More maxi please

Oh friends.  I may be turning over a new fashion leaf.  (Is there such a thing as a "fashion leaf?")

I'm really starting to like this maxi dress business.  When I'm wearing a long dress I feel like some sort of woodland princess.  You know, like I could go out and frolic in the forest with the faeries.  It's kind of magical.

I got this dress a few months ago.  I think I paid $3.

I also think it may have been a night gown. It's totally sheer, which is why the first round of picture I took will not be displayed on this here blog.  I definitely put a slip on once I realized what was happening.

I love the colors and the pretty flowers.  I was drawn to it immediately.

I really hummed and hawed over what to do with this piece.  Eventually I just decided simple is better.  All I did was take in the sides and the sleeves.

I also added a belt, because belts make everything better.

Pretty, right?

Now if only I could find a forest to frolic in...

Quick One

Got it for 2 bucks at Goodwill.

Cut off the sleeves and took in the sides.

Wore it to work today.

P.S.  All items in this outfit, except the shoes and earrings, were thrifted.  Thrifted top, thrifted skirt, thrifted belt, thrifted necklace.   Thrifty, thrifty, thrifty!

Hippy Chic

I broke a rule, friends.  I must confess.  I've told you a few times, being the shorty that I am, wearing skirts and dresses below the knee just isn't flattering.  It makes me look stinkin' short.  Which I am, but there's no need to bring attention to the matter.  

Anyhow, I've held fast to this rule for a good few years.  Then I came across this dress.

I got it for $4 at the Goodwill.  There's a Goodwill around the corner from my job.  It's bad news.  Or good news, depending on your perspective.

My original plan was to remove the sleeves, take in the bodice, and shorten the skirt.  Well, as we all know, my plans often change.  I removed the sleeves and took in the bodice.

But when I tried it on the check out the length, I fell in love.

I may look short in this dress, but I also look like a hippy princess.  What could be wrong with that!?

And what hippy dress would be complete without a big, floppy hat?

Certainly a summer favorite.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

A couple months back I told you all about my homemade body scrub; which I'm still using and absolutely love!  In that same post I wrote that I'd be doing more tutorials on natural items.  Well, I'm keeping my word and today I'd like to tell you a bit about homemade laundry detergent.

I've told you before that I like to save money wherever I can.  I also like to avoid harsh, unnatural chemicals as much as possible.  This laundry detergent gives me the best of both worlds!

I've seen lots of laundry detergent recipes out there.  Many are very good.  This is the one I've chosen to use and so for it's been great.

You'll need a 4 lb. box of Borax, a 4 lb. box of Baking Soda, a 3 lb. box of Washing Soda, and 3 bars of Fels Naptha soap (grated).  You can actually use any bar soap you'd like.  I just love the smell of Fels Naptha and it's specifically made for laundry.

You just throw it all together and mix it up.

Now you may notice that my container seems a little small for all those ingredients.  I actually split the recipe in half, simply because of the size of the container I have.  Cutting it in half means I spent about $5 all together on this batch of detergent.  The last batch I made (also a half batch) lasted me 6 months.  This averages out to less than $1 per month on laundry detergent.  Can you believe it!?!?  I'm only doing laundry for two people, so those of you with children or more people in the house will probably use it up quicker, but it's still going to be an incredible bargain.

I use a 2 tablespoon scoop and usually use warm water, just to make sure everything dissolves well.  I haven't had any issues at all with residue.  My clothes are clean every time and they smell great!

  

So many pictures. So few words.

Two years ago I bought this dress.

Last year I turned it into this skirt.  But I never really liked the skirt very much.

Two or three years ago I bought this dress.

Last year I removed the bodice and started wearing it as a skirt.

No picture.

Last weekend I cleaned out my sewing closet and found the bodice.  I remembered the skirt that I didn't like very much and decided it was time the two became one.

I made a dress.

I wore this dress today.  I like it very much.

The end.

Orange you glad I didn't say banana?

Eek!  It's been a month since I lasted blogged.  Where has the time gone!?  Well, I whipped up a little somethin' somethin' last night that I want to share with you.

I picked up the original dress at a garage sale for $1.00

Sweet, right?

I've ho-hummed over what to do with this piece.  It was kind of fun as a dress but I finally decided I need more summer tops.  Plus, after making the top, I had the entire bottom left to make a skirt (later).

So I started by cutting the dress in half.

Then I cute the sleeves off.  Rather than seam rip (which I hate more than anything) I just cut those sleeves right off!  Even if they fray a little after washing, I really don't mind.  It adds to the character.  Or at least that's what I tell myself when I don't want to spend my entire night seam ripping.

Then I hemmed the bottom and took the sides in quite a bit and I was done.

I'm wearing the top as I type this blog.  I love it!  My husband complimented me immediately this morning so I know it's a winner.

I'm feelin' a little 60s style today, which I'm totally okay with.

What fun!

Now here's the full outfit rundown:

Top: $1 - garage sale and altered

Jeans: $11 - Forever 21

Shoes $3 - thrift store

Necklace $0 - gift

Headband $0 - scrap fabric

Bittersweet Mothers Day

May I be honest, friends?  I don't say much about my personal life on this blog.  There's a good reason for it.  Mostly, I want to keep my private life private.  It's for the special few who earn the right to know about my deepest hurts, fears, and desires because I know they will take special care of those things.  But I've been thinking a lot over the past few months about whether or not to share this one really important thing with all of you. I've decided to share because it's an opportunity for me to process how I feel at this time and because I hope it will bless somebody.

This Mothers Day is hard for me.  You see, this was supposed to be my very first Mothers Day as a mother.  I had the privilege of growing a baby inside of me for just a few weeks last summer.  The day I found out I was pregnant was literally the most joyous day of my life.  I can't ever remember feeling so happy.  It had been four years that my husband and I had been hoping for a baby, and all our heartache was over.  Everyone around us was completely ecstatic, too.  They all knew what a struggle we'd been through.  For the next few weeks we totally embraced parenthood.  We prayed and made plans and talked about names.  We just knew this was our promised child.

Well, things didn't turn out as we'd hoped and after just 8 weeks of pregnancy, we learned that the pregnancy was ectopic (tubal) and was not going to survive.  Needless to say, we were absolutely devastated.  I won't go over every detail.  Just know that it's the details of that time that bring the most pain.

Many days after were extremely difficult.  It was probably more than four or five months before I could go even a day without thinking about it.  There have been some days that were especially hard.

Christmas was tough for many reasons last year, but not the least of which was the fact that I'd expected to be very pregnant at that point.
 My due date came and went.  No baby.
Now Mothers Day is here and I'm incredibly aware that I am surrounded by mothers.  Good mothers too.  Mothers who I love and whose children I love.  But it's all bittersweet.

I don't know why my baby died.  I don't know why, of all my married friends, I'm the last one left without a child here on earth.  But here's what I do know:

- I do have a baby and he is waiting for me in Heaven.  I so look forward to meeting him.

- I am a mother.  Even before I was pregnant, God had created a mother's heart in me.  I was created to nurture life, and I believe I do that in many areas of my day-to-day.

- I will have children here on earth.  Through intimate moments with God, miraculous dreams of those close to me, and God's Word, I've become absolutely certain God will bless us with children.
- I have an beautiful mother who I'm so, so thankful for.  Today, more than my sorrow, I am joyful because I have her.

Thank you for allowing me to share and thank you for taking care with my heart.  I look forward to the day I can write here to announce the arrival of a precious, new baby.