Tutorial Tuesday: Flower Headbands

So, playing around on polyvore.com (which I'm sure will be a new favorite pastime), I've seen tons of headbands that just make me squeal in girlish delight. Bows, flowers, hearts - all such sweet little embellishments that have me thinking spring and wishing I had even a single headband in my collection. Well, I found a tutorial that just might help me (and you) out - DesignMom gives us an easy-to-follow tutorial on how to make a sweet flowery headband that's sure to compliment all your modest spring outfits.

Modestify Your Prom: Episode 1

Love a prom dress that isn't perfectly modest? Don't worry, you have options. Here's a dress worthy for prom, with a plethora of additions that would make it worthy for you. My favorites? The metallic ruffle shrug and the red willow top (to be worn under the dress, of course). Bonus- if you like what you see here, most of these combinations would end up costing you less than 100 dollars. Being modest isn't as difficult as you thought, huh?

Post Options
You Have Options - by CherryTree84 on Polyvore.com

Creating a Modest Wardrobe with Polyvore

Wow, I just found a site that is way too addictive, though definitely worth it. Polyvore.com lets you search through hundreds of different fashion elements - shirts, skirts, dresses, jeans, shoes, accessories, everything you can dream of - and choose your favorites to arrange in various artful creations. You can choose clothes from just certain sites or you can browse the web finding anything and everything. It's the ultimate window shopping experience. Then if you find something you really like and actually want to own, it actually links you up with the site that sells that item of clothing and you can just... buy it. Neat huh?

Here's one of my creations - a modest outfit put together for the happily pregnant me. Of course, I can't afford most of the stuff I chose, but I figure I can use it for inspiration when sewing or actually shopping. Check out what I made, then go make your own. :)


Preggie Pretty - by CherryTree84 on Polyvore.com

Whoa-Resources

Sorry for the lack of postage lately - big things have been going on in the personal life department. Biggest news - we found out we're having a boy! We are so excited to welcome our little boy into the world, I can't believe I still have to wait five months. (Saying phrases like "our little boy" "my son" - wow, that gives such a thrill.)
In other not-so-big news I am getting a serger soon and the anticipation is killing me. I am really looking forward to playing with this new machine and having more options for making my own (modest) clothing. Hopefully there will be some fun tutorials/giveaways coming up.

But back to the modestifying stuff. I was going link crazy today and found some pretty neat things. Started out on Meal Planning Mommies (which for you cooks out there, mommies or not, is an amazing resource), then skipped from there over to Joy in Every Step, and from there to The Stay-at-Home Missionary (both extremely uplifting blogs), who led me to Beautifully Adorned (now we're getting into the fashion stuff), who finally led me to The Modest Fashion Bloggers Network. There you have it. The site provides links to blogs focusing on modest fashions and promoting modesty and femininity. They also have a shopping list of sites that provide modest fashions and information about events going on in the world of modest fashion. So go check it out and enjoy!

Prom Highlight: Good Deals at JenClothing

So, prom is just around the corner and I know that when I was in high school this is about the time I'd start flipping through magazines looking for the perfect modest prom dress. I never found one, by the way, but my misfortune doesn't have to be yours. These days, with so many options on the internet and so many resources for learning to modify what's out there, you don't have to settle for something you don't love and you certainly don't have to discard your standards.

My biggest problem way back in '01 searching for a promdress, was that I could find modest but I could not find affordable. I'm sorry, 500 dollars for a prom dress was simply ridiculous. But today there are a lot more options of the affordable variety and today I'd like to point out just one of them.

JenClothing is currently having a sale on all their prom dresses. The priciest one they've got is $150, and the majority rest somewhere around $85. Add free shipping during the month of March, and you've got a pretty good deal.

Here are a few of my picks:

It's classy, it's simple, and I have a thing for the ruched waist. It's on sale for $87.95 and you can find it here.

This one is in their new arrivals section, and it's a little pricier at $149.95, but if you're ok with paying a little bit more, I think this dress is perfectly lovely. It's modest and elegant and can make any girl feel like a princess. Find it here.

If you're going for something a little less formal, and more fun and flirty, this is a great dress. The pricetag is a modest $69.95 and you could totally glam it up with some fancy accessories. Find it here.

Jen's got tons more, so go check out JenClothing's modest prom dresses, and see if you can find your dream dress there. Good luck! :)

Tutorial Tuesday: Wrap Pants

Easy, breezy, beautiful... wrap pants. I found this tutorial by Laupre on how to make these awesome wrap pants that look to be divinely comfortable. They're versatile, unique, comfortable - and, our favorite, modest. Click here for the tutorial. Or, if you would rather shop than sew, you could probably order some from her Etsy shop. I'll also take this opportunity to highlight a few of the other delightful items she has available in her shop right now.

Exhibit A: This adorable shrug, currently on sale for $16.00


Exhibit B: This fun, almost patchwork-esque shirt for $27.00


Exhibit C: In the accessory category, this purse has totally captured my heart.

So go check out Laupre, and maybe make yourself some pants!

Mommy Monday: Baby Pod

Of course I had to include something from my friends on Threadbanger. I love those guys, truly. A while back, they created this awesome video tutorial on how to make a baby pod from an old, soft sweatshirt. It's a slightly more complicated project, but should take more than a few hours and you can customize it however you like. Lots of fun possibilities with this one. Without further ado, the video:

Tutorial Tuesday: Sweater to Bag

So, I've decided that winter is officially over. I'm sick of it, and I am ready for spring. Therefore, it's time to chop up those old sweaters and not look back! Cindygert (fiber fashioned with flair) has created a brilliant tutorial for how to turn a winter sweater into a purse perfect for the transition between winter and spring. Enjoy! Click here for the tutorial.

Mommy Monday: Easy Peasy Bibs

The Purl Bee is usually about a lot of knitting, which sadly I am not able to do, but happily I found an awesome tutorial on their site on how to make a big using bias tape and some fleece. Looks like fun and would make an awesome gift for a baby shower, new mom, first birthday, whatever.


Click here for the tutorial.

How to Dress Like Penelope

Ok, I know this movie came out over a year ago but I just watched it again on Netflix instant play and again was enchanted by the set design and wardrobe. It may not be the best movie I've ever seen, but every time I watch it I think "I want to live in that movie." I want those colors all around me, I want those plants in their terrariums, I want that swing in my bedroom for goodness sake. But the thing that enchants me most of all, I think, is Penelope's wardrobe. There's something classy and classic about it, yet at the same time something original and personal. And best of all, the majority of what she wears is modest - tasteful and classic.

The first time I watched this movie, upon arriving home, I immediately jumped on the ol' internet and searched desperately for any pictures I could find that could give me inspiration in recreating this look for myself. (With my own personal touches of course - as much as I love skirts, I just can't give up my jeans.) Nothing. There was like ONE picture of Penelope online - her in that adorable coat. But even though it was adorable, it just wasn't enough. So, after watching Penelope again, I tried again - even harder - to find some pictures and get some ideas of what makes Penelope's wardrobe so enchanting. Finally I found some. Here they are:

Yep, all three screenshots I could find. But, still, I did gain some insight into the style and I wanted to share some major points of what makes Penelope's wardrobe so great, and how to recreate it, or elements of it, for yourself:

a.) Colors - For most of the movie, Penelope dresses in vibrant but muted jewel tones: reds, greens, browns, blues. They have a sort of saturated feel that makes things feel older, classier, somehow.

b.) Skirts - I don't think Penelope wears any pants in this movie. She mostly wears knee-length skirts and dresses with coordinating tights and shoes. In the last scene of the movie she's wearing a blue dress with blue tights and blue shoes. How I love it. In all, her clothing is sweet and very feminine.

c.) Embellishents - Again, with the feminine - many of the shirts Penelope wears are embellished with very feminine elements like beaded flowers, ribbons, ruffles, puffed sleeves, and my personal favorite - buttons.

d.) Shoes - Penelope wears these adorable, solid-colored, heeled Mary Janes throughout the movie. They usually coordinate perfectly with whatever tights she's wearing.

So, while everyone else has moved on, I've finally cracked the code to Penelope's clothes ;) I think we all need to find our style inspiration and wear things that make us feel unique and beautiful in a modest way. Who are your style icons?

Tutorial Tuesday: Muumuu Top

Today's tutorial is another from our friends at Stitch Lounge - this time a refashioning adventure! It's a slightly more complicated project than the ten-minute top, but the results will be worth it. Plus you get to take something that is mostly unwearable, though horribly comfortable - the muumuu (I used to have a real thing for muumuus) - and turn it into a still-comfortable, much more wearable, adorable top! :) Click here for the tutorial.

Mommy Monday: Easy Burp Cloths

Here's another fun and easy project for the beginning sewing enthusiast. Gerbera designs shows us how to fancy up some simple cloth diapers to turn them into some very charming burp cloths.


Click here for the tutorial.