Is it just me, or are rag dolls back and in a big way?

A few weeks ago, my husband had a late night at work so we met him in the city and decided to spend a little time walking around and showing Hugo the holiday window displays. The Land of Nod in our area always has the cutest window display and toys for the season so we decided to head there first. Inside we found such precious "heirloom" rag dolls and I just loved them to pieces but they were all thrown on the shelf and not in the best condition. Plus, they were also really expensive. Why, oh why must The Land of Nod be so cute and so expensive!

10 Tips + Tricks for the Beginning Sewist

Lately I've had a lot of people in my life express interest in sewing and it's been a lot of fun talking patterns, fabric, and adorable makes. It's the best when a girl's night involves coffee, a trip to the fabric store, chatting it up about style, the kiddos, and the husbands. Among these conversations are questions and answers to aspects of sewing that are nuanced and not necessarily known to the beginning sewist. Often times, getting started can feel overwhelming or as if sewing at home requires a natural talent, which is simply not true. As with any other hobby, time and experience are on your side - plus, armed with these tips, you'll be feeling confident with your sewing in no time! 

So, without further ado, here are 10 tips and tricks that every beginning sewist should know: 

Trick or Treat: Our DIY Family Halloween Costumes (Hint: It Involves Ms. Frizzle and a School Bus!)

This is such a late post. Face palm.

I know, I know we're in November and probably over hearing about Halloween costumes but bear with me! I am still super excited about this year's DIY costumes and life has been nothing short of crazy. CRAZY, I tell you! We can talk about the crazy later but, for now, let's talk about costumes (said with jazz hands -  lots of jazz hands)!

Last year we were super awful and waited until the last minute to create Hugo's Halloween costume but this year, I was ready! We started talking about our costumes almost immediately after last Halloween and decided to do The Magic School Bus. Talk about being prepared! At the time, Hugo wasn't into the show, and didn't even know what The Magic School Bus was, but I thought it would make for a great family costume theme because there are so many characters to choose from. Over the summer Netflix released a Magic School Bus reboot and now Hugo rather enjoys the lo busss (toddler for, 'yellow bus'). The timing, let me tell you, was on point. New show? Hugo loves the yellow bus? Somehow, I managed to spot a trend - in advance! Whoop, whoop! Any how, we chose to dress up as Ms. Frizzle, Arnold, and Liz the Lizard. Plus, I made a Magic School Bus treat bag for Hugo to carry. SO. CUTE. 

Finding Versatility in McCalls M7127

Not too long ago, my husband and I were grocery shopping at Walmart when we happened upon a clearance bin of fabric in the middle of an unassuming aisle. Of course, I had to look and was rather excited to find a ton of knit fabric bolts marked down to a $1 yd. Surprisingly, I don't have a lot of knit in my fabric stash, and was really excited to be going home with 5 yds of black and gray jersey. As soon as they got home, they went straight into the washing machine, and I thumbed through my knit patterns trying to figure what to make with all of this newly found fabric.

Fall Inspired Fashion: The Freya Dress by Simply Sewing Magazine

Fall is quickly becoming my favorite season, guys! I've always been such a fan of fall fashion with it's lux color choices, the layering, and of course, pouring over the all of the September magazine issues. This year, it seems like everywhere you turn, there's denim or 70s inspired style in the stores in the magazines, or online, so I was thrilled when I found a ton of denim fabric at Goodwill for $5.99.

A Tutorial for your Inner-Urbanista: The DIY Wrap Dress

The last couple of weeks have been so busy because I've picked up a bit of client work doing alterations, re-upholstery, and custom made dresses through word of mouth. I am kind of blown away sometimes by the fact that other people have been sharing what I've sewn with others and trust me with their projects. As a (mostly) self-taught hobbyist, it's crazy to think about how much my sewing has improved - even in the last six months. Like my husband joked the other week, "babe, you've come a long way since sewing pajama pants," which is kind of funny because for awhile, that's all I knew how to sew so we had lots of pajama pants around the house. haha. Truthfully though, I really enjoy sewing for others. I feel as though I am always learning something new whether it be a new skill, a project I've never attempted, different type of material, finish, etc. Plus, it still feels like I am getting that new fabric excitement over my client work without adding to my already out of control fabric collection.

Thrifting 101: 5 Tips and Tricks for Successful Thrift Shopping

This week we're breaking it up a little bit to talk about thrifting tips and tricks! Lately, I've noticed that I've been receiving a lot of compliments on things I've worn that were purchased from a thrift store. I've also found that it's a lot of fun to see someone's surprised reaction when I tell them that I bought it used, at a thrift shop. Usually, they are shocked and tell me that they never find anything cute at the thrift store which, in turn, surprises me!