mary makes merry

Something about them just says summer

Last August (?!), we went to a fantastic party held each year by three good friends, and I decided I wanted to do something other than bottles of wine as hostess gifts. So I made these:

 

 

This is a great, quick pattern, and the pouches are small but mighty (useful). I thought of them because I got the pattern out last week in hopes that its instructions on zippers could help with my problems getting one into Ellie's dress. You can get this pattern, and/or some other extremely cute ones as well, from an independent designer named Jordynn Mackenzie. Visit her Etsy shop to make your own! (I think there must be a way to get those top corners to  come out closer to 90 degrees...I want to make the wider version of this and will work on that then.)

Summer squint

Here's the dress that I cut out during Kids Clothes Week. I sewed it up and finished in time for Ellie to wear to her cousin's baptism over Memorial Day weekend -- yay! She also wore it to the last day of Junior Kindergarten. Sorry for the squint; we just took this photo in the early-morning sun since somehow our camera lost the photos from the last day of school. Grrr.

 

It's Simplicity 2675, and I love the way it came together. In fact, for the first time ever, I think, I immediately cut out a second version, which I'll make without sleeves this time! The way the skirt drapes is really great, and it fits her beautifully. I did have to do the zipper about 4 times, but that's zippers for you. It's an eyelet fabric that I got at Vogue in Evanston for $8 total, I think.

A better photo!

OK, at least I can say I completed one thing for Ellie this week. I knew that finding one hour each day probably wasn't going to work, but I had really thought a half-hour each day was possible. Famous last words. But she says she loves the top, so I should just enjoy that.

Photo!

For Kids Clothes Week -- actual progress! It's the famous Simplicity 4206 -- I made two of these the summer before last. It's a great pattern. I'll try to get some shots of it in action soon.

Kids Clothes Week is here!

I'm so glad that I joined Kids Clothes Week at Elsie Marley -- and so did 200 other bloggers! Whoa! The idea is to spend an hour each day this week on sewing projects for your child(ren). I missed yesterday but hit the target for today. I cut out a nice, swingy, springy dress for Ellie this afternoon and am excited to start sewing it. It's a pattern I've never made before, so we'll see. Also this week, I will be sewing ric-rac on a top that I made a couple of weeks ago for her but haven't quite finished.  Maybe I can also get the famous Jump-Rope Dress of Oliver + S cut out as well. Should be fun! Thank you for the inspiration, Meg of Elsie Marley!

World's best craft

OK, that may be hyperbolic, but I made these using this tutorial and just get such a crazy sense of satisfaction from them! They fit pencils perfectly, as you might expect, though not, alas, the bigger pens that I like to keep in my bag. Still, though, they're cereal boxes!

The one on the right was made within 20 minutes of seeing the posting when it first went up -- I looked, I printed, I stood up, I made one. The one on the left was a project done on Thursday night when I was trying not to fall asleep before my bedtime. They were originally cereal boxes, as in the link, but before cutting out the template I used Modge Podge to affix some scrapbook paper to the cardboard.

 

I also put two coats of Modge Podge on top of the paper, one before cutting and one after it was all assembled (let everything dry before proceeding). I decided to give this new one to the mother of two friends of Ellie's who had Ellie over yesterday and sent us home with all kinds of new clothes to boot! (Her daughter is in the next size up of clothing from Ellie). It was like Christmas! So I added a little note inside the top cover:

 

It was a good way to bring Earth Day to a close...I"ve had the scrapbooking paper since Ellie was 18 months old, so I'm so happy finally to have a compelling use for it!

My garden grows well, thanks!

If I had a nickel for every time in my youth someone asked me how my garden grew, I'd be rich. But these flowers are such bright little things!

 

 

That strange plant right behind this daffodil will eventually bloom with dark red lilies!

A nice Easter dress!

I had been working on this dress for a while -- I think I had had some thought that Ellie would wear it at Christmas, hence the colors. When Carolyn was over several weeks ago, she noted that Easter would be a good deadline...and that I'd better finish it, one way or the other, before its recipient outgrew it! It's the Oliver + S Puppet Show dress.  You can still find copies at some online shops, though not at the site I just linked to, which I guess is somewhat unhelpful of me!

 

As everyone says about these patterns, the details and instructions are both amazing. These aren't the best pictures, but the dress is really well put together -- not because I'm great, but because the pattern is so well designed! And...music to my ears...Ellie said yesterday (though not on Easter itself) that she loves it. I know I need to soak that up while it lasts!!! She suggested the title of this post, by the way.

Would you look at that!

Two weeks ago, I noticed tall, thin, green plants in our raised bed. They looked a lot like green onions, but it was early April; how could there be green onions in our garden? One week ago, I pulled one up. Isn't it beautiful? None of them came up last year, when they were planted, but three or four hung out all winter and sprang right up! This one tasted really yummy. I bought a packet of seeds yesterday and am going to just put 'em in the ground -- apparently, they laugh in the face of frost, so why not? (P.S. to Ashley -- thanks for leaving a comment! Hope you're doing well!!)

Easter greetings!

We had a wonderful Easter, and I hope you did, too! Here's a fun project we did -- the planting was done on Holy Thursday and by Sunday we had definite new life in evidence! We got the idea here, via the wonderful Crafty Crow.  As you can see, last Thursday was quite warm...

 

Here they are today -- two went home with Gram and Grandad, who were in for a quick visit this week:

 

Ellie and Clark also did the traditional project with eggs at this time of year:

Here's the egg artist herself...

 

Here she is on her fifth birthday (?!), which was earlier in the week...

 

And finally, a picture of one of our redbud trees in the backyard -- I am thanking the good Lord for the person who planted these trees, whoever he/she is! They're such a welcome sight. Happy Easter, happy Spring, happy, happy everything! (Borrowed from a birthday card from last year, possibly?)