Candy Girl Tiered Dress

pictures in this post compliments of Dana Monticelli Photography

One of the things I had always planned on doing from the day Nora was born was making tons and tons of baby clothes and dresses for her.  Now that didn't exactly go as planned, as to date I have made exactly three dresses (including these two Geranium dresses), but when her first pictures were just around the corner I decided she HAD to wear a handmade dress by her momma.



I had purchased a bundle of patterns from Ginger Baby Patterns on Etsy a few months back and decided to make the Candy Girl Tiered Dress.  I just love the gathered elastic top detail and the ruffled gathered sleeves.  I was debating on a few fabric options and ultimately decided to cut into my Heather Ross Far Far Away bundle, because every little girl needs a pink unicorn dress in their life.



I just love the fabric flower detail, the dress is great on its own, but the center flower adds just the extra pop this dress needs.  I would highly recommend this pattern, it was a breeze to sew together, oodles of step by step pictures and no pattern pieces!  Everything is straight rectangular cuts of fabric, perfect for this quilter at heart.  It was also a quick sew.  I easily finished the dress in one nap time, having already prewashed my fabric ahead of time.



I'd say Nora is a fan!  I know I missed my window of prime dress wearing weather this year, but I fully intend on wearing this dress through the rest of the fall with a long sleeved onesie and leggings, and I don't think Nora would object.



If you have any toddler sewing tutorials, I'd love to hear about them!  I have my eye on the Little Pearl Dress that Sarah made for her little girl from the Liberty Love book I have on my shelf, now that Nora is big enough to wear the smallest size!

9 months with Nora

Someone needs to tell this girl to stop growing up, because she isn't listening to her mama!  I feel like every time I turn around it's time to take a weekly or monthly pic of this little lady!  She is changing every day, and it is so fun to watch her learn new things.

While Nora makes me work for these pictures every week and month now that she is on-the-go, and anything and everything is more interesting than mom's camera, I'm so glad I decided to do this little photo project because it really is fun to look back on how much she has grown and changed!  The blocks look HUGE in those 1 and 2 month pictures.



This is our latest weekly picture, I'm starting to get a little sad that there are only 13 more weekly pics to take!  Tell me I'm not the only mama that has these feelings of nostalgia and she's only 9 months old!  We're moving right along though, and starting  to plan her first birthday party, I'm thinking of a Minnie Mouse theme, anyone have any fun theme ideas?