Jennica's Baptism and the Dress

The Dress first.

I LOVE to sew.  Sometimes I forget that I love to sew because I never have time for it.  When my daughter was born we gave her a special blessing and I made her a beautiful baby gown, the really super long old vintage style.  And so when she decided to be baptized I really wanted to make her a dress.

In my limited time, I found this pattern.  It was close to what I wanted, except I wanted to add a wide waist band, and trim, but the basic style was right.

A few minor alterations, and of course lots of extra embellishment and ...

we have a winner.

LOVE.

Love the way it all came together and turned out. 

Because I was using white cotton fabric I cut two of every pattern piece and stitched them together to made the fabric twice as thick... and less transparent.

I added lightly gathered layers of fabric cut on the bias with unfinished edges to the sleeves and skirt.

For the waistband, I trimmed about 2.5 inches off the top of each piece of the skirt pattern.  Then I cut a section of fabric approximately 30 inches x 3.25 inches.  I folded and pressed the fabric in 1 inch sections, then stitched along the fold at the 1/16 mark to add the vertical lines.  I know there is term for that...  I just can't recall what it is...

To the bodice I added whimsical handmade flowers and  simple buttons.  I used diamond glaze to add the word "beautiful" from a vintage dictionary to one of the buttons.  

I really wanted to achieve a vintage, handmade appearance.  Some green ribbon stems finished out the design, and were stitched into the waist.

Seriously...  I know.  We are going to have REAL boy problems.  I don't know how I ended up with such a beautiful, amazing daughter. I love her so much. 

This picture from Jennica's baptism is awesome.  Did you check out Jesus grabbing my husband by the ear?

Classic.

The baptism was wonderful.  My 5 yr old said the closing praying, in a room of about 40 people, and asked God to bless grandma and grandpa not to get 'attacked' when they went home. 

It was a beautiful day.

Then this morning Jennica was singing a church song.  The lyrics say:

"I know who I am,

I know Gods Plan,

I'll follow him in Faith."

Only Jennica was singing it:

"I know who I am,

I know Gods Plan,

I'll follow him in vain..."

We might have to work on that one...  especially since she does not believe me that she's singing it wrong.

xoxo Cam

Look what I found on You Tube...

I didn't know about this and it's totally weirding me out. I wrote the text for an article on Scrapbooking.com, but I didn't know about the video.

Really awkward listing to my words being read....

Jurra Does More than Just Announcements...

Meet Jeri Lynn.

Jeri Lynn is absolutely amazing. She has a unique independent spirit, and she is brave enough to follow where it leads her. Even when the decisions are hard and ... and even when the decisions are painful. She reminds me of who I wish I had been when I was her age. I admire her so much. She is a very special friend of mine... and very talented.

I LOVE her style.

Jeri Lynn is a graphic designer... just starting out.. but you would never know it.

If you've been to my blog in the last 3 years then you're well aware of how much help it needed. I can handle basic editing, and I can build a design with premade digital elements, but that is as far as my graphic design talents go. And so naturally, I hired Jeri Lynn to build me a new tag and a new background. LOVE LOVE LOVE what she came up with. Made a few changes to the background papers to accommodate my blog format, and wah-lah, Gorgeous. She nailed my style.

So HAPPY.

Jeri Lynn specializes in announcements... graduation, weddings, baby... you name it. Check it out: HERE

http://jurradoesannouncement.wordpress.com

Oh, and here's fair warning: Around graduation time... might want to get your orders in early. Jurra gets pretty busy.

xoxo Cam

Cam... Just Ranting About Bead Caps.

Be warned. This post is lame, and reading it is not a good use of your time... Disclaimer done.

Now please be sure to leave comments. :)

So I'm working on a necklace project, and I ran out of bead caps... you know, these:

Simple, cup the bead without taking up a whole lot of space, and stamped out of a sheet of very thin metal. Extremely inexpensive to manufacture.

I'm extremely short on time, and I am slightly limited geographically to stores I can make it to during my lunch break.

And so on Monday, August 23, I go to this store... supposed to have everything.. I won't name names, but the store has a particular website dedicated solely to pictures of the people who shop there.... Not a single bead cap in the store. Nada. Annoying, but life goes one.

Day two, second try. There is a bead specialty shop... Going to take my entire lunch hour to get there and back, but I don't have any other options. Drive all the way there only to discover they are having an unscheduled day of CLOSED. Not out of business, just a messy hand written note taped to the inside of the door,

{We will be closed, Tuesday August 24th.}

Fantastic. I left my own sign. It said:

{I will not be back, Wednesday August 25th.}

Which brings us to today.. and a special hobby store, that really does not have a lobby so I'm not sure what their PROBLEM is. (Yes, I'm feeling rather annoyed.)

Way to far for me to make it there and back in an hour.. so I'll be making up the extra time at work...

An entire Isle of BEADS and accessories! Yay!! They have to have bead caps.

Yup. They do. I checked, and checked and checked again... ONE style remotely similar to a stamped bead cap...and it's only available in sterling silver. for. 6.00. fricken. dollars. a. fricken. bag. of. 20.....

I hate getting ripped off... seriously, and this is a complete rip off.

But there is a sign!

[Metal Bead Accessories 50% off!]

Okay, I still know I'm getting royally ripped off, but I'm desperate. I grab two bags and head to the register..

Wait... wait... wait... one checker... line... wait...

And then... as it turns out only the brand name: 'Metal Bead Accessories,' is actually on sale.. Mine are full price. I commented to the sales lady that I don't even need silver, but it's all they have. The lady insists they do have them in non silver, and suggests I come back tomorrow and check and see if any come in on the truck....

I'm three days in and I've already wasted 3 lunch hours... So I paid my $12.50 for 40 bead caps and leave

After work I took a short detour to one other large "warehouse" craft store to try my luck. Another huge bead department, same crappy bead cap selection. They did have some bead caps... right style, but quite a bit large than the ones I need, not sterling silver... BUT on sale for $.10 each. $5 bucks for 50 later, and I'm going to make them work... and then make another trip to that lobby store and get my $12.50 back.

Oh... the picture of the bead caps above... Found those on a particular Oriental site that trades a lot... $5.99 for 100....

It's not about the money, is about me being annoyed... and the fact that the whole world should revolve around me and it hasn't this week and that's lame. I hope you feel for me, I really do.

I know.. and I warned you. Don't worry they won't all be lame.. eventually the stars will align and I'll have an unlame post. Until then, just know that I love you.

xoxo

Cam

PS. I have a really exciting changes to my blog coming soon, but I can't talk about them right now... they are too cool, and totally allergic to lame. SOON.

Express the Moment!

My Brave Girlfriend, Kim Rose, over at Express the Moment asked me to do some layouts for her August scrapbook kits. The papers are beautiful, and the embellies divine.

Here's a sneak peak, but you'll have to check over at Express the moment if you want a better look!

This weekend: Camping.

Then I seriously owe Teresa Collins... Seriously.

And I've gotta make Jennica a dress.

xoxo Love ya, Cam

My Bestie - Beware it's Gooshy...

This evening a friend of mine asked me, "What was your favorite part about Australia?"

No question. Ali.

My Best Friend, my Bestie, my Most Favorite Friend in the whole wide world.

I wish my Ali lived next door, or even in town, even 200 miles away, or 500 miles away... but no, she's about 13,000 - 14,000 miles away... and really what's a 1,000 mile difference when your talking about that kind of distance? It takes about 20 hours on the fastest available forms of non billionaire transportation to get together for a cuppa. Shes always 18 hours ahead of me - convenient when she comes to visit here because the clock when she lands in Boise reflects about the same time her clock said when she left home in Australia... not so convenient on the way back... And, huge plus... she can always let me know ahead of time if the end of the world is coming based on whether the sun rises.

[Ali and Cam July 2010 - Magnetic Island, AU]

TRUE friends are so important. I don't know how I survived before her, and I can't imagine how it would be to lose her. There is no topic off limits. We can trust each other with our opinions, decisions, and feelings because we love and care about each other unconditionally. Even when we don't agree. She can give me objective advice about the most sensitive topics without offense. She already knows everything so I'm afraid that part of our friendship is one sided... No joke.

[Cam and Ali - July 2010 Northern Australia Outback.]

[This picture taken moments before Ali dove into the water and wrestled a crock. REALLY.]

So when asked what my favorite part about Australia is, my mind goes straight to Ali's kitchen table, crafting together, watching Glee, and being about to talk, just talk, nonstop for hours, face to face. Ali and I have been best friends for five years, total time spent in person: about 4 weeks - total.

[The outdoor catalogue pose]

Ali is Australian, I am American. We met through eBay of all places. After several transactions we started emailing and just never stopped.

[Ali and Cam - July 2010 Cairns to Townsville lookout point]

I remember after one transaction that occurred probably months before we ever started to email as friends. The package I mailed to her never showed up. It was several weeks late. Usually when this happened I would offer to replace the merchandise, if the buyer would agree to pay shipping for the new package. Ali would not... She would not allow me to replace the merchandise without paying me something for it. That was a first... and it really impressed me.

((I wouldn't have done that. I would have wanted my seller to feel responsible, and probably tried to get extra free stuff out of them for my inconvenience of having to wait extra time for the replacement... I know, right? I need to be more like Ali.))

[Cam and Ali - July 2010 Beach in Cairns]

By the way, have I mentioned Ali is 6ft tall, gorgeous and has a fabulous accent (and a fabulous husband... so leave her be)? Meanwhile, I am 5'5'', and have an American accent.. and American manners... need I say more?

We balance each other.

Love you Ali. xoxo

Cam

My DIY Version of the Baby Crib Mobile.

My latest project. Hope you love it.

Supply list:

Teresa Collins FREESTYLE Papers

1 12x12 Green Cardstock

Sheer 1 inch ribbon in pink and orange, approximately 4-5 yards total

24 - 3/8 inch multi facated clear beads

24 Oval or cylindar shaped green glass beads

Approimately 32 inched metal strap.

20 gage wire.

Baking paper

4 Inches sheer green ribbon

2 3/4 - 12x12 peices of Memory Makers Baroque Thick Molding Strips.

Check it out on Two Peas HERE... and remember, I love comments. :) Expecially when they are nice comments!

For the How to's, Jump on over to Teresa Collins Blog!

Hope you love it.

xoxo Cam

PS. More about my FAB trip to Australia later.