shop update: dresses

My etsy shop is back open with a few of these tribal print dresses! They are stretchy jersey knit, and very light and comfortable. And also, they have pockets!!

The fabric was limited, so I only have some available in sizes small and medium in this print. Here are the links for both (small) & (medium) if you'd like to take a look!

I am also working on finishing dresses in other prints and styles that i hope to post soon. There are chevrons, checks, dots and stripes coming next!  (and i will have more sizes with my next update too)

redecorating and a party dress

this past week we've been painting our apartment, and are mostly done. yay!  

mike just put our shelves back up, and i'm now deciding what to put where. 

and i also got a few plants. here's my new little cactus,

next on my list is to decide what to put on the walls, to paint a couple pieces of furniture, and i'd love to make a new bedspread and a throw blanket for the couch. 

and..

here are a couple pictures of the dress i made for my birthday dinner. it's made of blue brocade and is very party-ish and shiny. and also very reflective and safe for when you are crossing a busy street in the dark on your way back to your car after dinner.

the beach

on monday we went to the beach on tybee island. it's been hot here already, but at the beach it was cooler and windy.  i did my usual grandma thing; sat in my chair under my umbrella, all wrapped up in a towel so as not to catch a chill or get sunburnt, and read. while all the spring break kids ran around in their bikinis throwing frisbees and such.

i wore a new lavender dress i made. it's cotton and springy and swingy. i like it.

it was windy, resulting in a lot of pregnant dress billowing pictures. and then we also took the ever attractive jumping pictures.

it was a good day.

blackberry picking

yesterday we went blackberry picking just outside of town. it was the first time i'd ever been berry picking, and it was fun and delicious work! and also painful! blackberry bushes are very viney with lots and lots of thorns, that are always trying to grab you and scratch you all over.

we picked approximately a million berries, and plan to make a couple pies and some scones from this recipe, and just eat some plain and as toppings for yogurt and icecream too.

on a sewing sidenote: i took in this old dress for the occasion. it's a vintage dress i've had for quite a while, (and i didn't get a before picture), but i just took up the waist, and the hem. so now i have the blackberry dress to add to my list of sewing accomplishments!

 fig trying to keep still, so as not to get stabbed by all the thorns everywhere.

 mike and his favorite georgia bucket full of berries. ready to go home.

blue sailboat dress

well, i decided that i love sewing now. this is my favorite dress!  sailboats, airy cotton, and as comfortable as pajamas..what more do you need.  i have been working on learning how to sew my own wardrobe and this one turned out so well i think i'll make a few. i'm already planning one in white.

i used McCall's pattern m6275, which is a child's dress pattern (i have very mature tastes) and made it in one of the larger sizes. then i just added 2 inches to the length of both the bodice and skirt. and also took in the sides of the bodice a little so it wasn't quite so boxy,but still roomy.  and bam, a dress for a grownup. 

we took a bike ride down to the bridge over the lakes by the house to take pictures. i love minnesota in the summer, but i haven't done too many summery things so far this year. so busy.. but now that i'm done at my job, and mike is coming, (in less than two weeks yayyy!) we have lots of things on our summer list. more biking, the fair where i will eat cheese curds for the first time since the old days! , boating and swimming, and a duluth trip.
my sewing education time is short, but i'm hoping to fit in a few more dresses, next up is some cute vintage girls fabric i got for my birthday!

dress: made by me! fabric from joann's,  basket bag: thrifted,  shoes: target,  bike: i think walmart!  

heart dress and humidity

i have graduated to dress making! well, one dress so far. 

with help from my mom, who's teaching me.  

it's super extra crazy humid out today, so the pictures got all foggy, but i think it looks pretty neat.

and fig says hi! but is mostly interested in something in the grass and having her bootie facing the camera.

26

 today i am 26!
here are some pictures from my party the other night.
i love june. it's a good month to be born in i think.