costumes.

we went totally simple this year.

It was great.

Once Kacie caught on that the boys

got to spray paint their hair,

she had to be pink.

So we made her bubble gum.

And Dani's Twix bar costume fell through

so she "whipped up" the fridge.

And just in case you can't figure out

what Andy is...

he's a smorgasbord.

A Bakugan suit, star wars belt, cowboy,

dinosaur footed goblin with a bad hairdo.

awesome.

Best Dressed Onesie Tutorial.

Jasmine just had a baby boy, after 3 girls.

I wanted to give her something very BOYish,

and I thought of ties.

But, hello, he's a baby.

So we stuck some on a onesie.

The bowtie was easy and quick,

but the necktie took some chocolate

to get me through. I finally figured

it out and thought I better document it

in case I get questions. It's best to be prepared.

So here's what you do:

with the skinny side on the right!

happy handsome baby.

bags.

I've been making bags. The purple one was a birthday present, the houndstooth bag is my new laptop home. And that "bowtie bag" will be up for auction on Ebay next week, along with 4 other bags I'm working on to help Desi's sister celebrate being cancer free for 5 years by raising $25,000 for cancer research. All five siblings are in Ireland right now running a marathon on her behalf. I love it. So come back in a week and bid, bid, bid! Every little bit will help.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

for my sister Cassy, who couldn't come because she's having a baby, and who had to have counseling when Dumbledore died. She's totally a wizard.

and for my other sister Corrie. Who loves it when I post hilarious pictures of her face.

I posted all the pictures here, so you can zoom in and stare a long time, Cassy.

And I made a movie here, because it's so much better with music.

Love, your muggle sister.

recuperate.

We just had the best vacation ever.

Now it's time to regroup, refocus, reminisce,

and get back to real life.

drat.

{ps. thanks for your super nice comments about the dress!}

{pss. I dreamed I was dangling from a roller coaster last night,

and Steven Tyler kept telling me to jump before my kids

ate all the chocolate chips. I woke up in a panic and checked

the pantry first thing this morning. Had a handful, and was at peace.}

{psss. Do you guys cry when the all those boys are taking ET

to the forest on their bikes? Just wondering.}

Dress Design for Shabby Apple dresses.

I've been wanting to challenge myself by sewing clothes for myself, and I've had this dress in my head for a while, but I just haven't had the motivation to put the two together. Then I saw this from Shabby Apple and thought...hmmm...

I love Shabby Apple dresses.

I should do that.

It's a contest. You design a dress {you don't have to sew it; you can draw it} and they pick their 15 favorites. Then we get to vote on our favorite and it becomes part of their Spring line! very cool.

I've run across some other entries online and have just about chickened out, because they're awesome. Beautifully designed and made. {I don't think I know how to sew. I'm a fraud.} But I'm trying to remember the advice I was given by Miss Montana in the Miss America pageant I watched when I was 13...Don't try and be the best because there's always someone better than you. just smile and try. And vaseline your teeth.

{no thanks.}

So I'm doing it.

Just to try.

The dress:

It's made out of a soft gray baby silk; I wanted something "flowy" with a natural drape, and comfortable!

I needed a dress I could squat down to toddler level in without splitting something.

And it had to have pockets! Pockets are a must when you've got kids handing you wrappers and love notes and grasshoppers all the time.

I like loose fitting stuff. It's hard to find a flattering dress that's not tight and fitted, accentuating the nice long thin waisted curvy women of the world. I have a short, cushy, pencil waist, so tight doesn't work well for me. This does. My muffin top thanks me.

I learned a lot from making this dress. Mostly, I love my seam ripper. We're bff's.

for conan.

Hey sweetheart, watch this video and tell me what you don't see.

yup, that's right.

no drips.

I fixed it.

{I love you, too.}

i'm making a dress

{staring in the mirror contemplating

the unwanted poofiness of the first draft.}

and a quilt

and bowties

and hemming pants

and two bags

and a pillow

and dolls

and a mad mess.

waiting for the simplicity of lists.

why does one believe it is possible

to do 50 million things at once?

maybe I should just make

dinner.

there.

simple.

and everyone's happy.

Monster House.

happy october.