Devil in a blue dress

Yesterday during my blog wanderings I spotted a cute fabric covered headband with a shamrock that slid on. I do wish I could remember where I saw it now, as to provide a link, but I was on a link following escapade that I can't even begin to recreate. So last night at Target, I picked up the cheapest headbands I could find. Because even if I buy the sturdy ones my girls will break them. Sigh. In fact, Blue wore three of them to school today, and I am sure three will not come home this afternoon. When the girls saw them, Ivy immediately claimed the blue one because blue is her new favorite color. Yes, her mother is both proud and thrilled. She told me she was going to wear it to bed, and I told her no, but she could wear it to school the next day. She was happy with that, and told me she would wear a dress, too. So I said that would be really nice, maybe she could wear her blue dress to match. Her reply? "Mama, you make me a blue dress from Daddy's old shirt." Verbatim, people.

Around midnight I finished concocting this dress. It isn't quite like I had planned, but it fits surprisingly well, and it was a good learning experience. Overall, I'm quite happy with it. I showed it to J when I finished and while I didn't expect him to like it, his response was so much more startling than I had expected. The furrowed brow, the baffled look in his eyes. "Well, it's a nice little dress. It's...ahhh... random, though. And it looks a  like lightning." To which I replied "Actually, it's in fashion." "Oh!" Says he.

Well, then.

I don't know it it really is in fashion., Ruffles - check. Flowery ruffles - check. Refashioned polo shirt - check. Whatever. It was a challenge because this is one of J's work shirts from his old, municipal, job and there was an (extremely unremovable) embroidered logo on it. He didn't feel comfortable giving it to Goodwill for that reason, so it was up to me to make something wearable out of it. And I did.

Not only that, but the girl likes it. Actually, she cried when she saw it because she said she wanted long sleeves. But I reminded her that it is almost springtime, and she would get to wear it more with short sleeves and that made her happier.

And as long as we were doing a photo shoot - overexposure notwithstanding - I put her into her new bonnet. She picked out the fabric herself.

I added an extra half inch to the fold side of the pattern for her, and it fits her fairly well. I'll have to add even more to Blue's bonnet, but now I have a better idea of how it goes together and what needs enlarging.

Ah, spring is almost here. It is almost unheard of to have spring-like weather this early in Maine. We are usually knee deep in snow until the end of March and then move into mud season in April. It has been blissful. The girls might even get to wear their Easter bonnets egg hunting this year. Meaning, we won't have to have winter hats and mittens on. Ivy and I have been excitedly watching the buds and crocus and daffodils start to push their way up. I'm not sure she really understand how amazing this is going to be when things start blooming. I'm so glad to experience this with her.

I hope you have a lovely spring day. Aw, who am I kidding, I really hope I have a lovely spring day. Okay, and you, too.