Lovely tree climbing dress

 About a year ago, I found a dress pattern that I fell in love with.  I knew exactly what I wanted to use it for and what fabrics in my stash I wanted to use.

We have had our daughters pictures done by a professional for birth, 6 months, 1 year, 2 year and plan to keep doing it through high school.  When Eleanor turned one, we knew we didn't want to go some store that also has a photo studio (we did it once and wasn't happy with what we got for the price).  So I happen to see an acquaintance or friend of a friend was an amazing photographer.  She was also having a sale, yay!

So we decided to hire her and we keep hiring her and we plan to for a long, long time.

So this is the dress I made with that pattern.  Fawn of Lamore Photography is our go to photographer.  and she took these lovely pictures of Eleanor shortly after she turned two.

I went through the CD she gave us again, hoping she got one that showed more of the dress, but didn't see any so you will be stuck with one taken by my husband and I.

It is hard to see, but the ruffles and sash were made with the most adorable vintage fabric.  It has ladybugs, butterflies, and roses all over it!

Such a silly little girl!

Project Run and Play Signature Style

Today, I uploaded pictures to flickr for the Project Run and Play sew along for the signature style week.  The jacket I made I've been working on in my head for a while.  I think it turned out really cute.  I started with the pattern for the molly jacket by Violette Field Threads.  

I lengthened the sleeves and made them a little more fitted, added a sash and some ruffles for a little bustle.  I also did the collar backwards from what they say to do to show off the lining, because I wanted to break up the denim more. (I was afraid the denim may look too biker chick for me.)  On the front I added some cute pockets based on the tutorial on ikat.  (Someday I need to make the quilt she put all those pockets on.) 

The shirt was a challenge.  It started out as a boy's dress shirt (another shirt from my uncle). I wasn't sure what I wanted it to look like so I spent way too much time scouring the internet for inspiration and direction in refashioning button up shirts.  I finally just gave up and started cutting.  I knew I didn't want the collar or the sleeves the way they were, so I started by seam ripping the sleeves.  I tried the shirt on Eleanor to see where would be a good place to cut the neckline and just cut how I thought it would look nice.  

Next I cut the sleeves to make cap sleeves and later when I was talking with my husband I decided they needed pleats.  The points were an accident that I love.  The pocket also got seam ripped and gave me the idea to put a bow on the collar.  After everything was cut or seam ripped that I wanted, I added the pleats to the sleeves, hemmed all the edges, sewed on the sleeves, pocket and bow and it was done. 

 I love how it turned out.

I made a bubble skirt a while back that I wanted Eleanor to wear for the pictures.  It was the perfect color and a fun texture and since it was too big with an adjustable waist, it gathers in the back like a bustle (super cute), but I couldn't find it anywhere.

Another fun fact about this outfit is that everything was reincarnated from a previous life.  The jacket and pants used to be pants that my husband ripped.