sara norris ltd

Do you "Dress for success"? (at home)

2012-01-18T08:17:00.000-06:00

Remember the "Power Suit" of the 1980's?

OK, that's not what I am talking about here!!!I am talking about those of us who either work at home or stay at home.
Do you have have a daily routine you follow? Do you have favorite "work" clothes that you wear and feel most productive in?
I learned a lesson many years ago when I was still in the corporate world. I stayed home from work one day when my son was sick and home from school. Dressed in sweats, no makeup and hair not done, I answered the doorbell and there stood my old college boyfriend, who was passing through town and stopped by to say hello!!! I wanted to D.I.E.
I am not one who likes to work in my pajamas. I find that if I get going and shower, do face and hair and dress and be ready for the day by no later than 8 am, I can be my most productive.
Favorite work outfits for me, depending on the season, are usually knit yoga pants or leggings, a tunic or lightweight sweater, and some low heeled boots or Rocket Dog shoes. I run up and down the stairs to my sewing studio numerous times a day and need shoes with good traction! Comfort and ease of movement are my major considerations for my day which includes sewing, monogramming, and pattern design. I may be down on the floor or digging in the closet

If I have to run out during the day at a moment's notice, and need to look a bit more polished , I can slip on a pair of boots or ballerina flats, a good looking jacket, and look pulled together without a lot of effort!! (the jacket hides most of the threads and lint clinging to my clothes!!)

So what is your daily routine and how do you dress for a day of creating at home??

Baby on board!!!

2012-01-07T09:29:00.000-06:00

No more time to be lazy around here!! Baby Colby Jane is due to arrive March 27 and she needs some new outfits!! (really??) I know that there is a huge stash of hand-me-downs from her big brother and big sister and I have seen her closet that mommy has already organized to the hilt, so I say "need" with tongue in cheek!! But she must have some things that are made uniquely for her!!

This morning I am in my sewing room going through my fabrics, pulling out patterns by The Old Fashioned Baby and looking expectantly into all my UFO's hoping to find anything that will give me a head start!

One project that I am already stitching on is a pram cover that I started for her big brother Holt, over 6 years ago!! He came early and I never finished it, nor did I finish it for big sister Lacey Claire, who also came a bit early!! Hmm, maybe I should wait until AFTER Colby Jane is born to work on this thing!!

You can see how dog-eared this copy of Sew Beautiful Issue #104 is!!

It, the project and all the supplies have been in my hand work basket all these years!

This is such a gorgeous blanket. It has a shadow embroidered design of a rocking horse, pull toy, puppy, duck, lamb, bunny, bear, blocks, birds, lots of flowers, and all of these are set upon a ribbon, which is

tied into a bow at the top. The center area is filled with white granitos. I haven't counted them, but it is A LOT!!! The pram cover is finished with a lace-edged ruffle. It is made of Swiss batiste.

Well, the shadow embroidery is almost finished . This little portion is all that is left on the outer design.

and then it is on to those granitos!!

Beautiful monogram

2012-01-04T10:59:00.000-06:00

Today, I want to show you this beautiful font I used to stitch on a little pillow!

For fonts and pillows such as this one, or other projcts where I want an heirloom look, I prefer to use cotton thread to stitch the embroidery.

The majority of embroidery projects today are stitched with a polyester or rayon embroidery thread, which is both strong and will not fade or bleed.

Since I am now using a different machine to do all my monogramming and embroidery, I need a larger spool of thread than I was able to use on the old machine. I had no cotton thread in a large spool, other than thread for my serger. At the advice of my friend Laurie Anderson, I decided to try the embroidery using the serger thread. I was extremely pleased with the outcome. Now, if you are going to monogram or embroidery on a project of a very fine nature, such as antique linens or a christening gown, I would suggest you invest in a spool of very fine quality cotton thread.

Enjoy and hope this inspires you to create something beautiful!!!

The Last of the Christmas Vignettes

2012-01-02T18:15:00.001-06:00

And until another year

good-bye little deer!!

And now I am on to reorganizing my laundry room!!!
(a la Pinterest!!!)

Happy New Year!!!

2011 The year of the roller coaster!!

2011-12-31T16:47:00.000-06:00

I don't like to be negative or talk about sad things, but honestly, this is one year I am glad to bid adieu! This year has been wrought with grief and change in our family. But there have been some happy things as well, so really I do have things to be thankful for!
As many of you know, this is the year that we lost our oldest grandson Christopher (along with his mother, little sister and their exchange student). Our family is still dealing with this huge loss. We will forever.

Coincidentally, during the week of the funeral for him, three of our four children were moving. Talk about some chaos!!

As the summer went on, we found out that we were going to have another grandchild in the new year!! And we have since learned that it will be a baby girl, who, if her 4D ultrasound proves to be any indication, will look just like her big brother Holt!!! She has been named Colby Jane, Colby after her daddy's middle name and Jane after me!! Finally, after 10 grandchildren, I get one named for me!!! Woohoo!!

Our children have had some great things happen: one got a dream job, one opened her own practice, one took an amazing trip to Thailand, and then one has lived through yet another heart-breaking event.

I have found that with 4 married children and 10 grandchildren, there are always heartbreaks and disapointments, but oh, the joys!!!! They continue to bless us everyday.

The events of the year, mostly dealing with loss, threw me off my game as a clothing designer. I had managed to get only one pattern published:

Then , at the end of August, I had a business opportunity fall into my lap. A design firm wanted me to do their monogramming. So, what did I do? I bought a new embroidery machine, a 6 needle home business machine.

I monogrammed and appliqued all fall, filling tons of orders. Learning this machine was quite a leaning curve but I happily adapted. I have really enjoyed learning the software that came with it! I did manage to sew the back to the front of tee shirts on a few early samples!!

After Thanksgiving (which was a fiasco in this family, I won't go into) my hubs and I went on a short trip to New York City. A fabulous fun filled 5 days of shopping and shows.

Next thing I knew, it was time for Christmas and I wasn't ready!!! I had not put up as many decorations as usual, didn't have all my gifts bought, much less wrapped, and had not baked and cooked as much. I found myself scurrying to get SOMETHING, anything, done. This WON'T happen next year!!
The tree looked pretty good, though!

We always have all the kids here on the weekend before Christmas, which, this year was December 17. We have gifts and heavy finger foods and a lot of playing. We had a great weekend. Come Monday morning, the hubs and I weren't feeling too well and by noon we had gotten word that one of our grandson's had tested positive for Flu A. From there, sickness of some form had ravaged over half of the family. It was a pretty miserable week before Christmas and what I hadn't gotten done, just didn't get done but we all survived!

So, here's to a great New Year!!! I hope that you all have a healthy, happy and prosperous 2012!!!!

"Do you blog?".. . . . . "Why, yes, I do. . .

2011-12-14T22:58:00.000-06:00

well, I used to, anyway!! I have been away from it for a while, it seems. Where has the time gone, where has the Fall gone?

Part of my absence is due to Matilda, my new 6-needle embroidery machine that I got earlier in the fall. A new embroidery machine had not been in my plans nor my desires. But I was approached by 3 interior design and gift shops to do their monogramming, and the machine I had was not up to the job. So, a new machine was in order!

I love to embroider monograms, and I love the look of a beautifully stitched monogrammed item, such as table, bed and bath linens. I also love monogrammed children's clothing.

When I finally surfaced from the orders I have had, it was time for Christmas! And may I add right here, I am not ready!! I have my gifts bought, but not wrapped, I have up the tree and some decorations, but nothing like what I usually do. I have bought the ham for our dinner this weekend, but not baked the first cookie!!
This is soooooo NOT ME!!!!

Somewhere in there, I did manage to make these dresses for two of the grands and several appliqued tees for 5 of the grands for their casual wear.

We also made a trip to New York City the first weekend in December.

I left home with boxes of decorations scattered all over the house!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?????

But, in retrospect, this is not the usual Christmas. We have had a difficult year. And as my friend Beki said in her blog post "Letting Go", this year, I'm not Martha!!!! and it's OK. I just don't want to go setting any precedents!!! Next year is another year and I will be back on my game!!!

Pattern Sale!!!!!

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

All epatterns on my website are HALF PRICED Saturday only November 26th.

Monogrammed and appliqued tees

are also on sale 20% off

check my Facebook page for ideas!!

Sara Norris Ltd Facebook

Do you know who made your kid's clothes????

2011-10-01T12:01:00.000-05:00

I always love to read Kelly's posts and see her daughters dressed so adorably! I especially love her post on "Where do you shop for your kids".
The question I posed in my title may not be of importance to you but, I hope to get you to think about it!!
The very best place in the world to buy kids clothes is right here in the

USA

I have been making custom children's clothing for over 20 years. In the past few years, there has been a huge increase of WAHM's who are designing and sewing beautiful childrens clothing, accessories,costumes, party decorations and favors and room decor. They do this not only as a creative outlet, but also to be at home with their children while still being able to contribute to the family's income.Many have websites and even more now have Fan Pages on Facebook. You can find most anything you want by surfing through the Facebook pages, on etsy and ebay too!

In today's economic climate, we, in this country, have lost many garment manufacturers to overseas production. But the children's clothing cottage industry is alive and well right here in the United States!

So, I hope that when you need kid's clothing, you will consider supporting these very talented and creative

home-based businesses.

Support made in the USA !!!!!!

In addition to my own site

Sara Norris Ltd.

I would like to feature some of my friends!!

Southern Stitches

Tiger Swallow Tales

DandelionAvenue

A peek into my closet!

2011-09-23T11:05:00.000-05:00

I think all of us who love clothes and fashion, dream of a great big walk-in closet with lots of storage. (My sister has a fabulous one!!)

We live in a very old house and storage and closets are at a minimum.

So, we have to be very creative with storage space.

When we bought and remodeled this house, we had to put my closet under the stairway, which was beside a hallway we had closed up.
For my birthday a few years ago, my husband remodeled my tiny little closet and I could not be happier with it! I still love it in all it's tiny-ness!
I grew up in my mother's dress shop and have always loved clothes and fashion. I still do, but over the years, my wardrobe needs have changed considerably and I have learned what works best for me. Less is more!!
Because this closet was once a hallway, it is 36" wide and the units we bought fit in PERFECTLY!!!!!

The smallness of my closet forces me to keep only what I know I will be wearing for the season. My out of season clothes are stored upstairs in the guest room closet.

This premade unit from Lowe's fit exactly in the area that was the former hallway.

The top and bottom cabinets are for shoes. The two middle drawers are for undies and jammies.

Open shelves for boots, and more cabinets where I keep tees and tanks in one and knit pants in the bottom one.

I love this little set of drawers. It keeps lots of accessories neatly folded or stored.

The bench came from my mother's closet and the tiny dressing "table" I found at TJMax.

Hope you enjoyed the little tour!!

YAY Fall . . . .

2011-09-23T10:17:00.000-05:00

It rained last night and we awoke to much cooler temps!! It is still cloudy and this type of day gets me in the mood to cook! Not something I am usually in the mood for!!

I have done some preparation for the fall season already. My closet has been changed out from summer tanks, capris and shorts to comfy, snuggly sweaters, boots and jackets.

I have "fall-erized" in the house with pumpkins, mums and my favorite candles, Aromatique's "Cinnamon n Cider". LOOOOOOVE this fragrance!!!!

Think I'll go get out the cinnamon and bake something!!

Caring for Heirloom Garments

2011-08-26T10:15:00.000-05:00

One of the most common questions presented to me when a client picks up her heirloom garment , is "How do I care for this garment"? I always include a copy of my recommended care instructions with each garment.

I do not claim to be an expert on this subject, but rather these methods are what have worked for me in 30 years of creating heirloom garments.

If you have a garment that is of museum quality, is over 50 years old, or one that you are unsure of the fabric used, it would be advisable to consult a true expert in the field. The Martha Pullen Company is a great place for information.

What I am addressing today, is newly made garments, or those that are less than 25 years old.

The most damaging element to an heirloom garment is storing it unclean. This may sound redundant, but it is surprising how many stains can be present and yet, unseen!

A baby garment, such as a daygown or Christening gown, that may have only been worn for a few minutes for a portrait, most likely will have some dribble from baby's mouth. Saliva contains sugars can destroy fibers over time. So, even though the garment may appear to be clean, with no stains or spots showing up, it is always advisable to wash it to be absolutely sure that it is stored clean.

Never assume that the garment is clean, always wash before storage. Before washing, check for any rips or tears and make repairs.

Cleaning:

One of my favorite products that I have used for years is Biz™.

Biz™ is safe for delicates and will remove almost any stain. A twenty minute soak in a sink will usually be enough for most garments. If you have heavy stains, you can soak longer. There are many other good products on the market, designed specifically for heirloom and vintage garments and linens.

Method for heavy stains, accumulated dust and general dullness:

In a plastic bucket or container, mix 1 cup of Biz™ dissolved in a gallon of hot water. Let the water cool and add the garment. Let the garment sit in the mixture for up to a week, checking periodically for stain removal.

To finish:

Rinse the garment in cool water, several times, being sure there is no soap residue left in the garment.

Squeeze excess water from the garment. Do not wring or twist. When taking the garment out of the rinse water, support it both hands. The weight of the water can add stress to the seams and laces.

Roll the garment in a thick, clean white towel to remove excess moisture.

Lay the garment flat on a clean, dry towel to dry. Make sure it is completely dry before storing.

To store:

Store flat, wrapped in acid free tissue. It is not necessary to iron before storage. Stuff sleeves with tissue. A seldom-used dresser drawer is a good place for storage.

Don't:

Hang to store--hanging can put stress on seams and laces

Store in a plastic bag

Starch the garment before storing--moths and silverfish love starch

Store in a hot, dry attic or damp basement

A great resource that covers a variety of stains, cleaning solutions, fabric types and 'how-to's" is this book by Sandy Hunter:

I love this book and refer to it frequently. It addresses much more than I am able to include in this post!

Sandy also has a wealth of supplies on her site, Material Luxury, that includes acid free paper and boxes, cleaning solutions and her book (mentioned above).

Most of all, enjoy your heirloom garments and dress those babies up in them everyday!!!

One of my favorite styles

2011-08-04T08:42:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful morning here!!

After days of intense heat, a bit of respite last night in a nice shower of rain

which has resulted in a very pleasant , and much cooler morning!!

The extended forecast promises relief by week after next!!!

I wanted to show you the best seller of my new collection,

I just love her little foot!!!

I had so much fun with this photo shoot!! All the little girls who modeled for me were

so beautifully behaved, and did everything that was asked of them perfectly!!!

A Fairytale

2011-08-03T13:57:00.000-05:00

collection available at http://www.saranorrisltd.com/

Summer therapy

2011-08-02T08:52:00.000-05:00

During this long, hot and very difficult summer, staying busy, busy, busy has been my therapy. It has been good for the mind, body and soul. I have been SO busy, that I have not found the time to blog much lately. I have read a lot of yours, however!!
Here is a little bit of what has been going on around "Camp Norris".

We began a garden "remodel"

We redecorated the family room

here

and here

Both of these jobs are mainly finished but I have just not gotten around to taking photos and posting.. I still have to make the draperies and table skirt toppers for the den.

And we are actually getting a small harvest from our garden!!! This is fun!!!

We went to Homecoming at my childhood church, celebrated the 4th of July,

had a family reunion,

our church got moved into our new church building (the old one was destroyed in a tornado 3 years ago)

three of our four children moved to new houses, and we just learned we are going to be grandparents again!!!! Yay!!!

In the sewing room, I have made countless outfits for grandchildren and clients alike.

I also finished up a little collection that I will be selling on my website and etsy.

I had a photo shoot for this collection, as well!!

I would like to present. . .

2011-07-28T19:55:00.001-05:00

My Collection!!!

This is a little collection I have designed that will be available through trunk shows, my website and on etsy!!

French inspired Collection
view slideshow

Where Sara Creates

2011-07-16T16:19:00.000-05:00

I am participating in Karen Valentine's WBC Party for 2011

My creative corner is my studio. This is where I dream, design and most importantly, get inspired!

Many times I have attempted to change it up, with something different on the walls, or maybe the floor, but there is always a project that takes precedence over any redecorating jobs here!

Still, I love it just the way it is!

I hope that you have enjoyed this tour

The glue is gone--part 4

2011-07-11T08:09:00.002-05:00

I am linking with Susan of Between naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday

Remember this?

Can we say "in over our heads"?

After trying everything under the sun to remove this thickly applied carpet glue, we were about to give up and go with hardwood flooring.

Then my sister had gotten the name of a "concrete man", whom I called immediately to see if he could help in any way.

He came over immediately. It turns out that he lives just up the street from us!

He went to work on this floor with a diamond polisher and today it looks like this!!

Andrew of Cornerstone Concrete Floor Designs is my newest best friend!

You can click on the link to see more of his work!

Tomorrow, he will apply the stain.

Family room--part 3

2011-07-09T07:51:00.003-05:00

And the man is coming this morning!!!

4th of July fun!!

2011-07-05T07:35:00.000-05:00

Some of my favorite things today!

Cute kids in handmade outfits

July 4th Decorations

And homemade wild blackberry cobbler!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

2011-07-04T07:20:00.000-05:00

have a safe and happy 4th of July!!!

Transforming the Family room --Stupid Carpet Glue

2011-07-04T07:07:00.000-05:00

Here is the room almost cleaned out. The sofa has now gone to the upholsterer's.

All it takes to make this man happy is the remote control!!

Carpet is up, walls are painted, and now this is what we are facing--

Lots and lots of carpet glue

All of the glue has to be removed in order for the concrete stain to penetrate the concrete.

The carpet was put down with carpet glue, as I mentioned before, 20 years ago.

The removal of carpet glue is not for the faint of heart.

Here is what we have tried in order to find out how to go about the removal:

Called Lowe's paint department--clueless

Called Home Depot's paint department--clueless

Called Stanley Steamer--can't use their equipment on concrete

Talked to salesman at Sherwin Williams--suggested we go with hardwood

Tried hot boiling water--works pretty well, until the water cools on the concrete

Bought two different sized scrapers- works pretty good if you have about 3 months of spare time and a whole lotta elbow grease.

Talked to professional concrete stainer--suggested a variety of industrial type sanders/grinders only available in a town 1.5 hours away

Bought a highly toxic adhesive remover--very scary and very little success

Rented a floor sander with varying grits of sandpaper- got quite a bit of the top layer off but not down to the bare concrete/$65 a day-might work if used daily for a couple weeks

(by this point, hardwood beginning to be more attractive option)

Got out my steam iron--placed wet rag over glue and held the iron, on high setting , directly on rag for several minutes. This worked quite well, the glue seems to respond to heat. But how long would it take to "iron" 432 square feet? We are now on day 13.

Back to the internet for research and came upon a product called Citrus King,

                100% NATURAL • EARTH FRIENDLY • NON-TOXIC • BIODEGRADABLE
          Called them and they told me they had only had two occasions where the product did not work
            (thinking we might be #3, I ordered it, hoping that it might arrive by Saturday via FedEx)
                    That would give us a couple days during the holiday weekend to work on it. The lady at
                                the company told me not to count on it being here by then.

FedEX did indeed come Saturday morning, we were both out, and they did not leave it, as the shipment required a signature! FedEx won't re-deliver until Wednesday!

Big time bummer!

Might as well just enjoy the holiday!!!

Transforming the Family room--part 1

2011-06-30T07:39:00.005-05:00

Today, I am linking this post to Gina's "Transformation Thursday at

and Cindy of My Romantic Home

Upon reading the title of my post today, you may be inclined to wonder, "What on earth does this have to do with heirloom sewing, ruffles, lace or patterns"? Most of you know that those things are the usual topics of my posts. You may be surprised to learn that even though I am a seamstress and pattern designer, I do like to decorate, fluff and even renovate my home as well!!
You may also be surprised to learn that as much as I love ruffles and lace, that is not my decorating style!!! I am more of a traditional type. As I have become a little bit too obsessed with reading other's decorating blogs of late, I m finding that my style is changing somewhat. Or, maybe, it is just being updated! This is room is almost exactly the same as it was when we added it on to the house 20 years ago, with the exception of a lamp here or a candlestick there.
Which brings us to the present. I have wanted to install hardwood flooring in this room for a long time and finally, the time has come.
Here is the room in it's present state. Well, actually, I had already started moving the furniture out. The room is 18' x 24' and is a combination family room/dining area. Don't you love that floral sofa?

Somewhere in this process, my sister suggested that since there is concrete under the carpet, why didn't we consider staining the concrete. OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! I had forgotten that little tidbit of information about this room.

WHAT ...A...GREAT...IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Remember these famous last words, they will be important later on!!

We're OK

2011-06-28T07:25:00.000-05:00

"May your unfailing love be my comfort" Psalms 119:76

I have had so many people still writing me and inquiring how we are doing. We are OK, and doing as well as is possible, and we are so appreciative of all the prayers and concern.
It has been hard to blog lately. I have written several drafts and then never publish them. Nothing has sounded quite right.
So, I thought I had better get something out there so you wouldn't forget me!!
I have tried to stay very busy and I have several projects underway at the moment. I am working on a new pattern, which I hope to get published soon.
We have also begun a redecorating project that is going slower than I would like! I plan to blog about this soon. It is quite a transformation so far. The project is our family room and it involves painting the room, and tearing out the 20 year old carpet. We are going to attempt to stain the concrete that is underneath the carpet. The carpet was glued down, so that will be the most labor intensive part.
The sofa is going today to the upholsterer's. I had bought fabric over a year ago for it and then in January I bought fabric for the draperies. I have since changed my mind on both of those. I will tell you later what I decided to use for them both!
At the moment I am working on an order for an heirloom blanket.
I am thankful for the projects!

The Garden Project

2011-06-10T14:30:00.000-05:00

I have my passions and I have been trying to help my hubby find his! I am trying really hard to help him decide that gardening is going to be his passion. I love gardening but don't have as much time for it anymore.
We have this garden spot in our back yard and sadly it has sat full of weeds for the past four or five years.

This year, we have gotten some paint on the fence and still have some pickets to replace.
Here is how this arbor with the "New Dawn" rose looked last year on Mother's Day

See all the weeds in the background? We had to trim this rose as it was about to break down the arbor.
So, I have no photos of the before of the garden spot. Which is probably good as it would scare you to death!

The original garden had a bed all around the inside perimeter. We had those taken up and replaced them with a square bed in each corner.

Those dying bushes you see in the center bed are some that just needed to get in the ground , that is not their final place. However with this intense heat and no rain, they are struggling to stay alive.

Pray for my family

2011-06-01T11:38:00.000-05:00

My family has suffered a horrible tragedy. I ask that you please pray for us. Our grandson Christopher, 18, his mother, his little sister Macey, and their exchange student Flavia from italy were all killed in an accident Monday afternoon on their way home from a trip to Destin, FL. Four others , two half-sisters, half brother and another exchange student were critically injured.

Though other difficult times in my life, prayer is what has gotten me though those times. It doesn't change the situation or the circumstances, but prayer has enabled me to cope and endure. We are assured that Christopher is now with the heavenly Father and for that we are so thankful. He lived a beautiful, Christ centered life.

Christopher Paul Norris

Nov 23, 1993-May 30, 2011

The joy of the Lord is my strength

Neh. 8:10

Swansong

2011-05-30T10:35:00.001-05:00

My sister and her husband built this beautiful home about 18 years ago and now have decided to move on to other pursuits in their lives,so Swansong is now for sale.

It makes me sad in a way, as our family has spent many wonderful hours at this home with them. Swansong has been an enormous part of mine and my husband's lives as well as my children's and now my grandchildren's lives.
My sister and her husband have opened their home to friends and family over the years in an extensive list of occasions.

They hosted the wedding receptions of our two children

We have rejoiced and celebrated as we welcomed the new additions to the family

and gathered to commemorate the life of one who has passed on

We have had birthday celebrations,

Mother's Day,

and Christmas Eve's,

and been a part of their annual Dove Shoot

We have performed

danced the night away

and learned to drive

taken boat rides

and entertained celebrities!

Every visit to this home is a feast for the eyes!!!

Hope you have enjoyed my reminicing !!

For a virtual tour of the rooms and grounds of this home, click here

I have often thought this home would be a wonderful place for a retreat (like my personal favorite: sewing!!!) or a gentleman's hunt lodge, a spa or a bed and breakfast!!

wedding dress remake

2011-05-26T12:18:00.000-05:00

The original dress is a 1970's era dress and is made into a little dress for the niece of the bride to wear to the wedding and to also wear as a dedication dress.

This was really a hard project!! I had never worked with a wedding dress of this era or with this type trim, which is heavy, cotton Venice lace bridal trim. So, trying to make this work for a tiny 9 month old took a lot of figuring and planning!
Here is what I finally came up with. I love The Old Fashioned Baby pattern Baby Rose so I decided to go with it for the basic dress design.I used a lovely silk and cotton blend fabric that has a lovely, soft sheen, ina very pale ivory for the dress and then overlaid that with a white cotton voile. The sleeves are made in the voile only.

To counteract the heaviness of the bridal trim, I added some fine French lace, insertion and entredeux in ecru to match the bridal trim in color. For the focal point of the dress, I used the bodice feature of the bridal gown, but had to cut and cut to make it fit on this small a dress!

The trim of the wedding veil was used at the hem of the under part of the dress. The silk and cotton fabric looks very shiny in this photo, when in fact it is much softer.

I love the way the top of this pattern is styled with the raglan sleeves. I think that it allows a longer wearing period, when made this way.

I'm loving this today!

2011-05-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

I love this collection of clothing for little people! I love the simple, uncomplicated styles, the Liberty-type prints and the little cardigans!

photos by bonpoint

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T22:25:00.000-05:00

Some of my favorite things today!!

Spending time with my mother and my sister

And my children

The grands

and my wonderful husband

Another thing that gives me so much joy is seeing something fabulous like this in my garden!

and this

I hope that you have had a wonderful Mother's Day with the people and things that you love!!!

Sara

The Forgotten Woman

2011-04-29T19:25:00.000-05:00

I have heard it said the the mother of the groom is the "Forgotten Woman" in the festivities surrounding a wedding. How poignant that sentiment seems today.

I admit, I was a Diana-watcher and was broken-hearted when she left us. I loved seeing her transform from the shy young girl she was when she became a royal to the fashion icon when she passed away. So, I can't help but wonder what she would have chosen to wear today, had she lived.

I love this photo of her. It is so hard to believe she would be 50 this year!

It would be hard to top the mother of the bride in today's wedding, as Mrs. Middleton looked stunning!

But I know that Princess Diana would have been a show-stopper!!

Relief for our Alabama friends

2011-04-28T15:09:00.000-05:00

Posted by Fairytale Frocks and Lollipops blog

We were all shocked this morning when we started hearing about the massive tornados that ripped through Alabama yesterday and last night. One of our dear friends, Samantha Caffee from "The Handmade Dress" was deeply affected as her entire community was destroyed as the storms came through. Dawn from Olabelhe is very close to Samantha and was able to reach Samantha this morning and they spoke briefly about the nightmare the people there are currently facing. In Samantha's own words..."I've never seen anything like this before....It looks like a bomb struck here!" Samantha and her family are safe and they still have their home but they are just one of a handful of lucky people to still have a home to go home to. Dawn is organizing a relief effort to help Samantha's community and if you would like to help please contact Dawn for more information. Her email address is Dawn@Olabelhe.com. We at FF&L are also working on our own relief effort asking our designers to donate the proceeds of their pattern sales through the weekend to help! Starting at midnight tonight through Sunday evening 100% of the sales of our E-Patterns will go to help Alabama!

Thank you Terri and Dawn for organizing this!!

Til the Storm passes by

2011-04-28T11:50:00.000-05:00

A friend posted the words to this old hymn a few days ago and I have sung this to myself over and over to myself the past few days during the constant watches, warnings and sirens.
It was so bad in the St. Louis area and following that storm West Tennessee was under numerous tornado and severe thunderstorm watches and warnings for three days. We had over a foot of rain and many roads damaged from all the water.
Of course, this is nothing compared to what our neighbors to the south of us in Alabama have suffered and even the tip of Tennessee, along the state line and many other places so numerous.
We know, personally, a little bit of what they are going through. It was almost 1 year ago, May 1, that our business was hit by a tornado and most of our business property was destroyed. Thankfully, we were not there as it happened early on a Sunday morning, so we were not injured and it was not our home. We were fortunate indeed.
But even though we escaped injury, the aftermath was emotionally and physically trying. We were still able to carry on with our business but had to add to that dealing with the cleanup , FEMA, SBA, insurance, trying to locate records, repairs and materials, someone to do the work, moving our office equipment to the house and the list goes on and on.
So, please pray for those affected in any way by these terrible storms. And if you live near any of the areas, if you can, take someone a plate of cookies or a sandwich, lend a hand or let them know you are praying for them. Trust me, it will mean everything to them.

In the dark of the midnight,
Have I oft hid my face;
While the storm howls above me,
And there's no hiding place;
'Mid the crash of the thunder,
Precious Lord, hear my cry;
"Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by."

Great pattern giveaway and a sale!!

2011-04-27T11:43:00.000-05:00

I am teaming up with Lindsay at her wonderful blog The Cottage Home for a pattern giveaway and a sale on my patterns!! Go pay Lindsay a visit and have a look around her blog, she has lots to spark your interest and an adorable etsy shop as well!!!!

Patience in the Garden

2011-04-17T08:59:00.000-05:00

I have never claimed to be a great gardener, certainly not like my parents or my sister, who is a fantastic gardener. But I do love to walk in my garden (yard) this time of year, early in the morning with the sun coming up and my cup of coffee, looking to see what may have bloomed over night.
This is one of the areas in which I have to exercise patience!! The azaleas in my yard have been in bloom for over two weeks now.

And my lilacs are almost gone now, but the knock-out roses are in full bloom!!!

One of my favorites, is this Clematis. I have tried for years to be successful with Clematis, and finally have one that blooms faithfully. Any day now!!!!This one has saucer-sized white blooms.

Here is new one, just planted last year, but it has two blooms!!!

And while our state flower , the Iris, is blooming abundantly in everyone else's yard here, I await patiently!!!

A surprise this morning, I don't remember my hydrangeas having blooms quite this early!!

In The Garden

I come to the garden alone

while the dew is still on the roses

And the voice I hear

Falling on mine ear

The Son of God discloses

And, He walks with me

And, He talks with me

And, He tells me I am His own

And, the joy we share as we tarry there

None other, has ever, known.

Design Contest!!!

2011-04-13T14:51:00.000-05:00

I am sponsoring a design contest using my two best selling patterns: the Irby and the Millie. For details, sign up for my newsletter!!!

For Email Newsletters you can trust

Spring Sewing

2011-04-05T07:02:00.000-05:00

This version of the "Irby" pattern is made with fabric and trims from Fairytale Frocks and Lollipops

These rompers are made from the "Millie" pattern

The sewing times, they are a'changing

2011-04-01T10:24:00.000-05:00

Back in the day, when I was a child, my mother made everything my sister and I wore, as well as things for the home.

Preparing for a sewing project was an event. Mother and her sewing partner would load all the kids in the car, drive to town, an hour away, check out the styles in the department stores, and start sketching (they had never heard of copyright infringement back then!! ).
Next , they would visit the fabric store and pick out the fabrics and supplies, then come home and set out to sew, usually making up their patterns as they went. We had beautiful clothes.
When I began to sew for my children, no one in my group of friends sewed, so I was kind of alone in my endeavor. I knew how I wanted my childrens' clothes to look, but finding out how to go about it was another matter altogether. Soon, I learned about heirloom sewing, and shortly thereafter, I discovered Sew Beautiful magazine. There was hardly any fabric stores around and certainly no heirloom shops in my area. And I had no way of knowing where one was. I finally managed to collect a few patterns and books and taught myself heirloom techniques by machine. Most patterns were involved, complicated and required tracing the master pattern. With gathering up all the supplies, sometimes, it would take me weeks to complete a project. A less determined person would have thrown their hands up in frustration, I believe.
Over the last several years, the Internet and technology has changed the way we sew in many ways. There are now digital patterns galore for just about any project you can imagine. And you can have those patterns in a matter of minutes Great for when inspiration strikes in the middle of the night!!.And many allow you to finish a project in a short amount of time, like while the children are napping. Presto, cute outfit!! If you are unsure how to do a certain technique, just Google it and you will most likely find a tutorial with a video.A real boon, when again, you are stuck and it is the middle of the night!! People who sew are connected by blogs, chat forums and other social media and forming friendships that were never before possible. There is usually someone online, no matter what the time, that will help you!! Many sewing shops are online and that allows you to shop at your leisure. Great for when you can't get to a shop before they close.
There was a time when the art of sewing was something only "grandmothers" did. Today, more and more young women are sewing ( and so are grandmothers!!) and I believe sewing has never been more popular. Witness the thousands of young women and mothers who sell their handmades on websites, Facebook, ebay, etsy and blogs. Technology has allowed many to be stay at home moms, and dress their children in cute clothes for a fraction of the store-bought cost or supplement their family's income.
So while much has changed the way we sew, some things have not. There is just no way I know to download fabric or lace and a trip to the fabric shop is STILL an event for me!!!!

Organizing the sewing stuff

2011-03-30T12:09:00.000-05:00

OK, I admit it: I am almost obsessed with looking at sewing rooms on the Internet. I found one the other day that I loved and now i can't remember where it was!
Last summer, I reorganized but it was mostly just cleaning up and moving things around. You can read about that here. I have been on an organizing kick since the first of the year. I now have the entire upstairs of my home cleaned up, cleaned out and organized!! It is a great feeling!!!
The last few weeks have been a sewing and designing frenzy. Needless to say, the sewing room has become a disaster area. Time to clean it up!! I cannot function in chaos despite all those cute slogans proclaiming creativity and chaos being the same or whatever, that just doesn't work for me. I have to have order. Well, at least some of the time.
I had never gotten around to organizing my "stuff", you know, the glue gun, the elastic, all the lace and trims, buttons, Bedazzler© and so on. I could never find certain things because I didn't have "like- things together".
Here is my "stuff" closet before:

The sewing room during

The office during

The "stuff" closet after

These three drawer units formerly hid below the cutting table, under the skirt. Very hard to get to or find anything.

I now have all the like things together and labeled in these drawers that are just the right size. Ideally, I would have liked some nicer units in here other than plastic, but these really work for me , and I have everything right at my fingertips.

Here is the office after. I have set up a packaging area where I package patterns for shipment, wrap custom orders for pick up or shipping and even gift wrap.I have all my packaging and wrapping supplies stored here and it makes life so much easier!!

This is where I keep my pattern original sketches, and my sketchbooks

Computer desk

I keep fabric in these cabinets. I really love the idea of pretty fabrics folded and stacked on open shelves. It is such a great design element to a sewing room. But I personally think it is better to keep them in a closed area to prevent fading and dust.

All done

New pattern giveaway!!

2011-03-19T11:01:00.000-05:00

I hope you will go over to Facebook and enter my giveaway for my new pattern. Along with the pattern Fairytale Frocks and Lillipops are giving away a $25 gift certificate for fabric!! What a great deal!! The rules are very simple, nothing complicated and confusing. Simply go HERE and "like" my page, then leave a comment under the post about the giveaway!!

Sew Beautiful preview

2011-03-15T11:51:00.000-05:00

This is one of my designs, a sweet sunsuit that will be in the July issue of Sew Beautiful!! The pattern will be included in the centerfold.

Coming out of the sewing cave

2011-02-25T07:34:00.000-06:00

When I am working on a new pattern, I feel like I am tied to the computer and sewing machine. So today I am taking a break and tending to a few things I have neglected:

(well, maybe not that one)

but most of all

this great guy!!!

Strut your stuff Thursday

2011-02-24T07:14:00.000-06:00

Happy Thursday!! I am joining Somewhat Simple for Strut Your Stuff Thursday. Lots and lots of inspiration there!!!

How to Dress a Boy ( a little boy)?

2011-02-21T10:11:00.000-06:00

OK, I admit it: I am a die-hard, Southern traditionalist in just about every sense of the word, but especially when it comes to dressing children and specifically in this post: little boys in the 4-6 age group!!!
So, lately I have done some research and pondering on suitable clothing for the "tween" age boy that pleases everybody!!
Some things I have learned: (just my opinion, of course!!)
1. There is a fine line in dressing a child of this age and having him wear the clothes that "I" like.
One certainly doesn't want a child dressed so "sweet" that he is made fun of.
2. A boy can still be young enough to wear a jon-jon, but might be tall and lanky even at that age.
Personally, I think short jon-jons are the most adorable on chubby little toddler legs.
3. A preppy look is a good way to go with a few adjustments. I still like shorts on this age little boys. So, as they get older, change them to pleated, "walking" type shorts. And sweaters and sweater vests look really good with the shorts, even in cooler weather. Pair the look with saddle oxfords and knee socks. Or a nice flat-soled dressy oxford. (thick, lug-soled shoes just don't work with this look)
4. Another option for dressy occasions is the Eton suit, usually short pants with a collarless jacket. These look especially nice for Easter and weddings. They can be found in stripe seersucker and linen for warm weather and velveteen for winter and holiday wear. Chery Williams has a pattern for this suit.

5. It takes a lot of looking and searching to find good looking clothes for this age boy if you want more than jeans, cargo pants and a screen-print tee shirt.
6. If you want to sew them their clothes, it is even harder!!! However, I have found one pattern that I partiularly love right now. It is the "Sailboat Top and Pants" by Oliver+S. Very cute!!!

My version

7. And, finally--there is a lot to be said for "fitting in" in the way of clothes, but there is even more to be said for not following the pack. An important lesson at this age , I think. As my mother said many times in my growing up years "If everybody was jumping off the bridge. . . well, I think we have all heard that one!!!

I would love to hear from you on cute options for boys!! where have you found clothes you like? If you sew, what about patterns? Is there something in the way of patterns you would like to have?

Lacey Valentine

2011-02-13T15:53:00.000-06:00

What a delightful Valentine!!

February 14, 2009

When tears make you happy

2011-02-11T22:27:00.000-06:00

Whenever I make a christening gown, I always hold my breath until my client sees it and is satisfied.

I always secretly hope that I have created something that will take her breath away.

This is my latest christening gown and I presented it to my client today.

She had a great deal of input into the design, as she knew exactly what she wanted. I made suggestions on this and that and added some design elements that she had not thought of, one being to incorporate the lace from her grandmother's handkerchief.

I used the vintage hanky lace on the outside of the lace insertion.

This is the hem

This is the cap

The defining moment came when she first glanced the gown: she gasped and then she wept.
and then I wept with her.
And we were both very happy!

My new Sewing room friend

2011-01-30T15:32:00.000-06:00

Isn't she a sweet little girl?

This was a display piece that we had for several years in the shop.

She modeled a variety of things: scarves, jewelry , baby caps and bonnets

and the like.

I ws thinking about her earlier in the Fall and asked my sister if she knew where this little girl was and she

said, "Yes, she is in my guest room".

fast forward to December 24

This was my Christmas present from my sister.

Nothing could have pleased me more!!

My sister and I have a little Christmas tradition between just the two of us. We always try to out-do the other on our gifts that she and I exchange.

It has nothing to do with how much the gift costs, it has everything to do with what the other would really, really love, creativity and originality.

Sometimes, we laugh and say "I'm going to let you be the winner this year".

My sister definately won this year!!
Now , she is a nice little companion in my sewing room, who is always willing to model bonnets for me!

A vision in White Lace

2011-01-26T11:05:00.000-06:00

I am joining Kathleen's beautiful blog, Faded Charm for "White Wednesday".

I hope you will drop by there and take a look at some fabulous postings

I simply adore sweet little baby bonnets!! What could be more precious than this:

. . . or this

.. . .or this

. . . . . or this???

I love seeing a child's face surrounded by sweet little details

Puffing

Ribbon and embroidery

Big bows and little rosettes

Entredeux

and lots of lace!!!!!

The first bonnet pictured is now available as a pattern

or a kit!!

Fabulous Friday Freebies--giveaways

2011-01-21T06:27:00.000-06:00

Hope you will go over to Seventh Smith and check out her great Friday Freebies, where Mandy is featuring
The Pretty Peacock and my site Sara Norris Ltd.

Have a great Friday!!!

Inspiration!!

2011-01-13T08:40:00.000-06:00

My friend Kathy Dykstra made this gorgeous gown and I just had to share!!

Her work is pure perfection. You can see more of her designs on the pages of Australian Smocking & Embroidery and in Sew Beautiful magazines!!

Nice and neat!!

2011-01-13T07:37:00.000-06:00

I am one of those types who favors the policy of "a place for everything and everything in it's place". However, I have kind of gotten away from that over the years.
So, since Christmas, it has been my mission to whip this house into shape. I began with the upstairs closets and little storage areas. Our house is 70 years old and has lots of little nooks and crannies that are great for storage.
I have cleaned out every one of the upstairs closets and thrown away or given away the things I have pulled out. Now they are all nice and neat and organized and I know what is in them!!
Here is my upstairs hallway last Friday morning:

The room you are looking into is a tiny bedroom and I am making that a room for the grandchildren with a half bed , a toy chest and a DVD player for their movies.
The small door to the left is attic storage that runs the width of the front of the house and is great storage but the ceiling slopes, so you can't stand up in there. This area will house a lot of toys and is a place where the little ones can play.
The mattress and box springs were in the larger bedroom and I gave them away. I replaced all the furniture in that room with my mother in law's bedroom furniture, which just happens to be the furinture my husband always used when he was growing up!!
It is now in this bedroom, which is about to get new paint!!

More later about this and some other projects!!

From our door to yours

2010-12-22T14:20:00.000-06:00

Christmas Home Tour--my best friend's home

2010-12-16T08:51:00.000-06:00

My best friend has one of the most beautiful homes I have ever seen! She has such a knack for accesorizing and can take any ordinary object and make it look fabulous. I love going to her house, I always see something I didn't notice the time before!! I hope you are as inspired as I always am!!!

Do you know what today is?

2010-12-07T07:01:00.000-06:00

For as long as I can remember, my daddy would ask me this on December 7. It's Pearl Harbor Day , of course. I miss him asking me this and a lot of other things as well.

The spirit of Christmas Past

2010-12-06T08:25:00.000-06:00

Me and Santa!!!

My talented friend Laurie of SewnSews is hosting a linky party for everyone to show their Christmas sewing projects from the past. I can't wait to see all the beautiful projects that everyone has created over the years. I am sure to get lots of inspiration from them!! I would like to invite you to participate and show us the gifts, outfits, or special home decoations you have created!!

This is the first Christmas themed dress I smocked for my daughter. I don't know why I had not smocked her anything for Christmas before this one!!

I don't remember the plate name, but I loved how this dress looked on her!! I don't know what was going on with that pose of my son's, but as I look back, I am grateful that he was so cooperative in these photos!!

This is the bubble I made for my grandson Holt's first Christmas. I saw this in Creative Needle (I miss that magazine) and it has always been one of my favorite things!!

This is a white bishop style dress smocked in Red and bound at the neck and sleeve in red gingham check. The collar is laid over the dress and is detachable. It is made of Swiss embroidered edging.

This dress is an original design, except for the pinafore bib. It is made of black velveteen with a plaid silk dupioni overskirt. The organdy bib is machine embroidered.

Red corduroy a line top and pants, machine appliqued.

Holt's Christmas outfit for his second Christmas. It is the only thing I ever made that his daddy refused to let him wear!!!

Teal green corduroy with machine embroidered applique

I made these PJ's for Holt for his second Christmas and three years later they are still too big!!

A couple of Christmas stockings!

Smocked Christmas bubble

Christmas pillows with machine embroidery

Our Christmas Home

2010-12-06T05:56:00.000-06:00

I am joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for her Deck the Halls Party!!

My decorating is finished, except for one more touch or two, here and there. Just wanted to share with you! My sweet sister did most of the work for me. She is very creative and always has such good ideas. (I did the trees by myself)

Tree in the living room, decorated in silver, white and gold

My gifts are wrapped in red, gold , cream and tartan plaid. I found this fabulous ribbon that ties the most beautiful bows!!

This is a sequined ornament my mother made that has my daddy's photo. My mother has made dozens of these ornaments using not only sequins but also vintage jewelry.

Here are a few more of them

My living room mantle. The painting ove the mantle is of Paris. I fell in love with it when I saw it and my indulgent husband bought it for me on the spot!!!

The sideboard is a piece that I will always treasure. My dad made this for me for Christmas, the year before he passed away. I enjoy dressing it for all the seasons!

The china I am using is "Royal Hunt" by Noritake and the ruby stemware is a set my sister gave me. We have interspersed a collection of gold churches, under which I have LED candles, which flicker just like real ones!!

The mantle in the den has part of our Christmas Village collection. The garland is tucked with red berries and red jingle bells.

This is my library table, one of our first pieces of furniture. My parents gave us this table. I still have to add a battenburg cloth over the plaid cloth to be finished here.!!. I usually serve dessert and coffee from this table.

This is a close up of the garland over the living room mantle. I love the red velvet poinsettias. You can see one of my little birds that reside on this mantle year round.

Our nativity in front of the mirror in the small dining room. You can see the reflection of the den in the mirror. The set was given to me one Christmas by my stepdaughter. The fancy wise man in gold is part of a set made by my mother in law.

Part of my collection of "pictures with Santa". The red frame holds a photo of my husband and his brother. I love that one!!! and I just love Christmas frames. I am working on having one for each of the family.

(Yeah, I know, one of these photos does not have Santa in it, but, hey, you take what you can get, tright?)

This one in the silver frame is me.

I have several new ones to fill this year.

these are some pillows I have made and love putting them out each year.

This little platform rocker was my husband's when he was 2 years old. Our children all sat in it to watch their favorite cartoons and now the grands love it just as much!!!

The small dining room. or hall.

Living room coffee table

My moving santa, who works away all Christmas on the toys!!!

The Thanksgiving Table: The Stuffing

2010-11-25T22:15:00.000-06:00

From Turning Point by David Jeremiah

What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me? Psalm 116:12
Recommended Reading Psalm 116:12-19

The oldest references to stuffing are in ancient Roman cookbooks that talk about vegetables, herbs, spices, and cereal being combined and "stuffed" into chicken, rabbits, and pigs. Romans also added liver and brains to their stuffing. Stuffing has appeared in cookbooks ever since and was quite popular at Medieval banquets. The sensibilities of the Victorians resisted the word "stuffing," substituting the more delicate word "dressing," a term that caught on in the Southern United States.

The word "stuff" means to cram full. For example, after we've had our fill of turkey, beans, potatoes, rolls, cranberry sauce (and stuffing), we'll lean back in our chairs and say, "I'm stuffed."

Well, try not to overeat; but this Thanksgiving, remember how God has "stuffed" our lives with blessings. The cheerful heart has a continual feast (Proverbs 15:15). "From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another" (John 1:16, NIV). Our cups overflow. When it comes to His bounty and benefits, we can truly say, "I'm stuffed!"

We bless the Lord, the just, the good, who fills our hearts with joy and food; who pours His blessing from the skies, and loads our days with rich supplies.

Isaac Watts

Read-Thru-the

Custom made vs "Off-the-Rack"

2010-11-21T22:24:00.000-06:00

If I had my way, I would sew everything my grandchildren wear. But, it just isn't possible for me to do that. Their mommies get as much fun, joy and pleasure buying for them as I do sewing for them, for one thing. Plus, I have to admit, I enjoy buying ready-mades for them too!!!
Such was the case last night in a department store. I spotted a really cute little dress that was so perfect for Christmas and just bespoke granddaughter Irby's name, that I couldn't leave it there. Yes, I could have made it, and it would have been much more well-made and elegant, but I couldn't have made it for that price (it was half-price!!)
This little dress is made of lightweight velour or panne velvet, I am not sure which. No, it is not heirloom and no, it is not the way I would have made it, but it has SPARKLES and FUR, and tulle RUFFLE on the slip, and she will absolutely love this PRINCESS dress!!! (I picture her wearing this on Christmas Sunday and it is snowing)
I am still a child at heart at Christmas, and this sometimes makes me lose all my sensibilities!!

Well, FIRST of all. . . .

2010-11-17T00:24:00.000-06:00

the light is out in my sewing room. Not too bad in there in the morning hours, but you can forget it by afternoon. It is like a dungeon. Called the man last week, hasn't shown up yet. I think it is the ballast, of which, I have a new one at the ready, along with new bulbs. Heck, I think I'll just high-tail it over to Lowe's tomorrow and buy myself a chandelier. Been wanting one in there anyway. You can always count on a chandelier, they never have these problems.
Then had Lacey (whom I adore) today and sewed like a fiend during her little nap (my back is killing me. need a new sewing chair, too)
Earlier in the day, I noticed we had no hot water. Now, we got one of those new fangled tankless numbers a while back, and have had a number of problems with it, but it seemd to have worked itself out, after many calls to the help hotline. Once I realized it wasn't working itself out, it was after hours for the help hotline, so I got online looking at the manuel to see what the error code meant. My error code wasn't listed. Nice hot soak in the tub will have to wait. My darling hub (whom I adore) is is out of town, not that that would have made one bit of difference on the hot water situation. The man is the love of my life , amazing in many ways, spoils me rotten, but Mr. Fixit, he is not.
Then, I gathered up all my sewing projects to do the hand work while watching my favorite show, "Dancing With The Stars". Of course, since I was going downstairs anyway, I picked up several other various items that needed to be put away. Arms full, got to the bottom of the stairs and forgot that I had put up the baby gate to keep Lacey off the stairs, knocked it off and somehow, the thing hit me in the BACK!!
Watching the clock, so I don't miss "DWTS", I realize I haven't eaten today so i am trying to figure out if I have time to run to Sonic for a burger. The phone rings. It is my darling daughter in law, (whom I adore)asking if I am able to watch Millie (whom i adore) a couple hours tomorrow. (well,of course!!!) We have a nice LONNNNNNG chat.
Nuke a Lean Cuisine (yummmm) and get all settled in to watch my program. Two bites, and phone rings. It is my darling daughter (whom I adore) telling me how great her homemade spaghetti sauce turned out!!!!!
Ever have a day like this????

Velveteen Christmas Coats and Bonnets

2010-11-09T09:57:00.000-06:00

The first of my Christmas sewing!! Karen Faylor's "Toddler Coat and Bonnet"

The ribbon under the pink bonet looks a little smooshy, but it really is not!!!

You know Christmas is coming around here. . .

2010-11-07T17:46:00.000-06:00

well, "I" know when it's coming, anyway!!! I have gotten lax over the last few years with all my preparations for Christmas. I have always LOVED it and have had all kinds of traditions that I did without fail. When my children grew up and moved out, I think I got to where I thought, they aren't here to see all this, so why go to all that trouble. No, actually, I think what it is, is that I got older and lazier!!
But, this year is different!! I have had most all my shopping done for two weeks now. I ordered my gift wrap, fabulous ribbon, gift tags and tissue all standing at the ready and I may actually start wrapping this week!!
I have baked breads and made perserves for gift baskets and casseroles for busy evenings and put in the freezer. Got my favorite candles (Aromatique's "Cinnamon n Cider) and flavored coffee (Pumpkin Spice) to fill the air and set the atmosphere!! And most important of all is my Christmas music: listened to the CD's all day Saturday!!
The way I know that Christmas "is-a comin" is that the floor of my office is piled high with all the gifts, wrappings and paraphinalia I have gathered that is essential for my mood!!
This year, I may do something I have NEVER done: put up the tree for Thanksgiving!! I have a dear friend, who is now in Heaven, that alwasy did that. When asked why, she would always simply say "Because it is so festive"
And "festive" is the word of the hour around my house!!!

You are invited. . .

2010-11-02T06:36:00.000-05:00

to a Christmas party!!!! Laura, of Ellie Inspired, is having a wonderful week long party beginning November 14! Go on over to her place and see all the great things she has going on to get you in the Christmas spirit: recipes, crafts, decorating, free patterns, tutorials,Christmas memories and some giveaways !! I knowyou don't want to miss this !!!

A Bishop Dress

2010-10-24T09:18:00.000-05:00

This is the pattern that I used to make my first bishop dress. And I made dozens of them for my daughter until she outgrew this size. Over the years, I tried several other patterns for bishops but I keep coming back to this one. I just love the teeny, tiny puffed sleeve and I have come to love the shorter length lately.
As my daughter got older, I did make the bishops in the ankle length style. And when I made this dress as a baby gift, I would usually make it in the daygown length of 21".
But now having two little granddaughters, who are 17 and 20 months and have been walking for some time , I see how the ankle length really gets in their way for mobility. It is a lot of dress for a toddler on the go, except for a special occasion. If I could manage it, I would have them both in a smocked bishop every single day!!!
So, I am going to try making one taking out some of the fullness and making it the shorter length. I have to admit, I just love seeing those chubby little legs showing and worn with socks and mary janes.

Dressing boys!

2010-10-22T07:19:00.000-05:00

We are at the crossroads of clothing choices. My grandson will be 5 next February. His mama would keep him in heirloom clothing forever, I think. But he is long and very lanky and I , of course, do not want him to look foolish or be the target of teasing. At the same time, I do want him well-dressed and age appropriate.
My daughter STILL wants him in jon-jons. Even I think that is pushing the boundaries a bit!! But she says she will dress him like a little boy as long as she can. I certainly cannot argue with that! I would like to see him in the English schoolboy look for fall: wool shorts, a sweater over a shirt, knee socks and a tie. That is where his mother put her foot down, absolutely no tie yet!!
As far as sewing for him goes, there is just nothing out there in the way of patterns for his age, THAT I LIKE!!!! I find myself searching and searching and designing and designing for him and still not quite satisfied.

Here are a few of my favorites that I have made him!

A small world and a different path

2010-10-03T08:41:00.000-05:00

I never cease to be amazed at technology. With the advent of the Internet and social networking, the world has indeed become a smaller place. I have reconnected with friends and family and found sewing sisters that once I had only read about, but now am now chatting with on a daily basis. I could go on and on about things which technology has opened up and made available to so many. It still amazes me!
Life has taken me on a different path this summer. This year, I have begun designing and publishing patterns and through this venture God has brought some wonderful friends into my life. He has also used them to give me messages, little "postcards" from Him, that has brought me peace and assurance concerning other things that are going on in this season of my life.
In the midst of a difficult summer, I have been given an opportunity to teach a class for my first pattern, Irby,
at the Children's Corner in Nasville, TN.
Even though I have taught smocking and French handsewing classes for many years, this will be my first time to teach in this type setting. Susan, the owner of the shop, also had me design a project just for this school.
As time for the school approaches, I am both excited and anxious at once! Naturally, I want everything to be "just right", and I hope and pray that the ladies who have signed up for my classes will find me to be a good teacher!
Hopefully, after the school, I will be able to post pictures of the classes.
Wishing all of you a blessed and happy Sunday!!

I baked!!

2010-09-18T14:09:00.000-05:00

made these from Paula Deen's "Holiday Baking " magazine. I am getting in the holiday spirit and wanted to try these out!!

Paula Deen's

"Peanut Butter Toffee Bars

They are yummy!!!!!

Coming soon!!!

2010-09-16T12:28:00.000-05:00

My next pattern, Rachel, will be out soon!! (I hope)

Market

2010-09-16T08:02:00.000-05:00

this little piggy went to market this past Monday and I am still loving all the English netting laces I saw there.

The 1752 Company

These beautiful laces take me off in an entirely different design direction!! Whoa, Nellie!!!!

Fantastic giveaway from Ellie Inspired

2010-09-12T17:35:00.000-05:00

Laura of Ellie Inspired is having one of the best giveaways ever!! She has a wonderful line of sewing patterns for children. Her giveaway consists of a custom hand-smocked Ellie Inspired original dress in your choice of pattern, fabric and size AND a gift certificate to Misslis" Boutique (a darling designer on etsy) for your choice of a fall hat or headband!!! Laura may even do a matching dress for an 18" doll!!! Can you beat that!!!
Go on over to her blog and take a look at her patterns and be sure to follow her blog and post a comment to enter the giveaway!!

Edge-joining presser foot

2010-09-08T13:52:00.001-05:00

Got mine in and using it like crazy!! Love that thing!! Just curious, what is your favorite use for it?

Eden's Bouquet giveaway!!!

2010-09-01T13:15:00.000-05:00

Check out Jennifer's fantastic giveaway!!!

I'll swannie,That Southern Matriarch gets me in more trouble!!!

2010-08-30T15:28:00.000-05:00

I have never been satisfied with my little collars so my quest today has been to learn to perfect them. I visited Creations by Michie' and of course, Southern Matriarch, my dear friend Martha.
Learned all kinds of thing at both places!!
So, I see where I am lacking and have proceeded to spend the afternoon, ordering, instead of getting down to the business of sewing!!
OK, now I have to admit to some things: first, I use ready made piping whenever at ALL possible (gasp!!) and then, ( much to my chagrin) I do not own an edge-joining foot!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, got that ordered, (also picked up another new foot that promises to fold and attach bias binding beautifully, we'll see) along with the German interfacing, the glue pen, a loop turner, a purple thang and of course, a supply of ready made piping.
I am getting ready to make the grands a couple of little Sunday dresses by Michie'.

So, I give a big shout-out to Martha and Michie' for their excellent instructions on collars!!!

Feliz inspiration

2010-08-27T08:48:00.000-05:00

I finally made the Feliz pattern. I have wanted to make this darling dress pattern for ages but didn't have anyone to make it for until now!!

Fall Inspiration from Ottobre

2010-08-16T09:10:00.000-05:00

Sewing for three these days has me searching for styles that are quick, but still cute with some style.

I got out my old back issues of Ottobre magazine for some design inspiration.

Found this little top that I thought was a really cute style for fall to wear with pants.

I have heard a lot of sewists, myself included, lament about having to trace the pattern pieces. But the styles are so cute and the instructions are so easy to understand,that to me , they are worth the effort. Not to mention, the finished garment looks great!!!

Upon first glance at these pattern sheets, they appear to be an optical illision. The trick is to first check the color code that is listed on the sewing directions. The pattern piece lines, numbers and notes will be in that color.

Then, aclimate your eyes to the the correct color lines on the pattern sheet. (This may take a few minutes!!)

Once you have accomplished that (!), use a felt tipped marker and draw the lines for the size you need upon the pattern sheet. Next, lay a sheet of tissue paper (the kind you use for gift wrapping inside the gift box) on top of your drawn lines. Your drawn lines will be easy to see and trace.

Two other things to remember is to 1.--add seam allowances. For this particular pattern, I am using 1/4" SA's. And, for this one, I have found that I can go up a size, and not add the seam allowances and it will give me the finished size I need.

And 2.-- be sure to note any other tips on the general sewing instructions page. In particular, the SA's are already added to the pattern pieces for hems and facings.

I will post photos in a few days when I get the sets finished.

Precious website

2010-08-12T10:51:00.000-05:00

My dear friend and partner in sewing crimes, LOL, Laurie Anderson of Southen Stitches Boutique and SewnSew's Sewing Journal, has expanded her many talents, with a new webite dedicated to her wonderful vintage inspired creations. On this new site are her children's sewing patterns and her equally wonderful machine embroidery designs. This new site is Brer Rabbit Designs. On her Brer Rabbit Designs blog, she is having a wonderful giveaway. Go over there and check it out!!
I can't say enough about Laurie's machine embroidery designs. I have used several of her sets for years, on infant clothing that I have made and it is about as close as you can get to hand embroidery. She has some adorable vintage look designs and her shadow embroidery is just as precious as can be!!!

Designing woman

2010-08-03T11:29:00.000-05:00

This week I am working on a new pattern design. It is a beautiful party dress that is perfect for special occasions, Sunday School or holiday events.
About my patterns: (from my website)

This charming collection of designs is what I consider "Contemporary Classics". I have always loved to design beautiful clothing for children that enhance the very fact that they are , indeed, still children.

With my patterns, you will find good design and construction, good fit and easy to understand instructions. At the same time, I incorporate an easy heirloom technique that gives your finished garment a special designer touch!!

A garment with many different heirloom techniques could seem daunting to a beginning seamstress, so it is my hope that she might gain confidence in trying something new through my patterns.

Finding my song in the night

2010-07-26T08:37:00.000-05:00

Music has always been a big part of my life. God blessed me with a reasonable singing voice. I took lessons for 11 years during my elementary and high school years.
When I married, God once again blessed me, with the man of my dreams, Michael, who also has a love for music. He was in one of the Memphis "Garage Bands" of the late '60's., playing the keyboard by ear. Over the years, he and I have sung at weddings, funerals, church functions and services, and get-togethers with friends.
One of our greatest joys has been singing in our church choir.
In the highs and lows of my life, music has been a comfort and a solace and has spoken to me in so many ways. It lifts me up and is probably my highest means of praise to the Father.
Music is especially important to me now and is giving me such comfort, in this summer of discontent. My mother, whom we have watched decline over the past two years, began a downward spiral, of which there will be no return. After 6 weeks of dealing with a multitude of issues involving her and her health, the Lord gave us a peaceful week last week. However, during this time, mother's doctor confirmed to us the thing we had suspicioned, thougth about, and wondered about but could not quite bring ourselves to say outloud: that she did indeed believe that Mother has one of the most detestable of maladies that we all fear: Alzheimer's disease. This has been hard to digest and I feel sure the full impact of this news has yet to sink in with my sister and me.
The Lord was gracious in giving us a calm week to receive this news. I don't think we could have handled it before then. He knows.
This past week gave me a chance to catch my breath and put some attention back on my pattern designs, of which has been put on hold during this time.
In doing some planning, I posted on Facebook that I was looking for someone to do some artwork. Immediately, a Facebook friend, who was an aquaintance that I had only met a couple of times, responded that she might be able to help and gave me her phone number. She is a lovely Christian woman, who is artistic but she is first and foremost a gifted country song writer. So, at 9:30 that night, I called her and we discussed what I was needing. As we were about to hang up, the Lord urged me to ask her to pray for us and our mother.
As it turned out, she had watched her own dad battle this disease for 10 years before he passed away.
Then, she began to tell me how God had told her that she would be the one to walk her dad into Heaven. As she described to me how it came about and about his passing, her gift with songwriting and her gift of telling a story, unfolded into one of the most beautiful stories I have ever heard. Indeed, as she ministered to me, it was as if she were singing to me. It became clear to me that this call was not really just about patterns, but God orchestrated it all to give me a message He knew I needed to hear. He spoke to me through her, and told me that I would be able to handle this, that He would supply me with all that I needed on this journey, that I would discover things about Him and about myself. What blessed assurrance this has been for me.
The next morning, I opened my Bible and the first words I saw was "Finding a song in the Night"
"But no one says "Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night" (Job 35:10) For me, that was simply confirmation that I had heard from Him..
It is hard to realize that this is my mother now, this amazing, remarkable woman who raised me. She helped my daddy farm in the summer, build houses in the winter, and handmade everything we wore and ate for years. She sewed beautifully without a pattern and was creative beyond belief.
In the early '60's, she borrowed $20,000 (a daunting sum at that time) and bought a clothing business and operated it succesfully for 30 years. She taught Sunday School, was president of the PTA, a Brownie leader, a county Election commissioner for 30 years, and was hostess at a restaurant when she was 80. For about 10 years she made and sold Fresh coconut cakes (usually 50-60) for the holidays. She was the most hard working and industrious woman I have ever known. She has always had an unwavering faith and been my prayer warrior. She has always given her time and talents to the Lord, her church, her family and her community. She has dealt with her share of heartache and tragedy. She has taught me so much and I am thankful for the values she instilled in me. By the way, she is known to all by her grandmother name "MomMil". Her family has always been her pride and joy.
My mother is still quite coherent in many respects. My sister and I are cherishing the conversations we are able to have with her, the time that we spend with her and mother is content.
A dear friend sent me a beautiful and encouraging note last week and reminded me that when I am discouraged to turn to my music.
These words in the song "Every Step" have been my some of my greatest comfort:

I have known a peace that I could not explain

when everything around me fell apart

for Your promises brought hope within my pain

that You would heal the wounds inside my heart

When my feet could not go on another mile

for the road had left me tired and oh so weak

you would whisper to me, "Child, come rest a while"

Then You'd hold me close and weep along with me

Every step that I have taken

Every valley I've walked through

I have seen that your grace cannot be shaken

Every step brought me closer Lord to You

(not sure who wrote this but is arranged by Cliff Duren)
The Lord has blessed in so many ways, and I see how He has been preparing us for this. We have a very supportive family who prays. We have a daughter who is a Registered Nurse and a daughter-in-law who is a Nurse Practitioner.Their counsel and skills are proving invaluable to us. My mother's baby sister helps us with her and she is precious to us as well. The Lord has opened doors this week, answered prayers, given comfort and peace, and sent singing angels.
I would like to ask that you keep our family and most of all, our mother in your prayers.

And the winners are. . . . .

2010-07-12T15:11:00.000-05:00

I had to announce earlier than planned as I have a minor emergency with my mother. I hope you'll understand and that it has not inconvenienced anyone!! Thank you all for participating!!! Winners please contact me by email!!
Emily Simmons of "1prince1princess"

Barbara of "In Chloe's World"

Giveaway update

2010-07-12T09:51:00.000-05:00

The giveaway poll is now closed!! Results this afternoon!!!
Stay tuned
Thanks so much to all who participated!!

New pattern and a giveaway!!

2010-07-03T08:40:00.000-05:00

I have a new pattern , the "Lacey Claire" and to celebrate , I am offering a giveaway.

First of all, I want to thank all of those who have helped to make my first pattern, the "Irby" such a great success!!!

The giveaway will consist of both of these patterns and the fabric to make each of them, in your choice of size.

There will be two winners, one for each.

The giveaway will run through Monday July 12th and will be announced here that night!!

Here's how to enter:

Post a comment here
Post about this giveaway on Facebook and include a link to my Facebook Page
"Like" me on Facebook
Blog about this giveaway on your own blog
Become a new follower of my blog

To be entered for each of these, you must come back here and leave a separate comment and link(if applicable) for each one.

Remember, drawing will be held on July 12, and announced on this blog at 6:00pm, CST.

Seeking the gift of Life

2010-06-27T11:51:00.000-05:00

My friend Cathy Erickson has a daughter who is in need of a liver transplant. Please pray for her that the donor they may have found will indeed be a match for heather.

My sewing room . ..

2010-06-26T17:40:00.000-05:00

After seeing all the beautiful creative spaces recently posted on My Desert Cottage who hosted "Where Bloggers Create", I was inspired to do a little fluffing and primping in my own creative space.

My space was originally our son's room and when we made this room for him, I don't know where my brain was when I "let" him and my darling husband put this siding up on the walls.
Over the years I have often thought about ways to hide, cover or replace it. But that was such a big project, I decided to just go with what I have.

My husband's baby apron and dress

Gulf Coast, here I come!!!!

2010-06-16T11:20:00.000-05:00

I am so ready to get away and see something different, eat something different, and do nothing!! (that is nothing but sit on the beach and read, drink a big ol' tall galss of something cold and chill out).
So we are headed for the coast. I am going to do my part and help the folks down there who are having such a hard time. I am going to stay in their rooms, eat in their restaurants, and shop in their stores.
I can't wait!!!!

It's hot!!!

2010-06-13T00:16:00.000-05:00

Isn't this the cutest thing for a hot, steamy, sultry summer day in the South? I made this 2 or 3 years ago and just realized my darling granddaughters need one!!! (before they outgrow this style!!!)

A matching bib, of course!!!

More Irby versions!!! Inspiration!!

2010-06-10T22:25:00.000-05:00

This darling version of my Irby pattern was made by my friend Jerry Roberts for her granddaughter Mary Kennedy. I love her creative use of fabrics and trims on this one. She is working on an heirloom version and I can't wait to see it.

Preview of new pattern!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-06-08T09:36:00.000-05:00

I am working on getting my next pattern out to you!! It should be ready in a couple of weeks. This is a design I came up with several years ago, my version of the ever popular "Twirly skirt" but with a twist!! In this pattern, you will learn a fabulous heirloom technique "Puffing"

I will be offering this pattern in sizes 12months to 8.

Twirly skirts are fun, easy and relatively quick to make!! The only hard part is figuring out the cutting dimensions to get the right porportions, and of course, I will have that all figured out for you!!!!

This pattern will be named "Lacey Claire" for one of my granddaughters (all my patterns will be named for the grands)

"Lacey Claire"

Shown here in a larger version

Shown here in a size 12-18 months

Quick, easy, fun, cute ruffles!!! Tutorial

2010-06-05T12:01:00.000-05:00

Ruffles are a fun way to dress up or add a little jazz to a lot of things: a tee shirt, all kinds of children's clothes or even a throw pillow!!! I am going to show you a quick and easy way to make ruffles without all the extra finishing steps usually required for perfect ruffles. CAUTION: this tutorial is not intended for serious sewing!!

In general, most cotton fabrics cut on the bias do not tend to ravel. This tip works best on lightweight cotton fabrics such as batiste, lawn or pima cotton.

You will need:

Fabric to make bias strips

washout marker

A ruler

A rotary cutter

cutting mat

sewing machine

Let's begin!!!!

First, fold the edge of your fabric scrap over like this , to form a triangle. Press.

Next, open the pressed piece and place the fold line along one of the grid lines on your cutting mat. (You can do this without all this equipment simply by marking the fabric and cutting with scissors)

Cut several one-inch wide strips of fabric.

Set your machine settings to a long stitch length and a tightened tension. You can play with the settings until you get the amount of gathers you like.

Put your strip under the presser foot and stitch down the center of the strip.

Notice how the fabric is gathering up behind the presser foot.

If you have tightened your tension too much, your ruffles may come out like this, in the photo below. Not to worry.

Now, when you have finished that strip, take it out from under the presser foot and pull some extra inches of top and bobbin threads from the machine, along with it.

If your ruffle is a tight little puff, like the one above, simply ease it out on the extra inches of threads, until you get the amount of gathers you like.

Make as many of these strips as you need for your project. Don't worry about the strip not being long enough. You can take

the short ends, turn them under and butt them against each other to continue the length!!!

Mark the placement lines on your project with a washout marker. Align the stitching on the strip with the placement line and sew the strip in place, stitching right on top of the ruffle stitches.

Here are bloomers that I added this type of ruffle.

And below is a sundress that has a ruffle on the hem and I added the fun ruffles on top of the skirt ruffle's seam line.

Some other fun ways to use them would be to decorate the neckline of a v-neck tee, the hem of capri pants, the bottom of a lampshade, a bib, or a twirly skirt!!! Sew them a top of a seamline, in a straight line or a curved line. The possibilities are limited only to your imagination!!

Smocked bubble romper

2010-06-04T10:01:00.000-05:00

Here is Lacey wearing her mommy's smocked bubble I made for her over 25 years ago. It always amazes me when her mommy pulls something out from the box of clothes I saved, for Lacey to wear. They look as good as they did way back then.

It is also amazing to see how my work has improved over all those years. When I was making all those clothes for Elizabeth (Lacey's mother), I had no formal instruction and did everything "off the cuff". I didn't know about French seams and apparently didn't know too much about lace and trims, as it seems I rarely used any!!! Or maybe my memory is rusty, and really it is because the fabric is all I could afford!!!
This bubble had a matching smocked, stiff-brimmed bonnet , but , sadly, we cannot locate it.
The only picture I have of the bonnet is this one, my cousin's child wearing it for a photo with a bishop dress I had made for her. (and no, they don't have it either) I am sure it is in another box, lost somewhere in the dark recesses of my attic!!!

The "Irby" Pattern is now available!!

2010-05-29T09:06:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to present my first pattern!! It is named the "Irby" after one of our granddaughters, who I first made this for. It is not a complicated pattern and has lots of design potential and also lots of that "oh-so-important" twirl factor!!!
It is available for sale on my website Sara Norris Ltd.

Preview: My first pattern!!!

2010-05-23T21:01:00.000-05:00

I am so happy and thrilled to announce that my first pattern is going to be ready in about another week!! It is an epattern for a dress I designed about 3 years ago and have finally decided to offer it as a pattern.

I thought I would give you a sneak peak!!

More later!!!

Blessed!!!

2010-05-06T11:33:00.000-05:00

Our state of Tennessee has just experienced some terrible weather disasters. I am sure by now you have heard of the flooding in the western and middle sections of the state.
Our county has also experienced a tornado, which struck about 4 am Sunday . Many people have lost their homes and many areas are still without power.
Our family business is located in the the area where the tornado's path swept through and the business is now gone. As bad as this was for us, we have so much to be thankful for. We were not at the business, so we are safe. And it was not our home. We are still able to be business, as we moved what we could of the office to the house.
But, there is a lot for us to do that takes valuable time away from doing business, so please pray for us as we work though this.
Needless to say, my blogging time is now very limited as my days are filled with making lists and making calls to insurance adjusters, etc.
I will be back soon, I hope!!!

Faux smocking

2010-04-30T08:55:00.000-05:00

I don't think there is anything to compare to true hand smocking. I love it just as much as I did when I learned how to do it over 25 years ago. However, when a creative sort came up with the idea to do this art by embroidery machine, I just had to try it out!! I had to see if , as the directions said, those stitches would really line up on the pleats, and believe it or not, they did!!!
Here is an outfit I made a few years ago using the embroidery machine technique. I think it is cute and it is certainly quicker than the real thing!!! It only lends itself to certain styles, however, as it doesn't have the elasticity of true smocking.
I also love this fabric. It is from the collection by Jennifer Paganelli's company Sis Boom , called "Girlfriends", which sadly, is now discontinued.

Inspiration

2010-04-29T13:16:00.000-05:00

My friend Laura has a new line of patterns you want to be sure and check out!! Her site isEllie Inspired and this is her newest pattern!! Such a cute little skirt!! On her blog Ellie Inspired blog, she is sponsoring a giveaway!!

Sweet baby shoes

2010-04-29T12:14:00.000-05:00

My friend Laurie loves sewing for babies as much as I do and she has designed some of the most adorable little shoes that can be made on the EMBROIDERY MACHINE!!!! Go on over to her site and check these out. You will want to make a pair in every style and every color!!! While you are there, also look at her machine embroidered collars, that can be coordinated with the shoes!!! Too cute!!

Happy!!!

2010-04-27T08:05:00.000-05:00

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all could view life just like this???

All it took to elicit this response was simply to "go outside". I've never seen a child yet who didn't love to go out of doors. I would like to think that what made her so happy was seeing God's beautiful springtime creations.

The little outfit she is wearing is the Swimsuit pattern by Jackie Clark, which is featured in the current Sew Beautiful magazine. The cover up is one I added made by Simplicity #3508.

Jackie did a great job designing this little swimsuit. It is a fun, easy and very quick project.

See ya at the beach!!!!

Inspiration!!!!

2010-04-12T10:08:00.000-05:00

I just had to share this incredible dress from my chat forum friend Emily!!! She made her little one's Easter dress from the directions is Sew Beautiful #111 by Jeannie Baumeister.
The dress started in an heirloom dress class at the Smocking Shoppe in Louisville, KY.
I love everything Jeannie Baumeister , of The Old Fashioned Baby does, love all her patterns and I think Emily did an excellent job on executing this particular pattern.
Aren't these details just gorgeous??? And don't you love the fabric?? Great job Emily!!! Cute little girl too!!!!
(Click on the photos for enlarged details)

Opening Night!!!

2010-04-09T12:12:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to let my blogging friends know where I have been all week. I am in the play "Steel Magnolias" , playing the role of Clairee. Tonight is opening night. I love community theater and have been involved with our local arts council in the past. I only have one other role under my belt and that was several years ago. I had the role of Elsa in "Sound of Music". I even sang and danced in that one!!!!
I decided to try out on a lark. I thought learning the lines would be a good excercise for my brain!!!

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T19:52:00.000-05:00

What an awesome day!!!!