Halloween's a Hoot

Have you heard?  Owls are "IN" right now. 

My seven year old is kind of obsessed.

Her idea of a perfect costume was to be a blue owl with white feathers.  I searched {Pinterest} and found a few examples that were really adorable!  I took all that inspiration and made her costume.  It is finally finished!  I started with an old shirt that she won't wear anymore and stitched lines of the "feathers" I had cut out from coordinating fabrics.  I did this on the entire front and back.  {WOW} Then we wanted to add wings!  I took panels of felt and measured how much I would need (if she were to raise her hand in school for example) and intended on sewing them to the shirt she will wear under the costume.  However, when she heard this idea, and reacted, I decided it wasn't worth the drama!  We will be safety pinning the wings on this Monday.  {she wins yet again}  Originally I was going to make the mask from a technique found {yes, again on Pintrest} using a fabric doily and fabric stiffener, however, when I found a doily at the fabric store, I decided NOT to spend the $9 on it.  The plastic masks and feathers were very conveniently next to the doily's and together only cost $2.50, so voila, a new idea was born.  I chose white feathers and clear jewels to decorate.

This year's costume is no where near as elaborate as last year's, but I think it is JUST as cute!

Twirl Dress

Every girl loves to spin in a pretty dress.  It's especially fun if the dress is long and flowy, and has 16 panels of pretty fabric to look at while you twirl!

I just finished this beautiful pink and purple (among other colors) twirl dress for a client's daughter's first birthday.  Since it isn't her birthday yet, I don't have any pictures of her wearing it {and I think if I put my lil guy in it my husband would frown} So when I have a picture with a child in it I will re post!

But for now....

So pretty. 

I also made my boys tee shirts for our upcoming family portraits.  Hopefully the dreary Chicago October skies turn sunny by Sunday!!  I made the boys matching shirts with the letter from their first name on front.  The fabric coordinates with Briana's twirl dress!! 

Keep your fingers crossed we have great weather! 

To purchase a dress or tee, visit my shop!



Lovely Days Were Here Again

It's been a very interesting start of the school year this year!  The first few weeks, we had weather that reminded me of mid October.  And this past week we were blessed with weather reminiscent to late summer!  I took full advantage and finished my lil guy's nursery. 

Yes, Charlie is almost a year old, and I just finished the nursery. 

My feelings are, you never know what your child's personality is until you actually spend time with him/her... 

I could go on, but it would just not be fair... it's just not the truth!  I just didn't have time until now to finish his room.  {hehe}

I love the mid century modern era for furniture.  I've been searching Craigslist for months trying to find something I could re purpose.  And I lucked out!  One day, I found this amazing dresser for only $30!

So, it wasn't as beautiful in person as it is in the picture, and I was slightly worried about being able to make it shine.  The back needed to be completely taken off, everything needed to be sanded and primed and painted (all 12 coats of paint!!)  But after a few days of hard work, I am so pleased!! 

I painted it with semi gloss for a sheen and the drawer handles I painted a matte gray color for contrast.  It looks great in his light gray room!

Now I haven't decided yet if I'm keeping all of those decals up.  I had thought they would be perfect in the room, but the more I look at them, the more I feel only the bees are necessary.  (Charlie has a thing for bees)

Plus, they are not a matte finish and therefor hard to see when there is light in the room reflecting on them. 

But that's the great thing about decals...  they are easy to remove!

Gotta get back to sewing now!



Giddy Up Rocker Chic

I'm participating in a fundraiser for a little girl, Rosie who is battling brain cancer among other scary illnesses.  She is really into rock n roll so when I found the new Michael Miller guitar prints I knew that's exactly what I should get.  I made a little purse and coordinating pin and alligator hair clip for the auction style fundraiser. 

I was finishing this up as Briana got home from school a few days ago and she was so excited about the colors she asked if I could make something for her from the scraps.  And they were just that, scraps!  It took a little imagination and patching, but I was able to make a cute ruffled outfit for her.  I absolutely love how the tank top came out!  I will be adding these to my etsy shop very soon!

                                                                                

                                                                                 

For more information on the amazing little girl, Rosie please visit Rock Star Rosie

Halloween Is On My Mind

I was at a new {to me} fabric store the other day and they had ALL of their holiday fabrics out.  They must never take them down!  But on display was the Halloween.  I have learned in my first year of sewing that seasons start before the season prior to it.  So even though its still the middle of a hot HOT summer, I knew if I wanted to get the cute prints, I had to start now.  I picked up mostly Halloween, but a few fat quarters of the cute Christmas too.  I kept telling myself I was preparing for the craft show.  MmmHmmm.

Anyway, I digress. 

These really cute Halloween fabrics have been wonderful to work with.  Great quality and everything matches.  I decided to change Charlie's trick or treat bag once the other little's decided they also wanted new bags to go trick or treating with.  His was cute, but I didn't like the applique I had "made" for the front.  It was my first time, and I did it wrong, unknowingly.  The second time around was better.  I'm happier with it anyway. 

You can check these out for sale on my etsy shop!

The three munchkin's bags:

Briana's Bag

Brayden's Bag

Charlie's Bag



Ella Grace

Ella Grace turns 7 next week.  I remember when my sister, Beth, told me she was expecting.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  But it was 7 years ago.  Sigh. 

She is having her "American Girl" birthday party today, and Briana had asked me to make a 'shirt' for her American Girl doll, Kit to match the pinafore I had made for her last week.  Briana intends on wearing her pinafore today and it would really be cute if they matched. 

So I took my pattern and tried to scale it down to Kit's size.  I didn't want to make it reversible, because that's just ridiculous.  {Ha}  I used bias tape for the unfinished edges, and just made a hem at the bottom of the dress, because I ran out of tape!  {whoops} 

And since Briana had a pinwheel headband, Kit had to have one too.  Good thing a normal sized pony tail holder is equivalent to an American Girl doll headband! 

Here we have it!  My first American Girl doll pinafore dress. 

If you would like a custom order of this, please message me through my etsy shop.

Pinafore Palooza

My daughter is turning into a young lady.  I sometimes look at her and wonder where the baby girl has gone, her eyes are this soft alluring blue and her faces (although sometime demon-like) are so grown up. 

In order to keep my baby, a baby for just a little bit longer, I decided to make her a pinafore.  These are making quite the comeback!  They look especially cute on babies beginning to walk, with a ruffled tush diaper cover on.  I {of course} did not insist on Briana wearing a diaper cover, but did make her a pinafore shirt today to wear with skinny jeans.  I'm excited to say it turned out perfectly!  I bought the pattern from Laurie  and it came with a printable pattern, directions and even a youtube video! 

My intentions were to make something she could wear right now but also through the cold months.  And I couldn't be happier with the result!  There is enough room for her to put a long sleeved tee under it, and it is beautiful on her just as the pinafore. 

I had purchased this material months ago, thinking I'd make something out of it, and I'm so happy I hadn't yet!  Green is a good color on my belle and the elephants and dandelions are adorable.  Yes, adorable.  I would like to say I think this top has accomplished my goal of preserving her baby years *for me, but I have to say, she looks even more like a growing beauty.  All you moms out there know what I'm going through!  {DEEP BREATHS}

Here are some pictures