Tomorrow I'm 40

I used to think 40 was the age old people were.  I don't feel old, maybe that will change tomorrow.  Sure sometimes when I've been sitting too long my body creaks when I stand up.  And yes sometimes my eyes take a little longer to focus these days.  But I am still mostly the same person I was at 20.  I would still rather see an action movie based on a super hero than a cheesy chick flick.  I still prefer my ice cream come in a cone.  Yet there are things that have changed, I no longer feel the need to stay up all night or even past 10:00 just to prove I can.  And who ever would have guessed that I would not only know how to sew but actually enjoy it?  So many birthdays to look back on now.

Look even at 4, I loved the Mouse!

7 was the year a little kitten crashed our 4th of July party.  I was in love and after we found out who she belonged to my parents let me keep her as a birthday gift.  I named her Tigger!

This might have been my 7th as well, but isn't it a great picture?  I remember this party and the popping balloon game.

I don't have a photo of my 13th birthday but it was one of my favorites.  Breakfast on top of the Space Needle is quite a memory.  I'll have to look for a photo the next time I visit my mom.

There was my 16th and cruising around in my little green Bug.

And no other birthday can compare to my 20th, when my Hailey came along and changed my world forever.

Another favorite was my 36th spent at my favorite place on Earth , complete with a Monte Cristo at the Blue Bayou.

And I know I will always cherish my 38th for the bonding experience I had with Hailey.

So many wonderful memories, and I hope there are many more to come.  And no matter what everyone is saying tomorrow or how I feel some days, I am NOT old yet :)  Maybe I'll spend my 50th in my beach house.....

They Can't All be Great

This was supposed to be a post about how I made this awesome shirt for Athena using left over fabric and a lining made from a t-shirt in the Goodwill pile.  But it's not, because the shirt turned out too big.  I am getting tired of store bought patterns, even though I follow the reccomended size for the measurments they just don't fit right.  I think I am going to read up on how to make my own patterns in the near future.  Here is a shot of the shirt anyway, maybe it will fit her in a couple of years.


I did however manage to pull off a few projects that did turn out the way I envisioned them.

A couple of reversible headbands for the girls.

 After the hail storm last year that destroyed our pool chairs Shawn decided he was going to try his hand at re-strapping them.  Them he found these lounge chairs out for bulk garbage because the hail had destroyed them as well.  He did re-strap them all (but says he will never do it again).  I think they all turned out great and we have some more comfortable free chairs!

Some towel covers for our free chairs.

 I had some more ideas in my head for baby gifts but didn't make them in time for the shower last month so they will just be for when he gets here.  I sort of used a McCall's 6368 pattern for the burp cloths but changed it up a bit because I wanted more of the contrast fabric to show on the front.  The bibs were taken from this pattern.  And I used this pattern to cut out my ball but added the ribbon tags.

More fun baby gifts.

 I had so much fabric left over and couldn't decide what to make with it so I decided I would make a fabric gift bag that can be used as a quick trip mini diaper bag.  Or even just a bag to hold toys.  I hope mom and baby enjoy all of these things, because I enjoyed making them all.

Fabric gift bag!

This has also given me an idea for upcoming birthdays!  I don't want to say too much yet but can someone tell me if boys like bags too?  Not a purse type bag but more of a drawstring loot bag.  I don't have boys but I'm guessing all kids like to have something to carry stuff around in right?

I also made a very cool pair of shorts for Athena out of an old t-shirt of mine.  I haven't had her pose for a picture yet though so that will be in the next post!

One more question.  I'm not sure if anyone reads this blog other than my mom and husband, but if there are other readers out there, are you getting tired of all the craft posts?  Should I make a separate blog for those and keep this one just about what is going on in our lives?  Be honest :)

More Sewing Projects

Sorry this is sort of turning into a blog all about my sewing projects, but it is 114 outside and my sewing room is nice and cool so that's where I am spending most of my time.  Plus I had to make use of all those supplies I bought last week didn't I? 

First I'll start with the roman shade I made for the back door.  It wasn't exactly fun, and I still have issues with it.  Like the way the cord to lift them is under the shade.  But it is a temporary solution to the problem of the sun coming in and cooking us during the evening hours.  We plan on eventually buying a new door with the blinds inside the window but for now this $10 fix was much more affordable.  I used this tutorial.

Next I made a couple more of those really cute notebook covers.  I initially bought the floral print to make one for myself but then found the cherries in my scraps and can't decide which one I like better to keep for me :) I had planned on putting one away for a future gift possibility but I'm not sure I can part with either of them!




 





Lastly I made up some summer jammies for Athena as requested.  She picked out the fabric and seems to love them!  I like how quick I can crank these out now.  I remember when it would take me weeks to make a pair now I just need about an hour.

I also cleaned and oiled my sewing machine this weekend.  Wow what a difference that made.  I still have my eye on this beauty though but waiting while I save up for it will be much more bearable if I remember to clean and oil more regularly.

$52 of Joy

 I have been busy in my sewing room the past weeks.  Athena has this old dance costume of Hailey's that she likes to play dress up with.  It is getting too small so when Jan gave me a bunch of fabric earlier this spring she asked if I could make her a new one out of it.  So I did!

Old one

New one

Athena is always having a hard time finding both ballet shoes in her dance bag.  She can find one but never both, so I made this quick, simple drawstring bag to keep them in and hopefully make it easier for her to find them.


Then I made a trip to Joann's for some more supplies!  For only $52 I got fabric for Athena's sewing class project, some fabric and t-shirt for some summer p.j's that Athena has been wanting, some fabric to make myself one of those fun notebook covers I made a couple weeks ago, lots of on sale patterns for the future and some clearance home decor fabric to make this http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2011/04/acute-how-to-no-sew-fabric-blinds.html for our back door.  I'm tired of the sun hitting me in the face while cooking dinner :)

I also made a couple organization purchases.  I hate how all my needles fall on the floor every time I pull them out to change, how cool is this?!

More Sewing and Dance Pictures!

Summer heat is finally here so it's time to hibernate in the house with some sewing.  My most recent project was a movie screen.  Yes a movie screen!  Shawn found a projector on Craigslist for cheap so he built a frame out of PVC pipe and with a trip to SAS for about $20 worth of white canvass we are now the proud owners of a poolside movie theater.  Here's a shot of the premiere night, it doesn't really show off my sewing skills but you get the idea of how much fun we are going to have all summer! Thanks Newton's for being our first movie guests.

Athena's dance pictures also recently came in so I thought I'd share a few that I had a little bit to do with.  I really should have taken some before and after shots of some of them because they really never look the same as when they come right out of the bag. First up is the opening costume, the smallest the shirt came was an adult small, so I ended up hemming and making wristbands for just about everyone.  With all the little dangling sequins it was a bit tricky.  Then we also attached fiber optic lights to the skirt and bow, I should really try and get a photo of it in the dark and see if it turns out because it was a really cool effect, especially since the song was Firework!

I also had a blast making these masks for the ballet dance.  There were sequins and feathers everywhere.  Shawn said my craft room looked like a bird graveyard.  The song was Down in New Orleans from the Princess and the Frog and it was just such a sweet dance and the masks and costumes were just perfect!

The tap costumes started out as one of my least favorites.  We ordered from a place we have never used before and when they came in they were just very unflattering on all the girls.  I was a little worried when Jan walked in the next day with two big bolts of fabric and sent it home with me to "fix" the sailor costumes.  But after cutting off a poorly placed skirt and lots of strangely placed sequins and then adding a real collar and new skirt and of course lots of bling they ended up being one of my favorites!  And how can you not LOVE red glitter tap shoes?
But probably my favorite of all was the trio she did with her two best friends.  The song was Side by Side and they were supposed to be hobos.  Once again I was a little scared when Jan showed me an old video of a costume and said "you can make that easily right?"  Well I managed to pull it off and loved the results!  I even made the hats, neoprene is an amazing but smelly fabric by the way.

Closing

 

 

 

Here are a few others that didn't really have much added to them aside from rhinestones and a bow here and there. 

Jazz, I did make the choker, wristbands and bow.

Hip-Hop, The song was I Got it From my Momma so they all wore something that looked like it came out of mom's closet.  Athena's was socks :)

 

Some Crafty Goodness

I have been in a crafty mood lately.  Surprising after all the work and time spent on costumes over the past few months.  A good friend of mine (she was also Athena's 3rd grade teacher) is due with her first baby in July so I had a lot of fun making baby things. 

Baby gifts!

 

 

See how easy it is to lose stuff?

Next I always carry a little notebook around with me that has lists of stuff I need for projects I'm working on, measurements of people I'm making things for and even samples of fabric or yarn to match.  I also like to paperclip my Joann's coupons in it, then I have to wrap it with a rubber band so I don't lose any of my samples.  It looks like this:

Not very cute is it?

 I wanted something more fun so while searching some craft blogs one lazy Sunday morning I found this tutorial.  http://craftycupboard.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-business-card-holder.html Now I don't have business cards but I thought it would be a fun project to make for a friends birthday coming up.  So I made one but figured she would more likely use it for gift/loyalty cards.

Isn't it cute?!  I tried to find some of those wallet photo inserts to put in it but didn't have any luck and that's when it hit me, I could do the same thing with a little notebook!  So I made one of those with some of the same fabric, I know my friend also carries one of these little notebooks around so now I have  a fun little gift and a plan to keep my project ideas safer!

See how the coupons have a safe place now?

I just love how they turned out!  Now to find some really fun fabric to make one for myself.  And won't they make great teacher gifts next year?

Now it's Summer

Finally the crazy roller coaster ride that is May has come to an end. There were so many things going on. Violin and recorder concerts, parties and field day at school. Practice and costume making for dance recital. Then a wonderful vacation to Bryce and Zion National Parks. I am ready for some rest and relaxation now. I'm posting all the pictures on Flikr so check those out too.