Finally, another one finished, another ALMOST finished, and two on the models

Here's Fleur Delacour's, aka Miss K's, dress and capelet.  The long collar and cuffs are detachable. 

 I'm hoping Miss K will be able to wear this dress as a real dress and not just a costume.  The fabric is a cotton knit that is very soft and comfy.  The clothes hanger is too large for the shoulders on this dress, therefore making the sleeves look a little weird.  I assure you that Miss K's shoulders aren't that wide.

 I really struggled with how to make this hat.  I actually MADE one from blue felt, but I am not showing it to you, because, well because it didn't turn out so great.  So, I went to Walmart and bought a gray felt hat.  I wet the top of it until it was pretty soaked.  Then, I stretched it with a broom handle until it almost tore a hole in it.  I didn't know if this would work, or not, but it did pretty well.  Then, I spray painted it to match the dress.  It took a couple of coats of paint, but I was pleased with the outcome.  The hat is rather stiff with the paint, but at least it's the right shape and color.

 

Now, for Luna Lovegood, aka Miss J's, outfit.  In the scene of the movie that Miss J especially liked what Luna was wearing, she had on a peasant top,

                                                         a pair of khaki jeans, and .............

 a purplish-blue bolero style sweater.  This is all that's left to be finished.  I've actually done a little more since I took this photo.  Perhaps I'll get it finished in the next day or two.

 Now, for two little models in their costumes.  These two visited us last weekend.  Lil'E said she would be the prettiest fairy of all!  Lil'B just thought she looked adorable.  She paraded around with a huge smile on her face!

                                          An Undersea Fairy with a sea shell dress and crown. 

 These are purchased wings, but they were trimmed all in black!  So, I painted the black parts pink and added pink seaweed (ribbon).

 Here's our little pink sea-horse from the front, and.........

 

from the back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I posted last Sunday, my mother finally found peace one year ago.  In the fall, one of the first things she would want to do was buy some miniature gourds to put on her dining room table.  I went with her many times to buy them.  So, whenever, I start seeing gourds out in the grocery stores and at the roadside stands, I think of her.  So, last Sunday, I placed this arrangement at church in her memory. 

 She would have been so happy. 

Sailboat Shortall

I finally got this finished.  There are a couple of things I would do differently if I was making it again.  For one, I would have either made the smocked panel go all the way to the side seam, under the sleeve, or I would have made it a little shorter, so that the corners would not be in the sleeve seam.  It added a little too much bulk, but I truly think it will work out ok.  I know the grandmom of the little one this was made for is very happy.  She took it to her daughter, who was happy, too.  They even asked me to make him a Christmas outfit.  I have to think on that one, because.........

........I have started work.  We had inservice and work days Wed., Thurs., and yesterday, plus the days I had already been to meetings the week before and last Mon., when it wasn't required, but I worked in the classroom, anyway.  It dawned on me the other day, that when I retired, I only had 3 grandchildren.  I, now, have SEVEN!   It was difficult getting Halloween costumes, Christmas outfits, etc.... done with just three, but with seven, I don't know how I'll do it!  But,  believe me, my grands are my top priority, so they will get done!!!!  I came home everyday this week and sewed for an hour or two just to get this little outfit done.  I kept changing my mind about what I was doing, so I took out, and redid several times.  I will have to plan more carefully before I start my Halloween sewing!
Big and Little Little Men want to be Monster TRexes in pajamas, Lil'E wants to be a Sea Fairy and her Lil'B is to be a Sea Horse.  Miss K wants to be a character, from a book she's read, who wears a karate type outfit (I'll have to research that one). Miss J wants to be a character from Harry Potter (Again, some research will come into play).  Then, there's Miss R, she changes her mind often, but the latest is a HORSE.  She first said a black cat, which would be so easy, but if she wants to be a horse, a horse she'll be!!!!  Her big sister was a cowgirl riding a horse one year. 
First, I have a couple of little birthday outfits to sew.  Lil'E will soon be 4 years old.  I will make her and Lil'B simple little matching skirts, maybe????

Going back to SCHOOL news..........We had a parents meet the teachers time last night.  I was flabbergasted as these parents kept coming into my room, and I was recognizing them as my former students!  I can't tell you how weird that was!  Now, I've had the kids of some of my former students before, but seriously, about half of my students are former students' kids!!!!  I think it will be fun to get to know their kids!  At least none of them (that I know about) ran to the principal and demanded that their children be moved to another class when they saw who their kid's teacher would be this year!