Vacation detox

One week ago today we were on our way to the lake for the second time this summer- a first for us. All preparations behind, the week stretched ahead wide with promise. Now we are home and I won't be eating a Teal's donut (or three) for another year.

Back to reality. Back to all the things I was trying to accomplish before we left. Last week we started stripping and refinishing the painted floors in the kids' bedrooms. I had hoped to complete this task and let the finish dry while we were gone. The kids spent the week prior to the camping trip sleeping in the camper. It was novel then. Last night when we pulled in around 9:00 P.M. they groaned at not being able to slip into their normal beds. Today I finished sanding and filling cracks. Tomorrow I will stain. If all goes as planned, which it seldom does, they will be back in their beds by the weekend.

When I realized I wouldn't get the floors completed and my fabric.com order providentially arrived in a timely manner I switched gears. The girls needed new swimsuits this year. I wanted them to be able to focus on swimming and not whether or not their private bits were exposed. To get the fit and affordability we desired I knew we would have to fashion our own attire. Who knew swimsuit patterns were so hard to locate? I finally found a leotard pattern we like and wouldn't you know they were sold out of the size we needed?! I got the smaller size and it all worked out with a little adjustment.

I also made myself a swimshirt to match a tennis skirt I already had. They looked so cute!! The swimsuit fabric was procured through chezami.com and I was pleased as punch with the quality. The material was a tactel/spandex knit with which I had never sewn. I used a ball point needle in my serger with the cutting blade in the inactive position and it went delightfully smooth. Until, that is, Madigan wore hers a couple times and the threads began to unravel. Maliah's was fine, however, so the problems can be chalked up to sub-par thread. Let that be a lesson. NEVER use cheap thread!!!

My other sewing project was for a pilot cap for Merritt. He had an ear ache last week so I wanted something to cover his little ears that was lighter weight than a stocking cap. I used an old t'shirt of Mitchell's for the body and some knit ribbed fabric for the ties. The pattern was from sewliberated.com. I think it is just adorable! Matt and my brothers thought he looked like a girl. This from the same people who maintain boys wear clothes not outfits! Does that really matter when you are 8 months old?! I might just make one to match all his "outfits".