The Latest Dress

Okay, Brielle is a fashion diva.  She's got her own style going and no matter what I want her to wear or what I like, she's not going to wear it unless she thinks it's fabulous.

So, when it came time to make some new dresses for Brielle, I decided to let her design her own wardrobe, with some boundaries, of course. Basically, I let her pick her pattern, I let her pick her fabric, and I let her pick her ribbon.  I had to approve of what she chose, since I have to look at it, but we worked together and came up with some great new fashions, designed by Brielle.

This is the first dress in a line of 4 that she's "designed".  I think it turned out pretty cute.  I made a size 6, since her size 5's hanging in her closet are getting short, but I should've made a 5, because pattern sizes are always bigger than store bought clothes.  The next 3 will be made a 5 with the length of a 6 most likely. 

I tried Laura's tips on pressing and it really made a big difference in how accurately the dress came together.  The fabric also seemed much easier to work with than it usually does.

One other thing I do when I'm making dresses is serge any edges that will remain raw when the dress is fully assembled.  Not only does this eliminate the need for pinking shears, it keeps the fabric from fraying, and it makes the inside of the dress look more "professional" or "store bought."  If you don't have a serger and you sew a lot, I highly recommend investing in one.  Mine is a Kenmore, and I got it from sears for under $200.  It's not fancy, but it works and works well.

Personally, I love the contrast of this red dress with the sky blue ribbon.  The next fashion designer could be living in my home.  Okay, maybe not.

One thing I've learned from this experience is that if I let them pick as much as possible, they'll love it and wear it until they've worn it out.

Happy Creating!

Kristin

*This project was made using New Look pattern 6845 and Michael Miller CX3744_Red Quarter Dot and Offray 1 1/2" wide grosgrain ribbon.*

Our New Look

Check out the new look!  It's awesome, right? 

Laura recently undertook the task of redesigning the blog and it's gorgeous.  Great job, Laura!

Don't forget to grab a button from our right sidebar to put on your blog before you leave, and also, let us know what you think of our new look.

Happy Creating!

Kristin

Easter Egg Dye

Okay, so this year, I wanted to dye easter eggs with my kids, just like every year, but I did not want to haul them all to the store just to buy that little egg dye kit thing.  I mean, I already have eggs in my fridge and I have vinegar too, so I wanted to know, is there a way to make your own egg dye that actually works.

Well, I'm here to tell you there is.  I found this recipe on Food.com and it works really well.  I'm so glad too, because I would much rather pull the food coloring out of my cabinet than go down to the store with all 4 of my girls to buy 1 egg dye kit.

And, the bonus is that this dye is just as easy as the kit is to use.  Piece of cake (or should I say egg shell).  Follow the link here for the recipe and enjoy the endless color possibilities you can make from your own pantry.

Good Luck!

Kristin

How To: Remove Crayon From Furniture

Okay, here's the deal.  My kids, being kids, have on ocassion, colored with crayon on their toy bins or something like that.  I mean, it happens right.  But, no matter how much muscle you've got, you can't get that darn crayon off without a little help.

This happened to me the other day and I was in no mood to run to the store for some sort of goo remover to clean it up with (since I'm out and all). 

That got me thinking of all the cleaning tips I'd heard watching BBC America's "How Clean Is Your House?"  I remembered once that they said that hairspray removes lipstick from wood doors rather well.  In my opinion, lipstick and crayon are rather similar, considering they're both rather waxy in nature, so I tried it, and I'm here to tell you that using hairspray to remove crayon from hard, nonporous surfaces works really well.

Supplies needed:

• hairspray
• paper towels
• elbow grease

You still need the elbow grease associated with any scrubbing task, but it works and my furniture is back to looking brand new, shiny and beautiful.

So next time your toddler gets a little artistic on your kitchen table, rest assured that you can have it looking beautiful again in no time.  All you need to do is raid your beauty supplies.

Good Luck!

How To: Scrub Your Stainless Steel Pots

I am cheap, and I'm always looking for a nice, natural way of cleaning, without all the nasty chemicals that burn my skin, my nosehairs, and clutter up my cleaning supply cabinet.

The other day I did a big oops!  I accidentally burned tomato soup to the bottom of my stainless steel pot.  I didn't think it would ever come off, until I remembered this really great concoction that I periodically use on tough rings around my bathtub.

Sprinkle a bunch of baking soda in the pot, then add some coarse salt (mine is kosher salt) in with it.  Add just enough water to make a paste and scrub it with the scrubby side of a sponge.  Not only does it remove whatever nasties are burned on, it also shines your stainless steel and deoderizes your drains as you rinse it down.

Next time you get distracted and oops while you're making dinner, whip out some baking supplies and your pots will be sparkling clean again, without a trip to the grocery store.

Good Luck!