The Gambler

So today, Cory and I are celebrating our 7th anniversary. Only he's back in CA, and I'm still in UT (in between two Utah weddings... long story). Which is a totally lame way to celebrate an anniversary. Apparently, after only working for a company for 3ish months, one doesn't build up much vacation time, and the most important days to be together are others' actual wedding days.

Sort of.

Anyway.

Before Cory left (actually, on our trip out here), he put together a new mixed cd for me, mostly of songs I'd requested, but he also added in a few new gems. One of the songs I hadn't listened to before, but was by a band I'd mentioned that I love called fun. Are you familiar with fun.? They used to be the Format (or the other way around?), and I love them. Very dramatic, very entertaining lyrics, and are just generally really great to sing/belt along with. So this particular song he left me, he told me he liked a lot. So I started paying more attention to it. Turns out it is a beautiful little ballad about life and love. And I like it, a lot. Just like Cory. :) So, since I don't get to spend today with him, I've been listening to this song, reminiscing about the days when we met, how we started dating, when we got married, and how lucky I am to have him for eternity, raising our family together. I don't think I realized just what a commitment I was making when I married Cory--I realize more and more every day how lucky I am to have married him. I could not ask for a better husband or father. I realize how cliche this sounds, but he truly is my very best friend. There is no one else on earth I can talk to like I can talk to him. I am so, so, so blessed.

The song is called The Gambler, and can be heard here (I don't know how to embed YouTube videos, sorry). As our relationship grows deeper and stronger, and we watch those of our friends either get stronger, or fall apart, I realize just what a gamble it can be, choosing a spouse for eternity, and I am so grateful I've been so lucky to have chosen Cory, and that he is willing to have me by his side. I am still so in love. More so than ever, really.

Flower Girl Dresses

So a few weeks ago, my soon-to-be sister-in-law (holy hyphens!) asked me if I'd consider making flower girl dresses for my girls and their two cousins. I, of course, jumped at the chance, as I love having an excuse to buy fabric and think out ideas for how to make something look nicer. I was concerned, though, as most of my projects turn out... iffy. But, I put together a list of cute ideas, most with tutorials, so I figured I'd be safe. Of course, she chose the one dress on the list that I didn't have a tutorial for, but I decided to go for it anyway, and try to recreate the dress (with a few alterations, as the bride requested (and I gladly obliged to)). And so, 2.5 dresses later, I present you with my first official J. Crew knock-off/flower girl dress:

(the front) and then the back (notice the invisible zipper, yeah, I'm kind of awesome like that):

Oh, and see that little bit of gingham peeking through there?

well, turns out I'm slightly crazy, and decided to make the dress basically reversible. It was the only way I could figure out to get the layers just right, and to keep the bodice beautiful inside with no exposed seams (some of us aren't so lucky as to have a serger).

The only issue with a zipper in a reversible dress is that it's not so invisible on the inside... but I'm ok with that. I love the gingham so much!

The original dress looked like this:

I still need to finish the sleeves. I can't decide if I should just roll them under and top stitch them, or use white bias tape (the yellows are slightly different shades, so I don't want to put the yellow on the inside dress... if that makes any sense at all), or do a handstitched invisible stitch to close them off. And I need to add a sash, just need to check with the bride on whether she wants them to tie in the front or the back. Maybe I'll somehow just do loops, so it can be moved from front to back anyway... hmmm. Not sure yet.

Anyway, I'm pretty darn excited about how they're turning out. 1 down, 4 more to go. The first one is always the hardest and longest to figure out, right? Right. Hopefully someday I'll have better pictures in real light with a girl inside the dress, but for today--I'm too excited not to share. :)

Raise your hand if you love yellow circle-skirt dresses (raises hand crazily)!! After this, though, I don't think I'll be working with yellow for at least a little while. Seriously.