Monday 20 May 2013

11

The Rainy Days Peplum

Birthday girl 2

It was Maia's birthday party yesterday and in my typical last-minute fashion I made the party bags the night before, the cake the morning of, and the outfit an hour before. Will I ever learn? Nope.

dancing in the rain 5

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade; when life gives you relentless, soul-destroying weather, you make Rainy Days peplum tops.

dancing in the rain close

Instead of hemming, I edged the flounce with the same knit binding as I used on the sleeve edges and neckline.  This gives the peplum a bit more body and ties the two prints together.  I kind of wish I'd inserted it in the waist seam as well but you can't be too ambitious sewing against the clock.

dancing in the rain 2

All in all, we succeeded in sending our message to the powers that be: you can freeze us, you can soak us, you can knock our bins over every week with your preternaturally strong winds, but we will make clothes about it and wear the sh*t out of them.

party bags 3

The party bags are simple drawstring bags in rainbow hues, french seamed throughout. Six year olds are so snobbish about seam finishes.  I made the labels in Picmonkey and printed them on my beloved address label printer.

party bags 1

Now that I've gotten the weather, the top, and the party bags out of the way let's not beat about the bush.  I know that some of you are here for the biannual cake wreck (looking at you, Juicy Tots).... Will it be tagged 'terrible baking'? Or 'not terrible baking'?

birthday cake 1

Behold the majesty of the freckles, the chin, the cheekbones, those catchlights.  I think we can agree that that is one skillfully-rendered Care Bear head.  Only two people thought it was a pig so I'm calling this a (relative) win.



11 comments:

  1. That's the shizz! Every single bit of it! Way to thumb your nose at nasty weather and produce an outstanding party! Those 6 year olds...gaahh!

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  2. Haha!! How did you know I'd be looking for this! My favourite is still the Thomas the Tank engine meets Salvador Dali one though. Ten out of ten for effort and I'm sure Maia loved it.

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    1. Nooo, it's gotta be the angry birds cake...that was my favourite!

      Love the top!

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  3. So I needed cheering up and decided to look through your cake making link of posts just now. I am concerned to see the cake previous to this one is Maia's cake from her last birthday. Have your son & husband demanded *shock* shop bought cakes?!! I hope not :(

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  4. Wow, you have taken party favor bags to a whole new level. Love the rainbow.

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  5. Lovely outfit and mammoth party pressies. In the face of the rubbish weather, I am sewing summer skirts anyway and crocheting holey cardigans! See here
    Jo x

    http://joeveryday19.blogspot.co.uk/

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  6. I love that print on her dress and it fits her so perfect! Did you make her leggings too? If my daughter will be shaped like me (which is very similar to Maia) then i need that leggings pattern! Haha
    I am one of those who thought it was a pig but once clarified, its a very cute care bear! Now i have to look through your past ones!! Ive been trying to talk myself into doing my daughters cake and now im sure i will. Thank you!

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  7. I confess myself both pleased and disappointed in the not wrecked cake! It is awesome! I was hoping for horrors (as they are amusing and make me feel less alone) but I have to admit that this is just excellent!

    Good work last-minuting the heck out of stuff!

    And again, Happy Birthday to Maia!

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  8. Oh the cake rocks! the party bags are amaze and Maia's outfit is SO cute! Does she appreciate the stuff you do at this age {her age, not yours}. I wonder when Vincent will realise that not everyone's mum can whip up a batman costume whenever he needs one.

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  9. Well done on all! I love the binding at the bottom of the skirt. Piping that fabric inbetween the top and peplum would be so cute.

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