Monday, October 28, 2013

Ahhhh...Senior Year Homecoming Dance...... Nightmare Dress...or Dream Come True?

Daughter*4, our youngest, is in her last year of high school.
Just like every girl, she wants to be asked to the Homecoming Dance, 
especially her Senior year of High School.

Since she has chosen to Not pair off with one boy and single date, as the time of a formal dance 
at school approaches and is in everyones' conversations, she is wondering......

"Is someone going to ask me to the dance?
What dress will I wear?
Will I be HAPPY he asked me to the dance? 
When am I going to be asked!???!!
I HOPE I am going to be asked to the dance..(sadness creeping in...)"

Two weeks before the dance, one of her good friends asked her to be his date.
She was so excited! Of course, she told him 
"Yes! I would LOVE to be your date!"
eBay dress...$50!!!
We knew we had to work fast to find a dress. 
She has borrowed dresses for past formal dances, and she is shaped differently
 than her older sisters, so she couldn't use any of their dresses. And she really wanted 
a dress of her own. So, she started looking online. And this is the dress she found.

The picture isn't very clear, but it looks online like it is a beige dress with a 
brown empire waisted area with bling and beads. The shoulders had too much beading.
Seven rows of beads that are very low quality...not nearly as pretty as the 
other strings of beads that hang just below them. 
The color in the eBay description said "Gray", and we hoped gray would 
look just as nice as the picture did. Isn't it a lovely dress?.....well.....

Her date's Mother brought over ties so we could see if he already owned one that might go well.
He owned two that went well!

if you don't have to alter anything...Which we always have to do. . .
I do sew, but we were headed to another state to take her brother to college for the weekend,
 just a few days after the dress arrived. I knew I had only a short time to find 
and purchase fabric that would either match (ha,ha,ha) the fabric or blend with (maybe) or
contrast well, similar to the fabric used on the high waist area (not a chance!).

                         
                                            The dress was from China. . . Anyone know how I take care of this dress?!!!
We checked a fabric store on our trip and I picked up a piece of fabric and a scarf 
that looked like they  might do the trick, but I had a sneaking suspicion that it 
would end up being more complicated than that. 
Doesn't it always?
I worked almost every day on her dress so it would be ready for her.


Her dress needed to have sleeves added, which is a fairly regular thing I have 
done to most of the dresses we purchased for dances.  
My girls are short waisted and I always have to take about 2 inches out of the shoulders. 
On this dress I also had to raise the waist up about 3/4 of an inch.  
It improved the fit so much, on the top and through her hips,
I knew I HAD to make that adjustment so "The Princess" could look her best in her dress.
The shoulder bling, I wish I had a "Before" picture, was so much 
my hubby said in a quiet voice, "She looks like she is wearing a Marching Band Uniform!
She is a petite girl and really, the shoulders were so blingy, you were drawn to 
look at them instead of at her beautiful face!!!
She loved the dress as it was, so I just did that Mom thing and didn't say much.
So first things first. Take apart the dress.... YIKES! SCARY Lookin'!

We went once again to a fabric store in our area, hoping to find something that would match better...
and we DID find it! She did, I was looking for lining and she found a match that
was just a little lighter in color, but you wouldn't know it
if I hadn't told you!

I was in a Van Huesen store and look what I found! The Perfect tie for the dress.
Since we had to take 2 inches off the shoulders, we had to remove some 
of that bling. It was great because when fitting the dress to her shoulders,
 readily agreed that it looked better with less bling on the shoulders. 

The dress was fully lined with a lined lining! Do you know how many seems that 
is to take out and re-stitch and rip and take out again, if you make a mistake? 
Too Many! But I did them all and did many of them AGAIN!

Since the waist band was raised, you see that I also had to adjust........you got it...the loops...on BOTH sides
.Hmmm, maybe this was not such a great idea.
In altering the back, I was working with five layers of fabric on the right side, including 
the loops and the stay strip, and seven layers on the left side, including the lined piece 
that fits in to cover her back underneath the lacing.
It may have been easier to sew this dress from the pattern and fabric up, but
it would have taken me longer than the time I had, I think. 

I used a sleeve pattern from a shirt pattern I have, it is the same pattern piece I have used on ALL the dresses I've altered for the girls. I adjust it to fit the armhole on each dress a little differently. 
But it works, so I keep using it! Someday I would like to learn how to fit sleeves 
and make somewhat professional alterations. I have sewn
for my girls for a long time, but I don't think I am finished sewing for them.

We found the perfect shoes, with the cheap looking bling and EVERYTHING! LOL!!!
She even had white polish with glitter bling on her toes. It was so cute!


While making her corsage and boutonniere, I remembered I had this
vintage clutch I bought years ago at a antique store for $12.
It is in immaculate condition and was still in
it's original box. She was thrilled with it.
Her hair was done in a "Downton Abbey" loose bun,
and she made a braided hair ribbon out of
the tiny braid I used in her wrist corsage.


Don't they just look like good friends? I told her she would have to be on a chair so 
they could talk while they dance! 


Our beautiful sweet princess was so tired when she got home, but she said she didn't want
to take the dress off because she felt so pretty in it. 
She is pretty. She is kind, intelligent, fun, musical, witty, friendly,
and she laughs and works and sings and cries with me. 

(In the background of my typing I hear her complaining to her father about the cost of something....
"They charge me six kidneys per pack......and I don't even HAVE SIX KIDNEYS!")

She warms my heart every day. Even on the days 
I shake my head or want to spank her. . . she is so much fun!
What a blessing she is in my life.

Hope you enjoyed my CRAZINESS, or over confidence, whatever you want to call it. 
It was a successful craziness, and isn't that what life is all about?

Betsy Hugs and Bloggy Love to you all!

Betsy

PS ~ My First Blog-iversary is tomorrow!! I cannot believe it! Can anyone hear me saying "Blog Giveaway?"

Linking this girl and her gorgeous Grey Dress
 to 


Thanks for the party, Michelle!

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Christmas in August

All of our children were here in August, when our son returned home from a mission 
for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brazil. He was there for two years, so 
when he returned part of our festivities was a Christmas in August Celebration.  
Everyone brought small gifts for each other, but Daughter*1 brought me some gorgeous 
linens and crochets from the flohmarkt  in Frankfort, Germany!
 She knows just what I love and I do love it all!!!


This is an oval table cloth or runner that is so amazing.

I received three of each of these, and they are very pretty.

I don't think I have seen a doily quite like this before. I think it is beautiful. 

This doily is made from a silky, shiny thread.

I love the details on this runner. The center design is lovely. . .

Look at these gorgeous old buttons on this piece.... I ADORE this piece...

It's a European pillow sham. I do not have any European sized pillows, but I can sure get some!
This sham has need of repair, but I am looking forward to fixing it up.
It will be perfect in our off white bedroom. I am making a few changes in our 
master bedroom, but it it will remain mostly off white.

All of these pieces need to be soaked and oxycleaned! But they will be 
so pretty when washed and ironed. 
I don't like ironing clothing, but beautiful linens are another thing!

These "lacies" are so pretty and it will be so fun to use them on 
pillows, a curtain and a duvet cover. 


Thank you, Gigi, for the gorgeous doilies, the runners, and the European pillow sham.... 
But thank you most for your love and friendship and thoughtfulness in finding me such beauties!!! Hugs to you and your family, Sweet Girl. 
I want to make you something with some of these amazing pieces, too!

Hope you all enjoyed my gifts, I am really loving them.

Hearts to you all,
Have a great weekend!

BETSY


PS I wish my crochet was so evenly finished! Hopefully I will get better as  go!
PPSS And I also got some other beautiful things from Brazil as well as silver from Germany from my other daughter!!! Show you those soon!


Linking up late to 
at Timewashed, thanks Becky!

And to 
at Faith, Grace, and Crafts, thanks to you also, Doni!