Monday, April 13, 2009

Sewing: Easter Dresses for the Girls


I found this fabulous bunny fabric at Home Fabrics. I love that store. Inevitably when I visit I find something I have to buy for my stash because it will be perfect for a little girls dress, or a jacket for me. I found a great fabric there when I was planning Scarlett's nursery and they even located more of it in a store in Idaho and shipped it for me! I bought this fabric before Scarlett was born with no particular plans for it (cute diaper bag? Pillows?) but this spring throught it would be perfect for easter dresses.


Audrey's dress is from a Children's Corner Pattern--Pleats II. which I was lucky enough to purchase on eBay because it doesn't seem to be available anymore. It is such a classic, beautiful pattern! I love it!

It called for purchased lace trim but I used this purchased ruffle trim instead. I was worried about finding the right color--was thinking light blue or maybe green but went with this off-white, which I think works much better. For a little punch of color I added the coral piping--purchased too to save time.


I like using covered buttons and it was fun finding deciding which fabric swatches for which buttons and where.


This pattern results in such a nicely constructed dress: french seams and a deep hem and nice facings. I added some snaps to keep the collar closed nicely in front.

I think Audrey looked darling in her Easter dress! Love that collar and the cute little sleeves and the exaggerated a-line. I wish the weather had been a little more sunny and my backyard a bit more green, but the Easter egg hunt was fun all the same!

Scarlett's dress is from New Look pattern 6842. I think this is a darling pattern. I love all the ruffles! Around the neck, down the front and all the way around the back--girlie!

I used the purchased ruffle trim (which it calls for) and added the piping again.




Scarlett looks pretty serious about the whole thing, but I think she enjoyed herself too!


Friday, April 3, 2009

Card: Happy Easter




When Audrey was little I occassionally sent out cards to her grandparents featuring some recent adroable pic. I haven't done it as often lately, but Easter inspired me.

First, I found these cute velvet and fur bunny ears at Target and couldn't resist taking some pictures of the girls wearing them.

Second, I finally put up a few Easter decorations this year. Hasn't been much of an impetus before the girls, but now that Audrey is old enough to appreciate it it is fun.

My mother always used to bring in a branch with flowering buds or pussy willows and hang little painted eggs and birds from it--beautiful wood ornaments we got while living in Germany. It's been hard to find their equivalent, but I found some things that remind me of them. I put the Easter Tree in a tall glass vase an decided to take some pictures of Audrey looking at it. This was my favorite:


So with these cute photos, why not an Easter card? I ordered some from KodakGallery -- square tri-fold with pale easter egg motif on the front.
I am including a small thumbnail on the back of this shot of Audrey with bunny ears:



Though I really love this photo too: