Bumblebee Dress

So happy I got to test this pattern for Sewing Mama RaeAnna.  I have wanted a ruffled dress for my girl like this all summer, and it was a perfect match for what I have planned for her first day of school dress (more on that later).

This was my first time testing a pattern, and it was such a great experience.  There were some minor kinks in the first draft, but the finished product is stellar.  The instructions are clear and very easy to follow. I don't have a serger, and that wasn't any issue at all especially since the bodice is lined and the sleeves are set in.  I've done patterns before where they designer leaves the seams exposed even with lining, so I was pleased to see that RaeAnna's construction has you had all those seams hidden inside the bodice.

Here are my pics of the first draft.  Notice this is a shorty short dress on my Evan, but the final product is a perfect dress length. Personally, I love the retro look of this short dress. Evan will be sporting this with some leggins or knee highs in the fall, believe you me!

Pick up your own copy over at lhttp://sewingmamaraeanna.blogspot.com/2013/08/bumblebee-dress-pattern-available.html

I seriously may retake this tomorrow with boots or knee highs just for the hell of it.  :)

Foxy Copy

Thanks to the wonderful world of Pinterest, I ran across this adorable little fox dress a few months ago and decided Evan needed one for herself.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/wildthingsdresses?ref=top_trail

Using a vintage pattern for a mouse jumper and a few modifications, I came up with this.  It's a little big, but I'm sure it will fit better by the fall when she'll have more opportunity to wear it.

Easy Snow White Dress

I knew my little girl has a thing for Snow White, but I didn't fully realize just how much of a hold Snow White has on Evan until she started potty training last week.  Evan will often tell me "I'm so happy I'm a princes," and sometimes even, "I'm so happy I'm Snow White," so when I was looking for extra potty encouragement, I said to my sweet girl, "Snow White pee-pees in the potty."  Had I only known the power those 6 little words had, I would have used it before, many, many times before. 

Snow White doesn't throw fits.
Snow White eats her veggies.
Snow White sleeps through the night.
Snow White shares her cupcakes.

Ah, the possibilities.

With that one sentence, Evan was potty trained.  Really, like in a few days.  Don't hate me for bragging.  So to reward her hard work, I had to make her her own Snow White dress to wear whenever she wanted.

This dress is super simple and easy.  I used Simplicity pattern 5695, view E. 

 I had to adjust my sleeves, but I mostly followed the puff sleeved tutorial from here: http://www.craftinessisnotoptional.com/2010/11/snow-white-sleeves-tutorial.html
These sleeves are shaped slightly different and call for elastic at the top and bottom, so I just made the pleats as shown in the above tutorial and then sewed on a small fabric tube at the top and bottom of the sleeves for the elastic casing.   And there you have Snow White!

Happy Halloween! A little late :(

When one child asks to be a washing machine for Halloween and the other wants to be an owl, you don't have much choice but to make the costumes.  Here's what I came up with. 

He is smiling on the inside, trust me.

Christmas Crafting

Yep, I'm posting something again.  Woo-hoo! Let's not get carried away now!


Here's a round up of some stuff I've done so far for Christmas.  This is mostly for me b/c I want to make myself a cute little visual board on pinterest of all my projects, but feel free to ask about anything if you want to make your own.

 Pillow covers using felt ornaments from the Dollar Tree + Painter's drop cloth = Christmas WIN!  I love these.

 Cute little ornaments with the kids' Christmas wish lists.  They did the dictating, I did the writing.  Copied from here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58594736@N04/5373583623/

 A felt wrapped wreath. Pinterest inspired from here: http://urbancomfort.typepad.com/urban_nest/2010/11/the-ones-that-got-away-felt-holly.html
Her's looks better, but whatevs.

My advent calender.  You can find these all over the internet, and mine was inspired by at least half a dozen.

A Summer Dress: Matryoshka Style

It may only be Febuary, but it's never to early to start thinking Summer in Texas.  I made Evie this dress over the weekend after eyeing this tutorial, Apron Top, for a while now.  I wanted a dress for my girl and an open back, so I made some adjustments to the original design to suite my needs.  I'm really happy with how it turned out.  So incredibly cute and nice for those hot summer days ahead, and this fabric is probably my most favorite ever.

I know my photography skills are just amazing, right?  Please forgive the poor lighting. I can only get her to sit still for a picture if I bribe her with "Word World," thus the blank stare on her face.

Aaaand, I'm back.

After a long, long hiatus, I'm back to post some new things the kids and I have been working on.

First off: Valentine's Day gifts.

For V day, I made my sweetness this quick and easy heart lovie.  I loved the lace around the heart. Reminds me so much of old-fashioned valentines.

 

And my big boy got this felt play mat.  I made my mat using this great tutorial: Our Journey: Travel Felt Play Mat and then decided to make my own style of play characters. 

 Ian says his best friend is the alien from Toy Story.  He's even named "Friend," so I had to have those characters.  I searched for farm and Toy Story imagines online and then printed them on to Print 'n Press Transfer Sheets, ironed them on to white felt, and there you have it.

 

As it turns out, Evan is obsessed with the farm animals, and Ian has been sleeping with her new lovey.