Customized Felt Dog Ornaments

I made two dog ornaments this December and I just love how they turned out. One is of a Weimaraner dog and the other is of my dog, Scout, who is a Goldendoodle. Aren't they so cute?!

12 Dresses 12 Months: December

 

I finished my 2015 challenge of making one dress every month! Woohoo! Well technically I made 13 but I didn't like one of them so I made one extra. This dress is made out of a ridiculously festive fleece I found at Joanns. It got pretty bulky in the waist so I should have made it into a shift dress. Oh well, always good to learn even on the last dress. I think it is officially a habit, though. I can hardly see fabric without thinking about how cute it would be in a dress. We'll see how many dresses I end up making in 2016. I really love the idea of a homemade wardrobe...

Merry Christmas!

Plaid and Polkadot Infinity Scarf

 I had some leftover fabric from this project and this project so I decided to whip up an infinity scarf. Isn't it so adorable?! And it is now listed in my Etsy shop. 

Don't forget that today is the last day to get free shipping by purchasing three items in my shop! Use SHELLMOISAWESOME at checkout to get free shipping. Ends today!

Sleeping Felt Fox

This sleeping little fox just got added to my shop!

Wooden Circle Pendants

Just added these pretties to my Etsy shop. I'm doing a sale today in my shop until December 11th--buy three items and get free shipping! Use code SHELLMOISAWESOME to participate!

A Murky Day in Michigan

Some days are murky days.

Some days the weather is murky and 

some days I'm what is murky. 

And some days it is both. 

Felt Ornaments Galore!

So, I've been going a bit felt crazy these days.  Check out my Etsy shop for more options!

12 Dresses in 12 Months: November

I'm one step closer to having a handmade wardrobe with this dress and necklace combo! 

A Snowy Day in Michigan

I was back to being a kid on this snowy day. 

It was wonderful seeing and experiencing the world anew. 

Tree Circle and Watercolor Pendants

I have been just a wee bit obsessed with watercoloring and doodling on these tree circles that my brother cut for me out of a maple tree from his yard. I seriously cannot get enough. I bug him for more tree circles about once a day. 

Ah, I just Iove them! And guess what!? They are now on sale in my Etsy store. Check out the shop tab at the top of my blog!

12 Dresses 12 Months: October

I had a wedding to go to in October so I figured it would be a great chance to sew something that could be a bit dressier. I found this fabric that has a great texture to it. It's kind of a striped purple/maroon knit with a dark, flowery pattern on top of it. I kept it pretty simple by going with a basic shift dress (my favorite!). I just love the final product...dressy and comfortable! 

I can't believe I only have two more dresses to go before I finish my 2015 challenge of sewing one dress per month!

A Michigan Fall

There just isn't anything quite like a Michigan fall.

Baby Turtles

 
So I was just strolling along in Calvin College's Nature Preserve when I nearly stepped on THESE ADORABLE BABY TURTLES. They were just hatched and were scuttling along the path. So stinking cute!

12 Dresses 12 Months: September

 I wanted to give one last hurrah for summer with my September dress so I went with a basic sleeveless dress. The top half is made out of a stretchy flower print and the bottom is a blue knit. I had both fabrics already on hand so it was the cheapest dress to date!

I sewed this dress up only to realize that it was too big for me. So I tried to take it in without actually using my seam ripper and that was a mistake. Let's just say that there are some weird, bunching spots in the back. But nothing that a sweater can't fix!

ArtPrize Love

I am completely enamored with ArtPrize.

12 Dresses 12 Months: August

I was just minding my own business at the fabric store when this fabulous bolt of fabric caught my eye. It was love at first sight. I decided right then that it would make the perfect little summer dress to round out August.

I used the same pattern as my buffalo plaid dress in March but made cap sleeves instead. It has a bit of a stretch to it so I didn't have to add a zipper or anything either.

I'm pretty sure this is my favorite dress yet!

Stumbled Upon Favorites

Here are some of my favorite things that I've stumbled upon recently!

Yoga Joes really cracked me up.

I really want to try this Orange Zest Scones recipe!

I love these watercolor prints that decor8 shared about earlier this month!

This spiky shower curtain is hilarious.

I love these marbled planters. Will have to give it a try one of these days!

Wood Triangle Necklace

You guys, I did my first woodworking project this week!

 

I've been wanting to learn how to do some woodworking for awhile now and lucky for me...my brother is an excellent woodworker and an excellent teacher! One night this week I was over at his house and he started talking to me all about his saws and the scroll saw really got my attention. I fell asleep that night dreaming of all the different things I wanted to make! So a couple days later, we got started on my first project.

It was trickier than I thought to cut out those triangles but I learned so much and am eager to get started on project #2!

12 Dresses 12 Months: July

For July I decided to whip up a beach cover-up dress for any days I may find myself heading to the glorious Lake Michigan this summer! The fabric has kind of a linen/towel like texture which makes for a great quick drying dress. So far I've tried it out once and it worked great!

12 Dresses in 12 Months: June

My June dress was so easy that I feel like I cheated a bit! I used some pre-smocked fabric from Jo-Ann's so all I really had to do was fit it and sew it up. Although, it was a bit more complicated then I thought it would be. It was kind of tricky to fit the bodice correctly without having a big poof in the back. I also had to sew in a slit when I realized I couldn't really walk like a normal person. But all in all, it was a great dress to make for a busy month! And this marks my halfway done point. Wow! Only six more to go.

Watercolor Doodles

Recently I've been OBSESSED with watercolor doodles. My journal is now almost filled with little faces, monsters, creatures, designs, you name it. I first saw the idea for watercolor people here and was immediately intrigued. Basically, you just do a blob of watercolor paint, wait for it to dry, and then doodle on top of it with a sharpie. And it is so enjoyable. It is seriously the best activity to do late at night when your brain is tired, first thing in the morning when you want a brain jump start, in the afternoon...ok, ok, you get it. It is simply the most fun I've had with watercolor and a sharpie for a long time!

Here are some more of my favorites:

12 Dresses in 12 Months: May

I had this floral dress cut out since January but finally got around to sewing it up this month. And with its sunny disposition, I think it is perfect for May! It is a standard shift pattern with a cotton floral print and a stretch fabric for the arms. I sewed it all up in a couple hours so I think I'm getting the hang of this dressmaking (although, I did accidentally sew one sleeve on incorrectly two times...).

And who is this lovely lady in the picture with me? It is my sister-in-law showcasing her own DIY dress that we worked on together. It is the same pattern but she used a two-sided knit (the same I used for my February dress) and also added in pockets! Too cute!

Watercolor Painting: A Beginner's Approach

I'm pretty sure that the last time I really painted with watercolors was in high school. And I absolutely hated it. It was so hard to control my water supply and I ended up with mottled paintings that never came close to resembling what object I was trying to paint. So for years I've avoided it by staying with acrylics and oils. There I found forgiveness for my mistakes for I could always just add another layer to cover any rash decisions I happened to make with my paint brush.

But I found that acrylics and oils often deterred me from painting because of the set up time. I don't have the space in my apartment to keep all of my art supplies out all the time. So when I do want to paint, I generally have to spend quite a bit of time setting everything up. And that is just enough work to deter me from starting.  Then, I met a new friend that was really into watercolors. On a trip we took to California, she actually painted in the car with a little watercolor set that she had! So I decided that maybe I had been too hard with my high school critique of watercolors.

For Christmas, my sister gifted me with an adorable travel size watercolor set and a some watercolor paper postcards. And so I gave it a try...and LOVED IT! Yes, I do occasionally end up with mushy paintings with too much water, but overall I've been so pleased with my little paintings. I also picked up a watercolor sketchbook and also a slightly bigger brush to help me experiment a little bit more. I've even watched some Youtube videos to help me with different techniques. Mostly, though, I've just been enjoying the play and experimentation that it allows me have.

So in case you, too, have been avoiding watercolor painting for whatever reason..I encourage you to give it a try! You may just find that you love it!

Obligatory Feet in Lake Michigan Post

After waiting for about three years, I finally got to put my feet into Lake Michigan again! I was so sad to leave the lake when I moved to Oregon three years ago. Yes, I did have the amazing and awe inspiring Pacific Ocean in my not-quite-backyard..but it just doesn't compare for this Michigander! I love Lake Michigan so much that one year I was actually swimming in it from April through November! It was a bit cold but it was definitely worth it. I'm in Michigan currently for a few more months so I can't wait to spend as much of my summer as I can swimming!

12 Dresses in 12 Months: April

I found this adorable floral print at my favorite local fabric store for only $1.99! It was quite thin so I decided that April would be a good month to try lining a dress for the first time. I picked up some silk-like fabric on sale and decided that I'd give it a try for the lining. I used a basic shift dress pattern so it wouldn't get too complicated while I focused on the lining. 

I spent a great Friday night working on this dress, drinking wine, and listening to episode after episode of a new podcast, Invisibilia, that my brother-in-law told me about! It was a delightful evening!

The neckline got a bit wonky on this dress so I will probably do that a bit differently the next time around. But overall, this dress is comfortable and cute so obviously a success! Oh, and I think it is the cheapest dress I've made to date so that is always nice...

Thanks for traveling on my dress making journey with me!  It has been so fun and I'm learning a ton about sewing. The hardest part is that I'm about 2200 miles away form my sewing machine right now (it is a long story) so I'm at the mercy of other people sharing their sewing machines with me! Although, people have been very generous so I really can't complain too much.

I am stuck on an idea for May so send me any ideas if you have any!

Salted Chocolate Dipped Oranges

A couple weeks ago, I saw a picture of oranges dipped in chocolate and had been craving them ever since. So I gathered my giant list of ingredients and got to it. Here is what I did:

Peel mandarin oranges. Melt chocolate. Dip orange slices in chocolate. Sprinkle with salt. 

And that is it, folks! Try not to eat them all in one sitting...

12 Dresses in 12 Months: March

I have been wanting to make a red buffalo plaid dress for quite some time so I decided March was the time! I also decided to step up my challenge by learning how to insert a zipper and how to attach a collar. I watched quite a few Youtube videos to see the best way to do both of these things. My final product is not perfect by any means, but I am pretty happy with my first time doing both of those things!

12 Dresses in 12 Months: February

So as I said before, I'm challenging myself to make 12 dresses in 12 months. For February, I found a pattern from Joanns that I thought would be fun to try. Similar to January, I found a knit that was two sided which I liked because it was thick enough that I didn't need to mess with a liner. Maybe that will be a March challenge (gulp).

When I got home, I noticed that I had accidentally gotten the 14-22 size instead of the normal range of sizes. Boo! I ended up having to take it in significantly and adjust the length of the hem quite a bit. I'm planning on taking in the sides a bit more in the future so the bodice will be a bit more fitted. Overall, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. It is super comfy which is always a plus! And it has pockets!

Orange Cranberry Breakfast Bread

This picture isn't great...but the recipe sure is!

I made this delicious bread the other day for a family brunch. It had the perfect density, moistness, and sweetness. Mmm! Head over here to get the recipe!

12 Dresses in 12 Months: January

 I've been wanting to challenge myself this year with learning how to sew clothes. And what better way then to make 12 dresses in 12 months!  Here is my January dress. I used this great two way fabric from Joanns. On one side it was stripes and the other was polka dots. I decided to use the stripes for the body of the dress and then used the polka dots for the sleeves. I also added pockets which was a new skill to learn. There are a few things I would change but overall I am very pleased with how it turned out!

Blue and Red Envelope Pillow

My mom mentioned that she had been wanting some new pillows to match her red couch. I found this fabric at Joanns and thought it was oh so pretty! I made two envelope pillow cases and gave them to her for Christmas. Envelope pillows are so handy--now she can easily wash the fabric or even change the fabric up for different seasons if she wants to.  Head over here to the DIY instructions that I wrote up from a past project.

Here is the other side that shows off the envelope style pillow case:

Stenciled Baby Onesies

I don't know why I don't stencil more often. It so fun especially on baby onesies. I used some stencils from Lotta Jansdotter's book but also made a few of my own...like the dinosaur! How cute is that?

Felt Paper Dolls

I absolutely loved paper dolls when I was little but I always ended up breaking off those little tabs on the clothes.  I saw this idea here and instantly saw its perfection: the felt clothes just stick on the bodies...no tabs necessary! I whipped up my own little set and also made a little envelope that she can keep her dolls and clothes in. Pretty adorable, if I do say so myself!