barely. No, I did not have the swine flu…just a cold. but this one hit me hard. Let me take you down memory lane…college. finals week. stay up as late as you can and cram in whatever your brain will absorb. complete all your exams. your reward? get sick during the break. I swear, this always happened to me! So, this Halloween was my finals week. I’m so grateful that my body was able to keep it together until Nov. 1!

So, with bedtime being moved from 1 am to 10:30 pm, low grade fevers in between, and cough attacks so severe that I contemplated wearing a diaper (sorry, TMI), I. AM. SO. FAR. BEHIND. MY. SCHEDULE! Getting sick just does not fit into this schedule of mine.

Well, now that I am almost 100%, I am in full blown think, eat, breathe, dream dolls-mode. And look what I found at my local Joann’s.

I KNOW!!! How cute is that?!

Think of what I can create with this cuteness! If only I could have 2 more weeks to craft. 4 weeks left until Unique LA. yikes!

big sis

Two weeks left till Lila’s 1st Birthday.

One month left till Unique LA.

What do I work on first?  The answer should be the birthday party, but I find myself flip flopping between the two.   That’s my style…start something new everyday and just hope that at the end of it all, I’ll have finish what I started.

My craft area has slowly taken over the guest bedroom.  Everything is laid out on the bed, and I swear I stare at this area every night wondering when I’ll be able to complete everything.

Here are some of the lil sis dolls I have stuffed, and you can see they’re laying on the birthday banner. I still have a pile of doll bodies next to my sewing machine waiting to be armed & legged.  The banner is yet to be completed.  I’m 95% done…just one last hem needs to be sewn.  Why do I do this to myself?  I could just sew the darn thing and then move it aside, but…BUT nothing.  It’s just the way I work.  I’ll do it tomorrow

-lil sis

Who knew October was going to be such a busy month?! from vacation to pumpkin patches to everything else related to Halloween. and you wonder why I have barely made any progress on my inventory for Unique LA. Someone will be paying the price come November.

Yesterday was filled with TONS of stuff to do in prep for today…the costume party at preschool. Cookies needed to be baked and pumpkin shaped rice krispy treats needed to be made. On top of that, I decided that it would be pumpkin carving day! All this was done while the twins are fighting off some kind of illness. I strive on a lil bit of stress…not this much. Needless to say, everything was completed and enjoyed!

It is so wonderful to see how kids develop over the years while participating in “traditions”. The first year of pumpkin carving was done in the evening by myself and I believe it took me 3 hours! It was WAY over-ambitious and they DID NOT know or care to see an intricate design on a pumpkin! The 2nd year…they were a bit interested but not enough where they wanted to help. Well, this year, it was ALL hands on. I had to really keep an eye on my son b/c he wanted to use EVERY sharp tool to just poke at the pumpkin…never mind stay in the lines I had to keep everything very simple and quick. We got through it in one piece, no bandaids needed. I wonder how next year will be…when they are 4. Gosh, that sounds so old! Anyways, I just wanted to wish you all a very HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

big sis

So I finally finished up my daughter’s costume. Remember, she wanted to be this. Well, I was not going to pay $69 for it so I went out, bought all the material, and made a modified version.

I added hot pink sequins to the ears just to jazz it up and also added a ruffle collar. I had added another layer of ruffles and was going to add some ruffles to the bottom of her sleeves when I realized that stitching them on the shirt prevents the shirt from stretching. Not a good thing when the shirt is suppose to be form fitting so it does not give at all. Cute idea…out the door.

Her skirt, I LOVE! Added the hot pink bow to match her ears. Tail is a skinny boa that I wrapped around pipe cleaners to give some shape.

TOTAL COST: $14

Can I just tell you how happy that makes me? and if you really want to get technical, she could wear the shirt all winter which would bring down the cost from $14 to $9! woot! woot! Personally, I think it’s cuter than PBK’s Hey, but that’s just me!

I also purchased some ALOT of extra tulle to make a skirt for myself. NOT BY CHOICE. My sweet daughter SO wants me to dress up as the “mommy cat”. I had purchased everything awhile ago and only started on my skirt this weekend. To my horror, I ran out of tulle and wouldn’t you know…so did Joann’s. I freaked out a lil bit before realizing that if I cinch the elastic some more, it would hide the bare spots. Hopefully, I’ll be able to breathe but whatever! I only have to be short of breath for a few hours at a time! (I will wearing this to our mommy and me preschool and Halloween evening. I hope to not pass out from lack of oxygen!) I am so excited that Halloween is finally here! Cannot wait to get the kids all dressed up. My husband (who is SO not the type) even said that he was going to dress up as Woody (son will be Buzz) but alas, he was not willing to spend $90 on a vinyl one piece. Personally, I think he’s happy that he doesn’t have to get dressed up! and my son didn’t have his heart on having a partner-in-crime which saves me from making a costume for the hubs. phew! So all is good in the world. at least in ours! Goodie bags have been made, tags have been attached. Now the only thing I have left to do is bake and make some homemade treats. It’s a lil sad b/c the school is being very strict on not bringing homemade food to school. I understand but still… So I will be the one standing outside the door of the school with my basket of goodies and pleading to the parents to take a treat.

big sis

Say hello to our Christmas doll!  A wonderful repeat customer (our 100th sale!) asked us to make her a special Christmas doll for her daughter.  Here she is dressed in her Santa hat, fur cape, and pom pom scarf…

Big sis and I collaborated to make  this cutie, and we’re so excited to showcase more of these Christmas dollies at Unique!

- lil sis

I am still jetlagged, if you can believe that. I came to this realization not too long ago…that as you get older, everything just takes twice as long, i.e., to get adjusted to time changes, to recover from partying too hard, staying up sewing!

We had so much fun on our vacation…so much that I’m absolutely dreading going to school with the twins tomorrow. Is that sad or what! I am absolutely thrilled that their swim class is over so I now have 2 days to breathe! Granted, swim classes were only 2 days a week for 30 min but if you think about it, it’s really all morning long. I need to get the kids ready, get towels and change of clothes ready, prep them for their class (ex “follow the teacher’s instructions” “hold on with both hands” “blow bubbles out of your nose” etc. Such a nag, huh? as if they wouldn’t learn that on their own! Not to mention…shower them, lotion them, change them, snack them, then come home and prep lunch! You see why I’m so happy?

Anyhow, don’t know how we got to the airport…it really is all a blur. Our flight was early in the morning and my in-laws were coming with so imagine this…4 adults, 2 kids, 2 carseats for the kids, 2 carseats to take and leave in Hawaii, 1 large suitcase, 3 small suitcases, and 1 double stroller! and not in a minivan! in a SUV! I, of course, was in the back row and could not sit up straight b/c I had a suitcase sitting on my back! What people do to save $40 for a taxi! I think if I was awake, I would have mind but since I was out of it, I barely felt the pain…the pain of one of the tires digging into my back. and again if I was fully awake, I’m sure I would have had the energy to readjust the suitcase but was too tired. cracks me up thinking about it!

The plane ride going to and from was a piece of cake! I love how my twins are older and so easily amused by anything they can watch on ANY kind of screen…airplane screen, iphone (yes, my husband downloaded movies as a back up), and computer. We were prepared! There would be NO meltdowns despite skipping naps and waking up at the crack of a**!

Highlights from trip:

1. Hanauma Bay. This was on the top of the list. We were NOT going to miss this. I have missed it MANY times in the past…b/c husband and I got burnt and couldn’t bear being in the sun for another day, b/c twins were too young, etc. Worth it to go at least once.

2. Spending time with their great grandmother! Sshh…don’t tell her that she came in 2nd!

3. Eating tons of local food! The best saimin (noodles) at Shige’s, malasadas (donuts) at Leanord’s, kahlua pork, lau lau, lomi at Jackie’s, and all the sweets! And let’s not forget Pacific Beach’s buffet. No pictures, sorry.

4. Swimming! The kids are so much more comfortable in the water that the husband and I barely had to be in the water (yes, despite my dislike of taking them everyday in the summer and twice a week in the fall, the classes paid off. Even I will admit that!).

It was great to get away and spend time with family. It was wonderful to see the kids have so much fun despite it being very tiring for us. We joke that it didn’t really feel like a vacation for us but guess that’s just life with toddlers! There are lots more activities that I’d like to do when we go back. It was so hard to squeeze everything in in 6 days.

It is nice to be back home. and especially nice to come back home to a long list of things to do! Time to crawl back into my hole and get ready for Unique LA!

big sis

It’s official! We’re in! Unique LA, the 2009 Holiday Edition Event, will be held on Saturday + Sunday, 12/5-12/6, and we’ll be there to sell our handmade dolls in addition to some lovely items that we’ll blog about in the next weeks to come.

Big sis and I went to their first event this past Spring, and we both came home with lots of great stuff! Baby Eggi, will you be there this time around?? I hope so!

If you’re looking to get your holiday shopping done early, this is the place to go!

Some tidbits about the event:

• Held at the California Market Center Penthouse, 110 East Ninth Street Los Angeles
• $5 ticket for admission
• $6 parking with Unique Validation
• Over 300 designer/artists
• Food can be purchased onsite
• Free beer and wine (not a joke!)

Hope to see ya there!

-lil sis

Yay! I drove to Costco in the pouring rain because I wanted to get a new Brother Sewing Machine while it was on promotion for $30 off. It’s fancy smancy, and I’m loving it! I had to kick my old Brother to the curb because it was causing way too many problems for me. That’s probably what I get for getting one that was reconditioned.

I’m so ecstatic to use the monogram function! I love monograms! I had a monogram on my wedding invite, have a set of monogrammed towels, am in the process of monogramming a big L for Lila’s birthday backdrop, etc. I can totally see myself putting initials on my daughter’s clothes. Is that weird? Too Happy Days-ish? Fine, I’ll first practice on some tea towels.

{via Monogram Inc}

Makes me happy

-lil sis

My daughter’s first birthday is a month away, and we are going to do a slideshow. I’m stuck with choosing a birthday song…every song I think of seems more fit for a wedding slideshow and not for a little girl’s birthday slideshow. I definitely don’t need it birthday themed, but I would like something sweet and unique.

My friend suggested Somewhere over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole.

This is totally on my list, but I was wondering if anyone else had other suggestions!?? Thanks!

-lil sis

Gosh, it was not this hard with my daughter’s sundress. It took alot of concentration and ALOT of researching but I finally finished my sundress. Perfect, now that the weather is so cold here! ugh! Us SoCal people think 70 degree weather is a bit on the chilly side (or is it just me?) Anyways, it turned out just the way I had envisioned but it went through many trims and cuts (and a lil bit of swearing)! So the biggest thing I found while researching this pattern/dress was that people wanted more instruction than the one provided. And while I had good intentions (as always), my tutorial may not be as thorough as desired Let me tell you why and then we’ll get started.

1. this pattern is not made for a skinny minnie. I’m on the thinner side and the X-small pattern just did not cut it for me, despite cutting it a half inch smaller. You’ll know what I’m talking about in a bit.

2. b/c of #1, once I completed the dress, it looked a bit like a muumuu…not the look I was going for. So I took in the sides and shaped it a bit more…just so I didn’t look like I was wearing a tent.

3. lastly, damn the shirring! I swear that my daughter’s dress smocked more than mine but after a few attempts, this is the best I was able to get it.

For all these reasons, my frustration got the best of me and at some point, I stopped taking step-by-step pictures

NOTE: This tutorial is on the dress WITHOUT the pockets. Also, I will be using the words “smocking” and “shirring” interchangeably.

So here we go…

Step 1: Print the pattern. I tried to “tile” it, as suggested, but never worked. Took it to Kinko’s and had it printed for $5.71. Worth the labor of trying to piece together 20 sheets of paper, I say.

So here is what I was talking about above. The dotted line represents a size XS-S but I figured I would need to go a bit smaller than a “generalized” XS-S. Afterall, that is a big range, in my opinion. So I cut it a 1/2 inch smaller. I was going for an above-the-knee length so I immediately trimmed the bottom as well.

Step 2: After washing and drying your fabric, I folded my fabric in half, placed the pattern sheet on top, pinned it, and cut it.

Do this step twice.

Step 3: Pin the dress right sides together.

And you should end up with something like this.

***make a mental note of this picture as I will be referring to it later in regards to the shape of the dress***

Step 5: Sew sides together. I used a 1/4 inch seam. And if you are lucky enough to have a serger, serge away. And if not, you can zig zag stitch like I did. I found that pressing your seams after helps keep everything nice and tailored.

Step 6: With fabric wrong side up, turn and press with your iron the top raw edge 1/4 inch to the wrong side all the way around, and then again. Don’t sew yet as you will be attaching straps at the end.

Step 7: It is suggested in the lil girl’s version to start marking smocking lines 1 inch below the edge of the pressed crease. However, I started 3/4 of the way (personal preference). I continued to mark lines 1/2 inch apart until it reached 5 inches. At that point, I tried on the dress to check visually how much I wanted the top to be shirred and adjusted accordingly. The pattern suggest anywhere from 6-8 inches (again, personal preference)

Step 8: The oh-so-fun part! Loosely wind your elastic thread around your bobbin. The difference between my daughter’s dress and mine was the color and make of the elastic thread. Now, I don’t think that it could have the color itself that would have affected the shirring…I’m wondering if it was the different brand???

Here is where I start to lose it a bit. After pulling out the first line (b/c I thought that it should smock up a bit more), I gave in after 2 tries. It was either the different brand or the cotton that caused the “less smocking”. The instructions do not state how to end off at each row. So here’s what I did…when you get to the end, I overlapped a few stitches, left a tail, and then knotted it with the starting tail about 3 times.

Step 9: The fun part. Spray the smocked area (really wet it) and with a HOT iron, press the smocked area. The stitches should shrink up further.

Step 10: Press the bottom hem, just as you did for the top.

Sew the hem. NOTE: you should probably pin your hem but I just went for it

Step 11: I purchased bias tape b/c I didn’t want to make it this time around and it saved me so much time. Since I opted for halter staps, I left my bias tape in one piece, folded in half, tucked it inside the top edge hem and sewed it. Wish I had a picture to go along with this but here’s what the end result looked like.

This part was tricky b/c the area was so thick. I had to go real slow to make sure I caught the bias tape, plus the folded hem.

Here’s what the front looks like.

As mentioned above, it looked a lil muumuu like so before I sewed the bottom hem (which I had to trim and adjust as well), I took in the sides. I think that if you were using a soft jersey type cotton, the pattern itself would be perfect. And although my fabric is lightweight cotton, it just didn’t drape the way I would have liked and it seemed big on me. After taking it in (I took it in almost a 1/2 inch starting from the bottom of the smocked area and almost 1 1/2 towards the bottom) , it’s a bit more form fitting but flowy, if that makes any sense.

And here is my Mendocino Sundress. I am officially ready for Hawaii. We are leaving in less than a week and this was my project to complete so I could throw it over my swimwear!

special thanks to my 3-year-old twins for taking this picture (this was the best one). Otherwise, you would have never seen the dress in its entirety!

LAST NOTE: I wore this dress around the house today and the smocked area was just too loose. Despite the straps, it just did not feel secure. So I ripped the top apart and made spaghetti straps. sigh. MUCH better. You better believe this dress will be the only outfit I take…after all this work! sheesh! Here’s the revised top.

Aloha!

big sis