Spring Randomness

Man, it's been a crazy last few weeks.  This is the first week in six weeks that I haven't had at least one person sick.  We have passed around strep and a virus and E contributed an ear infection to the mix.  L thought he would be different and throw in a little Hand, Foot, Mouth Coxsackie virus.  UGH!  I am SICK of being SICK!  I am tried of trips to the doctor and strips to the pharmacy.  I am ready for a break!  Luckily Spring Break is next week.  WOO HOO!  So excited to have a break for those sweet germy kids at school! 

I did manage to get an outfit made for a friend of mine for her little girl's birthday party.  She sent me this picture of a party table she found on Pinterest. 

Isn't that pretty?  Love it!  You can find the original picture here at Kara's Party Ideas.  Anyway, the colors for the party are aqua and pink (LOVE!).  I sent her some fabric ideas and this is what we came up with.

Oh, how I love the dots!  This fabric line is adorable.  It's Children at Play by Michael Miller.  So stinkin' cute! 

So, in other news, my oldest artsy crafsy child was entered in a Youth Art Show by her art teacher.  Unfortunately, she didn't win, but I still couldn't be more proud. 

See all of those little dots?  She used a whole punch to punch out the dots and glued them all on.  It took her FOREVER!

What else is going on?  It seems winter just pretty much skipped us altogether.  It was 80 degrees here yesterday.  WOW!  I cannot even imagine how bad the mosquitos are going to be this year.  And in other crappy spring news, I'm still fat.  Gosh, I hate that!  I've been too busy to even make it to the gym the past few weeks.  I have been watching what I eat.  Unfortunately, I've been watching myself eat pizza and cheese dip and tacos.  So not good for my backside.  I've got to get back on Livestrong.....right after Spring Break.  I deserve an award for The Best Procrastinator.  I think I need some fashion inspiration.  I'm sure that would help.

Happy Thursday, bloggy friends!!! 

Mod Peasant

Now that Christmas is over, E is clothes poor.  She had a few things to wear that were Halloween themed, then came the turkey shirt and the Christmas outfits.  She was in desperate need of a few things with long sleeves and no holiday theme.  So, I got out all of my hoarded fabric and let her pick what she wanted.  This is the fabric she picked:

Oh, how I love me some Jennifer Paganelli!  The color is fabulous!  She wanted a dress and a skirt, but I talked her into just a dress.

I hate that goofy smile where she turns her lip under.  ugh!

That's a little better.  I just love that dress with those boots.  It's kind of mod, isn't it? 

Okay, so one outfit down, several to go. 

My Big Ole Stocking....A Tutorial

So, do you remember when you were little and you went to Wal-Mart with your mom and while walking down the Christmas aisle looking at all the decorations, etc., you stumble upon one of those big ole stockings about three feet tall and they have toys spilling out of the top of them?  Yeah, me too.   I always wanted one of those, so I thought I'd make myself a big ole stocking this year.  But, I'm not stuffing mine with cheap toys that will break in the first ten minutes you play with them.  Nope.  Instead, I'm stuffing mine with washcloths.  Is that weird?  Yeah, I know.  Wanna see?

So wanna know how to make your own? 

I knew I wanted mine to hang on the door, so I used a heavyweight duck cloth, which I got at Wal-Mart.  You can get it almost anywhere.  I was semi inspired by the ones from Ballard Designs. 

Aren't they cute?  BUT, I wasn't crazy about the shape.  They kind of look like when you have on sweaty crew socks or something after a workout and you pull them off by the toe and they get that weird pointy stretched out thing going on.  I wanted something a bit more whimsical.  Not even to mention that mine was not $25.00.  It was more like $8.00.  That's MUCH more to my liking. 

So, like I said, I chose white duck cloth.  I washed, dried and ironed it.  Then I got a large piece of craft paper and drew out my pattern and cut it out.  Then I doubled my fabric, laid my pattern on top

 and cut out two stocking pieces at once. 

I decided that I wanted a "crown" part for the top so again, I drew out a pattern, making sure the top of the stocking and the crown were the same size.  I had just a little bit of the green dot I wanted to use for the crown foldover,

so I opted to use some lightweight cotton for the back and inside of the "crown" part.  So,  I cut on green piece and three white pieces for my crown. 

Obviously, if you have plenty of fabric for the crown, you can cut four pieces of the same fabric.  Pin the right sides of your crown fabric together. 

Stitch, using 1/4" seam allowance down the sides and up and down the points.  See the silly pictures below where I drew in the black stitches.  Yes, I'm a dork.

Anyway, clip your seam allowances in the corners of your crown points, being careful not to actually clip the stitches.

Now flip your crown pieces inside out and iron flat.  You should have two crown pieces now.  Pin together, right sides together and stitch down the sides.

Can you see my stitches?  Stitch down the sides were it's pinned.  Put your crown aside and pin your stocking pieces together and stitch all around except for the top.  Clip carefully around the toe.  Turn inside out and iron.  So sorry I forgot to take pictures of this step.  ***This is the time to add a hanging loop if you want one.  I fogot to do this step.  DUH!  If you do this, take a piece of ribbon and double it.  Line up the edges with the top of your stocking, with the loop part down in the stocking and stitch in place so it will be in between the inside of the stocking and the crown piece you are about to sew. 

Now, get your crown piece, right side out, points down, and slip inside of your stocking, doing your best to line up the side seams of the crown with the side seams of the stocking.

Pin in place.

Stitch all the way around the opening using 1/4" seam allowance.

Now, flip your crown to the outside of your stocking and iron in place. 

So, of course I wanted polka dots.  I had planned on ding applique dots, but didn't have the fabric I wanted to do it.  Being the impatient person that I am, I decided to go ahead and just paint on my dots.  I just used acrylic craft paint.  After it was dry, I WAS going to stuff the toe with polyfil so it didn't flop around, but because my daughter used it all on her latest sock monkey project, I opted to use papertowels and washcloths.  Weird, right?  Like I said before, I am impatient and didn't have time to run to Wal-Mart. 

Wow.  My rug looks AWFUL.  Oh well.  I still love my stocking. 

I'm linking this project to the following blog parties:

Hookin' Up With House of Hepworths 
Strut You Stuff @ Somewhat Simple
Chic & Crafty Party @ The Frugal Girls
Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity Now for Amanda.
The Doors and Porches Party @ At The Picket Fence

All Turkeyed Out!

It's been a busy week here in the Frou Frou Britches household.  I've been working a lot this week, both at home and at school.  Add in an ear infection for L which brought on a full blown autism fit at school, which resulted in suspension and that pretty much took up my time this week.  CRAZY!  So, what else have I been up to?  Turkeys.  It all started with this little turkey shirt:

Then, my turkey multiplied.

Then my turkey changed his colors.

I'm sooo over turkeys!  Bring on Rudolph!

and elf feet!

I'm ready for Christmas!

Getting Ready for Christmas Already

Well, I saw my first Hallmark Christmas commercial this morning.  Let the tears begin.  Christmas is less than two months away.  Time flies!  My week has been filled with preparing for our school's annual silent auction.  Each class is responsible for making a themed basket.  I am room mother, so I was in charge of making our basket.  Our theme this year....CHOCOLATE!  MMMMM!  So, I collected money from parents went shopping and begged for a few donations from local businesses.  I even made a small kitchen towel for the basket. 

Why zebra in a chocolate basket?  Well, I was looking for a big beverage tub to put everything in, but I couldn't find one big enough that wasn't a TON of $$.  So, I went to Gordman's where I found a big basket with a zebra liner.  So, our theme became "Wild About Chocolate", and therefore the zebra towel.  I also found a green giraffe insulated cup.  I secretly wanted it for myself.  I gotta go back and get me one of those.  So cute!


This is what it looked like:

Also this week, I've been preparing for a craft show this weekend.  I've been crazy busy trying to get some things sewn up and watching over the new puppies.  I'll let ya know how it goes and I'm hoping to have a new tutorial up next week.  See ya then!  Gotta get back to sewing.

My Favorite Houndstooth Dress!

Okay, we've been over my houndstooth obsession, right?  I love me some houndstooth!  Anyway, so I mentioned that I bought some houndsooth fabric. 

Isn't it pretty?  This actually came out several years ago.  I had some in fuschia and I wish I had some in the gorgeous apple green that came out, but I don't.  BUT, I did snag this wonderful, classic black and white houndstooth.  So, wanna see what I made? 

Okay, I'm sorry.  I'm not bragging because it has nothing to do with my sewing skills, but I am totally in love with this dress.  We all know that I love a peasant dress.  I thought it would be versatile to wear with different colored leggings or in this case, with black boots.  I just love how it turned out.  I had to add some color with her favorite fuschia flower. 

So, what do you think? 

Sweet and Sassy

I know it's been a really busy last few months so maybe I haven't been paying close enough attention to the kids' growth spurts, but durn if E hasn't grown out of almost everything she could wear a few months ago.  I decided she needed something a little more fallish.  Is that a word?  Oh well!  As far as clothes for the E, I love to make things that are long wearing.  I love pillowcase dresses and peasant dresses because they can be worn as dresses and later as tops.  I looked through my stash and found some fabric I really like and whipped it up.

What do you think?  I love the toile and the zebra together.  I like something sweet and girly with something a little wild.  My mom didn't like it and neither did my oldest, C.  Hmmmm.  E liked it okay.  She thought she looked like a princess.  Although, the flower in her hair doesn't match AT ALL.  Yikes! I need to work on making a bow or something that matches a little better.

I think this dress kind of speaks to E's personality, sweet and sassy.  What do y'all think?  Do y'all like sweet and spicy together, in clothes I mean? 

Halloween Is Creeping Up On Us

Hi bloggy friends!  Well, it's only Tuesday, but it's already been a crazy week.  I've been busy working at the school and sewing some cute fall things.  One of my customers, and a very good friend of mine, wanted something fallish (is that a word?) for her daughter to wear Halloween night.  She's too young to take trick or treating, so she's skipping the costume for this year.  We discussed fabric choices and she decided on this:

Isn't that damask pumpkin adorable?  I love me some damask!!!  The best thing is that she can wear it after Halloween, into fall. 

Sadly, I haven't had time to work on a new Halloween outfit for E.  She's still wearing her witchy feet tee from last year.

I better get busy if I'm going to make her something new for Halloween this year.  I've still got some of this cute fabric:

and a teeny bit of this:

Now, if I only had a little bit of time to get something done.  After all, October is just a few days away. 

Chef's Apron Tutorial

So, a long time ago, aprons were something you would find in every woman's kitchen.  I remember my great grandmother wearing one when she cooked.  I have never worn an apron, but boy do I need one.  Last week I went to school to pick up the kids and I was covered in flour.  I had been making chicken and dumplins.  I had white powder covering my black shirt.  How embarassing!  I really should make myself a cute little apron so I don't walk around like that and embarass my kids. 

Anyway, my cousin emailed me about making a Dr. Suess chef's apron for a teacher friend whose classroom has a Dr. Suess theme.  So, I did and I thought I'd show you how I did it. 

I made a pattern a long time ago so I used that one.  I found a great pattern HERE if you need one.  Or, you could trace around an existing apron.  Whatever works.

Turn down 1/2" all around the perimeter of the apron and iron.  Turn down another 1/2" and pin.

To make the strap around the neck, cut a piece of fabric 4 x 25.  For the straps that tie, cut two pieces 4 x 21.  Take these pieces and iron in half lengthwise.

Now open the piece up and fold one long edge in toward the fold and iron.

Now do the same with the other side.

Now fold these together and iron. 

Now open it up again and iron down one end 1/2" and iron.

Close your folds again and iron and pin.  Starting at the short end of your strip of fabric, sew the short end, down the long open end of the strip.  Be sure to backstitch at both ends.  It is not necessary to sew up and hem the other short end of the strip.

Lay out your apron.  Put the unsewn short end of your strap at the edge of the apron, right under the "u" that goes under your arm.  Unfold the ironed hem and insert the strip piece.

(Yes, I hemmed mine before I realized it wasn't necessary) 

Now flip the fold back over and pin.  Repeat with the other tie strip.

Sorry it's blurry.

Now for the neck strap.  Lay out your apron and tuck under the ends of your neck strap into the top hem, just like you did the tie straps.  Pin.  Make sure your neck strap is not twisted.  It should look like this.

Now hem all the way around your apron.  Now for the optional pocket.  I cut my fabric 12 x 9 for my pocket.  I applied fray check to all of my edges and allowed it to dry.  Next I ironed down 1/2 inch on one long side.  Then another 1/2 inch.  Iron the other edges down 1/2 inch. 

To find the center of your apron, fold it in half lengthwise.  Do the same with your pocket.  Now line up the middle creases.  That cuts way down on all the measuring. 

Now double stitch all the way around the pocket.  ALL DONE!  You ready for this?

I love the apron, but I hate the horizontal stripes on me.  YIKES!  It's especially lovely over my pajamas (yes, I have on pants).  Notice I cut off my head and my scary bed head.  Your welcome for that. 

So, y'all ready to make your own?  I'd love to see them.