The Easiest Dress EVER!!!

I've made a few of these super-dee-duper easy t-shirt dresses for my 5 yr old. They are just that easy...easy to make and made for easy livin'. No fancy schmancy-ness, except for the uber cool snaking ruffle ofcourse! It is made from a man's grey tee, no more, no less. Chop off the shoulders and sleeves inward at a slight curve, then cut the rest of the way down in an a-line fashion. I ended up taking it up a bit and hemming with a double zig-zag stitch bc it was a little long for something so plain and simple. Put it over her and exactly measured and pinned* where I needed to take it in on the sides so half her body didn't show through the armhole. Then just sew up the sides. No stitching ANYWHERE ELSE!! No sleeve stitching, no neckline stitching--glorious!

*exactly measured and pinned=pinched it with with my fingers, closed one eye and squinted the other while tilting my head slightly askew :)

I just love the way it fits her in the shoulder area...it's an amazingly good fit despite...errr, I mean...ofcourse it fits well, you know, because of all that measuring...!

She's wearing a hat we got today so that when we go peach picking this weekend her scalp doesn't get fried, which is a real problem for those who love the piggie tails. It's from Children's Place and it is sooo cute! She has stated that she cannot wear it everyday, but she can wear it today, tomorrow and the next day...
{Check out the expression on that face...backyard modeling is serious business}

Close up of the ruffly coolness...

Answer: This Blog

What is...things that are hard to keep up with???
DING, DING, DING!!!

Yes, I am having a really hard time keeping up with this and making stuff...and all the other things I have to do and like to do to keep the family happy and healthy. I started this thinking that it would be cool to share some ideas and projects in an unobtrusive manner...like without having to drag out projects and say, "hey, lookie what I did!!"

I'll try to be better about sharing--it's just so hard to opt for, say, editing photos over FUN summer activities!

Hopefully, I'll get a pic or two up of some things I've done soon...

Until then, let's all just enjoy summer while it lasts!!

Two Things Tuesday--Yummy and well, not yummy...

THING ONE: Bakerella!!! Again, probably way late in the game on this...but OH MY GOODNESS I LOVE THIS SITE!! I was checking it out and my eldest walked by, caught a glimpse, and said, "Can you make that?? Do we have all the ingredients?? Can you make it right now??!!" My thoughts exactly, little one...

Exhibit A: Brownie Pillow Cookie??!! How did I not know this existed?? I'm ashamed of myself...
Exhibit B: Cake Pops. I have made cake balls, but cake POPS takes it to a whole new easy, not messy, cute level. I believe I have found what I am making for my youngest's bday...which is right around the corner!

There are many, many other reasons to go over and drool on this site...mini popsicles is one more. Also, very well organized site so you can find what you want to drool over quicker...yay!!

THING TWO: I really have too many projects I want to accomplish right now. Being that I am a former elementary school teacher, I think I have developed this weird inner clock that starts ticking at the end of summer--- "You'd better hurry up and do everything you wanted to get done...free time is about to end!!" Clearly, I haven't quite adjusted to being a stay at home mom, fully, because I still feel that rush to get it all done. Just when I had finally (sort of) come to peace and realized that I can relax a little, I do have time to get everything done throughout the year---termites!! Ugh...horrible, burrowing, disgustingly clear, EXPENSIVE termites! So all leisurely buying of fabric is on hold until the home itself is structurally sound. I don't say the "h" word often...but I HATE TERMITES!

Ok, so these two things couldn't be more opposite. Just be glad I didn't include a picture of a termite as they are truly gross! Even my husband got the heebie jeebies from seeing them. Geew....

Vacation

Haven't posted in a while because I was so busy looking at this:
(these are real pictures, completely unaltered, that we actually took--not postcards, which is what they could be!!!)


Gorgeous!


Relaxing...
Lush!

Beautiful!

Lovely!

Awe-Inspiring (double rainbow--no joke!)

Ahhh...New Mexico! It was a wonderful vacation...hope we get to go again before another 5 years goes by!

One Thing Wednesday??

So...I forgot yesterday was Tuesday. Not that I have no concept of time and had no idea what day it was, just forgot to do Two Things Tuesday! Honestly, I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off getting things ready for a vacation. A real, really real vacation! We haven't had one in about 5 yrs...we are due! Needless to say, all I've had on my mind is packing. The temp is going to be cooler than it is in Texas and you know, you just kinda forget what 70 degrees feels like when you've been in the 90s for so long. I feel like I am packing every article of clothing we own (plus some I frantically made).

Since it's that time of year, I figured I may not be the only one who needs this:

How to Pack a Suitcase from Real Simple magazine. Enjoy, my fellow travelers!! Roll, not fold---GENIUS!!!

Did you ever just NEED a backpack...?

One that sits on your shoulders just right and actually STAYS on your shoulders?!

...big enough to carry a few toys in...

... and ofcourse, you're REALLY lucky if your mom was nice enough to put a velcro closure and not one of those fussy clips, snaps or zippers!

All in a day's work, my child, all in a day's work...

*I'm not certain that I will be doing a tutorial on this or not yet. I still have some tweaking to do and I'm genuinely considering putting something like this in the ever present, ever empty etsy shop with my name on it...hmm, not sure...