Designs by Sessa

J.CREW Colorblocked Shorts: Knock It Off

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Hi everyone! Today, I have a fun knock off for Heidi's Knock It Off series over at Elegance & Elephants! If you are new here at DBS, WELCOME! I'm glad you came over, please say hi!!!! I hope you enjoy these little shorts I made for my son Cai! I love knocking things off from stores! I often get inspired just shopping at Target! No lie. I'd much rather try to make something than buy it, well, depending what the item is. My last Knock It Off was this GAP hoodie rugby style embroidered shirt.

Today, I have a J.CREW knock off and it was pretty fun to copy!

J.CREW's colorblocked shorts ($49.50)... mine completely FREE! The fabric was given to me from a co-worker's overflowing stash, and I already had elastic & buttons in the stash! Yay!

J.CREW's version uses a medium weight chino fabric. I was trying to stash bust, so I used a corduroy fabric. I had to line these with a super soft cotton, also in my stash, due to Cai hating how serged inner seams feel on his skin. They turned out very soft inside, and I am hoping not too hot with 2 layers for summer. I think they should be fine, since they are shorts! Anyone happen to know a good chino fabric source?

So, for my pattern guide I used the Oliver + S Sketchbook Shorts. I moved the front pleats to the back. It looks okay. I tried to eradicate them completely, but Cai's waist is pretty tiny, so I ended up realizing I had to take them in somehow and thought back was better than front. I mean, who wears pleated pants anymore?

I ended up serging all my pieces together and then using my favorite foot: the edgejoining foot to topstitch. I love that professional quality. Also, if you do not have an edge joining foot, you have GOT to get one! It makes your stitching PERFECT-O!

Unfortunately, I didn't really take many photos of my process for creating a tutorial for these, but I can if there is a huge outcry. Here are my modified pattern pieces.

Cai is probably inbetween sizes right at the moment, so a 3T was perfect. I didn't adjust for any seam allowances and it turned out great. I did extend the back upper waist piece by several inches and then cut it even with the top of my front piece once joined at the side seams.

I also angled the pockets, instead of making them curved and made another pair of shorts slightly smaller to line them. This particular corduroy was stiffer and in the first fitting Cai HATED how they felt inside. The lining is a soft cotton like a batiste.

I just wiggled the shorts inside, wrong sides together, and made sure that my waistband would fold down.They look so professional inside this way!

I made sure to follow the pattern directions to make them flat fronted and added a brown button to make them like the J.CREW version! I loved the faux fly detail, too!

As long as this boy actually wears them AND enjoys life, then I am more than happy with also saving $50!

And just a few more photos of my little love doodle.

Watch out ladies...

Y'all tell him to stop getting so handsome!

Well, I hope you enjoyed that! I loved making these! I hope they inspire you to attempt other knock-offs out there!

"Nerdy Stag HoodieVest": a See Kate Sew pattern

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I had the honor of testing for the first time for Kate of See Kate Sew. She just released an adorable hoodie vest pattern called the Aztec Hooded Vest!

I had quite a lot of fun with the welt pockets on my vest for Cai. I guess this is starting to become a signature move for me, to have playful pockets in my children's wear. First example of playful pockets here.

I ended up using a really lightweight chambray fabric on the exterior and I regretted it. While I love the color and slight texture, I felt like it needed a sturdier fabric on the outside (like she suggests - might I add). I'm not a fan of my topstitching, but probably the worst critic here! I do however, love the diagonal design in the pattern FOR topstitching.

And shall we talk about this jumbo hood?

I love hoods! The bigger the better!

My one huge error was that I bought a SPORTS zipper. Well, after deciding that I could pull it apart and still make it work... it did not work. This means that my vest is unzip-able. That was frustrating, because when I make hand-made clothes, of course I want them to function well! At some point I will rip it out and maybe do buttons down the front or something!

The hood and pocket fabric is echino that I got from a friend that lives in Japan! It's the same fabric I used for this sweater.

Okay, enough about what I did... I need to talk about this cute pattern! And it really IS cute! The instructions have Kate's complete flair! I actually had to write her right back and tell how how excited I got just to sew, because of how darling her instructions were to read! That's how it should be! If I am ever a pattern designer, I must make cute instructions like Kate! I think if you want a fun vest for a boy OR girl, then this is a really awesome pattern to choose! The directions are clear and you have step by step photos to help you out! I loved making it and isn't Cai such a cutie in it!?

I started this during KCWC... since I didn't really participate in that challenge, can we just say this counts?
Ok, good.

Find the Aztec Hooded Vest Pattern at See Kate Sew!

HGTV Home Dec Fabrics

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Thu, 16 May 2013 01:59:00 +0000

Have y'all heard that Jo-ann Fabrics is now carrying HGTV HOME decor fabrics?

I think it's pretty exciting considering I love watching HGTV to get inspired for some DIY!

I had the opportunity to make something from 2 different cute fabrics in the new line! It was in our swag bags from Girls Night Out Charlotte!

At first I had no idea what I was going to do with it! I LOVED the bright colors of pinks and greens, and the fun floral and houndstooth patterns, but my outdoor spaces are more blue and teal than pinks.

Then, I realized I had been asked to make something to give away at our women's retreat for our church! Since this fabric was given to me, I thought how fun to turn it into something to bless someone else with!

I created a simple lined tote bag with the supplies. I find home dec weight fabrics are great for purses, since they are heavier and more sturdy! I don't have a pattern for this bag since I created it on the fly, but it's pretty standard, with a boxed bottom. The handles are from an old belt found at a thrift store that I stole the hardware from for Cai's belt. I used the purple HGTV trim at the top of the inside pocket to carry a cell phone or keys!

I also used these fabrics to help some friends learn how to make zippered pouches to send to the She's Worth It Campaign!

I embroidered LOVED on one of them, because more than anything that is the message I pray those victims hear! They turned out super cute and I loved watching my friends see how empowering making zippered pouches is! I pray they encouraged someone around the world!

I personally am really drawn towards this fun print and of course all the chevrons in the line!

Ring Around Peacock

Circling Pewter

Boxed In Peacock

Chevron Chic Quartz

Okay, enough drooling over fun home dec prints from Jo-Ann's! I hope you have fun checking them out! And thanks Jo-Ann's for supplying them in our Swag Bags!

Seafarer Top & Guesting at Make for Mom

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

First off today... I'm over at Shaffer Sisters for their Make For Mom Series! I made some cute Mommy/Daughter matching pjs for my SIL and my sweet niece! Check them out! :)

I love the heart behind the Make for Mom series! The Shaffer Sisters are challenging all of us moms to sew more for ourselves, to get out of the habit of "frumpy mom".

Let's be honest... I don't quite have problems with this! LOL!

I've already sewn plenty of items (12 -~~but who's counting~~) for myself this year, and today, I have an awesome pattern now available for you by Abby from Sew Much Ado! I loved pattern testing for her! What a sweet gal! We decided we would be instant friends! This was my first time testing/sewing up one of her patterns and it was great! I have no negative things to say! She is very thorough and develops wonderful patterns and I felt like this pattern was so easy that any beginner could attempt sewing with knit!

This pattern is only $9 and has lots of options to adjust it! The testers were divided into groups that would do the banded sleeves and hem and then those that would do a simple hem option. That was me, but I'm itching to sew a banded version! I think it's so cute! See Abby's product photo below...

You can head over to Sew Much Ado for a full description of the Seafarer Top pattern!

With my version, I went a little less nautical and a little more southern, monogrammed preppy! I can't help myself! Sorry, I'm not very "fancy" looking... I probably shouldn't take photos after working for 9 hrs!

It's been a go-to-closet shirt ever since it's been made and I really love the comfort of it!

The teal is a knit from Jo-anns and the pocket fabric is from Creative Sewing, where I work. I believe it is a Free Spirit fabric. I will check and let you know, but it was cute and lattice-like and I loved all the bright colors.

Of course, you got a little preview with the Easy Summer Infinity Scarf tutorial! Be sure to check out the Seafarer Top at Sew Much Ado! It's the perfect women's t-shirt pattern! I really love it, so expect to see another version soon! :)

"The Porch" - Caila Made

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I feel SO blessed to have my sweet blog friend, Caila on my virtual "Porch" today! She is one of a few of my amazing girlfriend bloggers that I turn to, can be honest with about all details of life, and someone I know that when I meet them in real life I won't be able to stop hugging them!!!! I hope you all had an AMAZING Mother's Day and I'm so thankful that this post is coming at this perfect time, because it is truly appropriate! As Caila shares from her heart on my "Porch", I hope that you will be blessed!

Welcome Caila of CailaMade!!!!

Hello everyone! I'm honored to be here today as part of Vanessa's series. Truly, I wish I was actually on her porch, sipping some tea and talking to this wonderful friend about life, sewing, fabric, children, and goodness knows probably everything else.

I found Vanessa through shorts, oddly enough. Last summer, while she was co-hosting the popular series Shorts On The Line, we struck up an email conversation and ended up fast friends over internet lines. I love this internet world and the friendships I've formed, but often I wish we were all a little bit closer to each other!

Since we at least have a virtual porch, and I'm sitting on it here with you, I'd like to give you a little behind-the-scene look at what my creative life is like. I'm not going to tell you what my favorite fabrics are, or what patterns I've been sewing lately, because you can look at my blog for that stuff. What I haven't shared with my readers before, and am feeling brave enough to share today, is why I started sewing in the first place and how it changed my life.

I grew up creative: reading, writing, singing, playing music, but I was never "crafty." That world was foreign to me. I watched in awe as my friends turned colorful paper into origami photo albums, knitted scarves out of yarn, decorated for parties, and sewed aprons. None of that came easily to me. I was far too busy most of the time, or too involved in a book, to sit down and apply myself to a craft. When my friends hosted scrapbooking parties I was generally invited as the token "talker" of the group. Everyone knew I wouldn't do a single scrapbook page, wouldn't even look at the supplies, but I could be counted on to keep the conversation flowing. That was my place in the crafty world.

That is, until I was pregnant with my daughter and there was a problem.

Six months pregnant on January 12, 2010

I'm sure every person reading this has faced at least one terrible fear in their lifetimes. My fear almost four years ago was that I would lose my daughter. There was no concrete reason for this fear, other than one ultrasound that revealed her low heart rhythm and our subsequent referral to a fetal cardiac specialist. At the time I couldn't even speak of my fear, how it weighed on my heart like a cold, dead weight and choked me. I carried it silently, a woman who had already lost one pregnancy and was terrified of losing another. I was carrying the girl we had tried so hard for, the girl we already loved so much.

Fear has a dampening effect, and in the first week of waiting for our appointment with the cardiac specialist I couldn't do much other than sit and think, trying not to be afraid. I talked and prayed with friends, and was reminded of a verse from the passage in 1 Corinthians 13, the famous passage on LOVE. Verse seven explains that love "always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." Well, I couldn't protect my daughter on my own, but I could certainly learn to trust. I prayed to learn how to hope and persevere, as well.

I began to believe that hoping for the best was the most strategic weapon against fear. Instead of sitting around trying not to be afraid, I imagined a future with my daughter in which she was healthy, beautiful, and full of life. I looked at paint swatches for her room, registered for baby gear at Toys R Us, and browsed for baby bedding.

I couldn't find any bedding I liked, and that's when my mother-in-law (bless her!) suggested that I make my own. I'm sure I laughed and said, "Make it? I can't sew anything. I'm not crafty like that!" Yet, she had intrigued me and I summoned the courage to enter our local Joanne's Fabric and Crafts store.

I'm not going to lie, I almost cried when I first walked through the fabric section because I was so overwhelmed! I looked through baby quilt books, chose a design and picked out fabrics. I knew nothing of Joann's coupons so I spent a fortune, but my husband looked the other way because, for the first time in weeks, my eyes were alive.

Setting up to sew my first quilt! Notice the computer was already an integral part of my sewing education.

I first began sewing on the Singer my mom used when I was a young child.

My first quilt! This bad boy took me countless hours to complete, and I still haven't added the binding. Oops!

I made that first quilt for my daughter with a passion. It was constructed from dozens of tiny squares and rectangles and looking back on it now, I can't believe I had the patience to push through! I was a woman enthralled, clinging to a life raft made from fabric and sewing supplies. I had come to equate "hoping for the best" with "sewing for my daughter." I made all of her bedding: crib sheets, blankets, burp cloths, the quilt. Then came more quilts and finally some little dresses.

I felt like a new woman. I know it sounds overly dramatic, but sewing rescued me from a very dark place. It carried me through months of waiting to see the cardiac specialist. Then, when his exam revealed my daughter's perfectly healthy heart, sewing gave me a way to share my joy.

My first Itty Bitty Baby Dress, pattern by Made by Rae

My second quilt and my beautiful Janome sewing machine.

This is me working on my third quilt for Abby, when I was about 7 or 8 months pregnant.

I used to love sewing with minky. Not anymore!

So, now you know why I started sewing and what a special place it holds in my life! I'd love to hear about you. How long have you been sewing, and how did you get started? Has it ever helped you through a difficult time? I believe there is something powerful about creating with your own two hands, and passing on those well-loved hand-made creations to others.

During my sewing renaissance, I fell in love with fabric of course, and that love has never died. Our lives have changed a lot since those days. We have three children now (a little boy came along after my daughter) and I spend all my free time sewing and blogging at CailaMade. Sewing has brought so much joy to my life, so much beauty and confidence, that I can't imagine living without it.

If any of you are struggling with fear, I encourage you to get busy doing something you love. Sometimes, staying busy is the best way to cope. Find a friend to talk to, find a project, and work for the future. Don't let all "maybes" and "what ifs" weigh you down. If you need prayer, or simply a friend to talk with, please feel free to shoot me an email. I know how it feels, sister!

Thank you so much for having me over, Vanessa! I enjoyed this chat and hope we will someday sit on a porch together and have tea. Love you all!

OH MY GOSH! Just look at that beautiful blessing child... Little Miss Abby!!! She is so cute! I've face timed her and she is quite awesome in real life! I truly believe children are exactly what God says, "Blessings from Him!" This real life story is no exception and a reminder everywhere at God's goodness and grace! Caila, thank you for sharing all of this! And funny enough, I too, started sewing while I was pregnant with Cai! And boy do I know about fears! I am constantly struggling with them and having to turn to God to cope! Sewing has been a blessing in my life and I pray that it is for all who do it that it will bring joy to you and your family! Love you, Caila!

And of course, if you have never seen Caila's blog, you are missing OUT!!! Go there to see more wonderful-ness and be inspired!

The Mama That God is Making Me Into

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Tue, 14 May 2013 02:24:00 +0000

I had the most amazing, most relaxing Mother's Day I have ever had since being a mama, and the funny thing was that my child was no where in sight!
That is pretty hilarious, but it makes quite a lot of sense, too. Of course, it goes without saying that I missed him incredibly!

Being a mom is just plain tiring. My husband swept me off to Hilton Head Island for 2 days and I felt the tension of life and motherhood just float away as the ocean ebbed on.

I'm learning to take breaks in this mommy-job. I'm learning to be a better mama and time away from loving on my sweet boy is exactly what I need sometimes.

I hope mamas everywhere can get a moment to get away with their husbands. I learned so much from just 2 days away and I am hoping to share it over time with you. God is stirring up good things in my life, but I need time to process all he is doing.
Life moves so fast and little breaks are good for the soul. So is this book. RUN out the door to get it or buy it for the young mom in your life! I had to wait like 2.5 months to get it from the Library and it is truly so. so. so. good! I've flown through it and I cannot even say how much I've enjoyed the truth from these two wise mamas. It will be a refreshment for your soul and wisdom to your tired mind!

God is shaping me, pulling at my heart and moving me into new territory with him. I can see it happening and I'm understanding more of His will for my life every day.

I've been learning that I must go to God first in all things.

I've known this for a long time now. I've loved Jesus since I was 16, but I always try to go it on my own first and I'm sloooowly learning that this always fails.

I've been getting on my knees more to pray. I'm learning I have to be here. On my knees praying, even if I only have 2 short minutes to tell God what is on my mind, before I hear little feet pitter pattering down the hall to find me.

I have to be with Jesus. I'm learning that I can't be without him. It's darkness without him and following Him is all that matters.

I'm learning that I have to lay down my life for my husband and for my child. To serve them in love and kindness. NOBODY likes a groggy, mean-spirited, complaining mommy.

I'm praying the joy from within me will come out more and more here on this blog. Not just hand-made clothes and fashion, but depth from the heart encouraging you in your life walk.

I am praying about attending this conference. Please pray that God will provide $269 so that I can go learn from some amazing speakers and learn more about how to build this blog for His Kingdom. I will go against the current grain of blogging trends and be different, because it's what I've been called to do.

Easy Summer Infinity Scarf

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:42:00 +0000

When I went shopping way back at GNO Charlotte with sweet blog friends, I picked up this absolutely crazy neon pink hole-y 80's fabric made... I am pretty sure for hip hop costumes! For some reason, I just could not resist! I thought bathing suit cover-up? Maybe? Then, I decided that was WAY too holey for that.

Next thought, infinity scarf for SPRING! Since this is like knit, not fraying, it came together SUPER fast and easy and I definitely think you could do this for any kind of knit fabric!

Literally, I laid this out on the floor. Folded it up length-wise and cut the folded edge. I sewed up the 2 short sides, using a little longer stitch length (4.0mm) and TA-DA! Easy-peasy summer infinity scarf in HOT neon pink!

I'll be posting soon about this new shirt pattern I tested after it's pattern release at Sew Much Ado, too! Can't wait!

Oh, and this is always so funny to me, but my real life best friend, Stephanie and I, don't live in the same city, but EVERY time we see each other for the first time, we almost ALWAYS coincidentally MATCH in what we choose to wear that day! We've decided we are without a doubt closet twins, which is appropriate because all during college we shared a closet! I saw her yesterday, wore this outfit, and she had one on similarly, but striped!

Pretty fun, right!?

"The Porch" - Simple Simon and Co.

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Wed, 01 May 2013 14:20:00 +0000

You know how sometimes you have those friends that can just come over regardless of how your house looks or if you happen to still be in your pjs and it's 3pm? Well, I'm pretending that's exactly what happened with Elizabeth from Simple Simon and Company! We are in the middle of switching internet providers and YESTERDAY I was supposed to have this post up. It just was NOT able to happen, so I feel like I've invited a friend over to sit on my porch and despite my messy house, we are still hanging out having a great time! I feel so blessed to have each of these incredible bloggers join me on my blog "Porch", a series inspired by my Gramie Ali who loved crafting and creating from her OWN real life porch! So without further ado, I welcome Elizabeth to kick back and share with us today!

Hi! I am Elizabeth, from the blog Simple Simon and Company. I share a little piece of blog land with my sister-in-law who also shares my name, the same kind of minivan, the same number of kids and occasionally the same color of cardigan ;)

Both liZ and I consider ourselves very Lucy and Ethel-esque. We tend to get ourselves into sticky situations--but at least they make for good comedy. Like the time we tried to jumpstart Liz's car at 1:00 in the morning, or the time I locked my keys in the car late at night after a pattern-drafting class and had to call the police all while standing in a scary-part of downtown. Or even the time that we taught a pattern-drafting class and ended up talking about crotches for 10 minutes.

Yes, that pretty much sums us up.

But back to sewing (that's why you're here isn't it?) One of the things we love at Simple Simon is skirts. We love to make skirts (and in Lucy and Ethel fashion are currently obsessed with figuring out every possible skirt combination).

We can't get enough of sewing skirts for ourselves and for our girls. So, today during "our porch" time, I am sharing some of our favorites....

Top Row: Wrap Circle Skirt, Vintagely Modern Skirt, Melon Blocked Skirt

Middle Row: All You Need is Love Skirt, The Starboard Skirt, The Hostess Cupcake Skirt

Bottom Row: Circle Skirt with Pockets, Bubble Skirt, Pillowcase Skirt

Thanks Vanessa for having us today!!!

~Elizabeth

Goodness, Oh how I love all this inspiration at my finger tips! I personally adore skirts and LOVE even more the Skirting the Issue cause hosted in the summer by these wonderful ladies at Project Run & Play AND I cannot WAIT to see the upcoming competition at Project Sewn, a new blog devoted to women's sewing! Now that is MY kind of sewing!!! Oh, and did you know I dressed up as Lucy this past Halloween? I happen to love her, too! Thank you so much, Elizabeth for sharing!!! Be sure to add these amazing blogs to your reader list (but I have a feeling you all already do, as their inspiration is amazing daily!)

XO,

What's Up? What's Up? What's Up!?

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:55:00 +0000

Exciting news!!! I got a new DSLR!!!! Whooot! Several months without one really makes you re-appreciate the beauty of taking photos with one!!! Worth saving and spending the money right there! You can read more about my excitement here!

In this little sewing blogging world KCWC is in full swing! And... I have HAVE.SEWN.NOTHING! I have ALWAYS done KCWC since I first heard about it 2 years ago!

No worries. I hate blogging pressure, so I really don't feel the urge to sew just because everyone else is doing it! And to be honest, I have quite a lot coming up blogging-wise, so I've enjoyed watching other people's inspired hour-a-day creativity! It's great! I know when I do commit to KCWC, I do whip out quite a lot of finished cherished garments! It's wonderful to do!

That does not mean, I won't be sewing this week! I thought I'd let y'all know what's going on in DBS future, and now that I have a dslr, I will hopefully have my blogging "mojo" back! Yippee!

This week:

-Pattern Testing for See Kate Sew... you can vote for her next pattern!(Hopefully, I will whip something out for KCWC because of this! All I can say is it is CUTE!!!)
-Pattern Testing for Sew Much Ado- Eeek! You know I love sewing for mwa!
-MUST MAKE THESE CAILAMADE SHORTS FOR CAI! MUST! She's promised me her tute is coming soon! She won Sew-Vivor!!! Coolest Boy shorts HAND_MADE EVER!
-Make For MOM series at Shaffer Sisters Guest Post

-Knock It OFF! At Elegance & Elephants

-Lost Arts Series for Jen at A Jennuine Life

Then, I'm going to kick back and enjoy SUMMER LIVIN' as much as my niece does, and try NOT to sew much more than that, which I always say and NEVER do, but am going to really try!

Polka Dot Casual Lady w/a BIG Heart!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:09:00 +0000

Truth be known, I'm a casual lady with a BIG heart for She's Worth It!, a campaign making a difference fighting human sex trafficking globally and especially in children around the world. Brandi, the founder, just returned from Cambodia where she spent time among the brothels ministering to 12 year old girls being sold hourly. I was glued to her video posts she put on the FB page.

If your heart isn't ripped out by so clearly seeing evil at work and you don't feel called to stop it by giving, I just can't understand. I know it seems so far away and it's easy to brush it off, but that doesn't mean we can ignore the fact that it exists just across an ocean.

Hart and I just did our taxes. We made the most money we've ever made last year and yet were the stingiest we've ever been, so our new goal for 2013 is to be generous the way God has called us to be. To not let giving fall by the way-side. We want to be marked by giving.

And that starts by giving to worthy causes.

$10 makes a difference some place across the sea to a girl trapped in human sex slavery and I haven't met too many Americans that can't give $10 easy. If you sew, then Andrea of The Train To Crazy and Go To Patterns has created an easy simple knit women's top called the Casual Lady and ALL proceeds go towards raising $15,000 for She's Worth it! Please give, buy, and advocate!

It was such a quick sew! I made this top about an hour and a half before church today and even added the heart on the front!

I love how playful the top turned out using this polka dot Michael Miller knit (from Creative Sewing, where I work) and this shiny metallic material from Jo-Ann Fabrics as a heart patch.

I made a large (I have such a busty up-side!) and it fit me the way I want shirts to fit me, a tad breezy.

The back is simple and the cap sleeves are simple. A great basic block! A perfect beginner knit project that you don't need a serger for! (Although, I did use mine, but you really don't need one to sew this top up quick! It comes in XXXS - XXL, so it's perfect for most!

Thanks for reading! Be moved to give!

Honey Carrot Cookies or "Nuffin Muffins"

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 22:24:00 +0000

Generally I share recipes and such on our little family blog where I post reallllly infrequently, but I posted a picture of these "nuffin muffins" on Instagram, and since so many asked for it, I think I'll just share it here on DBS!

In this fam post, I talked about how our family is going through some positive changes and via lots of prayer and determination a lot of our changes have been sticking.

When it comes to FOOD, we are trying to be more conscious about what we put IN our bodies, including avoiding white processed sugars or super processed foods in general during the week and trying to wait until the weekend (our goal is Sunday) to enjoy that yummy-terrible goodness that has consumed our lives for FOREVER! SUGAR!!!

Why give up SUGAR (even added sugar in items), well, Hart and I have been wanting to get healthier and he has wanted to lose some weight and we really were not saving sugar for the top of the pyramid, but it was more of an every day food in our house.

Giving up sugar makes us more dependent on God! I have to shop wiser and read ingredients more. When I saw real-life change happen via Jami Nato, Hart and I were excited to try it and seek God with even food intake. Friends on FB, sent me to 100 Days of Real Food blog and it has been SO good and terribly HARD as well, but freeing in some strange sense, too.

The amazing thing to me is that when one of us is weak about wanting sugary items like soda, candy, and the like, then the other is generally strong! Just tonight, Hart was "whining" that he wanted sweet tea and chocolate and whatever else he could think of and calling me crazy for sticking to this diet! I was able to say NO! and encourage him to stay strong! When I get low and want a sweet something and start whining myself, then he's there to stop me! It's been awesome and believe me, when you do finally put something sweet on your tongue, you thank God for making Heaven on Earth!

So, earlier this week, we were BOTH desiring something sweet.... the good ole chocolate chip cookies kind of craving... literally, I would say, It's okay, then he would say NO, let's not. Then, he would say, Okay, and then I would say, NOway! We went back and forth for 10 minutes and then I decided, Okay, we need SOMETHING sweet... there has got to be something with more wholesome ingredients that we can nibble on right now!

And I found this Healthy Honey Carrot Cookie recipe from Allrecipe.com. It sounded crazy enough and met my required list of NO SUGAR! Even had a hidden vegetable... why, of course, not?!

Welcome to the "Nuffin Muffin" recipe adapted from that above recipe. In our house these were actively dubbed, "nuffin muffins" and it's pretty hilarious hearing a 2 year old say "Mommy, may I please have a nuffin muffin?" I mean, why don't I call other things hilarious names all the time?

These cookies, if you can really call them that are really like muffins, but probably because I also subbed out 1/2 of the flour for wheat flour.

3/4 cup of butter (I didn't really go healthy here.)
1/2 cup of honey
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract (I found it needed more than called for.)
lemon zest from one lemon + some juice (of 1tsp lemon extract)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/14 cups of grated carrots
1 tsp cinnamon (can't really go wrong with the cinnamon)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (if you have it)

Mix all the ingredients in your mixer in order that they appear. Spoon onto a cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10 - 13 minutes.

Enjoy your "nuffin muffins" a tasty, sugarless treat that could be better with chocolate chips! Bahaha!

Do y'all have any cookie amazing recipes without sugar?! I made home-made lara bars and they were AMAZING... maybe I need to share those next?

Tyler and Ann-Marie's Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 02:25:00 +0000

As I stated in this post, I was getting ready for a huge family wedding weekend! My brother got married to Ann-Marie and she was seriously one of the most beautiful brides that I have ever seen and they had one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever been to from decorations to seeking Jesus in their ceremony. We are so blessed to have such an amazing gal that joined our family!

I was not their hired photographer! I actually do not even currently own a dslr (saving!), but my good friend let me borrow their camera for our wedding weekend and I can't help, but act like a photographer, when I have a camera in my hand. Hart got onto me several times that I needed to enjoy the moments and not be behind the camera! I don't think he understands that I AM enjoying moments! haha! (Although, I know what he means!)

Anways, I want to share some of the rehearsal dinner decorations I helped with, but I'd also like to show some of these amazing photos with such an amazing bride!

First off... THIS CAR!!! My brother waited until the DAY OF to find an amazing ride to go off in... can you believe that he found this car? It was a total God thing and completely her wedding colors! It was VERY fun to take photos with!

Okay, here, you can have one with me in it... meet my pretty new sister (and her sister!)

We wore these Target dresses, with amazing turquoise necklaces from Etsy (gift from the bride!) and whatever cowboy boots we wanted! It was so fun!

Thanks to my friend, Shelly for snagging these photos!

Cai was rocking it! He actually had a charcoal gray tie and black coat, but it was a tad hot for him!

I just can't believe how tall he is getting!!!

Now this is kind of where my photos fall apart being IN the wedding and all... good thing they had REAL photographers to capture it all! They got married right out on the lawn in front of a beautiful view under a giant wooden cross!

A covered open air pavillion was behind it and the reception was held there!

First dance...

I love the flower in her hair...don't you? And oh, my brother is a marine! It was such a neat twist to a rustic- elegant outdoor wedding, because there were all these marines in uniform. Including my dad!

It was a happy day!

Other little details (sorry the photography isn't the best on these last photos! I had let a friend borrow my 50mm and didn't have it!)

I mean, she had HONEY as favors... perfection!

I loved these giant wooden tree centerpieces on the tables!

And their cake was gorgeous! Those are LIVE iris'.

There were just so many perfect details! I just wish I could share them all!

We sent them off through a trail of bubbles and off they went in that amazing 55' chevy!

It was spectacular and Jesus was lifted high and we pray their marriage is being rooted and built up in Christ!

"The Porch" - A Jennuine Life

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:44:00 +0000

***Today, I am thrilled to have Jenn from A Jennuine Life here on The Porch, a series where I have talented friends and bloggers come. sit. and share. from their hearts. It was inspired by my Gramie Ali and I've loved getting to know all these amazing bloggers lately!***

Welcome, JENN!!!!

Wow! I'm so honored that Vanessa invited me to be a part of this great series. I'm excited about the opportunity to just sit down and have a chat - no project, no tutorial, heck I'm only including two pictures and one is of me - not something I share very often! If I were sitting with Vanessa having a nice cuppa coffee I'd probably talk about something we have in common and has been on my mind a lot lately - the ups and downs of creative blogging.

I want A Jennuine Life to be inspirational and get to a wide audience. I'd also like to be able to bring in a small income to offset some of the costs of doing this - what could be better than a hobby that pays for itself, right? I do all the things I know I should: having consistent content, linking up, commenting, being present on social media, submitting my posts/designs for feature, and participating in competitions or sew-alongs where I can. I see s l o w steady gains in reader connection and traffic, and then bam! - somebody notices one post and I get a big feature on a site with massive readership and my numbers go through the roof - for a short time. This happened just last week with a post that was featured on Apartment Therapy.

It seems that my blog goes through a cycle of highs and lows and for some reason my creativity and productivity follow along with it. I'd like to say that I am unaffected when a post I love doesn't seem to be noticed, or when I lose a competition on an entry to which I think voters will really respond. But that's not the case. I guess I need to get a thicker skin. So I'm going to do the things that are within my power to control - try to encourage and comment on other's posts to give them attention and notice. To keep on keepin' on and try not to sweat the small stuff.

I'm not complaining - really I'm not. I chose to dive into this world and I know there's a ton of bloggers doing basically the same thing I am and trying to stand out among them is difficult. What I'm noticing lately is that I am being included in circles of similarly and larger sized blogs - maybe I'm starting to be considered part of the "club"? This invitation from Vanessa is part of that - have you seen the other great bloggers who are contributing to the series - wow! I'm in some awesome company. I'd really like to be able to attend a seminar or local (I'm in Michigan) event to connect face to face with other bloggers.

Hopefully you'll be seeing me around - love and hugs (with pats & rubs since that's how we do it around here) from A Jennuine Life!

***OKAY! YES! Thank you SO much for bringing this up and you are totally right! We would have talked about this! This truly IS something that every blogger struggles with, myself included, and we all have different goals with blogging and ways we handle the "stress". The truth of the matter for me is that I realized that I was trying to turn it into something big, climbing up some imaginary ladder of success!? (Not that this is wrong to desire!) And personally for me, I realized I HAD to get more laid back about my blog and NOT try to make money with it right now. Could I? Yes, but there was a taxing on my family and with having small children I realized I needed to enjoy them more and be in the online world less. I've been much more slack about my blog this year, and it's true that my numbers HAVE gone down, but through prayer, I've been able to trust that this is God's will for me and my blog right now. I've HAD to focus on our family & husband more lately and there are days in the last month where I go without really blogging and sewing and there are times when I wonder if I will lose my "cool" status among my readers and other blog friends?! (Which I kind of laugh, because I'm not sure I'm really "cool".) But, you know what I mean!

Jenn, I think that you have an amazing blog and are such a talented mother and sewist and I want to encourage you to delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart! I think the absolutely worse thing we can do is compare ourselves and I struggle SO much with this. At those times, I have to step back and realize that maybe I need a little break from reading other blogs. I realize this isn't what the "IN" crowd in blogging does, but I have to wonder are they truly happy always trying to seek the next biggest best blog post. The best advice I can offer is to NOT let your blog stats reflect your worth. Find that in Christ alone! Let me know when you want to talk more about this, because I love talking about this struggle and I've had to email several "bigger" bloggers talking to them about this struggle. They offer amazing advice and I know they will be an encouragement to you! I've loved having you here today, Jenn! You are awesome!

Find more amazing-ness at A Jennuine Life!

Pre-Rehearsal Dinner Decoration Prep

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:48:00 +0000

Our family is gearing up for some amazing-ness this weekend. My brother, Tyler, is getting married to the sweetest most incredible girl, Ann-Marie! Maybe you remember their seriously cute "He Popped the Question" Engagement Party that I helped decorate almost a year ago! Tyler is my 2nd youngest brother. We are 21 months apart and I love him SO much!

With our dad!

Anyways, I've been gearing up and getting my decorating groove on! If you're an Instagram following me (vanessadbs), then you know I've been busy! For those NOT on IG, I thought I'd do a little random sharing from my day.

Oh, yay! How cute is this burlap chevron ribbon from Hobby Lobby! I kind of went a little ribbon crazy with it... even my wreath got attacked!

There's been some spray painting... lots of spray painting. And there's an old window involved...

Some nail pampering!

Some fake eye lash practicing skillZzzzz. Always said with a Z. SKILLZZZZ!

Lots of embroidery! These will be table numbers for the Rehearsal dinner!

Okay, really random, but my neighbor girls brought me a bucket of freshly picked flowers. Is that not the sweetest? I love these girls!

And lastly, our amazing centerpieces....

We are going for that "Hoarder's" look for each table. Don't you think this will be amazing tonight?

Can't wait to share all the details and I've borrowed one of my BFF's dslr, so I will actually get good photos for once! Yay!

"The Porch" - Sew Country Chick

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:19:00 +0000

***Today's guest is someone I often think of as my virtual sewing "mama". She's highly fashionable, has tons of experience sewing and designing, and I love hearing all about her sewing adventures! I'm glad she's here to sit on "The Porch" and chat!***

WELCOME, JUSTINE!!!

First off I 'd like to thank Vanessa for having me over for a little virtual chat on her porch!

I had to think to myself, if I were in the south sitting on Vanessa's porch, sipping mint juleps with her, what would little old me talk about?

I'm sure the subject of sewing would come up because that's how Vanessa and I met, both of us being sewing bloggers.

I might spin a little yarn about the long and winding road I took to becoming a somewhat skilled seamstress ...

I grew up in Los Angeles in the eighties. Sewing classes had been taken out of the public schools so I didn't have the opportunity to learn at school like the generation just before me did. My mom did have an old Kenmore that she bought at Sears to make some living room curtains with, but I don't remember her sewing much else, after those curtains were done.
At 14, I wanted to try making a skirt like I had seen Madonna, my teen idol wearing, so I got out Mom's sewing machine an old pillow case while my mom was at work, and I went to work. I ended up jamming up the sewing machine pretty badly, and put it away before my mom would find out.
I forgot all about my sewing ambitions until I decided to take a sewing class at the local community college four years later. We spent the whole semester making a straight skirt in the class with an interfaced separate waistband, a zipper, and a back vent. I was so proud of myself, but the fabric I chose was too stiff so I didn't wear it much.
At 20, I went to Florence, Italy for a semester to study Italian. While there, I decided I wanted to be a fashion designer! So I went back to the states, applied to FIDM in Los Angeles and was accepted based on my sketches. Fashion design school was difficult for me because my limited sewing skills made it almost impossible to realize the ambitious designs I was sketching. Surprisingly, when I applied to design school they asked to see my sketches only, not actual garments. Many of the students in design school were in the same boat as me and could barely sew when they started, but after two years we had gotten much better, although I still had trouble with zippers and you can forget about buttonholes!

So now I will flash forward almost twenty years... I had met my future husband while I was still a student, gotten married in a whirlwind, and had become a stay at home mom, indefinitely putting my career on hold. I was pregnant with my fourth child and had long since stopped sewing anything besides Halloween costumes, curtains, and pillows. We also had recently moved to the country from Los Angeles. I felt isolated and needed a creative outlet.
Suddenly I was seized with an urge to start making clothes again. Maybe my nesting instinct had gone haywire?! I started sewing simple things, like baby dresses and bibs.
I started my blog Sew Country Chick soon after that in July of 2010 and I haven't stopped sewing since. I am happy to say that say I love what I am doing now. It's such a blessing to have this great community of other sewists to share projects with and learn from. Anything you should want to learn about sewing and design is now available with a mouse click. It really is amazing! Blogging has also created other opportunities, like costume design jobs, teaching and speaking opportunities. And hopefully I will have some of my own pattern designs to release this summer. You see, it's never to late to figure out what it is you love to do!
Thanks for having me Vanessa, and although I missed hanging out on your porch for real, at least I didn't get any mosquito bites! Stop by my blog Sew Country Chick sometime for a visit!

Aw, thanks Justine! I love hearing all about your journey to sewing and YES, I am positive we would have chatted about that! You are such an inspiration to keep learning! Thanks for coming and being a part of this little series! You are awesome!

See more of Justine at Sew Country Chick!

Make This Look guest post - appeared on The Train To Crazy

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

This guest post originally appeared on The Train To Crazy for the Make This Look mini-series. Enjoy!

Hi! I'm Vanessa, {a sassy lady, Christian first, wife, mama to one, adopting mama, part-time fabric store employee, sewing blogger}, and I'm so glad to be here today! I'm LOVING my new hand-made outfit and I'm so excited to share it with you! I'm thankful Andrea asked me to be on her amazing blog! We are working together for She's Worth it! a campaign to stop human sex trafficking among women and young girls, and we'd love your $10 donation more than ANYTHING else! Find out more information here! It really does matter and your $10 does more than you know!

The Inspiration: This fall/winter, I have been very inspired by the fur vest trend, perfect paired with leggings and a long sleeve tee. It just adds such an aspect of sass to any regular outfit! These are my pinned inspiration photos, in particular the chevron fur vest by Armani Exchange for $200!!!

1/2/3

My hand-made look:

All images taken and copyrighted by PhotosOfGrace Photography (Please give credit where it's due!)

Oh, my, this outfit. I really look at it and think... Did I really hand-make it all? It kind of shocks me, because I feel so stylish in it! I think I'm finally figuring out what to make that makes me feel good, too! That's a good day in the sewing world.

The Fur Vest: I recently had the luxury of attending the Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts Girls Night Out event in Charlotte, NC hosted by the wonderful and talented Jessica of Me Sew Crazy/The Sewing Rabbit You can find my fun recap post here! While in Charlotte, I found some chevron faux fur... chevron fur, people!!! CHEVRON FUR! (if I need to say that again!) I'm thankful my road trip buddy Rachel of Sew Happily Ever After convinced me it was not a crazy purchase after all!

I self drafted this vest from the Megan Nielson Briar basic shirt block. I made two vests, put them together right sides, sewed the neckline and down the front, flipped them and sewed up the arm pits, then the bottom, similar to this hand-sewn vest for my son. There are no closures added. But it looks really cute belted, as inspired by my Armani inspiration pin.

The cheetah shouldered shirt

I used the Megan Nielson Briar pattern (again! I love this pattern!)to make this shirt tunic. I extended it several inches to give me the length to cover my bum {nobody needs to wear leggings, as pants... just sayin!}, and used the back hemline for the front, as well. I used my serger to hem it, so all the sleeves and hems are actually serged.

Inspired by the chevron clutch in one of my pins AND because I just couldn't make a normal WHITE shirt, I added cheetah print flannel shoulder pads with serged edges.This is most definitely my new go-to-shirt.

The leggings

Simple black lycra leggings (fabric from Hancock), self drafted like my Mama Jeggings, except I did add 2 inch elastic for more support and a waistband casing (not shown). I also reinforced these seams twice with my serger and used the elastic stitch on my sewing machine. I've found with basic leggings, to reinforce them lots for all the mom-bending I do on a daily basis. I made them extra long, so they'd be slouchy when worn with heels.

Other details

I added some random gunmetal jewelry to give that bangles look, so popular right now. The belt was a hand-me-down. My earrings almost match the inspiration photo exactly! I have no idea where I got any of this stuff.

And there we have it! I'd love you to come check out Designs By Sessa! A HUGE thanks to Kelly of PhotosByGrace Photography for my amazing blog photo shoot, and for her time spent processing them! Please check her out on FB or instagram @photosOfgrace! And for locals, I have her photography promotional going on, on my blog! Be sure to check that out, too!

Follow me on instagram @vanessadbs / Facebook / Pinterest / blog

I have more fun photos of this outfit today on my blog, so be sure to check it out! And thank you, Andrea for having me! I know I've got a sweet friend in you! And thank you for reading!

www.DesignsBySessa.com

Men's (Non-adjustable) Bow Tie Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:27:00 +0000

Did you know you could easily save $50 and make your own bow tie?! It's remarkably easy and kind of fun! My Easter sewing this year consisted of one men's bow tie for the wonderful man in my life, and he was so happy that I made him something!

He looked quite the gentleman in a bow tie.

Oh, and I quite the lady...

Okay, so, NO, I didn't really wear this hat out in public, but I am truly contemplating it for next year! My Aunt Kathe has THE most amazing hat collection I have ever seen! She wears these big beautiful hats to her church each Easter and a lot of the younger women have decided hat wearing is fun and have also done so. Like in England! You know, I think they are pretty fun and extravagant, and WHY NOT!? In the true southern way, and every year at the Carolina Cup (a southern horse race in SC) women show up in hats and fascinators in all sizes and shapes and monogrammed goodness that only true southerners can appreciate. (I know you northerners just rolled your eyes in dismay.)

We were a cute little coordinated family this Easter. I just can't help myself, even if I didn't pull out all the stops and make everything, I still enjoy being matchy matchy, even for one day. Last Easter, I made an Easter top for myself using the Colette patterns Jasmine top. And let's not forget the matching father/son flannels I made this past Christmas... Okay, Okay, I LOVE matching... partridge family, absolutely!

Easter- 2012

Okay, I know, you're like... yes, you are a cute family, but this is a bow tie tutorial, right?

Yes... you need:

a bow tie that is at the length that fits your husband (for your pattern)
1/2 yard of interfacing- like Pellon fusible lightweight
your fabric, unfortunately I'm not sure exactly how much, just make sure your fabric is folded on the bias and is the length of your bow tie. I'm sure 1/2 yard is plenty. I used a lightweight gingham for my bow tie.
pins and scissors, and your sewing machine

To start, you need to fold your fabric in half, but on the bias. There are two ways to fold your fabric, but we want to fold it so that your fabric stretches the most when it is folded, at a 45 degree angle. If you pull on your fabric vertically, you will see that it doesn't stretch much. Horizontally, it stretches more, so make sure that when you fold it you make a triangle and it stretches ACROSS when you fold it.

Pin your bow tie (pattern) to your fabric, so it won't shift. Then, cut around it, leaving at least 1/4'' - 1/2'' seam allowance.

Do the same thing and cut out one bow tie from your lightweight fusible interfacing.

Fuse your interfacing to your fabric using the manufacturer's instructions. Damp cloth and hot iron for 10 - 15 seconds.

Sew around your bow tie, leaving a 2.5 inch opening in the middle of the skinny center part (where you know it would be at the back of the neck. You may need to sew around to one side. Skip the opening and continue sewing until you reach your starting point again.

Next, you want to trim close to the stitching, and make little tiny notches cut towards the stitching around the curved areas of your bow tie.

Now it's time to turn your bow tie. I used a Fast Turn tool to do this, turning each section in towards the middle. The slower, way is to attach a safety pin and work it up and through your 2 inch opening. Then, grab a chop stick or something sharm and poke out the corners!

You then want to press your bow tie flat, tucking under your 2 inch opening. Starching your bow tie is very helpful here. I used to never use starch, but it is the sewist's friend, so please use it!

My hand stitching is never quit perfect, but it will be hidden under the collar and barely visible, so stitch away! You are done!

You have one handsome bow tie for one handsome little Easter photo!

Other outfit details for those interested:
-Mine:

Belks - $25 (belt included)
My sweater: Loft - already had this in my closet
Threw on green pearly necklace to match the boys

-Not sure about Hart's seersucker pants and shirt!

home-made bow tie

-Cai's Outfit:

Belk OshKosh White Shirt
Green gingham tie - Target (last Easter)
Old Navy toddler seersucker shorts-hand-me-downs!

Hope you all had a great Easter! He is Risen!

(*Also, thank you for pardoning my less than perfect photography! My dslr is currently broken and we are working on getting a new camera! Yay!)

"The Porch" - Made it On Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:20:00 +0000

Today on "The Porch" (my yearly series where friends will open up their hearts and share more than their crafts!) I have the sweet and talented, Jill from Made it On Monday! I have been blog friends with Jill for awhile now and I love her amazing recreations she sews for herself and her blogging balance she keeps in her life, her heart for God and how that shines in all she does loving her family! Thanks for being here today!

Welcome Jill!

Hi there! I’m so excited to be a part of this series. I love how genuine and friendly Vanessa is. I think if we were to meet in person we would have a lot of fun. I’m a wife to a Civil Engineer, and mommy to a playful, imaginative, smart and emotional 3 year old son and a crazy, energetic, happy 6 month old daughter.

(My babies)

I blog in a few places—Made it on Monday is where you’ll find me the most. It’s all about crafting, sewing, creating and inspiring. My favorite projects are clothes I make for myself, but a close second would have to be either my daughter’s nursery or our current kitchen re-do. I also have a blog called Satisfied with Adequate where I’m slowly getting in the habit of posting. I’d say what I’m sharing today fits under that heading better than that of crafting.

In the house I grew up in my parents had a beautiful, large, fenced in front patio. My dad is a lover of plants and growing them, and my mom has a green thumb with flowers so the brick patio was surrounded by beds, boxes and pots full of a colorful array of flowers. Summer evenings were beautiful out there with our mild Oregon weather and breezes coming over the coast range. So let’s imagine we’re sitting in the wicker furniture my mom had carefully arranged out there, holding glasses of iced tea, and have some kindred spirit conversation about what my heart has been learning.

I’ve been on a bit of a journey over the past year and a half—learning more about myself, my role as a wife/mom/Christian/friend/crafter and ultimately coming to a place of contentment. In November of 2011 I stepped down from my job as Children’s Ministries Director at our church to be a full time stay at home mom. My new title was the role I had longed for, dreamed of since childhood and stepped into willingly. However, I still found myself in a grieving period as I saw one stage of my life come to a close. I think grief in any life-stage transition is to be expected. After a few months of spending a lot of time cuddling with my son, watching a whole lot of TV and slowly regaining my energy (only to then get pregnant and lose it all over again), it was time to figure out who I was.

I’ve found that I’m a terrible house keeper, but if I develop a routine I can maintain a tidy kitchen. My son and I spend a lot of time together, but we connect more through morning cuddles than we do through playing together with toys. I love time with friends, but most days I’d actually rather spend time at home with my kids. I love sewing and crafting, but unless I’m feeling emotionally overwhelmed, I don’t really make the time for it. And even though it isn’t true, I convince myself that my husband thinks I’m falling short in my duties as a stay at home mom.

While all of the above statements were true of me when I worked as well, how I see myself, and accept that self, is changing. One of my former volunteers sat next to me in church on Sunday and at one point said, “I think you’re a quieter person than I thought you were.” Her words have been rolling around my mind since then and I think she’s right. While I’m still just as talkative as ever and don’t mind being in front of groups or adding to the life of the party, my pace of life is quieter, and as a result, so is my heart. I know that I am in the role I am called to and I find myself content with that fact.

Being content with where I am in life doesn’t mean that I need to just accept my flaws and ignore the areas in need of growth. Instead it’s meaning that I allow the peace of Christ to rule my heart (Colossians 3:15). It’s knowing that I can’t overcome my failings or act in spite of them on my own—my adequacy is from God (2 Corinthians 3:4). And being content means remembering that He has searched me and He knows me. When I am steady and consistent in my quiet times, shining His light to those I meet and marveling at His glory at every turn—He’s with me. But He’s also with me when I am at my lowest—screaming at the dog, tripping through my toy-littered living room and trying to dig the least filthy sippy cup out of my dirty dish filled sink, as my dusty Bible asks for my attention. He made me. He has searched me. He knows me—the deepest part me that even my husband and mom don’t see. He knows the struggles, the fears, the hurts, and the guilt that plague my mind. And through all of that, He wants to pour out His love on me. And so I rest in that fact. I rest my heart. I rest my mind. I rest my spirit. I rest my weary body. I rest. And when I find myself with that unsettled, discontented, tired and worn feeling once again, I plead: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24. And He will be faithful to mend, heal, convict, strengthen, challenge, and ultimately, bring peace. And when that peace comes, so does the contentment.

(As a side note to those of you who feel like this place of peace and contentment is impossible for you to reach, take a moment to listen to THIS song and follow along with the lyrics. I have felt this way so many times (even in recent days and weeks) that it brings tears to my eyes. There is hope. Redemption does win.)

Thank you so much Jill!!! I needed this reminder today to be content in Jesus. My house feels overwhelming coming off a busy Easter weekend (laundry on the couch, dirty dishes in the sink, etc) and it's so easy to get caught up in those things that easily stress me, than striving for peace from God and letting him fill me up again! Thank you for sharing that encouraging song! I will have a new outlook today to rest and be thankful!

If you would like to see more from Jill, head on over to Made it on Monday! She's been sharing some really neat kitchen redos lately!

Thanks, again, Jill! You have been such an encouragement to me!

Our Easter Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I did not come up with this creative idea of making an Easter Garden with your child, but I think it's AMAZING, and the other day Cai and I created one together. I've been trying to figure out how to explain Easter to a 2.5 year old and this truly was the perfect way to do it, keeping them actively engaged and truly teaching as you go (Deuteronomy 11:19)

While making it we talked about Jesus, that he died for our sins, and was placed in a tomb. The people thought they had won. But, then God did a miracle, and Jesus conquered death and rose again! He now sits next to God in Heaven and prays for us.

Really, it can be that simple, and you can go into as much detail as you want, but the point is to point them to Jesus!

I also showed Cai the pictures from the Jesus Storybook Bible, and we will be reading the ones up to the resurrection this weekend as a family.

Cai enjoyed the mechanics of putting it all together as any boy would!

The fun thing about this was that all the supplies can be gathered from your yard or shed!

We used:

a large bowl
Garden soil
a small ceramic pot laid on it's side
small stones (from our shed floor)
rocks from the yard (larger stone to put across the ceramic pot)
moss gently scraped up from the yard
sticks hot glued into crosses and wrapped with twine
a small purple piece of fabric

I hope to pass on the inspiration to others this Easter and encourage sweet talks with your children about our risen Saviour who is more powerful over any situation you face in your life!

He is risen!

"The Porch" - The Crafting Fiend

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Today, on "The Porch" I have the amazing Jen from The Crafting Fiend! She is such a sweet person. I absolutely love her love for her 2 little girls and her unique and fun sewing style! I hope you will enjoy getting to know her better and check out her fun tutorials!

Hi! My name is Jen and I blog over at The Crafting Fiend. I want to say a big thanks so much to Vanessa for inviting me to join in on the front porch series!

(This is me - a couple years ago... I look pretty much the same just a bit more sleep deprived now that I have a second kid, and although adorable my youngest does NOT understand the beauty of a full nights sleep. I thought by 6 months old she would be getting it but no such luck. Not yet anyways.)

I have to admit I wasn't sure what to talk about when first asked but knew I wanted to join in. I love Vanessa's blog and the front porch beginnings story really reminded me of my great grandma (who was an amazing lady that I still miss. She was into crafting, so brave in speaking about her faith, and just awesome!)

So I suppose I should actually say something... I am fairly dorkish/nerdy type. I LOVE books and wish I had more time to read, my husband and I love to play video games together for dates and have in home movies. Turns out we are both fairly homebody ish. I've been married 6.5 years now, and it really doesn't seem that long. I honestly have no idea where time goes. We have two daughters a 2.5 year old and a 6 month old. I also still have my Nintendo and super Nintendo just thought I'd throw that out there to prove the nerd point, and yes I have Mario's duck hunt, and donkey kongs, kirby, and even street fighter :)

Some things that have been on my mind lately are how to raise my kids to be the adults I want them to be. You know the good peoples type who are responsible and not entitled. compassionate and caring but able to stand up for themselves at the same time. I struggle a lot with how to teach them balance, I know at their ages I still have a lot of time yet, but I feel so exhausted most days I wonder if I will ever find the energy to be the mom I really want to be and imagined I would be. I keep trying to tell myself it will get easier to be a more "fun mom" when we can leave the house again... We live on the Canadian prairies and it is freezing cold for a loooong time over here, and I really hate winter, and my baby catches a cold as soon as a chill hits her.

As far as crafting goes I LOVE sewing girly things! (I guess God knew what He was doing blessing me with 2 girlies). Little girl dresses and shirts and pants and everything - I LOVE it! My sewing goal for this year is to make myself a couple dresses I am proud to wear out. I have one done already using some adorable narwhale fabric, and I have some mermaid and narwhale fabric ready to go for another! (ps. yes I love all things nautical - but especially mermaids). I am trying to be more confident in my sewing. I mean, I know it's cute and well made, but I often feel like I am shy about it and the sharing of it with non interwebs persons.

(This is a me dress, pattern is the Anouk by Victory Patterns and fabric is "out to sea" by Sarah Jane)

Well, are you tired of reading me ramble on yet? haha. I guess I see front porch conversations being a bit of this and a bit of that, but no worries, I am nearly done. Before I go - favourite hot beverage? for me it is apple cider! (and if I am not nursing a babe a bit of shiraz added to it, mmmm)

and if you did make it this far - here is your reward, a recent pic of me - in a dress I made! (pattern is the Meghan dress by Sisboom). look at all the snow, and a couple weeks after this we got a 20inch dump over 1.5 days... so ya. yay winter* ...and I so totally need a hairstyle.

*the "yay winter" is meant to be read in a slightly sarcastic voice.

Oh, Jen, you crack me up! While that much snow is unreal... I'm not sure I could live there as cool as it is! I love seeing your love for your Grandmother and how we have so much in common! Thank you for sharing all your nerdy quirks! Don't we all have them on some level? I know I do!!! Being a mom is tough, and I struggle with the same things, but I know that God gave us the children that we are to be mamas to and no one could do a better job at raising them than you! I pray that you continue to trust Him for your daily struggles and joys!

Be sure to check out Jen's amazing sewing skills on The Crafting Fiend!

XOXO,

"The Porch" - 2013 Guest Line Up

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:27:00 +0000

My very first guest blog post series was called "The Porch" inspired by my Gramie Allie. I invited a few (mostly because I only knew of a few) people that might want to write guest blog posts for little 'ole me waaay back when, and come. sit. share. from their hearts. It was a lot of fun and I knew I had to do it again.

This blog has grown and I've met soooo many more amazing women in person (yay!) and online and I wanted to give them an opportunity to show case more than their amazing sewing talents: their amazing hearts!

I've got quite the line up and I'm excited about having them come share whatever they want with you, not necessarily sewing related (but maybe!) a few times a month throughout the rest of the year!

Who exactly will be joining us throughout the year?

I'm pretty excited, because some of these ladies I know well and others not quite as much, and I know they will each bring something special when they come!

You will find all past and present "The Porch" posts under the "The Porch" tab!

XOXO,

Dealer Machines vs. Online? Is it really Machine Snobbery?

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 16:01:00 +0000

I truly find this topic completely interesting. Dealer Sewing Machines vs. Online Mass Produced Sewing Machines and the correlating topic of machine snobbery. Are dealer machines worth the extra money? Are dealers just being snobbish? What really is the difference?

I've been working at a sewing machine dealer for several months now, and my opinions on what you should buy have definitely changed since working there.

I currently sew on two mass produced online machines. Both Brother. I have a Brother SE400 sewing/embroidery machine and a brother 1034D serger. My sewing machine was actually refurbished and I got a great deal on it. When I first started sewing, I bought one of the cheapest Wal-mart brother sewing machines I could buy for around $60. I thought this was a good deal of money at the time and I scrapped my pennies together for it.

About a year after I really started sewing, I got increasingly frustrated with it. I knew I needed a better sewing machine that wouldn't jumble up in the bobbin and kick back all crazy when sewing. I needed better results, so I sold it to a friend (since it did still work well), and being the young internet shopper that I am, we bought me my current brother sewing/embroidery machine. The quality from a $60 mass produced sewing machine to a $400 mass produced sewing machine is remarkable and I truly have been happy with it in many regards.

At the time of shopping, I did go to a dealer, and I couldn't figure out why they were almost twice as expensive for what I could find online. I decided to just buy online. I mean, you can get almost anything online for cheaper, right? Why limit myself to one dealer and their machines? At least that was my thinking.

Then, I started working at a dealer. I am a very morally minded person (not a pushy sales person) and I immediately realized that our customers were interested in buying these machines, but also investigated online machines. They wanted to know why we were more expensive. At our dealership, we are not commission based and certainly don't push people into buying more than they can afford, but we do want people to buy what suits their needs. When they start explaining what they want to sew, how they sew, what their sewing consists of, we help them figure out where they can land, which machine is best, etc. That isn't also based first on budget, because often times they really need more than what they are wanting to put in, in the beginning.

Since working there, I have had some long talks with my boss about the differences between mass produced sewing machines sold online and what we carry. I had to be able to, in good conscious explain the store's machines to customers. There are several brands that you just cannot purchase online. For instance, Babylock, Bernina, Viking, and Pfaff among others. These companies and the like see the value in dealers, what they offer their customers, and have specific criteria each dealer must meet in order to even be a dealer in the first place. They have a specific quality they strive for, and make sure that their dealers meet this for them to even carry their machines.

Then, you have companies that sell their mass produced sewing machines online AND also have dealererships that sell dealer grade machines, such as, Brother, Janome, and Juki. You can buy these from chain fabric stores to Wal-mart and Amazon. But even these companies have a different grade sewing machine that they send to their dealers versus those sold in a box online. I wish I could go to the company and manufacturer and see what is truly the difference, for you. But, I have heard that the mass produced machines do not ALL get tested by real people before being sent to stores, versus individually tested (by humans) dealer machines, for instance. And the dealer machines are made from better quality parts vs. cheaper parts for the online machines.

I personally think brother is a great sewing machine and does compete with Babylock, for instance, but only if you buy a brother machine from a dealer would it be on the same level as a Bablock dealer machine, and even then you would have to sew on them side by side to find your personal preferences. Online brother machines do not compare, in my opinion, to dealer quality Babylock machines. This is also coming from my own experience from sewing on dream machines at work to coming home and sewing on my own online brother box machine. There is a huge difference in my stitches at work versus at home. In a sense, I get spoiled at work!

I have personally taken swatches of fabric and sewn from machine to machine trying to figure out what I like more and what I think is better. I know there are people that will tell you that they have box sewing machines that sew great and they have been using them for 20+ years, and to that, I say, "Wonderful. Glad it works for you." But, I can guarantee it, they have NOT sewn much on dealer quality higher end machines, or else they would be less than satisfied with what they are working on. That part of things is just harder to convey online, and must be experienced by you.

I know for a fact that my next sewing machine purchase will be at a dealer whether I work there or not, and there are definite reasons for this, besides quality.

You gain dealer support. Most dealers not only teach you how to drive your machine, but offer unlimited training on how to work your machine. They will help you, no matter, what's going on. Bird nesting in the bobbin? No problem, let me see what's going on for you. This training also comes really in handy when adventuring into the land of machine embroidery. They train you on the sometimes confusing topic of stabilizers and how to get the best results. It truly is an art.
You get a longer warranty and some even offer a free annual service at the end of your first year.
Then, you often get free access to any of their store clubs, discounts as being a preferred customer, and more! It's just a great combination in my opinion.

Dealers know they can offer more than what is sold online in a box, and while that may appear as "snobbery" to some, I do not think they mean for it to come across that way. They know they are there to help, and you won't get that from a box or Wal-mart. They are striving to offer something better, but it's for your good, not just from the business stand point. They value something different than the typical online shopper can see. I don't think you can deny that getting all of the above is not better than buying a machine in a box and not getting training or other benefits built into the cost of the machine. Not saying you cannot learn quite a lot on your own from the internet (I did!), but it really isn't the same. I've personally been re-trained on a NUMBER of things from how to hoop my stabilizer, to the types of stabilizer to use on a t-shirt to a towel, and then some even in just a plain sewing education working at an independent store. I'm constantly learning new things and gaining sewing knowledge, relearning over my bad habits from being self-taught, and more!

All of the above is why I can no longer say to my sweet friends, "YES! Go buy online!"

With that said, I understand that people can do what they can do budget wise, and like me, sometimes you get an online machine that you will be happy with for awhile. You feel your way through it's use, and research the heck out of things online, but even I will tell you that when I get the machine I know I will have for years upon years to come, I will NOT be being a boxed sewing machine! That's for SURE!

And for that matter, the people in real life that I have seen further along down the line that are "FINALLY!" buying the machine of their dreams, and those that are spending several thousand on a machine, most have had box machines and know the difference first hand. They've seen it first hand, and won't do it again.

So, what machine should you buy? Well, that depends. I believe that if you can buy from a dealer, you should. Maybe that means saving for a few extra months or financing in some cases. I can only recommend what I have personally sewn on and tried, and I recommend you do the same before making a big purchase. Again, that is something you can only do at a dealer, in most cases.

I personally love Babylock and the company behind them and could see myself purchasing from them next. Equally I love Bernina for their stitch quality, inner parts, and their feet. You are going to pay more for a Bernina (it is European! BTW) in most cases over a Babylock. Babylock has some really neat features and things about their machines and in a sense you get more "bang for your buck" with what comes with your machine without sacrificing stitch quality. Between these two brands I know you cannot go wrong. I believe if buying a brother, you should go to a dealer to buy vs. their online machines. And I've heard amazing things about some of the other brands mentioned in this post as well. I just personally have not sewed on them, so I can only give my 2 cents on what I know first hand.

I hope this helps some people out there wondering what the difference is. I hope this doesn't come off as "snobbish" and I certainly understand that everyone is different and their machine choice will reflect a wide variety of needs, as my first three machine purchases (online!) have! I hope it is helpful to see a little bit of the dealer point of view, and help people wondering about this topic. If you would like more reading on what to buy. I really love this post from Coletterie Blog about what machine you should buy!

I'd love some discussion on this topic in my comments area below! What are your honest thoughts! Be nice, as we all have different point of views. Anything too mean to another person will be deleted!

Thank you!

Up to the Mountain to Pray

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 02:00:00 +0000

Thanks Lauren B. for the photo!

I went to the most amazing women's retreat with my church in the mountains of North Carolina this last weekend. I learned so much about control and fear/anxiety taught by the amazing Stacy Hill, but mostly, it was so wonderful because the Holy Spirit met me there and renewed my walk with him.

I was on my knees thinking, "Lord, here I am and yet you are not here. You say, 'Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.' I got on my knees, where are you, Lord? I'm sorry I haven't been running after you. I surrender all that I am to you."

Just in the moment when I thought God wouldn't show, he came. In a song, but the words went straight to my heart.

Here I am down on my knees again (I literally was!)

Surrendering all, surrendering all

Find me here

Lord as you draw me near

I'm desperate for You

Desperate for You

I surrender

I surrender, I surrender

I want to know You more

Drench my soul as mercy and grace unfold

I hunger and thirst

With arms stretched wide

I know you hear my cry

Speak to me now

Like a rushing wind Jesus breathe within

Lord have Your way

Lord have Your way in me

Like a mighty storm stir within my soul

Lord have Your way

Lord have Your way in me

It's the song "I Surrender" by Matt Crocker a Hillsong Publishing, but I had never heard it before.

On Saturday, I was laying on a grassy area of this mountain looking out over the valley basking in the sunshine with the beautiful mountains in the distance. It was perfect weather and the sunshine was so warm and wonderful! As I was laying still before the Lord, I could hear the wind rolling up the mountain. I could hear it long before I felt it wash over me.

I was reminded of God's grace. Like the rushing wind that rolls up the mountain, often times we hear it or have heard about it, but we don't always let ourselves be washed in it. Sometimes God's grace just pours over us and we can feel it, just like the soft brush of the wind.

I didn't realize how much I would need the physical reminder of God's grace on that mountain. Literally, I felt like Moses who went up to the mountain to pray and when he came down he had to face all kinds of various trials.

But even as the toughest of trials come, I can remember God's grace. I can feel it wash over me. I can walk in it, hearing it before it comes, and know that God is more powerful than the darkest sin. God is more amazing than I can ever tell and he mets us right where we are. In the hurt. In the joy. In the deepest pit.

Jesus takes us by the hand and lifts us up! (Matthew 9:27)

Make This Look Guest Post & $50 Photography Session!

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:57:00 +0000

My DSLR died about a month ago. It was second hand from second hand from my BFF who gave us an amazing deal on it, but as hard as I used it, it doesn't surprise me that it fizzled out. I could probably get it fixed through Canon, but a part of me almost just wants to put that money towards a newer camera that I know would last longer.

Today, I'm over at The Train To Crazy (or will be when the California sun comes up on the West coast! hehee!) for the Make This Look mini-series running on her blog! I cringed inside thinking that my outfit that I made would be photographed with iPhone photos. I do have an older camera, but my last little photo shoot with Cai proved that it was about the same as my iphone, and at least the iphone is slightly faster! Am I right?!

A quick "hey is ANYONE available to trade some publicity for photography" on facebook, yielded this amazing college student that's been on her own for the last 4 years that we used to to go church with, Kelly!

She started her business called PhotosOfGrace Photography and I am SO proud of her growing talents! She was so kind to meet me downtown Columbia and do my very own blog photo shoot! It was amazing having someibe say, "hey, put your hand here" or "look off that way" or "how about a serious face"! I loved her!

And I got the serious face DOWN... I tell ya!

Kelly is offering Designs By Sessa local readers a special promotion! If you mention this post and contact her you will receive a $25 off coupon for your session! If you just have Kelly for an hour, this coupon would make your shoot only $50! It's WAY too generous in my opinion, because I know there are going to be lots of friends snapping this sweet girl up (pun intended)!

Here is some of her work:

And one more!

Worth WAAAAY more than $50, am I right!? You can contact Kelly via her Facebook Page PhotosOfGrace Photography to book your session and get your $25 off coupon!

For more outfit details, I would LOVE for you to visit The Train To Crazy today! And if you are new here, please stick around... you never know what concoction I will draft up! Love to you!

Vanessa

GNO Charlotte: DBS Recap!

noreply@blogger.com (Vanessa@Designs By Sessa) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 17:34:00 +0000

We had SO.MUCH.FUN in Charlotte this weekend! I am absolutely exhausted writing this post, because Rachel from Sew Happily Ever After and I didn't get in until around 1am and then I had a rocking and rolling 2 year old that still was on the 1 hour time difference! Whew!

We made sure to go up a few hours early so we could hit up Mary Jo's Cloth Store. It never dissapoints! It was Rachel's first time and my 3rd time, and you still get this overwhelming feeling walking into the store everytime!

There's just SO. MUCH.FABRIC at amazing prices. (This is just half the store!)

What was so fun was finding other blog friends throughout the store! I was walking through some bolts and I saw two blondes starring at me. As I walked by, they POKED me without saying a word! I spun around and was like "WHO in the world are you!?!?" It was Ashley and Emily from FrancesSuzanne! LOL!

These two ladies were HILARIOUS! I just loved meeting them! They seriously make you laugh contantly! They are so fun! They drove up from ALABAMA and I am SO glad they did!

As we continued shopping, I looked up and was like oh my gosh.... that is... "ALIDA!!!" from Alida Makes It was so fun meeting her across some bolts! :) Just how it should be right?

We had so much fun shopping!

Look at this sweet little Rachel... as tall as the bolt WITH 3 inch heels! haha! I ended up walking out with THE most random fabric!

Because everyone needs chevron fur in their stash, right!?! And hot pink holey 80's fabric? I think so! Obviously, I was half sane, because I found this fun turquoise gingham check and a fun kelly green check fabric and some zippers. We'll see what this becomes!

Of course, it was all about the dinner and getting to meet other bloggers that share this crazy passion!

I think there were 17 people there! Something like that! Enjoy this iPhone panarama picture!

It was so fun also meeting Jessica from Begin to Craft and Zoe from Sew It Girl, as well as the A-M-A-Z-I-N-G Jennifer from Ellison Lane Quilts and Sew South modern sewing retreat. These ladies were just SO easy to talk to!

I really could not contain my excitement at meeting these next two ladies though!

Jessica from The Sewing Rabbit - Me Sew Crazy and Heather Valentine from The Sewing Loft! Jessica is just as incredible as you would think from her blog. It's real in real life, too! Not that I ever doubted that! And Heather is so humble and down to earth and talented! I loved chatting with them, picking their brains about pattern drafting, thoughts on blogging, and laughing over our children! It was priceless! I just wish I could have talked to them longer. Of course, the night was just too short!

The swag was amazing thanks to our amazing sponsors of the evening: Pellon, Jo-Ann Fabric, Coats &Clark, Michael Miller Fabrics, and Fat Quarter Shop! I was too excited to sleep and ended up getting back out of bed to check it all out! Like a child on Christmas morning!

I was "kicking" myself, because I forgot all of my business cards on my dining room table!!! But I enjoyed collecting most of everyone else's, for sure!

I'm not quite sure how I came across...

courtesy of Me Sew Crazy via flickr

Ya, know with my sassy bedazzled bracelet and all... Bahaha! It was fun being myself around these women!

As my first blogger event, I enjoyed myself thoroughly! I had no idea what to expect and now I just want to meet more of you out there in real life! All I can say is THANK YOU for this opportunity Jessica and sponsors!

I'm sure there will be blog round ups to come! You can view the GNO Charlotte Flickr Group and don't forget that today is the last day to enter to win the same swag we received!