Baby Shower Gifts

Here is my latest project.  I have a baby shower this weekend and so I whipped up these items for a gift.  I'm very pleased with how they turned out.

Five MInute Friday - Change

It's time for Five Minute Friday.  To join in and to get the rules of the game hop on over to The Gypsy Mama.

I haven't joined in in a while.  It's amazing how even 5 minutes can be hard to find sometimes and sometimes honestly I'm just too busy enjoying my family and having fun to make the time to join in.  I'm up early, the kids are still sleeping and I got the urge, so here I am. 
Today's topic:

CHANGE-
When I read or hear the word change my mind automatically sees everything whirling and twirling around.  That is how it is.  Things are constantly moving and changing.  Even when we feel like life is at a stand still and we are going no where, before we know it our circumstances have changed yet once again.
Some things we wish would change faster. Other things we don't want to change. Sometimes I think we spend too much time being concerned with the change or not the change when really we should be enjoying the stage of life we are in because before we know it, it will change and if we aren't careful we are going to miss it.
My oldest is 7 1/2. WOW! Where did all the time go? When did my newborn change into a little girl who is ever changing so quickly into a young lady?  Don't get me wrong I don't want to keep my children babies, although I do love my babies. I simply want to enjoy them while I have them.  If I spend all my time wishing and dreaming and waiting for them to be in a different stage so that I can do other things I won't enjoy them in the stage they are in.  I will miss out on doing things with them now.  And I don't want to miss this!  Each day is a gift that I want to use to prepare my children to grow in the love of the Lord and to be used by him, not in the future but now.  Life is ever changing.  Don't fear the change, don't rush the change instead embrace the moment of change and go with the flow.

I Taught Myself to Smock

For years I would dream and talk about learning to smock so that I could make my little girl all those cutesy dresses that I couldn't afford.  Well my little girl is now becoming a big girl and almost too big, but not quite yet for smocked dresses and I have another little girl to sew for too. I just never could seem to find that round -to-it and honestly is seemed a bit daunting and hard to learn or at least that's what I thought.  Thanks to my sister teaching herself and telling me I'd love it and it wasn't as hard as I thought I have finally done it.  No special equipment needed. The thought of needing a pleater was probably one of the biggest things holding me back. Do you know how expensive they are?

On to the goodies.  Here is a pic of my first smocked project.  I made a dress and sandals for my little girl.

I think I'm allergic to starting out simple. I did not have a smocked dress pattern so I adjusted a regular pattern I already had.  I made up the pattern for the sandals. If I get brave I may do up a tutorial for them shortly.

I taught myself to smock with google, pinterest and youtube.  Here are some of the links I used.
Mary Grace Designs: (click the picture)

Source: mariegracedesigns.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Smocking plate that I used. I adjusted it to fit a smaller dress top.

Source: countrybumpkin.com.au via Stephanie on Pinterest

Here is a link to my smocking board on pinterest.  My next smocked project will be matching dresses (maybe bishop style) for both of my girls.  I'm thinking Christmas or maybe Easter.  My projects take a lot longer with my little one. ;-)  I am so glad that I finally learned to smock and I wish I would have done it sooner.
And now for some more pics!

Ruffle Butt