Julez new dress

My five year old thinks she is really 16. She loves to have her hair straightened, make-up on, and of course clothes that look like her Aunt Nicole's. We've seen the cute little elastic waist dresses around, but not in her size. I knew they wouldn't be too hard to make, so I picked up some supplies at Wal-Mart when I went to visit Dad (it's the only walmart around that still has fabric). I didn't want to spend a fortune on a dress I didn't have a pattern for or really know what I was doing. I got some sassy rocker girl fabric that sparkles, a tank top, and some extra wide elastic (I think it's 1 1/2" wide).

First, the girls (I made Emma one too) tried on their shirts and I marked right under the armpits to cut it off. Cut off the tank. Next, iron on a small strip of fusible interface to the cut edge to keep it from streching too much. Then, I sewed the elastic on to the right side of the tank. Cut the skirt. I measured the girls and doubled the waist measurement and then determined how long I wanted it. Julez's is pretty short--about 12 inches. I sewed two rows of elastic thread to gather the waist and give it stretch when I sewed it to the elastic. Next, I hemmed to where I wanted. It ended up a little short, but we wear shorts under all our dresses anyway. Attach the skirt to the bottom of the elastic and you're done. Cute, big girl dress!!

Happy Mother's Day

I've had the best mother's day today. We started off the day sleeping in. Then, we went to Newks for lunch-yummy lobster and crab bisque and salad. Next, we topped it off with a visit to a local strawberry patch to pick some berries. JD was searching for the strawberry trees when we got there-he really didn't know that strawberries didn't grow on trees!! I am so blessed to have a wonderful husband and two beautiful kids. Iloved just spending the day with them and not worrying about cleaning or running to a ball game. Just picking berries and eating strawberry-honey pops.

Macy Giggles Dress

What a wonderful Mother's Day weekend! Saturday started with me taking a sewing class at my favorite spot, Stitcher's Playhouse. I was able to make Julezee a super cute dress from this pattern:
I hope to have my pictures uploaded tomorrow. We used a navy, yellow, and white daisy print-super cute. She loves it because its a great twirling dress. I then went to the ballpark (my second home) and spent some time selling snow cones with some pretty great friends. (I'm so blessed with our friends--we've made amazing friends in the four years we've been here). Then, dinner at our favorite Mexican place. Tomorrow, I'm hoping for a trip to the strawberry patch to pick some berries and pick up a cake--yumm!!!

New (repurposed) dress for the princess

Last spring/summer, I bought a couple cute skirts at goodwill for $.99. They've been sitting in my sewing closet since then, waiting for me to do something with them. I finally got around to repurposing one of them into a spring/summer dress for the princess. Since we were out of school today for Presidents Day, I thought I'd do a little sewing. The house was clean (kinda), and it snowed, so we didn't want to venture out (and because I needed an excuse not to get out of the sweats). Nothing fancy. I used the existing zipper to make the top more fitted. Added straps out of the extra fabric cut to make it fit. She'd tried it on several times already and didn't want to put it on for the final picture. It's made out of the stretchy, cotton-y fabric. Looks like its going to be a favorite this summer.

Snow Days and Sewing

Since we've been out of school since Friday, I've had some time to do some sewing. I finished Julianne's valentines outfit (because my first try didn't go over well with the princess; she needed to make some modifications to her liking). Then, I made my niece's American Girl doll a wrap skirt and simple top using this tutorial (Julianne got a purple one too). I also made Elizabeth, Julianne's AG doll, a valentine's day outfit to match.

Kentucky, Stitches, and Bison

Our Labor Day weekend started off GREAT! We had planned to stay home, do nothing, and just lay around the house. Saturday morning, Jules woke up wanting to call her MiMi. Jules: "Mimi, will you come and get me; I'll pack my bags; I love you." in the sweetest voice every. You would think that we beat our children the way they never want to stay home. Both love spending the night at anyones house--I almost think a stranger could take them and they wouldn't care. So, of course after the pitiful phone message, we decided to pack our bags and head to Water Valley, Kentucky.

We got to Eric's parents, unloaded the van and then, of course, made our trip to Wal-Mart. I promise that is the scariest Wal-Mart I have ever been to in my life. The lady at the checkout counter looked like this or maybe this . Both of these pictures are by far better, and less scary than the lady checking us out.

Saturday night, we spent having dinner at one of Eric's family's homes. Wonderful food--fried okra, cream corn, salad, baked ham, sweet tea--yummy!! But, after eating homemade ice cream--some kid (not sure who he belonged to) came screaming out from behind the barn with blood running down his face. He had taken a line drive to the forehead. They calmed him and the mom's down and then proceeded to take him to the dinning room table to super glue his head back together--yes, you read that right. They super glued his head back together!!! With regular super glue they found in the kitchen junk drawer.

Sunday, we spent the day hanging out at the in-laws and just doing nothing. Later, we took a trip to Columbus Belmont Park (Eric's mom is the park manager there) and had supper of corn dogs, cheese fries and milkshakes. The kids played putt-putt and just ran around chasing each other. Then it happened. Jules took a tumble and busted her chin open. As soon as I saw it, I knew we had to go to the ER. Well the park is about 100 miles from any type of civilized hospitial. With Eric driving though, we made it in about 30 minutes. I was more worried about a freak out with senior pictures in about 14 years and a gapping scar than any real permanet damage. The staff there was amazing. As soon as we got there they immediatly took us back. Jules was a nervous wreck and I wasn't that great either. She was very brave and let me take a picture and even smiled.
I think I cried as much as she did when they gave her the shot so they could stitch her up. Four tiny stitches, three Hannah Montana stickers, an a sponge bob sticker later, she bebopped on out of there telling the nurses that she was never going to hurt her chin again. (I'll have some good shots later of the stitches). She was very brave and hasn't complained at all about any pain. Her biggest concern is what type of band-aids to put over it next.

And the bison--we made a pit stop on the way home Monday to see the Bison and Elk at LBL. The kids loved it (I think Eric did too). We didn't see any Elk, but saw a ton of Bison cooling off in one of the ponds. It was neat to see them up close.

TuTu's

After seeing all the adorable tutus on etsy this summer, Julzee and I decided she needed one. What little girls doesn't need a bright tutu? She definatly picked out the best colors to use--we went a big rainbow. I think it would be just as cute in two colors, or even three similar ones. We also signed her up for dance classes this weekend. She'll be in a combo (ballet, tap, tumbling) class in just a couple weeks. Brother isn't excited since he'll have to go to all the practices too! I was able to get some really good shots of her last weekend posing for me (these haven't been edited yet). The one laying down was her idea!! She's such a model.

First Day of School--for Julezee

Jules started school today. I don't know if I was more upset at her starting school this year, or when I first put her in childcare at 10 weeks old. they were both pretty hard. I think the fact that she signed herself in today was extremly difficult. She's a big girl now. She couldn't sleep last night. Every few minutes, she was coming to me, "I'm excited about starting school." It was after 10 before she finally went to sleep last night.

She's going to be going with her cousin Emma for a few weeks--at least until Em starts Kindergarten in a few weeks. Both are really excited--not sure how their teacher is going to be.



--on a side note--I'm making Emma's nap mat for school and it's so cute: lime green with bright colored guitars; so her!!!

Finally Finished and a New Doctor

I finally finished sewing Jules' outfit that I had wanted to finish months ago (I bought it a year ago and cut it out in February!!) She looks super cute in it--goes great with those bright blue eyes, but I'm afraid she won't wear it because it's not PINK. Why does EVERYTHING she have to wear HAVE TO be PINK!!! I mean I love pink, but everything??? Anyway, she's cute and did model it for me. It helped that Eric's sister said it was cute--now she kinda likes it. She has to be just like her aunt Nicole.

We also went to a new pediatrician today. We've been with Dr. Will at Skyline Pediatrics for seven years--since before JD was even born-and I truly hated leaving him, but it became an all day event to go to the doctor--I needed something closer. We're now going to a doctor in the boro area. We met with Dr. Henschel. I really liked him when we met today. He sat and talked with us for about twenty minutes and explained everything he was doing to the kids and what he found--a slight heart murmur in both of them. He says it's nothing to worry about. He's probably hearing it because they are both tiny kids (JD only weighs 43 lbs at 7 years old). He said he'd check it again next year, but he wasn't concerned and we shouldn't be either--it's a common sound to hear, especially in skinny kids and he hears it about 30% of the time. We will definatly be going back to see him--he was great.

Summer pictures

I had to play with my camera some today. Every summer, Nicole, Eric's baby sister spends a week with us. That's when we do shots of the kids and her for his mom. Today was great. We went to Cannonsburgh and took some great pictures of her and the kids. Eric had to work, we'll work him in sometime. While we were shooting by the creek, we saw a pretty big snake slithering about three feet away--we decided to move and go somewhere else!!

Julianne's FOUR

I can't believe my little girl is four! We tried to make her birthday weekend as special as possible, but with big brother having ball games all weekend, it was kinda hard. Friday night she chose Red Robin to enjoy dinner and ice cream with her Mimi and Aunt Nicole. They sang to her and she tried hard not to smile or show any excitement about it--she was thrilled though.

Saturday, we spent at the ball park watching brother play two games as well as dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings (dad's favorite). She was able to play a couple games while we were there.

And then, Sunday, her birthday started with a song from mom and dad. We again spent the first part of the day at the ball park watching big bro's team become runner up in the AA division!! (way to go Johnny D). Julezee wanted to eat at Chuck E. Cheese. Big Bro hates CEC, but went along anyway. He truly hates anything that's dressed up. Princess, on the other hand, really loves CEC. We got her the DS she's been wanting since big bro got his. She's been playing his. When she opened it, she was so excited--"this is just what I wanted."

We had to continue to tell her this morning that she really was four. She had a hard time believing us!! I'm still not ready to believe it. I think that's why it's taken me all day to write this post. I don't want my little girl to grow up.

Happy B-day my big girl! (her real party isn't until a couple of weeks--we're combining her's and brothers on the only free weekend we have this summer.)

My new project...

My new project for Julezee is Simplicity 2994. A cute halter with ruffle skirt. There are about 500 pattern pieces and I think I'm going to go crazy sewing them all , plus three ruffles and I'm not too good at ruffles. We're doing it in all blue and white. I bought the pattern and the fabric late last summer and never got around to sewing it, but I was surprised that I had it all cut out when I opened up the pattern envelope last night. So far, I've cut out all the pieces and sewed the shoulder ties. That's it. There are too many pieces. But, I hope to get into it more this afternoon when we return from small group.

I also bought a Collars pattern yesterday at Stitcher's Playhouse with some beautiful white fabric, pink piping, and pink satin ribbons--I think the material and pattern and all the stuff to go with it is only going to cost me about $15.00--you can't go to Wal-Mart for that. It's going to be beautiful for Easter, or maybe just a fabulous summer dress. I plan on putting her monogram on the front yoke in light pink--another use for the embroidery machine E got me last year for my birthday.

Kimono top

I enjoyed making this adorable little kimono top for the Princess last night--finished up this morning. All-in-all, it only took a couple of hours, and that included making the bias tape. I've never made bias tape before and that was an experience, but really not too hard. My plan is to make a little skirt or capris to go with the top in the red gingham.

I got the tute for the kimono from this website. And the bias instructions from this site and this site.

I'm off to Stitcher's Playhouse to see a trunk show and pick up some new fabric for something.

Girly dress from man's shirt

I used this site to make the cutest dress for Julezee. It's a Goodwill .99 shirt, but looks even better as a dress. It really only took a couple of hours to do. The pleat at the top (blue) took forever, and I'm still not too happy with it. But, the important thing is that she loves it. She's begging to wear it to Nana's tonight--with Pantyhose. I've got a couple more shirts to reconstruct before summer gets here. Can't wait to see how they turn out. I decided to do the capri pants too. Can't tell much about them from the picture below, but they are super cute too.

Vintage Sleeping Dress/ Nightgown

Julianne loves "sleeping dresses" as she calls them. She's obsessed with dresses in general. We finished a vintage style one this morning (Butterick fast and easy B4910 view C/A sleeves). Of course we had to wear it as soon as it was finished. This was my first ruffle, And, I'm pretty pleased with it. I think it turned out nice--a little uneven, but ok for a first try.

Birthday Cakes

My favorite memories of my birthdays are of my mom baking my cakes. We would always choose the PERFECT cake and she would make it for me. I don't remember many gifts, but I remember the cakes. I hope my kids feel the same when they get older. I've made every cake, except my oldest ones first cake.

This year, Julianne wanted two cakes, a princess cake, and a castle cake. Everything had to be pink. Pink castle, pink Barbie, pink everything. I found the castle cake in the Wilton beginner cake book/magazine. It was really pretty easy. Bake two 10 inch cakes (I used two box mixes for this one). Frost with homemade buttercream frosting tinted to the brightest shade of pink possible. Cut off the base of four ice cream cones and pipe with prepared frosting. Top five cones with sugar cones and secure with piped icing. We didn't use candies like the book suggested. For the Barbie princess cake, we used the Wilton Wonder Mold. This was the second time we've used the wonder mold. Last year we did the mermaid on the box.