vote people!

I know, I know it's not that exciting for you, but it is to me! look at the poll to the right or I just may do something like post something really long and boring and whiny!

I'm going to be selling my goods (very exciting, i know!) and I'm wondering about my shop name. From Shelly's Belly - I do like Snap Dragon! I like too. I say it all the time (if you know me IRL you already know that). I don't want it to be confusing however my blog titled FSB and my shop something else.

think about it, and report back to me!

dress and breathing

Here's one of the dresses I've made from Amy Butler's new book, that I just love! I've made another, I just don't have any pictures of Nee' Nee' wearing it. I'll have her wear it this week so just you wait!

I finished an apron I made for Seda, that is adorable! I just have to adjust a few things on it for length - I had to guess how big she was. I'll post pictures of that too when it's done.


Rude, I know for mentioning things and not even having pictures to match. Why read a blog without pictures, seriously?


So here's one of me during the hurricane when we didn't have power. I've got a head lamp on, a flashlight in hand, and my son's blanket as a cape - I'm super light lady (and I'm not referring to my weight). Just trying to get some humor from the situation. Hopefully I've made a big enough fool of myself on this here blogosphere. Keep in mind I've got no makeup on, unless you count the previous day's goop under my eyes.

Amy Butler help

I am so impressed with Amy Butler! Of course I'm in love with all of her fabrics and patterns, but I mean I'm impressed for another reason. I have her book, Little Stitches, and I have recently made an outfit and am in the midst of making a second one. I have yet to post the completed one, but it is beautiful! Well, I was struggling on one point in the instructions, my brain just couldn't grasp the instructions that were written - I am an extremely visual learner and need pictures and diagrams for everything. This book has 1-2 diagrams per pattern. So I just do a lot of re-reading. It's still easy to do, except for this dumb sleeve. I couldn't figure it out. I sewed, and ripped out stitching, I re-sewed it and it didn't look right. Then I did 2 fake sleeves on throwaway fabric so I wouldn't ruin the nice fabric. I still didn't get it the way I wanted it. So, I emailed Amy Butler's company for help. A wonderful woman, Dianne, emailed me back right away and gave me her personal cell phone number so that we could talk about it! Holy CROW! Are you kidding me? I can talk to her? I have been super busy all day and am exhausted, so I won't be talking to her until tomorrow morning, but so far I'm mega impressed and so so grateful.

bandana skirt revisted

I finally took a picture of Jenee' wearing it. She has her ballerina socks on, so I think it completes this outfit. She should have a bow or headband on, but since it's the middle of the week and we're just at home, it stays off. I couldn't get a great shot of her since whenever she sees me or senses me she has to get angry and come crawling over to me. I couldn't get her to stay standing where she was, nor could I get her to stand with me holding her hand - she just wanted to climb all over me. It's cute, but not cute for the sake of a picture. Or anything else I want to get done.

bandana skirt

This is a bandana skirt I made, I was inspired by the bandana shorts on sew, mama, sew. I made the shorts, I just don't have a picture of it here. I made the skirt in 5 minutes - so easy.

However, I made the mistake of not washing the bandanas before sewing them. I didn't figure them for regular fabric, so when I washed the shorts the sewing got pulled from the shrinking. I can fix it, it's just a pain. I haven't yet washed the skirt because Jenee' hasn't worn it yet.

This is a mini tutorial on how I made it. Not that you need one.

It fits Jenee' who wears from 6-12 months size. It is about 18-19" wide (I roughly measured) and 8-9" long. I did french seams on the side seams.

French seams: sew 1/4" seam with right sides OUT. then turn wrong sides out and sew 3/8" seam. Iron seams to the side. Whatever you do make sure the second seam line is larger than the first. I love it because it encases raw edges.


Then hem to desired length. I did about 1-1 1/2" and then make a casing at the waistband 1" or however wide to fit your elastic. Put your elastic through with a safety pin and put it on your little one. Figure out where it needs to be. Take it off, sew the elastic down. Tada!

There is a twirly skirt tutorial that's way cooler you can use. I was planning on using it, but I wanted something extremely simple!

Tada.

I win! I win!!

The apple orchard give-away! I win I win!! Yay! I read Kathleen's blog the other day to check any updates for winners just in case I won. Yeah right, I always think. It took a moment before it registered that that was my name I was reading. I literally jumped up and down and squealed like a little girl! How fun!! I'm so excited to see it when it gets here and put it on Jenee' - she'll look so cute in it, because the outfit is cute!! I love this woman! I'm so excited!

tulip dress

Here's my little tulip. I didn't get a great photo shoot - I didn't think about it until 5 minutes before we left for church. If I didn't get them right away she wouldn't be neat and tidy after church! The top gave me troubles and I had to re-cut them out and used precious fabric.
This is my own pattern, though it was inspired by Katiedid (she is amazing). The top is bunchy - it'd fit best if she had boozies, but I don't want her to have any yet. I made it shorter because she's crawling and gets so mad when she gets caught up on her skirts. It's a wrap dress, with ties on the inside and button closure on the front. I even got her bow to stay in her hair by an idea I read here. Elmer's glue. The karo syrup and honey just left a mess with the bow lost somewhere.

cute little toes!

Paperdoll Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Paperdoll Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

another cute one. someday i'll win one of her dresses. sigh. someday.

cute, but.

I got to go to another baby shower this week! I love sewing baby gifts - hello! I took the handmade pledge, so I have to sew something! yipee.

Sewing has NOT been going well for me lately. I'm in a sewing funk. How many wee wonderful bears have I made? 6. that's right, and this last one was the worst. Ok, it wasn't really that bad, but the bottom part was wonky. which was a good thing that I had planned on putting a skirt on.


I was very excited to do this one because I thought of doing bloomers with a skirt - and I was proud of myself for thinking of it without anyone else already doing it (to my knowledge). The gingham fabric was very thin, so it got a bit wonky during the stuffing phase.


the scalloped blanket had a few tucks and folds in it. One scallop was wonky.




I am just so blah with my sewing lately. I'm not doing anything differently, but everything is coming out almost good enough. I thought I should take a break, so I stopped sewing for a couple of days, but I can't, I have too many projects swirling around in my head that if I stop they get even more backed up.



on a happy note, I do love the fabric! Oh, i really just think I'm still ticked about the apron I just did.

i'm still happy so no worries.

ugly ugly

I don't even want to post a picture of it.

I don't want people to know I made it.

I'm a sucker for pity though.

I slaved for 2 days on this half apron. The 1st day was spent trying to decide what I wanted to make exactly. Then cutting. The 2nd day (and by days, I mean nap times) was spent sewing, and then re-working.

Everything that could go wrong did. The first pockets I designed didn't turn out, so I decided on one side having a kangaroo pocket, and the other side having a square pocket with ruffle trim. The pockets are the only things I like on the whole dumb thing.

I planned on what fabric to use without really remembering the fabric's qualaties. My mother bought me this fabric (thanks ma) in toronto, and I've been fretting over what to sew with it. This apron is made out of my least favorite fabric of the loot (she bought me tons of different kinds. also - don't feel bad mom about it being my least fav.), so I chose it to use first because I wasn't as attatched to it. I thought it was a heavy weight cotton. No, I think it's polyester or something. When I was cutting it I wasn't paying too much attention, and then thought - hey this has a bit of stretch to it. While sewing I thought - hey this has a LOT of stretch to it. hey - this is stretching too much! Hey - this isn't looking right!

My ruffle for the edge was short 5 inches, so I had to sew on an extender. My thread broke a few times for the ruffle and the gathering of the skirt part. Then sewing on the waistband, the fabric stretched so funkily (no matter what I did) that it twists a bit on the side. I was pretty upset. At that point I thought, you know what I don't care anymore.

After looking at the apron, before sewing on the ties, I thought -snap dragon! this is ugly! The fabric is so heavy, it's poofy, it's not laying right, and thank goodness I'll probably spill bleach on it next week. I do love the pockets though! I didn't sew pockets on my 1st apron, and I really want some.

So I have a reversible apron, that's ugly on both sides. it's ugly ugly...
here's the proof:

You may think, hey it's not that bad. that's what I thought when I saw the pictures. Then I looked in the mirror. oh no, it's that bad.

Just so everyone knows, I have not lost any more weight - which is why I still look pudgy. don't judge me; I like my cookies.

bias tape

I am not very happy at this moment! I am in the midst of making pajamas for my Benji from this pattern from habitual, and my bias tape is not working out! I have done it several times, and it's just aggravating for it to not work today! First off, I made the binding using Amy Karol's continual strip method, which has worked for me in the past and I think is genius, but oh no, not today! The first time my seams were switched -- one seam on one side and the other on the opposite side. Meaning, when the binding is folded in half, you'd see a seam (which would have pink thread on it b/c i was too lazy to switch thread). Soo... that didn't look too hot. Soo, second time: I make it, but when I go to cut my strips, my markings are off and then my strips turn out to be from 1 1/2 inches -3/4 inches wide -- very very wonky! I decide to try to make it work (by now I've used up the fabric I was going to use to make pj pants. I don't have enough to make shorts out of now and I'm not driving 30 minutes out of my way again to get more fabric!), but alas it is not going to work! not if I want the pj's to last - which I do. I'm making them to match his bear I made.

Just FYI - apparently I didn't know this. I bought a bias tape maker - wonderful - for 1/2 " binding - but it really makes 1/4 " double fold tape. Now I have to wait until there's more funds to go buy a 1" maker that really makes 1/2 " tape. Am I whining enough? No!! If it really makes 1/4" why not say it's 1/4" binding! Who leaves their tape unfolded? So, no pj's for benji and jenee' for a bit.

Train Stop Shirt Dress GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Train Stop Shirt Dress GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Pinata Pinafore GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!

Pinata Pinafore GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!

It makes me sick how amazing the clothes she makes! I wish she would teach me all she knows!! Plus the way she presents the cute clothes is just even more fun!

Ice Cream Social Frock Giveaway!!!!

Ice Cream Social Frock Giveaway!!!!

A goregous dress I'd die if I won!! Die of pure joy, of course!

Win a Bum Genius 3.0 Starter Kit from Nature's Child - Wholesome Goods for Mothers and Babies

Cloth diapers are genius! I'm looking to make me some as well. I don't know if I'll ever really get around to it until child #3, seeing as I have HOW MANY projects I've put on my eternal list of things that "I can do that myself, instead of paying for it" list!

cloth diaper give-away

Win a Bum Genius 3.0 Starter Kit from Nature's Child - Wholesome Goods for Mothers and Babies

Cloth diapers are genius! I'm looking to make me some as well. I don't know if I'll ever really get around to it until child #3, seeing as I have HOW MANY projects I've put on my eternal list of things that "I can do that myself, instead of paying for it" list!

http://blog.thenatureschild.com/2008/06/beat-heat-summer-contest.html

the first link didn't work, so I'm trying this one to see if it'll work instead. Hopefully, it will count as me being entered! oh please oh please!!

sewing frenzy, again

Well, I've been on another sewing frenzy. Although, truthfully a lot of it has been going on in my head. How is that possible?? I think about so many different projects I want to so much, that it's almost like I've done them. I have found a shirt pattern I want to do, but I've analyzed it so much and thought about, what I can do to it to make it different, "mine", that I've spent more time thinking about it than it would if I'd just sit down and sew it. I made this dress for Jenee' a while back, but it's too big. It's a wee bit frustrating because I checked and quadrouple checked the measurements to make sure they were right, and they always came out the same. I did want the dress to be looser, mostly because she grew out of the yellow dress I made for her after the 2nd time she wore it. Depressing. I just wanted to have her be able to wear it longer. She can wear it now, it's a wee bit baggy. When she's grown out of it as a dress though, she can wear it as a shirt, easily. So that's pretty exciting!!

She was not happy with the photo shoot, I just thought she was too cute for words, so I let her cry while I kept clicking. I didn't plan on her having the onesie on with the dress, but I didn't want to strip her all the way down, seeing as how she wasn't happy to have the camera in her face. The ties on the dress aren't really my favorites, I wish I'd had the patience to make my own better matching ones than the premade ones I had. They match, the greens are the same, but it's just not as nice. I'm thinking I might add some rickrack to green fabric on bottom. *Note: she has grown since I made this dress 2 weeks ago, so it is fitting a bit better.

I just went to a baby shower for a girl in our ward, and I found this *adorable* (times 23) fabric and I just went nutso with all the things I made her! I didn't want to give them away they were so darn cute! I stopped myself from making too many things, it was going to be ridiculous (1 blanket, 3 bibs, 1 diaper holder, 1 burp cloth, 1 bear). All the things were very simple and quick to make. Sewing is sooo incredibly addicting. Out of all the crafting things I love to do (there's too many to list), sewing is by far my favorite. For the bear, (wee wonderfuls pattern) I wish I could say I was inspired to come up with the adorable skirt. Nope, sknittymama (I'll have to double check to make sure that's the right name) on flikr came up with it first. however, i did think of the rickrack "choker" .. I also embroidered a tiny heart on her left foot. Booyah. I was very excited about how beautifully it came together. the brightness of the fabrics is so cheerful! I have some leftovers of that fabric, and I'm going back to hobby lobby to buy some more of it, before it's all gone. I'll be making a whole thing for jenee', it's so fun! I might get enough (money willing) to make some of it into a quilt. oh, the projects are piling up before I even have a second to think of them. I tend to make things far more complicated than necessary. I just feel sorry they didn't have this fabric when I was scouring the store for some great fabric for Becky's gift. I thought the fabric was cute (it's cuter in person than on the pics), but this was by far cuter, and I think she would've enjoyed it much more! (sorry becks). Maybe when he sweet lil' brooklyn is a bit older (not in newborn stuff anymore) I'll send her some clothes and stuff. I'm not making any promises though. I'm desprately trying to find something for benji to sew - clothing wise. they have NOTHING for boys!! lame! I made his little bear out of gray and black, now i have the leftover material to make something out of for him, but I've gotta infuse some color into it! I'll keep trying.


I've started a quilt, but then I found more fabric for a different quilt, so I'm trying to finish the first one and not let my imagination run too wild about the 2nd one. Then I've got the hard task of not thinking of a 3rd one with the fabric in the pictures up there.

Oh by the way, I do have 2, yes 2, blogs. this one, for my sewing and crafting etc adventures. I did that so the people checking my 1st blog wouldn't have to read all this stuff that they may not find interesting. Not that many people will find this interesting in the first place, but it's kind of a journal for myself more than a place for others to come check out my "work". The point is, if you want to know what else we've been doing, check the other blog. There is a link at the top of page for "barlow bits."

click it.

Roosters-N-Rickrack Pinafore GIVEAWAY!!!!

Roosters-N-Rickrack Pinafore GIVEAWAY!!!!

smock dress modeled

 
 


here's nee'-nee' in her smock dress I made. Isn't she too cute!? uh, yeaah! I love the fabric, especially the green and flowered print together. I can't wait to get a hold of some more cute fabric to make more clothes for her. I'm eager to find fabrics that aren't traditional children's fabrics. My little girl looks lovely in navy blue, but just try to find it and it's nearly impossible! No more! I'll just go pick out some and make it myself.

Benji's birthday is coming up and I'm trying to figure out what I want to make him. I want to make him a birthday crown from the book, The Creative Family by Amanda Blake Soule (soulemama is her blog) but I don't have it, nor do I have a car at my disposal to get it (my mom's here and nick's at work - they're both using the cars). So I'm going to try and figure it out by looking at the pictures of it. Plus, I want to make a birthday cape -- or really just an any day cape, but especially for his birthday.

We're going to the zoo tomorrow with my mama to celebrate his birthday. So, I may make it for his day tomorrow, and then just have him wear it on his real birthday, next saturday. I can't believe he's going to be two!!

last sewing spree post

I made a quiet book for benji/jenee'/rest of the future kids (if it lasts that long). It turned out pretty good, there are parts of it that didn't turn out as well. It took forever, and I still have some kinks to work out. Here are a few pictures of it, I didn't post pictures of every page - you'd get bored.

What's inside:
Flower garden (button on flowers)
bedroom (open shade and put people in and out of bed)
road (drive cars around track)
apple tree (apples in and out of basket)
fishing pond (fish for fish)
faces (make silly faces with several pockets filled with hair, eyes, noses, ears, and mouths)
veggie/fruit garden (plant and pick your crops)
doggies (feed the dogs their bones
color match (match color squares
final page (notebook and pencil in there for drawing)

I had a couple of other pages I wanted to put in there, but the book was huge already! The pictures I took were not so great - there wasn't good light in the room and my camera and I don't get along sometiems.