Now that Thanksgiving is over. . .

Well the week before Thanksgiving, James had double eye surgery.  The day before his surgery, I went to get him up for school, only to find that he had thrown up on his bed, the floor next to his bed, and his bedding.  I cleaned it up, and then called his school to let him know he wouldn't be coming that day.  Later when the hospital called to get all the early registration info, they said he should be fine if he didn't throw up the next morning.  So, he had his surgery, and it went well, but he still has to wear glasses.

Now, the result of him throwing up meant that I almost got behind on a custom order that I was in a rush to do.  That Monday I was going to go to JoAnn's and that obviously didn't happen.  Since James spent the rest of the week recovering, I didn't even make it out of the house until Saturday morning.   But, I managed to get the supplies I needed for the dress, and get all but the buttons and button holes done before leaving for Thanksgiving.  I got the dress finished right after we left.

The Saturday night before we left, I also managed to get most of a newborn ACU outift cut out as well (I'll post pics of that tomorrow), and a diaper cover embroidered.  My next task is to get a pocket diaper, and another diaper cover done.  Then onto a rather large order of an embroidered swingback dress with ruffles, instead of rick rack, and embroidery, with matching pants, diaper cover, dyed shirt, tights, and matching soft soled shoes.  I plan on starting on this Friday, and working heavily on it Saturday. 

Sunday will be spent working on Christmas presents.  I'm making placemats with matching napkins for my sister-in-law's, an apron for my borther-in-law, a messenger bag for my neice, . . . and I still haven't figured out what to get for my other brother-in-law, and my husbands parents.  My sister-in-law put in a request to Jake's mom for bamboo velour pillow cases, since she liked the ones I did last year, so I'm trying to decide whether to give them to my brother-in-law, or give them to her as a birthday present.  Either way, they go to the same house.

It's been a rough week.

Well this week started with James having a stomach bug overnight Sunday to Monday, then eye surgery on Tuesday.  He needed an operation to align his eyes.  He seems to be doing alright now, but can't go back to school until after Thanksgiving. 

In the meantime, I've managed to get a diaper cover done, and apron, and lay out the fabric to make an NWU sundress.  I'm also going to try to cut a ACU newborn outfit today.  Work has been rough on Jake this week, since he had duty overnight Monday to Tuesday, then James' surgery, with a late night of work, and very little sleep.

Once I get my custom orders done, and Christmas gifts made (of which I've done no work so far) I'm going to start dabbling in what new items I'm going to be making.  I have two dresses I've been wanting to work on, but just haven't had the chance yet.

In honor of Julia, and getting back in the groove.

In the weeks before Julia died, I had been working on a custom dress for a customer, and a dress and diaper cover for Julia.  The plan was to have Julia come home in complete HOOAH with an ACU dress, diaper cover, soft soled shoes, and headband.  I had finished the dress and diaper cover, but had begun feeling rather tired the night Julia died, so I hadn't begun the headband or shoes yet.  I don't like leaving things unfinished, so I've been working gradually on the rest of her outfit and finally finished it. 

What gave me the kick in the pants to get started though, was an order that came in for a newborn dress, diaper cover, and big girl dress. Those items got me back at my sewing machine, and working again, and also gave me the needed momentum to finish Julias outfit. Sewing has been a relief to me, and I'm starting to get my creative juices flowing. Below you will see some of the items I have made in the past month or so.

Getting ready for the PCS

Well, I'm attempting to juggle being high risk, two little boys, wrapping up customs, and getting ready to PCS.  The movers come next week (I can hardly believe it), and then we leave the next week.  Jake is flying down this weekend to look at houses. 

Mean while, I'm finishing up a Mei Tai made out of a flight suit, and some possible items to go with it.  I'm also finishing up a diaper cover, and two pocket diapers.  I might be doing two more if I can squeeze them in.  I also need to make something to stock on Bitty Fluff this week. 

In the meatime, I thought I would show you a cute little ACU outfit that I mailed out last week that was a custom order.

Now that's done. On to the next project.

Yesterday I finished, and packaged up two dresses, and a diaper cover.  I still need to get a picture of the diaper cover, but I have a few of one of the dresses already loaded.  Today, after visiting a friend, I will be embarking on an ACU diaper bag.  I'm rather excited about it, as I've had it planned for a while.  I also plan on making a Woodland MARPAT diaper cover, and possibly a dress. 

I will also be making up some samples soon for the Great Cloth Diaper Hunt, and finishing a shirt for a collaboration that I'm doing on Creative Mamas with a guest vendor.  Stay tuned and check it out.

Work, work, work.

Well, Saturday I finished the diaper covers and bibs.  Monday, I cut two dresses for custom orders, and today I have the first one finished except for stitching the lining to the main dress, the buttons and the button holes.  After that I'll move onto the custom sling back dress, and an ACU diaper cover.  I also finished an XL March Madness themed fleece soaker for this weeks stocking on Creative Mamas. Tomorrow, I plan to finish up the sling back dress, diaper cover, and get a few more things done for the Creative Mamas and Bitty Fluff stockings. 

Stay tuned for pictures of all these items, as I'm going to try to get some pictures tomorrow, and I think they look great.

The light at the end of the tunnel.

Last night Jake helped me put the front snaps on the last 5 diaper covers.  So, now I just need to sew labels on those covers, sew the pul to them and put the fold over elastic on.  Tonight Jake can help me with putting the closure snaps on them.  Then, if I still haven't found the missing bib front seems to have walked off, I'll have to make another one of those, but that's small potatoes.  Then I'll get pictures done, and the invoice out. 

I'm already planning my next project.  I plan on doing some more soft soled shoes, and a  dress in woodland maripat.  I also have a OS diaper to finish up, and stock next week.  I'm thinking of making some St. Patrick's Day themed newborn pocket diapers as well.  We shall see soon though, if I'm being over ambitious.

Keeping Busy

Today, I cut, and have half way done, a dress for a custom order.  I have the diaper cover cut out for it as  well, and depending on how tomorrow goes, I plan to finish the dress, embroider the diaper cover, and hopefully have it all completed Saturday. 

Today, Justin got to run around in his new ACU soft soled shoes.  They look adorable, but I think his feet are too big for them already, so I'm going to enlarge the pattern and make him new ones.  I have plenty of scraps do it with, and I think he will really enjoy them.

Tonight, I also made several bookmarkers for The Spotted Box.  I have four pacifier holders I'm sending in to accompany the bookmarks, as well as business cards.  So, make sure to look for my items, and Creative Mamas Congo, in the March Spotted Box.

This is the day that never ends. . .

I started off this morning waking up three time, by the third time, it was a reasonable hour, and I decided to stay up.  So today, I got 4 newborn diapers cut, outers, inners, and soakers.  I also got them all snapped and label.  Now, to just sew them together.  I think tomorrow I will go to JoAnns to get the notions I'm need to finish up some unfinished projects.  I can feel a headach comming on, so I'm thinking there is some rainy weather on it's way.  I plan to perservere though, as I really want to get stuff done. 

In the really awesome news, my manequins arrived yesterday.  They look very cool, so I can't wait to put some clothing on them and take pictures.  In the meatime, here are the pictures from a custom order I did this week.

Here it is!

I got the pictures of the diaper I made for Justin loaded up this morning, so here it is.  I'll probably get the other one done later this week, when my new order of snaps arrive.  Today, I'm working on a custom order of an ACU OS pocket diaper (what my remaining snaps are going to be used on) for my first Etsy customer.  I'm also going to try to bust out my serger today and do some work with that so that more of my items can be serged.  I'm thinking about hooping a newborn shirt, and seeing about embroidered something on it, but haven't quite settled on what yet.  In the meantime, here is the picture of the diaper you have been waiting for.  I will add action shots later.

Busy Day.

Well, today started with me waking up at 7:52 a.m. with no assistance from my kids, or alarm clock.  That hasn't happened in a long time.  So, I got the kids breakfast, and began working on postings for the Creative Mamas stocking.  After breakfast, and then lunch (time flies when you are on the computer), I started working on the diapers, diaper cover, and dress.  The dress is now complete except for buttons and button holes, and the diapers and diaper cover are embroidered. 

Plans for tomorrow, finish the dress, diaper cover, and diapers, and start on a jacket I've been wanting to make.  I also plan to mop my kitchen floor (completely unrelated, but I've been meaning  to do it for a bit now.  So as to not leave you hanging, this is the picture of the diaper cover I completed yesterday.