No Matter How Long the Winter, Spring is Sure to Follow – A Flower & Garden PTR

[jenseib]

Sesame Street was fun but I think it would have been better if she watched the show more. She loves Elmo and Cookie Monster because of toys and books she has but hasn't spent much time watching the show. So she loved the songs and skits that starred her favorites, but her attention kind of wandered when it was Big Bird or Bert and Ernie doing their thing.

Next time I think we'll wait for a Disney show to come to town. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is about all the TV Boo watches on a regular basis, but thanks to Pocahontas and her friends she's pretty familiar with a lot of the Disney movies too.

But next up is the circus - the Shine Circus is in town at the end of March and we haven't gone since before she was born so we've decided it is about time for her first elephant ride!

We are going to the Shrine Circus at the end of March too. I think it is here the weekend before we leave, if I remember right. My Aunt asked us Sudnay if Claire and I (and my sis and niece) wanted to go again this year. We have gone 3 times and this will be the 4th one. It's a nice circus, but bring a bag of money! LOL! My Aunt has no kids and spoils ours. Her and my Uncle buy them all sorts of crap and lets them ride the pnies and elephant and camel......and my sister and I have to put our foot down so they don't keep buying and buying. My Aunt will sneak away when we aren't looking and come back with treats.

 

[Colleen27]

We are going to the Shrine Circus at the end of March too. I think it is here the weekend before we leave, if I remember right. My Aunt asked us Sudnay if Claire and I (and my sis and niece) wanted to go again this year. We have gone 3 times and this will be the 4th one. It's a nice circus, but bring a bag of money! LOL! My Aunt has no kids and spoils ours. Her and my Uncle buy them all sorts of crap and lets them ride the pnies and elephant and camel......and my sister and I have to put our foot down so they don't keep buying and buying. My Aunt will sneak away when we aren't looking and come back with treats.

My mom is the one spoiling my kids with this stuff. Sesame Street was all her doing, and the circus is as well. I've always loved the Shrine Circus; my elementary school used to go as a whole-school field trip every year thanks to a janitor who was a Shriner and it was something to look forward to all year. We tried taking the kids to the Ringling Bros circus once and it just wasn't the same, so back to the "good" circus we go this year.

If you haven't already, go to the website for your local Shriners organization and sign up for their circus mailing list. I got a $5 off per ticket coupon in my e-mail just for signing up for the Detroit Shrine Circus e-newsletter. With us needing 6 tickets, that's a nice little discount!

 

[Colleen27]

8 days to go!!

I finished Pocahontas' last tee shirt and went to "plan b" for Boo's Monsters top since I still haven't gotten the white tee shirts for her. I still need to find one, but it is for a basic Mickey head design that will only take maybe a half hour to put together once I have it. My original concept for a Monsters design would have taken several days because I was planning on painting it and have to allow drying time between sections.

Horrible pictures because my camera is charged and packed with the memory cards all cleared, so these were taken with my phone. They're good enough to get the general idea, though.

Boo's Monster outfit, all put together:

Pocahontas' Hollywood shirt. The Mickey head is a cluster of rhinestones, and you can't tell in the pic but all the paints are metallic:

And the new earrings I surprised Pochontas with the other day - sterling and peridot (her birthstone) Mickeys. After weeks of asking every day when she could change her earrings, she's not sleeping in these because her starter hoops are more comfortable.

And just because I'm exhausted and heading off to bed, tonight's Disney memory is a sleepy one. I took this picture of Boo on our Epcot day last trip, when she fell asleep on a booth in Sunshine Seasons while we baby-swapped Soarin'. That was really her pace for the whole trip - if she got tired, she fell asleep and it didn't matter where we were at the time. I just wish I'd gotten a pic of her sleeping in the Doom Buggy on her first ride on Haunted Mansion!

 

[ksl5f123]

I love all of the beautiful clothes you have made for your girls. Very nice work!

for the single digit dance! You will be there soon!

I love the picture of Pocahontas in the Aurora dress watching the fireworks. Just beautiful.

Good job getting all of your ADRs switched for the DHS/Epcot trade. I am glad they are going to start the Disney Junior show earlier. We have been watching the new channel all week and my 5 year old LOVES the new shows. It is a definite must for us.

 

[blessedmom4]

I am in LOVE with that outfit...you are incredibly talented. The sleeping beauty memory picture is precious! Rachel falls alseep on everything and everywhere as well.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Man you are one crafty Momma!! That Monsters inc outfit is WAY too cute!!! Love that pic of Boo sleeping, it's funny how kids find a way to nap wherever it's needed!! Sometimes I think I could do that too, if I wouldn't get queer looks from people that is!! LOL!!

ETA: Hey have you looked at your countdown today? YAY!!!!!!!

 

[Colleen27]

7 days to go!!

Pocahontas woke up sick this morning so I got NOTHING done, just spent the day hanging out with the girls on the couch watching cartoons. Poor thing is too much like me - she had a fever and a really sore throat this morning, but by dinner time it broke and now she's just got the sniffles. I'm the same way, the day or two before a full blown cold is so much worse than the cold itself because of the sore throat and all over aches.

But sick this week is better than sick next week and from the way she was fighting with her brother over chosing a movie after dinner, I can only assume she's feeling a lot better.

Now on to the picture of the day - my girls waiting for Akershus breakfast on our first Epcot day last trip. I wasn't quite as brave with my sewing machine before that trip, so instead of dresses the girls got no-sew tutus dressed up a bit to look like their favorite pricesses. Don't mind the "eyeliner" on Pocahontas, this was the morning after her pirate makeover and we couldn't quite get that last bit of makeup off!

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

So sorry to hear Pocahontas was sick, but glad she's feeling better! And here's to hoping no sniffles of any kind for next week!!
Love all the cute clothes for the trip! You guys are gonna have so much fun!

 

[jenseib]

I hope she gets over it fast. I swear Claire always gets something a week before we go too. I love those tutus. How did you make them?

 

[BridgetR3]

Hope Pocahontas is feeling better soon!!

I'm so excited that we are both doing the single digit dance!!

You make amazing clothes for your girls! I can't wait to see the pics from your trip!

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Awww, those Tutus are way tu cute! LOL!! Seriously, love them! It's bittersweet getting sick right now, you have so much that needs to get done and wish they weren't sick, but then, better to be sick now than while on vacation, right? I hope you are all in tip top shape for your trip!

 

[Colleen27]

Well, I'm happy to report that we're all mostly healthy again! I was pretty miserable and exhausted yesterday but just have a lingering bit of fatigue today, and Pocahontas told me in no uncertain terms that she was plenty healthy enough for school. I'm sure the Girl Scout field trip didn't hurt...

I got Boo's floral shirt and the stripwork jumper for Pocahontas done, but y'all are going to have to wait for tomorrow for pics because the girls fell asleep watching Princess and the Frog in the living room so I can't turn on enough lights to get pics with my phone. All that's left to do now is the Cinderella sundress and I've got it started already.

We have a decision on the Tigers game, and that decision is... we're going to decide over breakfast the day of. An unplanned moment on a Disney trip?!? What is this insanity?!? With my mom and Pocahontas both waffling over which they'd rather have - the rest of the day at Animal Kingdom or the spring training game - and the game not looking like it'll sell out we decided to leave it to the last minute. If we're having fun at AK and don't want to leave the park, we won't. If the weather isn't cooperating or we're good with what we get done before our late-breakfast ADR, we'll head over to the game.

5 days to go, and Boo is waking up every morning asking if we're going to see Mickey today.

A few pictures today that pretty much speak for themselves before I head off to bed. Since I read today that Mickey and Minnie's houses have been torn down to make room for the Fantasyland expansion project, I think these are rather fitting.

2007

2009

And my little mini-me, posing with Minnie's sewing machine in 2007. Pocahontas got her first sewing machine that Christmas.

 

[Colleen27]

Ugh, I just lost a long post with all the pics of the stuff I finished up today and a short tutu how-to. The tutus are really simple, no sewing necessary, but I'll type out the detailed instructions again tomorrow.

I got a few projects checked off the to-do list today, leaving just the final assembly of Pocahontas' Cinderella dress, printer ink to install, and the stroller tags, touring plan cards, and snack list to print out. I'll be kid-free tomorrow while DH takes the kids over to my inlaws' to play with their cousin, so I'm going to catch up on my horrible backlog of laundry (thanks to a broken washer - talk about timing! it has been down almost 2 weeks, DH just got it running yesterday), finish the last couple projects, and finish packing!

Floral tees:

Pocahontas' stripwork jumper:

Double sided LGMH tags, ready to go on the park bags:

4 days to go!!

 

[jenseib]

That jumper is adorable...so is the shirt. Boy I wish I could sew. I really need to learn. I have been drooling over your pictures and many others lately! I could've bought a sewing machine with all the customized stuff I have bought or thought of buying.

 

[Colleen27]

That jumper is adorable...so is the shirt. Boy I wish I could sew. I really need to learn. I have been drooling over your pictures and many others lately! I could've bought a sewing machine with all the customized stuff I have bought or thought of buying.

Nothing I do is complicated in the least, and I'm using a <$200 Brother computerized machine from Walmart. I've only been sewing about 2.5 years; I bought my machine and started learning when Boo was small, after I realized it is hard to find and expensive to come by matching styles for sisters as far apart in age/size as my girls.

If you decide to start sewing, pop over to the Disboutiquers thread on the family board; it moves fast but you can get a ton of good advice about simple patterns and easier places to start. Most everything I do if from CarlaC's patterns at YouCanMakeThis.com or from blog tutorials I found on the Disboutique thread. I have a harder time with commercial/store-bought tissue-paper patterns so I don't use them often at all.

The tutus I did for the last trip were completely no-sew except a little hand stitching on the overskirt layer. I followed the basic directions from this tutorial (http://www.makethemyourself.com/tutu.html) with a couple of changes.

First, I sewed the elastic - the idea of using staples on something my kiddos would be playing with and pulling on and off a million times a day was just . If you want a true no-sew, headbands - the thin elastic kind that come in multipacks from Goody - work well as waistbands for toddlers but for bigger sizes (Pocahontas wears an 8) cut-to-fit elastic works better.

Second, for the princess ones I doubled the length of each strip and used this knot instead, so that the tulle would lay just a little flatter to make it easier to attach the overskirt:

 

[Colleen27]

Everything is DONE!!!

The stroller with the new Disney tag:

The Cinderella sundress for Pocahontas:

Now I'm off to bed.

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

Oh my gosh! That dress is sooooo cute!! She's going to feel like a perfect princess!

 

[jenseib]

Nothing I do is complicated in the least, and I'm using a <$200 Brother computerized machine from Walmart. I've only been sewing about 2.5 years; I bought my machine and started learning when Boo was small, after I realized it is hard to find and expensive to come by matching styles for sisters as far apart in age/size as my girls.

If you decide to start sewing, pop over to the Disboutiquers thread on the family board; it moves fast but you can get a ton of good advice about simple patterns and easier places to start. Most everything I do if from CarlaC's patterns at YouCanMakeThis.com or from blog tutorials I found on the Disboutique thread. I have a harder time with commercial/store-bought tissue-paper patterns so I don't use them often at all.

The tutus I did for the last trip were completely no-sew except a little hand stitching on the overskirt layer. I followed the basic directions from this tutorial (http://www.makethemyourself.com/tutu.html) with a couple of changes.

First, I sewed the elastic - the idea of using staples on something my kiddos would be playing with and pulling on and off a million times a day was just . If you want a true no-sew, headbands - the thin elastic kind that come in multipacks from Goody - work well as waistbands for toddlers but for bigger sizes (Pocahontas wears an 8) cut-to-fit elastic works better.

Second, for the princess ones I doubled the length of each strip and used this knot instead, so that the tulle would lay just a little flatter to make it easier to attach the overskirt:

So how long do you make each tulle strand? It says 6 yeards of fabric, so do you get 12 and make them 12 yards long? Also I can't quite visualize the knot..how it's tied. Do you make like a loop and pull both strands through (I'm sure that made no sense. LOL!

 

[Colleen27]

So how long do you make each tulle strand? It says 6 yeards of fabric, so do you get 12 and make them 12 yards long? Also I can't quite visualize the knot..how it's tied. Do you make like a loop and pull both strands through (I'm sure that made no sense. LOL!

I cheat and use tulle by the roll whenever possible, so the 6" width is precut (Hobby Lobby has it in a million colors) but I'm not entirely sure on how the measurements would translate to flat tulle. I personally don't want to cut all those strips if I don't have to; I think I used 3 rolls for Boo's (18mo size), 4 for Pocahontas' pink one, and 5 for Pocahontas' black one (the one in the pirate makeover pic I posted of her).

For the length, I measure the length I want the skirt, multiply by 2, and add 2" for the knot. And you're exactly right on the knot, just fold the strip in half, wrap the folded end over the waistband, and pull both ends through the loop. This tutorial explains the knot better than I can: http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/tutu_tutorial. I tend to do a lot by trial and error and piece together bits and pieces from various ideas/tutorials/designs so I'm not the best at giving instructions for this stuff.

 

[jenseib]

Thanks! I may have to give this a try....now where do you find rolls of tulle? I will most likely hit Hobby Lobby. Is it in the fabric section? Would be in with the ribbon? or just in the fabric section somewhere.