Dreaming about Dresses

I would love to make a dress like any of these from etsy seller DearGoldenVintage via. Do you know of a similar pattern?

Very Biased

I used this lovely tutorial to make another under $5 skirt.

I was very excited to see myself on this post while on vacation. Thank you Katy!

Return of the Gauchos

Remember when gauchos were fashionable five or so years ago? I don't know why I thought they'd look good on me! The length and billowyness made me look shorter and weren't that flattering.

But now they have a multi tasking new life. Is it a skirt or a dress? Is it maternity attire or non maternity attire? Is it loungewear or a swim cover up? It's all of the above.

I cut the seam that made each pant leg a leg, got rid of the curving for the um, seat of the gauchos, and sewed the two legs together. Fabulous!

PS I know I didn't need to include all of these pictures but don't you love how The Princess appears? :)

Linked here:

Walking Foot

Pinning, going slow, adjusting tension, unpicking, repinning, unpicking; sewing with minkee is kinda difficult. I think I need a walking foot. Do you have one? Is it worth the cost?

Martha's Devil's Food Cupcakes

I can't stop thinking about them! And I couldn't stop eating them all weekend. The batter mixes up so fluffy and nice. These have changed my mind about making cakes from scratch. It's a game changer!
link

Baby Blanket

Just a few pictures of the blanket I made my friend's baby. Go Padres!

Sneak Peek

Simple Home Improvements

Here are a few low cost (or no cost) things we've switched around in our house to make life a little easier.

Illuminated Light Switch
For some reason, the light switch in our garage is on the wall by the hinges of the door- not the easiest to find in the dark. My handy Tyrone installed a handy illuminated light switch and it's awesome! Cost-$4.

Clearer Counters
The lazy susan in our corner cabinet was pretty full but with a little rearranging, I managed to find a home for our crockpot. I also put the iron and towel I iron on (we don't have an ironing board) under the bathroom sink b/c let's be honest- I don't iron every day. Cost- free.

More Secure Entry
Our doorknob was loose and shifted from side to side when locking or unlocking the door. After tightening a few screws, it might not be significantly safer but it appears to be so to all of the annoying solicitors who frequent our house. Cost-free.

Simpler Living Space
I don't know why it took me so long to realize that putting my piano music away after using it makes the room look less cluttered, but happily I finally did. Cost- free.

Expanded Storage
A cheap over the door shoe organizer on the back of the hall closet is awesome for gloves, stamps, packaging tape, gift cards, etc- the sorts of things that don't need to be out on the counter. We're also working at getting rid of things we don't need/want that we've been storing so we have room for more important things (like food storage). We tried our luck at a garage sale (so not worth it and probably not even worthy of blog mention ha) and craigslist. It would really help to have a bit of extra cash for summer budget but I think Goodwill might win. Cost- $8.

Time Saver (and time=money)
Have I blogged about my love for baking soda? I love it. It's inexpensive and oh so versatile. It also doesn't smell horrible and kill brain cells when I'm cleaning the oven and the bath tub. I just discovered baking soda is an excellent time saver. Pour a bunch in a pan of burnt food, let it soak for a while, and scrub with a little water. Repeat if necessary. (I'll also be using baking soda as an exfoliant when my face cleaner is gone.) Cost- pennies.

Have you made any simple home improvements or discoveries lately?

The Lots of Firsts Jacket

I made this little jacket from mccalls pattern 5697. This was my first sewing project with:
-a store bought pattern
-fleece (love that it doesn't fray)
-interfacing
-non raglan sleeves
-collar
-buttonholes
-buttons
-pockets

It's not perfect but it was good practice. My little model is taking a nap but I'll try to get pictures later.

Linked at here
and

Ansley's Dresses

These pictures were taken a few months ago when the cold destroyed part of our garden (hence the fleece pants and the grumpy looks). They've also been taken in a bit on the tops since these pictures.

I used this tutorial and this one. I guess I need to learn to put in a zipper and/or buttons so the dresses can be more fitted. I tried out the button hole maker on my machine and it didn't work.

Pear Yummies

We bought a 36 pound box of pears through Bountiful Baskets. I don't know how long it's taken for me to discover this co-op. It's exactly what we've been looking for. Anyway, here are a few goodies we made.

Pear Sauce

Peel, slice, and core a crock pot full of pears. Add less than one cup of water. I added one large spoonful of sugar but the sauce probably didn't need it. Cook for several hours on low until the pears are really soft. Transfer to a mixing bowl and mix until desired consistency. I like mine a little chunky.

Pear Crisp

Peel, slice, and core enough pears to fill a glass pan about half full. Toss gently with a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, cut a cube of unsalted butter into some brown sugar, a little bit of flour, and uncooked oatmeal. Distribute evenly and bake until desired goldenness. I could've baked mine longer but didn't want the pears to be super mushy.