Leggings for Audrey – Halloween 2015

Since before Halloween last year Audrey has known that this year she would be Astrid from How to Train Your Dragon (2), so you would think that would give me plenty of time to prepare, but it turns out what it really gave me was plenty of time to procrastinate… Finally on Saturday the stress won out and I started sewing. While I actually started with the skirt (the most distinctive part – and I will blog it soon – I might wait for the spikes to arrive though) yesterday I sewed Audrey Leggings. On previous attempts they have turned out baggy – not at all like the sleek and fitted ones that you can get (sometimes) from stores. I decided to take matters into my own hands…

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Bagels – a new Easter Tradition

Our family loves bagels. We have a local kosher bagel place that we go to all the time, so I suppose that it really is no wonder that I manage to go there and find it closed for Passover – EVERY year. You would think that I could remember one of these years – but no, not until I get to the door and see the sign up! Anyhow, after stopping Saturday after Audrey’s soccer practice and finding that I had done it once again, I decided things had to change! So, implementing a new tradition, I give you Easter bagels!

Belle Costume – Halloween 2014

Because we were expecting baby number 3 right before Halloween this year I have been asking Audrey for months what she wanted to be.  I was shocked when she decided to be Belle from Beauty and the Beast, instead of Elsa from Frozen, and that she never changed her mind.  Also thrilled, I should point out, as it would be pretty hard to stand out in the sea of Elsa costumes this year, whereas a huge yellow ballgown…

A little black dress – Simplicity 2054 Review

Last night Chris and I were headed out to dinner with some good friends. AS I am currently VERY pregnant (seriously about 9 days out) and sick of everything that fits at this point (admittedly there isn’t all that much) I decided that I really needed something new to wear – at about 2:30. The sitter was coming at 7:15, and I had 2 kids running around – really shouldn’t be a problem right? Fortunately I had just the pattern Simplicity 2054, a simple knit dress by Cynthia Rowley that I had already traced out the pattern to as I have been dying to make it.

Prince Charming Costume for Brit (Last Halloween)

Since he is a younger brother (and has yet to object) Britton is lucky enough to get to be the best possible accessory to Audrey’s Halloween costume each year.  Last year he got to be Prince Charming (every Cinderella needs one after all).  I kind of went all out:

Cinderella costume for Audrey (last Halloween)

As Halloween draws near again this year and I contemplate how to make the kid’s costumes this year (Audrey had decided to be Belle, which means that Britton gets to be the Beast – lucky guy) I realized that I never posted  what I did last year.  Since I am planning to base Audrey’s dress this year off of the same simplicity pattern (Simplicity 2463), I felt like putting up some pictures and perhaps a review would be appropriate…

The 5 hour little black dress

Last night, once the kids were in bed, I decided that yes, I really did need a new dress to wear to church today.   Five hours and two ignored Netflix movies later and this is what I had:

Smoked Turkey for Thanksgiving!

Our Thanksgiving this year featured many of the same foods that we have been preparing once a year for years now, but very few of the same people.  However, we did have a friend of Chris’ and his family come from Monterrey this year and they brought smoked turkey.  Yes, it really was as good as you might think, I am not sure that I will really ever be able to go back…

 

Although without Colleen the table wasn’t as lovely this year, we were inspired to try… The tablecloth is some curtain fabric I picked up years ago for a bargain. I think that it worked out rather nicely…

Simplicity 2907 – Denim Pants for Brit

Ever since we visited his cousin Miles at Christmas and saw him in the cutest little maroon jeans, I have been  dying to have some for Brit.  While they were apparently from Target, I never seem to run into the darling little boy’s clothes there, so I decided to make him some.  Of course that meant that I bought a yard of maroon denim from Joann’s months ago and it just sat in my living room, mocking me (I lost the pattern that I was planning to use).  Finally, after searching through all of the different kids patterns that I have acquired over years of dollar sales, I decided that Simplicity 2907 would work, with some modification.

Simplicity 1660 – Cotton Shirt

With the hot weather recently I decided that a loose fitting top sounded like just the thing.  I also thought that some light weight breathable cotton that I got from denver fabrics on sale recently would be perfect.  I think it worked out…