Made: Smock!

I'm in smock love with my new smock. SMOCK! Smock is definitely one of those words which starts to sound weird the more you say it (even if you brain say it).


I was cutting up old maternity shirts and using the bottom halves to make skirts for Nora. I still had all these top halves. The hard part (neckline and sleeves) was already done. I cut the green fabric on the bias and joined the triangles (grain matching) to make a long trapazoid.

Added the pocket, fake darts, and bias tape at the bottom.

I'm pretty happy with the final result and have plans to make a second smock, same method.

To Make- Smockity Smocks

Smock Inspiration:
1. Sleeveless Smock 1 and 2nd link for tut
2. Rice Bag Smock
3. Smock Dress
4. Sleeve Smock 1
5. Sleeveless Smock 2 (half apron)
6. Sleeveless Smock 3 (similar to 1)
7. Mens Shirt Smock 1
8. Mens Shirt Smock 2
9. Protected Sleeved Smock 2
10. Sleeved Smock 3
11. Summery Smock
12. Ignore the Fabric Smock
13. Similar to 12

To Make- Cookies (and the like to bake)

Gluten Free
1. Limoncello macaroons
2. Amaretti Cookies 1
3. Mohn candy
4. Almond paste
5. Pignoli Cookies
6. Amaretti Cookies 2
7. Niçois Suns, Soleils de Nice
8. Flourless chocolate cookies
9. Oatmeal and chocolate chip
10. Peanut Butter Chocolate chip
11. Mocha Meringues
12. Easter sugar cookies 1
13. Easter sugar cookies 2
14. Easter sugar cookies 3
15. Easter sugar cookies 4


Not Gluten Free
1. Marathon Cookies
2. Green tea white chocolate
3. Almond Biscuits

The Christmas Dress

This is a bit belated but I wanted to "document" Nora's first (handmade by mom) Christmas dress:


It would have been nice (but unusual) if she'd held still long enough for me to get a picture... Alas, 2-yearolds infrequently hold still unless they're going limp when you try to pick them up for bedtime. Therefore, I found a slightly less energetic model.

The lace is vintage (and which I've been holding on to for quite a long time)

Buttons don't 100% match but I love the bakelite cookie style so decided these two could be friends.

Here it is in toto on a very patient hanger.

SAW 2012... on like Donkey Kong

I'm going to Squam and it's on like Donkey Kong. Last year I was left with a really awesome positive sense of focus; I felt inspired and ready to hop on the creative craft-o-matic steam train: big plans for a fabric collection based on my owls, big plans to resuse and repurpose old wooden furniture. However, when I got home, 99% of that awesomepositivefocus dissolved under reality's weight of day-to-day responsibilities and, in less than a month, I became really frustrated. I kind of put it out of my mind (maybe a survival instinct to make it through the Holidays...?)
My good friend emailed me (a reminder) this last weekend about the retreat and I read it last night at 1AM-ish. Maybe it was because I was covered in the results of Nora's stomach flu, maybe it was the sleeplessness, maybe it was just the sense of calm (in spite of the other two aforementioned possibilities) that I felt when I thought about attending, but- on a complete whim- I completed my application and sent in the deposit this morning.

Favorite captured moment of 2011

Happy New Year!

Handmade Christmas presents are the best... THE BEST

This year I was able to actually make a number of handmade Christmas presents. One in particular was exciting to finish/give:

This should look familiar; it is on my 2011 Craft Resolutions list (check another one off the list WOOT)

I was also able to wing these peg dolls; they are heavily based on results returned from an image google search for "peg doll." I love google image search like a fat kid loves cake.

Best of all, the house and dolls were made for a special little girl who we all love; Jonah picked the fabric and helped me stuff and sew; Nora picked the colors to paint the dolls (note the green hair and lots of pink).

I love it when a plan comes together.