Something old...

I picked up a pair of these vintage pillowcases at my local thrift store. I just loved the yellow print and the tatting on the edge was simply divine. As I was putting them away with the rest of my vintage stash (I keep the vintage fabrics, trims, etc. separate from the modern), I noticed the bag of hand-made doilies that my husband's grandmother had made over the years. We lost Grandma Ollie 10 years ago, but I know she is smiling down on Belle and is so proud of her sweet personality and sassy intelligence. So I didn't think she would mind if I put one of her doilies to use embellishing a skirt for little miss Belle.

Other than the fact that I had to repair a bit of the tatting, the skirt came together in literally 8 minutes. I chopped off the bottom of the pillowcase (where it opens) to the appropriate length for the skirt. A quick press of the elastic casing and two speedy seams and it was finished. Attaching the doilie, on the other hand, was a bit time consuming. My kids don't wear anything that I can't throw in the washing machine and dryer, so I wanted to make sure that the doilie would stand up to the abuse of a now FOUR YEAR OLD. So I stitched and stitched and stitched it to the front of the skirt.

Belle isn't old enough to understand the significance of this particular skirt, but she adores it. And it means a lot to the rest of us who do know the history of the doilie. And the super soft, light weight vintage fabric is perfect for the steamy NC springs/summers.

A Vintage??? Modern Bunny

After all the hullabaloo surrounding the Growing Your Baby feature, I thought it was high time to start making some things for and WITH my kiddos. Belle wanted a bunny oh-so-very-badly, so we pulled out the Modern Bunny pattern at naptime one day and got started. Of course, I let Belle pick out the fabric...and wouldn't you know, she picked a vintage pillowcase and a reproduction print. This one's a quirky one, that's for sure:) So we made a vintage modern bunny!

So, Flowery has taken up residence at the head of Belle's bed, along with the matryoshka we made a while back and the knit doll I gave to her when she was born (no - I didn't knit it!). This kiddo has never carried a particular doll or stuffed animal around with her, so being given a place in the bed is the highest honor.

Now to plan a bunny for Bee...hopefully in time for Easter!

Meet Millie and Her Very Special Friends

Millie is a very special little lady with a smile that will make you flip. Not to mention her wispy wings and shining eyes. Be still my heart!

Whether playing outside, dancing to music, or reading a book, Millie can always be found with her best pals at her side. Elise is the shy, peaceful member of the bunch. She soothes her friends when they are hurt or sad, and holds their hands when they are scared. Piper, on the other hand, is the rowdy one. She's always looking for the next tree to climb, wall to scale, or refrigerator to paint:)


Like the angel and devil on Millie's shoulders, Piper and Elise push Millie to new heights. Whether it's challenging her to climb a new tree or encouraging her to slow down and smell the flowers, they bring out the best in Millie in every situation. What a lucky girl to have friends like these!

And on the rare occasions when her buddies aren't around, Millie pals around with her best human friend who even sports a coordinating dress. I hope the human Millie will love her new doll for many years to come!

Sweet Little Harriet

Harriet is a sweet, shy, little bunny. She lives at the edge of the woods with her many brothers and sisters. Of the entire family, she is the quietest. Her best friend is a field mouse named Henrietta. The spend their days nibbling rose petals and watching butterflies.

Most of her siblings don't know this, but Harriet loves to sing. Her favorite song is Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. She sings it every evening to help Mama Bird put her babies to sleep.

In the spring, Harriet wanders among the trees looking for fallen bird eggs. When she finds one, she gently places it in her pocket and sets off in search of the mother bird. Once she was unable to find the mother bird, so she brought the egg home with her. A small blue bird named Esther hatched from the egg and decided to stay with the loving Harriet. Esther built a nest in the tree directly above Harriet's burrow so she could always be close to her friend.

Harriet is made with linen-look cotton and a blend of vintage and modern fabrics. She measures 19" tall, not counting her floppy ears. If you're interested, you can find her here.

Meet Frances

Frances is a girly-girl! She loves twirly skirts, gigantic hair bows, and the occasional sparkly bauble. Her quick wit and slightly sarcastic humor make her the center of attention on the playground. She prefers chatting with her friends and soaking up the sun to running around and getting her clothes dirty...though she has been known to scale a tree or two for the best vantage point on the toddler scene.

She frequently wears her name or initials emblazoned on her clothing, though no one really needs to read it...EVERYONE knows who Frances is!

She has a passion for vintage goodies and goes positively gaga over a perfect floral print on amazingly soft cotton.

The youngest of three girls, Frances knows how to gain the spotlight, but also how to avoid it when necessary. She has been know to entertain her family for hours with her sparkling personality, but occassionally she seems to be invisible, slipping in and out of the action with a skill that every cat envies. And that usually means she's up to no good.

I hope Frances's new best friend has as much fun playing with her as I had making her!