Tea Party Maxi Dress

My cousin's wedding was last November, and I knew I wanted to make Ev a dress. (She continues to call it "my wedding dress!") 

I knew it would need long sleeves and I was excited to try a maxi length for the first time. I bought the fabric using my 1/2 Birthday Discount at our local quilt shop (The Pincushion). It is Art Gallery, but I can't remember the designer or line name. 

Checking sleeve length... James really doesn't like to be left out :)

Checking dress length... Someone needs to comb her hair!

At the dance! 

Family picture :) 

Pattern: Tadah Pattern's Tea Party Dress, with sleeve add-on and added length.

Kids in Camo

After Dan joined the Guards last year, I knew it was time to break out some camo!

Ev's still fits (barely!) but James' has had to be retired...

It looked cute while it lasted though!

Pattern: Recess Raglan by See Kate Sew

A perfect match to our fall mums!

Pattern: Violet by Peekaboo Pattern Shop

Fabric: Camo from a local store (Fabric Warehouse), black ribbing from JoAnns, and olive and pink cotton-lycra jersey from Raspberry Creek.

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CKC Kamry

I'm not one to bash a pattern or pattern designer... by CKC is well known to be a lower-end pattern designer. I don't even follow them on Facebook anymore. Sometimes, though, you just want to do a quick and simple sew without having to adjust anything. That's what Kamry is!

The pattern itself was pretty horrible - when the pieces all have rectangular edges and no curves, you know it's not designed to fit well... But, it turned out a cute tunic! 

And she wore it a few times last winter, so that's all I can ask, haha! 

(I can't expect more than a few times if it's not pink or twirly!)

Fabric from Raspberry Creek!

Black Sweater Knit

Just trying to finish up all these posts that have been "drafts" for half a year. I uploaded the pictures and then never took the time to write a post for them!

One of Evelyn's first weeks of preschool last year... this is what she put together for an outfit... an old Minnie Mouse Dress, a new black sweater and crazy leggings...

She wanted to match me, so I obliged by wearing a pink shirt and a black cardigan :)

This is one of the first pieces of clothing that I made him that he was excited about. It was finally his turn to try on something! Plus, it matched the fabric on his sister's and my sweaters. He did not wear this often - it was almost too small. I do want to try making another one of these for him soon though. I love vests!

Patterns: Ellie Dolman Cardigan by Elliedactyl, V-Neck Vest by Winter Wear Designs, and Welcome to the Mouse House Julia Cardigan (plus a M4M Minnie Mouse Dress and M4M Bonny Leggings - Ev's outfit!)

Fabric: The black open-weave sweater-knit was from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. Ev's leggings were made from clearance leggings from Walmart and her Minnie Mouse dress fabric was from Walmart... years ago!

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Matching Cousin Hoodies

Well, this post is long over due. 

I made matching sweatshirts for the three cousins last year in October.

Fabric: Raspberry Creek Fabrics' custom French Terry and coordinating textured french terry and cotton-lycra jersey.

Pattern: Hey June Hatteras Hoodie

They received them on this little girl's 4th birthday! We have since celebrated her 5th birthday... so I hope you enjoyed this flashback to last year :D 

Now and Then: Dress-Up Edition

Last winter, Ev found one of my old dress-up outfits.

It's definitely been well-loved and is on the verge of falling a part. But it was fun to see her wearing it around my parents' house.

I received it as a Christmas present years ago... Too bad we don't have the accessories anymore! 

2016 Family Pictures

We took our 2017 pictures a few weeks ago, but we haven't received them yet. Here's a look at last year's pictures!

Every year MOPS puts on a photo fundraiser - you get a 15minutes with a photographer and a CD with 5 edited pictures on it... all for $50. Half of that goes to our MOPS group, while the photographer ears the other half. We are so thankful for the photographers that partner with us! 

I took these pictures after the session last year - they are still smiling! She's wearing a Hey June Hatteras sweatshirt while he's in a Peekaboo Pattern Shop's Happy Feet Pajamas raglan sweatshirt. Other than a thrifted pillowcase for her front fabric, the rest of the fabric is a combo of cotton-lycra jersey and french terry from Raspberry Creek Fabrics.

Then, when we take the annual family picture with Dan's side, we usually take another family picture  of just us as well. (My top is a Love Notions La Bella Donna Top - french terry from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. I made it two years ago, and it was the first top I made for myself since Montana.)

We always get a little more creative with these since we already have the family pictures taken that will go on our Christmas cards!

Siblings...

Sweet Girl.

Sweet Boy.

And one more to make you smile - he wanted to hold a flower, too... just like big sister!

Hats, Hats, Hats

After making my kids their hats, my college friends' kids their hats (6 or 7 of them) and another two hats for a friend-here-in-town's kids... I've definitely made good use of this pattern! 

(Fleece Aviator Hat by Tie Dye Diva)

Blue and yellow have been the majority... perfect for some future jackrabbits! :D 

And then a Vikings and a Twins set...

It is a quick and easy pattern, and fleece comes in so many options!  But, I think my kids still fit in theirs, so I think my to-sew list is hat-free this fall! I'm sure the following year I'll have to make a few more... but if their old hats fit for one more year that means they will have lasted three winters! Can't beat that!

Turns out that I posted back when I made that first batch of Jackrabbit hats... almost two years ago! (Here)

Preschool! (Two First Days in One Post!)

So, here is last year's and this year's First Day of Preschool pictures!

She loved Preschool last year... 

...and she still loves it this year!

Dress: Made for Mermaids' Brooklyn/Riley Mash-Up in Riley Blake Knits.

Dress: Sew a Little Seam's Juniper Dress in Michael Miller Fabric (more about the dress at this post)

Another Hobby

I've painted wooden signs before, but lately it's become more prevalent in my free time activities...

This was a set-up for a MOPS bonfire at our house. 

A housewarming gift for one of Dan's coworkers. 

Multiple signs - gifts and door prizes and for myself!

This one ended up as a door prize for my MOPS Christmas party.

A few more additions...

Preschool and Sunday School teacher gifts!

And a few more... I've already got plans for painting more this Christmas, but I don't think it will be as many! It's always a battle to decide what needs to be done and what I really want to be doing. Between sewing and painting, I have plenty of crafty plans to undertake!

PS: Thanks to my inlaws for taking down the white shed... the wood is perfect for my projects :D 

2016 Halloween

As I'm currently sewing this year's costumes... here's a flashback to last year's costumes!

Ev was a beautiful princess Cinderella! 

Pattern: M4M's Cinderella Dress

Fabric: Stretch Velvet/Velour/type stuff from Hancock in their going out of business sale.

James went as a dinosaur... but look! He has on his mommy-made hat at least :D 

We took the kid's to the Corn Palace for a Harvest Festival.

Doesn't every princess need a picture on a vintage tractor?

Oh, and there's a football player and a crazy fairy (you can't see my wings, but they are there!). Homemade for me? My very first pair of Peg Legs (free leggings pattern from Patterns for Pirates)!

Fabric: Brushed Poly from Raspberry Creek Fabrics

And she has worn that dress so often since Halloween... I'm sure I'll have a few "Handmade in the Wild" posts for it, haha!

Two Hollys

Last year before Christmas, I purchased a pattern that I hoped to use right away. 

But, as usual, things came up, so these outfits didn't get worn until after Christmas...

Pattern: Holly by Made for Mermaids

Flannel-ish, homespun type fabric made into a warm, winter top!

Look at that pose!

A Christmas dress that was worn on Epiphany instead :)

A fair-isle cotton from Walmart along with some random red from my stash.

This wasn't Ev's favorite dress... she preferred the "store-bought" (second-hand) Christmas dresses. But, she finally let me talk her into wearing it!

Just a couple of goofballs!