Decor Smitten...

*sigh*



This image by Laura Ashley has been haunting me for the past 10 days. I stare at it trying to piece it apart and decide what exactly it is about the decor that has me smitten.

Tealy fabric to cover my huge windows floor to ceiling? Already ordered.

Gorgeous cream sofa? Might be learning to make a slipcover or two....or possibly go shopping.

Double chocolate leather club chairs? Hmmmm, Costco is having a sale.

White/Cream walls? I've already primed the living room...with a slight adjustment that you'll eventually find out about...

New dreamy sofa pillows? Already surfing the net shopping for fabric and pillow forms.

This picture speaks to me. Actually it shouts. Not sure exactly what it is that is being shouted, but it's something good. Something very good. Something along the lines of, "Amanda! You ENJOY being a homebody!" or "Amanda, this living room is welcoming and friendly!" or "Amanda, curl up on your gorgeous cream sofa and re-read Pride & Prejudice!"

UM, OK I just looked again and found something in the photo that gives me a clue as to what I like about the whole room's decor.

Look closely with me:



Oh yeah baby! Prime blogging spot! Hmmm, I AM going shopping, maybe I need to purchase a laptop?

A

**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **

Lil Chick's Room Redo In Progress...

A LONG time ago I posted about wanting to redo Lil Chick's room. Well, about a month ago I started painting and last week we started nailing boards to the wall.

Trust me, it's prettier than it sounds.

A recovering 3 yr old, a puking 1 yr old and Mama being woken up 3 times a night to administer medicine and soothe kids back to sleep has resulted in ssssllllloooooowwwww progress. However we are taking baby steps and see the end in sight.

Oh, you want a sneak peak? Here ya go:



I'm getting excited for it to be done! I still have a bunch of projects up my sleeve to do but Lil Chick probably wouldn't mind having her room back sooner rather than later. She slept in the pack n play in Bubbalu's room while I was painting. THAT was interesting, to say the least. A very effective lesson in patience!

Off to do some sanding and priming...

A

**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **

Top Tank Tops...

I have seven tank tops awaiting my sewing machine, free time and inspiration.

No, that's not a typo. Not several, SEVEN.

What can I say? They were only $3.50 each. Not too shabby if I can get some great individual everyday tank tops.

I often see photos of clothes or a sewing concept that I want to try and get all fired up and excited about it but forget about it the next week when the daily demands of keeping your children alive and well and the house sorta functionable gets in the way.

In an effort to harness and recall those creative thoughts before they escape out my ears I'm plastering them here in a post to be available for me when my free time decides to come back from it's extended vacation.

Hopefully, they might serve to inspire YOU as well:


(Anthro)


(Anthro)


(Banana Republic)


(Kate Spade)

(Kate Spade)


(Nordy's)

Whew! That's enough for now, more to come soon...

A

**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **

Black Edged Ruffle Tank Tutorial...

I'm loving my new Black Edged Ruffle Tank (or BERT for short) :



BERT pairs well with a casual denim skirt and snazzy flip flops. Yes, I wear bedazzled flip flops. Don't judge me.

So, ya wanna make one for yourself??? OK, here's the tutorial:

RUN to the nearest Walmart and pick up some of their Faded Glory tank tops that are now on sale/clearance for only $3.50 each. Confessions of a revampaholic: I just bought seven of them. SEVEN.

OK, you have your simple tank. You also need an old t-shirt to create the ruffles. I chose a flimsy tank (one on the left) that I never wore. Pretty sure it was a garage sale find:



Chop it up into three long strips....about 2 - 4ish inches wide by 10 - 20ish inches long, varying in width as you go. This project is extremely non-specific....so if you are a fly by the seat of your pants crafter, this project is for YOU. Here are my three oblong strips:



Use a rolled hem stitch in a contrasting thread along both short sides and one long side of each strip. Me? I chose black:



Baste (or use a loose gathering stitch) along the remaining unstitched long side 1/2 inch from the edge on all three strips. Hold on to the top thread and pull the bobbin thread to ruffle those up nicely.

Drape the widest strip along the tank top neckline and adjust the ruffles to fit to your taste. Layer #1:



It's already lovely but let's up the sassy factor, shall we?

Add the next widest layer and again adjust the ruffles as necessary:



Getting there!

Add the last and thinnest strip to complete the look:


Va va VOOM!

Finish adjusting the ruffles and pin all three layers to the tank top neckline:



Sew along your basting stitch to attach all three ruffly strips to the tank neckline leaving the raw edges out.

You are done! Throw on that lovely BERT tank and accessorize:



And yes, use a duckie peeking out from behind your rear. If that's not accessorizing I don't know what is...

A

**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **

Chili's Rocks My Palette....

Yummo chips and Salsa and some delish new burgers. Over on my review blog I finally change up my boring same-ole Chili's menu order and try something new. And you know what? It isn't half bad...

We Mama's Need to Stick Together....

You guys are awesome! So many awesome tips for traveling with kids in the comments section on that last post.

Love it when Mama's can stick together and share our often hard earned knowledge.

I must say, I'm not nearly so nervous about our trip now. Although I am guessing our trip will have at least three "you'll NEVER believe it" stories to tell you all about. Yay for blog fodder!

Stay tuned folks, Black Edged Ruffle Tank Tutorial up tomorrow...

A

Needed: Advice On Traveling With Kids...

Oh my lands, are we completely nuts?

I've just booked the flights and condo reservation for our very first voluntary destination family trip. That'd be my husband and I...and our 3 yr old and a 19 month old.

Are we completely nuts?

Yup, but we are bound and determined to have a grand ole time making memories as a family of four. We're going somewhere sunny so I'm hoping for days playing in the pool and catching rays, early bedtimes for the kidlets and take-out 'n DVD date nights with the hubby. There are also a few family and friends we will also hopefully see and maybe maybe I'll get some shopping in!? One can only hope.

SO, being that this will be the very first time our kids are on an airplane....I need your help. Your advice. Your warnings.

So lay it on me folks. Please give me some practical advice on flying with young kids...

A

Black Edged Ruffle Tank ReVamp...

I'm digging black edged ruffles right now. They have a lovely vintage Paris (the city, not the socialite) feel about them. Any idea what I'm talking about?

Here are some examples:


(D&G)


(Modcloth)

And this vintage sassy little number from Etsy:



Feeling all inspired I quickly ran up into my closet and grabbed a new but boring basic white ribbed tank:



Wallyworld. I think it was only 4 bucks. Thicker than the Old Navy ones. They seem to hold their shape pretty well and are nice and long. Perfect.

As soon as the kiddos were napping/quiet time I ran to the craft room and eventually came up with this:



However I though it needed a little extra sumpin' sumpin'....so I accessorized:



Ahhhh, MUCH better!

Things that are making me laugh about this photo:

A. the ducky peeking out from behind my tush.

B. The fact that I'm all dressed up on the top....with capri workout pants on the bottom!

C. My Hair. Pulled back and clipped up, with a huge yellow headband holding the massive stringiness away from my face. Quote from Bubbalu this morning, "Mommy your hair is big today". True story.

D. I took this picture with my CHIN. Yep, my face. My face took this picture. Loving my new iPhone4. It has many many features. But certainly, CERTAINLY someone could figure out how to do a vocal pic cue, right? Or maybe I'm just not cool enough to know about the vocal pic cue app. Does it exist? If so, please clue me in!

This black edged ruffle stuff is very fun. I'm thinking I'll attack a few more shirts before I switch the thread out of my serger because HELLO is that an ordeal.

Goodness gracious it has been FAR too long since I posted anything personally sewn by me. Tutorial coming soon, stay tuned!

A

**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **

Bubbalu's Morning...

I've had a busy morning so far.

I started out with some fun coloring and decided that coloring on paper was for babies and decided instead to color ON babies. And myself. That's much more fun:


( I don't think Lil Chick appreciated my artwork very much.)

Then I moved on to some lovely crayon scribbling on the glass slider door which Mommy made me scrub off:


(see my drawing on my face? I like it a lot.)

But that was boring so I started shredding the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser pad. Why not? It was fun:



Then Mommy went away for a few minutes to count to ten or something silly like that and I found this itty bitty bottle of fun white powdery stuff that smelled like babies...which Mommy AGAIN made me clean up:



She's such a party pooper.

And right this very moment I'm in my bedroom having a quiet time. Except I'm not being quiet...because that is NO fun. No fun at all...

A

**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **

OK Ruffles, Strike a Pose...

Finally discovered Picnik and have finally beautified the Vintage Dutch Girl Etsy shop. LOVING being able to accurately show my flower pins and new headbands in prettier photographs:









Ah, much better.

More ruffly headbands and polka dotty goodness to come. Also some scruffy casual flower pins. Yup, that'll be fun. I'm long overdue to have me some craftin therapy. Stay tuned...

A

**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **

Sumpin' Pretty to Sit On...

As requested by my cousin Amy, meet my fave floral upholstered side chair, Josette:



Isn't she fab? I've been waiting for her to go to 75% off for a good year or so since I first spotted her. So far it hasn't happened but ya never know.

And of course, I love the Lola Chair too:





Pretty sure this Robin's Egg colored print chair would look great in my teal and persimmon bedroom:




Ahhh, me loves some great fabric prints. Which of the above would YOU choose for your home and for which room?

A

**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **

I Need A Clone...

Needed:

One Amanda Clone. Preferably one who loves to clean the house, discipline the children and maintain a modicum of order and sensibility. Needs to be subject to #1 Amanda's wishes and commands. Needs to be willing to play the "spaceship" game with Bubbalu and must display a thorough knowledge of sharpie removal tactics. Those frightened by loud noises or easily overwhelmed need not apply.

Does this little angel scare you?



Please don't apply.

Does this well-mannered child make you cringe?



Please don't apply.

All those left, please call 1-800-Mama-needs-a-clone...

A

**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **

Poppy Crops?

I could be mistaken, but I'm fairly certain I saw these Poppy Crops on a thrift store rack a few weeks ago:



And these Bed of Roses Crops on the same rack:



I KNEW I should have bought them and sold em on Ebay.

Doh! Mental head slap...

A

It's a Bloomin Sofette...

I did it again.

I found another amazing piece of furniture that would look so very grand in my bland home:



Normally people buy boring furniture and buy sassy pillows, but NO, this Battersea Sofette in Bloom is the embodiment of sassy. It needs a few boring pillows to normalize and stabalize it. I'm thinking it would look great in my living room opposite of my chocolate brown couch.

Too bad it's just a tad out of my budget...

A

**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **

A Test a Tank and a Toodlededoo...

How do you score on the Maternity SATs? I did quite well...and laughed myself off my chair. Missy is hilarious, I have a feeling you'll love her as much as I do.

This tank top is BEGGING to be knocked off. It's next up on my list:



And that's all I've got.

I normally can't seem to drag myself out of bed before seven but today I set foot into Walmart at 6:00. Yes, A.M. As in, the MORNING. Yep, I'm still stunned I did that. And tired.

I don't fully awaken until about 8:30 - 9:00 ish so I really don't recall all of the shopping and aisle scanning that I accomplished before 8:30.

And with a pleased sigh and a smile about my productive day I'm heading off to bed. Well, as soon as I finish my oreo mint blizzard.

Nighty night...

A

**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **