Dress making.

My house looks like a jam factory.
There are crates of fruit, jars, clips, rubber bands, and lids everywhere you look.
There are cauldrons and preservers bubbling away.
The air is sticky.

And it is Friday and my kids are tired and cranky.
I am too.
This school business is exhausting. Draining.

Last night when everyone had finally gone to bed and the house was quiet I almost succumbed to a bit of a tantrum myself. But luckily I stopped myself and thought instead about happiness. What could turn that impending meltdown around and make me feel good? It had to be something just for me. Something good. Something that would almost certainly work.

Another dress!

Something plainish this time.

Some op-shopped denim.

The same tried and tested and fail safe pattern but with a lower neckline.

I considered some ruffles.

But ended up with vintage lace.

It worked too.
A few hours later I went to bed happy.

I can highly recommend dress making as therapy over a tantrum.

There is so much less drama and emotion involved.
It is easier physically.
It is kinder on everyone you live with.
AND you might even have a new dress to wear the next day.
Yay!

How are things at your place?
Are you all tired and ready for the weekend?
Are you cooking? Sewing? Making?
Is it hot or cold where you are?
What do you do to turn tantrum into terrific?

OK, I'm off to scrub bottles and stir pots.

I hope your weekend is sweeeeeeeeeeeet.
xx

ps. From now on I'll be answering questions in the comments section.
So if you ask me something, please come back and check for your answer.

The princess dress replacement.

Since taking off her school uniform a week ago, Miss Jazzy has been wearing a frou-frou, tulle covered princess dress every day. The same dress day in and day out. She loves it. Its been the uniform she wears when she's not wearing her uniform.

But last night at a farmers' market in Melbourne, the princess dress suffered some major rips and tears and this morning she stayed dressed in her dressing gown and the dress lay in a heap where she left it last night.

This morning I began the important task of making her a dress she would love just as much but would perhaps be a bit sturdier for the life of a princess who lives on a farm.

I had strict instructions of course: It has to twirl and whirl and be great for dancing she said. It has to tie up at the back with a sash and be long enough to be girly but short enough not to get in the way and it has to be colourful.

I'm sure she meant pinks and purples but denim with red is my favourite colour combination right now and she doesn't seem to mind at all.

So far, so good but the real test will come tomorrow morning.

And so dear readers, we here at Foxs Lane would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a wonderful, merry, love filled weekend whether it be Christmas or any other day of the week for you.

Much love, XX

The Stripey Flower dress.

I had a feeling Miss Pepper was playing with a bigger imaginary animal than usual yesterday when I watched her duck her head to fit through the front door as we were leaving. When we got to the car she confirmed my suspicion when she asked me to put carrots on my shopping list because her horse was hungry.

When we got into town she insisted we take turns riding her horse. First she galloped up the aisles of the organic shop and then I had to. Yes, we live in a small town. Yes, people were probably looking and wondering but no, she didn't make me neigh and for that I was grateful.

The rest of the shopping trip was pretty uneventful. She rode, or walked, or fed her horse and I sometimes rode but mostly encouraged her to leave him outside the shops.

Then while we were walking back to our car, all of a sudden she burst out crying. Really crying. I think there may have even been a few tears.

I couldn't work out what had happened as she was happy and chatty one minute and sobbing the next.

Until she told me her naughty horse had bitten her on the hand. Naughty horsey!!

I consoled her and then we agreed that from now on the naughty horse should probably wait for us in the car.

Imagine Dave the fruit shop guy's face when he was informed in the most serious voice that Miss Pepper's naughty horse had bitten her and that he was waiting in the car for an apple to eat.

She keeps me on my toes that one.

The Stripey Flower dress is made from vintage sheet bits, op shopped denim and bias binding and a gifted zipper. Everything but the thread is stitched around the bottom of the dress. If you want a closer look, its in my shop.

Have a fab day y'all. XX

PS. today's email count is 2,856. That's 136 less than yesterday.