Yay!

I just sent the lovely Melly from Melly Sews my submission for her (30) Days of Sundresses series which kicks off in only 3 days! I can't wait to share it with you all!

Before and After

My sweet baby girl graduated kindergarten last week! Someone hold me! I cannot believe that she is growing up so fast! Here she is the first and last days of kindergarten. Love this girl!

She made me make her a shirt that said "kindergarten rocks" because that is what her teacher always said and a "twirly" skirt in her school colors {red, black, gold}.

Project Run & Play ~ Flower Picking Dress

This week is the “signature look” week for my beloved Project Run & Play {sadly that means it’s the last week!}. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get a design sewn this week, but I came up with a plan this morning and was able to find all the materials I needed {who said hoarding is bad!}, so I sat poor Cade-man in front of Curious George and a stack of graham crackers and went to work! Bad mommy!

I love to use vintage pieces in my designs, so that is what I consider my “signature”. I ADORE clothes from the 50s and 60s, so I use those silhouettes often, but sew them using modern fabrics. So…blah, blah, blah, I know you just want to see the dress! Here’s my signature look! Bella-rella named it :)

The Flower Picking Dress

I made a simple dress with a sleeveless bodice and gathered skirt with two border color to bring out the amazing details in the vintage piece.


I made a keyhole for the first time ever and I'm in love! So easy and girly! 

 I made a matching neck hole in the vintage dresser scarf {I always cringe when cutting into these amazing pieces!} matched it up to the dress and sewed them together. The neckline is the only place where the pieces are attached, which gives the overlay so much movement.

 I used a very skinny piece of elastic to gather the overlay where the shoulders are to give the effect of a slight flutter sleeve. 

The crochet edging is just beautiful.

I sewed ribbons on each side to tighten the overlay and give the dress a waist.


I made some matching leggings out of an old t-shirt and some left over crochet trim I had. I love how they mimic the trim on the vintage piece.


And, of course, some pinwheel bows!


I can’t believe that this was the last week of Project Run & Play! This “season” went by so quickly! Check out my flickr page to see more pictures of this dress and my other pieces!

Daily Pin: Color Me Impressed!

So awesome! Why didn't I think of this?!? Genius!

Source: stacyvaughnblog.blogspot.co.uk via Stephanie Constantin on Pinterest

As always, click on the link to be directed to the original source, this is not my idea! But, I'd love for you to follow me on pinterest!

Tutorial Tuesday: To the Last Minute

More of a free printable Tuesday, but it is actually Tuesday this time!

I must have been repressing the thought that today was Cade-man’s last day of preschool, so it didn’t occur to me until yesterday that I didn’t have anything for his classmates! Oops! I grabbed a big carton of chalk and came up with these last night while watching Smash {love, love, love Smash!}. They were super simple and perfect for 3 year olds.

 

His AWESOME teacher, Bella-rella was lucky enough to have her for two years of preschool. He was trying to run away so he didn’t have to go. I LOVE his school!
I grabbed some chalk, curling ribbon and cardstock. Ta-da! I used a chalk drawing of Bella-rella’s for the background.

  

Feel free to grab the printable!



I was lucky enough to find these cute stencil rulers {12 for $4 at Hobby Lobby } for Bella-rella’s kindergarten class and made this printable to go with it.



Seriously though, how cute are my little ruler letters?!? I die of cute! Feel free to grab it, I left a little space to add your kiddo’s name.



My baby girl will only be a kindergartener for 3 more days!

And While I'm At It...

Jumping into another competition! Any printerest loves out there?!? Join in the fun over at Two Yellow Birds Decor and The Taylor House.





I'm entering Junebug Dress remix, which is two pinterest project put together and one of the favorite things I have ever sewn!

My Remix

Pinterest inspirations

The Junebug Dress from Craftiness is not Optional

Source: craftinessisnotoptional.com via Stephanie Constantin on Pinterest

The Starboard Skirt from Simple Simon

Source: u-createcrafts.com via Stephanie Constantin on Pinterest

and

my stuffed owl party favors

 found on pinterest, originally from Snowy Bliss

Source: snowybliss.blogspot.com via Stephanie Constantin on Pinterest

and

my Golden Snitch necklace

added to pinterest via instructables

Source: instructables.com via Stephanie Constantin on Pinterest

and 

my leather cuff 

found on pinterest from Lil Blue Boo

Source: lilblueboo.com via Stephanie Constantin on Pinterest

I think that's enough, don't you?

Three Hours!

With all the craziness around here I thought I had already posted this, but total fail! I'd love it if you could head on over to One Artsy Mama and vote for my Flower Apron Dress (#27)! All you do is click on the star underneath. Thank you!!! Voting ends in 3 hours!

Sundresses Galore!

I am SO VERY excited to finally be able to announce that I will be a guest of the lovely Melly at Melly Sews for her (30) Days of Sundresses in June! Every day in June she is going to showcase a lovely sundress sewn by a fabulous blogger (you MUST check out the amazing list on her site!), there will be tutorials, patterns and lovely dresses for all ages! Make sure you go by everyday in June to see what goodies she's featuring! One is going to be mine...can you believe it?!?! Eek!

Project Run & Play ~ My Fair {Little} Lady

This week’s challenge was to design a look based around a movie. So, so, so many movies to choose from! I decided to continue my Audrey Hepburn trend and make a dress based off her iconic Ascot Opening Race dress, which is one of my favorite scenes in the movie. I ran with the idea of black, white, lace and over the top hats, and this is the lovely confection I came up with!

My Fair {Little} Lady

I absolutely ADORE how this dress turned out! Since this is Project Run & Play I wanted to challenge myself and not just reinterpret a girls outfit into a girls outfit, so I decided to take a fancy woman’s look and transform it into something my 6 year old can wear. She loves it and the fit is perfect, I have forbidden her to grow.

I made the dress out of this adorable lace {that I got for $3 a yard!}, one of the best parts is that there was zero hemming involved! I laid out the pattern so I could cut the lace at the right place for the hem. One of my better ideas.

 

The bodice was drafted from one of her other dresses and I found perfect black and white buttons! The other shoppers at Jo-Anns were probably concerned about me when I started squealing in the button aisle.  

I made an a-line skirt, with the lace overlay being slightly wider so it would float away from the lining. The white lining ends a few inches above the lace to display the details. I added a wide black and white striped ribbon to make the inspiration dress, but added six simple bows to make it a little more girly.

  

 

The simple flutter sleeves are also unlined.

I wanted to make sure that I incorporated some of the main designs of the inspiration dress, so I made a removable lace neck ruff to mimic Audrey’s neckline. I love how it completely changes the look of the dress.  

 

And, of course, you need a crazy hat!

I must thank Cecil Beaton, who won an Academy award for Best Costume Design, for this lovely inspiration. Check out my flickr page for more photos of this and previous Project Run & Play entries!