One Busy Summer = A No-Sew Tunic!

This summer has been filled with vacations, weddings, girl's camp, baby showers, camping trips, and lots of tractor work!  I have had little time to sew, but did manage a no-sew refashion.  I just love those!!  I didn't even take the time to shoot before pictures because there was really no change to the items, just a bit of layering.

I have been loving tunics and this one is no exception.  I found a bright floral t-shirt that I loved, but it was bit too short.  At the same time, I found a silky polka dot tank top, but it was a bit too loose.  My original plan was to cut off the lower portion of the tank top and stitch it to the bottom of the t-shirt.  That plan alone would have been a super simple refashion.  But, then the idea came to just layer the two and not stitch at all.  I love it when inspiration strikes!  Because they were kept separate, the two tops have the added bonus of future mixing and matching.

got beads?

I just returned from a wonderful week at Girl's Camp!  This was my 22nd year at camp.  In the past I have served 6 years as a unit leader (in charge of about 8 girls), 6 years as the co-stake girl's leader (in charge of about 25 girls who basically run the camp), 4 years as a trek mom, 5 years as a crafty lady, and this year as the bead specialist...or in reality, the crazy bead lady!  

Each year the girls work hard to pass off their certification.  We like to award them a colored bead for each item.  When they complete all of their certification, they get a larger colored bead.  If they go the extra mile and complete even the optional items, they get a "flower" bead (a colored bead with small flowers painted on it.)  Some of the certification requires them to learn new ways to cook outdoors, lash useful items together, tie knots, orienteering, first aid, hikes, learning about useful and also poisonous plants, finding their way by the sun and the stars, helping others, and daily scripture reading and journal writing, to name a few.  The girls work hard and really earn their beads!

Along with the certification beads, we also give out an early bird bead when they arrive at camp on time, a camp attendance bead, and various other beads for special activities.  The adults that serve at camp also love to get beads.  They usually get a bead that goes along with what their assignment is at camp.  I tried to photograph most of the beads that I made this year, although I didn't photograph the small colored beads.  But, just know that I spray painted over 1200 wooden beads in preparation for camp, and painted flowers on about 150 of them!  I love this new position, even though it was a lot of beads to make!

Warning...this is a long, photo heavy post!

Before I left for camp, I just had to make a few t-shirts.  Originally, I was going to use iron-on vinyl, but didn't get it ordered in time, so I settled for freezer paper stencils and fabric paint.  I chose to put the designs on the back of my t-shirts so that they wouldn't get covered by my own beads.

A baby shower...with a touch of vintage Disney!

We are anxiously awaiting the birth of our eleventh grandchild, a little girl.  My daughter's friends gave her a shower and I was happy to help with the decorations.  The theme was vintage Disney.  We had fun collecting storybooks from thrift stores and using them for decorations.  I was also able to recycle some of the decorations I had used for the Mad Hatter tea party from last year.  It was a beautiful shower in her friend's backyard.

My daughter found this beautiful IKEA tray at a thrift store for only $3!  I just cut her daughter's name with my Cricut and taped it in place.