Pears and Apples Pillowcase Dress

This wonderfully cute fabric came from Joann's. I bought it back in November during my Black Friday shopping spree. The weather is perfect now for lightweight, adorable, girl dresses.

The measurements for this dress are: 11-12 inches for the top part, 16 inches for the bottom part, finished. The length is about 17 1/8 inches, including the casing or hem lines. Fabric was cut on the fold. For the diaper cover I used this pattern. Dana provides a great free pattern, printable from your computer as well as a tutorial. She is awesome! My girl will be two years old next month and is of average size. If your toddler is bigger, and/or taller, or you are making one for a smaller toddler/baby then make sure to adjust your measurements.

I didn't follow the traditional pillowcase style where you thread the ribbon through the casing for the ties at the shoulder. My girl likes to pull on the ribbons and sometimes they come out and if you are not prepared to thread it back through then you will have a partially dressed or completely undressed child on your hands. No one wants that, especially if you are in public and in a hurry.

Instead, I made the casing like you normally would, but I used elastic as a means of gathering the fabric for the front and back. Then, I sewed coordinating ribbon to the dress where I wanted them to be for a good fit. She can pull on the ribbons all she wants but she won't pull them out. Also, I just like the way the elastic makes the dress look. The ribbon will always be the same length on both sides as well. No more tying, untying and retying.

And there you have one adorable spring dress!

And adorable she is! Well, I think so at least.

She is starting to grow into toddler-hood. The baby days are pretty much over at this point. Next project, potty training.

What are you doing?                                                 Who me? Found my belly button.

Sold! The Harmon Tree Farm Experience

The kids and I went to the auction at the Harmon's Tree Farm in Gilbert. There was something I have had my eye for several months and I wanted to buy it. Luckily, it was going up for auction on my one day off this week. I took pictures.

There were a lot of cars there. So many that I had to park across the street, 5 lane highway, and schlep the kids safely across. People were parked at least 1/4 mile on both sides of the road, and finding any available space they could. There was one smart neighbor who decided to have a yard sale at the same time. Lots of potential customers for him. I think he did pretty well by the end of the day.

They started at the end of the farm and worked their way up to the front. They sold the animals first, then the farm equipment, old cars, playground equipment, then stuff in the blacksmith shop, and museum. I didn't expect to see so many people there on a weekday. Several people just came to watch. Brought their own chair and made a day of it.

How cool is this sign? I want it. I think it would go great in my sewing room. One day, as I do not have a sewing room to myself yet. My wonderful husband decided that I could share one of our outdoor sheds with him so that I could have a space all my own. It's temporary. I don't think he actually wants to have to share his space. We're going to add on to his shed and I will have a space all to myself, just for me, all mine. I can make a mess and spread out and not have to clean up so we can eat dinner. It'll be great...one day.

So, anyway, love this sign. Want it for my sewing room.

Here are the other signs on the wall that were also up for auction. Everything must go!


While I was looking around the inside of their museum I saw these metal painted chairs. They are cute and very detailed and in good condition. Would have also made a great addition to my sewing room. Compact seating.

This is the back of the green chair. Nice paintings on the back and front.

The boy showing me how strong he is. You go son! You are very strong! Now put that chair down so we don't mess it up.

The red chair. Also, nice. I don't know if they were going to be sold separately or together. Time was running out for us and we needed to get home to start dinner and relax and unwind.

 The red chair is painted on the front only. I apologize for some of the bad pictures. They were taken with my camera phone. When we went home for lunch I brought back the digital camera. Not the nice digital camera, but better than the phone camera. Getting the pictures off the phone was a whole other adventure.

I would love to have this Christmas Tree finial as well. But it wasn't one of the items up for auction that day.  It goes up for auction today, Friday, and I am not at home to go. Bummer. I looked around for a lot number or something to indicate how it was going to be sold. Together with some other stuff? Alone? Couldn't tell. I did find some pricing on it, $135. I am not sure if that was the original price of it when they owners first bought it, or if it is how much they were hoping to get for it, or if is was the starting price for the item. It remains a mystery. It sure is pretty.

While the kids and I had a good time at the auction, and it was fun to watch, I did not win my sewing machine sign. Bummer. I stopped bidding at $35. It sold for $45. Guess I will keep searching. Maybe I will find a sign at some of the antique stores in the area. The search will continue.

There was a photographer at the auction, as well, taking pictures for the Lexington Chronicle. We talked for a bit and he took a couple of pictures of my children. We made the front page of the website. Yea! Local celebrity fame, we were come! Please, please no autographs...the kids don't know how to write their names yet.

The kids' behavior was pretty good. I made sure to bring water and snacks for them. Food makes everything easier. It also helped that it was a pretty day and they could get out and play. They had fun on the playground before everything got sold and the crowd started moving that way. I didn't want them to get lost in the crowd.

I was able to take some good pics of the kids in front of the green building. I think the green makes a nice backdrop for photos. They look so cute.

The girl loved the pig yard ornaments. Had we stayed longer to see them go up for auction we may have bid on them and been able to make them our law ornament pets.

It was a great way to spend time with the children, enjoy the weather, and watch an actual auction take place. New experiences and all. It will be sad the see the Farm close permanently. It will be missed.