little BIG pants

ice cream, park and planting

this memorial day weekend was lovely. my parents and sister visited. time was spent eating good food, playing (above is my nephew and below is h. at the park), planting, and mom and dad doing my laundry! thanks! i love these pics (my mom snapped these. they are so telling of their personalities!)


here is h. sharing his ice cream with his cousin, so sweet! i hope to get a bit more sewing done. my 16 year old sister is staying for a few weeks and i'm going to employ her to do some cutting for future treasures! 

eye candy friday-house art

 

i just framed this photo jem from erin tyner called "sometimes"
 
this is one of two prints that i ordered from artist, stuart kolakovic. this guy is amazing! and only 22 years old. such talent. check him out on etsy, his prices cannot be beat! also don't miss his cartoon adventure online called "never been".

and the winner is......LILY from Oregon. she was randomly selected by my sausage fingered husband. thanks all who entered! have a safe and lovely memorial day weekend.

audrey swims and wears a sun dress

audrey is sporting a sun dress. remove her skirt and she is ready for the pool! i'm of course in love with her!
 
after the 2nd doll i wanted to make the top more narrow (like the first swimming audrey) but i love the way you can put the matching skirt on and it becomes a sun dress! with the 3rd swimming audrey i also brought in the bottoms so they don't flare like a swim skirt and more like trunks. she is available for summer swimming in my shop. and look she even looks cute wearing the music lesson skirt! update: she is now in the shop. my computer was not cooperating last night.

audrey swims again

 

this is my "tweaked" audrey. as my wonderful mother would say "this has more coverage". but i'm not all together happy with it (as usual, the first attempt is usually what i go back to) thus this audrey will again be offered at a special "pattern tweaking" price. update: sold (thank you!) don't forget to leave a comment to enter the "coffee cup" drawing. so far, the odds are in your favor!

giveaway-my cup runneth over

you too can enjoy coffee with marge and kitty! following blog "protocol" i was supposed to feature a giveaway at post 100. well ding dang that was awhile ago. i'm so excited and so pleased to be a part of this community that it is only fitting to "give back". thanks to everyone who checks in from time to time. it keeps me going!

so the above piece "coffee cup" from my "a week in 1953" series will be sent off to the lucky winner next week. i will randomly choose the winner this friday, so either leave a comment with your name and where you live or email me at terrakrebs@aol.com i can't wait to see where you are all coming from, anyone can enter; my french jewels, my canadian cuties, my belgium buddies, my english roses, and of course my american dears, wherever you are, i hope to hear from you! thanks again!!!

eye candy friday

this is one of our dogs as sketched and painted by my talented hubby.

i bought this cute little card for h's room. its made out of a very thin wood by night owl paper goods. they have some great designs (my image is not the best). yesterday i got the biggest kick out of seeing one of my bunnies on another blog, a very stylish french blog,  les esthetes. its even more fun to have a connection to france as i lived there for a year when i was 21. its been so long. france me manque. j'espere de revenir un jour. merci pour visiter mon blog! c'est chouette!
no sewing as of late. its been so nice and sunny, lots of time outside, at the park, running errands, pulling weeds, planting tomato plants, watching the birds.....have a great weekend! take time to watch the birds! bon fin de la semaine!!!!

artist, su blackwell

artist su blackwell via ma petite theiere is quite something. she creates small scenes from the actual book. be sure to click on "installations" and watch her discuss her piece "1000 origami birds for carly 2003". brought a tear to my eyes. also not to miss is the commercial for beringer wine. soooooooo great!!!!! i showed it to my hubby and he summed it up perfectly, "there is so much talent in this world." amen brother, amen.

audrey goes swimming

"audrey at the swimming pool" is the latest and now my most favorite audrey. of course, each one i make becomes my favorite of the moment. but she is too cute in her red polka dotted bikini. who doesn't love a little girl in a swimming suit....so precious. i'm posting this to my shop today at a special price as she still needs some pattern tweaking but is still cute enough for some little lucky girl! i plan on sewing a cover dress for the little swimming audreys soon! i can't get enough of her belly button!!!

bunnies to belgium

these little bunnies are heading off to belgium. happy b-lated mother's day to all the wonderful moms out there!

i've finally perfected the 'audrey coat'. this little set is heading off to a lucky little girl this week! i hope to get more audreys sewn this week as my shop is down to two!

eye candy friday-nostalgia

how fun is this! young me. now me via cup of joe asks participants to send in two photos, an old version and a current version in the same pose. who can resist a little boy (or older versions of these boys) in plaid pants! 

i guess you could categorize david horvitz as a performance artist. his website again via cup of joe features many items for sale like this:
If you give me $68.33 I will take an old-friend out to dinner or lunch. I will take a photo of the both of us together. I will mail you the photo, tell you what we ate, and briefly describe our history as friends. For each purchase this will be used for a different friend. click on items sold to view just how fascinating this is. i am especially intrigued that he sells his secrets.hmmmmm...

who can forget their first biology class where we were forced to dissect a frog. the crafty hedgehog brings these memories back by knitting, yes knitting, a less smelly version. check out her froggy mustached "marcel the mime" too! have a great weekend!

doll organization

i want to keep track of all the "outfits" that audrey wears. as i roll out more items for her, i want to be able to tell people what goes with what doll. so here is my system. fabric swatches with the corresponding doll. i believe i have the coat finally perfected! yah!

more coats and a story

i keep sewing coats for audrey dolls and i keep getting it not so right. this is the 2nd teal coat i attempted. the first was too small around the body and the button wouldn't close! WHAT?  it was the first coat i had executed with an actual pattern that i had traced from the last jacket i made and it didn't translate. (sigh)...

and this is one of two cream coats i made after i lowered the button, increased its size and tweaked the sleeves. i still haven't made one worthy of audrey actually wearing it but soon i hope! the other project that i must finish is my first wholesale order! Woohoo! 10 little bunnies are heading to belgium. i'm working with the sweetest lady! i'll let you know the shop once they are delivered.

bunny tails

my husband said an interesting thing the other day. all these bloggers that also have shops, we are not just selling our creations, we're selling a story! i had never thought of it that way but it is so true! so here is part of my story, as i try to keep it real here at little big pants and not just share my successes. the above image "iron oops!" is the perfect example. i was working on bunny bellies, ironing on an interfacing backing when i mistakingly placed the sticky side down. one should learn from one's mistakes, right? well my friends, this is the 3rd blasted time i have done this! not to mention the countless times i have sewn one right side to one wrong side. there you have it, perfectly imperfect! my story will continue...

a coat for audrey

upon my sister g's request, audrey gets a swing coat. as modeled by "audrey at the beach". this is still a "mock up" but pretty darn close to how i envision the finished product.

i plan on going to my favorite little notions/fabric shop today and choose some very fancy vintage buttons! (keep a look out!)

tweaking still to come, sleeves, collar... and below my process. three muslin mock-ups and then to the felt. i thought i had nailed it with my 3rd muslin attempt but sewing it in felt with the exact same pattern didn't translate as felt is thicker and doesn't stretch. thus 3 more coats using felt until it fit audrey just right! it didn't feel complete until i added a collar. it's pretty darn cute, if i do say so myself.

eye candy friday-lemons!

i just bought a yard of this for a new friend for audrey. isn't it so springy and juicy. i can't wait to sew it into a dress or skirt or??? still working on what her new friend is going to be wearing...the fabric is by sandy gervais for moda, called fresh squeezed citrus berry in lemon. there are a few different colors available.

what i won't see strolling down the street in my town. how cool would this be. "hey watch out for that lemon" i would be picking lemons all the time (i wonder if there is a law against this in more tropical places?) spring here in minnesota is the pits, cold, snow and wind. but when life gives you lemons....make lemonade! pic courtesy of grismarengo