AUBREY'S CLOSET

I started a facebook page called Aubrey's closet to sell my shoes and accessories, you can see it here.
I've sold a couple pairs of shoes already. Check it out and Like my page!

 

I made this headband to go with Aubrey's newest dress, although I'm not sure if it will actually stay on her head!

 These one's match the 2nd dress I made her.

 And this one matches the first dress I made her.

BUTTERFLY DRESS

This is the dress I made today from this pattern. 

I bought this fabric at Daiso Japan (Japanese dollar store). It came in about 1/2 yard pieces for $1.50 each. I thought it was a great deal for a cute pattern so I grabbed 2 pieces of it. This is what started my search for dress patterns, yet it's the last one I actually made. I found this pattern today and thought it would work for the fabric. I added the green button and the tie belt and think it updates the classic butterfly dress a little.

SUMMER DRESS

I saw this dress on Pinterest and decided it would be a cute summer dress for Aubrey. I found some striped fabric at Value Village (and have enough left over for maybe a shirt for me). I also had some scraps of leather for the pockets.

My version:

 I just used a jumper dress of hers for the shape, then had to remember back to Grade 12 sewing for the pockets.

 Don't look too close at the stitching, I made a mistake and added to it to fix instead of unstitching.

 I also had to remember how to do a placket, I should have kept my duotang full of sample hems, zippers and finishes - it would have come in handy!

Aubrey isn't modeling this dress because she refuses to try things on for me (or wear clothes in general), so I decided to make a little Aubrey mannequin! I took her measurements (which was a hard enough task on it's own!) and just used some felt I had then stuffed it with batting and some grocery bags. Now I can try things on this as I go without a battle!

NEWEST SHOES

I attempted to felt some wool herringbone fabric, but it must have been treated as it didn't felt, so I used it anyways as is in my newest shoes:

 my attempt at some boy shoes - not my favourite, but something different.

Ruffle girls ballet shoes.

APPLE DRESS

I've been wanting to make Aubrey a dress and all the patterns I found seemed too complicated for me, so I took a tank top (salmon) and t-shirt (apples) of mine that were too big and I never wore (I got them at a thrift shop), and turned them into this dress. I used the neckline of the existing tank top and the sleeve hem as well, so that made it easy, then I gathered the whole width of the apple shirt for the skirt part. I even reused the little brown button from the shirt and put it on the flower I made. I also reused the bottom brown trim as the waistband.

Sorry, these are bad photos. The top is actually salmon in color.

 

The brown waistband continues as ties in the back.

AUBREY'S ROOM + REDO

I was getting sick of the bright pink and orange in her room and was wanting to go in a more vintage theme so I rearranged a few things and swapped some furniture.

 I kept the tissue pom poms but added the white paper lanterns I had left from her birthday and put them all over her bed. I took out her night table as the style no longer fit and brought in this coffee table we were using as a dining table bench (but didn't really work). I made the crochet blanket and pillow.

 I found this goose neck vintage lamp on craigslist for $20. I love it.

 I rehung the wire baskets adding the 3rd one in this new spot. I managed to cut her stuffed animals in half and put them all in the crate. I try to use all my photo props around the house in a useful way so I don't have to store them all somewhere and this one works well. I found the little green vintage suite case at Value Village for $0.99!

 Collage wall: The alphabet cards spell her initials and were a free printable, the quote and the graphic chair were also free printables. I embroidered the birds on a wire and the little drawing is a plate drawing from a vintage book I bought when I still lived at home and have kept to use in a kids room.

I still have fill the smaller hoop with something - not sure what: another embroidered image, patterned fabric or maybe a button monogram? I found about 20 of these wooden hangers at Goodwill for $0.99/5 and I was so happy because I badly needed a bunch for all my skirts (I was using 2 for about1-15 skirts - didn't work!). They also double nicely as picture hangers.

 The little red wagon (another prop) also works as Dr. Seuss storage. We are a little addicting to collecting these books!

 I still have a couple things to do: 1. Paint her dresser and 2. Change the curtains.

The curtain rod has holders for 2 rods, so I might just put these black out blinds closest to the window and then make or get new ones that sit over the pink ones that aren't so bright. I'm thinking either thick stripe or chevron grey and white and floor length as they would just stay at the sides for appearance and I don't have to worry about them being pulled over the heater (behind the dresser). Oh, and I also want to try and crochet an oval rag rug - we'll see if I get to that!!

Curtains??

 

 I want to paint the dresser either blue or green and get new hardware

Here are some samples of the colors - which one??

I really like this green one.

I've also asked Jared for this rocking chair for her room instead of the Ikea one that takes up too much room in the current spot:

IT'S A GO!

I took my little felt shoes into the toy store today and she loved them and bought the 4 pairs I brought. We'll see how they do - if they sell then I'm sure I'll be making more!

 I found the perfect boxes for packaging them after driving ALL over the city! I got them from this packaging store and they had so many great things. I would have looked longer if Aubrey wasn't with me! I found these great labels that Martha Stewart and Avery now make (check them out at Staples). They were so quick and easy to use. She even makes chalkboard labels.

 While we were at the toy store this morning ( I finally brought Jared along with me) I found another book by Allison Jay. I love these books - they have great artwork and are really clever.

This one is the first one we bought and is well used. Everything on each page starts with the letter indicated and then has a small hint of what the next letter is. Even though it's a picture book for young kids, it grows with you and becomes a game as they are learning their ABC's and 123's. 

I highly recommend these books!