Valentine Nightgowns

Apparently -- I'm going through a "kid's robe" phase.

I found this wonderful plush yellow robe in Lilly's size -- so I decided to trim it out with some fabric leftover from her Christmas nightgown...


THEN -- because Lillian and Emily both got such a kick out of their mother-daughter Christmas nightgowns -- I decided to make them nightgowns for Valentine's Day as well.

My inspiration was one beautiful size M Valentine Nick & Nora nightgown at the Salvation Army, (with the tags still on it)...and I just cut out the back and replaced it with some black t-shirt fabric for Emily...

THEN -- I made Lillian's nightgown out of a black t-shirt -- cut up some pink t-shirt fabric for her little back and the sleeves...

I'm telling you -- MY GIRLS LOOKED FABULOUS...

My total investment? $1.99...

Yes, I know. I am the cheapest person in America....And NOBODY is having more fun than me...

Landon's New Robe

Landon came one afternoon after school -- and HE WANTED TO SEW...

I had a little fleece robe...and an Iowa Hawkeyes t-shirt to cut up...

Landon's favorite thing to do is TAKE PICTURES with my camera...he took this pic of his Dad...

He wanted to sew the hawkeye emblem on the side of his robe...


It turned out GREAT...
And he took yet another picture of his favorite thing at my house...the laundry chute. This is the view of it -- looking up from the basement.

For 30 years -- this chute has been an endless source of entertainment for children....Ross and Elliott used to play catch via the laundry chute...every niece or nephew who ever stayed here loved to throw things down....it's the first place I look for Lilly's lost toys...

but Landon is the first kid who ever photographed it from every angle...Good job, bud!!

Project Runway All Stars Episode #6 -- spoiler alert

I am in a state of shock.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME??

THEY SENT RAMI HOME??

I thought his blue jacket, trimmed with the suede was the most original thing in this episode. Furthermore -- every single week, he BROUGHT IT to that runway. He never had a miss. He was never in the bottom. His garments were original, beautifully made, and always completely finished -- with a "RAMI" point of view.

Here's who should have went home BEFORE Rami...

Kara -- she hasn't done a single piece this season that is memorable. And for this episode, she sent down three lifeless pieces with absolutely no point of view...

Michael Costello -- this week he totally copied Jerrell -- and it reminded me of the first week when his mop dress looked exactly like April's mop dress. WHO ARE YOU, MICHAEL??

Austin -- I'd hate to lose him -- but his bolero pink jacket with the printed ruffle looked like something Jacqueline Smith would be selling in her K-Mart line...in 1986...

Kenley -- her blue polka dot ONE PIECE short-shorts outfit was just silly. The fabric looked cheap and there was not one thing about it that felt fashion forward.

I think Rami was robbed...

And so was the audience....

I'm going to go do a little grieving now....it just isn't going to be the same without those guns...

Michael Miller PEACE Quilt

You know that my sister Deb is the MACHINE EMBROIDERER in the family. For the last couple of years -- she's been in charge of making my Sew Expo jackets. When she comes from Tennessee to visit her Iowa grandkids -- she always brings her sewing machine with her. The project she was working on this time was the "Peace" quilt for her granddaughter Allie. Michael Miller fabrics never looked better!!

She embroidered the word "PEACE" for the top of the quilt...and "LOVE" for the bottom...

At this point, she was trying to decide how big a twin bed quilt should be...(of course, I knew a twin mattress measures 39" x 72")
Deb is so persnickety -- her machine embroidery is always spot-on...


AND the Michael Miller peace fabrics are SO FABULOUS...what a fun quilt...
Allie picked them out herself...and, all Grandma Deb has to do is make the quilt. She has her grandchildren thinking this is all a big piece of cake...

Hey -- for her -- I GUESS IT IS...

You'll see her at the 2012 Sewing & Stitchery Expo -- and I can hardly wait to SEE WHAT I'LL BE WEARING!!

Happy Birthday Linda

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LINDA.

I already know that using my blog to wish Happy Birthday to my mates was a TERRIBLE IDEA. What was I thinking?? NOW I get to let my friends down in yet ANOTHER WAY...like it wasn't bad enough that nobody has ever received a birthday gift from me -- or even a lousy card -- NOW their feelings will be hurt AGAIN because I will forget to write about them ON THIS BLOG...

So this is my second -- and MY LAST -- Happy Birthday post.

To my cousin Linda -- who is traveling right now -- and might get a kick out of these pictures.

Linda is my creative-soul-mate. We have spent hours together making things, cooking things, cleaning things, painting things, sewing things, picking things, writing things...you name the thing and we've messed with it. Her most recent project for me was Lillian's little train case for Christmas...


Linda is a wonderful, prolific artist. And we share a wacky asymmetrical sense of how we see the world. But she isn't just here for the fun stuff...

The best thing about Linda is that she's also there when the WORK HAPPENS. Linda was here when I painted every room of this house. And she helped me to hang my unusual porch curtains. And we had a ball spray-painting my porch roll-up shades.

Every year -- she comes when it's time to pick John's last bushels of basil...to make some pesto for the freezer -- Linda is my girl...



We had a great time putting up the tile for her kitchen remodel job...
Our first official tile job was my bathroom...several years ago...we were completely in over our heads but too stupid to know it at the time...


I see her every Tuesday morning -- she's the center of our "breakfast club". Because I am Linda's cousin (on her Dad's side) -- and our other two members -- Linda P and Sandy -- are her cousins (on her Mom's side). So she is our glue.



HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Linda. You are one of the best people I know and I am so glad you are in my life. I will never be able to thank you for all you did for me when my parents died...and you were there in that same quiet, loving way for your Mom when your Dad died...

You are the girl everybody calls, Lin. But you never, ever give yourself any credit...

Have a wonderful time in California. The weather here in Iowa sucks...so you did the right thing...

love,
rita

P.S. to the rest of my friends -- I'M SORRY I GOT YOUR HOPES UP...really. Writing birthday blogs was a terrible idea and I am completely, totally over it...

Project Runway Episode 5

Episode 5 -- the designers are in Central Park -- and they're supposed to find somebody to be their "muse". Then, with $150 they get the CLOTHES OFF THEIR BACK -- and (if they have any money left) they can buy some extra fabric at Mood. They have two days to create something "fashion forward".

I LOVED THE CHALLENGE. Who are we kidding? This is what I do EVERY SINGLE DAY. ..recycling things...taking a t-shirt and making a dress out of it. Last week I cut up a velour dress to make a robe for Memphis...

AND -- I've always enjoyed people watching in Central Park. THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN...

Anthony was so confident that his outgoing personality would make it easy...and it was...but then he picked a tired 70's polyester blouse as his "muse"...?? For some extra fabric -- he approached a half naked hot white guy wearing cut off jeans shorts??

Oh oh. ..this could be harder than I thought..

Mondo HIT THE JACKPOT with a trendy girl who was wearing a LONG DRESS -- with black and white stripes AND a wild geometric print. It looked like he designed it in the FIRST PLACE. And honestly -- it's too bad he had to cut into it!!

Austin found the best muse of all -- a girl with a gold glitter manicure, a feathered broach, and a striped mini-skirt...

I have high expectations as they go into the workroom...

You should go on the website so you can see the BIG PICTURES of these designs...I thought Kenley's dress (in the middle) was awesome -- but it looked more like Mondo than Kenley.

And Mila's pants (bottom left) were GREAT...they really don't give her enough credit...

But this week, if I'm being honest -- Michael should have gone home. OH MY GOD...if he had only stuck with his original crocheted/gray top. But he had no confidence -- and after one "doily" comment from that blonde Tim Gunn wannabe -- he abandoned it in favor of an ill-fitting nude swimsuit which was a hot mess...

However -- after two wins -- the judges just couldn't bring themselves to send Michael home -- so Anthony got the boot instead.


Once again -- Rami could have won the challenge. He is consistently good -- his designs are creative and beautifully finished every week...and did I mention how good he looks in a tank top??

Mondo got the win. But I thought his "muse" garment looked WAY BETTER before he cut it up into shorts and paired it with a denim jacket..(although beautifully sewn it was completely random).

A Picture is Worth??...

Oh, yes -- to answer Saturday's question -- I DID GO TO TARGET on Sunday to check out the Jason Wu collection. But it was a real fizzle if you ask me. I thought the designs were boring -- the fabrics were cheesy and the colors were drab.

ALL GOOD NEWS PEOPLE...because I was not even tempted to buy anything. lol.

Also -- it's a very small collection. Mostly just women's clothes, I think. Missoni had home goods, clothes, luggage, boots, linens, even a BIKE...

I will post some pictures when I get a chance...because it's true what they say --a picture really is worth 1000 words.

So -- for your picture entertainment today -- I'm posting a picture I got from a blog reader. This really tickled me...

It is such a good idea -- I honestly cannot imagine why I didn't think of it myself...

It's called "spaghetti dogs"...and you'll figure it out in a minute...

I LOVE IT...and the very next time Lilly is here -- this will be her lunch!!

THANKS, BECKY, for sharing...