Category Archive

1. pillowcase dress

A while back I made THESE pillowcase dresses. Like the t-shirt skirts, I thought the project went smoothly, and always planned to get back to the idea. But, like the skirts, I never did. I did save these links as cute ideas though…

Jen, at Red Instead, has this tutorial.

Leslie also has a tutorial up at her blog, A Room Somewhere. I enjoy reading Leslie’s blog regularly, by the way.

And then there’s Susan’s tutorial on Freshly Picked

2. boston terrier puppies

I don’t actually have Boston Terriers, but my parents do, and they love them to death. They have three of them actually - two females and a male. THe male is virtually impossible to photograph, but here are the two females…

3. dobson ron paul

This search term is interesting to me for many different reasons. The search usually takes people to the post about the open letter to Dr. Dobson. The interesting thing to me, is that any leader in the Christian community can carry so much weight that his endorsement of any political candidate is crucial to that candidacy. It’s also amazing that Christians are so willing to not think, and instead allow a “spiritual geru” to do their thinking for them. We seem to be like sheep who confuse a slightly larger, more prominent sheep for The Shepherd.

4. home crafts

This is one of my favorite topics, right up there with thrifting!

5. baseball posters

I have no idea why this search would lead to my blog. I don’t own any baseball posters, and don’t really have any interest in them. But hello, people searching for baseball posters! Can I interest you in a cup of coffee and photos of my daughters? They’re much cuter than big stinky baseball players anyway. And they sweat less. Not that a poster sweats, but you’d probably have the impression of sweat every time you looked at your poster.

6. embroidery patterns

I love anything with vintage embroidery - especially pillowcases. I wish I could embroidery, but I can’t ever make it look right. I envision all these sweet, simple little girls dresses in natural fibers and neutral colors with charming little embroidered accents.

Beetastic has an amazing collection of vintage embroidery finds. I love to browse through her photostream.

7. seashell crafts

I assume that this search leads to Gentlewood Cottage because of the wreath which I made for Christmas two years ago…

8. marme

The girls’ name for my mom. The name was chosen by my sister-in-law, Delana. I insisted that I got to choose what our kids would call my dad, so he’s Granddad.

9. retro homemaking

An endlessly fun topic. But really, there’s not much difference in Retro Homemaking, and Modern Homemaking, when it comes to the technique - it’s the mentality that’s different. Maybe that should be a whole ‘nother post for a whole ‘nother time.

10. vintage picnic

Ahh the romance…

We used to do this sort of thing more often pre-kid. Maybe someday it won’t seem so daunting and we’ll do it more often again.

You could serve any food at a “vintage” picnic. The romance is in the presentation. Chipped vintage plates with cheery colored flowers, sparkling citrus soda served in real glasses, and strong black coffee in chunky vintage coffee mugs are all essential. Someday I would love to find a genuine red-checkered table cloth to add to my picnic stash. If you’re lucky enough, you will dine on a grassy slope, overlooking a smooth jazz or a big band concert playing in the distance.

In the “old days” we took a book and read for hours. Maybe in the future we will enjoy that again, this time with our children flying kites and chasing butterflies in the distance.

11. love husband

This search thrills me. It’s like Google saw that search and thought “Who was that lady who writes that blog? Don’t you think it’s pretty obvious that she loves her husband? Let’s add that as a search result.” Yup, it must have gone something like that.

12. pioneer spider cooking pan

What? You lost me on that one.

13. handsome husband

See number 11. Strike “loves her husband?”. Insert “has a handsome husband?”.

The first of two new spring nightgowns. Made from a thrifted vintage sheet which has the nicest feel to it. It’s the sort of thing which always feels cool against your skin. I have enough fabric in the two sheets ($.25) to make the girls each a nightie and shorts, and myself a nightgown, and lounge pants.

Kinsley has adopted this cloche. I actually crocheted it for myself, and it really does fit my head well. However, the head of our two year old is something to behold. Majestic, in fact. Surely disproportionate to her tiny frame.

Something about this photo reminds me of any one of the female cast of characters in the Jeeves and Wooster Series, which, by the way is wonderful. In fact, we’ve recently been enthralled by the stories written by P.G. Wodehouse. Dan reads them to me in the bathtub, and I often read them while putting some child or other to sleep at the computer. Did you know you can read the entire book online? This is a new and exciting development for me.

I think that white on white - on a one year old - may very well be the most difficult thing I’ve ever tried to photograph.

Kinsley also got a new white blouse, but I didn’t get it photographed at all. And it’s even slightly different, which is huge for me!

This dress set was inspired by a vintage pattern in a size much too large for my girls. I pieced some other patterns together and came up with this version.

I actually finished these in early march, and the fabric was a little too light for the snowy weather which we were enduring during the particular event for which these were made, so I re-did some flannel pantaloons which I made for the girls last fall, to coordinate with the outfit.

The fabric was a serendipitous find. I found the white print before I ever had children and stowed it away, influenced by my belief that all of my children would be of the male variety. After I had Kinsley, I had dreams of sewing a darling vintage dress out of it, but never got around to it. Then came Sophie, and I decided that I always had to make them matching dresses. When I got ready to use that fabric, I was saddened to see that there wasn’t enough for what I had in mind. I put the fabric back on the shelf with a sigh, thinking that someday I would have to make a cute little jumpsuit for some baby boy. That same afternoon, my Grandma brought by a bag of goodies from the thrift shop. In it was just enough of the blue version of that same print to make it work with creative cutting! I had only the smallest threads left, when I was done.

The button came from a family friend’s estate. The lady had passed away, and the husband gave much of her lifetime collection of sewing notions away. She had collected things from her mother, so I have no idea how old this button is, but I thought it very quaint and unusual.

Another version of the yellow ruffles.

With another side of belly button.

Kinsley really got into the posing for this one.

I made two (I make two of everything, these days).

The ham-y-ness just kept coming…

Even with snot encrusted on her face, it’s pretty darn charming, if you ask me.

I’ve made several sets of these ruffly skirts using the wonderful tutorial written by Tanya, of Grand Revival. This set wasn’t the first, it was just the first one photographed.

Check out that belly button! It’s Kinsley’s favorite feature.

Sophie also like hers, but we can all agree that it’s simply not quite as remarkable.

And, just to prove that the girls do own shirts (and even wear them on occasion) here’s a photo which was taken at the event for which the skirts were sewn: my siblings Awana games. They were the yellow team, and the girls had nothing yellow in their wardrobes.

The goal:

The plan:

And the progress:

*Finished product still to come.

I’ve mentioned Epossumondas a couple of times recently. I think it may be the all-time favorite book which we’ve ever checked out of the library. One of these days, I think we’re going to have to break down and actually purchase it ourselves. Remember Kinsley telling Dan that he didn’t have the sense he was born with? Yeah, it’s from Epossumondas.

Well, we finally captured the quote on video. It’s a hum-dinger, I think.

I’ve recently finished sewing several outfits for the girls. Can you say “matchy matchy”?

One day Dan asked Kinsley what we had done that day. “Mama sew.” she explains. “What did Mama sew?” asks Papa. “Summer clothes.” informs the baby. How does she know these things?

There’s so much to tackle today that I barely know where to begin! I’m going to try to list my goals in order of priority and see how far I get today…

Upload and edit sling pictures

Revamp sling auction and relist

Relist doll sling

List two or three other auctions

Sew, pack and ship sling

Take duck and bug photos and list on etsy

Fold and put away all laundry

Clean out fridge

Clean bathroom

Water plants

Re-clean/organize my studio

Take out all trash

Plant the azaleas

There’s so much more to do, but I think I’ll try to keep it realistic and stop there. Here goes!

I’ve been imagining this shirt for some time now, and finally got around to creating it. It’s kinda big and blousey (my husband thinks maternity - what do you think?) but I do need the extra fabric to disguise all my post-baby pounds. It’s a soft and comfy cotton and it stretches in all the right places. The long tunic length is great for covering the unsightly rear side. I’ll be making more for sure!

Isn’t this pattern fun? I love the idea of making one for each month of the year, with the darling embroidery patterns for each month, but alas, I am no good at embroidery, and I suspect that even if I were, it’s something I’d just never get around to. Somehow my wee ladies keep me too busy! So, on to eBay it has gone…

It’s a half apron, with a cumberbund style waistband. The pattern is on unmarked tissue. Included were detailed instructions, and twelve iron on embroidery patterns, one for each month of the year.

I even found the envelope interesting. It is marked with a stamped two-cent stamp, and says “PARADE” “Patterns by Pauline” in the return address. In the address slot, is a newspaper clipping which the addressee apparently clipped, filled out, and mailed to the company, in order to request this pattern. The vintage way of life just seems utterly charming and interesting to me!

I am joining Julie of Handmaid this week in her Colour Week. Won’t you come and play?

My newest, most favorite color in the world! Especially when combines with red. Red and turquoise, an unbeatable combination!

I have the hardest time passing up cute printed t-shirts at thrift shops - even though I don’t care to wear prints myself. I have had these two t-shirts in my “thrifted for fabric” stash for months now and was finally inspired by a skirt in Garnet Hill.

My only regret is that the orange stripey t-shirt wasn’t big enough to get shorts out of it too - I’d love to have added built in shorts under the skirts.

Before (View a.)

After (View a.)

Before (View b.)

After (View b.)

You’re not going to believe this amazing thrift shop score… the Twin Fit Dress Form for only one dollar! I couldn’t believe my eyes. This is the kind of find I have dreamed of - but never thought possible!

And these buttons. All for only fifty cents.

Kinsley and Sophie have new outfits! I’m thinking that these will be their Easter ensembles.

The tops are made from thrifted curtains using the pillowcase dress tutorial from Jen at RedInstead.

The bottoms are made from oh-so-soft batiste and trimmed with the remains of a thrifted but stained dresser scarf using this wonderful pattern for baby pants from “Bee’s Nest”.

Sophie had a rough day yesterday, and so is not pictures in her new outfit. Maybe on Easter…

1. From beth:
What’s the most unusual hobby you have? How did you get started with it?

I guess it would be my vintage button collection. I think I have been influenced my grandma who is a product of the depression and never threw anything away. When I was a kid I would sort through her tins of buttons which were organized by color family. I don’t think she ever threw any buttons away, and would “hunt up” garments from thrift shops and yard sales just for their buttons. At first I thought the collection was neat, and I loved the way the metal buttons smelled. Then as I reached my early teens (the height of wisdom and maturity, I began to secretly sneer at Grandma’s junk. Now that I have begun sewing, and loving everything vintage, I have a new appreciation for her buttons. And many other notions which she has horded for decades.

2. From briar:
How many different kinds of music do you listen to? Name a few favorites, if you please.

Classical, Swing, Jazz, Bluegrass, Classic Country, Hymns, New-Agey type stuff… Just about every genre except modern country, modern Christian, hip-hop, rap or any of that type stuff (can it truly be called music?).

3. From iris:
Do you take advantage of the outdoor areas where you live? What’s your favorite thing to do outside? What’s your favorite local bird?

We live next the the walking trail in our small town. It borders two side of our yard, and just down the trail it crosses the pretty spring fed creek (see picture above). On summery evenings, we usually walk this trail all the way down to the local park which has a running track, play ground equipment, a river, and a basketball court. We make pretty good use of all the amenities.

About the bird - I’m wish I were more proficient at recognizing the birds in our area. The other day we watched a giant woodpecker on a stump in the yard. The thing was the size of a cat! Sadly, I have no idea what kind it was…

4. From kristy:
Children: Do you have any?

Oh, yeah! Two wonderful, gooey, ridiculous, charming and insane little girls. Kinsley Abigail and Sophie Lucia Marie, ages 18 months and two months, respectively. They are the light of our lives!

5. From amy:
What is your favorite part of spring?

The fact that it’s not winter any more. And there are no mosquitoes yet.
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Thirteen things I’m sewing…

1. A dress for my sister…

2. Complete with bolero…

3. And handbag. All in a lovely combination of wine colored gingham and rose floral.

4. A dress for my mom. From the same rose print as my sister’s dress.

5. Pink poodle skirts for my girls, complete with tiny poodles, the black belt, and poofy slips.

6. White sailor dresses for my little girls.

7. A total of eight little vintage style smocks for my girls. Four each with corresponding bloomers in the most charming floral and gingham prints.

8. A skirt very similar to this one, in the same prints as my girls smocks.

9. Two shirts for my mom, a sleevless one and one with bell sleeves, in combinations of the prints which I am using for my skirts and the girls smocks.

10. Two shirts for my sister (the same fabric plan as above).

11. A pair of gauchos for my sister which will match and can be worn with either of her two tops.

12. A black silky kimono for myself to wear to my grandparents 50th anniversary dinner. (The same event that Mom and Hannah will be wearing their new dresses, and which my girls will wear their poodle skirts [the party is a fifties theme]).

13. A small assortment of hats, bonnets and aprons to complete the girls summer wardrobes.

I promise pictures as the various projects are finished.

It’s been a slow morning thus far. I do plan to actually accomplish some things today (Anti-Procrastination Challenge from Mrs. Wilt at The Sparrow’s Nest).

Goals:

1. Plan girl’s Easter dresses. (I am planning to emulate THIS dress)

2. Clean out fridge.

3. Plan menu and shopping list.

4. Neaten house for weekend.

Here’s to a peaceful and productive Friday!

These pictures are of Kinsley’s new nightgown. She really hammed it up for the “photo shoot” - posing and fluttering her eyelids and wanting to see the pictures after each shot. She went from chair to chair and posed, then got a book and held it upside down and looked at me, not the book. She’s totally thrilled with her new gown and thinks herself the prettiest thing to ever walk the face of the earth.