The One Where I Thought "Uh Oh" and Did It Anyway

Aka, Butterick 5639, why did you have to be difficult?

Have you seen this dress? I pinned it 33 weeks ago. It's been sitting in my "clothes to make" board. The link goes to her Flickr site but there are only three pictures of her version, none of which is her wearing it. I did a search and she seemed to be the only one who'd made and shown it. I never thought to look on Pattern Review......

Gorgeous, isn't it?

I purchased the pattern about four months ago. When I got it home and really looked at it, I thought... Uh Oh. 

The pattern front as they show it is kinda meh, but obviously from the picture above can be very cute with the right fabric. I wanted to make the same view, down there, on the left. For some reason, I thought the back view would be similar to the front. 

Then I turned it over. Moo, straps. I so did not want straps. I know, I live in the land of heat and sunshine, but strappy dresses will never be work appropriate for me. You may think that's silly and that's ok. 

So, I said all of that to say, it took me until two weeks ago to try and make this pattern how I wanted it to be. It's made with a linen look fabric from Joann's. I used the same basic pieces from the front bodice for the back. 

I think it turned out pretty well. It did take a bit  a lot a whole lot of tweaking and it is not perfect by any means.

After I finished this today, in preparation for blogging it, I did another search for this dress. That's when I found the link to the reviews on Pattern Review. The beautiful dress I showed you for my inspiration? She says the back was so bad that it was not salvageable. As in train wreck and wadder pile, her words not mine. It was only then that I read the fabric suggestions. Linen or even a linen look like mine was not recommended. Hmmm, I am even happier with my choice to alter the back and how it turned out after reading that. 

 I made my guy take me to the beach this evening for a sunset photo shoot. I guess the next few pictures are as much about me having fun as they are about the dress. It is utilitarian yet feminine. The princess line fit and flare are flattering to my, ahem, shape. The pockets are amazingly usable. Seriously. 

All in all I think it is a pretty and comfortable dress to wear. Appropriate for both beach and office.

Evenings like this make me wonder why I don't go jump in the water more often. 

Oh and no, I do not mind being the crazy person jumping in the water while people walk by wondering why is the crazy woman jumping around in the water in a dress....

Berry Stripe Quilt and some crack....

This yummy quilt is up in the shop!

Shot cotton is a new favorite for me. Especially mixed with linen.

I really have to resist the urge to keep every quilt... Moo!

 This boy LOVES the water... any water.... even a cup of water

 every post should have some crack... seriously have to remember to put sunscreen there! 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Fort Bragg and Mendocino

We drug Ubers parents on a quick 3 day mini vacation out to the coast. I really wanted to get Micah to the water... not that he will remember or anything but we took a ton of pictures... I tried to narrow it down but this is a picture heavy post. 

 The first day we headed out to Fort Bragg it was a gorgeous clear warm day- totally not what we packed for it should have been cold.

 We went to two beaches the first was Glass Beach - it used to be a dump but it has been cleaned out and now there is massive quantities of super small glass pebbles. I spent at little time searching out blues and even found a red one- I could spend hours doing this, I try to get glass at every beach I go to ... it's Ubers favorite thing! If you ever get the chance this beach though small was a lot of fun.

 I loved this plant it was growing everywhere, it's vivid colors are beautiful. my dad informed me it's ice plant.

 Mum says it looks like I Photoshoped us into this picture...

 You really can't beat the beauty of Northern California's Coast

 Can anyone tell me what is wrong with this picture?? (Hint: one of these things is not like the others)

 Why didn't I climb up there? Oh that's right I was to busy looking for glass...

The following pictures are at MacKerricher's State Park where we went to play in the tide pools... because everyone knows I love to pet small defenseless animals...

 Here's Micah dipping his feet in the chilly (ridiculously cold) water... he didn't seem to mind a bit (of course he didn't try to lunge into the water like normal either)

 This is the tide in the first day we were there

 The next morning we were out at 10am for low tide Uber and I took Micah out to see what we could find

 We saw quite a few star fish but this was the only one I was fast enough to get

 Sea Anemone

 Almost got this guy he managed to get two fingers stuck at the tips...

 My favorite find was this anemone shell. It's so weird how they dry out! It's currently on the back porch ... I can't wait until it stops smelling!

 SEA SLUG! Seriously how gross is this?

 This is how Micah traveled through the tide pools

 It was only a little nerve racking...

 What's up with this face?!

 This is the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, absolutely gorgeous. You can even rent the light keepers cottage as a vacation home.

 Micah enjoyed popping all of the daisy heads off the flowers.

 Well I guess this is the only Mendocino picture we really took. It looks gorgeous (and it was) but there was dense fog so if you looked out to the headlands and ocean you could see nothing but directly across the street from the bluff was beautiful... I guess we will just have to go back again because the area is beautiful and I would love to see it on a clear day!

One more post and I will wrap up the trip... then crafting I promise!

A Nice, Quiet Weekend

Not only was this last Sunday Father's Day, it was You Know Who's and my thirtieth anniversary. That's right, thirty, three zero, three decades. I'm not sure where all that time has gone. I look at our kids and grandson and know I am getting older but apart from the days where my body doesn't cooperate, I don't feel older. I look at this man whom I love more than when we first decided to spend the rest of our lives together and he just hasn't changed that much. (He loves being told that.) 

Anyway, I am blessed. 

We are blessed, to have the life we do.

 Together. 

It's appropriate then that we spent our weekend with people we love, doing things we enjoy.

It was a gorgeous day out on the water Saturday. He and I went out into the ocean for the first time. Not very far, but far enough for me....

One section of the beach was covered in birds. Their noise was so loud, you could hear it over the crashing surf.

Pelicans in flight are kind of amazing.

Heading into open water.

I made him turn back for the inner coastal before we went too far for my comfort.

Beach baby.

Look at that tongue! 

A picnic would not be complete without iced coffee. 

This stuff has changed my life. 

Seriously.

I broke up with a well known coffee house now that I make my own.

I can have it anytime I want.

I've gained weight. 

I am happy.

Join me?