Sweet Fall Bouquet

I stepped into the kitchen yesterday for another cup of coffee.  My husband had already gone to work but he had left me a surprise.  I love the yellow late summer field daisies that spring up from nowhere.  He retrieved the last of the summer along with some berries and put them in the first glass his hand touched in the cupboard--a Flintstone jelly glass.  It didn't matter to me.  This little bouquet took my breath away.  Yes, I'm a simple girl. 

Another Tulle Outfit

 Here are two of my dresses in S'more Couture's window--the one on the left is new and the one on the far right is one I completed but didn't post the finished product until now.

Here's a close-up of the "dress" that is actually a top, skirt, belt and flower--individually.

 It started with this little top that the shop-owner provided.



Close-up of pattern on top



No, I have not fallen off the face of the earth...yet.

I finished a little number Monday to put in S'more Couture.  I couldn't find peach tulle so I used three colors of layered tulle--gold-tone, pink and cream.  Amy had a pile of charcoal sequined stretch stuff for the belt and the peach flower actually came from the dress on the right.  I removed the self-ties from the top and added long cream ribbon that Amy tied around the neck--cute.  Homecoming for one of the schools is just around the corner so I'm holding my breath to sell the last two tutus.

Purple Flowers and Berries Wreath Headpiece

I've always loved making wreaths and to make one to wear in your hair--ectasy.  I love what I do.
 This one is going to my Etsy shop.

Flower Head Wreath



sold



A friend of mine saw a head wreath on Etsy and commented on Fb how cute it was.  I looked it up and told her I'd make one for less money with no shipping.  She agreed and now I'm waiting to hear from her whether she wants this one that's a little more purple than she wanted.  We'll see.  I think it's very pretty, purple or no.

Never Make A Vow You Know You Won't Keep

Here's the finished product from my work last week.  Amy had provided the top but it was so tight it wouldn't fit over my smallest sized dress form so I took out the zipper and put in velcro--yes, I costumized it.  It worked and looks cute.  As I drove by the shop on Sat. I noticed it wasn't in the window.  Someone was trying it on and it had been there only a few hours.  On the way back I noticed it back in the window and the tie different.  I had made the cute little tulle flower clip to be worn as shown or in the hair, on the top or on a purse. 

Yes, I know I said I'd never do another one but...

she's given me another little top, quite different but vintage so I'm beginning that today.  I still have some shopping to do to match colors on it but photos are forthcoming.  I'm inspired because people are interested in these little cuties and I love for the things I make to sell.

Almost Autumn

It's almost Fall.  Can you feel it?  Beautifully cool, the leaves are turning and I've had to wear a jacket to walk everyday last week.  Love it.

(Thank you, Dawn at the-feathered-nest.blogspot, for this lovely picture.)

Frustration

 I made this little skirt today--took me over 4 hours--yep, I'm not a very efficient seamstress having not ever made one before.  It had an elastic waist, a slip base and three layers of tulle.  The slip and tulle are sewn on the elastic.  All went well, though...finally, and a strip of tulle became the tie.  Tie about a yard of 2-foot wide tulle, fold in half, tie around waist with on side shorter than the other.  Tie the longer side half stopping half way, securing the knot.  Fan out the top of the tulle.

This strapless top was given to me to be the top over the skirt. After a round of not being able to get it over my dressform due to the way the zipper was installed, I thought I'd alter the zipper.  Wrong decision.  I got it down to the threads holding it from moving further, clipped threads and pushed the zipper too far and then OFF the end.  If you know plastic zippers, there's no way to recify the situation.  Ok, "Make it work."  I contemplated snaps, hooks and eyes or frogs.  I couldn't find my frogs (they're somewhere in this mess) and opted for the hooks and eyes.  Wrong decision.  They were too floppy and the top was too tight so there was going to be a gap between them.  No, snaps won't work because of the tightness and I can't put in another zipper.  I haven't done one of those in years and I actually want this outfit to sell.  It will have to be done by a pro so I have to pay $5.00 for her to do it.  Last time I needed her, it took 2 months, at least.  So, I'm returning the top to the owner.  I'll make a flower for a tank top or she can get the zipper fixed--not me.  I'm done with altering dresses, etc. now.  It's too draining and takes too long and....it's not fun anymore.  Yes, I enjoy seeing something old become new again but I'm done--at least for now.

Remembering the Fun

 I get great pleasure playing with and reading to these children--ages 4, 4, 2 and 3.

 We were celebrating Seth's 3 year birthday with Mommy's homemade cookie dough cake--Yum!  Here are six of the nine grandchildren there Labor Day weekend.  My daughter and son-in-law dole out the cake and ice cream and my son is getting a second glass of tea.  There's always a mystery stirring with "Fork Man"...

and Grandpa does his thing with the littles.

Hoping to see some of these cuties soon.

Revised Flower Headbands

 I made these gi-nor-mous flower headbands for babies a while back at the request of Deb at Relics but she says that people didn't like them because they were too big.  They measured about 5" across.  I've seen them on newborns and they are adorable but they didn't work at Relics, so....

I cut them back to about 3". Maybe these will work.  My little lace covered books didn't go either because the "raw" brown covered back looked like "someone had torn off tags on the back."  Yes, they were meant to be that way because I wadded up brown paper bags then glued them to the cover.  Oh, well.  I covered the backs with lace as well and doctored up the rough places with gel medium.  Maybe they'll sell now.  Gotta go with what the customer says. 

Producing More Feather Dangles

Click on photos for close-up

I've had 10 feather dangles at Relics the last two months and all have sold.  I made 9 more yesterday and will take them in tomorrow.  They're fun and fairly quick to make after I toil over which beads for the dangle part.  Too bad I'm not younger.

Remodeled Dress

 It all started with a cute little sheath dress with straps and

 oodles of these black roses with olive ribbon leaves.  As you see, I've removed, with great difficulty, all the roses (each pock mark was a rose) and I underpinned these three to show how it might have looked.  Unfortunately each rose was attached with a brad or two so I wound up with a mess.

sold

 Here's the finished product.  I've removed one strap, closed the back pleat opening, added tulle to the remaining strap, ruched tulle to the bodice and tulle tufts to the bottom of the dress. 

I added a removeable feather and rhinestone/pearl brooch that can also be worn in the hair or on a purse.  I like it and if I were much younger, would wear it in a minute.  I love black anyway.  My dresses have been selling at S'more Couture so I keep making them.  I love remodeling a vintage dress and making it for today.  This one was a late 70's-early 80's Tina Hagen, who was actively making dresses until about 1985 until she went into home decorating.  I like the finished product but sometimes the work is difficult.  Seeing ones like this make it worth it, though.

More on the Farm

Morning Mist



Path by the Field



Morning Dew



Sun Rising



I took a morning walk down the lane and captured a bit of beauty--a little escape from the noise of nine hungry children at breakfast.  I let the parents handle it while I basked in the beauty.

A Visit to the Farm

Sunrise on the Farm

 We took our Labor Day vacation to meet with two of my children and their children at my in-law's farm.

Corn Field

 They're not farming anymore but rent out their land to a neighbor who does, so they are surrounded by corn and beans.  It's been a bad year for crops--too wet a Spring and too dry a Summer.  This corn, however, looks pretty good and it's normal for it to be drying this time of year.  They won't pick it until it's almost all turned brown so the corn will be dry when stored until they can sell it.

Old Family Barn

 This barn has been around a long time--probably close to 100 years--but it still holds many hours of fun for my grandchildren.

Little Farmers

Look what they found in the shed--an old pony cart that's still useable, 2011 style.  Here are seven of the nine children there last weekend.  Two of the oldest were busy cavoting somewhere else.  We had a great time.  If only we'd added one more child, his wife and their four kids.  I'm grateful, though, for every time we get to see any of our children and grands.