Merry?? Christmas??

Christmas is just not what it used to be. All the running around trying to find gifts. Mega amounts of decorations. Getting the flu each year. Both kids sick. Up all night. Not having any money to spend. BAH HUMBUG!

This is the first Christmas where I remained uninterested in the Holiday season. Nothing seemed to go according to plan. I did not stick to my traditions. Ok, I did not sew anything for Christmas this year? Now that is the biggest clue that something is just wrong. I could not find the excitement this year. I did not even make an Adventskranz. Me! Once I found out that my wreath was gone, and that i had to drive all the way to Michaels to get a new one, I just could not find the energy to do it.

I have been driving alot. Daycare, Speech class, JoAnn's, Mall, Albertson's. Most of my days consist of driving to four or five places in one day. I hate it. I don't mind going to one place and getting most of my errands done, but having to drive all day long is wearing on me. Olivia does not get to her nap on time, then I have to pay for it by dinnertime. Nicolas stays in Daycare too long. Dusty does not get his walk. There never seems to be time for the important things lately.

And the House!!! It is always a wreck. I am so sick of it. I am so sick of cleaning, but I hate a dirty house. Or maybe I should say cluttered......Ahhhh, that is the key. Clutter. I think it is time to clean up and throw out. My new years resolution. DECLUTTER

Next year I intend to do things differently and start earlier. When everything goes wrong it is hard to keep a positive outlook. It is also harder when your no longer preparing a Christmas for just one person but suddenly for three. Lance is never very positive during this time because of his affiliation with retail. Then my 4-year old could only think about himself during this time. All the presents were his, and every walk through a department store led to a tantrum, because the endcaps were lined with toys that he could not have. My baby was just another reason that I never had any time to myself to think, decorate or do.

But there is always next year.................and by the time the kids really appreciate all the hard work that most mothers do for Christmas, we will have perfected this art. Right??? At least I always thought my mother did it perfect.

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Deck the Halls with lots of Sewing....FaLaLaLaLa.....

Ok, this is a copy of the Pottery Barn holiday dress. I love it, and it has given me alot of ideas.

I started with an Ottobre pattern #3 from the Summer 2005 issue. The pattern includes a yoke and a skirt, and the zipper closure is in the back. I measured what I needed for the pleats, and then I altered the pattern. I started by sewing the shoulder seams. Then I added the front skirt panel, and then the back skirt panels. The pattern includes sleeves and a neck/collar facing. I did not want the sleeves, so I had to change the facing. I copied the yoke pattern, and extended it about 2 inches. The PB dress yoke ends below the armpit, however the Ottobre yoke pattern ends within the armseye. I need to change that. The PB dress is tighter around the waist and therefore more fitted. The Ottobre dress appears to be more of an A-line dress. Normally, you would start by sewing the shoulder seams, and then attaching the lining. In this case, I had to add the skirt first and then the lining. Pulling the lining through the shoulder seam is easier without all the bulk of the skirt.

The other problem was the length. I need to add at least 1 inch if not two. Then I should lower the neckline. I think it would look nicer with a blouse. And last but not least, I hate putting in a zipper, so adding some width to the back yoke and skirt for either buttons and/or snaps sounds like another good idea. Here is a picture of the Monogram.

So now all I need to do is make a blouse, but Ottobre does not have one for infants. I will probably have to use one of my heirloom patterns.

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