Pocahontas

Serious face for one of the more serious Disney Princesses. Pocahontas! The first American Disney Princess! Although she is an official Disney Princess she's not technically a "princess". But she is the daughter of the chief, and that's close enough. My sister was a big fan of this movie when we were kids (she even had a cat named Meeko!), but it wasn't really one of my favorites. I'm certain I was still obsessed with Belle. Although I just watched it for this project and the art is really beautiful, the movie is growing on me! Also Christian Bale is in it, WHAT? But real talk, Pocahontas is a pretty badass chick. She canoes off waterfalls, jumps off cliffs, has a slew of wild animal friends, speaks to trees, stops wars, you know, usual badass chick stuff.

Here's something random but Pocahontas related; when running I sing "Just Around the Riverbend" to myself, a lot. Like it's one of my go-to motivation songs. I don't know if it's because we're usually running around the river or what, but that song is always on repeat it my head! I'm weird.

Honestly, I was kind of dreading making this dress. I was like ehhh a brown/tan dress? Not my color. Plus asymmetrical dresses are just not my thing either (I feel that they tend to make boobs look lopsided, no?). But after we watched the movie again I realized her dress is more of a corn silk yellow, so I took that and ran with it. Because really, brown is not my color. At all. So I found a pretty pale yellow linen with matching ivory linen for the trim.

For the pattern I used a highly altered combination of Butterick 4343 (bodice) and Simplicity 1353 (skirt). But I do mean highly altered. I changed the neckline and added a little collar thingy. A flap of fabric around the neckline with added ruffles. I also changed the hem to mimic Pocahontas's "V" shaped skirt. And I added more ruffles. I went with ruffles versus fringe as a trim because, well, fringe is very costumey. And I feel that ruffles are easier for me to pull off. Plus fabric fringe would have been some sort of nightmare to make and not have unravel, ruffles on the other hand are very easy to make. I also think they compliment the linen well. It's kind of like a rustic country dress. Which is more cowgirl than Pocahontas I guess, but hey, I'm Texan. Oh the irony.

Overall I'm very happy with the dress. I expected to not be crazy about it, but it's actually awesome! It fits well, it's made out of comfortable fabric that I can wear on the regular, and I think it's cute! And it doesn't scream Disney Princess. (Or does it? I'm too Disney-fied to tell.) It's a perfect summer dress! As long as it's not pouring rain. Which it almost always is these days.

This is my "EEEE I AM GETTING EATEN ALIVE BY MOSQUITOES" face. Seriously, we were out there for maybe a minute and I look down and there were at least four mosquitoes going to town on my leg. I have yet to discover all the bites, but they just keep appearing. I'm thankful for all the rain, but dang, it's going to be a long summer full of bites.

Speaking of rain, today it was sunny! Which is the reason this post happened. It has rained everyday for as long as I can remember, but today has been lovely! I think it's supposed to start up again tomorrow. This might be the end of our yeaaaars long drought! We are getting some serious rain here in Texas. And there doesn't seem to be any end in sight.

Unfortunately there will be a little break in Disney Princess dress making as we are moving on the first of June, thus my sewing stuff has been all packed up! So now sewing for at least a week or so. I'm already twitching. But I am taking the month of June off to relax and rejuvenate (and sleep), so I'm sure there will be lots of sewing happening once we get settled in. :) I'm pretty stoked about the next Princess, it will be a challenge to make her dress NOT look like a costume. And I like challenges! So until next time folks, wish us luck on moving!

Check out the other Disney Princess Dresses here!

Jasmine

Whoa guys, sorry 'bout the month gaps between Princesses here. I have been a busy bee! (Have you heard? Boy wonder is about to graduate and start his residency, and we are moving 75 miles north to Temple, TX in a couple weeks! Screaming on the inside, so much to do, so little time.) So sewing only happens on rare occasions. PLUS, Jasmine has been done for over a week, but the freakin' rain would not quit, so taking photos was on hold. But today the sun came out! And I was like, lets do this. Because there's nothing but rain on the forecast as far as I can see. (Austin is Seattle now, you didn't know?)

Jasmine! She's the first Princess to not be the main character of a the film. She has to share the limelight with Aladdin and the Genie. Genie steals the show, duh. Aladdin came out when I was four or five and obv, I loved it. Those songs!! I was definitely Jasmine for Halloween, I think more than once. I remember the costumes being incredibly itchy. Why is that? Why do costumes have to be made out of the most awful fabric, especially for kids?! I'm pretty sure there's a photo of me in a Jasmine costume, with a turtleneck underneath. Because it was that scratchy. And I'm a baby with sensitive skin. Sidetracked... so yes, Jasmine! She's a very legit Princess, like she brings the royalty to the relationship table. She's a pretty plucky chick, she has ridiculously voluminous hair, and she has a pet tiger. Oh my gosh, did I want a pet tiger when I was a kid. Jasmine runs away from home, jumps across buildings, and even seduces Jafar to save Aladdin. Pretty racy, Disney. Also, holla at the first Disney Princess not of European decent! Aladdin is a middle eastern tale, which is very cool! Jasmine kind of set the stage for the rest of the Disney ladies to culturally branch out over the next decade or so.

About the dress! Although I did do the two piece thing for Ariel, I didn't want to do it again. Because although I've worn Ariel's skirt multiple times, I've never worn the top. I'm not much of stomach showing girl; I wanted to make something I'd actually wear. So I picked the Kim Dress from By Hand London, and went for the sweetheart neckline and wrap skirt. I feel like the neckline mimics Jasmine's little top and the wrap kind of looks like pants? Yes that is a stretch, but roll with it. Luckily, mint green was a very in color this spring, so this kinda shiny polyester fabric was super easy to find. I think it's the perfect color! This was my second Kim Dress, the first I made out of sateen bed sheets with the straight neckline and full skirt, and it is one of the most comfortable things I've ever made. This pattern is lovely to follow and it sews up like a dream. Plus the packaging is adorable. I'm a sucker for good packaging.

My only issues with this dress are that the straps are too long (and from what I've read online, this is a common issue) and that the wrap skirt is near impossible to walk in without showing your goodies to the world. I think I might tack the two layers together farther down, to prevent any flashing. Other wise I'm very happy with it! Perfect for spring/summer! If it would quit raining.

So there you have it! The palest Jasmine ever. Vampire Jasmine. Seriously this dress has been sitting on my ironing board for over a week, glad I can finally share it with the world. Hopefully the next princess graces the internet with her presence sooner! Her dress is already half done, keeping my fingers crossed that the weather cooperates this time. ;)

See all the other Disney Ladies here!

Four years

I think we'll always just be a little bit awkward. And that's okay. And also fun.

FOUR YEARS. Each better than the one before. And man, this year was by far the craziest. In a good way. Life has been getting so real and it's such an adventure. Not always an easy one, but it's easier when you're stumbling through with your best friend who you also like to smooch. Sometimes I'm like wow, we've only been married for four years? SEEMS LIKE A TEN. But mostly I'm like, what the heck? Where did time go?? So much has happened in the past four years (like someone ALMOST  getting a doctorate!), it's crazy to think back on who we were four years ago. Such babies! But happy babies, who got thrown head first into life and had a lot of fun figuring it out. (This is still happening, lets be clear, we do not have it figured out.)

But gosh, in the midst of the stress of big life things, being married has been so much fun. Like, you guys, I married a winner. As I was typing this Brendon faux-flipped me out of my computer chair. Because that is just business as usual around here. Life will never be boring with Brendon. He is absolutely ridiculous 90% of the time, and sometimes I'm like omgwtf, but mostly I'm  smiling and giggling and having the time of my life. He drives me up the wall, but he also makes me so so so happy. He goes so far out of his way to make sure that I am happy. You guys, the princess complex is just spiraling out of control. I AM A LUCKY LADY.

So yes, four years of happy. Here's to four gazillion more.

(SIDE NOTE: I did the annual going through wedding photos today and OH MY GOSH thank you everyone again for making that such a lovely day. I know wedding photos are only the "highlights", but honestly, every moment our wedding was a highlight. Best day ever. And I mean, not just because I married by boo, but because of all the fantastic people who celebrated with us. I think the majority of people who attended where from out of town if not out of state; you guys traveled so far to celebrate with us! I will never get over that. I will always be in awe of all the wonderful people in our lives. We love every one of you.)

Pedernales Falls, in the fog

The wildflowers this year, y'all. So fantastic. Lots of rain = lots of flowers! I've been wanted to hit up Pedernales Falls State Park for a while. It's one of my favorites in the area and if you haven't been, please go. It is amazing. So grand and beautiful and the hiking is prime.

Also, side note, Pedernales, although being spelled like Ped-er-nah-lez, is actually pronounced Perd-a-nah-lez. I've been saying it the latter way my whole life, but recently I was like oh gosh look how it's spelled, I've been saying it wrong? So I started pronouncing it how it was spelled, and Brendon had to whoop up and bust out that Google one day to have it audibly pronounced for me. And it is Per, not Ped. There's an invisible R in there? I have no idea. Texas is full of weird names.

Anyway, it was a gloomy as heck day, but we went for it any way. It was actually kind of awesome, because it was not hot at all. Not like the last time we went. So we could hike to our hearts content and not get all hot and gross.

LOL, NERDS.

The water was a'gettin' it! Although I feel like we haven't had much rain (just the gloom and threat of it), it's definitely been a wet winter and fairly wet spring. Which is so good! We need rain!

We found this little set up here on a rock. Super cute, super Texan, but DON'T YOU KNOW PICKING BLUE BONNETS IS ILLEGAL WHAT THE HECK?

This place. It's just so awesome. I am just in love with the rocks as I am with the water. They tell such a tale! Nerdy moment, but from a geological standpoint this place is just so neat. Water and time are capable of amazing things.

What a cool place. Please go, if you have not. I am such a fan of our state parks. I know that probably goes without saying, but goodness, they are wonderful. And such a cheap, fun, and healthy form of entertainment. We are rounding up our year of having a parks pass and we are for sure renewing it. It's such a good deal, if you are thinking of getting one, DO IT! It makes you get outside more and nothing but fun can come from that. Unless you're allergic to the sun or something.

Eggster 2015

EASTER! If you have been around the blog long enough, this is the same old song and dance. Though we are not celebrators of Easter in any traditional sense, we (I? I think Brendon just goes along with it.) love dying some eggs and do so every year. Except this year, we got real fancy and bought a kit. We got a "tie-dye" kit, which made me feel a little like a fool (it was harder than I thought, how would kids get that nonsense?) but once we got the hang of it, it was lots of fun. And they came out cool!

So, as is tradition, here is our Eggster!

And the best part about dying eggs... immediately busting them up and making deviled eggs. And tater tots? NO JUDGING.

If you'd like to see the exact same thing, featuring slightly younger versions of ourselves, here is Eggster 2014, 2013, and 2012. I'm even wearing the same sweater last year. So predictable.