Two hours to Scotsman!!!

Logan's latest research project was on his choice of a country. We chose Scotland as half of me comes from there and Ireland. Something about a great, great, great, great grandfather being hung as a horse thief. If you know me or my family, that fits. Not as a thief, just as an eccentric. I love the thought of the story, but I guess nowadays the poor guy would be considered a car stealing thug. *sigh* Doesn't sound so romantic and pretty then. Oh well. Still got some Scottish and Irish blood running through these veins.

So, on to the point of this lil story, for Logan's Christmas party tomorrow, he is supposed to dress the part. I assumed there was absolutely no way I could talk him into wearing a kilt, so didn't even ask him. Until 8:00 this evening. And ya know what his answer was?!?! Yup, you guessed it. "Yes, I'll do it!!!!". Really, seriously?!?!? OMGosh. I gotta come up with a kilt. Crappola!!!!!

Then I remembered a pair of dress shorts my aunt handed me down just a few months ago. I totally wanted to try and make them modern to wear this winter, but, so far the ideas for my Christmas outfits are sitting in a closet. There had been NO TIME to sew. SO, when Logan said yes, I jumped all over it!!!!! I feel so happy at this moment!!! Didn't get to sew anything fun for me, but had a blast thinking up this!!!!

Here we go....

This is what I started out with.

This is what we ended up with!!!

Yes, I know there are no pockets on kilts, but...

My fringe.  Just need to find a pin to complete it!

The complete ensemble!!!

My little Scotsman!!! Can't wait to see him in it in the AM. Let's just hope he still goes for it!!!!

Al in Christmas outfit.

My sweet little model. Well, sometimes sweet!! 😉. Mostly tart!!

Christmas Outfit

So I finally got back to my sewing nook.  Oh how I have missed thee!!

I didn't really "sew", like a whole outfit or anything, just did a little refashion to one of Lo's old gap shirts.  Al wore it to a Christmas Craft/Sale Fair yesterday with a pair of jeans (Lo's too, poor Al.  She get's boy hand me downs!!) that I refashioned.  Well, as she went to potty yesterday afternoon, she had a little accident, so I had to find her a new pair of pants.  Found some basic green knit pants at one of the booths.  OMGoodness, they had some of the cutest outfits for little girls, but basically they appliqued a lot of their clothes with glue, no sewing, but still!!!  So dern CUTE!!!!   Anyway, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the pants this afternoon to complete her outfit.  So, in essence, Al's little accident was a GOOD thing!!!

Here's my creation:

kinda looks like a wedding cake!!  ha!   Guess I need to add a tree root or something!

Can't wait to see her in this!!!  

Christmas Wreath re-do

I kept putting off working on my wreaths this year because really, I didn't know what to do with them. I was tired of the plain Jane look they had. (sorry to my jane's out there!!).

Here is the before. I was into the deep reds/burgundy colors and minimalism. ( or most likely I took apart another decoration for parts!!!)

And sadly, that was that. But in my defense, these bad boys were straight out of storage. No 'fluffing' (as a dear friend calls it) had been done.

So, I took what little bits of decor that was actually there out and started with a blank canvas so to speak.

Between feeding kids, changing diapers, kissing boo-boo's and then putting them all to bed, this is what I came up with...

I found the polka-dot ribbon at Walmart and fell in love. Knew I had to do something with it. Was very excited to use it on the wreaths!!

Now, on our door. And yes, it, being our entrance, needs SO much more but. Don't think it will happen this year

Christmas is coming!!

Well, obviously! But, I tried to bring it here before Thanksgiving, but between the 5 days difference in Lo and Al's birthdays, it got hectic. Then we left for FL the day after Lo's birthday. Quick trip, travel day home from you know where (6 hours after expected time). Anyway. I'm tired.

But, have been missing using my hands and imagination. So today while OT napped, mommy finally got to play!!! Well, finished up some things I started before thanksgiving.

First off, I purchased this lil cutie at a thrift shop a while back.

So, after weeks of starts and stops, I finally put the finishing touches on today. Yay!!!

Santa Base Tree

This has to be my favorite lil tree project so far. My aunt didn't want this little tree any longer, so she passed it on to the 'trash collector'!!!

Poor little forlorn tree!!! I'll save you...

Now my favorite part was the base for the tree. Got this idea from Pinterest. Imagine that!!!

A little spray paint, a plastic belt buckle from Al's old pirate costume, black ribbon, and lastly, a little sparkle!!!

A saved tree and recycled coffee can.

Completing it!!

I finally thought of something to do with the rest of the fabric from my Aunt's dress!! 

 Remember this:  

I turned the under part of the dress into a skirt,

and a cami,

but was totally stumped on what I wanted to do with this. 

I thought maybe a tunic, but the sleeves were really weird and the neck was cut really low.  So, I tried to make a tunic like this

Too baby-doll dress'ish.  Not me when not pregnant!

Found a boring black t-shirt in the closet and decided to use it and try to make my vision come true.

I cut 3 inch strips on the bias so it would stretch with the knit in my t-shirt.

Pinned my strips to the inside of the black shirt and then sewed them on.

Cut away the t-shirt very carefully!!

And taa-daa!!!  It worked!

Of course Kris said it looked like I had a little run in with Freddy Krueger.  Whatev...  I would so win that battle with all my blades!!!  Not to mention all the pins to poke in his eyes!!  Ha!

Allie taking some pictures of me in my new shirt!!

And this is for Mimi, the pic of my skirt I wore to church on Sunday...  Sorry it's taken so long!!

I really hate having my pic taken.  Feel like a goober!!  

I DID IT MIMI!!!

I did it!  I FINALLY made a wearable pair of straight/skinny pants out of some too big ones!!!

I was SO excited, yet Kris didn't seem to share my excitement.  Go figure!!  ha!!

Drum roll please....

(and by golly, I didn't take a real before, because I've been "FAIL"'ing up till today, so I pieced them back together to give you an idea...)

Before (sort of)

After!!

On yours truly

While sewing, this got nicked by my rotary cutter I think.

Used the only patch I had.  Blue jean.  Hmm!

Anywho, I'm so dern excited!!!  I have used this tute for all my trials on making big pants to skinnys.  It's NEVER, ever worked for me until now!  It' finally 'clicked'!!  Mimi was here on one of my trials, it FAIL'ed as well, but not today!!!!  YAAAYYY for me!!  It worked with a few hiccups!!!  I'm okay with that.  I now have some GREEN skinny pants/leggings to wear with some funky boots!!  Or, may not ever wear them!!  Ha!!!

Pin Cushion Chair

I recently stopped by my Father-in-Law's home to get my late Mother-in-Law's sewing gear.  While there, I found this little cutie!

 I thought for sure that Kris's grandfather made it, but there was a label in the drawer with another name.  Anyway, I couldn't wait to update it!!!

As I was going through all the beautiful fabric that Mimi brought me, a few pieces stood out from my past.  Don't you love it when you see a piece of fabric, or furniture, or some other little something from your past and you get that warm feeling all over?  Well, in Granny's container of quilting fabric, there were quite a few of those warm fabrics.  One was the fabric from my "Bullfrogs and Butterflies" church cantata/program when I was a child.  I was a butterfly!  The one I used to "reupholster" my MIL's pin cushion chair was one of those fabrics.   I'm not super sure where it was in my past, but I remember it and I LOVE it.  There wasn't much left, so I knew it would be just perfect for this little project!

After uncovering the cushions, I found that I wasn't the first person to "reupholster" this bad boy...

Not too bad!

That was some dirtiness, I'm sure from the wood backing, but ...

After a coat of primer, some black satin paint and a squirt of pink paint, this is the 'new' chair!  I just love to look at it!!

Ever time I see it. I just have to smile!  I automatically think of my beautiful MIL AND get that warm feeling all over from childhood!  Little bit of heaven I say!!!