Category: shop

Coming Soon…

The past couple of months have been filled with much planning and anticipation. We’re constantly thinking of ways to improve the blog, build our talents, and fulfill our readers’ expectations. I can tell you for a fact that when either Hanna or I have an idea in our head we’re anxious to see it out…sometimes too anxious. From the very beginning I’ve dreamed of pursuing my love and interest for fashion design. I’ve been relentlessly working, saving, planning, sketching, and sewing to make my dream become a reality.  The ball is now rolling and I’m crazy excited to introduce my first design, the Color Block Party Skirt which will be available for purchase this coming August! 

While I’ve never had any professional schooling in fashion design or dressmaking, it has been a passion and a hobby that I’ve been developing for many years.  I was eight years old when I had my first sewing lesson. My mother carefully instructed me on how to thread the machine and then sent me to work practicing and sewing on my own. At first it was only straight lines, but as I grew more comfortable I would sew around shapes my mother had printed on pieces of paper. After a little more practice, I started creating and sewing little outfits for my dolls.

By fourth grade my mother had signed me up for sewing lessons with the local seamstress. While I’m not sure I fully enjoyed or appreciated it at the time, my mother was always pushing me and my siblings to develop new skills and learn new things. My mother might not have known that sewing would be a skill I’d grow to love in my adult years but she did know it would be a useful one. 

She bought me my first sewing machine for Christmas a couple of years ago and while I’ve only had it for a short time it has gotten a lot of use. I started mainly sewing things for the house and refashioning some of my old clothes, but soon the sky became the limit. I began drafting my own patterns and experimenting with different designs and fabrics. I’ve sewn many of my own clothes and have even found great joy in sewing for other women.

While I am over the moon excited to finally see my hard work and planning come together, I could not have done it without the love, support, and encouragement from my family, friends, and all of our lovely readers. 
With this being such a big project that is so very close to my heart, I wanted to include all of you in the process from beginning to finish. Over the next two and a half months you’ll see these sketches transformed into a completely finished garment! This is happening!!
What color combination are you in love with?
*To view some of my completed sewing projects click through the links below:

How to Save BIG on Your Children’s Clothes


There is always talk about how fast kids grow up. They go from a small newborn baby to an energetic toddler in a mere blink of an eye! The hardest part about them growing up so fast is keeping clothes in their closet that actually fit them. It’s like I buy my daughter a new outfit and after a few wears it is already too small! Not only is my daughter growing out of her clothes faster than I can replenish them, but it also doesn’t take long before there is a giant stain on them either. Let’s face it—kids are tough on clothes! 

While clothing is a necessity of life, it is often hard to bring myself to spend a lot of money on baby clothes when I know in a month or two they will either be too small or too stained. After expressing my frustrations to a friend who has a 2 year old and a baby on the way, she gave me some great tips on how to buy new, name brand kids clothing for little-to-nothing. I’m talking amazing saving here! This woman is the queen of finding a great deal! Just last week she scored an adorable Baby Gab dress, regularly on clearance for $25, for less than $2! The best part of all… she agreed to share her great money saving tips with you too!

  • Think ahead and buy bigger sizes to put away for later—this will save you money in the long run.
  • Shop end of season clearance. Even though it’s end of season for stores, your child can usually wear the clothes for a couple more months and then next year too. For example, right now stores are discounting winter clothes to make room for spring/summer inventory, but it’s still winter clothing weather.
  • Go through your child’s wardrobe and decided what clothes your child needs(ex. 2 pairs of pants, a light-weight jacket, etc). This will help eliminate the compulsive desire to buy just because there is a good deal. 
  • Know the brand of clothes and styles that best fit your child. Every store’s sizes fit differently. For example, H&M pants run really big on my daughter, while Old Navy pants run a bit small. 
  • Look for things that make clothing wearable for longer—like an adjustable waist.
  • Know the stores you shop and when they have sales or additional off clearance items. For example: Dillard’s is an additional off all clearance the last week of every month.
  • Double-up coupons with sales or clearance. While I love extra savings, make sure you read the fine print as there may be some stores that will not allow you to use coupons on sale or clearance items.
  • Always buy the next size up from what your child is currently wearing. 
  • Clearance sale items are usually at the back of the store.
  • Look online for sales and additional discountsusually stores will price match online prices.
  • Visit discount stores such as Ross, TJ Max, and Marshall’s. They even have clearance and marked-down items.


    I’d like to publicly thank my friend, Rachelle, for the wonderful tips and I hope you found them to be as helpful as I did. We love finding new ways to save money, so if you have any additional tips or know of any good sales, please feel free to share them with all of us in the comment section below! 

    Happy saving!

    Linked To:
    http://sodapopave.com/soda-pop-ave/2014/2/4/what-we-love-wednesdays-25
    http://myfashionforwardblog.com/things-pretty-46/
    http://www.delineateyourdwelling.com/2014/02/link-it-or-lump-it-party-no-24.html
    http://thewinthropchronicles.blogspot.com/2014/02/share-it-link-party-100.html
    http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/2014/02/whatever-goes-wednesday-208.html
    http://learningcreatingliving.blogspot.com/2014/02/linkn-blogs-link-party-11.html
    http://www.roubinek.net/something-fabulous-wednesday-3/
    http://www.thepinjunkie.com/2014/02/friday-link-party-53.html

    Friday Finds #2: Cold Weather

    We may not love the cold weather so much, but we do love some of the things that go hand in hand when it’s chilly outside. What’s better than some cozy layering pieces to stay warm, a great read while you’re stuck inside and an oh so delicious cup of hot cocoa to go with it?

    1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 

    Hope you’re staying warm! Have a great weekend!

    Linked to:

    Friday Finds #1: Stripes and Polka Dots

    We’re dedicating Fridays to sharing some of our favorite finds with a round up of things we love! Some are things we just couldn’t live without and have already bought, while others are still on our wish list. We hope that we can send a little inspiration your way!
    To kick-off our very first “Friday Finds”, we decided to do our favorite finds around the inspiration for our blog title…stripe and polka dots. Enjoy!

    1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

    Wardrobe Basics: Shop

    Step 1: Clean Out 
    Step 2: Make a List {Part 1, Part 2}
    Step 3: Shop
    Step 4: Mix and Match
    Step 5: Accessorize

    Before learning how to shop for clothes, shopping was often a very frustrating and overwhelming experience for me. In fact, I generally avoided shopping all together because we usually just didn’t have the money for it. When we did, it was very little. With only enough money for one or two items, I would stress over finding the perfect thing. The problem was that I usually didn’t know what exactly I was looking for other than it had to fall within me budget. With an infinite variety of clothes, styles, colors, and patterns to choose from I would become easily overwhelmed, lost, and confused. I’d spend hours shopping just to come out empty handed. In cases where I did find something it often was a random article of clothing that did not bring a lot of versatility into my existing wardrobe.

    While I still have a very minimal budget for clothes shopping I am learning how to utilize the money I do have by shopping for quality pieces that will expand the versatility of my wardrobe. However, the key to a successful shopping trip is to first know your style and what exactly it is you will be looking for. If you need help or a little refresher on how to find your style and make a shopping list, make sure to read parts 1 and 2 of Step 2 in the Wardrobe Basics series. If you feel confident in your style and have your list ready, it is time to start shopping!

    In order to help you have a more successful shopping trip I have come up with a few rules/guidelines for you to use:

    1.  Stick to your list
    If you’re like me and get easily overwhelmed when shopping, sticking to your list will give you a clear focus/direction as to what it is you are looking for. No more wandering around stores lost and confused– Hallelujah! Sticking to your list will also help you stick to your budget (if you have one). It is often easy for me to get sidetrack by something I want (but don’t necessarily need); however, being on a strict budget I try to only buy the things on my list.

    2.  Don’t settle on the fit
    In order to build a wardrobe you will love, fit is important. I’m not just talking about the size of your clothes, but also about buying clothes that flatter your body. If you’re not quite sure what styles and shapes work best for your body, chances are you’re going to have to do some experimenting. Try on multiple styles and shapes to discover what is going to be the most flattering on you and work to your advantage. Finding clothes that both fit and flatter your body may also require you to sometimes try on different sizes than you would normally wear. All clothes are made and fit differently, so don’t necessarily rule something out because the size you normally wear doesn’t fit.

    3.  Versatility is key
    Buying versatile pieces is going to end up saving you money and giving you a more workable wardrobe– it’s a win win! Buying versatile pieces doesn’t necessarily mean having to buy all neutrals just because neutrals go with anything. Like we talked about in Step 2, it is good to have a few basic neutral pieces but colors and prints can be very versatile as well. When trying on clothes, the questions you should ask yourself to determine if something is going to be a versatile piece in your wardrobe are: Does it go with a least four other pieces in my current wardrobe? And, can it be layered, tucked-in, or belted to create more looks?

    4.  Be yourself
    Buy clothes that represent you and your personality. They should be clothes that you feel comfortable in and are functional to your lifestyle. Being a mom, I buy things that I can move freely and comfortably in. I don’t buy anything that can’t be thrown in the washer or is high maintenance.

    5.  Keep a positive attitude
    While shopping use to be a very frustrating and negative experience for me, I’ve since willed that sort of thinking out of my head. It may take you some time, along with some trial and error, to figure out what works best on your body, but don’t get discouraged. If something doesn’t fit, the problem is in the clothing not your body. Take this experience of shopping and building a new wardrobe to embrace your body just the way it is. Have fun and good luck!

    ** I apologize for the wait on this post…I’ve been without a computer. This entire post was typed on my Kindle if you can believe it. 

    Linked to:

    New Arrival + A Giveaway!!

    Hey everyone! I’d like to announce the arrival of the A-line Chevron Skirt to my shop, available in new chevron colors! This skirt is the perfect combination of flattery and comfort. I’ve seen many jersey knit skirts in stores but all seem to come with that yoga style waistband which I extremely dislike. After having a baby, that area is the last place I want added volume. You’ll notice on this skirt a nice 4″ wide waistband which allows for all day comfort and a perfect fit.

    To make this skirt part of your wardrobe, visit the SewLOVED Shop now!!

    Also I’m doing a little guest post and a giveaway on Love, Love, Love today. You do not want to miss out on this giveaway, so hop on over the lovely Love, Love, Love blog and check it out!