Laura is SEW talented!

So, I took some pictures of a friend's sweetheart little boy last September and our deal was that if I would photograph, she would smock something for the Lollypop girl.  Awesome deal!  I lurve a good barter.  Especially because I don't photograph for money.  It's not my business.  It's a hobby that I enjoy and at which I just want to get better!

J - post session.  How smoochable are those little 3 year old lips?

So, excitedly, I look through patterns, I try to make decisions about what Lollypop needs, etc.  And this that and the other gets in the way, and I forget.  And then I put it off.  And then I forget again.  And on and on, until Laura finally realizes that she can't pin me down to anything.  (Which is a real shame on my part, because you should see the smocking that she creates.  It is beautiful!)  So, realizing the levels of my inability to make a choice, she takes matters into her own hands, gets BOTH my girls' sizes and whips them up two of THE cutest dresses!  I am so grateful!

How stinkin' cute is this dress?  Love me some orange on little ones.

I love these dresses!  Poodle's is exactly like Lollypop's, but I haven't had a chance to get them both in them AND get the pictures.  That requires more coordination on my part than I have been able to summon up these days.

There are so many things to *LIKE* about these dresses.  First, the colors are so fun.  And so pretty on little girls, right?  So fun and happy for summertime!  (Although how cute will these be with a turtleneck underneath, during the cooler months.  Breath of fresh air clothing!)  And the little pocket in front is just precious.  It's unexpected, but just the right touch!

Sweet, sweet A-line type of dress, but with a simple, lovely collar.  And then there's the little flair'y ruffle at the bottom.  It's not too busy, not too fussy.  It just makes it girly and sweet!

Oh no!  She's sitting on the ground!  No worries.  The fabric can take it.

Now.  Here are the things that mean a LOT to moms like me.  The fabric, while adorable and precious to look at, is DURABLE.  It's a precious fabric that can withstand toddlers and dancing 7 year olds alike, whether they're sitting on the front walk or tousling with the Yellow Lab.  It washes and dries beautifully.  It's lined with a nice soft fabric.  There is an obvious quality that just quietly says "I'll be around for a long time.  No worries Mommy!"

One perfectly positioned snap!

Here's another thing I love.  There is one, simple, cute, perfectly-sized snap on the back.  Not a series of teeny tiny buttons that make getting a squirmy toddler ready on Sunday morning an exercise in parental gymnastics.  Not that I don't appreciate the work that goes into lovely buttons and buttonholes.  I do, truly.  But they are something of a headache when your fingers are feeling clumsy!

And the placket (is that the right term?), or the fabric that is on the "inside of the snap area" (I obviously know zip about sewing.  Please forgive me.), is a different fabric that coordinates beautifully with the main dress fabric.  I didn't get a good picture of it, but it's the same sweet blue, but with tiny white polka dots.  If you look closely, that same bit of fabric is repeated at the top of the pocket.  It's little details like this that make a dress special!

So excited about her dress!

Oh, thank you so much Laura!!!  Your things are adorable and of true quality!  You SO should sell your wares.  I know, I know...  You're like me and you have zero free time for this kind of thing.  But if someone adds a few extra hours to the day, I know how you should fill them.  AND, I'm ready to take more pictures of your cute kids if you're up for it!  :-D