Still no sewing...

... but look what I did make!

Isn't she gorgeous?

Norah Elizabeth joined our family on August 12th at 11:46 AM. She weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces and was 20 inches long. She's just over three weeks old now, and an absolute joy. Can't imagine life without her now that she's here! <3

A Belly

I haven't been doing any sewing, whatsoever. *sigh*

I do have plans, though! Baby bedding is up first on the list. After that, I have a growing list of post-belly items.

This is the reason I've had no energy to do anything:

I'm 36 weeks now, incredibly uncomfortable, and chasing at 3 and 5-year-old at the same time. Some day I promise I'll have something creative to show you. Right now, I need a nap. :)

New Look 6922 and a Wadder

This is one of those posts that should've been written... oh, say, a year ago? Oops.

I've made the top from New Look 6922 twice, now. It's quickly becoming a TNT for a 3/4 sleeve knit top. I have one in green and one in white, both of which I wear endlessly in the spring and fall. They are perfect on their own or for layering. (I haven't blogged about either top, but  I am wearing it under this jacket)

 Last year, when I went away to my Scrap & Sew girls' weekend away, I made the short-sleeved dress option.

The dress itself is very simple. It's only two pattern pieces with a neckband. The front neckline is slightly gathered, but otherwise there's really nothing to it.  This one is made in a floral print matte jersey, which is so soft and silky feeling that I love wearing it. It is a synthetic, so it's breathability is not ideal for very humid days. But since I was wearing it indoors, primarily to work or church, it was never an issue.

I have only two very minor issues with the dress. One is the faded fold line right down the front of the skirt. Everyone to whom I've pointed this out says it's not noticeable, so I guess I'll take that at face value and not worry too much about it. The other slight issue is the just-wonky-enough placement of the flowers on the chest. They aren't straight-up 'boob flowers' but since they're off kilter, I feel like that might be worse. It doesn't stop me from wearing it, at any rate. 

The same weekend, I made a Vogue 8593 in a heather grey wool jersey, just like on the pattern envelope. 

Man, I loved that look. Sadly, it was a horrendous mess that didn't fit anywhere. Too tight in the hips, too big on top due to the strange way those pleats lay, facings all bunched up and pulling in weird ways... it was just a complete wadder. Sad, but true. 

So, yeah. I have another New Look top planned in navy and probably another one of those super comfy dresses for after baby girl arrives this summer. I'll need a few loose-fitting but stylish dresses to wear while I'm 'recovering my shape', so to speak. Hopefully, it won't take me a whole year to post them, if I do. :)

In case you were curious...

We had our ultrasound this morning, and lo and behold, we're going to have our THIRD baby girl! Everything looked wonderful and all was normal. She was doing so much 'gymnastics' that the tech could barely keep the right parts on the screen. :) Very healthy, very active little girl. Now I just can't wait to meet her! <3


Thanks for all the well wishes! 

Scrap & Sew Weekend

First of all, THIS amazing house in Deep Creek, Maryland is where I spent the weekend with a fantastic bunch of ladies for our annual Scrap &Sew Weekend. 

Amazing, right? This is the second year we've rented the same house, which comfortably sleeps 12 (although there were only 9 of us this year) simply because it's gorgeous. And there's plenty of comfy couch room and table space to spread out.

It's a weekend away for us ladies to do whatever crafty thing we want. Some of us scrapbook, some quilt, some cross-stitch, some read, some sew, and some just sit around and enjoy the view, the hot tub and the conversation. 

Since I'm rather limited in what I can sew for myself, currently (although I'm working on a few things to remedy that!) I chose to spend my weekend sewing for my girls. And since Easter is quickly approaching, I seized the opportunity. I had this Simplicity pattern - 7113 - in my stash, thanks to a good friend's generosity. When I showed it to Lilly, she immediately gravitated to the pink and white polka dot line drawing. "I want that one!" she told me. I asked her what colors she would like, and she just looked at me like I was crazy and repeated that she wanted that dress. 

So, I headed to our local Joann Fabrics (my only real choice for fabrics on the fly) with my fingers crossed that I could come up with something close enough. To my astonishment, I found a white Swiss dot cotton with pink polka dots for the top and washed the crap out of some pink with white polka dot quilting cotton for the bottom. A little pink ribbon for the sash trim et viola!

I arrived at the cottage on Friday evening at about 8 PM and by Saturday around noon I'd finished the first dress (albeit unhemmed). I finished the second one by that night. It definitely helped that I had cut all my pattern pieces a few days before the trip, to speed up the process.

Pardon my less than perfect photography - I was using my phone's camera. I still have to hem both of them, but after I got home Sunday evening the littlest girl woke up sick, and her big sister followed suit this morning. Both are feeling much better now, and I'm just praying I don't get whatever it was.

No matter what chaos I returned home to, it was a lovely and productive weekend away. I'm already looking forward to next March when I get to do it again. :)

Better Late Than Never

Well, it seems I have a bit of sewing-for-myself downtime.  It happens when you're pregnant and can't fit into anything you might want to make. *sigh*  So, I thought that in the meantime, I could get caught up on some of the posts I should have already written.

I made these dresses for my girls as Christmas gifts. Each of my daughters has a very different personality, so I wanted to choose something that they would love and know was made especially for them.

I made Lilly's dress first. It's made out of a really cute lightweight cotton print I found at Joann Fabrics. The bottom band is just a matching color broadcloth. Only the bodice is lined and I finished the seams just by pinking.

New Look 6927

I made Evie's out of an adorable narrow wale corduroy that I found it two contrasting colorways. I may make another dress for her out of the other color after she outgrows this one. I don't think she needs two dresses in such a distinct print at the same time. But I loved how this turned out.

New Look 6016

There is a very plain knit shirt pattern included with NL 6016, so I made one to go under each of the dresses.  Both were made out of a super soft rayon knit jersey; Lilly's was made in ivory and Evie's in chocolate brown. 

Christmas day action shot. :)

I have a few more things to post, which hopefully I'll get to this week. I'm going away for the weekend for an annual "Scrap & Sew" getaway weekend in Deep Creek Lake, MD. I went last year and made two dresses - one of which I wore constantly BB (Before Bump) and one that was a horrible wadder. I'll share them both and hopefully have some cute new things to show from this weekend. I have big plans for Simplicity 7113 in pink and white polka dots, for the girls' Easter dresses.

I'm going to try and take a few lessons from Miriam over at Mad Mim. She did some amazing things in her 'Sewing for a Belly' posts last year. I shall study hard and make you proud! Also, I won an amazing vintage maternity pattern giveaway from Mikhaela over at Polka Dot Overload a month or so ago. I might give one of those a try while I'm away this weekend, if I have the extra time. * fingers crossed *

And as a parting shot - here's me, about three weeks ago.

Baby Belly at 15 weeks, 6 days. Trust me, it's bigger now!

The Adventures of Jingles the Elf

Sadly, as my household has been in the grips of a nasty upper respiratory plague for the past several weeks, I haven't even stepped foot into my sewing room. Even before that, though, I've been either too busy, too tired, or just downright not in the mood to sew. I'm sure that will rectify itself soon. I do have a few items to blog that are finished, just as yet un-photographed. Maybe once the under-nose redness goes away entirely and I feel less like Rudolph.

In the meantime, I've been occupying myself with the antics of our newest friend, Jingles the Elf. Has anyone heard of the Elf on the Shelf idea before? I hadn't, although it has apparently been around for a few years now. A friend of mine introduced me this year and I'm having quite a lot of fun with it.

The idea, after purchase of your Elf on the Shelf and accompanying book (available at multiple retailers in the US such as Hallmark and Books-a-Million, abroad I have no idea) is to place him somewhere in your home and give him a name. His story will give you all the necessary details and tell you that he was sent by Santa to keep an eye on the children of the household and magically report back to the North Pole each night. When he returns in the morning, he will find a new place to 'hide'.

He likes mischief, this little elf, and he seems to keep finding himself in a bit of trouble with Mommy in our house. More than once, after the girls race downstairs to find him, have I heard, "Oh, Jingles! Mommy's not going to like that!" (followed by giggles).

I'll admit it. I might be having as much fun with it as the girls. Every evening after I tuck them in, I start thinking of my next 'adventure' for Jingles. And there are tons of resources to help your creative juices flow. Just Google "Elf on the Shelf", or better yet - look on Pinterest. So, I can't take full creative credit for the following Jingles Antics; I've just put my own touch on them. :)

December 1st - Sleigh ride, anyone?

December 2nd

December 3rd - Botched re-entry.

Also December 3rd - We spent a few hours at my parents' house later in the
afternoon and Jinlges put up our tree for us while we were out. :)

December 4th

December 5th - Panty raid?

December 6th - Date night with Angelina Ballerina. She likes his sparkly tie. ;)

Decemeber 7th

December 8th

December 9th

 What will he get himself up to next, I wonder! ;)

And P.S. Steph, we're working on more salt dough ornaments this afternoon. I'll post some photos once they are finished! Glad you like them!

Salt Dough Ornaments

I'm working on getting photos posted of the last few things I've finished. Some have been completed for months, it's just difficult to get photos, so they never get posted. It's on my to-do list. But in the meantime..... salt dough ornaments.

Every year, I buy a personalized ornament for our family Christmas tree, and two more for each set of parents. They aren't particularly cheap, so I thought this year I'd try my hand at making my own. They're not quite the professional versions I normally purchase, but I think I like them even better. Isn't handmade always more personal?

In case you'd like to create your own, the recipe is SUPER easy. 1 part each salt and water to 2 parts flour. Mix salt and flour and add water. Mix until doughy, knead on a flat surface using more flour to keep from sticking. You can using cookie cutters or hand-mold. I baked them for about 45 minutes at  200 degrees (they should sound sort of hollow when you tap them). I painted them with regular craft paints. I haven't sealed them yet, but I'll probably get around to that part tomorrow.

I made a few other shapes for the girls to paint, too. Butterflies, snowmen, and candy canes. Fun for kids AND grown-up kids! ;)

My Other Creative Outlet - Digital Scrapbooking

I use Mixbook.com, which is hosted online and is free, but there are lots of programs available both online and for purchase. I find this program to be somewhat limited, but very malleable. You can upload your own things like backgrounds and stickers in addition to your photos. They provide you with pre-made themes or the option of a blank slate. You can create and tweak until your hearts content and then have the books printed for a pretty reasonable fee.*

This is the family album from last year. I think I'm finally satisfied with it, and it will probably end up being the family Christmas gift for my parents and my in-laws this year. Simple gift idea that every grandparent will love! :)

| Learn About Mixbook Photo Books | Create your own Photo Book

*I am not affiliated with Mixbook in any way and have not been paid in any form for my endorsement. I just find it to be a good program and enjoy using it.

A Good Start: The First Finished Object

After a quick start of the the initial planning stages of the Colette Patterns Fall Palette Challenge, I hit some time snags. I took my family to the beach for a few days the next week and had to finish up another project that had already been started before I could feel composed enough to begin. (That project will be coming up soon... just need to find and apply the perfect finishing touches first! Here's a hint.)

I started out with the most versatile of my pattern inspirations, Vogue 8747. It's an adorable button-front blouse with some gathers at the bust.  My palette called for an ivory color top, and this one was perfect. I made it in a rayon challis with a lovely feel and drape.






It frayed quite a bit, so I finished all the inside seams. As the color was so light and a bit opaque, I had another reason for doing that - you can see the seams from the outside. I didn't want a lot of bulk, so I just turned under the seam and stitched it, rather than using seam binding.


They need to be pressed a bit to lay nice and flat, but it keeps the fraying to a minimum and looks uniform from the outside.

Why do all my photos look exactly the same? I need to go to modeling school. ;)

Next up, I think, will be a pair of green stretch sateen pants. Or maybe one of the knit shirts. I'll probably decide tonight and get started.

Snuggly Things for Small People

Every now and then my attention shifts from garment sewing to something crafty. Most often, when I get in a crafty mood, it's to make something for my kids. A few months ago, after a particularly fierce battle over the only character print pillowcase in the house, I decided to make them each their own special pillowcase. We trotted over to Jo-Ann Fabrics and they picked out a print. Lilly chose princesses (to no one's surprise) and Evie chose Mickey Mouse (her current unconditional love).

I made my own pattern, if you can even call it that. I measured a 20" by 33" rectangle on the fold, sewed one short side over itself by 3" for the 'facing', and closed the other two with French seams so there would be no frays. Both pillowcases took me an hour and a half total to finish. And, boy, are they loved.

Evie won't go anywhere without 'Mickey' - including naptime, bedtime, the minivan, the swingset in the backyard, the beach... :)  It's nice to be appreciated.

Yesterday, as I was considering fabrics for the Colette Patterns Fall Palette Challenge (PS - That's MY moodboard featured! What an honor!), my thoughts drifted to the cooling weather. I got another kid-crafty idea and took the girls to Jo-Ann again. This time, they each picked out a yard of their favorite character fleece (Minnie Mouse and Angelina Ballerina). a few snips around 3 sides and a no-sew finish (I just tied knots in the fringes) gave them each a new snuggly, comfy blanket to help guard against the new chill in the evening air. And something else to tote around the yard.

The Plan for the Challenge

I think I've figured out which patterns I'm using. I have a few fabrics that are definite and a few that may change, but this is the basic plan.

Are you participating? How's everyone else doing on their inspiration and pattern boards?

Fall Palette Challenge Inspirations

I'm thinking of throwing my hat in the ring for the Colette Patterns Fall Palette Challenge 2011.  My sewing time is usually fairly scant (I have 2 kids under 5) but it seems like, recently, I've been getting a bit more accomplished. I guess time will tell if I have enough time and energy to actually complete the challenge, but I've been creating an inspiration board anyway.

Color palette by COLOURlovers and Inspiration Board by Pinterest

Clockwise from upper left corner:
Navy ensemble: Note To Self Blog via Eat & Love
Buttons: Design Work Life
Green Dress with navy sash: Anthropologie
Grey, green, ivory suit: via Abby Daigle
Grey flower: French Vanilla Home Blog
Navy polka dot top: Anthropologie
Green shoes: via Maria G
Yellow heel: heels.com
Green & ivory ensemble: Tulips and Flight Suits via Talbots
Blue shoes: Chie Mihara

I guess I need to start looking for patterns and then some fabrics! So much to do! Anyone else thinking of joining the Challenge? I can't wait to see all of your inspiration boards, too!

Vogue 1241 - Kay Unger Dress

It seems like ages since I've finished anything, and in reality, it sort of has been. The last time I sewed was March. *shakes head*  I can barely believe it, myself. I guess I just wasn't in the mood. And I was finding other things to occupy my time. I discovered digital scrapbooking, and for a solid month it dominated most of my spare time. And let's face it, with a 2 and 4-year-old in the house, 'spare time' is quite sparse. 

Vogue 1241 - Kay Unger

But, at long last, my mojo returned and I set to work on this newer Vogue pattern. I thought this would be a perfect dress to wear to a wedding in September, in which my husband is the Best Man.

It looks like it should be fairly complicated. It is a designer pattern, and it has several interesting design features. The pleated neckline, the rouching on the front and back princess seams, square seaming, invisible zipper, full lining. Maybe it's actually relatively simple, maybe the directions are really good, or maybe I'm just getting a lot more comfortable in my sewing skills, but this went together like a breeze. I was fairly confident that I would get through the entire thing without a single unpicked seam until I accidentally sewed to the bottom of the center back seam, eliminating the kick vent. Oops. Minor, though, and easily fixed so I'm considering this a complete success anyway. :) 

I used a navy blue and white polyester print (cute, but very cheap) in case my first designer Vogue didn't go so well. The only issue I have with the finished design is that you absolutely must tack down the front cross over. It hangs open in such a huge, breast-bearing way that it's impossible not to sew it closed. 

It has a lovely silhouette. The side rouching covers whatever sins the large print doesn't.

Close up of the neckline pleats

I'll try to get some photos of it on after I've had a chance to shower and gather my wits about me. I've spent most of the morning doing laundry and getting the older of the little ones ready for preschool. I'm so not a morning person, and I move very slowly before noon. ;)

** EDITED TO ADD **

On-body photos, as promised.

Now, I just need to find some awesome red shoes!

This Year's Over-The-Top Children's Party

As some of you may have guessed (based on my post of last year's Wonderland festivities) that I like to go a bit overboard with theme parties. I freely admit to it. :)

This year when my girls' birthdays rolled around again, I already had a plan in mind. For now, while they're small, it's much easier (and more fun!) to throw a joint birthday party. Lilly turned 4 on June 14th and Evie turned 2 on the 25th, so we chose a free June weekend and went full throttle. (And by 'we' I mean that Hubs said "Whatever you want, dear," and I went full throttle.)

What better way to celebrate childhood than with Dr. Seuss?

I chose only Seuss themed foods:

Green Eggs... No Ham. Just green food coloring in the yolk mixture!

Purchased... not homemade. 

Pasta salad with cheese, pepperoni and veggies topped with Italian dressing

Layers of Jello and Cool Whip

Cheeky ;)

Pink lemonade - AKA Yink Drink

Red velvet 'Thing 1 & Thing 2' cupcakes with blue tinted frosting!

It's lovely that the birthdays are in June because we're almost always assured nice weather. We had a very brief rain in the late afternoon that day, but most of it was beautiful! We decorated the cherry tree and set up the tables underneath.

We enjoyed the day, ate our cupcakes, had a cooling water balloon fight, and enjoyed the company of our friends and family.

Even Mommy's friends got in on the dressing up. :)

Watch out for this one... he carries a Wocket in his Pocket!

The birthday girls and their cousins

Lots of friends!

Can't wait to see what we think up for next year! Hope you're all having a great summer!