Hi everyone,
My hubby wanted to let you know “I” wasn’t the only one who could get creative with the cucumbers… He left this display on our island…
I am finished with the wedding dress and am going to deliver it tomorrow! Pray that everything I took apart and put back together fits a little better than when I brought it home yesterday. I spent most of the day working on it and hope the changes I made will make the bride a little bit happier. Today I worked on taking the side seams apart because she needed a dart in the upper part of the bodice. I also took out that yellowish bias tape around the armholes and added a white stretch lace to encase the edges of where the sleeves were sewn in. There was LOTS of hand sewing today because of all the finishing that needed to be done on the inside of the bodice. I narrowed the sleeves a bit and hope she likes that. Anyway, it is all done… I’m still going to leave my sewing machine in my bedroom until I deliver it and make sure everything fits right before I take it back to my sewing room.
Here are just a few pictures to share…
I took this one and looked at it for a second… No turning back now, Jeanne!
This was the armhole with the bias tape Barbara’s mom had used in her wedding dress… probably because that’s all she had.
I had some white stretch lace and decided to change it out.
It looks much nicer when you see it through the lace sleeves…
It was about 9:30 when I finished the dress, but I wanted to show you those little red shoes with Bailey’s dress and I also needed to make a decision about the hat band. I ate some dinner and then found myself in my sewing room… I finished the shoes and decided to cut a bias strip to use for the hat band. As soon as I saw it held up to the hat, I knew it was the right thing to use. I can’t remember who mentioned it, but thank you! You can speak up and let us know if you suggested it and we’ll all clap for you! :o)
Anyway, here are some “better” pictures, I hope, for you to see the colors a little better. It was still after 11:30 when I took them but maybe you can see how the reds are brighter than when you first saw them.
It would have been nice to have had the back red trim match at the bottom of her dress, but the repeat in it was too far apart for how tiny the skirt on her dress was… sorry!
Now Bailey wants to show you her smile…
A few days ago I found this big bag of Cracker Jacks and went “BINGO!” Perfect for this set.
I think I am going to make her a pair of capris to wear under her dress. It just looks like they would be a nice addition.
Well, I better get to bed…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Changing out that “off” bias tape on the armscyes for the white stretch lace was definitely the right thing to do on that gown, Jeanne. It just looks sooo much better!!
Bailey’s shoes are adorable (someone is saying, “pleeease, mommy?” in the background….) and yes, using bias fabric for the hatband was the perfect touch. It reminds me of hats worn in the late 50s/early 60s (I think we called them “bucket hats”) and if I recall, some of them fit Way over the face and had “sunglasses” (sections of tinted clear vinyl) built into the brim! Anyone remember those?!
Barbara, taking your Rollator on a shopping trip is always a good idea. I debated taking mine to Michigan with me, because I do walk so much better (and faster!) with it than with just a cane, or even two canes, particularly if there’s much walking to do. There were a couple of times (esp. at River Place in Frankenmuth) where I really wished I’d brought it.
Oh, I think referring to Jaiden’s pageant dress as a “costume” is brilliant, and will probably help her a lot in deciding. Sometimes we just need the right words, and I think you found them. I hope you’ll let us know how it goes, both the shopping and the pageant!
I remember the bucket hats you’re talking about. They were so cute. I have a bucket hat but without the cute sunglasses. It is the cutest hat but it makes my head feel too hot so it gets little wear.
I can’t tell you how well the Rollator worked yesterday. We got it for David when he had his heart surgery, but he had to have another kind of walker when he had his knees done so it has received little use. I just could not imagine walking the mall and standing around without something (especially the seat) so I swallowed my pride and took it. I’m definitely a 78-year-old who thinks they are still 38 so it was tough to admit I needed it. But it definitely made my day more pleasant. At one point Azure (age 4) got tired of walking so we sat him on the seat and I pushed him along. Great resistance exercise for me.
More on the pageant shopping below.
How original for George to make a “Christmas tree” out of cucumbers! LOL. What a wonderful variety of sizes you have to choose from!
I do believe it was Joy that mentioned making the ribbon trim from the dress material, and it proved to be just the right thing too! Kudos to Joy! The white seemed too light, and the navy too dark, but this was just right! So cute the way you criss-crossed the ends and added two buttons! What a darling outfit this turned out to be with those sweet little flower trimmed shoes! Someone is going to have a very cute doll dressed for the Fourth!
What an improvement in the dress armholes you made, Jeanne! I think the bride will be thrilled with what you have done to make her dress look and fit better.
Jeanne, there is no much I can add to what Charlotte and Linda wrote, I will just say “ditto”!! and looking forward to the final finish. Also looking forward to seeing the young lady in her dress, if she sends a photo.
I wish some of you would be attending MDCC in August. What fun it would me to meet you in person. It is in Savannah, GA, this year which is only 40 miles from my house to the hotel. My neighbor, Kaye, and I have been given a job to help. (Kaye goes with me to MDCC every year, she lives 3 doors from me). You see, every year members donate dolls or doll items to the “Helper Room”, the place where you put tickets on the items you would like to win. The money from the tickets helps pay for the convention. So every year someone who lives close to the convention location is asked to have the mailed donations sent to their address. It will be Kaye’s address but I will help with it too so we both got free registration to the convention. YAY! There will be lots of boxes for us to put in safe places until they come to take them to the hotel. I have LOTS of my stuff to give this year since I don’t have to mail it. It is such a fun convention every year.
I won’t be making it to the MDCC in Savannah but hopefully it will return again to San Antonio and if you attend every year we could meet then. The last time it was in San Antonio I missed out because we had already planned our vacation when I found out about it. Since then it has not been close to me. I live on I-10 and San Antonio is on I-10 and I’m only about an hour and a half away from there.
A very productive day for you Jeanne
Your hubbs is very creative. I love the Christmas tree.
Your work on the wedding dress is excellent, you have made it absolutely a treasure, and she will look so pretty and feel comfortable wearing it.
The dolly dress and outfit is so adorable. The red shoes are so cute! I can’t wait to show Sarah and Lauren when they come over in an hour, for more playing and frolicking in the basement of treasures and boxes
I hope all of you have a lovely day. Down sizing is exhausting, but oh my, my daughter Christina is an absolute angel in helping, going through each box. We found many many lovely things to keep and give. So much progress. I slept like a log last night I was so exhausted. The windows on our house are all steamy this morning, that must mean it is a “sauna” outside. No thanks, even though it makes my hair frizzy and curly, and that is something (at my age) I do not even care about. haha
Today I pray for peace in all of your hearts.
My older sister just sent me photos of severe water damage in her house, one end of the house, from a cracked toilet tank? and the other end of the house from a leaking window on the south side of her house (sun dries caulking very quickly) What a mess.
It looks horrible. She lives all by herself. Ladies, I adore all of you, please take good care of yourselves.
Oh, No, Rosemary, water can be so damaging! I do hope she can get it repaired quickly and without too much cost! We had a leaking HVAC few years ago and the damage to our pine floors and the mold in some closets was extremely costly. However the company had to pay for it because they had been “repairing” it without paying attention to what was really happening. Let us know how she gets along with it.
Oh, that Jeanne Marie touch has saved the day once again. What tremendous work to accomplish it. Definitely the change out to the lace tape so improves the look. I sure hope that you can get a pic of the girl trying it on.
Well, Miss Bailey is now all spiffed up. Great finishing touches. Love the bias stripe for the hat. As I remember, I think I suggested fabric on the bias and Laura nailed it with the bias stripe. At any rate, it is an adorable set. All the tiny set will be glued to the screen hoping that they will be the winner come auction time. 🙂
Very hot here yesterday, but it cooled off so nicely. Today will be in the 90’s again, so we’ll get in a walk early. Missed yesterday as we were at the other house trimming the bushes and stuffing the yard can for pick up today. We got very hot, but came home and cooled off. I did manage to get the sleeves pinned on to my sew along dress. Hope to sew them on today.
Keep cool everyone.
I didn’t read your comment first, Joy, before commenting myself. We did think well together though. I guess I was also one very fond of having my mom make a matching hairbow of the fabric when she sewed dresses for my daughter. I liked that it pulled the outfit together.
Applause to both of us for thinking “outside of the box”. 🙂
Dear Jeanne, the bride will look lovely in the dress. I hope she will share pictures so we can see them.
The little Petite Patriotic Pride dress looks adorable.
I love how you and George are almost spelling out words with your cucumbers. It makes me think of the Veggie Tales, Bible stories from long ago TV.
The hat is totally perfect now. You gave us two choices but some of us are good at thinking “out-of-the-box”. Congrats to them. The tiny little shoes with the flowers are absolutely adorable. Now my RRFF twins are wanting me to make them cute little patriotic outfits like Bailey’s. I’m not sure I can get two outfits finished by July 4th. We’ll see.
Wonderful idea for the armscyes of the beautiful wedding gown. Hopefully we will get to see some pictures of the pretty gown on the young lady.
As for the pageant shopping, well we found the loveliest tailored dress for the interview portion of the competition that she will be able to wear for many occasions but nothing yet for a gown. She actually could wear the dress she wore to Jason’s wedding. It is beautiful and perfect for the occasion, but I think Dionne was hoping to find one of those glitzy-type gowns for her. I tried to tell her that is not what the younger girls will be wearing. Those gowns are too heavy for a 13-year-old who is very slender. Andrea didn’t even wear that kind of gown when she competed at 18. She wore her prom dress that had a pretty fabric for the bodice, spaghetti straps and a full tulle skirt. She looked like a fairy princess rather than a movie star wanna-be. On top of that this is Dionne’s agenda, and it appears Jaiden couldn’t care less so you can imagine how the shopping went. When Jaiden wasn’t telling us that a dress “wasn’t her” she was looking for back-to-school shoes instead of the ones she needed for the pageant. And what was worse is that prom season has just passed and so there were no gowns available in regular stores. We went to one store that sold formal dresses. They had some pretty things, but nothing for a young girl. The saleswoman was so pushy she tried to sell us a gown that was way too big for Jaiden saying it could be altered – not to mention that it was way too expensive for what it was for. She practically threw us out of the shop when we refused to buy something from her. We even checked out bridal stores for junior bridesmaid dresses but were amazed that there were none that fit Jaiden’s criteria. They had slits up the side, some were strapless or had little in the way of straps. I had to agree with Jaiden on that one. What happened to young girls looking like young girls, especially in a wedding? I have now left finding a dress up to Dionne and Jaiden. I can’t even imagine how this will end up. The pageant is Monday for her age group so they’d better do something quick.
I’m surprised that pushing myself yesterday has not had much of an effect on me today. Probably should do that more often.
That was me, Jeanne. *takes a bow* I thought a bias cut of the seersucker would pull it together best. I think Joy said so as well. You finished off the back of the hat as I envisioned with crossed over and buttons. The shoes are adorable with their little flowers. Love the Cracker Jack, a summertime staple to be sure. I wish I still had the little prizes that come with those.
Wow! Nice cucumber harvest, George.
I forgot to comment that the wedding gown looks lovely. The change to the sleeves is so pretty. The bride to be will be so pleased.
The wedding dress turned out so nice and the white lace at the armholes is much better than the off-white trim. Hope the future bride thinks it is just perfect for her now! I used to do some alterations for family years ago but found that what should have only taken a short amount of time, turned into several hours or half a day of sewing by machine and by hand, and the task was daunting. I still do mending for my youngest daughter from time to time (she has never sewn on a machine and doesn’t do mending!), and I mend my own things when a seam opens up or buttons need replacing.
My middle daughter assembled my first rollator this week, which arrived on Monday. It is more comfortable than navigating with a cane (when it is needed) and helps me to stand up straighter when walking. I’m always bent forward, looking at the ground when walking, so I don’t trip on anything and risk a broken hip or leg. If my back is sore (I have lower spinal stenosis), there is always the motorized scooters at the grocery stores but not when shopping at other types of stores, like Kohl’s or Hobby Lobby, or a short side trip with family. It will be especially beneficial to be able to turn around and sit for a few minutes to rest on the rollator seat!