Ariel Princess Dress in Sea Green and Silver

This week I had quite a fun custom order for a Princess Ariel ball gown in sea green and silver.

Material is shantung faille and slipper satin.

The most challenging part was adjusting the ballgown bodice pattern to accomodate the scallop/fin shapes below the waist.

Full pleated skirt is separate and features a front panel of contrasting satin.

Mother of pearl buttons to compliment the 'sea' theme!

Matching starfish/flower hair comb.

Puffed sleeves, with insets of teal floral satin.

Trimmed with silver.

These were some of the inspiration pictures:

Ariel's dress as worn at the Disney parks.

40s Inspired Summer Dress

Bright yellow 40s inspired summer dress!

Made eariler this spring to attend a play and do some swing dancing. Also pictured is my sweet and lovely friend, Des! :) Who looks adorable in her pink, green, and white ensemble!

Fabric is a lightweight rayon shirting in a sunny yellow, white and lime green daisy print.

Scoop neckline, sleeveless, buttons down front and has a self fabric tie belt.

So comfy and cool!

The bodice was from this 1940s pattern:

Sans sleeves, and with gathering on the bodice instead of darts.

and the skirt from this c. 1940 pattern:

This is also the pattern I used for my green 40s dress.

Fun times! :)



Sneak Peek at the Edwardian Dress Designer Kit

The next in the Dress Designer series is almost completed!

I hope to have Design Your Own Edwardian Dress ready for purchase (and a giveaway!) by the end of the summer!

Currently I am designing the watercolor illustration for the cover page - as shown in these two sneak peek pictures! :) Then, as soon as I write up the historical notes page, it will be off to the printer's shop!

Very excited about this new kit! It is such a fun and frilly time period - so many fun hats and intricatedly detailed dress styles and trimmings!

I also have a question for you, my blog readers. What time period would you like to see as the next Dress Designer?



Room Decor and Color Inspiration

We've recently redone our kitchen floors, and I've been making new curtains, and tablecloths and things. Which has put me in a home-decorating mood.....so I began studying my own room and realized a few changes for the better and brighter could be made.....

First of all - here is my room as it has been since being rearranged last winter:

I still like the arrangement - but the colors are all a bit muddled - no theme or scheme. Nothing very bright either. So -- I've come up with a few ideas to change that:

I'd like to go with a color scheme of robins-egg blue and coral pink. With pops of lavendar, celery green and buttery yellow.

My tentative to-do list for my room. Nothing too major or expensive - but I think it shall be a big improvement!

.............................................................

-Iron bed frame painted a robin's-egg-blue

-White chenille bedspread (which I already own), with coordinating ruffled pillow shams and throw pillows, and buy or make a new dust ruffle.

-Paint my sewing table, cedar chest, vanity stool, sewing stool, picture frames, ironing board, and bedside table various pretty and soft (but not pastel...) colors.

-Recover both lamp shades - something fun....

-Find a lovely fluffy rug for the center of the room.

-Decide if I want any kind of window treatment over the sheer curtains ( a valance....or a few whispy drapes at the top?)

- Decide what to put above the computer desk....(I'm thinking of making a pretty bulletin board with some scrumptious matching fabric...)

A color scheme wasn't hard to decide on. Two of my favorite colors (in clothing...fabric....and everything else!) are aqua blue (or robins-egg-blue) and coral pink. (both dark and light).

And those two colors together??? welll.....

 

Happy colors for me.

I love the idea of buying all these little pieces of delicous fabric in my favorite colors (whether they match exactly or not) and having a riot of pretty pillows on my white bedspread....

Blue bedframes!

 More color scheme:

Bright and cheery

Coral, aqua, and celery.

perfect colors!

A bit more lavendar.

and coral roses....

Well- what do you think of my color scheme and plans? Any advice or critiques would be quite welcome - any ideas for my space? Or have you heard any good decorating tips lately? :)

Summer Fashion Finds

Enjoy some of my summer fashion inspiration! I love how everything this summer seems to be so retro - and so easy to recreate! Sources can be found at my Pinterest fashion page.

So fun, soft,  and twirly!

Good idea for long skirts - wide waist band with belt loops.

Love the handkerchief skirt! And the plaid...

This would be the easiest thing in the world to make - just find a top and a skirt at a thrift store, sew them together - and there you have it! A new dress. :)

I don't normally wear shorts, but these look so comfy and retro for around the house or working in the garden! I would love to make something like these, any one know of a pattern?

Coral pink is one of my best colors! Love the combination with navy here!

This fabric reminds me of a vintage tablecloth!

Beautiful lavendar and red maxi dress.....I'd love to make something like this too - with a few small changes. Just lovely!

What is inspiring you fashion-wise this summer?