1st Day as a Homeschool Mom

 

Well... It wasn't too much of a stretch...
I was homeschooled 1st-12th grade and I was a teacher... so it wasn't too difficult a decision to homeschool my 3 year old. I was a little worried that she wouldn't cooperate but I've been hyping it up for weeks to make sure that she was excited! I let her pick out all of her school supplies (who know a $0.50 pencil box could make a toddler so happy?), put them in our special school draw, and get our "classroom" ready. If you ask her where she's going to school, she'll jump up and down and shout "Mommy's Room!" It's great!

This was probably my most productive first day of school as a teacher. Maybe because I didn't have to do the normal get-to-know-you routine with a class of 25 kids... maybe because I didn't have to spend an hour going over classroom rules.... maybe just because it was one-on-one... I'm trying not to get my hopes up that we will be this productive everyday but at the end of the morning, Isabella could write the letters of her name (when I tell her the order) and the letter "A"! (among other things) Praying today wasn't a fluke and tomorrow goes equally well!

 

 



Toddler Retro Bubble-Hem Wrap Dress

Well... I had a specific design in my head for a dress for my daughter for my niece's wedding (this is the sketch) So I went to not one, but three fabric stores yesterday trying to find natural colored linen blend, navy pleated taffeta, and burnt orange satin.... NONE of the three stores had anything! And let me tell you.... three fabric stores, over three hours, a three year old (who really wanted to go swimming), and a swollen feet (that come with being 23 weeks pregnant....)... not the best combination....

I ended up in the fabric and crafts section of Walmart of all places! The ONLY thing I could find (that my picky little girl would agree to wear) was a black cotton with white polka dots.... as long as she could get a whale print seersucker for a romper....

I quickly ran pattens through my head.... lining, zipper, contrasting bow, thread, buttons.... I figured I could keep a similar design. I'd have to take out the color block at the bottom and maybe do something with the neckline so it would be a little less plain... but it could work! So I started my way around the store trying to find what I needed.... For one - I really needed someone to cut my fabric for me... I got one who did not speak English and had to have my fabric cut twice because the first time she did not give me the correct amount... I wondered around trying to find a zipper....

No black zippers....

No white zippers.... 

Okay... guess I'll use buttons....

No cute buttons....

No black thread....

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!?!

Scratch that dress design... let's go with a wrap dress! No buttons. No zipper. If I do a bubble-hem, the white thread I have on my machine won't even show!

Now if only I could find some yellow ribbon....

New Patterns?

So my niece is getting married on the 18th and for months I've been thinking that I need to make a dress for my darling daughter....(you know... my girly-girl who REFUSES to wear a dress unless it's Sunday and I make her wear a dress to church...) and now the wedding is less than 2 weeks away and I have yet to even go to the fabric store! BUT I did do a quick sketch of what it's going to look like! Don't know if I've mentioned this before... I despise using a pattern!!! I can't stand the paper that rips so easily... and having to pin it to the fabric? Forget it! Not to mention the fact that I can never find a pattern that is exactly what I want so I end up having to rework it anyway.... So I usually just start with a quick sketch, work out in my head how each piece needs to be and in what order and then draw directly on the fabric with chalk. Every once in awhile, if I think I'm going to want to make more than one, I will draw the pattern on paper.

Here's my quick sketch (I know you can TOTALLY tell I have an Art degree!)

This is the quick sketch for mine (if I find the right fabric...)

Looks kind of weird now that I'm looking at it but that's just because I drew the lining to be visable so I could see what I want but it's not going to be sheer...
If this one turns out as easily as I'm hoping it's going to be, I will post a DIY! I have a maxi dress DIY pattern that I've been meaning to post... hopefully by the end of the week...



I'm baaaaack!

Oh my! It's been so long since I've posted that I couldn't even find how to create a post with the new format! It's been a tough (and BUSY!) year so far but one of my goals for the fall is to blog on a regular basis again. Along with updating and organizing Sweet P's online shop and facebook page. Actually, I have decided to reorganize pretty much everything in our lives! I figure blogging will keep me accountable... Those of you who know me know that that is WWAAAYYYY easier said than done.... I am an artist... I am perfectly comfortable with orgainzed chaos... I am NOT an organizer.... But with baby #2 on the way, my husband needing to be on a healthy, clean diet, and plans of starting to homeschool Isabella in just a few weeks, I have no choice but to bite the bullet and become something that I am not :) Follow if you dare! ;)