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Thursday, October 23, 2014

Greenstyle Creations Focus on Fall Blog Tour Wrap Up Post

Wow! What a fabulous 2 weeks of blog posts!  I cannot get over all of the wonderful items all of the bloggers made and posted.  It has been a great time and I have enjoyed seeing everyones creations.  I hope you have too!

A HUGE thank you to Riley Blake Designs for providing the fabric for this tour; their fabrics are a dream to sew up and I have been very spoiled over my last few projects by getting to work with it.

While everyone else was taking their turn on the blog tour, I took the opportunity to sew up two more outfits for my girls.  In my last post, I showed my little ones frozen inspired Greenstyle Creations Bella shirt paired with a Savannah skirt.  I intended on making the same shirt for my older daughter but my machine ate my shirt front half way through embroidering (boo!) Then my daughter saw another design she liked better anyway, serendipity I guess!


I made the Bella/Savannah super combo again.  I love these two patterns and they are super quick to make.  I just did the outer bubble again this time, so it is more of a ruffle bottom than bubble.  


I used the Riley Blake Aqua Houndstooth knit for the main part of the skirt, and the half inch Aqua Stripe for the waistband, ruffle sleeves and neckband.  For the shirt, I used the Solid White Knit.  


It turned out so cute!  I told her I had made her the shirt and that I had something to match. She asked me if it was pants and when I told her it was not, that it was a skirt, she lit up.  Even though she is growing up way too fast, deep down she's still a little girl who loves skirts!



For my younger daughter, I used one of Greenstyle Creations newest girls patterns, the Laurelette.  For the Laureltte, I did the binding in lieu of the cowl (which I love, but she decided she didn't want) and did a three quarter length sleeve (since she is still on her long sleeve strike).  It is the perfect play dress; in fact, she wore it to her tumbling class after we took pictures in it.  


I used the Riley Blake Small Girl Chevron for the skirt portion and the Hot Pink Small Dots for the bodice.  


I added a little heart out of the Hot Pink Dot to the skirt.  I just cut the shape out using the same fold-in-half-and-cut method that I used to cut out hearts in elementary school and then did a quick zig-zag around the edge.  Easy-Peasy and adds a cute little touch to it.  


I love this dress on her and it is so simple to put together.  This one took less than an hour including cutting time.  Can't ask for quicker than that!



She hearts it! 

And that is a perfect note to end this great tour on.  Thank you to our wonderful sponsors, Riley Blake Designs and Whimsical Fabrics (where you can buy some of these great fabrics).  And, of course, Greenstyle Creations for continuing to design fashionable and wearable patterns! 

Another HUGE thanks to all of the wonderful ladies who took part in the blog tour.  If you missed any of their posts, you can find them here: 

October 13- Kick off Post by Blogs Like A Mother
October 15- Handmade Boy
October 18- Snickerdoodle Stew
October 19- The Sewing Sparrow
October 21- Babyfish Designs
October 22- FABulous Home-Sewn
October 23- Gracious Threads
October 24- Wrap Up Post by Blogs Like A Mother

There is one more day to enter the giveaway here: 



Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Greenstyle Creations Focus on Fall Blog Tour Kick Off

I am so excited to day to be kicking off the Greenstyle Creations Focus on Fall Blog Tour.  This tour is one that Angie (the designer over at Greenstyle Creations) and I have been working on for a while now, and I am so excited to see what all of the talented bloggers we have lined up are going to come up with.

So what is this all about?  Over the next two weeks, there will be a series of bloggers featuring the entire Greenstyle lineup of children's patterns.  We also partnered up with Riley Blake Designs, who generously supplied the fabric for all of the bloggers on the tour and with Whimsical Fabrics who generously supplied some terrific prizes (HINT: the giveaway is at the bottom!).



With fall in the air, it is time to start thinking long sleeves and leggings.  Since my girls are both going into a new size, this was the perfect opportunity for me to get started on their fall wardrobes.

For my older daughter, I made the Anna Lap Dress from Greenstyle and paired it with the Lucy Leggings . I used the Riley Blake Navy and Purple Stripe paired with a custom knit for a bit of contrast.


The Anna Lap Dress is such a cute and cozy option for the fall.  It includes short and long sleeves and directions for both a tunic and a dress.  I made the long sleeved tunic to pair with the leggings. 



The lap detail and contrast band gives the Anna Lap Dress a little extra touch and makes it so easy to personalize.  I did not do the optional ruffles on the bodice, but I am sure I will eventually.  We love ruffles around here!



She played in it all day and it's dress-code friendly, so the versatility and comfort are great benefits. She will get a lot of use out of this outfit this fall and winter.  

For my little one, I made the Savannah Skirt and the Bella Bubble Top.  



The Savannah Skirt was made with the Riley Blake Hot Pink Stripe  and Hot Pink Small Dot for the waistband (you'll just have to take my word on that since we didn't get a picture of the contrast waistband!) 


For the Bella Top, I used the Riley Blake Solid White knit and the Hot Pink Small Dot for contrast.  I did a simple ruffle instead of the bubble sleeve for my top. 


Since we are very much still in Frozen Mania at our house, I embroidered a frozen phrase on the top. She can't read yet, but once she found out what it said, she was smitten! She thanked me several times for her pretty skirt and top, so I call this one a win.  


The Savannah skirt is super easy to make and I already have another cut out to make with a matching Bella for my older daughter.  The little one liked it so much that I will probably make her a few more for this fall.  She is on a pants strike, so we will need lots of skirts to get us through the winter.  Thankfully we live in a warm climate!




 These four patterns, like the entire Greenstyle line up, are super comfortable and versatile.   I have adult versions of both the Bella and the Lucy in my own closet and frequently wear them.   So I know first hand how great and wearable they are.


Proof they really do love each other...

My versions of these patterns are just the beginning of the tour, so make sure you check out all of these amazing ladies and their projects over the next 2 weeks!

October 13- Kick off Post by Blogs Like A Mother
October 14- Friends Stitched Together
October 15- Handmade Boy
October 16- Becca Duval Photography
October 17- The Lady and The Gents
October 18- Snickerdoodle Stew
October 19- The Sewing Sparrow
October 20- Once Upon A Sewing Machine
October 21- Babyfish Designs
October 22- FABulous Home-Sewn
October 23- Gracious Threads
October 24- Wrap Up Post by Blogs Like A Mother

If you want to grab a few of these patterns for yourself, Greenstyle Creations is offering a 25% discount with the code "25discount" during the tour. 


C'mon! Where's the giveaway?

A huge thank you to Riley Blake Designs for providing the fabric for the tour.  And another huge thank you to Whimsical Fabrics and Greenstyle Creations for providing the prize packages.  You can enter by using the widget below!






Thanks you so much for stopping by today!  Don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour to enter for more chances at one of the 4 prize packages!  

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Perfect Pattern Parcel #5-Greenstyle Yoga Pants

Pattern Parcel #5: Choose your own price and support DonorsChoose. Win/win!

Hello everyone and thanks for stopping by! I am back again today (two days in a row? Someone mark this day down!) to feature a second pattern from the perfect pattern parcel #5; the Greenstyle Creations Yoga Pants.  


If you are not familiar with the Perfect Pattern Parcel, here are a few details for you...


How Pattern Parcel Works:

Here at Perfect Pattern Parcel, we believe in supporting independent pattern designers. It’s our opinion that indie patterns are just, well, better than big box patterns, and we’re pretty sure our customers think so too. So, we allow customers to show their support in naming their own price for each Parcel.  We also encourage customers to allocate part of their Parcel price to the charity Donorschoose.org in order to help classrooms in need. Pattern Parcel donates all profits after expenses from Parcel sales to the charity as well. Together we've raised over $11,000 for classrooms in need!

Parcel #5: Girls and Tweens includes: 

Lily Knit Blazer by Peek-a-Boo Patterns
Everyday Yoga Pant for Girls by Greenstyle
Asymmetrical Drape Top by EYMM
Playhouse Dress by Fishstick Designs
Mimi Dress and Shirt by Filles a Maman

BONUS PATTERN: Sunki Dress by Figgy’s

Bonus Pattern:
Choose a price of $28 or greater for Parcel #5 and you will automatically also be sent the Bonus Pattern! The Bonus Pattern for this Parcel is the Sunki Dress by Figgy's. Fun pockets, a stylish silhouette, plus make it in knit or woven. Double bonus! The pattern includes both size runs, so you get 18 months through a 16 tween sizing. This is awesome sauce!


Pattern Parcel #5: Choose your own price and support DonorsChoose. Win/win
Using this link is like saying "BlogsLikeAMother sent me, ask her to do your tour again!"




What can I say about yoga pants except that I have a pretty deep rooted love and appreciation for them.  Not so sure my husband feels the same way after seeing me in them just about everyday, but they are one of my favorite items of clothing.  I am pretty sure they go with everything (no need to correct me, I won't believe you anyway...) and they are comfortable without being slouchy.  So I guess it should not come as a surprise that when my daughter saw this outfit she was smitten.  



So here is a lesser known fact about the children of bloggers and pattern testers: they don't always feel like taking pictures according to your deadlines and projects.  In fact, I have told my girls several times that I am just not going to sew for them anymore because they complain about the pictures so much.  They love having momma made items and like almost everything I make, but they don't always love posing for pictures.  Why am I telling you this? Well, because of this rare sighting that occurred in my backyard...



A real...life...actual smile from my older daughter.  

Okay, so I exaggerate a bit, but she does normally need a little bribery encouragement to get out there and take some pictures.  Not the case this time.  She saw the outfit and perked right up, grinning ear to ear and quickly changing into it.  


As soon as she put it on she remarked how cozy it was and that it would be great for fall.  I have to agree; this is an outfit I would wear too! She then proceeded to do a little dance and chant about how great she looked in her outfit.  It was love at first sight! 




Ok, so now a little more about the pattern.  The pattern is really quick to make; I made it in less time than a round trip visit to my local chain store would have taken me had I gone to buy a pair.  They feature a yoga style waist band and include cut lines for shorts, capris and full length pants.  There are only 3 pattern pieces to put together, so the pattern assembly and cutting is super quick.  Including taping together the pattern and cutting them out, this pair took me about 40 minutes.  


I paired the yoga pants with the Greenstyle Creations (affiliate link) Lacy n Lane Hooded T-shirt made from the same purple knit fabric (found at joanns) and an up-cycled "Ponies Forever" T-shirt that I found in the mens section at my local target (I apologize in advance to the Bronies that were not able to buy the t-shirt that I bought to cut up...but look how cute it turned out!!!) It is a perfectly paired fall outfit and she LOVES it! Score one for mom!

You can grab the yoga pants and the other great patterns in the perfect pattern parcel through October 3.  So if you haven't already grabbed it, now is the time!  It is chock full of great patterns, supports a great cause and is a terrific price.  You won't be sorry!

Pattern Parcel #5: Choose your own price and support DonorsChoose. Win/win
Using this link is like saying "BlogsLikeAMother sent me, ask her to do your tour again!"

Need more inspiration? Check out these other bloggers who have also shared their projects from the parcel...
Parcel #5 Inspiration Tour Schedule:

Friday, September 19 Pienkel || Cookin' and Craftin'

Saturday, September 20 Sew Busy Lizzy || The Life Of A Compulsive Crafter

Sunday, September 21 Keep Calm and Carrion || Felt With Love Designs

Monday, September 22 Radiant Home Studio || Sewing Sober

Tuesday, September 23 Sew Fishsticks || La Pantigana || Amanda Rose

Wednesday,September 24 Shawnta Sews || Sprouting JubeJube || Knot Sew Normal

Thursday, September 25 Make It Perfect || Mimi's Mom || Climbing the Willow

Friday, September 26 Needle and Ted || Our Family Four

Saturday, September 27 Froo & Boo

Sunday, September 28 Stitches by Laura || Vicky Myers creations

Monday, September 29 Cookin' and Craftin' || The Crazy Tailor

Tuesday, September 30 mama says sew || FABulous Home Sewn || The Inspired Wren

Wednesday, October 1 lady and the gents || That's-Sew-Kari || Sewing Sober

Thursday,October 2 Gracious Threads || Blogs Like A Mother || SewsNBows

Friday, October 3 sew chibi || Lulu & Celeste || Made by Sara

Thanks so much to the organizers and designers of the Perfect Pattern Parcel #5 for letting me in on the fun.  
See you next time!

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Perfect Pattern Parcel #5-The Playhouse Dress by Fishstick Designs

Pattern Parcel #5: Choose your own price and support DonorsChoose. Win/win!

Hello everyone and thanks for stopping by! Today I am so excited to be part of the Perfect Pattern Parcel #5 tour with my Playhouse Dress from Fishstick Designs.  If you are not familiar with the Perfect Pattern Parcel, here are a few details for you...


How Pattern Parcel Works:

Here at Perfect Pattern Parcel, we believe in supporting independent pattern designers. It’s our opinion that indie patterns are just, well, better than big box patterns, and we’re pretty sure our customers think so too. So, we allow customers to show their support in naming their own price for each Parcel.  We also encourage customers to allocate part of their Parcel price to the charity Donorschoose.org in order to help classrooms in need. Pattern Parcel donates all profits after expenses from Parcel sales to the charity as well. Together we've raised over $11,000 for classrooms in need!

Parcel #5: Girls and Tweens includes: 

Lily Knit Blazer by Peek-a-Boo Patterns
Everyday Yoga Pant for Girls by Greenstyle
Asymmetrical Drape Top by EYMM
Playhouse Dress by Fishstick Designs
Mimi Dress and Shirt by Filles a Maman

BONUS PATTERN: Sunki Dress by Figgy’s

Bonus Pattern:
Choose a price of $28 or greater for Parcel #5 and you will automatically also be sent the Bonus Pattern! The Bonus Pattern for this Parcel is the Sunki Dress by Figgy's. Fun pockets, a stylish silhouette, plus make it in knit or woven. Double bonus! The pattern includes both size runs, so you get 18 months through a 16 tween sizing. This is awesome sauce!


Pattern Parcel #5: Choose your own price and support DonorsChoose. Win/win
Using this link is like saying "BlogsLikeAMother sent me, ask her to do your tour again!"

One thing I immediately noticed about the parcel was that I liked EVERYTHING in it.  They are all cute and functional patterns that will fit nicely into my girls' wardrobes.  Plus, with fall upon us (is it really already October? YIKES!) there are great cooler weather options in the parcel. 

The first pattern I tackled was the Playhouse Dress.  


My younger daughter is going through a very picky stage with what she will wear.  It must be a dress, it can't have long sleeves, and any character is a bonus.  She has been begging for a mermaid dress since this fabric arrived and I decided this was the perfect time to cut into it. 


The playhouse dress features a cute contoured bodice piece and comes with the option of short and long sleeves.  Since long sleeves don't make the cut these days, I obviously chose the short ones.  The   bottom of the dress can be done in a knit or a woven; I did knit for my entire dress.  



The sleeves are really cute and have a couple details that just make the dress.  The top of the sleeve is gathered in the center and the bottom of the sleeve is gathered into the arm band.  It makes an adorable puffed sleeve that is really sweet on any little girl. 


The back bodice has the same contoured look as the front.

That's pure, unadulterated joy right there people!

The best part of the dress? She LOVES it.  My nine year old has also already placed her order for one and I am planning to do a shorter, tunic length version for her to wear with leggings this fall (since she doesn't have a moratorium against pants...) Since the size range of this dress is huge (12M-12 Tween) I can use this for both summer and winter for several years to come.  And I do love a versatile pattern!






The perfect pattern parcel #5 will only be around for another day or so!  If you haven't already grabbed it, now is the time.  It is chock full of great patterns, supports a great cause and is a terrific price.  You won't be sorry!

Pattern Parcel #5: Choose your own price and support DonorsChoose. Win/win
Using this link is like saying "BlogsLikeAMother sent me, ask her to do your tour again!"

Need more inspiration? Check out these other bloggers who have also shared their projects from the parcel...
Parcel #5 Inspiration Tour Schedule:

Friday, September 19 Pienkel || Cookin' and Craftin'

Saturday, September 20 Sew Busy Lizzy || The Life Of A Compulsive Crafter

Sunday, September 21 Keep Calm and Carrion || Felt With Love Designs

Monday, September 22 Radiant Home Studio || Sewing Sober

Tuesday, September 23 Sew Fishsticks || La Pantigana || Amanda Rose

Wednesday,September 24 Shawnta Sews || Sprouting JubeJube || Knot Sew Normal

Thursday, September 25 Make It Perfect || Mimi's Mom || Climbing the Willow

Friday, September 26 Needle and Ted || Our Family Four

Saturday, September 27 Froo & Boo

Sunday, September 28 Stitches by Laura || Vicky Myers creations

Monday, September 29 Cookin' and Craftin' || The Crazy Tailor

Tuesday, September 30 mama says sew || FABulous Home Sewn || The Inspired Wren

Wednesday, October 1 lady and the gents || That's-Sew-Kari || Sewing Sober

Thursday,October 2 Gracious Threads || Blogs Like A Mother || SewsNBows

Friday, October 3 sew chibi || Lulu & Celeste || Made by Sara

Thanks so much to the organizers and designers of the Perfect Pattern Parcel #5 for letting me in on the fun.  

See you next time!