Wordless Wednesday: Soccer Saturdays

I have been slacking on posts- or rather publishing posts. I have 8 posts waiting for pictures! It's hard when you're the photographer in the family and no one wants to photograph you. :)
This is what we have been doing with our Saturdays for the last 2 weekends:

(Tate #4)

Mayer is a BEAST! He loves it; but is super serious and all business on the field. He scores, blocks and has even had a few assists (that may or may not have been accidental).

Tate loves it too; however, face is exactly the opposite! The joy he has while playing is obvious and has been since the first time he ever played. He may not look like a serious competitor, but don't let that smile fool you!

I never expected to be a soccer mom, but I really enjoy our Saturday mornings (with the exception of the chilly Kansas weather)! :)

Sleeveless Tuxedo Buttondown

A friend has been cleaning out her closet and giving me bags of clothes to refashion. When I found a white long-sleeve button down and a black lace tank top in one bag, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them!
Inspiration: Free People Sleeveless Tuxedo Buttondown

I took off the pocket and the buttons. I replaced the white buttons with black ones- except for the top one, which I put a jeweled button. I cut off the sleeves and hemmed them. I also had to take in the sides because it was several sizes too big. In the end, I think I took too much in because it's not quite as loose as the inspiration version. I stole* found some cool trim for the collar in my mom's stash. (* I only took what I needed and returned the rest. :))

 

My version:

 

I wore it with a cardigan since it's still chilly. My photographer cut off the top of my head because I just asked him "to take some pictures of the shirt." It must be time to invest in a tripod and a remote. :)

Bandana Sweatshirt

Since the weather isn't exactly warm yet, I decided to refashion another sweatshirt. 
Inspiration: Anthropologie Bobbie Pullover

I had an XL sweatshirt that I knew would be perfect. I ripped the sweatshirt completely apart. I decided I wanted a sweatshirt base under the bandanas.
Before pictures:

I had some trouble with the stitching. It reinforced the importance of using good needles. Mine were pretty dull. I also had a hard time deciding on the lace embellishments. The picture on the left is a close-up of the details on the Anthropologie version. Mine is on the right, but not what I decided on for the final product.

My final version:

As usual, I have some criticisms of my work. The sleeves are a little short, the top is pretty loose and the bottom is a little tight. I could made alterations, but I would have run into more issues. If I took in the top, I would've lost more length on the sleeves. A sweatshirt with 3/4 length sleeves would drive me crazy! Making the bottom a little wider would have required a lot of seam ripping and I didn't want to rip out any more! (Maybe I should just make MY bottom a little smaller- ha ha!) It looks best on the hanger:

Scarf Tank Top

I am ready for warmer weather to stick around. It hasn't been the coldest winter by any means, but Mother Nature has been awfully moody. We enjoy warm temperatures in the mid-60s only to have temperatures drop over night to single digits and usually accompanied by snow. To make matters worse, I saw this tank top and of course,  I was inspired to make one and now I want to wear it.
Inspiration: Anthropologie Slung Scarf Tank

Mine isn't as loose and flowy as the inspiration. The knit shirt I used on the back wasn't big enough to add pleats. It seemed pretty lopsided too. (The brown shirt on top was my pattern.) It was the back from this refashion.

I used a scarf from Michael's grandma for the front. I don't think if I would have made it more flowy, I wouldn't have had enough left over to make the trim around the raw edges of the sleeves and neckline. It was my first attempt at making a front placard. I'm pretty sure I didn't do it the right way, but my excuse was I had a limited amount of scraps to use. Luckily, it worked out in my favor!
My version:

I can't wait until it is warm enough to wear! :)

Wordless Wednesday: Reading and Theater

 

I love this picture of my boys reading!  Reading is an important bedtime ritual in our house. Both Michael and I read at least one book every night to each boy so they get one-on-one time with us. I feel like it is also important for them to see us reading for pleasure. I've always been an avid reader. Michael wasn't much of a reader when we met and living in a small town, he never had a library card! Now he has a library card, averages about one book a year and always has at least one magazine he's reading.

 

Yesterday at lunch I was treated to a puppet show. My own personal dinner theater! :)

Beatlemania

It was the mid-80's when my dad made me my first Beatles mix tape from his records. I would ride my bike around the neighborhood with my boombox playing and of course I was singing along. At the time, I think "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and  "Penny Lane" were my favorite songs and John was my favorite Beatle.
Almost 30 years later, I still have that mix tape and my dad's records- yes, I have a record player too- and I have expanded it into a much larger library. Some of my first CD purchases were Beatles' albums. I was a senior in high school when the Anthology came out and John Lennon was the topic of my senior theme. Michael and I walked down the aisle to "All You Need Is Love" after our wedding ceremony.
All the media coverage reliving the 50th anniversary of the Beatles arriving in the US has inspired me to refashion one of my Beatles shirts. I found it at the Goodwill and couldn't resist getting it. I've only worn it a few times, which means it eventually ends up in the refashion stash. I also pinned this wrap skirt as inspiration:

I wasn't sure how to get measurements for a wrap skirt, so I did some research and found a complicated formula. I hate math and just decided to wing it. I came up with a one-size fits all version rather than a specific size.

I had forgotten I think how wrap skirts hang funny on me- probably because my waist measurement is so much smaller than my bottom measurement. (I don't know if it's normal or not, but there's a 10" difference between the two!) I have been assured it looks fine and I will definitely wear it more as a skirt than I did as a shirt.

Wordless Wednesday: Skates, Valentine Shirts and Sleds

Last Thursday Mayer's school had a skating party. Tate loved it! Mayer wasn't too impressed. The skates were too heavy for him and all the toddler skates were already being used.

 

I made the boys two shirts each for Valentine's Day.

 

The weather has been beautiful lately and the boys have been taking advantage of the last pile of snow. They are practicing their Olympic skills! :)

 

The other shirts I made:

I was told the shirt on the right looked too girly for a boy, so my niece, Julianna got a Valentine's shirt. For both of Tate's shirts used a modified version of this pattern. Mayer's tinman shirt was a self-drafted pattern and for his long sleeve shirt, I used this pattern- a smaller version of my Valentine shirt. I prefer sewing raglan style shirts because the sleeves are much easier.