Feelin' hot hot hot.........................

So a couple of new summer frocks were in order.

Last week, as the school holidays were drawing to a close I got to thinking about when Miss A started school last year and just how darn HOT it always is throughout February here in Sydney.

Making the 10 minute walk up to school at quarter to three in the afternoon each day and feeling like I'm about to melt into the sticky bitumen beneath my feet is inspiration enough to get cracking and make some dresses already!

First up is a little Enid Gilchrist number.  

The pattern came from my MIL's stash back in July 2009 (woah, I didn't realise it had been waiting to be made for that long!). 

I bought the gorgeous Amy Butler Love fabric not long after, and earmarked it for this dress. 

As soon as I saw this fabric I had to have some.  It so reminds me of the fabric that a hat/handbag combo my older sister had back in the 70's was made from.   

The "Holiday Shift" pattern was printed in the October 1966 edition of New Idea, with detailed instructions on how to draft your own pattern. 

Luckily for me the pattern had already been drafted by my MIL - whoohoo.

I love the caption below the dress.  Part of what I enjoy about vintage patterns is looking at the styling and language used.  How times change.

  I made the dress last Friday and when I woke up this morning and it was already 21 degrees (celcius) I knew I'd be wearing it today. 

First day back at school.  First day in Year 1 for Miss A, and it is was scorcher. 

It was perfect. Light and loose.

I added a simple vintage button to close the back.

Love it!

I especially love the round yolk.

I made this shirred dress on Saturday, to wear out to dinner with a couple of girlfriends on Saturday night.

I bought the fabric from Spotlight last Summer.  I just loved the border print.

Again, I had an idea in my head of what I wanted to make with it, it was just a matter of getting around to it.

Shirring, how I love thee.  Easy, peasy yet so impressive.

As the fabric was a little sheer I decided to line it with some white cotton. 

I roughly followed this tutorial, treating the fabric and lining as one piece.  I only bought 1m of fabric though, so just made one seam up the back.  

I was feeling lazy, so rather than make shoulder straps I used some navy blue ribbon I had in my stash for the straps and as a belt to break up the white abit and give my waist some definition.

I took these photo's this afternoon when it was 35 degrees C, so forgive me if I look a little wilted!

And to mark the start of the school year.........

Day 1 - Year 1.

mirazozo

from the outside

So the summer holidays continue. 

Ours have been relaxed, slow paced, and thoroughly enjoyable. 

Today we took a train ride into town to enjoy Mirazozo.

 

This was a totally awesome experience.  We all loved it - from my 4 y.o. daughter to my 13 y.o. nephew to myself.

 

I found I could not get the smile off my face while I was inside this wonderful world of colour and space.

This is the sort of experience I cherish and love to share with my children.  Too give them exposure to things like this from a young age I feel is so important to me.  I am so grateful that I have ready access to art like this, to lift me up and feed my need for beautiful, wonderful, creative experiences.

Mirazozo will be on at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt until 27th January 2011.

January 8th, 2011

A beautiful, beautiful bride,

a beautiful service,

a beautiful reception.

My husband, our children and I 

were so very pleased and honoured to be involved,

and each play a small part in making this day special

for my sister-in-law and her new husband.

My husband drove the wedding car,

Miss A and Miss B handed out the booklets at the church

and I did a reading during the service.

It was truly a most beautiful wedding

and the happy couple looked just that - relaxed, smiling and happy all day!

And yes, I finally got to wear the dress!