Maxi Dress Process

Can I call it a Maxi Dress?  It is not as full as most maxi dresses, when you have a protruding belly it makes it hard to see if the fit is going to work after the belly is gone.

The one thing I wanted this dress to do was to work after the baby is here, so that means nursing.  I needed front easy access!

I realized that a modest maxi dress was basically a Regency Era dress - think Jane Austin - Emma, Pride and Prejudice, etc...

So I found a book that documents some pieces from museums and gives you a graphed pattern, I had a pattern in my stash that had similar lines. 

I started with one, switched to the other, combined the two, fidgeted and fussed.  I made 6 different bodices, and 4 sleeves.   

I think every time I look at it I find something I would do different or needs tweaked.  I see why my Mom didn't like sewing for herself.

Where I've Been

I disappeared on Monday morning of last week and finally emerged triumphant (or at least I hope so) today.  While Jason was out of town I decided to tackle a new project without him making me feel guilty because I have tunnel vision.  You can tell by how my sewing area looks, that it was a project!

About a month ago I tried on a maxi dress that I just loved.  The only problems were the price tag and that it was sleeveless.  It is a beautiful denim maxi dress by Theory. 

So what did I do, decided I had to have it anyway and I had to have it my way.  If anyone ever hears me talking about doing something like this again - tell me NO!

I need a better model!

When You Have a Daddy's Girl

When you have a Daddy's girl and Daddy is gone for a week she will miss him terribly.  Last week while Jason was gone Charlotte had a hard time. 

Everytime we would pull into the drive way and she would see his car she would get excited and tell us that Daddy's home!  I would explain to her that he was not home yet and she would immediately start to cry.  Not cry a little, but seriously start bawling.  It would take several minutes to console her and she would go about her day until the next time she would realize that he was gone when he should be home!

She loves her Daddy.

(Picture Spring 2009)

Okay, Okay !

Here is the swimsuit I keep talking about.  I really wish they had a picture of a little girl wearing it - super cute.


You can find it here, ssshh!!

A Post For Daddy's To Be!!

This pregnancy Jason has had a couple of really good faux pas.  I thought I would write them down, so I can make sure he never forgets. 

I might have not gotten the wording just right, but this is basically what he said.


1.  This is said to the pregnant wife, while going through first trimester yucks.
"You weren't sick with the other ones, right?" 
Wife glares and thinks husbands have a better pregnancy memory loss than women.  My Mom verified that my Dad made the same comment and my Mom was deathly ill with all 6 pregnancies.

2.  While talking to someone from his past and someone wife has never met.  The topic of who they know that is having babies comes up.  Husband segways with  "She is usually not this fat, we are expecting another one."  I laugh - because I am still too happy about having had my ultrasound earlier that day and I am holding the worlds  cutest baby swimsuit - so who cares, but I did remind him he was an idiot later.  He tried to redeem himself by claiming that the shirt I was wearing made it hard to tell if I was pregnant.

Love you Jason!!

For Everyone Who Has Been Wondering!

I am FINALLY ready to announce. 

YES I am pregnant!

AND.....



It is a......



GIRL!!

We are very excited for Charlotte to have a sister.  She will make her earthly debut early October (almost the same due date as Grahms).  I am nervous as to how I am going to sew for two (I know my Mom sewed for 5-6 at a time - SUPER WOMAN). 

Yes, she will be born in Japan (in a military hospital).  I hear the hospital is great.

Time to really start planning colors, clothes (I bought the cutest little swim suit for her for next summer), etc...

TipJunkie!

The TipJunkie did a fabulous post on repurposing old clothes for the little kids.  There are some very cute ideas (one of them mine!!!) 

Check them out HERE. 

I think I am going to have to try the sweater dress tutorial.  I think it still gets cold enough in Japan for a sweater dress!!

The Fused Plast Project I Wanted to Do!

When I first saw fused plastic projects I wanted to make a bib (see previous post for links to fusing tutorials).  There are these one style of bibs that I LOVE!!!  They work, they actually catch crumbs, drips and spills.  The bib has a snap up pocket, best design ever.  Easy to clean!  The only problem is they get holes in the corners and are not cute at all. 

I once fused vinyl on to cute fabric and had a cute waterproof bib for awhile, but the vinyl got holes in it.  So I ripped off the vinyl and still use the fabric bib today and it is still cute and works.  Except when she spill chocolate milk - then it just soaks through.

The Starburst bib was easy to make, relatively cheap - but I don't think it will hold up any better than the other versions.  Holes to come in the corners.  So I think I will stick to fabric.

Fused Plastic Projects!

This is my first "succesful" fused plastic projects.  Yes, I tried once before and fusing the plastic together can be a little trickier than it looks.  This time it went so smoothly! 

I first saw an idea for a belt HERE.  Super fun for the kids.  I have been working on my own idea, but that is the one that has not gone smoothly - we will try again next week since this worked out so great.  This SITE has a great tutorial for fusing plastic.

These bags were not my first choice of a project, but have become a necessity.  The boys needed something to put their handhelds and games in to keep it all together.  We kept hunting for games and no one could remember where they put them.  I also realized that these would come in handy for their carry ons during our long flight overseas!  They like that the outside layer is candy wrappers, start saving your plastic for your own projects.

It Just Froze Over!

I HATE playdough.  Hate might even be too mild of a term - LOATHE or DESPISE or something.  I don't even like my children to play with it at someone elses house, it still comes home on their sock, shoes, bum, elbows - what a stinkin pain and a mess!

Well, today - Jayce has a friend over and it is raining.  So to try and give him and his friend some room to breathe, I am entertaining the Grahm and Charlotte with novelties!!

I had better get back, I am sure it is time to vacuum!!

A project post later today.

Charlotte's Easter Dress!

More proof that girls are more spoiled than boys, Charlotte's Easter clothes get an entire post dedicated to them. 

Yes, I made her dress again this year.  I started something with the first dress I made her and now I feel like I can't buy one or I would be letting myself down and others - ah! pressure!

I used a vintage dress pattern again (in fact it is the same one as last Easter and last Fall).  It was going to be a different pattern, but she does not grow as fast as my boys did.  I always put them in clothes that cooridinated with their age, not Charlotte!  I enlarged the bodice just a touch to make sure if she did grow she would not be out of it in a month and lengthened it. 

I still wanted the look of the other pattern, so she has a big square collar.  The collar is great because it is removable.  The first sunday she wore it she ended up with crayon on the collar and goldfish- so nice that I could just wash the collar!

The Easter Clothes!

I have been very slow posting pictures of Easter and their church clothes for several reasons.  1 - Even though Turquoise is the color of 2010, they are not all created equal and not everyone knows that it is the color of the year, 2 - Finding a nice day outside to take pictures AND all 3 kids.

I am not sure why I even tried to get a pictures with all 3 kids.  Trying to get all 3 of them to look at the camera and smile or just look normal is not possible.  It only checks to see if I have learned patience.  I am not sure if I have learned patience, but I know a loosing battle when I see one. 

So, I tried to take a few at one spot - moved them to the next one and said never mind - go change!!  To which they all started to claim they wanted to take more pictures - Ahuh, sure!!  Go Change!!

By the way, they swear they are really trying to give me good smiles.  They just don't know how! (or so they said).

I think the best one is when I said, nobody smile.