I haven't posted any new digi pages because I've jumped back to good old paper and scissors (well, x-acto knife is more like it for me). Since my early days of scrapbooking I've jumped around and just worked on whatever photos or theme inspired me or that I had cute supplies for.

Fun at the time, but not so good for having scrapbooks that are caught up - which is a goal of mine. I really don't mind being behind a year perhaps, but it's really been bugging me that I have gaps from back in 1996, 1999, 2003, or 2006 - well, pretty much from every year we've been married!

So for the last week I've been working like crazy on old photos. You can probably see why I haven't been inspired to scrapbook them before - because they aren't the best quality photos, but they are ones I want included in my albums. I decided to go for quick, simple, and complete. Here are a few of the many layouts I've finished. If I uploaded them correctly, perhaps blogger will even let you see them larger if you click on them. Please excuse the grainy quality of the photos - I took most of them late at night with a flash.

Emily - digi layout

Didn't get any sewing or scrapbooking in this weekend because we went to Seattle for 2 days to celebrate our 13th anniversary - woohoo! Got a little fabric shopping in though at a fabric store called Stitches on Pike Street. I bought some adorable quilting material that I'm going to make into a baby quilt - sorry, didn't get pics though. Now that we're back I've moved onto reviewing another of my digi scrapbooking classes and whipped out a quick layout for Emily's scrapbook.

Back into digi scrapping

I don't think I could ever give up paper scrapbooking entirely because I really enjoy the hands on feel of working with paper, ribbon, buttons, and all the fun little things that go with that hobby. But last fall when I started learning the basics of digital scrapbooking through online classes at http://www.jessicasprague.com/, I fell in love with all the possibilities of digital. There are so many great perks such as being able to reuse digi scrapbook supplies over and over (and recolor or redesign some of them), being able to undo every mistake or tweak a layout until it's just right, not having supplies all over the place, being able to work 10 minutes here and there, and on and on.

As with so many hobbies of mine, I put it aside for a while (ever since January!) and kind of forgot a lot of things. Thank goodness the classes I took online are archived and I can access them anytime. This layout is from lesson 1 from the Up and Running class and it looks just like my first ever digi layout from last fall seen HERE. I didn't change it from last time, but it was great practice to jump in again. I'm also learning the skills through CS3 (Photoshop) instead of Photoshop Elements this time so any practice helps.

Simplicity 5695 - version #2

In July 2008, I used this pattern to make a dress for my older daughter, Anna (who was 4 1/2 at the time). This summer I used the same pattern to make a dress for my youngest daughter, Emily, right before she turned 4. The dress is so quick and easy to put together and the only change I made was to make a kind of ruffled neckline and sleeve edge which is one of the pattern options.

I let Emily look through my fabric and this is what she picked. It definitely wouldn't have been my first pick because it's so bright and busy! But every time she wears it, she gets compliments on how cute it is and other children really like the animals on it as well. The one mistake I made though was not paying attention to how the animal pattern/repeat matched up as I was sewing the different gathered tiers together and so the top two tiers have flowers, hippos and other animals matching up one on top of the other. Not having noticed that until it was sewn AND serged together, I figured - oh well!

Simplicity 2907 Blouse version

After finishing that last dress, I used a remnant that was less than a yard to sew a quick blouse for my daughter. This really is a quick pattern to sew up.

Simplicity 2907 pattern review - school dress and blouse

Pattern Description: Toddlers' pants or shorts and dress, shirt or vest

Pattern Sizing: Size A 1/2, 1, 2, 3, 4

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern when you were done sewing it? Yes

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes - this is a very simple and basic pattern.

What I liked or disliked about the pattern: I liked that all the pieces fit together really well and that the pattern was simple and fast to put together. After I made the dress, I used a quilting cotton remnant I had to make a quick blouse as well. I didn't get the best photos and although it looks a little big in width wise in the photo, I think it fits great on Anna and she feels really comfortable in it.

Fabric used: a polycotton fabric from JoAnn's that I think was only $3/yard.

Pattern alterations of design changes: My 5 year old daughters chest & waist measurements matched the size 4 (I had purchased this pattern to use for my younger daughter) but I added an inch to the bodice section and an inch to the skirt section so that this dress would come to her knees. I also put in five buttons instead of four.

Would I recommend it to others? Yes. I think it's simple enough for beginner to try and I will probably make it again for my other daughter.

more simple pages

Last month I joined our scrapbook group for the first time in months for a girls night out and actually finished some pages. I have a couple more in progress that need journaling but it just might take me until the next scrapbook night to get those done. Now that school is back in session I'm especially trying to get back into a regular routine not just for our household, but for my scrapbooking and sewing (clothing and Etsy items). Simple - but any pages from the last couple of years from me always are, right? - but completed.

I also apologize for my 3 month hiatus from this crafting blog. Didn't mean to take off the whole summer! I actually did get some sewing done and I'll try and share those projects over the next week. Sadly, these are the only scrapbooking I've done this summer.

Hopefully Blogger will let you click on the images to see them larger if you'd like. Maybe - maybe not. You never know with Blogger, do you? I might just not know now to post better so if anyone has any tips, feel free to comment about that. I get very frustrated with Blogger and have often contemplated switching to Typepad to resolve the image problems. Maybe one day.

Simplicity 2688 Child's dress and purse review

I hand sewed a bow to sew on top of the ribbon waistband but since it was late at night (so I could have it ready for Sunday morning), I sewed it on slightly crooked. Sheesh! I was happy with how easy it was to insert an invisible zipper (see how you don't see it? magic!)and I managed to align the ribbon over it.

But since I was focusing on matching up the ribbon edges, I didn't pay enough attention to the top of the zipper and it's not lined up as nicely as I'd like.

The sleeves are probably my favorite part of this pattern. They are gathered at the top and at the bottom with a band to encase the bottom gathers (instead of just elastic) which creates a cute, little, puffy sleeve that I think looks darling.

Has it really been almost 2 weeks since I last posted? I have been sewing quite a bit but haven't managed to squeeze in the time to post. One of my projects was this dress for my 5 year old daughter. Anna seems to be going through a growth spurt lately and when I helped her pick out a dress for church a week or two ago, I realized she had outgrown several and was down to just a few dresses to choose from and that maybe it was time for a cute, new dress. This pattern has EASY on it, and it definitely is easy as far as technique. Not as fast as I had hoped (took me about 7 hours, but I am on the slower side when it comes to clothing) mostly because of all the gathering and I had to adjust the bodice size several times during fittings. Pattern description: Child's dress and purse. It's basically a slightly fitted bodice with a gathered skirt from the waist down )and ribbon around the waist area) and puffy, gathered sleeves or have it sleeveless. Pattern sizing: 3-8. I made size 6 because Anna's waist measurement matched size 6, but I really should have chosen a size according to her chest measurment (which is almost the same as her waist) and perhaps sewn size 4 or even 3 because it was far too big in the bodice area and I had to take it in a lot as I went. What I liked or disliked about the pattern: The bodice area of the pattern was very big and I would suggest to make the pattern according to the child's chest measurement instead of waist measurement. Everything else I liked about the pattern. I also made the little purse for Anna which was so easy to whip up. It's very small but she seems to like it. Fabric used: a polycotton fabric that's kind of like seersucker. Can't think of what JoAnn Fabrics calls it right now. It was cheap though. Pattern alterations of design changes: As I stated above, I took in the sides of the bodice a lot (probably 3 full sizes in width) and Anna still had plenty of wiggle room. I also used an invisible zipper instead of a regular one for the first time! Don't know why I was intimidated by them before. However I was focusing on making sure the ribbon lined up and didn't match the top of the dress as well as I usually like to so that's a bit off. Would I recommend it to others? I would and plan to make it probably one more time for my other daughter. I felt it was easy (but just a pain to adjust the sizing as I went and all the gathering) but I don't know if I'd recommend it for a beginner though. Perhaps an advanced beginner.

yard sale sewing finds

Just check out this darling pattern close up. How cute would it be to have my son or hubby dress like George Washington or Uncle Sam for Halloween?

This one is so cute. I love the "Stand Or Sit With Perfect Fit" slogan at the bottom. Too bad it doesn't come in adult size. I could use a pair of jeans like that fit so well.

I found a few fun things at a yard sale this morning. No good fabric unfortunately, but check out these old patterns. Just 5 cents each - yes, $0.05 per pattern! I also picked up a stack of elastic, twill tape, bias tape, etc. for 2.50 for this pile (sorry I didn't spread it out more to show it better). And one of my favorite things is this old folding yard stick. Check out the old phone number on it! It had 1945 written next to the 50 cents price tag. So cool.

McCalls 5720 Apron review

I made this apron as an example for the beginners sewing class I had last week. This is probably one of my favorite apron patterns just because it is so simple, fast to make, has sizes for adults and children, and also because it's not lined and takes less fabric than other patterns. I'll definitely try the other two views and also make some child size patterns in the future.

I made view B (adult size) and followed the pattern almost exactly as is. I decreased the length of the neck strap and also didn't use ric-rac around the sides of the apron - just on the top and bottom edges and on the pocket tops. For the seams I sewed them with a french seam - and then pressed it to one side and top stitched it down (so it looks like a flat felled seam I think). I wanted to show an example of how to nicely finish a seam without a serger.

As for the style of view B, I sewed a large and although I could have gone down a size for my own use, the way the sides of the apron are designed, they meet at the back if you are smaller and the apron actually doesn't seem too big. A much slimmer girl than me actually liked how it fit and made a large for herself even though a small or medium would have been find for her.