A Fix

So, I cleaned out my Picasa Web Album. Instead of being 99% full it is 18% full. Hmm. Now I can get back to posting photos with my projects. Also noticed that if I combine my photos in a Word document and save it as grouping that the size of the photos is very low. Duly noted Google and Picasa. :)

Lame-O

That's me. Lame. I haven't completed much in blog world. Seriously need to get on that. Gotta clean out my picasa album so I can get back to attaching photos here. I have been doing work though. Well, not work-work, but "work". You know, the fun stuff. Sewing.
I made my daughter a new toddler backpack for daycare. Her other one was falling apart.
I also made one for a co-worker/friend's daughter. Turned out super cute.
I finished a pillowcase dress for my sister's friend.
I finished my son's two pairs of pajama pants. He loves them.
And I made a pair of ruffle pants for my daughter to go with a pillowcase dress she wore last year. The dress is now a top, but the matching pants are totally adorable. Using the same material I am also working on another toddler backpack for her, to take to church.
*sigh*
 So need my studio built.
I would have provided photos, but my album is full. I'm getting to it, I promise.

New Year, New Start

I am determined that this year will start off better than the last one ended. I have at least one goal made, a few more I want to make, but I just haven't made them specific enough to actually be able to meet those goals. I'm working on it. I have projects in mind, just a few, that need to get done, and a whole bunch I would love to be able to do. The major thing that is stopping me is space. I do not have an adequate, warm, all mine, creative space. I just need a contractor who can work with me, get back to me, answer my questions, and actually build my craft studio. I'm ready, but all in good time I guess. Maybe there is something better coming down the road, or something that will require my attention and possibly saved up finances? Hoping for good things though. I will remain patient, or at least try to.

I'm also struggling with a decision. I knew there was some sort of limit on the saved up space photos used in blogs can take up, what I didn't count on was using up said space so quickly. I love having a space to show all of my work that is just for that work, and provide explanations and others things in life that don't have any other outlet. It's my memory keeper for the everyday things. I can use Facebook to a point, but it's not the same as creating an entire post around one subject/project that you can easily refer back to for cute memories of those subjects/projects. This is like my creative scrapbook, online, in one location...and now my photo limit is met. What to do? I can increase my limit, but that means making monthly payments to an entity that is trying to make money for the company and shareholders. That's fine for them, but that's not the goal of my blog...to make money for me, for an entity, or pay for the opportunity to blog. For now I will painstakingly find the photos in my picasa album that were not used in a blog and delete them to create more free space. Might even have to edit some posts to remove photos as well.

In other news...I am starting to feel better. By the time Christmas came around I could feel the change in me. The pain was getting better and I was healing. Hopefully the follow-up appointment will bring good news. It's nice to notice when you are actually feeling better. I've been planning and thinking and making lists again. Now I just need to get to work on that. For that, a space to do so would be nice. Have I mentioned I am in need of a contractor?

Hoping for a great year!

Still MIA

So much I want to do.....so much to do....no energy. But at least I know why now. I still wasn't feeling better so back to the doctor I went. Diagnosis: Pneumonia. Fun! :(  So, I will shelve my Christmas to-do list in favor of relaxing and healing. It will be a while before I get back to doing much of anything creative-wise.

Merry Christmas!
(In case I miss a chance to let you know)

Nothing New

I don't have any projects to share. I have started a couple, thought about a few, added to my want-to-do list, stuff like that. Mostly I've been thinking, because that is the only thing that I have had the energy to do.

It's cold and flu season you know. So, I have been just not feeling well for a while and haven't had the energy to really do anything about the extra projects I was hoping to do for the fall, and Christmas is around the corner. All of those Thanksgiving Pinterest ideas I have on my board, not happening. There really weren't that many, but still. I feel bad about not doing something fun with the kids.

Also, it just doesn't feel like I have had time to adequately plan for projects, even though my work schedule hasn't changed. Time has not been my friend, and that's ok, I get the same amount of time as everyone else it's up to me to decide what I do with it.

So, I maybe MIA for a bit while I catch up on some rest, recover from whatever my body is fighting off, house cleaning, child caring, holiday prepping, present wrapping, and of course working.

See you then.

Halloween 2012

I made my kids some outfits to wear for fun. Halloween was the perfect holiday to do a photo shoot with this idea I had come up with.

I present...
My Pumpkin thieves:

The Pumpkin Gang

 

 

I made them tiny jailbird outfits, to "pretend steal" pumpkins. They had such a great time pretending.

 

For the boy I did a v-neck shirt and basic pants. For the girl I did a shirt with a smaller "v", leggings, and a circle skirt. I used knit fabric because I couldn't find black and white striped fabric in quilting cotton. I had them wear solid colored long sleeve shirts under the shirts I made so they wouldn't get too cold. It had been a little chilly and windy in the few days beforehand. Halloween turned out to be warm enough to not wear jackets, though, and the sun came out.

 

I bought the fabric after Halloween last year and bought four yards, which was more than plenty to make these. I have quite a bit left over. My boy likes the fabric because it is soft on his skin. He asked if they were going to be pajamas.

 

They were mostly agreeable while I was taking pictures of them.

 

Her face is too funny!

 

Caught ya!

Non-color photos turned out well, too.

 

 

 

They didn't go trick-or-treating in these outfits. I bought them costumes last year on clearance.

 

 

The boy started out as Thomas. The girl was a pink dinosaur. Too cute!

 

 

 

 For trick-or-treating the boy decided to be Spider-man instead. I got the girl to wear the head piece of her dinosaur by telling her is was required for getting candy, and it was getting cooler and windy and it would help her not get cold. She left it on while we collected candy.

 

 

I did take them to a trunk-or-treat, and to a few houses nearby, which was a first for us. I hadn't taken them door to door on Halloween before. I couldn't get them to say trick-or-treat but I got the girl to say thank you a couple of times. We had a good time and enjoyed the day.

 

Now that my kiddos are getting bigger (waahh!), I'm finding it very fun to do some of these things with them. I love seeing them have new experiences and to enjoy childhood activities that I did when I was their age.

 

Now that Halloween is over, it is time to move on to the next holiday activities. The time just goes by so quickly. Slow down!

 

Circle Skirt: Blue with White Polka Dots

So, I find cute ideas online, whether through blogs I follow or Pinterest, and I desperately want to try them all. As soon as I see them. Delaying gratification can be hard, especially since I have a job and find these cute ideas while I am at work.

  

But when I do find some time to do a sewing project I rather enjoy it. I love seeing the outcome and having it match how I thought it would in my head.

 

My girl loves to wear skirts. She pulls the ones she has out of the drawer and puts them right on. Never mind that she is already wearing clothes. The skirt goes on anyway. Or it goes under her nightgown and I just let her sleep that way. No need to move her unnecessarily and risk waking her.

 

She only had a couple of skirts that she could put on by herself, because she is all about "I do it self", and I figured she needed more to wear. So I got busy.

 

I made her a circle skirt. I had seen this fabric at the Wal-Mart when we went to the beach and knew it would be perfect for a circle skirt.

 

 

A great tutorial for the circle skirt can be found here. Dana over at MADE has done all of the hard work for you as far as figuring out how to draft a pattern and how to do the measurements. She says she enjoys making circle skirt because they are easy and her favorite way to whip up a quick skirt.

 

While they are simple, I think I prefer the simple skirt method myself. But I do need to practice the circle skirt method and improve my sewing abilities. I'm not real happy with sewing of the elastic waistband. My stitches aren't exactly pretty, or even, but that comes with practice. And as long as the same color thread is being used no one will notice or care. But I notice it. I can overlook mistakes that I think no one will see, but not with the circle skirt. I know, it's weird.

 

I paired the skirt with a simple white t-shirt that has a flower embellishment on the front, and some striped leggings. I'm not the greatest at putting together an outfit that has a mixture of patterns. It doesn't always turn out well for me. This time I think it did.

 

 

 

Of course my girl has to make her own fashion statement by wearing dark red shoes. I think it pulls it all together so it is not all matchy-matchy. It adds an element of fun. And she likes shoes. Especially ones she can put on herself. I wasn't going to argue with her, picking my battles and all.



 

 

When I was photographing her for this post she came up with some interesting arm movements. I put the photos together so it looks like she is doing some kind of arm dance. Maybe she was, in her own little world.

 

 

 

Or maybe she is directing a plane for a landing? Tai chi? I don't know.

 

 

And then she moved onto jumping, which is a perfect thing to do in a circle skirt. You can see how it moves and she is getting really good at jumping. My little jumping monkey.

 

One little monkey jumping on the bed...

 

 

 

I was finally able to get her to do some twists and twirls. It shows off the movement of the skirt better than arm dancing. 

 

 

 

I think, maybe, for the next one I will use a slightly heavier cotton fabric. This fabric is lightweight so it didn't have the flowiness and sway I was hoping for. Maybe something in a medium weight, like corduroy? Or just make the skirt a little bit bigger in the waist so that when the elastic gathers it together it will have more bounce? We shall see.

 

Until then, I know she will enjoy playing in this skirt and dressing up all by herself.