Cutest Christmas Dress EVER!

         I, AGAIN, saw this outfit for sale on etsy for $60.00 plus shipping. I REALLY toyed with the idea of layawaying it and paying little over time for it becaue I couldn't find the fabric anywhere and I wasn't feeling very motivated at the time to sew it. I COULDN'T let myself spend that much on an outfit, and I know my husband would have not appreciated it much at all. What I decided to do was look on etsy for outfits being sold with this fabric and ask if they had extra they would be willing to sell. because it was last years print and hard to find, many people were not happy to share. LUCKILY I found two different people who were excelent to work with ! THANK YOU! I loved the design of this dress and the way the fabric was used. I WISH I could come up with cute things on my own like this. When it comes to fabric selection and putting different ones together I feel helpless.

   

http://www.etsy.com/listing/83241757/girls-dress-pattern-stripwork-jumper-pdf I purchased this pattern off of etsy and I was confident it would work for me. Scientific Seamstrisses patterns always work awesome! I love her patterns!  This pattern called for a ruffle on the bottom, but I wanted just a flat one, so I folded the fabric in half and zig zaged it together then sewed in on and topstitched. :) It worked perfect! :) I only used EVERY inch of the check fabric I had so in a few places I had to piece it together to make it long enough. Hopefully you can't tell. :)

         I had some jeans that were too small for her that I added a ruffle to for pants. She can wear tights to church. (I made the dress long enough to do that with)

       I absolutly love the bodice of this dress. It's a slip over the top version with no buttons or snaps to worry about and it uses a lining, underlining and front piece to it. PLUS interfacing for the button hole. I LOVE it. It's thick and yet flexible and soft and won't need ironing I'm hoping.

        The bodice is gathered to the skirt and it adds such a cute twirly feel. All that is missing here is the buttons. I am waiting for some red swirly mint buttons to come in the mail. :) There are bows on the way too. I can sew like crazy but to make cute bows is another thing I can't quite figure out.

          Last night I cut out keira's dress and then cut out and sewed two doll dresses for Her babies that look the same with my left over scraps. She loves them! This morning I sewed together her dress and pants in just a few hours.

I sure love my model! she loves the camera!

Mermaid or Under The Sea Birthday

a cheap, fun way to make a birthday special!

       I took streamers and taped them to the walls to look like water, then used green streamers to make seaweed. I cut out fish shapes, using a cookie cutter and taped them to the wall. I also found online a digital file you can buy of mermaids and underwater creatures. I just saved the picture advertising the file and blew them up in picasa. they were a LITTLE blurry , but it worked out fine! I then hung streamers from the light and made a mobile. cut out ciricles for the mermaids to get taped to and threaded them to the light. it took me all day, but it was worth it. :) I probably shouldn't say how I did that, but I can't find it in me to spend a fortune on a little party like this.

    I also made sugar cookies in fish shapes and put them on the blue table cloth and had some shredded green and blue paper on the center. I also sprinkled candy .. CHOCOLATE rocks found at walmart on the table.

Ok, so i'm not the greatest froster in the world! it's hard! :) i'm a sewer, remember!



This cake was made using mini muffin tin for the eyes, cupcakes for the claws, and my pyrex baking bowl for the body. I used licorice for the legs and arms and candy rocks for the gravel. I took cardboard and wrapped in in foil first, then taped the little paper cutout I got at Joann's for the water and then put wax paper over the whole thing. The eyeballs are ... what are those called? the minty chocolate things. ugh... sorry. I can't think right now. LONG DAY! I just realized that his eye looks bloodshot, gross! The reason I chose a crab instead of a mermaid cake, is because I don't know how often it's ever been done, and she has a thing for crabs lately! She loves them! Mermaids eat crab right? :)

    I even managed to find this wrapping paper at my grocery store of all places. I just came across it on accident.

      I found this clumsy Crab book at halmark a while ago, and bought it new off ebay for a fraction of the price. it has beautiful illustrations and has a cute, but simple story. My husband calls it predictable. I still think it's adorable! He learns that even though he has huge claws, they can be useful. The caleb the crab was found on amazon I think and it clicks like he is walking along something. she loves it!

      All in all, it was a great birthday and i'm happy my little girl had a fun day! :) I can't believe she is already 2!