Ready For Some Cute?

I really never meant for this blog to be a sewing blog. However, this year it seems to be just that. Oh well. I just have the sewing bug and want to share the cuteness that only a home-sewn garment can bring.

I made these little items for my daughter, Melissa's (figure THAT one out!) twin girls for their third birthday...only, they don't have them yet. Maybe next Saturday? I really hope that Miss Olivia and Miss Lyla will love the dress and skirt as much as I love them.

(The girls, not the clothes. Well, I suppose the clothes too but not as much as the children...I've pontificated WAY too long on this little clarification so, I'll stop now! You're welcome.)

I'd walk the plains in THIS dress!

The little pioneer dress is finished. It was really a fun dress to sew. It stretched my sewing skills, that's for sure! I'm really pleased with the outcome. Miss Isabel will be the best dressed pioneer on the block!!

Next up...BLOOMERS!

I found the perfect lace in a stash of my mom's old lace.

She gave it to me before she passed away.

She would highly approve of its final use...

Great Grand daughter Isabel's 2010 Halloween Costume!

Awesome!

Isabel + Grami Tami = One very sweet apron!

Here is the text from a voicemail I received from my little six year old grand daughter, Isabel a week or so ago. If you can imagine a sweet, irresistible, darling little voice saying these words, you will be able to understand why I dropped every project I was working on to fulfill this request. Here we go...

"Grami Tami, I thought maybe when I come to

your house in October,

maybe we could sew an apron because I

want to be a pioneer.

I love you.

And I hope you'll answer soon. Bye."

Now I ask you, could YOU have said no? I didn't think so. I gave that little cutie a call back on the phone to find out what color she'd like and she immediately told me "white". I could tell she had really thought things through and had a vision of what she wanted her costume to look like. I asked her if she would like the pioneer dress to go underneath. She was super excited and told me she would like it to be blue.

I can't wait to start on the dress. Next week's post may just be a dress instead of an apron but...I'm sure no one will mind! (Will you??)

This was a very fun apron to sew. It had 9 different pieces, two pockets,

two ruffles, four button holes, and two buttons.

I used about 8 yards of bias tape for all of the trim.

(This time I used the store bought kind. My jury is still out as to my

feelings about bias tape!)

I love the back.

I have to admit that I couldn't totally finish the apron as

I am missing all of my buttons (cough:Erika:cough).

But, I'll fix that as soon as I get to the fabric store again.

I love how the straps criss-cross in the back.

I doubled up the bow as well. It was just too flimsy with one layer of fabric.

I can't wait to see this apron on Issy. I can't wait to see how it all hangs and

fits on a real body rather than just a hanger.

Try as I might, I just couldn't find a model small enough to

show it off!!

Now I'm off to leave THIS voicemail:

"Hi Isabel. I can't wait for you to come to my

house in October for Canadian Thanksgiving.

I'm sorry but we won't be able to sew an apron

when you get here. That's because I already made

you one and you will look like a REAL pioneer!

I love you.

I can't wait to see you in 20 days!"

Apron #6...The apron that never was (yet!)

This is all you're going to get!

(9 pieces)

My time got away from me this week.

Then, I got a call from my favorite six year old grand gal

requesting an apron of her own.

What a story I will have to tell you once I finish this darling

apron.

I'll make sure to post TWO aprons by next Sunday to make up

for the one I missed (kind of) this week.

My Amazing Husband/Boyfriend

My husband, Terry, never ceases to amaze me. He is so quiet about the little things. At the beginning of May, I noticed that Terry was spending A LOT of time out in the yard. Like, up to three hours a day. I began to worry why he was working so hard when he has some pretty scary health issues. I kept nagging him (like good wives do to their husbands) about spending so much time outside and working. In reality, I was feeling guilty (I am NOT a gardener) that I wasn't the one out working.

But with every plea to get him to come inside, he would say "Just you wait" and "I have some big surprises coming for you in early Fall. Okay. Whatever.

My favorite flower is a toss up between daisies and sunflowers. They both make me very happy. When those sunflowers start growing randomly alongside the roads, my heart skips a few beats and I with I had them all over my yard. So, imagine my surprise when about two weeks ago, sunflowers started popping up all over the place.

I had been complaining that our bush in front of our huge, picturesque front window, was covering it up. Not only could passers-by not see that pretty window but, we couldn't see out of it. Terry went right out one day in May while I was at school and chopped the living daylights out of that bush. It looked awful. I'm embarrassed now to tell you that I was MAD! It looked ridiculous. I poured my heart out to my next door neighbor Nena. She softened my it by saying "Oh but he worked all day on it and he worked so hard!" Okay. It would grow back.

Little did I know that my darling boyfriend had also dug up a section of lawn in front of our fence and planted "secret" seeds there, and also under my big window, and along the side of the garage, as well as on both sides of our driveway. He had planted sunflowers all over that front yard...there seems to be a new one popping up in a new place every day.

He did it FOR ME! For little old me who had gotten so upset in the beginning. He had a plan. I didn't really trust him. But, now, I will never doubt his artistic, patient eye again. I love him so much.

Right now, our yard makes me smile...big! I make sure to take the long route home just so that I can drive by the front yard and get a great look at the beautiful sunflowers that Terry so thoughtfully planned out. He even designed the tall sunflowers to "frame" the front porch sitting area. Have I mentioned how much I love it?? So much.

Plus, I love that man! Sometimes I wonder why I was lucky enough to have him in my life.

Enjoy the view!

My sunflower garden!

Supposedly there are a few red sunflowers planted in there.

I can't wait until they bloom.

A few more beside the garage door.

Front porch.

I love the sole little sunflower amidst the

gorgeous flowers Terry planted and cared for all summer.

I love this view on the side of the house.

The purple wildflowers are beautiful.

If you look closely enough, you can pick out some Morning Glory

that were the climbing kind.

With the sunflowers comes lots and lots of bees.

Lucky bees!

I'm in love with my flowers

AND

with my boyfriend...

husband...

best friend!

Tea For Two...apron #5 AND a Special Treat From My Boyfriend!

In one of my many internet searches for the perfect apron, I came across this one. It is made from two tea towels. The original apron instructions called for twill tape to be used for the neck piece and for the ties. I didn't like that so much. I decided to sew some longer ties out of some nice thick fabric I had on hand. I like long ties.

When I finished it and tried it on, I realized that this apron will be for someone tall...very tall. I probably should have measured a bit better to see where the waist would come on the tea towel. It's just a bit low for my body.

Good news though! Terry loves it and wants one "kind of like it but without all those frilly gathers around the top" to wear whilst doing his oil painting. I see a masculine apron in my near future!

***********STOP THE PRESSES!***********

The previous portion of this post was written before I took pictures of the apron so that I could just take the pictures when my daughters got here and I could post it quickly. Well...the daughters (for one reason or another) weren't able to come to our weekly Sunday dinner so, I had to resort to using my boyfriend (husband) Terry as a model.

I hope you find as much glee in the following conversation and subsequent photos as I did.

Me: Terry, you HAVE to help me out and wear this apron. I promise I'll crop your head out.

Him: NO WAY!

Me: (fluttering eyelashes) Please?? Please! Just this once.

Him: Okay but, I get to approve every single photo. Oh, and I get to bring a bat.

Me: A bat? Fine.

He then rolled up his sleeves and started posing with the bat. After looking at the photos on the computer the conversation went something like this:

Him: Let's do it again. I have a great idea.

Me: I've got what I need. It's fine.

Him: No! Really come outside.

He had one of his swords and scabbards and he was ready to roll. He even made one of his scabs on his arm bleed so he would look tougher! (I don't know whether to laugh or put him in the psych ward!)

He kept saying things like:

"I want one that makes my biceps look huge!"

"Should I wield this sword above my head or swing it around?"

"Does my face look tough?"

The killer was..."So, what apron are you making next??"

Wow! Just...wow!

He's kind of cute though! Don't you think?

A Blank Canvas Makes My Fingers Itch

Last night I had a houseful of relatives. Our niece Hannah and her two daughters Lucy and Cora. Our brilliant niece Sarah, and our nephew Clay's boys, Tyler and Taterbug (he has a real name but I don't know what it is!)

I fell instantly in love with little six month old Cora! As you will see, she is so precious, happy, chubby, cuddly...all the things a baby should be. She was born with Plagiocephaly

(flat head syndrome) and wears a helmet for 23 hours a day as her head reshapes itself. What a medical miracle! She only has two weeks left...bless her little baby heart. Did I mention how much I love her??

Here is her little pink helmet:

Look at those chubby arms! Isn't she cute?

Are you thinking what I'm thinking??

So, I asked her mother if I could haul out the Mod Podge and pretty paper to "fancy it up" a little. She was very trusting (thanks Hannah!) and I set to work. The more I cut and decoupaged, the more excited we all got. I LOVE the way it turned out. I think Cora did too! Let me know what your think.

I now give you...the reinvented "helmet". (I kind of want one too.)

I used Satin Mod Podge. However, I should have used Outdoor Mod Podge so that it could be washed. I didn't have any and Hannah said there were only two weeks left, after all, so it really wouldn't matter.

I must confess that I've always wanted to be featured on Mod Podge Rocks! However, my idea to decoupage my car's dashboard didn't turn out so well. Don't ask, and stop laughing. SO...this is my best shot. Amy, if you are reading this, you're welcome!!