tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38076583179736636262024-03-14T01:22:12.570-07:00Our Geeky AdventureThe Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.comBlogger562125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-59400722487832691902023-05-25T04:00:00.001-07:002023-05-25T04:00:00.144-07:00Crafting Adventures: Butterfly Dress<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqW1kE3cQCrefYehH6GHG8D5CUvCY1Kt8TdJFiQ-4LNcW44XRF3K3xfjlTnlkC4GfjOQorfklRXhyvSxEcIx2CcMNsP8M45Klys5zUtehmi1eFjmm5XLV-oa_DdRU7kL6rvjIddM6gJ2w3mLFYswp6YgXK8L66ac-4UC7LRJsFCJfrIUdZvVykuj2i/s4272/IMG_5621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqW1kE3cQCrefYehH6GHG8D5CUvCY1Kt8TdJFiQ-4LNcW44XRF3K3xfjlTnlkC4GfjOQorfklRXhyvSxEcIx2CcMNsP8M45Klys5zUtehmi1eFjmm5XLV-oa_DdRU7kL6rvjIddM6gJ2w3mLFYswp6YgXK8L66ac-4UC7LRJsFCJfrIUdZvVykuj2i/w266-h400/IMG_5621.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Last weekend was the Father/Daughter Dance at school, so I took the opportunity to whip up a pretty new dress for Miss Chief that would look lovely on the dance floor. The theme was "Boots and Bows", a country music vibe, so she decided to wear what she now lovingly calls her "Anne boots" which we bought for her <a href="https://ourgeekyadventure.blogspot.com/2023/03/crafting-adventures-anne-of-green-gables.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Anne of Green Gables photoshoot</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2vPMRMjnKdkurZxVISqriERfeRvOMRQADC9IY1ObvuDREndLja-wtXH8eZ5C-VaY7f_2YhIqhrNDPHEpcKAt8tUnchi7FMgx6jl52V9SzvgDHHLo4vnMlyiQr6_oaAndmtaXNlnb7ADJjt45ur6olfLkFGgemNFsoNStCaMoSTLrBClT1UGBEcDM/s3333/IMG_5618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3333" data-original-width="2222" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2vPMRMjnKdkurZxVISqriERfeRvOMRQADC9IY1ObvuDREndLja-wtXH8eZ5C-VaY7f_2YhIqhrNDPHEpcKAt8tUnchi7FMgx6jl52V9SzvgDHHLo4vnMlyiQr6_oaAndmtaXNlnb7ADJjt45ur6olfLkFGgemNFsoNStCaMoSTLrBClT1UGBEcDM/w426-h640/IMG_5618.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p>She picked out the butterfly fabric at JoAnn <i>ages</i> ago- I was originally planning to do the Simple Life Pattern Co. <a href="https://www.thesimplelifecompany.com/product/blaire/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Blaire ruffled maxi skirt</a>, but the season passed and then I ended up using that pattern for her Christmas look instead. I have a bunch of summery dress patterns I've been itching to make, and these beautiful butterflies were just begging to become a sundress, so I landed on the <a href="https://www.thesimplelifecompany.com/product/myas-ruffle-bodice-circle-skirt-top-dress-pdf-sewing-pattern-for-kids-sizes-2t-12/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SLP Co Mya</a> dress. I originally bought this pattern with the intention of making the peplum top version first, but then the dance was approaching and I needed to decide on a dress so I went for the longer length instead.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2z8TrKKjzMssrS_fbTzEzcrrpugViCAU46WeEua9Mdm323h05u3x6V8ZjJxHQKOl-KAlREBQLRVPz02Y6MzRGktSzlziI9hSjeueJXPrsU1Op7Tpu-F4hNenM280sZfyTnG0CkIgM4jwqlmmtApotx7s7Zf85J7j57hxlpDyLLf0X-z85Z8kDJ89/s3519/IMG_5615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3519" data-original-width="2346" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2z8TrKKjzMssrS_fbTzEzcrrpugViCAU46WeEua9Mdm323h05u3x6V8ZjJxHQKOl-KAlREBQLRVPz02Y6MzRGktSzlziI9hSjeueJXPrsU1Op7Tpu-F4hNenM280sZfyTnG0CkIgM4jwqlmmtApotx7s7Zf85J7j57hxlpDyLLf0X-z85Z8kDJ89/w426-h640/IMG_5615.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p>This was a very easy sew and I didn't run into any major problems. I ended up not top stitching around the neckline/the top of the bodice but I don't think it suffers for it. The bodice is lined and as long as you take care when clipping the curves and press it when you turn it out, it's very crisp and clean even without the top stitching.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvPhISkrBzieOXTMlcTLPoZUy5HU6yOTc1HL1739jVORTMqUZQR_TAimXK8NxjYAnvga1t4dD45cpu4q_bdq1TX6U2aMspelHUPOJInQSJIz2e5rMecouPvBU7jiNcwh9itEn9XD2VJKTfhw6OR-1tkrO0PnDtePHB2NN_kGXJq9iKvM0FcPU4SLD/s4272/IMG_5613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvPhISkrBzieOXTMlcTLPoZUy5HU6yOTc1HL1739jVORTMqUZQR_TAimXK8NxjYAnvga1t4dD45cpu4q_bdq1TX6U2aMspelHUPOJInQSJIz2e5rMecouPvBU7jiNcwh9itEn9XD2VJKTfhw6OR-1tkrO0PnDtePHB2NN_kGXJq9iKvM0FcPU4SLD/w426-h640/IMG_5613.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p>Of course the real star of this dress is the back. The straps are 4 separate pieces that you tie together to tighten as needed, and you can either tie them straight up-and-down or in an X pattern like I've done. I figured criss-crossing the straps would lend added stability for her while she was jumping around on the dance floor. The back can be made either a solid rectangle with channels for elastic which mimic shirring, or the three straps as I've chosen to do. I made this in a size 8 which fits her like a glove, but I did end up needing to take in the elastic straps, about an inch off the top one and a half inch off the middle. There are no traditional side seams on this bodice- the front is one piece that wraps around about a third of the way on each side of the back and connects to the elastic straps. If I had done a fitting before putting it together, I would have just cut the elastic shorter; my solution is a little less elegant, but it's on the inside of the dress so I don't really care. I did the gathered skirt option due to the amount of fabric I had to work with, but this would have had even more twirl factor with the circle skirt option.</p><p>I hope she gets a lot of wear out of this gorgeous dress this summer! I can't wait to make a bunch more light and airy summer dresses. Let's see what I've got in my stash...</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-4666366577223836472023-05-23T04:00:00.001-07:002023-05-23T04:00:00.128-07:00Spring 2023 Wrap-Up<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZivOdLwjoMO-jtpHcZ-tT0rguUKwF3Zm1OTlTknDkmjqbS71ItwY4rjVzZT6KaRkBB6BRCMQGBcRqD1-R3bugpc0YiP6ZhzhjsdbCzRHAp90X4MwCvfDXunabP5Wmw0mX2-dR5H8q-vtwoq5T3RcxiVB5--ME-aYQjMw-trhHe6RqwFI_hxpy3jtf/s1902/IMG_20230409_133046_159.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1902" data-original-width="1902" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZivOdLwjoMO-jtpHcZ-tT0rguUKwF3Zm1OTlTknDkmjqbS71ItwY4rjVzZT6KaRkBB6BRCMQGBcRqD1-R3bugpc0YiP6ZhzhjsdbCzRHAp90X4MwCvfDXunabP5Wmw0mX2-dR5H8q-vtwoq5T3RcxiVB5--ME-aYQjMw-trhHe6RqwFI_hxpy3jtf/w640-h640/IMG_20230409_133046_159.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Yet again, the past few months have been a whirlwind, and I haven't been posting life updates to the blog the way I typically do. Here's a little rundown of what the past few months have brought to the Geek family:</p><p><br /></p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrDsWxKvVkv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrDsWxKvVkv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0px;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0px auto 12px; width: 50px;"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px;"></div> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); width: 12.5px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0px; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); transform: translateY(16px); width: 0px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; transform: translateY(-4px); width: 16px;"></div> <div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); height: 0px; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); width: 0px;"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrDsWxKvVkv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Mrs Geek (@ourgeekyadventure)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>We celebrated Easter with my parents, sisters, and their families. <a href="https://ourgeekyadventure.blogspot.com/2023/04/crafting-adventures-floral-finery.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I made</a> the dresses that the girls wore, and the tie that Peanut wore. The cousins had a blast playing together.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXjOsvBRgdLT0jjUqC6yAA57QfzfeB8GAo14qb3jRHzMJYu24oxbzPxQi7bzUAt2WLwKxuAAQmn_TiEAgb5LyTTvlbWy4jW7c_06YmNior8FrLPM9PRmBxvgtaCv-SeDlezyWBCMm09xSni9s_1CrJNSejpk4SgNl5HCjrLgOB1ViPMP_INckg-eq/s3275/PXL_20230409_170703199.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3275" data-original-width="2456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXjOsvBRgdLT0jjUqC6yAA57QfzfeB8GAo14qb3jRHzMJYu24oxbzPxQi7bzUAt2WLwKxuAAQmn_TiEAgb5LyTTvlbWy4jW7c_06YmNior8FrLPM9PRmBxvgtaCv-SeDlezyWBCMm09xSni9s_1CrJNSejpk4SgNl5HCjrLgOB1ViPMP_INckg-eq/w480-h640/PXL_20230409_170703199.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>Little Bean turned 2 years old! She loved eating her Happy Birthday Cake at her Happy Birthday Party while everyone sang Happy Birthday to her. Her favorite gift was her "puter", a little LeapFrog "laptop" that she likes to "work" on while Mommy works.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr9M4UkPNzk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr9M4UkPNzk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; 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font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px;"></div> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); width: 12.5px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0px; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); transform: translateY(16px); width: 0px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; transform: translateY(-4px); width: 16px;"></div> <div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); height: 0px; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); width: 0px;"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr9M4UkPNzk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Mrs Geek (@ourgeekyadventure)</a></p></div></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Miss Chief was in a couple of performances of <i>Cinderella</i> with her ballet studio. She played several roles, but her favorite part was her feature as the court jester, the Prince's little assistant during and after the ball. She got a chance to show off the cartwheel she has worked so hard to perfect, along with her pantomime and comedy skills.</p><p>We're quickly approaching the last day of school! No snow days this year means we actually get out a few days early, and yet it still feels as though the productive part of the year has ended. It really makes me wonder why we're sending them in for two weeks of parties and field days, but I guess it's good for them to have time to spend with their friends without the pressure of doing actual work.</p><p>How has your spring been?</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p><p> </p> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-23716060495533557792023-04-25T04:00:00.001-07:002023-04-25T04:00:00.144-07:00Crafting Adventures: Colorblocked Shorts<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQi8aaDLeEO5AwbcB9mSO3yGqT7O0SKG1a5dBXlu6EO0tgfqpXC5bDe6sLmGlRWMdgXhhghgg1CeavfPTS1ImeE_Cf0e9yuFGJCdAxQ1vLLticVURMdZZeWqkS9c-ZIOAbPCTcT28XM2ZW6F1lTaNet3noqHZBI6ARVE4IA9ENiBCFYIqQ76EiMrW1/s4272/IMG_5596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQi8aaDLeEO5AwbcB9mSO3yGqT7O0SKG1a5dBXlu6EO0tgfqpXC5bDe6sLmGlRWMdgXhhghgg1CeavfPTS1ImeE_Cf0e9yuFGJCdAxQ1vLLticVURMdZZeWqkS9c-ZIOAbPCTcT28XM2ZW6F1lTaNet3noqHZBI6ARVE4IA9ENiBCFYIqQ76EiMrW1/w426-h640/IMG_5596.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I made a pair of shorts! If you've followed my sewing journey around here, you know that I typically stick to dresses for my little girls, but I've been wanting to branch out.</p><p>A little while ago, I purchased the Simple Life Pattern Company <a href="https://www.thesimplelifecompany.com/product/emilya-s-skinny-pants-capris-bermuda-shorts/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emilya pattern</a> for bermuda shorts, capris, and skinny pants without a real plan for what to do with it- I think it may have been on sale and I thought I'd probably need it eventually. Well, I've been eager for some scrap-busting projects this spring, and this pattern presented the perfect opportunity!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAEWhIAeL4pykUgN34I3xlQD9GpMoxt4wN3BcJuHSKaNICTcp2hmx72yQhHkuoNcXBumMeo6fS4TPFMs-u21C1MCjeF35OD7KxajVxfXUbk51ASZrRC5LERhDJMDaFKYRI_bmCpOz_7mknx2M3L2u11ov1ul37xvPfdpD3irFa2AZOM_MzwOg3Juf/s900/OurGeekyAdventure_colorblockshorts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAEWhIAeL4pykUgN34I3xlQD9GpMoxt4wN3BcJuHSKaNICTcp2hmx72yQhHkuoNcXBumMeo6fS4TPFMs-u21C1MCjeF35OD7KxajVxfXUbk51ASZrRC5LERhDJMDaFKYRI_bmCpOz_7mknx2M3L2u11ov1ul37xvPfdpD3irFa2AZOM_MzwOg3Juf/s16000/OurGeekyAdventure_colorblockshorts.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>I went through a phase where I would buy up tons of fat quarter sets whenever I was at the fabric store. I just loved the fact that they are pre-cut squares of coordinating fabric that just scream "cute project!" Obviously they are intended for quilting, but I always loved to use them to do <a href="https://ourgeekyadventure.blogspot.com/2015/02/crafting-adventures-decoupaged-letters.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">little home decor projects</a> or <a href="https://ourgeekyadventure.blogspot.com/2016/09/crafting-adventures-four-quarters-skirt.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">toddler-sized clothes</a>. For the past few years, however, they've mostly just been taking up space in my stash- <i>potentially</i> cute projects. In an effort to actually use them, I've started sketching up some ideas. My favorite idea is going to be very labor intensive, but this one was much quicker- and turned out so cute!</p><p>I had purchased 2 gingham print fat quarter collections a million years ago, and for this project I wanted to use the 2 blue and 2 red pieces for a pair of Americana bermuda shorts, perfect for summertime.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacPCXlbL6gJ5f0_FiNXYSmQvwSoweq8O3WI_RQcTEQwp0yC87shieB_5EMV0fVS1U41WKxMO0_iSd5dxfyKLe7cfKmr9av5LIe9lC6xPN79CcTSOnCDI29K2cFXuMhjLrdQKcSD8F6sHObgK6RoP5r2bhOMbvapsULUJ0qzf6089ZFA02RvqlZK7E/s900/OurGeekyAdventure_colorblockshortsfront.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacPCXlbL6gJ5f0_FiNXYSmQvwSoweq8O3WI_RQcTEQwp0yC87shieB_5EMV0fVS1U41WKxMO0_iSd5dxfyKLe7cfKmr9av5LIe9lC6xPN79CcTSOnCDI29K2cFXuMhjLrdQKcSD8F6sHObgK6RoP5r2bhOMbvapsULUJ0qzf6089ZFA02RvqlZK7E/s16000/OurGeekyAdventure_colorblockshortsfront.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>The Emilya pattern is super easy to follow. The waistband, pockets, and cuffs really lend themselves to a colorblocked styling which is just perfect for a stash-buster, even if you're not working with pre-cut squares. For the size 8 shorts, I was able to cut one front and one back leg from a single fat quarter with some creative positioning of the pattern pieces. To do the waistband, I cut 2 pieces that were half the required width (plus seam allowance) for the front and 2 for the back, and then joined them together before proceeding with the instructions. I did the same for the cuffs, except I didn't have enough fabric left to get the full width the pattern required while also including allowance for the extra seam, so they don't overlap quite as far on the outer edge as they are intended to.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquzY_CTBtLr8BeD6_RuMgxKAI9o3Xnx9E1s7jk_W_FMy7dRRmoz2tlSrzUcm5pjqENzKrLweN4ooI09rY5HPqNg3tBl_qXB_lqhjCXS_g1vDZ5Z_dzKOSwQ49BRC7Tnj0iw_QA4YkbSZ-wSFQdrrItkivB2dKj0JsQj1SEpUymJNXfMDlRg2CrBkx/s900/OurGeekyAdventure_colorblockshorts_back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquzY_CTBtLr8BeD6_RuMgxKAI9o3Xnx9E1s7jk_W_FMy7dRRmoz2tlSrzUcm5pjqENzKrLweN4ooI09rY5HPqNg3tBl_qXB_lqhjCXS_g1vDZ5Z_dzKOSwQ49BRC7Tnj0iw_QA4YkbSZ-wSFQdrrItkivB2dKj0JsQj1SEpUymJNXfMDlRg2CrBkx/s16000/OurGeekyAdventure_colorblockshorts_back.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>I cut the pattern pieces so that the colors would continually alternate all the way around the shorts. This means one leg is red in the front and blue in the back, and the visible part of the pocket in front is blue. It also means the waistband is half blue and half red in both the front and back, with the blue portion attaching to the red pant leg on both sides. Finally, the cuffs are oriented so that the blue portion of the cuff is attached to the red portion of the leg.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9V9N8YHC4wjTJA2QYIoREwq5werzxO19G8-DLmNub_dDl-XyhmH4kIIUZrseSYOlMya5DduI-Woa9VCKfHja-JMiGChJguGr0ZDcB7BYVi85ffBaLb79EH0I7ViqlD2g9hnCCG88pbhlDyCXWD-ToegCov2H9tJZM-mna7m2LF4uN9mDqRHE5nZh/s3435/IMG_5611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3435" data-original-width="2290" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9V9N8YHC4wjTJA2QYIoREwq5werzxO19G8-DLmNub_dDl-XyhmH4kIIUZrseSYOlMya5DduI-Woa9VCKfHja-JMiGChJguGr0ZDcB7BYVi85ffBaLb79EH0I7ViqlD2g9hnCCG88pbhlDyCXWD-ToegCov2H9tJZM-mna7m2LF4uN9mDqRHE5nZh/w427-h640/IMG_5611.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br /><p>In terms of fit, I think these could use a bit more room in the crotch area, but that may be mostly due to the fabric choice. Quilting cotton is perhaps not the best idea for a child's shorts; a gusset may help this issue if you're not worried about the colorblocking aspect like I was. Although the elastic waistband does mean these are comfortable to wear and easy to take on and off, I think these shorts are going to be "fancy shorts", meaning they won't be a playground staple. I'd like to make these again in something heavier, like denim, and see how they look.</p><p>Once again I finished the seams on this garment with the overlock stitch on my regular home-use sewing machine (still no serger here!) and this time I filmed a little tutorial for Instagram- check it out <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrN1GdDOz-5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>!</p><p>Do you like working with fat quarters or other pre-cut pieces of coordinating fabrics? Or do you prefer to shop by the yard?</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-75357925863726450142023-04-14T04:00:00.001-07:002023-04-14T04:00:00.171-07:00Crafting Adventures: Floral Finery<p><i>The following post contains affiliate links. If you click through one of these links and make a purchase, I may make a small commission from the retailer at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!</i></p><p>Happy Easter! If your family celebrates Easter, I hope it was a joy-filled day with lots of "alleluias" and a little bit too much candy.</p><p>I finally have a moment to share a look at the outfits I made for my kids to wear to Easter morning Mass. If you follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ourgeekyadventure/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, you may have been watching my nightly progress on my Stories.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUgEI5PKFhkCA-jQYct5W3KbAQTlJknKB0JvxZS0CpukS1pWXJ0ok5r16I97hZdyr8i3CMrPdsXI1gQWYI05UWmw5dwKxLtv_kdoQgJ-7KWTiQKjwiMHuthFM6LpGwsCD6aieQ4rP6baONaKfgFKTda72mW0GG_YLhfSQhJPSSfq0NizBWyN4JsI0/s3275/PXL_20230409_170703199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3275" data-original-width="2456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUgEI5PKFhkCA-jQYct5W3KbAQTlJknKB0JvxZS0CpukS1pWXJ0ok5r16I97hZdyr8i3CMrPdsXI1gQWYI05UWmw5dwKxLtv_kdoQgJ-7KWTiQKjwiMHuthFM6LpGwsCD6aieQ4rP6baONaKfgFKTda72mW0GG_YLhfSQhJPSSfq0NizBWyN4JsI0/w480-h640/PXL_20230409_170703199.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>When creating holiday outfits for my crew, I typically choose one fabric to feature and then some accent fabric depending on the garments I'm making, and each kid typically gets their own unique garment made in that same fabric. This time, however, I took my oldest to JoAnn- our favorite place to shop together- with only the vague idea that I wanted something floral. We found these quilting cottons in various colors and just could not decide on a single color, so this time each kid got their own fabric- Miss Chief in blue, Peanut in green and blue, and Bean in the pink and purple. To keep the outfits looking cohesive, I used the same pattern for the girls' dresses, but the little one got short sleeves and the oldest was sleeveless. I also chose a lace ribbon to use as trim on both dresses and to tie off the back, and used the same buttons on each dress. While it's certainly a departure from our usual single color palette, I think they look great together! Mr. Geek and I shopped our closets for our looks- I wore a blue floral dress and he wore a bright pink tie.</p><p>The dress pattern I used was the <a href="https://www.thesimplelifecompany.com/product/elouise/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elouise</a> from Simple Life Pattern Company. For my 9-year-old, I did the sleeveless option with the dress length gathered skirt. For my almost-2-year-old, I did the short sleeved version with the vintage length gathered skirt. I used a lovely lace ribbon for the long ties in the back and to trim the hemline of the skirt on both dresses. The back of the dress is really the star on this pattern.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcB1nyZV69PflXEFjSU3ivFuQhQfPiNW6o7T8-jJ57EaLpS6yIqK9EfNDJ7rw6RoE9dRLCw6rO8Yf_0hoQpjCE7pIwl5XJhazaXF54WMeANchW1JgQrqqEBVkJFEmMd28i1Q4gRsIKO1_El1JiKEl76APhp_Dvhtz1Qap5AjailMQN3o56y3J48uTt/s4032/PXL_20230409_171138764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcB1nyZV69PflXEFjSU3ivFuQhQfPiNW6o7T8-jJ57EaLpS6yIqK9EfNDJ7rw6RoE9dRLCw6rO8Yf_0hoQpjCE7pIwl5XJhazaXF54WMeANchW1JgQrqqEBVkJFEmMd28i1Q4gRsIKO1_El1JiKEl76APhp_Dvhtz1Qap5AjailMQN3o56y3J48uTt/w480-h640/PXL_20230409_171138764.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>For my son, I made the <a href="https://peekaboopatternshop.com/classic-necktie/?_ga=2.7859186.1382915958.1681398653-202390004.1674577156&ref=uTuP1MceoGgOH3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Classic Necktie</a> pattern from Peek-a-boo Pattern Shop. Unlike the many ties and bowties I've made for him in the past, this pattern is for a <i>real</i> tie. I was sort of in a hurry when whipping this one up and ended up not using the woven sew-in interfacing, which would have given it a sturdy, crisp feel- I will have to make sure to do that next time. The pattern also features adult sizing, so I'll have to make one of these for Mr. Geek next time, too! Peanut looked like such a handsome gentleman and received so many compliments on his dapper look.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuEg0VLIaewBKniKoIki6FulkBJu7LcMyjHZWaMGeAFyaat24Ouf47J74R-It78Azw_yep-cvQvTF5AeM40Q2PkgtuDRu6LLbMUvNHkjCcRn3vxkrJL5Vgu_ECEkiIcCBdQypQyGYOMDEKQBLjn1YjgsByd4YxUbGVIjQqfAm2N1nyTVzSrpePdjY/s4032/PXL_20230409_180518271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuEg0VLIaewBKniKoIki6FulkBJu7LcMyjHZWaMGeAFyaat24Ouf47J74R-It78Azw_yep-cvQvTF5AeM40Q2PkgtuDRu6LLbMUvNHkjCcRn3vxkrJL5Vgu_ECEkiIcCBdQypQyGYOMDEKQBLjn1YjgsByd4YxUbGVIjQqfAm2N1nyTVzSrpePdjY/w480-h640/PXL_20230409_180518271.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>We're lucky to be spending the Easter Octave with family. All of the cousins have really enjoyed this time together! And we look pretty great together, too.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrQB7WEjWoWqAf-MNkRz8MbQR0l9IqTKJS8U4uDVSiwYaBRDm_eUAC_1TpWzEuM2mYSeXCG-jorwKrOijph2Jhfc4RGsswdPsc7LDW2CXfGjyMnY21QjsRD_okSylNPTbIo-1vt9GHlbICyr54Vu6tIC4We8cuwmYmtx6dSfRiF78-2029X81fHZg/s1902/IMG_20230409_133046_159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1902" data-original-width="1902" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrQB7WEjWoWqAf-MNkRz8MbQR0l9IqTKJS8U4uDVSiwYaBRDm_eUAC_1TpWzEuM2mYSeXCG-jorwKrOijph2Jhfc4RGsswdPsc7LDW2CXfGjyMnY21QjsRD_okSylNPTbIo-1vt9GHlbICyr54Vu6tIC4We8cuwmYmtx6dSfRiF78-2029X81fHZg/w640-h640/IMG_20230409_133046_159.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Happy Easter!</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-67954174390860648462023-04-06T04:00:00.001-07:002023-04-06T04:00:00.190-07:00Crafting Adventures: Simple Floral Dress<p> <i>The following post contains affiliate links. If you click through one of these links and make a purchase, I may make a small commission from the retailer at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>By now you know how much I love sewing clothes for my kids. But I also have 2 nephews and a niece, and when I find a spare moment, I like to make things for them, too! My littlest Bean and her cousin were born just a week apart from each other; we're going to celebrate their 2nd birthday, along with their other cousin's 1st birthday, when we're all together for Easter next week. I wanted to sew a quick dress for my little niece but was afraid I wouldn't have enough time between finishing my kids' Easter looks and getting ready for the road trip, so I didn't prioritize this project. I figured I could dig through my stash and use a pattern that was already put together from something I'd made for one of my daughters. But then I was at JoAnn, picking up an extra roll of lace ribbon to finish the Easter dresses (if you follow along on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ourgeekyadventure/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">my Instagram</a>, you remember that saga) and as always, I perused the remnants and sale bins. I found the most darling floral print cotton knit, just over a yard, and knew I had to take it home with me. I hoped that I would have enough time to make something for my niece's birthday after all, but if not, this could eventually be a dress for either her or my own little Bean later in the summer.</p><p>Well, I finished the Easter looks with a few days to spare, and the worst of the packing was over, so I turned to <a href="https://peekaboopatternshop.com/?ref=uTuP1MceoGgOH3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Peek-a-boo Pattern Shop</a>, my favorite patterns for knit and stretchy fabrics, to find something that would be a quick make. I thought about using the <a href="https://peekaboopatternshop.com/delaney-dress-and-tunic-pattern/?ref=uTuP1MceoGgOH3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Delaney dress pattern</a> that I already owned- the one I used to <a href="https://ourgeekyadventure.blogspot.com/2023/03/crafting-adventures-toddler-sweater.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">upcycle my old maternity sweater</a>- but I perused the website just in case something stood out to me. Sure enough, I found the <a href="https://peekaboopatternshop.com/dakota-dolman-pattern/?ref=uTuP1MceoGgOH3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dakota pattern</a> for a Dolman-sleeved top or dress with optional sleeve ruffles. I knew that it would be a quick sew, the dress cut would be the perfect design for the bold floral fabric, and I had some leftover solid magenta knit from our <a href="https://ourgeekyadventure.blogspot.com/2022/10/happy-halloween-from-sonic-and-friends.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sonic the Hedgehog Halloween costumes</a> that would be perfect for the ruffles. Plus, I knew I'd be able to use the same pattern in the t-shirt cut without the ruffles to make shirts for my son!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yS38cAsD9AOnOiU6WGJ55Y-Wbh8UMZSov4lu7fF1zbrb9QZkANTdzGJr7ZMp3aCHCG0vGqAIpdwQ51ousdM9J-YlRya5Jmaa8CNYT5pciW_wFpakeZCdAsUEdyYVYB87b1e_Y8iFuFOl_f5JL24L4YnKhTaGHiO6J8sMqul1QKbIyogr5jTtTrMv/s2848/IMG_5579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="1899" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yS38cAsD9AOnOiU6WGJ55Y-Wbh8UMZSov4lu7fF1zbrb9QZkANTdzGJr7ZMp3aCHCG0vGqAIpdwQ51ousdM9J-YlRya5Jmaa8CNYT5pciW_wFpakeZCdAsUEdyYVYB87b1e_Y8iFuFOl_f5JL24L4YnKhTaGHiO6J8sMqul1QKbIyogr5jTtTrMv/w426-h640/IMG_5579.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p>Y'all...isn't she lovely? The Dolman sleeve design means that the sleeve and bodice are one continuous piece- so you simply attach the front to the back at the shoulders and side seams, hem the bottom and sleeves (or attach the ruffles to the sleeves), and add the neckband, and you're done! I chose to leave the hem of my ruffles raw since this material won't unravel and it gives them an airy feel. This was the first time I used the stretch stitch settings on my machine; I don't have a serger, so when I sew with knits, I typically use a narrow zig-zag stitch. This time, I tried the built in stretch overlock stitch for all the seams, and the triple stretch stitch for my top stitching. The neckline is still looking a bit wonky, so I clearly need more practice, but overall it's a really clean, professional look. I assembled everything but the neckline Tuesday night, and did the neckband last night. (I'm sure if my toddler had gone to bed when she was supposed to on Tuesday, I could have finished the whole thing then.) For me, that's a very quick make indeed!</p><p>If you love this pattern as much as I do, you can get it now for FREE by simply joining the Peek-a-boo Pattern Shop Facebook group or signing up for their newsletter! (Click <a href="https://peekaboopatternshop.com/dakota-dolman-pattern/?ref=uTuP1MceoGgOH3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> for more details!)</p><p>It just so happens that the first week's theme for Project Run and Play is "I can buy myself flowers", with an emphasis on bold floral designs, so I'm submitting this look to their <a href="https://www.projectrunplay.com/2023/04/season-27-sewalong.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Season 27 sew along</a>! Check out this season's themes and see if you have time to whip something up and play along!</p><p>Do you like working with knits? Got any tips to make my neck band less wonky?</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p><p><br /></p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-56228131236754726962023-03-21T04:00:00.012-07:002023-03-21T04:00:00.187-07:00Crafting Adventures: Toddler Sweater Dress<p> <i>The following post contains affiliate links. If you click through one of these links and make a purchase, I may make a small commission from the retailer at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!</i></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2PydMuL9RWssRVk7cuuGpVPeuFroI683MXHvR71-IUOSl9yoHWGOK9QiNGybG4rysrZSFXljmd8voE7wJQ_7LFqSWHKetPlCsTfsUqfQg24rQrsckHNAfc-Ip3VsKcNtmVL5C7sbRPQrHVReQho43UGxnUEFY9hMxCOvqmP4SVrTj7MbQ1_2MGP0/s3694/IMG_5557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3694" data-original-width="2463" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2PydMuL9RWssRVk7cuuGpVPeuFroI683MXHvR71-IUOSl9yoHWGOK9QiNGybG4rysrZSFXljmd8voE7wJQ_7LFqSWHKetPlCsTfsUqfQg24rQrsckHNAfc-Ip3VsKcNtmVL5C7sbRPQrHVReQho43UGxnUEFY9hMxCOvqmP4SVrTj7MbQ1_2MGP0/w426-h640/IMG_5557.jpg" width="426" /></a></i></div><i><br /> </i>We all have a fabric stash, right? Maybe it's scrap leftover from previous projects; maybe it's supplies you purchased for a project that you never got around to making; or maybe it's a small collection of "better snag this while it's on sale, I'm sure I can use it for something!" I've got...all of those. I've <i>also</i> got an ever-growing stash of clothing that no longer fits either myself or my husband but which is still in excellent condition. Now, I should probably consign or donate this clothing, but something about each piece makes me want to upcycle it instead.<p></p><p>When I was pregnant with my first baby, I was a tiny, cute pregnant lady who wore tiny, cute maternity clothes. By the time I was pregnant with my third baby, those tiny, cute maternity clothes were too small for my massive belly, so many of them entered the upcycle stash because I was still sentimentally attached to them. This white sweater is one such piece- I wore it for our Christmas card picture where we formally announced my second pregnancy:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUSMtr53J63DiNsS_wckl7ZWeW6IWZlG988YAhAmfLKB1O7NuFnPD3utAenSzRWt4-NJKXGRuvt4hY0oWdcdKATeqbBSSPG1tV6L7ntYQoSaCO8zCO0Gd74WLgY29uW7BHzHK_hPssXdTOjnb67oALWTgkLubMncE9IcXESrAgDA0wIZOOCFRdbRtu/s600/christmas2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUSMtr53J63DiNsS_wckl7ZWeW6IWZlG988YAhAmfLKB1O7NuFnPD3utAenSzRWt4-NJKXGRuvt4hY0oWdcdKATeqbBSSPG1tV6L7ntYQoSaCO8zCO0Gd74WLgY29uW7BHzHK_hPssXdTOjnb67oALWTgkLubMncE9IcXESrAgDA0wIZOOCFRdbRtu/s16000/christmas2016.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Christmas 2016</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>In the week between Christmas and New Years this past December, when no one was quite sure what day it was and the world was a haze of wrapping paper and cookie crumbs, I picked up this sweater and decided to give it new life.</p><p>I used the <a href="https://peekaboopatternshop.com/delaney-dress-and-tunic-pattern/?ref=uTuP1MceoGgOH3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Delaney Dress and Tunic pattern</a> from Peek-a-boo Pattern Shop. I had already used this pattern once when making our 2022 Halloween costumes so I knew it was easy to follow and produced a cute, comfy, well-sized garment. Plus, upcycling generally comes with some shortcuts along the way (at least, the way I do it) so I knew I could throw this together in an afternoon.</p><p>I used the dress-length pattern with long sleeves, a regular banded neckline (no hood), and no kangaroo pocket in a size 2T to turn my maternity sweater into a simple A-line long sleeved dress for my toddler who was wearing size 2T in typical retail clothing. Because I wanted to take advantage of the cuffs that already existed on this knit sweater, I cut the sleeve pattern short by the length they would have been hemmed (3/4", per the pattern instructions). I used the sweater's original neck band to create the neckband for the dress and didn't need to worry about folding it in half because there was only a raw edge on one side. In the original pattern, the front hemline of the dress (or tunic) curves upwards in the middle, and the back hemline curves downwards, so that it is slightly shorter in front than it is in the back. I wanted to take advantage of the knit band that already existed around the bottom of the sweater, so I opted to not incorporate these curves. Instead, I cut both the front and back pieces so that they were the length of the shortest point of the front pattern piece. This resulted in a simple A-line silhouette with a straight hem all the way around (that I didn't actually have to hem!) and the whole dress came together rather quickly. Of course, a serger would have been the ideal machine to construct this garment with, but I don't have one yet, so instead I used a good ol' zig-zag stitch. <br /><br /></p><p>While I don't have step-by-step pictures of this make, I did create a little reel on Instagram that shows the construction (and some action shots of the finished product!) which you can see <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cnc0HckL3Mi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>The Delaney Dress and Tunic pattern is for sizes 3 months - 12 years and has many different options- dress or tunic lengths; hood or banded neckline; short, 3/4, or long sleeves; and an optional kangaroo pocket. </p><p>Have you upcycled anything lately?</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-3893205194218918192023-03-06T04:00:00.001-08:002023-03-06T04:00:00.584-08:00Crafting Adventures: Anne of Green Gables<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuv29zKZxUSb3OIrlwq0K7l952CI4Te4TLWcgqCPWh6CEadbTS2t9zP4_cEqha0vpBuBrkDSzpXDriPGnQINFkMH4m0qONqQo7IQcVo5wcJKfn1Kf3ZOu-_AH5QvI75ranrqQhBDlYw6KiUFaXL00PdwQ0PZm_z1fUQHroh114TPx6czIUZf4K3pI/s4272/IMG_5564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuv29zKZxUSb3OIrlwq0K7l952CI4Te4TLWcgqCPWh6CEadbTS2t9zP4_cEqha0vpBuBrkDSzpXDriPGnQINFkMH4m0qONqQo7IQcVo5wcJKfn1Kf3ZOu-_AH5QvI75ranrqQhBDlYw6KiUFaXL00PdwQ0PZm_z1fUQHroh114TPx6czIUZf4K3pI/w640-h426/IMG_5564.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>So even though it turns out our school only let kids 2nd grade and under dress up for it, we still had a lot of fun putting together a costume for Read Across America Day for my 3rd grader. We even did a photoshoot and put together a fun little film which you can check out over on my Instagram account.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0reAhdpZU6cMU4xJwgEhZPrekVnoyEx_lEtPsvwTvxWpAyJ0oBW5nwdpELGgTUetyI5tN552l2jPEQHlFR0tuZfXvVj1uC1bKEINe7pYcuzyHk9NjwSYgEIHFpUveOLYViAi11s_QmB0IoqDoC_GRSNd3tzN_6roWqSoMBHjSMQQOHyTCfdMqHHq/s4272/IMG_5573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0reAhdpZU6cMU4xJwgEhZPrekVnoyEx_lEtPsvwTvxWpAyJ0oBW5nwdpELGgTUetyI5tN552l2jPEQHlFR0tuZfXvVj1uC1bKEINe7pYcuzyHk9NjwSYgEIHFpUveOLYViAi11s_QmB0IoqDoC_GRSNd3tzN_6roWqSoMBHjSMQQOHyTCfdMqHHq/w426-h640/IMG_5573.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Once again I turned to the Oliver + S <a href="https://oliverands.com/community/blog/2016/09/introducing-the-oliver-s-building-block-dress.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Building Block Dress book</a> to create my own pattern for both the dress and the pinafore. Here's a look at the pattern alterations I made, as well as some mistakes I would create were I to do this again.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vsAW1qVCp3EhSR2paXqorUepTQEf06aUFj1w7UluXXvtojiG4dvKB_p56Qfd6Z-Gz8m0Zl1siyT2EgkuB_KaNaUhnNU-Ip6aWnVnrjudO4BnkyWSnl_wWYH_Ry6GIjrYDQUQrq8yxly1JOEFxsya4jNbH3k4Dx8KO5AiynZpnIuCga-Ft5kvsjss/s2995/IMG_5567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1996" data-original-width="2995" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vsAW1qVCp3EhSR2paXqorUepTQEf06aUFj1w7UluXXvtojiG4dvKB_p56Qfd6Z-Gz8m0Zl1siyT2EgkuB_KaNaUhnNU-Ip6aWnVnrjudO4BnkyWSnl_wWYH_Ry6GIjrYDQUQrq8yxly1JOEFxsya4jNbH3k4Dx8KO5AiynZpnIuCga-Ft5kvsjss/w640-h426/IMG_5567.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><p>I used the Building Block Dress book to draft an empire waist bodice with buttons in the back, a Peter Pan collar, a gathered ankle-length skirt, and simple long sleeves with elastic cuffs. To make the elastic cuffs, I measured the wrist end of the original long sleeve pattern and cut out a rectangle of fabric which was the same width and 2 3/4" long. Rather than stitching together the sides of the bodice and then inserting the sleeves, I inserted the open sleeves while the bodice sides were still undone. I attached the cuff piece to the wrist of the sleeve, then folded it up and over and top stitched it in place, so that I had a rectangular tube attached to the bottom of each sleeve. Then I measured the circumference of my little Anne-girl's wrist and cut a piece of 1" elastic to that length, inserted it into the cuff, and stitched down both ends. I gathered the front and back skirt pieces separately and attached them to the front and back bodice pieces, then sewed up the side seams last, doing the sleeve, bodice, and skirt side seam all in one go. This is not how the book instructs you to assemble the dress, but it worked best for how I wanted to create this.</p><p>For the pinafore, I created another empire waist bodice, but this time I lined the bodice and gave it a square neck. The pinafore is slightly shorter than the dress, and the back gathered skirt is two separate pieces so that it stays separate in the back, with pearl snaps on the back of the bodice portion only. </p><p>I bought a green queen size flat sheet and a white full size flat sheet at the thrift store to upcycle for this project. I love using bedsheets for these historical-inspired costumes, like when I made our <a href="https://ourgeekyadventure.blogspot.com/2022/10/concerning-hobbits.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hobbit outfits</a> for last year's Renaissance Festival. Working with thrifted bedsheets gives you a lot of fabric for pretty cheap, and I love being able to "cheat" by using the already finished edges for my seams and hems- the large hem at the top of a flat sheet looks fantastic as the hem of a long dress like this.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyQJjPZtR6bpqrhGg-509TbID8iP8WkpXQUkCS0Bu8rEoBmRnVgzNOSL7N0kGWfl_IfmzPr153-DHET_mObHq5Eeox2hIvIOUX6mQMyeXObWyNtw0hqV8movmwFXLib2NhciA88HvN5pnkYOFArqp77XtxDnZ7Py2CEtTmsl24Kn7Pr_z0A2DApqvc/s1682/IMG_5568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1682" data-original-width="1122" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyQJjPZtR6bpqrhGg-509TbID8iP8WkpXQUkCS0Bu8rEoBmRnVgzNOSL7N0kGWfl_IfmzPr153-DHET_mObHq5Eeox2hIvIOUX6mQMyeXObWyNtw0hqV8movmwFXLib2NhciA88HvN5pnkYOFArqp77XtxDnZ7Py2CEtTmsl24Kn7Pr_z0A2DApqvc/w426-h640/IMG_5568.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p>I definitely made some mistakes with this costume. First things first, my girl is between sizes. I assumed that, since the empire waist is not form-fitting, I could use the smaller size (the one that corresponds better to her waist measurement) since it's free-flowing in the hips, but I would have done better to just size up. I sized up for the pinafore and it fits much better in the shoulders than the dress. (I was planning to size up for the pinafore either way, however, because it was going to be worn on top of the dress.) You can tell most obviously in the sleeve- even with the added cuff, the sleeve is much too short (although I wanted her to be able to push them up away from her wrists and have them stay put either way, because she doesn't like sleeves that touch her hands- but these sleeves became 3/4 rather than long sleeves). I think my biggest mistake was in drafting the empire waist bodice, however. I did not give myself enough room beneath the armscye- I believe I gave 1/2" exactly, which is the seam allowance, so the waist line lies even with the bottom of the arm hole, making the shoulder fit much too tight. I should have lowered the waist by about an inch to give us more wiggle room there. Finally, I chose the wrong fabric for making the pinafore. The only white sheet I could find at the thrift store was this knit, t-shirt-like material. I interfaced the "button" placket but it simply would not cooperate for sewing on buttonholes. If I were better at making buttonholes I'm sure I could have conquered it, but instead I admitted defeat and installed snaps for a closure. Of course I did this while a rambunctious toddler was pestering me and I was angry about the failed buttonholes, so one of the snaps is installed backwards! You can't tell when the other two are closed, however. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrWzY9gn1ZA3G0SQXJ30ygrDLDUpOl5lwzH5EouWzy7zCAeTtQ7Iw99buDFZJkwlM5T2NrXXi6aYQMSwffkHP9xjeHgsRAhY6uVZVVVCtM9edV9xFj4lVgBZmh5If5Z-yKmKfpaihJQLc3Sk6yo1aNZoaHDMxbGijv8dHUSf4mF9Wawh_59sdsgTl/s4272/IMG_5559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrWzY9gn1ZA3G0SQXJ30ygrDLDUpOl5lwzH5EouWzy7zCAeTtQ7Iw99buDFZJkwlM5T2NrXXi6aYQMSwffkHP9xjeHgsRAhY6uVZVVVCtM9edV9xFj4lVgBZmh5If5Z-yKmKfpaihJQLc3Sk6yo1aNZoaHDMxbGijv8dHUSf4mF9Wawh_59sdsgTl/w640-h426/IMG_5559.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>We found the boots at The Children's Place and the hat at Target- it's intended for an adult so the brim is much too wide, but I think that and the too-short sleeves are perfect for Anne Shirley when we first meet her in the book, as she would be wearing imperfect clothes that don't quite fit. </p><p>All in all, I'm really proud of this costume. It was a learning experience, and my girl is so happy wearing it.</p><p>Who is your favorite book character?</p><p>Much love, </p><p>The Geeks</p></div>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-46818779710518116782023-03-03T07:00:00.001-08:002023-03-03T07:00:00.173-08:00Crafting Adventures: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9nAuNCG_YrJAkPLjp9jUqORHRp8fNYJg7F7vpkE1QxAFgXvSNchl-C5dT-pEZoPGfNpAo4Q0TTyxSNNiWi6eKBIzeeRIuvdln4-AhFWZQjExTZZcOd3vH9aPYCaqshH1xmrKSFnbkX7CsjODPntlYCopTViXhtVxOBxn0CSQgbAxXEo-1XnU3KZtM/s4272/IMG_5576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9nAuNCG_YrJAkPLjp9jUqORHRp8fNYJg7F7vpkE1QxAFgXvSNchl-C5dT-pEZoPGfNpAo4Q0TTyxSNNiWi6eKBIzeeRIuvdln4-AhFWZQjExTZZcOd3vH9aPYCaqshH1xmrKSFnbkX7CsjODPntlYCopTViXhtVxOBxn0CSQgbAxXEo-1XnU3KZtM/w640-h426/IMG_5576.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Here's another look at what my kindergartener looked like for his school's celebration of Read Across America Day yesterday. He decided to dress as the mouse in <i>If You Give a Mouse a Cookie</i>.</p><p>The outfit was really simple to assemble. He wore a long-sleeved neutral colored shirt that we already had in his closet, and a pair of denim overalls. I made him some ears (which admittedly were a bit too floppy) and attached them to an old headband, and I made a pillow for him to carry around shaped like a chocolate chip cookie.</p><p>Here's a really simple how-to so you can make your own cookie pillow!</p><p><b>Supplies:</b></p><p>-a circular pillow form</p><p>-light brown fleece</p><p>-dark brown fleece</p><p>-tools to measure, cut, and sew</p><p>1. Lay your pillow form on top of your light brown fleece. Trace around the outside of the pillow, approximately 1/2 an inch away from the pillow all the way around. Alternatively, you can measure the diameter of your pillow and draw a circle on your fleece which is 1" larger in diameter than the pillow.</p><p>2. Fold the rest of your light brown fleece in half. Draw another circle the same size as the one you just drew. Find the horizontal diameter of this circle (that is, the exact midpoint line, running side-to-side) and then measure down 2". Draw a straight horizontal line at this point, slicing off the bottom of the circle.</p><p>3. Cut out this new partial circle from your folded fleece, resulting in 2 identical partial circles.</p><p>4. Free-hand cut out some vaguely chocolate chip shaped pieces of your dark brown fleece. Pin them to your full circle piece, randomly distributed around the right side.</p><p>5. Attach the chocolate chips to the front of the cookie by sewing all the way around each shape with a zig-zag stitch. I use one with a short length and a wide width. Go around twice to make sure it's good and secure.</p><p>6. If you wish, you can fold the straight edge of each partial circle towards the wrong side by half an inch and stitch them down to hem these pieces. I chose not to do this as the fleece will not fray, but it could give your pillow cover a cleaner look.</p><p>7. Lay one partial circle piece on top of your cookie front, right sides together. Lay the other piece on top of that, right side down, so that the straight edge overlaps the other piece's straight edge. By this I mean that if your first partial circle shares its rounded edge with the top of your cookie front and the horizontal line lies below the center line, then your second partial circle should be flipped upside down from this so that its rounded edge lines up with the bottom of your cookie front and the horizontal line lies above the center line. Secure all 3 pieces together with either pins or clips.</p><p>8. Sew the 3 pieces together with a straight stitch and a 1/4" seam allowance.</p><p>9. Turn your pillow cover rightside out and you will have what's called an envelope pillowcase. The overlapping pieces on the back can be spread open, you can stuff your round pillow form inside, and the back pieces can overlap again to keep it tucked in safe.</p><p>Check out this video on my Instagram page for a visual look at this tutorial.</p><p>Now, who wants a cookie?</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p><p><br /></p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-56794925016476053942023-03-02T04:00:00.005-08:002023-03-02T04:00:00.180-08:00Read Across America 2023<p> Does your school celebrate Read Across America Day? It began as a celebration of Dr. Seuss and the way his books inspire kids to read. Originally, the celebration at elementary schools across the country invited children to dress as their favorite Dr. Seuss character for a school day. The celebration has evolved to encompass all beloved children's book authors, and kids are invited to simply dress as their favorite book character. We love celebrating this day in our family- because we love wearing costumes, and we love books! This year only second grade and below are dressing up at our school, but my oldest still wanted a chance to put on a costume, so we did a little photo shoot this weekend.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4BMcccPb34_jYtKuWUwwB2gfG5Bo2-80HudzJKpTDax3q7nEMCbibDaZV5gFdIz5ArrhKD8_QaBCnAE2WPZ51eIwz98xdaBpOTkICXRZY2Uz84ttBtk1erS7BLY2KC3Atx4u4su3a-EeOso5_EJv6ybWnNEoV50CU_5kyyzC2LB13dfbKxSYVc4l/s4272/IMG_5564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4BMcccPb34_jYtKuWUwwB2gfG5Bo2-80HudzJKpTDax3q7nEMCbibDaZV5gFdIz5ArrhKD8_QaBCnAE2WPZ51eIwz98xdaBpOTkICXRZY2Uz84ttBtk1erS7BLY2KC3Atx4u4su3a-EeOso5_EJv6ybWnNEoV50CU_5kyyzC2LB13dfbKxSYVc4l/w640-h426/IMG_5564.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Here's our Anne Shirley, from <i>Anne of Green Gables</i>, making up stories and getting into trouble. I'll share in another post about how I made this dress and pinafore out of a couple of thrifted bedsheets.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgqpp5Obhhavm8BwR9WphshHh3x5kS6mqujtxBm12KoBZKxkajTYu_ARP-0-rzXdmPA_RXVo34DpR4oYUuYN4dIwDckIm_Rq0arjEVM4n1BPq-uWL5Ygh_GUQbL7vdL1NpMgFcpMqaJzFfSNoyn9XaOVPBUeai1AfgV2IZFl2hQwDnoBWpQvRi3cv/s4272/IMG_5576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgqpp5Obhhavm8BwR9WphshHh3x5kS6mqujtxBm12KoBZKxkajTYu_ARP-0-rzXdmPA_RXVo34DpR4oYUuYN4dIwDckIm_Rq0arjEVM4n1BPq-uWL5Ygh_GUQbL7vdL1NpMgFcpMqaJzFfSNoyn9XaOVPBUeai1AfgV2IZFl2hQwDnoBWpQvRi3cv/w640-h426/IMG_5576.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>And here's my little mouse with his chocolate chip cookie, from <i>If You Give a Mouse a Cookie</i>. He's excited to use his chocolate chip cookie pillow for rest time today!</p><p><br /></p><p>Who is your favorite book character? Have you ever had the chance to dress up like them?</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p><p><br /></p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-74155359719783862162023-01-27T03:00:00.001-08:002023-01-27T03:00:00.172-08:00Crafting Adventures: Double Bow Tie<p> My two oldest kids go to a school that requires uniforms- rather formal uniforms, including ties for the boys. They have a sort of Spirit Week coming up next week where they get an out-of-uniform day, plus several themed days where they get to wear dress code-breaking accessories. One of those days is red-white-and-blue themed, and so I decided to whip up a quick red, white, and blue bow tie for my Kindergartener to swap out for his regular uniform tie. Also, it just so happens that <a href="http://projectrunandplay.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Project Run and Play</a> is hosting a Sew Your Stash link-up, so I was inspired to dig through my stash- specifically my scrap fabric pile from past projects- rather than buying new fabric. I did have to buy one notion for this project, which is the bow tie clip set that I'll show you later in the post.</p><p>I have made many a bow tie in my day, including a set for <a href="https://ourgeekyadventure.blogspot.com/2012/05/bow-ties-are-cool.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">all the men</a> in our wedding party. I've made several bow ties and regular ("fake") neck ties for <a href="https://ourgeekyadventure.blogspot.com/2021/04/crafting-adventures-easter-outfits.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">my little man</a>, too, using many different methods- snap tape, buttonhole elastic, Velcro... But I've never used an actual clip set to make a "real" clip-on tie before, and for whatever reason, I decided THIS project required one. Honestly I'm so glad I did it though, because the whole thing looks much more professional than any tie I've made in the past, and the best part is I can swap out the bow and always use the same neck piece (unless I want a different color, of course). And it was SO EASY.</p><p>For this quick project, you need:</p><p>-fabric for your large bow</p><p>-fabric for your small bow</p><p>-fabric for the loop around the middle (this can be the same as one of the bows, but for mine it's different)</p><p>-fabric for the neck piece (again this can be the same or complementary)</p><p>-a bow tie clip set, which can be found at JoAnn or other fabric retailers</p><p>-lightweight fusible interfacing</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavcjXNalx027Z8jbrlbVPnV3DJYWSOxJZ3galXRvBjSqxpL38RUKuQ_XTy_VeiSd2zNuTYoGKnSKzdgjNun88h3xnwf9YCfuri1SI5NOcBv2z6P0Km72gGjnH_lwv4JhagPGxiXo-gRn0VL7o3DITl1Vf8uSKqCa8bzNrdECrAGN9sDQhvS2QsNFi/s600/cutfabric_bowtie_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavcjXNalx027Z8jbrlbVPnV3DJYWSOxJZ3galXRvBjSqxpL38RUKuQ_XTy_VeiSd2zNuTYoGKnSKzdgjNun88h3xnwf9YCfuri1SI5NOcBv2z6P0Km72gGjnH_lwv4JhagPGxiXo-gRn0VL7o3DITl1Vf8uSKqCa8bzNrdECrAGN9sDQhvS2QsNFi/s16000/cutfabric_bowtie_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>1. To start, cut your fabric as shown in the image above. You need 2 large rectangles, 2 small rectangles, 1 neck piece, and 1 center piece for the bow. I used 10.5"x4" for the large bow, 8.5"x2.5" for the small bow, 18.5"x2.5" for the neck piece, and 2"x4" for the bow center. (Note that I took this photo with the original pieces of fabric I cut for this project, sorta eyeballing it, but later realized my center piece was too small and had to cut a new one. The dimensions listed here are the ones you need although the actual piece of fabric shown in the image is obviously smaller than the listed dimensions.) Finally, cut one piece of interfacing for both of your bows- I went with 5"x3" and 4"x2". Apply the interfacing to the wrong side of one large and one small rectangle.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYmlOQkHX6tIdf1i8O345phT0NiB1JEUhSsPm_zdILXgDnanXlkJHKzdFDparIjMSKTX8OtsSdKxsDvT1BrwD5M_eL1jNaexU_koZCgLtSM3VCjEQFxUFwKnArQ8aF87sn20PvZ5ybekFs-dbRB0kXwYeGctPeOD80TtlDK7FXZlAZSbOGPQn7-wP/s600/rectangles_bowtie_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYmlOQkHX6tIdf1i8O345phT0NiB1JEUhSsPm_zdILXgDnanXlkJHKzdFDparIjMSKTX8OtsSdKxsDvT1BrwD5M_eL1jNaexU_koZCgLtSM3VCjEQFxUFwKnArQ8aF87sn20PvZ5ybekFs-dbRB0kXwYeGctPeOD80TtlDK7FXZlAZSbOGPQn7-wP/s16000/rectangles_bowtie_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>2. Next, lay your two large rectangles right sides together and stitch around 3 sides, leaving one short side open, using a 1/4" seam allowance. Turn right side out and press. (To get really crisp corners, clip the corners before you turn it out.) Repeat with the small rectangles. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzLRoONbI8f1OgYuGS-FV-rvuQ-Uw87ubOSkDYdippTjHfgZ47N17lSgLSREkXyPYik6Cx5cCQ2itP9LVfruO_aD24NSPNTArf4rvRL8jxIcjb64zKZdraDYOheO7vK2nAC51uv78Elnk6jEyyd9vpOxNs4Y4aWeZP_Fy53y_G57SsCqvbJkbZQTS/s4272/IMG_5534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzLRoONbI8f1OgYuGS-FV-rvuQ-Uw87ubOSkDYdippTjHfgZ47N17lSgLSREkXyPYik6Cx5cCQ2itP9LVfruO_aD24NSPNTArf4rvRL8jxIcjb64zKZdraDYOheO7vK2nAC51uv78Elnk6jEyyd9vpOxNs4Y4aWeZP_Fy53y_G57SsCqvbJkbZQTS/w640-h426/IMG_5534.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>3. Next, take your large rectangle and fold it in half with the wrong side on the outside, lining up the short ends. Sew those short ends together with a 1/4" seam allowance, press the seam open, and then turn your newly-created loop right side out. Position it so that the seam is in the center and press flat into a rectangle. Repeat with your small bow. In the image above, the small (blue) bow is shown face up and the large (red) bow is shown face down.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh997KrwN_MZFGwu4w7zsLdnSt1FKs-EHjXKep-vWHXv_Q510Xqj5D12tph_s9Ioft6q7EUgKPZZoSD8SYZjNR9r9XkulzPynr4dwP0osaw5-WC--P5VanvMp_cV9ZLVTmWZiIn5xfNp6oG2WDUt4idQMD72VgiTLJXq6HORDOSyBINft0xY6qk9Usb/s600/centersection_bowtie_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh997KrwN_MZFGwu4w7zsLdnSt1FKs-EHjXKep-vWHXv_Q510Xqj5D12tph_s9Ioft6q7EUgKPZZoSD8SYZjNR9r9XkulzPynr4dwP0osaw5-WC--P5VanvMp_cV9ZLVTmWZiIn5xfNp6oG2WDUt4idQMD72VgiTLJXq6HORDOSyBINft0xY6qk9Usb/s16000/centersection_bowtie_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>4. Take your tiny rectangle, which will be the center loop holding the bows together. Fold it in half, right sides facing, so that the long edges match up. Sew down the long edge with a 1/8" seam allowance. Turn right side out; you will have a long tube. Fold that tube in half so that the raw edges are together, right sides facing, and sew the raw edges together with a 1/8" seam allowance. Turn right side out, and press flat so that the seam is in the middle. You'll have something that looks like the image above (only larger, because this one was my mistake piece).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLYTnOcSe8Kup1lD_xOfoGQoB9ftr3s75UuxsntBl1f2_Ijsc1yZbkPTita5mg8KIavjBmh_JbPSowm4OF52BvRwvuLaN7jhc2PeZgc0cHdq_xHtx5n0B9xirbnjZuKna9pmZWlrA8drIQ3TxQxJZChT2BMAbqzj3F1b2vIrZdW9spwVhekBdB9mp/s4272/IMG_5536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLYTnOcSe8Kup1lD_xOfoGQoB9ftr3s75UuxsntBl1f2_Ijsc1yZbkPTita5mg8KIavjBmh_JbPSowm4OF52BvRwvuLaN7jhc2PeZgc0cHdq_xHtx5n0B9xirbnjZuKna9pmZWlrA8drIQ3TxQxJZChT2BMAbqzj3F1b2vIrZdW9spwVhekBdB9mp/w640-h426/IMG_5536.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>5. Place your small bow on top of your large bow and squeeze them into an accordion shape. Slide the little loop over both bows.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRCxhJrnQDAymU_gkdsnSBBWiiVQv5nJHzm-c5YF_3IucKCclL4abTajdGb2FwYWDAsg8eA934JdkQ0-X66cAV-_WB0lKTImQk7VlsEwqFDdMKKLJoxklvnWh_H_KDYT68OQyyNJ6TsM-EMe6BwDzKWcztXn1CLWsQsm6JqBTlSDd7KPGw5_PIhNo/s4272/IMG_5538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRCxhJrnQDAymU_gkdsnSBBWiiVQv5nJHzm-c5YF_3IucKCclL4abTajdGb2FwYWDAsg8eA934JdkQ0-X66cAV-_WB0lKTImQk7VlsEwqFDdMKKLJoxklvnWh_H_KDYT68OQyyNJ6TsM-EMe6BwDzKWcztXn1CLWsQsm6JqBTlSDd7KPGw5_PIhNo/w640-h427/IMG_5538.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>6. Take your neck piece and fold it in half, right sides facing, so that the long edges match up. Sew down the long side with a 1/4" seam allowance. Turn the loop right side out and press flat with the seam running down the middle.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSb1OHcA7g7vhH1squUlkmDKDb0V90E6lVRwUe9bO8QqndVs40UxviGZXc-xBdzofNTFrNWM77sTAGPGyDlAeRGQlxxVH18ZCLYNJW3icqqms4rz_o4xel_VYxlgm4bXd69aKRNUstKw8zLYprF5c9Oh91Lf7b5FJcsT727sUNjArWeYiWw4Obu8sb/s4272/IMG_5539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSb1OHcA7g7vhH1squUlkmDKDb0V90E6lVRwUe9bO8QqndVs40UxviGZXc-xBdzofNTFrNWM77sTAGPGyDlAeRGQlxxVH18ZCLYNJW3icqqms4rz_o4xel_VYxlgm4bXd69aKRNUstKw8zLYprF5c9Oh91Lf7b5FJcsT727sUNjArWeYiWw4Obu8sb/w640-h426/IMG_5539.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>This is the bow tie clip set I used. I found it at my local JoAnn- I ordered curbside pickup so I wouldn't be tempted to waltz through the aisles grabbing more fabric I don't need- and the package comes with simple instructions on the back. You can also find packages of bulk sets that will make several bow ties, but I just wanted to make one first to make sure I could handle it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZO6max4MqBZV81rCI9_pcgmpOZIJZejyaEhET2Z48PYfUOXyCgQofabFnj0F1Ed9el-fbzTyHVgeYOr7QSVWI8ZVk7jRDy-gBkLo_uICHU-V_tzlbq9012LUfOi_788OVEPd2I2BD5yG-r3IGo0aVQmiBAHoP-JcTdBqwlJxXkOhWBeAAz5Mc5vwT/s4272/IMG_5540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZO6max4MqBZV81rCI9_pcgmpOZIJZejyaEhET2Z48PYfUOXyCgQofabFnj0F1Ed9el-fbzTyHVgeYOr7QSVWI8ZVk7jRDy-gBkLo_uICHU-V_tzlbq9012LUfOi_788OVEPd2I2BD5yG-r3IGo0aVQmiBAHoP-JcTdBqwlJxXkOhWBeAAz5Mc5vwT/w640-h426/IMG_5540.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>7. Follow the instructions on the package to attach the hardware. I highly recommend putting everything on and PINNING IT first, then attempting to hook it together, BEFORE you sew it in place, to make sure you have everything facing the right way.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9yoBf7K1j2WoIYBQVTcr73o9vN1hdmhFXJ00nBOUsmNTcgV7VtbE-PWTifjnrr2Qk75X_evqK-sIN1aBF5DbzcmucxZzDyNg3Igorm0gi2k9VRc4jfKpZcDO9bIbEi_g9UAoXO1s82p_0Nt5jHbSXTC6Rsg7CyZe6jqrgzHU5xP8wTkixkJEz7L0o/s4272/IMG_5541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9yoBf7K1j2WoIYBQVTcr73o9vN1hdmhFXJ00nBOUsmNTcgV7VtbE-PWTifjnrr2Qk75X_evqK-sIN1aBF5DbzcmucxZzDyNg3Igorm0gi2k9VRc4jfKpZcDO9bIbEi_g9UAoXO1s82p_0Nt5jHbSXTC6Rsg7CyZe6jqrgzHU5xP8wTkixkJEz7L0o/w640-h426/IMG_5541.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>8. Slide the neck piece through the back of the bow tie loop and you're done! The little slider bar that comes as a part of the hardware set can be used to adjust the strap, so this should grow with your child for quite some time. I can't wait to see how he looks next week!</p><p>I'm entering this post into Project Run and Play's <a href="https://www.projectrunplay.com/2023/01/sew-your-stash-giveaway-and-link-up.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sew Your Stash</a> linkup. All of the fabric came from my stash- my scrap stash, that is. The red fabric was used in this past year's <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmwbpWWrvXA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Christmas outfits</a>, the blue fabric was used in my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmH-9POLxva/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nutcracker costume</a>, and the white fabric had been hanging around in my stash forever until it finally became the lining in some of our <a href="https://ourgeekyadventure.blogspot.com/2022/10/concerning-hobbits.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hobbit costumes</a>. All of the fabric is from JoAnn.</p><p>Made anything for your little guy lately? Have you ever sewed with a bow tie clip set before?</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p></div>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-35053405032044718822023-01-13T04:00:00.001-08:002023-01-13T04:00:00.180-08:00Crafting Adventures: Fancy Pink Dress<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNNmTweP0wToObejXqKMOTxzqkCXRVF5ytkqqS8VQRVClmbKV5JCuy5qN9mak-lbakndO1QNbUoJv_hERBv3G0XuKabYhkkuqQJ19WwoI71Id8CEHC7N3FUDnvs-KypqEg_FIVvmtkjsdh-KhksAv79nCZcce85uZ_Y16Do0N5TF-4R0FhESSVnkX/s3474/IMG_4595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3474" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNNmTweP0wToObejXqKMOTxzqkCXRVF5ytkqqS8VQRVClmbKV5JCuy5qN9mak-lbakndO1QNbUoJv_hERBv3G0XuKabYhkkuqQJ19WwoI71Id8CEHC7N3FUDnvs-KypqEg_FIVvmtkjsdh-KhksAv79nCZcce85uZ_Y16Do0N5TF-4R0FhESSVnkX/w426-h640/IMG_4595.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Every year, the kids' school puts on a Father-Daughter Dance. This event typically takes place in January or February, near Valentine's Day, so last year, I assumed it would fall at the same time. I got it in my head that I wanted to sew up a sweet little Valentine's dress for our daughter to wear to the dance, but then I found out that it wouldn't be happening until later in the spring. Still, I couldn't be deterred, and decided to go ahead and make the dress I had in my head.</p><p>I saw this gorgeous dress on Pinterest, via <a href="https://www.sewmuchado.com/free-girls-ruffle-sleeve-dress-pattern/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sew Much Ado</a>:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.sewmuchado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Girls-Christmas-Dresses-Sew-Much-Ado-2443.jpg?w=732&ssl=1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="800" src="https://www.sewmuchado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Girls-Christmas-Dresses-Sew-Much-Ado-2443.jpg?w=732&ssl=1" width="533" /></a></div><br /><p>Her blog post includes a pattern and tutorial for a size 4 dress, but that wasn't the right size for my girl, so I turned to the Oliver + S <a href="https://oliverands.com/community/blog/2016/09/introducing-the-oliver-s-building-block-dress.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Building Block Dress Book</a> to draft my own pattern.</p><p>To mimic the Sew Much Ado dress, I altered the Building Block Dress pattern following the directions in the book to have an empire waist, keyhole button back, and bell sleeves with ruffles. I also loved the look of the lace overlay in the inspiration dress, so in addition to a lovely solid pink fabric, I used a tulle overlay fabric for the skirt that featured adorable little velvet bows. (Both fabrics and the cute pink heart button on the back are from JoAnn.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHx9Z-drZGhfAZUZzFx5ZH1PoebGE-omrLtWhYrPg_IO-sDtYHlbHhCg3EZJ1-8wMCG9o_1qCulYGoZiIXOfwQdO_fvnP8muE8t3skIviKDrkqcqWSevreFJvFiypIZChglCUjhDJax8zk9oT79buhvCNTopN4anQUja0whrpDOXYUqXEr3nhceDxs/s4272/IMG_4598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHx9Z-drZGhfAZUZzFx5ZH1PoebGE-omrLtWhYrPg_IO-sDtYHlbHhCg3EZJ1-8wMCG9o_1qCulYGoZiIXOfwQdO_fvnP8muE8t3skIviKDrkqcqWSevreFJvFiypIZChglCUjhDJax8zk9oT79buhvCNTopN4anQUja0whrpDOXYUqXEr3nhceDxs/w640-h426/IMG_4598.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>For the overlay, I did not double the width the way that I did for the skirt on the solid fabric, so it hangs rather straight instead of being full and gathered at the top. Also, to keep things looking neat, I used French seams on the side seams of the overlay. However, I did not hem the overlay- I cut it to the finished (hemmed) length of the solid skirt, knowing this fabric wouldn't fray. It is perhaps not as neat- my cut lines aren't super perfect- but I felt that hemming it or trimming it with something would weigh it down too much.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigV1BzOu6Ezbxq9uZOanS25SqONEpaRXOE_6Z99FAOo4yZ1x2rOwq_EEPazk7bOtxq-w3_1aPWeH8tZCtJCZ2j8iiFr-XfZVEC0tPgIo0YGhMMmUaYmCgGmJ0YjofJGCZdo8TUNaWGMyKppU0rWzD_L78StyIvjpjCKmx9TqiA2zYNzuQ7PQQekLzr/s4272/IMG_4597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigV1BzOu6Ezbxq9uZOanS25SqONEpaRXOE_6Z99FAOo4yZ1x2rOwq_EEPazk7bOtxq-w3_1aPWeH8tZCtJCZ2j8iiFr-XfZVEC0tPgIo0YGhMMmUaYmCgGmJ0YjofJGCZdo8TUNaWGMyKppU0rWzD_L78StyIvjpjCKmx9TqiA2zYNzuQ7PQQekLzr/w640-h426/IMG_4597.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I did make a few mistakes with this sew. For one thing, I way overestimated how big of an elastic loop I would need for the keyhole button back (you can see how it gapes in the above picture). During a fitting of the bodice, I just became so paranoid that the neck line would be too tight for her, so I cut a super huge loop. Oops!<br /><p>Also, the ruffles on the sleeves should probably have been longer. They are a sort of squat, awkward length at her elbows, but she's a little picky about sleeve length and requested that the sleeves not fall past her elbows, so this is what we ended up with. Maybe I should have just used wide bell-shaped sleeves with no ruffles at all?</p><p>Overall, I'm really happy with this dress. I know it's taken me a year to post about it, but it's been a busy year! I have improved a lot in my sewing over the past year, and I'm excited to share more of what I'm making with you here. My current project is also being made with the Building Block Dress book so stay tuned for that!</p><p>Do you have a favorite pink dress?</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-56993308758135448122023-01-09T16:00:00.001-08:002023-01-09T16:00:00.211-08:00Fall 2022 Wrap-Up<p> So, turns out a lot of stuff happened around here between <a href="https://ourgeekyadventure.blogspot.com/2022/10/happy-halloween-from-sonic-and-friends.html" target="_blank">Halloween</a> and <a href="https://ourgeekyadventure.blogspot.com/2022/12/merry-christmas-2022.html" target="_blank">Christmas</a>- stuff which I usually document here, but we were just way too busy. So rather than giving each a dedicated post, I'll just give you a little taste all in one. (If you follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ourgeekyadventure/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, however, you did indeed see some of these life updates!)</p><p><br /></p>
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font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px;"></div> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); width: 12.5px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0px; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); transform: translateY(16px); width: 0px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; transform: translateY(-4px); width: 16px;"></div> <div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); height: 0px; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); width: 0px;"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CjBzLOJLA4C/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Mrs Geek (@ourgeekyadventure)</a></p></div></blockquote><p>Little Bean turned 18 months old, and in her aged wisdom she decided to leave behind her high chair and sit only in a booster seat in a regular chair, using utensils and eating from her own plate just like everybody else.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3A3-AjeSGIeevt5hqNjNF8H5lwCrY_ZFUA18fWTfOFDz08m1WZ6j4baxZuqh-7DopdwI05i9nkiyzmRGDS3O_Fy1D_hBT74ak1ytYDOkLrKPJ5jEcbkqXEMdCqXUvuB8VtfqildJs1vPOzduBL7N0dlNY2MkPXxIrzzYngYNVLET_JHhMUx3f3CDp/s2128/IMG_5424.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2128" data-original-width="1419" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3A3-AjeSGIeevt5hqNjNF8H5lwCrY_ZFUA18fWTfOFDz08m1WZ6j4baxZuqh-7DopdwI05i9nkiyzmRGDS3O_Fy1D_hBT74ak1ytYDOkLrKPJ5jEcbkqXEMdCqXUvuB8VtfqildJs1vPOzduBL7N0dlNY2MkPXxIrzzYngYNVLET_JHhMUx3f3CDp/w427-h640/IMG_5424.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In November, Mr. Geek and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary. I had planned to write up this sweet list of marriage advice learned over ten years, but instead I'll leave you with this- we had our parents come and stay with the kids for the weekend and we spent two night in a sweet little historic inn half an hour up the road. That's it, that's the secret to ten happy years of marriage.<div><br /></div><div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClGy1EhLD4l/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClGy1EhLD4l/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0px;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0px auto 12px; width: 50px;"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px;"></div> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); width: 12.5px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0px; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); transform: translateY(16px); width: 0px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; transform: translateY(-4px); width: 16px;"></div> <div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); height: 0px; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); width: 0px;"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClGy1EhLD4l/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Mrs Geek (@ourgeekyadventure)</a></p></div></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Miss Chief celebrated her 9th birthday on <a href="https://ourgeekyadventure.blogspot.com/2014/02/chiefs-birth-story.html" target="_blank">the same day as our wedding anniversary</a>. The day after we got back from our little getaway, we had a big birthday party for her. She wore a dress that she designed and I made, and she invited all the girls in her class. It was the first big party we've had since the pandemic started and we all had a blast.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmcT-vYAlXi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmcT-vYAlXi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; 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font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px;"></div> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); width: 12.5px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0px; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); transform: translateY(16px); width: 0px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; transform: translateY(-4px); width: 16px;"></div> <div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); height: 0px; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); width: 0px;"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmcT-vYAlXi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Mrs Geek (@ourgeekyadventure)</a></p></div></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>In December, Mr. Geek and I joined Miss Chief for 3 performances of <i>The Nutcracker</i> with her ballet school. Every year, they ask for parent volunteers to dance as the parents in the party scene, and since Miss Chief was cast as a child in the party scene, we decided to go for it and join her on stage. It was a LOT of work but honestly we haven't had that much fun in a long time!</p><p>So yeah, that was our fall! Hopefully I can get back into posting here on a semi-regular basis. I sewed a lot of awesome things in 2022 and I'd like to share them with you!</p><p>What did the end of the year look like for you?</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks </p> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-9450271713801221242022-12-25T03:00:00.003-08:002022-12-25T03:00:00.168-08:00Merry Christmas 2022<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipg_-irKNXX1_fKucxAclE5DR5TRIx2kX1nhBVXTrt2e7ZCIOiS0ZwFQxnjHnp-veANKAEqrPADo4FQ_v0llWNwI9tfRD2TWRjD9DSjg-3Wjs0tpULSYopw2jiGISUglzrQEWe0fO7Ufhk9AraT2tHGPtXQgUjSX2MSHs3ih8Qrn5-5BHDY-7TkwbG/s3531/IMG_5464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2354" data-original-width="3531" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipg_-irKNXX1_fKucxAclE5DR5TRIx2kX1nhBVXTrt2e7ZCIOiS0ZwFQxnjHnp-veANKAEqrPADo4FQ_v0llWNwI9tfRD2TWRjD9DSjg-3Wjs0tpULSYopw2jiGISUglzrQEWe0fO7Ufhk9AraT2tHGPtXQgUjSX2MSHs3ih8Qrn5-5BHDY-7TkwbG/w640-h426/IMG_5464.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I know I haven't updated you lovely readers on any of the things that have happened since Halloween- I didn't post any costume tutorials, I didn't update you about Bean turning 18 months old, or Miss Chief turning 9 (!), or our 10th wedding anniversary (!!)- but here we are at Christmas, so enjoy this photo of this toddler in awe of the Christmas lights and her siblings in awe of her.</p><p>Merry Christmas,</p><p>The Geeks</p><p><br /></p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-49156769606440064232022-10-31T05:43:00.003-07:002022-10-31T05:43:33.926-07:00Happy Halloween from Sonic and Friends!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSMYmUdEbOuQgNvMGG5qUzEOmv_DTs4ZtAL-EZ7ttut_CmKqBR5knYy_oqS73jZ5yUGALFAsD7O5lQhLSvG-ZwNkvvXMrSYOv2UjCPE8Ct_Zl4yxGtwqU-GsiOXsw4GsxyMyC9PDgV0zO3_rNrWVJb_yYdGHbwPgS-07pwMIX32HY2Hrqfh5B0xeP/s600/SonictheHedgehogandfriends_OurGeekyAdventure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSMYmUdEbOuQgNvMGG5qUzEOmv_DTs4ZtAL-EZ7ttut_CmKqBR5knYy_oqS73jZ5yUGALFAsD7O5lQhLSvG-ZwNkvvXMrSYOv2UjCPE8Ct_Zl4yxGtwqU-GsiOXsw4GsxyMyC9PDgV0zO3_rNrWVJb_yYdGHbwPgS-07pwMIX32HY2Hrqfh5B0xeP/s16000/SonictheHedgehogandfriends_OurGeekyAdventure.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Gotta go fast!</p><p>Happy Halloween from Knuckles, Sonic, Cream, Amy Rose, and Tails, who really just wants to fly around and doesn't want to pose for pictures.</p><p>I hope you and your family zoom from door to door collecting candy this evening!</p><p>What are you dressing as for Halloween?</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-46026199110648793832022-10-11T08:12:00.004-07:002022-10-11T08:12:38.932-07:00Concerning Hobbits<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYXivKAvear6TgbMBj16mSBPZGG503zFTDOBnnBgOEJV8A9irUMOpQ8-WNMp32KBF7MhZ5hmFxpg75amyTaFFo_ge00uLpAe2p8_ZZDrAlbTEjIyEEhXO0g0CM8vtMQy78kojRQavYNn1eB7nD7nu5PQGlkzZVdcgkRioteZd032RsFBEZ8zmOrMXs/s500/hobbitkids_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYXivKAvear6TgbMBj16mSBPZGG503zFTDOBnnBgOEJV8A9irUMOpQ8-WNMp32KBF7MhZ5hmFxpg75amyTaFFo_ge00uLpAe2p8_ZZDrAlbTEjIyEEhXO0g0CM8vtMQy78kojRQavYNn1eB7nD7nu5PQGlkzZVdcgkRioteZd032RsFBEZ8zmOrMXs/s16000/hobbitkids_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This weekend, we attended the Maryland Renaissance Festival for the first time since before the pandemic. We don't always attend in costume, but it's always more fun when we do. This year, I was inspired to dress us all up as Hobbits- specifically, Sam and Rosie and (a few of) their kids.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6t1lNnfZi44cHWS7YS9UdMtx0qa6Npysk_PyZNSRse6bf31dkNAXa8SQHQwLBfQc1wcwPtsQiqFgHFlODDIv3zXaE9d9uZ-eqMDM9gQsLfX02Lb5iXsdA26aZVN80LlIlpOwfXZP4tqiosZkonCsegqrxr653XfwxreU_1R--jUrEKGel4OSbq6lm/s500/3hobbitkids_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6t1lNnfZi44cHWS7YS9UdMtx0qa6Npysk_PyZNSRse6bf31dkNAXa8SQHQwLBfQc1wcwPtsQiqFgHFlODDIv3zXaE9d9uZ-eqMDM9gQsLfX02Lb5iXsdA26aZVN80LlIlpOwfXZP4tqiosZkonCsegqrxr653XfwxreU_1R--jUrEKGel4OSbq6lm/s16000/3hobbitkids_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The weather was beautiful, but a little chilly, so we only posed barefoot for a handful of pictures. The rest of the day, these Hobbits wore sneakers!<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWL-GRmdnkUhCbuBWckT1ixLqA-tGgOdVYpNKA3VYbaovlKLi2gTHm5VMSuh4MpRPt0GQvg3IszKtb8Z98a5bamsswvWJk3CreX7XR8hYIzmo8Bd9WX2R2Sb2QP82gdp4LbkXREjYgcfnNMKVR7qInbA84vkw8r1zTwkXnXg_5hwhgICIglo-BTMrh/s500/samandrosie_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWL-GRmdnkUhCbuBWckT1ixLqA-tGgOdVYpNKA3VYbaovlKLi2gTHm5VMSuh4MpRPt0GQvg3IszKtb8Z98a5bamsswvWJk3CreX7XR8hYIzmo8Bd9WX2R2Sb2QP82gdp4LbkXREjYgcfnNMKVR7qInbA84vkw8r1zTwkXnXg_5hwhgICIglo-BTMrh/s16000/samandrosie_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>These pieces were all upcycled from clothing and non-clothing things I picked up at a local thrift store, as well as some items from my stash and scrap from other projects. There were a couple of things, like ribbons, hardware, and cording, that I needed to pick up to create cohesive looks (not to mention matching thread) but all in all these were probably 90% upcycle, which I feel good about.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now it's time to put together Halloween costumes!</div><div><br /></div><div>Do you have a renaissance faire near you? Do you like to go in costume?</div><div><br /></div><div>Much love,</div><div>The Geeks<br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-57258806921392939402022-07-12T12:08:00.002-07:002022-07-12T12:08:27.831-07:00Currently, Peanut is... {5 years}<p> <i>As ever, I'm late with the birthday update, but I think Little Man will forgive me. Five is such a momentous occasion, so we celebrated twice- once with family, in a giant joint celebration with my sister and me, since we both have birthdays in late June, and then again on the actual day with a trip to the movie theater, the toy store, and an ice cream parlor (for some oat milk ice cream). Here's a look at just how much this kid has changed over the past year.</i></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9i5M8yPa_DJTOExs9W5dBq4Z9pzz-FXiXCjNLK9T-Dnj9bQUTyaoGKsAKdipcgyyh7Um2RqCMFUK6E4NT3p1LsuBKSd8mlcTjvJUg5ermZRTiGhDyj7EKPgZnTzQ3509Zzh9QnYjcI9KR1emJGh1Pip3S_fXS8L3vOeXerqdD5wQ9tXpO_Tf6KZGw/s3050/IMG_3828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3050" data-original-width="2033" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9i5M8yPa_DJTOExs9W5dBq4Z9pzz-FXiXCjNLK9T-Dnj9bQUTyaoGKsAKdipcgyyh7Um2RqCMFUK6E4NT3p1LsuBKSd8mlcTjvJUg5ermZRTiGhDyj7EKPgZnTzQ3509Zzh9QnYjcI9KR1emJGh1Pip3S_fXS8L3vOeXerqdD5wQ9tXpO_Tf6KZGw/w427-h640/IMG_3828.jpg" width="427" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating 4th of July 2021 with his grandparents and baby cousin</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Currently, Peanut is a rising Kindergartener at our parish school. He will tell you he's not excited for Kindergarten, but I think secretly he is. Pre-K turned out to not be a nightmare after all- he loved his teacher, he met a bunch of wonderful friends, and he worked on his handwriting, drawing, and speaking skills. His report card showed a slight regression in progress when it came to his behavior during class, but that regression was tied directly to his opening up and making friends- turns out he was such a good listener at the beginning of the year because he was too scared to talk to anybody! Kindergarten is going to be a lot of fun, even if he doesn't know it yet.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhi9lH1Xh6z_0j5N67g4aecG9ORmq8N088wGXRyTRWZZpy5t3MUi8AgbzsSM-xxOxMXfSd1a9s5ZzogyHhOVGT2KUR2d1v1sPsS9_vGhAhj92hBuoPpobQQ89tfIVfdM7WNhAmJjP4g73PD-s6e6UDXiuO5BBpFRFvWK3xCu0Zbnc2Y549FGYVD1n/s600/ourgeekyadventure_sabinechopperezra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhi9lH1Xh6z_0j5N67g4aecG9ORmq8N088wGXRyTRWZZpy5t3MUi8AgbzsSM-xxOxMXfSd1a9s5ZzogyHhOVGT2KUR2d1v1sPsS9_vGhAhj92hBuoPpobQQ89tfIVfdM7WNhAmJjP4g73PD-s6e6UDXiuO5BBpFRFvWK3xCu0Zbnc2Y549FGYVD1n/s16000/ourgeekyadventure_sabinechopperezra.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halloween 2021, dressed as Ezra from <i>Star Wars: Rebels</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Currently, Peanut adores being a big brother- and a little brother, too, although maybe that's not quite as much fun. He will go to great lengths to get a giggle out of his baby sister, even causing himself slight injury, but it's all worth it for him to get that smile out of her. He wants to hold her and love on her, even though she doesn't want to be held and sometimes feels smothered. The middle child struggle is definitely real, since he's constantly being told he's too old for X but too young for Y, but he seems to balance in that tension rather well, all things considered.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyejjQU_OJi2GTEu7Wqq5WFmu7FnZDdaAFisbUsYC3jzTk-7mON-jateqbycfRnaaIemlVnASH2q0-rP2aUdhs5YlNn7a4yTM1pUUbPdEQUqU6L_mJpGLyUQZccOp9cufcEbOrq7hezEkYrAVRub6qdQyJbSUHZNDtDSzrHfAo2Ky7kfE06fTSzSe3/s4272/IMG_5191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyejjQU_OJi2GTEu7Wqq5WFmu7FnZDdaAFisbUsYC3jzTk-7mON-jateqbycfRnaaIemlVnASH2q0-rP2aUdhs5YlNn7a4yTM1pUUbPdEQUqU6L_mJpGLyUQZccOp9cufcEbOrq7hezEkYrAVRub6qdQyJbSUHZNDtDSzrHfAo2Ky7kfE06fTSzSe3/w426-h640/IMG_5191.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last day of Pre-K</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><b>Loving:</b> his baby sister; Pokemon cards; Sonic the Hedgehog; Spiderman; dinosaur chicken nuggets; board games; watching too much TV.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Hating</b>: any dinner that is not chicken nuggets or spaghetti with meatballs; bed time; turning off the TV.</div><div><br /></div><div>What is your little one up to lately?</div><div><br /></div><div>Much love,</div><div>The Geeks<br /><p><br /></p></div>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-16737815598036691912022-05-04T07:52:00.001-07:002022-05-04T07:52:09.737-07:00Crafting Adventures: Star Wars Dress<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicReN29QbD9OLWBI6XYmKj2m6Dlo9GTofZeXFZk5qb446oO7l1mJArlsxOBbPE3IOBX8_MhLjNObYcU7gJltwYlcHcYHcUQmmWsaxFI6aZcqk-0Z5Q_jreHmdehZ-ZdZm0bKH8yt9-qhNHGEt53NLthOBPneHyw9cuRaQ9vr9mIb9814ol1op_089f/s750/ourgeekyadventure_starwarsdress2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicReN29QbD9OLWBI6XYmKj2m6Dlo9GTofZeXFZk5qb446oO7l1mJArlsxOBbPE3IOBX8_MhLjNObYcU7gJltwYlcHcYHcUQmmWsaxFI6aZcqk-0Z5Q_jreHmdehZ-ZdZm0bKH8yt9-qhNHGEt53NLthOBPneHyw9cuRaQ9vr9mIb9814ol1op_089f/s16000/ourgeekyadventure_starwarsdress2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>May the 4th be with you!</p><p>...and with your spirit.</p><p>Wait, no, sorry, that's not the appropriate response. </p><p>But little Bean did in fact wear her brand new Star Wars dress to the Saturday evening vigil Mass this weekend and she certainly looked adorable in it!</p><p>A peasant dress is really the perfect design for a quick, easy garment- easy to sew and easy to put on and take off of squirmy babies.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYvTk59gXgcAtm39XUsN_gmPn4qppWAXfFg0i7-toOyMswLV3AjFA-2NZEnYFZ0rGzBha5zGmizavGDiD0o36zXW_UoggXIH-G1yYxGOuxrcFg4xG58nbPTe3Utrg24zis1HScuRZNNu-1uxMcBrWSaepxKVqruzMFOZ1oOXOnDWeTos3vogc_wWa/s750/ourgeekyadventure_starwarsdress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYvTk59gXgcAtm39XUsN_gmPn4qppWAXfFg0i7-toOyMswLV3AjFA-2NZEnYFZ0rGzBha5zGmizavGDiD0o36zXW_UoggXIH-G1yYxGOuxrcFg4xG58nbPTe3Utrg24zis1HScuRZNNu-1uxMcBrWSaepxKVqruzMFOZ1oOXOnDWeTos3vogc_wWa/s16000/ourgeekyadventure_starwarsdress.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>I used the <a href="https://www.scatteredthoughtsofacraftymom.com/howtomakeapeasantdress/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">free peasant dress pattern</a> from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom in the 12-18 month size and I love the fit. My little string bean is tall and thin for her age, and she's very mobile, so this tea-length is perfect.</p><p>I chose to do a simple hem on the short sleeves with no elastic, and rather than the 1" hem in the tutorial, I just trimmed the hem with a package of bias tape, so the overall dress is a tad bit longer than it would be if I had done a traditional hem.</p><p>I am committed to busting my stash this year- having to pack up my sewing room to move across town opened my eyes to exactly how much fabric I've been accumulating over the years. This fabric in particular was purchased way back when I was pregnant with my oldest (who is now 8!). It's a simple quilting weight cotton I picked up at JoAnn, and I had intended to use it to make a sheet for the crib to match her space-themed bedroom, but I ended up using a simple galaxy print instead and then running out of energy to make anything else. I still have a bit of this Star Wars print leftover, so big brother might be getting a Star Wars neck tie soon.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1CIiu6sYjwjDEBb5Pf1yTTzbMx0fEwRE85zTHvoZf_ORciSGgTZN4uJvRcr0FvPSljSDYzOb4KU46fhUvqWwN89cTbotBuqKzchEQJD8jJ6KVLbOrDdRDmmb141FB3aVDt7A0H21-8ym46aY6WAFrFszq-yfx8EBT8LBDBV-gBRjBJtyxnvzdWmYR/s750/ourgeekyadventure_starwarsdress3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1CIiu6sYjwjDEBb5Pf1yTTzbMx0fEwRE85zTHvoZf_ORciSGgTZN4uJvRcr0FvPSljSDYzOb4KU46fhUvqWwN89cTbotBuqKzchEQJD8jJ6KVLbOrDdRDmmb141FB3aVDt7A0H21-8ym46aY6WAFrFszq-yfx8EBT8LBDBV-gBRjBJtyxnvzdWmYR/s16000/ourgeekyadventure_starwarsdress3.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>How are you celebrating Star Wars Day?</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-25686950673272690602022-04-14T11:22:00.003-07:002022-04-14T11:22:55.376-07:00Currently, Bean is... {1 Year}<p> <i>Goodness, I can't believe it's been a whole year since our little Bean first shouted for the world to hear. Honestly- she hasn't really stopped shouting! But she has to be loud to be heard over her big siblings, who are so excited to celebrate her first birthday. Here's a look at the last three months.</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1U8ApEV8HDN8uYX_5cxTPDzouOqsMvBfRD3B9aSAf0hdKpin9yAc50uvx7n9KvpVrWj_7M9vVL6yeSj-pTm2GjrrpxsfzTBXBDP5lC-0TUrtI9i5Afz-Y71s7eR4Wt1lu_qsRoC_oeSGd1Pi-MVNYNSTuunWU--EpdnCW1Ico1lZGU8QblGLX9iO/s600/Bean10months_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1U8ApEV8HDN8uYX_5cxTPDzouOqsMvBfRD3B9aSAf0hdKpin9yAc50uvx7n9KvpVrWj_7M9vVL6yeSj-pTm2GjrrpxsfzTBXBDP5lC-0TUrtI9i5Afz-Y71s7eR4Wt1lu_qsRoC_oeSGd1Pi-MVNYNSTuunWU--EpdnCW1Ico1lZGU8QblGLX9iO/s16000/Bean10months_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><b>Growing </b>so tall! She might end up the tallest kid when they're all bigger, who knows? With each growth spurt, she she gains height quickly and weight more slowly, so her pants are way too short before the waistbands are too tight. It's so fun to see her wear the big kids' hand-me-downs- it's such a stark reminder of how much bigger they are, now, too.<p></p><p><b>Eating</b> when she's in the mood for it. She doesn't seem to dislike any particular food, but if she's not in the right mood, she'll just throw everything on the floor. If she starts swiping her hands in the air when you offer her something, it's best not to even put it on her tray- whatever it is won't be getting near her mouth. We recently took her to an allergist to confirm some suspicions about food sensitivities, so we're avoiding eggs and dairy in her diet (and, by extension, mine, since she's still breast feeding). I've found a few different vegan muffin recipes to whip up for breakfast that please everyone, but I think she likes steamed vegetables even more than muffins. Still, if given the choice, she would nurse for every meal- unlike her older siblings, she's not showing any interest in giving that up any time soon. I'm going to try and wean her from day time feeding but continue to let her nurse when she wakes up and when she goes to sleep (and any time she wakes up in the middle of the night) and hopefully she'll accept the fact that there won't be bottles at daycare anymore in a few weeks...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxz7Ha628archckkH3SqnGcx6lxYMKe4tUrhlePX7jyujnDTzWa4AQJSNWxV22w0V4pR7QW-YY7NO9eQ_9wTZoG7U3AzTptRuZE0Brq-tCKvy0dsUEpXcCbvTC1UWDDMfGB0x93DjJD2Zipmr9WXkptdhjWxzSahW6HPQyNtGzCb9hEre28XGRiox/s900/Bean11months_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxz7Ha628archckkH3SqnGcx6lxYMKe4tUrhlePX7jyujnDTzWa4AQJSNWxV22w0V4pR7QW-YY7NO9eQ_9wTZoG7U3AzTptRuZE0Brq-tCKvy0dsUEpXcCbvTC1UWDDMfGB0x93DjJD2Zipmr9WXkptdhjWxzSahW6HPQyNtGzCb9hEre28XGRiox/s16000/Bean11months_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Talking </b>in her own little language, all the time. She makes sounds like "Daddy" and "Mama" and even some that sound like "happy" and "baby" but I'm pretty sure she's just babbling sounds that feel good in her mouth, not attempting to use words with real meanings. She will have long conversations with us, or her toys, with no intelligible words, but boy does <i>she </i>know what she's talking about! And like I said above, she does shout an awful lot (particularly in church, or in the middle of the night) but it's a happy sound, so I don't like to shush her.</p><p><b>Making facial expressions</b> exactly like her brother, it's uncanny. Although, after hanging out with her cousins at Christmas, she started making a mischievous face, where she scrunches up her nose and shows you her teeth behind her little grin, and it looks exactly like the way her older cousin grins when he's proud of himself, so we like to think she learned that from him!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0LJLKZkP6Cxuo8Xq3J_o2xuRX9XasbKbq1bAScvqrhIPPP-Mk1ylYqywL20tSTC1jFeO5dVkVP7McV9eIXtlJ95TLUAA0iYkN05HzPIGXDzTUoqp1juFFbtWBNgHgw4nqcktDj5uWjiPBS3iRyZS2Yzz809B05cGobFT7IQr9iISxnRp2Fhj04Vf/s900/Bean12months_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0LJLKZkP6Cxuo8Xq3J_o2xuRX9XasbKbq1bAScvqrhIPPP-Mk1ylYqywL20tSTC1jFeO5dVkVP7McV9eIXtlJ95TLUAA0iYkN05HzPIGXDzTUoqp1juFFbtWBNgHgw4nqcktDj5uWjiPBS3iRyZS2Yzz809B05cGobFT7IQr9iISxnRp2Fhj04Vf/s16000/Bean12months_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <b>Listening to</b> every word her siblings say (and then babbling right back at them). And she loves to dance to music, even if it's just the theme song to whatever cartoon the big kids are watching on a weekend morning. <p></p><p><b>Sleeping</b> when Mommy is not around, apparently? Because she certainly doesn't sleep at night, and she certainly doesn't sleep in her own bed. Our daycare provider assures me she takes long naps in a bed on her own without being held, but I don't know, I'll believe it when I see it. Mr. Geek keeps saying, "Don't worry, she'll start sleeping through the night soon...any day now..." but I think he's jinxing us.</p><p><b>Loving</b> being held; nursing; loud music; grabbing Mommy's glasses off her face; walking; climbing the stairs; chasing the big kids at the playground; broccoli; carrots; hearing her voice echo.</p><p><b>Hating</b> shoes; having her diaper changed; getting undressed; getting dressed; sitting in the car seat.</p><p>So here we are! I can't wait to see what she thinks about cupcakes at her birthday party this weekend...</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p><p><i><br /></i></p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-17551902828702034562022-01-15T19:11:00.001-08:002022-01-15T19:11:16.263-08:00Currently, Bean is... {9 months}<p> <i>Holy moly she's 9 months old- I know it's cliche to ask "how did that happen?" but seriously how did that happen??? I'm still constantly sleep deprived so the days just sort of...run together and now all of a sudden she's not this tiny, squirmy newborn, and her first birthday is right around the corner. Let's talk about the last three months...</i></p><p><b>Growing</b> at a slower pace now, so I can keep up a little better. She's still very tall- pants are always too short for her- but she's not super chubby like she used to be. Now that she pulls herself up to stand (!!) it's always so shocking to see how tall she is.</p><p><b>Eating</b> breastmilk still, and she's really gotten the hang of solid foods. We had sort of a relapse with our bottle feeding problems after Christmas break- 2 weeks of just nursing whenever she wanted spoiled her a little bit, and she really fought the bottle on her first day back at daycare. She's back in the swing of things, though, and will drink the whole bottle without a fight (so long as the right person is feeding her- literally only one person in the world can give her a bottle without her fighting it- and so long as it's the exact right temperature and so long as she's allowed to hold the bottle but the person feeding her is not allowed to let go and so long as...) She doesn't have time for your spoons and purees- if something is being served with utensils, she'll hold them, thanks. She will tolerate applesauce in a pouch, but only if she's allowed to hold it. She likes things she can gnaw on, like carrot sticks and broccoli florets and even pizza crust. She really likes picking up those little star-shaped puffed rice snacks; she'll concentrate on it and pick up one in each hand, pinched between tiny fingers and thumbs, and then hold them out and show them to you. And then she'll giggle and put them in her mouth and crunch with her two tiny, sharp teeth at the front of her mouth.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSTGkm-6lLWVX0bCrRRfWtapiSU2LMlyRRVXvfcS6DJotqJJK9KzSxUCdLx4GrU65P6HizOu4XOZSWbzii6EObFZzb2qqHxsmuoy7IZTYj-Wic3Ll6m7fmqRXVUMMJ9klK7mD-0V6xKzkMFQdLoCCmo4cNKdxG7DuyqZkw0qnH1sPxt-M59UMpnzxv=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSTGkm-6lLWVX0bCrRRfWtapiSU2LMlyRRVXvfcS6DJotqJJK9KzSxUCdLx4GrU65P6HizOu4XOZSWbzii6EObFZzb2qqHxsmuoy7IZTYj-Wic3Ll6m7fmqRXVUMMJ9klK7mD-0V6xKzkMFQdLoCCmo4cNKdxG7DuyqZkw0qnH1sPxt-M59UMpnzxv=s16000" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Talking</b> a lot now, surprisingly- at least a lot more than her brother was at this age. She loves to whisper "dadada", but she'll also say "nuh nuh nuh" while you change her diaper and "guh guh guh" while she plays with her siblings. She doesn't blow as many raspberries nowadays, but when she does, she seems to be timing them for comedic effect. There's still lots of squeals and sometimes she'll just sit in her high chair at the dinner table and just...yell. Just open her mouth and scream one long, continuous sound, like the lead singer of a metal band. You will not have a conversation without her.</p><p><b>Making facial expressions</b> like the little clown she is. She got to play with her cousins over Christmas, one of whom is just over a year old than her. He scrunches up his nose when he smiles, and I guess she liked that so much that she's started doing it, too. If she does something mischievous or otherwise thinks she's being particularly clever, she'll scrunch up her nose and squint her eyes and smile with her whole face, just like her cousin. It's a purposeful expression, different from the way she smiles when something makes her happy or when she laughs.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-cv8cgFuX4Dd2u8Y5dLs8OiwxmKXVMCX0jWYZm9hbUdmpWK1PabjRkzsEJ2o_FZtTZlibfteeFzqhMf4Yzl6I_XM7IzbFfmpHhUGAO3sv6qhEz_hcfw6dcyqh7fLFzPu9T5H0nuT-B85HtnG3z1CX3yhpz6-T_rO5r1wvNNCtIpu_5blNLZlnUwgM=s900" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-cv8cgFuX4Dd2u8Y5dLs8OiwxmKXVMCX0jWYZm9hbUdmpWK1PabjRkzsEJ2o_FZtTZlibfteeFzqhMf4Yzl6I_XM7IzbFfmpHhUGAO3sv6qhEz_hcfw6dcyqh7fLFzPu9T5H0nuT-B85HtnG3z1CX3yhpz6-T_rO5r1wvNNCtIpu_5blNLZlnUwgM=s16000" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Listening to</b> every word her siblings' say, studying the sounds they make and the way their mouths move. She's not quite parroting them yet, but any minute now I expect I'll be hearing her repeat them. For now, she's definitely taking notes. She also pays attention when we say family prayers; she definitely recognizes Grace Before Meals and will get excited because it means food is coming, but she also likes when we say bedtime prayers. She doesn't seem to mind when I sing to her anymore- for a while there she seemed to not like it, but now she just laughs. </p><p><b>Sleeping</b> at daycare for naps, but not at home. At home, she'll only nap if she's being held, and we're still struggling through the night 2 hours at a time (sometimes 3, but that's it). We're full time co-sleeping again because it's just too much of a hassle to get out of bed so many times during the night. Surely, one day she'll sleep through the night. Surely....</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeED9fRFryWy8qeRGkRdoxbrAkJYEbUWE03It2YTaYfy3xX0c8mWtCoTaC62OCmfOy9JamtPzvDPPKWTv-lrOnugHVzZ3a7IYG5j19K-V7U5nxjfyAU9l_bi028_SpA1VJy7EEEefURtJha8W9gRzgee1m3JCix3v6ee2KguALSJCRkPlTX2gaJqmg=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeED9fRFryWy8qeRGkRdoxbrAkJYEbUWE03It2YTaYfy3xX0c8mWtCoTaC62OCmfOy9JamtPzvDPPKWTv-lrOnugHVzZ3a7IYG5j19K-V7U5nxjfyAU9l_bi028_SpA1VJy7EEEefURtJha8W9gRzgee1m3JCix3v6ee2KguALSJCRkPlTX2gaJqmg=s16000" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Loving</b> her singing red panda that was a Christmas gift from her big sister; the multitude of teething toys she now has at her disposal; standing up; crawling away too fast for you to catch her; feeding herself; her two older siblings.</p><p><b>Hating</b> diaper changes; putting on clothes; getting buckled into the car seat; bedtime; jackets.</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-55536669742389413532021-12-25T09:59:00.003-08:002021-12-25T09:59:45.955-08:00Joy<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhs2Sdf2capokGVR02jeHVrXX99Ofb3WdQTy4_DVenPbJsotdvAC4OcAVcViRMdt-FGIhK6atLdIy2pN7gkoYIfP9Gz46evDrEHXzAwQ_ZNvCZsSQSutkiyYxHCB72UVma2FOPeug1h2sH0D8beer0I6fl6k80CpJ0q8uLZW7aZLDcTDRjvkbXLO-Zc=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhs2Sdf2capokGVR02jeHVrXX99Ofb3WdQTy4_DVenPbJsotdvAC4OcAVcViRMdt-FGIhK6atLdIy2pN7gkoYIfP9Gz46evDrEHXzAwQ_ZNvCZsSQSutkiyYxHCB72UVma2FOPeug1h2sH0D8beer0I6fl6k80CpJ0q8uLZW7aZLDcTDRjvkbXLO-Zc=s16000" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>May this Christmas bring you joy...</p><p>...however that looks in your current circumstances.</p><p><br /></p><p>Merry Christmas!</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-20467219286230153372021-11-11T06:57:00.002-08:002021-11-11T06:57:18.901-08:00Nine.<p> <i>Yesterday was our eldest daughter's <a href="https://ourgeekyadventure.blogspot.com/2021/11/currently-chief-is8-years.html" target="_blank">8th birthday,</a> which means we've been married 9 whole years now.</i></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc90qLlliqtXbdLB_9FKPmkUeEg00ZakDzOZrAsXRJLPTPJLF_9ZZwkISirOEo4ltves6-6y7DF50yxzq9-H25aQodNgqQyqKePY_hbYL5CeCB6x3XODw2SLIuo75mfXkFz2gFSYT_evY/s900/OurGeekyAdventure_KananHera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc90qLlliqtXbdLB_9FKPmkUeEg00ZakDzOZrAsXRJLPTPJLF_9ZZwkISirOEo4ltves6-6y7DF50yxzq9-H25aQodNgqQyqKePY_hbYL5CeCB6x3XODw2SLIuo75mfXkFz2gFSYT_evY/s16000/OurGeekyAdventure_KananHera.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halloween 2021</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I ship us.</p><p>There are two kids who meet at summer camp for nerds. They live in different states, he's about to head off to college, she's going into her senior year of high school. They instantly fall for each other, their first kiss is incredibly awkward but incredibly adorable. Their time together is brief and then they go their separate ways, make new friends, pair off with new romantic interests. But they keep talking- he calls and talks to her for hours, something her actual boyfriend can't bring himself to do, a detail that savvier members of the audience surely pick up on as the writers' hint that these two are destined for each other. They even start writing letters to each other, and maybe at that point some viewers turn it off, finding the whole concept ridiculous. </p><p>Their plot lines don't really intertwine again for a couple of seasons, and then when it does, they're still in separate cities, and I'm sure there are viewers who wish this storyline would end already, but it doesn't.</p><p>In season 6, they finally live in the same city. Then he proposes. The big wedding comes in season 7.</p><p>They've got a spin-off show now about raising three kids in a house that's too small. The storyline is sort of repetitive- the punchline of each episode involves the zany antics of the four-year-old son or the disastrous effects of sleep deprivation (the audience is really tired of hearing about how the new baby won't sleep). The camera no longer lingers on their kisses, and the most romantic episodes revolve around him volunteering to cook supper. The only source of suspense is wondering if they'll get the eldest daughter to ballet class on time and with both of her shoes.</p><p>But you know what? I still ship them. They're definitely my OTP.</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p><p><br /></p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-56292581188391068182021-11-10T04:00:00.001-08:002021-11-10T04:00:00.173-08:00Currently, Chief is...{8 years}<p> <i>This has been simultaneously the longest and the shortest year ever. The pandemic continues to drag on seemingly to no end, since nobody wants to make the minimum amount of effort to end it, and yet also it seems like I just blinked and Miss Chief aged an entire year. She has only gotten more amazing as she's grown- check out just how amazing.</i></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SRzqHhdi_Exog7Q9x-jgljym2x0F5APT6m9HOnO3DPbIozVppNRbJQFF1qWgNB03_2-zj9vAgUDsjeBHnunJ4VRn5os_QaIDnGm7vhK5_fh54EzB1y6ubum0pbfAvm9_cGLOF-HtvbE/s600/ourgeekyadventure_thanksgiving2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SRzqHhdi_Exog7Q9x-jgljym2x0F5APT6m9HOnO3DPbIozVppNRbJQFF1qWgNB03_2-zj9vAgUDsjeBHnunJ4VRn5os_QaIDnGm7vhK5_fh54EzB1y6ubum0pbfAvm9_cGLOF-HtvbE/s16000/ourgeekyadventure_thanksgiving2020.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanksgiving 2020</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Currently, Chief is in second grade. She did the entirety of first grade online, and while it was the right choice for our family, it was a pretty crummy school year, academically. Thankfully, Chief is self-motivated and seeks out further knowledge on topics she's interested in, so through games, educational shows, and books from our local public library, we've been able to sustain the momentum started with her pandemic-induced independent study in Kindergarten to make up for the absolute boredom that was first grade. Second grade started out rather boring as well, but she's finally being challenged in Latin, religion, and spelling, if not math or science. Hopefully she doesn't lose this love of learning and is always able to overcome the limitations of a classroom environment.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2InlldkJ2f7qLCEXhgZtXHSojPz03dXlMeNB2X8iHCBMfVQu-sgwgpgRZeYmwDHZERvtjlU5imDGUitRQhMyzFgp2ARAZF5i1lP6bMyG09-vytzjCwUhQKV4vlOzRBogg69PfjwDAglI/s2048/IMG_3367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2InlldkJ2f7qLCEXhgZtXHSojPz03dXlMeNB2X8iHCBMfVQu-sgwgpgRZeYmwDHZERvtjlU5imDGUitRQhMyzFgp2ARAZF5i1lP6bMyG09-vytzjCwUhQKV4vlOzRBogg69PfjwDAglI/w640-h427/IMG_3367.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas 2020</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>This year has really defined her role as a big sister. Her brother is finally old enough to play with and otherwise interact with her as a peer, which means he's old enough to annoy the heck out of her. It's also become exceedingly obvious that he wants to be just like her, and she's equal parts flattered and irritated by that. Her baby sister was also born this year, and Chief is old enough to be actually helpful, which she absolutely relishes. She can make her own sandwiches and fetch the baby's pacifier and fill up Mommy's water bottle and even- her favorite- <i>hold</i> the baby and entertain her if necessary. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlkTZ_yJQT8ZcQPn1ndVp3hBu5yhKMjwyHtyjPTTtpHUCeDAeH7SbDjzjLONx9MZhRdB4UWaWtYh25RJRZqgueNcu4Q5WCOyqXVb6kvv_nBdFdYYPgcMwTV6BJMOHYivittGaQW_89s0/s1066/ourgeekyadventure_dancephoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlkTZ_yJQT8ZcQPn1ndVp3hBu5yhKMjwyHtyjPTTtpHUCeDAeH7SbDjzjLONx9MZhRdB4UWaWtYh25RJRZqgueNcu4Q5WCOyqXVb6kvv_nBdFdYYPgcMwTV6BJMOHYivittGaQW_89s0/s16000/ourgeekyadventure_dancephoto.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'20-'21 Dance Photo // <a href="https://sterlingballet.com/main/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sterling Ballet Academy</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I'm continuously amazed by how mature, how intelligent, how graceful she is- and I'm continuously fooled into thinking she's much older than she is. She's 8 now, not 18, and I am constantly reminding myself to give her space to indulge in some nonsense every now and then. I want her to wear princess dresses, and make up silly songs, and cook imaginary food in a pretend kitchen for as long as she wants.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUV6O65rFuco20O45iHLI9AhMII-lytifBrvvdGJFl0kgTbgLMafqn28ufo9AnUJkkRpnwT6o2Vn_cj78ID-2FOf-P8FhOy4m65tJlK1lHMQF31E9U7cxPI5B6iNkyINSy6iJwQfz_OSY/s600/ourgeekyadventure_sabinechopperezra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUV6O65rFuco20O45iHLI9AhMII-lytifBrvvdGJFl0kgTbgLMafqn28ufo9AnUJkkRpnwT6o2Vn_cj78ID-2FOf-P8FhOy4m65tJlK1lHMQF31E9U7cxPI5B6iNkyINSy6iJwQfz_OSY/s16000/ourgeekyadventure_sabinechopperezra.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halloween 2021</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Eight years of love, joy, sweetness, and sass; I can't wait to see what her future holds.<div><br /></div><div>Much love, </div><div>The Geeks<br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-5608602042245657892021-10-31T18:32:00.001-07:002021-10-31T18:32:06.521-07:00Happy Halloween- and May the Force be With You!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2WGRVzVadf82hG3MUPHZsXowC6qUU9ENfMXo6ILJps6j0TlOHcryGwSGkKAzdj_H9bReFSWmJILIH9q8UC1_sphOeytDXmkaozXuz7GpFhvA0D6SHhSh5_0aJhHORTDzit5bCt42v8s/s600/OurGeekyAdventure_StarWarsRebels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2WGRVzVadf82hG3MUPHZsXowC6qUU9ENfMXo6ILJps6j0TlOHcryGwSGkKAzdj_H9bReFSWmJILIH9q8UC1_sphOeytDXmkaozXuz7GpFhvA0D6SHhSh5_0aJhHORTDzit5bCt42v8s/s16000/OurGeekyAdventure_StarWarsRebels.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Happy Halloween from a galaxy far, far away!</p><p><br /></p><p>What did you dress as this year?</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-52116311134053678902021-10-18T04:00:00.001-07:002021-10-18T04:00:00.239-07:00Currently, Bean is... {6 months}<p> <i>Wow okay my littlest munchkin is somehow already 6 months old! These last three months have flown by, especially once school started and I went back to work. I guess it's because it's been go-go-go around here, and we hardly have time to catch our breath- quite the change from the leisurely pace of life that was the hallmark of my maternity leave. So let's slow down for a moment and check in with little Bean.</i></p><p><b>Growing</b> crazy fast, still. She is absolutely ravenous, nursing often and not sleeping through the night, and so she continues to just grow and grow, faster than either of her older siblings. A few weeks ago, I noticed her 3-6 month sized clothes were getting small- sleeves a little too short, the hems of pants showing a lot of chubby little ankle- but her belly wasn't busting out of anything, so we didn't size up until about a week ago. When I put her in a 6-9 month sized footie pajamas, I knew it would fit better than what she had worn the night before, but I assumed it would be too long. Well it's certainly a little roomy, but this little string bean is already tall enough- her legs are the perfect length for this size. She loves to be upright, in a standing position, either jumping in her jumparoo or just being held so that her feet can plant themselves on a flat surface and she can stand with some support, and when she's standing like that, you really appreciate how very tall she is.</p><p><b>Eating </b>breastmilk and a nibble or two of some solid food, but we're just at the beginning stages. She finally learned to love a bottle- but not before several ounces of milk were thrown out at daycare because she would stop at 3 ounces of her 4 ounce bottles. She's now eager to drink from a bottle at daycare, she wants to hold it, and she'll suck down 4.5-5oz without a second thought, and then wants to keep the bottle to chew on for a little while. When I'm with her, she still wants to nurse every 2 hours, and at night it's sometimes even more frequently. We introduced her to bananas a few days ago, and although she doesn't like the way they squish in her hands, she does seem to enjoy the way they taste.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTVO6l229r5aSTOF3Tge-8I8CFiLZz4taqxiBp88Gi3yLbWCoU8ydR0gfTMz5aU015kmd9E8m14raiGgFXZ4SLBliUGyRBp587hXmZTxktW4f8AHDI9Gy6l9kY0L9_y3VOlr8bl3aHDE/s600/babybean4months_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTVO6l229r5aSTOF3Tge-8I8CFiLZz4taqxiBp88Gi3yLbWCoU8ydR0gfTMz5aU015kmd9E8m14raiGgFXZ4SLBliUGyRBp587hXmZTxktW4f8AHDI9Gy6l9kY0L9_y3VOlr8bl3aHDE/s16000/babybean4months_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Talking</b> up a storm, once you get her started! Although she didn't in the beginning, she now cries to get your attention, rather than just grunting. Sometimes we joke that her little whine sounds almost like a puppy, so we'll ask, "What's the matter, little puppy?" She loves to blow raspberries or just randomly spit at you to try to get a reaction. And she is really experimenting with her voice lately, cooing and singing, squealing at a painfully high pitch, and smacking her lips and repeating "dadada" which of course Mr. Geek loves.</p><p><b>Making facial expressions</b> that favor her big sister more now than they did in the beginning. She's got a beautiful little smile, and we all fall all over ourselves to earn one.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqsjbvcz2dpg5qEuFpwLrYvewXl4swFR7NzGznYCx8eWJ6Lsk_CXFY_LQWYDWUnp6N7p0Lk3fA7lfGrEWTAsiekXK92Zpi2hUH2i5_j0sQBXkJudtbnYRpi9zKdo4yGD2VIbUrZ7tjew/s600/babybean5months_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqsjbvcz2dpg5qEuFpwLrYvewXl4swFR7NzGznYCx8eWJ6Lsk_CXFY_LQWYDWUnp6N7p0Lk3fA7lfGrEWTAsiekXK92Zpi2hUH2i5_j0sQBXkJudtbnYRpi9zKdo4yGD2VIbUrZ7tjew/s16000/babybean5months_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Listening to</b> her obnoxiously loud big siblings. She loves to listen to her big sister laugh, and will giggle right back at her. Her big brother has decided he needs to speak to her in a very high pitch, for some reason, even though I keep reminding him to just talk to her like any other person. She thinks it's hilarious, though, and will squeal and laugh at him.</p><p><b>Sleeping</b> at daycare, apparently, but certainly not at night. Again, I know this is why she's growing so fast- because all she ever wants to do is nurse- but man this lack of sleep is difficult. Both of the big kids were sleeping at least 4 hours at a time by now, but not Bean. Sometimes we get a 3 hour stretch, before midnight, but then after midnight she's up every 2 hours- or sometimes, every hour. I'm surviving on coffee and prayers, at this point. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGi2Q8duT7Iu37APtmVTB-4pNlUn-MhtU4Op9Fe14MtKKoFX_0sVV7TGC66VWi4cL2m3znkWiiCsYo-NU_HYXqL2hZDGrslEd2V1NKAL3ANpNVfO-YNKZZ5OJmQZ8kh9p_I-WPFkpnjVc/s600/babybean6months_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGi2Q8duT7Iu37APtmVTB-4pNlUn-MhtU4Op9Fe14MtKKoFX_0sVV7TGC66VWi4cL2m3znkWiiCsYo-NU_HYXqL2hZDGrslEd2V1NKAL3ANpNVfO-YNKZZ5OJmQZ8kh9p_I-WPFkpnjVc/s16000/babybean6months_ourgeekyadventure.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Loving</b> nursing, all the time, always; tickles; her big siblings; bouncing; putting things in her mouth.</p><p><b>Hating</b> being in the same room as Mommy and not nursing; her car seat; socks; sleeping in her bed.</p><p>How quickly is your little one growing?</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3807658317973663626.post-34822444365138258372021-10-12T04:00:00.003-07:002022-08-23T08:46:58.605-07:00Crafting Adventures: Tinker Bell Costume<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZlr24QQV7hlszqVE9KaaGttkKFnkhUSHnKrliPqef-q53fzWkJ0aMueIGm-G0_DsMYloolTxGi5OJVqqtlLTN3ctMlziJSZZ31JY0rygm5la9JtbD6XRHvCiwp3vBbBQxr7kNcubfI0/s900/OurGeekyAdventure_TinkerBell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZlr24QQV7hlszqVE9KaaGttkKFnkhUSHnKrliPqef-q53fzWkJ0aMueIGm-G0_DsMYloolTxGi5OJVqqtlLTN3ctMlziJSZZ31JY0rygm5la9JtbD6XRHvCiwp3vBbBQxr7kNcubfI0/s16000/OurGeekyAdventure_TinkerBell.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>So this little pixie absolutely adored her costume, and it was definitely the most labor intensive costume I've made to date. (This year's costumes are beating that record by far, though, so stay tuned!) Unfortunately I didn't take any in-progress photos or make many notes, so I'm just going to give you a general idea of how to design and make your own. I really wanted to play with the idea of a dress made out of leaves, so both the bodice and the skirt are pieced from multiple pieces that could ostensibly have come from individual leaves. I installed a zipper in the back to make it easy to slip on and off, and created a ribbon belt to make the waist adjustable. The entire thing is fully lined, including each pointy leaf on the skirt. Finally, there are clear adjustable straps to give the illusion of a strapless dress without risking the bodice slipping down.</p><p><b>Supplies</b></p><p><b>-green cotton fabric</b></p><p><b>-green thread</b></p><p><b>-wide green ribbon (2 1/2" or so should be fine)</b></p><p><b>-green zipper, or invisible zipper if you're comfortable installing one</b></p><p><b>-clear adjustable straps</b></p><p><b>-fairy wings</b></p><p>1. Grab a camisole tank top, leotard, or swimsuit that fits your pixie well. You're going to use it to rough out your pattern pieces for your bodice. Begin by measuring from the waist up to the place where the straps being on your tank/leotard/swimsuit. Next measure the width from seam to seam.</p><p>2. I knew I wanted the front of the bodice to be composed of two overlapping leaf pieces, so I used the measurements taken in step 1 to sketch out one such leaf shape, knowing that I wanted both leaves to overlap by a few inches at the bottom and separate at the top like a V-neck. (Ultimately, that V ended up being a little deep for my 6 year old, so I went back and added a little modesty panel out of a small triangle shape to bridge most of that separation. I would recommend making your bodice leaves wide enough at the top that your V-neck isn't too deep.) Cut out a couple of your leaf shapes from paper or even a muslin if you're fancy like that and lay them over your sample garment (or your model, if she'll stand still for you) to make sure you've got the shape, size, and coverage you want. Cut out 4 of these leaf shapes from your green fabric, making sure to add seam allowance all the way around. (If you've read any of my other tutorials, you'll know I've long preferred 1/4" seam allowance. Lately I've decided to give myself more grace with a 3/8" seam allowance, and I've noticed my garments are much cleaner now. Use whatever seam allowance you prefer.)</p><p>3. Take two leaves and sew them together around the curved outsides, right sides together, leaving the bottom open. Turn right side out and press, but don't top stitch. To really sell the idea that these are leaves, you're going to essentially embroider some veins on them. (I purposefully used a thread that was a lighter green than my fabric so that the veins would stick out.) Use a straight stitch with a long-ish length and make a vertical line up the center of your leaf, with some smaller lines radiating out from it at regular intervals. You can either sketch it first in chalk and stitch on top, or just freehand. Repeat with the other 2 leaf pieces. Now you've got 2 leaf pieces made of double your fabric thickness, giving them a pretty sturdy shape.</p><p>4. Lay your two leaves overlapping each other to form the front half of your bodice and pin. Top stitch on the top leaf as close to the edge as possible, all the way around the curve of the leaf, starting on the segment that is overlapping the other one. Then topstitch the bottom leaf, starting where the two meet and going all the way around the outside of the curve to the edge of the waist, again staying as close to the edge as possible. This way your top stitching looks purposeful and the garment looks more finished. (I had to add in my little modesty triangle at this point, because this is when I discovered the V was too deep. I just stitched right on top of the top stitching I had already done so it blended in and again looked purposeful.)</p><p>5. To finish the front of the bodice, attach your thick green ribbon across the bottom, leaving long enough tails on both sides that they can be wrapped around your pixie and tied in a bow in the back. Do this by laying the ribbon on top of the right side of your bodice, aligning the edge with the raw edge of the bodice. Sew them together, then open and press the seam up towards the bodice. Top stitch across the front of the bodice to hold that pressed seam in place. Finish the ends of the ribbon tails so they don't unravel.</p><p>6. Now you're going to create the back of your bodice. You want to create two rectangle pieces which will be attached in the middle by the zipper. Measure from about the armpit of your bodice down to the bottom of the attached ribbon; this is the height of each rectangle. The width of each rectangle will be half of the width of the bodice. Add seam allowances on all 4 sides and then cut out 4 of these rectangles from your green fabric.</p><p>7. Take 2 rectangles and lay them right sides together, then sew around 3 sides (the top and 2 long sides). Turn right side out and press, but don't top stitch. Repeat with the other 2 rectangles.</p><p>8. Attach the zipper in the middle of your rectangle pieces, and when you top stitch on the sides of the zipper, go ahead and extend that top stitching across the top. (Don't bother with the sides or bottom.) </p><p>9. I went ahead and embroidered veins into these pieces as well- again a vertical line up the middle of each rectangle, with smaller lines branching out at even spacing.</p><p>10. Place your bodice pieces right sides together, lining up the bottom edges. Keep the tails of your ribbon waistband tucked safely out of the way and sew up the sides, then turn out and press.</p><p>11. Now for the skirt. For simplicity's sake, I wanted the skirt to be composed of many triangles, all the exact same size, so I just had to cut out about a million of the same shape. In retrospect, they don't look very leaf-y, so maybe next time I'd do more of a curvy free-hand shape rather than triangles. Determine how many triangles (or leaves) you want to create your skirt. I made an identical front and back to the skirt, each with 5 triangles- a top layer of 3 slightly overlapping, and a bottom layer of 2 more peeking out in between the other 3. You want the height of each triangle (or curvy leaf-y shape) to be the length you want your skirt to be, and you want them wide enough so that you get enough coverage when you overlap them. Once you've determined a good size and shape, add seam allowance and then cut out twice as many from your green fabric as the number of triangles you ultimately need, because each skirt panel will be two triangles sewn together. This mean I needed 20 triangles all together, as I have 10 panels total for my skirt.</p><p>11. Take a pair of skirt panels and line them up right sides together, then sew across two sides, leaving the horizontal top piece open. Turn right side out and press. You will probably want to embroider veins on these panels as well, but I was running out of time, so I skipped that part. Repeat with every pair of panels.</p><p>12. Take the panels you need for the front of your skirt (in my case, 5 triangles) and overlap them to create the front of your skirt. Sew them together across the top. Repeat with the panels for the back of the skirt.</p><p>13. Place the front of the skirt and the back of the skirt right sides together, lining up the waist edges, and sew together at the sides. This will really only be a few inches of stitches total.</p><p>14. Lay your bodice on the table right side out, front side up. Take your skirt and lay it below the bodice the same way. Then flip the skirt up, so that the wrong side is facing out. Slide the bodice into the skirt so that the raw edges of each line up and the right sides are together. Pin and sew all the way around. Turn out and press the seam up. You can top stitch all the way around the bottom of the bodice.</p><p>15. Finally, you need to create some tiny loops of fabric to hook your clear elastic straps into. Place one at the peak of each of the front leaves, and one in the top middle of each of the back rectangles. Adjust the straps so that they fit your pixie and insert them into the loops. I had my pixie wear the straps in an X in the back to keep everything secure.</p><p>14. My pixie wore her leaf dress with green shorts underneath, and tights to keep her legs warm. She wore store bought fairy wings. Put your pixie's hair in a bun, using a bun maker or "donut" to create that distinctive shape. For some extra fun, spray on some "pixie dust" body and hair glitter.</p><p>Do you have any fairies in your house?</p><p>Much love,</p><p>The Geeks</p>The Geekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10359089813705587325noreply@blogger.com0