I'm turning Japanese, I really think so!

Adara has decided to take off and leave me all alone (well not quite alone lol)

She has gone to Japan for 2 weeks with school.

In her honour I have decided that this weeks PR&P project will be dedicated to JAPAN and all things Japanese.

This weeks theme was the "white sheet challenge"

I totally loved this one!!!!!

I used a King Size sheet from Kmart 225 thread count

I started off by making a top and pants

The pants are double layered with the top of the sheet as the cuff.

The top has kimono style sleeves and ties at the back.

Bianca quite liked it but was happy to take it off and I was thinking great another outfit to sit on her bedroom floor. You know how it is nice but nothing to write home about.

Then I thought lets try dip dying

I did the right thing and googled heaps, then went out and got my dye :)

I wanted the outfit to still be predominately white so I used this tutorial

but I only did one dipping at full strength and I boiled the water.

It still looked a little plain to me so I grabbed some of the extra fabric and tried a couple of other dying techniques.

1. Rubber bands

2. knots

I then cut it up and made Kanzanshi Flowers

Here is the closest tutorial I could find to how I do them

I learnt at a craft show.

The only difference is I use squares and trim off the extra on the bottom before sewing them together

(maybe I will do my own tut at some point)

I made them in 4 different sizes

1 inch squares

2 inch square

2 1/2 inch squares 

3 inch squares

I used an iron for the 1 inch squares as they were quite fiddly.

I then played around with how to place them I even let Bianca have a say (isn't that thoughtful of me)

We then had another photo shoot with a new hair style

a chop stick bun

Tutorial here

After this shoot I couldn't get her to take it off :D YAY

She is off to Dinner Friday night with Nanny for Yum Cha and has decided she is wearing it and thinks with the right skirt and shoes it will also be worn to church on Sunday.

Now then the right shoes

I had quite a bit of sheet left (remember it was King size) so I thought shoes, well slippers (needs to be traditional) but I just didn't have time to work it out so I bought her a new pair of white thongs (US-translation FlipFlops) and started making more Kanzanshi flowers from the left over tie dyed white sheet.

Wow did this turn out to be harder than I thought.

First up I broke 3 needles putting the flowers together.

Then we glued them on and went for another photo shoot.

We have a Japanese garden about 1/2 hour from our place, couldn't think of a better backdrop, but the flowers fell off the thongs, and I didn't have anything to stick them back on with (learnt my lesson should always carry a hot glue gun lol)

Jack and David came for the drive (so did Anthony but he didn't want his photo taken)

We did the shoot anyway - hence the awesome photos for the sew along.

When we got home I re-glued them but I glued the back as well (can't really explain but they stay on now)

That of course meant another photo shoot. Bianca may never want to see another camera again.

So that's it. I really love this outfit and I'm really proud of my work.

Now on to next week. I think I better use the boys as models next week, which works out great seeing as its "boy week"

p.s. I thought I would add one more shot to show the play ability of this outfit, it also shows Bi being more like Bi

:)

PR&P Week2 Fashion Icon

 I know I missed week one :(
I was so flat out, I've been sewing costumes for the dance school and preparing to send our 14 year old to Japan, but I was so inspired by this theme!
Who did I pick?

I knew I wanted to do Coco Chanel almost immediately.

I say almost because I was thinking Audrey Hepburn but that fabulous twosome from Simple Simon and Co did that a few seasons ago. I totally think my Bianca looks like Audrey Hepburn but she also reminds me of  Audrey Tautou who was fabulous as Coco Chanel.

Here is the original Coco

and here is Audrey 

and Bianca

Coco Chanel was well know for the pant suit but this picture of Audrey Tautou kept popping into my mind and I knew navy strips would look cute on BiBi

she also has the best pair of legs I've ever seen - they are skinny and go on forever! so I knew some high waisted straight leg pants were in order.

Not the greatest shot but at least you can see the top of the pants

I used linen for the pants so they crinkle up beautifully

I must tell you that Bi can do attitude in a photo shoot with ease

so I got some nice shots

but boy was she tired today and I got some shots to prove it lol

this one is "you want me to do what with my leg"

"You want me to get off the chair"

My absolute favourite 

"Are we done yet"

She really was a trouper

Before I finish I will just tell you that I did actually start to make a chanel inspired coat to go with this outfit but time got away from me and its only half done. Unfortunately it may stay that way for a while :(

Hopefully I will be back next week with week 3 

(better look up the theme hey?)

Queen of Hearts

Adara our 14 year old went to 

The Mad Hatters Youth Ball

as

The Queen of Hearts

I made her costume (cause I'm such a great mum)

It included a red crushed velvet dress (full circle skirt & puff sleeves)

Silk Apron skirt

Red Satin corset (bones and all) with gold laces and rose appliqué (you can see it in the last picture) 

Her gloves are converted knee high socks

and a key charm to unlock her heart on a leather cord around her neck.

I also made this gorgeous mini top hat. 

I f you have read my previous post you would know that I made 10 different hats :)

I also put those cute little hearts on her face

 I also helped her friend Cody put together a costume

(bit of a funky white rabbit)

It was an awesome night!

I think of course that she looked

The Belle of the Ball

p.s. I have decided to enter this for the audition for the next season of Project Run and Play so wish me luck :)

p.p.s. The first photo and the last photo were taken at the ball by Natalie Latu Photography

Thanks Natalie :)

Thought I would add one more pic :)

You used to be much more..."muchier." You've lost your muchness.

I've been feeling a little this way lately, so I'm going to find my muchness :)

I have had Alice on my mind lately as I just took a van load of girls to a Mad Hatters Ball.
What do you need to look awesome at a Mad Hatters Ball?
A Hat of course!

Cheshire Cat

March Hare

Alice

The White Queen

Antique looking - No character

Small Teal - No character

Blue/Black/Gold - No character

Orange - No character (my hat)

White Rabbit

I love them all but the best by far was the one I made my daughter

The Queen of Hearts

What a beautiful girl :D

To get some of my muchness back I'm thinking of auditioning for the next Project Run and Play Series.

I will use the costume I made for Adara

So stay tuned for that post :)

SKIRTS

I have been writing blog posts in my head for the last month but some how not getting them actually written.
I've been sewing heaps, I just really love it. In fact I will put off almost anything to sew!
OK here are some of the things I have been working on that haven't made it to the blog until now

All of these skirts were mage using this fabulous and easy tutorial
Simple Skirt Tutorial


Over at Simple Simon & Co they are hosting "Skirting the Issue"
They have been making skirts for foster kids, and posting at least 1 tutorial everyday for the last month :D
I wanted to be a part of the program but I don't live in the States so I contacted "Infinite Opportunities" to see if they were interested in taking the skirts and of course they said yes.
We have been making their emergency bags at church but they don't normally have a skirt in them. Anyway I talked with the lady who was running our activity about it and she thought this would be a great activity for the women at church. From this point we have had some huge miracles. You see we didn't have any budget left to make the skirts, so how were we going to do it?
First up we had an elderly lady in our ward die (this is sad, but...) she left the church 4 big boxes of fabric (YAY)
Then we went to get the elastic. I had found some great elastic a few months ago at our local Trash and Treasure shop it was only $20 for a 50m roll. We hoped to find just $20 in the budget but to great surprise it was marked down to $5 a roll making it 10c a metre(YAY).
We are so excited to say the least, we were hoping to make 20 skirts but I'm thinking 50 would be better!
We are running a little late as the program ends on the 10th of August 2012. We will have 1 sewing day before that. Of course this doesn't have to end on the 10 th in fact we have 2 other sewing days scheduled.
I have made 2 skirts to spark some interest.

And my last skirt I'm posting today is by far my favourite (only finished it yesterday)

It has 3 layers, a gather, and a removable rose pin/hair clip.
I love it!!!!!!!
Anyway best leave it there for now, I have been doing some "boy" sewing as well, but this post is long enough and the family needs me.
Have a great day!!!!!