A slow week

I'm officially back to work and it's definitely been an interesting experience. I haven't been doing much sewing or cooking hence the lack of posting. I started on a pair of shorts using the same pattern as my Bermuda shorts. I just have to finish the hem and I'll post a picture. I think this week is going to be fairly quiet in the sewing room while I get my scheduling in order.

I forgot to mention that last week Thursday we went to a play date with my coworkers who both have babies. Ayla was due for a nap by the time we got there and so she wasn't in a very receptive mood for playing. Berkley, Treena's little boy who's 13 months now, kept banging her over the head with various objects. Let's just say they got off to a very rocky start. I love play dates. It was nice to get out of the house and hang out with the girls.

Enjoying summer

Party girl

As promised I finished Ayla's dress for the party we're going to on Sunday. I love the way it turned out. I basically made it up as I went along. I wanted the skirt to look 'full' so I gathered the front and then added an elastic to the back. I also originally wanted to do a halter dress but it sort of morphed into something slightly different. However, for the most part it turned out exactly how I pictured it in my mind. I love the fact that I can easily alter the clothes that I make for her. Usually I just trace an outline from clothes she already has for the general shape then alter, tweak and edit to my heart's desire. I have some lovely vintage patterns that I found for babies at the thrift store but I haven't got around to using them yet.

I must say, sewing baby clothes is such a treat because it takes practically no time at all and it usually always turns out looking great. The dress is only a tad bit big for her in the shoulder area but I'm still happy with it because she won't grow out of it too soon. As you can see I have an affinity for embellishing with buttons. I don't know what it is but I'm so drawn to them. Especially since I have mine all color coordinated and laid out in clear jars in my sewing room.

Bermuda, Bahamas come on pretty mama...

I finally got around to finishing those Bermuda shorts I had cut out ages ago. They were sitting on my sewing table begging to be finished but I just didn't have the drive. I kept getting side tracked by other things. Well am I ever happy with how they turned out! Wow even better than I expected. I won't say that I didn't have more than my fare share of bumps in the sewing road but it was well worth it in the end. I thought that my waist size would be a 12 and not my normal size 10 so I cut it out bigger and well let's just say that even if I had cut out a 10 I would have had to alter it. I ended up having to add two additional darts at the back. They don't show too badly so I'm happy with it. Instead of using metal hooks I added a coral button on the front to match with the little bit running throughout the fabric. I used the McCalls 5391 pattern (view E) to make them. I'm definitely going to try another view and make these again with a different fabric.

I'm making a really pretty dress for Ayla for a birthday party we're going to this Sunday. I'm almost done so stay tuned for that! Speaking of which, I have no idea what I'm giving as gifts!

Bittersweet

Yesterday as I was lying in bed with Ayla trying to take a nap, I looked at her romping and playing instead of sleeping and I realized that it was going to be our very last full Monday together. It brought me to tears to think about it. Next week I'll be starting back at work and even though I'll only be doing part time hours it still makes me sad to know that I won't have all day to just laze about and enjoy Ayla's company. It made me stop to think about those moms who are able to stay home to be with their children and watch them learn and grow. Then there are the rest of us who for whatever reason can't or don't want to assume that role. I'm lucky to be in Canada where I get a year off for maternity and can have a small taste of what it would have been like to stay home all the time with Ayla. And next week will be my opportunity to see what it's like on the flip side of that coin. If there's one thing I've learned since becoming a mother it's that we must accept and appreciate the smallest of things life has to offer us. It's never been so apparent to me how fleeting each moment with her has really been. I've turned around and she's 10 months old and no longer a newborn and one day no longer a baby.

A new handbag

I've been yearning to make a summer handbag since I kept seeing really cute ones popping up all over blogland. When I picked up the June/July issue Threads a couple of weeks ago I knew immediately that I would have to whip up the handbag pattern included.

I'm immensely pleased with how it turned out. I originally wanted to quilt the bag but I wouldn't have had enough thread to finish it so I just kept it simple. The pattern on the fabric is so fabulous anyway that you don't even miss any elaborate designs. I mimicked the pocket detail on the front on the inside as well. I prefer to have some pockets in all of my handbags for keys and stuff. It doesn't have a clasp for closing and I debated adding something but in the end I just went for the wooden button detail on the front. I picked up a 1lb bag of random buttons at Wal-Mart for 3 dollars and these wonderful wooden buttons were in it. I'm so glad I found three of them to match. I still have some fabric left and have been eying this tote bag from Sew, Mama, Sew! so I think I'll be doing that next using a different contrasting fabric and quilting it like I wanted to for this one.

Independence day

Happy 4th of July to all the Americans out there. I don't have much to report. I've been watching back episodes of Project Runway for the last couple of days and so haven't been spending much time in the sewing room. It's such a great show, I can't get enough of it. I just wish I had more episodes to watch! But really it's best that I don't because I'm not getting any of my summer sewing projects done! I'm actually feeling a little be overwhelmed from watching that show. I feel like I have a thousand ideas running through my head and no time to execute any of them. It's very hard for me to work in shifts. When I get into my sewing space I just like to lose myself in my projects until they're done. But usually I'll only get the cutting done one day, the pinning another and so on until it's actually complete. So I find myself not coming up with the best that I can do because I'm just trying to decide on something I can finish relatively quickly. I'm actually looking ahead to the fall and thinking up some really cool designs that I would love to sew but we'll see how that works out especially since I'll be going back to work in two weeks! Yikes! I can't believe that my year of maternity leave is already up. It's bittersweet. I realize more than ever that I'm in the wrong profession but there's not much I can do about it right now. I'm just gonna tough through until the right opportunity presents itself. I figure it's time I stopped whining about my situation in life and either change it or work towards a change I can live with, so that's what I'm going to do. My boss and coworkers are really excited to have me back so that has been a little heart warming.

Speaking of work, I'm thinking that I should start coming up with some interesting outfits that I can wear when I start back. It's a very casual atmosphere as we're working with dirt in all it's myriad forms. Denim is very prevalent but I want a bit of a twist on it and also some new tops. I have some jeans that I'm looking to alter we'll see how that goes. I really want to make a cool denim dress that I can wear with leggings. That would be so 80s but with a modern twist. I wonder if that would look cool with steel toed boots? I think my coworkers will just think I'm crazy but hey if I'm not planning on buying any more clothes for awhile I gotta come up with my own style. On that topic, I keep thinking about my personal style and I wish someone could look at me and tell me what they think my style is because I just don't know. I love retro and vintage things but I also love lace and really feminine twists but I'm totally into casual jeans and t-shirts as well. I love the look of heels but you probably would never find me in any and I'm very partial to my running shoes, flip flops and flats. I feel like when you watch a show like Project Runway, it gives you so much inspiration but then makes you think about your own fashion rut that most of us can get stuck into. Well, rut or not here are some great Old Navy outfits that definitely inspire me.

Like I said I don't wear heels but that doesn't stop me from drooling over a pair when I see one I love.