You say it's your Birthday!

You're gonna have a good time! Hopefully you followed along and inserted some melodic notes of your own there! Who doesn't love a birthday! I've had something on my brain to make for quite a while and it took my friend's daughter turning 4 for me to finally sit down and do it. I love the finished creation and wish I still had a little girl in the house that I could put this on. For now, I had a ball seeing her little cutie running around wearing it on her special day. Just pick the number or candles you'd like, decide if you want capris or full length jeans and I'll do the rest!

This is a brand new set just listed on Etsy. Tee and jeans are sold seperately. If you prefer a different color combination, I am happy to customize it in a color palette of your choice.

Happy Holidays and here's to 2010!!!

It's that time of year again! Wow, the days, weeks and months just continue to race by and I can't believe another year has passed. It's been a year full of lessons and abundant blessings! I am so grateful to all of the folks I continue to meet and who's children I have the pleasure of creating for! Thank you for the continued support and allowing me to do what I love to do.

Graphic design is not my forte. I take stabs at it but so far I remain at the beginner level! I'd love to learn more but for now, I find those folks that know what they're doing. I did a lot of searching on Etsy and Ebay and came across Jennifer's Store. I love finding and supporting the independent designer and she is so super nice! Such a wide variety to choose from and when it was all said and done, we came up with a new design based on the layout, colors and the # of photos that I wanted to use. I give her a BIG thumbs up, 5 stars :-) If you've got invitations for a party you need done, announcements you want designed, go ahead and check her out. She's fast, she's reasonable and just a super gal! I love my card this year so thank you Jennifer. I wanted to post to my blog for all the wonderful friends and customers to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season.

p.s. I'm already laying out some new designs for Spring 2010. Can't wait to share!

It's PARTY season....and Roses & Rhubarbs can help

Who doesn't love a fabulous party! Better yet, who doesn't love throwing the fabulous party for their friends where they circle back and talk about it, thank you for a wonderful time and tell you how on earth did you come up with all of those amazing ideas! Some folks just have that natural gift, they know the details that make a party special. It doesn't seem to matter if they're throwing a party for the pint-sized crowd or the adults, it's always done with every detail being thought through. There are lots of publications devoted to helping you plan something. You can gather all kinds of Martha Stewart Living magazines, the Family Fun magazines or you can take a new approach and save a bunch of time. Contact my friends Casey and Tonya from Roses and Rhubarbs for a simple consultation. They can help you throw a fabulous party that will cover all the details. No need to stress about invitations, food, party favors, themes or even what to wear. Casey and Tonya just really have a knack. They've thought through so many themes, have likely thrown the parties themselves and can help you have one too.

Roses and Rhubarbs is an affordable event planning business highlighting internet products to develop the perfect party. They offer private consultations and products are available on Etsy. Etsy is one of my favorite sites to shop so naturally I LOVE these girls! I really believe there are some mad skills out there on the planet. We don't get to see many of them because they just don't get a chance to land on shelves in stores across America. Well thank goodness for ETSY! Now folks like myself can do what they love to do and share with others within this unique marketplace!

The Roses & Rhubarbs website features an individual party theme each week - focusing each day on different elements of a party, such as invitations, decorations, outfit ideas, favors and more. Need some help with a party in your future or want to plan something that isn't the same ole same ole? Just check 'em out. They are the nicest gals and they will have you on your way to removing the stress and to planning an amazing party!


They currently have 15% off private party consultations and dolls in stock. You can also find Roses & Rhubards on Facebook if you want to add them to your newsfeed to stay up to date.

Inspired by the Pioneer Woman

I like to think to myself she might dress her girls in these out there on the ranch!!! Yep, some new designs and a little sneak peek! If you've never heard of the Pioneer Woman you really ought to take some time to check her out. I turn to her for those sure fire recipes that always tempt the taste buds. Her site has turned into one of those all purpose ones I love to visit! Always chock full of great info that really peaks my interest. Cooking, photography, family and life! Okay, so I digress.... moving on to my point! She is married to a guy she refers to as Marlboro Man and they have a handful of kiddos. I love hearing about their life on the frontier and "life on the ranch" has been on my mind. I love all things southern and the cowprint "Olivia" Dress has been my top selling piece that I redesign each season. I know, I know, most people are knee deep in holiday shopping and mayhem with little thought for new clothing but I've jumped ahead a little and am sharing a sneak peek of the new pieces. I can definitely see these on the ranch with Marlboro Man and the Pioneer woman herself! Layer them with tee's, add a denim jacket, find some fun brown cowgirl boots and you are ready! As the weather warms up, these fabrics are soft and femine in colors that can easily transition into the warm months as well.

I hope to share some fun modeled photos soon. In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying this holiday season with your loved ones!

The LOVED Wrap

This wrap is beyond special to me. I tend to be one of those wordy folks who can go on forever. Verbal explosion if you will!!! Ask my husband, my kids, sister, family members, any of my friends...... I'm a chatter! As I start to write this post I just keep going back and hitting the delete key, the words aren't coming. To the ones who inspired this, thank you for the shining examples you are. Zachary, I'll never forget you. I collaborated with my good friend Cathy from Cathy B Design. Cathy is talented beyond words. The kind who listens, holds eye contact and then just interprets your words into art. I can't thank her enough for sharing her gift.

Whatever your reasons may be, these would be a wonderful gift. Maybe someone is going through a tough time in their life, maybe you just want to reach across the miles that separate you from a loved one with a sentimental gift or just a kind token for one of your girlfriends. Throwing a little love someone's way is sure to add a smile to their day. This wrap is so incredibly soft done in a creamy white pima cotton. They fold up to almost nothing so can easily fit inside a small purse and perfect to have on hand when you need something light to take the chill off. Wear it out, everyday or over your workout clothes after you've had a good sweat. A nice versatile item sure to make someone feel special.

Special thank you to Cathy for helping to create the graphic, Lisa George for taking photos for this project, Brandi for her gorgeous smile and of course Michelle for getting us clearance to come into the Lake Austin Spa.

I'm still here!

Boy have I been ignoring the ole blog! Every time I think I'm getting caught up with things.......whammo!!! Something just slows me down, makes me pause and take a breath. The holidays are creeping up....wait a second, I feel like they are racing towards me. Every store I walk in, it reminds Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here in the blink of an eye! I need just a tad more time. I just wanted to pop in real quick and write a few words. Like any Mom on the planet, I've got a ton on my plate and had to take a short hiatus and take a few weeks for the family. I'm still working on some fun things and will be back at it soon. We just wrapped up one of my daughter's birthday parties. I always have a good time figuring out what we're going to put in their goody bags. Well, we made all the girls headbands. We had to say our goodbyes to the hairbow stage many years ago. The headband was their next hair accessory so now we're creating our own They're reversible as well. Look for these soon. I know lots of moms love matching accessories to the pieces that they buy to tie the outfits together. These add some balance to a skirt that might be paired with a white top and you want a splash of the main fabric print in their hair. You'll see these very soon!

Fall is on it's way

I'm sure most people across the country have a good ole time making fun of us Texans. BBBbbbrrr, it's dropping into the 70's in the evening and the daytime highs are in the low 90's. It's officially time to break out the jeans! Yep, that's what Fall feels like for us. I'm sure the leaves on the trees in many parts of the country are starting to turn those beautiful shades of red and orange before they fall. This season inspired this next wave of clothing. These are all pieces that make me think of pictures in the Fall leaves, visits to the pumpkin patch and Thanksgiving. I've mixed up a lot of bold jewel toned florals in a variety of color palettes to suit your little ones style or just the colors she wears best. If you have sisters, many of these pieces can mix and match. You can find these in my Etsy store right now. The Harvest Flowers dress has straps done in the zebra print so if you have a little one that loves easy pull on pants, grab her the zebra ruffles, add a brown tee and you've got sisters who coordinate. Have a tomboy in the house that prefers no muss no fuss and Mom wants something more girly? Get her these! These denim ruffles add pizzazz to any tee and match to the EURO Harvest Bloom dress that is topped in the same denim.

On another note, go check out Heather's blog. I'm doing a giveaway for anything in my store but you have to go over to her site to enter. Good luck!

This gave me a chuckle!!

Thank you so much to Cara out there on the internet who sent me this kind note via Etsy. Not sure where my brain was this day but it sure did make me laugh at myself not thinking this one through.

" I wanted to tell you that a Peace sign has the center line that goes all the way down to the bottom...The way you have it now is the Mercedes car symbol..."

Okay so I'm annoyed at myself that I have to do a re-do of my tee and more importantly, grab my often non-compliant kiddo for some new photos but such is life right? roll with the punches as I hadn't intended on selling the "Benz loving girls applique tees" I didn't love the photos anyway. We were in front of this super reflective background but it was the spot of bribery for my kiddos so it was where we had ended up and I know now, it won't be a spot we use again for pics. Not the end of the world, it's a simple re-do and it'll be back with some new and improved photos of the "REAL" Peace Out set. On that note, peace out, have a wonderful week!

A Limited Edition

I've been digging through my fabrics for the upcoming Fall season and went back to an old favorite and redid it this year in a twirl skirt. This fabric has long since been retired and you can't find it anywhere, so if you like it, grab it HERE as I can only make so many. If your daughter has one of those BIG personalities, these skirts are a perfect mate. Lots of fun to wear, sure to make her twirl and certain to make people look!

Sometimes it feels good to get the Boot!

Wow, I never thought those words would leave my mouth! In this case, it's the Golden Boot for winning Critics Choice, Best Childrens Designer. Austin Fashion Week has been over for a few weeks now but we went on a little family vacation so I had to wait to get my Golden Boot. It finally arrived today and I'm searching for a spot for it in my office. I'll consider it my little inspiration piece to stare at as I figure out where I'm going with things. Wish I had a pair, I'd kick up my heels and wear them around town!! Gold is back in style right?

PRESCHOOL and KINDERGARTEN ROCK!!!

Really, do you need more words than that :-) Get your little ones geared up with a fun shirt to start off the school year, get them excited and look cute to boot! New design from LTDK hot off the presses! Whether your little one is starting Preschool or Kindergarten, the day is no doubtedly a special and exciting one for all. Done in primary colors with a slightly grunged effect to the graphic I added to the guitar center, this t-shirt is certain to get lots of smiles and comments along the way for your star pupil! Find them in my Etsy store now! You choose short or long sleeves since you might be sweating like us folks here in the South or already feeling the onset of Fall in the Northeast.

Austin Fashion Week comes to a close!

I have so much to share from the week and several fun photos I'll post throughout the week. I had a fantastic time working with Jennifer from Izzy & Ash. Her store is full of amazing clothing for kids and I know I'll be looking forward to seeing her Fall stuff slowly start to roll in. Go check her out! My girls already twisted my arm, we came home with these and they think they are way cool. I don't disagree, just think they needed to make a tee in my size! My girls have no memories of the Rolling Stones but I had to smile when they pulled them off the rack begging to bring them home. They know me well, they were on sale and I have a hard time turning a deal down!

We had such a fun time with the Fashion Show and all the girls were fantastic. Scott was on hand from Scott Stater Photography to do his magic. I'm posting my favorite photo of the night. We'll have a cool slideshow of the event to share soon. Here's Bella modeling the Fall '09 Olivia Cowgirl skirt. This was her first time and this pint sized girl is just stoic. You can click on the photo to enlarge. I'd say her daddy had better be ready since we all know they grow up so fast. This girl is a knockout!

The front door of Izzy & Ash

Just wanted to take a photo!

Austin Fashion Week is almost here

Come and join us for a children's fashion show of the latest styles at Izzy & Ash in Westlake. 3663 Bee Caves Rd behind Breed and Co. This event will be held on Thursday, July 16th from 5-8pm. Come on over and see some of the latest designs. There will be refreshments, music and several giveaways!

If you haven't had a chance yet to vote for an independent designer, my link is

http://www.fashionweekaustin.com/designers/la-tee-da-kids/

The Elizabeth Collection......a little Shabby a little Chic

Just when I think I'm done with Summer customs, I do just a few more! I've had so many fabrics come in over the months that I just don't have the means to create something with all of them so I did something a little different. I'm no quilter but this might be the closest I come to it. This was inspired by my dear friend's daughter Elizabeth. Elizabeth is this little ray of sunshine and all kinds of personality in her tiny little body. She has boundless energy, she is all colors of the rainbow and a giggle that is contagious. You can't take just one word to describe her personality. This little toe-headed toddler needs many! When I told her mom I was making something new that was inspired by Elizabeth, she laughed and said, "Well, if it's plain you've pegged her wrong" Nope, nothing plain about Elizabeth and it's available to purchase on Etsy right now. The tank and coordinating skirt are available for purchase seperately and is available in Spring or Summer colorway.

Happy Summer!

Fall 'O9......The Olivia Collection Remake

One of my personal favorites last Spring/Summer was the Olivia dress. It was inspired by my friend's daughter who is all things sweet, girly and tough all wrapped up in one little body. Upon arriving in Texas, she immediately got her cowgirl boots. The dress was a popular one for me and a great reflection of my world. It showcases my Texas roots with the southern touch in the cowhide print so plan to see many renditions of this re-done as the seasons change and the years come and go. Here's a look at the new Olivia collection for Fall '09. These new designs will be hitting my Etsy store soon in July. This time, the dress has a mate. If you have girls you love to coordinate or you just have a little lady who loves wearing skirts, this time you've got another choice. I love the photo we captured here. I had the pleasure of working with Michelle of Michelle Nicoloff photography. She lent her talent and did these amazing photos for me. Thank you Michelle and we wish you well on your journey back west to California!!

A peek at Fall........the Bella Collection

It might be 110 with the heat index here in Texas but my brave little soldiers went out there and took photos for me like pros. Here's one of my favorite shots of the girls wearing pieces from the soon to be listed Bella line. I've long since been a fan of Jennifer Paganelli from Sis Boom. She always comes out with the most gorgeous and feminine fabrics. I loved this black patterned fabic with the ice blue background and knew it'd be a part of my Fall line. This will be part of my lineup for the Austin Fashion Week that will be coming up in 3 weeks here in the Capital of Texas! Stay tuned, I'll be posting more sneak peeks!

They're giving away a design rising star award as well, so if you feel inclined, click HERE and vote :-)

Happy Birthday to my little guy!

Had to take some time out to celebrate with the family for my youngest one's birthday today. Not long ago he was just telling me, "Mommy, I'm never gonna get 4" I was secretly praying, he'd stay 3 forever! Well, it finally got here. He woke me up bright and early and just had a happy day with his family. Schedules have been a bit off so we're waiting til July to do an official celebration but that's the beauty of this age, he was truly happy in the moment. What a great day!

Late Summer Arrival.....Butterfly Garden

I've had this fabric forever and just finally got around to cutting into it and think this would be a lovely addition to the Summer wardrobe. I love halters, love seeing their sweet little shoulders and backs. I just sent this one over to Etsy today. Thank you Hannah for obliging and taking a few photos for me. Such a sweet face! I was so glad when you flew into town you happened to have packed some pink Butterfly embellished crocs. I guess this photo was meant to be :-)

Brand new Strength set on Etsy

I had so much fun making this set and doing something a bit different adding a screen printed tee to go with this full twirly skirt. As the mother of young girls, I hope that I do a great job teaching them strength in their younger years before I send them out into this big crazy world. Strength of the mind, body and soul! This seemed like the appropriate compliment to these fun karate girls on this fabric. You can find this on Etsy now. Tank is a soft pink color and the skirt has lots of bright jewel tones to the fabric. Just click on the picture if you'd like to see it enlarged.

Getting closer to ready!!!

Hard to believe as the temps are getting in the 90's that one could possibly be thinking about Fall/Winter but that's how it works in the clothing world. As I get closer to the date that photos are due for Austin Fashion Week, I thought I'd just throw out a quick peek at some pieces that I hope to be able to share photos of very soon! As timelines were shrunk, I wasn't sure we'd get to this point but I think we'll pull it off. It's taken a village and I am so fortunate to have a village full of wonderful folks that helped me along the way. Thank you to all the wonderful people who have helped me to pull this off!

:-)

Austin Fashion Week

Yep, I've entered as an Independent Designer! 10 designs need to be submitted and then go to the jury through their selection process. Time to hunker down, work on some new creations to submit, say some prayers and cross my fingers! Exciting and nervewracking all at the same time :-)

Jenean Morrison sneak peeks Picnic Parade from Free Spirit

A few months back, I had the pleasure of crossing paths on this great information highway with Jenean Morrison. She is one of Free Spirit's ever so talented fabric designers and is about ready to launch her 2nd line of fabric, Picnic Parade. I was asked to make some sample pieces for her to take to quilt market that is coming up in PA where she'll be decorating her booth with all kinds of fun things made by various people with her new bright and vibrant line of fabrics. The fabric is coming out soon, here's just a few sneak peeks and she'll unveil the rest on her own blog and at quilt market! Best of luck Jenean, you've been very inspiring to work with and wishing much success for your fabrics!

April Showers....that's what we've got in Texas

We try our best to work around Mother Nature and squeaked out a small parcel of time where it wasn't raining although the winds have been relentless here. The show must go on though right? Thank goodness for resilient little girls who don't seem to be too bothered by it. They must subscribe to the tenant in life that you get what you get and you don't throw a fit :-) We got some pics and added just a few more Summer pieces to my etsy store this morning. Lots of fun color to give them a little pep in their step.

Come soon....some Summer Pieces

Putting the finishing touches on a few Summer pieces that with any luck I'll have some photos of real soon! These pieces are all about fresh Spring & Summer colors. I have a dress coming as well as a coordinating tank so hopefully a little something for everyone!

Sneak Peek....Miso Strong

Just love these little karate girls! If there is one thing I'm a fan of, it's a little girl power. Could this print be more awesome! I made a little halter out of it, here's a little sneak of it and hope to get some photos soon. TGIF!

And the winner is....

Betsy Martinez said...
What about Miso Pretty? or Miso Beautiful? Miso Playful?
You could do a lot of things with the word miso. Contact me, we'll get your shipping info and get all kinds of fun stuff from Carolina Pad on it's way to you. I love that they're launching an Asian themed line too. So anxious to see it.

The voting was from a very small group but it was unanimous! I love the simple play on words. More than anything, it is so much fun to see the creative brains out there and some of your mad skills. I was literally hitting a brick wall and Betsy's suggestion felt completely right! I love simple twists on words and I think we might use all of her suggestions with Miso being the common theme and using the add on word that seems to fit best. Thank you for the wonderful ideas and I'm sending this little dress to my Etsy store today.

A little naming help in exchange for some goodies!

Well, I was able to track down the always adorable Mimi and take a few pictures today but I need a little help! I am having a fantastic time working with an entirely new set of prints, all with an Asian influence. I tend to gravitate towards shabby florals with too much predictability these days so I'm pushing outside my normal zone. I've got more I hope to piece together and I'm stuck naming the collection. Do they really need a name? Nope, but it's fun! I'm aiming for 3-4 pieces all with a different look and the various Asian style prints being the common theme. Well, I've got this awesome stash of stuff from Carolina Pad (see earlier post) that someone is going to win for free. I thought maybe I could make my question be, "What in the world should I name this Asian group of pieces?" I know it might help to see the rest of the pieces but I'm just not that far along yet, they still remain as uncut yardage just waiting to be used :) So I'll just do what I tell my toddler "use my words" The to be seen pieces will include blacks and pinks, fans and adorable little girls. Is that enough to go on? If throwing in a name for a collection has you stumped like me, then maybe you can leave a comment on what cultures and/or trends are catching your attention these days. Just click on the comments section below this entry, leave one and we'll pick a winner! Join my mailing list and check back to the blog to see if you are the lucky winner.

Thinking about a giveaway...

We've been quiet here on the Western front. Have had so many things going on with life, with kids, with activities and such that we just had to put a lot of things on hold including my Etsy store which I hope to open back up soon! Ever felt like someone turned on a firehose full blast and then was told to take a drink??? okay, so no one asked me that but we all know that sensation of getting knocked over with a zillion things to do.

Lots of great stuff though and I'll get back to blogging about fun new pieces soon. (after all, that's my real purpose for being here on the net and hopefully one of the big reasons you show up to read!) For now, I just wanted to post a little teaser about a giveaway I'll be doing soon. I have this amazing friend April. She's all kinds of bubbly and made up of inspiring pieces of AWESOME inside of one body. She works for this great company, Carolina Pad. They're even so hip they have their own Facebook page! She sent me a big box of all this fab stuff and we're giving some away to a lucky person. These are absolute must have's for me. The covers of their stuff always spark and awaken the creative side in me. Beware only if you suffer from fun color and pattern sensory overload :) kidding, we're women, we love stuff like this right???? In the day and age of computers, I STILL can't get enough paper products. love 'em. They're packed with punch! I love bright colors, dots, stripes, damask patterns and all that they have. Anyhoo, that's it for now but I'll post more soon!

Daddy and the Girls

This weekend was the annual Daddy/Daughter dance so I couldn't resist showing the family! The girls had so much fun, even kept their dresses secret from Daddy until they walked down that night. It was absolutely priceless to see them drive away for their special night. Tyler kept asking me why Moms and brothers weren't invited and really wasn't satisfied with my response that it was only for girl scouts and their fathers. One day he'll get it! For now, he gets to stay home with me, fold towels & mountains of laundry, play monopoly and read books. Stellar evening for all right!

Soire'e Bouquet Twirly Skirts....just in time for Summer!

Both of my girls have very strong preferences towards color. I do my best when I carve out time to make things for them to create pieces that reflect their own personal tastes. Over Spring Break, we head out to visit Grandma & Grandpa at the lake for some lazy time in the sun and I actually packed my sewing machine and some fabric! Some people like to bring a book when they get a little break, I bring a sewing machine :) I had been wanting to do something coordinated for my girls and gave them the chance to pick their own color palette. I'll be offering just a few of these in my Etsy shop soon. I love how they turned out, very bright, Summery and girly. You can find them in my store now.

East meets West....a little Asian American Fusion

I sound like a new show on the Food Network don't I? Well, it really is just implying the love of Asian culture that I'm feeling right now. I love their bold use of color and I'm working on creating some pieces that take on a whole new feeling with a whole lot of personality and color! I've just finished my first piece and with any luck, will get some photos soon. I have been having a lovely time diving into some new fabrics that all start with an Asian flare. Keep watching and I'll be posting more soon! a photo of this one just doesn't do it justice as the main skirt really feels like it needs to be on a canvas, showcased as a piece of art. I consider it a walking piece of art, perfect for a little girl :-) Heading to Etsy soon!

Went to Disney!!

Well, I didn't go to Disney but these 2 little ones did! Molly and Maddie, you are just too cute for words. Their mom requested these matching outfits and then she had some outside help put the monogrammed names over the initials that I had appliqued on. Very cool, love what you did! I'm sure your trip to the magical Kingdom was fantastic. As always, click on any photo if you'd like to enlarge.

Customer cutie....Birthday Girl Grace

Thank you so much for sharing your photos. I love seeing your little ones on their birthdays, trips to Disney, special photos that they've had done, or just a fun family day where you happened to have a camera in hand! It's a wonderful feeling to see the photos and all the places you all have traveled with your kiddos wearing some of the clothing I've made. Thank you for allowing LTDK to come along and thank you for taking the time to share your photos! Here's some new ones I received. Grace just turned 2 on Valentines Day. Isn't she ADORABLE all the way down to her little braids? I can tell from the photo's, she's stolen her daddy's heart. Grace's mom decided to tweak a Valentine's set I'd done and do it in this fabric combo, I love how it turned out and seeing it on her little one makes it all that much cuter. You know I love those apple red converse shoes. You are never too young to sport a pair of those. Happy Birthday Grace!

And the winner is....

The random # generator picked #49 this morning when I plugged in the # range. Congrats to the lucky winner........

April Whitlock said...
Brown is my black (for both me and my girls). I love it paired with purple or pink or light blue!!

March 3, 2009 6:30 PM

You can contact Amy at hillcountryjohnson@yahoo.com and you guys can arrange for your free item. If you haven't peeked through her album of ideas, take a look. If you have an idea of your own, she loves those too. Enjoy, this is one of my favorite pieces of jewelry to wear!

Doing a GIVEAWAY

We all love giveaways right? I have a wonderful and talented friend Amy of Hill Country Charm who makes these amazing hand stamped sterling creations. I think I wear mine almost every day and even my girls have their own with their own names. What mother, grandmother or even child wouldn't love these? Well, we're giving one away to one lucky person and you get to pick what you'd like! Take a peek at Amy's album and you'll see all kinds of ideas. My favorite is the mother's circle in her new fun lowercase font! All you need to do is to make sure you are a current member of the la*tee*da*kids mailing list. If you haven't joined, you can find it on the right hand sidebar of this page. Make sure you confirm your subscription by clicking the link that Bravenet will mail to you otherwise you are not confirmed. THEN, scroll down a tad more below this post, find the comment hot link and just leave a comment in the comments section of the blog based on the question below and we'll randomly select a winner. Good luck!

So the comment I'd love to hear is this! What color combos are you loving right now for girls? Whether it's 2 or 3 or just a rainbow of colors? pink and brown? blue and brown? pink and turquoise? what is it? I'd love to know what's getting your attention.

M2M GAP Mediterranean "Years Gone By" Ruffle Capris

I just loved the green the Gap used in their Mediterranean line and think these two look smashing together. Adding a cute kid is certainly like the icing on a cake! Spent a little more time with Scott the other day grabbing a few more photos of new pieces. To some folks they see a fence in need of a new paint job, he drives by and sees a great backdrop of color. love these! Grabbed the little lovely one here and she did her typical magic. I think I read a description of this fabric stirring up memories of the days when folks had all their clothes pinned to a clothesline. It definitely makes me think of the "Years Gone By" I'll be adding them to my Etsy store soon. Here's one of my favorite ones. These don't show the pants the best, you'll have to go find them in my store to see a broad range of her shots but I just love her face in this particular one so wanted to share. Thank you Nancy for borrowing her to me!

Customer Photos make my day!

Check out these 2 beauties! Yep, some la*tee*da*kids apron skirts made it to Egypt in front of a pyramid and even with a Sphynx. Okay, so the cutest part of the picture might be that lil belly you just want to reach through your screen to grab, I totally agree. They are both so stinkin' cute and it made my day to see this. Gotta love those rainboots too!!! Hhhmmm, what do you think she is thinking??? I'd just love to know. Something about that stance with that head tilt, something good is going through her toddler brain, don't ya think? Oh how I hope to put some more stamps on my passport and get out to see more of the world. For now, stuff like this is pretty cool from folks who live around the globe. Thanks for sharing Jan, your babies are beautiful!!! Photo day tomorrow, can't wait to share a few more things!

Sneak Peek of some new ruffles "Years Gone By"

I know I've said it a few times, but I'll say it just one more, I love this Darla line of fabric from Tanya Whelan. I also loved the Mediterranean line when it came out from the Gap. Gap's color scheme was a bold combination of navy, white and green. I thought it'd be fun to pull out the kelly green swing top they remade this year, and create some la*tee*da*kids custom, old fashioned floral ruffles to pair with the top. This print just reminds me of the years gone by so that's what they'll be called. Just add a cute kid and I think it's a winning combination! We're trying to get some photos and will be adding them to my Etsy store soon. Keep checking back to my blog, I've got a giveaway I'm planning for mailing list subscribers. stay tuned!

Back home, now back to reality!

Hubby and I had a nice little getaway to Mexico where the sun always seems to shine and the water is crystal blue. We're both refreshed and getting back into gear this week. I dove straight into what any Mom would start with, the mountain of laundry that I had waiting here from the kids and then the stuff I brought home. Man, 5 people sure can generate some dirty clothes! I may never get to leave my laundry room this week! Now onto fun stuff. My machines were both at the mechanic getting their annual tune-up. They think I'm so disciplined since I bring them in yearly at the same time just like I'm told. Truth be known, we go out of town same time every year so it's the one time I feel like I can be without them and they deserve a little R&R too right! The sewing machines are home, I'm home, lots of new orders came in and I'm ready to get cracking. Thank you to those that share your photos, it sure does make my day to get those in my inbox. I can't wait to make some new things for some new moms that have found me along the way who have chosen to dress their girls in a few of my pieces. I'm getting back to it this week so hopefully will have things heading out on their way soon! I've also got my eye on some new fabric prints, ooohhh are they pretty! Sure do want some time to play around with that stuff too!

A fun little video courtesy of Scott!

How much fun is this? My creative juices are certainly fed when someone combines their talent with my own craft. This sort of feels like a mini commercial for La*tee*da*kids. Scott made this short video for me and I just love it. YOU HAVE TO CLICK on the picture shown below of Olivia looking cute in her cowgirl boots and the Olivia dress and you'll be directed to the short music video. The music is the perfect compliment as well. Check it out, what do you think? New designs coming soon!

Tanya Whelan is all kinds of awesome

The average person might respond, "and who exactly is that?" Well, in my world, she happens to be the brains behind the fabric designs that are always amongst my faves when choosing! I submitted some of my designs using her latest collection and she's got them up on her blog right now, check 'em out HERE. It was a great feeling to see the girls and my designs on her page. I truly love what I do, now just crossing my fingers the CPSIA doesn't mess it all up. If you haven't heard of the new legislation. I won't bore you with details. You can click and read if ya like and even go one step further and complain to your congressman like I and millions of others have!

I am just focusing on today for now. It's all that's within my control and accepting orders as they come in. I did a different version for a customer the other day in Tanya's fabric. I adore how it came out, take a peek HERE. This little girl who will get this set turns 2 on Valentine's Day. Her mom and Dad decided on a set I've made but we did it in blue. I can't wait to see her wearing it! I love when you send me your ideas and we get to collaborate on an outfit. It makes it that much more fun! If you'd like to join my mailing list, you can find it in the right hand column of my blog. Join today and I will maintain contact with my list members moving forward. Bravenet will send you a confirmation email to ensure you haven't been randomly added to the list. You MUST click this or you have not joined. Don't see it? check your spam folder, it's probably there. I've even got a little incentive, a GIVEAWAY! My dear friend Amy of Hill Country Charm on Etsy makes these gorgeous necklaces. The kind that are special and always have people stop and ask you about it. Yep, we're gonna give one away so sign up :) I've got more giveaways planned down the road as well so stay tuned!

It really does take a village

and with tremendous support from my family and friends, 2009 is off to a fantastic start. I have to say a big thank you to all those around who have let me borrow their little girls. They are a super fun crowd to work with whose energy I'm envious of! I've got lots of new things being sent to my Etsy store and staying busy busy busy. Good busy though, like adrenaline, heart pumping busy! I love when you all share photographs of your little ones. Keep 'em coming, they make my day! It's amazing to see your portraits, your vacations or just plain ole candids wearing something I've made. I had a super experience a few weeks ago working with Scott from Scott Stater Photography Scott is a photographer here in Austin in the same Steiner Ranch area that we live in. Check him out. He tackled taking photos of a few pieces from my Spring line with the pint sized crowd. Their collective ages were under 21 so you can imagine the fun herding this crew. They were all phenomenal and all tolerated the high winds we were given that day. These little beauties have to try hard to take a bad photo and even then, I don't think you could find one! The pictures you see here are from my Spring MACY collection of mix and match pieces.

The #1 question I get from people is "How does your sizing run?" To answer that, that's the best part of custom clothing. For example, if you purchase something and let me know that your daughter is a 5 in length but teeny tiny through her waist, we can make something the length of a 5 but size it slimmer through the waist. If you have a child who has shorty pie legs and you know where you prefer their capris to hit, we can always modify the lengths to your preferences! My pieces generally come as one size fits most but we can tweak things here and there for you! Click on any photo to enlarge. I have them come and go from my Etsy store. As items get purchased, I will attempt to add them back when time permits. This might be my favorite line of fabrics I've ever used. It has such a feminine feel with floral prints that remind me of the days gone by, a simpler world, and a place I'd like to be :)

What a wonderful day

How on earth do these photos relate? They could be the start of a story board for my day. Yesterday was a day where I didn't complete a single task. Just spent the entire day enjoying all the folks I have the pleasure of interacting with on a near day to day basis! I had a birthday and started the last year of my 30's. oh boy⁄!! It was certainly a day to remember. I started the day connecting up with my coffee Moms. To my surprise, they got crafty on me and greeted me with t-shirts that read Debbie Rocks and a big ole birthday cake. Now tell me that doesn't feel awesome! Stayed for some cake, coffee, chatter and even Happy Birthday in Spanish by little Trey. priceless! Scooted out later that same day to meet my neighbors for lunch. The schemed a covert operation and got in touch with some other friends and we had a great group for lunch. Mother nature was on our side and we had 80 degrees in January. It called for Mexican food and Mojitos at noon coupled with more girl chatter and that ain't too shabby either! My spouse is out of town for work so I figure the fun is gonna end there, and that's fair enough, it's been an awesome day. My kids come home and my girls had both made me cards and my younger daughter had her whole class sign it. Very special! I have the pleasure of reading with them each week, have slowly gotten to know them. They are all just adorable. They ended dinner by scooting me out of the kitchen and told me to wait as they wanted to make me dessert. They piled in the ice cream, the chocolate syrup along with a skinny cow! Almost seems like ordering the diet coke with your Big Mac and fries! They sang Happy Birthday as well and it was just the perfect ending to the day. You just can't beat having great girlfriends and kids! The bonus part is the hubby was out of town so he gets to celebrate it with me all over again this weekend. No cooking for this gal :)