Happy Birthday Grandma Sue

Grandma and Max, originally uploaded by threedancingmagpies.

Happy Birthday to my mom and best friend. We are all so lucky to have such a wonderful mother and grandmother. As I type this I hear you laughing and loving your grandchildren as they start their day. I have always felt that your special day gets a little lost in the Halloween shuffle and this year is like any other . . . sorry!

We have had a wonderful visit with you and wish it could last a few more weeks! So enjoy the crazy weekend and know that we all love you very much!

Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!

How amazing are these costumes?  As I look at what I am planning to put my children in . . . I dream of this kind of talent.  Can you imagine taking a spin in one of these on the big night?  I for one think this is a giveaway not to be missed.  The link is below and while you are there, stay awhile and check out one of my favorite blogs!

Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!

Enough hair for Pigtails and a Twirl Skirt Made by Mom!

The moment we have been waiting for . . . Hair long enough for PIGTAILS. So fun to actually be able to inject a little style into Ellie's locks and she is loving her, one, two, pigtails (imagine two little fingers struggling to raise themselves up)

Then a little more fun - the joys of a full skirt that twirls. We spent the day twirling, twirling and twirling! Now that I have the ruffler foot out of the box, I think we will have a closet full of twirling skirts! Actually the next will be a little less twirl, my friend Jamie has made some fantastic skirts for her little girl and she has been generous to share her methods . . . so that will be my next skirt! For this one the fabric is Tina Givens from here and the pattern was Pink Fig #4, The Girly Skirt. The ruffler foot made the gathering so simple!

Ruffler Foot- Friend vs. Foe?

Skirt for Ellie, originally uploaded by threedancingmagpies.

What was I waiting for? I decided tonight to break out the ruffler foot and OMG it ROCKS! I have had it for over 6 months and have just been plain too scared to give it a whirl. The foot looks like a torture device and has just had me nervous. I had about a half hour to sew before bedtime and was starting to gather and thought, why not? So from the time I broke it out of the box, put it on the machine, did a test on a scrap and then gathered this skirt . . . less than five minutes. No strings to pull, not strings to break, no gathers to rip out and start again, no swearing, just a very wonderful pleat and EASY PEASY! The skirt is really cute and the pattern was very easy to follow. I have had some Pink Fig patterns hanging around for awhile and think I will have to give them a try. This Tina Givens fabric is very fun. I got both the pattern and the fabric at KC Custom Fabrics in Saratoga Springs and also their website.

I can't wait to try it on her and take some photos in the morning!