sew & tell v.1.0.9 - deadlines!

It's finished!! (well - enough - I still have to hem it! Plus I won't be able to post a good picture of it on until someone else is here to take it....)

I have to say, I'm happier with it than I thought I would be.  I was really nervous it was just going to make me look, well, fat.  But it's cute and comfy and that's what counts when you are pregnant and want to eat every last morsel of food on your plate.  :)

The sleeves weren't as bad as I thought they would be.  It's been at least 15 years since I made myself a dress (and I used to do it more than I realized) so a lot of the steps came back.  This was a little different - but it made for a very nice result.

  

It has this pleat all the way down the back.  I considered omitting it, but I kind of like the detail.  I just hope it doesn't pooch too much around my backside, if you know what I mean!

No, I didn't make the shoes, I just had to show them to you.  I bought them in Belgium about 15 years ago.  I walked by them every day on my way home, and unfortunately wasn't great at converting Belge francs to dollars.  I thought they were cheaper than they actually were.  But I figure if I am still getting use out of them this much later, it was totally worth it!  Plus, I love how the flowers echo the embroidery on the fabric.

 Here's a sneak peek- don't worry, I'm going to buy some black pantyhose today to cover up those scary winter legs!  My daughter can't resist a photo op.  Or a princess dress for that matter.  She was asking if we were going to dance at the ball - I didn't break it to her that we won't see Cinderella there.

One other note:  It's really important to link to your POST, not just your blog.  If people come by to check links later and it just goes to your blog, there's no guarantee they will find your sew & tell post if you have posted since then.  If you have any questions, I'm happy to help!!

Remember to get the link to a specific post follow these steps:
Once you have published your post, view your blog.
Click on the title of your post.
Look up in your browser address bar and find the address for that page.  For me it looks like this:  http://www.amylouwho.com/2009/10/sew-v108-another-one-of-those-weeks.html
So basically it's your blog address and then some.

Can't wait to see what you've gotten done! We had a record attendance last week - 30 people!!

If you are new here to sew & tell, here are the few short rules:
1. Link to a post about a finish you had this week (don't just link to your blog, please!)

2. Link back to this post so more peeps can join in the fun! If it is a post from earlier in the week, just please add a note about sew & tell . Now that we have a button this is super easy - you can just cut and paste the html from over there on the right sidebar! 

3. Enjoy getting motivated and patting each other on the backs in the comments! This is the funnest part about sew & tell - sharing and inspiring! 

Oh, and if you post after Friday - make sure to leave me a comment so I know to come see you!

do not disturb - dressmaking in progress

So, I still have to do the facing, the sleeves (AACK! - they look tricky!) and the hem.  Plus I need to take it in quite a bit.  I wasn't sure how it would fit around my ever expanding middle. (I hope it still fits by Friday!)

See that little point on the yoke?  That was WAY more complicated than I thought it would be.  Luckily the gathers kind of draw away from it.  I'm hoping to finish it up tomorrow so I can have pictures up for Friday.  I thought the ball was on Saturday, but found out on Sunday, that no, it's on Friday.  So I really don't have any extra time.

Thanks everyone for your sweet words, encouragement and congratulations from my last post!  You guys really are so nice!  I promise I won't turn this into a maternity/pregnancy blog, but I might share a few tidbits with you here and there.  My due date is early May and we'll have the big ultrsound mid-December.  So expect at least those two updates!  :)

See you on Friday for Sew & Tell!!

what's cookin', good lookin'?

First off, THANK YOU everyone who participated in Sew & Tell on Friday!  I'm so glad you are enjoying it and feeling inspired, that's what I was hoping for!

I have been cooking a bit around here lately.  I spent Thursday last week at my friend Deisha's (former personal chef) house learning how to cook some meals for freezing.  After a morning of chopping, dicing, sauteing and sealing, I have enough food in my freezer to last at least 6 meals, maybe more.  It will really come in handy on those nights when it's busy and I just need to heat something up!

I know the last thing you want to see is a picture of the inside of my freezer - but all that stuff on the bottom are flat packed meals - enough for 6 nights!!

We made enough for two meals (at least) each of  manicotti, stuffed peppers and creamy vegetable pasta.  I have the fixings to do a pistachio crusted salmon, chicken soup and Crock Pot Pork Chops!  I'm so excited!  Except now I think I need to upgrade my Food Saver to the fancy version with the pulse, wet and dry options....

And I think I've spoken of my love of Wegman's, the mecca of grocery stores.  Seriously, I'm not kidding.  They have an awesome bakery, patisserie, fish monger, butcher and catering counter.  Plus they put out a quarterly magazine with all sorts of good recipes.  I made this cauliflower and spinach gratin the other night.  Here it is cooking in the oven.

Mmmmm, okay so maybe it tastes better than it looks....

And I'm pleased to report that this pan was eaten all up!  Even the kids liked it! (Well, the secret ingredient is alfredo sauce.  How could it be bad?)  I'm planning on making a butternut squash and pear soup for a lunch potluck this week.  (The recipes aren't up on there web site yet - maybe when their next issue comes out, and then I'll share with you!)

Now, I tried for the first time to make apple butter!  Look at those glorious apples!  I used these two recipes: crockpot365 and recipezaar.  Unfortunately, I cooked it for 8 hours on high, not on low, and then I cooked it some more..... oops!  It made one pint instead of 4.  So now I'm trying to decide whether I make another batch and mix this stuff in, or if I should add some apple juice and thin it out.  I might do both.  I'll let you know.

And the other thing I've been cooking. . .

~insert ultrasound photo here~

Some of you probably figured it out already - we'll be moving Labor day to early May next year!

Plus, I've really been wanting to have a reason to buy something with this logo on it.

I hope this explains why I've been so slackery, tired, out of touch and unmotivated lately!  Now that I'm through the first trimester and my husband will be home all month I hope I can start feeling a little more normal again.   Plus, I'm going to have all sorts of fun baby things to sew!!  (This also explains my choice in patterns for that dress I'm making!)

sew&tell v.1.0.8. - another one of those weeks

Oh how I wish I could tell you that this lovely is mine, all mine.

photo courtesy of sewtakeahike

But it's not.  It's the lovely and talented Penny's of Sewtakeahike.  This was her big finish for the week and I am so impressed with what she's done here.  This is not your ordinary string quilt!  It took planning, a lot of sewing, and a few hiccups along the way.  But it is absolutely gorgeous!  Please go and see her finish post here.  And then tell her how awesome she is and that she should send the quilt to me that you have really clean teeth (wha??? When she's not sewing up awesomeness she moonlights as a dental hygenist!)

I think it is so cool that this is all made from scraps that she aquired from her bloggy friends!  I'd like to think that orange Amy Butler lotus lily pad you can see there is some I sent her, but I can't remember.  Penny and I forged our little bloggy friendship last year when I offered to send her some hot pepper jelly and we started swapping and emailing and chatting.  I'm so happy to count her among my imaginary bloggy friends!

On a related note:  Penny is also the mastermind behind the FMFF blog - if you love Denyse Schmidt's Flea Market Fancy line you must go check it out.  If you aren't sure what the hype is all about, well then, check out, another dear imaginary bloggy friend's (Dana) finish this week with her lovely FMF wonky log cabin quilt.  Dana, you rock!

I'm sorry I'm not setting a good example (again) by not having anything to share this week.  I'm feeling bad, but I'm also sick (again), my hubby has been out of town all week (again!), and things have just been super busy.  BUT, I do have that dress to finish for next week.  No getting out of that one!  And I have something else 'cooking' that I'll fill you in on later.  It will explain A LOT.

Can't wait to see what you've gotten done! (p.s.  Thanks to all of you who are linking up!  I just realized there are some people who have linked up since I last looked - sorry I didn't get around to commenting sooner!)

If you are new here to sew & tell, here are the few short rules:

1. Link to a post about a finish you had this week (don't just link to your blog, please!)

2. Link back to this post so more peeps can join in the fun! If it is a post from earlier in the week, just please add a note about sew & tell . Now that we have a button this is super easy - you can just cut and paste the html from over there on the right sidebar!

3. Enjoy getting motivated and patting each other on the backs in the comments! This is the funnest part about sew & tell - sharing and inspiring! 

Oh, and if you post after Friday - make sure to leave me a comment so I know to come see you!


 

project with a deadline

Most of you know my husband is a Marine.  Every year we have to get to go to the Marine Corps Birthday Ball.  Actually, it's pretty fun - I mean we get to go out sans kids and I don't have to cook.  And the place we are going again this year happens to have a really good food (including the desserts - and oh, how I hope they make us crab cakes for the appetizers, but I digress...).

The biggest problem is the dress.  I hear Ball and I think, full-length prom-like dress.  For the last 5 years, I've either worn old bridesmaid dresses (one while I was 8 months pregnant!) or I've borrowed them from friends.

This year, I decided to be adventurous.  OR crazy, one of the two.  I decided to make my own dress.  But I decided to buy a simple pattern (no darts or princess seaming).

 

(please notice my messy table.  I'm just keeping it real.  Go read Amy's excellent posts here and here.  I love her writing - she always expresses in words so well what most of us are thinking and/or feeling.)

I was originally going to go with a Dupioni silk - mostly because wearing silk is amazing - but it's also wrinkly and stains easily and they didn't have a color I liked.  I did however find this cool embroidered taffeta, for lack of a better word. It drapes a little softer than the old stiff stuff.

And this event is next Saturday, in November.  And it's getting chilly here - so I'm going to do view C with a little more substantial sleeve.  I probably ought to find a shrug to wear or something.

Wish me luck - I haven't made myself a dress since college (that was too long ago to admit).  And I'm really nervous about getting the right fit.  Hopefully this looser fitting style will accomodate me.  :)

I'm pretty sure this won't be sew & tell for this week, but will have to be done by next week!

sew & tell v. 1.0.7 - cupcake pincushion edition

Yesterday while I was looking for my muffin tin papers I came across these little beauties that I bought in the dollar bin at Target last fall!

Silicone baking cups!  I bought them with the intent to make pincushions.  I thought to myself, "Self, you still haven't made anything for tomorrow's sew & tell - you could whip one of these up!"

So I did.  And only finished 15 minutes ago.  If I had a more cooperative glue gun (or better glue gun skills) it would have been super quick.

Who doesn't love a little ric rac?  I think I've said that before...

There you can see the top a little better.  That's one of Sandi Henderson's Farmer's Market prints.  Love it!  I'm going to have to make myself one now - this one is going to a friend for her birthday.

If you are new here to sew & tell, here are the few short rules:

1. Link to a post about a finish you had this week (don't just link to your blog, please!)

2. Link back to this post so more peeps can join in the fun! If it is a post from earlier in the week, just please add a note about sew & tell . Now that we have a button this is super easy - you can just cut and paste the html from over there on the right sidebar!

3. Enjoy getting motivated and patting each other on the backs in the comments! This is the funnest part about sew & tell - sharing and inspiring!

autumn colors and pumpkin bread turned muffins

This is my favorite tree in the fall.  I drive by it every day on the way out of my neighborhood.  I had to stop today and get a picture.

There are so many different colors in there - I just love it!

I bought this mum last spring.  After it bloomed and died I kind of neglected it for a while.  Then my mom suggested I put it in my flower bed.  It kind of just sat there all summer and early fall.  A couple of weeks ago the buds started coming out on it.

They really are pretty, unassuming little flowers.

I have yet to get my sewing area back in order.  I have a project I can do by hand for sew & tell tomorrow, but I'll keep it a secret.  Instead of sewing I've been baking today.  I used my SIL's (Laura) recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip bread and turned them into muffins (Go bug her to post her recipe and to finish her Amy Butler yoga bag for sew & tell this week!)

But let's be serious.  They aren't muffins - they're cupcakes.

Especially when you make pumpkin cream cheese icing to put on top.

And I'm perfectly okay with that.

You can pretty much use any pumpkin bread recipe.  Mine made 12 regular sized muffins (20 minutes @ 350), 1 mini muffin pan full (13 minutes @ 350), and two smaller loaves (probably should have been 3.... still trying to bake through the middle, it's been 45 min.  Final time: 50 min.)

I had some pumpkin cream cheese from the deli and added a little butter and powdered sugar to make the icing.  Delish.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Icing
1/3 C pumpkin cream cheese (whipped or softened)
2 Tbsp melted butter (makes for easy hand blending, no hand mixer required)
1/3 C powdered sugar
dash or more cinnamon
Blend together with a fork and dip mini cupcakes directly into bowl and eat immediately spread on cooled cupcakes.