Aesthetic Nest

Craft: Dinosaur Treat Bags

2012-05-17T22:03:00.001-06:00

I am making a few goodies for Audrey's dinosaur party. Though I love doing the big party tablescape, it's fun to focus on just a few things for this one and let our local museum do the rest. So I am making dinosaur treat bags as party favors. I ordered these 8"x10" cotton muslin bags and stenciled on some red t-rex skulls. I don't have a lot of experience transferring or stenciling. I

Sewing: Capes and Crowns

2012-05-14T22:53:00.000-06:00

I have heard friends talk of the craziness of May with all of its end-of-school-year activities but I haven't experienced it myself until now. We've got art gallery exhibits to hang and view, a kindergarten opera to costume and a birthday party in the midst of it, on top of the regular busy routine. So I've had to prioritize according to deadline and crank out some sewing. The past

Sewing: Dinosaur Applique T-Shirt (Template)

2012-05-10T10:45:00.001-06:00

If you've read any of my birthday party posts, you know how I love to make an outfit to go with the party. So of course something "dinosaur" is in order for Audrey's. Typically I make dresse,s but not for this one. It demands something casual, don't you think? Although a dinosaur dress sounds like a nice challenge... Anyway, I've landed on a dinosaur appliqued t-shirt to go with some shorts,

Sewing: Dog Skirt with Piped Pocket (Tutorial)

2012-05-09T15:07:00.000-06:00

For Audrey's birthday I made her a present of a skirt with dogs. A skirt with dogs and a piped waistband and a piped pocket. A skirt with dogs and a piped waistband and a piped pocket and a full white lining. It's 88 inches of this beautiful Heather Ross Lightning Bugs Dogs on Blue fabric and I love it. It has that 1950s shape to it: tight waist and then lots of fullness. I've

Invite: Dinosaur Birthday Party Invitation (Free Printable)

2012-05-03T23:45:00.000-06:00

Speaking of parties...it's about time for Audrey's. And this year we've settled on a dinosaur party! My daughter is definitely her own girl. I'm taking a more scaled down approach this year (last year's party was quite the opposite) but am as excited as ever about the invitations. As I've said before, it seems the latest is always my favorite... I really didn't want to go the scary route

Design: Little Bear Inspired Party Printables

2012-04-30T14:19:00.003-06:00

I don't often do custom designs (sewing or party printables or anything finished for that matter) because it is too difficult to find the time. I've too long a list of things to make. But occassionally I get a request I can't resist, and that's how it went with this printables set. Somebody saw Scarlett's Woodland Picnic birthday party last year and asked if I could do a version of

Cooking: Strawberry Lemon Floret Birthday Cake

2012-04-27T15:18:00.000-06:00

We had a sudden burst of summer this week--from snow flurries to eight-five degrees! It felt lazy and wonderful and got me thinking about the stream of birthday parties that are coming up. Such a fun season. Are you thinking about parties too? With the warmer weather we've been bringing home lots of strawberries and it reminded me of Tess's birthday cake from last summer--I called it the

Sewing: Ruffled Chemise for Girls (Pattern)

2012-04-23T07:24:00.000-06:00

For their Easter dresses this year Audrey and Scarlett wore girl-sized versions of the Ruffled Chemise for Baby I designed for Tess last year. Seems that inspiration and clothing so often goes the other direction--from the older girls to the younger--so it's nice that it was the other way around! Babies first with this one, but now I've got a pattern for girls: The Ruffled Chemise for

Head-Over-Heels in Crochet Interview: Delia Creates

2012-04-19T14:58:00.000-06:00

Textured Bow Tie Today I am sharing an interview with one of my favorite Bloggers, and creative women, Delia of Delia Creates. I was able to meet her in person earlier this year and can tell you she is every bit as lovely as you would imagine! Below she indulges me by answering a few questions about crochet. This interview is part of my ongoing Head-Over-Heels in Crochet series. ANNELIESE:

Sewing: Kangaroo Pocket Sweat Skirt, Part II

2012-04-17T07:06:00.000-06:00

I loved reading all your comments on my Kangaroo Pocket Sweat Skirt. Loved the empathy about projects we make for ourselves that don't quite turn out. And loved the optimism in the suggestions to try it short, or to just go for it with confidence! I decided what I loved about the skirt was the long line, and that shorter wouldn't necessarily work better on me. So I gave it away to a

Sewing: Easter Dresses, 2012

2012-04-16T06:22:00.000-06:00

All three girls in their Easter dresses! I was so happy to have them finished for them to wear Sunday, even if a week late. They are still "Easter" dresses to me. White tights, white shoes, and all. As you may have gathered from Tess's Easter Dress, I have a bit of a daisy thing going on this Easter. Daisies in yellow, white and blue--periwinkle to be specific. I haven't done much sewing

Merchant & Mills Sewing Notions Set Winner

2012-04-12T10:45:00.000-06:00

So many of you loved this notions set! I loved reading your comments about all the ways you would use it and what you would enjoy "upgrading" the most. Wish there were more to give away but how happy for the winner! Comment #67 was from Tawn, who said: I love this notions set. I learn to sew from my mom and a home ec class. I bought my first and only sewing machine 40 years ago. My

Sewing: Angel Sleeve Tea Party Dress

2012-04-11T22:28:00.001-06:00

Well, sometimes I can squeeze in a bunch of impulse projects before getting to the real project due, and still pull it off by the deadline. I think I've done it more times than not. But this time it didn't work. I had Tess's Easter dress finished well in advance and thought I could still finish the other two Easter dresses in a few days even if it required a very late night. But I didn't. I

FYI: Easter Hosannas

2012-04-09T14:32:00.001-06:00

We've been teased with Spring weather for the past couple weeks but shocked now and again by snow and grey so I've been anxiously looking around the garden for true signs that Spring is here. I have been eyeing the hydrangeas I planted last Fall to see if they were going to make it and I've been a bit discouraged. Looked like nothing but dead twigs sticking out of the ground. I had really

Sewing: Blue Gingham Skirts

2012-04-05T11:05:00.002-06:00

Do you know how it is when you get a fabulous fabric in your head and then you go searching never to find it? Happens to me all the time. Well, this fabric is an example of the opposite! I was trying to fall asleep one night last week and thought I really needed a cobalt blue gingham fabric--the foil to all of the red gingham I was using last year (this, and this, and this for instance).

Sewing: Angel Sleeve Dress for Easter

2012-04-04T14:08:00.000-06:00

Ahhh, Spring! More than ever this year I am happy it's here. I am madly sewing, and some of it is for Easter. All of it should be, but I've been distracted (again) by playing around with this pattern. My Angel Sleeve Dress. Some tweaking. Multiple sizes. Variations just for fun. It is so quick and easy it seems I can crank one out and still have time for whatever is truly pressing. We'll see!

HOH in Crochet: Skinny Scarf (Pattern)

2012-04-02T06:44:00.000-06:00

Some of you have asked about the pattern featured in my Head-Over-Heels in Crochet button and banner. Well, this is it! It's the Skinny Scarf I've shared previously in lipstick red and a multi-color grey and off-white. And now here it is in fuchsia, but more importantly, with a pattern ready! I've been working on this for some time in between everything else and now here

FYI: My Story of Journaling

2012-03-30T16:02:00.000-06:00

In December of last year Laura of Along for the Ride contacted me about my paper and fabric-covered composition books and invited me to share my story of journaling as part of a series she runs on her blog. Seems my every new year comes with a resolution to journal more regularly. Do yours? Well, it's a full quarter into the new year now and I'm sharing this as a way to motivate myself

Review: Merchant & Mills Sewing Notions Set (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

2012-03-28T14:57:00.000-06:00

I received this very cool Merchant & Mills Sewing Notion Set in the mail from Kaufmann Mercantile. Have you heard of the online store? It conjures up so many great associations for me. I love the idea of a carefully stocked mercantile1 Their tag is "Products that will outlast you." (A very deliberate us of "that" vs. "which" for those of you English major types... :-)). And in this day of

Sewing: Kangaroo Pocket Sweat Skirt...for Me?

2012-03-26T14:06:00.000-06:00

Part of the reason I enjoy sewing for my girls at the exclusion of things for myself (there's only so much time), is that my girl projects are nearly always sure-things. Those for me, not so much. But sometimes I get an idea and I just can't help myself. And the idea of making something new to wear is so fun! This skirt is a perfect example. I have always had a "thing" for camouflage and

Crafter's Tool Butler Winner

2012-03-23T22:35:00.003-06:00

A lot of you were excited about this great Crafter's Tool Butler from Jordana Paige. (I was able to try it out while posting about crochet supplies here.) You are right--so many many ways it could be used for better organization. I love the idea of being able to grab it and go and know that you've got anything you could need for a project. The random and lucky winner of this fabulous item is

How to Crochet 8: The Half Double Crochet (Tutorial)

2012-03-22T23:22:00.001-06:00

Yarn: Stich Nation Full O' Sheep in Clementine Fabric: Alexander Henry Mushroom City in Yellow I love the Half Double Crochet (usually abbreviated "HDC"). So mysterious...what is a half double? Wouldn't that be a single. Well, no.... it's not in fact. The half double crochet is used for something between the height of a single crochet and a double crochet. I suppose there are a

How to Crochet 7: Weaving In the Ends (Tutorial)

2012-03-21T10:48:00.000-06:00

Yarn: Lily Sugar'n Cream in Hot Pink; Fabric: Windham Fabrics "Storybook VIII Toss" Invariably, when you come to the end of a crochet pattern you will read the words, "weave in ends," or "weave in the ends," or "weave in your ends." Regardless of the wording, this is referring to the action of cleaning up all the stray yarn tails left from the first slip knot, the last fasten off, and any

HOH in Crochet: Easy Baby Afghan (Tutorial)

2012-03-20T14:44:00.000-06:00

After making a little hat and scarf that called for this technique, I made a little blanket like this a few years ago for some friends of mine who were adopting their second baby boy. I used a cornflower blue yarn, an aqua and a cream. It looked gorgeous and the texture was so ropey and fun. I imagine any baby would love to stick his or her fingers through it. I thought of this blanket

How to Crochet 6: The Double Crochet

2012-03-14T23:52:00.001-06:00

Yarn: Stitch Nation's Full O' Sheep in Clementine Fabric: IKEA The “fabric” created with single crochet is beautiful in itself, and versatile if you think about washcloths, sweaters, blankets, satchels, and scarves. I love the density and texture it creates. But as you move on to the other stitches things really start to get interesting, especially because you can combine them! As I have