Another Ode to Anthropologie

I recently noticed the Expanding Universe Tank on Anthropologie's website and thought it was a really interesting treatment of the striped fabric. I happened to have a striped knit here with me in Alabama, and thought I would give it a go.

Here is Anthro's Tank Top (the picture is a link to the site.)

And then here is mine (gotta love the bad cell phone picture on the hotel room bed....sigh, not pretty blog awards for me!!!)

I pretty much just folded the pleats up on one side, and then stitched them in place along the bottom, I then added a gusset to create the angled line at the neck like on the Anthro version. I then just treated the fabric as normal and cut out the front of a tank top with the pleats on the one shoulder. The back is just horizontal stripes.




And then the worst picture of all! Me in the top, with a cell phone, in the mirrored bathroom door. in the walk in closet, at night with a flash......I know I just spit in the wind of photography rules. Anyway, the chances of me doing a full photo shoot just for this shirt are slim to none, so this is as good as it gets for now........think of it as combat sewing, I'm in a hotel room with 2 kids for 5 weeks. (I'm telling myself this so I feel better about how terrible my pictures are, I can't believe I came without my good camera!)
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Our Master Bathroom

So this Spring (I know, jump around much?) I did some work on our master bathroom, I tiled a backsplash behind our sinks, and I wanted to add some color to our tub without having to redo the whole thing.

I found some white tiles that were the exact same size as the existing white tiles, but with a cut out that was the exact same size as the tiles I used in the backsplash (meant to be? I think so!)

I VERY carefully used a hammer to smash out 5 random tiles from the tub surround, so that I could add in the new tiles........... did I mention how stressed out I was about doing this? I did not want to have this be a can of worms I opened and could not handle without it becoming a major project!





So after managing to only smash out the tiles I intended to, (HOORAY!) I used a premixed grout/adhesive to glue the replacement tiles in place. I used a sponge to carefully wipe off any excess, and then let them dry in place even though all the grout wasn't filled in (the tiles would move around too much if I tried to put too much grout in place since the backs weren't dry yet) After the tiles dried for about 12 hours, I was able to finish grouting them, and wiping them without moving them around. (does that make any sense? I can't tell if I am being clear enough.)




Anyway, here is the finished project (the room has been painted since then) with the new tiles in place. I will put up some pictures of the backsplash later, and then eventually the whole finished project. I promise that at some point I will get more organised with my posting, I am just trying to play catch up with my own chaotic self first!  

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Going back in time to the beginning of summer 2

Before I went to Arizona the first part of June I printed some shirts off for everyone to wear (they are Happy Birthday shirts for Sarah and Emmie, since Sarah LOVES birthdays and being spoiled, I knew it would make her life to have us all wear shirts for her.)

I wanted the shirts to look sort of distressed, but still distinctly Micky Mouse-ish. I made the image in Paint just using circles and a free Disney font I got off the internet.



I made 9 in total, 4 boys and 5 girls - I added red and white polka-dot ribbon bows to the girl's shirts.




Since I haven't uploaded all of our Disney pictures off of the camera yet, (darn only having spent 2.5 weeks at home this whole summer.) I don't have great pictures of everyone wearing their shirts, but we all had fun looking matchy patchy. Here is the one picture I had on my cell phone.....



We were the Party Poopers that didn't want to go on the tower of terror, so we waited in line for the Aladdin Show instead.
When I do get around to uploading the actual camera pictures there will also be some skirts and shorts to talk about! While I was at my mom's house we used her Disney Brother Embroidery machine to embroider Mickey or Minnie Mouse onto 5 different little skirts we made for the girls, and 2 pairs of shorts for the boys (2 of the boys wouldn't wear themed shorts, the BUMS.) Anyway, I will talk more about it when I actually have pictures to show for it!  

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Going back in time to the beginning of summer

So at the beginning of summer I made 2 tutus for our family's June birthday girls. My Sister Sarah wanted to wear one for her 22nd birthday in Disneyland, and asked me to make her and Emmie each a burthday girl tutu.




I gathered over 90 linear yards of fabric into Sarah's tutu, and half that into Emmie's. I added some satin Little Mermaid fabric at the top since Ariel is Sarah's favorite Disney character, I even found some beaded fringe that was Ariel themed. 



The birthday girls loved their tutus, and we got to ride the new Ariel ride in California Adventure while they were all dressed up! (We also went to Ariel's grotto for birthday diner that day) We found some purple tiaras for the girls to wear, which is Sarah's favorite color!


I would also like to point out that Sarah is wearing a t-shirt that she shibori dyed while I was visiting my mom the first part of June, and I was so proud of her since it involved sewing which she doesn't do very much (well usually she doesn't sew at all unless I am around badgering her into it!) You can't really see it under her jacket, but there are adorable hearts on it, and an "S" on the chest. 

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Garden Balls

So when I was at my mom's house a while back, the kids and I decided to to a project for Nana. My mom loves to garden, so we thought a garden project would be perfect for her.

At Michael's craft store I got some Styrofoam balls, grout, glue, stones, and various sized flat backed glass pieces. We started out by gluing the glass to the balls. we used E-6000 glue, which ate the foam a bit, but worked really well - I'm sure there is a glue out there that works perfectly for foam and glass, but the E-6000 did the job!




Next we filled in all the blank spots with stones, we tried to use only flat stones, or we would squish any high points into the Styrofoam ball if needed.




After waiting 24 hours we grouted the balls with black grout made from a powdered mix, we made it rather thick so that it really stayed in place in the whole ball and just rubbed it in with our hands. I waited about 5 minutes before I started wiping with a slightly damp sponge that I rinsed frequently.




I thought my Mom would hide the balls amongst her plants, but instead she stuck them front and center by her front door. (Next to a plaque my big sister gave her!)






The biggest ball was the one I made, and the other 2 are the kids.



The grout makes them waterproof, so they will last just fine in the elements, and they are fairly light weight since they have a foam core!
I would love to hear from you if you like these, or even better make some of your own!


 Blue Cricket Design Show and Tell

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A fun find for Isaac's room

So we went to a local antique store here in Alabama, and found a fun sign that Isaac BEGGED us to get for his room.......

It's glass that has been back painted by having the words done in gilt, and then black over the whole back. I am going to have to figure out how to hang it since it was probably in some sort of a frame before, but is just glass now. It's going to hang somewhere on or around his door - it remains to be seen whether or not it will be hung on the inside or the outside of his room! 
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Monteray Bay

So in June we went to Monteray Bay, CA just the two of us! (Paul and I) It was out first break from the kids in a long time, and although we adore being with our kids, it was sooooooo nice to have a second honeymoon with my sweetheart.

Paul had to go to Monteray for a work conference, so he was gone during the day for part of the trip, so we went to a local knitting store to get some wool and needles so I could have something to do in the hotel room.

I started on a sweater vest for myself that is currently almost finished, but still sitting waiting for the neckline to have it's ribbing done. This picture is from a couple of days into our stay in Monteray Bay I think, I didn't do a very good job of documenting my progress.




Our hotel room was super fancy, white robes and everything! We had a white dove come visit us on our first morning.




We saw lots of wildlife while there like, harbor seals.......



and starfish.....




Ate lots of yummy food (this was organic creme brulee that we loved so much we went back to eat it twice!)


And went to the Monteray Bay Aquarium.




We walked, and walked, miles, and miles, everyday on the beach! We came back so rested and ready to jump right back into seeing our kiddos again after our break.



Thanks Mom for having the kids while we in California!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

In Alabama

So we have been in Alabama for the last 2+ weeks, in the worlds smallest room, with the kids living it up Harry Potter style in the closet on the floor. (don't worry, there's a mattress and no door, just a curtain on a tension rod, no fire traps without a window here. )

We have been keeping busy by swimming, I have been sewing (I travel with multiple machines everywhere I go, isn't that normal?) and knitting a Weasley sweater for Isaac. (pictures to come)

We went to the base ceramic shop a couple of times, Miss Emmie painted ponies, while Isaac worked on a big dragon.




I taught them how to dry-brush starting from a black base, and I think they did a killer job.




I have to admit to helping Emmie a bit, she cares more about results then doing it all herself, and I was the only person who could do the eyes correctly according to her.




We have been cheerleading for Paul while he has gone about his Officer school activities (he is at SOS, a school for Captains.)




If you can't tell, that is a group of intense adults getting ready to play dodge ball!




Emmie saved this little frog that day, she found it IN the lidded garbage can barely moving, we took it out and poured water on it until it perked up.




It could barely move at first, but after a bit of water it hopped onto Isaac and sat there for a while.




After a couple of minutes on Isaac I got it to sit in a cup of water (Emmie would only hold it in the cup) and it got super perky after that. The kids let it go away from all the stomping feet in the field.




Last weekend we went on a bit of a trip along the path of the longest yard-sale, I heard about it a couple of years ago, and was excited that it was going on while we were in Alabama. We had fun although there was a lot of junk to wade through, we found some treasures; I collect vintage costume or enameled jewelry, and there was some fun stuff out there. I am smacking myself in the forehead for not taking pictures, but I was just not focusing on documenting the sales so much as enjoying the time with my family.




We also found some time to stop and enjoy the blue ridge mountains during our travels. We found this spot as a pull off on the highway, and thought it was just beautiful.

I have finally downloaded a blogger app for my phone, so hopefully I can stay a bit more up to date with posting with all our traveling etc. Sorry if the pictures aren't perfect, I figure cell phone pictures are better then nothing.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A quick summer dress with matching shoes.

 So I made Emmie a dress just before school got out, it was a quick and dirty one made from my own on the fly pattern, and I was pretty much doing it to experiment with my rolled hem foot and my ruffler.

here is the front, I ironed the pleats to make them lie down a bit. 

Here is the back, I crossed the back and did a little ruffle butt.

Here is miss Emmie on her way home from school (goes to show you how behind on posting I am since she has been out of school for over a month)

And here is the back on her, I love that little ruffle bottom!

Miss Emmie Is a fanatic about having the perfect shoe for every dress, she was so cute and using scraps of fabric to try to make her own shoes, I suggested she use a flip flop as a base (thinking she would tie the fabric to it and instead she cut the straps off and tried to make her own shoe using the flip flop as a sole) anyway, I had to step in since she was trying so hard, but not having much success.

I sewed the fabric from her dress onto some canvas

and then hand attached the canvas fabric combo to the shoe, I've thought about doing a tutorial but I'm not sure that anyone is interested  - although I have to say, I've not seen anything quite like them out in the blogosphere. 

Friday Fun Finds
Blue Cricket Design Show and Tell