Project Run and Play Week 2

This week at Project Run and Play, the challenge was to create a look based on a fashion icon. I almost sat this week out  (Yes, I know, I said that last week) because I really don't have a fashion icon. My style is very simple. The only person I could think of was Kate Middleton, because everything single thing she ever wears, I drool over from behind my computer screen. She just makes dressing up look like so much fun and effortless at the same time. So finally, I decided to make an outfit based on Princess Kate, and even designed a dress in my head. But then I had the busiest week ever, and I've been exhausted after work every night. So, I would take a break from sewing, maybe even relax a little on my day off (What?!? Who does that?) 

But of course, I kept thinking about the challenge and how I wanted to push myself a little since I now officially have a full year of sewing under my belt. So on Wednesday, ummm, I mean yesterday, yes yesterday, I got the crazy idea in my head that I should go ahead and spend what little time I had left slaving over the sewing machine. I started looking online for some inspiration and it hit me, the last time I was obsessed over fashion was when Jason and I tried to watch Mad Men. (If you are a Mad Man fan I apologize for the following comment.) I say tried to watch it because the showing is. so. boring. Like nothing every happened, except people would randomly cheat on their spouses, but nothing would ever come of it, because nothing consequentially ever happened on the show. Cheating spouses and boringness, really not my cup of tea. I also have a really hard time following long winded shows or movies. So maybe stuff happened, I don't know. I just didn't really care.

But now I am getting distracted, here's what's really important: I loved the dresses on Mad Men. I think everyone did. You can't think about the show without thinking about the 1960s iconic looks: from ultra sleek pencil skirts to full fouffy dresses, the style is simply ultra feminine. Some looks I wouldn't dare put on my 4 or 3 year old daughter, but I knew if I searched hard enough on the internet, I would find a dress to inspire me. And I did! And then I spent my day off today frantically putting it together at the last minute.

I present to you, my fashion icon, the TV show "Mad Men:"

 

And my version of the look:

 

I really hope picking a TV show as a fashion icon isn't thinking too far out of the box. Well, if it is, at least we got a new dress out of it and Kylie got to play dress up, so it doesn't really matter. 

Making the dress was a lot of fun, I made pleats for the first time and made a cascading ruffle for the first time. I sewed a brown ribbon to the dress to mimick a belt, like the one in the picture. Overall, I made the dress a little too big. I spent about an hour looking for my seam ripper so I could make some adjustments but couldn't find it anywhere (which was weird because I had just used it.) Finally I gave up, took some pictures... and found the seam ripper in my back pocket. Seriously. I guess I will take the dress in sometime next week. In the meantime, I give you this:

We took pictures in my grandma's house. It has more of a vintage feel, plus she had a typewriter and a wig, perfect for this look. Yes, a wig. Pictures coming up at end of post.

She had so much fun posing, she was cracking me up. I didn't direct her at all!

Don't you just love little girls trying to walk in heels? I guess I shouldn't make fun of her, I have a hard time walking in heels too.

We busted out the typewriter for this little 1960s secretary. She was intrigued!

Hard day at the office. She is definitely the cutest 1960s secretary I have ever seen! :)

We had to incorporate my grandma's old school wig. It just makes the outfit, don't you agree? My grandma wants everyone to know that the wig isn't supposed to look like that. When she had it, she used to take it to the beauty parlor to get it all fixed up perfect, hahaha... The whole thing just cracks me up.

And there you have it, my iconic look!

The Funky Little Lion Outfit

We interrupt this extremely long absence from the Marsh Madness blog to bring you this:

Well not Eve per say, but the clothes on her back.

And yes, clothing is what made me come back to my blog. I know, my priorities are wacked. I have so many cute little stories about what my girls did or what they said, but they will have to wait. Because the real reason I made a blog post is so that I could post this outfit that I sewed into the sew-a-long of project run and play. Being very new to sewing, to say I'm intimidated would be an understatement. My husband encouraged me to try and sew along this season and post my creations. It might sound sweet, but I think he just wanted me to shut up about it. Or maybe it's because football season is here and he wanted me busy so he could watch more games. Regardless, I'm going to try to sew along most weeks and my husband rocks.

This week, we had to do a remix of this pattern. At first I thought I would sit this one out, but then a vision of cute little textured capris popped into my head and I went to work. I needed a matching shirt and the idea of using the bias strips to make a funky bib came right away. Overall, I'm very pleased I didn't sit this one out. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and as long as no one on the internet laughs at my work, I'll consider it a success!

After sewing the outfit, I envisioned taking her pictures in a field of tall yellow Kansas wildflowers. They are growing everywhere in these parts this time of year. I would have the outfit "Wildflower Chic" or "Wildflower Child." Then it stormed and stormed and the next day it rained. all. day. It stopped raining for about 15 minutes and we ran outside to snap a few pictures. I had to think of a new name since there were no wildflowers, but it was pretty easy considering the colors and texture scream "lion" to me. So there you have it, the "Funky Little Lion Outfit":

Isn't my Everz so cute? She's really looking grown up lately!

I made my own piping for the bib, a first for me, but very fun!

Love the texture on the pants!

My Everz Beaver is so stinkin' cute! Even when she's not into taking pictures for her momma.

Please tell me 3 years old is not too old to be rockin' a cute ruffly bum!

Our goober at her finest!