#48 Romp around the Rockies

Rompers are cute. They are darling. They are an easy outfit. Ask any tall girl. WE CAN'T WEAR THEM.

Until now. 

This is the Hey June Patterns Sanibel romper (or Sanibel dress). This pattern was a joy to make. I don't know if it's because I've wanted a romper for so long, or I'm (finally) getting better at sewing, or the fact I learned a lot along the way. But man, I liked making this thing.

I used too stiff of an interfacing so it sticks out at the waist rather than lays flat.

I measured a size large. I added 2inches in length to the bodice and took off 1.25inches off the waist portion of the shorts. I have a large chest and a short waist. I did end taking the shorts in (probably to a size medium, which I should have just made from the start) When I make all these little tweaks I see why things never quite fit right in the past.

#47 My Favorite Shorts - Chi-Town Chinos Round 2

My first pair of Chi-Town Chinos? Lots of learning!

My second pair? So much fun!

His face! So cute I died a little.

I love when I get the chance to redo a pattern because I get to really enjoy it rather than be worried I'll mess something up. Making these Chi-Town Chinos a second time went a lot faster and was a blasty blast.

I measured 14 in the waist, 10 in the hips, and did a thin thigh adjustment, probably down to size 6.  I also lengthened them but if you've ever read a single one of my posts, you know I lengthen literally everything. I ended up doing the cuffed hem which is one of the suggested tweaks Alina put in the pattern. I'm a huge fan of the cuffed hem. I also did the curved pocket this time.

I need to show you the inside of these shorts. I never understood why pockets would be decorative because nobody ever sees them. When I started sewing I learned just how happy yellow gingham makes me, even if nobody ever sees. But now you've seen, and I bet your happy! At least a little bit happier than the beginning of this post? The pattern didn't call for the alternate color on the waistband, but it's pretty soft, so I liked the idea of it sitting up against my skin. I really lucked out on both of these fabrics that you may or may not remember I essentially got for free.

#46 Succeed at activewear Jalie Cora leggings

I love being active and I love activewear.

I've made these Jalie Cora leggings before and I knew I'd make another pair.

This was the only bit of this type of fabric in the entire store. Yes, I checked.

I found this fabric in the remnant section at a local Vouge fabrics. I know the pictures can't show but it is super soft, deliciously stretchy, not see-through. Win! I don't think I own anything else that is orange and it's really not my favorite color, but this fabric was worth it for the feel.

I opted out of making the back pocket on the pattern. 1) I simply wanted to save time so I could wear these sooner and 2) I wear longer tops over running tights so it would be hidden whenever I wore these out of the house anyway.

There is no way to get lost in the Rockies wearing this color.

I also didn't hem them because I used grey thread to break up some of the orange and I liked the grey serger hem finish.

#45 How to Make Felt Succulents

My most recent kill? 

A rainbow ucaliptus my sister nursed to life. I set it next to the window for some photosynthetic fun and it got frostbite...and bit it.

I can't be trusted with plants. Even the promised to be "unkillable" clovers! My mother-in-law said she planted them the year my husband was born and then gave them to me the year we got married. I treasured them! And I. KILLED. THEM.

So I've moved on to felt plants. I randomly created these one afternoon after I found a glass dome while thrifting that was begging me to be filled. I also happened to be spray painting some picture frames which brings me to step one of "How to Make Felt Succulents."

I spray painted one side of my felt. I thought it gave it a muted color, more like real plants and it stiffened up the felt just enough to make it "alive."

Here are the felt pieces. I used my Big Shot die cutting machine and the Sizzix Flowers Layers & Leaves 557690 die. But really, it's such a simple shape your could hand cut these.

I used hot glue to stick the large leaves on the large flower...

And stick the small leaves on small flower. I'm crazy for not using hot glue more often. I usually hand stitch, WHY?

I placed hot glue on the large flower and used a pencil to really shape it around the center of the flower. P.s. I just tried looking up the name of the "center of the flower" and I could only find "ovaries" and "fertile tubular florets." I'm a nurse and even I'm a little like, "Whoa TMI flowers, keep your pants on!"

Check him out. I love this lil guy. I think he's (I guess it's a boy so no ovaries here) the cutest little succulent around. And I'm going to make even more.

#44 'I do' upcycle the 1950's

I had the sweet privilege of going to a retro themed wedding this weekend. 'I do' enjoy a good upcycle, 1950's style.

So this dress was actually made from two different thrift store dresses. The top half of my dress came from a very tight and very short dress with a V neck so deep it was digging for pearls. So I chopped it in half AND turned the back of the dress to the front. Now the "front" of my dress can show off some real pearls.

The bottom half of my dress was originally a children's dress. I just loved the navy with polka dots. I chopped it in half and Frankensteined these bits together.

#43 Make a Baby Shower Gift

It's nice to have a little blogging break from only clothes all the time. I recently was invited to a friend's baby shower and couldn't resist putting my own spin on this cute idea.

I really enjoy making things for kids and love if they can be educational in some way so I decided to hand stitch numbers 1-10, triangles, circles, squares, and rectangles with felt on the backs of these  Dr. Seuss letters. Half way through I had that "What was I thinking starting such a big project" moment and then I remembered: I LOVE doing this stuff and it's a way I can show a sweet friend my love for her (and her baby).

I ended up giving the gift in a cloth bucket, with a Dr. Seuss book, in a square of cellophane, tied with a bow. He may not be able to enjoy (or even hold) this gift for awhile but I hope he knows he is so loved and cared for.

#42 Get Sher-locked up for Your Husband's Birthday

My husband's birthday was off to a great start when me and all of the guest got LOCKED-UP. We took 1 hour to break out of jail and the experience was one we won't forget. If you've never done an escape room I highly recommend it. We did a "jail break" one which I actually don't recommend. But I still recommend everyone (who loves riddles, games, and clues) try an escape room once in their lives.

I wasn't planning on decorating or doing a theme for my husband's birthday until three days before the party! Why do I do this to myself? Since we used clues to escape the first half of the party it only seemed fitting to have a Sherlock Holmes themed rest of the day.

I think I hit the perfect spooky to pipes ratio. Also, The tea stained painting in the upper right corner has the address of 221B. I kill myself!

While the happy birthday sign behind the dessert looks unassuming it was very necessary for the guests to solve the puzzle and find where the prize for the night was. Numbers equalled letters. Letters lead to a place. The place led to a riddle in which you drank "poison" or "prize." The winner chose wisely so when they finished drinking an unknown dark liquid they could see a clue to a spot. And in that spot they found Sir Authur Conan Doyle's complete works of Sherlock Holmes tied with a ribbon.

I did steal some of my idea from Pinterest. Thank you thank you Pinterest for this cake!

Bloody death cake (red velvet), Sherlock silhouette oreos, British flag crackers, and chocolate mustache lollis. YUM!

I did have a couple of ideas of my own. I know you could get a much cleaner look with royal icing, but I have never worked with royal icing and was in a rush. I totally used the cheater version by A) using Wilton melts and B) placing my designs on store bought cookies.

It all came together nicely. I had other ideas but ran out of time, of course. And I'm sure I'll do the same thing next year, OF COURSE!