Becoming 'Belle'

A huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders... the Halloween costume is finished!  I am so happy with how it turned out!  It was not the easiest time I've had, seeing as my girl is so skinny I had to do quite a bit of tailoring.  It was my first time using a McCalls pattern and it was a little more complicated than Simplicity patterns.  The only problem was the sleeve.  I couldn't figure it out, so I scrapped it and made my own.  The pattern didn't have the second row of ruffles or the shawl around the top, but I've seen a lot Belle lately (we got the movie) and I thought it made it look more like the 'real' dress.

I made Audrey try it on and be my mannequin while I did the ruffling and pinned the hem.  It was a lot for a three-year-old to do.  But the pay off came when I had been finished for about ten minutes.  She had this gleam in her eye as she studied it (ala Project Runway) and said "It just needs one more thing."  Then she proceeded to pick out necklaces and bracelets to go with it for the next 20 minutes.  It made all the hard work worth it!

Bonus:  I got to use my new serger!  It's really fast and it scares me a little.

Getting Around To Things

With a baby coming before next year (probably) I have a desire to finish up old projects.  Only one of these fits into the that category.  But I am trying to complete my things to do list, since I will probably be otherwise occupied at the begininng of next year. 

Clutter busting.  Cute clips have been accumulating for some time now and I'm trying desperately trying to contain it.  The good news is it's a super easy project and very inexpensive.  All you need is a shape for the top, a picture hanger (the kind with the teeth), a grosgrain ribbon, and a glue gun.  I got the butterfly at Hobby Lobby already painted ($0.67) and the whole thing was done in about five minutes.  Cross another one off my list!

These have been a year in the making.  Well, sort of.  I saw something like this on my friend Ashley's blog last year and I started saving jars right away. (Ashley got it from these two blog entries - here and here.)   Of course I can't just do it like everybody else.  I had to make adjustments.  I am very happy with how they turned out.  Who would have guessed that I would like Modge Podge?  Halloween decor: check.

Gifts For Little Ones

It's been a long time since I've posted any projects.  There is a lot of updating to do.  It's project season around here with Halloween costumes, baby gifts (so many pregnant friends!), fall/Christmas dresses for Audrey, and a few things for myself in the works.  Plus I just got my serger today, so projects are bound to flow!

These are just a few of the gifts I've delivered.

My cousin Amanda had her first baby.  (Yeah!)  Hooded towels just say cozy baby to me, and of course a little elephant.

And it's just so fun to make things for babies.  I think I like them because they usually take less time.

Theses were so fun to make because they were going to such cute kids!  Two large elephants for the older siblings and one little one for the the youngest who turned one this summer.  I did have to figure out a way to send them.  But I'm glad they got them and hope they are still having fun with them.  More to come when I get a break between projects.

A New Little Obsession

I mean it.  They really are little.  The finished project is only 4 inches tall.  It's a Heather Baily pattern.  I made this one for a friend's little girl.  It's just the right size to chew on the little nose and tail.  And it's super girly!

I thought it was too cute not to blow it up.  And the results is an equally cute big sister elephant.  Audrey and her little sister are going to have matching (but not in size) pink elephants.  What's more girly than that?  Watch for more elephants.  I'm thinking of starting a pachyderm farm.

New Ideas

I get distracted easily.  It's always been a problem for me.  I'm not very good at trying new foods, but new mediums and techniques - I'M IN!  So, the recent obsession has been using terry cloth.  Not just yardage you find at the fabric store, but using beach towels and cutting them up.  It's been great fun!  I hope the recipients of these gifts have enjoyed them, but they were all new projects for me to try out.  The first one is adapted from a cute pattern (remember the baby kimono?), but I went out on a limb for the next one.  I have a friend who can make anything without a pattern, and I decided to try my hand at it.  I used one of Audrey's dresses and traced it and made adjustments and tried to make it cute.  I was very pleased with the end result and my first attempt at no pattern.  There are more to come.  I've got to get sewing.

Baby Scarlett

I don't usually go in for a lot of digtal manipulation.  However, when it's necessary for the image, I'm all for it. 

This is really just me playing around with these images.  I had the opportunity to take pictures of a beautiful little girl and these are some of my favorites that came of it.  I can't decide which I like better - pink or purple.

The Easter Dress

The Easter Dress was always a big deal as I remember it. I got to look through the pattern books at the fabric store and pick something for my Mom to make. I'm sure some years I made it harder than others. Since I still have the final say-so, I got to pick the pattern, but I asked for input on the fabric. Of course, having the wonderful taste/expensive taste that her mother has, Audrey picked fabric that was about $12 dollars a yard. I would have steered her in another direction if I didn't have a 50% off coupon burning a hole in my pocket. So, I agreed and we made our purchase. I tried to involve more input on the rest of the details, too, but in the end I just went with what I wanted. I'm sure I won't get to much longer. I purchased the pattern back in October at the Quilt Festival and I've been waiting to use it. The dress is the same with the added details of the flower (removable for washing). I love how it turned out, though I don't do her hair like this when we go out. I realized just how big that flower is and how small her head looks with it, so it gets tucked into a low pony tail now. Happy Easter!