May 11, 2012

I Made a Maxi Dress!

May 11, 2012/ Alesha Sinks

For those of you who have managed to find me on Instagram or Twitter, you may remember this picture of my fabric purchase last week!

Well, I used this SUPER SOFT knit to make a maxi dress!I spent some time pinning different maxi dresses I liked. Then I picked my favorite to copy cat...that was the hard part. But I ended up sticking with my the dress that had inspired me to make my own in the first place. This dress from LaPosh Style costs $45.

I couldn't justify spending that much.

So I made my own...for about $16!

The color is slightly lighter =(

But it is still beautiful!

It is not as gathered in the waist as the example photo. Oops!

It was definitely a challenge to create a dress without a pattern. I started off intending to make a tutorial...and then I made to many mistakes....

Maybe I'll come up with a short one...

Or maybe I'll make another one...

Or maybe one of you will buy the fabric and have me make one for you?

LOL! We'll see if I can figure out a tutorial soon.

...

And then I had some fun with PicMonkey... Seriously...airbrushing and adding lip color is

SO MUCH FUN sometimes. =P

I hope you like my dress...I love it! And I love the fact that it covers my bandaged up ankle.

I developed shin splints. =(

Have you bought or made a maxi dress this year? I LOVE them! Post a link to a picture of you in a maxi dress if you want. I'd love to see it!

Be blessed!

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One thing I wanted to do this year is pick back up a non-digital hobby. Something I could do while watching tv and that didn’t use tons of brain power.
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Well, if you didn’t already figured it out, I started crocheting again. It might be my oldest, and favorite hobby (and once a failed business attempt).
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If that admission didn’t make you think I’m basically a granny at heart, then you should know that my other option was puzzles.
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A few days ago, I finished my second crochet project of the year - matching fox hats for my boys and my niece in Washington State.
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I think next I need to make some for my nieces who live in North Carolina. But I’m thinking unicorn hats would be fun. Also, winter is almost over, so maybe for next year?
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Until then, I’ll be granny-ing it up by making myself a sweater, because sometimes it’s good for my brain and my soul to make things.
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What unusual hobby do have? Or...what is your oldest hobby? This is my oldest, and I love it.
[Free pattern from thefriendlyfox.com]
#memade #slowlived #crochet #babiesinhats #1000gifts #makersgonnamake #makerspace #crochetinspiration

We visit Washington in two weeks. My parents house is under approximately 14 inches of snow which will likely all be melted by the time we arrive. But regardless, that means I need shoes that aren’t open-toed or made with breathable fabric.
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So I set out to find a cute pair of warm shoes for less than twenty dollars. Because spending money on warm shoes feels frivolous when you live in South Florida.
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I expected to end up with a pair of Walmart tennis shoes. Instead, I found these on the clearance rack in the children’s section of my favorite discount store for fifteen dollars. They fit. And they are comfortable...for heels.
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And they are exactly the kind of ankle boot I’ve wanted for years but never bought.
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In moments of tiny joy, I’m always presented with a choice: excitement or worship. And although new shoes that are so much better than I hoped is a wonderful thing, it’s easy to write off as luck. Coincidence. Happenstance. Perhaps it’s even logical to asses it that way.
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But instead of writing those tiny, almost inconsequential joys off as chance, I could receive them as gifts. I serve a God who loves to give good gifts to His children, and what does it cost me to attribute those tiny joys to Him.
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In the end, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights...” (James 1:17a)
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So I can logic my way through life or I can worship my way through life. And always, I hope I choose worship.
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#1000gifts #worship #getaftergrateful #thrivewhereistand

Happy Super Bowl. I’m team #neverthepatriots and team Oreo chocolate cheesecake.
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Who are you rooting for?
#superbowl53 #teamcheesecake #teamcheesecake #foodstagram #sundaybakes

My husband and I have been working toward healthier eating the past two months (although we took a few weeks off over Christmas). It frustrates me to see and admit how hard this is for me. I hate restricting the foods I can eat, even if it’s only restricting highly processed foods that are terrible for me anyways.
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For several years I’ve been fighting against God in this area. Refusing to even believe it was God tugging on my heart. I don’t like telling myself no in this area. I can tell myself only eat a little, but none? Nope. .
I get so cranky and irritated with life when I can’t eat exactly when I wast.
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Guys. It’s just food. Why do I let it ruin my day?
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But that’s what I’m learning. I might not be overweight or have major health issues, but food quickly becomes my rescue. My comfort. And over and over the past year, I’ve felt God ask me to let Him be my Rescue. My Comforter.
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So today, when I saw this breakfast sitting in front of me today, it felt like a small victory to truly enjoy it and be satisfied. But then, later this evening I was so close to caving and eating a warm flour tortilla with butter. I was tired and hungry. And that food sounded like perfection.
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What I’m trying to say is, listen to God when He is trying to pull away your idols so that He can be your Comfort. It’s so hard sometimes. But I know and believe it is so worth it.
#trimhealthymama #1000gifts #getafyergrateful

These two cuties are my very favorite, even if I get so tired of refereeing their playtime. #pleasestoofighting #sharingisfun
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We are getting ready to take a trip to Washington State to visit family in a few weeks and so I had to make Peter a hat like I did for his brother around the same age. And it has come in super handy during this cold weather we’ve had off and on all month.
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And yes, I do have to fight with them to get the hats on and to keep them on, but they’re getting better. The rule is, below 60° and the hat is required. Lol!
#motherhoodunplugged #simplemotherhood #thrivewhereistand #1000gifts #memade #chrochetlove #brothers #sinksfamily #heysweetpeter #ohlittlejames

I asked my husband to snap this photo because I want to remember this. We do this a lot and I hope it’s one of the things my boys remember when they are grown. Cuddles and books with mommy. I’m not always the best mom for getting down on the floor and playing pretend. I’m not always great at letting my boys do messy play. I’m not that good a doing fun art or learning projects with them. I’m not the best at bathing my boys regularly or feeding them organic foods or letting them pick out their own clothes to express themselves. In fact, I really don’t even care much at all about those last three, and I’m really, really bad at that first one. But I do hope they remember I read to them. And that we cuddled. And how much we all loved it.
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What is one thing you are great at that you hope your kids will remember when they grow up?
#motherhoodunplugged #thrivewhereistand #simplemotherhood #readtokids #bookstagram #1000gifts #heysweetpeter #ohlittlejames #sinksfamily

My husband is going out for wings with some friends tonight, so I bought myself grocery store sushi and am headed to bed early. Those are good gifts and I am so very grateful.
#1000gifts #godisgood #getaftergrateful #thrivewhereistand #motherhoodunplugged #simplemotherhood

Our leap into the new year has started slow, but that’s pretty normal for me. I’ve learned that if I jump into fresh and new too hard and quickly, I crash and burn.
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So I’ve learned, or more truthfully, am still learning, to take a slower, gentler approach.
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I haven’t finished reflecting on 2018 or setting goals and plans for 2019. I’m still praying and figuring out my “word” for 2019 (cliche, I know, but I love doing it). I just took down my Christmas decorations today,the 4th, and I am okay with all of that.
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My A-type, perfectionistic personality type has softened up a lot the past few years. (My family might say I have a long day to go yet, but let’s not ask them.)
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However, one thing I have finished is looking back at each month of 2018 to list the good things that happened, the gifts, so I can thank God for them.
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This string of red wooden beads was on that list.
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It may sound silly, but I’ve wanted this red bead garland for our tree for at least 3 years. And due to one reason or another, I never bought it. So this year, when I did get it, if felt really special. And I am grateful for it, however tiny it may seem to someone else.
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What is something small and seemly insignificant that you are thankful for from 2018?