instagram

I'm sure you've noticed I haven't posted in a while.  We are moving across the country (we leave tomorrow!) and blogging just isn't fitting into my hectic schedule.  I'll be back soon... after we settle in, but in the meantime you can follow me on instagram, @crissybell ...if you are so inclined.  :)

xoxo

crissy

Disappointed.

I know most of us like to participate in giveaways.  I love the fabulous sew, mama, sew! giveaways days that take place in the spring and winter.  I usually win one item and no matter how small it is, it feels like Christmas when you were a kid - so exciting!  Well, last December I spent hours entering all the giveaways.  I ended up winning one item.  Just one, but it was a good one.  A beautiful jewelry shop on etsy had graciously given away an item of choice from their shop.  I picked out a lovely necklace and eagerly waited for its arrival.  The shipping date came and went and I knew it would arrive any day.  Soon Christmas came and went, but we all know how crazy shipping is around Christmas, so I decided to sit tight for a few more weeks.  Pretty soon it was mid-January and there was nothing.  The end of January, still nothing.  I finally gave in and emailed the shop owner, wondering if perhaps I gave her the wrong address and the necklace was returned.  She emailed me back a few days later saying "Oh no!  I'll look into it!"  Then there was silence.  Months of silence.  Nothing was ever looked "into" there was no response ever given to me, and no necklace ever arrived.  I know that sometimes things happen, life gets in the way...and that is ok.  However, no communication, no explanation of what or why, that just leaves me a little bitter.  

So here's my message:  Don't host a giveaway if you can't keep your end of the deal.  That is just ridiculous.  If something does happen and you aren't able to ship the item, a simple email letting me know why would have been nice.  Maybe even a credit to your shop could have been a fair trade.  Instead I get silence, and a lie about "looking into it."  

Oh well, there will be plenty more giveaways to enter, I just be sure to pass your shop over in the future.

On a brighter note...here are a few cute pictures to enjoy.  These three make me smile.

xoxo 

crissy 

I did it!

Becoming a mom at a young age put a slight damper on my college dreams and then the years just started slipping by.  I felt like I would never be able to return to school.  Finally, in early 2010 I decided to go back and finish the last two years of my undergraduate degree.  Two months after applying and being accepted, I found out we were expecting a baby in January of 2011.  Hmmm, that put a little bit of a kink in my school plans, but I stuck with it anyway...and I am so thankful that I did!  Getting that diploma this last Sunday was such an incredible sense of accomplishment, I am SO proud!  Being a mom of three little kids and going to school was not easy.  I lost quite a bit of sleep, was pretty crabby at times, and usually pretty stressed out.  I am very lucky to have such great support from my family, especially my husband.  Without their help I wouldn't have managed to get a 3.93, write an honors thesis, and complete two research studies!  I have learned SO much since I started and I so thankful for the opportunity that I was given.  Who knows?  Maybe I'll even go back for a PhD! 

xoxo

crissy

Featured!

My favorite pattern maker featured me on her blog today!  Liesl, from oliver + s, liked my ombre ice cream dress and gave it a shout out on her blog.  I was more than delighted!  Check it out!

xoxo

crissy

yet another!

I finished this in March, and am just now blogging about it.  Ha.  This time it is the oliver + s tea party sundress!  This pattern was the first oliver + s pattern that I saw.  I couldn't justify spending the money on the pattern at that time since it was only offered for birth-24m and miss L was already in a 12-18 mo, so I bought another pattern and decided to wait on this one.  Of course it was out of print by the time she was big enough for a 2T.  So sad!  As soon as a digital copy was offered I snatched one up in a 2T-5.

This was a serious stash buster, the lavender was left over from these dresses, and I didn't have enough of the gray fabric to match up the pattern on the bottom half of the dress, I hope nobody notices that.  :)

I love the hem facing, even though hand sewing is a total pain-in-the-you-know-what.  The lavender and gray are pretty together, sometimes muted colors are just the way to go.  I've been sewing with muted colors quite a bit lately, which isn't my norm.  I have some super bright fabrics lined up for the next few dresses, can't wait to start on them!  If I can just make it through this week (finals week), then I can dust off my sewing machine and start creating again.

xoxo

crissy

Vintage charm.

I am proud of this one.  Another oliver + s... this time the family reunion dress.  I used a vintage, navy blue fabric with white polka dots.  It is from the 1970's, and belonged to my great aunt who recently got rid of most of her stash.  I've been trying to figure out what to make with this for a while.  It was one of a select few fabrics that were able to be salvaged from her stash as most smelled like cigarettes.  Phew.

Hard to see in this picture but there are a few rows of stitching at the bottom, which add a nice touch and stability.  The fabric isn't cotton, I think it is a blend of some sort.  Not sure what though, it falls nicely and isn't stiff but very "drapey" and soft.  Whatever it is, I like it.  

The buttons are vintage from my stash.  I thought having a new machine that sewed the buttons and button holes for me, would help me like buttons more.  Nope, even though they are really easy now, I still find them annoying.  I think it boils down to me not liking to switch gears in the middle of a project and change the presser foot to sew button holes.  So I am just lazy.

The neckline and pleats are adorable.  The button tab is cute too, but my stitching was a little wonky.  That was the cat's fault.  He likes to sit in front of the machine when I sew, it is not distracting at all.

Another easy to sew pattern with adorable results.  I've seen a version of this dress in dupioni silk on flickr.  Here is another gorgeous rendition, made by the same lady.  They are both amazing!! 

xoxo

crissy

Something old into something new.

Back when the weather was still cold and I actually had somewhat of a life besides studying for neuroscience/biological psych tests I had some free time to peruse through thrift stores every so often.  I usually make a beeline for the fabric section, the sheets/pillowcases, and then look for some pyrex.  I only give myself 10 minutes.  If I can't find it in 10 minutes, it isn't there.

On this trip, I got particularly lucky.  I found a pyrex bowl, set of matching vintage pillowcases, they are a really nice fabric, not cotton, almost silk like?  I even scored a few yards of this pink striped quilting cotton.

I am not sure what I will do with those vintage pillow cases, for now they join my stash.  The pyrex matches a set of four mugs that I have.  Cuteness.

The cotton became this...another oliver + s pattern.  (I know, I know, I'm addicted, I should seek help).  This time I sewed up the seashore sundress pattern.  Again, a superb pattern, very easy to follow and it turned out really cute.  The fabric was a bit too sheer, so I should have probably lined it.  Although, I figured this is going to be worn in the middle of summer in Georgia (HOT) so Miss L might be more comfortable with it unlined.  Either way, it turned out cute and I can't wait to sew up another.  Next time I'll use something that is a little more substantial.  But hey, you can't complain when you get two yards of fabric for $1.99, the buttons came from my stash, so this dress was a steal!

xoxo

crissy