Made for Mermaids and Patterns for Pirates- Sew What Do I Wear- Vacation Edition

Hello, lovely readers! Thank you for joining me for my stop on the Made for Mermaids and Patterns for Pirates, "Sew What Do I Wear- Vacation Edition" Blog Tour!

My summer plans include a big family cruise to the Caribbean! Grandparents, sisters, borthers, cousins and nieces and nephews- Woohoo! That means that I need a wardrobe full of fun, summery clothing to wear poolside, formal dinners, port excursions and more! Plus, Missy need some fun cruise wear, too!

Let's "dive" right into what I sewed up for the tour/cruise! (pun, intended ;-)

First, I sewed up the Made for Mermaids, Mama Lea Dolman Top. The Mama Lea Dolman pattern is one of my favorites! If you remember, I sewed up a maxi version in red for my stop on the Made for Mermaids and Patterns for Pirates, "Sew What Do I Wear- Valentine's Edition" Blog Tour back in February. I really like the Mama Lea Dolman pattern, can you tell?? This versatile, flattering pattern uses minimal fabric, has no set-in sleeves (thus, no extra pattern piece to print and assemble) and is a breeze to sew up. Speaking of fabric, I used this fun "anchor" fabric from Birch Fabrics, purchased online from Punkin Head Threads. I sewed up a size "pink," top version modified slightly for my height (5'-0"). Tell me this top doesn't scream, "CRUISE!"?!

Made for Mermaids- Mama Lea Dolman Top and 

Patterns for Pirates- Cross Your Heart Cami

Next, to jazz up my Made for Mermaids, Mama Lea Dolman Top, I sewed up a Cross Your Heart Cami by Patterns for Pirates. This was my first time sewing up the Cross Your Hear Cropped Cami. While I love most Patterns for Pirates patterns, this particular pattern intimidated me because of ALL.THAT.DARN.KNIT.BINDING!! If you sew, you know what I'm talking about! ;) However, once I started sewing and following through the tutorial, I had nothing to fear- designer Judy holds your hand and walks you through each step with pictures, tips and "how-to." For reference, I sewed up a size small, b cup, high front X, low back X (not shown) cropped cami. I have to say, the fit is spot-on- snug in all the right places, flattering in all the rest! The navy cotton lycra fabric was purchased online from my favorite source to get solid-colored knits, Purpleseamstress Fabrics.

Made for Mermaids- Mama Lea Dolman Top and 

Patterns for Pirates- Cross Your Heart Cami- DETAIL

Now, as an avid cruiser, I know that there will be some formal nights on my upcoming cruise- two to be exact. I sewed up this Mama Isabel during testing awhile back but it's always been a touch too low to wear without a cami for my comfort level. Patterns for Pirates, Cross Your Heart Cami to the rescue! It's just perfect for keeping things modest, yet fun! So, whether you dress up the Patterns for Pirates Cross Your Heart Cami for formal night, or dress it down for day wear, you simply can't go wrong!

Made for Mermaids- Mama Isabel Wrap Dress and 

Patterns for Pirates- Cross Your Heart Cami

Made for Mermaids- Mama Isabel Wrap Dress and 

Patterns for Pirates- Cross Your Heart Cami- DETAIL

Now onto Missy's cruise wardrobe....!

First, I sewed up this fun, summery Made for Mermaids Sommer Dress. This is a size seven, knit empire bodice, woven skirt dress length with the following modifications- a) Instead of fixed straps, I just lengthened the single strap option and tied them in the back, halter style (or, as Missy refers to it as, "Neck Tie."). b) I subtracted and inch and half from the bottom hem of the dress length and added a small one inch ruffle. 

Made for Mermaids- Sommer Dress (modified halter ties)

I want to take a moment to talk about the skirt fabric for this dress. My parents recently moved/retired and through the course of their packing/unpacking, my mother came across a tropical batik print sarong that she had gotten on one of her own travels to the Caribbean. Thinking that I could create something out of the rectangle of fabric, she mailed the fabric to me. I, in turn, thought it would be fun to make something to wear on our family cruise (so my mother could see my new creation out of her old sarong). Mission, accomplished! ;)

Made for Mermaids- Sommer Dress (modified halter ties)- DETAIL

Made for Mermaids- Sommer Dress (modified halter ties)- BACK

Last but not least, here is my final sew for the blog tour- another Made for Mermaids Sommer Top (bathing suit hack) and Bonny Shorties. Both items are size seven. This Sommer Top is empire waist, sewn in swim fabric, double straps, bodice ruffle. I modified as follows- a) I lengthened the back bodice piece to hit my daughter at high hip. b) I but the front top skirt to be 1.5x the width of the bottom bodice width (resulting in a slightly gathered front skirt) c) I cut two bodice ruffles- one of which was 1/2" shorter than the pattern-specified height d) I added swim elastic to all straps and where the bodice and skirt meet. All spf 50 fabric was purchased from Peek-A-Boo Pattern shop, last year. Girlfriend is ready for to CRUISE!

Made for Mermaids- Sommer Top (bathing suit hack) and Bonny Shorties

Made for Mermaids- Sommer Top (bathing suit hack)- DETAIL

Made for Mermaids- Sommer Top (bathing suit hack) and Bonny Shorties- BACK

Made for Mermaids- Sommer Top (bathing suit hack)- DETAIL

I still plan to add a couple more items to our cruise wardrobe, but this definitely helped me get a jump start! After all of the sewing included in this blog post alone, I think I deserve a vacation..... say, how about a nice, CRUISE vacation....? ! ;-) Bon Voyage!

***Disclosure: "I received a free pattern in order to review this pattern for Made for Mermaids. The opinions expressed here are my own."***

****This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small percentage of the sale.****

All Roads Lead to Hershey... A Mini Tinkey Family Reunion

The Tinkey/Jones/Coyle Clan

July 31, 2016

This past weekend, my side of the family all got together for a mini family reunion in Spring Run, PA (we're talking RURAL PA!). One of my father's first churches, Upper Path Valley Presbyterian Church, was celebrating their 250th year anniversary and Dad was invited back to guest preach. 

Soo.... Mom and Dad came up from FL, Josh and family came over from Philly, Hope and Family came over from Pittsburgh and we came up from NC... #miracle! The last time we were all together in the same place was when we celebrated Thanksgiving in NC (and little Maggie Pie wasn't even born, yet!). It was extra special to be able to spend some time together!

Thanksgiving 2014

The day after Dad preached, most of the family spent the day at Hershey Park. Rides, Chocolate, Family and Fun... doesn't get much better than that...!!

Katy measured right in between a Reese's and a Hershey Bar. So, we had to take a picture with both.... ;-)

 

Katy and cousin Kayla had fun living it up on the rides! They even got to go on the Super Dooper Looper! #wildgirls #nofear

Kisses and Katy! XOXOXO

Carowinds

So, we decided to do something a little different, this summer... we decided to get get season passes to Carowinds! It only took us almost ten years of living in NC to finally visit the Carolina theme park!

We spent most of the day in Planet Snoopy and Lil' Miss had a blast!! We got to ride lots of rides and the lines were not as long as I had anticipated (being Memorial Day, and all). Katy is already talking about, "...the next time we go...!"

Cookies with Snoopy

Bear Hug for Snoopy

Boat Ride

Daddy/Katy selfie

Mommy/Daddy selfie

 Sally

And, of course, SNOOPY!

I guess you can officially call us "Southern." Hehehe..!

Congratulations, Christa and Paul!

Flower Girl Extraordinaire!

White, frilly dress... peep-toe, sparkly high "heel" shoes.... Lil' Miss was in HEAVEN!!

A matching dress for Samantha!!

Katy was just a *wee* bit excited to be a Flower Girl!!

The beautiful Bride and the Flower Girl!

This past weekend, we traveled up to Pennsylvania for my cousin, Christa's wedding. As with all Petruzzi family weddings, there was lots of laughter, GREAT food (When the father of the bride is a chef, there are some HIGH reception dinner expectations....!!!) and general, overall silliness and fun! As one of my other cousin's plus one noted, "...wedding, holiday, funeral or, sporting event.... they pretty much have the same people and the same food involved!!" HA!! I must admit, he did have a point....

It was definitely a fun weekend and we were definitely WELL fed, all weekend long!! Both Ted and I agree that it was the BEST food we've ever had (or will have) at a wedding. Rehearsal dinner, alone, included lots of Italian favorites- meatballs, caprese salad and my personal favorite, eggplant! The reception dinner did not disappoint- between the raw bar, the butlered horderves and the prime rib duet dinner- we ate quite well!

However, this wedding held special significance because Katy was the FLOWER GIRL!! White, frilly dress with layers and layers of tulle.... a dream come true for Lil' Miss!! I'll let  the pictures speak for themselves, but I will say that Katy tossed the petals with viver and thoroughly enjoyed dancing the night away!!We all had a great time!

Congratulations, Christa and Paul!!! Thank you so much for including Katy in your special celebration!! We wish you a lifetime of happiness, laughter and love!

**As a special sidenote, 30 years ago, I was the flower girl for my uncle and aunt's wedding- Christa's parents. That's me on the left in 1985 (slightly younger than Lil' Miss is, now)  and Katy on the right, May 2, 2015. :-)**

***Edited 5/13/15- Here's a link to photographer Sarah Rachel Photography's gorgeous pictures of the wedding! She included some pretty cute candids of our Lil' Miss!***

Wordless Wednesday- Pinata Out-take

The Polar Express

"All Aboard," the conductor cried out. I ran up to him.

"Well," he said, "are you coming?"

"Where?" I asked.

"Why, to the North Pole, of course," was his answer. "This is the Polar Express." I took his outstretched hand and he pulled me aboard."

"The train was filled with other children, all in their pajamas and nightgowns We sang Christmas carols and ate candies with nougat centers as white as snow.... "

(Impressive wait staff antics on the moving, bumpy train!)

"We drank hot cocoa as thick and rich as melted chocolate bars. Outside, the lights of towns and villages flickered in the distance as the Polar Express raced northward."

"But the one thing I wanted most for Christmas was not inside Santa's giant bag. What I wanted more than anything was one silver bell from Santa's sleigh. When I asked, Santa smiled. Then, he gave me a hug and told the elf to cut a bell from the reindeer's harness. The elf tossed it up to Santa. He stood, holding the bell high above him, and called out, "The first gift of Christmas!"

"At one time most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them....the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe."

**Quoted from The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg.**

Disney Cruise Line, Very Merrytime Cruise- Gingerbread House

(Oops! I forgot to post this series of pictures from our recent Disney cruise!!)

Katy in front of the life-size Gingerbread House, on the Disney Magic.

A girl and her Gingerbread house creation (Lil' Miss decorated it all by herself!).

"Nom, nom, nom.... me love Gingerbread house!"

(Caught her red-handed, taking a big ol' bite out of the roof!)

Disney Cruise Line, Very Merrytime Cruise- Then and Now

 

Castaway Cay, Bahamas, December 2012

Castaway Cay, Bahamas, December 2014

Disney Cruise Line, Very Merrytime Cruise- Around the Ship

"There was lots to do around the ship on our recent Disney Cruise Line, Very Merrytime Cruise."

"First off, we sailed away to a jammin', Disney Sail Away party- complete with streamers and music and Disney Characters!"

"Cheese! We are happy to be on vacation!!"

"Captain Mickey at the helm!"

"The kids' area, called Oceaner's Club, was my favorite part of the cruise. Here I am in Pixie Hollow, creating a fairy. Just like Tinkerbell!"

"On the first night, our servers folded up these funny napkin hats for us to try on. Daddy is Pluto and I am Princess Jasmine."

"Happy (belated) Birthday, Mommy!"

 

"Mommy, Daddy and I participated in the 'Anyone can cook' cooking series in the Oceaner's Lab. The theme of our cooking session was 'Sea is for Cookie.'"

"Chocolate face!"

"We enjoyed beautiful weather on Disney's own Island, Castaway Cay. I swam in the ocean and played in the sand."

"This was our first time sailing on the Disney Magic cruise ship."

"Mrs. Claus even made an appearance! She read us 'The Night Before Christmas' and told us all to be good little boys and girls."

"While everybody else got off the ship at Grand Cayman, I enjoyed the kiddie pool and splash pad (almost) all to myself!"

"24/7 ice cream is my kind of cruising! A big thumbs up!"

"Did you know that you can request princess bedsheets (opposed to plain white) while on a Disney Cruise?! You can!! I really enjoyed seeing all the different towel art animals our room host came up with, each night."

"Our servers, Gusti and Jaipthe were the BEST!! Every night, they had a plate of raw onions waiting for me, at dinnertime. Every night, Gusti brought me chocolate desserts. Yum!!"

"Whew!! Cruising is exhausting! I had so much fun!"