Lady Gaga Octopus

She was Lady Gaga Octopus for Halloween this year. Very interesting choice when I had no idea that she knew who Lady Gaga was. All of this except for the shoes and leotard are home made. This is my very first sewn together home made costume. I guess next year we will have to top this and it will be talked about for days.

She really liked the photo op.

She is showing off the detachable tentacles. They are filled with poly fill and the suction cups are felt circles.  I sat and cut them out for hours.

                        Can some one say Rock Star. She even had a headband to complete the ensemble.

      These are the shoulder pads. I made them detachable as well and they are secured with bobby pins.

                                                         Skirt without the tentacles.

 I decided to take a pic like this so that I could have one of the full costume.

Show and tell..... and a good deal

 Today I was not really wanting to go to any garage sales because I didn't really want to spend any money but I am glad we stopped. We picked up this tree and the woman wanted to get rid of the fabric remnants she had so badly she gave some to me for free. Awesome I know.
I have been looking for one of these trees for a very long time but hardly find them and when I do they are priced really high.

 When I came across this one I just had to ask how much. I got it and took it home because I only paid a dollar.  Fantastic find at a garage sale. 

This thing is over 30 years old and it only has this broken part on the bottom. Most of the ones I see at a persons home usually are cracked in an obvious place or broken and glued. This one is in fabulous shape.

 Cool gingham.

 Harry Potter.

And a very small but cute piece with puppies on it.

And last but not least the flannel I am using for my husbands pj pants. Now I will say I did not get this for free but from a fabric store earlier this month. I found it on the red tag wall that was also 50 percent off. It was originally 8 dollars a yard I paid 2 dollars a yard. It does pays to bargain shop and hold of for good prices.

Happy sewing and bargain hunting to all of you out there this weekend.

RIP toaster oven..........

This is what happens with 2 kids and cooking while half asleep. My son loves to put the remote controls to the TV and Blue Ray player anywhere they do not belong. The toaster oven was stored in the pantry on the bottom shelf because thats where it fit.Yes I almost started crying because I could not believe this. Since there are things going on beyond my control right now this took the cake.

Yes the toaster oven looks dingy because it was well loved until today. :) RIP toaster oven.
The highlight of our week however was a good one. Last night was meet the teacher night. My daughter was so excited to be there she could not contain herself. This is her music and movement class. Seems to be everyone's favorite. We visited her teacher who is  truly awesome, checked out the discovery room and Bible study room. My daughter also has a best friend there who she loves to be in class with.

And I must say that I am so thankful for my family and life even though we may not have an expensive home, expensive cars and don't have extra money most of the time. While visiting my daughters school it was evident that most of the parents there could afford alot more than us. Of course this made me feel a little self conscious but its not all perfect. As we where walking out a family that looked to have it all really didn't. The dad was saying goodbye to his children while the mom stood and watched. He said he would see them tomorrow as he walked away alone. So the next time I feel self conscious about my children wearing hand me downs or something I made, I will remind myself of that moment and remember to be thankful. I hope that family finds a way to heal and be whole again even if the parents don't reconcile.
I guess the moral of this story is that you never know what is really going on so don't compare yourself to other people and be thankful for what you have.

Back to basics.....

Its that time again. Last year I mad a couple of pj pants for my daughter. This year I have vowed to make some for the whole family. Yes its going to be quite an undertaking. So this is the first pair of the season. Pj pants are a vary basic project that the beginner could definitely do as a first project. Just go pick out a pattern that says easy, quick or you can make your own pattern using an existing pair of pants.

I just finished these yesterday. My daughter picked out the dragonflies and wanted them on it and after being laundered they are starting to come off. That won't be too bad of a fix. She also got diaper rash cream on the leg as you can see. However I am very proud of my first pair this year. It was a different pattern than I am used to. It uses 4 pieces instead of 2.
So I encourage everyone to get back to basics or even try it out for your first project. The best part is that no one really sees them except you. Great practice.
Go check out Whitney Sews for a video tutorial here. (She does use a different way of putting in elastic instead of making a casing, which I found pretty cool.)

Vintage patterns.......

I have fallen in love with vintage patterns of all eras. Just recently I was given a box of vintage patterns that are so delicious I just have to share. There where also a couple of things here and there that pertained to embroidery. So I have included pics of the embroidery patterns as well. Sadly non of the clothing patterns would fit me but They are sooooooooo cool.

 I had thought that the pattern in the middle could fit me but I highly doubt it.

 Brace yourself for this one. The wedding dress pattern (Right upper corner) is uncut. However it is so tiny that It had to be meant for a very small woman.

The one on the upper left corner with the pic of the person in pj's is my fav.

Zippers and things...........

Today I decided to go to the thrift shop after dropping off my daughter at school. Usually finding  I don't have very good luck there finding sewing notions because they are the first thing to go as soon as the doors open. So this time we where the first ones this morning. I found 11 zippers and 2 bias tape. Eleven zippers. Woo Hoo. The best part is that they where 50 cents a  piece. Then I snatched up this vintage wall hanging that was also 50 cents. On a rollllll today. :)
Oh and they had kids clothing for half off which made them 50 cents as well. So ya I was on a roll.

 Of course I had to sneak in a pick of this beautiful vintage sheet with a nice floral 70's print. It was found very cheap in a thrift store not too close but it was way worth it. I believe I saw 1977 on a part of the design. And the cat wanted to be in the picture too. Bottom right hand corner.

Cloth diapers........

Ok so I have recently come to the conclusion that it is now more expensive initially to cloth diaper your baby. So out of my frustration I have gone on a search that will last a while. This search includes the best way to make a diaper, the best materials and the fastest way to do it. Here are some pics of diapers I have made before. It is a diaper cover and the inside has a prefold inserted into a built in pocket.

I have also decided to make something out of those scraps that are too big to just toss. They are burp cloths for a baby shower. There will be more as I am still in the process of cutting and sewing. :)

If anyone has any ideas for cloth to use or a better way to make them I am all ears. Please comment.

Sewing items for Mimi.......

Today we where able to deliver some things we have collected for the family affected by the wild fires in Texas. I got to give the 2 sewing machines I had received as donations for Mimi as well as some fabric. She can hardly wait to get started.

This is a wall hanging for her sewing room. The woman who donated the Kenmore sewing machine I showed in a previous post, embroidered this wall hanging for Mimi to hang in her sewing room.
It was well worth it. I would so do this again. I have met so many fun and interesting people in my search for sewing and house hold items for Mimi and her family. It is amazing how people can come together for a cause for someone they have never met and I am thankful for them. Without awesomely amazing people who give out of the kindness of their hearts our world would be a dismal one. So I encourage everyone to step up, lend a hand, give a homeless guy some crackers and water, give your time to someone who needs help etc.
Very happy to bring light into a dark time for a woman who lost everything. She is now well on her way to getting started back into a craft she loves so very much.