Wee Wonderfuls

dress for phoebe

I had an hour or so sewing time yesterday so I wanted to make up something super quick & easy for Phoebe to get back in the swing of sewing for her. I had these two fabrics set aside, olive green jersey and vintage cotton/poly floral print, and remembered I'd wanted to make a copy of a dress Phoebe has. It was pretty easy to put together. I sewed the bodice first and made some bias tape from the jersey fabric to finish the edges. Then I sewed the skirt and gathered it and sewing top to bottom. The finishing at the waist is non-existent but it's not really bothering me. I may put some ribbon trim around it to make it look more polished. What was a drag was when I showed Phoebe the new dress she immediately went for the pink one and put on a big pout about how that was the one she wanted to wear to take photos. After a piling on a good dollop of mom guilt she changed her mind and now this dress is her "favorite!" I have to admit it's sort of put a damper on me wanting to sew her something else. But I do really want to make this cute seersucker skirt though. And I think I untangled my serger so it should go fast. One more try!

pretty

spring breaking

I'll be back Monday with some sewing. Maybe in the meantime I'll post some of the one gazillion photos I've taken of redbud trees. Happy Spring!

Phoebe sewing

Spring break is coming and I'm hoping to do some sewing for Phoebe. The Spring Kids Clothes Week Challenge is coming up and I'm feeling it. 

 

I'm collecting inspiration on my Phoebe board. What are you guys making?!

 

Source: danamadeit.com via Hillary on Pinterest

 

Source: coolkidsclothes.punt.nl via Hillary on Pinterest

Source: blackwagon.com via Hillary on Pinterest

 

hold on Spring

I'm trying to catch up! Spent the weekend getting mosquito bites, running through the sprinkler and sitting in front of the bonfire. Also doing a quick clean up of the yard so the new flowers busting to get through have some space, weeding corduroy out of the clothes closets and hunting for sandals. Boots are away, seeds are planted and Phoebe and I are headed out with the camera to catch the Spring flowers. Fast and furious and SUPER early but we're all for it!

Maisie, Midge and Mabel

making

Thanks everyone for the school garden info! I'm looking through it all. I'm realizing that so much of it just doesn't apply to us, first anything in California. We have such a short season here in Illinois to work on a garden at school. Maybe a month or two before school lets out for Summer and same amount of time after we get back in the Fall. Also we're on such a small scale. So much of what I'm reading is district wide with employees and curriculum for all the grades and huge gardens. I think we may end up more as a club. I'll definitely post more about this and where our project ends up in case anyone is interested. 

In the meantime I'm working on a project I know how to complete, 3 dolls for the school auction. 

let's put on a garden!

Source: posterpal.com via katie on Pinterest

 

I'm hatching a scheme. Maybe you guys can help? I'm thinking about starting a school garden at Oscar's elementary school. I think it would be so fun for the kids to plant and harvest a raised bed or two of herbs and vegetables. In my mind it's so easy, just some wood and dirt and seeds and kids having a great time learning that food doesn't have to come from the back of a truck. But then there's the flip side of my little daydream, reality. Dealing with school bureacracy, lack of support, no example to follow because no other school in district has a garden yet, no budget, watering a garden in the summer when no one is at school, raising and keeping faculty support, creating curriculum, finding and organzing volunteers, and every other hurdle I'm not even aware of yet. So I was wondering if you any of you awesome diy, public school going parents out there might have any advice for me?? Does your school have a garden, how'd it get started, who pays for it, who manages it, what do you grow? I'd be so grateful for any info anyone would have!

I've just started googling school gardening ventures too and I'll leave links to anything good I find in the comments. I did see this, grants from Whole Foods for school gardens. I'm so bummed I didn't think of this last year in time to apply for one of these.

beautiful illustrations from this week's favorite library books

The Loud Book by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Renata Liwska

The Twins' Blanket by Hyewon Yum

Circus Day In Japan by Eleanor Coerr

floss wrapped bracelets

I'd seen these cute bracelets on pinterest and thought I'd try to make something similar. I used some rope I had instead of leather and they turned out pretty cute. Problem is the ends, which you can't see because I got the macro lens out to take photos today. I used some clamps for the ends from the jewelry aisle at Joanns that aren't really the right size but were the closest thing I could find. They're going to fall off for sure and then unravel but maybe I'll get to wear them a few times before that happens. 

.... and since I had the camera out I took a picture of this tiny sewing machine and the trolley.