Halloween 2012 Part ONE

Every year, I look around on the internet at the clever and adorable costumes that people make for their kids, and imaging making something amazing for mine... but then all of a sudden, Halloween is upon us and I panic, and buy something, so as to avoid completely blowing it for the littles!  Well not this year, I decided in August.  (Which is also the time I start telling myself we'll have homemade apple pie for Thanksgiving and hand made gifts for the holidays, etc....)

As might be expected, Jack wants to be a robot.  (He also wants a robot birthday party, and a robot to open for his present on his birthday, which he patiently explains on a regular basis).  So, that will be accomplished with a cardboard box and some spraypaint!!!!  Lainey however, wants to be a mermaid princess. 

Me:  What does a mermaid princess look like?
L:  A mermaid princess is a beautiful princess who dances (she then gracefully dances and twirls around to prove her point)
Me:  What does a mermaid princess wear?
L:  A beautiful mermaid princess dress!  (As in, "Duh mom, of course")

Our conversation continues on like this for a few more minutes, until I wise up and give her some paper and markers. 

Me:  Draw it for me?!  (Now we're getting somewhere, I think to myself, as she gets busy drawing)!

Me:  Okay.... let's think about her dress... should I sketch something out to design the dress? 

L:  Okay!

Me:  maybe she'd wear a dress something like this?!

Lainey looks at this for about 10 seconds and bursts into tears!  "You don't know what a mermaid princess looks like!" was the gist of what she said.  At this point, I made the "X" on the sketch you see above... to indicate, we will NOT make a mermaid princess costume like this!  This is INCORRECT!!!  Our costume will look NOTHING like this one!!!

Me:  May I try again?  I think I might be able to make a better mermaid princess drawing... 
L: okay! 

L:  MUCH better!!!  THAT is a mermaid princess dress.

So, here's the final product.  It's a skirt in pale turquoise satin with a sparkle tulle ruffle at the bottom, and a fuschia velour tube top with "shells" embroidered on the top.  The back of the top is shirred, and the skirt has an elasticized waist, so this should fit her for a LONG time to come! 

Now, I just have to figure out how to make a great matching trick or treat bucket with these as my inspiration, and we'll be good to go! 

After so many khaki school uniforms, it was fun to get creative and make my littles a couple of new book bags.  Jack is completely into robots, and loves playing with Alphie.  (Can you believe that Alphie is still around?!  .................Affirmative)!  We seem to be reading "Boy and Bot" by Amy Dyckman every day lately!

So, here's my first attempt at a robot "with pinchers, and a red heart," Jack duly noted.

I used a cool US Map fabric from an amazing fabric warehouse in Maple Grove, Minnesota for the lining.  And used my favorite reversible tote tutorial from Skip to My Lou. 

For Elaine's bag I used a Japanese import (Kokka I think) most likely from Superbuzzy. 

It was a panel print, and on the back of the bag is a playground scene to go with the schoolhouse.  Hopefully she won't mind the brown (read "not pink or purple") and turquoise polkadot fine-whale corduroy used for the lining.  It matched perfectly with the hints of brown and turquoise in the main print. 

Maybe a huge beach bag next?!  We'll see!!!

Like a Rhinestone Cowgirl!

So, I have become completely obsessed.  With making ric-rac edged placemats. 

Yeah, I'm cool that way! 



The first ones had a cowboy theme. 
 

But then I had to do some cowgirl ones too!

Both have coordinating little red/pink bandana hearts appliqued onto the back.  Each one is a "one of a kind" unique patchwork, and all are for sale in my shop on Amazon! 

(Many) more placemats soon!  (I did say I was "obsessed.") 

A sundress made from her own artwork!

A few weeks ago, Lainey came home from school with a picture that she drew (and painted), that she was really proud of.  She showed me the picture, and then spent several minutes explaining the details to me.  It was adorable!  And melted my heart, because she drew a picture of the two of us. 

So, I finally took the plunge and uploaded her artwork to Spoonflower, and had a yard of custom fabric printed.  I tried the kona cotton, just to dip my toes in! 

I LOVE it!  Can't wait to try it again!

Here's the artist in her new dress!

Custom sundresses are now available (with YOUR child's artwork printed on the fabric) in my Etsy shop!  Come take a look! 

What's a fringed hobo bag between friends?!

Started planning well in advance of my friend Liz's birthday this year.  What to get for the girl who loves funky modern yet feminine things, with a vintage twist? 

Who am I kidding, I knew I'd make her something.  Crochet another scarf?  It's a sure hit, and she loves a handmade scarf.  (or 2, or 10).  But another one?  Hmmmm... 

and then it hit me.  I should make her the fringed hobo bag from Amy Butler's Style Stitches book I've been meaning to try for-EVER!  Perfect! 

I would never have guessed how many cut pieces would go into making a bag!  Never!  If I remember right, this thing has about 30 pieces - including the outer fabric, lining, and all of the interfacing.  Whew!!!  Good thing I didn't figure that out until I had already cut the "hobo" shape out of my Melody Miller fabric, or I might have just given up in cutting despair.  But no, I caried on. 

So glad I did!!! 

Want to see it?!!!

And here's the little zippered pouch that coordinates with it...

I love it!   I hope she does too.  Happy Birthday Liz!!!

Finally some new pillows

BAD blogger!!! I just noticed that my last post was a loooooooooonnnnnnnnnnng time ago!!!  Life is busy!   Really busy. 

I've been sewing for a few years now, and just recently (FINALLY) decided to make some new pillows for our house.  Strange, since this is a simple thing to sew, but pillows seem to fall to the bottom of the "to sew" list for me. 

I was completely smitten with Ruby Star Shining line from the amazing Melody Miller, and finally decided that if I was going to cut into my little stash, I would love to see it every day in my living room.  (And then I won't have to go visit it in the cupboard in teh laundry room, where my stash resides). 

So, one fantastic tutorial on how to install a piping and a hidden zipper on UTube later, my new pillows were born.  (Bonus:  the gentleman on the UTube video has a great English accent, and calls his pillow a "cushion" - which makes it so nice for someone who has to watch the 3 part video many, many, many times before finally comprehending it well enough to go forth and sew.  Thank you, Phillip!!!  Well done!  Cheerio!

I LOVE 'em!  (The pillows, I mean)!  And my husband doesn't hate them.  I'm calling that a winwin. 

So, without further ado, please meet my new pillows. 

Oh, I am really more excited than is appropriate!  But a HIDDEN ZIPPER!!!  Wow!  I really really did it!!!  (jumping up and down)!!!