Something to be excited about...

With all the stress and all the craziness over the last few weeks I figured out that I was not only down but wasn't really happy about anything. I mean don't get me wrong... I love my family to the moon & stars and back again... but I have just been doing MUNDANE things since we got back from Maine. I've been keeping busy, sure. And it's helped keep my mind occupied - for the most part. These chores and things I have had to do - have actually started to stress me out and have taken over my life.

Then I got to thinking... why am i so stressed? besides the obvious reason with Mr Safety-Man's mom so sick... why do i feel an overwhelming sense of no accomplishments, no highlights, no happiness. Heck it's been hard to even make myself get out of the house... BUT "I've been busy". Then it hit me... perhaps i feel this way because i am doing nothing with my creative outlet. And that always helps me maintain balance... especially in times of stress. It is an outpouring of emotion for me.

BOOM! I felt some of the weight release from my shoulders. I have been missing creating my jewelry- anything for that matter - out of clay, I have been missing making things. I miss sewing. I miss doing wonderful things for my girls. I miss being creative. It is not enough just to do chores, errands, cook, clean, etc.

I knitted a pillow for my MiL. I felt so good. I had a purpose. My girls wanted one to match their Grammy San's. What better tribute to their Grammy San. So while in Blue Hill, ME at her house - we got Alpaca wool yarn for them...I started one for Ky and finally finished it this week! I have started Boo's...now as well. That has helped... with the creative flow.

But it didn't seem enough. I wanted to tackle a really BIG project. A fun, challenging one. So a good friend of mine has been doing some new, fun stuff with fabric & sewing and we got talking at our book club... and it hit me. I want to get back to sewing again. I felt inspired to make pretty things. To make thing for my girls... aaaaahhh yes. I want to turn the back part of my family room in to a studio. A studio to do our clay, to do my sewing, scrapbooking. WHATEVER - but somewhere where I can have all my creative stuff in one area.

Boo's birthday is coming in July - and instead of waiting until last minute - where there would be no time - I found this awesome fabric and a voice in my head said 'go! you can do it - make her a dress'. Unfortunately, the designer of the fabric also made awesome patterns - but only to size 7. Too small. After much looking around etc. I e-mailed the DESIGNER herself, and she actually e-mailed me back and helped me out tremendously - like she was a friend next door. I found a wonderful woman who sold the fabric and when we started to discuss patterns... she told me she had a wonderful group of patterns that went up to size 10/12!! "PERFECT" i said... and looked at them.

I fell in LOVE. They were exactly my little girls' (yes both of them) styles. They WERE absolutely PERFECT. But then deciding on just one - would not do. So I chose three (but wanted more...).


Here is the dress I decided on... It is called the Lydia dress. It will be a challenge that is for sure - for the shirring in the bodice looks difficult. But a challenge I wanted... a challenge I received.

(all photos are from MATERIALGAL - go see her etsy shot (link below) she's fantastic)

This next one is an adorable skirt. But when I saw the name... I knew things were happening for a reason. There seemed to be Divine presence with me. See, I follow this blog about a young mother who was involved in a plane crash with her husband. I have been reading this blog for a long time - pulling for, praying with her and for her. Well her nickname happens to be NieNie... and so does the name of the skirt... The Nienie skirt. As I read further part of the proceeds go to help Nienie with her constant health costs. I KNEW that I had been sent here for a reason. That this is EXACTLY what I needed to be doing - sewing things for my girls!! To follow where I was lead was to help myself and to help in a small way Nienie. I couldn't believe it.
Isn't the skirt just darlin'??
That skirt name and what it represented just sold me (literally i bought it hehehe) - that I was doing the right thing, that this is what I should be doing. I was lead here and I followed. I was given an idea... it was popped in to my head... and I faithfully went for it.

And then I saw the shirts... fun, funky, different... SO my girls!!! These are the Juliet shirts... and I fell in love. I chose which girl would have what... and funny enough Ky chose the same way I did. She loves the one left and she thinks Boo will like the one on the right... YES!!! I think Boo will love that for her birthday!! (Shhhhhh she doesn't know of course...) So how cute are they? Right?!?!

So I picked out some patterns from PINK FIG. And the material... ahhhhhhhhhhh the material... a beautiful array from a designer named Patty Young. And it is ALL different palettes. The reason I fell in love - 1 palette is the mustard palette. ALL different yellows (Boo's favorite color) and one of the fabrics is DANDELION (Boo's favorite flower). The Flora & Fauna collection has butterflies, birds, bees, flowers (both girls love nature). It has a raspberry palette (Ky's favorite color is pink and purple and this is kind of a mix of both!!!). It is just wonderful. Here's a little sampling of some of the fabrics. I got the image from the etsy store I bought the patterns and material - MATERIALGAL!!! Just gorgeous! SO different than what I would normally choose!! I LOVE it! BEAUTIFUL! I am starting these shirts first... I cannot wait!!

I have to say thank you to Patty Young... designer of the fabric & the help she gave me to find her mustard palette fabric. And Stephanie at MATERIALGAL (http://www.etsy.com/shop/MaterialGal) for her tirelessly answering SO many of my questions and her kindness!!! She's a dream to work with and I suggest you see her online etsy store - she has got a TON of fabric!!