Showing my Independence

It's a little late for Independence Day, but here you go anyway (better late than never right? - Nah, I don't agree either, just thought I'd try).

I made this Stars and Stripes Pillowcase Dress. I love the fabric because it looks antique-ish (I just made that word up, but it sounds good). The blue fabric has off-white stars in it, the red, striped, ticking fabric looks tea-stained, which gives it an aged look. A little girl could wear this any time, it doesn't just have to be worn on the 4th of July (but it does look Patriotic).

I love pillowcase dresses for several reasons...

1) The first is the history behind them. They used to be worn by peasants and poor people. They made use out of what they had. Nothing went to waste.

2) They grow with the girl. Since the ribbons can be tied tighter when she is smaller and looser as she grows, it is able to be worn longer.

3) The pillowcase dress can be worn as a top (this kind of goes with #2) when the dress gets too short. It can be worn with little bloomers, capri pants or jeans.

4) It can be dressed up or down depending on what you make it out of. Pillowcase Dress with lace trim in white with white leather patent Mary Janes makes a very cute Easter dress. Make it with a casual fabric and flip flops and it can be a summer play dress.



Here was a simple Patriotic table display. I had red and white dishes that I mixed up, I used red and blue bandanas for inexpensive place mats and napkins on a plain white table cloth. I had red and blue enameled buckets (Target $1 aisle) and American flags (Hobby Lobby half -off) about $0.25 each. Quick, Easy and Inexpensive!

Graduation Cake

A friend of mine was talking to a co-worker that needed a cake for her daughter's high school graduation and she put in a good word for me.

So I was able to do a cake for her. The school colors were white, grey and maroon. She sent me several pictures of cakes that she liked and then let me have at it. So this cake is like a combination of 3 different cakes that she liked.

She wanted a small cake (I did a 6" cake) that she could place on top of a tiered stand and then she wanted 4 dozen cupcakes (forgot to get a picture of them) to go on the bottom tiers of the stand. She wanted enough cake/cupcakes for about 50 people and she wanted them to be able to serve themselves.

I hope she is happy. I was pleased with the way it turned out.

Stars and Stripes Tee Shirts

Here's my clan in Smithville, almost at the Jamboree. [I didn't get many pictures beacuse my camera didn't cooperate. - I need/want a new one.]

Five years ago Frank, Lee, Champ and I made these shirts from the July 2004 issue of Family Fun Magazine. Lee and Champ have outgrown their shirts and passed them down to Anthony and Rance (which I could only find 1 shirt), so this year we made Lee and Champ new shirts (and one for the little ones). They are so easy and I think very cute. Guess how they are made? From corrugated cardboard!!!!!! You cut stars out of corrugated cardboard and peel the paper off the top and then you have a star shaped, striped stencil. Isn't that a neat idea? Wonder what else you could do with that? You can find complete details here.



Here is author, Ronda Friend, giving the boys a preview of her new book. She has a very dynamic personality. She is someone to meet in person (she does guest appearances). [We have the first 4 (bought them at the Smithville Jamboree 2 years ago) and they are fantastic. I intended on buying her new book, but it was one of the first booths we stopped at and I didn't want to carry it around the whole time so I was going to buy it right before we left, but I forgot.] :o(

You can find out more about R. Friend and her books here.

Why I love her books...
1. They are funny, true stories from her life.
2. They are AR books
3. They each have a song
4. They each have a recipe
5. If there are difficult words in the book she gives the definition (you would have to read a book to understand how she works it in - very clever). *This is my favorite thing about her books.*

Joe Vick, artist, was also one of my favorite repeat vendors at the Smithville Jamboree. He does pencil drawings that are very like the subject. He did Lee and Champ like 8 or 9 years ago in Byrdstown, TN and last year I had him draw a portrait of Anthony and Rance (he does it in about 10 min. or less). He is really good and very reasonable. He does other pictures (other than just portraits) and has them for sale, you can buy just the print or you can buy it matted and framed. You can check out more on Joe Vick here.

It seems there were less vendors this year than in the past (economy maybe?), but all in all it was a great year. It wasn't too hot and little humidity. We usually go early on Saturday morning (before it gets too hot and too crowded). The Smithville Fiddler's Jamboree is held every year the weekend closest to the 4th of July in Smithville, TN. I always enjoy it and try not to miss it (not sure if I have missed it since I was little). I usually go just for the vendors (when I was little, my parents and grandparents went for the music and the competitions) it's just too hot for me to stay for all of that, but it's great (we see a little of it).

If you like bluegrass music, square dancing, clogging, talented artisans that make the most extraordinary items, then you would like the Smithville Jamboree.