My very first pillowcase dress!

So excited, I made the TOP Ten Projects with this dress over at : The CSI Project

Thanks so much ladies!

If you read this post here: Beauty of sewing now and then , you will know a little history about my sewing experience and how it took me so long to start sewing.  I also have a motto that if it is a straight line I can sew it and 'sew' can you!  Now my mom has always been a wonderful seamstress and has made clothes all her life, she started out sewing custom Barbie clothes to the ladies in her neighborhood when she was 12.

 Last Friday was picture day at school and while I am 100 percent sure I will not buy any of the pictures, I still want my oldest peep to look her best.  They have to wear uniforms to school every day so getting to wear real clothes is such a treat.  At first I ask my mom to make her a dress and then I woke up Monday morning and decided "no" I was going to make it instead.  I must be crazy I thought, me who swore off ever-never making clothes.  I love making purses, pillow, drapes, baby accessories, you name it BUT not clothes.

Anyway I came to work Monday morning and annouced that I would make the dress instead of her (my mom) and I saw a very small smile just at the corner of her mouth.  I know I saw it, it was there.  She knew I had finally crossed over to the other side AND she knew I would never turn back.  I finally had gotten sucked into the beautiful black hole of loving to sew clothes............I must be crazy?  She helped me through every step and I am here to annouce that yes I am hooked on sewing clothes or atleast pillowcase dress.  I have to work up to puff sleeves and waistbands.  Baby steps.....baby steps......

So what do you think?

I love it so much, I had seen pictures of the pillowcase dresses where you only have the ribbon tied on one side and loved how it looked.  I also did a fabric bow which was a total pain to pull back threw and I sewed it too close to the edge and I had to go back a hand sew up about six spots.  Not sure I will make a fabric bow again.

Here she is on picture day, I had about a minute to snap these picture so please excuse the quality.  Isn't she just adorable?  My mommy goal is to keep she as little girl as I can for as long as I can.  These little girls today are growing up way too fast but that is a whole other topic.

I'm making another one this week for a 1st birthday present.  I know I can't believe it either.

Happy last week of September everyone.  I is cold outside this morning here in the South which just thrills me to death.  One step closer to scarves and jackets!!

Please join my blog, I set a goal to have atleast 50 followers by the end of October! 

This is such a special month for me!  Why you ask? Because my husband and I will be celebrating our 13th Wedding Anniversary~!

Linked to this party:

 

 

Halloween Subway Art

These are all over the craft blogs and I am loving them so much!

I have tons of frames so I just picked out one I liked and went to work!  The concept is putting randomly placed words/images all over a background or the glass itself.   You can use the rub-on stickers too, you can find Halloween ones in the Dollars bins at Target right now.

You make a 'patchwork' with all your stickers.  I cut all my stickers apart first and created my layout.  I decided not to put them on the glass or use rub-on stickers on the glass that way I can change out my subway art for every holiday and use the same frame every time.

My background is scrapbook paper that I pieced together to form a cute pattern behind my stickers.  Be sure and pick a solid or non-busy pattern for your background paper or you will not be able to see your lettering.

Now if you want to go BIG you can always get a piece of plywood, paint it and then paint all your words all over it.  These makes a very dramatic effect for your theme hoilday decor.

Click the picture to make larger:

NOW GO CRAFT!!!!!

Happy Sunday everyone!  Please join my blog to follow~

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Check out the Friday parties, there are some wonderfully creative ladies:

Midsouth Fair Crafts and Culinary RESULTS!

In all we had five family members enter the Midsouth Fair this year.  Can you believe it?!?  And next year my youngest peep will be 5 and he is already talking about what crafts he wants to make.  Mainly the lego craft and the painted derby car.  It just thrills me to death that my kids have such a BIG heart for art.  Maybe the fact that my husband and I are both photographers, artists and very visual may just have a little, tiny, weenie, bit to do with that...just maybe.

I "whited-out" all our names on the tags for privacy reasons.

Without further ado, I will start with my beautiful, talented daughter:

1st Place: Decorated Bottle
(not sure why they turned the bottle backwards, but the back is pretty too.)

2nd Place: Origami (Lily)

 

 3rd Place: Refrigerator Magnet

2nd Place: Decorated box

2nd Place: Thumb Print Art

  1st place: Edible Party Favors

Working on the Marsh Mellow Pops:

 She loved making these, so cute and so kid friendly to make.
We are making these for her birthday this year but with pink and purple white chocolate!

 2nd Place: Party Cookies (reindeer hot cocoa cookies)

 3rd Place: Decorated Cupcakes (Ladybugs)

 3rd Place: Muffins (Double chocolate)

 BEST OF SHOW

Paper Bag Puppet

She so rocks!!!!!!!

Close-up of her fabulous work of art!

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My results for the fair:

3rd Place: Christmas ornament

 1st Place: Apron

3rd Place: Antique Cup and Saucer

 3rd Place: Antique refrigerator dish (1950's)

 3rd Place: Handmade Christmas Stocking

3rd Place: Handmade Pillow (mine was a tooth fairy pillow)

1st Place: Baby Personality Photo Contest

I have to write just a little side-note about this category of the Midsouth Fair.  I have entered the Baby Personality Contest since my oldest was born 7 years ago.  She won 1st place in her age group that very first year and got to be shown off on stage by her dad.  (That was the last year they had the babies on stage after they were awarded their ribbon.)  Since then I have entered every single year and when my youngest was born his picture also went into the contest.  I have placed and won 1st on almost all my entries in the Baby Personality Contest BUT it stops at age 4 and guess how old my youngest is?  Yep, four so I will officially retire from this particular part of the fair this year.  I am so happy he placed first again this year.  Such a bitter sweet goodbye to the Baby Personality Contest I have loved every year seeing my sweet babies faces get older and older on the walls of the Creative Arts Building .

BEST OF SHOW:

Handmade purse

I say every year,  I'm not sure how I will be able to top the year's before but some how, I come up with a concept that the judges love.  The last four year I have gotten Best Of Show or Chairman's Choice on every purse I have entered.  Can you tell this is my most favorite category for crafts.

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Mom's fair results:

1st Place: Knitted Hat

2nd Place: Knitted baby bonnet

 

 2nd Place: Love Cap

 3rd Place: Knitted Cap

 3rd Place: Handmade Purse

 3rd Place: Girl's clothes

 3rd Place: Handmade Apron

I have to tell you also that the 'Love Caps' gets donated every year to a charitable organization.  Mom always donates all of her caps she enters NOT just the Love Cap.   She donates every single cap she makes for both the Delta and Midsouth Fair competitions.  All the donated caps go to a special person at the Family Cancer Center.

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My brother's results:

(This is his first year entering)

 1st Place: Baby Personality Contest

 3rd Place: Nature/Animal photography

I also have a cousin that entered for the first time this year and she knits and makes beautiful items and she did very well, I mean REALLY well!  Congrats Leslie on all your wins!!

Go here to see how we did at the Delta Fair this year: 2010 Delta Fair Wins!

Between the Delta Fair two weeks ago and the Midsouth Fair that is going on right now; total my daughter, mom and I received:

My daughter's awards:

(1) Best of Show

(5) 1st place

(5) 2nd place

(6) 3rd place

Mine:

(1) Best of Show

(4) 1st place

(3) 2nd place

(6) 2rd place

My mom:

(2) Best of Shows

(1) Chairman's Choice

(4) 1st place

(5) 2nd place

(5) 3rd place

Does this get you motivated to start creating?  Look for local fairs in your area to enter competitions, it is so rewarding and fun to create arts and crafts and you get $$$ too.  And all your hard work is displayed for thousands of people to see.

It's FRIDAY, check out these parties: