Nesting

At this same stage of pregnancy for baby #2, I wasn't too inspired with trying new outfits. Instead, I was in full blown nesting mode. I painted my daughter's room, sewed new cushions for her rocking chair, sewed her a dress, sewed new bumper pads for her cradle, sanded and refinished a wooden rocking chair and a child's rocking horse, and re-upholstered a rocking chair.

 

It seems I'm going through the same thing with pregnancy #3 because I haven't worn anything attractive all week. However, I have prettied up the house a bit.

 

My son and I painted this during art class.

 

 

 

My husband and I made this upholstered headboard out of old doors previously covering some bookshelves for our king size bed (after I spent 2 hours reorganizing all my bookshelves and taking said doors off).

I painted this little love note for my hubby (translation - "You are my soulmate") using his favorite colors.



 

I also used the excess fabric from the headboard to reupholster the piano bench, a stool, and a dining chair. I bought a few coordinating remnants that I'll make some throw pillows with, too (to do either tonight or tomorrow).

 

 

And, I painted these two lovelies for my mantle (yellow walls to one day be covered in grey, for the record).

 

 

George and Martha Washington

This is my friend's daughter, Cori Bechtol, who helped me get the painting finished and ready for the fair. The faces will be cut out so that people can put their own faces in the stand and get their pictures taken as George and Martha Washington. Cute, no?

Dress design for Shabby Apple dresses

Another design for the Shabby Apple dress design contest...

I thought I would design a black and white dress - (I'm calling Diana). A black and white dress is now almost as important to a modern wardrobe as the classic LBD, so I couldn't help but add one into the mix.
Specifications for the Diana:

• The neckline/shawl piece of the dress would be a white cotton cady
• The body of the dress would be a black cotton cady
• My inspiration for this dress was remembering designs I used to love when I was a little girl (we're talking 6 years old). For some reason, as a 6-year old I was enthralled with dresses with shawl-like collars. I wanted to re-work the look into something modern, and the Diana dress was what I came up with.

Here is a dress that I really am not entering, as it isn't a dress that would appeal to many women, but thought it would be a fun party dress for a preteen - the Amy dress:

Specifications for the Amy dress:

• The skirt would be layers of icy pink, peach, and cream tulle
• The waist would be a pale pink satin - like from a ballet slipper. In the back it would be tied into a sash
• The shoulder fabric that is tucked into the satin bodice would be the same layers of tulle from the skirt
• The inset of lace at the neckline would be an off-white/cream color
• My inspiration is from my childhood neighbor friend, Amy. When Amy and I were little girls we would dream of being ballerinas one day. We both moved away when we were about 8 years old, and just recently found each other on Facebook. Much to my surprise, I found out that Amy really had become a ballerina! This dress is in honor of her.

Project Runway

Here's my sketch from Project Runway last night. To match the contestants challenge, I had my husband give me pointers on my design so I could claim it was a "team effort". lol! My husband was the one who suggested a different neckline (I had a mock neck on it), and he also suggested the curved line at the waist (I had curved lines on the sides of the hips).

I can't figure out what color this dress should be in, but I think I would like the fabric to be silk.

Project Runway

I haven't had a chance to watch Project Runway these past two weeks, but got caught up on last week's and this week's last night.

Here is my design for the models:
And this is my design for the newspaper dress:

Project Runway

I'm so excited that Project Runway has started! I wasn't around for the first show last week, but I watched the rerun last night. I've decided that this season I'm going to participate by sketching my own designs based on the challenges the contestants are given.

So, below is my Red Carpet look. I was thinking Academy Awards. I wanted it to have an ethereal quality, so the hair would be a bit frizzy and fluffy and platinum blond. I wanted a pale face with red lips. The dress would be made of peachy pink organza, and the bottom part would have feathers coming out the sides, with tulle and chiffon layers in the middle and coming up from out of the neckline. I didn't have time to sketch the back design, but it would have a little bit of a train too and a very low back.
For the maternity challenge, Rebecca said she wanted something tight, and I figured she would want to show off her legs as that was the thinnest part of her. I could totally see her wearing something like this:

Nevertheless, I think the dress is completely unwearable by the average pregnant woman, and wearing shoes like that is completely unpractical. Still, I had it in my mind and wanted to sketch it for fun.

I didn't have time to finish the sketch of what I would actually wear or could see other women wearing, but here's an idea:

It's supposed to be a little jacket, that could be adjusted to wear when you aren't pregnant, too. A little cami underneath and a denim pencil skirt would finish the look.

I'm really looking forward to the future challenges, and just hope I can sketch faster the next time around!

Fashion Sketches

Fashion Haircuts

When I get the urge to try a new haircut, I just sit down and draw a bunch of styles that I'd never have the nerve to try, but admire on other people.

A couple of outfits I wish I had...

Now that I'm back to being a SAHM, I've gotten to enjoy some leisurely days full of laying out in the sun, trips to the library with my 2-year old son, and of course, plenty of time for crafts. Over lunch today, my son wanted to draw, so I couldn't help but do a few sketches of my own.

I'm really wishing I had a coral colored knit dress with simple lines like the first pic. I'd pair it with a turquoise flat, different colored bangles, big gold hoop earrings, and a gold hobo bag. If I could just go out and buy whatever I want whenever I wanted, that first outfit is what I would buy to wear today.

Then for date night, I'd effortlessly throw on a royal blue strapless dress over a white sheer blouse, add a black wide belt, nude pumps, and a black little bag. Yep, I like that look. Now if only I would be brave enough to try the Gwyneth Paltrow hairsylte - blond and straight...shoulder length. Sigh.