Recycled Bathrobe

I had this short red fuzzy bathrobe someone had given me as a gift that I never used. So it was in the bin to donate when I started thinking “that bathrobe looks a lot like Elmo”

Elmo is pretty popular in our house with Charlie and with Halloween coming up, my mom visiting I thought I’d try and re-use the robe to make her a costume.

I ripped out as many seams to get the max fabric. Then I just used a Simplicity pattern I had for a bubble dress. I did dress D

After a couple hours I ended up with this:

(it is really hard to get this girl to pose!)

I used a sleeve to make the hat and hot glued on some pompoms for his eye and nose.

I plan on shortening the skirt to her knees and having her wear red tights. The skirt is filled with tulle to help fill it out so it will create quite the “Muppet” body once it’s shortened. I will just do a temporary stitch because I’m pretty sure this could double as a queen of hearts costume next year! (it’s a little big in the chest too)

Charlie seemed to like it and will hopefully keep on the hat. If not I saved some ties I can add to it.

I am so looking forward to taking her out this year. It will be such a change from last year now that she’s walking, talking and Ms. Independent! Stay tuned for Halloween Pictures & Fun!

“Shirt” Dress

A while back I came across this “How to” picture on Pinterest.

And of course it just sat there in my “Make It” folder.

Fast forward to last spring when I was cleaning out a few things in my closet. I had a newish shirt from Lands’ End that was too short for me so it made the pile. And that pile of discards has sat by the back door all summer waiting for a ride to the donation bin.

Then I saw that Pinterest picture again and pulled out my blue shirt. I thought…I can do this. So, Saturday night, I did. It was the easiest and quickest dress I’ve ever made. (and cheapest!)

I used one of Charlie’s existing dress to figure out the length then I cut my two pieces and started to sew them up.

The top piece:The Skirt:

Sew the two together:

For the straps I used some lace trim that I had bought last spring at an up-cycle store.

I think it turned out really cute and I’m dying to make another one to improve on my design. So if anyone has an extra button up shirt lying around, send it my way!P.S. Forgive my model…she is against standing still.

Talent Bags

I finished up my smaller bags last night! I have 8 and I will be selling them for $30 each. ALL the money will go to build a classroom in Haiti. I’m pretty happy with the way they turned out and wish I could keep them all!

Talents for Haiti

UPDATE: Pictures

Biblical Definition
Talent: [Old English talente, from Latin talenta, pl of talentum sum of money, from Greek talanton unit of money or weight; in Medieval Latin the sense was extended to ability through the influence of the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14--30)]
Modern Definition
Talent: a special natural ability or aptitude
This year for our Lenten almsgiving our Church, Corpus Christi, is asking us to use our talents to raise money for our sister parish, St. Michael the Archangel in Dilaire, Haiti. The goal is to focus on education and to add one classroom to the existing school.  So how does this work? The Funds for Haiti group gave out seed money to those who wished to participate.  With this seed money you were asked to use your talents to multiple your seed money by using your god given talents. I have chosen to partake in this and was given $40 to fund my talent.
For those of you who don’t know, I like to sew.  In the past I have made and sold bags, so I thought this would be a good time for me to resurrect those bags and use my talent for a good cause.  Sine fabric is expensive I am donating fabrics that I have accumulated over the years and hoping to only use my seed money to purchase the notions needed (i.e. buttons, closures…)
I will be making two styles of bags. One is purse sized and the other tote. Since I am using fabric I already own chances are there will only be one of each, so these bags will be one of a kind…or as the French say couture. As I complete each bag I will post photos here and in an album titled Talents for Haiti on Facebook.

Large tote on top, purse size on bottom.

Corpus Christi will be holding a Talents Bazaar on April 27th from 8am to 3pm. Myself and other parishioners will be there selling their talents, feel free to attend! If you cannot attend and would like to purchase a bag from me please let me know and I will send the one you like your way! Or if you would just like to make a monetary donation, that is welcomed as well.
ALL (100%) of the money will go directly to the Education fund at St. Michael’s in Haiti.
Thank you for your support in this endeavor and in this season of selfless giving.  This project will run until June 8th, when I will turn in my talents. If you have any questions about this project or would like to get involved, please let me know! And feel free to share with friends and pass this on :)
Thank you, Stephanie
Steph3@hotmail.com

Big Birds New Dress

I spent most of a Friday night working on my bridesmaid dress for Tara’s wedding.  The pattern I had chosen looked pretty simple.

The fabric she had chosen-not so much.

In anticipation of dealing with the fabric and wanted the bodice to have a nice structured look and feel I chose to add fusible interfacing to the material.

Problem no 1 arose when I ran out of my usual interfacing which has a cotton backing.  After some digging I found some more, but it was stiffer and had a poly–ish backing. But since I didn’t feel like driving the 20 or more minutes to Joann’s I figured I’d just use what I had.

Well the interfacing wasn’t sticking very well and the more ironing I did the more the fabric ‘stretched’.  I also found a crease down the center of the bodice that I couldn’t iron out…

But after about 3 hours worth of work, I finally had a dress that was as done as far as I could go. I will need to have the dress on  to do the hem and zipper so that it fits. Mom comes in a few weeks-so she can help.

The dress turned out ok. I still need to make the sash, but I also realized I had cut the fabric wrong and didn’t leave enough length for the entire piece…so I’ll have to put a seam in it. Oh well.  The best part is I only had to pay $92 for this dress and I can be big bird for Halloween next year! I hope Adam want’s to be Oscar.

Scorpio?

So apparently my birthday was early this year. My sweet husband decided to buy me my present early so that I could use it when I make my bridesmaid dress.

I had mentioned a few weeks ago that I wanted a serger for my Birthday or Christmas present and he went ahead and ordered one with the the notion of giving it to me early.  What he didn’t know as that it was going to be delivered (on Friday after he left for work) in the box above. No shipping box or packaging, just that box with a label slapped on it.

So you’d probably guess my surprise when I found it on my door step when I got home from work Friday evening.  I felt bad, but he didn’t seem to mind and even said he would wrap it if I wanted (I told him to save the paper.

Sunday I decided to figure out how to use this bad boy and we had decided to make a table runner for thanksgiving as our test project.  After watching the DVD that it came with I learned how to thread the machine and which settings I’d need for a 3-thread rolled hem.  I sat down and gave it a whirl.

And…

It turned out great! and it was super easy!  It took me 5 minutes to make the table runner(mom could have used one of these for my wedding)

I’m excited to use the machine and even plan on doing some napkins for thanks giving too! However I measured once and cut twice so I think I can only make five with the left over fabic…oh well. Anyway, this is going to make my outfits and all of my sewing have a finished look and hopefully make life a little easier.

Happy Birthday to me!

The makings of a bridal shower

While Adam was off at Regionals I was busy all weekend preparing for the Bridal Shower I’m throwing next weekend for Tara.  Actually I’ve been working on and planning this shower for the last 4 weeks.  This is the 2nd time this year I am maid of honor…and I think this (fingers crossed!) will be the last time! It’s a lot of friggen work!!
I scored some invited super duper on sale from Michael's last month and they set the color scheme.
 
I did some photo hunting and added the bride to the plane invite which had a brown ribbon tied atop it and fit nicely in a green sleeve with the word Pleas Join Us visible through a window. (Jeeze Steph a photo would be nice )
After batting around “themes” with the other bridesmaids we decided on a Champagne Shower. Tara loves champagne…and who wouldn’t want to spend a Sunday afternoon in the back yard drinking champagne??
So right away I looked up “foods that go with Champagne” on Google and came up with a great site that listed a bunch of different options.  Krista and I went over the menu and came up with this:

We'll be cooking away on Saturday to get everything ready.. yes-we’re making it all!! 
With the menu set I began the fun part. The favors and the prizes for the games! When we were in North Carolina we were at a Dollar store and they had martini glasses for $1. Glass martini glasses. Do you know how hard I looked for inexpensive martini glasses for my wedding with no luck??? Anyway I thought Champagne flutes would be a nice favor.  So begun my research.  And it quickly ended at IKEA. $5 for 6 glass flutes!  Score!!  Krista and I knocked around ways to personalize them or mark them, but it was when we went into Pier one that we got the answer. Chalk board paint!
It was perfect. Tara’s wedding is at the shuffle board club and they use chalk boards and she’s been trying to incorporate them into the wedding stuff…so it was perfect.   And the best part I found Brown (with the color scheme of course!) chalk board paint. 
I had every intention of doing a nice pattern for the “board” but quickly realized my best bet would be to use painters tape and make a rectangle…so I did.

Enter in some colored chalk and we’ve got a fun favor!
We’re going to put some sweet wrapped up in the glasses as well for the ladies to take home.
Now what would a Bridal shower be without silly games?  We’re going to have 4 games! One will be just for Tara-How well do you know Doug?
We’re also going to play how well do you know Tara?
Famous Couples-Name her other half.
And Which one is Tara? 
This will be a surprise for Tara because her aunt, who can’t make the shower, contacted me wanting to send some baby photos of Tara to incorporate into the shower.  So I thought it would be fun to pass them around, matched with another baby photo, and have the guests guess which is Tara, A or B.

For the prizes I decided to use my handy skills.  I found a free pattern online for a jewelry roll and thought it would be a perfect prize and a way for me to learn how to sew a zipper !
My first attempt wasn’t what I had hoped, but it wasn’t bad…Adam thought it looked fine.  So I made two more, one being for Tara. The best part was I used the upholstery fabric from my work! (free!)

I also made an apron (with no pattern) using left over material I had around the house.

The last prize will be 3 more champagne glasses so that one guest will have a set of 4 chalk board glasses to take home.

Finally the last thing I thought to do was to make an apron for Tara…using the bridesmaid dress material.  I did tell you that she’s have us have our dresses made from silk she ordered from New York, right? I am attempting to make my own bridesmaid dress…

Anyway she gave me 2 yards too much so I have enough extra to play with.  I think I used under a yard to make her apron.  But it turned out really good considering I didn’t have a pattern for this also.  Tara likes pin tucking and pleating and hand made details…so I did what I could and pleated the top of the apron.

Then I attached the waist band

And then the ties…and I was all set!

It turned out super cute and only took me about an hour to do.  I’m so excited to give it to her-I know she’ll love it!

I just hope she doesn’t mind it’s Dry Clean only! ha ha ha
So there you have it! This is what has been taking up all my time lately and what I did while Adam was away.  I’m looking forward to next weekend and throwing Tara a wonderful shower.  I’m sure I’ll have lots of pictures to share…so stay tuned.