Retro Minty

I was lucky enough to win a 'Debbie's birthday dress' pattern from Suz at sewpony.  I made one for Minty last night and (for once!) she loves it!

The dress is made with an old vintage sheet I had in my stash. I added a doily collar, partly because I was too lazy to construct a proper fabric one and partly because I was attempting to appeal to Minty's doily fetish (see this previous post).  The button is a sweet little vintage yellow button I picked up at a market when we were in Japan.

The shape of this dress really gives me a Sally Draper vibe so I made Minty a 'Sally-esque' matching headband.  Now I just need to train her up to mix the grown ups G and Ts and we'll be in business! Honestly I think I went a bit too far with the retro styling and the outfit would have benefitted from a bit of reigning in!  Next time I make this pattern I'll probably opt for a more modern fabric to give the vintage shape a bit more edge.

I made a size 4 even though Minty is five and a half, since she is very narrow around the chest.  Since the style is pretty generous in the bodice area this size is fine and even still has room for layering.  Next time I'll probably add a bit of length though, since the size 4 is a bit of a micro-mini on her!

The pattern was quick to sew up and had very clear instructions.  I'm sure I'll be making a few more Debbie dresses for Minty's summer wardrobe!  Thanks Suz!

Happy (belated) birthday!

Remember that photo shoot we did a few weeks ago?  Well my dad turned 70 and the kids made 'human' numbers for the card!  It was all very 'Mister Maker' of us!  So happy belated birthday to dad and also to mum (who isn't 70) whose birthday was last week!

Conversations with Minty and Turi...

While watching 'Hello Dolly'...

Me: Gee he's a very tall man!

Minty: why is he so tall?

Turi: I think he eats all his dinner

Minty: I think he's just six footed

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While telling Minty I'd bought us tickets to the ballet...

Minty: I want the whole family to come!

Me: I couldn't afford tickets for everyone, so I just bought two

Minty [crossly]: Well I want dad to take me and you can stay home and look after Turi because that's your job!

Me: But dad doesn't even like ballet!

Minty: he likes belly dancers…

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Formulating his epic birthday list...

Turi: For my next birthday I want a wendy house and a Fireman Sam CD

Me [amused]: Your birthday list is getting very long.  Already you've asked for a dog, a trampoline and a red remote control car and your birthday isn't even till November.  Is there anything else you want to add?

Minty: What about a cat?

Turi [thoughtfully]: Maybe...

Me: So a cat and a dog?

Turi: Nah… maybe not a cat.  I think a reindeer.

Today I had a shower...

Today I had a shower.  By the time I emerged from the bathroom, both children had decided to dress up as zebras in drag, their costumes achieved by drawing stripes over their entire bodies with a black marker, and topping it off with some wildly colourful eye and face makeup also created with markers.  The two zebras were found in the toilet ineffectually mopping with small face clothes at a few litres of urine which was covering almost every surface of the room.  I really thought if you were old enough to make breakfast for the family and could read Hop on Pop, you could be trusted alone for ten minutes.  Clearly I am deluded.  First attempts at washing off the black marker have proved unsuccessful.  I'm not looking forward to leaving the house with my life sized graffitied cabbage patch kid dolls.  Time for another cup of tea.

Conversations with Minty and Turi...

Minty: one day I'd like to milk a cow.  You know if we had a cow we could get milk every day.

Turi: one day, can we go out into the paddock and get the milk out of the udder into a bucket?

Me: darling our cows aren't dairy cows they're meat cows.  There is milk in the mummy cow's udders but it is for their baby cows

Turi: well can I go out with my bucket and get the meat?

Me [suppressing laughter]: The meat doesn't come out of their udders darling

Turi: Well where does it come out from?