It always amazes me how patterns for kids can be so... off! I typically end up combing a few patterns that I like and then make my own alterations to make the garment turn out the way I want.
Recently, I have been playing around with pant patterns. There are so many areas that can go wrong! Too long through the crotch, puckering at the hips, elastic too loose around the waist. It is a real mathematical challenge.
Although not perfected, I have created a pants pattern that I like which means that I can start playing around with style. Here are some pictures of Howie wearing the outfit I made him. I am particularly fond of the big pocket and hope to make that a new statement in my Sweet Pea Style line.

Sweet, but Sophisticated.

I am really excited about this holiday collection of Sweet Pea Style clothes. In searching beneath all the cheesy Christmas fabric, I have found some fabric gems that are few and far between. You'll be seeing this "look" pop up at my trunk shows, open houses and website offerings.

A BIG thank you to www.CarolnBowles.com for the photos.

Play

In efforts to incorporate a little play into Sweet Pea Style, these rattle toys will hit the shelves for Christmas '09.

Images of Beauty

Carolyn Bowles (www.carolynbowles.com) has done some beautiful work for me. We had a photo session of Sweet Pea Style clothes in Hyde Park. I brought along some sweet friends of Howie's and we had a blast with getting the perfect pictures. Thank you Carolyn. You are a creative genius.

Hey folks! Would you like Carolyn to be your creative genius? Check her out at www.carolynbowles.com

Coming...

I just received the postcard invites that Little Liza Jane's made for the SPS Holiday Trunk Show they are hosting. I am super excited about how they turned out! I look forward to spreading the word via postal mail to the Sweet Pea fans.
It is October 10 from 10 am to 5 pm. See you there?!

The Fella Bella Trunk Show

Sweet Pea Style was present at the 2009 Applefest celebrated in downtown Lebanon. I camped out in the Fella Bella Shoppe to meet and greet customers who were ready to create a dress or romper. It was so energizing to meet so many nice people and hear their kind feedback.

HomeArama

What a surprise! A Sweet Pea Style onesie made it into the HomeArama Show in Mason, Ohio. Kelly Lambert at Little Liza Jane's boutique submitted it to diplay in one of the nursery closets. Rick and I had to go check it out. Here are the pix.

Studios on Main

I found a little treasure in Loveland. The "Studios on Main" is a renovated elementary school that houses independent artists ranging in craft from photography, to painting, to fiber arts. They have an open area for shows and displaying art. Howie and I went over to check it out and enter the "Art to Wear" Show. Sweet Pea Style was accepted into the show (the last day to enter and I arrived at 4 pm!). I am looking forward to the event on November 19. It is such an inspiring place... www.studiosonmain.com

Sweet Pea at the Zoo

One of the most rewarding things about making clothes for little ones is seeing them tromp through life wearing your creations.
We went to the zoo with our friends today and that very thing happened. Our little friend (N) was sporting her elephant shirt that I had made her in prior months.

Going to School

This is my dear friend on her day of preschool orientation. She is sporting a bag that I made for her. Her mommy helped her pick out some fun fabric and we embroiderer her initials on the front.

Business Man Gone Girly

From our closet, I took one of my husband's shirts from a company he worked at years ago. He never wore it as it was way too big. Before considering Goodwill, I took a closer look and thought about it from the sewer's perspective. Hmmm... Great material, never been worn, set of buttons already evenly placed... So I did the only logical thing a girl can do, cut it up and made a dress.
The buttons from the front of the shirt became the back of the dress and I added some very pink and girly material as the sash and liner, just in case there was any questionable manlyness left in the style. I was not able to get the logo out of the of the dress, it was placed too low to cut it out. Luckily, it is pretty discrete color-wise and it will lay on the child's back shoulder.
My next experiment will be with felting wool and seeing how it does with various projects.

Yah, I know it's 90 degrees...

But retail says, "Think winter!" And thus, I have been thinking of the holidays and all the cheesey junk that goes along with the season. I am determined to find tasteful colors and styles that will help add a little class to the winter months. This requires a lot of creative thinking. I think it has been the biggest challenge for me yet, seriously folks. Christmas crafting screams, "Flashy, tacky, and in your face." Amen?

This afternoon, while my son first sang for an hour in his crib then slept two hours, I worked away at creating what I have been carrying around in my head for weeks. These two pictured shirts are some of my preliminary attempts at creating "true joy style" in the holiday season.

For the toddler boys, I felt that they needed a Christmas puppy. Doesn't every little boy need a dog for a friend? And what could be more American than a laborador with a red collar?

And the girls deserved something timeless. I create a flowered shirt that uses vintage buttons for the middle. Thank you to our dear Grandma M. for my outstanding collection of buttons from years ago.

Peace on Earth...

A New Discovery

I love the little ah-hah's that happen in my sewing room. While making a new wrap dress to pitch to a boutique, I realized that with a little tweaking, it can be reversible. Thus, I abandoned the "liner" material and set out to make the inside a designer material too. The result is this colorful dress on the outside, and then a deep red on the reverse side. These will definitely be on the website soon!

Partnering

I have been recently working with a great photographer to capture the colors and styles of Sweet Pea Style. Carolyn Bowles creates amazing moments in time. Her business focus is children and families and it has been a wonderful fit for me. Doing some recent photo shoots in the Hyde Park and Mt. Adams areas have given us a more urban look.

Carolyn Bowles Photography would love to meet your family too! You can find her at: www.carolynbowles.com

Setting Up Shop

Carolyn and I spent the morning setting up for the Trunk Show at the Fella Bella Shoppe in Lebanon, OH. How exciting it was to see all of our hard work and brainstorming come together and make something beautiful.
Rick came along to help, it was so nice to have an engineer amongst our crazy creative minds. Thanks Honey!
The window has been completed and will attract shoppers into the store for the next three weeks as we gear up for the Trunk Show on September 26. More pictures of the window will follow as there is better lighting for a photo.