Looking Back: Holiday 2016

The last photoshoot of 2016, and what a great way to end the year. 

For this shoot I worked with local photographer Raelyn Ramey as well as three other local businesses - Peach Polka Dot (Megan) who produces flower crowns, Acanthus Apparel (Alyssa) a local screen printing company, and The Pink Revolver (Melissa) who is another handmade clothing company specializing in up-cycled garments. 

Looking Back: FW16

We're nearly caught up and today we'll look at what's currently out for FW16 - these items can be found in my online shop Mae & Co. until they're sold out. 

Looking Back: FW15

Hi! I'm back again to show you the second collection I created for Mae & Co. FW15. 

Violette Dress in Purple Unicorns

Another busy week! I had my last holiday market of the year, the Market Day Merry Market, and did some sewing for my family and friends this week too. I'll be sharing the first with you today, the Violette Dress by VFT in purple unicorns was put sewn up for my daughter Lily. I normally sew her a "fancy" dress this time of year for all the holiday gatherings and special events we attend. Grandma also gifted her with a special night out to dinner + tickets to the broadway show "The Wizard of Oz." 

Winter Pajamas in Indigo + Unicorns

 Winter is certainly closing in on us here in the Midwest. Even though the forecast says we'll have quite a few 40 degree days (what?!) this month, I'm not a winter person and prefer above all else, to be in sweltering heat with no air conditioning. So, to me it's still pretty cold. haha 

Which has led me to make my oldest some new snuggly pajamas. She loves those pajama sets that have a matching top and bottom. We get them given to us from friends who have older children, but she has shot up another few inches and it's leaving her ankles a bit exposed. I thought I better take matters into my own seamstress hands rather than go purchase a new set. It sure does feel good to have practical skills. :) 

Watercolor Dress Remade

Who would have known that the Watercolor Dress I made for Lily last summer would become one of the most adored pieces. It's gotten so much attention on my FB group that I've created two more in size 2t for a customer.

Embroidery Season

While I'm sure there are embroidery enthusiasts that stitch all year round, my tendency is to stitch when the weather gets cold. 

Small Fry Skinny Jeans in Floral

Another installment of skinny jeans for winter here today. I picked up this fabric a month or so ago and didn't expect that it would take me THIS long to make them. Oh well, the weather got warmer for a bit and has now dipped back down and she'll certainly need them.

Holiday Dresses for Mae & Co. 2014

This year is my first when it comes to selling handmade clothing. Instead of creating a bulk lot of dresses for the holiday I decided to try something different. I created sample dresses and took orders from there, which seems to be working out pretty well. I think it's really helped with keeping me from being overwhelmed and I also feel creative about what I'm making. Something I don't want to lose while moving to the business side of sewing. 

I chose to use the LLK Best Dressed Girl pattern for my holiday dresses. 

If you follow me on IG, then you've likely seen at least one of them before. 

All Spice Blog Tour

Aster Cardigan in Olive Green + Print

The other day I was pretty frustrated. 

Surfer Slacks in Khaki and Navy Blue

Good morning! 

I'm rarely up before 6:30 am as I am pretty fond of sleeping but this morning Archer wasn't having it. He was up yelling before six so I pulled him into bed thinking it would give me at LEAST until 6:45 am to wake up. Instead, he poked me a while, demanded my blanket saying "It's MINE MINE MINE!", and told me the window was open. Anyways, I gave up and now here I am. So, good morning and I hope you had the chance to wake up leisurely this morning. 

Pajama Pants in Brown and Red

More pajama pants? 

Yes.

Although I truly enjoy the creative process of sewing, my main concern is that my kids get what they need because I rarely (and I mean VERY rarely) go purchase items that my children need. I don't do a lot of "shopping around" when they are lacking the essential clothing items, instead I dig into my stash and make the items. Which is probably why I spent my daily sewing time, aka naptime, sewing a doggie diaper yesterday. It was the LAST thing I wanted to be sewing, but it was the first thing our family needed right now. So I done did it.  

Pajama Pants & Thrift Shop Finds

I was absent last week from the blog so the projects I was working on have accrued in a nice little "to-do list" for blog-writing that I keep on my kitchen table. I totally get that consistent posting is good, but enjoying each and every day is a huge priority for me. So, when we have sunshine, I push my computer aside and take my kids to the zoo or the library or somewhere we can get OUT and move. It tends to mess with my blog posts, but my children (and I) are so much happier! I'm sure anyone else living in a climate where winters are cold and icky can understand. 

Plus it leaves this week with lots of new posts, which is pretty fun.

Archer's Upcycled Long Sleeve Tee

Remember when I said I had some upcycles in mind? I didn't realize how quickly it would be, but here we are! I realized recently that Archer is outgrowing his 18 month shirts. He is especially in need of warm long sleeves. I'm super happy that my good friends know my love of sewing and frequently drop off piles of old clothing at my house. Not too long ago, a male friend of mine gifted me a pile of extremely nice mens shirts that had been shrunk in the wash. I have since used them to make quite a few items, but there were still a few left. 

Project Run & Play: Wk.2 "Let's Go To The Movies" Entry

Boy I'm sliding in by the skin of my teeth on this entry (honestly, what's new though?).

In my house, there's a lot of love for all things Studio Ghibli ... and right now the kids are especially stuck on My Neighbor Totoro. Past favorites have been Howells Moving Castle and Ponyo, but really they are all pretty fun. And let's face it, I spend a lot more time watching kids movies than anything with adult content. So, for this challenge I chose to make my daughter Lily an outfit like the big sister "Satsuki."

Floral Skinny Jeans #2

Hey guys! 

Right smack dab in the middle of Project Run & Play I decided it was time to finish sewing up the second pair of Skinny Jeans I had cut out for Lily. I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but I really dislike clutter and I really get hard on myself if I don't finish a project. So, once I cut something out, I am basically ensuring that it will be finished shortly thereafter or my head will explode (jk but you get what I mean!).

Project Run & Play Winter Wonderland Entry

Yay for another season of Project Run & Play. Have you guys been over and looked at the entries this week? I've been periodically check the scores and it's been all over the place. I'm really excited to see how the judges will weigh in and who the wk. 1 champ will be! 

Winter Embroidery - Lily's Family Quilt Square

Hi! 

I'm back sharing another square from our "Family Quilt" that is in progress. I really need to trace another square and get working- it's been almost two weeks since I finished this one and I have yet to really nail down plans for the next one. 

I guess I just got busy sewing for baby& trying to catch up on scrap booking Lily's year being a 5 year old. I realized the other day she'll be turning 6 in May and I have yet to put ONE PHOTO in her 5yr. old album. How sad! I also ordered another copy of "The Belly Book" to fill in for this baby. Thank goodness I've been using an iphone app to track different aspects of the pregnancy. I thought to myself, if this baby is a girl she will be awfully sad looking at the pathetic amount of memories captured of her time in my belly. Is it just me or am I the only one who thinks that girls appreciate the memory albums more? 

Lily's Winter Outfit Revealed

Happy 2014 everyone! 

This post is coming late, as I mentioned last week, because of a computer issue. 

I will say, being without my computer for over a week was gruesome. All of my patterns are stored on here and all of my photo editing software is downloaded here etc etc ... it was like being stuck in a cave. So, I'm super happy to have an awesome husband who fixes all my technical dilemma's so I don't complain for too long. :)