! I would love to be entered in the giveaway. My favorite care bear was good luck bear because I once found a toy figurine of him on the ground and thought it was the luckiest day ever!

    Thanks for this blog, it gives me so much sewing inspiration. Right now I'm sewing a victorian era ballgown for my wedding dress.

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  4. Yes, yes, YES to the Victorian bustle dress idea! Great idea! Sorry, but meh on the Care Bears. I'm too old and they're...too...meh.

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  5. Happy birthday! I was a child of the 80s and loved the Care Bears. My favorite was probably Friend Bear. I don't think I would want to wear a Care Bear dress but my 5- and 7-yr old daughters would love to have a Care Bear dress or skirt. Thanks!

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  6. When is your actual birthday? Mine's this coming Thursday, woo hoo! And to celebrate my boyfriend is taking me (read that as I am dragging him) to see the Harry Potter studios near London on Friday! Can't wait, but need to finish making my dress for the big day... I used to really like the Care Bears, except that I now can't remember their names (bad fan!). I had a birthday cake of the yellow one when I was 9 and my sister was 6 for our joint party (we're 12 days apart). What was the yellow one called again? Anyway, happy birthday!

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    1. Ps I forgot to put that I don't want to be put in the draw for the sheets only because I know I won't make then into something wearable so I'd rather someone who was going to give them a loving home won them.

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    2. Oh and I meant to write husband not boyfriend!! We've only been married 6 months and I keep forgetting!

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  7. As someone living with a $12 thrift store duvet cover that was originally going to be a dress, I would say seriously consider using it...I mean, I have tried to replace the thing occasionally, but I don't like spending $100 for a new duvet cover.

    I confess to LOVING Care Bears as a child....I didn't have a favourite Bear but I did love the Care Bear Cousin Bright Heart Raccoon. As far as dream sheets, man, I have found some great ones...on 2 seperate occasions I found Cabbage Patch Kids, Harry Potter and a full set of Batman Returns. I however long to find the Beauty and the Beast sheets I had on my bed from age like 7 to age 14....my mom gave them away and I dream of making a corset out of the material.

    Happy B'day!!!!!

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  8. Care Bear, Stare!!! I loved the Care Bears when I was (not all that) little! My favorite was Grumpy Bear. I always wanted to hug him.
    I would totally make a swirly dress out of that sheet, both for me and for my 4 year old daughter.
    Your Tolkien party sounds so fun. I hope you have an absolute blast. Happy Birthday!!!

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  9. OMG CARE BEARS!!! I personally loved the Care Bear Cousins. Can I get a shout out for my Brave Heart Lion?!?! CHARGE.

    My ultimate sheet find would TOTALLY be Star Wars. I would cry my face off with joy, though if Labyrinth sheets existed, I would probably lose my mind.

    Your Victorian dress is going to be so epic and fabulous that I bounced up and down when I read your plans for the duvet cover. BRILLIANT.

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  10. I would like to come out of lurkdom simply to say Happy Birthday! I will pass on the giveaway next time, but I do like the goodies! :)

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  11. Mine was TENDERHEART BEAR,. I still have mine at my parents home.

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  12. Happy Birthday! I had two favorites:Tenderheart and Grammy (actually named Grams, but we called her Grammy after our Grammy).

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  13. Happy Birthday, have a super party on Saturday. I was never a huge Care Bear fan so the fabric wouldn't be best appreciated by me but I can see it would make a fab dress for somebody. The shell fabric would make a brilliant bustle dress, I can just picture it :)

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  14. Omg that is an amazing find! I once got the top sheet to a set that was a beautiful yellow rose pattern and I made both me and my daughter dresses from it. And just last week I spotted the bottom sheet at a different thrift store!
    I would adore the Care Bear sheets, I think I would make a top for myself and a dress for my daughter. I think my favorite is the Elephant Care Bear Cousin .

    Oh my favorite sheets? Anything Disney.

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  15. Happy Birthday! I never actually watched the Care Bears, so I am not really entering the giveaway, but Happy Birthday! Thank you for continuing to write such a nice blog :)

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  16. Happy birthday honey!!!!!
    Hope it is extra-special this year and I'm sure Mr Cation will be spoiling you.
    xo

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  17. Happy birthday!!! I hope your Tolkien party is amazing, and I'm sure it will be. I would love, LOVE, to wear a Care Bear dress and am crossing all my fingers and toes that I win it. I promise I will make it and wear it with pride. Now, dream sheets for me? Anything 80s and reminiscent of my childhood is top ranked - Care Bears, Rainbow Brite, My Little Pony are all star contenders. Starwars, Princess Bride, Labyrinth, and Dark Crystal would be throughly and enthusiastically squealed over. But I think if I found Jem and the Holograms anything, I'd go right out and buy a lottery ticket because obviously my luck is All That.

    Also, speaking of giveaways, I'm giving away a bunch of patterns of Dubious Desireability. It's possible you've already checked them out and decided to avoid them by sneaking away quietly (which is completely understandable), but if not, feel free to put your name in the hat!

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  18. That Care Bears sheet is amazing! I would love t win it, and I know for sure I would make a skirt out of it... kind of a full skirt, but not too much fabric so that the pattern doesn't get distorted or hidden! My favorite Care Bear was Braveheart Lion... although I guess he wasn't a bear if he was a lion... the details are pretty fuzzy 20-something years later! Love your blog... thanks for the entertainment!!

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  19. I was a huge Care Bear fan as a kid (Popples too- anyone remember those weird things?)! I think I had a stuffed Goodnight bear, but Good Luck was my gave. Would love to make a Care Bears skirt! And I think my dream find would be Strawberry Shortcake or My Little Ponies.

    Happy birthday! Can't wait to see your bustle dress!

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  20. Sunshine Bear was my favourite - such a happy yellow. I had a miniture figurine of him.

    "Care Bears, Care!!"

    Oh man, the Care Bears rocked.

    So did Rainbow Brite, which would be right up there on my awesome-sheets list.

    Also, happy birthday! :-)

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  21. Happy Birthday! Yay for the seashell bustle dress!

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  22. WOW!!!! Great finds!!!!
    My favorite Care Bears were Friendship Bear, Good Luck bear and Cheer Bear!
    My youngest daughter would go CRAZY over a super girly dress made from that sheet!
    I am always on the lookout for Snoopy!!! ;)

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  23. Happy Birthday! My daughters both LOVED Tenderheart Bear. In fact, my one daughter came home from the mall in middle school with both a Care Bears poster AND a Jimi Hendrix poster! The joys of middle school?

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  24. My favorite is cheer bear also. i just love carebears!
    Happy Birthday! hope you sew have a nice one!!

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  25. I hope you had a lovely birthday! You're in good company because 4th Dec is my Daddy's birthday too. Have a brilliant time at your party, and I shall look forward to reading about it. I love the shells sheet, and what a great idea for the bustle dress. Please don't enter me in your giveaway, because I know I wouldn't use it. I just wanted to say happy birthday! :)

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  26. I had to comment - not on the duvet cover - but on the whole idea of hipsters framing scientific illustrations: in my last Sew Weekly post (which somehow disappeared without a trace....hmmmm, mystery that), in the background of all my photos is my collection of scientific illustrations of moss and liverworts. I thought, "That's going to look hipster and contrived".

    BUT! I studied scientific illustration way back in the '90s, and those prints were framed and gifted to me by an illustrator I know in Vancouver. I always visit her when I'm out there and she has shown me some of her pen and ink techniques. I also have some of my work framed, but I won't put them up next to hers because they are LIGHT years away from each other in terms of quality. Maybe I'll post some of mine on my blog someday :)

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  27. Happy happy birthday!! Don't enter me in the contest though, I must say I would not be worthy of the Care Bear sheet since I honestly don't remember any Care Bear names... They're all just blended together into one big Generic-Good-Feelings Bear. But I just wanted to wish you a wonderful birthday and say I'm so glad that you were born and that I know you! Have a great party Saturday!

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  28. Ooh, you have the same birthday as my father! Happy happy to you!

    I'll throw in for that adorable sheet, although I admit it would probably get slept on, not dressified, around here. :) and I hope the party is a smash!!!

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  29. Also, Victorian science writing is the best. If I get a chance I'll send you some of my favorites. :) love that sheet too. :)

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  30. Happy belated birthday! I'd love to celebrate it with you by making a Care Bear dress. My favorite coincidentally was Birthday Bear. My friend gave me a tiny Birthday Bear for my birthday one year... When I was in college! It's been my favorite ever since. Also, what's going on that your job is taking you to San Fran? Did I miss something?

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  31. I loved almost all of the Care Bears, but if pressed, I would say that Bedtime Bear was my first favorite (I loved his song on the original cassette tape before the cartoons) followed by Tenderheart Bear.

    I dream of finding a very mint, and still bright My Little Pony sheet from the mid 80's. I found one once, super faded, and wish to acquire its like in its original brilliance. I would probably sew a princess ballgown style dress out if it for my niece, or else a jumper for myself. :)

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  32. Happy Birthday! Congrats on such great sheet finds! I love the Care Bear sheet, and I don't know the Care Bear names, but I like the one with the cupcake on it's belly. So so adorable! I would probably make it into a handbag or pillow.

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  33. Oh my goodness!!!! I HAD THOSE SHEETS!!! I had those Care Bear sheets and the matching bed spread on my twin bed growing up. It would be absolutely AMAZING to have them again! What memories this brings back...

    My favorite was Wish Bear because I also had that stuffed animal.

    If I won, I think I would make jammie pants out of the sheets. Hopefully there would be enough to make a second pair of jammie pants for my sister too.

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  34. Happy Birthday!
    My favorite bear is and will always be Cheer Bear! I have about 7 stuffed animals of her :)

    I am a starter-self pattern-er so I would want to make a cute summer dress out of the sheets :)

    I think my dream sheet would be hello kitty and cupcakes all over! I am an extreme fanatic!

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  35. Oh, Grumpy Bear :) I'm picturing a nice girly dress out of that sheet!
    Wish you a very Happy Birthday!

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  36. Oh My Gosh, I think I'd shriek out of sheer joy if I ever found "the land before time" sheets. I have a thing for dinosaurs (as you can tell by looking at the name of my blog) and I just LOVED those movies as a kid! I WANT A DINOSAUR DRESS. but I'd settle for a care bear dress, because you just can't have everthing)
    (WHO AM I KIDDING I LOVE CARE BEARS)

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  37. Happy birthday!! I can see that Care Bears sheet making an awesome sweet Lolita dress. My dream bed sheet find would be anything Star Wars (original trilogy), Star Trek, Labyrinth, Dark Crystal, or the Muppets.

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