A couple months ago we were back home for my brother-in-law's wedding. We stayed at my parent's house, and one day when I didn't have anything to do, I decided to go through my mom's fabric stash! I found a couple things I like, and my mom let me have them. Not to long after we got back here I decided to use one of the smaller pieces to make Tristen something. I used the Simplicity pattern 2437. 

Ugh...I can't get a pic of the pattern loaded. Oh well! The pattern is for a shirt/tunic. I sewed the short sleeved tunic version for Tristen, and it's a little big, so she could wear more like a dress right now. It gets hot here, and the material is pretty light, so it's perfect! I decided to use the larger girl size, and not the toddler size so it'll fit her longer! Kids grow too fast, and I don't feel like buying new clothes every 2 months!

Steve thinks it's kinda goofy looking, but I think it's cute...even though it looks like Tristen has a big diaper butt in this picture!

Dress #1...Done!!!

I finished my first dress last week!!! I haven't taken any pictures of it yet, but probably will next week. I used a McCalls pattern (the one pictured below), and made the shorter strapless version with a pink print I bought in Kauai.

I didn't think it was going to turn out, but it doesn't look bad at all! I had a couple issues with the zipper (probably since it was the first one I've sewn!), and I probably should have put in one that was a couple inches longer, but oh well. I liked sewing for myself so much, that I've actually already started my second dress! I'm hoping to finish it by Wednesday since we're leaving for my brother-in-law's wedding on Thursday. I'm pretty sure I'll have it done by then. Well, I'm going to try to get Tristen to take a nap so I can get back to work on it!

Phone charging pocket

I was looking around on Pinterest last week and saw this! What an AWESOME idea!!! I'm sure just like us, everyone has that area on the counter, or a table, where all the junk collects (junk mail, papers, keys, etc.). Well, that's where I charge my phone. So, when I saw that phone charging holder thing (not sure what it's called since the blog it's on is in German!), I knew I needed to make me one! Of course, my isn't quite the same. I think the one I saw is made of felt, which I don't have and don't feel like going to buy, I just used some fabric I have already. I didn't have a pattern to work with, so I just winged it! I'm not very good with the whole seam allowance, but hey, my phone fits!

Crap! I just rememberd I ordered a cover for my phone (Steve and I just got new phones, and we both got the same one, so I needed to get a cover so he won't accidentally take mine), so it might not fit in the cool little charging pocket I just made!!!! Ugh! Oh well. If it doesn't fit, I'll just have to make another one! :)  That's fine with me; there are a couple things I would do differently if I do make another one (like make it wider!)

I know I just posted earlier about wanting to finish my dress, but I find so many cool things online that I want to make for myself (or Tristen) that it's hard to stick with one project that takes forever, when I can whip something up like my charging phone pocket!

Getting closer!!!

I'm getting closer to finishing my dress!!! Yesterday I got the zipper on the main fabric (not without using my seam ripper a couple times, of course!). I was able to put it on, and guess what....It finally looks like a dress!!! All I have left to do now is to sew the lining to the zipper (which I think I may end up doing by hand, unless I figure out a way to do it on my machine), finish the back seam on both layers, and then hem both layers. I really want to finish it this week, but we'll see how that goes. I don't do any sewing after Steve gets home from work, and I can't do it while Tristen is awake. So, that leaves me with like a hour during nap time. Not quite enough "me" time, especially since some days I use that Tristen-free time to do some cleaning that I can't do while she's awake. Sweeping and mopping while a 2yr old is running around is like shoveling while it's still snowing! :)

I need a dressform!

Now that everyone but me is asleep, I figured I'd mess around with the dress I started for myself. I cut the lining of the skirt earlier when Tristen was napping, so I decided I'd pin the darts and the pieces together. Held it up, and it looks ok. I then pinned the skirt to the bodice that I'm almost done with and the I held it up to me again. I swear, I need about 6 arms to get the idea of how the dress will look finished! Trying to hold the back together and not look deformed is pretty hard! I then decided to pin it onto my bra in a couple spots (which helped) and then I was able to put a couple pins in the back. Now it's looking like a dress! We'll see if I get a chance durning nap time tomorrow to cut out the main fabric for the skirt. This whole dressmaking process would be a lot easier if I had a dressform! Yeah right! Like there is any room in our little apartment for one! I guess I should finish this dress first, and maybe sew a couple more, before I really decide to get one. Who knows, this one might turn out HORRIBLE and I may never want to sew anything for myself again!

Dresses for Tristen

Well, I really wanted to keep up with blogging since I started this one, but we've been all over since Steve got home. When we were back home last month, I was able to make Tristen a dress!

I kinda just went with it, and didn't use a pattern for this. It was a little long, so I finally fixed the hem on it last week when I was making her this other dress...

Steve got a couple of these white t-shirts (which neither of us would wear). I used just about the whole shirt for her dress except the neck, sleeves, the "old navy" and flag. It was pretty easy to do because I didn't have to hem the bottom since that was the bottom of the shirt, and I didn't have to sew the sides. I basically held the shirt up to Tristen to see where to cut for it to be a good length. I cut straight on the front (to be the dress back) right below the flag, and then on the back of the shirt I cut a couple inches higher and rounded the sides. Then from there, I shirred around the dress ( I just kept going until it looked like a good length for the bodice. Finally I cut strips from what was left on the back of the shirt, sewed them together to create one large strip and sewed it around the back and under arms on the bodice, and then crossed it on the back and sewed the ends on!

It's a little too white, and I've been thinking of something to put on it, maybe just on the skirt part. I'm in no hurry to do that though, cuz it's cute on her just the way it it is!

On another note, I got three fabrics when we were in Kauai, one to make a dress for Tristen (of course!), but the other two I plan on making something for myself! Hopefully they turn out!  :)

btw, Has anyone heard of Pinterest? I am TOTALLY addicted!

Tristen's room

So, I have been trying to figure out what kind of wall decor to put in Tristen's room. I've been wanting to paint something, but I'm not good at creating my own stuff so I need to have something to copy. I have 3-12" square canvas boards that I can use...There's a start. I got some paints a couple weeks ago in the colors I knew I would want to use; yellow, green, blue, purple, pink and white. Since Tristen is pretty independent, and kinda does her own thing for most the day, I was able to find something online to copy last week.

I think these (except for the top right one) will be cute! These are from Pottery Barn Kids. I want the backgrounds all the same color though, and then I'll try to find frames to fit them. Hopefully white frames, but if not, I can always paint them! I've painted the background of all three in yellow, and I'm gonna try to do some more next week. Steve hasn't been working full days yet, so I have less quiet time around here to do anything (other than cleaning).

Oh yeah, we FINALLY got a bed yesterday, and it will be delivered tomorrow! We got a new mattress last year when we moved out here, but didn't see any beds we liked. I found one in an ad  right after I got back out here, and kept that ad to show Steve. Finally, a new bed and real night stands! (no more plastic storage drawer things!)

Nothing like fresh banana bread, and chocolate chip cookies for Steve! Yay, he's finally home!!!!

Cupcakes

I found a low-calorie frosting recipe online a couple weeks ago (I'm all about low cal/fat foods), and have been wanting to try it. It consists of 8oz fat-free sour cream, and 1 (normal sized) sugar-free pudding packet. Easy enough. I'm just wondering how it will actually taste. I forgot to get a box of cake mix the last time I went grocery shopping, so I found a recipe online and figured I'd give it a try. Well, the batter was good...good enough to eat about 2 cupcakes worth of it that was extra after filling the cupcake paper things! After counting calories since Feb., and not eating too many sweets either, all that batter made me feel so...blah. That's the only descriptive word I can think of. I'm sure y'all know how it feels when you eat too much junk! Of course I had to taste a cupcake after it cooled off a little, and it wasn't bad...like I would use the same recipe again. I just tried to make the frosting, and YUCK! It tasted just like pudding, but it was like really lumpy. Imagine making pudding, but using like 1/4 of the amount of milk it calls for. If I wanna eat something that tastes like pudding, I'll just have pudding. I don't think I'll ever try that again. Next time I want chocolate frosting, I'll take all the fat and calories, and just make chocolate buttercream Wilton has on their website. I've made that a couple times. It's so good I could eat it off a spoon, and I'm pretty sure I have before! I guess we'll be eating frost-less cupcakes...oh well!

(I figured out how to add a link, how awesome!)

Let it begin!

I have decided to start a blog! I want somewhere to post all of my creations; weather it's cooking, baking, crocheting, sewing, or anything else! I have had the crafting itch, and all kinds of ideas in my head, since I got back to TN a few weeks ago. However, I think I'll hold off on starting anything until Steve goes back to work after block leave...which he should be home (hopefully) by easter!!! I don't want to go spend any money right now, and all I have available in the apartment is a blanket I started crocheting (last year!). But right now, I really want to sew! Unfortunately, I left my sewing machine back in CO. I'm hoping it will fit in the car on the way back here after leave...we'll see. Maybe it won't, and Steve can just buy me a new one! :)  Hopefully someone other than myself will find this to be an inspirational blog, just like I have found others!

(For now, I'm sure others will find this to be a bit of a boring page, since I have NO IDEA how to change all the colors, and background and what-not! Oh well!)