See what happens when I dust!

 So Wednesday morning I started out vacuuming and dusting with the help of my children and well all the furniture had been pulled away from the wall to get the spider webs and we ended up rearranging the whole living room. from left to right this is what you see when you walk in now 

and then we had to clean the bedrooms lol and we have decided to stack the beds and make bunk beds again so they have more room to play now that Isaac's pack-n-play is in there. Ad here are some pictures now that we have finished that thought.

 hopfully we will be painting Izzy's room after Hanukkah and before new years hah fat chance but hey I can dream just like I would really like to finish getting the tin up on the boys walls and paint the bathroom before next summer.

The BIG Reveal

Ok I know you all have waited so long but there is only so much hand stitching a mom of 4 can do in a day. found this wonderful pattern at Past Patterns and although it is not missing its mistakes they did a marvelous jog translating the pattern and bringing history alive the pattern has a little history behind the dress included and I absolutely loved reading about it. I was a little limited by color because of the role I am playing in the Nutcracker  Ballet but it was ok because I had way too many ideas and it helped to not be able to do some of them. the skirt was easy I used my coat pattern to make gores and then just sewed them together, bound the top, and added elastic in the binding so that there was some extra for movement and give for all the underthings I will be wearing.

  The bodice was a little more difficult to do I had to have help as I couldn't fit to myself  and wasn't sure about some of the techniques that in the end I skipped and did it the way we would do things now. I was originally going to be putting lace across the top and around the bottom edge of the sleeves but in the end it just looked too busy and I opted to just do the roses but that looked too plain so I did a little hand embroidery and wow it is perfect.

So what do you think it took me about 3 weeks start to finish getting the fabric and waiting for the pattern I have a few last little things to do like connect the bodice to the skirt so when I am dancing it doesn't pull up too much and figuring out how to make the pettiskirt a tad shorter without altering it since I am borrowing it. I need to add a little bow on each sleeve with a rose in the middle to bring the ribbon from the lace up back into the rest of the outfit. Might add a few tiny matching bows to the bottom of the skirt where I put roses at each scallop gather.

I meant to get a picture when I was wearing it at rehearsal last night but totally forgot in all the excitement. Everyone LOVED the gown and I was even told three times I was not allowed to wear it because I would upstage Clara and her "mom" lol and the studio owner said she was going to rip it off of me because she adored that color and wanted it for herself (although I'm pretty sure i would never fit her she is so petite). I will get a picture of me in it after the last alterations are made

completely obsessed

ok well I have been sewing till my fingers hurt and my brain is all full of plans for other projects that don't involve sewing lol, But in all my research for this victorian ball gown I came across this website  http://ana-white.com/ and WOW I am completely obsessed and really want to get the boys room finished so it is more kid friendly and functional. SO as soon as I finish the dress I will post pictures and then we will be off on the adventure to redo the boys wreck of a room and I can blog about that.

Victorian ball gown and my winter coat

Well It has begun I have all my fabric and trim for the Victorian ball gown I will be wearing in my children's ballet performance of  The Nutcracker.

 I have been working on my coat that I found fabric for last winter in every spare minute I have so I will have it when the cold actually hits TX. I will be posting pics of that asap I have to put the liner in today so maybe I can let you all see it tomorrow ; )  For now just a taste of things to come I pray you are all well and NOT getting the stomach bug going around. Shalom

A little here and a little there

Well as busy as we have been Nate and I have gotten a few projects finished so I have pictures to show you all hope you enjoy them.
The first is a mirror that has been sitting in a corner for a couple years I have been trying to figure out what to do with is it has some paint splatter in a few areas and it was very plain I am not sure I will keep it like this but Nate does like the way it looks in its new home.

Before

After

The little card table was amazingly found in the trash outside my dads apartment with two broken legs and Nate managed to repair them the top is a beautiful inlay I will have to add pictures of that later and it folds open to reveal a leather table top it is missing its little drawers but for now I have my little tray in there I use as a lap desk when I am sitting on the bed looking through design magazines. 

The chair was given to me and I had to redo the seat and glue a few joints and it now is a comfy spot to sit in the evenings and do my school work.

For now that is all I have to finish the quilts for my sister-in-law and then to get started on my Victorian ball gown and a coat as it is going to get rather chilly here soon.

Fun in Chestnut Square

We had to even things up since we missed Jacob and Josiah when it came time for birthday pictures. The location ended up being in our historic downtown with some fun hats and beautiful fall weather. I cannot thank Kay McIntire enough she really captures my children and does beautiful photography check out some of the boys pictures at the link below.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=234302&id=38195887236

A Whirlwind

 Well Fall is officially here and we are loving the cooler weather and being able to have the windows open.
We have been crazy busy getting Schelly(my sister-in-law) ready for her mission trip to Bangladesh through her school DBU. She was not able to find any appropriate clothing in her size so we had to make her 11 new outfits that would be appropriate for the Indian customs (veil and tunic down to shins). we sewed day and night for 4 days even had a machine give out on us but we got it all completed in time to wash it and treat it with bug repellent before she had to get it all packed. She is now back safely and very jet lagged she is having a hard time readjusting to our time zone and I have no clue how she is able to go to work and school. Schelly brought us all back some beautiful goodies see how pretty they are

I am continuing to sew making quilts out of all the scraps to sell and help pay back all that she had to borrow to make it possible th share the Gospel with those in another country I will post pictures of those quilts as I go.

With Fall also come Nutcracker! Izzy's class is angels, Jacobs class is gingerbread, Jacob and his cousin Ryorden are also party boys  whom help Fritz (Clara's brother) wreck havoc on stage and break the nutcracker. Nate and I have volunteered to be party parents and dance in the first scene which requires lots of practicing and an excuse to make a regency ball gown yay! Another project that I will be sharing with you all probably making one post with step by step pictures. For now I must go be supermom!