I got a wonderful package of two tops from Rebecca in MI. This is what she sent...

"I was wandering around Goodwill and there they were! I couldn't think of what to do with them, but I knew someone who would! Good luck! I can't wait to see what you do with them! I hope you enjoy these...ummm...special pieces :)"

She sent two fantastic tops to work on, but this purple one is what will be tackled today. The other one...gold lamé...will have a spot during the holidays!!

My first step was to take the shirt in a bit. I love the neckline and wanted to keep most of the sleeve length, so my first step was to make the blouse more fitted.

After pinning, I began to sew my new seams!

I trimmed the sleeves next - I wanted them to hit around my elbows.

Post trim, I pinned down the sleeves and gave the edges a new seam.

Once my shirt was all sewn...

...I got to the decorating stages. I took some buttons that I bought in a mixed bag downtown in the fabric district ($1 for a Ziploc full) and began to place.

I love this dress from Tibi...

...and wanted to bring my favorite part of it - the buttons - to the purple top. I placed them in a long line down the front and began to hand stitch them in place.

FYI, If you don't feel like hand stitching, g'ahead and attach with some safety pins. (Just like this...)

I liked the purple/gold mix and it felt it was less nautical feeling, even though I love me some nautical. (I've got a nautical piece coming up next week...get ready)

It's my brother's birthday, so to celebrate I took some Crumbs cupcakes and decorated them, birthday style...

...an homage to the Parks and Recreation episode that I became obsessed with a few weeks ago. My brother and I are devout fans, so this treat was a necessary present.

D wore my BK Halloween crown to hold his treats. I put on my new top and headed out for celebratory sushi!! It hasn't hit crazy cold temps, so I didn't need to wear anything underneath but pairing a black long-sleeved tee would be a great option for chillier weather.