Crazy Daisy Blog

New Blog!

2010-01-23T16:10:00.000-08:00

We have officially moved! Woo hooooo!

http://petitepoireboutique.blogspot.com/

See ya on the other side! (No, not THAT other side...I hope)

Time for a Change!!!

2010-01-15T19:36:00.000-08:00

Drumroll please....I've decided to change my name/logo. When I first started up this biz I was only doing baby blankets and carriers and had no intention of making anything else. Almost two years later I feel that my business has matured and I need a name that will reflect that growth, as well as encompass new product lines that aren't necessarily for babies, or even girls, for that matter. So here's the rub...I'm offering TWO FREE outfits to the person who comes up with my new business name! I'm looking for something somewhat short (no more than 2 words please) and very unique. Please search the web for your name before submission so that I don't end up with somebody else's name!

Remember that this is not only the name of my boutique - it's also the name of my brand and will be printed on tags. Keep that in mind and picture the name you choose on the back of a dress!

I'm specifically looking for a name that isn't brimming with cuteness - I'm hoping to find something a bit more mature that will stick in people's brains and remember my product!

Also - this contest is not for moms of girls only! This is your chance to get some handmade outfits for your little boy! Work with me people!

Here is a partial listing of some words that will help get your creative juices flowing. The name does not necessarily have to come from this list though!

Lemon Juniper Dolce Beetle Lilac Peach Blackberry May Pea Cherry Magnolia Aspen Raspberry Sweet Maple Blueberry Meadow Pansy Lime Mulberry Pistachio Mango Olive Holly Mushroom Apple Plum Rose Violet Honey Rosebud Buttercup Tulip Petal Calla Willow Sesame Blossom Petunia Sugar Dahlia Sugar berry Bean Fig Peppermint Butterfly Fern Silver Bee Lily Pear Caterpiller Ivy Vine

You can either post your submission on here, message me via Facebook, or email me at jen@crazydaisybabyboutique

.com

All of my favorites will be noted and I will pick a winner after MLK Day to make sure everybody has a chance to participate. Have fun and thanks for your help!

My New Year's Resolution...

2010-01-13T21:31:00.000-08:00

Is to not have a New Year's Resolution! haha

Keeping really busy these days - I think some people waited until after the holidays to put in their orders. Not sure why, but that's what it seems like right now! I know I have a few large Chinese New Year orders so that's part of what's keeping me hopping right now!

I finished the first item in Nadja's Closet - a super sweet ruffle peasant top and ultra girlie ruffle pants. Not necessarily a set but they sure do work together nicely! I especially love the top - that thing will go with any and everything. I'm looking for other light fabrics in other colors so I can make more of them since I know most people cringe at the idea of putting their kid in white (and who can blame you?!).

Also wanted to let you know about another fellow Esty-er, Dayspring Dresses (http://www.etsy.com/shop/dayspringdresses). A couple weeks ago Kelly, the designer, messaged me with an idea to do a trade. It sounded like fun so we decided to swap a couple outfits. Well, I got my stuff in the mail today and OH MAN! They're so cute! My girls pranced around for hours like vain little peacocks. I can hype Kelly because she makes handsmocked clothing for little girls that are to die for and I have no earthly idea how to handsmock anything. Eventually it's something I'd like to learn but I can't imagine myself ever being able to make anything this beautiful. If you like clothes from Strasburg Children then you'll LOVE Dayspring Dresses because they're every bit as beautiful and a fraction of the price. I think she should raise her prices...in fact, you might want to hurry up and grab up what you can before she takes my advice!

I finally finished up my Australian uber order - yay and boo! I had a ton of fun with it and Shannon was a blast to work with. She has such a wonderful eye for design that she should learn how to sew...but then I'd be fired! Never mind, forget I said anything! lol Here are a few of the headbands that made up the last of her order...

And lastly, these pictures are for my mom. After roughly 50 years of sewing she finally splurged and bought herself a serger! Goooo Mom! For her first projects she made my girls some night gowns. Nadja's fits like a glove but as you can see Clara's goes way past her toes and she has a certain Cindy Lou Who look about her :P

Every year it's our family tradition to go to the National Western Stock Show. Now that may sound hokie and all, and maybe it is, but every year I make the girls an adorable western outfit to wear. I have to admit that this year I blew the other years out of the water! Stay tuned for pictures of my latest creation - they are finished but I have yet to get the girls to cooperate for picture time! Don't worry, I'll bribe them soon!

New Years Sale!

2010-01-03T15:43:00.000-08:00

Okay, I probably should have posted this earlier...but I assumed y'all would see it on either my Facebook fan page or on my Etsy site! But just in case you somehow missed it...

Buy THREE and get one FREE! Beginning January 1st and ending January 8th, buy three items and get the fourth free. Fourth item must be equal or lesser value to the lowest priced item. Happy shopping!

So my angel starts Kindergarten this year. Know what that means? It means I get to start working on her school wardrobe! So look for items from Nadja's Closet and your daughter can look as good as mine this school year :D In fact, I've already started...and it's adorable! Keep checking in - I still need to get pictures!

But for now, here are a couple items from recent orders...

Merry Christmas Eve...Eve

2009-12-23T12:20:00.000-08:00

As we wind down this last week of 2009 I'm thinking about how far I've come in a year! About this time last year people were telling me that I should make childrens clothing and I was still saying "NO WAY!" lol Now I'm happy to say I've gotten all my Christmas orders out in time and am already working on getting my spring pieces out, little by little.

What a year it's been! Those of you who know me personally know that it's been a rough year for my family, but it's been a good year as well. We are thankful for our health and looking forward to an interesting 2010. If this sounds like the last post of the year it's because it IS! :D I'm not going to try to fool you or myself into thinking that there will be another in the next week!

So, here's hoping y'all have the Merriest of Christmas! Here are my Christmas angels:

And some recent projects...including some from the new spring line!

How about that...they do love each other!

Keep your eye out for my New Years special!

Trunk Show - December 3rd 2009

2009-12-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

I know, it's been a whole week since the show and I'm a huge slacker but TOO BAD! lol I'm finally unwinding from the show and the drive down all by myself to Phoenix with 2 hyper/cranky/busy/impatient little girls in the backseat and now it's time to drive back home to Colorado first thing in the morning! Boooo! Hiss!

Anyway, I promised some pictures so you'll get pictures, okay! The show was a huge success, not one person looked at my stuff and went "Ew, who would put that on their kid?" which was, of course, my biggest nightmare. Instead people were very complimentary and my face was a permanent shade of red for the entire evening because I do not handle compliments any better than I handle criticism! Brooke was the best hostess a person could ask for - it was a perfect setting for the party and she had everything laid out perfectly!

As promised:

Happy Turkey Day!

2009-11-25T21:07:00.000-08:00

Original title, eh? Not so much.

Super busy this week - Trunk Show next Thursday!!! I've been so busy getting everything prepared it's making me crazy! In fact, I shouldn't be blogging at all, I should be SEWING! I see a light at the end of the tunnel, though. Only 2 more CuddlePods to finish (and they're almost done) then I have 5 Fuzzy Wuzzles, 2 Miss Tilly Rose Rompers (one is super duper itty bitty - for a 3 month old!), a Haylee Honeydew top, an Olivia Tea Party dress (super itty bitty also), 1738 headbands, a pair of khaki cropped pants, and a whole bunch of stuff for Scarlett (my thank you presents for Brooke, who is hosting the trunk show). All before next Thursday...that is totally doable, right?

Also in Crazy Daisy news, I'm proud to announce that my stuff can now be found at www.waytutucute.com. You should really check out the site because it offers a wide array of cute things for infants, girls, BOYS, and moms. I know I keep saying it, but I really do hope to add to the boy section soon! Did I ever show you my first Daisy Dudes piece?

Here's Rowan modeling his new Daisy Dudes shirt:

I promise promise promise that some day I will make more of them! I also have begun work on a pattern for cargo cords...if anybody is willing to volunteer as my slave I am happily accepting applications!

Not much to report since I'm not unveiling anything new before the trunk show. Well, that's not completely true. After making some new outfits for the Australian uber order I've decided that some of them are way too cute to never make another one. So I added the Chinese Kids Miss Mamie and the Chinese Kids and China Doll Cuplets to my website as well. I also plan on adding a couple more items but you'll have to wait until after the trunk show before I announce which ones they are. In the meantime, here are pictures of what I've been working on (these are all part of the Australian uber order):

I never got a chance to put these on my model...she protested so much that even the promise of cake didn't sway her.

Yes, world's worst picture. And now she's taken to covering her mouth when she doesn't want her picture taken...

I love the behind pictures of the Miss Mamies! Does that make me a weirdo?

I think she was trying to tell me she was done...

Love this one - didn't think I would!

Love it so much I'm putting another picture up...

Hope everybody has a Happy Thanksgiving!

Trunk Show!!

2009-11-10T17:13:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be having my first trunk show! Woo hooo! It'll be held on December 3rd along with another designer, Rachel, the maker of Bumblecovers. Check her out! www.bumblecover.com
It'll be a night of cocktails, cookies and couture!

Needless to say, I've been over the top busy trying to get ready for that...I want to make sure I have a large selection for people to see. There are so many of my designs that I feel need to be seen in person to appreciate. This is my chance and I don't want to blow it!

Last week was one of "those" weeks. I not only had to finish the uber order, but I also got a mini uber order from Indonesia and I was all set...I had everything cut out and ready to sew...and then...my serger BROKE! I literally screamed bloody murder and nearly started bawling my eyes out. So I tried to calm myself down by telling myself I would just order the part I need and get on with everything. Well...I called the company to get another part (which is a discontinued model and all parts shipped from Sweden) only to find that it will take TEN WEEKS to come in! I had only just finished screaming (again) when my phone rang...turns out my darling teenage son got into trouble on the school bus and was being suspended from school for 3 days.

Well, I decided to turn lemons into lemonade (I actually used that term in front of my daughter who informed me that all I had to do was squeeze them...duh) and I did something completely irresponsible but necessary. I bought a brand spanking new serger! Yes, I made my son wait in the truck with the girls for a solid hour while I carefully decided on which serger to buy. :D Now, when the part comes in for the other serger, I will have two sergers and will never have to scream again! Well, I know I will, but it won't be for that!

I'm not going to be unveiling anything new that will be at the party, but I will show you this. It's probably my only "real" Christmas piece for the season (I know, I'm lame, but I'm BUSY!). I still haven't even decided what I'm going to do for my own girls this Christmas! Nothing seems quite right, but picture time is coming so I'd better get a move on it, huh?

She was so cute in that outfit - she pranced around like a little reindeer!

Also still working on a large order (the one with the 8 Miss Mamies!). I finally convinced my little model to pose for a few pictures. I still have more to make and even more to photo, but this will do for now!

Stranded!

2009-10-28T14:34:00.001-07:00

Yes, I'm stranded inside my house...but at least I have power and the internet, so I'm happy. We've already gotten about 2 1/2 feet of snow and we're expect at least another foot and a half before this ends. Here is what my car looks like right now...

And my deck:

So it's a day of sewing, I guess. I've managed to get a few things done between last night and tonight. I even finished a purple peasant dress! It fits my older daughter like a shirt and the younger as a very long dress. I guess it's a good thing because it's really for her this spring! I also made a matching pair of ruffle pants, but they are really long on her right now. Here are some pics!

I'm just super happy because I finally found some elastic thread that is almost impossible to break. I was so happy about my new thread (it doesn't take much to make me ecstatic :P ) that when an Australian customer bought 8 Miss Mamies (yes, I just said 8) and suggested that I try out a new romper I took a look outside, thought of how summery it is in Australia right now, and created the Miss Tilly Rose romper! In the process, I also learned what a nappy is.

Obviously this picture wasn't taken today...

It's also been a crazy week for Fuzzy Wuzzles - I seem to remember having a large amount of orders at this time last year as well....though I can't seem to think of a reason why! I apologize in advance to the owners of these blankets if they wanted to be surprised...quick - COVER YOUR EYES! lol

Randomness

2009-10-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

Just working on a big order...stuck a few projects in here and there but not much to report. I did take a couple pictures but not that many.

I'm trying to perfect an overall set for the winter...so far not so good! Definitely a work in progress and I hope I don't lose heart altogether! Hopefully, I'll have it finished by next week if I don't throw myself out the second story window first.

This first picture is a dress that I'm working on for a friend - it's almost done Mel! My daughter is such a little trooper - it's 34 degrees and windy outside...poor little thing!

This is an outfit I made for another friend's daughter, Nora. It's so cute I wish I could keep it!

And finally, I made these punk pants just today - perfect for Halloween!

Fashion Show...Part 2!

2009-09-29T14:46:00.000-07:00

So I finally used up the rest of the fabric that was sent to me - all that's left are tiny little scraps! I still can't believe I used all that fabric - over 11 yards of it!

I did work on other projects last week but I was in such a hurry to get them out the door I didn't get a picture of them...oh well. There will be more, I can assure you!

Not much to report on the homefront...same old same old. Boring is good, though. I can't tell you how many times something horrible happened and I wished to God that I could rewind to the day before. I've come to appreciate the mundane. I was going to be going to Arizona next month to visit my mom but she talked me out of it. I am the biggest wimp in the world when it comes to heat - and my mom refuses to turn the thermostat below 83! Given that, and the schedules of both of us, I've decided to postpone the trip until December. So until then, back to the grind...

Now that my Halloween costumes are in order, I'm looking ahead to Christmas. I bought some cute flannel and have every intention of making some cute holiday pajamas for the girls. I'm also starting to brainstorm about their Christmas dresses. Maybe I'll put out a cute little holiday outfits or pajamys on my website as well. I wonder if anybody would be interested??

Oh well, enough blabbering for now. Here are the pics!

Getting ready for Halloween!

2009-09-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

Just a quick hit and run post...I have done much and have much to do!

Last year I wrestled with what to make my daughter for Halloween. I was going to go for the typical fairy princess dealio and then my friend Rose somehow talked me into making her costume. So after much thought and indecision I finally decided to make her a Snow Princess. The costume turned out very nice, but no sooner was I finished with it that I knew what I SHOULD have made her - Little Bo Peep! So I waited the entire year so that I could make her the costume that has been swimming around in my head. I know I'm a bad mom because I'm making her little sister be her sheep...next year I'll do something fun for her, I promise!

I'm thinking about making and selling one more of these - but it won't be cheap. An unbelievable amount of work went into this thing! There's the dress (of course), apron, pantaloons, ruffled petticoat, and matching hat. It was a lot of work but it was fun and I really think the finished product looks amazing!

I know the pictures stink but my camera doesn't work so well indoors and it's going to be a balmy 37 degrees for a high up here tomorrow with snow...yikes!

Peace and Quiet!

2009-09-16T15:52:00.000-07:00

It's been one of those days. The kind of day that makes you wish you had neglected your children and just stayed in bed...but I got through it and both girls are napping and dinner is in the crockpot!

My husband underwent knee surgery yesterday so that pretty much means I have to pick up the extra slack around the house, not to mention waiting on him hand and foot...I kindly delegated the task of caring for our dogs to my 14 year old son..who in turn kindly forgot this morning. So first thing this morning I was jumped and drooled on by an overenthusiastic 200 lb Saint Bernard and my derriere sniffed by my Siberian Husky.

Things didn't get much better after a Mr. Hanky moment with my youngest daughter in the bathtub. I ended up giving her 3 baths today. I think it's safe to say that you can measure how bad your day is by how many showers you take and how many baths you give. So far I'm clocking 2 showers for myself and between my girls I've given 4 baths. *sigh*

Oh well, the night is young, right? I think I hear a margarita calling me tonight...

So in Crazy Daisy news, about a month ago my dear friend Gwendolyn gave me a bit of a challenge that I jumped into with both feet but then my enthusiasm petered out a bit once I ended up seamripping half the dress and having to redo it...only to seamrip again and redo it AGAIN! It's a prairie dress made from corduroy with a pleated bodice and puffed sleeves. Good thing I love the finished product! FYI...I have no intention of ever making another one of these things!

Ready for a picture overload? A couple weeks ago I received about 10 yards of fabric and told to make what I wanted and send her the bill...pretty much a designer's dream! The good news was that the fabric coordinated very nicely together so that I would be able to make many matching outfits to mix and match. The bad news is that it almost coordinated too well. Remember that part of The Brady Bunch Movie where Mike Brady (the dad) was to show off his architectural design to different firms and it was always the same design (his house)? Well, I was terrified of making the same outfit over and over because the fabric was so similar...so I had to get creative! I have to admit that I am soooo bummed to have to give these outfits up because my little one looked downright edible in them! I made them with my husband in mind...I know that sounds weird, but the dude seriously cannot put a matching outfit on my daughters to save his life. These outfits are perfect because you just cannot mess them up! Each pair of pants matches every top (or pretty close!).

I LOVE this dress/top. I think at first it'll be a dress but it fits my 4 year old perfectly as an adorable top! She'll get a ton of use out of this one! Plus the bee fabric is tooooo cute!

Peasant Apron Dress

Peasant Top w/ Ruffle Pants (you can't really tell here, but the pants have little fairies along the bottom ruffle - love em!)

Peasant Top w/ Ruffle Pants

Bee Knot Top w/ Flare Pants

I still have enough of this fabric to make a few more things...so stay tuned for another fashion show in another week or so!

Bittersweet Autumn

2009-09-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I noticed that the trees around here are starting to turn colors. My first reaction is dread, because I know what happens after those leaves are gone, and it feels like we just got them! But then I remembered how much I love the fall and the Halloween anticipation! Fall really is my favorite season, though I can never silence that inner dread in my belly when I think about the coming winter. I'm trying to live for the moment for now!

So, I promised you that I would show pictures of my latest project but I have a surprise for you...I have TWO outfits to show you! Yes, I've been a busy bee this Labor Day weekend, trying to make sure the girls are stocked up on clothes for the fall and winter.

This first one is a comfy stretch knit cotton dress in Cranberry. There is still a little tweaking I need to do on it, but I have the overall pattern set up now. I'm honestly considering making one for myself!

This next one is almost exactly like the piece I blogged about the other day, but I think it looks better on an older girl than a toddler (my humble opinion, of course). She LOVES this outfit and is still wearing it at this very moment. She just thought that little kerchief headband is the coolest thing she'd ever seen.

And because she's funny when she's mad:

I'm going to warn you in advance - I'm completely bogged down with orders this week so it might be a bit before I get to my next blog! I'm going to *try* to get some of my own stuff squeezed through, though, so it won't hurt to check back!

Throwback

2009-09-05T19:17:00.000-07:00

I feel like I'm always apologizing for my lack of blogginess, but here I am again. I have several good excuses though! First off, I've been incredibly busy with orders these last couple weeks. That's a good thing, of course, but it leaves me very little time for designing. On top of that, I've been incredibly sick...well, I don't know if sick is the right word for what the heck is wrong with me. It started out as a headache, spread to my neck and then to my entire body and stayed with me for over a week now. However, I am on the healing end of it now and feeling about 90%! In addition to those things my poor little kitten died of God only knows what and everything's been turned upside down! Fortunately, it looks like things are going back to normal a bit, except orders are still piling in, keeping me from adding to my fall collection, so I have nothing to photograph, thereby I have nothing to blog about....

I also spent a few days in San Francisco! I'd never been there before - it's quite an interesting city! I went to a friend's wedding in Berkeley and got to hang out with my cousin, who showed me around the city and I INSISTED that she drive - I've been to countless metro areas before but I've never been so terrified to drive in my life as that city! The hills, lack of traffic lights and people everywhere scared the bejeezus out of me. It's entirely acceptable to just stop your vehicle in the middle of traffic and get out. Crazy.

Here are a few pics from my trip!

But here I am now! I actually have managed to create a couple pieces in the last couple days, though I'm only going to show one for now. That is partly because I'll need something to blog about tomorrow or Monday and partly because I only just finished the second piece and I don't have any photos of it yet. But I do think it'll be a big seller...here's a hint: it's stretchy and soft!

So for today's piece...I actually just finished it yesterday and I took my little supermodel out in it today and I can honestly say I've never had such an amazingly overwhelming response to anything I've ever made before. It's a vintage themed shirt and bellbottom set with a sash and I'm sure to be making more of them soon. It was inspired by a Pink Fig pattern that I saw and fell in love with but I made a few changes to it to make it mine. I realized, after I cut out my fabric, that I really should have made it for my older daughter because the actual lines of this outfit should be longer so keep your eye out for the "real" version coming soon. In the meantime, like I said, this outfit was an enormous hit, even on my younger daughter. She looked like a little doll and somebody actually said she looked like she just came out of a box. I think that was a compliment, right?

I promise to be back soon with pics of the new outfit! In the meantime, don't forget to vote in my poll!

Ooh La La!

2009-08-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

I had some free time on my hands yesterday and instead of mopping the kitchen floor (which is what I should have done) I decided to use the Paris fabric that I've been wondering what I was going to do with. Since I already made my older daughter a dress with scooter fabric I decided to make Tweedle Dee a dress. But I couldn't decide whether I wanted a peasant dress or an apron dress...so I did both. haha It's almost Parisian Alice in Wonderlandish. I don't know, but I like it! I have enough fabric to make one or two more, I'll probably get it listed today or tomorrow. If there is enough interest I'll get more fabric to make more of them. By the by, I also put her chocolate ruffle pants underneath the dress and suddenly it's perfect for winter too...

I also realized that I don't have very many pictures of the Nora Apron Top and since I had already busted out the chocolate corduroy ruffles (though they are admittedly getting shorter on her - what's up with that?) I figured I would take some pictures of her in that as well.

Don't forget to vote in my poll!

CLOTH! is the new diaper!

2009-08-13T15:05:00.002-07:00

What, you say? Yes, cloth diapering is making a comeback. And these aren't the leaky diapers that our grandparents were forced to use. Gone are the days of stinky diaper pails, plastic pants and diaper pins. Today's cloth diapers are downright fashionable and convenient, not to mention super absorbent and CUTE!

That being said...I don't make cloth diapers. Don't fret, though, because I have you hooked up! Go to: http://clothisthenewdiaper.wordpress.com/ and see what is new in the cloth diapering world. You won't believe what you're missing!

Now, you might ask, how is the clothing world accommodating all these fluffy bottomed babies in their cloth diapers? Well, you had to know I was going to fit in here somehow. It would seem that this is, for the most part, an untapped market that I plan on diving into headfirst. I am planning to roll out my new clothing line specifically made for cloth diapered babies! Not sure what to name it yet...perhaps I'll put out a poll so you guys can give me your input. Be on the lookout for it and please vote!

Back to the Basics

2009-08-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

When I first started the Crazy Daisy Baby Boutique I only had two products: CuddlePod Mei Tai carriers and Fuzzy Wuzzle bonding blankets. Obviously people eventually wore me down and I began making clothes, but this last week has been a week of mei tais and bonding blankets and not really anything else, so I figured I'd blog on that!

It would be unprofessional of me to advertise like this, but I can say it here. Fuzzy Wuzzles are crack for babies. There, I said it. I'm totally serious, though. I swear I make it out of fabric and don't add any addictive agent to it, but almost every baby I've ever made one for falls hopelessly in love with their blanket. I've had more repeat orders for these things than I can count. There are some babies who love their blankies so much that their moms order several of them JUST IN CASE! They are the secret to sleeping sucess and they are small enough to take anywhere. Not to mention (though I am about to) that they are just plain cute.

If you've read my bio (and I wouldn't blame you if you didn't because that thing is long!) you might have read that I first started making the CuddlePods when I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. I admit I am pretty picky and I was looking for just the right mei tai carrier. I wanted it to be pretty, but also functional. I wanted my newborn to be as comfortable as my 3 year old. Needless to say, (but, again, I'm about to) I couldn't find it anywhere and I looked long and hard. Finally I broke down and began working on a pattern for my "dream" carrier. It has evolved over the years and is now streamlined to perfection. Well...near perfection, anyway!

Side Carry

Front Carry (she's proving she's not too big to be in this hold after all - so sweet!)

Back Carry

Oldies but Goodies

2009-07-24T19:01:00.001-07:00

I've had such a busy couple of weeks making clothes for other people that I didn't get a chance to work on any new designs. Well, that's not entirely true...I started working on a new peasant dress design with a fully shirred bodice, but it didn't quite work out so I have to go back to the drawing board on that one. I also made a new Miss Mamie romper for my growing green bean, but do we really need a picture of another Miss Mamie? Then again, that is one of my favorite outfits and I love the heck out of them...so I'm sure you'll be subjected to more Miss Mamie pics.

So I decided to bust out my camera and torture my poor daughter today by making her model some of my older designs which I still love but haven't sold yet. I suspect the photos were getting "stale" and people got sick of looking at them. Even I got sick of looking at them hanging on the rack until I put them on her and fell in love all over again. I hope the new pictures refresh some interest in these adorable outfits! Of course, my photography stinks as usual. When/if I ever make a bunch of money I'll buy a DSLR camera and stop insulting your eyeballs!

Maybe I'm a sucker for the rompers, but this outfit, the Baleigh Bubble Halter has always been one of my favorites. I honestly thought it would have been one of the first to go so I was surprised at the lack of interest. This is a one of a kind outfit and always will be and it's perfect for nearly every occasion. I can only think that my other photos were bland and maybe it's one of those things that need to seen in person to appreciate!

I love this colorful dress, but now it's losing its "summer" status. I'd hate to have to wait until next spring for everybody to see how special this dress is!

This dress would be cute for the remainder of the summer or fall, and I also see a turtleneck underneath it with a pair of jeans. The colors really stand out - but I worry that it might be another outfit that might need to be seen in person!

That being said, I have done a cursory look around the Denver area for art fairs. Oddly enough, in this artsy-fartsy area I have been unable to find anything. I'll just have to keep my eye out - I'm new to the whole art or craft fair world. Any pointers?

Lazy Sunday

2009-07-12T14:25:00.000-07:00

Actually, yesterday was a far more lazy day than today. Yesterday I woke up late (embarrassingly late so I won't tell you when) and then laid in the sun for an hour on my deck, then took a 3 hour nap. Yeah, it was THAT kind of day. I got absolutely nothing done but loved every second of it! This morning I woke up with two things: an irresistible urge to make a pink peasant dress and an eye so swollen that it looked like I got into a fight. Not sure what that was all about, I am pretty sure I'd remember getting into a scuffle and I'm certain I'd remember if I happened to lose. In any case, I jumped out of bed and ran upstairs to my sewing room where I immediately began working on the pink peasant dress that I dreamed about last night (was I so exuberant about it that I knocked myself in the eye in my sleep?).

So, I actually finished this dress in record time (from soup to nuts - I even had to create a pattern for it since I've never made a peasant dress in this size) and was actually able to get my daughter to model it before it started hailing!

Admittedly, she does not look very happy to be modeling in this picture, but that's only because she was mad at me since I told her to stop smiling like a doofus. Plus, she has a new found fear of tornadoes and she was looking up at the sky in panic. I don't know why I have to keep telling her that it's the lightning she needs to be afraid of here in the mountains - not tornadoes! Somehow I don't think that helped much.

This other peasant top is one I made a few weeks ago but haven't had a chance to take any real pictures of yet. I haven't decided whether it's truly a peasant top or dress, but I'm leaning toward top since I wouldn't put it on her without the ruffle pants, even though it seems a bit long for a top. Peasant tunic, maybe? I don't know. But I think it's pretty cute, even though this picture isn't that great. We actually got hailed on while shooting this photo.

So now I must get off of my lazy bottom and clean! My mom is coming on Wednesday and I have a crazy amount of work to get done before then!

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

I know, I'm always a day late on these things. But at least it's still the weekend, right? Sure, it's the evening of the last day of the weekend...

I actually don't have much to write or pictures to post. Sorry! But I do want to give a shout out to the brave men and women of our armed forces who have given up watching their children take their first steps, listening to them say their first words, attending soccer games, dance recitals and graduations, and of course sometimes giving their very lives so that we can live in a country where we are free to practice whatever religion we choose, protect our families in the way we feel is best, speak against our leaders if we feel they are not doing right by us, and live our lives without fear or persecution. God bless you, and God bless America! (and Canada too (for Nancy) haha)

I was sick as can be this past week, but I managed to put this ensemble together for my American Beauty.

As Promised!

2009-06-30T17:08:00.000-07:00

I must be insane...it's either the denial of the fact that I am no longer on vacation or that my brother is occupying my sewing room, but I haven't touched my sewing machine since I've been home! I've never gone this long without sewing...let's hope I haven't forgotten how! I keed, I keed. I actually got home from vacation and have been working at my "real" job and trying to make up for lost time. Orders haven't exactly been piling in since I got back so I might as well catch up on the work my employer pays me to do!

I've been working on my fall line, slowly but surely. I made a cute butterfly dress for Clara but I have yet to take any pictures of her in it (though you can sort of see it if you scroll down to the Mount Rushmore picture!). I know, I know...I'm a slacker. I also created another summer outfit (I just had to - it was too cute!) and a peasant dress that I have no intention of selling because it's a 100% Matilda Jane knock-off. I just thought it was cute so I made it :P

This is the new summer outfit (and I'm probably only going to make a couple of these). This pink and white polka-dot dress is Euro-chic with scooter print and matching ultra flared bell bottoms.

While I am not selling this particular peasant dress, get used to seeing other similar ones in my fall line!

And of course, here are more pictures of some Daisy girls!

Two blog posts in two days from me! Don't come to expect this! lol

Back from vacation!

2009-06-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

It's been a fun-filled and crazy couple weeks but we're home now! (sniff sniff). We went on a trip that took us from Colorado to Marquette, Michigan. We went through Rapid City, SD, had a family reunion in Bloomington, MN (stayed across the street from the Mall of America), drove north to Grand Rapids, MN to stay with some family, and cruised over to a waterfront cabin in Negaunee, MI where we stayed disconnected from the rest of the world for four days. We were literally the last people on this planet to know that Michael Jackson died! It was pretty unbelievable - in the words of my second oldest son, "Michael Jackson can't be dead. The dude was mostly plastic, wasn't he?"

Rapid City turned out to be far more beautiful than we expected it to be. I've been across South Dakota several times and have never been in Custer National Park. The roads in the park are so windy that they cross over themselves over and over! Mount Rushmore was really cool, too.

Unfortunately, I can't find my camera cord, so all of the following pictures were stolen from my cousin's Facebook...lol

The family reunion went well - we got to see a lot of family that we hadn't seen in many years. My crazy daughter was in heaven with all those aunts, uncles and cousins running around. I didn't even know most of them, but my little social butterfly was all over the place. I'd go looking for her and find her riding on the shoulders of uncle-so-and-so. I got to hang out with some of my coolest cousins and we even jogged over to the Mall of America (it was the day before Fathers Day and the mall was closing in 10 minutes!) where we had the opportunity to witness some people getting nasty in an elevator full of children. Klllaaasssssyyy!

Our first couple days in Northern Minnesota were rainy and buggy. My poor son had seven woodticks within the first two hours there. Then the sun came out and it got hot and buggy! Mosquitoes everywhere! Despite these issues, some of our best memories are hanging out with our family around the campfire and fishing in the Pokegama Lake. I liquored up my cousin and my daughter and her cousin went worm hunting.

Our cabin in Negaunee was so beautiful! It was more than I could have expected - we had our own little beach, canoe, sauna (though we never did partake of the sauna), and screened room overlooking the lake. It was so wonderful I could have stayed there forever! We ate pasties on Presque Isle and hiked in Pictured Rocks. We also got to see old friends and their families, though the best part of the trip was when two old white people in Northern Michigan called my husband a "cracker". I've never seen such a look of shock in my entire life! Priceless.

So now we're back home, and it did take a trip to the home country to learn that there really is no place like home. Sure, it was in the 40s last night and I'm feeling the lack of oxygen, but I can walk through the woods without being attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes and no ticks to peel off!

I'll post more pictures when I find my camera cord...and tomorrow I'll post some pictures of the girls in their newest Daisy Duds and some other little girls in theirs!

It's SUMMER!

2009-06-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

I know, I know...I've been a bad blogger. You might notice (if you live anywhere near me) that there is a direct correlation between my blogs and the weather. My camera kind of stinks for indoor pictures and the weather has been absolutely atrocious outside for the last 2 weeks. It even snowed on Monday!

So to make up for my lack of blogginess, I'm going into picture overload. Let me first start by showing off some crazy kids in their daisy duds. It'll be a nice break to not see my kids for once!

Aren't they SO cute?!

And now for the new stuff...

These are custom orders that turned out so beautifully I think I'm going to start making them going forward (assuming I can get the fabric!). As usual, my pictures do not do them justice!

This is the latest Plucky Peasant Top. Similar to the Pixie but not quite! Also notice the new brown corduroy ruffle pants!

Here's a Riley Peasant Blouse in yellow, as well as another look at the brown corduroy ruffles.

A picture of some Purple Peeps Ruffle Pants:

And some cute pictures of my girls at the Denver Botanic Gardens!

Memorial Day Weekend!

2009-05-24T21:24:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy weekend! Not complaining, I hate being bored! I'm just so happy to have Monday off. I'm so excited for my vacation in a few weeks! I will be closing up the shop while I'm gone (contrary to popular belief I do not have house elves doing my work for me!) but I will reopen the very second I get home!

We were out eating breakfast this morning and I had Clara in her new peasant apron dress with matching green ruffles. I could not believe the reaction people were having! There was a russian woman that came up to me and told me that her outfit reminded her of a Russian Folk Dress. I'm not sure what that is, but I chose to take it as a compliment! I really need to learn to toot my own horn - people will ask me "Where did you get that outfit?" and I simply tell them that I made it. I need to be more bold and hand them a business card or something. Ugh. I stink at this marketing thing!

Anyway, I'm putting out a new shirt! This is from the new fall line and it looks the part with its vivid autumn colors. I'll also be making this same shirt in different colors so keep your eye out!

Peek a Boo!

2009-05-21T13:43:00.002-07:00

I've done did it. I've started working on my fall line. Of course the summer line is still available through the summer, but for those of us proactive sort of people (ha ha) we can now look to the future!

I started off with an adorable peasant apron dress. I have always loved the peasant look - perhaps I had a past medieval life?

Don't kill me - but these are not exactly for sale yet. This particular blue beauty is one of four pieces going to a photographer who will be showcasing my designs. However, you can expect the same style on the ones I plan on starting as soon as I get off this computer.

If you look hard enough you can see the embroidered detail on the apron. Lots of little extras on this dress - from lace around the bodice, crocheted flower button, embroidered apron, down to the rick-rack above the skirt ruffle.

Now this happens to be the Miss Mamie in Clara Garden print fabric. And unless Nancy decides this is too loud for her taste (is there such a thing?) it won't be for sale either. I started making this outfit with skepticism but as soon as I finished it I decided that I wanted to keep it. The problem with that, however, is that I can no longer find this fabric anywhere. So I guess this will be a one of a kind!

Drive By...

2009-05-18T14:14:00.001-07:00

Not a drive by shooting - don't duck, it's okay. I'm just passing through here really quickly because I'm up to my eyeballs in work. Today is the most beautiful of days (it is up here anyway, they're probably not enjoying their 90 F plus weather in Denver today) and I'm stuck in my house doing 10 audits - each of which take an hour to complete. >:(

So now that summer has officially arrived, I get to start working on my fall line. I started working on a peasant dress today but I'm still not 100% satisfied yet so I'm tearing it apart and starting over. I hate seam ripping with the fire of a thousand suns, but if I'm not happy nobody else will be either. Of course, first I have the 10 audits to complete....sigh.

I will start offering applique t-shirts and tank tops very soon. I'm feeling far more confident now, and while I've seen some of what's been offered on other websites (and wasn't particularly impressed with the stitching) I want to make sure I am as close to perfect as can be before I offer them up for sale.

Now that being said, here is my latest applique creation, as well as a pair of pants that I love to death but others may not but I'm okay with that!

Is it the weekend yet?

2009-05-14T17:20:00.000-07:00

No, but it's close enough! The weather is almost beautiful up here (some have laughed when I tell them high 60s is downright hot but it really is!), I have a light work load tomorrow, and only one more summer outfit to do!! Ironically, as soon as the weather starts looking like summer around here I get to make clothes with long sleeves, corduroy, and flannel. It does seem a bit backwards to me too!

Here's the latest - fresh off the sewing machine. It's a peasant smocked cherry shirt, denim flare pants and matching reversible headband (cherries on one side and red gingham on the other). I'll only have enough cherry fabric to make about 2 of these shirts so if you want it you might want to hurry!

Why am I awake?

2009-05-11T23:00:00.000-07:00

Good question. Part of it is the copious amounts of Mountain Dew running through my system. Another part is my chronic insomnia...but mostly it's because I was moving my stuff over to the new Etsy site and updating my website.

After weeks of pressure from my dear Canadian friend, I have finally broken down and made stretch knit pants, reversible headbands and applique t-shirts. I keep telling her not to abuse the poor seamstress but she's downright militant about it! Now that I've achieved this goal, I'm sure she'll have another "honey-do" list waiting for me in no time. I'll be getting the stretch knit pants on my website shortly and once I get some pictures of the headbands I'll start selling those as well. I still need to practice my applique t-shirts, though I have to admit that for a first run I was impressed with myself! There is, however, a fatal flaw in my tulip design and it isn't the stitching. Can you guess what it is? I bet Rose, the horticulture major, can figure it out.

Sorry, I don't have the greatest pictures today. If you have ever considered moving into the Rocky Mountains, please allow this first picture to enlighten you. Yes, that is snow coming down. This picture was taken yesterday.

Here are the stretch knit pants. It took some work to get the stripes to match up perfectly but I managed to get it done right. I made these pants a little big for my older daughter - I'm actually hoping they fit her perfectly around next spring. But you get the idea.

It might have escaped my attention that I am a push-over. No, really? After promising that only one Natty Huckleberry Halter Dress would ever be made I was talked into making another one - so that, and the fact that I have extra fabric now, means that I will still make ONE more (and only one! I promise!). First one to order gets to pick the size (sizes range from 12 months - 5T).

Happy Mothers Day Weekend!

2009-05-09T09:16:00.001-07:00

Hope you guys are getting the required amount of pampering today and tomorrow! I had every intention of sleeping in this morning and letting the hubs take over...but I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep so he ended up getting to be the one to sleep in. Oh well!

Not really debuting anything today, more or less just showing off. That's okay, isn't it? I made the girls semi-matching outfits but I don't think I'm going to end up selling more of them. The pattern I made had to be adjusted 1738 times so now I don't even remember what I did anymore. Hate it when that happens!

I also had a cute custom order I wanted to show you. This Olivia Tea Party dress was ordered in red, white and blue - for a birthday girl who has a birthday right around that time. What a cute idea!

I'll be pretty busy this weekend - not sure when I'll get the next "new" outfit up, but I have some cute fabric and a few ideas swimming around...so keep checking back and don't forget about this month's promo!

My Little Cupcake

2009-05-07T16:29:00.000-07:00

I was in the fabric store last week and I saw some cute cupcake fabric. I picked it up and pondered what on earth I could make with it. All by itself it was just too cutesy for my tastes, if you know what I mean. So I took a lap around the store, waiting for something to jump out at me. At first there were no bites...then it all came together and I had to have it. I had no clue what I was going to make but I was in love with this fabric combination. I took it home and since I had no plan what to do with it, there it laid in the bag for a week. Finally, I decided to jump in and I just started hacking away at it with no particular idea what I was going to make or even who I was going to make it for. Eventually it started to take shape and I was falling head over heels for it. When I tried the finished product on my little cupcake I jumped around the room and gleefully giggled like an idiot. It's actually sad how much I get into my work.

So here it is - the fruit of hours of having no idea what I was doing but enjoying every second of it. The entire bodice is shirred, with my tell-tale twisty straps in the back and little strap loops in the front with sewn on buttons. The pants have a double ruffle and a drawstring. I'm not sure, but I think she'll get two seasons out of this outfit.

Now, I'm gonna be honest here. This is not the most practical outfit I've made. Sure, I took her to the mall and fabric store in it, but it's not exactly made for the playground. As much as I love it, it's really only suited for pictures, parties, and pageants. And based on all the work and materials that went into this thing it will not exactly be priced "reasonably". But, if you're ever in the market for an unnaturally adorable outfit that will make you gleefully giggle like I did, then you know where to get one!

Cinco De Mayo

2009-05-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

Happy El Cinco De Mayo! Not sure what we're celebrating here today, but the girls and I, and some good friends, will be heading off to the zoo to drink...soda. We are the original party animals, aren't we?

But I'm going to give YOU something to celebrate! For the month of May, buy a pair of ruffle pants (any size, any color) and receive any top half off (dresses not included - sorry)! Might as well start getting ready for summer, right? Of course...you have to be a blog reader to get this deal, so make sure you mention this promotion when you order and I'll give you a refund!

So, I was actually able to take some pictures yesterday. It was the first halfway decent day we've had in over a week! Here is the newest outfit...

It's called Haylee Honeydew. The pants have vertical stripes with an oversized ruffle. The matching shirt is an explosion of some of my favorite fabrics and looks great with the matching pants or with a pair of jeans.

The pants are shown here with the Riley Peasant Blouse and as you can see that is beyond cute.

And just because she's funny and insisted on this pose...(what is this...kungfu?)

My Apologies!

2009-05-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

I have not been a lazy blogger. Heck, I haven't even been a lazy sewer! You might call me a lazy photographer, however. I've made several adorable outfits but I haven't had the opportunity to take pictures of them yet. In my defense, it's really difficult to make adorable summer clothes when it's still winter in my neck of the woods! I did manage to take a picture of my older model wearing her own Sophia Mae Apron Dress - over a long sleeved shirt and jeans, of course. I guess it goes to show how versatile some of these pieces are, though, right? If you could see the back, you'd see that it is smocked with reversible twisty straps.

My daughter is such a girlie-girl. She picked out those shoes herself and she's really good at matching them with the right outfit! Her mother lacks the shoe and purse gene, however, so I guess she'll be picking out my ensembles in no time.

The good news is that the weather is beginning to perk up a bit! After a weekend of absolutely no sun, this week is supposed to be beyond beautiful. So, knowing me, I will lock myself in my sewing room to make new creations, and ignore the bright sunny weather. The better news is that I will be able to actually take pictures of them, though!

Finally!

2009-04-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

The website is up! www.crazydaisybabyboutique.com

I labored all weekend on it - practically didn't do anything but work on it. I say "practically" because I did take time out last night for some of the biggest margarita's I've ever seen before in my life - and they were the medium sized ones! It was a much needed break and as soon as I got home I spent the rest of the night writing descriptions and editing photos.

But the hard work paid off - because I'm done (for the most part)! I apologize for the lack of cart and the fact that you can only use PayPal. The hubs is working on a solution that won't cost me both of my arms, a leg, and my first born child (though these days I will gladly give him away). He seems to think he's on to something, so hopefully we can work those bugs out very soon!

So, because I've been working on the website, I haven't gotten much sewing done over the weekend. So, sadly, there will be no new outfit to debut. But that's okay because you can now look at all of them at once! Instead of posting a cute outfit, I'll just post a cute girl in a cute hat. I'll start working on a new outfit starting tomorrow, but in the meantime feel free to take a look at the Daisy Duds and please give me feedback here! Thanks!

You are cordially invited...

2009-04-24T23:02:00.000-07:00

To Olivia's Teaparty!!! These little aproned darlings are perfect for...well, just about anything from serving tea in the garden to running errands with mom. It's been twirl tested and approved by a certified spinner!

This design comes in two colors; sage and peppermint. Both will inspire childhood memories of warm summers with jump roping and lemonade stands.

Sorry for the short blog...it's almost 12:30 am and I've been working at my "real" job as well as getting my website set up. It'll be up very soon!

Gratitude

2009-04-24T00:03:00.000-07:00

One day I was doing the dishes and the secret of happiness dawned on me. Hit me right upside the head, really. Oddly enough, I wasn't even pondering my level of happiness at the moment. I was simply scrubbing dishes because my dishwasher leaves much to be desired when it comes to clean dishes.

Anywho, I realized that day that the secret of happiness is gratefulness. As long as you are truly grateful for what you do have you will always be happy. The very second that you lose sight of what you have and how you are blessed then you are opening yourself up to disappointment and sadness.

When we first moved to Colorado we were in awe of the glorious mountain scenery and amazing wildlife. We built our home on top of a mountain and for months we took in the incredible views as we drove home from town. I don't know when it was, but one day we stopped noticing. We began to take it all for granted.

I bring this up because today was the photoshoot. Rose dragged us all over the Northern Colorado mountains, into areas I probably never would have otherwise gone. It was a beautiful day - so nice that sunburns were a problem! I looked around the stunning countryside and was struck by how grateful I was to live in such a beautiful state. Where else can you drive along next to Longs Peak with snow piled high on both sides of the road and your windows down because it's 75 degrees outside? Where your excuse for running late for an appointment is: "I had to wait for the elk herd to cross the road again." Even I was excited to see some bighorn sheep grazing next to the road in Estes Park today.

In this theme of gratitude, I'd like to thank Rose for her patience, persistence, and incredible eye for beauty. I'd also like to thank my little model for being such a good sport with outfit changes, especially since she was the only one who was able to make today's photoshoot. And I'd like to give a shout-out to my oldest daughter and Rose's two boys for being unnaturally well-behaved and not making us fish them out of any rivers or lakes. We came close once or twice but it all worked out in the end!

And now...this dress is called Candy Lane. I took this picture yesterday, before I really "finished" the outfit. The dress will be sold as a 3 piece set - dress, bloomers and matching hair bow. It features a smocked halter top bodice, a cute bottom ruffle, and a wide striped sash. This ensemble is so much fun! When I first put it together I pictured a little girl blowing out birthday candles, with presents piled up around her...but what the heck do I know (besides the secret of happiness, that is...)? I could just as easily take her shopping in this outfit.

I'll make sure I get some pictures of the "finished" product soon. But for now, here it is!

Huckleberry Halter

2009-04-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

Super busy day today - tomorrow is photoshoot day!!! I have no idea where or what Rose has in mind but she's been on the lookout for the "perfect" place for weeks now. The sad fact about Colorado, though, is that it is green for only a short period - which happens to be in a few weeks. The rest of the year is either white or brown, unless you happen to be shooting in Rocky Mountain National Park...and this time of year it's still covered in snow! So I'm curious to see where she'll be taking us tomorrow!

Today's outfit it the Huckleberry Halter top with matching ruffle pants. They will be sold separately, and are adorable paired up together or not. This is one of my favorite outfits! When I see her walk around in it my heart skips a few beats. She cried when I took it off of her so I know it was a hit!

It's beginning to look like Christmas...but it's April.

2009-04-20T12:48:00.001-07:00

Wow - what an adventure! We ended up getting about five feet of snow when all was said and done. The power went out Friday morning and we only just got it back late last night! We finally dug our way out. It only took two four-wheelers with snowplows, a snowblower and a Bobcat. It felt so good to finally leave the house but it felt even better to come home to the house all lit up with electricity! As rough as it was to go without power for three days, it had its fun moments. We all cuddled in front of the fireplace every night to keep warm and we stayed busy reading stories and spending time together.

I considered debuting two outfits today, since I missed out on the entire weekend, but unfortunately my models weren't having any of it. Luckily, I was able to get one outfit photo'd!

This outfit, called Miss Mamie, was inspired by a friend who saw the last couple outfits shown on this blog and thought they would look cute if I smooshed them together. I had to agree! There will be two versions - this is the pants version. The other will be cropped a bit shorter and will tie at the shoulders.

Don't worry about my little model in the snow! It's actually a very sunny 65 degrees outside and that's only half of the snow that was there before!

Calgon...

2009-04-16T19:27:00.000-07:00

Do they even still make Calgon? How many of us actually still remember those commercials? Am I showing my age here? haha

I stayed up all night working on the cutest little dress only for it to bomb out in the end. I hate it. Completely detest it. As soon as the snow subsides I'm bee-lining it to the fabric store to pick up some comparable fabric so that I can transform it into something else since I still love the bodice. Hopefully I can still salvage it...

Today I worked on shirts. Lots and lots of shirts. And while I was typing this I suddenly had an outfit epiphany and must start work on it immediately following this post.

But before I get back to the grind, I will unveil today's outfit. I just finished the shirt today and I have to say that it's downright magical! It has a fraternal twin - the straps are a bit different and there is shirring at the bottom as well as the top. Both are super versatile and will go with almost every pair of pants, capris or skirt you can pull out of the drawer. Plus, it's super lightweight so it'll handle anything the summer can throw your way (not that I would know anything about that right now). I made a couple in ivory and a few in a light pink floral print - some in 18-24 months and a couple in 4-5T.

Bye Bye Sunshine :(

2009-04-15T16:22:00.001-07:00

Looks like I'm in for a long weekend of sewing. According to the weather reports we're gearing up for 36 inches of heavy wet snow. Springtime is such a tease here in Colorado. It's warm and sunny and you might actually start to believe that it's going to stay that way. Then Mother Nature thumbs her nose and laughs at you while dumping 36 inches on you. She's lucky she'll never have to come face to face with me or we'd go a few rounds.

Today was very nice - but I pretty much stayed inside all day long. Why do I do that to myself?

As promised, here is another toot little outfit. This one is a pair of romper shorts. It looks so comfortable that if I could get away with wearing them I would sew me a pair in a heartbeat. Something tells me that it wouldn't look quite as cute on me, though. I just love the way her big belly and diapered bum looks when she waddles around. This particular outfit comes in two styles - with a ruffle and without. The one in the picture is obviously without the ruffle. I have several of these little rompers in a couple different sizes. I have one that's 9-12, two that are 12-18 months with ruffles, and a few different colored ones that are 12-18 with ruffles. All are to-die-for cute, if I do say so myself, but it could just be the way my heart thrums when I watch my little cutie pie walk around in them.

This polkadot striped halter dress doesn't happen to be going on my website. I made this specifically for my daughter, but I'm posting pictures anyway because 1) she looks darling in it, and 2) I plan to make similar ones for the website so you can get the idea of what I'm putting out here!

Now this patchwork skirt (not the shirt) will be on the website. Forgive my lack of photography skills (not to mention my unambitious model), but what you can't see is that the skirt has a bit of a flare at the bottom with a rolled hem - I love it because it's so fresh and girlie. I'm working on different shirts that will match it (though I am quite happy with the one I picked up from Target for $4 that she's wearing with it :P).

It almost felt like Spring...

2009-04-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

To some 65 F degrees sounds like parka and down underwear weather. Today we went to the zoo and I decked my daughter out in her summer Daisy Duds and we were actually HOT. That's what six months holed up on top of a mountain with sub-zero weather and high winds will do to you (as well as cause you to require significantly less oxygen than most). It was so nice that it almost felt like Spring! If only I could ignore the weather report that calls for snow for the next week. :(

So I'm debuting the new Pink Punkle Pants. I've actually had them made for weeks now, I was just waiting for a nice enough day to make my poor baby model them on the deck. As soon as it hit 50 F outside we went. She was happy until she stepped on a few leftover pockets of snow and suddenly it wasn't fun anymore.

I managed to take a couple pictures of her in her Daisy Duds that she wore to the zoo today, too. Of course, that wasn't until I moved our laugh of a photoshoot indoors.

It's supposed to be quasi-nice outside tomorrow as well. I think I'll debut another fancy shmancy outfit. We discussed the "real" photoshoot and it's going to take place next week! Then I'll be able to get everything loaded onto the website and we'll see what happens from there...! Yay!

Withdrawals

2009-04-13T22:05:00.000-07:00

Today I learned something about myself. If I go more than 24 hours without sewing I get the shakes. Who knew that it was so addictive?

Most anybody who actually bothers to read this blog knows that I have a full-time job, four children (two teenagers and two toddlers!), and my Crazy Daisy website. I'm also an internet junkie and I spend the vast majority of any free time (ha!) chatting with my friends on MSN, surfing my private boards, or scouting out new styles of fabrics. It's amazing how much time I can kill on Fabric.com.

Have I mentioned how much I love to multi-task? This week I discovered a love for Skype. I am able to chat with my buds while sewing at the same time! I made this last night. Isn't it sweet?

Well, let's get this show on the road!

2009-04-11T14:49:00.000-07:00

My first blog. Well, not if you want to count MySpace, I guess.

Lemme see...where do I start. How about at the beginning?

Some of my earliest memories are of my mom on her sewing machine. I remember falling asleep to the sound of chuggu-chuggu-chugga all night long. She made me and my sister's (and some of our friends) Easter dresses every single year. I remember sitting at her machine just dying to get my grubby fingers on it, but of course that was the number one rule in our house - NOBODY touched mom's sewing machine by penalty of death.

I got married young (and when I say young I mean really young!) and I had two boys. I love my boys dearly, but I always dreamed of little girls. I wanted to make cute little outfits for them! Not knocking boys, and maybe it's my own lack of vision, but I just don't have dreams about sewing cute little boy clothes. I'm sincerely hoping that some day I do, though, because it is really an untapped market and I hate to see the little guys left out!

Years later, I finally got what I always wanted: two little girls. And not just any little girls either - the cutest ones I've ever laid eyes on. Okay, I might be just a little biased...but only a little. As soon as my first daughter was born my inner sewing nerd came alive! I started making her blankets and simple clothes from simple patterns. Soon I got bored and started making my own patterns, trying to capture the image in my head and make it into something beautiful. Turns out I was pretty good at this!

People started noticing my daughters' clothes. I started getting the "You should really sell these" comments. At first I said no way, Jose! They eventually wore me down, and here I am, spilling out my life story in my first, erm, second blog ever.

Here's a small sample of what I've put together so far...pardon the amateur photography and not always cooperative subject. We're just getting going here!

Please note that most of these items are not for sale yet. Some of them are demos I made for the girls. I've got a whole load of cute little dresses, shirts, pants, capris and other stuff hanging around in my sewing room just waiting for our big photoshoot with - get this - a REAL photographer. Okay, she's my friend Rose, but she is the real deal! I even have tiny little models set up and eager to earn their new ruffles. Now I just need for the snow to subside so we can do it...

Come along for the ride! I have a feeling it's gonna be a little bumpy...