Handmade in the Wild: Hometown Pride

We've now lived here in Mitchell, SD for almost three years, and we have just been loving it! 

One day last summer, they were serving free ice cream downtown... we definitely took advantage of that! Ev loves driving past the Corn Palace every chance we get ;) 

We host a rodeo in town every summer, and there is a free meal served the night before the action truly starts. I'm hoping that we finally attend one of the real sessions this coming summer! We loved going to rodeos when we lived out in Great Falls, so now it's time to introduce the kiddos to it!

Of course, there is the Corn Palace Festival - complete with carnival rides!! Ev loves rides, and James will be right there beside her next year! So much to look forward to!!!

Peekaboo's 4-in-1 Sunhat with stash fabrics (blog post)
A modified Riley Tank from Made for Mermaids using a ruffle fabric from either Hancock or JoAnns.
A simple tank dress that I was testing for Simple Simon and Co, but it never was released - fabric is from Art Gallery and Walmart.

Repurposing T-Shirts

I guess saving all those shirts throughout the years has payed off ;) 

For a cousin's new baby... to remind them of the connection back to Sinai, SD!

There's only a few people that I can sew using shirts that has my maiden name on the back!

Patterns: Peekaboo Pattern Shop's Lullaby Bodysuit and Patterns for Pirates' Playground pants.

A fun reminder of the hours playing T-ball and softball under the summer sun!

Pattern: Peekaboo Pattern Shop's Lullaby Bodysuit

It was a hard year for my high school graduation class - this fall, one classmate lost her husband to a hard-fought battle with brain cancer. Two months later, we lost a classmate in a tragic hunting accident where he and his younger brother both lost their lives. I graduated with about 40 other students after spending the previous 13 years together in the same building... so we're a tight-knit class, and these losses were very hard to deal with.

Well, that classmate who died in the hunting accident died about a week or so before his birthday. On that birthday, his little girl was born. I wasn't quite ready to cut up my senior shirt, but thankfully a classmate mailed me his, so I could make this bunny for the new baby. May she always know the love of her father and the support from his classmates.

Patterns: Bunny Lovey by UnlikelyNest

I also made this outfit for her - the top uses a shirt that my mom decided was too small for her (she still teaches at our school). 

Patterns: Peekaboo Pattern Shop Violet Tunic and Go-To Pattern's free baby legging pattern

These were made for a benefit for that same family. I was thankful that I could do something to help!

Pattern: Peekaboo Pattern Shop Violet Tunic 

Handmade in the Wild: She likes to match...

The little girlie likes to match! It is inevitable that when I make something for myself, that she will ask several times if she gets to have something that matches! Truth be told, I'm not huge on matching... I feel a bit silly and too-cutesy-cutesy for my taste... but she won't want to match forever, plus it gives me a way to use up some scraps, so I'll continue to make a few more matching outfits every now and then :)

Top picture: Peekaboo Pattern Shop Violet Tunic and Hey June's Lane Raglan using an Art Gallery Print and grey solid... both from Raspberry Creek Fabrics on Etsy.

Bottom picture: See here :)

Halifax for Me!

This was definitely my favorite top to wear last fall and this winter. It's so cozy and is a step up from a typical sweatshirt that I would normally wear :) I hope to make a few more for next year!

Pattern: Hey June Halifax

Fabric: Solid French Terry (Charcoal) and Robert Kaufman Mammoth Flannel, both purchased from Raspberry Creek Fabrics on Etsy.

Handmade in the Wild: Hiking, Hiking, Hiking

We hope to instill a love of the outdoors with the kids, and we look forward to lots of outdoor adventures as a family!

Enjoying the trails around the local lake... this was probably after Dan took them both out on the kayak first. Don't ask me why he's not wearing pants because I can't remember!

My parents have a small trail that winds through their shelter belt. We love hiking it during the spring, summer and fall! I'm thankful that my dad has taken so much time to create this trail!

Ev is growing up! She insisted on pulling her brother in the wagon while we were on just a short walk around the neighborhood. Little brother always appreciates the attention :)

Skirt: Blog Post

Grey Floral Pants: Made for Mermaids Bonny Leggings made from clearance leggings from Walmart

Sweatshirt: Hatteras Hoodie pattern from Hey June Handmade using a upcyled flannel pillowcase and oatmeal french terry from Raspberry Creek Fabrics.

Pretty in Peplums

Remember when I tested two different patterns for Sew Much Ado Patterns last year? Well, Abby (the designer) gifts each pattern tester a free pattern from her collection as a thank-you for helping with the process. The first pattern I chose was the Schoolboy Vest, and then the second pattern I chose was the Pretty-in-Peplum top and dress. Let's just say that I went crazy with making these once I received the pattern!!!

Here's one in Springs Creative princess knit and Art Gallery knit for the sleeves... we gave this as a birthday gift to one of Evelyn's friends. 

I won this "Happy Fall Y'all" panel from Peekaboo Pattern Shop, so I purchased just a little bit of coordinating material to make a fall top for Ev. It probably didn't get worn as much as it could have because we were having difficulties understanding the difference between a one-day holiday and a full season... toddler/preschoolers... :)

She definitely wore this one a few times though - a Halloween top made from two different thrifted tops I purchased the year before. 

Last, but not least, I made coordinating tops for Ev and her cousins! I finished them in time for Kae's birthday celebration last October! The girls really do love matching, and these tops are so easy and quick! The green fabric is designed by Lizzy House, but I can't remember which fabric manufacturer she designs for. The solids either came from my local shop or from Raspberry Creek Fabrics on Etsy.

Handmade in the Wild: Mermaid Girl

I made this mermaid dress out of a remnant over a year and a half ago. She didn't wear it much the first summer, but she chose it often last summer!!!

It was perfect for Evelyn's first theater experience... we had a mother-daughter date to the area's community theater production of the Little Mermaid. She was a little scared of both King Triton and Ursula, but she still loves to talk about it every time we pass the theater!

Enjoying the bike trails!

We love how close the bike trails are to our house, and last summer we were on them at the perfect time to enjoy a train going by. I so look forward to more evenings like this once the seasons change :)

Sundress Blog Post

I Made Socks!

Back when I rekindled my sewing hobby after college, I never thought in a million years that I would make... socks. Socks! Really! Weird.

But, that's what I did. Peek-a-boo Pattern Shop released a sock pattern (Cozy Critter Socks), and I couldn't stop myself, ha! I dug through my scrap bag and found these cotton-lycra bits left over from multiple projects. 

They were a quick and easy project that the kids enjoyed immensely! James was just starting to recognize favorite characters, so he loooooved wearing these. 

Now that both of these pairs have had to be retired due to feet growing and holes worn in the bottoms, I look forward to being able to squeeze a few more in sometime during a break in my to-sew list :) I love using up scraps and the kids will love the new socks!