Lady and the gents

I am ready for spring. I am so sick of the snow and cold, which means I am now sewing for warmer weather, even though my thermometer outside is still reading 10 degrees. Short sleeve tops and cute little skirts can be worn with sweaters and tights so it's ok, right?!?!?

I am very fortunate that I get the chance to test for many designers, but one of my most recent tests for a favorite designer has just blown everything else out of the water!

The Charlotte Collar Top and The Samantha Suspender Skirt from Made for Mermaids were just released and I was lucky enough to test both!!

The Charlotte Collar Top features:

sizes 1/2-14
two collar options: curved and straight
Puff sleeves
easy to follow instructions with color photos
size chart
print guide
knit fabrics with woven collar

When deciding what fabric I was going to use, I was really wanting a basic white tee, so I used a simple white interlock fabric, with white ribbing for the collar and armbands. The collar is a coral and white polka dot that ties in the skirt fabric perfectly!

I chose the rounded collar option and really love how it turned out. The instructions for the collar are fantastic and the outcome is a beautiful collar that lays so nice!!

The puff sleeves are so darling! Since making this version, the armbands were taken in a bit in the final version. I mashed up the size 1/2 with the 2 length, since I wanted her to be able to wear this top for a long time!

Now on to the skirt!!!!!

The Samantha Suspender Skirt features:

sizes 1/2-14
two skirt options: flat front or faux button placket
vintage length
optional suspenders
easy to follow instructions with color photos
size chart
woven fabrics
optional pockets
only pattern piece is for pockets

I found this AMAZING floral fabric at my local JoAnn Fabric Store and fell in love! It screams spring to me and it had the exact look I was looking for!

The faux button placket is awesome and so easy to do! I love the look with BIG BUTTONS down the front, and so does the little lady!

Should we talk about the back??? I think we should! Let's just say it's the BEST! The tie back suspenders may be my most favorite part of this entire outfit! And moms of older girls who don't want a bow, this would be a super easy fix! Shorten the suspenders and add buttons for easy removal! I think I may do that for my next skirt! Or leave the suspenders off all together and you have another amazing look!

This little lady adores this new outfit so much she let me take photos two days in a row!! She didn't want to take it off!

The sizing on these patterns are perfect! These are both size 1/2 with 2 length, perfect for my tiny little thing, but enough room for growth!!! And both patterns are super easy to adjust if you need to mash sizes like I do!

You can't go wrong with either of these patterns! Both are going to be a must have for the little ladies in your life!

Ready for the best part?? Megan from Made for Mermaids is graciously giving away both patterns to one of my lucky readers! How awesome is that?!?!? Make sure you enter below for your chance to win both of these awesome patterns!!! Giveaway ends 2/12 at midnight EST!!

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Thanks for stopping by and happy sewing <3

It's time to bundleUP! If you live in Michigan, we are literally bundling up. But that's definitely not the kind of bundling I want to be doing. If you are part of the PDF sewing world, and don't live under a rock ;), then I am certain you have heard the newest Girl's bundleUP just came out last Friday! And let me tell you, there are some rockin' patterns in this one!

I was lucky enough to test a pattern for this bundle for one of my most favorite designers, Winter Wear Designs. Suzanne designed this AMAZING blazer and I am most definitely making a bunch more of these!

The Phresh Blazer will quickly become a go to jacket in your little ladies' wardrobe!

This pattern features:

HUGE SIZE RANGE!!!! sizes 1-14
option for welt pocket flap
ruffled back option
straight or gathered sleeve
long or 3/4 sleeve
fantastic instructions
line drawings
color photos
size chart

I instantly fell in love with the fit of this jacket. It is definitely a fitted blazer. I adore the slight fishtail hem in the back. And the optional ruffles are adorable!

Little lady, as always, is not one size, but since I was testing, I made her a straight size 1. Next time I will add a bit of length.

This blazer can be made in a variety of fabrics. I chose stretch denim, but how cute would this be in sweatshirt or french terry?!?!? Cozy and oh so cute!

Suzanne's patterns are very easy to follow. Her attention to detail is awesome! This pattern is a must have!

I decided to pair this blazer with the fantastic new Wideleg Pants from Jocole. I LOVE a good wideleg pant, but didn't have one for my little lady. Jocole to the rescue!!!

The widlelegs feature:

sizes NB-14 and DOLL!!!!
short, capri, and full length options
step by step instructions
color photos
knit waistband: skinny, regular and fold over
tons of fabric options
size chart
optional pockets

These pants sew up in less than an hour! Yes, you heard me right!!! I printed, taped, sewed, serged, and finished in less than an HOUR!!! If you crave instant gratification, this pattern is for you!

But not only is the pattern quick and easy, the finished product is wonderful! The fit is perfect and the look is killer!!

I chose a lightweight denim for these pants. I wanted her to be able to wear them with anything. I will definitely be making many more of these is all kinds of fabrics!!

The knit waistband is super comfy and I love that the back has a higher rise that accommodates my diaper wearing lady!

This pattern is awesome! Quick, easy, and so super cute! LOVE IT!!

While I was at it, I figured I might as well sew up one more item from the bundle. Why not, right???

The Potato Chip Skirt by Tie Dye Diva is another great pattern! This pattern lives up to the hype you have been hearing! It really is a fantastic pattern, and you won't be able to stop at one! I know I can't!!

This pattern features:

sizes 12-18months to 13-14years and doll!!!
inset pockets
flat front elastic back
lined and unlined options
reversible option
size chart
easy to follow instructions
color photos
piping tutorial

This is another pattern that is so easy and quick but oh so cute! I tend to love things that give me immediate results, so this pattern was perfect for me.

Taping, cutting, sewing, serging all took about an hour. I chose the unlined version this time, but already have my fabric ready to go for a reversible skirt!

My little lady loves this skirt! It is comfy and the fit was perfect! Once again I mashed up sizes, using the 12-18month waist with the 18-24month length.

The instructions were wonderful and very easy to follow and the color photos were very helpful. This is the perfect pattern for all sewing levels.

The pockets are great! And I really like the flat front
waistband!

You really can't go wrong with any of these patterns! All three produce wonderful results! If you want more info on these or any of the other patterns, go take a look here. You won't regret it!

Special thanks to Pattern Revolution for letting me be a part of a bundleUP blog tour! These are always so much fun! And don't forget to go take a look at all of the amazing bloggers participating in the tour!!

MOPS came into my life a year and a half ago, when in reality I probably needed it the most. I was hesitant, not thinking I would make any real connections with anyone. There was no way I had anything in common with these women. I hadn't had a great relationship with God in quite a while, and this was a Christian organization after all, so I was certain all these ladies would look down on me for that. I was afraid of these women, who lets face it, I was sure had it way more together than me, making sure the house was spotless and dinner was on the table when their significant other came home. I knew their kids all got along and were angels, and these moms were going to look like they just stepped off the pages of a magazine.

Fear. Anxiety. Panic. Trepidation. Dread. Should I go on? Think I'm crazy?? I'm pretty certain I am at times. All these crazy feelings just because my friend asked me to go to a meeting with her. Looking back, it seems insane. But after reading Brave Mom: Facing and Overcoming Your Real Mom Fears by MOPS CEO Sherry Surratt, I realized I may not be as crazy as I thought.

Ok, confession......I have had a long time struggle with anxiety. I've dealt with this for as long as I can remember. As a child, I would sit for hours, pondering what I should say in a situation. A friend would be talking about something, or my parents would be having a conversation, and I would respond quickly, and then sit and think for hours, sometimes days, about what I would really want to say, too nervous, too anxious to ever say what I really wanted to say. Always fearing what they would think.

See, fear has ruled my life for a long time. And now as a mom, fear is around me all the time. I fear for my kids, for my husband, for my dog, for my home, for my family. I fear what others think when they see me, or what they think about what I say. I fear that I won't be able to hold my tongue when I really need to, or that I will sit frozen, unable to speak when it really matters.

Brave Mom talks about all of these things. I will be honest, it is refreshing to read that other moms in the same season of life as me, have these exact same fears. It is comforting to know I'm not alone. And the best part is that this book doesn't just say we all have fears, it's ok, just keep on keeping on and you'll be fine. No, it breaks your fears down, it give you the tools to step back and think about where the fears are coming from. It helps you stop and breathe and deal with your fears. It helps you be the brave mom you really want to be.

I don't know about you, but I so badly want to be the mom that others see as put together, that I look like I've mastered being a wife, mother, all around awesome person. And I think it's ok to want that, but we also need to be ok with being who we are, and not fearing that what we are isn't good enough.

Sherry Surratt shares her own fears and struggles, as do many other moms in this book. It is interesting to see how different we all are. Our fears, while many are about our children and family members, can be so different. And the way we deal with these fears differ vastly.

Sherry talks about how she wanted her husband to think of her as strong and not needing help. I on the other hand, often feel I lean on my husband way too much, often calling or texting him, telling him I'm struggling, that I need a break, that I'm going to scream if the kids don't let me pee in peace!

While I was reading this book, highlighter in hand, because yes, that is how I read, I felt I was constantly having that "aha moment". You know the one. You're sitting there and then something just clicks. It's like the missing puzzle piece is finally put in place and you can see the whole picture.

This one quote continues to stick with me. Sherry says, " I wasted days beating myself up, only to realize that to be the best mom I could be was the best mom for my kids. They needed me, imperfect, uncertain me. And what was really interesting to discover was that the so-called perfect mom next door wasn't so perfect. She had doubts and struggles and times when she felt like she had no answers at all either. Just because I couldn't see them didn't meant they weren't there."

"Aha moment" am I right?!?! For me, I become so consumed with what I look like to others, or what others think, allowing the fear and uncertainty of that overcome me, I forgot what my job is. I chose to have this life. I willingly and happily chose to have three children, to marry my amazing husband, to live in the wonderful town I live in. Why am I so fearful of others and what they think? What I need to focus on is that to the people who really matter in my life, I am everything they need. I was given my amazing kids because they are exactly what I need. And I am exactly what they need!

After three kids, my parenting style has changed. I'm sure this is true with every parent, you are constantly evolving, learning, figuring out works and doesn't work for your kids. Sherry talks about this as one of the things better moms do. They constantly educate themselves. I find myself doing this. I am always interested in learning and reading about parenting, new techniques, new studies, anything that will give me more tools to better parent my little humans. Because someday these little humans will be big humans, and goodness I hope I am doing it right!

Talk about the biggest fear ever. How do we get these little beings to become amazing productive members of society, who are not only hard working and intelligent, but kind and compassionate? Who understand the world is much bigger than just them and they are here for a reason?

I think this is a very common fear among moms. We fear about who our children will become and what kind of life they will live. But as Sherry points out, us moms very often fear these things that are out of our hands. Sure, we can make sure we love and nurture our kids and model what good people should do, but in the end, we all have free will, and our children will do as they please. We can't control what happens years down the road. So instead of worrying about what kind of adults our kids will become, we can focus on the now. Modeling good behavior, talking with our kids about making good choices, and enjoying life.

I learned a lot from reading this book. The biggest thing I learned was that my fear is based on control. I enjoy being in control. As a kid, I had control over speaking or not. I now have control over how I look or what I say to others. I have control over my reactions, although in all honesty, this is my BIGGEST battle! I crave control, and in this world we live in, there are many things that are just not in our control. I cannot control the choices my kids make, the way someone views me, the reactions of others. I can, however, control my reactions, my behaviors, my words, my actions. If I spent more time on what I can control, and less time on fearing the uncontrollable, I'm certain my life would be more fulfilling, more rewarding, more enjoyable.

Truth be told, I fear a lot of things, and I fear all the time. I am a worry wart. I lay awake unable to turn my mind off, thinking and worrying about what might happen, what I know will happen, what I know will never happen. I am full of fear. But as moms, aren't we all? Don't we all fear that our child will be the one to get into the car with the stranger? That our husband will get laid off not once but twice?(been there done that!!) That a family member will get sick and we won't be strong enough to take care of them? That our children will grow up to hate us? That our kids will get bullied in school? That one day all of our fears and anxieties will eat us alive? Because at this rate, that's exactly what is going to happen. We are worrying ourselves sick.

Brave Mom sparked something in me. That not only do I worry about way may than the normal person should ever worry about, but that I am the only one who can change my fears. I can pray, I can educate myself, I can confide in friends, I can just breathe. Breathe.......sometimes that's all we need. A minute to breathe. A minute to center ourselves and come back to reality. To realize that God gives us what we can handle. No more, no less. And that our fears will be ever changing and evolving as we change and evolve. Fear is ever present, but we have the control. We are the ones who decide how we handle it.

It's 10:10pm. My husband is at his "fun job" as i like to call it, and my kiddos are sleeping. And here I sit. Still full of fear, but hopeful that maybe things can be different. That I don't have to be full of fear. If you struggle with fears and you'd like to learn more about being a brave mom, pick up your own copy of Brave Mom here. If you'd like more information on MOPS, visit here. You won't regret it. I know I don't!

I'm starting to get that warm fuzzy feeling inside. The Holidays always do that to me. I love the buzz of people, visiting with friends and family, gift giving, the whole holiday experience! The 4in of snow we have here in Southeast Michigan help too! lol

The latest One Thimble sewing magazine has sent me over the edge! There are so many amazing patterns that are perfect for the Holidays! I couldn't choose just 1, so I chose 3 patterns to review.

First up is the Sweet Grace Ruffled Headband by Snickerdoodle Stew. This is Jessica's first published tutorial and she did an amazing job! Her tutorial is easy to follow and includes step by step instructions and color photos. The tutorial gives measurements for sizes newborn-adult which is awesome!

I really like the look of this headband. The proportions are perfect, but you could easily change the dimensions of each layer if you want.

I really like the added embellishments! I will add a cute flower to the next one! There are so many different ideas I have. I will be making a bunch of these for my daughter for Christmas! Super easy and fast, and these would make amazing gifts for any lady in your life!

We think this pattern is total winner! If you are looking for a simple but great looking headband, you can't go wrong with this!

Since I made something for my favorite lady in my life, I knew I needed to make something for my gents. And what better for my art loving boys than the Art Caddy by Damaya Designs.

Who wouldn't love an awesome art caddy?? These are going to make perfect Christmas gifts for my gents. I will make another in opposite fabrics for my youngest boy.

This tutorial is wonderful! The instructions are easy to follow and include color photos which are so helpful. The photos are even labeled to correspond to the correct instruction!

This caddy holds a TON of supplies! On one side, you have 9 crayon pockets and a large pocket perfect for papers, stickers, felt. The list in endless! I put some of our favorite glitter foam pieces in there and they fit great!

The other side has 12 smaller pockets perfect for colored pencils of the twistable crayons and both medium and small pockets. The medium sized pocket is great for a pair of scissors, a small pad of paper or some stickers. The smaller pocket is perfect for a few glitter markers!

This pattern is awesome! My boys are going to flip when they open these at Christmas! I mean, who doesn't love art supplies?!?!? These make great gifts for any budding artist in your life!

Since I now have gifts for all my kiddos, I knew I needed something to spruce up my house, and the Bunting 3 ways by Willow and the Owl was exactly what I was looking for!

Time to deck the halls!! I decided to go with a somewhat non traditional look for my Christmas banner. And since was are a somewhat musical family, I thought this Fa La La La La banner was fitting!

This tutorial was wonderful! Very easy to follow with great color photos and helpful hints. I have NEVER appliqued before, and while this in no where near up to my normal standards of work, for a first time I thought I did ok!

After looking at the bunting, and knowing I LOVED the look, I decided it would suit my boys' room the best! It's a great addition to their room and will look perfect for the Holiday season!

The tutorial includes 3 different shapes, triangle, scallop, and rectangle. It also includes a bunch of different applique shapes to use. I chose to use these super cute music notes that I found during one of my many Pinterest searches!

The tutorial also gives great ideas if you are going to applique letters onto the bunting and many helpful hints. This is a great tutorial for beginners!

I can see myself using this tutorial a lot for name banners, different holiday sayings, and it would also make a great gift! I will definitely by making more of these!

You can't go wrong with any of these tutorials! Head on over to One Thimble to pick up your copy of the magazine or single copies of the tutorials now! And don't forget to enter below for your chance to win a copy of the magazine!

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