Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Harry Potter Coloring Books

This post contains affiliate links. 

As a Harry Potter fan and as an adult color-er I just had to share these coloring books.  Don't they look awesome?  I've only seen them online, has anyone had the privilege of seeing one in person?  Or coloring in one?!   








I've been on the Hogwarts Express.  

http://www.thephilosopherswife.net/2016/04/list-of-free-printable-adult-coloring.html
Check out the list!

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Wordless Wednesday: Hogwarts Express

This post contains affiliate links.

I have so much to say about this, but not today, since it's Wordless Wednesday!  
Feel free to share your own family friendly posts here.

So simple, yet so perfect.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Alice in Wonderland Character Greeting and Handmade Costume

This post contains affiliate links.


Somewhat to my surprise, Catherine requested an Alice in Wonderland costume for Halloween last year.  While I was surprised, I was up to the challenge.  It's been ages since I read Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (the Kindle version is only $0.99!), but what I remember of it was that it was rather . . . odd.  Much like Disney's Alice in Wonderland, which is currently how Catherine is familiar with Alice, and that is the look she wanted.

Buy the movie from Amazon.
The traditional Disney Alice has a very timeless dress with an apron.  I used the Fairy Tale dress from Oliver + S for the dress.  (I won mine during a giveaway from Whimsical Fabric.)  I pretty much followed the pattern exactly for view A.  It's such a classic dress for a little girl, and was exactly what I needed!  However, I left off the skirt lining, as well as the tulle, and opted for a removable puffy underskirt.  I also used width of fabric for the skirt front and (added together) for the back because I wanted to capture the fullness of Alice's dress.  It was my first time doing an invisible zipper.  (I have various individuals from sewing groups to thank for my success in that endeavor.)


I free-handed the apron.  This took me lots of trial and error.  I really wanted an apron that looked like it was from the Disney movie.  I'm actually rather surprised how much Disney's Meet and Greet Alice's apron isn't like the movie.  Where is the rounded shoulder detail?  Why is there the additional cross in the back?  Their apron is seriously not true to the movie at all and it bothers me!  Is that because I'm a purist or because I sew, so I'm always looking at how a garment is constructed?  I'm not sure.  Maybe it's a little bit of both.



Alice's dress is rather full and flouncy (both in the movie and on the character at Disney World!), so I needed to add an underskirt.  Since we have a lot of princess type dresses in our future, I decided to make it a separate garment.  The underskirt is a couple of yards of tulle gathered onto half inch elastic.  (By the way, have you seen Rae Gun's gathering tip?  It has made my life so much easier!)  The tulle underskirt certainly adds some pouf!


Catherine loved the dress, which made me super happy.  Of course, I also relished the fact that everyone knew who she was on sight!  Well, except for that one lady during trick or treating . . . she thought Catherine was Mary Bo Peep.




Just recently, Catherine was able to show her dress to Alice in Wonderland at EPCOT.  (She's found in the United Kingdom part of the World Showcase.  Times are always available online.)  It was such an adorable exchange.  Alice kept referring to Catherine as "me".  I am constantly in awe of the Disney cast members.  Catherine tends to get a little star struck when meeting her Disney favorites, but they all do such an amazing job of making it a special experience.  Alice was simply delightful.


I also love that the photographers allow us to take as many pictures as we want.  I click away pretty much constantly during every character meet at the four Disney parks I've been to and every time I've been met with nothing but kindness.  In fact, most of the photographers have even offered to take photos using my camera if I want to be in the picture.  We always scan our bands too, for the Photo Pass, but we haven't actually purchased any . . . yet.

Just one more little critique of Disney's Meet and Greet Alice (the costume, not the girl): what is up with the white collar?  In the movie it clearly is blue to match the dress!






Monday, May 2, 2016

Yarn Fanatic Party #58


This post may contain affiliate links.


Welcome to the Yarn Fanatic Party! This is a place to share your creations that use yarn, see what others have made, and even enter a giveaway.

Features

This graphgan is magically awesome.  This is such an amazing work of fan art by Jaimee.  (By the way, I'm totally a Harry Potter fan.  I recently was able to visit Hogwarts and Diagon Alley -- it was truly fantastic.)



I love the colors and design of this Melrose Doily.  It's just so . . . happy.  I wonder if the pattern could be repeated to make an afghan?


Finally, this pear is just too adorable!


Giveaway

EyeLoveKnots is sponsoring this month's giveaway!  She is giving away a copy of her beautiful Mocha Caramel Cowl pattern, designed exclusively for the December issue #21 of the Happily Hooked Magazine, as well as a skein each of Hobby Lobby's I Love This Yarn in Light Taupe and Brown, an I9/5.5mm crochet hook, and a set of tapestry needles.  In a nutshell, everything you need to crochet this cowl yourself!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Link Up Your Projects

What have you created with yarn?  It could be something you crocheted, knitted, or anything that used yarn.  It can be a new project or an old one.  (I would appreciate it though if it had not been linked up to a previous Yarn Fanatic Party.)  I can't wait to see what you've created!

The only rule is that everything you link to must be family friendly.

I would appreciate it very much if you:
  • Add my Yarn Fanatic Party button to your post or party page.
  • The Philosopher's Wife
  • Follow The Philosopher's Wife and Eye Love Knots.
  • Check out some of the other yarn goodies people have finished.
  • Leave comments here, there, and everywhere.  (Please, take a moment to visit at least other blog and leave a comment.  I want this to be a supportive community of yarn lovers.)  
  • If you're not a blogger, but want to participate, feel free to upload a picture from Flicker!
  • By linking up you are giving me permission to share your photos, with the appropriate credit, of course!
  • PLEASE NOTE: Per InLinkz guidelines, listings linked to purchase options isn't permitted.  This means that you cannot link directly to Etsy listings or Ravelry pages where there is an option to buy the pattern. You may link to a Pin, or a Facebook page, or a Flickr page, etc.  Links to where to buy the pattern included in a blog post are permitted.