Saturday, December 24, 2011

Custom Dress

I had a customer ask if I could make a doll version of this cute little dress from the GAP.  I can't figure out how to get the picture on here because of the little zoom-in feature so you will just have to hop over and see the girl version, come right back...........  I'll wait.

Cute, Right?

Anyway, here is the doll version I came up with. No laughing at the pictures is allowed.  I know the lighting is bad. There is one great photographer in this family and I am not it.  I am happy with how the dress turned out and I think I nailed it on the color. 







Happy Christmas Eve Everyone!

~ Christina 

Friday, December 23, 2011

Crafting Christmas

This year we decided to practice our three R's (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle to those of you not living in the eco-friendly stronghold of the NW) and decorate brown paper bags to use as wrapping paper for some of our gifts.

The girls had fun coloring, cutting and gluing.  They LOVE anything crafty so the paper was flying and the glue flowing.  Grandma and Grandpa Betz ended up with three-dimensional little works of art on their packages! I think we will do it next year but in a more controlled fashion. Maybe just some basic paints like a friend of mine did very successfully with her girls this year.



Happy faces and Christmas fun all around.

Monday, December 05, 2011

The State of the Sewing Room





 After filling seven orders in one week things get a little crazy in the sewing room!


I did get to run to the fabric store last week all by myself and just for fun.  This is the result of birthday gifts and a fun sale.  I just love the fabric store.  These will be perfect with my new patterns!


Sunday, December 04, 2011

Going Retro

Aren't these Great!

Quite some time ago my mother-in-law gave me her great big Singer Sewing Book.  It is a wonderful reference guide and has been helpful as I am re-learning how to sew.  

Last week I was reading through the Singer book (who says you can't just read a reference book for fun?) and loved some of the illustrations in the children's section.  I just had to find patterns for them, but being an older book I knew I had to go "vintage". I have sold many things on Etsy now, but this was my first purchase (thanks for the birthday money Grandma!). I adore these patterns and can't wait to pair them with the vintage fabric I picked up last Summer.  Stay tuned. 

Saturday, December 03, 2011

Last Day to Order

Today is the last day to order custom outfits over at My Sailor Girls in time for Christmas.  Through today only I am including an extra individual doll dress with the purchase of any skirt set, while supplies last.

Come on over and check it out!

Passing on Traditions

My Grandma June taught us to make German noodles by hand for Thanksgiving.  The recipe calls for measurements that are, shall we say, non-standard. Who needs a a set of teaspoons when you can use a cracked egg shell?  Needless to say, you can't just hand someone a copy of the recipe and expect them to turn out.  It is more about  how the dough feels than anything else so - it must be taught.  

Last year Abigail assisted me in noodle prep.  This year I was more of a consultant.  Thanks for all the yumminess Abby!  You did a great job.  Grandma June would be proud.





Monday, November 14, 2011

Bridge at Night

Note: Photography related posts are now found at the Adriel Henderson Photography blog.

Last night I headed over to Salem's Wallace Marine Park for a night shoot and came back with these Autumn shots of the Union Street Railroad Pedestrian Bridge. (Click each for full size)







As a little bonus on the way home I snagged this grungy industrial setting...

Saturday, November 12, 2011

I don't know why, but I love a guy...

 I don't know why, but I love a guy with his dress shirt sleeves rolled up.  It's that hard-working intelectual thing I think.  Of course it's all the better when the guy is making wonderful, warm, perfect homemade cinnamon raisin bread.  Yum.

Kneading dough and having a beer.  Only in a man's kitchen.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Craft Show Time!


This is a picture of my set up at the craft show last weekend.  I will be at another show tomorrow (Saturday).  It is being held at Pringle Elementary School in Salem and runs from 9-4.  Many thanks to my friend Josie for letting me tag along and take up some of her booth space.  She has some really wonderful items.  Beautiful little girl dresses, super hero capes, and sure to please any child on your Christmas list, Color Totes.  Color Totes are little bags Josie designed just the right size for coloring books and the outside has narrow pockets for crayons.  

Come by Saturday and say Hi, we would love to see you!

Thursday, November 10, 2011


 I made this new pattern last week and am just getting around to boggling about it.  I really like how it came out.  It is a two piece outfit with a wrap-around top and a gathered skirt with back velcro closure.
The top was suppose to have snaps but I didn't have any snaps on hand and little fingers might have trouble with them so I used my trusty iron-on velcro.
It turned out to be a very sweet Christmas outfit and here you can see the ribbon detail with just a peek of the red waist band.

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Face Painting at the Harvest Party



Trick or Treat

 It had been several years since David went trick or Treating but this year he decided he wanted to go.  My rule is that if you expect people to give you candy, you need a costume.  So he came up with this.

He looked great!

The girls were faires this year and had fun with their glow-in-the-dark wands.



 We even let Morpheous come as part of David's hunting gear.
We had a lot of fun and the kids all got plenty of candy.  Of course, the home stretch found me carrying Mim, but it was too dark for a picture of that.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Miriam's Back To School Photoshoot

Note: Photography related posts are now found at the Adriel Henderson Photography blog.

This evening was my own Miriam's turn for her back-to-school photo shoot. Usually she loves the camera, but today she lasted only ten minutes before she was ready to head home. We still got some cute photos, and the fall leaves are a beautiful backdrop. (Click each for a larger version)

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Sailing Tacoma

Note: Photography related posts are now found at the Adriel Henderson Photography blog.

I just returned from a few days on the Sailboat in the Tacoma area with my friend Jeremy. The weather was beautiful, albeit a bit cold after the sun went down, but because of the time of year there were few other boats on the water. It felt like we had the whole sound to ourselves! (These are small, so click each for the full size.)



In the Tacoma Narrows, a community built entirely over the water...



Burlington Northern emerging from the Point Defiance tunnel...



A Crowley tug in the Thea Foss Waterway...



This lift bridge is shrouded with scaffolding and plastic for extensive repair work...



Some beautiful views of Mt. Rainier over the Tacoma harbor...









Back out in the sound...