Photography Heaven

I don't know if I have mentioned on the blog before but my baby sister is getting married this summer. When she got engaged I had a mini mid life crisis. She is ten years younger then me and there is no one in between us.

I remember holding her as a tiny baby thinking about her wedding day. I wanted to make sure to get a photo session in even though she has an officially photographer

(Oddly enough I some how didn't think I could handle shooting a wedding I am part of 8 months preggers and with 3 cuties on my own ha!) One of the things I have absolutely loved about being back in the states is the overwhelming amount of amazing locations to do photo shoots.

Every where I look there are little "hidden" spots that are perfect for photos.

I talked her into donning a retro outfit I put together and after some convincing got her fiance to go with it. We used the red suit case that our mom brought with her from Ireland when she moved her to marry my dad.

When I told them where I was taking them I think they thought I was a little crazy. I described it as the "McDonalds parking lot by my in-laws house". We both drove the '68 Volkswagen beetle in high school so I thought it would be fun to incorporate it.

We had to do some funny ones

Since her fiance is quiet the jokester

It was a fun shoot and it was nice that they already had their official engagements so there was literally nothing to have but a good time :)

In other photography new Evie is turning two soon and I wanted to get some shots for her birthday invite. I made her a dress using the easy peasy Sweet Dress pattern.

I quilted together a bunch of fun fabrics to make it since I couldn't decide on just one.

I made her some ruffly leggings using some tiny remnants of ruffle fabric.

Of course it involved a cupcake bribe.

There are soooo many cupcake stores here it is crazy! Evie started doing this new thing when I tell her to smile. She simply tips her head the side and stares at me. It is hilarious.

I am pretty excited to celebrate and cannot believe how fast she is growing up!!

Celebrating and the BIG project

I hope you all have had as lovely a Fourth of July as we did!

We were able to swell with patriotism along side some of our old neighbors

and the wonderful family we were staying with.

and literally SHOVE yummy food into our mouths

The twins in the Cul de Sac had motorized Vespas.

Evie wanted to make sure Lola obeyed all helmet laws.

She was absolutely convinced this was the correct way to wear a helmet

We are lucky to have neighbors who own a party planning company so they go *wild* when it comes to fireworks. .

We got into our perspective positions

Finn apparently likes his space

When the fireworks started Finn freaked out with excitement

While Lola started crying and Evie rushed to comfort her.

Since the American Independence day is my favorite holiday it was a lovely way to spend the last evening with Daddy before he headed back to Timor

I am currently up to my elbows in various projects. One in particular is REALLY big and I am pretty excited to share. This weekend it is going to be completely tackled and I am hoping to share pics the beginning of the week. Ohhh I am so excited! Enjoy your weekend!

Reversible Summer Tunic

While things here are still a but crazy house wise (as in lots of bouncing around and a new found appreciation for packing super light ha!) I am glad I had been asked by the lovely ladies at I Candy Handmade to participate in their wicked adorable series of summer sundresses! If you haven't checked out some of the amazing tutorials you need to hope over right NOW and see all the yummy inspiration. I have been mulling the idea for this sundress over in my head forever.

I would lay down at night and work through how to make it and make it as simple as possible. I wanted it to be reversible and that took some serious thinking.

By the time I got my hands on a borrowed sewing machine I had it all worked out. I wanted to make them for Ruby and Lola our friends little girls who I have bluntly informed Sawyer and Finn they will be marrying (they also have an adroable little boy for Evie!).

We have been staying with thtem for the past two weeks and just absolutely adore them. This dress is made in 12 simple steps and needs no pattern! You can switch up the length and wear it as a tunic like Ruby:

Or lengthen it and make the back the front for a tunic dress like Lola:

I was so excited to do a photoshoot in front of this "abandoned ice cream trailer" that just showed up magically a few days ago right down the street.


It was kind of photographicllly frustrating though because I know a better photographer could do something amazing with it, I just didn't really know how to do it myself. Time for more classes! We had a blast making their over the top headbands.

Once we got to the farm we were taking the kiddos to that day they came right off ha!

 Anyway, if you would like to make the tunic simply click below and follow the simple steps.

If nothing else hop on over to I Candy Handmade and have a feast for your eyes!!

The Wandering

Two posts in one day?!? That's what happens when you have been out of the game. Don't worry a tut is coming soon. I about keeled over when I walked into my favorite fabric store yesterday. The ladies actually asked me if I was okay as I stood there, hands on preggy belly, wide eyed and a bit off balance. I just couldn't take it all in ha! But before I can share a tutorial we have to find a place to live. We had a wonderful house all set up but upon arrival in the states found out some disconcerting things about it and now find ourselves without a home. This makes blogging particularly difficult as my Mac desktop is still in the suitcase (yup, I brought my desktop all the way from Timor in one of my checked bags... if I couldn't bring the sewing machine the computer was the next best thing ha!)and I can't set up sewing shop. We have been scrambling like crazy trying to find somewhere for us to play house for the next six months before Chris leaves to go back to Timor on Tuesday. Add into that my turning 30 and a HUGE family photo shoot and well, life is just beyond crazy. I am so grateful for amazing friends who have let our suitcases and children basically over run their basement while we are searching. If anyone has a great place in Draper, UT shoot me an email, I promise the cuties won't color on too many of the walls :) Oh and I had to share this one shot I randomly snapped during our shoot.

Getting a family of 37 to look good in pictures meant a theme. We went with blacks, grays and white with a touch of red. I was so excited when I found Finn some red converse high tops and painted Evie's toes while she was zonked in the car ha! She laughed hysterically when she woke up and saw them. I am dying to see what Nicole and Leah captured.

The Donation

*This is the first time in two weeks I have hoped onto the site or checked email. Traveling back to the states and getting settled with a family of five is no easy feat. I will be replying to emails as quickly as possible trying to catch up. Thank you for your patience in waiting for a response as I have over 350 emails... wow.*

**I am so sorry for the mix up with the Toe The Line Pictures. I don't really know what happened but I went back through and think I fixed it!**

It has been an incredible two weeks traveling back to the states it has been full of adventure. I wanted to make sure before I jump back into blogging and sharing tutorials I share one of the last amazing experiences I had in Timor. It will be one year tomorrow that I started Sewing In No Mans Land. I cannot believe how fast that year has gone and how much I have come to love connecting with people all over the world and sharing tutorials. I also have been floored by the number of packages and letters I received. I am overwhelmed with gratitude and was so inspired by the generosity of so many. I wanted to make sure that this generosity was paid forward. As I was packing I went through all my fabric and unless I had a specific project in mind I organized it and sorted it to go to the few different sewing schools in Dili.

At one of the schools the head nun would not believe me that I was simply giving them the fabric. She kept asking "for free?"

It was so fun seeing the young girls go through and discuss what they were going to make with it.

An American medical ship was going to arrive shortly in Timor and with it they were bringing sewing machines to donate, but this particular school seemed to have plenty of machines that didn't require electricity, a factor I hadn't really thought of previously.

A lot of the types of fabric the girls had never seen anything like it. They asked me what they should use some of it for and it was fun offering suggestions. It was hilarious how giggly the girls were, you could just feel their excitement. I was lucky enough to go to two other locations and share even more fabric. At one there was a very talented young man. I was bummed I didn't bring my camera. It was so incredible watching him sew.His precision and speed on these old manually powered sewing machine was totally inspiring. All of these schools seem to also have small restaurants attached to them. These lovely old ladies were outside of one sifting rice. She gave me such a gorgeous smile I had to ask to take a picture.

I have been so blessed this past 18 months. When I think about it I am overcome by emotion. I cannot thank you enough for reading and coming on this journey with me. I hope to continue to share some of the experiences I had in Timor that I have kept personal previously. I am also thrilled to be starting our new adventure and getting ready for Paris. What a crazy juxtaposition right?  Can't wait to share more!