Fashionista 911 !

My Goddaughter, let's call her "Z," is quite the snazzy 9 yo fashionista and I have become her unwitting fashion designer! Z shines as a Mito kid (check out www.umdf.org for more info) who recently got a fashion accessory that most kids don't have - nifty new "twister cables" that attach to her AFOs (ankle foot orthotics). That's quite a mouthful, so let me show you the apparatus without my darling niece.

White belt is at her waist and the blue velcro wraps around the AFOs to support her ankle/foot.

Z dressed as Little Red Riding Hood for the Halloween game with her baseball team.

The braces (thanks Shriners!) will give her freedom and maybe independent walking (!), but how can she step out with confidence if she is limited in her clothing choices? Her lovely wardrobe has fallen victim to this "step forward" in Z's treatment and I wondered how do we dress a fashion plate of a girl with these new supports? Z's mom astounds us with her passion and dedication, but sewing machines live in fear of her.

So - I grabbed my handy Sewing Case and headed out into crisp winter winds to see what could be done. I measured the twister cables and AFO from hinged knee to the floor. I put the pants against the cables and marked where the hinged knee fell. Then I headed home to fiddle it out.

I searched the internet, I pleaded with all the search engine gods, but there's just not that much information out there on modifying clothing for children with twister cables / AFOs. (If you have a link - PLEASE - share with me!) Now I'm writing it all down for my records and to help anyone else who might face a similar problem.

So - I was on my own. Me vs. the jeans. My sewing skills are tenuous at best, but my Granny did her best to teach me some basic construction skills. I try to be creative, but this is going to be a challenge! The cables are on the outside of her pants for most of the leg length, so I cut along the outside seam on the leg. Blue jean doesn't ravel badly, but I ran it through a borrowed serger anyway. Okay - now what?

Well, if she pulls the sides it'll rip, and that just won't do. So, I added a swatch of folded blue jean (from my secret stash of ripped jeans) and that looks like it will work to stabilize the top.

The pant leg needs to go on the inside of the brace until it attaches to the AFOs, then it needs to go on the outside, around the brace. We wanted to reconnect the pant sides so the sides didn't flap around in her strong steps. So - I decided to make little tabs from that same stashed blue jeans.

But, I didn't want just some ugly thing for my lil' fashionista, I wanted this to look like the pants were stylish because she's got the braces. White stitching on the pockets gave me a clue, so I found some sequin iron-ons and dazzled up the tabs. Buttons and snaps are frustrating for Z, so I went straight for velcro. Voila' - attachments to catch your eye.

I meant for there to be 4 tabs on each leg, but late night sewing + counting isn't my strong suit, so there are only 2 on each leg. I am pretty pleased with the outcome anyway!

I delivered the jeans back to her mom (yes, another chilly nighttime drive) and Z loved 'em! Here's a somewhat blurry shot of Z's legs with jeans and twister cables / AFOs together.

I learned that I needed more measurements, more tabs, and probably a good serger instead of a borrowed one. Also - Z has a *huge* wardrobe and I may need a bigger sewing room!

Summer of Art

I’m counting my change and cutting coupons, but the unfiltered truth is that life has gotten expensive and my fun is in danger! I do not intend to bemoan my financial state and my boredom in the same breath when I can seize my opportunity and take responsibility for my happiness, finances, and time all at once. My solution has been to change my idea of fun – picnics in the park with my son rather than expensive museums or coffee at home with friends instead of eating out. Now I’m expanding on that idea and I’m going to live not just a little but lavishly and richly in the midst of my life rather than frugally on the edges with my eye on “better times.”

Frankly, my life is fantastic. I’m warm, safe, clean, very well-fed and broadly loved. My family is in decent health and our relationships are strong. One saying says that, “the rest is details.” Another saying tells me that “Life is in the details.” So – what am I to do with life in the details?

Summer of Art is my answer. I have a craft room overflowing with partial mending, a skirt I want to reconstruct, the scrapbook I needed on a random Tuesday, and the list goes on. While I’m missing a button or maybe a piece of Velcro to finish these projects (very inexpensive pieces), mainly I will need time and dedication. Those resources won’t cost me anything and the pay-off in fulfilled promises to myself will be immense. I can do something finally with my crafts and imagination. I’ll even get the added benefit of feeling righteous about finances. I paid for this entertainment already in the past, but I’m choosing now to enjoy it. How much money have you spent over the years on various projects that lay just a couple of steps from being happily completed?

This summer I will use an open eye to see creative opportunities in everyday situations and be open for the spontaneous nature of art in my life. My inner critic says I don’t have time for this goofing off, but he can stand aside. This kind of time is especially necessary when all of my other resources are low. I question what I’m doing and where I’m going when frustration sets in and knowing my inner thoughts guides me to healthier choices. I create art and a stronger self in the process. Plus, I’m not broke when I imagine the wealth of supplies and ideas at my disposal.

My personal list of craft projects I joyously claim as summer fare:

• · Sewing case - create a liner for the box (scrap material) to hold my items securely along the edges and prevent the tangled mess I have now. Collage on the exterior of box to reflect my personality and inspire me to smile when I pick up my sewing case.
• · Complete silverware roll-up for camping (already started from scrap material).
• · Complete quilt from high school / college t-shirts.
• · Complete my son’s baby album (2 pages left).
• · Write my goddaughter’s birth story and present to her mother.
• · Collage tins from paper scraps and magazines. (Recycle the magazines afterward to clear out my room; I’m giving away the tins as gifts)
• · Archival scrapbook project needs to be completed, spun to CD, and shipped to client.
• · Sew the leather drum covers together and give them to their owners.
• · Scrapbook on my books: 2007 family album, Walkabout album, Personal album, relationship album, Mother’s Memorial album.
• · Insert the missing pictures into my scrapbook albums where they belong.
• · Put closure on satin purse and tweed apron.
• · Use digital camera to explore my surroundings and experiment with effects.
• · Use paints to decorate everyday items that I use and love.
• · Sculpt the flower beds to have less weeds and more beauty in a few minutes a day of work.
• · Write fiction short stories.
• · Write non-fiction book outlines.
• · Write the pieces for my upcoming website.
• · Play with words.
• · Create, write, sew, sing, and otherwise enjoy one of the most unique aspects of being human.
• · Dine al fresco with my family on cool summer dishes from the garden.
• · Laugh.

I have already scrapbooked, created collage tins, and done a mid-sized flower arrangement for my son’s birthday party. I am successful already!I like the idea of living a life by design.

Consider your own world and the pieces of creativity that are open to you. Can you sing? Do you draw, write, bake, garden or work with wood? Are there projects you’ve not finished, bemoan as failures, or see as taking up space you’ll never use? Clean out your mental and physical clutter with a clever use of creative stirrings.