Wearing A Maxi Skirt In The Fall... My New Go To...

I... like a lot of people I know, completely jumped onto the maxi band wagon... with both feet...  I even drafted a pattern using one of my favorites... I have not however, worn one in the Fall.
That is about to change...

Meet my new favorite GoTo Maxi....

 I made the skirt using this tutorial... The fabric is a super soft knit that I picked up for a $1 on one of my recent thrifting excursions...

The pattern was super simple... Your waist measurement + 1 inch... Measurement from waist to floor + 1 inch(your length)... I used 37 inches for the bottom width of the skirt...

Super cute... and super cozy!  Ready for the cold weather that is coming our way...
P.S. If you haven't seen it already... I also have a super easy tutorial for the scarf I'm wearing here...
***Jennifer

My Latest Knitting Project... Buttoned Lace Vest

This project would be more accurately categorized under Latest "Finished" Projects... because I started it at the end of May... took a break from it July/August... and now in November just getting around to completing it!  The pattern is from Vogue Knitting... spring/summer 2011

I am pretty happy with how it turned out...

 The yarn I picked up for .50 cents a skein at an estate sale...  So my total cost for this number was a whopping $1.50...

Being my usual thrifty self, and only using what I had on hand...  A little problem on the back arose, when I ran out of the colored yarn... And to top it off  I only had a small amount of the cream... soooo... I basically just made up the top portion using what I had left... It was a make it work moment!

 Of course I finished it with mismatched vintage buttons...

Happiness is a completed project no matter how long it took...

Happy Knitting!

***Jennifer

Savoring Fall... Living In The Moment...

A little late posting, but this is my favorite time of year... and I want to savor it!  Let's not talk about Christmas yet... There are plenty of things to enjoy now.
So, I am pushing the pause button... and Savoring Fall...

I love it when the leaves change color... they're beauty always captures my heart... I also get excited to wear tights and boots... Silly...  I know...

Going to the Pumpkin Patch... An annual tradition...

Fall decorations... I was lazy this year, and reused my wreath from last year.  Except for the corn... I made it from yard clippings(to change it up I added the leaves this year)...

 I love decorating with nature...  gathering up treasures found on walks around the neighborhood... I can always find them a good home...

I also made a few of these paperback pumpkins... super easy... you can find tutorials for them all over Pinterest...

Together with my found items... they made the perfect center piece for my table.

Making Halloween costumes... always a good time...

This year my son wanted to be Steve... a character from the game Minecraft...

My daughter took it easy on me and went as Super Girl...

We always enjoy carving pumpkins, and roasting the seeds... My sons reached a whole new level of scary this year...

Trick or Treating...  We tried out a new neighborhood this year, and enjoyed how festively the houses were decorated...

And to top it off... The first Eggnog latte of the season...

Happy Fall!

***Jennifer

The Coffee Date Dress...

Tis the season for weddings... and the eternal question... What am I going to wear?!!!?
As I was contemplating my options, and catching up on the blogs I read...  I stumbled upon this...
The Coffee Date Dress Sew-Along Linky Party!!!!

Over at Project Sewn...

I read over the details, and realized... wait a minute... I have this pattern! (I found it on BurdaStyle) It's only been sitting in my To Do pile for probably two years.  After I dug it out, feeling very triumphant that I did find it, I decided this would be the perfect dress to wear for the wedding I was attending.

 Since mine was still in a printed out pile... I quickly got to work assembling the pieces...

 And adding my seam allowance...

 It came together quickly... The only change I made... was adding some vintage lace trim...

 Here I am at the wedding... wearing my Coffee Date Dress... and a very serious expression...

 Although... clearly my dress and I had some fun too!!!

Here's how it looks unbelted...

Thank you Ladies at Project Sewn!  You gave me the kick in the butt I needed to make this cute dress... and the satisfaction of getting a project done out of my To Do pile...
Happy Sewing!
***Jennifer

Summertime Journal 2013...

It's not summer without at least one wedding to attend... and my daughter was so excited to be a Bridesmaid... It was very special to be included on this wonderful day... and fun helping set it up!  I can't believe how grown up my daughter is... I am so proud of the young woman she is turning into(sniffle...sniffle)...

More wedding fun... this time in the form of burlap and lace... Decorations...

Sparkle... Sparkle... everywhere...

So, when a friend of the family asked if I would like to help out with her wedding this summer... I of course was more than happy to.   And...when she asked my daughter to be a Bridesmaid it warmed my heart... So when she ask if wanted to make my daughters dress... I said sure... She already had the fabric... Great... Little did I know I was about to meet my nemesis...  The Coral Sparkle Lace...  It may seem innocent, but it's presence is left all over my house... From my studio it has spread like the plague... no surface has been left untouched... SPARKLETASTIC!

On our way home to Oregon... The drive was a little bit shorter since we left from Mammoth... It only took 11.5hrs... Proving that I can dominate any highway...

Our last night... We had a big campfire and made double chocolate s'mores(roasted marshmallows, chocolate bars, and chocolate graham crackers)... Yummy!

We found a bear in our camp site!  Thankfully, we followed all of the food rules and had nothing out that would attract it... So it moved on without incident...(It is hard to see... but our visitor is under the canopy, next to the chairs!)

Mammoth Museum...

Hiking around the camp... we found an abandoned cabin...

We enjoyed trips into town also... shopping, the fishing festival, and Rite Aid ice cream...

Today we conquered the hike up to Sherwin Lakes...  It took us over an hour to hike up the mountain side (no roads to this one), but our picnic lunch by the lake when we got there... was more than worth it!

Enjoying the scenery at Lake Mary...

Violet caught her first fish in the creek next to our campsite...

Our last hurrah at the end of our trip... camping in Mammoth!  We started off with a gondola ride up to the top of the summit...

3rd Sunday of the month... Long Beach Antique Fair...  My idea of paradise... need I say more?  A much loved tradition, my Mom Katie and I love to browse the isles... hunting for treasure.  We usually find at least one thing we can't live without.  This year it was a pair of salt and pepper shakers, and an unusual necklace...

Off visiting our friends in the cute little town of Claremont, CA...  We had a fun time walking around downtown, making wishes at the fountain, playing games(headbandz... probly the funniest game I've seen in awhile... lots of laughs), movies in the park, and a hike in the foothills...

 Tuesdays and Thursdays...  On these mornings we get to start out the day with private swim lessons right across the street...  I love these mornings, because I get to walk over with my cup of tea(shoes optional) and soak up some sun while the kids swim in the pool...

Visited one of our favorite places today... Fashion Island...

I'm  loving my new purse...  We just go back from the movies...  You can read more here!

We made it to California safe and sound... the kids are already enjoying their time with Papa and Grandma...  working on projects, baking cookies, and playing dress up...

Heading back to Cali...  Loaded up and making our annual 14 hr drive from Oregon to Southern California... Looking forward to three weeks of beaches and sunshine!

Since we got back from camping... I have spent all of my free time trying to make a bathing suit for our annual trip to California.  I have taken apart the top three times, and still can't get it to fit right...Aaaggghhhh!!!... I have come to the realization that it's is not going to be finished in time... So... Here it sits on my sewing table awaiting our return...

Our summer started off with a camping trip at the lake... We had lots of fun exploring, spending time with cousins, and making Smores...