There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home...

We are back! It was a fun little trip. I'll start with the Wizard of Oz museum in Wamego, KS. I *thought* that it was a little farm house built out in the middle of no where like the film. But when we got into town, it was inside an old store-front building. This was their window display, very clever with the black and white look!

Once inside, I saw that they had built a little farm house for the exhibit. You pay at the window, then walk through the door to "OZ".

Here's the other side of the house, after falling from the sky!

The tin ceilings were awesome.

Who killed my sister? Who killed the wicked witch of the East? Was it YOU??

Lions and tigers and bears, OH MY!
I DO believe in spooks, I DO believe in spooks,

I do-I do-I do-I do-I DO believe in spooks!
*O*E*O*
Poppies!
That's it for today, I took over 400 pictures, EEK!

Today is my birthday and I'm just putzin' around the house.

Had to go get my driver's license renewed, woohoo....

Thank you for your warm comments on my first sewing project, this Butterick 4790 dress! Unfortunately, we were the only ones in the museum at this time, (it was near closing time).

We're off to see the Wizard!

Poppies! Poppies will put them to sleep... sleeeeeeeep.

Now they'll sleeee-eep.....

We're taking a little trip to Kansas City this weekend to celebrate the 70th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz. (and my birthday!)


There is an exhibit at Crown Center, and then we will drive about another 100 miles to Wamego to the WOZ museum there.


I was going to post some more Titanic related stuff, but I got busy this week sewing my FIRST PATTERN ever! I decided to make a dress for the WOZ event when I saw all the great anniversary fabric they have out. I promise there will be more Titanic posts later!

So, I've actually made two dresses this past week, the first was a trial. I'm so excited that I've actually put a pattern together that I cannot wait to sew more!

The pattern is the famous "walk away" dress. The Butterick 4790 pattern. A re-issue of the original 6015. It has also been number 7500.

The following info is from http://vintagepatterns.wikia.com/wiki/Butterick_6015
Quick & Easy One Piece Wrap Dress. Here's the smartest idea of the season . . . a dress that has only back waist and shoulder seams, that has its back wrapped around to the front for a sheath-and-overskirt look. Binding finishes the edges. Wear it for any occasion. Made from just 3 pattern pieces, no facings!


Here's a look at the history of the Walk-away Dress:
During the 1950's, Butterick experienced a phenomenon it had not known since the 'Garibaldi Suit' of the late 1860's. It was pattern 6015, and it was dubbed the 'walk-away' dress, because it was so easy you could "Start it after breakfast... walk-away in it for luncheon!".


It's simple yet flattering wrap design and easy construction were what made it so popular. Sales of the pattern were so great, that at one point manufacturing of all other patterns ceased, and only the 'walk-away' dress was produced until all back-orders for this dress could be filled.
Fabrics - crepe, taffeta, faille, satin, velveteen, shantung, gingham, chambray, cotton prints, linen, pique, cotton broadcloth, light weight wool crepe, silk.


I read many reviews and have seen tons of awesome specimens of this dress!


Here are my notes on the pattern.... Now before I show you, let me tell you that it is quite obnoxious. I know the underskirt fabric is not "appropriate" for this pattern, but I don't care. I like it and wanted to use it~



Ok, I cut the shoulders at a size 14, but kept the neckline at an 8.I cut the rest of the dress to fit a 12. I sewed the breast darts at an 8, but the rest of the darts at a 10. Sounds crazy maybe, but it fits.It's a trifle snug in the waist, but I did that on purpose as I am up a few pounds right now.


I rounded off the skirt edges, which I now rather regret as I wasn't thinking it would hang like a jabot. Oh well. I also extended the waist line that wraps around the back as far as I could; all the way to the salvage edge of the fabric. Then I rounded off the edges on the bottoms there as well. After sewing the bias tape to the entire underskirt, it didn't ride up like it had before. I think rounding off the edges really helps to keep it from getting caught in the overskirt and causing it to ride up too.


I didn't have enough poppy fabric for the back bodice so I sewed two pieces together.


Oh! I also sewed the back to the front right where it crosses under the arms. Yes, I have to wriggle a bit to get in and out of it, but it's alot better than dealing with shifting all day long!



Soooo, without further adieu...

Nova told me I need snow for the poppies, lol! Too cute!



Yes, I could've just worn my "Dorothy" dress... but I've worn it so many times, and it would be expected right? : P

I bought the orange shoes at Old Navy. But they were $30. (I thought they were only $20 when I bought them.) I've decided I cannot do $30 for a pair of shoes and they are going back. They are VERY comfortable tho!

I like the green ones better anyway. I'll be on the look out for some yellow shoes!

Kevin actually likes my ruby slippers with it, but I don't want to be dropping red glitter everywhere all day, lol! I'm taking them along just in case.

To see more notes and pics on this dress, click here.

If you do a google image search for Butterick 4790 you'll see many of the wonderful versions out there, along with great reviews. Thanks to all of you out there who have made this dress, you made taking the plunge a lot easier for me!

It's been 97 years...

...and I can still smell the fresh paint. The china had never been used. The sheets had never been slept in. Titanic was called the Ship of Dreams, and it was. It really was...

Just taking a moment to think about the lives lost and those affected by the Titanic tragedy.

There was a neat article in the St. Louis Post this past week. Close descendants of one of the late surviors live in the next county from me. You can read it HERE.

You can find more of my Titanic posts HERE. More to come!

It breaks my heart....

To see children being neglected and/or abused. You may remember my post about reading A Child Called It... which still haunts me. Yet again, I am still glad I read it.

I was in Walmart today, and in front of me in line was a mother(?) and toddler son. Could've been grandchild, I have no idea. She was buying a high dollar outdoor game set, with horseshoes and such.

She says to the child, "Your sock is sticking out of your shoe!! Put it back in!" I look down at this poor kid, who is probably a year and half or two. He squats down to "poke" his sock back in his shoe. His dirty, filthy, shredded sock which actually looked dry rotted. Sticking out of shoes with holes in them that appeared to be about three sizes too small.

Then the mother said something to him about "I'm sorry, it's your problem~ not mine". Are you kidding me?! You're his mother, making sure your child has proper fitting shoes and clothing is your RESPONSIBILITY.

I never know what to do in these situations. I gave her the evil eye; the "you disgust me" eye... but I'm always afraid if I say something, then the child will only suffer more once they are in the car or at home.

Do I follow them out and get their license plate number?

He was also wearing a zipped jacket with his hood up. Hmmm. Too warm for a hood at that time. I can't help but think if she was hiding bruises.

I just don't see how people could be this way. I just spent two weeks searching ebay to find the perfect pair of shoes for Nova so he'd be comfortable. The kind with elastic laces that he can put on by himself and make him feel like a big boy. I make sure his shoes are made of breathable materials and prefer that they are natural and not man-made. I don't like crocs or most sandals because I think they're dangerous for his age. Over protective? Perhaps. But better than neglectful.

She could've bought a new pair of shoes and a package of socks for under $10. She could've gotten a used pair of shoes for a dollar. Go garage saling for crying out loud and get some for a quarter!!!! But something tells me that money isn't the issue... it's that she just doesn't care.

Just venting... again. What would you have done?

Party train, continued!

Here's the birthday boy the night before the party~ showing us how old he's going to be!

I didn't want a "Thomas" party, but I had to get *some* stuff since Nova loves it all so much.

Cousin Kolby inspecting the cake~I got engineer hats and bandanas for the kids. Nova really didn't want to wear the hat. Party pooper.


Aunt Joyce's birthday artwork...

PIZZA!

We got the take and bakes from Sam's and I thought they were awesome!

Let the opening begin!

I told him he couldn't open presents unless he wore the hat... mean ol' mommy...

Here he is with Kolby, Aunt Joyce and Grandma Lucille~

Lots of great loot~ mostly train related of course!

The boys had a lot of fun. Here they are playing with Ramone's paint shop from Cars.

Can you hear them spray painting? Pshhh, pshhhhhhh! LOL~

One more look at the cake... I thought Nova would want the engine but he requested the caboose.

Make a wish!!

Ugh, black icing!

The destruction, I can't bare to look!

Ok. I had to post this. This was not planned. My dad asked for a piece with a tree. I cracked up when I saw it tho, and had to rotate the pic for ya...

(got wood?)

And guess who's feeling better? Yes, Miss Melly.... and she's giving me hugs.

Still more to come!! Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments on the cake, : )

All Aboard the Party Train!

WHEW! What a busy week!

If you read my last post, you'll see that 4 years ago on April Fool's Day I was due with my baby boy. Alas, he did not make his debut until April 6th~ which also happens to be my MIL's birthday as well! We have 5 family birthdays in April, (including mine and not cousins!)

So I had been going non stop preparing for Nova's party. Here is what the invites looked like~

Thursday I baked cakes all day. I had a *vision* in my head for the birthday boy's confection.

I would need one huge 11X3" round base= 4 cake mixes.

One "Barbie dress" pan= 2 to 3 cake mixes

And these miniature train cakes =three different cake mixes for more color~

Friday I decorated~

Now I know what you're thinking.... after I had my nervous breakdown over the porcupines how could I possibly attempt to decorate another cake? Well, mom came over to supervise and step in when needed!

Here we have the slope cut, going up the side of the mountain~ also trying to decide where the actual mountain should go. I baked two because the first one wasn't tall enough to suit me!

This is the chocolate "mountain" being added to the base, and I had cut the "peaks" in waiting to be iced. Grey icing with coarse sugar on top for gravel, and graham stix for railroad ties...

You can click on the photos for detail~ I used chocolate for the mountain cake to give a tunnel illusion so I wouldn't have to cut the tunnel all the way through and weaken it.

I thought the track and tunnel turned out so cute I almost didn't want to put the train on it. But those little buggers gave me fits and they WERE GOING ON!

I started shaking like a leaf while piping the leaves on the trees (hmm, blood sugar bottomed out from not eating all day) so mumsie took over. But you know, that LARGE grass tip is the bomb! MUCH better that that hellacious tiny one that gave me so much grief with the porcupines. I was finished with the grass in seconds flat.

I've watched my mom decorate cakes for over 30 years, but being that this is only about the 5th cake I've ever tackled I'm pretty darned pleased with myself!

And it *only* took 6 hours to decorate! LOL!
Kevin came home from work and helped clean up the kitchen, what a man!!

Nova was super excited while watching. I'm surprised I got him down for a nap during the process!

I must plug Cake Wrecks since this is another cake decorating post. With Easter approaching, this post especially cracked me up.

Stay tuned for more party details!

April Fools!

Four years ago today I was due with my baby boy!

Kevin was wonderful while I was pregnant. He brought me flowers~

And made wonderful food for me... in bed!! Mmm, seafood salad sandwich!

We walked in the park and
I watched as my feet puffed up over my shoes... lovely cankles too~

But alas, our boy did not come. What a cruel April Fool's prank, shame on you Mother Nature!