A sneak peak

Just need to finish up a bit of hand- sewing and then get Sarge to help me with a photo shot...

From Blah to Bling

I've been seeing this tutorial pop up on a lot of the blogs I follow, so I figured it was time for me to try my hand at it =) Jessica at Happy Together has a lot of creative ideas. Next I plan on trying her toddler t-shirt dress.

And of course I didn't take a picture of the shirt I started with. But I'm sure you can imagine a plain long sleeve knit jersey shirt.

With just a few cuts with the scissors and a few sewn seams, I ended up with this shirt. Now I just have to decide which way I want to wear it.

I love how versatile this shirt is turning out to be. With just a change of accessories and how the front is tied, I can use this shirt for work and for play =)

Sandles and Sangria

Ahh... The smell of lavender warmed by the sun...

Or lilies in full bloom (well, at least until the goat got out and ate them).

The perfect place to kick back with a glass of homemade sangria and relax with some friends. But, in such a beautiful garden, you would need a beautiful dress to match...

A simple a- line dress with the skirt gathered under the bust. The fabric was cut on the bias to give the skirt some extra swing.

The fabric is a soft knit jersey which is fast becoming one of my favorite fabrics. It's easy to work with and so easy to wear.

Carried Away

The quilt shop in town has been an endless source of inspiration for me. The bold, colorful prints just beg to be made into creative items. This particular piece inspired me to make it into a mei tai style baby carrier. This carrier is available for sale in my etsy shop.

The carrier is made of quilting weight cotton, which has a tighter weave as well as being a heavier weight. I've found that this cotton stands up better through multiple washings and the wear and tear that kids can put it through.

The shoulder straps are padded from just a couple inches above the top of the carrier to about mid- back.

This style of carrier has proven to be the most versitile carrier for me. Once my children have been able to hold their heads, I've carried them in the front carry.

And then, once they are old enough to not "fling" themselves backwards, I put them on my back.