Make it Work challenge and AJ's new do!

I have another reason to sew this weekend (as if anyone really NEEDS a reason to sew) and its the Sew a Straight Line blog's Make It Work challenge.  For some reason these types of flickr pool contests light a fire under me and help me crank out my sewing projects.  Go figure.  The first one I completed was a thrifted granny shirt that I picked up for 25 cents.  Now no offense to any one that might consider themselves in the "granny" category but the way I know this shirt is "granny" is because as I was checking out at the thrift store the cashier (who was most definitely a great grandmother) held up the shirt and said, "that's a really pretty shirt." 

It needed some de-frumping.  I took off the buttons, took off the white embroidered modesty panel and resized the whole thing. 

Scallops on garments is a trend I've just noticed.  I love the scallops on this Meghan Nielson skirt.   This will most likely be my next sewing project. 

The next top I finished I pieced together from three different patterns.  Here's the patterns:

I used the pockets from the Cynthia Rowley pattern, the main body from the vintage pattern, and the wide straps from the Butterick pattern. I also cut off the main body of the vintage pattern to make it into a top rather than a dress.  I have never "remixed" patterns before and am really glad I tried this.  I now know how to put inset pockets in the side of a garment.  Turns out its not hard at all!!

This is the end result and I'm pretty happy with it.  I probably would've taken it up on the sides had I not already sewn the pockets in.  Live and learn.  The white fabric is just white muslin and the triangle in the middle is from some fabric my Mom gave to me.  Recognize it Mom?  I am glad that I gave this challenge a whirl since it now helps me look at the individual pieces of my patterns differently.

I can't blog without mentioning the little sweet pea.  She has become attached to a new hair do and I think it is the cutest thing.

She recently watched the movie The Rescuers (a childhood favorite of mine) and the main character wears two ponytails.  AJ wanted her hair to be like "Penny's." 

Pointing and saying "I want the mickey mouse magnet."  AJ and I were making cookies for a friend that was coming over to visit and she loved helping.  The shirt she is wearing is another peasant top that I've made for her summer wardrobe.  It has these cute chickens with scarves on it. 

And here's one final photo of me during my "photo shoot" with Micah.  Whenever he takes my pictures for the blog he always does some kind of paparazzi shenanigans.  This time he was singing the song Paparazzi while clicking the camera at lightening speed.  It never fails to get to me.

Well that wraps us up for this Saturday!  Talk to you soon!

Summer Outfits for AJ, a new skirt for the Momma, and Mother's Day photos

I am adding my pictures to the elsie marley  kids clothing week challenge flickr pool and have had fun adding a couple more outfits to AJ's summer wardrobe.   This first ensemble has the peasant blouse that I mentioned on a previous post and this time I added some white lace down the middle of the blouse, left off the ties, and added elastic to the arms.  The shorts are from this post of a tutorial on knot shorts.  Its always a new challenge for me to make my own pattern and I like it.

This in the second outfit and it is the same peasant blouse and shorts.  The shorts are made out of a pale green linen (from a thrifted dress) and the top is from a thrifted vintage sheet.

Here's the top in more detail.  I just love the florals on vintage sheets.

And here is the peasant top in more detail.  I wanted the lace to lay down flat and be a little neutral since I sometimes end up layering AJ's white shirts under her dresses.  I think this might be the completion of her wardrobe.  Although I do have one more outfit to post for her later. 

Now on to my skirt.  It is from Simplicity 2451 and I really like the way it turned out. 

If you keep up with this blog you know I like to thrift a lot of fabric and this blue was another thrift find.  I almost passed it up but am glad I went ahead and brought it home. 

This skirt was recommended on Pattern Review and was a favorite pattern and was said to be flattering to most body types...always a bonus!  The only alteration I made was to let it out a quarter inch on both sides just so that it wasn't too tight.  I wore it this past weekend and really liked the length and the pockets. 

And finally for the actual Mother's Day photos.  I thought I would first post a sweet one...

And next post a realistic one...

GOOD GRIEF this child gets harder and harder to wrestle into submission!!! Ha!  If you can notice the dress that I am wearing is from this post.  Its the Burda pattern that I just loved.  The fit was just right for me.  I still plan on making more.  Well take care and happy sewing!

Mother's Day posting, just a little late!

I wanted to post for Mother's Day but am just getting around to it, hmmm guess that's part of being a mother, less time for things like blog posts!  Anyway, I wanted to post this picture of me and AJ taken on Easter Sunday.

Being a Mom is such a multi-faceted experience and would be diminished by my thinking that I could summarize everything about it in a small blog posting but I will say a few things....

#1) Its THE hardest job I've ever had- I don't think anyone can describe for you how physical it is and how physically taxing it can be what with the lack of sleep in the beginning when they are babies and the constant motion as they grow into toddlers, not to mention the terrible twos...don't get me started!

 #2) I never knew I could feel so incredibly vulnerable- as my Mom says, "its your little heart running around in the world." 

 #3) I live more in the moment now than I think I ever did before I was a Mom- I guess a child is an inadvertent way to become more Zen or more like a Contemplative! 

#4) I never knew just how much overwhelming joy I was missing from my life before I had AJ-  I've really noticed this lately when looking through photo albums before Miss AJ and after Miss AJ.  I really loved my life before her but I just have SO MUCH joy now. 

#5) It gives me a deeper level of gratuity for my parents- after all somehow they had four of these energetic things and they did such a great job of loving us all.

#6)  Family times together are even more important and more wonderful- We love having our family visit but now we LOVE seeing our parents with our little girl.  There's just something about seeing your child with your parents, it feels like a gift you give back to them for all the hard work they did on you!

These are just a few of my reflections on Motherhood and they are just a snapshot of all that I've learned these past two and a half years.  Its a wonderful ride and I'd never, ever change it for the world!

What you can get at the thrift store and ramblings...

This weekend I found some time to run to one of my favorite thrift stores for their half off end-of-the-month sale.  I always scout out the whole store and especially like to check out their fabric.  I found a bolt of fabric with a few yards of what looks like old-time scenic Missouri.

It reminds me of the fabric that I posted about this winter here.  I love the scenes but am wondering what I should make out of it in order to preserve the large scenes?  Any suggestions?  Its also vintage so I wouldn't want to make anything that would be subject to multiple washings.  I think it was decorator fabric because it feels thick.  Here's the bolt end.

At some time this fabric was 1.99 a yard.  Seems like a stark contrast to the prices of decorator fabrics now huh? 

I also thrifted some taffeta for a Christmas dress for AJ.  I looked at buying some this past Christmas but just couldn't bring myself to fork over the money.  I found two yards of this taffeta for 1.00.

Its exactly the pattern and color that I had in mind last Christmas.  I think it just goes to prove that the karma of finding something you want will eventually catch up with you at a thrift store.

I also popped in to a local church rummage sale.  I literally whizzed in and practically whizzed out which is not like my usual lolly-gagging that I like to do at those kinds of sales.  I picked up this kids craft book and was super excited as I flipped through it.  The binding is really fragile but I LOVE the activities inside. 

Its by McCalls and dated 1953.  Here are a few of the activities.

I like that the pictures/activities often include both boys and girls.

These instructions are really clear and who could resist this little Dutch girl hat? 

Now I'm going to get a little reflective, you've been warned!!!!  I feel so fortunate to have the choice to shop at thrift stores and rummage sales.  On Sunday I needed an hour escape in the afternoon and went to a thrift store that features 20 cent clothing items on Sundays.  I haven't been in a while and since I can only go later on Sunday afternoons its not always worth it (all the items are very picked over by then.)  I rummaged around a bit and then decided I'd rather spend my time at Hancock's fabrics.  As I was leaving I noticed a Mom and daughter that looked as if they had no choice about where they shopped.  I went on to Hancock's for about thirty minutes and as I was driving home I saw the same Mom and daughter walking home on the street with their bags of clothing.  My heart went out to them and I considered just how incredibly lucky I am to have a choice about where I shop.  When I go to a thrift store it is for fun and it helps me support a value that I am trying to live out of trying to conserve the earth's resources but it is not out of necessity.  Yes it does help our budget greatly but again I still have choices. 

I am reflecting on this experience because I hope to use it as a reminder of how much Micah and I have and how we can be generous and live in a spaciousness that gives us open hands ready to give.  With the economy as it is, it's too easy to live with hands closed tightly around all your possessions.  I hope that I can live with more freedom than that. 

Spring tops, Easter weekend and the #1 reason why to beware of vintage toys!

I am entering tops in the Spring Top Week at Made by Rae.  I entered tops last year and found it to be a great motivator for me to make clothes solely for myself.  The first top is from New Look 6669.  I really like the fit and only had to make very minor adjustments. 

The fabric was from Hancocks and purchased last spring.  I had some problems with the exposure of the picture, I just couldn't get the fabric to come out the way is really looks.  Does that make sense?  Anyway I love the fit and will love wearing it.  It has a zipper set in the side and is hidden, it made my brain hurt to figure the directions out the first time but after that it was a snap!

The second top is from Simplicity 2599 which I have made a few times before.  This time I made it in a beautiful yellow silk fabric found at a thrift store.  I felt so lucky the day I found about three yards of soft silk.  I've never had the nerve to buy it at the fabric store and then cut it up to sew.  I made this top with french seams so that the construction would be a little more durable.  French seams were a first too.  I'm really pleased with the results!  It will be a great church shirt.

This is top number 3 and also made from the New Look pattern.  The fabric is some swiss dot that I bought at Joann's last spring.  I love the lightness of this top and again the fit is perfect with the very minor adjustment of letting out the darts a little in the back.  Entering these tops in a contest really seems to be the push I need to get them done.  I know I'll love wearing them this summer.

Now to Easter weekend, a.k.a. the real reason why the Grandmothers read my blog!!!  AJ's dress turned out perfect in my opinion, I just LOVED the way it looked on her, love, love, love.

Look at those stockings and white shoes...again, I love it! 

AJ and Micah.  The hem is folded up in the back but you can see the seafoam bow on the front of the dress.

So sweet sitting on the grass.  Micah also did an Easter egg hunt with her in the back yard.

Yes that would be the compost bin in the background....pretend its a beautiful azalea bush.

And finally the number one reason why to beware of vintage toys!!!  I saw Strawberry Shortcake and her sister Apple Dumpling at an antique store and thought they would be perfect for AJ's Easter basket.  I love Strawberry Shortcake as a kid and thought AJ would too.  Needless to say we had a minor??? catastrophe on Easter morning.  After Micah took Strawberry out of her box he noticed her hair looked funny.  He pulled her hat off and out came a chunk of hair I took it and pulled (gently mind you), at her hair and it all came out except a mohawk down the middle.  I was horrified and told AJ that Strawberry only has a little hair.  She began to brush the mohawk and it came out too!! I felt terrible so I promised to take her to get a new doll.  She began to ask for her other doll and insist that I put the hat on Strawberry.  Poor girl, but actually I was way more horrified than she.  I just couldn't let her take the doll to church since I thought it looked so pitiful.  She was not happy with me, she really wanted to take it.  She did however take Apple Dumpling, her hair (thankfully) survived her being vintage. 

Poor Strawberry Shortcake!  I count it a lesson learned, never buy a vintage toy with hair!!! We made a trip to Toys R Us this week to buy a new Strawberry Shortcake with hair that did not instantly fall out.

When craft creations go wonderfully right and terribly wrong!

I finished two Easter creations this past week.  The first went wonderfully right.  I chose McCalls 6269 for AJ's Easter dress.  I loved the bow in front and the overall frilly, poofyness of it. 

The floral fabric is from Joann's fabrics and I've had it for about a year.  The seafoam fabric was thrifted and I still have a ton of it.  It is eyelet.  I like making AJ dresses for Easter and I use it as an excuse to outfit her in new shoes, stocking etc.  The little bow at the top of the hanger is for her hair and it's from some ribbon my Mom brought to me on her recent visit.  Thanks Mom/Nana!



Now its time to show you the craft creation that went terribly wrong.  I had good intentions of making AJ some cute crochet Easter critters for her Easter basket but after this dissapointing result, I just put down my crochet hook.....drum roll please....I now would like to introduce the creature I like to call "Little Ugly." 

Little Ugly was supposed to be this egg cozy.  Ha, ha, ha!!  Thats me laughing but its also Little Ugly laughing at me for trying to make it cuter than the instructions from Lion brand.  It started out as an egg cozy but I thought, "we don't eat eggs why in the world would we want a cozy?"  So I closed up the bottom and stuffed it.  Then I sewed the suggested eyes on from the pattern (seed beads) but Little Ugly just looked like he/she was squinting.  So back to safety eyes.  Next the ears.  I think I put too much stuffing in them because they look like big pinky fingers protruding from its head.  I gave it to AJ to test it out and she said "it looks strange."  She prefers to call Little Ugly "strange rabbit."  Oh well, I guess you win some and lose some.  Anyone up for a giveaway, huh?  One Little Ugly looking for a good and accepting home. 

Spring activities!!! At last!

Spring finally feels like it is really here!  Meaning the warm/pleasant/sunny days seem to be outnumbering the cold/overcast/gray days!  Hooray!!  It just couldn't come fast enough.  We have been anticipating our days spent outside with clotheslines, wagon, garden tools, flower pots and seed packets and it is finally here. 

I love the smell of clothes after they've been out in the sunshine.  Hanging out laundry is so peaceful and comforting.

The tulips have been beautiful this year and always a beautiful welcome for the beginning of spring.

Me and Micah soaking up the sunshine!

AJ playing tug of war with Buster.  She kept insisting "No! Its MY stick!"  Poor Buster he just didn't understand.

This is the basic play outfit that I made for AJ this summer.  The pants are from a McCalls pattern and the top I fashioned from a tutorial on Indietutes.  I used this peasant top last year and made it with a few changes this year.  I made the hem longer (more like a tunic) and omitted the elastic in the arms and added ties to the back.  I love simple lines like this in a pattern and love making AJ clothes out of bright cotton prints.  I just finished her Easter dress this past weekend and hope to have it up on the blog soon!  Its so gratifying to sew clothes for a wee one.  They are small which makes the project easy to work with and they use small amounts of fabric too.   Well happy spring and Easter to you!