Snack Bags Extravaganza!!!

Due to my daughters food allergies I'm forced to pack her lunch for school daily. Trying to fill her lunch box with healthy snacks can be a space consumer. Then, I started feeling bad for the amount of zip-locks I was throwing away daily and decided to find a more "green" alternative. I utilized vinyl on the inside for easy wiping. I also monogrammed the front, which ensured she is eating the appropriate snack at the appropriate time.

This snack bags will be made with vinyl on the inside and an assortment of different fabrics on the outside.

Size: One Size
Cost: $12 each

Love Me Some "Pebbles" Pillowcase Dresses

For those of you wondering...it is named the "Pebbles" because that's what my Hubby calls our daughter when she wears hers. Since I was a fan of the Flintstones, I let him :) These dresses are one of my favorites to make.  I find that they allow for creative variation and the ability for the wearer to continue to get some use out of it even as they grow in size.  Rather than it being a pillowcase dress it turns into a cute shirt they can wear over some leggings or shorts. 

I make these in all sorts of different fabric combinations.  I can make them with two straps or one single strap (my favorite version).  This little number is one that I get tons of request for, especially during the holidays and special occasions, as playing around with the fabric always adds a different look to the dress.

Sizes: Infants to Size 7

Cost: $40.00-$45.00

Sizes

Infants $40.00 2T-5T $43.00 Size 6-7 $45.00

The "Skirt With All The Twirl" and the "Self-Portrait" Shirt!

Twirl skirts are all the rage at my house.  For some reason anything that can spin in the air while twirling away in the middle of an empty room is a HUGE hit around here. These skirts are not only super comfortable, but they can be made with so many different fabric combinations...my head spins with ideas!

The shirt, one of my daughter's favorites, is in fact her very own silhouette.  She loves pointing out that it's her to people that compliment her on this shirt!  She has requested it in several color backgrounds already, but I'm diligently working away on finishing these up for a few other people :) so she's going to have to wait! If you want your very own silhouette shirt, details on customizing it will be provided via email after your order is placed.

Skirt
Size: Infants-Size 7
Cost: $30-35

Sizes

Infants $30.00 2T-5T $32.00 Size 6-7 $35.00

Shirt
Sizes: Infants-Size 7
Cost: $20-25

Sizes

Infants $20.00 All Other Sizes $25.00

Skirt and Shirt Combo
Size: Infants-Size 7
Cost: $48.00

The "Flower Child" Dress

I'm starting to believe that little Miss K is a hippie at heart. She loves flower prints, but not just any flower prints...those that have a hippie vibe to them. She picked this fabric all on her own and requested guess what...another dress! So here you have it, her very own flower child dress.

This dress will be made using two different fabric combinations, while at the same time keeping the original "feel" of the above dress.

Sizes: Infants-5T
Cost: $58

The "Little More Lace" Dress

This dress again was inspired by my newfound love for lace. Something about the look of lace makes me feel like I'm rewinding time and making something completely vintage looking.

I'm not sure if your daughters are anything like mine, but she loves her some purple.  Whenever we go to the fabric store she makes a bee-line to the "purple section" and requests everything and anything that has the color in it.  This dress was made per her request, utilizing the plethora of purple that is now growing in my fabric stash.  The lace was of course my touch, but she being her mother's daughter can't seem to get enough of the lace herself!

I love the look of this dress with an assortment of fabrics, but I can stick to a single palette if that's your preference.

Size: Infants-5T
Cost: $58.00

The "California Lovin' " Dress

This dress was made for a trip we took a few months back to California. Me, being a California girl through and through, wanted to take family pictures with my adorable godchildren, my cousin and the rest of our little family out there down by the beach. I figured not only would I have beautiful shots with my family but I would also be reminded of my favorite Southern California beach every single time I looked at these photos. Laguna Beach was the place my husband and I went on our first date, so let's just say it brings back a lot of wonderful memories. Not to mention it's the place we usually go to for a fun night out or a beautiful stroll down the boardwalk when we go back to visit.

This was a very fun photo shoot and trip. I find myself daydreaming of California beaches often, taking a drive up PCH and getting some grub down at my favorite french bakery, C'est Si Bon in Newport Beach. Ahhhh how I love me some California. Who knows...maybe one day I can get the hubby to move back out there :) This dress will be made in different fabric combinations, all of which will maintain the "feel" of the initial design above.

Sizes: Infants-5T
Cost: $60

Summer Frock

At the present time, I'm addicted to two things: Lace and light-weight fabrics...which is how this design came to be. I'm loving the flowiness (is that even a word??) of the orange fabric and the detail the lace gives it. It's sort of vintage-y while still young and current.

A little silliness is a good way to enjoy a hot summer day!

I have a limited amount of both fabrics, but can make this with all sort of different fabrics. I will maintain the "feel" of the dress while staying unique and one-of-a-kind. The overall design of the dress will remain the same.

Available Sizes: Infants-Size 6
Cost: $68.00

....new furniture

I  know, I know. I've been promising sewing stuff for days now but I had to post one more furniture revamp.  A few months ago McHubbers and I painted our deck, removed the netted fence around the pool and rearranged the outdoor furniture.  While the backyard looked 100 times better we were in need of some serious furniture.  Me, being too cheap to go out and buy a new piece of furniture (especially after my previous thrift scores). I set out to find some inspiration at my local thrift stores and came across two beds.  There were two head and footboards, one was a twin and the other a queen... or full can't remember.  Anyway, I had come across a tutorial that showed how to turn these beds into benches.  So, that exactly what I did.  It did take me about a week and some help from my neighbor and little brother to complete, but i have to say it was well worth it. I proceeded to make the cushions and the pillows as well, not to mention the table (which I made from scrap wood).  The tray I repainted and added the writing to it...I REALLY love the way it came out.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

xo-
m

i'm back!

The past few weeks have been intense.  Not only have I been brainstorming on designs but many things have happened, both happy and sad in my life.   One of my best friends and neighbors moved to a different state...I'm talking four states North. While I know this was a great move for them as a family it was very bittersweet for me.  I miss her daily and look across the street to her house and tell myself they are only on vacation. I have to say it's because of her that I have met every single one of the people that I talk to today since moving to this state almost three years ago.  She has been an amazing blessing in my life and we (mchubbers and daughter) love them like our own family.  I am eagerly following her blog to stay in touch with her daily happenings both creatively and personally, not to mention her collaboration with another amazing woman who also happened to move within the last year.

On a happier note, I have been creating and spending some time with another neighbor who has unleashed a creative fire within me! She is SUPER talented and a constant source of inspiration. She and I met about a year ago when she designed/made a handbag for me...and it just so happened that we have a mutual love for creating. She is extremely sweet and talented and I just love her to pieces.  It doesn't hurt that she also has the sweetest kids, and our little girls love to hang out with each other.  I'm blessed to have met some amazing girls in my neighborhood and we all just happen to share a love for sewing/crafting/decorating/thrifting/refurbishing.  It's amazing!

So here is a sneak peak at what's been happening.  Don't worry a little designing will be coming along before you know it...I promise.

In the meantime I wont leave you totally hanging. Here is a project I worked on for my guest room.  That room needed a major redesign so here are some pieces I came up with.

This is a dresser and nightstand I purchased at a local thrift store. It's solid wood and beautiful, but I wanted to give it a little bit of my own touch...so here is what I came up with. I wish I had a before picture :( I used Valspar paint. The off-white is Asiago in flat and the grey is also Valspar but this time spray pain, in Pewter Grey.

At Long Last...Getting Started

I am very excited to finally be doing this. I have been dreaming about making clothes and showcasing (even selling them) for years (my first foray with school was 12 years ago with aspirations to be a fashion designer).

I've been spending most days creating, with an attempt at finally posting something finished. I guess I want to have a few things done in order to showcase more than one garment at a time.

The handest part in truth, was finding a name. I knew I wanted to concentrate on children's clothing and accessories (don't get me wrong...I'll be sewing for myself somewhere along the way, as well as featuring "other" projects I might be working on), but seeing how my muse is my daughter I was inspired to make clothes that WE loved...this is where k.a.i-y.a came to play! Not only is that my daughters name, but it's an acronym for whom I'll be sewing for, and thus kids and infants-young apparel was born. My labor of love...literally!

I have to say despite the fact that my schooling has developed into something related to science/healthcare, sewing is still what excites me and keeps me sane. At times, my perfectionism and need to make sure that all things look exactly how I envision them are what deter me from putting things up. No worries, though...pretty soon this blog will be filled with many of my ideas, I hope :)