Smile And Wave

What I Wore: Mother's Day Skirt

This maxi wrap skirt has got to be one of the quickest sewing projects I've ever finished! I bought this fabric at my friend, Roxanne's, garage sale about a month ago and set it aside knowing someday it'd be put to good use. After seeing so many beautiful maxi skirts on fashion blogs and Pinterest I decided I needed to make one myself. In fact, if my sewing machine gets fixed soon I'll happily share a tutorial to make your own. In the meantime you can find one here, here, and in our Home Ec e-course.

It's light and flowy and easy to wear. It takes a lot of fabric but would work well in a solid (cheaper). I'm thinking a linen-like fabric or even a light denim should be next on my list. 

Outfit Details: T-shirt, Target. Maxi skirt, handmade from vintage fabric. Gypsy platforms c/o Blowfish. Sand Timer Necklace c/o Unexpected Expectancy. Leather bag, thrifted. Vintage glasses, thrifted. 

I love the extra inches these Gypsy platforms give me. At 5' 4" (barely), I need all the boost I can get when going with a maxi. They're also the most comfortable pair of shoes I currently own!

This skirt makes the fifth article of handmade clothing I've added to my wardrobe this year including the two tops I made last week. I'm hooked! 

What summer trend would you make yourself if you could?

-Rachel

What I Wore: My Handmade Dress

I picked up two yards of this vintage fabric somewhere in Missouri before we moved and was newly inspired to make something with it when I found this tutorial again. I should've been unpacking but it was one of those days when I just needed to do something creative. It's the best-fitting article of clothing I've ever made for myself. I can't wait to make something in a black and white polka-dot or large buffalo plaid next! 

I used the basic premise layed out in the tutorial about using a fitted top as a template and then adjusting a few things. I added more width to the skirt so I could do box pleats and bravely sewed in a zipper, wonky as it may look near the top. 

I added lining in the top for a nicely finished look and made everything larger than I thought so I could take it in to fit nicely. If you're feeling brave I suggest trying it with inexpensive sheeting or in a miniature size (doll dress or for a little person) before trying it on something you paid a lot of money for. Once you work out the kinks you'll have a few new pieces in your spring/summer wardrobe!

I wore my dress for the first time on our family date to the Airplane Restaurant. It's in East Colorado Springs and features an airplane themed restaurant with a huge WW11 aircraft attached to it. We got a reservation to eat in the plane and the kids got to play around in the cockpit and peek out the airplane windows while we waited for our food. Oh, and the food! Delicious.

I had Brett snap these outside the restaurant. Ruby and Sebastian ran around throwing pinecones while they waited on us and the weather was just gorgeous.

Outfit Details: Dress, handmade by me. Shoes c/o ModCloth. Cardigan, Target. Turqouise ring, local trade shop. Belt, thrifted. Bag c/o ELF.

So blurry but that look of joy on Ruby's face is priceless.

One of the first dresses I ever made that I actually wore was a white, eyelet, strapless number that I think I gave away when I got pregnant with Sebastian. I wish I'd kept it for Ruby. I've made a few since then but I think I've finally figured out that it's worth doing it right the first time and not taking short cuts if I want to wear it out in public!

Oh, and I need to add a hook and eye to this one because my side zipper had totally come unzipped to the belt between these photos, the coffee shop, and home. Thank GOODNESS I was wearing a cardigan. 

-Rachel

Art Journal All Year E-Course is Here!

 

 We're so, so excited to release our newest e-course, Art Journal All Year! It's the most personal course we've written. It's filled with beautiful textures, photographs, colors and words. It's perfect for anyone wanting to get into the practice of making art journals! 

The course is broken up into 52 Challenges! It's a 'work at your own pace' course, so you choose whether you'd like to take on one challenge each week or they can be done one each day and completed in about two months! It's the perfect course to take with a friend! 

Each session has an Art Challenge and a Journal Challenge. You'll get inspired to dig deeper in your writing as well as the collage art aspect of art journaling. Some of the themes that we focused on throughout the course were vulnerability, self exploration, goals and reflection. 

I've loved collaborating with Elsie Larson on this course. We taught our first art journaling class together nearly ten years ago and we make a good team. I'm always excited about the kind of pages she creates and her use of color and texture in her work. She regularly finds new ways to use product and ephemera to create something fresh and her journaling prompts and shared stories always remind me to dream and give me a fresh perspective.

We hope you enjoy the course. You can begin at any time, but this first week of the new year would be especially perfect, don't you think? Welcome to your new favorite e-course!

Get more info here + sign up here!

xo,

Rachel + Elsie

Advent Activity Calendar DIY

I made Sebastian this Advent Activity Calendar two years ago in hopes of creating extra special memories throughout the month of December. It's a way to help us be more intentional with our time and our thoughts as we move through such a frenzied, hectic, exciting time of year and a way to teach them about the anticipation of Christmas!

I wrote about it on my old blog but wanted to repost the basic instructions again here:

I started with some gray wool that I found in a bargain bin last year and cut it to measure about 16" x 24". I hemmed the edges and made a pocket hem for the top edge in order to hang it on a rod (or stand in ruler). I found my cream felt and cut five rows so that they would fit my allotted space and pinned them down. I then sewed down all three outer edges of each felt panel.

After measuring the distance needed for five spaces each, I stitched lines to create pockets. I then carefully hand cut felt numbers and glued them on with tacky glue. Finally, I cut an old ruler down to size using a serrated kitchen knife because I never have any dowel rods on hand, and added a pom-pom hanger.

Next, I cut down 25 individual cards from scrapbook paper I've saved, rounded off the corners, and arranged them so that they looked mixed up. Then I made a list of all of the activities I could do with Sebastian (and now Ruby) or that we could do as a family to make each day this month a little more special. I thought about which days lent themselves to simple activities like making brownies and which days we could do something more specific such as enjoying the bounce house at the YMCA this Friday. Most of the activities will cost nothing or very little but will surely keep us focused on enjoying each other during the holidays.

This year's Advent Activity list:

Bake Christmas cookies, watch a movie at Grandma Cheryl's house, make brownies, pick out a board game to play, an extra 20 minutes of screen time, hang paper chains, visit the North Pole at Bass Pro and see Santa Claus, paint ornaments, make pizza at home, build a gingerbread house, build a fort on mama's bed & read books all evening, make a ton of paper snowflakes, buy new snow boots just in case, drive around looking at Christmas lights, read two or three Christmas stories, make hot chocolate and marshmallows, make a present for someone, find a Salvation Army bell ringer and drop off $5 in dimes, mail out post cards to people we love, surprise friends with sweet treats, watch Home Alone I, watch Home Alone II, get Daddy at the airport, pancakes for breakfast!

I've organized activities according to our schedule so that weekends get more time intensive activities and the busiest weeknights get the simplest activities. I've learned from the past two years not to get too ambitious lest I miss the point and create the busyness I'm trying to avoid. We've sent a chocolate advent calendar to Brett to help him enjoy the countdown to coming home two days before Christmas!

Do you do an advent calendar?

xo,

Rachel

Other Holiday DIYS from Smile and Wave

*Flower Bauble Wreath

* Holiday Door Mat

* Scalloped Felt Wreath

Baby On The Way Reviews and A Giveaway

Baby on the Way is my most recent E-Course offering 12 handmade projects that will help prepare your baby's space for his, her or their arrival! This course was designed for moms and dads who enjoy customizing their surroundings to fit their unique aesthetic and want to create a special space for their child to grow.
Here's what Grace had to say upon completion of her own Herringbone Quilt.

"If you have a baby on the way (or a friend does) and are a crafty lady, I definitely recommend this E-Course. There are 12 stunning and useful tutorials included – I plan to make a few bibs and changing pads pretty soon and I might even tackle some of the more complicated stuff too!

The Herringbone Quilt tutorial is definitely the stunner though. I have been planning to make a quilt since the day I discovered I was pregnant and it was awesome to have this handy guide to follow."

Jessica Lewis of Hello Rosie wrote this in a recent post:

"The e-course is a lot of fun, and has a bunch of super useful patterns for making baby things. I’ve found that baby things tend to be either highly mass-produced (and kind of eh) or way more high-end than I can afford (or could justify if I could). So, I’ve taken to making or upgrading my own things."

Now here's your chance to WIN ONE OF THREE of my Baby on the Way E-Courses being given away this week!

There are two ways you can enter to win:

* Leave a comment below with your favorite baby name(s). Don't leave the one you're using, though, in case someone else decides they LOVE it! Ha!

* Tweet about this giveaway and report back with a comment that you did (honor system, folks).

You don't have to be a mom to enter to win! Enter for your best friend that just found out she's pregnant or your SIL who just had a baby but who would rather be napping that sewing. You can always find Baby on the Way, as well as past E-Courses at Red Velvet.

THREE winners will be picked on Wednesday, Nov. 30th, and announced on the blog so stay tuned!

xo,
Rachel

 

The Token Thanksgiving Project

This is it. My Thanksgiving-ish project. It probably could've used a doily, twine, or some buttons to take it up a notch but I was pretty pleased with how it turned out. The bulky straw wreath and wool fabric were thrifted, the wool felt was left over from a recent project, and the owl was one of three I picked up at Walgreens. I cut the fabric, wrapped pieces around the wreath, stitched them to each other, cut out and stitched the leaves, and then carefully attached the owl with some strategically placed embroidery thread.

I may start decorating the inside for Christmas but I'll let this little guy hang out until Black Friday. Then it's over.

Are you a wreath maker? It's slightly addicting, isn't it.

xo,

Rachel

Pretty Bow Garland DIY

There's nothing sweeter than bows except maybe lots of them strung together! I made this simple bow garland for Ruby's second birthday party from some of my favorite vintage sheets but it can be customized in a variety of colors or prints.

Step One: Choose three or four coordinating fabrics and decide how many bows you'd like on your garland. Each cut of fabric needs to be about 20" wide by 9" long. Step Two: Fold it in half lengthwise with the right sides facing each other and pin. Stitch along the long edge.

Step Three: Fold it right side out and press flat. Make sure your seam is in the center of one side. Fold it in half so that the two open ends match up. Step Four: Stitch along that short end. Turn your tube of fabric so that the seam is on the inside and press flat. Make sure that seam is in the center of the back side of your bow as shown above.

Step Five: Fold your bow accordian style and tie a knot around the middle with embroidery thread. Step Six: Cut a strip of fabric measuring about 2" x 4" and fold the long edges in to create clean edges. Press flat. Wrap it around the center of your bow so that the ends meet on the back and stitch together.

Step Seven: Create as many bows as you need and then connect the top corners together with embroidery thread by stitching through the back piece of fabric at each corner and tying a double-knot. Step Eight: These bows can make a heavier garland so you'll want to keep that in mind when you're deciding how long you want it. I chose to make two strands and hang them on a mirror. If you make one long strand you may want to hang it up every 4-5 bows. Enjoy!

If you make your own bow garland feel free to link up to this post!

xo,
Rachel

DIY Oversized Fabric Garland for ABM

If you're looking to add some dramatic lighting to your home for the holidays or need a whimsical statement piece for your child's room look no further than your kitchen! I used a wire cooling rack and lots of fabric strips to make this fabric garland chandelier and shared the full tutorial on A Beautiful Mess. Enjoy!

xo,
Rachel

Baby on the Way E-Course: Now Available

Baby on the Way is my newest E-Course offering 12 handmade projects that will help prepare your baby's space for his, her or their arrival! This course was designed for moms and dads who enjoy customizing their surroundings to fit their unique aesthetic and want to create a special space for their child to grow. Projects build on each other so that even beginning sewers can gain confidence as you follow step-by-step photos and instructions.

 

Project List

* Colorful Burp Cloths            * Fabric Fringe Garlands       * Quilted Changing Mat

* Oilcloth Diaper Case                * Reversible Bibs              * Customized Crib Sheet

* Plus Sign Plush Mobile          * Pillows Three Ways           * Hanging Hamper

* Shoe and Toy Organizer    * Baby's First Photo Album     * Herringbone Crib Quilt

On top of twelve sewing projects I've also included chapters on designing your child's space, shared rooms, and transitioning through the years. I share tips on how to include vintage furniture and flea market finds as well as ways to expand on projects as your child grows.

  Baby on the Way will satisfy that urge to feather your nest and give you all the instructions to complete projects that will not only save you money but streamline your baby's space and allow you to personalize things you'll use everyday.

Of course these projects are not only for brand new or expecting moms. Moms with toddlers who love a new DIY or grandmas that love to sew for their grandkids will enjoy tackling an original Herringbone Quilt pattern, creating helpful storage pieces such as the Shoe Organizer or hamper, or adding to their own photos to a Soft Photo Book to gift to their little ones.

E-Courses include all of your projects and step-by-step instructions upon purchase so there's no waiting or hurrying to catch up on a class! It's a go-at-your-own-pace course that you'll have access to forever.  

Purchase your Baby on the Way E-Course now and get a head start on handmade Christmas gifts for your nieces and nephews or your best friend who just found out she's having a boy! 

Baby on the Way was designed with boys in mind. Each of the projects are customizable but have been created in a color story boys can get behind. Swap out the white and yellow herringbone pattern for two shades of grey and finish it off with burnt orange binding for a completely different look. Arrows and plus signs are another boy friendly icon that can easily be enjoyed as baby boys grow into big boys. Stitch up a plus sign pillow in a bold floral, however, and you've got yourself a stunning addition to your little girl's bed.

This course was designed with beginning sewers in mind but if you've never sewn in your life or just got a new sewing machine but aren't familiar with it yet, I might suggest trying out Home Ec. It's an e-course that is 100% focused on teaching brand new sewers and has a lot of troubleshooting built into it to help you figure out why your thread is stuck, etc. Once you've gotten comfortable with the basics such as threading your machine, back-stitching, and basic hemming you'll be ready to tackle Baby on the Way!

Baby on the Way is available through Red Velvet for $32.00. It's one of the most affordable E-Courses out there and offers simple, step-by-step photos and directions to walk you through each project so that you don't get left halfway through a project wondering where you went wrong. For $32 you get access to all of your tutorials in one place with a strong design and directions you can trust as well as instructions to original project designs that aren't available elsewhere.

I've put all of my thought and energy into creating this course as if I were making it for a baby of my own. It's full of the kinds of projects I have used with one or both of my kids or will set aside for the possibility of inviting another little one into our home some day! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

xo,
Rachel

p.s. I'd like to thank Janae Hardy again for lending her talent and her baby boy, Ezra, for the photos above!

Baby on the Way E-Course

Baby on the Way is my newest E-Course offering 12 handmade projects that will help prepare your baby's space for his, her or their arrival! This course was designed for moms and dads who enjoy customizing their surroundings to fit their unique aesthetic and want to create a special space for their child to grow. Projects build on each other so that even beginning sewers can gain confidence as you follow step-by-step photos and instructions.

Baby on the Way will satisfy that urge to feather your nest and give you all the instructions to complete projects that will not only save you money but streamline your baby's space and allow you to personalize things you'll use everyday.

This E-Course will be available for purchase through Red Velvet on Wednesday, October 19th at 10:00a.m. CST. Full details including a project list and price on Wednesday!

xo,

Rachel