Happy Holidays!

Hope you have a Happy Holiday!

I'll be enjoying a small break and will return to blogging the first week of 2010!!

Thank you for such a wonderful, busy year...

**And that funky new hat is in the shop!**

Something For Me

I have been itching to make myself a skirt to match Isa's Christmas dress that I sewed for her. Finally this past weekend, I found some time. I really wanted a bubble skirt. Honestly, I don't know why. They aren't especially flattering on my hourglass shape, but I just *wanted* one!

I used Vogue's - Very Easy Pattern.

I love what some "easy" is defined as..

It took me just over 2 hours. It is fully lined

(I used this scrumptious red silky lining.. why not it's the holidays, right?!)

My only word of caution is checking the measurements against what you actually are. I did 2 sizes up from what my jeans are, and it's still snug.. granted there has been a fair amount cookie nibbling and eggnog drinking..

And alas it turned out I didn't have enough fabric. I improvised and I think it makes for a fabulous change. I had enough fabric for 1 full skirt side. For the other, I just folded up the pattern till it fit the amount of fabric I had left. This worked in this situation because there is a serious amount of fullness and lots of leeway for less fabric.

When putting the dress together, I simply added a faux seam an equal amount of room away from where the 2 sides joined. The only other changed that followed was that I moved the zipper from the side to now the back. Thus, there is a visible seam on the yoke in the middle of my belly, but I honestly think it looks awesome and fully intended...which it partly was..

New Pictures!

Although I love taking photographs, I learned a long time ago that my Etsy listings that sell the best are the ones with photographs taken by professionals.

Here are some new shots & I will be creating listings later tonight!

Triana Ord Photography

Utah County

http://blog.trianaordphotography.com

Andrea Loftin

http://www.tummies2tots.net

Ginger Lover

Yes, I love Gingers! What can I say, my pops was a red headed freckled faced Ginger....

I also love *Gingerbread* (which surprisingly, my Ginger pops hates..lol) We took Isabelle to a fabulous Gingerbread village display at the Grand American in downtown SLC. This hotel is swank with a capital S! And of course our angel in her fur coat stomped around the joint like she was a Hilton heir. You can see the pics of our outing on my personal blog later this evening.

In honor of the this tasty holiday treat, here are a few of my favorite Etsy ginger items..

Gingerbread Man (Multicolor Felted Soap) by SoFino

Gingerbread Man Bowl by Thebrickkiln

Gingerbread Fudge by VintageConfections

***Pictures are owned by their respective Etsy shop owner and they retain their copyright***

Time Out For Cookies

I take my Holiday cookies seriously.. very seriously. I have all this coming Saturday blocked out to bake and watch my favorite holiday flicks: "A Christmas Story", "It's A Wonderful Life", and "Elf".

My daughter is still a little too young to make sugar cookies with, she's barely 21 months. I really wanted to find a way to include her in one of my favorite holiday activities. As if Twitter read my mind, I came across this posting about pie crusts cookies. And in my freezer I have an obscene amount of pie crusts, why I do not know..but I do!

This is the *perfect* baking activity for a toddler! It's low mess, quick, and a great way to introduce your littlest baker into the kitchen.

(recipe courtesy of Rachel Hobson over at Craftzine)

1. Leave pie crusts out till the are room temperature. Roll out very thinly on a lightly floured

surface. Pre heat oven to 350.

2. Cut out fun holiday shapes with cookie cutters.

3. Brush cookies with melted butter.

4. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

5. Bake for about 17 minutes & enjoy!

** 10% All Etsy orders till 12/15 - enter code "Cookies" in the notes to seller. **

The Very Next Sale..

My next sale will be my 300th!

To thank all my awesome clients, the 300th sale will receive

* Free Stork Pouch

*Free International Shipping

What are you reading this for?

Go be the lucky 300!!

Holiday Rush

I remember those days that I was able to ship a client's item out within 48 hours from purchase. Then about 4 months ago the universe granted me some major business, and my lead time has been 2 weeks for a loooong time now. I used to do "rush" orders for free as long as I could finagle around it. Unfortunately, for the month of December, I can not in shape or form honor a "rush". I'm sooo bummed.

However, I will be trying to list some "ready 2 ship" items in the store each week.. And here's a look at what I have now...

Small 12" Evergreen & Snow Striped Hat

Small 12" Sonoran Desert Pom Pom Hat

OOAK (one a kind) Newborn 13.5" Candy Cane Pom Pom Hat

* Knit with incredible yummy handspun & dyed wool

Chocolate Damask Taffeta For Isabelle

Isabelle has 2 meetings with Santa this week and I'm hoping to get "THE" Christmas card photo from one of them. Tomorrow is the Tree Festival and on Thursday she'll be in her jammies heading up to the North Pole on "Polar Express". I sewed Isabelle a holiday dress with some gorgeous chocolate brown damask taffeta (I will be creating a bubble skirt for myself later so that we match this holiday season!)

This was supposed to be an "Easy" pattern. It took me about 3 hours, and I still have to hem it. It's close to midnight, and I'm not waking the

baby to see where it falls. Also the pattern included hand slip stitching as well as a zipper. Not the hardest things in the book,but I think for a new seamstress it would have been aggravating. I did make some changes to how I

placed the yoke on the skirt,but that can be a tad dry reading.. so if you make it and want to know what I did, feel free to drop me a line.

All in all,I'm pretty happy with it.

I will probably add a hook & eye

above the zipper later. Just a thing that is bugging me, but no biggie. And if I made it again, I

would definitely use my serger.. for first time

around projects I only use my sewing machine (don't want unwanted cuts to the fabric!)

If You Sew, You Need To Buy This Book!

I would estimate that I pull off my book shelf, More Fabric Savvy by Sandra Betzina for at least 70% of my sewing projects and almost always for a new item prototype. Not to be blasphemous, but it truly is my sewing Bible. She explains how to prep the fabric, what needle to use, and other important tidbits. From corduroy to taffeta, it's covered.

So before you start a new project,buy this book! It will save you money in the long run because you will avoid disaster - I promise! And no, I'm not making anything from this endorsement, I just feel that strongly about it :o)

** P.S. Tune into tonight around 11pm Mtn to see a preview of *one* of Isa's holiday dress. It was kinda of holiday photo shoot 911 situation..