Out of girls curtians...

 I found these girls curtians at the local thrift store and just knew that they would be perfect ReCreated into little girls dresses. 
Pictured  first is a infant flower petal dress and second, a toddler dress for the Ottobre magazine.  I lined the dresses with a bright pink broadcloth that I had in my stash. 
I have to say that I am in love with them and only wish that I had a little girl to dress them in.   Figure that they will possible go on Etsy for sale and then if not sold by April will be put on the Take 2 Kids Consignment sale.

PUL One Size Diapers

OK, I have actually made some cloth diapers.  Now, no laughing, but I have had this PUL fabric for at least 2 years now. 

The reason for the delay in making the diapers was confusion and fear.  For the life of me, I just could not wrap my brain around how to make them.  So after talking to my friend SS, I went on line and found on You Tube a tute from Jalie about how to make them and Thump in the forehead, I got it.

Now, I did purchase the Kamsnap pliers and am very happy for the purchase.  It has made the construction very easy. 

I lined the diapers with a stretch velour and the soaker is 2 layers of thrifted towels and a micro terry. 

I am very happy with how they have come out.  Now I have some solid red, lite pink and lite blue to work on. 

Hoping to sell them in the end.

Roses for a wedding

I have a friend that will be in her brothers wedding this weekend. I did the alterations on her bridesmaid dress and then she asked me to do something for your 2 daughters that are the flowergirls in the wedding.
Since fabric roses are so popular right now, I couldn't resist the opportunity to try my hand at making them these roses for headbands. The fabric is a satin and the color is gorg. They turned out great and I really think on little girls will be precious.
Once my hair grows out alittle more, I may have to make one for myself.

I am still here.

Where has the month gone? I know that I have been busy, just have not pictures to show for it at this moment.

I participated and volunteered at the Take 2 Kids Consignment Fall/Winter sale and did pretty good. Have decided that I will not be taking the nursery sets and swaddling blankets back. They really don't sell there. I did make some Halloween costumes and some sold, some didn't. Got alot of great deals in toys and boys clothes. DS will be well dressed for the winter.
Now on to spring and summer sewing.
I am planning on doing some ruffle buts onies, summer dresses and nursing tops. Will take some done pictures later.

DS has been busy with preschool and swim lessons. Having some troubles with being friendly with some of the other boys. But he so desperately want to have a friend to play with. I am frustrated with it all.

I am still participating is the Wardrobe refashioning. I think that I am addicted to thrift stores. I love the hunt and the discovery of something that will be perfect as something else. It is hard to come up with storage I have found.

Well, I better get going. I have myself and DS to get ready for swimming.

Till Later

Another 4 months of Wardrobe Refashion.

The Pledge
I can't get the pledge copied over from there site. So, I will pledge to not purchase retail store clothing. Only purchasing from thirft stores and fabric stores. I will work on getting the pledge copied over and do it offically.

vacation and crashed computer

Sorry for the longer then normal absents.
We were on vacation from the 15th to the 25th in Minnesota. Then when we got back we tried to start the computer and nothing.
So after 10 days in the shop we have it back.
Unfortunately, I have learned a lesson the hard way.
We lost all of our contacts, old emails that were saved in folders, and anything that we had written.
Oh and the saddest was that I lost pictures that I had taken of lighting, and Dawson's 5th birthday party. So, moral of the story is back up everything and do it often.

What I have been up to...

Wow! Where has the time gone? I am in amazement it has been 1 month since I have posted anything.

I have been alittle busy. I re-created a sweatshirt for my son.

Started with a men's sweatshirt size L. Made it to fit my son that is a 5/6.

Then it was on to more important work. I have been doing alterations on my cousin-in-law's wedding dress. As of today I am finished with it, but this is how it looked a few weeks ago.

This is the bodice totally taken apart to create a bust curve that it previously did not have.
This is all the pieces back together. Still missing the skirt but it will be reunited very soon.

I have to up load the bride in the finished dress. Maybe you will get to see it tomorrow if I get on the stick.

Next up on my plate is some sewing for vacation. I am making a really cute 3 in 1 garment. You can wear it as a skirt, bandeau dress and a halter dress.

Till later, keep creating.

Morbid on my birthday.

Today is my birthday and I am trying to not be to upset about it, but for some reason it is not working. This may get alittle morbid,,,,,

I am thinking that the reason is because at this age, my mother had one more year of life. I am also trying to remember what I was doing that last year. I know that alot of my time was concentrated on my then fiance' Mike. We were getting married and that took alot of my time and mental time. I do seem to remember that I spent more time away from the house then at the house. I really believe that I was in total denial of any chance that my mother was going to die. But less then a year later, she did.

I am now sitting here with the hard facts smacking me in the face that with Gods will, I will have lived longer then my Mother. I have gone in and had a colonoscopy so, that deadly possibility has been taken care of.

At this point in life, I can honestly say that I miss my mom. I would love to sit down and have a long conversation with her about life and what is going on. Talk to her about sewing and how she gave the greatest gift by forcing me to sit there during 4-H, making me make something to enter. To be able to talk to her about my son and the possible autism spectrum diagnosis and how do I do things better for him. To talk to her about men and wtf? are they all about and about how to put more faith in God.

For any of you out there that is reading this, make sure to give your mother a big hug and tell her how much you love her. You will never regret it. I am sitting here now and am totally regretting that I didn't take that last year of her life and hugged her more and telling her what a great women and mother she was.
Mom, I so miss you.

Dance costumes...done

Just wanted to update you that I am done with the dance costumes for Anderson-Hoxie Dance Project. Here is the Chinese dress. I am thinking that they are going to be wonderful under the stage lights.








Then there is the Bollywood tunic that I made. Thinking that it is looking pretty authentic. We had one fitting and the girls haven't tried on them with the fine tuning yet.






I also have gotten one of the wedding dresses done. Had to alter the hem, secure the straps and bustle it. Now on the a bridesmaid dress and another wedding dress.
No time to take a breath.

Take2 Children's Consignment Update.

Just wanted to let all of you know that the Take2 Children's Consignment sale went great. A big thank you to Amanda for putting on a great sale. I got my check and it was over $500.00. The only thing that I was surprised that didn't sale was the nursery sets that I completed. Now the question is was there too many of them or did I price them too high???
I am now working on dance costumes for Anderson Hoxie Dance Project in Waverly Nebraska. I have made 7 matador capes and jackets, 4 Chinese dresses and up next it 3 bollywood tops.
Pictures to follow.

Take2 Children's Consignment sale

Everything fit in my car, were delivered and dropped off. I worked my 4 hour volunteer time and an additional 4 hours. My feet were killing me. There were alot of good stuff to look at to buy.

Went in yesterday to the early sale and OMG! it was like the items that had been dropped off the day before had babies over night. There is a huge amount of items to buy. DS got a outer space train toy, R2-D2 stuffed toy and some shirts and shorts. I stopped there.

Now to wait to see how the next 3 days go. I have my fingers crossed that everything that I took sold.

I do have to go back on Sunday to pick up my custom made items. Hoping to put them in a single tote.



On the sewing front, I am once again very busy.

Sewing costumes for Anderson Hoxy Dance Project in Waverly, have 2 wedding dresses to work on, and then some alterations for a little lady that I have been working with for 6 years now. I also have to copy a shirt for my DH that he likes to wear to work. With just fabric, I spent 2.95 for the shirts. I am saving 11.45 per shirt and am planning on making 12.

When it rains it pours.

Take2 Childrens Consignment

I see that I have been missing from blogging and I have to blame Take2 Children's consignment sale that is coming up at the end of this month.

Now I am not saying that I have not been sewing, I have. I put together 3 nursery sets, been sewing seed beads back on prom dresses and shortening sleeves of shirts. The biggest time that is used is to pin, hang and label each item.

This is the pile that I have gotten done. I think I need a bigger car.

My next items that need attention is another prom dress that needs a zipper repair and some flowers added to the bodice and a new cover for a high chair. Fun times!

I am really looking forward for next Tuesday to be over so that I can start sorting and sewing some fun items. Then I am looking forward to the following Sunday, to see how the sale goes. I love to see what was sold.

Orphaned bumper pads....

I sit here and realize that it has been almost a month since I have posted. Bad blogger, bad blogger. Now, just so that you know, I have not been sitting watching soaps and eating bonbons.

I have been busy creating new nursery sets for the orphaned bumper pads that you find at the thrift store. I am feeling pretty proud of what has come out of this adventure.

I started with a lone bumper pad that I got for .99 cents. Headed to the fabric store to get matching fabric.

Was able to make comforter, dust ruffle, and 2 valances.

Originally it was going to be boy directed, but when I took a closer look at the toile like fabric that I picked out, I discovered that there is a girl and her mom on it. Talk about a change of plans. I then decided to add the dollies and yo-yo's to add a more feminine touch. I do think it worked.

Now I am on to my 3rd orphaned bumper pad project. Bring on the boys.

I will get photos posted of my first advanture in orphaned bumper pads lated today.

March...

How can it possible be March already? It is just surprising how quickly a month flys by. February has been busy.

I did 26 boyshorts for Anderson-Hoxie Dance Project in Waverly. I didn't take any pictures of them and I really need to get better at that one.

I have been working on items for our annual Nebraska Bowhunting Association Banquet auction that is at the end of this week.

Then I have also been busy purchasing fabric to match 3 bumper pads that I bought from the thrift store for the Take 2 Kids Consignment sale at the end of April.

I have also been thinking of all the items that I would love to make for sale on either Etsy or Winkelf. So many ideas, not enough time.

Now what?

As of yesterday, Ebay store is closed. I have to admit that sitting here and ready to hit the submit key was bitter sweet. I was so ready to end it and it has been such a part of my life that I feel like I am missing something today.
But with the one less thing to worry about, I am able to focus my attention to bigger and better things. I have a costume order for a dance studio that I am working on and I have a million ideas floating around in my head.
The very first thing that I have to do it finish cleaning my sewing room. I had started a couple weeks ago and then the order came and since then, nothing. Then I am waiting for a body form that I ordered to help display some of the items that I want to put on Etsy. Oh, all the ideas.

blogger fraud..

I am sitting here looking at my blog and thinking that I am a fraud. It has been almost a month since I last posted and just feel like, what have I been doing?
I know that life can totally get in the way but is that really it. I sometimes feel that I would just rather live through all of the other blogs that I read and when I get done reading all of them, I sit and think, I can't be that creative. The other thought that I have is that I can make that, but that doesn't seem right either. Can I come up with something original? No, not if I am spending all of my time looking at all the other blogs.
So, here is the true dilemma, do I continue as is, or do I start downsizing my blog list and start living my own life again?
I know that I need to do something because this is not working. I am not sewing, cleaning house, or enjoying my life.
What to do, what to do????

New Years Resolution

OK, I found my book with what I had written down.
So, here goes....
For Business
1. work through storage unit, get rid of items that can't be worked into an outfit.
2. go through pattern cabinet, get rid of patterns that I will never make.
3. work out sewing room to make it more productive.
4. get couple items made per week
5. make a project list every evening for the next day.

For being a Mommy
1. less TV, more creative, education time
2. more consistent discipline.
3 work more about picking up after himself
4. more hugs and kisses
5. less purchases

For being a Wife
1. more hugs and kisses
2. talk things out before action
3. find the passion- release the resentment
4. less purchasing

For Myself
1. eat healthy
2. exercise
3. work harder
4. find passion
5. become happy with self

Seems like alot but if I break it down a little every day, I know that I can do it.

Happy New Year to you all!

Well, today starts the return of a normal schedule. Now don't get me wrong, I love spending time with my husband and son, but I need to have my time back. That and Garrett works much better when he knows that M-W is preschool and T-Th is Twa Que Do classes.

This day is also the day that I am looking at the new year and know that I need to get my resolutions down on public paper so that I have a better chance to stick to them. So, if I could find the book that I wrote them in I would start here. (No laughing out there. I can't find my book) When it is found, I will dedicate one post just for the list.

We had a great Christmas. Even with all the snow, we enjoyed being home and together. With some of my Christmas money, I signed up for 3 months of Weight Watchers Online. Very excited to see where it will take me. I have also purchased the DVD Julie & Julia. Watched it last night while sewing and loved it. Have also purchased a book on Sherlock Holmes stories, we went to the movie, and a book on doll making. Now this is not the big baby dolls, but the artsy looking dolls. Still need to order some Lush and I think that I will have use my Christmas money up.

I also resigned up for 2 more months of wardrobe refashion. I have been working out separate pieces to make sets for little girls. Will take pictures later. Also need to make a DIY child's mannequin to help display the clothes.

I have my Ebay store, Sewing Niche on a 1/2 price sale right now. Taking the month to see what I can sell before closing it down. I have Ebay burn out. So, if you want a great deal on great fabric, come take a look.

Well, I better go and jump on the stationary bike.
Till later
Tami