Tank top + Fabric = Easy Dress

I found this on Pinterest and wanted to share, because it’s such a great idea!

Check out the original post & tutorial by clicking HERE.

Isn’t that so cool? Even I could do that!  And while the author did not do this, I was thinking that while her dresses are casual, you could easily buy some dressier tank tops and fabrics to make dresses for more formal occasions. And of course it’s not limited to tank tops, any blouse that you like the top of and would like as a dress could work, I think!

I only have three tank tops at the moment; two white and one black. They’re my layering tanks I wear under sheer tops. So I won’t be using them for this. However I am definitely going to get some more tanks in fun colors soon and then get some fabric to make some dresses. I have lots of patterns I’ve purchased to make dresses, but it’s SO much work. Cutting the pattern then the fabric, matching points and hemming etc…. I guess becoming a seamstress is not going to happen. I just do not have fun with all those aspects of making clothing. I wish I found it fun, because it’d be awesome to make my own clothes that fit properly! Maybe it would be more fun if I had a sewing room where I had all the necessary space and supplies for everything… but regardless this way of making dresses is so fast and simple. I love wearing dresses in warm weather. So much more comfortable than anything else a woman could choose to wear, in my opinion! But I don’t own ANY dresses (just a few skirts) because apparently the plus size industry thinks the only time a plus sized woman wears dresses is to formal occasions. Ever tried to find cute, CASUAL, plus sized dresses? It’s not easy. Then if you do happen to find one it’s going to cost you an arm and a leg. Or the length is all wrong. So many dresses are so SHORT! Or, on the flip side, my problem is usually that the dresses are MEANT to come to say just above the knees (a length I like) but I am so short, they fall at an awkward length below the knees that I don’t care for and they look stupid. (I’m so picky lol.) This way you can make the dress exactly the length you want.

My sewing machine will be getting a good workout soon, I believe. =D

Ideas?

First of all, sorry for being MIA for a while. Things have been a bit of a rollercoaster lately. Some emotional ups and downs paired with not feeling well physically and add some dental drama (that is not over yet) just for the added fun of it and I’ve been spending a lot of days in bed trying to ignore the world recently. -_-

My oldest niece has been visiting as well. She needed help with a school project that is due today. We finished it up Sunday and put the finishing touches on yesterday. I hope her teacher agrees with my thoughts on it… my thoughts being that it’s AWESOME. She did a great job on it and I’m proud of her! I will try to remember to snap a picture before we leave this morning to take her to school. (I would already have a picture but my point & shoot is being a brat now and not working either. So I have a DSLR with a lens that won’t work if I zoom in all the way, and a point & shoot that won’t turn on anymore and the lens is stuck open… *sigh*) She is still asleep at the moment, and will be for another twenty minutes or so. And then it’s time to tackle the chore of waking her up and getting her ready to go. Fun stuff. (Please note the last part was filled with so much sarcasm you could go swimming in it… lol) I woke up extra early thanks to the pain from the recent dental work so I have been enjoying a very quiet morning to myself… a very, very rare thing. I figured I would use some of the time to blog. I need to go update the beauty blog too but need to save that for later as I will need more time for that than what I have now.

ANYWAY. So that is what has been going on in my corner of the world for the most part. But now for the subject line of this post – “Ideas?”. I am trying to come up with some knit and crochet patterns to list for sale on Craftsy. I have one pattern up so far but nobody has purchased. Honestly it is such a stupidly simple pattern I did not think anyone would buy it even as I came up with the idea… but you never know. It’s just a very very basic double crochet hat, with a knitted eyelet edging. Ridiculously easy… but I figured it’s worth putting it on there anyway just in case. I’ve been trying to come up with a nice warm weather, lace scarf pattern (knit) but it’s fighting me and I just can’t seem to get it right. Lace knitting and I are not friends yet. I have frogged (undone) many items I’ve attempted to make over the past couple years. But I thought maybe in designing my own lace pattern maybe it would come to me a bit easier. HA!  Beyond that I can’t really think of anything else to design though. With everything else going on my creative juices just aren’t flowing right now. So, anyone have any ideas/suggestions/requests?  I prefer smaller items over larger things because my yarn funds are extremely limited and I can’t afford to buy enough yarn to make anything larger than a baby blanket or MAYBE a shawl. And the time I have to sit down and design/knit/crochet in a day is quite limited as well (though my schedule is opening up) so smaller items are generally actually finished while larger things are usually forgotten mid-way through.

Well… the household is beginning to wake up (the animals have realized I am up, and they want food.) so I best get going. It will be time to wake the little one up soon. I’m going to grab my camera and be sure to get a picture or two of her project really quick before I go wake her up though. =)

The Little Things

I’ve always felt that in a relationship (of any nature, be it family, friends, or romantic) it’s the little things that mean the most. I’m not saying bigger things are not important. But it just seems to me that it’s little things that are typically up front in our memories, that we find ourselves thinking of at random moments during the day and that make us smile when we do. All the little things add up to be so much bigger and more than the big things.

Case in point is this little piece of artwork. This is a print of some amazing paper cut art by Kathryn Carr – check out her web site at www.gocarrgo.com to see more of her work. She’s fantastic!

(Since I snapped the above picture with my cell phone the print has been framed and it’s sitting on a shelf in the living room whilst I try to find the perfect spot for it in my bed room.)

Every time I look at this, it makes me smile. I pause whatever it is I am doing for a moment and just smile and let the happy memories wash over me. It might seem silly, but you see… this piece of art work is tied to a wonderful day I spent with someone very special and he in fact bought this for me. So, it’s only natural that when I look at this (which I find myself doing often) it makes me happy. Looking at it triggers flashes of numerous little moments from that day that I’ve locked safely in my heart forever. This piece makes me happy, not just because it is a lovely piece of art but moreso because of the memories it evokes. And all the possibilities of what lies ahead as well.

*CLOSED* Bee Natural Honeypots GIVEAWAY!

The giveaway is now CLOSED and the winner has been announced! Congratulations Leann Fisher!!! Please contact Creighton at Bee Natural to claim your prize!

Remember the post I made recently about the beautiful Honeypots from Bee Natural? Well the owner, Creighton Cutts, saw that post and being the kind and generous soul he is, he’s offered to sponsor a giveaway.

The Prize:

The winner will get one free Large Honeypot. (This is a $39.50 value)

How to Enter:

All you have to do to enter is go to and “like” the Bee Natural Facebook page – then leave a comment on their wall saying “Cherry Willow sent me” or something to that effect, you MUST mention my name in your comment to be entered. On February 11th, Creighton will select the winner from valid entries. The winners name will be posted on the Bee Natural Facebook page, and I will also announce the winner here on this blog as well as on my Photography Facebook page.

Rules:

The only rule is that your mailing address be within the lower 48 United States.  How’s that for some short & sweet rules?

Hurry and enter, and be sure to let your friends know about this great giveaway too! Facebook it, tweet it, blog it etc. Spread the word & share the love!

*Photos courtesy of Creighton Cutts of Bee Natural. Check out the Bee Natural site at www.beenatural.com, where you will find their blog and you can shop their gorgeous products.