Butterick 5497–Purple and Gray

Another repeat pattern, first time for Erin
Review here and blogpost here
this time again for Erin, from a ITY purchased at Joann’s several months ago.

and the back

Simplicity 2181–Pink and White

A repeat pattern for my sewing, first time for Erin


blogged here and pattern review here

This time from a very nice pink and white knit from Joann’s.

Close up of the gathers

My only change was to hand sew a few stitches at the bottom of the       v-neck so the top wouldn’t be so low.

Happy sewing!

4th of July desserts

Kailtyn worked her baker's magic and made a couple of fantastic desserts for our 4th of July party with family and friends.

First a cake from Bird on a Cake

Kailtyn added some ribbon and piping on the side

Next the favorite of the day, Push-up cakes
You can check out the details at Betty Crocker and here are Kaitlyn's

Flowers

Thank you all for the kind comments on my dress from the last post, I appreciate each and everyone.  Many of those comments had something about my flowers and Andrea asked who was the gardener.  Well, the answer is Me!
I thought I would share some pictures today from my flower gardens.  The main one is a big “U” shape off of our deck.  But the shape is an upside down “U”.
I bought some new blue pots for the deck this year and my wave petunias are doing fantastic

Nest we step off the deck and to the left starts the biggest flower bed, which part is next to the house.


As the bed curves around you come to a water feature.  This runs very rarely as there is a hole somewhere and I have to fill it daily to run it (which I do not do).  I do like how it looks and the dry water feature is fine with me.

From the water feature, the bed curves out into the yard.  This part is what you saw in yesterday’s post.

anther view


Now there is an arbor that leads to the pergola and the swimming pool.  I have a gorgeous climbing rose on this arbor along with a clematis on each side. The clematis are gorgeous in the spring.  I usually do not have to cut the climbing rose back but after last year’s hot and dry July and August, the rose was not in the best shape.  So it is starting over

The bed now is the other leg of the “U” shape and runs parallel to the pool.  The next few pictures picture were taken from the arbor



I took some pictures from the end of the bed looking back.




At the front of the driveway I have two flowerbeds on each side.  One is beautiful and filling in so nicely, it is around our flagpole.  The other is suffering with the heat and poor soil, no pictures of that one today!
The flagpole bed is on the east side and the sun was bright this morning so the colors look a bit off.  The bed is a mix of daylilies, roses, a couple of yews, marigolds, summer phlox, black-eyed susans and Russian Sage

A closer view

Now one last bed, this one separates the house yard from the barn/machine shed yard.  A long raised bed with roses and ornamental grasses and evergreens.


Hope you enjoyed the look into my garden.  I like more of a cottage-themed garden with flowers everywhere.

Simplicity 2580–View D

I have made this once before for Erin.  Here is the review and here is the blog post.
A couple of weeks ago, I was at Paige’s and we were going to shop at Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn and Home Goods.  I remembered a independent fabric store I had visited years ago and I did an internet search.  It was still open and I showed Paige the address, my lucky day, it was one block off the road we were on.  I purchased this fabric and one other piece for a top.
My dress was suppose to be the maxi-length but I only purchased 2 yards of fabric, so change of plans.
This pattern is quick to sew and I really like the drape front, it doesn’t drape too low.

Should of put on my sunglasses, every picture I was squinty eyed!