Purple Anniversary Dress

Pattern: McCalls 5752, view C

Fabric: Very stretchy purple floral knit

It has been downstairs for years and I've been trying to get my Mom to make herself a dress out of it for  a while, but being a busy Mom of five and homeschooling and teaching pilates.

The Front.

Well, my Mom and Dad are going on a Mediterranean cruise for their 20th anniversary, so I bugged my Mom until she decided to let me do it. :-)

The pattern was really easy and our serger made it go pretty fast.  I modified the sleeve to match what  my Mom wanted.  I basically cropped the sleeves and added tiny circle skirts to them. :-)

 Because of the crossoverness of the dress, my mom wanted a coordinating top to wear under it.

 The different areas of gathering are so interesting.

 Sleeves...

 She gave me a cami and I figured out a way to cover it without making it look awkward.

I covered the entire front, but there wasn't enough for the back.  Oh well. :-)

The Back.

Definitely cruise wear, but my Mom likes it, and that is cool.  The more I sew, the more creative I feel and the more willing I am to try new things.  Perhaps we'll see a pair of pants on here in the future?  I don't know.  What are you guys working on?

Caribbean Cruise Part 3 - Photo albums

Hey guys!  It is taking to long to upload all the photos from the cruise and I already have them on facebook so I'm just going to post the links to the albums!

Be advised, my cousins wear bikinis.  Just in case there are any guys who happen to read this blog, I am not trying to stumble you.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2105214&id=1544657120&l=6992de8a46

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2105583&id=1544657120&l=3acd2c4f0a

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2105584&id=1544657120&l=8251347a07

Enjoy!

Caribbean Cruise Part 2 - Embarkation

   Ok, this is still Sunday.  It is getting on the boat and leaving a rainy FL.

A storm is coming! :-)

Jamie, with his xs.

Drawbridge!  Super cool.

Jamie, Uncle Gordy, and Nathanael

Uncle Scott

This pretty much sums up everbody.  SUPER DUPER UBER EXCITED!  Smiles everywhere. :-)

Cousin Katie and Hudson

Cousins Annabelle, Hayes, and Katie with Aunt Elizabeth

Dancing with excitement. :-)

Grandma and Grandpa!  The reason for the trip.

A pool, two hot tubs, two levels and a movie screen.  wow.

Caribbean Cruise Part 1 - Flight/Departure/Hotel

I'm so sorry at how late this is!  Our cruise was back in November, over Thanksgiving break.  We went with my Dad's entire family.  22 of us in all.  We were celebrating my grandparents 50th anniversary.

 In O'Hare Airport.

 Doing school...reading A Tale of Two Cities

 Emily wears her big brother's hat.

 All three brothers played together on their iPods while waiting to board.

 Views form one of the hotel windows.

 City Bokeh! 

 Amazing stuff.

 City alight.

 Lower pools

 Our great hotel.  Here is a little known fact.  Priceline is amazing!!!!!  We got this hotel that is normal $300+ a night for $75 a night both there and back!  SO cool.

 Very posh.  Sunrise reflection.

 One of the coolest pools ever!  There was a glass circle in the floor in the middle that you could see down into the lower pool through.

 Ft. Lauderdale skyline.  Our hotel was smack dab on the ocean!  

 Glass ceilings.  :-)

 Sunrise on the ocean.  My first ocean.  Yes.  I had never been to the ocean!

 It is amazing...

The love of God...

were the ocean vast of ink, it would drain the ocean dry!

(to describe it)

from a hymn that I can't remember the name of..grr.

 Seagulls!  Photo by Than, my brother.

 One of my favorite shots.

 Sunday Morning

 That same glass ceiling, from the bottom

 Outside..

 Westin Diplomat...Just the name sounds cool!

 Hotel fountains.

 Our rental car, another praise to the Lord and very cool.

 Beautiful, sunny, Sunday morning!

 LOTS of roundabouts.

 And hurricane evacuation signs...

 Daddy and Mommy were able to see some friends they hadn't seen for years!

And the rain.  How fickle is the weather in FL!  How do you all put up with it?