its a jolly holiday with Mary

you have to check this out! How great are these costumes from Ashley at Make It and Love It- complete with tutorials!!

Mary and Bert. Perfect.

owl costume

looking for a cute costume??

Check this tutorial out from llevo en invierno.

sewing essentials...

Seven Essential Sewing Skills from Tasia of Sewaholic via Sew Mama Sew

Dress Tutorials

My sweet girl- lately known as "princess love" around here- needs a dress. A dramatic, colorful, bold, girly dress is now a necessity ;) so, where do I turn? the internet, of course... where there are enough ideas and free tutorials to keep me busy for the rest of my life.

here are some that are inspiring me for my new project.

Happy Together: The Ruffles Behind the Dress (tutorial)

The Happy Together Dress Up Skirt (tutorial)

Make It and Love It Cinderella Dress (tutorial)

The Make It and Love It Fluffy Chiffon Skirt (tutorial)

backpack tutorials!

Need to whip up a backpack for your back-to-school sweetie?

A while back I made this one from indietutes and it has been very well loved indeed.

Want to browse some more options? check out this tutorial/ pattern round-up at Prudent Baby!

simple dress tutorial!

tutorial from Jess of Craftiness is Not Optional at Project Run and Play

Cascading Ruffle Skirt Tutorial from Lil Blue Boo!

Cascading Ruffle Skirt Tutorial from Lil Blue Boo?... yes. please! My girls would love one of these...

Project Run and Play

Project Run and Play is back!

Check it out. Week one's theme? Back to School!

don't you love these little shorts?

How would you like this to be your school uniform? :)

Happy National Sewing Month!

Happy September!
Did you know- It's National Sewing Month!

and National Sewing Month has an online home complete a contest and free projects and articles.

Happy Sewing!

japanese sewing

have a japanese sewing book you'd like to try out, but don't know japanese??

i have this beauty. (ah.. lovely.)

maybe this post from the purl bee will help.

Organization is No Big Dill

Katy, you inspire me. I want my life to be as organized as this:

travel lap desk tutorial

Been thinking about making something like this for our next car trip... isn't it cute?! tutorial from MerMag

and an action shot...

Dress-Up tutorials

This past weekend, our dear neighbors invited the girls to come and play. They had a number of things to use for playing dress-up. So much fun. I have been wanting to fill up a box with dress-up things for a while now, and our play-date was just the motivation I needed to get back to brainstorming.

First thing on the list, of course, are these beautiful dress up wings I mentioned before. My Favorite! (from Eri at Llevo el Invierno via Prudent Baby)

Of course, we'll need a super-hero cape (like this one from Skip to My Lou, or this one from SIDAC via MADE, or this one from treasures for tots) and a princess dress (like this one from Crafterhours or this one from Make It and Love It).

cowgirls and horses

Reason number 5,347 to love Heather Ross and Far Far Away... (from Far Far Away III for Kokka)

seam finishes download!

Get Nancy Zieman's free seam finishes download here at Sew Mama Sew!

She has a new book out... Sewing A to Z: Your Source for Sewing and Quilting Tips and Technique

California Dreamin...

While I probably won't make it all the way to Cali, I am dying for a road trip- some special time with my beautiful girls. Wouldn't this be the perfect addition for that car ride? So cute. Check out the tutorial from Julie of Joy's Hope at Lil Blue Boo.

p.s. there are magnets under that can to make it stay on the tray! clever Julie!

onesie tutorials!

embellish your onesie! 25 tutorials here. (At Babble, gathered by Jacinda of Prudent Baby)

i (heart) children at play...

love.

(Children at Play from Sarah Jane)

Bobbie Socks and Bows with Lil Blue Boo

Check out this quick and easy project and craft for a cause!

A back to school surprise for children in Haiti through Three Angels Children's Relief

More information at Lil Blue Boo

back to school

Back to school tutorials are up at Sew Mama Sew!

wallet tutorial

My beautiful neighbor just got her driver's license! We are excited and of course, needing to mark the occasion with a little sewing. What could be more perfect than a little wallet for that new and all important piece of identification?

Here are a few tutorials I have found to help me on my way:

Summer Wallet Tutorial by Lola Nova

Scrap Ribbon Wallet Tutorial from Lil Blue Boo

Made-to-Order Organizer Tutorial from Sew News

sun bonnet

soooooo cute. by Jessica at Running with Scissors - pattern from Christy at Little Betty. Check out Jessica's blog for a super sweet photo of her adorable chubby cheeked baby in this gem.

color genius

one of my new favorite color combos...

Rose Bouquet Amber from the Heirloom fabric collection by Joel Dewberry for Free Spirit.

spoonflower

one day I will try Spoonflower... such a cool idea.

sew weekly

check out this inspiration.

http://www.makethislook.com/

tutorials + beauty = love

you have to check out this blog. loveliness to inspire you. tutorials to make your sewing to-do list even longer...

raglan tutorial found!

SO excited about the sewing with knits series going on at noodlehead and luvinthemommyhood. My eldest will seldom wear anything that is not super soft and comfy. Today, Jess from Craftiness is Not Optional has the cutest tutorial... key-hole neckline, 3/4 length sleeves... sweet. And guess what? it's based on her raglan shirt tutorial! I've been looking for one of those. You crafty and generous blogging women make my day!!

bag tutorial from elsie marley

Such a cute bag from Meg at Elsie Marley... of course! What else would you expect from her?

tutorial here.

romper

Oh my cuteness! Romper on the sewing list now! Tutorial here at Jaya's place on the web.

Stylish Inspiration

Okay, so I know things have been a bit patchy and I haven't posted for a while... we moved and have had a difficult time getting our internet service working. But here is a little inspiration for you: Check out Ari Seth Cohen's great blog: Advanced Style

(Designer Miyano Haraki Photo by Ari Seth Cohen )

LOVE IT!

Go-to quick gift tutorials

Occasionally I need a super-quick, easy, practical, lovely gift idea. Thought I would share two of my go-to tutorials:

1. the gathered clutch from Noodlehead

2. the simple (reversible) tote bag from Skip to My Lou

Don't you love that people take the time to write these things up and post them online? Truly spreading happiness the world over!

ruffle top tutorial

I want to make my little girl a dress and so I was, of course, browsing the internet for ideas and free tutorials. I ran across this adorable Spring Ruffle Top tutorial at Sew Mama Sew by Rae at Made By Rae. The tutorial is for a women's top, but with a few alterations it would make such a sweet little dress for my playful, sunny birthday girl. Now, if I could just find a few hours to make it happen...

inspiration...

beautiful.

(from emma en mona via crafterhours)

bucket ottoman

A cluster of these would be the perfect idea for a southern porch. Can't you picture how cute one would be on a patio surrounded by assorted potted plants? so creative. i love it. from Killer B design. tutorial here.

Craft Hope Project 13

In addition to collecting bracelets for Russian orphans, Craft Hope is also collecting handmade blankets for Tornado survivors in the southeast. Check it out! Deadline is June 15th.

Craft Hope Orphan Outreach

There is still a little time left to join up with Craft Hope and give joy to orphans in Russia!

They are collecting bracelets to take to children (age 4-18)... a great project to get your kids involved with.

June 15th is the deadline, so get crafting!!

Find out more about project #12 here.

AMH goodness

I have GOT TO make something out of this Anna Maria Horner goodness... love it! I think maybe some summery dresses for my little ones are now a necessity.

dress dreams

I can't stop thinking about what kind of dress to sew from my new Party Dress book!

It is such a lovely book!

Want to see more?

PARTY!

Just got this great Mary Adams book in the mail from a good friend... How fun! Can't wait to make my own party dress! yipee!

Dress up and fly right

It's never too early to spread your wings, right? Definitely have to make these for my girls... Check out the tutorial from Eri at Llevo el Invierno via Prudent Baby!

lovely

check out this gorgeous collection from Anna Maria Horner...

lovely, lovely, lovely... just like the woman herself.

Grosgrain!

While you are over at Grosgrain downloading your free pattern for the day, you have to check out the tutorials- Fantastic. The pictures themselves will make you want to put everything on your sewing list. Well done Kathleen. I LOVE it!

I mean look at this dress... the last minute frock

You can see what she has made here. It is one of the most beautiful montages you have ever seen- truly. It is lovely!

(I know I'm a little inconsistent with the blogging these days, but I am going to take it slow for a bit and enjoy my tiny little blessing as much as possible!)

elsie marley's knot shorts for girls!

Currently inspired by Meg of Elsie Marley

love these cute Knot Shorts (free pattern from day 4 over at Grosgrain!)

Sheena Matheiken: inspiring woman

This inspires me. Check out the Uniform Project.

Uniform Project Picture Book from Uniform Project on Vimeo.

free patterns

Have you heard? It's free pattern month at Grosgrain!

April 25- May 27= 30 days, a new pattern every day. Yippee!

easter dress patterns!

so, I just had a baby and things are a little far from routine around here... but, I am still pretending that I might make easter dresses for my three little chicks. (crazy, I know.)

Check out the 11 free and quick patterns at Prudent Baby! Hope is (briefly) alive!

easter sewing

thinking of making this sweet little bunny for some little girls' easter baskets...

mmmmm....

Another reason to love Oliver + S... (as if you needed one.)

Oliver + S Little Things to Sew, by Liesl Gibson from STC Craft on Vimeo.

beauty

a sketch from my (beautiful) genius friend.

I will be taking a break from the blog world to welcome my littlest one into the light of this world... be back soon! Happy beauty-making!

Project Selvage

Have you seen this contest?
Michael Miller and Spoonflower have teamed up to find boy-related fabric designs.
And the winner will have a collection launched at Quilt Market... so great!
There are 75 finalists... click over and vote.

Spring Sewing Tutorials

Looking for a project that says, "Spring is here!"?

Here are some links to some fun tutorials:

Secret Pocket Easter Eggs, and a spring round-up at Sew Mama Sew

Best Bunnies, Little Lamb Pillows, or Easter Egg Hunt Bags at the Purl Bee

sewing for me? skirt tutorial from Leanne at Elle Apparel

How creative and lovely is this skirt? (and so perfect in that mustard color) If I ever get over sewing for my family and decide to sew something for myself, something like this might be top of the list. Creative, original, and versatile... the Pinwheel Skirt from Elle Apparel (via UCreate) tutorial here.